bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Fine-Grained Individual Air Quality Index (IAQI) Prediction Based on Spatial-Temporal Causal Convolution Network: A Case Study of Shanghai
Authors: Liu Xiliang , Zhao Junjie , Lin Shaofu , Li Jianqiang , Wang Shaohua , Zhang Yumin , Gao Yuyao , Chai Jinchuan
Published: June 2022

Accurate and fine-grained individual air quality index (IAQI) prediction is the basis of air quality index (AQI), which is of great significance for air quality control and human health. Traditional approaches, such as time series, recurrent neural network or graph convolutional network, cannot effectively integrate spatial-temporal and meteorological factors and manage the dynamic edge relationship among scattered monitoring stations. In this paper, a ST-CCN-IAQI model is proposed based on spatial-temporal causal convolution networks. Both the spatial effects of multi-source air pollutants and meteorological factors were considered via spatial attention mechanism. Time-dependent features in the causal convolution network were extracted by stacked dilated convolution and time attention. All the hyper-parameters in ST-CCN-IAQI were tuned by Bayesian optimization. Shanghai air monitoring station data were employed with a series of baselines (AR, MA, ARMA, ANN, SVR, GRU, LSTM and ST-GCN). Final results showed that: (1) For a single station, the RMSE and MAE values of ST-CCN-IAQI were 9.873 and 7.469, decreasing by 24.95% and 16.87% on average, respectively. R2 was 0.917, with an average 5.69% improvement; (2) For all nine stations, the mean RMSE and MAE of ST-CCN-IAQI were 9.849 and 7.527, respectively, and the R2 value was 0.906. (3) Shapley analysis showed PM10, humidity and NO2 were the most influencing factors in ST-CCN-IAQI. The Friedman test, under different resampling, further confirmed the advantage of ST-CCN-IAQI. The ST-CCN-IAQI provides a promising direction for fine-grained IAQI prediction.
Classification of Pummelo (Citrus grandis) Extracts through UV-VIS-Based Chemical Fingerprint
Authors: Petretto Giacomo Luigi , Di Pietro Maria Enrica , Piroddi Marzia , Pintore Giorgio , Mannu Alberto
Published: June 2022

Cold extraction methods with ethanol applied to the flavedo of Citrus fruits have been commonly applied for the preparation of several liquors. In order to obtain the extraction optimization and then the best ratio of functional ingredients in the extract, the flavedo of Citrus grandis Osbeck (pummelo) was subjected to a maceration with absolute ethanol at room temperature as well as at 40 °C. The kinetics of the extraction methods were monitored by UV–VIS spectroscopy, and a chemical fingerprint characteristic of each extract was determined by statistical multivariate analysis of the UV–VIS raw data. Additionally, the extracts were qualitatively characterized by NMR spectroscopy as well as by solid phase micro extraction followed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). NMR analysis confirmed the presence of the typical flavanones of Citrus such as naringin and naringenin, while the GC/MS analysis showed that the headspace of the liquor is characterized by two main compounds represented by β-myrcene and limonene. At the end, the temperature seems to not affect the time of extraction, which is complete after 25 h; however, UV–VIS-based multivariate analysis revealed that a different overall chemical composition is obtained depending on the temperature, probably due to the extraction of minor chemicals as well as due to different levels of the same compounds in the two extracts.
Complement Factor H and Related Proteins as Markers of Cardiovascular Risk in Pediatric Chronic Kidney Disease
Authors: Liao Wei-Ting , Chen Wei-Ling , Tain You-Lin , Hsu Chien-Ning
Published: June 2022

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the main cause of mortality among chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients, both in adults and in children. Hypertension is one of the risk factors of CVD. For early detection of subclinical CVD in pediatric CKD, 24 h ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM), cardiosonography, and arterial stiffness assessment were evaluated. CAKUT (congenital anomalies of the kidney and urinary tract) are the main etiologies of pediatric CKD. Previously, by a proteomic approach, we identified complement factor H (CFH) and related proteins differentially expressed between children with CAKUT and non-CAKUT CKD. In this study, we aimed to evaluate whether CFH, CFH-related protein-2 (CFHR2), and CFH-related protein-3 (CFHR3) were related to CVD risk in children with CKD. This study included 102 subjects aged 6 to 18 years old. The non-CAKUT group had higher plasma CFHR3 levels than the CAKUT group (p = 0.046). CFHR3 was negatively correlated with LV mass (p = 0.009). CFHR2 was higher in children with CKD with 24 h hypertension in the ABPM profile (p < 0.05). In addition, children with non-CAKUT CKD with day-time hypertension (p = 0.036) and increased BP load (p = 0.018) displayed a lower plasma CFHR3 level. Our results highlight that CFH and related proteins play a role for CVD in children with CKD. Early assessment of CFH, CFHR2, and CFHR3 may have clinical utility in discriminating CV risk in children with CKD with different etiologies.
Reversal of CSF HIV-1 Escape during Treatment of HIV-Associated Cryptococcal Meningitis in Botswana
Authors: Kelentse Nametso , Moyo Sikhulile , Molebatsi Kesaobaka , Morerinyane Olorato , Bitsang Shatho , Bareng Ontlametse T. , Lechiile Kwana , Leeme Tshepo B. , Lawrence David S. , Kasvosve Ishmael , Musonda Rosemary , Mosepele Mosepele , Harrison Thomas S. , Jarvis Joseph N. , Gaseitsiwe Simani
Published: June 2022

Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) viral escape has been poorly described among people with HIV-associated cryptococcal meningitis. We determined the prevalence of CSF viral escape and HIV-1 viral load (VL) trajectories in individuals treated for HIV-associated cryptococcal meningitis. A retrospective longitudinal study was performed using paired CSF and plasma collected prior to and during the antifungal treatment of 83 participants recruited at the Botswana site of the phase-3 AMBITION-cm trial (2018–2021). HIV-1 RNA levels were quantified then CSF viral escape (CSF HIV-1 RNA ≥ 0.5 log10 higher than plasma) and HIV-1 VL trajectories were assessed. CSF viral escape occurred in 20/62 (32.3%; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 21.9–44.6%), 13/52 (25.0%; 95% CI: 15.2–38.2%) and 1/33 (3.0%; 95% CI: 0.16–15.3%) participants at days 1, 7 and 14 respectively. CSF viral escape was significantly lower on day 14 compared to days 1 and 7, p = 0.003 and p = 0.02, respectively. HIV-1 VL decreased significantly from day 1 to day 14 post antifungal therapy in the CSF but not in the plasma (β = −0.47; 95% CI: −0.69 to −0.25; p < 0.001). CSF viral escape is high among individuals presenting with HIV-associated cryptococcal meningitis; however, antifungal therapy may reverse this, highlighting the importance of rapid initiation of antifungal therapy in these patients.
The Usefulness of Adaptative Radiotherapy in Prostate Cancer: How, When, and Who?
Authors: Muelas-Soria Rodrigo , García-Mollá Rafael , Morillo-Macías Virginia , Bonaque-Alandí Jorge , Sorribes-Carreras Patricia , García-Piñón Francisco , Ferrer-Albiach Carlos
Published: June 2022

The aim of this study was to develop a deformable image registration (DIR)-based offline ART protocol capable of identifying significant dosimetric changes in the first treatment fractions to determine when adaptive replanning is needed. A total of 240 images (24 planning CT (pCT) and 216 kilovoltage cone-beam CT (CBCT)) were prospectively acquired from 24 patients with prostate adenocarcinoma during the first three weeks of their treatment (76 Gy in 38 fractions). This set of images was used to plan a hypofractionated virtual treatment (57.3 Gy in 15 fractions); correlation with the DIR of pCT and each CBCT allowed to translate planned doses to each CBCT, and finally mapped back to the pCT to compare with those actually administered. In 37.5% of patients, doses administered in 50% of the rectum (D50) would have exceeded the dose limitation to 50% of the rectum (R50). We first observed a significant variation of the planned rectal volume in the CBCTs of fractions 1, 3, and 5. Then, we found a significant relationship between the D50 accumulated in fractions 1, 3, and 5 and the lack of compliance with the R50. Finally, we found that a D50 variation rate [100 × (administered D50 − planned D50/planned D50)] > 1% in fraction three can reliably identify variations in administered doses that will lead to exceeding rectal dose constraint.
Alkaline Phosphatase Electrochemical Micro-Sensor Based on 3D Graphene Networks for the Monitoring of Osteoblast Activity
Authors: Zhao Ning , Shi Jiaci , Li Ming , Xu Pengcheng , Wang Xuefeng , Li Xinxin
Published: June 2022

Alkaline phosphatase (ALP) is a significant biomarker that indicates osteoblast activity and skeletal growth. Efficient ALP detection methods are essential in drug development and clinical diagnosis. In this work, we developed an in-situ synthesized three-dimensional graphene networks (3DGNs)-based electrochemical sensor to determine ALP activity. The sensor employs an ALP enzymatic conversion of non-electroactive substrate to electroactive product and presents the ALP activity as an electrochemical signal. With 3DGNs as the catalyst and signal amplifier, a sample consumption of 5 μL and an incubation time of 2 min are enough for the sensor to detect a wide ALP activity range from 10 to 10,000 U/L, with a limit of detection of 5.70 U/L. This facile fabricated sensor provides a quick response, cost-effective and non-destructive approach for monitoring living adherent osteoblast cell activity and holds promise for ALP quantification in other biological systems and clinical samples.
Terahertz Metamaterial Sensor for Sensitive Detection of Citrate Salt Solutions
Authors: Deng Xinxin , Shen Yanchun , Liu Bingwei , Song Ziyu , He Xiaoyong , Zhang Qinnan , Ling Dongxiong , Liu Dongfeng , Wei Dongshan
Published: June 2022

Citrate salts (CSs), as one type of organic salts, have been widely used in the food and pharmaceutical industries. Accurate and quantitative detection of CSs in food and medicine is very important for health and safety. In this study, an asymmetric double-opening ring metamaterial sensor is designed, fabricated, and used to detect citrate salts combined with THz spectroscopy. Factors that influence the sensitivity of the metamaterial sensor including the opening positions and the arrangement of the metal opening ring unit, the refraction index and the thickness of the analyte deposited on the metamaterial sensor were analyzed and discussed from electromagnetic simulations and THz spectroscopy measurements. Based on the high sensitivity of the metamaterial sensor to the refractive index of the analyte, six different citrate salt solutions with low concentrations were well identified. Therefore, THz spectroscopy combined with a metamaterials sensor can provide a new, rapid, and accurate detection of citrate salts.
A Low-Cost Device for Measurement of Exhaled Breath for the Detection of Obstructive Lung Disease
Authors: Shahzad Adil Ahmad , Mushtaq Shafaq , Waris Asim , Gilani Syed Omer , Alnuwaiser Maha Abdallah , Jameel Mohammed , Khan Niaz Bahadur
Published: June 2022

Breath sensor technology can be used in medical diagnostics. This study aimed to build a device to measure the level of hydrogen sulfide, ammonia, acetone and alcohol in exhaled breath of patients as well as healthy individuals. The purpose was to determine the efficacy of these gases for detection of obstructive lung disease. This study was conducted on a total of 105 subjects, where 60 subjects were patients of obstructive lung disease and 45 subjects were healthy individuals. Patients were screened by means of the Pulmonary Function Test (PFT) by a pulmonologist. The gases present in the exhaled breath of all subjects were measured. The level of ammonia (32.29 ± 20.83 ppb), (68.83 ± 35.25 ppb), hydrogen sulfide (0.50 ± 0.26 ppm), (62.71 ± 22.20 ppb), and acetone (103.49 ± 35.01 ppb), (0.66 ± 0.31 ppm) in exhaled breath were significantly different (p < 0.05) between obstructive lung disease patients and healthy individuals, except alcohol, with a p-value greater than 0.05. Positive correlation was found between ammonia w.r.t Forced Expiratory Volume in 1 s (FEV1) (r = 0.74), Forced Vital Capacity (FVC) (r = 0.61) and Forced Expiratory Flow (FEF) (r = 0.63) and hydrogen sulfide w.r.t FEV1 (r = 0.54), FVC (r = 0.41) and FEF (r = 0.37). Whereas, weak correlation was found for acetone and alcohol w.r.t FEV1, FVC and PEF. Therefore, the level of ammonia and hydrogen sulfide are useful breath markers for detection of obstructive lung disease.
Ultrasound-Mediated Bioeffects in Senescent Mice and Alzheimer’s Mouse Models
Authors: Balbi Matilde , Blackmore Daniel G. , Padmanabhan Pranesh , Götz Jürgen
Published: June 2022

Ultrasound is routinely used for a wide range of diagnostic imaging applications. However, given that ultrasound can operate over a wide range of parameters that can all be modulated, its applicability extends far beyond the bioimaging field. In fact, the modality has emerged as a hybrid technology that effectively assists drug delivery by transiently opening the blood–brain barrier (BBB) when combined with intravenously injected microbubbles, and facilitates neuromodulation. Studies in aged mice contributed to an insight into how low-intensity ultrasound brings about its neuromodulatory effects, including increased synaptic plasticity and improved cognitive functions, with a potential role for neurogenesis and the modulation of NMDA receptor-mediated neuronal signalling. This work is complemented by studies in mouse models of Alzheimer’s disease (AD), a form of pathological ageing. Here, ultrasound was mainly employed as a BBB-opening tool that clears protein aggregates via microglial activation and neuronal autophagy, thereby restoring cognition. We discuss the currently available ultrasound approaches and how studies in senescent mice are relevant for AD and can accelerate the application of low-intensity ultrasound in the clinic.
Development of Landmark Use for Navigation in Children: Effects of Age, Sex, Working Memory and Landmark Type
Authors: van Hoogmoed Anne H. , Wegman Joost , van den Brink Danielle , Janzen Gabriele
Published: June 2022

The use of landmarks for navigation develops throughout childhood. Here, we examined the developmental trajectory of egocentric and allocentric navigation based on landmark information in an on-screen virtual environment in 39 5–6-year-olds, 43 7–8-year-olds, and 41 9–10-year-olds. We assessed both categorical performance, indicating the notion of location changes based on the landmarks, as well as metrical performance relating to the precision of the representation of the environment. We investigated whether age, sex, spatial working memory, verbal working memory, and verbal production of left and right contributed to the development of navigation skills. In egocentric navigation, Categorical performance was already above chance at 5 years of age and was positively related to visuo-spatial working memory and the production of left/right, whereas metrical performance was only related to age. Allocentric navigation started to develop between 5 and 8 years of age and was related to sex, with boys outperforming girls. Both boys and girls seemed to rely more on directional landmark information as compared to positional landmark information. To our knowledge, this study is the first to give insight into the relative contribution of different cognitive abilities to navigation skills in school-aged children.
Decision-Making Model Based on Discriminant Analysis Fuzzy Method for Low-Carbon and Eco-Friendly Residence Design: Case Study of Conghua District, Guangzhou, China
Authors: Hsueh Sung-Lin , Sun Yue , Zhang Yihang , Xiao Nan , Meen Teen-Hang
Published: June 2022

Many countries aim to promote low-carbon and eco-friendly development and find a route to sustainable development. For such development, a model that helps design and build appropriate constructions is necessary. Thus, this study is carried out to establish such a model by combining the Delphi method, analytical hierarchy process (AHP), and fuzzy logic theory (FLT) (DAFuzzy model). In the Delphi method, the expert’s opinions are reflected in three dimensions (green facilities, ecological facilities, and community participation) and nine factors (green building materials, photovoltaic power generation, energy-saving equipment (green facilities), green roof, planting/vegetation, rainwater collection/water recycling (ecological facilities), subsidies, resident participation, appropriate norms (community participation)). Then, AHP is used to calculate the relative weight of each factor. Finally, by using FLT, the output value of each factor is calculated to find out the best scenarios and influencing factors for the scenario. The result shows that green facilities are the most important dimension, followed by community participation and ecological facilities. Among 45 different scenarios for the model, the best is to consider green facilities and ecological facilities with community participation. The important factors in the best scenario include photovoltaic power generation, planting/vegetation, energy-saving equipment, green building materials, appropriate norms, rainwater collection/water recycling, subsidies, and green roof. The proposed model is validated with residential houses in Conghua District, Guangzhou city, China. Considering the dimensions and factors of the best scenario, the proposed DAFuzzy model proves that a low-carbon and eco-friendly development requires support with appropriate policies and a large investment. The research result suggests that building a low-carbon and eco-friendly house needs the support of the government and people’s understanding and participation in eco-friendly development.
Exploring the Temporal and Spatial Evolution Laws of County Green Land-Use Efficiency: Evidence from 11 Counties in Sichuan Province
Authors: Yuan Ting , Zhang Jian , Xiang Yong , Lu Liyu
Published: June 2022

With rapid urbanisation in China, sustainable urban development faces a major obstacle due to insufficient consideration of land-use efficiency. Currently, despite progress in analysing land-use efficiency, not every land manager has enough knowledge of green land use from a county perspective. Therefore, the objective of this research is to explore the spatiotemporal evolution law focused on county green land-use efficiency (CGLUE), which can support sustainable county development. Based on 10 specific CGLUE factors identified through a content-mining tool, this study explored the temporal and spatial evolution law of 11 counties in Sichuan Province using the ultra-efficient slacks-based measure (SBM), kernel density estimation, and Moran’s I statistic. The study found that (1) CGLUE factors cover the administrative area, total investment in fixed assets by region, the number of employed persons in secondary and tertiary industries, gross domestic product in secondary and tertiary industries, the average wage of staff and workers, basic statistics on per capita park green area, carbon emissions of land, the volume of industrial wastewater discharged, the volume of industrial sulphur dioxide emission, and the volume of industrial soot (dust) emission; (2) from a time-evolution perspective, CGLUE shows an increasing trend of time series evolution as a whole, and its dynamic evolution process has obvious differences in time. CGLUE increased, and the difference in CGLUE became larger from 2010 to 2012. CGLUE also increased, and the difference in CGLUE became smaller from 2013 to 2016. CGLUE also increased, and the difference in CGLUE became larger from 2017 to 2020; (3) from a spatial evolution perspective, the global spatial evolution laws of CGLUE show that the spatial agglomeration state has gone from strong to weak. Overall, however, Sichuan Province CGLUE maintains a high spatial agglomeration effect. The local spatial evolution laws show that the CGLUE of the 11 counties is positively correlated. The high–low CGLUE agglomeration areas are mainly distributed in Chengdu, Mianyang, Meishan and Yibin; the low–low CGLUE agglomeration areas are mainly distributed in Deyang, Yaan, and Zigong. The novelty of the research lies in these aspects: (1) the carbon emissions of land should be considered the undesired output of CGLUE; (2) CGLUE in Sichuan Province has various growing stages from a time perspective; (3) CGLUE in Sichuan Province has a high spatial concentration in Chengdu from spatial view, and these counties’ resources flow and interact at high speed. These findings offer a solid reference for the sustainable development of these 11 counties in Sichuan Province.
The Emergence Process of Construction Project Resilience: A Social Network Analysis Approach
Authors: Wang Dedong , Wang Peng , Liu Yanjun
Published: June 2022

For construction projects, resilience is the process of resisting and recovering from adversity. With the global economic and social environment constantly changing, improving the resilience of construction projects has become a research hotspot in the field of project management. On the basis of social capital theory, this study constructs a construction project organization resilience evaluation system from two dimensions of bonding and bridging social capitals. Then, a new theoretical framework is proposed: the network dynamic evaluation model of project resilience based on the resource conservation strategy. Using survey data of 247 construction engineering practitioners, this study considers the emergence of organization resilience in the three phases of adversity. The results reveal that when the construction project is hit by adversity, the investment capital will increase but decrease in the recovery phase. Protective capital demonstrates the opposite. However, both types of capital finally reach a higher level than before the adversity, thus forming an emergence curve of project resilience. This study helps to understand the emergence process of the construction project resilience, provides a feasible method to calculate the resilience and social capital of construction projects in different phases of disasters, and improves the risk response ability of construction projects.
Inverse Association between Statin Use and Cancer Mortality Relates to Cholesterol Level
Authors: Peltomaa Antti I. , Talala Kirsi , Taari Kimmo , Tammela Teuvo L. J. , Auvinen Anssi , Murtola Teemu J.
Published: June 2022

Statins have been associated with a decreased cancer mortality. However, cholesterol level as such may modify the risk of cancer death. To clarify the complex interplay between statins, cholesterol level, and cancer mortality, we conducted a comprehensive analysis to separate the effects of cholesterol level and statin medication on cancer mortality. Our study population consisted of 16,924 men participating in the Finnish Randomized Study of Screening for Prostate Cancer with at least one cholesterol measurement during follow-up (1996–2017). Cox proportional regression was used to estimate hazard ratios. In total, 1699 cancer deaths were observed during the median follow-up of 19 years. When statins’ association with the risk of cancer death was estimated without adjustment for cholesterol level, statin use was associated with a lowered cancer mortality (HR 0.87; 95% CI 0.79–0.97) compared to non-users. However, with further adjustment for total cholesterol level, statin use was no longer associated with a lower cancer mortality (HR 1.08; 95% CI 0.97–1.20). Upon stratified analysis, statin use was associated with a decreased cancer mortality only if the total cholesterol level decreased after the initiation of statin use (HR 0.66; 95% CI 0.58–0.76). The inverse association between statin use and cancer mortality is limited to men with a reduction in total cholesterol level after the commencement of statins, i.e., statin use is associated with a lowered cancer mortality only if the total cholesterol level decreases. This suggests that the effect of statin use on cancer mortality relates to the decreased total cholesterol level.
Theoretical Analysis of the Catalytic Hydrolysis Mechanism of HCN over Cu-ZSM-5
Authors: Zhang Yankun , Li Fenji , Yang Cuicui , Peng Guojian , Wang Guowei , Xia Futing
Published: June 2022

HCN catalytic hydrolysis mechanism over Cu-ZSM-5 was investigated based on the density functional theory (DFT) with 6-31++g (d, p) basis set. Five paths (A, B, C, D, and E) were designed. For path A and path B, the first step is the nucleophilic attack of water molecule. Next, the hydrogen atom of H2O is transferred to the nitrogen atom first for path A, while in path B, the hydrogen atom of the HCN is first transferred to the nitrogen atom. In path C, HCN isomerizes to HNC initially, and the remaining steps are similar to that of path A. The H atom of HCN shifts to Cu-ZSM-5 initially in path D, and the H atom is transferred to N atom subsequently. The last step is the attack on water molecule. The first step for path E is similar to that of path D. The next step is the attack on water molecule, in which the H atom of water molecule shifts to N atom, and the H on Cu-ZSM-5 shifts to the N atom. Meanwhile, the H atom of oxygen atom is transferred to the N atom. The results show that path C is the most favorable path, with the lowest free energy barrier (35.45 kcal/mol). The results indicate that the Cu-ZSM-5 strongly reduces the energy barrier of HCN and isomerizes to HNC, making it an effective catalyst for HCN hydrolysis.
Enhancing Soluble Expression of Phospholipase B for Efficient Catalytic Synthesis of L-Alpha-Glycerylphosphorylcholine
Authors: Feng Jiao , Yang Wenjing , Lu Yuanyuan , Li Hui , Xu Sheng , Wang Xin , Chen Kequan
Published: June 2022

Phospholipase B (PLB) harbors three distinct activities with broad substrate specificities and application fields. Its hydrolyzing of sn-1 and sn-2 acyl ester bonds enables it to catalyze the production of L-alpha-glycerylphosphorylcholine (L-α-GPC) from phosphatidylcholine (PC) without speed-limiting acyl migration. This work was intended to obtain high-level active PLB and apply it to establish an efficient system for L-α-GPC synthesis. PLB from Pseudomonas fluorescens was co-expressed with five different molecular chaperones, including trigger factor (Tf), GroEL-GroES (GroELS), DnaK-DnaJ-GrpE (DnaKJE), GroELS and DnaKJE, or GroELS and Tf or fused with maltose binding protein (MBP) in Escherichia coli BL21(DE3) to improve PLB expression. PLB with DnaKJE-assisted expression exhibited the highest catalytic activity. Further optimization of the expression conditions identified an optimal induction OD600 of 0.8, IPTG concentration of 0.3 mmol/L, induction time of 9 h, and temperature of 25 °C. The PLB activity reached a maximum of 524.64 ± 3.28 U/mg under optimal conditions. Subsequently, to establish an efficient PLB-catalyzed system for L-α-GPC synthesis, a series of organic-aqueous mixed systems and surfactant-supplemented aqueous systems were designed and constructed. Furthermore, the factors of temperature, reaction pH, metal ions, and substrate concentration were further systematically identified. Finally, a high yield of 90.50 ± 2.21% was obtained in a Span 60-supplemented aqueous system at 40 °C and pH 6.0 with 0.1 mmol/L of Mg2+. The proposed cost-effective PLB production and an environmentally friendly PLB-catalyzed system offer a candidate strategy for the industrial production of L-α-GPC.
Application and Design of Switches Used in CAR
Authors: Głowacki Paweł , Rieske Piotr
Published: June 2022

Among the many oncology therapies, few have generated as much excitement as CAR-T. The success of CAR therapy would not have been possible without the many discoveries that preceded it, most notably, the Nobel Prize-winning breakthroughs in cellular immunity. However, despite the fact that CAR-T already offers not only hope for development, but measurable results in the treatment of hematological malignancies, CAR-T still cannot be safely applied to solid tumors. The reason for this is, among other things, the lack of tumor-specific antigens which, in therapy, threatens to cause a lethal attack of lymphocytes on healthy cells. In the case of hematological malignancies, dangerous complications such as cytokine release syndrome may occur. Scientists have responded to these clinical challenges with molecular switches. They make it possible to remotely control CAR lymphocytes after they have already been administered to the patient. Moreover, they offer many additional capabilities. For example, they can be used to switch CAR antigenic specificity, create logic gates, or produce local activation under heat or light. They can also be coupled with costimulatory domains, used for the regulation of interleukin secretion, or to prevent CAR exhaustion. More complex modifications will probably require a combination of reprogramming (iPSc) technology with genome editing (CRISPR) and allogenic (off the shelf) CAR-T production.
Combination of Carbonate Hydroxyapatite and Stem Cells from Human Deciduous Teeth Promotes Bone Regeneration by Enhancing BMP-2, VEGF and CD31 Expression in Immunodeficient Mice
Authors: Putranti Nurul Aisyah Rizky , Kunimatsu Ryo , Rikitake Kodai , Hiraki Tomoka , Nakajima Kengo , Abe Takaharu , Tsuka Yuji , Sakata Shuzo , Nakatani Ayaka , Nikawa Hiroki , Tanimoto Kotaro
Published: June 2022

The objective of this study was to clarify the efficiency of a combination of stem cells from human deciduous teeth and carbonate apatite in bone regeneration of calvarial defects. Immunodeficient mice (n = 5 for each group/4 groups) with artificial calvarial bone defects (5 mm in diameter) were developed, and stem cells from human deciduous teeth (SHEDs) and carbonate hydroxyapatite (CAP) granules were transplanted with an atelocollagen sponge as a scaffold. A 3D analysis using microcomputed tomography, and 12 weeks after transplantation, histological and immunohistochemical evaluations of markers of bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP-2), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and cluster of differentiation (CD) 31 were performed. In the 3D analysis, regenerated bone formation was observed in SHEDs and CAP, with the combination of SHEDs and CAP showing significantly greater bone regeneration than that in the other groups. Histological and immunohistochemical evaluations showed that combining SHEDs and CAP enhanced the expression of BMP-2, VEGF, and CD31, and promoted bone regeneration. This study demonstrates that the combination of SHEDs and CAP transplantation may be a promising tool for bone regeneration in alveolar defects.
The Spike Protein of SARS-CoV-2 Impairs Lipid Metabolism and Increases Susceptibility to Lipotoxicity: Implication for a Role of Nrf2
Authors: Nguyen Vi , Zhang Yuping , Gao Chao , Cao Xiaoling , Tian Yan , Carver Wayne , Kiaris Hippokratis , Cui Taixing , Tan Wenbin
Published: June 2022

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients show lipid metabolic alterations, but the mechanism remains unknown. In this study, we aimed to investigate whether the Spike protein of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) impairs lipid metabolism in host cells. We generated a Spike cell line in HEK293 using the pcDNA vector carrying the Spike gene expression cassette. A control cell line was generated using the empty pcDNA vector. Gene expression profiles related to lipid metabolic, autophagic, and ferroptotic pathways were investigated. Palmitic acid (PA)-overload was used to assess lipotoxicity-induced necrosis. As compared with controls, the Spike cells showed a significant increase in lipid depositions in cell membranes as well as dysregulation of expression of a panel of molecules involving lipid metabolism, autophagy, and ferroptosis. The Spike cells showed an upregulation of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), a multifunctional transcriptional factor, in response to PA. Furthermore, the Spike cells exhibited increased necrosis in response to PA-induced lipotoxicity compared to control cells in a time- and dose-dependent manner via ferroptosis, which could be attenuated by the Nrf2 inhibitor trigonelline. We conclude that the Spike protein impairs lipid metabolic and autophagic pathways in host cells, leading to increased susceptibility to lipotoxicity via ferroptosis which can be suppressed by a Nrf2 inhibitor. This data also suggests a central role of Nrf2 in Spike-induced lipid metabolic impairments.
Nirvana: A Qualitative Study of Posttraumatic Growth in Adolescents and Young Adults with Inflammatory Bowel Disease
Authors: Wu Qiwei , Zhu Pingting , Liu Xinyi , Ji Qiaoying , Qian Meiyan
Published: June 2022

(1) Background: Psychosomatic discomfort is prevalent among adolescents and young adults (AYAs) with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Post-traumatic growth (PTG) has been a protective factor in earlier research. However, little is known regarding PTG among AYAs with IBD. This study investigates the generation of PTG in adolescents and young adults with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and finds positive coping skills employed in clinical nursing practice. (2) Methods: In 2021, 32 individuals were interviewed utilizing a semi-structured interview guide. This study used qualitative content analysis. (3) Results: The interviews revealed five themes: spiritual change, internalized supportiveness, cognitive re-shaping, externalized behaviors, and future-oriented thinking. (4) Conclusions: The research revealed the presence of PTG in AYAs with IBD. To give tailored care to patients, medical professionals must monitor the state of their PTG development in a planned and focused manner.
Moderate Effects of School-Based Time Increasing Physical Education Intervention on Physical Fitness and Activity of 7-Year Pupils—A Report from a Follow-Up of a HCSC Study
Authors: Lisowski Paweł , Kantanista Adam , Bronikowski Michał
Published: June 2022

We evaluated the effectiveness of a 15-week intervention that increased from three to five lessons of physical education (PE) a week on 7-year-old boys’ and girls’ physical fitness (PF), physical activity (PA) and sedentary behaviour on week and weekend days. A total of 212 first grade pupils (mean age 6.95 ± 0.43) from two urban schools in Poznań were randomly assigned to the experimental or control groups. The PF was measured with a battery of field tests, while health-related behaviours were assessed with the Healthy Children in Sound Communities questionnaire. There were some interaction effects noticed in the PF scores in the case of a 20-min run for boys (F2,196 = 5.29, p = 0.0058) and for girls (F2,220 = 3.31, p = 0.0382) and the sit-ups test for boys (F2,196 = 1.93, p = 0.1478) and for girls (F2,220 = 3.98, p = 0.0201) and for the sit and reach test in the case of girls (F2,220 = 3.98, p = 0.0201). In terms of outdoor PA levels, there were no major differences between any of the examined groups. Differences were found between girls from the experimental and control groups in the post-test (p = 0.0107) and follow-up (p = 0.0390) during the weekdays, with no differences between the groups of boys. Despite the moderate effects of the extended PE time programme right after the intervention, there were some indications of progress in the follow-up experiments.
Thermal Swing Evaluation of Thermal Spray Coatings for Internal Combustion Engines
Authors: Uczak de Goes Wellington , Markocsan Nicolaie , Gupta Mohit
Published: June 2022

The efficiency of internal combustion engines is gaining increased interest due to the impact of fuel consumption on greenhouse gas emissions and the goals of countries to minimize emissions. Thermal barrier coatings (TBCs) have shown great potential in improving the efficiency of internal combustion engines. The TBCs, applied on the surface of the piston, apart from thermal isolation, should also follow the surface temperature variations in the combustion chamber, reducing the energy loss and not affecting volumetric efficiency, and thus accomplish a raise in fuel efficiency. This characteristic of the TBC can be associated with the thermal properties, but the best performance test for TBCs is the single cylinder engine test. The single cylinder engine test is an expensive and time demanding procedure, making it not easily accessible. The purpose of this work was to develop a thermal swing test method to evaluate the applicability of TBCs in the combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine. This was carried out by measuring the temperature variation on the surface of the coating (thermal swing response) exposed to heat pulses from a high velocity air fuel (HVAF) spray torch. The TBCs were tested as sprayed (AS) and after grinding them to reduce roughness (RR) in order to ensure similar thickness and roughness along the different TBCs. Characterization of the coating microstructure was carried by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) together with image analysis techniques, and the thermal properties were measured by laser flash analysis (LFA). By correlating the thermal swing response with the microstructure and thermal properties of the coatings, it was determined that the coatings with large open pores exhibited the highest thermal swing response, which was as high as 200 °C.
Preliminary in Silico Studies of the Interactions of Certain Genotoxic Azo Dyes with Different Double-Stranded DNA Conformations
Authors: İstifli Erman Salih
Published: June 2022

Organic azo dyes, which are widely used in industrial, health and cosmetic fields, pose genotoxic risks due to their chemical structures; however, the molecular details of the undesirable effects of these dyes on DNA have been poorly or insufficiently clarified. In this computational molecular docking study, the DNA binding modes and binding affinities of 14 azo dyes, previously determined to show DNA clastogenicity, were characterized using 2 different double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) conformations (an intact dsDNA and dsDNA with an intercalation gap). In this study, it was determined that 10 out of the 14 genotoxic azo dyes were strong dsDNA minor groove binders, while the remaining ones formed tight binding complexes with dsDNA through intercalation or threading intercalation modes. The azo, nitro, hydroxyl, ammonium, sulfonate, naphthalene, methoxyphenyl, bromine, nitrophenyl, imidazole, amino-phenylethanol and chloro-nitrophenyl groups were found to play primary role in the most favorable binding conformations of these dyes on dsDNA with an affinity ranging from −6.35 kcal/mol to −9.42 kcal/mol. It was determined that dsDNA sequences containing GT dinucleotides are frequently preferred in binding by these dyes, and that rings and polar groups are important features for tight binding with dsDNA. It was concluded that these dyes may be banned, or non-genotoxic congeners should be manufactured with appropriate molecular optimization for the genetic health of the human population and for future generations.
Benthic Fauna Assessment along the Navigation Channel from the Mouth of the Casamance Estuary to Ziguinchor City
Authors: Tine Mbaye , Diop Penda , Diadhiou Hamet Diaw
Published: June 2022

This study aimed at studying the benthic fauna of the Casamance estuary (Senegal) through the analysis of its composition at 13 stations located along the channel from the estuary mouth to Ziguinchor port (estuary upstream), which may provide indications of the potential environmental impact of the navigation channel dredged on the estuary. Sixty taxa distributed in twelve phyla were identified, of which the most abundant were bivalve mollusks, annelids, and nematodes. The species abundance and species richness varied from five (estuary mouth) to thirty species (upstream). Correspondence factorial analysis (CFA) and factor analysis for mixed data (FAMD) showed, respectively, that 34% (Dim 1 = 15.6% and Dim 2 = 18.4%) and 35.5% (Dim 1 = 20.8% and Dim 2 = 14.7%) of total inertia was explained by the first two axes and a significant correlation between the dominant species distribution, sediment type, and depth of the sampled station. Overall, Spearman’s rank correlation indicated a significant negative correlation of the species abundance and species richness with distance from the estuary mouth. From these results, it appears that sediment type, depth of the sampled stations, salinity, and the mangrove forests are key factors that influence the distribution and abundance of benthic fauna in the Casamance estuary. The monitoring plans for the preservation of the health and biological diversity of this ecosystem, especially benthic fauna biodiversity, should take into consideration the seasonal variations of rainfalls and related changes in terms of physicochemical factors. This should include evaluating the long-term responses of benthic organisms to dredging activities, boat traffic, and especially physical habitat modifications, changes in migration ways, and pollution pressure.
Root-Associated Endophytic and Mycorrhizal Fungi from the Epiphytic Orchid Maxillaria acuminata in a Tropical Montane Forest in Southern Ecuador
Authors: Cevallos Stefania , Herrera Paulo , Vélez Johanna , Suárez Juan Pablo
Published: June 2022

In natural environments, it has been shown that orchids interact with multiple microorganisms including various species of fungi that colonize their tissues. The diversity of these fungi associated with orchid roots is still being described along with the ecological role they play when interacting with the orchids. In this study, we evaluated the richness and diversity of the endophytic and mycorrhizal fungi associated with the roots of Maxillaria acuminata, a common epiphytic orchid species from a tropical montane forest in southern Ecuador. We characterized the fungal communities by sequencing the ITS2 region of the nrDNA with Illumina MiSeq technology. In total, 843 fungal OTUs were uncovered using a 97% sequence similarity. The highest percentage of OTUs belonged to the Agaricomycetes class, Basidiomycota. Interestingly, the most frequent trophic guild from the analyzed OTUs was assigned as saprophytic. Also, some groups of orchid mycorrhizal-forming fungi were detected, including members within the families Ceratobasidicaceae, Serendipitaceae, Tulasnellaceae, and in the order Atractiellales. We discuss the potential influence of this diverse group of root-associated endophytic fungi on the development and survival of M. acuminata in the tropical forests of southern Ecuador.
Numerical Evaluation of Complex Capacitance Measurement Using Pulse Excitation in Electrical Capacitance Tomography
Authors: Wanta Damian , Makowiecka Oliwia , Smolik Waldemar T. , Kryszyn Jacek , Domański Grzegorz , Midura Mateusz , Wróblewski Przemysław
Published: June 2022

Electrical capacitance tomography (ECT) is a technique of imaging the distribution of permittivity inside an object under test. Capacitance is measured between the electrodes surrounding the object, and the image is reconstructed from these data by solving the inverse problem. Although both sinusoidal excitation and pulse excitation are used in the sensing circuit, only the AC method is used to measure both components of complex capacitance. In this article, a novel method of complex capacitance measurement using pulse excitation is proposed for ECT. The real and imaginary components are calculated from digital samples of the integrator response. A pulse shape in the front-end circuit was analyzed using the Laplace transform. The numerical simulations of the electric field inside the imaging volume as well as simulations of a pulse excitation in the front-end circuit were performed. The calculation of real and imaginary components using digital samples of the output signal was verified. The permittivity and conductivity images reconstructed for the test object were presented. The method enables imaging of permittivity and conductivity spatial distributions using capacitively coupled electrodes and may be an alternative measurement method for ECT as well as for electrical impedance tomography.
Research on the Operation Modes of Electric Vehicles in Association with a 5G Real-Time System of Electric Vehicle and Traffic
Authors: Wu Weihua , Zhang Yifan , Chun Dongphil , Song Yu , Qing Lingli , Chen Ying , Li Peng
Published: June 2022

With the popularity of 5G technology and electric vehicles, many countries around the world have adopted 5G technology to build sustainable smart city systems, and intelligent transportation is an important part of smart cities. From the perspective of 5G technology innovation bringing changes to traditional industries, in this paper, we analyze the mechanism by which 5G technology drives the transformation and upgrading of the electric vehicle industry. Based on the changes brought by 5G technology to the three industries of agriculture, industry and services, we analyzed the transformation of business models brought about by 5G with respect to electric vehicle operation. Furthermore, we analyzed the data of a 5G real-time system of electric vehicle and traffic operating in Nanjing, China, for a month in 2021, with a total of 10,610 electric vehicles and 1,048,575 cases to model the modes of electric vehicle operation associated with the platform. Based on the frequency density method, we identified three typical operating modes of urban electric vehicles: private electric vehicle use instead of walking accounts for 24.8%, passenger vehicles (Uber/Didi and taxi) account for 64.4% and logistic distribution electric vehicles account for 10.8%. We developed a method to automatically identify the operating mode of electric vehicles using data from a 5G real-time electric vehicle traffic platform, which provide a reference for the operation of electric vehicles associated with the platform. This work also provides data that can be used to support the establishment of models for the commercial operation of charging points.
A Nonstandard Path Integral Model for Curved Surface Analysis
Authors: Ohtani Tadao , Kanai Yasushi , Kantartzis Nikolaos V.
Published: June 2022

The nonstandard finite-difference time-domain (NS-FDTD) method is implemented in the differential form on orthogonal grids, hence the benefit of opting for very fine resolutions in order to accurately treat curved surfaces in real-world applications, which indisputably increases the overall computational burden. In particular, these issues can hinder the electromagnetic design of structures with electrically-large size, such as aircrafts. To alleviate this shortcoming, a nonstandard path integral (PI) model for the NS-FDTD method is proposed in this paper, based on the fact that the PI form of Maxwell’s equations is fairly more suitable to treat objects with smooth surfaces than the differential form. The proposed concept uses a pair of basic and complementary path integrals for H-node calculations. Moreover, to attain the desired accuracy level, compared to the NS-FDTD method on square grids, the two path integrals are combined via a set of optimization parameters, determined from the dispersion equation of the PI formula. Through the latter, numerical simulations verify that the new PI model has almost the same modeling precision as the NS-FDTD technique. The featured methodology is applied to several realistic curved structures, which promptly substantiates that the combined use of the featured PI scheme greatly improves the NS-FDTD competences in the case of arbitrarily-shaped objects, modeled by means of coarse orthogonal grids.