bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Spatiotemporal impact of the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown on air quality pattern in Nanjing, China
Authors: Fei Sun , Wagan Raja Asif , Hasnain Ahmad , Hussain Aamir , Bhatti Uzair Aslam , Elahi Ehsan
Published: October 2022

In response to the COVID-19 outbreak, severe steps have been taken to control its rapid spread by countries globally. A nationwide lockdown was executed at the end of January 2020 in China, which resulted in a significant change and an improvement in air quality patterns. In this study, the objectives were to assess the spatiotemporal impact of the COVID-19 lockdown on air quality in Nanjing, China. The present study researched the six air pollutant parameters, namely, PM10, PM2.5, SO2, NO2, CO, and O3. The data were divided into six periods, P1–P3: pre-lockdown, during lockdown, and after lockdown periods, P4–P6: 2017–19 (same dates of lockdown). The results reveal that during the COVID-19 control period, a significant drop and an improvement in air quality were observed. According to our findings, the PM10, PM2.5, SO2, NO2, and CO concentrations were reduced by -33.03%, -35.41%, -21.26%, -39.79%, and -20.65%, respectively, while the concentration of O3 significantly increased by an average of 104.85% in Nanjing. From the previous 3 years to lockdown variations, PM10 (-40.60%), PM2.5 (-40.02%), SO2 (-54.19%), NO2 (-33.60%), and CO (23.16%) were also reduced, while O3 increased (10.83%). Moreover, compared with those in the COVID-19 period, the levels of PM10, SO2, NO2, CO, and O3 increased by 2.84%, 28.55%, 4.68%, 16.44%, and 37.36%, respectively, while PM2.5 reduced by up to -14.34% after the lockdown in Nanjing. The outcomes of our study provide a roadmap for the scientific community and local administration to make policies to control air pollution.
Spatial spillover effects and driving factors of regional green innovation efficiency in china from a network perspective
Authors: Zhuang Hua , Lin Hongxi , Zhong Kaiyang
Published: October 2022

The spatial spillover effect of regional green innovation efficiency (GIE) is a heated issue of academic research; however, it has rarely been discussed from a network perspective. It is pretty meaningful to clarify its spatial association network’s evolutionary rules and driving factors. To fill the lack of research, this study measures the regional GIE in China from 2010 to 2019 using an epsilon-based metric (EBM) model that considers undesirable outputs. A modified gravity model and social network analysis (SNA) method are used to analyze the evolutionary rules and spatial spillover effects of the network structure of GIE, and a quadratic allocation process (QAP) was employed to identify its driving factors. The findings reveal that: 1) China’s regional GIE has a geographic correlation network structure with a low network density (peaking at 0.210 in 2018) and an annually increasing slow trend. 2) The network structure is relatively loose and has a certain hierarchical gradient, with “dense in the eastern” and “sparse in the western” characteristics. 3) The eastern provinces are at the relative center position and play a leading role in the network; the central, western, and northeastern regions are relatively inferior and play a fulcrum and conduction role. 4) Spatial adjacency, the differences in infrastructure, urbanization, and economic development level positively affect the spatially correlated regional GIE. In contrast, differences in environmental regulations and differences in science and technology innovation (STI) have negative effects. Finally, from the perspectives of national, regional, block, and driving factors, several recommendations are made to enhance the overall improvement and balanced development of regional GIE in China.
The influence of inflammation on cardiovascular disease in women
Authors: Kottilil Sita , Mathur Poonam
Published: October 2022

The onset of cardiovascular disease in women is almost a decade later than men, partly due to the protective effect of estrogen prior to menopause. Recently, it was noted that while there have been advances in improving the morbidity and mortality from CVD in women older than 55 years, the improvement in younger women has been stagnant. The mechanism behind this lag is unclear. This manuscript reviews the literature available on the sex-specific inflammatory response in the context of traditional and non-traditional cardiovascular disease risk factors. Our review suggests that women have a differential inflammatory response to various disease states that increases their risk for CVD and warrants a distinct prioritization from men when calculating cardiovascular disease risk.
Emerging role of lncRNAs in osteoarthritis: An updated review
Authors: Wang Rongliang , Shiu Hoi Ting , Lee Wayne Yuk Wai
Published: October 2022

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a prevalent joint disease, which is associated with progressive articular cartilage loss, synovial inflammation, subchondral sclerosis and meniscus injury. The molecular mechanism underlying OA pathogenesis is multifactorial. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are non-protein coding RNAs with length more than 200 nucleotides. They have various functions such as modulating transcription and protein activity, as well as forming endogenous small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) and microRNA (miRNA) sponges. Emerging evidence suggests that lncRNAs might be involved in the pathogenesis of OA which opens up a new avenue for the development of new biomarkers and therapeutic strategies. The purpose of this review is to summarize the current clinical and basic experiments related to lncRNAs and OA with a focus on the extensively studied H19, GAS5, MALAT1, XIST and HOTAIR. The potential translational value of these lncRNAs as therapeutic targets for OA is also discussed.
A system suitability testing platform for untargeted, high-resolution mass spectrometry
Authors: Dmitrenko Andrei , Reid Michelle , Zamboni Nicola
Published: October 2022

The broad coverage of untargeted metabolomics poses fundamental challenges for the harmonization of measurements along time, even if they originate from the very same instrument. Internal isotopic standards can hardly cover the chemical complexity of study samples. Therefore, they are insufficient for normalizing data a posteriori as done for targeted metabolomics. Instead, it is crucial to verify instrument’s performance a priori, that is, before samples are injected. Here, we propose a system suitability testing platform for time-of-flight mass spectrometers independent of liquid chromatography. It includes a chemically defined quality control mixture, a fast acquisition method, software for extracting ca. 3,000 numerical features from profile data, and a simple web service for monitoring. We ran a pilot for 21 months and present illustrative results for anomaly detection or learning causal relationships between the spectral features and machine settings. Beyond mere detection of anomalies, our results highlight several future applications such as 1) recommending instrument retuning strategies to achieve desired values of quality indicators, 2) driving preventive maintenance, and 3) using the obtained, detailed spectral features for posterior data harmonization.
Potential use of gold-silver core-shell nanoparticles derived from Garcinia mangostana peel for anticancer compound, protocatechuic acid delivery
Authors: Lee Kar Xin , Shameli Kamyar , Nagao Yuki , Yew Yen Pin , Teow Sin-Yeang , Moeini Hassan
Published: October 2022

Colorectal cancer is one of the most killing cancers and this has become a global problem. Current treatment and anticancer drugs cannot specifically target the cancerous cells, thus causing toxicity towards surrounding non-cancer cells. Hence, there is an urgent need to discover a more target-specific therapeutic agent to overcome this problem. Core-shell nanoparticles have emerged as good candidate for anticancer treatment. This study aimed to synthesize core-shell nanoparticles via green method which utilised crude peels extract of Garcinia mangostana as reducing and stabilising agents for drug delivery. Gold-silver core-shell nanoparticles (Au-AgNPs) were synthesized through seed germination process in which gold nanoparticles acted as the seed. A complete coating was observed through transmission electron microscopy (TEM) when the ratio of AuNPs and AgNPs was 1:9. The size of Au-AgNPs was 38.22 ± 8.41 nm and was mostly spherical in shape. Plant-based drug, protocatechuic acid (PCA) was loaded on the Au-AgNPs to investigate their anticancer activity. In HCT116 colon cancer cells, PCA-loaded Au-AgNPs (IC50 = 10.78 μg/ml) showed higher inhibitory action than the free PCA (IC50= 148.09 μg/ml) and Au-AgNPs alone (IC50= 24.36 μg/ml). Up to 80% inhibition of HCT116 cells was observed after the treatment of PCA-loaded Au-AgNPs at 15.63 μg/ml. The PCA-loaded Au-AgNPs also showed a better selectivity towards HCT116 compared to CCD112 colon normal cells when tested at the same concentrations. These findings suggest that Au-AgNPs system can be used as a potent nanocarrier to combat cancerous cells by offering additional anticancer properties to the loaded drug.
Thermal feature-size enhancement in multiphoton photoresists
Authors: Liaros Nikolaos , Tomova Zuleykhan , Gutierrez Razo Sandra A. , Bender John S. , Souna Amanda J. , Devoe Robert J. , Ender David A. , Gates Brian J. , Fourkas John T.
Published: October 2022

We demonstrate a new approach for decreasing the feature size in multiphoton absorption polymerization (MAP). Acrylic photoresists containing the photoinitiator KL68 (bis-[4-(diphenylamino) stryl]-1-(2-ethylhexyloxy), 4-(methoxy)benzene) exhibit a proportional velocity (PROVE) dependence, yielding smaller feature sizes at lower fabrication speeds. The feature size in this photoresist decreases substantially with a temperature increase of less than 10°C when all other fabrication parameters are kept constant, suggesting that the PROVE behavior results from local heating. Although higher temperatures have previously been associated with decreased feature sizes in MAP, the effect observed here is considerably stronger than in previous work, and is shown to be a property of the photoinitiator. This discovery opens the door to exploiting thermal gradients to improve resolution in MAP lithography.
Narrow ovale foramina may be involved in the development of primary trigeminal neuralgia
Authors: Li Shuo , Liao Chenlong , Qian Meiqiong , Yang Xiaosheng , Zhang Wenchuan
Published: October 2022

Background

The etiology of primary trigeminal neuralgia remains unclear and is worthy of further study; In this study, the morphometric characteristics of ovale foramina between various groups were compared and analyzed to explore the novel cause of primary trigeminal neuralgia.

Methods

High-resolution three-dimensional reconstruction images from head computed tomography of 109 patients with primary trigeminal neuralgia affecting the third branch of the trigeminal nerve and 46 healthy controls were retrospectively reviewed. Among the 109 primary trigeminal neuralgia patients, 79 patients with apparent neurovascular compression (not simply contact) demonstrated on MRI or during surgery were divided into the classical trigeminal neuralgia group and 30 patients with MRI showing no significant abnormalities were divided into idiopathic trigeminal neuralgia group. The morphometric parameters including the area, width and length of ovale foramina were examined through the use of radiologic methods.

Results

In this study, the average minimum area, width and length of 79 ovale foramina on the affected and unaffected sides in the classical trigeminal neuralgia group were 21.83 ± 8.45, 21.94 ± 7.93 mm2, 2.32 ± 0.91, 2.58 ± 0.81, 5.32 ± 1.29, and 5.26 ± 1.21 mm, respectively. No significant difference in these parameters was observed (p > 0.05). However, in the idiopathic trigeminal neuralgia group, the average minimum area, width and length of 30 ovale foramina were 21.33 ± 8.21, 22.85 ± 8.36 mm2, 2.25 ± 0.90, 2.79 ± 0.96, 5.20 ± 1.27, and 5.28 ± 1.19 mm, respectively. The width on the symptomatic side was significantly smaller (p = 0.03) than that on the asymptomatic side. No significant difference in area (p = 0.48) or length (p = 0.79) was observed. In addition, when compared with the healthy control group, the area and width of ovale foramina on the symptomatic side in both groups were significantly smaller. No significant difference in length was observed.

Conclusions

By comparing and analyzing the statistical data, it can be inferred that a narrow foramen ovale is associated with primary trigeminal neuralgia, as well as its recurrence after microvascular decompression.
A non-contrast computed tomography-based radiomics nomogram for the prediction of hematoma expansion in patients with deep ganglionic intracerebral hemorrhage
Authors: Xu Wei , Guo Hongquan , Li Huiping , Dai Qiliang , Song Kangping , Li Fangyi , Zhou Junjie , Yao Jingjiang , Wang Zhen , Liu Xinfeng
Published: October 2022

Background and purpose

Hematoma expansion (HE) is a critical event following acute intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). We aimed to construct a non-contrast computed tomography (NCCT) model combining clinical characteristics, radiological signs, and radiomics features to predict HE in patients with spontaneous ICH and to develop a nomogram to assess the risk of early HE.

Materials and methods

We retrospectively reviewed 388 patients with ICH who underwent initial NCCT within 6 h after onset and follow-up CT within 24 h after initial NCCT, between January 2015 and December 2021. Using the LASSO algorithm or stepwise logistic regression analysis, five models (clinical model, radiological model, clinical-radiological model, radiomics model, and combined model) were developed to predict HE in the training cohort (n = 235) and independently verified in the test cohort (n = 153). The Akaike information criterion (AIC) and the likelihood ratio test (LRT) were used for comparing the goodness of fit of the five models, and the AUC was used to evaluate their ability in discriminating HE. A nomogram was developed based on the model with the best performance.

Results

The combined model (AIC = 202.599, χ2 = 80.6) was the best fitting model with the lowest AIC and the highest LRT chi-square value compared to the clinical model (AIC = 232.263, χ2 = 46.940), radiological model (AIC = 227.932, χ2 = 51.270), clinical-radiological model (AIC = 212.711, χ2 = 55.490) or radiomics model (AIC = 217.647, χ2 = 57.550). In both cohorts, the nomogram derived from the combined model showed satisfactory discrimination and calibration for predicting HE (AUC = 0.900, sensitivity = 83.87%; AUC = 0.850, sensitivity = 80.10%, respectively).

Conclusion

The NCCT-based model combining clinical characteristics, radiological signs, and radiomics features could efficiently discriminate early HE, and the nomogram derived from the combined model, as a non-invasive tool, exhibited satisfactory performance in stratifying HE risks.
The role of peptidyl-prolyl isomerase Pin1 in neuronal signaling in epilepsy
Authors: Chen Yuwen , Hou Xiaojun , Pang Jiao , Yang Fan , Li Angcheng , Lin Suijin , Lin Na , Lee Tae Ho , Liu Hekun
Published: October 2022

Epilepsy is a common symptom of many neurological disorders and can lead to neuronal damage that plays a major role in seizure-related disability. The peptidyl-prolyl isomerase Pin1 has wide-ranging influences on the occurrence and development of neurological diseases. It has also been suggested that Pin1 acts on epileptic inhibition, and the molecular mechanism has recently been reported. In this review, we primarily focus on research concerning the mechanisms and functions of Pin1 in neurons. In addition, we highlight the significance and potential applications of Pin1 in neuronal diseases, especially epilepsy. We also discuss the molecular mechanisms by which Pin1 controls synapses, ion channels and neuronal signaling pathways to modulate epileptic susceptibility. Since neurotransmitters and some neuronal signaling pathways, such as Notch1 and PI3K/Akt, are vital to the nervous system, the role of Pin1 in epilepsy is discussed in the context of the CaMKII-AMPA receptor axis, PSD-95-NMDA receptor axis, NL2/gephyrin-GABA receptor signaling, and Notch1 and PI3K/Akt pathways. The effect of Pin1 on the progression of epilepsy in animal models is discussed as well. This information will lead to a better understanding of Pin1 signaling pathways in epilepsy and may facilitate development of new therapeutic strategies.
FOCMS: An ultrafast optical clearing method with quantified analysis
Authors: Xu Xiaobin , Zheng Yameng , Xiao Xiao , Wang Zizheng , Lv Jie , Wang Yongjie , Zhang Jianmin , Duan Shumin , Si Ke
Published: October 2022

Optical clearing technology offers a prospective solution to improve the imaging depth and quality of optical microscopy, but there is still a lack of quantitative standards to accurately evaluate transparency effects so the composition and concentration of most reagents are not optimal. Here, we propose a transparency quantitative analysis method (TQAM) based on the tissue area recognition technique to achieve the high-throughput reagent concentration gradient screening. After optimizations of reagent composition, concentration, operation time and other parameters of the optical clearing, we develop a new ultrafast optical clearing method with quantified analysis (FOCMS) with excellent transparency effect, simple operation, improved imaging depth and quality, minor morphological change and outstanding fluorescence retention. Applied the FOCMS to an application of human brain tissue, significant differences are observed between glioma and normal human brain tissue, while these differences are difficult to be found without the assistance of FOCMS. Therefore, FOCMS shows great application potential in clinical diagnosis and treatment, pathological analysis and so on.
Sex differences in apoptosis do not contribute to sex differences in blood pressure or renal T cells in spontaneously hypertensive rats
Authors: Abdelbary Mahmoud , Mohamed Riyaz , Gillis Ellen E. , Diaz-Sanders Karl , Baban Babak , Brands Michael W. , Sullivan Jennifer C.
Published: October 2022

Apoptosis is a physiological and anti-inflammatory form of cell death that is indispensable for normal physiology and homeostasis. Several studies have reported aberrant activation of apoptosis in various tissues at the onset of hypertension. However, the functional significance of apoptosis during essential hypertension remains largely undefined. The current study was designed to test the hypothesis that apoptosis contributes to sex differences in blood pressure and the T cell profile in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR). Apoptosis was measured in kidney, aorta and spleen of 13-week-old adult hypertensive male and female SHR. Female SHR had greater renal and aortic apoptosis compared to age-matched males; apoptosis in the spleen was comparable between the sexes. Based on well-established sex differences in hypertension, we tested the hypothesis that greater apoptosis in female SHR contributes to the lower BP and pro-inflammatory profile compared to males. Male and female SHR were randomized to receive vehicle or ZVAD-FMK, a cell permeable pan-caspase inhibitor, in established hypertension from 13 to 15 weeks of age or at the onset of hypertension from 6 to 12 weeks or age. Treatment with ZVAD-FMK lowered renal apoptosis in both studies, yet neither BP nor renal T cells were altered in either male or female SHR. These results suggest that apoptosis does not contribute to the control or maintenance of BP in male or female SHR or sex differences in renal T cells.
Nanomaterials as an alternative to increase plant resistance to abiotic stresses
Authors: Aguirre-Becerra Humberto , Feregrino-Pérez Ana Angélica , Esquivel Karen , Perez-Garcia Claudia Elena , Vazquez-Hernandez Ma. Cristina , Mariana-Alvarado Aurora
Published: October 2022

The efficient use of natural resources without negative repercussions to the environment has encouraged the incursion of nanotechnology to provide viable alternatives in diverse areas, including crop management. Agriculture faces challenges due to the combination of different abiotic stresses where nanotechnology can contribute with promising applications. In this context, several studies report that the application of nanoparticles and nanomaterials positively affects crop productivity through different strategies such as green synthesis of nanoparticles, plant targeted protection through the application of nanoherbicides and nanofungicides, precise and constant supply of nutrients through nanofertilizers, and tolerance to abiotic stress (e.g., low or high temperatures, drought, salinity, low or high light intensities, UV-B, metals in soil) by several mechanisms such as activation of the antioxidant enzyme system that alleviates oxidative stress. Thus, the present review focuses on the benefits of NPs against these type of stress and their possible action mechanisms derived from the interaction between nanoparticles and plants, and their potential application for improving agricultural practices.
The direct and indirect effect of neuroticism on work engagement of nurses during COVID-19: A temporal analysis
Authors: Vachhrajani Mit , Mishra Sushanta Kumar , Rai Himanshu , Paliwal Amit
Published: October 2022

Healthcare professionals such as nurses faced a tough time during the pandemic. Despite the personal and professional challenges, they contributed immensely during the pandemic. However, there were variations in nurses’ work engagement during the pandemic. One reason could be their personality, especially neuroticism. Neuroticism represents individuals’ proneness to distress in stressful situations, such as COVID-19. Hence, understanding how and in which conditions neuroticism influences work engagement is crucial. We used the Job Demand-Resource (JD-R) model to test the association between neuroticism and work engagement. As neuroticism represents the stress-proneness of an individual, we further investigated if stress mediates the neuroticism-work engagement link. For the nurses, patient interaction is an integral part of their job. Based on the data collected from the nurses, we tested if contact with patients (i.e., beneficiary contact) alleviates the adverse effect of neuroticism on work engagement. During COVID-19, there was an intense need for nursing support. Hence, avoiding duty when society is looking for support might induce a fear of stigmatization among the nurses. We examined if the perceived stigma of duty avoidance would affect the neuroticism-engagement relationship. Our results indicated that higher patient contact alleviated the adverse effect of neuroticism on work engagement. On the other hand, higher fear of stigma exacerbated the adverse effect of neuroticism on work engagement. We further checked the combined effect of beneficiary contact and fear of stigma on neuroticism-work engagement relationships. The findings highlighted the importance of societal factors and policymakers in enhancing nurses’ work engagement.
How hindrance stress, proactive personality, and the employment relationship atmosphere affect employees’ innovative behavior
Authors: Fan Jianpeng , Fan Yukun , Yu Lingli , Man Shuyu
Published: October 2022

Hindrance stress is a stimulus factor in the workplace that has a certain impact on the innovative behavior of employees. Most existing studies focus on the analysis of individual-level factors, ignoring the important role of organizational-level factors. This study uses multiple linear models to empirically analyze the interaction mechanisms among hindrance stress, proactive personality, employment relationship atmosphere, and employee innovative behavior factors in the workplace. This study found the following: (1) Hindrance stress negatively affects employees’ innovative behavior. (2) A proactive personality positively affects employees’ innovative behavior. (3) A proactive personality plays a moderating role in the relationship between hindrance stress and employees’ innovative behavior. (4) The employment relationship atmosphere has a positive impact on employees’ innovative behavior. (5) The employment relationship atmosphere plays a moderating role in the relationship between hindrance stress and employees’ innovative behavior. This study enriches theoretical knowledge in the field of human resources and provides guidance for business managers on the effective encouragement of employees’ innovative behavior.
Personal protective equipment (PPE) related adverse skin reactions among healthcare workers at the main COVID-19 isolation center in Barbados
Authors: Bharatha Ambadasu , Krishnamurthy Kandamaran , Cohall Damian , Rahman Sayeeda , Forde Corey A. , Corbin-Harte Rhea , Ojeh Nkemcho , Kabir Russell , Parsa Ali Davod , Rabbi Ahbab Mohammad Fazle , Majumder Md Anwarul Azim
Published: October 2022

Background

The use of personal protective equipment (PPE) reduces the risk of transmission of infectious agents significantly among healthcare workers (HCWs). The study aimed to investigate the prevalence and characteristics of PPE-related adverse skin reactions among HCWs working at the main COVID-19 isolation center in Barbados.

Methods

A cross-sectional web-based online survey was conducted during April to June 2021 which recorded demographic information, details of PPE use and adverse skin reactions including severity and duration of onset of symptoms.

Results

Most of the respondents used PPE for consecutive days (77.9%), 1–6 h/day (59.2%), and more than a year (62.5%). Fewer than half of the participants (45.6%) experienced adverse skin reactions from the use of PPE. The reactions were mostly observed in the cheeks (40.4%) and nose bridges (35.6%). Females had more reactions than their male counterparts (p = 0.003). The use of N95 masks and a combination of surgical and N95 masks produced adverse effects predominantly in the ears (60%) and cheeks (56.4%). Binary logistic regression showed that female HCWs (OR = 5.720 95% CI: 1.631, 20.063), doctors (OR = 5.215 95% CI: 0.877, 31.002), and longer duration of PPE use (>1 year) (OR = 2.902 95% CI: 0.958, 8.787) caused a significantly higher prevalence of adverse skin reactions.

Conclusion

The PPE-related skin reactions were common among HCWs which mainly occurred due to prolonged use. Preventive measures inclusive of appropriate training of HCWs on the use of PPE are recommended to minimize these adverse events.
Case Report: Renal relapse after heart transplantation, induction, and autologous stem cell transplantation in a patient with AL amyloidosis with exclusive cardiac involvement
Authors: Puertas Borja , Rey-Búa Beatriz , Eiros Rocío , Martín-Arribas Alberto , Montero-Mateos Enrique , Hernández-Sánchez Alberto , Gómez-Úbeda Sandra , Alejo-Alonso Elena , Martín-López Ana A. , Antúnez Patricia , Villacorta-Argüelles Eduardo , Gallego-Delgado María , Puig Noemi , Mateos María-Victoria , González-Calle Verónica
Published: October 2022

There is no recommendation on what salvage therapy is optimal in the solid organ recipient with AL amyloidosis, such as a heart transplant. With this case, we illustrate how treatment with daratumumab may be effective and safe in a patient with AL amyloidosis with renal involvement at the relapse after heart transplantation and autologous stem cell transplantation.
Prediction of cybersickness in virtual environments using topological data analysis and machine learning
Authors: Hadadi Azadeh , Guillet Christophe , Chardonnet Jean-Rémy , Langovoy Mikhail , Wang Yuyang , Ovtcharova Jivka
Published: October 2022

Recent significant progress in Virtual Reality (VR) applications and environments raised several challenges. They proved to have side effects on specific users, thus reducing the usability of the VR technology in some critical domains, such as flight and car simulators. One of the common side effects is cybersickness. Some significant commonly reported symptoms are nausea, oculomotor discomfort, and disorientation. To mitigate these symptoms and consequently improve the usability of VR systems, it is necessary to predict the incidence of cybersickness. This paper proposes a machine learning approach to VR’s cybersickness prediction based on physiological and subjective data. We investigated combinations of topological data analysis with a range of classifier algorithms and assessed classification performance. The highest performance of Topological Data Analysis (TDA) based methods was achieved in combination with SVMs with Gaussian RBF kernel, indicating that Gaussian RBF kernels provide embeddings of physiological time series data into spaces that are rich enough to capture the essential geometric features of this type of data. Comparing several combinations with feature descriptors for physiological time series, the performance of the TDA + SVM combination is in the top group, statistically being on par or outperforming more complex and less interpretable methods. Our results show that heart rate does not seem to correlate with cybersickness.
Therapeutic effect of laparoscopic salpingotomy vs. salpingectomy on patients with ectopic pregnancy: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Wenjing Lin , Haibo Li
Published: October 2022

Background and aim

Laparoscopic treatment of ectopic pregnancy mainly includes laparoscopic salpingotomy and salpingectomy. We aimed to assess the therapeutic effect of laparoscopic salpingotomy and salpingectomy on patients with tubal pregnancy.

Methods

From January 2000 through June 2022, the Cochrane Library, Medline, PubMed, Web of Science, EMBASE, and the Chinese Biomedicine Database were searched for studies that compared the therapeutic effect of laparoscopic salpingotomy vs. salpingectomy in the treatment of tubal pregnancy.

Results

Twenty-four randomized clinical trials (RCTs) studies were incorporated into this analysis. No statistical differences were found between the two groups in terms of operation duration and postoperative hospitalize length, but the volume of intraoperative blood loss in patients with laparoscopic salpingotomy was less than that in salpingectomy. Importantly, the natural intrauterine pregnancy rate after laparoscopic salpingotomy was significantly higher than those who underwent salpingectomy. In addition, laparoscopic salpingotomy can better protect the ovarian reserve function and endocrine function and provide favorable conditions for the second pregnancy.

Conclusion

Patients with ectopic tubal pregnancy should give priority to laparoscopic salpingotomy for embryo extraction.
A point source model to represent heat distribution without calculating the Joule heat during radiofrequency ablation
Authors: Mariappan Panchatcharam , B Gangadhara , Flanagan Ronan
Published: October 2022

Numerous liver cancer oncologists suggest bridging therapies to limit cancer growth until donors are available. Interventional radiology including radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is one such bridging therapy. This locoregional therapy aims to produce an optimal amount of heat to kill cancer cells, where the heat is produced by a radiofrequency (RF) needle. Less experienced Interventional Radiologists (IRs) require a software-assisted smart solution to predict the optimal heat distribution as both overkilling and untreated cancer cells are problematic treatments. Therefore, two of the big three partial differential equations, 1) heat equation (Pennes, Journal of Applied Physiology, 1948, 1, 93–122) to predict the heat distribution and 2) Laplace equation (Prakash, Open Biomed. Eng. J., 2010, 4, 27–38) for electric potential along with different cell death models (O’Neill et al., Ann. Biomed. Eng., 2011, 39, 570–579) are widely used in the last three decades. However, solving two differential equations and a cell death model is computationally expensive when the number of finite compact coverings of a liver topological structure increases in millions. Since the heat source from the Joule losses Qr = σ|∇V|2 is obtained from Laplace equation σΔV = 0, it is called the Joule heat model. The traditional Joule heat model can be replaced by a point source model to obtain the heat source term. The idea behind this model is to solve σΔV = δ0 where δ0 is a Dirac-delta function. Therefore, using the fundamental solution of the Laplace equation (Evans, Partial Differential Equations, 2010) we represent the solution of the Joule heat model using an alternative model called the point source model which is given by the Gaussian distribution.

Qrx=∑xi∈Ω1K∑icie−|x−xi|22σ2

where K and ci are obtained by using needle parameters. This model is employed in one of our software solutions called RFA Guardian (Voglreiter et al., Sci. Rep., 2018, 8, 787) which predicted the treatment outcome very well for more than 100 patients.
Rein tension in harness trotters during on-track exercise
Authors: Egenvall Agneta , Byström Anna , Pökelmann Mette , Connysson Malin , Kienapfel-Henseleit Kathrin , Karlsteen Magnus , McGreevy Paul , Hartmann Elke
Published: October 2022

Horseracing is under public scrutiny with increasing demands to safeguard horse welfare. It is accepted that, as a result of bit pressure and/or equipment, mouth lesions accompany many types of horse use, including racing. However, there are currently no data available on the range of bit pressures in driven trotters. Our aim was to investigate whether rein tension (RT, proxy for bit pressures) differs among gaits, between tempo within gait, between horses and drivers, and between left/right reins. Standardbreds (n = 9), driven by experienced drivers (n = 11), performed exercise tests on a racetrack (cross-over design; total 31 tests, data available from 26 tests). Horses' motion symmetry was measured before tests (trotting in hand). Rein tension, speed and heart rate were measured during exercise. A moving-window filter was applied to RT raw data. Median, maximum and interquartile range for the estimated stride median RT were determined for each rein (left/right) and segment: walk; circling in slow trot followed by transition to faster trot; fast (racing) trot; and slowing down to walk. Mixed models were used for statistical analysis. Least square means for segment median RT ranged between 17–19 N in walk, 34–40 N during circling-accelerating, 51–62 N in fast trot, and 53–71 N for slowing down. Segment maximum RT was between 60–81 N in walk, 104–106 N during circling-accelerating, 72–86 N in fast trot, and 86–129 N during slowing down. Interquartile ranges were between 7–9 N in walk, 28–31 N during circling-accelerating, 8–10 N in fast trot, and 12–18 N for slowing down. Hind limb asymmetry exceeded the recommended threshold in three horses and was associated with higher median (48 N) and maximum (106 N) RT than symmetric horses (29 N and 73 N, respectively, p < 0.01). Consistent left-right asymmetry in RT was more common among horses than among drivers. Rein tension increased with increasing heart rate (p ≤ 0.0006). Rein tensions were higher than those reported during riding or in horses worked from the ground. The findings of high RT, taken together with the high reported prevalence of oral injuries in harness trotters, call for further research into RT, motion symmetry and use of equipment.
Development of Stable Liposomal Drug Delivery System of Thymoquinone and Its In Vitro Anticancer Studies Using Breast Cancer and Cervical Cancer Cell Lines
Authors: Shariare Mohammad Hossain , Khan Md Asaduzzaman , Al-Masum Abdullah , Khan Junayet Hossain , Uddin Jamal , Kazi Mohsin
Published: October 2022

Thymoquinone, a well-known phytoconstituent derived from the seeds of Nigella sativa, exhibits unique pharmacological activities However, despite the various medicinal properties of thymoquinone, its administration in vivo remains challenging due to poor aqueous solubility, bioavailability, and stability. Therefore, an advanced drugdelivery system is required to improve the therapeutic outcome of thymoquinone by enhancing its solubility and stability in biological systems. Therefore, this study is mainly focused on preparing thymoquinone-loaded liposomes to improve its physicochemical stability in gastric media and its performance in different cancer cell line studies. Liposomes were prepared using phospholipid extracted from egg yolk. The liposomal nano preparations were evaluated in terms of hydrodynamic diameter, zeta potential, microscopic analysis, and entrapment efficiency. Cell-viability measurements were conducted using breast and cervical cancer cell lines. Optimized liposomal preparation exhibited polygonal, globule-like shape with a hydrodynamic diameter of less than 260 nm, PDI of 0.6, and zeta potential values of −23.0 mV. Solid-state characterizations performed using DSC and XRPD showed that the freeze-dried liposomal preparations were amorphous in nature. Gastric pH stability data showed no physical changes (precipitation, degradation) or significant growth in the average size of blank and thymoquinone-loaded liposomes after 24 h. Cell line studies exhibited better performance for thymoquinone-loaded liposomal drug delivery system compared with the thymoquinone-only solution; this finding can play a critical role in improving breast and cervical cancer treatment management.
Synthesis and SAR Analysis of Novel 4-Hydroxytamoxifen Analogues Based on Their Cytotoxic Activity and Electron-Donor Character
Authors: Duró Cintia , Jernei Tamás , Szekeres Krisztina J. , Láng Győző G. , Oláh-Szabó Rita , Bősze Szilvia , Szabó Ildikó , Hudecz Ferenc , Csámpai Antal
Published: October 2022

Utilizing McMurry reactions of 4,4′-dihydroxybenzophenone with appropriate carbonyl compounds, a series of 4-Hydroxytamoxifen analogues were synthesized. Their cytotoxic activity was evaluated in vitro on four human malignant cell lines (MCF-7, MDA-MB 231, A2058, HT-29). It was found that some of these novel Tamoxifen analogues show marked cytotoxicity in a dose-dependent manner. The relative ROS-generating capability of the synthetized analogues was evaluated by cyclic voltammetry (CV) and DFT modeling studies. The results of cell-viability assays, CV measurements and DFT calculations suggest that the cytotoxicity of the majority of the novel compounds is mainly elicited by their interactions with cellular targets including estrogen receptors rather than triggered by redox processes. However, three novel compounds could be involved in ROS-production and subsequent formation of quinone-methide preventing proliferation and disrupting the redox balance of the treated cells. Among the cell lines studied, HT-29 proved to be the most susceptible to the treatment with compounds having ROS-generating potency.
Aspergillus ochraceus: Metabolites, Bioactivities, Biosynthesis, and Biotechnological Potential
Authors: Hareeri Rawan H. , Aldurdunji Mohammed M. , Abdallah Hossam M. , Alqarni Ali A. , Mohamed Shaimaa G. A. , Mohamed Gamal A. , Ibrahim Sabrin R. M.
Published: October 2022

Fungus continues to attract great attention as a promising pool of biometabolites. Aspergillus ochraceus Wilh (Aspergillaceae) has established its capacity to biosynthesize a myriad of metabolites belonging to different chemical classes, such as isocoumarins, pyrazines, sterols, indole alkaloids, diketopiperazines, polyketides, peptides, quinones, polyketides, and sesquiterpenoids, revealing various bioactivities that are antimicrobial, cytotoxic, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, insecticidal, and neuroprotective. Additionally, A. ochraceus produces a variety of enzymes that could have variable industrial and biotechnological applications. From 1965 until June 2022, 165 metabolites were reported from A. ochraceus isolated from different sources. In this review, the formerly separated metabolites from A. ochraceus, including their bioactivities and biosynthesis, in addition, the industrial and biotechnological potential of A. ochraceus are highlighted.
Molecular Analysis of the Melanogenesis Inhibitory Effect of Saponins-Rich Fraction of Argania spinosa Leaves Extract
Authors: Villareal Myra O. , Chaochaiphat Thanyanan , Makbal Rachida , Gadhi Chemseddoha , Isoda Hiroko
Published: October 2022

Plant saponins are abundant and diverse natural products with a great potential for use in drug-discovery research. Here, we evaluated extracts of saponins-rich fractions of argan leaves and argan oil extraction byproducts (shell, pulp, press cake) for their effect on melanogenesis. Results show that from among the samples tested, only the saponins-rich fraction from leaves (ALS) inhibited melanin production in B16 murine melanoma (B16) cells. The mechanism of the melanogenesis inhibition was elucidated by determining the protein and mRNA expression of melanogenesis-associated enzymes tyrosinase (TYR), tyrosinase-related protein 1 (TRP1), and dopachrome tautomerase (DCT), and microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF), and performing DNA microarray analysis. Results showed that 10 µg/mL ALS significantly inhibited melanogenesis in B16 cells and human epidermal melanocytes by 59% and 48%, respectively, without cytotoxicity. The effect of ALS on melanogenesis can be attributed to the decrease in TYR, TRP1, and MITF expression at the protein and mRNA levels. MITF inhibition naturally led to the downregulation of the expression of Tyr and Trp1 genes. Results of the DNA microarray analysis revealed the effect on melanogenesis-associated cAMP and Wnt signaling pathways’ genes. The results of this study suggest that ALS may be used in cosmeceuticals preparations for hyperpigmentation treatment.
Thiazolidin-2,4-Dione Scaffold: An Insight into Recent Advances as Antimicrobial, Antioxidant, and Hypoglycemic Agents
Authors: Kumar Harsh , Aggarwal Navidha , Marwaha Minakshi Gupta , Deep Aakash , Chopra Hitesh , Matin Mohammed M. , Roy Arpita , Emran Talha Bin , Mohanta Yugal Kishore , Ahmed Ramzan , Mohanta Tapan Kumar , Saravanan Muthupandian , Marwaha Rakesh Kumar , Al-Harrasi Ahmed
Published: October 2022

Heterocyclic compounds containing nitrogen and sulfur, especially those in the thiazole family, have generated special interest in terms of their synthetic chemistry, which is attributable to their ubiquitous existence in pharmacologically dynamic natural products and also as overwhelmingly powerful agrochemicals and pharmaceuticals. The thiazolidin-2,4-dione (TZD) moiety plays a central role in the biological functioning of several essential molecules. The availability of substitutions at the third and fifth positions of the Thiazolidin-2,4-dione (TZD) scaffold makes it a highly utilized and versatile moiety that exhibits a wide range of biological activities. TZD analogues exhibit their hypoglycemic activity by improving insulin resistance through PPAR-γ receptor activation, their antimicrobial action by inhibiting cytoplasmic Mur ligases, and their antioxidant action by scavenging reactive oxygen species (ROS). In this manuscript, an effort has been made to review the research on TZD derivatives as potential antimicrobial, antioxidant, and antihyperglycemic agents from the period from 2010 to the present date, along with their molecular mechanisms and the information on patents granted to TZD analogues.
Solvation of Large Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Helium: Cationic and Anionic Hexabenzocoronene
Authors: Kappe Miriam , Calvo Florent , Schöntag Johannes , Bettinger Holger F. , Krasnokutski Serge , Kuhn Martin , Gruber Elisabeth , Zappa Fabio , Scheier Paul , Echt Olof
Published: October 2022

The adsorption of helium on charged hexabenzocoronene (Hbc, C42H18), a planar polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) molecule of D6h symmetry, was investigated by a combination of high-resolution mass spectrometry and classical and quantum computational methods. The ion abundance of HenHbc+ complexes versus size n features prominent local anomalies at n = 14, 38, 68, 82, and a weak one at 26, indicating that for these “magic” sizes, the helium evaporation energies are relatively large. Surprisingly, the mass spectra of anionic HenHbc− complexes feature a different set of anomalies, namely at n = 14, 26, 60, and 62, suggesting that the preferred arrangement of the adsorbate atoms depends on the charge of the substrate. The results of our quantum calculations show that the adsorbate layer grows by successive filling of concentric rings that surround the central benzene ring, which is occupied by one helium atom each on either side of the substrate. The helium atoms are fairly localized in filled rings and they approximately preserve the D6h symmetry of the substrate, but helium atoms in partially filled rings are rather delocalized. The first three rings contain six atoms each; they account for magic numbers at n = 14, 26, and 38. The size of the first ring shrinks as atoms are filled into the second ring, and the position of atoms in the second ring changes from hollow sites to bridge sites as atoms are filled into the third ring. Beyond n = 38, however, the arrangement of helium atoms in the first three rings remains essentially frozen. Presumably, another ring is filled at n = 68 for cations and n = 62 for anions. The calculated structures and energies do not account for the difference between charge states, although they agree with the measurements for the cations and show that the first solvation shell of Hbc± is complete at n = 68. Beyond that size, the adsorbate layer becomes three-dimensional, and the circular arrangement of helium changes to hexagonal.
Probe-Integrated Label-Free Electrochemical Immunosensor Based on Binary Nanocarbon Composites for Detection of CA19-9
Authors: Yan Zhengzheng , Xing Jun , He Ruochong , Guo Qinping , Li Ji
Published: October 2022

Convenient and sensitive detection of tumor biomarkers is crucial for the early diagnosis and treatment of cancer. Herein, we present a probe-integrated and label-free electrochemical immunosensor based on binary nanocarbon composites and surface-immobilized methylene blue (MB) redox probes for detection of carbohydrate antigen 199 (CA19-9), which is closely associated with gastric malignancies. Nanocarbon composites consisting of electrochemically reduced graphene oxides and carbon nanotubes (ErGO-CNT) are electrodeposited onto an indium tin oxide (ITO) electrode surface to form a 3D nanocomposite film, which could provide high surface area to immobilize abundant MB probes, facilitate the electron transfer of MB, and therefore, improve sensitivity. Polydopamine (PDA) served as a bifunctional linker is able to immobilize anti-CA19-9 antibodies and stabilize the inner probe, conferring the sensing interface with specific recognition capacity. Electrochemical detection of CA19-9 is achieved based on the decrease of the redox signal of MB after specific binding of CA19-9 with a wide linear range of 0.1 mU/mL to 100 U/mL and a limit of detection (LOD) of 0.54 nU/mL (S/N = 3). The constructed electrochemical immunosensor has good selectivity, repeatability, reproducibility, and stability. Furthermore, determination of CA19-9 in human serum samples is also realized.