bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Analyzing Combustion Efficiency According to Spray Characteristics of Gas-Centered Swirl-Coaxial Injector
Authors: Woo Seongphil , Lee Jungho , Lee Ingyu , Kim Seunghan , Han Yeoungmin , Yoon Youngbin
Published: March 2023

The momentum flux ratio (MFR) significantly affects the mixing characteristics and combustion efficiency of propellants in rocket engine injectors. The spray characteristics of three gas-centered swirl-coaxial injectors used in a full-scale combustion test were investigated according to the change in the momentum flux ratio. The difference in combustion efficiency was analyzed through the comparison with combustion test results using spray visualization and quantification. The spray cross-sectional shape and droplet distribution were measured using a structured laser illumination planar imaging technique. As the swirl effect was more apparent at a low MFR, the flow rate of the liquid that was sprayed outside was high. The flow rate of the liquid sprayed around the gas injection increased with the MFR. The Sauter mean diameter (SMD) of each injector liquid spray was obtained using the laser shadow imaging method. The SMD decreased as the MFR of all injector types increased, and the injector with a high liquid flow rate and small SMD injected towards the gas center exhibited higher combustion efficiency than the injector with a dominant liquid spray and the large SMD at a large injection angle. The outcomes of the study could help contribute to the increase in the combustion efficiency of the full-scale staged combustion cycle engine combustor.
Biochar Mitigates Combined Effects of Soil Salinity and Saltwater Intrusion on Rice (Oryza sativa L.) by Regulating Ion Uptake
Authors: Sudratt Napasawan , Faiyue Bualuang
Published: March 2023

Salinity intrusion is a significant threat to crop productivity and food security worldwide. The aims of the current study were to evaluate the effects of rice husk biochar amendment on the growth and yield of rice grown in saline soil with saltwater intrusion at the seedling stage and to investigate the mechanism by which biochar mitigates the harmful effects of salinity intrusion on rice. Phitsanulok 2 rice was grown in pots containing saline soil amended with 0%, 10%, 20%, and 30% (w/w) rice husk biochar. Pots were put in a pond and 6 dS/m of NaCl was applied for 28 days. The results showed that biochar application significantly increased the survival, shoot height, shoot dry weight, yield, and yield components of rice. Biochar addition significantly decreased shoot Na+ contents and increased the shoot K+/Na+ ratio. By using a Fourier-transform infrared spectrometer and a scanning electron microscope equipped with an energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometer, it was found that the negative surface charge of rice husk biochar was due to carboxyl and hydroxyl groups, and Na+ was detected on the surface of the biochar. We concluded that rice husk biochar amendment at a rate of 30% (w/w) could mitigate the negative effects of salt stress by absorbing Na+ in the saline soil, reducing Na+ uptake to the shoot, and increasing the shoot K+/Na+ ratio. Therefore, rice husk biochar amendment is a potential strategy for enhancing rice productivity in salt-affected soils with saltwater intrusion.
Insecticide Use against Desert Locust in the Horn of Africa 2019–2021 Reveals a Pressing Need for Change
Authors: Mullié Wim C. , Prakash Adam , Müller Alexander , Lazutkaite Elena
Published: March 2023

The desert locust upsurge in the Horn of Africa over 2019–2021 led to a total of 1.6 million ha being treated with broad-spectrum organophosphate and pyrethroid insecticides in Ethiopia and Kenya, while insect growth regulators and the entomopathogenic fungus Metarhizium acridum were applied in Somalia. Environmental monitoring was largely absent, with limited surveys conducted in Kenya and Ethiopia. Overdosing of fenitrothion of a 960 g/L formulation in Kenya led to non-target mortality, including birds and honeybees. In Ethiopia, chlorpyrifos and malathion applications coincided with a honey production decline of 78% in 2020 compared to pre-upsurge levels. The use of M. acridum on nearly 253,000 ha was a breakaway from previous campaigns, in which its successful application in Somalia against both hopper bands and swarms shows that the persistent and pervasive use of organophosphate insecticides can no longer be justified. Furthermore, future procurement of organophosphate insecticides and possibly insect growth regulators could become increasingly problematic due to measures enacted by the European Union. It is recommended that the complementary impact of M. acridum and bird predation on locusts should be considered in an integrated management approach for both swarm and hopper control.
Improving Rice Yield by Promoting Pre-anathesis Growth in Subtropical Environments
Authors: Jiang Peng , Zhou Xingbing , Zhang Lin , Liu Mao , Xiong Hong , Guo Xiaoyi , Zhu Yongchuan , Luo Juntao , Chen Lin , Liu Jie , Xu Fuxian
Published: March 2023

Rice yield is greatly influenced by climatic factors and soil fertility in the location where it is grown, but information about the individual effects of climatic factors and soil fertility variables is difficult to distinguish because they are often not independent. The objective of this study was to demonstrate the effect of climatic factors on grain yield when soil fertility was not a confounding factor for explaining yield differences across two subtropical environments. Field and pot experiments with six rice cultivars were conducted in Deyang and Luzhou, Sichuan Province, China. We found that rice yield was higher in Deyang than in Luzhou by 7.0–16.8% for field experiments and by 57.6–87.4% for pot experiments. Biomass production rather than harvest index was responsible for the yield difference. Maximum and minimum temperatures and cumulative solar radiation (CSR) before heading (HD) were higher in Deyang than in Luzhou, whereas after HD, maximum and minimum temperatures were lower in Deyang than in Luzhou. Rice yield was more closely related to maximum and minimum temperatures and CSR before HD than to these parameters after HD. There was no difference in yield between soil types from Deyang and Luzhou within the same ecological condition. Thus, the yield difference between the two subtropical environments was mainly caused by the difference in climatic factors. The differences in biomass between Deyang and Luzhou were mostly due to variations in pre-heading crop growth rate (pre-CGR) and pre-heading radiation use efficiency (pre-RUE), which were induced by varying temperatures and CSR. We concluded that lower yield in Luzhou was associated with lower pre-CGR and pre-RUE. Our study suggests that developing rice cultivars with high pre-CGR and pre-RUE through a breeding program may also be a feasible approach to achieve high yield in subtropical environments.
Combined Morphological and Palynological Classification for Hibiscus syriacus L. (Malvaceae): Construction of the Diagnostic Classification Framework and Implications of Pollen Morphological Variation on Fruiting
Authors: Xiao Fen , Wang Xiaohong , Jiang Yun , Chen Chulin , Chen Jiajia , Zhang Jingwen , Wen Yafeng
Published: March 2023

Identifying useful taxonomic indicators for classifying Hibiscus syriacus L. (Malvaceae) cultivars can help address challenges in their homonymy and synonymy. Moreover, analyzing which pollen traits possibly lead to their successful fruiting can serve to guide the hybridization and breeding of H. syriacus. For the first time, this study classified 24 cultivars of H. syriacus based on 24 morphological and palynological indicators assessed for flowers, leaves, and pollen grains. These indicators were a mixture of quantitative and qualitative traits, measured to contribute to the identification and classification of H. syriacus cultivars. The results showed that the 24 H. syriacus cultivars could be classified into 2–6 clusters according to different taxonomic criteria. The leading diagnostic indicators were eight quantitative and eight qualitative traits, of which two new quantitative traits—the width of the spine base (SW) and average of the pollen grain radius and spine length (D-spine)—and five new qualitative traits—the amount of pollen surface spines (O-SA), whether the petals have the red center (B-RC), whether the pollen surface ruffles strongly (B-RS), the degree of pollen surface ruffling (O-DR), and relationship between calyx and bract (O-CB)—could be used as defining traits for H. syriacus cultivars owing to their robust contribution to the classification. The correlations between indicators for flowers, leaves, and pollen grains were explored, which revealed that the O-SA in H. syriacus was strongly tied to quantitative pollen traits. Furthermore, three qualitative morphological traits—whether the stamens are heterogeneous in terms of inner petals (B-IP), O-CB, and whether the leaf lobing is strong (B-LL)—were correlated with partial quantitative pollen traits. We also found that those H. syriacus cultivars with micro-spines or granulate on the pollen grain surface have higher fruiting rates; additionally, pollen diameter, spine length, and spine spacing might also be potential factors influencing successful breeding. The insights gained from this study could fill a key knowledge gap concerning the taxonomic criteria suitable for distinguishing H. syriacus cultivars. Our findings also provide timely information on how to understand the pollination process, especially those aspects leading to pollinator selection via pollen grain features, which could influence breeding programs and outcomes.
Weed Detection and Mapping of a Coffee Farm by a Remotely Piloted Aircraft System
Authors: Bento Nicole Lopes , Ferraz Gabriel Araújo e Silva , Amorim Jhones da Silva , Santana Lucas Santos , Barata Rafael Alexandre Pena , Soares Daniel Veiga , Ferraz Patrícia Ferreira Ponciano
Published: March 2023

The differentiation between the main crop and weeds is an important step for selective spraying systems to avoid agrochemical waste and reduce economic and environmental impacts. In this sense, this study aims to classify and map the area occupied by weeds, determine the percentage of area occupied, and indicate treatment control strategies to be adopted in the field. This study was conducted by using a yellow Bourbon cultivar (IAC J10) with 1 year of implementation on a commercial coffee plantation located at Minas Gerais, Brazil. The aerial images were obtained by a remotely piloted aircraft (RPA) with an embedded multispectral sensor. Image processing was performed using PIX4D, and data analysis was performed using R and QGIS. The random forest (RF) and support vector machine (SVM) algorithms were used for the classification of the regions of interest: coffee, weed, brachiaria, and exposed soil. The differentiation between the study classes was possible due to the spectral differences between the targets, with better classification performance using the RF algorithm. The savings gained by only treating areas with the presence of weeds compared with treating the total study area are approximately 92.68%.
Experiment and Study of Garlic Root Cutting Based on Continuous Force Feedback
Authors: Yang Ke , Yu Zhaoyang , Luo Weiwen , Fan Jiali , Li Yuyao , Gu Fengwei , Zhang Yanhua , Wang Shenying , Peng Baoliang , Hu Zhichao
Published: March 2023

In this study, we quantified and analyzed the root-cutting process of garlic with a test bench with pressure sensors on the basis of the comparative analysis of various information perception methods. On the basis of the output value of the pressure sensor, the force curve of garlic roots was plotted, and the double round blade cutting module is optimized on the basis of the force curve diagram. The innovative proposal of slotted round blades for garlic root cutting is presented here. The round blade diameter is 110 mm, the center distance is 100 mm, the blade thickness is 1 mm, and the blade speed is 1200 r/min. According to the analysis of the force curve, it was found that the slotted round blade with the slanted blade could generate a strong thrust to cut the roots. The cutting effect was better and the cutting surface of the roots was straight. The slotted blade meets the need for cutting garlic roots.
Factors Influencing Antibiotic Consumption in Adult Population of Kazakhstan
Authors: Iskakova Nazym , Khismetova Zaituna , Suleymenova Dana , Kozhekenova Zhanat , Khamidullina Zaituna , Samarova Umutzhan , Glushkova Natalya , Semenova Yuliya
Published: March 2023

Poor or suboptimal knowledge of appropriate antibiotic use is a cause for global concern and little is known about Central Asian countries. Therefore, this survey is aimed at evaluating awareness about antibiotic use and resistance among the adult population of Kazakhstan. A cross-sectional study of a random sample was conducted between October 2021 and February 2022 among 727 individuals without medical education and followed the methodology described in the WHO report “Antibiotic Resistance: Multi-country public awareness survey”. Half of the respondents (50.4%) received antibiotic therapy within the last 12 months, 40.1% had no prescription for this and 40.4% received no advice from a medical professional. Nearly two-thirds of respondents (65.3%) never heard about antibiotic resistance and 57.2% believed that it is worth requesting the same antibiotic if it helped to treat a similar condition previously. In general, knowledge about antibiotic use proved to be low in 82.1% of respondents and 91.9% agreed with the statement that a common cold requires antibiotics. There is a need for awareness-raising campaigns to improve the knowledge about antibiotic use and resistance in the population of Kazakhstan.
Positron Scattering from Pyrimidine
Authors: Prashant Abhishek , Luthra Meetu , Goswami Kanupriya , Bharadvaja Anand , Baluja Kasturi Lal
Published: March 2023

The positron impact cross-sections of pyrimidine molecules are reported from 1 eV to 5000 eV. These cross-sections include differential elastic, integral elastic, and direct ionisation. The elastic cross-sections are computed using the single-centre expansion scheme whereas the direct ionisation cross-sections are obtained using the binary-encounter-Bethe formula. The integral and differential cross-sections exhibit consistency with the experimental and other theoretical results. The direct ionisation cross-sections, which are reported for the first time, are compared with the experimental inelastic cross-sections (the sum of excitation and ionisation) to assess the trends in theoretically computed ionisation cross-sections and with the corresponding results for the electrons. The incoherently summed elastic and ionisation cross-sections match very well with the total cross-sections after 40 eV indicating the minimal impact of the positronium formation and electronic excitation processes. Based on this study, we recommend that the experimental data of the inelastic cross-sections reported by Palihawadana et al. be revisited.
Influence of Storage Conditions on Decellularized Porcine Conjunctiva
Authors: Skornia Adam , Geerling Gerd , Spaniol Kristina , Witt Joana
Published: March 2023

Porcine decellularized conjunctiva (PDC) represents a promising alternative source for conjunctival reconstruction. Methods of its re-epithelialization in vitro with primary human conjunctival epithelial cells (HCEC) have already been established. However, a long-term storage method is required for a simplified clinical use of PDC. This study investigates the influence of several storage variants on PDC. PDC were stored in (1) phosphate-buffered saline solution (PBS) at 4 °C, (2) in glycerol-containing epithelial cell medium (EM/gly) at −80 °C and (3) in dimethyl sulfoxide-containing epithelial cell medium (EM/DMSO) at −196 °C in liquid nitrogen for two and six months, respectively. Fresh PDC served as control. Histological structure, biomechanical parameters, the content of collagen and elastin and the potential of re-epithelialization with primary HCEC under cultivation for 14 days were compared (n = 4–10). In all groups, PDC showed a well-preserved extracellular matrix without structural disruptions and with comparable fiber density (p ≥ 0.74). Collagen and elastin content were not significantly different between the groups (p ≥ 0.18; p ≥ 0.13, respectively). With the exception of the significantly reduced tensile strength of PDC after storage at −196 °C in EM/DMSO for six months (0.46 ± 0.21 MPa, p = 0.02), no differences were seen regarding the elastic modulus, tensile strength and extensibility compared to control (0.87 ± 0.25 MPa; p ≥ 0.06). The mean values of the epithelialized PDC surface ranged from 51.9 ± 8.8% (−196 °C) to 78.3 ± 4.4% (−80 °C) and did not differ significantly (p ≥ 0.35). In conclusion, all examined storage methods were suitable for storing PDC for at least six months. All PDC were able to re-epithelialize, which rules out cytotoxic influences of the storage conditions and suggests preserved biocompatibility for in vivo application.
Early Multi-Target Treatment of Mild-to-Moderate COVID-19, Particularly in Terms of Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs and Indomethacin
Authors: Fazio Serafino , Bellavite Paolo
Published: March 2023

Recently, in Italy, a flowchart to be used by General Practitioners for the at-home treatment of patients with COVID-19, has been released. It states that early at-home treatment for SARS-CoV-2 infection is possible due to the availability of specific antiviral drugs to be used in at-risk patients, and that non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) have an important function in combating the virus. Therefore, the use of NSAIDs is not only rational but also effective in cases that cannot be treated using antivirals. These seemingly simple concepts have been applied in Italy since the beginning of the pandemic by doctors that belong to Italian groups created in order to help COVID-19 patients early at home, at a time of organizational difficulties within Italian health institutions and government. However, this approach was largely boycotted by both the Italian Ministry of Health and medical institutions, which mainly suggested the use of paracetamol as symptomatic, and a wait-and-watch approach for the first three days from the onset of symptoms. In this article, we analyze the rationale for the use of NSAIDs and, in particular, the multi-targeted approach including indomethacin in synergism with flavonoids and low-dose aspirin, as early at-home treatment of patients with COVID-19. Applying these simple concepts from the beginning could have reduced the high lethality of the disease during the first two years of the pandemic and prevented hospital overload. In perspective, it is still necessary to systematically address the comparison between different therapeutic approaches to this viral disease on an experimental basis.
The Effect of Early Application of Synthetic Peptides 19-2.5 and 19-4LF to Improve Survival and Neurological Outcome in a Mouse Model of Cardiac Arrest and Resuscitation
Authors: Bajorat Rika , Danckert Lena , Ebert Florian , Bancken Theresa , Bergt Stefan , Klawitter Felix , Vollmar Brigitte , Reuter Daniel A. , Schürholz Tobias , Ehler Johannes
Published: March 2023

The synthetic antimicrobial peptides (sAMPs) Pep19-2.5 and Pep19-4LF have been shown in vitro and in vivo to reduce the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines, leading to the suppression of inflammation and immunomodulation. We hypothesized that intervention with Pep19-2.5 and Pep19-4LF immediately after cardiac arrest and resuscitation (CA-CPR) might attenuate immediate systemic inflammation, survival, and long-term outcomes in a standardized mouse model of CA-CPR. Long-term outcomes up to 28 days were assessed between a control group (saline) and two peptide intervention groups. Primarily, survival as well as neurological and cognitive parameters were assessed. In addition, systemic inflammatory molecules and specific biomarkers were analyzed in plasma as well as in brain tissue. Treatment with sAMPs did not provide any short- or long-term benefits for either survival or neurological outcomes, and no significant benefit on inflammation in the CA-CPR animal model. While no difference was found in the plasma analysis of early cytokines between the intervention groups four hours after resuscitation, a significant increase in UCH-L1, a biomarker of neuronal damage and blood–brain barrier rupture, was measured in the Pep19-4LF-treated group. The theoretical benefit of both sAMPs tested here for the treatment of post-cardiac arrest syndrome could not be proven.
Bidirectional Relationship between Glycemic Control and COVID-19 and Perspectives of Islet Organoid Models of SARS-CoV-2 Infection
Authors: Zhang Tongran , Wang Nannan , Zhu Lingqiang , Chen Lihua , Liu Huisheng
Published: March 2023

Infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) leads to morbidity and mortality, with several clinical manifestations, and has caused a widespread pandemic. It has been found that type 2 diabetes is a risk factor for severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) illness. Moreover, accumulating evidence has shown that SARS-CoV-2 infection can increase the risk of hyperglycemia and diabetes, though the underlying mechanism remains unclear because of a lack of authentic disease models to recapitulate the abnormalities involved in the development, regeneration, and function of human pancreatic islets under SARS-CoV-2 infection. Stem-cell-derived islet organoids have been valued as a model to study islets’ development and function, and thus provide a promising model for unraveling the mechanisms underlying the onset of diabetes under SARS-CoV-2 infection. This review summarized the latest results from clinical and basic research on SARS-CoV-2-induced pancreatic islet damage and impaired glycemic control. Furthermore, we discuss the potential and perspectives of using human ES/iPS cell-derived islet organoids to unravel the bidirectional relationship between glycemic control and SARS-CoV-2 infection.
Alzheimer’s Disease from the Amyloidogenic Theory to the Puzzling Crossroads between Vascular, Metabolic and Energetic Maladaptive Plasticity
Authors: Cerasuolo Michele , Papa Michele , Colangelo Anna Maria , Rizzo Maria Rosaria
Published: March 2023

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a progressive and degenerative disease producing the most common type of dementia worldwide. The main pathogenetic hypothesis in recent decades has been the well-known amyloidogenic hypothesis based on the involvement of two proteins in AD pathogenesis: amyloid β (Aβ) and tau. Amyloid deposition reported in all AD patients is nowadays considered an independent risk factor for cognitive decline. Vascular damage and blood–brain barrier (BBB) failure in AD is considered a pivotal mechanism for brain injury, with increased deposition of both immunoglobulins and fibrin. Furthermore, BBB dysfunction could be an early sign of cognitive decline and the early stages of clinical AD. Vascular damage generates hypoperfusion and relative hypoxia in areas with high energy demand. Long-term hypoxia and the accumulation within the brain parenchyma of neurotoxic molecules could be seeds of a self-sustaining pathological progression. Cellular dysfunction comprises all the elements of the neurovascular unit (NVU) and neuronal loss, which could be the result of energy failure and mitochondrial impairment. Brain glucose metabolism is compromised, showing a specific region distribution. This energy deficit worsens throughout aging. Mild cognitive impairment has been reported to be associated with a glucose deficit in the entorhinal cortex and in the parietal lobes. The current aim is to understand the complex interactions between amyloid β (Aβ) and tau and elements of the BBB and NVU in the brain. This new approach aimed at the study of metabolic mechanisms and energy insufficiency due to mitochondrial impairment would allow us to define therapies aimed at predicting and slowing down the progression of AD.
COVID-19 Associated Vasculitis Confirmed by the Tissues RT-PCR: A Case Series Report
Authors: Belozerov Konstantin E. , Avrusin Ilia S. , Andaryanova Lyubov I. , Guseva Anna M. , Shogenova Zaira S. , Belanovich Irina N. , Lobacheva Anna V. , Kornishina Tatiana L. , Isupova Eugenia A. , Masalova Vera V. , Kalashnikova Olga V. , Nokhrin Andrey V. , Panova Tatyana F. , Dutova Yulia P. , Myshkovskaya Svetlana L. , Kostyunin Kirill Y. , Komissarov Andrey B. , Chasnyk Vyacheslav G. , Bregel Liudmila V. , Kostik Mikhail M.
Published: March 2023

Background: Several cases of skin and central nervous system vasculopathy associated with COVID-19 in children have been published, but the information is rather limited. Our study aimed to describe these cases of vasculitis associated with COVID-19 in children. Methods: In the retrospective-prospective case series study we included information regarding four children with COVID-19-associated vasculitis. In every case, we had a morphological description and the etiology was confirmed via real-time polymerase chain reaction during a tissue biopsy. Results: The most involved systems were skin (4/4), respiratory (3/4), cardiovascular (2/4), nervous (1/4), eye (1/4), kidney (1/4), and inner year (1/4). All patients had increased inflammatory markers and thrombotic parameters (D-dimer). No patient met the criteria for multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children. Two patients met polyarteritis nodosa criteria, one met Henoch–Schonlein purpura criteria, and one met unclassified vasculitis criteria. All patients were treated with systemic glucocorticosteroids (two-pulse therapy). Non-biologic DMARDs were prescribed in all cases; 1/4 patients (25%) was treated with intravenous immunoglobuline, and 3/4 (75%) were treated with biologics (etanercept, tocilizumab, and adalimumab). Conclusions: Vasculitis associated with COVID-19 could be a life-threatening condition; SARS-CoV-2 might be a new trigger or etiological agent for vasculitis and other immune-mediated diseases. Further research and collection of similar cases are required.
Bioinformatics-Based Analysis of Key Genes in Steroid-Induced Osteonecrosis of the Femoral Head That Are Associated with Copper Metabolism
Authors: Qi Baochuang , Li Chuan , Cai Xingbo , Pu Luqiao , Guo Minzheng , Tang Zhifang , Bu Pengfei , Xu Yongqing
Published: March 2023

Osteonecrosis of the femoral head (ONFH) is a common disabling disease. Copper has positive effects on cells that regulate bone metabolism. However, the relationship between copper metabolism (CM) and steroid-induced ONFH (SONFH) remains unclear. The GSE123568 dataset was downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus. The differentially expressed CM-related SONFH genes (DE-CMR-SONFHGs) were identified via differential analysis and weighted gene coexpression network analysis (WGCNA). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was performed for the predictive accuracy of key genes. Targeting drugs and the copper death-related genes (CDRGs) relevant to key genes were investigated. The bioinformatics results were confirmed via quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT–PCR) and Western blot (WB) analysis. Two out of 106 DE-CMR-SONFHGs were identified as key genes (PNP and SLC2A1), which had diagnostic value in distinguishing SONFH from control samples and were related to various immune cell infiltrations. Eleven PMP-targeting drugs and five SLC2A1-targeting drugs were identified. The qRT–PCR, as well as WB, results confirmed the downregulation PNP and SLC2A1 and high expression of the CDRGs DLD, PDHB, and MTF1, which are closely related to these two key genes. In conclusion, PNP and SLC2A1 were identified as key genes related to SONFH and may provide insights for SONFH treatment.
Knocking Down CDKN2A in 3D hiPSC-Derived Brown Adipose Progenitors Potentiates Differentiation, Oxidative Metabolism and Browning Process
Authors: Kahoul Yasmina , Yao Xi , Oger Frédérik , Moreno Maeva , Amanzougarene Souhila , Derhourhi Mehdi , Durand Emmanuelle , Boutry Raphael , Bonnefond Amélie , Froguel Philippe , Dani Christian , Annicotte Jean-Sébastien , Breton Christophe
Published: March 2023

Human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) have the potential to be differentiated into any cell type, making them a relevant tool for therapeutic purposes such as cell-based therapies. In particular, they show great promise for obesity treatment as they represent an unlimited source of brown/beige adipose progenitors (hiPSC-BAPs). However, the low brown/beige adipocyte differentiation potential in 2D cultures represents a strong limitation for clinical use. In adipose tissue, besides its cell cycle regulator functions, the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor 2A (CDKN2A) locus modulates the commitment of stem cells to the brown-like type fate, mature adipocyte energy metabolism and the browning of adipose tissue. Here, using a new method of hiPSC-BAPs 3D culture, via the formation of an organoid-like structure, we silenced CDKN2A expression during hiPSC-BAP adipogenic differentiation and observed that knocking down CDKN2A potentiates adipogenesis, oxidative metabolism and the browning process, resulting in brown-like adipocytes by promoting UCP1 expression and beiging markers. Our results suggest that modulating CDKN2A levels could be relevant for hiPSC-BAPs cell-based therapies.
Stemming Tumoral Growth: A Matter of Grotesque Organogenesis
Authors: Merino Marisa M. , Garcia-Sanz Jose A.
Published: March 2023

The earliest metazoans probably evolved from single-celled organisms which found the colonial system to be a beneficial organization. Over the course of their evolution, these primary colonial organisms increased in size, and division of labour among the cells became a remarkable feature, leading to a higher level of organization: the biological organs. Primitive metazoans were the first organisms in evolution to show organ-type structures, which set the grounds for complex organs to evolve. Throughout evolution, and concomitant with organogenesis, is the appearance of tissue-specific stem cells. Tissue-specific stem cells gave rise to multicellular living systems with distinct organs which perform specific physiological functions. This setting is a constructive role of evolution; however, rebel cells can take over the molecular mechanisms for other purposes: nowadays we know that cancer stem cells, which generate aberrant organ-like structures, are at the top of a hierarchy. Furthermore, cancer stem cells are the root of metastasis, therapy resistance, and relapse. At present, most therapeutic drugs are unable to target cancer stem cells and therefore, treatment becomes a challenging issue. We expect that future research will uncover the mechanistic “forces” driving organ growth, paving the way to the implementation of new strategies to impair human tumorigenesis.
A Facile Surface-Imprinting Strategy for Trypsin-Imprinted Polymeric Chemosensors Using Two-Step Spin-Coating
Authors: Byeon Je Wook , Yang Jin Chul , Cho Chae Hwan , Lim Seok Jin , Park Jong Pil , Park Jinyoung
Published: March 2023

Surface imprinting used for protein recognition in functional cavities is highly effective in imprinting biomacromolecules to avoid template encapsulation during the formation of a molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) matrix. Herein, we introduce a facile surface-imprinting method based on two-step spin-coating and photopolymerization to design highly efficient imprinted sites on polymeric films to detect trypsin (TRY). Well-distributed template imprinting is successfully achieved for maximized sensing responses by controlling the composition of functional monomers and crosslinkers in the precursor solution and the concentration of TRY in the imprinting solution. The MIP film exhibits higher sensitivity (−841 ± 65 Hz/(μg/mL)) with a coefficient of determination of 0.970 and a higher imprinting factor of 4.5 in a 0.24 µg/mL TRY solution compared to the nonimprinted polymer (NIP) film. Moreover, the limit of detection and limit of quantification are calculated to be 25.33 and 84.42 ng/mL, respectively. Finally, the selectivity coefficient is within the range of 3.90–6.78 for TRY against other proteins. These sensing properties are superior to those of the corresponding nonimprinted polymer matrix. Thus, the proposed facile surface-imprinting method is highly effective for protein imprinting with high sensitivity and selectivity.
‘ZOOMing’ in on Consulting with Children and Parents Remotely to Co-Create Health Information Resources
Authors: Saron Holly , Munro James , Young Rob , Carrol Enitan D. , Porter David , Cantwell Ruth , Crouch Claire , Roberts Julia , Carter Bernie
Published: March 2023

The COVID-19 pandemic altered the way many people worked. Remote and creative ways were favoured and utilised for consultation activities. In this paper, we draw attention to how we have used creative methods over the teleconferencing platform ‘ZOOM’ to consult with children and their parents when we were unable to consult with them face-to-face. We document a clear timeline of how we have worked together to co-create an animation and information sheet about receiving outpatient parenteral antimicrobial therapy (OPAT). We identify the opportunities and challenges we faced.
Vitamin D and Multiple Myeloma: A Scoping Review
Authors: Mirhosseini Naghmeh , Psihogios Athanasios , McLaren Meagan D. , Seely Dugald
Published: March 2023

As the global incidence of multiple myeloma (MM) increases, the identification of modifiable risk factors for disease prevention becomes paramount. Maintaining optimal vitamin D status is a candidate for prevention efforts, based on pre-clinical evidence of a possible role in disease activity and progression. A structured scoping review was performed to identify and describe human-level research regarding the association between vitamin D and MM risk and/or prognosis. Searches of three databases (OVID-Medline, OVID-Embase, and OVID-Cochrane Library) yielded 15 included publications. Vitamin D deficiency is fairly common among patients with MM, with 42.3% of participants in the studies identified as having a vitamin D deficiency. No included publication reported on vitamin D status and the risk of developing or being newly diagnosed with MM. Possible associations with vitamin D that warrant future exploration include the incident staging of MM disease, the occurrence of peripheral neuropathy, and survival/prognosis. Vitamin D receptor (VDR) polymorphisms associated with MM also warrant further investigation. Overall, this scoping review was effective in mapping the research regarding vitamin D and MM and may help support new hypotheses to better describe this association and to better address identified knowledge gaps in the literature.
Evaluation of Classic and Quantitative Imaging Features in the Differentiation of Benign and Atypical Lipomatous Soft Tissue Tumors Using a Standardized Multiparametric MRI Protocol: A Prospective Single-Centre Study in 45 Patients
Authors: Gruber Leonhard , Kremser Christian , Zelger Bettina , Schwabegger Anton , Josip Ena , Dammerer Dietmar , Thaler Martin , Henninger Benjamin
Published: March 2023

Background: Discrimination between benign and atypical lipomatous tumors (ALT) is important due to potential local complications and recurrence of ALT but can be difficult due to the often-similar imaging appearance. Using a standardized MRI protocol, this study aimed to rank established and quantitative MRI features by diagnostic value in the differentiation of benign and atypical lipomatous tumors and to develop a robust scoring system. Methods: Patients with clinical or sonographic suspicion of a lipomatous tumor were prospectively and consecutively enrolled from 2015 to 2019 after ethic review board approval. Histology was confirmed for all ALT and 85% of the benign cases. Twenty-one demographic and morphologic and twenty-three quantitative features were extracted from a standardized MRI protocol (T1/T2-proton-density-weighting, turbo-inversion recovery magnitude, T2* multi-echo gradient-echo imaging, qDIXON-Vibe fat-quantification, T1 relaxometry, T1 mapping, diffusion-weighted and post-contrast sequences). A ranking of these features was generated through a Bayes network analysis with gain-ratio feature evaluation. Results: Forty-five patients were included in the analysis (mean age, 61.2 ± 14.2 years, 27 women [60.0%]). The highest-ranked ALT predictors were septation thickness (gain ratio merit [GRM] 0.623 ± 0.025, p = 0.0055), intra- and peritumoral STIR signal discrepancy (GRM 0.458 ± 0.046, p < 0.0001), orthogonal diameter (GRM 0.554 ± 0.188, p = 0.0013), contrast enhancement (GRM 0.235 ± 0.015, p = 0.0010) and maximum diameter (GRM 0.221 ± 0.075, p = 0.0009). The quantitative features did not provide a significant discriminatory value. The highest-ranked predictors were used to generate a five-tiered score for the identification of ALTs (correct classification rate 95.7% at a cut-off of three positive items, sensitivity 100.0%, specificity 94.9%, likelihood ratio 19.5). Conclusions: Several single MRI features have a substantial diagnostic value in the identification of ALT, yet a multiparametric approach by a simple combination algorithm may support radiologists in the identification of lipomatous tumors in need for further histological assessment.
Learning Interactions in Reaction Diffusion Equations by Neural Networks
Authors: Chen Sichen , Brunel Nicolas J-B. , Yang Xin , Cui Xinping
Published: March 2023

Partial differential equations are common models in biology for predicting and explaining complex behaviors. Nevertheless, deriving the equations and estimating the corresponding parameters remains challenging from data. In particular, the fine description of the interactions between species requires care for taking into account various regimes such as saturation effects. We apply a method based on neural networks to discover the underlying PDE systems, which involve fractional terms and may also contain integration terms based on observed data. Our proposed framework, called Frac-PDE-Net, adapts the PDE-Net 2.0 by adding layers that are designed to learn fractional and integration terms. The key technical challenge of this task is the identifiability issue. More precisely, one needs to identify the main terms and combine similar terms among a huge number of candidates in fractional form generated by the neural network scheme due to the division operation. In order to overcome this barrier, we set up certain assumptions according to realistic biological behavior. Additionally, we use an L2-norm based term selection criterion and the sparse regression to obtain a parsimonious model. It turns out that the method of Frac-PDE-Net is capable of recovering the main terms with accurate coefficients, allowing for effective long term prediction. We demonstrate the interest of the method on a biological PDE model proposed to study the pollen tube growth problem.
Analysis of Archetypes to Determine Time Use and Workload Profiles of Spanish University Professors
Authors: Cabero Ismael , Epifanio Irene , Gual-Arnau Ximo
Published: March 2023

Allocation of time use is important to develop appropriate policies, especially in terms of gender equality. Individual well-being depends on many factors, including how time is spent. Therefore, knowing and analysing the time use and workload of academic staff is relevant for academic policy making. We analyse the responses of 703 Spanish academic staff regarding different activities of paid work and household work (unpaid). We use an innovative machine learning technique in this field, archetype analysis, which we introduce step by step while exploring our data. We identify five profiles, and we examine gender inequalities. The findings indicate that there is a higher prevalence of women in the profiles with a greater workload in household activities and teaching-related activities, but the prevalence is the same in the profile with a greater workload in research activities.
Efficiency Improvement for Wireless Power Transfer System via a Nonlinear Resistance Matching Network
Authors: Yang Haonan , Wu Chengming , Chen Tie
Published: March 2023

The primary control is widely adopted to obtain a constant voltage output under a wider load range. However, for traditional full-bridge inverters under phase-shift control, due to the loss of soft switching, the system transmission efficiency will decrease rapidly. This problem can be improved by using a half-bridge inverter; however, the power transferred to receiving devices utilizing a half-bridge inverter is inadequate under a small dc load value. To solve these urge issues, a resistance matching network (RMN), constructed by a resonant inductor and capacitor, is added before the full bridge rectifier part of this paper. Owing to the nonlinear resistance conversion characteristics of the proposed RMN structure, the variation range of the equivalent AC impedance before the rectifier end can be compressed into an optimum range to enhance the poor transmission efficiency during the coils part. Simultaneously, when the DC load is small, the power capability of the whole system can be enhanced by increasing the equivalent ac load value; as a result, the insufficient power capability of the half-bridge inverter can be relieved. Finally, a 36 V output WPT system based on the proposed RMN and phase shift control is constructed. Additionally, the experimental results prove the feasibility of the theoretical analysis results.
Modeling Noncommutative Composition of Relations for Knowledge Graph Embedding
Authors: Xiang Chao , Fu Cong , Cai Deng , He Xiaofei
Published: March 2023

Knowledge Graph Embedding (KGE) is a powerful way to express Knowledge Graphs (KGs), which can help machines learn patterns hidden in the KGs. Relation patterns are useful hidden patterns, and they usually assist machines to predict unseen facts. Many existing KGE approaches can model some common relation patterns like symmetry/antisymmetry, inversion, and commutative composition patterns. However, most of them are weak in modeling noncommutative composition patterns. It means these approaches can not distinguish a lot of composite relations like “father’s mother” and “mother’s father”. In this work, we propose a new KGE method called QuatRotatScalE (QRSE) to overcome this weakness, since it utilizes rotation and scaling transformations of quaternions to design the relation embedding. Specifically, we embed the relations and entities into a quaternion vector space under the difference norm KGE framework. Since the multiplication of quaternions does not satisfy the commutative law, QRSE can model noncommutative composition patterns naturally. The experimental results on the synthetic dataset also support that QRSE has this ability. In addition, the experimental results on real-world datasets show that QRSE reaches state-of-the-art in link prediction problem.
Decoupling of Electricity Consumption Efficiency, Environmental Degradation and Economic Growth: An Empirical Analysis
Authors: Laghari Fahmida , Ahmed Farhan , Li Hai-Xia , Bojnec Štefan
Published: March 2023

The present study investigates electricity consumption, carbon dioxide (CO2) emission, and economic growth decoupling using data from 1971 to 2020 for the economy of China. The study uses decoupling analysis (DA) as the prime methodology for analysis. Furthermore, the findings put forward a significant contribution to an economic picture of the economy of China and a sizeable addition to related research and findings under the assigned issues discussed in the study. The study’s main contribution is to decouple electricity consumption from the gross domestic product (GDP), which is rare in the existing literature in the context of China. Moreover, the study shows the decoupling of environment affects electricity consumption, and GDP growth. The DA model shows that electricity consumption is the main driving force enhancing economic growth. However, industrialization has increased greenhouse gases, global warming, and climate change due to production and consumption. China’s economy uses coal for energy resources, which indicates that China produces a large proportion of electricity with coal, which causes high CO2 emissions. Finally, further analysis with the Granger causality test confirms the main findings.
Effects of Numerical Schemes of Contact Angle on Simulating Condensation Heat Transfer in a Subcooled Microcavity by Pseudopotential Lattice Boltzmann Model
Authors: Wang Dongmin , Lin Gaoshuai , Zhao Yugang , Gao Ming
Published: March 2023

Various numerical schemes of contact angle are widely used in pseudopotential lattice Boltzmann model to simulate substrate contact angle in condensation. In this study, effects of numerical schemes of contact angle on condensation nucleation and heat transfer simulation are clarified for the first time. The three numerical schemes are pseudopotential-based contact angle scheme, pseudopotential-based contact angle scheme with a ghost fluid layer constructed on the substrate with weighted average density of surrounding fluid nodes, and the geometric formulation scheme. It is found that the subcooling condition destabilizes algorithm of pseudopotential-based contact angle scheme. However, with a ghost fluid layer constructed on the substrate or using geometric formulation scheme, the algorithm becomes stable. The subcooling condition also decreases the simulated contact angle magnitude compared with that under an isothermal condition. The fluid density variation near a microcavity wall simulated by pseudopotential-based contact angle scheme plays the role of the condensation nucleus and triggers “condensation nucleation”. However, with a ghost fluid layer constructed on the substrate or using geometric formulation scheme, the simulated fluid density distribution near the wall is uniform so that no condensation nucleus appears in the microcavity. Thus, “condensation nucleation” cannot occur spontaneously in the microcavity unless a thin liquid film is initialized as a nucleus in the microcavity. The heat flux at the microcavity wall is unphysical during the “condensation nucleation” process, but it becomes reasonable with a liquid film formed in the microcavity. As a whole, it is recommended to use pseudopotential-based contact angle scheme with a ghost fluid layer constructed on the substrate or use the geometric formulation scheme to simulate condensation under subcooling conditions. This study provides guidelines for choosing the desirable numerical schemes of contact angle in condensation simulation by pseudopotential lattice Boltzmann model so that more efficient strategies for condensation heat transfer enhancement can be obtained from numerical simulations.