bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
CULTURE INTERNALIZATION WORK BASED ON LOCAL WISDOM OF CIVIL SERVENTS AT REGIONAL SECRETARIAT OF TAKALAR DISTRICT
Authors: Pakaya Idris A Rahmat , Halim Dr , Samboteng Dr Lukman
Published: February 2022

Culture Internalization Work of Civil Servant it is very important to make improvements to change the attitudes and behavior of civil servants in order to achieve higher work productivity in the face of future challanges. The purpose of this study was to determine the Internalization of Work Culture Based on Local Wisdom of Civil Servants at the Ragional Secretariat of Takalar Regency. The approach used in this research is a qualitative research method. The informants who become the source of information were 15 people. The results showed that the Internalization of the Work Culture of Civil Servants at the Ragional Secretariat of Takalar Regency was good enough based on the results of interviews and observations of researchers while carrying out the research, while the Internalization of work culture value of akkareso tojeng-tojeng (professional), work culture value of assamaturu, sipammaling-malingi (synergy), work culture value of sipakatau, sipakainga' and sipakalabbiri' (work ethic), work culture value of siri' na pacce (integrity), and work culture value of toddopuli (innovative) at the Ragional Secretariat of Takalar Regency, it is already good based on the results of the researchers interviews with informants and the results of the researchers observations, although with some notes related to challanges that hinder the application of these work cultural values.
PENGARUH KUALITAS PELAYANAN TERHADAP KEPUASAN MASYARAKAT DI KECAMATAN BIRINGKANAYA KOTA MAKASSAR
Authors: Tangdiaga Yosi Glodia , Chairunisa Frida , Lucita Gina
Published: February 2022

Kualitas pelayanan adalah mutu yang menunjukkan tingkat baik maupun buruknya suatu jenis pelayanan dari pemerintah (sector public) kepada individu yang dapat memberikan feedback positif yaitu kepuasan masyarakat. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui pengaruh parsial dan simultan kualitas pelayanan (care and concern, spontaneity, problem solving dan service recovery) terhadap kepuasan masyarakat di Kecamatan Biringkanaya; dan mengetahui dimensi kualitas pelayanan yang paling dominan mempengaruhi kepuasan masyarakat di Kecamatan Biringkanaya. Metode yang digunakan adalah deskriptif kuantitatif. Rancangan penelitian yang digunakan adalah Cross sectional. Jumlah sampel sebanyak 100 orang responden yang ditentukan melalui teknik probability sampling dengan pengambilan sampel secara stratified proportional sampling, yang berarti sampel dikelompokkan ke dalam beberapa sub populasi (tiap Kelurahan) sehingga setiap kelurahan akan memiliki sampelnya masing-masing. Pengambilan data menggunakan angket. Analisis data menggunakan analisis regresi linear berganda dengan uji t dan uji f. Hasil penelitian menujukkan bahwa care and concern, spontaneity, problem solving dan service recovery berpengaruh secara positif dan signifikan terhadap kepuasan masyarakat. Artinya kepuasan masyarakat dipengaruhi oleh care and concern, spontaneity, problem solving dan service recovery, selebihnya dipengaruhi oleh faktor lain yang tidak diteliti dalam penelitian ini.
INFLUENCES OF SERVICES QUALITY TOWARDS ON PORT-SERVICE USERS SATISFACTION AT PT PELABUHAN INDONESIA IV (PERSERO) CABANG MAKASSAR
Authors: Darangeng Andi Rifka , Kamariah Najmi
Published: February 2022

State Owned Enterprise has the main task of providing economic services and goods that the private sector does not provide, as well as providing services related to all the needs and needs of the community. This study aims to explore further the effect of the quality of service provided by PT Pelabuhan Indonesia IV (Persero) Branch Makassar on the satisfaction felt by consumers. The sample in this study was obtained through non-probability sampling techniques and purposive sampling to take samples from research respondents. A total of thirty respondents were involved as samples in this study. The data processing model that will be carried out to analyze the results of this study is a simple regression analysis which is then processed by the SPSS application. Based on the results of the analysis of the coefficient of determination obtained from this study, the variable service quality has a 70.8% influence on the customer satisfaction variable. The results also show that customer satisfaction is positively and significantly affected (0.000 <0.05) by the quality of service provided by the company.
Dopamine mimics the cardioprotective effect of ischemic preconditioning via activation of α1- adrenoceptors in the isolated rat heart
Authors: Lazou A , Markou T , Zioga M , Vasara E , Efstathiou A , Gaitanaki C
Published: February 2022

The aim of the present study was to clarify whether pharmacological preconditioning with dopamine protects the heart against ischemia and whether this effect is mediated through dopaminergic receptors (D1 and D2) or alpha1-adrenoceptors. Isolated perfused rat hearts were either non-preconditioned, preconditioned with 5 min ischemia, or treated for 5 min with dopamine (1, 5 or 10 microM) before being subjected to 45 min of sustained ischemia followed by 60 min reperfusion. Postischemic functional recovery and infarct size were used as indices of the effects of ischemia. Treatment with the lower concentration of dopamine (1 microM), did not provide any protection to the ischemic myocardium. On the other hand, treatment with 5 microM dopamine resulted in significantly improved functional recovery, whereas administration of dopamine (10 microM) resulted in significantly improved functional recovery as well as reduction of infarct size. Pretreatment with the mixed D1/D2 dopaminergic receptor antagonist haloperidol or the beta-adrenoceptor selective antagonist propranolol did not attenuate the protective effect of pharmacological preconditioning with 10 microM dopamine with respect to both functional recovery and infarct size reduction. On the other hand, the cardioprotective effect of dopamine was blocked when the alpha1-adrenoceptor selective antagonist, prazosin, was administered. In conclusion, pharmacological preconditioning with dopamine protects the myocardium against ischemia and this effect seems to be mediated through activation of alpha1-adrenoceptors.
Relationship among urinary albumin excretion rate, lipoprotein lipase PvuII polymorphism and plasma fibrinogen in type 2 diabetic patients
Authors: Javorský M , Kozárová M , Šalagovič J , Tkáč I
Published: February 2022

Plasma fibrinogen level represents a strong cardiovascular risk factor and is regulated by an interplay of genetic and environmental factors. Hyperfibrinogenemia frequently occurs in cluster with dyslipidemia within the frame of insulin resistance syndrome (IRS) and type 2 diabetes mellitus. Genetic variants with a pleiotropic effect have been proposed to cause IRS features including hyperfibrinogenemia. We studied the influence of polymorphisms in lipoprotein lipase (LPL) gene, beta-fibrinogen gene (FIBB) and environmental factors on plasma fibrinogen levels in type 2 diabetes patients. 131 type 2 diabetes patients (mean age 62+/-10 years, 33% male) were genotyped for polymorphisms in LPL gene (intron 6 PvuII, intron 8 HindIII) and FIBB gene (-148C/T, -455G/A) by PCR-RFLP method. Fibrinogen was measured by thrombin coagulation method, albuminuria by immunoturbidimetric assay. Polymorphism LPL PvuII showed a gene-dose effect on fibrinogen levels, with the highest fibrinogen in P-P- homozygotes (p = 0.05, analysis of variance). P-carriers (P-P- and P+P- combined) had significantly higher fibrinogen levels compared with P+P+ homozygotes (3.74+/-1.40 g/l vs 3.06+/-1.20 g/l, p=0.03). Other studied polymorphisms were not significantly related to fibrinogen levels. Age- and sex-adjusted fibrinogenemia correlated significantly with albuminuria (r = 0.48, p=0.001), serum uric acid (r = 0.42, p=0.006) and serum creatinine (r = 0.32, p=0.04). Multiple stepwise linear regression identified interaction term of LPL PvuII and albuminuria as an independent predictor of fibrinogen level, explaining 18% of fibrinogen variance. Albuminuria thus appears to be the best predictor of fibrinogen plasma levels in type 2 diabetic patients. Relationship between albuminuria and fibrinogenemia may be modified by the genotype LPL PvuII, which also shows a weak association with plasma fibrinogen level in type 2 diabetes patients.
Erythropoietin decreases cytotoxicity and nitric oxide formation induced by inflammatory stimuli in rat oligodendrocytes
Authors: Genc K , Genc S , Baskin H , Semin I
Published: February 2022

In the present study, we investigated whether erythropoietin (Epo) has a protective effect against cytotoxicity induced by interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma ) and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in primary rat oligodendrocyte cultures. The possible modulatory effect of erythropoietin on inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) mRNA expression and nitrite production were also analyzed. Erythropoietin exerted a significant protective effect against IFN-gamma and LPS-induced oligodendrocyte injury as determined by lactate dehydrogenase assay. Treatment with erythropoietin inhibited the expression of iNOS mRNA and nitrite production resulting from proinflammatory stimulation by IFN-gamma and LPS. These results suggest that erythropoietin has protective effects against inflammatory oligodendrocyte injury in vitro and may play a protective role in neurological disorders characterized by oligodendrocyte death, such as multiple sclerosis.
Depression from Sadness to Melancolia
Authors: Nava Gabriel Miranda
Published: February 2022

Sometimes we have felt so sad and so disappointed for a few hours or days, situation that leads us to sleep badly, have awakenings consists before, decreased appetite, easy crying, tiredness, attention deficit, grumpy, even wanting to “swallow the Earth” which is a small thought to “want to die”; These situations are normIn the mood swings we experience throughout the L day or in a few weeks, and that is recovering with the passage of time, thanks to the adjustment in your brain neurotransmitters experience, we have already commented that they are chemicals in the brain that allow to carry out the different phases of thought.
Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Cardiomyopathy in an Older Private Pilot
Authors: Sharma Sanjiv
Published: February 2022

BACKGROUND: Arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC) results in progressive replacement of right ventricular myocardium with fibrofatty tissue. This condition commonly presents with sudden cardiac death, cardiac arrest, or sustained ventricular tachycardia among
young adults. Considering the likelihood of sudden incapacitation, a diagnosis of ARVC usually signals the end of a career in aviation. However, the morbidity pattern among those diagnosed later in life may differ as compared to the young.CASE REPORT: A private pilot, in his 60s,
applied for renewal of an ICAO Class 2 medical certificate a decade after his previous medical certificate had expired. He declared history of hospitalization due to a heart-related condition. Further information revealed that he had been diagnosed as a case of ARVC and that he had declined
to be implanted with an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator. Recent clinical examination and related cardiovascular investigations were normal except echocardiogram findings of left ventricular hypertrophy and left atrial enlargement. The treating cardiologist, in the absence of history
of syncope and evidence of right ventricular dysfunction or sustained ventricular tachycardia, considered this condition to be stable with minimal risk of malignant arrhythmia.DISCUSSION: This case report discusses aeromedical decision making in a pilot found to have ARVC late in
life. Despite the progressive nature of the condition with its attendant risk of incapacitation, considering the age at diagnosis and absence of any high-risk features of ARVC, the regulator decided to issue the medical certificate with safety pilot restriction to enable this pilot to return
to aviation activities.Sharma S. Arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy in an older private pilot. Aerosp Med Hum Perform. 2022; 93(2):111–115.
Enhanced recovery protocols after pelvic floor reconstructive surgery
Authors: Zacharakis Dimitrios , Ntounis Thomas , Diakosavvas Michail , Kathopoulis Nikolaos , Kalantzis Christos , Athanasiou Stavros , Grigoriadis Themos
Published: February 2022

Introduction: Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) protocols consist of several evidence-based interventions that have been adopted to ameliorate perioperative care. Until this day, no such specific protocols suggested for urogynecology patients, exist. However, there are recent efforts towards the development of such protocols, as it has been shown to have beneficial effects among patients undergoing other gynecological procedures. This review aims to collect and analyze data in the published literature regarding implementation of an enhanced recovery after surgery pathway in a urogynecology population. Material and Methods: An extensive search of the PubMed/Medline and the Cochrane Database was conducted using the following terms: Enhance Recovery After Surgery combined with pelvic floor reconstructive surgery and urogynecology. Related articles from the latest two decades up to May 2021 were scanned for relevance. Results: The interventions concerning the implementation of an enhanced recovery pathway after urogynecologic procedures include preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative recommendations. The main key items in these protocols comprise of patient education, optimization of comorbid conditions, diet, bowel preparation, antibiotic prophylaxis, fluid intake, anesthesiologic agents, early ambulation, postoperative analgesia, thromboprophylaxis and guidance after discharge. Conclusions: Implementation of an ERAS protocol in urogynecology-specific population has been proven to have a beneficial effect on decreasing hospital stay without increasing the rate of post-operative complications. Nonetheless, the scarcity of evidence-based studies in the literature, regarding the implementation of an ERAS protocol in gynecologic pelvic floor reconstructive surgery is apparent. Hence, further research is required with studies targeted towards urogynecology for safer conclusions to be made.
Empirical assessment of a genomic breeding strategy in perennial ryegrass
Authors: Faville Marty , Schmidt Jana , Trolove Michael , Moran Peter , Hong Won , Cao Mingshu , Ganesh Siva , George Richard , Barrett Brent
Published: February 2022

In genomic selection (GS) DNA markers and trait data are integrated in a model that then predicts genomic-estimated breeding values (GEBV’s) for individuals using DNA marker information alone, improving breeding efficiency. We assessed a genomic breeding strategy (APWFGS) for improving dry matter yield (DMY) in perennial ryegrass. In APWFGS the best-performing half-sibling families (HS) are identified using phenotypic data and GS is used to select the best individuals within those HS. Four selections were made from three breeding populations: Base (random sample of plants from all HS), HSP (random sample from the six phenotypically-best HS), APWFGS and APWFGS-L (top or bottom 5% of plants, respectively, selected by GEBV from the six HS).  Selected plants were polycrossed, creating 12 experimental synthetics that were evaluated as sown rows for DMY (n=7 harvests) in field trials at two locations over 18 months.  In each population, mean DMY across locations and harvests showed a trend of APWFGS> HSP>Base.  Averaged across all populations, APWFGS increased DMY by 43% (P<0.05) compared to Base, more than twice the level of improvement achieved with conventional HSP. Our results show the APWFGS breeding approach can substantially improve selection response for a genetically complex trait from a single breeding cycle.
Refining foliage sampling protocols for white clover
Authors: Olykan Sonya , Lucas Richard , Moot Derrick , Black Alistair
Published: February 2022

White clover (Trifolium repens) foliar ‘grab’ samples were taken pre-grazing from two irrigated experiments at Lincoln University at ~6 week intervals from August 2019 to May 2021. Clover leaves were divided into lamina and petiole before analysis. The results for nitrogen (N), phosphorous (P), potassium (K) and sulphur (S) foliar concentrations are reported.

While there were seasonal variations, N% and S% were consistently higher in the white clover lamina than the petiole, K% was mostly higher in the petiole, and P% was higher in the lamina during the winter/early spring period. With increasing clover sward height, the lamina to petiole DW ratio declined from 4, at a sward height of 5 cm, to 1 at 20 cm. The lamina+petiole sample had lower concentrations of N and S than lamina alone. Over time, foliar N% was relatively stable but concentrations of P, K and S showed ~ two-fold variation and may have been affected by low soil moisture.

The diagnosis of clover nutrient status should be based on lamina-only samples taken during spring, when plant growth is fastest, and just prior to grazing when there is sufficient herbage. Clover foliage sampling should routinely be used to inform fertiliser recommendations rather than relying on the development of visual symptoms of nutrient deficiency.
Variable-rate application of fertiliser – a new tool for farm system and environmental performance?
Authors: King Warren , Pletnyakov Peter , Taylor Anna , Ekanayake Chavi , Werner Armin
Published: February 2022

Nitrogenous fertilisers – especially urea – are key inputs into many farming systems. With increasing restrictions on nitrogen fertiliser application, there is an urgent need to ensure that nitrogen is used effectively. One technology that has been developed to contribute to this challenge is variable-rate application (VRA) of fertiliser. The theory is that fertiliser is applied at higher rates where there is sufficient grass cover to utilise the fertiliser, and at lower rates where grass cover is reduced (or absent). This trial looked at the effect of VRA on pasture production on five farms over one season and estimated the impact of those changes on farm system metrics, including environmental performance. Averaged over all five farms, there was no statistically significant difference between VRA and blanket-rate application of fertiliser on pasture production. However, one farm did show a significant difference. Although the absolute difference was small, it suggested that VRA could be a useful tool in addressing the challenge of driving better farm performance with reduced environmental impact.
Deleuze's Elaboration of Eternity: Ontogenesis and Multiplicity
Authors: Luzecky Rob
Published: February 2022

I demonstrate that Deleuze's identification of Aion as an empty form (of time) offers a fascinating model of temporality that prioritises variation. First, I suggest that Deleuze's identification of time as an empty form is supported by ancient Greek and Gnostic concepts of the relation of Aion and Chronos. From Plato, through Aristotle, to Plotinus the concept of time undergoes substantive revision, in the sense that temporal measurement becomes removed from the measurement of existent entities (cosmic or sublunar bodies). This gradual untethering of time from movement gives rise to the development of the concept of eternity as an ontologically comprehensive mode of time that is devoid of content (i.e. a movement not indexed to the movement of cosmic or sublunar entities). It is here, with Deleuze's reading of the Platonic cosmology, that we see the first hints of the suggestion that Aion is involved with ontogenesis. Eternity is characterised as: (1) a temporal ‘all’ (i.e. generality) that is non-reducible to the determinacy implied by any particular temporally localised existent or temporal series (i.e. a succession relation of temporally discrete moments); (2) that which tends towards a diversity of possible states of affairs. Perhaps one of the most interesting aspects in the long history of Aion is that – in the ancient world – it was used in magical incantations. For the Gnostics and Oracles, Aion was a deity, and a potent one at that. From the Gnostic papyri, we get a vision of Aion as a force which enjoys eternal realisation. I suggest that the papyri conjure an image of Aion as a deity that is liberated from time, in the sense that it enjoys a neutrality with respect to the movements of any particular entity or group of entities – a form, in the most general sense of the term. Then, to clarify this mercurial aspect of an empty form of time, I elaborate on a complex analogy between Aion and Deleuze's concept of an ‘ideal game’ – an analogy that Deleuze specifies through reference to Fitzgerald and Borges. The claim is that Aion is an analogue of an ideal game in the (limited) sense that both share essential properties. Both Aion and the ideal game involve the multiplication of chance. Finally, I suggest that the differential aspects of Aion imply that it is pure variability; something which can be illustrated through a differential equation. These yield the suggestion that Aion enjoys realisation as an ontogenetic force. I further claim that ontogenetic forces may enjoy expression as the content of literature and (Riemannian-inspired) mathematics. In concrete terms, temporality is involved in the creation of existent entities, which may be illustrated as various types of continuous multiplicity.
‘Both Directions at Once’: Chronos, Aion and the Timelessness of the Unconscious
Authors: Bergsma Theodore T.
Published: February 2022

This paper advances an interpretation of Deleuze's Chronos–Aion distinction in The Logic of Sense as a development of Freud's thesis concerning the timelessness of the unconscious. If Chronos forms a unidirectional sequence along the arrow of a living present, the Aion as the eternal truth of events represents a form of time that is transcendentally distinct. While Chronos belongs to consciousness through the functions of good and common sense, the paradoxical insistence of the Aion represents for Deleuze the force of the unconscious. By identifying the Aion with the death drive, Deleuze positions timelessness as the transcendental condition of the living, corporeal ego.
Ethnobotanical Profiling of Teshil Dhirkot District Bagh Azad Jammu and Kashmir
Authors: Arif Shameen , Mahmood Basharat , Hussain Sajjad , Khan Rizwan Taj , Hussain Abid , Kousar Humaira , Tariq-Khan Muhammad , Shamim Asim , Khan Muhammad Riaz , Khan Zahid Hussain , Khans Khan Irfan , Tariq Sahira
Published: February 2022

This Ethnobotanical study was aimed to document the indigenous knowledge of medicinal plants of Dhirkot district Bagh AJK along with their therapeutic values and ethnopharmacological importance. The ethnobotanical data was collected by using the open-ended questionnaire from the local people about the use of medicinal plants.  The current study reported three plant species, viz: Sarcoccoca saligna (Ganeera), Rumex hastatus (Chukhri), Cichurium intybus (Kasni) are mainly used for different ailments. The Plant species selected on the basis of used value were subjected to antibacterial activity by using the disc diffusion method. Different statistical techniques were employed to analyze the data of informant consensus factor (ICF), fidelity level (FL), use value (UV) and relative frequency citation (RFC). Current study reported 93 plant species belonging to 46 families and 81 genera for the treatment different ailments like stomach, liver, diabetes, skin, kidney, blood disorders. The most frequent plant part used was leaf (40%), followed by fruit (23%), whole plant (14%), stem and seeds (8% each), tuber (4%) and flower (1%). Modes of administration were grouped into 7 categories including raw use (30 use citation) followed by decoction (28), powder (14), paste and extract (7) and seeds (1 use citation). Fresh plant material was most preferable method and oral administration was the highly prevalent. The highest RFC value was calculated for the gastro-paresis (0.71) by Zanthoxylum alatum and the highest UV value was calculated by Malia azedarach (0.54) for fever, blood purification. Similarly Juglans regia, Sarcoccoca saligna and Datura stramonium were show highest fidelity level (FL=100%). Local communities were highly dependent on the medicinal plants and reported the best therapeutic values for specific disorders. Urgent attention must be needed to conserve the local flora, detailed documentation of indigenous knowledge and phytochemical/pharmacological authentication of different plants used for different diseases.
Factors Affecting the Value of Ankle Brachial Index in Patients with Diabetes Mellitus Type 2: Literature Review
Authors: Rahayu Sri Bintari Rahayu , Tahir Takdir Tahir , Erika Kadek Ayu Erika
Published: February 2022

Aims: The purpose of this literature review is to determine the factors that affect the value of the Ankle Brachial Index (ABI) in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.
Methods: Search articles through Pubmed, Science Direct, Scopus and Researchgate. The articles obtained were filtered based on full text, 20 articles were found, and six articles were analyzed through analysis of objectives, suitability of topics, research methods used, characteristics of respondents, and the results of each article, published 2017-2021, in English and Indonesian.
Results: ABI value in people with diabetes is influenced by age with a lower prevalence of ABI higher in men, treatment with oral anti-diabetic or insulin, mean arterial pressure, the severity of diabetic foot, and the presence of symptoms of complications of diabetes mellitus such as diabetic retinopathy. However, the duration of suffering from diabetes mellitus did not affect the abnormal ABI value.
Conclusion: The Ankle Brachial Index (ABI) value can be influenced by Age, Gender, the severity of diabetic foot, and symptoms of complications, but the length of suffering from Diabetes Mellitus does not affect the ABI value.
PPARγ/SOD2 Protects Against Mitochondrial ROS-Dependent Apoptosis via Inhibiting ATG4D-Mediated Mitophagy to Promote Pancreatic Cancer Proliferation
Authors: Nie Shuang , Shi Zhao , Shi Mengyue , Li Hongzhen , Qian Xuetian , Peng Chunyan , Ding Xiwei , Zhang Shu , Lv Ying , Wang Lei , Kong Bo , Zou Xiaoping , Shen Shanshan
Published: February 2022

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is an extremely aggressive disease with poor prognosis. Our previous study found that peroxisome proliferator activated receptor gamma (PPARγ) was capable of enhancing glycolysis in PDAC cells. However, whether PPARγ could promote PDAC progression remains unclear. In our present study, PPARγ was positively associated with tumor size and poor prognosis in PDAC patients. Functional assays demonstrated that PPARγ could promote the proliferation of pancreatic cancer cells in vitro and in vivo. Additionally, flow cytometry results showed that PPARγ decreased mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (mitochondrial ROS) production, stabilized mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) and inhibited cell apoptosis via up-regulating superoxide dismutase 2 (SOD2), followed by the inhibition of ATG4D-mediated mitophagy. Meanwhile, the activation of PPARγ might reduce pancreatic cancer cell stemness to improve PDAC chemosensitivity via down-regulating ATG4D. Thus, these results revealed that PPARγ/SOD2 might protect against mitochondrial ROS-dependent apoptosis via inhibiting ATG4D-mediated mitophagy to promote pancreatic cancer proliferation, further improving PDAC chemosensitivity.
An Update on the Roles of circRNA-ZFR in Human Malignant Tumors
Authors: Liu Lang , Wang Haicun , Yu Shaobo , Gao Xin , Liu Guanglin , Sun Dongsheng , Jiang Xingming
Published: February 2022

CircRNAs (circular RNAs) are single-stranded RNAs that form covalently closed loops and function as important regulatory elements of the genome through multiple mechanisms. Increasing evidence had indicated that circRNAs, which might serve as either oncogenes or tumor suppressors, played vital roles in the pathophysiology of human diseases, especially in tumorigenesis and progression. CircRNA-ZFR (circular RNA zinc finger RNA binding protein) is a circular RNA that had attracted much attention in recent years. It has been found that circRNA-ZFR was abnormally expressed in a variety of malignant tumors, and its dysregulated expression was closely related to tumor stage, cancer metastasis and patients’ prognosis. Recent studies had shown that aberrantly expressed circRNA-ZFR could regulate the malignant biological behaviors of tumors through various mechanisms; further exploration of circRNA-ZFR expression in tumors and its regulation on malignant biological behaviors such as tumor proliferation, invasion and drug resistance will provide new ideas for clinical tumors diagnosis and treatment.
Recent Progress in Light-Driven Molecular Shuttles
Authors: Yao Bin , Sun Hongfei , Yang Lin , Wang Song , Liu Xingyan
Published: February 2022

Molecular shuttles are typical molecular machines that could be applied in various fields. The motion modes of wheel components in rotaxanes could be strategically modulated by external stimuli, such as pH, ions, solvent, light, and so on. Light is particularly attractive because it is harmless and can be operated in a remote mode and usually no byproducts are formed. Over the past decade, many examples of light-driven molecular shuttles are emerging. Accordingly, this review summarizes the recent research progress of light-driven molecular shuttles. First, the light-driven mechanisms of molecular motions with different functional groups are discussed in detail, which show how to drive photoresponsive or non-photoresponsive molecular shuttles. Subsequently, the practical applications of molecular shuttles in different fields, such as optical information storage, catalysis for organic reactions, drug delivery, and so on, are demonstrated. Finally, the future development of light-driven molecular shuttle is briefly prospected.
Architecting Hierarchical WO3 Agglomerates Assembled With Straight and Parallel Aligned Nanoribbons Enabling High Capacity and Robust Stability of Lithium Storage
Authors: Dong Xiaotong , Liu Yongshuai , Zhu Shikai , Ou Yike , Zhang Xiaoyu , Lan Wenhao , Guo Haotian , Zhang Cunliang , Liu Zhaoguo , Ju Shuai , Miao Yuan , Zhang Yongcheng , Li Hongsen
Published: February 2022

The pursuit of electrochemical energy storage has led to a pressing need on materials with high capacities and energy densities; however, further progress is plagued by the restrictive capacity (372 mAh g−1) of conventional graphite materials. Tungsten trioxide (WO3)-based anodes feature high theoretical capacity (693 mAh g−1), suitable potential, and affordable cost, arousing ever-increasing attention and intense efforts. Nonetheless, developing high-performance WO3 electrodes that accommodate lithium ions remains a daunting challenge on account of sluggish kinetics characteristics and large volume strain. Herein, the well-designed hierarchical WO3 agglomerates assembled with straight and parallel aligned nanoribbons are fabricated and evaluated as an anode of lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), which exhibits an ultra-high capacity and excellent rate capability. At a current density of 1,000 mA g−1, a reversible capacity as high as 522.7 mAh g−1 can be maintained after 800 cycles, corresponding to a high capacity retention of ∼80%, demonstrating an exceptional long-durability cyclic performance. Furthermore, the mechanistic studies on the lithium storage processes of WO3 are probed, providing a foundation for further optimizations and rational designs. These results indicate that the well-designed hierarchical WO3 agglomerates display great potential for applications in the field of high-performance LIBs.
Deep Learning-Based Extreme Heatwave Forecast
Authors: Jacques-Dumas Valérian , Ragone Francesco , Borgnat Pierre , Abry Patrice , Bouchet Freddy
Published: February 2022

Because of the impact of extreme heat waves and heat domes on society and biodiversity, their study is a key challenge. We specifically study long-lasting extreme heat waves, which are among the most important for climate impacts. Physics driven weather forecast systems or climate models can be used to forecast their occurrence or predict their probability. The present work explores the use of deep learning architectures, trained using outputs of a climate model, as an alternative strategy to forecast the occurrence of extreme long-lasting heatwave. This new approach will be useful for several key scientific goals which include the study of climate model statistics, building a quantitative proxy for resampling rare events in climate models, study the impact of climate change, and should eventually be useful for forecasting. Fulfilling these important goals implies addressing issues such as class-size imbalance that is intrinsically associated with rare event prediction, assessing the potential benefits of transfer learning to address the nested nature of extreme events (naturally included in less extreme ones). We train a Convolutional Neural Network, using 1,000 years of climate model outputs, with large-class undersampling and transfer learning. From the observed snapshots of the surface temperature and the 500 hPa geopotential height fields, the trained network achieves significant performance in forecasting the occurrence of long-lasting extreme heatwaves. We are able to predict them at three different levels of intensity, and as early as 15 days ahead of the start of the event (30 days ahead of the end of the event).
Cerebro-Cardiovascular Risk, Target Organ Damage, and Treatment Outcomes in Primary Aldosteronism
Authors: Lin Xiao , Ullah Muhammad Hasnain Ehsan , Wu Xiong , Xu Feng , Shan Su-Kang , Lei Li-Min , Yuan Ling-Qing , Liu Jun
Published: February 2022

Primary aldosteronism (PA) is the most common type of endocrine hypertension, and numerous experimental and clinical evidence have verified that prolonged exposure to excess aldosterone is responsible for an increased risk of cerebro-cardiovascular events and target organ damage (TOD) in patients with PA. Therefore, focusing on restoring the toxic effects of excess aldosterone on the target organs is very important to reduce cerebro-cardiovascular events. Current evidence convincingly demonstrates that both surgical and medical treatment strategies would benefit cerebro-cardiovascular outcomes and mortality in the long term. Understanding cerebro-cardiovascular risk in PA would help clinical doctors to achieve both early diagnosis and treatment. Therefore, in this review, we will summarize the cerebro-cardiovascular risk in PA, focusing on the TOD of aldosterone, including brain, heart, vascular system, renal, adipose tissues, diabetes, and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Furthermore, the various treatment outcomes of adrenalectomy and medical treatment for patients with PA will also be discussed. We hope this knowledge will help improve cerebro-cardiovascular prognosis and reduce the incidence and mortality of cerebro-cardiovascular events in patients with PA.
Integration and Validation of a Natural Language Processing Machine Learning Suicide Risk Prediction Model Based on Open-Ended Interview Language in the Emergency Department
Authors: Cohen Joshua , Wright-Berryman Jennifer , Rohlfs Lesley , Trocinski Douglas , Daniel LaMonica , Klatt Thomas W.
Published: February 2022

Background

Emergency departments (ED) are an important intercept point for identifying suicide risk and connecting patients to care, however, more innovative, person-centered screening tools are needed. Natural language processing (NLP) -based machine learning (ML) techniques have shown promise to assess suicide risk, although whether NLP models perform well in differing geographic regions, at different time periods, or after large-scale events such as the COVID-19 pandemic is unknown.

Objective

To evaluate the performance of an NLP/ML suicide risk prediction model on newly collected language from the Southeastern United States using models previously tested on language collected in the Midwestern US.

Method

37 Suicidal and 33 non-suicidal patients from two EDs were interviewed to test a previously developed suicide risk prediction NLP/ML model. Model performance was evaluated with the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) and Brier scores.

Results

NLP/ML models performed with an AUC of 0.81 (95% CI: 0.71–0.91) and Brier score of 0.23.

Conclusion

The language-based suicide risk model performed with good discrimination when identifying the language of suicidal patients from a different part of the US and at a later time period than when the model was originally developed and trained.
Study on Chemical Genesis of Deep Geothermal Fluid in Gaoyang Geothermal Field
Authors: Xing Yifei , Yu Haowen , Liu Zhao , Li Jie , Liu Shaoyun , Han Sihang , Wang Guiling
Published: February 2022

Geothermal resources are clean energy with a great potential for development and utilization. Gaoyang geothermal field, located in the middle of the raised area in Hebei province, China, is one of the three major geothermal fields in the Xiong’an New Area. With the development of the Xiong’an New Area, this geothermal field has become a research hotspot. According to the latest survey, the bottom-hole temperature of the D34 and D35 areas in the north of Gaoyang geothermal field is 149°C and 116°C, respectively, which indicates favorable target areas for geothermal exploitation The circulation mechanism and chemical origins of geothermal fluid are unclear in the Gaoyang geothermal field, which hinders the evaluation of geothermal resources in this region. Therefore, water chemistry and isotopic studies were performed on the Gaoyang geothermal fluid to understand the genesis of the Gaoyang geothermal field. Piper trigram and Na-K-Mg software were also used to explore the genesis of the underground hot water. Combined with stratigraphy and geothermal geology, it can be concluded that the primary hydrochemical type of the Gaoyang geothermal field is Na-HCO3·Cl. In the process of upward migration of geothermal water, leaching and cation alternating adsorption took place, and finally, high TDS geothermal water was formed. Our results are helpful for geothermal resource evaluation and utilization and provide scientific guidance for the sustainable development of geothermal resources.
Voltage Source Converter–Based Voltage Stiffness Compensator to Improve Grid Voltage Dynamics
Authors: Shang Lei , Han Chunyi , Dong Xuzhu , Tian Ye , Liu Jianing
Published: February 2022

This study proposes a novel voltage source converter (VSC)-based voltage dynamic regulatory device based on energy storage and virtual synchronous control, called as a rotating inertia and voltage stiffness compensator (RIVSC), to enhance grid voltage dynamics. In the proposed RIVSC, there is no inner cascaded current control, and the output voltage of the VSC, i.e., inner potential, is directly connected to the grid via a filter. Stiffness characteristic is featured in the inner potential of the RIVSC by the virtual synchronous control. On the basis of the stiffness characteristic, the RIVSC can naturally provide dynamic support for grid voltage. Compared to the traditional synchronous condenser, the proposed RIVSC is more flexible and contributes less short-circuit current. Compared to the existing power electronic-interfaced voltage regulatory device, dynamic support is natural without any time delay, and the proposed RIVSC can improve the dynamic performance of the grid voltage, which is helpful to alleviate the temporary overvoltage at the sending terminal. The basic principle, control methods, and application analysis are presented. Meanwhile, a 10 kW prototype is set up, and the experiment results validate the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed RIVSC on improving grid voltage dynamics.
Linking MSPA and Circuit Theory to Identify the Spatial Range of Ecological Networks and Its Priority Areas for Conservation and Restoration in Urban Agglomeration
Authors: Zhai Tianlin , Huang Longyang
Published: February 2022

Rapid urbanization has led to the continuous degradation of natural ecological space within large urban agglomerations, triggering landscape fragmentation and habitat loss, which poses a great threat to regional ecological sustainability. Ecological networks (ENs) are a comprehensive control scheme to protect regional ecological sustainability. However, in the current research about ENs, most studies can only determine the orientation of ecological corridors but not their specific spatial range. This leads to the fact that ENs can only be abstract concepts composed of points and lines, and cannot be implemented into concrete spatial planning. In this study, taking the Shandong Peninsula urban agglomeration as an example, ecological sources were identified by morphological spatial pattern analysis (MSPA) and habitat quality assessment, ecological resistance surfaces were constructed based on habitat risk assessment (HRA). And circuit theory was used to simulate the ecosystem processes in heterogeneous landscapes via by calculating the cumulative current value and cumulative current recovery value, to identify the spatial range and key areas of ecological corridors. The results showed that the ENs includes 6,263.73 km2 of ecological sources, 12,136.61 km2 of ecological corridors, 283.61 km2 of pinch points and 347.51 km2 of barriers. Specifically, ecological sources were distributed in a spatial pattern of five groups, and ecological corridors were short and dense within groups, long in distance and narrow in width between groups. The pinch points and barriers mainly exist in the ecological corridors connecting the inner and outer parts of the central city and in the inter-group corridors. In order to ensure the connectivity and effectiveness of ENs, it is necessary to focus on the pinch points and barriers and include them in the priority areas for protection and restoration. Based on MSPA and circuit theory, this study provides a new method for determining the spatial range of ENs and the specific locations of priority areas, and provides a feasible solution for the concrete implementation of ENs to achieve effective ecological protection and restoration.
Genome-Wide Assessment of a Korean Composite Pig Breed, Woori-Heukdon
Authors: Kim Yong-Min , Seong Ha-Seung , Kim Young-Sin , Hong Joon-Ki , Sa Soo-Jin , Lee Jungjae , Lee Jun-Hee , Cho Kyu-Ho , Chung Won-Hyong , Choi Jung-Woo , Cho Eun-Seok
Published: February 2022

A Korean synthetic pig breed, Woori-Heukdon (WRH; F3), was developed by crossing parental breeds (Korean native pig [KNP] and Korean Duroc [DUC]) with their crossbred populations (F1 and F2). This study in genome-wide assessed a total of 2,074 pigs which include the crossbred and the parental populations using the Illumina PorcineSNP60 BeadChip. After quality control of the initial datasets, we performed population structure, genetic diversity, and runs of homozygosity (ROH) analyses. Population structure analyses showed that crossbred populations were genetically influenced by the parental breeds according to their generation stage in the crossbreeding scheme. Moreover, principal component analysis showed the dispersed cluster of WRH, which might reflect introducing a new breeding group into the previous one. Expected heterozygosity values, which were used to assess genetic diversity, were .365, .349, .336, .330, and .211 for WRH, F2, F1, DUC, and KNP, respectively. The inbreeding coefficient based on ROH was the highest in KNP (.409), followed by WRH (.186), DUC (.178), F2 (.107), and F1 (.035). Moreover, the frequency of short ROH decreased according to the crossing stage (from F1 to WRH). Alternatively, the frequency of medium and long ROH increased, which indicated recent inbreeding in F2 and WRH. Furthermore, gene annotation of the ROH islands in WRH that might be inherited from their parental breeds revealed several interesting candidate genes that may be associated with adaptation, meat quality, production, and reproduction traits in pigs.
Infection of Endothelial Cells by Dengue Virus Induces ROS Production by Different Sources Affecting Virus Replication, Cellular Activation, Death and Vascular Permeability
Authors: Meuren Lana Monteiro , Prestes Elisa Beatriz , Papa Michelle Premazzi , de Carvalho Luiza Rachel Pinheiro , Mustafá Yasmin Mucunã , da Costa Leandro Silva , Da Poian Andrea T. , Bozza Marcelo Torres , Arruda Luciana Barros
Published: February 2022

Exacerbated inflammatory response and altered vascular function are hallmarks of dengue disease. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) production has been associated to endothelial barrier disturbance and microvascular alteration in distinct pathological conditions. Increased ROS has been reported in in vitro models of dengue virus (DENV) infection, but its impact for endothelial cell physiology had not been fully investigated. Our group had previously demonstrated that infection of human brain microvascular endothelial cells (HBMEC) with DENV results in the activation of RNA sensors and production of proinflammatory cytokines, which culminate in cell death and endothelial permeability. Here, we evaluated the role of mitochondrial function and NADPH oxidase (NOX) activation for ROS generation in HBMEC infected by DENV and investigated whether altered cellular physiology could be a consequence of virus-induced oxidative stress. DENV-infected HBMECs showed a decrease in the maximal respiratory capacity and altered membrane potential, indicating functional mitochondrial alteration, what might be related to mtROS production. Indeed, mtROS was detected at later time points after infection. Specific inhibition of mtROS diminished virus replication, cell death, and endothelial permeability, but did not affect cytokine production. On the other hand, inhibition of NOX-associated ROS production decreased virus replication and cell death, as well as the secretion of inflammatory cytokines, including IL-6, IL-8, and CCL5. These results demonstrated that DENV replication in endothelial cells induces ROS production by different pathways, which impacts biological functions that might be relevant for dengue pathogenesis. Those data also indicate oxidative stress events as relevant therapeutical targets to avoid vascular permeability, inflammation, and neuroinvasion during DENV infection.