bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
S-1-Propenylcysteine promotes IL-10-induced M2c macrophage polarization through prolonged activation of IL-10R/STAT3 signaling
Authors: Miki Satomi , Suzuki Jun-ichiro , Takashima Miyuki , Ishida Mari , Kokubo Hiroki , Yoshizumi Masao 
Published: November 2021

AbstractAtherosclerosis is a chronic inflammatory disease that may lead to the development of serious cardiovascular diseases. Aged garlic extract (AGE) has been reported to ameliorate atherosclerosis, although its mode of action remains unclear. We found that AGE increased the mRNA or protein levels of arginase1 (Arg1), interleukin-10 (IL-10), CD206 and hypoxia-inducible factor 2α (HIF2α) and decreased that of CD68, HIF1α and inducible nitric oxide synthase in the aorta and spleen of apolipoprotein E knockout mice. We also found that S-1-propenylcysteine (S1PC), a characteristic sulfur compound in AGE, increased the level of IL-10-induced Arg1 mRNA and the extent of M2c-like macrophage polarization in vitro. In addition, S1PC increased the population of M2c-like macrophages, resulting in suppressed the population of M1-like macrophages and decreased lipopolysaccharide-induced production of pro-inflammatory cytokines. These effects were accompanied by prolonged phosphorylation of the IL-10 receptor α (IL-10Rα) and signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) that inhibited the interaction between IL-10Rα and Src homology-2-containing inositol 5’-phosphatase 1 (SHIP1). In addition, administration of S1PC elevated the M2c/M1 macrophage ratio in senescence-accelerated mice. These findings suggest that S1PC may help improve atherosclerosis due to its anti-inflammatory effect to promote IL-10-induced M2c macrophage polarization.
Leaf nodule endosymbiotic Burkholderia confer targeted allelopathy to their Psychotria hosts
Authors: Georgiou Antri , Sieber Simon , Hsiao Chien-Chi , Grayfer Tatyana , Gorenflos López Jacob L. , Gademann Karl , Eberl Leo , Bailly Aurélien 
Published: November 2021

AbstractAfter a century of investigations, the function of the obligate betaproteobacterial endosymbionts accommodated in leaf nodules of tropical Rubiaceae remained enigmatic. We report that the α-d-glucose analogue (+)-streptol, systemically supplied by mature Ca.Burkholderia kirkii nodules to their Psychotria hosts, exhibits potent and selective root growth inhibiting activity. We provide compelling evidence that (+)-streptol specifically affects meristematic root cells transitioning to anisotropic elongation by disrupting cell wall organization in a mechanism of action that is distinct from canonical cellulose biosynthesis inhibitors. We observed no inhibitory or cytotoxic effects on organisms other than seed plants, further suggesting (+)-streptol as a bona fide allelochemical. We propose that the suppression of growth of plant competitors is a major driver of the formation and maintenance of the Psychotria–Burkholderia association. In addition to potential agricultural applications as a herbicidal agent, (+)-streptol might also prove useful to dissect plant cell and organ growth processes.
Dietary quality indices modify the effects of apolipoprotein B polymorphisms on biochemical and anthropometric factors in type 2 diabetes mellitus
Authors: Karimi Elmira , Sotoudeh Gity , Rafiee Masoumeh , Koohdani Fariba 
Published: November 2021

AbstractWe tried to identify the interaction between dietary quality indices and apolipoprotein B Ins/Del and EcoR1 polymorphisms on biochemical and anthropometric factors in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). This cross-sectional study recruited 700 adults with T2DM in Tehran. The genotypes of Ins/Del and EcoR1 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) were explored via polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Dietary quality index-international (DQI-I), healthy eating index-2015 (HEI-2015) and dietary phytochemical index (DPI) were calculated by semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire (FFQ). In both crude and adjusted model for confounding factors, we observed significant interactions between DQI-I and Ins/Del SNP on leptin in and 8-iso-prostaglandin F2 α (8-iso-PGF2α), DPI and EcoR1 SNP on total cholesterol (TC) and between Ins/Del SNP and HEI-2015 on interleukin-18 (IL-18). Furthermore, in crude model there were close to meaningful interactions between EcoR1 SNP and DQI-I on total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and between EcoR1 SNP and HEI-2015 on serum leptin and superoxide dismutase (SOD) levels. Our finding indicated that the association between DQI-I, HEI-2015 and DPI with IL-18, TC, leptin and 8-iso-PGF2α in patients with T2DM might be dependent on Ins/Del and EcoR1 variants in ApoB gene.
Enhancing osteoblast survival through pulsed electrical stimulation and implications for osseointegration
Authors: Pettersen Emily , Shah Furqan A. , Ortiz-Catalan Max 
Published: November 2021

AbstractElectrical stimulation has been suggested as a means for promoting the direct structural and functional bonding of bone tissue to an artificial implant, known as osseointegration. Previous work has investigated the impact of electrical stimulation in different models, both in vitro and in vivo, using various electrode configurations for inducing an electric field with a wide range of stimulation parameters. However, there is no consensus on optimal electrode configuration nor stimulation parameters. Here, we investigated a novel approach of delivering electrical stimulation to a titanium implant using parameters clinically tested in a different application, namely peripheral nerve stimulation. We propose an in vitro model comprising of Ti6Al4V implants precultured with MC3T3-E1 preosteoblasts, stimulated for 72 h at two different pulse amplitudes (10 µA and 20 µA) and at two different frequencies (50 Hz and 100 Hz). We found that asymmetric charge-balanced pulsed electrical stimulation improved cell survival and collagen production in a dose-dependent manner. Our findings suggest that pulsed electrical stimulation with characteristics similar to peripheral nerve stimulation has the potential to improve cell survival and may provide a promising approach to improve peri-implant bone healing, particularly to neuromusculoskeletal interfaces in which implanted electrodes are readily available.
Polystyrene nanoplastics and microplastics can act as Trojan horse carriers of benzo(a)pyrene to mussel hemocytes in vitro
Authors: Katsumiti Alberto , Losada-Carrillo María Paula , Barros Marta , Cajaraville Miren P. 
Published: November 2021

AbstractIn this work we studied the ability of polystyrene (PS) nanoplastics (NPs) and microplastics (MPs) to transfer benzo(a)pyrene (BaP) to mussel hemocytes and to produce toxic effects in vitro. For this, intracellular fate and toxicity of PS NPs (0.05 μm) and MPs (0.5 and 4.5 μm) alone or with BaP and of BaP alone were assessed. Particles of 0.05 and 0.5 µm largely aggregated in the exposure medium whereas presence of BaP reduced particle aggregation. Cells internalized PS NPs and MPs alone or with BaP and these were found inside and outside lysosomes, depending on their size. PS particles alone or with BaP were cytotoxic to hemocytes only at the highest concentrations tested. The same was true for most sublethal endpoints except for increased phagocytic activity provoked by NPs and 0.5 μm MPs at lower concentrations. Plastic particles appeared to be the main drivers for reduced plasma membrane integrity and increased phagocytic and lysosomal activities whereas BaP appeared to contribute more to reduced cell viability and phagocytosis and increased ROS production and genotoxicity. Overall, PS NPs and MPs can act as carriers of BaP to mussel hemocytes, rising concerns about risks plastics associated to pollutants may pose to aquatic organisms.
The impact of e-learning during COVID-19 pandemic on students’ body aches in Palestine
Authors: Yaseen Qais B. , Salah Heba 
Published: November 2021

AbstractMusculoskeletal pain is a major concern in our life due to its negative effects on our ability to perform daily functions. During COVID-19 pandemic, several countries switched their teaching programs into e-learning, where students spend long hour using electronic devices. The use of these devices was associated with several musculoskeletal complains among the students. The aim of this study is to evaluate the different body aches associated with e-learning on university students. The subjects of this study were students from An-Najah University in Palestine. 385 questionnaires were filled using Google forms questionnaire and all the subjects were using e-learning due to COVID-19 pandemic. Our study showed that a large percentage of participants used electronic devices for e-learning during the pandemic. The Duration of these devices use was correlated with duration and degree of pain, and associated with the difficulty in ability to perform several daily activities. Furthermore, most of the students used the sitting position with supine bent forward during the device usage. Thus, the university students that participated in this study had an increase in body aches during the e-learning process, and the aches duration and severity increases if the duration of electronic devices usage increase.
A robust bitmap-based real-time position tracking algorithm for rats in radial arm maze tests
Authors: Chen Chi-Chun , Hong Liang-Jyun , Wang Jian-Yong , Chang Ching-Ping 
Published: November 2021

AbstractThis paper aims to develop a position tracking algorithm by which a rat in a radial arm maze can be accurately located in real time. An infrared (IR) night-vision camera was hung above the maze to capture IR images of the rat. The IR images were binarized and then duplicated for subsequent intersection and opening operations. Due to simple operations and a high robustness against the noise spots formed by the droppings of the rat, it took just minutes to process more than 9000 frames, and an accuracy above 99% was reached as well. The maze was intruded by an experimenter to further test the robustness, and the accuracy slightly fell to 98%. For comparison purposes, the same experiments were carried out using a pre-trained YOLO v2 model. The YOLO counterpart gave an accuracy beyond 97% in the absence and in the presence of the intruder. In other words, this work slightly outperformed the YOLO counterpart in terms of the accuracy in both cases, which indicates the robustness of this work. However, it took the YOLO counterpart an hour or so to locate a rat contained in the frames, which highlights the contribution of this work.
Concept of a fast breeder reactor to transmute MAs and LLFPs
Authors: Wakabayashi Toshio 
Published: November 2021

AbstractThe long-term issues of nuclear power systems are the effective use of uranium resources and the reduction of radioactive waste. Important radioactive wastes are minor actinides (MAs: 237Np, 241Am, 243Am, etc.) and long-lived fission products (LLFPs: 129I, 99Tc, 79Se, etc.). The purpose of this study was to show a concept that can simultaneously achieve the breeding of fissile materials and the transmutation of MAs and LLFPs in one fast reactor. Transmutation was carried out by loading innovative Duplex-type MA fuel in the core region and LLFP-containing moderator in the first layer of the radial blanket. Breeding was achieved in the core and axial blanket. As a result, it was clarified that in this fast breeder reactor, a breeding ratio of approximately 1.1 was obtained, and MAs and LLFPs achieved a support ratio of 1 or more. The transmutation rate was 10.3%/y for 237Np, 14.1%/y for 241Am, 9.9%/y for 243Am, 1.6%/y for 129I, 0.75%/y for 99Tc, and 4%/y for 79Se. By simultaneously breeding fissile materials and transmuting MAs and LLFPs in one fast reactor, it will be possible to solve the long-term issues of the nuclear power reactor system, such as securing nuclear fuel resources and reducing radioactive waste.
Single-shot measurement of the photonic band structure in a fiber-based Floquet-Bloch lattice
Authors: Lechevalier Corentin , Evain Clément , Suret Pierre , Copie François , Amo Alberto , Randoux Stéphane 
Published: November 2021

AbstractFloquet-Bloch lattices are systems in which wave packets are subjet to periodic modulations both in time and space, showing rich dynamics. While this type of lattice is difficult to implement in solid-state physics, optical systems have provided excellent platforms to probe their physics: among other effects, they have revealed genuine phenomena such as the anomalous Floquet topological insulator and the funnelling of light into localised interface modes. Despite the crucial importance of the band dispersion in the photon dynamics and the topological properties of the lattice, the direct experimental measurement of the Floquet-Bloch bands has remained elusive. Here we report the direct measurement of the Floquet-Bloch bands of a photonic lattice with a single shot method. We use a system of two coupled fibre rings that implements a time-multiplexed Floquet-Bloch lattice. By Fourier transforming the impulse response of the lattice we obtain the band structure together with an accurate characterization of the lattice eigenmodes, i. e. the amplitudes and the phases of the Floquet-Bloch eigenvectors over the entire Brillouin zone. Our results open promising perspectives for the observation of topological effects in the linear and nonlinear regime in Floquet systems.
Plasmon-induced hot-hole generation and extraction at nano-heterointerfaces for photocatalysis
Authors: Ahlawat Monika , Mittal Diksha , Govind Rao Vishal 
Published: November 2021

AbstractLocalized surface plasmon resonance excitation presents tremendous opportunities for light-harvesting in the field of photocatalysis. Notably, the use of plasmon-generated hot carriers to drive chemical reactions offers the opportunity to control the selectivity of the reaction, unlike temperature-driven catalysis. There has been extensive development of photocatalysts based on plasmon-induced hot electron transfer. However, the equally important hole transfer process has been largely understudied mainly because of the ultrafast dynamics and shorter lifetime of holes compared to electrons. The electron and hole transport asymmetry to the catalytic site introduces additional challenges in extracting holes as oxidants for chemical adsorbents/reactants. This review provides a fundamental overview of plasmonic catalysis, emphasizing recent hot hole extraction and catalysis advancements by exploring different nano-heterointerfaces through which energetic holes can be localized to the catalytic sites. We also highlight some of the critical parameters which must be considered to address the limitations and introduce new possibilities to the field.
The impact of dual‐signal selection and multiple eavesdroppers on secrecy performance in cooperative‐relay systems
Authors: Lee Donghun 
Published: November 2021

AbstractThis paper investigates the impact of a dual‐signal selection (i.e. selection of direct signal and relay signal) and multiple eavesdroppers on secrecy outage probability in cooperative‐relay systems over Nakagami fading channels. This work performs the derivation of the new exact and approximate distributions for the received signal to noise ratio of the dual‐signal selection in analytical forms where maximal‐ratio combining and selection combining are considered in the presence of multiple eavesdroppers. The lower bounds on the secrecy outage probability of the dual‐signal selection are derived for various receiver scenarios over Nakagami fading channels. This paper also quantifies the secrecy diversity order of the proposed scheme and shows that the dual‐signal selection provides a secrecy diversity order gain of compared to the conventional scheme by the dual‐signal selection. From the numerical results, this work observes that the sharpness of the dual‐signal selection for the secrecy performance curve is improved by the number of user nodes and fading index of the direct signal, while the number of eavesdroppers and fading index of the eavesdropper slightly affect the required signal to noise ratio of the proposed scheme to satisfy the secrecy outage probability.
Enhanced electromechanical performance of natural rubber dielectric elastomers achieved by in situ synthesis of silver nanoparticles on TiO2 nanoparticles
Authors: Yu Liyuan , Hu Tingting , Yang Dan , Wei Qungui 
Published: November 2021

AbstractDielectric elastomers (DEs) could transduce electrical energy to mechanical energy, but their applications are currently limited by the elevated driving voltages. To obtain satisfactory actuated strains at low voltages, titanate oxide@tannic acid‐ferric ion@silver (labelled as TiO2@TA‐Fe3+@Ag) satellite‐structure nanoparticles were obtained in this study by in situ synthesis followed by incorporating the nanoparticles into natural rubber (NR) to prepare DE composites (denoted as TiO2@TA‐Fe3+@Ag/NR). The presence of surface coating of TA‐Fe3+ and Ag nanoparticles improved the electromechanical performance of TiO2@TA‐Fe3+@Ag/NR composites. Among the samples, 30 wt% TiO2@TA‐Fe3+@Ag/NR composite displayed a relatively high actuated strain of 9.09% at a relatively low electric field of 22.78 kV/mm. In sum, the green, facile, and cost‐effective surface modification method looks promising for improving the electromechanical properties of particulate‐filled polymer composites.
Preliminary Results of Endoscopic Radiofrequency Treatment of the Sacroiliac Joint Syndrome
Authors: Woiciechowsky Christian , Richter Leonie Mercedes 
Published: November 2021

Abstract
Background and Study The sacroiliac joint (SIJ) may be the primary source of pain in 15 to 25% of patients with axial low back pain. Furthermore, 75% of patients who have had fusion surgery develop SIJ pain within 10 years. Treatment options include SIJ blocks, radiofrequency (RF) denervation, and fusion. The RF techniques range from ablation of the nerves supplying the joint, creating lesions to the joint itself, or a combination of both techniques. However, different clinical studies could only identify a limited or, in some cases, no effect in decreasing of pain intensity and duration of the effect.
Methods In this retrospective study, we selected 23 patients with SIJ pain, with a duration of more than 12 months and a 50% pain reduction on the Numeric Rating Scale (NRS) after diagnostic block. All patients received endoscopic ablation of the medial branch L5/S1 and the lateral branches, exiting the sacral foramina on S1/S2 and S2/S3 on both sides while using only one incision on each side. Telephone interviews were conducted with all patients. The outcome was determined with Odom's criteria, percent reduction NRS, subjective assessment of the patient, and duration of the effect.
Results According to Odom's criteria, 79% of the patients showed acceptable to excellent results and confirmed that denervation helped them to manage their daily lives better. The average pain reduction in the responder group was 57% with an average duration of 13.4 months.
Conclusion In this retrospective study, we could demonstrate the practicability and effectiveness of endoscopic SIJ denervation in the treatment of SIJ pain using only one incision for three levels on each side. Further studies should investigate if this procedure is more effective than percutaneous RF.
The economic dimension of migration: Kosovo from 2015 to 2020
Authors: Hajdari Labinot , Krasniqi Judita 
Published: November 2021

AbstractThis article investigates the link between economic development and emigration from Kosovo between 2015 and 2020. The wider contexts to this study include the empirical and theoretical debates on migration as both an individual choice and a social decision. The recent history of emigration from Kosovo is analysed to understand how the past has influenced present migration patterns. This work aims to unpick the threads connecting economic development, the labour market, educational disparities, unemployment, and EU integration. Demographics, economics, and the political relationship between Kosovo and the EU have all affected emigration trends in Kosovo. In particular, this article examines the brain drain phenomenon and economic stability as two variables that permanently influence one another.
Machine learning methods for “wicked” problems: exploring the complex drivers of modern slavery
Authors: Lavelle-Hill Rosa , Smith Gavin , Mazumder Anjali , Landman Todd , Goulding James 
Published: November 2021

AbstractForty million people are estimated to be in some form of modern slavery across the globe. Understanding the factors that make any particular individual or geographical region vulnerable to such abuse is essential for the development of effective interventions and policy. Efforts to isolate and assess the importance of individual drivers statistically are impeded by two key challenges: data scarcity and high dimensionality, typical of many “wicked problems”. The hidden nature of modern slavery restricts available data points; and the large number of candidate variables that are potentially predictive of slavery inflate the feature space exponentially. The result is a “small n, large p” setting, where overfitting and significant inter-correlation of explanatory variables can render more traditional statistical approaches problematic. Recent advances in non-parametric computational methods, however, offer scope to overcome such challenges and better capture the complex nature of modern slavery. We present an approach that combines non-linear machine-learning models and strict cross-validation methods with novel variable importance techniques, emphasising the importance of stability of model explanations via a Rashomon-set analysis. This approach is used to model the prevalence of slavery in 48 countries, with results bringing to light the importance of new predictive factors—such as a country’s capacity to protect the physical security of women, which has been previously under-emphasised in quantitative models. Further analyses uncover that women are particularly vulnerable to exploitation in areas where there is poor access to resources. Our model was then leveraged to produce new out-of-sample estimates of slavery prevalence for countries where no survey data currently exists.
Factors of feasibility: an interview study of physicians’ experiences of expanded access to investigational drugs in three countries
Authors: Vermeulen Stefan F. , Hordijk Marjolijn , Aarts Nikkie , Bunnik Eline M. 
Published: November 2021

AbstractSeriously ill patients who have exhausted all approved treatment regimens and who cannot be enrolled in clinical trials may resort to expanded access programmes in order to gain access to unapproved, investigational drugs. It seems that in some countries, expanded access to investigational drugs is offered in clinical practice on a more routine basis than in other countries. This study is the first to investigate the experiences of physicians with expanded access to investigational drugs in different healthcare systems, with a focus on factors that facilitate or hinder expanded access. Semi-structured interviews (n = 36) were carried out with medical specialists in the Netherlands (n = 14), Turkey (n = 9) and the United States of America (n = 13), and analysed thematically. This study identifies five sets of factors pointed out by physicians that determine the degree to which expanded access to investigational drugs is deemed feasible in clinical practice: the suitability of investigational treatments, the application process, hospital policies, support by pharmaceutical companies, and funding and reimbursement arrangements. Based on the interviews conducted, we conclude that, while legally allowed and technically possible, expanded access is not always feasible for—and not always considered an option by—treating physicians. This is mainly due to lack of familiarity with expanded access, the extensive time and effort required for the application process, willingness or ability of pharmaceutical companies to supply the drugs, and funding issues.