bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Differentiation of SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells using retinoic acid and BDNF: a model for neuronal and synaptic differentiation in neurodegeneration
Authors: Targett Imogen L. , Crompton Lucy A. , Conway Myra E. , Craig Tim J. 
Published: July 2024

AbstractThere has been much interest in the use of cell culture models of neurones, to avoid the animal welfare and cost issues of using primary and human-induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC)-derived neurones respectively. The human neuroblastoma cell line, SH-SY5Y, is extensively used in laboratories as they can be readily expanded, are of low cost and can be differentiated into neuronal-like cells. However, much debate remains as to their phenotype once differentiated, and their ability to recapitulate the physiology of bona fide neurones. Here, we characterise a differentiation protocol using retinoic acid and BDNF, which results in extensive neurite outgrowth/branching within 10 days, and expression of key neuronal and synaptic markers. We propose that these differentiated SH-SY5Y cells may be a useful substitute for primary or hiPSC-derived neurones for cell biology studies, in order to reduce costs and animal usage. We further propose that this characterised differentiation timecourse could be used as an in vitro model for neuronal differentiation, for proof-of principle studies on neurogenesis, e.g. relating to neurodegenerative diseases. Finally, we demonstrate profound changes in Tau phosphorylation during differentiation of these cells, suggesting that they should not be used for neurodegeneration studies in their undifferentiated state.
Chimeric Cell Therapy Transfers Healthy Donor Mitochondria in Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy
Authors: Siemionow Maria , Bocian Katarzyna , Bozyk Katarzyna T , Ziemiecka Anna , Siemionow Krzysztof 
Published: July 2024

AbstractDuchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a severe X-linked disorder characterized by dystrophin gene mutations and mitochondrial dysfunction, leading to progressive muscle weakness and premature death of DMD patients. We developed human Dystrophin Expressing Chimeric (DEC) cells, created by the fusion of myoblasts from normal donors and DMD patients, as a foundation for DT-DEC01 therapy for DMD. Our preclinical studies on mdx mouse models of DMD revealed enhanced dystrophin expression and functional improvements in cardiac, respiratory, and skeletal muscles after systemic intraosseous DEC administration. The current study explored the feasibility of mitochondrial transfer and fusion within the created DEC cells, which is crucial for developing new therapeutic strategies for DMD. Following mitochondrial staining with MitoTracker Deep Red and MitoTracker Green dyes, mitochondrial fusion and transfer was assessed by Flow cytometry (FACS) and confocal microscopy. The PEG-mediated fusion of myoblasts from normal healthy donors (MBN/MBN) and normal and DMD-affected donors (MBN/MBDMD), confirmed the feasibility of myoblast and mitochondrial fusion and transfer. The colocalization of the mitochondrial dyes MitoTracker Deep Red and MitoTracker Green confirmed the mitochondrial chimeric state and the creation of chimeric mitochondria, as well as the transfer of healthy donor mitochondria within the created DEC cells. These findings are unique and significant, introducing the potential of DT-DEC01 therapy to restore mitochondrial function in DMD patients and in other diseases where mitochondrial dysfunction plays a critical role.
Graphical Abstract
17α Hydroxylase/17,20 lyase deficiency: clinical features and genetic insights from a large Turkey cohort
Authors: Siklar Zeynep , Camtosun Emine , Bolu Semih , Yildiz Melek , Akinci Aysehan , Bas Firdevs , Dündar İsmail , Bestas Asli , Ünal Edip , Kocaay Pinar , Guran Tulay , Buyukyilmaz Gonul , Ugurlu Aylin Kilinc , Tosun Buşra Gurpinar , Turan Ihsan , Kurnaz Erdal , Yuksel Bilgin , Turkkahraman Doga , Cayir Atilla , Celmeli Gamze , Gonc E. Nazli , Eklioğlu Beray Selver , Cetinkaya Semra , Yilmaz Seniha Kiremitci , Atabek Mehmet Emre , Buyukinan Muammer , Arslan Emrullah , Mengen Eda , Cakir Esra Deniz Papatya , Karaoglan Murat , Hatipoglu Nihal , Orbak Zerrin , Ucar Ahmet , Akyurek Nesibe , Akbas Emine Demet , Isik Emregül , Kaygusuz Sare Betul , Sutcu Zumrut Kocabey , Seymen Gulcan , Berberoglu Merih 
Published: July 2024

Abstract
Purpose
17α Hydroxylase/17,20 lyase deficiency (17OHD) is a rare form of congenital adrenal hyperplasia, typically diagnosed in late adolescence with symptoms of pubertal delay and hypertension. This study aimed to determine the clinical and laboratory characteristics of 17OHD cases and gather data on disease management.

Methods
Data from 97 nationwide cases were analyzed using the CEDD-NET web system. Diagnostic, follow-up findings, and final heights of patients were evaluated.

Results
Mean age at admission was 13.54 ± 4.71 years, with delayed puberty as the most common complaint. Hypertension was detected in 65% at presentation; hypokalemia was present in 34%. Genetic analysis revealed Exon 1–6 homozygous deletion as the most frequent mutation, identified in 42 cases. Hydrocortisone replacement was universal; pubertal replacement was administered to 66 cases. Antihypertensive treatment was required in 57 (90%) patients. Thirty-seven cases reached final height, with an average SD of 0.015 in 46,XX and −1.43 in 46,XY. Thelarche and pubarche did not develop properly in some cases despite estradiol treatment.

Conclusion
This study represents the largest cohort of pediatric cases of 17-hydroxylase deficiency (17OHD) documented in the literature. Hypertension and hypokalemia can serve as guiding indicators for early diagnosis.The final height is typically considered to be normal. The relationship between genotype and phenotype remains elusive. The initial genetic test for exon 1–6 deletions may be MLPA in our region.
Exact Inference for Common Odds Ratio in Meta-Analysis with Zero-Total-Event Studies
Authors: Chen Xiaolin , Cheng Jerry , Tian Lu , Xie Minge 
Published: July 2024

AbstractStemming from the high-profile publication of Nissen and Wolski (N Engl J Med 356:2457–2471, 2007) and subsequent discussions with divergent views on how to handle observed zero-total-event studies, defined to be studies that observe zero number of event in both treatment and control arms, the research topic concerning the common odds ratio model with zero-total-event studies remains to be an unresolved problem in meta-analysis. In this article, we address this problem by proposing a novel repro samples method to handle zero-total-event studies and make inference for the common odds ratio. The development explicitly accounts for the sampling scheme that generates the observed data and does not rely on any large sample approximations. It is theoretically justified with a guaranteed finite-sample performance. Simulation studies are designed to demonstrate the empirical performance of the proposed method. It shows that the proposed confidence set, although a little conservative, achieves the desired empirical coverage rate in all situations. The development also shows that the zero-total-event studies contain meaningful information and impact the inference for the common odds ratio. The proposed method is used to perform a meta-analysis of the 48 trials reported in Nissen and Wolski (N Engl J Med 356:2457–2471, 2007) as well
Scientific experimental articles are modernist stories
Authors: Kozlov Anatolii , Stuart Michael T. 
Published: July 2024

AbstractThis paper attempts to revive the epistemological discussion of scientific articles. What are their epistemic aims, and how are they achieved? We argue that scientific experimental articles are best understood as a particular kind of narrative: i.e., modernist narratives (think: Woolf, Joyce), at least in the sense that they employ many of the same techniques, including colligation and the juxtaposition of multiple perspectives. We suggest that this way of writing is necessary given the nature of modern science, but it also has specific epistemic benefits: it provides readers with an effective way to grasp the content of scientific articles which increases their understanding. On the other hand, modernist writing is vulnerable to certain kinds of epistemic abuses, which can be found instantiated in modern scientific writing as well.
Immigrant and Racialized Populations’ Cumulative Exposure to Discrimination and Associations with Long-Term Conditions During COVID-19: A Nationwide Large-Scale Study in Canada
Authors: Lin Shen 
Published: July 2024

Abstract
Background
This cross-sectional study examines associations between the race-migration nexus, cumulative exposure to intersectional discrimination (2 years before and during the COVID-19 pandemic), and long-term conditions.

Methods
A nationwide self-selected sample (n = 32,605) was obtained from a Statistics Canada’s Crowdsourcing online survey from August 4 to 24, 2020. Binary and multinomial logistic regression models were used to examine disparities by the race-migration nexus in accumulative experiences of multiple situations- and identity-based discrimination and their relations with long-term conditions, after controlling for sociodemographic covariates.

Results
During the pandemic, discrimination stemming from racialization — such as race/skin color (24.4% vs 20.1%) and ethnicity/culture (18.5% vs 16.5%) — and cyberspace (34.1% vs 29.8%) exaggerated relative to pre-pandemic period; compared to Canadian-born (CB) whites, the likelihood of experiencing multiple discrimination increased alongside the domains of discrimination being additively intersected (e.g., identity-based, all p’s < 0.001) among CB racialized minorities (ORs 2.08 to 11.78), foreign-born (FB) racialized minorities (ORs 1.99 to 12.72), and Indigenous populations (ORs 1.62 to 8.17), except for FB whites (p > 0.01); dose-response relationships were found between cumulative exposure to multiple discrimination and odds of reporting long-term conditions (p’s < 0.001), including seeing (ORs 1.63 to 2.99), hearing (ORs 1.83 to 4.45), physical (ORs 1.66 to 3.87), cognitive (ORs 1.81 to 3.79), and mental health–related impairments (ORs 1.82 to 3.41).

Conclusions
Despite a universal health system, Canadians who are CB/FB racialized and Indigenous populations, have a higher prevalence of cumulative exposure to different aspects of discrimination that are associated with multiple long-term conditions during the COVID-19 pandemic. Equity-driven solutions are needed to tackle upstream determinants of health inequalities through uprooting intersectional discrimination faced by racialized and immigrant communities.
Serum proteome signatures associated with liver steatosis in adolescents with obesity
Authors: Giraudi P. J. , Pascut D. , Banfi C. , Ghilardi S. , Tiribelli C. , Bondesan A. , Caroli D. , Minocci A. , Sartorio A. 
Published: July 2024

Abstract

Purpose
Childhood obesity, a pressing global health issue, significantly increases the risk of metabolic complications, including metabolic dysfunction associated with steatotic liver disease (MASLD). Accurate non-invasive tests for early detection and screening of steatosis are crucial. In this study, we explored the serum proteome, identifying proteins as potential biomarkers for inclusion in non-invasive steatosis diagnosis tests.

Methods
Fifty-nine obese adolescents underwent ultrasonography to assess steatosis. Serum samples were collected and analyzed by targeted proteomics with the Proximity Extension Assay technology. Clinical and biochemical parameters were evaluated, and correlations among them, the individuated markers, and steatosis were performed. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were used to determine the steatosis diagnostic performance of the identified candidates, the fatty liver index (FLI), and their combination in a logistic regression model.

Results
Significant differences were observed between subjects with and without steatosis in various clinical and biochemical parameters. Gender-related differences in the serum proteome were also noted. Five circulating proteins, including Cathepsin O (CTSO), Cadherin 2 (CDH2), and Prolyl endopeptidase (FAP), were identified as biomarkers for steatosis. CDH2, CTSO, Leukocyte Immunoglobulin Like Receptor A5 (LILRA5), BMI, waist circumference, HOMA-IR, and FLI, among others, significantly correlated with the steatosis degree. CDH2, FAP, and LDL combined in a logit model achieved a diagnostic performance with an AUC of 0.91 (95% CI 0.75–0.97, 100% sensitivity, 84% specificity).

Conclusions
CDH2 and FAP combined with other clinical parameters, represent useful tools for accurate diagnosis of fatty liver, emphasizing the importance of integrating novel markers into diagnostic algorithms for MASLD.
PD-DETR: towards efficient parallel hybrid matching with transformer for photovoltaic cell defects detection
Authors: Zhao Langyue , Wu Yiquan , Yuan Yubin 
Published: July 2024

AbstractDefect detection for photovoltaic (PV) cell images is a challenging task due to the small size of the defect features and the complexity of the background characteristics. Modern detectors rely mostly on proxy learning objectives for prediction and on manual post-processing components. One-to-one set matching is a critical design for DEtection TRansformer (DETR) in order to provide end-to-end capability, so that does not need a hand-crafted Efficient Non-Maximum Suppression NMS. In order to detect PV cell defects faster and better, a technology called the PV cell Defects DEtection Transformer (PD-DETR) is proposed. To address the issue of slow convergence caused by DETR’s direct translation of image feature mapping into target detection results, we created a hybrid feature module. To achieve a balance between performance and computation, the image features are passed through a scoring network and dilated convolution, respectively, to obtain the foreground fine feature and contour high-frequency feature. The two features are then adaptively intercepted and fused. The capacity of the model to detect small-scale defects under complex background conditions is improved by the addition of high-frequency information. Furthermore, too few positive queries will be assigned to the defect target via one-to-one set matching, which will result in sparse supervision of the encoder and impair the decoder’s ability of attention learning. Consequently, we enhanced the detection effect by combining the original DETR with the one-to-many matching branch. Specifically, two Faster RCNN detection heads were added during training. To maintain the end-to-end benefits of DETR, inference is still performed using the original one-to-one set matching. Our model implements 64.7% AP on the PVEL-AD dataset.
Mechanical responses and fracturing behaviors of coal under complex normal and shear stresses, Part I: Experimental results
Authors: Song Z. Y. , Dang W. G. , Bai Z. C. , Zhao Y. , Wang P. T. , Yang Z. 
Published: July 2024

AbstractThis work presents experimental tests based on coal collected from a coal mine based underground water reservoir (CMUWR). The mechanical responses of dry and water-soaked coal samples under the complex normal and shear stresses under multi-amplitude and variable frequency is investigated. The experimental results reveal the effects of stress path, water soaking and frequency on deformation, energy dissipation, secant modulus and shear failure surface roughness. The experimental results show that when normal and shear stresses are applied simultaneously, there is a significant competitive relationship between them. On the dominant side, the strain rate will be significantly increased. The sample under a loading frequency of 0.2 Hz exhibits a longer fatigue life. During the cyclic shear test, the shear strain of the water-soaked sample is higher than that of the dry samples. The average roughness coefficient of failure surface exhibits an increasing pattern with increase in shear strength, the elevated roughness of a shear surface is advantageous in constraining shear displacements of specimens, thereby lowering the energy dissipation. This study can provide theoretical and practical implications for a long-term safety evaluation of CMUWR.
Exploring the innovative effort: duration models and heterogeneity
Authors: Bontempi Maria Elena , Lambertini Luca , Parigi Giuseppe 
Published: July 2024

AbstractPerseverance in ﻿R&D effort is the first fundamental step towards any kind of innovation. We investigate the beginning of the innovation story, rather than its end, through duration models. Among the drivers of our unconventional IO approach, we focus on heterogeneity, path dependence and market power, measured as elasticity of firm-specific demand. The Schumpeterian hypothesis emerges at the firm level. Heterogeneity at the industry level reveals Schumpeterian and Arrovian patterns, as well as U-shaped and inverted U-shaped patterns. We suggest considering the entire supply chain from a holistic perspective when evaluating mergers and innovation policies that support small firms by reducing their financial uncertainty and improving their institutional environment.
Synthesis of Copper–Nickel and Iron–Nickel Alloys by Hydrogen Reduction of Mixtures of Metal Oxide Powders
Authors: Kamalasekaran Arun , Mellin Pelle , Hulme Christopher 
Published: July 2024

AbstractThe vast majority of metals production is based on the use of carbon as a reductant and/or a heating fuel. This results in a large amount of carbon dioxide emissions and should be minimized to limit global warming. In this study, powders of copper–nickel alloy and iron–nickel of varying compositions were produced in a single step by reduction of mixtures of Cu2O-NiO and Fe2O3-NiO powders, respectively, using hydrogen as a reductant. Reduction was performed in a horizontal tube furnace at 700 °C for 45 min. All processing was in the solid state and alloys were produced directly from elemental metal oxides. Exhaust gases were analyzed using a gas analyzer to measure the water content to track the progress of the reduction. Reduction was declared complete when the water content in exhaust gases matched the level before hydrogen was introduced. Both copper–nickel and iron–nickel alloys were produced successfully. X-ray diffractometry confirmed the absence of oxides in the product and the presence of solid phases in agreement with the relevant binary phase diagram. Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy in a scanning electron microscope showed macroscopic homogeneity at the expected composition for each powder mixture directly after reduction, with microscopic fluctuations of the order of several mass percent, within the limits of fluctuations observed following typical casting processes. These promising results warrant further investigation to apply this concept to more chemistries and to scale up the process to a pilot scale.
Graphical Abstract
Current status of the application of additive-manufactured TPMS structure in bone tissue engineering
Authors: Wakjira Yosef , Cioni Arturo , Lemu Hirpa G. 
Published: July 2024

Abstract
Bone tissue engineering provided the innovative solution to regenerate bone tissue using scaffolds (porous) structures. This research investigates optimization, additive manufacturing methods and the application areas of triply periodic minimal surface-based (TPMS) porous structures in the broad field of tissue engineering through literature review. The properties of TPMS structures are compared with more classical strut-based structures. Also, information on how TPMS can be formulated and how they can be designed to obtain desired properties are presented. Attention is dedicated to the topological optimization process and how it can be applied to scaffolds to further increase their biomechanical properties and improve their design through density, heterogenization, and unit cell size grading. Common numerical algorithms as well as the difference between gradient-based and non-gradient-based algorithms are proposed. Efforts also include the description of the main additive manufacturing technologies that can be utilized to manufacture either stochastic or periodic scaffolds. The information present in this work should be able to introduce the reader to the use of TPMS structures in tissue engineering.
Analytical and numerical modeling on strengths of aluminum and magnesium micro-lattice structures fabricated via additive manufacturing
Authors: Sun Yeting , Akçay Fuzuli Ağrı , Wu Dazhong , Bai Yuanli 
Published: July 2024

Abstract
Bioinspired lattice structures have a wide range of applications in aerospace, automotive, energy, and medical device industries due to their high strength-to-weight ratio. Although experimental and numerical modeling methods have been extensively used to characterize the compressive behavior of lattice structures, an accurate analytical model has great values in material/structure designs and applications. In this study, a new analytical model is developed for two configurations based on limit analysis in the plasticity theory to predict the compressive strengths of micro-lattice structures (MLS). The model is also discussed for determining the amounts of stretching-dominated deformation and bending-dominated deformation. A comparative study is performed between analytical solutions and experimental results of AlSi10Mg (aluminum alloy) and WE43 (magnesium alloy) MLS additively manufactured via selective laser melting (SLM). Finite element simulations using beam elements are conducted to evaluate the accuracy of the analytical solution. Analytical results, finite element simulation results, and the experimental results are in a good agreement with both AlSi10Mg and WE43 MLS. The shear band formation, as a main failure mode of MLS, is also studied and evaluated using the classical Rudnicki–Rice’s criterion, for which a reasonably good accuracy is demonstrated.
Study on material behaviours of additively manufactured high-impact polystyrene using artificial neural networks
Authors: Nguyen Phan Quoc Khang , Zohdi Nima , Zhang Y. X. , Zhang Zhongpu , Yang Richard 
Published: July 2024

Abstract
Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF), a process parameters-dependent manufacturing method, currently dominates the additive manufacturing (AM) sector because of its prominent ability to produce parts with intricate profiles, customise products, and minimise waste. Though the effects of FFF process parameters were investigated experimentally, recent research highlighted the importance of developing numerical modelling and computational methods on optimising the FFF printing process and FFF-printed materials. This study aims to investigate the tensile strength (TS) of FFF-printed high-impact polystyrene (HIPS) via devising a systematic testing and analysis framework, which combines experimental testing, representative volume element (RVE)-finite element method (FEM), rule of mixture (ROM), and artificial neural networks (ANN). HIPS samples are fabricated using FFF considering the variations of infill density, layer thickness, nozzle temperature, raster angle, and build orientation, and tested with standard tensile testing. The rule of mixtures (ROM) and its modified version (MROM) are employed to calculate the TS of longitudinally and transversely built samples at various infill densities, respectively, while an ANN model is constructed to investigate the effect of material anisotropy precisely. The optimal ANN architecture is built with five hidden layers with the number of neurons in each layer as 44, 82, 169, 362, and 50. Although both MROM and ANN perform well on the validation set, ANN exhibits superior accuracy with only a maximum error of 0.13% for training set and 11% for validation set. The combination of the RVE-FEM, MROM, and ANN approaches can significantly improve the FFF printing process of polymers for optimisation.