bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Antimalarial Potential of a Marine Sponge Tedania Ignis Against Plasmodium Falciparum
Authors: Moura Caio S. , Annunciato Yasmin , Dantas Thais B. V. , Júnior Wéldion G. M. , Silva Larissa R. G. , Peres Erica P. M. L. , Bafoni Larissa A. , Granito Renata N. , Renno Ana C. M. , Gazarini Marcos L. , Cass Quezia B. , Sousa Lorena R. Freitas , Aguiar Anna C. C. 
Published: June 2024

Abstract

Across the decades, malaria disease has been a public health problem. The use of natural products to treat malaria saved many lives over the centuries, but the parasite resistance against all the medicines available on the market has made it difficult. In this context, exploring new natural treatments from biodiverse ecosystems, such as oceans, holds promise. Marine sponges have been used in different ways to treat diseases, their secondary metabolites and endoperoxides showed antiplasmodial activity in different assays. With that in mind, the species of marine sponge Tedania ignis, was evaluated against sensitive and resistant laboratory P. falciparum strains and presented potential antimalarial activity. Moreover, the speed of action of the extract of T. ignis was assessed demonstrating a fast-active profile. Regarding cellular cytotoxicity assays, the compound under investigation did not exhibit cytotoxic effects on two cell lines: HepG2, derived from human hepatoma, and HEK 293 (Human Embryonic Kidney). The active extract of T. ignis was investigated using UHPLC-HRMS and for data analyses was used Global Natural Products Social Molecular Networking (GNPS). Eight metabolites were dereplicated belonging to classes of alkamides, terpenes, nucleobases, alkaloid, and benzoic acid ester. Among the compounds assigned, dibutyl phthalate is highlighted for its known antimalarial potential, which may contribute to the bioactivity of T. ignis extract revealed in this work.
A top-down tractable inference method for Sum-Product Networks by pruning ineffective Subnetworks
Authors: Jooybari Mohsen Ghanbarpour , Rahmani Adel Torkaman 
Published: June 2024

Abstract

Sum-product networks (SPNs) are a class of probabilistic models that were introduced for the first time in the early 2010s. SPNs belong to the intersection of deep models and probabilistic graphical models with the ability to guarantee tractable inference. SPNs can encode any probabilistic distribution in a directed acyclic graph, in which each non-leaf node is either a sum or a product node. This paper, introduces a new inference method in SPNs that can prune ineffective subnetworks for a query during inference. By keeping some additional information in sum nodes, we can prune a few nodes that have no effect on the output of the network for an input sample. Experimental results demonstrated that even 99% of the nodes could be pruned from some datasets without affecting output accuracy.
Novel Macrophage Subtype Genes for Predicting Prognosis and Immunotherapy Response in Melanoma Based on Single-Cell and Bulk RNA Sequencing Analysis
Authors: Zhu Chunmei , Luo Qiong , Zhang Yuncong , Hu Jiali , Zhang Yi , Pan Ying , Shuai Yu , Duan Xiaobing , Wu Qiuji , Zhang Guihai 
Published: June 2024

Abstract

Melanoma is a malignancy of aggressive behaviour and related with poor prognosis. Immunotherapy for metastatic melanoma shows great promise. However, the development of rapid resistance remains a largely insurmountable challenge. In this study, we aim to identify macrophage marker genes and construct an immune risk model, hoping to provide clinical significance in prognosis and immunotherapy response prediction. A total of 16,291 cell samples from 48 melanoma tissues in GSE120575 were enrolled. Firstly, 1,662 macrophages were identified with marker gene annotation. Subsequently, we acquired 6 macrophage subtypes in TCGA-SKCM dataset based on the expression characteristics of 724 gene that differentially expressed between macrophages and other immune cells. Since macrophage subtypes A and B had most distinguishing differences of immune- and tumour-related pathway enrichment, prognosis and immune microenvironment features that 102 immunity- and prognosis-related genes were further identified from them. Ultimately, we developed a risk signature of 21 immune genes through multivariate Cox regression, dividing patients into high- and low-risk groups. Explicitly, low-risk patients had a longer survival than high-risk patients, and similar results were also found in GSE65904 and GSE59455. Moreover, low-risk patients were found to have more favourable anti-tumour immune environment including more immune, stromal components, less tumour components, and higher infiltration of immune effector cells like activated memory CD4 + T cells, CD8 + T cells, M1 macrophages, plasma cells. Also, low-risk groups with higher gene expression of PD-1, PD-L1, CTLA4 were associated with better responses to immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). Additionally, the differential expression of gene and protein levers of the 21 genes in normal and melanoma tissues demonstrated their importance in cellular physiology and disease mechanisms. To conclude, we developed an immune risk signature which could distinguish patients with different clinical prognoses and contribute to predicting the response to immunotherapy in melanoma.
Brain perfusion SPECT in the presurgical evaluation of epilepsy: is additional ictal SPECT required in case of high-confidence lateralization of the seizure onset zone by interictal SPECT and vice versa?
Authors: Baradaran-Salimi Kian , Karimzadeh Amir , Voges Berthold , Apostolova Ivayla , Sauvigny Thomas , Simova Olga , Lanz Michael , Klutmann Susanne , Stodieck Stefan , Meyer Philipp T. , Buchert Ralph 
Published: June 2024

Abstract

Background
Ictal brain perfusion SPECT provides higher sensitivity for the identification of the epileptic seizure onset zone (SOZ) than interictal SPECT. However, ictal SPECT is demanding due to the unpredictable waiting period for the next seizure to allow for ictal tracer injection. Thus, starting with an interictal scan and skipping the ictal scan if the interictal scan provides a SOZ candidate with high confidence could be an efficient approach. The aim of the current study was to estimate the rate of high-confidence SOZ candidates and the rate of false lateralization among them, separately for interictal and ictal SPECT.
Methods
177 patients (48% females, median age 38y, interquartile range 27-48y) with both ictal and interictal SPECT acquired with 99mTc-HMPAO (n = 141) or -ECD (n = 36) were included retrospectively. Visual interpretation of the SPECT data was performed independently by 3 readers in 3 settings: “interictal only” (interictal SPECT and statistical hypoperfusion map), “ictal only” (ictal SPECT and hyperperfusion map), and “full” setting (side-by-side interpretation of ictal and interictal SPECT including statistical maps and SISCOM analysis). The readers lateralized the SOZ (right, left, none) and characterized their confidence using a 5-score. A case was considered "lateralizing with high confidence” if all readers lateralized to the same hemisphere with at least 4 of 5 confidence points. Lateralization of the SOZ in the “full” setting was used as reference standard.
Results
The proportion of “lateralizing with high confidence” cases was 4.5/31.6/38.4% in the “interictal only”/“ictal only”/“full” setting. One (12.5%) of the 8 cases that were “lateralizing with high confidence” in the “interictal only” setting lateralized to the wrong hemisphere. Among the 56 cases that were “lateralizing with high confidence” in the “ictal only” setting, 54 (96.4%) were also lateralizing in the “full” setting, all to the same hemisphere.
Conclusions
Starting brain perfusion SPECT in the presurgical evaluation of epilepsy with an interictal scan to skip the ictal scan in case of a high-confidence interictal SOZ candidate is not a useful approach. In contrast, starting with an ictal scan to skip the interictal scan in case of a high-confidence ictal SOZ candidate can be recommended.
SOX4-BMI1 Axis Promotes Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Progression and Facilitates Angiogenesis by Suppressing ZNF24
Authors: Tian Hong , Wen Ting , Zhang Xiao , Gao Yun , Fan Lufeng , Yang Ping 
Published: June 2024

Abstract

The incidence of lung cancer has become the highest among all cancer types globally, also standing as a leading cause of cancer-related deaths. Lung cancer is broadly divided into small cell lung cancer (SCLC) and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), with the latter accounting for 85% of total cases. SRY-box transcription factor 4 (SOX4), a crucial transcription factor, has been found to play a key role in the development of various cancers. However, the association between SOX4 and NSCLC is still unclear. This study investigated the clinical relevance of SOX4 and its potential mechanisms in the progression of NSCLC. Analysis of our NSCLC patient cohort revealed a significant increase in SOX4 levels in cancerous tissues, indicating its role as an independent prognostic indicator for NSCLC. In vitro experiments demonstrated that elevated SOX4 expression facilitated NSCLC cell migration, invasion, and EMT. Functionally, SOX4 drives NSCLC progression by enhancing the transcription and expression of B-cell-specific moloney leukemia virus insertion site 1 (BMI1). The oncogenic impact of SOX4-induced BMI1 expression on NSCLC advancement was validated through both in vivo and in vitro studies. Additionally, our findings showed that BMI1 promoted the ubiquitination of histone H2A (H2Aub), leading to decreased zinc finger protein 24 (ZNF24) expression, which subsequently triggered vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGF-A) secretion in NSCLC cells, thereby promoting NSCLC angiogenesis. Moreover, we evaluated the therapeutic potential of a BMI1 inhibitor in combination with Bevacizumab for NSCLC treatment using orthotopic models. The data presented in our study reveal a previously unrecognized role of the SOX4-BMI1 axis in promoting NSCLC progression and angiogenesis. This research significantly contributes to our knowledge of the interplay between SOX4 and BMI1 in NSCLC, potentially paving the way for the development of targeted therapies for this disease.
The Spatio-Temporal Variations of Urban Green Space: The Case of Nekemte Town, Ethiopia
Authors: Soruma Mulugeta , Becho Rabira , Nuriye Gebrechristos 
Published: June 2024

Abstract

More people live in cities and towns worldwide as a result of urbanization. The study was carried out in Nekemte town, where the effects of horizontal urban physical growth were evident. It aims to estimate the spatio-temporal fluctuations of urban green space in peri-urban areas and inner parts of the town by looking at the extent of built-up areas between 2003 and 2022. This study employed spatial analysis tools to estimate the area coverage of built-up and unbuilt space, utilizing Arc GIS 10.2 for image classification. The spatial analysis result showed that Nekemte town's urban built-up environment rapidly altered, negatively affecting the area coverage of green spaces. In this regard, the area covered by built-up was expanded by 42.4% while that of green spaces were decreased by 26.9%. Between 2003 and 2022, it drastically changes the current land use land cover, which includes grasslands, farmlands, shrubs land, and mildly urban forests. Therefore, future urban spatial expansion of Nekemte town must consider proper urban plan preparations and implementation that prohibit unwanted land speculation. Furthermore, plan-based residential construction and suitable compensation for people living on the periphery of cities are also strongly recommended to reduce the deterioration of urban green spaces.
Enhancement of ceramic tool behaviour with textured grooves during machining of Inconel® 718
Authors: De Lucio Pablo Fernández , Urbikain Gorka , Plaza Soraya , Ukar Eneko , Pereira Octavio 
Published: June 2024

Abstract

Inconel® 718, known for its excellent mechanical properties in extreme conditions, presents machining challenges due to its low machinability. The chip formation process, influenced by its high ductility and low thermal conductivity, leads to material adhesion and high cutting forces. Ceramic tools have been proposed to mitigate these inconveniences. Textured cutting tools have emerged as a promising solution, aiming to optimize tool-chip contact and, with it, the tribological conditions and the cutting forces. This study investigates the influence of textured grooves on ceramic tools when turning Inconel® 718. Two groove inclinations, 0° and − 25° relative to the cutting edge, were tested. Texturing was performed using a laser station. Experimental results showed improved tool wear characteristics with textured tools, indicating favourable chip extraction and reduced material adhesion. Cutting forces were notably lower with textured tools compared to the reference tool, attributed to reduced notch wear and altered chip flow. Chip morphology analysis revealed differences in chip shape and thermal stability between the reference and textured tools. In conclusion, textured tools, particularly those with − 25° inclined grooves, demonstrated enhanced performance in machining Inconel® 718.
Balancing Carbohydrate-biased Urban Nutritional landscapes: Can Prey Subsidies Alter Ant Behavior?
Authors: Kanach Emily , Savage Amy M 
Published: June 2024

Abstract

As urbanization changes our environment, species that share our cities must adapt to changing abiotic conditions. Ant species found in the most urbanized spaces within the urban habitat mosaic must cope with altered nutritional landscapes, with highly reduced arthropod prey availability and an abundance of high carbohydrate human food-waste. Outside cities, ants who consume high-carbohydrate diets are often more voracious predators relative to conspecifics with more balanced diets. Therefore, we hypothesized ants in the most urbanized habitats are more voracious predators than those in lower stress urban habitats. To better understand this relationship, we assessed the predatory behaviors of Tetramorium immigrans colonies in city parks and street medians before and after supplementing their diets with insect prey (house crickets; Acheta domesticus). Prior to cricket supplements, T. immigrans ants discovered proxy prey at equal rates in street medians and city parks during predation trials. However, T. immigrans workers attacked and removed prey at significantly faster rates compared to those in parks. After 12 weeks of supplements, T. immigrans workers in parks displayed slower predatory behaviors compared to before supplementation, while workers in medians were faster to attack and remove prey than before cricket supplements. When predatory behaviors were observed the following summer, workers in parks returned to predatory levels similar to initial trials, and workers in medians were even faster than previous trials. This study provides a new perspective on how human food waste and urbanization can influence the predatory behaviors of an ecologically dominant ant species in cities, Tetramorium immigrans.
October 7th 2023 Mass Casualty Incident in Southern Israel: Lessons for Emergency Preparedness and Management.
Authors: Gozlan Aya , Abuhasira Ran , Dreiher Jacob , Peleg Shosh , Sebbag Gilbert , Schwarzfuchs Dan , Slutsky Tzachi , Dolfin Dror , Frenkel Amit , Codish Shlomi 
Published: June 2024

Abstract

Background: Mass Casualty Incidents (MCIs) pose significant challenges for healthcare systems. While policies are typically crafted based on past experiences, the lessons learned from each incident play a crucial role in enhancing emergency preparedness.
On October 7th, 2023, Israel came under the largest terror attack in its history. During an ongoing terror attack, more than 1,300 Israelis were killed, and more than 200 were abducted to Gaza. During the first day of the attack, 1,457 casualties were evacuated to a hospital, approximately half of them to Soroka University Medical Center (SUMC). This MCI surpassed conventional MCI challenges, necessitating a need to face the unexpected under fire.
Through a description of this extreme MCI, we delve into the challenges faced, the strategic interventions deployed to address them, and the invaluable lessons learned.
Methods: Injury characteristics, severity and outcomes of casualties are presented based on the medical records of all the casualties arriving to SUMC between October 7th 6:30 a.m. to October 8th 7:00 a.m. Data regarding Patient influx, capacity and hospital resource utilization, were collected from the Patient Registration System and other hospital information systems.
Results: During the incident, a total of 673 injured arrived at Soroka University Medical Centre (SUMC) within a mere 24-hour period, at a peak rate of 83 injured per hour. The mean casualty age was 29.6, with male predominance. Gunshot wounds and shrapnel injuries were the dominant types of injuries. Out of the casualties arrived, about half were hospitalized or transferred to receive definitive care at other hospitals after initial care at SUMC. Mortality rate was low, at 2.9% of those admitted alive.
Conclusions: In this article, we describe the injury characteristics and outcomes of casualties seen at SUMC on October 7th 2023, during one of the largest MCIs in history. We present a detailed overview of the challenges encountered, strategies implemented to address them and lessons learned. These insights hold global relevance, offering actionable guidance for the refinement of future emergency protocols and policies on a global scale.
Fluorescence studies on the binding affinity and determination of vitamin B12 in the presence of fibrinogen
Authors: Gökoğlu Elmas , Budun Seniye Şura , Doyuran Bensu , Taskin-Tok Tugba 
Published: June 2024

Abstract

The binding properties between vitamin B12 (vitB12, cyanocobalamin) and fibrinogen (Fib) were investigated by UV-vis absorption and steady-state/three-dimentional (3D) fluorescence spectra techniques as well as molecular docking. The experimental results showed that the intrinsic fluorescence of Fib quenched by vitB12 with static mechanism to form a non-fluorescent complex. The positive signs of thermodynamic parameters, DH and DS, indicated that the hydrophobic forces were dominant in the binding mode. The molecular docking data were found to be in agreement with these experimental results and were confirmed by three hydrophobic interactions between the Trp430, Try390 residues of Fib and the vitamin. Based on non-radiative energy transfer theory, binding distance was calculated to be 3.94 nm between donor (tryptophan residues of Fib) and acceptor (vitB12). The limit of detection (LOD) of vitB12 was calculated as 2.08 microM in the presence of fibrinogen. The relative standard deviation (RSD) of method was 4.28% for determinations (n = 7)of a vitB12 solution with the concentrationof 7.80 microM.
Effects of argon in the acute phase of subarachnoid hemorrhage in an endovascular perforation model in rats
Authors: Krenzlin Harald , Wesp Dominik M. A. , Korinek Anika A. E. , Ubbens Henning , Volland Jakob , Masomi-Bornwasser Julia , Weber Katharina J. , Mole Dominik , Sommer Clemens , Ringel Florian , Alessandri Beat , Keric Naureen 
Published: June 2024

Abstract

Objective: Subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) is a devastating disease with high morbidity and mortality. Neuroprotective effects of the noble gas Argon have been shown in animal models of ischemia. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of Argon in the immediate early phase of SAH in a rat model.
Methods: 19 male Wistar rats were randomly assigned to 3 treatment groups. SAH was induced using the endovascular filament perforation model. Cerebral blood flow (CBF), mean arterial blood pressure (MAP) and body temperature were measured continuously. Group A received 2 hours of ventilation by 50% Argon/50% O2 (n=7) immediately following SAH. Group B underwent a sham operation, and was also ventilated by Argon/O2 (n=6). Group C received a SAH but no further treatment (n=6). Pre- and postoperatively neurological and behavioral testing was performed. Histology and immunohistochemistry were used to evaluate the extent of brain injury and vasospasm.
Results: The CBF dropped in both treatment groups after SAH induction (SAH: 63.0±11.6% of baseline; SAH + argon: 80.2±8.2 % of baseline). During SAH MAP increased (135.2±10.5%) compared to baseline (85.8±26.0mmHG) and normalized thereafter. MAP in both groups showed no significant differences (p=0.3123). Immunohistochemical staining for NeuN demonstrated a decrease of hippocampal immunoreactivity after SAH in the CA 1-3 region compared to baseline (p=0.0127). Animals in the argon ventilated group showed less neuronal loss compared to untreated SAH animals (p<0.0001). Iba-1 staining showed a decreased accumulation after SAH + argon (CA1: 2.57±2.35%; CA2: 1.89±1.89%; CA3: 2.19±1.99%; DG: 2.6±2.24%) compared to untreated SAH animals (CA1: 5.48±2.39%; CA2: 4.85±4.06%; CA3: 4.22±3.01%; DG: 3.82±3.23%). Less microglia accumulation indicated less activation in the argon ventilated group (p=0.0007). The Neuroscore assessment revealed no treatment benefit after SAH compared to baseline (p=0.385).
Conclusion: In the present study neuroprotective effects of argon occurred early after SAH. As neurological deterioration was similar in the pre- and absence of Argon, it remains uncertain if neuroprotective effects translate in improved outcome over time.
Computation of polynomial and rational approximations in complex domains by the τ-method
Authors: Georgieva Irina , Hofreither Clemens 
Published: June 2024

Abstract

We investigate numerical methods for computation of polynomial and rational approximations of functions in complex domains based on Faber polynomials and the Lanczos τ-method. Our interest is motivated by applications in fractional partial differential equations. We give an overview of previous results related to the basis of Faber polynomials associated with a complex domain, Faber expansion, and the Lanczos τ-method. We also collect numerical algorithms for the computational realization of these concepts. Our main new contribution is a τ-method for rational approximation in complex domains which uses Faber polynomials in the perturbation term. We realize it via a novel hybrid symbolic-numeric algorithm which can be applied to arbitrary functions satisfying a suitable differential equation. We present some numerical examples, where we use sectors lying in the complex plane as our domains of interest. We compare results for the various polynomial and rational approximation techniques outlined above; in particular, we observe exponential convergence with respect to the rational degree for our proposed method.