bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Anti-inflammatory effects of the polyherbal mixture Vital Air Herb™ on lipopolysaccharide-induced inflammation in RAW264.7 cells
Authors: Lee Seung-Jun , Hwang Jeongyun , Cho Kyoung Hwan , Kim Jong Cheol , Park Ju Wan , Shim Doo Bo , Shin Ji Hun , Kim Yoo Kyung , Kim Jae Youn , Kwag Seung-Jin , Hah Young-Sool 
Published: May 2024

Abstract

Background
Dysregulated inflammation is a key factor in chronic diseases such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, arthritis, heart disease, and diabetes. This study explores the anti-inflammatory potential of Vital Air Herb™ (VAH), a blend of thirteen traditional East Asian medicinal plants, against a specific inflammatory disease (e.g., allergy).
Methods
VAH extracts were prepared by maceration in water or ethanol. The IncuCyte® system was used to assess VAH's cytotoxicity on RAW264.7 macrophages, and its effects on lipopolysaccharide-induced inflammation. Quantitative analyses of the effect of VAH extracts on pro-inflammatory cytokines and key inflammatory pathways were performed using real-time PCR, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and western blotting.
Results
The VAH extracts exhibited no cytotoxicity, indicating safe profiles. Additionally, these extracts significantly suppressed the release of pro-inflammatory mediators such as nitric oxide, interleukin-6, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, and interleukin-1β. The VAH extracts also modulated essential inflammatory pathways, as evidenced by changes in the activity of inducible nitric oxide synthase, nuclear factor-kappa B, p65, and mitogen-activated protein kinase pathways.
Conclusions
The VAH extracts effectively controlled inflammation by suppressing pro-inflammatory mediators and pathways. These findings suggest their potential for developing anti-inflammatory treatments for targeted diseases.
The Role of miR-92b-3p in Notch Signaling and Monitoring of Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Authors: Koo Bon Seok , Piao Yudan , Jung Seung-Nam , Im Mi Ae , Zheng Sicong , Oh Chan , Jin Yan Li , Shen Shan , Nguyen Quoc Khanh , Park Se-Hee , Kim Young il , Chang Jae Won , Won Ho-Ryun 
Published: May 2024

Abstract

Dysregulation of microRNAs (miRNAs) influences diverse hallmarks of cancer, including proliferative signaling, metastasis, and resistance to cell death. We explored the contribution of miR-92b-3p in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) and its potential as a monitoring biomarker. Analysis of TCGA, GEO, and our own cohort revealed dysregulation of miR-92b-3p in OSCC, which correlated with aggressive tumor characteristics. miR-92b-3p overexpression augmented proliferation and the epithelial-mesenchymal transition in both YD8 and SCC25 cell lines and xenograft models. Mechanically, augmented miR-92b-3p expression suppressed ATXN1 and CPEB3, activating the Notch signaling pathway and thereby promoting metastasis and cisplatin resistance. In our cohort, serum miR-92b-3p expression reflected the disease status, including relapse. Our results suggest that miR-92b-3p might be an onco-miR involved in OSCC through regulating the ATXN1/CPEB3/Notch pathway. These findings provide novel insights for treating and monitoring OSCC.
Characterization of Organic Aerosols in the Ambient Air of Raipur, Central India: Distribution, Seasonal Variations, and Source Apportionment
Authors: Ramteke Shobhana , Sahu Bharat Lal , Patel Khageshwar Singh Singh , Pandey Piyush Kant , Yurdakul Sema , Martín-Ramos P. , Ren P. , Fu P. 
Published: May 2024

Abstract

Due to their influence on climate and human health, organic aerosols, a substantial component of atmospheric particulate matter (PM), are a major area of scientific focus. This study investigates the distribution, seasonal variations, and sources of organic constituents —including n-alkanes, alkanol acids, alkanols, sugars, phthalate esters, lignin and resin products, sterols, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs)— in the coarse mode (PM10) of ambient air samples collected in Raipur, India. The total concentration of the organic aerosols ranged from 5106 to 29099 ng m− 3, with a mean value of 16701 ± 3355 ng m− 3. Fatty acids, phthalates, and levoglucosan were the major components. Seasonal analysis revealed higher concentrations of n-alkanes, PAHs, and lignin products during the winter, while alcohols, fatty acids, sterols, and sugars exhibited elevated levels in both autumn and winter. Size segregation analysis showed that all organic species, except phthalates and PAHs, accumulated predominantly in the fine and ultrafine particle fractions. Source apportionment through factor analysis revealed a complex mixture of sources shaping aerosol composition, including vehicular emissions, various combustion activities (biomass burning and charbroiled cooking), natural background factors, and the combination of urban dust and biogenic materials. The findings highlight the significant climatic and health implications of organic aerosols in the study region, necessitating urgent mitigation measures to address air pollution.
Assessing the awareness and perception of the role of climate change factors in aggravating conflict among farmers and pastoralists in North Central Nigeria
Authors: Bwala Madu Ali , Amaza Paul 
Published: May 2024

Abstract

This study explored the role of climate change in aggravating conflict among farmers and pastoralists. Multistage sampling technique was used to draw respondents randomly, after a purposive selection of the areas of study in three states in Nigeria. The Likert scale was the main tool of analysis supported by descriptive statistics. Findings revealed the use of herbicides (90%), clean clearing, non-establishment of green reserves by farmers around the perimeter of the farm as aggravators. For the pastoralists, non-storage of fodder, underutilization of pasture or grazing grounds and non-planting of pastures were identified as aggravators. Other factors that contribute to aggravate the conflict situation include herd size, non-planting and destruction of trees. Potential climate related conflict resolving strategy identified include storage of fodder, designated grazing areas and establishment of green reserves will prevent most of the conflict between the pastoralists and the farmer. In the same vein, establishment of water points and halting of bush-burning. It was therefore concluded that climate change plays a role by aggravating the conflict between the pastoralist and the farmer. It was therefore recommended that in resolving the conflict between the two groups, a climate change mitigating strategy should be included in the package.
Enhancement and Evaluation for deep learning-based classification of volumetric neuroimaging with 3D-to-2D Knowledge Distillation
Authors: Yoon Hyemin , Kang Do-Young , Kim Sangjin 
Published: May 2024

Abstract

The application of deep learning techniques for the analysis of neuroimaging has been increasing recently. The 3D Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) technology, which is commonly adopted to encode volumetric information, requires a large number of datasets. However, due to the nature of the medical domain, there are limitations in the number of data available. This is because the cost of acquiring imaging is expensive and the use of personnel to annotate diagnostic labels is resource-intensive. For these reasons, several prior studies have opted to use comparatively lighter 2D CNNs instead of the complex 3D CNN technology. They analyze using projected 2D datasets created from representative slices extracted from 3D volumetric imaging. However, this approach, by selecting only projected 2D slices from the entire volume, reflects only partial volumetric information. This poses a risk of developing lesion diagnosis systems without a deep understanding of the interrelations among volumetric data. We propose a novel 3D-to-2D knowledge distillation framework that utilizes not only the projected 2D dataset but also the original 3D volumetric imaging dataset. This framework is designed to employ volumetric prior knowledge in training 2D CNNs. Our proposed method includes three modules: i) a 3D teacher network that encodes volumetric prior knowledge from the 3D dataset, ii) a 2D student network that encodes partial volumetric information from the 2D dataset, and aims to develop an understanding of the original volumetric imaging, and iii) a distillation loss introduced to reduce the gap in the graph representation expressing the relationship between data in the feature embedding spaces of i) and ii), thereby enhancing the final performance. The effectiveness of our proposed method is demonstrated by improving the classification performance orthogonally across various 2D projection methods on the well-known Parkinson's Progression Markers Initiative (PPMI) dataset. Notably, when our approach is applied to the FuseMe approach, it achieves an F1 score of 98.30%, which is higher than that of the 3D teacher network (97.66%).
The Role of Remnant Cholesterol and Its Interaction with Low-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol in Chronic Kidney Disease
Authors: Bai Jiang , Dong Zhouyu , Zhang Lijuan , Li Suhang , Chen Rong , Di Jingkai , Wang Wenyu , Wu Yawen , Zhou Yun 
Published: May 2024

Abstract

Background
The growing prevalence of chronic kidney disease (CKD) presents a substantial public health issue. Furthermore, the continuous advancements in lipid-lowering strategies and medications highlight the ongoing importance of the correlation between remnant cholesterol (RC) and CKD. This study aims to investigate the link between RC and CKD risk, particularly focusing on the interplay between low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and RC.
Methods
This cross-sectional study included 7747 participants in wave 2009 of the China Health and Nutrition Survey which has been in progress since 1989. We enrolled 7747 individuals in the present study from the China Health and Nutrition Survey, with exclusion criteria applied to individuals under 18 and pregnant participants. CKD was defined as eGFR < 60 mL/min/1.73 m2, following the Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) 2012 Clinical Practice Guideline. A logistic regression analysis was conducted to assess the associations between discordant/concordant levels of LDL-C and RC with CKD. Subsequently, a mediation analysis was performed to identify potential mediators.
Results
Within the clinical cohort of 7747 patients, 910 individuals (11.8%) were diagnosed with CKD, with RC levels categorized into quartiles. Logistic analysis revealed significant associations between elevated RC levels and the prevalence of CKD (OR 1.30, 95% CI 1.06–1.60 for Group 2; OR 1.49, 95% CI 1.22–1.83 for Group 3; and OR 1.33, 95% CI 1.08–1.63 for Group 4). The results of restricted cubic splines (RCS) analysis suggested an “inverted U-shaped” association of RC with CKD. The analysis of discordant/concordant grouping showed that participants in Group 2 (high LDL-C/low RC) and Group 3 (low LDL-C/high RC) were associated with an increased risk for CKD. The odds ratios were 2.35 (95% CI 1.83–3.03) for Group 2 and 1.51 (95% CI 1.14–2.01) for Group 3, compared to Group 1 (low LDL-C/low RC). Causal mediation analysis indicated that inflammation partially mediated the association between RC and CKD.
Conclusions
This study presented evidence of a non-linear relationship between RC and CKD, suggesting that the association was influenced by LDL-C levels and mediated by the pro-inflammatory state.
Flutamide exacerbates steatosis and promotes early hepatocarcinogenesis in high-fat diet-fed non-obese steatotic rats: Insights from clustering analysis of mitophagy regulators AMBRA1 and LC3
Authors: Hara Emika , Ohshima Kanami , Zeng Wen , Uomoto Suzuka , Kobayashi Mio , Shibutani Makoto , Yoshida Toshinori 
Published: May 2024

Abstract

Flutamide (FL), a non-steroidal drug used for its anti-androgenic, anticancer,and disrupting endocrine properties, induces mitochondrial toxicity and drug metabolism enzymesand promotes hepatocarcinogenesis. The inhibition of mitophagy, leading to the accumulation of damaged mitochondria, is implicated in the pathogenesis of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). In this study, we investigated the effects of FL in high-fat diet (HFD)-induced non-obese steatosis rats, categorized into four groups: basal diet (BD), BD + FL, HFD, and HFD + FL. The introduction of FL exacerbated HFD-induced steatosis and marginally increased preneoplastic lesions. To analyzehepatic preneoplastic lesions, we divided them into clusters based on the expression ratios of the mitophagy regulators LC3 and AMBRA1. The expression rates of LC3 and AMBRA1 in these precancerous lesions were classified into three clusters using k-means clustering. The HFD group exhibited an increased ratio of mitophagy inhibition clusters, as indicated by decreased LC3 and increased AMBRA1 levels in background hepatocytes and preneoplastic lesions. FL counteracted HFD-mediated mitophagy inhibition, as indicated by increased LC3 and decreased AMBRA1 levels in background hepatocytes. Our clustering analysis revealed that FL-induced mitophagy induction relied on Parkin expression. The present study underscores the significance of cluster analysis in understanding the role of mitophagy within small preneoplastic lesions and suggests that FL may potentially exacerbate NAFLD-associated hepatocarcinogenesis by affecting mitophagy.
Antibacterial methacrylamide chitosan modified viscose/poly(ε-caprolactone) hydrogel membranes for wound healing
Authors: Li Xueyan , Hou Xiuling , Yang Anle , Li Dekun , Zhou Fang 
Published: May 2024

Abstract

Herein, antibacterial ChMA and tannic acid modified viscose/poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) fibrous hydrogel membranes were developed for accelerating wound healing. The morphology, chemical structure, swelling capacity, degradation, mechanical, antibacterial properties and cell viability of the modified membranes were investigated. The results indicated that the ChMA/tannic acid modified viscose membranes exhibited a larger swelling ratio ca. 200% and a lower degradability than the modified PCL membrane. The tensile strength and elongation at break of the ChMA/tannic acid modified PCL membrane were about 3.2 ± 0.4 MPa and 618.2 ± 18.2%, respectively, larger than the values of the modified viscose membrane. Simultaneously, both of the ChMA/TA modified viscose and PCL hydrogel membranes showed high-efficiency antibacterial ratio against S. aureus (95%) and a DPPH free radical scavenging rate (91%). Moreover, the modified viscose membranes maintained superior cytocompatibility and accelerated the wound healing process in vivo. The as-prepared modified hydrogel membranes enabled the maintenance of high bioavailability of tannic acid and synchronization with the porous structure of ChMA hydrogels, which enhanced the wound healing performance of the fibrous membrane. Considering the ease of accessibility of viscose and the simplicity of the current approach, the ChMA/tannic acid modified viscose hydrogel membranes have great potential in wound dressings.
Examining the Relationship between Curriculum Design Approach Preferences and Their Commitment to the Curriculum of Physical Education and Sports Teachers
Authors: AYDIN EBRU , KANGALGİL Murat 
Published: May 2024

Abstract

In our research, it was aimed to examine the relationship between physical education and sports teachers' curriculum design approach preferences and their commitment to the curriculum and to determine the variables that affect these two concepts. In this regard, a total of 780 physical education and sports teachers, 400 women and 380 men, who agreed to fill out the survey form applied to the study on a voluntary basis, participated. The data of the research were collected using the "Personal Information Form", "Curriculum Design Preference Scale" and "Curriculum Commitment Scale". Independent T-Test, One-Way Anova, Pearson Correlation and Linear Regression analysis were applied to the data found to be normally distributed. In the analysis results, a significant difference was found in education program design approach preferences in terms of age and years of experience, and in commitment to the curriculum in terms of gender and years of experience (p<0.05). It was also observed that design approach preferences were associated with commitment to the program and design approach preferences were a significant predictor of commitment to the program (p<0.05). The conclusion of this study indicate that teachers' preferred instructional design approaches influence their adherence to the curriculum, particularly emphasizing the significance for physical education and sports teachers. Furthermore, it has been determined that teachers' preferences for instructional program design vary according to their years of experience and gender, and these factors have an impact on their commitment to the curriculum. While young teachers tend to prefer student-centered design approaches, more experienced teachers tend to adopt content and problem-centered design approaches. In this regard, it is believed that supporting studies aimed at enhancing teachers' adherence to programs and contributing to the effectiveness of the teaching process, especially for physical education teachers, is necessary.
General relativistic analysis of the periodicity uncoveredby Leibowitz in the X-ray flare sequences from Sgr A*
Authors: Chauvineau Bertrand , de Souza Armando Domiciano , Radulescu Nicholas 
Published: May 2024

Abstract

In a recent series of papers, Leibowitz unveiled two pacemaker frequencies associated to flares observed near the Sgr A* location: one for the X-ray flares and the other one for the IR flares. He proposed an astrophysical model to account for these two frequencies, involving a unique body orbiting the Sgr A* black hole (supposed non rotating) close to its Innermost Stable Circular Orbit. In the framework of this model, the Roche lobe contacts the star’s surface near the periastrons, which generates matter pullouts. The resulting X events are then separated by time intervals which are close to integer multiples of the radial orbital frequency, which explains the X pacemaker. One revisits this X sequence orbiting-body interpretation but in a full General Relativistic framework, which is more appropriate than the pseudo-Newtonian Paczy´nski-Wiita potential approach used by Leibowitz. One concludes that no main sequence (or giant) star can survive the tidal effects on the orbits compatible with the X pacemaker frequency, even if large eccentricities are allowed. This confirms the result obtained by Leibowitz (on the impossibility of a main sequence star, since the only solution he found involves an ”unusual internal structure star”) but (1) in the framework of true relativistic calculations and (2) extending the result to the eccentric case.
Spatial accessibility to emergency department and surgical treatment for patients with acute appendicitis in South Korea
Authors: Kim Kyungsik , Sung Ho Kyung , Lee Kyung-Shin , Kim Eunyoung , Shin Hansu , Min Hye Sook 
Published: May 2024

Abstract

Background Acute appendicitis is a representative lower-risk condition requiring emergency general surgery (EGS), which has often been overlooked in terms of service and accessibility. Recent concerns regarding the delivery of surgical services in South Korea emphasize the need for close monitoring of spatial access to surgical care in patients with acute appendicitis at the regional level.Methods This study included emergency department (ED) visits with acute appendicitis and subsequent appendectomies from the National Emergency Department Information System (NEDIS) database (2015–2021). The 252 administrative districts in South Korea were classified by population density according to statistical terciles. Travel distances to the hospital were measured, and the proportion of patients admitted to regional hospitals was visualized on a geographic map. Factors related to complicated appendicitis were analyzed using logistic regression.Results Among 207,344 patients who visited the EDs, those from areas with low population density had higher proportions of patients aged ≥ 65 years (23.2%), Medical Aid recipients (4.8%), transfers from other hospitals (39.3%), and cases of complicated appendicitis (7.0%) compared to other regions. Additionally, patients in low-density regions exhibited the highest proportion of traveling 50 km or more (27.7%), compared to those in mid- (5.9%) and high-density (2.5%) regions. In the multivariate analysis, patients aged ≥ 65 years exhibited a stronger association with complicated appendicitis compared to other age groups. In some low-density regions, a significant proportion of the population traveled more than 50 km to seek surgical care despite the availability of community hospitals within the region.Conclusions The current results suggested that regions with low population density experienced low access to surgical care, revealing significant regional disparities linked to population density. Given the rapidly aging population in South Korea, urgent policy action is needed to guarantee the adequate delivery of EGS services in low-density regions.
Boundedness of composition operators in Orlicz-Morrey spaces
Authors: Ikeda Masahiro , Ishikawa Isao , Kawasumi Ryota 
Published: May 2024

Abstract

In this paper, we investigate necessary and sufficient conditions on the boundedness of composition operators on the Orlicz-Morrey spaces. The results of boundedness include Lebesgue and generalized Morrey spaces as special cases. Further, we characterize the boundedness of composition operators on the weak Orlicz-Morrey spaces. The weak Orlicz-Morrey spaces contain the Orlicz-Morrey spaces.
2020 Mathematics Subject Classification. 46E30, 42B35, 42B20, 42B25.
Exploring high corrosion-resistant refractory high-entropy alloy via a combined experimental and simulation study
Authors: Yan Yu , Zhao Xinpeng , Huang Haiyou , Su Yanjing , Qiao Lijie 
Published: May 2024

Abstract

Refractory high-entropy alloys (HEAs) have attracted considerable attention due to their stable phase structure and excellent high-temperature properties. In this work, we performed first-principles calculations, coupled with experiments, to explore HEAs with high corrosion resistance. The results revealed that TiNbTa-based HEAs exhibited a lower tendency for corrosion. However, the appearance of local chemical fluctuations (CFs) increased the corrosion tendency of TiNbTa-based HEAs. Comprehensive SHapley Additive exPlanations analyses uncovered that in a sample with configurational CFs, the atomic order near the surface was altered. Therefore, corrosion behavior was affected. Based on experiments, the annealed samples exhibited typical chemical segregation and declined corrosion resistance.