bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Active fraction from clove inhibits colorectal cancer cell proliferation by downregulating M2-type pyruvate kinase to reduce aerobic glycolysis
Authors: Liu Lin , Xing Gang , Guo Xiaoyi , Chen Hui , Li Jian , Wang Jian , Li Yaling , Liang Gang , Liu Minghua 
Published: March 2024

Abstract

Background
Aerobic glycolysis contributes to the high rate of metabolism in tumour cells and colorectal cancer is one of the highly metabolic malignancies. Highly expressed M2-type pyruvate kinase (PKM2) promotes tumour cell proliferation and migration as the rate-limiting enzyme of aerobic glycolysis. Previously we have shown that the active fraction from clove (AFC) can inhibit the growth of colon cancer cells in vitro. However, the mechanism of action regarding the anti-colon cancer activity of AFC, especially in aerobic glycolysis, has not been adequately investigated.
Methods
In vitro anti-colon cancer activity was assessed by CCK8 assay and colony formation assay, and changes in aerobic glycolytic capacity were assessed by evaluating changes in glucose consumption, lactate production, pyruvate kinase activity and pyruvate production. HCT116 cells xenograft model in nude mice was established to measure the anti-colon cancer activity of AFC in vivo. Mechanism of action studies involved western blotting, reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR), small interfering RNA (siRNA) knockdown transfection, and immunohistochemistry.
Results
The present study confirmed those findings by showing that the active fraction significantly inhibited the growth of five lines of colon cancer cells (HT29, SW620, Caco-2, HCT116 and LoVo). And we found that the active fraction reduced pyruvate kinase activity, glucose uptake, and production of pyruvate and lactate. It also downregulated M2-type pyruvate kinase (PKM2), c-myc and cyclin D1. Knockdown of PKM2 on its own mimicked the effects of active fraction, which could result in the ability to inhibit cell proliferation and aerobic glycolysis. Consistent with these results in cell culture, the active fraction significantly inhibited tumor growth and downregulated PKM2, c-myc and cyclin D1 in HCT116 xenografts in mice, while causing milder liver damage and weight loss than the conventional chemotherapeutic 5-fluorouracil (5-FU).
Conclusion
Our fndings indicate that AFC inhibits colon cancer growth by downregulating PKM2 to inhibit aerobic glycolysis and reduces tumour-specific high expression of c-myc and cyclin D1. Future work should explore how it downregulates pyruvate kinase in the first place, and the intrinsic mechanism between the down-regulation of PKM2 and the down-regulation of c-myc and cyclin D1.
The relationship between the physical activity intensity, and the risk of type 2 diabetes in active and sedentary adults: Zahedan Adult Cohort Study (ZACS), Iran
Authors: Dehdari Tahereh , Shahraki-Sanavi Fariba , Nasiri Amir , Nouri Roghayeh , Moghaddam Alireza Ansari , Mohammadi Mahdi 
Published: March 2024

Abstract
Background: Given the effect of lifestyle on Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM), the present study was conducted to determine the association between PA intensity and the risk of T2DM in sedentary and active adults in Zahedan based on a cohort study.
Method: This cross-sectional study was conducted as a component of the population-based cohort known as prospective epidemiological research studies in Iran. The baseline data from the Zahedan Adult Cohort Study (ZACS) was utilized for this study. A total of 10,004 adults aged between 35 and 70 years were selected as participants from 2015 to 2019. Data on general information, socio-economic status, sleep status, medical history, and PA were collected through self-report questionnaires. Anthropometric measurements and biochemical parameters were obtained from participants after a 12-hour fasting period. Finally, data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, as well as independent-samples t-test, chi-square, and logistic regression tests in SPSS22.
Results: Out of 10,004 adults studied, 81.2% were sedentary, with worse health indicators such as higher weight, waist size, and poor blood metrics than active participnts. Sedentary lifestyle correlated strongly with higher rates of hypertension, heart diseases, and stroke. Diabetes prevalence was higher in sedentary (77%) compared to active (16%) participants. The findings showed that the chance of developing T2DM in active individuals were less than sedentary individuals (OR=0.62, p<0.001). Moreover, this relationship was significant after adjusting variables demographic factors (OR=0.65, p<0.001), triglyceride and cholesterol (OR=0.68, p=0.001), sleep status (OR=0.72, p=0.001), and family history of diabetes (OR=0.66, p=0.001).
Conclusion: The findings showed a clear association between sedentary lifestyles and an increased risk of T2DM. Physical inactivity correlates with adverse health markers and an elevated incidence of T2DM, which is mitigated by an active lifestyle. These results underscore the imperative for public health initiatives to promote PA as a critical strategy for diabetes prevention.
Analyzing a transportation problem with reliability under the shadowed environment
Authors: MONDAL SHYAMAL KUMAR , BERA RAJ KUMAR 
Published: March 2024

Abstract
In today's market, sources are being pressurized to deliver the product in a reliable and cost effective manner. From this perspective, the aim of the present work is to model a transportation problem to transport items from some sources to various destinations by minimizing the cost with maximum reliability. Here, the considered reliability is called 'transportation reliability' and it refers to the probability of successfully transporting items over different routes. Also, system reliability has been for different type transportation problems. Due to the imprecise nature of unit transportation cost and transportation reliability, the model has been formulated in shadowed environment. To convert the uncertain model into a deterministic form, a weighted-based de-shadowed procedure has been established. Further, to find the most efficient pareto optimal solution, an algorithm has been developed. Finally, Some numerical examples are considered to illustrate the models in both crisp and shadowed environments numerically.
Intrinsically Lipschitz Graphs on Semidirect Products of Groups
Authors: Donato Daniela Di 
Published: March 2024

Abstract
In metric groups, we give some equivalent conditions of intrinsically Lipschitz maps introduce by Franchi, Serapioni and Serra Cassano in subRiemannian Carnot groups. Unlike the case of the Carnot groups, in our context intrinsic dilations do not exist but we can prove the same results using the Lipschitz property of the projection maps.
2020 Mathematics Subject Classification. 53C17, 26A16, 51F30, 54E35.
Foraging habitat availability and diet composition of the Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea) at two spatial scales
Authors: Cieślińska Karolina , Manikowska-Ślepowrońska Brygida , Zbyryt Adam , Jakubas Dariusz 
Published: March 2024

Abstract

Habitat composition on foraging ground is one of the crucial factors determining diet diversity in colonially breeding avian predators. Studies on habitat and diet composition at different spatial scales (regional and local inter-colonial) may help to better understand drivers of diet composition. In this study we reconstructed from pellets diet composition of an opportunistic predator, the Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea) and compared it among 21 colonies in two different regions of Poland differing in foraging habitat presence/absence and composition. We used multivariate statistical techniques to analyze the relationship between diet and habitat compositions in a 20 km radius around the studied colonies. We found significant inter-regional and inter-colony differences in the Grey Heron diet and habitat composition in foraging areas. We found that some taxa were present in diet only in one of the studied regions. The heronries with predominance of farmland habitats in the vicinity were characterized by low frequency of the European water vole (Arvicola amphibius) and terrestrial invertebrates and high contribution of the Field striped mouse (Apodemus agrarius). Voles (Microtus sp.) were more frequent in colonies with prevalence of non-irrigated arable land around the colony, in contrast to the Bank vole (Myodes glareolus) which was less common in heronries with higher contribution of this habitat type. Remains of aquatic invertebrates were less abundant in colonies surrounded by extensive forests. Conducted study indicates opportunistic character of the diet of the Grey Heron adapted to the local foraging habitat and prey availability other than fish.
Estimation of Hypocentral Paremeters of Local/regional Earthquakes by Grid Search Method With a Fuzzy Logic Approach
Authors: GÖKALP Hüseyin 
Published: March 2024

Abstract

This study presents improvements to the hypocentral location
method based on Grid Search technique with fuzzy logic approach for
resolving regional/local earthquake locations. The method is tested
on synthetic models to evaluate its effectiveness in various
situations, and then, after gaining experience, it is tested on
actual earthquake data. For this purpose, three different
artificial seismic networks with different station distribution
geometries are selected to investigate the effect of the network
shape on the solution. Additionally, for all networks, for the
three scenarios, i.e. the earthquake's proximity to the networks,
whether inside, just outside, or further away, is taken into
account. Four types of norms are examined in this study, that is,
L2, L1 for P wave and L2 and
L1 for S wave are used, and they are transformed into
fuzzy logic space using a half trapezoidal membership function that
constructed minimum and maximum RMS values for the all norms. The
location determination process was performed in two ways; One is
defuzzification of the output of the intersection process on four
fuzzy logic output matrix, and other is defuzzification of only all
grid points having maximum fuzzy output values of the highest
values. The results show that this method for epicentral estimation
work well if the depth of an earthquake is shallow enough,
according to the distance between the event and seismic network and
it has a special advantage in the location of an event far from the
network. This method is only applicable to the hypocentral location
of the earthquake that happened in the upper crust because it only
uses Pg and Sg arrivals on the seismograms and a half-space
velocity model so its validity is somehow limited. By using this
method, we were able to estimate the hypocenter locations of 151
shallow earthquakes that occurred in the eastern Black Sea and
found them to be highly comparable to those obtained by other
seismic agencies. The average total difference between most
earthquakes is approximately 5 kilometers. Believed that this
method works well for local earthquakes taking place within network
and for regional earthquakes taking place outside a network and
hypocenter-station distances significantly larger than distance
between stations i.e. having a great azimuthal gap.
Design and Development of a Virtual Reality Training Platform for Fiber-Reinforced Composite Manufacturing
Authors: Rahman Taufiq , Rahman Minhazur , Raihan Rassel , Deb Shuchicnigdha 
Published: March 2024

Abstract

This study presents the design and development of a virtual reality (VR) training platform for manufacturing fiber-reinforced composites, a sophisticated and high-demand material in various industries. Due to the high costs and safety concerns associated with compression molding machines, essential equipment for this manufacturing process, the VR platform offers a promising alternative for training in educational institutions and manufacturing industries. The platform provides immersive and interactive training in a cost-efficient learning environment, allowing users to gain practical experience without the risks and expenses of physical training. The VR training module was developed using the Unity game engine and deployed on the HTC Vive Pro headset. While virtual reality-based training has become very popular in both educational and industrial settings, very few studies have confirmed the knowledge transfer from immersive training to real-world tasks. In this experimental study, researchers compared the performance of participants who received prior VR training with those who did not for their real-world performance in manufacturing. The findings of this research have the potential to significantly impact the effectiveness and transferability of virtual-reality-based training in composite manufacturing. Educational institutions and manufacturing industries can utilize the VR training platform to provide a safer and more cost-effective training environment for manufacturing fiber-reinforced composites.
Determination of bremsstrahlung radiation dose level of 90Y-SIRT in China: validation by practical measurement and theoretical estimation
Authors: zhao xipeng , Wang Xiaotao , Zhang Zhen , Lian Dexing , Lu Tianxiang , Lu Jianfei , Li Xueqin , Li Yuwen , Liang Jing , Xiong Qiang , Wang Lulu , Peng Jianliang 
Published: March 2024

Abstract

Objective The purpose of this study is to determine the dose level of bremsstrahlung radiation in 90Y-SIRT and to estimate the dose of radiology staff.
Methods A survey meter and a theoretical equation were used to measure and calculate the bremsstrahlung radiation emitted by 90Y in each stage of 90Y-SIRT, respectively. The differences between theoretical calculation and measured values were then compared. Finally, the annual exposure doses of radiology staff were estimated and analyzed.
Results The dose level of 90Y bremsstrahlung radiation outside the lead shield was relatively low. For example, the dose rate were 0.19~0.26μSv·h-1·GBq-1 at 1 m from the surface of the lead pot or the lead transfer box. While it became higher when there were no lead shielding, such as 1.00~1.60μSv·h-1·GBq-1 at 1 m from the surface of the shipping vial, the acrylic V-Vial kit, the injection box or the patient. Under the condition that 200 patients each year, 3GBq for each vial of 90Y microspheres, maximum dosage of 2GBq per patient, the estimated annual effective dose of nuclear medicine technologist, interventional injection physician and ward-round physician were 2.24mSv, 1.04mSv and 0.22mSv respectively, and the annual equivalent dose of hand were 49.9mSv, 25.5mSv and 2.06mSv respectively. The maximum deviation between the calculated and measured dose of bremsstrahlung radiation was -22%. The attenuation factors of 6.4mmPb equivalent lead pot and 0.5mmPb equivalent lead apron for 90Y bremsstrahlung radiation were between 0.13 ~ 0.15 and 0.45 ~ 0.50, respectively.
Conclusions In this study, the dose level of 90Y bremsstrahlung radiation was determined, and an accurate and convenient theoretical calculation method of 90Y bremsstrahlung radiation was recommended. Generally, the annual effective dose of radiology staff in 90Y-SIRT will not exceed the hospital management target value of 5 mSv in China. Wearing personal radiation protective equipment during the injection stage in90Y-SIRT and covering the patient's injection sites with lead apron can achieve approximately 50% dose reduction for radiology staff.
Green Synthesis of Co(0) and CoB Nanoparticles from Bean Shell Extract and Determination of the Effect of Their Activity on Sodium Borohydride Hydrolysis
Authors: Baytar Orhan , Şahin Ömer , Genli Nasrettin , Ekinci Arzu 
Published: March 2024

Abstract
The study investigated the effect of Co(0) and Co-B NPs catalysts synthesized using the method of green synthesis on the NaBH4 hydrolysis process. The investigation of the structure and surface morphology of the catalysts was evaluated using XRD, SEM-EDX, TEM, FTIR, and XPS analyses. The effect of catalysts on NaBH4 was examined at different catalyst amounts, different NaBH4/NaOH concentrations, and different temperature values. At 30°C solution temperature, the highest HGR and TOF values for Co(0) NPs catalyst were determined as 7326 mL.min− 1.g− 1cat and 8572 mL.min− 1.g− 1cat, respectively. Under the same conditions, HGR and TOF values for Co-B NPs catalyst were determined as 12524 mL.min− 1.g− 1cat and 15189 mL.min− 1.g− 1cat, respectively. The calculated activation energies for Co(0) and Co-B NPs catalysts are 37.68 kJmol− 1 and 21.28 kJmol− 1, respectively. Enthalpy and entropy values were calculated as 4.43 kJmol− 1 and 44 Jmol− 1K− 1 for Co(0) and 23.16 kJmol− 1 and 98 Jmol− 1K− 1 for Co-B NPs, using Eyring's equation, respectively. The catalysts showed a small decrease in activity over five cycles, indicating that they have potential for reusability.
Optimizing Nanofluid Transport Over Non-linearly Stretched Sheets in Bifacial Photovoltaic-Thermal Hybrid Systems for Solar Thermal Energy Applications
Authors: Inayat Usman , Manzoor Tareq , Iqbal Shaukat , Manzoor Muhamamd Nasir , Azam Farooq , Manzoor Habib Ullah 
Published: March 2024

Abstract
Nanoparticles have the potential to enhance the performance of solar PV thermal hybrid systems through various mechanisms. Here are several ways in which nano-particles can be utilized to improve the functioning of such systems. In this study, a three dimensional transport of incompressible nano-fluids for bifacial solar photovoltaic-thermal energy system has been investigated for a non-linearly stretched elastic sheet. A mathematical model of passive control of nano-particle volume fraction is considered. The similarity transformations are used for having selfsimilar forms of boundary layer equations. Optimal Homotopy Asymptotic method (OHAM)is selected for obtaining the numerical solutions. The results have been presented for parametric analysis of three dimensional nanofluid transport over stretched sheet against variations in different physical parameters. In this work, impacts of stretching ratio, Brownian motion parameter, Lewis number, thermophoresis parameter and Schmidt number are investigated for velocity, nano-particle volume, and temperature profiles.It is deduced that power-law index has a declining trend against nano-particle volume fraction and penetration depth of temperature. It is also observed that the heat transfer rate and temperature are insignificantly affected by Brownian motion of nano-particles.
Explainable AI Based framework for Banana Disease Detection
Authors: B Ashoka S , M Pramodha , muaad Abdullah Y , Nyange Roseline , A Anusha , N Shilpa G , Chola Channabasava 
Published: March 2024

Abstract
Due to widespread usage of banana as a staple food crop and susceptibility to numerous illnesses. Bananas require sophisticated detection techniques to support sustainable agricultural practices. Bananas are particularly susceptible to various stem and leaf spot diseases, resulting in significant economic losses within the banana cultivation sector. In this paper, a new XAI framework for banana disease detection and classification is introduced. Our framework uses state-of-the-art AI methods to analyze photos of banana plants. With great precision, it can detect a variety of illnesses like Cordana, Black Sigatoka, Pestalotiopsis, and fusarium wilt. The outcomes show that the framework performs better than current techniques in precisely identifying and categorizing banana diseases. The research employed a Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) to detect diseases in banana plants using RGB images of banana leaves. We used pre-trained model called EfficientnetB0 model to evaluate using two datasets BLSD and BDT. For BLSD, the model achieved an accuracy of 99.22%. Next for BDT, on the other hand, demonstrated improved performance with an accuracy of 99.63%.
The effects of landscape on West Nile virus sentinel chicken seroconversion varies by ecoregion in Florida
Authors: Tavares Yasmin , Day Jonathan F , Giordano Bryan V , Eastmond Bradley , Burkett-Cadena Nathan D , Martin Estelle M , Campbell Lindsay P 
Published: March 2024

Abstract
West Nile virus (WNV) is the leading cause of mosquito-borne disease in the United States. Landscapes provide habitats and resources for WNV mosquito vectors and avian amplification hosts, and landscape composition and configuration can affect transmission opportunities. We examined landscape correlations with WNV in Florida, USA across the state and within five regions to understand potential transmission hazard. We expected higher percentages of residential or medium-developed landscapes and more fragmented landscapes would be positively correlated with WNV, and the importance of these factors would vary by region. WNV transmission rates were calculated using Florida 2018 Department of Health WNV sentinel chicken seroconversion data from 187 flocks maintained by mosquito control programs. Percent land cover and edge density metrics were calculated for multiple land cover classes and within multiple buffer distances from chicken coops using 2019 National Land Cover Data. We used binomial generalized linear mixed effects models to calculate the importance of landscape metrics to WNV seroconversion. While we found no statewide predictors of seroconversion, the importance of landscape composition and configuration varied across regions. A non-linear effect of percentage low-intensity urban within 5 km of coops suggested higher transmission in less populated suburban areas in the north-central region of Florida and more fragmented forested areas within 0.5 km of coops and intact woody wetland areas within 2 km of coops were positively correlated with seroconversion in the south-central region. This work provides new insight into the importance and complexity of regional landscape predictors of WNV transmission hazard across Florida.
The potential of using fabricated drum to produce vetiver grass biochar and pineapple leaf biochar
Authors: Aleiadeh Hemam 
Published: March 2024

Abstract
Biochar is a very stable carbon-rich product produced by a process called slow thermochemical pyrolysis. Biochar is a widely known soil amendment and the potential of using it to improve soil properties is undeniable. However, the process of producing biochar is expensive and needs advanced technology which is usually unavailable for small-scale farmers. This study aimed to produce two types of biochar from different raw materials (vetiver grass raw material and pineapple leaf waste) using fabricated drum and check their characteristics in terms of quality as soil amendments. The process of producing biochar was based on a farm level and it was conducted using drum at the Farm Unit, UiTM Sarawak, Malaysia. The yield of produced biochar and ash was calculated. Physico-chemical properties and elemental composition were also analyzed. The yield of biochar produced is 20.88% and 51.43%, correspondingly 18.94% and 33.92% ash content from vetiver grass raw material and pineapple leaf residues respectively. The pH value of vetiver grass biochar and pineapple leaf biochar is 8.62 and 8.78 respectively, which indicates the potential of using both types of biochar for soil acidity amelioration. Both types of biochar contain amount of the major nutrients that are essential for plant growth and soil fertility improvement. Therefore, this study reveals that the production of biochar using fabricated drum is suitable for small-scale farmers and the vetiver grass and pineapple leaf biochar have the potential to be utilized as soil amendment to enhance the quality and the nutritional content in soil.