bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Assessing the association between tea intake and risk of dental caries and periodontitis: a two-sample Mendelian randomization study
Authors: Jin Bilun , Chen Heng , Liu Peiqi , Wang Yijie , Guo Yi , Wang Chenxu , Jia Yue , Zou Rui , Niu Lin 
Published: February 2024

AbstractTea is an indispensable beverage in people’s daily life. However, the relationship between tea intake and dental caries and periodontitis is controversial. We extracted datasets for tea intake and oral diseases from genome-wide association studies (GWASs) conducted by the UK Biobank and the Gene Lifestyle Interactions in Dental Endpoints consortium. We selected 38 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) significantly associated with tea intake as instrumental variables (IVs) (P < 5.0 × 10–8). Mendelian randomization (MR) was performed to investigate the potential causality between tea intake and caries and periodontitis. Multivariable Mendelian randomization (MVMR) analyses were utilized to estimate causal effects of tea intake on risk of caries and periodontitis after adjusting for smoking, body mass index (BMI), and socioeconomic factors. The results showed that higher tea intake was suggestively associated with fewer natural teeth (β = − 0.203; 95% CI = 0.680 to 0.980; P = 0.029) and higher risk of periodontitis (OR = 1.622; 95% CI = 1.194 to 2.205; P = 0.002). After Bonferroni correction, the causality of tea intake on periodontitis remained significant. The significance of periodontitis disappeared after adjusting for the socioeconomic factors in MVMR (OR = 1.603; 95% CI = 0.964 to 2.666; P = 0.069). Tea intake had no association with risk of caries. Statistical insignificance of the heterogeneity test and pleiotropy test supported the validity of the MR study. Our results provide insight into the potential relationship between tea intake and oral diseases from a dietary lifestyle perspective, which may help prevent oral diseases.
An improved V-Net lung nodule segmentation model based on pixel threshold separation and attention mechanism
Authors: Ma Xiaopu , Song Handing , Jia Xiao , Wang Zhan 
Published: February 2024

AbstractAccurate labeling of lung nodules in computed tomography (CT) images is crucial in early lung cancer diagnosis and before nodule resection surgery. However, the irregular shape of lung nodules in CT images and the complex lung environment make it much more challenging to segment lung nodules accurately. On this basis, we propose an improved V-Net segmentation method based on pixel threshold separation and attention mechanism for lung nodules. This method first offers a data augment strategy to solve the problem of insufficient samples in 3D medical datasets. In addition, we integrate the feature extraction module based on pixel threshold separation into the model to enhance the feature extraction ability under different thresholds on the one hand. On the other hand, the model introduces channel and spatial attention modules to make the model pay more attention to important semantic information and improve its generalization ability and accuracy. Experiments show that the Dice similarity coefficients of the improved model on the public datasets LUNA16 and LNDb are 94.9% and 81.1% respectively, and the sensitivities reach 92.7% and 76.9% respectively. which is superior to most existing UNet architecture models and comparable to the manual level segmentation results by medical technologists.
Protective effect of microbisporicin (NAI-107) against vancomycin resistant Enterococcus faecium infection in a Galleria mellonella model
Authors: Hofkens Nele , Gestels Zina , Abdellati Saïd , Gabant Philippe , Rodriguez-Villalobos Hector , Martin Anandi , Kenyon Chris , Manoharan-Basil Sheeba Santhini 
Published: February 2024

AbstractIncreasing antimicrobial resistance in Enterococcus faecium necessitates the search for novel treatment agents, such as bacteriocins. In this study, we conducted an in vivo assessment of five bacteriocins, namely Lacticin Z, Lacticin Q, Garvicin KS (ABC), Aureocin A53 and Microbisporicin (NAI-107), against vanB-resistant Enterococcus faecium using a Galleria mellonella model. Our in vitro experiments demonstrated the efficacy of all five bacteriocins against vanB-resistant E. faecium with only NAI-107 demonstrating in vivo efficacy. Notably, NAI-107 exhibited efficacy across a range of tested doses, with the highest efficacy observed at a concentration of 16 µg/mL. Mortality rates in the group treated with 16 µg/mL NAI-107 were lower than those observed in the linezolid-treated group. These findings strongly suggest that NAI-107 holds promise as a potential alternative therapeutic agent for treating infections caused by resistant E. faecium and warrants further investigation.
Acute mountain sickness predicts the emotional state of amateur mountaineers
Authors: Zeng Zhengyang , Zhou Yun , Li Lun 
Published: February 2024

AbstractResearch on amateur mountaineers is scarce, and this study aims to delve into the emotional experiences of ten amateur mountaineers during their ascent using the "Befindlichkeitsskala" (BFS) and Lake Louise Acute Mountain Sickness scoring system (LLS). These subjects were exposed to altitudes of 3140 m, 4300 m, and 5276 m, respectively. We found that LLS scores were negatively correlated with positive emotions (β = −27.54, p < 0.05) and positively correlated with negative emotions (β = 21.97, p < 0.05). At an altitude of 4300 m, individuals with AMS exhibited significant differences in depression, anger, excitement, and inactivity compared to climbers without AMS. Upon returning to 3140 m after completing the climb, significant differences were observed in emotions such as happiness, calmness, anger, excitement, and depression. Throughout the three-day climb, noteworthy differences emerged in activity, happiness, calmness, inactivity, positive emotions (p < 0.01), negative emotions, and overall emotional scores (p < 0.05). Our study suggests a decline in the emotional well-being of amateur climbers with increasing altitude, highlighting AMS as a pivotal predictive factor for emotional experiences while climbing.
Shear stiffening gel-enabled twisted string for bio-inspired robot actuators
Authors: Zhang Qingqing , Xue Yuxuan , Zhao Yafei , Zou Kehan , Yuan Wenbo , Tian Yuqing , Chen Jiaming , Chen Jiangcheng , Xi Ning 
Published: February 2024

AbstractA rotary motor combined with fibrous string demonstrates excellent performance because it is powerful, lightweight, and prone to large strokes; however, the stiffness range and force-generating capability of twisted string transmission systems are limited. Here, we present a variable stiffness artificial muscle generated by impregnating shear stiffening gels (STGs) into a twisted string actuator (TSA). A high twisting speed produces a large impact force and causes shear stiffening of the STG, thereby improving the elasticity, stiffness, force capacity, and response time of the TSA. We show that at a twisting speed of 4186 rpm, the elasticity of an STG-TSA reached 30.92 N/mm, whereas at a low twisting speed of 200 rpm, it was only 10.51 N/mm. In addition, the STG-TSA exhibited a more prominent shear stiffening effect under a high stiffness load. Our work provides a promising approach for artificial muscles to coactivate with human muscles to effectively compensate for motion.
Optimizing SH-SY5Y cell culture: exploring the beneficial effects of an alternative media supplement on cell proliferation and viability
Authors: Kaya Zeynep Bengisu , Santiago-Padilla Valeria , Lim Melina , Boschen Suelen L. , Atilla Pergin , McLean Pamela J. 
Published: February 2024

AbstractIn the quest to unravel the mysteries of neurological diseases, comprehending the underlying mechanisms is supreme. The SH-SY5Y human neuroblastoma cell line serves as a crucial tool in this endeavor; however, the cells are known for its sensitivity and slow proliferation rates. Typically, this cell line is cultured with 10% Fetal Bovine Serum (FBS) supplement. Nu-Serum (NuS), a low-protein alternative to FBS, is promising to advance cell culture practices. Herein, we evaluated the substitution of NuS for FBS to test the hypothesis that an alternative serum supplement can aid and promote SH-SY5Y cell proliferation and differentiation. Our findings revealed that the NuS-supplemented group exhibited a notable increase in adhered cells compared to both the FBS and serum-free (SF) groups. Importantly, cell viability remained high in both sera treated groups, with the NuS-supplemented cells displaying significantly larger cell sizes compared to the SF-treated group. Furthermore, cell proliferation rates were higher in the NuS-treated group, and neuroblast-like morphology was observed earlier than FBS group. Notably, both FBS and NuS supported the differentiation of these cells into mature neurons. Our data supports NuS as an alternative for SH-SY5Y cell culture, with the potential to elevate the quality of research in the neuroscience field.
Isocitrate dehydrogenase 2 regulates the proliferation of triple-negative breast cancer through the ferroptosis pathway
Authors: Zhang Chengwu , Zhou Yuanhong , Chen Tao , Bhushan Sudhanshu , Sun Shengrong , Zhang Panshi , Yang Yalong 
Published: February 2024

AbstractTriple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is currently the type of breast cancer with the worst prognosis; it lacks specific treatments, such as ER/PR antagonistic endocrine and anti-HER2 targeted therapies. Although immunotherapy with immune checkpoints has shown some efficacy in many solid tumors, clinical data in TNBC suggest significant limitations. The essence of ferroptosis is the impaired metabolism of intracellular lipid oxides, which in turn causes the activation and abnormalities of the immune system, including ROS, and not only plays an important role in liver injury and organ aging but also a large amount of data points to the close correlation between the ferroptosis process and tumor development. In this study, through the analysis of large-throughput biological data of breast tumors, combined with the characteristics of the biological process of ferroptosis, the specific gene IDH2 was found to be significantly highly expressed in TNBC and functionally correlated with ferroptosis. Through clinical specimens validated at the gene and protein levels, in vitro tumor cell line validation, and in vivo mouse models, we found that the high expression of IDH2 in TNBC has a role in inhibiting the ferroptosis process in TNBC, thus promoting the proliferation of TNBC cells and other malignant features.
Enhancing two-stage object detection models via data-driven anchor box optimization in UAV-based maritime SAR
Authors: Zhao Beigeng , Song Rui 
Published: February 2024

AbstractThe high-altitude imaging capabilities of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) offer an effective solution for maritime Search and Rescue (SAR) operations. In such missions, the accurate identification of boats, personnel, and objects within images is crucial. While object detection models trained on general image datasets can be directly applied to these tasks, their effectiveness is limited due to the unique challenges posed by the specific characteristics of maritime SAR scenarios. Addressing this challenge, our study leverages the large-scale benchmark dataset SeaDronesSee, specific to UAV-based maritime SAR, to analyze and explore the unique attributes of image data in this scenario. We identify the need for optimization in detecting specific categories of difficult-to-detect objects within this context. Building on this, an anchor box optimization strategy is proposed based on clustering analysis, aimed at enhancing the performance of the renowned two-stage object detection models in this specialized task. Experiments were conducted to validate the proposed anchor box optimization method and to explore the underlying reasons for its effectiveness. The experimental results show our optimization method achieved a 45.8% and a 10% increase in average precision over the default anchor box configurations of torchvision and the SeaDronesSee official sample code configuration respectively. This enhancement was particularly evident in the model’s significantly improved ability to detect swimmers, floaters, and life jackets on boats within the SeaDronesSee dataset’s SAR scenarios. The methods and findings of this study are anticipated to provide the UAV-based maritime SAR research community with valuable insights into data characteristics and model optimization, offering a meaningful reference for future research.
A functional personalised oncology approach against metastatic colorectal cancer in matched patient derived organoids
Authors: Thng Dexter Kai Hao , Hooi Lissa , Siew Bei En , Lee Kai-Yin , Tan Ian Jse-Wei , Lieske Bettina , Lin Norman Sihan , Kow Alfred Wei Chieh , Wang Shi , Rashid Masturah Bte Mohd Abdul , Ang Chermaine , Koh Jasmin Jia Min , Toh Tan Boon , Tan Ker-Kan , Chow Edward Kai-Hua 
Published: February 2024

AbstractGlobally, colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most frequently occurring cancer. Progression on to an advanced metastatic malignancy (metCRC) is often indicative of poor prognosis, as the 5-year survival rates of patients decline rapidly. Despite the availability of many systemic therapies for the management of metCRC, the long-term efficacies of these regimens are often hindered by the emergence of treatment resistance due to intratumoral and intertumoral heterogeneity. Furthermore, not all systemic therapies have associated biomarkers that can accurately predict patient responses. Hence, a functional personalised oncology (FPO) approach can enable the identification of patient-specific combinatorial vulnerabilities and synergistic combinations as effective treatment strategies. To this end, we established a panel of CRC patient-derived organoids (PDOs) as clinically relevant biological systems, of which three pairs of matched metCRC PDOs were derived from the primary sites (ptCRC) and metastatic lesions (mCRC). Histological and genomic characterisation of these PDOs demonstrated the preservation of histopathological and genetic features found in the parental tumours. Subsequent application of the phenotypic-analytical drug combination interrogation platform, Quadratic Phenotypic Optimisation Platform, in these pairs of PDOs identified patient-specific drug sensitivity profiles to epigenetic-based combination therapies. Most notably, matched PDOs from one patient exhibited differential sensitivity patterns to the rationally designed drug combinations despite being genetically similar. These findings collectively highlight the limitations of current genomic-driven precision medicine in guiding treatment strategies for metCRC patients. Instead, it suggests that epigenomic profiling and application of FPO could complement the identification of novel combinatorial vulnerabilities to target synchronous ptCRC and mCRC.
Zebrafish tumour xenograft models: a prognostic approach to epithelial ovarian cancer
Authors: Lindahl Gabriel , Fjellander Sebastian , Selvaraj Karthik , Vildeval Malin , Ali Zaheer , Almter Rusul , Erkstam Anna , Rodriguez Gabriela Vazquez , Abrahamsson Annelie , Kersley Åsa Rydmark , Fahlgren Anna , Kjølhede Preben , Linder Stig , Dabrosin Charlotta , Jensen Lasse 
Published: February 2024

AbstractEpithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) is the gynaecological malignancy with highest mortality. Although adjuvant treatment with carboplatin and paclitaxel leads to an objective response in ~80% of these patients, a majority will relapse within two years. Better methods for assessing long-term treatment outcomes are needed. To address this, we established safe and efficacious doses of carboplatin and paclitaxel using IGROV-1 zebrafish-CDX models. Then fluorescently-labelled cell suspensions from 83 tumour biopsies collected at exploratory laparotomy of women with suspected EOC were generated and 37 (45%) were successfully implanted in zebrafish larvae. Among these 19 of 27 pathology-confirmed EOC samples (70%) engrafted. These zebrafish patient-derived tumour xenograft (ZTX) models were treated with carboplatin or paclitaxel and tumour growth/regression and metastatic dissemination were recorded. In a subgroup of nine patients, four ZTX models regressed during carboplatin treatment. All four corresponding patients had >24 months PFS. Furthermore, both ZTX models established from two patients having <24 months PFS failed to regress during carboplatin treatment. Seven of eight models seeding <6 metastatic cells were established from patients having >24 months PFS. In eleven of fourteen patients, FIGO stage I + II or III tumours gave rise to ZTX models seeding <4 or >4 metastatic cells, respectively. In conclusion, ZTX models predicted patients having >24 or <24 months PFS, based on response/no response to carboplatin. Furthermore, high metastatic dissemination in ZTX models correlated to shorter PFS and more advanced disease at diagnosis. These preliminary results suggest that ZTX models could become a useful prognostic tool in EOC treatment planning.
Impact of trauma exposure and depression comorbidity on response to transdiagnostic behavioral therapy for pediatric anxiety and depression
Authors: Angulo Felix , Goger Pauline , Brent David A. , Rozenman Michelle , Gonzalez Araceli , Schwartz Karen T. G. , Porta Giovanna , Lynch Frances L. , Dickerson John F. , Weersing V. Robin 
Published: February 2024

AbstractBy adolescence, two-thirds of youth report exposure to at least one traumatic event, yet the impact of trauma history is not routinely considered when evaluating the effect of psychotherapeutic interventions. Trauma may be a particularly important moderator of the effects of transdiagnostic therapies for emotional disorders, as trauma exposure is associated with risk for the development of comorbid depression and anxiety. The current study examined the history of trauma exposure and the presence of clinically significant depression as moderators of treatment outcomes in the Brief Behavioral Therapy (BBT) trial, the largest study of transdiagnostic psychotherapy for youth. Youths (age 8–16 years) were randomized to BBT (n = 89) based in pediatric primary care or assisted referral to outpatient community care (ARC; n = 86). Clinical response, functioning, anxiety symptoms, and depression symptoms were assessed at post-treatment (Week 16) and at follow-up (Week 32). A significant three-way interaction emerged between the treatment group, comorbid depression, and trauma exposure. BBT was broadly effective for 3/4 of the sample, but, for anxious-depressed youth with trauma exposure, BBT never significantly separated from ARC. Differences in outcome were not accounted for by other participant characteristics or by therapist-rated measures of alliance, youth engagement, or homework completion. Implications for models of learning and for intervention theory and development are discussed.
An efficient secure predictive demand forecasting system using Ethereum virtual machine
Authors: Saraswat Himani , Manchanda Mahesh , Jasola Sanjay 
Published: February 2024

AbstractPredictive demand forecasting plays a pivotal role in optimizing supply chain management, enabling businesses to effectively allocate resources and minimize operational inefficiencies. This paper introduces a novel approach to enhancing demand forecasting processes by leveraging the Ethereum virtual machine within a blockchain framework. The proposed system capitalizes on the inherent security, transparency, and decentralized nature of blockchain technology to create a secure and efficient platform for predictive demand forecasting. The system leverages the Ethereum virtual machine to establish a secure, decentralized, and tamper‐resistant platform for demand prediction while ensuring data integrity and privacy. By utilizing the capabilities of smart contracts and decentralized applications within the Ethereum ecosystem, the proposed system offers an efficient and transparent solution for demand forecasting challenges. The current research focused on Ethereum virtual machine characteristics, features, components, and implementation details. A secured framework for the prediction of demand forecasting systems is proposed. Finally, the authors tried to validate and optimize the gas cost by using distinguished statistics and analysis.
A Petri net model for Time‐Delay Attack detection in Precision Time Protocol‐based networks
Authors: Moradi Mohsen , Jahangir Amir Hossein 
Published: February 2024

AbstractAlong with the development of industrial and distributed systems, security concerns have also emerged in industrial communication protocols. PTP, Precision Time Protocol, is one of the most precise time synchronisation protocols for industrial devices. It ensures real‐time activity of the industrial control systems with precision equal to microseconds. In order to address the actual or potential security issues of PTP, this article firstly describes attack models applicable to PTP and then focuses on applying Coloured Petri Net to formally analyse the attack detection methods and also model PTP. The alignment of simulation results with the model and the considered assumptions show the suitability and accuracy of the proposed model.
Improved nonlinear model‐free adaptive iterative learning control in DoS attack environment
Authors: Li Yanni , Li Xiuying 
Published: February 2024

AbstractThis paper investigates the design of a model‐free adaptive iterative learning controller(MFAILC) based on sampled‐data under the presence of denial‐of‐service(DoS) attacks in nonlinear networked control systems. First, the MFAILC is presented only using I/O data, where a compensation mechanism for DoS attacks is proposed. With dynamic linearization techniques, the nonlinear system is transformed into a linear system in the iteration domain. Then an improved MFAILC is designed to actively compensate the lost data caused by DoS attacks, where the estimation of pseudo‐partial derivative (PPD) is improved by establishing the AR model. The proposed algorithm can weaken the adverse effects of the DoS attacks and ensure the excellent tracking performance of the system. Finally, the stability of the method is proved, and the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm is demonstrated by a numerical example.
Robust stabilization for uncertain discrete–time singular Markovian jump systems with time–varying delays
Authors: Chen Wenbin , Gao Fang 
Published: February 2024

AbstractThe stabilization problem for uncertain discrete‐time singular Markovian jump systems (DSMJSs) with time‐varying delays is comprehensively covered in this paper. An updated Lyapunov–Krasovskii functional is presented via a discrete state decomposition method. With the help of this constructed Lyapunov–Krasovskii functional, some delay‐ and mode‐dependent sufficient conditions for the open‐loop DSMJSs are derived. Based on these circumstances, a memory mode‐dependent state feedback control is used to create a closed‐loop DSMJS with parameter uncertainties that is regular and causal. And then, the stochastically admissible conditions are attained. Through the exact calculation of each decomposition component for the designed memory state feedback controller, the intended memory state feedback controller settings are determined. It should be mentioned that the algorithm suggested in this article expands the controller design's feasibility and flexibility. The numerical results show how the approach is superior to previous ones, and the given results are less conservative.