bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Molecular mechanism of paraquat-induced ferroptosis leading to pulmonary fibrosis mediated by Keap1/Nrf2 signaling pathway
Authors: Yang Xiaoxia , Xiao Ping , Shi Xiaofeng 
Published: October 2023

AbstractParaquat (PQ) is a widely used and highly toxic pesticide that is often actively ingested and causes pulmonary fibrosis in patients. Ferroptosis is a regulated form of non-apoptotic cell death associated with iron-dependent lipid peroxidation. Previous studies have shown that ferroptosis is involved in the occurrence and development of acute lung injury (ALI). In this study, a model rat with inflammatory response, oxidative stress, lipid peroxidation, and pulmonary fibrosis was successfully established by PQ administration. The occurrence of ferroptosis in PQ model rats was confirmed by TUNEL staining, iron ion detection, and Ferroptosis related biomarkers detection. Western blotting (WB) and real-time PCR (RT-PCR) showed that the expression of Keap1 was significantly up-regulated and the expression of Nrf2 was significantly down-regulated in the lung tissue of PQ rats. Further transcriptomics and proteomics confirmed: (1) Enrichment of molecular processes related to iron ion binding; (2) Keap1 may promote Nrf2 ubiquitination and lead to Nrf2 degradation; (3) There is functional enrichment in ferroptosis related pathways. Our results suggest that PQ can regulate Keap1/Nrf2 signaling pathway, leading to increased lipid peroxidation and abnormal iron uptake, thereby inducing iron death and exacerbating the progression of pulmonary fibrosis. Our study provides new insights into PQ-induced pulmonary fibrosis.
Graphical abstract
Neuroprotective Effects of Melittin Against Cerebral Ischemia and Inflammatory Injury via Upregulation of MCPIP1 to Suppress NF-κB Activation In Vivo and In Vitro
Authors: Xing Xing , Zhang Xiangjian , Fan Jingyi , Zhang Cong , Zhang Lan , Duan Ruisheng , Hao Hongyu 
Published: October 2023

AbstractMelittin, a principal constituent of honeybee venom, exhibits diverse biological effects, encompassing anti-inflammatory capabilities and neuroprotective actions against an array of neurological diseases. In this study, we probed the prospective protective influence of melittin on cerebral ischemia, focusing on its anti-inflammatory activity. Mechanistically, we explored whether monocyte chemotactic protein-induced protein 1 (MCPIP1, also known as ZC3H12A), a recently identified zinc-finger protein, played a role in melittin-mediated anti-inflammation and neuroprotection. Male C57/BL6 mice were subjected to distal middle cerebral artery occlusion to create a focal cerebral cortical ischemia model, with melittin administered intraperitoneally. We evaluated motor functions, brain infarct volume, cerebral blood flow, and inflammatory marker levels within brain tissue, employing quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays, and western blotting. In vitro, an immortalized BV-2 microglia culture was stimulated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) to establish an inflammatory cell model. Post-melittin exposure, cell viability, and cytokine expression were examined. MCPIP1 was silenced using siRNA in LPS-induced BV-2 cells, with the ensuing nuclear translocation of nuclear factor-κB assessed through cellular immunofluorescence. In vivo, melittin enhanced motor functions, diminished infarction, fostered blood flow restoration in ischemic brain regions, and markedly inhibited the expression of inflammatory cytokines (interleukin-1β, interleukin-6, tumor necrosis factor-α, and nuclear factor-κB). In vitro, melittin augmented MCPIP1 expression in LPS-induced BV-2 cells and ameliorated inflammation-induced cell death. The neuroprotective effect conferred by melittin was attenuated upon MCPIP1 knockdown. Our findings establish that melittin-induced tolerance to ischemic injury is intrinsically linked with its anti-inflammatory capacity. Moreover, MCPIP1 is, at the very least, partially implicated in this process.
Can computerized rumen mucosal colorimetry serve as an effective field test for managing subacute ruminal acidosis in feedlot cattle?
Authors: Voulgarakis Nikolaos , Gougoulis Dimitrios , Psalla Dimitra , Papakonstantinou Georgios , Katsoulos Panagiotis-Dimitrios , Katsoulis Konstantinos , Angelidou-Tsifida Mariana , Athanasiou Labrini , Papatsiros Vasilleios , Christodoulopoulos Georgios 
Published: October 2023

AbstractSubacute ruminal acidosis (SARA) is one of the major nutritional disorders in the dairy and beef industries, leading to significant financial losses. Diagnosing SARA is challenging due to the need to evaluate multiple parameters, such as milk fat/protein ratio, ruminal lactate, and hemogram, instead of relying on a single definitive symptom or diagnostic method. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of computerized rumen colorimetry in detecting SARA in beef cattle. Over one year, 75 cattle aged 8–10 months from five farms were periodically monitored for rumen pH prior to slaughter. Samples of rumen wall and rumen content were obtained at slaughter for analysis. The study found a positive correlation coefficient between rumen pH and color components, particularly for Red (0.853) and color lightness (L) (0.862). The darkening of the rumen epithelium’s color was attributed to the effect of rumen pH on the keratinized layer of the epithelium. Furthermore, an increase in the thickness of ruminal epithelium layers, particularly non-keratinized and total epithelium, was observed in animals with a history of SARA. It is possible that the lower rumen pH increases the rate of replacement of the keratinized epithelium, and the non-keratinized epithelium overgrows to compensate for the need to of produce keratinized layers. In conclusion, computerized rumen colorimetry shows promise as a reliable method for managing SARA in bovine farms by monitoring the condition in the slaughterhouse. Further research is needed to evaluate its effectiveness in detecting SARA in live animals.
Free and Interfacial Boundaries in Individual-Based Models of Multicellular Biological systems
Authors: Germano Domenic P. J. , Zanca Adriana , Johnston Stuart T. , Flegg Jennifer A. , Osborne James M. 
Published: October 2023

AbstractCoordination of cell behaviour is key to a myriad of biological processes including tissue morphogenesis, wound healing, and tumour growth. As such, individual-based computational models, which explicitly describe inter-cellular interactions, are commonly used to model collective cell dynamics. However, when using individual-based models, it is unclear how descriptions of cell boundaries affect overall population dynamics. In order to investigate this we define three cell boundary descriptions of varying complexities for each of three widely used off-lattice individual-based models: overlapping spheres, Voronoi tessellation, and vertex models. We apply our models to multiple biological scenarios to investigate how cell boundary description can influence tissue-scale behaviour. We find that the Voronoi tessellation model is most sensitive to changes in the cell boundary description with basic models being inappropriate in many cases. The timescale of tissue evolution when using an overlapping spheres model is coupled to the boundary description. The vertex model is demonstrated to be the most stable to changes in boundary description, though still exhibits timescale sensitivity. When using individual-based computational models one should carefully consider how cell boundaries are defined. To inform future work, we provide an exploration of common individual-based models and cell boundary descriptions in frequently studied biological scenarios and discuss their benefits and disadvantages.
Insights on the Cesàro operator: shift semigroups and invariant subspaces
Authors: Gallardo-Gutiérrez Eva A. , Partington Jonathan R. 
Published: October 2023

AbstractA closed subspace is invariant under the Cesàro operator $${\cal C}$$
C
on the classical Hardy space $${H^2}(\mathbb{D})$$

H
2

(
D
)
if and only if its orthogonal complement is invariant under the C0-semigroup of composition operators induced by the affine maps $${\varphi _t}(z) = {e^{ - t}}z + 1 - {e^{ - t}}$$

φ
t

(
z
)
=

e

−
t

z
+
1
−

e

−
t

for t ≥ 0 and $$z =\mathbb{D}$$
z
=
D
. The corresponding result also holds in the Hardy spaces Hp($$\mathbb{D}$$
D
) for 1 < p < ∞. Moreover, in the Hilbert space setting, by linking the invariant subspaces of $${\cal C}$$
C
to the lattice of the closed invariant subspaces of the standard right-shift semigroup acting on a particular weighted L2-space on the line, we exhibit a large class of non-trivial closed invariant subspaces and provide a complete characterization of the finite codimensional ones, establishing, in particular, the limits of such an approach towards describing the lattice of all invariant subspaces of $${\cal C}$$
C
. Finally, we present a functional calculus argument which allows us to extend a recent result by Mashreghi, Ptak and Ross regarding the square root of $${\cal C}$$
C
and discuss its invariant subspaces.
Removing lead from water with carboxylate dendrimers and magnetic nanoparticles modified with carboxylate dendrimers
Authors: Rincón-Montón David , Martínez-Salvador David , Sánchez-Nieves Javier , Gómez Rafael , de la Mata F. Javier , Cano Jesús 
Published: October 2023

AbstractContamination of water with heavy metals as lead (Pb2+) is a relevant problematic issue. In this work, we have tested different types of dendritic materials for lead removal from water and further recovery. The systems employed are magnetic nanoparticles (MNP) modified with monocarboxylate and dendritic carboxylate ligands, and they are compared to pristine MNP and carbosilane dendrimers. They are all effective at removing Pb2+, but the key variations are in their recyclability. The usage of a filtering membrane was required for dendrimers, which was significantly degraded by the acidic media. In terms of MNP, those that were covered by dendritic molecules were clearly less damaged in acidic media. Finally, isotherm analysis revealed that Pb2+ interacts differently with unmodified and modified MNP.
Assessment of genotoxicity, mutagenicity, and cytotoxicity of diclofenac and sulfamethoxazole at environmental concentrations on Vicia faba
Authors: Drzymała J. , Kalka J. 
Published: October 2023

AbstractThe contamination of the environment with pharmaceuticals and their residues has become a global issue. The main objective of study was to assess the genotoxicity, mutagenicity, and cytotoxicity of two drugs, diclofenac, sulfamethoxazole, and their binary mixture. The research focused on conducting a micronucleus assay using Vicia faba in water and soil environments. In the experiment, several parameters were monitored: mitotic index, presence of micronuclei, and chromosomal aberrations. The antioxidant enzymes activity in the plants leaves was measured. The concentrations of the drugs used in the analysis were representative of those currently detectable in the environment. The results indicated that diclofenac and sulfamethoxazole caused a reduction in the mitotic index by 45% and 47% in hydroponic, and 46% and 22% in soil cultures, respectively. Micronuclei and chromosomal aberrations were observed at the tested environmental concentrations (0.008–0.5 mg L−1). In the case of the drug mixture, the observed toxic effects in both cultivation were less significant than the predicted effects based on the Concentration Addition and Independent Action models. The tested compounds had an impact on the activity of enzymes. Even at environmental concentrations, the pharmaceuticals caused changes in catalase activity, with an average decrease of 39% in water and 10% in soil cultures, and in superoxide dismutase activity, showing an increase of 286% and 1835%, respectively. Overall, this study highlights the potential adverse effects of pharmaceutical contamination, even at low environmental concentrations. The findings underscore the importance of monitoring the presence of pharmaceutical residues to minimize their impact on ecosystems.
No evidence of an association of multiple sclerosis (MS) with Borna disease virus 1 (BoDV-1) infections in patients within an endemic region: a retrospective pilot study
Authors: Bauswein Markus , Knoll Gertrud , Schmidt Barbara , Gessner André , Hemmer Bernhard , Flaskamp Martina 
Published: October 2023

Abstract
Background
Borna disease virus 1 (BoDV-1) causes rare human infections within endemic regions in southern and eastern Germany. The infections reported to date have been linked to severe courses of encephalitis with high mortality and mostly irreversible symptoms. Whether BoDV-1 could act as a trigger for other neurological conditions, is, however, incompletely understood.

Objectives and methods
In this study, we addressed the question of whether the presentation of a clinically isolated syndrome (CIS) or of multiple sclerosis (MS) might be associated with a milder course of BoDV-1 infections. Serum samples of 100 patients with CIS or MS diagnosed at a tertiary neurological care center within an endemic region in southern Germany and of 50 control patients suffering from headache were retrospectively tested for BoDV-1 infections.

Results
In none of the tested sera, confirmed positive results of anti-BoDV-1-IgG antibodies were retrieved. Our results support the conclusion that human BoDV-1 infections primarily lead to severe encephalitis with high mortality.
Initiating Binary Metal Oxides Microcubes Electromagnetic Wave Absorber Toward Ultrabroad Absorption Bandwidth Through Interfacial and Defects Modulation
Authors: Li Fushan , Wu Nannan , Kimura Hideo , Wang Yuan , Xu Ben Bin , Wang Ding , Li Yifan , Algadi Hassan , Guo Zhanhu , Du Wei , Hou Chuanxin 
Published: October 2023

AbstractCobalt nickel bimetallic oxides (NiCo2O4) have received numerous attentions in terms of their controllable morphology, high temperature, corrosion resistance and strong electromagnetic wave (EMW) absorption capability. However, broadening the absorption bandwidth is still a huge challenge for NiCo2O4-based absorbers. Herein, the unique NiCo2O4@C core–shell microcubes with hollow structures were fabricated via a facile sacrificial template strategy. The concentration of oxygen vacancies and morphologies of the three-dimensional (3D) cubic hollow core–shell NiCo2O4@C framework were effectively optimized by adjusting the calcination temperature. The specially designed 3D framework structure facilitated the multiple reflections of incident electromagnetic waves and provided rich interfaces between multiple components, generating significant interfacial polarization losses. Dipole polarizations induced by oxygen vacancies could further enhance the attenuation ability for the incident EM waves. The optimized NiCo2O4@C hollow microcubes exhibit superior EMW absorption capability with minimum RL (RLmin) of −84.45 dB at 8.4 GHz for the thickness of 3.0 mm. Moreover, ultrabroad effective absorption bandwidth (EAB) as large as 12.48 GHz (5.52–18 GHz) is obtained. This work is believed to illuminate the path to synthesis of high-performance cobalt nickel bimetallic oxides for EMW absorbers with excellent EMW absorption capability, especially in broadening effective absorption bandwidth.
Graphic Abstract
Management of medical record data with multi-level security on Amazon Web Services
Authors: Elghoul Mohammed K. , Bahgat Sayed F. , Hussein Ashraf S. , Hamad Safwat H. 
Published: October 2023

AbstractBlockchain technology has gained significant attention in the most recent years due to its potential to address related issues to privacy, transparency, and security. In the healthcare industry, it is considered a promising solution to challenges related to data management, medical data privacy, and security. This paper proposes a novel framework for managing electronic medical healthcare records that uses Amazon Web Services (AWS) to create a secure and cost-effective solution. The proposed solution uses a serverless approach to reduce costs and only pay for the compute resources when needed. The framework focuses on improving the security of access to the blockchain network by implementing a multi-level security approach, starting from protecting the Hyperledger and implementing role-based access for end-users who require access to the stored data. The effectiveness of the proposed framework is demonstrated by creating a role-based access matrix for three different user types and performing multiple experiments to validate access for each user type.
The impact of growing season and cultivation systems on the dissipation of profenofos and λ- cyhalothrin on Brassica juncea: a comparative study
Authors: Henry Michelle Crystal , Ngaini Zainab , Chai Lian-Kuet , Farooq Saba 
Published: October 2023

AbstractThis study was conducted to contour dissipation patterns of two pesticides (profenofos and λ-cyhalothrin) on B. juncea (green mustard) grown under green house (G.H.) and open field (O.F.) during dry and wet season. The dissipation data of studied pesticides were fitted into the first order kinetic equation. Based on the dissipation rate constant, k obtained, profenofos dissipates faster than λ-cyhalothrin regardless of growing system and season. The dissipation of both pesticides were found to be more rapid during dry season compare to wet season. Growing system however displayed a rather contradictory results for profenofos where during dry season, faster dissipation took place in O.F., while during wet season rapid dissipation took place in G.H. λ-Cyhalothrin on the other hand exhibits faster dissipation in G.H. during both seasons. The half-lives obtained for profenofos and λ-cyhalothrin in B. juncea were 0.66–1.8 days and 1.18–3.7 days, respectively. Based on this experiment, terminal residue obtained for profenofos and λ-cyhalothrin for B. juncea were lower than the stipulated MRL. This work was momentous to guide appropriate applications and establishment of accurate PHI of pesticides in B. juncea that will benefit farmers in a country with humid tropical climate.
Adaptive backstepping fault-tolerant control for hypersonic aircraft with unknown control direction under actuator and sensor faults
Authors: Gou X.Y. , Liu J.K. , Zhang Q.Z. 
Published: October 2023

Abstract
In this paper, an adaptive backstepping controller of hypersonic flight vehicle (HFV) system is investigated in the presence of unknown actuator and sensor faults, unknown control direction and varying external disturbance, which expands traditional fault-tolerant control (FTC) approaches in HFV field. The control-oriented model is established with reasonable and comprehensive analysis of various fault types. Compared with the previous FTC research on HFV system, the time-varying and fixed fault types are simultaneously designed for actuator and sensors, and the control direction is unknown, which can more accurately simulate the real fault situations in the hypersonic flight environment. To avoid singularity problems caused by the unknown control direction, the Nussbaum gain function technique is adopted in the control algorithm, which is also capable of overcoming the influence of unknown time-varying fault parameters. The boundness and stability of system under the designed control scheme are theoretically verified. Finally, numerical simulation results demonstrate the effectiveness and superiority of the proposed control strategy.
Unlocking CEDAW's Transformative Potential: Asylum Cases Before the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women
Authors: Gleeson Madeline 
Published: October 2023

AbstractOne of the most important developments in international law for the protection of displaced women and girls—the implied non-refoulement obligation in the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women has received little scholarly or jurisprudential attention. This Article presents, for the first time, a doctrinal analysis of the full corpus of asylum complaints decided by the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (Committee). It analyzes the early development of a prohibition on return to real, personal, and foreseeable risks of serious forms of discrimination against women; highlights critical shortcomings in the Committee's asylum practice; identifies key areas for improvement; and reflects on the Committee's as-yet-unrealized potential to contribute to international law in this area.
From a decentralized clinical trial to a decentralized and clinical-trial-in-a-box platform: Towards patient-centric and equitable trials
Authors: Dulko Dorothy , Kwong Manlik , Palm Marisha E. , Trinquart Ludovic , Selker Harry P. 
Published: October 2023

Abstract

Background/Objective:
Despite the intuitive attractiveness of bringing research to participants rather than making them come to central study sites, widespread decentralized enrollment has not been common in clinical trials.

Methods:
The need for clinical research in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, along with innovations in technology, led us to use a decentralized trial approach in our Phase 2 COVID-19 trial. We used real-time acquisition and transmission of health-related data using home-based monitoring devices and mobile applications to assess outcomes. This approach not only avoids spreading COVID-19 but it also can support inclusion of participants in more diverse socioeconomic circumstances and in rural settings.

Results:
Our team developed and deployed a decentralized trial platform to support patient engagement and adverse event reporting. Clinicians, engineers, and informaticians on our research team developed a Clinical-Trial-in-a-Box tool to optimally collect and analyze data from multiple decentralized platforms.

Conclusion:
Applying the decentralized model in Long COVID, using digital health technology and personal devices integrated with our telehealth platform, we share the lessons learned from our work, along with challenges and future possibilities.
Stellahedral geometry of matroids
Authors: Eur Christopher , Huh June , Larson Matt 
Published: October 2023

Abstract
We use the geometry of the stellahedral toric variety to study matroids. We identify the valuative group of matroids with the cohomology ring of the stellahedral toric variety and show that valuative, homological and numerical equivalence relations for matroids coincide. We establish a new log-concavity result for the Tutte polynomial of a matroid, answering a question of Wagner and Shapiro–Smirnov–Vaintrob on Postnikov–Shapiro algebras, and calculate the Chern–Schwartz–MacPherson classes of matroid Schubert cells. The central construction is the ‘augmented tautological classes of matroids’, modeled after certain toric vector bundles on the stellahedral toric variety.
The Trap of “Racial Capitalism”
Authors: Wacquant Loïc 
Published: October 2023

AbstractThis article weighs the meaning, potential, and pitfalls of the concept of “racial capitalism” for studying the nexus of racial division and the economy. The concept has spread like wildfire in Anglophone social science since its≠ introduction in Cedric Robinson’s revisionist account of the rise of capitalism as racializing, but it remains epistemically inchoate and analytically problematic. The critique of leading uses and common corollaries of the term shows that it stipulates that which needs to be explicated, namely, the “articulation” of capitalism “through race,” which is not a structural invariant but ranges from coevalness and synergy to parasitism and disconnection. The notion cannot accommodate the varied bases of race as a naturalizing and hierarchizing principle of vision and division as well as the historical peculiarity of the economic variant of slavery in the Atlantic world. Advocates of “racial capitalism” need to put in the hard work of epistemological elucidation, logical clarification, and historical elaboration needed if they are to make the label more than a “conceptual speculative bubble.”