bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Preparation of Sugarcane Based Activated Carbon by One-step Method and Its Adsorption-desorption Performance of Toluene
Authors: sun wenshan , wang yongqiang , Yin Lihong , Ma Xiubiao , Qian Yuxian 
Published: February 2024

Abstract

The sugarcane based activated carbon was prepared by one-step method using sugarcane bagasse as raw material and H3PO4 as activator, meanwhile in order to get the better preparation condition of the materials the dose of phosphoric acid addition, material liquid ratio, activation temperature, and activation time on the adsorption performance of activated carbon were discussed. This study investigated the effects of different preparation conditions on the adsorption and desorption performance of activated carbon through characterization such as BET, FT-IR, XRD, dynamic adsorption, and static adsorption, which has shown that when the phosphoric acid content was 30%, the solid-liquid ratio was 1:2, the activation temperature was 400 ℃, and the activation time was 30 minutes by one-step method, the carbon content reached 55.73%, but its specific surface area can reach 1037.7m2 /g, the saturated adsorption capacity can reach 487.3mg/g, and the adsorption capacity was still above 80% after three regenerated, and the adsorption and desorption performance was the best.
Biological activities of derived pigments and polyphenols from newly recorded alga; Phyllymenia gibbesii
Authors: El-Din Nihal G. Shams , Hafez Mohamed S.M. Abd El , El-Wahab Miral G. Abd , Ibrahim Hassan A.H. 
Published: February 2024

Abstract

The newly recorded Phyllymenia gibesii in the Mediterranean Sea at Alexandria coast of Egypt is regarded a significant source of bioactive substances and applied as an antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial agents. According to the HPLC chromatograms, the acetone extract of P. gibesii comprised ten photosynthetic pigments (chlorophyll-a, chlorophyll-d, α-carotene, β-carotene, phycocyanin, allophycocyanin, antheraxanthin, β-cryptoxanthin, lutein, and violaxanthin). Total carotenoids were the dominant class in the pigments' profile, achieving a concentration of 257 g/g. The P. gibbesii extract had a total content of phenols as; 146.67 mg/g and a total content of flavonoid as; 104.40 mg/g. The capacity of all the investigated biological activities augmented with the concentration of the algal extract. The maximal DPPH scavenging capacity was 81.44%, with an inhibitory concentration value (IC50); 9.88 μg/mL. Additionally, the highest ABTS scavenging capacity was 89.62%, recording an IC50 value of 21.77 μg/mL. The hemolytic activity of P. gibbesii attained a maximum capacity of 49.88%, exhibiting an IC50 value of 100.25 μg/mL. Data also showed the maximum anti-inflammatory effectiveness as; 81.25%, with an IC50 value of 99.75 μg/mL. Furthermore, the extract exhibited antimicrobial capacity against all reference strains, particularly at high concentration (0.1 mg/mL). The extract had the greatest effect on C. albicans and E. coli.
Identification of endoplasmic reticulum stress-related gene signature reveals KRT8 as a target in ovarian cancer ï¿¿
Authors: Li Xiaoyu , Xia Bairong , Zhu Qi , Huang Xu , Chen Yao , Xiao Lan , Peng Wenju 
Published: February 2024

Abstract

Purpose: Ovarian cancer (OC) is an invasive gynecological cancer with an overall 5-year survival rate less than 45%. Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress influence oncogenic events and immune-regulatory programmers to dictate malignant progression, antitumor immunity and response to treatment. However, endoplasmic reticulumstress (ERS) in ovarian cancer is not fully understood and needs further study.
Methods: The RNA-sequencing and clinical data were obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Gene Expression Omnibus database (GEO). We screened ER stress-related genes associated with ovarian tumor prognosis and developed an ER stress risk score model by LASSO regression. We used the ER stress risk score as the entry point to explore differences in the infiltration rate of immune cells. Subsequently, biological role and expression of risk gene KRT8 was validated base on molecular biology experiment.
Results: We identified 573 genes related to ER stress that were differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between normal and tumor tissues. ER stress-related risk signature (ERRS) constructed using the TCGA dataset was regarded as an independent and significant prognostic model for predicting cancer progression and instructing clinical decisions. Additional KRT8 was overexpressed in ovarian cancer cells and tissues and downregulation of the KRT8 gene inhibited ovarian cancer cell proliferation and migration (in both SKOV3 and OVCAR8 cells) in vitro.
Conclusion:The model constructed with ER stress-related genes could be used to evaluate the prognostic risk for OC patients. Notably, we discovered that KRT8 acts as a risk gene in ovarian cancer, promoting tumor progression, and is expected to be a novel therapeutic target.
Exploring the impacts of institutional quality, globalization, and urbanization on environmental pollution in Somalia: a disaggregate analysis of globalization
Authors: Hussein Hassan Abdikadir , Warsame Abdimalik Ali , Abdi Abdikafi Hassan 
Published: February 2024

Abstract

Environmental pollution and its implications are widespread issues that require a comprehensive understanding of effective strategies that mitigate emissions. Given the unique challenges faced by Somalia, including social, political, and environmental challenges, it is crucial to assess the effects of social and political globalization, urbanization, and institutional quality on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Hence, the study aims to examine the relationship between these variables and the environmental deterioration in Somalia. The study utilizes the autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) bound test, fully modified ordinary least squares (FMOLS) method, and causality tests. The empirical results of the bound test indicate that institutional quality and social globalization have a significant negative impact on environmental pollution in Somalia in the long run. On the contrary, economic growth impedes environmental quality in Somalia in the long run. However, the remaining explanatory variables are inconsequential in the long run. To find robust results, we perform the fully modified ordinary least squares (FMOLS) as a robust analysis. The findings revealed that social globalization and institutional quality improve environmental quality by reducing GHG emissions whereas urbanization significantly hampers it. Based on the empirical evidence, the study offers several policy implications.
Investigating a Hybrid Extreme Learning Machine Coupled with Dingo Optimization Algorithm for Liquefaction Triggering in Sand-Silt Mixtures
Authors: Hameed Mohammed Majeed , Masood Adil , Srivast Aman , Rahman Norinah Abd , Razalid Siti Fatin Mohd , Salem Ali , Elbeltagi Ahmed 
Published: February 2024

Abstract

Liquefaction is a devastating consequence of earthquakes that occur in loose, saturated soil deposits, resulting in catastrophic ground failure. Accurate prediction of such geotechnical parameters is crucial for mitigating hazards, assessing risks, and advancing geotechnical engineering. This study introduces a novel predictive model that combines the Extreme Learning Machine (ELM) with the Dingo Optimization Algorithm (DOA) to estimate strain energy-based liquefaction resistance. The hybrid model (ELM-DOA) is compared with classical ELM, Adaptive Neuro-Fuzzy Inference System with Fuzzy C-Means (ANFIS-FCM model), and Sub-clustering (ANFIS-Sub model). Also, two data pre-processing scenarios are employed, namely traditional linear and non-linear normalization. The results demonstrate that non-linear normalization significantly enhances the prediction performance of all models by approximately 25% compared to linear normalization. Furthermore, the ELM-DOA model achieves the most accurate predictions, exhibiting the lowest root mean square error (484.286 J/m3), mean absolute percentage error (24.9%), mean absolute error (404.416 J/m3), and the highest correlation of determination (0.935). Additionally, a Graphical User Interface (GUI) has been developed, specifically tailored to the ELM-DOA model, to aid engineers and researchers in effectively utilizing the predictive model. The GUI provides a user-friendly platform for easy input of data and accessing the model's predictions, enhancing its practical applicability. Overall, the results strongly support the proposed hybrid model with GUI serving as an effective tool for assessing soil liquefaction resistance in geotechnical engineering, aiding in predicting and mitigating liquefaction hazards.
Transformer-based Learning Models of Dynamical Systems for Robotic State Prediction
Authors: Reed Alec , Albin Doncey , Pasricha Anuh , Roncone Alessandro , Heckman Christoffer 
Published: February 2024

Abstract

In this paper, we propose a novel approach to data-driven dynamical forecasting using transformerbased learning methods. We explore and evaluate the effectiveness of this approach by developing new benchmarks for generalizable, data-driven dynamical forecasting on a robotic arm and a 4-wheeled ground vehicle. The transformer-based approach utilizes a spatio-temporal forecasting model called the Spacetimeformer (STF), which was originally designed for long-horizon fields such as weather and economics. We demonstrate that with key innovations, the STF model can also be a powerful tool for short-range dynamical forecasting. The results show that our approach can even outperform popular analytical dynamics models, such as the bicycle model for four-wheeled vehicles and the robot dynamics model for serial manipulator arms.
From RNA to DNA: CRISPR/LbuCas13a Demonstrates Exceptional Single-Nucleotide Specificity
Authors: Liu Yizhen , Wu Xiaolong , Luo Siyuan , Guo Chuanghao , Zhao Yi , Zhong Jialing , Hu Ronghuan , Yang Xinyao , Liu Conghui , Zhang Qianling , Chen Yong , Zhang Xueji 
Published: February 2024

Abstract
Traditionally perceived as an RNA-specific nuclease, Cas13a has garnered extensive utilization in RNA detection. This paradigm is challenged by our discovery of LbuCas13a's ability to directly target DNA without the restrictions of (Protospacer Flanking Sequence) FPS and (Protospacer Adjacent Motif) PAM sequences, coupled with robust trans-cleavage activity, a breakthrough in CRISPR-based diagnostics. Contrary to conventional understanding, LbuCas13a does not degrade DNA targets, thereby enabling retesting. Remarkably, our study reveals a striking enhancement in LbuCas13a's single nucleotide specificity against DNA (a 98-fold increase compared to RNA). This heightened specificity is attributed to the lower affinity of crRNA towards DNA, raising the crRNA-DNA binding energy barrier. Leveraging this discovery, we introduce a pioneering molecular diagnostic platform: Advanced LbuCas13a-Strong-Specificity DNA Universal Rapid Enhanced Detection (ASSURED), which achieves high-resolution genotyping, exemplified by the accurate discrimination of the CYP2C19*3 gene variant. ASSURED exhibits exceptional sensitivity, capable of detecting DNA concentrations as minute as 0.3 aM (0.18 cps/µL). ASSURED represents a significant advancement in real-time nucleic acid detection, with its unparalleled specificity and sensitivity, making it an ideal tool for pathogen identification and mutation analysis in clinical diagnostics.
Heavy metal poisoning caused by Chinese folk remedies in psoriasis patients：a retrospective analysis
Authors: Xue Changjiang , Du Xuqin , Zhu Xiaoli , Wu Na , Ye Qiao 
Published: February 2024

Abstract
Psoriasis, characterized as a chronic relapsing disease with a protracted course, often drives patients to seek relief through Chinese folk remedies (CFR). Nonetheless, the complex compositions of these remedies frequently result in unintended adverse effects, notably various types of heavy metal poisoning. Our study involved an exhaustive collection and analysis of clinical data from psoriasis patients who developed heavy metal poisoning due to CFR usage, admitted to Beijing Chao-Yang Hospital from January 2011 to October 2023. Our analysis identified 44 cases of mercury poisoning, 17 of lead poisoning, 21 of arsenic poisoning, and 4 instances of mixed heavy metal poisoning. The folk remedies used ranged from fumigation and inhalation to skin application and oral administration. Distinct pathogenic characteristics were observed in each poisoning type. After treatment with metal chelating agents, all patients experienced a reduction in heavy metal levels in their bodies, accompanied by varying degrees of symptom alleviation. This study underscores the vital necessity of opting for formal, medically approved treatments for psoriasis, thereby avoiding the hazardous consequences of unregulated folk remedies that may lead to severe heavy metal poisoning.
Pushing the redox potentials of deelectronators to highly positive values using solvent effects and weakly coordinating anions
Authors: Krossing Ingo , Armbruster Christian , Sellin Malte , Seiler Matthis , Würz Tanja , Oesten Friederike , Schmucker Maximilian , Sterbak Tabea , Fischer Julia , Radtke Valentin , Hunger Johannes 
Published: February 2024

Abstract

While the development of weakly coordinating anions (WCAs) received much attention, the progress on new weakly coordinating and inert solvents almost stagnated. Here we study the effect of strategic F-substitution on the solvent properties of fluorobenzenes C6FxH6−x (xFB, x = 1–5). Asymmetric fluorination leads to dielectric constants as high as 22.1 for 3FB that exceeds acetone (20.7). Combined with the WCAs [Al(ORF)4]– or [(FRO)3Al-F-Al(ORF)3]– (RF = C(CF3)3), the xFB solvents push the potentials of Ag+ and NO+ ions to +1.50 / +1.52 V vs. Fc+/Fc. This is by +0.85 / +0.40 V higher than any published value. The xFB/WCA-system has electrochemical xFB stability windows that exceed 5 V for all xFBs with positive upper limits between +1.82 V (1FB) and +2.67 V (5FB) vs. Fc+/Fc. High level ab initio calculations with inclusion of solvation energies show that these high potentials result from weak interactions of the ions with solvent and counterion. To access the available positive xFB potential range with stable reagents, the innocent deelectronator salts [anthraceneF]+∙[WCA]– and [phenanthreneF]+∙[WCA]– with potentials of +1.47 and +1.89 V vs. Fc+/Fc are introduced.
The association between testosterone, estradiol, estrogen sulfotransferase and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis: a bidirectional Mendelian randomization study
Authors: Xu Qingying , Hu Guangwang , Lin Qunying , Wu Menghang , Tang Kenan , Zhang Yuyu , Chen Feng 
Published: February 2024

Abstract

Background
The causal relationships between testosterone, estradiol, estrogen sulfotransferase, and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) are not well understood. This study employs a bidirectional two-sample Mendelian Randomization (MR) approach to explore these associations.
Methods
We extracted significant genetic loci associated with testosterone, estradiol, and estrogen sulfotransferase from GWAS summary data as instrumental variables, with IPF as the outcome variable for a two-sample Mendelian randomization analysis. Instrumental variables and outcome variables were then swapped for a bidirectional two-sample Mendelian randomization analysis. The inverse variance weighted (IVW), MR-Egger, and weighted median methods were used to evaluate causal relationships. Cochran's Q test, MR-Egger regression, MR-PRESSO global test, and leave-one-out method were used for sensitivity analyses.
Results
Genetically predicted increases in serum testosterone levels by one standard deviation were associated with a 58.7% decrease in the risk of developing IPF (OR = 0.413, PIVW=0.029, 95% CI = 0.187 ~ 0.912), while an increase in serum estrogen sulfotransferase by one standard deviation was associated with a 32.4% increase in risk (OR = 1.324, PIVW=0.006, 95% CI = 1.083 ~ 1.618). No causal relationship was found between estradiol (OR = 1.094, PIVW=0.735, 95% CI = 0.650 ~ 1.841) and the risk of IPF. Reverse MR analysis did not reveal any causal relationship between IPF and testosterone (OR = 1.001, PIVW=0.51, 95% CI = 0.998 ~ 1.004), estradiol (OR = 1.001, PIVW=0.958, 95% CI = 0.982 ~ 1.019), or estrogen sulfotransferase (OR = 0.975, PIVW=0.251, 95% CI = 0.933 ~ 1.018).
Conclusions
Increased serum levels of testosterone are associated with a reduced risk of IPF, while increased levels of serum estrogen sulfotransferase are associated with an increased risk. No causal relationship was found between estradiol and the development of IPF. No causal relationship was identified between IPF and testosterone, estradiol, or estrogen sulfotransferase.
Association of Retinal Microvascular Abnormalities with All-Cause and Specific-Cause Mortality Among U.S. Adults
Authors: Chen Xiaoyun , Si Hongyu , Fu Yihang , Yang Weimin , Luo Yan , Xiao Wei 
Published: February 2024

Abstract

Background: Retinal microvascular abnormalities (RMA) reflect cumulative microvascular damage from systemic diseases and aging. However, little is known about the association between RMA and long-term survival outcomes. This study aimed to examine the relationships between RMA and the risk of all-cause and specific-cause mortality among U.S. adults.
Methods: Individuals aged >40 years were included from the U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2005-2008. RMA and its subtypes, including retinopathy, arteriovenous nicking (AVN), focal arteriolar narrowing (FAN) and Hollenhorst plaque (HP), were manually graded from retinal photographs. Associations between RMA and the risk of all-cause and cause-specific mortality were examined with Cox regression analysis.
Results: This cohort study of 5775 adults included 2881 women (weighted proportion, 52.6%) and 2894 men (weighted, 47.4%), with a weighted mean (SE) age of 56.6 (0.4) years. RMA were present in 1251 participants (weighted, 17.9%), of whom 710 (weighted, 9.8%) had retinopathy, 635 (weighted, 9.3%) had AVN, 64 (weighted, 1.0%) had FAN, and 21 (weighted, 0.3%) had HP. During a median of 12.2 years (range, 0.1-15.0 years) of follow-up, 1488 deaths occurred, including 452 associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD), 341 associated with cancer, and 695 associated with other causes. After adjusting confounding factors, the presence of any RMA and retinopathy at baseline was associated with higher risk of all-cause mortality (HR, 1.26; 95%CI, 1.07-1.47; HR, 1.36; 95%CI, 1.09-1.71, respectively), CVD mortality (HR, 1.36; 95%CI, 1.06-1.73; HR, 1.53; 95%CI, 1.04-2.26, respectively) and other-cause mortality (HR, 1.33; 95%CI, 1.06-1.67; HR, 1.55; 95%CI, 1.20-2.01, respectively). Additionally, FAN was significantly associated with an increased risk of other-cause mortality (HR, 2.06; 95%CI, 1.16-3.65). Although AVN was not associated with mortality in the whole population, it was significantly related to higher risks of all-cause and CVD death in those with obesity (HR, 1.68; 95%CI, 1.12-2.52; HR, 1.96; 95%CI, 1.23-3.13, respectively).
Conclusions: This study revealed that the presence of RMA is independently associated with greater risks of all-cause, CVD and other-cause mortality in adults aged 40 years or older.
miR-450a-2-3p targets ERK(1/2) to ameliorate ISO-induced cardiac fibrosis in mice
Authors: Liu Langsha , Luo Fanyan 
Published: February 2024

Abstract

Objective: Cardiac fibrosis is a significant contributor to atrial fibrillation (AF). Our aim is to identify biomarkers for AF using bioinformatic methods and explore the regulatory mechanism of miR-450a-2-3p in cardiac fibrosis in mice.
Methods: Two datasets, GSE115574 and GSE79768, were obtained from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database and subsequently merged for further analysis. Differential gene expression analysis was performed to identify genes that were differentially expressed (DEGs) and genes that were differentially expressed in relation to miR-450a-2-3p (MRDEGs). To investigate the underlying mechanism of cardiac fibrosis, a mouse model was established by treating mice with isoproterenol (ISO) and miR-450a-2-3p agomir.
Results: A total of 127 DEGs and 31 MRDEGs were identified and subjected to functional enrichment analysis using Gene Ontology (GO) and pathway analysis using Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) to determine the functions and pathways involved in atrial fibrillation (AF). In animal experiments, histological staining using H&E and Masson's trichrome, as well as quantification of collagen volume fraction (CVF), were performed. The increased expression of α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), collagen type I (col1), collagen type III (col3), and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) 1/2 at both the mRNA and protein levels indicated the presence of significant myocardial fibrosis in mice induced with isoproterenol (ISO). However, after the overexpression of miR-450a-2-3p agomir through caudal vein injection, there was a notable improvement in the cardiac morphology of the treated group. The expression levels of α-SMA, col1, col3, and ERK1/2 also significantly decreased, as confirmed by Western blot and RT-qPCR analyses.
Conclusion: Our study elucidates the mechanistic connection between ISO-induced myocardial fibrosis and the miR-450a-2-3p/ERK (1/2) signaling pathway, highlighting their role in the development of cardiac fibrosis. Modulating miR-450a-2-3p expression and inhibiting ERK (1/2) activation represent promising approaches for therapeutic intervention in atrial fibrillation.
Spintronics for image recognition: performance benchmarking via ultrafast data-driven simulations
Authors: Moureaux Anatole , Chopin Chloé , de Wergifosse Simon , Jacques Laurent , Araujo Flavio Abreu 
Published: February 2024

Abstract
We present a demonstration of image classification using an echo-state network (ESN) relying on a single simulated spintronic nanostructure known as the vortex-based spin-torque oscillator (STVO) delayed in time. We employ an ultrafast data-driven simulation framework called the data-driven Thiele equation approach (DD-TEA) to simulate the STVO dynamics. This allows us to avoid the challenges associated with repeated experimental manipulation of such a nanostructured system. We showcase the versatility of our solution by successfully applying it to solve classification challenges with the MNIST, EMNIST-letters and Fashion MNIST datasets. Through our simulations, we determine that within an ESN with numerous learnable parameters the results obtained using the STVO dynamics as an activation function are comparable to the ones obtained with other conventional nonlinear activation functions like the reLU and the sigmoid. While achieving state-of-the-art accuracy levels on the MNIST dataset, our model’s performance on
EMNIST-letters and Fashion MNIST is lower due to the relative simplicity of the system architecture and the increased
complexity of the tasks. We expect that the DD-TEA framework will enable the exploration of deeper architectures, ultimately leading to improved classification accuracy.