bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of the polycaprolactone (PCL) hydrolytic degradation in acid solvent and its influence on the electrospinning process
Authors: Anaya-Mancipe Javier Mauricio , Figueirdo Agnes Chacor , Rabello Lucas Gomes , Dias Marcos Lopes , Thiré Rossana Mara S. M. 
Published: January 2024

Abstract

Poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) is one of the most widely used biopolymers in biomedicine for the production of scaffolds and biomaterials in tissue engineering. This is due to its characteristics as a drug carrier, as well as excellent controlled release properties compared to other biopolymers. Electrospinning is a technique often employed for manufacturing mats with this application, although chlorinated or fluorinated solvents are predominantly used, presenting high cellular toxicity. A viable alternative as a green solvent is glacial acetic acid in the preparation of electrospinning solutions. In this study, we investigated the molecular degradation via acid hydrolysis of PCL in acidic solvents (acetic acid/formic acid) and how the contact time (storage) influences the morphology of the produced structures. Solutions containing 30% by weight of PCL in acetic acid/formic acid (9:1) were prepared and stored at 35°C for up to 14 days. Subsequently, samples were tested by electrospinning to assess the resulting morphology. To analyze the acid degradation of PCL, samples were evaluated by GPC, XRD, and FTIR, revealing an approximately 50% reduction in molar mass during the solubilization process. This allowed for better chain packing, generating higher crystallinity indices, increasing from approximately 37–49%, due to the storage time of the solutions. On the other hand, it was observed that this reduction in molar mass resulted in lower molecular interactions and entanglement of the chains, reflecting in the formation of unstable Taylor cones that produced mats with various morphologies, including fibers, beaded fibers, and isolated beads. However, this degradation demonstrated an increase in water adsorption capacity, indicating exposure of hydrogen bonds from the acid hydrolysis of the ester linkage in PCL, an important feature for applications in regenerative medicine. This highlights the high potential of these hydrolyzed materials for cell anchoring applications in tissue engineering.
Quantum Support Vector Machine for Prostate Cancer Detection: A Performance Analysis
Authors: Maouaki Walid El , Said Taoufik , Bennai Mohamed 
Published: January 2024

Abstract
This study addresses the urgent need for improved prostate cancer detection methods by harnessing the power of advanced technological solutions. We introduce the application of Quantum Support Vector Machine (QSVM) to this critical healthcare challenge, showcasing an enhancement in diagnostic performance over the classical Support Vector Machine (SVM) approach. Our study not only outlines the remarkable improvements in diagnostic performance made by QSVM over the classic SVM technique, but it delves into the advancements brought about by the quantum feature map architecture, which has been carefully identified and evaluated, ensuring it aligns seamlessly with the unique characteristics of our prostate cancer dataset. This architecture succeded in creating a distinct feature space, enabling the detection of complex, non-linear patterns in the data. The findings reveal not only a comparable accuracy with classical SVM (92%) but also a 7.14% increase in sensitivity and a notably high F1-Score (93.33%). This study's important combination of quantum computing in medical diagnostics marks a pivotal step forward in cancer detection, offering promising implications for the future of healthcare technology.
An enrichment approach for the recovery of viral and bacterial genomes from coral metagenomes
Authors: Wallace Bailey A. , Varona Natascha S. , Silveira Cynthia B. 
Published: January 2024

Abstract
Difficulties in obtaining viral and bacterial genomes from corals have hindered the mechanistic understanding of these holobionts. Here, we introduce a size-fractionation approach to enrich viruses and bacteria from coral samples (tissues, mucus, and skeleton) for metagenome sequencing. Enriched metagenomes reduced host and Symbiodium DNA from 70 to 36% while increasing bacterial recovery by 9-fold. Remarkably, bacterial metagenome-assembled genomes were only recovered from the enriched metagenomes, and viral genome recovery increased by 3-fold, expanding the diversity of viruses detected. The high recovery of viral and bacterial genomes described here will facilitate the expansion of functional genomic studies in coral holobionts.
Relationship between gut microbiota and Hashimoto’s thyroiditis: a two-sample Mendelian randomization study
Authors: Shao Xinran , Jiang Jiuzhi , Fei Xiang , Zhang Ying , Zhang Dongxiao , Cui Jianchun 
Published: January 2024

Abstract
Purpose: Hashimoto's thyroiditis（HT）is one of the most common autoimmune diseases. Observational studies have proved that the gut microbiome is related to the occurrence of HT, but the causal relationship between HT and gut microbiome. However, the causal relationship between gut microbiome and HT remains to be determined. Therefore, the aim of this study is to explore the relationship between HT and gut microbiome.
Methods: In this study, bidirectional Mendelian randomization was used to explore the relationship between HT and gut microbiome. GWAS data of gut microbiota were obtained from the MiBioGen database, containing 18340 samples. HT data is from the IEU open GWAS database, which contains 568833 samples. The methods used for MR analysis in this paper include inverse variance weighting (IVW), weighted median, weighted mode, Mr egger, and simple mode. F-statistics and sensitivity analysis were used to measure bias and reliability. SNPs were used as instrumental variables in Mendelian randomization studies.
Results: After FDR correction, we found a total of 9 bidirectional causal relationships between gut microbiome and HT. Five of them demonstrated the influence of gut microbiome on HT, respectively are genus Anaerostipes (OR=1.239296,95%CI 1.03378-1.485669, p=0.020389)，family Alcaligenaceae (OR=0.742608, 95%CI 0.61164-0.901619，p=0.002645 )、genus Ruminococcaceae (OR=0.89581, 95%CI 0.810137-0.990542,p=0.03193)、genus Prevotella7 (OR=0.895026,95%CI 0.810775-0.988031,p=0.027898)、phylum Verrucomicrobia (OR=0.838726,95%CI 0.722321-0.973889,p=0.021051 ). Four described the effect of HT on the gut microbiome as follows, phylum Verrucomicrobia (OR=0.968114, 95%CI 0.938525-0.998637,p=0.040743)，class Deltaproteobacteria (OR=0.970233, 95%CI 0.942334-0.998958,p=0.042353)，family Verrucomicrobiaceae (OR=0.963272，95%CI 0.933234-0.994277,p=0.020607)，family Christensenellaceae（OR=1.044625, 95%CI 1.003784-1.087127,p=0.031903). No obvious horizontal pleiotrophy was found by MR-Egger intercept test and MR-PRESSO global test.
Conclusions: This Mendelian randomization study revealed the relationship between gut microbiome and autoimmune disease ——HT, which may provide a new direction for the future research on the interaction mechanism between the two, and provide a new reference for the study of risk factors of HT. In turn, we can use the intestinal flora as a biomarker for the early diagnosis of HT.
Relaxed minds for healthier food choice at school: A field experiment in southern Mexico
Authors: Viera Marcos Esau Dominguez , Mecheva Margarita de Vries , Nguyen Trang , Berg Marrit van den 
Published: January 2024

Abstract
Stress leads to unhealthy food choices since the school-age stage. Yet, there is limited evidence particularly in low- and middle-income countries regarding the impact of stress-reduction strategies on school-age children’s food choices. Such aspects were crucial during the recent COVID-19 pandemic, which exacerbated psychological distress and unhealthier food choices among children. During the pandemic period, we conducted a field experiment in southern Mexico to assess the impact of stress-reduction strategies on the food choices of over 1,400 children aged 9–12. Half of the school-classes in the sample were randomly assigned to a stress reduction strategy namely meditation, which comprised six audios with basic relaxation techniques and intuitive messages to guide food choices. Additionally, all participants received information signalling that an amaranth snack was nutritious (i.e., the healthy snack), which was paired with a chocolate bar (i.e., the unhealthy snack) as part of a snack choice experiment. The meditation program effectively reduced stress among treated children. The effect was larger among students attending schools in lower-income areas. In general, we found that the share of students choosing the healthy snack did not differ between the treated and the control groups. Yet, we highlighted that meditation increased healthy snack choices by 4%-points among children that chose their snack for non-health or nutrition-related reasons. Upon collecting their snack, students had the chance to exchange their original choice for the other snack. Students that meditated were more likely to exchange their originally chosen “unhealthy snack” towards the healthy snack than students in the control group. Our study sheds some light on the relevance of addressing psychological well-being to complement other strategies to improve food choice at school.
Driving Sustainability in Power Generation: Amine Scrubbing Integration as a Cost-effective Measure for Carbon Dioxide Mitigation.
Authors: JOHNSON NNADIKWE , IKECHUKWU IKOKO , CHUKWUMA AKUCHIE JUSTIN 
Published: January 2024

Abstract
Given the imperative of security, sustainability of supply, strategic considerations, and energy independence, there is a widely acknowledged need to persist in utilizing coal as the primary fuel for electricity generation in power plants. However, in order to combat the rising levels of CO2 in the atmosphere, it is crucial to advance the development of carbon capture and storage (CCS) technologies that enable fossil fuel power plants to achieve zero emissions. These technologies play a pivotal role in capturing and effectively storing CO2, thus ensuring that coal-based power generation can continue while significantly reducing its environmental impact. By implementing CCS solutions, fossil fuel power plants can transition towards a more sustainable and environmentally friendly energy future.The utilization of chemical solvents for CO2 absorption, coupled with long-term storage, presents an intriguing and commercially viable technology for CO2 capture. However, the significant energy demands of the solvent regeneration process necessitate optimization, particularly in large-scale power plants. While the current cost of CO2 capture stands at approximately #55,000.00(Naira) per ton of CO2, the objective is to reduce this cost to below #25,000.00(Naira) per ton of CO2. This reduction in cost is essential to ensure the economic feasibility and widespread adoption of CO2 capture technologies in power generation.This research paper explores various approaches to address the energy demands associated with amine scrubbing integration in a commercial power plant. It provides a comprehensive analysis, both technically and economically, of the performance of these different approaches. While some of the proposed schemes may result in minor efficiency reductions, the key objective is to calculate the specific cost per ton of CO2 captured. The primary focus is on identifying the most suitable configuration to implement large-scale, cost-effective schemes that can serve as a foundation for CO2 capture demonstration projects. By determining the optimal configuration, this research aims to pave the way for the successful implementation of efficient and economically viable CO2 capture technologies in the power generation sector.
Effect of Foreign Direct Investment on Private Domestic Investment in Ethiopia.
Authors: Wogari Takele 
Published: January 2024

Abstract
This study examined the Effect of foreign direct investment on Private domestic investment in Ethiopia. The study employed the annual time series data from 1990 to 2019 for variables as gross fixed capital formation, real gross domestic product, Exchange Rate, Inflation and foreign direct investment (FDI). The study adopted an Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) approach and other econometric tools of analysis to answer the objectives set out in the study. The Augmented Dickey-Fuller, Phillip-Perron Unit Root Test and Bounds Test method of cointegration employed indicates that the series used in the model are all stationary with a unique long run relationship established among the variables. The study also established an inverse relationship between foreign direct investment and Private domestic investment within the period under reference. Using econometric procedures, unit root test of ADF revealed that some of the variables were integrated at First Difference. ARDL test indicated the existence of long-run relationship among the variables. In testing for causality with the use of granger causality test, the results obtained indicate that there is an existence of Uni-directional relationship between foreign direct investment and Private domestic investment in Ethiopia, meaning that foreign direct investment cause Private domestic investment in Ethiopia while Private domestic investment does not cause foreign direct investment. Based on the Finding the following recommendations among others were made: First, it recommends that the concerned body should put in place policy with respect domestic investment and there must be safety measures to protect domestic investors from falling out of business and domestic investment promotion measures that will stimulate domestic firms’ investment. Secondly in an attempt to control the birr exchange rate since it does have bearing on inflation, the government should put in place an enduring framework to strike the risk of the domestic producers for them to take innovative domestic investor that will have competitive advantage With foreign investor.
Posterior default mode network activity underlies distracted interoceptive attention and provides an objective basis for low mindfulness &amp; depression
Authors: Mishra Jyoti , Ramanathan Dhakshin , Grennan Gillian , Nan Jason , jaiswal Satish , Purpura Suzanna , Manchanda James , Maric Vojislav , Balasubramani Pragathi 
Published: January 2024

Abstract

Interoceptive attention to internal sensory signals is fundamental to mindfulness. However, it is difficult to measure objectively, and the vast majority of investigations of the neural correlates of mindfulness-based attention rely on subjective and retrospective measures of distraction. In this study, we measured consistency of response times on a breath-monitoring task (instruction to respond every two breath cycles) to objectively measure interoceptive attention in individuals across the lifespan (15–91 years of age, n = 324). Consistently timed responses were indicative of on-task attention, whereas variable delayed responses indicated distraction or mind-wandering. Signifying the importance of interoceptive attention consistency, we observed that this measure was positively correlated across subjects with performance across several exteroceptive cognitive tasks. Electroencephalographic (EEG) source reconstruction demonstrated that distraction on the eyes-closed task was associated with elevated alpha band (8–12 Hz) brain activity particularly in posterior default mode network (pDMN) brain regions. The neural data revealed four important findings: 1) pDMN brain activity was inversely linked with functional connectivity to the fronto-parietal network (FPN), suggesting that pDMN-FPN interactions play a key role in the regulation of pDMN activity during interoceptive attention. 2) pDMN activity on distracted trials was inversely correlated with trait level mindfulness. 3) A key hub of the pDMN, the isthmus region of the posterior cingulate cortex (ICC), showed elevated activity on distracted trials in individuals with self-reported depressive symptoms. And 4) in an independent second experiment, pDMN activity was adaptively modulated by task difficulty that invoked different levels of distraction. These results identify an EEG-based neurophysiological marker (elevated pDMN alpha activity) underlying interoceptive distraction, which is correlated with subjective markers of mindfulness and depression and that can be adaptively modulated. Our findings, thus, provide a direct link between a neurophysiological substrate of interoceptive attention, and subjective ratings of mindfulness and depressed mood.
Exploring the Molecular Targets and Therapeutic Potential of Coptisine in Colon Cancer: A Network Pharmacology Approach
Authors: Yang Jing , Tao Qing , Li Jun , Xie Yang , Tang Chaotao , Huang Xia , Chen Youxiang , Zeng Chunyan 
Published: January 2024

Introduction:
Colon cancer is a frequent malignancy, and surgery is still the
primary therapy for people with colon cancer. Other treatments, including radiation, chemotherapy,
and biologic therapy, may be utilized as a supplement. Chemotherapy, a
prominent treatment for colon cancer, has failed to provide positive outcomes. This necessitates
the development of more effective and less harmful treatment drugs. Coptisine
was discovered to inhibit the development of colon cancer cell line HCT-116 in vivo, decrease
the growth of HCT-116 cells, and cause apoptosis in vitro in colon cancer. Coptisine
(COP) has shown antitumor activity in colon cancer, but its molecular mechanism
and its molecular targets have not been fully understood.

Methods:
In this study, the biological behavior was verified in vitro. The targets of
Huanglian alkaloids on colon cancer were predicted, and the protein-protein interaction
(PPI) network was constructed. The core targets of safranine for colon cancer were extracted
and analyzed by GO and KEGG enrichment to identify the possible molecular
mechanisms of safranine treatment. Western blot was used to detect the changes of related
pathway proteins in colon cancer cells. The differential expression of hub genes in
colon cancer was analyzed using the GEPIA2 website. The binding ability of safranine
to the target was verified by molecular docking. Finally, the targets were preliminarily
verified by q-PCR analysis.

Results:
Coptisine can inhibit the survival, migration, and proliferation of colon cancer
cells DLD1 and HCT-116. Based on network pharmacology, ninety-one targets for
colon cancer were screened. ESR1, ALB, AR, CDK2, PARP1, HSP90AB1, IGF1R, CCNE1,
and CDC42 were found in the top 10. Enrichment analysis showed that these targets
were mainly related to pathways in cancer, FC γ R-mediated phagocytosis, prostate
cancer, progesterone-mediated oocyte maturation, the oestrogen signal pathway, proteoglycan
in cancer and the PI3K-Akt signal pathway. WB results showed that after the treatment
of colon cancer DLD1 cells with coptisine, the expression of P-AKT and AKT decreased,
that of its downstream protein Bcl-2 decreased, and that of BAX increased. Differential
expression analysis of hub genes showed that CCNE1, CDK2, HSP90AB1, and
CHEK2 were upregulated in colon cancer samples, and molecular docking showed that
these targets had a good ability to bind to coptisine. After the treatment of colon cancer
DLD1 cells with coptisine, q-PCR results showed that CCNE1 and HSP90AB1 were significantly
downregulated, while CDK2 and CHEK2 had no significant changes.

Conclusion:
Coptisine may be a candidate drug for the treatment of colon cancer, and
its therapeutic effect may be related to the cancer pathway and PI3K-Akt signalling pathway.
CCNE1 and HSP90AB1 may be potential targets of coptisine in the treatment of
colon cancer.
Iron, Copper, and Zinc Homeostasis in the Battle between Macrophage and Mycobacterium Tuberculosis
Authors: Yang Zisha , Zhang Li , Wang Yan , Pi Jiang , Peng Duo , Yao Yunhong , Xu Junfa , Zhao Yi 
Published: January 2024

Abstract:
Iron, copper, and zinc play integral roles in the battle against Mycobacterium
tuberculosis (Mtb) infection; however, they are often trapped between nutrients and
toxins, posing a significant challenge to macrophages and Mtb to utilize them. Due to
this two-sided effect, macrophages and Mtb strictly regulate metal uptake, storage, and
excretion. This review discusses the balanced regulation of iron, copper, and zinc in
macrophages and Mtb during infection, focusing on the intracellular metal regulatory
system. Macrophages typically use the two-sided effect of metals to limit Mtb access to
nutrients or poison them. Mtb has developed a metal metabolism regulatory mechanism
compatible with the nutritional immune strategy. This includes the mediation of relevant
metalloproteins and metalloenzymes to maintain the multimetal balance. This review also
explored the regulation of metal metabolism homeostasis in macrophages resistant to
Mtb infection, providing a theoretical foundation for identifying potential clinical targets
for Mtb infection, developing metalloid anti-tuberculosis drugs, and understanding the
immune mechanisms against intracellular Mtb infection.
Relevance of Conventional Herbal Remedies in the Prevention and Treatment of Malignant Tumors: Looking Toward the Future
Authors: Bajpai Priyanka , Chandra Phool 
Published: January 2024

:
The second most prevalent cause of fatalities globally is malignant tumors. The avoidance
and therapy of cancer proliferation still have many prospects for betterment despite enormous advancements.
Chemotherapy can occasionally have a lot of unfavorable adverse reactions. Novel
agents from botanicals, especially the use of cancer therapeutic ingredients, may decrease negative
consequences. There are currently several products from plants used for fighting cancer. However,
numerous plant chemicals have not yet been examined in people but show extremely encouraging invitro
anti-cancer properties. Further research is required to determine whether these plant chemicals
are beneficial in treating human cancers. The present work has focused on the various traditional
herbal remedies and the phytochemicals that exhibited promising anticancer impact. The desirable
activity may be due to novel agents isolated from plant sources. The present investigations address
natural ingredients for cancer treatment and chemoprevention that are now being used in clinical settings
and/or are undergoing clinical studies. Potential research concentrating on naturally anticancer
drugs can create an entirely novel avenue in the fight against cancer that could significantly boost the
chance of survival for cancer patients.