VOLUME 2, NUMBER 1, 2024

ISSN 2817-433X

Online first article

Novel Models of Fine System for Improper Waste Classification and Disposal in Shanghai

Tianyi Zhang

Shanghai Yanan High School, No.1111 Mao Tai Road, Shanghai 200336, China.

Abstract

Front-end garbage classification is a difficult and pain point in garbage classification. The biggest factor affecting the effectiveness of front-end classification is the will of the classifier. In this study, we established several models of the fine system for improper waste classification and disposal through two-by-two game process between the government, property management company, and residents in Shanghai. By calculating Nash equilibrium and other methods, we found how government can improve the residents' and the property office’s willingness to classify garbage through fine system and performance incentives. Using Markov chains, we also established the expected daily fine sum for unclassified residents under the current law of China.

Key words

Models; Fine System; Improper Waste Classification.

Pages: Online first.

Online first article

A Novel Solution to Cleaning Up Copper Pollution in Water

Joseph Becker, Carlos Santos

Downingtown STEM Academy, Downingtown, PA, USA.

Abstract

According to the World Health Organization, 1 in 3 people on Earth don’t have access to safe drinking water. Children in some parts of Africa, for example, may need to walk for miles to get access to a bottle of drinking water. No matter where you live, people need clean water. Copper is a contaminant that makes water unsafe to drink. We created a new material – ZIOS – that can take copper out of the water and use it in other industries. We tested ZIOS to see how much it reduced copper levels in water. We also tested how quickly it does that, and if it would work in acidic environments. Our data support that ZIOS is a good solution to cleaning up copper pollution.

Key words

Copper; Pollution; Water; ZIOS.

Pages: Online first.

Online first article

Decision Diagrams as an Approach to Simulate Quantum Computations

William Davids

A. Y. Jackson Secondary School, North York, ON, Canada

Abstract

Quantum computers are a new, promising technology still in its infancy. Many computer companies have already started building quantum computers. Unfortunately, they are still rather small compared to what we expect in the future. So how can we prepare programmers and users for this new technology? One way to do so: simulate the quantum computer on our conventional machines. Of course, this is very complex – if it were easy, we would not need a quantum computer in the first place. Here we propose a method that tackles this complexity using so-called decision diagrams. We tested our method by attempting several different quantum computations. Then we compared it to the other existing simulators. Our approach outperforms other solutions in many cases. This allows everyone to simulate quantum computations today – even before the really powerful quantum computers are available.

Key words

Decision diagrams; Quantum; Computers.

Pages: Online first.

Online first article

Identifying Bacteria that Could Turn into High-Energy Biofuel

Gary Wasserman

Haas Hall Academy, Fayetteville, AR, USA

Abstract

A space shuttle has to reach speeds of almost 29,000 kilometers per hour in only 8.5 minutes. That’s necessary for it to reach outer space. To reach these speeds, rockets need particularly high-energy fuels. It’s the same for airplanes and cargo ships, too. At the moment, these high-energy fuels are made using petroleum – a fossil fuel, and the leading cause of global climate change. So, there’s an urgent need for scientists to develop more sustainable high-energy fuels. We explored whether bacteria could make molecules we could turn into high-energy biofuels. We looked into bacterial DNA and used clever chemistry to produce new biofuels using Streptomyces bacteria. These “POP biofuels” seem to be even better (higher energy) than the current petroleum-made rocket fuels.

Key words

Bacteria; Gene; Biofuel.

Pages: Online first.

ISSN 2817-433X

Function of Treg cells is mediated by inducible costimulator in acute liver injury

Song Chen, Qian Zhang, Yilong Hao, Jian Wan

Department of Emergency and Critical Care Medicine, Shanghai Pudong New Area People's Hospital, Shanghai, China.

Abstract

Inducible costimulator (ICOS) is highly expressed by Foxp3+Treg cells and is shown to stabilize Foxp3 expression, possibly by demethylating the CNS2 element of the Foxp3 gene. In this study, we evaluated the effect of ICOS on Treg cells in acute liver injury. First, data showed that the frequency of CD25hiFoxp3+ Treg cells was significantly elevated in acute liver injury mice. We also found that the total Treg cells could be subdivided into ICOS+CD28−, ICOS+CD28+, ICOS−CD28+, and ICOS−CD28− subsets and the ICOS+CD28− subset was significantly elevated in ALI mice than in healthy controls. Interestingly, the ex vivo expression of IL10 and TGFB1 and the inhibition of CD8 T cell activation by ICOS+CD28−and ICOS+CD28+ Treg cells were higher in ALI mice than in controls. Finally, we compared the effect of anti-CD3 stimulation vs. anti-CD3/anti-ICOS stimulation in Treg cells, and found that the additional anti-ICOS could significantly upregulate Foxp3 but not Helios. Overall, these lines of evidence indicated that acute liver injury were enriched with highly suppressive ICOS+ Treg cells, which could be a therapeutic target for the disease.

Key words

ICOS; Treg; Acute liver injury.

Pages: 1-8.

Developing a River Health Index of Microplastic and a Promising Microplastic Continuous Optical Monitoring Device

Zhenghong Zheng

Shanghai Qibao Dwight High School, No. 3233, Hongxin Road, Minhang District, Shanghai 201101, China.

Abstract

Microplastic  (MP) pollution  has  become  an  emerging  global  concern  and  attracted  growing attention these years. Its distribution in wastewater plant, river and marine environments have urged people to learn its potential impacts and dynamic changes. Currently, the river pollution situation is evaluated on physical and chemical concentration. But there is no evaluation on plastic pollution, especially microplastic evaluation. Furthermore, Exists MP analysis method and devices usually rely  on  professional  analysis  analytical  instruments  or  facilities. An  in-situ  continuous  MP monitoring in water is needed for long-term MP pollution management. Herein, we towards to developing an index for microplastic pollution in river. In order to evaluate it, a microfluidic -based MP chip and its operation system were established, which could realize MP observation and analysis. The microfluidic chip was embedded with valve-pump and optical detection system, which enable in situ water sample collection and detection. The proof of concept of the microfluidic platform is validated using model samples where standard plastic particles of different size and chemical nature are mixed.

Key words

Microplastic, microfluidic, river health index.

Pages: 9-14.

A Novel Gene that Controls Mothers' Behavior During Pregnancy

Max Raoult, Patricia Ahern

International Academy of Macomb, Clinton Twp, MI, USA

Abstract

Pregnancy changes a lot of things in a mother: the body goes through many transformations trying to adapt to the needs of the baby. The mother’s behavior changes as well, as she has to care for her newborn. There is some indirect evidence that the baby (through its genes) could instruct the mother’s brain and alter her behavior even before it is born. But is this really true? We have previously found a gene that controls the number of hormones produced by the placenta, an organ that connects the developing embryo to the mother. To test if the embryos could affect the mother’s behavior, we conducted a series of experiments on mice who were pregnant with embryos expressing different doses of this gene. Indeed, mothers exposed to higher doses of the gene preferred nest-building over baby nursing.

Key words

Gene; Mother; Behavior; Pregnancy.

Pages: 15-18.

The Correlation between Junk Food Taxes and Obesity

Cynthia Hall

Albuquerque Institute of Math and Science, Albuquerque, NM, USA

Abstract

While junk food might taste great, it’s highly processed food which can lead to obesity. Obesity is a problem not only in richer countries, where people have higher incomes but also in poorer countries, where at the same time many people are underweight. We wanted to see if a tax on highly processed foods could have an effect on obesity rates. To evaluate that we used import tariffs as a measurement tool and created a statistical model. We found out that increasing the price difference between healthier foods and highly processed foods could be a useful step toward reducing obesity in some countries, but could also worsen the issue with underweight, sometimes even within the same country.

Key words

Junk food; Tax; Obesity.

Pages: 19-21.

Xuebijing Injection Inhibits TNF-α-expressing T Cells in Sepsis Rat Model

Song Chen, Qian Zhang, Liyan Sun, Wei Song, Weidong Song, Jian Wan 

Department of Emergency and Critical Care Medicine, Shanghai Pudong New Area People's Hospital, Shanghai, China.

Abstract

Sepsis remains a critical global health concern, often characterized by an overwhelming immune response to infection. In recent years, there has been a growing interest in alternative therapeutic interventions, particularly Chinese herbal medicine, for sepsis management. Xuebijing is a traditional Chinese patent medicine for sepsis. However, the mechanism of which Xuebijing achieves the therapeutic effects for sepsis remains unclear. In this study, we examined the effect of Xuebijing injection on TNF-α-expressing T cells in sepsis rat model. Data showed that IFN-γ-expressing cells were predominantly found in the CXCR3+CCR6- subset, while the TNF-α-expressing cells were predominately found in the CXCR3-CCR6+ subset. Furthermore, Xuebijing treatment group CXCR3-CCR6+ CD4 T cells presented significantly lower TNF-α secretion than control CXCR3-CCR6+CD4 T cells. Also, TNF-α-producing CD4 T cells exacerbated MMP expression by macrophages. Overall, these results suggest that Xuebijing injection could inhibits TNF-α-expressing T cells in sepsis.

Key words

Xuebijing injection; T Cell; Sepsis rat model.

Pages: 12-27.

ISSN 2817-433X

TERG can act as a prognostic marker for hepatocellular carcinoma

David Jones, Wendy Smith

Department of Immunology, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA.

Abstract

Evidence have shown that dysregulation of T cells is highly involved in the progression of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, no reliable biomarker exists for these processes. We included 285 patients from Cancer Genome Atlas database and 262 patients from the International Cancer Genome Consortium. Molecular subtypes were generated from T cell exhaustion-related genes (TERGs) according to differential expression and univariate Cox analysis. The TERG-High subgroup and high-risk group had worse overall survival, higher immune infiltration levels, and higher expression of human leukocyte antigen and immune checkpoints. Overall, we identified a prognostic signature for HCC. 

Key words

TERG; prognostic marker; hepatocellular carcinoma.

Pages: 1-8.

Novel biomarkers in non-small cell lung cancer

Manon Weis, Aleksandr Zaitsev, Scott B Snapper

Department of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA. 

Abstract

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is the most common subtype of lung cancer, accounting for approximately 85% of all lung cancer cases. Although progress has been made in the diagnosis and treatment of NSCLC, the prognosis for patients with advanced-stage NSCLC remains poor. Therefore, there is an urgent need to identify new biomarkers for the early detection and personalized treatment of NSCLC. This article reviews the potential biomarkers in NSCLC.

Key words

Biomarkers; non-small cell lung cancer; diagnosis; treatment.

Pages: 9-13.

The impact of artificial intelligence on kids and teens

Katelyn Brusach, Sarah Lorbach, Jessica Quimby

Department of Information, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, USA.

Abstract

Artificial intelligence (AI) has rapidly gained popularity in recent years, and it is no surprise that children and teenagers are being exposed to AI at an early age. The impact of AI on kids and teens has been the subject of much discussion among scientists and educators. Some believe that AI could help children learn faster and make learning more engaging, while others worry about the potential negative effects of AI on children's mental health and development. This review article examines the impact of AI on children and teenagers, focusing on the potential benefits and drawbacks.

Key words

Artificial intelligence; kids; teens.

Pages: 14-17.

Recent advances in mRNA vaccine technology

Joanna Yuan

University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.

Abstract

Messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccines have emerged as a new and promising technology for preventing infectious diseases and cancer. This breakthrough technology has gained widespread attention due to its speed of development, efficacy, and safety profile. mRNA vaccines are synthetic pieces of RNA that provide cells with instructions to produce a specific protein, triggering an immune response to fight off infections or cancers. The development of mRNA vaccines has advanced rapidly in the past few years, and this article reviews the latest advances in mRNA vaccine technology.

Key words

mRNA; vaccine; treatment.

Pages: 18-22.

Tim-3 as the next generation immune checkpoint for cancer therapy

Tatsuo Nakata 

Department of Immunology, DICAT Biomedical Computation Centre, Vancouver, BC, Canada.

Abstract 

Cancer is one of the leading causes of death worldwide. Despite advances in cancer treatment, there is still a significant need for new therapeutic approaches. One such approach is the use of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), which target molecules that suppress the immune system's ability to attack cancer cells. The T-cell immunoglobulin and mucin domain-containing protein 3 (Tim-3) is an immune checkpoint receptor that has garnered significant interest in recent years due to its potential as a target for cancer therapy. In this review, we discuss the current understanding of Tim-3's role in cancer and its potential as a therapeutic target.

Key words

Tim-3; immune checkpoint; cancer.

Pages: 23-25.

Understanding regulatory T cells in rheumatoid arthritis

Maeva Ferrari, Karine Louati 

Bakar Computational Health Science Institute, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.

Abstract

Regulatory T cells (Tregs) play a crucial role in the immune system by suppressing excessive immune responses and maintaining immune tolerance. In the context of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), a chronic autoimmune disease characterized by joint inflammation and destruction, Tregs have been implicated in the regulation of disease progression. In this review, we discuss the role of Tregs in RA, their functional impairment in the disease, and the potential for Treg-based therapies.

Key words

Regulatory T cell; immunity; rheumatoid arthritis.

Pages: 26-30.