bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Research on determination method of tunnel depth and shallow burial based on temperature field distribution in cold area
Authors: Luo Yanbin , Liu Longfei , Chen Jianxun , Zhao Pengyu
Published: August 2024

Due to the combined action of the low-temperature air inside and outside the tunnel, the temperature field distribution law of the shallow buried section of the tunnel in cold areas is significantly different from that of the deep buried section, which makes the problem of frost damage more prominent and the prevention and control of frost damage more difficult. Therefore, from the perspective of frost damage prevention, it is necessary to divide the depth and shallow burial of tunnels in cold areas based on the distribution of temperature fields. Based on the Chengde-Tacheng (G335) Yejishan Tunnel, this paper proposes a method for determining the depth and shallow burial of tunnels in cold areas through field tests of the temperature fields inside and outside the tunnels, combined with the numerical simulation of the tunnel temperature fields. The following conclusions are obtained: (1) When the buried depth of the tunnel is less than the sum of the thickness of the stratum and the thickness of the surrounding rock, the temperature in the tunnel overlaps with the surface air temperature, and it can be regarded as a shallow buried tunnel within the range of the longitudinal influence of the air outside the tunnel on the temperature of the surrounding rock along the longitudinal depth, and vice versa. (2) The distribution of the formation and the surrounding rock variable temperature zone is calculated by the control variable method and the inverse analysis method by using the Fluent fluid simulation software, and the distribution of the formation and the surrounding rock is mainly affected by the ratio of the thermal conductivity to the product of the specific heat capacity and density (i.e., the temperature conductivity) and the air annual temperature amplitude; (3) The terrain at the inlet end of Yeji Mountain is gentle, and the surface slope at the outlet end is large. According to the tunnel depth and shallow burial judgment method based on temperature field distribution proposed in this paper, the length of the shallow buried section at the entrance and exit is 375.6m and 25.05 m, respectively, and the length of the shallow buried section at the entrance and exit is shortened by 119.3m and 20.85m compared with the standard method of determining the depth and shallow burial of tunnel. If the shallow buried section of the cave entrance is reinforced with grouting to prevent frost damage, the scope of grouting reinforcement can be reduced, and the effect of low-carbon emission reduction is significant.
Assessment of organizational readiness for implementing an online pain education program for chronic musculoskeletal pain in public health: a cross-sectional study.
Authors: Baroni Marina Pegoraro , Bomfim Rafael Aiello , Gallon Bruna Camillo , Bim Cintia Raquel , Hespanhol Luiz , Saragiotto Bruno Tirotti
Published: August 2024

Background: Understanding the organizational readiness for behavior change is paramount for implementation success of new interventions and to avoid waste of resources.
Objective: To assess organizational readiness of primary healthcare providers to refer users with chronic musculoskeletal pain for an online pain education program at the secondary level of care.
Methods: This was a cross-sectional study using an online survey. We used the Organizational Readiness for Implementing Change questionnaire (ORIC-Br) to assess organizational readiness. We interpreted the domains of change efficacy and change commitment in terms of means (mean scores ≥4 indicates ready for implementation change in each domain) or proportions (≥50% of respondents considering scores ≥4 for each domain). Descriptive analyses were used to depict respondent characteristics and overall ORIC-Br scores.
Results: 155 primary healthcare providers participated in the study (39.2 ±10.6 years old, 87.7% [n=136] women). 65 of them (41.9%) work at Family Health teams only and 90 (58.1%) work at Family Health teams with multidisciplinary team. The mean of ORIC-Br score was 3.4±1.1 (95% CI: 3.2 to 3.5). Primary healthcare units that have Family Health team only seem to be not ready for implementing change in terms of efficacy (64.6%, n=42) and commitment (63.1%, n=41). Family Health teams with multidisciplinary team seem to be more ready for implementing change in terms of commitment (50%, n=45) and not ready in terms of efficacy (52.3%, n=47).
Conclusion: Organizational readiness for referring SUS users to the EducaDor program was low in most of the Family Health teams.
A survey on medication adherence and influencing factors among 226 peritoneal dialysis patients in a primary hospital in China
Authors: Ling Chen , Ouyang Yuxia , Cao Jiaqi , Bi Jingwen , Yunfang Zhang
Published: August 2024

Purpose To investigate the current status of medication adherence among peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients in a primary hospital and to explore the influencing factors of medication adherence among PD patients.
Methods The author used the Chinese version of the Morisky Medication Compliance Scale to evaluate the medication compliance of 226 PD patients in a single centre. Univariate analysis and logistic regression were used to analyze the factors influencing medication compliance in patients.
Results: Among PD patients, 36 had poor medication adherence (15.9%), 89 had moderate adherence (39.38%), and 101 had good adherence (44.69%). Univariate analysis showed that there was a statistically significant difference between groups in age (c2=2.895, P=0.036) and dialysis age (c2=2.376, P=0.04); Logistic regression multivariate analysis demonstrated that age (OR=1.030, 95% CI: 1.002-1.059; P=0.037) is a factor affecting patient drug compliance.
Conclusions: PD medical teams should pay attention to the medication compliance issues of young patients and those with short dialysis age. With the help of information technology, the medical staff could carry out various forms of health education to improve the medication compliance of PD patients.
The RNA m5C methylase NSUN4 protects retinal ganglion cells by regulating m5C methylation in the Hedgehog signaling pathway
Authors: Li Yahong , Li Dian , Geng Chao , Wei Ruihua , Duan Yajian
Published: August 2024

Glaucoma, one of the leading causes of blindness worldwide, is characterized by retinal ganglion cell (RGC) damage. NOP2/Sun RNA methyltransferase 4 (NSUN4), a known 5-methylcytosine (m5C) writer, is an essential dual-function mitochondrial protein that facilitates both the process of methylation and the coordination of mitoribosome assembly. However, few studies have focused on its role in RGCs. Methylated RNA immunoprecipitation sequencing (MeRIP-seq) combined with RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) was subsequently conducted to identify differences in the m5C methylome and gene expression profile in the N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA)-induced RGC injury model in vivo. We demonstrated that the significantly hypomethylated mRNAs were significantly enriched in the Sonic Hedgehog (SHH) signaling pathway in the NMDA group and that the mRNA expression of the m5C writer Nsun4 was downregulated. Subsequently, we examined the role of NSUN4 in R28 cells in response to glutamate stimulation. m5C dot blot and MeRIP (real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR) qPCR were employed to screen and validate the molecular mechanism of NSUN4 in glutamate-induced R28 cells through m5C regulation. Functionally, NSUN4 suppressed Ca2+ overload, mitochondrial dysfunction, and apoptosis of R28 cells in vitro. Mechanistically, NSUN4 increased the global mRNA m5C methylation level of Shh, GLI Family Zinc Finger Protein 1 (Gli1) and Gli2. Our study revealed that NSUN4 can alleviate the death of RGCs, which is associated with increased expression of Shh, Gli1 and Gli2 in the SHH signaling pathway in a m5C-dependent manner in R28 cells. Our findings provide new insights into potential biomarkers of retinal excitotoxity.
A Dirichlet-multinomial mixed model for detecting differential abundance of mutational signatures
Authors: ́ Lena Morrill Gavarro , Couturier Dominique-Laurent , Markowetz Florian
Published: August 2024

Mutational processes of diverse origin leave their imprints in the genome during tumour evolution. These imprints are called mutational signatures and they have been characterised for point mutations, structural variants and copy number changes. Each signature has an exposure, or abundance, per sample, which indicates how much a process has contributed to the overall genomic change. Mutational processes are not static, and a better understanding of their dynamics is key to characterise tumour evolution and identify cancer weaknesses that can be exploited during treatment. However, the structure of the data typically collected in this context makes it difficult to test whether signature exposures differ between samples or time-points. In general, the data consist of (1) patient-dependent vectors of counts for each sample and clonality group (2) generated from a covariate-dependent and compositional vector of probabilities with (3) a possibly group-dependent over-dispersion level. To model these data, we build on the Dirichlet-multinomial model to be able to model multivariate overdispersed vectors of counts as well as within-sample dependence and positive correlations between signatures. To estimate the model parameters, we implement a maximum likelihood estimator with a Laplace approximation of the random effect high-dimensional integrals and assess its bias and coverage by means of Monte Carlo simulations. We apply our approach to characterise differences of mutational processes between clonal and subclonal mutations across 23 cancer types of the PCAWG cohort. We find ubiquitous differential abundance of clonal and subclonal signatures across cancer types, and higher dispersion of signatures in the subclonal group, indicating higher variability between patients at subclonal level, possibly due to the presence of different clones with distinct active mutational processes. Mutational signature analysis is an expanding field and we envision our framework to be used widely to detect global changes in mutational process activity.
Analysis of High-Efficiency Field Modulated Multi-Phase Linear Generator for Wave Power Generation
Authors: Wang Jungang , Zheng Zheng , yu Caifu , Mo Ruina
Published: August 2024

With the energy shortage and environmental problems becoming increasingly prominent, wave energy as a clean energy has become a hot research spot for scholars around the world. However, wave energy generators have problems such as low power density, low conversion efficiency and large fluctuation of detent force. To address these problems, a novel high-efficiency field modulated multi-phase linear generator (HFMMLG) for wave energy generation is proposed in this paper. Different from traditional three-phase field modulated linear generator (TTFMLG), double-side five-phase structure is adopted by HFMMLG, secondary mover integrates the magnetic adjusting ring(MAR) with the secondary armature. The topology of this new HFMMLG based on the magnetic field modulation theory is designed by this paper. The finite element model of HFMMLG and TTFMLG are established, and comparatively analyzes its power density, conversion efficiency and detent force. It is results show that the new HFMMLG designed in this paper improves the output power by 5.6 compared with TTFMLG, and the generator has smaller detent force. Therefore, the novel generator designed in this paper can greatly improve the generator power density and conversion efficiency, improve the stability of the generator and provides new ideas for the development of new wave energy linear generator.
Constrained least squares simplicial-simplicial regression
Authors: Tsagris Michail
Published: August 2024

Simplicial-simplicial regression refers to the regression setting where both the responses and predictor variables lie within the simplex space, i.e. they are compositional. For this setting, constrained least squares, where the regression coefficients themselves lie within the simplex, is proposed. The model is transformation-free but the adoption of a power transformation is straightforward, it can treat more than one compositional datasets as predictors and offers the possibility of weights among the simplicial predictors. Among the model’s advantages are its ability to treat zeros in a natural way and a highly computationally efficient algorithm to estimate its coefficients. Resampling based hypothesis testing procedures are employed regarding inference, such as linear independence, and equality of the regression coefficients to some pre-specified values. The strategy behind the formulation new model is implemented to a an existing methodology, that is of the same spirit, showcasing how other similar models can be employed as well. Finally, the performance of the proposed technique and its comparison to the existing methodology takes place using simulation studies and real data examples.
Cross-sectional study of proteomic differences between moderate and severe psoriasis
Authors: Wu Lingling , Cen Chen , Xie Bibo , Hu Lihua , Huang Jia , Shen Ningning , Dong Qiang
Published: August 2024

Although an ongoing understanding of psoriasis vulgaris (PV) pathogenesis, little is known about the proteomic differences between moderate and severe psoriasis. In this cross-sectional study, we evaluated the proteomic differences between moderate and severe psoriasis using data-independent acquisition mass spectrometry (DIA-MS). 173 differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) were significantly differentially expressed between the two groups. Among them, 85 proteins were upregulated, while 88 were downregulated (FC ≥ ± 1.5, P < 0.05). Eighteen DEPs were mainly enriched in the IL − 17 signalling pathway, Neutrophil extracellular trap formation, Neutrophil degranulation and NF − kappa B signalling pathway, which were associated with psoriasis pathogenesis. Ingenuity pathway Analysis (IPA) identified TNF and TDP53 as the top upstream up-regulators, while Lipopolysaccharide and YAP1 were the top potential down-regulators. The main active pathways were antimicrobial peptides and PTEN signalling, while the inhibitory pathways were the neutrophil extracellular trap pathway, neutrophil degranulation, and IL-8 signalling. 4D-parallel reaction monitoring (4D-PRM) suggested that KRT6A were downregulated in severe psoriasis. Our data identify Eighteen DEPs as biomarkers of disease severity, and are associated with IL − 17 signalling pathway, Neutrophil extracellular trap formation, NF − kappa B signalling pathway, and defence response to the bacterium. Targeting these molecules and measures to manage infection may improve psoriasis's severity and therapeutic efficacy.
Positive education through social media to reduce negative stereotypes towards old age: a quasi-experimental study
Authors: Fuente-Hernández Lucía , Fuente-Ruiz Elena de la , Gracia-García Patricia , Serrano-García Irene , Álvarez-Mon Miguel Ángel , Molina-Ruiz Rosa M.
Published: August 2024

Objectives
To assess the effectiveness of positive psychoeducation regarding aging, disseminated through social media channels, in mitigating negative stereotypes. Additionally, we aim to explore any potential associations between various sociodemographic variables and the prevalence of negative stereotypes towards the elderly.
Methods
This quasi-experimental study involved an experimental group comprising subjects who underwent a 7-day intervention. The study aimed to evaluate any alterations in negative stereotypes towards aging both before and after the intervention. The intervention consisted of daily publication of positive messages about aging on a social media account. Two questionnaires were used: one collecting sociodemographic variables and the Questionnaire for Evaluating Negative Stereotypes towards Aging. Snowball sampling through social media was employed, with 109 subjects completing the study.
Results
Participants who followed the social media intervention showed a reduction in scores on the Questionnaire for Evaluating Negative Stereotypes towards Aging. Sociodemographic variables did not show any interaction with negative stereotypes towards aging before and after the intervention.
Discussion
This investigations presents promising outcomes results in diminishing negative stereotypes regarding aging through psychoeducational efforts on social media. Despite certain limitations, the findgins highlight the potential of educational initiatives on social media platforms to enhance the health and well-being of individuals across different age cohorts.
Blink-induced changes in pupil dynamics are consistent and heritable
Authors: Demiral Şükrü Barış , Volkow Nora D.
Published: August 2024

Pupil size and blink rates are heritable but the extent to which they interact with one another has not been properly investigated. Though changes in pupil size due to eye blinks have been reported, they are considered a pupillary artifact. In this study we used the HCP 7T fMRI dataset with resting state eye-tracking data obtained in monozygous and dizygous twins to assess their heritability and their interactions. For this purpose, we characterized the pupil dilation (positive peak) and constriction (negative peak) that followed blink events, which we describe as blink-induced pupillary response (BIPR). We show that the BIPR is highly consistent with a positive dilatory peak (D-peak) around 500ms and a negative constricting peak (C-peak) around 1s. These patterns were reproducible within- and between-subjects across two time points and differed by vigilance state (vigilant versus drowsy). By comparing BIPR between monozygous and dizygous twins we show that BIPR have a heritable component with significant additive genetic (A) and environmental (E) factors dominating the structural equation models, particularly in the time-domain for both D- and C-peaks and amplitude domain for the C-peak. (a2 between 42–49%). Blink duration, pupil size and blink rate were also found to be highly heritable (a2 up to 62% for pupil size). Our study documents an association between BIPR and wakefulness and indicates that BIPR should not be treated as a coincidental artefact, but part of a larger oculomotor system that we label here as Oculomotor Adaptive System, OAS, that is genetically determined.
Environmental change and rural livelihoods in the High Atlas Mountains of Morocco
Authors: Woodmansee Adele , Aakairi Meryem , Gerard Bruno , Hassani Omar Saadani , Ouarghidi Abderrahim , Power Alison , Rossiter David , McDonald Andrew
Published: August 2024

The High Atlas Mountains of Morocco are recognized as global hotspot for rapid environmental change, but there is limited information about how communities and households are responding to these changes. Rural livelihoods that are dependent on agriculture are highly vulnerable to intensifying climate extremes, especially when these stressors intersect with long-term socioeconomic trends including out-migration to urban centers. In 2022–2023, we carried out a household surveys and focus group discussions to understand the evolution of livelihood strategies in four Amazigh villages in Imegdal Commune in the western High Atlas. Results suggest that water shortages are causing cropping systems to simplify as households stop planting some crop species and reduce the area planted to others. Households are also reducing livestock numbers in response to the current multi-year drought and reductions in labor availability created by migration. Other natural resource-based activities, including beekeeping and collecting wild herbs, are being abandoned. This study suggests that decreasing precipitation is rapidly undermining the viability of agricultural activities in the High Atlas. In the absence of viable adaptation strategies, this could lead to a profound restructuring of rural livelihoods across the region.
Clinical and Psychosocial Differences in Early and Late-Onset Psoriasis: A Comparative Study
Authors: Yıldırım Elif Afacan , Polat Muhterem
Published: August 2024

Background:
Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory skin disease mediated by the immune system, known for significantly impacting psychosocial well-being. This study aims to compare clinical and psychosocial characteristics between early-onset (< 40 years) and late-onset (≥ 40 years) psoriasis patients.
Methods:
This cross-sectional study included 190 patients diagnosed with psoriasis. Patients were categorized into early-onset (n = 135) and late-onset (n = 55) groups. Data on demographics, clinical features, comorbidities, and psychosocial factors were collected. The Hospital Anxiety and Depression (HAD) scale and the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) were used to assess psychological impact and quality of life. Statistical analyses included chi-square tests, t-tests, and correlation analyses.
Results:
Early-onset patients were more likely to have a family history of psoriasis (43.7% vs. 16.4%, p < 0.001). Pustular psoriasis was more prevalent in the late-onset group (27.3% vs. 11.1%, p = 0.006). A significant positive correlation was found between DLQI scores and HAD-Total, HAD-A, and HAD-D scores (p < 0.001). Psychological stress was reported as a disease trigger by 63.1% of patients, with a higher proportion in the early-onset group (p = 0.025). Despite no significant difference in DLQI and HAD scores between the groups, early-onset patients showed higher sensitivity to stress.
Conclusions:
Early-onset psoriasis patients are more likely to report stress as a trigger and have a stronger family history, while late-onset patients exhibit higher rates of pustular psoriasis and increased BMI. These findings highlight the need for tailored management strategies addressing the distinct clinical and psychosocial needs of early and late-onset psoriasis patients. Future research should focus on longitudinal studies to better understand these relationships.
Does bile exposure during surgery affect the postoperative recovery and complications of pediatric patients with choledochal cysts treated by laparoscopic surgery?
Authors: Yano Keisuke , Murakami Masakazu , Onishi Shun , Sugita Koshiro , Harumatsu Toshio , Kawano Takafumi , Baba Tokuro , Kuda Masaaki , Miyoshi Kina , Koga Yoshinori , Kuwabara Jun , Masuya Ryuta , Hayashida Makoto , Nakame Kazuhiko , Shinyama Shin , Tatsuta Kyosuke , Yanagi Yusuke , Hirose Ryuichiro , Shono Takeshi , Migita Misato , Kaji Tatsuru , Takatsuki Mitsuhisa , Nanashima Atsushi , Matsufuji Hiroshi , Ieiri Satoshi
Published: August 2024

Purpose
We aimed to investigate the impact of intraoperative bile exposure (BE) on postoperative recovery and complications in pediatric patients with choledochal cysts (CCs).
Methods
We reviewed the medical records of CC patients who underwent laparoscopic surgery at our institutions between 2016 and 2024. The patients were divided into two groups according to the presence (BE group) or absence (control group) of intraoperative BE.
Results
Forty patients were enrolled (control group, n = 29; BE group, n = 11). The clinical data were compared between the two groups. The patients’ background characteristics, operative data, intraoperative adverse events, and postoperative complications during hospitalization did not significantly differ between the two groups. The incidence of postoperative cholangitis in the long-term postoperative period was significantly higher in the BE group than in the control group (2(6.9%) vs. 4(36.4%), p = 0.03). However, they did not have stenosis at the anastomotic site or intrahepatic stones.
Conclusion
intraoperative BE did not affect the postoperative recovery of patients with CC treated by laparoscopic surgery. However, it did affect the rate of occurrence of cholangitis in the postoperative chronic period. Further investigations are necessary to clarify the mechanism underlying the development of postoperative cholangitis in pediatric patients with CC.
Effect of Cryoablation in Nuss Bar Placement on Opioid Utilization and Length of Stay
Authors: Clinker Christopher , Scaife Jack , Eldredge R Scott , Russell Katie W.
Published: August 2024

BACKGROUND
Our institution recently transitioned from paravertebral nerve blocks (PVB) to intercostal nerve cryoablation (INC) for pain control following minimally invasive repair of pectus excavatum (MIRPE). This study aimed to determine how INC affected the operative time, length of stay, complication rates, inpatient opioid use, and outpatient prescription of opioids at a single center.
METHODS
A retrospective review was performed at a single pediatric referral center of all patients who underwent MIRPE between 2018–2023. Patient demographics, operative details, and perioperative course were collected. The use of INC versus PVB was recorded. Univariate analyses were performed using Wilcoxon rank sum tests for continuous variables and chi-squared tests for categorical variables.
RESULTS
255 patients were included with a median age of 15 years, median BMI of 18.50 kg/m2, and median Haller index of 4.40. INC was utilized in 41% (105/255), and 59% (150/255) received PVB. The two groups did not differ significantly in BMI, Haller index, or complications, though the INC patients were older by 1 year (15.0 vs 16.0, p = 0.034). INC was associated with an increased operative time (INC: 92 min vs. PVB: 67 min, p < 0.001), decreased length of stay (3 vs. 4 days, p = < 0.001), more than 2-fold decrease in inpatient opioids per day (INC: 16 (MME) vs PVB 41 (MME), p < 0.001), and a four-fold decrease in the amount of opioids prescribed at discharge (INC: 90 MME) vs PVB 390 MME, p < 0.001).
CONCLUSION
INC after MIRPE significantly decreased both the inpatient opioid utilization and our outpatient prescribing practices while also decreasing our overall length of stay without increasing complications.
Level of Evidence: Level III
Study of Climate Change Hazards Using The Climate Hazard Index in Indonesia
Authors: ROBBANI ISMAIL , WIRATMO JOKO , SUSANDI ARMI
Published: August 2024

Climate change is a serious problem for the world. It causes significant impact on ecosystems and people in all parts of the world's continents and oceans and poses grave risks to human health, global food security and economic development. One of the steps to reduce climate change disasters is climate risk management. Climate Risk Index (CRI) is a quantitative calculation of many climate risks with thresholds specific to extreme weather and climate events that cause disasters. One of the stages in preparing the CRI is to determine a hazard valuation or Climate Hazard Index (CHI). Because the climatic conditions in Indonesia vary with rainfall, it is necessary to conduct a study to determine the CHI associated with this variable. Therefore, in this study, climate hazards that are analyzed are limited to rainfall-related hazards, which are drought and extreme rainfall events. Then the constituent components of the CHI studied are the drought index and the extreme rain index. This hazard study shows an increasing trend in each of the CHI constituent component indices with a very high frequency of hazard events occurring frequently from 1995 to 2021. June was the month that had the highest average CHI among other months throughout 1962–2021. In terms of spatial patterns, CHI is extreme in the Indonesian region with local and equatorial rainfall patterns. Whereas in the monsoon pattern, CHI is in the medium-very low range. Furthermore, CHI can be influenced by several factors, one of which is forest land cover. The results show that when the loss of forest land cover increases, the CHI value and its component index will also increase in the short term.
Spontaneous Nystagmus Violating the Alexander’s Law: Neural Substrates and Mechanisms
Authors: Choi Jae-Hwan , Oh Eun Hye , Kim Hyun Sung , Park Ji-Yun , Lee Suk-Min , Choi Seo Young , Kim Hyo Jung , Choi Jeong-Yoon , Kim Ji-Soo , Otero-Millan Jorge , Choi Kwang-Dong
Published: August 2024

Alexander's law states that spontaneous nystagmus increases when looking in the direction of fast-phase and decreases during gaze in slow-phase direction. Disobedience to Alexander’s law is occasionally observed in central nystagmus, but the underlying neural circuit mechanisms are poorly understood. We found a violation of Alexander’s law in one or both directions of lateral gaze in lesions of unilateral lateral medulla affecting the vestibular nucleus. When Alexander’s law is violated, the time constant (Tc) was larger than that in the controls (median [interquartile range, IQR]: 14.4 s [6.4–38.9] vs 9.0 s [IQR 5.5–12.6], p = 0.036) while the Tc did not differ between the groups when Alexander’ law is obeyed (9.6 s [3.6–16.1] vs 9.0 s [5.5–12.6], p = 0.924). To test the study hypothesis that an unstable neural integrator may generate nystagmus violating Alexander's law, we primarily utilized the gaze-holding neural integrator computational model, incorporating lesion-induced changes. With normal integrator function, the false rotational cue generates nystagmus following Alexander’s law. The first lesion, which changes the brainstem neural integrator, and the second lesion, which causes the Purkinje synapse to exert excitatory input, both lead to nystagmus that violates Alexander’s law. We propose that when the neural integrator is unstable with lesions in the brainstem neural integrator itself or the neural synapse between Purkinje cells and the brainstem vestibular nucleus, nystagmus violates Alexander’s law.
Enhanced Earth and Rockfill Dam Seepage Forecasting via an Integrated PLS-BO-BiLSTM Approach: A Novel Model Incorporating Lag Effects and Optimization Algorithms
Authors: Xie Zhiwen , Chen Liang
Published: August 2024

Seepage significantly impacts the stability of earth and rockfill dams, making effective monitoring essential. Traditional Partial Least Squares (PLS) methods handle multicollinearity well but often lack predictive accuracy. Integrating neural networks, particularly Bidirectional Long Short-Term Memory (BiLSTM) networks, enhances accuracy by improving nonlinear data processing and memory of long-term dependencies. This research presents a novel PLS-BO-BiLSTM seepage model for rockfill dams, combining PLS with BiLSTM and Bayesian Optimization (BO). The model employs normal and Rayleigh distribution functions to account for lags in water depth and precipitation, optimized using the Grey Wolf Optimization (GWO) algorithm. Engineering case studies demonstrate the model's high predictive accuracy and generalizability, especially during sudden seepage increases caused by heavy rainfall.
Agricultural Activities Increased Soil Organic Carbon in Shiyang River Basin, a typical inland river basin in China
Authors: Wang Qinqin , Xu Yuanxiao , Zhu Guofeng , Lu Siyu , Qiu Dongdong , Jiao Yinying , Meng Gaojia , Chen Longhu , Li Rui , Zhang Wenhao , Zhao Ling , Qi Xiaoyu , Wang Yuhao , Huang Eenwei , Li Wentong
Published: August 2024

Oasis agriculture is one of the main forms of agriculture in the world. Studying the impact of agricultural practices on soil organic carbon (SOC) within oases can provide valuable insights into the dynamics of carbon input and sequestration in oasis agriculture. It can contribute to the development of well-reasoned agricultural policies. This work took the farmland in a typical inland river basin, Shiyang River Basin, of arid areas as the research object and compared the impact of the leading agricultural activities on the SOC. Samples were collected and their SOC content was determined in the laboratory. This work believes that: (1) In the same inland river basin, the organic carbon of farmland in the upper and middle reaches is significantly higher than that in the lower reaches, and the farmland in the core area of the oasis is higher than that in the marginal area; (2) The SOC content of farmland in the inland river basin is higher than that of woodland and grassland, and agricultural reclamation increases the SOC content in the inland river basin; (3) The abandonment of cultivated land leads to a decrease in SOC, and plastic film mulching has no obvious effect on the content of SOC. The research has clarified the impact of agricultural activities on SOC in arid oasis areas, and quantified the impact of different agricultural activities on SOC. The research can provide new references for understanding the impact of agriculture in arid regions on carbon cycling.
Investigating the Impact of Personal Preferences on Visual Working Memory Recall
Authors: Sadegh Roya Mohammad , Rezayat Ehsan
Published: August 2024

Visual working memory (VWM) plays a vital role in holding visual information in mind, and errors in recall can have significant consequences. Previous research has identified various factors that can influence recall errors in VWM, such as the number of items held in memory and the similarity between items. In this study, we investigated the impact of personal preferences on VWM recall accuracy. Our results showed that recall accuracy was significantly higher for preferential items compared to non-preferential items, indicating that personal preferences can have a significant impact on VWM recall accuracy. Moreover, the distance analysis revealed both attraction and repulsion effects in the VWM content. These findings have important implications for understanding the factors that influence memory recall and may have practical applications in fields such as marketing and design. Overall, this study sheds light on the role of personal preferences in VWM recall accuracy and contributes to a better understanding of the cognitive mechanisms underlying memory recall.
The Influence of Physiological Synchrony Between Therapy Horse and Riding Therapist on The Therapeutic Triad in Horse-Assisted Therapy
Authors: Wienhold Stella , Bär Larissa , Ringleb Zoe , Zirpel Victoria , Gomolla Annette , Denk Bernadette F. , Volkmer Nina , Gaertner Raphaela J. , Klink Elea S. C. , Pruessner Jens C.
Published: August 2024

In any therapeutic setting, the outcome depends in part on the therapeutic alliance, characterized by mutual understanding, empathy and trust among the participants, which also manifests itself through physiological synchronization (PS) processes involving breathing, heart, and brain. This study examined the dynamics of heart rate variability (HRV) synchronization patterns during horse-assisted therapy. We explored the impact of horse preference of the therapist, and levels of early life adversity (ELA) on PS relationships across participants, riding therapists and therapy horses. Our sample of 43 participants engaged in standardized horse-assisted therapy sessions facilitated by three riding therapists and four therapy horses. PS was operationalized through cross-wavelet power analyses across the different dyads. The results showed that the riding therapist's preference for a particular therapy horse was associated with less HRV synchronization between this therapy horse and the respective riding therapist. Strong synchronization between horse and therapist was associated with strong synchronization between horse and participant and between therapist and participant. We found an association between ELA and HRV synchronization between participants and therapists, with HRV synchronization being lower in individuals with higher levels of ELA. This effect of ELA was not found for HRV synchronization between participants and horses. These findings contribute to a better understanding of the therapeutic mechanisms underlying horse-human interactions and have implications for optimizing therapeutic interventions in clinical settings.
Habitat mapping for native oyster restoration using hydrodynamic modelling and experimental mortality data
Authors: Pereiro Diego , Dabrowski Tomasz , Tully Oliver , Lyons Kieran , Morrisey Patrick , Daly Eoghan , Basu Bidroha , Kelly Diarmuid , O’Halloran Gerry , O’Dowd Colm , Nolan Glenn , Gill Laurence
Published: August 2024

Ostrea edulis has been harvested in Galway Bay, Ireland, for centuries, but the oyster aquaculture in the bay is facing multiple threats One major concern for oyster farmers in the bay is the recurrence of heavy-rainfall, high-runoff, low-salinity events. In this work, a high-resolution hydrodynamic coastal model of Galway Bay is used together with experimental data on oyster mortality to identify suitable areas for native oyster restoration. Here, a new coastal circulation model of Galway Bay is presented, and its performance is evaluated against in-situ temperature and salinity observations. Oysters were exposed at varying conditions of temperature and salinity in the laboratory and experimental cumulative mortality curves were determined. These experiments were used to develop an oyster mortality model that, together with the temperature and salinity predictions from the hydrodynamic model, determines the total mortality over a given period. A new Habitat Suitability Index is proposed, based on the distribution of total cumulative mortality.
Improved Printed Circuit Board Defect Detection Scheme
Authors: Bai Lufeng , Xu Wen hao
Published: August 2024

In this paper, an improved printed circuit board(PCB)defect detection scheme named PD-YOLOv8 is proposed, which is specialized in the common and challenging problem of small target recognition in PCB inspection. This improved scheme mainly relies on the basic framework of YOLOv8n, and effectively enhances the detection performance of PCB small defects through multiple innovative designs. First, we incorporate the E-CANet attention mechanism into the backbone network of YOLOv8, which improves the performance of small object detection by adaptively enhancing the expressiveness of key features, so that the network possesses higher sensitivity and focus on tiny details in PCB images. Second, we optimize and upgraded the neck structure. On the one hand, the C2f E module is introduced to facilitate cross-layer feature fusion to ensure that the rich texture information at the lower layer and the abstract semantic information at the higher layer complement each other, which is conducive to improving the contextual understanding of small object detection; on the other hand, a detection head specialized for small targets is designed and added to enhance the ability of locating and identifying tiny defects. Furthermore, in order to further enhance the interaction and fusion of multi-scale features, we also add a SlimNeck module to the neck structure, which realizes efficient information transfer through streamlined design and reduces computational complexity at the same time. In addition, we draw on the advanced BiFPN structure, which enables the bidirectional flow of feature information between multiple layers and greatly improves the capture and integration of small target features. Compared to the original YOLOv8 algorithm , this algorithm improves the average accuracy on small targets by 5.7% for mAP50 and 2.2% for mAP50-95.
Whether 3.0 g cefuroxime prophylaxis before cardiac surgery diminished postoperative pneumonia and persistent fever compared with 1.5 g: a nested case-control study
Authors: Yang Jianshui , Ge Zijun , Min Qifen , Gong Xiaowen , Chen Wensen , Zang Feng
Published: August 2024

Objectives
Whether 3.0 g CXM prophylaxis before cardiac surgery can effectively avoid POP and persistent POFcompared with 1.5 g is debatable, which needs to be confirmed by evidence medical research.
Methods
A total of 301 patients who underwent CXM prophylaxis before cardiac surgery from Jan 2023 to Dec 2023 at the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University were incorporated in a nested case-control study. The patients were divided into the 1.5 g (n=170) and 3.0 g (n=131) groups according to the dosage of prophylactic CXM. Outcomes included POP and persistent POF. Risk andstratification analysis was performed for the effect andmodification of different doses of CXM on outcomes.
Results
The incidence of persistent POF in 1.5 g group (52, 30.59%) was lower than that in 3.0 g group (67, 51.15%) unadjusted (OR=2.38, 95%CI:1.48~3.81, P<0.001) or adjusted (OR=2.38, 95%CI:1.36~4.14, P=0.002) for the confounding variables. There was no significant difference in POP between the two groups unadjusted (OR=1.26, 95%CI:0.62~2.55, P=0.522) or adjusted (OR=1.03., 95%CI:0.48~2.20, P=0.945) for the confounding variables. The results of stratification analysis defined that two different dosages of prophylactic CXM didn’t generate effect modification on the risk factors of persistent POF.
Conclusions
3.0 g CXM prophylaxis before cardiac surgery didn’t decrease the incidence of POP but increased the risk of persistent POF compared with 1.5 g. Given the facts, this study may point the solution of CXM preoperative prophylaxis for cardiac surgery.
No Causal Relationship Between Coagulation Factors and Sepsis-Related Risks: A Mendelian Randomization Study
Authors: Lei Jingchao , Qi Jing , Zhai Jia , Zhang Yao , Sun Chuanzheng
Published: August 2024

Background
Sepsis is a life-threatening organ dysfunction caused by a dysregulated host response to infection. Among the critical hallmarks of sepsis progression is the abnormal activation of coagulation, particularly the onset of disseminated intravascular coagulation, which often indicates a higher risk of mortality. However, due to the complexity of the coagulation system and the lack of prospective sepsis cohorts, understanding the relationship between coagulation factors and sepsis-related risk remains limited. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the association between coagulation factor levels and related protein expressions with the risk of sepsis incidence, ICU admission, and 28-day mortality using publicly available GWAS summary statistics through MR analysis.
Methods
To explore the causal relationship between coagulation factors and sepsis-related risks, we employed a two-sample MR analysis framework. After rigorous quality control, we extracted 99 SNPs influencing the plasma levels of 16 coagulation factors from GWAS. Cis-eQTLs regulating sepsis-related coagulation genes were extracted from the eQTLgen database as instrumental variables. We then utilized sepsis GWAS data from independent European ancestry cohorts: UK Biobank and FinnGen as outcome data for MR analysis. We calculated MR estimates using various methods and conducted sensitivity analyses to ensure the robustness of the analysis.
Results
The causal effect sizes between genetically predicted levels of coagulation factors and the risk of sepsis incidence, ICU admission, and 28-day mortality did not reach statistical significance. The expression of the TMEM173 gene showed a positive effect on the risk of ICU admission for sepsis (IVW: beta = 0.362, P = 0.0264; Weighted Median: beta = 0.386, P = 0.0123).
Conclusions
Our MR study does not support a presumed causal effect between coagulation factor levels and the risk of sepsis incidence, ICU admission, and 28-day mortality in European populations.
Mitochondrial transcriptome of Candida albicans in flagranti — direct RNA sequencing reveals a new layer of information
Authors: Piątkowski Jakub , Koźluk Kacper , Golik Paweł
Published: August 2024

Background:
Organellar transcriptomes are relatively under-studied systems, with data related to full-length transcripts and posttranscriptional modifications remaining sparse. Direct RNA sequencing presents the possibility of accessing a previously unavailable layer of information pertaining to transcriptomic data, as well as circumventing the biases introduced by second-generation RNA-seq platforms. Direct long-read Nanopore sequencing allows for the analyzing isoforms of full-length transcripts and the detection of posttranscriptional modifications. However, there are still relatively few projects employing this method specifically for studying organellar transcriptomes.
Results:
Candida albicans is a promising model for investigating nucleo-mitochondrial interactions. This work comprises Nanopore sequencing of the Candida albicans mitochondrial transcriptome along with the development of a dedicated data analysis pipeline, allowing for the detection of complete transcript isoforms and posttranslational RNA modifications, as well as an analysis of C. albicans deletion mutants in genes coding for the 5' and 3' mitochondrial RNA exonucleases CaPET127 and CaDSS1. It also allowed for corrections to previous studies in terms of 3’ and 5’ transcript ends and revealed the presence of a number of intermediate splicing isoforms, along with mature and unspliced transcripts and changes in their abundances resulting from disruption of both 5’ and 3’ exonucleolytic processing. Multiple putative posttranscriptional modification sites have also been detected.
Conclusions:
This preliminary work demonstrates the suitability of direct RNA sequencing for studying yeast mitochondrial transcriptomes in general and provides new insights into the workings of the C. albicans mitochondrial transcriptome in particular. It also provides a general roadmap for analyzing mitochondrial transcriptomic data from other organisms.
The Effects of Cold-Water Immersion on Post-High-Intensity-Exercise Cortisol and Testosterone to Determine Recovery
Authors: Gillette Cordial , McCutchin Brett
Published: August 2024

Context: Little literature has explored the effects of cold-water immersion (CWI), on testosterone and cortisol responses to exercise.
Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of CWI on testosterone and cortisol responses to high-intensity exercise in athletes.
Methods: 8 male American football players (21.0 ± 1.0 years of age, 180.0 ± 4.4 cm, 86.7 ± 8.6 kg) underwent a series of high-intensity workouts consisting of maximal effort sprints. Subjects underwent PR and different lengths of CWI consisting of a 15-, 25-, or 35-minute bout immediately after workouts. Salivary samples were taken for pre, post, one hr post, 24 hr post, and 48 hr post workout.
Results: For testosterone, very large (ηp2 = .561) main effects for time (F (4) = 30.729; P < .001) regardless of CWI condition. There was a medium to large (ηp2 = .231) condition-by-time interaction (F (12) = 2.402; P = .030) that demonstrated a difference in testosterone responses to training based on different CWI conditions. At 24 hours post-workout, testosterone was significantly elevated from one-hour post-workout in both the 25- and 35-min CWI conditions. The 35 min CWI condition led to an overshoot at 48 hours so that testosterone was higher than baseline at the 48-hour recovery mark.
Conclusions: When seeking the goal of acute recovery, results suggest athletes may want to partake in passive recovery as compared to longer bouts of CWI; however, the data suggests CWI may be more beneficial for prolonged recovery.