bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Efficient approach for Predicting Sales using Supervised Machine Learning Algorithms
Authors: Chintapanti Anusha , Maiti Sandipan
Published: August 2023

The significant impact in businesses is generally affected by manufacturing, planning, supply chain, marketing, warehousing, logistics, and resource management, usually managed by sales forecasting. Casual forecasting techniques and the correlations between factors are used to anticipate future sales behaviour without relying on historical data and trends. Despite the wide usage in research and application, there are severe drawbacks regarding the forecasting techniques related to classic time series. The sales related to supermarkets, along with association rules, regression techniques, time series algorithms, etc., are estimated by numerous available methods. This paper explains constructing a prediction model based on a supervised machine learning algorithm known as Ada Boost to estimate possible sales for 45 Walmart stores in various locations. It is a great opportunity for researchers to predict sales for Walmart, as it is the largest store existing in the world. The sales will be affected on a periodic basis during an event or holidays. This affect might also extend on a daily basis.
Natural Language Processing for Forecasting Mortality and Premature Death in Companion Animals
Authors: Farrell Sean , Noble Peter-John Mäntylä , Al-Moubayed Noura
Published: August 2023

Accurate tracking and monitoring of companion animal mortality rates are essential for promoting animal welfare and safeguarding public health. However, current methods suffer incompleteness and unreliability, with no frequent monitoring of companion animal mortality in the UK. Here we introduce PetBERT-mortality, a novel forecasting tool that comprises two key components. The first component demonstrates precision and recall rates of over 98\% and 97\%, respectively, in accurately identifying animals declared dead during consultations. Leveraging a dataset of over 8 million electronic health records (EHRs) from first-opinion veterinary practices, we identify 92,548 deceased cats and dogs. We present breed-specific life expectancies allowing us to identify 4,146 premature deaths and uncover their causes using the high-level syndromic ICD-11 disease coding framework and novel insight into risk factors associated with premature mortality. The second component focuses on characterising past consultation events and associated factors, such as age, sex, and geographical circumstances, to forecast expected mortality with up to 73\% predictive accuracy over 12 months. We investigate that end-of-life discussions during penultimate consultations occur in fewer than 24\% of cases. Overall, this study underscores the potential of PetBERT-mortality to enhance the health and well-being of companion animals while supporting veterinary clinicians in delivering optimal care.
Synergistic Impact of Arbutin and Kaempferol-7-O-α-L- rhamnopyranoside from Nephelium lappaceum L. on Whitening Efficacy and Stability of Cosmetics Formulations
Authors: Siridechakorn Ittipon , Pimpa Junsuda , Choodej Siwattra , Pudhom Khanitha
Published: August 2023

Four flavonoid glycosides, namely quercetin-3-O-rhamnoside (1), kaempferol-3-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl (2), kaempferol-7-O-α-L-rhamnopyranoside (3), and kaempferol-3-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl-7-O-α-L-rhamnopyranoside (4), from Nephelium lappaceum L. seeds were evaluated for their efficacy against melanin inhibition in B16F10 melanoma cells and tyrosinase inhibition. Among them, kaempferol-7-O-α-L-rhamnopyranoside (3) displayed the highest potency in both activities without any significant cytotoxicity. The combination of compound 3 and arbutin in specific proportions demonstrated a synergistic effect (CI < 1) in inhibiting melanin production in B16F10 cells and tyrosinase inhibition. Additionally, a cosmetic formulation containing compound 3 and arbutin as active ingredients exhibited favorable stability under accelerated storage conditions. Quantitative analysis indicated that compound 3 and arbutin levels in the formulation were above 90% after one month of storage.
Association between GNRI and Mortality Risk in the Elderly: An Analysis of NHANES Data
Authors: Chen Naifei , Liu Xiangliang , Li Yuguang , Chen Xinqiao , Zhang Rong , Xu Feiyang , Yin Hongmei
Published: August 2023

Geriatric Nutritional Risk Index (GNRI) is a simple tool to assess nutritional status in the elderly. Current research on the dose-response relationship between GNRI and mortality risk, especially with different causes of death, in the elderly is limited.10,617 participants aged ≥ 60 years were included from NHANES 2005–2016, with 7,063 excluded for inability to calculate GNRI, leaving 3,454 finally enrolled. They were divided into high nutritional risk (GNRI < 82), moderate nutritional risk (82 ≤ GNRI < 92), low nutritional risk (92 ≤ GNRI ≤ 98) and no nutritional risk (GNRI > 98) groups by GNRI levels. The primary outcome was all-cause mortality and secondary outcomes were cancer mortality and cardiovascular mortality. The correlations between GNRI and mortality risks were evaluated using Cox regression and restricted cubic spline models. Compared with the optimal GNRI group, the high nutritional risk group had 65% increased all-cause mortality, 4 times the cardiovascular mortality, and 2.5 times the cancer mortality. GNRI was linearly and negatively correlated with all-cause and cardiovascular mortality, while the correlation with cancer mortality was weaker. GNRI was negatively associated with mortality risk especially cardiovascular mortality in the elderly, and is an effective tool for assessing mortality risk in this population.
The relationship between School bullying and suicidal ideation among diploma medical students: the mediating effect of emotional response
Authors: Zhu Ping , Yin Chongzhi , Lei Wei , Xiang Bo , Fu Jing , Tan JinHua
Published: August 2023

Background ,y also seeks to analyze the impact of School bullying and emotional response on suicide ideation and explore the Mesomeric effect of emotional response between school bullying and suicide ideation.
Methods
A cross-sectional survey was conducted, with a questionnaire being administered to 3013 vocational school medical students. Statistical analysis was done by descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation analysis, multiple linear regression, and structural equation model.
Results
There was a positive correlation between School bullying and suicidal ideation, as well as between emotional response and suicidal ideation. There was an indirect Mesomeric effect between emotional response to School bullying and suicidal thoughts.
Conclusions
Suicide ideation is common amongdiploma medical students. School bullying and emotional reaction are significant causes. The emotional reaction has an indirect Mesomeric effect on school bullying and suicide ideation. Therefore, the results of the study explored measures to reduce suicidal ideation and prevent school bullying. In addition, the results emphasized the important role of emotion control in emotional response.
Diabetic Retinopathy Classification using VisionTransformer Architectures and Deep Learning
Authors: Hossain Shahriar , Chakrabarty Amitabha , Alam Golam Rabiul
Published: August 2023

Diabetic Retinopathy (DR) is a vision-threatening disease that has affected plenty of people worldwide and is treated using digital fundus imaging and retinal images by specialists at the primary level. DR is one of the most common eye diseases and it is caused by long-term diabetes and high blood pressure.A lot of research has been carried out in the recent past using Deep Learning (DL) models on eye disease diagnosis. However, recently Transformer based models have proved to be quite dynamic in terms of image classification and have outperformed DL architectures in many cases. In this research, we implement a vision Transformer (ViT) model with Shifted Patch Tokenization(SPT) and Locality Self Attention (LSA) that is specifically built to perform well on small datasets, alongside we implement someConvolutional Neural Network (CNN) based Transfer learning algorithms such as ResNet101, InceptionV3, and Xception. Upon training and testing the selected architectures, we find that theViT-based model outperforms all the state-of-the-art DL models ,attaining accuracies of 82.26% and 77.01% for training and validation respectively. Furthermore, we used StyleGAN2 as an alternative to the generic data augmentation technique to produce images that replicate the original properties of the real images.We augmented our dataset consisting of 2750 images usingStyleGAN2 and extended it into a total of 5000 images keeping an equal number of images in each of the classes mitigating class imbalance and ensuring the dataset is small enough to demonstrate ViT on small datasets.
Trade-off Dynamics and Chaotic Behavior in Nonautonomous Prey-Predator Models with Group Defense
Authors: Bhargava Masoom , Dubey Balram
Published: August 2023

Ecological ”trade-off” is prioritising one trait over another. Predators put their lives at danger to pursue dangerous prey, and their injuries can reduce their chances of survival. Prey must ”trade-off” between reproduction rate and safety, whereas predators must ”trade-off” between food and safety. We present a two-dimensional prey and predator model that takes into account prey logistic growth rate and Monod-Haldane type functional response to reflect prey collective defense. We investigate the cost of fear in order to depict prey trade-off dynamics, and we change the predator’s mortality rate by incorporating a function that reflects predator loss as a result of encountering dangerous prey. Our model shows bistability and goes through transcritical bifurcation, saddle node bifurcation, Hopf bifurcation, Bogdanov-Takens bifurcation, Bautin bifurcation, Homoclinic bifurcation, and Limit point of cycle bifurcation. We investigated the effects of our critical parameters on both populations and discovered that predators become extinct if their loss of predator is too high due to encounters with dangerous prey, demonstrating how predators risk their own health for food. We find that fear can lead to global stability in a system by causing the stable and unstable limit cycles to collide. We also see that the degree of seasonality in the level of fear in the nonautonomous model might lead to chaos. Sensitivity analysis, the positivity of the maximal Lyapunov exponent, and the uneven distribution of points observed in the Poincar´e map shown is an established sign of chaotic nature. We note that variations in intensity of seasonality in carry-over can cause a system to shift under many different periodic windows. The findings presented in this article may be beneficial in comprehending the biological insights derived from investigating prey-predator interactions.
Prediction of prognosis and immune response in prostate cancer by senescence-associated lncRNA signature
Authors: Wan Yueming , Cao Weiwei , Yi Xiaochun , Peng Keliang , Jiang Xun , Liao Chunwang
Published: August 2023

Background: Prostate cancer often leads to high mortality rates and poor clinical outcomes. Recent research indicates that long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) and cellular senescence play significant roles in tumor development. Our study aims to explore the role of senescence-associated lncRNAs in predicting clinical outcomes and potential use in immunotherapy.
Methods: We sourced transcriptome data from the TCGA dataset and collected cellular senescence-associated genes from relevant studies. A prognostic signature was constructed using Cox regression and co-expression analyses. Patients were then classified into high-risk and low-risk groups. We undertook a series of model validations to assess the prognostic value of the signature. Further analyses included gene ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) for lncRNAs, their immune-related functions, and the evaluation of tumor mutation burden (TMB). Lastly, we utilized the Tumor Immune Dysfunction and Exclusion (TIDE) algorithm to examine immune evasion and potential immunotherapeutic applications of senescence-associated lncRNAs.
Results: We identified three senescence-associated lncRNAs and developed a prognostic signature. It was found that high-risk patients had worse overall survival (OS) and higher mortality rates. The independent prognostic analysis, ROC, and C-index indicated that the senescence-associated lncRNAs accurately predicted the prognosis of patients with prostate cancer. The enrichment analysis suggested that these lncRNAs were involved in tumor development and progression. Additionally, patients with low TMB were found to have poorer OS.
Conclusions: The identified three senescence-associated lncRNAs can predict the prognosis of prostate cancer patients. They offer new insights for clinical applications, particularly for developing novel immunotherapeutic strategies.
Wear prediction model of hot rolling backup roll based on FEM+ML algorithm
Authors: Lu Jia , Hao Luhan , Wang Pengfei , Huang Huagui , Li Xu , Hua Changchun , Su Lihong , Deng Guanyu
Published: August 2023

The wear of backup rolls will have a great impact on the quality of hot rolled strip sheet shape. In order to overcome the limitations of the finite element method (FEM) in calculating the wear of backup rolls in terms of efficiency and accuracy, this paper proposes a FEM + ML tandem hybrid model to optimise the prediction effect of the finite element method (FEM) on the wear of backup rolls. Firstly, a backup roller wear model is established based on FEM. Secondly, in order to select the optimal machine learning (ML) algorithm as the finite element error compensation model, three types of finite element error compensation models were established based on the random forest (RF) algorithm, radial basis neural network (RBF) algorithm, and particle swarm optimisation support vector machine (PSO-SVM) algorithm. Finally, the three types of finite element error compensation models were connected in series with the FEM model to compare the prediction performance of the three types of FEM + ML models on the wear of backup rolls. The numerical experimental results show that the FEM + PSO-SVM model can predict the wear of the backup roll better, and the PSO-SVM algorithm is most suitable for establishing the finite element error compensation model. It is proved that the FEM + ML model proposed in this paper can effectively improve the accuracy and computational efficiency of the FEM model for predicting the wear of the backup rolls without adding microelements. In addition, among the hot rolling parameters, the rolling force has the greatest influence on the wear of the backup rolls, and excessive rolling force should be avoided for a single pass in order to slow down the wear of the backup rolls.
Enhancing removal of acid orange II by heterogeneous catalytic ozonation using ZnO nanoparticles-modified fly ash composite
Authors: Hoang Van Hung , Chu Thi Hong Huyen , Nguyen Thi Dong , Nguyen Thi Hong Vien , Nguyen Thu Huyen , Luu Thi Cuc , Van Huu-Tap , Nguyen Hoang , Duong Dinh Tuan , Nguyen Van Huu Luong
Published: August 2023

In this study, heterogeneous catalytic ozonation using fly ash (FA) modified ZnO nanoparticles to the decolorization of acid orange II (AOII) was studied. The combination of ZnO and fly ash via an incipient wetness impregnation method to form ZOFA composites created a synergistic effect that led to efficient catalytic ozonation activity towards AOII degradation and decolorization compared with individual ozonation processes. From the experimental results, ZOFA composite with the optimal weight ratio between ZnO NPs and FA was 20 wt% (denoted as ZOFA-20) that exhibited outstanding catalytic ozonation activity. Moreover, through other investigations including initial pH conditions and catalyst dosage, AOII could be effectively and optimally eliminated by 0.5 g of ZOFA-20 with an initial pH value of 11. The corresponding k value was measured as 0.248 min− 1 with a maximum TOC removal content of 77.27%. Besides, ZOFA-20 could show high catalytic ozonation activity even at highly concentrated AOII concentrations while it could also retain its excellent stability and reusability over 5 continuous AOII removal cycles. From the experimental and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) results, hydroxyl radical (•OH) was the main active species during the catalytic ozonation of AOII. The present study provides a promising approach to prepare novel composite-based fly ash that would be applicable for removing azo dye and other dye pollutants in water via a catalytic ozonation strategy.
Assessment of the benefits of wort supplementation with inorganic nutrients in the bioethanol production process
Authors: Montiel Davi Gorla , Cedeno Fernando Roberto Paz , Brienzo Michel , Masarin Fernando
Published: August 2023

The scarcity of mineral nutrients in the wort for bioethanol production has been a constant concern within the industrial scale. Serious damage to the production process can be pointed out, such as compromising the vitality of the yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells). This paper evaluated the mineral amounts of ions metals in the industrial fermentation process. A balance of minerals indicated the necessity of yeasts for certain chemical elements, making measurable the levels necessary for the respective supplementation. Through this, laboratory-scale fermentation assays were carried out with different conditions (20, 24 e 26 °Brix) that determined the main productivity parameters in response to the application of two commercial nutrients in a combined way. Among the conditions evaluated, the assays with 24 and 26 °Brix supplemented with the line of inorganic nutrients ™Nitrofós presented better results, increasing the fermentative efficiency by 7 percentage points compared to the control (without product). Fermentations supplemented with the product showed higher levels of cellular vitality, indicating an increase in glucose-reducing metabolism through the nutrition of S. cerevisiae. Considering a scale-up of the bioethanol production process with supplementation of ™Nitrofós accounted for gains of 266 m³ of ethanol/month more than the control group, savings of R$ 586,879.20.
Synergistic interaction between molybdenum disulfide nanosheet and metal organic framework for high performance supercapacitor
Authors: Ahmed Fatma M. , Ateia Ebtesam E. , El-dek S. I. , El-Kader Sherine M. Abd , Shafaay Amira S.
Published: August 2023

Zeolitic imidazolate framework-67 crystals (ZIF-67) anchored molybdenum disulfide nanosheets (MS) have been synthesized via a hydrothermal approach followed by a simple chemical method. MS concentration has been varied to investigate its impact on the electrochemical efficiency within the electrode nanocomposite. The shiny spot of this composite is the combination of two desirable properties, the conductive path created by MS, and the structural framework support provided by Zeolitic imidazolate framework-67 intercalated with nickel (Z67.Ni). The reason behind this choice of this specific nanocomposite is the framework of the Z67.Ni that prevents MS nanosheets from restacking during the repeated charge and discharge cycles. Superior electrochemical behavior of Z67.Ni with 70% weight percent of MS (Z67.Ni/MS7) demonstrated the excellent synergistic effect between Z67.Ni crystals and MS nanosheets. It has a specific capacitance of 308.5 F g− 1 at 1 A g− 1 and delivers an excellent energy density (Ed) of 83.98 W h kg− 1 with a power density (Pd) of 2.78 kW kg− 1. These excellent results demonstrate the high efficiency of this nanocomposite material in supercapacitor applications.
WITHDRAWN: Phthirus pubis crawling along the palpebral margin
Authors: Lin Jiateng , Li Shangming , Lv Gang , Si Shancheng
Published: August 2023

Background: A seemingly ordinary but rare case of ocular itching in a 7-year-old boy was reported, providing clear images of eye abnormalities and microorganisms crawling along the palpebral margin. These microorganisms were ultimately confirmed as pubic ice by pathogenic microbiology experts. We believe that our work has significant implications for improving childcare and home care, which is of great interest to the readers in this area.
Case presentation: A 7-year-old child with ocular itching was reported. Previously, he was diagnosed with contact dermatitis by general practitioners and was treated with tobramycin-dexamethasone eye ointment. On ophthalmic examination, slit lamp examination revealed insect eggs attached to the palpebral margins and eyelash roots of both upper eyelids, and active crab-like insect bodies crawling along the palpebral margin of both eyelids. These microorganisms were confirmed by pathogenic microbiology experts to be pubic lice. After the parasites were removed and the eyelashes were cut off, tobramycin and dexamethasone eye ointment were applied to bilateral eyelid margins. No lice were found again and the itching symptoms completely disappeared after one week of follow-up.
Conclusion: Pediatric cases of phthiriasis palpebrarum without child sexual abuse are rare. Even in children without sexual contact, there is the potential for the development of phthiriasis palpebrarum, which requires more attention from ophthalmologists, general practitioners and dermatologists.
Neuroprotection by Acrolein Sequestration through Exogenously Applied Scavengers and Endogenous Enzymatic Enabling Strategies in mouse EAE model
Authors: Tang Jonathan , Alford Anna , Leung Gary , Tully Melissa , Shi Riyi
Published: August 2023

We have previously shown that the pro-oxidative aldehyde acrolein is a critical factor in MS pathology, and the acrolein scavenger hydralazine (HZ) can suppress acrolein and alleviate motor deficits in a mouse experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) model. In this study, we found that in addition to hydralazine (HZ), phenelzine and dimercaprol, two structurally distinct acrolein scavengers, can mitigate motor and/or sensory deficits in EAE when applied immediately post-induction. This suggests that the chief factor of neuroprotection offered by three structurally distinct acrolein scavengers in EAE is their common feature of acrolein neutralization, not other functions unique to each compound. Furthermore, HZ can alleviate motor deficits when applied after the emergence of MS symptoms, making anti-acrolein treatment a more clinically relevant strategy. In addition, HZ can reduce both acrolein and MPO, suggesting a causative interaction between acrolein and inflammation. Finally, up-and-down regulation of ALDH2 function in EAE mice using either a pharmacological or genetic strategy led to correspondent motor and sensory changes. This data indicates a key role of ALDH2 in influencing oxidative stress, inflammation, and behavior in EAE. These findings further consolidate the critical role of aldehydes in the pathology of EAE and its mechanisms of regulation. This is expected to reinforce and expand the possible therapeutic targets of anti-aldehyde treatment to achieve neuroprotection through both endogenous and exogenous manners.
Anti-hyperalgesic and anti-inflammatory effects of 4R-tobacco cembranoid in a mouse model of inflammatory pain
Authors: Rivera-García Luis G. , Francis-Malavé Adela M. , Castillo Zachary W. , Uong Calvin D. , Wilson Torri D. , Ferchmin P. A. , Eterovic Vesna , Burton Michael D. , Carrasquillo Yarimar
Published: August 2023

4R is a tobacco cembranoid that exhibits neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory activity, with previous studies demonstrating that it binds to and modulates cholinergic receptors. Given the established function of the cholinergic system in pain modulation and inflammation, we propose that 4R is also analgesic. In the present study, we tested the hypothesis that systemic 4R treatment decreases pain-related behaviors and peripheral inflammation in a mouse model of inflammatory pain. To do this, we injected Complete Freund’s Adjuvant (CFA) into the hind paw of male and female mice to elicit inflammation. We then assessed inflammation-induced hypersensitivity to cold, heat, and tactile stimulation using the Acetone, Hargreaves, and Von Frey tests, respectively, before and at different time points (2.5h – 8d) after a single systemic 4R (or vehicle) administration. In separate experiments, we pre-treated mice with a selective antagonist of alpha 7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (α7nAChRs) followed by 4R (or vehicle) administration prior to behavioral tests. To evaluate CFA-induced paw edema and inflammation, we measured paw thickness and quantified immune cell infiltration in the injected hind paw using hematoxylin and eosin staining. Lastly, we performed immunohistochemical and flow cytometric analyses of paw skin in α7nAChR-cre::Ai9 mice to measure the expression of α7nAChRs on immune subsets. Our experiments show that systemic administration of 4R decreases inflammation-induced peripheral hypersensitivity in male and female mice and inflammation-induced paw edema in male but not female mice. Notably, 4R-mediated analgesia and anti-inflammatory effects lasted up to 8d after a single systemic administration on day 1. Pretreatment with an α7nAChR-selective antagonist prevented 4R-mediated analgesia and anti-inflammatory effects, demonstrating that 4R effects are via modulation of the cholinergic system. We further show that a subset of immune cells in the hid paw expresses α7nAChR. However, the number of α7nAChR-expressing immune cells is unaltered by CFA or 4R treatment, suggesting that 4R effects are independent of α7nAChR-expressing immune cells. Together, our findings identify a novel function of the 4R tobacco cembranoid as an analgesic agent in both male and female mice that reduces peripheral inflammation in a sex-dependent manner, further supporting the pharmacological targeting of the cholinergic system for pain treatment.
Prognostic Nomograms to Predict Positive Lymph Nodes in Breast Cancer Patients after Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy: Competing Risk Models Basing on the SEER Database
Authors: Liu Peinan , Zhao Changying , Cui Hanxiao , Dai Luyao , Zhao Xuyan , Lin Shuai , Zhang Xin , Wu Hao , Ma Xiaobin , Kang Huafeng
Published: August 2023

Purpose
This study wanted to discuss whether sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) combined with radiotherapy could be an alternative to axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) in patients with positive lymph nodes after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC), and created nomograms to predict their probability of breast cancer-specific death (BCSD).
Methods
This study enrolled breast cancer patients who had positive lymph nodes after NAC, using data from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database. Patients were stratified into two groups based on whether they received radiotherapy. Stabilized inverse probability of treatment weighting was employed to correct confounding variables. Kaplan-Meier curves were utilized to compare breast cancer-specific survival (BCSS) and overall survival (OS) outcomes between SLNB and ALND. Furthermore, prognostic nomograms were developed to predict the probability of BCSD.
Results
A total of 2204 patients were enrolled in this study, including 1321 in the radiotherapy group and 883 in the non-radiotherapy group. In the radiotherapy group, there was no significant difference in BCSS (HR = 1.115, 95%CI: 0.837–1.594, P = 0.328) and OS (HR = 1.164, 95%CI: 0.867–1.562, P = 0.270) between SLNB and ALND subgroups. In the non-radiotherapy group, SLNB was associated with worse BCSS (HR = 1.912, 95%CI: 1.273–2.873, P < 0.001) and OS (HR = 1.754, 95%CI: 1.219–2.523, P = 0.001). The calibration curves and the areas under the curves demonstrated the excellent accuracy and consistency of the nomograms.
Conclusions
SLNB combined with radiotherapy in patients with positive lymph nodes after NAC may provide similar survival benefits as ALND. The nomograms may be able to predict the probability of BCSD for them.
A phosphodiesterase 4 (PDE4) inhibitor, amlexanox, reduces neuroinflammation and neuronal death after pilocarpine-induced seizure
Authors: Yang Hyun Wook , Kho A Ra , Lee Song Hee , Kang Beom Seok , Park Min Kyu , Lee Chang Jun , Park Se Wan , Woo Seo Young , Kim Dong Yeon , Jung Hyun Ho , Choi Bo Young , Yang Won Il , Song Hong Ki , Choi Hui Chul , Suh Sang Won
Published: August 2023

Epilepsy is a neurological disorder characterized by recurrent seizures resulting from abnormal electrical activity in the brain. During acute neurological diseases, defective lysosomal functioning can lead to the accumulation of toxic substrates in cellular organelles, causing impaired autophagy. Phosphodiesterase-4 (PDE4) is an enzyme that regulates cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) levels by breaking it down into adenosine monophosphate (AMP). PDE4 also influences lysosomal function and the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines. In pathological conditions, increased PDE4 activity leads to reduced cAMP levels. In a recent study, researchers investigated the potential of Amlexanox, an anti-inflammatory drug and non-selective PDE4 inhibitor, as a protective agent against lysosomal dysfunction and neuroinflammation, with the goal of preventing neuronal death. The study utilized a pilocarpine-induced epilepsy animal model, where Amlexanox was administered at a dosage of 100 mg/kg intraperitoneally daily following seizures. Brain tissue samples were collected at various time points for analysis. The results of the study were significant, revealing that Amlexanox effectively improved lysosomal function, reduced inflammation, attenuated hippocampal neuronal death, and ameliorated cognitive impairment in the animal model. These promising findings suggest that Amlexanox holds potential as a therapeutic agent for the treatment of epileptic brain disorders, particularly due to its neuroprotective effects related to lysosomal dysfunction and neuroinflammation. Further research and clinical trials are warranted to fully explore the therapeutic benefits of Amlexanox in managing epilepsy and related neurological conditions.
Reference Gene Selection for Quantitative Real-Time PCR Analysis of Hymenopellis radicata under Abiotic Stress
Authors: Cao Luping , Zhang Qin , Miao Renyun , Zhao Xu , Ni Yanqing , Li Wensheng , Feng Rencai , Yang Delong
Published: August 2023

Housekeeping genes are genes that are expressed stably in organisms. It is essential to select appropriate reference genes prior to conducting gene expression in order to obtain accurate results. Hymenopellis radicata (H. radicata) is an edible fungus rich in protein and mineral elements, with high edible and medical value. And reference genes suitable for normalization of qRT-PCR data from this species have not been investigated. In this study, therefore, we selected 11 housekeeping genes common in biology (CYP, GAPDH, PP2A, RPL6, UBC, UBQ10, ACT, EF, RPB2, TUA, TUB). The expression levels of these housekeeping genes were measured in three different tissues (pileus, stipe and root) and six different abiotic stress treatments in mycelium. They were evaluated for expression stability using online tools (GeNorm, NormFinder, BestKeeper and RefFinder). This study is the first to screen the most suitable genes as internal references in H. radicata and analyze the expression levels of H. radicata genes under abiotic stress and in different tissues. This project provides a reference for further research on the molecular mechanism of H. radicata under abiotic stress. Additionally, the results of this study can be used to select internal reference genes for expression analysis in other species.
Adsorption of silver from aqueous solution with high capacity and selectively by using Ag(I) imprinted polymeric nanoadsorbent
Authors: KARAKOÇ Veyis
Published: August 2023

The selective separation of precious metals from complex wastewater is important issue in terms of protecting the environment, aquatic ecosystems, water resources, and recycling of resources. Silver, which has been used for years in many fields from industry to health, enters the food chain and accumulates in living organisms by forming stable complexes, usually with sulfur containing molecules such as cysteine. In this study, cysteine-containing polymeric nanoparticles were synthesized by miniemulsion polymerization method by mimicking biological systems based on the affinity of silver to cysteine. The synthesized silver ion imprinted (Ag+-IIP) poly(Hydroxyethylmethacrylate-N-methacryloyl-L-cysteine) poly(HEMA-MAC) nanoparticles were characterized by Elemental analysiz zeta sizer AFM, SEM, FTIR. With elemental analysis study, the cysteine content of polymeric nanoparticles was determined to be 7.3 mmol MAC/g polymer. Molecular imprinting (MIP) technique was used to increase the selectivity of synthesized nanoparticles to Ag+ ions. The effects of pH, ionic strength and interaction time on the adsorption of Ag+ ions were investigated. To the experimental studies, the highest adsorption amount (196.9 mg/g nanoparticle) was reached in a short time like 40 minutes at pH:5 and 150mg/L concentration. Selectivity studies of synthesized Ag+-IIP nanoparticles to Ag+ ions were carried out in the presence of Li+, Ba2+, Hg2+ and Cd2+ ions, and it was observed that the nanoparticles adsorbed Ag+ ions with high selectivity. Ag+-IIP nanoparticles have 3.7, 3.1, 2.4 and 2.6 times more selective or higher affinity for Ag+ ions compared to Li+, Ba2+, Hg2+ and Cd2+ ions, respectively, than Ag+-non-imprinted (NIP) nanoparticles. The reusability studies, showed that there was no significant decrease in the adsorption capacity of the nanoparticles after the adsorption-desorption process repeated 10 times.
Discovery of SNPs in lignin biosynthesis genes (CAD1, MYB1 and MYB2) and their association with wood density in teak
Authors: Bano Nuzhat , Mohammad Naseer , Ansari Mohammad Israil , Ansari Shamim Akhtar
Published: August 2023

Forest trees like teak (Tectona grandis L.f.) with their prolonged growth period are well suited for association mapping (AM) or linkage disequilibrium (LD) mapping. The specifically designed primers successfully amplified the targeted lignin biosynthesis genes (CAD1, MYB1 and MYB2) in 150 unrelated genotypes assembled at National Teak Germplasm Bank, Chandrapur, Maharashtra, India. SNPs in the targeted amplified gene sequences were discovered and their associations with the wood density trait performed, following GLM and MLM statistical models and Bonferroni correction. CAD1 gene and MYB1 and MYB2 transcription factors brought out 112 SNPs/11 indels that were employed for association with the wood density trait with a mean value of 416.69kg/m3 (CV 4.97%). The teak genotypes comprised three admixed cryptic (K = 3) loosely structured sub-populations, harbouring 91.06% genetic variation within sub-populations and low sub-population differentiation (Fst = 0.03) with low intragenic LD (0–21% SNP pairs) at P < 0.05 and high LD decay (33bp-934bp) at R2 = 0.1 GLM and MLM models discounting systematic biases Q and K matrices to avoid false discovery revealed 5–7 loci at MAF < 0.003 and 3 loci at MAF > 0.05 to be significantly (P < 0.05) associated with wood density trait. However, Bonferonni correction (4.06–7.04×10− 4) yielded a single associated locus (B1485C/A) from exon of MYB1 transcription factor, contributing to about 12% phenotypic variation in wood density. The meticulously scored locus (B1485C/A) can be developed as a molecular probe for selection of improved planting stock with proven wood density trait for teak plantation.
Biomphalaria Glabrata (Say, 1818) as a Paratenic Host of Angiostrongylus Vasorum (Baillet,1866) Kamensky, 1905
Authors: Ávila Isabela Resende , de Oliveira Weder Gomes , Pereira Cíntia Aparecida de Jesus , Ferreira Mônica Alves Neves Diniz , Barçante Thales Augusto , Barçante Joziana Muniz de Paiva , Lima Walter dos Santos
Published: August 2023

Angiostrongylus vasorum parasitizes the pulmonary arteries and heart of dogs (definitive hosts - DHs), not ruling out a possible human infection (public health). Several species of molluscs participate as intermediate hosts (IHs), becoming infected by ingestion and/or penetration of first-stage larvae (L1), in which they undergo two molts L1, L2 and L3, which is infective for DHs. On the other hand, paratenic hosts (PHs), such as frogs, mice and birds, can harbor L3. The present study aimed to evaluate whether Biomphalaria glabrata could be PH of A. vasorum, identifying the possible penetration routes of these larvae, the migratory route, in addition to describing the histological changes at different times of infection. L3 were recovered from B. glabrata molluscs, 30 days after infection with 1,000 L1 of A. vasorum, using Baermann. The recovered L3 were used for infection of B. glabrata, with the number of 100 L3+ (L3 from mollusc infected with 100 L3). L3 + of A. vasorum were recovered alive and active in the tissues of molluscs, thus demonstrating their permissiveness to infection by L3+. The other infected molluscs were fixed in 10% formalin for histological evaluation, observing the presence of larvae in the tissue, with a tendency in the cephalopodal region. Regarding the viability of L3+, two mongrel dogs were submitted to canine pate with the presence of L3 + and L1 were found in the dogs' feces. This work demonstrates, for the first time, the possibility of B. glabrata participating as PH in the A. vasorum cycle.
Protective Efficacy of an IST DNA vaccine with a CL264 molecular adjuvant against Toxoplasma gondii in a murine model
Authors: Ju Kun-ping , Zhang Yun-nan , Xu Zhao-lin , Li Ling-yu , Zhou Huai-yu
Published: August 2023

Background
Toxoplasmosis, caused by the parasite Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii), is a significant global zoonosis with devastating impacts. Despite its importance, an effective vaccine against toxoplasmosis for humans has not yet been developed. Vaccination remains the most cost-effective approach in combating this disease.
Methods
In this study, we designed and formulated a novel DNA vaccine encoding the inhibitor of STAT1 transcriptional activity (IST) of T. gondii utilizing the eukaryotic expression vector pEGFP-N1 for the first time. To enhance the immunoprotection of vaccine, we employed CL264, a TLR7 agonist, as a molecular adjuvant. The immunologic efficacy of this newly constructed vaccine was investigated in a murine model. Following intramuscular injection of the vaccine into mice, various indicators were assessed to evaluate the immune response, including antibodies, cytokines, and the proportion of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells. Additionally, two weeks after the third immunization, mice were challenged with highly virulent RH strain tachyzoites of T. gondii, and their survival time was observed.
Results
The vaccine demonstrated the ability to induce robust humoral and cellular immune responses in the immunized mice. Notably, TgIST-immunized mice exhibited prolonged survival time after T. gondii RH strain infection.
Conclusions
Our findings collectively demonstrate that the TgIST DNA vaccine elicits a significant immune response and offers partial protection against acute T. gondii infection in mice. These results suggest that TgIST holds potential as a candidate for further development as a DNA vaccine.
Enhanced Catalytic Activity of N-heterocyclic Carbene Stabilized Surface Adatoms for CO2 Reduction Reaction
Authors: Du Shixuan , Gao Yuxiang , Tao Lei , Zhang Yu-Yang
Published: August 2023

Adatom engineering represents a highly promising opportunity for enhancing electrochemical CO2 reduction reaction (CO2RR). However, the aggregation of adatoms under typical reaction conditions often leads to a decline in catalyst activity. Recent studies have revealed the N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) can stabilize surface adatoms. Herein, based on density functional theory calculations, we reveal a significant enhancement in the catalytic activity of Cu adatoms decorated with NHC molecules for CO2RR. The NHC decoration strengthens the interaction between the dxy orbital of the Cu adatom and the px orbital of the C atom, reducing the energy barriers in both CO hydrogenation and C-C coupling steps. Moreover, the CO2RR catalytic activity of the NHC decorated adatom can be further improved by tuning the side groups of NHC molecules. These results provide new insights for the design of efficient CO2RR catalysts and offer a theoretical framework that can be extended to other hydrogenation reactions.
Dexmedetomidine combined with sufentanil in intravenous controlled analgesia after hip arthrotomy in children
Authors: He Zhiwei , Ni Huanhuan , Wang Wei
Published: August 2023

Background
To investigate the effect of different dose of dexmedetomidine combined with sufentanil on postoperative analgesia in children after hip arthrotomy.
Methods
The clinical data of 98 children who underwent hip arthrotomy in our center between January 2020 and February 2022 were selected. The children were divided into four groups according to the application of controlled analgesic drugs (sufentanil + granisetron ± dexmedetomidine).
Results
HR and RR in group C and D were more stable than those in group A and group B (P < 0.05). Pain scores decreased over time after treatment in all groups. When compared at the same time point, patients in Group D had the lowest pain scores, which were significantly lower than the other three groups (P < 0.05). The total consumption of sufentanil in group C and D was significantly lower than that in group A (P < 0.05). On 1st day after surgery, the children in Group D had lower levels of serum ACTH, IL-6, and COR levels than those in Group A.
Conclusion
Dexmedetomidine combined with sufentanil for children children with hip arthrotomy postoperative analgesia effect is exact, reduces sufentanil consumption and reduces the incidence of adverse reactions of opioids.
Field method for determination of available phosphorus in soil by selective formation of protonated crystal violet dimer:12-molybdophosphoric acid [(R)22+ H + -12MPA] complex
Authors: Thangavel Shanmugam , Rastogi Lori , Venkateswarlu Gumma , Prasad Ankam Durga , Dash Kulamani
Published: August 2023

Phosphorus (P) is an important nutrient for agricultural soil and it accelerates eutrophication in environmental water. In aqueous medium, sensitive method for P determination by ion-pair (IP) of triphenylmethane (TPM) dyes with 12-molybdophosphoric acid (12-MPA) is hampered due to multiple IP complexes, overlapping of IP spectrum with unassociated dye and potential interference from silicate. 12-MPA (H3PMo12O40) ion associate with monovalent and protonated crystal violet ions [R+, R+H+, R+(H)22+] forming R+-H2PMo12O40 (violet), R+H+-HPMo12O40 (bluish green) and R+(H)22+-PMo12O40 (yellow) complexes with λmax at ~ 590, 610 and 450 nm respectively. In this developed method, R+H+ of R+H+-HPMo12O40, aggregate to dimerization induced by complexing ion (HPMo12O402−) forms (R)22+ H+.PMo12O40 (blue, 560 nm). This ion-pair complex is selectively utilized for visual detection of phosphorus. No dimer formation of unassociated R+H+ and disappearance of shoulder of characteristic CV absorption spectrum remove spectral overlap at 560 nm. R+H+ at 610 nm, double protonated R+(H)22+ and its IP complex [R+(H)22+.PMo12O40] at ~ 450 nm don’t interfere in the analysis. Rapid formation of (R)22+H+- PMo12O40 and double protonation of R+H+ into R+(H)22+ on interaction with sample solution containing molybdate ion removes silicate interference. This method is successfully applied for agricultural soil for determination of available P in Olsen, Morgan, Mehlich, Bray and Acetic acid extraction procedures. The results obtained by the developed method are validated by ion-chromatography (IC). Five distinct colour formation for 0, 0.25, 0.5, 1.0 and 2.0 mg/L of P offers infield screening of agricultural soil as low, medium, high and very high available P for fertilizer management.
Key quantitative trait loci controlling bolting tolerance in sugar beet
Authors: KURODA Yosuke
Published: August 2023

For nonseed crops reliant on roots, leaves, and stems, breeding bolting-tolerant varieties is vital, and understanding the genetic mechanism aids effective selection. In sugar beet (Beta vulgaris), which accumulates sugar in roots, sequencing variations of BvBTC1, the master gene controlling annual and biennial life cycles, is associated with bolting tolerance, but the effects have not been demonstrated. We conducted quantitative trait loci (QTL) analysis on two generations (F2:3 and F5:6) from diverse bolting-tolerant crosses. Over four years, using phenotypic and mainly amplified fragment length polymorphism-based genotypic data, we identified two consistent QTLs: qB2 and qB6. These loci, detected regardless of the survey year or generation, were found to be crucial for enhancing sugar beet’s bolting tolerance. qB2 on chromosome 2 exhibited the highest phenotypic variance (PVE; 41.9%–66.6%) and was attributed to BvBTC1 based on mapping and gene function. On chromosome 6, qB6 (PVE 7.8%–23.7%) was located near bolting-related genes, such as Bv_22330_orky and BvFL1, but the gene responsible for qB6 remains unclear owing to map information limitations. Overall, the key QTL qB2 and qB6 hold promise for advancing bolting tolerance in sugar beet, offering valuable insights for targeted breeding efforts.
WITHDRAWN: Intuitionistic Fuzzy Threshold Hypergraphs and their role in chasing fugitives with multi-bots
Authors: Kothandapani Myithili , Chandrasekar Nandhini
Published: August 2023

The main aim of this paper is to catch fugitives utilising intuitionistic fuzzy threshold hypergraph(IFTHG) models with robots that are linked with each other and all of the bots are connected to the main control system. The fugitives can be held by the bots while the police arrive in this simulated research. Since the possible escape routes of drivers are not recognized, it is difficult to gather effective results, for a police to chase them in a short span of time. Several surveillance bots be placed in a waiting posture in this technique, having to wait for a fresh instruction to posture themselves in a particular region. In the occurrence of an unfortunate event, bots are notified to a control room \& alarmed. An Intuitionistic Fuzzy Hypergraph(IFHG) is considered as an IFTHG, if it is possible to construct from an empty IFTHG by adding a dominating vertex repeatedly to an every hyperedge. In such a way, here the dominating vertex is considered as major control room and the transmission distance is considered while joining the robots to form IFTHG. Here the threshold value is the maximum capacity of main control system. This hypothetical situation seems intended to take part on every crowed area. As a result, the IFTHG models are perfectly suited to this scenario. Security bots would be alerted and transmit a message to the control room in the event of an unusual occurrence such as robbery, heist, gunshot or accident. After receiving the alarm, a support squad will be sent to the specific location to begin the pursuit of the fugitives.
2000 Mathematics Subject Classification: 05C65