bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Non-traditional Anti-gravity Method Is Theoretically Analyzed and Demonstrated and the Technical Realization Path Assumption
Authors: Zhao Shandong , Zhao Yijia
Published: April 2024

The thesis proposes a argument that a mass point moving in a horizontal circle on the Earth's surface can generate a radial centrifugal force of the Earth's center of mass, thus realizing an unconventional anti-gravity path. And through the theoretical analysis of the difference in the distribution of gravitational acceleration at different latitudes caused by the rotation of the earth, and the centrifugal force of a mass point moving in a horizontal circle on the earth's surface is analyzed, the validity of the argument is demonstrated. At the same time, the paper puts forward two possible basic principles, and makes theoretical analysis and demonstration. Conceive of the concrete experimental verification of principle two is proposed. Four technical schemes for antigravity ascent are proposed and basic analysis is made. On the premise of not fully considering the practical technical ability, it is theoretically proved that three of them have realistic operability and development potential. In theory, this paper opens up a different way of anti-gravity for human beings, which will bring new ideas and prospects for human beings to get rid of the bondage of gravity.
Dietary Supplementation of Pistacia lentiscus: Hepato‐Protective Potential Against 7,12‐ dimethylbenz(a)anthracene Carcinogen in C57Bl/6 Mice, Alongside In Vitro Anti‐Cancer Efficacy
Authors: ABIDI Omayma , Hammami Imen , Jebali Jed , Srairi-Abid Najet , Alqahtani Ali Saeed , Gressier Bernard , Eto Bruno , SOUILEM Ouajdi
Published: April 2024

The pervasive presence of atmospheric pollution, particularly polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons such as 7,12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene, instigates aberrant cellular and tissue conditions, precipitating oxidative damage and inflammatory cascades conducive to the onset of cancer, notably mammary cancer. Given the hepatic metabolism of 7,12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene, the imperative of employing natural antioxidants becomes apparent. In this study, we delve into the antioxidant and hepato-protective properties of Pistacia lentiscus against 7,12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene-induced toxicity, alongside exploring its potential anticancer attributes. Our investigations unveil Pistacia lentiscus's anti-proliferative efficacy against human breast cancer cell lines. Notably, 7,12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene-intoxication escalates body weight, disrupts lipid profiles, and incites serum oxidative damage. Concurrently, hepatic and renal oxidative stress ensue, accompanied by heightened antioxidant enzyme activity in the 7,12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene-exposed-group compared to controls (p<0.05). Nonetheless, Pistacia lentiscus co-administration rectifies biochemical imbalances, significantly attenuates oxidative stress aberrations, and augments antioxidant enzyme responses (p<0.05). Importantly, histological analysis evinces Pistacia lentiscus's shielding effect against 7,12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene induced hepatocyte injury and steatosis. Our findings underscore Pistacia lentiscus's robust anti-proliferative, antioxidant, and hepato-protective capacities, mitigating metabolic disturbances, oxidative stress propagation in liver and kidney functions, and potential histological alterations, thereby impeding 7,12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene-induced mammary cancer initiation. We posit that Pistacia lentiscus may serve as a prophylactic agent against breast cancer instigated by this carcinogen.
Is Maternal Selenium Status Associated with Pregnancy Outcomes in Physiological and Complicated Pregnancy?
Authors: Pieczyńska Joanna , Sozański Rafał , Płaczkowska Sylwia , Grajeta Halina
Published: April 2024

Selenium is essential for the synthesis and function of various selenoenzymes, such as glutathione peroxidases, selenoprotein P, and thioredoxin reductase, which play an important role in both antioxidant defense and limiting oxidative damage. Associations between serum selenium concentration and obstetric complications as well as pregnancy outcomes has been reported in many studies. The aim of this study was to determine whether the dietary intake of selenium, its concentration in serum and the activity of glutathione peroxidase in subsequent trimesters of pregnancy affect the birth condition of newborns assessed on the basis of the Apgar score in the 1st and 5th minute of life, birth weight, body length and head and chest circumference in physiological and complicated pregnancy course. Twenty-seven pregnant women at a mean age 29.6 ± 4.8 years from the Lower Silesia region of Poland were recruited to the study, 55% of studied group had pregnancy complications. The mean reported Se intake and serum selenium content for Polish pregnant women was in the first trimester – 56.53 μg/day and 43.75 μg/l, the second trimester – 61.79 μg/day and 41.77 μg/l and the third trimester – 58.37 μg/day and 42.13 μg/l, respectively. In the subgroup of pregnant women with a physiological pregnancy course, a weak, although statistically significant, positive correlation was found in the first trimester between Se intake and the length (R=0.48, p=0.019) and birth weight of newborns (R=0.472, p=0.022), and in the second trimester with the APGAR score at 1 (R=0.680, p=0.005) and 5 minutes (R=0.55, p=0.033), as well as in the third trimester with th APGAR score at 1 minut (R=0.658, p=0.019). The GPX value had a strong positive correlation with the APGAR score at 1 min. (R=0.650, p=0.008) in the second trimester and with the birth weight of the newborns (R=0.598, p=0.039) in the third trimester. There was no correlation between newborns' birth measurements and serum selenium concentration. In the subgroup of pregnant women with pregnancy complications, a strong, statistically significant, negative correlation was found between Se intake in the second trimester and gestational age (R=-0.618, p=0.032), and in the third trimester, a positive correlation between Se concentration in serum and head circumference (R=0.587, p=0.021). The obtained results indicate that there is a relationship between the maternal selenium status during pregnancy, both in terms of the intake of this element, its serum concentration as well as the glutathione peroxidase activity, and the anthropometric parameters of the newborn, such as birth weight, length and APGAR score, especially in the group with physiological course of pregnancy, but when pregnancy complications occur, these relationships lose their importance.
Preparation and Evaluation of Niosomal Formulation for Solubility Enhancement of Anti-fungal Agent for the Treatment of Oral Candidiasis
Authors: Chaudhari Yogesh , Chaudhari Manisha , Prasad Shikha
Published: April 2024

Human fungal pathogen Candida albicans causes oral infectious diseases such as oral thrush in immunocompromised patients with hyposalivation, diabetes mellitus, prolonged use of anti-biotics or immunosuppressive medicines and poor oral hygiene. An anti-fungal medication classified as a BCS class II drug, Clotrimazole has high permeability and low solubility in water. It is commercially available as lozenges, which do not uniformly distribute the drug within saliva for local therapy. This results in higher dose frequency and lower patient compliance. Therefore, in this study we proposed a niosomal based subgingival film formulation of clotrimazole for enhancing drug efficacy by improving drug solubilization capacity and improving patient compliance by prolonging the release of drug at the targeted site and reducing the dose frequency to show effective anti-fungal activity. The prepared niosomal film showed good entrapment efficiency and anti-fungal activity. Niosomal film showed better release pattern than drug loaded film.
Internet of things application in digital marketing to improve the efficacy of a company
Authors:   University of Samarra, Aldouri Seror Naji Mohsin
Published: April 2024

The expansion of digital marketing at the international level has been so fast and the benefits associated with it are clearly increasing day by day that developing countries are strongly encouraged to use it and each of them has specific programs to implement it. After telecommunication networks of computer, Internet and mobile phone, Internet of things (IOT) is considered as the third development in the global information industry, which has attracted the attention of many organizations and customers. This technology, relying on the intelligentization of objects and the use of internet platforms, is able to create wide and diverse services in e-commerce. This is while the demands of users for more diverse and better-quality services through the Internet are increasing. In this paper, application of IOT in digital marketing has been introduced and the effects of using it to increase efficiency and create innovation in the company have been discussed. The statistical sample in this research included all the managers of small and medium companies in Baghdad, which was determined as the statistical sample size of 275 based on the Krejcie Morgan table. Data analysis was done by the method of structural rates, which was used in this article by the method of least squares. The results showed that the use of IOT and electronic commerce had a positive and significant impact on the performance of companies (financial, internal processes, customers, development and innovation). The results of this research show that IOT technology has provided the basis for improving performance and providing better services in digital marketing by creating an integrated and strong database of suppliers, manufacturers, distributors, customers and products. Also, in the last part of the article, the implementation framework of this technology in e-commerce for the use of the country’s managers in various industries is presented.
Epidemiological aspects of the formation of new risks of morbidity and treatment of tuberculosis among the population.
Authors:   Orenburg State Medical University of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, Bulycheva E.V. , Bulychev E.V. ,   State budgetary institution of health care «Orenburg Regional Clinical Tuberculosis Dispensary»
Published: April 2024

In accordance with the instruction of the Minister of Health of the Russian Federation No. 19 dated 02/07/2023, specialists currently face several important tasks: from 2015 to 2025, to reduce the incidence of tuberculosis, as well as the number of deaths from tuberculosis by 75%. To do this, it is necessary to identify all the risk factors that may create difficulties in achieving these goals. Purpose of the study is to characterize the epidemiological aspects of the formation of new risks of morbidity and treatment of tuberculosis among the population. Materials and methods. An analysis was carried out among newly identified patients with tuberculosis by molecular genetic (n=1682) and bacterial (n=1630) research methods in the period from 2017 to 2020 according to drug resistance indicators. Results. It was found that in the period from 2015 to 2017, the indicators of drug resistance in tuberculosis patients were almost at the same level. The leading antimicrobial drugs in demand among the population were ceftriaxone, azithromycin, levofloxacin, moxifloxacin. The maximum increase in sales in 2020 relative to 2019 data to 150% was determined among quinolone derivatives of moxifloxacin and levofloxacin, which began to be used in the treatment of coronavirus infection. At the same time, these drugs are traditionally used to treat tuberculosis, but in 2020, an alarming trend was revealed, which was that drug resistance was detected in patients with tuberculosis to these drugs. Among newly diagnosed tuberculosis patients, from 2018 to 2020, an increase in the proportion of patients with primary drug resistance to levofloxacin and moxifloxacin was established by 189-480%; whereas for other antibiotics, the increase averaged up to 60.8%. Findings. The findings suggest an alarming scenario in which drug resistance develops towards highly virulent and highly resistant to antibacterial drugs genotypes.
Changes in the directions and limits of the use of compulsory medical insurance funds from 2024.
Authors:   Russian Research Institute of Health, Starodubov V. I. , Kadyrov F. N. ,   Russian Research Institute of Health, Obukhova O. V. ,   Russian Research Institute of Health, Mitroshin P. V. ,   Russian Research Institute of Health, Chililov A. M. ,   A. V. Vishnevsky National Medical Research Center of Surgery
Published: April 2024

The economic independence of medical organizations as legal entities presupposes their right to determine the direction of their expenses. However, the targeted nature of compulsory health insurance funds imposes restrictions on the freedom to use the income received from the provision of medical care in the compulsory health insurance system. And although the legislation defines the structure of expenses (tariffs), limiting them to the framework of compulsory health insurance programs, in practice, attributing expenses to certain groups often presents great difficulties, accompanied by sanctions and lawsuits. In this regard, recent changes in the legislation on compulsory health insurance, which expand the possibilities of using funds, seem to be very significant. This is also facilitated by an increase in the marginal cost of purchased equipment from 100 to 400 thousand rubles. However, such opportunities are due to a large number of restrictions and reservations, which requires a more detailed analysis of new legislative norms and an assessment of their impact on the conditions of medical organizations, which determined the relevance of this publication.
Opinion of state medical organizations staff about the causes of fatigue at work.
Authors:   Bashkir State Medical University, Sharafutdinova N.Kh. , Khalfin R. M. ,   Bashkir State Medical University, Mukhamadeeva O. R. ,   Bashkir State Medical University, Sharafutdinov М. А. ,   Bashkir State Medical University, Borisova M. V. ,   Bashkir State Medical University, Nadyrgulov R. B. ,   State Budgetary Institution of the City Clinical Hospital No. 21, Yakhina R. R. ,   Medical Information-Analytical Center, Valiev I. R. ,   G.G. Kuvatov Republican Clinical Hospital
Published: April 2024

One of the indicators of dissatisfaction with a job or profession is “fatigue at work,” which more often means the presence of emotional burnout syndrome. In the domestic literature, the concept of “occupational fatigue” is more often used, which defines a person’s condition as a result of his long-term production activity. Studying the key causes of fatigue at work can become the basis for justifying measures to improve the performance of medical organizations. Purpose of the study: to examine the causes of fatigue at work among medical and other personnel in medical organizations of the Republic of Bashkortostan. Materials and methods. The information base for the analysis was the results of a sociological study of 1992 employees of medical organizations of the Republic of Bashkortostan. Questionnaire conducted was focused on determining the causes of fatigue at work. Questions were based on previous researches with republic trade union organization of medical personnel taking part in it. Survey forms were placed on medical organization sites. The causes of fatigue were studied according to age, duration of working time, total years of service and occupation. Results: it was found out that the most common cause of fatigue between staff is “the amount and intensity of work”, “work strain and lack of time”, “insufficient support and attention from manager and overhead staff”.
Modeling of Chemical Tracers for Two-Phase Flow in Advective-Dominated Porous Media at Core Scale
Authors: Velasco-Lozano Moises , Balhoff Matthew T. , Diaz-Paulino Luis E. , Lopez-Ramirez Simon , Galvan-Castro Ramiro
Published: April 2024

Chemical tracer modeling in porous media plays a key role in subsurface applications including oil recovery, aquifer remediation, and geothermal energy production. In oil reservoirs, chemical tracers are critical to quantifying the remaining oil saturation in porous media after displacing processes, enabling the correct evaluation of the sweep efficiency of recovery methods at the field scale. Even though the transport of solutes under single-phase flow has been modeled extensively with numerous solutions, there are no existing mathematical approaches to examine the displacement of solutes in two-phase flow conditions. Therefore, we present in this research work the first analytical solutions derived to model the transport of ideal and partitioning tracers in porous media with mobile water and oil phases.

The models presented are derived from the classic study of fluid displacement by viscous forces and the analysis of dynamic phase distribution in porous media, where key transformation variables are introduced to simplify the nonlinear advection-dispersion equation (ADE) into a conventional partial differential expression. In our derivation process, it is recognized that the dispersion effect can be superimposed onto an ideal concentration front via a singular perturbation expansion, resulting in practical solutions that do not require complex numerical calculations or inversion methods. The solutions derived are verified with numerical simulations and validated with experimental data under different flow conditions for the transport of ideal and partitioning tracers, demonstrating that the complex mechanisms of hydrodynamic dispersion, partitioning, and adsorption are accurately modeled under two-phase flow. Thus, our solutions can be used to rapidly evaluate tracer transport under the existing flow conditions in porous media, significantly reducing the number of experiments and simulations to characterize and select the correct tracer to be used in field applications.
Effects of the Donggam Program on the Self-Esteem and Emotion Regulation of Late School-Age Children
Authors:   The Society for Cognitive Enhancement and Intervention, Jeong Youngsim , Kim Minjung
Published: April 2024

Objects: The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of the Donggam Program on the self-esteem and emotion regulation ability of school-age children using a pretest-posttest experimental design.
Methods: A total of 101 late school-age children were assigned to two groups, the experimental group (n = 51) and control group (n = 50), by class unit. Late school-age children in the experimental group participated in the program for Emotions awakened by fairy tales and clear mind. After the end of the program, the differences between the pretest and posttest scores for self-esteem and emotion regulation ability were compared for both groups.
Results: Late school-age children in the experimental group showed significant improvements in their self-esteem and emotion regulation ability, whereas children in the control group showed a significant decrease from the pretest to the posttest scores. However, there was no significant difference in family self-esteem between the experimental group and the control group.
Conclusion: These findings suggest that the Donggam Program is effective in bringing about positive changes in the self-esteem and emotion regulation ability of late school-age children.
A consensus platform for antibody characterization
Authors: Ayoubi Riham , Ryan Joel , Bolivar Sara Gonzalez , Alende Charles , Moleon Vera Ruiz , Fotouhi Maryam , Southern Kathleen , Alshafie Walaa , Baker Matt R , Ball Alexander R , Callahan Danielle , Cooper Jeffery A , Crosby Katherine , Harvey Kevin J , Houston Douglas W , Kumaran Ravindran , Rego Meghan , Schofield Christine , Wu Hai , Biddle Michael S , Brown Claire M , Kahn Richard A , Bandrowski Anita , Virk Harvinder S , Edwards Aled M , McPherson Peter S , Laflamme Carl
Published: April 2024

Antibody-based research applications are critical for biological discovery. Yet, there are no industry standards to compare the performance of antibodies in various applications. We describe a knockout cell line-based antibody characterization platform, developed, and approved jointly by industry and academic researchers that enables the systematic comparison of antibody performance in western blot, immunoprecipitation, and immunofluorescence procedures. The scalable protocols consist of (i) the identification of appropriate cell lines for antibody characterization studies, (ii) development/contribution of isogenic knockout controls, validated at the protein level, and (iii) a series of antibody characterization procedures focused on the most common uses of antibodies in research. Guidelines for the assessment of antibody performance are presented along with the value of making the resulting data publicly available. This antibody characterization platform can be implemented with minimal technological limitations. The proposed antibody characterization platform may be performed readily on antibodies targeting a protein in roughly one month, with one person working less than full-time. Antibody characterization is needed to meet standards for resource validation and data reproducibility, increasingly required by journals and funding agencies.
Quantitative Molecular Imaging using Deep Magnetic Resonance Fingerprinting
Authors: Vladimirov Nikita , Cohen Ouri , Heo Hye-Young , Zaiss Moritz , Farrar Christian T. , Perlman Or
Published: April 2024

Deep learning-based saturation-transfer magnetic resonance fingerprinting (MRF) is an emerging approach for noninvasive in vivo imaging of proteins, metabolites, and pH. It involves a series of steps, including (i) sample/subject preparation, (ii) image acquisition schedule design, (iii) biophysical model formulation, (iv) artificial intelligence (AI) and computational model training, followed by (v) image acquisition, (vi) deep reconstruction, and (vii) analysis. The saturation-transfer-based molecular MRI field has been slow to reach clinical maturity and adoption for clinical practice due to its technical complexity, semi-quantitative contrast-weighted nature, and impractically long scan times needed for the extraction of quantitative molecular biomarkers. Deep MRF constitutes a remedy for these challenges, providing a quantitative and rapid framework for extracting biologically and/or clinically meaningful molecular information. Here, we define a standardized protocol and a practical, complete guide for quantitative molecular MRI using deep MRF. We describe in-vitro sample preparation, animal and human scan considerations, and provide intuition behind acquisition protocol design and optimization of chemical exchange saturation transfer (CEST) and semisolid magnetization transfer (MT) quantitative imaging. We then extensively describe the building blocks for several AI models and demonstrate their performance for different applications, including cancer monitoring, brain myelin imaging, and pH quantification. Finally, explicit guidelines for further modification and expansion of the pipeline for imaging a variety of other pathologies (such as neurodegeneration, stroke, and cardiac disease) are given, accompanied by detailed open-source code and sample data. The protocol takes ~48 min - 57 hrs to complete by a scientist at the graduate student level.
Cognitive Mapping and Episodic Memory Emerge From Simple Associative Learning Rules
Authors: Gribkova Ekaterina , Chowdhary Girish , Gillette Rhanor
Published: April 2024

Episodic memory enables animals to map contexts and environmental features in space and time but is underused in artificial intelligence (AI). Here we show how simple associative learning rules can be expanded to basic episodic memory in AI. We augment an agent-based foraging simulation, ASIMOV, modeled on the simple neuronal circuitry of an invertebrate forager, by adding a novel computational module for simple episodic memory, the Feature Association Matrix (FAM). The FAM is a set of computationally light, graph learning algorithms which functionally resemble the auto- and hetero-associative circuits of the hippocampus for episodic memory. In simulations, FAM enables highly efficient foraging and navigation and shows how higher-order conditioning mechanisms give rise to spatial cognitive mapping by chaining pair-wise associations and encoding them with
additional contexts. Thus, FAM demonstrates a biologically inspired, bottom-up enhancement of AI for higher-order cognition.
Moving Together - benefits of an online dance program on physical and mental health for older adults: a mixed-method study
Authors: Hansen Rasmus Kopp , Jochum Elizabeth , Egholm Ditte , Villumsen Morten , Hirata Rogerio Pessoto
Published: April 2024

Background Previous studies show that in-person dance training is a beneficial form of physical activity that involves mental, social, and physical dimensions. This exploratory study investigated the benefits of a 12-week online dance training intervention on mental and physical health outcomes for older women.
Methods A convergent parallel mixed-method design was used. Forty-five older adults (74.0 ± 5.3 yrs old, 44 women) were recruited through advertisements at activity and rehabilitation centers in the North Denmark region. The intervention consisted of two weekly 60-min classes of improvisation and salsa delivered online through video call applications. Changes in physical health outcomes (body mass and composition, resting blood pressure, Senior Fitness Test battery) and self-rated health and wellbeing (health-related quality of life (HRQOL), feelings of loneliness) were assessed prior to and after 12 weeks of dancing. Focus group interviews were conducted post-intervention to further explore the benefits as well as the participant’s experience of the intervention. Thematic analysis of the qualitative data was conducted.
Results Thirty-two participants (all women) completed the study. Significant improvements in fitness were found for the number of arm curls performed (baseline: 12.3 ± 3.0; post-intervention: 13.7 ± 3.0, P = 0.005), 2-min step test performance (baseline: 66.5 ± 20.0 reps.; post-intervention: 73.8 ± 22.6 reps., P = 0.016), and chair sit-and-reach (baseline: 0.4 ± 11.3 cm; post-intervention: 5.5 ± 10.1 cm, P < 0.001). There was a significant increase in body mass from baseline to post-intervention (P < 0.015). The themes from the focus groups included (1) Participation, (2) Challenges, (3) Progression, (4) Motivation, (5) Perceived health and wellbeing, and (6) Online dance instruction. No significant changes were reported in HRQOL and loneliness from the quantitative data, although the qualitative data did reveal improved feelings of physical health and wellbeing.
Conclusions The intervention improved several aspects of fitness in older women and improved the participants’ perceptions of their own physical abilities and wellbeing. While most participants found the online intervention enjoyable, several participants missed the feedback from the instructors that naturally occurs with in-person instruction.
Assessing Screening Methods and Machine Learning for Predicting Childhood Overweight and Obesity: A Population-Based Study
Authors: Lior-Sadaka Irit , Melamed Shahar , Grotto Itamar , Sadaka Yair , Eilenberg Roni , Uziel Moshe , Greenberg Dan
Published: April 2024

Background:
This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of different screening methods, including Large for Gestational Age (LGA), macrosomia, and the WHO weight-for-length growth charts, in predicting childhood overweight and obesity. Additionally, we sought to develop a machine learning model utilizing various demographic, birth-related, maternal, and child growth data to evaluate its potential for improving predictive accuracy.
Methods:
We conducted this study using data from the Tipat Halav Israeli Screening (THIS) program, covering approximately 70% of Israeli children. The study included all children born between January 2014 and June 2016, with a minimum follow-up of 18 months, while excluding preterm births, multiple pregnancies, and those lacking growth measurements. Childhood overweight was defined based on WHO recommendations, and we evaluated the performance of existing models (LGA, macrosomia, and WHO percentiles) using different cutoffs. We also developed a machine learning model employing Random Forest and XGBoost algorithms.
Results:
The evaluation of prediction models yielded modest Area Under the Curve (AUC) values, ranging from 0.588 to 0.653. However, these models displayed significant improvement over random sampling. Notably, children selected by these models for post-birth intervention demonstrated up to a 17% likelihood of eventually becoming overweight, with 50% considered at risk.
Conclusions:
Our study underscores the importance of early intervention in addressing childhood overweight and obesity. Screening models, particularly LGA and macrosomia, exhibit promise in identifying newborns at risk. Although our machine learning model did not substantially enhance prediction, future research should explore the incorporation of additional relevant parameters to refine predictive accuracy and facilitate more effective early intervention efforts.
Error Correcting Codes Analysis for Wireless Industrial Communication based on Wavelet Packet Architecture.
Authors: Chehaitly Mouhamad , Tabaa Mohamed , Borras Jorge Querol , Monteiro Fabrice , Chatzinotas Symeon
Published: April 2024

With the evolution of applications, the implementation of processing algorithms has become more difficult due to the requirements in terms of throughput and complexity, which make the existing coding/decoding architectures unsuitable due to their insufficient computing capacity. Our objective in this paper is to analyze/study the integration of error-correcting codes into a functional digital architecture based on the inverse discrete wavelet packet transform (IDWPT) in transmission, and the discrete wavelet packet transform (DWPT) in reception (known as discrete wavelet packet modulation). In our proposed architecture, we have exploited two transmission strategies: (i) one-to-many (OtM) for transmission between a single transmitter and multiple sensors, (ii) and a many-to-one (MtO) mode for transmission between multiple users and a single receiver. To improve the transmission quality with the same configuration, we have integrated corrective codes, in particular the different families of Reed Solomon and convolutional codes. This architecture offers a very high processing power and a versatility in terms of flexibility and configurability adapted to very noisy environments, especially industrial ones. The use of error-correcting codes improves the quality of the transmission compared to the state of the art. Where we have achieved a gain of 4 to 6dB for Reed Solomon coding and convolutional codes used individually, 5 to 10dB with the combination of these two codes and 2 to 4dB more for shortened Reed Solomon codes.
Structural basis of human Nav1.5 gating mechanisms
Authors: Biswas Rupam , López-Serrano Ana , Huang Hsiang-Ling , Ramirez-Navarro Angelina , Grandinetti Giovanna , Heissler Sarah , Deschênes Isabelle , Chinthalapudi Krishna
Published: April 2024

Voltage-gated Nav1.5 channels are central to the generation and propagation of cardiac action potentials1. Aberrations in their function are associated with a wide spectrum of cardiac diseases including arrhythmias and heart failure2-5. Despite decades of progress in Nav1.5 biology6-8, the lack of structural insights into intracellular regions has hampered our understanding of its gating mechanisms. Here we present three cryo-EM structures of human Nav1.5 in previously unanticipated open states, revealing sequential conformational changes in gating charges of the voltage-sensing domains (VSDs) and several intracellular regions. Despite the channel being in the open state, these structures show the IFM motif repositioned in the receptor site but not dislodged. In particular, our structural findings highlight a dynamic C-terminal domain (CTD) and III-IV linker interaction, which regulates the conformation of VSDs and pore opening. Electrophysiological studies confirm that disrupting this interaction results in the fast inactivation of Nav1.5. Together, our structure-function studies establish a foundation for understanding the gating mechanisms of Nav1.5 and the mechanisms underlying CTD-related channelopathies.
Characteristics and driving forces of spatiotemporal use change in urban agglomerations from the perspective of functional zoning - Taking the Central Plains urban agglomeration as an example
Authors: Wang Hua , Zhu Xiaoyan , Niu Jiqiang , Zheng Xiaoyun , Wang Lina
Published: April 2024

Functional zoning is an effective method to disclose the spatial diversity of land and a prerequisite for the optimization of national land space. We explore the spatial and temporal characteristics of land use in the Central Plains urban agglomeration from 1990-2020，and the GWLR model was used to investigate the key driving elements for the land change in the urban agglomeration as a whole and in different land use function zones. The results indicate that (1) the most significant changes occurred on cultivated and construction land, with land use change intensities of 1.42% and 1.36%, respectively. (2) There are obvious differences in changes among different land function zones: The core economic zone has the highest proportion of change from cultivated land to construction land; in the belly of urban zone and the main agricultural production zone, due to the lack of natural forest and grass growing conditions, the change in land type is also manifested as the extension of construction land. (3) There are large differences among the motivating elements of cultivated land and construction land change in varied eras and different land use function zones, and changes in construction land are more influenced by socio-economic factors.
Impact of Chlorination and Chloramination on Regulated Trihalomethane Formation: Exploring DOC Reactions with Disinfectants
Authors: Sohrabifar Asyeh , Asadollahi Amin , Fakhraei Habibollah
Published: April 2024

Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) is a critical parameter in water quality management due to interaction with disinfectants, leading to the formation of potentially carcinogenic disinfection by-products (DBPs) during water treatment. Forest ecosystems are key contributors of DOC to surface waters, stemming from soil leachate. This study focuses on the formation of trihalomethanes (THMs), a common group of DBPs, following the chlorination and chloramination of soil-extracted DOC solutions under varying environmental conditions. For this purpose, soil samples from a densely forested upland watershed in Illinois, United States, were processed to extract DOC. The findings indicate notably higher production of THMs through chlorination compared to chloramination. It was observed that total trihalomethane (TTHM) levels significantly elevated with increases in DOC concentration, reaction time, and the dose of disinfectant in both treatment processes. The presence of bromide in the DOC influenced the concentration of brominated THMs (Br-THMs) during chlorination, whereas pH and temperature exhibited a moderate effect on TTHM formation. Furthermore, the study revealed that, except for pH and Specific Ultraviolet Absorbance (SUVA), all tested water quality indicators (DOC, total dissolved solids, turbidity, and UV254) exhibited a strong positive correlation with TTHM levels during chlorination. In contrast, these parameters displayed a moderate to weak correlation with TTHM levels in the chloramination process, suggesting their predictive value for TTHM formation is more pronounced in chlorination treatments.
Cortex Lycii attenuates night sweat in Yin-deficient rat by downregulating β 2 AR/cAMP signaling: A proteomic approach
Authors: Huang Meixia , Hong Zhiyuan , Wang Jie , Liu Xiangxiang , Wang Yingzheng , Wang Yinghao
Published: April 2024

Purpose: To investigate the therapeutic effect of Cortex Lycii on the sweat secretion of YDH rats and its underlying mechanism.
Methods: Male SD rats (N=36) were randomly assigned into Control, YDH, and DI groups (N=12 each group). YDH model rats were constructed by oral administration of thyroxin and reserpine. After two-weeks treatment of Cortex Lycii, the pharmacodynamics was assessed then the protein profile was obtained using a tandem mass tag proteomic approach. Gene ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes analysis was used for bioinformatics analysis of differential expressed proteins (DEPs), critical DEPs were validated by Western blot. The receptor involved in the Cortex Lycii were confirmed by using β2AR receptor agonist (isoproterenol)- and M3R receptor agonist (pilocarpine)-induced sweat secretion in YDH rats.
Results: Cortex Lycii attenuates sweat secretion in YDH rats, and down-regulated the expression of AQP5 and β2-receptor on paw pads of YDH rats. Proteomics analysis revealed 189 differential proteins between the model and control groups, of which 124 differential proteins were remarkably reversed by Cortex Lycii. The overlapping DEPs in the model and Cortex Lycii groups were mainly enriched in the β2AR/cAMP pathway. Moreover, Cortex Lycii considerably attenuated the agonistic effect of isoprenaline induced sweat secretion.
Conclusion: This study demonstrated the effect of Cortex Lycii on sweat secretion in Yin-deficient rats. The mechanism on the ground may refer to the inhibition of β2AR/cAMP, followed by the suppression of the downstream PKA/ezrin/CFTR signaling pathway to reduce ion exchange and the inhibition of IP3/Ca2+/AQP5. The finding may provide new research on the mechanism of night sweats in TCM and their amelioration by Cortex Lycii.
Comparison of human thermal loads on foggy and cloudless mornings
Authors: Ács Ferenc , Kristóf Erzsébet , Zsákai Annamária
Published: April 2024

We investigated the human thermal load in Martonvásár (Hungarian lowland, Carpathian region) in anticyclonic weather conditions in the morning, when a) the sky was completely clear and on the other hand, when b) there was fog. A customizable clothing thermal resistance-operative temperature model was used. The BMI and Mb values of the person in the simulations were 25 kgm− 2 and 40 Wm− 2, respectively. During the observations, weather data was provided by the automatic station of the HungaroMet company and it was accessible on the company's website. We had 77 observations in foggy weather, while we had 46 observations under clear sky conditions in the period between 2019–2023. The following main results should be highlighted: 1) rcl varied between 0.5–2.5 clo in the case of fog, while in clear-sky cases rcl was between 0.9–3.5 clo. Based on our data analysis, we concluded that the warming effect of the morning fog was around 1-1.5 clo. 3) We also showed that the effect of inter-personal variability on rcl was significant when the heat deficit was high (rcl ≥ 2.5 clo) and at this time it was comparable with the degree of the warming effect of fog. It should be mentioned that the analysis of typical weather situations from the point of view of human thermal load is a new field of research, since there is little information available on this subject.
Impact of transportation in freshwater and brackish water on Oreochromis niloticus (Nile tilapia) resistance
Authors: El-Galil Mohamed Abd El Aziz Ahmed Abd , Hassan Hala Ali Alsagheer Abd-Elaal , Ahmed Fatma Elzahraa Abd Alhamed , Mousa Mohamed Abd Allah , Emam Arafah M. , Osman Ahmed Elsayed
Published: April 2024

Background
Oreochromis niloticus has great economic value and potential for farming and development. Transportation of fish was done for breeding or trading purpose and it is a challenging aspect of aquaculture. This study aimed to investigate the effect of transportation in freshwater and brackish water on the resistance of O. niloticus as well as transportation stress mitigation effect of NaCl. Four equal groups were used; each of 50 fish, the 1st group served as the control (P 1), while the 2nd group (PT 2) was transported in water without salt, the 3rd (PT 3) and 4th (PT 4) groups were transported in water containing 5 gL− 1 and 10 gL− 1 salt respectively. PT 2, PT 3 and PT 4 were transported for 5 hours without any rest or sedative drugs.
Results
The serum cortisol of O. niloticus significantly increased at 0 h and then decreased at 12 and 24 h post transportation in the PT 2 group and non significantly increased at all point times in the PT 3 and PT 4 groups comparing to P 1 group. Mucin2 gene expression was non-significantly up regulated in the PT 2 group and down regulated in the PT 3 and PT 4 groups at 0 h comparing with P 1 group, but at 12 and 24 h it was significantly up regulated in the PT 2, PT 3 and PT 4 groups. The β Defensin-1 and 2 genes expression was non-significantly down-regulated in the PT 2 group and significantly up regulated in the PT 3 and PT 4 groups at 0 h., while at 12 and 24 h was significantly down regulated in the PT 2 group and non-significantly down regulated in the PT 3 and PT 4 groups, it significantly down regulated in the PT 2 and PT 3 group and non significantly down regulated in the PT 4 group at 24 h. Non significant up regulation in interleukin − 1β gene expression was reported in the PT 2 group and non significant down regulation in the PT 3 and PT 4 groups at 0 h. However, significant up regulation was recorded in the PT 2, PT 3 and PT 4 groups at 12 and 24 h. The Tumor necrosis factor- alpha gene expression was non-significantly up regulated in the PT 2 group and non-significantly down regulated in the PT 3 and PT 4 groups at 0h. However, it was significantly up regulated in the PT 2, PT 3 and PT 4 groups at 12 and 24 h.
Conclusion
The results of this study confirmed the stressful effect of transportation on O. niloticus as well as the transportation stress mitigation effect of NaCl.
A prediction nomogram for uncomplicated appendicitis and complicated appendicitis: A retrospective study
Authors: Zhou Yi , Chen Yingdan , Wang Yang , Zhang Wei , Gao Hengyi , He Gengsheng , Li Hailiang
Published: April 2024

Background
It has been proven that nonoperative therapy of uncomplicated appendicitis (UA) is safe and effective. In comparison, complicated appendicitis(CA) requires surgical treatment. Because of this, it's crucial to differentiate between UA and complicated appendicitis (CA). The aim of our study was to investigate preoperative variables associated with patients with acute appendicitis (AA) and to create a scoring system that would predict CA.
Methods
A prediction model was created using 256 patients with AA admitted to the People's Hospital of Longhua in Shenzhen between January 1 and December 31, 2022. One hundred ten patients who received medical care at the Guangdong Second Provincial General Hospital between January 1 and December 31, 2022, were considered for external validation. Multivariate logistic regression was used to find independent factors and create a nomogram to forecast the occurrence of CA.
Results
Multivariate logistic regression showed that CA was independently predicted by fever (P = 0.022 OR = 2.46), WBC (P = 0.049 OR = 1.08), NLR (P = 0.02 OR = 1.05), TB (P = 0.003 OR = 1.05), FIB (P = 0.001 OR = 0.84), and appendix diameter on imaging (P = 0.024 OR = 1.13). The nomogram created from the previously mentioned six parameters had an area under the curve of 0.804. According to the Hosmer-Lemeshow test, the model had a decent fit (P = 0.475). The nomogram's calibration curve was rather near the ideal diagonal line. The decision curve analysis also showed that the model's net benefit was substantially higher. The prediction nomogram's reliability was validated externally.
Conclusion
We were the first to create a nomogram based on preoperative variables to distinguish patients with CA from those with AA. It gives medical professionals a simple and precise tool for diagnosing CA early.
Weak Pulse Signal Distributed Fusion Detection with Multidimensional Nonlinear Correlation Subjected to Broad Learning
Authors: Su Liyun , Long Xuelian
Published: April 2024

Due to highly complex distributed sensors chaotic environments in sea monitoring, machinery fault diagnosis, and EEG weak signal detection, the data available to realize the effective detecting tasks of neural networks are often insufficient. Compared with machine learning models, a statistical approach with multidimensional nonlinear correlation exhibits a unique and extraordinary signal pattern predicting capacity and has a simple and powerful framework for signal processing. However, the application of multidimensional nonlinear correlation directly to weak pulse signal detection remains limited. To overcome these limitations and reach highly precision signal detection, a novel multidimensional nonlinear correlation (MNC) based on phase reconstructing and manifold broad learning is investigated for distributed sensor fusion detection under chaotic noise. Firstly, the distributed observation data is reconstructed into fixed-size arrays with phase space reconstructing, and the high dimensional sequence of the manifold broad learning of these tuples is used as an input of nonlinear correlation for extracting spatio-temporal features. Subsequently, a multidimensional nonlinear correlation with a QRS detector layer is developed to predict and classify the existence of a weak pulse signal. The MNC is integrated in the high feature enhanced space of the source domain and the detection fusion of distributed sensors is realized through the majority principle. Simulation experiments results show illustrates the effectiveness and robustness of the proposed MNC method combined with phase reconstructing and manifold broad learning strategy for distributed sensors weak pulse signal fusion detection in a chaotic background.
Masking Cervical Vestibular Evoked Myogenic Potentials Elicited by Vertical-Axis Vibrations through Speech Noises or Random Interstimulus-Interval Tone-Bursts
Authors: Lee Guo-She , Dai Wei-Ting , Lee Shao-Hsuan
Published: April 2024

Vestibular evoked myogenic potential (VEMP) can be elicited using bone-conduction vibration (BCV) and air-conduction sound (ACS), with BCV VEMP conventionally linked to bilateral vestibular pathways. We employed a new method to obscure BCV VEMP using acoustic maskings, aiming to contribute to the possibility of unilateral BCV VEMP testings. Twenty healthy adults (20–37 years, 10 males10 females) were enrolled. The vertical-axis vibrations (VAVs) of 500-Hz short tone burst (STB500) and 750-Hz short tone burst (STB750) were used to induce cervical VEMP through a Mini-Shaker (model 4810, Bruel & Kjaer) placed at vertex without acoustic masking (NOM), with 100-dBSPL speech noise masking (SNM), or with random interstimulus-interval tone burst (rISITB) were applied binaurally during VEMP testing. While response rates of STB500 were relatively less affected by SNM or rISITB (92.5% for NOM, 85.0% for SNM, and 75.0% for ISITB), response rates of STB750 were significantly reduced from 90.0% (NOM) to 17.5% (SNM) and 45.0% (rISITB) (p < 0.001, Fisher’s exact test). The response amplitude and p13 latency of STB750 were also significantly different from those of STB500 (p < 0.01, two-way repeated measures ANOVA). VAVs of STB750 elicited a >90% response rate of cervical VEMP and had 80% diminish of response rate by SNM. SNM demonstrated superior masking efficacy to rISITB. Although further research is warranted for possibilities of clinical application, our results indicate the methodology here provides potential of conducting VEMP tests on an individual ear and/or a specific organ using BCV VEMP.