bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Percutaneous transient occlusion of the transtricuspid flow: a new method to evaluate the right ventricle-dependent coronary circulation in pulmonary atresia with intact ventricular septum
Authors: Colín Ortiz José Luis , Sánchez González Sylvia K. , Aguirre Alfredo Bobadilla , Guerrero Carlos González-Rebeles , Carlos Alfonso Corona Villalobos
Published: May 2023

Pulmonary atresia with an intact ventricular septum is characterised by heterogeneity in right ventricle morphology and coronary anatomy. In some cases, the presence of ventriculocoronary connections may promote coronary artery stenosis or interruption, and aortic diastolic pressure may not be sufficient to drive coronary blood flow. This requires a correct evaluation (currently done by angiography) which depends on whether the patient can be offered decompression of the right ventricle. To date, there is no objective method to do so, so we designed a percutaneous, transitory technique with the purpose of occluding the transtricuspid anterograde flow. The manoeuverer was performed in a 25-day-old female with pulmonary atresia with intact ventricular septum, right ventricle at suprasystemic level, and selective coronarography was not conclusive, the anterior descendant with stenosis in its middle third and from this point, thinner with to-fro flow. Occlusion was performed with a balloon catheter. We re-evaluated the coronary flow and the normalised anterior descendant flow. We hope that with this new method, we can give a more accurate diagnosis and determine the cases in which the coronary circulation is truly not right ventricle dependent to offer a greater number of patients biventricular or 1.5 ventricular repairs and thereby improve their quality of life and survival, the ones that turn out to be right ventricular dependant; offer them an early reference for cardiac transplant or in case it is not available to consider univentricular palliation knowing that this probably would not reduce the risk of ischaemia and/or death over time.
Scientific research on food environments in Brazil: a scoping review
Authors: Mendes Larissa Loures , Rocha Luana Lara , Botelho Laís Vargas , de Menezes Mariana Carvalho , Júnior Paulo César Pereira de Castro , da Camara Alex Oliveira , Cardoso Leticia de Olivera , Castro Inês Rugani Ribeiro de , Horta Paula Martins , Pessoa Milene Cristine , Veiros Marcela Boro , Canella Daniela Silva
Published: May 2023

Objective:

To map the scientific research on food environments in Brazil, based on the following questions: How many studies have addressed food environments?; What study designs and methodological approaches were applied?; What is the geographic scope of the studies?; What scenarios and dimensions of food environments were studied?; Which population groups were studied?; How were food environments conceptualised?; What are the main limitations of the studies?

Design:

Scoping review conducted in four databases, from January 2005 to December 2022, using different food environment-related terms to cover the main types and dimensions proposed in the literature. The studies were independently selected by two authors. A narrative synthesis was used to summarise the findings.

Setting:

Brazil.

Participants:

130 articles.

Results:

Scientific research on Brazilian food environments has been increasing. The analytical quantitative approach and the cross-sectional design were the most frequently used. Most articles were published in English. The majority of studies evaluated the community food environment, addressed aspects of the physical dimension, sampled the adult population, had food consumption as an outcome, used primary data, and were carried out in capital cities in the Southeast region. Furthermore, in most articles, no conceptual model was explicitly adopted.

Conclusions:

Gaps in literature are related to the need for conducting studies in the Brazilian countryside, the support for the formulation of research questions based on conceptual models, the use of valid and reliable instruments to collect primary data, in addition to the need for a greater number of longitudinal, intervention and qualitative studies.
Time trends and social inequalities in infant and young child feeding practices: national estimates from Brazil’s Food and Nutrition Surveillance System, 2008–2019
Authors: de Souza Giesy Ribeiro , Ribeiro-Silva Rita de Cássia , Felisbino-Mendes Mariana Santos , Silva Natanael de Jesus , de Andrade Rafaella da Costa Santin , Pedroso Jéssica , Spaniol Ana Maria , Bortolini Gisele Ane , Nilson Eduardo Augusto Fernandes , da Silva Sara Araújo , Lourenço Bárbara Hatzlhoffer , Rocha Aline dos Santos , Falcão Ila Rocha , Ichihara Maria Yury Travassos , Farias Dayana Rodrigues , Barreto Maurício Lima
Published: May 2023

Objective:

To describe the time trends and socio-economic inequalities in infant and young child feeding practices in accordance with the Brazilian deprivation index (BDI).

Design:

This time-series study analysed the prevalence of multiple breast-feeding and complementary feeding indicators based on data from the Brazilian Food and Nutrition Surveillance System, 2008–2019. Prais–Winsten regression models were used to analyse time trends. Annual percent change (APC) and 95 % CI were calculated.

Setting:

Primary health care services, Brazil.

Participants:

Totally, 911 735 Brazilian children under 2 years old.

Results:

Breast-feeding and complementary feeding practices differed between the extreme BDI quintiles. Overall, the results were more favourable in the municipalities with less deprivation (Q1). Improvements in some complementary feeding indicators were observed over time and evidenced such disparities: minimum dietary diversity (Q1: Δ 47·8–52·2 %, APC + 1·44,P= 0·006), minimum acceptable diet (Q1: Δ 34·5–40·5 %, APC + 5·17,P= 0·004) and consumption of meat and/or eggs (Q1: Δ 59·7–80·3 %, APC + 6·26,P< 0·001; and Q5: Δ 65·7–70·7 %, APC + 2·20,P= 0·041). Stable trends in exclusive breast-feeding and decreasing trends in the consumption of sweetened drinks and ultra-processed foods were also observed regardless the level of the deprivation.

Conclusions:

Improvements in some complementary food indicators were observed over time. However, the improvements were not equally distributed among the BDI quintiles, with children from the municipalities with less deprivation benefiting the most.
Dietary patterns, obesity markers and leukocyte telomere length among Brazilian civil servants: cross-sectional results from the Pro-Saude study
Authors: Naspolini Nathalia Ferrazzo , Sichieri Rosely , Barbosa Cunha Diana , Alves Pereira Rosangela , Faerstein Eduardo
Published: May 2023

Objective:

Dietary patterns express the combination and variety of foods in the diet. The partial least squares method allows extracting dietary patterns related to a specific health outcome. Few studies have evaluated obesity-related dietary patterns associated with telomeres length. This study aims to identify dietary patterns explaining obesity markers and to assess their association with leukocyte telomere length (LTL), a biological marker of the ageing process.

Design:

Cross-sectional study.

Setting:

University campuses in the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Participants:

478 participants of a civil servants’ cohort study with data on food consumption, obesity measurements (total body fat, visceral fat, BMI, leptin and adiponectin) and blood samples.

Results:

Three dietary patterns were extracted: (1) fast food and meat; (2) healthy and (3) traditional pattern, which included rice and beans, the staple foods most consumed in Brazil. All three dietary patterns explained 23·2 % of food consumption variation and 10·7 % of the obesity-related variables. The fast food and meat pattern were the first factor extracted, explaining 11–13 % variation of the obesity-related response variables (BMI, total body fat and visceral fat), leptin and adiponectin showed the lowest percentage (4·5–0·1 %). The healthy pattern mostly explained leptin and adiponectin variations (10·7 and 3·3 %, respectively). The traditional pattern was associated with LTL (β = 0·0117; 95 % CI 0·0001, 0·0233) after adjustment for the other patterns, age, sex, exercise practice, income and energy intake.

Conclusion:

Leukocyte telomere length was longer among participants eating a traditional dietary pattern that combines fruit, vegetables and beans.
Comment on “Improved Water Savings and Reduction in Moist Heat Stress Caused by Efficient Irrigation” by Anukesh Krishnankutty Ambika and Vimal Mishra
Authors: Kukal Meetpal S.
Published: May 2023

A recent study by Ambika and Mishra (2022, https://doi.org/10.1029/2021EF002642) asserted using simulated evidence that a shift towards drip irrigation from channel irrigation in the Indo‐Gangetic Plains will result in alleviation of moist heat stress and water savings. The assumptions, parameterizations, and approach adopted in this study do not adequately represent fundamentals of irrigation science, management, and engineering, as well as realities of local agricultural water management in the Indo‐Gangetic Plains. This comment attempts to highlight these inadequacies of the paper and related literature, by focusing on four major aspects related to irrigation process, local land‐use, timing of irrigation and moist heat stress, and water accounting. These weaknesses in irrigation processes modeling result in overlooking of indispensable aspects that should be accounted for to comprehensively assess impacts of irrigation method choice on regional weather and water resources.
Three‐Dimensional Steady‐State Hydraulic Tomography Analysis With Integration of Cross‐Hole Flowmeter Data at a Highly Heterogeneous Site
Authors: Luo Ning , Zhao Zhanfeng , Illman Walter A. , Zha Yuanyuan , Mok Chin Man W. , Yeh T.‐C. Jim
Published: May 2023

Hydraulic tomography (HT) has been shown to be a robust approach for the high‐resolution characterization of subsurface heterogeneity. However, HT can yield smooth estimates of hydraulic parameters when pumping tests and drawdown measurements are sparse, thus limiting the utility of characterization results in predicting groundwater flow and solute transport. To overcome this issue, this study integrates cross‐hole flowmeter measurements with HT analysis of steady‐state pumping/injection test data for the three‐dimensional (3‐D) characterization of hydraulic conductivity (K) at a highly heterogeneous glaciofluvial deposit site, which has not been previously attempted. Geostatistical inverse analyses of cross‐hole flowmeter data are conducted to yield preliminary estimates of K distribution, which are then utilized as initial K fields for steady‐state HT analysis of head data. Four cases combining three data types (geological information, cross‐hole flowmeter measurements, and steady‐state head data) for inverse modeling are performed. Model calibration and validation results from all cases are compared qualitatively and quantitatively to evaluate their performances. Results from this study show that (a) geostatistical inverse analysis of cross‐hole flowmeter data is capable in revealing vertical distributions of K at well locations and major high/low K zones between wells, (b) cross‐hole flowmeter data carry non‐redundant information of K heterogeneity compared to geological information and steady‐state head data, and (c) integration of flowmeter data improves characterization results in terms of revealing K heterogeneity details and predicting independent hydraulic test data. Therefore, this study demonstrates the usefulness of cross‐hole flowmeter data in augmenting HT surveys for improved K characterization in 3‐D.
Management of children with poor prognosis first permanent molars: an interdisciplinary approach is the key
Authors: Lakhani Shrita , Noble Fiona , Rodd Helen , Cobourne Martyn T.
Published: May 2023

Although there have been continuous improvements in child oral health over recent decades, first permanent molars (FPMs) remain susceptible to early caries and can often be affected by hypomineralisation. We highlight current thinking in caries management and the restoration of hypomineralised FPMs, while also discussing enforced loss of these teeth within the context of interceptive extractions or extractions as part of orthodontic treatment. Compromised FPMs can negatively impact on quality of life for a child and present significant management challenges for the dental team. Although a high-quality evidence base is lacking for the different treatment options, early diagnosis and multidisciplinary treatment planning are key to achieving the best outcomes.
Implementation of threshold- and memory-switching memristors based on electrochemical metallization in an identical ferroelectric electrolyte
Authors: Yoon Chansoo , Oh Gwangtaek , Kim Sohwi , Jeon Jihoon , Lee Ji Hye , Kim Young Heon , Park Bae Ho
Published: May 2023

The use of an identical electrolyte in electrochemical metallization (ECM)-based neuron and synaptic devices has not yet been achieved due to their different resistive-switching characteristics. Herein, we describe ECM devices comprising the same ferroelectric PbZr0.52Ti0.48O3 (PZT) electrolyte, which can sustain both neuron and synaptic behavior depending on the identity of the active electrode. The Ag/PZT/La0.8Sr0.2MnO3 (LSMO) threshold switching memristor shows abrupt and volatile resistive switching characteristics, which lead to neuron devices with stochastic integration-and-fire behavior, auto-recovery, and rapid operation. In contrast, the Ni/PZT/LSMO memory switching memristor exhibits gradual, non-volatile resistive switching behavior, which leads to synaptic devices with a high on/off ratio, low on-state current, low variability, and spike-timing-dependent plasticity (STDP). The divergent behavior of the ECM devices is attributed to greater control of cation migration through the ultrathin ferroelectric PZT. Thus, ECM devices with an identical ferroelectric electrolyte offer promise as essential building blocks in the construction of high-performance neuromorphic computing systems.
Frictional fluid instabilities shaped by viscous forces
Authors: Zhang Dawang , Campbell James M. , Eriksen Jon A. , Flekkøy Eirik G. , Måløy Knut Jørgen , MacMinn Christopher W. , Sandnes Bjørnar
Published: May 2023

Multiphase flows involving granular materials are complex and prone to pattern formation caused by competing mechanical and hydrodynamic interactions. Here we study the interplay between granular bulldozing and the stabilising effect of viscous pressure gradients in the invading fluid. Injection of aqueous solutions into layers of dry, hydrophobic grains represent a viscously stable scenario where we observe a transition from growth of a single frictional finger to simultaneous growth of multiple fingers as viscous forces are increased. The pattern is made more compact by the internal viscous pressure gradient, ultimately resulting in a fully stabilised front of frictional fingers advancing as a radial spoke pattern.
Designing architected materials for mechanical compression via simulation, deep learning, and experimentation
Authors: Lew Andrew J. , Jin Kai , Buehler Markus J.
Published: May 2023

Architected materials can achieve enhanced properties compared to their plain counterparts. Specific architecting serves as a powerful design lever to achieve targeted behavior without changing the base material. Thus, the connection between architected structure and resultant properties remains an open field of great interest to many fields, from aerospace to civil to automotive applications. Here, we focus on properties related to mechanical compression, and design hierarchical honeycomb structures to meet specific values of stiffness and compressive stress. To do so, we employ a combination of techniques in a singular workflow, starting with molecular dynamics simulation of the forward design problem, augmenting with data-driven artificial intelligence models to address the inverse design problem, and verifying the behavior of de novo structures with experimentation of additively manufactured samples. We thereby demonstrate an approach for architected design that is generalizable to multiple material properties and agnostic to the identity of the base material.
Kohn–Sham time-dependent density functional theory with Tamm–Dancoff approximation on massively parallel GPUs
Authors: Kim Inkoo , Jeong Daun , Son Won-Joon , Kim Hyung-Jin , Rhee Young Min , Jung Yongsik , Choi Hyeonho , Yim Jinkyu , Jang Inkook , Kim Dae Sin
Published: May 2023

We report a high-performance multi graphics processing unit (GPU) implementation of the Kohn–Sham time-dependent density functional theory (TDDFT) within the Tamm–Dancoff approximation. Our algorithm on massively parallel computing systems using multiple parallel models in tandem scales optimally with material size, considerably reducing the computational wall time. A benchmark TDDFT study was performed on a green fluorescent protein complex composed of 4353 atoms with 40,518 atomic orbitals represented by Gaussian-type functions, demonstrating the effect of distant protein residues on the excitation. As the largest molecule attempted to date to the best of our knowledge, the proposed strategy demonstrated reasonably high efficiencies up to 256 GPUs on a custom-built state-of-the-art GPU computing system with Nvidia A100 GPUs. We believe that our GPU-oriented algorithms, which empower first-principles simulation for very large-scale applications, may render deeper understanding of the molecular basis of material behaviors, eventually revealing new possibilities for breakthrough designs on new material systems.
Localized corrosion and repassivation behaviors of additively manufactured titanium alloys in simulated biomedical solutions
Authors: Seo Dong-Il , Lee Jae-Bong
Published: May 2023

The localized corrosion behavior of additively manufactured (AM) titanium alloys is studied based on the relation between pitting potentials, the flux of oxygen vacancies in a passive film, and the repassivation rate using potentiodynamic polarization, Mott–Schottky, and an abrading electrode techniques. The relationship between the localized corrosion resistance and the repassivation behaviors of AM titanium alloys was explained by the survival probability constant based upon the point defect model which describe the generated oxygen vacancies and accumulated cation vacancies affect the occurrence of the localized corrosion. Localized corrosion can be initiated by survival pits under sufficient conditions of the breakdown passive films. Survival probability is constant means a quantitative probability value of the transition from metastable pit to stable pit to occur localized corrosion. The higher the survival probability constant of AM titanium alloys, the more difficult repassivation and the easier occurrence of localized corrosion.
Pluripotent stem cell-derived committed cardiac progenitors remuscularize damaged ischemic hearts and improve their function in pigs
Authors: Yap Lynn , Chong Li Yen , Tan Clarissa , Adusumalli Swarnaseetha , Seow Millie , Guo Jing , Cai Zuhua , Loo Sze Jie , Lim Eric , Tan Ru San , Grishina Elina , Soong Poh Loong , Lath Narayan , Ye Lei , Petretto Enrico , Tryggvason Karl
Published: May 2023

Ischemic heart disease, which is often associated with irreversibly damaged heart muscle, is a major global health burden. Here, we report the potential of stem cell-derived committed cardiac progenitors (CCPs) have in regenerative cardiology. Human pluripotent embryonic stem cells were differentiated to CCPs on a laminin 521 + 221 matrix, characterized with bulk and single-cell RNA sequencing, and transplanted into infarcted pig hearts. CCPs differentiated for eleven days expressed a set of genes showing higher expression than cells differentiated for seven days. Functional heart studies revealed significant improvement in left ventricular ejection fraction at four and twelve weeks following transplantation. We also observed significant improvements in ventricular wall thickness and a reduction in infarction size after CCP transplantation (p-value < 0.05). Immunohistology analyses revealed in vivo maturation of the CCPs into cardiomyocytes (CM). We observed temporary episodes of ventricular tachyarrhythmia (VT) in four pigs and persistent VT in one pig, but the remaining five pigs exhibited normal sinus rhythm. Importantly, all pigs survived without the formation of any tumors or VT-related abnormalities. We conclude that pluripotent stem cell-derived CCPs constitute a promising possibility for myocardial infarction treatment and that they may positively impact regenerative cardiology.
Strategies for oral delivery of bioactive peptides with focus on debittering and masking
Authors: Mirzapour-Kouhdasht Armin , McClements David Julian , Taghizadeh Mohammad Sadegh , Niazi Ali , Garcia-Vaquero Marco
Published: May 2023

Protein hydrolysis is a process used in the food industry to generate bioactive peptides of low molecular weight and with additional health benefits, such as antihypertensive, antidiabetic, and antioxidant properties that are often associated with their content on hydrophobic amino acids. This results in an increased bitterness of the products, making them less desirable for their use in food formulations. This review summarizes the main dietary sources of bitter bioactive peptides, including methods to determine their bitterness, such as the Q-values and electronic tongue; and the main factors and mechanisms underlying the bitterness of these compounds. The main strategies currently used to improve the taste and oral delivery of bioactive peptides are also discussed together with the main advantages and drawbacks of each technique. Debittering and masking techniques are reported in detail, including active carbon treatments, alcohol extraction, isoelectric precipitation, chromatographic methods, and additional hydrolytic processes. Other masking or blocking techniques, including the use of inhibitors, such as modified starch, taurine, glycine, and polyphosphates, as well as chemical modifications, such as amination, deamination, acetylation, or cross-linking were also discussed. The findings of this work highlight encapsulation as a highly effective method for masking the bitter taste and promoting the bioactivity of peptides compared to other traditional debittering and masking processes. In conclusion, the article suggests that advanced encapsulation technologies can serve as an effective means to mitigate the bitterness associated with bioactive peptides, while simultaneously preserving their biological activity, increasing their viability in the development of functional foods and pharmaceuticals.
Using a willingness to wait design to assess how readers value text
Authors: Bains Amrita , Spaulding Carina , Ricketts Jessie , Krishnan Saloni
Published: May 2023

What affects moment-to-moment motivation to read? Existing reading motivation questionnaires are trait-based and not well suited to capturing the dynamic, situational influences of text or social context. Drawing on the decision science literature, we have created a paradigm to measure situational enjoyment during reading. Using this paradigm, we find reading enjoyment is associated with further decision-making about the text and with reading comprehension.
SensEURCity: A multi-city air quality dataset collected for 2020/2021 using open low-cost sensor systems
Authors: Van Poppel Martine , Schneider Philipp , Peters Jan , Yatkin Sinan , Gerboles Michel , Matheeussen Christina , Bartonova Alena , Davila Silvije , Signorini Marco , Vogt Matthias , Dauge Franck René , Skaar Jøran Solnes , Haugen Rolf
Published: May 2023

Low-cost air quality sensor systems can be deployed at high density, making them a significant candidate of complementary tools for improved air quality assessment. However, they still suffer from poor or unknown data quality. In this paper, we report on a unique dataset including the raw sensor data of quality-controlled sensor networks along with co-located reference data sets. Sensor data are collected using the AirSensEUR sensor system, including sensors to monitor NO, NO2, O3, CO, PM2.5, PM10, PM1, CO2 and meteorological parameters. In total, 85 sensor systems were deployed throughout a year in three European cities (Antwerp, Oslo and Zagreb), resulting in a dataset comprising different meteorological and ambient conditions. The main data collection included two co-location campaigns in different seasons at an Air Quality Monitoring Station (AQMS) in each city and a deployment at various locations in each city (also including locations at other AQMSs). The dataset consists of data files with sensor and reference data, and metadata files with description of locations, deployment dates and description of sensors and reference instruments.
A Taxonomically-verified and Vouchered Checklist of the Vascular Plants of the Republic of Guinea
Authors: Gosline George , Bidault Ehoarn , van der Burgt Xander , Cahen Daniel , Challen Gill , Condé Nagnouma , Couch Charlotte , Couvreur Thomas L. P. , Dagallier Léo-Paul M. J. , Darbyshire Iain , Dawson Sally , Doré Tokpa Seny , Goyder David , Grall Aurélie , Haba Pépé , Haba Pierre , Harris David , Hind D. J. Nicholas , Jongkind Carel , Konomou Gbamon , Larridon Isabel , Lewis Gwilym , Ley Alexandra , Lock Michael , Lucas Eve , Magassouba Sékou , Mayo Simon , Molmou Denise , Monro Alexandre , Onana Jean Michel , Paiva Jorge , Paton Alan , Phillips Sylvia , Prance Ghillean , Quintanar Alejandro , Rokni Saba , Shah Toral , Schrire Brian , Schuiteman André , Simões Ana Rita Giraldes , Sosef Marc , Stévart Tariq , Stone R. Doug , Utteridge Tim , Wilkin Paul , Xanthos Martin , Nic Lughadha Eimear , Cheek Martin
Published: May 2023

The Checklist of the Vascular Plants of the Republic of Guinea (CVPRG) is a specimen-based, expert-validated knowledge product, which provides a concise synthesis and overview of current knowledge on 3901 vascular plant species documented from Guinea (Conakry), West Africa, including their accepted names and synonyms, as well as their distribution and status within Guinea (indigenous or introduced, endemic or not). The CVPRG is generated automatically from the Guinea Collections Database and the Guinea Names Backbone Database, both developed and maintained at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, in collaboration with the staff of the National Herbarium of Guinea. A total of 3505 indigenous vascular plant species are reported of which 3328 are flowering plants (angiosperms); this represents a 26% increase in known indigenous angiosperms since the last floristic overview. Intended as a reference for scientists documenting the diversity and distribution of the Guinea flora, the CVPRG will also inform those seeking to safeguard the rich plant diversity of Guinea and the societal, ecological and economic benefits accruing from these biological resources.
Global 30 meters spatiotemporal 3D urban expansion dataset from 1990 to 2010
Authors: He Tingting , Wang Kechao , Xiao Wu , Xu Suchen , Li Mengmeng , Yang Runjia , Yue Wenze
Published: May 2023

Understanding the spatiotemporal dynamics of global 3D urban expansion over time is becoming increasingly crucial for achieving long-term development goals. In this study, we generated a global dataset of annual urban 3D expansion (1990–2010) using World Settlement Footprint 2015 data, GAIA data, and ALOS AW3D30 data with a three-step technical framework: (1) extracting the global constructed land to generate the research area, (2) neighborhood analysis to calculate the original normalized DSM and slope height of each pixel in the study area, and (3) slope correction for areas with a slope greater than 10° to improve the accuracy of estimated building heights. The cross-validation results indicate that our dataset is reliable in the United States(R2 = 0.821), Europe(R2 = 0.863), China(R2 = 0.796), and across the world(R2 = 0.811). As we know, this is the first 30-meter 3D urban expansion dataset across the globe, which can give unique information to understand and address the implications of urbanization on food security, biodiversity, climate change, and public well-being and health.
A Chinese soil conservation dataset preventing soil water erosion from 1992 to 2019
Authors: Li Jialei , He Hongbin , Zeng Qinghua , Chen Liding , Sun Ranhao
Published: May 2023

Soil conservation service (SC) is defined as the ability of terrestrial ecosystems to control soil erosion and protect soil function. A long-term and high-resolution estimation of SC is urgent for ecological assessment and land management on a large scale. Here, a 300-m resolution Chinese soil conservation dataset (CSCD) from 1992 to 2019, for the first time, is established based on the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE) model. The RUSLE modelling was conducted based on five key parameters, including the rainfall erosivity (interpolation of daily rainfall), land cover management (provincial data), conservation practices (weighted by terrain and crop types), topography (30 m), and soil properties (250 m). The dataset agrees with previous measurements in all basins (R2 > 0.5) and other regional simulations. Compared with current studies, the dataset has long-term, large-scale, and relatively high-resolution characteristics. This dataset will serve as a base to open out the mechanism of SC variations in China and could help assess the ecological effects of land management policies.
Estimation of drinking water volume of laboratory animals based on image processing
Authors: Liu Zhihai , Liu Feiyi , Zeng Qingliang , Yin Xiang , Yang Yang
Published: May 2023

This paper describes an image processing-based technique used to measure the volume of residual water in the drinking water bottle for the laboratory mouse. This technique uses a camera to capture the bottle's image and then processes the image to calculate the volume of water in the bottle. Firstly, the Grabcut method separates the foreground and background to avoid the influence of background on image feature extraction. Then Canny operator was used to detect the edge of the water bottle and the edge of the liquid surface. The cumulative probability Hough detection identified the water bottle edge line segment and the liquid surface line segment from the edge image. Finally, the spatial coordinate system is constructed, and the length of each line segment on the water bottle is calculated by using plane analytical geometry. Then the volume of water is calculated. By comparing image processing time, the pixel number of liquid level, and other indexes, the optimal illuminance and water bottle color were obtained. The experimental results show that the average deviation rate of this method is less than 5%, which significantly improves the accuracy and efficiency of measurement compared with traditional manual measurement.
Design of optimal Elman Recurrent Neural Network based prediction approach for biofuel production
Authors: Kumar N. Paramesh , Vijayabaskar S. , Murali L. , Ramaswamy Krishnaraj
Published: May 2023

Renewable sources like biofuels have gained significant attention to meet the rising demands of energy supply. Biofuels find useful in several domains of energy generation such as electricity, power, or transportation. Due to the environmental benefits of biofuel, it has gained significant attention in the automotive fuel market. Since the handiness of biofuels become essential, effective models are required to handle and predict the biofuel production in realtime. Deep learning techniques have become a significant technique to model and optimize bioprocesses. In this view, this study designs a new optimal Elman Recurrent Neural Network (OERNN) based prediction model for biofuel prediction, called OERNN-BPP. The OERNN-BPP technique pre-processes the raw data by the use of empirical mode decomposition and fine to coarse reconstruction model. In addition, ERNN model is applied to predict the productivity of biofuel. In order to improve the predictive performance of the ERNN model, a hyperparameter optimization process takes place using political optimizer (PO). The PO is used to optimally select the hyper parameters of the ERNN such as learning rate, batch size, momentum, and weight decay. On the benchmark dataset, a sizable number of simulations are run, and the outcomes are examined from several angles. The simulation results demonstrated the suggested model's advantage over more current methods for estimating the output of biofuels.
Multi-task learning approach for utilizing temporal relations in natural language understanding tasks
Authors: Lim Chae-Gyun , Jeong Young-Seob , Choi Ho-Jin
Published: May 2023

Various studies have been conducted on multi-task learning techniques in natural language understanding (NLU), which build a model capable of processing multiple tasks and providing generalized performance. Most documents written in natural languages contain time-related information. It is essential to recognize such information accurately and utilize it to understand the context and overall content of a document while performing NLU tasks. In this study, we propose a multi-task learning technique that includes a temporal relation extraction task in the training process of NLU tasks such that the trained model can utilize temporal context information from the input sentences. To utilize the characteristics of multi-task learning, an additional task that extracts temporal relations from given sentences was designed, and the multi-task model was configured to learn in combination with the existing NLU tasks on Korean and English datasets. Performance differences were analyzed by combining NLU tasks to extract temporal relations. The accuracy of the single task for temporal relation extraction is 57.8 and 45.1 for Korean and English, respectively, and improves up to 64.2 and 48.7 when combined with other NLU tasks. The experimental results confirm that extracting temporal relations can improve its performance when combined with other NLU tasks in multi-task learning, compared to dealing with it individually. Also, because of the differences in linguistic characteristics between Korean and English, there are different task combinations that positively affect extracting the temporal relations.
Experimental hierarchy of two-qubit quantum correlations without state tomography
Authors: Abo Shilan , Soubusta Jan , Jiráková Kateřina , Bartkiewicz Karol , Černoch Antonín , Lemr Karel , Miranowicz Adam
Published: May 2023

A Werner state, which is the singlet Bell state affected by white noise, is a prototype example of states, which can reveal a hierarchy of quantum entanglement, steering, and Bell nonlocality by controlling the amount of noise. However, experimental demonstrations of this hierarchy in a sufficient and necessary way (i.e., by applying measures or universal witnesses of these quantum correlations) have been mainly based on full quantum state tomography, corresponding to measuring at least 15 real parameters of two-qubit states. Here we report an experimental demonstration of this hierarchy by measuring only six elements of a correlation matrix depending on linear combinations of two-qubit Stokes parameters. We show that our experimental setup can also reveal the hierarchy of these quantum correlations of generalized Werner states, which are any two-qubit pure states affected by white noise.
Chimera patterns in conservative Hamiltonian systems and Bose–Einstein condensates of ultracold atoms
Authors: Lau Hon Wai Hana , Davidsen Jörn , Simon Christoph
Published: May 2023

Experimental realizations of chimera patterns, characterized by coexisting regions of phase coherence and incoherence, have so far been achieved for non-conservative systems with dissipation and exclusively in classical settings. The possibility of observing chimera patterns in quantum systems has rarely been studied and it remains an open question if chimera patterns can exist in closed, or conservative quantum systems. Here, we tackle these challenges by first proposing a conservative Hamiltonian system with nonlocal hopping, where the energy is well-defined and conserved. We show explicitly that such a system can exhibit chimera patterns. Then we propose a physical mechanism for the nonlocal hopping by using an additional mediating channel. This leads us to propose a possible experimentally realizable quantum system based on a two-component Bose–Einstein condensate (BEC) with a spin-dependent optical lattice, where an untrapped component serves as the matter-wave mediating field. In this BEC system, nonlocal spatial hopping over tens of lattice sites can be achieved and simulations suggest that chimera patterns should be observable in certain parameter regimes.
Differences in the transcriptional immune response to Albugo candida between white rust resistant and susceptible cultivars in Brassica rapa L.
Authors: Miyaji Naomi , Akter Mst. Arjina , Shimizu Motoki , Mehraj Hasan , Doullah Md Asad-Ud , Dennis Elizabeth S. , Chuma Izumi , Fujimoto Ryo
Published: May 2023

Albugo candida causing white rust disease decreases the yield of Brassica rapa vegetables greatly. Resistant and susceptible cultivars in B. rapa vegetables have different immune responses against A. candida inoculation, however, the mechanism of how host plants respond to A. candida is still unknown. Using RNA-sequencing, we identified differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between A. candida inoculated [48 and 72 h after inoculation (HAI)] and non-inoculated samples in resistant and susceptible cultivars of komatsuna (B. rapa var. perviridis). Functional DEGs differed between the resistant and susceptible cultivars in A. candida inoculated samples. Salicylic acid (SA) responsive genes tended to be changed in their expression levels by A. candida inoculation in both resistant and susceptible cultivars, but different genes were identified in the two cultivars. SA-dependent systemic acquired resistance (SAR) involving genes were upregulated following A. candida inoculation in the resistant cultivar. Particular genes categorized as SAR that changed expression levels overlapped between A. candida and Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. conglutinans inoculated samples in resistant cultivar, suggesting a role for SAR in defense response to both pathogens particularly in the effector-triggered immunity downstream pathway. These findings will be useful for understanding white rust resistance mechanisms in B. rapa.
Microbial growth and adhesion of Escherichia coli in elastomeric silicone foams with commonly used additives
Authors: Rebane Ingrid , Priks Hans , Levin Karl Jakob , Sarigül İsmail , Mäeorg Uno , Johanson Urmas , Piirimägi Peeter , Tenson Tanel , Tamm Tarmo
Published: May 2023

Silicone is often used in environments where water repellency is an advantage. Contact with water promotes the adhesion of microorganisms and biofilm formation. Depending on the application, this may increase the possibility of food poisoning and infections, the material's degrading appearance, and the likelihood of manufacturing defects. The prevention of microbial adhesion and biofilm formation is also essential for silicone-based elastomeric foams, which are used in direct contact with human bodies but are often difficult to clean. In this study, the microbial attachment in and the retention from the pores of silicone foams of different compositions is described and compared to those of commonly used polyurethane foams. The growth of the gram-negative Escherichia coli in the pores and their leaching during wash cycles is characterised by bacterial growth/inhibition, adhesion assay, and SEM imaging. The structural and surface properties of the materials are compared. Despite using common antibacterial additives, we have found that non-soluble particles stay isolated in the silicone elastomer layer, thus affecting surface microroughness. Water-soluble tannic acid dissolves into the medium and seems to aid in inhibiting planktonic bacterial growth, with a clear indication of the availability of tannic acid on the surfaces of SIFs.
Machine learning survival models trained on clinical data to identify high risk patients with hormone responsive HER2 negative breast cancer
Authors: Fanizzi Annarita , Pomarico Domenico , Rizzo Alessandro , Bove Samantha , Comes Maria Colomba , Didonna Vittorio , Giotta Francesco , La Forgia Daniele , Latorre Agnese , Pastena Maria Irene , Petruzzellis Nicole , Rinaldi Lucia , Tamborra Pasquale , Zito Alfredo , Lorusso Vito , Massafra Raffaella
Published: May 2023

For endocrine-positive Her2 negative breast cancer patients at an early stage, the benefit of adding chemotherapy to adjuvant endocrine therapy is not still confirmed. Several genomic tests are available on the market but are very expensive. Therefore, there is the urgent need to explore novel reliable and less expensive prognostic tools in this setting. In this paper, we shown a machine learning survival model to estimate Invasive Disease-Free Events trained on clinical and histological data commonly collected in clinical practice. We collected clinical and cytohistological outcomes of 145 patients referred to Istituto Tumori “Giovanni Paolo II”. Three machine learning survival models are compared with the Cox proportional hazards regression according to time-dependent performance metrics evaluated in cross-validation. The c-index at 10 years obtained by random survival forest, gradient boosting, and component-wise gradient boosting is stabled with or without feature selection at approximately 0.68 in average respect to 0.57 obtained to Cox model. Moreover, machine learning survival models have accurately discriminated low- and high-risk patients, and so a large group which can be spared additional chemotherapy to hormone therapy. The preliminary results obtained by including only clinical determinants are encouraging. The integrated use of data already collected in clinical practice for routine diagnostic investigations, if properly analyzed, can reduce time and costs of the genomic tests.
Specific mating behavior of Malayan pangolin (Manis javanica) in captivity
Authors: Yan Dingyu , Guo Xiaobing , Zeng Xiangyan , Jia Miaomiao , Tao Li , Wang Xiaoting , He Lun , Li Mingzhe , Guo Zhiming , Xu Shanghua , Li Baocai , Zeng Peng , Li Shousheng , Wei Yongjie
Published: May 2023

Pangolin is a mysterious animal in the Family Pholidota, Mammalia. Malayan pangolin (Manis javanica) is one of eight existing species and is listed in Manis. With the number of wild pangolins (Manis spp.) rapidly decreasing, captive breeding has become an important way to protect them from extinction. The research on mating behavior of pangolins is an important content to understand its reproductive characteristics and develop breeding management. From 2016 to 2022, a total of 360 mating events were observed in six males and 24 females through closed circuit television (CCTV) surveillance. The results show that males do not engage in complex courtship behavior before mating. In addition, we found that male pangolins adopted a ventrolateral mating position. Once males selected the side (left/right) of the female pangolin from which to approach to mate, they usually remained on the same side for subsequent mating, suggesting that male pangolins may have a preference in mating position. Finally, all mating events were observed at 1.72 ± 1.47 (n = 83, Mean ± SD) days after cohabitation and adjustment time before mating (from the male touching the female to intromission) took 4.98 ± 3.86 mins (n = 323). During mating, males hugged females and remained still for 47.37 ± 10.08 seconds (n = 323), which is the ejaculation and post-ejaculation quiescent time. Remarkably, we observed for the first time two peak mating times, 19:00 to 22:00 and 1:00 to 3:00, suggesting that they may have a preference for mating times. This study provides new insight into the mating behavior of M. javanica and contributes to the development of scientific conservation measures to improve the reproductive capacity of M. javanica.
A retrospective cohort study of incidence and risk factors for severe SARS-CoV-2 breakthrough infection among fully vaccinated people
Authors: Meister Tatjana , Kolde Anastassia , Fischer Krista , Pisarev Heti , Kolde Raivo , Kalda Ruth , Suija Kadri , Tisler Anna , Uusküla Anneli
Published: May 2023

SARS-CoV-2 vaccination is currently the mainstay in combating the COVID-19 pandemic. However, there are still people among vaccinated individuals suffering from severe forms of the disease. We conducted a retrospective cohort study based on data from nationwide e-health databases. The study included 184,132 individuals who were SARS-CoV-2 infection-naive and had received at least a primary series of COVID-19 vaccination. The incidence of BTI (breakthrough infection) was 8.03 (95% CI [confidence interval] 7.95⎼8.13/10,000 person-days), and for severe COVID-19 it was 0.093 (95% CI 0.084⎼ 0.104/10,000 person-days). The protective effect of vaccination against severe COVID-19 remained constant for up to six months, and the booster dose offered an additional pronounced benefit (hospitalization aHR 0.32, 95% CI 0.19⎼0.54). The risk of severe COVID-19 was higher among those ≥ 50 years of age (aHR [adjusted hazard ratio] 2.06, 95% CI 1.25⎼3.42) and increased constantly with every decade of life. Male sex (aHR 1.32, 95% CI 1.16⎼1.45), CCI (The Charlson Comorbidity Index) score ≥ 1 (aHR 2.09, 95% CI 1.54⎼2.83), and a range of comorbidities were associated with an increased risk of COVID-19 hospitalization. There are identifiable subgroups of COVID-19-vaccinated individuals at high risk of hospitalization due to SARS-CoV-2 infection. This information is crucial to driving vaccination programs and planning treatment strategies.
Heterologous production of the D-cycloserine intermediate O-acetyl-L-serine in a human type II pulmonary cell model
Authors: Robbins Laurel , Balaram Ariane , Dejneka Stefanie , McMahon Matthew , Najibi Zarina , Pawlowicz Peter , Conrad William H.
Published: May 2023

Tuberculosis (TB) is the second leading cause of death by a single infectious disease behind COVID-19. Despite a century of effort, the current TB vaccine does not effectively prevent pulmonary TB, promote herd immunity, or prevent transmission. Therefore, alternative approaches are needed. We seek to develop a cell therapy that produces an effective antibiotic in response to TB infection. D-cycloserine (D-CS) is a second-line antibiotic for TB that inhibits bacterial cell wall synthesis. We have determined D-CS to be the optimal candidate for anti-TB cell therapy due to its effectiveness against TB, relatively short biosynthetic pathway, and its low-resistance incidence. The first committed step towards D-CS synthesis is catalyzed by the L-serine-O-acetyltransferase (DcsE) which converts L-serine and acetyl-CoA to O-acetyl-L-serine (L-OAS). To test if the D-CS pathway could be an effective prophylaxis for TB, we endeavored to express functional DcsE in A549 cells as a human pulmonary model. We observed DcsE-FLAG-GFP expression using fluorescence microscopy. DcsE purified from A549 cells catalyzed the synthesis of L-OAS as observed by HPLC–MS. Therefore, human cells synthesize functional DcsE capable of converting L-serine and acetyl-CoA to L-OAS demonstrating the first step towards D-CS production in human cells.