bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Comprehensive meta-analysis of QTL and gene expression studies identify candidate genes associated with Aspergillus flavus resistance in maize
Authors: Baisakh Niranjan , Da Silva Eduardo A. , Pradhan Anjan K. , Rajasekaran Kanniah
Published: July 2023

Aflatoxin (AF) contamination, caused by Aspergillus flavus, compromises the food safety and marketability of commodities, such as maize, cotton, peanuts, and tree nuts. Multigenic inheritance of AF resistance impedes conventional introgression of resistance traits into high-yielding commercial maize varieties. Several AF resistance-associated quantitative trait loci (QTLs) and markers have been reported from multiple biparental mapping and genome-wide association studies (GWAS) in maize. However, QTLs with large confidence intervals (CI) explaining inconsistent phenotypic variance limit their use in marker-assisted selection. Meta-analysis of published QTLs can identify significant meta-QTLs (MQTLs) with a narrower CI for reliable identification of genes and linked markers for AF resistance. Using 276 out of 356 reported QTLs controlling resistance to A. flavus infection and AF contamination in maize, we identified 58 MQTLs on all 10 chromosomes with a 66.5% reduction in the average CI. Similarly, a meta-analysis of maize genes differentially expressed in response to (a)biotic stresses from the to-date published literature identified 591 genes putatively responding to only A. flavus infection, of which 14 were significantly differentially expressed (−1.0 ≤ Log2Fc ≥ 1.0; p ≤ 0.05). Eight MQTLs were validated by their colocalization with 14 A. flavus resistance-associated SNPs identified from GWAS in maize. A total of 15 genes were physically close between the MQTL intervals and SNPs. Assessment of 12 MQTL-linked SSR markers identified three markers that could discriminate 14 and eight cultivars with resistance and susceptible responses, respectively. A comprehensive meta-analysis of QTLs and differentially expressed genes led to the identification of genes and makers for their potential application in marker-assisted breeding of A. flavus-resistant maize varieties.
Collective identity in collective action: evidence from the 2020 summer BLM protests
Authors: Kann Claudia , Hashash Sarah , Steinert-Threlkeld Zachary , Alvarez R. Michael
Published: July 2023

Does collective identity drive protest participation? A long line of research argues that collective identity can explain why protesters do not free ride and how specific movement strategies are chosen. Quantitative studies, however, are inconsistent in defining and operationalizing collective identity, making it difficult to understand under what conditions and to what extent collective identity explains participation. In this paper, we clearly differentiate between interest and collective identity to isolate the individual level signals of collective action. We argue that these quantities have been conflated in previous research, causing over estimation of the role of collective identity in protest behavior. Using a novel dataset of Twitter users who participated in Black Lives Matter protests during the summer of 2020, we find that contingent on participating in a protest, individuals have higher levels of interest in BLM on the day of and the days following the protest. This effect diminishes over time. There is little observed effect of participation on subsequent collective identity. In addition, higher levels of interest in the protest increases an individuals chance of participating in a protest, while levels of collective identity do not have a significant effect. These findings suggest that collective identity plays a weaker role in driving collective action than previously suggested. We claim that this overestimation is a byproduct of the misidentification of interest as identity.
Performance enhancement of the soft robotic segment for a trunk-like arm
Authors: Tang Shaowu , Tang Kailuan , Wu Shijian , Xiao Yin , Liu Sicong , Yi Juan , Wang Zheng
Published: July 2023

Trunk-like continuum robots have wide applications in manipulation and locomotion. In particular, trunk-like soft arms exhibit high dexterity and adaptability very similar to the creatures of the natural world. However, owing to the continuum and soft bodies, their performance in payload and spatial movements is limited. In this paper, we investigate the influence of key design parameters on robotic performance. It is verified that a larger workspace, lateral stiffness, payload, and bending moment could be achieved with adjustments to soft materials’ hardness, the height of module segments, and arrayed radius of actuators. Especially, a 55% increase in arrayed radius would enhance the lateral stiffness by 25% and a bending moment by 55%. An 80% increase in segment height would enlarge 112% of the elongation range and 70 % of the bending range. Around 200% and 150% increments in the segment’s lateral stiffness and payload forces, respectively, could be obtained by tuning the hardness of soft materials. These relations enable the design customization of trunk-like soft arms, in which this tapering structure ensures stability via the stocky base for an impact reduction of 50% compared to that of the tip and ensures dexterity of the long tip for a relatively larger bending range of over 400% compared to that of the base. The complete methodology of the design concept, analytical models, simulation, and experiments is developed to offer comprehensive guidelines for trunk-like soft robotic design and enable high performance in robotic manipulation.
Mapping, temporal dynamics, and assessment of agricultural ecosystem services: evidence from eastern India
Authors: Rath Suvangi , Das Amarendra , T. M. Kiran Kumar , Sarangi Khitish Kumar
Published: July 2023

The study of ecosystem services (ES) has been gaining momentum for two main reasons-first to quantify the ES that the humans are enjoying; second, to incentivize the people or institutions that contribute to the improvement of ES. Agriculture, as the dominant form of land management, acts as both a provider and consumer of ES. The present study is an attempt to map the ecosystem services and assess the agricultural ecosystem services in the village landscape of eastern India. The study aims to understand the various ES, linkages, and trade-offs that have affected the welfare of households in an area of eastern India over time. We found that Jamujhari, the village investigated, had a diverse ecosystem that produced over 60 ecosystem goods, and provided over 200 ecosystem services to the villagers. Moreover, the village’s four ecosystems, viz., forest, water, grassland, and agricultural ecosystems, along with human resources, are integrated and interdependent. However, the ES and the dependence of households on nature’s services have undergone substantial changes over time. The valuation of agroecosystem services (paddy and fallow land ecosystems) was done using the benefit transfer method. The value of the ES for the rice ecosystem was estimated to be US $ 37892.3 year-1, while under fallow land it was US$ 9667.8 year-1. resulting in a total value of US $ 47560.1 year-1 of total agroecosystem services. We suggest comprehensive research to develop context-specific tools to identify and measure ES. Further, we recommend an appropriate policy mix by considering synergies and trade-offs among different ES.
Effects of Different Rotation Combinations of Cabbage, Kidney Bean and Maize on Soil Fungal Communities and Soil Nutrients
Authors: Wang Tianle , Wang Xiaojuan , Xie Ling
Published: July 2023

The continuous cropping of cabbage or kidney bean results in a decrease in yield by influencing the soil environment. To decrease the damage caused by continuous cropping, ten treatments of cabbage–maize–cabbage (CMC), kidney bean–maize–cabbage (BMC), cabbage–cabbage–cabbage (CCC), cabbage–maize–kidney bean (CMB), kidney bean–maize–kidney bean (BMB), kidney bean–kidney bean–kidney bean (BBB), cabbage–cabbage–maize (CCM), cabbage–kidney bean–maize (CBM), kidney bean–kidney bean–maize (BBM) and kidney bean–cabbage–maize (BCM) rotation combinations were set up. The changes in soil nutrients, fungal community structure, composition and diversity in topsoil under the ten crop rotation combinations were analyzed using Illumina NovaSeq high-throughput sequencing technology and chemical technology. Fungal species were abundant in the ten treatments. The OTUs (operational taxonomic units) showed no significant differences. The richness index values of each treatment had significant differences. The diversity index value of the CCC treatment was significantly lower than those of the other treatments. The dominant soil fungal phylum was Ascomycota, and the subordinate soil fungal phylum was Basidiomycota. No significant differences were observed in Ascomycota between the treatments. Basidiomycota in the BBM treatment was significantly higher than that in the CCM treatment. Kickxellomycota was not found in the CCM and CCC treatments. The BBM treatment had no Entorrhizomycota. The dominant soil fungal class belonged to Ascomycota. The common distinction between continuous cropping and crop rotation was Diaporthales, which might be the main fungal order causing continuous cropping disorders. As the best choice, the BBM treatment could prevent soil-borne fungal diseases and provide the basis for the rational crop rotation of cabbage, kidney bean, and maize.
ECLPOD: An Extremely Compressed Lightweight Model for Pear Object Detection in Smart Agriculture
Authors: Xie Yuhang , Zhong Xiyu , Zhan Jialei , Wang Chang , Liu Nating , Li Lin , Zhao Peirui , Li Liujun , Zhou Guoxiong
Published: July 2023

Accurate pear sorting plays a crucial role in ensuring the quality of pears and increasing the sales of them. In the domain of intelligent pear sorting, precise target detection of pears is imperative. However, practical implementation faces challenges in achieving adequate accuracy in pear target detection due to the limitations of computational resources in embedded devices and the occurrence of occlusion among pears. To solve this problem, we built an image acquisition system based on pear sorting equipment and created a pear dataset containing 34,598 pear images under laboratory conditions. The dataset was meticulously annotated using the LabelImg software, resulting in a total of 154,688 precise annotations for pears, pear stems, pear calyxes, and pear defects. Furthermore, we propose an Extremely Compressed Lightweight Model for Pear Object Detection (ECLPOD) based on YOLOv7’s pipeline to assist in the pear sorting task. Firstly, the Hierarchical Interactive Shrinking Network (HISNet) was proposed, which contributed to efficient feature extraction with a limited amount of computation and parameters. The Bulk Feature Pyramid (BFP) module was then proposed to enhance pear contour information extraction during feature fusion. Finally, the Accuracy Compensation Strategy (ACS) was proposed to improve the detection capability of the model, especially for identification of the calyces and stalks of pears. The experimental results indicate that the ECLPOD achieves 90.1% precision (P) and 85.52% mAP50 with only 0.58 million parameters and 1.3 GFLOPs of computation in the homemade pear dataset in this paper. Compared with YOLOv7, the number of parameters and the amount of computation for the ECLPOD are compressed to 1.5% and 1.3%, respectively. Compared with other mainstream methods, the ECLPOD achieves an optimal trade-off between accuracy and complexity. This suggests that the ECLPOD is superior to these existing approaches in the field of object detection for assisting pear sorting tasks with good potential for embedded device deployment.
Hamamelis virginiana L. Leaf Extracts Inhibit the Growth of Antibiotic-Resistant Gram-Positive and Gram-Negative Bacteria
Authors: Cheesman Matthew J. , Alcorn Sean R. , White Alan , Cock Ian E.
Published: July 2023

Virginian witch hazel (WH; Hamamelis virginiana L.; family: Hamamelidaceae) is a North American plant that is used traditionally to treat a variety of ailments, including bacterial infections. Solvents of varying polarity (water, methanol, ethyl acetate, hexane and chloroform) were used to prepare extracts from this plant. Resuspensions of each extract in an aqueous solution were tested for growth-inhibitory activity against a panel of bacteria (including three antibiotic-resistant strains) using agar disc diffusion and broth microdilution assays. The ethyl acetate, hexane and chloroform extracts were completely ineffective. However, the water and methanolic extracts were good inhibitors of E. coli, ESBL E. coli, S. aureus, MRSA, K. pneumoniae and ESBL K. pneumoniae growth, with the methanolic extract generally displaying substantially greater potency than the other extracts. Combining the active extracts with selected conventional antibiotics potentiated the bacterial growth inhibition of some combinations, whilst other combinations remained non-interactive. No synergistic or antagonistic interactions were observed for any WH extracts/antibiotic combinations. Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry analysis of the extracts identified three molecules of interest that may contribute to the activities observed, including phthalane and two 1,3-dioxolane compounds. Putative modes of action of the active WH extracts and these molecules of interest are discussed herein.
The Effects of Lipoic Acid on Yolk Nutrient Utilization, Energy Metabolism, and Redox Balance over Time in Artemia sp.
Authors: Buitrago Ramírez Juan Rafael , Marreiro Gomes Robson Matheus , de Sousa Araujo Alan Carvalho , Muñoz Buitrago Sonia Astrid , Piraine Souza Jean , Monserrat José María
Published: July 2023

Lipoic acid (LA) is a mitochondrial coenzyme that, depending on the concentration and exposure time, can behave as an antioxidant or pro-oxidant agent and has a proven ability to modulate metabolism by promoting lipid and glucose oxidation for energy production. To assess the effects of LA on energy metabolism and redox balance over time, Artemia sp. nauplii was used as an animal model. The administered concentrations of the antioxidant were 0.05, 0.1, 0.5, 1.0, 5.0, and 10.0 µM. Therefore, possible differences in protein, triglyceride, glucose, and lactate concentrations in the artemia samples and total ammoniacal nitrogen (TAN) in the culture water were evaluated. We also measured the effects of LA on in vivo activity of the electron transport system (ETS), antioxidant capacity, and production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) at 6, 12, 18, and 24 h post-hatching. There was a decrease in glucose concentration in the LA-treated animals, and a decrease in ammonia production was observed in the 0.5 µM LA treatment. ETS activity was positively regulated by the addition of LA, with the most significant effects at concentrations of 5.0 and 10.0 µM at 12 and 24 h. For ETS activity, treatments with LA presented the highest values at 24 h, a period when ROS production decreased significantly, for the treatment with 10.0 µM. LA showed positive regulation of energy metabolism together with a decrease in ROS and TAN excretion.
KDM Security IBE Based on LWE beyond Affine Functions
Authors: Lian Yuchen , Huang Ruwei
Published: July 2023

Key-dependent message (KDM) security identity-based encryption (IBE) schemes aim to solve the security risks caused by the dependency between plaintext and secret keys in traditional IBE schemes. However, current KDM-IBE schemes are only secure with respect to affine functions, which limits their security level when a message is derived from the evaluation of a polynomial function using the secret key. To address this issue, in this study, we propose a novel approach to construct a KDM-IBE scheme with respect to polynomial or even arbitrary functions that achieves maximum security based on the learning with errors (LWE) assumption. Our approach overcomes two major technical barriers to constructing KDM-IBE schemes with respect to polynomial functions. Compared to existing KDM-IBE schemes, our proposed scheme ensures the secrecy of the key-related plaintext, even when it is obtained using arbitrary functions, not just affine functions. Thus, our approach provides a more robust solution to the security risks inherent in traditional IBE schemes.
Study of the Tensile and Bonding Properties between Cement-Based Grout Materials and High-Strength Bolts
Authors: Liu Peng , Zhi Weiting , Mao Jianfeng , Liu Lei , Chen Ying , Yu Zhiwu
Published: July 2023

This study investigated the tensile and bonding properties between cement-based grouting materials (CBGM) and high-strength bolts. The associated failure mechanism, load-slip curve, ultimate pull-out load and bond stress were also studied. The effects of anchorage length and square steel tube restraint on the bonding properties were explored on the basis of 24 specimens used in central pull-out testing, and a bond stress–slip constitutive relationship model between high-strength bolts and CBGM was proposed. The results indicate that with the increase in the anchorage length of high-strength bolts, the failure modes of specimens can be divided into three types: the fracture failure of high-strength bolt that occurred when the anchorage lengths ranged from 18 d to 31 d, the specimens that experienced splitting failure with the constraint of square steel tube when the anchorage length was less than 15 d and the high-strength bolt that experienced pull-out failure without the constraint of square steel tubes. When the high-strength bolt experiences tensile failure, the ultimate pull-out load remains constant and the bond stress decreases as the anchorage length of high-strength bolts increases. Due to the lateral constrained effect of the square steel tube, the CBGM embodies a three-dimensional stress state, which can delay the generation and development of internal cracks and enhance the bond strength. A calculation formula was proposed to determine the bond strength between high-strength bolt and CBGM, and a constitutive model of the bond stress–slip constitutive relationship was modeled.
Mechanism behind the Upregulation of Proteins Associated with the NLRP3 Inflammasome in Periodontitis and Their Role in the Immune Response in Diabetes—A Systematic Review
Authors: Ferrara Elisabetta , Converti Ilaria , Scarola Roberta , Tartaglia Francesco Carlo , Gnoni Antonio , Isola Gaetano , Rapone Biagio
Published: July 2023

Background: The molecular crosstalk between periodontitis and diabetes is well established. The role of the NLRP3 inflammasome, a multicomponent inflammatory machinery, is an emerging field of research on the relationship between these two uncommunicable diseases. Recent advances are revealing further molecular details regarding the biological function and the mechanism behind the NLRP3 inflammasome dysregulation and highlighting an unexpected role for the caspase-1 in immune homeostasis. We aimed to understand which metabolic checkpoints are involved in contributing to and instigating the relationship between periodontitis and diabetes. We tried to explore the involvement of the NLRP3 in regulating the cytokine-chemokines profile and discussed the potential synergism in these mechanisms when these two diseases coexist in the same patient. Methods: A literature search was carried out in the electronic databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library) for relevant studies from inception until January 2022 for trials and cohort studies that investigated the activation and regulation mechanism of the NLRP3 inflammasome in patients with periodontitis and type two diabetes. Two investigators independently extracted data. The data quality assessment was rated by the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI). Results: from twenty-six references identified, three studies (two case-control and one cross-sectional) met the inclusion criteria. Analysis of periodontal tissue samples in diabetic individuals exhibited significant overexpression of the NLRP3 inflammasome when compared with healthy controls. Conclusions: there is insufficient evidence to sustain the involvement of the upregulation of genes and proteins involved in the activation of NLRP3 inflammasome components in patients with periodontitis and diabetes.
Medical Safety and Device Reliability of Active Transcutaneous Middle Ear and Bone Conducting Implants: A Long-Term Multi-Centre Observational Study
Authors: Vickers Deborah , Briggs John , Lamping Wiebke , Andrew Rachel , Bingham Mina , Toner Joseph , Cooper Stacey , Spielman Patrick , Ghulam Hashmat , Nunn Terry , Asher Abi , Eitutis Susan , Chung Mark , Skibinska Anna , Gardner Robert , Routh Francesca , Wilson Tom , Kennedy Lisa , Saeed Shakeel ,   VERS Clinical Support Team
Published: July 2023

Active bone-conducting hearing devices (aBCHD; e.g., MEDEL Bonebridge® (BB)) and active middle ear implants (aMEI; e.g., MEDEL Vibrant Soundbridge® (VSB)) use radio frequency transmission to send information from an external microphone and sound processor to an internally implanted transducer. These devices potentially have an advantage over devices with percutaneous links because the skin is closed over the implantable components, which should reduce the risk of skin problems and infection. On the other hand, surgical procedures are more complex, with a greater risk of damage due to surgery. The objectives of this research were to quantify the reliability and long-term survival of MEDEL VSB and BB devices, determine the adverse and serious adverse device-related complications, and consider associated causes. A multi-center observational retrospective and prospective study was conducted at eleven auditory implant centers in the United Kingdom. Data was collected using a surgical questionnaire and audiological reports. Data were obtained from patient notes or from prospective cases that had a minimum follow-up of one year post-implant. Consecutive patient records were reviewed. Datasets from 109 BB and 163 VSB were reviewed. Of these, 205 were retrospective case note reviews, and 67 were prospective cases. The mean follow-up was 4 and 6 years, respectively, for BB and VSB. Kaplan–Meier Survival analyses indicated that the BB survival was 97% and 93.3% at 1 and 5 years, respectively, and the VSB was 92.1% and 87% at the same time points. This is a large cohort study for the field and has indicated that BB and VSB are safe interventions. Care should be taken to monitor magnet strength in the first few months. For the majority of device-related effects, there was no apparent association with etiology. However, an interesting pattern emerged for individuals who exhibited an inflammatory response, e.g., adhesions or device extrusion, and those with a history of chronic suppurative otitis media. This should be considered in future work and is not surprising given that many VSB recipients have a complicated hearing history, often associated with otitis media.
N-Widths of Multivariate Sobolev Spaces with Common Smoothness in Probabilistic and Average Settings in the Sq Norm
Authors: Liu Yuqi , Li Xuehua , Li Huan
Published: July 2023

In this article, we give the sharp bounds of probabilistic Kolmogorov N,δ-widths and probabilistic linear N,δ-widths of the multivariate Sobolev space W2A with common smoothness on a Sq norm equipped with the Gaussian measure μ, where A⊂Rd is a finite set. And we obtain the sharp bounds of average width from the results of the probabilistic widths. These results develop the theory of approximation of functions and play important roles in the research of related approximation algorithms for Sobolev spaces.
Recent Advances in All-Solid-State Lithium–Oxygen Batteries: Challenges, Strategies, Future
Authors: Pakseresht Sara , Celik Mustafa , Guler Aslihan , Al-Ogaili Ahmed , Kallio Tanja
Published: July 2023

Digital platforms, electric vehicles, and renewable energy grids all rely on energy storage systems, with lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) as the predominant technology. However, the current energy density of LIBs is insufficient to meet the long-term objectives of these applications, and traditional LIBs with flammable liquid electrolytes pose safety concerns. All-solid-state lithium–oxygen batteries (ASSLOBs) are emerging as a promising next-generation energy storage technology with potential energy densities up to ten times higher than those of current LIBs. ASSLOBs utilize non-flammable solid-state electrolytes (SSEs) and offer superior safety and mechanical stability. However, ASSLOBs face challenges, including high solid-state interface resistances and unstable lithium-metal anodes. In recent years, significant progress has been proceeded in developing new materials and interfaces that improve the performance and stability of ASSLOBs. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the recent advances and challenges in the ASSLOB technology, including the design principles and strategies for developing high-performance ASSLOBs and advances in SSEs, cathodes, anodes, and interface engineering. Overall, this review highlights valuable insights into the current state of the art and future directions for ASSLOB technology.
Designs of Anode-Free Lithium-Ion Batteries
Authors: Zhao Pei , Pan Jun , Zhang Dongqi , Tang Yufeng , Tai Zhixin , Liu Yajie , Gao Hong , Huang Fuqiang
Published: July 2023

Anodes equipped with limited lithium offer a way to deal with the increasing market requirement for high-energy-density rechargeable batteries and inadequate global lithium reserves. Anode-free lithium-ion batteries (AFLBs) with zero excess metal could provide high gravimetric energy density and high volumetric energy density. Moreover, the elimination of lithium with a bare current collector on the anode side can reduce metal consumption, simplify the cell technological procedure, and improve manufacturing safety. However, some great challenges, such as insufficient cycling stability, significant lithium dendrite growth, as well as unstable solid electrolyte interface, impede the commercial application of AFLBs. Fortunately, significant progress has been made for AFLBs with enhanced electrode stability and improved cycling performance. This review highlights research on the design of anode-free lithium-ion batteries over the past two decades, presents an overview of the main advantages and limitations of these designs, and provides improvement strategies including the modification of the current collectors, improvement of the liquid electrolytes, and optimization of the cycling protocols. Prospects are also given to broaden the understanding of the electrochemical process, and it is expected that the further development of these designs can be accelerated in both scientific research and practical applications.
Symbiont Identity Impacts the Microbiome and Volatilome of a Model Cnidarian-Dinoflagellate Symbiosis
Authors: Wuerz Maggie , Lawson Caitlin A. , Oakley Clinton A. , Possell Malcolm , Wilkinson Shaun P. , Grossman Arthur R. , Weis Virginia M. , Suggett David J. , Davy Simon K.
Published: July 2023

The symbiosis between cnidarians and dinoflagellates underpins the success of reef-building corals in otherwise nutrient-poor habitats. Alterations to symbiotic state can perturb metabolic homeostasis and thus alter the release of biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOCs). While BVOCs can play important roles in metabolic regulation and signalling, how the symbiotic state affects BVOC output remains unexplored. We therefore characterised the suite of BVOCs that comprise the volatilome of the sea anemone Exaiptasia diaphana (‘Aiptasia’) when aposymbiotic and in symbiosis with either its native dinoflagellate symbiont Breviolum minutum or the non-native symbiont Durusdinium trenchii. In parallel, the bacterial community structure in these different symbiotic states was fully characterised to resolve the holobiont microbiome. Based on rRNA analyses, 147 unique amplicon sequence variants (ASVs) were observed across symbiotic states. Furthermore, the microbiomes were distinct across the different symbiotic states: bacteria in the family Vibrionaceae were the most abundant in aposymbiotic anemones; those in the family Crocinitomicaceae were the most abundant in anemones symbiotic with D. trenchii; and anemones symbiotic with B. minutum had the highest proportion of low-abundance ASVs. Across these different holobionts, 142 BVOCs were detected and classified into 17 groups based on their chemical structure, with BVOCs containing multiple functional groups being the most abundant. Isoprene was detected in higher abundance when anemones hosted their native symbiont, and dimethyl sulphide was detected in higher abundance in the volatilome of both Aiptasia-Symbiodiniaceae combinations relative to aposymbiotic anemones. The volatilomes of aposymbiotic anemones and anemones symbiotic with B. minutum were distinct, while the volatilome of anemones symbiotic with D. trenchii overlapped both of the others. Collectively, our results are consistent with previous reports that D. trenchii produces a metabolically sub-optimal symbiosis with Aiptasia, and add to our understanding of how symbiotic cnidarians, including corals, may respond to climate change should they acquire novel dinoflagellate partners.
Shifts in the Distribution Range and Niche Dynamics of the Globally Threatened Western Tragopan (Tragopan melanocephalus) Due to Climate Change and Human Population Pressure
Authors: Jameel Muhammad Azhar , Nadeem Muhammad Sajid , Haq Shiekh Marifatul , Mubeen Iqra , Shabbir Arifa , Aslam Shahzad , Ahmad Riyaz , Gaafar Abdel-Rhman Z. , Al-Munqedhi Bander M. A. , Bussmann Rainer W.
Published: July 2023

The impact of a changing climate, particularly global warming, often harms the distribution of pheasants, particularly those with limited endemic ranges. To effectively create plans of action aimed at conserving species facing threats such as the Western Tragopan, (Tragopan melanocephalus; Gray, 1829; Galliformes, found in the western Himalayas), it is crucial to understand how future distributions may be affected by anticipated climate change. This study utilized MaxEnt modeling to assess how suitable the habitat of the targeted species is likely to be under different climate scenarios. While similar studies have been conducted regionally, there has been no research on this particular endemic animal species found in the western Himalayas throughout the entire distribution range. The study utilized a total of 200 occurrence points; 19 bioclimatic, four anthropogenic, three topographic, and a vegetation variable were also used. To determine the most fitting model, species distribution modeling (SDM) was employed, and the MaxEnt calibration and optimization techniques were utilized. Data for projected climate scenarios of the 2050s and 2070s were obtained from SSPs 245 and SSPs 585. Among all the variables analyzed; aspect, precipitation of coldest quarter, mean diurnal range, enhanced vegetation index, precipitation of driest month, temperature seasonality, annual precipitation, human footprint, precipitation of driest quarter, and temperature annual range were recognized as the most influential drivers, in that order. The predicted scenarios had high accuracy values (AUC-ROC > 0.9). Based on the feedback provided by the inhabitants, it was observed that the livability of the selected species could potentially rise (between 3.7 to 13%) in all projected scenarios of climate change, because this species is relocating towards the northern regions of the elevation gradient, which is farther from the residential areas, and their habitats are shrinking. The suitable habitats of the Tragopan melanocephalus in the Himalayan region will move significantly by 725 m upwards, because of predicted climate change. However, the fact that the species is considered extinct in most areas and only found in small patches suggests that further research is required to avert a further population decline and delineate the reasons leading to the regional extinction of the species. The results of this study can serve as a foundation for devising conservation strategies for Tragopan melanocephalus under the changing climate and provide a framework for subsequent surveillance efforts aimed at protecting the species.
How the Oviduct Lipidomic Profile Changes over Time after the Start of an Obesogenic Diet in an Outbred Mouse Model
Authors: Moorkens Kerlijne , Leroy Jo L. M. R. , Quanico Jusal , Baggerman Geert , Marei Waleed F. A.
Published: July 2023

We investigated whether a high-fat/high-sugar (HF/HS) diet alters the lipidomic profile of the oviductal epithelium (OE) and studied the patterns of these changes over time. Female outbred Swiss mice were fed either a control (10% fat) or HF/HS (60% fat, 20% fructose) diet. Mice (n = 3 per treatment per time point) were sacrificed and oviducts were collected at 3 days and 1, 4, 8, 12 and 16 weeks on the diet. Lipids in the OE were imaged using matrix-assisted laser desorption ionisation mass spectrometry imaging. Discriminative m/z values and differentially regulated lipids were determined in the HF/HS versus control OEs at each time point. Feeding the obesogenic diet resulted in acute changes in the lipid profile in the OE already after 3 days, and thus even before the development of an obese phenotype. The changes in the lipid profile of the OE progressively increased and became more persistent after long-term HF/HS diet feeding. Functional annotation revealed a differential abundance of phospholipids, sphingomyelins and lysophospholipids in particular. These alterations appear to be not only caused by the direct accumulation of the excess circulating dietary fat but also a reduction in the de novo synthesis of several lipid classes, due to oxidative stress and endoplasmic reticulum dysfunction. The described diet-induced lipidomic changes suggest alterations in the OE functions and the oviductal microenvironment which may impact crucial reproductive events that take place in the oviduct, such as fertilization and early embryo development.
Study on the Tea Pest Classification Model Using a Convolutional and Embedded Iterative Region of Interest Encoding Transformer
Authors: Zhan Baishao , Li Ming , Luo Wei , Li Peng , Li Xiaoli , Zhang Hailiang
Published: July 2023

Tea diseases are one of the main causes of tea yield reduction, and the use of computer vision for classification and diagnosis is an effective means of tea disease management. However, the random location of lesions, high symptom similarity, and complex background make the recognition and classification of tea images difficult. Therefore, this paper proposes a tea disease IterationVIT diagnosis model that integrates a convolution and iterative transformer. The convolution consists of a superimposed bottleneck layer for extracting the local features of tea leaves. The iterative algorithm incorporates the attention mechanism and bilinear interpolation operation to obtain disease location information by continuously updating the region of interest in location information. The transformer module uses a multi-head attention mechanism for global feature extraction. A total of 3544 images of red leaf spot, algal leaf spot, bird’s eye disease, gray wilt, white spot, anthracnose, brown wilt, and healthy tea leaves collected under natural light were used as samples and input into the IterationVIT model for training. The results show that when the patch size is 16, the model performed better with an IterationVIT classification accuracy of 98% and F1 measure of 96.5%, which is superior to mainstream methods such as VIT, Efficient, Shuffle, Mobile, Vgg, etc. In order to verify the robustness of the model, the original images of the test set were blurred, noise- was added and highlighted, and then the images were input into the IterationVIT model. The classification accuracy still reached over 80%. When 60% of the training set was randomly selected, the classification accuracy of the IterationVIT model test set was 8% higher than that of mainstream models, with the ability to analyze fewer samples. Model generalizability was performed using three sets of plant leaf public datasets, and the experimental results were all able to achieve comparable levels of generalizability to the data in this paper. Finally, this paper visualized and interpreted the model using the CAM method to obtain the pixel-level thermal map of tea diseases, and the results show that the established IterationVIT model can accurately capture the location of diseases, which further verifies the effectiveness of the model.
Assessment of Anatomical Uniqueness of Maxillary Sinuses through 3D–3D Superimposition: An Additional Help to Personal Identification
Authors: Palamenghi Andrea , Cappella Annalisa , Cellina Michaela , De Angelis Danilo , Sforza Chiarella , Cattaneo Cristina , Gibelli Daniele
Published: July 2023

Paranasal sinuses represent one of the most individualizing structures of the human body and some of them have been already analyzed for possible applications to personal identification, such as the frontal and sphenoid sinuses. This study explores the application of 3D–3D superimposition to maxillary sinuses in personal identification. One hundred head CT-scans of adult subjects (equally divided among males and females) were extracted from a hospital database. Maxillary sinuses were segmented twice from each subject through ITK-SNAP software and the correspondent 3D models were automatically superimposed to obtain 100 matches (when they belonged to the same person) and 100 mismatches (when they were extracted from different individuals), both from the right and left side. Average RMS (root mean square) point-to-point distance was then calculated for all the superimpositions; differences according to sex, side, and group (matches and mismatches) were assessed through three-way ANOVA test (p < 0.017). On average, RMS values were lower in matches (0.26 ± 0.19 mm in males, 0.24 ± 0.18 mm in females) than in mismatches (2.44 ± 0.87 mm in males, 2.20 ± 0.73 mm in females) with a significant difference (p < 0.001). No significant differences were found according to sex or side (p > 0.017). The study verified the potential of maxillary sinuses as reliable anatomical structures for personal identification in the forensic context.
The Effects and Mechanisms of PBM Therapy in Accelerating Orthodontic Tooth Movement
Authors: Wang Xinyuan , Liu Qian , Peng Jinfeng , Song Wencheng , Zhao Jiajia , Chen Lili
Published: July 2023

Malocclusion is one of the three major diseases, the incidence of which could reach 56% of the imperiled oral and systemic health in the world today. Orthodontics is still the primary method to solve the problem. However, it is clear that many orthodontic complications are associated with courses of long-term therapy. Photobiomodulation (PBM) therapy could be used as a popular way to shorten the course of orthodontic treatment by nearly 26% to 40%. In this review, the efficacy in cells and animals, mechanisms, relevant cytokines and signaling, clinical trials and applications, and the future developments of PBM therapy in orthodontics were evaluated to demonstrate its validity. Simultaneously, based on orthodontic mechanisms and present findings, the mechanisms of acceleration of orthodontic tooth movement (OTM) caused by PBM therapy were explored in relation to four aspects, including blood vessels, inflammatory response, collagen and fibers, and mineralized tissues. Also, the cooperative effects and clinical translation of PBM therapy in orthodontics have been explored in a growing numbers of studies. Up to now, PBM therapy has been gaining popularity for its non-invasive nature, easy operation, and painless procedures. However, the validity and exact mechanism of PBM therapy as an adjuvant treatment in orthodontics have not been fully elucidated. Therefore, this review summarizes the efficacy of PBM therapy on the acceleration of OTM comprehensively from various aspects and was designed to provide an evidence-based platform for the research and development of light-related orthodontic tooth movement acceleration devices.
The Role of Selenium in Atherosclerosis Development, Progression, Prevention and Treatment
Authors: Dabravolski Siarhei A. , Sukhorukov Vasily N. , Melnichenko Alexandra A. , Khotina Victoria A. , Orekhov Alexander N.
Published: July 2023

Selenium is an essential trace element that is essential for various metabolic processes, protection from oxidative stress and proper functioning of the cardiovascular system. Se deficiency has long been associated with multiple cardiovascular diseases, including endemic Keshan’s disease, common heart failure, coronary heart disease, myocardial infarction and atherosclerosis. Through selenoenzymes and selenoproteins, Se is involved in numerous crucial processes, such as redox homeostasis regulation, oxidative stress, calcium flux and thyroid hormone metabolism; an unbalanced Se supply may disrupt these processes. In this review, we focus on the importance of Se in cardiovascular health and provide updated information on the role of Se in specific processes involved in the development and pathogenesis of atherosclerosis (oxidative stress, inflammation, endothelial dysfunction, vascular calcification and vascular cell apoptosis). We also discuss recent randomised trials investigating Se supplementation as a potential therapeutic and preventive agent for atherosclerosis treatment.
Metabolic Syndrome: A Strange Companion of Atrial Fibrillation; A Blessing in Disguise from the Neuropsychiatric Point of View
Authors: Rosca Ciprian Ilie , Lighezan Daniel Florin , Nisulescu Daniel-Dumitru , Sharma Abhinav , Neagu Marioara Nicula , Nistor Daciana , Georgescu Doina , Kundnani Nilima Rajpal
Published: July 2023

Background: The concept of metabolic syndrome (MetSy) brings together components that individually represent a risk factor for cardiovascular diseases, which over time can prove to be more harmful if a combined effect of these is exhibited. Method: A single-centre retrospective study in an academic medical unit was conducted. We analysed the link between the MetSy and the occurrence of neuropsychic complications among atrial fibrillation (AF) patients. We sifted through the files of the patients admitted during 2015–2016 to the Municipal Emergency University Hospital Timisoara, Romania, with the diagnosis of AF. We divided these AF patients into two groups: the first group comprised patients with atrial fibrillation and MetSy (267 patients), while the second group comprised AF patients without MetSy (843 patients). We analysed the occurrence of neuropsychic changes (stroke, Parkinson’s disease, dementia, cognitive impairment, and silent lacunar infarction) among the two groups. Results: Cognitive impairment (p-value = 0.0081) and dementia (p-value < 0.0001) were less frequent in patients with AF and MetSy than in those with AF without MetSy. Regarding the presence of stroke and Parkinson’s disease (PD), we could not demonstrate the existence of any statistically significant difference between the two groups. Using logistic regression (enter test), we found that MetSy might have a protective effect (OR = 0.4040, 95% CI [0.2132; 0.7654], p-value = 0.0054) for the occurrence of dementia in those patients. Furthermore, obesity was the only factor with a possible protective effect from all the constituents of the MetSy when analysed together (with a significance level of p-value = 0.0004 for the logistic regression). The protective effect of MetSy against stroke occurrence was supplementarily proven by a longer period of survival without stroke from the AF diagnosis (3.521 years, p = 0.0304) compared to patients with AF without MetSy (3.286 years to first stroke occurrence). Conclusions: Metabolic syndrome might offer protection against the occurrence of dementia among patients with AF, but no effect was noted when compared with the presence of stroke. Further studies on larger cohorts can help us reach a conclusion regarding the positive effects of the metabolic syndrome.
Facile Synthesis of Silicon-Based Materials Modified Using Zinc(Ⅱ) 2-Bromoacetic as Heterogeneous Catalyst for the Fixation of CO2 into Cyclic Carbonates
Authors: Yang Chaokun , Ma Xiangning , Li Meng , Yang Tuantuan , Zhao Xin
Published: July 2023

Much effort has been devoted to the development of efficient heterogeneous catalysts for the conversion of carbon dioxide (CO2) into high-value chemicals. Generally, the cycloaddition of CO2 to epoxides is considered a green and atom-economic reaction for the production of cyclic carbonates. Based on this, three kinds of silicon-based catalysts modified using zinc(Ⅱ) 2-bromoacetic (Si-ZnBA-n, n = 1, 2, 3) were facilely synthesized and employed for the chemical fixation of CO2 to epoxides with the use of potassium iodide (KI). A series of characterization techniques were used to characterize the textual structures and physicochemical properties of Si-ZnBA-n. The synergistic effects of Zn, –NH2, –OH and the nucleophilic group guaranteed the catalytic activity of Si-ZnBA-n. Si-ZnBA-1 exhibited the best catalytic activity among Si-ZnBA-n because Si-ZnBA-1 possessed the highest Zn content. Additionally, the effects of the reaction conditions (temperature, pressure, time and catalyst loadings) were also discussed. The propylene carbonate (PC) yield could reach 97% under 130 °C, 2 MPa, for 5 h without the employment of organic solvent, and its selectivity was 99%. In addition, the recycling property of Si-ZnBA-1/KI was also investigated, and the catalytic system exhibited good cycle performance. Meanwhile, the catalyst showed outstanding versatility for CO2 application to various epoxides, and a possibly synergistic reaction mechanism was proposed. Finally, a dynamic model was developed to discuss the activation energy of the CO2 cycloaddition reaction over the Si-ZnBA-1 catalyst.
Flow Cytometry: The Next Revolution
Authors: Robinson J. Paul , Ostafe Raluca , Iyengar Sharath Narayana , Rajwa Bartek , Fischer Rainer
Published: July 2023

Unmasking the subtleties of the immune system requires both a comprehensive knowledge base and the ability to interrogate that system with intimate sensitivity. That task, to a considerable extent, has been handled by an iterative expansion in flow cytometry methods, both in technological capability and also in accompanying advances in informatics. As the field of fluorescence-based cytomics matured, it reached a technological barrier at around 30 parameter analyses, which stalled the field until spectral flow cytometry created a fundamental transformation that will likely lead to the potential of 100 simultaneous parameter analyses within a few years. The simultaneous advance in informatics has now become a watershed moment for the field as it competes with mature systematic approaches such as genomics and proteomics, allowing cytomics to take a seat at the multi-omics table. In addition, recent technological advances try to combine the speed of flow systems with other detection methods, in addition to fluorescence alone, which will make flow-based instruments even more indispensable in any biological laboratory. This paper outlines current approaches in cell analysis and detection methods, discusses traditional and microfluidic sorting approaches as well as next-generation instruments, and provides an early look at future opportunities that are likely to arise.