bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Towards a Holistic Framework for Multimodal Large Language Models in Three-dimensional Brain CT Report Generation
Authors: Li Cheng-Yi , Chang Kao-Jung , Yang Cheng-Fu , Wu Hsin-Yu , Chen Wenting , Bansal Hritik , Chen Ling , Yang Yi-Ping , Chen Yu-Chun , Chen Shih-Pin , Lirng Jiing-Feng , Chang Kai-Wei , Chiou Shih-Hwa
Published: July 2024

Multi-modal large language models (MLLMs) have been given free rein to explore exciting medical applications with a primary focus on radiology report generation. Nevertheless, the preliminary MLLM successful attempts in 2D medical image-text pair captioning are incompetent to reflect the real-world diagnostic challenge in the volumetric 3D anatomy. Toward deploying MLLM for more applicable diagnostic context, we noticed that the (1) scarcity of 3D image training dataset, (2) the direct use of undifferentiated foundation MLLMs, and (3) the lack of pertinent caption evaluation metrics were independent domain-specific constraints that integratively hobbles the iteration of next-generation medical MLLM research. In this regard, this study collected a 3D-BrainCT dataset (18,885 text-scan pairs) and applied clinical visual instruction tuning (CVIT) to train volumetric anatomy-sensible BrainGPT models to generate radiology-adherent 3D brain CT reports. Statistically, our BrainGPT model scored BLEU-1 = 44.35, BLEU-4 = 20.38, METEOR = 30.13, ROUGE-L = 47.6, and CIDEr-R = 211.77 during internal testing and demonstrated an accuracy of 0.91 in captioning midline shifts on the external validation CQ500 dataset. By further inspecting the captioned report, we reported that the traditional metrics appeared to measure only the surface text similarity and failed to gauge the information density of the diagnostic purpose. To close this gap, we proposed a novel Feature-Oriented Radiology Task Evaluation (FORTE) to estimate the clinical relevance (lesion feature and landmarks) of the report. Notably, the BrainGPT model scored an average FORTE 0.71 F1-score (degree=0.661; landmark=0.706; feature=0.693, and impression=0.779). To demonstrate that BrainGPT models possess objective readiness to generate human-like radiology reports, we conducted a Turing test that enrolled 11 physician evaluators, and around 74% of the BrainGPT-generated captions were indistinguishable from those written by humans. While various computational intelligence researchers have advocated the avant-garde MLLM applications, our work embodies a holistic framework that showcased the first-hand experience of curating a 3D brain CT dataset, fine-tuning anatomy-sensible language models, and proposing robust radiology evaluation metrics. We deemed that the adventure of docking MLLM for 3D brain CT report generation may unfold new MLLM applications at the forefront of human-machine collaborated modern healthcare.
Penile Cancer: Innovations in Ultrastructural and Vibrational Markers
Authors: Diniz-Filho Joel Félix Silva , Silva Ana Caroline Muniz , Teixeira Antônio Augusto Lima , Sousa Bruna Larissa Nolêto , Santos-Oliveira Ralph , Silva Gyl Eanes Barros , Santos Clenilton Costa dos , Alencar Luciana Magalhães Rebelo
Published: July 2024

Penile cancer, although uncommon on a global scale, predominantly arises from squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs). Its occurrence is notably higher in low- and middle-income countries, highlighting the geographic and socioeconomic disparities in the prevalence of this disease. The diversity and significant public health impact of penile cancer underscores the need for new approaches. Nanotechnology, especially through Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM), is promising for studying the nanoscale properties of penile tumor tissues and cells. AFM provides high-resolution topographic images, allowing you to examine the ultrastructural features of cancerous cells and tissues in detail. This helps better understand tumor biomechanics, cell adhesion, morphology, and tumor microenvironment. Raman Spectroscopy (RS) is a powerful technique that detects and analyzes cellular or tissue samples based on morphological characteristics. It scatters photons by molecules polarized by a laser beam, generating a spectral image that reflects the cell's or tissue's chemical composition. This technique can identify changes in the components of cells and tissues, indicative of the presence or progression of the disease. This study proposes to apply RS to investigate the vibrational properties of penile tumor cells and tissues compared with non-tumor counterparts. In this study, through the use of AFM and RS, samples of the subtypes of penile cancer, basaloid and sarcomatoid, as well as non-tumor samples, were analyzed to apply a physical approach to investigate the ultrastructural and vibrational morphology of penile cancer, taking as main tools AFM and RS, providing new information about its nanoscale ultrastructure and offering a new understanding of cancer behavior beyond its molecular composition.
Prevalence and risk factor associated with Gastroesophegeal reflux disease among patients attending Gastroenterology out patient department of Hyderabad Sindh
Authors: hashmi muhammad sameer , samo ayaz , laghari zulfiqar , malhi pershotam sagar , syed faiza , adil sabahat , hussain rafia , khan areej , nasir sughra
Published: July 2024

Gastroesophageal reflux disease(GERD) happens when your stomach contents come back up into your esophagus.Despite its prevalence globally, there is limited data on the prevalence and clinical characteristics of GERD among patients in Hyderabad, Sindh. methodology: A cross sectional study was conducted to assess the prevalence and risk factors of GERD by using self-administered including questionnaire frequency scale for the symptoms of Gastroesophegeal disorder(FSSG) for assessing GERD and other lifestyle and dietory factors. Results: Total 601 participants included in our study.The frequency of GERD were found among 294(48.9%) individuals.The frequency of GERD were higher among males 56.2% compare with females 43.7%. GERD found higher among sindhi speaking population 60.1%, among illiterates 64.4%.The various modifiable risk factors including daily physical exercise,high consumption of junk foods,high consumption of meat,low consumption of dairy products are associated with symptoms of GERD. Conclusion: The present study suggest that prevalence of GERD is higher in sindh,pakistan.unhealthy lifestyle are associated with GERD symptoms.
Perioperative Hematologic Assessment for Minimizing MRI Evaluations of Iliopsoas Hematomas Following Oblique Lumbar Interbody Fusion: Risk Factor Insights from a 134-Patient Retrospective Cohort
Authors: Chen Xingda , Chen Wanyan , Song Zefeng , Zhou Zelin , Zhuo Hang , Tan Riwei , JIANG RUEISHIUAN , Zhao Wenhua , Ren Hui , Shen Genyang , Liang De , Jiang Xiaobing , Tang Jingjing
Published: July 2024

Background: Iliopsoas hematoma (IH) can lead to femoral nerve dysfunction and pain, typically resulting from muscle tension induced by surgery. While Oblique Lateral Lumbar Fusion (OLIF) is effective, it carries the risk of IH development. Screening for mild IH using MRI may be costly with little health benefit, but it is a reliable method for assessing Iliopsoas Hematoma-Grade (IH-G). This study seeks to establish a connection between coagulation and inflammation with the severity of IH-G following OLIF, in order to improve monitoring and management of IH.
Methods: A retrospective review of 134 patients treated with OLIF from August 2019 to May 2022 was conducted. Patients were categorized into the Common Hematoma Group (CHG) with ≤50% IH-G and the Severe Hematoma Group (SHG) with >50% IH-G. The study examined the relationship between coagulation profiles, inflammation markers, and postoperative IH-G for each group.
Results: Following OLIF, patients uniformly developed IH, contributing to a postoperative state characterized by anemia, hypocoagulability, and elevated inflammatory response (P<0.001). The SHG manifested significantly lower Hemoglobin (HGB) levels (P<0.05) and shorter prothrombin time (PT) (P<0.05) compared to the CHG. Additionally, the incidence of postoperative C-reactive protein (CRP) levels exceeding 8 mg/L was noticeably higher in SHG than in CHG (P<0.05). Multivariable logistic regression analysis identified Post-PT (OR=0.774, 95%CI: 0.592 to 0.9917, P<0.05) and Post-HGB (OR=0.972, 95%CI: 0.945 to 0.9966, P<0.05) as independent predictors for severe IH following OLIF.
Conclusion: Post-PT and Post-HGB levels are instrumental in the early identification of serious IH risk following OLIF, facilitating prompt decision-making and intervention, thus contributing to improved prognostic outcomes. Moreover, for those at lower risk of IH, these measures can significantly reduce unnecessary MRI imaging and associated healthcare costs.
The effect of Adipose-derived stem cells exosomes cross-linked Chitosan-αβ-glycerophosphate thermosensitive hydrogel on deep burn wounds
Authors: Xu Lei , Liu Dan , Yun Hai Long , Zhang Wei , Ren Li , Li Wen Wen , Han Chuan
Published: July 2024

Objective
This study aimed to explore the effects on controlling infection and promoting wound healing in deep burn injuries by crosslinking ASCs-Exos with CS-αβ-GP thermosensitive hydrogel.
Methods
Rats with established deep burn injury models were divided into four groups: CS + ASCs-Exos group, ASCs-Exos group, CS group, and control group. The wound healing rates were analyzed and calculated using Image J software immediately after wound formation and on days 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, and 14 after treatment. Fourteen days after treatment, skin tissues from the wound area, wound margin, and normal full-thickness skin were excised from each group for HE staining and Masson staining. Subsequently, IHC staining was performed on the newly formed wound tissues to detect the expression of TNF-α, IL-6, IL-1α, IL-10, TGF-β, and EGF. Finally, RNA was extracted from the wound tissues, and qPCR was used to detect the mRNA expression levels of IL-1α, CD86, CCL22, and CD163.
Results
The wound healing rate in the CS + ASCs-Exos group was higher than that in the other groups. HE staining revealed that the CS + ASCs-Exos group had fewer inflammatory cells, a small number of blood vessels, and muscle fibers and collagen fibers distributed alternately in the wound edge at 14 days, which was consistent with normal tissue. Masson staining showed that the wound and wound edge in the CS + ASCs-Exos group at 14 days displayed alternating distributions of collagen fibers and muscle fibers, which was consistent with normal tissue. However, the staining of collagen fibers in the other groups was stronger than that in the experimental group. IHC staining showed that the expressions of IL-10, TGF-β, and EGF in the CS + ASCs-Exos group were slightly higher than those in the other groups, while the expressions of TNF-α, IL-6, IL-1α, and IL-10 were lower than those in the other groups. qPCR detection revealed that the expressions of IL-1α and CD86 in the CS + ASCs-Exos group were lower than those in the control group, while the expressions of CCL22 and CD163 were higher than those in the control group.
Conclusion
Our research has demonstrated that ASCs-Exos crosslinked with CS-αβ-GP thermosensitive hydrogel exhibits anti-inflammatory properties, promotes wound healing, and enhances the transformation of M1 macrophages into M2 macrophages, with stronger effects compared to ASCs-Exos alone. This provides a new administration method for the clinical application of MSCs-Exos.
Cloning and functional analysis of the promoter of SinSyn gene in Sinomenium acutum
Authors: An Meilin , Li Bing , Chen Jiabei , Zeng Xiyao , Chen Xinbo , Yang Hua
Published: July 2024

Sinoacutine synthetase (SinSyn) is one of the key enzymes in the biosynthesis pathway of sinomenine (SIN), an effective pharmacological component in Sinomenium acutum. However, the transcriptional regulation mechanism of this gene in the SIN synthesis pathway has not been studied. In this study, a 1520 bp upstream promoter sequence and three 5' terminal truncations were used to drive the GUS reporter gene to test their activities in transiently expressed tobacco and stable transgenic Arabidopsis. Both the full-length promoter and the truncated promoters can initiate GUS expression. As the 5' end is removed, their activity is different. The results of GUS histochemical staining showed that − 956 bp ~ -622 bp was an important position of SinSyn gene promoter. In addition, bioinformatics analysis revealed that various regions of the SinSyn promoter were distributed with some abiotic stress and plant hormone activation. Through transgenic Arabidopsis thaliana verification, it was confirmed that the SinSyn gene promoter could respond to methyl jasmonate (MeJA), auxin (NAA, IBA), drought, and NaCl. The MeJA response elements were located at -1520 bp ~ -956 bp, the auxin response elements were located at -622 bp ~ -395 bp, the drought response elements were located at -395 bp ~ -1 bp and the NaCl response elements were located at -956 bp ~ -1 bp. In general, our study provides a theoretical reference for the application of pSinSyn in biological stress resistance, the functional verification of the SinSyn gene, and the regulation of SIN synthesis in Sinomenium acutum.
Rice stripe virus movement protein may damage chloroplasts functions through an interaction with CPN-60 to induce symptom development in rice
Authors: Lan Hanhong , Lu Luanmei
Published: July 2024

Rice stripe virus (RSV) causes severe disease symptoms in leaves of Oryza sativa (rice). Movement protein (MP) of RSV has been implicated in complementation of a movement-deficient PVX and symptom development in model organism Nicotiana benthamianais. However, in rice plants, whether and how RSV MP functions as a symptom determinant remains poorly understood. Symptom development of a plant viral disease is a result of molecular interactions between the virus and its host plant; thus, the elucidation of specific interactions is a prerequisite to reveal the mechanism of viral pathogenesis. Here, we provide evidences showing that RSV targeted to the chloroplast and further disturbed the structure and the photosynthesis function of chloroplast in rice plants through immunoelectron microscopy. We also provide evidences to speculate that this deficiency of chloroplast function might be caused by interaction of RSV MP with chaperonin-60-β (CPN-60-β), a Rubisco binding protein in chloroplast as shown by yeast two-hybrid and immunoprecipitation assays, and this interaction further modulated the accumulation of CPN-60-β. Our findings shed light on the molecular mechanism underlying RSV disease symptom development in natural host, the rice.
Patterns of aquatic nonindigenous species introductions and spread in the Ohio River basin in relation to policy milestones
Authors: Clasgens Abigail Nicole , Murry Brent , Zipp Kaylyn , Arantes Caroline , Neilson Matthew
Published: July 2024

Aquatic invasive species (AIS) create costly and detrimental effects when they become established. Recognition of these severe negative impacts in the United States reached a critical threshold in 1990 with the federal passage of the Nonindigenous Aquatic Nuisance Prevention and Control Act, which created six regional panels, the national Aquatic Nuisance Species Task Force, and incentivized state-level AIS planning. The management of the Ohio River basin fell under the Mississippi River Basin Panel and the state-led Mississippi Interstate Cooperative Resource Association, which collectively developed a joint action plan in 2010 to prevent, contain, and manage aquatic nuisance and invasive species. Similarly, except for West Virginia, all Ohio River basin states created aquatic nuisance species plans between 1999 and 2021. We use the USGS Nonindigenous Aquatic Species (NAS) database to examine how these legislative and planning milestones have influenced the rate of new NAS arrivals and the spread of existing and new NAS. Arrival and spread of NAS were assessed at the HUC-8 scale (8-digit hydrological unit code) along the Ohio, Wabash, Cumberland, Alleghany, Monongahela, and Tennessee rivers. We found a near-linear increase of new NAS across all rivers and no apparent change related to policy milestones. We also found that most NAS species (35–55%) remained local, not spreading beyond the HUC they were first detected in, while less than 10% spread to all HUCs within a river. Establishing coordinated local and regional monitoring programs will help to contain future invasive species.
Exploring the Impact of Missing Data on Maternal Tobacco Program Results: An Analysis of Self-Efficacy on Smoking Cessation
Authors: Zhao Mengting , Langworthy Benjamin
Published: July 2024

Background: Tobacco use is a major contributor to chronic illnesses worldwide, leading to significant morbidity and mortality. Effective tobacco cessation programs are crucial in reducing the health risks associated with smoking. This study aims to investigate the relationship between confidence scores, indicating individuals’ confidence in quitting smoking on a scale of 0 to 10, and carbon monoxide (CO) levels over time among participants in the North Dakota State Department of Health Maternal Tobacco Program.
Methods: We analyzed data from 226 participants using linear mixed-effects models and accounted for missing data using complete case analysis, multiple imputation under a missing at random (MAR) assumption, and multiple imputation under a missing not at random (MNAR) assumption with various delta-adjustment values. This MNAR assumption is considered because we believe patients who resume smoking may be less likely to return for follow-up visits.
Results: The findings suggest that higher confidence scores at the first prenatal visit were associated with lower CO levels, and this effect attenuated over time. This indicates that participants with higher confidence scores were less likely to smoke. Our results remained consistent under different missing data assumptions for prenatal visits, including MAR and MNAR mechanisms. The postpartum dataset yielded similar results.
Conclusion: Our study highlights the importance of evaluating participants’ self-assessed confidence during their initial baseline visit. The findings indicate that patients with lower confidence scores are at an increased risk of discontinuing their participation in the program.
Inertial microfluidic mixer for biological CubeSat missions
Authors: Graja Adrianna , Gumieniak Mateusz , Dzimira Maciej , Janisz Tymon , Krakos Agnieszka
Published: July 2024

Nanosatellites of CubeSat type due to, i.a., minimized costs of space missions, as well as the potential large application area, have become a significant part of the space economy sector recently. The opportunity to apply miniaturized microsystem (MEMS) tools in satellite space missions further accelerates both the space and the MEMS markets, which in the coming years are considered to become inseparable. As a response to the aforementioned perspectives, this paper presents a microfluidic mixer system for biological research to be conducted onboard CubeSat nanosatellites. As the high complexity of the space systems is not desired due to the need for failure-free and remotely controlled operation, the principal concept of the work was to design an entirely passive micromixer, based on lab-on-chip technologies. For the first time, the microfluidic mixer that uses inertial force generated by rocket engines during launch to the orbit is proposed to provide an appropriate mixing of liquid samples. Such a solution not only saves the space occupied by standard pumping systems, but also reduces the energy requirements, ultimately minimizing the number of battery modules and the whole CubeSat size. The structures of the microfluidic mixers were fabricated entirely out of biocompatible resins using MultiJet 3D printing technology. To verify the functionality of the passive mixing system, optical detection consisting of the array of blue LEDs and phototransistors was applied successfully. The performance of the device was tested utilizing an experimental rocket, as a part of the Spaceport America Cup 2023 competition.
Underwater acoustic azimuth angle estimation with a millimetre diameter flexible hydrophone towed array
Authors: Wu Su , Huang Junbin , Pang Yandong , Zhu Miao , Gu Hongcan
Published: July 2024

This paper investigates a millimetre diameter hydrophone towed array cable for acoustic direction finding. The mechanism of the underwater acoustic waves received by this linear array without any mandrel structure is deduced and it is demonstrated that the amplitude of its response varies with the direction of the sound wave. An anechoic pool experiment is carried out to test the performance of such a hydrophone array. The hydrophone unit consists of a sensing fiber between adjacent UWFBGs, coiled into 9 cm diameter fiber rings, with arbitrary 6 fiber rings, called a 6-element hydrophone array, suspended horizontally in the sound-absorbing wedge to receive acoustic signals. An average sensitivity of − 141.2 dB re rad/µPa at frequencies from 2.5 kHz to 6.3 kHz was achieved. Direction detection at an angle of 75° is realised, validating the detection of the azimuth of underwater acoustic waves. The ultra-thin towing cable system, with free structure, high sensitivity and underwater target detection capability that it has demonstrated has great potential for future Unmanned Underwater Vehicle (UUV) applications.
Dielectric behaviour of succinic acid doped Polyvinyl Alcohol (PVA)
Authors: Kumari Anita , Kumar Sandeep , Kant Ravi , ansari mohammed fahim
Published: July 2024

The present paper reports the dielectric behaviour of high molecular weight water soluble polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) system doped with a dicarboxylic acid (succinic acid). Doped PVA samples were synthesized in the laboratory using solution casting method by changing the concentration of succinic acid (0, 10, 20, 30, 40 and 50 wt%) in PVA solution. These samples were characterised for their structural behaviour using FT-IR and XRD while dielectric measurements were done at a fixed frequency of 100Hz, 120 Hz, 1 kHz, 10kHz, 20 kHz and 100 kHz from room temperature to 65oC (< Tg=80oC of PVA). It was observed that dielectric permittivity (∈′) of 30wt% acid doped PVA significantly increased compared to undoped PVA. However, dielectric permittivity decreased with further rise in dopant content (> 30 wt%). At all frequencies, room temperature dielectric properties (∈′ and ∈′′) of both undoped and doped samples showed a frequency dispersive behaviour.
Genetic variation perspective reveals potential drug targets for subtypes of endometrial cancer
Authors: Zhu Jiamei , Chen Youguo , Zhang Ting , Jiang Juan , Xia Nan
Published: July 2024

The study aims to identify potential drug targets for subtypes of endometrial cancer through a Mendelian randomization study and analyze their clinical value. Data from three quantitative trait loci and Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) Meta-analysis study explored potential drug targets in endometrial cancers (including endometrioid and non-endometrioid). Complementary analysis (including network analysis, therapeutic efficacy analysis, gene differential expression, and prognosis analysis) was investigated. Furthermore, immunohistochemical staining and clinical pathological features were explored to validate potential clinical significance. Five drug targets for endometrial carcinomas, seven drug targets for endometrioid histology, and seven drug targets for non-endometrioid histology were identified, with IGF2R (OR = 1.165; 95% CI 1.067–1.272; p = 1.046 × 10− 2) and CST3 (OR = 0.523; 95% CI 0.339–0.804; p = 7.010×10− 3) demonstrating core therapeutic potential supported by causal evidence at the transcriptional, translational, and tissue-specific levels. Our research explored potential therapeutic targets associated with endometrial cancer and provided new ideas for biomarker screening and drug development.
Assessment of Heavy Metal Pollution and Human Health Risks Associated with Etroplus suratensis (Green Chromide) in Koggala Lagoon, Sri Lanka
Authors: Abeysooriya APSW , Bandara EGKYC , Sanjaya HLK , Jye Mok Wen , Patabandi PPSK , Mejjad Nezha , Sung Yeong Yik , Wijesinghe RDN
Published: July 2024

Fish have long been identified as good indicators for scientific studies particularly to examine heavy metal pollution in aquatic environments and its associated human health risks. This study assesses the accumulation of heavy metals in different tissues of the food fish Etroplus suratensis (Green Chromide) collected from Koggala lagoon, Sri Lanka. We quantified the concentrations of the four heavy metal ions; Cu2+, Cd3+, Pb2+, and Cr3+ across distinct tissues including skin, liver, gill, and flesh in fish in varying sizes using Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (AAS). Samples comprised thirty-six (n=36) fish from three different locations in the lagoon; the area near the KEPZ (L1), the middle of the lagoon (L2), and the area near the cultivation site (L3). The highest concentrations of heavy metals were found in the flesh and skin, while the lowest were observed in the gills. The range of heavy metal concentrations (g/g) in the body tissue varied by fish size; for small-sized fish, Cu (0.0443-0.6210), Cd (0.0110-0.0214), Pb (below detection level-0.46), and Cr (below detection level-39.633); for medium-sized fish, Cu (0.0713-0.6210), Cd (0.0134-0.0170), Pb (below detection level-40.906), and Cr (0.0014-0.0500) and for larger-sized fish, Cu (0.0553-0.345), Cd (0.0110-0.0256), Pb (0.0204-0.2103) and Cr (0.0194-0.0773). The levels of Cd, Cr, and Pb in the flesh tissues of E. suratensis flesh tissues were below the FAO’s recommended standards, however, the nontoxic heavy metal Cu exceeded these limits. Given the bioaccumulation and biomagnification of the studied heavy metals and the consumption of E. suratensis in the Koggala lagoon, regular monitoring is essential to ensure consumer safety.
Contributing to an evidence-based discourse regarding invasibility, stage of invasion and impacts of Robinia pseudoacacia L. in European forests
Authors: Mateo Hernández , Alberdi Iciar , Adame Patricia , Cañellas Isabel , Moreno-Fernández Daniel
Published: July 2024

Robinia pseudoacacia L. (black locust) is a deciduous tree native to North America, widely introduced and naturalized in Europe. Despite being one of the world's most invasive woody angiosperms, its role in European forest policy remains contentious, with debates about its invasion potential, ecological impacts, and control measures and it is not formally classified as invasive in European regulation. This study uses data from three cycles of the Spanish National Forest Inventory (SFI) to examine the distribution, abundance, and dominance of black locust in Spanish forests over the past three decades. The study also assesses the invasibility and invasion stage across various forest types, identifying the biotic and abiotic factors influencing its distribution. Additionally, the impacts of black locust on forest ecosystem services, such as native tree species diversity and abundance, are evaluated. Black locust now occupies over 75,000 hectares of Spanish woodlands, with an average invasion degree of 1.55% at the forest type level. Its population has steadily increased, reaching an established invasion stage in most invaded native forests. The invasion affects forest attributes, including native species abundance and dominance, and overall plot richness. The impact varies with the degree of invasibility and invasion stage, being particularly significant in priority conservation habitats like depleted temperate and alluvial forests. These findings highlight the need for further research on black locust impacts in forest ecosystems to contribute to an evidence-based discourse regarding the reconsideration as an invasive species in European and national regulations.
SynSimPred: Leveraging Cell Line Similarities for Drug Combination Synergy Prediction
Authors: Zakeri Soodabeh , Meybodi Fatemeh Yassaee , Eslahchi Changiz
Published: July 2024

Cancer treatment faces significant challenges, necessitating innovative approaches to predict and enhance drug efficacy. Computational models, particularly advanced machine learning methods, have shown promise in customizing drug response predictions and improving patient outcomes. However, predicting synergistic drug combinations remains complex due to the vast number of potential interactions and the limitations of both data availability and traditional research methodologies. In response, our study introduces SynSimPred, a computational approach that leverages cell line similarities, gene expression, mutations, dependencies, and copy number variations to predict drug synergy scores. SynSimPred employs a suite of sophisticated regression methodologies to navigate the complex interplay between these biological characteristics and their impact on drug efficacy. A key component of our research involved a detailed case study where SynSimPred predicted the synergistic and antagonistic interactions of drug pairs such as Vinblastine and Veliparib, and Deforolimus and Dactolisib, demonstrating its practical utility and accuracy in real-world scenarios. We rigorously evaluated SynSimPred against leading methods including DeepSynergy, HypergraphSynergy, and SynPred, across two comprehensive datasets, O'NEIL and ALMANAC. Our evaluations, using metrics such as MSE, Precision, F-Measure, and Accuracy, demonstrate that SynSimPred consistently outperforms existing models, establishing it as a frontrunner in the field of predictive methodologies for cancer treatment.
A New Initial Distribution for Quantum Generative Adversarial Networks to Load Probability Distributions
Authors: Sano Yuichi , Koga Ryosuke , Abe Masaya , Nakagawa Kei
Published: July 2024

Quantum computers are gaining attention for their ability to solve certain problems faster than classical computers, and one example is the quantum expectation estimation algorithm that accelerates the widely-used Monte Carlo method in fields such as finance.
A previous study has shown that quantum generative adversarial networks(qGANs), a quantum circuit version of generative adversarial networks(GANs), can generate the probability distribution necessary for the quantum expectation estimation algorithm in shallow quantum circuits.
However, a previous study has also suggested that the convergence speed and accuracy of the generated distribution can vary greatly depending on the initial distribution of qGANs' generator.
In particular, the effectiveness of using a normal distribution as the initial distribution has been claimed, but it requires a deep quantum circuit, which may lose the advantage of qGANs.

Therefore, in this study, we propose a novel method for generating an initial distribution that improves the learning efficiency of qGANs.
Our method uses the classical process of {\it label replacement} to generate various probability distributions in shallow quantum circuits.
We demonstrate that our proposed method can generate the log-normal distribution, which is pivotal in financial engineering, as well as the triangular distribution and the bimodal distribution, more efficiently than current methods.

Additionally, we show that the initial distribution proposed in our research is related to the problem of determining the initial weights for qGANs.
IKKβ inhibits cognitive memory and adult hippocampal neurogenesis via the β-catenin pathway
Authors: Seong Kyung-Joo , Mun Bo-Ram , Kim Shintae , Choi Won-Seok , Lee Sung Joong , Jung Ji-Yeon , Kim Won-Jae
Published: July 2024

The role of IκB kinase β (IKKβ) and its underlying mechanism in regulating cognitive memory and hippocampal neurogenesis were investigated using GFAP-CreERT2/IKKβflox/flox transgenic mice, where the IKKβ gene is specifically knocked down in hippocampal neural stem cells (NSCs) to generate IKKβ conditional knockdown (cKD) mice. Our findings indicate that IKKβ cKD led to increased exploratory activity in the open-field test, promoted hyperactivity in the Y-maze test, and enhanced spatial learning and memory function in the object location and the Morris water maze tests. Furthermore, IKKβ cKD increased the proliferation of adult hippocampal NSCs by upregulating positive cell cycle regulators through the inhibition of negative cell cycle regulators. Neuronal differentiation of adult hippocampal NSCs was also increased by IKKβ cKD, affecting β-catenin signaling and Neurogenic differentiation 1. Additionally, IKKβ cKD enhanced NSC survival, as indicated by decreased cleaved caspase-3 levels and diminished Bax and Cytochrome c expression in the hippocampal dentate gyrus. These findings indicate that in hippocampal NSCs, IKKβ inhibits locomotion, cognitive function, and adult hippocampal neurogenesis by suppressing the β-catenin signaling pathway. Our findings highlight a key role for IKKβ in the inhibition of cognitive function and decrease in hippocampal neurogenesis through NF-κB signaling in adult NSCs.
Noise Mitigation An Efficient Approach for Quantum Convolutional Neural Networks to Enhance Performance in NISQ
Authors: Ding Yuze , Zhang Shibin , Li Xiaoyu , Chang Yan , Yan Lili
Published: July 2024

Quantum machine learning has achieved great success in many areas of image classification, however, in the Noisy Intermediate-Scale Quantum (NISQ) era, most of the quantum machine learning experimental results are obtained from simulations on classical computers, and most of the experimental environments do not take into account the detrimental effects of quantum noise on quantum classifiers. In fact, the prevalent quantum noise, such as Depolarization, Phase flip, etc., has the potential to significantly undermine the classification performance of quantum circuits. Addressing the challenge of mitigating the disturbing impact of quantum noise on quantum neural networks has become a prominent research focus in recent years. In this paper, we propose a Noise Mitigation method based on the image classification task, which is deployed on the constructed quantum convolutional neural network with noise, aiming to improve the classification accuracy by using Noise Mitigation to reduce the expressibility of quantum circuits. The designed Noise Mitigation method can adjust the parameters according to the complexity of the circuit to achieve better results. Numerical simulations conducted on the MNIST and Fashion-MNIST datasets substantiate the efficacy of the proposed methodology.
MCANet: A lightweight action recognition network with multidimensional convolution and attention
Authors: Tian Qiuhong , Miao Weilun , Zhang Lizao , Yang Ziyu , Yang Yu , Zhao Yanying , Yao Lan
Published: July 2024

The majority of lightweight networks currently employed in action recognition tasks are based on convolutional neural networks. The spatial inductive biases of convolutional neural networks, which enables them to complete action recognition tasks with fewer parameters and faster reasoning speeds. Although convolutional neural networks are highly effective at extracting local spatiotemporal features, they lack the global spatiotemporal modelling capabilities of transformer-based networks. However, the transformer-based network has a considerable number of model parameters and a relatively slow inference time, which makes it incompatible with the lightweight requirements. In order to meet the requirements of both lightweight design and high recognition accuracy, this paper proposes MCANet, an action recognition network that is suitable for deployment on lightweight devices. MCANet integrates the strengths of convolutional neural networks and transformer-based networks. Furthermore, the network maintains a low number of model parameters and a fast reasoning speed, while also exhibiting local and global spatiotemporal modelling capabilities, thus achieving high recognition accuracy. The efficacy of the proposed methodology was validated on a diverse array of datasets, including Kinetics400, UCF101, and HMDB51, demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method.
Single cell regulatory architecture of human pancreatic islets suggests sex differences in β cell function and the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes.
Authors: Mauvais-Jarvis Franck
Published: July 2024

Type 2 and type 1 diabetes (T2D, T1D) exhibit sex differences in insulin secretion, the mechanisms of which are unknown. We examined sex differences in human pancreatic islets from 52 donors with and without T2D combining single cell RNA-seq (scRNA-seq), single nucleus assay for transposase-accessible chromatin sequencing (snATAC-seq), hormone secretion, and bioenergetics. In nondiabetic (ND) donors, sex differences in islet cells gene accessibility and expression predominantly involved sex chromosomes. Islets from T2D donors exhibited similar sex differences in sex chromosomes differentially expressed genes (DEGs), but also exhibited sex differences in autosomal genes. Comparing β cells from T2D vs. ND donors, gene enrichment of female β cells showed suppression in mitochondrial respiration, while male β cells exhibited suppressed insulin secretion. Thus, although sex differences in gene accessibility and expression of ND β cells predominantly affect sex chromosomes, the transition to T2D reveals sex differences in autosomes highlighting mitochondrial failure in females.
Circulating microclots are structurally associated with Neutrophil Extracellular Traps and their amounts are strongly elevated in long COVID patients
Authors: Pretorius Etheresia , THIERRY Alain , Sanchez Cynthia , Ha Tram , Pastor Brice , Mirandola Alexia , Pisareva Ekaterina , Prevostel Corinne , Laubscher Gert , Usher Tom , Venter Chantelle , Turner Simone , Waters Maxine , Kell Douglas
Published: July 2024

BACKGROUND: The persistence of vasculo-thrombotic complications has been put forward as a possible contributing factor in the long COVID (LC) syndrome.
OBJECTIVES: Given the recently reported separate demonstration of the association of LC with elevated levels of fibrin amyloid microclots (FAM) and with those neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs), markers that are linked to thromboinflammation, this study considers the association of FAM with NETs.
RESULTS: The results show that NETs markers are quantitatively and structurally associated with the size and number of FAM in patients with LC. These markers showed a strong diagnostic performance, both independently and when combined.
CONCLUSIONS: Our study revealed that NETs may be a component of circulating FAM, We suggest that higher NETs formation promotes the stabilization of FAM in the circulation, leading to deleterious effects which contribute causally to the LC syndrome.
Möglichkeiten zur Identifikation und Förderung überfachlicher und fächerübergreifender digitalisierungsbezogener Kompetenzen im Lehramtsstudium
Authors: Bulizek Björn
Published: July 2024

Der Beitrag soll am Beispiel der Universität Duisburg-Essen (UDE) einen Einblick in die Vorgehensweise und möglichen Arbeitsschritte zur Identifikation und Förderung überfachlicher und fächerübergreifender digitalisierungsbezogener Kompetenzen im Lehramtsstudium sowie deren curricularer Einbindung geben. Dabei steht besonders der aktive Austausch mit den Fakultäten und Fächern im Vordergrund, um auf Basis gemeinsamer Grundlagen wie z. B. Rahmenkonzepten und Kompetenzmodellen diejenigen überfachlichen bzw. fächerübergreifenden Kompetenzen zu identifizieren, die für die meisten lehrkräftebildenden Fächer eine hohe Relevanz haben und als Grundlage für ein entsprechendes gemeinsames Veranstaltungsangebot oder Modul dienen können.
JUSTIFICATION OF THE COMPLEX TREATMENT OF PURULOUS COMPLICATIONS OF FOOT INJURIES IN PATIENTS WITH DIABETES MELLITUS
Authors: Golovakha Maxim , Klyatsky Yurii , Kozhemyaka Maxim , Maslennikov Serhii , Kosylo Vasyl
Published: July 2024

In recent years, despite the development of modern methods of diagnosis and treatment of foot injuries in patients with diabetes mellitus, there has been an increase in the number of purulent-necrotic complications with a significant percentage of generalization of the infection. Due to potentially "catastrophic" wound healing, uncontrolled, irrational use of antibiotics, lack of regular blood glucose control, implementation of long and complex surgical interventions leads to the development of complications, including infection.
The aim of the study. To substantiate the expediency of using a complex treatment scheme for purulent complications of foot bone fractures in patients with diabetes.
Materials and methods. The results of treatment of 25 diabetic patients with foot injuries complicated by a purulent process were analyzed. In order to restore homeostasis disorders, patients received a complex of medical measures, including surgical treatment, infusion therapy, immunotherapy, antibiotic therapy. Patients were under the constant control of an endocrinologist.
The results. As a result of complex treatment of patients, the inflammatory process was stopped in 21 (84%) patients, however, in 1 (4%) patient with stage 3 diabetic foot syndrome and in 3 (12%) patients with stage 4 according to the F.W.Wagner classification, the inflammatory process spread on the shin, therefore amputation was performed in this patients. The use of the developed treatment tactics, which included drainage of the wound with the removal of destroyed bone fragments, fixators (pins, screws, plates) in the maximum possible volume is the most effective method of surgical treatment of patients with this form of inflammation and allows you to save the foot, avoid the progression of purulent process and repeated surgical intervention.
MATERNAL AGE INCREASES THE RISK OF DOWN SYNDROME: A CASE-CONTROL STUDY IN YOGYAKARTA, INDONESIA
Authors: Zevanya Evita , Indrarto Wikan , Lestari Dewi , Widagdo The Maria Meiwati
Published: July 2024

Background: Down syndrome incidence increases year to year and ranks first in birth defect cases in Indonesia. Down syndrome birth may burden family physically, socially, economically, and emotionally. The most common risk factor associated to Down syndrome is maternal age.
Objective: This research is conducted to understand the association between maternal age and parity as the risk factors of Down syndrome births.
Methods: Analytical observation design with case-control approach is used in this study. Bivariate and multivariate analysis were calculated using Chi-Square and binary logistic regression test.
Results: This research’s results showed significant association between maternal age as risk factor with the incidence of Down syndrome (p-value < 0.001) and no significant association between parity with the incidence of Down syndrome (p-value > 0.05) in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. Mothers aged ? 35 years have 18.82 greater risk to give birth Down syndrome baby compared to mothers aged < 35 years (OR=18.82). The mean of maternal age when birth Down Syndrome children was 35.1 years old. Biological ovarium aging hypothesis presumed cause higher probability of chromosomal segregation failure during oocyte meiosis. Advanced maternal age naturally causes biological ovarium aging. Biological ovarium aging may caused or influenced by hormonal imbalance, limited oocyte pool, oxidative stress, change of spontaneous abortus mechanism, and genetic abnormality or mutation. No significant association between parity with the incidence of Down Syndrome (p-value=0.0689).
Conclusion: Mothers with age of 35 year or older are the only the risk factor for having child with Syndrome Down in this research, with 18.82 more greater risk than mothers under 35 years old. The mean of maternal age when birth Down Syndrome children was 35.1 years old.
PHYSICOCHIMICAL,MINERALOGICALAND GEOTECHNICALCHARACTERIZATION OF THE EARTH OF THE 9TH DISTRICT OF THE CITY OF NDJAMENA IN CHAD WITH A VIEW TO THE CONSTRUCTION OF HYDRAULIC STRUCTURES
Authors:   Laboratory of Study and Research in Industrial Techniques of the Faculty of Exact and Applied Sciences of the University of NDjamena., Kormbaye Djegolde ,   Civil Engineering Laboratory, NDjamena - Chad., Mougabe Mokor ,   Laboratory of Study and Research in Industrial Techniques of the Faculty of Exact and Applied Sciences of the University of NDjamena.,   Civil Engineering Laboratory, NDjamena - Chad., Haroun Avarsia ,   Laboratory of Study and Research in Industrial Techniques of the Faculty of Exact and Applied Sciences of the University of NDjamena.,   Civil Engineering Laboratory, NDjamena - Chad., Jonas Togdjim ,   Laboratory of Study and Research in Industrial Techniques of the Faculty of Exact and Applied Sciences of the University of NDjamena., Ngarmaim Nadjitonon ,   Laboratory of Study and Research in Industrial Techniques of the Faculty of Exact and Applied Sciences of the University of NDjamena.,   University of Sarh.
Published: July 2024

The work carried out in this paper aims at the physicochimical, mineralogical and geotechnical characterization of the soils used in the construction of dikes in the 9th district of the city of NDjamena in Chad in order to guide those responsible for the construction of structures related to this soil.Physicochimical,mineralogical and geotechnical analyses were conducted. The results obtained show that the soils used for the construction of the dikes (existing structure is a dam made of earth without a coating at the time) are fine soils with a percentage of the fines that varies between 38.7% and 73.1% at the 80Î¼m screen. According to the GTR classification, these floors belong to classes A2 and A3.The plasticity index of the soils studied ranges from 18 to 35. These values confirm that the soils used are plastic soils. The porosity is in the range of 34.23% to 40% and the void index is between 0.36 and 0.59. These soils are very sensitive to water, compaction and deformation.Chemical analysis shows us that Silicon oxide is the most dominant constituent (63.29% to 80.22%) followed by Aluminum oxide (10.49% to 18.15%) and iron oxide (3.22% to 5.87%).Mineralogical analysis confirms that Quartz is dominant (56.24% to 46.5%) followed by Kaolinite (27.41% to 12.07%), illite (12.38% to 9.43%), k-feldspar, plagioclase and other minerals. The presence of smectite shows that the soils are made up of clays that have a high swelling capacity. Thus, the use of these soils in hydraulic structures such as dikes and dams requires special treatment so that it can effectively perform their roles.
FORMATION OF A PLURALISTIC SOCIETY IN KASARAGOD: A HISTORICAL STUDY
Authors:   Assistant Professor of History, Government College Madappally, Vadakara, Kozhikode, Kerala, India, 673102., Meethale Purayil Manikkuttan , Kannothumkandy Babu ,   Assistant Professor of History, Government College Madappally, Vadakara, Kozhikode, Kerala, India, 673102.
Published: July 2024

Kasaragod in the northern part of Kerala State has its own cultural background from ancient period onwards. The people of this area is still living there without considering social, religious and caste differences that may be started since the Pre-historic period. Like any other civilized society, the people of Kasaragod also very much imbibed by their traditional beliefs and ritual practices handed down from generation to generation.Politically, this region has been witnessed plenty of military conquests. The geographical features, early political conquests, religious migration and the commercial contacts paved the way for the development of a composite culture in Kasaragod. Because of the external contacts, new type of beliefs and ritual practices came into the life of the native people at Kasaragod. In the course of time, it became a meeting ground of different communities with mutual co-existence and thereby a multi-cultural society developed in the northern part of Malabar.The present study is an attempt to know the general features of Kasaragod and to discuss how a pluralistic society developed in the northernmost part of Kerala.