bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Ecophysiological and Molecular Analysis of Contrasting Genotypes for Leaf Senescence in Sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) under Differential Doses of N in Soil
Authors: Becheran Daniela , Corzo Melanie A. , Ploschuk Edmundo , Nicosia Salvador , Moschen Sebastian , Bengoa Luoni Sofia , Di Rienzo Julio , Heinz Nicolas , Alvarez Daniel , Paula Fernandez
Published: November 2024

Leaf senescence in plants is the last stage of leaf development that is characterized by a decline in photosynthetic activity, an active degeneration of cellular structures and the recycling of accumulated nutrients to areas of active growth such as buds, young leaves, flowers, fruits and seeds. This process holds economic significance as it can impact yield, influencing the plant´s ability to maintain an active photosynthetic system during prolonged periods, especially during the grain filling stage, which affects plant weight and oil content. It can be associated with different stresses or environmental conditions, manifesting itself widely in the context of climate change and limiting yield, especially in crops of agronomic relevance. In this work we study the stability of two widely described sunflower genotypes belonging to the INTA Breeding Program against differential N conditions, to verify their yield stability in control conditions and under N supply. Two inbred lines were utilized, namely R453 (early senescence) and B481–6 (late senescence), with contrasting nitrogen availability in the soil but sharing the same ontogeny cycle length. It was observed that, starting from R5.5, the B481-6 genotype not only delayed senescence but also exhibited a positive response to increased nitrogen availability in the soil. This response included an increase in intercepted radiation, resulting in a statistically significant enhancement in grain yield. Conversely, the R453 genotype did not show significant differences under varying nitrogen availability and exhibited a tendency to decrease grain yield when nitrogen availability was increased. The response to nitrogen can vary depending on the specific genotype.
Driving Forces in the Formation of Biocondensates of Highly Charged Proteins
Authors: Ballauff Matthias
Published: November 2024

A thermodynamic analysis of the binary complex formation of the highly positively charged linker histone H1 and the highly negatively charged chaperone, prothymosin α (ProTα) is given. ProTα and H1 have large opposite net charges (−44 and +53, respectively) and form complexes at physiological salt concentrations with high affinity as shown by Chowdhury et al. (Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023, 120 (41), e2304036120). Data obtained by Chowdhury et al. for binary complex formation are analyzed by a thermodynamic model that is based on counterion condensation modulated by hydration effects. The analysis demonstrates that the release of the counterions mainly bound to ProT is the main driving force, effects related to water release play no role within the limits of error. A strongly negative cp (= -0.87 kJ/(K mol)) is found which is due to the loss of conformational degrees of freedom.
Enhanced Feature Selection via Hierarchical Concept Modeling
Authors: Muangprathub Jirapond , Wetchapram Patsita , Wanichsombat Apirat , Intarasit Arthit , Sealee Jarunee , Boongasame Laor , Choopradit Boonyarit
Published: November 2024

The objectives of feature selection include simplifying modeling and making the results more understandable, improving data mining efficiency, and providing clean and understandable data preparation. With big data it also allows us to reduce computational time, improve prediction performance, and better understand the data in machine learning or pattern recognition applications. In this study, we present a new feature selection approach based on hierarchical concept models using formal concept analysis (FCA) and decision tree (DT) for selecting a subset of attributes. The presented methods are evaluated based on all learned attributes with 10 datasets from the UCI Machine Learning Repository by using three classification algorithms, namely decision trees, support vector machines (SVM), and artificial neural networks (ANN). The hierarchical concept model is built from a dataset, and it is selected by top-down considering features (attributes) node for each level of structure. Moreover, this study is considered to provide a mathematical feature selection approach with optimization based on paired-samples t-test. To compare the identified models in order to evaluate feature selection effects, the indicators used were information gain (IG) and chi-squared (CS), while both forward selection (FS) and backward elimination (BS) were tested with the datasets to assess whether the presented model was effective in reducing the number of features used. The results show clearly that the proposed models when using DT or using FCA, needed fewer features than the other methods for similar classification performance.
Performance Evaluation of Weather@home2 Simulations over West African Region
Authors: Lawal Kamoru Abiodun , Akintomide Oluwatosin Motunrayo , Olaniyan Eniola , Bowery Andrew , Sparrow Sarah N , Wehner Michael F , Stone Dáithí A
Published: November 2024

Weather and climate forecasting is extremely important for improving the socio-economic well-being of the West African region. It safe-guards the region from weather and climate related disasters. Hence, utilization of products from climate models are being encouraged and have therefore become essential tools and life-savers, in spite of the fact that climate models do not fully comply with attributes of forecast qualities - RASAP: reliability, association, skill, accuracy and precision. This paper thus quantitatively evaluates, in comparisons to CRU and ERA5 datasets, the RASAP compliance-level of the weather@home2 modelling system (w@h2: a successor to the well-known weather@home1 modelling system) which now produces an exceptionally large number of ensembles of simulations (>10,000). Having been designed for the investigation of the behavior of extreme weather under anthropogenic climate change, findings show that the performance of w@h2 in terms of climate variability may be more relevant than measures of the mean climatology. To some significant extent w@h2 model provides little, if any, predictive information for precipitation during the dry season, but may provide useful information during the monsoon seasons as well as skill to capture the Little Dry Season over the Guinea zone; predictive skills for the onset season suggest that the model is getting processes right. The w@h2 model is also able to reproduce all the annual characteristics of the surface maximum air temperature over the sub-region with skill to detect heat waves that usually ravage West Africa during the boreal spring. With synchronization > 80% the model has the ability to reliably / accurately simulate the actual anomaly signs of the observed climate parameters which is one of the special attributes of a model that is needed for seasonal climate predictions and applications. The large sample sizes produced by the w@h2 model are able to show that sampling quality of the tails of the distribution is no longer the primary constraint / source of uncertainty. The study further furnishes a prospective user with information on whether the model might be “useful or not” for a particular application.
Evaluation of the Wachtel Healing Index and its Correlation with Early Implantation Success or Failure at Two Months
Authors: Moya-Villaescusa María José , Sánchez-Pérez Arturo , Lara-Hernández Nerea , Jornet-García Alfonso , Montoya-Carralero J-M.
Published: November 2024

Implants are increasingly used in dentistry. Nevertheless, several factors can cause treatment failure. To assess initial wound healing, various indices have been developed. The purpose of this study was to assess the relationship between early wound healing and implant success. Fifty single implants (25 in women and 25 in men) were placed in patients meeting the inclusion. The implants (Ticare®) were placed via the two-stage technique. Patients were assessed at 24 hours, one week, one month, two months and one week postimplantation. At the final evaluation, implantation failure or success was recorded. Postoperative pain in these patients at one week after placement was assessed with a visual analogue scale (VAS), and the Wachtel soft tissue early healing index was used to measure healing. Two months after implant placement, the success rate was 92%. No statistically significant relationship was found between the Wachtel index and short-term implant success or failure. Additionally, there was no relationship between implant success or failure and variables such as smoking, diabetes status, age, sex or guided bone regeneration (GBR). Neither the Wachtel index nor any of the other variables studied is a predictor of early implantation success.
Paederia grandidieri Leaf Extracts: Polyphenols and Biological Activities
Authors: Rasoarisheno Faratiana Jenny , Fidanza Nicoletta , Coccia Elena , Ratovomanarivo Dyana Jackson , Sateriale Daniela , Abbatiello Lucia , Pagliarulo Caterina , Filosa Rosanna , Rasoamananjara Jeanne Angelphine , Paolucci Marina
Published: November 2024

In many developing countries human health problems are solved using local plants. Knowledge of their chemical composition and biological activities can contribute to the creation of natural-based products usefully employed in human health. In this work, we analyzed Paederia grandidieri leaves extracted with diverse eco-compatible procedures and subjected to chemical, microbiological, and cellular compatibility assays. Fresh leaves of P. grandidieri were harvested in southern Madagascar, dried and powdered. Distilled water and ethanol at different temperatures and times were used for extraction. Polyphenol composition, antioxidant, antibacterial, prebiotic and cytotoxic properties of the extracts were analyzed. The aqueous extracts contained higher levels of flavan-3-ols and flavanones, while the hydro-alcoholic extracts were richer in flavonols and flavones. The aqueous extracts showed the highest total phenolic and total flavonoid contents, and antioxidant activity, but lower cytotoxicity with respect to the hydro-alcoholic extracts. None of the extracts had significant antibacterial effects against selected oral pathogens, but prebiotic effects against Streptococcus salivarius were detected. This study indicates that P. grandidieri possesses significant biological properties which make it a suitable candidate for the production of pro-health products for the oral cavity.
Effectiveness of Early Versus Late Time-Restricted Eating Combined with Physical Activity in Overweight or Obese Women
Authors: Miladi Sarra , Driss Tarak , Ameur Ranya , Miladi Sirine C , Miladi Samar J. , Najjar Mohamed Fadhel , Neffati Fadoua , Hammouda Omar
Published: November 2024

To evaluate the effectiveness of a dual approach involving time-restricted eating (TRE) at different times-of-day combined with physical activity (PA) on functional capacity and metabolic health in overweight or obese women. Random allocation of sixty-one participants into four groups: early time-restricted eating plus physical activity (ETRE-PA, n=15, 31.8±10.56 years, 89.68±10.56 kg, 33.5±5.53 kg/m²), late time-restricted eating with physical activity (LTRE-PA, n=15, 30.60±7.94 years, 94.45±15.36 kg, 34.37±7.09 kg/m²), late time-restricted eating only (LTRE, n=15, 27.93±9.79 years, 88.32±10.36 kg, 32.71±5.15 kg/m²) and a control group (CG, n=15, 36.25±11.52 years, 89.01±11.68 kg, 33.66±6.18 kg/m²). The intervention lasted 12 weeks for all groups. Both ETRE-PA and LTRE-PA groups engaged in a rigorous combined aerobic and resistance-training program. Significant reductions in body weight and body mass index were observed in ETRE-PA and LTRE-PA compared to CG and LTRE groups in post-intervention (p<0.0005). Only ETRE-PA group exhibited a significant decrease in fat mass (p=0.02), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (p=0.01) and aspartate aminotransferase (p=0.002). Significant reductions in alanine aminotransferase levels were observed in ETRE-PA (p=0.004) and LTRE-PA (p=0.02) groups. These two latter groups achieved higher performances in the 6-min walking test, bench press, 30-second squat, crunch test, vertical jump (p<0.0005 for both) and leg extension (p<0.02 for both) when compared to LTRE and CG groups. In conclusion, the integration of TRE with PA leads to greater improvements in body composition, lipid profile, and physical performance with no significant differences between ETRE-PA and LTRE-PA approaches. This combined strategy offers a promising solution in overweight or obese women.
Isolation, Expansion and Characterization of Rat Hair Follicle Stem Cells
Authors: Sousa Patrícia , Lopes Bruna , Sousa Ana Catarina , Coelho André , Moreira Alícia de Sousa , Rêma Alexandra , Gonçalves-Maia Maria , Amorim Irina , Alvites Rui , Alves Nuno , Geuna Stefano , Maurício Ana Colette
Published: November 2024

Stem cells are capable of self-renewal and differentiation into various specialized cells, making them a potential therapeutic option in regenerative medicine. This study establishes a comprehensive methodology for isolating, culturing, and characterizing rat hair follicle stem cells. Hair follicles were harvested from Sprague–Dawley rats and subjected to two different isolation techniques. Immunohistochemical analysis and real-time PCR confirm the expression of specific surface markers and genes, validating the cells' identity. Growth kinetics, colony formation units (CFU) and tri-differentiation capacity were also assessed. Additionally, the cells secretome was furthermore analyzed regarding its content in biofactors with wound healing properties. These findings highlight the potential of these cells as a valuable cell source for skin regeneration applications. They contribute to advancing our understanding of stem cell applications in regenerative medicine and hold promise for therapeutic interventions in various clinical contexts, aligning with broader research on the diverse capabilities of hair follicle stem cells.
Molecular Insights into the Interactions Between Human Serum Albumin and Phospholipid Membranes
Authors: Przybyłek Maciej , Bełdowski Piotr , Ledziński Damian , Lutowski Zbigniew , Mazurkiewicz Adam , Raczyński Przemysław , Dedinaite Andra , Claesson Per M.
Published: November 2024

In this study, molecular dynamics simulations were employed to analyze interactions between phospholipid membranes and human serum albumin (HSA) in the presence of mono- and divalent cations. Two types of membranes, composed of dipalmitoyl phosphatidylcholine (DPPC) and dipalmitoyl phosphatidylethanolamine (DPPE), were utilized. The results revealed that both systems exhibited high stability, with the DPPE complexes displaying greater stability compared to those formed with DPPC. This increased stability was attributed to a higher number of ionic contacts and hydrogen bonds. The presence of mono- and divalent metal cations significantly influenced the membrane’s capacity to bind proteins. However, these effects varied depending on the phospholipid composition of the bilayer. The studies confirmed the relatively low ability of DPPC to bind potassium ions, as previously observed by others. Consequently, the DPPC/HSA/K+ complex was found to be the least stable among the systems studied. While DPPC interactions were limited to HSA domains I and II, DPPE was able to interact with all domains of the protein. Both lipid bilayers exhibited substantial structural changes and characteristic curvature induced by interactions with HSA, which confirms the formation of relatively strong interactions capable of influencing the arrangement of the phospholipids.
Portfolio Selection Based on Modified CoVaR in the Gaussian Framework
Authors: Jaworski Piotr , Zalewska Anna
Published: November 2024

We study the Mean-Risk model, where risk is measured by the Modified CoVaR \[ \CoVaR^{\leq}_{\alpha, \beta}(X|Y) = VaR_\beta ( X \;| \; Y + VaR_\alpha (Y) \leq 0).\] We prove that in Gaussian setting, for sufficiently small $\beta$, such model has a solution.
Modeling the Impact of Human Awareness and Insecticide Use on Malaria Control: A Fractional-Order Approach
Authors: Helikumi Mlyashimbi , Thobias Bisaga Thobias , Kimulu Ancent Makau , Mhlanga Adquate
Published: November 2024

In this research work, we developed a fractional-order model for the transmission dynamics of malaria, incorporating two control strategies: health education campaigns, and use of insecticides. The theoretical analysis of the model was presented, including the computation of disease-free equilibrium and basic reproduction number. We analyzed the stability of the proposed model using well formulated Lyapunov function. Furthermore, model parameter estimation was carried out using real data on malaria cases reported in Zimbabwe. We found that the fractional-order model provided a better fit to the real data compared to the classical integer-order model. Sensitivity analysis of the basic reproduction number was performed using computed partial rank correlation coefficients to assess the effect of each parameter on malaria transmission. Additionally, we conducted numerical simulations to evaluate the impact of memory effects on the spread of malaria. The simulation results indicated that the order of derivatives significantly influences the dynamics of malaria transmission. Moreover, we simulated the model to assess the effectiveness of the proposed control strategies. Overall, the interventions were found to have the potential to significantly reduce the spread of malaria within the population.
Local Dynamic Stability of Trunk During Gait Can Detect Dynamic Imbalance in Subjects with Episodic Migraine
Authors: Castiglia Stefano Filippo , Sebastianelli Gabriele , Abagnale Chiara , Casillo Francesco , Trabassi Dante , Di Lorenzo Cherubino , Ziccardi Lucia , Parisi Vincenzo , Di Renzo Antonio , De Icco Roberto , Tassorelli Cristina , Serrao Mariano , Coppola Gianluca
Published: November 2024

Background/Hypothesis: Motion sensitivity symptoms, like dizziness or unsteadiness, are frequently reported as non-headache symptoms of migraine. Postural imbalance has been observed in subjects with vestibular migraine, chronic migraine, and aura. We aimed to assess the ability of largest Lyapunov’s exponent for short time – series (sLLE), which reflects the ability to cope with internal perturbations during gait, to detect differences in local dynamic stability between individuals with migraine without aura (MO) with an episodic pattern and healthy subjects (HS). Methods: Trunk accelerations of 47 MO and 38 HS were recorded during gait using an inertial measurement unit. The discriminative ability of sLLE was assessed through receiver operating characteristics curves and cutoff analysis. Partial correlation analysis was conducted between the clinical and gait variables, excluding the effects of gait speed. Results: MO showed higher sLLE values, and reduced pelvic rotation, pelvic tilt, and stride length values. sLLEML and pelvic rotation showed good ability to discriminate between MO and HS and correlated with the perceived pain, MIgraine Disability Assessment Score, and each other. Conclusions: These findings may provide new insights into the postural balance control mechanism in subjects with MO and introduce the sLLEML as a potential measure of dynamic instability in MO.
N-Acetyltyrosine as a Biomarker of Parenteral Nutrition Administration in First-Tier Newborn Born Screening Assays
Authors: Pickens C. Austin , Sah Samyukta , Chandrappa Rahul , Isenberg Samantha L. , Courtney Elya R. , Lim Timothy , Chace Donald , Lee Rachel , Cuthbert Carla D. , Petritis Konstantinos
Published: November 2024

Background: Parenteral nutrition (PN) is a nutrient solution administered intravenously (IV) to premature babies. PN causes elevations of some amino acids in blood samples that are also biomarkers used in newborn screening (NBS). Therefore, PN status must be annotated on dried blood spot (DBS) cards by clinicians to reduce NBS laboratory burdens associated with potential false results, however, NBS laboratories continue to receive DBS with misannotated PN status. N-acetyltyrosine (NAT), a water-soluble tyrosine analog used to increase tyrosine bioavailability in PN solutions, can be used as a blood-based biomarker of PN administration in NBS assays.
Methods: Residual DBS specimens and manufactured DBS were used in analyses. The assay was developed and validated using flow injection analysis tandem mass spectrometry (FIA-MS/MS) for detection of NAT.
Results: NAT was only present in neonate DBS with annotated PN administration, and was multiplexed into first-tier newborn screening assays. NAT was highly correlated with amino acids present in PN solutions such as arginine, leucine, methionine, phenylalanine, and valine. In our sample cohort, we determined an NAT cutoff could aid identification of misannotated neonates administered PN. We also report the Amadori rearrangement product valine-hexose (Val-Hex) was quantifiable in neonates administered PN, which we suspect forms in the PN solution and/or IV lines.
Conclusions: Here we present the first known use of NAT as a biomarker for PN administration, which is currently being piloted by two U.S. NBS laboratories. NAT and Val-Hex can aid identification of misannotated DBS from neonates administered PN, thus, decreasing false positive rates.
An Adaptation of Wintering Water Birds to Man-made Weirs in Relation to Freeze-Thaw Process in Tancheon Stream, Korea
Authors: Lee Jangho , Park Chan-Ryul
Published: November 2024

The roles of man-made weirs were well-known as flooding control in summer monsoon, but the function of wintering habitat for wintering water birds were not revealed. This study examined the effects of man-made weirs on the wintering distribution of water birds in Tancheon Stream, Korea, with a focus on the effects of freeze-thaw process. Data collected during January to February 2003 included thawed water surface ratios, water depths, sandbar areas, and bird distribution under different weather conditions. The analysis revealed a strong positive correlation between thawed surface areas in front of weir’s drop structures and the abundance of dabbling and diving water birds during severe cold conditions with temperatures below - 9°C. However, it was also observed that the stagnant water impounded by the weirs tended to freeze easily in winter, making it difficult for water birds to inhabit those areas. These results suggest an adaptation process against man-made weirs by wintering water birds in urban streams, provide significant insights for improving the function of weirs to enhance water birds’ habitats, especially in urban stream management.
Sustainable Biopolymer-Based Electrochemical Sensors for Trace Heavy Metal Detection in Water: A Comprehensive Review
Authors: Helim Rabiaa , Zazoua Ali , Korri-Youssoufi Hafsa
Published: November 2024

The growing concern over heavy metal contamination in environmental and industrial settings has intensified the need for sensitive, selective, and cost-effective detection technologies. Electrochemical sensors, due to their high sensitivity, rapid response, and portability, have emerged as promising tools for detecting heavy metals. Recent years have seen significant progress in utilizing biopolymer-based materials to enhance the performance of these sensors. Biopolymers, derived from renewable raw materials, have garnered considerable interest in both science and industry. These biopolymer-based composites are increasingly recognized as superior alternatives to conventional non-biodegradable materials because of their ability to degrade through environmental exposure. This review provides a comprehensive overview of recent advancements in biopolymer-based electrochemical sensors for heavy metal detection. It discusses various types of biopolymers and bio-sourced polymers, their extraction methods, and chemical properties. Additionally, it highlights the state-of-the-art in applying biopolymers to electrochemical sensor development for heavy metal detection, synthesizing recent advances and offering insights into design principles, fabrication strategies, and analytical performance. The review underscores the potential of biopolymer-based sensors as cost-effective, eco-friendly, and efficient tools for addressing the pressing issue of heavy metal contamination in water and discusses their advantages and limitation. It also outlines future research directions to further enhance the performance and applicability of these sensors.
Genomic Data Suggests Pathways of Modern White Poplar (Populus alba L.) Range Formation in the Postglacial Era
Authors: Gladysh Natalya S. , Popchenko Mikhail I. , Kovalev Maxim A. , Volodin Vsevolod V. , Krasnov George S. , Bogdanova Alina S. , Karpov Dmitry S. , Bolsheva Nadezhda L. , Kudryavtseva Anna V.
Published: November 2024

The white poplar (Populus alba L.) is an economically significant tree species with a natural distribution spanning extensive region of Eurasia. Nevertheless, there is currently no hypothesis regarding the historical shaping of this range. In this study, we collected and sequenced 36 individuals of white poplar from disparate regions of Russia and Kazakhstan. Additionally, we employed available genomic data of white poplars from Italy, Hungary, and China. A genomic approach was employed to collate data on the location of glaciers in different periods, along with information on the natural and artificial distribution of white poplar. This enabled the formulation of the first hypothesis regarding the formation of the modern range of this plant. It is hypothesized that during the period of maximum glaciation, three refugia existed: the South European, Transcaucasian, and Altai-Middle Asian refugia. Post-glacial migration from these refugia led to the formation of modern populations of P. alba in Eastern Europe (including the European part of Russia), the Caucasus, and Siberia, respectively.
Automated Vision-Based Crack Detection for Reinforced Concrete Bridges Using Matlab Algorithms
Authors: Abdelalim Ahmed Mohammed , Shalaby Yasmin , Salem Mohamed , Al-Adwani Manal , EBRAHIM GAMAL A. , Badawy Mohamed
Published: November 2024

Measuring the crack width is one of the important defect properties to estimate the bridge’s health. Cracks may develop into catastrophic failures with expensive consequences for both human life and the economy if they are ignored and are allowed to get worse. Nevertheless, the traditional tools to measure crack width are suffering from time-consuming and some limitations related to subjectivity and uncertainty. In view of this, this paper presented a model based on image processing techniques to measure crack width. The proposed technique relies on developing a model that is used for crack detection to be able to measure their maximum width. Two types of datasets are used in the presented models, and these images were taken from two different types of cameras. The precision and recall for the crack detection achieved 98.32% and 99.43% respectively. Accordingly, 87 concrete crack widths are measured by traditional tools and compared with model results. The comparison shows that the minimum crack width measured by the model is 0.5 mm and the mean absolute error is 0.046 mm. The model is compared with previous studies and demonstrated its effectiveness in measuring crack width. The results show the adequacy of the crack measurement method for safety bridge assessments and to avoid working in hazardous conditions for a long time.
Phylogenetic Analysis of Attached Microbial Communities in Aerobic and Anoxic Media for the Removal of Wastewater Nitrogen
Authors: Song Chang-Hoon , Shin Dong-Chul , Kim Myeong-Woon
Published: November 2024

Removal of nitrogen compound in wastewater has been successfully developed with various activated sludge based processes. The microorganism immobilized on media enhanced biological efficiency by increase in biomass concentration, however the microbial community composition in the media was little revealed. A modified Ludzack-Ettinger (MLE) process was operated with immobilized media with polyvinyl alcohol and polyethylene glycol. MLSS in aerobic reactor was maintained at 50,000 mg/L and 40,000 mg/L in anoxic reactor by the media. 99% of ammonium in influent was oxidized but organic nitrogen resulted from microbial growth reduced total oxidation rate during the operation. Nitrate reduction rate increased by the addition of glucose for C/N ratio adjustment to 4.5. Based on total nitrogen concentration, the removal efficiency of nitrogen was 48.2% after C/N ratio adjustment, which showed the mid-range of nitrogen removal efficiency in MLE. Microbial community composition was compared between aerobic and anoxic media by NGS technique with V3-V4 region of 16S rRNA gene. Proteobacteria was the dominant phylum both in aerobic and anoxic media, and the ratio was 39.7% in aerobic media and 65.9% in anoxic media. Bacteroidetes was secondly largest phylum. The dominant genera in aerobic media were Nitrospira and Povalibacter. Ratio of nitrification-related genera was 45%. On the contrary, the dominant genera in anoxic media were Desulfomicrobium, Desulfobulbus, and Methyloversatilis in sequence of dominance. Total genera related with denitrification, including Dechloromonas and Flavobacterium amounted 63%. Population of microorganisms in each reactor was compared in terms of diversity by QIIME 2 algorithm. The Chao1 index values of α-diversity were 606.05 and 415.53 for aerobic and anoxic media, respectively, which showed higher population diversity in aerobic media than in anoxic. The microbiological community on the immobilized aerobic and anoxic media would help future microbial studies in wastewater treatment process.
Effects of Limosilactobacillus reuteri NBF 1 DSM 32203 on Body Condition Score, Fecal Parameters and Intestinal Microbiota of Healthy Dachshund and Chihuahua Dogs
Authors: Belà Benedetta , Di Simone Daniele , Pignataro Giulia , Fusaro Isa , Gramenzi Alessandro
Published: November 2024

In recent years, the interest in the well-being of companion animals has grown more and more. After discovering the central role of the intestinal microbiota, various nutritional strategies (prebiotics, probiotics and postbiotics) have been evaluated to modulate its composition. However, to date, there are still few studies that analyze the effects of a specific probiotic and even fewer are the studies that evaluate how this strain can have different effects depending on the breed and size of the animal. In this study was investigated the effect of a specific probiotic strain, Limosilactobacillus reuteri NBF 1 DSM 32203, on the fecal parameters and intestinal microbiota of healthy small-sized adult dogs, specifically Chihuahuas and Dachshunds. The results obtained have highlighted how this probiotic is able to improve fecal parameters, reducing fecal humidity with the formation of more compact feces, significantly improving the fecal score. Furthermore, L. reuteri NBF 1 DSM 32203 is able to modulate the microbiota of Chihuahuas and Dachshunds by increasing the number of beneficial bacterial species such as lactobacilli and decreasing that of potentially pathogenic ones such as coliforms.
Genetic Diversity and Epidemiology of Enteroviruses and Rhinoviruses in Hospitalized Children with Acute Respiratory Infections in Novosibirsk, Russia (2023-2024)
Authors: Nokhova Alina R. , Saroyan Tereza A. , Solomatina Mariya V. , Gutova Tatyana A. , Derko Anastasiya A. , Dubovitskiy Nikita A. , Murashkina Tatyana A. , Sharshov Kirill A. , Shestopalov Alexander M. , Kurskaya Olga G.
Published: November 2024

Rhinoviruses and respiratory enteroviruses remain among the leading causes of acute respiratory infections, particularly in children. Little is known about the genetic diversity of enteroviruses and rhinoviruses in pediatric patients with acute respiratory infections in Russia. We assessed the prevalence of human rhinoviruses/enteroviruses (HRV/EV) in 1992 children aged 0 to 17 years hospitalized with acute respiratory infections during the 2023-2024 epidemic season using PCR. The detection rate of HRV/EV was 11% (220/1,992). We performed typing of 58 HRV and 28 EV viruses by partial sequencing of the VP1 gene. Rhinovirus A was the most common among HRV, followed by rhinovirus C; rhinovirus B was detected in only three cases. Enteroviruses were represented by all four species, with the EV-D68 genotype being the most frequently detected. Phylogenetic analysis of the VP1 fragment of EV-D68 showed that all our sequences belonged to the B3 subclade. We identified the first case of EV-C105 infection in Russia in a two-year-old girl hospitalized with pneumonia. Phylogenetically, the Novosibirsk strain EV-C105 was closely related to a strain discovered in France in 2018. This research helped to fill a critical gap in understanding the epidemiological landscape of HRV/EV in pediatric populations within Russia.
Sports Activity with Ankle Osteoarthritis and Total Ankle Arthroplasty
Authors: Santini Simone , Marinozzi Andrea , Talia Adrian J , Herrera-Rodríguez Alejandro , Herrera-Pérez Mario , Valderrabano Victor
Published: November 2024

Background/Objectives: The interest in performing Total Ankle Arthroplasty (TAA) to address end-stage ankle osteoarthritis (OA) is continuously growing. Sports activity plays an important role in our world. There is sparse literature regarding return sports activity following TAA. Levels and types of sports in TAA are rarely reported. The purpose of this prospective case series study is to investigate sports activity in ankle osteoarthritis (OA) and TAA in terms of rate, frequency and type as well as clinical outcomes with a minimum 2 years of follow-up after surgery.
Methods: 103 patients (105 implants, 52 female, and 51 male), mean age 60.5 years (range, 23-84 years) with end-stage ankle OA were treated using a three-component, uncemented, mobile-bearing VANTAGE Total Ankle System. The mean follow-up was 2.9 years (range, 2-5 years). Visual Analogic Scale Pain Score (VAS, 0-10 points), Ankle Dorsiflexion/Plantarflexion (DF/PF) Range of Motion (ROM; degrees), functional American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) Ankle/Hindfoot Score (0-100 points), Subjective Patients' Satisfaction Score (0-10 points), Sports Activity Rate, Sports Frequency Score, and Sports Type were assessed.

Results: Mean preoperative VAS Pain Score was 6.7 points (range, 3-10 points) and postoperative 0.2 points (range, 0-3 points) (p < 0.001). The mean DF/PF ROM was 24.9° (range, 0°-60°) pre-operative and was 52.9° post-operative (range, 15°-85°) (p < 0.001). The mean preoperative functional AOFAS Ankle/Hindfoot Score was 39.5 points (range, 4-57 points) and postoperative 97.8 points (range, 75-100 points) (p < 0.001). Mean postoperative Subjective Patients’ Satisfaction Score was 9.7 points (range, 7-10 points). The preoperative Sports Activity Rate was 31.1%, postoperative 85.4% (p < 0.001). All the groups exhibited substantial Sports Frequency Score increases (p < 0.001). The most practiced sports were hiking, biking, fitness, and swimming.
Conclusions: Total Ankle Arthroplasty (TAA) is an effective treatment for end-stage ankle OA. TAA allows a noteworthy increase in sports activity. This research offers important sports insights to patients with ankle OA and TAA.
Forecasting Railway Ticket Demand
Authors: Boltaikhanova Tomiris , Bostanbekov Kairat , Nurseitov Daniyar , Begimbetov Omirzhan
Published: November 2024

This research paper investigates methodologies for forecasting the demand for railway tickets, a crucial aspect of optimizing resource allocation, enhancing service quality, and increasing revenue in railway transportation systems. The study explores various time series analysis techniques, including ARIMA, SARIMAX, and neural networks such as LSTM and CNN, to predict ticket demand. Railway ticket sales data spanning several years was utilized to train and validate the models. The performance of each model was evaluated based on key metrics like Mean Absolute Error (MAE), and Root Mean Squared Error (RMSE). Demand is usually defined in Origin-Destination (OD) matrices, which represent movements from the origin station to the destination station for all OD pairs. The proposed CNN model predicts the OD matrix, whereas other models predict demand for each OD pair separately. Findings indicate that the CNN model gives more accurate predictions compared to ARIMA, SARIMAX, and LSTM models. Hence, interdependencies between various OD pairs allow for a more holistic and accurate prediction model.
Diversity and Function Patterns of Soil Microbial Communities in Native and Invasive Plants Along an Altitudinal Gradient in Qinling Mountains
Authors: Lyu Jinlin , Yue Ming , Xue Wenyan , Wang Yuchao , Li Yang , Wang Xue
Published: November 2024

Soil microbial communities are essential drivers of ecosystem functions, yet the factors shaping their structure and function, particularly at different altitudes and between invasive and native plants, remain insufficiently understood. Our study investigated the influence of plant species and altitude on soil bacterial communities in the Qinling Mountains, a biodiversity hotspot in central China. We analyzed the microbial communities associated with Galinsoga quadriradiata (an invasive species) and Artemisia lavandulifolia (a native species) across an altitudinal gradient ranging from 896 m to 1889 m. Using high-throughput Illumina sequencing, we assessed the composition, diversity, impact factors and functional potential of these communities. The results revealed that both plant species and altitude significantly influence soil bacterial diversity and community structure. G. quadriradiata and A. lavandulifolia were found to host distinct microbial communities, with variations driven by species-specific traits and environmental factors such as soil pH, nutrient content, and altitude. Functional analysis indicated that A. lavandulifolia soils were more associated with nitrogen cycling processes, while G. quadriradiata soils contributed more to organic matter decomposition. These findings advanced our understanding of plant-microbe interactions along altitudinal gradients and highlighted that invasive and native plants harbored microbial flora with different nutritional preferences and metabolic characteris-tics.
Are CMB Derived Cosmological Parameters Affected by Foregrounds Associated to Nearby Galaxies?
Authors: Toscano Facundo , Hansen Frode K. , Garcia Lambas Diego , Luparello Heliana , Fosalba Pablo , Gaztañaga Enrique
Published: November 2024

We perform cosmological parameters estimation on Planck Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) maps masking the recently discovered foreground related to nearby spiral galaxies. In addition, we also analyse the association between these foreground regions and recent claims of cosmological causal horizons in localized CMB parameter estimates. Our analysis shows consistent cosmological parameter values regardless of the masking approach, though reduced sky areas introduce larger uncertainties. By modelling the new extragalactic foreground, we identify a resemblance with local parameter variation maps with a statistical significance at the 3 sigma level, suggesting that a simplified foreground model partially accounts, (40-50)% correlation with 15% uncertainty, for the observed causal horizons. These findings add new evidence to the existence of the new foreground associated with large spiral galaxies and show that estimates of cosmological parameters on smaller patches on the sky can be largely affected by these foregrounds, but that the parameters taken over the full sky are unaltered.
Quantitative MRI Assessment of Post-surgical Spinal Cord Injury Through Radiomic Analysis
Authors: Sharafi Azadeh , Klein Andrew P , Koch Kevin M
Published: November 2024

Purpose: This study investigates radiomics efficacy in post-surgical traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI), overcoming MRI limitations from metal artifacts to enhance diagnosis, severity assessment, and lesion characterization for prognosis and therapy guidance. Background: Traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI) causes severe neurological deficits. While MRI allows qualitative injury evaluation, standard imaging alone has limitations for precise SCI diagnosis, severity stratification, and pathology characterization needed to guide prognosis and therapy. Radiomics enables quantitative tissue phenotyping by extracting a high-dimensional set of descriptive texture features from medical images. However, the efficacy of postoperative radiomic quantification in the presence of metal-induced MRI artifacts from spinal instrumentation has yet to be fully explored. Methods: 50 healthy controls and 12 SCI patients post-stabilization surgery underwent 3D multi-spectral MRI. Automated spinal cord segmentation was followed by radiomic feature extraction. Supervised machine learning categorized SCI versus controls, injury severity, and lesion location relative to instrumentation. Results: Radiomics differentiated SCI patients (Matthews correlation coefficient (MCC) 0.97; accuracy 1.0), categorized injury severity (MCC: 0.95; ACC: 0.98) and localized lesions (MCC: 0.85; ACC: 0.90). Combined T1 and T2 features outperformed individual modalities across tasks with gradient boosting models showing highest efficacy. Conclusion: The radiomic framework achieved excellent performance, differentiating SCI from controls and accurately categorizing injury severity. The ability to reliably quantify SCI severity and localization could potentially inform diagnosis, prognosis, and guide therapy. Further research is warranted to validate radiomic SCI biomarkers and explore clinical integration.
Conformational Flexibility of the C-terminal Region Influences Distal Active Site Residues Across the Tautomerase Superfamily
Authors: Argueta Christopher , Parkins Andrew , Pantouris Georgios
Published: November 2024

Consisting of more than 11,000 members distributed over five families, the tautomerase superfamily (TSF) is a large collection of proteins with diverse biological functions. While a lot of attention has been given to individual TSF enzymes, a majority remain structurally and functionally uncharacterized. Given its large size, studying a representative member of each family offers a viable approach for extracting mechanistic insights applicable to the entire superfamily. In this study, cis-3-chloroacrylic acid dehalogenase (cis-CaaD), 5-carboxymethyl-2-hydroxymuconate isomerase (CHMI), malonate semialdehyde decarboxylase (MSAD), and 4-oxalocrotonate tautomerase (4-OT) were referenced against the well-studied macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) and D-dopachrome tautomerase (D-DT) using triplicate 1 μs molecular dynamics (MD) simulations for a total of 18 μs. Through root mean square fluctuation (RMSF) measurements and correlation analyses comparisons to previous crystallographic structures, we reveal key mechanistic insights that promote understanding of the catalytic activities in TSF. Collectively, our findings from these functionally diverse TSF proteins provide key information on allosteric coupling, long-range intra- and intersubunit communications as well as structure-activity relationships that enable new studies in the superfamily.
DRL-PSO Powered Optimization for Efficiency Enhancement and Reliability Improvement in Smart Grids
Authors: A.Wahab ALI Mohamed , Alghamdi Thamer A. H. , Alenezi Mohamed , Hatatah Mohammed
Published: November 2024

The increasing complexity of modern power systems, driven by the integration of renewable energy sources and growing electricity demand, has led to a need for optimizing smart grids. Traditional grid management approaches are often insufficient in addressing the challenges of efficiency, reliability, and minimizing losses. In this paper, we propose a novel AI-based optimization framework for smart grids, designed to reduce transmission and distribution losses, enhance system efficiency, and improve grid reliability. We conduct a comparative analysis of traditional optimization techniques and state-of-the-art AI algorithms and demonstrate the superiority of the proposed method using the IEEE 33-bus benchmark system. Results show a significant reduction in power losses and an improvement in voltage profile, leading to a more efficient and reliable grid.
Severity and Length of Stay Associated with Subway-Related Injury at A Level 1 Trauma Center
Authors: Sharma Bharti , Agcon Aubrey May B , Agriantonis George , Cheerasarn Sittha , Bhatia Navin D. , Dave Jasmine , Mestre Juan , Shafaee Zahra , Whittington Jennifer , Twelker Kate
Published: November 2024

Objectives: There has been limited research on injuries related to subway incidents. Our study seeks to examine the seriousness of these injuries and the duration of hospital stays following subway accidents. This research has the potential to enhance the treatment of trauma patients and deepen our understanding of injuries associated with subway incidents.Methods: This is a retrospective, single-center study of patients with subway-related injuries admitted to a level 1 trauma center from 2016 to 2023. Patients were identified based on the cause and injury mechanism of subway-related trauma incidents. Descriptive statistics, ANOVA, and Pearson correlation analyses were performed on length of stays and ISS, with significance set at p < 0.01.Results: Over 8 years, we identified 383 patients who presented with subway injuries to our Level 1 ACS verified Trauma Center. 80.7 % of patients were male and 19.3% were females. The mean (SEM) age of the cohort was 47.36, with a standard deviation of 17.72. The mean Injury Severity Score (ISS) was 10.39, with a standard deviation of 11.01. The mean for Emergency department (ED) length of stay (LOS) is 12.33 (hours), 1.73 (days) for Intensive care unit (ICU) LOS, and 8.26 (days) for hospital (H) LOS. The age range which has the highest number of subway-related trauma incidents was in their 30s (n=82, 21.4%), followed by the age range 50 to 60 (n = 63, 16.4%), in their 40s (n= 62, 16.2%), and 20s (n= 57,14.9%). The ANOVA analysis shows significant differences in quality of care indicators (ED LOS, ICU LOS, HLOS, and ventilator days) based on injury severity metrics, with p-values below 0.05. Higher ISS are linked to longer lengths of stay and increased ventilator use. Pearson correlation analysis shows ED LOS negatively correlates with ICU LOS and ISS, demonstrating minor injuries may result in shorter ICU stays and no escalation of trauma care. Additionally, ICU LOS and HLOS are positively correlated, and both are moderately correlated with ISS, suggesting that more severe injuries lead to longer ICU and hospital stays. All correlations are significant at the 0.01 level (two-tailed).Conclusion: The individuals in the age group of 20 to 60 years experienced the highest trauma related to subways. The number of injured males was higher than females. Non-Hispanic individuals showed higher injury rates compared to Hispanic individuals. Injury rates in Whites were higher, followed by Blacks and Asians. The most common combinations of severe injuries were in the head, thorax, lower extremities, abdomen, and spine. Injured patients suffered from severe head and thorax injuries, which consequently affected the length of their hospital and ICU stay.