bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Do bacterial root endophytes contribute to growth in saline conditions? A pre-reintroduction cultivation study of threatened saltmarsh Limonium species
Authors: Nogales Amaia , Costa Maria Cristina Simões , Navarro-Torre Salvadora , Sousa Vicelina , Caperta Ana
Published: August 2024

Background and Aims Highly specialized halophilic flora, such as the threatened endemic sea-lavender species Limonium algarvense and Limonium daveaui, are adapted to grow in saline environments. Plant-associated microorganisms associate with halophytes promoting their survival and growth, namely stress tolerance. In this study, we compared the effects of halophilic bacterial inoculants and characterized seed germination and plant growth under saline conditions.Methods A new protocol was developed for in vitro seed germination with bacterial inoculation. The experimental set up included three treatments: non-inoculation, inoculation with a single bacterial inoculum (Pantoea sp., LDR15) or a consortium of halotolerant bacteria (Pantoea genus). We assessed plants’ physiological status, biomass, and leaves characteristics under saline irrigation.Results Exposure to NaCl (200 mM) along with inoculation using either LDR15 strain or the bacterial consortium negatively affected seed germination. The inoculated bacteria were localized in root cortex and phloem. Under non-saline conditions, bacterial inoculation had no effect in leaf number and fresh biomass, being leaf reflectance values higher in L. algarvense than in L. daveaui. Salinity significantly reduced both leaf number and size, succulence and biomass, being this effect more pronounced in L. algarvense than in L. daveaui. The bacterial consortium negatively affected plant survival, but plants inoculated with the LDR15 strain had higher biomass than the non-inoculated ones.Conclusion We concluded that even though halotolerant bacteria did not improve seed germination upon salinity exposure, the bacterial inoculation with LDR15 strain in germinated plantlets can be a suitable strategy for promoting plant development in saline environments.
Double Stokes Polarimetric Microscopy for Chiral Fibrillar Aggregates
Authors: Mazeika Viktoras , Mirsanaye Kamdin , Castano Leonardo Uribe , Krouglov Serguei , Alizadeh Mehdi , Maciulis Mykolas , Kontenis Lukas , Karabanovas Vitalijus , Barzda Virginijus
Published: August 2024

Second harmonic generation (SHG) microscopy is a powerful tool for imaging collagen and other noncentrosymmetric fibrillar structures in biological tissue. Polarimetric SHG measurements provide ultrastructural information about the fibrillar organization in a focal volume (voxel). We present a reduced nonlinear polarimetry method named double Stokes polarimetry (DSP) for quick characterization of chiral C6 symmetry fibers without data fitting that simplifies and speeds up the polarimetric analysis. The method is based on double Stokes-Mueller polarimetry and uses linear and circular incident and outgoing polarization states. The analytical expressions of DSP polarimetric parameters are defined in terms of conventional SHG Stokes vector components. A complex chiral susceptibility (CCS) model is assumed to derive expressions of ultrastructural parameters consisting of the magnitude and phase of molecular complex-valued chiral susceptibility ratio, real-valued achiral ratio, and fiber orientation in a voxel. The ultrastructural parameters are expressed in terms of directly measurable DSP polarimetric parameters. DSP is validated with rat tail tendons sectioned at different orientations. DSP can be applied to investigate the origin of chiral complex-valued susceptibility of collagen, to study modifications of collagen in cancerous tissue, to map ultrastructural parameters of large areas for whole-slide histopathology, and to image moving specimens in real time.
Investigating the Effect of Oral Probiotic Capsules on Postpartum Quality of Sleep in Primiparous women: A Three-blind Randomized Control trial
Authors: Rastegar Maryam , Shoorab Nahid Jahani , Salari Roshanak , Rastaghi Sedigheh
Published: August 2024

Introduction
: Quality of sleep is an important indicator of health. Sleep disturbance and daytime fatigue is one of the most common problems after delivery. Early postpartum (first 4 weeks) is when sleep is most disturbed. The gut microbiota may affect sleep quality and affect host health through the production of metabolites and compounds. The present study aims to determine the effect of oral probiotic capsule on the quality of sleep after delivery in primiparous women.
Method
This three-blind randomized clinical trial study was conducted in August to November 2023 on 60 eligible primiparous women who gave birth in Mashhad, Iran health centers. The drug group (n = 30) took one probiotic capsule (containing Lactobacillus acidophilus, Bifidobacterium-Bifidum, Bifidobacterium lactis and Bifidobacterium longum) and the placebo group (n = 30) took a placebo capsule from the third day after delivery for 30 days. The Pittsburg Sleep Quality questionary was completed before and after the study. The analysis was done using SPSS version 25 statistical software. Kolmogorov-Smirnov and Shapiro-Wilk tests, T-test and Mann-Whitney test were used. The p-value of less than 0.05 was considered significant.
Results
The two groups were homogeneous in terms of demographic and obstetric characteristics except in BMI. Before the intervention, the overall score of postpartum quality of sleep in the drug and placebo groups was 9.66 ± 6.21 and 11.70 ± 6.68, and after the intervention in the probiotic group was 6.16 ± 2.75 and in the placebo group it was 6.60 ± 2.66 with a statistically significant difference in the intervention group compared to the placebo (p < 0.05).
Conclusion
Consumption of probiotic capsules improves the quality of sleep and maternal health in the postpartum period.
Open-label, controlled, phase 2 clinical trial assessing the safety, efficacy, and pharmacokinetics of INM004 in pediatric patients with Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli-associated hemolytic uremic syndrome
Authors: Fayad Alicia , Principi Iliana , Balestracci Alejandro , Alconcher Laura , Coccia Paula , Adragna Marta , Amoreo Oscar , Bettendorff María Carolina , Blumetti María Valeria , Bonany Pablo , Tonfi María Laura Flores , Flynn Luis , Ghezzi Lidia , Montero Jorge , Ramirez Flavia , Seminara Claudia , Suarez Angela , Spizzirri Ana Paula , Rivas Marta , Pichel Mariana , Zylberman Vanesa , Spatz Linus , Massa Carolina , Valerio Marina , Sanguineti Santiago , Colonna Mariana , Roubicek Ian , Goldbaum Fernando
Published: August 2024

Background
Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli-associated hemolytic uremic syndrome (STEC-HUS) is a severe condition mainly affecting children. It is one of the leading causes of acute kidney injury in pediatric population. There is no established therapy for this disease. INM004 is an anti-Shiga toxin composed of equine polyclonal antibodies. This study aimed to assess the safety, pharmacokinetics, and efficacy of INM004 in pediatric patients with STEC-HUS.
Methods
Phase 2, open-label clinical trial with an historical control arm. Patients in the treatment arm received two doses of INM004. The primary endpoints were the safety profile, pharmacokinetics, and efficacy (dialysis days) of INM004. Secondary endpoints included other renal and extrarenal outcomes. Propensity score matching was used for efficacy comparisons between arms.
Results
Fifty-seven and 125 patients were enrolled in the treatment and control arm, respectively. After propensity score matching, 52 patients remained in each arm. INM004 was well-tolerated. Eight adverse events were considered possibly related, none of which were serious or severe. In the primary efficacy endpoint, patients of the treatment arm presented a non-statistically significant difference of two dialysis days. On secondary endpoints, trends toward a lower number of patients needing dialysis and dialysis for more than ten days, and shorter time to glomerular filtration rate normalization, were observed favoring the treatment arm.
Conclusions
INM004 showed an adequate safety profile. Efficacy trends suggesting a beneficial effect in the amelioration of kidney injury were observed. These results encourage the conduction of a Phase 3 study of INM004 in pediatric patients with STEC-HUS.
Isolated hydatid cyst in the medial rectus muscle: unveiling a rare orbital occurrence
Authors: Attar Alireza , Khademi behzad , Jalalpour Mohammad Hassan
Published: August 2024

Background
Orbital hydatid disease, while rare, should be included in the differential diagnosis of unilateral proptosis, particularly in endemic areas. Accurate diagnosis and comprehensive management are essential for effective treatment and favorable long-term outcomes.
Case Presentation
A 12-year-old boy presented with a one-month history of diplopia and left-sided proptosis. A CT scan revealed a cystic mass within the left medial rectus muscle. Surgical intervention confirmed the presence of a hydatid cyst following cyst rupture and irrigation with hypertonic saline. The patient underwent a two-month course of albendazole therapy. Initially, the patient experienced persistent exotropia and diplopia, but at the three-year follow-up, he exhibited no diplopia or proptosis and only mild residual exotropia.
Conclusion
This case underscores the importance of considering orbital hydatid cysts in the differential diagnosis of unilateral proptosis in endemic regions. Heightened awareness, accurate diagnosis, and a tailored therapeutic approach, including surgical removal and antiparasitic treatment, are crucial for successful management and improved long-term outcomes.
Federated Learning-based Content Caching Strategy for Edge Computing
Authors: Nivethitha V , Aghila G
Published: August 2024

In the realm of edge computing, effective content caching stands as a pivotal strategy to manage the exponential surge of mobile data within 5G networks. Content caching revolves around enabling the local storage of content in caches, ensuring swift and recurrent access to data. Yet, the challenge lies in accurately predicting the popularity of the files and thus requires caching due to constraints such as limited cache space and fluctuating file preferences. Conventional learning-based methods tackle this issue by gathering user data centrally for training purposes, to predict the file popularity. However, there arises a concern regarding user reluctance to entrust their private data to a central server. To address this, a novel solution is introduced in this paper called Federated Learning-based Content Caching (FLCC). FLCC operates by employing an enhanced Stacked Autoencoder in the edge devices without the necessity for centralized data collection during training. Utilizing a federated learning approach, FLCC prioritizes data privacy by aggregating user updates through federated averaging. This method implements a hybrid filtering mechanism based on a stacked autoencoder, training each user individually with their local data. The results from the FLCC approach showcase its superior cache efficiency when compared to traditional learning-based techniques. The proposed FLCC approach is a robust solution that upholds data privacy while enhancing content caching effectiveness in edge computing environments.
Psychometric properties of a parenting assessment tool for Chinese parents of 0-3-year-olds according to the Nurturing Care Framework
Authors: Jia Ni , Wang Lijun , Meng Jing , Xu Mengxue , Guan Hongyan , Liu Aihua , Kong Wenrui , Zhu Zonghan , Dai Yaohua
Published: August 2024

Given the limited information on early parenting measurements based on the conceptual framework of nurturing care through observational and interviewing methods, the study aimed to evaluate a parenting assessment tool developed for Chinese parents of 0-3-year-olds (PAT(0–3)). 549 mother dyads were conveniently sampled from 10 cities of China for validation, 75 cases were selected for test-retest reliability two weeks later and 158 children were selected for testing child neuropsychological and physical development. The scale includes two parts (Education part and Healthcare part), 5 subscales and 47 items. The internal consistency alpha coefficient of PAT(0–3), Education part and Healthcare part were 0.882, 0.848 and 0.741 respectively. The Pearson’s correlation coefficient between the test and retest was 0.928 for PAT(0–3). The results of confirmatory factor analysis were: χ2 = 3003.51(p < 0.01), χ2/df = 2.93, CFI = 0.63, TLI = 0.61, RMSEA = 0.06 (90%CI:0.057–0.062). Education part was positively linked to the neuropsychological development (r = 0.201, p < 0.05), and Healthcare part was positively associated with child weight (r = 0.209, p < 0.05), child length (r = 0.293, p < 0.05). PAT(0–3) was positively related to maternal education level (η2 = 0.16, p < 0.01) and maternal age (η2 = 0.06, p < 0.05). PAT(0–3) based on the NCF by interviewing and observational methods yielded a reliable and marginally valid measurement of early parenting in China.
Combined Serum Total Tau-Neurofilament Light Polypeptide Could be Used as Screening Biomarkers For Alzheimer’s Disease
Authors: Ceylan Gözde , Sakallı Nazan Karagöz , Içli Hacer Eroğlu , Küçükgergin Canan Başaran , Doğru-Abbasoğlu Semra , Vural Pervin
Published: August 2024

Aim
To evaluate the relationship between Alzheimer’s disease (AD) with serum tau, neurofilament light polypeptide (NFL), neurogranin, chitinase-3-like protein 1 (YKL-40) and fatty acid binding protein-3 (FABP-3) as non-invasive markers for early diagnosis of AD.
Methods
Total 86 AD patients and 30 healthy individuals were recruited. Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), Clinical Dementia Rating Scale-Sum of Boxes (CDR-SB) scores, glucose and lipid profile parameters were assessed.
Results
AD patients were divided into three groups according to CDR: 33 mild, 29 moderate, and 24 severe stages. Serum total tau and NFL levels were higher, neurogranin, YKL-40, FABP-3 not changed in AD patients. Late onset AD was related with higher FABP-3 levels when compared to early onset. Glucose, total cholesterol, LDL were elevated in AD patients. We evaluated for the first time the combined effects of serum total tau-NFL as biomarkers in early diagnosis of AD, and assessed whether the created ROC curves had a strengthening effect on the parameters. Serum total tau values alone had the highest sensitivity and specificity. When NFL-total tau were combined, NFL sensitivity and specificity was higher compared to the values obtained alone. In addition, NFL was correlated to total tau. Both NFL and total tau were in close relationship with lipid profile parameters.
Conclusion
Our findings suggest that serum total tau alone is sufficient for the early diagnosis of AD; however, combinations of total tau-NFL biomarkers could also be used as screening tests. High glucose, total cholesterol, LDL support the relationship between AD and metabolic syndrome.
Synthesis of the dibenzylbutane lignan LCA derivatives and evaluation of their anti-inflammatory activities
Authors: Zhang Juan , Gai Conghao , Wang Jing , Zhuo Xiaobin , Zou Yan , Yang Jishun , Song Yan , Zhao Qingjie , Chai Xiaoyun
Published: August 2024

The roots of Litsea cubeba (Lour.) Pers have been used for the treatment of rheumatic. In the previous study, we extracted and isolated the natural product dibenzylbutane lignan LCA with anti-inflammatory activity. With LCA as the lead compound, two series of LCA derivatives with imide structure and butadiene structure were designed and synthesized. Among them, compounds 10c and 16a showed stronger inhibitory effect on LPS-induced NO and ROS production in RAW264.7 cells. Further studies showed that compound 16a not only reduced the levels of inflammatory cytokines IL-6, TNF-α, and IL-1β, but also significantly reduced the expression levels of iNOS and COX-2. Preliminary mechanism of action studies suggests that 16a may exert anti-inflammatory effects by inhibiting the NF-κB signalling pathway. Overall, compound 16a may be used as a promising anti-inflammatory drug to enrich the compound library. In addition, the study of 16a could provide research ideas and methods for the development of anti-inflammatory drugs.
"Observing Pulmonary Function Disparities in Diabetes Patients from Demographic and Hormonal Perspectives: A Study Based on NHANES Database"
Authors: Wu Jianyang , Lin Yuyuan , Xu Jianxin , Pan Jie , Lin Mengxin , Xu Zhiyang
Published: August 2024

Background
Diabetes is a global public health issue commonly associated with various complications, including impaired lung function. Existing studies suggest that the relationship between diabetes and lung function varies significantly across age, racial, and gender groups. However, specific differences in lung function within these demographic characteristics have not been thoroughly investigated. This study aims to explore lung function disparities among diabetic patients using data from the 2009–2012 NHANES.
Methods
Data from 2009–2012 NHANES were analyzed, including 8087 participants with valid physical measurements and lung function data, of which 984 were diabetic. Multivariate linear regression was employed to assess the effects of factors such as age, gender, race, BMI, and smoking on lung function indicators (peak expiratory flow (PEF), forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1), and forced vital capacity (FVC)). Additionally, lung function was compared between male diabetic patients with different testosterone levels and postmenopausal female diabetic patients using hormone therapy.
Results
The study found significant disparities in lung function among diabetic patients across different racial, age, and gender groups. Specifically, in terms of race, Black diabetic patients exhibited poorer lung function compared to White and Mexican American patients, particularly in FEV1 and FVC indices. Regarding age, participants under 50 showed higher PEF, FEV1, and FVC than those over 50. Gender-wise, males had higher PEF, FEV1, and FVC than females. Male diabetic patients with testosterone levels ≥ 16 ng/dL had significantly better lung function indicators than those with testosterone levels < 16 ng/dL, notably in FEV1 and FVC (P < 0.001). Postmenopausal female diabetic patients using hormone therapy showed significant improvement in lung function. Specifically, those using estrogen and progesterone therapy exhibited marked improvement in FVC (P = 0.024).
Conclusion
This study reveals significant impacts of gender, race, and hormone levels on lung function among diabetic patients, providing new insights for personalized treatment. Male patients and postmenopausal female patients using hormone therapy demonstrated better lung function, suggesting the potential consideration of testosterone and estrogen supplementation in clinical treatment. These findings underscore the importance of addressing gender and racial disparities in medical research, promoting more precise and effective medical practices.
DeepMine-Multi-TTS: A Persian Speech Corpus for Multi-Speaker Text-to-Speech
Authors: Adibian Majid , Zeinali Hossein , Barmaki Soroush
Published: August 2024

Speech synthesis has made significant progress in recent years thanks to deep neural networks (DNNs). However, one of the challenges of DNN-based models is the requirement for large and diverse data, which limits their applicability to many languages and domains. To date, no multi-speaker text-to-speech (TTS) dataset has been available in Persian, which hinders the development of these models for this language. In this paper, we present a novel dataset for multi-speaker TTS in Persian, which consists of 120 hours of high-quality speech from 67 speakers. We use this dataset to train two synthesizers and a vocoder and evaluate the quality of the synthesized speech. The results show that the naturalness of the generated samples, measured by the mean opinion score (MOS) criterion, is 3.94 and 4.12 for two trained multi-speaker synthesizers, which indicates that the dataset is suitable for training multi-speaker TTS models and can facilitate future research in this area for Persian.
Prostate Cancer Lesions in Transition Zone Exhibit a Higher Propensity for Pathological Upgrading in Radical Prostatectomy
Authors: Chen Xin , Wang He , Wang Chaozhong , Qian Chengbo , Lin Yuxin , Huang Yuhua , Wei Xuedong , Hou Jianquan
Published: August 2024

Background: The varying malignancy and lethality of different grades of prostate cancer (PCa) highlight the importance of accurate diagnosis. This study aims to evaluate the upgrading of transition zone (TZ) prostate cancer biopsies and identify factors to improve TZ biopsy accuracy.
Materials and Methods: This retrospective study included 217 patients who underwent laparoscopic radical prostatectomy after 12+X cores transperineal transrectal ultrasound-magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-guided targeted prostate biopsy from 2018 to 2021 in our center.
Results: Patients with TZ lesions showed a higher incidence of International Society of Urological Pathology (ISUP) grade upgrading from 1 to higher grade compared to peripheral zone lesions (16.9% vs. 5.0%, p=0.005). Multivariate analysis confirmed TZ lesions as an independent risk factor (OR: 4.594, 97.5% CI: 1.569-15.238, p=0.008) for upgrading from 1 to higher. Additionally, the number of positive biopsy cores (OR: 0.586, 97.5% CI: 0.336-0.891, p=0.029) and anterior TZ lesion location (OR: 10.797, 97.5% CI: 1.503-248.727, p=0.048) were independent factors for the upgrading in TZ patients.
Conclusions: This study found that PCa lesions located in the TZ, particularly the anterior TZ, have a higher risk of ISUP grade upgrading. This elevated risk arises from the insufficient distribution of biopsy cores around the TZ lesion. The findings underscore the importance of having an adequate number of biopsy cores around the lesion area to improve the accuracy of ISUP grade assessments.
Post-Movement Beta Rebound in Sensorimotor Cortex Endures One Week After Three Days of Practice
Authors: Sisti Helene M. , Amarnath Amarnath , Balcha Rebecca , Freitas Gabriel , Vargas Elena
Published: August 2024

The post-movement beta rebound (PMBR) is the tightly coupled increase in beta power that occurs in the sensorimotor cortex upon movement termination. It is a potential biomarker of motor control; abnormal responses could signal disease. With respect to its interaction with learning, both decreases and increases have been observed. In this study, we examined the effect of two types of practice schedules, blocked and randomized, on memory retention one week later. A blocked schedule leads to better performance during acquisition but poorer performance during long-term retention, a phenomenon known as the contextual interference effect. The aim of the present study is two-fold: (1) test the contextual interference effect using a visuomotor bimanual tracking task (2) determine whether three days of practice leads to a decreased PMBR at retention test one week later. We hypothesized that learning with either schedule would lead to decreased PMBR. Our data demonstrated no main effect of practice schedule. It is most likely that the task variants were not sufficiently different to induce the contextual interference phenomenon. Further, the PMBR was not attenuated by learning. It was evident before and after three days of practice. This has important implications for its putative role as a biomarker.
A Family-based Approach to Cascade Genetic Testing in a Pediatric Cancer Genetics Clinic
Authors: Haider Rida , Desrosiers-Battu Lauren , Scollon Sarah , Stankiewicz Pawel , Lupo Philip , Plon Sharon
Published: August 2024

Hereditary cancer predisposition disorders account for up to 10% of all pediatric cancers. Genetic counseling for families of the proband includes risk assessment and recommendations for cascade genetic testing for first degree relatives, but there is no standardized method for cascade testing in place resulting in variability in how clinics approach cascade genetic testing. We explored the uptake and outcomes associated with a family-based approach to cascade testing, for non-syndromic cancer predisposition disorders, at a pediatric cancer genetics clinic serving an ethnically diverse patient population. A retrospective chart review was conducted to evaluate test uptake in the parents and siblings of 106 pediatric probands. The study included 99 mothers, 97 fathers, 116 full siblings, and 53 half siblings who were recommended testing due to genetic risk. Of these relatives, 156 (43%) had documentation of completed cascade testing within twenty four months after the proband's result disclosure. Completion of cascade testing varied by the type of family member and degree of relatedness. Forty-one percent of mothers (41/99) were tested in comparison to 26% of fathers (26/97) and 70.6% of full siblings (82/116) were tested compared to 13.2% of half siblings (7/53). Statistical analysis using chi-squared tests revealed that siblings were more likely to have completed testing than parents (p < 0.001). Furthermore, amongst parents, mothers were more likely to complete testing than fathers (p = 0.03) and amongst siblings, full siblings were more likely to complete testing than half siblings (< 0.001). The proband’s age (p = 0.008), parents’ preferred language (p = 0.002), and interpreter use during visit (p = 0.004) were the factors associated with differences in test uptake amongst siblings, whereas the proband’s race/ethnicity (p = 0.019) was the only factor associated with differences in test uptake amongst parents. The most common barriers noted in charts for lack of test completion included country of residence, lack of insurance, and loss to follow-up. In conclusion, we found that test uptake differed significantly among relatives of a proband with siblings being more likely to test than parents. We also found differences in the demographic and clinical factors associated with test uptake in parents and siblings. Future studies need to validate these differences and further explore the underlying cause of variation in test uptake among relatives.
Anterior Cruciate Ligament injury: A Comprehensive Clinical Profile -A longitudinal study
Authors: Sheenam Nagma , Gaur Ravi , Gonnade Nitesh Manohar , Dixit Abhinav , K Abins T , K Chinchu
Published: August 2024

Introduction: ACL injuries are common among athletes and individuals experiencing trauma, leading to instability and functional impairments. Post-ACL reconstruction, patients often face challenges like pain and reduced knee function, impacting their daily lives and sports participation. Methods This longitudinal observational study followed 98 ACL tear patients over three months with three subsequent assessments at preACLR, 1 month postACLR and 3 months post ACLR. Measures included Tegner Activity Scale, IKDC Subjective Knee Evaluation, Lysholm Knee Scoring Scale, pain scales, quadriceps thickness via ultrasound, and Rectus femoris and Vastus lateralis muscle activation via surface electromyography. Results Significant improvements were observed in Tegner Activity Scale scores (p < 0.001), IKDC scores (p < 0.001), Lysholm scores (p < 0.001), and pain scores (p < 0.001) over the study period. Ultrasonography and surface electromyography revealed ongoing quadriceps muscle atrophy and reduced neuromuscular function, highlighting the need for targeted rehabilitation. Conclusion Structured rehabilitation post-ACL reconstruction significantly improves functional outcomes and reduces pain. Challenges like muscle atrophy and decreased activation post-surgery emphasize the need for targeted rehabilitation strategies. Tailored programs are crucial for optimizing recovery, enhancing knee stability, and preventing long-term complications. Future research should refine protocols and ensure sustained improvements through long-term follow-up studies.
Bots Election: Unveiling the complex network of social botnets
Authors: Bigdeli Parsa , Moradi Parham , Jafari Reza
Published: August 2024

With the exponential growth of bots surpassing the near saturation of genuine users, a large socio-bot network has emerged. Botnets have evolved to exhibit significant social properties through their interactions with humans. This network has empowered bots with capabilities that cannot be observed locally; therefore, this study advocates examining bots as a complex network akin to human social networks. In our case study of Farsi Twitter users during Iran's 2021 presidential election, 71.2% of the users were identified as bots. By isolating the botnet, we analyzed the distinctions between bots and genuine users within complex networks, revealing a more robust, efficient, and controllable structure for information dissemination. To explore how following and retweeting actions influence each other, we classified bots based on their actions and examined the roles of each classification, the differences between the functional and structural core, and the impact of non-common bots on network controllability and regime transitions.Additionally, we observed how the activity of bots is limited within both the functional core and the entire system. Politically, our findings indicated that despite the candidates' use of bot accounts, political figures did not play a crucial role in controlling the botnet. We further explored the interactions between opposing political biases and the role of non-biased bots in bridging political divides and forming echo chambers.
Lung ultrasound elastography, microvascularization and metabolomic as non-invasive quantitative biomarkers for the aetiological diagnosis of pulmonary consolidations in children (LUSMET study)
Authors: Huerta-Calpe Sergi , Guitart Carmina , Carrasco-Jordan Josep L. , Salas Bárbara , Cambra Francisco José , Jordan Iolanda , Balaguer Mònica
Published: August 2024

Background: Lung ultrasound (LUS) and invasive blood biomarkers have been evaluated to improve bacterial pneumonia (BP) diagnosis, but it is still needed to assess the efficacy of some novel biomarkers such as Lung Shear Wave Elastography (LSWE), quantification of lung microvascularization ratio pattern by Superb Microvascular Imaging (SMI) or determination of urine metabolomic profile. These biomarkers, in conjunction with LUS findings, may be useful for the approach and diagnosis of patients with BP suspicion. After validating the image and biomarkers values acquisition procedure, the study will differentiate these values from the healthy ones and from other causes of lung consolidation. The aim of this study is to define a new non-invasive quantitative diagnostic protocol combining LSWE and SMI with LUS and, at once, urinary metabolomic profile to accurately diagnose BP.Method and design: This is a cohort study for validating the use and the utility of three novel non-invasive biomarkers, including a medical device. The study recruitment period will be from September 2024 up to September 2026. It will be conducted at the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) of a tertiary children’s hospital in Spain and is planned to be developed in four phases. First, a biomarker measurement protocol will be defined (phase 1). After that, patients under 18 years of age without pulmonary pathology admitted to the PICU will be recruited to define the normal biomarker values (phase 2). Subsequently, patients under 18 years of age with lung consolidation admitted to the PICU will be recruited in order to determine the biomarker values in pathological lung tissue (phase 3). Finally, all results will be collected to define a new diagnostic BP score based on these non-invasive imaging and analytical biomarkers (phase 4).Conclusion: Our working group foresees that the new image non-invasive biomarkers (LSWE and SMI) and the determination of urinary metabolome will be capable of diagnosing BP without the need of the current invasive diagnostic methods (analytical variables and irradiating image tests). These new tools may be particularly useful in the paediatric population and, in addition of diagnosing BP, may allow differentiating between several aetiologies of lung consolidation.
RETRACTED: Algorithmic Bias: An Integrative Review and Scope for Future Research
Authors: CHAUDHARY AMIT KUMAR
Published: August 2024

The authors have requested that this preprint be removed from Research Square.
Periorbital Nodular Fasciitis: A Case Report
Authors: Algarni Saad , Najmi Hatim , Alsawadi Hend , Alsaif Bayan , Alshammari Reem , Aleid Shaikah
Published: August 2024

Background
Nodular fasciitis (NF), also known as pseudosarcoma fasciitis, is defined as a benign, self-limiting, vascular, or fibrovascular proliferation. It is commonly found on the trunk and upper extremities. NF is rarely found in the orbit and periorbital regions, with only a few case studies reported since it was initially described by Font et al. in 1966. NF usually presents as a rapidly growing solitary tumor and is often mistaken for a sarcoma due to its high cellularity and increased mitotic activity.
Case presentation
We present a case of NF in a 41-year-old Saudi man with a 1-year history of a gradually enlarging left medial subbrow mass in the left eye. The mass was not associated with pain, visual disturbances, double vision, or a history of trauma. An external ophthalmic examination revealed a firm, oval mass over the nasal aspect of the superior orbital rim of the right eye. The mass was non-tender, measured 1 × 2 cm in diameter, and fixed to deep tissues. Computed tomography (CT) with contrast revealed a well-demarcated para-orbital soft tissue round lesion with peripheral enhancement occupying the nasal aspect of the superior orbital rim above the inner canthus. Debulking and incisional biopsies were performed, and the histopathological findings were consistent with those of NF.
Conclusions
NF is a rare benign tumor that infrequently presents in the periorbital region. It lacks distinctive features for a definitive diagnosis and should be suspected when imaging results are inconclusive. Management typically involves complete local excision or debulking.
Compressive properties and failure of aluminum/epoxy resin interpenetrating phase composites reinforced by glass fiber
Authors: Su Mingming , Zhou Zhiming , Wang Han
Published: August 2024

Aluminum/epoxy resin interpenetrating phase composites (IPCs) were directly strengthened by adding glass fiber of varying content (80 wt.%, 100 wt.%, 120 wt.% and 140 wt.%) inside the epoxy resin. The macro and micro structures of IPCs were intact, and the interface between aluminum and epoxy resin was well combined. As the content of glass fiber increased, the compressive strength of epoxy resin increased, but the failure was advanced, while IPCs displayed the opposite trend. IPCs exhibited three compression deformation modes, namely plastic deformation of aluminum, resin fracture and interface debonding. The digital image correlation and infrared thermal imager were used to characterize the apparent principal strain distribution and temperature distribution of IPCs to verify the deformation modes. The surface temperature damage evolution of IPCs included the rapid temperature rise stage, steady temperature stage and slight temperature drop stage, respectively, mainly corresponded to the linear elastic stage, plateau stage and densification stage in the stress-strain curves.
The utility of the new category by number of stations for lymph nodal involvement in non-small cell lung cancer
Authors: Motono Nozomu , Mizoguchi Takaki , Ishikawa Masahito , Iwai Shun , Iijima Yoshihito , Uramoto Hidetaka
Published: August 2024

Purpose
In the nineth edition of the TNM staging system, the new nodal involvement (N) subcategories to N2 for single-station involvement (N2a) and multiple-station involvement (N2b) has been adopted Although there are significant differences in survival rates for each group of pN categories in the nineth edition, it can be assumed that survival rates in pN1 and pN2a are relatively similar.
Methods
We retrospectively evaluated the utility of the new category by number of stations, such as None, Single station, and Multiple station for pN in 1000 NSCLC patients treated by pulmonary resection.
Result
Survival rates were significantly different in among None, Single station, and Multiple station (5-year RFS: None;79.6%, Single station;47.3%, Multiple station;24.2%, all groups p < 0.01. 8-year OS: None;78.7%, Single station;65.2%, Multiple station;33.6%, all groups p < 0.01). There were significant differences among each group categorized by number of pN station in multivariate analysis for RFS (None vs Single station; P < .01, None vs Multiple station; P < .01, Single station vs Multiple station; P < .01). There were significant differences among each group categorized by number of pN station in multivariate analysis for OS (None vs Single station; P = .04, None vs Multiple station; P < .01, Single station vs Multiple station; P < .01).
Conclusion
There were significant differences among None, Single station, and Multiple station in each survival curves, and in multivariate analysis for both RFS and OS. This category by number of pN station without dependence of location for lymph nodal involvement might be the new classification of lymph node involvement.
Trial registration
The Institutional Review Board of Kanazawa Medical University approved the protocol of this retrospective study (approval number: I392), and written informed consent was obtained from all patients
On the Influence of Multi-cue User Interfaces in Eliminating Cognitive Load of Repetitive Tasks in Augmented Reality
Authors: LI Xiangdong , JIN Xiaoli , YIN Kailin , NIU Yuting , GENG Weidong
Published: August 2024

Multi-cue user interfaces (MCUIs) are a typical set of graphical user interfaces that are commonly used in augmented reality because of its simultaneous encoding of multiple visual cues into interaction tasks. Previous investigations have proven the advantageous impacts of MCUIs on usability for one-time tasks. With the increasing prevalence of MCUIs in industrial environments, it is imperative to investigate the influence of MCUIs on users’ cognitive load for repetitive tasks. We replicated the repetitive processes of sorting parcels in modern warehouses and conducted a series of empirical investigations to assess the influence of MCUIs on cognitive load and perceived usability. The results showed the effectiveness of MCUIs in reducing cognitive load and physical fatigue and revealed the correlations between the participants’ task efficiency and the quantity of visual cues. In addition, the study unveiled the positive impact of MCUIs on the overall perceived usability, although the specific aspects -ease of use and overall satisfaction- are not affected.
Can Intra-Articular Daidzein Injection Reduce Oxidative Damage and Early Osteoarthritis in a Rabbit Temporomandibular Joint Model?
Authors: ERDAYANDI Gokce Elif , YILMAZ Onur , KERIMOGLU Gokcen , SAHIN Elif , dogan seda yilmaz
Published: August 2024

Background
Oxidative damage and inflammatory cytokines in osteoarthritis (OA) exacerbate the disease course. Daidzein (DZ) has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. This study evaluated the early histopathological effects of intra-articular daidzein injection on experimentally induced osteoarthritis in rabbit TMJs.
Methods
The predictor variable was intra-articular injection of DZ or a saline control.The remaining 15 rabbits were randomly divided into 2 groups: an experimental group (9 rabbits) and a control group (6 rabbits). On days 1, 7, 14, and 21; 50 µl of saline solution was applied to the control group and 50 µl daidzein solution (1.8 mg/ml) to the experimental group. On day 21, the rabbits were sacrificed, and histopathological and biochemical evaluations were performed. The Shapiro-Wilk test was used to evaluate whether the variables in the study conformed to normal distribution. Mean ± SD (standard deviation) or median (interquartile range (IQR)) was used to show the descriptive statistics of the variables. T-test and Mann Whitney U test were used to compare the control and experimental groups for biochemical changes. The chi-square test was used to show the distribution of histopathological changes variables obtained within the scope of the study based on control and experimental groups. A P-value < 0.05 was considered significant for all evaluations.
Results
There were 8 and 6 animate treated with DZ and saline, respectively. There was no statistically significant difference between groups in articular cartilage (p = 0.3), osteochondral junction(p = 0.3), subchondral bone structure (p = 1.0) or chondrocyte appearance (p = 0.4). The experimental group showed significantly lower mean values for TOS (p = 0.002) and OSI (p = 0.007).
Conclusions
An intra-articular DZ injection appears to show limited reduction of oxidative damage and early OA in the rabbit TMJ. DZ might represent a promising natural compound with beneficial effects in the management of TMJ-OA.
Epithelial-mesenchymal transition and anoikis resistance induced by Ang2 in salivary adenoid cystic carcinoma
Authors: Min Zheng , Zhao Haihui , Zhong Xiaojuan , Jun Guo , Ping Zhang , Fei Wei , Yi Huang
Published: August 2024

Patients, who suffer from Salivary Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma (SACC), face a heightened risk of recurrent or metastatic disease attributed to significant neuroinvasion, even with standard treatment, highlighting the imperative for innovative treatment targets and approaches. Our research indicates that the expression of angiopoietin-2 (Ang2) in the cytoplasm and nucleus of SACC tissue is significantly higher than that of normal tissue adjacent to cancer, which is related to the pathological type of the tissue. Approximately 74.2% of SACC express Ang2, which promotes survival and lung metastasis. In SACC cells, downregulation of Ang2 inhibits cell migration and enhances cell apoptosis, and resistance to cell apoptosis is deemed essential for metastasis. The downregulation of Ang2 leads to the restoration of E-cadherin levels by facilitating the proteasome-dependent degradation of its suppressor Snail.Overexpression of Snail prevented the complete inhibitory effect of Ang2 on ACC cell migration, which was in line with the promotion of epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT). The in vivo findings demonstrated reduced lung colonization in conjunction with the downregulation of Ang2. Our findings illustrate Ang2 triggers EMT and enhances metastasis in SACC, suggesting that Ang2 could act to be a promising therapeutic option towards individuals with SACC.
Correntropy based Low-rank Matrix Factorization with Multi-view Constraint Graph Learning for Multi-view Data Clustering
Authors: Du Yuanhua , Chen Pan , Zhou Nan , Chen Eryang , Shi Kaibo
Published: August 2024

With the increase in data pattern diversity, multi-view clustering has become a hot topic for researchers. However, most of the current multi-view clustering methods focus on unsupervised learning scenarios, which cannot utilize the label information in the data. Furthermore, they could not handle the outliers, which may exist in the data. In order to address these issues, this paper proposes a Correntropy-based Multi-view Low-rank Matrix Factorization (CMLMF) method for multi-view data semi-supervised clustering. In order to sufficiently utilize the local structure information, a correntropy-based multi-view constraint graph learning framework is proposed to extract the local structure hidden in the multi-view data adaptively. Furthermore, a correntropy-based multi-view Low-rank Matrix Factorization (LMF) model is proposed, which can be incorporated with the adaptive graph learning framework to extract the global reconstruction information of data. The label information is introduced by a constraint matrix, which can be utilized for both global reconstruction and local structure information learning without adding any hyperparameter. Due to the maximum correntropy criterion, the proposed method is robust against the outliers in the data in each view and helps to extract a more current consensus representation. An efficient solving algorithm based on accelerated Block Coordinate Update (BCU) is designed to solve the model. Experiments are conducted on five real-world datasets, and the proposed method is compared with ten state-of-the-art methods to evaluate the effectiveness of the CMLMF method. The results show that the proposed method performs better clustering in most cases.
Claroideoglomus etunicatum affects the diversity and composition of the rhizosphere microbial community to help tall fescue resist saline-alkali stress
Authors: Liu Hui , Zheng Yujie , Zhang Peiliang , Liu Lu
Published: August 2024

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) and plant rhizosphere microbes reportedly enhance plant tolerance to abiotic stresses and promote plant growth in contaminated soils. Soil salinization represents a severe environmental problem. Although the influence of AMF in the phytoremediation of saline-alkali soils has been fully demonstrated, the underlying interactive mechanisms between AMF and rhizosphere microbes are still unclear. A greenhouse pot experiment was conducted to explore the effects of AMF (Claroideoglomus etunicatum) on tall fescue growth promotion and rhizosphere microbial community in saline-alkali soils. We aimed to investigate the mechanism of AMF affecting plant growth under saline-alkali stress conditions via interactions with rhizosphere microbes. We found that AMF significantly increased plant shoot, root and total biomass in the saline-alkali stress soil. AMF significantly increased the diversity of bacterial and fungal communities, and altered their composition: for bacteria, AMF inoculation treatment (M+) had higher relative abundance of Proteobacteria, Actinobacteriota and Firmicutes, and lower relative abundance of Acidobacteriota and Chloroflexi than no AMF application treatment (M-); for fungi, M + treatment had lower relative abundance of Ascomycota and higher relative abundance of Mortierellomycota than M- treatment. Furthermore, structural equation modeling (SEM) revealed that AMF promoted plant growth under saline-alkali stress conditions mainly by regulating plant rhizosphere soil bacterial communities. This study provides a theoretical basis for improving plant adaptation to saline-alkali stress through soil microbial management practices.
Flatness-Based Motion Planning and Control Strategy for Payload Positioning of an Overhead Crane
Authors: Nguyen Van Chung , Thi Hue Luu , Vu Minh Nhat , Khanh Hoa Bui Thi , Danh Huy Nguyen , Tung Lam Nguyen
Published: August 2024

This research paper investigates the application of a new advanced control strategy to a three-dimensional overhead crane (3DOC). Firstly, a time-optimal motion planning algorithm is developed based on differential flatness theory, which considers dynamic and control objective constraints. In addition, to improve robustness and disturbance effects, a Fixed-Time Extended State Observer (FxTESO) and a Terminal Sliding Mode Control (TSMC) are introduced. The FxESO provides accurate estimations of states and total disturbances in a fixed time, thereby enhancing the overall performance of the proposed method. Furthermore, the TSMC takes the estimations to ensure the tracking performance of the 3DOC and guarantees that control errors converge to zero in a fixed time. The proposed methodologies are verified through simulation studies and practical experiments in a physical 3DOC lab size. Finally, the comparison with the existing control strategy highlights the proposed methods' effectiveness in trajectory optimization, disturbance rejection, and overall system performance.