bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Science Student Electronic Exit Ticket (SEET) System
Authors: Raza Ali , Sumner Tamara , Penuel William R.
Published: March 2024

This study examined the ways in which an equity analytics tool — the SEET system — supported middle school science teachers’ reflections on the experiences of diverse students in their classrooms. The tool provides teachers with “equity visualizations” — disaggregated classroom data by gender and race — designed to support teachers to notice and reflect on inequitable patterns in student participation in classroom knowledge-building activities, as well as “whole class visualizations” that enable teachers to look at participation patterns. The visualizations were based on survey data collected from students reflecting on the day’s lessons, responding to questions aligned with three theoretical constructs indicative of equitable participation in science classrooms: coherence, relevance, and contribution. The study involved 42 teachers, divided into two cohorts, participating in a two-month professional learning series. Diary studies and semi-structured interviews were used to probe teachers’ perceptions of the visualizations’ usability, usefulness, and utility for supporting their reflections on student experiences and instructional practices. A key result is that only the “equity visualizations” prompted teacher reflections on diverse student experiences. However, despite the support equity visualizations provided for this core task, the teachers consistently ranked the whole class visualizations as more usable and useful.
„Już nie Żydowica, a ocalona”: Kobiety w Holocauście z perspektywy radiowych narracji artystycznych
Authors: Bachura-Wojtasik Joanna , Matusiak Eliza
Published: March 2024

Monografia „»Już nie Żydowica, a ocalona«. Kobiety w Holocauście z perspektywy radiowych narracji artystycznych stanowi konsekwencję wniosków i refleksji obecnych w poprzedniej publikacji Brzmienie Holocaustu. O reprezentacjach Zagłady w sztuce radiowej. Przedmiot badawczych zainteresowań – artystyczne opowieści audialne poświęcone Shoah – otworzył pole analiz będące dotychczas białą plamą na gruncie badań radioznawczych i medioznawczych. Radiowe reportaże artystyczne oraz teatr wyobraźni skupiające w swym centrum Zagładę stanowią doskonały sposób do intymnego opowiadania o „epoce pieców”. Niniejsza publikacja w centrum zainteresowania stawia kobietę i sposób, w jaki kobiety ukazywane są w artystycznych opowieściach zagładowych – jakie konteksty dominują w opowieściach, z jakimi przymiotami bohaterki zostają scalone, jakie są ich role i w historii, i w samej audycji. Dla dogłębnego opowiedzenia o kobietach Shoah w sztuce dźwięku obligatoryjne stało się włączenie w obszar badań women studies. Książka powstała w oparciu o metodę badań jakościowych – analizę zawartości i treści. Literatura audialna poddana deskrypcji pochodzi z lat 1950-2021 z archiwów Polskiego Radia w Warszawie oraz rozgłośni regionalnych – Radia Lublin i Radia Łódź.
Rozwój gospodarczy Azji Środkowej. Historia i współczesność
Authors: Duraj Natasza
Published: March 2024

Zasadniczym celem monografii jest przedstawienie problematyki, dotyczącej rozwoju gospodarczego i społecznego pięciu państw: Kazachstanu, Uzbekistanu, Tadżykistanu, Turkmenistanu oraz Kirgistanu. Praca składa się z siedmiu rozdziałów, w których zaprezentowano historię gospodarek poszczególnych republik oraz ukazano obecną sytuację w każdym z analizowanych krajów.
Comparison of pollutant emissions from various types of vehicles
Authors: Zimakowska-Laskowska Magdalena , Laskowski Piotr
Published: March 2024

This article compares the equivalent emissions from battery electric vehicles (BEVs) with those of internal combustion engines vehicles (ICEVs) and and hybrid vehicles (HV). The considerations focused on the dependence of the equivalent emission from electric cars on the official/national Polish energy mix (which is still mainly based on hard coal). The results of mathematical simulations of the impact of the fuel type on pollutants’ emissions are presented. The article also focuses on the effects of the fuel used in internal combustion engines vehicles (LPG, CNG, petrol, diesel, hydrogen) and the official/national Polish energy mix for battery electric vehicles on carbon dioxide (CO2), nitrogen oxides (NOX), particulate matter (PM), carbon monoxide (CO) and sulphur dioxide (SO2) emissions.
The Determining Factors Influences Student Gold Investing Interest
Authors: Muttaqin Aminnullah , Aziza Berlian Putri
Published: March 2024

The purpose of this research is to determine the phenomena of student interest in gold investing following the COVID-19 pandemic. This study determines market targets, product development, and financial services. This quantitative research method collects data through a questionnaire. A total of 181 students were sampled using a random sampling technique. The study's findings indicate that financial literacy and investment motivation favor and significantly affect interest in gold investing. Meanwhile, income has a small but beneficial effect on interest in gold investment. If income affects students' interest in investing in gold at Brawijaya University, the income variable cannot be established realistically. According to observations, because the revenue obtained is sufficient for daily necessities, the amount of income is still supported by parents, and it is not easy to continuously save gold because funds are prioritized for other purposes or investments.
Assessment of Chemical Oxygen Demand Removal Efficiency and Microbial Dynamics during Aerobically Degradation of Wastewater in Activated Sludge
Authors: Ramadhani Ramadhani , Said Ahmad
Published: March 2024

This study investigated aerobically COD removal and microbial dynamics during activated sludge treatment of wastewater. The 12-day experiment utilized descriptive analysis to correlate operational parameters of pH, F/M ratio, MLSS, and SVI with COD removal efficiency. Microscopic examination identified temporal shifts in abundances of bacterial flocs, flagellates, ciliates, and rotifers. COD removal declined from 79% on day 0 to 4% by day 12, corresponding with increased SVI and protozoan proliferation. High SVI caused biomass washout, reducing bacterial catabolic capacity. Predominance of bacterivorous protozoa and rotifers likely suppressed floc-forming bacteria responsible for COD biodegradation. Conserving balanced mixed communities through optimized operational conditions appears decisive for continuous treatment performance. This study provides comprehensions on microbial ecological interactions altering temporal variability in activated sludge COD removal.
Isolation and Characterization of Enterobacter sp Capable towards Tolerating Degradation Products and Fermenting Pentoses
Authors: Ouahbi Karim El , Asli Abdelghani El , Benlemlih Mohammed
Published: March 2024

The depletion of fossil fuel resources, in addition to the growing demand for energy, has prompted the development of renewable energies, including bioethanol from lignocellulosic biomass. The acid pretreatment of hemicellulose releases inhibiting compounds in addition to xylose. With the possibility of exploitation of lignocellulose as a fermentation substrate, we isolated an Enterobacter characterized by its ability to ferment xylose and tolerate high concentrations of inhibitors. The selection was performed in media containing different carbon and energy sources; glucose, cellobiose, CMC, furfural and 5-HMF. Characterization strategies of the selected strain such as, xylose concentration (from 25 g liter-1 to 100 g liter-1), furfural (0 mM to 25 mM), cell immobilization, were used to quantify the maximum yield of ethanol produced. The results obtained show that our strain can ferment up to 100 g liter-1 of xylose in the presence of 20 mM furfural at 37°C to produce ethanol with a maximum yield of 2.22 g liter- 1 for 24 h under 160 rpm magnetic stirring. The results obtained in this study suggest that the isolated Enterobacter sp. is a promising strain for the bioconversion of lignocellulosic biomass pretreatment hydrolysate into bioethanol.

 
Анализ динамики эпидемического процесса COVID-19 в мире за неделю с 02.03.2024 г. по 07.03.2024 г.
Authors: Зимирова Анастасия , Поспелов Михаил , Иванова Александра , Дмитриева Людмила , Чумачкова Елена , Карнаухов Игорь , Щербакова Светлана , Кутырев Владимир
Published: March 2024

В обзоре представлен анализ эпидемиологической ситуации в странах мира по COVID-19 за неделю с 02.03.2024 г. по 07.03.2024 г.
Palatal Rugae Pattern in Adolescents of Southeastern Kosovo with Class I, II, III Malocclusions According to Angle’s Classification
Authors: Abazi Miranda , Georgiev Zlatko , Sadiku Saranda , Heta Mirand , Abazi Arben
Published: March 2024

Background: Palatal rugae, or plicae palatinae, are uniquely designed structures, well-formed, asymmetric, irregular mucosal folds suited in the anterior part of the hard palate. Palatoscopy, or the analysis of the palatal rugae pattern, is a simple, low-cost, non-invasive, innovative, and highly sensitive technique that can be successfully used in stomatology. This study aimed to analyze the palatal rugae pattern among an adolescent sample of the Albanian population in Kosovo, to determine the most prevalent palatal rugae pattern in both genders in association with Class I, II, and III malocclusions according to Angle’s classification. Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, a total of 100 adolescents (50 males and 50 females) aged from 12 to 18 were randomly selected from schools in southeastern Kosovo. All subjects were divided into classes of malocclusion according to Angle’s classification (Class I, Class II, and Class III). The rugae patterns were classified based on shape, unification, and length according to the Thomas and Kotze classification. In the present study, the palatal rugae pattern in Class I, II and III malocclusions show no significant difference between female and male subjects. In Class I malocclusion, the straight pattern was dominant in female subjects, and the wavy pattern was dominant in male subjects. The straight pattern was dominant in males and females with Class II malocclusion. In Class III malocclusion, the wavy pattern was dominant in female subjects, and the curved pattern was dominant in male subjects. The study showed that male subjects were at slightly higher risk for having Class I malocclusion and slightly lower risk for having Class II and Class III malocclusions than female subjects. Conclusion: This study provides essential information regarding the dominant palatal rugae pattern among Albanian adolescents of southeastern Kosovo with Class I, II, and III malocclusions according to Angle’s classification.
Variations of the Plaque Index in Four Timelines during 12 Months in Patients with Two Models of Fixed Retainers after Orthodontic Treatment is Finished
Authors: Kubati Jeta , Sllamniku Zana , Sllamniku Arijeta , Kiseri Burim
Published: March 2024

Background: Fixed retainers are retention tools bonded on the lingual side of the frontal teeth to prevent relapse after orthodontic treatment is finished. While stability remains the biggest concern, periodontal response remains the subject of discussion. This study aimed to compare plaque index (PI) levels on the lingual side of the lower dental arch in the inter-canine region after bonding two different models of fixed retainers.Methods and Results: The study included 60 subjects aged 16-25 who finished orthodontic treatment. Thirty subjects got flat fixed retainer (FFR), and 30 other subjects got round fixed retainer (RFR) bonded in the lower six frontal teeth on the lingual side. Adapted PI was recorded and photographed at four time points (3, 6, 9, and 12 months). Three months after the intervention, there were no significant differences between the FFR and RFR related to the PI value (P=0.363). PI was significantly lower in the FFR group than in the RFR group 6, 9, and 12 months after the intervention (P<0.004, P=0.004 and P=0.001, respectively).Conclusion: Bonded fixed retainers, in general, cause increased plaque formation and make oral hygiene routines more difficult.
Comparison of Immunohistochemical Expression of Calretinin, Map2, S-100 and Glut1 in Rectal Biopsies from Suspected Hirschsprung’s Disease
Authors: Ademaj Isber , Hyseni Nexhmi , Gozalan Ugur , Limani Rine , Kurshumliu Fisnik
Published: March 2024

Background: This study aimed to compare the immunohistochemical expression of calretinin, Map2, S-100, and Glut1 in rectal biopsy samples from patients suspected of Hirschsprung’s disease (HD).Methods and Results: Rectal biopsy samples from 40 patients with suspected HD were analyzed using hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) and immunohistochemistry (IHC). Immunohistochemical stains were assessed after previous routine histology interpretation, which was classified as “Positive or in favor for HD” and “Equivocal or negative for HD.” The staining patterns for calretinin, Map2, S-100, and Glut1 were analyzed regarding the following structures: lamina propria small nerve fibrils, submucosal small nerve fibrils,submucosal nerve fibers, and submucosal ganglia. The IHC stains for calretinin and Map2 were score-ranked as 0 – negative and 1 – positive. The IHC stain for S-100 was score-ranked as 0 – normal and 1 – hypertrophic. The IHC stain for Glut1 was ranked as 0 – normal perineural and 1 – conspicuous perineural accentuation Calretinin had 92% accuracy, the highest sensitivity (80%) and specificity (92.00%).Map2 also had the same accuracy as calretinin but lower sensitivity (46.67%). Regarding S-100 and Glut1, these two markers did not support a conclusive diagnosis. The accuracy for S-100 and Glut1 was 66.7% and 60%, respectively. Conclusion: Calretinin remains the currently most valuable single IHC marker in diagnosing difficult cases of HD.
Cardiovascular Diseases and Adipokines: The Role of Visfatin in Coronary Atherosclerosis
Authors: Marinova-Zlatinova Zh , Negreva M , Chervenkov Tr
Published: March 2024

Coronary artery disease (CAD) is a leading cause of cardiovascular disease-related mortality globally. Traditional risk indicators for CAD, such as age, gender, hypertension, and cholesterol levels, may not reliably predict the existence and severity of the disease in all individuals. Furthermore, these risk variables may not provide information regarding the long-term prognosis and survival of the patients with stable CAD. The limitations of present screening approaches suggest the need to develop novel prognostic biomarkers for the detection of coronary atherosclerosis (CA). This review focuses on the significance of adipokines in the pathophysiology of CA. The article discusses the role of various cytokines, focusing on visfatin in developing and progressing coronary atheroma and its potential to improve risk stratification, increase diagnostic accuracy, and guide therapy decisions. Clinical evidence supporting visfatin’s role as a diagnostic marker for CAD is already available, with elevated levels observed in patients with significant CA. However, the paper acknowledges certain limitations, such as the need for more extensive longitudinal studies to validate its potential use in clinical practice to improve early diagnosis and prognosis, ultimately enhancing strategies for preventing cardiovascular disease.
Harnessing GPT for Efficient Review of Research and Development Publications
Authors: Grokhowsky Nicholas
Published: March 2024

GPT, or Generative Pre-trained Transformer, revolutionizes the efficiency of reviewing research and development (R&D) publications by leveraging its natural language processing capabilities. Traditional methods of literature review are time-consuming and labor-intensive, often requiring researchers to sift through vast amounts of text to extract relevant information. GPT streamlines this process through its ability to comprehend, analyze, and summarize text swiftly.

Firstly, GPT can quickly scan through a plethora of publications, identifying key concepts, methodologies, and findings. Its advanced language understanding enables it to grasp complex scientific language and extract essential information accurately. This rapid processing significantly reduces the time researchers spend on manual literature review.

Secondly, GPT generates concise summaries of research articles, condensing lengthy texts into digestible snippets without sacrificing critical details. These summaries offer researchers a quick overview of the content, allowing them to prioritize articles based on relevance to their own work.

Moreover, GPT can assist in identifying connections between different studies and trends within a particular field. By analyzing large volumes of literature, it can detect patterns, emerging topics, and gaps in knowledge, guiding researchers towards fruitful areas for further investigation.

Additionally, GPT can aid in writing literature reviews by suggesting structured outlines and integrating relevant information seamlessly. This not only saves time but also enhances the quality and coherence of the review.
Overall, GPT's ability to expedite the process of reviewing R&D publications is invaluable in accelerating the pace of scientific discovery and innovation. By automating tedious tasks and providing insightful analyses, GPT empowers researchers to focus their efforts on advancing knowledge and solving pressing challenges.
Dynamic occupancy modelling of Asian elephants (Elephas maximus) reveals increasing landscape use in Nepal
Authors: Ram Ashok Kumar , Lamichhane Babu Ram , Subedi Naresh , Yadav Nabin Kumar , Karki Ajay , Pandav Bivash , Brown Cory , Khatri Top B. , Yackulic Charles B.
Published: March 2024

Large mammals with general habitat needs can persist throughout mixed used landscapes, however, increasing human threats often restrict them to protected areas. Conservation efforts, especially for reducing conflicts with humans, can enhance tolerance of species like Asian elephants (Elephas maximus) in human-dominated landscapes. Here, we examine how elephant use of the Chure Terai Madhesh Landscape (CTML) covering the entire elephant range of Nepal changed between 2012 and 2020. We systematically surveyed ~ 42,000 km2of potential habitat, by dividing the study area into 159 grid cells of 15x15 km2and recording elephant signs during the cool dry season in three years (2012, 2018 and 2020). We analyzed the survey data in a single-species multi season (dynamic) occupancy modeling framework to test hypotheses regarding the influence of environmental and management conditions in landscape use by elephants over time. The best-supported model included protected area effects on initial use, colonization, and detection probability as well as temporal variation in colonization and detection probability. Initial use and colonization rates were higher in protected areas, however elephants increasingly used both protected areas and outside protected areas, and the difference in use between protected areas and outside protected areas declined as elephants use became prevalent across most of the landscape. While elephants were patchily distributed in the first year of surveys consistent with past descriptions of four sub-populations, elephant use consolidated into a western and eastern region in subsequent years suggesting two sub-populations. The only gap in their distribution occurs in the area west of Chitwan National Park and east of Banke National Park. Increasing elephant use outside protected areas may cause higher human-elephant conflicts. Management interventions that focus on reducing conflicts can promote human-elephant co-existence in the landscape.
UGT1A7 altered HER2-positive breast cancer response to trastuzumab by affecting epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition: A potential biomarker to identify patients resistant to trastuzumab treatment.
Authors: Yuan Yuan , Wang Cong , Bai Chenguang , Zhang Zhe , Zhou Hao , Gao Huanyao , Wang Siwei
Published: March 2024

Background: HER2-positive (HER2+) breast cancer accounts for 20–30% of all breast cancers. Although trastuzumab has significantly improved the survival of patients with HER2+ breast cancer, more than 70% of patients develop drug resistance within one year of treatment. Understanding the molecular mechanisms of trastuzumab resistance and identifying biomarkers that predict early trastuzumab resistance would greatly benefit patients receiving trastuzumab therapy.
Methods: Differential-gene-expression analysis of trastuzumab-sensitive and resistant HER2+ breast cancer cell lines from GSE15043 was performed to identify the biomarkers associated with trastuzumab resistance. Differential biomarker expression was confirmed in FFPE tissues collected from clinical HER2+ breast cancer tumor samples that were sensitive or resistant to trastuzumab treatment. The function of the biomarkers associated with trastuzumab resistance was studied using western blotting, immunofluorescence, electron microscopy, and siRNA knockdown and overexpression to elucidate the role and mechanisms of the biomarker in affecting the trastuzumab response.
Results: UGT1A7, a member of the uronic acid transferase family, was associated with trastuzumab resistance. UGT1A7 expression was downregulated in trastuzumab-resistant tumor tissues and in a cell line that developed trastuzumab resistance (BT474TR). Overexpressing UGT1A7 in BT474TR restored their sensitivity to trastuzumab treatment, whereas downregulating UGT1A7 expression in parental cells led to trastuzumab resistance. Importantly, UGT1A7 localized to the endoplasmic reticulum and altered stress responses. Furthermore, downregulating UGT1A7 expression promoted epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) by affecting TWIST, SNAIL, and GRP78 expression and the AMP-activated protein kinase signaling pathway, thus contributing to trastuzumab resistance.
Conclusions:
This study demonstrated the important role and novel mechanisms of UGT1A7 in tumor responses to trastuzumab. Low UGT1A7 expression plays an important role in EMT and contributes to trastuzumab resistance. UGT1A7 has the potential to be developed as a biomarker for identifying patients who are resistant to trastuzumab treatment.
Unravelling the Cell-Penetrating Potential of Endogenous Opioid Neuropeptide Dynorphin A through Computational Dissection of Membrane Disruption Principles
Authors: Peralvarez-Marin Alex , Catalina-Hernandez Eric , Lopez-Martin Mario , Aguilella-Arzo Marcel
Published: March 2024

Dynorphins are endogenous neuropeptides that function as opioids. In addition to opioid activity, dynorphins can induce several pathological effects such as neurological dysfunctions and cell death. Previous studies have suggested that Dynorphin A (DynA) and its clinical variants (L5S, R6W, and R9C) mediate some pathogenic actions through formation of transient pores in lipid domains of the plasma membrane. Here, we use a combination of steered and conventional molecular dynamics simulations to evaluate the ability of DynA and its variants to disturb lipid membranes in comparison to well established cell-penetrating peptides to determine how these peptides interact and permeate model lipid bilayers. We show that in our setup DynA and its variants (except for R9C) exhibit a strong membrane disturbing potential that may lead to translocation through the formation of water pores, which is likely prevented in cholesterol containing bilayers for R6W. When cholesterol and negative charge in the bilayers are present, the membrane disruption potential of DynA and its variants is minimal, but the hydrophobic-to-polar substitution in L5S favors peptide translocation. Altogether, these results show the importance of out-of-the-box computational studies to design membrane disruptive peptides to exploit their cell-penetrating and antimicrobial capabilities.
Ascent and attachment in pea plants: a matter of iteration
Authors: Guerra Silvia , Bruno Giovanni , Spoto Andrea , Panzeri Anna , Wang Qiuran , Bonato Bianca , Simonetti Valentina , Bulgheroni Maria , Castiello Umberto
Published: March 2024

Pea plants (Pisum sativum L.) can sense the presence of potential supports in the environment and flexibly adapt their behavior to clasp it. How pea plants control and perfect this behavior during growth remains unexplored. Here, we attempt to fill this gap by studying the movement of the apex and the tendrils at different leaves using three–dimensional (3D) kinematical analysis. We hypothesized that plants accumulate information and resources through the circumnutation movements of each leaf. Information generates the kinematical coordinates for the final launch towards the potential support. Results suggest that developing a functional approach to grasp movement may involve an interactive trial and error process based on continuous cross–talk across leaves. This internal communication provides evidence that plants adopt plastic responses in a way that optimally corresponds to support search scenarios.
A Comprehensive Investigation of Glycoprotein-based Nucleic Acid Vaccines for Hantaan Virus
Authors: yang kun , zhang Jiaxing , Zhang Junqi , Wang Yanbo , Sun Yubo , Wang Yongkai , Wang Yueyue , Yang Duan , Qiao Xupeng , Liu Xiaoqian , Ding Jiaqi , Zhang Xiyang , Zhang Wenbiao , Wang Zhenjie , Hu Chenchen , Han Chenying , Liu Tianyue , Yang Shuya , Sun Yuanjie , Cheng Linfeng , Jiang Dongbo
Published: March 2024

Hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) occurs throughout Eurasia with considerable morbidity and mortality. Currently, the absence of specific treatments or effective antiviral drugs for hantavirus infection makes developing safe and effective vaccines a high priority. Here, we report the development of three novel nucleic acid vaccine candidates, mRNA, DNA, and DNA encapsulated in lipid nanoparticles, encoding the glycoproteins of the Hantaan virus (HTNV). To comprehensively evaluate the potential of candidate HTNV nucleic acid vaccines in preventing HFRS, we focus on evaluating their immunogenicity and efficacy in mice and comparing them with an inactivated vaccine as the benchmark. Our findings reveal that all candidate vaccines activated instant and sustained immune responses, offering effective in vivo protection. Notably, the nucleic acid vaccines demonstrated distinct advantages over the inactivated vaccine, in both humoral and cellular immunity. These results mark a significant step in developing nucleic acid vaccines for HTNV, suggesting that sequential immunization with DNA and mRNA vaccines could further amplify the advantages of nucleic acid vaccines.
Effective spin-1 breathing kagome Hamiltonian induced by the exchange hierarchy in the maple leaf mineral bluebellite
Authors: Ghosh Pratyay , Müller Tobias , Iqbal Yasir , Thomale Ronny , Jeschke Harald
Published: March 2024

The Heisenberg quantum antiferromagnet on the maple leaf lattice has been shown to feature highly exotic phases and thus material realizations are intensely sought after. We determine the magnetic Hamiltonian of the copper mineral bluebellite using density functional theory based energy mapping. Due to significant distortion of the spin-1/2 maple leaf lattice, we find two of the five dis tinct nearest-neighbor couplings to be ferromagnetic. The solution of this Hamiltonian with density matrix renormalization group calculations points us to the surprising insight that this particular imperfect maple leaf lattice, due to the strongly ferromagnetic Cu2+dimer, realizes an effective S = 1 breathing kagome Hamiltonian. In fact, this is another highly interesting Hamiltonian that has rarely been realized in materials. Analysis of the effective model within a bond-operator for malism then allows us to identify a valence bond solid ground state and extract thermodynamic quantities using a low-energy bosonic mean-field theory. We resolve the puzzle of the apparent one dimensional character of bluebellite as our calculated specific heat has a Bonner-Fisher-like shape, in good agreement with the experiment.
RNA-seq reveals the gene expression in patterns in Populus × euramericana 'Neva' plantation forests under different precision water and fertilizer-intensive management
Authors: Wang Zhou , Zhang Weixi , Ding Changjun , Xia Yongxiu , Yuan Zhengsai , Guo Jiangtao , Yu Jinjin , Zhang Bingyu , Su Xiaohua
Published: March 2024

Background: Populus spp. is a crucial fast-growing and productive tree species extensively cultivated in the mid-latitude plains of the world. However, the impact of intensive cultivation management on gene expression in plantation forestry remains largely unexplored.
Results: Precision water and fertilizer-intensive management substantially increased key enzyme activities of nitrogen transport, assimilation, and photosynthesis (1.12–2.63 times than CK) in Populus × euramericana 'Neva' plantation. Meanwhile, this management approach had a significant regulatory effect on the gene expression of poplar plantations. 1554 differential expression genes (DEGs)were identified in drip irrigation (ND) compared with conventional irrigation. Relative to ND, 2761–4116 DEGs, predominantly up-regulated, were identified under three drip fertilization combinations, among which 202 DEGs were mainly regulated by fertilization. Moreover, drip irrigation reduced the expression of cell wall synthesis-related genes to reduce unnecessary water transport. Precision drip and fertilizer management promotes the synergistic regulation of carbon and nitrogen metabolism and up-regulates the expression of major genes in nitrogen transport and assimilation processes (5 DEGs), photosynthesis (15 DEGs), and plant hormone signal transduction (11 DEGs). The incorporation of trace elements further enhanced the up-regulation of secondary metabolic process genes. In addition, the co-expression network identified nine hub genes regulated by precision water and fertilizer management, suggesting a pivotal role in regulating the growth of poplar.
Conclusion: Precision water and fertilizer-intensive management demonstrated the ability to regulate the expression of key genes and transcription factor genes involved in carbon and nitrogen metabolism pathways, plant hormone signal transduction, and enhance the activity of key enzymes involved in related processes. This regulation facilitated nitrogen absorption and utilization, and photosynthetic abilities such as light capture, light transport, and electron transport, which faintly synergistically regulate the growth of poplar plantations. These results provide a reference for proposing highly efficient precision intensive management to optimize the expression of target genes.
A generalized fractional hepatitis B virus infection modelwith both cell-to-cell and virus-to-cell transmissions
Authors: Yaagoub Zakaria , Sadki Marya , Allali Karam
Published: March 2024

In this paper, we suggest a generalized fractional hepatitis B viral infection model with twomodes of transmission that are cell-to-cell and virus-to-cell. These two modes of transmissionwill be represented by two generalized incidence functions. We take into account the humanbody adaptive immunity, that is represented by antibody and cytotoxic T-lymphocyte immuneresponses. We begin the study of this model by giving some theorems concerning the existence,positivity and boundness of the model solutions. We have shown that the model has a free-disease equilibrium point and other four endemic steady states. We give the relationship betweenthe existence of these steady states and their corresponding reproductive numbers. By usingthe Lyapunov method and LaSalle's invariance principle, we have shown the different theoremsof global stability to the problem steady states. Some numerical simulations are presented inorder to confirm our theoretical fndings about the stability of steady states and to show the effectiveness of fractional derivative order on the stability of all equilibria. We observe that thechoice of generalized incidence functions can provide a clearer understanding of the stability of equilibria and can incorporate a wide range of classical incidence functions. Finally, good infectiontreatment helps considerably to irradiate the infection.
RETRACTED: Exploring Human Periapical Lesions: A Histological and Immunohistochemical Analysis of TGF-β1 and CD68 Expression
Authors: Kamel Amany , Ahmed Geraldine M. , AbuBakr Nermeen
Published: March 2024

The authors have requested that this preprint be removed from Research Square.
CleftGAN: Adapting A Style-Based Generative Adversarial Network To Create Images Depicting Cleft Lip Deformity
Authors: Hayajneh Abdullah , Serpedin Erchin , Shaqfeh Mohammad , Glass Graeme , Stotland Mitchell A.
Published: March 2024

Background
Training a machine learning system to evaluate any type of facial deformity is impeded by the scarcity of large datasets of high-quality, ethics board-approved patient images. We have built a deep learning-based cleft lip generator called CleftGAN designed to produce an almost unlimited number of high-fidelity facsimiles of cleft lip facial images with wide variation.
Methods
A transfer learning protocol testing different versions of StyleGAN as the base model was undertaken. Data augmentation maneuvers permitted input of merely 514 frontal photographs of cleft-affected faces adapted to a base model of 70,000 normal faces. The Frechet Inception Distance was used to measure the similarity of the newly generated facial images to the cleft training dataset. Perceptual Path Length and the novel Divergence Index of Normality measures also assessed the performance of the novel image generator.
Results
CleftGAN generates vast numbers of unique faces depicting a wide range of cleft lip deformity with variation of ethnic background. Performance metrics demonstrated a high similarity of the generated images to our training dataset and a smooth, semantically valid interpolation of images through the transfer learning process. The distribution of normality for the training and generated images were highly comparable.
Conclusions
CleftGAN is a novel instrument that generates an almost boundless number of realistic facial images depicting cleft lip. This tool promises to become a valuable resource for the development of machine learning models to objectively evaluate facial form and the outcomes of surgical reconstruction.
Fabric Soft Pneumatic Actuators with Programmable Turing Pattern Textures
Authors: TANAKA MASATO , Song Yuyang , Nomura Tsuyoshi
Published: March 2024

Turing patterns, a concept derived from Alan Turing's work on morphogenesis and patterns, can be found in nature at multiple spatial scales, such as lizard skin, fish skins, and sand dunes. Readers might also find the application of Turing pattern used into textile industry, where an element of uniqueness and artistic expression is preferred for the user experience. However, commercially available Turing patterns from this industry do not yet demonstrate advanced functionality. This research introduces a fabric based soft pneumatic actuators (FSPAs) based on textile material from advanced computational design and fabrication method, where different actuation motion of FSPAs are achieved driving by programmable Turing patterns. The proposed method designs and fine-tunes the geometric pattern of a reinforcement sheet embedded into a stretchable, unstructured fabric. In this study, this embedding is achieved through two techniques: heat bonding and embroidery. Through these approaches, the local deformation of the surface membrane can be precisely programmed, allowing for controlled global shaping of the inflatable structure. By leveraging commonly used fabrication methods in the fashion industry, the shape-morphing inflatable structure can be realized using lightweight fabric materials on a large scale. These techniques are anticipated to impact the design and fabrication of shape-morphing inflatable structures for future applications, such as architectural arches or emergency shelters, in an easy and cost-effective manner.
Transcriptome analysis reveals resveratrol promotes lipid synthesis and induces apoptosis in Siberian sturgeon
Authors: Yang Shiyong , Yan Chaozhan , Pang Xiaojian , Shao Wuyuntana , Xu Zihan , Li Datian , Xu Wenqiang , Zhang Zhehua , Su Boru , Li Yunkun , Wu Jiayun , Huang Xiaoli , Luo Wei , Du Xiaogang
Published: March 2024

Resveratrol, known for its antioxidant properties and ability to regulate glycolipid metabolism, has been revealed its benefit effects on the liver health of sturgeon. However, further investigation is needed to understand the specific mechanism of resveratrol's impact. In this study, we explore how resveratrol affects the liver of Siberian sturgeon at a specific concentration. The results showed that resveratrol treatment led to a significant increase in apoptosis after hepatic lipid synthesis, but did not activate the antioxidant NRF2/KEAP1 pathway or enhance antioxidant enzyme activity. Transcriptomics analysis also revealed significant changes in regulatory pathways related to glycolysis, including the PPAR signaling pathway, Insulin signaling pathway, Fatty acid biosynthesis, and Glycolysis/Gluconeogenesis. These findings highlight the close relationship between resveratrol and glycolipid metabolism. Moreover, the study demonstrated that high concentrations of resveratrol can have physiological toxicity to the liver of Siberian sturgeon, providing valuable insights for future research on fish feed additives dosage.
Causal Models and Prediction in Cell Line Perturbation Experiments
Authors: Long James , Yang Yumeng , Shimizu Shohei , Pham THONG , Do Kim-Anh
Published: March 2024

In cell line perturbation experiments, a collection of cells is perturbed with external agents and responses such as protein expression measured. Due to cost constraints, only a small fraction of all possible perturbations can be tested in vitro. This has led to the development of computational models that can predict cellular responses to perturbations, without having to actually perform the experiments in a wet lab. A central challenge for these models is to predict the effect of new, previously untested perturbations that were not used in the training data. Here we propose causal structural equations for modeling how perturbations effect cells. From this model, we derive two estimators for predicting responses: a Linear Regression (LR) estimator and a causal structure learning estimator that we term Causal Structure Regression (CSR). The CSR estimator requires more assumptions than LR, but can predict the effects of drugs that were not applied in the training data. Next we present Cellbox, a recently proposed system of ordinary differential equations (ODEs) based model that obtained the best prediction performance on a Melanoma cell line perturbation data set (Yuan et al., 2021). We derive analytic results that show a close connection between CSR and Cellbox, providing a new causal inter- pretation for the Cellbox model. We compare LR and CSR/Cellbox in sim- ulations, highlighting the strengths and weaknesses of the two approaches. Finally we compare the performance of LR and Cellbox on the benchmark Melanoma data set. We find that the LR model has comparable or slightly better performance than Cellbox.
Regional prediction of deoxynivalenol contamination in spring oats in Sweden using machine learning
Authors: Wang Xinxin , BÖRJESSON Thomas , Wetterlind Johanna , Fels-Klerx HJ van der
Published: March 2024

Weather conditions and agronomical factors are known to affect Fusarium spp. growth and ultimately deoxynivalenol (DON) contamination in oat. This study aimed to develop predictive models for the contamination of spring oat at harvest with DON on a regional basis in Sweden using machine-learning algorithms. Three models were developed as regional risk-assessment tools for farmers, crop collectors, and food safety inspectors, respectively. Data included weather data from different oat growing periods, agronomical data, site-specific data, and DON contamination data from the previous year. The region, year, spring oat variety, type of cultivation (organic or not) and if the oat is intended for feed or food - was used as input to predict DON contamination for entries into classes of low (< 500 µg/kg), medium (≥ 500 µg/kg, and < 1000 µg/kg), and high (≥ 1000 µg/kg). A random forest (RF) algorithm was applied to train the models. Results showed that: 1) RF models were able to predict DON contamination at harvest with a total classification accuracy of minimal 0.72, over the years 2012-2019, and above 0.90 in the years 2016-2017, however not for individual years not included in the training of the models (external validation); 2) good predictions could already be made in June but using weather variables in the full growing season could improve the model’s robustness; 3) weather variables were the most important for predicting DON contamination, but adding agronomical and site-specific factors to weather variables as model inputs could improve the overall model performance; 4) rainfall, relative humidity, and wind speed in different oat growing stages, followed by crop variety and elevation were the most important features for predicting DON contamination in spring oats at harvest. In future studies, it might be of interest to explore whether including data for other agronomic variables, such as fertilization, irrigation, and pest control, as well as satellite image data could further improve the model performance.
Bacteria Invade the Brain Following Sterile Intracortical Microelectrode Implantation
Authors: Capadona Jeffrey , Hoeferlin George , Grabinski Sarah , Druschel Lindsey , Duncan Jonathan , Burkhart Grace , Weagraff Gwendolyn , Lee Alice , Hong Christopher , Bambroo Meera , Olivares Hannah , Bajwa Tejas , Memberg William , Sweet Jennifer , Hamedani Hoda Amani , Acharya Abhinav , Hernandez-Reynoso Ana , Donskey Curtis , Jaskiw George , Chan Ricky , Ajiboye A. , von Recum Horst , Zhang Liangliang
Published: March 2024

Brain-machine interface performance is largely affected by the neuroinflammatory responses resulting in large part from blood-brain barrier (BBB) damage following intracortical microelectrode implantation. Recent findings strongly suggest that certain gut bacterial constituents penetrate the BBB and are resident in various brain regions of rodents and humans, both in health and disease. Therefore, we hypothesized that damage to the BBB caused by microelectrode implantation could amplify dysregulation of the microbiome-gut-brain axis. Here, we report that bacteria, including those commonly found in the gut, enter the brain following intracortical microelectrode implantation in mice implanted with single-shank silicon microelectrodes. Systemic antibiotic treatment of mice implanted with microelectrodes to suppress bacteria resulted in differential expression of bacteria in the brain tissue and a reduced acute inflammatory response compared to untreated controls, correlating with temporary improvements in microelectrode recording performance. Long-term antibiotic treatment resulted in worsening microelectrode recording performance and dysregulation of neurodegenerative pathways. Fecal microbiome composition was similar between implanted mice and an implanted human, suggesting translational findings. However, a significant portion of invading bacteria was not resident in the brain or gut. Together, the current study established a paradigm-shifting mechanism that may contribute to chronic intracortical microelectrode recording performance and affect overall brain health following intracortical microelectrode implantation.
Synthesis, characterization and detection of amoxicillin on 𝜷-AgVO3 modified carbon paste electrode and investigation of adsorption by DFT approach
Authors: Atika Ayad , HERMOUCHE lina , ABDOUNI ibtissam El , Benhsina Elhassan , HAJJAJI Souad EL
Published: March 2024

The weighty industrialization, rapid urbanization and the changing lifestyle have been considered as a worldwide threat, these human activities produce a huge pollutant element especially in water such as antibiotics, heavy metals etc.. Hence, the sensing and quantification of trace pollutants in aquatic system have been becoming a necessity tool to develop. In this work, we synthesis the silver metavanadate AgVO3 through solid state reaction, the obtained powder was analyzed using X-ray diffraction, infrared spectroscopy and scanning electronic microscopy to check the structure and purity of the silver metavanadate. The elaborated compound as a modifier of carbon paste electrode to investigate the sensing of amoxicillin in aqueous solution by means of square wave voltammetry. The effect of electrochemical and chemical parameters on the current intensity was optimized. Under optimized conditions, the prepared electrode had a detection limit of 0.731µM. The interaction between amoxicillin molecule and AgVO3 surface was also investigated, which shows spontaneous adsorption process.
In vitro fertilization and embryo transfer is an independent risk factor of the placenta accreta spectrum in the termination of pregnancy during the mid-trimester：a retrospective cohort study on perinatal management
Authors: Li Si , Liu Mancheng , Zhou Li , Zhao Yunxu , Guo Fei , Gao Yu , Gou Chenyu
Published: March 2024

BACKGROUND
The most common aetiology of placenta accreta spectrum (PAS) is a defect in the endometrial-myometrial interface. The incidence and characteristics of the PAS among women with termination of pregnancy after the second trimester are unknown. This study aimed to determine the effect of in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer (IVF-ET) on patients with termination of pregnancy during the mid-trimester and the risk factors of placenta accreta spectrum among this population.
METHOD
This was a retrospective observational study of women who underwent induced abortion or termination of pregnancy in the second trimester from January 2013 to October 2023 in the Sixth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University. A total of 230 patients were age-matched and divided into a spontaneous conception group and an in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer group to compare the difference in incidence of placenta accreta spectrum and their outcomes during follow-up. The primary outcome was the morbidity of the placenta accreta spectrum.
RESULTS
Our results indicated that women with IVF-ET had a significantly higher risk of suffering PAS (29.6% vs. 13.0%, P = 0.002) as well as morbid placenta accreta spectrum (13.9% vs.5.2%, P = 0.039) during abortion. The amount of postpartum bleeding [200(100.0-520.0) ml vs. 140.0(80.0-240.0)ml, P = 0.004], the rate of postpartum haemorrhage (24.3% vs.11.3%, P = 0.010), and the time of retained products of conception > 4 weeks (40.4%vs.24.8%, P = 0.030) were significantly higher in the IVF-ET group than in the spontaneous conception group. IVF-ET (odds ratio = 2.42, P = 0.027), a hysteroscopy history(odds ratio = 2.67, P = 0.028), and cryopreserved embryo transfer (odds ratio = 4.26, P < 0.001) were independent risk factors for PAS during abortion.
CONCLUSION
Patients with IVF-ET, especially cryopreserved embryo transfer, had a significantly high risk of PAS and postpartum haemorrhage during the abortion of mid-trimester, suggesting that these patients need more attention to avoid severe complications and preserve fertility during labour.