bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Spatio-temporal response and projection of CO2 capture rates by different rock weathering to climate change in subtropics in China
Authors: Liu Wenpu , Song Yinxian , Men Xianqiang , Chen Zhong , Chang He , Zhang Shitao , Tao Chunjun , Ji Junfeng , Li Shilei , Chen Quan , Ayoko Godwin A. , Frost Ray L.
Published: March 2024

The capture of CO2 has become a global research focus. Rock weathering in the natural environment makes significant contributions to the stable carbon capture at both long and short time scales. However, traditional methods of estimating carbon capture potential are still uncertain due to the solely instantaneous carbon capture rates, dependence of measured data, and difficulty in predicting future carbon sink potential. Here, the estimated carbon capture potential of rock weathering using conventional methods and the PROFILE weathering model were compared for the various rocks in subtropics in China. The results showed that the carbon capture rates estimated by the GEM-CO2 model vary from 1.64 to 27.40 mmol·m− 2·d− 1, while 2.63 ~ 13.46 mmol·m− 2·d− 1 by traditional the water chemistry method. Similarly, carbon capture rates calculated by the PROFILE model based on chemical weathering rate of individual specific mineral, ranging from 0.03 to 19.03 mmol·m− 2·d− 1. The results of the PROFILE calculation showed that, the carbon capture rate was 1.30 to 1.99 times in summer than in winter due to the higher temperature and precipitation. In extreme climates, high temperatures (≥ 30°C) and heavy precipitation (≥ 25mm) have increased the capture rate of carbon dioxide by approximately 21.33% and 66.23%, respectively. On the interdecadal time scale, the carbon capture rate increased by 6.1% from 1970 to 2020, due to temperature rising by 1.4°C, precipitation increasing by 2.8%, and partial pressure of atmospheric carbon dioxide (pco2) increasing by 28.4%. Further, we predict an increase in carbon capture rates will change approximately from 4.7 to 5.1% in the period of 2020–2100 under four Representative Concentration Pathway (RCP) modes. The findings of this study will offer novel scientific recommendations and methods for future research and policy making on global carbon neutrality.
Microevolution and phylogenomic characterization of Respiratory Syncytial Virus Type A: An outlook of 2022-2023 outbreak
Authors: Ahmad Ashfaq , Majaz Sidra , Saeed Aamir , Noureen Shumaila , Rahman Hamid Ur , Nouroz Faisal , Xie Yingqiu , Amin Amr
Published: March 2024

A communal respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) causes mild to severe illness, predominantly in older adults, or people with certain chronic medical conditions, and in children. Symptoms may include runny nose, cough, fever, and difficulty breathing. In most cases, the infection is mild and resolves on its own, but in some cases, it can lead to more serious illness such as bronchiolitis or pneumonia. The RSV genome codes for ten proteins, NS1, NS2, N, P, M, SH, G, F, M2 and L. We aimed to identify the RSV geographical distribution and transmission pattern using site parsimonious frequencies, and investigate hotspot regions across the complete RSV genomes. These results indicated that RSV strains circulating in South and North America are not mixed to the European samples, however, genomes reported from Australia are the direct decedents of European samples. Samples reported from the United Kingdom were found diverse. Further, this report provides a comprehensive mutational analysis of all the individual RSV genes and in particular the 32 hotspot substituting regions circulating across the globe in RSV type A samples. This is the first comprehensive analysis of RSV type A that features mutational frequencies across the whole genome providing more clues for epidemiological control and drug development.
A National Cross-Sectional Survey on Community Spinal Cord Injury Patient Profiles, Health-Related Quality of Life and Support Services in China: Implications for Healthcare and Rehabilitation
Authors: pan hongxia , Ding Mingfu , Zhu Liang , xin sun , Liu Rui , shaolong ai , lu tian , Wei Quan
Published: March 2024

Background
Spinal cord injury (SCI) is defined as a damage to the spinal cord that causes serious and permanent changes in function; it has a high incidence, high cost, high disability rate and adult onset and has become a global health priority. National epidemiological data on SCI in China are available for only a limited number of provinces and are mostly outdated. Therefore, the aim of this study was to provide a national cross-sectional investigation of epidemiological data on individuals with SCI in China.
Methods
A total of 3055 SCI patients aged 8–78 years were included in this cross-sectional study, which was conducted between May 2023 and September 2023. We collected detailed information, including general demographic characteristics, employment status, etiology, years lived with disability (YLD), family structure, caregiving status, income, available health insurance, paralysis type, and health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Descriptive statistics and Kolmogorov‒Smirnov analyses were also conducted to analyze demographic and injury features. The t test and Mann‒Whitney test were employed to evaluate differences across distinct groups. Logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate the associations between HRQoL and other factors.
Results
Overall, 88.89% of the survey respondents were aged 15 to 59 years. The male-to-female ratio was 2.36:1. The etiology of the disease varied: 45.36% of the quadriparesis cases were caused by car accidents, more than 1/3 (35.93%) of the paraplegia cases were caused by falls, and myelitis emerged as the leading cause of nontraumatic SCI. In terms of injury sites and paralysis type, 65.51% of the paraplegia patients had complete SCI, and 53.11% of the tetraplegia patients had incomplete SCI. Considering functional recovery, 9.58% of the patients reported improvement. A total of 50.28% of the respondents were unemployed. In addition, 75% of their income fell below both the national mean and median levels. Furthermore, the HRQoL was significantly lower in the SCI population than in the control group and was mainly affected by injury site, income and age (p < 0.05).
Conclusions
SCI patients in communities in China had low HRQoL and reemployment rates. Convenient and cost-effective community rehabilitation and vocational rehabilitation are conducive to promoting the reemployment of patients with SCI and reducing disease-related burdens, and national basic public medical services and sound healthcare systems are conducive to improving the HRQoL of individuals with SCI.
A Novel Species of Myoviridae Bacteriophages Targets Carbapenem Resistant Acinetobacter baumannii via a Non-capsular Receptor
Authors: Kenney Patrick O. , Sojar Hakimuddin , Kisliuk Nelli , Miller Roy , Richter John , Carlino-MacDonald Ulrike , Luo Ting L. , Lebreton Francois , McGann Patrick T. , Gómez-Duarte Oscar G. , Russo Thomas A.
Published: March 2024

Increasing antimicrobial resistance in Acinetobacter baumannii has resulted in limited to no treatment options. Bacteriophage therapy promises to assist in filling this treatment void. Six related phages (AB1I1L, AB1I1M, AB1I1P, AB1I1T, AB2I2, AB2I3) that target A. baumannii were isolated from wastewater and possessed an icosahedral structure and contractile tail consistent with myoviridae. Purified phage of high quality and low endotoxin levels (< 0.5EU/mL) demonstrated rapid adsorption and potent lysis. Encouragingly 18/40 (45%) tested clinical isolates were susceptible to one or more members of this phage species, including 11 of 27 (41%) carbapenem resistant A. baumannii isolates. Importantly, pools of phage tolerant/resistant A. baumannii that developed after exposure to each of the six phages were highly susceptible to human ascites mediated bactericidal activity ex vivo. An unusual and potentially important feature of this phage species is that the bacterial capsule is not their receptor; in fact, capsule impedes phage activity. Whole genome sequencing did not identify bacterial virulence or resistance genes or phage lysogenic genes. Taken together, these phages are potential candidates for phage therapy and warrant additional preclinical evaluation as a treatment modality for XDR-A. baumannnii.
Association of serum IL-6 with negative symptoms in stable early-onset schizophrenia
Authors: Chen Peng , Yang Haidong , Wang Junjie , Zhu Zhenhua , Zhao Huimin , Yin Xuyuan , Cai Yuan , Zhu Hongliang , Fu Jialin , Zhang Xinzhu , Sun Wenxi , Hui Li , Zhang Xiaobin
Published: March 2024

Background:
Accumulating evidence suggests that the inflammatory cytokine interleukin-6 (IL-6) contributes to the pathophysiology of psychiatric disorders. The purpose of the current study was to investigate the relationship between serum IL-6 concentration and the clinical features of early-onset schizophrenia (EOS).
Methods:
We measured serum IL-6 levels from 74 patients with chronic schizophrenia, including 33 with age at onset < 21 years [early-onset schizophrenia (EOS) group] and 41 with onset ≥ 21 years in [adult-onset schizophrenia (AOS) group], and from 41 healthy controls. Symptom severities were evaluated using the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS).
Results:
Serum IL-6 concentrations were higher in both EOS and AOS groups than healthy controls (F = 22.32, P < 0.01), but did not differ significantly between EOS and AOS groups (P > 0.05) after controlling for age, body mass index, and other covariates. Negative symptom scores were higher in the EOS group than the AOS group (F = 6.199, P = 0.015). Serum IL-6 concentrations in the EOS group were negatively correlated with both total PANSS-negative symptom score (r = -0.389, P = 0.032) and avolition/asociality subscore (r = -0.387, P = 0.026).
Conclusion:
Patients with early-onset schizophrenia may have more severe negative symptoms than those with adult-onset schizophrenia during the chronic phase of the illness.IL-6 signaling may regulate negative symptoms and its avolition/asociality subsymptoms among the early-onset chronic schizophrenic patients.
Genetic Analysis and QTL Mapping for Pericarp Thickness in Maize (Zea mays L.)
Authors: Gong Guantong , Jia Haitao , Tang Yunqi , Pei Hu , Zhai Lihong , Huang Jun
Published: March 2024

Proper pericarp thickness protects the maize kernel against pests and diseases, moreover, thinner pericarp improves the eating quality in fresh corn. In this study, we aimed to investigate the dynamic changes in maize pericarp during kernel development and identified the major quantitative trait loci (QTLs) for maize pericarp thickness. It was observed that maize pericarp thickness first increased and then decreased. During the growth and formation stages, the pericarp thickness gradually increased and reached the maximum, after which it gradually decreased and reached the minimum during maturity. To identify the QTLs for pericarp thickness, a BC4F4 population was constructed using maize inbred lines B73 (recurrent parent with thick pericarp) and Baimaya (donor parent with thin pericarp). In addition, a high-density genetic map was constructed using maize 10K SNP microarray. A total of 17 QTLs related to pericarp thickness were identified in combination with the phenotypic data. The results revealed that the heritability of the thickness of upper germinal side of pericarp (UG) was 0.63. The major QTL controlling UG was qPT1-1, which was located on chromosome 1 (212,215,145–212,948,882). The heritability of the thickness of upper abgerminal side of pericarp (UA) was 0.70. The major QTL controlling UA was qPT2-1, which was located on chromosome 2 (2,550,197–14,732,993). In addition, a combination of functional annotation and DNA sequencing analysis screened two candidate genes, Zm00001d001964 and Zm00001d002283, that could potentially control maize pericarp thickness. This study provides valuable insights into the improvement of maize pericarp thickness during breeding.
A comparative assessment of different techniques for the extraction and characterization of fucoidan from Indian brown seaweeds
Authors: Babu Amarnath Mathan , Rathimeena Thetchinamoorthi , Ranjith Lakshmanan , Prabu Dhanasekaran Linga , Kalidass Subramaniam
Published: March 2024

In brown seaweeds, cell wall polysaccharides are dissolved in hot water, acid, and organic solvents to extract fucoidan. The study looked at 13 Indian brown seaweeds and used three different fucoidan extraction techniques: hot water (HW), hydrochloric acid (HA), and ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA). The yield of the HA extraction technique was higher than that of the EDTA and HW extraction techniques. When compared to the EDTA and HA extraction techniques, the HW extraction technique showed the highest fucose and sulfate content. Furthermore, the EDTA extraction technique revealed the highest protein content compared to the HA and HW extraction techniques. Among different fucoidan samples from various extraction techniques, S. cinctum had a high fucose and sulfate content. Therefore, we evaluated S. cinctum using different extraction techniques for FTIR analysis. The absorption areas near 1270 cm-1, 1030 cm-1 and 870 cm-1 in the HW, HA, and EDTA extraction techniques of S. cinctum indicate the presence of sulfate groups. After examining the different fucoidan extraction techniques, the HW extraction technique was shown to be the most effective and ecologically friendly method for the extraction of fucoidan. Studying the effects of different extraction techniques benefits a variety of industries, including the cosmetics, nutraceutical, and pharmaceutical industries.
Effects of atropine on the barrier function of retinal pigment epithelial cells in myopia
Authors: Cao Yiting , Che Danyang , Li Fang , Zhou Jibo
Published: March 2024

Background
To investigate whether atropine has an effect on RPE cell barrier function both in vivo and in vitro.
Methods
Atropine was used to treat ARPE-19. The proliferation and migration of ARPE-19 cells were observed using CCK8 and Wound healing assay. 3-week-old tri-color guinea pigs were modeled in FDM and treated with atropine. Refractive diopter was measured by an animal-specialized infrared eccentric refractor. Axial length was measured by an A-ultrasonic scan. The expression of myopia-related and adherens and tight function-related proteins was analyzed by Western blot, Real-time PCR assay and immunocytochemistry.
Results
In vitro, cell proliferation and migration were slowed down after atropine intervention in normal ARPE-19 cells. Intervention of ARPE-19 cells with atropine for 24 hours resulted in increased COL1A1 expression both in protein and mRNA level, while fibronectin was decreased. The expression of ZO-1 and E-cadherin were increased and MMP-2 expression was decreased in ARPE-19 cells after atropine treatment. In vivo, myopic refractive error and axial changes were slowed down by atropine in FDM guinea pigs. COL1A1 in scleral was significantly lower in the more myopic eyes than normal eyes, while MMP-2 protein expression was elevated. In the RPE choroidal complex, E-cadherin and ZO-1 protein expression as well as CDH-1 mRNA expression decreased in FDM guinea pigs and increased after atropine intervention.
Conclusions
Atropine may inhibit the damage of RPE barrier function in myopia by increasing the ZO-1 and E-cadherin expression.
Gas Formation in Pyogenic Liver Abscess Is Independently Correlated with Diabetes Mellitus but not with Pathogenic Bacteria
Authors: Guo Yawen , Wang Hongguang , Gong Zibo , Chen Lulu , Wang Hairui , Chang Zhihui
Published: March 2024

Background
Gas formation is a typical imaging feature of pyogenic liver abscess (PLA). However, the underlying mechanism of gas formation and its impact on the clinical characteristics of PLA remains unclear. The current study investigated the clinical characteristics of gas-forming PLA (GFPLA) and explored risk factors for GFPLA from both the host and pathogenic bacterium perspectives.
Results
The GFPLA group exhibited greater disease severity and a higher in-hospital mortality rate. The proportions of patients with diabetes mellitus (DM, P < 0.001) and biliary abnormality (P = 0.001) were higher in the GFPLA group. DM was an independent risk factor for GFPLA, whereas the time from symptom onset to CT and positivity for Klebsiella pneumoniae and Escherichia coli were not independent risk factors for GFPLA. 16S rDNA sequencing revealed no significant differences in bacterial community richness, diversity, evenness, and composition between the groups(P all > 0.05). In vitro fermentation experiments illustrated that high glucose levels was associated with greater gas production by both Klebsiella pneumoniae and Escherichia coli than low glucose levels (both P < 0.01).
Conclusion
GFPLA was associated with more severe disease and greater in-hospital mortality than non-GFPLA. Gas formation in PLA might be related to high blood glucose levels, but not to pathogenic bacteria composition.
“I tell you what it’s the hardest job”: The experiences of informal carers providing support for people with dementia at home in the last year of life
Authors: Mogan Caroline , Dening Karen Harrison , Dowrick Christopher , McCarrick Kelly , Lloyd-Williams Mari
Published: March 2024

Background: More people are dying at home with dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. While there is growing recognition of the central role that unpaid, informal carers play when supporting people with dementia to die at home, knowledge gaps remain around how to best support them as they care for the person during the last year of life.
Aim: To explore the experiences of bereaved informal carers who had provided care for a person with dementia living at home in the last year of life.
Design: A qualitative interview study. Data were analysed using thematic analysis.
Participants: 29 bereaved informal caregivers who had supported a person with dementia living at home in the last year of life.
Results: Caring for a person with dementia at home in the last year of life can be emotionally, mentally, and physically overwhelming. Carers described the challenges that they faced when trying to ensure that they met the needs of the person with dementia so that they could remain at home. Three overarching themes were developed from the data: Managing end-of-life symptoms and associated conditions; Living with uncertainty; and Impacts on wellbeing
Conclusions: Supporting a person with dementia at home in the last year of life can jeopardise informal carers own health, finances, relationships, and overall wellbeing. Many felt that they had limited understanding about the prognosis of dementia and how this would impact on caring at home, leaving them feeling unsupported amidst the incredible responsibilities placed on them. Informal carers would benefit from learning how to provide practical aspects care for the person with dementia in the home, as well as support when making decisions for the person with dementia towards the end-of-life.
Highly- sensitive to n-hexane vapors SPR sensor with an additional ZnO layer
Authors: Dorozinsky Glib , Kachur Natalia , Dorozinska Hanna , Fedorenko Artem , Yatsenko Iryna , Maslov Volodymyr
Published: March 2024

Offered, developed and experimentally tested in this work is the multilayer element highly sensitive to n-hexane vapors. This element is aimed to be used in the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) sensor with a plasmon-carrying gold layer covered with a sorption layer of zinc oxide (ZnO). The bandgap width inherent to these layers prepared using sol-gel technology reached Eg = 3.198...3.3 eV, in dependency on the oxide layer thickness. The bulk porosity of the layers was 15.5 up to 69.5 vol.%, also in dependency on the oxide layer thickness. The surface micro-roughness of ZnO layer with the optimal thickness close to 20 nm was increased by 4.4 times as compared with that of pure gold surface without ZnO layer. Sensory properties of sensitive elements were studied relatively to vapors of the following solvents in air: isopropanol, acetone and n-hexane. The highest sensitivity of the sensor was inherent to n-hexane. The response of SPR sensor, when using the additional ZnO layer of the optimal thickness 20 nm, was 4-fold increased from 247 up to 952 ang.sec., if comparing with the sensor without ZnO layer. The selectivity to hexane as compared with that for isopropanol and acetone in the case of the of ZnO-modified sensor was enhanced practically 2-fold from 3.1 up to 5.6 times. The obtained results can be applied to monitor n-hexane vapors in air.
Effect of Mechanical Loading on the Calcification of Intervertebral Discs：Quantitative Analysis
Authors: Gao Xin , Qin Bing , Feng Pengcheng , Cao Shengwei , Zhou Lu , Qian Zhiyu , Zhu Qiaoqiao
Published: March 2024

Mechanical loading was associated with IVD calcifications, however how mechanical loading affects calcium (Ca2+) and phosphate (Pi) concentration were unknown yet. This study aims to investigate the effects of mechanical loading on the change of calcium and phosphate concentrations in the human intervertebral disc (IVD) with a modeling approach. A finite element model was adopted and extended based on the triphasic continuum mixture theory. The disc was modeled as an inhomogeneous, porous, mixture consisting of a negatively charged solid phase, a fluid phase, and the solute phase (e.g., Na+, Cl−, Ca2+, Pi). The material properties of fixed charge density, hydraulic permeability, and solute diffusivities were nonlinearly coupled with tissue deformation. The interactions among tissue deformation, electrical charge, fluid, and solute transport were considered. We found that average calcium concentration increased 30% in cartilaginous endplate, 18% in nucleus pulposus, 25% in annulus fibrosus, while the phosphate concentration decreased 17% in cartilaginous endplate, 20% in nucleus pulposus, and 11% in annulus fibrosus, when the load on the disc increased from 0.5 MPa to 1.0 MPa. The difference in the trend between [Ca2+] and [Pi] is mainly caused by the Donnan effects due to the existence of the fixed charge density in the IVDs. Higher mechanical loading increases the fixed charge density (due to deformation) and thus leads to even larger Donnan effects. Our results indicate that large mechanical loading may increase the risk potential of IVD calcification. This study is important for understanding the mechanisms of mechanical loading related IVD calcification.
Understanding mental health of students and teachers within universities: A cross-sectional, multicultural analysis across three European countries
Authors: García-Salido Cristina , Miedaner Felix , Hasseler Martina , Hlubučková Andrea , Ramírez-Baraldes Estel·la , García-Gutiérrez Daniel
Published: March 2024

Knowing the state of mood of the university community is becoming a necessity to assess whether it is necessary to apply solutions to the mental health problems emerging after the state of health alarm experienced by covid-19. At present, there are no known studies comparing mood states between students and teachers within the academic organizational setting, nor between different European countries. But mental health is a critical issue at universities due to the overwhelming transition, intense competition, stigma, and high prevalence of mental health disorders among students. The combination of academic pressure, social challenges, and reluctance to seek help creates a pressing need for support and resources to address mental health concerns and promote student well-being. In light of this, this study focused on analyzing the relationship between individuals' role, geographical location, and their emotional health, using the EVEA scale to assess sadness-depression, anxiety, anger-hostility, and happiness in a sample of students and teachers. The results revealed significant findings between different members of the same community and between different European countries. Our findings serve as a potential starting point to derive recommendations to improve the mental health of university communities.
Forest Cover Loss and Forest Fire Monitoring Using GIS And GEE Over Similipal Tiger Reserve, Odisha, India
Authors: Das Rasmi Ranjan , Nandi Debabrata
Published: March 2024

Similipal Biosphere Reserve is indeed an important natural treasure and holds significance for several reasons as the 7th largest biosphere reserve in India. India’s Mayurbhanj is one among the World’s Greatest Places of 2023 along with the Similipal Biosphere, the Time magazine has included it is the only place in the world where black melanistic tigers were spotted that’s why the researchers all across the globe are curious to explore Mayurbhanj and its rich biodiversity. The Similipal comprises 7% flowering plants, 8% Orchids, 7% Reptiles, 20% birds and 11% mammals. A significant natural resource, forests are crucial to preserving the ecological equilibrium. Forests are now endangered by both man-made and natural forest fires as a result of growing population and civilisation. Basically, there are three different categories into which forest fire causes may be divided: Natural, Intentional/Deliberate, Accidental, and Unintentional are the four categories. In India, human anthropogenic activities that involve slash-and-burn agriculture, deforestation, controlled burning, firewood burning, etc. are to blame for almost 90% of forest fires. Therefore, in nations like India, it is crucial to monitor and manage forest fires. Anthropogenic impact can easily be detected with the satellite data such as Landsat-5, Landsat-8 & MODIS are collected and processed in Arc GIS 10.8 & Google Earth Engine.
Assessing positivity and negativity biases: Emotions and attitudes influence animal cognitive salience in a French National Park
Authors: Descours Théo , Carrière Stéphanie M. , Moreau Clémence , Boudjema Valentine , Blanco Julien
Published: March 2024

Human representations, attitudes and behaviors are influenced by a range of cognitive biases increasingly understood by neuroscience, psychology and economics. Similarly, how cognitive biases affect people’s relationships with non-human livings is an emerging research topic in conservation biology. Yet, assessing cognitive biases remain a methodological challenge in this field of research that mostly rely on in-vivo methods. This study presents an interview-based approach that links cognitive salience and people’s attitudes and emotions to assess positivity and negativity biases. The approach was tested in the Cevennes National Park in France where we investigated how animal cognitive salience was influenced by people’s attitudes and emotions towards animals. Interviews conducted with 100 respondents combined free-listing tasks of the fauna to assess animal cognitive salience and questions to inform people’s attitudes and emotions towards listed animals. Relationships between cognitive salience and attitudes and emotions were analyzed through multi- and bivariate analyses. Respondents listed a total of 154 animals and mainly associated them with positive attitudes and emotions. A significant relationship was found between animal cognitive salience and people’s attitudes and emotions (ANOVA, p < 0.0001): animals associated with positive emotions were more salient in people’s minds than others, and disliked and negative animals had the second highest cognitive salience score. Aligning with neuroscience advances, results suggested the coexistence of a positivity bias and, to a lesser extent, of a negativity bias. We finally discuss the limitations and transferability potential of this approach for further investigating how cognitive biases may influence biodiversity conservation efforts.
A trace principle for fractional Laplacian with an application to image process
Authors: Xiao Jie , Yue Chengjun
Published: March 2024

Let $u_\alpha(x,t)$, $\alpha \in (0,2)$ be the solution of the equation $$\Delta_{x,t} u_\alpha(x,t)+(1-\alpha)t^{-1}\partial_t u_\alpha(x,t)=0$$ on $\mathbb R^{n+1}_+=\mathbb{R}^n\times(0,\infty)$ subject to $u_\alpha(x,0)=f(x)$ on $\mathbb{R}^n$. As the endpoint of the Poisson-Bessel potential $u_\alpha$, the potential $u_0(x,t)$ solves the equation $$ \Delta_{x,t} \big((\ln t^{-1})u_0(x,t)\big)+t^{-1}\partial_t \big((\ln t^{-1})u_0(x,t)\big)=0 $$ on $\mathbb R^{n+1}_+$ subject to $u_0(x,0)=f(x)$ on $\mathbb{R}^n$. The main goal of this paper is to characterize a nonnegative measure $\mu$ on $\mathbb R^{n+1}_+$ such that $f(x)\mapsto u_\alpha(x,t)$ induces a bounded embedding from the fractional $L^1$-Hardy-Sobolev space $H^{\alpha,1}(\mathbb{R}^n)$, $\alpha \in (0,2)$ into the weak Lebesgue space $WL^q_{\mu}(\mathbb R^{n+1}_+)$, $q\in [1,\infty)$ and $f(x)\mapsto u_0(x,t)$ induces a bounded embedding from the Hardy $H^{0,1}(\mathbb{R}^n)$ into the Lebesgue space $L^q_{\mu}(\mathbb R^{n+1}_+)$, $q\in [1,\infty)$. Building upon the trace principles, we exploit $H^{\alpha,1}$ space for image characterization instead of the bounded variation space. Our proposed $(H^{\alpha,1}, L^q)$ and $(H^{\alpha,1}, \log)$ decomposition for image denoising demonstrate superior restorations, particularly in edges and texture preservation, when compared to the ROF model \cite{ROF}, as illustrated in the simulations.
2020 Mathematics Subject Classification. 31C15, 42B35, 42B37, 28A78.
Does the Addition of Radiation to Neoadjuvant Systemic Therapy Improve Outcomes for Patients with Resected Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma? Analysis of the National Cancer Database
Authors: Amini Neda , Demyan Lyudmyla , Shah Manav , Standring Oliver , Gazzara Emma , Lad Neha , Deutsch Garry , Weiss Matthew , Herman Joseph , DePeralta Danielle K
Published: March 2024

Purpose
The incorporation of neoadjuvant radiation therapy into the treatment algorithm for pancreatic cancer is a topic of ongoing debate. This study compares neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) alone to NAC combined with radiation (NAC + RT).
Methods
Using the national cancer database, we identified patients diagnosed with pancreatic adenocarcinoma from 2018–2019. We assessed the pathological response using the “post therapy path” variable, with complete pathologic response (pCR) indicating no residual disease in the resected specimen.
Results
Among the 4,079 patients in the study, pCR was achieved in 4.1%. Treatment with NAC + RT was associated with an increased rate of pCR (6.1%) compared with the NAC alone (3.2%) (P < 0.001). An interval > 11 weeks between surgery and radiation correlated with a higher pCR rate (≤ 11 weeks: 4.8% vs. >11 weeks: 7.8%; P = 0.038). Additionally, NAC + RT was associated with more AJCC downstaging (n = 627, 57.1%) compared to the NAC group (n = 1,147, 40.8%) (P < 0.001). Pathologic complete response was associated with improved OS regardless of neoadjuvant treatment modality.
Conclusion
This study gives a real world snap-shot of utilization of neoadjuvant therapy for PDAC in the United States. NAC + RT is associated with improved pCR, AJCC downstaging, and margin-negative resections. Further study is needed to define the role of NAC + RT in the management of PDAC.
DeepBike: A Deep Reinforcement Learning Based Model for Large-scale Online Bike Share Rebalancing
Authors: Yin Zhuoli , Kou Zhaoyu , Cai Hua
Published: March 2024

Bike share systems (BSSs), as a potentially environment-friendly mobility mode, are being deployed globally. To address spatially and temporally imbalanced bike and dock demands, BSS operators need to redistribute bikes among stations using a fleet of rebalancing vehicles in real-time. However, existing studies mainly generate BSS rebalancing solutions for small-scale BSSs or subsets of BSSs, while deploying small-size rebalancing fleets. How to produce online rebalancing solutions for large-scale BSS with multiple rebalancing vehicles to minimize customer loss is critical for system operation yet remains unsolved. To address this gap, we proposed a deep reinforcement learning based model — DeepBike — that trains deep Q-network (DQN) to learn the optimal strategy for dynamic bike share rebalancing. DeepBike uses real-time states of rebalancing vehicles, stations and predicted demands as inputs to output the long-term quality values of rebalancing actions of each rebalancing vehicle. Rebalancing vehicles could work asynchronously as each individually runs the DQN. We compared the performance of the proposed DeepBike against baseline models for dynamic bike share rebalancing based on historical trip records from Divvy BSS in Chicago, which possesses more than 500 stations and 16 rebalancing vehicles. The evaluation results show that our proposed DeepBike model was able to better reduce customer loss by 111.09% and 57.6% than the mixed integer programming and heuristic-based models, respectively, and increased overall net profits by 101.26% and 220.01%, respectively. The DeepBike model is effective for large-scale dynamic bike share rebalancing problems and has the potential to improve the operation of shared mobility systems.
Comparing Human Text Classification Performance and Explainability with Large Language and Machine Learning Models Using Eye-Tracking
Authors: Nanda Gaurav , Venkatesh Jeevithashree Divya , Jaiswal Aparajita
Published: March 2024

To understand the alignment between reasonings of humans and artificial intelligence (AI) models, this empirical study compared the human text classification performance and explainability with a traditional machine learning (ML) model and large language model (LLM). A domain-specific noisy textual dataset of injury narratives had to be classified into six cause-of-injury codes. While the ML model was trained on pre-labelled injury narratives, LLM and humans did not receive any specialized training. The explainability of different approaches was compared using the words they focused on during classification. These words were identified using eye-tracking for humans, explainable AI approach LIME for ML model, and prompts for LLM. The classification performance of ML model was relatively better than LLM and humans- overall and particularly for complicated and challenging to classify narratives. The top-3 words used by ML and LLM for classification agreed with humans to a greater extent as compared to later words.
Nanoindentation to microhardness correlation coefficient and Tabor factor determination in relation to microstructure in eutectic SnBi alloy
Authors: Starostina Nataliya , Hartman Aja , Cole Rosemary , Li Dongmeng , Park Jong W.
Published: March 2024

Determining strength to hardness correlation coefficients from localized hardness measurements in correspondence to microstructure and composition leads the way to inexpensive, non-destructive ways to predict tensile properties of bulk materials which is important for developing preventive maintenance procedures in the semiconductor industry. Nanoindentation and microhardness tests were performed on an in-house prepared eutectic SnBi alloy. Both linear correlation coefficients, C1, between nanoindentation and Vickers microhardness, and k, between Vickers microhardness and ultimate tensile strength, were determined based on experimental measurements. Elemental composition and eutectic morphology were verified by scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive spectroscopy to emphasize the importance of considering composition, microstructure and strengthening mechanisms when estimating correlations. The correlation coefficients, C1 and k, were found to be ~ 1.7 and ~ 4.0 respectively indicating that composition, microstructure and strengthening play important role in hardness-strength relation. Comparisons to coefficients estimated from data available for SnBi alloy and other alloy systems are discussed.
Analysis of the Uplink SINR of an IRS-Aided 6G Network
Authors: Mahbub Mobasshir , Shubair Raed M.
Published: March 2024

The investigation's principal purpose is to expand coverage, i.e., enable superior transmission, by utilizing IRS inside micro cellular transmission across a two-tier 6G infrastructure constituted by one micro cellular tier running within a macro cell-based tier. As a consequence, the paper investigated and contrasted the performance of regular micro cellular connectivity to IRS-enhanced micro cellular networking in terms of upstream received power utilizing simulation-based measuring approaches. According to the research, implementing IRS enhances coverage, i.e., transmission effectiveness, for 6G services significantly.
Nutritional Value and Chemical Composition of Selected Fodders; Feed Intervention in Smallholder Dairy Farms in Kenya
Authors: OKTOTO C W , Ondiek J O , Ndambi O A
Published: March 2024

This study evaluated the nutritional value and chemical composition of five selected fodder; Boma Rhodes, lucerne, greenleaf Desmodium, chicory, and sweet potato vines which were collected from three geographically distinct regions: Bomet, Nyandarua, and Nyeri, and taken for chemical analysis in the Animal Nutrition laboratory in Animal Science department at Egerton University. These fodder species were analysed for their proximate composition, metabolisable energy, and van Soest composition. All these analyses were done on a dry matter basis. All these results were analysed at P < 0.05. The results revealed significant variations in the nutritional profiles of these diets across the three regions. Bomet exhibits specific trends in crude protein and dry matter, while Nyandarua showcases variability in ether extract and total ash content. Nyeri emphasises differences in crude protein and ash content. These findings provide valuable insights into the regional variations in the chemical composition of fodder, highlighting the importance of tailoring dietary strategies for livestock based on the local environment. The study contributes to the existing literature by offering a comprehensive analysis of the nutritional value of common livestock diets in diverse regions, aiding farmers and researchers in optimizing animal nutrition and enhancing overall agricultural practices.
Culture-dependent bacterial diversity of an invasive Bondar’s nesting whitefly, Paraleyrodes bondari Peracchi on different hosts
Authors: Pujar Kishor , B. Shivanna , D. Jemal Naik
Published: March 2024

The nymphs and adults of Paraleyrodes bondari collected on seven hosts from different locations of Karnataka, India during 2021–2023. 91 facultative bacterial colonies were isolated from nymphs and adults of P. bondari by using spread-plate technique and identified through 16srRNA sequencing. In which nymphs showed high bacterial abundance (54.95%) than adults (45.05%). The P. bondari collected on coconut harboured more (30) number of bacteria followed by banana (21). Phylum Bacillota was dominant (56.52%) in P. bondari followed by Pseudomonadota (30.43%). Bacilli was found dominant (43.33 to 72.73%) in P. bondari followed by Gamma-proteobacteria (10 to 38.10%). Among 13 orders, Bacillales was dominant (36 to 72%) followed by Enterobacteriales (9 to 20%). 23 to 60% of the bacteria were belong to Bacillaceae followed by Staphylococcaceae (4.76 to16.66%). Bacillus was dominant genus (23.33 to 60%) and B. cereus, B. licheniformis, B. subtilis were common in both nymphs and adults.
Comparative Analysis of Hydrogel Adsorption/Desorption with and without Surfactants
Authors: Dhahir Salam Abdulla , Braihi Auda Jabbar , Habeeb Salih Abbas
Published: March 2024

In this study, the hydrogel (SAP-1) was prepared by grafting acrylic acid-co-acrylamide onto pullulan (Pul-g-Poly (acrylic acid-co-acrylamide)) and the sponge hydrogel (SAP-2) was prepared by adding the surfactant sodium dodecyl benzene. sulfonate (SDBS) by free radical solution polymerization. Several properties were used to determine the efficiency of the prepared hydrogels such as Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, hydrogen nuclear magnetic resonance (1H NMR), atomic absorption spectroscopy, and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) to further understand the composition and properties of the hydrogels. On the other hand, the absorption kinetics were studied and analyzed with the experimental equilibrium capacities of the prepared hydrogels were determined. The results demonstrated that each of the prepared hydrogels is an effective adsorbent of cadmium (II), copper (II), and nickel (II) ions. SAP-2 gel is characterized by its high ability to absorb cadmium (II) ions at a rate of 190.72 mg/g, followed by SAP-1 gel for absorbing cadmium (II) ions at a rate of 146.9 mg/g and copper (II) ions at a rate of 154 mg/g. The hydrogel (SAP- 2) with its high ability to repeat the adsorption-absorption cycles 3 times for cadmium (II) ions, the absorption capacities were 190.72 mg/g, 100.43 mg/g, and 19.64 mg/g at first, second, and third cycles, respectively. Based on the above results, all the prepared hydrogels are good candidates for adsorption and desorption of cadmium (II), copper (II), and nickel (II) ions.
Enhancing Targeted Marketing Strategies: Interpretable Uplift Modeling to Identify Key Client Segments
Authors: BAMIDELE TOYOSI , Mgbaja Uchenna
Published: March 2024

Uplift modeling stands at the forefront of machine learning innovation, serving as a pivotal tool for quantifying the causal effect of marketing strategies on consumer decisions. This paper explores the intricacies of uplift modeling, examining its theoretical framework and the practical application of its principal methodologies: the one-model, two-model, and class transformation techniques. Through an empirical study of a Portuguese bank's direct phone marketing campaigns, we aim to discern the predictive capability of uplift modeling in determining client engagement with term deposit subscriptions. We present a detailed comparative analysis of the uplift modeling techniques, scrutinizing their effectiveness and limitations within the context of our dataset. The findings reveal that the class transformation approach, specifically using CatBoost, significantly outperforms its counterparts, providing a marked increase in predictive accuracy and customer conversion rates. This insight emphasizes the potential of uplift modeling to identify key customer segments for targeting, enhancing the precision and ROI of marketing initiatives. Our study contributes to the expanding literature on causal inference and targeted marketing, providing a pathway for businesses to fine-tune their marketing strategies. The application of the uplift models detailed in this paper transcends the scope of banking, offering a versatile framework for various industries to deploy data-informed decisions, thereby fostering revenue growth and optimizing marketing expenditures.
Effect of Polyethylene Glycol (PEG)-induced drought stress on germination and seedling development of capsicum varieties
Authors: Bhujel Prabina , Yadav Pankaj Kumar , Karki Suman , Sharma Asha
Published: March 2024

Food security is one of the major global challenges of the twenty-first century. Crop yield is estimated to decline by 5 to 30% from 2050 onwards compared to 1990. Climate change has a major impact on crop production. Drought stress is a significant environmental factor affecting plant growth and crop productivity and understanding its impact on capsicum production is crucial for development of drought-tolerant varieties. This experiment was carried out to find the drought tolerant varieties. The study was conducted in two factorial completely randomized designs with three replications, subjecting capsicum seeds of four different varieties to three different polyethylene glycol concentrations. The observation revealed that Boxer and California wonder showed statistically similarity in most of the growth parameters where Ganga showed significantly reduced performances in few parameters at seedling stage with increase in PEG concentration. Unlike these varieties, Red Variety showed drastic reduction in all the parameters. Results showed these varieties were more tolerant even up to higher drought conditions up to -0.36 MPa, but the red variety was susceptible even to lower drought conditions (-0.18 MPa). The four capsicum varieties were grouped into two clusters, with the Red variety genotype in one and Boxer, California Wonder, and Ganga under another. The promising varieties Boxer, California Wonder, and Ganga were identified as drought tolerant and can be utilized in breeding programs aimed at developing drought tolerant capsicum varieties or can be recommended in areas with lower irrigation facilities. Based on the results, it is recommended to explore the genetic basis of drought tolerance in capsicum genotypes. This can be achieved through genetic studies, such as quantitative trait loci (QTL) mapping and genomic selection, to identify the key genes and markers associated with drought tolerance in these tolerant varieties Boxer, Ganga, and California Wonder. Furthermore, breeding programs should be initiated to develop new capsicum varieties with enhanced drought tolerance, incorporating the identified drought-tolerant genetic traits and genes.
Non-Communicable Diseases Impact Low-Income Households in Malaysia
Authors:   School of Business and Economics, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Selangor, Malaysia, Isamail Norfatihah , Said Rusmawati ,   Office of Deputy Dean (Thesis, Student Affairs and Media), School of Gradute Studies, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Selangor, Malaysia, Ismail Normaz Wana ,   Office of Deputy Dean (Research, Funding, Corporate and Community Linkages), UPM School of Business and Economics, Selangor, Malaysia, Haron Sharifah Azizah ,   Department of Resource Management and Consumer Studies, Faculty of Human Ecology, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Selangor, Malaysia
Published: March 2024

Background: Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) have a vast and rising impact on households at all income levels across the globe, particularly with poorer people bearing the burden. Hence, this study examines NCDs’ effects on Malaysia’s B40 group (low-income earners). Methods: This study used the 2015 National Health and Morbidity Survey, a populationbased cross-sectional survey with 18,616 respondents from B40 households in Malaysia. Logistic regression analysis is used to assess NCDs’ influence on poverty. Results: In 2015, more than 20% of the B40 households lived below the poverty level. In addition, the B40 households had a greater prevalence of NCDs, with almost half of them diagnosed with at least one NCD (47.32%); hypertension (9.90%), diabetes mellitus (17.12%) and hypercholesterolemia (22.89%). Households with a member having an NCD are more likely to experience poverty than those without NCDs. The results also suggested that B40 households with catastrophic payments were at a 25% threshold; the elderly, individuals without formal education and unpaid workers were more likely to experience poverty. Conclusion: The findings suggest that NCDs increase the likelihood of B40 households falling into poverty. These facts highlight the necessity of safeguarding B40 households from the financial burden of NCDs by creating more effective financial protection plans for Malaysia’s lowincome earners.