bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Comparative study of Artificial Neural Network (ANN) and Support Vector Regression (SVR) in rainfall-runoff modeling of Awash Belo Watershed, Awash River Basin, Ethiopia.
Authors: Belina Yonata , Kebede Asfaw
Published: May 2023

Hydrologic practices and other hydrological applications can be conducted successfully only when the stream flow behavior in a river watershed is estimated accurately. In-depth use of several machine learning techniques has been made to comprehend this hydrological phenomenon. In cases of in-depth research on the comparison of machine learning algorithms, the literature is still lacking. This study compares the performance of Support Vector Regression (SVR) and Artificial Neural Network (ANN) in rainfall-runoff modeling of the Awash Belo Watershed. The technique of optimal model input selection for the Machine learning method has been assessed using Auto Correlation and Cross-Correlation Functions. The optimal model input for this research was rainfall and discharge with their lag one and two. Four criteria have been chosen to assess the consistency between the recorded and predicted flow rates: the Root-Mean-Square Error, the Coefficient of Determination, Nash Sutcliff, and the Mean absolute error. The optimized parameters for these models were selected using the GridSearchCV optimization technique with 10 cross-validations. The daily runoff values computed using SVR and ANN models, and their corresponding daily discharges of 5 years during the testing periods (2001− 2005) were evaluated at R2, NSE, RMSE, and MAE with values 0.95, 0.95, 3.12, and 1.28 for ANN and 0.95, 0.96, 3, and 1.27 for SVR respectively. The two models showed comparable performance. Therefore, both model performs the same and can be applied to the study area to estimate flow rates for further investigation.
The lived experiences of Tuberculosis survivors during the COVID-19 pandemic and government lockdown in South Africa: a qualitative analysis
Authors: Scheunemann Ann , Moolla Aneesa , Mongwenyana Constance , Mkize Neliswe , Rassool Mohammed , Jezile Vuyokazi , Evans Denise
Published: May 2023

Background Tuberculosis (TB) is a major health concern in South Africa, where prior to COVID-19 it was associated with more deaths than any other infectious disease. The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted gains made in the global response to TB, having a serious impact on the most vulnerable. COVID-19 and TB are both severe respiratory infections, where infection with the one place individuals at increased risk for negative health outcomes for the other. Even after completing TB treatment, TB survivors remain economically vulnerable and continue to be negatively affected by TB.Methods This cross-sectional qualitative study, which was part of a larger longitudinal study in South Africa, explored how TB survivors’ experienced the COVID-19 pandemic and government restrictions. Participants were identified through purposive sampling and were recruited and interviewed at a large public hospital in Gauteng. Data were analyzed thematically, using a constructivist research paradigm and both inductive and deductive codebook development.Results Participants (n = 11) were adults (24–74 years of age; more than half male or foreign nationals) who had successfully completed treatment for pulmonary TB in the past two years. Participants were generally found to be physically, socioeconomically, and emotionally vulnerable, with the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbating or causing a recurrence of many of the same stressors they had faced with TB. Coping strategies during COVID similarly mirrored those used during TB diagnosis and treatment, including social support, financial resources, distraction, spirituality, and inner strength.Conclusions Implications and suggestions for future directions include fostering and maintaining a strong network of social support for TB survivors.
Dioscoreae persimilis polysaccharide ameliorates DSS-induced ulcerative colitis in mice through modulation of microbiota composition
Authors: Zhang Qian , Wu Guorong , Shen Shumin , Li Chong
Published: May 2023

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a non-specific inflammatory bowel disease with a high rate of recurrence, development of novel therapeutic approaches with high efficacy and few adverse effects are still needed. Dioscoreae persimilis is an edible plant that is widely consumed a remedy for gastrointestinal diseases in traditional Chinese medicine. Polysaccharides have been proven to have protective effects on UC. However, the role of polysaccharides from D. persimilis in UC have not been studied. The refined D. persimilis Polysaccharide (DP), which consists of glucose and galactose, was extracted and purified using three-phase partitioning (TPP) method. The primary chemical and structural characteristics of DP were investigated by UV, FT-IR, high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and high-performance gel-permeation chromatography (HPGPC). Based on dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) induced UC in mice, the alleviatory effect of DP on UC was explored. DP was found to alleviate histopathological changes of colon, improve colonic antioxidant capacity and ameliorate inflammation response in colitis mice. Moreover, 16S rDNA sequencing of fecal revealed that DP could restore the diversity and composition of gut microbiota, especially up-regulates the abundance of Acetatifactor, Lachnospiraceae and Lactobacillus, and increase the ratio of Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes. This study suggests DP may be used as a promising nutritional supplement to ameliorate colitis.
Adsorption of Methyl Orange and Methylene Blue from aqueous solutions using thermally treated biomass of pine leaves (Pinus kesiya)
Authors: Huynh Phuong Thao , Nguyen Duy-Khoi , Duong Bich-Ngoc , Nguyen Phi-Ho , Dinh Van-Phuc
Published: May 2023

The uptake of Methyl Orange (MO) and Methylene Blue (MB) from aqueous solutions onto Pine leaves (Pinus kesiya) was investigated in this work. The pine leaves was dried, grinded and thermally treated at 300 o C. Factors including pH solution, contact time, initial dye concentration were discovered to be relevant in the removal of dyes. Among four isotherm models (Langmuir, Sips, Freundlich, and Temkin), the experimental data was fitted the Langmuir model better than others. For MO and MB, the maximum Langmuir adsorption capacities were 136.99 mg.g − 1 and 140.85 mg.g − 1 , respectively. The kinetic studies demonstrated that the biosorption of MO and MB onto pine leaves was compatible with Elovich, pseudo-first-order, pseudo-second-order and intra-particle diffusion models. The thermodynamic studies showed that the uptake of the two dyes was regulated by physisorption, spontaneous, and endothermic in nature. Electrostatic interactions, as well as other non-covalent forces such as π–π interactions and hydrogen bonds, are mechanisms of dyes adsorption on heat treated pine leaves biomass. The current study found that pine leaves (Pinus kesiya) might be a potential biosorbent for the wastewater treatment due to their high availability and production, resulting in various environmental advantages.
Genetic Susceptibility of Vitamin D Receptor Gene Polymorphisms on Autosomal Recessive Primary Microcephaly Patients in Pakistani Population: A Case-Control and In-Silico Study
Authors: Aslam Komal , Anjum Iram , Aslam Kanwal , Haq Rukhama , Bashir Rasheeda
Published: May 2023

Background
Autosomal recessive primary microcephaly (MCPH) is a rare genetic disorder that leads to reduced cerebral cortex caused by a mutation in corticogenesis. The expression of the Vitamin D receptor (VDR) gene is involved in the proliferation and differentiation of neural stem cells, and VDRpolymorphisms have been associated with various neurological disorders. However, their relationship with MCPH has not been explored. This study aimed to investigate the association of VDRpolymorphisms with MCPH and its In-silico analysis.
Methods and Results
Blood samples of 64 MCPH patients and 52 controls were collected to genotype VDR SNPs (TaqI (rs731236), FokI (rs2228570) and BsmI (rs1544410)) . In-silico tools were also used to assess the effects of exonic SNPs on mRNA and protein structure and pathogenicity of exonic and intronic SNPs. The study found that serum 25-OH vitamin D3 levels were significantly different in MCPH patients and healthy controls (P=0.000). The genetic analysis showed that VDRpolymorphisms of FokI and BsmI were seven times more frequent in MCPH patients than in controls (P<0.05) and the dominant model for TaqI and recessive model for BsmI polymorphisms were also associated with the pathogenesis of MCPH. In-silico analysis showed that the pathogenicity effects of rs2228570 and rs1544410 are neutral while rs731236 causes a silent mutation which has no effect on VDR protein.
Conclusion
VDR polymorphisms of FokI and BsmI are associated with the risk of MCPH. These findings suggest that VDR polymorphisms play a role in MCPH, which could provide important insights for understanding the molecular mechanisms of the disease.
Evaluation of planned number of children, the well-being of the couple, and associated factors in a prospective cohort in Yokohama (HAMA study): study protocol
Authors: Hara Koji , Kuroki Makoto , Shiraishi Sayuri , Matsumura Shingo , Ito Shuichi , Kurasawa Kentaro , Arimoto Azusa , Matsuzaki Yohei
Published: May 2023

BackgroundMany developed countries including Japan are experiencing declining birth rates, particularly in urban areas. There is a gap between the planned number of children and the actual number of children, which has been attributed to various factors. The following issues that are considered indispensable for addressing the problem of declining birth rates have been rarely investigated: childcare leave and employment policies, childcare services, financial support, husbands’ contributions to household chores and childcare, marriage support, and the community. In addition, the relationship between these situations and their well-being is also important and is one of the main outcomes. Therefore, we propose the present HAMA study for having a baby, parenting, and marriage life (HAMA = 'H'aving 'A' baby, parenting, and 'MA'rriage life) in Yokohama (an urban area) to examine the aforementioned issues.MethodsIn this large-scale cohort study, we plan to elucidate the actual situation of families and child rearing in Yokohama, evaluate the current policies, and propose future measures to prevent a decline in birth rate. Overall, 10,000 young married couples (wives aged 20–39 years as of 2022) will be randomly selected, and a survey form will be sent to them annually. They will be followed up for 5 years to examine the factors associated with the planned number of children, well-being of the couple, childcare support policies, externalization of housework and childcare, fathers’ participation in housework and childcare, wives’ free time, loneliness and social connectedness, relationship with the spouse, and if they are working, questions regarding their work style and work-life balance will also be included. Ultimately, a conceptual model of the planned number of children and associated factors will be developed.DiscussionThis study will help identify issues related to families and childcare in the urban areas of Japan with high population concentrations. The separate collection of data from husbands and wives will help identify their connectedness or disconnectedness. In addition, this study will build a conceptual model for the planned number of children and well-being after considering various factors that reflect contemporary realities and urban characteristics.
ADT increases prostate cancer cell invasion via altering AR/SALL4/SOX2-OCT4 stem cell signaling
Authors: Guo Changcheng , Kadier Aimaitiaji , Zhang Zhijin , Huang Chi-Ping , Mao Shiyu , Yang Bin , Zheng Junhua , Yao Xudong
Published: May 2023

Early studies indicated that the androgen-deprivation-therapy with antiandrogen Enzalutamide could increase prostate cancer patients’ survival by an average of 4.8 months. Yet Enz might also have some adverse effects via increasing the PCa cell invasion. Here we found Enz treatment could increase oncogene SALL4 expression to increase the cancer stem cells population that resulted in increasing the PCa cell invasion. Mechanisn dissection revealed that Enz could function via androgen receptor to transcriptionally regulate the SALL4 expression via direct binding to the androgen-response-elements on the SALL4 5'-promoter. The consequences of such Enz/AR/SALL4 axis may then lead to transcriptionally increase the SOX2-OCT4 expression to increase the CSC population to increase the PCa cell invasion. Together, results from multiple in vitro cell lines and in vivo mouse model all conclude that Enz may induce the adverse effect of increasing PCa cell invasion via altering the AR/SALL4/SOX2-OCT4 signaling to increase the CSC population, and targeting this newly identified signaling with small molecule of sh-SALL4 may decrease this adverse effect to further suppress the PCa progression.
Impact of duration and number of subjects on students’ performance in junior clerkship
Authors: Aaraj Sahira , Kausar Ayisha , Farooqui Fareeha
Published: May 2023

Background:
Medical colleges need curriculum reforms in order to enhance clinical learning contingent on previous observations. Shifa College of medicine (SCM) introduced Family medicine clerkship for final year in year 2022. To accommodate this Paeds and Gynae Obs clerkships were shifted from final to fourth year. This resulted in two major curricular shifts, first: four examining (previously there were three) subjects in 4th professional MBBS exam and Second: 2 years of clinical exposure for Gynae Obs and Paeds (previously it was three years.
Methods:
This cross-sectional study was conducted from Jan 2021 to June 2022. Annual professional exam results of students of year 2021 and 2022 were included. We analyzed the effect of span of clinical teaching (2 years vs. three years) and the effect of number of examining subjects in professional exam (3 subjects vs. four subjects) on students’ final performance. Data was analysed by SPSS version 23. Mean scores ± SD for all theory and OSCE (Objectively structured clinical exam) were compared. Results were also compared for number of failures and high scores > 80 % between two study cohorts.
Results:
Two hundred and twenty students were enrolled in the study. No statistically significant difference was found in scores of Ophthalmology theory /OSCE, Gynae & Obs and ENT Theory and Paeds OSCE. Mean scores ± SD were significantly better in ENT OSCE (74.16 ± 6.38 vs. 64.25 ± 7.03, p-value = 0.000) and in Gynae & Obs OSCE (141.59 ± 15.59 vs. 146.66 ± 11.38, p-value 0.015) after 2 years of teaching/ four subjects in professional exam. Paeds theory results showed decline after 2 years of teaching as compared to three years teaching (65.01 ± 6.61 vs. 71.66 ± 7.88, p-value = 0.000).
Conclusion:
The curricular shift for introduction of Family medicine in senior clerkship with subsequent, reduction in teaching duration and increased number of subjects in 4th professional examination did not significantly affect students’ performance in junior clerkship.
Randomized Controlled Trial of Individualized Arousal-Biofeedback for children and adolescents with Disruptive Behavior Disorders (DBD)
Authors: Aggensteiner Pascal-M , Böttinger Boris , Baumeister Sarah , Hohmann Sarah , Heintz Stefan , Kaiser Anna , Häge Alexander , Werhahn Julia , Hofstetter Christoph , Walitza Susanne , Franke Barbara , Buitelaar Jan , Banaschewski Tobias , Brandeis Daniel , Holz Nathalie E
Published: May 2023

Background:
Disruptive behavior disorders (including conduct disorder (CD) and oppositional defiant disorder (ODD)) are common childhood and adolescent psychiatric conditions often linked to altered arousal. The recommended first-line treatment is multi-modal therapy and includes psychosocial and behavioral interventions. Their modest effect sizes along with clinically and biologically heterogeneous phenotypes, emphasize the need for innovative personalized treatment targeting impaired functions such as arousal dysregulation.
Methods:
A total of 37 children aged 8-14 years diagnosed with ODD/CD were randomized to 20 sessions of individualized arousal biofeedback using skin conductance levels (SCL-BF) or active treatment as usual (TAU) including psychoeducation and cognitive-behavioral elements. The primary outcome was the change in parents´ ratings of aggressive behavior measured by the Modified Overt Aggression Scale. Secondary outcome measures were subscales from the Child Behavior Checklist, the Inventory of Callous-Unemotional traits and the Reactive-Proactive Aggression Questionnaire.
Results:
The SCL-BF treatment was neither superior nor inferior to the active TAU. Both groups showed reduced aggression after treatment with small effects for the primary outcome and large effects for some secondary outcomes. Importantly, successful learning of SCL self-regulation was related to reduced aggression at post-assessment.
Conclusions:
Individualized SCL-BF was not inferior to active TAU for any treatment outcome with improvements in aggression. Further, participants were on average able to self-regulate their SCL, and those who best learned self-regulation showed the highest clinical improvement, pointing to specificity of SCL-BF regulation for improving aggression. Further studies with larger samples and improved methods, for example by developing BF for mobile use in ecologically more valid settings are warranted.
Statistical Analysis of Experimental Factors for Synthesis of Copper and Tin Oxide for Antibacterial Applications
Authors: Rezayat Mohammad , Karamimoghadam Mojtaba , Yazdi Morteza Saghafi , Moradi Mahmoud , Bodaghi Mahdi
Published: May 2023

This research article investigates the impact of three input variables, including Cu Composition (%), Heating Temperature (C), and Milling Time (h), on the final production of copper-tin alloy nanoparticles for the first time. The study uses design of experiments techniques and measures three output responses, including Particle Size (nm), Optical Density (ppm), and Number of Colonies. The research identifies the presence of new Cu3Sn phases in the final structure of nanoparticles. The results demonstrate that all three input factors have a significant impact on nanoparticle production, with mechanical alloying effectively producing nanoparticle powders up to 15 nanometers in size. The study reveals that increasing the percentage of copper in the final alloy leads to stronger antibacterial properties, as demonstrated by increased optical density and decreased colony counts. This work provides valuable insights into the antibacterial properties of copper-tin alloy nanoparticles and the influence of input variables on their structure and properties.
Patterns of care in locally advanced carcinoma lung: An audit from radiation Oncologist’s perspective
Authors: Ravi Aswin , Pathy Sushmita , Mallick Supriya , Malik Prabhat Singh , Kumar Sunil , Pandey RM
Published: May 2023

IntroductionThe standard of care in locally advanced NSCLC is concurrent chemo- radiation. This audit aims to document different treatment approaches offered in real world scenario and the resultant outcomes.MethodologyInstitute medical records during 2014–2018 were retrieved. Demographic and clinical data, different treatment offered with associated outcomes and the side effects were analysed. Various prognostic factors, disease‐free survival (DFS), and overall survival (OS) were evaluated.Results396 patients were eligible for the analysis of which 278 patients were treated with curative intent. The elderly population constituted 53% and 85.3% were male. Among allpatients, 86.7% were NSCLC and 13.3% were SCLC and 25.1% of them presented in locally advanced stage. The proportion of squamous cell and adenocarcinoma are 55.8% and 31.3% respectively. Although 71.6% of curative patients were given neoadjuvant therapy, only 53.2% could complete the scheduled number of cycles. Only 31.6% could actually receive chemo- radiotherapy. Surgical excision was done in 19.4% of patients. The compliance to concurrent and sequential chemo- radiation were 52.1% and 70.7% respectively. The median overall survival of the curative intent cohort is 17.5 months (9.3- 30.7 IQR) and the progression free survival is 9 months (4.4- 16.5 IQR). The median OS of the palliative intent cohort is 9.1 months (3.1- 15.7 IQR) and the PFS is 6.5 months (4.2- 12.7 IQR). Although, definitive chemo- radiation had lower median PFS, it provided significantly superior long-term survival outcome when compared to surgery with adjunct therapy. Median PFS, median OS, OS at 1.5 and 2- years were not significantly different. No significant differences in survival outcomes between concurrent versus sequential chemo- radiation approaches. Sequential CTRT, surgery with adjunct therapy had significantly better median PFS. Smoking, reception of intended treatment, and definitive chemo- radiation were significant prognostic factors in multivariate analysis.ConclusionCompared to global figures the outcome in the present study observed poorer outcome in terms of median PFS associated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy and concurrent chemo- radiation. Surgery may not lead to better outcomes in locally advanced NSCLC patients and the standard of care still remains definitive chemo- radiation.
COMT Val 158 Met polymorphism protects the impact of a mother's history of childhood trauma on emotional and behavioral problems in preschool children
Authors: Xavier Janaína , Bastos Clarissa Ribeiro , Marins Thayane Moreira , Camerini Laísa , Mello Daniele Behling , Antunes Bruna , Quevedo Luciana de Ávila , Matos Mariana Bonati , Pinheiro Ricardo Tavares , Ghisleni Gabriele
Published: May 2023

Childhood trauma has a well-established negative impact for mental health outcomes across the lifespan. Accumulating evidence now suggests that offspring's mental health problems can also be a consequence of intergenerational trauma transmission. A child's genetic background emerges as an important target in this outcome. This study aims to investigate the interactive effect of maternal childhood trauma and child COMT Val158Met polymorphism (rs4680) on offspring emotional/behavioral problems from a dyad of a population-based cohort that follow adolescent pregnant women and their children at age 4-5 and 11 years old. The behavior problems of 310 children were assessed using the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) instrument, and maternal trauma was assessed with the Child Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ) between the 20º to 22º gestational weeks. Regarding our results there was no direct association between the Val158Met polymorphism with emotional/behavioral problems in the children (p>0.05). However, we noted that maternal childhood trauma modified the effect of the Val158Met polymorphism on externalizing and total problems susceptibility. Children carrying the Val/Met genotype whose mothers have been exposed to childhood trauma are less likely to develop externalizing (p=0.020) and total problems (p=0.041) when compared with children homozygous (Val/Val and Met/Met). This association was maintained after adjustment for sex, age, and skin color. Thus, our findings reinforce evidence on the intergenerational impact of maternal trauma on emotional/behavioral problems and show that this risk is influenced by the genetic background of the individual, varying according to COMT genotype, which confers a protective character for development of externalizing and total problems.
Can hybrid models predict actual evapotranspiration instead of weighting lysimeters?
Authors: Sharafi Milad , Rezaverdinejad Vahid , Behmanesh Javad
Published: May 2023

Actual daily evapotranspiration (ET) can be considered as one of the most important meteorological parameters. One of the main ways to measure ET is using lysimeters, which are expensive tools, and the data obtained from them are not available in most parts of the world. Therefore, the purpose of this research is to provide an intelligent model that can predict ET using data obtained from cheap and available tools. To do this, data from two NE and SE lysimeters located in Potter County, Texas between 1996-1999 were used as input for SVR and SVR-FFA models in 13 scenarios. The results of this study showed that the SVR-FFA model with an error value of 1.22 mm/day for 1996, 1.14 mm/day for 1997, 1.56 mm/day for 1998, and 1.54 mm/day for 1999 has the highest accuracy for all combinations. Among the standalone SVR models, the SVR-13 model has performed better than other SVR combinations for all years with a Willmott's index of agreement above 0.87. The comparison between the inputs used for the models showed that the Rn and PAR parameters had the greatest impact on the accuracy of the SVR and SVR-FFA models, so they increased the accuracy of the models in every four years. One of the limitations of this study is the lack of access to some parameters such as minimum and maximum temperature in the study area. Therefore, it is suggested to measure these parameters and consider them as other inputs to measure the performance of the models.
Equation of State for Earth’s Mineral and MgSiO3-MgO System under High Compressions
Authors: Gaurav S. , Shankar S.
Published: May 2023

The thermodynamic parameters of MgSiO3-MgO system have been calculated by employing the modified Shanker equation of state (EOS) named “Higher Order Shanker (HOS) EOS ”. The modification is based on the inclusion of higher order terms in Shanker EOS. The Higher Order Shanker (HOS) EOS has been assessed for consistency with Stacey criteria for the variation of the pressure dependence of isothermal bulk modulus. The comparative analysis of the thermodynamic properties obtained from Higher Order Shanker (HOS) EOS with existing classical EOS such as the Birch-Murnagham, the Shanker, the Vinet, the Stacey, and electronic contribution analysis demonstrate that the proposed Higher Order Shanker (HOS) EOS is reliable EOS for computing thermodynamic properties of similar systems at higher pressures. Expressions for the bulk modulus and its pressure derivatives have been derived and reduced to the limit of infinite pressure. The expression thus obtained are useful for further analysis of higher derivatives thermoelastic properties.
Patterns of Ancestral Green Plants Codon Usage Bias Revealed through Rhodophyta
Authors: Yao Huipeng , Li Tingting , Ma Zheng , Wang Xiyuan , Xu Lixiao , Zhang Yuxin , Cai Yi , Tang Zizhong
Published: May 2023

Rhodophyta is one of the closest known relatives of green plants. Studying the codons of their genomes can provide us with a new understanding of how plants evolved from their unicellular and multicellular ancestors. Codon usage bias has been widely studied in some green plants. However, little is known about the characteristics of codon usage for green plant ancestors. Here, we have studied the codon usage patterns of all close ancestors for green plants, including four unicellular red algae and four multicellular red algae. Codon usage in almost all species is conservative. High-bias genes prefer codons ending with GC, but limited analysis indicates that it is likely to be caused by local mutation pressure. Our analysis proves that natural selection is the dominant factor for the codon usage bias of red algae in terms of translation accuracy and efficiency. It is worth noting that the selection of translation accuracy even can be found in the low-bias genes of individual species. The high-frequency codons are proven to evolve with tRNA together. Optimal codons are found to be complementary and bound to the tRNA genes with the highest copy number. Additionally, tRNA modification is found in the highly degenerate amino acids of all multicellular red algae and individual unicellular red algae. It seems that highly biased genes tend to use modified tRNA in translation. Determining optimal codons will help to design and carry out transgenic work in some economic red algae in the future, by maximizing the corresponding protein yield.
Carvacrol attenuated lipopolysaccharide-induced intestinal injury by down-regulating TLRs gene expression and regulating the gut microbiota in rabbit
Authors: Wu Diange , Xia Miao , Yan An , Jiang Haotian , Fan Jiaqi , Zhou Siyuan , Wei Xu , Liu Shudong , Chen Baojiang
Published: May 2023

This study was attended to investigate the mechanisms and effects of carvacrol (CAR) regulated lipopolysaccharide-induced (LPS) intestinal injury in rabbits. Forty 40d rabbits were allocated to a 2 (with or without CAR) × 2 (with or without LPS) factors completely random. LPS was intramuscularly injected on 28th day of the trial period, and samples were taken after injection 4h. The results showed that LPS could significantly increase IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8 and TNF-α levels in serum (P < 0.05), and increased the relative genes expression of TLR2, TLR4, MYD88, NF-κB, MAPK14, MAPK8, MAPK1, TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8 in the cecum (P < 0.05); The carvacarol could inhibit the increase of IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8 and TNF-α induced by LPS in serum (P < 0.05), meanwhile, inhibited the increase of genes expression of TLR2, TLR4, MYD88, NF-κB, MAPK14, MAPK8, MAPK1, TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8 in the cecum (P < 0.05). LPS could significantly damage the intestine such the intestinal composition was broken (P < 0.05) and the relative genes expression of ZO-1, Claudin-1 and Occludin were significantly decreased (P < 0.05), carvacarol could relived the intestinal damage induced by LPS (P < 0.05). The same phenomenon also appeared in the acetate, propionate and butyrate in cecal chyme (P < 0.05). LPS could significantly decrease the the relative abundance of Ruminococcus (P < 0.05); carvacrol could control the decrease of the relative abundance of Ruminococcus induced by LPS (P < 0.05). In conclusion, carvacrol can alleviate LPS-induced intestinal injury that reduces secretion of inflammatory cytokines by inhibiting TLRs/NF-κB/TNF-α/MAPK genes and regulating cecal microbiota in rabbits.
Rapid pesticide resistance bioassays for three major urban insects in Taiwan
Authors: Pai Hsiu-Hua , Chang Chun-Yung , Lin Kai-Chen , Hsu Err-Lieh
Published: May 2023

Background Taiwan’s warm and humid climate and dense population provide a suitable environment for the breeding of pests. The three major urban insects in Taiwan are house flies, cockroaches, and mosquitoes. In cases where a disease outbreak or high pest density necessitates chemical control, selecting the most effective pesticide is crucial. The resistance of pests to the selected environmental pesticide must be rapidly assessed to achieve effective chemical control and reduce environmental pollution.Methods In this study, we evaluated the resistance of various pests, namely, house flies (Musca domestica L.), cockroaches (Blattella germanica L. and Periplaneta americana), and mosquitoes (Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus), against 10 commonly used insecticides. Rapid pesticide resistance bioassays were performed using discriminating doses or concentrations of the active ingredients of insecticides.Results Five field strains of M. domestica (L) were resistant to all 10 commonly used insecticides and exhibited cross-resistance and multiple resistance to four types of pyrethrins and three types of organophosphates, propoxur, fipronil, and imidacloprid. None of the five field strains of P. americana were resistant to any of the tested insecticides, and only one strain of B. germanica (L.) was resistant to permethrin. One strain of A. albopictus was resistant to pirimiphos-methyl, whereas five strains of A. aegypti exhibited multiple resistance to pyrethrins, organophosphates, and other insecticides.Conclusions In the event of a disease outbreak or high pest density, rapid pesticide resistance bioassays may be performed using discriminating doses or concentrations to achieve precise and effective chemical control, reduce environmental pollution, and increase control efficacy.
GMOCSO: Multi-objective Cat Swarm Optimization Algorithm based on a Grid System
Authors: Ahmed Aram M. , Rashid Tarik A. , Saeed Soran Ab. M. , Noori Kaniaw A. , Hassan Bryar A. , Rahman Chnoor M , Ahmed Omed H. , Umar Shahla U. , Yaseen Zaher Mundher
Published: May 2023

This paper presents a multi-objective version of the Cat Swarm Optimization Algorithm called the Grid-based Multi-objective Cat Swarm Optimization Algorithm (GMOCSO). Convergence and diversity preservation are the two main goals pursued by modern multi-objective algorithms to yield robust results. To achieve these goals, we first replace the roulette wheel method of the original CSO algorithm with a greedy method. Then, two key concepts from Pareto Archived Evolution Strategy Algorithm (PAES) are adopted: the grid system and double archive strategy. Several test functions and a real-world scenario called the Pressure vessel design problem are used to evaluate the proposed algorithm's performance. In the experiment, the proposed algorithm is compared with other well-known algorithms using different metrics such as Reversed Generational Distance, Spacing metric, and Spread metric. The optimization results show the robustness of the proposed algorithm, and the results are further confirmed using statistical methods and graphs. Finally, conclusions and future directions were presented..
Where the toad crosses the road: Multi-method Texas herpetofauna roadkill modeling for conservation planning
Authors: Chyn Kristina , Tracy James L. , Wright Wendy , Fitzgerald Lee A. , Coulson Robert
Published: May 2023

Road mortality is a significant contributor to the global decline in herpetofauna, making regional roadkill models important for conservation planning. We used the iNaturalistRoadkills of Texascommunity science volunteered geographic information database to develop the first regional herpetofauna roadkill models in North America for: (1) all Texas herpetofauna combined; (2) Texas Horned Lizards (Phrynosoma cornutum), a Texas state threatened species; and (3) Gulf Coast Toads (Incilius nebulifer), a common generalist species. We novelly compare the utility of extrapolative feature-selected MaxEnt models to interpolative kernel density estimate models (KDEMs) of roadkill to inform conservation planning for sensitive Texas herpetofauna. A random subset feature selection algorithm was used to identify subsets of five to seven of 55 variables optimizing Maxent roadkill model performance and for ranking variables. MaxEnt roadkill models had acceptable to excellent accuracy, outperforming KDEMs for Texas herpetofauna combined and the Texas Horned Lizard. Both model types had poor accuracy in projecting Gulf Coast Toads roadkill, however, KDEMs had much lower complexity. Roadkill models of both types for various taxa revealed roadkill risk areas for partially sympatric sensitive species having insufficient data for individual models, including the Texas Tortoise (Gopherus berlandieri) and Houston Toad(Anaxyrus houstonensis). Top ranked variables in feature-selected MaxEnt roadkill models included distance to residential roads, human population density, percent cover developed open space, and spatial density of non-roadkill herpetofauna occurrences. Identified high roadkill risk areas should be further surveyed to refine roadkill projections and inform mitigation planning to support sensitive Texas herpetofauna conservation efforts.
Production,characterization and applications of cellulase from thermophilic Anoxybacillus and Bacillus
Authors: Sharif Sobia , Shah Asad Hussain , Fariq Anila , Jannat Sammyia , Rasheed Sajida Rasheed
Published: May 2023

Organic biomass is rich in cellulose and it is the most abundant substrate for biofuel production. To address the challenges posed by cellulosic biomass, cellulolytic microorganisms help improve the feasibility of biofuel production from cellulosic biomass. Present research was aimed to assess the cellulase production and activity of thermophilic isolates discovered from Tata Pani hot spring, Kotli AJ&K. Four thermophilic bacteria were screened for thermostable cellulase production on the basis of clear zone formation with 1 % CMC. Selected strains were Anoxybacillus mongoliensis (MBT001), Anoxybacillus flavithermus (MBT002), Bacillus spp. (MB004) and MBT003 (Anoxybacillus mongoliensis and Anoxybacillus flavithermus). Enzyme production and activity was assayed by DNS method. Optimum catalyst formation was observed and validated by RSM at 70 °C, 7 pH and 1.25 % substrate concentration with inocula size of 300 µL after 48 hrs of incubation. All the isolates gave maximum activity in presence of CMC upto range of 4.1-4.9 U/mL. Optimum enzyme activity of crude and purified enzyme was obtained upto range of 3-4 U/mL at pH 7. Crude and purified enzyme was stable upto 70 °C of temperature. Stability of cellulase from selected isolates was varied with surfactants and commercially available detergents being more stable with tween 20 and with commercially available Surf Excel. Cellulase from all isolates exhibited enzymatic hydrolysis of pre-treated banana peels. Crude cellulase from some isolates showed antimicrobial activity against Enterobacter and Pseudomonas. This study has showed that thermophilic bacteria are potential source of thermostable cellulase which can be highly used for many biotechnological purposes.
Quantitative metabarcoding of soil fungi and bacteria
Authors: Camacho-Sanchez Miguel
Published: May 2023

Metabarcoding is a powerful tool to characterize biodiversity in biological samples. The interpretation of taxonomic profiles from metabarcoding data has been hindered by their compositional nature. Several strategies have been proposed to transform compositional data into quantitative, with their intrinsic limitations. Here, I propose a workflow based on bacterial and fungal cellular internal standards (spike-ins) for absolute quantification of the microbiota in soil samples. These standards were added to the samples before DNA extraction in amounts estimated after qPCRs, to target around 1-2% coverage in the sequencing run. In bacteria, proportions of spike-in reads in the sequencing run were very similar (< 2-fold change) to those predicted by the qPCR assessment, but for fungi they differed up to 40-fold. The little variation between replicated samples highlights the reproducibility of the method. Estimates based on multiple bacterial spike-ins were highly correlated (r = 0.99). Procrustes analysis evidenced significant biological effects on the community composition when normalizing compositional data. A protocol based on qPCR estimation of input amounts of cellular spikes is proposed as a cheap and reliable strategy for quantitative metabarcoding of biological samples.
Large Eddy Simulations for the Ahmed Car at 25° Slant Angle at Different Reynolds Numbers
Authors: Menter Florian R. , Hüppe Andreas , Flad David , Garbaruk Andrey V. , Matyushenko Alexey A. , Stabnikov Andrey S.
Published: May 2023

The article investigates the feasibility of Large Eddy Simulation methods to accurately compute the flow around the Ahmed car body at 25° slant angle. The flow is computed at two different Reynolds numbers and with different turbulence modeling concepts using a large variety of grids. Issues associated with the accurate computation of the separation at the slant onset will be discussed in detail.
The effects of the “deadly trio” (warming, acidification, and deoxygenation) on fish early ontogeny
Authors: Pimentel Marta S. , Santos Catarina P. , Pegado Maria R. , Sampaio Eduardo , Pousão-Ferreira Pedro , Lopes Vanessa M. , Moura Omar , Santos David , Rosa Rui
Published: May 2023

The interaction between increased dissolved carbon dioxide, rising temperatures, and oxygen loss – the so-called “deadly trio” – is expected to strongly affect marine biota over the coming years, potentially undermining ocean services and uses. Nonetheless, no study has so far scrutinized the cumulative impact of these three stressors on fish embryonic and larval stages, known to be particularly vulnerable to environmental stress. To fill this knowledge gap, we implemented a fully multi-factorial design to investigate the effects of acute warming (Δ + 4°C; 22 ºC), acidification (Δ − 0.4 pH units; ~ 7.7 pCO2) and deoxygenation (Δ − 60% O2 saturation, ~ 3 mg O2 l− 1) over a comprehensive array of physiological (hatching success, survival rates, deformities rates, and heart rates) and behavioural responses (larvae responsiveness and phototaxis) across the early ontogeny of the temperate gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata). Deoxygenation was the main driver of negative impacts in the hatching success (64.25%), survival (46.71%), and heart rates (31.99%) of recently hatched larvae, being generally further exacerbated when warming and acidification co-occurred. On the other hand, acidification was the only factor to induce a significant decrease in the proportion of phototactic behaviour (50%). The behavioural and physiological responses showed to be highly correlated across experimental treatments, specifically, phototaxis was negatively correlated with the incidence of malformations, and positively correlated with heart rates. Overall, our findings indicate that the interaction between warming, acidification, and deoxygenation is markedly detrimental to fish early developmental stages, impacting several key features at this critical life stage that may eventually cause adverse carry-over effects. Importantly, our analysis highlights the need to assess the concurrent impacts of stressors’ interaction on marine taxa to better predict future ecosystem responses to ocean changes.
INFLUENCE OF HEAT TREATMENT AND IN-VITRO AGING ON MECHANICAL PROPERTIES AND SURFACE ROUGHNESS OF COLD ISOSTATIC PRESSED ZIRCONIA - AN INVITRO STUDY
Authors:   Head & Professor, Department of Prosthodontics & Crown and Bridge & Implantology, Drs. Sudha & Nageswara Rao Siddhartha Institute Of Dental Sciences, Gannavaram, Andhra Pradesh- 521286., Chandra Tripuraneni Sunil , Durga Bhavani Vicharapu ,   III Year Post Graduate, Department of Prosthodontics & Crown and Bridge & Implantology, Drs. Sudha & Nageswara Rao Siddhartha Institute Of Dental Sciences, Gannavaram, Andhra Pradesh- 521286., Rao Atluri Kaleswara ,   Professor, Department of Prosthodontics & Crown and Bridge & Implantology, Drs. Sudha & Nageswara Rao Siddhartha Institute Of Dental Sciences, Gannavaram, Andhra Pradesh- 521286., Ramoji Rao M.V ,   Head & Professor, Department of Peridontics & Implantology, Drs. Sudha & Nageswara Rao Siddhartha Institute Of Dental Sciences, Gannavaram, Andhra Pradesh- 521286., Harsha Babu Vadapalli Sri ,   Associate Professor, Department of Prosthodontics & Crown and Bridge & Implantology, Drs. Sudha & Nageswara Rao Siddhartha Institute Of Dental Sciences, Gannavaram, Andhra Pradesh- 521286.
Published: May 2023

Purpose:Mechanical and surface characteristics of the zirconia dental ceramics may be adversely impacted by temperature changes during the veneering firing cycles. A potential synergistic failure could be caused by ageing when exposed to the oral environment and heat treatment. The current research aimed to determine the influence of heat treatment and in-vitro ageing on mechanical properties and surface roughness of cold isostatic pressed zirconia. Materials and Methods:15 bar shaped specimens with dimensions 28mmÃ—4mmÃ—2mm are milled from two types of partially sintered Y-TZP ceramic blanks (IPS e.max ZirCAD (IZ),ZENO Zr (WZ)). Out of 15 samples five are used as control (C group), five are heat treated (H group) and five are heat treated and subsequently aged (HA group). Flexural strength and shear bond strength are measured using universal testing machine and surface roughness is measured using proliferometer. Results:Heat treatment on the ivoclar and weiland samples led to an increase in surface roughness and a loss in mechanical properties (flexural strength and shear bond strength), although the differences are not statistically significant (p>0.05). Yet, the combined ageing and heat treatment created a synergistic effect on surface roughness and mechanical characteristics. (p<0.001). More variations were seen in the weiland samples. Conclusion:Firing and ageing processes may have an impact on zirconia ceramics clinical performance, which raises the risk of failure.
EFFECT OF REPEATED FIRINGS ON METAL CERAMIC BOND STRENGTH OF CO-CR ALLOY FABRICATED BY DIRECT METAL LASER SINTERING AN IN-VITRO STUDY
Authors:   Associate Professor, Department of Prosthodontics & Crown and Bridge &Implantology, Drs. Sudha&NageswaraRao Siddhartha Institute Of Dental Sciences, Gannavaram, Andhra Pradesh- 521286., Sri Harsha Babu Vadapalli , Sunil Chandra Tripuraneni ,   Head & Professor, Department of Prosthodontics & Crown and Bridge &Implantology, Drs. Sudha&NageswaraRao Siddhartha Institute Of Dental Sciences, Gannavaram, Andhra Pradesh- 521286., Kaleswara Rao Atluri ,   Professor, Department of Prosthodontics & Crown and Bridge &Implantology, Drs. Sudha&NageswaraRao Siddhartha Institute Of Dental Sciences, Gannavaram, Andhra Pradesh- 521286., Mahathi Paladugu ,   III Year Post Graduate,Department of Prosthodontics & Crown and Bridge &Implantology, Drs. Sudha&NageswaraRao Siddhartha Institute Of Dental Sciences, Gannavaram, Andhra Pradesh- 521286.
Published: May 2023

Purpose: The bond strength of metal ceramic restorations places a key role for the longevity of the prosthesis which could be affected by the fabrication technique and the number of firings. The current research evaluates the effect of repeated firings on bond strength of metal ceramic systems with copings fabricated from two processing techniques, lost wax technique through induction casting and direct metal laser sintering. Materials and Methods: 21 metal ceramic bars will be fabricated using Direct Metal Laser Sintering (Group DMLS) and 21 using conventional lost wax technique (Group Cast). Each sample will have a dimension of 25x3x0.5mm respectively. In the center of each bar, a 1.1mm thickness of porcelain will be fused onto an 8x3mm rectangular area. Each group is further subdivided into 3 subgroups which are subjected to repeated firings (3, 5, 7) and the bond strength is measured with positioning of the samples on a Universal Testing Machine. Results: Group ANOVA and Post Hoc Tukeys test showed comparison of overall bond strength of ceramic samples fabricated using DMLS & Casting subjected to different Firing was done and the difference in mean was statistically significant (p<0.05). Conclusion: The DMLS group showed slight superior bond strength properties when compared with Cast group.
SEMI-QUANTITATIVE ANALYSISOF NUCLEIC ACIDS ON AGAROSE GELS WITH CHOICE OF BEVERAGES AS ELECTROPHORETIC BUFFER
Authors:   Department of Biotechnology, KoneruLakshmaiah Education Foundation, Vaddeswaram, Andhra Pradesh, India., Tuyubahe Hyacinthe , Raju Alluri Venkatanagasai ,   Department of Biotechnology, KoneruLakshmaiah Education Foundation, Vaddeswaram, Andhra Pradesh, India., Harshal Suryawanshi Aarya ,   Department of Biotechnology, KoneruLakshmaiah Education Foundation, Vaddeswaram, Andhra Pradesh, India., Sri Surya Allu Shanmukh ,   Department of Biotechnology, KoneruLakshmaiah Education Foundation, Vaddeswaram, Andhra Pradesh, India., William Murengezi ,   Department of Microbiology, GITAM University, Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, India., Parveen Huma ,   Department of Biotechnology, Anwar Ul Uloom College, Hyderabad, Telangana, India., Singh Ranwas Reethika ,   Department of Molecular Biology, CresentBiosciences, ICRAB Campus, Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, India.
Published: May 2023

The pH of beverages is known to be low, and has therefore been involved in the increasing acidity incidence. In this study,to report on a rapid and cost-effective approach for nucleic acid characterization using different running buffers for agarose gel electrophoresis.Commercial DNA is used in electrophoretic analysis using a variety of beverages by optimizing its pH value.The results suggest that Royal Stag has little effect on nucleic acid research, while Peter Scot shows high concentration and sensitivity in nucleic acid characterization.Royal Stag drink has revealed that concentration, time, and voltage have little effect on nucleic acid research, although Peter Scot has reported high concentration and sensitivity in nucleic acid characterization. We conclude that this approach is simple, easy, and cost-effective compared to using TAE or TBE as running buffers in electrophoresis of the agarose gel.