bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The frequency of respiratory care among neonates who had perinatal exposure to Sars-COV-2 at Ayatollah Mousavi Hospital in Zanjan 2020-2022
Authors: Jafari Nahid , Fallah Ramezan , Maleki Azam
Published: June 2023

Background
A significant heterogeneity of the complications is evident among neonates who had perinatal exposure to Sars-COV-2 in different countries. The purpose of this study was to determine the frequency of respiratory care among neonates who had perinatal exposure to Sars-COV-2 at Ayatollah Mousavi Hospital in Zanjan 2020–2022
Methods
A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted on 78 infants who had prenatal exposure to Sars-COV-2 at Ayatollah Mousavi Hospital in Zanjan from the beginning of from April 2020 to the end of March 2022. The data was collected using a researcher-made checklist and analyzed using descriptive statistics test and chi -Square test at a 95% confidence level.
Results
Out of 78 eligible babies the Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) test of 9 infants (11.5%) was positive after birth. More than 60 percent of infants needed a variety of respiratory care, with the highest percentage related to using an oxygen hood. The need to get respiratory care was not significantly related to infants' test status for COVID-19 but had a significant relationship with birth weight (p = 0.016).
Conclusion
The results showed a high rate of respiratory care needs in infants born to mothers with known Sars-COV-2 infection. Implementation of training programs to prevent infection and access to intensive care is recommended to improve neonatal outcomes.
Relationships among North American deer based on mitochondrial DNA and ultraconserved elements, with comments on mito-nuclear discordance
Authors: Klicka Lukas B. , Najar Nadje , Vázquez-Miranda Hernan , Zink Robert
Published: June 2023

Despite their economic, cultural, and ecological significance, the phylogenetic relationships among North American deer remain uncertain, due in part to discordance between phylogenies built from mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) and nuclear markers. However, the data from these two genomic regions have heretofore been analyzed in isolation. We compared phylogenies built from mtDNA Cyt b, and single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) from the mitogenome and nuclear (ultraconserved elements, UCEs) markers from the same individuals to investigate mito-nuclear discordance within and between taxa in the genus Odocoileus. A Cyt b tree shows haplotype sharing between O. hemonius and O. virginianus. Mitochondrial DNA SNPs separated O. hemionus and O. virginianus, whereas nuclear SNPs separated O. hemonius, O. virginianus, O. v. couesi, O. v. clavium and O. h. sitkensis plus O. h. columbianus. We found less support for O. h. columbianus as a distinct taxon, which had signs of introgression with nominate O. h. hemionus. The well-established paraphyly of mtDNA haplotypes from O. virginianus and O. hemonius is confirmed with comparisons of mtDNA and nuclear-encoded SNPs from the same individuals. A possible reason for mito-nuclear discordance is that the evolutionary splits are relatively recent, the mtDNA results are influenced by genome capture via ancient hybridization, or ancestral lineage sorting; we think our UCE data favor the latter explanation. Niche models suggested allopatric refugia at the Last Glacial maximum for these taxa except for a parapatric or sympatric distribution estimated for mule deer and black-tailed deer, which might explain the modern hybrid zone.
COMBINE: A Novel Ensemble Learning Model for Improved Breast Cancer Prognosis in African American Women through Multi-Omics Data Integration
Authors: Feng Xin , Xie Weiming , Dong Lin , Xin Yongxian , Xin Ruihao
Published: June 2023

Breast cancer exhibits a disproportionate impact on African American women below 50 years of age, as they encounter elevated incidence rates, more aggressive cancer subtypes, and increased mortality in comparison to other racial and ethnic groups. To enhance the prediction of onset risk and facilitate timely intervention and treatment, it is imperative to examine the underlying genetic and molecular factors associated with these disparities. In this study, we introduce an innovative ensemble learning model, termed COMBINE, which amalgamates three disparate types of omics data to augment the precision of breast cancer prognosis classification and diminish the model's time complexity. A comparative analysis of the fusion effects for African American and White women reveals a substantial improvement in the fusion effect for African American women. Moreover, gene enrichment analysis underscores the significance of race in selecting pertinent biomarkers. To address multiobjective problems in cancer prognosis classification, we employ a combination of qualitative and quantitative methodologies, along with ensemble learning. This multifaceted approach enables the exploration of novel concepts for multi-omics data applications, potentially leading to more customized and efficacious treatment strategies. The insights derived from this study emphasize the potential of ensemble learning as a multi-omics data fusion technique, specifically in the context of its application in cancer prognosis classification. By refining our comprehension of the genetic and molecular factors contributing to the disparities in breast cancer incidence and outcomes, we can ultimately improve healthcare outcomes for African American women and alleviate the burden of this formidable disease.
Serum vitamin D is specifically reduced in diabetic retinopathy patients and predicts flares
Authors: Zhuang Yong , Zhuang Zihao , Cai Qingyan , Hu Xin , Huang Huibin
Published: June 2023

Aims: Research suggests that vitamin Ddeficiency is associated with diabetic retinopathy (DR). Our study aimed to understand whether vitamin D deficiency is the cause of DR or whether people with DR have low vitamin D.
Methods: Participants with type 2 diabetes were recruited for this prospective observational clinical study and were divided into a diabetic group without retinopathy and a diabetic group with retinopathy, with additional healthy volunteers serving as controls. The differences in clinical characteristics between the three groups were compared. The incidence of DR in patients without retinopathy was then followed for one year. Follow-up participants were divided into subgroups based on whether DR occurred. Baseline data of subgroups were compared, and independent risk factors were analyzed.
Results: Vitamin D levels were generally low. Participants with DR had significantly lower vitamin D levels than those without retinopathy (P< 0.01). A comparison of the two subgroups revealed lower baseline vitamin D data in the new-DR subgroup than in the non-DR subgroup (P< 0.01). Vitamin D deficiency and elevated HbA1c levels were independent risk factors for DR (OR= 0.935, 95% CI: 0.867～0.981, P= 0.006; OR= 2.208, 95% CI: 1.764～2.764, P< 0.01). The limit of vitamin D measured using the ROC curve was 26.01 ng/mL, and the area under the ROC curve was 0.603 (95% CI: 0.559～0.706, P= 0.002).
Conclusions: Vitamin D levels were significantly reduced in those diagnosed with DR. More importantly, vitamin D deficiency may accelerate the onset of DR.
Temporal Dynamics of Energy Production at the Taïba Ndiaye Wind Farm in Senegal
Authors: Niang Serigne Abdoul Aziz , Drame Mamadou Simina , Gueye Ahmed , Sarr Astou , Toure Mame Diarra , Diop Dialo , Ndiaye Seydina Omar , Talla Kharouna
Published: June 2023

The study presented in this article focuses on the temporal dynamics of wind energy production at the Taïba Ndiaye wind farm in Senegal. The monthly and seasonal distribution of production shows a strong trend, with maximums recorded between December and May (winter and spring), and minimums between July and November (summer and autumn). The diurnal cycle representation exhibits variation with a marked cycle, particularly between November and April. Night-time production is higher than daytime production by more than 43%. The effects of 100-meter wind on the farm production are also analysed and show a positive correlation between wind speed and production throughout the year. Production peaks observed in winter and spring are caused by strong winds, while the lowest levels recorded during the summer season are due to weather conditions characterized by weak winds. Similarly, optimal wind directions are observed in winter and spring, periods of maximum production, when the winds blow between the northwest and northeast.
Dye Removal Membrane from Electrospun Nanofibers of Blended Polybutylenesuccinate and Sulphonated Expanded Polystyrene Waste
Authors: Nady Norhan , Rehim Mona H. Abdel , Badawy Abdelrahman A.
Published: June 2023

Polystyrene (PS) is a thermoplastic polymer used in food packaging, manufacture of trays and cups, among other applications. Unfortunately, it is not commonly recycled. In this work, preparation of a membrane by electrospinning blended sulphonated expanded PS waste and polybutylenesuccinate (PBS), is described. The fiber quality is controlled by selecting the right polymers’ ratios and solvents. Investigation of the structure of the produced membranes has been carried out by different analysis techniques including Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy– attenuated total reflectance (FTIR–ATR), thermogravimetric (TGA), and scanning electron microscope (SEM) imaging. Moreover, the efficiency of the prepared membranes was tested in Methylene Blue (MB) removal. Effect of different parameters such as pH, contact time, temperature and dye concentration have been studied. Also, kinetic and adsorption isotherm models as well as the durability of the prepared membranes were investigated. The obtained data revealed that the PSS /1% PBS showed the highest uptake (846 mol) with good regeneration efficiency. The adsorption process is endothermic and fit Freundlich isotherm and pseudo-second-order kinetic model. Values of activation energy for the adsorption process are 36.98, 30.70 and 43.40 kJ/mol over PSS, PSS/1% PBS and PSS/2% PBS, respectively.
The significance of m6A RNA methylation regulators in diagnosis and subtype classification of HBV-related hepatocellular carcinoma
Authors: Zang Qijuan , Ju Yalin , Liu Siyi , Wu Shaobo , Zhu Chengbin , Liu Liangru , Xu Weicheng , He Yingli
Published: June 2023

Objective
We aim to explore whether m6A modification plays a role in the progression of HBV-related HCC.
Methods
We performed a random forest model to screen candidate m6A regulators from 23 selected ones. A nomogram model was established to predict the prevalence of HBV-related HCC. To identify m6A modification patterns and m6A-related gene signature, consensus molecular subtyping was used. Immune cell subsets were quantified using the ssGSEA algorithms. PCA algorithms were constructed to calculate the m6A score for individual tumors. Immunofluorescence was used to verify the expression of IGFBP3 and HNRNPC proteins.
Results
8 candidate m6A regulators were selected from random forest model. Patients may benefit from the nomogram model according to decision curve analysis. Clinical impact curves demonstrated a strong predictive power of nomogram models. Two distinct m6A modification patterns (clusterA and clusterB) were correlated with different immune infiltration and biological pathways. Patients in clusterA had higher m6A scores than those in clusterB based on the m6A score. IGFBP3 and HNRNPC proteins were highly expressed in tumor tissues.
Conclusion
Our study highlights the significance of m6A modification in the progress of HBV-related HCC. We may provide new predictive biomarkers and potential immunotherapy targets to identify and treat HBV-related HCC.
Variable T-Product and Zero-Padding Tensor Completion with Applications
Authors: Qi Liqun , Yan Rui , Luo Ziyan , Yan Hong , Yu Gaohang
Published: June 2023

The T-product method based upon Discrete Fourier Transformation (DFT) has found wide applications in engineering, in particular, in image processing. In this paper, we propose variable T-product, and apply the Zero-Padding Discrete Fourier Transformation (ZDFT), to convert third order tensor problems to the variable Fourier domain. An additional positive integer parameter is introduced, which is greater than the tubal dimension of the third order tensor. When the additional parameter is equal to the tubal dimension, the ZDFT reduces to DFT. Then, we propose a new tensor completion method based on ZDFT and TV regularization, called VTCTF-TV. Extensive numerical experiment results on visual data demonstrate that the superior performance of the proposed method. In addition, the zero-padding is near the size of the original tubal dimension, the resulting tensor completion can be performed much better.
Disentangling direct vs indirect effects of microbiome manipulations in a habitat-forming marine holobiont
Authors: McGrath Alexander H. , Lema Kimberley , Egan Suhelen , Wood Georgina , Gonzalez Sebastian Vadillo , Kjelleberg Staffan , Steinberg Peter D. , Marzinelli Ezequiel M.
Published: June 2023

Background
Host-associated microorganisms are now recognised as being critical for eukaryotic host functioning; however, most studies to date have focused on descriptive approaches or have used model systems, usually in the laboratory, to understand host-microbiome interactions. To advance our understanding of host-microbiome interactions and their wider ecological impacts, we need (i) robust experimental frameworks to explore causality in host-microbiome interactions and (ii) protocols that apply to model systems but also to often highly diverse natural systems.
Results
We used a dominant habitat-forming seaweed, Hormosira banksii, to explore a widely applicable framework for experimentally testing host-microbiome interactions. The experimental protocols were particularly designed to try and disentangle microbially-mediated effects on hosts from direct effects on hosts associated with the methods employed to manipulate host-microbiota. This was done through a combination of antimicrobial treatments, which have widespread use in holobiont research, and inoculations, in mesocosms and in the field. Three different antibiotic treatments were used to disrupt seaweed-associated microbial communities to test whether such microbiome disturbances would negatively affect host performance. Responses of microbiomes to these disturbances were complex and differed substantially among treatments. However, by comparing the temporal sequence of antibiotic treatments, changes in microbial diversity, and decreases in host performance, a consistent effect of the microbiome on host performance was observed in some treatments. To further test these effects, we used gene sequencing to identify microbial taxa that were both correlated and uncorrelated with poor host performance following antibiotic treatment. These were then isolated and used in inoculation experiments, independently or in combination with the previously used antibiotic treatments. Negative effects on host condition were strongest where specific microbial disturbances (by particular antimicrobials) were combined with inoculations of strains correlated with poor host performance. For these treatments, negative host effects persisted the entire experimental period (12 days), even though treatments were only applied at the beginning of the experiment. Host condition recovered in all other treatments.
Conclusions
This experimental framework allows for causal relationships to be determined within ecologically important holobionts. This should allow for better predictions of how these systems will respond to, and potentially mitigate, environmental disturbances in their natural context.
A Network Security Situation Assessment Method Based on Fusion Model
Authors: Yu Yunhao
Published: June 2023

This paper proposes a new model for network security situation assessment (NSSA) that addresses the limitations of current methods in terms of feature extraction quality and efficiency. The proposed NSSA model is based on a fusion model (FM) that incorporates an attention mechanism and bi-directional gated recurrent unit (BiGRU). The FM model is used to extract key information about different cyber threats, and the attention mechanism is applied to weight these key features, thereby improving the model's accuracy. Finally, the evaluation results are output by BiGRU, in combination with proposed quantitative indicators of cybersecurity posture. The results of threat detection experiments show that the proposed FM model outperforms other models based on several judging metrics.
Vulnerability to Climate Variability Induced Water Scarcity and Adaptation Strategies in Jawi District, Northwest Ethiopia
Authors: Tefera Endeshaw Yeshiwas , mencho Birhanu
Published: June 2023

A severe and frequent rise in temperature and the failure of rainfall cause a scarcity of water. The objective of this study is to assess rural households’ vulnerability to climate variability-induced water scarcity and adaptation strategies in Jawi District, Northwest Ethiopia. The primary data were gathered from 120 randomly selected respondents for household survey questions, while secondary sources were used for the region. Temperature and rainfall data were gathered from the National Meteorological Agency at the Beles Research sub-station from 2005 to 2020. However, the limited climate data, which is only for 15 years, affected the findings of the study. Simple linear regression, a standardized precipitation index, and a water vulnerability index were applied to analyzed quantitative data. The overall WVI-IPCC result placed the study area at a moderate level of vulnerability with an index value of 0.030. A binary logistic regression model was also used to identify the determinants of the farmer’s choice of adaptation strategy to climate variability. The descriptive statistics result showed that 54.2% and 60% of the respondents perceived the existence of temperature and rainfall variability, respectively, and the overall water vulnerability index score of Jawi district was 0.437, which is 437, which is high based on standards. In the study area, the temperature and rainfall trend results show that there is an increase in temperature and a decline in rainfall, indicating high variability. To cope with such variability, the commonly used adaptation practices that are employed by the majority of rural households in Jawi district are water harvesting, water and soil conservation, irrigation, and forest conservation. The key priority findings of this study call for designing and implementing appropriate adaptation strategies in response to climate variability. Top-down policies and strategies for climate variability adaptation should be implemented across the critical area.
The future burden of type 2 diabetes in Belgium: a microsimulation model
Authors: Mertens Elly , Ocira Junior , Sagastume Diana , Vasquez Maria Salve , Vandevijvere Stefanie , Peñalvo José L.
Published: June 2023

Objective: To forecast the annual burden of type 2 diabetes and related socio-demographic disparities in Belgium until 2030.
Methods: This study utilized a discrete-event transition microsimulation model. A synthetic population was created using national census data of the Belgian population aged 0-80 years, along with the representative prevalence of diabetes risk factors obtained from the latest (2018) Belgian Health Interview and Examination Surveys. To create the synthetic population, the Simulation of Synthetic Complex Data and Multiple Imputation by Chained Equations method was used. Mortality information was obtained from the Belgian Standardized Procedures for Mortality Analysis database and used to calculate annual death probabilities. From 2018 to 2030, synthetic individuals transitioned annually from health to death, with or without developing type 2 diabetes, as predicted by the Finnish Diabetes Risk Score, and risk factors were updated via strata-specific transition probabilities.
Results: A total of 6722 [95%UI: 3421, 11583] new cases of type 2 diabetes per 100,000 inhabitants are expected between 2018 and 2030 in Belgium, representing a 32.8% and 19.3% increase in T2D prevalence rate and DALYs rate, respectively. While T2D burden remained highest for lower-education subgroups across all three Belgian regions, the highest increases in incidence and prevalence rates by 2030 are observed for women in general, and particularly among Flemish women reporting higher-education levels with a 114% and 44.6% increase in prevalence and DALYs rates, respectively. Existing age- and education-related inequalities will remain apparent in 2030 across all three regions.
Conclusion: The projected increase in the burden of T2D in Belgium highlights the urgent need for primary and secondary preventive strategies. While emphasis should be placed on the lower-education groups, it is also crucial to reinforce strategies for people of higher socioeconomic status as the burden of T2D is expected to increase significantly in this population segment.
Area-Aware Colon Polyps Detection by E- Xception Model
Authors: Parveen Rabia , Ali Hussam , Farooq Qaisar
Published: June 2023

Colon also named large bowel and large intestine is the lowest part of human gastrointestinal tract. It is the third most common cancer in the world, and its rate of reported cases are continuously increasing. Colonoscopy is now the golden standard for detecting and removing the precancerous polyps. Manually endoscopy data analysis needs a lot of concentration and can be inaccurate at times. In this research work, an efficient Xception (E-Xception) model is trained for the detection of endoscopy absurdities in various areas of colon. We freeze the weights and biases of the model to use in our own model. In early detection of CRC, the fine-tune configuration has obtained 99.46% accuracy.
An inventive approach for simultaneous prediction of mean fragmentation size and peak particle velocity using futuristic datasets through improved techniques of genetic XG Boost algorithm
Authors: Chandr N. Sri , Choudhary Bhanwar Singh , Venkataramayya M. S. , Yewuhalashet Fissha
Published: June 2023

In the current study, two algorithms, custom XG Boost (CXGBA) and improved genetic XG-Boost algorithm (IGXGBA) have been chosen to create an empirical formula for the simultaneous prediction of the mean fragmentation size (MFS) and the peak particle velocity (PPV) with sourced data sets of geo-blast parameters such as spacing burden ratio (S/B), stemming length (T), decking length (DL), firing pattern (FP), total quantity of explosive (TE), maximum charge per delay (MCD), measuring distance (MD), joint angle (JA), joint spanning height(JSP), joint set number (Jn), and rock compressive strength. Advanced technical combinations like K-10 cross-validation, and grid search executed along genetic algorithm processes with a high mutation rate to XGBoost algorithm. All algorithms were executed using Python programming in the Google Colab platform. The results unveiled that IGXGBA is superior and effective in-terms of metric R 2 , RMSE and MAPE in predicting MFS & PPV. A WEB APP called Bhanwar Blasting Formula (BBF) was created utilizing Google Cloud Platform (GCP) and FLASK APP to benefit practicing mining engineers to predict blasting results easily from the site itself, and identify optimization.
Genetic Variability, Heritability, Genetic Advance, and Association of characters in Small Pod Hot pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) Landraces in West Hararghe, Eastern Ethiopia
Authors: Deresa Dereje , Girma Sintayehu , Assefa Gezahegn
Published: June 2023

Hot pepper is the dominant vegetable crop grown in different parts of Ethiopia with long history of cultivation and considerable genetic diversity for most important morphological traits. The study was undertaken to genetic variability and association among yield and yield related traits in the hot pepper. Analysis of variance revealed that there were a significant (P < 0.05) differences in genetic variation among genotypes for all morphological and fruit characters. The genotypic coefficient of variation ranged from 16.4–63.3% and phenotypic coefficients of variation ranged from 17.3–86.8%. All traits except fruit diameter showed highest genotypic coefficient of variation and phenotypic coefficients of variation. This indicates the presence of slight environmental influence to some degree in the phenotypic expression of the characters and it implies that the existence of substantial variability for such characters and selection may be effective based on these characters. The broad sense heritability values ranged from 53.3–99.4% whereas genetic advance as percent of mean was estimated in the ranged from 31.7–93.0%. Accordingly, both broad sense heritability and genetic advance were high for plant height, fruit number per plant, fruit diameter, fruit length, fruit diameter, and marketable yield. Hot pepper yield had positive and significant genotypic and phenotypic correlations with fruit weight, fruit length, fruit number per plants, unmarketable and marketable yield. Plant height, fruit diameter, fruit weight, fruit length, marketable yield, and unmarketable yield had positive direct effect in hot pepper yields at both genotypic and phenotypic levels.
Correlation analysis of tongue image features between patients with benign lung nodules and lung cancer
Authors: Shi Yulin , Liu Jiayi , Guo Dandan , Chun Yi , Liu Lingshuang , Xu Jiatuo
Published: June 2023

Lung nodules are high-risk factors for lung cancer, which often present as lung nodules in the early stages of lung cancer and have no obvious clinical symptoms. Identifying the benign or malignant nature of lung nodules can not only avoid over-diagnosis and over-treatment of benign pulmonary nodules but also save medical resources and reduce patients' psychological anxiety. Early detection, diagnosis, and treatment of lung cancer are crucial for reducing the mortality rate of lung cancer patients. In this study, we attempted to analyze the correlation of the tongue image features of benign lung nodules and lung cancer, using a bivariate correlation analysis that used Spearman correlation for variables that did not have a normal distribution and Pearson correlation for those that did, and a canonical correlation analysis for multivariate correlation between the two sets, mining the differences of the two groups' tongue image features in order to serve as a reference for classification models based on machine learning techniques. The results showed that there was a different association of diagnostic features on tongue images between patients with benign lung nodules and lung cancer. In the lung cancer group, the features of the tongue body and tongue coating had a stronger canonical association. In the group of benign lung nodules, the correlation coefficients for the first and second pairs of canonical variables were 0.918 and 0.817 (P < 0.01), respectively, whereas in the group of lung cancer, the correlation coefficients for the first and second pairs of canonical variables were 0.940 and 0.822 (P < 0.01). The objective data of tongue image provide a new methodological reference for the risk warning of lung cancer, it can be helpful in the risk warning of lung cancer to some extent.
A machine learning framework for the identification of crops and weeds based on shape curvature and texture properties
Authors: Agarwal Diwakar
Published: June 2023

Identification of weeds in a crop is a challenging problem for designing an automotive weed management system. Due to similar and indistinguishable properties between crop and weed, rather than single, various type of information is required for the successful discrimination of weeds against crops. This paper presents a machine learning-enabled weed classification system based on the fusion of handcrafted shape and texture features of a plant at the feature level. The shape features include several shape factors, region-based (Hu moment invariants), and contour-based descriptors (Fourier descriptors and shape curvature). Texture features include GLCM and LBP. A series of experiments are conducted to investigate the utility of shape curvature in the classification of weeds against crops. Furthermore, the potential of shape features including shape curvature and texture features has been examined by modeling the four classifiers, namely, SVM, KNN, MLP, and Naïve Bayes by using the 10-fold cross-validation approach. The classifiers are compared based on performance metrics- accuracy, error rate, recall, specificity, precision, and F1-score. Experimental results show that the SVM classifier achieved 93.67% overall accuracy with shape curvature features in the classification between crop and weed. In addition, the SVM classifier achieved 99.33% overall accuracy with the integration of shape with shape curvature and texture features.
Plant Systematics and Evolution Dwarfism of Ficus microcarpa L.f. in the Ryukyu Islands, Okinawa, Japan
Authors: Kameyama Yoshiaki , Fujiyoshi Masaaki , Mizutani Akira , Kohno Hiroyoshi
Published: June 2023

Ficus microcarpa, belonging to Moraceae, is an evergreen tree that can grow on tropical or subtropical rocky coasts. Recently, dwarf F. microcarpa individuals have been found on Nakanokamishima Island, Okinawa, Japan, but it remains unclear whether this dwarf trait is based on environmental plasticity or represents an intermediate stage of ecological speciation. To clarify the morphological and genetic traits of dwarfism and consider the process of ecological divergence, we conducted a common garden experiment and performed population genetic and structure analyses using 11 microsatellite markers. Moreover, we conducted a coalescent analysis to estimate the demographic parameters of two genetic clusters: dwarf and tree groups. Common garden experiments clearly classified the samples into two groups: dwarf and tree. In the STRUCTURE analysis, the highest ΔK value was obtained when K = 2, suggesting the existence of two genetic clusters: A and B. All samples collected on Nakanokamishima Island were classified into cluster B. Most samples from the other islands were classified into cluster A. Additionally, it was found that dwarf and tree lineages had diverged from an ancestral population hundreds or thousands of years ago. These results indicate that the dwarfism of F. microcarpa can be considered an ecotype defined as the intermediate stage of ecological speciation, and that dwarf individuals diversified very recently from an ancestral population with the existence of gene flow.
Management of comminuted patellar fractures using suture reduction technique combined with the modified Kirschner-wire tension band
Authors: Huang＊ Shenbo , Zou＊ Chang , Yin Yijie , Kenmegne Guy Romeo , Lin Yixiang , Fang Yue
Published: June 2023

Objectives Surgical mangement of comminuted patella fractures remains a major challenge for the surgeon. We developed a suture reduction (SR) technique to better preserve the comminuted patella. The study aimed to compare the suture reduction technique with conventional reduction (CR) technique in the management of comminuted patellar fractures using the modified Kirschner-wire (K-wire) tension band.
Methods From May 2016 to September 2020, a total of 75 patients with comminuted patellar fracture were reviewed retrospectively. Among these cases, 35 patients were in the suture reduction group with a mean age of 52 years, while 40 patients were in the conventional reduction group with a mean age of 53 years. All cases were closed fractures. Comminuted patellar fractures were classified as type 34-C3 according to the AO/OTA classification. Radiographs of the knee were obtained at routine follow-up to evaluate the reduction quality and fracture union. Clinical outcomes including range of motion (ROM), visual analog scale (VAS), Lysholm, and Böstman grading scales were measured at the last follow-up. Postoperative complications were also recorded.
Results The average time from injury to surgery was 5.4 days in suture reduction group and 3.7 days in conventional reduction group (p< 0.05). The surgical time of suture reduction group was less than that of conventional reduction group, but there was no significant difference (p= 0.110) regarding surgical time between the two groups. The average blood loss in suture reduction group was 42.9 ml, while the average blood loss in conventional reduction group was 69.3 ml (p< 0.001). There was no difference regarding fracture union, ROM and knee function score (Lysholm score and Böstman scale) between the two groups. The complication rates were 17.1% in suture reduction group and 12.5% in conventional reduction group respectively (p> 0.05).
Conclusions In the treatment of comminuted patellar fractures with modified K-wire tension band, the use of suture reduction technique can shorten the surgical time, reduce the surgical trauma, and obtain satisfactory results. This new surgical technique may be particularly effective in management of comminuted patellar fractures when patellectomy would otherwise be considered.
A Study on Human recognition from the Body shapes when Face Identification Fails
Authors: Samantula Mohankrishna , Gorla Srinivas , D Lalitha Bhaskari
Published: June 2023

Is it possible to identify a person where face recognition fails? This question has motivated us to search for the available procedures with which the task of human identification can be achieved. In this survey, various approaches that support the fact of identifying the person when the Face identification fails with the information on hand of person’s body structure and shapes. Here an attempt is made to consolidate and relates seemingly different terminology and methods which talks about the process involving how one does recognize a person when face identification fails? In general, when face identification fails, humans still tend to recognize the person based on the structure body posture and some time even from the back relying on the body but are unaware of doing so. Our objective is to develop a basic, straightforward system of person recognition based on person’s body type and gait movement. This primary recognition technique offers a lower constraint for assessing more complex procedures.
A class of LCD BCH codes of length $n=\frac{q^{m}+1}{\lambda}$
Authors: Zhang Yanhui , Liu Li , Li Lanqiang , Wu Tingting
Published: June 2023

LCD BCH codes are an important class of cyclic codes which have efficient encoding and decoding algorithms, but their parameters are difficult to determine. The objective of this paper is to study the LCD BCH codes of length n = (qm +1) / λ , where λ | (q + 1) is an integer. Several types of LCD BCH codes with good parameters are presented, and many optimal linear codes are settled. Moreover, we present the first few largest coset leaders modulo n = qm + 1 , (qm +1) / 2 , (3 m + 1) / 4, and partially solve two conjectures about BCH codes.
Topological indices of subdivision graph of guar gum and its chemical derivatives
Authors: Khan Nadia , Hafiza Tashfeen Gula , Hussain Fouzia Ghulam , ALoqaily Ahmad , Ayoob Irshad , Mlaiki Nabil
Published: June 2023

The authors have requested that this preprint be removed from Research Square.
Biofuels production from solid and liquid fractions of hydrothermally pretreated sugarcane bagasse in a continuous compartmentalized reactor and potential metabolic pathways
Authors: Soares Laís Américo , Delforno Tiago Palladino , Oliveira Valéria Maia , Silva Edson Luiz , Varesche Maria Bernadete Amâncio , Fuess Lucas Tadeu
Published: June 2023

Solid and liquid fractions of hydrothermally pretreated sugarcane bagasse (SCB) were simultaneously used as substrate of a novel continuous compartmentalized reactor. The effect of four (56, 42, 28, and 14 hours) hydraulic retention time (HRT) and chemical oxygen demand (COD) (0.5, 3.0, and 9.0 g/L) were evaluated on hydrogen (H2) and organic acids production. Higher H2 production and yield (686 mL and 1.63 mol/mol consumed carbohydrates, respectively) were obtained at HRT of 28 h, probably due to the Clostridium and Thermoanaerobacterium metabolisms, which accounted for almost 60% of the microbial relative abundance. Under lower and higher HRT (14 and 56 h, respectively) lactic acid predominated without hydrogen production. Other value-added chemical such as citric, valeric and caproic acids were also obtained as a function of HRT. From the functional point of view, enzymes from the glycoside hydrolases group (GHs) potentially performed important role in the lignocellulosic biomass bioconversion.
Property Rights and Cross-Country Heterogeneity in Consumption Volatility
Authors: Germaschewski Yin , Horvath Jay , Rubini Loris
Published: June 2023

Empirically, the relative volatility of consumption to output decreases with income. The standard small-open economy real business cycle model, however, produces a positive relationship. We can recover the negative relationship when we augment the standard model with micro-founded expropriations and estimate it using Bayesian methods for almost 60 countries. Introducing expropriations can also account for the observed cross-country heterogeneity in consumption-related moments better than the standard model, including the persistence and co-movement of consumption with output and investment. This is because an increase in expropriations reduces investment, freeing up resources for consumption, while moderately lowering output. These effects are more pronounced in poorer countries, where expropriations tend to be larger.
JEL classification: E21; E32; O34; O43.
Pressure-induced phase transitions in Ni-bearing ferrosilite (Ni-En31Fs65)
Authors: Xu Jingui , Fan Dawei , Zhang Dongzhou , Li Bo , Zhou Wenge , Dera Przemyslaw
Published: June 2023

Orthopyroxene is an abundant mineral in subducting slabs. Studying its phase transitions at high pressure is important to the understanding of mineralogy of subducting slabs in the deep Earth. Synchrotron-based single-crystal X-ray diffraction experiments were conducted on a synthetic Ni-bearing ferrosilite (Ni-En31Fs65) at pressures up to 33.8 GPa. Three phase transitions were observed at 12.1(6), 15.6(6), and 31.3(25) GPa. The first two phase transitions in Ni-En31Fs65 resemble the previously described phase transitions in Ni-free Fe-rich orthopyroxenes, i.e., the initial α-opx (Pbca) transforms to β-opx (P21/c), then the latter transforms to γ-opx (Pbca). This indicates that the incorporation of a few mol% NiSiO3 does not influence the phase transition path of Fe-rich orthopyroxene. After the third phase transition, the structure (P21ca) of Ni-En31Fs65 resembles the previously reported β-popx observed in En90 at high pressure, although the onset pressure of the phase transition in Ni-En31Fs65 is ~7 GPa lower than that in En90. β-popx has a post-pyroxene structure that contains fivefold- and sixfold-coordinated Si cations. Our results indicate that the post-pyroxene structure is β-popx (P21ca) for either Fe-poor or Fe-rich orthopyroxenes, although the phase transition path before the pyroxene → post-pyroxene is compositionally dependent. Additionally, unlike the second and third transitions, whose onset pressures are monotonously decreased by increasing Fe content, the Fe effect on shifting the first transition is much more significant for orthopyroxenes within En <50 mol% than that within En >50 mol%.
Who Cares?
Authors: Boss Ginny Jones , Porter Christa J , Davis Tiffany Juanita , Moore Candace Maddox
Published: June 2023

The changing tide of faculty has brought with it increasing numbers of faculty members serving in non-tenure-track roles. Scholars have argued this increase in contingent faculty includes an increase in inequities and has created a stratified class system between tenure-track faculty (TTF) and non-tenure-track faculty (NTTF). The majority of NTTF numbers comprise women of Color, across race and ethnicity, serving in both full-time and adjunct capacities. The cultural, historical, and sociopolitical occupation of women of Color in higher education has been rife with inequity, marginalization, and oppression.  In addition to their duties across rank and appointment, women of Color faculty are more likely to take up the labor of care. Labor concerns have been raised in the both the literature of contingent faculty and women of Color faculty. Yet, few scholars have systematically studied the experiences or overlapping systems of oppression women of Color who are NTTF faculty face in the academy. Fewer still have examined the specific experiences of Black women faculty serving in contingent roles.  For our study, we used a conceptual framework comprising Black feminist thought, care work, and labor justice to analyze scholarly personal narratives  and focus group interviews of four Black women serving in full-time NTTF roles. Our study aims to provide a window into the intersected realities Black women contingent faculty members within the academy and a pathway forward for academic leadership.
Not by Magic: Perspectives on Creating and Facilitating Outreach Programs for Black Girls and Women
Authors: Jones Sosanya Marie
Published: June 2023

Affinity programs have long supported the development, healing, and resilience of Black girls and women in educational contexts. Drawing on a conceptual framework of intersectionality and program planning, this descriptive qualitative study highlights the perspectives of six program leaders who manage support outreach programs designed to support Black girls and women. These findings provide greater understanding of the needs and challenges associated with developing programmatic outreach for Black women and girls by providing detailed descriptions about the experiences of leaders who develop and manage outreach programs designed to improve the social, academic, and health development of Black women and girls. Additionally, the contextual forces that influence the sustainability of programs designed to further the betterment of Black women and girls is discussed. Implications for both the researching and implementing programs designed to support Black women and girls is also provided.
The Time is Now: (Re)visioning, (Re)assessing, and (Re)storing the State of Educational Research for African American Women and Girls
Authors: Young Jemimah , Butler Bettie , King Natalie , Wandix-White Diana
Published: June 2023

We are in a time and place where the lives of Black women and girls have to do more than "matter" in education; they must be researched, understood, and enhanced through transformative educational praxis. The Journal of African American Women and Girls in Education (JAAWGE) issued a call for papers for its inaugural issue that sought to elucidate Black women and girls' educational experiences across a variety of disciplines, contexts, and geographic settings. Through this work, the constituency of JAAWGE aims to illuminate Black women and girls' brilliance and resilience by placing their voices at the forefront of educational research and discourse, while leading and creating pathways that are not only attainable, but sustainable. This inaugural issue highlights research from various fields that speak directly to the multiplicity of these women and girls’ experiences in education across disciplines that utilize a vast array of theoretical frameworks and methodological approaches that are humanizing and centered on Black women and girls.
Visible or Invisible? Black Girls’ Experiences in a Mathematics Classroom
Authors: Butler-Barnes Sheretta T. , Lea II Charles , Leath Seanna , Rogers Leoandra , Barnes David , Ibrahim Habiba
Published: June 2023

Building on extant literature, the present qualitative study explored Black adolescent girls’ racial and gendered experiences as mathematics learners. Data collection included focus groups with Black adolescent girls (N = 30, Mage = 12.64 years). Several themes concerning their racialized and gendered schooling experiences emerged, which centered on language use, competition with boys, and working hard to prove themselves. To cope with the racialized and gendered experiences within mathematics classrooms, Black girls developed informal support networks. It was also revealed that some of these coping strategies (e.g., resistance for survival) might put Black girls at risk for lower mathematics beliefs and attitudes. Directions for future research and implications for Black girls as mathematics learners are discussed.
Using the Science Writing Heuristic to Improve Critical Thinking Skills for Fifth Grade Black Girls
Authors: Taylor Jonte Charez , Christensen Jennifer , Sharp Starlette , Therrien William , Hand Brian
Published: June 2023

Critical thinking skills are invaluable for the process of asking reasonable questions and making rational decisions. Science classrooms are an excellent place to develop critical thinking skills for all students. Unfortunately, Black girls are often left out from opportunities to be in good science classrooms and/or exposed to effective science instruction. This marginalization diminishes their access to critical thinking skill development. Because Black girls, for a variety of reasons are not participating in science education they are missing the opportunity to develop, exercise and enhance their critical thinking skills. One approach that has shown promising effectiveness in developing critical thinking skills is the Science Writing Heuristic (SWH). The SWH approach helps students develop skills in the process of asking questions, making claims, and providing evidence through argument-based inquiry. The current study examines the impact of the SWH on critical thinking skills growth of 5th grade Black girls in a midwestern state. Results suggest practical implications for using the SWH to develop critical thinking skills for Black girls over the course of a school year. Statistical significance was found within the treatment group in two to subtest of the critical thinking measure when comparing pre- and post-test results. Practical analysis via effect size statistics is also discussed.
Employing YPAR to Reflect on the Past, Present, and Future Promotes Black Girls to Learn about STEM Fields and Research.
Authors: Davis Shadonna
Published: June 2023

The existent research seeking to explain why Black girls are less likely to participate in specialized pathways towards STEM fields suggests individual and systemic factors are the cause (Buck et al., 2009; Catsambis; 1994;  Hanson, 2004; O'Brien, 2015;  Perna, 2009). This study of six Black girls' participation in a 12-week Youth Participatory Action Research Project (YPAR) sought to extend this inquiry by prompting Black girls to examine the underlying causes for the low number of Black girls who participate in STEM courses at their school. The study also aimed to examine their knowledge of the growing concern related to the inequitable educational pathways to STEM fields. Qualitative data, including focus groups, field notes, documents, and observations, revealed that the girls knew that technology dominated society, but they were deeply concerned about young people being exposed to danger when using technology. We discovered their views were perpetuated by learned experiences in their households and by the media they consumed.  The participants also recognized how their school environment influenced their perception of and ability to navigate their educational pathways. After participating in weekly workshops, the girls developed an interest in STEM activities and wrote an action plan to increase girls' engagement in school and STEM activities. The study findings also reveal how YPAR can promote girls to conduct a critical analysis of educational experiences, transform their perception of STEM education, and engage them in research.