bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Assessment of geriatric and clinical domains for development and validation of a novel nomogram to predict the prognosis of older patients with breast cancer: a real-world retrospective cohort study
Authors: Lin Yan , Song Yu , Xu Ying , Wang Changjun , Xu Yali , Huang Xin , Sun Qiang
Published: November 2023

Background

Breast cancer is a relatively heterogeneous disease in the older population. Survival in older breast cancer patients is not only affected by tumor-related factors, but also by geriatric assessment domains. How tumor clinical factors and geriatric factors specifically affect the survival rate of older patients and how to combine these two factors to predict the risk of death in older patients with breast cancer remain clinical questions to be addressed.

Method

We used the Peking Union Medical College Hospital database to identify older patients (≥65 years) who were newly diagnosed with breast cancer between January 2013 and December 2019. Of the 641 eligible patients, we retrospectively analyzed the clinical and geriatric data of 556 patients who formed our study population. The primary outcomes were overall survival (OS) and breast cancer-specific survival (BCSS). Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses were conducted to identify independent prognostic factors and construct a nomogram to predict the 1-, 3-, and 5-year survival rates. The performance of the constructed nomogram was evaluated using calibration curve, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, and decision curve analysis (DCA).

Results

Multivariate Cox regression analysis revealed seven independent prognostic factors associated with OS in older patients with breast cancer: age, tumor stage, lymph node stage, intrinsic molecular subtype, functional status, comorbidities, and psychological state. Nomogram based on these seven factors yielded excellent performance, with area under the ROC curve (AUROC) of 0.748. Similarly, the nomogram for BCSS had an AUROC of 0.760. Moreover, the calibration curve and DCA revealed good predictive accuracy between the actual and predicted probabilities.

Conclusion

Independent prognostic factors for OS and BCSS in older patients with breast cancer in China were determined in our study. A novel nomogram for predicting the 1-, 3-, and 5-year OS and BCSS in this patient population was developed and validated. The nomogram exhibited good accuracy, indicating its potential for clinical decision making and improving outcomes.
Immune checkpoint inhibitor-induced colitis with endoscopic evaluation in Chinese cancer patients: a single-centre retrospective study
Authors: Kou Furong , Li Jian , Cao Yanshuo , Peng Zhi , Xu Ting , Shen Lin , Gong Jifang , Wang Xicheng
Published: November 2023

Background

We investigated the clinical and endoscopic features, management strategies, and outcomes of Chinese cancer patients with immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI)-induced colitis.

Method

This single-centre retrospective study included patients who developed ICI-induced colitis and underwent endoscopic evaluation from June 1, 2019 to October 1, 2023. We analysed clinical features, ICI-induced colitis-related information, management strategies, and outcomes.

Results

A total of 25 patients were included; most were male (88%) with a median age of 59 years. Eleven (44%) patients had grade 2 colitis, and 14 (56%) had grade 3 colitis. The median time from ICI initiation to colitis onset was 105 days. The median duration from symptom onset to endoscopic evaluation was 11 days. Regarding endoscopic evaluation, colitis involved the entire colon in 13 (52%) patients, and 15 (60%) had ulcers. Twenty-three (92%) patients received steroids, and 3 (12%) added infliximab (IFX). Most patients (n=19, 76%) achieved remission with complete tapering of the steroid taken for the first colitis episode. Among the 6 (24%) patients who did not taper initial, 5 patients increased their steroid dosage with 2 added IFX, leading to symptom remission and successful steroid tapering, while one patient experienced continuous non-remission despite increasing the steroid and receiving two infusions of IFX. Of the 8 (32%) ICI rechallenge patients, 4 achieved long-lasting benefit without colitis recurrence. The other 4 experienced recurrent colitis after ICI rechallenge and permanently discontinued ICIs. The median duration from ICI rechallenge to colitis recurrence was shorter than the time to colitis onset. One patient developed steroid-refractory colitis and recovered with one infusion of IFX.

Conclusion

Endoscopy has value in the evaluation and optimal management of ICI-induced colitis in Chinese cancer patients. IFX is necessary for treating colitis, especially in steroid-refractory/resistant patients. ICI rechallenge can achieve benefit, but permanently discontinuing ICIs is needed if colitis recurs. Future large-scale prospective studies are required for more accurate assessments and validation.
Glial metabolic alterations during glaucoma pathogenesis
Authors: Rombaut Anne , Brautaset Rune , Williams Pete A. , Tribble James R.
Published: November 2023

Glaucoma is the leading cause of irreversible blindness. Current treatment options are limited and often only slow disease progression. Metabolic dysfunction has recently been recognized as a key early and persistent mechanism in glaucoma pathophysiology. Several intrinsic metabolic dysfunctions have been identified and treated in retinal ganglion cells to provide neuroprotection. Growing pre-clinical and clinical evidence has confirmed that metabolic alterations in glaucoma are widespread, occurring across visual system tissues, in ocular fluids, in blood/serum, and at the level of genomic and mitochondrial DNA. This suggests that metabolic dysfunction is not constrained to retinal ganglion cells and that metabolic alterations extrinsic to retinal ganglion cells may contribute to their metabolic compromise. Retinal ganglion cells are reliant on glial metabolic support under normal physiological conditions, but the implications of metabolic dysfunction in glia are underexplored. We highlight emerging evidence that has demonstrated metabolic alterations occurring within glia in glaucoma, and how this may affect neuro-glial metabolic coupling and the metabolic vulnerability of retinal ganglion cells. In other neurodegenerative diseases which share features with glaucoma, several other glial metabolic alterations have been identified, suggesting that similar mechanisms and therapeutic targets may exist in glaucoma.
Pain management research from the NIH HEAL Initiative
Authors: Karp Barbara Illowsky , Baker Rebecca G.
Published: November 2023

This article presents an overview of the pain research programs within the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Helping to End Addiction Long-term® Initiative, or NIH HEAL Initiative®. Launched in 2018 to address the opioid crisis, the NIH HEAL Initiative supports research on addiction prevention and treatment. A key component of addiction prevention is the development of new, effective, non-addictive treatments for acute and chronic pain. HEAL's innovate research portfolio spans the spectrum from therapeutic discovery and development through clinical trials and into clinical practice.
Comparison of Intergrowth-21st and Fenton growth standards to evaluate and predict the postnatal growth in eastern Chinese preterm infants
Authors: Lan Siyuan , Fu Huanhuan , Zhang Chengchen , Chen Yuyun , Pan Liya , Song Siqing , Wang Yizhi , Hong Li
Published: November 2023

Objectives

The aim of this article was to compare the differences between Intergrowth-21st (IG-21) and Fenton growth standards in the classification of intrauterine and extrauterine growth restriction (EUGR) in eastern Chinese preterm infants, and detect which one can better relate to neonatal diseases and predict the physical growth outcomes at 3–5 years old.

Methods

Premature infants admitted to a tertiary pediatric hospital in Shanghai, China, from 2016 to 2018 were enrolled. Prenatal information, neonatal diseases during hospitalization, and anthropometric data (weight, height, and head circumference) at birth and at discharge were collected and analyzed. Physical growth outcomes (short stature, thinness, and overweight) were examined by telephone investigations in 2021 at age 3–5 years.

Results

The medium gestational age and birth weight of the included 1,065 preterm newborns were 33.6 weeks and 1,900 g, respectively. The IG-21 curves diagnosed more newborns with small for gestational age (SGA) (19% vs. 14.7%) and fewer newborns with longitudinal EUGR on height (25.5% vs. 27.9%) and head circumference (17.9% vs. 24.7%) compared to Fenton curves. Concordances between Fenton and IG-21 standards were substantial or almost perfect in the classification of SGA and longitudinal EUGR, but minor in cross-sectional EUGR. EUGR identified by Fenton curves was better related to neonatal diseases than IG-21 curves. There were no statistical significances in the prediction of short stature, thinness, and overweight at 3–5 years old between the two charts.

Conclusions

IG-21 growth standards are not superior to Fenton in assessing preterm growth and development in the eastern Chinese population.
Lippia origanoides essential oil possesses anticonvulsant effect in pentylenetetrazol-induced seizures in rats: a behavioral, electroencephalographic, and electromyographic study
Authors: Bastos de Araújo Daniella , Gurgel do Amaral Anthony Lucas , Maia da Fonseca Suzane , Rodrigues de Souza Keyla , Santos da Paz Allane Patrícia , Jóia de Mello Vanessa , Barbosa Gabriela Brito , Otake Hamoy Maria Klara , Hamoy Moisés
Published: November 2023

Epilepsy is a neuronal disorder characterized by abnormal excitability of the brain, leading to seizures. Only around 66% of the epileptic patients respond adequately to treatment with existing conventional anticonvulsants, making it necessary to investigate new antiepileptic drugs. The growing research into natural products and their pharmacological properties has become increasingly promising, particularly in the study of essential oils, which are already widely used in popular culture for treating various diseases. The present study evaluated the anticonvulsant effects of Lippia origanoides essential oil (LOEO) (100 mg/kg i. p.) compared to diazepam (DZP) (5 mg/kg i. p.), and the combined administration of these two substances to control convulsions induced by pentylenetetrazol (PTZ) (60 mg/kg i. p.). This evaluation was carried out using 108 male Wistar rats, which were divided into two experiments. Experiment 1–Behavioral assessment: The animals were divided into 4 groups (n = 9): (I) saline solution + PTZ, (II) DZP + PTZ, (III) LOEO + PTZ, (IV) LOEO + DZP + PTZ. The convulsive behavior was induced 30 min after the administration of the tested anticonvulsant drugs, and the observation period lasted 30 min. Experiment 2- Electrocorticographic evaluation: The animals were divided into 8 groups (n = 9): (I) saline solution; (II) LOEO; (III) DZP; (IV) LOEO + DZP; (V) saline + PTZ, (VI) DZP + PTZ (VII) LOEO + PTZ, (VIII) LOEO + DZP + PTZ. PTZ was administered 30 min after LOEO and DZP treatments and electrocorticographic activity was assessed for 15 min. For the control groups, electromyographic recordings were performed in the 10th intercostal space to assess respiratory rate. The results demonstrated that Lippia origanoides essential oil increased the latency time for the appearance of isolated clonic seizures without loss of the postural reflex. The animals had a more intense decrease in respiratory rate when combined with LOEO + DZP. EEG recordings showed a reduction in firing amplitude in the LOEO-treated groups. The combining treatment with diazepam resulted in increased anticonvulsant effects. Therefore, treatment with Lippia origanoides essential oil was effective in controlling seizures, and its combination with diazepam may represent a future option for the treatment of difficult-to-control seizures.
Cisgenics and intragenics: boon or bane for crop improvement
Authors: Vasudevan S. N. , Pooja S. K. , Raju Thota Joseph , Damini C. S.
Published: November 2023

Recent advances in molecular biology and genetic engineering have made it possible to increase agricultural yields when compared to conventional methods. However, lots of challenges are to be addressed due to changing climatic conditions. Although genetically modified organisms (GMOs) have proven their potential in a few crops, but needs to be explored in majority of the field/vegetable crops to overcome food and nutritional security in view of alarming population explosion. In spite of advantages from GMO crops due to the presence of foreign DNA, queries regarding their safety, environmental dangers and health effects needs to be addressed. One of the major environmental issues concerning transgenic crops is the mixing of genetic components across species that cannot hybridize naturally. Due to these limitations, new revolutionary technologies have been developed, such as intragenesis and cisgenesis for the transformation and development of superior plants. While cisgenesis entails genetic modification employing a complete copy of natural genes with their native regulatory components that only belong to sexually compatible species, intragenesis refers to the transfer of unique combinations of genes and regulatory sequence inside the same species. In cisgenesis, the donor genes are the same genes employed in conventional breeding. The two benefits of cisgenics are avoiding linkage drag and making greater use of existing gene alleles. This method significantly shortens the time it takes to breed plants by combining conventional methods with cutting-edge biotechnological tools. Because of this, plant genomes can be altered without causing drastic changes to the whole plant population and the environmental effects of cisgenic plants cannot be compared to those of transgenics. Transgenesis and cisgenesis share the same transformation methods; hence, cisgenic, intragenic and transgenic plants produced through random insertion do not pose any distinct risks with regard to host genome modifications. In contrast, using new genome techniques lessens the dangers related to potential unintentional changes to the host DNA. The use of cisgenesis and intragenesis as alternatives to transgenesis has been restricted to a small number of species due to incomplete understanding of the required regulatory sequences.
Doing housework and having regular daily routine standing out as factors associate with physical function in the older people
Authors: Li RuiQi , Dai YaLun , Han YiWen , Zhang Chi , Pang Jing , Li Jian , Zhang TieMei , Zeng Ping
Published: November 2023

Background and objectives

Nationwide data were used to explore factors associated with physical function in order to identify interventions that could improve and maintain physical function in the older people.

Methods

The physical function was assessed by gait speed (GS). We selected 2,677 male and 2,668 female older adults (aged ≥60) who could perform the GS test as study subjects. GS was measured by having subjects walk across and back a 10-m course. A gait speed less than 20% that of a reference population (<0.7 m/s) was used as the definition of slow gait speed (SGS). Co-morbidity, polypharmacy, medical expenses, need for care, and hospitalization were used to evaluate health status. A stepwise logistic regression model was used to determine factors associated with SGS.

Results

SGS was associated with poorer health status, higher medical cost, lower ranking on the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) and decreased Mini-mental State Examination (MMSE). Co-morbidity (OR = 1.81, 1.58–2.07), polypharmacy (OR = 1.47, 1.25–1.74), MMSE <24 (OR = 1.85, 1.54–2.22), and GDS ≥ 11 (OR = 1.40, 1.18–1.65) were associated with SGS. In contrast, doing housework (DHW, OR = 0.43, 0.38–0.49), having a regular daily routine (RDR, OR = 0.64, 0.45–0.91), and current alcohol consumption (OR = 0.74, 0.62–0.90) were inversely associated with SGS. DHW plus having RDR could greatly reduce the risk of SGS (OR = 0.29, 0.19–0.43).

Conclusion

Poor physical function is associated with poorer health status in Chinese older people. Maintaining a regular daily routine and doing some housework may be important factors that can help older people preserve their physical function.
Multimodal assessment of circadian sleep health in predicting mental health outcomes in adolescents
Authors: Duraccio Kara McRae , Kamhout Sarah , Wright Isabella D. , Rugh Kathleen Erekson , Miskin Jack , Amdal McKenna
Published: November 2023

Introduction

Aspects of circadian sleep health including circadian alignment, circadian phase, or chronotype may be related to mental health outcomes in adolescents. Using novel and robust data collection methods, this study explored the relationship between adolescents' circadian sleep health and traits related to depression, anxiety, stress, and emotional regulation.

Methods

Fifty-two healthy 14–18-year-olds (58% female; 94% European American) participated in this study. Across a 10-day period, participants completed wrist-worn actigraphy. Next, participants completed a dim-light melatonin onset (DLMO) protocol where 12 saliva samples were collected over a 6-h period to measure circadian phase. Circadian phase was calculated as the duration of time between DMLO to average sleep onset time across the monitoring period. Social jetlag was measured as the discrepancy between sleep times from weekday to weekend. Participants completed the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS-21), Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (ERQ), and the Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire for Adolescents (MEQ). Following dichotomizing sleep outcomes into clinically relevant groups (late vs. early circadian phase, aligned vs. misaligned circadian rhythms, minimal social jetlag vs. presence of social jetlag, intermediate to morningness vs. eveningness chronotype), we conducted general linear models to determine circadian group differences in mental health outcomes (depression, anxiety, stress, expressive suppression, and cognitive reappraisal) while controlling for gender and pubertal development.

Results

Circadian phase had a large effect on depression symptoms in adolescents, with adolescents with later DLMO having significantly higher depression scores than those with earlier DLMO (p = 0.031). Chronotype had a medium but non-significant effect on anxiety and stress symptoms in adolescents, with adolescents with eveningness-tendencies having higher anxiety and stress symptoms than those with intermediate to morningness-tendencies (p's = 0.140 and 0.111, respectively).

Conclusions

In the first ever study using gold-standard methodologies to examine the relationship between mental health and circadian sleep health in healthy adolescents, we observed that adolescents with later circadian phase had increased depressive symptoms compared to earlier circadian phase. Furthermore, adolescents who endorsed behaviors that suggest eveningness tendencies may have heightened stress/anxiety. These conclusions encourage future experimental research regarding this topic and may help inform interventions aimed to decrease depression, anxiety, and stress in adolescents.
Psychological pushing propagation in crowds—Does the observation of pushing behavior promote further intentional pushing?
Authors: Lügering Helena , Alia Ahmed , Sieben Anna
Published: November 2023

When large numbers of people come together (e.g., at concerts or religious gatherings), critical situations can arise easily. While physical factors such as crowd density play a role, people's behavior can also affect crowd dynamics. For example, pushing and shoving, which are closely related to density, can quickly contribute to potentially dangerous dynamics. There is little extant research, however, on why people start pushing in the first place. Aside from individual reasons (e.g., motivation), social reasons might also play a role: an initial instance of pushing might be imitated or spark a competition if the pusher seems to reach the goal faster or the behavior of individuals defines a group norm whether pushing is allowed or not. Practically speaking, these social factors should lead people to push because they perceive other pushers, or, in other words, a psychological pushing propagation occurs. To address this question, the behavior (pushing or non-pushing) of people in 14 different experimental runs of crowds walking through a bottleneck (N = 776) was assessed by two independent raters with the help of a rating system of forward motion. This assessment was then linked to the spatiotemporal positions of the participants to combine it with the neighborhood relations. Based on that, it was analyzed whether individuals who started to push were more likely to be in the direct neighborhood of individuals who were already pushing. Results showed a small but significant effect suggesting that there is an influence, but that pushing is not overly “contagious.”
Clarifying concepts: “Well-being” in sport
Authors: Trainor Lisa Raquel , Bundon Andrea
Published: November 2023

The purpose of this commentary is to critique the application of well-being in the field of sport and exercise psychology and to provide recommendations for future research. Over the last decade well-being has been an increasingly popular concept under investigation. In the field of sport and exercise psychology, numerous scholars have examined and conducted research on well-being of athletes. While this research has resulted in an abundance of findings, there is concern in how the concept of well-being was applied, defined, and measured. The construct of well-being can be traced back to two distinct perspectives, hedonic well-being and eudaimonic well-being. These perspectives of well-being are based on different philosophical assumptions, and while they are compatible, they are theoretically distinct. In sport and exercise psychology, well-being has lacked consistent operationalization and measurement (i.e., theoretical alignment, single dimensions of hedonic or eudaimonic measured to make claims about the broader well-being constructs), is vague and loosely defined, and is often studied in isolation from a well-being perspective (i.e., no theoretical foundation). We conclude by offering three recommendations to move the field of well-being in sport research forward.
Rural Typology of the EU Enlargement Process: Serbia in Focus
Authors: Jurjević Žana , Matkovski Bojan , Zekić Stanislav , Đokić Danilo
Published: November 2023

European integration encourages rural diversification and innovation, supporting the creation of non-agricultural jobs and strengthening local economies. This scientific paper explores the typology of rural areas in Serbia and compares them to rural areas in the European Union. Methodologically, the research leverages multivariate statistical analysis, precisely factor and cluster analysis. The primary objective is to understand these regions’ diversity and commonalities comprehensively. The core focus of this study revolves around the significance of these findings within the context of Serbia’s European integration process. The analysis includes 12 variables that create a model of rurality, i.e., the four dimensions of rurality: level of economic development, structural characteristics of agriculture, demographic structure, and spatial characteristics. Based on the model of rurality, a rural typology is created at the regional level, which records nine statistically significant groups of rural regions in the EU, including Serbia. Cluster 2 includes most of the analyzed territory of Serbia (about 70%), and this group is the most rural, given the negative characteristics of this type of rural area. These results are devastating, and the creators of Serbia’s rural policy must consider the multidimensional nature of rural areas when defining future strategies.
Exploring the Impact of Metal-Based Nanofertilizers: A Case Study on Sunflower Pollen Morphology and Yield in Field Conditions
Authors: Ďurišová Ľuba , Ďúranová Hana , Kšiňan Samuel , Ernst Dávid , Šebesta Martin , Žitniak Čurná Veronika , Eliáš Pavol , Qian Yu , Straka Viktor , Feng Huan , Tomovičová Lenka , Kotlárová Nikola , Kratošová Gabriela , Kolenčík Marek
Published: November 2023

On a daily basis, a wide range of materials including inorganic nanoparticles (NPs) inadvertently find their way into the environment. Meanwhile, intentionally used NPs, such as the new generation of nanofertilizers (NFs) are designed to enhance agronomic production. However, their physicochemical properties and not-so-well understood effects raise potential risks to the plant reproductive cycle, specifically pollen development, a subject largely absent in academic research. Even slight contamination, deformation, or aberration of pollen could have enormous impacts on the ecosystem. Thus, our objective was to evaluate the influence of various metal-based NPs on sunflower pollen morphology and its yield. Nano-formulations were applied during the 2019–2021 agronomic seasons on two sunflower hybrids, Neostar and Edison, in Dolná Malanta, near Nitra, Slovak Republic. Pollen morphology findings indicated that conventional ZnSO4 had the most positive impact on the size of pollen grains compared to ZnO-NPs, Fe3O4-NPs, and the NP-free control. Gold-NPs on SiO2 mesoporous silica (AuSi-NPs) showed a statistically insignificant impact, while the use of TiO2-NPs in agriculture remained a topic of debate. Surprisingly, pollen characteristics did not fully correspond to crop yields. Despite causing a reduction in pollen grain size, the TiO2-NPs consistently showed the highest yield compared to other variants. Employing low concentrations of NFs did not notably alter pollen morphology, reinforcing our commitment to eco-friendly, precise, and sustainable agriculture.
Seasonal Changes in Amylose and Starch Compositions in ‘Ambrosia’ Apples Associated with Rootstocks and Orchard Climatic Conditions
Authors: Lu Changwen , Xu Hao , Lannard Brenda , Yang Xiaotang
Published: November 2023

The dynamics of amylose (AM) and total starch content (TSC) have been studied in several apple varieties; however, their responses to environmental variables and rootstocks are less understood in new low-climacteric varieties. In addition, the pertinence of AM and TSC to fruit dry matter content (DMC), fruit quality at harvest, and quality retention after storage is little understood. In this study, we investigated the seasonal changes in AM and TSC of ‘Ambrosia’ apples grafted onto dwarfing rootstocks Malling 9 (M.9) and Budagovsky 9 (B.9) in two consecutive years, 2016 and 2017, in the Okanagan-Similkameen Valley, British Columbia, Canada. Enzymatic methods with Megazyme® kits were used to analyze the fruit samples collected from four orchards in the growing season. In 2016, the orchard microclimate exhibited cooler nights and greater diurnal temperature ranges (DTRs) compared to 2017. As a result, the AM content and AM portion in TSC were significantly higher in 2016, with levels peaking over 40% compared to the values observed in 2017. However, there were no significant differences in peak values of TSC between the two years. Additionally, the apples grown on the B.9 rootstock consistently showed higher levels of AM and AM percentage compared to those grown on the M.9 rootstock. The study also used Felix 750 Produce Quality Meter, a handheld infrared spectrometer, to assess the dry matter content (DMC) of growing fruit, which showed a strong correlation with AM content (r > 0.8). After being harvested at commercial maturity and stored in controlled atmospheric chambers (CA) for 8 months, fruit quality analysis suggested that the AM level and its percentage in TSC played an important role in determining ‘Ambrosia’ apple quality after long-term storage.
An Improved MobileNetV3 Mushroom Quality Classification Model Using Images with Complex Backgrounds
Authors: Zhu Fengwu , Sun Yan , Zhang Yuqing , Zhang Weijian , Qi Ji
Published: November 2023

Shiitake mushrooms are an important edible fungus, and their nutrient content is related to their quality. With the acceleration of urbanization, there has been a serious loss of population and shortage of labor in rural areas. The problem of harvesting agricultural products after maturity is becoming more and more prominent. In recent years, deep learning techniques have performed well in classification tasks using image data. These techniques can replace the manual labor needed to classify the quality of shiitake mushrooms quickly and accurately. Therefore, in this paper, a MobileNetV3_large deep convolutional network is improved, and a mushroom quality classification model using images with complex backgrounds is proposed. First, captured image data of shiitake mushrooms are divided into three categories based on the appearance characteristics related to shiitake quality. By constructing a hybrid data set, the model’s focus on shiitake mushrooms in images with complex backgrounds is improved. And the constructed data set is expanded using data enhancement methods to improve the generalization ability of the model. The total number of images after expansion is 10,991. Among them, the number of primary mushroom images is 3758, the number of secondary mushroom images is 3678, and the number of tertiary mushroom images is 3555. Subsequently, the SE module in MobileNetV3_large network is improved and processed to enhance the model recognition accuracy while reducing the network size. Finally, PolyFocalLoss and migration learning strategies are introduced to train the model and accelerate model convergence. In this paper, the recognition performance of the improved MobileNetV3_large model is evaluated by using the confusion matrix evaluation tool. It is also compared with other deep convolutional network models such as VGG16, GoogLeNet, ResNet50, MobileNet, ShuffleNet, and EfficientNet using the same experimental conditions. The results show that the improved MobileNetV3_large network has a recognition accuracy of 99.91%, a model size of 11.9 M, and a recognition error rate of 0.09% by the above methods. Compared to the original model, the recognition accuracy of the improved model is increased by 18.81% and the size is reduced by 26.54%. The improved MobileNetV3_large network model in this paper has better comprehensive performance, and it can provide a reference for the development of quality recognition and classification technologies for shiitake mushrooms cultivated in greenhouse environments.
Macromolecular Size and Architecture of Humic Substances Used in the Dyes’ Adsorptive Removal from Water and Soil
Authors: Fragouli Panagiota G. , Roulia Maria , Vassiliadis Alexandros A.
Published: November 2023

Humic substances are naturally occurring materials composed of complex biogenic mixtures of substituted aromatic and aliphatic hydrocarbon core materials derived from the degradation and decomposition of dead plant and animal matter. They are ubiquitous in both terrestrial and aquatic systems constituting biotic pools and are characterized by unique properties; they are amphiphilic redox compounds with exceptional chelating features. Humic substances play a crucial role in both agriculture and the environment as carbon sequestrators, soil improvers, plant health promoters, as well as stabilizers of soil aggregates and regulators of organic/inorganic nutrients bioavailability. This review article attempts to summarize current knowledge about the molecular nature and characterization techniques employed for the study of humic substances worldwide as the chemistry of their components differs markedly and depends on natural processes, several abiotic and biotic factors, the origin of the organic matter, and their complexation with inorganic, e.g., metal-ion, compounds. This work is equally concerned with the association of humic substances with dyes, a notorious pollutant, responsible for various environmental issues generally arising from the discharge of untreated effluents into soils and water bodies. Azo dyes, in particular, negatively affect soil microbial communities, as well as plant germination and growth. The aim is to feature the potential contribution of humic substances as novel materials for environment-friendly and sustainable processes.
A Cotton Leaf Water Potential Prediction Model Based on Particle Swarm Optimisation of the LS-SVM Model
Authors: Gao Yonglin , Zhao Tiebiao , Zheng Zhong , Liu Dongdong
Published: November 2023

Frequent monitoring of crop moisture levels can significantly improve crop production efficiency and optimise water resource utilisation. The aim of the present study was to generate moisture status maps using thermal infrared imagery, centring on the development of a predictive model for the cotton leaf water potential. The model was constructed using particle swarm optimisation (PSO) in conjunction with the least squares support vector machine (LS-SVM). Traditional SVM models suffer from high computational complexity, long training times, and inequality constraints in predicting leaf water potential. To address such issues, the PSO algorithm was introduced to improve the performance of the LS-SVM model. The PSO-optimised LS-SVM model exhibited notable improvements in performance when evaluated on two distinct test datasets (Alaer and Tumushuke). The research results indicate that the predictive accuracy of the PSO-LS-SVM model significantly improved, as evidenced by an increase of 0.05 and 0.04 in the R2 values, both of which reached 0.95. This improvement is reflected in the corresponding RMSE values, which were reduced to 0.100 and 0.103. Furthermore, a model was established based on data from three cotton growth stages, achieving high predictive accuracy even with fewer training samples. By using the PSO-LS-SVM model to predict leaf water potential information, the predicted data were mapped onto drone images, enabling the transformation of the leaf water potential from a point to an area. The present findings contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of the cotton leaf water potential by visually representing the spatial distribution of crop water status on a large scale. The results hold substantial significance for the improvement of crop irrigation management.
Urea Enhanced with Polyaspartic Acid of a Higher Molecular Weight Significantly Increased Wheat Yield and Nitrogen Use Efficiency
Authors: Liu Yuan , Zhang Shuiqin , Zhao Bingqiang , Xu Meng , Yuan Liang , Li Yanting
Published: November 2023

Polyaspartic acid (PASP) is widely used in agriculture owing to its role in promoting crop growth and nutrient absorption, and its effects are correlated with its molecular weight. In this study, a field soil column experiment using a 15N tracer was conducted to compare the effects of urea enhanced by PASPs with different molecular weights on wheat yield, nitrogen uptake by wheat, and nitrogen residue in the soil. The results showed that urea enhanced with PASPs (PASPUs) increased the wheat yield by 2.02–9.77% than conventional urea (CU) through enhancing the wheat spike number. PASPUs promoted wheat nitrogen uptake, and urea enhanced with PASPs of high molecular weight (>10 kDa) significantly promoted total nitrogen uptake, fertilizer–N uptake, and soil–N uptake by 9.92%, 4.65%, and 19.62%, respectively, compared with CU. PASPUs reduced fertilizer–N leaching by increasing its residue in the 30–60 cm soil layer and decreasing its amount in the 60–90 cm soil layer. A comprehensive evaluation based on radar charts showed that PASPs of high molecular weight showed a significant improvement in wheat yield and nitrogen–use efficiency, compared with CU and urea enhanced with other molecular weights, and is the most recommended PASP fraction for enhancing nitrogen utilization.
Evaluating the Effects of Controlled Drainage on Nitrogen Uptake, Utilization, Leaching, and Loss in Farmland Soil
Authors: Dou Xu , Shi Haibin , Li Ruiping , Miao Qingfeng , Yan Jianwen , Tian Feng
Published: November 2023

Controlling drainage during the growth stage is one of the means to provide suitable water and fertilizer conditions for crops, alleviate environmental pollution, and increase crop yield. Therefore, in this study, we studied three drainage treatments: free drainage (FD) and growth-stage subsurface controlled drainage (CD) at depths of 40 cm (CWT1) and 70 cm (CWT2). We used the HYDRUS-2D model to simulate the dynamic changes of NO3-N in the 0–100 cm soil layer as well as NO3-N uptake by crops, leaching after irrigation and fertilization, and loss through subsurface pipes in 2020 (model calibration period) and 2021 (model validation period). The degree of agreement between the simulated and measured values was high, indicating a high simulation accuracy. CD increased the soil NO3-N content and crop NO3-N uptake, and decreased NO3-N leaching and loss. We observed significant differences in the soil NO3-N content after irrigation at the budding stage of oilseed sunflower between CD and FD, with the largest difference seen for the 0–40 cm soil layer. CD increased crop yield, and the average oilseed sunflower yield of the CWT1 and CWT2 treatments increased by 4.52% and 3.04% relative to the FD treatment (p < 0.05). CD also enhanced nitrogen use efficiency. In moderately salinized soil, CD at 40 cm (CWT1) reduced the nutrient difference in vertical and horizontal directions while retaining water and fertilizer. CWT1 stabilized the groundwater depth, reduced the hydraulic gradient of groundwater runoff, and decreased the drainage flow rate. The NO3-N leaching and loss dropped, which promoted crop nitrogen uptake and utilization, improved nitrogen use efficiency, reduced nitrogen loss, and had a positive effect on protecting the soil and water environment. The results demonstrate that CD is a suitable drainage method for the experimental area.
Modelling Microstructure in Casting of Steel via CALPHAD-Based ICME Approach
Authors: Luo Chunhui , Hansson Karin , Song Zhili , Ågren Debbie , Persson Ewa Sjöqvist , Cederholm Fredrik , Xuan Changji
Published: November 2023

Integrated computational materials engineering (ICME) is emerging as an increasingly powerful approach to integrate computational materials science tools into a holistic system and address the multiscale modeling challenges in the processing of advanced steels. This work aims at incorporating macroscopic model (finite element-based thermal model) and microscopic model (CALPHAD-based microstructure model), building an industry-oriented computational tool (MICAST) for casting of steels. Two case studies were performed for solidification simulations of tool steel and stainless steel by using the CALPHAD approach (Thermo-Calc package and CALPHAD database). The predicted microsegregation results agree with the measured ones. In addition, two case studies were performed for continuous casting and ingot casting with selected steel grades, mold geometries and process conditions. The temperature distributions and histories in continuous casting and ingot casting process of steels were calculated using in-house finite-element code which is integrated in MICAST. The predicted temperature history from the casting process simulation was exported as input data for the DICTRA simulation of solidification. The resulting microsegregation by the DICTRA simulation can reflect the microstructure evolution in the real casting process. Current computational practice demonstrates that CALPHAD-based material models can be directly linked with casting process models to predict location-specific microstructures for smart material processing.
An Image Detection Model for Aggressive Behavior of Group Sheep
Authors: Xu Yalei , Nie Jing , Cen Honglei , Wen Baoqin , Liu Shuangyin , Li Jingbin , Ge Jianbing , Yu Longhui , Lv Linze
Published: November 2023

Sheep aggression detection is crucial for maintaining the welfare of a large-scale sheep breeding environment. Currently, animal aggression is predominantly detected using image and video detection methods. However, there is a lack of lightweight network models available for detecting aggressive behavior among groups of sheep. Therefore, this paper proposes a model for image detection of aggression behavior in group sheep. The proposed model utilizes the GhostNet network as its feature extraction network, incorporating the PWConv and Channel Shuffle operations into the GhostConv module. These additional modules improve the exchange of information between different feature maps. An ablation experiment was conducted to compare the detection effectiveness of the two modules in different positions. For increasing the amount of information in feature maps of the GhostBottleneck module, we applied the Inverted-GhostBottleneck module, which introduces inverted residual structure based on GhostBottleneck. The improved GhostNet lightweight feature extraction network achieves 94.7% Precision and 90.7% Recall, and its model size is only 62.7% of YOLOv5. Our improved model surpasses the original model in performance. Furthermore, it addresses the limitation of the video detection model, which was unable to accurately locate aggressive sheep. In real-time, our improved model successfully detects aggressive behavior among group sheep.
Predation Risk, and Not Shelter or Food Availability, as the Main Determinant of Reproduction Investment in Island Lizards
Authors: Foufopoulos Johannes , Zhao Yilun , Brock Kinsey M. , Pafilis Panayiotis , Valakos Efstratios D.
Published: November 2023

Reproductive investment, including the number of offspring produced, is one of the fundamental characteristics of a species. It is particularly important for island vertebrates, which face a disproportionate number of threats to their survival, because it predicts, among other things, a species’ resilience to environmental disruption. Taxa producing more offspring recover more quickly from environmental perturbations and survive environmental change better. However, ecologists do not understand which primary drivers shape a species’ reproductive investment well. Here, we compare the reproductive efforts of 14 island populations of the Aegean Wall Lizard (Podarcis erhardii), which lives across widely diverging environmental conditions. We test three hypotheses, namely that reproductive investment (measured as clutch size, clutch volume) is (1) positively associated with predation risk [‘Predation Risk Hypothesis’]; (2) positively associated with the presence of reliable vegetation cover that provides shelter [‘Gravid Female Protection Hypothesis’]; and (3) limited by (and hence positively correlated with) food availability [‘Food Limitation Hypothesis’]. Although field data are somewhat consistent with all three hypotheses, statistical analyses provide strong support for the Predation Risk Hypothesis. The results not only shed light on which fundamental forces shape reproductive investment in island vertebrates, but can also help shape conservation priorities.
Antibiotic Resistance in Helicobacter pylori Isolates from Northwestern and Central Romania Detected by Culture-Based and PCR-Based Methods
Authors: Costache Carmen , Colosi Horațiu Alexandru , Grad Simona , Paștiu Anamaria Ioana , Militaru Mariela , Hădărean Anca Paula , Țoc Dan Alexandru , Neculicioiu Vlad Sever , Baciu Alina Mihaela , Opris Razvan Vlad , Dumitrașcu Dan Lucian , Colosi Ioana Alina
Published: November 2023

Little evidence has been published regarding the antimicrobial resistance patterns of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) strains in Northwestern and Central Romania. The aim of this study was to determine the antibiotic resistance pattern of H. pylori isolates from gastric biopsies collected from patients living in Romania using ETEST® and GenoType HelicoDR. Gastric biopsies were obtained from 148 adult patients, 87 women and 61 men, the majority (131 patients) from Northwestern and Central Romania. Sixty-nine H. pylori strains were detected by both culture and PCR; sixty-three biopsies were negative by both techniques; one biopsy was positive by culture but negative by PCR; and fifteen biopsies were negative by culture but positive by PCR. Primary resistance against clarithromycin, fluoroquinolones, and metronidazole was found in 16.7%, 11.1%, and 13.3% of strains, respectively. No primary resistance has been detected against amoxicillin, tetracycline, and rifampicin. Secondary resistance against clarithromycin, fluoroquinolones, metronidazole, amoxicillin, tetracycline, and rifampicin was found in 75.8%, 30.3%, 65.5%, 1.8%, 1.8%, and 7.3% of the strains, respectively. The most frequent clarithromycin-resistant genotype detected by GenoType HelicoDR was A2147G (62.3%). Concordances between ETEST® and PCR for clarithromycin and fluoroquinolones were 85.5% and 78.3%, respectively. Further investigation of H. pylori resistance should be conducted to ensure proper eradication schemes.
Targeting Nrf2 Signaling Pathway in Cancer Prevention and Treatment: The Role of Cannabis Compounds
Authors: Rybarczyk Anna , Majchrzak-Celińska Aleksandra , Krajka-Kuźniak Violetta
Published: November 2023

The development and progression of cancer are associated with the dysregulation of multiple pathways involved in cell proliferation and survival, as well as dysfunction in redox balance, immune response, and inflammation. The master antioxidant pathway, known as the nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) pathway, regulates the cellular defense against oxidative stress and inflammation, making it a promising cancer prevention and treatment target. Cannabinoids have demonstrated anti-tumor and anti-inflammatory properties, affecting signaling pathways, including Nrf2. Increased oxidative stress following exposure to anti-cancer therapy prompts cancer cells to activate antioxidant mechanisms. This indicates the dual effect of Nrf2 in cancer cells—influencing proliferation and apoptotic processes and protecting against the toxicity of anti-cancer therapy. Therefore, understanding the complex role of cannabinoids in modulating Nrf2 might shed light on its potential implementation as an anti-cancer support. In this review, we aim to highlight the impact of cannabinoids on Nrf2-related factors, with a focus on cancer prevention and treatment. Additionally, we have presented the results of several research studies that combined cannabidiol (CBD) with other compounds targeting Nrf2. Further studies should be directed toward exploring the anti-inflammatory effects of cannabinoids in the context of cancer prevention and therapy.
Alterations in Antioxidant Status and Erythrocyte Properties in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder
Authors: Jasenovec Tomas , Radosinska Dominika , Jansakova Katarina , Kopcikova Maria , Tomova Aleksandra , Snurikova Denisa , Vrbjar Norbert , Radosinska Jana
Published: November 2023

Erythrocytes are responsible for the transport of oxygen within the organism, which is particularly important for nerve tissues. Erythrocyte quality has been shown to be deteriorated in oxidative stress conditions. In this study, we measured the same series of oxidative stress markers in plasma and erythrocytes to compare the differences between neurotypical children (controls) and children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). We also focused on erythrocyte properties including their deformability, osmotic resistance, Na,K-ATPase activity, nitric oxide levels and free radical levels in children with ASD and controls. Greater oxidative damage to proteins and lipids was observed in the erythrocytes than in the plasma of ASD subjects. Additionally, antioxidant enzymes were more active in plasma samples from ASD children than in their erythrocytes. Significantly higher nitric oxide level and Na,K-ATPase enzyme activity were detected in erythrocytes of ASD individuals in comparison with the controls. Changes in oxidative status could at least partially contribute to the deterioration of erythrocyte morphology, as more frequent echinocyte formation was detected in ASD individuals. These alterations are most probably responsible for worsening the erythrocyte deformability observed in children with ASD. We can conclude that abnormalities in antioxidant status and erythrocyte properties could be involved in the pathomechanisms of ASD and eventually contribute to its clinical manifestations.