bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Is tuna ecolabeling causing fishers more harm than good?
Authors: Nakamura Katrina
Published: March 2024

Nearly 70,000 fishing crew are currently at sea catching the ecolabeled tuna in your sandwich or sushi. High Seas tuna fishing is remote and dangerous so this research asked how protections against fishing labour violations are represented in tuna ecolabeling data. Half of the world’s tuna supply is represented by the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) which says that choosing certified tuna is the best way for tuna buyers to significantly reduce exposure to the risks of forced labour in fishing. Data were collected from https://fisheries.msc.org for 3313 tuna vessels and content analysis showed that 74% of ecolabeled tuna was untraceable to vessel owners (fishing employers). Few of the certificate-holders providing self-declarations about fishing labour were fishing employers (about 4%). Seventeen dismissed even the potential for labour violations for 53% of tuna fishers (37,061) without details of proof or prevention. Overall, the information found on the MSC website did not make vessel employment practices transparent for certified tuna products. MSC clients include a company associated to US tuna ban for forced labour whose self-declaration states “no evidence of forced labour”. Tuna fishers have reported forced labour on several vessels in the program since 2019. Serious omissions in the program’s information system could propagate harmful consequences for fishers. One-Sentence Summary: Data from the Marine Stewardship Council reveal that tuna ecolabeling does not effectively protect fishers from fishing labour violations.
Capillary effect based selective sealing strategy for boosting the piezoelectric MEMS speaker performance
Authors: Yu Hongbin , Wang Yan , Lv Tunan , Zhang Junning
Published: March 2024

To address the serious acoustic performance deterioration induced by the air leakage and the asynchronous vibration in the electro-acoustic transduction structures, a novel sealing strategy is proposed targeting to one of the most widely reported piezoelectric MEMS speaker designs that consists of multi cantilever beams, in which an automatic and selective filling of the liquid polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) to the air gaps between cantilevers under the capillary effect followed by curing is developed. In the proof-of-concept demonstration, an obvious enhancement in sound pressure level (SPL) within frequency range lower than 100 Hz after sealing is experimentally demonstrated, in which the SPL is increased by 4.9 dB at 20 Hz. At the same time, the deteriorated SPL response near the resonant frequencies of the cantilever beams (17 kHz-17.5 kHz) caused by their asynchronous vibration that is induced by the fabrication process non-uniformity is also significantly improved and a boosted SPL of around 15 dB is successfully achieved. Moreover, nearly the same SPL response as the initial counterpart in the frequency band from 100 Hz to 16 kHz and even smaller total harmonic distortion (THD) of 0.728% at 1 kHz under 40 Vpp driving voltage can be obtained in the sealed devices. In comparison to the existing sealing methods, the current approach offers easy operation, low damage risk, excellent repeatability/reliability and excellent robustness advantages, and provides a promising technical solution for the MEMS acoustic devices.
Unsupervised Graph Deep Learning Reveals Emergent Flood Risk Profile of Urban Areas
Authors: Mostafavi Ali , kai kai
Published: March 2024

Urban flood risk emerges from complex and nonlinear interactions among multiple features related to flood hazard, flood exposure, and social and physical vulnerabilities, along with the complex spatial flood dependence relationships. Existing approaches for characterizing urban flood risk, however, are primarily based on flood plain maps, focusing on a limited number of features, primarily hazard and exposure features, without consideration of feature interactions or the dependence relationships among spatial areas. To address this gap, this study presents an
integrated urban flood-risk rating model based on a novel unsupervised graph deep learning model (called FloodRisk-Net). FloodRisk-Net is capable of capturing spatial dependence among
areas and complex and nonlinear interactions among flood hazards and urban features for specifying emergent flood risk. Using data from multiple metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs) in the United States, the model characterizes their flood risk into six distinct city-specific levels. The model is interpretable and enables feature analysis of areas within each flood-risk level,
allowing for the identification of the three archetypes shaping the highest flood risk within each MSA. Flood risk is found to be spatially distributed in a hierarchical structure within each MSA, where the core city disproportionately bears the highest flood risk. Multiple cities are found to have high overall flood-risk levels and low spatial inequality, indicating limited options for balancing urban development and flood-risk reduction. Relevant flood-risk reduction strategies are discussed considering ways that the highest flood risk and uneven spatial distribution of flood risk are formed. The model enables characterizing urban flood risk as an emergent property arising from non-linear interactions among flood hazard and urban features, and integration of spatial flood dependence relationships among areas. Accordingly, this study’s outcomes provide a novel perspective and better understanding of urban flood-risk profiles by harnessing machine intelligence and urban big data.
Advantages of metagenomic next-generation sequencing in the management of ANCA-associated vasculitis patients with pulmonary infections as a rule-out tool
Authors: Wang Chen , Hu Zhan-Wei , Li Zhi-Ying , Zhao Ming-Hui , Chen Min
Published: March 2024

Objective: Pulmonary infection is one of the leading causes of death in patients with ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV). It is sometimes difficult to differentiate pulmonary infection from pulmonary involvement of vasculitis in AAV patients. Fiberoptic bronchoscopy and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) assays are useful diagnostic methods. In addition to conventional microbiological tests (CMTs), metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) facilitates rapid and sensitive detection of various pathogens. The current study aimed to evaluate the advantages of additional BALF mNGS in the management of pulmonary infection in AAV patients.
Methods: 27 patients with active AAV and suspected pulmonaryinfection whose BALF samples were tested by mNGS and CMTs and 17 active AAV patients whose BALF were tested by CMTs alone were retrospectively recruited. The results of microbiological tests and adjustments of treatment upon BALF mNGS were described. The durations of antimicrobial treatment and in-hospital mortality in patients were compared.
Results: Among the 27 patients whose BALF samples were tested by mNGS, 25.9% of patients did not have any evidence of pathogenic microorganism in their BALF samples, and 55.6% of patients had polymicrobial infections, including bacteria, fungi and virus, while 40.7% of patients did not have any evidence of pathogenic microorganism in their BALF and serum samples according to CMTs tests. Patients in the BALF mNGS group received significantly shorter duration of antibacterial and total antimicrobial treatment than patients in the CMT alone group (17.3±14.7 vs. 27.9±19.0 days, P=0.044; 18.9±15.0 vs. 29.5±17.7 days, P=0.040, respectively). Patients in the BALF mNGS group had significantly lower in-hospital mortality than patients in the CMT alone group (4/27 vs. 7/17, P=0.049).
Conclusion: Compared with CMT alone, additional mNGS tests may shorten the duration of antimicrobial treatment and decrease death from severe infection by providing precise and quick diagnosis of infection.
An Assessment of the Implications of Deforestation and Climate Change on Rural Livelihood in Ghana: A Multidimensional Analysis and Solution-Based Approach
Authors: Adom Richard Kwame , Reids Memory , Afuye Gbenga Abayomi , Simatele Mulala Danny
Published: March 2024

Ghana is endowed with an abundance of natural resources, including vast tracts of natural forest and other vegetation biomes, which serve as livelihood sustenance for a significant number of the population. However, managing these resources sustainably to achieve environmental and economic growth and alleviating poverty remains a significant challenge. Deforestation driven by agriculture, lumbering, mining, infrastructural development, and urban expansion has reduced the forest ecosystems by over 60% over the past three decades. This has threatened the sustainable livelihoods to most of the population, exacerbated by increasing climate irregularity and its devastating consequences. Using data collected through methods inspired by the tradition of quantitative and qualitative research approaches, this paper explores and discusses how the combination of climate change and deforestation, are compromising the livelihood options of poor and vulnerable communities in Ghana. We further argue that the poor are not passive actors but are actively involved in identifying systems and processes through which to build their adaptive capacity and resilience to climate change induced environmental changes. Despite this, we argue that the ability of the poor and vulnerable communities to adapt comprehensively to climate change induced challenges is being hampered by institutional and policy weaknesses as well as a lack of meaningful engagement and collaboration between different and interested stakeholders. In view of this, we argue for an evidence-based and inclusive approaches which will propagate the participation of marginalised and vulnerable groups of people in the design and co-production of solutions in order to develop policies and strategies that are more transformative and towards achieving sustainable communities. These themes have been argued within the framework of the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly goal number 8.
Losing weight plus vitamin B12 following semaglutide administration? A case of false B12 deficiency
Authors: Rizos Evangelos C , Johnson Elizabeth O , Nikolousis Emmanouil , Tsimihodimos Vasileios , Kolios George , Anastasiou Georgia , Ntzani Evangelia E
Published: March 2024

Semaglutide is increasingly used to lose weight. We describe a case of an obese woman with unremarkable medical history. Following semaglutide administration, she managed to lose 10 kg over a period of 8 months, but B12 levels were markedly decreased. She had a series of previous annual tests including B12 results during routine check-up, which were performed in the same laboratory of the university hospital of Ioannina in Greece and consistently found normal B12 levels. She is not vegetarian, she had no symptoms or signs related to macrocytosis, anemia or B12 deficiency, blood smear examination did not reveal macro-ovalocytes, tear-drop cells, polychromatophilia, or hyper-segmented neutrophils, and the reticulocyte, white blood cell and platelet counts were within the normal range. We additionally measured homocysteine and methylmalonic acid which were within the normal range, whereas the antibodies against intrinsic factor were also negative. B12 levels are commonly measured using competitive binding immunoenzymatic assay. We postulate that for assays employing antibodies, a possibility exists for interference by heterophile antibodies boosted by semaglutide. Importantly, in diabetic patients semaglutide follows the introduction of metformin, which is frequently associated with low B12 levels, and in those cases, we tend to attribute low B12 levels only to metformin.
Spatiotemporal characteristics and driving mechanisms of coupling coordination of pseudo human settlements in urban agglomeration in eastern China
Authors: Tian shenzhen , wu wenmei , Li xueming , Wang yadan , Yang jun , Cong xueping
Published: March 2024

The information technology revolution has changed people's original way of production and life, and the pseudo human settlements (PHS) constructed through digital and information have thoroughly permeated and influenced individuals' daily lives. However, the theoretical foundation and practical research on the interrelationships and interactions of the systems of the PHS are not yet mature, consequently, establishing a theoretical framework for the coupling coordination of PHS and empirically analyzing the spatiotemporal characteristics of coupling coordination in the urban agglomeration of eastern China and the driving mechanism, employing models such as coupling coordination. The results demonstrate that PHS within the urban agglomeration of eastern China displays a temporal upward trend resembling an "inverted L," a spatial trend of "high in the north and low in the south," and a positively correlated spatial cluster trend. The center of gravity of the coupling coordination degree tends to shift from the northeast to the southwest, suggesting a faster growth of the coupling coordination degree in the southwest direction compared to the northeast. The coupling coordination of PHS results from the combined influence of multiple factors and systems, and the optimization and enhancement of the PHS need to be based on the reality human settlements (RHS).
2,5-Dihydroxybenzaldehyde in lettuce latex inhibits insect detoxification enzymes in Spodoptera litura larvae
Authors: Gu Chengzhen , Zeng Bixue , Wang Mengmeng , Zhang Yujia , Yan Chengxi , Lin Yangzheng , Khan Afsar , Zeng Ren-Sen , Song Yuan-Yuan
Published: March 2024

Plant latex is a sticky emulsion exuded from laticifer once the plant is damaged. Latex is an essential component of plant defense against herbivores. Lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) in the compositae family has relatively fewer insect herbivores compared with other leaf vegetables. Our bioassay showed that the larvae of a generalist lepidopteran pest Spodoptera litura (Fabricius) avoided feeding on living lettuce plants. However, the larvae rapidly damaged the excised leaves unable to produce latex. The methanol extract of lettuce latex exhibited antifeedant activity. Six compounds were isolated from lettuce latex. They were identified as 2,5-dihydroxybenzaldehyde (1), 3β-hydroxy-4,15-dehydrograndolide (2), annuolide D (3), lactucin (4), lactucopicrin (5), and hanphyllin (6). Bioassays showed that compounds 1 (2,5-dihydroxybenzaldehyde) and 6 (hanphyllin, a sesquiterpene lactone) inhibited larval growth of S. litura at the concentration of 100 µg/g. RNA-seq analyses showed that larval exposure to compound 1 down-regulated the genes associated with heterobiotic metabolism including drug metabolism-cytochrome P450, metabolism of xenobiotics by cytochrome P450, retinol metabolism, glutathione metabolism, drug metabolism-other enzymes (mainly uridine diphosphate glucuronyltransferase, UGTs). RT-qPCR further confirmed that 33 genes in the family of carboxylesterase (CarE), P450s and UGTs were down-regulated by compound 1. The activities of CarE, P450s and UGTs in the larvae fed on diets containing compound 1 were significantly lower than those fed on control diets. These findings suggest that secondary metabolites including 2,5-dihydroxybenzaldehyde in the latex plays a key role in protection of lettuce from insect herbivory.
Underwater Small Target Detection Based on Improved YOLOv7 Model
Authors: Qu Shenming , Cui Can , Duan Jiale , Lu Yongyong , Pang Zilong
Published: March 2024

In the domain of marine environmental engineering, rapid and precise detection of underwater targets holds substantial significance. However, extant technologies for object detection are plagued by diminished accuracy and protracted processing speed when tasked with identifying occluded and diminutive targets in aquatic settings. In response to these impediments, this article has made innovative improvements on the basis of YOLOv7 to improve these issues. Firstly, we designed a G-ELAN module, which convolves low-level features and multiplies them element by element with high-level features, achieving multi-level feature fusion and effectively reducing target occlusion interference caused by underwater plankton. Secondly, the Residual-FasterNet module was proposed, which integrates residual strategies based on the T-shaped receptive field of FasterNet. This amalgamation enhances the model's ability to capture small target features. Evaluations conducted on the URPC2021 public dataset and the Zhanjiang competition dataset corroborate that our YOLOv7-GR model surpasses prevailing advanced methodologies in performance.The source code will be made publicly available at https://github.com/zzuilcc/YOLOv7-GR.git}{https://github.com/zzuilcc/YOLOv7-GR.git.
Gravity currents moving over a sediment bed: suspension criteria and bed forms
Authors: Maggi Maria Rita , Negretti Maria Eletta , Martin Antoine , Naaim-Bouvet Florence , Hopfinger Emil J.
Published: March 2024

In many natural situations, gravity currents flow over a mobile sediment bed as in riverine inflows into lakes and reservoirs or in submarine canyons in coastal regions. We present experimental results which clarify the near-bed physical processes of sediment suspension, bedform development, as well as the effect of the erodible bed on the mean flow structure of the current. Compared with the flow over a fixed bed, the vertical velocity is negative above the mobile bed, indicating therefore slip with an increase in horizontal flux close to the sediment bed. The sediment suspension criteria and suspension capacity established, allow prediction of the spatial change in sediment flux up to maximum suspension capacity, in good agreement with experimental results of [1] as well as with the present sediment flux measured toward the end of the sediment bed. Effects of local bursts, here intermittently caused by interfacial instability, tend to increase sediment suspension by related increase in local shear velocity. Concerning bed forms, near bed scaling criteria suggest that in the present study the bedform consists of ripples with the measured wave length being in agreement with criteria given by [2]. An expression for the ripple growth is given in relation with the theoretical criteria of [3].
Social comparison as a behaviour change technique: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials across scientific disciplines
Authors: Hoppen Thole , Cuno Rieke , Nelson Janna , Lemmel Frederike , Schlechter Pascal , Morina Nexhmedin
Published: March 2024

Social comparison is a fundamental mechanism that enables humans to navigate the complexities of our ever-changing world. Moreover, social comparison can serve as a powerful mechanism for promoting behaviour change. Research on social comparison as a behaviour change technique (SC-BCT) has increased significantly during the last decades. We summarized the literature on SC-BCTs with a pre-registered and theory-guided systematic review and meta-analysis across scientific disciplines (PROSPERO: blinded). Seventy randomized controlled trials (RCTs N = 1,323,478) were included in quantitative synthesis and 15 further RCTs were included in narrative synthesis. SC-BCTs were effective both at short- and long-term in changing performance behaviour, health-related behaviour, and climate change mitigation behaviour with small-to-moderate pooled effects. The number of intervention sessions was associated positively with outcomes. Magnitude of effects needs to be interpreted in the context of very low-cost interventions (e.g., sending two letters in total) and scalability. Implications for future research are discussed.
Differential Cardiac Responses After Passive Leg Raising: A Brief Report
Authors: CASTRO RICARDO , Kattan Eduardo , Hernandez Glenn , Bakker Jan
Published: March 2024

Purpose This study retrospectively examined the hemodynamic effects of passive leg raising (PLR) in mechanically ventilated patients during fluid removal, prior to spontaneous breathing trials. In previous studies, we had noticed varying cardiac responses after PLR completion, particularly in positive tests.
Methods Using a bioreactance monitor, we recorded and analyzed hemodynamic parameters, including stroke volume and cardiac index (CI), before and after PLR in post-acute ICU patients.
Results We included 27 patients who underwent 60 PLR procedures. In preload-unresponsive patients, no significant CI changes were observed (CIt—6 = 3.5 ± 1.5 vs CIt9 = 2.9 ± 1.2; p =0.361), while in preload-responsive patients, two distinct CI response types to PLR were identified: a transient peak with immediate return to baseline (CIt—6 = 2.7 ± 0.7 vs CIt9 = 3.1 ± 1.1; p = 0.282) and a sustained CI elevation lasting beyond the PLR maneuver (CIt—6 = 2.6 ± 0.7 vs CIt9 = 3.6 ± 0.4; p = 0.002). The latter was particularly noted when ΔCI during PLR exceeded 25%.
Conclusion Our findings suggest that in certain preload-responsive patients, PLR can induce a more sustained increase in CI, indicating a possible persistent hemodynamic effect, potentially due to a combination of autotransfusion and sympathetic activation affecting venous return. Further research in larger cohorts and more comprehensive hemodynamic assessments are warranted to validate these observations and to elucidate the possible underlying mechanisms. Bioreactance provides a noninvasive yet effective method for hemodynamic monitoring in the post-resuscitation phase of care.
Surge of group waterborne and foodborne diseases from increased norovirus GII.4 transmission in Seoul childcare centers and kindergartens in 2022
Authors: Son Euncheol , Kim Young-Hoon
Published: March 2024

Norovirus is the most common cause of group waterborne and foodborne diseases (GWFD) in childcare centers and kindergartens. Its high transmissibility is partly due to its genetic diversity. GWFD cases that occurred in Seoul childcare centers and kindergartens from 2019 to 2022 were investigated, and 68 epidemiological reports prepared by public health centers in Seoul were used for data collection. In the three quarters of 2022, there were 40 cases of GWFD in Seoul childcare centers and kindergartens, which exceeded the 35 total cases that occurred during the previous three years. The proportion of Seoul childcare centers and kindergartens with GWFD cases increased from 12.6% in 2019 to 58.8% in 2022. Norovirus was the most common pathogen responsible for GWFD in these cases. From 2019 to 2021, norovirus GII.2 was the predominant genotype, and GII.4 was detected in about 25% of cases. However, in 2022, GII.4 became predominant and was detected in about 79% of cases. The attack rate and infection source of GWFD cases from 2019 to 2021 were not significantly different from those in 2022. In conclusion, the number of GWFD cases in Seoul childcare centers and kindergartens significantly increased, primarily because of increased norovirus GII.4. transmission in 2022.
Educational Attainment and Supraventricular Tachycardia: A Mendelian Randomization Study
Authors: Xu Ruochen , Zhong Zhuen , Chen Qiushi
Published: March 2024

Objective: The objective of this study was to explore whether there was a causal relationship between educational attainment (EA) and supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) using Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis.
Method: A two‐sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis using the inverse‐
variance weighted (IVW), weighted median, MR‐Egger regression, simple model, weighted mode and MR pleiotropy residual sum and outlier (MR-PRESSO) methods were performed. A mediation analysis using multivariate MR methods was also conducted. We used the publicly available summary statistics data sets of genome‐ wide association studies (GWAS) meta‐analyses for EA in individuals of European descent (n = 766 345; SSGAC consortium) as the exposure and a GWAS for Diagnoses - main ICD10: I47.1 SVT from the individuals included in the UK Biobank (total n = 463 010; case = 1306, control = 461704) as the outcome.
Results: The IVW analysis results supported an inverse causative association between EA and SVT (β=−0.0018, SE=0.00066, p=0.0066), which was consistent with the results of weighted median, as well as MR-PRESSO. Common cardiovascular risk factors such as body mass index (BMI), type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), systolic blood pressure (SBP) and smoking behaviour did not mediate the association between EA and SVT.
Conclusion: The results of MR analysis suggest a potential negative causal association between EA and the occurrence of SVT.
Dynamic PET Reveals Compartmentalized Brain and Lung Tissue Antibiotic Exposures
Authors: Jain Sanjay , Chen Xueyi , Arun Bhavatharini , Meza Oscar Nino , Sarhan Mona , Singh Medha , Jeon Byeonghoon , Mane Kishor , Shah Maunank , Tucker Elizabeth , Carroll Laurence , Freundlich Joel , Peloquin Charles , Ivaturi Vijay
Published: March 2024

Tuberculosis (TB) remains a leading cause of death, but antibiotic treatments for tuberculous meningitis, the deadliest form of TB, are based on those developed for pulmonary TB and not optimized for brain penetration. Here, we performed first-in-human dynamic 18F-pretomanid positron emission tomography (PET) studies in eight human subjects for three-dimensional, multi-compartmental in situ visualization of antibiotic concentration-time exposures (area under the curve – AUC), demonstrating preferential brain (AUCtissue/plasma 2.25) versus lung (AUCtissue/plasma 0.97) tissue partitioning. Preferential, antibiotic-specific partitioning into brain or lung tissues of antibiotics active against MDR strains were confirmed in experimentally-infected mice and rabbits, using dynamic PET with chemically identical antibiotic radioanalogs, and postmortem mass spectrometry measurements. PET-facilitated pharmacokinetic modeling predicted human dosing necessary to attain therapeutic brain exposures in human subjects. These data were used to design optimized, pretomanid-based regimens which were evaluated at human equipotent dosing in a mouse model of TB meningitis, demonstrating excellent bactericidal activity without an increase in intracerebral inflammation or brain injury. Importantly, several antibiotic regimens demonstrated discordant activities in brain and lung tissues in the same animal, correlating with the compartmentalized tissue exposures of the component antibiotics. These data provide a mechanistic basis for the compartmentalized activities of antibiotic regimens, with important implications for the development of antimicrobial regimens for meningitis and other infections in compartments with unique antibiotic penetration.
CPI and PPI: Who drives who in the time-frequency space?
Authors: Bidan Marie , MESTRE Roman
Published: March 2024

The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between Consumer Price Index and Producer Price Index across various business cycles in France. Concerning methodological aspects of this paper, we apply partial continuous wavelets transforms to perform time-frequencies analysis to remove the effect of the monetary trend on this relationship. The results indicate a positive relationship between CPI and PPI, during economic crisis, particularly at the mid-term. With partial wavelet coherence to consider the monetary mass, we analyze the long-term relationship between the two indexes. The phase-difference interpretation exhibits a lead of PPI over CPI.
JEL codes : C54; E31; E32; E02 ; E50
Structural brain alterations in persistent developmental stuttering: a whole- brain voxel-based morphometry (VBM) analysis of grey and white matter
Authors: Shojaeilangari Seyedehsamaneh , Taghizadeh Mohammad Ehsan , Radman Narges
Published: March 2024

Persistent developmental stuttering (PDS), known as childhood-onset speech fluency disorder involves, significant involuntary problems in normal fluency such as repetition and prolongation of sounds, syllables, or words, as well as silence for certain syllables or words, or pauses within a word. Given the significance of brain morphological abnormalities in unraveling the origins of various neurological disorders, the scientific community has displayed a longstanding fascination with the advancement of structural neuroimaging methods like voxel-based morphometry (VBM). Despite numerous investigations using structural neuroimaging techniques to examine alterations in brain structure associated with stuttering, the precise brain regions predominantly affected by this speech disorder remain unclear. Here, adults with PDS (n = 15) and fluent speakers (n = 15) carefully matched based on age, sex, education, and hand preference were examined utilizing MRI scans to detect possible brain volumetric abnormalities in the stuttering group compared to the healthy control group. Using a whole-brain VBM technique, the brains of adults with PDS and normal subjects were compared concerning grey matter (GM) and white matter (WM) volume differences. Our investigation revealed a reduction in WM volume within the cerebellum. Moreover, we observed increased GM volumes in two specific regions: the right Superior Frontal Gyrus (SFG) and the left Middle Temporal Gyrus (MTG). Conversely, a decrease in GM volume was observed in the left SFG, bilateral paracentral lobule, the right cuneus and the right cerebellum. These findings strengthen the potential significance of brain structures in persistent stuttering.
Antitumorigenic effect of combination treatment with BRAF inhibitor and cisplatin in colorectal cancer in vitro and in vivo
Authors: Koumaki Kassandra , Skarmalioraki Salomi , Kosmidou Vivian , Krikoni Lida , Goulielmaki Maria , Zoumpourlis Vassilis , Pintzas Alexander , Souliotis Vassilis L.
Published: March 2024

Purpose
In colorectal cancer (CRC), BRAF inhibitor (BRAFi) monotherapy appears ineffective, while cisplatin treatment is associated with adverse effects, drug resistance and reduced efficacy. Herein, we seek to explore a combinatorial approach to increase the likelihood of effectively killing colorectal cancer cells.
Methods
We examined the combined effect of BRAFi (PLX4720, Vemurafenib, Dabrafenib, Encorafenib) and cisplatin treatment in BRAFV600E-mutated (RKO, HT29, Colo-205) and BRAFwt (Caco-2) cell lines, as well as in mouse xenografts of RKO cells.
Results
Following cisplatin-only treatment, all cell lines showed accumulation within subG1 (apoptotic cells) and G2/M phases, as well as phosphorylation of ERK1/2 and H2AX. Following BRAFi-only treatment, BRAFV600E-mutated cells showed accumulation within G0/G1 phase, reduced distribution in the S and G2/M phases, inhibition of ERK1/2 phosphorylation and increased phosphorylation of H2AX. BRAFi had no effect on BRAFwt Caco-2 cell line. Combined BRAFi and cisplatin treatment synergistically decreased RKO cells viability, reduced phosphorylation of ERK1/2 and increased phosphorylation of H2AX. Importantly, in mouse xenografts of RKO cells, combined PLX4720 and cisplatin treatment showed superior therapeutic potential than each monotherapy (P < 0.001).
Conclusion
In in vitro and in vivo preclinical models, BRAFi and cisplatin combined treatment has shown an improved antitumor effect, rendering it a potential anticancer treatment strategy for BRAF-mutant colon cancer patients.
Characterization of Krüppel-like factor 3 expression in T lymphocytes in septic mice
Authors: Yan Miao , Chi Dongxuan , Wang Wen , Pei Pei , Xie Min , Li Shuangling
Published: March 2024

Background
Krüppel-like factor 3 (KLF3) may be involved in the regulation of inflammatory responses and lymphocyte function. Moreover, immune dysfunction in sepsis involves both hyperinflammatory responses and immunosuppression. However, studies on T-lymphocyte KLF3 expression characteristics in sepsis are lacking.
Methods
We induced sepsis in mice through cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) and evaluated their survival rate over 7 days. To identify the immune status of the septic mice, we assessed their cytokine levels, organ damage scores, and splenic T-lymphocyte phenotype. Finally, KLF3 expression in T lymphocytes was detected through flow cytometry.
Results
Over the 7 days of observation, septic mice demonstrated 64.7% mortality. In the early stages after CLP, the proinflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokine levels increased rapidly, multiple organ damage occurred, and splenic T lymphocytes became activated (with an increase in the proportions of CD69+ cells and mean fluorescence intensity for CD71). However, the proportion of KLF3+ T lymphocytes decreased. Subsequently, cytokine levels and lymphocyte activation decreased. An increase in cell apoptosis led to a substantial loss of T lymphocytes. Considering the continual elevations in serum interleukin 10 and interleukin 6 levels and worsening severe organ damage, the septic mice may have entered a state of chronic inflammation and immunosuppression, with a simultaneous increase in KLF3 expression in T lymphocytes, in the later stages after CLP.
Conclusions
In septic mice, T-lymphocyte KLF3 expression decreased in the early stage after CLP (i.e., systemic inflammatory response and T-lymphocyte activation stage) but increased in the later stage (i.e., chronic inflammation and immunosuppression stage). As such, KLF3 may be a promising target for dynamic immune monitoring and immunomodulatory therapy for sepsis.
Utilizing Stacked Ensemble AI Algorithm for Comprehensive Water Quality Analysis and Health Assessment in Complex Aquatic Systems
Authors: D Muhammad Mahfuzur , T Syed Hamid Hussain Kala , Al-Otaibi Shaha , Khan Ilyas
Published: March 2024

A novel framework, referred to as the Intelligent Mobile Data Collection (MDC) framework, is proposed to enhance data collection efficiency in Internet of Things (IoT) based sensor networks. This framework organizes IoT devices and sensors into clusters based on their geographical proximity or region. Within each cluster, a gateway node is designated to collect and consolidate data from its constituent members before transmitting it to the central MDC. To optimize data collection, the framework employs a learning mechanism known as Frequency-Based Reinforcement Learning (FRL). This technique analyzes data generation patterns, such as time intervals between transmissions, the quantity and type of packets generated, to classify clusters into categories: Frequent, Less Frequent, Rare, and Very Rare. Within FRL, each IoT sensor or device independently trains its local model using Reinforcement Learning (RL) techniques, encompassing states, actions, and rewards. These local models capture the specific behaviors and characteristics of the sensors. Subsequently, IoT sensors transmit their local model parameters to the gateway, where they are aggregated into a global model. This aggregated global model is then disseminated back to the IoT sensors, enabling them to adjust their behavior based on collective insights. Based on the categorized clusters, the framework dynamically adjusts parameters such as Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) slot allocations, sleep durations for sensors, and the visiting schedule of the MDC. This adaptive approach ensures efficient utilization of network resources while accommodating varying data generation rates and priorities across different clusters. In summary, the proposed Intelligent Mobile Data Collection framework integrates FRL and RL techniques to optimize data collection in IoT sensor networks. By dynamically adapting to changing data generation patterns and cluster characteristics, it enhances overall network performance and resource utilization.
Numerical Computation of Quasi-Periodic Solutions in the Circular Restricted Three-Body Problem Based on Percival's Variational Principle
Authors: Shibayama Mitsuru , Miyazaki Kaito
Published: March 2024

There are various solutions to the circular restricted three-body problem, which is used as a model to describe the movement of spacecraft. One of the most famous solutions is the periodic orbits and quasi-periodic solutions that are located near the equilibrium point on the same line as the main and secondary celestial bodies. These solutions are advantageous as they can help reduce fuel consumption while maintaining the spacecraft's orbit. It is expected that these solutions will be applied in many missions.
In this paper, we will first explain a functional that uses Percival's variational principle to apply an invariant torus to the circular restricted three-body problem. We will then use a method to obtain an approximate quasi-periodic solution by minimizing this functional using the steepest descent method. Next, we will compare the results obtained from the proposed method with the ones obtained by numerically integrating the circular restricted three-body problem. Finally, we will discuss the prospects of these solutions.
An Enhanced Subsampling Technique in Compressive Sensing using Linear Interpolation and Random Measurement Matrix
Authors: Osei-Wusu Franco , Ahene Emmanuel , Muntaka Siddique Abubakr
Published: March 2024

In Compressive Sensing, the incoherence of a measurement matrix during subsampling is a crucial requirement for the accurate reconstruction of a signal. However, such incoherence is only probable and not assured when subsampling is done with the widely used random measurement matrix. The study proposes an enhanced subsampling technique that integrates linear interpolation with the conventional random measurement matrix to provide assured incoherence during subsampling in Compressive Sensing. The experiments show that the proposed technique is less costly computationally and does a faster subsampling of an audio digital signal than when the traditional random measurement matrix is used solely. Additionally, the results demonstrated that the proposed technique outperformed state-of-the-art techniques with respect to the accuracy and speed of the signal reconstruction along with the L1 optimization. This was proven through the use of performance evaluation metrics such as computational complexity, execution time and Mean Square Error.
Effects of various substances on the binding of keratin monomers to S. maltophilia DHHJ cells to induce keratinase production
Authors: Xue Kai , Song XiaoXiao , Zhang Wei , Zhang YunLong , Cao ZhangJun , Zhang XingQun , Zhang ZhongGe
Published: March 2024

Keratin monomers from feathers or produced by gene overexpression can induce S. maltophilia DHHJ to produce keratinase, and there isn`t the capability of several kinds of proteases degrade keratin fragments and cysteine. FITC-labeled keratin was incubated with S. maltophilia DHHJ cells with or without BSA, DNA, ATP and metal ions, and the fluorescence values and the activity of keratinase were measured. BSA competed with keratin for cell binding sites, and in its presence, cells produced less keratinase. DNA did not compete with keratin for cell binding, and cells produced keratinase in normal amounts. Both ATP and metal ions increased the ability of the cells to bind keratin and improve the capacity of the cells to produce keratinase.
Hypoxia causes transcriptional downregulation of protein kinase, anti-apoptotic and DNA repair genes in the hippocampal CA1 region; improved recovery from hypoxia with sevoflurane preconditioning correlates with preserved PKMζ gene expression
Authors: Hou Joan Y. , Allen Kim , Hernández Alejandro I. , Cottrell James E. , Kass Ira S.
Published: March 2024

Sevoflurane preconditioning improves recovery after hypoxia. Hypoxia interferes with protein expression at the translational level, however, its effect on DNA transcription of protein kinase and anti-apoptotic genes is unclear. Hippocampal slices were treated with 4% sevoflurane for 15 min, a 5 min washout, 10 min of hypoxia and 60 min of recovery. Quantitative real-time RT-PCR measured gene expression in the CA1 hippocampal region. The expression of protein kinases, PKCγ (0.22), PKCε (0.38), and PKMζ (0.55) mRNAs and anti-apoptotic, bcl-2 (0.44) and bcl-xl (0.41) mRNAs were reduced 60 min after hypoxia relative to their expression in tissue not subjected to hypoxia (set to1.0). Sevoflurane preconditioning prevented only the downregulation of PKMζ (0.88) mRNA after hypoxia. Pro-apoptotic BAD mRNA was not significantly changed after hypoxia even with sevoflurane preconditioning (0.81, 0.84 vs. 1.0); however, BAD mRNA was increased by sevoflurane in tissue not subjected to hypoxia (1.48). Poly ADP-ribose polymerase 1 (PARP-1), a DNA repair enzyme, was increased by sevoflurane in tissue not subjected to hypoxia (1.23). PARP-1 was reduced in untreated tissue after hypoxia (0.21); sevoflurane did not improve PARP-1 expression after hypoxia (0.27). In conclusion, hypoxia leads to a reduction of certain protein kinase, anti-apoptotic and DNA repair mRNAs, indicating that transcriptional downregulation may lead to neuronal damage. Sevoflurane prevents the downregulation of PKMζ mRNA which correlates with previous studies that found sevoflurane improved neuronal survival after hypoxia. Maintaining transcription of mRNA for critical proteins may provide an important mechanism for reducing neuronal damage after stroke.
An eco-friendly high-pressure biorefinery approach for the recovery of valuable compounds from cashew nut testa shell (Anacardium occidentale L.)
Authors: Silva Jonas , Torres Talyta Mayara Silva , Ribeiro Paulo Riceli Vasconcelos , Brito Edy Sousa , Ferreira Sandra Regina Salvador
Published: March 2024

Abstract
The cashew agroindustry generates substantial by-products that are often improperly used. Cashew nut testa shell (CNTS) has attracted interest due to its elevated fatty acid contents and phenolic compounds, raising the relevance of environmentally friendly extraction techniques for its recovery. CNTS was submitted to high-pressure (Supercritical Fluid Extraction – SFE; Pressurized Liquid Extraction – PLE; and Subcritical Water Extraction – SWE) methods compared to traditional low-pressure (Soxhlet and maceration) techniques. Supercritical fluid extraction with CO2 as solvent was selective to recover fatty acids, such as palmitate (12.63 mg g-1), stearic (26.65 mg g-1), and oleic ( 25.61 mg g-1) acids, as well as behenic (46.42 mg g-1) and erucic (28.00 mg g-1), quantified by GC-MS. In contrast, the ethanolic and aqueous extracts, by pressurized liquid and subcritical water extraction, presented polyphenols like catechin, epicatechin, and procyanidin identified by UPLC-PDA-ESI-QDa, known for their high antioxidant potential and biological activities. In addition, fractions of proteins and sugars were also recovered. Considering the different compounds in the raw material, sequential extraction routes were conducted to fractionate the CNTS and provide different products from an underestimated raw material, a novelty that increased the value of the cashew processing chain.
F°Low : EM goes FAIR. A novel database software to track with high accuracy the journey of a biological sample towards electron microscopy analysis.
Authors: Heiligenstein Xavier , Belle Martin
Published: March 2024

Electron microscopy (EM) plays a crucial role in biological research, yet its widespread adoption is hindered by the lack of standardized protocols and efficient workflow management. This study addresses this challenge by introducing F°Low, a novel software solution designed to streamline the tracking and management of individual experiments in EM sample preparation. We highlight its focus on project management, sample tracking, and protocol refinement. F°Low prioritizes adherence to FAIR principles and facilitates knowledge transmission by providing a user-friendly interface for experiment creation and management. By standardizing the tracking process and promoting protocol improvement from the outset, F°Low aims to transmit EM expertise and enhance efficiency in biological research.
Las TIC en la educación social: trabajando bajo presión.
Authors: Martínez-Pérez Alejandro , Lezcano-Barbero Fernando , Casado-Muñoz Raquel , Zabaleta-González Rebeca
Published: March 2024

La COVID 19 irrumpió a finales de 2019 con graves consecuencias a nivel mundial en todos los sectores. El ámbito socioeducativo, caracterizado por trabajar con colectivos en riesgo de exclusión, recibió fuertemente el impacto de la pandemia. Aspectos como la brecha digital o la escasez de recursos dificultaron la atención telemática que se dio en diferentes sectores. Los objetivos del trabajo son conocer como las medidas derivadas de la COVID 19 han impactado en las formas de trabajo en el ámbito socioeducativo en España, con especial incidencia en el uso de las TIC, y elaborar propuestas de mejora derivadas de la situación sobrevenida. Se realiza un estudio cuantitativo, de carácter descriptivo y correlacional, mediante la técnica de encuesta. La muestra es de 818 profesionales de las 17 comunidades autónomas. Los datos son analizados mediante el programa SPSS. Los resultados muestran como en la pandemia por COVID 19 ha generado nuevas formas de organización del trabajo en el ámbito socioeducativo, ha aumentado la carga de trabajo y ha supuesto el trabajo con medios propios. Se concluye con la necesidad de desarrollar la competencia digital de profesionales y usuarios y una mayor dotación de recursos para la intervención socioeducativa.
Organizational commitment and well-being at work: investigating alternative models of association
Authors: Leite Carneiro Laila , Bittencourt Bastos Antônio Virgílio
Published: March 2024

This study aimed to verify the association between well-being at work (WBW) and organizational commitment (COMM) and to determine whether they behave as equivalent phenomena, correlated phenomena, or whether well-being is an antecedent or a consequence of commitment. This is a quantitative, cross-sectional study, with a survey applied to 360 workers from various organizations. Correlation analyses, linear regression, and structural equation modeling were used. Evidence of discriminant validity was found between COMM and WBW. There is evidence for the hypothesis that the association between WBW and COMM is cyclical, based on feedback, which is a possible explanation for the contradiction found in the literature regarding the pattern of association between these phenomena. The association between these two phenomena could be seen as a process, a flow, whose complexity may be more difficult for cross-sectional research to grasp.
Analysis of the factors influencing willingness to pay and payout level for watershed eco-compensation of the Huangbai river basin
Authors: Junlin Ren , Xiao Bie , Xinyue Li , Ziqian Peng
Published: March 2024

Watershed Ecological Compensation (WEC), an essential institutional framework, is for watershed ecological protection and management in China. The governments play a leading role but watershed residents who are the direct stakeholders are not given enough attention in the legislation and practice of WEC in most river basins. Thereupon, it is necessary to study the resident's willingness to pay (WTP) and willingness to accept (WTA). Based on the field survey data of the Huangbai River Basin, the contingent valuation method, the Probit and Tobit models were used to explore the WTP and its influencing factors of residents in the basin. Additionally, parametric estimation methods were employed to estimate the payout level and willingness to accept (WTA) of residents in watersheds. Results show that 88.84% of the respondents intended to pay for WEC with an average price of 142.24 CNY per year. The crucial factors influencing WTP were environmental awareness, ecological compensation cognition and political outlook. In addition, attention to ecology and satisfaction with water quality are significantly related to their payment levels. Accordingly, the policy makers should balance WTP and basin economic level and explore the implementation of a comprehensive ecological compensation strategy.
Zwierzę jako towarzysz ludzkiej doli i niedoli w twórczości Tadeusza Konwickiego
Authors: Łopata Łukasz
Published: March 2024

The Vilnius region and its natural landscape are recurring themes in Tadeusz Konwicki’s works. In addition to the extensive descriptions of the world of flora, there are also animals which become full-fledged and integral literary characters. For this reason, the article aims to present a zoocritical reading of Konwicki’s texts, placing the pet as the primary object of research interests. Animals act as human companions, living together in a complex network of relationships. Based on the fragments of Konwicki’s writings, it is shown that the human- animal dichotomy can be replaced by mutual coexistence.