bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Kisspeptin-10 binding to Gpr54 in osteoclasts prevents bone loss by activating Dusp18-mediated dephosphorylation of Src
Authors: Li Zhenxi , Yang Xinghai , Fu Ruifeng , Wu Zhipeng , Xu Shengzhao , Jiao Jian , Qian Ming , Zhang Long , Wu Chunbiao , Xie Tianying , Yao Jiqiang , Wu Zhixiang , Li Wenjun , Ma Guoli , You Yu , Chen Yihua , Zhang Han-kun , Cheng Yiyun , Tang Xiaolong , Wu Pengfei , Lian Gewei , Wei Haifeng , Zhao Jian , Xu Jianrong , Ai Lianzhong , Siwko Stefan , Wang Yue , Ding Jin , Song Gaojie , Luo Jian , Liu Mingyao , Xiao Jianru
Published: February 2024

Osteoclasts are over-activated as we age, which results in bone loss. Src deficiency in mice leads to severe osteopetrosis due to a functional defect in osteoclasts, indicating that Src function is essential in osteoclasts. G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are the targets for ∼35% of approved drugs but it is still unclear how GPCRs regulate Src kinase activity. Here, we reveal that GPR54 activation by its natural ligand Kisspeptin-10 (Kp-10) causes Dusp18 to dephosphorylate Src at Tyr 416. Mechanistically, Gpr54 recruits both active Src and the Dusp18 phosphatase at its proline/arginine-rich motif in its C terminus. We show that Kp-10 binding to Gpr54 leads to the up-regulation of Dusp18. Kiss1, Gpr54 and Dusp18 knockout mice all exhibit osteoclast hyperactivation and bone loss, and Kp-10 abrogated bone loss by suppressing osteoclast activity in vivo. Therefore, Kp-10/Gpr54 is a promising therapeutic target to abrogate bone resorption by Dusp18-mediated Src dephosphorylation.
A conserved interdomain microbial network underpins cadaver decomposition despite environmental variables
Authors: Burcham Zachary M. , Belk Aeriel D. , McGivern Bridget B. , Bouslimani Amina , Ghadermazi Parsa , Martino Cameron , Shenhav Liat , Zhang Anru R. , Shi Pixu , Emmons Alexandra , Deel Heather L. , Xu Zhenjiang Zech , Nieciecki Victoria , Zhu Qiyun , Shaffer Michael , Panitchpakdi Morgan , Weldon Kelly C. , Cantrell Kalen , Ben-Hur Asa , Reed Sasha C. , Humphry Greg C. , Ackermann Gail , McDonald Daniel , Chan Siu Hung Joshua , Connor Melissa , Boyd Derek , Smith Jake , Watson Jenna M. S. , Vidoli Giovanna , Steadman Dawnie , Lynne Aaron M. , Bucheli Sibyl , Dorrestein Pieter C. , Wrighton Kelly C. , Carter David O. , Knight Rob , Metcalf Jessica L.
Published: February 2024

Microbial breakdown of organic matter is one of the most important processes on Earth, yet the controls of decomposition are poorly understood. Here we track 36 terrestrial human cadavers in three locations and show that a phylogenetically distinct, interdomain microbial network assembles during decomposition despite selection effects of location, climate and season. We generated a metagenome-assembled genome library from cadaver-associated soils and integrated it with metabolomics data to identify links between taxonomy and function. This universal network of microbial decomposers is characterized by cross-feeding to metabolize labile decomposition products. The key bacterial and fungal decomposers are rare across non-decomposition environments and appear unique to the breakdown of terrestrial decaying flesh, including humans, swine, mice and cattle, with insects as likely important vectors for dispersal. The observed lockstep of microbial interactions further underlies a robust microbial forensic tool with the potential to aid predictions of the time since death.
Relative synonymous codon usage and codon pair analysis of depression associated genes
Authors: Khandia Rekha , Gurjar Pankaj , Kamal Mohammad Amjad , Greig Nigel H.
Published: February 2024

Depression negatively impacts mood, behavior, and mental and physical health. It is the third leading cause of suicides worldwide and leads to decreased quality of life. We examined 18 genes available at the genetic testing registry (GTR) from the National Center for Biotechnological Information to investigate molecular patterns present in depression-associated genes. Different genotypes and differential expression of the genes are responsible for ensuing depression. The present study, investigated codon pattern analysis, which might play imperative roles in modulating gene expression of depression-associated genes. Of the 18 genes, seven and two genes tended to up- and down-regulate, respectively, and, for the remaining genes, different genotypes, an outcome of SNPs were responsible alone or in combination with differential expression for different conditions associated with depression. Codon context analysis revealed the abundance of identical GTG-GTG and CTG-CTG pairs, and the rarity of methionine-initiated codon pairs. Information based on codon usage, preferred codons, rare, and codon context might be used in constructing a deliverable synthetic construct to correct the gene expression level of the human body, which is altered in the depressive state. Other molecular signatures also revealed the role of evolutionary forces in shaping codon usage.
The development of the soderberg electrolyzer electromagnetic field’s state monitoring system
Authors: Yury Ilyushin , Martirosyan Alexander
Published: February 2024

This study is devoted to improving the economic efficiency of the cell, due to the field of the generated electromagnetic field’s accurate diagnostics. To solve this problem, the authors had developed a hardware-software complex for electromagnetic field diagnostics. This complex includes a measurement device and a software package for data collection and analysis. On the laboratory prototype of the aluminum electrolysis complex, a study was carried out on the formation and structure of the electromagnetic field. A number of experiments have been carried out showing the degree of formation of the electromagnetic field by the anode, the relationship of electromagnetic fields in the inter-anode space has been shown. Based on the results of the studies, conclusions were drawn about the possibility of diagnosing the current state of the anode, determining the direction of rotation of aluminum in the electrolytic cell and estimating the life of the anode and its burnout time.
Effect of nutmeg essential oil (Myristica fragrans Houtt.) on methane production, rumen fermentation, and nutrient digestibility in vitro
Authors: Abdillah Achmad Ezar , Sarah Dewi , Ardian Aziz Aji , Anas Muhsin Al , Aprianto Muhammad Anang , Hanim Chusnul , Kurniawati Asih , Muhlisin  , Yusiati Lies Mira
Published: February 2024

The study evaluated the effect of adding of nutmeg (Myristica fragrans Houtt.) essential oil (NEO) as a feed additive on methane production, rumen fermentation parameters, rumen enzyme activity, and nutrient digestibility in vitro. This study was divided into three treatments based on the level of NEO addition, which included 0 µL/L (T0), 100 µL/L (T1), and 200 µL/L (T2). The feed substrate composition consisted of king grass as forage and concentrate in a 60:40 ratio. Feed fermentation was conducted using the Menke and Steingass gas production and two-step Tilley and Terry in-vitro digestibility technique. The data obtained from the study were analyzed using one-way ANOVA and if there were differences between means, they were further assessed using DMRT. The results showed that T2 treatment significantly decreased (P < 0.05) ammonia (NH3) levels, total VFA, acetate, propionate, butyrate, and microbial protein (P < 0.05). Methane production and the activity of rumen protease enzyme significantly decreased (P < 0.05) at T1 and T2 treatment. The T2 treatment significantly reduced (P < 0.05) protein digestibility (IVCPD) at 48 h, while IVCPD at 96 h significantly increased (P < 0.05). On the other hand, the addition of nutmeg essential oil did not effect the activity of the amylase, carboxymethyl cellulase, and β-glucosidase enzymes, as well as the in-vitro digestibility of dry matter (IVDMD), crude fiber (IVCFD), and organic matter (IVOMD). The conclusion drawn from this study is that the optimum level for NEO is 200 µL/L, which can reduce methane production and increase crude protein digestibility at 96 h without any negative effect on rumen fermentation and nutrient digestibility.
Tissue-specific proteome profile analysis reveals regulatory and stress responsive networks in passion fruit during storage
Authors: Garcia Ellen , Koh Jin , Wu Xingbo , Sarkhosh Ali , Liu Tie
Published: February 2024

Passiflora edulis, commonly known as passion fruit, is a crop with a fragrant aroma and refreshingly tropical flavor that is a valuable source of antioxidants. It offers a unique opportunity for growers because of its adaptability to tropical and subtropical climates. Passion fruit can be sold in the fresh market or used in value-added products, but its postharvest shelf life has not been well-researched, nor have superior cultivars been well-developed. Understanding the proteins expressed at the tissue level during the postharvest stage can help improve fruit quality and extend shelf life. In this study, we carried out comparative proteomics analysis on four passion fruit tissues, the epicarp, mesocarp, endocarp, and pulp, using multiplexed isobaric tandem mass tag (TMT) labeling quantitation. A total of 3352 proteins were identified, including 295 differentially expressed proteins (DEPs). Of these DEPs, 213 showed a fold increase greater than 1.45 (50 proteins) or a fold decrease less than 0.45 (163 proteins) with different patterns among tissue types. Among the DEPs, there were proteins expressed with functions in oxygen scavenging, lipid peroxidation, response to heat stress, and pathogen resistance. Thirty-six proteins were designated as hypothetical proteins were characterized for potential functions in immunity, cell structure, homeostasis, stress response, protein metabolism and miraculin biosynthesis. This research provides insight into tissue-specific pathways that can be further studied within fruit physiology and postharvest shelf life to aid in implementing effective plant breeding programs. Knowing the tissue-specific function of fruit is essential for improving fruit quality, developing new varieties, identifying health benefits, and optimizing processing techniques.
Vertical and horizontal reading training in patients with hemianopia and its effect on reading eye movements
Authors: Kuester-Gruber S. , Kabisch P. , Cordey-Henke A. , Martus P. , Karnath H.-O. , Trauzettel-Klosinski S.
Published: February 2024

Vertical reading training (VRTr) increases reading speed (RS) significantly in patients with hemianopic field defects (HFD). We ask, how eye movements (EM) contribute to this improvement and whether EM-behavior is affected by the side of HFD. Twenty-one patients, randomly assigned to VRTr or horizontal RTr, trained reading single lines from a screen at home, for 4 weeks. In the clinic, we recorded EM while reading short sentences aloud from a screen before training (T1), directly (T2) and 4 weeks afterwards (T3). RS-screen was correlated with RS during reading printed paragraphs (RS-print) to assess the transfer to everyday life. RS-screen and RS-print correlated positively (horizontal: r > 0.8, vertical: r > 0.9) at all times. Vertical RS did not exceed horizontal RS. We found significant negative correlations of EM-variables and RS-print: in right-HFD with the number of forward saccades (T1: r =  − 0.79, T2: r =  − 0.94), in left-HFD with the steps during return sweeps (T1: r =  − 0.83, T2: r =  − 0.56). Training effects remained stable at T3. EM-improvement was specific for the RTr and the side of the HFD: in right-HFD fewer forward saccades after VRTr, in left-HFD fewer steps during return sweeps after HRTr. RTr on a screen transfers to reading printed text in real-life situations.

Trial registration: The study was retrospectively registered in the German Clinical Trials register: DRKS-ID: DRKS00018843, March 13th, 2020.
Impact of simulated acid rain on chemical properties of Nyalau series soil and its leachate
Authors: Ibrahim Mohamad Hilmi , Kasim Susilawati , Ahmed Osumanu Haruna , Mohd. Rakib Mohd. Rashid , Hasbullah Nur Aainaa , Islam Shajib Md. Tariqul
Published: February 2024

Greenhouse gases can cause acid rain, which in turn degrades soil chemical properties. This research was conducted to determine the effects of simulated acid rain (SAR) on the chemical properties of Nyalau series (Typic paleudults). A 45-day laboratory leaching and incubation study (control conditions) was conducted following standard procedures include preparing simulated acid rain with specific pH levels, followed by experimental design/plan and systematically analyzing both soil and leachate for chemical changes over the 45-day period. Six treatments five of which were SAR (pH 3.5, 4.0, 4.5, 5.0, and 5.5) and one control referred to as natural rainwater (pH 6.0) were evaluated. From the study, the SAR had significant effects on the chemical properties of the soil and its leachate. The pH of 3.5 of SAR treatments decreased soil pH, K+, and fertility index. In contrast, the contents of Mg2+, Na+, SO42−, NO3−, and acidity were higher at the lower SAR pH. Furthermore, K+ and Mg2+ in the leachate significantly increased with increasing acidity of the SAR. The changes in Ca2+ and NH4+ between the soil and its leachate were positively correlated (r = 0.84 and 0.86), whereas the changes in NO3− negatively correlated (r = − 0.82). The novelty of these results lies in the discovery of significant alterations in soil chemistry due to simulated acid rain (SAR), particularly impacting soil fertility and nutrient availability, with notable positive and negative correlations among specific ions where prolonged exposure to acid rain could negatively affect the moderately tolerant to acidic and nutrient-poor soils. Acid rain can negatively affect soil fertility and the general soils ecosystem functions. Long-term field studies are required to consolidate the findings of this present study in order to reveal the sustained impact of SAR on tropical forest ecosystems, particularly concerning soil health, plant tolerance, and potential shifts in biodiversity and ecological balance.
White blood cells classification using multi-fold pre-processing and optimized CNN model
Authors: Saidani Oumaima , Umer Muhammad , Alturki Nazik , Alshardan Amal , Kiran Muniba , Alsubai Shtwai , Kim Tai-Hoon , Ashraf Imran
Published: February 2024

White blood cells (WBCs) play a vital role in immune responses against infections and foreign agents. Different WBC types exist, and anomalies within them can indicate diseases like leukemia. Previous research suffers from limited accuracy and inflated performance due to the usage of less important features. Moreover, these studies often focus on fewer WBC types, exaggerating accuracy. This study addresses the crucial task of classifying WBC types using microscopic images. This study introduces a novel approach using extensive pre-processing with data augmentation techniques to produce a more significant feature set to achieve more promising results. The study conducts experiments employing both conventional deep learning and transfer learning models, comparing performance with state-of-the-art machine and deep learning models. Results reveal that a pre-processed feature set and convolutional neural network classifier achieves a significantly better accuracy of 0.99. The proposed method demonstrates superior accuracy and computational efficiency compared to existing state-of-the-art works.
Vault changes in eyes with a vertically implanted implantable collamer lens
Authors: Ouchi Masayuki
Published: February 2024

Sulcus-to-sulcus vertical diameter is longer than the horizontal. However, the effect of vertical positioning of the implantable collamer lens (ICL) on the vault compared to preoperative prediction is unclear. This prospective consecutive case series aimed to examine postoperative and preoperative predicted vaults during vertical ICL fixation. This study assessed 180 right eyes in 180 patients with myopic astigmatism. For the 90 eyes in 90 patients who underwent horizontal fixation (horizontal group) and 90 eyes in 90 patients who underwent vertical fixation (vertical group), biometrics by three-dimensional tomography of the anterior segment optical coherence tomography (A-OCT) was performed before surgery and 2 h, 1 day, 1 week, 1 month and 3 months after surgery. The anterior chamber depth did not change over time in both groups, and there was no significant difference from preoperative values. The postoperative vault values were significantly lower in the vertical group than in horizontal group over time. The difference between vault measurements and preoperative predictions at all postoperative time points was significantly greater in the vertical group than in horizontal group. Vertical fixation of the ICL reduced the vault by > 100 μm compared with horizontal fixation, which was different from the A-OCT preoperative predicted value.
A new function for drug combination dose finding trials
Authors: Xiao Jiacheng , Zhang Weijia
Published: February 2024

Combination drugs play an essential role in treating cancers. The challenging part of the combination drugs are to specify the dose-toxicity ordering, which means the sequences of dose escalation and de-escalation in process of dose findings should be pre-determined. In the paper, we extend a novel function of the continual reassessment method based on the combination of the normal distribution for drug-combination dose-finding trials and systematically evaluate its performance using a template of four performance measures EARS (Efficiency, Accuracy, Reliability, Selection). Dose escalation and deescalation rules are based on the nearest neighborhood continual reassessment method for a combination drug, and we specify all possible dose-toxicity orderings in the trial. Simulation demonstrates that the new design is efficient, accurate and reasonably reliable.
GWAS-identified hyperuricemia-associated IGF1R variant rs6598541 has a limited role in urate mediated inflammation in human mononuclear cells
Authors: Gaal Orsolya I. , Liu Ruiqi , Marginean Dragoș , Badii Medeea , Cabău Georgiana , Hotea Ioana , Nica Valentin , Colcear Doina ,   HINT Consortium, Joosten Leo A. B. , Pop Ioan V. , Crişan Tania O. , Farcaş Marius , Marginean Dragoş H. , Badii Medeea O. , Peca Loredana , Mirea Andreea-Manuela , Pop Mariana S. , Rus Ancuta , Pamfil Cristina , Merriman Tony R. , Rednic Simona , Popp Radu A. , Crișan Tania O. , Joosten Leo A. B.
Published: February 2024

Gout is a common autoinflammatory joint diseases characterized by deposition of monosodium urate (MSU) crystals which trigger an innate immune response mediated by inflammatory cytokines. IGF1R is one of the loci associated with both urate levels and gout susceptibility in GWAS to date, and IGF-1-IGF-1R signaling is implicated in urate control. We investigate the role of IGF-1/IGF1R signaling in the context of gouty inflammation. Also, we test the gout and urate-associated IGF1R rs6598541 polymorphism for association with the inflammatory capacity of mononuclear cells. For this, freshly isolated human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were exposed to recombinant IGF-1 or anti-IGF1R neutralizing antibody in the presence or absence of solubilized urate, stimulated with LPS/MSU crystals. Also, the association of rs6598541 with IGF1R and protein expression and with ex vivo cytokine production levels after stimulation with gout specific stimuli was tested. Urate exposure was not associated with IGF1R expression in vitro or in vivo. Modulation of IGF1R did not alter urate-induced inflammation. Developing urate-induced trained immunity in vitro was not influenced in cells challenged with IGF-1 recombinant protein. Moreover, the IGF1R rs6598541 SNP was not associated with cytokine production. Our results indicate that urate-induced inflammatory priming is not regulated by IGF-1/IGF1R signaling in vitro. IGF1R rs6598541 status was not asociated with IGF1R expression or cytokine production in primary human PBMCs. This study suggests that the role of IGF1R in gout is tissue-specific and may be more relevant in the control of urate levels rather than in inflammatory signaling in gout.
Clinical trials are becoming more complex: a machine learning analysis of data from over 16,000 trials
Authors: Markey Nigel , Howitt Ben , El-Mansouri Ilyass , Schwartzenberg Carel , Kotova Olga , Meier Christoph
Published: February 2024

The past decade has seen substantial innovation in clinical trials, including new trial formats, endpoints, and others. Also there have been regulatory changes, increasing competitive pressures and other external factors which impact clinical trials. In parallel, trial timelines have increased and success rates remain stubbornly low. This has led many observers to question whether clinical trials have become overly complex and if this complexity is always needed. Here we present a large-scale analysis of protocols and other data from over 16,000 trials. Using a machine learning algorithm, we automatically assessed key features of these trials, such as number of endpoints, number of inclusion–exclusion criteria and others. Using a regression analysis we combined these features into a new metric, the Trial Complexity Score, which correlates with overall clinical trial duration. Looking at this score across different clinical phases and therapeutic areas we see substantial increases over time, suggesting that clinical trials are indeed becoming more complex. We discuss drivers of increasing trial complexity, necessary or helpful (‘good’) complexity versus unnecessary (‘bad’) complexity, and we explore mechanisms of how sponsors of clinical trials can reduce trial complexity where appropriate.
A mathematically rigorous algorithm to define, compute and assess relevance of the probable dissociation constants in characterizing a biochemical network
Authors: Kundu Siddhartha
Published: February 2024

Metabolism results from enzymatic- and non-enzymatic interactions of several molecules, is easily parameterized with the dissociation constant and occurs via biochemical networks. The dissociation constant is an empirically determined parameter and cannot be used directly to investigate in silico models of biochemical networks. Here, we develop and present an algorithm to define, compute and assess the relevance of the probable dissociation constant for every reaction of a biochemical network. The reactants and reactions of this network are modelled by a stoichiometry number matrix. The algorithm computes the null space and then serially generates subspaces by combinatorially summing the spanning vectors that are non-trivial and unique. This is done until the terms of each row either monotonically diverge or form an alternating sequence whose terms can be partitioned into subsets with almost the same number of oppositely signed terms. For a selected null space-generated subspace the algorithm utilizes several statistical and mathematical descriptors to select and bin terms from each row into distinct outcome-specific subsets. The terms of each subset are summed, mapped to the real-valued open interval $$\left(0,\infty \right)$$

0
,
∞

and used to populate a reaction-specific outcome vector. The p1-norm for this vector is then the probable dissociation constant for this reaction. These steps are continued until every reaction of a modelled network is unambiguously annotated. The assertions presented are complemented by computational studies of a biochemical network for aerobic glycolysis. The fundamental premise of this work is that every row of a null space-generated subspace is a valid reaction and can therefore, be modelled as a reaction-specific sequence vector with a dimension that corresponds to the cardinality of the subspace after excluding all trivial- and redundant-vectors. A major finding of this study is that the row-wise sum or the sum of the terms contained in each reaction-specific sequence vector is mapped unambiguously to a positive real number. This means that the probable dissociation constants, for all reactions, can be directly computed from the stoichiometry number matrix and are suitable indicators of outcome for every reaction of the modelled biochemical network. Additionally, we find that the unambiguous annotation for a biochemical network will require a minimum number of iterations and will determine computational complexity.
Social consequences of planned relocation in response to sea level rise: impacts on anxiety, well-being, and perceived safety
Authors: Abu Mumuni , Heath Stacey C , Adger W. Neil , Codjoe Samuel Nii Ardey , Butler Catherine , Quinn Tara
Published: February 2024

Governments globally are adapting to sea level rise through a range of interventions to improve everyday lives of communities at risk. One prominent response is planned relocation, where people and communities are enabled to move from localities exposed to coastal erosion and inundation as a result of sea level rise. Managed retreat has significant social consequences including under-reported impacts on health, well-being and social identity. Here we adopt well-established measures of well-being and document the outcomes of planned relocation on well-being in the Volta Delta region of Ghana. Data from a bespoke survey for individuals (n = 505) in relocated and non-relocated communities demonstrate that planned relocation negatively impacts well-being and anxiety of those relocated when compared to a community that is equally exposed but has not moved. Individuals in the relocated community reported significantly lower levels of overall wellbeing, significantly higher levels of anxiety, and lower perceptions of safety, compared to non-relocated community members. These outcomes are explained as being related to the disruption of community connection, identities, and feelings of efficacy. Relocated community members reported significantly lower levels of attachment to the local area and home, significantly lower levels of community-based self-efficacy, and significantly lower levels of overall community-based identity. The results demonstrate that planned relocation to address sea level rise has multiple social consequences with outcomes for well-being that are not straightforwardly related to risk reduction.
RETRACTED ARTICLE: Preliminary risk assessment of in-vessel leakage accident in ITER
Authors: Duan Qizhi , Fang Xingchen , Chen Shuai , Xie Hongyun , Wang Chunbing , Wang Dagui
Published: February 2024

The ITER project is one of the largest international cooperative scientific projects in the world, aiming to verify the feasibility of magnetic confinement controlled nuclear fusion technology and provide a technical basis for the subsequent construction of fusion energy power stations. The success or failure of ITER will greatly affect the commercialization process of fusion energy. The probabilistic safety assessment (PSA) was a powerful means to evaluate the risk and reliability of nuclear facility and achieved great success in safety assessment of fission power plants. Based on this, the PSA progress for ITER was proposed in this paper. And the in-vessel leakage accident was investigated to verify the effectiveness of proposed method. The result shows the maximum possible radiological consequences of ITER in-vessel leakage accident of ITER is 1.6E−3 mSv, and the frequencies of this consequence is 1.63E−8/year. The reason of this consequence was also discussed in this paper. Those result could provide some valuable reference for radiation risk assessment and safety supervision of fusion commercial reactor in the nuclear future.
Integrating aesthetics and efficiency: AI-driven diffusion models for visually pleasing interior design generation
Authors: Chen Junming , Shao Zichun , Zheng Xiaodong , Zhang Kai , Yin Jun
Published: February 2024

The interior design suffers from inefficiency and a lack of aesthetic appeal. With the development of artificial intelligence diffusion models, using text descriptions to generate aesthetically pleasing designs has emerged as a new approach to address these issues. In this study, we propose a novel method based on the aesthetic diffusion model, which can quickly generate visually appealing interior design based on input text descriptions while allowing for the specification of decorative styles and spatial functions. The method proposed in this study creates creative designs and drawings by computer instead of from designers, thus improving the design efficiency and aesthetic appeal. We demonstrate the potential of this approach in the field of interior design through our research. The results indicate that: (1) The method efficiently provides designers with aesthetically pleasing interior design solutions; (2) By modifying the text descriptions, the method allows for the rapid regeneration of design solutions; (3) Designers can apply this highly flexible method to other design fields through fine-tuning. (4) The method optimizes the workflow of interior design.
Distribution of infectious and parasitic agents among three sentinel bee species across European agricultural landscapes
Authors: Babin Aurélie , Schurr Frank , Delannoy Sabine , Fach Patrick , Huyen Ton Nu Nguyet Minh , Bougeard Stéphanie , de Miranda Joachim R. , Rundlöf Maj , Wintermantel Dimitry , Albrecht Matthias , Attridge Eleanor , Bottero Irene , Cini Elena , Costa Cecilia , De la Rúa Pilar , Di Prisco Gennaro , Dominik Christophe , Dzul Daniel , Hodge Simon , Klein Alexandra-Maria , Knapp Jessica , Knauer Anina C. , Mänd Marika , Martínez-López Vicente , Medrzycki Piotr , Pereira-Peixoto Maria Helena , Potts Simon G. , Raimets Risto , Schweiger Oliver , Senapathi Deepa , Serrano José , Stout Jane C. , Tamburini Giovanni , Brown Mark J. F. , Laurent Marion , Rivière Marie-Pierre , Chauzat Marie-Pierre , Dubois Eric
Published: February 2024

Infectious and parasitic agents (IPAs) and their associated diseases are major environmental stressors that jeopardize bee health, both alone and in interaction with other stressors. Their impact on pollinator communities can be assessed by studying multiple sentinel bee species. Here, we analysed the field exposure of three sentinel managed bee species (Apis mellifera, Bombus terrestris and Osmia bicornis) to 11 IPAs (six RNA viruses, two bacteria, three microsporidia). The sentinel bees were deployed at 128 sites in eight European countries adjacent to either oilseed rape fields or apple orchards during crop bloom. Adult bees of each species were sampled before their placement and after crop bloom. The IPAs were detected and quantified using a harmonised, high-throughput and semi-automatized qPCR workflow. We describe differences among bee species in IPA profiles (richness, diversity, detection frequencies, loads and their change upon field exposure, and exposure risk), with no clear patterns related to the country or focal crop. Our results suggest that the most frequent IPAs in adult bees are more appropriate for assessing the bees’ IPA exposure risk. We also report positive correlations of IPA loads supporting the potential IPA transmission among sentinels, suggesting careful consideration should be taken when introducing managed pollinators in ecologically sensitive environments.
The value of computed tomography texture analysis in identifying chronic subdural hematoma patients with a good response to polytherapy
Authors: Sha Zhuang , Wu Di , Dong Shiying , Liu Tao , Wu Chenrui , Lv Chuanxiang , Liu Mingqi , Jiang Weiwei , Yuan Jiangyuan , Nie Meng , Gao Chuang , Liu Feng , Zhang Xinjie , Jiang Rongcai
Published: February 2024

This study aimed to investigate the predictive factors of therapeutic efficacy for chronic subdural hematoma (CSDH) patients receiving atorvastatin combined with dexamethasone therapy by using clinical imaging characteristics in conjunction with computed tomography (CT) texture analysis (CTTA). Clinical imaging characteristics and CT texture parameters at admission were retrospectively investigated in 141 CSDH patients who received atorvastatin combined with dexamethasone therapy from June 2019 to December 2022. The patients were divided into a training set (n = 81) and a validation set (n = 60). Patients in the training data were divided into two groups based on the effectiveness of the treatment. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to assess the potential factors that could indicate the prognosis of CSDH patients in the training set. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to analyze the predictive efficacy of the significant factors in predicting the prognosis of CSDH patients and was validated using a validation set. The multivariate analysis showed that the hematoma density to brain parenchyma density ratio, singal min (minimum) and singal standard deviation of the pixel distribution histogram, and inhomogeneity were independent predictors for the prognosis of CSDH patients based on atorvastatin and dexamethasone therapy. The area under the ROC curve between the two groups was between 0.716 and 0.806. As determined by significant factors, the validation's accuracy range was 0.816 to 0.952. Clinical imaging characteristics in conjunction with CTTA could aid in distinguishing patients with CSDH who responded well to atorvastatin combined with dexamethasone.
Effect of vestibular loss on head-on-trunk stability in individuals with vestibular schwannoma
Authors: Aryan Raabeae , Zobeiri Omid A. , Millar Jennifer L. , Schubert Michael C. , Cullen Kathleen E.
Published: February 2024

The vestibulo-collic reflex generates neck motor commands to produce head-on-trunk movements that are essential for stabilizing the head relative to space. Here we examined the effects of vestibular loss on head-on-trunk kinematics during voluntary behavior. Head and trunk movements were measured in individuals with vestibular schwannoma before and then 6 weeks after unilateral vestibular deafferentation via surgical resection of the tumor. Movements were recorded in 6 dimensions (i.e., 3 axes of rotation and 3 axes of translation) using small light-weight inertial measurement units while participants performed balance and gait tasks. Kinematic measures differed between individuals with vestibular schwannoma (at both time points) and healthy controls for the more challenging exercises, namely those performed in tandem position or on an unstable surface without visual input. Quantitative assessment of the vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) revealed a reduction in VOR gain for individuals with vestibular schwannoma compared to control subjects, that was further reduced following surgery. These findings indicated that the impairment caused by either the tumor or subsequent surgical tumor resection altered head-on-trunk kinematics in a manner that is not normalized by central compensation. In contrast, we further found that head-on-trunk kinematics in individuals with vestibular schwannoma were actually comparable before and after surgery. Thus, taken together, our results indicate that vestibular loss impacts head-on-trunk kinematics during voluntary balance and gait behaviors, and suggest that the neural mechanisms mediating adaptation alter the motion strategies even before surgery in a manner that may be maladaptive for long-term compensation.
Synthesis and molecular docking simulations of novel azepines based on quinazolinone moiety as prospective antimicrobial and antitumor hedgehog signaling inhibitors
Authors: Noser Ahmed A. , El-Barbary A. A. , Salem Maha M. , El Salam Hayam A. Abd , shahien Mohamed
Published: February 2024

A series of novel azepine derivatives based on quinazolinone moiety was synthesized through the reaction of quinazolinone chalcones (2a–d) either with 2-amino aniline in acidic medium to give diazepines (3a–d) or with 2-aminophenol to offer oxazepine (4a–d). The structure of the synthesized compounds was confirmed via melting points, elemental analyses, and different spectroscopic techniques. Moreover, these newly compounds mode of action was investigated in-silico using molecular docking against the outer membrane protein A (OMPA), exo-1,3-beta-glucanase for their antimicrobial activity, and against Smoothened (SMO), transcription factor glioma-associated homology (SUFU/GLI-1), the main proteins of Hedgehog signaling pathway to inspect their anticancer potential. Our results showed that, diazepine (3a) and oxazepine (4a) offered the highest binding energy against the target OMPA/ exo-1,3-beta-glucanase proteins and exhibited the potent antimicrobial activities against E. coli, P. aeruginosa, S. aureus, B. subtilis, C. Albicans and A. flavus. As well, diazepine (3a) and oxazepine (4a) achieved the best results among the other compounds, in their binding energy against the target SMO, SUFU/GLI-1 proteins. The in-vitro cytotoxic study was done for them on panel of cancer cell lines HCT-116, HepG2, and MCF-7 and normal cell line WI-38. Conclusively, it was revealed that molecular docking in-silico simulations and the in-vitro experiments were agreed. As a result, our findings elucidated that diazepine (3a) and oxazepine (4a), have the potential to be used as antimicrobial agents and as possible cancer treatment medications.
A novel CNN architecture for accurate early detection and classification of Alzheimer’s disease using MRI data
Authors: El-Assy A. M. , Amer Hanan M. , Ibrahim H. M. , Mohamed M. A.
Published: February 2024

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a debilitating neurodegenerative disorder that requires accurate diagnosis for effective management and treatment. In this article, we propose an architecture for a convolutional neural network (CNN) that utilizes magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data from the Alzheimer’s disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) dataset to categorize AD. The network employs two separate CNN models, each with distinct filter sizes and pooling layers, which are concatenated in a classification layer. The multi-class problem is addressed across three, four, and five categories. The proposed CNN architecture achieves exceptional accuracies of 99.43%, 99.57%, and 99.13%, respectively. These high accuracies demonstrate the efficacy of the network in capturing and discerning relevant features from MRI images, enabling precise classification of AD subtypes and stages. The network architecture leverages the hierarchical nature of convolutional layers, pooling layers, and fully connected layers to extract both local and global patterns from the data, facilitating accurate discrimination between different AD categories. Accurate classification of AD carries significant clinical implications, including early detection, personalized treatment planning, disease monitoring, and prognostic assessment. The reported accuracy underscores the potential of the proposed CNN architecture to assist medical professionals and researchers in making precise and informed judgments regarding AD patients.
Validation of sleep-staging accuracy for an in-home sleep electroencephalography device compared with simultaneous polysomnography in patients with obstructive sleep apnea
Authors: Seol Jaehoon , Chiba Shigeru , Kawana Fusae , Tsumoto Saki , Masaki Minori , Tominaga Morie , Amemiya Takashi , Tani Akihiro , Hiei Tetsuro , Yoshimine Hiroyuki , Kondo Hideaki , Yanagisawa Masashi
Published: February 2024

Efforts to simplify standard polysomnography (PSG) in laboratories, especially for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), and assess its agreement with portable electroencephalogram (EEG) devices are limited. We aimed to evaluate the agreement between a portable EEG device and type I PSG in patients with OSA and examine the EEG-based arousal index’s ability to estimate apnea severity. We enrolled 77 Japanese patients with OSA who underwent simultaneous type I PSG and portable EEG monitoring. Combining pulse rate, oxygen saturation (SpO2), and EEG improved sleep staging accuracy. Bland–Altman plots, paired t-tests, and receiver operating characteristics curves were used to assess agreement and screening accuracy. Significant small biases were observed for total sleep time, sleep latency, awakening after falling asleep, sleep efficiency, N1, N2, and N3 rates, arousal index, and apnea indexes. All variables showed > 95% agreement in the Bland–Altman analysis, with interclass correlation coefficients of 0.761–0.982, indicating high inter-instrument validity. The EEG-based arousal index demonstrated sufficient power for screening AHI ≥ 15 and ≥ 30 and yielded promising results in predicting apnea severity. Portable EEG device showed strong agreement with type I PSG in patients with OSA. These suggest that patients with OSA may assess their condition at home.
Efficacy and safety of rituximab in multiple sclerosis and neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder
Authors: Ongphichetmetha Tatchaporn , Jitprapaikulsan Jiraporn , Siritho Sasitorn , Rattanathamsakul Natthapon , Detweeratham Thammachet , Prayoonwiwat Naraporn
Published: February 2024

In Thailand, resource limitations lead many multiple sclerosis (MS) and neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) patients to use off-label immunosuppressants. This study assesses the efficacy and safety of rituximab (RTX) with a CD19-based reinfusion regimen among Thai MS and NMOSD patients. A retrospective review of patients at the Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital from January 1994 to April 2023 was conducted. The primary outcome assessed was the change in annualized relapse rate (ARR) for patients using RTX for over a year. Secondary outcomes included changes in the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) scores, time to the first relapse after RTX initiation for patients using RTX for over a year, and an evaluation of the safety of RTX. The study encompassed 36 MS and 39 NMOSD patients. A majority of patients (91.7% of MS and 79.5% of NMOSD) experienced no relapses during a median follow-up of 30 months (Interquartile range [IQR] 20–46) and 31 months (IQR 23–41), respectively. The median ARR significantly decreased in both MS (from 0.77 [IQR 0.42–1.83] to 0 [IQR 0–0], p < 0.001) and NMOSD (from 0.92 [IQR 0.68–1.78] to 0 [IQR 0–0.17], p < 0.001) patients after switching to RTX, with no difference between those following a fixed 6-month time point regimen and a CD19-based reinfusion regimen. Median EDSS scores improved significantly at the last follow-up visit in both groups. The mean time to the first subsequent relapse was 8.3 ± 3.0 months in MS and 6.8 ± 1.7 months in NMOSD. Mild adverse drug reactions occurred in 44% of patients. RTX effectively prevents relapses in Thai MS and NMOSD patients, with no observed serious adverse drug reactions.
S-polarized light-sheets improve resolution and light-efficiency in oblique plane microscopy
Authors: Sommernes Jon-Richard , Millett-Sikking Alfred , Ströhl Florian
Published: February 2024

Oblique plane microscopy (OPM) offers 3D optically sectioned imaging with high spatial- and temporal-resolution while enabling conventional sample mounting. The technique uses a concatenation of three microscopes, two for remote focusing and a tilted tertiary microscope, often including an immersion objective, to image an oblique sample plane. This design induces Fresnel reflections and a reduced effective aperture, thus impacting the resolution and light efficiency of the system. Using vectorial diffraction simulations, the system performance was characterized based on illumination angle and polarization, signal to noise ratio, and refractive index of the tertiary objective immersion. We show that for samples with high fluorescent anisotropy, s-polarized light-sheets yield higher average resolution for all system configurations, as well as higher light-efficiency. We also provide a tool for performance characterization of arbitrary light-sheet imaging systems.
Neuronal travelling waves explain rotational dynamics in experimental datasets and modelling
Authors: Kuzmina Ekaterina , Kriukov Dmitrii , Lebedev Mikhail
Published: February 2024

Spatiotemporal properties of neuronal population activity in cortical motor areas have been subjects of experimental and theoretical investigations, generating numerous interpretations regarding mechanisms for preparing and executing limb movements. Two competing models, representational and dynamical, strive to explain the relationship between movement parameters and neuronal activity. A dynamical model uses the jPCA method that holistically characterizes oscillatory activity in neuron populations by maximizing the data rotational dynamics. Different rotational dynamics interpretations revealed by the jPCA approach have been proposed. Yet, the nature of such dynamics remains poorly understood. We comprehensively analyzed several neuronal-population datasets and found rotational dynamics consistently accounted for by a traveling wave pattern. For quantifying rotation strength, we developed a complex-valued measure, the gyration number. Additionally, we identified parameters influencing rotation extent in the data. Our findings suggest that rotational dynamics and traveling waves are typically the same phenomena, so reevaluation of the previous interpretations where they were considered separate entities is needed.
Long-term liming changes pasture mineral profile
Authors: Li Guangdi D. , Conyers Mark K. , Refshauge Gordon , Ataollahi Forough , Hayes Richard C.
Published: February 2024

There is limited information on changes of pasture mineral concentrations over the long-term in response to liming. A long-term field experiment was conducted to assess the influence of lime application on (a) changes in pasture mineral composition over time; and (b) key pasture mineral concentrations and ratios important to animal health. Perennial and annual pastures with or without lime application were sampled annually over 12 years and analysed for macro- and micro-minerals. Mineral ratios and indices were calculated to assess the potential impact on animal health. Liming increased the concentrations of calcium, sodium and silicon, but decreased the concentrations of micro-nutrients including copper, zinc and manganese. The same trend was found in both annual and perennial pastures although there were some fluctuations between years. Liming increased the calcium:phosphorus ratio and the dietary cation–anion difference but reduced the tetany index on both annual and perennial pastures. These findings suggest a potential benefit to improve animal health outcomes for some disorders on the limed pastures. However, the reduced concentrations of some trace elements following liming potentially decreases antioxidant capacity and requires further research.
Impact of Co3O4 nanoparticles on epoxy's mechanical and corrosion-resistance properties for carbon steel in seawater
Authors: Deyab M. A. , El-Shamy Omnia A. A. , Alghamdi Majed M. , El-Zahhar Adel A.
Published: February 2024

Co3O4 nanoparticles (Co3O4-NPs) are synthesized using the facile solvothermal method. FT-IR and XRD spectroscopic analyses verify the creation of cobalt oxide nanoparticles with an average size of 13.20 nm. Furthermore, Zeta potential assessments were carried out to identify the electrical charge of the surface of the produced Co3O4-NPs, which was found to be -20.5 mV.  In addition, the average pore size of Co3O4-NPs is 19.8 nm, and their BET surface area is 92.4 m/g. The study also concerned the effect of Co3O4-NPs on epoxy's improvement of mechanical and corrosion protection for carbon steel in salt solution. By including Co3O4-NPs in an epoxy (EP) coating, corrosion is effectively prevented by non-permeable protective coatings that effectively reduce the transfer of corrosion ions and oxygen.