bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Antibiotic-Driven Pathogen Replacement Events in a Kidney Transplant Recipient with ADPKD: A Case Report
Authors: Yan Ziyan , Wang Yuchen , Zeng Wenli , Hui Jialiang , Yang Bin , Xu Jian , Miao Yun , Xia Renfei
Published: October 2024

Background
Retaining the native bilateral kidneys after transplantation is a common alternative treatment for patients with end-stage autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease. However, this strategy poses the risks of potential complications from polycystic kidney infection. The efficiency of antibiotic therapy (ATBT) and the optimal time for native nephrectomy in managing these infections remain uncertain.
Case presentation:
We report a case of a kidney transplant recipient with retained bilateral polycystic kidneys who experienced recurrent cyst and bloodstream infections, accompanied by antibiotic-driven pathogen replacement. After multiple failed attempts at ATBT, the patient subsequently underwent unilateral polycystic kidney resection. Subsequently, a new infection episode occurred, leading to a preemptive native nephrectomy. Cystic tissue and fluid samples were collected from both shallow and deep layers of the polycystic kidneys, along with peripheral blood and urine samples. These samples were analyzed using microbial culture, metagenome sequencing, and digital polymerase chain reaction to identify infectious pathogens. Pathogen replacement occurred across different infection episodes, with the dominant bacterial species being Escherichia coli, Klebsiella aerogenes, and Enterococcus faecium, in succession.
Conclusions
This case highlights the replacement of dominant pathogens under antibiotic selection pressure in polycystic kidney infections, primarily involving gram-negative bacilli. When initial and subsequent ATBT fail, re-evaluation of the cyst infection definition is necessary, and preemptive native nephrectomy should be considered.
Investigation of Opioid Use Disorder and Its Relevant Risk Factors—A Cross-Sectional Survey in Hospitalized Medically Ill Patients
Authors: Khorshidian Faezeh , Kheirkhah Farzan , Moudi Sussan , Talari Davood Hosseini , Bijani Ali , Fathi Neda , Mohammadi Tahere , Mojarrad Minoo , Mirtabar Seyedeh Mahbobeh
Published: October 2024

People can become prone to addiction due to the interaction between nature and nurture. Opioids are one of the addictive substances that have reached an epidemic level worldwide. For the large proportion of patients, hospitalizations for medical reasons, is one of few interactions patients have with the healthcare system and potentially the only opportunity to receive opioid use screening. Due to the increase in global consumption, clinicians are concerned about the consequences of using opioids in medically ill patients. In this study, with a comprehensive approach, we evaluated the opioid use disorder and its relevant risk factors inhospitalized medical patients.This cross-sectional analytical study was conducted in medical wards of General Educational hospital in North of Iran,Sampling was done among 835 patients, hospitalized in different medical departments who were requested by their medical specialists for consultation by the psychiatric service, The information collected for this study was obtained based on the recorded data in the psychiatric consultation sheets, All psychiatric diagnoses in this project were based on DSM-5 diagnostic criteria.The rate of opioid use disorder among hospitalized medical patients was 17%. The highest rate of OUD was related to the age group of 25 to 40 years with 20.6%, men with 19.7%, divorced patients with 21.1%, and diploma to bachelor's education with 21.3%.In terms of comorbid medical disease, the highest rate was related to cardiovascular disease with 21.7%, followed by gastrointestinal disease with 14%. Most observed laboratory disturbance was the positive urine toxicology test, this test was the only variable that had a statistically significant relationship with OUD (P-value<0.001). In terms of comorbid psychiatry disorders, 9.9% of them had cluster B personality disorder, 7.8% had depressive disorder, 5% had anxiety disorder, and 2.1% had bipolar disorder.The findings of our research showed that opioid use disorder in medically ill patients, in men, the age group of 25 to 40 years, being divorced and having a diploma to bachelor's educational degree is higher. Cardiovascular diseases have the highest rate of association with OUD and the most laboratory disturbance in these patients is positive urine toxicology. We found that personality disorder cluster B and depressive disorder have a higher association with OUD than anxiety disorder and bipolar disorder.
Utilization of bio-based monomer derived from camelina oil and itaconic acid for the synthesis of film-forming latexes
Authors: Kolář Martin , Honzíček Jan , Podzimek Štěpán , Hájek Martin , Lukeš Vladimír , Klein Erik , Kocián David , Machotová Jana
Published: October 2024

The need for the production of synthetic polymers from renewable and sustainable resources also affects the area of emulsion polymerization. The bio-based monomer (BM) was synthesized from camelina oil (CO) and itaconic acid through transesterification and epoxidation of CO, followed by itaconation, resulting in a blend of methyl esters of CO-originated fatty acids functionalized with reactive methyl itaconate groups. Various amounts of BM were copolymerized with standard acrylic monomers (0−30 wt. % of BM in the monomer mixture) using the emulsion polymerization technique to obtain film-forming latexes. Infrared and Raman spectroscopies evidenced the successful incorporation of BM into the structure of latex polymers. The ultra-high molar mass nanogel fraction was detected by asymmetric flow-field flow fractionation coupled with a multiangle light scattering (AF4-MALS) for BM comprising copolymers; the higher the BM content, the more extensive the nanogel fraction. Crosslinking of latex polymers induced by BM testified to the reactivity of itaconated functions in emulsion polymerization and provided additional evidence of the copolymerization ability of the BM. The incorporation of BM also resulted in hardness and glass transition temperature enhancement (about 11% and 9°C, respectively, in the case of 30 wt. % of the BM content in contrast to 0 wt. % of the BM content in the copolymer). Coatings with excellent transparency and gloss were obtained from all latexes regardless of the BM content used. Slightly increased water repellency (about 7 ° increased water contact angle value) and significantly improved the water whitening resistance of the coatings (about 80% decreased water whitening after 1-day long water exposure) were found for coatings comprising 30 wt. % of BM in the copolymer, where the water whitening phenomenon was highly dependent on the BM content.
Assessing Genetic Relatedness of In Vitro Cassava Accessions Using Quantitative Morphological Traits and DarTseq Single Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNP) Markers
Authors: Byiringiro Moise Hubert , Uchendu Esther , Paliwal Rajneesh , Abberton Michael
Published: October 2024

Genetic diversity is crucial for breeding progress and biodiversity. Genetic relatedness was assessed using quantitative morphological traits (plant height, root length, number of roots, number of leaves, leaf length, leaf width, and number of leaf lobes) and SNP markers of 101 in vitro cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) accessions from the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Genetic Resources Centre, in 2023. Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) of morphological traits revealed significant differences (P < 0.01) of all traits across accessions and weeks. Root length and number of leaf lobes had significant differences (P < 0.01) across accessions and weeks. Cluster analysis identified four distinct clusters. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) revealed that the first three components explained 67.26% of the total variation among accessions. The leaf length (LL), Leaf width (LW), Number of roots (NR), Plant height (PH), and Root Length (RL) had the highest eigenvalues of -0.551, -0.531, -0.398, -0.383, and − 0.298 respectively in PC1. A strong positive correlation (r = 0.81***) was observed between leaf width and leaf length. Genome-wide SNP markers were generated using the DArTseq Genotype by Sequencing approach. Polygenic analysis using 19,467 SNPs identified four distinct genetic groups within cassava population. Phylogenetic and PCA analyses yielded consistent results. Molecularly, PCA revealed that the first three PCs explained 15%, 4.74%, and 3.7% of the genetic variation in the cassava population. SNP markers are effective for evaluating genetic diversity and identifying duplicates in the cassava collection. These results have important implications for cassava genebank management, quality control, conservation strategy, germplasm exchange, and future breeding efforts.
An Active Inference Strategy for Prompting Reliable Responses from
Large Language Models in Medical Practice
Authors: Shusterman Roman , Waters Allison , O’Neill Shannon , Luu Phan , Tucker Don
Published: October 2024

Continuing advances in Large Language Models (LLMs) in artificial intelligence offer important capacities in intuitively accessing and using medical knowledge in many contexts, including education and training as well as assessment and treatment. Most of the initial literature on LLMs in medicine has emphasized that LLMs are unsuitable for medical use because they are non-deterministic, may provide incorrect or harmful responses, and cannot be regulated to assure quality control. If these issues could be corrected, optimizing LLM technology could benefit patients and physicians by providing affordable, point-of-care medical knowledge. Our proposed framework refines LLM responses by restricting their primary knowledge base to domain-specific datasets containing validated medical information. Additionally, we introduce an actor-critic LLM prompting protocol based on active inference principles of human cognition, where a Therapist agent initially responds to patient queries, and a Supervisor agent evaluates and adjusts responses to ensure accuracy and reliability. We conducted a validation study where expert cognitive behaviour therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) therapists evaluated responses from the LLM in a blind format. Experienced human CBT-I therapists assessed responses to 100 patient queries, comparing LLM-generated responses with appropriate and inappropriate responses crafted by experienced CBT-I therapists. Results showed that LLM responses received high ratings from the CBT-I therapists, often exceeding those of therapist-generated appropriate responses. This structured approach aims to integrate advanced LLM technology into medical applications, meeting regulatory requirements for establishing the safe and effective use of special purpose validated LLMs in medicine.
Enhanced Mitochondrial Function and Delivery from Adipose-Derived Stem Cell Spheres via the EZH2-H3K27me3-PPARγ Pathway for Advanced Therapy
Authors: Chang Ming-Min , Chu Dinh Toi , Lin Sheng-Che , Lee Jung-Shun , Vu Thuy Duong , Thi Hue Vu , Ramasamy Thamil Selvee , Lin Shau-Ping , Wu Chia-Ching
Published: October 2024

Background
Microenvironmental alterations induce significant genetic and epigenetic changes in stem cells. Mitochondria, essential for regenerative capabilities, provide the necessary energy for stem cell function. However, the specific roles of histone modifications and mitochondrial dynamics in human adipose-derived stem cells (ASCs) during morphological transformations remain poorly understood. In this study, we aim to elucidate the mechanisms by which ASC sphere formation enhances mitochondrial function, delivery, and rescue efficiency.
Methods
ASCs were cultured on chitosan nano-deposited surfaces to form 3D spheres. Mitochondrial activity and ATP production were assessed using MitoTracker staining, Seahorse XF analysis, and ATP luminescence assays. Single-cell RNA sequencing, followed by Ingenuity Pathway Analysis (IPA), was conducted to uncover key regulatory pathways, which were validated through molecular techniques. Pathway involvement was confirmed using epigenetic inhibitors or PPARγ-modulating drugs. Mitochondrial structural integrity and delivery efficiency were evaluated after isolation.
Results
Chitosan-induced ASC spheres exhibited unique compact mitochondrial morphology, characterized by condensed cristae, enhanced mitochondrial activity, and increased ATP production through oxidative phosphorylation. High expressions of mitochondrial complex I genes and elevated levels of mitochondrial complex proteins were observed without an increase in reactive oxygen species (ROS). Epigenetic modification of H3K27me3 and PPARγ involvement were discovered and confirmed by inhibiting H3K27me3 with the specific EZH2 inhibitor GSK126 and by adding the PPARγ agonist Rosiglitazone (RSG). Isolated mitochondria from ASC spheres showed improved structural stability and delivery efficiency, suppressed the of inflammatory cytokines in LPS- and TNFα-induced inflamed cells, and rescued cells from damage, thereby enhancing function and promoting recovery.
Conclusion
Enhancing mitochondrial ATP production via the EZH2-H3K27me3-PPARγ pathway offers an alternative strategy to conventional cell-based therapies. High-functional mitochondria and delivery efficiency show significant potential for regenerative medicine applications.
Evaluating the Anti-Tumor Efficacy and Safety of AEV01 in Glioblastoma and Hepatocellular Carcinoma: An In Vitro and In Vivo Approach
Authors: Biswas Indrani , S Daisy Precilla , Kumar Aravinda , Sekhar MM , Medasani Renu , TS Anitha
Published: October 2024

Gliomas and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are aggressive cancers with poor prognoses, often leading to less than a year of survival. Therapeutic resistance underscores the need for novel therapeutic strategies. AEV01, derived from Picrorhiza kurroa, has shown promise as a potential anticancer agent. In this context, the current study aimed to evaluate the anti-tumor efficacy and safety profile of AEV01 both in vitro and in vivo in glioblastoma and HCC models. Briefly, cytotoxicity and apoptosis were assessed using MTT assays and AO/EtBr staining, while ELISA and immunofluorescence measured inflammatory markers, TP53 and CD36 expression. In vivo, ELISA was performed against the inflammatory and tumor suppressor markers while, histopathological analysis assessed tumor morphology and organ toxicity. AEV01 exhibited dose-dependent cytotoxicity against U-87 MG glioblastoma and HepG2 liver cancer cells, with optimal concentrations at 400 µg and 300 µg respectively. Treatment downregulated inflammatory markers, CD36 expression and concomitantly increased TP53 expression. Xenograft models depicted similar results, with reduced tumor markers expression, reduced tissue architecture, and no significant organ toxicity. Thus, AEV01 demonstrated potent anti-tumor activity with a favorable safety profile, suggesting its potential as a novel therapeutic agent for gliomas and HCC, warranting further clinical investigation.
Amplifying persistent luminescence in heavily doped nanopearls for bioimaging and solar-to-chemical synthesis
Authors: Wang Jie , Qi Bing , Dai Wenjing , Lou Bibo , Song Bin , Miao Ziyun , Ma Chonggeng , Wei Yurong
Published: October 2024

Lanthanides are widely co-doped in persistent luminescence phosphors to elevate defect concentration and enhance luminescence efficiency. However, the deleterious cross-relaxation between activators and lanthanides inevitably quench persistent luminescence, particularly in heavily doped phosphors. Herein, we reported a core-shell engineering strategy to minimize the unwanted cross-relaxation but retain the charge-trapping capacity of heavily doped persistent luminescence phosphors by confining the activators and lanthanides in the core and shell, respectively. As a proof of concept, we prepared a series of codoped ZnGa2O4:Cr, Ln (CD-Ln, Ln = Nd, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb) and core-shell structured ZnGa2O4:Cr@ZnGa2O4:Ln (CS-Ln) nanoparticles. First-principle investigations suggested that lanthanide doping elevated the electron trap concentration for enhanceing persistent luminescence, but the energy transfer (ET) from Cr3+ to Ln3+ ions quenched the persistent luminescence. The spatial separation of Cr3+ and Ln3+ ions in the core-shell structured CS-Ln nanoparticles suppressed the ET from Cr3+ to Ln3+. Due to the efficient suppression of deleterious ET, the optimal doping concentration of Ln in CS-Ln was elevated 50 times compared to CD-Ln. Moreover, the persistent luminescence intensity of CS-5%Ln was up to 60 times that of the original ZnGa2O4:Cr. The CS-5%Ln displayed significantly improved signal-to-noise ratios in bioimaging. Further, the CS-Ln was interfaced with the lycopene-producing bacteria Rhodopseudomonas Palustris for solar-to-chemical synthesis and the lycopene productivity was increased by 190%. This work provides a reliable solution to fulfill the potential of lanthanides in enhancing persistent luminescence and opens opportunities for persistent luminescence phosphors in biomedicine and solar-to-chemical synthesis.
Determinants of Green Energy Utilization Among Small and Medium-sized Enterprises in Ekiti State Ngeria
Authors: Kolawole Ayotunde Ola , Ojo Sylvester Oluwadare , Igbatayo Samuel Adeyemi , Owolabi Isaiah Oluwatobi , Ezekiel Abimbola Moji , Abdu-Raheem Kamal Adekunle
Published: October 2024

This study investigated the determinants of green energy adoption among small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Ekiti State, Nigeria. Primary data was obtained from 320 participants through a well-structured questionnaire. The data was analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Logistic regression analysis was employed to ascertain the impact of solar energy usage by SMEs, while a one-sample t-test was utilized to examine the hypothesis that there was no substantial disparity in green energy expenditure between agricultural and non-agricultural SMEs in the research region. The findings indicated that non-agricultural SMEs were highly examined (72.2%) compared to agricultural SMEs (27.8%). Most SMEs had completed secondary school, while some had OND/NCE (23.1%) and B.Sc./HND (20.6%) degrees. The entrepreneurs had 7.1 years of business experience and earned an average monthly salary of N92,206.30. The utilization of solar energy was the predominant approach (71.9%) for alleviating the environmental effects of greenhouse emissions. Three significant factors that influenced the utilization of solar energy by small business owners were the average monthly estimated power costs (-6.211E-005), the average cost of wiring a small firm's production environment (1.934E-005), and the BEDC service support rating (1.806). SMEs experienced an abnormally high rate of inaccurate billing (90%) from the power distribution company (BEDC) and an unreliable power supply (89%) with less than 4 hours of energy each day. The t-test results indicate a significant difference in green energy investment between the two groups, at a level of significance of 1%. This study suggests that the Ekiti State government should actively stimulate the growth of green energy among SMEs by promoting collaboration, increasing awareness, and fostering public-private partnerships.
Levels, influencing factors, sources and exposure assessment of organophosphate esters in fine particulate matter and total suspended particle from Nanjing, China
Authors: Xu Huaizhou , Fei Xinyong , Wang Kaili , Wu Beicun , Gao Han , Wang Bingyu , Chen Yiqun
Published: October 2024

Organophosphate esters (OPEs) have garnered significant attention for their extensive environmental presence and potential risk to biota, including humans. This study investigated the levels, influencing factors, sources and health risks of OPEs partitioning in atmospheric fine particulate matters (PM2.5) and total suspended particles (TSP) from Nanjing, China. The total concentrations of eleven OPEs (detection frequency > 50%) in PM2.5 and TSP were range of 57.0 − 404 pg/m3 and 37.7 − 354 pg/m3. OPEs tended to partition into fine particles for their higher adsorption capacity and octanol-air partition coefficient (KOA) of OPEs. Meteorological factors such as temperature and air pressure had opposite effects on halogenated and aryl OPEs, with high temperatures and low pressures causing halogenated OPEs to volatilize and partition into particles. Air mass trajectory analysis indicated differing sources for particulate matter and OPEs, with particulate matter originating mainly from Anhui, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Henan, Jiangxi and Hubei provinces, and OPEs primarily from Jiangxi, Zhejiang and Shandong provinces. Correlation analysis and principal component analysis identified building constructions, traffic emissions and foam products, and indoor emissions as OPEs sources. The non-cancer risk assessment indicated no potential risk of concern, as the evaluation by hazard quotient was far below the acceptable risk.
Fungi-metabolites production and networking analysis in saprophytes and pathogens fungi
Authors: Mao Xin , Li Xinru , Lu Sunan , You Yanli , Zhou Shuang , Wu Yongning , Wang Liping , Li Yanshen
Published: October 2024

Fungi are important parasitic microorganism of plants, which mainly include saprophytes and pathogens species. However, differences of mycotoxins production by different fungi still remain challenging. To address this bottleneck, saprophytes and pathogens Alternaria spp. are used for inoculation and metabolites production analysis are process via liquid chromatography- high resolution mass spectrometry (LC-HRMS). Characteristic neutral loss is present for modified mycotoxins screening and feature fragments which match chemical similarity are applied for annotation. The results revealed that Saprophytic Alternaria spp. are the dominant secondar metabolites producing fungi with extremely differences. Glucose conjugations, ALU-G, AME-G, and TeA-G, are identified as modified mycotoxins. In addition, molecular networking result reveals that metabolic pathway of Alternaria mycotoxins mainly include acetylation, dehydration, didehydration, dimethylamination, hydrogenation, isomerization, methylation, combination of methylation and hydroxylation, and combination of demethylation and dihydroxylation.
The Relationship Between Parental Marital Satisfaction and Adolescent Suicide-related Behavior: The Mediating Role of Positive Youth Development Attributes
Authors: Peng Yinhui , Shek Daniel Tan Lei , Chen Dongqiong , Li Xiang , Zhao Li , Jiang Lihua
Published: October 2024

Background
The scientific literature suggests that parental marital quality is significantly associated with adolescent suicidal behavior. Although previous research has demonstrated that parental conflict predicted adolescent suicide-related behaviors, limited attention has been given to the connection between parental marital satisfaction and adolescent suicide-related behaviors. Besides, insufficient research on how positive youth development (PYD) attributes mediate the association between parental marital satisfaction and adolescent suicidal behavior. Hence, this study explored the impact of parental marital satisfaction on adolescent suicide-related behaviors, and also assessed the intermediate function of PYD attributes.
Methods
In this study, 3,099 students (50.98% male, 49.02% female) and their parents were enlisted from 6 schools in Chengdu, with parental report of marital satisfaction and student report of PYD attributes and suicide-related behaviors. Suicide-related behavior predictors were examined using logistic regression, and the mediating role of PYD was assessed through structural equation modeling.
Results
Parental marital satisfaction negatively predicted adolescent suicide-related behaviors through its impact on adolescent PYD attributes.
Conclusion
Poor parental marital satisfaction increases the risk of adolescent suicide-related behaviors through its impact on adolescent PYD attributes. The study supports the thesis that parental marital quality is intimately linked to adolescent psychological being. The practical significance of these findings is also explored.
The speed breeding technology of five-generations per year in cotton
Authors: Wang Guoning , Sun Zhengwen , Yang Jun , Ma Qingming , Wang Xingyi , Ke Huifeng , Huang Xiao , Zhang Li , Wang Gengyao , Gu Qishen , Zhang Dongmei , Wu Jinhua , Zhang Yan , Wu Liqiang , Zhang Guiyin , Ma Zhiying , Wang Xingfen
Published: October 2024

Shortening the breeding cycle is an effective way to accelerate crop genetic improvement. Previously we developed an integrated breeding technology for cotton that enabled three to four breeding cycles per year. Here, to further shorten the breeding time, we optimized the light spectrum conditions for cotton development and culture conditions for immature embryo developing into seedling. Under optimized spectrum conditions, JSh929 and ND601 plants exhibited the visible flower buds at 19 and 21 days after emergence (DAE), and the first flower bloomed at around 45 and 46 DAE. Using the optimized immature embryo culture technique, immature embryos of 25-30 days after pollination could develop into fertile plants with cotyledon unfolding at six days after culture in vitro. The improved speed breeding technique shortened cotton breeding cycle from about 130 days to a range from 71 to 85 days, an average of 79.5 days, achieving up to around five generations per year. Using this optimized system, we transferred iaaM gene into the high-yield and disease-resistant cultivar JND24, and BC4F3 progenies were obtained within 1.5 years. In addition, the JND24-i3 line was selected with increased lint percentage and improved Micronaire value. These results demonstrate that the optimized speed breeding system offers a rapid and effective way to improve traits of cotton.
Anti-biofilm activity against 3D-printed PEEK coated with antiseptics
Authors: Giné Adrián , Díaz-Navarro Marta , Visedo Andrés , Trapero Diego , Gómez-Larren Estela , Aguilera-Jiménez Elena , Peña Susana Gómez-de los Infantes , Rodríguez-Rodríguez Myriam , Muñoz Patricia , Pérez-Mañanes Rubén , Guembe María
Published: October 2024

Microorganisms form biofilms more readily on PEEK prostheses than metals, so we aimed to enhance the anti-biofilm properties of 3D-printed PEEK by coating it with menthol or povidone iodine (PI). Despite testing on various microorganisms, the coatings resulted in minimal bacterial reduction, with the best results for P. aeruginosa showing less than 20% reduction. Further studies are needed to improve antiseptic penetration and modify PEEK’s hydrophobicity for better biofilm prevention.
From Algorithms to Accountability: The Societal and Ethical Need for Explainable AI
Authors: Chellappan Ramesh Babu
Published: October 2024

As artificial intelligence (AI) becomes increasingly integrated into critical sectors such as healthcare, finance, and law, the opacity of black-box models raises profound ethical, societal, and regulatory concerns. This paper investigates the transition from black-box AI to explainable white-box systems, focusing on ethical imperatives, societal trust, and regulatory compliance. Through a comprehensive literature review and qualitative interviews with industry professionals, this study highlights the challenges and opportunities of implementing Explainable AI (XAI) in high-stakes contexts. We emphasize the importance of transparency, accountability, and fairness in AI and propose a roadmap for the successful adoption of XAI, advocating for interdisciplinary collaboration between technologists, policymakers, and civil society to ensure responsible AI deployment.
Curcumin reverses the scopolamine-induced amnesia through the upregulation of synaptic plasticity proteins
Authors: Kashyap Himangshu , Bhavani Thorra , Gautam Akash
Published: October 2024

Curcumin is widely used as an Ayurvedic medicine for inflammation-related disorders. Recent experiments have shown its anti-carcinogenic, chemoprophylactic, antioxidant, anti-angiogenic, nootropic and immunomodulatory properties. Biochemical studies have reported that Curcumin efficiently alleviates amnesia and reduces Aβ plaques in animal models of neurodegenerative disorders. However, there are no clear reports on the molecular mechanisms elicited by Curcumin against neurological disorders, particularly amnesia or memory loss. As memory is a result of the interaction of several synaptic plasticity proteins, we hypothesize that Curcumin modulates the specific synaptic plasticity proteins in different brain regions associated with memory processing. To prove this hypothesis, we have investigated the effect of curcumin treatment on the expression level of synaptic plasticity proteins (Arc and FMRP) in scopolamine-induced amnesic male mice. Amnesia was assessed through the Morris water maze test, and protein level was analyzed through Western blotting. We observed a significant downregulation of Arc and FMRP during scopolamine-induced amnesia, which gets reversed by the pre- and post-treatment with Curcumin in both the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex of these mice. Our study reveals a molecular pattern of how Curcumin ameliorates amnesia, but additional research on upstream signalling pathways would support the curcumins’ medicinal use in memory problems.
An Uneven Cluster-based Routing Protocol for WSNs Using an Integrated MCDM and EPO
Authors: Ri Man Gun , Jo Nam Jin , Kim Jin Sim
Published: October 2024

Exploiting the intelligent optimization algorithms in cluster-based routing has significantly improved the lifetime of the energy-constrained Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs). While most of the latest works have concentrated on exploiting individual intelligent optimization algorithms, little effort has been directed to integrate MCDM methods with the meta-heuristic algorithm. In this paper, we propose a novel uneven cluster-based routing protocol, which exploits an integrated FCNP-VWA-TOPSIS and the improved EPO to provide better energy consumption balance between sensor nodes. This protocol first performs clustering using an integrated FCNP-VWA-TOPSIS. In other words, it assigns relatively accurate weights to 7 multi-criteria characterizing sensor nodes by FCNP-VWA, and selects CH nodes with TOPSIS based on these weights. Next, this protocol constructs the routing tree with the improved Emperor Penguin Optimization (EPO) using fitness function based on the weights of 7 multi-criteria assigned by FCNP-VWA. The results of extensive simulation show that the proposed protocol provides a superior energy consumption balance, thus extending the network lifetime up to 158.0%, 119.3% and 113.7% over existing protocols, UCR, UCFIA and FMCB-ER, respectively.
Discovery of eclipses in the cataclysmic variable LAMOST J035913.61+405035.0
Authors: Kozhevnikov Valerij
Published: October 2024

I conducted photometric observations of the cataclysmic variable LAMOST J035913.61+405035.0 and discovered previously unknown eclipses. During these observations, I recorded 14 eclipses over two groups of nights separated by 13 months. I accurately determined the orbital period of the system to be Porb = 0.228 343 85 ± 0.000 000 21 d. For the eclipses, I derived an ephemeris which is valid for a long time and suitable for studying changes in the orbital period. The out-ofeclipse magnitude of the star varied between 15.32±0.02 and 17.25±0.08 mag. As the brightness decreased, the eclipses became deeper and narrower. The average depth of eclipses was 1.35±0.10 mag, and the average width at half-depth was 16.9±0.7 min. I estimated the range of possible orbital inclinations to be between 72.8◦ and 76.0◦ , and the range of average absolute V band magnitudes of the disc to be between 5.16±0.15 and 5.44±0.15 mag. Although based on the light curve from the ZTF survey, LAMOST J035913.61+405035.0 showed only small outbursts with amplitudes below 1.5 mag, it should be classified as a dwarf nova because the average disc brightness and mass transfer rate were below the limit of thermal instability. However, there have been no significant outbursts in the ZTF light curve over the past 1.6 yr. Instead, a gradual decrease in brightness lasting 120 d suggests that this object may occasionally become a nova-like variable of the VY Scl type.
The African Woman is Rhythmic and Soulful: An Investigation of Implicit Biases in LLM Open-ended Text Generation
Authors: Lim Serene , Pérez-Ortiz María
Published: October 2024

This paper investigates the subtle and often concealed biases present in Large Language Models (LLMs), focusing on implicit biases that may remain despite passing explicit bias tests. Implicit biases are significant because they influence the decisions made by these systems, potentially perpetuating stereotypes and discrimination, even when LLMs appear to function fairly. Traditionally, explicit bias tests or embedding-based methods are employed to detect bias, but these approaches can overlook more nuanced, implicit forms of bias. To address this, we introduce two novel psychological-inspired methodologies: the LLM Implicit Association Test (IAT) Bias and the LLM Decision Bias, designed to reveal and measure implicit biases through prompt-based and decision-making tasks. Additionally, open-ended generation tasks with thematic analysis of word generations and storytelling provide qualitative insights into the model's behavior. Our findings demonstrate that the LLM IAT Bias correlates with traditional methods and more effectively predicts downstream behaviors, as measured by the LLM Decision Bias, offering a more comprehensive framework for detecting subtle biases in AI systems. This research advances the field of AI ethics by proposing new methods to continually assess and mitigate biases in LLMs, highlighting the importance of qualitative and decision-focused evaluations to address challenges that previous approaches have not fully captured.
Deep Reinforcement Learning for Dial-A-Ride Problem
Authors: YILDIZ Özge ASLAN , SARIÇİÇEK İnci , YAZICI Ahmet
Published: October 2024

Intelligent transportation systems are an essential issue within the scope of smart mobility. The Dial-a-Ride problem provides a solution integrated with intelligent transportation technologies to enable individuals to use public transportation systems effectively and efficiently. This problem involves determining the most effective and efficient routes using limited vehicles and resources to meet the demands of individuals in a specific region who need to travel to various destinations. Logistics service providers require systems that can deliver optimal solutions to these combinatorial problems within a reasonable time. Recently, there has been a significant increase in the use of artificial intelligence optimization algorithms such as meta-heuristics to solve such problems. However, to the best of our knowledge, no studies have explored the use of reinforcement learning for solving the DARP. In this study, the transformer-based deep reinforcement learning method is proposed to solve the Dial and Ride problem for a single service vehicle. The proposed method is compared against four different metaheuristic methods and demonstrates superior performance over them. Additionally, the proposed method is tested on a real-world scenario generated in the Buyukdere neighborhood of Eskisehir. The results demonstrate that the proposed method make it possible to solve the problem within a reasonable time. This study confirms that reinforcement learning can effectively address Dial-a-Ride Problems.
Levels of circulatory branched-chain amino acids are associated with dietary regimen. A cross- sectional analysis
Authors: Liu Keyuan , Borreggine Rebecca , Gallart-Ayala Hector , Ivanisevic Julijana , Marques-Vidal Pedro
Published: October 2024

Background & aims:
Higher levels of circulatory branched chain amino acids (BCAA, isoleucine, leucine, and valine) are associated with a higher risk of diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. Diet is the main source of BCAA, but previous studies have shown conflicting results on the influence of diet on circulatory BCAA concentration. We evaluated the association between BCAA concentration and diet in a large population-based sample.
Methods
Data from 2159 participants (58.2% women, mean age 53.4 ± 8.6years) was included. Dietary intake was assessed by questionnaire and included 91 individual foods and 15 different nutrients. BCAA concentrations were measured by stable isotope dilution liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) assay.
Results
The circulatory BCAA levels were higher in men than in women (250.2 ± 45.2 vs. 207.9 ± 36.1, 136.0 ± 24.4 vs 106.3 ± 17.4, 63.6 ± 13.0 vs 48.1 ± 9.2 µmol/L, p < 0.001). BCAA levels were negatively associated with vegetal protein intake (multivariable-adjusted beta: -0.051 and − 0.063 for Isoleucine and Valine, respectively, p < 0.05) and dairy product (-0.037, -0.063 and − 0.038, respectively, p < 0.05) consumption. The opposite trend was observed for consumption of meat and meat-derived products, but the associations did not reach statistical significance. Of the 15 different nutrients, 13 showed a significant correlation with BCAA. Specifically, total protein, total carbohydrates, polysaccharides, saturated fat (SFA), and total fat all showed significant positive association with BCAA, while total fibre, monosaccharides, and calcium showed significant negative correlations with BCAA.
Conclusions
Levels of circulatory in humans are negatively associated with plant protein and positively associated with polysaccharides, total fat, and animal protein. The associations are gender specific.
Replication Capacity and Susceptibility of Nirmatrelvir-Resistant Mutants to Next-Generation Mpro Inhibitors in a SARS-CoV-2 Replicon System
Authors: Lo Chieh-Wen , Kariv Omri , Hao Chenzhou , Gammeltoft Karen Anbro , Bukh Jens , Gottwein Judith , Westberg Michael , Lin Michael Z , Einav Shirit
Published: October 2024

There is an ongoing need to expand the anti-SARS-CoV-2 armamentarium to include agents capable of suppressing replication of drug-resistant mutants emerging during monotherapy with approved direct-acting antivirals. Using a subgenomic SARS-CoV-2 replicon system, we studied the RNA replication capacity of nirmatrelvir (NTV)-resistant mutants and their susceptibility to next-generation Mpro inhibitors, including ibuzatrelvir (ITV), ensitrelvir (ETV), and ML2006a4. Our findings revealed that E166V Mpro mutants reduced viral RNA replication, whereas other Mpro mutations retained or increased the replication capacity, suggesting the potential of the latter to dominate under NTV selective pressure. Except for having an advantage against E166A mutants, ITV largely showed the same mutational sensitivity as NTV. ETV was more effective than NTV against E166V mutants but less effective against S144A, E166A, and L167F mutants. ML2006a4 demonstrated the most effective suppression across most mutants (S144A, E166V, S144A+L50F, E166A/V+L50F, L167F+L50F, and E166A+L167F+L50F). Thus, ML2006a4 represents an attractive investigational candidate against clinically relevant NTV-resistant SARS-CoV-2 mutants.
Enhanced anomaly detection and normal behaviour power curve modelling in wind farm SCADA data: A hybrid approach
Authors: Mehmood Zahid , Wang Zhenyu
Published: October 2024

To achieve optimal performance and reduce the maintenance cost of wind turbines, anomaly detection and power curve modelling are crucial. The supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) system provides continuous and real-time data insights by collecting different wind-turbine operational parameters. This study introduces a novel strategy combining the strengths of Isolation Forest (iForest) and Density-Based Spatial Clustering of Applications with Noise (DBSCAN) to identify and isolate anomalous data. The hybrid iForest-DBSCAN model processes enormous amounts of SCADA data to detect outliers and anomalies of wind turbines under different operating conditions. By utilizing normal data with minimum anomalies, normal behavious power curves (NBPC) were modelled using a robust Locally Estimated Scattered Smoothing (LOESS) technique. Robust power curves allow us to compare the performances of wind turbines and ensure an optimized function with minimum maintenance. Different datasets validated the proposed method with higher accuracy and fewer computational resource requirements than traditional methods. From the two wind farms, the iForest-DBSCAN model identified the datasets effectively while successfully generating NBPC with a 95% confidence interval. This study demonstrated the effectiveness of cutting-edge data-driven models and techniques for optimizing the efficiency and performance of wind farms.
The Health Effects of Being Unhoused and its Association with Congestive Heart Failure
Authors: Novin Niloufar , Jones Stephen Scott , Chiuzan Codruta , Zhang David , Yu Pey-Jen , Coleman Kristie , Leon Luis David Olivera , Parikh Nisha , Cohn Elizabeth
Published: October 2024

Unstable housing is a critical social determinant of health (SDOH). Prior studies of homelessness and congestive heart failure (CHF) have looked primarily at the association between socioeconomic status and hospitalization. The association between unstable housing and the development of CHF has not been fully investigated.
We examined data from 4,408 participants with annual household income below $50,000 in the All of Us Research Program, a national cohort study enriched for individuals underrepresented in biomedical research. Within the inceptive survey, participants were asked if they were worried or concerned about not having a place to live in the past 6 months. We assessed the association between this self-reported housing concern and CHF occurrence, finding that individuals with low income and unstable housing had a 44% higher risk of CHF diagnosis than those with stable housing (HR 1.44; 95%CI 1.03-2.01). The increased risk remained significant after adjusting for cardiovascular risk factors as potential confounders (HR 1.73; 95%CI 1.19-2.51) such as cholesterol, history of diabetes, and older age categories aged 55-64 years, 65-74 years, 75 years and older.
Compared with men, women in the study were estimated to be at lower risk of CHF diagnosis (HR 0.52; 95%CI 0.38-0.70) with incidence at 5.3% for men and 2.9% for women. We found that participants with unstable housing had a higher risk of developing CHF compared to those with stable housing, highlighting the potential health impact of this healthcare disparity.
Redefining the impact of professional development in education with ProDES (Professional Development Evaluation Scale)
Authors: Özgenel Mustafa , Brown Martin , O Hara Joe , Özkan Metin
Published: October 2024

This study introduces the Professional Development Evaluation Scale (ProDES), a tool that has been developed to evaluate the impact of professional development as it relates to participants' Learning and Use of New Knowledge and Skills, Organisational Support, Student Learning Outcomes, and reactions. Grounded in Guskey’s (2000) framework for evaluating Professional Development, ProDES was developed with data from five study groups in Turkey and underwent refinement across four factors. Exploratory and Confirmatory Factor Analyses confirmed the scale's structure, accounting for 62.72% of the total variance, with robust fit indices. Within this, ProDES demonstrated high internal consistency and test-retest reliability, with significant correlations validating its effectiveness. The scale's high internal consistency and test-retest reliability ensure that it can be used to make evidence-informed decisions that can foster more effective and supportive professional development activities. As a result, by identifying which professional development initiatives lead to improvements, those associated with professional development can use resources more efficiently, leading to enhanced school and system-wide improvements. Moreover, the use of ProDES can also help schools and education systems track progress over time, making ProDES an invaluable tool for continuous improvement and strategic planning.
Imaginary latent variables: Empirical testing for detecting deficiency in reflective measures
Authors: Vassallo Marco
Published: October 2024

Imaginary latent variables are variables with negative variances and have been used to implement constraints in measurement models. This article aimed to advance this practice and rationalize the imaginary latent variables as a method to detect possible latent deficiencies in measurement models. This rationale is based on the theory of complex numbers used in the measurement process of common factor model–based structural equation modeling. Modeling an imaginary latent variable produces a potential deficiency within its relative reflective measures through a considerable reduction in common variance indicating the most affected indicator(s).
Conventional single-gap $s-$wave superconductivity and hidden peak effect in single crystals of Mo$_8$Ga$_{41}$ superconductor
Authors: Ghimire Sunil , Cho Kyuil , Joshi Kamal R. , Tanatar Makariy , Hu Zhixiang , Petrovic Cedomir , Prozorov Ruslan
Published: October 2024

London and Campbell penetration depths were measured in single crystals of the endohedral gallide cluster superconductor, Mo_88Ga_4141. The full temperature range superfluid density, \rho_s(T)ρs(T), is consistent with the clean isotropic s-s−wave weak-coupling BCS theory without any signs of the second gap or strong coupling. The temperature dependence of the Campbell length is hysteretic between zero-field cooling (ZFC) and field-cooling (FC) protocols, indicating an anharmonic vortex pinning potential. The field dependence of the effective critical current density, j_{c}(H)jc(H), reveals an unusual result. While in the ZFC protocol, j_{c}(H)jc(H) is monotonically suppressed by the magnetic field, it exhibits a profound “hidden” peak effect in the FC protocol, that is, without a vortex density gradient. We suggest a possible novel mechanism for such a peak effect, which involves both static and dynamic aspects of vortex pinning.
QArray: A GPU-accelerated constant capacitance model simulator for large quantum dot arrays
Authors: van Straaten Barnaby , Hickie Joseph , Schorling Lucas , Schuff Jonas , Fedele Federico , Ares Natalia
Published: October 2024

Semiconductor quantum dot arrays are a leading architecture for the development of quantum technologies. Over the years, the constant capacitance model has served as a fundamental framework for simulating, understanding, and navigating the charge stability diagrams of small quantum dot arrays. However, while the size of the arrays keeps growing, solving the constant capacitance model becomes computationally prohibitive. This paper presents an open-source software package able to compute a 100 × 100100×100 pixels charge stability diagram of a 16-dot array in less than a second. Smaller arrays can be simulated in milliseconds - faster than they could be measured experimentally, enabling the creation of diverse datasets for training machine learning models and the creation of digital twins that can interface with quantum dot devices in real-time. Our software package implements its core functionalities in the systems programming language Rust and the high-performance numerical computing library JAX. The Rust implementation benefits from advanced optimisations and parallelisation, enabling the users to take full advantage of multi-core processors. The JAX implementation allows for GPU acceleration.