bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Construction of an ultrahigh-density genetic linkage map for Manihot esculenta Crantz and identification of QTL for root quantity traits
Authors: Liu Qi , Li Zixuan , Wang Zihao , Lu Yanjie , Jiang Sirong , Xia Chengcai , An Pengliang , Zhao Long , Deng Ke , Xia Zhiqiang , Wang Wenquan
Published: August 2024

Single plant root weight, root number, and root length to width ratio are important agronomic traits that affect cassava yield. To explore the QTL related to quantitative traits such as cassava root weight, this study used Hyper-seq simplified resequencing technology to obtain two hybrid progeny from cassava cultivar SC205 as the female parent and cassava cultiva HB60 and cassava cultiva 18R as the male parent, respectively (of which the HB60 × SC205 progeny is called the A1 population, and the 18R × SC205 is called the A2 population). The genotyping of the two F1 mapping populations was conducted, and a genetic map of the maternal parents of the A1 and A2 populations was constructed by comparing the differences between the parental loci and extracting the same variant loci in the offspring and maternal parents. 18 linkage groups were identified for each parent, consistent with the haploid chromosome number of cassava. On average, each parental map had 6,280 markers, with a marker density ranging from 0.37 cM/marker to 0.43 cM/marker. Using the constructed genetic linkage map, QTL analysis of important quantitative traits such as single plant root weight, root number, and root length to width ratio were conducted, and the main QTLs associated with these traits were identified and candidate genes were identified by combining parental transcriptome data. These results help to further validate the use of hyper-seq technology in cassava breeding and provide new methods for developing future varieties.
Bovine Platelet Lysate as an Alternative Growth Supplement for In Vitro Culture of Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Cells
Authors: Beasley Mya , Sexton Madison , Sims Christina , Madden Kennedy , Smothers Austin , Peng Congyue Annie
Published: August 2024

Cell culture media and associated supplements are vital for the proper growth and development of cells for in vitro cell culture. Fetal bovine serum and human platelet lysate are common additives to cell culture media to promote proliferation. Bovine platelet lysate is a novel supplement obtained from bovine plasma that has the potential to become a cheaper, more ethical alternative to fetal bovine serum and human platelet lysate. In this study, we investigated the proliferative effects of DMEM cell culture media supplemented with either fetal bovine serum, human platelet lysate or bovine platelet lysate for triple-negative breast cancer (MDA-MB-231) cells. For each differentially supplemented media, proliferation, cell diameter, and wound healing capabilities were assessed. We show that cells grown in bovine platelet lysate had a lower proliferation rate than cells grown in either fetal bovine serum or human platelet lysate but had larger cell diameters and comparable wound healing rates.
Multi-domain Estimation of Health-Related Physical Fitness from Smartwatches
Authors: Beltrame Thomas , Lie Maiko , Alves Gabriel Tormin , Costa Vinícius Torres  D. M. , Filho Antonio Carlos Battaglia , Gois Mariana de Oliveira , Chikui Eduardo Kazuharu , Junior Juscelino Lopes de Oliveira , Pinto Paula Ramos , Angeloni Marcus de Assis , de Souza Francis Ribeiro , Alves Maria Janieire de N Nunes
Published: August 2024

Health-related physical fitness (HRPF) has demonstrated high clinical relevance, and its level is associated with the ability to perform activities of daily living with vigor and with lower risk of chronic diseases. Measuring and tracking HRPF often requires specialized equipment and personnel, which are expensive and less applicable for the general population. Wearables may mitigate this issue by providing useful estimates of the HRPF. The aim of this study was to estimate the fitness level for all HRFP domains using smartwatch data. Remote data were obtained from 120 participants (n=98, 22 drop-outs), which wore the smartwatch for a period of 30 days and were divided into three groups: healthy control (n=18), athletes (n=12), and participants with chronic disease (n=46). The fitness level for each HRPF domain was obtained in laboratory following the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) guidelines to obtain ground-truth values used to fit multivariable regression models for the cardiorespiratory endurance, body composition, muscular strength, muscular endurance, and flexibility domains. This study demonstrated the feasibility of fitness level prediction for all HRPF domains from the smartwatch, and that normalized scores from these predictions can be as effective as scores from ground-truth measurements from specialized clinical equipment for distinguishing athletes, healthy and diseased participants.
Extreme energy in a relaxed galaxy group indicates the bursty nature of AGN feedback
Authors: Eckert Dominique , Gastaldello Fabio , Lovisari Lorenzo , McGee Sean , Pasini Thomas , Brienza Marisa , Kolokythas Konstantinos , O'Sullivan Ewan , Simionescu Aurora , Sun Ming , Bourne Martin , Chen Yanling , Cui Weiguang , Ettori Stefano , Finoguenov Alexis , Gozaliasl Ghassem , Kale Ruta , Mernier François , Oppenheimer Benjamin , Schellenberger Gerrit , Seppi Riccardo , Tempel Elmo
Published: August 2024

Supermassive black hole feedback is the currently favoured mechanism to regulate the star formation rate of galaxies and prevent the formation of ultra-massive galaxies (M* > 1e12 Msun). However, the mechanism through which the outflowing energy is transferred to the surrounding medium strongly varies from one galaxy evolution model to another, such that a unified model for AGN feedback does not currently exist. The hot atmospheres of galaxy groups are highly sensitive laboratories of the feedback process, as the injected black hole energy is comparable to the binding energy of halo gas particles. Here we report multi-wavelength observations of the fossil galaxy group SDSSTG 4436. The hot atmosphere of this system exhibits a highly relaxed morphology centred on the giant elliptical galaxy NGC 3298. The X-ray emission from the system features a compact core (<10 kpc) and a steep increase in the entropy and cooling time of the gas, with the cooling time reaching the age of the Universe ∼15 kpc from the centre of the galaxy. The observed entropy profile implies a total injected energy of ∼1.5e61 ergs, which given the high level of relaxation could not have been injected by a recent merging event. Star formation in the central galaxy NGC 3298 is strongly quenched and its stellar population is very old (∼10.6 Gyr). The currently detected radio jets have low power and are confined within the central compact core. All the available evidence implies that this system was affected by giant AGN outbursts which over-heated the neighbouring gas and prevented the formation of a self-regulated feedback cycle. Our findings imply that the AGN feedback phenomenon is more bursty than previously thought and can result in the disruption of cooling cores.
A simplified HPLC-UV method for simultaneous determination of Nɛ-homocysteinyllysine isopeptide and low-molecular-mass thiols in human plasma spaces
Authors: Borowczyk Kamila , Domagała Karolina , Chwatko Grażyna
Published: August 2024

Cysteine and glutathione can be applied as therapeutic agents in civilization diseases such as diabetes mellitus and cancers. On the other hand, an elevated concentration of homocysteine, and its metabolites such as homocysteine thiolactone and Nɛ-homocysteinyllysine result in health problems and has been indicated as an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease and accelerated atherosclerosis. This work describes the first simplified HPLC-UV method that allows simultaneous determination of Nɛ-homocysteinyllysine isopeptide, cysteine, glutathione and homocysteine in human plasma. The assay is based on reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography with UV detection and simultaneous reduction of disulfide bound with tris(2-carboxyethyl)phosphine and the selective pre-column derivatization of the thiol group with 1-benzyl-2-chloropyridinium bromide. Linearity of the detector responses for plasma samples were observed in ranges: 0.1–10.0 nmol/mL for Nɛ-homocysteinyllysine, 2.0–60.0 nmol/mL for glutathione and homocysteine, 20.0–600.0 nmol/mL for cysteine. The proposed method reduces the number of steps, shortens the total time of sample preparation, and limits the amount of single-use polypropylene laboratory materials.
The effect of several growth regulators and biostimulant on biochemical and physiological changes in acclimation of micropropagated Echinacea purpurea Moench. ‘Raspberry Truffle’
Authors: Grzelak Monika , Pacholczak Andrzej , Nowakowska Karolina
Published: August 2024

Micropropagation is currently one of the primary methods for plant propagation, known for its efficiency in producing disease-free and vigorous plants. However, the final stage of this - acclimatization, is critical due to the transfer from a controlled in vitro environment to external one. To reduce mortality and alleviate acclimation stress, plant growth regulators (PGRs) or biostimulants can be employed. This study investigated the effects of exogenously sprayed PGRs: 0.001 mg·L-1 abscisic acid (ABA), 0.001 mL·L-1 brassinolide (BL), 0.001 mL·L-1 24-epibrassinolide (24-epiBL), and 0.3 mL·L-1 biostimulant Goteo on the physiological and biochemical responses of Echinacea purpurea 'Raspberry Truffle' plantlets during the acclimation process. The effects of treatments at various acclimation stages on chlorophyll (chl) and carotenoids content, hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), catalase (CAT), malondialdehyde (MDA), free amino acids, soluble proteins, total soluble sugars, and reduced soluble sugars were tested in this research. The results confirmed changes in biochemical parameters, including an increase in chlorophyll and carotenoids in the acclimatization period where the highest level obtained by BL spraying. A decline in stomatal conductance was also observed, where ABA influenced the most on drop. It was also recorded the decrease in H2O2 and MDA concentration. CAT activity increased, especially by biostimulant treatment. We recorded an increase in total soluble proteins along acclimatization. Goteo affected the most on morphology parameters, ABA, BL and 24-epiBL increased acclimatization efficiency. Our studies indicate that potentially the most effective substances in the acclimatization of E. purpurea ‘Raspberry Truffle’ are brassinosteroids and ABA.
Assessing the clinical advantage of opioid-reduced anesthesia in thoracoscopic sympathectomy: A prospective randomized controlled trial
Authors: Minqiang Liu , Mingfei Ma , Fengzhu Hong , Yang Li , Shanshan Guo , Qinlang Shi , Renliang He , Zepeng Li , Qiang Wu
Published: August 2024

Background: Opioid-reduced multimodal analgesia has been clinically used for years to reduce perioperative complications related to opioid drugs. We aimed to assess the clinical effects of opioid-reduced anesthesia during thoracoscopic sympathectomy.
Methods: Surgical patients (n=151) with palmar hyperhidrosis were randomly divided into a control group (Group C, 73 patients) and a weak opioid group (Group W, 78 patients). All patients were administered general anesthesia using a laryngeal mask. In Group C, the patients were anesthetized with propofol, fentanyl, and cisatracurium, and mechanical ventilation was used during the operation. In Group W, the patients received propofol, dezocine, and dexmedetomidine (DEX), and spontaneous breathing was maintained during surgery. Perioperative complications related to opioids include hypotension, bradycardia, hypertension, tachycardia, hypoxemia, nausea, vomiting, urine retention, itching, and dizziness; vital signs, blood gas index, visual analog scale (VAS) score, and other adverse events; patient satisfaction between groups were also recorded.
Results: Perioperative complications related to opioids were similar between groups. There were no significant differences in the type of perioperative sedation, analgesia index, respiratory and circulatory indicators, blood gas analysis, postoperative VAS scores, adverse reactions, propofol dosage, postoperative recovery time, and patient satisfaction (P > 0.05).
Conclusions: In minimally invasive surgeries such as thoracoscopic sympathectomy, opioid-reduced anesthesia was safe and effective; however, this method did not show clinical advantages.
Trial registration
Chinese Clinical Trial Register: ChiCTR2100055005, on December 30, 2021.
“People Need People (PNP)”: A weight neutral intervention for patients with binge eating disorder and higher weight
Authors: Eik-Nes Trine Tetlie , Fiskum Charlotte , Vrabel KariAnne , Berg Kjersti Hognes
Published: August 2024

This study focuses on evaluation of a weight neutral intervention called People Need People (PNP) which adopts a non-diet approach and addresses weight stigma. In total, 114 adult patients were referred from an obesity clinic and treated for Binge Eating Disorder (BED) at a mental health outpatient clinic in Norway. The findings show that the PNP intervention was effective in reducing ED symptoms, had low dropout rates, and received positive feedback from participants. The results also indicate that patients with BED and higher weight experience similar levels of ED symptoms as those with other types of eating disorders.
Construction of an advance care planning communication plan for intensive care unit patients based on the patient- and family-centered care model: a mixed-method study protocol
Authors: Peng Ruijie , Yang Yan , Liu Shufan , Jian Xumei , Zheng Shanshan , Zhang Xian , Dai Mei , Deng Renli , Li Changxiu
Published: August 2024

Background
The intensive care unit (ICU) has the highest patient mortality rate. Implementing advance care planning (ACP) in the ICU can improve patients’ sense of dignity in medical decision-making and alleviate psychological pressure on family members, although ACP remains a challenging concept. The ACP communication plan, grounded in the patient- and family-centered care (PFCC) model, promotes patient and family involvement in treatment decisions, safeguarding patient autonomy and preventing issues such as discrepancies between treatment intensity and expected prognosis.
Methods
The exploratory hybrid research protocol will be comprised of four implementation phases. Phase 1 will involve familiarizing the research team with the content and implementation strategies of ACP based on the PFCC model. In Phase 2, interviews regarding ACP will be conducted with ICU patients and their families to acquire a comprehensive understanding of their needs. Phase 3 will involve developing the ACP communication plan document utilizing the PFCC model. Phase 4 will focus on validating the feasibility of the plan through a two-group (control and intervention), single-center, parallel-group randomized controlled trial. Regarding data analysis, the primary and secondary outcome measures will be assessed at baseline, seven days after baseline, and 30 days after baseline.
Discussion
The implementation of ACP in the ICU is an important part of palliative care, as it ensures patients’ autonomy and allows them to receive treatment consistent with their wishes, which improves quality of life and reduces the financial and psychological burden on families. However, there have been few studies in this area. This study will integrate the PFCC model into a comprehensive ACP communication plan for ICU patients to empower them and their families in the decision-making process. Our sincere aspiration is that this project will enable medical decisions that align with patients’ preferences, ultimately enhancing the mental well-being of patients and their families, as well as alleviating the financial burden they face.
Trial registration:
Chinese Clinical Trial Register (ChiCTR2400086414).
Adaptive Superpixel Segmentation and Pigment Identification of Colored Relics Based on Visible Spectral Image
Authors: Liu Shiwei , Wei Chun-ao , Li Miaoxin , Cui Xinyu , Li Junfeng
Published: August 2024

This work explores the extraction of spatial distribution and chemical composition information of pigments used in colored relics through visible spectral images of the relics. An adaptive superpixel segmentation method is proposed first to extract the spatial distribution information of pigments. Quadtree decomposition is applied to generate nonuniform initial seed points based on image homogeneity. These seed points are used as initial cluster centers in an extended SLIC algorithm designed for visible spectral images, creating superpixels of varying sizes that reflect the homogeneity. Each superpixel is subsequently treated as an individual area within the colored relics, and a pigment identification method based on visible spectral reflectance is proposed to identify the pigments used in these areas. A standard reference database is constructed using samples that simulate the painting process of ancient wall paintings in the Mogao Grottoes. The geometric features, characterized by the linear combination of normalized visible spectral reflectance and its slope and curvature, are designed to represent the chemical composition of pigments. The geometric features of the superpixels are compared with those of the pigments in the database using Euclidean distance to determine the pigments used in each area of the colored relics. This work is expected to provide scientific guidance for pigment selection in the color restoration of colored relics.
Free Gait Transition and Stable Motion Generation Using CPG-based Locomotion Control for Hexapod Robots
Authors: Ji Chen , Li Fan , Chao Xu
Published: August 2024

In this paper, we address the problem of gait transition for legged robots, focusing on the challenges of versatile phase transitions and stable motion generation. To tackle the phase transition problem, we begin by analyzing the undesirable phase-lock phenomenon and identifying the phase lock conditions for conventional diffusively coupled nonlinear oscillators. We then propose a novel diffusive Central Pattern Generator (CPG) model and theoretically prove its ability to handle phase transitions across various gait patterns. For the stability problem during transitions from one gait to another, we introduce a motion generation framework that provides an interface for stability criteria, enabling smooth trajectory adjustments based on the robot's stability. We evaluate the proposed method using both simulations and a physical hexapod robot. Experimental results demonstrate that our approach can achieve transitions across a wide range of gait patterns while ensuring stable and smooth motion during the transitions.
The side effect of long-term low-dose ketamine: anxiety and relatedmetabolomics characteristics change in rat
Authors: Fu Yingqiang , Gao Yujie , Zou Jing , Zhao Wensong , Yang Hong , Xiao Li , Sun Yiming , Jiang Zihan , Lin Yao , Ye Yi , Liao Linchuan , Ma Chunlin
Published: August 2024

Clinical studies have demonstrated the ability of ketamine to induce rapid antidepressant actions. However, considering the side effects such as neurotoxicity and abuse potential, the safety profile of prolonged use of ketamine still needs to be investigated. To provide evidence for toxicity studies of ketamine as an antidepressant.Rat’s locomotor activity and mood changes changes were observed by elevated plus-maze experiments. Untargeted metabolomics analysis of rat plasma and prefrontal cortex tissues was performed by UHPLC-QE/MS to screen differential expression metabolites and explore differential metabolic pathways. The number of entries into (0.80 ± 1.17 times, p < 0.05) and duration in (12.48 ± 13.65s, p < 0.01) open-arms were significantly lower than that of the control group (3.40 ± 1.62 times, 59.74 ± 23.32s), showing stronger anxiety degree.After withdrawal, the anxiety of rats was relieved. 74 differential metabolites were screened in the plasma of ketamine group, involving cysteine and methionine metabolism, valine and isoleucine biosynthesis, glutamine and glutamate metabolism. After one week of withdrawal, the cysteine and methionine metabolic pathways were still significantly different with the saline group; 87 metabolites in the prefrontal cortex significantly changed, which involved purine metabolism, ascorbic acid, and aldose metabolism pathways.
Rapid reduction of nurse-rated suicidality among psychiatric patients shortly following hospitalization
Authors: Ma Yarong , Liang Xiaomin , Sun Bin , Zhang Jie , Rosenheck Robert , He Hongbo
Published: August 2024

Background
Suicidality is a major reason for psychiatric hospitalization but there have been no studies of the short-term changes in suicidality following psychiatric admission. To assess the short-term changes in suicidality during the first three days after psychiatric admission, when medications and other specific therapies are not likely to have taken effect and the primary benefit is likely to be from hospitalization.
Methods
A retrospective study of inpatients at risk for suicide was based on nurse-rated suicide assessments documented in medical records at a large psychiatric hospital in southern China. Suicidality was assessed with the Nurses' Global Assessment of Suicide Risk (NGASR) every day (1–3) following admission. Reduction of suicidality from first- to third-day were compared by using McNemar’s Chi-square tests and T-tests, followed by logistic regression to identify correlates of having high risk on day 3 following admission.
Results
The sample (n = 562) showed a relatively high level of average suicidality (NGASR = 9.2 ± 3.3) at admission with 33.8% reporting a prior suicide attempt. Significant reductions in suicidality were apparent by the third hospital day compared to baseline with NGASR-5 change items score declining from 6.3 ± 2.8 to 4.6 ± 3.0 (p < .001, Cohen’s d = .578), indicating a moderately large change. Compared with those unemployed, being currently employed was associated with greater reduction in likelihood of being at high-risk on day 3 (OR = .568, 95%CI [.361, .895], p = .015).
Conclusion
This study demonstrates short-term substantial reduction in suicidality after only three days of hospitalization suggesting significant benefit from admission to a safe secure environment.
WITHDRAWN: No-tillage decreases GHG emissions by enhancing SOC and facilitating a stable methane-oxidizing bacterial community from an oilseed rape-rice system
Authors: Ma Mingkun , Yang Zepeng , Chen Shanghong , Liu Dinghui , Zheng Shenghua , Chen Honglin
Published: August 2024

Background and Aims
Differences in farming practices can significantly impact the sustainable development of farmland, soil quality, and global warming potential (GWP). Although the effects of no-tillage (NT) and conventional tillage (CT) management practices on GWP have been extensively studied, their effects on the oilseed rape-rice rotation system prevalent in China, particularly the microbial regulatory mechanisms involved, remain poorly understood.
Methods
The study was conducted over a 2-year cycle of an oilseed rape-rice rotation system. Soil greenhouse gas emissions and carbon sequestration under NT and CT management practices were measured and compared. Additionally, high-throughput sequencing of soil methanogens and methane-oxidizing bacteria was carried out.
Results
Compared with CT, NT significantly reduced CH4, CO2, and N2O emissions by 21.2%, 16.9%, and 19.9%, respectively, and decreased the overall GWP by 17.5%. NT also increased the carbon efficiency ratio by 37.6% and significantly boosted soil organic carbon by 8.6% over the 2-year period. High-throughput sequencing revealed that NT significantly enhanced the diversity and abundance of methane-oxidizing microorganisms and altered the abundance of dominant genera compared to CT.
Conclusion
NT is a viable approach to lower CH4 emissions, enhance soil and crop carbon fixation, and increase the diversity of soil methane-oxidizing bacteria in oilseed rape-rice rotation fields. This practice offers substantial environmental benefits, contributing to the sustainable development of farmland and the mitigation of global warming potential.
Physicians’ Perspectives on Cancer-related Fatigue Management and Their Suggestions for Improvements in Medical Training: A Cross-sectional Survey Study in Germany
Authors: Wagner Anna , Wehlen Lena , Milzer Marlena , Schmidt Martina E. , Kiermeier Senta , Maatouk Imad , Steindorf Karen
Published: August 2024

Purpose: Contrary to guidelines, many cancer patients are not screened for cancer-related fatigue (CRF) and do not receive information or adequate treatment. As physicians play a key role in cancer therapy, their knowledge of this common sequela and perspectives on its management are of major interest.
Methods: For an online survey, physicians working in oncology in Germany were systematically drawn from registers and invited by using institutional newsletters or colleagues. Descriptive analyses, logistic regression analysis of physicians’ knowledge, and Mann‒Whitney Utests were performed.
Results: Two-thirds of the 148 surveyed physicians felt (rather) well informed about CRF and capable of counseling patients. Although most of the physicians werenot aware of CRF-specific guidelines (68%), they rated the scientific evidence for recommending physical activity, exercise, and psychotherapeutic interventions in accordance with guidelines as being mostly (very) strong. However, despite 82.4% of the physicians being (rather) aware of its evidence, only 56.1% often to almost always recommended psychotherapeutic interventions. CRF was rarely covered in basic and specialist medical training. The completion of advanced training for palliative care increased the likelihood of knowing guidelines (OR=2.6, 95% CI [1.1-6.0], p<0.05). Suggestions for improving training included the mandatory coverage of CRF in medical training or its consideration in interprofessional supportive care workshops.
Conclusion: Although awareness and recommendation rates were adequate for some interventions in CRF treatment (such as physical activity), there were lower rates for others, including psychotherapy. To overcome this knowledge-to-practice gap and the overall scarcity of guidelines knowledge among physicians training on guidelines is needed.
Temperature dependent early-stage oxidation dynamics of Cu(100) film with faceted holes
Authors: Li Meng , Curnan Matthew T. , House Stephen D. , Saidi Wissam A. , Yang Judith C.
Published: August 2024

Fundamental understanding of surface oxidation dynamics is critical for rational corrosion protection and advanced manufacturing of nanostructured oxides. In situ Environmental TEM (ETEM) provides high spatial (nano- to atomic- scale) and temporal (< 0.1 second) resolution to investigate the early-stage oxidation/corrosion dynamics of metals and alloys. Thin samples with facets are widely used to enable cross-sectional observation of the oxidation dynamics in ETEM. However, how different facet orientations oxidize under the same conditions, and how these facets change the oxidation process, has not been investigated before. Using in situ ETEM, we systematically compare the oxidation dynamics of Cu(001) thin films, with faceted holes exposing {100} and {110} facets at temperatures ranging from 250–600 ˚C under 0.03 Pa O2. Oxidation preference is observed to change, from Cu(110) facets at lower temperatures to Cu(100) facets at ~ 500 ˚C. Oxide growth mechanisms change from outward growth on Cu2O surfaces at low temperatures, to inward growth on Cu-Cu2O interfaces at high temperatures. At high temperatures (500–600 ˚C), a rod-like Cu2O morphology is observed, with side facets of ~{024} and top facets of {100} on Cu(100). This differs from the square-shaped Cu2O exposing {110} facets formed on Cu(001) surfaces. Rod-like oxides exhibit directional growth along their lengths with linear growth rates, regardless of rod length and width. This suggests that O from Cu(001) surfaces, rather than Cu(100) facets, serves as an O source for oxide growth. These results show a direct comparison of oxidation at different orientations with temperature, underscoring the temperature dependence of oxidation preference. Our results also suggest future in situ ETEM experiments viewing oxidation corrosion cross-sectionally should be cautious when oxide size is comparable with sample thickness, as the oxidizing mechanism may change due to sample thickness.
Growth Of A Single MnCr2O4 Spinel On Ni-25Cr-1.5Mn Alloy By The Rhines Pack Method and Photoelectrochemical And Raman Signatures of MnCr2O4 Spinel
Authors: Perez T. , Mathieu S. , Latu-Romain L. , Wouters Y. , Vilasi M.
Published: August 2024

A single thin MnCr2O4 spinel layer was synthesized on a Ni-25Cr-1.5Mn alloy by a fine control of oxygen partial pressure using the Rhines pack method, a technique allowing a fine control of the oxygen partial pressure by an appropriate buffering powder mixture. The spinel was characterized using X-Ray Diffraction, Raman spectroscopy and photoelectrochemistry. The cubic spinel MnCr2O4 was formed under the oxygen partial pressure close to 5 x 10–21 atm. at 1050°C controlled by the buffering Ni-25Cr/Cr2O3 powder mixture. Raman MnCr2O4 spectrum is characterized by 5 vibrational modes whereas photoelectrochemical characterization revealed the MnCr2O4 band gap measurement at 3.7 eV with a n-type conductivity.
Deep image composition meets image forgery
Authors: Tahir Eren , Bal Mert
Published: August 2024

Image forgery is a topic that has been studied for many years. Advances in deep learning have impacted image forgery detection as much as they have impacted other areas of computer vision and have improved the state of the art. Deep learning models require large amounts of labeled data for training. In the case of image forgery, labeled data at the pixel level is a very important factor for the models to learn. None of the existing datasets have sufficient size, realism and pixel-level labeling at the same time. This is due to the high cost of producing and labeling quality images. It can take hours for an image editing expert to manipulate just one image. To bridge this gap, data generation is automated using image composition techniques that are very related to image forgery. Unlike other automated data generation frameworks, state of the art image composition deep learning models are used to generate spliced images close to the quality of real-life manipulations. Finally, the generated dataset was tested on the SOTA image manipulation detection model and show that its prediction performance is lower compared to existing datasets, i.e. realistic images that are more difficult to detect were produced. Dataset is available at https://github.com/99eren99/DIS25k .
Exhaustive ecotoxicological evaluation of the product of malachite green biodegradation by Stenotrophomonas koreensis
Authors: Biswas Shreya , Adhikary Tathagata , Subramanian Bhuvaneshwaran , Kahali Tuhin , Mukherjee Suproteem , Mukherjee Anwesha , Chakraborty Debasmita , Maiti Tapas Kumar , Ghosh Biswajit , Jana Nandan Kumar , Basak Piyali
Published: August 2024

Stenotrophomonas koreensis effectively biodegrades malachite green, a mutagenic, carcinogenic, and teratogenic dye, raising the need to assess the safety of its degradation products before environmental release. This study addresses the gap in previous research by comprehensively evaluating the toxicity profile of malachite green degradation by S. koreensis. It incorporates a diverse range of organisms from terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems to assess the environmental impact of chemical introductions precisely. In-silico toxicological analysis was conducted using the online servers SwissADME, GUSAR, and vNN-ADMET, and ecotoxicological studies, following OECD guidelines. Aquatic toxicity was tested on cyanobacteria Anabaena flos-aquae, zooplankton Daphnia magna, aquatic macrophyte Lemna minor, and zebrafish Danio rerio. Terrestrial contamination risks were assessed with soil bacteria Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus pumilus, earthworm Eisenia fetida, important crop plants Triticum aestivum, Lens culinaris, and model organism Mus musculus. Genotoxicity was evaluated with Allium cepa root tip cells, and MTT assays were performed on HaCat cell line. Results indicate the degradation product's significantly reduced toxicity compared to malachite green. This study underscores the importance of thorough toxicity assessment in ensuring the safe disposal of dye degradation products into the environment.
Geographical and ecological distribution analysis of Dalbergia calderonii Standl. (Fabaceae): implications for the conservation of this critically endangered rosewood
Authors: Medina-Amaya Manuel , Miceli-Méndez Clara Luz , Pérez-Farrera Miguel A. , López Sergio , Rojas-Soto Octavio
Published: August 2024

Dalbergia is economically essential for its high-quality rosewood wood in fine furniture. Thus, there is a high demand for wood, which has led to illegal logging. Dalbergia calderonii Standl. is associated with tropical deciduous forests, where there is a high rate of deforestation, leading to the decline of the species' natural populations. The knowledge of its potential areas of presence and associated environments can contribute to species conservation. Here, we modeled the potential distribution of D. calderonii and identified areas with remnants. We found that the potential distribution model for D. calderonii predicts two geographically separate areas, one in southern Mexico and the other in northern Central America; thus, we also modeled them as two independent populations and compared their ecological niches. We transferred all models into the Last Interglacial, the Last Glacial Maximum, and the mid-Holocene climatic scenarios to understand the species' recent biogeographic history. We found that 65% of the species' potential distribution comprises sites with sparse vegetation and bare soil; besides, we found no significant differences between the niches of the Mexican and Central American populations. The transferences to the past scenarios showed that the potential history of the species distribution had been characterized by dynamics of expansions and contractions describing commonly geographical isolations but also including stages of continuum distributions. We suggest that future conservation strategies prioritize both populations independently, based on their disjunct distribution.
Discovery of Dynamic Functional MRI Markers of Sleep Onset Period
Authors: Attoh-Mensah Elpidio , Gaez Ivan Igor , Nathou Clément , Vincent Lydie , Brun Luc , Joliot Marc , Naveau Mikael , Etard Olivier
Published: August 2024

Understanding the Sleep Onset Period (SOP) remains challenging despite its critical role in sleep architecture. Recent research suggests that resting-state functional MRI (rs-fMRI) and its Blood-Oxygen-Level-Dependent (BOLD) signal may offer new insights. This study investigates brain activity during SOP using BOLD oscillation and focuses on detecting drowsiness through an innovative scoring system. Forty-one healthy young volunteers underwent a 45-minute rs-fMRI scan. Drowsiness was assessed by analyzing standard MRI surveillance video, specifically measuring ocular activity. This method, originally designed for road accident prevention, is applied here for the first time in a neuroimaging study. We observed an increase in low-frequency BOLD oscillations across different drowsiness states (awake, likely drowsy, drowsy, sleep), peaking at 0.05 Hz. The Power Spectral Density of BOLD oscillation at 0.05 Hz (PSD0.05) increases from the earliest sign of drowsiness and progresses until sleep. This was evident in up to 58 regions, particularly within primary sensory cortices and visual and somatomotor networks. The findings suggest that PSD0.05 in sensory cortices and networks may be a valuable marker for improving SOP delineation. Additionally, eye closure dynamics provide an objective measure of drowsiness during rs-fMRI scans, which is crucial to addressing drowsiness confounds in resting-state data.
Insights into the dynamics of full-scale sector combustor isothermal flow field
Authors: Rathod Darshan , Panda Pratikash , Basu Saptarshi
Published: August 2024

An experimental investigation in a sector (20 degree) of a full-scale annular gas turbine combustor is performed. The sector combustor is optically accessible for the flow and flame visualization of the primary and exit zones of the combustor. The distinctive feature of the experimental setup is that it preserves the geometrical details of an annular combustor that includes the casing, dome and combustor liner. The combustor design features a series of primary and secondary dilution holes with multiple film cooling strips on the outer and inner liner. In the present study, the time-resolved Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) experiments are conducted in the central longitudinal plane and two azimuthal planes to gain insight into the dynamics of the sector combustor. Proper Orthogonal Decomposition (POD) is applied to the data to obtain the dominant dynamics of the combustor. The major coherent structures of the swirl flow field, the primary dilution jets flow field, and the dominant interaction of swirl and dilution jets are elucidated here. The azimuthal plane data provides a three-dimensional explanation of dilution jet dynamics. The dynamics of the exit zone if found to be influenced by the secondary dilution jet dynamics. The spectral properties of dynamics are illustrated from the recorded acoustic (p') signal and the time coefficient of the POD eigenmodes. Further, the experiments are performed by blocking the dilution jets (without-DJ). These experimental data help to identify the source of the dominating frequency (fd) within the combustor, which is found to be the swirl flow instabilities. Without-DJ data also showcases the role of dilution jets in convecting the swirl flow generated acoustics to the exit zone. The reconstructed flow field using POD provides physical insights into the dynamics occurring within the sector combustor.
Relativistic quantum effects in compact astrophysical objects: a harmonic oscillator approach
Authors: Ogunjobi Olakunle , Koffa Jude D.
Published: August 2024

In this study, we examine relativistic quantum harmonic oscillators and their applications to compact astrophysical objects. Using a refined Hermite polynomial series approach, we derive analytical solutions for energy eigenvalues and normalized eigenfunctions to order $v^2/c^2$, extending beyond previous approximations. A computational model, validated against these analytical results, explores neutron star and black hole parameters. Several percent of the total energies of these compact objects are affected by relativistic corrections. Our model predicts relativistic corrections of up to 20\% for oscillation frequencies in highly magnetized neutron stars and modifications of 1-5\% to innermost stable circular orbits around stellar-mass black holes. As compared to non-relativistic equations of state, we observe measurable deviations in mass-radius relations in neutron stars. These modifications have implications for accretion disk dynamics and associated emissions, potentially detectable with next-generation X-ray timing observations.
Applying Convolutional Neural Networks for Mustard Variety Recognition
Authors: SLEBIODA LAURA , ZAWIEJA BOGNA
Published: August 2024

The aim of this study was to develop and apply a Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) model to recognize and classify white mustard (Sinapis alba L.) varieties, addressing the complex task of discriminating among 57 varieties. Utilizing a one-dimensional CNN model, the research focused on multivariate analysis based on a set of 15 traits. The CNN architecture included convolutional layers, batch normalization, pooling, flattening, dropout, and dense layers. The model demonstrated effectiveness in classifying varieties, achieving high accuracy and providing valuable insights into potential new varieties. Subset division, a new approach, was applied. Evaluation metrics, including accuracy, F1 score, precision, and recall, were calculated for eight subsets, confirming the model's robust performance. Comparison with existing studies highlights the uniqueness of the proposed algorithm in addressing variety discrimination. The approach contributes to agricultural advancements, offering a reliable tool for breeders to assess variety distinctness and streamline the testing process. The model's ability to detect unknown varieties further enhances its utility in agricultural research covering a comprehensive and impactful advancement in variety classification.
Method of Multi-Label Visual Emotion Recognition Fusing Fore-Background Features
Authors: Feng Yuehua , Wei Ruoyan
Published: August 2024

To address the issues that visual-based multi-label emotion recognition often overlooks the impact of background that the person is placed and foreground such as social interactions among different individuals on emotion recognition, simplifies multi-label recognition tasks into multiple binary classification tasks, and ignores the global correlations among different emotion labels, this paper proposes a method of multi-label visual emotion recognition fusing fore-background features. This method consists of two components: Fore-Background-Aware Emotion Recognition model (FB-ER) and Multi-Label Emotion Recognition Classifier model (ML-ERC). FB-ER is a three-branch multi-feature hybrid fusion network. It effectively extracts body features through the design of a Core Region Unit (CR-Unit), represents background features as background keywords, and extracts depth map information to simulate social interactions among different individuals as foreground features. These three features are fused both at the feature level and the decision level. ML-ERC captures the relationships among different emotion labels by designing label co-occurrence probability matrix and cosine similarity matrix, and utilizing Graph Convolutional Networks (GCN) to learn the correlations between different emotion labels, thereby generating a classifier that accounts for emotion relevance. Finally, the visual features are combined with the object classifier to enable multi-label recognition of 26 different emotions. The proposed method is evaluated on the Emotic dataset, demonstrating significant improvements over the state-of-the-art methods. Specifically, the mAP increased by 0.732% and the Jaccard Coefficient increased by 0.007.
“Desperate to force myself to fit into an unchanging environment:” The lived experiences of people with physical disabilities in accessing healthcare services in South Korea
Authors: Seol Eun-Mi , Nam Soo-Hyun
Published: August 2024

Background
People with physical disabilities often face significant barriers to healthcare service access that may lead to poorer general health than patients without disabilities. This study aimed to understand and describe in depth the experiences of healthcare service access among people with physical disabilities.
Methods
This descriptive qualitative study used thematic analysis to analyze data collected through interviews conducted with 11 people with disabilities, either from birth or acquired later in life, over 19 years old and who received, following their diagnosis, outpatient treatment for a minimum of five years at medical facilities across South Korea. The sample was recruited using purposive and snowball sampling, and data saturation was reached with 11 participants.
Results
The following three themes were identified, as follows: “Facing environmental barriers,” which comprised the four subthemes of “difficulties accessing healthcare services,” “accessible restrooms are useless,” “inaccessible health checkup systems,” and “insufficient rehabilitation opportunities;” “Care unreflective of needs,” consisting of the three subthemes named “disability leading to violations of human rights,” “skepticism about disability-focused care,” and “the desire for health improvements is ignored;” “Accepting limitations and finding ways to cope,” including the three subthemes of “know-how acquired through patience and self-learning,” “letting go of expectations and giving up on treatment,” and “desire for personalized services for people with disabilities.”
Conclusions
Environmental barriers significantly hinder the healthcare service access of individuals with physical disabilities, highlighting the need for fundamental changes to address these issues. To achieve equitable healthcare, people with disabilities must have equal access to healthcare services and be free from discrimination. Their active involvement in healthcare service access-related decision-making is crucial, and healthcare professionals must actively endeavor to address their needs. The government is highly suggested to conduct an overhaul of the healthcare system to ensure that it delivers comprehensive, community-integrated rehabilitation services for people with disabilities.
RETRACTED: Deciphering the Autophagic Machinery: Unveiling Novel Genes in Osteoarthritis Synovial Tissue through Bioinformatics Analysis
Authors: Jiao Hongzhuo , Li Yusheng , Yang Cheng , Li Linzhen , Zhang Juntao
Published: August 2024

The authors have requested that this preprint be removed from Research Square.
MoodMover: Development and usability testing of an mHealth physical activity intervention for depression
Authors: Tang Yiling , Gierc Madelaine , La Henry , Kim Juehee , Liu Sam , Lam Raymond W , Puterman Eli , Faulkner Guy
Published: August 2024

Background: Physical activity (PA) is recognized as a modifiable lifestyle factor for managing depression. An app-based intervention to promote PA among individuals with depression may be a viable alternative or adjunct to conventional treatments offering increased accessibility. This study aimed to describe the early stages of development and usability testing of a 9-week app-based intervention, MoodMover, specifically designed to promote PA for people with depression.
Methods: Development of MoodMover followed the initial stages of the Integrate, Design, Assess, and Share (IDEAS) framework. The development process included: (1) identifying intervention needs and planning; (2) intervention development; and (3) usability testing and refinement. Usability testing employed a mixed-methods formative approach via virtual semi-structured interviews involving goal-oriented tasks and administration of the mHealth App Usability Questionnaire (MAUQ).
Results: Drawing on formative research, a multidisciplinary research team developed the intervention guided by the Multi-Process Action Control framework. Nine participants engaged in the usability testing with the MoodMover prototypes receiving an average MAUQ score of 5.79 (SD = 1.04), indicating good to high usability. Necessary modifications were made based on end-users’ feedback.
Conclusions: The development of MoodMover, the first theoretically informed app-based PA intervention for individuals with depression, may provide another evidence-based treatment option which has wide reach. The comprehensive usability testing indicated interest in the app and strong perceptions of usability enabling a user-centered approach to refine the app to better align with end-users’ preferences and needs. Testing the feasibility and preliminary efficacy of the refined MoodMover is now recommended.