bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Monitoring population-level foraging distribution of a marine migratory species from land: strengths and weaknesses of the isotopic approach on the Northwest Atlantic loggerhead turtle aggregation
Authors: Ceriani Simona A. , Murasko Susan , Addison David S. , Anderson David , Curry Greg , Desjardin Nicole A. , Eastman Scott F. , Evans Daniel R. , Evou Nancy , Fuentes Mariana M. P. B. , Godfrey Matthew H. , Hart Kristen M. , Hillbrand Paul , Hirsch Sarah E. , Mott Cody R. , Mansfield Katherine L. , Mazzarella Kristen T. , Norris Sarah V. , Pate S. Michelle , Phillips Katrina F. , Rusenko Kirt W. , Shamblin Brian M. , Stevenson Amber , Sloan Kelly A. , Tucker Anton D. , Welsh Ryan C. , Casale Paolo
Published: October 2023

Assessing the linkage between breeding and non-breeding areas has important implications for understanding the fundamental biology of and conserving animal species. This is a challenging task for marine species, and in sea turtles a combination of stable isotope analysis (SIA) and satellite telemetry has been increasingly used. The Northwest Atlantic (NWA) loggerhead (Caretta caretta) Regional Management Unit, one of the largest sea turtle populations in the world, provides an excellent opportunity to investigate key biological patterns as well as methodological aspects related to the use of stable isotopes to infer spatial distribution of turtles in foraging areas. We provide the first comprehensive assessment of the annual distribution of NWA adult female loggerheads among foraging areas and investigate the efficacy of various analytical approaches as well as the effect of sample size in these types of studies. A total of 5168 individual females were sampled from seven Management Units (MUs) between 2013-2018. We provide the first estimate of the proportion of females originating from each MU that uses each foraging area and show how this proportion varies over time. We also estimate the relative importance (in terms of number of turtles) of each foraging area to the overall loggerhead breeding aggregation nesting in Florida and in the NWA for each year of the study. The foraging area used by reproductively active females differs considerably across MUs. One of these, the Subtropical NWA, is by far the most important foraging area in terms of both number of individuals and genetic diversity, and therefore this region may be considered as a conservation priority. Through simulations, we show that limited sizes of sample groups (unknowns; training; priors) may result in false geographic differentiation and consequently mislead interpretations. We provide thresholds and methodological recommendations for future studies. This study establishes a fundamental baseline for monitoring the annual contribution of foraging area to a terrestrial-based breeding aggregation of a marine animal in a cost-effective way. This type of monitoring allows for early detection of changes in foraging distributions—a possible effect of climate change on marine ecosystems or of area-specific anthropogenic threats.
The use of linseed oil cake in the diets of rohu, Labeo rohita (Hamilton), after solid-state fermentation with a fish gut bacterium, Bacillus pumilus (KF640221): an appraisal on growth, digestibility, body composition, and hematobiochemical profile
Authors: Banerjee Sudeshna , Kari Zulhisyam Abdul , Téllez-Isaías Guillermo , Ghosh Koushik
Published: October 2023

Introduction

Linseed or flaxseed (Linum usitassimum L.) contains a prospective source of protein and energy to be utilized in animal feed. This study aimed at re-cycling and value-addition of Linseed Oil Cake (LOC) for formulation of non-conventional carp diets.

Methods

The LOC was bio-processed through solid state fermentation (SSF) with a fish gut bacterium, Bacillus pumilus (KF640221). Nine experimental sets of diets were formulated using raw (R1-R4) and SSF-processed (F1-F4) LOC at 10%, 20%, 30% and 40% levels substituting fishmeal as well as other ingredients in a reference diet, and rohu, Labeo rohita fingerlings (2.08±0.03 g) were fed for 70 days feeding trial. Growth, carcass composition, activities of digestive enzymes, digestibility and haemato-biochemical parameters were studied following standard methodologies.

Results

SSF significantly (P< 0.05) improved crude protein along with amino acids, whereas crude fibre and antinutritional factors were reduced considerably. Experimental diets were isocaloric (4.8 kcal) and isonitrogenous (36%). Diets with bio-processed LOC had significantly better performance than the raw LOC. Fish fed diet F3 with 30% fermented LOC resulted in the highest weight gain (6.25 ± 0.09 g), specific growth rate (% day -1) and carcass protein deposition (16.77±0.34%). Activities of the digestive enzymes (amylase, lipase and protease) were also significantly (P<0.05) higher in fish receiving diets containing fermented LOC. Analyses of blood parameters revealed that haemoglobin, erythrocytes, leukocytes, plasma lipid, total plasma protein, albumin and globulin contents were increased, while plasma glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase (GOT) and glutamic-pyruvic transaminase (GPT) levels were decreased in fish fed bio-processed LOC supplemented diets.

Conclusion

The present study might propose substitution of fish meal along with other conventional ingredients by incorporation of 30% SSF-processed LOC in the diets of rohu with no negative effect to the growth performance, carcass composition and feed utilization.
A systematic review of health disparities research in deep brain stimulation surgery for Parkinson’s disease
Authors: Memon Adeel A. , Gelman Kate , Melott Joseph , Billings Rebecca , Fullard Michelle , Catiul Corina , Miocinovic Svjetlana , Amara Amy W.
Published: October 2023

Background

Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is the primary surgical intervention for Parkinson’s disease (PD) patients with insufficient response to medication, significantly improving motor symptoms and quality of life. Despite FDA approval for over two decades, access to this therapy remains limited. This systematic review aims to evaluate the influence of gender, race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and age on health disparities associated with DBS for PD, providing an overview of current research in this field.

Methods

A systematic literature search was conducted in PubMed/MEDLINE, Embase, Web of Science and Cochrane databases from 1960 to September 12th, 2023, following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis guidelines. Studies that examine the disparities in accessing DBS among patients with PD were included, comparing different demographic factors. Findings were synthesized and presented narratively to identify and understand DBS disparities.

Results

After screening for relevance, 25 studies published between 1960 and 2023 were included, with 16 studies meeting full-text review criteria. While reviewing the references of the 16 articles, two additional studies were included, bringing the total number of included studies to 18. Most studies originated from the United States (44%). The identified studies were categorized as identifying disparities, understanding disparities, or reducing disparities. The majority focused on identifying disparities (72%), while fewer studies delved into understanding the underlying factors (28%). No studies evaluated strategies for reducing disparities. The findings indicate that elderly, female, and Black people, as well as those from low socioeconomic backgrounds and developing countries face greater obstacles in accessing DBS for PD.

Conclusion

This study highlights factors contributing to disparities in DBS utilization for PD, including race, gender, and socioeconomic status. Public health policymakers, practitioners, and clinicians should recognize these inequalities and work toward reducing disparities, particularly among vulnerable populations.
The impact of early adversity on the cerebral cortex - a Mendelian randomization study
Authors: Wang Zhen , Zou Jing , Zhang Le , Ning Jinghua , Zhang Xin , Jiang Bei , Liang Yi , Zhang Yuzhe
Published: October 2023

Background

The early adversity is associated with a series of negative outcomes in adulthood, and the impact on the cerebral cortex may be one of the fundamental causes of these adverse consequences in adulthood. In this study, we aim to investigate the causal relationship between early adversity and changes in cerebral cortex structure using Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis.

Methods

The GWAS summary statistics of 6 early adversity traits were obtained from individuals of European ancestry in the UK Biobank. The GWAS summary statistics of 34 known functional cortical regions were obtained from the ENIGMA Consortium. Causal relationships between the adversity factors and brain cortical structure were assessed using the inverse-variance weighted (IVW), MR-Egger, and weighted median methods, with IVW being the primary evaluation method. Cochran’s Q-test, MR-PRESSO, leave-one-out analysis, and funnel plot examination were employed to detect potential heterogeneity and pleiotropy, as well as to identify and exclude outliers.

Results

At a global level, no causal relationship was found between early adversity and cortical thickness (TH) or surface area (SA) of the brain. However, at the regional level, early adversity was found to potentially influence the TH of the caudal anterior cingulate, superior temporal, entorhinal, paracentral, lateral occipital, banks of the superior temporal sulcus, and supramarginal regions, as well as the SA of the pars triangularis, lateral occipital, parahippocampal, medial orbitofrontal, and isthmus cingulate regions. All findings were nominally significant and passed sensitivity analyses, with no significant heterogeneity or pleiotropy detected.

Discussion

Our study provides evidence for the association between early adversity and alterations in brain cortical structure, which may serve as a foundation for certain mental disorders. Furthermore, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) might be considered as a promising tool to aid healthcare professionals in identifying individuals with a history of adverse experiences, allowing for early interventions.
Temperature sensitivity and temperature response across development in the Drosophila larva
Authors: Evans Anastasiia , Ferrer Anggie J. , Fradkov Erica , Shomar Joseph W. , Forer Josh , Klein Mason
Published: October 2023

The surrounding thermal environment is highly important for the survival and fitness of animals, and as a result most exhibit behavioral and neural responses to temperature changes. We study signals generated by thermosensory neurons in Drosophila larvae and also the physical and sensory effects of temperature variation on locomotion and navigation. In particular we characterize how sensory neuronal and behavioral responses to temperature variation both change across the development of the larva. Looking at a wide range of non-nociceptive isotropic thermal environments, we characterize the dependence of speed, turning rate, and other behavioral components on temperature, distinguishing the physical effects of temperature from behavior changes based on sensory processing. We also characterize the strategies larvae use to modulate individual behavioral components to produce directed navigation along thermal gradients, and how these strategies change during physical development. Simulations based on modified random walks show where thermotaxis in each developmental stage fits into the larger context of possible navigation strategies. We also investigate cool sensing neurons in the larva's dorsal organ ganglion, characterizing neural response to sine-wave modulation of temperature while performing single-cell-resolution 3D imaging. We determine the sensitivity of these neurons, which produce signals in response to extremely small temperature changes. Combining thermotaxis results with neurophysiology data, we observe, across development, sensitivity to temperature change as low as a few thousandths of a °C per second, or a few hundredths of a °C in absolute temperature change.
The Joint Research Centre-European Network of Cancer Registries Quality Check Software (JRC-ENCR QCS)
Authors: Giusti Francesco , Martos Carmen , Adriani Stefano , Flego Manuela , Carvalho Raquel Negrão , Bettio Manola , Ben Enrico
Published: October 2023

The core activity of population-based cancer registries (PBCRs) is to gather information from all new cancer cases in a defined geographic area, in order to measure the magnitude of cancer burden and to provide a basis for cancer research. The Joint Research Centre-European Network of Cancer Registries Quality Check Software (JRC-ENCR QCS) is a Java standalone desktop application, under development since 2015, created to support PBCRs in the validation of the collected data. The JRC-ENCR QCS performs internal consistency checks on the cancer registry dataset, to detect impossible or unlikely codes or combination of codes, and is thereby an important tool to support the validation efforts by registries and improve data quality and European-wide harmonisation. The software package also includes the JRC CSV Data layout converter, a complementary tool for transforming PBCR incidence files into a format compatible with the JRC-ENCR QCS. This paper gives an overview of the JRC-ENCR QCS, describing the role of the software in processing data files submitted by PBCRs contributing to the European Cancer Information System (ECIS) as well as its functionalities. The development of the JRC-ENCR QCS is an evolving process, with regular updates implementing new and revised European and International recommendations and classifications.
Comparison of robotic-assisted versus conventional laparoscopic surgery in colorectal cancer resection: a systemic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
Authors: Huang Zhilong , Huang Shibo , Huang Yanping , Luo Raoshan , Liang Weiming
Published: October 2023

Introduction

There is still controversy on whether or not robot-assisted colorectal surgery (RACS) have advantages over laparoscopic-assisted colorectal surgery(LACS).

Materials and methods

The four databases (PubMed, Embase, Web of Science and Cochrane Library)were comprehensively searched for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing the outcomes of RACS and LACS in the treatment of colorectal cancer from inception to 22 July 2023.

Results

Eleven RCTs were considered eligible for the meta-analysis. Compared with LACS,RACS has significantly longer operation time(MD=5.19,95%CI: 18.00,39.82, P<0.00001), but shorter hospital stay(MD=2.97,95%CI:−1.60,−0.33,P = 0.003),lower conversion rate(RR=3.62,95%CI:0.40,0.76,P = 0.0003), lower complication rate(RR=3.31,95%CI:0.64,0.89,P=0.0009),fewer blood loss(MD=2.71,95%CI:−33.24,−5.35,P = 0.007),lower reoperation rate(RR=2.12, 95%CI:0.33,0.96,P=0.03)and longer distal resection margin(MD=2.16, 95%CI:0.04,0.94, P = 0.03). There was no significantly difference in harvested lymph nodes, the time of first flatus, the time of first defecation,the time of first resume diet, proximal resection margin, readmission rates, mortalities and CRM+ rates between two group.

Conclusions

Our study indicated that RACS is a feasible and safe technique that can achieve better surgical efficacy compared with LACS in terms of short-term outcomes.

Systematic review registration

https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/, identifier CRD42023447088.
Optic disc edema during strict 6° head-down tilt bed rest is related to one-carbon metabolism pathway genetics and optic cup volume
Authors: Zwart Sara R. , Macias Brandon R. , Laurie Steven S. , Ferguson Connor , Stern Claudia , Suh Alex , Melin M. Mark , Young Millennia , Bershad Eric , Smith Scott M.
Published: October 2023

Some astronauts on International Space Station missions experience neuroophthalmological pathologies as part of spaceflight associated neuro-ocular syndrome (SANS). Strict head-down tilt bed rest (HDTBR) is a spaceflight analog that replicates SANS findings and those who had 3–4 risk alleles (G and C alleles from the methionine synthase reductase [MTRR] A66G and serine hydroxymethyltransferase [SHMT1] C1420T, respectively) as compared to 1-2 risk alleles, had a greater increase in total retinal thickness (TRT). The objective of this study was to identify factors that contribute to the individual variability of the development of SANS in a 60 d HDTBR at the German Aerospace Center’s:envihab facility, Cologne Germany. 22 of 24 subjects who participated in the HDTBR study provided blood samples for genetic analysis. Total retinal thickness and optic cup volume were measured before and after bed rest. Subjects with 3–4 versus 0-2 risk alleles had greater ΔTRT during and after bed rest, and the model improved with the addition of baseline optic cup volume. This bed rest study confirms that variants of MTRR and SHMT1 are associated with ocular pathologies. Subjects with more risk alleles had the greatest HDTBR-induced ΔTRT, reaffirming that genetics predispose some individuals to developing SANS. Preflight optic cup volume and genetics better predict ΔTRT than either one alone. Whether nutritional supplements can override the genetic influences on biochemistry, physiology, and pathophysiology remains to be tested. These findings have significant implications for both aerospace and terrestrial medicine.
Syntactic complexity differentially affects auditory sentence comprehension performance for individuals with age-related hearing loss
Authors: Shin Junyoung , Noh Shinhee , Park Jimin , Sung Jee Eun
Published: October 2023

Objectives

This study examined whether older adults with hearing loss (HL) experience greater difficulties in auditory sentence comprehension compared to those with typical-hearing (TH) when the linguistic burdens of syntactic complexity were systematically manipulated by varying either the sentence type (active vs. passive) or sentence length (3- vs. 4-phrases).

Methods

A total of 22 individuals with HL and 24 controls participated in the study, completing sentence comprehension test (SCT), standardized memory assessments, and pure-tone audiometry tests. Generalized linear mixed effects models were employed to compare the effects of sentence type and length on SCT accuracy, while Pearson correlation coefficients were conducted to explore the relationships between SCT accuracy and other factors. Additionally, stepwise regression analyses were employed to identify memory-related predictors of sentence comprehension ability.

Results

Older adults with HL exhibited poorer performance on passive sentences than on active sentences compared to controls, while the sentence length was controlled. Greater difficulties on passive sentences were linked to working memory capacity, emerging as the most significant predictor for the comprehension of passive sentences among participants with HL.

Conclusion

Our findings contribute to the understanding of the linguistic-cognitive deficits linked to age-related hearing loss by demonstrating its detrimental impact on the processing of passive sentences. Cognitively healthy adults with hearing difficulties may face challenges in comprehending syntactically more complex sentences that require higher computational demands, particularly in working memory allocation.
Pregnancy in autistic women and social medical considerations: scoping review and meta- synthesis
Authors: Ferrara Rosaria , Ricci Pasquale , Damato Felice Marco , Iovino Leonardo , Ricci Lidia , Cicinelli Giovanni , Simeoli Roberta , Keller Roberto
Published: October 2023

Introduction

This article addresses a topic that has been largely overlooked by scientific literature, namely pregnancy in autistic women. Generally, the issue of sexuality in disability, particularly in disabled women, autistic or otherwise, has been underexplored. However, it is necessary to scientifically investigate this topic to propose adequate social and health policies. Therefore, we chose to conduct a scoping review to answer three main questions: “What does it mean for an autistic woman to be pregnant?”; “How do these two conditions coexist?”; “Are health services prepared to receive this population adequately or does autism become a stigma for pregnant women?”

Methods

We conducted a systematic review and qualitative thematic synthesis following the Preferred Reporting Guidelines for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses on autistic women and pregnancy in the last 10 years.

Results

The studies included in our review are 7, extremely diverse in terms of methodologies and sample sizes. Despite the heterogeneity of samples and methodologies, all research tends to highlight the following results. For autistic women during pregnancy, three areas seem to be the most difficult: sensory issues, mood disorders, and relationships with specialists.

Discussion

Our study found that women with ASD face unique challenges during childbirth that differ from those of neurotypical women. Participants often felt belittled, ignored, and uninformed about the care they received, and being placed at the centre of attention was often seen as negative and hindering rather than positive. However, the research shows us how some “expected” results, such as difficulties in breastfeeding, have been disproven.
Visual–vestibular sensory integration during congruent and incongruent self-rotation percepts using caloric vestibular stimulation
Authors: Kirollos Ramy , Herdman Chris M.
Published: October 2023

Introduction: The present study sets out to determine which sensory system mostly influences self-motion perception when visual and vestibular cues are in conflict. We paired caloric vestibular stimulation that signaled motion in either the clockwise or counter-clockwise direction with a visual display that indicated self-rotation in either the same or opposite directions.

Methods: In Experiment 1 (E1), caloric vestibular stimulation was used to produce vestibular circular vection. In Experiment 2 (E2), a virtual optokinetic drum was used to produce visual circular vection in a VR headset. Vection speed, direction, and duration were recorded using a potentiometer knob the participant controlled in E1 and E2. In Experiment 3 (E3), visual and vestibular stimuli were matched to be at approximately equal speeds across visual and vestibular modalities for each participant setting up Experiment 4 (E4). In E4, participants observed a moving visual pattern in a virtual reality (VR) headset while receiving caloric vestibular stimulation. Participants rotated the potentiometer knob while attending to visual–vestibular stimuli presentations to indicate their perceived circular vection. E4 had two conditions: 1) A congruent condition where calorics and visual display indicated circular vection in the same direction; 2) an incongruent condition where calorics and visual display indicated circular vection in opposite directions.

Results and discussion: There were equal reports of knob rotation in the direction consistent with the visual and vestibular self-rotation direction in the incongruent condition of E4 across trials. There were no significant differences in knob rotation speed and duration in both conditions. These results demonstrate that the brain appears to weigh visual and vestibular cues equally during a visual–vestibular conflict of approximately equal speeds. These results are most consistent with the optimal cue integration hypothesis.
NeuralFlood: an AI-driven flood susceptibility index
Authors: Lin Justice , Sreng Chhayly , Oare Emma , Batarseh Feras A.
Published: October 2023

Flood events have the potential to impact every aspect of life, economic loss and casualties can quickly be coupled with damages to agricultural land, infrastructure, and water quality. Creating flood susceptibility maps is an effective manner that equips communities with valuable information to help them prepare for and cope with the impacts of potential floods. Flood indexing and forecasting are nonetheless complex because multiple external parameters influence flooding. Accordingly, this study explores the potential of utilizing artificial intelligence (AI) techniques, including clustering and neural networks, to develop a flooding susceptibility index (namely, NeuralFlood) that considers multiple factors that are not generally considered otherwise. By comparing four different sub-indices, we aim to create a comprehensive index that captures unique characteristics not found in existing methods. The use of clustering algorithms, model tuning, and multiple neural layers produced insightful outcomes for county-level data. Overall, the four sub-indices' models yielded accurate results for lower classes (accuracy of 0.87), but higher classes had reduced true positive rates (overall average accuracy of 0.68 for all classes). Our findings aid decision-makers in effectively allocating resources and identifying high-risk areas for mitigation.
Valorizing Traditional Greek Wheat Varieties: Phylogenetic Profile and Biochemical Analysis of Their Nutritional Value
Authors: Mougiou Niki , Didos Spyros , Bouzouka Ioanna , Theodorakopoulou Athina , Kornaros Michael , Mylonas Ioannis , Argiriou Anagnostis
Published: October 2023

Research has highlighted the nutritional benefits of ancient grains, especially emmer (Triticum turgidum ssp. dicoccum) and einkorn (Triticum monococcum), compared to modern varieties of common and durum wheat, focusing on their higher levels of antioxidants and phytochemicals. In this study, grains from old Greek landraces of einkorn, emmer, durum and common wheat were compared to modern wheat cultivars, as well as barley, oats and rye grains, to investigate their unique genetic profile and nutritional properties. Genotyping of Triticum species was performed using SSR markers, which allowed differentiation up to cultivar level. Nutritional factors like the total content of bound and free polyphenols, flavonoids, antioxidant activity and fatty acid profile were assessed. The results showed that emmer and einkorn had the highest total polyphenol, flavonoid and mono-unsaturated fatty acids content, as well as higher antioxidant activity than common and durum wheat. Local landraces of common and durum wheat also exhibited higher values than commercial cultivars. The results of this study demonstrate the high nutritional value of ancient wheat varieties. Many of these cultivars have been put aside by more productive, yet with lower qualitative characteristics, commercial cultivars, underlining the importance of maintaining sustainable agricultural practices to ensure their continued cultivation.
Comparison of Agro-Phenological and Technological Traits in Advanced Durum Wheat Lines Differing in Reaction to Hessian Fly Infestation
Authors: Ouriniche Siham , Nsarellah Nasserelhaq , Taghouti Mona , Lhaloui Saadia , Kimiko Itoh , Ghazy Abdel-Halim
Published: October 2023

The aim of this study was to compare agro-phenological and technological traits in advanced durum wheat lines differing in responses to Hessian fly larval attacks. A field experiment was carried out during the 2014/2015 cropping season at the main research stations of Marchouch and Tassaoute in a randomized completed block design. Twenty-two durum wheat genotypes comprising twenty advanced lines from the INRA breeding program and two commercial varieties were used in this study. Agro-phenological and grain quality determinations were concerned with plant height, grain yield, days to heading, protein content, wet gluten content, gluten strength, and yellow pigment content. The analysis of variance revealed significant environment, genotype, and genotype-by-environment (G × E) effects for the majority of the measured traits. A high level of heritability was also observed for grain yield (94.9%), followed by gluten strength (90.7%), yellow pigment content (79.3%), wet gluten content (77.79%), plant height (71.5), and protein content (70.02%); moderate levels of heritability were recorded for days to heading (65.8%). The data for Hessian fly resistance in both the field and infested greenhouse demonstrated three distinct group of genotypes: “resistant” with 4 genotypes, “susceptible without field escape to Hessian fly attack” with 16 genotypes, and “susceptible with field escape to Hessian fly attack” with 2 genotypes. The ANOVA analysis indicated the existence of significant differences between groups of genotypes for grain yield, days to heading, protein content, yellow pigment content, and gluten strength at the Tassaoute station, while at the Marchouch site, the differences were significant only for plant height and gluten strength. Protein content and wet gluten content revealed highly significant positive correlations, indicating the possibility of effective selection of the two traits simultaneously. Biplot analysis indicated that the first two Principal Components (PCs) accounted for 56.04% and 56.34% of the relationships between the genotypes and all of the attributes at the Marchouch and Tassaoute sites, respectively. The results of principal component analysis and Cluster based on agro-phenological and grain quality traits categorized the genotypes into three separate groups for the Marchouch site and four groups for the Tassaoute site. Individuals within each group are characterized by well-defined precocity, productivity, and technological criteria. The different behaviors of the lines studied in the present work are of great interest and can be exploited in breeding programs in order to improve agro-phenological and technological traits in durum wheat.
Methoprene, a Juvenile Hormone Analog, Causes Winter Diapause Elimination in Univoltine Bee Species Osmia bicornis L.
Authors: Giejdasz Karol , Fliszkiewicz Monika , Wasielewski Oskar
Published: October 2023

Osmia bicornis syn. O. rufa is a univoltine bee species in which adults fly in spring and the offspring overwinter as cocooned imagoes. The flight period of solitary bees is short, so methods of control for development and emergence time are needed to synchronize the activity of managed pollinators with blooming. In our study, we tested the effectiveness of a juvenile hormone analog for the prevention of winter diapause. Bees developed in settled nests outdoors or in the laboratory (22 °C) until the end of the pre-pupa stage, then cocoons were removed from the nest cells and treated with a JH analog—methoprene—during the pupa and young imago stages. Then, bees were activated at 25 °C until the adults left the cocoons. Topical application of methoprene to the cocoon at the pupa or imago stage induced the emergence of some adult bees in the pre-diapause period, while no adults emerged when the bees were not treated with methoprene. Most adults emerged (about 50%) when treated with methoprene on 3-week-old cocooned imagoes. Bees treated in the pupal stage had a lower emergence rate (20–30%), but adult bees emerged earlier. The emergence time of adults for the laboratory group was, on average, from 70 to 91 days, and that for outdoor groups was from 57 to 72 days.
A Critical Review of AMR Risks Arising as a Consequence of Using Biocides and Certain Metals in Food Animal Production
Authors: James Christian , James Stephen J. , Onarinde Bukola A. , Dixon Ronald A. , Williams Nicola
Published: October 2023

The focus of this review was to assess what evidence exists on whether, and to what extent, the use of biocides (disinfectants and sanitizers) and certain metals (used in feed and other uses) in animal production (both land and aquatic) leads to the development and spread of AMR within the food chain. A comprehensive literature search identified 3434 publications, which after screening were reduced to 154 relevant publications from which some data were extracted to address the focus of the review. The review has shown that there is some evidence that biocides and metals used in food animal production may have an impact on the development of AMR. There is clear evidence that metals used in food animal production will persist, accumulate, and may impact on the development of AMR in primary animal and food production environments for many years. There is less evidence on the persistence and impact of biocides. There is also particularly little, if any, data on the impact of biocides/metal use in aquaculture on AMR. Although it is recognized that AMR from food animal production is a risk to human health there is not sufficient evidence to undertake an assessment of the impact of biocide or metal use on this risk and further focused in-field studies are needed provide the evidence required.
Eugenol-Based Polymeric Materials—Antibacterial Activity and Applications
Authors: Kowalewska Anna , Majewska-Smolarek Kamila
Published: October 2023

Eugenol (4-Allyl-2-methoxy phenol) (EUG) is a plant-derived allyl chain-substituted guaiacol, widely known for its antimicrobial and anesthetic properties, as well as the ability to scavenge reactive oxygen species. It is typically used as a mixture with zinc oxide (ZOE) for the preparation of restorative tooth fillings and treatment of root canal infections. However, the high volatility of this insoluble-in-water component of natural essential oils can be an obstacle to its wider application. Moreover, molecular eugenol can be allergenic and even toxic if taken orally in high doses for long periods of time. Therefore, a growing interest in eugenol loading in polymeric materials (including the encapsulation of molecular eugenol and polymerization of EUG-derived monomers) has been noted recently. Such active macromolecular systems enhance the stability of eugenol action and potentially provide prolonged contact with pathogens without the undesired side effects of free EUG. In this review, we present an overview of methods leading to the formation of macromolecular derivatives of eugenol as well as the latest developments and further perspectives in their pharmacological and antimicrobial applications.
A Dense Small Object Detection Algorithm Based on a Global Normalization Attention Mechanism
Authors: Wu Huixin , Zhu Yang , Wang Liuyi
Published: October 2023

To address the challenges of detecting a large number of objects and a high proportion of small objects in aerial drone imagery, we proposed an aerial dense small object detection algorithm called Global Normalization Attention Mechanism You Only Look Once (GNYL) based on the Global Normalization Attention Mechanism. In the backbone network of GNYL, we embedded a GNAM (Global Normalization Attention Mechanism) that explores channel attention features and spatial attention features from input features in a concatenated manner. It utilizes batch normalization’s scale factors to suppress irrelevant channels or pixels. Furthermore, the spatial attention sub-module introduces a three-dimensional arrangement with a multi-layer perceptron to reduce information loss and amplify global interaction representation. Finally, the computed attention weights are weighted to form the global normalized attention weights, which increases the utilization of effective information in input feature channels and spatial dimensions. We have optimized the backbone network, feature enhancement network, and detection heads to improve detection accuracy while ensuring a lightweight detection network. Specifically, we have added a small object detection layer to enhance the localization accuracy for the abundant small objects in aerial imagery. The algorithm’s performance was evaluated using the publicly available VisDrone2019 dataset. Compared to the baseline network YOLOv8l, GNYL achieved a 7.2% improvement in mAP0.5 and a 5.0% improvement in mAP0.95. Compared to CDNet, GNYL showed a 14.5% improvement in mAP0.5 and a 9.1% improvement in mAP0.95. These experimental results demonstrate the strong practicality of the GNYL object detection network for detecting dense small objects in the aerial imagery captured by unmanned aerial vehicles.
Lithium-Ion Capacitors: A Review of Strategies toward Enhancing the Performance of the Activated Carbon Cathode
Authors: Eleri Obinna Egwu , Lou Fengliu , Yu Zhixin
Published: October 2023

Lithium-ion capacitors (LiC) are promising hybrid devices bridging the gap between batteries and supercapacitors by offering simultaneous high specific power and specific energy. However, an indispensable critical component in LiC is the capacitive cathode for high power. Activated carbon (AC) is typically the cathode material due to its low cost, abundant raw material for production, sustainability, easily tunable properties, and scalability. However, compared to conventional battery-type cathodes, the low capacity of AC remains a limiting factor for improving the specific energy of LiC to match the battery counterparts. This review discusses recent approaches for achieving high-performance LiC, focusing on the AC cathode. The strategies are discussed with respect to active material property modifications, electrodes, electrolytes, and cell design techniques which have improved the AC’s capacity/capacitance, operating potential window, and electrochemical stability. Potential strategies and pathways for improved performance of the AC are pinpointed.
Two-Step Chemo-Microbial Degradation of Post-Consumer Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) Plastic Enabled by a Biomass-Waste Catalyst
Authors: Shingwekar Deepika , Laster Helen , Kemp Hannah , Mellies Jay L.
Published: October 2023

Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) pollution has significant environmental consequences; thus, new degradation methods must be explored to mitigate this problem. We previously demonstrated that a consortium of three Pseudomonas and two Bacillus species can synergistically degrade PET in culture. The consortium more readily consumes bis(2-hydroxyethyl) terephthalate (BHET), a byproduct created in PET depolymerization, compared to PET, and can fully convert BHET into metabolically usable monomers, namely terephthalic acid (TPA) and ethylene glycol (EG). Because of its crystalline structure, the main limitation of the biodegradation of post-consumer PET is the initial transesterification from PET to BHET, depicting the need for a transesterification step in the degradation process. Additionally, there have been numerous studies done on the depolymerization reaction of PET to BHET, yet few have tested the biocompatibility of this product with a bacterial consortium. In this work, a two-step process is implemented for sustainable PET biodegradation, where PET is first depolymerized to form BHET using an orange peel ash (OPA)-catalyzed glycolysis reaction, followed by the complete degradation of the BHET glycolysis product by the bacterial consortium. Results show that OPA-catalyzed glycolysis reactions can fully depolymerize PET, with an average BHET yield of 92% (w/w), and that the reaction product is biocompatible with the bacterial consortium. After inoculation with the consortium, 19% degradation of the glycolysis product was observed in 2 weeks, for a total degradation percentage of 17% when taking both steps into account. Furthermore, the 10-week total BHET degradation rate was 35%, demonstrating that the glycolysis products are biocompatible with the consortium for longer periods of time, for a total two-step degradation rate of 33% over 10 weeks. While we predict that complete degradation is achievable using this method, further experimentation with the consortium can allow for a circular recycling process, where TPA can be recovered from culture media and reused to create new materials.
From Pediatric to Adult Brain Cancer: Exploring Histone H3 Mutations in Australian Brain Cancer Patients
Authors: Grebstad Tune Benedicte , Sareen Heena , Powter Branka , Kahana-Edwin Smadar , Cooper Adam , Koh Eng-Siew , Lee Cheok S. , Po Joseph W. , McCowage Geoff , Dexter Mark , Cain Lucy , O’Neill Geraldine , Prior Victoria , Karpelowsky Jonathan , Tsoli Maria , Baumbusch Lars O. , Ziegler David , Roberts Tara L. , DeSouza Paul , Becker Therese M. , Ma Yafeng
Published: October 2023

Genetic histone variants have been implicated in cancer development and progression. Mutations affecting the histone 3 (H3) family, H3.1 (encoded by HIST1H3B and HIST1H3C) and H3.3 (encoded by H3F3A), are mainly associated with pediatric brain cancers. While considered poor prognostic brain cancer biomarkers in children, more recent studies have reported H3 alterations in adult brain cancer as well. Here, we established reliable droplet digital PCR based assays to detect three histone mutations (H3.3-K27M, H3.3-G34R, and H3.1-K27M) primarily linked to childhood brain cancer. We demonstrate the utility of our assays for sensitively detecting these mutations in cell-free DNA released from cultured diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG) cells and in the cerebral spinal fluid of a pediatric patient with DIPG. We further screened tumor tissue DNA from 89 adult patients with glioma and 1 with diffuse hemispheric glioma from Southwestern Sydney, Australia, an ethnically diverse region, for these three mutations. No histone mutations were detected in adult glioma tissue, while H3.3-G34R presence was confirmed in the diffuse hemispheric glioma patient.
Chemical Transdifferentiation of Somatic Cells: Unleashing the Power of Small Molecules
Authors: Zhang Yu , Li Xuefeng , Xing Jianyu , Zhou Jinsong , Li Hai
Published: October 2023

Chemical transdifferentiation is a technique that utilizes small molecules to directly convert one cell type into another without passing through an intermediate stem cell state. This technique offers several advantages over other methods of cell reprogramming, such as simplicity, standardization, versatility, no ethical and safety concern and patient-specific therapies. Chemical transdifferentiation has been successfully applied to various cell types across different tissues and organs, and its potential applications are rapidly expanding as scientists continue to explore new combinations of small molecules and refine the mechanisms driving cell fate conversion. These applications have opened up new possibilities for regenerative medicine, disease modeling, drug discovery and tissue engineering. However, there are still challenges and limitations that need to be overcome before chemical transdifferentiation can be translated into clinical practice. These include low efficiency and reproducibility, incomplete understanding of the molecular mechanisms, long-term stability and functionality of the transdifferentiated cells, cell-type specificity and scalability. In this review, we compared the commonly used methods for cell transdifferentiation in recent years and discussed the current progress and future perspective of the chemical transdifferentiation of somatic cells and its potential impact on biomedicine. We believe that with ongoing research and technological advancements, the future holds tremendous promise for harnessing the power of small molecules to shape the cellular landscape and revolutionize the field of biomedicine.
Cytokine Profiling in Human iPSC-Derived Dopaminergic Neuronal and Microglial Cultures
Authors: Knappe Evelyn , Rudolph Franziska , Klein Christine , Seibler Philip
Published: October 2023

Aside from the degeneration of dopaminergic neurons, inflammation is a key component in the movement disorder Parkinson’s disease (PD). Microglia activation as well as elevated cytokine levels were observed in the brains of PD patients, but the specific role of microglia in the disease process is unknown. Here, we generate human cellular models by differentiating iPSCs into dopaminergic neurons and microglia. We combine these cells in co-culture to perform cytokine profiling, representing the final functional outcome of various signaling pathways. For this, we used unstimulated conditions and treatment with inflammatory stressors. Importantly, only co-cultures but not the monocultures responded to IL-1β treatment suggesting co-culture-related crosstalk. Moreover, we identified the main types of released cytokines and chemokines in this model system and found a preference for the activation of the chemotaxis pathway in response to all treatments, which informs future studies on the cell-type-specific reaction to inflammatory stimulation. Finally, we detected protein level changes in PD risk factor GPNMB upon stress in microglia, further confirming the link between PD-associated genes and inflammation in human-derived cellular models.
Effect of Aminopropyltriethoxysilane on the Adhesion of Flexographic Water-Based Ink to Packaging Films
Authors: Izdebska-Podsiadły Joanna , Napiórkowska Jolanta
Published: October 2023

Plastic films are widely used in packaging, where high-quality printing on their surface is required. When printing on films, particularly with water-based inks, problems arise with proper ink adhesion to the substrate. As part of the ongoing research, formulas of flexographic water-based inks were developed, where aminopropyltriethoxysilane was used in various amounts as an adhesion promoter, its effect on the adhesion of inks to three types of films commonly used in packaging was determined, and the quality of prints was examined. The research included the tape test, the T-peel test, and the abrasion-resistance test, as well as measurements of the pH of the inks, contact angles, and optical properties of the prints and their gloss. As a result of the study, the type of film was found to be crucial to the effect of aminopropyltriethoxysilane on the adhesion of flexographic water-based ink to the substrate and print quality. An addition of 1.0%–1.5% makes it possible to achieve the best adhesion improvement (bonding strength increased by about 26, 35, and 102% for PE, BOPP, and PET films, respectively) while improving print quality—increasing the optical density of prints and their gloss. However, the use of 1.5% silane in ink has a significant impact on the color of the ink (∆E ranging from 2.2 to 7.8 depending on the film). The amount of the additive used (0.5 to 1.5%) of aminopropyltriethoxysilane in the ink would need to vary depending on the type of film to be printed.
Research on the Interfacial Instability of Non-Newtonian Fluid Displacement Using Flow Geometry
Authors: Mafi MD , Qin Zhen , Wu Yuting , Lyu Sung-Ki , Ma Chicheng
Published: October 2023

The variation of the classical viscous fingering instability is studied numerically in this work. An investigation of the viscous fingering phenomenon of immiscible displacement in the Hele–Shaw cell (HSC), where the displaced fluid is a shear-thinning fluid, was carried out numerically using the volume of fluid (VOF) method by adding a minor depth gradient or altering the geometry of the top plate in the HSC. The findings demonstrate how the presence of depth gradients can change the stability of the interface and offer a chance to regulate and adapt the fingering instability in response to the viscous fingering properties of air driving non-Newtonian fluids under various depth gradients. The relative breadth will shrink under the influence of the depth gradient, and the negative consequences of the gradient will be increasingly noticeable. Specifically, under different power-law indices, we found that with the enhancement of shear-thinning characteristics (lower power-law exponent n) in both positive and negative depth gradients, the fingers that protrude from the viscous fingers become shorter and thicker, resulting in higher displacement efficiency. Additionally, several modifications were performed to the upper plate’s design, and the findings revealed that the shape had no effect on the viscous fingering and only had an impact on the longitudinal amplitude. Based on the aforementioned traits, we may alter the HSC’s form or depth gradient to provide high-quality and effective work.