bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
IMPACT OF CRISES ON THE FUNCTIONING OF THE GLOBAL AIR TRANSPORT MARKET
Authors:   National Aviation University, Sydorenko Kateryna , Mandra Volodymyr ,   National Aviation University, German Anastasia ,   National Aviation University
Published: March 2024

Taking into account the cyclical nature of the world economy development, the identification and analysis of crisis phenomena that arise in the world economic system acquires special importance. At the same time, taking into account that air transport is one of the drivers of social and economic growth, it is necessary to determine the interrelationships and factors of the impact of crises on various aspects of the world air transportation market functioning. The analysis of modern risks and threats is a step towards understanding and developing strategies aimed at maintaining a high level of safety and stability of the air transport sector in conditions of constant change. The purpose of the article is to study the impact of global economic crises on the air transport sector, to identify and substantiate modern risks and threats to the functioning of the global air transport market. The interdependence of the development of the world economy and the air transport system is explored in the article; it was established that the biggest crisis shocks in world aviation are cyclical in nature. The largest economic crises and their consequences for the air transport sector are analyzed. Current key risks and threats to the global air transport market are substantiated: the return of the coronavirus or its mutation, geopolitical instability, reformatting of supply chains, a slowdown in demand for air travel as a result of the global recession, a change in society's eco-consciousness, and others. Scientific theories of economic cycles and crises form the methodological basis of the research; both general scientific and special methods of scientific knowledge were used – historical-logical, descriptive-analytical, analysis and synthesis, methods of quantitative and qualitative comparisons. The informational basis of the article is monographic studies and periodical publications of domestic and foreign economists, analytical reports of international organizations, international consulting companies and analytical centers. Research results can be used for scientific justification and further creation of proper conditions for effective management of the global air transport system, while developing new strategies that will allow the aviation sector to remain stable and competitive in conditions of uncertainty and growing threats.
ВПЛИВ ІНФОРМАЦІЙНИХ ТЕХНОЛОГІЙ НА СТРАТЕГІЇ МАРКЕТИНГУ: АНАЛІЗ ТЕНДЕНЦІЙ І ВИКЛИКІВ
Authors: Райко Діана , Паймаш Ганна , Кролівець Ігор
Published: March 2024

Стаття аналізує зміни, що відбулися в стратегіях маркетингу через використання новітніх технологій. Переваги та виклики, пов'язані із застосуванням інформаційних технологій в маркетингових стратегіях, ретельно аналізуються для розкриття їхнього впливу на ефективність підприємств. Висвітлено важливі технологічні інновації, такі як аналітика даних, соціальні мережі та електронна комерція, які формують сучасний ландшафт маркетингу. Дослідження також детально розглядає виклики, що виникають у зв'язку зі зростанням використання інформаційних технологій в маркетингу. Зокрема, висвітлено питання щодо конфіденційності даних та етичних аспектів використання технологій у маркетингових практиках. Розглядається важливість адаптації стратегій маркетингу до швидко змінного технологічного середовища для забезпечення конкурентоспроможності. Мета даного дослідження полягає в докладному вивченні впливу інформаційних технологій на стратегії маркетингу та виявленні ключових тенденцій та викликів, що виникають в сучасному бізнес-середовищі. Дослідження спрямоване на аналіз змін в маркетингових підходах та стратегіях, обумовлених використанням новітніх технологій, які зазнали широкого застосування в корпоративному секторі.
ДОВІРА ЯК БАЗОВИЙ ПРИНЦИП ІНКЛЮЗИВНОЇ ЕКОНОМІКИ: АНАЛІЗ КОНЦЕПТУАЛЬНИХ ТА МЕТОДИЧНИХ ПІДХОДІВ
Authors: Бродовська О.Г. , Драпак Т.І.
Published: March 2024

У статті розкриваються теоретичні підходи до розуміння інклюзивної економіки як одного із можливих векторів трансформації соціуму. Методологія дослідження заснована на синтезі підходів до інклюзивної економіки та аналізу методик вивчення довіри. Зроблено висновок про значущість зростання для добробуту соціуму за рахунок згладжування нерівності та інтеграції соціально-вразливих груп населення. При цьому довіра розглядається як базовий принцип функціонування даної моделі, оскільки бар'єри інклюзії пов'язані з його дефіцитом, наприклад, стигматизацією. Аналіз методик вивчення довіри показує широкий вимірювальний потенціал в описі його взаємозв'язків з економічними та політичними тенденціями. Разом з тим виявляється їх обмеження щодо аналізу соціальних механізмів формування довіри. Як альтернативний методологічний інструмент пропонується діяльнісно-феноменологічний підхід. Практична значущість дослідження полягає в тому, що дослідження створює передумови для розробки соціологічних методик аналізу довіри в економіці.
Fisheries shocks provide an opportunity to reveal multiple recruitment sources of sardine in the Sea of Japan
Authors: Sakamoto Tatsuya , Takahashi Motomitsu , Shirai Kotaro , Aono Tomoya , Ishimura Toyoho
Published: March 2024

1. Understanding the sources of recruits is essential for stock assessments of marine fish populations. In 2014 and 2019, schools of Japanese sardine in the Sea of Japan and the East China Sea (SJ-ECS), which arrive in Japanese coastal areas for spawning each spring were shockingly sparse. Abundances of eggs and juveniles also showed abrupt declines, suggesting that sardine reproduction in the SJ-ECS was severely limited during these years. However, in spring of 2015 and 2020 age-1 fish appeared as usual in the coastal areas, along with fish of other ages, challenging the current assumption that sardine in the system is a self-recruiting subpopulation.2. To test the self-recruiting hypothesis, we analysed the stable oxygen and carbon isotopes (δ18O, δ13C) for otolith areas formed during the first spring and summer in otoliths of age-0 and age-1 sardines in 2010 and 2013–2015 year-classes captured in the SJ-ECS, as indices of temperature and metabolic trajectories. 3. Age-0 sardines generally showed a significant decrease in otolith δ18O from spring to summer, reasonably reflecting seasonal warming in the SJ-ECS. However, the majority of age-1 captured in spring 2011, 2015 and 2016 showed non-decreasing profiles of otolith δ18O, suggesting that the age-0 off the Japanese coast were not the main source of recruitment. The δ18O for summer thus indicates different migration groups: the “locals" growing up off the Japanese coast and the migrating “nonlocals". 4. The isotope ratios of the “nonlocals” overlapped with those of age-0 captured in the subarctic western North Pacific, suggesting that the “nonlocals” may be migrants from the Pacific, or perhaps an unsampled potential northward migration group in the SJ-ECS. Only in 2014 did the majority of age-1 consist of the “locals”, suggesting that the abrupt decline in catches was caused by the absence of the “nonlocals” and accompanying adults. 5. Synthesis and applicationsOur results highlight the significant uncertainty in the population structure assumed for the current stock assessment models for Japanese sardine. Concentrated investigations on recruitment processes to test and quantify the potential migration groups are recommended to improve the assessment model.
Nest-site selection and nest predation in a tropical passerine in relation to food, friends and foes
Authors: Van Eerden Arne , Komdeur Jan , Richardson David , Dugdale Hannah , Hammers Martijn
Published: March 2024

Nest-site selection is an important determinant of avian reproductive success, mainly through its effect on predation risk. However, how environmental and social factors affect nest-site selection and predation risk remains less well understood. Optimal nest positioning may depend on the balance of many distinct factors such as nest predation, food availability, extra-pair mating opportunities, and interactions with neighbouring conspecifics. We investigated how these factors may affect nest-site selection and nest survival in the Seychelles warbler (Acrocephalus sechellensis), a facultatively cooperative-breeding passerine that defends stable territories year-round. We found that nest survival was higher when nests were built in higher vegetation layers and that nests were more likely to be located in food-rich parts of the territory, especially in territories with lower food availability. Further, we found that nests in territories with helpers were built in areas with higher food availability, whereas nests in territories without helpers were built in areas with fewer nest-predators. Finally, we found that females paired with younger males tended to build their nest closer to the territory border. Our results suggest that nest-site selection in the Seychelles warbler is affected by nest-predation, food availability and, possibly, the female’s opportunity for extra-pair copulations. Clarifying the relative importance of these different selective factors is key to the understanding of optimal nest-site selection to maximize reproductive success.
Development of the Latest Technology Based Accounting Information System to Increase Company Efficiency
Authors: Hendarmin RUM , Rafika Sari
Published: March 2024

This research explores the impact of developing Accounting Information Systems (AIS) based on cutting-edge technology on company efficiency. We gathered data from questionnaires distributed to companies that have adopted state-of-the-art technology in their AIS. The research results indicate that the use of artificial intelligence (AI) significantly enhances operational efficiency in companies. Companies adopting blockchain technology also achieve higher levels of user satisfaction. User training and company size also have a positive impact on efficiency and better decision-making.In the discussion, we highlight the importance of investing in user training and maintaining state-of-the-art technology. We also acknowledge that implementation costs can be a constraint, particularly for smaller companies. This research has certain limitations, including a sample that may not cover the entire spectrum of industries and company sizes. However, further research can delve deeper through case studies. In the continually evolving business world, the development of AIS based on cutting-edge technology is a key factor in achieving efficiency, better decision-making, and user satisfaction. Companies must understand and address these challenges to attain a competitive edge and long-term success.
New Korean Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Management of Dry Eye Disease
Authors: Kim Dong Hyun , Eom Youngsub , Yoon Chang Ho , Lee Hyun Soo , Hwang Ho Sik , Kim Jin Hyoung , Kim Tae-im , Song Jong Suk , Seo Kyoung Yul , Yoon Kyung Chul ,   Korean Dry Eye Society
Published: March 2024

New Korean guidelines for the diagnosis and management of dry eye disease were developed based on literature reviews by the Korean Dry Eye Guideline Establishment Committee, a previous dry eye guideline by Korean Corneal Disease Study Group, a survey of Korean Dry Eye Society (KDES) members, and KDES consensus meetings. The new definition of dry eye was also proposed by KDES regular members. The new definition by the regular members of the KDES is as follows: “Dry eye is a disease of the ocular surface characterized by tear film abnormalities and ocular symptoms.” The combination of ocular symptoms and an unstable tear film (tear breakup time <7 seconds) was considered as essential components for the diagnosis of dry eye. Schirmer test and ocular surface staining were considered adjunctive diagnostic criteria. The treatment guidelines consisted of a simplified stepwise approach according to aqueous deficiency dominant, evaporation dominant, and altered tear distribution subtypes. New Korean guidelines can be used as a simple, valid, and accessible tool for the diagnosis and management of dry eye disease in clinical practice.
Material Development Principles for EFL Students Teachers to Face Education 5.0: Integrating Diversity and Inclusivity
Authors: Yonata Fadhila
Published: March 2024

The material development course is one of the most important courses in the initial teacher education (ITE) program since student teachers have to understand how to develop EFL materials for their classroom needs. However, academic literature has limitedly discussed principles of material development courses to deal with contemporary global citizenship education and education 5.0 era. This article proposes a conceptual framework to encourage material development in EFL student teachers at the undergraduate level. The study starts with the justification of the gap between classrooms and contemporary society portraits. To fill this niche, this conceptual study draws on Widodo et al. (2022) regarding the framework for language material development and diversity in ELT proposed by Banegas et al. (2021) to offer a conceptual model for EFL teachers and material developers. Hopefully, the concept helps EFL practitioners design learning materials purposively accommodating diversity and inclusivity for foreseeable global citizens.
Analyzing Shoutcaster Rhetoric in Esports Games
Authors: Ayu Salsabila Puspita , Hartini Tin , Khadijah Siti
Published: March 2024

Shoutcaster is one of professions created to supply the growing demand of esports or electronic sports. Against this backdrop, a shoutcaster is responsible for giving comments in esports matches. Thus, the ability to provide rhetorical comments becomes very important for the shoutcasters. The current study discusses the rhetoric of the shoutcasters in the Upoint Esports Angels Series (UEAS) season 2 grand final. The current study would analyze the rhetorical style of the shoutcasters according to Aristoteles’ rhetoric theory. This research would use a descriptive qualitative research design to analyze a video from UEAS Youtube channel. Then, the present study would analyze how three shoutcasters carry out the event. The results of the current study show that all shoutcasters use all elements in Aristoteles’s rhetoric theory (ethos, pathos and logos) to present the event. The present study conclude that those elements are crucial for shoutcasters in order to make them look credible for the audience.
The Role of Organizational Communication in Improving the Quality of Service at a Beauty Clinic
Authors: Ranti Sofiah , Suswanto Budi , Hamluddin Hamluddin
Published: March 2024

Communication in an organization is a communication process that involves superiors, subordinates and other stakeholders in the organization. In an organization, communication is important in improving the quality of service, as is done by a beauty clinic in Bekasi, Indonesia. Therefore, this research aims to analyze the role of organizational communication in improving service quality. This research uses a constructivist paradigm. Apart from that, this research design is descriptive qualitative in which this research aims to investigate the circumstances, conditions, existence of the research site, and others that have been mentioned and explained in the form of a report. The instruments of this research are observation, interviews and documentation. The results of the present research show that the quality of beauty clinic services can be considered good because of the role of good organizational communication. In this case, communication actors work together to achieve good organizational goals.
Utilization of Capacitor Bank for Electromagnetic Pulse Crimping
Authors: Ali Naushad , Sharma Surender Kumar , Lanje Abhishek , Sharma Archana
Published: March 2024

Capacitors play an important role in an electrical system. They have numerous applications in the field of lasers, fast X-ray, neutron sources, electromagnetic pulse generators, electron beam accelerators, plasma generation and electromagnetic welding of materials. One of the applications of high voltage capacitors as energy storage and discharge devices is in the crimping of cables using the electromagnetic pulse forming technique. This research paper investigates the use of a high-voltage energy storage capacitor with a capacitance of 208 microfarads and rated voltage of 44 kV to perform Electromagnetic Pulse Crimping (EMPC) of lugs for 70 mm2 and 120 mm2 cables. The capacitor operates at 12 kV and is discharged to produce a high current that generates a strong magnetic field of up to 20 Tesla, which is utilized for joining the cable conductor and the lug. The study examines the performance of the capacitor under different operating values such as voltage, capacitance, and discharge time and investigates the effect of these parameters on the termination quality. The paper presents the experimental results of the crimping, which include the contact resistance, weld strength, microstructure, and defects of the welded joints. The results indicate that the capacitor-based electromagnetic pulse crimping produces welds with high strength and minimal defects. Additionally, the paper discusses the future scope of research in this area and the potential applications of such capacitors in other welding techniques. The findings of this research paper provide valuable insights for engineers and researchers working in the field of energy storage, high-voltage applications and welding.
Animal-derived foods: consumption, composition and effects on health and the environment: an overview
Authors: Wood J. D. , Giromini C. , Givens D. I.
Published: March 2024

Consumption of animal-derived foods (ADFs), particularly red meat, is declining in high-income countries because of concerns over health and the effects on climate change but is increasing in low- and middle-income countries. As a group of foods, ADFs are high in good-quality protein and several key vitamins and minerals (notably vitamin B12, iron and zinc). There is evidence, though, that processed red meat poses risks of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and colorectal cancer and the same risks, although not so strong, are apparent for unprocessed red meat. Milk and milk products generally have a neutral disease risk and there is evidence of reduced risks of CVD and colorectal cancer. Similarly, white meat (chicken and fish) is not associated with disease risk whilst eggs have been linked with increased CVD risk because of their cholesterol content. The risks of chronic disease seem higher in high-income than in low- and middle-income countries, possibly due to different levels of consumption. Production of ADFs results in high greenhouse gas emissions per unit of output compared with plant proteins. Ruminant meat production has particularly high costs but wide variation between farms in different regions of the world suggests costs can be significantly lowered by changes to production systems. Reducing ADF consumption to benefit health and the environment has been proposed but in low-income countries, current levels of consumption of ADFs may be compatible with health and climate targets.
Where are we in the implementation of tissue-specific epigenetic clocks?
Authors: Sala Claudia , Di Lena Pietro , Fernandes Durso Danielle , Faria do Valle Italo , Bacalini Maria Giulia , Dall’Olio Daniele , Franceschi Claudio , Castellani Gastone , Garagnani Paolo , Nardini Christine
Published: March 2024

Introduction: DNA methylation clocks presents advantageous characteristics with respect to the ambitious goal of identifying very early markers of disease, based on the concept that accelerated ageing is a reliable predictor in this sense.

Methods: Such tools, being epigenomic based, are expected to be conditioned by sex and tissue specificities, and this work is about quantifying this dependency as well as that from the regression model and the size of the training set.

Results: Our quantitative results indicate that elastic-net penalization is the best performing strategy, and better so when—unsurprisingly—the data set is bigger; sex does not appear to condition clocks performances and tissue specific clocks appear to perform better than generic blood clocks. Finally, when considering all trained clocks, we identified a subset of genes that, to the best of our knowledge, have not been presented yet and might deserve further investigation: CPT1A, MMP15, SHROOM3, SLIT3, and SYNGR.

Conclusion: These factual starting points can be useful for the future medical translation of clocks and in particular in the debate between multi-tissue clocks, generally trained on a large majority of blood samples, and tissue-specific clocks.
High-resolution 3D ultrastructural analysis of developing mouse neocortex reveals long slender processes of endothelial cells that enter neural cells
Authors: Wilsch-Bräuninger Michaela , Peters Jula , Huttner Wieland B.
Published: March 2024

The development of the neocortex involves an interplay between neural cells and the vasculature. However, little is known about this interplay at the ultrastructural level. To gain a 3D insight into the ultrastructure of the developing neocortex, we have analyzed the embryonic mouse neocortex by serial block-face scanning electron microscopy (SBF-SEM). In this study, we report a first set of findings that focus on the interaction of blood vessels, notably endothelial tip cells (ETCs), and the neural cells in this tissue. A key observation was that the processes of ETCs, located either in the ventricular zone (VZ) or subventricular zone (SVZ)/intermediate zone (IZ), can enter, traverse the cytoplasm, and even exit via deep plasma membrane invaginations of the host cells, including apical progenitors (APs), basal progenitors (BPs), and newborn neurons. More than half of the ETC processes were found to enter the neural cells. Striking examples of this ETC process “invasion” were (i) protrusions of apical progenitors or newborn basal progenitors into the ventricular lumen that contained an ETC process inside and (ii) ETC process-containing protrusions of neurons that penetrated other neurons. Our observations reveal a — so far unknown — complexity of the ETC–neural cell interaction.
Optimization of doping design for planar P-N homologous junction perovskite solar cells
Authors: Liu Wenfeng , Zhou Ziyou , Zhou Jicheng
Published: March 2024

In this study, we used the solar cell capacitance simulator (SCAPS) to analyse numerically the performance of perovskite solar cells (PSCs) containing CH3NH3PbI3. The findings indicate that P-N homologous junction processing based on traditional P-I-N PSCs can enhance the photoelectric conversion efficiency (PCE). Furthermore, the authors analyzed the effect of uniform P-N doping of CH3NH3PbI3, concluding that the photoelectric efficiency can be improved from 16.10% to 19.03% after doping. In addition, the optical properties of PSCs under solar irradiation are simulated using finite difference time-domain (FDTD) software under AM1.5. This method is applied to investigate the effect of the P-N uniform junction on the internal electric field generated within the cell. The generation of this electric field promotes carrier separation and transmission, ultimately increasing the open circuit voltage (VOC) of the solar cell from 1.03 to 1.12 V. The usage of P-N junctions enhances PSCs performance and exhibits vast potential for designing and developing PSCs.
Identifying potential monkeypox virus inhibitors: an in silico study targeting the A42R protein
Authors: Ashley Carolyn N. , Broni Emmanuel , Wood Chanyah M. , Okuneye Tunmise , Ojukwu Mary-Pearl T. , Dong Qunfeng , Gallagher Carla , Miller Whelton A.
Published: March 2024

Monkeypox (now Mpox), a zoonotic disease caused by the monkeypox virus (MPXV) is an emerging threat to global health. In the time span of only six months, from May to October 2022, the number of MPXV cases breached 80,000 and many of the outbreaks occurred in locations that had never previously reported MPXV. Currently there are no FDA-approved MPXV-specific vaccines or treatments, therefore, finding drugs to combat MPXV is of utmost importance. The A42R profilin-like protein of the MPXV is involved in cell development and motility making it a critical drug target. A42R protein is highly conserved across orthopoxviruses, thus A42R inhibitors may work for other family members. This study sought to identify potential A42R inhibitors for MPXV treatment using computational approaches. The energy minimized 3D structure of the A42R profilin-like protein (PDB ID: 4QWO) underwent virtual screening using a library of 36,366 compounds from Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), AfroDb, and PubChem databases as well as known inhibitor tecovirimat via AutoDock Vina. A total of seven compounds comprising PubChem CID: 11371962, ZINC000000899909, ZINC000001632866, ZINC000015151344, ZINC000013378519, ZINC000000086470, and ZINC000095486204, predicted to have favorable binding were shortlisted. Molecular docking suggested that all seven proposed compounds have higher binding affinities to A42R (–7.2 to –8.3 kcal/mol) than tecovirimat (–6.7 kcal/mol). This was corroborated by MM/PBSA calculations, with tecovirimat demonstrating the highest binding free energy of –68.694 kJ/mol (lowest binding affinity) compared to the seven shortlisted compounds that ranged from –73.252 to –97.140 kJ/mol. Furthermore, the 7 compounds in complex with A42R demonstrated higher stability than the A42R-tecovirimat complex when subjected to 100 ns molecular dynamics simulations. The protein-ligand interaction maps generated using LigPlot+ suggested that residues Met1, Glu3, Trp4, Ile7, Arg127, Val128, Thr131, and Asn133 are important for binding. These seven compounds were adequately profiled to be potential antivirals via PASS predictions and structural similarity searches. All seven potential lead compounds were scored Pa > Pi for antiviral activity while ZINC000001632866 and ZINC000015151344 were predicted as poxvirus inhibitors with Pa values of 0.315 and 0.215, and Pi values of 0.052 and 0.136, respectively. Further experimental validations of the identified lead compounds are required to corroborate their predicted activity. These seven identified compounds represent solid footing for development of antivirals against MPXV and other orthopoxviruses.
Understanding mobile use behavior, stigma and associated needs among female sex workers in Nepal: a qualitative study
Authors: Ranjit Yerina S. , Meisenbach Rebecca , Roscoe Rikki , Joshi Omita
Published: March 2024

Female sex workers (FSWs) in Nepal continue to disproportionately experience increased HIV risk alongside individual, social, and structural barriers to accessing and using health services. Innovative methods are needed to provide improved HIV prevention information and other health services for FSWs. Mobile health (mHealth) is a mechanism that can overcome structural and social barriers. Studies show that FSWs are increasingly using mobile phones to solicit clients. Hence, this exploratory study using the Uses and Gratifications (U&G) framework aimed to understand Nepali FSWs' mobile use behavior, including the purposes they use it for. We conducted four focus group discussions. Results showed that FSWs in Nepal used mobile phones to gratify their needs to: (1) manage their profession, (2) maintain social connection, (3) to keep their sex work information hidden (4) have access to information in a stigma-free environment. The study's findings can be instrumental in developing and designing innovative health interventions to reduce HIV and STI incidents in this population.
Serum klotho as a novel biomarker for metabolic syndrome: findings from a large national cohort
Authors: Yuguang Li , Chang Yu , Chen Naifei , Zhao Yixin , Zhang Xinwei , Song Wei , Lu Jin , Liu Xiangliang
Published: March 2024

Background

Metabolic syndrome is a cluster of metabolic abnormalities that significantly increase the risk of cardiovascular disease and mortality. The identification of novel biomarkers associated with mortality in patients with metabolic syndrome could facilitate early risk stratification and targeted interventions.

Methods

We conducted a large prospective cohort study using data from five cycles (2009-2016) of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) database, including a total of 40,439 participants. Logistic regression analysis was used to assess the association between serum klotho protein levels and metabolic syndrome, while Cox regression analysis was employed to examine the correlation between serum klotho levels and all-cause mortality. Mortality data were updated until December 31, 2019.

Results

After adjusting for demographic and socioeconomic confounders, the logistic regression model demonstrated that higher serum klotho levels were significantly associated with a decreased prevalence of metabolic syndrome (OR [95% CI] Highest vs. lowest quartile: 0.84 [0.70-0.99], P=0.038). In the Cox regression model, elevated klotho levels were found to significantly reduce the risk of all-cause mortality among individuals with metabolic syndrome (HR [95% CI] Highest vs. lowest quartile: 0.68 [0.51-0.90], P=0.006).

Conclusion

Serum klotho levels were found to be inversely associated with the prevalence of metabolic syndrome, independent of potential confounding factors such as demographics, socioeconomic status, and lifestyle factors. Furthermore, higher klotho levels strongly indicated a lower risk of all-cause mortality in individuals with metabolic syndrome.
A two-sample bidirectional Mendelian randomization analysis investigates associations between gut microbiota and type 2 diabetes mellitus
Authors: Song Siyuan , Zhang Qiling , Zhang Li , Zhou Xiqiao , Yu Jiangyi
Published: March 2024

Objective

This study sought to elucidate the causal association between gut microbiota (GM) composition and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) through a comprehensive two-sample bidirectional Mendelian randomization analysis.

Method

T2DM data were sourced from the IEU OpenGWAS Project database, complemented by 211 gut microbiota (GM) datasets from the MiBioGen Federation. The primary analytical approach employed was inverse variance weighted (IVW), supplemented by MR-Egger regression and weighted median (WME) methods to investigate their potential interplay. Results were assessed using odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI). The robustness and reliability of the findings were confirmed through leave-one-out analysis, heterogeneity testing, and assessment of horizontal pleiotropy. Furthermore, we explored the potential mediating role of metabolites in the pathway linking GM to T2DM.

Result

A set of 11 Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) linked to GM were identified as instrumental variables (IVs). The IVW analysis revealed that increased abundance of the genus Actinomyces, genus Bilophila, genus Lachnoclostridium, genus Ruminococcus gnavus group, and genus Streptococcus corresponded to a heightened risk of T2DM. Conversely, higher levels of genus Eubacterium oxidoreducens group, genus Oscillospira, genus Ruminococcaceae UCG003, genus Ruminococcaceae UCG010, and genus Sellimonas were associated with a reduced risk of T2DM. However, following false discovery rate (FDR) correction, only the abundance of genus Lachnoclostridium retained a significant positive correlation with T2DM risk (OR = 1.22, q value = 0.09), while the other ten GM showed suggestive associations with T2DM. Reverse MR analysis did not reveal any causal relationship between T2DM and the increased risk associated with the identified GM. Additionally, metabolites did not exhibit mediating effects in this context.

Conclusion

This study effectively pinpointed specific GM associated with T2DM, potentially paving the way for novel biomarkers in the prevention and treatment of this condition. The findings suggested that probiotics could emerge as a promising avenue for managing T2DM in the future. Furthermore, the analysis indicated that metabolites do not appear to act as mediators in the pathway from GM to T2DM.
A temperature-based model of biomass accumulation in humid forests of the world
Authors: Larjavaara Markku , Chen Xia , Luo Mingyu
Published: March 2024

Forests benefit humans in numerous ways. Many of these benefits are greater from forests with large trees and high biomass (i.e., above-ground biomass) than from young forests with small trees. Understanding how the biomass accumulation rate depends on climate is therefore important. According to a classic theory, the biomass accumulation rate first increases until canopy closure, as leaf area and gross primary productivity increase, and decreases thereafter because leaf area cannot increase further and maintaining larger biomass is energetically costlier as living tissue increases even though its proportion of all biomass decreases. We based our modeling on this classic theory and defined relative productivity, pr indicating productivity, and relative maintenance cost, cr, signaling the expense of sustaining a unit of biomass in humid climates of the world. The biomass accumulation rate of low biomass forests is determined by pr − cr and maximal biomass by pr/cr. We then compiled a global data set from the literature, with 3,177 records to fit a parameter for the efficiency of converting surplus carbon into accumulated biomass and another parameter determining biomass at canopy closure. Based on the parameterized models, a constant temperature of 22.3°C leads to the most rapid biomass accumulation in low biomass forests, whereas 16.4°C results in greatest maximal biomass. Our parameterized model can be applied to both climate change adaptation and mitigation by optimizing land use.
Finding potential lncRNA–disease associations using a boosting-based ensemble learning model
Authors: Zhou Liqian , Peng Xinhuai , Zeng Lijun , Peng Lihong
Published: March 2024

Introduction: Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been in the clinical use as potential prognostic biomarkers of various types of cancer. Identifying associations between lncRNAs and diseases helps capture the potential biomarkers and design efficient therapeutic options for diseases. Wet experiments for identifying these associations are costly and laborious.

Methods: We developed LDA-SABC, a novel boosting-based framework for lncRNA–disease association (LDA) prediction. LDA-SABC extracts LDA features based on singular value decomposition (SVD) and classifies lncRNA–disease pairs (LDPs) by incorporating LightGBM and AdaBoost into the convolutional neural network.

Results: The LDA-SABC performance was evaluated under five-fold cross validations (CVs) on lncRNAs, diseases, and LDPs. It obviously outperformed four other classical LDA inference methods (SDLDA, LDNFSGB, LDASR, and IPCAF) through precision, recall, accuracy, F1 score, AUC, and AUPR. Based on the accurate LDA prediction performance of LDA-SABC, we used it to find potential lncRNA biomarkers for lung cancer. The results elucidated that 7SK and HULC could have a relationship with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD), respectively.

Conclusion: We hope that our proposed LDA-SABC method can help improve the LDA identification.
Associations of perchlorate, nitrate, and thiocyanate exposure with arthritis and inflammation indicators in young and middle-aged adults, NHANES 2005-2016
Authors: Zhao Hui , Chen Xuyang , Ni Jianping , Fang Lanlan , Chen Yuting , Ma Yubo , Cai Guoqi , Pan Faming
Published: March 2024

Background

Perchlorates, nitrates, and thiocyanates are prevalent environmental chemicals. Their potential association with arthritis remains unexplored. This study aimed to investigate the link between perchlorate, nitrate, and thiocyanate exposure and arthritis, as well as the potential role of inflammation in this context.

Methods

Utilizing the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) data spanning from 2005 to 2016, the study enrolled 6597 participants aged 20-59 (young and middle-aged), of which 1045 had arthritis. Employing multivariate logistic regression modeling, multiple linear regression models, restricted cubic spline analysis, Bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR) modeling, and mediation analysis, we assessed these relationships.

Results

There was a significant positive association between elevated urinary thiocyanate levels and arthritis risk [1.19 (1.11, 1.28)]. This association held true across subgroups of osteoarthritis (OA) [1.24 (1.10, 1.40)] and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) [1.33 (1.15, 1.55)]. Thiocyanate levels displayed a dose-dependent relationship with arthritis risk, showing a linear trend (nonlinear P > 0.05). Conversely, perchlorate and nitrate did not exhibit associations with arthritis risk. BKMR outcomes highlighted a positive correlation between a mixture of perchlorate, nitrate, and thiocyanate and arthritis risk, with thiocyanate being the predominant predictors. Moreover, BKMR and generalized linear model analyses unveiled no significant synergistic effect of urinary perchlorate, nitrate, and thiocyanate on arthritis risk. Furthermore, thiocyanate exposure has been linked to elevated levels of inflammatory indicators (white blood cell, neutrophils, lymphocytes, and systemic immune-inflammatory index (SII)).

Conclusion

Heightened thiocyanate exposure may be linked to elevated arthritis risk, either single or in combined effects. Additionally, thiocyanate exposure is associated with heightened inflammation levels.
Case report: Rapidly progressive neurocognitive disorder with a fatal outcome in a patient with PU.1 mutated agammaglobulinemia
Authors: Miskovic Rada , Ljubicic Jelena , Bonaci-Nikolic Branka , Petkovic Ana , Markovic Vladana , Rankovic Ivan , Djordjevic Jelena , Stankovic Ana , Klaassen Kristel , Pavlovic Sonja , Stojanovic Maja
Published: March 2024

Introduction

PU.1-mutated agammaglobulinemia (PU.MA) represents a recently described autosomal-dominant form of agammaglobulinemia caused by mutation of the SPI1 gene. This gene codes for PU.1 pioneer transcription factor important for the maturation of monocytes, B lymphocytes, and conventional dendritic cells. Only six cases with PU.MA, presenting with chronic sinopulmonary and systemic enteroviral infections, have been previously described. Accumulating literature evidence suggests a possible relationship between SPI1 mutation, microglial phagocytic dysfunction, and the development of Alzheimer’s disease (AD).

Case description

We present a Caucasian female patient born from a non-consanguineous marriage, who was diagnosed with agammaglobulinemia at the age of 15 years when the immunoglobulin replacement therapy was started. During the following seventeen years, she was treated for recurrent respiratory and intestinal infections. At the age of 33 years, the diagnosis of celiac-like disease was established. Five years later progressive cognitive deterioration, unstable gait, speech disturbances, and behavioral changes developed. Comprehensive microbiological investigations were negative, excluding possible infective etiology. Brain MRI, 18FDG-PET-CT, and neuropsychological testing were suggestive for a diagnosis of a frontal variant of AD. Clinical exome sequencing revealed the presence of a novel frameshift heterozygous variant c.441dup in exon 4 of the SPI1 gene. Despite intensive therapy, the patient passed away a few months after the onset of the first neurological symptoms.

Conclusion

We describe the first case of PU.MA patient presenting with a rapidly progressive neurocognitive deterioration. The possible role of microglial dysfunction in patients with SPI1 mutation could explain their susceptibility to neurodegenerative diseases thus highlighting the importance of genetic testing in patients with inborn errors of immunity. Since PU.MA represents a newly described form of agammaglobulinemia, our case expands the spectrum of manifestations associated with SPI1 mutation.
Construction of an aerolysin-based multi-epitope vaccine against Aeromonas hydrophila: an in silico machine learning and artificial intelligence-supported approach
Authors: Alawam Abdullah S. , Alwethaynani Maher S.
Published: March 2024

Aeromonas hydrophila, a gram-negative coccobacillus bacterium, can cause various infections in humans, including septic arthritis, diarrhea (traveler’s diarrhea), gastroenteritis, skin and wound infections, meningitis, fulminating septicemia, enterocolitis, peritonitis, and endocarditis. It frequently occurs in aquatic environments and readily contacts humans, leading to high infection rates. This bacterium has exhibited resistance to numerous commercial antibiotics, and no vaccine has yet been developed. Aiming to combat the alarmingly high infection rate, this study utilizes in silico techniques to design a multi-epitope vaccine (MEV) candidate against this bacterium based on its aerolysin toxin, which is the most toxic and highly conserved virulence factor among the Aeromonas species. After retrieval, aerolysin was processed for B-cell and T-cell epitope mapping. Once filtered for toxicity, antigenicity, allergenicity, and solubility, the chosen epitopes were combined with an adjuvant and specific linkers to create a vaccine construct. These linkers and the adjuvant enhance the MEV’s ability to elicit robust immune responses. Analyses of the predicted and improved vaccine structure revealed that 75.5%, 19.8%, and 1.3% of its amino acids occupy the most favored, additional allowed, and generously allowed regions, respectively, while its ERRAT score reached nearly 70%. Docking simulations showed the MEV exhibiting the highest interaction and binding energies (−1,023.4 kcal/mol, −923.2 kcal/mol, and −988.3 kcal/mol) with TLR-4, MHC-I, and MHC-II receptors. Further molecular dynamics simulations demonstrated the docked complexes’ remarkable stability and maximum interactions, i.e., uniform RMSD, fluctuated RMSF, and lowest binding net energy. In silico models also predict the vaccine will stimulate a variety of immunological pathways following administration. These analyses suggest the vaccine’s efficacy in inducing robust immune responses against A. hydrophila. With high solubility and no predicted allergic responses or toxicity, it appears safe for administration in both healthy and A. hydrophila-infected individuals.
Nodal modulation of M2 and N2 tides along the Norwegian coast
Authors: Zong Xiaolong , Zhou Jun , Yang Minghui , Zhang Shuwen , Deng Fangjing , Lian Qiang , Zhou Wei , Chen Zhaoyun
Published: March 2024

It is crucial to assess the nodal modulation for tides in high-latitude coast areas within the context of global warming. In this paper, five stations (Maloy, Rorvik, Andenes, Vardo, and Honningsvag) along the Norwegian coast are selected to analyze the nodal modulation using the S_TIDE toolbox, which is developed from the enhanced harmonic analysis method. Three criterions are proposed to determine the optimal number of independent points (IPs), a parameter in S_TIDE toolbox, and the decision steps are elaborated in detail. The optimal number of IPs is evaluated by comparing the primary and the hindcasts tidal amplitudes. The amplitudes of 18.61-year cycle and 4.42-year cycle show noticeable temporal and spatial variations, which can be attributed to the changes of sea levels, local topography, and the active and robust mesoscale activity in the Norwegian Sea. Moreover, the temporal and spatial variations in nodal modulation are quantitatively demonstrated at the Rorvik and Vardo stations, highlighting the importance of nodal modulation in assessing tides over interdecadal periods.
Estimation of slope stability using ensemble-based hybrid machine learning approaches
Authors: Ragam Prashanth , Kushal Kumar N. , Ajith Jubilson E. , Karthik Guntha , Himanshu Vivek Kumar , Sree Machupalli Divya , Ramesh Murlidhar Bhatawdekar
Published: March 2024

Mining is one of the most daunting occupations gain the sector since it entails risk at any point in the operation. In its operation, the main focus is on slope stability. To avoid slope failures, work should be performed in line with both the regulations and the safety criteria. Slope stability is essential in mining activities owing to slope failure putting productivity and safety at risk. Prediction of slope failure is difficult because of the complexity of traditional engineering techniques. Through study, recent technologies have helped mining companies predict slope problems quickly and effectively. In this current research, an ensemble of machine learning intelligence algorithms was used to estimate and assess the Factor of Safety (FOS). In Ostapal Chromicte Mine, India, 79 experimental and failure slope occurrences were tracked to gather in-the-moment field data. The available data were split into training and testing sets at random to build algorithms. The five influenced factors such as the unit weight, the friction angle, the cohesiveness, the mining depth, as well as the slope angle used as input variables to estimate the FOS. Selected machine learning techniques such as Multiple Linear Regression (MLR), Decision Tree, Random Forest (RF), eXtreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost) and ensemble hybrid model combining eXtreme Gradient Boosting and Random Forest (XGBoost-RF) were developed to evaluate the FOS. The validity and efficiency of created models can be evaluated using standard evaluation parameters such as coefficient of determination (R2), root mean square error (RMSE), mean square error (MSE), normalized root mean square error (NRMSE), mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) and mean absolute deviation (MAD). The most precise model to assess the FOS across all models was discovered to be the XGBOOST-RF ensemble model, which had a high R2 of 0.931, MSE of 0.009, NRMSE of 0.069, MAD of 0.037, MAPE of 3.581 and an RMSE of 0.098.
B-cell-depleted patients with persistent SARS-CoV-2 infection: combination therapy or monotherapy? A real-world experience
Authors: D’Abramo Alessandra , Vita Serena , Beccacece Alessia , Navarra Assunta , Pisapia Raffaella , Fusco Francesco Maria , Matusali Giulia , Girardi Enrico , Maggi Fabrizio , Goletti Delia , Nicastri Emanuele ,   ImmunoCOVID team
Published: March 2024

Objectives

The aim of the study was to describe a cohort of B-cell-depleted immunocompromised (IC) patients with prolonged or relapsing COVID-19 treated with monotherapy or combination therapy.

Methods

This is a multicenter observational retrospective study conducted on IC patients consecutively hospitalized with a prolonged or relapsing SARS-CoV-2 infection from November 2020 to January 2023. IC COVID-19 subjects were stratified according to the monotherapy or combination anti-SARS-CoV-2 therapy received.

Results

Eighty-eight patients were enrolled, 19 under monotherapy and 69 under combination therapy. The study population had a history of immunosuppression (median of 2 B-cells/mm3, IQR 1–24 cells), and residual hypogammaglobulinemia was observed in 55 patients. A reduced length of hospitalization and time to negative SARS-CoV-2 molecular nasopharyngeal swab (NPS) in the combination versus monotherapy group was observed. In the univariable and multivariable analyses, the percentage change in the rate of days to NPS negativity showed a significant reduction in patients receiving combination therapy compared to those receiving monotherapy.

Conclusion

In IC persistent COVID-19 patients, it is essential to explore new therapeutic strategies such as combination multi-target therapy (antiviral or double antiviral plus antibody-based therapies) to avoid persistent viral shedding and/or severe SARS-CoV-2 infection.