bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effects of temperature and microbial disruption on juvenile kelp Ecklonia radiata and its associated bacterial community
Authors: Vadillo Gonzalez Sebastian , Hurd Catriona L. , Britton Damon , Bennett Eloise , Steinberg Peter D. , Marzinelli Ezequiel M.
Published: January 2024

Ocean warming can affect the development and physiological responses of kelps, and under future climate change scenarios, increasing seawater temperatures pose a major threat to these habitat-forming species. However, little is known about the effects of warming on epiphytic bacterial communities and how an altered microbiome may interact with temperature stress, affecting the condition and survival of kelp, particularly of the potentially more vulnerable early life stages. Here, we tested the effects of thermal stress on the growth and physiological responses of juvenile kelp Ecklonia radiata in which their epiphytic bacterial community was experimentally disrupted using antimicrobials, simulating dysbiosis. We hypothesized that, under thermal stress (23°C, simulating a extreme scenario of ocean warming in Tasmania), kelp with a disrupted bacterial community would be more strongly affected than kelp with an undisrupted microbiome or kelp under ambient temperature (14°C) but with a disrupted microbiota. Thermal stress reduced growth, increased tissue bleaching and negatively affected net photosynthesis of kelp. In addition, a substantial change in the epiphytic bacterial community structure was also found under thermal stress conditions, with an increase in the abundance of potentially pathogenic bacterial groups. However, microbial disruption did not act synergistically with thermal stress to affect kelp juveniles. These results suggest that effects of elevated temperature on juvenile kelps is not microbially-mediated and that juveniles may be less susceptible to disruptions of their microbiome.
Stability prediction of muddy submarine channel slope based on sub-bottom profile acoustic images and transfer learning
Authors: Hou Jiankang , Zhang Cunyong
Published: January 2024

This research addresses the challenging task of predicting the stability of muddy submarine channel slopes, crucial for ensuring safe port operations. Traditional methods falter due to the submerged nature of these channels, impacting navigation and infrastructure maintenance. The proposed approach integrates sub-bottom profile acoustic images and transfer learning to predict slope stability in Lianyungang Port. The study classifies slope stability into four categories: stable, creep, expansion, and unstable based on oscillation amplitude and sound intensity. Utilizing a sub-bottom profiler, acoustic imagery is collected, which is then enhanced through Gabor filtering. This process generates source data to pre-train Visual Geometry Group (VGG)16 neural network. This research further refines the model using targeted data, achieving a 97.92% prediction accuracy. When benchmarked against other models and methods, including VGG19, Inception-v3, Densenet201, Decision Tree (DT), Naive Bayes (NB), Support Vector Machine (SVM), and an unmodified VGG16, this approach exhibits superior accuracy. This model proves highly effective for real-time analysis of submarine channel slope dynamics, offering a significant advancement in marine safety and operational efficiency.
The role of arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis in plant abiotic stress
Authors: Wang Qian , Liu Mengmeng , Wang Zhifan , Li Junrong , Liu Ke , Huang Dong
Published: January 2024

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) can penetrate plant root cortical cells, establish a symbiosis with most land plant species, and form branched structures (known as arbuscules) for nutrient exchange. Plants have evolved a complete plant–AMF symbiosis system to sustain their growth and development under various types of abiotic stress. Here, we highlight recent studies of AM symbiosis and the regulation of symbiosis process. The roles of mycorrhizal symbiosis and host plant interactions in enhancing drought resistance, increasing mineral nutrient uptake, regulating hormone synthesis, improving salt resistance, and alleviating heavy metal stress were also discussed. Overall, studies of AM symbiosis and a variety of abiotic stresses will aid applications of AMF in sustainable agriculture and can improve plant production and environmental safety.
SIRT1 and thrombosis
Authors: Bettiol Alessandra , Urban Maria Letizia , Emmi Giacomo , Galora Silvia , Argento Flavia Rita , Fini Eleonora , Borghi Serena , Bagni Giacomo , Mattioli Irene , Prisco Domenico , Fiorillo Claudia , Becatti Matteo
Published: January 2024

Thrombosis is a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, with a complex and multifactorial pathogenesis. Recent studies have shown that SIRT1, a member of the sirtuin family of NAD + -dependent deacetylases, plays a crucial role in regulating thrombosis, modulating key pathways including endothelial activation, platelet aggregation, and coagulation. Furthermore, SIRT1 displays anti-inflammatory activity both in vitro, in vivo and in clinical studies, particularly via the reduction of oxidative stress. On these bases, several studies have investigated the therapeutic potential of targeting SIRT1 for the prevention of thrombosis. This review provides a comprehensive and critical overview of the main preclinical and clinical studies and of the current understanding of the role of SIRT1 in thrombosis.
Elucidating the susceptibility to breast cancer: an in-depth proteomic and transcriptomic investigation into novel potential plasma protein biomarkers
Authors: Wang Yang , Yi Kexin , Chen Baoyue , Zhang Bailin , Jidong Gao
Published: January 2024

Objectives: This study aimed to identify plasma proteins that are associated with and causative of breast cancer through Proteome and Transcriptome-wide association studies combining Mendelian Randomization.

Methods: Utilizing high-throughput datasets, we designed a two-phase analytical framework aimed at identifying novel plasma proteins that are both associated with and causative of breast cancer. Initially, we conducted Proteome/Transcriptome-wide association studies (P/TWAS) to identify plasma proteins with significant associations. Subsequently, Mendelian Randomization was employed to ascertain the causation. The validity and robustness of our findings were further reinforced through external validation and various sensitivity analyses, including Bayesian colocalization, Steiger filtering, heterogeneity and pleiotropy. Additionally, we performed functional enrichment analysis of the identified proteins to better understand their roles in breast cancer and to assess their potential as druggable targets.

Results: We identified 5 plasma proteins demonstrating strong associations and causative links with breast cancer. Specifically, PEX14 (OR = 1.201, p = 0.016) and CTSF (OR = 1.114, p < 0.001) both displayed positive and causal association with breast cancer. In contrast, SNUPN (OR = 0.905, p < 0.001), CSK (OR = 0.962, p = 0.038), and PARK7 (OR = 0.954, p < 0.001) were negatively associated with the disease. For the ER-positive subtype, 3 plasma proteins were identified, with CSK and CTSF exhibiting consistent trends, while GDI2 (OR = 0.920, p < 0.001) was distinct to this subtype. In ER-negative subtype, PEX14 (OR = 1.645, p < 0.001) stood out as the sole protein, even showing a stronger causal effect compared to breast cancer. These associations were robustly supported by colocalization and sensitivity analyses.

Conclusion: Integrating multiple data dimensions, our study successfully pinpointed plasma proteins significantly associated with and causative of breast cancer, offering valuable insights for future research and potential new biomarkers and therapeutic targets.
Case report: A novel patient presenting TRIM32-related limb-girdle muscular dystrophy
Authors: Rimoldi Martina , Romagnoli Gloria , Magri Francesca , Antognozzi Sara , Cinnante Claudia , Saccani Elena , Ciscato Patrizia , Zanotti Simona , Velardo Daniele , Corti Stefania , Comi Giacomo Pietro , Ronchi Dario
Published: January 2024

Limb-girdle muscular dystrophy autosomal recessive 8 (LGMDR8) is a rare clinical manifestation caused by the presence of biallelic variants in the TRIM32 gene. We present the clinical, molecular, histopathological, and muscle magnetic resonance findings of a novel 63-years-old LGMDR8 patient of Italian origins, who went undiagnosed for 24 years. Clinical exome sequencing identified two TRIM32 missense variants, c.1181G > A p.(Arg394His) and c.1781G > A p.(Ser594Asp), located in the NHL1 and NHL4 structural domains, respectively, of the TRIM32 protein. We conducted a literature review of the clinical and instrumental data associated to the so far known 26 TRIM32 variants, carried biallelically by 53 LGMDR8 patients reported to date in 20 papers. Our proband's variants were previously identified only in three independent LGMDR8 patients in homozygosis, therefore our case is the first in literature to be described as compound heterozygous for such variants. Our report also provides additional data in support of their pathogenicity, since p.(Arg394His) is currently classified as a variant of uncertain significance, while p.(Ser594Asp) as likely pathogenic. Taken together, these findings might be useful to improve both the genetic counseling and the diagnostic accuracy of this rare neuromuscular condition.
A task-driven cerebral angiographic imaging based on CT perfusion
Authors: Wang Cheng , Chen Siqi , Mi Donghua
Published: January 2024

Introduction

Current clinical computed tomography arteriography (cCTA) and clinical computed tomography venography (cCTV) images often display restricted cerebrovascular profiles, incomplete brain tissue segmentation, and incomplete artery-vein segmentation. Especially for vessels associated with diseases, capturing their complete profiles proves challenging.

Methods

In this work, we developed a Task-driven Cerebral Angiographic Imaging (TDCAI) technique using computed tomography perfusion (CTP) images of stroke patients. A evaluation on intracranial hemorrhagic stroke (IHS) and acute ischemic stroke (AIS) cases was performed with CT perfusion imaging. The TDCAI technique processed the CTP images, resulting in supplementary diagnostic images, including CTA, CTV, centerline images of the vessels-of-interest [internal carotid artery (ICA) for AIS patients, Labbé vein for IHS patients], and straightened images of the vessels-of-interest.

Results

We conducted a comparison between the obtained CTA/CTV images and the cCTA/cCTV images in terms of overall image quality and visibility of the vessels-of-interest. By constructing a virtual vascular phantom, we extracted its centerline and compared it with the actual centerline to calculate maximum and average deviations. This allowed us to evaluate both the accuracy of the centerline extraction algorithm and its capability to resist the influence of side branches. We assessed whether vascular stenosis and dilatation could be expressed in straightened vessel images, conducting statistical analyses to establish the superiority of TDCAI technique.

Discussion

This study proposes a TDCAI technique to eliminate bone and soft tissue interference, effectively segregate the comprehensive cerebral venous and arterial systems, and extract centerlines and straighten the vessels-of-interest, which would aid doctors in assessing the outflow profiles of vessels after a stroke and seeking imaging biomarkers correlated with clinical outcomes.
Increasing striatal dopamine release through repeated bouts of theta burst transcranial magnetic stimulation of the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. A 18F-desmethoxyfallypride positron emission tomography study
Authors: Shaikh Usman Jawed , Pellicano Antonello , Schüppen Andre , Heinzel Alexander , Winz Oliver H. , Herzog Hans , Mottaghy Felix M. , Binkofski Ferdinand
Published: January 2024

Introduction

Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) can modulate fronto-striatal connectivity in the human brain. Here Positron Emission Tomography (PET) and neuro-navigated TMS were combined to investigate the dynamics of the fronto-striatal connectivity in the human brain. Employing 18F-DesmethoxyFallypride (DMFP) – a Dopamine receptor-antagonist – the release of endogenous dopamine in the striatum in response to time-spaced repeated bouts of excitatory, intermittent theta burst stimulation (iTBS) of the Left-Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex (L-DLPFC) was measured.

Methods

23 healthy participants underwent two PET sessions, each one with four blocks of iTBS separated by 30 minutes: sham (control) and verum (90% of individual resting motor threshold). Receptor Binding Ratios were collected for sham and verum sessions across 37 time frames (about 130 minutes) in striatal sub-regions (Caudate nucleus and Putamen).

Results

Verum iTBS increased the dopamine release in striatal sub-regions, relative to sham iTBS. Dopamine levels in the verum session increased progressively across the time frames until frame number 28 (approximately 85 minutes after the start of the session and after three iTBS bouts) and then essentially remained unchanged until the end of the session.

Conclusion

Results suggest that the short-timed iTBS protocol performed in time-spaced blocks can effectively induce a dynamic dose dependent increase in dopaminergic fronto-striatal connectivity. This scheme could provide an alternative to unpleasant and distressing, long stimulation protocols in experimental and therapeutic settings. Specifically, it was demonstrated that three repeated bouts of iTBS, spaced by short intervals, achieve larger effects than one single stimulation. This finding has implications for the planning of therapeutic interventions, for example, treatment of major depression.
Positive response to trastuzumab deruxtecan in a patient with HER2-mutant NSCLC after multiple lines therapy, including T-DM1: a case report
Authors: Xu Junzhu , He Bo , Wang Yunan , Wu Mengjia , Lu Yanyi , Su Zixuan , Liu Shujun , Yin Fengmin , Zhou Jian-Guo , Hu Wei
Published: January 2024

Human epidermal growth factor 2 (HER2) mutations are uncommon in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), and the lack of established, effective, targeted drugs has resulted in a persistently poor prognosis. Herein, we report the case of a non-smoking, 58-year-old man diagnosed with lung adenocarcinoma (cT3N0M1c, stage IVB) harboring a HER2 mutation (Y772_A775dupYVMA) and PD-L1 (-). The patient’s Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status (PS) score was assessed as 1. He commenced first-line treatment with chemotherapy, followed by immuno-chemotherapy, and with disease progression, he received HER2-targeted therapy and chemotherapy with an anti-angiogenic agent. However, HER2-targeted therapy, including pan-HER tyrosine kinase inhibitors (afatinib, pyrotinib, and pozitinib) and antibody–drug conjugate (T-DM1), produced only stable disease (SD) as the best response. After the previously described treatment, primary tumor recurrence and multiple brain metastases were observed. Despite the patient’s compromised overall physical condition with a PS score of 3-4, he was administered T-DXd in addition to whole-brain radiotherapy (WBRT). Remarkably, both intracranial metastases and primary lesions were significantly reduced, he achieved a partial response (PR), and his PS score increased from 3-4 to 1. He was then treated with T-DXd for almost 9 months until the disease again progressed, and he did not discontinue the drug despite the occurrence of myelosuppression during this period. This is a critical case as it exerted an effective response to T-DXd despite multiple lines therapy, including T-DM1. Simultaneously, despite the occurrence of myelosuppression in the patient during T-DXd, it was controlled after aggressive treatment.
Regulated cell death in glioma: promising targets for natural small-molecule compounds
Authors: Han Mingyu , Li Sui , Fan Huali , An Junsha , Peng Cheng , Peng Fu
Published: January 2024

Gliomas are prevalent malignant tumors in adults, which can be categorized as either localized or diffuse gliomas. Glioblastoma is the most aggressive and deadliest form of glioma. Currently, there is no complete cure, and the median survival time is less than one year. The main mechanism of regulated cell death involves organisms coordinating the elimination of damaged cells at risk of tumor transformation or cells hijacked by microorganisms for pathogen replication. This process includes apoptosis, necroptosis, autophagy, ferroptosis, pyroptosis, necrosis, parthanayosis, entosis, lysosome-dependent death, NETosis, oxiptosis, alkaliptosis, and disulfidaptosis. The main goal of clinical oncology is to develop therapies that promote the effective elimination of cancer cells by regulating cell death are the main goal of clinical oncology. Recently, scientists have utilized pertinent regulatory factors and natural small-molecule compounds to induce regulated cell death for the treatment of gliomas. By analyzing the PubMed and Web of Science databases, this paper reviews the research progress on the regulation of cell death and the role of natural small-molecule compounds in glioma. The aim is to provide help for the treatment of glioblastoma.
Study on the effect of compound cultivation on the growth feature and active ingredients content of Salvia miltiorrhiza
Authors: Zhang Luyi , Tao Shan , Zhang Yifan , Yang Yanmei , Peng Fang , Liao Hailang , Mao Changqing , Wan Xiufu , Wu Yu , Xu Zhengjun , Zhang Chao
Published: January 2024

We investigated the effects of the complex cultivation of Salvia miltiorrhiza on microbial communities, secretions, yield, and active ingredients, and the mechanism of action between microbial communities, secretions, and S. miltiorrhiza growth and development. Neither maize nor soybean was suitable to grow with S. miltiorrhiza, but sesame significantly increased salvinone content, the active ingredient of S. miltiorrhiza, and Tanshinone IIA, Tanshinone I, and Cryptotanshinone increased by 27.06%, 22.76%, and 26.41%, respectively, which increased the abundance and number of microbial communities in S. miltiorrhiza roots. 16S rRNA results showed that the most abundant bacterial phyla were Proteobacteria and Acidobacteriota, and their number increased with compound planting of sesame and S. miltiorrhiza. Salvia inter-root secretions affected the microbial community and Salvia growth and development, and lipids and lipid-like molecules significantly reduced Salvia yield and active ingredients. Overall, different plant secretions can lead to differences in the natural environment and Salvia root growth and development, and the composite planting of sesame with Salvia can improve inter-root microbial communities, enhance Salvia quality, and make fuller use of land resources.
Science of malaria elimination: using knowledge of bottlenecks and enablers from the Malaria Elimination Demonstration Project in Central India for eliminating malaria in the Asia Pacific region
Authors: Rajvanshi Harsh , Singh Mrigendra P. , Bharti Praveen K. , Sahu Ram Shankar , Jayswar Himanshu , Govil Pallavi Jain , Anvikar Anup , Chan Xavier Xuanhao , Chebbi Amita , Das Sarthak , Lal Altaf A.
Published: January 2024

Malaria poses a major public health challenge in the Asia Pacific. Malaria Elimination Demonstration Project was conducted as a public-private partnership initiative in Mandla between State government, ICMR, and FDEC India. The project employed controls for efficient operational and management decisions. IEC campaigns found crucial in schools and communities. Capacity building of local workers emphasized for better diagnosis and treatment. SOCH mobile app launched for complete digitalization. Better supervision for Indoor Residual Sprays and optimized Long Lasting Insecticidal Nets distribution. Significant malaria cases reduction in Mandla. Insights from MEDP crucial for malaria elimination strategies in other endemic regions of the Asia Pacific.
Individual-level socioeconomic status and cataract-induced visual disability among older adults in China: the overview and urban-rural difference
Authors: Fan Yunyi , Guo Shuai , Dai Wanwei , Chen Chen , Zhang Chun , Zheng Xiaoying
Published: January 2024

Objective

To investigate the prevalence of cataract-induced visual disability and its association with individual-level socioeconomic status (SES) among older adults in China.

Methods

Using the data of 354,743 older adults (60 years and older) from the Second China National Sample Survey on Disability in 2006. Cross-sectional study design was applied. The differences in visual disability prevalence of cataracts among sociodemographic subgroups were analyzed by the chi-square test, and the association between individual-level SES and cataract-induced visual disability was investigated by the multivariate logistic regression model.

Results

The weighted visual disability prevalence of cataracts was 4.84% in 2006. Older people with a higher household income per capita (OR = 0.83, 95% CI: 0.81–0.85), higher education level (primary school vs. illiteracy: OR = 0.80, 95% CI: 0.76–0.83; ≥undergraduate college vs. illiteracy: OR = 0.31, 95% CI: 0.25–0.39), and occupation (OR = 0.53, 95% CI: 0.50–0.56) were less likely to suffer from cataract-induced visual disability. Household income per capita and education level increase played a greater role in decreasing the risk of visual disability caused by cataracts in urban areas, while having occupation contributed more to reducing the risk of disability in rural areas.

Conclusion

The gap in individual-level SES is closely related to the visual health inequities among older Chinese people and there are two distinct mechanisms in rural and urban areas. Strategies to promote collaborative healthcare development regionally, strengthen safeguards for disadvantaged groups, and increase public awareness of visual disability prevention are warranted.
Google effects on memory: a meta-analytical review of the media effects of intensive Internet search behavior
Authors: Gong Chen , Yang Yang
Published: January 2024

People are increasingly using the web for fact-checking and other forms of information seeking. The “Google effects” refers to the idea that individuals rely on the Internet as a source of knowledge rather than remembering it for themselves. However, few literature review have yet comprehensively examined the media effects of this intensive Internet search behavior. In this study, by carrying out meta-analysis, we found that google effects is closely associated with cognitive load, behavioral phenotype and cognitive self-esteem. And this phenomenon is also more likely to happen while using a mobile phone to browse the Internet rather than a computer. People with a larger knowledge base are less susceptible to the consequences of Internet use than those with a smaller knowledge base. The media effect was stronger for persons who had used the Internet before than for those who had not. And meta-analyses show that participants in North America (parameter = −1.0365, 95%CI = [−1.8758, −0.1972], p < 0.05) are more susceptible to frequent Internet search behavior relative to other regions. Overall, google effects on memory challenges the way individuals seek and read information, and it may lead to changes in cognitive and memory mechanisms.
Distributed Fixed-Time Leader-Following Consensus for Multi-Agent Systems: An Event-Triggered Mechanism
Authors: Ge Cheng , Ma Ling , Xu Shoulin
Published: January 2024

In this work, a fixed-time leader-following event-triggered (ET) consensus problem for multi-agent systems (MASs) with external disturbances is investigated. A distributed observer is developed to achieve the estimated state of the leader. By means of the observation information, the consensus error system for multi-agents is reformulated into a tracking error system, wherein individual follower agent aims to track the leader agent. Building upon Lyapunov technology and fixed-time stability theory, a new ET protocol is introduced to mitigate communication wastes. Notably, the proposed controller incorporates a strong robust fixed-time control form with lower complexity, and a reliable dynamic triggering condition also ensures the excellent performance of the system. Rigorous demonstrations underscore the stability and robustness of the ET method, while guaranteeing the avoidance of Zeno behavior. Finally, several numerical simulations are provided to underscore the efficacy of the proposed protocols.
ICNet: A Dual-Branch Instance Segmentation Network for High-Precision Pig Counting
Authors: Liu Shanghao , Zhao Chunjiang , Zhang Hongming , Li Qifeng , Li Shuqin , Chen Yini , Gao Ronghua , Wang Rong , Li Xuwen
Published: January 2024

A clear understanding of the number of pigs plays a crucial role in breeding management. Computer vision technology possesses several advantages, as it is harmless and labour-saving compared to traditional counting methods. Nevertheless, the existing methods still face some challenges, such as: (1) the lack of a substantial high-precision pig-counting dataset; (2) creating a dataset for instance segmentation can be time-consuming and labor-intensive; (3) interactive occlusion and overlapping always lead to incorrect recognition of pigs; (4) existing methods for counting such as object detection have limited accuracy. To address the issues of dataset scarcity and labor-intensive manual labeling, we make a semi-auto instance labeling tool (SAI) to help us to produce a high-precision pig counting dataset named Count1200 including 1220 images and 25,762 instances. The speed at which we make labels far exceeds the speed of manual annotation. A concise and efficient instance segmentation model built upon several novel modules, referred to as the Instances Counting Network (ICNet), is proposed in this paper for pig counting. ICNet is a dual-branch model ingeniously formed of a combination of several layers, which is named the Parallel Deformable Convolutions Layer (PDCL), which is trained from scratch and primarily composed of a couple of parallel deformable convolution blocks (PDCBs). We effectively leverage the characteristic of modeling long-range sequences to build our basic block and compute layer. Along with the benefits of a large effective receptive field, PDCL achieves a better performance for multi-scale objects. In the trade-off between computational resources and performance, ICNet demonstrates excellent performance and surpasses other models in Count1200, AP of 71.4% and AP50 of 95.7% are obtained in our experiments. This work provides inspiration for the rapid creation of high-precision datasets and proposes an accurate approach to pig counting.
Nutritional Value of Parsley Roots Depending on Nitrogen and Magnesium Fertilization
Authors: Wszelaczyńska Elżbieta , Pobereżny Jarosław , Gościnna Katarzyna , Retmańska Katarzyna , Kozera Wojciech Jan
Published: January 2024

Parsley is an herb/vegetable rich in nutritional compounds such as carbohydrates, vitamins, protein, crude fiber, minerals (especially potassium), phosphorus, magnesium, calcium, iron, and essential oils. Limited information is available in the literature on the quality of parsley roots depending on the cultivation technology used in the form of macronutrients and micronutrients, preparations to stimulate plant growth and development, as well as plant-protection products. A three-year study was undertaken to determine the effect of applying mineral fertilization with nitrogen, including magnesium on the nutritional value of parsley roots in terms of the content of ascorbic acid, total and reducing sugars, and minerals: (total N, K, Mg, Ca). The research material was the root of Petroselinum crispum ssp. tuberosum from an experiment where nitrogen was applied in soil at (0, 40, 80, 120 kg N ha−1) and magnesium at (0, 30 kg MgO ha−1). Nitrogen fertilization increased the nutritional value in terms of total and reducing sugars, as well as total N and Ca content. Applied magnesium fertilization caused a significant increase in the content of all tested nutrients. The most total sugars (127.7 g kg−1 f. m.), reducing sugars (16.8 g kg−1 f. m.), and total N (12.13 g kg−1 d. m.) were accumulated by roots from the object where nitrogen was applied at a maximum rate of 120 kg N ha−1, including magnesium. On the other hand, for the content of K (19.09 g kg−1 d. m.) in the roots, a dose of 80 N ha−1 was sufficient. For ascorbic acid (263.2 g kg−1 f. m.) and Ca (0.461 g kg−1 d. m.), a dose of 40 kg N ha−1 with a constant fertilization of 30 kg MgO ha−1 was sufficient. When applying high doses of nitrogen, lower doses of magnesium are recommended. This is sufficient due to the high nutritional value of parsley roots. Due to the worsening magnesium deficiency in soils in recent years, the use of this nutrient in the cultivation of root vegetables is as justified and timely as possible. Quality-assessment studies of root vegetables should be continued with higher amounts of magnesium fertilization. Different ways of applying magnesium in parsley cultivation should also be tested.
Droplet Deposition and Efficacy of Real-Time Variable-Rate Application of Herbicides at Reduced Dose in Winter Wheat Fields
Authors: Zhang Jinwei , Xu Xian , Lv Yuan , Zhao Xueguan , Song Jian , Yu Pingzhong , Wang Xiu , Zhao Ercheng
Published: January 2024

Using an intelligent plant protection machine for spraying herbicides at a real-time variable rate plays a key role in improving the utilization efficiency of herbicides and reducing environmental pollution. Spraying volume (SV) and nozzle size (NS) are key factors influencing droplet deposition and herbicide efficacy and safety. A three-way split-split plot design experiment was conducted in the winter wheat field, with SV 180 L·ha−1 and 150 L·ha−1 in the main plot, a turbo air induction nozzle TTI11004 and TTI11003 in the subplot, herbicide flucarbazone-Na 70% WG mixed with florasulam 50 g·L−1 SC as the recommended dose, and a 20% reduced dose in the sub-subplot. Droplet deposition and weed control efficacy treated by these three factors and their combination were evaluated. Results indicated that there was a significant influence of SV on droplet coverage and density, but no significant influence of NS and its interaction with SV. A droplet coverage and density of treatment at 180 L·ha−1 were both significantly higher than at 150 L·ha−1. The influence of SV and its interaction with NS on weed control efficacy were significant. The efficacy of treatment TTI11004 at SV 180 L·ha−1 was the highest but decreased when NS was switched to TTI11003 and the SV was decreased to 150 L·ha−1. There was no significant effect of all the treatments on winter wheat yield and its components, but the yield loss could be reduced by 2.36% when the herbicide input was reduced by 20%. We can conclude that herbicide input can be reduced by at least 20% using the intelligent machine while equipped with the right NS at the right SV, which would increase the safety of winter wheat production.
Recent Advances and Developments in the Nematicidal Activity of Essential Oils and Their Components against Root-Knot Nematodes
Authors: Sarri Konstantia , Mourouzidou Snezhana , Ntalli Nikoletta , Monokrousos Nikolaos
Published: January 2024

The Meloidogyne genus is widely recognized for its significant economic and scientific importance within the group of plant-parasitic nematodes. The chemical management of nematodes presents its challenges and heavily depends on employing soil fumigants containing toxic and costly nematicides. However, plant-derived essential oils offer promising alternatives, demonstrating a wide range of biological activities that affect nematodes through a range of mechanisms, including disrupting their nervous systems, inducing detrimental effects on plasma membrane permeability, penetrating the gelatinous matrix of nematode eggs, and disturbing intracellular redox status. Most of the extracted essential oils were predominantly sourced from the Lamiaceae family (32%), followed by Asteraceae (11%), Apiaceae (9%), and Poaceae (8%), and with genera Thymus, Mentha, Ocimum, Artemisia, Cymbopogon being the most common. The nematicidal activity of EOs primarily arises from their chemical groups, such as terpenes, phenylpropanoids, and organosulfur compounds. Among these, geraniol, carvacrol, limonene, eugenol, thymol, and pinene demonstrate the strongest nematicidal potential. The assessed EO efficacy was evaluated against 6 species belonging to the genus Meloidogyne. This review also provides knowledge of synergistic and antagonistic interactions of EO components. Synergistic interactions were identified between carvacrol and geraniol, as well as geraniol and eugenol, whereas binary combinations of carvacrol, γ-terpinene, and o-cymene exhibited reduced efficacy. Understanding how specific compounds interact can lead to the development of more potent and effective final products.
Farming System Choice Is Key to Preserving Surface Water Quality in Agricultural Watersheds
Authors: Derossi Fabiola Nunes , Ribeiro Paulo Flores , Santos José Lima
Published: January 2024

Despite numerous published literature on the impacts of agriculture on water quality, knowledge gaps persist regarding which farming systems are of most concern for their impact on water quality, which would allow water resource planners to better target water management efforts. Seeking to understand how these relationships vary across different farming systems, we used data on water quality status in watersheds of an agricultural region in southern Portugal and overlaid it with a map of farming systems for the same region provided by a previous study. By intersecting both data layers, we characterized the areal shares of the farming systems in each watershed and inspected how these shares relate to water quality status using logistic regression. The results show that the impact of agriculture on water quality is primarily related to specific farming systems. We believe this type of information can be of significant interest to agricultural planners and policymakers interested in meeting water quality standards, and we conclude this study by suggesting innovative policy options based on payments to farmers operating selected farming systems as a cost-effective way to reconcile agricultural and environmental policy objectives.
Toxic Shock Syndrome: A Literature Review
Authors: Atchade Enora , De Tymowski Christian , Grall Nathalie , Tanaka Sébastien , Montravers Philippe
Published: January 2024

Toxic shock syndrome (TSS) is a rare, life-threatening, toxin-mediated infectious process linked, in the vast majority of cases, to toxin-producing strains of Staphylococcus aureus or Streptococcus pyogenes. The pathophysiology, epidemiology, clinical presentation, microbiological features, management and outcome of TSS are described in this review. Bacterial superantigenic exotoxins induces unconventional polyclonal lymphocyte activation, which leads to rapid shock, multiple organ failure syndrome, and death. The main described superantigenic exotoxins are toxic shock syndrome toxin—1 (TSST-1) and enterotoxins for Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcal pyrogenic exotoxins (SpE) A, B, and C and streptococcal superantigen A (SsA) for Streptococcus pyogenes. Staphylococcal TSS can be menstrual or nonmenstrual. Streptococcal TSS is linked to a severe group A streptococcal infection and, most frequently, to a necrotizing soft tissue infection. Management of TSS is a medical emergency and relies on early detection, immediate resuscitation, source control and eradication of toxin production, bactericidal antibiotic treatment, and protein synthesis inhibiting antibiotic administration. The interest of polyclonal intravenous immunoglobulin G administration as an adjunctive treatment for TSS requires further evaluation. Scientific literature on TSS mainly consists of observational studies, clinical cases, and in vitro data; although more data on TSS are required, additional studies will be difficult to conduct due to the low incidence of the disease.
Orthodontic Correction of an Anterior Open Bite with Periodontally Compromised Upper Incisors Using Miniscrews
Authors: Alwadei Farhan , Alwadei Abdurahman
Published: January 2024

This case report describes the camouflage treatment of a patient with an anterior open bite, bimaxillary skeletal protrusion with a mild class II skeletal pattern, reduced periodontium with generalized slight bone loss, localized severe bone loss at the maxillary upper incisors, and a tongue thrust habit. Orthodontic treatment included modifying the resting posture of the tongue and sectionally intruding maxillary posterior teeth while controlling the extrusion of mandibular posterior teeth using temporary anchorage devices (TADs), followed by sectional mechanics at the maxillary arch and continuous arch mechanics at the mandibular arch, along with interpromximal reduction at the mandibular teeth and inter-arch elastics from the mandibular teeth to the maxillary TADs to minimize orthodontic force magnitude and duration specifically applied to periodontally compromised maxillary incisors. The patient’s chief complaint was addressed, and treatment objectives were achieved, with good esthetic and occlusal outcomes. Stability was shown over a 56-month follow-up period.
Estimation of Energy Storage Requirements in an Independent Power System from an Energy Perspective
Authors: Tsai Ping-Chang , Jhan Jia-Zhang , Tang Samuel Sin-Shuan , Kuo Cheng-Chien
Published: January 2024

Taiwan’s power system operates as an isolated grid, preventing the export of surplus energy. Excess electricity is either stored or discarded (curtailed). This study aims to estimate the energy storage requirement for the day with the most extreme electricity consumption behavior in a year without energy curtailment. Based on the installed capacity and actual power generation of renewable energy sources in 2022, this research estimates the power generation per GW of the installed capacity at full load. Integrating the government’s annual installation capacity plans, this study forecasts the annual power generation of renewable sources. Using the electrical load during the 2023 Spring Festival as a baseline and assuming an annual electricity consumption growth rate of 2%, combined with a minimum gas power output of approximately 6 GW, this study calculates the unused power generation, which represents the pumped-storage hydroelectricity and battery energy storage systems requirements for that day under a no-curtailment scenario. Considering the semi-annual adjustments in installation planning, this study’s code is open-sourced and designed to provide updated results with new planning data input, facilitating ongoing adjustments.
A Wearable Sonification System to Improve Movement Awareness: A Feasibility Study
Authors: Feltham Frank , Connelly Thomas , Cheng Chi-Tsun , Pang Toh Yen
Published: January 2024

This paper presents the design, development, and feasibility testing of a wearable sonification system for real-time posture monitoring and feedback. The system utilizes inexpensive motion sensors integrated into a compact, wearable package to measure body movements and standing balance continuously. The sensor data is processed through sonification algorithms to generate real-time auditory feedback cues indicating the user’s balance and posture. The system aims to improve movement awareness and physical conditioning, with potential applications in balance rehabilitation and physical therapy. Initial feasibility testing was conducted with a small group of healthy participants performing standing balance tasks with eyes open and closed. Results indicate that the real-time audio feedback improved participants’ ability to maintain balance, especially in the case of closed eyes. This preliminary study demonstrates the potential for wearable sonification systems to provide intuitive real-time feedback on posture and movement to improve motor skills and balance.
Identification of Electrocardiographic Patterns Related to Mortality with COVID-19
Authors: Sbrollini Agnese , Leoni Chiara , Morettini Micaela , Rivolta Massimo W. , Swenne Cees A. , Mainardi Luca , Burattini Laura , Sassi Roberto
Published: January 2024

COVID-19 is an infectious disease that has greatly affected worldwide healthcare systems, due to the high number of cases and deaths. As COVID-19 patients may develop cardiac comorbidities that can be potentially fatal, electrocardiographic monitoring can be crucial. This work aims to identify electrocardiographic and vectorcardiographic patterns that may be related to mortality in COVID-19, with the application of the Advanced Repeated Structuring and Learning Procedure (AdvRS&LP). The procedure was applied to data from the “automatic computation of cardiovascular arrhythmic risk from electrocardiographic data of COVID-19 patients” (COVIDSQUARED) project to obtain neural networks (NNs) that, through 254 electrocardiographic and vectorcardiographic features, could discriminate between COVID-19 survivors and deaths. The NNs were validated by a five-fold cross-validation procedure and assessed in terms of the area under the curve (AUC) of the receiver operating characteristic. The features’ contribution to the classification was evaluated through the Local-Interpretable Model-Agnostic Explanations (LIME) algorithm. The obtained NNs properly discriminated between COVID-19 survivors and deaths (AUC = 84.31 ± 2.58% on hold-out testing datasets); the classification was mainly affected by the electrocardiographic-interval-related features, thus suggesting that changes in the duration of cardiac electrical activity might be related to mortality in COVID-19 cases.
A Study on the Relationship between Urban Spatial Structure Evolution and Ecological Efficiency in Shandong Province
Authors: Yu Mingyang , Xu Shuai , Zhou Fangliang , Xu Haiqing
Published: January 2024

Strengthening the construction of ecological civilization is an inevitable requirement for promoting high-quality economic and social development. It is of great significance to study the evolutionary trend and relationship between urban spatial structure and ecological efficiency to promote high-quality social development. Taking Shandong Province as an example, this paper obtains data on urban factors such as points of interest, night light, number of employed people at the end of the year and water supply; uses Anselin Local Moran’s I index to identify urban centers; analyzes the distribution form characteristics and agglomeration degree of urban space; and studies the spatial distribution characteristics and causes of differences in ecological efficiency based on the Super-SBM DEA model with undesirable output. The results show that all cities in Shandong Province show an inverse S-shaped circle decreasing trend, Laiwu city has the highest compactness (compactness index is 2.96), and Tai ‘an city has the lowest compactness index of 0.04. The level of eco-efficiency in Shandong Province is “low in the west and high in the east”, and the difference in eco-efficiency between regions is increasing year by year. Urban compactness has a “first increasing and then decreasing” effect on eco-efficiency. Technological innovation and industrial structure narrow the spatial difference in eco-efficiency, and the level of economic development expands it to a certain extent. This study aims to fill the gaps in existing research. By analyzing data on the evolution of urban spatial structure and resource consumption, it will reveal the trends of changes in the urban spatial structure of Shandong Province and study the impact of these changes on ecological benefits.
Estimation of the Compressive Strength of Cardboard Boxes Including Packaging Overhanging on the Pallet
Authors: Mrówczyński Damian , Gajewski Tomasz , Pośpiech Michał , Garbowski Tomasz
Published: January 2024

In this study, a numerical investigation was conducted on a verified packaging model, which sticks out beyond the pallet base area, which will evidently weaken its load-bearing capacity. This could lead to damage of the protected goods transported within this packaging. It might also result in the unnecessary overengineered design of the packaging, particularly when the potential for overhanging is anticipated beforehand, but its exact extent is not known. The article analyzed hundreds of cases, varying in terms of packaging dimensions (from 150 mm up to 600 mm), the extent of protrusion beyond the edge of the pallet (from 1% to 50% of box dimensions) and the use of various corrugated boards (B-, C-, EB- and BC-flute), in order to assess the decrease in the load-bearing capacity of the packaging compared to reference packaging, which was not overhanging on a pallet. For instance, it appeared that the decrease in the load-bearing capacity of the packaging when overhanging was insensitive to the corrugated cardboard material used. Additionally, the decrease in box strength was rapid while overhanging, even for a small value of overhanging.
Collaborative Semantic Annotation Tooling (CoAT) to Improve Efficiency and Plug-and-Play Semantic Interoperability in the Secondary Use of Medical Data: Concept, Implementation, and First Cross-Institutional Experiences
Authors: Wiktorin Thomas , Grigutsch Daniel , Erdfelder Felix , Heidel Andrew J. , Bloos Frank , Ammon Danny , Löbe Matthias , Zenker Sven
Published: January 2024

The cross-institutional secondary use of medical data benefits from structured semantic annotation, which ideally enables the matching and merging of semantically related data items from different sources and sites. While numerous medical terminologies and ontologies, as well as some tooling, exist to support such annotation, cross-institutional data usage based on independently annotated datasets is challenging for multiple reasons: the annotation process is resource intensive and requires a combination of medical and technical expertise since it often requires judgment calls to resolve ambiguities resulting from the non-uniqueness of potential mappings to various levels of ontological hierarchies and relational and representational systems. The divergent resolution of such ambiguities can inhibit joint cross-institutional data usage based on semantic annotation since data items with related content from different sites will not be identifiable based on their respective annotations if different choices were made without further steps such as ontological inference, which is still an active area of research. We hypothesize that a collaborative approach to the semantic annotation of medical data can contribute to more resource-efficient and high-quality annotation by utilizing prior annotational choices of others to inform the annotation process, thus both speeding up the annotation itself and fostering a consensus approach to resolving annotational ambiguities by enabling annotators to discover and follow pre-existing annotational choices. Therefore, we performed a requirements analysis for such a collaborative approach, defined an annotation workflow based on the requirement analysis results, and implemented this workflow in a prototypical Collaborative Annotation Tool (CoAT). We then evaluated its usability and present first inter-institutional experiences with this novel approach to promote practically relevant interoperability driven by use of standardized ontologies. In both single-site usability evaluation and the first inter-institutional application, the CoAT showed potential to improve both annotation efficiency and quality by seamlessly integrating collaboratively generated annotation information into the annotation workflow, warranting further development and evaluation of the proposed innovative approach.