bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Erwinia wuhanensis sp. nov. isolated from human blood
Authors: Zhang Yingmiao , Zhan Yu , Wang Hui , Yang Jing , Lu Zhongxin
Published: June 2024

A novel Erwinia strain BC051422T was isolated from the blood of a patient at the Central Hospital of Wuhan, Wuhan, PR China in 2022. The strain was found to be Gram stain negative, facultatively anaerobic, motile, and rod-shaped. A preliminary analysis based on the 16S rRNA gene sequence and multi-locus sequence analysis of the atpD, infB, rpoB, and gyrB gene revealed that this strain is closely related to members of the genus Erwinia. The strain was subjected to whole genome sequencing and both average nucleotide identity (ANI) and in silico DNA–DNA hybridization (isDDH) values between strain BC051422T and type strains of all known species in Erwiniaceae were 68.8 to 83.4% and 19.2 to 35.5%, respectively, which are lower than the 95% (ANI) and 70% (isDDH) cut-off for delineation of bacterial species. The major cellular fatty acids of strain BC051422T is C16:0, C16:1 ω7c/C16:1 ω6c, and C17: 0 cyclo, which are similar to other Erwinia species. The genomic DNA G + C content of strain was 55.95 mol%. Strain BC051422T can be differentiated from other Erwinia species by its ability to ferment sucrose, but is negative for mannose, rhamnose, melibiose, and sorbitol. Genotypic and phenotypic characteristics indicate that strain BC051422T represent a novel species of the genus Erwinia, for which the names Erwinia wuhanensis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain of Erwinia wuhanensis sp. nov. is BC051422T (= GDMCC 1.4074T = JCM 36319T).
Online Nonparametric Supervised Learning for Massive Data
Authors: Chaouch Mohamed , Al-Hamed Omama M.
Published: June 2024

Despite their benefits in terms of simplicity, low computational cost and data requirement, parametric machine learning algorithms, such as linear discriminant analysis, quadratic discriminant analysis or logistic regression, suffer from serious drawbacks including linearity, poor fit of features to the usually imposed normal distribution and high dimensionality. Batch kernel-based nonparametric classifier, which overcomes the linearity and normality of features constraints, represents an interesting alternative for supervised classification problem. However, it suffers from the well-known ''curse of dimension". The problem can be alleviated by the explosive sample size in the era of big data, while large-scale data size presents some challenges in the storage of data and the calculation of the classifier. These challenges make the classical batch nonparametric classifier no longer applicable. This motivates us to develop a fast algorithm adapted to the real-time calculation of the nonparametric classifier in massive as well as streaming data frameworks. This online classifier includes two steps. First, we consider an online principle components analysis to reduce the dimension of the features with a very low computation cost. Then, a stochastic approximation algorithm is deployed to obtain a real-time calculation of the nonparametric classifier. The proposed methods are evaluated and compared to some commonly used machine learning algorithms for real-time fetal well-being monitoring. The study revealed that, in terms of accuracy, the offline (or Batch), as well as, the online classifiers are serious competitors to the random forest algorithm. Moreover, we show that the online classifier gives the best trade-off accuracy/computation cost compared to the offline classifier.
Developing a medication-safety self-assessment tool for rural primary care units - A case from Finnish Lapland
Authors: Sova Päivi , Celikkayalar Ercan , Sneck Sami , Holmström Anna-Riia
Published: June 2024

Background
In rural areas, primary care faces several challenges, and medication therapy is one of the most complex processes in primary care. With a specific, proactive, medication-safety self-assessment tool designed for rural primary care units, healthcare professionals could identify development needs in their medication processes.
Methods
The Delphi consensus method with two Delphi rounds was used to create a medication-safety self-assessment tool for rural primary care units in Finnish Lapland. A preliminary tool was designed based on three national and international risk management tools. Statements of the preliminary tool were evaluated with a two-round Delphi panel by 12 experts in primary care and patient safety. Evaluated aspects were suitability for primary care settings, patient safety relevance, and necessity of the statements to be included in the developed rural, primary care, medication-safety self-assessment tool.
Results
In the first Delphi round, a consensus was reached on 39% of the statements (n = 118/304), of which 86% (n = 101/118) were included, and 14% (n = 17/118) were excluded from the final primary care medication- safety self-assessment tool. In the second round, 84% of the statements (n = 141/167) reached a consensus, of which 70% (n = 98/141) were excluded and 30% (n = 43/141) included in the final tool. The included 144 statements were divided into 12 thematic sub-groups: 1. Patient information, 2. Drug information, 3. Communication of drug orders and other drug information; 4. Drug labeling, packaging and nomenclature; 5. Drug storage and distribution, 6. Medication device acquisition and use, 7. Environmental factors, workflow and staffing patterns; 8. Staff competency and education, 9. Patient education, 10. Preventive risk management, 11. Learning from medication safety incidents, and 12. Electronic health record.
Conclusions
The developed medication-safety self-assessment tool is targeted for proactive medication risk management in rural primary care settings. While experts reached a consensus for the PMSSA tool contents, adoption of the tool to suit the rural primary care environments in different countries should be further investigated.
Assessment of Ecotoxic Metal Leaching Behaviour of Coal Gangue using a Sequential Extraction Procedure
Authors: Nash William , Fahmi Reza , Ramos Violeta , Crane Rich
Published: June 2024

The environmental leaching characteristics of the ecotoxic metals Cr, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Se, Ag, Cd, Tl and Pb within six coal gangue samples from mines located in Poland are assessed herein using the BCR-2 sequential extraction procedure. The samples’ bulk mineralogical and chemical compositions are determined by petrographic examination, X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction and inductively-coupled mass spectrometry (following acid digestion). In general, of the metals studied Cd (predominantly oxidizable but often exchangeable) and Pb (predominantly reducible) pose the greatest hazard to the environment. Ni (predominantly oxidizable) and Cr (predominantly reducible) are also highly abundant and potentially mobile. Zn and Cu are abundant and predominantly exchangeable in half of the samples examined. Leaching of all metals is likely to be accelerated by the samples’ acid-forming propensity, which arises from their considerable (though variable) inventories of framboidal pyrite. This is especially the case for the wastes from Bogdanka and Piast mines, since they possess an order of magnitude more sulfidic material than the other samples (up to 1.9 wt%). Management of repositories containing these wastes will require specific measures to prevent such acid generation and ecotoxic metal release into the environment. Specifically, encapsulation within acid-neutralizing (e.g. calcite-bearing) materials is essential for these wastes, but is also recommended for those from mines Jankowice, Marcel, Staszik and Chwalowice.
Pasting and Texture Properties of Commercial Plant Proteins and Its Mixtures
Authors: Kaspchak Elaine , Muntilha Anna Paula , Nabeshima Elizabeth Harumi , Sadahira Mitie Sônia
Published: June 2024

Protein mixtures are usually applied in plant based products development in order to achieve amino acids balance and properly technological performance. Therefore, the aim of this work was to study the pasting and texture properties of commercial proteins commonly used in food products (pea, lentil, fava bean, rice and soybean) and its binary and ternary mixtures. The pasting properties were studied by Rapid Visco Analyser (RVA) and the texture by Texture Profile Analysis (TPA) method using a texturometer. Results showed that protein mixtures exhibit distinct behaviors when compared to single proteins. Single lentil and soy protein presented the highest final viscosity (847 and 806 cP, respectively) whilst the rice the lowest final viscosity (10 cP). Related to texture, faba bean and soy exhibited the highest gel hardness (1.52 and 1.50 N, respectively). For binary and ternary mixtures, in general, the viscosity and texture profiles parameters decreased. Rice-containing mixtures showed the lowest final viscosity (30.5–62.0 cP), while lentil and faba bean mixtures had the highest final viscosities and gel strengths (579 cP and 1.77 N, respectively). From the ternary mixtures, samples containing lentil, fava bean, and rice displayed superior gel strength (0.9 N) due to a synergistic interaction. This work provides information about vegetable proteins and its mixtures that can be used for a better design of plant based food products.
Evaluating the impact of extended dosing intervals on mRNA COVID-19 vaccine effectiveness in adolescents
Authors: Tsang Tim K. , Sullivan Sheena G. , Meng Yu , Lai Francisco Tsz Tsun , Fan Min , Huang Xiaotong , Lin Yun , Peng Liping , Zhang Chengyao , Yang Bingyi , Ainslie Kylie E. C. , Cowling Benjamin J.
Published: June 2024

Extending the dosing interval of a primary series of mRNA COVID-19 vaccination has been employed to reduce myocarditis risk in adolescents, but previous evaluation of impact on vaccine effectiveness (VE) is limited to risk after second dose. Here, we quantified the impact of the dosing interval based on case notifications and vaccination uptake in Hong Kong from January to April 2022. We estimated that the hazard ratio (HR) and odds ratio (OR) of infections after the second dose for extended (28 days or more) versus regular (21–27 days) dosing intervals ranged from 0.86 to 0.99 from calendar-time proportional hazards models, and from 0.85 to 0.87 from matching approaches, respectively. Adolescents in the extended dosing groups (including those who did not receive a second dose in the study period) had a higher hazard of infection than those with a regular dosing interval during the intra-dose period (HR: 1.66; 95% CI: 1.07, 2.59; p = 0.02) after the first dose. Implementing an extended dosing interval should consider multiple factors including the degree of myocarditis risk, the degree of protection afforded by each dose, and the extra protection achievable using an extended dosing interval.
RETRACTED: Data Quality Management and Risk Assessment of Dairy Farming with Feed Behaviour Analysis Using Big Data Analytics with YOLOv51 Algorithm
Authors: Manibabu V. , Gomathy M.
Published: June 2024

The authors have requested that this preprint be removed from Research Square.
Design and implementation of the first proton beamline in VEGA-3 Petawatt laser system.
Authors: Cebriano Teresa , Curcio Alessandro , Aginako Jon Imanol Apiñaniz , Blanco Diego De Luis , Morabito Antonia , Frías María Dolores Rodríguez , Salgado-Lopez Carlos , Volpe Luca , Gatti Giancarlo
Published: June 2024

Laser-Plasma ion acceleration is acquiring importance on a daily basis due to incipient applicability in certain research fields.However, the energy and divergence control of these brilliant sources can be considered a bottleneck in the developmentof some applications. In this work, we present the commissioning of a compact proton beamline based on a triplet ofquadrupoles dedicated to focus and collect short and energetic pulses, open to the user community. The focused proton beamcharacterization has been carried out by imaging of scintillation detectors with different particle filters. Experimental resultshave been compared with numerical simulations performed with Monte Carlo code (MCNP6) and T-STEP that have been usedto perform the deposited energy, the particle tracking, and the particle distribution in different focal configurations, respectively.Charges of nC (∼1010protons with energies up to 17.25 MeV) have been measured at the focal planes compacting the thebeam to spot sizes of a few millimetres in RMS (root mean square). The percentage fluctuation of the transported chargesvalues has been studied. The beam rigidity has been measured by transverse moving of the quadrupoles and subsequentbeam centroid shift, allowing to cross correlate the deflected energy with the energy ranges resulting from the filtering process.Finally, the versatility of the system, which is also suitable for operating at high repetition rate (HRR), has been demonstratedby proton beam lithography tests using a mask.
Liquidity index of the Lublin loess as a function of cone resistance qc from CPTU test
Authors: Nepelski Krzysztof , Lal Agnieszka , Krzysiak Monika , Skrzypczak Izabela , Ochab Piotr , Gosk Wojciech
Published: June 2024

The paper presents the results of the calibration of an interpretive formula for the determination of IL based on cone resistance qc for loess soils of eolian facies. The studies were carried out on characteristic soils that occur in the Lublin region. For this purpose, three CPTU static soundings were selected in which a representative soil profile with a total length of 21 m was extracted. Boreholes were then drilled in close vicinity, at distances ranging within 1.0 m, and samples for laboratory testing were collected at intervals of 0.25 m. A total of 86 samples were tested and the liquidity index of each was determined. The IL values specified in the laboratory examinations were paired with the cone resistances qc averaged over the depth range corresponding to the sampling. The qc- IL distribution was then analysed and a formula correlating both parameters was derived. The cone resistance depends not only on water content but also on a number of other factors, including porosity, overconsolidation ratio, cementation, fraction distribution, degree of saturation, grain shape and alignment. Therefore, the estimation of IL from CPTU tests should be regarded as an approximation, while an accurate identification of the subsoil requires further investigations. Nevertheless, such information provides valuable knowledge in the initial stages of subsoil recognition, e.g. during design work.
TSH receptor and IGF1 receptor expression in Circulating Fibrocytes in the pathogenesis of Graves’ Orbitopathy
Authors: Basak Madhurima , Bhattacharjee Dipanjan , Kar Anish , De Sriparna , Chakraborty Bidhan , Das Madhusudan , Chowdhury Jyothi , Chowdhury Subhankar
Published: June 2024

Purpose
Graves’ Orbitopathy (GO), an autoimmune disorder linked to Graves’ Disease (GD), manifests through inflammation in orbital tissues and extraocular muscles (EOMs), driven by key receptors like TSHR and IGF1R. It was observed that a certain individual with GD will develop clinically significant orbitopathy and reason behind this still unclear. This study aimed to elucidate this connection by: i) Assessing IGF1R expression and its correlation with TSHR on circulating fibrocytes. ii) Investigating fibrocyte conversion to fibroblasts upon serum treatment. iii) Analysing cytokine and chemokine expression in fibrocytes post-serum exposure within the Indian population.
Methods and Results
Flow cytometry analysis of IGF1R in peripheral blood from 30 GO, 30 GD, and 20 healthy controls (HC) revealed significantly elevated IGF1R+ fibrocytes in GO (11%) versus GD (2.4%) and HC (0.1%). Immunocytochemistry of TSHR and IGF1R on cultured fibrocytes confirmed colocalization of TSHR and IGF1R on fibrocytes, notably higher in GO. Treating HC-derived fibrocytes with GO patient serum triggered fibroblast transformation, marked by increased fibrotic markers (CD90, alpha SMA). Moreover, sandwich ELISA of cytokines and chemokines like IL-6, IL-8, TNF-α, MCP-1, and HA demonstrated elevated levels of those cytokines and chemokines in GO serum-treated HC-fibrocytes.
Conclusion
These results highlight the potential pathogenicity of TSHR and IGF1R on fibrocytes in GO, suggesting their role in orbital tissue remodelling and inflammation. The observed receptor colocalization may drive GO pathogenesis, providing insights into targeted therapeutic strategies for this debilitating condition.
Influence of frailty and specific comorbidities on oncological outcomes in metastatic hormone-sensitive and castration resistant prostate cancer
Authors: Wenzel Mike , Hoeh Benedikt , Siech Carloin , Humke Clara , Welte Maria , Ahrens Marit , Würnschimmel Christoph , Tilki Derya , Steuber Thomas , Graefen Markus , Kluth Luis , Chun Felix , Mandel Philipp
Published: June 2024

Background:
Demographic changes will lead to higher proportions of metastatic hormone-sensitive (mHSPC) and castration resistant metastatic prostate cancer (mCRPC) patients with higher frailty index and multiple comorbidities.
Methods:
We relied on an institutional tertiary-care database to explore the effect of frailty (Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group [ECOG]), as well as cardiovascular (CVD) and secondary malignancy (SecCa) comorbidities on overall survival (OS) and time to mCRPC in mHSPC and OS in mCRPC patients with Kaplan-Meyer estimates and Cox regression models.
Results:
Of 802 mHSPC patients, 61% were ECOG0 vs. 32% ECOG1 vs. 6.5% ECOG ≥ 2. Significant differences in baseline patient and baseline mHSPC characteristics were observed for all three groups (all p ≤ 0.05). In time to mCRPC analyses and OS analyses of mHSPC and mCRPC patients, significant disadvantages were observed for ECOG 1/≥2 patients, relative to ECOG0, even after multivariable adjustment. Moreover, 31% of included patients had history/active CVD, which yielded significant median OS differences in mHSPC patients (95 vs. 63 months, multivariable hazard ratio: HR: 1.77, p < 0.01), but not in mCRPC patients (p = 0.085). After stratification according to SecCa, 14% had a SecCa which led to significant median OS differences in mCRPC patients (50 vs. 37 months, p < 0.01) but not in mHSPC patients (76 vs. 64 months, p = 0.089). Patients with higher frailty index and comorbidities showed significant differences in therapy lines.
Conclusions:
Frailty and specific comorbidities significantly influence cancer-control outcomes in mHSPC, as well as mCRPC patients, even after controlling for adverse tumor characteristics.
Coenzyme A protects against ferroptosis via CoAlation of thioredoxin reductase 2
Authors: Chi Jen-Tsan , Lin Chao Chieh , Lin Yi-Tzu , Chen Ssu-Yu , Setayeshpour Yasaman , Chen Yubin , Dunn Denise , Soderblom Erik , Zhang Guo-Fang , Filonenko Valeriy , Jeong Suh Young , Floyd Scott , Hayflick Susan , Gout Ivan
Published: June 2024

The Cystine-xCT transporter-Glutathione (GSH)-GPX4 axis is the canonical pathway to protect against ferroptosis. While not required for ferroptosis-inducing compounds (FINs) targeting GPX4, FINs targeting the xCT transporter require mitochondria and its lipid peroxidation to trigger ferroptosis. However, the mechanism underlying the difference between these FINs is still unknown. Given that cysteine is also required for coenzyme A (CoA) biosynthesis, here we show that CoA supplementation specifically prevents ferroptosis induced by xCT inhibitors but not GPX4 inhibitors. We find that, auranofin, a thioredoxin reductase inhibitor, abolishes the protective effect of CoA. We also find that CoA availability determines the enzymatic activity of thioredoxin reductase, but not thioredoxin. Importantly, the mitochondrial thioredoxin system, but not the cytosolic thioredoxin system, determines CoA-mediated ferroptosis inhibition. Our data show that the CoA regulates the in vitro enzymatic activity of mitochondrial thioredoxin reductase (TXNRD2) by covalently modifying the thiol group of cysteine (CoAlation) on Cys-483. Replacing Cys-483 with alanine on TXNRD2 abolishes its in vitro enzymatic activity and ability to protect cells from ferroptosis. Targeting xCT to limit cysteine import and, therefore, CoA biosynthesis reduced CoAlation on TXNRD2, an effect that was rescued by CoA supplementation. Furthermore, the fibroblasts from patients with disrupted CoA metabolism demonstrate increased mitochondrial lipid peroxidation. In organotypic brain slice cultures, inhibition of CoA biosynthesis leads to an oxidized thioredoxin system, mitochondrial lipid peroxidation, and loss in cell viability, which were all rescued by ferrostatin-1. These findings identify CoA-mediated post-translation modification to regulate the thioredoxin system as an alternative ferroptosis protection pathway with potential clinical relevance for patients with disrupted CoA metabolism.
Small for gestational age in twin pregnancies and the risk of offspring pediatric neurologic morbidity
Authors: Haleluya Noa leybovitz , Wainstock Tamar , Pariente Gali , Sheiner Eyal
Published: June 2024

Objectives
Small for gestational age (SGA) singletons are at increased risk for neurodevelopmental abnormalities. Scarce data exist regarding the long-term implications of SGA in twins. We opted to study the association between SGA of one twin and long- term neurologic related morbidity in dichorionic diamniotic twins.
Study design:
A population-based retrospective cohort study including consecutive dichorionic diamniotic twins, born between the years 1991–2021 at a tertiary medical center was conducted. Total and subtypes of neurologic related pediatric hospitalizations among SGA versus non-SGA twins were compared. A Kaplan-Meier survival curve was used to compare the cumulative neurologic morbidity incidence, and a Cox proportional hazards model was constructed to adjust for confounders.
Results
The study population included 4,222 newborns; 180 (4.3%) were SGA. Rate of long- term neurologic related hospitalizations was comparable between the two groups (8.7% vs. 8.0%, p = 0.755; Kaplan-Meier survival curve Log- rank p = 0.652). Using a Cox proportional hazards model, controlling for gender and birth order, no association was found between SGA and the risk for subsequent neurologic pediatric morbidity of the offspring (Adjusted HR = 1.0, 95% CI 0.6–1.8, p = 0.973).
Conclusions
SGA is not associated with an increased risk for long-term pediatric neurologic morbidity in dichorionic diamniotic twins.
FitScore: A Fast Machine Learning-Based Score for 3D Virtual Screening Enrichment
Authors: Gehlhaar Daniel K. , Mermelstein Daniel J.
Published: June 2024

Enhancing virtual screening enrichment has become an urgent problem in computational chemistry, driven by increasingly large databases of commercially available compounds, without a commensurate drop in in vitro screening costs. Docking these large databases is possible with cloud-scale computing. However, rapid docking necessitates compromises in scoring, often leading to poor enrichment and an abundance of false positives in docking results. This work describes a new scoring function composed of two parts – a knowledge-based component that predicts the probability of a particular atom type being in a particular receptor environment; and a tunable weight matrix that converts the probability predictions into a dimensionless score suitable for virtual screening enrichment. This score, the FitScore, represents the compatibility between the ligand and the binding and is capable of a high degree of enrichment across standardized docking test sets.
Fertility Knowledge, Childbearing Intentions and Attitudes Towards Social Egg Freezing: a Study of Female Students of a Private University in Kumasi, Ghana
Authors: Osaah Millicent , Amoah Vida Maame Kissiwaa , Dankluvi Herbert Ekoe , Yeboah Beatrice , Damalie Elikplim Adzo , Kolbilla David Zawumya , Damalie Francis Jojo Moses Kodzo , Senaya Charles Mawunyo
Published: June 2024

Background
As women increasingly delay childbearing for educational and career pursuits, understanding the age-related decline in ovarian reserve becomes crucial to avoid infertility. Egg freezing offers a solution, extending the window for achieving pregnancy with a biological child. However, awareness and acceptance of age-related fertility decline and elective egg freezing vary across countries and social groups.
Methods
This descriptive cross-sectional study investigates fertility awareness, childbearing intentions, and attitudes toward elective egg freezing among 138 undergraduate female students at a private university in Kumasi, Ghana. Data collection employed convenience sampling and a Google-App-based questionnaire.
Results
The majority of respondents were young (below 28 years) (76.3%), Christians (79.26%), and single (57. 78%). Many respondents overestimated their knowledge of age-related fertility decline, with almost half (48.89%) incorrectly believing it occurs after age 40. Primary sources of fertility education included health professionals, the Internet, and television. While most (62.96%) considered childbearing necessary, they would not have a child without a partner. Acceptance of donor egg in-vitro fertilization (IVF) varied based on circumstances, and a significant portion were open to donating their eggs (41.48%). Awareness of elective egg freezing was low, but nearly half (48.89%) expressed interest in it, primarily to retain the option for a biological child. The cost of elective egg freezing was a significant deterrent.
Conclusions
The study revealed a significant lack of awareness regarding age-related fertility decline and elective egg freezing among female university students in Kumasi. Most prefer having a biological child only with a partner. While few were open to donating their eggs or accepting the same to achieve a pregnancy, interest in elective egg freezing was notable, albeit hindered by cost barriers. The study recommends enhanced education by health professionals using social media and television to address these gaps.
Study on pore structure and adsorption properties of coal and microscopic action mechanism of outburst
Authors: Zou Peng , Wang Lei , Zhang Bing , Chen Lipeng , Liu Huaqiang , Jin Kang , Zhong Hao
Published: June 2024

Coal and gas outburst is a complex dynamic phenomenon happened in the underground of coal mines, and it has been a serious threat to the safe and efficient production of mines. To investigate the complex mechanism of action in depth, based on the prototype of coal and gas outburst induced by coal uncovering, a large-scale coal and gas outburst test was carried out, and coal samples were obtained through isometric excavation, grinding, and sieving, and the pore structure and gas adsorption properties of coal samples were analyzed, and the mechanism of the disaster caused by the deterioration of the coal through the combined effect of the in-situ stress and gas pressure was investigated at a microscopic level with the theory of fracture mechanics. The research results aim to enrich the basic theory of coal and gas outburst and provide technical references for outburst prevention work.
Synthesis, characterization, solvatochromic, and electrochemical investigation of novel 4- methyl coumarin fused azo dyes as an NLO material and their biological studies
Authors: Y Surendranaik , Venkatesh Talavara , naik Eresha
Published: June 2024

Herein, we synthesized novel 4-methyl coumarin-incorporated heterocyclic azo dyes, and structures were confirmed by analytical and spectroscopic approaches. Computational studies were performed using the DFT method with a B3LYP/ 6–31 G (d, p) basis set used to explore the molecular geometry, Mullikan atomic charges, global reactive descriptors, MEP, and RDG. Nonlinear optical (NLO) analysis revealed that the first-order hyperpolarizability of 1d was 18 times greater than that of urea. Natural bond orbital (NBO) analysis showed that all the compounds had greater stability due to internal charge transfer. Solvatochromic behaviour was analyzed using UV-Vis spectroscopy, and the absorbance was observed in the range of 380–450 nm. The electrochemical behaviour was determined by cyclic voltammetry, which exhibited two reduction peaks and was used to calculate the energy of the molecules (EHOMO-ELUMO). The antimicrobial activity was studied against different pathogens Viz., E. coli, S. aureus, and A. flavus, and the results showed that the compounds had good antimicrobial efficacy. “Furthermore, in silico molecular docking results revealed that compounds 1b and 1a have good binding site energies against the target enzymes DNA gyrase and O-methyltransferase, respectively”.
Characterizing Smartphone Capabilities for Seismic and Structural Monitoring
Authors: Vezio Paolo , Mingozzi Enzo , Passarella Andrea , Poli Nicola
Published: June 2024

As seismic events continue to pose significant threats to urban infrastructure, leveraging smartphones equipped with accelerometers for real-time monitoring has gained prominence. To ascertain the reliability and sensitivity of smartphone-based measurements, an in-depth characterization of their response is essential. This article presents a thorough characterization of the performance of typical accelerometers installed on three distinct smartphone models. For this, a novel experimental apparatus has been developed to conduct a comparative study involving three different smartphones against a reference accelerometer, determining the accelerometer’s transfer functions red for Fourier frequencies 0.1 - 40 Hz, demonstrating a higher sensitivity than expected. Possible ways and solutions to the implementation in future distributed networks of heterogeneous and synchronized sensors, capable of independently generating and validating timely alerts in particular seismic events, are also discussed.
Myometrial ischemia diagnosed by contrast-enhanced ultrasonography after cesarean section without uterine artery embolization in three cases
Authors: Wang Ting , Wang Jingxin
Published: June 2024

Background: In the absence of uterine artery embolization, postpartum myometrial ischemia is an uncommon complication after cesarean section and is easily misdiagnosed. Accurate and prompt differential diagnosis is necessary for clinicians to plan treatment appropriately. Contrast-enhanced ultrasound can effectively visualize the characteristics of microvessels and has proven to be effective for assessing organ perfusion; concurrently, it is convenient, fast, and safe. However, there are few case reports of successful diagnosis of myometrial ischemia after cesarean section using contrast-enhanced ultrasound.
Case presentation: This is the first study to report the successful application of contrast-enhanced ultrasound for diagnosing and evaluating postpartum myometrial ischemia followingcesarean section in patients who have not undergone uterine artery embolization treatment. This approach effectively prevents incorrect or overtreatment stemming from misdiagnosis. Contrast-enhanced ultrasound images of myometrial ischemia have certain characteristics, including “dendritic-like” perfusion and “drop-shape” ischemic area, which can provide reliable evidence for differential diagnosis. In addition, the different degrees and ranges of myometrium ischemia revealed by contrast-enhanced ultrasound may also provide useful information for evaluating the degree of ischemia and prognosis.
Conclusions: Contrast-enhanced ultrasound can provide reliable imaging evidence for diagnosing and assessing postpartum myometrial ischemia.
Image Processing Based Fire Fighting System Design
Authors: Zhou Tiannian , Chen Baohui , Zhang Zhi , Guo Hongyuan
Published: June 2024

Electricity transmission equipment in forests poses a great threat to the ecosystem due to the risk of fire, and the rapidity of forest fires or electricity equipment fires makes it difficult to make quick and effective judgments when fires start and to prevent miscalculations in cases such as electrical sparks. This paper designs an intelligent fire protection system that can realize automatic fire extinguishing. This paper focuses on the study of the jet trajectory of the fire extinguishing agent after leaving the fire cannon, and combines the fluid mechanics and particle kinematics to theoretically derive the trajectory and realize the trajectory prediction. Adding air resistance to the trajectory model makes the trajectory prediction more accurate. At the same time, the target detection algorithm in deep learning is used to accurately detect flames, and small flames in the environment can be quickly detected. Using computer vision technology to spatially locate the fire source, obtain the three-dimensional coordinates of the fire source, and calculate the pitch angle and horizontal rotation angle. Compared with existing methods, our proposed method can use deep learning visual detection algorithms to quickly detect flames and combine with other devices to extinguish the fire, constructing a complete fire prevention system, which has stronger significance in practical applications.
In vivo assembly in tobacco cells to elucidate and engineer the biosynthesis of 4-hydroxydihydrocinnamaldehyde from Gloriosa superba
Authors: xiong zhiqiang , Ding Zhuoying , Sun Jingyi , Jiang Xuefei , Cong Hanqing , Sun Huapeng , Qiao Fei
Published: June 2024

The precursor, 4-hydroxydihydrocinnamaldehyde (4-HDCA), participates in the biosynthesis of the carbon skeleton of colchicine, which is derived from l-phenylalanine. However, one hypothesis proposed that 4-HDCA is synthesized by sharing the early part of the monolignol pathway in G. superba. In this study, we validated this prediction and identified the enzymatic functions involved in this pathway. GsDBR1 is a crucial enzyme to illustrate 4-HDCA diverging from monolignol pathway, we first confirmed its reductase activity on 4-coumaraldehyde, an important intermediate compound in monolignol biosynthesis. Then, the biochemical function of recombinant enzymes belonging to the other four families were verified to elucidate the entire process of 4-HDCA biosynthesis from l-phenylalanine. After reconstruction, the 4-HDCA was 78.4 ng/g with fresh weight (FW) of transgenic tobacco cells, and the yield increased to 168.22 ng/g·FW after improved treatment with methyl jasmonate (MeJA). The findings also indicate that heterologous reconstruction of biosynthetic pathways in plant cell cultures may prefer to use endogenous precursors rather than exogenous feeding. The elucidation of 4-HDCA biosynthesis sharing the monolignol pathway supplemented the biosynthesis of colchicine in G. superba, and the production of 4-HDCA in tobacco cells provides an important step in the development of plant cell cultures as heterologous bio-factories for secondary metabolite production.
Exploring the Reproductive Mechanisms of Fertility-Boosting No.1 and Fertility-Preserving Tang by Network pharmacology and molecular docking
Authors: Jiao Lin , Jiang Lijuan , Zhan Xingxiu , Qian Yanping
Published: June 2024

Background
Despite global economic growth and health care and education improvements, the global birth rate has remained negative. How to increase fertility has become a common global challenge. Fertility-boosting No. 1 Tang (FB1T) and Fertility-preserving Tang (FPT) are clinically effective prescriptions of traditional Chinese medicine, which play important roles in improving the sperm quality of boys and the embryo loading rate of women to the process of fertilization of sperms and eggs, but the mechanism of their action is still unclear.
Methods
For insight into the molecular mechanism of FB1T and FPT in reproduction, we used a network pharmacology approach to analyze it with recurrent miscarriage (RM) as the disease representative. Then, we analyzed the potential protein targets signaling pathways looking for therapeutic mechanisms between FB1T and FPT and RSA by drug-target network respectively. Finally, AutoDock Vina was selected for molecular docking validation.
Results
From the OMIM, DisGeNET, and GeneCards databases, we identified 1933 targets for Recurrent Miscarriage (RM). Post-ADME screening, 96 active components and 467 targets in FB1T, along with 137 active components and 327 targets in FPT were recognized. A total of 286 active component targets in FB1T and 230 in FPT overlapped with RM targets. PPI analysis revealed top targets like TNF, AKT1, IL6, TP53, IL1B, ESR1, STAT3, EGFR, CASP3, JUN, CTNNB1, and MMP9. These targets are associated with 124 and 99 signalling pathways in FB1T and FPT respectively, including the AGE-RAGE signaling pathway and chemical carcinogenesis-receptor activation. Quercetin, kaempferol, and luteolin were identified as the primary active components in both FB1T and FPT for RM treatment. We hypothesize FB1T and FPT may activate NF-kB through the AGE-RAGE signaling pathway, inhibiting pro-inflammatory cytokines such as IL-1β, IL-6, and TNFα, thereby offering therapeutic benefits for RM. Molecular docking further verified that quercetin, kaempferol, and luteolin have strong binding activities with proteins involved in the AGE-RAGE signaling pathway.
Conclusions
The material basis of FB1T and FPT for the treatment of RM is quercetin, kaempferol, and luteolin. The mechanism may be to enhance oxidative stress resistance and improve anxiety and ovarian function by inhibiting the AGE-RAGE signaling pathway for the treatment of RM.
Preparation of Green Reduced Graphene Oxide/Zirconium Phosphate nanocomposites as a new adsorbent for Enhanced Non-enzymatic Salicylic acid delivery
Authors: Adhikary Kalyani , Goswami Pallabi
Published: June 2024

This study explores the synthesis of Zirconium Phosphate nanoparticles (ZrP NPs) supported on nano-sized reduced graphene oxide and investigates their efficacy as an adsorbent for removing organic pollutants like salicylic acid (SA). The organometallic-modified rGO/ZrP mixed nanocomposites was characterized using various methods, including elemental analysis, UV–vis spectroscopy, FT-IR spectroscopy, SEM, TEM, EDX, AFM etc. The nano-adsorbent exhibited strong potential to remove SA ions from aqueous solutions, with removal efficiencies reaching 86.4% for SA, respectively, at initial concentrations of 150 mg/dm3. Adsorption kinetics were studied using pseudo-first and pseudo-second order models, as well as Freundlich, Langmuir, and Langmuir-Freundlich isotherm models. The equilibrium adsorption data indicated a contact time of 35 minutes for maximum adsorption capacity at 150 C. The process was found to be spontaneous and endothermic, with the pseudo-second-order kinetic model providing a good fit.
House modifications using insecticide treated screening of eave and window as a vector control tool: evidence from a semi-field system in Tanzania and simulated epidemiological impact
Authors: Odufuwa Olukayode G. , Sheppard Richard J. , Ngonyani Safina , Mpelepele Ahmadi Bakari , Kobe Dickson , Njohole Agathus , Moore Jason , Lusoli Jastin Lusoli , Muganga Joseph B. , Bosselmann Rune , Skovmand Ole , Mboma Zawadi Mageni , Mbuba Emmanuel , Philipo Rose , Stevenson Jennifer C , Sherrard-Smith Ellie , Bradley John , Moore Sarah Jane
Published: June 2024

Background
Gaps in unimproved house structures, especially in eaves and windows, allow vector entry and facilitate indoor vector biting and disease transmission. Simple house modification tools that target unimproved houses have the potential to reduce human exposure to bites in the home. This study assessed the performance of Insecticide Treated Screening (ITS) for eaves and windows, incorporated with deltamethrin and piperonyl-butoxide (PBO) compared to a PBO Insecticide Treated Net (ITN) in Tanzania.
Method
A randomised Latin-square (4x4) design study was conducted in four experimental huts built in a large netting cage to allow recapture of mosquitoes inside and outside of the huts within a semi-field system (SFS). Four treatment arms were evaluated: 1) new ITS; 2) 12-months naturally-aged ITS; 3) 12 months field-used PBO ITNs (standard of care in Tanzania), and 4) no treatment. The study was performed for 32 nights using 30 mosquitoes per strain, per hut, and per night, i.e., 120 (4x30) mosquitoes per hut-night. Four laboratory-reared strains were used: vectors of malaria (Anopheles arabiensis and An. funestus), dengue (Aedes aegypti) and nuisance biting (Culex quinquefasciatus). Recaptured mosquitoes were assessed for mortality at 72 hours (M72), blood feeding and hut entry. A simulation exercise with a modified mechanistic model tracking Plasmodium falciparum malaria was used to illustrate the potential epidemiological impact from these products.
Results
Against all mosquito species tested relative to field-used ITNs, new-ITS induced higher M72 [OR:2.25(95%CI:1.65–3.06),p < 0.0001], and M72 was similar for aged-ITS [OR:0.80(95%CI:0.59–1.08),p = 0.141]. ITS reduced more mosquito blood feeding [new OR:0.02(95% CI:0.01–0.03) and aged OR:0.09(95%CI:0.05–0.14)] and hut entry [new IRR:0.10(95%CI:0.08–0.13) and aged IRR:0.25(95%CI:0.21–0.31)] (p < 0.0001). Transmission model estimates indicate epidemiological impacts of ITS may supersede those of PBO ITNs at the population level. The model results indicate that the potency of these impacts depends on assumed intervention percentage cover, durability and mosquito bionomics.
Conclusions
ITS is an efficacious tool for controlling vectors transmitting malaria, and dengue, and reducing nuisance biting, as assessed in a semi-field setting. Given the intervention’s simplicity, it should be considered as an additional or stand-alone tool for screening of unimproved houses.
Cultivating Excellence: Development and Validation of a Bilingual Competency Self- Assessment Tool for Infection Control Practitioners
Authors: Felix Adriana Maria da Silva , Abraão Ligia Maria , Gusmão Viviane Cristina de Lima , Zimmerman Peta-Anne , Carneiro Marcelo , Padoveze Maria Clara
Published: June 2024

Background
The study aimed at to develop and validate a competency self-assessment tool for infection control practitioners.
Methods
Study performed from December/2021 to June/2023. The development of this bilingual tool (Portuguese and English), followed four stages: 1) establishment of the conceptual framework and item generation; 2) content validation; 3) validation of the response process; and 4) validation of the internal structure. The first stage followed the World Health Organization guidance “Core competencies for infection prevention and control professionals”. In the stage two, the Content Validity Ratio (CVRcritic) was used, conducted with participation of 13 experts. For the stage three, 30 Portuguese and 30 English infection control practitioners speakers assessed whether the tool was intelligible. The stage four was performed through exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis with a convenience sample made up of 645 Portuguese and 620 English-speaking infection control practitioners. To evaluate the internal consistency, the Cronbach's alpha coefficient was considered as satisfactory when higher than 0.80. Results: 118 items were generated in both languages. After experts validation, 63 items in Portuguese and 70 in English obtained a CVR > 0.769. No changes in the items were required. Finally, the Portuguese tool was organized into five areas, 36 items with Cronbach's alpha coefficient between 0.89 and 0.97; the English tool was organized into five areas, 37 items and a Cronbach's alpha coefficient between 0.91 and 0.98. Conclusions: The bilingual tool gathers evidence of content validity and validation of the internal structure. This tool is intended for self-assessment of the competencies of infection control practitioners, mainly Portuguese and English speakers.
Evaluation of habitat fragmentation and its suitability for blackbuck in Kaimur Disrtict: A case study of Bihar
Authors: Sekhar Shashi , Pandey Jitendra , Singh Sudhir Kumar , Singh Nitu , Sharma Raj Kumar
Published: June 2024

Increasing illegal hunting and poaching, biodiversity loss, and conflicts between people and wildlife, management of ungulates has become important in the study area. Although remote sensing and GIS although have made habitat evaluation easier, the results obtained through these techniques need to be verified manually for robustness and accuracy. The purpose was to identify the suitable area for blackbucks (Antilope cervicapra) using the MaxEnt model. The Area Under Curve (AUC) value of 0.923 showed robust results. Furthermore, based on the results obtained using MaxEnt, a total 10.75% of the area is highly suitable for the blackbucks and 12.45% falls under moderate/less suitable area. About 31.6% of total area falls under wildlife sanctuary located in the south of Kaimur district. Poachers are gaining enormous profit from killing this species because of less effective management and lack of stringent legal anchors. Therefore, integration of community led initiatives in the study area will accelerate conservation efforts of schedule I species and demarcation of Blackbuck Conservation Region (BCR) will serve the foundation stone to achieve conservation milestone of such fragmented habitat population.
A Mechanical Plastic Hinge for Beam-to-Column Connections of Precast Concrete Structures
Authors: Soydan Cihan , Özkaynak Hasan , Sürmeli Melih , Senol Erkan , Saruhan Hakan , Yuksel Ercan
Published: June 2024

There is an increasing demand for precast reinforced concrete (RC) structures due to their undeniable advantages, such as rapid assembly, material standardization, and labor quality. The structural performance of precast RC structures depends not only on the quality of the precast members but also on joints and connections. In recent years, significant attention has been given to replaceable energy-dissipative devices for beam-to-column connections in precast RC structures. This paper proposes a novel energy-dissipating mechanical plastic hinge for beam-to-column connections in precast RC systems. The proposal is based on the results of intensive experimental and numerical studies conducted in the research project. The beam longitudinal reinforcements are connected to the joint using developed fuse-type mechanical couplers (FTMCs) that have energy dissipation capability. While the bending moment in the connection is transformed into an axial force couple and transferred by FTMCs, the shear force is transmitted through the steel hinge at the center of the beam. The cyclic behavior of the beam-to-column connections with the mechanical plastic hinge was experimentally investigated, resulting in a robust numerical model for the connection. The experiments demonstrated that the proper configuration of FTMCs in the connection enables reaching a 4% drift ratio.
Title：Gγ-protein GS3 function in tight genetic relation with OsmiR396/GS2 to regulate grain size in rice
Authors: Zhu Lin , Shen Yanjie , Dai Zhengyan , Miao Xuexia , Shi Zhenying
Published: June 2024

Manipulating grain size demonstrates great potential for yield promotion in cereals since it is tightly associated with grain weight. Genetically, grain size is under complicated molecular and genetic modulation of different signaling and metabolic pathways. Several pathways modulating grain size have been elaborated in rice, but the possible crosstalk between the ingredients are rarely studied, together with the underlying mechanism. OsmiR396 negatively regulates grain size through targeting OsGRF4 and OsGRF8, and proves to be multi-functioning. G proteins function extensively in rice to regulate grain size. Here we showed that expression of GS3 gene that encodes Gγ-protein was down-regulated in the young embryos of MIM396, GRF8OE and GS2OE plants. Multiple biochemical assays proved possible transcriptional regulation of GRF4 and GRF8 on GS3 gene. Further genetic relation analysis revealed tight genetic association between not only OsmiR396 and GS3 gene, but also GS2 and GS3 gene. Thus, we revealed that the miR396 pathway and the G protein pathway could cross talk in the regulation of grain size.