bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Relationships between Meat Intake and Pan-Cancer: Univariate and Multivariate Mendelian Randomization Analysis
Authors: Ge Yizhi , Liu Haitao , Huang Wenxuan , Zhang Hao , Luo Yanhong , Zhang Junling , Zhu Huanfeng
Published: January 2024

Background
To the best of our knowledge, there is currently no research utilizing causal methods to investigate the association between meat intake and pan-cancer outcomes. In observational studies, meat intake has been implicated in various cancer incidences. In this study, we employed both univariate and multivariate Mendelian randomization methods to assess whether the intake of six types of meat is causally linked to 23 different types of cancer.
Methods
We utilized genetic data sourced from the UK database to conduct univariate Mendelian randomization studies on the causal relationships between the intake of five types of meat and 23 different cancer types. Furthermore, we applied multivariate Mendelian randomization, incorporating Body Mass Index (BMI), to investigate the causal associations between the intake of these five types of meat and the occurrence of 23 cancer types.
Results
In univariate Mendelian randomization analyses, we identified causal relationships between Lamb/mutton intake and Prostate cancer, Non-oily fish intake and Lung adenocarcinoma, Non-oily fish intake and Cervical cancer, Oily fish intake and Prostate cancer, Pork intake and Colorectal cancer, Beef intake and Lung adenocarcinoma. Subsequently, incorporating BMI into multivariate Mendelian randomization analysis revealed causal associations between Beef intake and Lung adenocarcinoma (OR = 0.41, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.539–4.948, P-value < 0.001), as well as between Non-oily fish intake and Lung adenocarcinoma (OR = 0.41, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.192–0.866, P-value = 0.02). No causal relationships were observed between other meat intakes and cancer.
Conclusions
Our results suggest a causal relationship between Beef intake as a risk factor and Lung adenocarcinoma, while Non-oily fish intake, serving as a protective factor, is causally associated with a reduced risk of Lung adenocarcinoma. No significant causal relationships were observed between intake of other types of meat and cancer.
Evaluating the suitability of 6-oxo-PIP as a novel biomarker for pyridoxine-dependent epilepsy in multiple samples
Authors: Jiao Xianru , Gong Pan , Niu Yue , Xu Zhao , Zhou Zongpu , Qin Jiong , Yang Zhixian
Published: January 2024

Objective
To evaluate the suitability of 6-oxo-PIP as a possible new biomarker for PDE-ALDH7A1, and to compare it with α-AASA-P6C, PA, and α-AAA.
Methods
The biomarkers of 12 PDE-ALDH7A1 patients and age-matched epilepsy control patients were quantitatively assayed by LC-MS/MS. Four types of samples were prepared, including plasma, dried blood spots (DBS), urine, and dried urine spots (DUS).
Results
In PDE-ALDH7A1 group, the values of α-AASA-P6C and 6-oxo-PIP were above the reference range, while α-AAA and PA could be normal or slightly elevated. The concentration ranges of PA and α-AAA overlapped partially between PDE-ALDH7A1 group and epilepsy group in all specimens, while α-AASA-P6C and 6-oxo-PIP did not overlap between the two groups. A positive correlation between plasma and DBS, or urine and DUS of 6-oxo-PIP was found, and the level of 6-oxo-PIP in urine and DUS was much higher than other types of samples. Although the values of α-AASA-P6C was positively correlated in plasma and DBS or urine and DUS, the difference between plasma and DBS was significant. The concentrations of PA and α-AAA were positively correlated only in plasma and DBS or urine and DUS, respectively. Regardless of storage temperature, the concentrations of 6-oxo-PIP were above 95% of the initial value after 28 days in all specimens.
Conclusions
In PDE-ALDH7A1, 6-oxo-PIP was specific when compared with other epilepsy patients even under pyridoxine treatment. 6-oxo-PIP could be prepared into DUS for detection, making it possible for non-invasive screening of PDE. Regardless of sample type, 6-oxo-PIP is relatively stable at RT.
Unexpected disappearance of lower limb deep venous thrombosis in an elderly patient following fracture: a case report
Authors: Duan Wenyu , Liang Hao , Wang Yunxia , Fan Xiaolong , Wang Yulu , Zhou Dongming , Zhang Haidong
Published: January 2024

The older patients with intertrochanteric fractures often develop lower limb deep venous thrombosis after bed rest, which not only seriously affects their treatment, but also increases the expensive cost of treatment. Here, we describe an 84-year-old female with a history of significant hypertension and diabetes. Following injury, she was admitted to the hospital and underwent a series of laboratory tests, including X-ray examination. She was hospitalized for a right intertrochanteric fracture and prepared for surgical treatment, but developed deep vein thrombosis in the lower limb 2 days after admission. This case emphasizes the importance of low molecular weight heparin calcium anticoagulant therapy after lower limb deep vein thrombosis occurs.
Remote Sensing Image Information Extraction Based on Compensated Fuzzy Neural Network and big data analytics
Authors: Sun Rui , Zhang Zhengyin , Liu Yajun , Niu Xiaohang , Yuan Jie
Published: January 2024

Medical imaging AI systems and big data analytics have attracted much attention from researchers of industry and academia. The application of medical imaging AI systems and big data analytics play an important role in the technology of content based remote sensing (CBRS) development. Environmental data, information, and analysis have been produced promptly using remote sensing (RS). The method for creating a useful digital map from an image data set is called image information extraction. Image information extraction depends on target recognition (shape and color). For low-level image attributes like texture, Classifier-based Retrieval(CR) techniques are ineffective since they categorize the input images and only return images from the determined classes of RS. The issues mentioned earlier cannot be handled by the existing expertise based on a keyword/metadata remote sensing data service model. To get over these restrictions, Fuzzy Class Membership-based Image Extraction (FCMIE), a technology developed for Content-Based Remote Sensing (CBRS), is suggested. There are four steps in the proposed idea. First, a Compensated Fuzzy Neural Network(CFNN) is used to compute the class label and fuzzy class membership of the query image. The Retrieval is carried out in the second stage, utilizing an essential and balanced weighted distance metric. Third, Feature Information Extraction (FIE) is based on time-frequency implications to enhance RS image handling and autonomous information retrieval of visual contents like an image's color, texture, and shape attributes. Fourth, a quicker query is produced at search time thanks to the hierarchically nested structures and recurrent similarity measures. The experiment's findings indicate that applying the proposed model can have favorable outcomes for assessment measures, including Ratio of Coverage, average means precision, recall, and efficiency retrieval that are attained more effectively than the existing CR model. In the areas of feature tracking, climate forecasting, background noise reduction, and simulating nonlinear functional behaviors, CFNN has a wide range of RS applications. The work provides an important application guidance to medical imaging AI systems and big data analytics.
Distinctive Inflammasome Response to Hymenoptera Venoms in Allergic Individuals
Authors: SM Yamada , LO Mendonça , BP Eleuterio , RAG Cambui , MGV Roa , LAT Oliveira , PLM Castro , AS Watanabe , FFM Castro , Pontillo Alessandra
Published: January 2024

Allergic reactions to venom from Hymenoptera insects, such as bees, wasps, and "fire" ants, are relatively common in Brazil, comprising 5-7.5% of all cases of life-threatening anaphylaxis. This study aimed to characterize the activation of the inflammasome in individuals allergic to Hymenoptera venom, considering the established role of the NLRP3 inflammasome in responding to bee venom. We hypothesized that inflammasome activation might be dysregulated in allergic individuals, to this end, inflammasome activation in monocyte-derived macrophages (MDM) isolated from allergic individuals in response to bee, wasp, or "fire" ant venom was evaluated. The MDM of allergic patients displayed heightened responsiveness to the stimuli in comparison to non-allergic individuals, both in terms of IL-1ß release and the rate of pyroptosis. These findings suggest that a pro-inflammatory background could influence the allergic reaction to insect venom in addition to the IgE-related response.
The Modified Retroperitoneal Laparoscopic Adrenalectomy effectively resolves adhesive periadrenal fat and achieves superior outcomes
Authors: Hu Minxiong , Li Aiqing , Cai Wenchao , Xu Xiao , Cai Wanghai , Pan Honghong , Yang Zesong , Wu Jinfeng , Zhu Qingguo , Ye Liefu
Published: January 2024

Purpose: The Mayo adhesive probabilityscore affects adrenalectomy outcome. To determine whether modified three-layered retroperitoneal laparoscopic adrenalectomy overcomes periadrenal fat adhesion compared to classic three-layered retroperitoneal laparoscopic adrenalectomy to achieve better surgical outcomes.
Materials and Methods: Patients who underwent retroperitoneal laparoscopic adrenalectomy were divided into two groups from January 2016 to December 2022. Baseline characteristics and perioperative data were analyzed, and statistical significance was defined as p<0.05. Linear regression analysis was used for data that met certain conditions, such as linearity, normality, and independence. Binary logistic regression analysis was employed for binary classification of the dependent variables.
Results: A total of 731 patients underwent retroperitoneal laparoscopic adrenalectomy, and 651 patients had adequate data for the adhesive probability score assessment. Of these patients, 247 were in the modified group and 404 were in the classic group, and baseline characteristics were comparable between the two groups (p>0.05). The modified group exhibited superior outcomes in terms of the operating time, duration, postoperative hospital stay, estimated blood loss, and complications. Notably, there were 16 cases of unplanned adrenalectomy in the classic group, whereas no such cases occurred in the modified group. Further analysis revealed that periadrenal stranding may be the underlying cause of this discrepancy.
Conclusions: The modified three-layered retroperitoneal laparoscopic adrenalectomy effectively overcame the impact of adhesive periadrenal fat compared with the classic approach. We recommend the use of modified three-layered retroperitoneal laparoscopic adrenalectomy for patients with adhesive periadrenal fat.
Application of a customized 3D-printed osteotomy guide plate for tibial transverse transport
Authors: Wei Dongxuan , Huang Jiahui , Zhou Xianglong , Song Hui , Xiong Liming
Published: January 2024

Objective Enhance the efficiency of tibial transverse transport by employing customized 3D-printed osteotomy guide plates and striving to improve precision through CT evaluation for enhanced guide design.
Methods 17 diabetic foot patients were treated with the plate for tibial transverse transport. Preoperatively, we collected DICOM data from the affected tibia's CT and designed the geometric parameters of the tibial cortical bone window. A customized 3D-printed osteotomy guide plate was then fabricated using 3D printing technology. Postoperative X-ray and CT evaluations, conducted at two and five weeks post-surgery, assessed five crucial geometric parameters of the bone window. Measurements included the distance from the upper edge of the tibial cortical bone window to the tibial plateau, the distance from the anterior edge of the tibial cortical bone window to the bone ridge, the height of the tibial cortical bone window, the center-to-center distance between the 4.0mm diameter Schanz pin and the osteotomy Kirschner pin, and the center-to-center distance of the 4.0mm diameter Schanz pin. These measured parameters were subsequently compared to the preoperative design parameters.
Results CT measurements showed no significant differences (P > 0.05) from preoperative design parameters across the five evaluated aspects. The average osteotomy duration was 35 ± 15 minutes with no bone window fractures. The bone window aligned effectively with the tibial shaft, achieving complete incorporation after distraction. A 4 to 8-month postoperative follow-up confirmed full healing of the tibial surgical wound and diabetic foot wounds.
Conclusion Utilizing customized 3D-printed osteotomy guide plates in tibial transverse bone transport surgery enables accurate translation of preoperative virtual designs into real-time procedures, enhancing surgical efficiency and quality.
PGC-based cryobanking, regeneration through germline chimera mating, and CRISPR/Cas9-mediated TYRP1 modification in indigenous Chinese chickens
Authors: Wei Hong-Jiang , Kinoshita Keiji , Tanabe Kumiko , Nakamura Yoshiaki , Nishijima Ken-Ichi , Suzuki Takayuki , Suzuki Takayuki , Mizushima Shusei , Wang Ming-Shan , Khan Sami , Xu Kaixiang , Jamal Muhammad , Wei Taiyun , Zhao Heng , Su Yanhua , Sun Feizhou , Liu Gang , Zhu Fangxian , Zhao Hongye
Published: January 2024

Primordial germ cells (PGCs) are essential precursors for sperm and eggs. PGCs are highly reliable for conserving chicken germplasm and producing genetically modified chickens. Currently, efforts to conserve native chicken germplasm through PGCs and research on genetically modified chickens using CRISPR/Cas9 are limited. In this study, we successfully established 289 PGC lines from eight Chinese chicken populations with an 81.6% derivation rate. Furthermore, we successfully regenerated Piao chickens derived from these PGCs by repropagating cryopreserved PGCs and transplanting them into recipient chickens, resulting in a 12.7% efficiency rate. The regenerated chickens carried mitochondrial DNA from the female PGC donor and the rumplessness (Rp) mutation from male and female PGC donors in a homozygous condition. As a further application, we utilized CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing to disrupt the TYRP1 gene and created KO PGC lines. Transplanting KO cells into male recipients and mating them with wild-type hens enabled the successful generation of four TYRP1 KO chickens. Molecular analysis confirmed a 73 bp deletion in these four chicks, resulting in a frameshift mutation in the TYRP1 target region. These KO chickens had brown plumage due to reduced eumelanin production, observed in both homozygous and hemizygous mutations, compared to wild-type chickens. In conclusion, we have efficiently cultured and cryopreserved chicken PGCs, used them to regenerate chickens, and generated gene-edited chickens with TYRP1 dysfunction. These achievements will greatly impact the conservation of chicken genetic diversity, create new mutation models, and have potential applications in biomedical and avian research and breeding advancements.
Research on infrastructure scale structure misallocation under economic and low-carbon perspectives: evidence from China's toll expressway industry
Authors: Bai Pengrui , Ma Zhiyu
Published: January 2024

Improving resource allocation efficiency is an important way to promote the high-quality and low-carbon development of toll expressways. This paper constructs a resource misallocation measurement model with the demand of the economic, low-carbon and comprehensive of toll expressway construction in each region, and adopts the panel data of 26 provinces from 2013 to 2021 to measure the scale allocation gap of toll expressways under different demands, and analyzes the inter-regional and supply-demand imbalance. The results show that: the current network layout of toll expressways lacks sufficient balance, manifesting in varying degrees of mileage and capital allocation across different regions; Resource allocation of toll expressways tends to outflow from over-resourced regions with high connectivity, while simultaneously inflow to under-resourced, low connectivity areas; Regions have commenced positioning the enhancement of environmental protection capabilities of toll expressways and the expansion of their economic benefits at an equivalent strategic echelon; The national policy plays a significant role in enhancing the overall efficiency of expressway resource allocation. The conclusions of this study provide policy insights for the optimization of resource allocation in China's toll expressways, particularly in terms of driving high-quality development and narrowing the gap between supply and demand.
Prevalence and Factors Associated with Caesarean section among Tanzanian women of reproductive age: Evidence from the 2022 Tanzania Demographic and Health Survey Data
Authors: Nahayo Bonfils , Ndayishimye Samuel , Olorunfemi Gbenga , Nsanzabera Charles
Published: January 2024

Background
Caesarean section is one of the commonest surgical procedures worldwide. It is an important medical intervention for reducing the risk of poor perinatal outcomes. However, trends in caesarean section in sub-Saharan Africa continue to increase, while maternal and neonatal mortality and morbidity remain high. This study aims to determine the prevalence and factors associated with caesarean section in Tanzania.
Methodology
This was a secondary data analysis of 4,768 women of reproductive age (15-49) in Tanzania. The data utilized was from the Tanzania Demographic Health and Survey (TDHS) 2022. The factors associated with caesarean section were identified using multivariable binary logistic regression.
Results
Out of 4,768 women of reproductive age in Tanzania, 497 (10.4%) underwent a cesarean section. Attained primary (aOR: 1.79 ,95% CI 1.23-2.60), secondary (aOR:2.07,95% CI 1.36-3.14) and higher education (aOR: 2.35, 95% CI 1.08-5.12) or having a husband/partner with higher education ,being in richer household wealth quintile (aOR:1.98 ,95% CI (1.31-3.00) or in the middle (aOR :1.91 ,95% CI (1.28-2.85), having a job (aOR : 1.29, 95% CI: 1.05-1.58)and attended more than 4ANC(aOR: 1.36, 95% CI: 1.11-1.67) were associated with a higher odds of undergoing caesarean section compared to their respective counterparts. However, living in rural areas (aOR: 0.74, 95% CI:0.58- 0.94), being multiparous women with 2-4 births (aOR: 0.67, 95% CI: 0.53-0.84) and 5 and more births (aOR: 0.44, 95% CI: 0.32-0.60) were associated with lower odds of caesarean section.
Conclusion
The overall prevalence of caesarean section among women of reproductive age in Tanzania was 10.4%. The highest educational level, husband/partner's education level, household wealth quintile, type of residence, employment status, increased ANC number, and high parity were associated with caesarean section. There is an urgent need for continued efforts to ensure universal access to essential critical care services for all populations, thereby preventing premature maternal and infant mortality.
Built-in Sensor Based Spindle Radial Error Motion Separation Method for Cutting Conditions
Authors: xu xinping , Tao Tao , Mei Xuesong , Jiang Gedong , Geng Tao
Published: January 2024

This study focuses on the development of a spindle radial error motion separation method that can realize on-line measurement in the cutting state of the machine tool. Measuring the radial error motion of the spindle in the cutting process is an important basis for monitoring the machining quality of the workpiece and analyzing the dynamic characteristics of the spindle. The problems encountered in the application of traditional methods under cutting conditions, such as inaccurate data interception, angle non-uniformity of sampling data and installation angle error, are simulated and analyzed. An on-line measurement method based on the built-in encoder signal of the spindle is proposed. The angle signal of the spindle encoder is obtained synchronously by the built-in sensor acquisition technology of the CNC machine tool as the reference for data interception and calculation. The equal angle interval resampling method is constructed to convert the equal time interval data into the equal angle interval data, and the influence of the angle non-uniformity of the data on the measurement is weakened. The simulation comparison shows that the proposed method can effectively solve the problems existing in the measurement under cutting conditions. Finally, an actual cutting experiment is carried out to verify the effectiveness of the proposed method, and it is shown that the proposed method can obtain higher measurement accuracy than the traditional three-point method under cutting conditions.
A Study on Observer Design for a Class of Nonlinear Systems using Lyapunov Stability
Authors: Taran Babak , Taran Behnam
Published: January 2024

This research proposes a novel Lyapunov-based method for designing an observer for a class of nonlinear systems whose unmeasured states appear linearly in the state-space model, while the coefficients can be nonlinear functions of the measured states and time. In the other words equations can be express as a Linear Parameter-Varying (LPV) systems in which the parameter-dependent matrices depend on time and accessible variables. Many papers that deal with developing an observer for LPV systems assume that the variable parts are bounded for the feasibility of the design. By extending the conventional method which is used to estimate the state variables in linear systems, this study introduces an innovative scheme that has no limitations on the scheduling parameters. In the error equations, which quantify the discrepancy between the actual system and the estimated system, the matrices dependent on scheduling parameters can exhibit stable eigenvalues, provided that the observer gain matrix is selected appropriately. This matrix should be a continuous function. The stability of the eigenvalues implies that the observer can accurately estimate the state variables, as shown by using Lyapunov stability analysis.
Mathematics Subject Classification
34D20 58E25
On the Mechanisms that Control the Rainy Season Transition Period in the Southern Congo Basin
Authors: Worden Sarah , Fu Rong
Published: January 2024

The Congo basin hosts one of the largest terrestrial precipitation centers. Yet, the mechanisms that start the rainy seasons in Congo have not been studied systematically. We show that the transition from the dry to the rainy season over the southern Congo is initiated by a decrease in moisture export towards the Sahel, about three to four months before the rainy season onset (RSO), referred to as the pre-transition period. During this period, evapotranspiration (ET) is low due to low surface solar radiation, resulting from low insolation, and high amounts of low-level clouds. In the early transition period one to three months before the RSO, column water vapor and surface specific humidity increase due to increased oceanic moisture. Meanwhile, ET starts increasing for the first time due to increases in surface radiation and vegetation photosynthesis, despite a lack of soil moisture increases. Finally, in the late transition period about one month before the RSO, ET continues to increase, contributing equally to atmospheric moisture needed for deep convection as advected oceanic moisture. Additionally, the formation of the African Easterly-Jet South and the southward movement of the Congo Air Boundary increase vertical wind shear and provide large-scale dynamic lifting of the warm and humid air from the Congo. The frequency of deep convection increases rapidly, leading to the start of the rainy season. Therefore, the RSO over southern-hemispheric Congo basin is a result of combined large-scale atmospheric circulation change and vegetation response to the seasonal change of insolation.
Evidence of northward dipping crustal layers underneath the eastern part of the Indo- Gangetic foreland basin, India: Implication for geodynamic evolution and seismogenesis
Authors: Chouhan Avinash Kumar , Kumar Prakash , Islam Meyarul , Maurya S. P. , Chopra Sumer
Published: January 2024

The continual collision and convergence of two plates, the Indian and the Eurasian plates, of extensively different crustal thicknesses, created one of the most dynamic geological provinces in the northern part of the Indian subcontinent, the Indo-Gangetic foreland basin (IGFB). The crustal geometry in this part of the Indian plate has remained the prime focus of many researchers due to the occurrence of devastating earthquakes. In this context, we complement previous works and aim to map the crustal layers to make a realistic and most acceptable premise for tectonogenesis of the eastern IGFB. The derivative analysis of the Bouguer anomaly delineates the east-west trending basement-controlled subsurface geological structures related to the Miocene and Pleistocene epochs. The results of our study inferred that the Precambrian basement and Moho depth varies between 1 to 6.8 km and 39 to 60 km, respectively. The forward modelling of the Bouguer anomaly reveals that the crustal interfaces beneath the eastern IGFB are sharply dipping toward the north direction, primarily associated with the Himalayan orogeny of the Miocene and Pleistocene epochs. The findings of this study suggest that the Munger-Saharsa ridge controls subsidence in this part of the IGFB from the Miocene epoch to the present. Moreover, the study has also identified a blind fault in the Gandak depression, and its rapport with seismicity in the region is discussed. We have argued that the Munger-Saharsa ridge and the crustal bending mainly influence the seismicity in the eastern part of the IGFB.
Optimizing Brain Tumor Recognition with Ensemble support Vector-based Local Coati Algorithm and CNN Feature Extraction
Authors: Sumithra A. , M Joe Prathap P , A Karthikeyan , S Dhanasekaran .
Published: January 2024

Nowadays, brain tumor (BT) recognition has become a common phenomenon in the healthcare industry. In the medical system,BT identification and classification can take a significant part in the diagnostics and considerations of the patients. BT is characterized as an abnormal mass of tissue in which the cells proliferate unexpectedly with no control over cell proliferation. In recent years, improvements in machine learning (ML), particularly deep learning (DL) procedures, have shown significant potential for mechanizing and improving these undertakings by utilizing medical imaging information. Also, we examine the difficulties and probabilities in this field, including information shortage, model interpretability, and moral contemplations. To overcome these challenges Ensemble support Vector-based Local Coati (ESV-LC) Algorithm is employed to identify and classify the brain tumor disease in the patients. For optimal classification, the features need to be extracted and this can be achieved by employing the Convolutional Neural network (CNN). To accurately classify BT, Ensemble Support Vector Machine (ESVM) is involved, which enhances classification performance, and hyperparameter tuning is performed through Local Search Coati Optimization. The Brain Tumor Image Dataset and Figshare Brain Tumor dataset are utilized for BT classification and identification. The performance metrics like Accuracy, Precision, Sensitivity, Specificity, and F1-score are to be evaluated, where the accuracy achieves the value of 98.3%, sensitivity of 97.6%, precision of 97.7%, specificity of 98.1%, and F1-score of 96.7% respectively.
Adaptation to mercury stress by nitrogen-fixing bacteria is driven by horizontal gene transfer and enhanced gene expression of the Mer operon
Authors: Paape Timothy , Bhat Aditi , Sharma Reena , Desigan Kumaran , Lucas M. Mercedes , Mishra Ankita , Bowers Robert M. , Woyke Tanja , Epstein Brendan , Tiffin Peter
Published: January 2024

Background: Mercury (Hg) is highly toxic and has the potential to cause severe health problems for humans and foraging animals when transported into edible plant parts. Soil rhizobia that form symbiosis with legumes may possess mechanisms to prevent heavy metal translocation from roots to shoots in plants by exporting metals from nodules or compartmentalizing metal ions inside nodules. We sequenced the genomes of Sinorhizobium medicae and Rhizobium leguminosarum with high variation in Hg-tolerance to identify differences between low and high Hg-tolerant strains. While independent mercury reductase A (merA) genes are prevalent in a-proteobacteria, Mer operons are rare and often vary in their gene organization.
Results: Our analyses identified multiple structurally conserved merA homologs in the genomes of S. medicae, but only the strains that possessed a Mer operon exhibited hypertolerance to Hg. RNAseq analysis revealed nearly all genes in the Mer operon were significantly up-regulated in response to Hg stress in free-living conditions and in nodules. In both free-living and nodule environments, we found the Hg-tolerant strains with a Mer operon exhibited the fewest number of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in the genome, indicating a rapid and efficient detoxification of Hg2+ from the cells that reduced general stress responses to the Hg-treatment. Expression changes in S. medicae while inside of nodules showed that both rhizobia strain and host-plant tolerance affected the number of DEGs. Aside from Mer operon genes, nif genes which are involved in nitrogenase activity in S. medicae showed significant up-regulation in the most Hg-tolerant strain while inside the most Hg-accumulating host-plant, indicating a genotype-by-genotype interaction that influences nitrogen-fixation under stress conditions. Transfer of the Mer operon to low-tolerant strains resulted in an immediate increase in Hg tolerance, indicating that the operon is solely necessary to confer hypertolerance to Hg, despite paralogous merA genes present elsewhere in the genome.
Conclusions: Mercury reductase operons (Mer) have not been previously reported in nitrogen-fixing rhizobia. This study demonstrates a pivotal role of the Mer operon in effective mercury detoxification and hypertolerance in nitrogen-fixing rhizobia. This finding has major implications not only for soil bioremediation, but also host plants growing in mercury contaminated soils.
Research on a capacitive particle analysis smoke detector
Authors: Wang Boqiang , Zhao Xuzeng , Zhang Yiyong , Song Zigang , Wang Zhuogang
Published: January 2024

Smoke detectors face the challenges of increasing accuracy, sensitivity, and high reliability in complex use environments to ensure the timeliness, accuracy, and reliability of very early fire detection. The improvement and innovation of the principle and algorithm for smoke particle concentration detection provide opportunities for improving the performance of the detector. This study represents a new refinement of the smoke concentration detection principle based on capacitive detection of cell structures, and detection signals are processed by a multiscale smoke particle concentration detection algorithm to calculate smoke concentration. Through experiments, it was found that the detector provides effective detection of smoke particle concentrations ranging from 0 to 10% obs/m; moreover, when the detection accuracy is greater than a certain number of parts per million (PPM), the sensitivity of the detector can reach the PPM level; furthermore, the detector can detect smoke particle concentrations higher than the PPM level accuracy even in an environment with a certain concentration of petroliferous and dust particles of different sizes.
The suspension control method for a 3DOF electromagnetic levitation suspended train
Authors: Yi Liu , Guo-qing Liu , Fang-heng Jiu , Long Zhang , Jin-fa Deng , Yuan-hao Zhao , Hao Shen
Published: January 2024

Most of the running wheels on existing suspension trains use rubber wheels. However, the wear and tear of rubber tires after long-term operation can affect the safety of train operation, and frequent replacement will increase operational costs. To address the above issues, a new suspended structure for maglev trains based on electromagnetic levitation was designed, and this new suspension method was investigated. Firstly, the dynamic characteristics of the bogie structure were modeled and analyzed in the Cartesian coordinate system, and a decoupling control algorithm was designed to independently control the steering attitude angle and the suspension height. Secondly, to address the issue of model inaccuracy caused by simplification in the dynamic modeling process, a fuzzy sliding mode control strategy was introduced. In order to verify the suppression effect of fuzzy sliding mode control on system oscillation, a fuzzy sliding mode control model and a sliding mode control simulation model were set up. The simulation results showed that compared with traditional sliding mode control, fuzzy sliding mode control can greatly suppress oscillation phenomena.Finally, the correctness of suspension control strategy was verified through the construction of a scaled experimental model of the new suspended maglev train based on electromagnetic levitation.
Ninja Turtles: high mobility and successful passage through common barriers to movement in a semi-terrestrial freshwater turtle
Authors: Dowling James M , Nordberg Eric J , Bower Deborah S
Published: January 2024

Anthropogenic landscape change due to urbanisation, agriculture and resource extraction inevitably results in linear barriers within the landscape. Artificial linear structures such as roads, fences, levees, and dams limit the movement of some species and further fragment residual habitat. In this study, we investigated the ability of Eastern long-necked turtles (Chelodina longicollis) to cross various terrestrial obstacles commonly encountered in their habitat. We tested two types of fences (chicken wire and exclusion fencing) commonly used in agricultural systems and three sizes of rocks (gravel, gabion, and large boulders) often used for road construction, erosion control, and waterway stabilisation. We examined the success rates of turtles in crossing obstacles, the effect of fatigue on crossing attempts, and the impact of individual boldness on movement behaviour. Turtles displayed high success rates in crossing gravel (85.4%), gabion (86%), boulders (73.3%) and hinged joint exclusion fencing (94.7%). Chicken wire style wire netting had no successful crossings (0%) despite 276 attempts. A significant fatigue effect was observed throughout the experiment, with turtles making an average of 3.94 (± 4.93 SE) fewer attempts at the end of the experiment (day eighteen) as opposed to day one. Bolder turtles were faster at crossing obstacles, however, boldness had no bearing on obstacle-crossing success. These results highlight the need for thoughtful selection of waterway and wetland infrastructure and the fatiguing impact of constant exposure to anthropogenic barriers for wildlife.
Preparation and Characterization of a Latent Reactive Organo-phosphor us-nitrogen Flame Retardant and its Applications in Polylactic acid Syst ems
Authors: 罗 越峰 , 温 桦浩 , 陈 卓玉 , 廖 正福
Published: January 2024

In this study, an organophosphorus-nitrogen compound with latent reactive flame retardant properties(LROPN) were prepared by a facile method using 9,10-dihydro-9-oxa-10-phosphaphenanthrene-10-oxide(DOPO), 4,4 ′-diphenylmethane diisocyanate(MDI) and ethanol as raw materials. The structure of the resulted compound were characterized by infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and nuclear magnetic resonance (1H-NMR). The performances of LROPN used for Polylactic acid (PLA) were investigatd by the technologies of vertical combustion (UL-94) and limiting oxygen index (LOI) test. The results showed that adding LROPN into PLA matrix could significantly improve the flame retardancy of PLA. The LROPN addition of 8(wt)% could reach UL-94 V0 level, and the LOI increased from 19.5% to more than 26%. The TG-FTIR spetra of LROPN indicated that LROPN can deblock at around temperature of 180oC, which indicating LROPN have latent reactivity. The TG-DTA data showed that the maximum weight lost peak LROPN/PLA systems occured at temperature around 363 oC, and the amount of the residue carbon reached 3.93% when the content of LROPN was 8(wt)%. The scanning electron microscopy(SEM) morphologies showed that the addition of LROPN helped to reduce the melt driping of LROPN/PLA systems. The mechanism of flame retardant was investiated based on the TG-FTIR spetra of LROPN, the TG-DTA data of LROPN/PLA systems, and SEM morphologies of residue carbon. The flame retardancy mechanism of LROPN included the combination of free radical suppression and inert gas in the gas phase, and the barrier effect of coke residue in the condensed phase.
Italian Medical professionals Practices, Attitudes and Knowledge in Travel medicine (IMPAKT): a national survey protocol
Authors: Baglivo Francesco , De Angelis Luigi , Vannini Federico , Agostini Antonello , Todaro Antonio , Torri Eleonora , Lopez Giulio Alberto Gianolio , Fui Margherita , Tomasi Alberto , Rizzo Caterina
Published: January 2024

Introduction:
The evolving global health landscape highlights the importance of travel medicine, making it necessary for healthcare professionals to understand the epidemiologic profiles among varied traveler populations and keep themselves updated in this rapidly changing field.
However, in Italy, travel medicine clinics have significant gaps in resource allocation, staff training, and infrastructure. This is the protocol of a cross-sectional study that aims to create and validate a questionnaire to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of healthcare professionals in travel medicine in Italy. The final goal is to provide a tool to evaluate the state of travel medicine, guide training initiatives, and monitor trends over time.
Methods:
The study population consists of healthcare professionals who practice travel medicine in Italy. The questionnaire will be developed by adapting an existing English survey and conducting a scoping review to align the questionnaire with contemporary scientific discourse. The validation process includes face validity, content validity, and expert evaluation. The sample size, determined through power analysis, ranges from 218 to 278 participants. The questionnaire will undergo a pilot test on a smaller sample size (10% of the total) to identify and address any issues. Statistical analysis will include central tendency and dispersion measures, categorical summaries, group comparisons, and regressions.
This research received ethical approval and informed consent will be collected from all participants.
Discussion:
This cross-sectional study will guide strategic planning and targeting training and awareness activities in areas deemed most critical or lacking.
The study's structured approach and periodic assessments will facilitate the identification of educational gaps, the dissemination of best practices, and the overall improvement of healthcare services for travelers in Italy.
Safety and Feasibility of Hippocampal Sparing Cranial Radiation in Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia Patients- A prospective study
Authors: Yadala Ambedkar , Mukherji Ashutosh , Neelakandan Vijayaprabhu , Karunanithi Arivazhagan. , Dubashi Biswajit , Menon Vikas , Elumalai Thiraviyam , Bharathi Deepak , Loganathan Vignesh , Gundapuneedi Bhargav Shreeram
Published: January 2024

Introduction:Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) constitutes a significant portion of pediatric malignancies, with CNS relapse posing a considerable threat to patient outcomes. While prophylactic cranial irradiation (PCI) has been utilized to mitigate CNS relapse, it is associated with neurocognitive side effects. This study explores the feasibility and safety of using Volumetric Arc Therapy (VMAT) with hippocampal sparing during cranial radiation therapy for ALL patients, aiming to reduce these side effects.
Methods:This prospective observational study included pediatric and young adult ALL patients in remission. Hippocampal sparing was achieved using VMAT, and neurocognitive assessments were performed at baseline, 6 months, 1 year, and, to a limited extent, 4 years post-treatment.
Results:VMAT enabled precise hippocampal sparing with minimal dose impact on the hippocampus. There were no observed brain relapses among the patients in this study. Neurocognitive assessments demonstrated an maintained IQ scores over time, with no decline in neurocognitive funtions
Conclusion:This study highlights the potential of VMAT with hippocampal sparing as a promising approach to cranial radiation therapy for ALL patients in reducing the risk of neurocognitive side effects. The absence of brain relapses is encouraging, although larger studies are needed for conclusive evidence. The preservation of neurocognitive function may be attributed to the reduced radiation dose to the hippocampal region.
Lump-Type and Bell-shaped Solitons to the (2+1)-Dimensional ExtendedKadomtsev-Petviashvili Dynamical Equation Under Generaland Positive Quadratic Polynomial Functions
Authors: Aliyu Aliyu Isa , Ozsahin Dilber Uzun
Published: January 2024

In this article, we investigate lump-type solutions of the new integrable time-dependent coefficient (2+1)-dimensional Kadomtsev-Petviashvili equation by employing the Hirota bilinear technique and a suitable ansatz. This equation models the propagation of small-amplitude surface waves in large channels or straits with slowly varying width, depth, and non-vanishing vorticity. Utilizing the Bell’s polynomials approach, we successfully derive the bilinear form of the equation. Initially, we identify a general form of the quadratic function solution for the bilinear form and subsequently expand it as the sum of squares of linear functions satisfying specific conditions. Notably, we obtain two lump-type and a bell-shaped soliton solutions of the equation, which, to our knowledge, are reported for the first time in the literature. We discuss and represent the physical interpretation of the results graphically.
Does Economic Freedom Matter in Tax Evasion? Empirical Evidence from Asian Countries
Authors: Rashid Md. Harun Ur , Islam Azharul
Published: January 2024

The heterogeneity of Asian governance—stemming from poor administration and tax evasion—affects the business climate, which in turn, causes underinvestment and low tax-to-GDP ratios in the private sector. Due to a dearth of research on tax evasion in Asian countries, this study aims to investigate the relationship between economic freedom and tax evasion. To this end, this study draws upon the socioeconomic theory and applies a variety of econometric methods to analyze data comprising 414 observations from 23 Asian countries between 2001 and 2018. The empirical analysis revealed that the rate of tax evasion is negatively correlated with the level of economic freedom. More specifically, higher government integrity, lower fiscal freedom (tax rate), higher monetary freedom, and investment freedom significantly reduce tax evasion. The findings suggest that Asian governments undertake a robust corporate governance strategy to promote economic freedom and enable stockholders to protect their rights and influence the decision-making process of taxpayers in a bid to reduce tax evasion to a significant level. Moreover, the findings offer valuable insights to governments, tax authorities, and researchers in the formulation of economic policies geared at reducing tax evasion.
JEL Classification: H26, O17, A14
Predictive Modeling of ETO Across Iranian Climates: An ANN and Hybrid Approach
Authors: Bidabadi Misagh , Mashal Mahmoud , Azadegan Behzad , Bidabadi Maedeh
Published: January 2024

Evapotranspiration is an essential component of the hydraulic cycle and is a crucial topic for water resource management. This study focuses on modeling daily reference crop evapotranspiration using an artificial neural network and a genetic algorithm in three stations: Ahvaz (dry climate), Saghez (semi-humid and dry climate), and Sardasht (humid climate). The study uses daily meteorological data from 2011 to 2020, including temperature, humidity, sunshine hours, and wind speed. The PMO-56 method is chosen as the modeling objective. The modeling process is investigated under various data scarcity conditions to determine the superior model in each scenario. The comparison of results between different models is based on Root Mean Squared Error (RMSE) and correlation coefficient (R). The results show that the best outcomes are achieved using four input parameters and the whale optimization algorithm approach. Also, ANN-WOA31, ANN-WOA21, and ANN-WOA11 models had the highest estimates in the Ahvaz station in different input conditions. ANN-WOA31, ANN-WOA24, and ANN-WOA11 models were the best in the Saghez station, and ANN-WOA33, ANN-WOA21, and ANN-WOA11 models performed best in Sardasht station with different input combinations. Furthermore, it is observed that with only the temperature parameter and using either an artificial neural network, genetic algorithm, or whale optimization algorithm method, good results can be obtained in all three stations. Following this, humidity and solar radiation can significantly influence the results, while wind speed alone does not substantially impact. Additionally, in all cases, the whale optimization algorithm consistently outperforms the other models in producing better results.
Comparative Effect of Chemotherapy and Non-chemotherapy Treatments on the Survival of Breast Cancer Patients at Different Stages: A SEER Cross-Sectional Based Study
Authors: Kaindal Sonia , B Venkataramana
Published: January 2024

The primary cause of fatalities due to cancer in women is breast cancer. The research’s objective is to determine the comparative effect of chemotherapy and non-chemotherapy on breast cancer outcomes observed in patients at different stages. The study aimed to clarify the potential differences in treatment effectiveness depending on the cancer stage. A total of 446,806 cancer patients were contained in the data set. Between 2011 and 2015 years 316,557 cancer patients were found. Chi-square tests were conducted to analyze statistical differences in demographic characteristics and clinical results between chemotherapy and non-chemotherapy patients. Kaplan-Meier analysis and log-rank tests are used to evaluate the results of different types of treatment. Multiple Cox regression was used to compare the overall and specific survival. In the model, the relationship between the patient’s marital status, age, race, tumor type, ER, PR, HER2, nodes, and primary locations have significantly influenced the overall survival rate (OS) and the specific survival rate (BCSS) for breast cancer in contrast to mastectomy. Chemotherapy significantly lowers the death rate in both overall survival (OS) and breast cancer-specific survival (BCSS) (HR=0.719, 95 percent CI=0.696-0.743; OS: HR=0.519, 95 percent CI=0.507-0.532, p<0.001). We observed that married patients receiving chemotherapy have significantly improved survival, highlighting the potential impact of marriage on prognosis. Analysis used secondary data available from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database.