bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
High-fidelity n-qubit quantum controlled-not gates on quantum-dot spins
Authors: Xiu Xiao-Ming , Chen Si-Ge , Zhao Zi-Lin , Yuan Zi-Qing , Zhang Xin-Yi , Dong Li
Published: September 2024

Realizing high-fidelity n-qubit quantum controlled-not gates is of critical significance. Applying quantum-dot (QD) spins as qubits, an (n − 1)-qubit control 1-qubit not gate and a 1-qubit control (n − 1)-qubit not gate is constructed. By utilizing the balanced condition, even under the condition of weak coupling, the circuit including the wave-form correctors and the balanced reflection condition of the cavity may effectively reduce the noise resulting from the unequal reflectance, so that the fidelity of each quantum gate operation can be increased to unity in theory. The operational complexity is further reduced, considering that low-Q cavities are used. In addition, the control gate of m-qubit control (n − m)-qubit can also be performed with a similar device diagram, only by changing the numbers of the control qubits and target qubits. These n-qubit controlled-not gates can help construct simpler quantum computing circuits that can be widely applied in quantum information processing.
Flexible generation of OAM mode reconfigurable beams and spinning OAM beams based on active induced magnetism Huygens’ metasurface
Authors: Zhang Zhengren , Zhang Bingxue , He Qian , Han Ping , Xu Quan , Wu Chao
Published: September 2024

Orbital angular momentum (OAM) beams have demonstrated significant potential in the fields of communication, imaging and quantum information science. In particular, active OAM metasurfaces enable flexible and on-demand control of OAM beams without altering their structures, significantly enriching the applications of OAM beams. However, due to the limitations of electrode wiring and unit structure efficiency, most existing active metasurface designs are reflective, hindering the further development of this field. Here, we propose an active induced magnetism Huygens’ metasurface to overcome these limitations. We demonstrate that transmissive and high-efficiency OAM mode reconfigurable beams of topological charge l = −1 or l = +1, as well as spatiotemporally modulated spinning OAM harmonic beam of topological charge l = +1 can be generated on-demand. The findings of this study provide a novel approach to achieve more flexible and diversified OAM beamforming, addressing the evolving demands of various OAM-related applications.
Octaphenyl-POSS nanoparticles dispersed thick polyvinyl alcohol/acrylamide photopolymer with low volumetric shrinkage and high diffraction efficiency
Authors: Fu Xuhui , Zhang Zhen , Yang Dongxu , Zhu Jianhua
Published: September 2024

Relatively high volumetric shrinkage induced by polymerization of photopolymer severely limits its applications in high-density holographic storage. In this paper, what we believe to be a novel organic-inorganic hybrid nanoparticles (NPs) of octaphenyl-polyhedral Oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS) are employed into polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)/acrylamide photopolymer with 300µm thickness. By optimizing the concentration of octaphenyl-POSS, the volumetric shrinkage is successfully suppressed from 1.11% to 0.41%, and satisfies the requirements of commercial holographic data storage (HDS) material. Moreover, the introduction of POSS NPs does not sacrifice other holographic recording capacities. Contrarily, the diffraction efficiency of photopolymer after dispersing 2‰(w/v) POSS increases from 86% to 90%. The physical mechanism of enhanced capacities is discussed by using photopolymerization and NPs diffusion process. To our knowledge, this is the best results of PVA/acrylamide photopolymer with low volumetric shrinkage, high diffraction efficiency and angular selectivity. The POSS-dispersed photopolymer system is expected to have good application prospects in angular-multiplexing high-density 3-D holographic storage.
Experimental demonstration of frequency- downconverted arm-length stabilization for a future upgraded gravitational wave detector
Authors: Tanioka Satoshi , Wu Bin , Ballmer Stefan W.
Published: September 2024

Ground-based laser interferometric gravitational wave detectors (GWDs)
consist of multiple optical cavity systems whose lengths need to be
interferometrically controlled. An arm-length stabilization (ALS)
system has played an important role in bringing these interferometers
into an operational state and enhancing their duty cycle. The
sensitivity of these detectors can be improved if the thermal noise of
their test mass mirror coatings is reduced. Crystalline AlGaAs
coatings are a promising candidate for this. However, the current ALS
system with a frequency-doubled 532 nm light is no longer an option
with AlGaAs coatings because the 532 nm light is absorbed by AlGaAs
coatings due to the narrow bandgap of GaAs. Therefore, alternative
locking schemes must be developed. In this Letter, we describe an
experimental demonstration of a novel ALS scheme, to the best of our
knowledge, which is compatible with AlGaAs coatings. This ALS scheme
will enable the use of AlGaAs coatings in current and future
terrestrial gravitational wave detectors.
A data domain information measure for incoherent computational imaging
Authors: MALIK RITIKA , Khare Kedar
Published: September 2024

The developments in the area of computational imaging over the last three decades are aimed at increasing the information gathering capacity of imaging systems. This enhanced imaging performance is achieved by use of unconventional optics hardware in combination with suitable image reconstruction algorithms. We highlight that the seemingly extra information in the computational imaging model is obtained by utilizing information in the bit depth of the sensor pixels. We introduce a data domain information measure that includes computational space-bandwidth product (SBP) of the raw detector data as well as bit depth. Our analysis suggests that the reconstruction algorithms essentially redistribute the information in the bit depth dimension to enable superior imaging capability. The proposed information measure can assess or predict the expected imaging performance independent of the reconstruction algorithm and may provide a generic guideline for designing computational imaging systems.
Multifunctional computational fluorescence self-interference holographic microscopy
Authors: Zhang Wenxue , Man Tianlong , Zhang Minghua , Zhou Hongqiang , Liu Zenghua , Wan Yuhong
Published: September 2024

Fluorescence microscopy is crucial in various fields such as biology, medicine, and life sciences. Fluorescence self-interference holographic microscopy has great potential in bio-imaging owing to its unique wavefront coding characteristics; thus, it can be employed as three-dimensional (3D) scanning-free super-resolution microscopy. However, the available approaches are limited to low optical efficiency, complex optical setups, and single imaging functions. The geometric phase lens can efficiently manipulate the optical field’s amplitude, phase, and polarization. Inspired by geometric phase and self-interference holography, a self-interference fluorescent holographic microscope-based geometric phase lens is proposed. This system allows for wide-field, 3D fluorescence holographic imaging, and edge-enhancement from the reconstruction of only one complex-valued hologram. Experiments demonstrate the effectiveness of our method in imaging biological samples, with improved resolution and signal-to-noise ratio. Furthermore, its simplicity and convenience make it easily compatible with existing optical microscope setups, making it a powerful tool for observing biological samples and detecting industrial defects.
A taxon-rich and genome-scale phylogeny of Opisthokonta
Authors: Liu Hongyue , Steenwyk Jacob L. , Zhou Xiaofan , Schultz Darrin T. , Kocot Kevin M. , Shen Xing-Xing , Rokas Antonis , Li Yuanning
Published: September 2024

Ancient divergences within Opisthokonta—a major lineage that includes organisms in the kingdoms Animalia, Fungi, and their unicellular relatives—remain contentious. To assess progress toward a genome-scale Opisthokonta phylogeny, we conducted the most taxon rich phylogenomic analysis using sets of genes inferred with different orthology inference methods and established the geological timeline of Opisthokonta diversification. We also conducted sensitivity analysis by subsampling genes or taxa from the full data matrix based on filtering criteria previously shown to improve phylogenomic inference. We found that approximately 85% of internal branches were congruent across data matrices and the approaches used. Notably, the use of different orthology inference methods was a substantial contributor to the observed incongruence: analyses using the same set of orthologs showed high congruence of 97% to 98%, whereas different sets of orthologs resulted in somewhat lower congruence (87% to 91%). Examination of unicellular Holozoa relationships suggests that the instability observed across varying gene sets may stem from weak phylogenetic signals. Our results provide a comprehensive Opisthokonta phylogenomic framework that will be useful for illuminating ancient evolutionary episodes concerning the origin and diversification of the 2 major eukaryotic kingdoms and emphasize the importance of investigating effects of orthology inference on phylogenetic analyses to resolve ancient divergences.
The neglected giants: Uncovering the prevalence and functional groups of huge proteins in proteomes
Authors: Amaral Anibal S. , Devos Damien P.
Published: September 2024

An often-overlooked aspect of biology is formed by the outliers of the protein length distribution, specifically those proteins with more than 5000 amino acids, which we refer to as huge proteins (HPs). By examining UniprotKB, we discovered more than 41 000 HPs throughout the tree of life, with the majority found in eukaryotes. Notably, the phyla with the highest propensity for HPs are Apicomplexa and Fornicata. Moreover, we observed that certain bacteria, such as Elusimicrobiota or Planctomycetota, have a higher tendency for encoding HPs, even more than the average eukaryote. To investigate if these macro-polypeptides represent “real” proteins, we explored several indirect metrics. Additionally, orthology analyses reveals thousands of clusters of homologous sequences of HPs, revealing functional groups related to key cellular processes such as cytoskeleton organization and functioning as chaperones or as E3-ubiquitin ligases in eukaryotes. In the case of bacteria, the major clusters have functions related to non-ribosomomal peptide synthesis/polyketide synthesis, followed by pathogen-host attachment or recognition surface proteins. Further exploration of the annotations for each HPs supported the previously identified functional groups. These findings underscore the need for further investigation of the cellular and ecological roles of these HPs and their potential impact on biology and biotechnology.
Nickel tolerance is channeled through C-4 methyl sterol oxidase Erg25 in the sterol biosynthesis pathway
Authors: Matha Amber R. , Xie Xiaofeng , Maier Robert J. , Lin Xiaorong
Published: September 2024

Nickel (Ni) is an abundant element on Earth and it can be toxic to all forms of life. Unlike our knowledge of other metals, little is known about the biochemical response to Ni overload. Previous studies in mammals have shown that Ni induces various physiological changes including redox stress, hypoxic responses, as well as cancer progression pathways. However, the primary cellular targets of nickel toxicity are unknown. Here, we used the environmental fungus Cryptococcus neoformans as a model organism to elucidate the cellular response to exogenous Ni. We discovered that Ni causes alterations in ergosterol (the fungal equivalent of mammalian cholesterol) and lipid biosynthesis, and that the Sterol Regulatory Element-Binding transcription factor Sre1 is required for Ni tolerance. Interestingly, overexpression of the C-4 methyl sterol oxidase gene ERG25, but not other genes in the ergosterol biosynthesis pathway tested, increases Ni tolerance in both the wild type and the sre1Δ mutant. Overexpression of ERG25 with mutations in the predicted binding pocket to a metal cation cofactor sensitizes Cryptococcus to nickel and abolishes its ability to rescue the Ni-induced growth defect of sre1Δ. As overexpression of a known nickel-binding protein Ure7 or Erg3 with a metal binding pocket similar to Erg25 does not impact on nickel tolerance, Erg25 does not appear to simply act as a nickel sink. Furthermore, nickel induces more profound and specific transcriptome changes in ergosterol biosynthetic genes compared to hypoxia. We conclude that Ni targets the sterol biosynthesis pathway primarily through Erg25 in fungi. Similar to the observation in C. neoformans, Ni exposure reduces sterols in human A549 lung epithelial cells, indicating that nickel toxicity on sterol biosynthesis is conserved.
HIV, malnutrition, and noncommunicable disease epidemics among tuberculosis-affected households in east and southern Africa: A cross-sectional analysis of the ERASE-TB cohort
Authors: Calderwood Claire Jacqueline , Marambire Edson Tawanda , Larsson Leyla , Banze Denise , Mfinanga Alfred , Nhamuave Celina , Appalarowthu Tejawsi , Mugava Mishelle , Ribeiro Jorge , Towo Peter Edwin , Madziva Karlos , Dixon Justin , Held Kathrin , Minja Lilian Tina , Mutsvangwa Junior , Khosa Celso , Heinrich Norbert , Fielding Katherine , Kranzer Katharina ,   ERASE-TB consortium
Published: September 2024

Background

As a result of shared social and structural risk factors, people in households affected by tuberculosis may have an increased risk of chronic conditions; at the same time, tuberculosis screening may be an opportunity for interventions. We sought to describe the prevalence of HIV, nutritional disorders, and noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) among members of tuberculosis-affected households in 3 African countries.

Methods and findings

A part of a multicountry cohort study, we screened for tuberculosis, HIV, nutritional disorders (underweight, anaemia, overweight/obesity), and NCDs (diabetes, hypertension, and chronic lung disease) among members of tuberculosis-affected households aged ≥10 years in Mozambique, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe. We describe the prevalence of these conditions, their co-occurence within individuals (multimorbidity) and household-level clustering. Of 2,109 household contacts recruited, 93% (n = 1,958, from 786 households) had complete data and were included in the analysis. Sixty-two percent were female, median age was 27 years, and 0.7% (n = 14) were diagnosed with co-prevalent tuberculosis. Six percent of household members (n = 120) had previous tuberculosis, 15% (n = 294) were living with HIV, 10% (n = 194) had chronic lung disease, and 18% (n = 347) were anaemic. Nine percent of adults (n = 127) had diabetes by HbA1c criteria, 32% (n = 439) had hypertension. By body mass index criteria, 18% household members (n = 341) were underweight while 29% (n = 549) were overweight or obese. Almost half the household members (n = 658) had at least 1 modifiable tuberculosis risk factor. Sixty-one percent of adults (n = 822) had at least 1 chronic condition, 1 in 4 had multimorbidity. While most people with HIV knew their status and were on treatment, people with NCDs were usually undiagnosed and untreated. Limitations of this study include use of point-of-care HbA1c for definition of diabetes and definition of hypertension based on single-day measurements.

Conclusions

Households affected by tuberculosis also face multiple other health challenges. Integrated approaches to tuberculosis screening may represent an opportunity for identification and treatment, including prioritisation of individuals at highest risk for tuberculosis to receive preventive therapy.
Improving health behaviours and attitudes around podoconiosis in Northern Western Ethiopia: Implementation and intervention effectiveness
Authors: Engdawork Kibur , Tadele Getnet , Anagnostopoulou Vasso , Nahar Papreen , Davey Gail , Zaman Shahaduz
Published: September 2024

Background

Assessing how interventions are implemented is essential to understanding why interventions may or may not achieve their intended outcomes. There is little evidence about how interventions against Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) are being implemented. Guided by the Context and Implementation of Complex Intervention (CICI) framework, we evaluated an ongoing intervention against the NTD podoconiosis to examine the implementation process and its effectiveness in terms of improving shoe wearing practices, increasing knowledge and reducing stigmatizing attitudes towards podoconiosis in rural Ethiopia.

Methods

We employed an exploratory mixed methods approach, qualitative followed by quantitative, between April and July 2022 to assess implementation agents, theory, strategy, process and outcomes of the intervention. We conducted document analysis, observations, focus group discussions, in-depth interviews and key informant interviews for the qualitative phase. We administered a survey to 369 rural residents, of whom 42 were affected by podoconiosis.

Results

The implementers utilized government healthcare centers in a bid to mainstream podoconiosis services within local healthcare structures. The implementers provided training for health professionals and the public and distributed supplies to patients over a three-month period. The intervention reached 62% of patients, but female patients were less likely to participate than male patients. Only 18% of community members had participated in health education campaigns linked to the intervention. Involvement in the intervention resulted in improved shoe wearing practice and holding fewer stigmatizing attitudes. However, internalized stigma among patients was still rife; and the plan to utilize community assets to extend the intervention activities was not effective.

Conclusions

Implementers must monitor the fidelity and progression of programs on a constant basis to make corrections. They also need to expand health education, provide psychosocial support and design economic empowerment programs for patients to reduce stigma. They must also collaborate with policy makers and international partners to sustain program activities at intervention delivery points.
Complete chloroplast genome of a montane plant Spathoglottis aurea Lindl.: Comparative analyses and phylogenetic relationships among members of tribe collabieae
Authors: Talkah Nurul Shakina Mohd , Jasim Jasim Haider Mahmod , Nordin Farah Alia , Othman Ahmad Sofiman
Published: September 2024

The yellow–flowered Spathoglottis aurea (tribe Collabieae; family Orchidaceae) is native to the mountainous areas of Peninsular Malaysia. The species is well known as an ornamental plant and for its role in artificial hybrid breeding. There is an interesting evolutionary relationship between S. aurea and the geographically isolated S. microchilina from Borneo that has encouraged further study of the S. aurea populations, but the genomic resource for S. aurea has not yet been reported. The present study reports the first work to characterize a chloroplast (cp) genome among the Spathoglottis genus. The complete cp genome of S. aurea was assembled from a sequence generated by the Illumina platform and analysed in comparison with other Collabieae species available in the GenBank database. The cp genome of S. aurea is 157,957 base pairs (bp) in length with guanine-cytosine (GC) content of 37.3%. The genome possessed a typical quadripartite cp genome structure with large single-copy (LSC) (86,888 bp), small single-copy (SSC) (18,125 bp) and inverted repeat (IR) (26,472 bp) sequences. A total of 134 genes were annotated, with 88 protein coding genes (PCGs), 38 transfer RNA (tRNA) genes and eight ribosomal RNA (rRNA) genes. Overall, 80 simple sequence repeats (SSR) or microsatellites were identified. Comparative analysis with other Collabieae species revealed high conservation in the cp genome arrangements with minimal difference in genome lengths. However, several mutational hotspots were also detected, with high potential to be developed as genetic markers for phylogenetic analysis. Characterization of the S. aurea cp genome revealed its conserved nature without gene loss or rearrangements when compared to other species of the Collabieae tribe. Phylogenetic analysis of Collabieae species also revealed that S. aurea has a distant evolutionary relationship to other members of the Collabieae species, despite the presence of problematic genera such as Phaius and Cephalantheropsis.
Lessons learned from the MOMENT study on how to recruit and retain a target population online, across borders, and with automated remote data collection
Authors: Belfiglio Andrew , Page Shayleigh Dickson , Pettersson Sara , van Rijn Michelle , Vellone Ercole , Westland Heleen , Freedland Kenneth E. , Lee Christopher , Strömberg Anna , Wiebe Douglas , Aryal Subhash , Riegel Barbara , Jaarsma Tiny
Published: September 2024

Increasingly, studies use social media to recruit, enroll, and collect data from participants. This introduces a threat to data integrity: efforts to produce fraudulent data to receive participant compensation, e.g., gift cards. MOMENT is an online symptom-monitoring and self-care study that implemented safeguards to protect data integrity. Facebook, Twitter, and patient organizations were used to recruit participants with chronic health conditions in four countries (USA, Italy, The Netherlands, Sweden). Links to the REDCap baseline survey were posted to social media accounts. The initial study launch, where participants completed the baseline survey and were automatically re-directed to the LifeData ecological momentary assessment app, was overwhelmed with fraudulent responses. In response, safeguards (e.g., reCAPTCHA, attention checks) were implemented and baseline data was manually inspected prior to LifeData enrollment. The initial launch resulted in 411 responses in 48 hours, 265 of which (64.5%) successfully registered for the LifeData app and were considered enrolled. Ninety-nine percent of these were determined to be fraudulent. Following implementation of safeguards, the re-launch yielded 147 completed baselines in 3.5 months. Eighteen cases (12.2%) were found fraudulent and not invited to enroll. Most fraudulent cases in the re-launch (15 of 18) were identified by a single attention check question. In total, 96.1% of fraudulent responses were to the USA-based survey. Data integrity safeguards are necessary for research studies that recruit online and should be reported in manuscripts. Three safeguard strategies were effective in preventing and removing most of the fraudulent data in the MOMENT study. Additional strategies were also used and may be necessary in other contexts.
ERCC1 which affects lipids metabolism and actin dynamics in coal workers’ pneumoconiosis is a candidate biomarker for early warning and diagnosis
Authors: Deng Hao , Chen Yan , Wu Mali , Zhang Tao
Published: September 2024

The single-nucleotide polymorphisms of genes related to DNA damage repair and inflammasomes and mutated gene expression in coal workers’ pneumoconiosis (CWP) were analysed to identify the risk factors of CWP and potential biomarkers for early warning and diagnosis. Further, mutated gene pathways were analysed based on proteome and metabolome. Han Chinese male subjects were randomly selected and divided into 4 or 5 groups according to the process of CWP. MassARRAY was used to sequence single-nucleotide polymorphism genotypes. Mutated gene expression in plasma was tested using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Odds ratios (ORs) and receiver operating characteristic curves (ROC) were calculated. The serum different proteins and metabolites were identified by Ultra Performance Liquid Chromatography Quadrupole time of flight/Mass Spectrum (UPLC-Q-TOF/MS) and analysed using bioinformation software. As CWP progressed, the CC and CA genotypes of ERCC1 rs3212986 decreased and increased significantly, respectively. AA (OR = 3.016) and CA (OR = 2.130) genotypes were identified as risk factors for stage II. ERCC1 significantly decreased in processing of CWP. The cutoff value of ERCC1 was 5.265 pg/ml, with a sensitivity of 90.0% and specificity of 86.7%. ERCC1 had an indirect interaction with activator protein-1 and insulin and its pathways were mainly made with molecules related to lipid metabolism and actin dynamics. ERCC1 is a candidate biomarker for detection and precise intervention in CWP. If it reaches the threshold, workers will change other jobs in time and will not develop and diagnose as pneumoconiosis and will help the employers spend less money. Meanwhile, the signal molecules of ERCC1 pathway could be as a candidate target for drug discovery.
Sequential label shift detection in classification data: An application to dengue fever
Authors: Evans Ciaran , G’Sell Max
Published: September 2024

Classifiers have been developed to help diagnose dengue fever in patients presenting with febrile symptoms. However, classifier predictions often rely on the assumption that new observations come from the same distribution as training data. If the population prevalence of dengue changes, as would happen with a dengue outbreak, it is important to raise an alarm as soon as possible, so that appropriate public health measures can be taken and also so that the classifier can be re-calibrated. In this paper, we consider the problem of detecting such a change in distribution in sequentially-observed, unlabeled classification data. We focus on label shift changes to the distribution, where the class priors shift but the class conditional distributions remain unchanged. We reduce this problem to the problem of detecting a change in the one-dimensional classifier scores, leading to simple nonparametric sequential changepoint detection procedures. Our procedures leverage classifier training data to estimate the detection statistic, and converge to their parametric counterparts in the size of the training data. In simulated outbreaks with real dengue data, we show that our method outperforms other detection procedures in this label shift setting.
Helminths of free-ranging dogs and cats in an urban natural reserve in Mexico City and their potential risk as zoonotic agents
Authors: Camacho-Giles Valeria , Hortelano-Moncada Yolanda , Torres-Carrera Gerardo , Gil-Alarcón Guillermo , Oceguera-Figueroa Alejandro , García-Prieto Luis , Osorio-Sarabia David , Cervantes Fernando A. , Arenas Pablo
Published: September 2024

In the Reserva Ecológica del Pedregal of San Ángel, located in the south of Mexico City, Mexico, free-roaming dogs and cats coexist with 148 bird, 33 of mammal, 23 of reptile and seven amphibian species, that represent a remnant of the original fauna of the Mexican Plateau. The negative impact that dogs and cats have on local fauna is unobjectionable, however, the role that these introduced vertebrates play as potential transmitters of infectious diseases for native fauna and humans, is much less understood. Information about parasitic infections in native and introduced animals in this location is scarce. In order to ameliorate this lack of information, the objective of this study is to characterize the helminth fauna of the free-ranging dogs and cats of the ecological reserve. Between 2018 and 2023, 36 Felis silvestris catus and 7 Canis lupus familiaris were studied from the helminthological perspective. Endoparasites were obtained from the digestive tract and were identified to the species level using morphological and molecular evidence. Hosts were parasitized by eight species of helminths: in cats the cestodes Hydatigera taeniaeformis, Mesocestoides sp., Taenia rileyi and the nematode Toxocara cati were recorded, while in dogs, the cestode Taenia pisiformis and the nematodes Ancylostoma caninum, and Uncinaria stenocephala were found. The only species shared between cats and dogs was the cestode Dipylidium caninum. These free-ranging animals act as definitive hosts of 5 species known to have zoonotic potential; their presence in the area may generate a public and animal health problem if programs of dog and cat population control are not continued.
Expression of Trichoderma spp. endochitinase gene improves red rot disease resistance in transgenic sugarcane
Authors: Sharma Amandeep Sahil , Kalia Anu , Sharma Anuradha , Sidhu Mehar Singh , Sanghera Gulzar Singh , Chhabra Gautam , Sharma Manveer , Singh Manjinder , Patel Ekta , Das Piyali , Hazra Somak , Kaur Ajinder , Singla Deepak , Sandhu Jagdeep Singh
Published: September 2024

Sugarcane (Saccharum spp.)is an economically useful crop grown globally for sugar, ethanol and biofuel production. The crop is vulnerable to fungus Colletotrichum falcatum known to cause red rot disease. The pathogen hydrolyses stalk parenchyma cells where sucrose is accumulated resulting in upto 75% losses in sugar recovery. In this study, transgenic sugarcane having resistance against red rot was developed by introducing Trichoderma spp. endochitinase following Agrobacterium mediated transformation. The transgene introduction and expression in genetically modified plants were verified through qRT-PCR revealing upto 6-fold enhancement in endochitinase expression than non-transgenic plants. Hyperspectral Imaging of transgenic plants displayed altered leaf reflectance spectra and vegetative indices that were positively correlated with ransgene expression. The bioassay with virulent pathotypes of C. falcatumCF08 and CF13 known for epiphytotic occurrence resulted in identification of resistant plant Chit 3-13.The plants with higher reflectance also displayed improved disease resistance, implying their early classification into resistant/susceptible. The losses in sucrose content were minimized (up to 4-fold) in inoculated resistant plant Chit 3–13 as compared to susceptible non-transgenic plant, and a fewer pathogen hyphae were detected in vascular cells of the former through optical microscopy. The electron micrographs confirmed sucrose-filled stalk parenchyma cells in Chit 3–13; in contrast, cells of non-transgenic inoculated plant were depleted of sucrose. The active sites involved in cleaving 1–4 β-glycoside bonds of N-acetyl-d-glucosaminein the pathogen hyphal walls were detected through endochitinase protein structural modelling. The transgenic sugarcane is an important source for in trogressingred rot resistance in plant breeding programs.
An inverse relationship between dental fluorosis and Molar Incisor Hypomineralization in Mexican schoolchildren in an area with a high concentration of fluoride in drinking water: A cross-sectional study
Authors: Medina Varela Andrea Fernanda , García Pérez Alvaro , Villanueva Gutiérrez Teresa , Mora Navarrete Karen Angelina , Nieto Sánchez Martha Patricia
Published: September 2024

Aim

To evaluate the association between the frequency and severity of dental fluorosis and Molar Incisor Hypomineralization (MIH) in 8-12-year-old schoolchildren living in an area with a high concentration of fluoride in the drinking water.

Methods

The present cross‑sectional study was conducted on Mexican children (n = 573) selected from one community presenting a drinking water fluoride concentration of 1.39 ppm/F. The prevalence of dental fluorosis was ascertained using the Thylstrup and Fejerskov Index (TFI). The presence and severity of MIH was evaluated using the European Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (EAPD) criteria. A multinomial regression model was used to estimate the odds ratio (OR) and the 95% confidence intervals (CI), using the severity of MIH as the result.

Results

The prevalence of MIH was 37.7% and, by severity, was 16.1% mild, 14.3% moderate, and 7.3% severe. The prevalence of dental fluorosis in permanent dentition was 70.9% (TFI ≥1) and, by severity, was 29.2% (TFI = 0), 45.6% (TFI 1–3) and 25.3% (TFI ≥4), while 54.5% of subjects were found to have poor oral hygiene. Schoolchildren with fluorosis (TFI ≥4) were 49% less likely [OR = 0.51; p = 0.025] to present mild MIH than children with fluorosis (TFI <4). Similarly, children with fluorosis (TFI ≥4) were 53% [OR = 0.47; p = 0.019] and 62% [OR = 0.38; p = 0.036] less likely to present moderate and severe MIH than children with fluorosis (TFI <4).

Conclusion

An inverse relationship between the presence of fluorosis and MIH was found. The results obtained by the present study may contribute to both the early identification of disorders affecting the enamel and the creation and implementation of long-term oral health prevention, promotion, and intervention programs in the affected population.
Evidence for five types of fixation during a random saccade eye tracking task and changes in fixation duration as a function of time-on-task
Authors: Friedman Lee , Komogortsev Oleg V.
Published: September 2024

Our interest was to evaluate changes in fixation duration as a function of time-on-task (TOT) during a random saccade task. We employed a large, publicly available dataset. The frequency histogram of fixation durations was multimodal and modelled as a Gaussian mixture. For this specific task, we found five fixation types. The “ideal” response would be a single accurate saccade after each target movement, with a typical saccade latency of 200-250 msec, followed by a long fixation (> 800 msec) until the next target jump. We found fixations like this, but they comprised only 10% of all fixations and were the first fixation after target movement only 23.4% of the time. More frequently (57.4% of the time), the first fixation after target movement was short (117.7 msec mean) and was commonly followed by a corrective saccade. Across the entire 100 sec of the task, median total fixation duration decreased. This decrease was approximated with a power law fit with R2 = 0.94. A detailed examination of the frequency of each of our five fixation types over time on task (TOT) revealed that the three shortest duration fixation types became more and more frequent with TOT whereas the two longest fixations became less and less frequent. In all cases, the changes over TOT followed power law relationships, with R2 values between 0.73 and 0.93. We concluded that, over the 100 second duration of our task, long fixations are common in the first 15 to 22 seconds but become less common after that. Short fixations are relatively uncommon in the first 15 to 22 seconds but become more and more common as the task progressed. Apparently. the ability to produce an ideal response, although somewhat likely in the first 22 seconds, rapidly declines. This might be related to a noted decline in saccade accuracy over time.
Microglia and macrophages alterations in the CNS during acute SIV infection: A single-cell analysis in rhesus macaques
Authors: Xu Xiaoke , Niu Meng , Lamberty Benjamin G. , Emanuel Katy , Ramachandran Shawn , Trease Andrew J. , Tabassum Mehnaz , Lifson Jeffrey D. , Fox Howard S.
Published: September 2024

Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) is widely acknowledged for its profound impact on the immune system. Although HIV primarily affects peripheral CD4 T cells, its influence on the central nervous system (CNS) cannot be overlooked. Within the brain, microglia and CNS-associated macrophages (CAMs) serve as the primary targets for HIV and the simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) in nonhuman primates. This infection can lead to neurological effects and establish a viral reservoir. Given the gaps in our understanding of how these cells respond in vivo to acute CNS infection, we conducted single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) on myeloid cells from the brains of three rhesus macaques 12 days after SIV infection, along with three uninfected controls. Our analysis revealed six distinct microglial clusters including homeostatic microglia, preactivated microglia, and activated microglia expressing high levels of inflammatory and disease-related molecules. In response to acute SIV infection, the homeostatic and preactivated microglia population decreased, while the activated and disease-related microglia increased. All microglial clusters exhibited upregulation of MHC class I molecules and interferon-related genes, indicating their crucial roles in defending against SIV during the acute phase. All microglia clusters also upregulated genes linked to cellular senescence. Additionally, we identified two distinct CAM populations: CD14lowCD16hi and CD14hiCD16low CAMs. Interestingly, during acute SIV infection, the dominant CAM population changed to one with an inflammatory phenotype. Specific upregulated genes within one microglia and one macrophage cluster were associated with neurodegenerative pathways, suggesting potential links to neurocognitive disorders. This research sheds light on the intricate interactions between viral infection, innate immune responses, and the CNS, providing valuable insights for future investigations.
Repeat modules and N-linked glycans define structure and antigenicity of a critical enterotoxigenic E. coli adhesin
Authors: Berndsen Zachary T. , Akhtar Marjahan , Thapa Mahima , Vickers Tim J. , Schmitz Aaron , Torres Jonathan L. , Baboo Sabyasachi , Kumar Pardeep , Khatoon Nazia , Sheikh Alaullah , Hamrick Melissa , Diedrich Jolene K. , Martinez-Bartolome Salvador , Garrett Patrick T. , Yates John R. , Turner Jackson S. , Laird Renee M. , Poly Frédéric , Porter Chad K. , Copps Jeffrey , Ellebedy Ali H. , Ward Andrew B. , Fleckenstein James M.
Published: September 2024

Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) cause hundreds of millions of cases of infectious diarrhea annually, predominantly in children from low-middle income regions. Notably, in children, as well as volunteers challenged with ETEC, diarrheal severity is significantly increased in blood group A (bgA) individuals. EtpA, is a secreted glycoprotein adhesin that functions as a blood group A lectin to promote critical interactions between ETEC and blood group A glycans on intestinal epithelia for effective bacterial adhesion and toxin delivery. EtpA is highly immunogenic resulting in robust antibody responses following natural infection and experimental challenge of volunteers with ETEC. To understand how EtpA directs ETEC-blood group A interactions and stimulates adaptive immunity, we mutated EtpA, mapped its glycosylation by mass-spectrometry (MS), isolated polyclonal (pAbs) and monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) from vaccinated mice and ETEC-infected volunteers, and determined structures of antibody-EtpA complexes by cryo-electron microscopy. Both bgA and mAbs that inhibited EtpA-bgA interactions and ETEC adhesion, bound to the C-terminal repeat domain highlighting this region as crucial for ETEC pathogen-host interaction. MS analysis uncovered extensive and heterogeneous N-linked glycosylation of EtpA and cryo-EM structures revealed that mAbs directly engage these unique glycan containing epitopes. Finally, electron microscopy-based polyclonal epitope mapping revealed antibodies targeting numerous distinct epitopes on N and C-terminal domains, suggesting that EtpA vaccination generates responses against neutralizing and decoy regions of the molecule. Collectively, we anticipate that these data will inform our general understanding of pathogen-host glycan interactions and adaptive immunity relevant to rational vaccine subunit design.
A Balaton vár- és kastélyturizmusának helyzete és fejlesztési lehetőségei
Authors: Wirth Gábor , Köbli Ádám
Published: September 2024

A Balaton környékén található kastélyok és várak kiemelkedően fontos szerepet töltenek be a desztináció örökségturisztikai kínálatában, egyrészt a szabadidős utazások kiegészítő tevékenységének helyszíneként, másrészt mind gyakrabban önálló utazási motivációt jelentő turisztikai attrakciókként. Kutatásunk célja a Balaton vár- és kastélyturizmusában fellelhető óriási potenciál feltárása, valamint az elmúlt időszakban megvalósult fejlesztések értelmezése és komplex bemutatása. Kiemelten vizsgáljuk a legújabb digitális megoldások trendjeit, valamint választ keresünk arra a kérdésre is, hogy milyen innovációk járulhatnak hozzá a leghatékonyabban váraink és kastélyaink versenyképességének növeléséhez. A térség elemzésekor az eddigi kutatási eredmények, a rendelkezésre álló statisztikai adatok és a Balaton jelentősebb várait, kastélyait érintő fejlesztési tervek egyaránt feldolgozásra kerültek, valamint a terepbejárás és a legjobb gyakorlatok vizsgálata is fontos részét képezte munkánknak.
A telepített idegenvezetők marketingtevékenysége
Authors: Raffai Eliza , Happ Éva
Published: September 2024

A turizmus szektor láncolatában egyedülálló pozíciót tölt be az idegenvezetői szféra, melynek tagjai végső végrehajtóként a legnagyobb befolyással hathatnak jelenlegi és potenciális utaskörükre. A kutatás a telepített idegenvezetői tevékenység turistákra gyakorolt befolyását, az idegenvezetői marketinget, s annak hatásrendszerét, mint a turizmusmarketing egy felderítetlen területét tárgyalja. A vizsgálat szekunder források elemzésével, illetve primer kutatás segítségével vizsgálja a telepített idegenvezetők marketingtevékenységét. A felmérés 2021 októbere és 2022 áprilisa között zajlott 7 mélyinterjúval és 2 online kérdőíves megkérdezéssel. A tanulmány választ ad arra, hogyan definiálható az idegenvezetői marketing jelensége, miért jelent felderítetlen területet a turizmusszektorban, s hogyan képes befolyásolni a szolgáltatást igénybe vevő utaskört.
Experimental investigation of an entropy production in a linear blade cascade
Authors: Flídr Erik
Published: September 2024

The vortical structures in turbomachinery are crucial phenomena that significantly impact the machine’s efficiency. Therefore, investigating them is essential for a better understanding of the machine’s operation.The presented paper focuses on an experimental investigation of entropy production in a linear blade cascade composed of prismatic blades for two pitch-to-chord ratios, t/c = 0.6, and 0.9. The effects of the inlet flow angle, α1 = −20°, 5°, 30°, and outlet isentropic Reynolds number, Re2,is = (0.8, 1.2, 2.5, and 4.5) × 105, are examined based on pressure measurements.Entropy production is evaluated as a balance of fluxes through the inlet and outlet boundaries of the control volume. The paper provides a detailed discussion of the local distribution of entropy production and vorticity in the flow field, as well as their evolution with the tested parameters. The correlations between the integral values of entropy production and the tested parameters are also given.
Investigation of the effect of elbow pipes of Ti6Al4V, 304 stainless steel, AZ91 materials on erosion corrosion by finite element analysis
Authors: Gök Kadir , Danışmaz Merdin , Urtekin Levent , Ada Hediye Deniz , Gök Arif
Published: September 2024

Corrosion is the degradation of metals caused by chemical or electrochemical reactions with their environment. As a result of these reactions, undesirable conditions occur in the physical, chemical, mechanical and electrical properties of metals. These conditions cause parts made of metallic materials to become unusable. Erosion corrosion is one of the most common types of corrosion in fluid transfer. There are several methods for preventing erosion corrosion. First of all, some precautions should be taken to prevent wear. Intervention is very important in terms of cost, especially at the design stage. Measures such as wide angle bends, wall thickness of wear-resistant material and corrosion allowance can be taken, especially in applications where the flow direction needs to be changed. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of liquid fluid on erosion corrosion in Ti6Al4V, 304 stainless steel and MgAz91 elbow pipes by using the computer aided and finite element based AnsysWorkbench Explicit Dynamics module. For the design of the elbow pipe, SolidWorks was used for 3D studies. In the analysis of the pipe, the suitability of the pipe for the 3D model was examined. The effect of fluid rotation on the pipe walls and the effect of the pipe material on the flow along the pipe were determined. The standard k-e model based on the velocity-pressure relationship in continuous and steady flow was used for the flow calculations. The flow simulation showed that for all models the flow accumulation after rotation was more concentrated on the opposite walls of the pipe, as expected. The results obtained showed that the deformation in MgAZ91 material had the highest value at 9.14 × 10−8 mm. This situation has been interpreted to mean that it may vary depending on the flow rate automation. Designs on the old designs in the erosion structure of the liquid that occurs in the pipes with a new product design in the analysis design.
At the Edge of AI
Authors: Veprek Libuse Hannah
Published: September 2024

How are human computation systems developed in the field of citizen science to achieve what neither humans nor computers can do alone? Through multiple perspectives and methods, Libuse Hannah Veprek examines the imagination of these assemblages, their creation, and everyday negotiation in the interplay of various actors and play/science entanglements at the edge of AI. Focusing on their human-technology relations, this ethnographic study shows how these formations are marked by intraversions, as they change with technological advancements and the actors' goals, motivations, and practices. This work contributes to the constructive and critical ethnographic engagement with human-AI assemblages in the making.
Políticas de Avaliação Externa e a reforma empresarial: efeitos sobre a qualidade social da educação
Authors: Richter Leonice Matilde , Silva Maria Vieira , Souza Vilma Aparecida de , Souza Raquel Aparecida
Published: September 2024

Oficialmente, o discurso das políticas de avaliação externa, desde sua introdução no país, especialmente a partir da década de 1990, esteve associado à tese da promoção da qualidade da educação. Desde então, pesquisas acadêmicas têm se dedicado à análise do que significa tal qualidade, para quem ela é pensada e quais interesses a envolve. Qualidade pensada a partir da formação de qual sujeito? Para qual sociedade? Em uma perspectiva crítica não há como olhar para a categoria avaliação educacional sem analisar sua relação com a estrutura macro da organização da nossa sociedade. Em síntese, a categoria avaliação é eminentemente política. É nessa direção que o Dossiê do presente número da REPOD apresenta a contribuição de diversos autores(as) para a problematização das Políticas de Avaliação Externa e seus efeitos sobre a qualidade social da educação.
Sistema de avaliação e acreditação do ensino superior em Moçambique: uma análise sob a percepção das partes interessadas
Authors: Samussone Lainesse Benjamim , Silveira Suely de Fátima Ramos , Lauriano Nayara Gonçalves
Published: September 2024

A presente pesquisa tem como objetivo analisar a percepção das partes interessadas acerca da implementação do sistema de avaliação de cursos e programas das Instituições de Ensino Superior (IES) moçambicanas – o SINAQES. Para tal, foi realizada uma pesquisa qualitativa que envolveu entrevistas semiestruturadas com 31 participantes, incluindo dirigentes de instituições de ensino superior (IES) públicas e privadas, além de membros das comissões de autoavaliação. As percepções coletadas foram analisadas utilizando o software IRaMuTeQ, que facilitou a análise textual, permitindo identificar padrões e temas recorrentes nas respostas. Nas percepções acessadas, determinados aspectos mostraram-se centrais: a reação da comunidade acadêmica à implementação do SINAQES; a importância do sistema de avaliação proposto; as mudanças percebidas nas IES; e os desafios durante a implementação. Nessa direção, a implementação de um sistema de avaliação no contexto da educação em Moçambique evidenciou o enfoque dado na busca pela melhoria da infraestrutura de ensino, no ajuste dos currículos, na formação adequada do corpo docente e na promoção da internacionalização do ensino superior.