bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Cord blood methylation at TNFRSF17 is associated with early allergic phenotypes
Authors: Danielewicz Hanna , Gurgul Artur , Dębińska Anna , Drabik-Chamerska Anna , Hirnle Lidia , Boznański Andrzej
Published: July 2024

Food allergy and eczema are the earliest allergic phenotypes in childhood. These diseases could be related to either IgE-mediated or non-IgE-mediated reactions to the allergen. TNFRSF17 is a key molecule in B cell maturation and is important in both types of responses.

We conducted a study comparing the relative expression and the methylation status at the TNFRSF17 in regard to the child’s early atopic sensitisation and allergic phenotypes.

In the recruited population of 200 women and 174 children with available clinical data (physical examination by allergist and antigen-specific IgE measurements), 78 cord blood samples were included in the gene expression analysis (relative gene expression with GAPDH as reference by RT-PCR) and 96 samples with microarray DNA methylation data (whole genome methylation profile Infinium MethylationEPIC).

The altered TNFRSF17 methylation pattern in the cord blood at both single cg04453550 and mean methylation at upstream of TNFRSF17 was observed in children who developed food allergy and/or eczema in early childhood. The change in methylation profile was mirrored by the relative expression. The profile of IgE sensitisation to food and/or inhalant allergens was not significantly associated with either methylation or expression of TNFRSF17.

In conclusion, methylation at the upstream sites at TNFRSF17 in the cord blood at birth is associated with food allergy and eczema early in childhood.
Further EU enlargement – a ‘brave new world’, or more like ‘back to the future’?
Authors: Sharpston Eleanor
Published: July 2024

Will the challenges faced by both the European Union and a candidate country during a future enlargement process be ‘new’ challenges, or will they be reiterations of challenges successfully overcome during previous enlargements, notably during the ‘Big Enlargement 1.0’ in 2004? This contribution argues that many of the challenges (institutional, political, economic, legal, and linguistic) are indeed not new; but that a future EU enlargement is likely to take place within a far more uncomfortable global environment. In particular, the presence of a hostile and aggressive near neighbour in the shape of Russia will require a concerted and intelligent response.
The secret is quartz: technology of production of an eleventh-twelfth century western Mediterranean polychrome glazed ware
Authors: Salinas Elena , Pradell Trinitat
Published: July 2024

A group of a well-known polychrome glazed ceramic, widespread in the western Mediterranean in the eleventh and first half of the twelfth centuries, has been analysed for the first time using Optical Microscopy (OM) and a Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FE-SEM) with Energy-Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDS), in order to shed some light on the materials, production technology and provenance, about which there are various hypotheses. This ware is characterised by a perfectly drawn and varied iconography, with often stylised zoomorphic and anthropomorphic and nautical motifs. It was produced in an as yet unidentified workshop in North Africa or the Iberian Peninsula. The pottery analysed was found in an archaeological excavation in the Barrio Andalusi of Almería (south-east of Spain). Technologically, the ceramics are fairly homogeneous, with copper-green and manganese-brown pigments applied over the raw tin glaze filled with large undissolved quartz particles. The use of quartz is consistent with a Fatimid-Zirid contribution from Ifriqiya, the use of tin is consistent with an Andalusi Umayyad-Taifas contribution, and the green and brown colours on a white ground to either Ifriqiya or Andalusi. Our study has shown that the use of quartz on the decorated glazed surface is not related to the need for an opacifier, but rather to the need for a highly viscous melt that limits the spread of the pigments during the firing allowing a finer and more detailed drawing. This fusion of different techniques has been identified for the first time. It is intriguing from the historical point of view of medieval technology, and provides the first insights into understanding the technological transfers and technical solutions that took place in the Mediterranean basin during this period.
The caregiving role influences Suboptimal Health Status and psychological symptoms in unpaid carers
Authors: Garcia Monique , Guo Zheng , Zheng Yulu , Wu Zhiyuan , Visser Ethan , Balmer Lois , Wang Wei
Published: July 2024

Background

Suboptimal Health Status (SHS) is the physical state between health and disease. This study aimed to fill in the knowledge gap by investigating the prevalence of SHS and psychological symptoms among unpaid carers and to identify SHS-risk factors from the perspective of predictive, preventive and personalised medicine (PPPM).

Methods

A cross-sectional study was conducted among 368 participants who were enrolled from Australia, including 203 unpaid carers as cases and 165 individuals from the general population as controls. SHS scores were measured using SHSQ-25 (Suboptimal Health Status Questionnaire-25), whilst psychological symptoms were measured by DASS-21 (Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale-21). Chi-square was used to measure SHS and psychological symptom prevalence. Spearman correlation analysis was utilised to identify the relationship between SHSQ-25 and DASS-21 scores. Logistic regression analysis was used for multivariate analysis.

Results

The prevalence of SHS in carers was 43.0% (98/203), significantly higher than the prevalence 12.7% (21/165) in the general population (p < 0.001). In addition, suboptimal health prevalence was higher in female carers (50.3%; 95/189) than females in the general population (12.4%; 18/145). Logistic regression showed that the caregiving role influenced SHS, with carers 6.4 times more likely to suffer from SHS than their non-caring counterparts (aOR = 6.400, 95% CI = 3.751–10.919).

Conclusions

Unpaid carers in Australia have a significantly higher prevalence of SHS than that in the general population and experience poorer health. The SHSQ-25 is a powerful tool that can be utilised to screen at-risk individuals to predict their risk of chronic disease development, an essential pillar for shifting the paradigm change from reactive medicine to that of predictive, preventive and personalised medicine (PPPM).
Performance analysis and degradation mechanism of acrylamide co-polymer as rheology and filtrate reducers in different salt aqueous-based drilling mud systems at high-temperature conditions
Authors: Balaga Dileep Kumar , Mondal Jayanta , Kulkarni Sandeep D.
Published: July 2024

To maintain performance of an aqueous-based drilling muds (ABDMs), it was imperative to understand the decay mechanism of the incorporated synthetic polymers, when exposed to the elevated temperatures. The understanding of the decay mechanism could provide a polymer replenishment strategy for the fluid to retain a specific rheology and filtrate control performance. In this context, thermal-degradation of various acrylamide co-polymers was investigated in different monovalent brines. The acrylamide co-polymers were custom synthesized, and their molecular weight and % sulfonic substitution was verified using the capillary viscometer and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy techniques respectively. The co-polymer thermal degradation mechanism (i.e., polymer hydrolysis) in various monovalent brines (KCl, NaCl and NaBr) was quantified by novel titration for temperature range {121 °C, 177 °C}. The degradation response of the co-polymers was then correlated with their rheology and HPHT (high-pressure-high-temperature) filtrate performance; for instance, the titration studies showed that co-polymer degradation was 12–15% and 44–47% after sixteen hours aging at 121 °C and 177 °C respectively; correspondingly the co-polymer performance in ABDM, exhibited HPHT filtrate of 12–18 mL and 38–40 mL at those respective temperatures after sixteen hours of aging. The quantified understanding of the co-polymer thermal degradation was used to device a new approach for co-polymer replenishment strategy; it was illustrated that a 7% replenishment of the co-polymer for every eight hours, at 121 °C, enabled sustained HPHT filtrate of 12–18 mL for the studied evaluation period of thirty-two hours. The replenishment approach presented in the study would provide a valuable tool for drilling automation to ensure sustained fluid performance.
Case Report. Desmopressine en alcohol: een levensbedreigende combinatie
Authors: Kil Nicoline M. P. , ten Donkelaar Celine S. , Wijn Rob P. W. F. , Veenboer Paul W.
Published: July 2024

Samenvatting

We beschrijven een casus van een 22-jarige patiënt die door gebruik van desmopressine in combinatie met alcohol in comateuze toestand is opgenomen op de intensive care. Er was sprake van hersenoedeem door een diepe hyponatriëmie van 117 mmol/l. We gaan in op de verschillende oorzaken die hiertoe hebben geleid en op welke manier een dergelijk ernstig incident voorkomen kan worden.
Towards automatic phytolith classification using feature extraction and combination strategies
Authors: Díez-Pastor José-Francisco , Latorre-Carmona Pedro , Arnaiz-González Álvar , Canepa-Oneto Antonio , Ruiz-Pérez Javier , Zurro Débora
Published: July 2024

Phytolith analysis is now an essential technique, both for the reconstruction of past environmental and climatic changes and for the study of anthropic and faunal plant use, in such disciplines as archaeology, paleoecology, paleonthology, and palynology. Currently, phytolith identification and categorisation involves time-consuming and tedious manual classification tasks that are not always error free. Automated phytolith classification will be key to the standardisation of phytolith identification processes, circumventing human error in the phytolith identification process. In this paper, a comparative analysis is presented of different types of feature sets, feature combinations, and classifier combinations (through stacking), and their use for automatic phytolith classification, including state-of-the-art vision transformers and convolutional neural networks, techniques which have shown remarkable progress within different areas, including computer vision. In this research, twenty-two different sets of features (three based on shape, sixteen on appearance, and three on texture) and six classifier strategies (single and combined via stacking) were compared. The experimental results revealed that texture-related features offered no valuable information for classification purposes. However, classification tasks were efficiently performed with strategies based on shape and appearance features (extracted using deep neural networks). More specifically, the use of those features combined with a stacking strategy, achieved better results than any other features and feature-based strategies, with an accuracy value of 98.32%.
Homoplasy as an Evolutionary Process: An Optimistic View on the Recurrence of Similarity in Evolution
Authors: de Santis Marcelo Domingos
Published: July 2024

In the cladistic literature, there is a recurrent perspective that considers homoplasy as something undesirable. Homoplasy, according to this view, is believed to obscure homologies that may lead to synapomorphies. Some cladists often call homoplasies an ad hoc hypothesis or an “error in our preliminary assignment of homology.” Consequently, homoplasy is generally regarded negatively, hindering further investigations, because it matters little whether a character subject to homoplasy is a convergence, a parallelism, or a reversal, since they all fall within the problematic homoplastic category. Nixon and Carpenter developed one of the recent arguments supporting this vision. In this context, I will argue that phylogenetics, being a part of evolutionary biology, must be compatible with its principles. Therefore, I will discuss the idea that homoplasy is more complex than just nonhomology, sometimes even constituting evidence of common ancestry (e.g., parallelism). I will put forward the thesis that it is crucial to differentiate instances of convergence, parallelism, and reversions by incorporating recent advances from EvoDevo research. Ultimately, this approach aims to demonstrate that evolutionary biology and phylogenetics mutually complement each other and assist in providing different lines of evidence that can be used to test different evolutionary hypotheses.
“If you cannot measure it, you cannot improve it”. Outcome measures in Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy: current and future perspectives
Authors: Benemei Silvia , Gatto Francesca , Boni Luca , Pane Marika
Published: July 2024

Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD) is an X-linked recessive neuromuscular disorder primarily affecting males, caused by mutations in the dystrophin gene. The absence of dystrophin protein leads to progressive skeletal muscle degeneration. Recent advances in the therapeutic landscape underscore the need to identify appropriate outcome measures to assess treatment efficacy in ambulant and non-ambulant DMD patients, across clinical and research settings. This is essential for accurately evaluating new treatments and attributing therapeutic benefits.

It is crucial to establish a robust correlation between outcome scores and disease progression patterns. This task is challenging since functional test performance may be influenced by different patient’s characteristics, including the physiological evolution of the neurodevelopment together with the disease progression. While widely used DMD outcomes such as the North Star Ambulatory Assessment, the 6-Minute Walking Test, the 4 stairs climbed, and the Performance of the Upper Limb exhibit reliability and validity, their clinical significance is influenced by the wide phenotype and progression variability of the disease.

We present and discuss the features (relevance, quantifiability, validity, objectivity, reliability, sensitivity, specificity, precision) of available DMD outcome measures, including new potential measures that may be provided by digital tools and artificial intelligence.
Associations between patient portal use and electronic health record (EHR) data timeliness in type 2 diabetes mellitus care
Authors: Wiley Kevin , Blackburn Justin , Mendonca Eneida , Menachemi Nir , De Groot Mary , Vest Joshua R.
Published: July 2024

Objective

Patient data is subject to missingness and errors. Patient portals enable patients managing type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) to review and correct data to avoid retesting, medication errors, and diagnostic mistakes. We examined whether patient portal use was associated with electronic health record (EHR) data timeliness in T2DM care.

Research Design and methods

We analyzed EHR data from a panel of adult patients to determine whether portal use improved data timeliness. EHR data timeliness is measured as the number of days between patient encounters, accounting for mean attribute update periods, where available EHR attribute updates for T2DM measurements were present, including body mass, weight, glycated hemoglobin A1c, cholesterol, blood pressure, serum creatinine, and smoking status. We performed negative binomial regressions with fixed effects to estimate the association between patient portal use and EHR data timeliness. Sensitivity analyses were conducted using Poisson regressions.

Results

Nearly a third (31.3%) of patients in our sample actively used the health portal. There were fewer days (111.9 days vs. 136.7 days; p < 0.001) between EHR attribute updates for patients who used health portals compared to patients who did not. Data timeliness was lower among female, non-Hispanic White Medicare beneficiaries. Based on regression analyses, portal use was associated with an expected 3.6 (p < 0.001) percentage point decrease in days between attribute updates, indicating improved EHR timeliness.

Conclusion

Improving the quality of health information may streamline decision-making in partnership with patients who produce data points across clinical settings. Active use of patient portals and digital health tools in chronic disease care are critical for care management and clinical decision-making, especially for patients managing type 2 diabetes across clinical settings.
Adaptive multi-stage evolutionary search for constrained multi-objective optimization
Authors: Li Huiting , Jin Yaochu , Cheng Ran
Published: July 2024

In this paper, we propose a multi-stage evolutionary framework with adaptive selection (MSEFAS) for efficiently handling constrained multi-objective optimization problems (CMOPs). MSEFAS has two stages of optimization in its early phase of evolutionary search: one stage that encourages promising infeasible solutions to approach the feasible region and increases diversity, and the other stage that enables the population to span large infeasible regions and accelerates convergence. To adaptively determine the execution order of these two stages in the early process, MSEFAS treats the optimization stage with higher validity of selected solutions as the first stage and the other as the second one. In addition, at the late phase of evolutionary search, MSEFAS introduces a third stage to efficiently handle the various characteristics of CMOPs by considering the relationship between the constrained Pareto fronts (CPF) and unconstrained Pareto fronts. We compare the proposed framework with eleven state-of-the-art constrained multi-objective evolutionary algorithms on 56 benchmark CMOPs. Our results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed framework in handling a wide range of CMOPs, showcasing its potential for solving complex optimization problems.
Mineral and fluid transformation of hydraulically fractured shale: case study of Caney Shale in Southern Oklahoma
Authors: Awejori Gabriel A. , Dong Wenming , Doughty Christine , Spycher Nicolas , Radonjic Mileva
Published: July 2024

This study explores the geochemical reactions that can cause permeability loss in hydraulically fractured reservoirs. The experiments involved the reaction of powdered-rock samples with produced brines in batch reactor system at temperature of 95 °C and atmospheric pressure for 7-days and 30-days respectively. Results show changes in mineralogy and chemistry of rock and fluid samples respectively, therefore confirming chemical reactions between the two during the experiments. The mineralogical changes of the rock included decreases of pyrite and feldspar content, whilst carbonate and illite content showed an initial stability and increase respectively before decreasing. Results from analyses of post-reaction fluids generally corroborate the results obtained from mineralogical analyses. Integrating the results obtained from both rocks and fluids reveal a complex trend of reactions between rock and fluid samples which is summarized as follows. Dissolution of pyrite by oxygenated fluid causes transient and localized acidity which triggers the dissolution of feldspar, carbonates, and other minerals susceptible to dissolution under acidic conditions. The dissolution of minerals releases high concentrations of ions, some of which subsequently precipitate secondary minerals. On the field scale, the formation of secondary minerals in the pores and flow paths of hydrocarbons can cause significant reduction in the permeability of the reservoir, which will culminate in rapid productivity decline. This study provides an understanding of the geochemical rock–fluid reactions that impact long term permeability of shale reservoirs.
Prediction technology of mine water inflow based on entropy weight method and multiple nonlinear regression theory and its application
Authors: Li Bo , Wu Huang , Wu Qiang , Zeng Yifan , Guo Xiaoming
Published: July 2024

Mine water inflow is an important basis for the formulation of mining plans and the utilization of groundwater resources. The mine water inflow is the result of the combined influence of many factors. The weight value of the influencing factors is calculated by the entropy method, and the order of importance of the factors is: precipitation > mining depth > cumulative mined-out area > aquifer thickness > mining area > mining height. The optimal univariate nonlinear regression model of mine water inflow to each influencing factor is obtained by factor scatter analysis and Matlab function programming. On this basis, combined with the weight values of factors, a multivariate nonlinear regression prediction model of mine water inflow based on weighting is innovatively established, which overcomes the defect that the traditional water inflow prediction method that cannot reflect the relative importance differences of various influencing factors. The multivariate weighted nonlinear regression model is used to predict the mine water inflow of typical coal mines, and the prediction results are compared with the linear regression model and the measured value. The results show that the prediction model of mine water inflow based on weighted multivariate nonlinear regression is accurate higher, with higher practical application value.
Shale gas potential evaluation based on well-logs and basin modeling of the Cretaceous-Paleocene succession of the Kohat Plateau, Pakistan: implication for shale gas exploration
Authors: Tahir Murad , Hanif Muhammad , Khan Sarfraz , Radwan Ahmed E. , Ullah Shuja
Published: July 2024

This study examines subsurface data from three wells to assess the shale gas potential of the Cretaceous-Paleocene succession of the Kohat Plateau, Pakistan. The petrophysical analysis was performed to calculate total organic carbon (TOC) using the Passey model. Petro-elastic parameters (Poisson ratio, Young modulus, and brittleness) and thermal maturity were also evaluated, respectively. The average TOC values in Makori-01 (as calculated by Passey's method) are 2.88 (wt%) for the Lockhart Limestone and 2.10 (wt%) for the Chichali-1 Formation. In Manzalai-02 well, the Lockhart, Hangu, Kawagarh, Lumshiwal, and Chichali formations TOC values are 2.81 (wt%), 2.55 (wt%), 2.32(wt%), 2.29 (wt%) and 2.20 (wt%) respectively. To exploit the unconventional resources, zones I and II in the Sumari Deep X-01 well (Chichali Formation) with an average TOC value of 2.71 (wt%) can be considered favorable areas for further evaluation. The volume of shale value is resulted as maximum within Chichali Formation in Makori-01 (58.52–75.89%), Manzalai-02 (54.09%), and Sumari Deep X-01 (70.47%), while the least value is noted within Lockhart Limestone in Makori-01 (12.25%) and Manzalai-02 (14.02%), and in Hangu Formation in Sumari Deep X-01 (12.39%). Also, the elastic properties reveal two to four zones of Young modulus, brittleness index, and Poisson’s ratio within the Chichali Formation in the studied three wells. The isopach maps show that the Patala, Lockhart, Hangu, Lumshiwal, and Chichali formations in the research area exhibit variable thicknesses. The 1D maturity models of the Makori-01 and Manzalai-02 wells indicate burial to a depth of 8 km approximately 2.5 Ma ago and the apex of oil production (1.1% Ro). The 1D maturity models indicate that the Sumari Deep X-01 well has encountered minimal burial (in terms of both time and depth) and, as a result, exhibits minimal potential source rock intervals. The volumetric estimate of unconventional recoverable gas resources is approximately 1.57 TCF in the study area. The integrated research provides the basis for tracking and assessing the unconventional resource potential, distribution, and characteristics within the studied basin.
An Optimal Model for Medical Text Classification Based on Adaptive Genetic Algorithm
Authors: Ben Abdennour Ghada , Gasmi Karim , Ejbali Ridha
Published: July 2024

Automatic text classification, in which textual data is categorized into specified categories based on its content, is a classic issue in the science of Natural Language Processing. In recent years, there has been a notable surge in research on medical text classification due to the increasing availability of medical data like patient medical records and medical literature. Machine learning and statistical methods, such as those used in medical text classification, have proven to be highly efficient for these tasks. However, a significant amount of manual labor is still required to categorize the extensive dataset utilized for training. Recent research have demonstrated the effectiveness of pretrained language models, including machine learning models, in reducing the time and effort required for feature engineering by medical experts. However, there is no statistically significant enhancement in performance when directly applying the machine learning model to the classification task. In this paper, we present a hybrid machine learning model that combines individual traditional algorithms augmented by a genetic algorithm. However, the improved model is designed to enhance performance by optimizing the weight parameter. In this context, the best single model demonstrated commendable accuracy. In addition, when applying the hybridization approach and optimizing the weight parameters, the results were substantially enhanced. The results underscore the superiority of our augmented hybrid model over individual traditional algorithms. We conduct experiments using two distinct types of datasets: one comprising medical records, such as the Heart Failure Clinical Record and another consisting of medical literature, such as PubMed 20k RCT. So, the objective is to clearly showcase the effectiveness of our approach by highlighting the significant enhancements in accuracy, precision, F1-score and Recall achieved through our improved model.
Filtering of 3D point clouds using maximum likelihood algorithm
Authors: Salah Mahmoud , Farhan Magda , Basha Ali , Sherif Mohamed
Published: July 2024

Recently, the 3D point cloud (PC) has become more popular as an innovative object representation. However, there is usually noise and outliers in the raw point cloud. It is essential to eliminate the noise from the point cloud and outlier data while maintaining the features and finer details intact. This paper presents a comprehensive method for filtering and classification point clouds using a maximum likelihood algorithm (ML). TOPCON GLS-2000 3D terrestrial laser scanners (TLS) have been used to collect the 3D PC data set; the scan range is up to 350 m. About 30 m apart from the study area. ScanMaster software has been used to import, view, and filter point cloud information. The position information of the points is linked with the training point cloud and the filtered point cloud to derive the nonlinear model using MATLAB software. To evaluate the quality of the denoising results, two error metrics have been used: the average angle (δ) and distance (Dmean) between the ground truth point and the resulting point. The experimental findings demonstrate that the suggested approach can effectively filter out background noise while improving feature preservation. The filtering and classifying technique is more effective and efficient compared to the selected filtering methods when applied to 3D point clouds containing a large number of points and a variety of natural characteristics.
“In Silico” prediction of antibiotics biodegradation by Ganoderma lucidum GILCC 1 laccase
Authors: Mora-Gamboa María P. C. , Ardila-Leal Leidy D. , Galindo Johan F. , Poutou-Piñales Raúl A. , Quevedo-Hidalgo Balkys E.
Published: July 2024

Antibiotics present a pressing environmental challenge as emerging pollutants due to their persistence and role in promoting antibiotic-resistant bacteria. To model the utilization of Ganoderma lucidum GlLCC1 laccase in degrading antibiotics, a 3D homology model of GILCC1, based on Lentinus tigrinus mushroom laccase, was utilized. Five broad-spectrum WHO-designated antibiotics with molecular weights between 100 and 500 Da were selected. Molecular dynamics simulations were conducted at pH 3.0 and 7.0 to evaluate the interactions between GILCC1 and antibiotics in a TIP3P water box, with system behaviour assessed at 300 °K using an NPT assembly. ABTS (2,2ʹ-Azino-bis (3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulfonic Acid)) served as the comparison molecule. The binding free energy indicated a strong affinity between 3D GILCC1 and various ligands. At pH 3.0, GILCC1 exhibited significant Gibbs free energy (ΔG), indicating a high affinity for Levofloxacin (LVX; −8.2 kcal mol−1), Sulfisoxazole (SFX; −7.8 kcal mol−1), Cefuroxime (CXM; −7.5 kcal mol−1), Cephradine (CFD; −7. 5 kcal mol−1), ABTS (−7.6 kcal mol−1), and Tetracycline (TE; −7.5 kcal mol−1), attributed to pocket topology and interactions such as hydrogen bonds and van der Waals forces. Electron transfer in GILCC1 involved a chain of residues, including His395 and Phe239. Although the affinity decreased at pH 7.0, the potential of GILCC1 to degrade antibiotics remained plausible. This study accurately predicted the behaviour of the laccase-antibiotic system, providing atomic-level insights into molecular interactions and emphasizing the importance of experimental assays and assessments of antibiotic degradation in wastewater, considering various chemical compounds. The use of ABTS as a mediator was suggested to enhance molecule affinity.

Graphical abstract
Microstructure, mechanical and tribological properties of AA5083-TiO2 nanocomposite by multi-pass friction stir processing
Authors: Karmiris-Obratański Panagiotis , Papantoniou Ioannis G. , Leszczyńska-Madej Beata
Published: July 2024

This study examines the impact of Friction Stir Processing (FSP) with TiO2 nanoparticle incorporation on the microstructural, mechanical, and tribological properties of AA5083 Metal Matrix Composites (MMCs). It offers a detailed analysis of the alterations in the alloy’s characteristics due to FSP. Microstructural examination was conducted using optical microscopy (OM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Significant findings include the microstructural refinement where TiO2 nanoparticle addition during FSP shrank the grain size from 20 to 3 µm after one pass, which then rose to 7 µm following four passes. Mechanical properties, specifically microhardness and tensile strength, were assessed. Results indicated that after four FSP passes, the material can reach a yield strength of 192 MPa and an ultimate tensile strength (UTS) of 359 MPa, alongside a consistent microhardness of 103 HV0.1. Furthermore, it was observed that increasing FSP passes enhances energy absorption, although it remains lower than that of the base material. Analysis of fracture and wear mechanisms has led to the conclusion that with more passes, fracture mechanisms transition to a mix of ductile and brittle behaviors, and the friction coefficient decreases by up to 22.95%.
The use of artificial intelligence to advance sustainable supply chain: retrospective and future avenues explored through bibliometric analysis
Authors: Zejjari Ibtissam , Benhayoun Issam
Published: July 2024

Keeping up with the hastily growing economy implies undergoing unremitting transformation permanently. In the field of supply chain, such progress can only be guaranteed via the exploration of new horizons and innovative solutions in response to the constraints of the global market. Emerging technologies, particularly artificial intelligence, offer promising avenues for enhancing supply chain processes, with sustainability ascending as a critical consideration. Despite the recent surfacing of AI-driven applications, scant attention has been devoted to exploring their full potential within supply chain operations, particularly in conjunction with SDGs. Recognizing the untapped opportunities presented by the implementation of AI for a sustainable supply chain this study undertakes a bibliometric analysis of 236 research papers sourced from the Web of science database. The analysis utilizes R language BiblioShiny to examine the extracted papers, and dissect patterns, trends, and relationships among key concepts and themes as well as prominent topics, impactful authors, and leading journals and countries in this domain. The findings reveal substantial growth in research related to SCM, AI, and sustainability as the UK leads this field of study with 132 articles followed by India, China and the USA. Eventually, the National University of Singapore came first in terms of paper affiliations, followed by De La Salle University, and London Metropolitan University. These results only prove that sustainability is becoming more critical in the equation of AI-driven supply chains especially with the current socio-political and economic circumstances, constituting a solid base for further academic research and more innovations in the managerial and business-related policies in this field.
Are the key welfare models effective for exotic pet animals?
Authors: Warwick Clifford , Steedman Catrina , Jessop Mike , Grant Rachel
Published: July 2024

The Five Freedoms, Five Domains, Five Welfare Needs, and other similar models or principles, are key aspirational or outcome-led frameworks aimed at safeguarding animals under human custodianship, and are widely used in legislation, guidance documents, and protocols. We aimed to investigate the effectiveness of these animal welfare models as intended protections. Our study considered three informational tiers of relevance for guidance: Tier 1, key welfare models and principles governing legislation; Tier 2, formal secondary guidance; and Tier 3, welfare outcomes. We conducted a literature review of key welfare models, as well as reports of persistent animal welfare problems associated with exotic pets, and collated available examples of relevant legislation and their implementation. Of the 91 studied regions that adopted animal welfare models, the following were directly or closely aligned with: Five Freedoms n = 64, Five Welfare Needs n = 26, Five Domains n = 1. We identified the following numbers of welfare concerns for animals kept in trade and private home situations: invertebrates n = 21, fishes n = 27, amphibians n = 26, reptiles n = 43, birds n = 22, mammals n = 43. Despite the frequent adoption of one or other model or principle, animal welfare concerns and problems were regularly identified in relation to both commercial and home environments across all animal classes. We recommend that animal welfare is assigned priority over traditional pet selling or keeping practices through the adoption of modernised animal welfare models, underpinned by evolving scientific knowledge and precautionary principles, that aim to promote animal-centric preferred life quality.
Optimal drift rate control and two-sided impulse control for a Brownian system with the long-run average criterion
Authors: Cao Ping , Wang Xiaodao , Yao Dacheng
Published: July 2024

In this paper, we consider a joint drift rate control and two-sided impulse control problem in which the system manager adjusts the drift rate as well as the instantaneous relocation for a Brownian motion, with the objective of minimizing the total average state-related cost and control cost. The system state can be negative. Assuming that instantaneous upward and downward relocations take a different cost structure, which consists of both a setup cost and a variable cost, we prove that the optimal control policy takes an $\left\{ {\!\left( {{s^{\ast}},{q^{\ast}},{Q^{\ast}},{S^{\ast}}} \right),\!\left\{ {{\mu ^{\ast}}(x)\,:\,x \in [ {{s^{\ast}},{S^{\ast}}}]} \right\}} \right\}$ form. Specifically, the optimal impulse control policy is characterized by a quadruple $\left( {{s^{\ast}},{q^{\ast}},{Q^{\ast}},{S^{\ast}}} \right)$, under which the system state will be immediately relocated upwardly to ${q^{\ast}}$ once it drops to ${s^{\ast}}$ and be immediately relocated downwardly to ${Q^{\ast}}$ once it rises to ${S^{\ast}}$; the optimal drift rate control policy will depend solely on the current system state, which is characterized by a function ${\mu ^{\ast}}\!\left( \cdot \right)$ for the system state staying in $[ {{s^{\ast}},{S^{\ast}}}]$. By analyzing an associated free boundary problem consisting of an ordinary differential equation and several free boundary conditions, we obtain these optimal policy parameters and show the optimality of the proposed policy using a lower-bound approach. Finally, we investigate the effect of the system parameters on the optimal policy parameters as well as the optimal system’s long-run average cost numerically.
Pyramid diffractive optical networks for unidirectional image magnification and demagnification
Authors: Bai Bijie , Yang Xilin , Gan Tianyi , Li Jingxi , Mengu Deniz , Jarrahi Mona , Ozcan Aydogan
Published: July 2024

Diffractive deep neural networks (D2NNs) are composed of successive transmissive layers optimized using supervised deep learning to all-optically implement various computational tasks between an input and output field-of-view. Here, we present a pyramid-structured diffractive optical network design (which we term P-D2NN), optimized specifically for unidirectional image magnification and demagnification. In this design, the diffractive layers are pyramidally scaled in alignment with the direction of the image magnification or demagnification. This P-D2NN design creates high-fidelity magnified or demagnified images in only one direction, while inhibiting the image formation in the opposite direction—achieving the desired unidirectional imaging operation using a much smaller number of diffractive degrees of freedom within the optical processor volume. Furthermore, the P-D2NN design maintains its unidirectional image magnification/demagnification functionality across a large band of illumination wavelengths despite being trained with a single wavelength. We also designed a wavelength-multiplexed P-D2NN, where a unidirectional magnifier and a unidirectional demagnifier operate simultaneously in opposite directions, at two distinct illumination wavelengths. Furthermore, we demonstrate that by cascading multiple unidirectional P-D2NN modules, we can achieve higher magnification factors. The efficacy of the P-D2NN architecture was also validated experimentally using terahertz illumination, successfully matching our numerical simulations. P-D2NN offers a physics-inspired strategy for designing task-specific visual processors.
Parthanatos initiated by ROS-induced DNA damage is involved in intestinal epithelial injury during necrotizing enterocolitis
Authors: Xu Lingqi , Ma Shurong , Qu Minhan , Li Na , Sun Xu , Wang Tingting , Chen Lulu , Zhu Jie , Ding Yifang , Gong Yuan , Hu Fangjie , Dong Zhenzhen , Zhang Rui , Wang Jiang Huai , Wang Jian , Zhou Huiting
Published: July 2024

Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) involves intestinal epithelial damage and inflammatory response and is associated with high morbidity and mortality in infants. To improve therapeutic prospects, elucidating underlying molecular mechanisms of intestinal epithelial damage during NEC is of the essence. Poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase 1 (PARP1)-dependent parthanatos is a programmed inflammatory cell death. In the present study, the presence of parthanatos-associated proteins PARP1 and poly (ADP-ribose) (PAR), along with high expression of DNA damage-associated biomarkers, 8-hydroxy-2’-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) and phosphorylation of histone H2AX (γH2AX), were discovered in the intestinal tissues of NEC infants. Additionally, the upregulated expression of PARP1 and PAR in NEC intestinal tissues correlated distinctly with clinical indices indicative of NEC incidence and severity. Furthermore, we demonstrated that inhibiting the expression of parthanatos-associated proteins, by either pharmacological blockage using 3-aminobenzamide (3-AB), an inhibitor of PARP1, or genetic knockout using Parp1-deficient mice, resulted in substantial improvements in both histopathological severity scores associated with intestinal injury and inflammatory reactions. Moreover, in an in vitro NEC model, reactive oxygen species (ROS)-induced DNA damage promoted the formation of PAR and nuclear translocation of apoptosis-inducing factor (AIF), thus activating PARP1-dependent parthanatos in Caco-2 cells and human intestinal organoids. Our work verifies a previously unexplored role for parthanatos in intestinal epithelial damage during NEC and suggests that inhibition of parthanatos may serve as a potential therapeutic strategy for intervention of NEC.
Cohort study of cardiovascular safety of different COVID-19 vaccination doses among 46 million adults in England
Authors: Ip Samantha , North Teri-Louise , Torabi Fatemeh , Li Yangfan , Abbasizanjani Hoda , Akbari Ashley , Horne Elsie , Denholm Rachel , Keene Spencer , Denaxas Spiros , Banerjee Amitava , Khunti Kamlesh , Sudlow Cathie , Whiteley William N. , Sterne Jonathan A. C. , Wood Angela M. , Walker Venexia ,   the CVD-COVID-UK/COVID-IMPACT Consortium,   the Longitudinal Health and Wellbeing COVID-19 National Core Study
Published: July 2024

The first dose of COVID-19 vaccines led to an overall reduction in cardiovascular events, and in rare cases, cardiovascular complications. There is less information about the effect of second and booster doses on cardiovascular diseases. Using longitudinal health records from 45.7 million adults in England between December 2020 and January 2022, our study compared the incidence of thrombotic and cardiovascular complications up to 26 weeks after first, second and booster doses of brands and combinations of COVID-19 vaccines used during the UK vaccination program with the incidence before or without the corresponding vaccination. The incidence of common arterial thrombotic events (mainly acute myocardial infarction and ischaemic stroke) was generally lower after each vaccine dose, brand and combination. Similarly, the incidence of common venous thrombotic events, (mainly pulmonary embolism and lower limb deep venous thrombosis) was lower after vaccination. There was a higher incidence of previously reported rare harms after vaccination: vaccine-induced thrombotic thrombocytopenia after first ChAdOx1 vaccination, and myocarditis and pericarditis after first, second and transiently after booster mRNA vaccination (BNT-162b2 and mRNA-1273). These findings support the wide uptake of future COVID-19 vaccination programs.
Phosphorylation of PFKL regulates metabolic reprogramming in macrophages following pattern recognition receptor activation
Authors: Wang Meiyue , Flaswinkel Heinrich , Joshi Abhinav , Napoli Matteo , Masgrau-Alsina Sergi , Kamper Julia M. , Henne Antonia , Heinz Alexander , Berouti Marleen , Schmacke Niklas A. , Hiller Karsten , Kremmer Elisabeth , Wefers Benedikt , Wurst Wolfgang , Sperandio Markus , Ruland Jürgen , Fröhlich Thomas , Hornung Veit
Published: July 2024

Innate immune responses are linked to key metabolic pathways, yet the proximal signaling events that connect these systems remain poorly understood. Here we show that phosphofructokinase 1, liver type (PFKL), a rate-limiting enzyme of glycolysis, is phosphorylated at Ser775 in macrophages following several innate stimuli. This phosphorylation increases the catalytic activity of PFKL, as shown by biochemical assays and glycolysis monitoring in cells expressing phosphorylation-defective PFKL variants. Using a genetic mouse model in which PFKL Ser775 phosphorylation cannot take place, we observe that upon activation, glycolysis in macrophages is lower than in the same cell population of wild-type animals. Consistent with their higher glycolytic activity, wild-type cells have higher levels of HIF1α and IL-1β than PfklS775A/S775A after LPS treatment. In an in vivo inflammation model, PfklS775A/S775A mice show reduced levels of MCP-1 and IL-1β. Our study thus identifies a molecular link between innate immune activation and early induction of glycolysis.
Catalytic enantioselective nitrone cycloadditions enabling collective syntheses of indole alkaloids
Authors: Tian Xiaochen , Xuan Tengfei , Gao Jingkun , Zhang Xinyu , Liu Tao , Luo Fengbiao , Pang Ruochen , Shao Pengcheng , Yang Yun-Fang , Wang Yang
Published: July 2024

Tetrahydro-β-carboline skeletons are prominent and ubiquitous in an extraordinary range of indole alkaloid natural products and pharmaceutical compounds. Powerful synthetic approaches for stereoselective synthesis of tetrahydro-β-carboline skeletons have immense impacts and have attracted enormous attention. Here, we outline a general chiral phosphoric acid catalyzed asymmetric 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition of 3,4-dihydro-β-carboline-2-oxide type nitrone that enables access to three types of chiral tetrahydro-β-carbolines bearing continuous multi-chiral centers and quaternary chiral centers. The method displays different endo/exo selectivity from traditional nitrone chemistry. The distinct power of this strategy has been illustrated by application to collective and enantiodivergent total syntheses of 40 tetrahydro-β-carboline-type indole alkaloid natural products with divergent stereochemistry and varied architectures.
Dual roles of microbes in mediating soil carbon dynamics in response to warming
Authors: Qin Shuqi , Zhang Dianye , Wei Bin , Yang Yuanhe
Published: July 2024

Understanding the alterations in soil microbial communities in response to climate warming and their controls over soil carbon (C) processes is crucial for projecting permafrost C-climate feedback. However, previous studies have mainly focused on microorganism-mediated soil C release, and little is known about whether and how climate warming affects microbial anabolism and the subsequent C input in permafrost regions. Here, based on a more than half-decade of in situ warming experiment, we show that compared with ambient control, warming significantly reduces microbial C use efficiency and enhances microbial network complexity, which promotes soil heterotrophic respiration. Meanwhile, microbial necromass markedly accumulates under warming likely due to preferential microbial decomposition of plant-derived C, further leading to the increase in mineral-associated organic C. Altogether, these results demonstrate dual roles of microbes in affecting soil C release and stabilization, implying that permafrost C-climate feedback would weaken over time with dampened response of microbial respiration and increased proportion of stable C pool.
Plasma biomarkers of neurodegeneration in patients and high risk subjects with Lewy body disease
Authors: Hiraga Keita , Hattori Makoto , Satake Yuki , Tamakoshi Daigo , Fukushima Taiki , Uematsu Takashi , Tsuboi Takashi , Sato Maki , Yokoi Katsunori , Suzuki Keisuke , Arahata Yutaka , Washimi Yukihiko , Hori Akihiro , Yamamoto Masayuki , Shimizu Hideaki , Wakai Masakazu , Tatebe Harutsugu , Tokuda Takahiko , Nakamura Akinori , Niida Shumpei , Katsuno Masahisa
Published: July 2024

Comorbid Alzheimer’s disease (AD) neuropathology is common in Lewy body disease (LBD); however, AD comorbidity in the prodromal phase of LBD remains unclear. This study investigated AD comorbidity in the prodromal and symptomatic phases of LBD by analyzing plasma biomarkers in patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD) and dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) and individuals at risk of LBD (NaT-PROBE cohort). Patients with PD (PD group, n = 84) and DLB (DLB group, n = 16) and individuals with LBD with ≥ 2 (high-risk group, n = 82) and without (low-risk group, n = 37) prodromal symptoms were enrolled. Plasma amyloid-beta (Aβ) composite was measured using immunoprecipitation-mass spectrometry assays. Plasma phosphorylated tau 181 (p-tau181), neurofilament light chain (NfL), and alpha-synuclein (aSyn) were measured using a single-molecule array. Plasma p-tau181 levels were higher in the PD and DLB groups than in the low-risk group. Aβ composite level was higher in the DLB group than in the high-risk group. AD-related biomarker levels were not elevated in the high-risk group. NfL levels were higher in the high-risk, PD, and DLB groups than in the low-risk group. In the PD group, Aβ composite was associated with cognitive function, p-tau181 with motor function and non-motor symptoms, and NfL with cognitive and motor functions and non-motor symptoms. In the high-risk group, NfL was associated with metaiodobenzylguanidine scintigraphy abnormalities. The PD and DLB groups exhibited comorbid AD neuropathology, though not in the prodromal phase. Elevated plasma NfL levels, even without elevated AD-related plasma biomarker levels, may indicate aSyn-induced neurodegeneration in the LBD prodromal phase.