bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Pangenome Analyses of Pyrus Unravel the Mechanism of Ethylene-Dependent and Ethylene-Independent Fruit Formation
Authors: Ji Yinglin , Wang Yi , Hu Hongju , Jin Juntong , Yuan Hui , Zhang Jingguo , Wang Yuqing , Wang Mingqian , Yin Shaobo , Lin Shijiao , Liang Yuling , Wei Shipeng , Liu Weiting , Li Bin , Wang Aide
Published: May 2024

Fleshy fruits are classified as ethylene dependent or ethylene independent according to the ethylene production rate at the onset of ripening. However, the mechanism regulating ethylene production in fruits is unclear. Pears (Pyrus spp.) contain both types of fruits. Analyses of 5 Pyrus genomes and 109 resequenced pear accessions revealed an important chromosomal locus closely associated with ethylene-producing phenotype. This locus was closely linked to a novel long noncoding RNA (lncRNA). Interestingly, the expression of this lncRNA showed an opposite pattern to ethylene production. Fruits overexpressing this lncRNA displayed extremely low ethylene production and a late ripening phenotype, which was observed for both tomatoes and pears. Therefore, this lncRNA was termed Ethylene Inhibiting Factor (EIF). Variable deletions of 3.8 kb and 1.1 kb regions altered EIF expression and enabled the categorization of pears into six genotypes. The huge number of transposable elements (TEs) were observed and they probably drove fragment rearrangement, generating the EIF, which repressed the ethylene production, resulting in ethylene-independent pear fruit. These findings provide new insights into the molecular basis of ethylene-producing phenotype in Maloideae fruits.
Theoretical and simulation assessment of shielding features of the B2O3-PbO-SiO2-Dy2O3 glass system using GEANT4 and MCNP codes, and online software for X-ray energy range
Authors: Isazadeh Farzad , Saray Akbar Abdi
Published: May 2024

Study the shielding properties of materials against charged and non-charged particles is a vital issue in the present era. In this paper, GEANT4, MCNP, XCOM, Phy-X/PSD, EpiXS, and NGCal programs were applied to evaluated shielding characterization of the B2O3-PbO-SiO2-Dy2O3 glass system against photons with the energy range of 10–100 keV. LAC, MAC, HVL, TVL, MFP, Zeff, Neff, and Zeq parameters were computed using the mentioned software. The simulated values were compared to each other, which the good compatibility between them was shown. As can be seen from the figures and tables, with increasing the amount of Dy2O3, MAC and LAC values rise. Therefore, dy5 with the most values of MAC was selected as the most favorable shield against X-ray photons.
FT3/FT4 ratio in a certain range identified as an independent protective factor for glycemic variability in patients with type 2 diabetes
Authors: Li Ying , Pan Tianrong , Wang Lingyu , Wang Yue , Gong Yu , Wang Guojuan , Zhang Qianqian
Published: May 2024

Context: Thyroid hormone (TH) plays an important role in regulating glucose metabolism, but if TH in normal range could influence the glycemic variability in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2DM) has not been reported.
Objective: To determine the relationship between TH and glycemic variability in type 2 diabetes.
Methods: In this retrospective analysis, 468 inpatients with T2DM received continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) systems for 6-14 days. Baseline clinical characteristics, laboratory tests and CGM parameters were recorded to analyze the relationships between TH and CGM parameters.
Results: The levels of HBA, MG, SD, CV, LAGE, MODD, TAR2Scale were all higher and TIR was lower in FT3/FT4Q1 compared with FT3/FT4Q2, FT3/FT4Q3 and FT3/FT4Q4 (all P<0.01). Linear regression showed that FT3/FT4 ratio was negatively related with HBA (β=-2.056, P=0.034), MG (β=-2.461, P=0.045), SD (β=-1.365, P=0.038), MAGE (β=-2.718, P=0.041), MODD (β=-1.32, P=0.024) and TAR2Scale (β=-23.307, P=0.001). Smooth curve fitting and Saturation effect analysis showed that there were curve-like relationships between FT3/FT4 ratio and SD, MAGE, MODD and TAR2Scale, and the inflection points of the fitted curves were FT3/FT4=0.279, 0.237, 0.253 and 0.282 respectively (P<0.05), while there were linear relationship between FT3/FT4 ratio and HBA, MG and TIR (P<0.05). Binary logistic regression showed that FT3/FT4 ratio was independent related with HBA (P=0.001), MG (P=0.01), TAR2Scale (P=0.003), LAGE (P=0.014) and MAGE (P<0.001).
Conclusion: The level of FT3/FT4 ratio in a certain range (FT3/FT4 ≤ 0.282) is a protective factor for glycemic variability in patients with T2DM, meaning better glycemic control and less glucose fluctuation.
Impacts of Combining PD-L1 inhibitor and Radiotherapy on the Tumour immune microenvironment in a Mouse Model of Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Authors: Yin Zihao , Deng Qinghua , Zhang Ke , Yue Jing , Wang Yaping , Yu Qingqing , Zhang Hongfang , Tang Rongjun
Published: May 2024

Background：The combination of radiation with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) has been demonstrated to display synergistic effects in solid cancers. Nevertheless, the anti-tumor effect of combining radiation with programmed cell death 1 ligand 1 (PD-L1) inhibitor in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) remains unclear. Therefore, the objectives of our study were to evaluate the anti-tumor effects of PD-L1 inhibitors combined with radiotherapy in ESCC mouse model and to depict the immune landscape within the tumor microenvironment (TME).
Methods: A syngeneic C57BL/6 subcutaneous xenograft mouse model was applied to evaluate the anti-tumor efficacy of different treatment protocols according to tumor growth curve and survival time. Tumour immune microenvironment was assessed by flow cytometry including CD4+T cells, CD8+T cells, regulatory T cells (Tregs), tumor-derived macrophage (TAM), myeloid-derived suppressor cell (MDSC), and the expression of CD8+T cell activation, exhaustion, and memory state markers. In addition, transcriptomic analysis was used to examine the immune gene expression changes in tumor microenvironment.
Results: Radiotherapy combined with anti-PD-L1 inhibitors synergistically enhanced anti-tumor immune response via boosted the infiltration of CD8+ T cells, increased the ratio of CD8+ T cells to Tregs and population of central memory CD8+ T cells (TCM), enhanced interferon gamma (IFN-γ) secretion by tumor-infiltrating CD8+ T cells, and reduced the accumulation of M2-type TAMs and Tregs in the TME in mouse model. In addition, radioimmunotherapy also induced a better immunophenotype in spleen and tumor draining lymph node (TDLN). Consequently, radioimmunotherapy appeared greater benefit in antitumor effects and mice survival. Moreover, our transcriptomic analysis suggested that radioimmunotherapy promoted the expression of immunostimulation-related regulatory pathways and cytokines that shape the immunoinflammatory tumor microenvironment.
Conclusions: Our research indicated that anti-PD-L1 inhibitors combined with RT promotes systemic anti-tumor immunity by improving the immune microenvironment in a mouse model of ESCC.
Insights Into Adherence and Attitudes toward Medication In Child And Adolescent Psychiatry: The Influence Of Patient And Medication-Related Factors
Authors: Bayraktar İzgi , Yalçın Nadir , Nalbant Kevser , Karabulut Erdem , Kültür Ebru Çengel , Demirkan Kutay
Published: May 2024

This study aimed to investigate the impact of perception on adherence and determine the influence of patient- and medication-related factors on both adherence and attitudes toward medication in adolescents with psychiatric disorders receiving medication.
The Pediatric Medication Adherence Scale (PMAS)- 9 questions and the Pediatric Attitude toward Medication Scale (PAMS)- 18 questions, two reliable self-report scales designed for this population, were used to assess negative adherence behaviors and patients' perceptions of medication. Data were collected from a sample of adolescents (12-18 years) undergoing psychotropics for 2 months. Statistical analysis was conducted to examine correlations between adherence, attitudes, and patient characteristics.
The scales were administered to 288 patients (67% female) and significant correlations were found between anxiety scores and attitudes toward medication (p<0.05). Patients receiving monotherapy showed lower anxiety scores and more positive attitudes (p<0.05). Side effects were associated with reduced adherence and negative attitudes. Patients diagnosed with an eating disorder had more negative attitudes, while those using antidepressant-antipsychotic combinations had more negative attitudes compared to stimulants. This study highlights the importance of considering influential factors in medication adherence and attitudes in clinical practice for adolescents with psychiatric disorders. Addressing anxiety perception, managing side effects, and evaluating polypharmacy were found important for pharmacotherapy optimization.
Association of 24-hour movement behaviors and non-communicable diseases among adults of Udupi, Karnataka, India
Authors: Reddy Manaswi , Chandrasekaran Baskaran , Govindasamy Karppasamy , TPM Eswaran , Rao Chythra R
Published: May 2024

Background
Optimizing 24-hour movement behaviors (physical activity, sleep, and sedentary time) is crucial for prevention of non-communicable diseases (NCDs). However, the association between the aforementioned 24-hour movement behaviors and the risk of NCDs remains largely obscured in low-middle income countries. The present study aimed to explore the association between 24-hour movement behaviors and the occurrence of NCDs.
Methods
An online survey was administered among 310 community dwelling adults (age 34.3 ± 11.3 years) of coastal Karnataka, enquiring sociodemographic profiles, 24-hour movement behaviors (physical activity levels, sedentary time and sleep time) and presence of NCDs’. Linear and logistic regression models were employed to explore the association.
Results
While spending 7.5 hours (33%) on sleep, the respondents spend 30% (425 min/day) in LIPA, 19% (270 min/day) of typical day sedentary and 18% (264 min/day) of day involved in MVPA. Higher sleep time was associated with higher odds of NCDs (estimate, β = 0.20, odds ratio = 0.82, p = 0.025). Subgroup analyses showed age and body mass were positively associated with NCDs, while lower socio-economic status was associated with lower sitting time (β = -3.84, p = 0.009) and lower light physical activity time (-318.49, p = 0.018).
Conclusion
High 24-hour movement behaviors and lower odds of NCDs were found among inhabitants of Udupi. Higher age, body mass index and long sleep hours were associated with higher risk of NCDs. The study warrants the need of addressing body mass and sleep levels along with physical activity levels in the prevention of NCDs.
Clinical efficacy of ureteroscopy-assisted laparoscopic ureteroplasty in the treatment of ureteral stricture after pelvic surgery
Authors: Xiao Jiansheng , Liu Tairong , Zhu Qiuhua , Qiu Linling , Ge Jiaqi , Chen Hua
Published: May 2024

Objective
This study is to investigate the safety and efficacy of ureteroscope-assisted laparoscopic ureteroplasty in treating ureteral stricture after pelvic surgery.
Methods
A retrospective analysis of the clinical data of 95 patients treated for ureteral stricture at Ganzhou People's Hospital from June 2017 to March 2023 after pelvic surgery. In this group, 49 patients underwent ureteroscope and laparoscopic ureteroplasty under lithotomy position. The control group consisted of 46 patients who underwent simple laparoscopic ureteroplasty in a supine position. Postoperative data from both groups were collected and compared, including operation time, amount of blood loss during surgery, postoperative hospital stay, incidence of complications, success rate of ureteroplasty, and effectiveness of the operation.
Results
The success rate of end-to-end ureteral anastomosis in the observation group was 93.88%, and the operation effectiveness rate was 100%. The success rate in the control group was 78.26% and the operation effectiveness rate was 89.1%.The average operation time and intraoperative blood loss in the observation group were (121.3±44.6) min and (137.5 ±34.2) ml, respectively, while in the control group they were (151.2±52.3) min and (165.6±45.8) ml. The difference were statistically significant (P<0.05). The incidence of perioperative complications in the observation group was 2%, significantly lower than that in the control group (19.6%) (P<0.05).
Conclusion
Ureteroscope-assisted laparoscopic ureteroplasty for ureteral stricture after pelvic surgery has the advantages of shortened operation time, increased success rate, and reduced incidence of complications, making it an optional surgical scheme in clinical practice.
A Case Study on the trend of poverty and its impact on the economic growth of Indian Economy
Authors: Gupta Aryan Gupta , Rathore Bhanu Pratap Singh Rathore , Srivast Mukund Srivastava , Jha Divyansh Jha
Published: May 2024

Education is a multidimensional process, on one side, it enhances economic growth and on the other side, it reduces poverty by increasing productivity. Poverty has strong connections with education and economic growth. This study utilizes time series data from 1975 to 2022 on physical capital, poverty, education, and its subsequent impact on economic growth.
The primary objective of this study is to explore how variations in poverty rates, levels of education, and investments in physical infrastructure influence GDP growth in developing nations. Through the use of secondary data from reputable sources such as the World Development Indicators (WDI) database and the World Bank, we conduct detailed regression analyses, correlation tests, and Granger causality tests to examine the impact of these factors on economic performance.
This study delves deeply into the complex relationship between Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and key socioeconomic factors—poverty, education, and physical capital—in India. Education and physical capital affects economic growth positively and significantly. And, poverty and economic growth are inversely and significantly related.
Additionally, the study incorporates elasticity analysis to quantify the responsiveness of GDP to changes in education, physical capital, and poverty levels. These elasticity measures provide valuable insights into the potential outcomes of policy interventions aimed at promoting education, infrastructure development, and poverty alleviation strategies.
The implications of this research are significant for policymakers and stakeholders in the development community. By gaining a deeper understanding of the mechanisms driving economic growth in developing countries, decision-makers can formulate more effective and targeted policies to promote inclusive and sustainable development.
Understanding the effects of weather parameters on the population dynamics of an endangered geophyte supports monitoring efficiency
Authors: Kiss Réka , Lukács Katalin , Godó Laura , Tóth Ágnes , Miglécz Tamás , Szél László , Demeter László , Deák Balázs , Valkó Orsolya
Published: May 2024

Due to their complex life-cycles geophytes are often neglected or mistreated during monitoring and conservation activities, despite they are important elements of early-spring communities. Their life-cycle is often strongly affected by weather parameters, i.e. temperature, precipitation, and light, but the main and combined effects of these parameters are often contradictory and show high intra-annual variability even within species. Deeper knowledge about the biotic and abiotic factors affecting the population dynamics of geophytes is needed to support the designation of evidence-based effective conservation plans. In our study we aimed to explore the link between weather parameters and population dynamics of Colchicum bulbocodium Ker-Gawl., an endangered and strictly protected geophyte. We monitored three phenological phases (flowering, assimilation, fruiting) of in total 1,069 individuals in Hungary, in permanent plots for six consecutive years. The effects of temperature- and precipitation-related weather parameters, as well as plot characteristics on the response variables were studied with generalized linear mixed models. Our results showed that phenology of C. bulbocodium was more strongly related to the actual weather than to the lagged effect of weather parameters of the previous year. Increasing temperature and lack of cold periods had negative effect on all phenophases. We highlighted that population estimation based on the number of flowering individuals in a single year can underestimate population size by 40–83%. Monitoring in years following wet and cold springs and cold winters could increase the accuracy of population estimations of the flowering individuals, while surveys in cold springs can estimate reproduction success the most accurately.
Associations between Systemic Inflammatory Biomarkers and Metabolic Dysfunction Associated Steatotic Liver Disease: Findings from NHANES
Authors: Qiu Xin , Shen Shuang , Lu Donghong , Jiang Nizhen , Feng Yifei , Li Jindu , Yang Chenglei , Xiang Bangde
Published: May 2024

Metabolic Dysfunction Associated Steatotic Liver Disease (MASLD) represents the most prevalent form of chronic liver disease and can progress to cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). While systemic inflammatory biomarkers have been linked to various liver diseases, their roles in MASLD remain uncertain. This cross-sectional study enrolled 6613 adults aged 20 years or older from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) spanning from 2017 to March 2020. The study incorporated 10 inflammatory biomarkers, including ALI, SIRI, SII, SIPS, IBI, NLR, PLR, CAR, LMR, and PNI. Logistic regression, RCS regression, segmented regression, and subgroup analyses were implemented to explore the relationship between systemic inflammatory biomarkers and MASLD. After adjusting for vital confounders, half of the examined markers exhibited a significant association with MASLD, especially ALI, IBI, PLR, and CAR (P < 0.001). Most of these systemic inflammatory biomarkers, including ALI, SIRI, IBI, CAR, LMR, and PNI, demonstrated an obvious non-linear correlation with MASLD (P < 0.05). Moreover, the majority of these markers (SIRI, SII, IBI, NLR, PLR, and PNI) displayed notable variations in their associations with MASLD among various BMI categories (P < 0.05). In conclusion, systemic inflammatory biomarkers demonstrated a significant association with MASLD risk. Further large-scale prospective studies may be warranted to validate this relationship.
Genetic potential and diversity of rice land races for grain Fe content
Authors: Deepika K. , Shanmugam A. , Manimaran R. , Pushpa R. , Bama K. Sathya , Umamageswari C. , Suresh R.
Published: May 2024

The study was aimed to identify rice genotypes with high Fe content and to study the extent of genetic divergence based on morphological and grain quality traits in a set of 50 native landraces of rice.Wide variation for grain Fe content was observed among the studied genotypes, which ranged from 9.28–14.45 mgkg− 1and 1.88–4.87mgkg− 1in brown and polished rice respectively. The genotypes viz.,Jaya, Kalanamak, KottaraSamba, Gandakasala and Gopal bhog recorded high grain Fe contentbefore polishing whereas,KottaraSamba, KalapathiBlack, Jyothi, Chinnar and Kalanamakwere found to have high Fe content after polishing.Interestingly, landraces possessing red seed coat color and medium slender grain group were identified to possess high grain Fe content. This was further substantiated by the correlation study where kernel breadth recorded negative association with Fe content after polishing. Clustering resulted into five groups where the high Fe content possessing genotypes were grouped into clustersviz., two and four. Thus, these genotypes could be utilized as donors in further biofortification breeding programmes.
Exploiting Shared and Distinctive Representations for Enhanced Multi-Modality Medical Image Analysis
Authors: Wang Zhixian , Zhang Tao , Huang Wu
Published: May 2024

Multi-modality medical image classification aims to combine information from different modalities or devices to generate comprehensive and accurate diagnostic results. Existing research methods have ignored two characteristics of medical images across different phases: the highly redundant background and may exist the low differentiation between different phases. Based on the idea of disentangled representation learning, we introduce a dual-branch network to disentangle images into shared features and modality-specific features. And based on the properties of different features, we propose a prototypical loss and a similar prototypical loss to constrain the two types of features, respectively. Our approach achieves strong performance in classification on LLD-MMRI dataset and fusion on ANNLIB dataset. Extensive ablation studies validate the contribution of each component of our framework.
Trajectory optimization of manipulator based on particle swarm optimization with mutation strategy
Authors: Yi Luo , Yan Shi , Qiang Chen , Xiangjie Dong
Published: May 2024

In order to solve the problems of slow convergence speed and low convergence accuracy of adaptive particle swarm algorithm, a particle swarm optimization algorithm based on the mutation strategy in the differential evolution algorithm was proposed.Based on the adaptive inertia weight update formula with the improved power finger function and the particle swarm optimization with dynamic learning factor, the variation link in the differential evolution algorithm is introduced to enhance the ability of particles to explore the solution space and improve the convergence speed and accuracy of the algorithm.Taking the medium-sized manipulator PUMA560 as the research object, the posture of each joint under the constraint of key points was determined by the robot inverse kinematics, and the spatial pose curve fitting of the six joints of the manipulator was carried out by using the five-order polynomial.Under the constraint of the maximum angular velocity of rad/s, the shortest motion time of the manipulator is the goal to be optimized, and the mutation strategy is introduced in the iteration, and the particle population under the current iteration is used as the parent to mutate and generate a new population, so as to improve the diversity of the population.Simulation experiments on the MATLAB platform show that the convergence speed and convergence accuracy of the particle swarm optimization algorithm with the mutation strategy for the adaptive particle swarm optimization algorithm, and the pose curves of each joint change are smooth and continuous.The final optimization time was reduced by 50.01% compared to the initial planning time.
Trajectories and predictive significance of inflammatory parameters for clinical outcome in COVID-19 patients treated with tocilizumab
Authors: Gliga Smaranda , Massion Pascal , Ackermann Carla , de Angelis Clara , Flasshove Charlotte , Freise Noemi , Lübke Nadine , Timm Jörg , Bode Johannes , Jensen Björn-Erik Ole , Luedde Tom , Orth Hans Martin , Feldt Torsten
Published: May 2024

Purpose: The IL-6 receptor inhibitor tocilizumab reduces mortality and morbidity in severe cases of COVID-19 through its effects on hyperinflammation and was approved as adjuvant therapy. Since tocilizumab changes the levels of inflammatory markers, we aimed to describe these changes in patients treated with tocilizumab, analyse their value in predicting death and bacterial superinfection and determine their influence on mortality rates.
Methods: A retrospective analysis of 76 patients who were treated with tocilizumab for severe COVID-19 in 2020 and 2021 was conducted. Inflammatory markers (IL-6, C-reactive protein (CRP), procalcitonin) were documented before and up to seven days after tocilizumab administration.
Results: The overall mortality was 25 % and 53.8 % in patients who required invasive respiratory support. Deceased patients had higher baseline IL-6 (p=0.026) and peak IL-6 levels after tocilizumab vs those who survived (p<0.0001). A peak IL-6 value >1000 pg/dl after tocilizumab administration was a good predictor of mortality (AUC=0.812). Of the deceased patients 41.1 % had a renewed CRP increase after an initial decrease following tocilizumab administration, compared to 7.1 % of the surviving patients (p=0.0011). Documented bacterial superinfections were observed in 35.5 % (27/76) of patients, of whom 48.1 % (13/27) died.
Conclusion: CRP-decline and IL-6 increase after tocilizumab treatment occurs regularly. An increase of IL-6 levels exceeding tenfold of baseline IL-6 levels, an absolute peak of 1000pg/ml or a renewed increase of CRP are associated with higher mortality. Suppressed CRP synthesis can impede the diagnosis of bacterial superinfections, thus increasing the risk for complications.
Technical quality of oak (Quercus sp.) wood from archaeological excavations in Elbląg Old Town
Authors: Lachowicz Hubert , Kulak Patrycja , Komorowicz Magdalena , Marcinkowski Mirosław , Sieńkowska Urszula
Published: May 2024

Experiments were conducted to determine the chemical composition and the structural, physical, and mechanical properties of historical oak wood from archaeological excavations in Elbląg (Poland). The small average ring width (1.72 mm) indicates that the foundation sill wood came from trees growing in natural forests. The wood fibres have an average length of 1.33 mm and a width of 0.0193 mm. The narrow lumen (0.0055 mm) and high cell wall thickness (0.0069 mm) contribute to the low elasticity of the fibres (0.2814). The chemical composition of the wood has undergone only slight changes, mainly due to a decrease in the content of substances soluble in water (especially cold), ethanol, and 1% NaOH. The cellulose content (38.43%) is close to that found in contemporary wood, while the content of pentosans (22.14%) is slightly lower, and the lignin content (27.35%) is higher. Contents of nitrogen, sulphur, chlorine, and the proportion of ash in the wood (1.8%) were shown to be higher. The wood has a high air-dry density (787 kg/m3), this being the result of penetration by inorganic substances. It also exhibited strong moisture-induced deformation (20.34% in the tangential and 10.18% in the radial direction). Static bending strength was higher (96 MPa), but compression strength parallel to the grain (50 MPa) and modulus of elasticity (11.006 MPa) were lower than in contemporary wood. The anaerobic conditions and a high groundwater level in which the wood had remained had not significantly impaired its technical quality, except for a large increase in wood shrinkage.
Limited bisphenol A (BPA) degradation acceleration by pre-acclimating microplastic biofilms with BPA in natural lake water
Authors: Gao Xiang , Zhao Renxin , Jiang Jinhui
Published: May 2024

Background: Bisphenol A (BPA) and microplastics are prevalent in aquatic environments. Microplastic biofilms play a crucial role in the environmental degradation of BPA, but related research is lacking. We designed experiments to investigate the effect of BPA on microplastic biofilms and the effect of pre-acclimating biofilms on BPA degradation.
Results: Even at low concentrations (0.1 mg L-1), BPA significantly reduced microplastic biofilm biomass (P < 0.05). High-throughput 16S rRNA sequencing revealed that BPA altered biofilm diversity, as evidenced by changes in Chao-1 and Shannon indices. The primary phyla in the microplastic biofilm included Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Actinobacteria, and Firmicutes. On the 7th day of biofilm formation, the dominant bacterial genus shifted from Ohtaekwangia to Bdellovibrio in groups with BPA treatment, and the relative abundance of Bdellovibrio reached 4.32% ± 5.34%. On the 14th day, Methylobacillus significantly increased in all treatments compared with the 7th day (P < 0.05). Adonis analysis demonstrated that the metabolic composition of the bacterial community also changed significantly (P < 0.05). BPA (0.1 mg L-1) pre-acclimation of microplastic biofilms led to a significant increase in the amount of BPA-degrading bacteria with no significant effect on BPA degradation efficiency. After 7 days, the BPA removal rate in high-concentration microplastic treatments (1600 mg L-1) reached > 90%.
Conclusions: Biofilms significantly increased the BPA degradation rate by 174.78% to 889.25% on the third day, indicating that the biofilm accelerates BPA degradation efficiency in the short term. Our findings provide a foundation for further understanding the environmental risks associated with the coexistence of bisphenols and microplastics.
Identification of a novel mutation of Alpha-L-iduronidase gene in Tunisian families
Authors: Rebai Mariem , Chkioua Latifa , Amri Yessine , Sahli Chayma , Fodah Hajer , Massoud Taieb , Boudabous Hela , Abdennebi Hassen ben , Ferchichi Salima
Published: May 2024

Background: Mucopolysaccharidosis type I (MPS I) is a lysosomal storage disease caused by α-L-iduronidase (IDUA) deficiency. MPS I is a severe condition with a heterogeneous clinical spectrum including progressive visceral, bone and, in severe forms, neurological damage. The aim of this study was the detection of a novel mutation and a mutation that has been already described in the IDUAgene from four MPS I patients with various clinical phenotypes (severe; 2 cases, intermediate 1 case and mild; 1 case).
Patients and methods: Biological and molecular studies were carried out on 4 patients from 3 distinct families, each from a consanguineous marriage and originating from different regions of Tunisia: Mahres (Sax), Skhira (Sfax) and Kairouan. Indeed, bioinformatics software were used to predict the potential functional impact of the identified mutations on IDUA protein.
Results: Two IDUA mutations were detected: one is a p.His356_Gln362del mutation, a novel mutation found in two patients with a severe phenotype. The other mutation p.P533R that produces an intermediate and a mild phenotype was found in two patients.
Crystallographic analysis of the IDUA protein revealed that an amino acid sequence spanning from His 356 to Gln 362 forms an essential bend involved in substrate binding. Indeed, the new mutation results in a deletion of seven amino acids (His356_Gln362del) of this elbow, resulting in undectable enzymatic activity. This observation was confirmed in patient P3, who died at the age of 6 years. The p.P533R mutation involves the modification of a proline amino acid with an arginine in the IDUA protein. This substitution results in the introduction of a bulkier amino acid, requiring more space in the contact region between the β-sheet structure and the substrate-bound helix. It is likely that this leads to a decrease in the affinity between the IDUA protein and its substrate.
Conclusion: Our study on the genetic profile of MPSI has provided more information into the disease, particularly through the identification of a novel small deletion (His356_Gln362del) and the identification of the most frequently encountered in Tunisian population p.P533R.
Methylene Blue Dye Removal Utilizing Green Waste-Banana Stem Based Biomass
Authors: Kumar Sanjay , Keralia Jenius Jayesh , Sarkar Ila Jogesh Ramala , Shah Maulin Pramod
Published: May 2024

Industrial dyes are used extensively for manufacturing of textile, painting, paper, food and leather etc. The existence of those artificial dyes creates negative impact to the aquatic organisms and human beings when release without treating to the ecosystem. The dyes comprise of toxic and multi faceted elements. Relating to the amount and its detrimental effects, it is essential to create efforts to decrease harmful dye concentration prior to discharge to the water bodies. Farming leftover has been exploring its adsorption capabilities to remove dyes from textile wastewater. In this work, banana stem activated carbon as adsorbent was investigated for methylene blue dye removal and its efficiency was analyzed. The adsorption was examined by changing several constraints for example; pH of dye solutions, activated carbon doses, dye concentration etc.
Sombor Index of Sun and Broken Sun Graphs and Its Application
Authors: Mohammadi Maryam , Barzegar Hasan
Published: May 2024

In this paper, at first, we study the (reduced and average) Somber index of the sun graphs and broken sun graphs in total state and express some theories about them. Then we obtain the Sombor index of these graphs with their Zagreb index and finally compare it with the boiling point and molecular mass of aromatic hydrocarbons.
Structural, biochemical characterization and molecular mechanism of Cerastokunin: A new Kunitz-type peptide with potential inhibition of thrombin, factor Xa and platelets
Authors: Saghour Noussaiba , Chérifi Fatah , Saoud Samah , Zebbiche Younes , Meribai Amel , Bekkari Nadjia , Taright-Mahi Samya , Laraba-Djebari Fatima
Published: May 2024

The current investigation focused on separating Cerastes cerastes venom to produce the first Kunitz-type peptide. Three stages of chromatography were used to purify a 7.75 kDa peptide called Cerastokunin with pI 8.48 till homogeneity based on antitrypsin activity. Cerastokunin was found to include 67 amino acid residues that were obtained by de novo sequencing using LC-MALDI-MSMS. Upon alignment with kunitz-type peptides, there was a high degree of similarity. Cerastokunin's 3D structure had 12% α-helices and 21% β-strands. Cerastokunin showed a strong anticoagulant potential by completely eliminating the protease activity of thrombin and trypsin as well as blocking the intrinsic and extrinsic coagulation pathways. In both PT and aPPT, Cerastokunin increased the blood clotting time in a dose-dependent way. Using Lys48 and Gln192 for direct binding, Cerastokunin inhibited thrombin, Factor Xa and trypsin as shown by molecular docking. Cerastokunin exhibited a dose-response blockade of PARs-dependent pathway platelet once stimulated by thrombin. In vivo study showed a substantial reduction in tail thrombus of mice-carrageenan model; in contrast to antithrombotic medications, this antithrombosis was boosted by a greater dose of Cerastokunin. Throughout the trial course, no in vivo toxicity was observed in challenged mice at any of Cerastokunin doses up to 6 mg/kg.
Automating Translation of Scientific Literature for Different Languages
Authors: Gupta Rishabh , Hemani Harsh , Sakthivel N. , Malshe U.D.
Published: May 2024

The increasing volume of scientific research necessitates efficient and accurate methods for processing and disseminating knowledge across languages. This paper presents a pipeline for the comprehensive translation of scientific documents, addressing crucial gaps in existing open-source solutions. Our pipeline encompasses four key stages: PDF-to-image conversion for enhanced document layout analysis, robust text recognition, language-specific translation tailored to scientific terminology, and document reconstruction. Our pipeline establishes a way for one-click translation of scientific documents from other languages into English, addressing a critical need in the scientific community. The pipeline comprises four stages: PDF-to-image conversion, robust text recognition, language-specific translation, and document reconstruction. Text recognition is enhanced through image processing techniques, while translation is tailored to scientific terminology using domain-specific translation models. Experiments demonstrate significant improvement of translation accuracy compared to other open-source models for Russian reaching BLUE score 45 for Scientific documents . We demonstrate the efficacy of our approach through experiments, showing significant improvements in translation accuracy by significantly reducing errors in scientific terminology and by predicting optimized document structure.
The biocontrol efficacy endophytic bacteria against fungal plant pathogens Cercospora punicae and Ceratocystis fimbriata
Authors: Thankam Shaju Reema , Manuel Suba G.A
Published: May 2024

With the constant raise in the world population, the demand for food supply has increased. Even though the use of agrochemicals helps in controlling pests and pathogens and increasing yield, it causes major environmental pollution. Hence, biocontrol which involves the use of living organisms or their metabolic by-products to control pests and pathogens, is important. Endophytes are a major biocontrol’s used and their association with other symbiotic bacteria helps in improving nutrient acquisition and resistance. In the present study the biocontrol efficacy of six endophytic bacteria (bacterial consortium) were assessed against two fungal pathogens (Cercospora punicae and Ceratocystis fimbriata). The seedlings were inoculated with bacterial consortium (Test). The untreated seedlings were labelled as Control. They were challenge inoculated with fungal pathogens and the plant growth parameters were recorded for 45 days. Percentage of infection, biological control efficacy, and disease incidence were calculated. The successful transmission of the endophytes was assessed through isolation of the endophytes from the soil and the seedlings and imaging the plant tissues using confocal microscope. The ability of endophytes to release certain bioactive compounds like chitinase, siderophores, indole acetic acid, hydrogen cyanide, and 2,4- Diacetyl phloroglucinol was also analysed. The seedlings in Test showed better growth and resistance against fungal pathogens when compared to Control. The biocontrol efficacy was 87.45 ± 2.55 and 88.47 ± 2.79% in Test respectively. Confocal imaging showed successful transmission of endophytes into the plant tissue. The endophytes were able to release bioactive compounds, thus increasing the plant’s ability to resist fungal pathogens and grow.
Homogeneity analysis of daily precipitation series in Paraná State, southern Brazil
Authors: Silva André Rodrigues da , Bolonhez Bruna Forestieri , Pinheiro Hemerson Donizete
Published: May 2024

The analysis of extreme precipitation events plays a crucial role in the management of water resources, infrastructure, public water supply, agriculture, fire control, and public health. For an accurate characterization of precipitation events using historical series, the observed variations must be solely attributable to weather and climate conditions. This study aimed to identify homogeneous gauge stations in Paraná State, southern Brazil, based on four statistical tests (SNHT, Buishand, Pettitt, and von Neumann) and conduct a homogeneity analysis of daily rainfall data. Missing values were imputed into the time series, and only stations with up to 25% of data gaps were included. Of the 482 stations analyzed in the state, 73.7% (n = 355) demonstrated homogeneity, 11.6% (n = 56) were considered doubtful, and 14.7% (n= 71) were deemed suspect. The highest number of homogeneity breaks was recorded from 1990 to 2005. The number of breaks during this period was estimated at 75 (59.1%) by SNHT, 86 (67.7%) by the Buishand test, and 89 (70.1%) by the Pettitt test. The year with the highest number of homogeneity breaks was 1998, with 81 breaks identified by the Pettitt test. These breaks may be related to El Niño and La Niña phenomena, given that a large sample of rainfall stations was analyzed in the study.
Synthetic biology design principles enable efficient bioproduction of Heparosan with low polydispersion index for the biomedical industry
Authors: Boada Yadira , Vázquez Marcelo Flores , Córdova Marco , Flores Francisco J , Vignoni Alejandro
Published: May 2024

Heparosan, a natural polymer with unique chemical and biological properties, holds great promise for various biomedical applications. Of particular interest is the production of low molecular weight and low polydisperse heparosan polymers, which offer enhanced functionality and suitability for therapeutic and diagnostic purposes. Polydispersity, a measure of the distribution of molecular weight within a polymer sample, is a critical factor influencing the performance of heparosan-based materials. Achieving precise control over the synthesis process to consistently produce heparosan with low molecular weight and low polydispersity index can be challenging, requiring tight regulation of reaction conditions, enzyme activity, and precursor concentrations. To address this challenge, we propose a novel approach utilizing synthetic biology principles to precisely control heparosan biosynthesis in Escherichia coli (E. coli). Our strategy involves the design and implementation of a biomolecular controller capable of regulating the expression of genes involved in heparosan biosynthesis using biosensors of both precursors, thereby enabling fine-tuned control over the polymerization process. Through this approach, we successfully envision the implementation of the proposed system, demonstrating the potential to produce heparosan in probiotic E. coli Nissle 1917 with a low Mw and a low PDI that meets the stringent quality standards required for biomedical applications. This study represents a significant advancement in the field of heparosan production, offering new opportunities for the development of advanced biomaterials with tailored properties for diverse biomedical applications.
Variation of Amino acid composition in dried bovine dairy powders from a range of product streams
Authors: Gilmour Simon Robert , Holroyd Stephen E. , Fuad Maher D. , Elgar Dave , Fanning Aaron C.
Published: May 2024

Multiple samples of a range of dairy powders were analysed for their amino acid (AA) content, allowing an in-depth analysis of the differences between their AA profiles and how various manufacturing processes give rise to the differences between product types. The products analysed were whole milk powder (WMP), skim milk powder (SMP), cheese whey protein concentrate (WPC-C), lactic acid whey protein concentrate (WPC-L), high fat whey protein concentrate (WPC-HF), hydrolysed whey protein concentrate (WPH) and demineralised whey protein (D90). Analysis demonstrated that WMP and SMP share broadly similar AA profiles with minor differences that were most probably due to the small levels of protein in milk fat, which is close to absent in SMP. When comparing WPC-C and WPC-L, there were higher levels of threonine, serine, glutamic acid, and proline in the former, but lower levels of tyrosine, phenylalanine and tryptophan. This is due to these products being separated from casein via different methods. WPI and WPC-HF show differences in the levels of every AA with the exception of histidine; they originate from similar sweet whey streams, but then processing diverges, resulting in the AA variation. D90 was consistently lower in every AA when compared with WPC-C; while both originate from sweet whey streams, D90 has a nanofiltration step in its manufacture that increases its non-protein nitrogen content, impacting its AA levels.
Reducing Spatial Discretization Error on Coarse CFD Simulations Using an OpenFOAM-Embedded Deep Learning Framework
Authors: Gonzalez-Sieiro Jesus , Pardo David , Nava Vincenzo , Calo Victor M. , Towara Markus
Published: May 2024

We propose a method for reducing the spatial discretization error of coarse computational fluid dynamics (CFD) problems by enhancing the quality of low-resolution simulations using a deep learning model fed with high-quality data. We substitute the default differencing scheme for the convection term by a feed-forward neural network that interpolates velocities from cell centers to face values to produce velocities that approximate the fine-mesh data well. The deep learning framework incorporates the open-source CFD code OpenFOAM, resulting in an end-to-end differentiable model. We automatically differentiate the CFD physics using a discrete adjoint code version. We present a fast communication method between TensorFlow (Python) and OpenFOAM (c++) that accelerates the training process. We applied the model to the flow past a square cylinder problem, reducing the error to about 50% for simulations outside the training distribution compared to the traditional solver in the x- and y-velocity components using an 8x coarser mesh. The training is affordable in terms of time and data samples since the architecture exploits the local features of the physics while generating stable predictions for mid-term simulations.
Metabolic flexibility and resting autonomic function in active menopausal women
Authors: Monferrer-Marín Jordi , Roldán Ainoa , Helge Jørn Wulff , Blasco-Lafarga Cristina
Published: May 2024

Purpose The present study aims to analyze the relationship between cardiac autonomic control at rest - i.e., baseline Heart Rate Variability (HRV)-, and metabolic flexibility assessed by means of the FATox and CHOox oxidation rates at the intensities of maximum fat and carbohydrate oxidation (MFO and MCO, respectively).Methods Twenty-four active over-60 women (66.8 ± 4.4 years) had their HRV assessed with 10 min recordings under resting conditions and this was analysed with Kubios Scientific software. After this an incremental submaximal cycling test, starting at 30 watts, with increments of 10 watts every 3 min 15 sec was performed. FATox & CHOox were calculated in the last 60sec at each step, using Frayn's equation. MFO and MCO were further obtained.Results Nonlinear SampEn and 1-DFAα1 (Detrending Fluctuation Analysis score) at rest, were both moderate and significantly (p < 0.05) related to FATox (r = 0.43, r=-0.40) and CHOox (r=-0.59, r = 0.41), as well as RER (r=-0.43, r = 0.43) at FATmax intensity. At the MCO intensity, no association was observed between HRV and oxidation rates. However, DFAα1 (r=-0.63, p < 0.05), the frequency ratio LF/HF (r=-0.63, p < 0.05), and the Poincaré ratio SD1/SD2 (r = 0.48, p < 0.05), were correlated with blood lactate concentration.Conclusion These results are in line with the autonomic resources hypothesis (better autonomic function at rest as a consequence of enhanced metabolic flexibility) in postmenopausal women, supporting the comprehensive analysis of cardiovascular-autonomic health with ageing. The results imply that nonlinear DFAα1 and SampEn are appropriate to analyze this association in health of the ageing cardiovascular-autonomic system.
Navigating influence: Unraveling the impact of micro-influencer attributes on consumer choices in the Chinese social media
Authors: Hu Jimin , Sidek Shafie , Abd Rahman Azmawani , Nerina Raja Yusof Raja
Published: May 2024

This study aims to explore the relationship between consumer purchasing behavior and key micro-influencer attributes, including knowledge, entertainment value, credibility, and transparency, within the context of Chinese social media platforms. The paper adopts a quantitative approach, employing partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) to analyze the intricate relationships among latent variables. The respondents comprise active users of major Chinese social media platforms, such as Weibo and Xiaohongshu. For primary data collection, 329 respondents were surveyed online, utilizing a convenient sampling method as part of non-probability sampling. Data collection spanned four weeks, and participants were given the option to respond in either English or Mandarin. The findings suggest significant associations between consumer purchasing behavior and micro-influencer attributes. Specifically, knowledge, entertainment value, credibility, and transparency exhibit varying degrees of influence on consumer behavior within the Chinese social media landscape. The p-value for H1, H2, H3, and H7 appeared as 0.000 and shows that these are the highly significant relations, whereas the p-value for H3 (0.019), for H5 (0.001), and for H6 (0.028) shows that these relations play a moderate role in the proposed model. Elucidating the role of key attributes provides valuable insights for marketers and businesses seeking to leverage micro-influencer marketing strategies effectively in this rapidly evolving digital landscape.