bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Insight into the Mechanism of Ultrasonic Activation of Persulfate for Enhancing the Removal of Tetracycline Hydrochloride
Authors: Yang Wenlong , Lu Chun , Liu Xiaoxiao , Nie Guangze , Wang Weiwei
Published: January 2025

Tetracycline is often used in treating various diseases or infections, which also leads to severe environmental threats due to its toxicity, durability, and low biodegradation. Meanwhile, although ultrasound (US)-assisted activation of persulfate (PS) is a promising technology for water and wastewater treatment, its reaction mechanism is still not well-defined. Herein, we explored the effect of the enhanced mechanism of ultrasonic activation of peroxymonosulfate (PMS) on the degradation of tetracycline hydrochloride (TCH). The findings revealed that the US/PMS system was highly effective in degrading TCH, achieving an 83.2% degradation efficiency for a TCH concentration of 10 mg/L within 3 h. Moreover, the combination of radical quenching experiments and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) analysis confirmed the generation of different types of reactive radicals (such as sulfate radical (SO4•−), hydroxyl radical (•OH), superoxide anions (•O2−), and singlet oxygen (1O2)) upon PMS activation under ultrasonic cavitation. Thus, US-assisted activation of persulfate is a more promising strategy for efficient removal of refractory organic contaminants in wastewater.
Ubiquitination Enzymes in Cancer, Cancer Immune Evasion, and Potential Therapeutic Opportunities
Authors: Awan Aiman B. , Osman Maryiam Jama Ali , Khan Omar M.
Published: January 2025

Ubiquitination is cells’ second most abundant posttranslational protein modification after phosphorylation. The ubiquitin–proteasome system (UPS) is critical in maintaining essential life processes such as cell cycle control, DNA damage repair, and apoptosis. Mutations in ubiquitination pathway genes are strongly linked to the development and spread of multiple cancers since several of the UPS family members possess oncogenic or tumor suppressor activities. This comprehensive review delves into understanding the ubiquitin code, shedding light on its role in cancer cell biology and immune evasion. Furthermore, we highlighted recent advances in the field for targeting the UPS pathway members for effective therapeutic intervention against human cancers. We also discussed the recent update on small-molecule inhibitors and PROTACs and their progress in preclinical and clinical trials.
Effect of Study-Duration and Time of Day on Multichannel Sleep Study Findings in Former Preterm Infants
Authors: Sadowski Allison , Hussain Naveed , Eisenfeld Leonard I. , Pappagallo Mariann , Schwenn Janet , Rosenkrantz Ted S.
Published: January 2025

Background/Objectives: Determine the appropriate duration for multichannel sleep studies in former preterm infants with cardio-respiratory events beyond term equivalent age. Hypothesis: A sleep study of 10 h will provide equivalent information compared to a 20-h study to detect significant cardio-respiratory abnormalities in this population. Methods: Single-center retrospective study of 50 infants with 20-h sleep study. Studies were evaluated for periodic breathing, obstructive, central, mixed apnea, desaturations, and bradycardia. Each study was partitioned into two 10-h epochs, compared to one another and the 20-h study. Results: Differences were detected at the level of individual sleep studies when each epoch was compared to each other and a total 20-h study. 10-h study missed 17–31% of breathing abnormalities detected over 20 h adjusted for study time. Group analysis showed no statistical difference in the number and duration of events between epochs. Conclusions: A 20-h sleep study improves the detection of breathing abnormalities missed with a 10-h study.
Optimizing Natural Image Quality Evaluators for Quality Measurement in CT Scan Denoising
Authors: Gunawan Rudy , Tran Yvonne , Zheng Jinchuan , Nguyen Hung , Chai Rifai
Published: January 2025

Evaluating the results of image denoising algorithms in Computed Tomography (CT) scans typically involves several key metrics to assess noise reduction while preserving essential details. Full Reference (FR) quality evaluators are popular for evaluating image quality in denoising CT scans. There is limited information about using Blind/No Reference (NR) quality evaluators in the medical image area. This paper shows the previously utilized Natural Image Quality Evaluator (NIQE) in CT scans; this NIQE is commonly used as a photolike image evaluator and provides an extensive assessment of the optimum NIQE setting. The result was obtained using the library of good images. Most are also part of the Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) training dataset against the testing dataset, and a new dataset shows an optimum patch size and contrast levels suitable for the task. This evidence indicates a possibility of using the NIQE as a new option in evaluating denoised quality to find improvement or compare the quality between CNN models.
Response Analysis of Microbial Community Structures and Functions Under Water and Sediment Changes in the Middle and Lower Yellow River
Authors: Wu Ji , Hong Quan , Zhang Jin , Xie Chen , Liu Yang , Li Dandan , Liu Hao , Fan Ziwu
Published: January 2025

Safety and ecological health are restricted by the high amount of suspended sediment in the Yellow River. To solve the problems of the high sediment content and siltation in the Yellow River, the Xiaolangdi Reservoir (XLDR) has been carrying out water–sediment regulation (WSR) since 2002. To clarify the effects of the water and sediment changes caused by WSR on microbial communities, we analysed the composition of the microbial communities and functional groups in surface water and sediments before and after WSR using high-throughput sequencing and microbial functional annotation. Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, Bacteroidetes, and Firmicutes were detected as the main microbial communities in the Yellow River’s middle and lower reaches. The water temperature (WT), dissolved oxygen (DO), total nitrogen (TN), total phosphorus (TP), and evolution of the microbial communities were all correlated (p < 0.05). The biodiversity indices of the surface water and sediment microbes, respectively, greatly declined. The WSR programme broke down nutrients that had been adsorbed on the sediments, which diminished microbial metabolic activity and impaired the water bodies’ capacity to purify themselves. In summary, this study provides the biological information needed for the ecological conservation of the Yellow River basin, as well as insights into the changes in and response characteristics of microorganisms following severe disturbances in rivers with high sediment concentrations.
Impact of Nasal Anatomical Variation Subtype on Surgical Outcomes for Rhinogenic Contact Point Headache
Authors: Lavalle Salvatore , Pace Annalisa , Magliulo Giuseppe , Lentini Mario , Lechien Jerome Rene , Calvo-Henriquez Christian , Parisi Federica Maria , Iannella Giannicola , Maniaci Antonino , Messineo Daniela
Published: January 2025

Background/Objectives: Rhinogenic contact point headache (RCPH) is a controversial secondary headache disorder involving mucosal contact points in the nasal sinuses. The efficacy of surgical versus medical management has been debated, with some studies showing excellent long-term outcomes but others citing placebo effects. This study aimed to clarify the correlation with nasal anatomical variation detected by CT and RCPH treatment outcomes. Methods: A prospective cohort study was conducted on 90 RCPH patients undergoing surgery or medical therapy. Patients were diagnosed using CT scans, endoscopy, and lidocaine testing. The surgery group had endoscopic procedures to remove contact points. The medical group received intranasal steroids. Outcomes were measured by visual analog scale (VAS) for pain and headache frequency. Predictors like age, gender, and nasal anatomical variations were analyzed. Results: The surgery group showed significant reductions in VAS scores (6.02 to 2.51, p < 0.001) and headache frequency (9.11 to 3.04, p < 0.001). The medical group did not improve significantly. All nasal subtypes improved with surgery but concha bullosa had worse VAS outcomes (4.0) than septal deviation (1.8, p < 0.001) or spur (1.73, p < 0.001). Multivariate analysis found nasal anomalies predicted postoperative VAS scores (p < 0.001) but not headache frequency (p = 0.255). Conclusions: Surgery demonstrated superiority over medications for RCPH. This study provides new evidence that preoperative CT scans should be considered a non-invasive gold standard for analyzing nasal subtypes as they significantly influence surgical success, with concha bullosa associated with worse pain relief. Larger studies should validate these findings to optimize RCPH management.
Valproic Acid Enhances Venetoclax Efficacy in Targeting Acute Myeloid Leukemia
Authors: Kawakatsu Renshi , Tadagaki Kenjiro , Yamasaki Kenta , Kuwahara Yasumichi , Yoshida Tatsushi
Published: January 2025

Background: Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a common and aggressive form of leukemia, yet current treatment strategies remain insufficient. Venetoclax, a BH3-mimetic approved for AML treatment, induces Bcl-2-dependent apoptosis, though its therapeutic efficacy is still limited. Therefore, new strategies to enhance the effect of venetoclax are highly sought. Valproic acid (VPA), commonly used for epilepsy, has also been studied for potential applications in AML treatment. Methods: AML cells were treated with venetoclax, with or without VPA. Cell viability was assessed using the trypan blue dye exclusion assay, while cell cycle progression was analyzed by flow cytometry. The expression of pro-apoptotic proteins Bax and Bak was measured by RT-qPCR. Results: Venetoclax and VPA individually had only mild effects on AML cell proliferation. However, their combination significantly inhibited cell growth and triggered pronounced cell death. This combination also led to the cleavage of poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP), a substrate of caspases, indicating activation of apoptosis. VPA treatment upregulated the expression of Bax and Bak, further supporting apoptosis induction. The cell death induced by the venetoclax–VPA combination was predominantly apoptotic, as confirmed by the near-complete blockade of cell death by a pan-caspase inhibitor. Conclusions: Our study demonstrates that VPA enhances venetoclax-induced apoptosis in AML cell lines, providing a novel role for VPA and suggesting a promising combinatory strategy for AML treatment. These findings offer valuable insights into potential clinical applications of venetoclax and VPA in AML management.
Promoting High Achievement for Disadvantaged Students: Co-Designing a School Self-Evaluation Process Aligned to Evidence of Successful Leadership Practice Across Five English Districts
Authors: Cockerill Maria , Grieveson Tom , Bingham Stephanie , O’Keeffe Joanne
Published: January 2025

Equity of education outcomes for all children continues to be a shared goal amongst education leaders, post-pandemic. In England, issues of underachievement are of particular concern in socio-economically disadvantaged regions. Nevertheless, a minority of schools demonstrate high achievement for students from high-poverty backgrounds. This paper reports on the process of co-designing a school self-evaluation tool aligned to seven key indicators which previous research findings suggest, if implemented together, enable school leaders to promote high academic achievement and well-being for all children. Guided by social interdependence theory, successful local school leaders worked collaboratively, supported by education researchers, to develop self-evaluation tools and peer-support structures. Together, they created the ‘High Achievement Review Programme’ (HARP). We discuss the co-design process of HARP, including the developed evaluation tools for schools.
Inquiring in the Science Classroom by PBL: A Design-Based Research Study
Authors: Pozuelo-Muñoz Jorge , de Echave Sanz Ana , Cascarosa Salillas Esther
Published: January 2025

The aim of this study has been the design and evaluation of a sequence of activities that promotes the development of scientific skills in secondary school. For this purpose, design-based research was conducted using a problem-solving methodology to learn as a tool to engage in scientific inquiry practice. The research was structured around the design, implementation, and evaluation phases, with specific tools created to assess both student learning outcomes and the validity of the TLS. These tools helped identify the performance levels achieved by students in the various stages of scientific inquiry, from formulating hypotheses to interpreting data, and also allowed for the evaluation of the teaching methodology’s effectiveness. The results indicated that the TLS significantly enhanced students’ scientific competence by promoting skills related to scientific inquiry, such as hypothesis formulation, variable identification, observation, data collection, and interpretation. Additionally, the use of a weather station as the central topic provided a context closely tied to the students’ local environment, which facilitated deeper engagement and understanding. The evaluation revealed that students progressed in their scientific inquiry skills, moving from “pre-scientific” to “uncertain inquirer” performance levels. While challenges such as initial disorientation and difficulties in representing experimental data were observed, the overall performance of students demonstrated the success of the TLS. Furthermore, the students worked collaboratively, contributing their individual skills and experiences to achieve group goals. This study provides valuable insights into the potential of TLS as an alternative to traditional teaching methods, offering an innovative way to assess and enhance students’ scientific skills. It also highlights the importance of teacher guidance in inquiry-based activities and suggests that future projects could benefit from allowing students to choose the topic, further enhancing their motivation and engagement.
Health Disparities: The Emerging Trends and Pressing Challenges
Authors: Dopelt Keren
Published: January 2025

Health disparities represent one of the most pressing challenges in modern healthcare systems worldwide (Shadmi et al [...]
Interactive, Enhanced Dual Hypergraph Model for Explainable Contrastive Learning Recommendation
Authors: Li Jin , Gao Rong , Yan Lingyu , Liu Donghua , Wan Xiang , Wu Xinyun , Hu Jiwei
Published: January 2025

In recent years, it has become a hot topic to combine graph neural networks with contrastive learning, a method which has been applied not only in recommendation tasks but has also achieved impressive results in many fields, such as text processing and spatio-temporal modeling. However, existing methods are still constrained by several issues: (1) Most graph learning methods do not explore the imbalance of node and edge type distribution caused by different user–item interactions. (2) The randomness of data expansion and sampling strategies in contrastive learning may lead to confusion about the importance of key items for users. To overcome the problems, in this paper, we propose an explanation-guided contrastive recommendation model based on interactive message propagation and dual-hypergraph convolution (ECR-ID). Specifically, we designed two different interactive propagation mechanisms for the user–item dual-hypergraph sets to promote comprehensive dynamic information propagation and exchange, which further mitigates the imbalance problem of hyperedges and nodes in the hypergraph convolution, as well as the propagation loss of synergistic information between nodes. In addition, we developed an explanation-guided contrastive learning framework, which highlights the important items in user–item interactions through an explanation-based approach and guided the training of the contrastive learning framework based on the differences in the importance scores of the items, thus generating accurate positive and negative views and improving the contrastive learning performance. Finally, we integrated the contrastive learning framework with the dual-hypergraph networks based on joint training to further improve the recommendation performance. Extensive experimental evaluations on real datasets show that ECR-ID outperforms state-of-the-art recommendation algorithms. In the future, we will conduct in-depth tests based on a wider range of real-world datasets to alleviate the limitation that the existing experimental datasets all comprise data from single business services like Alibaba and Amazon, thus validating the effectiveness of our model more comprehensively.
A Theoretical and Test Analysis of Heat and Humidity Transfer for Deeply Buried Underground Corridors with Different Shapes
Authors: Ren Tong , Li Mengzhuo , He Long , Wang De , Kong Lingbo
Published: January 2025

Moisture generation in the ventilation projects of deeply buried underground corridors affects the underground building environment and personnel health. In order to master the heat and humidity transfer law of underground corridors, this paper establishes a mathematical model by theoretical analysis, and the application of the theoretical model in engineering calculation is verified by a field test. It is found that the ventilation efficiency and heat and humidity transfer effect are related to corridor shape. The results show that under the same cross-sectional area, the average temperature drop and humidity of a rectangular corridor are 0.25% and 0.3% higher than that of an arch corridor, and 0.8% and 0.9% higher than that of a circular corridor. Under the condition of constant section circumference, the average temperature drop and humidity of a rectangular corridor are 0.51% and 0.62% higher than that of an arch corridor, and 1.37% and 1.58% higher than that of a circular corridor. When the equivalent diameter is the same, there is almost no difference in the heat and humidity transfer effect of the three shaped corridors.
Hull-Compatible Underwater IPT System with Enhanced Electromagnetic–Thermal Performance for USVs
Authors: Zhao Qingyu , Niu Songyan , Shao Ziyun , Jian Linni
Published: January 2025

With the growing use of unmanned surface vehicles (USVs) for underwater exploration, efficient wireless charging solutions like inductive power transfer (IPT) are crucial for addressing power limitations. This paper presents a novel IPT system for USVs and introduces a systematic design approach for optimizing magnetic couplers. The proposed design addresses three critical challenges: misalignment tolerance, lightweight construction, and thermal safety, which are intricately linked through a magnetic field. In terms of misalignment, this paper demonstrates that the coil length is a key factor in determining misalignment tolerance. For a lightweight design, replacing the ferrite plate with ferrite bars can significantly reduce the weight of the coupler without causing core saturation. The design is further validated through a two-way coupled electromagnetic–thermal simulation. The results reveal that, with proper thermal management, the system avoids thermal risks in underwater environments compared to air. Finally, a 3 kW prototype is constructed and tested in fresh water, achieving 55 V and 50 A wireless charging at an 85.7% full-load dc-to-dc efficiency, thus confirming the practicality and performance of the design.
Response of Understory Plant Diversity to Edge Effects in Plantation Forests on the Loess Plateau
Authors: Du Sixuan , Zheng Bo , Lei Hangyu , Guo Huifeng , Li Xiang
Published: January 2025

The majority of the world’s forests are located at landscape edges and are highly fragmented; the plantations on the Loess Plateau are no exception, experiencing pronounced edge effects. However, edge effects are often overlooked in assessments of carbon storage and biodiversity, and the extent and impact of these effects on Loess Plateau plantations remain inadequately understood. The objective of this study is to reveal how edge effects influence biodiversity and species composition and to examine their long-term impacts on ecosystem structure and function. Furthermore, it aims to explore the mechanisms underlying edge effects in plantation systems. Examining these effects is essential for guiding forest management practices and formulating effective biodiversity conservation strategies, thereby providing scientific insights to support the ecological restoration and sustainable management of plantations. In this study, we classified 44 sample plots into four groups according to their distances from the plantation edges to compare and analyze species composition. Additionally, we evaluated the intensity and range of edge effects on stand structure, species diversity, and carbon storage. The Shannon index of understory vegetation was used as the dependent variable, with canopy cover, edge distance, and stand density as independent variables. We used multiple linear regression to examine the effects of these factors on the Shannon index of understory vegetation (shrubs, herbs, and trees). The key findings were as follows: (1) Tree height did not exhibit edge effects across any distance range, while the Shannon index, species richness, and carbon storage showed edge effects within 54 m from the edge. Diameter at breast height (DBH), stand density, and canopy cover exhibited edge effects within 0–83 m from the edge. (2) The significance values for edge distance and canopy cover in the linear regression with the Shannon index were 0.99 and 0.51, respectively, showing no significant correlation. In contrast, stand density had a significant positive effect on the Shannon index (p = 0.03). (3) Notable differences in understory species composition were observed between the outermost and innermost groups of the plantation. Climatic conditions on the Loess Plateau exert a dominant influence on understory plants, altering species composition and abundance. High stand density appeared to moderate the microclimate, contributing to a higher understory Shannon index, but reducing carbon storage. Our findings suggest that the edge effects of plantation forests on the Loess Plateau exert varying degrees of influence on different indicators. Management decisions should be guided by the specific silvicultural objectives, whether the manager’s goals are to optimize biomass accumulation, enhance species recovery, or achieve a balance between these two goals.
Discrimination of Larch Needle Pest Severity Based on Sentinel-2 Super-Resolution and Spectral Derivatives—A Case Study of Erannis jacobsoni Djak
Authors: Sun Guangyou , Huang Xiaojun , Dashzebeg Ganbat , Ariunaa Mungunkhuyag , Bao Yuhai , Bao Gang , Tong Siqin , Dorjsuren Altanchimeg , Davaadorj Enkhnasan
Published: January 2025

In recent years, Jas’s Larch Inchworm (Erannis jacobsoni Djak, EJD) outbreaks have frequently occurred in forested areas of Mongolia, causing significant damage to forest ecosystems, and rapid and effective monitoring methods are urgently needed. This study focuses on a typical region of EJD infestation in the larch forests located in Binder, Khentii, Mongolia. Initial super-resolution enhancement was performed on Sentinel-2 images, followed by the calculation of vegetation indices and first-order spectral derivatives. The Kruskal–Wallis H test (KW test), Dunn’s multiple comparison test (Dunn’s test), and the RF-RFECV algorithm were then employed to identify sensitive features. Using support vector machine (SVM), random forest (RF), and extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost) machine learning algorithms, along with field survey data and UAV remote sensing data, multiple models were developed to assess the severity of EJD infestation and the corresponding spatial distribution characteristics. Seven sensitive combined features were obtained from high-quality super-resolution Sentinel-2 images. Then, a high-precision monitoring model was constructed, and it was revealed that the areas prone to EJD infestation are located at elevations of 1171–1234 m, on gentle slopes, and in semi-shady or semi-sunny areas. The super-resolution processing of Sentinel-2 satellite data can effectively refine monitoring results. The combination of the first-order spectral derivatives and vegetation indices can improve the monitoring accuracy and the discrimination of light and moderate damage. D8a and NDVIswir can be used as important indicators for assessing the severity of EJD infestation. EJD has an adaptive preference for certain environments, and environmental factors directly or indirectly affect the diffusion and distribution of EJD.
Modeling Spongy Moth Forest Mortality in Rhode Island Temperate Deciduous Forest
Authors: Dumarevskaya Liubov , Parent Jason R.
Published: January 2025

Invasive pests cause major ecological and economic damages to forests around the world including reduced carbon sequestration and biodiversity and loss of forest revenue. In this study, we used Random Forest to model forest mortality resulting from a 2015–2017 Spongy moth outbreak in the temperate deciduous forests of Rhode Island (northeastern U.S.). Mortality was modeled with a 100 m spatial resolution based on Landsat-derived defoliation maps and geospatial data representing soil characteristics, drought condition, and forest characteristics as well as proximity to coast, development, and water. Random Forest was used to model forest mortality with two classes (low/high) and three classes (low/med/high). The best models had overall accuracies of 82% and 65% for the two-class and three-class models, respectively. The most important predictors of forest mortality were defoliation, distance to coast, and canopy cover. Model performance improved only slightly with the inclusion of more than three variables. The models classified 35% of forests as having canopy mortality >5 trees/ha and 21% of Rhode Island forests having mortality >11 trees/ha. The study shows the benefit of Random Forest models that use both defoliation maps and geospatial environmental data for classifying forest mortality caused by Spongy moth.
Quantification of the Influencing Factors of Stand Productivity of Subtropical Natural Broadleaved Forests in Eastern China Using an Explainable Machine Learning Framework
Authors: Du Qun , Zhu Chenghao , Ji Biyong , Xu Sen , Xie Binglou , Wang Jianwu , Wang Zhengyi
Published: January 2025

Natural broadleaf forests (NBFs) are the most abundant zonal vegetation type in subtropical regions. Understanding the mechanisms influencing stand productivity in NBFs is important for developing “nature-based” solutions for climate change mitigation. However, minimal research has captured the effects of nonlinearities and feature interactions that often have nonlinear impacts on stand productivity and influencing factors. To address this research gap, we used continuous forest inventory data, and a machine learning model for stand productivity of NBFs was constructed. Subsequently, through leveraging the interpretable machine learning framework of the SHapley Additive explanation (SHAP) and partial dependence plot, we determined global and local explanations of the influencing factors of stand productivity. Our findings indicate the following: (1) The Autogluon model performed the strongest based on R2, RMSE, and rRMSE metrics. (2) The basal area (BA), neighborhood comparison of diameter at breast height (NC), and stand age (AGE) were the key influencing factors. Stand productivity increased with increasing BA and decreased with increasing NC and AGE. BA was maintained above 15 m2ha−1 and NC was maintained below 0.45, which represent favorable conditions for NBFs to maintain optimal growth. (3) SHAP interaction values were calculated to determine the effects of the five major interactions on stand productivity. Our study provides a reference for the sustainable management of NBFs, thereby highlighting the important role of forests in mitigating climate change.
Effect of Stir-Frying, Boiling, and Baking on Hexaconazole Residue Levels in Welsh Onion (Allium fistulosum L.)
Authors: Kim Myungheon , Cho Mihyun , Im Jaebin , Seo Changkyo , Park Changhyeon , Im Moo-Hyeog
Published: January 2025

Hexaconazole, a triazole insecticide, is widely used to control rust disease in Welsh onions. Residue levels of pesticides vary based on the cooking methods. Although studies on hexaconazole residue have involved vegetables such as cabbage, research on Welsh onion is limited. This study investigated the effect of different cooking methods on hexaconazole residues. Welsh onion was processed by common cooking methods such as stir-frying, boiling, and baking, and analyzed for pesticide residues using liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry. The results showed that the removal rates of pesticides after cooking were 40.0–62.9% for stir-frying, 80.0–91.4% for boiling, and 51.4–77.1% for baking. Regardless of cutting thickness (0.8 cm or 5 cm), the reduction rate of pesticide residues increased with time during boiling. Increased reduction rates were also observed with increased time during baking. As stir-frying time increased, the residue amount increased due to water loss. However, the absolute amount of the pesticide decreased with increasing time. Therefore, the residue amount of hexaconazole in Welsh onion was reduced by various general cooking processes. These findings can provide a valuable foundation for research on Welsh onion processing, address consumer concerns about pesticide residues, and provide baseline data for risk assessments.
Classification of Strawberry Maturity Stages and Varieties Using Neural Networks Based on Volatile Organic Compounds
Authors: Huang Jing , Zhang Xuenan , Yang Hang , Li Zhenbiao , Xue Zhengfang , Wang Qingqing , Zhang Xinyuan , Ding Shenghua , Luo Zisheng , Xu Yanqun
Published: January 2025

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are closely associated with the maturity and variety of strawberries. However, the complexity of VOCs hinders their potential application in strawberry classification. This study developed a novel classification workflow using strawberry VOC profiles and machine learning (ML) models for precise fruit classification. A comprehensive VOC dataset was rapidly collected using gas chromatography-ion mobility spectrometry (GC-IMS) from five strawberry varieties at four maturity stages (n = 300) and visualized through principal component analysis (PCA). Five ML models were developed, including partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA), decision trees, support vector machines (SVM), Xgboost and neural networks (NN). The accuracy of all models ranged from 90.00% to 98.33%, with the NN model demonstrating the best performance. Specifically, it achieved 96.67% accuracy for single-maturity classification, 98.33% for single-variety classification, and 96.67% for dual maturity and variety classification, along with 98.09% precision, 97.92% recall, and 97.91% F1 score. Feature importance analysis indicated that the NN model exhibited the most balanced reliance on various VOCs, contributing to its optimal performance with the broad-spectrum VOC detection method, GC-IMS. Overall, these findings underscore the potential of NN modeling for accurate and efficient fruit classification based on integrated VOC profiles.
Study on the Effect of Radish Sprouts on Short-Chain Fatty Acids and Gut Microbial Diversity in Healthy Individuals
Authors: Li Ru , Chen Xuehong , Shi Cong , Zhu Yi
Published: January 2025

This study aimed to assess the impact of radish sprouts on the gut microbiota of healthy individuals. Radish sprout additives, subjected to short-term storage and steam treatment, were used to intervene in an in vitro culture of human gut microbiota. The influence of radish sprouts on the gut microbiota was evaluated by monitoring short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) content and proportion in the fermentation broth, and microbial diversity was assessed using 16S rDNA amplicon sequencing. The results indicated that the gut microbiota produced a substantial amount of SCFA within 48 h of fermentation, with a right-skewed distribution across all groups. The addition of both digestates enhanced Firmicutes diversity, while Bacteroidetes and Proteobacteria diversity remained stable between the control and fresh sprout groups. The 30 s steam treatment group showed an increase in Bacteroidetes and a decrease in Proteobacteria diversity. The abundance of Bacilli, Bacillaceae, and Bacillus was significantly higher in both the fresh and steam-treated groups compared to the control. Both fresh and steam-treated radish sprout digestates enriched gut microbiota diversity, with steam treatment showing superior effects. These findings suggest that radish sprout consumption may positively influence gut microbiota, with steam treatment potentially enhancing these benefits.
A Multiscale Fractal Approach for Determining Cushioning Curves of Low-Density Polymer Foams
Authors: Bravo-Sánchez Mariela C. , Palacios-Pineda Luis M. , Gómez-Color José L. , Martínez-Romero Oscar , Perales-Martínez Imperio A. , Olvera-Trejo Daniel , Estrada-Díaz Jorge A. , Elías-Zúñiga Alex
Published: January 2025

This study investigates the impact response of polymer foams commonly used in protective packaging, considering the fractal nature of their material microstructure. The research begins with static material characterization and impact tests on two low-density polyethylene foams. To capture the multiscale nature of the dynamic response behavior of two low-density foams to sustain impact loads, fractional differential equations of motion are used to qualitatively and quantitatively describe the dynamic response behavior, assuming restoring forces for each foam characterized, respectively, by a polynomial of heptic degree and by a trigonometric tangential function. A two-scale transform is employed to solve the mathematical model and predict the material’s behavior under impact loads, accounting for the fractal structure of the material’s molecular configuration. To assess the accuracy of the mathematical model, we performed impact tests considering eight dropping heights and two plate weights. We found good predictions from the mathematical models compared to experimental data when the fractal derivatives were between 1.86 and 1.9, depending on the cushioning material used. The accuracy of the theoretical predictions achieved using fractal calculus elucidates how to predict multiscale phenomena associated with foam heterogeneity across space, density, and average pore size, which influence the foam chain’s molecular motion during impact loading conditions.
Development of Extrudable Hydrogels Based on Carboxymethyl Cellulose–Gelatin Complex Coacervates
Authors: Gharanjig Hamid , Najaf Zadeh Hossein , Stevens Campbell , Abhayawardhana Pram , Huber Tim , Nazmi Ali Reza
Published: January 2025

This study investigates the 3D extrusion printing of a carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC)–gelatin complex coacervate system. Various CMC–gelatin coacervate hydrogels were prepared and analyzed to achieve this goal. The impact of the CMC–gelatin ratio, pH, and total biopolymer concentration on coacervation formation and rheological properties was evaluated to characterize the printability of the samples. Turbidity results indicated that the molecular interactions between gelatin and CMC biopolymers are significantly pH-dependent, occurring within the range of pH 3.7 to pH 5.6 for the tested compositions. Confocal Laser Scanning Microscopy (CLSM) confirmed the presence of coacervates as spherical particles within the optimal coacervation range. Scanning electron microscopy micrographs supported the CLSM findings, revealing greater porosity within this optimal pH range. Rheological characterization demonstrated that all CMC–gelatin hydrogels exhibited pseudoplastic behavior, with an inverse correlation between increased coacervation and decreased shear viscosity. Additionally, the coacervates displayed lower tackiness compared to gelatin hydrogels, with the maximum tackiness normal force for various CMC–gelatin ratios ranging from 1 to 15 N, notably lower than the 29 N observed for gelatin hydrogels. Mixtures with CMC–gelatin ratios of 1:15 and 1:20 exhibited the best shear recovery behavior, maintaining higher strength after shear load. The maximum strength of the CMC–gelatin coacervate system was found at a biopolymer concentration of 6%. However, lower biopolymer content allowed for consistent extrusion. Importantly, all tested samples were successfully extruded at 22 ± 2 °C, with the 1:15 biopolymer ratio yielding the most consistent printed quality. Our research highlights the promise of the CMC–gelatin coacervate system for 3D printing applications, particularly in areas that demand precise material deposition and adjustable properties.
Exploring Context Allows Us to Better Understand Physical Activity in People with and Without Parkinson’s Who Have Fallen: A Mixed Methods Study
Authors: Baker Katherine , Das Julia , Rochester Lynn , Del Din Silvia , Naisby Jenni
Published: January 2025

Background: Falls are a frequent and serious problem for older adults, especially for those living with Parkinson’s. The relationship between falls and physical activity is complex, and people often restrict activity following a fall. Exercise is an important aspect of reducing further risk of a fall and a key component of the management of Parkinson’s. The aim of this study was to understand the types of activity they are engaged in, the environments in which they take place, and the experience of people with and without Parkinson’s who have fallen. Method: Seventeen people with Parkinson’s and thirteen older adults who had experienced at least one fall in the previous year were recruited to this mixed methods study. Activity levels were captured over one week using accelerometers and body-worn cameras, allowing the type and location of activity to be recorded and analysed. This information informed an interview. Results: Findings showed that although both groups often achieved up to 10,000 steps per day, this was in very short bouts of activity. Sedentary activity, such as watching television, dominated the findings. Participants were aware of the benefits of being active but described many barriers to achieving the level of activity they would like to.
Penetrating Orbital Injury: A Narrative Review for Emergency Clinicians
Authors: Pirlet Florence , Flament Julien
Published: January 2025

Penetrating orbit injury is a rare but complex and life-threatening occurrence that may easily be overlooked. Management in the emergency department requires an early multidisciplinary approach but still lacks standard guidelines. This narrative review aims to provide a systematic approach to the management of penetrating orbital injuries for emergency clinicians. Mortality and morbidity are significant due to the orbit’s proximity to numerous anatomical structures. Complications may be infectious, ocular, or cerebro-vascular. Their incidence depends on the mechanism of injury, entry point, and object’s characteristics such as its shape, composition, and velocity. Non-occult cases are often associated with medial orbital rim or medial eyelid penetration, whereas occult cases mainly present with trivial lateral eyelid injury and could be overlooked. Radiological workup consists of computed tomography or magnetic resonance according to the object’s composition. Treatment in the emergency department focuses on initial resuscitation, broad-spectrum antibiotics, and tetanus immunization. Subsequently, early removal of the foreign object in a controlled environment and other specific treatments must be discussed with a multidisciplinary team. Penetrating orbital injury is an uncommon but complex type of head trauma that may be challenging to diagnose. Systematic and multidisciplinary management in the emergency department is crucial to improve overall prognosis.
The Impact of Accessibility of Community Elderly Care Services on Quality of Life of the Elderly
Authors: Di Xiaodong , Wang Lijian
Published: January 2025

Background/Objectives: With the gradual increase in population aging and the prevalence of the empty nest, community elderly care services have become an effective service model for responding to population aging because they can alleviate the decline in family care function and meet the needs of elderly homecare patients. This paper aims to identify the influence mechanism of the accessibility of community elderly care services on the quality of life of the elderly. Methods: This paper surveyed a total of 949 elderly people and adopted the interview questionnaire survey method, and it used ordered logistic regression to analyze the impact of accessibility on the quality of life of the elderly. Results: The study finds that approachability, availability, acceptability, and accommodation affect the living environment satisfaction of the elderly. Accessibility affects environmental satisfaction by influencing the service utilization frequency, and accessibility affects the psychological health and environmental satisfaction of the elderly by influencing service utilization satisfaction. Conclusions: The improvement of accessibility can increase service utilization and, thus, improve the welfare of the elderly. So, the government should improve the accessibility of community elderly care services.
The Impact of Resilience and Leader–Member Exchange on Actual Turnover: A Prospective Study of Nurses in Acute Hospitals
Authors: Yamaguchi Saori , Ogata Yasuko , Sasaki Miki , Fujiyoshi-Ito Ayano , Yonekura Yuki
Published: January 2025

Background/Objectives: High nurse turnover has economic implications for healthcare organizations and impacts the quality of care. Individual, job-related, and organizational factors determine nurse turnover. This study, thus, aimed to investigate the impact of nurses’ resilience and the quality of the relationship between staff nurses and nurse managers, defined as leader–member exchange (LMX), on actual nurse turnover. Methods: A prospective study was conducted from June to July 2022, targeting nurses from three advanced treatment hospitals in Japan. Data were collected through a self-administered questionnaire investigating the participants’ actual turnover in April 2023. The data of 1130 nurses were analyzed in this study. A binary logistic regression analysis was performed using actual turnover as the dependent variable and nurse resilience and LMX as independent variables. Results: The results revealed that while LMX influenced actual turnover, nurse resilience had no statistically significant relationship with turnover. Conclusions: The findings show that LMX needs to be improved if actual turnover is to be curbed.
Macroeconomic Conditions, Speculation, and Commodity Futures Returns
Authors: Adhikari Ramesh , Putnam Kyle J.
Published: January 2025

This paper examines the dynamic relationships between speculative activities, commodity returns, and macroeconomic conditions across five sectors compassing 29 commodities. Using weekly data spanning from January 2000 to July 2023, we construct comprehensive measures of commodity market speculation across five sectors and examine their sector-specific impact on returns through advanced econometric methods, including dynamic conditional correlation models, quantile regressions, Markov-switching models, and time-varying Granger causality tests. Our results reveal that the impact of speculative activities on commodity futures returns is conditional on the commodity sector and prevailing macroeconomic conditions. Moreover, the relationship between macroeconomic factors, speculative activities, and commodity futures returns is time varying. Among the macroeconomic variables, the financial stress indicator, as measured by the St. Louis Fed Financial Stress Index, shows a significant ability to predict commodity futures returns. The relationship between speculation and commodity returns is bi-directional across all sectors.
Concise Overview of Methodologies Employed in the Study of Bacterial DNA Replication
Authors: Maciąg-Dorszyńska Monika , Morcinek-Orłowska Joanna , Barańska Sylwia
Published: January 2025

DNA replication is a fundamental process in the cell on which the functioning of the entire cell as well as the maintenance of the entire species depends. This process is synchronized with all other processes within the cell as well as with external, environmental factors. This complex network of interconnections presents significant challenges in the field of DNA replication research, both in terms of identifying an appropriate approach to a question posed and in terms of methodology. This article aims to provide a roadmap to assist in navigating (to help overcome) these challenges and in selecting an appropriate research methodology. It should help to establish a research pathway, starting with arranging the host genetic background for analysis at different cellular levels, which can be achieved using complex or simple single-purpose techniques.
Potentiation of Gelonin Cytotoxicity by Pulsed Electric Fields
Authors: Pakhomova Olga N. , Zivla Eleni , Silkuniene Giedre , Silkunas Mantas , Pakhomov Andrei G.
Published: January 2025

Gelonin is a ribosome-inactivating protein with extreme intracellular toxicity but poor permeation into cells. Targeted disruption of cell membranes to facilitate gelonin entry is explored for cancer and tissue ablation. We demonstrate a hundreds- to thousands-fold enhancement of gelonin cytotoxicity by pulsed electric fields in the T24, U-87, and CT26 cell lines. The effective gelonin concentration to kill 50% of cells (EC50) after electroporation ranged from <1 nM to about 100 nM. For intact cells, the EC50 was unattainable even at the highest gelonin concentration of 1000 nM, which reduced cell survival by only 5–15%. For isoeffective electroporation treatments using 300 ns, 9 µs, and 100 µs pulses, longer pulses were more efficient at lowering gelonin EC50. Increasing the electric field strength of 8, 100 µs pulses from 0.65 to 1.25 kV/cm reduced gelonin EC50 from 128 nM to 0.72 nM. Conversely, the presence of 100 nM gelonin enabled a more than 20-fold reduction in the number of pulses required for equivalent cell killing. Pulsed electric field-mediated delivery of gelonin shows promise for hyperplasia ablation at concentrations sufficiently low to minimize or avoid systemic toxicity.