bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Multi-shift spatio-temporal features assisted deep neural network for detecting the intrusion of wild animals using surveillance cameras
Authors: Kumar R. Jeen Retna , Stanley Berakhah F.
Published: January 2024

The coexistence of human populations and wildlife in shared habitats necessitates the development of effective intrusion detection systems to mitigate potential conflicts and promote harmonious relationships. Detecting the intrusion of wild animals, especially in areas where human-wildlife conflicts are common, is essential for both human and animal safety. Animal intrusion has become a serious threat to crop yield, impacting food security and reducing farmer profits. Rural residents and forestry workers are increasingly concerned about the issue of animal assaults. Drones and surveillance cam-eras are frequently used to monitor the movements of wild animals. To identify the type of animal, track its movement, and provide its position, an effective model is needed. This paper presents a novel methodology for detecting the intrusion of wild animals using deep neural networks with multishift spatio-temporal features from surveillance camera video images. The pro-posed method consists of a multi-shift attention convolutional neural net-work model to extract spatial features, a multi-moment gated recurrent unit attention model to extract temporal features, and a feature fusion network to fully explore the spatial semantics and temporal features of surveillance video images. The proposed model was tested with images from three different datasets and achieved promising results in terms of mean accuracy and precision.
Retraction Note: The Spiritual Dimension of Death: A Mini Review
Authors: Çaksen Hüseyin
Published: January 2024

Retraction

The above article published in Journal of Pediatric Intensive Care on November 21, 2022 (DOI: 10.1055/s-0042-1758739), has been retracted as it is lacking scientific base.
Venous Thromboembolism in Children: The Rivaroxaban Experience
Authors: Spiezia Luca , Campello Elena , Tormene Daniela , Simioni Paolo
Published: January 2024

The incidence of venous thromboembolism (VTE) in the pediatric population has increased more than 10-fold in the last 20 years, as a consequence of the advancement of resuscitation and surgical techniques and the global increase in life expectancy of children suffering from chronic pathologies. Monitoring anticoagulant therapy to achieve outcomes within the target range in childhood VTE, parenteral administration of medications, and frequent blood tests in children are often cumbersome. Availability of safe and effective oral agents with pediatric data to support use would be of clear benefit. A physiologically based pharmacokinetic model was developed to estimate the appropriate dosing schedule for rivaroxaban in children. This incorporated growth/maturation and variability in anthropometrics (e.g., body height, weight, and body mass index), anatomy (e.g., organ weight), physiology (e.g., blood flow rates), metabolism and excretion. Rivaroxaban use in pediatric population underwent a complete investigational program, consisting mainly of one phase I pharmacokinetics/pharmacodynamics trial, three phase II trials, one phase III trial. The phase III trial enrolled 500 patients from birth to <18 years and documented the efficacy and safety of rivaroxaban regimens at dose equivalent to the adult 20 mg dose for the prevention of fatal or symptomatic nonfatal recurrent VTE and major bleeding versus heparin or vitamin K antagonists. Results were similar to those in rivaroxaban studies in adults. The efficacy and safety of rivaroxaban in children reported in the EINSTEIN JUNIOR trial provide further support to previous trials in adults (EINSTEIN Program), which demonstrate a favorable profile for the use of rivaroxaban for the management of VTE in challenging patient populations. Other clinical evidence contributing to the use of rivaroxaban among different risk groups in pediatric VTE population confirms the consistency with principal trial. Our review aims to describe the rationale for using rivaroxaban oral suspension in clinical practice and to summarize its multiple indications in each vascular bed (e.g., cerebral venous thrombosis, symptomatic or asymptomatic central venous catheter-associated thrombosis), etiology, and patients setting.
Transacting knowledge when there are no schools during the COVID-19 lockdown in Nigeria: the SENSE-transactional radio instruction experience
Authors: Obukoadata Presly R. , Hammler Katharina , Yusuf Hassan , Liman Audu , Olumoh Jamiu S.
Published: January 2024

This study examines the SENSE-TRI program’s effectiveness in improving the fundamental literacy skills of grade 3 learners in insurgency-challenged Gombe and Adamawa states of Nigeria during the COVID-19 lockdown. A quasi-experimental design was employed, with 400 participants equally divided between randomly selected schools and pupils from SENSE intervention schools (the treatment group) and a counterfactual group from schools and pupils not participating in the SENSE-TRI program (the comparison group). The learners’ performance in both groups was assessed by the abbreviated Early Grade Reading Assessment (EGRA), focusing on tasks such as letter-sound identification, syllable sound identification, familiar word reading, invented word reading, and reading comprehension. The TRI program compared learners’ scores in the treatment group with those of learners in the comparison group using Tobit regression models. The results revealed that sociodemographic variables had no significant independent influence on the observed outcomes. However, the scores showed a statistically significant improvement in the literacy abilities of the treatment group on all parameters and tasks compared to the control group. This improvement exceeded the initial SENSE baseline reading proficiency aggregate values, indicating the program’s effectiveness in both challenging and normal circumstances as a possible way out when no schools exist.
Non-masticatory striations on human teeth from the British Upper Palaeolithic to the Neolithic
Authors: Crété Lucile , Parfitt Simon A. , Day Charles , Bello Silvia M.
Published: January 2024

Non-masticatory labial striations on human anterior teeth are a form of cultural dental wear well recorded throughout the Pleistocene, which has been interpreted as resulting from the use of the mouth as a ‘third hand’ when processing different materials during daily activities, such as cutting meat or working hides with stone tools. Non-masticatory scratches have also been reported on the buccal surface of molars and premolars, although at a far lower frequency compared to the anterior dentition. Previous studies observed an apparent decrease through time in the occurrence of non-masticatory scratches on human teeth, with labial striations appearing to be rare for the Neolithic compared to earlier periods. This study further tests this previously observed pattern through the analysis of over 900 human teeth from 20 sites across England and Wales dating from the Upper Palaeolithic, Mesolithic, and Neolithic, to discuss the distribution and aetiology of non-masticatory striations in the British archaeological record. To record and assess the micro-morphometric characteristics of these dental alterations, macroscopic and microscopic analytical techniques were used. Results show that non-masticatory labial striations are still found on Neolithic teeth, although at a decreased frequency when compared to hunter-gatherer (Upper Palaeolithic and Mesolithic) samples. This may be partly due to changes in diets and food processing methods, as well as types of processed materials and changes in manual handling arising from the inception of the Neolithic in Britain. The sample also includes Upper Palaeolithic, Mesolithic and Neolithic teeth with non-masticatory striations likely associated with funerary practices or cannibalistic treatment of cadavers. Analyses of these marks suggest that striations inflicted during the post-mortem cutting of cadavers from cannibalism or funerary practices differ in their location and micro-morphology, compared with non-masticatory striations produced during the life of an individual using the mouth as a ‘third hand’.
Stock price reactions to reopening announcements after China abolished its zero-COVID policy
Authors: Chang Zheng , NG Alex Wei Fung , Peng Siying , Shi Dandi
Published: January 2024

As global economies strive for post-COVID recovery, stock market reactions to reopening announcements have become crucial indicators. Though previous research has extensively focused on COVID’s detrimental impact on stock markets, the effects of reopening remain underexplored. This study provides the first causal analysis of the effect of easing restrictions on Chinese firms’ stock prices following the end of China’s three-year Zero-COVID policy. Utilizing regression-discontinuity design, we find that most relaxed measures had minimal or negative impact. However, stock prices jumped 1.4% immediately after the full reopening announcement on December 26, 2022. Using a difference-in-differences approach, we also note a 1.6% increase in the stock prices of Mainland China firms relative to firms in other districts on the Hong Kong stock market two months post-reopening. Our findings offer key insights for policymakers and contribute significantly to academic discourse on the causal relationship between reopening policies and stock market performance.
Pro-religion attitude predicts lower vaccination coverage at country level
Authors: Mao Zhe-Fei , Li Qi-Wei , Wang Yi-Ming , Zhou Jie
Published: January 2024

The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the urgent need to address vaccine coverage inequality. Despite calls from scientists and national organizations, progress in ensuring equitable access to vaccines has been slow. This study aims to reveal the COVID-19 vaccine coverage inequality and investigate the predictive effect of attitudes toward science and religion on real-word vaccination uptake. We draw on three high-quality, large-scale databases to unveil real-world vaccine coverage, which stood at an average of 53% of the population by mid-2022. The vaccination rate varies based on a country’s income, with higher-income nations having higher vaccination rates and faster vaccination speed. Regression models and a multiverse analysis reveal that both country-level attitudes towards science and religion, as well as religious faith, are linked to vaccination rate at the country level. Countries where a higher proportion of the population prioritize religious beliefs over scientific evidence when the two come into conflict tend to have lower vaccination coverage rates and slower vaccination speeds. These findings suggest that scientists and policymakers must take into account social and cultural characteristics of populations when addressing vaccine inequality.
Random permutation-based mixed-double scrambling technique for encrypting MQIR image
Authors: Zhu Hai-hua , Chen Zi-gang , Leng Tao
Published: January 2024

The dual-scrambling scheme that combines position transformation and bit-plane transformation is a popular image encryption scheme. However, such schemes need more key information, and the encryption and decryption processes are complicated. In addition, the existing quantum image dual-scrambling schemes mainly deal with square images. In this paper, we propose a hybrid scrambling encryption scheme for multi-mode quantum image representation (MQIR) images based on random permutation, in which the H×W quantum image is represented in MQIR. A random number generator factor s uniquely associates one of the random permutations of integers from 1 to a positive integer, so as to hybrid scramble both the pixel position and the binarized position of each pixel value. Meanwhile, the quantum circuits and some examples of scrambling are given. Furthermore, various analyses of the performance of this scheme were conducted, including effectiveness, key space, and computational complexity. By modifying the random generation factor to construct multiple binary grayscale images, the simulated results on the IBM Quantum Cloud platform demonstrate that the proposed quantum image encryption scheme is effective. In comparison to existing quantum image dual scrambling schemes, it is both simple and effective, offering a large key space, lower computational complexity, and applicability to non-square quantum images.
Machine learning based hybrid ensemble models for prediction of organic dyes photophysical properties: Absorption wavelengths, emission wavelengths, and quantum yields
Authors: Mahato Kapil Dev , Kumar Das S. S. Gourab , Azad Chandrashekhar , Kumar Uday
Published: January 2024

Fluorescent organic dyes are extensively used in the design and discovery of new materials, photovoltaic cells, light sensors, imaging applications, medicinal chemistry, drug design, energy harvesting technologies, dye and pigment industries, and pharmaceutical industries, among other things. However, designing and synthesizing new fluorescent organic dyes with desirable properties for specific applications requires knowledge of the chemical and physical properties of previously studied molecules. It is a difficult task for experimentalists to identify the photophysical properties of the required chemical molecule at negligible time and financial cost. For this purpose, machine learning-based models are a highly demanding technique for estimating photophysical properties and may be an alternative approach to density functional theory. In this study, we used 15 single models and proposed three different hybrid models to assess a dataset of 3066 organic materials for predicting photophysical properties. The performance of these models was evaluated using three evaluation parameters: mean absolute error, root mean squared error, and the coefficient of determination (R2) on the test-size data. All the proposed hybrid models achieved the highest accuracy (R2) of 97.28%, 95.19%, and 74.01% for predicting the absorption wavelengths, emission wavelengths, and quantum yields, respectively. These resultant outcomes of the proposed hybrid models are ∼1.9%, ∼2.7%, and ∼2.4% higher than the recently reported best models’ values in the same dataset for absorption wavelengths, emission wavelengths, and quantum yields, respectively. This research promotes the quick and accurate production of new fluorescent organic dyes with desirable photophysical properties for specific applications.
USP8 prevents aberrant NF-κB and Nrf2 activation by counteracting ubiquitin signals from endosomes
Authors: Endo Akinori , Fukushima Toshiaki , Takahashi Chikage , Tsuchiya Hikaru , Ohtake Fumiaki , Ono Sayaka , Ly Tony , Yoshida Yukiko , Tanaka Keiji , Saeki Yasushi , Komada Masayuki
Published: January 2024

K63-linked ubiquitin chains attached to plasma membrane proteins serve as tags for endocytosis and endosome-to-lysosome sorting. USP8 is an essential deubiquitinase for the maintenance of endosomal functions. Prolonged depletion of USP8 leads to cell death, but the major effects on cellular signaling pathways are poorly understood. Here, we show that USP8 depletion causes aberrant accumulation of K63-linked ubiquitin chains on endosomes and induces immune and stress responses. Upon USP8 depletion, two different decoders for K63-linked ubiquitin chains, TAB2/3 and p62, were recruited to endosomes and activated the TAK1–NF-κB and Keap1–Nrf2 pathways, respectively. Oxidative stress, an environmental stimulus that potentially suppresses USP8 activity, induced accumulation of K63-linked ubiquitin chains on endosomes, recruitment of TAB2, and expression of the inflammatory cytokine. The results demonstrate that USP8 is a gatekeeper of misdirected ubiquitin signals and inhibits immune and stress response pathways by removing K63-linked ubiquitin chains from endosomes.
A RAB transition orchestrates membrane trafficking in unconventional protein secretion
Authors: Sun Yuxin , Zhang Min , Ge Liang
Published: January 2024

Rab GTPases function as intracellular molecular switches that regulate vesicular transport. In the current issue, Li et al. (https://doi.org/10.1083/jcb.202306107) revealed RAB-8 to RAB-11 transition governing the unconventional secretion of membrane proteins in the intestinal epithelium of C. elegans.
The first observation of GAM induced by negative biasing in J-TEXT tokamak
Authors: Yang Qinghu , Chen Zhipeng , Guo Jinlong , Xu Xin , Chen Zhongyong , Yang Zhoujun ,   the J-TEXT team
Published: January 2024

Recently, the geodesic acoustic modes (GAMs) induced by negative electrode biasing (EB) are first observed in J-TEXT tokamak, and the electrostatic and magnetic fluctuation characteristics of GAMs and ambient turbulence (AT) are measured by combined Langmuir-magnetic probe. Experimental results reveal that with the ramped up negative biasing, the mean flow shear gradually strengthens, and exciting a high-frequency GAM (H-GAM) and a low-frequency GAM (L-GAM) with frequencies of 24 kHz and 17 kHz respectively. With the combined effects of

E
r

×
B

shear by EB and

E
˜

r

×
B

shear by GAMs, the amplitude of AT is effectively suppressed, leading to an improvement in plasma confinement. This work investigates the relationship between AT, GAM zonal flows and

E
r

×
B

mean flow shear, which provides proper mean flow shear can enhance the Reynolds stress via enhancement of symmetry breaking and thus enhance the amplitude of GAMs, but excessive flow shear can simultaneously suppress AT and GAM zonal flows.
Subwavelength negative refraction and flexural wave lens design via resonant double-negative piezoelectric metamaterial
Authors: Enrico Quadrelli Davide , Marconi Jacopo , Braghin Francesco , Erturk Alper
Published: January 2024

We report the concept and demonstration of a double-negative, resonant metamaterial characterized by both dynamic negative mass and stiffness for negative refraction of flexural wave modes by means of a lens designed using this concept. The negative equivalent material properties are obtained in the subwavelength regime by concurrently exploiting both the effect of mechanical resonators (negative mass) and of piezoelectric patches with inductive resonant shunts (negative stiffness), leading to double-negative behavior. Following the theoretical foundations based on a modal framework, we analytically derive the frequency-dependent mass and stiffness properties as a function of the electromechanical parameters. The findings are corroborated by numerical computation of dispersion properties and simulations showing the focusing of a point source. As a case study, energy harvesting performance enhancement by exploiting the piezoelectric effect at the focal spot is also discussed.
Characterizing quantum gases in time-controlled disorder realizations using cross-correlations of density distributions
Authors: Hiebel Silvia , Nagler Benjamin , Barbosa Sian , Koch Jennifer , Widera Artur
Published: January 2024

The role of disorder on physical systems has been widely studied in the macroscopic and microscopic world. While static disorder is well understood in many cases, the impact of time-dependent disorder on quantum gases is still poorly investigated. In our experimental setup, we introduce and characterize a method capable of producing time-controlled optical-speckle disorder. Experimentally, coherent light illuminates a combination of a static and a rotating diffuser, thereby collecting a spatially varying phase due to the diffusers’ structure and a temporally variable phase due to the relative rotation. Controlling the rotation of the diffuser allows changing the speckle realization or, for future work, the characteristic time scale of the change of the speckle pattern, i.e. the correlation time, matching typical time scales of the quantum gases investigated. We characterize the speckle pattern ex-situ by measuring its intensity distribution cross-correlating different intensity patterns. In-situ, we observe its impact on a molecular Bose–Einstein condensate (BEC) and cross-correlate the density distributions of BECs probed in different speckle realizations. As one diffuser rotates relative to the other around the common optical axis, we trace the optical speckle’s intensity cross-correlations and the quantum gas’ density cross-correlations. Our results show comparable outcomes for both measurement methods. The setup allows us to tune the disorder potential adapted to the characteristics of the quantum gas. These studies pave the way for investigating nonequilibrium physics in interacting quantum gases using controlled dynamical-disorder potentials.
Integer multiple quantum image scaling based on NEQR and bicubic interpolation
Authors: Cai 蔡 Shuo 硕 , Zhou 周 Ri-Gui 日贵 , Luo 罗 Jia 佳 , Chen 陈 Si-Zhe 思哲
Published: January 2024

As a branch of quantum image processing, quantum image scaling has been widely studied. However, most of the existing quantum image scaling algorithms are based on nearest-neighbor interpolation and bilinear interpolation, the quantum version of bicubic interpolation has not yet been studied. In this work, we present the first quantum image scaling scheme for bicubic interpolation based on the novel enhanced quantum representation (NEQR). Our scheme can realize synchronous enlargement and reduction of the image with the size of 2
n
× 2
n
by integral multiple. Firstly, the image is represented by NEQR and the original image coordinates are obtained through multiple CNOT modules. Then, 16 neighborhood pixels are obtained by quantum operation circuits, and the corresponding weights of these pixels are calculated by quantum arithmetic modules. Finally, a quantum matrix operation, instead of a classical convolution operation, is used to realize the sum of convolution of these pixels. Through simulation experiments and complexity analysis, we demonstrate that our scheme achieves exponential speedup over the classical bicubic interpolation algorithm, and has better effect than the quantum version of bilinear interpolation.
Track Lab: extensible data acquisition software for fast pixel detectors, online analysis and automation
Authors: Mánek P. , Burian P. , David-Bosne E. , Smolyanskiy P. , Bergmann B.
Published: January 2024

Fast, incremental evolution of physics instrumentation raises the question of efficient software abstraction and transferability of algorithms across similar technologies. This contribution aims to provide an answer by introducing Track Lab, a modern data acquisition program focusing on extensibility and high performance. Shipping with documented API and more than 20 standard modules, Track Lab allows complex analysis pipelines to be constructed from simple, reusable building blocks. Thanks to multi-threaded infrastructure, data can be clustered, filtered, aggregated and plotted concurrently in real-time. In addition, full hardware support for Timepix2, Timepix3 pixel detectors and embedded photomultiplier systems enables such analysis to be carried out online during data acquisition. Repetitive procedures can be automated with support for motorized stages and X-ray tubes. Freely distributed on 7 popular operating systems and 2 CPU architectures, Track Lab is a versatile tool for high energy physics research.
Amrubicin encapsulated PLGA NPs inhibits the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway by activating PTEN and inducing apoptosis in TMZ-resistant Glioma
Authors: Younis Muhammad , Shaikh Sana , Shahzad Khawar Ali , Tan Fei , Wang Zhao , Lashari Mushtaq Hussain
Published: January 2024

Glioblastoma (GBM) remains a challenging malignancy due to its aggressive nature and the lack of efficacious therapeutic interventions. Nanotechnology-based approaches exhibit promise in GBM treatment; however, the successful translation of these strategies from preclinical models to clinical settings is hindered by inefficient nanoparticle clearance from vital organs. Addressing this concern, we investigated the therapeutic potential of amrubicin (AMR) encapsulated within poly (lactic-co-glycolic acid) nanoparticles (AMR-PLGA-NPs) in combating temozolomide (TMZ) resistant GBM. The study demonstrated that AMR-PLGA-NPs exerted a pronounced inhibitory effect on the cellular viability and migratory capacity of TMZ-resistant GBM cells. Furthermore, these nanoparticles exhibited considerable efficacy in downregulating the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway, thereby inducing apoptosis specifically in TMZ-resistant glioma cells and glioma stem-like cells through the activation of PTEN. Notably, in vivo experimentation revealed the ability of AMR-PLGA-NPs to traverse biological barriers within murine models. Collectively, these findings underscore the potential therapeutic utility of AMR-PLGA-NPs as a versatile nanoplatform for addressing the formidable challenges posed by GBM, particularly in mitigating drug resistance mechanisms. The study substantiates the stability and safety profile of AMR-PLGA-NPs, positioning them as a promising avenue for combating drug resistance in GBM therapeutics.
Experimentally ruling out joint reality based on operational completeness
Authors: Zhang Qiuxin , Xiang Yu , Gao Xiaoting , Zhu Chenhao , Wang Yuxin , Ding Liangyu , Zhang Xiang , Zhang Shuaining , Cheng Shuming , Hall Michael J W , He Qiongyi , Zhang Wei
Published: January 2024

Whether the observables of a physical system admit real values is of fundamental importance to a deep understanding of nature. In this work, we report a device-independent experiment to confirm that the joint reality of two observables on a single two-level system is incompatible with the assumption of operational completeness, which is strictly weaker than that of preparation noncontextuality. We implement two observables on a trapped

171

Yb

+

ion to test this incompatibility via violation of certain inequalities derived from both linear and nonlinear criteria. Moreover, by introducing a highly controllable dephasing channel, we show that the nonlinear criterion is more robust against noise. Our results push the fundamental limit to delineate the quantum–classical boundary and pave the way for exploring relevant problems in other scenarios.
Use of a forced convection solar dryer for the reduction of post-harvest losses: case of the ‘akikon’ tomato variety in benin (West Africa)
Authors: Vitouley Armel , Hounsokou Christophe G , Kouchadé Clément A , Hounguè Guy Hervé , N’Gobi Gabin Koto , Adounkpè Julien , Kounouhéwa Basile
Published: January 2024

The local variety tomato (Lycopercicum esculentum Mill) named ‘akikon’ is one of the most consumed and widely cultivated fruiting vegetables in Benin Republic. In this work, we designed and built a dryer usable for limiting the frequent losses of the massive produced tomatoes. This paper analyzes the first results, obtained from the different experiments carried out with the developed dryer, in a context of forced convection. The results showed that increasing the temperature from 55 to 70 °C resulted in a shorter drying time decreasing from 1266 to 672 min with a brighter colour of the dried tomatoes for 70 °C. However, the increase of temperature does not affect the smell of the dried tomatoes. After drying, 7 to 8 months were required before we notice a colour change (from red to red-brown) of the dried product , indicating that the storage method still needs to be improved.
Ultrasonic velocity measurements of backscattered acoustic waves for monitoring the enzymatic coagulation of milk
Authors: Jaafari Nidae , Amghar Abdellah , Banouni Hicham , Agounad Said , Bakkali Firdaous
Published: January 2024

In this work, the milk coagulation process was monitored by a nondestructive ultrasonic technique. Three analysis methods were used to calculate ultrasonic wave velocity and assess their effectiveness in tracking the physicochemical changes: Cross-correlation, Spectrum ratio, and Smoothed Pseudo-Wigner-Ville transform. The obtained results show a consistency between the velocity measurements made by these three methods, with a steady increase observed during coagulation and both phases are visible. The time-frequency method was most effective, showing a clearer transition between the two phases. This study suggests that non-destructive ultrasonic techniques with time-frequency analysis could be advantageous for monitoring milk coagulation and ensuring dairy product quality.
Structural, optical and magnetic properties of Cu doped CeO2 nano powders synthesized by solid state reaction
Authors: Subbaiah G Chinna Venkata , Rao N Madhusudhana
Published: January 2024

In this research work, the structural, optical, and magnetic properties of Ce1−xCuxO nanoparticles have been reported. Solid state reaction technique was employed to synthesize the nanoparticle samples. The synthesized materials were analysed structural properties from x-ray diffraction (XRD) observed that the crystallite size increased from16.9 nm to 40.43 nm and the lattice constant increased with increase of Cu doping concentration, and the structural properties after doping confirm the absence of other phase and synthesized samples had a cubic structure. Using SEM and EDAX, the nanoparticles surface morphology and elemental composition in investigated. The nanoparticles have a spherical shape and approximately the expected stoichiometric ratio. The optical band gap of copper doped cerium oxide nanoparticles is calculated and found the band gap decreased with increased dopant concentration. Ce1−xCuxO nanoparticles using photoluminescence (PL) analysis at excitation wavelengths of 350 nm revealed emissions of the violet, blue, green, and red regions within the range of 350–700 nm. Vibrating sample magnetometer was found that the samples were room temperature ferromagnetic in nature and strength of magnetic moment increased with increase of doping concentration.
selscan 2.0: scanning for sweeps in unphased data
Authors: Szpiech Zachary A
Published: January 2024

Several popular haplotype-based statistics for identifying recent or ongoing positive selection in genomes require knowledge of haplotype phase. Here, we provide an update to selscan which implements a re-definition of these statistics for use in unphased data.

Availability and implementation

Source code and binaries are freely available at https://github.com/szpiech/selscan, implemented in C/C++, and supported on Linux, Windows, and MacOS.
Long amplicon nanopore sequencing of Botrytis cinerea and other fungal species present in infected grapevine leaf samples
Authors: Baramidze Vladimer , Sella Luca , Japaridze Tamar , Abashidze Nino , Lamazoshvili Daviti , Dzotsenidze Nino , Tomashvili Giorgi
Published: January 2024

Botrytis cinerea is a well-known plant pathogen responsible for grey mould disease infecting more than 500 plant species. It is listed as the second most important plant pathogen scientifically and economically. Its impact is particularly severe in grapes since it affects both the yield of grape berries and the quality of wines. While various methods for detecting B. cinerea have been investigated, the application of Oxford Nanopore Technology (ONT) for complete ribosomal operon sequencing, which has proven effective in human and animal fungal research and diagnostics, has not yet been explored in grapevine (Vitis vinifera) disease research. In this study, we sequenced complete ribosomal operons (∼5.5 kb amplicons), which encompass the 18S, ITS1, 5.8S, ITS2, and 28S regions, from both pure cultures of B. cinerea and infected grapevine leaf samples. Minimap2, a sequence alignment tool integrated into the EPI2ME software, served as a taxonomy classifier, utilizing the custom reference database FRODO. The results demonstrate that B. cinerea was detectable when this pathogen was not the dominant fungal species in leaf samples. Additionally, the method facilitates host DNA-free sequencing and might have a good potential to distinguish other pathogenic and non-pathogenic fungal species hosted within grapevine’s infected leaves, such as Alternaria alternata, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Saccharomyces boulardii, Mucor racemosus, and Ascochyta rabie. The sequences were uploaded to the NCBI database. Long amplicon sequencing method has the capacity to be broadened to other susceptible crops and pathogens, as a valuable tool for early grey rot detection and mycobiome research. Future large-scale studies are needed to overcome challenges, such as comprehensive reference databases for complete fungal ribosomal operons for grape mycobiome studies.
Therapeutic value of lymph node dissection for Siewert type II and III adenocarcinoma: meta-analysis
Authors: Chen Xiao-Dong , Chen Qing-Chuan , Xu Rui , Zhao Fa-Zhi
Published: January 2024

Background

Adenocarcinoma of the oesophagogastric junction presents an increasing incidence. Surgical resection with lymphadenectomy is the only curative treatment modality at the present time, but the optimal extent of lymphadenectomy is debatable. The aim of the present meta-analysis was to estimate the therapeutic value of each nodal station.

Methods

Studies reporting the therapeutic value index of each nodal station in Siewert types II/III oesophagogastric junction (EGJ) were searched in PubMed, Web of Science and Embase up to October 2022. This index was calculated by multiplication of metastatic incidence and 5-year overall survival rate at each nodal station. Risk of bias was assessed using the Joanna Briggs Institute Critical Appraisal Checklist for Prevalence Studies. Pooled metastatic incidence and therapeutic value index were calculated using RevMan 5.4.

Results

Twelve studies involving 3513 patients were included. Nodes No. 3, 1, 7 and 2 were routinely dissected and achieved a high (≥10) or moderate (5–10) therapeutic value index in decreasing order, due to their high metastatic incidence and favourable survival rate. The index was relatively low (2–5) in suprapancreatic nodes No. 9, 11p and 8a. The index for nodes No. 4d and 10 was relatively low in Siewert type Ⅲ EGJ but very low (<2) in type Ⅱ. The index was very low for nodes No. 5, 6, 11d and 12a, due to their low metastatic incidence and poor survival if positive. Para-aortic, parahiatal and mediastinal nodes were dissected only in highly selected cases. Dissection of the lower mediastinal nodes, especially No. 110, could improve survival rates in type Ⅱ EGJ.

Conclusion

These data could help assess the optimal extent of lymphadenectomy for EGJ. Nodes No. 1, 2, 3, 7, 8a, 9 and 11p need routine dissection in both Siewert types Ⅱ/Ⅲ EGJ; nodes around the lower oesophagus (especially No. 110) in Siewert type Ⅱ EGJ and nodes No. 4d and 10 in Siewert type Ⅲ EGJ might be considered for dissection.
Exercise-induced vasospastic angina diagnosed with a hand grip test in the catheterization laboratory: a case report
Authors: Kawase Yoshiaki , Warisawa Takayuki , Kikuchi Kento , Mizukami Takuya , Matsuo Hitoshi
Published: January 2024

Background

Exercise-induced vasospastic angina (VSA) is a relatively uncommon clinical scenario and is difficult to diagnose in the catheterization laboratory.

Case summary

A 61-year-old Japanese man presented to our hospital with complaints of angina upon exertion in the morning. Neither a 12-lead electrocardiogram nor an echocardiogram showed any abnormal findings. Invasive coronary angiogram revealed moderate stenosis in the left anterior descending coronary artery. A hand grip test was performed, during which the patient experienced chest pain, and coronary angiogram showed coronary spasm at the site of organic stenosis with delayed coronary flow. Intracoronary nitrates (300 ug) were administered, resulting in the release of coronary spasm.

Conclusion

The hand grip test may serve as a useful method for diagnosing exercise-induced VSA in the catheterization laboratory.
Minimally invasive coil embolization for significant left-to-right shunts due to giant coronary-to-pulmonary artery fistulas: a case report
Authors: Namura Sato , Konishi Hiroki , Nishio Ryo , Yamamoto Hiroshi
Published: January 2024

Background

Coronary-to-pulmonary artery fistula (CPF) is a rare disease, and its optimal treatment strategy remains controversial. Herein, we report a rare case of minimally invasive coil embolization of giant CPFs.

Case summary

A 78-year-old man with a history of persistent atrial fibrillation and lumbar canal stenosis presented to our hospital with breathlessness. Cardiac computed tomography revealed giant CPFs inducing a significant left-to-right shunt (Qp/Qs 1/2.1) with a coronary artery aneurysm smaller than the size indicated for surgical treatment. To reduce the left-to-right shunt flow, coil embolization procedures for the fistulas were performed twice. Initially, the fistula arising from the right coronary artery was embolized using three Target® XXL (6 × 40 mm, 5 × 20 mm) and two Target® XL SOFT (4 × 12 mm) coils (Stryker Inc., Tokyo, Japan). One month later, the fistulas arising separately from the left coronary artery were embolized. After the procedures, the major shunt flow disappeared angiographically, and Qp/Qs significantly decreased to 1/1.2. Additionally, the fractional flow reserve of the left coronary artery increased from 0.79 to 0.93, and cardiopulmonary exercise testing showed an improvement in his exercise tolerance.

Discussion

In similar cases, a surgical procedure with ligation of the CPFs combined with resection of a small aneurysm and coronary artery bypass grafting would normally have been considered the best approach. However, endovascular treatment targeting only the fistulas was a superior strategy considering the patient’s age. The coil embolization technique effectively controlled the shunt flow of the CPFs. This technique is considerably less invasive than surgical therapy.
Psychiatric morbidity and work participation in patients with congenital ventricular septal defects: a case-controlled study
Authors: Eckerström Filip , Hjortdal Vibeke Elisabeth , Rask Charlotte Ulrikka , Nyboe Camilla
Published: January 2024

Background

The burden of psychiatric morbidity, level of education, and work participation are currently unknown in patients with congenital ventricular septal defects (VSD).

Methods and results

In a Danish population-based cohort study using nationwide medical registries, the burden of psychiatric disorders, use of psychotropic agents, level of education, and work participation were examined in patients with isolated congenital VSD and controls from the general population matched by age and sex. Subjects with known chromosomal abnormalities were excluded. To compute estimates, Cox proportional regression model, Fine and Gray's competing risk regression, and Kaplan–Meier failure function were used. We included 8006 patients and 79 568 controls born before 2018. Median follow-up was 23 years. Compared with controls, patients with VSD displayed a hazard ratio (HR) of 1.24 [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.17–1.32] for any psychiatric disorder where the hazard for intellectual disabilities was most pronounced [HR of 3.66 (95% CI: 2.98–4.50)]. The use of psychotropic agents was higher in patients compared with controls [HR 1.14 (95% CI: 1.09–1.20)]. The work participation was lower in patients with VSD compared with controls (P < 0.001) and was lower in patients with VSD with a psychiatric disorder compared with those without (P < 0.001). The 40-year cumulative incidence of permanent social security benefits was 29% in patients with psychiatric disorders (vs. 21% in controls with psychiatric disorders) and 8% in patients without psychiatric disorders (vs. 4% in controls).

Conclusion

Patients with isolated VSD suffer from a higher burden of psychiatric disorders and display lower work participation compared with matched controls from the general Danish population. It is important to consider longer-term impacts on mental health, education, and subsequent employment in patients with VSD, in addition to cardiovascular effects, as these factors severely affect quality of life and have direct socioeconomic implications on an individual and societal level.
Use of Aprotinin versus Tranexamic Acid in Cardiac Surgery Patients with High-Risk for Excessive Bleeding (APACHE) trial: a multicentre retrospective comparative non-randomized historical study
Authors: Gallo Eloïse , Gaudard Philippe , Provenchère Sophie , Souab Fouzia , Schwab Anaïs , Bedague Damien , de La Barre Hugues , de Tymowski Christian , Saadi Laysa , Rozec Bertrand , Cholley Bernard , Scherrer Bruno , Fellahi Jean-Luc , Ouattara Alexandre ,   APACHE investigators, Imbault Julien , Cadier Gaspard , Beurton Antoine , Mion Stefano , Besnard Thibaud , Voulgaropoulos Julia , Gouezel Corentin , Mellano Vincent , Portefaix Hadrien , Pambet Hadrien , Fohlen Baptiste , Zlotnik Diane , Veli Manuela
Published: January 2024

OBJECTIVES

Following the reintroduction of aprotinin into the European market, the French Society of Cardiovascular and Thoracic Anaesthesiologists recommended its prophylactic use at half-dose for high-risk cardiac surgery patients. We examined whether the use of aprotinin instead of tranexamic acid could significantly reduce severe perioperative bleeding.

METHODS

This multicentre, retrospective, historical study included cardiac surgery patients treated with aprotinin or tranexamic acid between December 2017 and September 2020. The primary efficacy end point was the severe or massive perioperative bleeding (class 3–4 of the universal definition of perioperative bleeding). The safety secondary end points included the occurrence of thromboembolic events and all-cause mortality within 30 days after surgery.

RESULTS

Among the 693 patients included in the study, 347 received aprotinin and 346 took tranexamic acid. The percentage of patients with severe or massive bleeding was similar in the 2 groups (42.1% vs 43.6%, Adjusted odds ratio [ORadj] = 0.87, 95% confidence interval: 0.62–1.23, P = 0.44), as was the perioperative need for blood products (81.0% vs 83.2%, ORadj = 0.75, 95% confidence interval: 0.48–1.17, P = 0.20). However, the median (Interquartile range) 12 h postoperative blood loss was significantly lower in the aprotinin group (383 ml [241–625] vs 450 ml [290–730], P < 0.01). Compared to tranexamic acid, the intraoperative use of aprotinin was associated with increased risk for thromboembolic events (adjusted Hazard ratio 2.30 [95% Cl: 1.06–5.30]; P = 0.04).

CONCLUSIONS

Given the modest reduction in blood loss at the expense of a significant increase in thromboembolic adverse events, aprotinin use in high-risk cardiac surgery patients should be based on a carefully considered benefit–risk assessment.
Host–gut microbiota interactions during pregnancy
Authors: Amato Katherine R , Pradhan Priyanka , Mallott Elizabeth K , Shirola Wesley , Lu Amy
Published: January 2024

Mammalian pregnancy is characterized by a well-known suite of physiological changes that support fetal growth and development, thereby positively affecting both maternal and offspring fitness. However, mothers also experience trade-offs between current and future maternal reproductive success, and maternal responses to these trade-offs can result in mother–offspring fitness conflicts. Knowledge of the mechanisms through which these trade-offs operate, as well as the contexts in which they operate, is critical for understanding the evolution of reproduction. Historically, hormonal changes during pregnancy have been thought to play a pivotal role in these conflicts since they directly and indirectly influence maternal metabolism, immunity, fetal growth and other aspects of offspring development. However, recent research suggests that gut microbiota may also play an important role. Here, we create a foundation for exploring this role by constructing a mechanistic model linking changes in maternal hormones, immunity and metabolism during pregnancy to changes in the gut microbiota. We posit that marked changes in hormones alter maternal gut microbiome composition and function both directly and indirectly via impacts on the immune system. The gut microbiota then feeds back to influence maternal immunity and metabolism. We posit that these dynamics are likely to be involved in mediating maternal and offspring fitness as well as trade-offs in different aspects of maternal and offspring health and fitness during pregnancy. We also predict that the interactions we describe are likely to vary across populations in response to maternal environments. Moving forward, empirical studies that combine microbial functional data and maternal physiological data with health and fitness outcomes for both mothers and infants will allow us to test the evolutionary and fitness implications of the gestational microbiota, enriching our understanding of the ecology and evolution of reproductive physiology.
Metabolomics for quality assessment of poultry meat and eggs
Authors: Yogeswari M S , Selamat Jinap , Jambari Nuzul Noorahya , Khatib Alfi , Mohd Amin Mohd Hishammfariz , Murugesu Suganya
Published: January 2024

The poultry industry is experiencing rapid growth worldwide. This accelerated growth has led to multiple food fraud incidents across the food supply chain, which consequently created a demand for precise determination of quality poultry production. This increase in demand for precise poultry production quality has necessitated advanced solutions. Metabolomics has emerged as a viable solution by offering detailed differentiation of biochemical indicators throughout the poultry supply chain. Additionally, this study provides a means to address risk factors affecting the poultry industry without compromising animal welfare, which is a critical concern. This review focuses on important issues related to poultry product quality assessment. Food adulteration has escalated in recent years as it is driven by the increasing focus on consuming high-quality and nutritious food. However, there is no specific guideline for such determinations, especially when appearance, texture, and taste can be manipulated by substituting for food components. Metabolomics can pave the way for a deeper understanding of existing and novel biochemical indicators responsible for determining the quality of poultry meat and eggs. This approach holds the potential to enhance the overall quality of poultry meat and egg products while also preventing food fraud.
Neighborhood Social Environment and Dementia: The Mediating Role of Social Isolation
Authors: Choi Eun Young , Cho Gawon , Chang Virginia W
Published: January 2024

Objectives

Despite the potential importance of the neighborhood social environment for cognitive health, the connection between neighborhood characteristics and dementia remains unclear. This study investigated the association between the prospective risk of dementia and three distinct aspects of neighborhood social environment: socioeconomic deprivation, disorder, and social cohesion. We also examined whether objective and subjective aspects of individual-level social isolation may function as mediators.

Methods

Leveraging data from the Health and Retirement Study (2006–2018; N = 9,251), we used Cox proportional hazards models to examine the association between time-to-dementia incidence and each neighborhood characteristic, adjusting for covariates and the propensity to self-select into disadvantaged neighborhoods. We used inverse odds weighting to decompose significant total effects of neighborhood characteristics into mediational effects of objective and subjective social isolation.

Results

The risk of dementia was associated with deprivation and disorder but not low cohesion. In deprived neighborhoods, individuals had an 18% increased risk of developing dementia (cause-specific hazard ratio [CHR] = 1.18, 95% CI: 1.02 to 1.38), and those in disordered areas had a 27% higher risk (CHR = 1.27, 95% CI: 1.03 to 1.59). 20% of the disorder’s effects were mediated by subjective social isolation, while the mediational effects of objective isolation were nonsignificant. Deprivation’s total effects were not partitioned into mediational effects given its nonsignificant associations with the mediators.

Discussion

Neighborhood deprivation and disorder may increase middle to older adults’ risks of dementia. The disorder may adversely affect cognitive health through increasing loneliness. Our results suggest a clear need for dementia prevention targeting upstream neighborhood contexts, including the improvement of neighborhood conditions to foster social integration among residents.