bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Espelhamento na escrita
Authors: Dias Sammy Cardozo , França Aniela Improta
Published: December 2024

Este estudo tem como objetivo principal contribuir com o conhecimento sobre as cognições que operam nos períodos de pré-alfabetização e alfabetização de crianças. Enfocamos no espelhamento na escrita, que é uma manifestação espontânea e não patológica que surge em diferentes fases do desenvolvimento da escrita em crianças alfabetizadas e não alfabetizadas, como consequência da simetrização default em nossa espécie. Levantamos a hipótese de que o espelhamento nos desenhos ocorra desde os 4 anos, bem antes da fase típica de espelhamento das letras, que acontece durante a alfabetização, aos 6 e 7 anos. Nossa aposta é que, se as crianças espelham desenhos logo assim que começam a desenhar, elas já estariam preparadas também, cognitivamente falando, para “desenhar as letras” e eventualmente a espelhá-las aos 4 anos, caso as crianças fossem apresentadas a elas explicitamente nesta fase precoce, mesmo que sem o pareamento entre grafema e fonema, simplesmente como objetos gráficos com nomes. Para a verificação de nossa hipótese, realizamos quatro testes experimentais, de natureza psicolinguística, usando a técnica de produção de escrita eliciada, envolvendo 150 participantes de 4 a 8 anos. Com base nas hipóteses e achados, visualizamos uma estratégia que pode vir a mitigar problemas e acelerar o processo de alfabetização efetiva.
Extracellular vesicles in liquid biopsies: there is hope for oral squamous cell carcinoma
Authors: Leung Leanne Lee , Qu Xinyu , Chen Bojie , Chan Jason YK.
Published: December 2024

Current approaches to oral cancer diagnosis primarily involve physical examination, tissue biopsy, and advanced computer-aided imaging techniques. However, despite these advances, patient survival rates have not significantly improved. Hence, there is a critical need to develop minimally invasive tools with high sensitivity and specificity to improve patient survival and quality of life. Liquid biopsy is a non-invasive, real-time method for predicting cancer status and potentially serves as a biomarker source for treatment response. Liquid biopsy includes rich biologically relevant components, such as circulating tumor cells, circulating tumor DNA, and extracellular vesicles (EVs). EVs are particularly intriguing due to their relatively high abundance in most biofluids, with the potential to identify specific cargo derived from circulating tumor EVs. Moreover, normal cells in lymph nodes can uptake EVs, fostering a pre-metastatic microenvironment that facilitates lymph node metastases - a common occurrence in oral cancers.

This review encompasses English language publications over the last twenty years, focusing on methods for isolating EVs from saliva, blood, and lymphatic fluids, as well as the collection methods employed. Seventeen cases met the inclusion criteria according to ISEV guidelines, including 10 saliva cases, 6 blood cases, and 1 lymphatic fluid case. This review also highlighted research gaps in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) EVs, including a lack of multi-omics studies and the exploration of potential EV markers for drug resistance, as well as a notable underutilization of microfluidic technologies to translate liquid biopsy EV findings into clinical applications.
Relationship Between Ethical Climate and Burnout, a New Approach Through Work Autonomy
Authors: Santiago-Torner Carlos , González-Carrasco Mònica , Ayala Rafael Alberto Miranda
Published: December 2024

Burnout is a factor that affects organizational performance. Researchers have not determined whether an ethical climate and adequate work autonomy provide sufficient emotional stability to dampen burnout or, conversely, increase it. In addition, the abundant literature analyzing the relationship between work autonomy and burnout does not sufficiently establish whether it acts as a stress-reducing resource or a stress-increasing demand. It is also unknown to what extent work autonomy contributes to explaining the relationship between ethical climate and burnout. Therefore, the main aim of this study is to examine the relationship between an ethical climate based on principles and norms and burnout using the moderating effect of work autonomy. We approached this question using a multivariate moderation analysis. The sample consists of 448 employees in the Colombian electric sector. The results show that an ethical climate of principles and work autonomy are positively related to burnout, measured by the dimensions of emotional exhaustion and depersonalization. However, the relationship between an ethical climate of principles and burnout shifts from positive to negative when a rule-demanding work environment is associated with a high perception of work autonomy. In conclusion, when employees have considerable control over their usual tasks, they develop a pattern of behaviour that incorporates both the organization's internal standards and the principles that shape individual morality. In this case, employees are able to balance the workload with the high psychological demands of an ethical climate of principles, without it being a disturbance to their emotional well-being. The results of this research are particularly relevant because they show for the first time that an ethical climate of principles can have opposite effects on employee burnout, both positive and negative, depending on the degree of work autonomy.
The Appearance of Antiphage Antibodies in Sera of Patients Treated with Phages
Authors: Łusiak-Szelachowska Marzanna , Weber-Dąbrowska Beata , Żaczek Maciej , Międzybrodzki Ryszard , Górski Andrzej
Published: December 2024

Bacteriophages are neutralized by sera of patients undergoing phage therapy (PT) particularly during local or both local and oral phage administration in bone infections, soft tissue infections or upper respiratory tract infections. In parallel to these results, it has been shown that strong an-tiphage humoral response does not prevent a positive outcome of phage treatment. Our prelim-inary results suggest that high levels of antiphage antibodies appear late in the treatment period, at the earliest in the 3rd-8th week of PT.
Advances in Therapy for Urothelial and Non-Urothelial Subtype Histologies of Advanced Bladder Cancer: From Etiology to Current Development
Authors: Kwon Whi-An , Seo Ho Kyung , Song Geehyun , Lee Min-Kyung , Park Weon Seo
Published: December 2024

Urothelial carcinoma (UC) is the most common histological subtype of bladder tumors; however, bladder cancer represents a heterogeneous group of diseases with at least 40 distinct histological subtypes. Among these, the 2022 World Health Organization classification of urinary tract tumors identifies a range of less common subtypes of invasive UC, formerly known as variants, which are considered high-grade tumors, including squamous cell, small-cell, sarcomatoid urothelial, micropapillary, plasmacytoid, and urachal carcinomas, and adenocarcinoma. Their accurate histological diagnosis is critical for risk stratification and therapeutic decision-making, as most subtype histologies are associated with poorer outcomes than conventional UC. Despite the importance of precise diagnosis, high-quality evidence on optimal treatments for subtype histologies remains limited owing to their rarity. In particular, neoadjuvant and adjuvant chemotherapy have not been well characterized, and prospective data are scarce. For advanced-stage diseases, clinical trial participation is strongly recommended to address the lack of robust evidence. Advances in molecular pathology and development of targeted therapies and immunotherapies have reshaped our understanding and classification of bladder cancer subtypes, spurring efforts to identify predictive biomarkers to guide personalized treatment strategies. Nevertheless, the management of rare bladder cancer subgroups remains challenging because they are frequently excluded from clinical trials. For localized disease, curative options such as surgical resection or radiotherapy are available; however, treatment options become more limited in recurrence or metastasis, where systemic therapy is primarily used to control disease progression and palliate symptoms. Herein, we present recent advances in management of urothelial and non-urothelial bladder cancer subtypes and also explore the current evidence guiding their treatment and emphasize the challenges and perspectives of future therapeutic strategies.
Intra-Individual Variation in the Jump Smash For Elite Malaysian Male Badminton Players
Authors: Ramasamy Yuvaraj , Wei Yeap Ming , King Mark , Towler Harley
Published: December 2024

The badminton jump smash is vital for winning rallies, but players can have unintended varia-tions in performance. This study examines the causes of intra-individual smash speed variations among 19 Malaysian male elite players. Twenty-five jump smashes were recorded using a 3D motion capture system, with the three fastest (95.0 ± 3.6 m·s-1) and three slowest (85.8 ± 5.8 m·s-1) smashes per participant categorised into different groups. Six racket/shuttlecock variables and six upper body technique variables during the swing phase and at contact were analysed. Five out of six racket/shuttlecock variables, including post-impact shuttlecock speed, racket head speed at contact, impact location, distance from the racket's geometric centre, and swing time, significantly differed between groups. Only the shoulder elevation angle differed significantly from 75% to 95% of the forward swing (p = 0.023), with less elevation during faster smashes. Consistency in producing high shuttlecock speeds during the jump smash for elite players is primarily achieved through variables linked to timing. Players / coaches should focus on being able to initially produce high racket head speeds, at which point ensuring consistently efficient impact between the stringbed and shuttlecock should be the priority.
Hepatic Steatosis and Microbiota: A Regional Study on Patients from Western Romania
Authors: Mihele Adina , Toms Harrie John , Negrut Nicoleta , Fericean Anca , Marian Paula , Manole Felicia
Published: December 2024

Background/Objectives: The gut-liver axis is bidirectional and influences the body's homeostasis. Pathologies such as metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver (MASL) can have detrimental effects on the human microbiome, with multiple systemic effects. Furthermore, the geographical particularities of the intestinal microbiome may influence liver disease. The study's outcome was to identify dysbiosis in a group of patients with MASL from the western region of Romania. Methods: The NGS shotgun genomic sequencing (WGS metagenomics) method was used to identify bacteria in fecal samples. The data were analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics software. Results: Out of the 122 MASL patients included in the study, 43 (35.24%) exhibited low alpha diversity. In the subgroup with a normal biodiversity index, approximately half were identified with a Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio below the lower reference value, while the remaining patients presented dysbiosis based on decreased concentrations of Proteobacteria and Prevotella, considered among the most relevant species supporting dysbiosis. A higher prevalence of Prevotella species (15.99± 13.65%) was identified in the study cohort. Conclusions: The present study demonstrates that patients with MASL from the western region of Romania exhibit criteria for intestinal dysbiosis, namely reduced bacterial diversity, along with significant alterations in populations of Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, Proteobacteria, and Prevotella. Together, these findings suggest a possible influence of geo-cultural factors on the intestinal microbiome, highlighting the need for regionally adapted therapeutic interventions to support liver health.
Α Revision of Historical Earthquakes in the Ionian Sea, Greece: Island of Lefkada
Authors: Papadopoulos Gerassimos , Triantafyllou Ioanna
Published: December 2024

The central Ionian Sea is one of the most seismogenic areas in the Mediterranean Sea region. In particular, the island of Lefkada, Greece, has experienced many catastrophic earthquakes. The historical seismicity of Lefkada has been enriched and revised by utilizing published and little-known macroseismic information sources, e.g., administrative documents, letters, marginal notes, eyewitness accounts. We organized a new descriptive and parametric catalogue of 44 earthquakes having their maximum macroseismic intensity on Lefkada and covering the time interval from the 15th century AD up to 1911. Earthquake dates, origin times, intensity assignments, magnitudes and epicentral coordinates have been estimated or revised. Magnitudes in previous catalogues are overestimated with respect to our magnitude determinations which appear more re-alistic. The descriptive part of the catalogue includes descriptions of the earthquake impact on buildings but also of environmental effects, e.g., landslides and local tsunamis. The catalogue is likely complete for lower magnitude threshold Mw=6.0. One important yet puzzling earthquake is the one that reportedly damaged an unprecedentedly large region in Italy, Albania, Greece, including Lefkada, on 9/20 February 1743. Lit-tle-known documents revealed that the heavy destruction supposedly caused in Lefkada very likely was due to amalgamated information from local earthquakes and the large one.
Understanding the Influence of Early Life Stressors on Interaction, Telomere Length, and Hair Cortisol Concentration in Homeless Kittens
Authors: Vernick Jennifer , Martin Chelsea , Montelpare William , Dunham Arthur , Overall Karen L.
Published: December 2024

The early postnatal period is a critical neurodevelopmental stage characterized by rapid neural maturation and is adversely affected by early-life stressors. This study explored the behavioural, physiological, and epigenetic consequences of early-life stress in a population of homeless rescue kittens. This longitudinal study included 50 kittens rescued and placed into foster care by the Prince Edward Island Humane Society. They underwent behavioural testing at 8, 10, and 12 weeks of age. Hair cortisol concentration was measured at 8 weeks and served as a physiological marker of the previous 3 months’ cumulative stress response, which for these kittens included the late gestation period. A blood sample for relative telomere length measurement was taken at 10-12 weeks to estimate epigenetic changes as young kittens. Data were analysed with respect to age and performance in all repeated measures tests, status as a stray or a surrender, and the presence of the dam in their foster homes. As expected, performance of kittens in all tests changed over the 5 weeks of testing. Kittens separated from their mothers exhibited significantly higher hair cortisol concentrations (p = 0.02) and elongated relative telomere lengths (p = 0.04). No correlation was found between hair cortisol concentration and relative telomere lengths (p = 0.99). These results support the need for further study on the effects of epigenetics and early life stress, both in kittens and across species.
Solvent-Free Interaction of Gallic Acid with Chitosan via Reactive Extrusion
Authors: Khavpachev Mukhamed A. , Ivanov Pavel L. , Popyrina Tatiana N. , Malyk Bogdana V. , Svidchenko Evgenia A. , Svishcheva Natalia B. , Zakharevich Anastasia A. , Akopova Tatiana A.
Published: December 2024

In this paper, we describe mechanochemical approach as an environmentally friendly method to obtain chitosan and gallic acid derivatives. Covalent cross-linking with a polysaccharide is one way to stabilize antioxidants and improve their bioavailability. Since gallic acid is a solid compound with limited solubility and a high melting point (220-240 °C), it was of interest to conduct its interaction with chitosan using solid-state synthesis technique under shear deformations. The experimental conditions were selected using a pilot twin-screw extruder designed for processing solid dispersions. The insertion of gallate groups onto the polymeric backbones was confirmed by 1H NMR, FTIR and UV–vis analyses. Dynamometry was used for study of rheological properties. Depending on the synthesis conditions, the amount of bound gallic acid was more than 600 mg per 1 g of chitosan. It was found that gallate groups are predominantly linked to chitosan via salt bonds. Carrying out the process at a moderate temperature (100-120 °C) led to the formation of amide bonds between chitosan and gallic acid. In contrast to the physical mixing of components, the resulting products swelled well and partially dissolved in water, and tended to form aggregates with an average size of 206±36 µm in aqueous media.
Enhancement of Doxorubicin Efficacy by Bacopaside II in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Cells
Authors: Rad Sima Kianpour , Yeo Kenny K. L. , Li Runhao , Wu Fangmeinuo , Liu Saifei , Nourmohammadi Saeed , Murphy William M. , Tomita Yoko , Price Timothy J. , Ingman Wendy V. , Townsend Amanda R. , Smith Eric
Published: December 2024

Background: Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a highly aggressive breast cancer subtype with limited treatment options and high drug resistance. Doxorubicin is commonly used for TNBC, but variable sensitivity across subtypes, resistance development and toxicity limit its effi-cacy. Bacopaside II, a saponin compound, has shown anti-cancer potential. This study assesses the effects of doxorubicin and bacopaside II, individually and combined, across TNBC subtypes to explore mechanisms of drug sensitivity, resistance, and enhanced efficacy. Methods: The growth-inhibitory effects of doxorubicin and bacopaside II in four TNBC cell lines representing different TNBC subtypes was evaluated. IC50 values were determined using dose-response as-says, and doxorubicin accumulation was measured via spectral flow cytometry. ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporter expression (ABCB1, ABCC1, ABCC3, ABCG2) was analyzed for cor-relations with drug sensitivity. In silico docking assessed binding affinity of bacopaside II to ABC transporters. A 3D culture model simulated drug-resistant TNBC, and combination effects were evaluated with live-cell imaging. Results: Doxorubicin IC50 values varied significantly across cell lines, with sensitivity correlating to intracellular accumulation. Bacopaside II inhibit-ed growth across TNBC subtypes, inducing apoptosis in sensitive cells and necrosis in resistant cells. Bacopaside II increased doxorubicin accumulation, independent of P-glycoprotein (ABCB1), possibly through interactions with other ABC transporters. In drug-resistant 3D cultures, ba-copaside II maintained efficacy and enhanced doxorubicin accumulation, counteracting ABC transporter-mediated resistance. The doxorubicin and bacopaside II combination showed syner-gistic growth inhibition. Conclusions: Bacopaside II enhances doxorubicin efficacy in TNBC by increasing drug accumulation and overcoming ABC transporter-mediated resistance, suggesting its potential as an adjuvant in TNBC treatment. These findings support further investigation of bacopaside II, particularly for resistant TNBC subtypes.
Optimizing Parkinson's Disease Prediction: A Comparative Analysis of Data Aggregation Methods Using Multiple Voice Recordings via an Automated Artificial Intelligence Pipeline
Authors: Yang Zhengxiao , Zhou Hao , Srivastav Sudesh , Shaffer Jeffrey G , Abraham Kuukua E , Naandam Samuel M , Kakraba Samuel
Published: December 2024

Patient-level grouped data is prevalent in public health and medical fields, and Multiple Instance Learning (MIL) offers a framework to address the challenges associated with this type of data structure. This study compares four data aggregation methods designed to tackle the grouped structure in classification tasks: post-mean, post-max, post-min, and pre-mean aggregation. We developed a customized AI pipeline that incorporates twelve machine learning algorithms along with the four aggregation methods to detect Parkinson's Disease (PD) using multiple voice recordings from individuals available in the UCI Machine Learning Repository, which includes 756 voice recordings from 188 PD patients and 64 healthy individuals.
Seven performance metrics—Accuracy, Precision, Sensitivity, Specificity, F1 score, AUC, and MCC—were utilized for model evaluation. Various techniques, such as Bag Over-sampling (BOS), Cross-validation, and Grid Search, were implemented to enhance classification performance. Among the four aggregation methods, post-mean aggregation combined with XGBoost achieved the highest accuracy (0.921), F1 score (0.949), and MCC (0.783). Furthermore, we identified potential trends in selecting aggregation methods that are suitable for imbalanced data, particularly based on their differences in sensitivity and specificity. These findings provide meaningful implications for further exploration of grouped imbalanced data.
Digital Leadership in School Environment: A Cross-Sectional Behavioral Analysis in Primary Education
Authors: Antonopoulou Hera , Matzavinou Panagiota , Giannoukou Ioanna , Halkiopoulos* Constantinos
Published: December 2024

: Background/Objectives: The paper investigates digital leadership in primary education, focusing on the digital competencies and views of teachers' leadership in West Greece. Its main purpose is to research how different styles of leadership affect teachers' satisfaction and the adoption of digital practices and to find out the gaps in digital skills among educators; Methods: A quantitative research design was adopted, whereby a structured survey was administered to 105 primary school teachers. Multiple statistical analyses were carried out to explore the relationships between leadership styles, demographic factors, and digital competencies with a special focus on transformational leadership; Results: These results show that transformational leadership significantly influences teachers' satisfaction and the adoption of digital leadership practices, which indicates its critical role in fostering digital transformation within schools. There is a considerable gap in teachers' digital competencies, which implies a real need for the development of specific skills in this respect. Concerning the demographic variables, neither gender nor age had any significant relation with the leadership styles, while postgraduate education showed a positive association with more advanced leadership practices; Conclusions: This could be considered a very important leadership role of school directors in driving digital transformation and an argument for professional development programs in bridging the digital skills gap among teachers. This research, therefore, provides a call for expanded studies to offer more holistic insights on effective digital leadership in education, in support of high-performance digital education ecosystems.
A Decade of Discovery of Huntington's Disease Biomarkers: A Comprehensive Review of its Established and Emerging Bi-omarkers
Authors: Aqel Sarah , Ahmad Jamil , Saleh Iman , Fathima Aseela , Al Thani Asmaa A. , Mohamed Wael Mohamed Yousef , Shaito Abdullah A.
Published: December 2024

Neurodegenerative disorders (NDs) lead to progressive neuronal loss in various brain regions and are a significant public health concern, with NDs expected to become the second-leading cause of death globally within the next two decades. Huntington's disease (HD) is a rare progressive ND that severely impacts patients and families due to its severe neuronal effects. HD is caused by an autosomal dominant mutation in the huntingtin (HTT) gene, which leads to progressive motor, cognitive, and psychiatric symptoms. Given the complex nature of HD, biomarkers are essential for early diagnosis, disease progression monitoring, and evaluation of treatment efficacy. However, the identification of consistent HD biomarkers is challenging due to HD's heterogeneous presentation and its multiple underlying biological pathways. To identify reliable HD biomarkers, integration of research efforts through longitudinal studies that track disease progression, new biomarker exploration to enhance diagnostic accuracy, and collaborative efforts to standardize protocols and ensure reproducibility are warranted. These efforts should also advance personalized treatment approaches and improve the overall management of HD. This study provides a comprehensive review and bibliometric analysis of HD biomarker research over the past decade, revealing key research trends and gaps. The findings could guide future investigations and contribute to improving personalized treatment approaches, clinical management, and informed decision-making in HD.
Intratumoral Fusobacterium nucleatum in Pancreatic Cancer: Current and Future Perspectives
Authors: D'Antonio Domenica Lucia , Zenoniani Anna , Umme Samia , Piattelli Adriano , Curia Maria Cristina
Published: December 2024

The intratumoral microbiome plays a significant role in many types of cancers, such as lung, pancreatic and colorectal cancer. Pancreatic cancer (PC) is one of the most lethal malignancies and is often diagnosed at advanced stages. Fusobacterium nucleatum (Fn), an anaerobic Gram-negative bacterium primarily residing in the oral cavity, has garnered significant attention for its emerging role in several extra oral human diseases and lately, in pancreatic cancer progression and prognosis. It is now recognized as oncobacterium.
Fn engages in pancreatic tumorigenesis and metastasis through multifaceted mechanisms, including immune response modulation, virulence factors, control of cell proliferation, intestinal metabolite interactions, DNA damage, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition. Additionally, compelling research suggests that Fn may exert detrimental effects on cancer treatment outcomes.
This paper extends the perspective to pancreatic cancer associated with Fn. The central focus is to unravel the oncogenomic changes driven by Fn in colonization, initiation, and promotion of pancreatic cancer development.
The presence of Fusobacterium species can be considered a prognostic marker of PC and it is also correlated to chemoresistance. Furthermore, this review underscores the clinical research significance of Fn as a potential tumor biomarker and therapeutic target, offering a novel outlook on its applicability in cancer detection and prognostic assessment. It is thought that given the role of Fn in tumor formation and metastasis process via its FadA, FapA, Fap2 and RadD, new therapies for tumor treatment targeting Fn will be developed.
Large–scale cosmological structures and Hammerstein–type equation for potential
Authors: Fimin Nikolay Nikolaevich , Chechetkin Valery Mihailovich
Published: December 2024

The criteria for the formation of stationary pseudo-periodic structures in a system of gravitating particles, described by the Vlasov–Poisson system of equations. Conditions studied branching solutions of a nonlinear integral equation for a generalized gravitational potential, leading to the emergence of coherent complex states of relative equilibrium in non-stationary systems of massive particles.
A Public Health‒Community Partnership to Address Lead Poisoning in King County, Washington
Authors: Acosta Diego de , Ali Mohamed , Hamidi Navid , Anjaz Ariana , Mann Erin , Dawson-Hahn Elizabeth
Published: December 2024

To strengthen lead poisoning prevention efforts among Afghan children, King County, Washington’s Hazardous Waste Management Program partnered with Afghan Health Initiative, a community-based organization. The partnership arranged culturally tailored home visits and follow-ups, in which a health environment investigator and a community health advocate identified lead exposure risks and offered parents guidance. The involvement of an Afghan-led organization significantly increased community responsiveness and case management opportunities, demonstrating how public health‒community collaborations can address health challenges disproportionately affecting refugees and immigrants. ( Am J Public Health. 2025;115(2):142–145. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2024.307905 )
Bacillus proteolyticus UPMC1508: A novel bacterial strain capable of biologically synthesize iron oxide nanoparticles
Authors: Hasan Yusur Ramzi , Wong Fadzlie Wong Faizal , Halim Murni , Ashari Siti Efliza , Mohamad Rosfarizan
Published: December 2024

Antibiotic resistance is a growing concern due to the overuse of antibiotics. Alternative treatments, such as nanoparticles, are being explored. Biological synthesis of iron oxide nanoparticles (Fe3O4-NPs) via probiotics offers a sustainable and cost-effective method over the toxic chemical approaches, but there are challenges regarding its heavy metal resistance and the toxicity of the obtained nanoparticles. Thus, this research aims to biologically synthesize Fe₃O₄-NPs via a new bacterial isolate and evaluate its toxicity. The objectives are to isolate and characterize a novel bacterial isolate with probiotic potential. Then, to biologically synthesize and characterize Fe3O4-NPs via Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FE-SEM), Powder Diffraction Techniques (XRD), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR), and nanosizer. Finally, to evaluate its cytotoxicity potential via MTT– (3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) assays. A total of 12 samples were collected from six different sites in Selangor, Malaysia. The 16s rRNA sequencing came closest to Bacillus proteolyticus UPMC1508 (99.87%). This strain has lower antibiotic resistance and high Fe-tolerance (MTC = 0.8 mg.mL− 1). It successfully synthesized Fe3O4-NPs, which exhibited absorption curves between 290–300 nm. TEM and FE-SEM indicated spherical formed Fe3O4-NPs; the average diameter was 5.12 ± 0.95 nm. Meanwhile, XRD peaks revealed that the grain size was around 32.61 nm. The nanosizer revealed a hydrodynamic diameter of around 104 nm with a good Polydispersity index (PDI) value (0.217). FT-IR indicated a satisfactory stability of Fe3O4-NPs after 2 months. Finally, Fe3O4-NPs showed low toxicity at 0.031 mg.mL− 1.The findings revealed that the novel isolated B. proteolyticus UPMC1508 has high Fe-heavy metal tolerance and less antibiotic resistance. Furthermore, it successfully synthesized Fe3O4-NPs with satisfactory stability and safety, making them suitable for therapeutic platforms, such as antibacterial and anticancer. The significance of this study lies in offering an eco-friendly, low-cost synthesis approach while expanding the applicability of safe Fe3O4-NPs for biomedical applications.
Synergistic effect of Ce doping and phosphorylation on optimizing the low temperature NH 3 -SCR activity of the spent V 2 O 5 -WO 3 /TiO 2 catalyst
Authors: Wang Qiulin , Qi Xiongfei , Wang Haonan , Tang Minghui , Lu Shengyong , Liu Dunyu , Jin Jing
Published: December 2024

The reactivation and subsequent reuse of the exhausted SCR catalyst holds significant economic and environmental advantages. Water and acid washing along with thermal regeneration were commonly utilized to eliminate toxic substances from the catalyst surface, while these processes often resulted in the undesired loss of active components. In this research, an impregnation approach was adopted to replenish the depleted active constituents of the spent V2O5-WO3/TiO2 catalyst (denoted as VW/Ti). Experimental investigations were conducted to evaluate the influence of Ce/P doping on both the Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) activity of this rejuvenated catalyst and its resistance to the detrimental effects of SO2/H2O exposure. The optimal performance is achieved with the Ce/P co-doped VW/Ti catalyst, demonstrating a remarkable efficiency in removing nearly 100% of NOx across a broad temperature ranging from 150°C to 450°C. The incorporation of a proper content of Ce serves to elevate the VOx surface density from a sub-monolayer state to a monolayer and foster the formation of more surface oxygen vacancy. This transformation positively contributes to enhancing both the catalytic activity and the resistance to the SO2/H2O poisoning. Further treatment with H3PO4, although rendering the catalyst more susceptible to H2O, achieves a delicate balance between its surface acidity and redox capabilities. This optimized state not only enhances the catalyst's robustness but also further widens the active temperature window.
RLB-MALBAC: A rapid, non-transposase method for synthesizing unbiased sequencing libraries from low amount of genomic DNA for Nanopore sequencing
Authors: Gadkar Vijay J. , Goldfarb David M. , Dhaliwal Sukh , Gubbay Jonathan B. , Tilley Peter A. G.
Published: December 2024

Background Successful sequencing of genomes on Oxford Nanopore Technologies (ONT) sequencing platforms is dependant on obtaining sufficient amounts of high-quality genomic DNA. ONT’s Rapid PCR kit (SQK-RPB114.24) kit is specifically designed to address input template limitations, whereby low amounts of target DNA (1–5 ng) is pre-amplified to > 100–200 ng using PCR. The success of this workflow is however dependent on the quality of input DNA, which as per the SQK-RPB114.24 kit’s instructions, should be of length > 4kb for an efficient tagmentation - a step pre-cursor to PCR amplification. Obtaining high quality, intact genomic DNA from clinical samples or viral genomes, can sometimes be challenging and this method seeks to address this limitation.Methods In this study, a novel non-tagmentation based method is presented to prepare sequencing libraries from low amounts of genomic DNA (< 5-100 ng). Our method, based on a quasilinear amplification method, the Multiple Annealing and Looping Based Amplification Cycles chemistry (MALBAC), to randomly introduces a 21-nucleotide, PCR anchor (“RLB tag”), unbiasedly across the target. This method, henceforth referred to as RLB-MALBAC, results in the generation of RLB-tagged genomic libraries which are then compatible with the PCR dependent RLB-BC0-24 series barcodes of the SQK-RPB114.24 kit.Results The RLB-MALBAC method was used to sequence genomes from Escherichia coli bacteriophage lambda (48.5kb) virus as well as clinically relevant bacteria (2–5 Mb genome range). To demonstrate one potential application of RLB-MALBAC, we tested the generated contigs for the presence of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) genes of the β-lactamase class. Using the Comprehensive Antibiotic Resistance Database (CARD) prediction tool, we found a 100% concordance between the β-lactamase genes predicted by RLB-MALBAC and the reference sequences (Illumina + Nanopore hybrid assemblies) for ATCC bacterial isolates. We also predicted resistance phenotypes from clinical bacterial isolates confirmed to carry β-lactamases.Discussion As the SQK-RPB114.24 kit is PCR dependent, a short read-length (2-3kb) is expected using the RLB-MALBAC method, which is a major limitation of this workflow. The versatility and simplicity of the RLB-MALBAC method should find broad application in other areas of microbiology, for e.g., plasmid, viral and single cell genomics, where there may be need to amplify from limited amounts of genomic material.
Comprehensive geological analysis and evaluation of the feasibility of renovating the Wanshunchang gas reservoir into a gas storage facility
Authors: Tong Zebin , Hu Zhonggui , Qiu Longwei , Zhang Na , Zhu Huayin , Zhou Daoyong , Zhou Gang , Chen Xiao , Shao Yanlin , Hu Jiuzhen
Published: December 2024

As many oil and gas reservoirs approach depletion stages in the future, alongside growing energy storage demands, constructing gas storage facilities becomes critical for ensuring a stable natural gas supply. Consequently, a comprehensive geological analysis is essential to evaluate the feasibility of converting depleted gas reservoirs into gas storage facilities. The W gas reservoir in the Sichuan Basin, China, is nearing depletion and presents potential for conversion into a gas storage facility. This study provides a comprehensive geological evaluation to determine its feasibility for such conversion. Exploration and production data indicate that the W gas reservoir is a pore-fracture type carbonate reservoir. Vertically, the sub-layer beneath C2hl2 demonstrates the best physical properties. Horizontally, the area enclosed by wells C30, C10, and C18 exhibits favorable reservoir characteristics. The reservoir's caprock comprises a superimposed composite system, including the direct caprock of the Liangshan Formation and an overlying ultra-thick dense rock layer, which is extensive and exhibits high breakthrough pressure. Nine major faults control the structural trap's shape and scale. These faults, in a compressive state, are well-sealed due to fault gouge, enhancing their closure. The reservoir space is primarily pore-fracture type, and rapid injection and withdrawal induce minimal pressure changes, indicating low stress sensitivity. The comprehensive evaluation concludes that the Carboniferous gas reservoir possesses favorable geological conditions, making it suitable for conversion into a gas storage facility. This study offers a preliminary geological evaluation of the feasibility of converting fault-controlled fracture-type carbonate reservoirs into gas storage facilities and outlines directions for future research.
Agricultural practices and environmental factors drive microbial communities in the mezcal-producing Agave angustifolia Haw.
Authors: Contreras-Negrete Gonzalo , Valiente-Banuet Alfonso , Partida-Martínez Laila P. , Hernández-López Antonio
Published: December 2024

Mezcal, a traditional Mexican alcoholic beverage, has been a vital source of livelihood for indigenous and rural communities for centuries. However, increasing international demand is exerting pressure on natural resources and encouraging intensive agricultural practices. This study investigates the impact of management practices (wild, traditional, and conventional) and environmental factors on the microbial communities associated with Agave angustifolia, a key species in mezcal production. High-throughput sequencing of the 16S rRNA and ITS2 gene regions revealed distinct prokaryotic and fungal community structures across different plant compartments (endosphere, episphere, and soil), identifying 8,214 prokaryotic and 7,459 fungal ASVs. Core microbial communities were dominated by Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, Ascomycota, and Basidiomycota. Alpha diversity analyses showed significant increases in prokaryotic diversity from the endosphere to soil, while fungal diversity remained stable. Notably, conventional management practices were associated with reductions in beneficial microbial taxa. Environmental factors such as precipitation and temperature significantly influenced microbial diversity and composition, especially in the rhizosphere. Beta diversity patterns underscored the strong impact of plant compartment, with management practices and aridity further shaping microbial communities. These results reveal the intricate interactions between management practices, environmental conditions, and microbial diversity, providing valuable insights for the sustainable cultivation of A. angustifolia.
NF-E2-related factor 1 suppresses the expression of a spermine oxidase and the production of highly reactive acrolein.
Authors: Hirakawa Tomoaki , Taniuchi Megumi , Iguchi Yoko , Bogahawaththa Sudarma , Yoshitake Kiko , Werellagama Shanika , Uemura Takeshi , Tsujita Tadayuki
Published: December 2024

Polyamines (putrescine, spermidine, and spermine) are among the most abundant intracellular small molecular metabolites, with concentrations at the mM level. The ratios of these three molecules remain constant under physiological conditions. Stress (i.e. polyamine overload, oxidative stress, aging, etc.) triggers the catabolic conversion of spermine to spermidine, ultimately yielding acrolein and hydrogen peroxide. The potential of acrolein to induce DNA damage and protein denaturation is 1,000 times greater than that of reactive oxygen species. We have shown that these polyamine metabolic pathways also involve the nuclear factor erythroid–2–related factor 1 (NRF1) transcription factor. In our chemically-inducible, liver-specific Nrf1-knockout mice, the polyamine catabolic pathway dominated the anabolic pathway, producing free acrolein and accumulating acrolein-conjugated proteins in vivo. This metabolic feature implicates SMOX as an important causative enzyme. Chromatin immunoprecipitation and reporter assays confirmed that NRF1 directly suppressed Smox expression. This effect was also observed in vitro. Ectopic overexpression of SMOX increased the accumulation of free acrolein and acrolein-conjugated proteins. SMOX knockdown reversed the accumulation of free acrolein and acrolein-conjugated proteins. Our results show that NRF1 typically suppresses Smox expression when NRF1 is downregulated, SMOX is upregulated, and polyamine metabolic pathways are altered, producing low molecular weight polyamines and acrolein.
Research on the hydrodynamic characteristics of pumpjet vector propulsor submersible yaw motion
Authors: Xue Tongqing , Han Wei , Li Rennian , Zhang Sicong , Chen Ran , Wang Qifan
Published: December 2024

The potential value of the new type of vector propulsor in submarine movement has been confirmed. However, some key mechanical issues are not fully understood, especially the hydrodynamic characteristics during oblique motion. By using dynamic mesh simulation methods, a systematic study was conducted on the fluid dynamics behavior of pump jet vector propulsor submarines during oblique and yawing processes, supplemented by the scientific validity of related experimental verification results. The research indicates that oblique movement causes a local stagnation positive pressure zone to form at the bow of the hull and a relative back pressure zone in the middle of the pump shell. As the angle of drift during oblique movement increases, significant improvements are observed in the lateral force, lateral velocity, and lateral moment of the submarine. During yawing motion, a negative pressure zone appears on the right side of the bow, with a local positive pressure zone appearing on the left side. In both oblique and yawing movements, the rotational speed has an amplifying effect on the appearance of the jet wake phenomenon for the submarine. Based on numerical results, a polynomial fitting method is used to establish a mathematical model for the variation of the speed coefficient and angular velocity system of the pump jet vector propulsor submarine with the spiral mixed-flow pump speed. This study provides theoretical guidance for the application and optimization of pump jet vector propulsors.
Nondestructive testing of Aircraft Composite Skin Defects based on Electromagnetic Sensor
Authors: zhaoxuan zhu , kaiyu qin
Published: December 2024

The detection of aircraft skin is an indispensable part of the design and µanufacturing process. This paper proposes a non-destructive testing µethod for aircraft coµposite skin defects based on electroµagnetic sensor. Firstly, Using the perturbation theory, an electroµagnetic nondestructive testing µodel of aircraft skin defects is established. Then, according to the plasµon theory, a nested coµpleµentary split resonant ring (CSRR) electroµagnetic sensor is designed. Siµulation using HFSS, it shows that it can effectively detect air hole defects with diaµeters of 2µµ and above and burial depths within 1µµ, fiber break defects with lengths above 4µµ, widths of 0.2µµ and above, and burial depths within 1µµ. Finally, a physical test was carried out, and a 10µµ diaµeter air hole defect in the aircraft skin saµple could be detected.Index Terms—Nondestructive Testing, Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastic, Metamaterial Sensor
Targeted and untargeted proteomics-based comparison of adenoviral infected hCMEC/D3 and hBMEC as a human blood-brain barrier model to study the OATP2B1 transporter
Authors: Taggi Valerio , Schäfer Anima M. , Kinzi Jonny H. , Ritz Danilo , Seibert Isabell , Oswald Stefan , zu Schwabedissen Henriette E. Meyer
Published: December 2024

The blood-brain barrier (BBB) is essential for central nervous system (CNS) homeostasis by regulating permeability between the bloodstream and brain. This study evaluates the immortalized human brain capillary endothelial cell lines hCMEC/D3 and hBMEC for their use as an in vitro BBB model to investigate the OATP2B1 transporter following adenoviral infection. We assessed the impact of adenoviral-mediated OATP2B1 expression on BBB marker proteins and transporters using targeted and untargeted mass spectrometry-based proteomics. Targeted proteomics identified measurable levels of endothelial markers PECAM1 and CDH5 in hCMEC/D3, whereas these markers were undetectable in hBMEC. Both cell lines exhibited similar Pgp levels, while BCRP was absent in hCMEC/D3. Although OATP2B1 levels did not significantly increase post-infection in targeted proteomics, untargeted proteomics confirmed enhanced OATP2B1 expression. Other BBB markers and transporters remained unaffected in both cell lines. Notably, hCMEC/D3 demonstrated a stronger BBB phenotype, indicated by higher expression of BBB markers and transporters, while adenoviral infection was more effective in hBMEC. The differences between targeted and untargeted proteomics underscore the need for diverse methods to verify protein expression levels. This comparative analysis provides insights into the strengths and limitations of hCMEC/D3 and hBMEC for BBB research, particularly regarding drug transport mechanisms.
Optimal Economic Operation of Elastic Microgrid Considering User Satisfaction
Authors: Li Jiaxun , Zhang Shouming , Yang sen
Published: December 2024

While pursuing economic operation, a bi-level optimization model for resilient microgrids is proposed to investigate the system's resilience in the face of extreme conditions. Considering pre-disaster prevention and post-disaster recovery, the model consists of an upper-level optimization model for user satisfaction and a lower-level optimization model for seeking the optimal economic operation and resilience. A hybrid Pelican algorithm incorporating various strategies such as inertia weight and Lévy flight is proposed. Numerical comparisons with test functions have verified that the proposed algorithm has better solution accuracy and convergence speed. Simulation experiments for scenarios with low probability but high damage have been conducted and compared with other algorithms, demonstrating the stronger superiority of the proposed algorithm in solving the optimal economic operation and resilience issues in microgrids.