bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Signatures and prognostic values of related immune targets in tongue cancer
Authors: Lv Xiaofei , Yu Xi
Published: January 2023

Background

Tongue cancer, as one of the most malignant oral cancers, is highly invasive and has a high risk of recurrence. At present, tongue cancer is not obvious and easy to miss the opportunity for early diagnosis when in the advanced stage. It is important to find markers that can predict the occurrence and progression of tongue cancer.

Methods

Bioinformatics analysis plays an important role in the acquisition of marker genes. GEO and TCGA data are very important public databases. In addition to expression data, the TCGA database also contains corresponding clinical data. In this study, we screened three GEO data sets that met the standard, which included GSE13601, GSE34105, and GSE34106. These data sets were combined using the SVA package to prepare the data for differential expression analysis, and then the limma package was used to set the standard to p < 0.05 and |log2 (FC)| ≥ 1.5.

Results

A total of 170 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified. In addition, the DEseq package was used for differential expression analysis using the same criteria for samples in the TCGA database. It ended up with 1,589 DEGs (644 upregulated, 945 downregulated). By merging these two sets of DEGs, 5 common upregulated DEGs (CCL20, SCG5, SPP1, KRT75, and FOLR3) and 15 common downregulated DEGs were obtained.

Conclusions

Further functional analysis of the DEGs showed that CCL20, SCG5, and SPP1 are closely related to prognosis and may be a therapeutic target of TSCC.
Antegrade CT pyelography of right retrocaval ureter causing ureteral stenosis and ureterohydronephrosis in an exotic shorthair cat: A case report
Authors: Zhang Bowen , Fu Mengzhu , Zhang Di , Jin Yipeng , Liu Gang
Published: January 2023

Retrocaval ureter is a rarely reported congenital malformation of the caudal vena cava in veterinary medicine. In this report, a 2-year-old exotic shorthair cat weighing 3.4 kg was presented for depression and loss of appetite. Laboratory findings was unremarkable. Abdominal radiography revealed right renomegaly, and ultrasonography suggested right ureterohydronephrosis. Right retrocaval ureter was recognized by computed tomography. An antegrade pyelography was performed to identify the localization of obstruction and whether obstruction was complete or partial. Complete right ureteral stenosis was confirmed through right antegrade pyelography on computed tomography. The cat underwent right nephroureteroectomy and recovered well after surgery. This is the first report of successful diagnosis and treatment of retrocaval ureter in a cat with significant clinical and imaging signs, using ultrasonographically guided percutaneous antegrade pyelography and multimodal imaging such as radiography, ultrasonography, and computed tomography.
Effects of dietary supplementation with dandelion tannins or soybean isoflavones on growth performance, antioxidant function, intestinal morphology, and microbiota composition in Wenchang chickens
Authors: Li Xiang , Sun Ruiping , Liu Quanwei , Gong Yuanfang , Ou Yangkun , Qi Qi , Xie Yali , Wang Xiuping , Hu Chenjun , Jiang Shouqun , Zhao Guiping , Wei Limin
Published: January 2023

Many benefits have been found in supplementing tannins or soybean isoflavones to poultry, including increased body weight gain, antioxidant activity, and better intestinal morphology. However, few studies tested the influence of dandelion tannins or soybean isoflavones supplementation on Wenchang chickens. This study investigates the effects of dietary supplementation with dandelion tannins or soybean isoflavones on the growth performance, antioxidant function, and intestinal health of female Wenchang chickens. A total of 300 chickens were randomly divided into five groups, with six replicates per group and 10 broilers per replicate. The chickens in the control group (Con) were fed a basal diet; the four experimental groups were fed a basal diet with different supplements: 300 mg/kg of dandelion tannin (DT1), 500 mg/kg of dandelion tannin (DT2), 300 mg/kg of soybean isoflavone (SI1), or 500 mg/kg of soybean isoflavone (SI2). The experiment lasted 40 days. The results showed that the final body weight (BW) and average daily gain (ADG) were higher in the DT2 and SI1 groups than in the Con group (P < 0.05). In addition, dietary supplementation with dandelion tannin or soybean isoflavone increased the level of serum albumin (P <0.05); the concentrations of serum aspartate aminotransferase and glucose were significantly higher in the SI1 group (P < 0.05) than in the Con group and the concentration of triglycerides in the DT1 group (P < 0.05). The serum catalase (CAT) level was higher in the DT1 and SI1 groups than in the Con group (P < 0.05). The ileum pH value was lower in the DT2 or SI1 group than in the Con group (P < 0.05). The jejunum villus height and mucosal muscularis thickness were increased in the DT2 and SI1 groups (P < 0.05), whereas the jejunum crypt depth was decreased in the DT1 or DT2 group compared to the Con group (P < 0.05). In addition, the messenger RNA (mRNA) expression level of zonula occludens 1 (ZO-1) in the duodenum of the SI1 group and those of occludin, ZO-1, and claudin-1 in the ileum of the DT2 and SI1 groups were upregulated (P < 0.05) compared to the Con group. Moreover, the DT2 and SI1 groups exhibited reduced intestinal microbiota diversity relative to the Con group, as evidenced by decreased Simpson and Shannon indexes. Compared to the Con group, the relative abundance of Proteobacteria was lower and that of Barnesiella was higher in the DT2 group (P < 0.05). Overall, dietary supplementation with 500 mg/kg of dandelion tannin or 300 mg/kg of soybean isoflavone improved the growth performance, serum biochemical indexes, antioxidant function, and intestinal morphology and modulated the cecal microbiota composition of Wenchang chickens.
Joys or Sorrows of Parenting During the COVID-19 Lockdown: A Scoping Review
Authors: Fadda Marta , Melotto Matilde , Caiata-Zufferey Maria , Puhan Milo Alan , Frei Anja , Albanese Emiliano , Camerini Anne-Linda
Published: January 2023

Objectives: The aim of this scoping review was to map out the existing evidence of the impact of the COVID-19 lockdown on parents of children and adolescents. We sought to: 1) identify parenting domains that were particularly affected by lockdown measures, 2) describe the challenges and opportunities of lockdown measures in these domains, and 3) define protective and exacerbating factors modulating the effect of lockdown measures on parents.

Methods: We identified five main domains investigated in the context of parenting during the early COVID-19 lockdown derived from 84 studies: health and wellbeing, parental role, couple functioning, family and social relationships, and paid and unpaid work. For each domain, we listed challenges and opportunities, as well as discriminant factors.

Results: The lockdown impacted all five different but interconnected domains, introduced new roles in parents’ lives, and particularly affected women and vulnerable populations.

Conclusion: This scoping review highlights the importance of approaching public health policymaking from a social justice perspective. Such an approach argues for social and public health policies to promote health accounting for its social, economic, political, and commercial determinants.
Prognostic value of long non-coding RNA MALAT1 in hepatocellular carcinoma: A study based on multi-omics analysis and RT-PCR validation
Authors: Liao Xiaoli , Chen Junming , Luo DongCheng , Luo Baohua , Huang Wenfeng , Xie Weimin
Published: January 2023

Background: This study aimed to explore the relationship between MALAT1 and the prognosis of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Methods: We constructed a MALAT1 protein-protein interaction network using the STRING database and a network of competing endogenous RNAs (ceRNAs) using the StarBase database. Using data from the GEPIA2 database, we studied the association between genes in these networks and survival of patients with HCC. The potential mechanisms underlying the relationship between MALAT1 and HCC prognosis were studied using combined data from RNA sequencing, DNA methylation, and somatic mutation data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) liver cancer cohort. Tumor tissues and 19 paired adjacent non-tumor tissues (PANTs) from HCC patients who underwent radical resection were analyzed for MALAT1 mRNA levels using real-time PCR, and associations of MALAT1 expression with clinicopathological features or prognosis of patients were analyzed using log-rank test and Gehan-Breslow-Wilcoxon test.

Results: Five interacting proteins and five target genes of MALAT1 in the ceRNA network significantly correlated with poor survival of patients with HCC (p < 0.05). High MALAT1 expression was associated with mutations in two genes leading to poor prognosis and may upregulate some prognostic risk genes through methylation. MALAT1 was significantly co-expressed with various signatures of genes involved in HCC progression, including the cell cycle, DNA damage repair, mismatch repair, homologous recombination, molecular cancer m6A, exosome, ferroptosis, infiltration of lymphocyte (p < 0.05). The expression of MALAT1 was markedly upregulated in HCC tissues compared with PANTs. In Kaplan-Meier analysis, patients with high MALAT1 expression had significantly shorter progression-free survival (PFS) (p = 0.033) and overall survival (OS) (p = 0.023) than those with low MALAT1 expression. Median PFS was 19.2 months for patients with high MALAT1 expression and 52.8 months for patients with low expression, while the corresponding median OS was 40.5 and 78.3 months. In subgroup analysis of patients with vascular invasion, cirrhosis, and HBsAg positive or AFP positive, MALAT1 overexpression was significantly associated with shorter PFS and OS. Models for predicting PFS and OS constructed based on MALAT1 expression and clinicopathological features had moderate predictive power, with areas under the receiver operating characteristic curves of 0.661–0.731. Additionally, MALAT1 expression level was significantly associated with liver cirrhosis, vascular invasion, and tumor capsular infiltration (p < 0.05 for all).

Conclusion:MALAT1 is overexpressed in HCC, and higher expression is associated with worse prognosis. MALAT1 mRNA level may serve as a prognostic marker for patients with HCC after hepatectomy.
Some Inexact Version of the Iterative Exponential Method for Solving Nonsmooth Equations
Authors: Śmietański Marek J.
Published: January 2023

This paper presents an inexact version of an exponential iterative method designed for solving nonlinear equations F(x)=0, where the function F is only locally Lipschitz continuous. The proposed algorithm is completely new as an essential extension of the iterative exponential method for solving nonsmooth equations. The method with backtracking is globally and superlinearly convergent under some mild assumptions imposed on F. The presented results of the numerical computations confirm both the theoretical properties of the new method and its practical effectiveness.
Augmentation of Densest Subgraph Finding Unsupervised Feature Selection Using Shared Nearest Neighbor Clustering
Authors: Chugh Deepesh , Mittal Himanshu , Saxena Amit , Chauhan Ritu , Yafi Eiad , Prasad Mukesh
Published: January 2023

Determining the optimal feature set is a challenging problem, especially in an unsupervised domain. To mitigate the same, this paper presents a new unsupervised feature selection method, termed as densest feature graph augmentation with disjoint feature clusters. The proposed method works in two phases. The first phase focuses on finding the maximally non-redundant feature subset and disjoint features are added to the feature set in the second phase. To experimentally validate, the efficiency of the proposed method has been compared against five existing unsupervised feature selection methods on five UCI datasets in terms of three performance criteria, namely clustering accuracy, normalized mutual information, and classification accuracy. The experimental analyses have shown that the proposed method outperforms the considered methods.
Optimal Reactive Power Compensation via D-STATCOMs in Electrical Distribution Systems by Applying the Generalized Normal Distribution Optimizer
Authors: García-Pineda Laura Patricia , Montoya Oscar Danilo
Published: January 2023

This research deals with the problem regarding the optimal siting and sizing of distribution static compensators (D-STATCOMs) via the application of a master–slave optimization technique. The master stage determines the nodes where the D-STATCOMs must be located and their nominal rates by applying the generalized normal distribution optimizer (GNDO) with a discrete–continuous codification. In the slave stage, the successive approximations power flow method is implemented in order to establish the technical feasibility of the solution provided by the master stage, i.e., voltage regulation and device capabilities, among other features. The main goal of the proposed master–slave optimizer is to minimize the expected annual operating costs of the distribution grid, which includes the energy loss and investment costs of the D-STATCOMs. With the purpose of improving the effectiveness of reactive power compensation during the daily operation of the distribution grid, an optimal reactive power flow (ORPF) approach is used that considers the nodes where D-STATCOMs are located as inputs in order to obtain their daily expected dynamical behavior with regard to reactive power injection to obtain additional net profits. The GNDO approach and the power flow method are implemented in the MATLAB programming environment, and the ORPF approach is implemented in the GAMS software using a test feeder comprising 33 nodes with both radial and meshed configurations. A complete comparative analysis with the Salp Swarm Algorithm is presented in order to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed two-stage optimization approach in the fixed operation scenario regarding the final objective function values. In addition, different tests considering the possibility of hourly power injection using D-STATCOMs through the ORPF solution demonstrate that additional gains can be obtained in the expected annual operative costs of the grid.
Research and Analysis on the Influence of Different Speed Measurement Methods on the Monitoring Accuracy of Seed Spacing
Authors: Xie Chunji , Zhang Dongxing , Yang Li , Cui Tao , He Xiantao , Du Zhaohui , Xiao Tianpu
Published: January 2023

The accuracy and real-time performance of the speed measurement method were important factors influencing the accuracy of the seeding spacing monitoring. In this study, three different speed measurement methods (including GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) receiver speed measurement, radar speed measurement, and encoder measurement rotation speed) were used to compare and analyze the monitoring results of seeding spacing. The same monitoring system was used to calculate the seeding spacing under three different speed measurement methods. The encoder directly measured the rotation speed of the seeding disc instead of the traditional method of measuring the rotation speed of the driving wheel. The monitoring results of uniform-speed and variable-speed seeding field tests showed that the three speed measurement methods have extremely high correlations, with a correlation coefficient R > 0.95. There was small difference among the three speed measurement methods, and they all met the needs of field seeding operations. After comprehensively considering the use cost and installation complexity, it was recommended to use GNSS receiver speed measurement to monitor the speed of the seeding operation and the real-time seeding spacing.
Seroprevalence and Potential Risk Factors of Toxoplasma gondii in Dromedary Camels
Authors: Selim Abdelfattah , Marawan Marawan A. , Abdelhady Abdelhamed , Wakid Majed H.
Published: January 2023

(1) Background: Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) is one of the most prevalent parasites to affect humans and animals; (2) Methods: From January to December 2020, using a commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kit, a cross-sectional study was conducted to establish the seroprevalence of T. gondii in 390 dromedary camels raised in three governorates in Egypt and to identify the potential risk factors associated with infection; (3) Results: Overall, T. gondii seroprevalence in camels was 46.9%. Moreover, locality, sex, age, contact with small ruminants, history of abortion, and number of parities were found as risk factors for T. gondii infection in univariable analysis. The seropositivity to T. gondii increased significantly in camels living in Marsa Matrouh (OR = 2.02), among camels of more than 8 years old (OR = 5.28). Additionally, the likelihood of acquiring T. gondii infection was increased in camels that had contact with small ruminants (OR = 3.85) and a history of abortion (OR = 3.84) with these having parity more than four times (OR = 17.72); (4) Conclusions: The evaluation of seroprevalence and related risk factors for T. gondii infection is crucial for implementing an effective control programme to minimise and control T. gondii infection in camels and, as a result, transmission to humans.
Tillage-Depth Verification Based on Machine Learning Algorithms
Authors: Pang Jing , Zhang Xuwen , Lin Xiaojun , Liu Jianghui , Du Xinwu , Han Jiangang
Published: January 2023

In an analysis of the penetration resistance and tillage depth of post-tillage soil, four surface-layer discrimination methods, specifically, three machine learning algorithms—Kmeans, DBSCAN, and GMM—and a curve-fitting method, were used to analyze data collected from the cultivated and uncultivated layers. Among them, the three machine learning algorithms found the boundary between the tilled and untilled layers by analyzing which data points belonged to which layer to determine the depth of the soil in the tilled layer. The curve-fitting method interpreted the intersection among data from the fitted curves of the ploughed layer and the un-ploughed layer as the tillage depth. The three machine learning algorithms were used to process a standard data set for model evaluation. DBSCAN’s discrimination accuracy of this data set reached 0.9890 and its F1 score reached 0.9934, which were superior to those of the other two algorithms. Under standard experimental conditions, the ability of DBSCAN clustering to determine the soil depth was the best among the four discrimination methods, and the discrimination accuracy reached 90.63% when the error was 15 mm. During field-test verification, the discriminative effect of DBSCAN clustering was still the best among the four methods. However, the soil blocks encountered in the field test affected the test data, resulting in large errors in the processing results. Therefore, the combined RANSCA robust regression and DBSCAN clustering algorithm, which can eliminate interference from soil blocks in the cultivated layer and can solve the problem of large depth errors caused by soil blocks in the field, was used to process the data. After testing, when the RANSCA and DBSCAN combined method was used to process all samples in the field and the error was less than 20mm, the accuracy rate reached 82.69%. This combined method improves the applicability of discrimination methods and provides a new method of determining soil depth.
Foliar Application of Humic Acid with Fe Supplement Improved Rice, Soybean, and Lettuce Iron Fortification
Authors: Sharma Sandeep , Anand Neha , Bindraban Prem S. , Pandey Renu
Published: January 2023

Iron (Fe) deficiency in humans, particularly in pregnant women and children, is caused by inadequate dietary Fe intake and is a global nutritional problem. Foliar fertilization is a cost-effective agronomic approach to increase Fe bioavailability in the human diet. We evaluated the effects of different Fe formulations (Fe-citrate, Fe-EDTA, FePO4, nano-Fe oxide, and humic acid (HA) with and without Fe) on growth, yield, and Fe accumulation in the edible parts of rice, soybean, and lettuce crops. Rice and soybean received multiple sprays at different growth stages, i.e., tillering, anthesis, and grain filling in rice as well as flowering and pod filling in soybean, while lettuce received a single foliar spray. In rice and soybean, the seed Fe accumulation increased proportionally as the number of foliar sprays increased; however, the grain yield did not show this relationship. Among Fe treatments, HA+Fe was identified as the best treatment in terms of improving overall plant growth, yield, and Fe accumulation in the edible parts of all three crops. We found a significant positive correlation between the shoot/stover Fe content and the grain Fe content, but HA+Fe showed an opposite trend, i.e., minimal Fe retention in shoots/stovers and maximal increases in the seed Fe contents in both crops, suggesting better Fe mobilization efficiency from shoots to developing seeds. We strongly recommend that HA with Fe can be used as a foliar Fe fertilizer to improve the growth, yield, and Fe status in different crops.
Agro-Physiological Indices and Multidimensional Analyses for Detecting Heat Tolerance in Wheat Genotypes
Authors: Al-Ashkar Ibrahim , Sallam Mohammed , Ghazy Abdelhalim , Ibrahim Abdullah , Alotaibi Majed , Ullah Najeeb , Al-Doss Abdullah
Published: January 2023

Increasing atmospheric temperature can significantly reduce global wheat productivity; despite a mounting demand for wheat grain supplies. Developing genotypes with superior performance under current and future hot climates is a key challenge for wheat breeders. Multidimensional tools have supported plant breeders in increasing the genetic stability rate of agro-physiological indices that influence wheat productivity. We used 25 agro-physiological indices to classify 20 bread wheat genotypes for their heat stress tolerance. Agro-physiological indices and multidimensional analyses to identify differences in genetic and phenotypic were used, combining these analyses to reach selection criteria of accurate and credible. The 25 studied indices reflected high genotypic and environmental variations. We used 16 indices, which have brought together high heritability and genetic gain as indicators for screening heat-tolerant genotypes. Based on the seven principal comprehensive indices of (D value), wheat genotypes were classified into three highly heat-tolerant, four heat-tolerant, six moderately heat-tolerant, five heat-sensitive, and two highly heat-sensitive wheat genotypes. Based on four critical indices [grain yield (GY), grain-filling duration (GFD), spike length (SL) and canopy temperature (CT)] obtained from stepwise multiple linear regression (SMLR), the genotypes were grouped as four genotypes highly heat-tolerant, six heat-tolerant, two moderately heat-tolerant, four heat-sensitive and four highly heat-sensitive. The classification D value and SMLR distances were significantly correlated based on the Mantel test, with a perfect match in nine genotypes. SMLR indicated that a mathematical equation for the evaluation of wheat heat tolerance was established: GY = 0.670 + 0.504 × GFD + 0.334 × SL − 0.466 × CT (R2 = 0.739; average prediction accuracy of 94.12%). SMLR-based classification of wheat genotypes for heat tolerance was further verified through discriminant analysis, which showed that prior and posterior classification was identical in eighteen genotypes. Cross-validation showed that prior and posterior classification was identical in thirteen genotypes. Based on this study, we can recommend tolerated new wheat lines (DHL25, DHL05, DHL23 and DHL08) and cultivar Pavone-76 as a promising genetic source for heat-tolerant breeding programs.
Spring Wheat–Summer Maize Annual Crop System Grain Yield and Nitrogen Utilization Response to Nitrogen Application Rate in the Thermal–Resource–Limited Region of the North China Plain
Authors: Liu Meng , Ma Zhiqi , Liang Qian , Zhang Yao , Yang Yong’an , Hou Haipeng , Wu Xidong , Ge Junzhu
Published: January 2023

Spring wheat–summer maize (SWSM) annual crop systems were formed to satisfy the maize grain mechanized harvest thermal requirement in the thermal–resource–limited region of the North China Plain. However, the nitrogen (N) application rate effect on SWSM annual yield formation, N accumulation and utilization were barely evaluated. Two–year field experiments were conducted to evaluate the effects of the N application rate on the annual yield of SWSM, observe N accumulation and utilization, and identify the optimized N application. The experiments were conducted under 5 N levels of 0 (N0), 180 (N180), 240 (N240), 300 (N300), and 360 (N360) kg ha−1. The results showed that spring wheat, summer maize and annual cereal yield under the N240 and N480 treatments obtained the highest grain yield (GY) of 5038, 1282 and 16,320 kg ha−1, respectively, and the optimal N application rate was estimated using a linear–plateau model to be 231–307, 222–337 and 463–571 kg ha−1 with maximum GY of 4654–5317, 11,727–12,003 and 16,349–16,658 kg ha−1, respectively. With the increase in the N application rate, the dry matter accumulation (DM) were significantly increased by 16.9–173.5% for spring wheat and 11.1≈–76.8% for summer maize, respectively; and the annual cereal DM was 15.1–179.7% greater than that with N0 treatment, respectively. Spring wheat, summer maize and the annual cereal total N accumulation (TN) under N360 and N720 treatments were significantly increased by 5.4–19.1%, 16.6–32.3% and 11.5–26.2%, respectively, compared to the other treatments; however, N use efficiency for biomass and grain production (NUEbms and NUEg) were decreased significantly by 10.9–13.6% and 8.9–20.7%, 6.8–13.8% and 12.2–15.6%, and 5.5–11.7% and 10.0–16.0%, respectively. Meanwhile, the N partial factor productivity (PFPN), N agronomy use efficiency (ANUE), N recovery efficiency (NRE) and N uptake efficiency (NEupk) under the N240 treatment for spring wheat and summer maize obtained high levels of 20.99 and 47.01 kg−1, 9.27 and 16.35 kg−1, 32.53% and 32.44%, and 0.85 and 0.72 kg−1, respectively. Correlation analysis showed that the N application rate, TN and NEupk played significantly positive roles on GY, spring wheat spilke grain number, summer maize ear grain number and 1000–grain weight, DM LAImax and SPADmax, while NUEbms, NUEg, PFPN and ANUE always played negative effects. These results demonstrate that spring wheat, summer maize and annual cereal obtained the highest GY being 4654–5317, 11,727–12,003 and 16,349–16,658 kg ha−1 with the optimal N application rate 231–307, 222–337 and 463–571 kg ha−1, respectively, which provide N application guidance to farmer for spring wheat–summer maize crop systems to achieve annual mechanical harvesting in the thermal–resource–limited region of the North China Plain.
The Phytoremediation Potential of Local Wild Grass Versus Cultivated Grass Species for Zinc-Contaminated Soil
Authors: Korzeniowska Jolanta , Stanislawska-Glubiak Ewa
Published: January 2023

The aim of the study was to compare the phytoremediation potential of cultivated grasses with local wild grass for soil contaminated with zinc. Two pot experiments were carried out on soil artificially contaminated with Zn. Four species of cultivated grasses were used as test plants: Poa pratensis, Lolium perenne, Festuca rubra, Festuca pratensis, and one wild, native grass: Deschampsia caespitosa. Wild grass seeds were collected from soil contaminated with heavy metals near a zinc smelter. The phytoremediation potential of grasses was determined on the basis of the tolerance index (TI), bioaccumulation (BF), and translocation (TF) factors. Differences were found between the species in the reduction in the shoot and root biomass with increasing soil contamination with Zn. The tolerance of the studied grasses to excess Zn in the soil was in the following order: D. caespitosa > L. perenne > F. rubra > F. pratensis > P. pratensis. In addition, there were differences in the accumulation and distribution of Zn between the roots and shoots, which is related to the different defense mechanisms of the studied grasses against Zn phytotoxicity. Of the five grasses tested, the highest phytoremediation potential was shown by D. caespitosa. This grass had a significantly higher tolerance to Zn and a lower transfer of Zn from the roots to shoots than the other cultivated grasses tested. All four cultivated grasses can be useful for phytostabilization because they accumulated Zn mainly in the roots and limited its translocation to the shoots. Unlike wild grass seeds, cultivated grass seeds are readily available commercially and can be used for the phytoremediation of HM-contaminated sites.
A Novel Regional-Scale Assessment of Soil Metal Pollution in Arid Agroecosystems
Authors: Abuzaid Ahmed S. , Jahin Hossam S. , Shokr Mohamed S , El Baroudy Ahmed A. , Mohamed Elsayed Said , Rebouh Nazih Y. , Bassouny Mohamed A.
Published: January 2023

This work is a novel trial to integrate geostatistics with fuzzy logic under the geographic information system (GIS) environment to model soil pollution. Soil samples from seventy-one soil profiles in the northern Nile Delta, Egypt, and were analyzed for total concentrations of Cd, Co, Cu, Pb, Ni, and Zn. Metal distribution maps were generated using ordinary kriging methods. They were normalized by linear and non-linear fuzzy membership functions (FMFs) and overlain by fuzzy operators (And, OR, Sum, Product, and Gamma). The final maps were validated using the area under the curve (AUC) of the receiver operating characteristic (ROC). The best-fitted semivariogram models were Gaussian for Cd, Pb, and Ni, circular for Co and Zn, and exponential for Cu. The ROC and AUC analysis revealed that the non-linear FMFs were more effective than the linear functions for modeling soil pollution. Overall, the highest AUC value (0.866; very good accuracy) resulted from applying the fuzzy Sum overly to the non-linearly normalized layers, implying the superiority of this model for decision-making in the studied area. Accordingly, 92% of the investigated soils were severely polluted. Our study would increase insight into soil metal pollution on a regional scale, especially in arid regions.
Stimulative Effects of Lupinus sp. and Melilotus albus Underseed on the Photosynthetic Performance of Maize (Zea mays) in Two Intercropping Systems
Authors: Lang Jaroslav , Váczi Peter , Barták Miloš , Hájek Josef , Kintl Antonín , Zikmundová Barbora , Elbl Jakub
Published: January 2023

In order to evaluate influential mechanisms for photosynthetic processes on the yields of an intercropping system composed of maize (Zea mays), Lupinus sp. and Melilotus albus, three treatments were designed and conducted in southern Moravia (Czech Republic) in the form of agronomy trials. The treatments included sole maize (SM), maize with Lupinus sp. (ML) and maize with field melilot (MM). The photosynthetic processes of Zea mays were monitored using several chlorophyll fluorescence techniques on the three treatments for 20 days in the late summer season. An analysis of fast chlorophyll fluorescence transients (OJIP) showed that the capacity of photochemical photosynthetic reactions in photosystem II (FV/FM), as well as the photosynthetic electron transport rate (ET0/RC), declined in response to a four-day episode of extremely warm days with full sunshine. Similarly, the performance index (PI), an indicator of general plant vitality, declined. The episode activated protective mechanisms in photosystem II (PSII), which resulted in an increase of thermal dissipation. For the majority of Z. mays photosynthetic parameters, their values decreased for particular treatments in the following order: MM, ML, SM. The MM and ML intercropping systems had a positive effect on the primary photosynthetic parameters in Z. mays.
Synergistic Activity of Pep16, a Promising New Antibacterial Pseudopeptide against Multidrug-Resistant Organisms, in Combination with Colistin against Multidrug-Resistant Escherichia coli, In Vitro and in a Murine Peritonitis Model
Authors: Chosidow Samuel , Fantin Bruno , Nicolas Irène , Mascary Jean-Baptiste , Chau Françoise , Bordeau Valérie , Verdier Marie-Clemence , Rocheteau Pierre , Guérin Francois , Cattoir Vincent , de Lastours Victoire
Published: January 2023

Colistin is a drug of last resort to treat extreme drug-resistant Enterobacterales, but is limited by dose-dependent toxicity and the emergence of resistance. A recently developed antimicrobial pseudopeptide, Pep16, which acts on the cell membrane, may be synergistic with colistin and limit the emergence of resistance. We investigated Pep16 activity against Escherichia coli with varying susceptibility to colistin, in vitro and in a murine peritonitis model. Two isogenic derivatives of E. coli CFT073 (susceptible and resistant to colistin) and 2 clinical isolates (susceptible (B119) and resistant to colistin (Af31)) were used. Pep16 activity, alone and in combination with colistin, was determined in vitro (checkerboard experiments, time–kill curves, and flow cytometry to investigate membrane permeability). Toxicity and pharmacokinetic analyses of subcutaneous Pep16 were performed in mice, followed by the investigation of 10 mg/kg Pep16 + 10 mg/kg colistin (mimicking human concentrations) in a murine peritonitis model. Pep16 alone was inactive (MICs = 32–64 mg/L; no bactericidal effect). A concentration-dependent bactericidal synergy of Pep16 with colistin was evidenced on all strains, confirmed by flow cytometry. In vivo, Pep16 alone was ineffective. When Pep16 and colistin were combined, a significant decrease in bacterial counts in the spleen was evidenced, and the combination prevented the emergence of colistin-resistant mutants, compared to colistin alone. Pep16 synergizes with colistin in vitro, and the combination is more effective than colistin alone in a murine peritonitis by reducing bacterial counts and the emergence of resistance. Pep16 may optimize colistin use, by decreasing the doses needed, while limiting the emergence of colistin-resistant mutants.
Hiding in Plain Sight: Characterization of Aeromonas Species Isolated from a Recreational Estuary Reveals the Carriage and Putative Dissemination of Resistance Genes
Authors: Canellas Anna Luiza Bauer , de Oliveira Bruno Francesco Rodrigues , Laport Marinella Silva
Published: January 2023

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) has become one of the greatest challenges worldwide, hampering the treatment of a plethora of infections. Indeed, the AMR crisis poses a threat to the achievement of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals and, due to its multisectoral character, a holistic approach is needed to tackle this issue. Thus, the investigation of environments beyond the clinic is of utmost importance. Here, we investigated thirteen strains of antimicrobial-resistant Aeromonas isolated from an urban estuary in Brazil. Most strains carried at least one antimicrobial resistance gene and 11 carried at least one heavy metal resistance gene. Noteworthy, four (30.7%) strains carried the blaKPC gene, coding for a carbapenemase. In particular, the whole-genome sequence of Aeromonas hydrophila strain 34SFC-3 was determined, revealing not only the presence of antimicrobial and heavy metal resistance genes but also a versatile virulome repertoire. Mobile genetic elements, including insertion sequences, transposons, integrative conjugative elements, and an IncQ1 plasmid were also detected. Considering the ubiquity of Aeromonas species, their genetic promiscuity, pathogenicity, and intrinsic features to endure environmental stress, our findings reinforce the concept that A. hydrophila truly is a “Jack of all trades’’ that should not be overlooked under the One Health perspective.
Impact of Antibiotic Prophylaxis on Surgical Site Infections in Cardiac Surgery
Authors: de Tymowski Christian , Sahnoun Tarek , Provenchere Sophie , Para Marylou , Derre Nicolas , Mutuon Pierre , Duval Xavier , Grall Nathalie , Iung Bernard , Kernéis Solen , Lucet Jean-Christophe , Montravers Philippe
Published: January 2023

(1) Background: Cephalosporins (CA) are the first-line antibiotic prophylaxis recommended to prevent surgical site infection (SSI) after cardiac surgery. The combination of vancomycin/gentamicin (VGA) might represent a good alternative, but few studies have evaluated its efficacy in SSI prevention. (2) Methods: A single-centre retrospective study was conducted over a 13-year period in all consecutive adult patients undergoing elective cardiac surgery. Patients were stratified according to the type of antibiotic prophylaxis. CA served as the first-line prophylaxis, and VGA was used as the second-line prophylaxis. The primary endpoint was SSI occurrence at 90 days, which was defined as the need for reoperation due to SSI. (3) Results: In total, 14,960 adult patients treated consecutively from 2006 to 2019 were included in this study, of whom 1774 (12%) received VGA and 540 (3.7%) developed SSI. VGA patients had higher severity with increased 90-day mortality. Nevertheless, the frequency of SSI was similar between CA and VGA patients. However, the microbiological aetiologies were different, with more Gram-negative bacteria noted in the VGA group. (4) Conclusions: VGA seems to be as effective as CA in preventing SSI.
Genistein Promotes Anti-Heat Stress and Antioxidant Effects via the Coordinated Regulation of IIS, HSP, MAPK, DR, and Mitochondrial Pathways in Caenorhabditis elegans
Authors: Zhang Sai-Ya , Qin Zi-Chen , Sun Yi-Yang , Chen Yu-Si , Chen Wen-Bo , Wang Hong-Gang , An Di , Sun Dan , Liu Yan-Qiang
Published: January 2023

To determine the anti-heat stress and antioxidant effects of genistein and the underlying mechanisms, lipofuscin, reactive oxygen species (ROS), and survival under stress were first detected in Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans); then the localization and quantification of the fluorescent protein was determined by detecting the fluorescently labeled protein mutant strain; in addition, the aging-related mRNAs were detected by applying real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR in C. elegans. The results indicate that genistein substantially extended the lifespan of C. elegans under oxidative stress and heat conditions; and remarkably reduced the accumulation of lipofuscin in C. elegans under hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and 35 °C stress conditions; in addition, it reduced the generation of ROS caused by H2O2 and upregulated the expression of daf-16, ctl-1, hsf-1, hsp-16.2, sip-1, sek-1, pmk-1, and eat-2, whereas it downregulated the expression of age-1 and daf-2 in C. elegans; similarly, it upregulated the expression of daf-16, sod-3, ctl-1, hsf-1, hsp-16.2, sip-1, sek-1, pmk-1, jnk-1 skn-1, and eat-2, whereas it downregulated the expression of age-1, daf-2, gst-4, and hsp-12.6 in C. elegans at 35 °C; moreover, it increased the accumulation of HSP-16.2 and SKN-1 proteins in nematodes under 35 °C and H2O2 conditions; however, it failed to prolong the survival time in the deleted mutant MQ130 nematodes under 35 °C and H2O2 conditions. These results suggest that genistein promote anti-heat stress and antioxidant effects in C. elegans via insulin/-insulin-like growth factor signaling (IIS), heat shock protein (HSP), mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), dietary restriction (DR), and mitochondrial pathways.
LSTM-Based Transformer for Transfer Passenger Flow Forecasting between Transportation Integrated Hubs in Urban Agglomeration
Authors: Yue Min , Ma Shuhong
Published: January 2023

A crucial component of multimodal transportation networks and long-distance travel chains is the forecasting of transfer passenger flow between integrated hubs in urban agglomerations, particularly during periods of high passenger flow or unusual weather. Deep learning is better suited to managing massive amounts of traffic data and predicting extended time series. In order to solve the problem of gradient explosion or gradient disappearance that recurrent neural networks are prone to when dealing with long time sequences, this study used a transformer prediction model to estimate short-term transfer passenger flow between two integrated hubs in an urban agglomeration and a long short-term memory network to incorporate previous historical data. The experimental analysis uses two sets of transfer passenger data from the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei urban agglomeration, collected every 30 min in May 2021 on the transfer corridors between an airport and a high-speed railway station. The findings demonstrate the high adaptability and good performance of the suggested model in passenger flow forecasting. The suggested model and forecasting outcomes assist management in making capacity adjustments in time to correspond with changes, enhance the effectiveness of multimodal transportation systems in urban agglomerations and significantly enhance the service of long-distance multimodal passenger travel.
Optical Behavior of Nile Red in Organic and Aqueous Media Environments
Authors: Minò Antonio , Cinelli Giuseppe , Lopez Francesco , Ambrosone Luigi
Published: January 2023

A simple model is proposed to calculate the dimerization constant of a dye in non-aqueous solvents. Alkan-1ols of the formula H–(CH2)n–OH are used to study the spectroscopic behavior of Nile Red dye. The number n varied from 1 to 8 to modulate the medium hydrophobicity. Generally, Nile red is used to localize lipid droplets within cells. This molecule is non-fluorescent in water and other polar solvents but undergoes fluorescence enhancement and large absorption and emission blue shifts in non-polar environments. The calculated equilibrium constants suggest that the aggregation process is solvent-assisted. The absorption and fluorescence emission spectra reveal a marked red shift, which is studied by breaking the wavelength of the maximum band into two terms, showing the contribution of the solvent and the effect of the dye concentration. Both contributions were investigated as a function of the number n, and it was found that alkan-1ols with large n tend to aggregate and produce a smaller red shift. Conversely, it was also noticed that short-chain alkan-1ols stabilize the excited state of the dye via H-bond and the red shift increases. The hydrophilicity of the medium was found to be modulated by adding pure water, in a controlled way, to the binary systems dye–H–(CH2)n–OH (n = 1–8). The quantification of solvent hydrophilicity is described with the ratio R = water moles/alcohol moles. From this investigation, we realized that the absorption spectra values are strictly connected with the R parameter. In this context, we realized that fluorescence emission spectra allow us to determine the adjustable parameters.
Development of Cementitious Mortars for Aerial Additive Manufacturing
Authors: Dams Barrie , Chen Binling , Shepherd Paul , Ball Richard J.
Published: January 2023

Additive Manufacturing (AM) methods in the construction industry typically employ ground-based deposition methods. An alternative to transform the role of AM in construction is to introduce an aerial capability. A recent project titled Aerial Additive Manufacturing (AAM), the first AM system to use untethered, unmanned aerial vehicles (or ‘drones’), has demonstrated the 3D-printing of cementitious materials during flight. An autonomous aerial system would minimise requirements for working at height, thus reducing safety risks and release AM from ground-based constraints. This study investigates viscous cementitious mortars for AAM. To assess workability and buildability, a robotic arm representing UAV movement in three-dimensional space moved a lightweight deposition device to extrude multiple layers. Constituents such as Pulverised Fuel-Ash, Silica fume, polyol resin, limeX70 and Polypropylene fibres were added to cement-based material mixes. Sand:binder ratios were a maximum of 1.00 and Water:binder ratios ranged from 0.33–0.47. Workability and buildability of mixes were evaluated using performance parameters such as power required for extrusion, number of layers successfully extruded, the extent of deformation of extruded layers and evaluation of mechanical and rheological properties. Rheology tests revealed mortars with a suitable workability-buildability balance possessed a Complex modulus of 3–6 MPa. Mechanical tests showed that resistance to deformation and buildability positively correlate and indicate compressive strengths in excess of 25 MPa. This study has demonstrated that structural cementitious material can be processed by a device light enough to be carried by a UAV to produce an unsupported, coherent multiple-layered object and further demonstrated the feasibility of untethered AAM as an alternative to ground-based AM applications in construction.
Improving the Safety and Security of Software Systems by Mediating SAP Verification
Authors: Almufareh Maram Fahaad , Humayun Mamoona
Published: January 2023

Security and performance (SAP) are two critical NFRs that affect the successful completion of software projects. Organizations need to follow the practices that are vital to SAP verification. These practices must be incorporated into the software development process to identify SAP-related defects and avoid failures after deployment. This can only be achieved if organizations are fully aware of SAP verification activities and appropriately include them in the software development process. However, there is a lack of awareness of the factors that influence SAP verification, which makes it difficult for businesses to improve their verification efforts and ensure that the released software meets these requirements. To fill this gap, this research study aimed to identify the mediating factors (MFs) influencing SAP verification and the actions to promote them. Ten MFs and their corresponding actions were identified after thoroughly reviewing the existing literature. The mapping of MFs and their corresponding actions were initially evaluated with the help of a pilot study. Mathematical modeling was utilized to model these MFs and examine each MF’s unique effect on software SAP verification. In addition, two case studies with a small- and a medium-sized organization were used to better understand the function these MFs play in the process of SAP verification. The research findings suggested that MFs assist software development organizations in their efforts to integrate SAP verification procedures into their standard software systems. Further investigation is required to support the understanding of these MFs when building modern software systems.
KCFS-YOLOv5: A High-Precision Detection Method for Object Detection in Aerial Remote Sensing Images
Authors: Tian Ziwei , Huang Jie , Yang Yang , Nie Weiying
Published: January 2023

Aerial remote sensing image object detection, based on deep learning, is of great significance in geological resource exploration, urban traffic management, and military strategic information. To improve intractable problems in aerial remote sensing image, we propose a high-precision object detection method based on YOLOv5 for aerial remote sensing image. The object detection method is called KCFS-YOLOv5. To obtain the appropriate anchor box, we used the K-means++ algorithm to optimize the initial clustering points. To further enhance the feature extraction and fusion ability of the backbone network, we embedded the Coordinate Attention (CA) in the backbone network of YOLOv5 and introduced the Bidirectional Feature Pyramid Network (BiFPN) in the neck network of conventional YOLOv5. To improve the detection precision of tiny objects, we added a new tiny object detection head based on the conventional YOLOv5. To reduce the deviation between the predicted box and the ground truth box, we used the SIoU Loss function. Finally, we fused and adjusted the above improvement points and obtained high-precision detection method: KCFS-YOLOv5. This detection method was evaluated on three datasets (NWPU VHR-10, RSOD, and UCAS-AOD-CAR). The comparative experiment results demonstrate that our KCFS-YOLOv5 has the highest accuracy for the object detection in aerial remote sensing image.