bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Desarrollo de librería para procesamiento y gestión de imágenes usando OpenMPI y OpenMP, Lima 2023
Authors:   , Oliva Salazar Robinson
Published: November 2024

Hoy en día es común encontrar procesadores con más de un núcleo en cualquier dispositivo. Este avance es muy importante si se desea implementar soluciones para dispositivos embebidos donde los recursos de sistema son menores. Dado la presencia de más un núcleo en los modernos procesadores, resulta propicio aprovechar estas características bajo el enfoque de la programación paralela. El estudio se enfoca en la implementación de una librería hibrida usando las tecnologías OpenMPI y OpenMP con el objetivo de reducir el tiempo de compresión de imágenes bajo el algoritmo de Huffman, en el cual no se tiene perdidas de información. Para la investigación se empleó un enfoque cuantitativo ya que es necesario realizar mediciones a la experiencia, con un diseño de tipo experimental siendo el objetivo general, determinar la influencia de la librería hibrida sobre el procesamiento de imágenes al comprimir la información. La implementación de la librería hibrida está basada en los enfoques del paralelismo de datos y paralelismo por tareas, complementándose ambas de manera coordinada. Se ha tomado mediciones antes y después de la aplicación de la librería hibrida correspondiendo a la clase preexperimental del diseño experimental. La evaluación de los casos preprueba y posprueba se realizó mediante las fichas de observación. Se utilizó una muestra de 30 imágenes satelitales obtenidas del Sistema de Información y Datos del Sistema de Observación Terrestre (EOSDIS en inglés) las cuales se referencian en el anexo 5. Los resultados mostraron un mejor desempeño en cuanto al tiempo de ejecución para la compresión de la imagen cuando se emplea la librería hibrida. Se observo un menor tiempo de ejecución, pero no existiendo mejoras significativas en cuanto a la eficiencia en el tamaño final del archivo comprimido...
Molecular engineering and dynamic activation mechanism of a PAM-flexible compact CRISPR-Cas9
Authors: Nureki Osamu , Nakagawa Ryoya , Omura Satoshi , Kajimoto Shohei , Okazaki Sanae , Hirano Hisato , Yamashita Keitaro , Nishimasu Hiroshi , Ishiguro Soh , Mori Hideto , Yuji Kashiwakura , Hiramoto Takafumi , Takana Mamoru , Jividen Kasey , Tsai Shengdar , Yachie Nozomu , Ohmori Tsukasa
Published: November 2024

Staphylococcus aureus Cas9 (SaCas9), which is smaller than the widely-used Streptococcus pyogenes Cas9 (SpCas9), has been harnessed for gene therapy using an adeno-associated virus vector. However, SaCas9 requires an NNGRRT (where N is any nucleotide and R is A or G) protospacer adjacent motif (PAM) for target DNA recognition, thereby restricting the targeting range. In addition, the nuclease activation mechanism of SaCas9 remains elusive. Here, we rationally engineered a SaCas9 variant (eSaCas9-NNG) with an expanded target scope and reduced off-target activity. eSaCas9-NNG induced indels and base conversions at endogenous sites bearing NNG PAMs in human cells and mice. We further determined the cryo-electron microscopy structures of eSaCas9-NNG in four sequential states, PAM-checking state, DNA-unwinding state, pre-catalytic state and catalytically active state, which illuminate notable differences in the activation mechanisms between small SaCas9 and larger SpCas9. Overall, our findings demonstrate that eSaCas9-NNG could be used as a versatile genome editing tool for in vivo gene therapy, and improve our mechanistic understanding of the diverse CRISPR-Cas9 nucleases.
Maximizing biochar climate change mitigation impact through optimized logistic
Authors: Lefebvre David , Heitz Matthieu , Edgar Jack , Bi Xiaotao , Meersmans Jeroen , Cornelis Jean-Thomas
Published: November 2024

Carbon dioxide removal (CDR) practices are essential for mitigating the adverse impacts of climate change. Some CDR practices depend on the availability and accessibility of feedstocks. The climate change mitigation potential of these practices relies on the difference between their location-specific efficiency and the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions associated with establishing them. Focusing on biochar from forestry harvest residues in British Columbia (Canada), this manuscript demonstrates that optimizing the selection of biochar application areas and transportation routes can double the climate change mitigation potential of the practice across the province compared to random selection. We argue that spatially explicit ex-ante modeling of CDR potential and transportation optimization should become the norm for any new relevant CDR project to ensure the maximization of their climate change mitigation potential.
Using Generative AI to Extract Structured Information from Free Text Pathology Reports
Authors: Shahid Fahad , Hsu Min-Huei , Chang Yung-Chun , Jian Wen-Shan
Published: November 2024

Manually converting unstructured text pathology reports into structured pathology reports is very time-consuming and prone to errors. This study demonstrates the transformative potential of generative AI in automating the analysis of free-text pathology reports. Employing the ChatGPT Large Language Model within a Streamlit web application, we automated the extraction and structuring of information from 33 unstructured breast cancer pathology reports from Taipei Medical University Hospital. Achieving a 99.61% accuracy rate, the AI system notably reduced the processing time compared to traditional manual methods. This not only underscores the efficacy of AI in converting unstructured medical text into structured data but also highlights its potential to enhance the efficiency and reliability of medical text analysis. Through this technological integration, we aimed to substantiate the capabilities of generative AI in improving both the speed and reliability of data processing, thereby fostering enhanced research and more accurate diagnostic practices. The outcomes of this study affirm that generative AI can significantly transform the handling of pathology reports, promising substantial advancements in clinical diagnostics and medical research by facilitating the structured analysis of complex medical data.
Design and Evaluation Patient Portal for Patients with HTLV-1
Authors: Aval Reyhane Nourozi , Rafatpanah Houshang , Sarbaz Masoumeh , Kimiafar Khalil , baigi Seyedeh Fatemeh Mousavi
Published: November 2024

Background: Patient portals are increasingly accepted as part of standard medical care. This study aimed to design and evaluate a patient portal for patients with Human T-lymphotropic virus 1 (HTLV-1) that provides information to learn more about their medical conditions.
Methods: This Cross-sectional descriptive study was carried out in four phases. 1) Literature review in scientific database and analysis of users ‘needs. 2) Use Delphi techniques by a multidisciplinary workgroup of Neurologists, Immunologists, and Specialists in Health Information Management and Medical Informatics, 3) Desing a patient portal, 4) User evaluation by patients and professionals is done by the SUS scale and Nielsen's principles questionnaire.
Results: We developed a portal that includes Six structural features including: home page, patient profile, care team, educational materials, contact us, and about us. The most important features of the portal in the survey conducted on patients included: Reminders for appointments (93.3%), making an appointment (90%), requesting medication recipes (83.3%), viewing test results (70%), and others. Also, the SUS results showed that the users found the portal user-friendly, useful, and efficient.
Conclusion: It can also be said that patients have different needs, so designing a portal to provide information and support to these people seems essential.
Vitamin D deficiency is a more frequent finding in hirsutism or not?
Authors: Eftekhari Hojat , Darjani Abbas , Alizadeh Narges , Nejad Kaveh Gharaei , Rafiei Rana , Ghorbani Mahsa , Rafiei Elahe
Published: November 2024

Introduction
Evidence shows that vitamin D (Vit D) insufficiency is associated with some hormonal disorders. Hirsutism is a prevalent hormonal condition, which is associated with androgenic hormones. Disturbance of Vit D level affects regulation of these hormones and may result in hirsutism. This study compared the Vit D levels of women with and without hirsutism.
Methods
In this cross-sectional study, 202 women were included (101 with hirsutism and 101 without). 25-hydroxy Vit D level was assessed using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). All data was analyzed based on a significance level < 0.05.
Results
The distribution of different ages was similar in both groups with and without hirsutism (P > 0.05). The mean level of Vit D had no statistically significant differences in the hirsutism group (21.40 ng/ml) compared to non-hirsutism group (21.20 ng/ml) (P > 0.05). Also, no significant differences between menstrual pattern, body mass index and existence of polycystic ovary, with different levels of Vit D were observed (P > 0.05).
Conclusion
The study found no significant difference in Vit D levels between individuals with and without hirsutism. About half of the individuals in both groups had Vit D deficiency.
Evolution algorithm with adaptive genetic operator and dynamic scoring mechanism for large-scale sparse many-objective optimization
Authors: zhao wei , Wang Xia , Tang Jianing , Dai Zhongbin , Feng Yaning
Published: November 2024

Large-scale sparse multi-objective optimization problems are prevalent in numerous real-world scenarios, such as neural network training, sparse regression, pattern mining and critical node detection, where Pareto optimal solutions exhibit sparse characteristics. The extensive number of decision variables and sparsity requirements make the optimization algorithms face more challenges. To address these issues more effectively, this paper proposes an evolution algorithm with the adaptive genetic operator and dynamic scoring mechanism for large-scale sparse many-objective optimization (SparseEA-AGDS). Within the evolutionary algorithm for large-scale Sparse (SparseEA) framework, the proposed adaptive genetic operator and dynamic scoring mechanism adaptively adjust the probability of cross-mutation operations based on the fluctuating non-dominated layer levels of individuals, concurrently updating the scores of decision variables to encourage superior individuals to gain additional genetic opportunities. Moreover, to augment the algorithm's capability to handle many-objective problems, a reference point-based environmental selection strategy is incorporated. Comparative experimental results demonstrate that the SparseEA-AGDS algorithm outperforms five other algorithms in terms of convergence and diversity on the SMOP benchmark problem set with many-objective and also yields superior sparse Pareto optimal solutions.
Microbiologically influenced corrosion in uncoated and coated mild steel
Authors: Ali Sheikh Idrees , nazir sheikh
Published: November 2024

The study aimed to investigate the corrosion performance of Zn-Ni-Cu and Zn-Ni-Cu-TiB2 coatings in the microbial-induced environment (E-Coli, ATCC 25922, and 3.5%NaCl solution). Zn-Ni-Cu and Zn-Ni-Cu-TiB2 were surfaces coated on an ASTM A-36 Steel substrate utilizing a high-velocity oxy-fuel (HVOF) thermal spray process. Immersion tests following ASTM G-31, and ASTM G1-03, standards were performed in Escherichia Coli (E-Coli, American Type Culture CollectionATCC25922) bacteria medium.The effect of Zn, Ni, and Ti was studied in preventing microbial-induced corrosion.SEM, and XRD analysis before and after helped to understand the morphological and structural changes in coated/uncoated ASTM A-36 steel. Various forms of rust were ascertained in XRD analysis. The inclusion of Zn and Cu inhibited bacterial attachment to the coated surface, hence preventing significant corrosion of the underlying substrate.The coatings performed effectively and inhibited bacterial growth. The uncoated ASTM A-36 Steel specimen showed well-developed bacterial colonies on the surface and in the solution medium. All forms of rust were reported in XRD analysis for uncoated ASTM A-36 steel while few forms of rust were reported in coated ASTM A-36 steel. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and Tafel polarization in Escherichia coli (E-Coli, ATCC 25922) medium demonstrated that the coated samples had greater corrosion resistance than the uncoated ASTM A-36 Steel specimens. The higher corrosion potential (Ecorr) values of the two coated samples indicated improvedanodicprotection.
Coastal flood impacts and lost ecosystem services along Europe’s Outermost Regions and Overseas Countries and Territories
Authors: Vousdoukas Michalis I. , Patrotny Dominik , Mentaschi Lorenzo , Monioudi Isavela N , Feyen Luc
Published: November 2024

Climate change is expected to result in rising seas, exacerbating coastal floods1 and erosion2. Remote islands are projected to be among the most challenged regions, due to their geographic isolation and fragile economies. While, Small Island Developing States have been attracting the attention of scientists and policy makers, Europe’s Outermost Regions (ORs) and Overseas Countries and Territories (OCTs) remain poorly studied in terms of their impacts from Sea Level Rise (SLR). Here we carry out a data-modelling framework to comprehensively study risks of flooding, the submergence of flat regions, and coastal erosion along coastlines of ORs and OCTs. Our study shows that under a high emissions scenario by 2150 annually nearly 3,000 km2 is expected to be flooded, one third of which by tidal flooding, while 150 km2 of land will be lost by coastal erosion. This translates into an annual exposure to coastal inundation of up to half a million of people and an economic damage of 5.9 € billion per year - a 40-fold increase from today. Our study shows the increasing benefits in time of stringent climate mitigation, which could nearly halve these impacts in the long run. However, sea levels will continue to rise long after net zero carbon is reached, and so will the consequent impacts, highlighting the critical importance of proactive efforts to increase the resilience of these vulnerable regions against rising seas.
Betulinic Acid and Oleanolic Acid Modulate CD81 Expression and Induce Apoptosis in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Cells through ROS Generation
Authors: Lestari Dian Yuliartha , Mastutik Gondo , Mukono Indri Safitri
Published: November 2024

Background
Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is an aggressive subtype of breast cancer characterized by a lack of hormones and the HER2 receptor, making it unresponsive to targeted therapy. Triterpenoids such as betulinic acid (BA) and oleanolic acid (OA) have anticancer effects by inducing apoptosis in TNBC cells. CD81 is a tetraspanin that affects the growth and metastasis of cancer cells.
Aim
To evaluate the effect of BA and OA on viability MDA-MB 231 by analyzed of CD81 expression, intracellular ROS and apoptosis.
Materials and Methods
The TNBC cell, MDA-MB 231, was cultured and exposed by BA dan OA. The viability cell was evaluated by the CCK-8 assay. The binding of BA dan OA to CD81 was analyzed using molecular docking. This study evaluated CD81 expression, intracellular ROS, and apoptosis by flow cytometri.
Results
The result showed that BA and OA inhibited viability of MDA-MB-231 cells. BA and OA bind to CD81 in silico, with binding affinities of 9.0 kcal/mol for BA and 7.2 kcal/mol for OA. Flow cytometry results revealed that BA can downregulate CD81 expression. BA and OA also increased intracellular ROS levels and induced apoptosis.
Conclusion
These findings suggest that BA and OA, especially BA, can modulate CD81 expression and promote apoptosis in TNBC cells through the generation of ROS, thereby offering a potential therapeutic strategy for the treatment of TNBC.
Time-domain stereoscopic imaging
Authors: Yan Ming , Wang Zijian , Ma Hui , Luo Jinwei , Huang Kun , Fang Jianan , Ge Jingman , Zeng Heping
Published: November 2024

Stereoscopy harnesses two spatially offset cameras to mimic human vision for depth perception, enabling three-dimensional (3D) optical imaging for various remote sensing applications. However, its depth precision and accuracy are limited by insufficient spatial resolving power. Achieving high precision alongside extensive measurable ranges and high-speed measuring capabilities has long been a challenge in 3D imaging. To address this, we introduce time-domain stereoscopy, a concept inspired by space-time duality in optics. Specifically, it employs two temporally offset optical gating cameras to capture time-domain parallax signals, enabling rapid and precise time-of-flight measurements for depth retrieval. Leveraging two advanced technologies—femtosecond electro-optical comb synthesis and nonlinear optical sampling—this method achieves sub-100 nm depth precision across multimeter-scale imaging ranges and supports millisecond-scale displacement and velocity measurements for 47 million spatial points simultaneously. As such, it provides a versatile tool for applications in surface metrology, mechanical dynamics, and precision manufacturing.
Evaluating Comprehensive Land Use Efficiency in Homestead Consolidation under the 'Three Rights Separation' Framework: Insights from Feicheng City, China
Authors: Gong Maogang , Gao Xinyu
Published: November 2024

The separation of ownership, qualification, and use rights of homestead provides an institutional guarantee for the consolidation of homestead, thereby promoting its intensive and efficient utilization. This study uses Feicheng in Shandong as a case study, employing the synthetic control method to construct an indicator system for comprehensive land utilization to assess land use efficiency following the implementation of the village consolidation policy. By calculating the discrepancy between actual and synthetic values, the impact of village consolidation is visually discerned. Starting in 2009, the impact became increasingly pronounced, with a yearly upward trend. From 2017 to 2020, a slight decline in the effect was observed due to a weakening of the policy's sustained effectiveness, but it still maintained a positive trend. Robustness tests, including placebo tests and the ratio of mean squared errors, further confirm that the implementation of the village consolidation in Feicheng has a significant positive effect on comprehensive land use efficiency. Based on the research conclusions, it is recommended to enhance the efficiency of land use in village consolidation by improving institutional policies, public infrastructure, village planning, the quality of life for farmers, and ecological environment protection.
Reaction-induced regioselective reconstruction of Ni-doped Ce(OH)3/CeO2 enables exceptional activity and selectivity for reverse water-shift reaction
Authors: Qu Yongquan , Li Wenbin , Liu Bing , Guo Qing , Guo Wenjie , Zhang Sai
Published: November 2024

Reconstruction of catalysts by reaction environments represents a viable approach to create highly performed active sites. Herein, we developed a reaction-induced regioselective reconstruction of Ni-doped Ce(OH)3/CeO2 nanorods to form dual-active sites composed of carburized Ni clusters and frustrated Lewis pairs (FLPs), delivering exceptional activity, selectivity and stability for reverse water-gas shift reaction. Ni aggregation in the Ce(OH)3 region, coupled with in-situ carbonization of Ni by catalytically generated CO during reaction, induced the formation of the carburized Ni clusters, which effectively promoted H2 dissociation. Additionally, Ni doping in the CeO2 region and Ce(OH)3-to-CeO2 phase transition introduced more oxygen vacancies and thereby generated FLPs in CeO2, which facilitated CO2 adsorption and subsequent hydrogenation by spilled H* species from the carburized Ni clusters. Weak CO adsorption on both the carburized Ni clusters and FLPs significantly suppressed the methanation side-reaction. This reaction-induced regioselective reconstruction strategy provides a new avenue for designing highly performed catalysts.
Exergaming-based Esports Intervention for Older Adults in Hong Kong: A Non-Randomized Controlled Trail Study
Authors: Man Leung Ka , YUCHEN SHI
Published: November 2024

Exergaming, refers to the video gaming with/without virtual reality which required the use of physical activity during gameplay, has been utilized as an emerging type of physical activity in improving older adults’ physical and mental health. Exergaming can also be considered as esports when the competitive and interactive element is embedded in the gameplay. To date, the impact of exergaming-based esports on older adults’ health and well-being conditions has been less investigated. This study aims to examine the effectiveness of exergaming-based esports intervention program in promoting older adults’ physical, psychological, and cognitive health outcomes in Hong Kong. A total of 54 older adults were recruited and 48 (male = 12; female = 36) were finally retained for data analysis due to six of them did not attend the post-test. All participants were allocated into either an esports group (EG = 24) and a control group (CG = 24). EG participants were invited to participate in an eight-week exergaming-based esports intervention program consisting of 16 training sessions to learn and play the Nintendo Switch™ Fitness Boxing game. A fitness boxing competition was embedded in the final three sessions. Besides, CG participants were instructed with their normal daily activity. Measures including Senior Fitness Test, the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) Loneliness Scale (ULS-8), the Chinese version of the Physical Activity Enjoyment Scale (PACES), the number comparison test and trail making test (TMT), and the Short Form-36 (SF-36) Health Survey were used to examine older adults’ physical, psychological, and cognitive conditions. Analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was used for data analysis. The results showed that EG participants had better lower body strength, better agility, higher aerobic endurance, higher enjoyment level and higher cognitive functioning. This study provides theoretical contribution by filling in the research gap of the investigation of the beneficial effects of exergaming-based esports in enhancing older adults’ health conditions in Hong Kong. Besides, game designers are encouraged to design specific game types with competitive and interactive elements embedded for older adults to play and thus promote their emotional and cognitive well-being.
Continuous Sulfur Sorption in Supercritical Water by Carbon-supported Zinc Oxide Materials
Authors: Maxim F. , Stoian G. S. , Toma E. E. , Borca C. N. , Muller E. , Atkinson I. , Torrent L. , Ludwig C. , Testino A.
Published: November 2024

Sulfur (S) capturing materials working at supercritical water (SCW) conditions need to be designed and developed to overcome issues related with catalyst poisoning during the hydrothermal gasification of wet biomass, an efficient and sustainable technology for alternative fuels production. Sorbent materials of zinc oxide (ZnO) deposited on porous carbon (C) support were prepared by an innovative continuous flow SCW impregnation method. Their S-adsorption performance was tested under the same supercritical conditions in the presence of sodium hydrosulfide (NaHS), as model inorganic sulfur compound. During sulfidation experiments, ZnS replaced ZnO indicating an efficient chemisorption of S with the formation of the sulfide particles by a pseudomorphic replacement mechanism. The S adsorption capacity of the ZnO/C composites reaches 1.55 molS/molZn at relatively low temperature, which is much higher than those of other reported S capturing materials employed in SCW processes. The results reported here confirm that S sorbents can be both generated and used under the continuous flow SCW conditions relevant for technological applications towards the production of hydrogen and methane from biomass wastes and residues.
The antimicrobial spectrum to manage the co-infections of P. aeruginosa and S. aureus
Authors: Sharma Amit , Tripathi Shyam , Rani Kusum , Vibhuti Arpana , Pandey Ramendra Pati , Raj V. Samuel
Published: November 2024

Background: Coinfections of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus usually fail to respond to antibiotic treatment, and combination therapy may prove to be a substantial approach to prevent the spread of antimicrobial resistance.
Objectives: To evaluate the antimicrobial and antibiofilm effects of drugs against the sensitive as well as resistant strain co-cultures of P. aeruginosa and S. aureus.
Methods: 52 clinical isolates of P. aeruginosa and 43 of S. aureus were studied. The planktonic and biofilm co-cultures of the resistant (PA-14 and PS-107) and sensitive (PA-27 and PS-100) biofilm-forming strains of P. aeruginosa and S. aureus were determined for a specific set of drugs. Based on the Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC), and Minimum Biofilm Inhibitory Concentration (MBIC) data, the different drug combinations were shortlisted and tested against the co-cultures.
Results: 33.3% of drug combinations showed synergy against resistant and 41.7% against sensitive strain planktonic co-culturesamong the shortlisted drug combinations. Furthermore, 8.3% were found to be effective against the biofilm co-cultures of resistant strains and 80% against sensitive strains. The drug combinations, although synergistic against the co-cultures, the pure cultures of P. aeruginosaand S. aureus were found to be susceptible to the participating drugs (colistin, linezolid, trimethoprim, nitrofurantoin, and vancomycin) in the initial studies.
Conclusions: This, however, alleviates the synergistic effect of these drug combinations. In contrast, it demonstrates a significant reduction in the MICs (≥50%) compared to the MICs of these drugs against the pure cultures of bacteria, indicating the therapeutic benefits of adjusted doses of the combining drugs over monotherapy in treating these coinfections.
A Synergistic Approach for Enhanced Eye Blink Detection using Wavelet Analysis, Autoencoding and Crow-Search Optimized k-NN Algorithm
Authors: M Chandralekha , N Priyadharshini Jayadurga , Chen Thomas , Sathiyanarayanan Mithileysh , Saleem Kasif , Orgun Mehmet
Published: November 2024

This research endeavour introduces a state-of-the-art, assimilated approach for eye blink detection from Electroencephalography (EEG) signals. It combines the prominent strategies of wavelet analysis, autoencoding, and a Crow-Search-optimized k-Nearest Neighbors (k-NN) to enhance the performance of eye blink detection from EEG signals. This procedure is initiated by escalating the robustness of EEG data through jittering, which integrates noise into the dataset. Consequently, the wavelet transform is highly demanded during feature extraction in identifying the essential time-frequency components of the signals. These features are further distilled using an autoencoder to provide a dense, yet informative representation. Prior to introducing these features into the machine learning system, they were adjusted. Evidently, the hyperparameters of the k-Nearest Neighbors model have been fine-tuned using Crow Search Algorithm, inspired by the hunting characteristics of crows. This optimization method actively samples the search space to balance exploration and exploitation to identify the optimal configuration for the model. The k-NN model that has been optimized using the proposed method demonstrates significantly higher performance in the eye blink detection process in comparison to the deep learning models when equipped with decorous feature extraction and fine tuning. The effectiveness of the developed system has been ascertained according to the assessment indices such as accuracy, classification reports, and confusion matrix. Thus, the present work offers an optimal method of detecting the eye blink from the EEG signals assisting in the development of further EEG applications including user interfaces, fatigue level identification, and neurological disorders analysis through the enhancement of signal processing and optimization methods. It becomes evident after a detailed evaluation that conventional machine learning algorithms if implemented with correct feature extraction and fine-tuning surpass the deep learning approaches including the frameworks composed of Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) and Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and empirical mode decomposition by approximately 96% across all datasets. This proves the advantage of optimized traditional Machine Learning models over the Deep Learning models in realistic EEG-based eye blink detection.
Temporal avoidance of interfering noise by common chiffchaff
Authors: Sokołowska Emilia , Staniewicz Agata , Muszyńska Adrianna , Budka Michał
Published: November 2024

Birds use their song to attract mates and repel rivals; therefore, their fitness depends strongly on efficient song transmission. However, an environment full of other sounds from various sources, including signals of other animals and increasing noise of human activities, can substantially impair species’ communication. To test the response of a wild population of common chiffchaffs to the introduction of artificial sounds that interfere and do not interfere with their songs, we conducted two playback experiments. In the first experiment, we compared the song rate of males during 5-minute periods of white noise matching entire frequency band of the species’ song, broadcast alternately with periods of silence. In the second experiment, we compared their song rate during 5-minute periods of the same white noise, broadcast alternately with noise lower and higher in frequency than species-specific spectrum. Common chiffchaff males sang significantly fewer songs during noise matching their frequency than during periods of silence or other kinds of noise. Our results indicate that high-amplitude continuous noise fully interfering with species’ song causes stronger constraining effect on vocal activity of common chiffchaffs than non-interfering noise. These findings, along with previous studies, show that the response to noise is species specific, and the topic of variation among birds in the strategies used still requires additional testing.
Heteronymous feedback from quadriceps onto soleus is influenced by limb loading and task context
Authors: Lyle Mark A. , Wolf Steven L. , Cuadra Cristian
Published: November 2024

Heteronymous reflexes from quadriceps can increase and/or decrease soleus activity; yet few studies have examined factors influencing reflex strength. This study examined the independent influence of limb loading, posture, and task context on heteronymous feedback from quadriceps onto soleus. The influence of limb loading and posture was determined by comparing femoral nerve elicited heteronymous excitation and inhibition of soleus in a semi-recumbent position with and without 50% body weight limb loading and while standing with back support (n = 16). Task context was examined by comparing heteronymous reflex magnitudes while standing with back support to maintaining an unsupported squat posture which requires tonic soleus activity to maintain the posture (n = 12). Heteronymous inhibition decreased by 20% with limb loading in both semi-recumbent and standing postures, while excitation remained unchanged suggesting that limb loading, rather than postural orientation, independently modulates heteronymous inhibition. Inhibition decreased by 50% and excitation by 90% when maintaining the squat posture compared to supported standing, The pronounced suppression of both excitation and inhibition during the squat is considered a task-appropriate reflex modulation that aids in maintaining the posture. The results of this study highlight an important modulatory influence of limb loading afferents and task context on heteronymous reflex circuits.
Estimating Regional Terrestrial Ecosystem Carbon Sinks on Multi-Model Coupling Approach
Authors: Lv qing zhou , Yang Hui , Wang Jia , Feng Gefei , Liu Wanzeng , Zhang Yunhui , Wang Wenfeng , Wang Cheng , Zhang Guoqing , Liu Lei , Huang Xinfeng , Cui Liu , Qiao Yina , Fan Huaiwei , Yao Yuejing , Qin Yin , Zhang Wenkai , Han Yang
Published: November 2024

The regional terrestrial ecosystems serve as primary carbon sinks, characterized by strong spatial heterogeneity and significant interannual fluctuations. In Xinjiang, one of China's five autonomous regions, carbon storage increased from 12,967.89 TG to 14,262.31 TG. Traditional carbon sink assessment methods struggle to fully account for the combined impacts of human activities and environmental factors, impeding accurate depiction of the spatial distribution and evolution of regional carbon stocks. This study proposes a regional terrestrial ecosystem carbon density estimation method based on an ARIMA-CatBoost-RNN coupled model. Firstly, the ARIMA model forecasts carbon density time series, the CatBoost model reduces the impacts of spatial heterogeneity, and the RNN model estimates ecosystem carbon density values. Secondly, terrestrial carbon storage is estimated using an improved InVEST model, with an accuracy of up to 78.4%. Finally, the Geodetector model quantifies the influence of nine driving factors on carbon sink capacity. The results reveal that soil carbon stocks comprise 55%-61% of total carbon storage, making them the main component of Xinjiang's terrestrial ecosystems. Annual average carbon sequestration is 39.02 T/km², with forests showing the highest capacity at 103.33 T/km². NDVI(Normalized Difference Vegetation Index) has the most significant impact on Xinjiang's carbon sink capacity, contributing up to 0.615.
Seasonal variation in the prevalence of household food insecurity and its associated factors in the West Gojjam zone, Ethiopia
Authors: Yayeh Melesse Belayneh , Makua Memme Girly
Published: November 2024

Background: Seasonal variations emerge as a predictor of household food insecurity specifically in developing countries, including Ethiopia. There is dearth of evidence on this issue and not well studied in Ethiopia.
Objective: The objective of the study was to determine the seasonal prevalence of household food insecurity and its associated factors in West Gojjam Zone, Ethiopia.
Methods: A longitudinal cross-sectional study design was employed from December 2023 to September 2024. A multistage stratified sampling technique was used to select 844 women in three districts of the West Gojjam Zone in Ethiopia. Data were collected in September, June, March and December, at the start of each seasonal month using an interviewer-administered method. Data were entered and cleaned in EPI data 4.3 and exported to SPSS v. 29 for further analyses. Multivariate logistic regression was used to select the factors associated with insecurity in household food.
Results: The prevalence of food insecurity at the household level was observed in the month of June 79.3% (95% CI 77.0, 82.5), December 49.8% (95% CI 46.1%, 53.2%), September 59.1% (95% CI 55.5, 62.4) and March 69.9 % (95% CI 66.9, 72.8). Factors associated with Food Insecurity were season: June month (AOR=2.27; 95% CI: 1.75, 2.94) and March month(AOR=1.34 ; 95% CI: 1.065, 1.68), Orthodox religious followers (AOR=21.5; 95% CI: 18.3, 29.5), poorest (AOR=5.80; 95% CI: 3.54, 8.97), poorer (AOR=5.65; 95% CI: 2.19, 7.27) and medium wealth index (AOR= 4.3; 95% CI: 3.52, 5.98), not using agricultural inputs (AOR=1.53; 95% CI: 1.29, 1.81), having good knowledge of food insecurity (AOR=0.38; 95% CI: 0.32, 0.45) and low dietary diversity (AOR=2.73 ; 95% CI: 2.09, 3.56) were significantly associated factors of food insecurity.
Conclusions: In this study, substantial seasonal prevalence variation of household food insecurity was observed compared to the national survey. Factors associated with food insecurity were seasonal variation, religion (orthodox) and low economic status, lack of use of agricultural input, poor knowledge, and low food groups available in the household. It is essential to inform seasonal variation by developing programs such as a community based health education program to inform stakeholders. Strategies must be designed to provide adequate agricultural inputs and use, community-based nutrition program, and improve the economic status of households.
The negligible role of carbon offsetting in corporate climate strategies
Authors: Stolz Niklas , Probst Benedict
Published: November 2024

Carbon credits feature prominently in corporate climate strategies and have sparked public debate about their potential to delay companies' internal decarbonisation. While industry reports claim that credit purchasers decarbonise faster, rigorous evidence is missing. Here, we provide an in-depth analysis of 89 multinational companies’ historical emissions reductions and climate target ambitions. Based on self-reported sustainability data and more than 400 sustainability reports, we find no significant difference between companies that purchased credits and those that did not. Voluntary offsetting is not a central part of most companies’ climate strategies, and many pass these credits' costs and purchase decisions directly onto their customers. While the companies within our sample retired 1/4th of all carbon credits in 2022, the top five offsetters' expenditures on voluntary emission offsetting are, on average, only 1 percent relative to their capital expenditures. For most companies, carbon credits are, therefore, unlikely to crowd out internal decarbonisation measures. Yet, we document that for large-scale offsetters like Delta Air Lines or easyJet, carbon credit purchases competed with financing internal decarbonisation efforts.
Reduced Cuticular Hydrocarbon Production in the Ant, Nylanderia fulva, Is Associated with Low Desiccation Resistance and Lack of Intraspecific Aggression in Its Invasive Range
Authors: Eyer Pierre-André , Helms Anjel M. , Moran Megan N. , Vargo Edward L.
Published: November 2024

Cuticular hydrocarbons (CHCs) are ubiquitous among insects where they form an outer wax layer that helps maintain water balance and prevent desiccation. In social insects, CHCs were subsequently co-opted as semiochemicals in many contexts, including nestmate recognition, which maintains boundaries among competing colonies by ousting non-nestmates. In some ant populations, workers do not discriminate against non-nestmates. This leads to the development of supercolonies, a large network of interconnected nests exchanging unrelated individuals. In this study, we investigate CHC production by workers and their resistance to desiccation in the ant Nylanderia fulva, which exhibits supercolonial behavior within its invasive range in the USA. We found greatly reduced CHC production by workers and increased susceptibility toward desiccation compared to other invasive ants of similar body size. This relative absence of CHCs sheds light on the susceptibility of this species to abiotic stress through desiccation with implications for its potential distribution and its development of large supercolonies in its invasive range by impairing nestmate recognition.
Ce-Cr Composite Metal Oxide Doped with Multi-walled Carbon Nanotubes for Catalytic Combustion of Aromatic Solvents
Authors: Yuan Wei , Yang Yuheng , Bao Xinli , Zhao Yuying , Sun Yinlu
Published: November 2024

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) pose risk to eco-environment and human health. Catalytic combustion has been proven to be an effective method for the efficient removal of VOCs from industrial sources. Herein, the applicability of Ce-Cr composite metal oxide doped with multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) for catalytic combustion of aromatic solvent oil was evaluated. Using varying mass proportions of MWCNTs, a series of MWCNTs-doped of chromium-cerium composite oxide catalysts (Ce0.3Cr0.7-xwt%MWCNTs) were synthesized by the citric acid sol-gel method and subsequent air pyrolysis. The effect of MWCNTs doping on the catalytic combustion was investigated. The measured complete combustion temperature of the low-concentration aromatic solvent oil indicated that the catalytic performance of the Ce-Cr composite oxide was improved by the doping of MWCNTs in range of 0.5-2.0 wt%, reaching its best at 1.5 wt%. It is revealed that Ce0.3Cr0.7-1.5wt%MWCNTs possessed abundant honeycomb-like pore structures, significantly enhancing the adsorption and activation of the aromatic solvent oil during the reaction. The excellent repeatability and stability of Ce0.3Cr0.7-1.5wt% MWCNTs were also be verified. This study provides a feasible approach for the design of effective catalysts for the decomposition of VOCs.
Dissecting the potential causal relationship between immune cells and postpartum depression mediated by plasma metabolites: a mediated Mendelian randomization study
Authors: Pengran Wang , Ran Pang , Genxia Li , Weiwei Lun
Published: November 2024

Introduction: Recent studies have shown that immune cells play an important role in PPD, but their causal relationship and potential metabolic mediators are still unclear. This study employed MR to investigate the causal relationships among immune cells, PPD, and potential metabolic mediators.
Materials and methods: We collected genetic data from published GWAS, including 731 immune cell phenotypes and 1,400 plasma metabolites. The summary data of PPD were obtained from the FinnGen database. This study used MR analysis to explore the causal relationship between immune cells, blood metabolites, and PPD, supplemented by mediation analysis to identify potential mediating metabolites.
Results: The results indicated that 23 immune cell phenotypes were causally related to PPD, with no evidence of reverse causality. Additionally, 36 metabolites exhibited a causal relationship with PPD. According to Mediation analysis, there are 11 plasma metabolites that may guide the intermediary between immune cells and PPD. Inosine levels mediated the causal relationship between CD45RA- CD4+ %T cell and PPD, with a mediation proportion of 30.1% and P = 0.032.
Limitations: Our analysis utilized GWAS data derived from European populations, thus constraining the generalizability of our findings to other ethnic groups.
Conclusion: This MR study provides new genetic evidence for the association of immune cell phenotype with PPD risk and highlights the mediator role of plasma metabolites. This finding further clarifies the pathogenesis of PPD and provides new insights into its diagnosis and treatment.
Public Availability of Research Integrity Policies in Leading African Universities
Authors: Appiah David , Duut Jamal-Deen Majeed , Adu-Gyebi Comfort
Published: November 2024

Background
The presence of research integrity (RI) policies in higher education institutions is a critical tool for good research governance. Despite the increased availability and visibility of RI policies at many universities around the world, the status of RI policies in African universities is unknown. This study aimed to assess the existence of key research integrity policies in African universities.
Methods
We conducted a quantitative content analysis of research integrity (RI) policies at 283 African universities, selected based on the Scimago Research and Innovation Ranking 2024. University websites were searched, and policies were coded as "Yes," "Not Available," or "Not Retrievable." Using SPSS 29, and Excel functions to perform data analysis, we evaluate the prevalence and patterns of policy accessibility across different regions and institutions of Africa.
Results
Only 20.67% of universities had RI policies in place, while 78.86% did not have such policies. A small percentage (0.47%) had policies were not retrievable. Most of the available Research Integrity (RI) policies were written in English (87%), with smaller portions in Arabic (9%) and French (4%). Southern Africa universities had the highest availability of RI policies (p̂ =3.39), while Central Africa had the lowest (p̂ =0.22). Northern Africa, despite a large sample representation, had substantial gaps in policy accessibility, with a low proportion of universities having RI policies in place (p̂ =0.54). There was a moderate to strong correlation between universities having multiple RI policies.
Conclusion
This study reveals that Research Integrity (RI) policies across African universities are notably limited, with significant gaps, particularly in Northern and Central Africa. Therefore, research administration of universities in Africa must ensure that their RI policies are publicly accessible to stakeholders, thereby enhancing research governance and promoting integrity across African universities.
Evidence of Hypervelocity Impact Crater of Meteorite or Comet in Ponce, Puerto Rico
Authors: Ruiz-Garcia Abraham , Serrano-Garcia William , Bruckman William
Published: November 2024

In this paper we present geological and morphological evidence of comet or meteorite impact in the Tibes region of Ponce, Puerto Rico. Satellite images show a semicircular structure of about 800 m in diameter, inside which we find metamorphic rock, such as shatter cones, horsetails and impact melt rock. The SEM and EDAX analysis of the collected geological samples reveal the existence of fractured quartz and minerals. In many cases, there is infiltration of melted iron oxide between the fractures, suggesting that the area was subjected to pressures of 10 GPa or more and temperatures of at least 1800 K.
High Spatiotemporal Availability of Hydrogen by Electrolysis of Municipal Reclaimed Water in China
Authors: Lu Lu , Chao Weixiang , Yan Xiuling
Published: November 2024

The large-scale electrolytic H2 production requires a steady supply of both electricity and water as well as nearby H2 demands, which is usually challenged in China due to a spatiotemporal mismatch of these resources. This necessitates reconfiguring them or finding alternatives. Reclaimed water produced from municipal wastewater treatment plants shows widespread distribution with human activities and huge reserves. Here, we conducted a life-cycle assessment of H2 production from reclaimed water in terms of potential capacity, cost and carbon emissions based on available water and electricity and H2 market in each province of China, which was compared to that using pure water and seawater. Reclaimed water with easy access to nearby electricity and H2 demand shows a great H2 production potential of 95.7–213.1 million tons per year between 2021 and 2060, which can theoretically meet the national H2 demand (33.4–130.9 million tons) alone and allows H2 self-sufficiency in most provinces. In contrast, other electrolytic H2 routes only have a potential of 19.8–79.1 million tons. The current cost ($8.8 ± 0.6/kg H2) and carbon emissions (40.4 ± 0.7 kg CO2-eq/kg H2) of H2 produced from reclaimed water are comparable to other electrolytic approaches, but expect to reach $4.0 ± 0.5 kg H2 and 4.99 ± 0.05 kg CO2-eq/kg H2 by 2050 due to advances in electrolysis technology and electricity decarbonization, indicating a highly competitive performance with those of fossil H2 (~$4.3/kg H₂) and defined green H2 (~4.9 kg CO2-eq/kg H2). This study provides a new insight into sustainable electrolytic H₂ production by using unconventional water resources.