bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Assessment of variability of sea surface salinity using integrated all-weather satellite data in a tropical coast (Nigerian coastal zone)
Authors: Ajibola-James Opeyemi , Okeke Francis , Ojinnaka Oliver
Published: November 2023

The tropical coasts, particularly the Nigerian coastal zone has been traditionally undersampled, and understudied using appropriate remote sensing technique. In spite of the disparity in the spatial scales of accessible all-weather satellite sea surface salinity (SSS) datasets, their integrated applications for baseline, and SSS variability studies coupled with the implications in such coastal zone at local scale are crucial for supporting relevant decisions. We utilized integrated SSS datasets from Aquarius/Satélite de Aplicaciones Científicas (SAC)-D (Aquarius) and Soil Moisture Active Passive mission (SMAP) satellite products in this study. We determine their accuracy. We assess the interannual and seasonal variability of the monthly SSS (Jan., 2012-Dec., 2021); and determine their potential implications for changes in the freshwater flux (FWF) and tidal rivers discharge. We show RMSD of 0.1100 psu and 0.1236 psu for Aquarius and SMAP respectively. We show Coefficient of Variation (CV) of 0.66% and 2.96% for the interannual SSS variability (iSSSv) and the seasonal SSS variability (sSSSv) respectively. We show that the negative average annual percentage change (NAAPC, -0.06%) and the negative average seasonal percentage change (NASPC, -0.21%) imply the predominance of net positive FWF, and of relatively high freshwater discharge into the coastal zone. The results suggest relatively stable iSSSv; and low risk of upstream seawater intrusion from the Nigerian coastal zone. Despite the difference in spatial resolution of the two datasets, the results further suggest a relatively accurate integrated dataset for assessing SSS variability; and for monitoring SSS for the risk of upstream seawater intrusion in the tropics.
Fostering the waste management: Environmental-resource interacting attribute
Authors: Zeng Xianlai , Li Jinhui , Huang Wenbo
Published: November 2023

Increasing waste management is one of the grand challenges for our humans. The environmental-resource interacting attribute (ERIA) quantifies the difficulties of resource recovery and environmental impact elimination in waste processes and provides important insights into the recycling potential and environmental burden of waste. We measured ERIA in detail in twelve waste categories for management pathways. Findings reveal considerable variability in ERIA across waste types and treatment paths, with copper slag exhibiting the highest and most balanced ERIA, implying easy treatment. The flow of information processed through downcycling pathways presents the highest ERIA and leans toward resource attributes. ERIA variability is significantly influenced by statistical entropy, rank, and removal rank of waste elements. We suggest classifying effective waste based on ERIA and yield and prioritizing high-potential waste in the ascending cycle path to recover valuable materials to avoid irreversible losses. ERIA provides an additional dimension for waste classification, treatment pathway selection, and therapeutic technology enhancement. Our results are of great significance to foster the governance of the waste disposal industry towards a circular economy and carbon reduction.
Mechanism and structural dynamics of sulfur transfer during de novo [2Fe-2S] cluster assembly on ISCU2
Authors: Lill Roland , Schulz Vinzent , Steinhilper Ralf , Oltmanns Jonathan , Freibert Sven-A. , Krapoth Nils , Linne Uwe , Welsch Sonja , Schünemann Volker , Murphy Bonnie
Published: November 2023

Maturation of iron-sulfur proteins in eukaryotes is initiated in mitochondria by the core iron-sulfur cluster assembly (ISC) complex, consisting of the cysteine desulfurase sub-complex NFS1-ISD11-ACP1, the scaffold protein ISCU2, the electron donor ferredoxin FDX2, and frataxin, a protein dysfunctional in Friedreich’s ataxia. The core ISC complex synthesizes [2Fe 2S] clusters de novo from Fe and a persulfide (SSH) bound at conserved cluster assem-bly site residues. Here, we elucidated the poorly understood Fe-dependent mechanism of persulfide transfer from cysteine desulfurase NFS1 to ISCU2. High-resolution cryo-EM structures obtained from anaerobically prepared samples provided snapshots that both visualized differ-ent stages of persulfide transfer from Cys381NFS1 to Cys138ISCU2 and clarified the molecular role of frataxin in optimally positioning assembly site residues for sulfur transfer. Biochemical analyses assigned ISCU2 residues essential for sulfur transfer, and revealed that Cys138ISCU2 rapidly received the persulfide without a detectable intermediate. Mössbauer spectroscopy assessing the Fe coordination of various sulfur transfer intermediates showed a dynamic equilibrium between pre- and post-sulfur-transfer states shifted by frataxin. Collectively, our study defined crucial mechanistic stages of physiological [2Fe-2S] cluster assembly and clarified frataxin’s molecular role in this fundamental process.
The Effect of Secondary Neuritis on the Optic Nerve in Patients with Chronic Rhinosinusitis
Authors: Moyseyenko Nataliya
Published: November 2023

Background: Chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) is a common condition that affects millions of people worldwide. Despite its prevalence, the pathophysiology of CRS is not fully understood, and there is a lack of consensus on the definition and diagnosis of this condition.
Methods: 8 patients (16 eyes) aged 18-32 were examined at the Ivano-Frankivsk National Medical University with progressive optic nerve atrophy caused by secondary neuritis combined with sinusitis. We conducted a cross-sectional study of patients with CRS who underwent a comprehensive otolaryngological evaluation, including nasal endoscopy, computed tomography (CT) scan, and allergy testing. Patients were classified into two groups: those with and without secondary neuritis.
Result. Eight patients with optic nerve atrophy caused by secondary neuritis combined with sinusitis examined by OCT. The optic nerve damage in the early period (up to half a year) characterized by the appearance retinal neural fibers layer (RNFL)’s white sectors combined with red-yellow sectors on the side of the lesion. It could be evidence of edematous -degenerative processes.
Later, after more than a year, RNFL’s yellow-red sectors appeared on the side of the lesion and white on the opposite side. The finding characterizes the development of atrophy of the optic nerve and involvement of the opposite side.
Conclusion Our study suggests that secondary neuritis is a common complication of CRS and is associated with more severe symptoms and CT scan abnormalities. Early recognition and treatment of secondary neuritis may help to prevent or slow down the progression of the disease.
Ubiquitous purine sensor modulates diverse signal transduction pathways in bacteria
Authors: Krell Tino , Monteagudo-Cascales Elizabet , Gumerov Vadim , Fernández Matilde , Matilla Miguel , Gavira Jose , Zhulin Igor
Published: November 2023

Purines and their derivatives are key molecules for controlling intracellular energy homeostasis and nucleotide synthesis. In eukaryotes, including humans, purines also act as signaling molecules that mediate extracellular communication and control key cellular processes, such as proliferation, migration, differentiation, and apoptosis. However, the signaling role of purines in bacteria is largely unknown. Here, by combining structural and sequence information, we define a purine-binding motif, which is present in sensor domains of thousands of bacterial receptors that modulate motility, gene expression, metabolism and second messenger turnover. The screening of compound libraries and microcalorimetric titrations of selected sensor domains validated their ability to specifically bind purine derivatives. The physiological relevance of purine sensing was demonstrated in a second messenger signaling system that modulates c-di-GMP levels.
Tumor-wide RNA splicing aberrations generate immunogenic public neoantigens
Authors: Okada Hideho , Kwok Darwin , Stevers Nicholas , Nejo Takahide , Chen Lee , Etxeberria Inaki , Jung Jangham , Okada Kaori , Cove Maggie Colton , Lakshmanachetty Senthilnath , Gallus Marco , Barpanda Abhilash , Hong Chibo , Chan Gary , Wu Samuel , Ramos Emilio , Yamamichi Akane , Liu Jerry , Watchmaker Payal , Ogino Hirokazu , Saijo Atsuro , Du Aidan , Grishanina Nadia , Woo James , Diaz Aaron , Chang Susan , Phillips Joanna , Wiita Arun , Klebanoff Christopher , Costello Joseph
Published: November 2023

T-cell-based immunotherapies hold promise in treating cancer by leveraging the immune system’s recognition of cancer-specific antigens.1 However, their efficacy is often limited in tumors with fewer somatic mutations and significant intratumoral heterogeneity, such as glioblastoma.2–5 Here we introduce a previously uncharacterized class of tumor-wide and public neoantigens, originating from RNA-splicing aberrations in various cancer types. Notably, we identified T-cell receptor clones capable of recognizing and targeting neoantigens derived from aberrant splicing in GNAS and RPL22. In multi-site-directed biopsies across various cancer types, we detected the tumor-wide expression of the GNAS neojunction within glioma, mesothelioma, prostate cancer, and liver cancer patients. Importantly, these neoantigens were proven to be endogenously generated and presented by tumor cells under physiological conditions, which was sufficient in triggering the eradication of cancer cells by neoantigen-specific CD8+ T-cells. Moreover, our study unravels the complex interplay of dysregulated splicing factor expression in specific cancer subtypes, which leads to recurrent patterns of neojunction upregulation. These findings offer a robust molecular basis for T-cell-based immunotherapy that targets a newfound class of tumor-wide public neoantigens, addressing the challenges of intratumoral heterogeneity. By characterizing this unique class of tumor-wide and public neoantigens, our research emphasizes the need to consider intratumoral heterogeneity in the quest for effective cancer immunotherapies. These findings have significant implications for the development of targeted treatments and mark a pivotal step in the ongoing journey to uncover neoantigens for cancer immunotherapy.
Path planning and simulation of Robotic arm based on improved artificial potential field method
Authors: Li YAN , zheng pei , LI Yufei
Published: November 2023

Multi-degree-of-freedom Robotic arm have been widely used in various fields,In this paper, taking the six-degree-of-freedom Robotic arm as the research object.Aiming at the problem that the traditional artificial potential field algorithm is easy to produce the target unreachable during path planning, an improved artificial potential field algorithm is proposed and applied to the path planning of the Robotic arm.The way to improve the algorithm is to add a parameter about the path between the current robotic arm and the target point to the original repulsion function, The original repulsive force is divided into two different directions: one is directed from the obstacle to the Robotic arm, and the other is directed from the Robotic arm to the target point. Due to the instability of the Robotic arm during the path search movement, a three-time quasi-uniform B-spline will be added to smoothly optimize the planned path.
Room temperature experimental implementation of quantum logic on a hybrid magnon-spin system
Authors: Sun Fang-Wen , Jiang Wang , Zang Han-Xiang , Zhang Shao-Chun , Gao Xue-Dong , Yu Cui , Liu Yong , Liu Zhi-Wei , Chen Xiang-Dong , Dong Yang , Guo Guangcan
Published: November 2023

The rapid advancement of quantum information technology has spurred the need for establishing hybrid quantum systems capable of providing complementary functionalities and multitasking
capabilities. Recently, there has been growing interest in hybrid quantum platforms that leverage magnons and other discrete quantum systems. However, the realization of a hybrid quantum system incorporating both a single spin and coherent magnons has remained elusive. In this study, we achieve a significant breakthrough by successfully demonstrating the precise control of a single spin’s state through flexible coherent magnon driving. This accomplishment is made possible through the use of nitrogen-vacancy-center and Yttrium-Iron-Garnet films. Our findings not only underscore the advantages of single spin coherence for implementing high-fidelity quantum logic but also highlight the absence of heat generation of magnon driving resulting from reducing two orders of magnitude energy cost. This, in turn, opens up exciting avenues for further research focused on entangling spin qubits with quantum data bus of magnon within the context of quantum networks.
Estimation of health impacts and morbidity attributed to particulate matter 10 exposure using Air Quality model in Karaj city for 2016–2021
Authors: Sokoty Leily , Qorbani Mostafa , Nami Mohammadian , Shahrestanaki Ehsan , Hassanlouei Babak , Gholami Morteza
Published: November 2023

Background
Determining the impact of air pollution in cities faces two major challenges; First, the limited data on the health effects of pollutants, and second, the lack of information on exposure to air pollutants and their concentrations. Air pollution assessment effects relate to community influence on air pollutants and critical air quality status. The aim of this study was to quantify and estimate the cardiovascular and respiratory diseases caused by PM10 in Karaj in the period 2016–2021.
Methods
In this descriptive-analytical study, after consultation with the Ministry of the Environment, hourly data on PM10 concentrations were initially received from the air pollution station. After the primary and secondary processes and filtering, the data was evaluated with the AirQ2.2.3 software.
Results
The results showed that the mean annual concentration of PM10 during 2016–2021 was 65.39, 5913, 48.45, 46.05, 58.95and 38.30 µg /m3, respectively. The hospitalized number of cases following respiratory disease attributed to PM10 in this period were 853, 774, 627, 588, 293, 551 subjects, respectively, and following cardiovascular disease were 330, 300, 243, 228, 293, 213 subjects, respectively.
Conclusion
The results suggest that health attributed to PM10 decreases in hospital admission rate over time from 2016 to 2021.
A Novel and Efficient Optical Device for Mitigating Methane Emission Risks in Geological and Built-in Environment
Authors: Roy Sandipta , Desikan Ramakrishnan , Duttagupta Siddhartha P.
Published: November 2023

Methane, the most deleterious greenhouse gas causes multi-dimensional damage footprint from local to global scales. This necessitates detection of its source and quantifying of its concentration. Widely used compact chemical sensors are sensitive to broad-spectrum of gases, degrade fast and slow in response. Which limits its efficiency in tracing its sources within geological/mine/reclaimed and built-in environments. Contrary, optical sensors are very fast, precisely measures the methane concentration and its flux, and deployable in above mentioned environments. Conventionally, costly InGaAs sensors are used in optical-detectors due to its sensitivity in near Infra-red region (1000–2500 nm). Here, we report development of an efficient spectroscopy-based cost-effective sensor which is methane specific, fast response time and has tremendous application potential in tracking the methane source in above environments. The detector, NiSi Schottky diode, was designed, fabricated, and characterized exclusively for the 1.65 µm, narrow bandwidth methane absorption wavelength. The sensor system, which is of 20 cm length includes a laser source and the NiSi detector. This probe can be easily deployed in boreholes, mine vents and soil layers for measuring real-time fluxes in methane concentrations. From the experiments it is observed that the detection limits of the developed device are very low (3% by volume) and the response time of detection is about 2 seconds. Based on the materials used, fabrication procedures adopted, sensitivity of the device and its compactness, the developed device can be considered as a novel, economic device for effectively measuring and targeting the methane source in above mentioned environment.
Vacancy-Engineered Phonon Polaritons in α-MoO3
Authors: Shcherbakov Maxim , Hussain Naveed , Sakib Mashnoon , Li Zhaoxu , Harris William , Ahmed Shehzad , Wu Ruqian , Wickramasinghe H. Kumar
Published: November 2023

Low-symmetry van der Waals (vdW) materials have enabled strong confinement of mid-infrared light through hyperbolic phonon polaritons (HPhPs) at the nanoscale. Yet, the bottleneck persists in manipulating the intrinsic polaritonic dispersion to drive further progress in phonon-polaritonics. Here, we present a thermomechanical strategy to manipulate HPhPs in α-MoO3 using high-pressure and temperature treatment. The hot pressing engineers the stoichiometry of α-MoO3 by controllably introducing oxygen vacancy defects (OVDs), which cause a semiconductor-to-semimetal transition. Our density functional theory (DFT) and finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) results, combined with experimental studies show that the OVDs induce a metastable metallic state by reducing the bandgap while modifying the intrinsic dielectric permittivity of α-MoO3. Photo-induced force microscopy (PiFM) confirms an average dielectric permittivity tunability of |𝚫𝜺/𝜺|≈𝟎.𝟑𝟓 within a Reststrahlen band of α-MoO3, resulting in drastic shifts in the HPhP dispersion. The polariton lifetimes for pristine
and hot-pressed flakes were measured as 0.92±0.06 and 0.86±0.11 ps, respectively, exhibiting a loss of only 7%, while the group velocity exhibited an increase of 38.8±0.2%. The OVDs in α-MoO3 provide a low-loss platform that enables active tuning of mid-infrared HPhPs and have a profound impact on applications in super-resolution imaging, nanoscale thermal manipulation, boosted molecular sensing, and on-chip photonic circuits.
Hepatitis B/C viruses upregulate TNNT1 expression to induce epithelial-mesenchymal transition and hepatocellular carcinogenesis via MTA2
Authors: zhang Xiao-Lian , Qu Haoran , Xie Yan , Xiang Tian , Ye Qifa , Yuan Yufeng , Xia Yuchen , Liu Min
Published: November 2023

Hepatitis B and C viruses (HBV and HCV) infection has been considered as a major cause of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Although tremendous efforts have been made to understand HBV/HCV-induced tumorigenicity, the precise mechanism and the critical host factors involved HBV/HCV infection-induced HCC remain to be explored. Here, we found troponin T (TNNT1) expression was significantly upregulated in HBV/HCV-infected hepatoma cells, HCC tissues, and mouse models. HBV/HCV-induced TNNT1 binds metastasis-associated protein 2 (MTA2), causing lysosomal dysfunction and autophagy suppression, which subsequently leads to increased proliferation and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of HCC. MTA2 promotes TNNT1 deacetylation and protects TNNT1 from ubiquitination degradation, thereby enhances TNNT1 stability and carcinogenesis effect in both cellular and mouse models. TNNT1 troponin 10-aa peptide T10 can block TNNT1-MTA2 interaction and MTA2-mediated TNNT1 deacetylation, and thus promote autophagy and suppress cell proliferation/EMT. TNNT1 troponin T10 may be promising for viral HCC therapy.
Hydrogen Bonding and Electrostatic Interaction-induced Nanochannels Enabling Fast Monovalent Ion Transport for Efficient Electrodialysis
Authors: Lin Yuqing , Zhang Yiren , Gan Ning , Zhang Jiayu , Wu Baolong , Yu Jianguo , Matsuyama Hideto , Wang Rong
Published: November 2023

Efficient and selective ion transport in nature is primarily facilitated by ion-conductive biological channels in cell membranes. These channels reveal an architectural design with specialized functionality. Drawing inspiration from this, our study focused on developing a monovalent ion transport membrane through interchain interactions between polybenzimidazole and sulfonated poly (ether ether ketone) to form angstrom-scale confined nanochannels. The nanochannels exhibit pronounced hydrogen-bonding interactions with hydrated multivalent ions, while rendering significant charge effects that impede their transition by compressing the effective passageways. Both hydrogen bonding and electrostatic interaction synergistically result in high selectivity of monovalent ions over multivalent ions, as the latter necessitates overcoming higher energy barriers compared to the former for transport through the nanochannels. The resulting membrane achieved high monovalent ion permeation rates of 1.35 mol·m−2·h−1 with high mono/multivalent ion selectivity for K+/Mg2+ of 56.5 and K+/Al3+ of 286. Our discoveries provide valuable strategies for developing sub-nanometer nanochannels with desired functionality that contributes to remarkably efficient ion separation via electrodialysis and beyond.
Comparison of high-flow nasal cannula oxygenation and non-invasive ventilation for postoperative pediatric cardiac surgery： A meta-analysis
Authors: Zhou Si-Jia , Chen Xiu-Hua , Liu Ying-Ying , Chen Qiang , Zheng Yi-Rong , Zhang Qi-Liang
Published: November 2023

Objective
To evaluate the efficacy of high-flow nasal cannula oxygenation (HFNC) versus non-invasive ventilation (NIV) in pediatric patients post-congenital heart surgery (CHS) through a meta-analysis.
Methods
A comprehensive literature search was conducted across the Chinese biomedical literature database, Vip database, CNKI, Wanfang, PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science until December 20, 2022. We selected RCTs or cohort studies that met inclusion criteria for a meta-analysis using RevMan 5.4 software.
Results
Our search yielded five publications, comprised of one randomized controlled trial and four cohort studies. Meta-analysis revealed a significant reduction in reintubation rates in children post-CHS treated with HFNC as compared to NIV [RR = 0.36, 95%CI(0.25 ~ 0.53), P < 0.00001]. There was also a notable reduction in the duration of ICU stay [MD=-4.75, 95%CI (-9.38 ~ 0.12), P = 0.04]. No statistically significant differences were observed between HFNC and NIV in terms of duration of mechanical ventilation, 24 hour PaO2, and PaCO2 post-treatment (P > 0.05). Furthermore, both groups showed no significant difference in the duration of extracorporeal circulation [MD=-8.27, 95%CI(-17.16 ~ 0.62), P = 0.07].
Conclusions
For pediatric patients post-CHS, HFNC appears to be more effective than NIV in reducing reintubation rates and shortening the CICU stay.
Epithelial-mesenchymal transition status is a remarkable biomarker for the combination treatment with avutometinib and defactinib in KRAS-mutated non-small cell lung cancer
Authors: Horinaka Mano , Yoshimura Akihiro , Yaoi Takeshi , Ono Hisako , Itoh Kyoko , Yamada Tadaaki , Takayama Koichi , Sakai Toshiyuki
Published: November 2023

Recent therapeutic strategies that inhibit the MAPK pathway, a key effector pathway in KRAS-mutated cancers, have attracted considerable attention. Among several molecular-targeted drugs, the RAF/MEK clamp avutometinib (VS-6766 /CH5126766/RO5126766/CKI27) is promising for patients with KRAS-mutated cancers. Although avutometinib monotherapy has shown clinical activity in patients with KRAS-mutated cancers, effective combination strategies will be important to develop. In this study, we investigated the combination of avutometinib with the focal adhesion kinase (FAK) inhibitor, defactinib, for KRAS-mutated non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells. Using a phosphorylation kinase array kit, we explored the feedback mechanism of avutometinib in KRAS-mutated NSCLC cells. We further investigated the efficacy of combining avutometinib with inhibitors of the feedback signal using in vitro and in vivo experiments. Moreover, we aimed to identify a biomarker for the efficacy of combination therapy through an in vitro study and analysis using the TCGA dataset. FAK phosphorylation/activation was increased after avutometinib treatment and synergy between avutometinib and defactinib was observed in KRAS-mutated NSCLC cells with an epithelial rather than mesenchymal phenotype. Combination therapy with avutometinib and defactinib induced apoptosis with upregulation of Bim in cancer cells with an epithelial phenotype. In cell line-derived xenograft models of epithelial phenotype KRAS-mutated NSCLC cells, the combination therapy of avutometinib and defactinib, compared with avutometinib alone, markedly regressed tumors and delayed tumor regrowth after treatment was interrupted. These results demonstrate that the epithelial-mesenchymal transition status may be a promising biomarker for the efficacy of combination therapy with avutometinib and defactinib in KRAS-mutated NSCLC.
A Robust Approach to Secure Data Encryption: AES-RSA Hybrid with Kernel Key Protection
Authors: Srivast Aviral , Kumar Aryaman
Published: November 2023

In the age of ubiquitous digital information, ensuring data security is a pressing concern. This research paper introduces an innovative approach to fortify data security through a combination of hybrid encryption, involving the Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) and RSA, with the integration of kernel-based key storage. The goal is to address vulnerabilities associated with traditional RSA encryption methods, especially the well-documented factorization attacks, and to present a multi-faceted security strategy that raises the bar for safeguarding sensitive data. The research journey commences by employing AES, a symmetric block cipher, to encrypt files with a 128-bit key randomly generated for each encryption instance. To add an extra layer of security, the AES key is further encrypted with a robust RSA 2048-bit public key. This initial stage represents a sound encryption approach widely used in industry and government sectors. What distinguishes this research is the novel introduction of kernel-based key storage. In this process, the contents of the RSA key are securely transferred to the kernel's user space. This affords a protected environment, within the operating system's kernel, which effectively isolates and hides sensitive key materials, thereby making it exceedingly challenging for unauthorized parties to gain access to this vital component of the encryption system. The decryption phase involves a carefully orchestrated process of retrieving the RSA key content from the kernel, utilizing the RSA private key to decrypt the AES key, and subsequently decrypting the encoded file. This multi-layered security strategy, combining AES-RSA hybrid encryption with kernel-based key storage, offers a robust defence against data breaches, unauthorized access, and mitigates the risks associated with RSA vulnerabilities. The research findings clearly demonstrate that this approach substantially strengthens data security, effectively mitigating the risks associated with RSA vulnerabilities and ensuring that sensitive information remains confidential and well-protected. This research contribution significantly advances the state of data security, reinforcing the principles of confidentiality and integrity in the ever-evolving landscape of digital information, and it is poised to become an essential addition to the field of data security and cryptography.
Estimation for the Parameters of Power Rayleigh Distributions Using Double Ranked Set Sampling with an Application to Wind Speed Data
Authors: Gul Hasan Huseyin , Kocer Nurdan Yeniay
Published: November 2023

In this paper, we propose to use Power Rayleigh (PR) distribution for parameter estimation under simple random sampling (SRS), ranked set sampling (RSS) and double ranked set sampling (DRSS) schemes. The sampling technique plays an important role in statistical parameter estimation problems. In the current paper, DRSS, RSS, and SRS are considered for the estimation of parameters concerning PR distribution. The maximum likelihood (ML) and the method of moment (MoM) estimators are considered and their properties are studied. An extensive Monte Carlo simulation study is conducted to assess the performances of the ML and MOM estimators in terms of biases and mean square errors (MSEs) based on DRSS, RSS, and SRS schemes. In the application part of the study, PR distribution is used for modeling the wind speed data collected on a seasonal maximum daily basis from the Giresun site, Turkey in 2016 to illustrate the usefulness of RSS and DRSS schemes under different estimators. The results show that the MOM estimator under DRSS is significantly more efficient than the SRS and RSS schemes.
Early Mortality And Morbidity Analysis Of Macrosomic Newborn Babies
Authors: tosun demet , Salihoğlu Özgül
Published: November 2023

Introduction: Macrosomia is defined by birth weight (BW) ≥ 4000 g, with prevalence ranging from 0.9–15% in all births. In 6.21% of term babies, DA ≥ 2500g was recorded. Term macrosomic neonates had a greater risk of neonatal early morbidity (labor-induced, cardiorespiratory, metabolic, hematological, morphological, and functional) and death than term AGA babies. Early morbidity and death in term macrosomic babies were our study's focus. Method: Newborns ≥ 2500 g from singleton pregnancies at 37–42 weeks were assessed for postnatal morbidity and death from January 2022 to June 2023. The research group consisted of babies ≥ 4000 g, whereas the control group consisted of neonates 2500–3999 g. The Clinical Research Ethics Committee approved. We moved clinical data to the computerized environment. We utilized NCSS 2020 Statistical Software. Results were assessed using a 95% confidence interval and a significance threshold of p < 0.05. The study found 4.09% (43 out of 1052) macrosomia cases. The study group had a mean birth weight of 4.2 kg with a standard deviation of 0.19 kg, whereas the control group had 3.2 kg with 0.34 kg. A substantial positive connection was found between mothers' pregnancy weight and baby birth weight, with a p-value of less than 0.05. During the first 15 minutes after delivery, the research group had substantially higher systolic and diastolic blood pressures (p < 0.05). The research group showed a substantial drop in blood sugar levels in the first postnatal hour (p < 0.01). In the macrosomic sample, insufficient postnatal care (66.6%) and the necessity for cesarean birth owing to CPD were significantly higher (p < 0.05). Morbidity differences across groups were not significant (p > 0.05). The inquiry found no deaths. Results: This research found macrosomia at the same rate as previous studies. Pregnancies without monitoring were more common in the macrosomic group than the control cohort. Mothers' prenatal weight was positively correlated with infant birth weight. The macrosomic cohort had more cesarean sections due to cephalopelvic disproportion (CPD). Birth weight was linked to a reduction in blood sugar within an hour. In the first hour, macrosomic participants had significantly lower blood glucose levels than control participants. The macrosomic group had substantially higher noninvasive arterial systolic/diastolic blood pressures in the delivery room for 15 minutes after birth.
Trends and Clinical Outcomes of Major Burns in an Underserved Minority Population within a Large Metropolitan Area: A Cross-sectional study
Authors: Gumbs Shamon , Smith Andrew , Turkmani Manar Al , Altonen Brian , Engdahl Ryan , Whittaker Vaughn
Published: November 2023

Introduction
Globally burn injuries are a significant cause of morbidity and mortality. The aim of this study was to analyze the characteristics and outcomes after the management major burns in an underserved minority population. This study seeks to provide awareness of trends that can aid in developing strategies to improve healthcare delivery to minority burn patients and identify correlations that can promote injury prevention.
Methods
This study is a single-center, retrospective review of data obtained from the electronic medical records from a trauma center. Patients evaluated at an urban trauma center, and admitted to the Burn ICU from March 2019 through March 2022 with a %TBSA >20 were eligible for inclusion. A total of 27 cases were eligible for inclusion based on our criteria. The primary outcome measure was in-hospital mortality.
Results
The mean age was 46, and the patient population consisted of Blacks/African Americans (48.1%), and Whites (22.2%). Most of the injuries were due to flame (66.6%), and scald (25.9%) burns. Second-degree burns were more common (44.4%). Approximately 66.6% underwent excision/grafting, with the mean time to excision being 5.5 days. Also, 55.5% of those requiring > 1 excision/grafting procedures had a LOS > 30 days. The mean TBSA burns were 35.5%. In total, 7 deaths occurred in that time period with a mortality of 25.9%. 18.5% of patients had TBSA burns > 50%, and subsequently 60% of those eventually died. Those who died were > 50 years old, with 71.4% having inhalational injury. Mean initial lactate was 5.3, with 85.7% of deaths having lactate > 4. Dialysis requirement had 100% mortality.
Conclusion
The disparity in minority burn outcomes has been poorly studied. The ability to identify trends and risk factors aids in spreading awareness, and influencing the development of culturally-appropriate burn care.
Methyl CpG binding protein MBD2 has a regulatory role on the BRCA1 gene expression in ER+, PR+ & triple-negative breast cancer cells
Authors: Sahu Ram Krishna , Tandon Simran , Singh Shalini , Das Bhudev Chandra , Hedau Suresh T.
Published: November 2023

Background It has been shown that Resveratrol regulate BRCA1 gene expression in breast cancer cells and that MBD proteins bind to the BRCA1 gene promoter regions, the molecular link or mechanism has yet to be established. In This study aimed to evaluate the effect of MBD proteins in the regulation of BRCA1, BRCA2, and p16, genes as well as their impacts on breast cancer cells.
Methods Efficacy of resveratrol was calculated by MTT assay. The binding assay was performed by EMSA, ChIP, & MeIP assay. MBD genes & proteins expression were analyzed by qRT-PCR & western blotting. Clonogenic, migratory, and sphere formation assays were used to assess cancer cells' colony-forming, metastatic, and tumor-forming abilities. The cytotoxicity of resveratrol on cancer cells was also tested using an apoptosis assay.
Results This study found that IC50 of resveratrol was 30µM. MBD proteins bind to the BRCA1 gene promoter. Resveratrol regulates MBD genes expression, which in turn adversely influences BRCA1 gene expression and protein expression. A high concentration of Resveratrol reduced the colony & sphere formation as well as migration of cancer cells. It also increases no. of apoptotic cells in breast cancer cells.
Conclusions In conclusion MBD2 protein interact to the BRCA1 gene promoter, and resveratrol modulates MBD2 gene expression, which in turn regulates BRCA1 gene expression, and inhibits cell proliferation, migration, and induces apoptosis in ER+, PR+ & Triple negative breast cancer cells.
Impact Identification of MBD2-BRCA1 axis indicates their significant role in the induction of apoptosis and reduction of metastasis and proliferation in Breast cancer cells. Further therapy can be designed to target these MBD proteins and resveratrol could be used along with other anticancer drugs to target breast cancer.
Investigating the Drivers of Grid Electricity Demand in Nigeria: Harnessing the Power of Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence Algorithms
Authors: Olubusoye Olusanya E. , Emmanuel Precious M. , Nwobi Lucy D. , Daramola Abayomi , Ajulo Kayode D. , Adeyanju Omosalewa T. , Oyebade Bolu J. , Adejumo Olabode , Akintande Olalekan J.
Published: November 2023

The electricity situation in Nigeria is epileptic, and several households rely on alternative sources of electricity to power homes and businesses. In an urban area of the country, four (4) out of every six (6) households operate an alternative electricity supply. On the other hand, individuals in rural areas can hardly afford alternative electricity sources. More so, urban individuals use mostly alternative sources that are non-renewable (such as generators), thereby causing environmental degradation and promoting Climate-related issues. The direct impact of these alternative electricity sources has led to the death of entire families due to carbon monoxide breathing by household occupants/family and caused detrimental health issues to nearby households on several occasions. To address electricity instability issues and promote a sustainable and reliable green energy future, it is worthwhile to identify the factors influencing the grid electricity demand and develop efficient models for identifying these factors and their influence on grid electricity demand. The study finds that classical algorithms are ultimately inefficient due to the multicollinearity component of the relevant features. Consequently, the study harnesses the power of Blackbox and Glassbox algorithms - Deep Neural Network (DNN) and Multivariate Adaptive Regression Spline (MARS), respectively, to investigate these factors. The two learning algorithms agreed that Nigeria's electricity demand is majorly driven by Macroeconomic and Climatology variables – with Rural population, Temperature and GDP per capita being the most relevant drivers of electricity demand in Nigeria. Given the relevance of the GDP per capita, the result implies that the discrepancies in the socioeconomic characteristics of households or individuals in Urban to Rural played a major role in the electricity demand in Nigeria. Hence, the study concludes that by addressing only Electricity problems, Nigeria will achieve fifty-three (53) percent of the global SDG agenda and greater economic development.
Vaginal microbes alter epithelial transcriptomic and epigenomic modifications providing insight into the molecular mechanisms for susceptibility to adverse reproductive outcomes
Authors: Elovitz Michal , Anton Lauren , Cristancho Ana , Ferguson Briana , Joseph Andrea , Ravel Jacques
Published: November 2023

The cervicovaginal microbiome is highly associated with women’s health with microbial communities dominated by Lactobacillus spp. being considered optimal. Conversely, a lack of lactobacilli and a high abundance of strict and facultative anaerobes including Gardnerella vaginalis, have been associated with adverse reproductive outcomes. However, the molecular pathways modulated by microbe interactions with the cervicovaginal epithelia remain unclear. Using RNA-sequencing, we characterize the in vitro cervicovaginal epithelial transcriptional response to different vaginal bacteria and their culture supernatants. We showed that G. vaginalis upregulated genes were associated with an activated innate immune response including anti-microbial peptides and inflammasome pathways, represented by NLRP3-mediated increases in caspase-1, IL-1β and cell death. Cervicovaginal epithelial cells exposed to L. crispatus showed limited transcriptomic changes, while exposure to L. crispatus culture supernatants resulted in a shift in the epigenomic landscape of cervical epithelial cells. ATAC-sequencing confirmed epigenetic changes with reduced chromatin accessibility. This study reveals new insight into host-microbe interactions in the lower reproductive tract and suggest potential therapeutic strategies leveraging the vaginal microbiome to improve reproductive health.
Diversity and abundance of culturable endophytes in leaves of susceptible and resistant alternate hosts of Cronartium pini and C. ribicola
Authors: Piispanen Juha , Bergmann Ulrich , Karhu Jouni , Kauppila Tuomas , Witzell Johanna , Kaitera Juha
Published: November 2023

Cronartium pini and C. ribicola are rust fungi that cause destructive diseases of pines (Pinus spp.). These rusts spread via alternate hosts among which Melampyrum spp., Veronica spp. and Impatiens spp. are important for C. pini and Ribes spp. for C. ribicola. Congeneric alternate hosts vary in their susceptibility to Cronartium rusts but the reasons for this variation are not clear. To clarify whether internal, endophytic fungi could explain these differences, we investigated the temporal and spatial variation in endophyte composition of C. pini -resistant M. pratense, V. chamaedrys and I. glandulifera, C. pini -susceptible M. sylvaticum, V. longifolia and I. balsamina, C. ribicola -resistant R. rubrum and C. ribicola -susceptible R. nigrum. In total, 2695 endophytic isolates were obtained and classified into 37 morphotypes, with 1373 cultures isolated in early summer and 1322 in late summer. Fifty-two isolates were identified by species or genus level. The most common morphotypes were identified as Heterophoma sp. Some variation in the abundance of morphotypes occurred among collection sites, but the same morphotypes dominated across the sites and species. The diversity of morphotypes was higher in early September than in late June in all species and the same morphotypes dominated in both early and late season. The diversity of endophytes was higher in resistant Veronica and Ribes compared to susceptible congeneric species, but the results suggest that the diversity or abundance of culturable endophytes does not explain the differences in the congeneric species’ susceptibility to rust fungi.
Assessing Quality of Life in Young Patients: A Comparative Study of Granted Versus Not Granted Publicly Funded Orthodontic Treatment
Authors: Krekmanova Larisa , Shakrchi Shams , Gicic Amina , Naoumova Julia
Published: November 2023

Objectives
To compare the quality of life among adolescents granted (G) versus not granted (NG) publicly funded orthodontic treatment.
Materials and Methods
One hundred and forty adolescents aged 15–20 years participated by responding to an elaborated web-based survey, assessing quality of life in relation to functional impact, psychological impact, and motivators for orthodontic treatment. Prior to the survey, pre-testing of the questionnaire was conducted to assure its validity and reliability. The responses of the individuals G versus NG publicly funded orthodontic treatment were compared. Differences between the groups were tested using the Chi-Square and Mann-Whitney tests. Validity and reliability were assessed using Cohen’s Kappa and Pearson Correlation Coefficient during the pretest phase.
Results
Cohen’s Weighted Kappa at 0.800, 95% CI, [0.734, 0.866], and Pearson Correlation Coefficient at 0.852, were determined. Gender, age, and demographic distribution were comparable in both groups. However, the NG group expressed a more negative impact on their quality of life concerning teeth appearance, compared to the G group (p < 0,001). Both groups reported similar responses regarding functional aspects. More anxiety related to malocclusion was reported by the NG group (78.6% and 48.5%, respectively, p < 0.001). All respondents expressed a high subjective treatment need. Orthodontic treatment motivators (G: 86.2 and NG: 94.7%, p = 0.443) were primarily related to improving self-esteem, overall well-being, facial appearance, and the ability to laugh without embarrassment.
Conclusions
Despite both groups expressing the same motivators for orthodontic treatment, the NG group reported higher levels of anxiety and negative life impact.
Clinical Relevance
Orthodontic treatment need indices should aim to reinforce subjective measures as NG patients report higher levels of anxiety and negative life impact.
Comparison of additive, additive-dominant and machine learning (LightGBM) models for genomic prediction of corn hybrids
Authors: Missima Jorge Otavio Domingos , Perecin Dilermando , Schuster Ivan
Published: November 2023

The choice of the statistical method for estimating genomic breeding values in genome-wide selection (GWS) studies is essential to obtain high predictive accuracies. The goal of this study was to evaluate and compare the performance of parametric models containing Additive (rrBLUP) and Additive-Dominant (BL) effects, in addition to a non-parametric model based on Machine Learning (LightGBM). Such models were applied to the genomic selection of corn hybrids evaluated in three locations (Jataí-GO, Rolândia-PR and Sorriso-MT) for two important traits, grain yield and moisture. Through the results it was demonstrated that the BL model presents excellent stability in terms of predictive capacity, however its computational performance in model training is considerably lower than the rrBLUP and LightGBM methods. If computational time is a bottleneck for the development of the genomic selection study, the LightGBM model, which has high computational efficiency, can be used, however this use may imply a significant loss of predictive accuracy. Furthermore, it was observed that the heritability of traits affects model prediction accuracy, and that genetic effects arising from smaller heritabilities can be captured more efficiently with the use of models that incorporate additive-dominant effects or Machine learning models.
The Influence of Endogenous and Exogenous Sex Steroid Hormones and Social Hierarchy on Decision- Making: A Systematic Review
Authors: Khosravi Saeedeh , Kogler Lydia , Khosrowabadi Reza , Hashemi Touraj , Derntl Birgit , Heysieattalab Soomaayeh
Published: November 2023

Purpose: Decision-making is a complex process that factors like hormone concentration and social hierarchy can influence. The study underlines the complex interplay between hormones and social hierarchies in decision-making and the important need to consider both to understand the variety of the decision-making process.
Method: The present systematic review summarizes and compares included studies that investigate the effect of sex steroid hormones (testosterone, estradiol, and progesterone) on decision-making (risky, uncertain, and social decision-making), and social hierarchy, as well as the effect of hormones and social hierarchy on decision-making.
Result: The substantial evidence suggests testosterone's influence on decision-making shows gender-related variations. Endogenous testosterone isn't associated with uncertain choices, but Endogenous and exogenous testosterone correlates with riskier decisions, particularly among males. However, a non-negligible proportion of behavioral experiments revealed an inverse or non-significant association. Also, individuals with higher testosterone levels rejected unfair offers. Also, findings showed that testosterone levels, both before and after administration, were linked to social status, and elevated testosterone correlated with improved performance and greater motivation for status competition, especially in males with lower, unstable status.
Conclusion: This review demonstrates the main conclusions, containing findings, hypotheses, and future research recommendations.