bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Study on the Unstable Evolution Characteristics of Loose Particle Slopes under Dynamic Supply of Material Sources
Authors: Wang Jianhu , Xie Liangfu , Xie YongTian , Wu Liming
Published: January 2024

The instability of granular slopes is one of the typical natural disasters in the cold mountainous areas of Xinjiang, posing significant threats to transportation facilities and pedestrian safety. Dynamic source supply is a major factor inducing the instability and destruction of these slopes. This paper investigates the instability evolution process, morphological changes, and destruction characteristics of granular slopes under continuous and periodic dynamic source supply conditions through physical model experiments and numerical simulations. The results demonstrate that: (i) granular slopes exhibit a "accumulation-instability-accumulation" cyclic evolutionary process with the continuous increase in supply; (ii) the surface slope angle at the middle position of the slope increases with each increase in supply until a steep decline of about 5° occurs after each overall instability event; (iii) under continuous supply, the slope experiences several local instabilities before an overall collapse, and the scale of the overall instability increases with the number of occurrences.
The association between celiac disease and digestive system cancers: A Mendelian randomization study.
Authors: Yuan Chang , Feng cuncheng
Published: January 2024

Background Relevant studies have shown a causal relationship between celiac disease and digestive system cancers risk. However, the causal relationship is controversial. Therefore, we aimed to investigate whether CD is causally associated digestive system cancers, including colorectal cancer, Gastric cancer, Oesophageal Cancer, Small intestine cancer, Hepatic cancer, Pancreatic cancer, and Gallbladder cancer using an mendelian randomization (MR) approach.Methods We conducted analyses using two sets of instrumental variables in a two-sample MR design. Summary-level data for colorectal cancer, gastric cancer, oesophageal cancer, Small intestine cancer, Hepatic cancer, Pancreatic cancer, and Gallbladder cancer were obtained from genome-wide association analyses of the UK Biobank study. Summary-level data for celiac disease was derived from a genome-wide association study conducted in the UK Biobank population. We calculated the causal effect using the inverse variance weighted method. Sensitivity analyses and leave-one-out analyses were performed to ensure the consistency and robustness of causal estimates.Results IVW analysis showed a positive causal relationship between CD and CRC risk (OR = 1.106, 95%CI: 1.043–1.173, p < 0.001). In reverse Mendelian randomization, we found that: colorectal cancer is not causally related to celiac disease(OR = 0.968, 95%CI: 0.913–1.027, p = 0.276). IVW analysis demonstrated that CD didn’t have causal association with the other digestive tract cancers (Gastric cancer :OR = 0.220, 95%CI:4.12E-5-1.180E + 3, p = 0.730; Oesophageal cancer: OR = 0.997, 95%CI: 0.986–1.007, p = 0.089; Small intestine cancer: OR = 1.017, 95%CI: 0.998–1.036, p = 0.547; Hepatic cancer: OR = 0.053c, 95%CI: 2.28E-10-1.236E + 7, p = 0.770; pancreatic cancer: OR = 40.763, 95%CI: 0.011-1.492E + 5, p = 0.376; Gallbladder cancer: OR = 169.240, 95%CI: 1.90E-68-1.51E + 72, p = 0.950). No evidence of horizontal pleiotropy was identified (MR Pleiotropy Residual Sum and Outlier global test and MR-Egger intercept with P > 0.05). The leave-one-out sensitivity analyses revealed that the causal estimates were not disproportionately influenced by any individual SNP.Conclusion Our findings suggest that coeliac disease was positively associated with the risk of colorectal and colon cancer, but not causally associated with Gastric cancer, Oesophageal Cancer, Small intestine cancer, Hepatic cancer, Pancreatic cancer, and Gallbladder cancer.
An Evaluation of High-Risk HPV in Squamous Cell Carcinomas of the Lip in a South African Cohort
Authors: Harbor Sharon N. , Schneider Johann W. , Solomons Nadine , Sanderson Micheline , Afrogheh Amir H.
Published: January 2024

Background
To determine the prevalence of HR-HPV in a series of lip SCC from South African patients, using currently accepted HPV-testing methodologies and to define the clinical and histomorphologic features of HPV-associated lip SCC.
Methods
Fifty SCC of lip and 50 control cases were tested for HR-HPV using p16 and HR-HPV DNA PCR. p16-equivocal/positive and HPV DNA PCR-positive SCC were further evaluated for the expression of HPV-16 and HPV-18 mRNA transcripts using reverse transcription quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) to confirm transcriptionally active HPV.
Results
p16 was positive in 22% (n = 11) and equivocal in 4% (n = 2) of the SCC. One p16-positive case showed positivity for both HPV-16 DNA and HPV-16 E6/E7 mRNA transcripts (HPV prevalence rate of 2%). The HPV-positive case was non-keratinizing and occurred in an 80-year-old female. The two p16-equivocal cases were HR-HPV DNA positive and mRNA PCR negative. p16 was found to have a positive predictive value of 52%.
Conclusions
Findings from our cohort of lip SCC suggest that HR-HPV may have an insignificant role in the pathogenesis of SCC at this site. Due to its low ppv, p16 is insufficient to establish HR-HPV infection in SCC of the lip. The combination of p16 and DNA PCR, appears to correlate with the presence of transcriptionally active virus. HPV E6/E7 mRNA detection is the gold standard for identifying HR-HPV. mRNA testing is not widely available in sub-Saharan Africa due to technical and financial constraints, however, the test appears to be of great value in p16-equivocal lip SCC.
Pilot study suggests cellular immunity changes in bats from urban landscapes
Authors: Tovstukha Ihor , Fritze Marcus , Kravchenko Kseniia , Kovalov Victor , Vlaschenko Anton
Published: January 2024

Environmental pollution and habitat loss and are influencing the health status of wild animals and increase the risk of zoonosis outbreaks. For example, the ongoing urbanisation leads to significant habitat changes and burden of anthropogenic stressors. Bats are a diverse mammalian order occurring in urban areas. In a pilot study, we investigated the general immunity status of two common bat species along urban-natural gradients. We used haematological parameters as cellular immunity indicators and intensity of light pollution as a proxy for urbanisation level (i.e. anthropogenic stress) at the sampling points. We found higher total white blood cell, lymphocytes and neutrophil proportions in Nyctalus noctula from suburban and urban habitats in comparison to those from natural ones. At the same time Eptesicus serotinus, a species commonly living in cities, had a lower neutrophil level and a trend towards lower neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio and intoxication index compared to N. noctula which only uses the suburban-urban area seasonally. Our study suggests that the cellular immunity in bats is altered by urban stressors, yet depends on species-specific tolerance. We call for more research in this area and, as precaution principle, conservation of habitats in urban areas in order to mitigate the negative impact of urban stressors on the health of wildlife.
ESDP: An Emotion-Sensitive Dialogue Policy for Task-Oriented Dialogue System
Authors: Zhu Hui , Wang Xv , Wang Zhenyu , Xv Kai
Published: January 2024

Reinforcement learning (RL) is an effective method in training dialogue policies to steer the conversation towards successful task completion. However, most RL-based methods only rely on semantic inputs that lack empathy as they ignore the user emotional information. Moreover, these methods suffer from delayed rewards caused by the user simulator returning valuable results only at dialogue end. Recently, some methods have been proposed to learn the reward function together with user emotions, but they missing to consider user emotion in each dialogue turn. In this paper, we proposed an emotion-sensitive dialogue policy model (ESDP), it incorporates user emotions information into dialogue policy and selects the optimal action by the combination of top-k actions with the user emotions. The user emotion information in each turn is used as an immediate reward for the current dialogue state to solve sparse rewards and termination dependency. Extensive experiments validate that our method outperforms the baseline approaches when combined with different Q-Learning algorithms, and also surpasses other popular existing dialog policies' performance.
Comparative analysis of metabolic models of microbial communities reconstructed from automated tools and consensus approaches
Authors: Nikoloski Zoran , Hsieh Yunli , Tandon Kshitij , Verbruggen Heroen
Published: January 2024

Genome-scale metabolic models (GEMs) of microbial communities offer valuable insights into the functional capabilities of their members and facilitate the exploration of microbial interactions. These models are generated using different automated reconstruction tools, each relying on different biochemical databases that may affect the conclusions drawn from the in silico analysis. One way to address this problem is to employ a consensus reconstruction method that combines the outcomes of different reconstruction tools. Here, we conducted a comparative analysis of community models reconstructed from three automated tools, i.e. CarveMe, gapseq, and KBase, alongside a consensus approach, utilizing metagenomics data from two marine bacterial communities. Our analysis revealed that these reconstruction approaches, while based on the same genomes, resulted in GEMs with varying numbers of genes and reactions as well as metabolic functionalities, attributed to the different databases employed. Further, our results indicated that the set of exchanged metabolites was more influenced by the reconstruction approach rather than the specific bacterial community investigated. This observation suggests a potential bias in predicting metabolite interactions using community GEMs. We also showed that consensus models encompassed a larger number of reactions and metabolites while concurrently reducing the presence of dead-end metabolites. Therefore, the usage of consensus models allows making full and unbiased use from aggregating genes from the different reconstructions in assessing the functional potential of microbial communities.
Normothermic ex vivo kidney perfusion preserves mitochondrial and graft function after warm ischemia and is further enhanced by AP39
Authors: Robinson Lisa , Kawamura Masataka , Parmentier Catherine , Ray Samrat , Clotet-Freixas Sergi , Leung Sharon , John Rohan , Mazilescu Laura , Nogueira Emmanuel , Noguchi Yuki , Goto Toru , Arulratnam Bhranavi , Ganesh Sujani , Tamang Tomas , Lees Kaitlin , Reichman Trevor , Andreazza Ana , Kim Peter K. , Konvalinka Ana , Selzner Markus
Published: January 2024

We previously reported that normothermic ex vivo machine perfusion (NEVKP) is superior in terms of organ protection compared to static cold storage (SCS), which is still the standard method of organ preservation, but the detailed mechanism is unclear. We used a large animal kidney autotransplant model to evaluate mitochondrial function during organ preservation and after kidney transplantation utilizing live cells extracted from renal tissue. Porcine kidneys stored under normothermic perfusion showed preserved mitochondrial function and higher ATP levels compared to kidneys stored at 4°C (SCS). Mitochondrial respiration and ATP levels were further enhanced when AP39, a mitochondria-targeted hydrogen sulfide donor, was administered during warm perfusion. Correspondingly, the combination of NEVKP and AP39 was associated with decreased oxidative stress and inflammation, and with improved graft function after transplantation. In conclusion, our findings suggest that the organ-protective effects of normothermic perfusion are mediated by maintenance of mitochondrial function and enhanced by AP39 administration. AP39, in combination with warm perfusion, has the potential to become the new standard of care for long-term renal preservation.
Association between psoriasis and risk of malignancy: observational and genetic investigations
Authors: Chen Aijun , Li Ruolin , Chen Xiangjun , Zeng Qinglian , Luo Wenjin , Yang Shumin , Wang Ping , Hu Jinbo
Published: January 2024

The relationship between psoriasis and site-specific cancers remains unclear. We aimed to investigate whether psoriasis is causally associated with site-specific cancers. We used observational and genetic data from UK Biobank. We obtained genome-wide association study (GWAS) summary data, expression quantitative trait locus (eQTL) analysis data, The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) data and genotype-tissue expression (GTEx) data from public datasets. We used a phenome-wide association study (PheWAS), PRS analysis, and one-sample and two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis to investigate potential causal associations between psoriasis and cancers. We added gene annotation for potential molecular associations. A total of 13463 patients with psoriasis and 463136 participants without psoriasis were included. In unselected PheWAS analysis, psoriasis was associated with higher risks of 14 types of cancer. In one-sample MR analyses, genetically predicted psoriasis was associated with higher risks of anal canal cancer (hazard ratio [HR] 1.61, 95% CI 1.12–2.32), breast cancer (HR 1.06, 95% CI 1.02–1.11) and nonmelanoma skin cancer (HR 1.07, 95% CI 1.01–1.14) in women and lung cancer (HR 1.17, 95% CI 1.04–1.32) and kidney cancer (HR 1.34, 95% CI 1.13–1.58) in men. Two-sample MR analysis indicated that psoriasis was causally associated with breast cancer (inverse variance weighted [IVW] odds ratio 1.02, 95% CI 1.01–1.03) and lung cancer (IVW odds ratio 1.12, 95% CI 1.02–1.22). Gene annotation revealed that psoriasis-related genes (such as ERAP1 and C6orf3) were significantly changed in lung and breast cancer tissues. Our findings demonstrate psoriasis is causally associated with lung cancer and breast cancer. Regular screening for lung and breast cancer might be relevant for patients with psoriasis.
GIS and Cellular Automata based slope rainwater movement process model and its application
Authors: Liu Lei , Chen Yu , Zhang Yanjun , Liu Yalei , Lian Zhipeng , Pei Laizheng
Published: January 2024

Rainfall is an important cause of slope stability issues in mountainous areas, and simulating the process of slope rainwater movement is an important method for analyzing the stability of rainfall induced slopes. By combining computer numerical simulation technology with traditional hydraulic and hydrological calculation theories, an efficient and accurate rainwater movement model can be constructed for simulating and analyzing the rainwater movement process on slopes. Taking natural slopes as the research object, the cellular automaton method was applied to simulate rainfall runoff on slopes, and a Cellular Automata (CA) based model for rainwater movement process was developed. The model modified the Green-Ampt (G-A) infiltration model, adopted an elliptical water content curve, and introduced a coefficient to describe the ratio of saturated to unsaturated depth; At the same time, improvements were made to the rules of runoff generation and convergence within the slope and on the slope surface to simulate the entire rainwater movement process on the slope. Furthermore, the effectiveness of the model was validated through analytical solutions under simplified conditions, laboratory experiments on rainfall and runoff in the flume, and calculation results from on-site monitoring data at the slope scale. The results show that the infiltration calculation results of the rainwater movement model are closer to the experimental values, and their overall values are slightly higher than the measured values, which are basically consistent with the model test results; The runoff calculation results show a phenomenon of initially increasing and gradually approaching the measured values compared to the measured values. Using the model established in this paper for the on-site slope, it was found that the model can fully consider the influence of slope inner diameter flow and unsaturated layer infiltration process, simulate slope infiltration and runoff processes more reasonably, and dynamically output results at different times.
Construction of an efficient editing system for forest tree genomes based on a visual screening marker in Eucalyptus urophylla × Eucalyptus grandis
Authors: Su Ming , Wu Xinlin , Wang Zechen , Li Limei , Ouyang lejun , Shen Chao
Published: January 2024

In this study, The clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/CRISPR-associated protein 9 (Cas9) technology for genome editing was used to develop an efficient gene editing system for Eucalyptus urophylla × Eucalyptus grandis and generate a new Eucalyptus germplasm with reduced lignin contents in the pulp for environmental sustainability in papermaking. By targeting the Cinnamate-4-hydroxylase (C4H) gene in E. urophylla × E. grandis, the recombinant plasmid pHEE401E-35S-RUBY-EuC4H was constructed through homologous recombination. This plasmid was then transformed into E. urophylla × E. grandis callus tissue. Using the RUBY gene as a marker, positive transformants were screened based on the callus tissue phenotype. Subsequent polymerase chain reaction and sequencing confirmed the successful creation of mutants with a significantly edited EuC4H gene. The method used in this study for identifying positive transformants with a visually screened marker gene offers a valuable framework and guidance for genetically improving and establishing an efficient gene editing system in Eucalyptus.
Relationship between Neuroimaging and Cognition in Frontotemporal Dementia: A [ 18 F]FDG PET and Structural MRI Study
Authors: Cayir Salih , Volpi Tommaso , Toyonaga Takuya , Gallezot Jean-Dominique , Yanghong Yang , Sadabad Faranak Ebrahimian , Mulnix Tim , Mecca Adam P. , Fesharaki-Zadeh Arman , Matuskey David
Published: January 2024

Background
Frontotemporal dementia (FTD) is a clinically and pathologically heterogeneous condition with a prevalence comparable to Alzheimer’s Disease for patients under sixty-five years of age. Gray matter (GM) atrophy and glucose hypometabolism are important biomarkers for the diagnosis and evaluation of disease progression in FTD. However, limited studies have systematically examined the association between cognition and neuroimaging in FTD using different imaging modalities in the same patient group.
Methods
We examined the association of cognition using Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) with both GM volume and glucose metabolism using structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography scanning ([18F]FDG PET) in 21 patients diagnosed with FTD. Standardized uptake value ratio (SUVR) using the brainstem as a reference region was the primary outcome measure for [18F]FDG PET. Partial volume correction was applied to PET data to account for disease-related atrophy.
Results
Significant positive associations were found between whole-cortex GM volume and MoCA scores (r = 0.461, p = 0.035). The association between whole-cortex [18F]FDG SUVR and MoCA scores was not significant (r = 0.374, p = 0.094). GM volumes of the frontal cortex (r = 0.540, p = 0.011), caudate (r = 0.616, p = 0.002), and insula (r = 0.568, p = 0.007) were also significantly correlated with MoCA, as were SUVR values of the insula (r = 0.508, p = 0.018), thalamus (r = 0.478, p = 0.028), and posterior cingulate cortex (PCC) (r = 0.472, p = 0.030).
Discussion
Whole-cortex atrophy is associated with cognitive dysfunction, and this effect is larger than for cortical hypometabolism as measured with [18F]FDG PET. At the regional level, focal atrophy and/or hypometabolism in the frontal lobe, insula, PCC, thalamus, and caudate seem to imply the importance of these regions for the decline of cognitive function in FTD. Furthermore, these results highlight how functional and structural changes may not overlap and might contribute to cognitive dysfunction in FTD in different ways. Our findings provide insight into the relationships between structural, metabolic, and cognitive changes due to FTD.
Evaluation of serum adipokine levels in girls with central precocious puberty
Authors: Caglayan Ilkin seda Can , Çelik Nurullah , Bolat Serkan
Published: January 2024

Purpose
Adipose tissue has an important endocrine function by secreting a variety of hormones known as adipokines such as Visfatin, Omentin-1, and Chemerin. On the other hand, these hormones are also secreted from places other than fatty tissues in the girl genital system. The goal of this study was to demonstrate the secretory status of Adipokines in patients with Cental Precocious Puberty (CPP) and their utility in the diagnosis of Precocious Puberty.
Method
A total of 105 patients were included in the study (53 in the CPP group and 52 in the control group). The following were used as the CPP diagnostic criteria; breast development, basal LH measurement higher than 0.3 IU/L, peak LH level ≥ 5 IU/L, peak LH/FSH ratio ≥ 0.66 (after 0.1 mg GnRH stimulation test), and a difference of at least 1 year between bone and chronological age.
Results
A statistically significant difference was detected between the groups in serum Omentin-1 and Chemerin levels, and no significant differences were detected between the groups in Visfatin values. The cut-off values for the diagnosis of CPP were calculated as ≤ 48.9 with 81% sensitivity and 54% specificity for omentin-1, and as ≥ 417 with 85% sensitivity and 60% specificity for Chemerin.
Conclusion
Omentin-1 and Chemerin levels may be used as diagnostic marker in lean girls with CPP. More studies are needed to elucidate how adipokines play roles in explaining the onset of CPP, and whether they may be used as a reliable marker for the diagnosis of CPP.
Flight Path and Flight Dynamic Analysis of the Starting Procedure of a Flying Wing for an Airborne Wind Energy System
Authors: Fuest Hendrik , Duda Dominik F. , Islam Tobias , Moormann Dieter
Published: January 2024

Airborne Wind Energy is an emerging technology that harvests wind energy with flight systems connected via a tether to a generator at the ground. A flying wing promises a high energy output during the power generation phase due to its aerodynamic efficiency, while being able to take-off as a tailsitter. Yet not part of the generation phase, the starting procedure raises main challenges to the flight system in general but especially to a flying wing. A fast transition from hover to crosswind flight is striven under minimal power consumption and high wind robustness, while considering the limited trim range of the flying wing in hover state. This paper conducts a detailed analysis of the stationary trim states of the flying wing from thrust-borne to wing-borne flight and introduces a lateral yaw-roll transition to keep the angle of attack in controllable limits at all times. Based on the trim states, different options for the starting procedure are evaluated and an appropriate path is selected that entails a straight-lined transition segment to enter forward flight, followed by curved flight to built up tether tension and to navigate into the power-generation zone. The first part of this transition from hover to horizontal forward flight is demonstrated in the simulation to verify the selected flight path.
An integrated pilot scale UASB and aerotank system for the treatment of rice paper production wastewater: A case study from Phu Hoa Dong, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Authors: Hiep Nguyen Trong , Chau Vu Thi Minh , Thuy Le Thu , Tuan Le Minh , Rene Eldon R. , Binh Tran Ngoc , James Anina , Tang Van Tai
Published: January 2024

The objective of this study was to investigate the feasibility of using an integrated pilot-scale UASB (up flow anaerobic sludge blanket) and aerotank system for treating high organic load wastewater generated during household rice paper manufacturing. There was no significant change in the mixed liquor suspended solids (MLSS) content in the UASB over a 30-day period. However, the MLSS in the aerotank increased from 1.62 ± 0.06 to 3.23 ± 0.05 g/L over a 7-day period. The DNA sequence analysis indicated that the anaerobic sludge was predominantly populated by the Bacillus sp. The UASB achieved a removal efficiency of 69.2–82.2% for total suspended solids (TSS), 66.5–82.9% for chemical oxygen demand (COD), and 81.2–92.8% for biochemical oxygen demand (BOD5) while treating the rice paper production effluent over a 30-day period. The UASB achieved removal efficiencies of 80.6–90.3% for TSS, 82.2–83.3% for COD, and 85.6–86.4% for BOD5 over a 20-week period. The aerotank achieved a removal efficiency of 89.0-94.1% for TSS, 94.5–95.5% for COD, 96.8–98.1% for BOD5, 91.8–95.4% for total nitrogen (TN), and 89.2–94.6% for total phosphorous (TP) during a period of 7 days. The findings demonstrated that the integrated pilot-scale UASB and aerotank system exhibited high removals of TSS, COD, and BOD5 for the treatment of high organic load containing rice paper production effluent.
Patients with Acute Severe Ulcerative Colitis Treated with IV Cyclosporine Who Require Colectomy Within 3 Months of Discharge Have Lower Serum Cyclosporine Levels
Authors: Friedberg Scott , Steinberg Joshua M. , Klein Jeremy A. , Choi Natalie K. , Choi David , Shabbir Zaheera , Rodriguez Tina , Traboulsi Cindy , Pekow Joel , Micic Dejan , Cohen Russell D. , Dalal Sushila R. , Cohen Nathaniel A. , Rubin David T.
Published: January 2024

Background: Cyclosporine (CYS) is a calcineurin inhibitor commonly used as induction therapy in steroid-refractory patients with acute severe ulcerative colitis (ASUC) during hospitalization.
Aim: To identify the relationship between post-hospitalization CYS serum levels and adverse clinical outcomes.
Methods: Electronic medical records of patients with established diagnosis of UC hospitalized for ASUC discharged on oral CYS following IV CYS induction between May 2013 to December 2017 were retrospectively analyzed.
Results: Of thirty-nine patients, five patients underwent colectomy during initial hospitalization; thirty-four remaining patients were analyzed. Twenty patients experienced CYS-related adverse events (AEs); five patients were dose-reduced and three patients were discontinued. CYS dose-reduced or discontinued patients were significantly more likely to have undergone colectomy within three months (62.5% vs 11.5%, p=0.009). Fifteen (44%) total patients who underwent colectomy within one year post-hospitalization; eight (23.5%) patients underwent colectomy within three months. Logistic regression analysis adjusting for age, sex, weight, albumin, CRP and AEs demonstrated subtherapeutic serum CYS level (<200 ng/mL) was independently associated with increased risk of three-month colectomy (aHR 20.95, 95% CI 1.5-284, p=0.02). Adjusting the model for selective inclusion of AEs requiring dose adjustment or discontinuation, subtherapeutic CYS levels remained independently associated with three-month colectomy (aHR 14.9, 95% CI 1.12-198.9, p=0.02). No significant differences in CYS levels or clinical characteristics in patients who underwent one-year colectomy were observed.
Conclusions: We demonstrate independent association of subtherapeutic serum CYS levels following conversion to oral therapy with an increased risk of three-month colectomy, but not with one-year colectomy.
Non-Exchange Bias in Soft-Hard Nanoparticle Composites
Authors: Maltoni Pierfrancesco , López-Martín Raúl , Sánchez Elena Hernandez , Normile Peter Stephen , Vasilakaki Marianna , Lee Su Seong , Burgos Benito Santos , Castillo Eloy Antonio López , Peddis Davide , Binns Chris , Trohidou Kalliopi , Mathieu Roland , Nogués Josep , De Toro José Angel
Published: January 2024

Exchange bias has been extensively studied both in exchange-coupled thin films and nanoparticle composite systems. However, the role of non-exchange mechanisms in the overall hysteresis loop bias are far from being understood. Here, dense soft-hard binary nanoparticle composites are used as a novel tool not only to unravel the effect of dipolar interactions on the hysteresis loop shift, but as a new strategy to enhance the bias of any magnet exhibiting an asymmetric magnetization reversal. Mixtures of equally sized, 6.8 nm, soft γ-Fe2O3 nanoparticles (no bias – symmetric reversal) and hard cobalt doped γ-Fe2O3 nanoparticles (large exchange bias – asymmetric reversal) reveal that, for certain fractions of soft particles, the loop shift of the composite can be significantly larger than the exchange-bias field of the hard particles in the mixture. Simple calculations indicate how this emerging phenomenon can be further enhanced by optimizing the parameters of the hard particles (coercivity and loop asymmetry). In addition, the existence of a dipolar-induced loop shift (“dipolar bias”) is demonstrated both experimentally and theoretically, where, for example, a bias is induced in the initially unbiased γ-Fe2O3 nanoparticles due to the dipolar interaction with the exchange-biased hard nanoparticles. These results open a new paradigm in the large field of hysteresis bias and pave the way for novel approaches to tune loop shifts in magnetic hybrid systems beyond interface exchange coupling.
Agroecology in wine production. Assessing the sustainability of viticulture through the framework AESIS
Authors: Ferretti Lorenzo , Pacini Gaio Cesare , Blasi Stefano Di , Landers Luke , Elli Francesca , O'Connor Ray
Published: January 2024

In the wine sector, the importance of producing sustainably and obtaining a genuine product has been well known for years, just as organic and agroecological farming practices are widespread and have become a priority for most farms. On the other hand, sustainability assessments, are often carried by using tools such as life cycle assessments, carbon, and water footprints, which do not consider certain ecological and socio-economic aspect and cannot properly communicate sustainability performance to consumers and society at large. In this paper the framework AgroEnvironmental Sustainability Information System (AESIS) was applied, utilizing a set of indicators suitable to evaluate different dimensions of an agroecosystem (physical, ecological, productive, and social) and providing data useful for the sustainability assessment of two case studies located in Tuscany and Lombardy regions, Italy. In the case study located in Tuscany represented by Tenuta Casadei, organic and biodynamic-based farming method named BioIntegrale (BIOINT) was evaluated, while in the case study located in Lombardy represented by Castello di Cigognola, conventional farming (CONV) was compared with organic combined with precision farming (ORGP). The assessment of those farming systems was carried out using a set of agro-environmental indicators based on a conceptual framework for the evaluation of sustainability of land use options. CONV, ORGP and BIOINT were compared with different management systems or techniques and with scientifically determined sustainability thresholds, targets, or politically determined critical limits identified for each single indicator. Although the comparison layout was not the same for both case studies, results highlighted an improvement gradient in terms of sustainability performance in the order CONV < ORGP < BIOINT. BIOINT showed a 92% of compliance with thresholds, ORGP showed a lower but still virtuous level of compliance with thresholds, i.e. 87%, while CONV was considerably worse with 47% of indicators performing above thresholds. Nevertheless, several agroecological based interventions might be carried out within both case studies to enhance sustainability within ecological and social dimension at Castello di Cigonola and within physical dimension at Tenuta Casadei, respectively. As it concerns the method, AESIS provided useful information on the state of sustainability which give several entry-point for actions to farmers.
The Base Flipping of A Form DNA-a Molecular Dynamic Simulation Study
Authors: wang Shudong , Zheng Xuan , Wu Jingjie
Published: January 2024

Due to different solvent conditions, double helix DNA exists in various conformations, such as B-DNA, A-DNA, C-DNA and Z-DNA. Recent studies have found that A-DNA is present in complexes with proteins, and has an important biological role in the context of cellular defense mechanisms under harsh conditions. In this study, the well-tempered meta-dynamics (WTM-eABF) were used to explore the free energy barriers for base flipping of the four natural bases, Adenine, Guanine, Cytosine, and Thymine in both A-form and B-form DNA duplex. The results show that the free energy barriers for base flipping was lower in A-DNA than that in B-DNA for all of the four natural bases. We analyzed the factors that may affect base flipping, such as π-π stacking, SASA, and conformational changes, and proved that conformational changes and π-π stacking are the most important factors affecting base flipping.
Downscaling Taiwan Precipitation with a Residual Deep Learning Approach
Authors: Hsu Li-Huan , Chiang Chou-Chun , Lin Kuan-Ling , Lin Hsin-Hung , Chu Jung-Lien , Yu Yi-Chiang , Fahn Chin-Shyurng
Published: January 2024

In response to the growing demand for high-resolution rainfall data to support disaster prevention in Taiwan, this study presents an innovative approach for downscaling precipitation data. We employed a hierarchical architecture of Multi-Scale Residual Networks (MSRN) to downscale rainfall from a coarse 0.25-degree resolution to a finely 0.0125-degree resolution, representing a substantial challenge due to a resolution increase of over 20 times. Our results demonstrate that the hierarchical MSRN outperforms both the one-step MSRN and linear interpolation methods when reconstructing high-resolution daily rainfall. It surpasses the linear interpolation method by 15.1% and 9.1% in terms of mean absolute error and root mean square error, respectively. Furthermore, the hierarchical MSRN excels in accurately reproducing high-resolution rainfall for various rainfall thresholds, displaying minimal biases. The threat score (TS) highlights the hierarchical MSRN's capability to replicate extreme rainfall events, achieving TS scores exceeding 0.54 and 0.46 at rainfall thresholds of 350 and 500 mm per day, outperforming alternative methods. This method is also applying on an operational global model, the ECMWF’s daily rainfall forecasts over Taiwan. The evaluation results indicate that our approach is effective at improving rainfall forecasts for thresholds greater than 100 mm per day, with more significant improvement for the1-3-day lead forecast. This approach also offers a realistic visual representation of fine-grained rainfall distribution, showing promise for making significant contributions to disaster preparedness and weather forecasting in Taiwan.
Carbon Quantum Dots of Ginsenoside Rb1 for Application in a Mouse Model of Intracerebral Hemorrhage
Authors: Tang Xiaolong , Yang Xinyu , Yu Yamei , Wu Miaojing , Li Yuanyuan , Zhang Zhe , Jia Guangyu , Wang Qi , Tu Wei , Wang Ye , Zhu Xingen , Li Shiyong
Published: January 2024

After intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) occurs, the overproduction of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and iron ion overload are the leading causes of secondary damage. Removing excess iron ions and ROS in the meningeal system can effectively alleviate the secondary damage after ICH. This study synthesized ginsenoside Rb1 carbon quantum dots (RBCQDs) using ginsenoside Rb1 and ethylenediamine via a hydrothermal method. RBCQDs exhibit potent capabilities in scavenging ABTS+ free radicals and iron ions in solution. After intrathecal injection, the distribution of RBCQDs is predominantly localized in the subarachnoid space. RBCQDs can eliminate ROS and chelate iron ions within the meningeal system. Treatment with RBCQDs significantly improves blood flow in the meningeal system, effectively protecting dying neurons, improving neurological function, and providing a new therapeutic approach for the clinical treatment of ICH.
A Lightweight and Secure PUF-Based Authentication and Key-exchange Protocol for IoT Devices
Authors: Gupta Chandranshu , Varshney Gaurav
Published: January 2024

The Internet of Things (IoT) is rapidly becoming a common technology that will improve people's lives by seamlessly integrating into many facets of modern life and facilitating information sharing across platforms. Device Authentication is a significant challenge for IoT devices as they are placed in unprotected environments, vulnerable to physical attacks and common security risks. Large computational requirements and communication costs during Authentication make the existing methods, like Public Key Cryptography and Identity-based Encryption, unsuitable for resource-constrained IoT devices. Physical Unclonable Function (PUF) offers a lightweight security mechanism instead of traditional sophisticated cryptosystems by providing an unclonable and tamper-sensitive unique signature. Therefore, we use lightweight operations like bitwise XOR, hash function, and PUF, suitable for resource-constrained IoT devices to authenticate IoT devices. Despite several studies employing the PUF, to the authors' knowledge, existing solutions require an intermediary verifier/gateway and/or active internet by the IoT device to directly interact with a Server to authenticate itself and, hence, are not scalable when the IoT device works technologies like Bluetooth Low Energy, Zigbee, etc. To address the aforementioned issue, we present a system in which the IoT device does not require an active internet connection to communicate with the server. The results of a thorough security study are validated against adversarial attacks and PUF-modelling attacks. For formal security validation, the AVISPA verification tool is also used. Performance study recommends this protocol's lightweight characteristics. The proposed protocol's acceptability and defenses against various adversarial assaults are supported by a prototype developed with ESP32.
Investigation of the acute pathogenesis of spondyloarthritis/HLA-B27-Associated anterior uveitis based on genome-wide association analysis and single cell transcriptomics
Authors: Chen Shuming , Huang Weidi , Wan Qiaoqian , Tang Zichun , Li Xie , Zeng Fang , zheng Shuyan , Li Zhuo , Liu Xiao
Published: January 2024

Background: Spondyloarthritis (SpA)/HLA-B27-associated acute anterior uveitis (AAU) presents recurring acute flare-ups, posing significant visual and financial challenges. Despite established links between SpA/HLA-B27-associated AAU, the precise mechanism remains unclear, necessitating comprehension for effective prevention and treatment.
Methods: To investigate the acute pathogenesis of SpA/HLA-B27-associated AAU, Mendelian Randomization (MR) and single-cell transcriptomic analyses were employed. MR incorporated publicly available protein quantitative trait loci data from previous studies, along with genome-wide association study data from the public databases. Causal relationships between plasma proteins and anterior uveitis were assessed using the two-sample MR. Additionally, co-localization analysis was performed using the Bayesian co-localization. Single-cell transcriptome analysis utilized the anterior uveitis dataset from the GEO database. Dimensionality reduction, clustering analyses, transcription factor analysis, pseudotime analysis, and cell communication analysis were conducted to explore underlying mechanisms.
Results: Mendelian Randomization analysis revealed that circulating levels of AIF1 and VARS were significantly associated with reduced risk in SpA/HLA-B27-associated AAU, with AIF1 showing a robust correlation with anterior uveitis onset. Co-localization analysis supported these findings. Single-cell transcriptome analysis identified predominant expression of AIF1 in myeloid cell, notably lower in the HLA-B27-positive group. Pseudotime analysis indicated dendritic cells' terminal positions in differentiation branches, accompanied by gradual AIF1 expression reduction. Cell communication analysis highlighted CD45 signaling pathway roles in myeloid dendritic cells and the APP signaling pathway in naive B cells within the HLA-B27-positive group.
Conclusions: AIF1 is essential in the pathogenesis of SpA/HLA-B27-associated AAU. Myeloid cell differentiation into dendritic cells and decreased AIF1 levels are pivotal in this process.
The PEP++ study protocol: a cluster-randomised controlled trial on the effectiveness of an enhanced regimen of post-exposure prophylaxis for close contacts of persons affected by leprosy to prevent disease transmission
Authors: Hinders Duane C , Taal Anneke T , Lisam Suchitra , Rocha Aymee M da , Banstola Nand Lal , Bhandari Prativa , Kishore Jugal , Fernandes Virginia O , Saha Abhijit , Chowdhury Abu Sufian , Noordende Anna T van 't , Mieras Liesbeth , Richardus Jan Hendrik , Brakel Wim H van
Published: January 2024

Background
Leprosy is an infectious disease with a slow decline in global annual caseload in the past two decades. Active case finding and post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) with a single dose of rifampicin (SDR) are recommended by the World Health Organization as measures for leprosy elimination. However, more potent PEP regimens are needed to increase the effect in groups highest at risk (i.e., household members and blood relatives, especially of multibacillary patients). The PEP + + trial will assess the effectiveness of an enhanced preventive regimen against leprosy in high-endemic districts in India, Brazil, Bangladesh, and Nepal compared with SDR-PEP.
Methods
The PEP + + study is a cluster-randomised controlled trial in selected districts of India, Brazil, Bangladesh, and Nepal. Sub-districts will be allocated randomly to the intervention and control arms. Leprosy patients detected from 2015−22 living in the districts will be approached to list their close contacts for enrolment in the study. All consenting participants will be screened for signs and symptoms of leprosy and tuberculosis (TB). In the intervention arm, eligible contacts receive the enhanced PEP + + regimen with three doses of rifampicin (150−600 mg) and clarithromycin (150−500 mg) administered at four-weekly intervals, whereas those in the control arm receive SDR-PEP. Follow-up screening for leprosy will be done for each individual two years after the final dose is administered. Cox’ proportion hazards analysis and Poisson regression will be used to compare the incidence rate ratios between the intervention and control areas as the primary study outcome.
Discussion
Past studies have shown that the level of SDR-PEP effectiveness is not uniform across contexts or in relation to leprosy patients. To address this, a number of recent trials are seeking to strengthen PEP regimens either through the use of new medications or by increasing the dosage of the existing ones. However, few studies focus on the impact of multiple doses of chemoprophylaxis using a combination of antibiotics. The PEP + + trial will investigate effectiveness of both an enhanced regimen and use geospatial analysis for PEP administration in the study communities.
Trial registration
NL7022 on the Dutch Trial Register on April 12, 2018. Protocol version 9.0 updated on 18 August 2022 https://www.onderzoekmetmensen.nl/en/trial/23060
RESIST: Randomized Encryption for Deduplicated Cloud Storage System
Authors: Dave Jay , Hegde Prithvi , Desai Hitaishi , Kanodia Anshul , Srivast Raj , Singh Kushagra
Published: January 2024

Cloud computing offers scalable and ubiquitous storage services in a pay-as-you-go fashion. Data deduplication is one of the important technologies of cloud storage services. It reduces storage and communication costs by skipping uploading and storing redundant data copies. In order to protect data confidentiality, users generally encrypt data before uploading it to the cloud. Existing state-of-the-art deduplication security schemes either depend upon deterministic encryption mechanisms, that are exposed to online-offline dictionary attacks, or equip additional key server(s), which is not an economically efficient approach. In this paper, we propose a novel approach RESIST: randomized encryption for deduplicated cloud systems. RESIST encrypts the data using a random key for protection against online-offline dictionary attacks. In addition, the random key is encrypted using Merkle hash tree of data to limit its access to only data owners. Moreover, the previous data uploaders do not need to be online to share the key with subsequent uploaders. We analyze the security of RESIST using cryptographic proofs. We implement RESIST in a real cloud environment and compare its performance with the recent state-of-the-art schemes.
Modernization, education, and fish supply chain performance of Akit isolated tribe: the role of trust as mediator
Authors: Yulinda Eni , Hendri Ridar
Published: January 2024

Although the Akit tribe fishermen are classified as an isolated community with low education, they play a crucial role in the fish supply chain system for export on Rupat Island, Riau, Indonesia. They have modernized fishing boats and gear, and they have received infrastructure support from the government to increase fish production and income. However, they still face poverty due to their heavy reliance on 'tauke,' individuals who provide capital loans but monopolize the purchase of fish at low prices. The tauke-fisherman relationship is built on mutual trust. Based on data collected from 168 Akit fishermen as respondents, we explored the role of trust (TRS) as a mediator in the effect of fisheries modernization (FMD) and fishermen education (FED) on fish supply chain performance (FSCP). Additionally, we also analized the role of FED as a mediator in the effect of government support (GSP) on the FSCP. Data collection was carried out using a closed questionnaire, and the data were processed using the Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) method. Our findings indicate that FMD, TRS, and GSP have a significant impact on FSCP, while FED does not. TRS only acts as a mediator in the relationship between FMD and FSCP, whereas FED does not play a role. FED, however, serves as a mediator in the relationship between GSP and FSCP.
Fibrillar extracellular matrix produced by pericyte-like cells facilitates glioma cell dissemination
Authors: Vymola Petr , Borja Elena Garcia , Cervenka Jakub , Balaziova Eva , Vymolova Barbora , Veprkova Jana , Vodicka Petr , Skalnikova Helena , Tomas Robert , Netuka David , Busek Petr , Sedo Aleksi
Published: January 2024

Purpose
Gliomagenesis is associated with changes in extracellular matrix (ECM) composition. We investigate the role of fibroblast activation protein-positive (FAP+) pericyte-like cells in ECM alterations in glioblastoma and their impact on glioma cells.
Methods
Bioinformatic analysis, immunohistochemistry, and ELISA were used to evaluate the expression of ECM proteins and FAP. FAP + pericyte-like cells were isolated from human glioblastomas, ECM production was quantified by ELISA and using mass spectrometry analysis of 3D matrices. Haptotaxis and focal adhesion kinase (FAK) signaling activation assays were performed to assess the influence of the ECM on glioma cells.
Results
Higher FAP expression was associated with elevated levels of collagen I and fibronectin in glioblastoma. FAP + pericyte-like cells were present in regions rich in collagen I and fibronectin in biopsy material and produced substantially more collagen I and fibronectin in vitro compared to other cell types found in glioblastoma. Mass spectrometry revealed that in contrast to glioma cells, 3D matrices produced by FAP + pericyte-like cells were rich in collagen I and fibronectin and contained several key basement membrane proteins. ECM produced by FAP + pericyte-like cells enhanced migration and adhesion of glioma cells, including glioma stem-like cells, and promoted focal adhesion kinase (FAK) signaling.
Conclusion
This study establishes FAP + pericyte-like cells as crucial producers of an ECM rich in collagen I and fibronectin in glioblastoma microenvironment. Such ECM triggers FAK activation and facilitates the dissemination of glioma cells. Our data provide new insights into the mechanisms underlying gliomagenesis.