bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Giant-thermal-expansion martensitic alloys for ultrahigh-efficiency solid-state heat-pumping
Authors: Li Qiao , Deng Zhongzheng , Ahadi Aslan , Chu Kangjie , Yan Jie , Huang Kai , Hu Sixia , Ren Yang , He B.B. , Sun Qingping
Published: October 2024

Heating with less energy consumption and environmental impacts is a major challenge confronting the world. Solid-state heat-pumping using phase-transitional materials offer a promising green solution, but these materials′ coefficient of performance (COPmat) is only about 4 ~ 23, imposing an intrinsic restriction on the energy efficiency of developed devices. Here, we propose ultrahigh-efficiency heat-pumping via the reversible heat produced by anhysteretic linear elastic deformation of martensitic alloys. We discover that many of these alloys exhibit a large adiabatic temperature change (∆T_ad) when stressed along the crystallographic directions of intrinsic giant linear thermal expansion. Material-level heat-pumping through such thermoelastic effect is demonstrated using preferentially [100]-oriented Ti78Nb22 martensitic polycrystals, achieving a giant COPmat of 87 and a cyclically stable ∆T_ad of 5 K at 473 K. Our work opens a non-phase-transitional route towards energy-efficient solid-state heat-pumping.
Achieving Treatment Goals In Older Patients With Breast Cancer Receiving Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy: A Remarkable Insight
Authors: Yildirim Eda Çaliskan , Atag Elif , Semiz Huseyin Salih , Unal Olcun Umit , Uzun Mehmet , Aksoy Suleyman Ozkan , Durak Merih Guray , Karaoglu Aziz
Published: October 2024

Neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) is well-established for locally advanced breast cancer, even in the early stages, especially in HER2-positive and triple-negative cases. However, the effect of chronologic age on NAC response remains controversial. This study investigates the efficacy and outcomes of NAC in older patients with breast cancer, compared to a younger cohort, to address the current knowledge gap. 535 patients who received NAC followed by curative surgery from 2010 to 2021 were retrospectively analyzed. We evaluated breast and axillary downstaging, pathologic complete response (pCR), and post-treatment toxicities. Data were stratified by age, with patients aged 65 years and older representing the older group. Anthracycline-based chemotherapy was prevalent (97.6%) and favored younger patients who received a dose-dense anthracycline regimen (71.7% vs. 38.5%, p < 0.001). Surgical outcomes, breast and axillary downstaging, and the pathologic complete response showed no age-related differences. Grade 3–4 toxicity was higher in older patients (71% vs. 46.4%, p < 0.01). Older patients treated with NAC achieve comparable outcomes to younger patients, supporting personalized treatment. Chronologic age should not dictate treatment decisions, emphasizing the need for comprehensive evaluation for optimal geriatric patient care.
Activation of glial cells induces proinflammatory properties in brain capillary endothelial cells
Authors: Burkhart Annette , Helgudóttir Steinunn Sara , Mahamed Yahye A. , Fruergaard Mikkel B. , Holm-Jacobsen Julie N. , Haraldsdóttir Hulda , Dahl Sara E. , Pretzmann Freja , Routhe Lisa Greve , Lambertsen Kate , Moos Torben , Thomsen Maj Schneider
Published: October 2024

Purpose
The blood-brain barrier (BBB), formed by brain endothelial cells (BECs) ensures a stable microenvironment inside the brain by regulating transport of blood-borne molecules to the brain. However, neurodegenerative diseases are often accompanied by neuroinflammation and BBB impairment mediated by activated glial cells through their release of proinflammatory cytokines. To study the effects of glial cells with respect to BECs activation, we aimed to develop an in vitro BBB model with inflammation by preactivating glial cells and subsequently studying their impact on BECs.
Methods
Primary mixed glial cells (MGCs) mainly containing astrocytes and microglia were lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated, after which the LPS-containing medium was removed. The glial cells were then co-cultured with differentiated, unstimulated primary mouse BECs in transwells meaning that the BECs were under influence solely from cytokines and other pro-inflammatory molecules released from the activated glial cells. The cytokine expression by MGCs and secretion to the culture medium were quantitated after LPS stimulation using qPCR and Meso Scale analysis. The effects of the inflammatory stimuli from MGCs on the BECs were then measured through changes in BBB integrity, evaluated by trans-endothelial electrical resistance (TEER), passive permeability and tight junction proteins alterations, and possibly altered expression of adhesion molecules. The effects of the indirect stimulation of the MGCs on BECs was further compared to the effects on BECs directly stimulated with LPS.
Results
LPS stimulation of MGCs significantly upregulated mRNA expression of interleukin 6, interleukin 1β, and tumor necrosis factor α and significantly increased the secretion of several pro-inflammatory cytokines, e.g. IL-6, TNF-α, KC/ GRO (CXCL1) and IL-12p70. Proving that these cytokines influenced BECs, co-culturing BECs with pre-stimulated MGCs significantly affected the barrier integrity similar to direct stimulation with LPS of the BECs leading to lowering of TEER and increased permeability. Tight junction expression was unaltered, but with rearrangements of tight junction proteins. Expression of cell-adhesion molecules was significantly increased in BECs co-cultured with LPS-prestimulated MGCs when compared to that of directly stimulation with LPS.
Conclusion
Activating MGCs denotes a setting where glial cells influence and transform BECs into a proinflammatory phenotype .
The transition from a non-westernized to westernized gut microbiome in Indian-Immigrants and Indo-Canadians is associated with dietary acculturation
Authors: D’Aloisio Leah D. , Ballal Mamatha , Ghosh Sanjoy , Haskey Natasha , Abulizi Nijiati , Karimianghadim Ramin , Liu Chuyi , Sru Pacha , Nagarajan Lakshmipriya , Vasudevan Sudha , Shetty Vignesh , Purandare Mrudgandha , Bhaumik Ushasi , Howlader Debaki Ranjan , Pakpour Sepideh , Barnett Jacqueline , Gibson Deanna L.
Published: October 2024

Background: Indian immigration to westernized countries has surged in recent years, with this demographic facing a higher risk of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) after migration. Studying the gut microbiome is crucial to understanding the factors contributing to IBD, yet Indians remain underrepresented in microbiome research,
Objective: This study investigates the gut microbiome of Indians residing in India, Indian immigrants in Canada, and Canadians of Indian ancestry to understand the impact of westernization on their gut. Given the higher risk of IBD among Indo-Canadians, these results provide insight into how westernization of the gut microbiome may influence incidence of IBD. Stool samples were collected from healthy Indians in India, Indian Immigrants in Canada, Indo-Canadians, plus Canadian-borne individuals with European descent and Euro-Immigrants as non-Indian/westernized controls (N = 174). 16S rRNA gene and shotgun sequencing compared microbial taxa and functional profiles across groups. Dietary and demographic data were collected to assess lifestyle patterns.
Results: Indians and Indo-Immigrants had distinct gut microbiotas from westernized groups, with high abundances of Prevotella spp. and a CAZyme profile reflecting their traditional high complex carbohydrate diet. The Indian microbiome also showed characteristics of high bacterial cell turnover, pathogenic potential, and stress tolerance, indicating their gut may be better primed to handle stressors on the gut. Indo-Canadians displayed a transitional microbiome towards westernization, which followed a pattern of increasing dietary acculturation.
Conclusions: The shift from a non-westernized to westernized microbiome in Indo-Canadians highlights the significant influence that westernization and dietary acculturation has on the gut microbiome. Given that 44% of the Canadian population is made up of first- and second-generation immigrants and westernized practices are being adopted worldwide, future research should investigate the health implications that such microbiome transitions have on immigrant populations and newly industrialized nations.
Levels of 91 circulating inflammatory proteins and risk of non-melanoma skin cancer:A two-sample Mendelian randomization study
Authors: Chen Wangcheng , Su Xiayi , Shi Yanhong , Pang Lili , Wen Bingbing , Lan Yuemei , Dong Yaling , Wei Xiuzhen , Zhu Zhibo , Bai Jie , Cui Heteng , Zhang Baihong
Published: October 2024

Background
Non-Melanoma Skin Cancer (NMSC) is one of the most common human malignancies with a high incidence rate, posing a heavy economic burden on the global healthcare system.
Methods
We utilized single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that exhibited significant associations with circulating inflammatory proteins as genetic instruments, obtained non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC) data from pooled sources of independent genome-wide association studies (GWAS), and subsequently conducted two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analyses. In the MR analysis, we employed methods such as inverse variance weighting, weighted median, MR-Egger regression, MR Multi-effect residuals, and outlier tests to assess the potential causal relationship between 91 distinct circulating inflammatory proteins and non-melanoma skin cancer.
Results
We found that higher levels of CCL23 (OR 1.07, 95% CI 1.00-1.13), CCL25 (OR 1.04, 95% CI 1.01–1.07), EN-RAGE (OR 1.08, 95% CI 1.01–1.15), IL-15RA (OR 2.03, 95% CI 1.15–3.61), IL-1α (OR 1.21, 95% CI 1.08–1.35), and IL-8 (OR 1.61, 95% CI 1.06–2.43) were significantly positively associated with the risk of NMSC. Conversely, higher levels of CCL4 (OR 0.95, 95% CI 0.91–0.98), FIt3L (OR 0.92, 95% CI 0.86–0.98), MMP-1 (OR 0.63, 95% CI 0.41–0.98), OPG (OR 0.65, 95% CI 0.43–0.98), and TRANCE (OR 0.94, 95% CI 0.89–0.99) were significantly associated with a reduced risk of NMSC. Sensitivity analysis validated the robustness of the findings for CCL23, CCL25, EN-RAGE, IL-15RA, IL-8, and IL-1α.
Conclusion
This innovative two-sample MR analysis reveals an intrinsic causal relationship between inflammation and the risk of non-melanoma skin cancer, providing new insights into the molecular mechanisms of the disease and potentially identifying potential therapeutic targets.
Artificial Intelligence Powered Multi-Dimensional Feature Analysis of Osmo-Priming on Pepper Seeds
Authors: ARIN Levent , Arin Efe
Published: October 2024

Priming is a commonly used method to increase seed germination performance.
In literature, it is seen that the studies investigating the effects of chosen priming
parameters on seed germination are limited to one or two features, in other
words low-dimensional. Moving to high dimensional space increases the complexity
to be analyzed exponentially. Artificial intelligence is known as an important
tool in solving multi-dimensional semantic relations and increasing estimation
performance. However, artificial intelligence applications in the field are mainly
carried out through image processing and do not target the seed germination performance
metrics. In this study, as a novel approach, the effect of osmo-priming
applications with different input parameters is investigated directly on metrics
that are frequently used in the field to define germination quality in a multidimensional
fashion using both classical and artificial intelligence methods. It
is seen that the difference between varieties had a great effect on other metrics
affecting germination performance, therefore, modeling based on varieties could
be developed. In addition, unexpected parameter sets are observed that create
instability in the close germination trend, therefore, generally used linear estimates
may be improved with the substitutions of high-dimentional approaches.
Furthermore, the most important attributes and attribute importance order vary
among varieties and some varieties are less sensitive to the selected parameters,
i.e. more stable, than others.
Dual-Task Vision Transformer for Rapid and Accurate Intracerebral Hemorrhage CT Image Classification
Authors: Fan Jialiang , Fan Xinhui , Song Chengyan , Wang Xiaofan , Feng Bingdong , Li Lucan , Lu Guoyu
Published: October 2024

Intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) is a severe and sudden medical condition caused by the rupture of blood vessels in the brain, leading to permanent damage to brain tissue and often resulting in functional disabilities or death in patients. Diagnosis and analysis of ICH typically rely on brain CT imaging. Given the urgency of ICH conditions, early treatment is crucial, necessitating rapid analysis of CT images to formulate tailored treatment plans. However, the complexity of ICH CT images and the frequent scarcity of specialist radiologists pose significant challenges. Therefore, we collect a dataset from the real world for ICH and normal classification and three types of ICH image classification based on the hemorrhage location, i.e., Deep, Subcortical, and Lobar. In addition, we propose a neural network structure, dual-task vision transformer (DTViT), for the automated classification and diagnosis of ICH images. The DTViT deploys the encoder from the Vision Transformer (ViT), employing attention mechanisms for feature extraction from CT images. The proposed DTViT framework also incorporates two multilayer perception (MLP)-based decoders to simultaneously identify the presence of ICH and classify the three types of hemorrhage locations. Experimental results demonstrate that DTViT performs well on the real-world test dataset.
First detection of viral pathogens in German chickpea
Authors: Kartheuser Christoph , Tan Shin yee , Bubolz Jessica , Reckling Moritz , Menzel Wulf , Ziebell Heiko , Krenz Bjoern
Published: October 2024

Legumes play a crucial role in agriculture and serve as a valuable source of protein for human and animal consumption. However, legumes are susceptible to various viral infections, which can cause significant losses in yield and quality. Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) is an important food legume worldwide. While its cultivation in Germany is still neglectable, it is expected to increase due to its numerous advantages. It is adapted to drought conditions, is an attractive additional option for crop rotations in organic farming and is gaining popularity for regional produced food products. However, there is little knowledge about the presence and potential agronomic impact of viral pathogens in chickpea grown under German conditions. This study is the first that investigated the prevalence of legume-infecting viruses on chickpea crops grown in Germany. In 2022 and 2023, we collected sample material from symptomatic plants at three locations and analyzed it for the presence of circular (ss) DNA viruses, such as pea necrotic yellow dwarf virus (PNYDV), using a combination of rolling circle amplification (RCA) and downstream restriction fragment length pattern (RFLP) analysis. Furthermore, we conducted a reverse transcription-PCR (RT-PCR) to detect different legume-infecting RNA viruses. PNYDV was detected in 2022 in 5 plants, all from the "Amorgos" chickpea variety, located near a pea field. RNA viruses were detected in 31 plants, mostly TuYV or PEMV-1. Double and triple infections were common, with one plant exhibiting a triple infection of PNYDV, TuYV, and PEMV-1. Symptoms of viral infection included leaf yellowing, dwarfism, and chlorotic spots, with co-infections leading to more severe symptoms. These findings indicate that viral pathogens pose a significant threat to chickpea production in Germany, necessitating the development of resistant cultivars and integrated management strategies.
American cities are defined by rings and pockets characterized by limited socio-economic mixing
Authors: Renninger Andrew , O'Clery Neave , Arcaute Elsa
Published: October 2024

Cities generate gains from interaction, but citizens often experience segregation in their daily urban movements. Using GPS location data, we identify patterns of this experienced segregation across US cities, differentiating between neighborhoods that are sources and sinks—exporters and importers—of diversity. By clustering areas with similar mobility signatures, capturing both the diversity of visitors and the exposure of neighbourhoods to diversity, we uncover a generic mesoscopic structure: rings of isolation around cities and internal pockets of segregation. Using a decision tree, we identify the key predictors of isolation and segregation: race, wealth and geographic centrality. We show that these patterns are persistent across time and prevalent across all US cities, with a trend toward larger rings and stronger pockets after the pandemic. These findings offer insights into the dynamics that contribute to inequality between neighbourhoods, so that targeted interventions promoting economic opportunity can be developed.
The daily dynamics of photosynthesis and its influencing factors in the Otindag sandy land Salix gordejevii
Authors: Zhang ShiQi , Liu Guan Zhi , Liang YuMei , Zhao HongXia
Published: October 2024

This study focuses on the Salix gordejevii, inhabiting various habitats (mobile dune, semi-fixed dune, fixed dune, dune slack) in the Otingdag Sandy Land. Through the analysis of daily dynamics of environmental factors within different habitats and an in-depth investigation into the daily variations of photosynthetic characteristics of Salix gordejevii and their influencing factors, this study aims to elucidate the photosynthetic physiological and ecological adaptation strategies of Salix gordejevii. Results show that: (a) Significant daily dynamic variations of environmental factors exist among different habitats of Salix gordejevii, displaying environmental heterogeneity; (b) Salix gordejevii exhibits significant daily variations in photosynthetic characteristics among different habitats; (c) The influence of environmental factors on plant photosynthesis (Pn) is the result of comprehensive effects. The main environmental factors affecting the Pn of Salix gordejevii leaves include photosynthetically active radiation (PAR), stomatal conductance (Gs), intercellular CO2 concentration (Ci), leaf temperature (tl), transpiration rate (Tr), atmospheric temperature (ta), vapor pressure deficit (Vpd), and stomatal limitation (Ls).The research results contribute to further understanding the decline mechanism of Salix gordejevii and lay a theoretical foundation for revealing the photosynthetic physiological and ecological adaptability of Salix gordejevii.
Navigating the Dark Side: Dark Triad and Time Bantitry in the Turkish Context
Authors: Cohen Aaron , Özsoy Emrah
Published: October 2024

Time banditry, or the tendency of employees to engage in non-work-related activities during work hours, presents a significant cost to organizations. Despite its impact, the underlying causes of this behavior remain underexplored. This study investigates the relationship between Dark Triad personality traits—psychopathy, Machiavellianism, and narcissism—and situational factors such as general loneliness, social media addiction, and workplace boredom, with the various dimensions of time banditry: classic, technological, and social. We surveyed 264 employees from both private and public sectors in Sakarya, Turkey.
The research revealed that psychopathy had the strongest association with time banditry behaviors. Interestingly, narcissism did not correlate with any form of time banditry. The study also found that workplace boredom and social media addiction were significantly linked to time banditry. These factors diminished the influence of Dark Triad traits when factored into regression analyses. General loneliness showed no connection to time banditry, and demographic variables such as gender, age, and marital status had no discernible effect.
The paper delves into the broader conceptual implications of these findings, particularly within the context of Turkey's traditional collectivist culture. It concludes by offering directions for future research and practical strategies to mitigate time banditry in the workplace.
We Can Do This: Understanding COVID-19 vaccine campaign elements through message frames and emotional appeals
Authors: Zannat Rubaiya , Faisal Hasan Mahmud , Moni Sherin Farhana , Maxwell Lindsey
Published: October 2024

This study looks into the message frames, emotional appeals, and approaches used in the We Can Do This COVID-19 vaccine campaign by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). A quantitative content analysis of 145 campaign ads and videos was guided by framing theory. Results indicate that the campaign messages primarily focused on vaccine benefits and used aninformational approach to messaging. Consistent use of hope is observed alongside frames, such as vaccine information, facts and findings, and preventive measures. The moral obligation frame uses a more negative appeal (i.e., guilt) across the campaign elements. Additionally, while informational messages incorporate a more fearappeal, sadness, guilt, and hope remain the consistent emotional appeals in the transformational message approach. The findings of this study can serve as a valuable resource for the U.S. Government authorities and other healthcare experts in the implementation of comparable vaccination campaigns.
Assessing the Impact of Non-Pharmaceutical Interventions on COVID-19: A Combined CCE and Quantile Regression Approach
Authors: Mishra Kaibalyapati
Published: October 2024

This paper presents supposedly the first empirical evidence on the impact of non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) on deaths and infections due to COVID-19 in India. I use the Oxford COVID-19 Government Response Tracker (OxCGRT), a database of daily government responses from Jan 28th, 2020, till December 31st, 2022. Here, government responses are captured in the form of stringency measures, containment measures, economic support measures, and the overall government support. I quantify the average relation and causality to understand the impacts of NPIs with COVID-19 incidence using the CS-ARDL, IV(CS-ARDL) method and panel quantile regression. Short-term analysis reveals significant negative associations between various NPIs and COVID-19 deaths. Stringency measures, containment actions, and economic support show negative coefficients, indicating the role of NPIs in effectively reducing deaths in the short term. The overall government support, which aggregates all three NPIs, also demonstrates a significant adverse effect on fatalities, highlighting the importance of stringent and immediate measures in controlling the death toll during the pandemic. Long-term coefficients for infection rates and various NPIs are consistently significant and negative, indicating that sustained interventions significantly reduce infections of COVID-19. Further, causality analysis confirms that the relationship between government interventions and COVID-19 incidences was bi-directional, meaning more deaths (or infections) lead to stricter interventions that, in turn, further reduce deaths. Results from the quantile regression confirm the robustness of CS-ARDL estimates and demonstrate that at lower quantiles of deaths and infections, NPIs were ineffective, while post 0.2 quantiles of the dependent variables, NPIs have proven effective in restricting the death and infection in COVID-19 in India.
JEL: C23, C54, I18, I38
A Quasi-Spherical Fusion Reactor Burning Boron-11 Fuel
Authors: Rogers Joel G. , Egly Andrew A. , Roh Yoon S. , Terry Robert E. , Wessel Frank J.
Published: October 2024

Particle in Cell (PIC) simulation has been used to design a quasi-spherical, net power, p+B11 fueled, fusion reactor incorporating high temperature superconducting (HTS) magnets. By burning a fully thermalized plasma, our proposed MET6 reactor uses the principles of Magneto-Electrostatic Trap design of Yushmanov (1980) to improve the classic Polywell design, resulting in a predicted power-balance Q ≈ 1.5. Because the input power consumed by the reactor barely balances the waste bremsstrahlung radiation, future research will focus on reducing the bremsstrahlung output to reach practical net power levels.
Healthcare utilization among community members reporting respiratory, diarrheal or febrile syndromic illness in the Western Highlands of Guatemala
Authors: Santos Lucas F. , Grajeda Laura , Castillo Carmen , Romero Juan Carlos , Lopez Maria Renee , Palmer Guy H. , Call Douglas R. , Cordon-Rosales Celia , Ramay Brooke M.
Published: October 2024

Introduction: Healthcare utilization surveys describe patterns of healthcare use based on patient needs and experiences and are provide information on potential barriers to accessing care.
Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional community survey to better understand factors driving health-seeking behaviors among participants reporting respiratory, diarrheal or febrile syndromic illness in the western highlands of Guatemala.
Findings: Among participants, 16% (157/981) reported syndromic illness with approximately equal proportions reporting ≥1 febrile, diarrheal or influenza-like illness event within 30 days of enrollment. Participants were more likely to seek healthcare if they had influenza-like illness, or if they had higher wealth scores (OR: 8.25, P < 0.01 and OR:1.55, P = 0.03, respectively).
Interpretation: The significant association between reported influenza-like illness and healthcare seeking behavior may indicate a greater awareness of risks associated with untreated respiratory illness compared to symptoms related to diarrhea and fever. Higher wealth among health-seeking participants suggests that economic disparities may influence healthcare utilization. These findings may be used to address potential barriers to accessing care in this region.
Potential exploration of silver nitrate nanoparticlesloaded on Conyzacanadensis forin vitro and in vivocytotoxic and immunologicalstudies
Authors:   Safa Salah Salman1, Al-Ezzy Ruqaya M. , Soussi Ahlem
Published: October 2024

This study aimed to evaluate the biological effects of C. canadensis extract and its silver nanoparticles, focusing on their cytotoxic and anti-inflammatory properties by assessing their effectiveness in cytokine production and wound healing potential in albino male mice. Our research revealed that C. canadensis extracts are rich in flavonoids, phenols, and saponins. Wound healing results indicated that burns treated with an aqueous extract of C. canadensis healed in 24 days, compared to 18 days for those treated with silver nanoparticles. Notably, mice treated with green synthetic nanoparticles recovered after just 13 days. The study also demonstrated the anti-inflammatory effects of C. canadensis extract and biosynthesized silver nanoparticles on the in vitro release of cytokines (IL-6 and IL-10) from cultured mononuclear cells. These results highlight the potential of C. canadensis as a valuable source of bioactive compounds for developing new drugs, cosmetics, and food products across various industrial sectors. Silver nanoparticles and C. canadensis extracts could be effectively used as wound healing and anti-inflammatory has been performed for the first time in these species.
Three-arm polyrotaxanes with multidirectional molecular motions as the nanocarrier for nitric oxide-enhanced photodynamic therapy against bacterial biofilms in septic arthritis
Authors: Liu Shixin , Jiang Yuanfang , Zhang Yu , Lv Kai , Zhu Jiaxin , Liu Mei , Xu Hao , Jiao Genlong , Yang Wanyong , Sun Guodong , Ma Dong
Published: October 2024

Bacterial biofilms are one of the major contributors to the refractoriness of septic arthritis. Although nitric-oxide (NO)-enhanced photodynamic (PDT) therapy has been involvedin biofilm eradication, the anti-biofilm efficacy is usually hindered by the short half-life and limited diffusion distance of active molecules. Herein, we report a three-arm structure using the photosensitive core chlorin e6 (Ce6) to integrate three α-cyclodextrin (α-CD) polyrotaxane (PR) chains as the supramolecular nanocarrier of NO-enhanced PDT therapy, in which NO was loaded on the cationic rings (α-CDs). Beneficial from the enhanced permeability of the nanocarrier due to the collective act on biofilms by the molecular motions (slide and rotation of rings) of three chains in different directions, NO capable of inducing biofilm dispersal and reactive oxygen species (ROS) were efficiently delivered deep inside biofilms under near-infrared (NIR) exposure, and reactive nitrogen species (RNS) with stronger bactericidal ability was produced in-situ, further accomplishing bacteria elimination inside biofilms. In-vivo therapeutic performance of this platform was demonstrated in a rat septic arthritis model by eliminating the methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infection, and thus potentiating the immune microenvironment regulation and bone loss inhibition, also providing a promising strategy to numerous obstinate clinical infections caused by biofilms.
Work ready? An explorative study of nurse managers’ perspective on the work readiness of new graduate nurses from two different educational trajectories
Authors: Sørensen Astrid Grith , Bernild Camilla , Holen Mari , Visler Camilla Louise , Tackie Sara Huld Sveinsdóttir , Svendsen Pernille Kjær , Poulsen René , Noer Vibeke Røn
Published: October 2024

Background
In high-pressure healthcare environments, nurse managers face challenges in ensuring adequate staffing, necessitating that new graduate nurses be ready to work immediately. However, the gap between generalized nursing education and the specialized wards where new graduate nurses are expected to be work-ready may pose additional challenges.
Methods and Results
This study aims to explore the aspects of new graduate nurses’ work readiness that are pertinent to nurse managers in highly specialized wards, both generally and within a newly introduced educational trajectory. A questionnaire was developed based on focus group interviews with nurse managers, and descriptive results show that the majority of nurse managers consider new graduate nurses to be work ready on most of the parameters they find important although nurse managers need them to quickly learn to prioritize their tasks and are challenged by new graduate nurses’ vulnerability and them bringing their personal life to work.
Conclusions
The study concludes that the challenges nurse managers perceive in general is likely caused by the work environment rather than the work readiness of new graduate nurses, but their positive initial reactions to the new educational trajectory may present possibilities for aligning needs and work readiness in the future.
Machine Learning-Assisted Algorithm for Parameter Setting in SMILE Surgery
Authors: Zhou Huilin , Liu Shuo , Wang Zehua , Wang Zhonghai , Chen Youxin , Li Jiajing
Published: October 2024

Objective: In recent years, SMall Incision Lenticule Extraction (SMILE) has demonstrated good safety and effectiveness, among other features, in the treatment of myopia and myopic astigmatism. However, the setting of its surgical parameters is still highly dependent on the surgeon's experience and suffers from insufficient stability and interpretability.
Methods: To address this challenge, this study proposes a machine learning-based method for assisted parameter setting in SMILE surgery. This study firstly identifies the patient features that are closely related to the decision-making of surgical parameters based on the ophthalmologists' clinical experience, and subsequently performs two-layer feature selection by Maximum Mutual Information Coefficient (MIC) and Genetic Algorithm, and meanwhile, adopts the SMOTE technique with Cost-Sensitive Learning (CSL) to deal with the problem of data imbalance; selects the five machine learning algorithms, LightGBM, XGBoost, RF, AdaBoost, and BP neural network, were trained and tested under the Optuna hyperparametric framework, and their performances were compared.
Results: The experimental results show that LightGBM performs the best with the best accuracy and macro F1 scores of 0.8917 and 0.9018, respectively. In addition, the coefficient of variation (CV) of the prediction probability is used in this study to assess and visualize the uncertainty of the model prediction quantitatively. The importance of the features was also analyzed by SHAP values, and the results of the analysis coincided with the ophthalmologists' clinical experience.
Conclusions: The method proposed in this study is expected to improve the stability and interpretability of ophthalmologists' decision-making in the process of setting parameters for myopic refractive surgery.
Self-template Synthesis of Nanoporous Carbons from π-conjugated Ionic Liquids with Aromatic Functionalities
Authors: Seki Toshinori , Futamura Ryusuke , Nakamura Kento , Murata Yumeto , Sekiguchi Ryuta , Iiyama Taku
Published: October 2024

Ionic liquids (ILs) are liquids composed of pure ionic components with melting points near room temperature that exhibit unique properties. They are also known as designer solvents. In particular, π-conjugated functional ILs demonstrate photoluminescent properties, making them promising for new applications. In addition, the organic moieties of ILs can function as precursors for carbon materials, facilitating efficient polymerization reactions at high temperatures. In this paper, we present the structural aspects of nanoporous carbon materials derived from π-conjugated ILs, revealing that the domain structure of these ILs plays a crucial role in the carbonization process, as observed from the florescence spectroscopy of the precursor π-conjugated IL. This paper proposes a synthesis process for nanoporous carbon from π-conjugated ILs, demonstrating the thermal stability of ILs with mesoscopic domain structures, thereby promoting carbonization reactions while pore formation occurs simultaneously. This study expands the potential applications of π-conjugated ILs across various fields, and contributes to a deeper understanding of their unique properties from microscopic observations.
Influence of Sintering Temperature in a Suboptimal Environment on the Mechanical Properties of Fused Filament Fabricated Copper
Authors: Downard Scott , Clark Ethan , O’Brien Cheosung , Mohammadlou Bita Soltan , Kontsos Antonios , Celli Dino , Smith Lucas , Amiri Essa Al , Weems Andrew , Wisner Brian
Published: October 2024

Metal Injection Molding (MIM) processes are generally more cost effective for the generation of metallic AM components. However, the thermal processing required to remove the polymer and sinter the metal powder is not well understood in terms of resulting mechanical response and damage evolution, especially in ambient atmospheres where contamination is present. This study uses a form of MIM referred to as Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF) to quantify the differences in FFF copper properties obtained by varying the thermal processing of parts in an nonideal environment. These results showed direct correlations between sintering temperature to both density and porosity, both of which improved with an increase in temperature. In addition, Nondestructive Evaluation (NDE) methods are leveraged to understand the variation in damage evolution that results from the processing, and it is shown that the higher sintering temperatures provided more desirable density and tensile properties for strength-based applications. Moreover, these results demonstrate a potential to tailor mechanical properties of FFF manufactured copper for a specific application.
Adaptive Machine Learning Approach for Parkinson’s Disease Diagnosis via Clustering-Based Speech Feature Selection
Authors: Essam Mahmoud , Balat Mazen , Anter Ahmed M.
Published: October 2024

This study introduces a detailed approach aimed at improving the diagnostic precision of Parkinson’s disease by leveraging machine learning techniques applied to Parkinson’s Data. The dataset underwent thorough preprocessing, which included checks for missing values and the use of a Box-Cox transformation to normalize features. Following this step, the data was randomized and divided into training, validation, and test sets. Various feature extraction methods were investigated, such as Mutual Information, Recursive Feature Elimination, Lasso Regression, Clustering Feature Selection, and Autoencoders. These methods were paired with several regression models, including Ridge Regressor, Lasso Regressor, Linear Regressor, Decision Tree Regressor, k-Nearest Neighbors Regressor, Random Forest Regressor, Gradient Boosting Regressor, AdaBoost Regressor, and Extra Trees Regressor. The research found that combining Clustering Feature Selection with the Extra Trees Regressor yielded the highest accuracy, achieving an outstanding R 2 score of 99.9% on the Motor Test and 99.6% on the Total Test. These findings not only demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method but also establish a new benchmark in Parkinson’s disease diagnosis, significantly 1 surpassing existing state-of-the-art techniques. The results suggest that the integration of sophisticated feature selection and robust machine learning models can substantially enhance diagnostic accuracy in neurodegenerative diseases.
SafeSpeech: A Three-Module Pipeline for Hate Intensity Mitigation of Social Media Texts in Indic Languages
Authors: Ghosh Koyel , Singh Neeraj Kumar , Mahapatra Joy , Saha Saptarshi , Senapati Apurbalal , Garain Utpal
Published: October 2024

Identifying and mitigating hateful, abusive, offensive comments on social media is a crucial, paramount task. It's challenging to entirely prevent such hateful content and impose rigorous censorship on social platforms while safeguarding free speech. Recent studies have focused on detecting hate speech, whereas mitigating the intensity of hate remains unexplored or somewhat complex. This paper introduces a cost-effective, straightforward, and novel three-module pipeline, SafeSpeech, for Hate Speech Classification (HSC), Hate Intensity Identification (HII), and Hate Intensity Mitigation (HIM) on social media texts. The initial module classifies text as either containing or not containing hate speech. Following this, the second module quantifies the intensity of hate associated with individual words within the classified hate speech. Lastly, the third module seeks to diminish the overall hatefulness conveyed in the text. A comprehensive experiment has been conducted using publicly available datasets in five Indic languages (Hindi, Marathi, Tamil, Telugu, and Bengali). The system undergoes thorough evaluation to assess its performance and analyze it in-depth using various automated metrics. Recognizing the limitations of automated metrics in mitigating hate speech, we augment our experiments with human evaluation, where three domain experts independently participated. BERTScore for final generated hate-mitigated texts and first classified hate texts across all languages consistently range between 0.96 and 0.99.
Quarkonia spectrum and wave functions with different trial basis in the potential model approach
Authors: Molina David , Gomez Cristian Gutierrez
Published: October 2024

A numerical analysis based on the variational approach, using three different bases within a non-relativistic formalism, is performed to calculate the spectrum and wave functions of hydrogen atom and charmonium systems. Specifically, the Harmonic Oscillator, Generalized Harmonic Oscillator, and Gaussian bases are considered for this analysis. For the charmonium system, a non-relativistic kinetic energy is employed and the quark-antiquark interaction is represented by the Cornell potential plus the hyperfine interaction. The advantages of each basis are compared, with a focus on the spectrum and wave functions of the ground state and some excited states.
Differential effects of systemic immune inflammation indices on hepatic steatosis and hepatic fibrosis: evidence from NHANES 1999-2018
Authors: Duan Shuyin , Zhanwen Tu , Lijuan Duan , Tu Runqi
Published: October 2024

Background
Several studies have demonstrated that systemic immune inflammation index (SII) has a positive relationship with hepatic steatosis. However, it is lack of system evidence for the correlation between SII and hepatic fibrosis. The objective of this study was to evaluate the relationships between SII and hepatic steatosis or hepatic fibrosis.
Methods
A cross-sectional analysis was performed of 21833 subjects aged over 20 from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). Fibrosis-4 index (FIB-4), NAFLD fibrosis score (NFS) and hepamet fibrosis score (HFS) were the indicators for hepatic fibrosis; fatty liver index (FLI), NAFLD liver fat score (LFS) and Framingham steatosis index (FSI) were the indicators for hepatic steatosis. Pearson’s test, generalized linear model (GLM) and restricted cubic splines (RCS) were used to analyze associations of SII with hepatic fibrosis and hepatic steatosis.
Results
Pearson’s test and GLM revealed that there were negative relationships between SII and hepatic fibrosis (FIB-4, NFS and HFS), while positive relationships between SII and hepatic steatosis (FLI, LFS and FSI). The corresponding β (95%CI) of SII and hepatic fibrosis were − 0.35(-0.46, -0.24), -0.67(-0.71, -0.63) and − 0.10(-0.12, -0.09), respectively. The corresponding β (95%CI) of SII and hepatic steatosis were 6.12(4.75, 7.50), 0.22(0.12, 0.31) and 0.27(0.20, 0.34), respectively. Statistically significant non-linear association were found in SII with hepatic fibrosis and hepatic steatosis in RCS model (all P < 0.001).
Conclusion
There was a negative significant association between SII and hepatic fibrosis, while a positive significant association between SII and hepatic steatosis.
Harnessing genetic diversity in Sudanese sorghum wild relatives for stay-green drought tolerance via microsatellite SSR marker assessment
Authors: Ahmed Alaa , Abdalla Aisha Abdalhady Ahmed , Elsafy Mohammed , Ezzeldin Alaa , Rahmatov Mahbubjon , Abdelhalim Tilal
Published: October 2024

Sudan is the birthplace of sorghum, and vast genetic diversity exists among its wild relatives. To assess the genetic potential of Sudan wild sorghum accessions, we used 41 stay-green-specific microsatellite markers to analyze the genetic variability and population structure of 256 accessions. Overall, 17 SSR markers were polymorphic, with 55 alleles on average 3.3 per locus. The polymorphic information content (PIC) ranged from 0.49 to 0.57, with an overall mean of 0.53, indicating the potential of these markers for capturing the genetic construction of wild sorghum. Linkage disequilibrium analysis identified the two most informative markers, Xcup05 and Xtxp212. Accordingly, the Nei gene diversity of the populations varied from 0.032 to 0.127, with an overall mean of 0.083. Molecular variance analysis (AMOVA) demonstrated that 99% and 1% of the genetic variations were within and among populations (Fst = 0.066; P 0.001), respectively. However, gene flow (Nm) values varied from 0.058 in populations 1 and 2 to 1.018 in populations 2 and 3. Neighbor-joining trees identified from 21 Sudanese wild sorghum accessions clustered closely to the universally drought-tolerant landrace B35. Structural analysis generated the highest Delta K value (58.2) at K = 2, revealing two distinct subpopulations. While this work provides valuable information about the potential of sorghum wild relatives from Sudan as sources for stay-green drought tolerance, further research should be directed toward identifying the exact mechanisms and genes underlying this stay-green trait using advanced molecular omics techniques. In conclusion, this study highlights the potential role of Sudanese sorghum accessions as reservoirs of ready-to-use stay-green genes for the design of climate-resilient sorghum cultivars in drought-prone areas of Sudan and beyond.
Aptamer-Conjugated Liposome System for Targeting MUC1-Positive Cancer
Authors: Khan Md Shakil Ahmed , Park Jiwoo , Lee Somin , Hwang Jee-Eun , Oh Chiwoo , Kim MinKyu , Lee Jeong-Seob , Jeon Jongyeong , Park Beomjin , Li ShengJun , Jung Han Na , Im Hyung-Jun
Published: October 2024

This study aims to overcome the adverse effects of conventional cytotoxic chemotherapy on healthy organs by developing a target-specific novel approach utilizing doxorubicin (DOX)-encapsulated liposomes conjugated with the S1.6 aptamer, known for its high binding affinity to the overexpressed Mucin-1 (MUC1) protein in various cancer types. The S1.6 aptamer is selected as a targeting ligand by comparing the thermodynamic stability, docking score, confidence score, and binding affinity with other MUC1 targeting aptamers in silico. Nano-drop, Gel electrophoresis, and Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS) confirm the size, zeta potential, DOX encapsulation rate, stability, and aptamer conjugation of liposomes. Flow cytometry results validate MUC1 expression in MCF7 cells while not in MDA-MB-231 cells. Confocal Microscopy further demonstrates the cellular uptake of the lipo-apt complex. Taken together, our results of this approach hold promise as a potential strategy to mitigate the side effects of conventional chemotherapy by enhancing the specificity of drug delivery to cancer cells through aptamer-mediated liposomal encapsulation of chemotherapeutic agents. Further studies are warranted to evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of this approach in vivo and its potential clinical applications in cancer treatment.
DH2 regulates the development of lateral organs in rice
Authors: Tang Jun , Li Tianye , Gao Yuanzhuo , Li Xinghang , Huang Ziheng , Zhuang hui , Luo Hongfa , Li Yunfeng
Published: October 2024

In most of crops, the development of lateral organs such as leaves and floral organs play important roles in architecture of plant and grain, and then determine the yield. Establishment of polarityin these lateral organs is one of the most critical events for their morphogenesis. However, the molecular mechanisms about this in rice is still not clear enough. Here, we isolated two allelic mutants named degenerated hull 2-1, -2 (dh2-1, -2) in rice, exhibiting abaxially rolled leaves and rod-shaped lemmas. DH2 encoded the relatively conservative ARGONAUT 7 (AGO7) protein in plants, and expressed in the lateral organs including leaf and floral organs. When the knock-out of DH2 gene resulted in the same defects with the two allelic mutants, the over-expression lines of DH2showed adaxially rolled leaves. Next, it was proved that DH2 was involved in the synthesis of tasiR-ARFs, the expression level of which was decreased sharply in lateral organs of dh2 mutants. And then it was found that the expression of OsARF2, OsARF3, OsARF14, and OsARF15, the potential targets oftasiR-ARFs, was increased in lateral organs of dh2 mutants. However, it was not as expected that results of in situ hybridization showed the four ARF genes were not expressed in WT lemma, whereas they were all ectopically expressed in rod-shaped lemma in dh2 mutants. Meanwhile tasiR-ARFs was expressed in the whole lemma but not abaxial side.That means there was not a opposite expression of tasiR-ARFs and ARFs in adaxial–abaxial of lemma. Therefore, according our data, we think that the pathway of OsAGO7—tasiR-ARFs in rice was more likely involved in the whole development of lemma but not only abaxial side by restricting ectopical expression of OsARFs in the whole lemma, which was different with that in lateral organs of Arabidopsis.