bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Sarcopenia in cirrhotic patients waiting for liver transplantation: is diabetes an additional aggravating factor?
Authors: Grancini Valeria , Gaglio Alessia , Alicandro Gianfranco , Cogliati Irene , Oliverio Andreina , Resi Veronica , Pigotskaya Yana , Giacchetti Federico , Orsi Emanuela
Published: September 2024

Diabetes is a well demonstrated risk factor for poor prognosis in people with chronic liver disease. Conversely, the presence of hepatopathy may affect glucose homeostasis. In people with cirrhosis, sarcopenia is related to increased pre- and post-liver transplantation (LT) mortality. Diabetes mellitus and sarcopenia are both known complications of end-stage liver disease but, to date, no studies aimed at assess the clinical impact of their co-presence in LT-candidates are available. We performed a cross-sectional, single-center, observational study to assess the presence of sarcopenia in 112 people with cirrhosis and waiting for LT to investigate any correlation between this condition and the presence of glucose abnormalities. In our population, 10 (8.9%) subjects was diagnosed as sarcopenic. Diabetes appears to be strongly associated with sarcopenia in individuals with cirrhosis, affecting 100% of people from the sarcopenic (S) group (vs 59.8% in the non-sarcopenic -NS group). Subjects from the S group were older and showed lower BMI and fat mass vs subjects from NS group. Concerning to dietary behaviors, individuals from the S group showed adequate protein intake and achieved the recommended daily intake of fibers, as recommended in the context of nutritional trainings, routinely proposed to this population. In conclusion, the recognition and metabolic characterization of such frail individuals would allow to target them with structured nutritional and lifestyle educational programs, with the aim to achieve a better metabolic status in view of LT.
Nonporous TiO 2 @C Microsphere with a Highly Integrated Structure for High Volumetric Lithium Storage and Enhance Initial Coulombic Efficiency
Authors: Yin Jinpeng , Wang Guanqin , Kong Dongqing , Li Chuang , Zhang Qiang , Xie Dongbai , Yan Yangyang , Li Ning , Li Qiang
Published: September 2024

To enhance the volumetric energy density and initial coulombic efficiency (ICE) of titanium oxide (TiO2) as anode electrode material for lithium-ion batteries (LIB), this study employed a surface-confined in-situ inter-growth mechanism to prepare a TiO2 embedded carbon microsphere composite. The results revealed that the composite exhibited a highly integrated structure of TiO2 with oxygen vacancies and carbon, along with an exceptionally small specific surface area of 11.52 m²/g. Due to its unique microstructure, the composite demonstrated remarkable lithium storage properties, including a high ICE of 75%, a notable capacity of 426.8 mAh/g after 200 cycles at 0.2 A/g, superior rate performance of 210.1 mAh/g at 5 A/g, and an outstanding cycle life, with a capacity decay rate of only 0.003% per cycle over 2000 cycles. Furthermore, electrochemical kinetic studies further validated the advantages of this microstructure.
Predicting adverse events in schizophrenia using digital phenotyping and machine learning: results from the HOPE-S observational study
Authors: Heaukulani* Creighton , Sim* Amelia , Yang Zixu , Buddhika Thisum , Rashid Nur Amirah Abdul , Wang Xuancong , Ping Foo , Verghese Rebecca , Yip Jung Hon , Zhang Xun , Zheng Shushan , Quek Yue Feng , Basu Sutapa , Lee Kok Wei , Tang Charmaine , Verma Swapna , Morris Robert J.T. , Lee Jimmy
Published: September 2024

Digital phenotyping has emerged as a promising tool in psychiatry to monitor patient status and to predict clinically significant events such as relapse and hospitalization in schizophrenia. Digital data from a smartphone and wrist wearable were collected to derive 540,744 daily measurements of behavior and health from 99 patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders over a six-month period. We found that machine learning algorithms based on gradient boosting trees can achieve a sensitivity of 91.4% and a specificity of 95.3% when predicting hospital readmissions, visits to the emergency room, and deterioration in clinical status from changes in a patient’s digital data alone. Our results provide strong evidence to the nascent body of literature demonstrating that digital phenotyping can be reliably employed to predict relapse and other adverse events in psychosis.

*Creighton Heaukulani and Amelia Sim are joint first author.
Systematic analysis of functional implications of fibrosis in pan-cancer
Authors: Yao Long , Liu Lianpo , Wang Hanlin , Huang Yunlong , Wu Kaiming , Huang Xin , Xu Junrui , Zhang Renquan
Published: September 2024

The common pathogenic mechanisms and molecular pathways of fibrosis and tumors remain unclear. We aimed to conduct in-depth analysis of fibrosis feature genes role from a pan-cancer perspective and identify potential therapeutic targets for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and cancers. We downloaded mRNA expression, copy number alterations, and DNA methylation data of 33 cancers from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). Clinical and mutation data were obtained from the UCSC Xena database. The mutation frequencies of fibrosis-feature-related genes (FRGs) in the TCGA database were examined. Protein expression levels were analysed using the Clinical Proteomics Tumor Analysis Consortium. Gene Set Variation Analysis and Gene Set Enrichment Analysis algorithms were used. Most FRGs were differentially expressed in tumors owing to somatic cell copy number alterations and DNA methylation. We established a fibrosis potential index (FPI), and in most cancers, the FPI was lower than that in normal tissues and correlated with subtypes and clinical features. The FPI correlated negatively with multiple metabolic pathways and immune function but positively with several important tumor features or pathways. The FPI correlated with prognosis in different tumors, despite finding heterogeneity. Fibrotic features have excellent diagnostic and prognostic capabilities for various cancers. This may help predict responses to immunotherapy.
Investigating the Negative Link between Perfectionism and Emotional Divergent Thinking
Authors: Goulet-Pelletier Jean-Christophe , Beaudin Marie-France , Cousineau Denis
Published: September 2024

Previous research has found that striving towards perfection was negatively associated with the generation of original ideas, as measured with Divergent Thinking (DT) tasks. In contrast, striving towards excellence has been positively associated with DT abilities. This effect has been replicated; however explanatory variables have not yet been tested. The aim of the current study was twofold. First, we investigated the mediating role of concerns over mistakes, doubts about actions, openness to experience, empathy, and emotions felt during the task. Second, we investigated an emotional DT task, consisting of two items (e.g., name things which can be frustrating). From a sample of n = 282 university students, we replicated the negative association between perfectionism and DT abilities. Perfection strivers were less original on the emotional task compared to the classic DT task. However, the effects were smaller than in the preliminary study. Mediation analyses suggested that doubts and concerns were not statistically related to DT abilities. Openness to experience and empathy were both positively and uniquely associated to DT. Lastly, positive and worrisome emotions (but not negative) were positively related to the originality of ideas. We discuss the relationship between emotions and DT abilities.
Assessment of Urban Flood Susceptibility and Inundation through Bivariate Statistics with Synthetic Aperture Radar: Insights for Spatial Planning in Pekanbaru City, Indonesia
Authors: Giofandi Eggy Arya , Tjahjono Boedi , Rachman Latief Mahir
Published: September 2024

Flooding has become one of the most dangerous hydrometeorological disasters, affecting the sustainability of cities in the future. This study aims to assess flood susceptibility using a frequency ratio approach and evaluate the spatial planning in Pekanbaru City, Indonesia. Flood locations were derived from synthetic aperture radar data to prepare actual flood data. In this area, the identification of physical environmental parameters was conducted using various datasets such as slope, landform, curvature, topographic wetness index, distance from rivers, rainfall, soil texture, and soil depth. Furthermore, a weighted assessment of all thematic layers was calculated based on the frequency ratio of actual flood events in the observation area. The overall data related to the location of the events were divided, with 70% for model development and 30% for validation. The results showed that actual flood events affected 18 km², with an accuracy of 84.21%. Flood susceptibility was categorized into four levels such as very high (11.36%), high (58.04%), medium (24.78%), and low (5.81%). An accurate assessment of potential flood susceptibility, measured by the operational characteristic curve (AUC), showed a prediction rate of 76.30% and a success rate of 78.45%. However, considering the implications for spatial patterns, flood susceptibility affects cultivated areas covering 381.16 km², which are spread almost throughout the urban area. High to very high susceptibility areas indirectly cause disaster losses and impact community activities. The misalignment between the distribution of flood susceptibility and spatial planning in urban areas needs to be addressed to anticipate other potential hazards.
Study on the Shear Strength of Anchored Jointed Rock Mass Under Different Normal Stiffness Conditions
Authors: Song Yang , Mao Jinghan , Wang Heping , Fan Bo
Published: September 2024

This study investigates the constant normal stiffness (CNS) boundary condition in deep rock engineering structures, which provides a more accurate representation of the stress environment of jointed rock masses than the constant normal load (CNL) boundary condition. Three CNS boundary conditions (0 GPa/m, 1.5 GPa/m, and 3.0 GPa/m) were designed to simulate the effects of confinement and various geological engineering conditions on different tunnel depths. Using direct shear tests on both anchored and unanchored joint samples under CNS conditions, this study incorporated the dilation curve of the joints into a model predicting joint shear strength. The model accounts for the effects of CNS boundary conditions, and combines the anchorage resistance model based on the theory of statically determinate beams. It also considers the relationship between axial and lateral displacements of anchors during shear deformation. Results demonstrate that both CNS boundary conditions and anchorage significantly influence shear mechanical properties. Anchor reinforcement exhibited a greater impact on peak shear stress than CNS boundary conditions, while both factors similarly affected peak normal displacement. The newly proposed model accurately predicts shear strength under different normal stiffness boundary conditions, aligning closely with experimental data. The study also analyzes the contribution of anchors to shear strength, revealing a 57.28% contribution under a stiffness condition of 0 GPa/m. With increasing normal stiffness, intrinsic shear resistance in jointed rock mass improves, while the relative contribution from anchors decreases.
Emergent benefits of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi in Multisymbiotic Grass-Legume Mixtures
Authors: García-Parisi Pablo A , Druille Magdalena , Grimoldi Agustín Alberto , Lattanzi Fernando Alfredo , Omacini Marina
Published: September 2024

Background and Aims The ability of plant microbial symbionts to enhance hosts´ fitness depends on the abiotic and biotic context, including the presence of co-existing symbionts. We studied how the presence of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) affects the performance of a host grass associated or not with fungal asexual endophytes, growing either alone or in interaction with a legume hosting nitrogen-fixing bacteria. We hypothesized that the presence of legume-rhizobia symbiosis enables endophytes and AMF to promote host grass growth and nutrition, as well as host and symbionts fitness through nitrogen acquisition-mediated effects when their primary benefits (herbivore protection and phosphorous provision) are not required.Methods In pots with sterile, nitrogen-limited soil either inoculated or not with AMF, we grew Lolium multiflorum grass plants associated or not with a vertically-transmitted endophyte (Epichloë occultans), either in monocultures or in mixtures with rhizobia-inoculated Trifolium repens.Results In monocultures, grass C, N and P acquisition were reduced by AMF. Conversely, in mixtures with legumes, AMF increased grass growth, soil N uptake, and transfer of biologically fixed N from the legume to the grass. Endophyte and AMF both decreased grass fitness, but endophyte presence increased AMF spore density.Conclusions AMF can increase nitrogen transfer and increase grass growth, a benefit that relies on the presence of rhizobia-associated neighboring legumes. Notably, plant and symbiont fitness are not aligned either among them or with the benefits provided. The success of each host or symbiont may depend on their ability to capitalize on the benefits.
Mapping lymphatic filariasis morbidities in 24 endemic districts of Ethiopia
Authors: Bisrat Haileleuel , H/Kiros Fikre , Jemberie Mebratu Mitku , Mengiste Asrat , Mekonnon Merga , Seife Fikre , Oljira Birhanu , Terefe Haileyesus , Bekele Tamrat , Manyazewal Tsegahun
Published: September 2024

Background
The core strategy for achieving the second goal of the Global Program to Eliminate Lymphatic Filariasis (GPELF), which is to alleviate the suffering of affected populations, is Morbidity management and disability prevention (MMDP). Effectively registering and locating individuals suffering from LF remain critical gap in many LF-endemic settings for planning and ensuring access to MMDP services. This study aims to map the geographical distribution of LF morbidities across 24 endemic districts in Ethiopia.
Methods
A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted to identify individuals suffering from LF in 24 endemic districts. Using primary health care units (PHCUs), the study involved 946 trained Health Extension Workers (HEWs) who conducted house-to-house visits to identify and register individuals with lymphoedema and hydrocoele. Additionally, 77 trained supervisors and 87 team leaders coordinated the morbidity mapping in their respective districts and PHCUs. Surgeons performed confirmatory evaluations of individuals with lymphedema and hydrocele randomly sampled from selected districts. Statistical analysis of data, including severity of lymphoedema and acute attacks, was performed using STATA 17.
Results
A total of 15,527 cases of LF morbidities were identified. Among these, 14,946 (96.3%) were cases of limb lymphoedema, wile 581 (3.7%) were hydrocele. Of those with lymphedema, 8,396 (54.1%) were women. Additionally, 13,731 (88.4%) of cases resided in rural areas where access to preventive and curative services is limited. Of 14,591 cases with recorded information about acute attack, 10710 (73.4%) reported experiencing at least one acute attack in the last six months related to their lymphoedema, with a higher percentage of males reported (74.5%; n = 4981/6686). Out of 12,680 recorded cases of leg lymphedema, the percentage of reported acute attacks rose with severity: mild cases 64% (n = 5,618), moderate 68% (n = 5,169), and severe 70% (n = 1,893). Most patients, 64%, reported swollen legs for 1 to 10 years, indicating a high prevalence of recent cases. In contrast, only 25% of patients had swollen legs for 10 to 20 years, suggesting a decline in cases over this longer period. The HEW-surgeon confirmatory evaluation showed that 80% of hydrocele cases and 95% of lymphedema cases matched the HEWs' assessments, indicating strong agreement.
Conclusion
Using the existing Health Extension Program platform, this study identified a substantial number of lymphedema and hydrocele cases across 24 LF-endemic districts in Ethiopia, with strong agreement between HEWs and surgeons in their case assessments. Cases were predominantly recent lymphoedema, affecting mostly women and individuals in rural areas. PHCUs proved instrumental in identifying LF cases, as HEWs were well-positioned to engage with and support the communities they serve.
Effects of laser welding on the mechanical properties and microstructure of AISI 304 stainless steel
Authors: Haupt William , Borges Lucas Ghellioni , Israel Charles Leonardo , Riffel Kaue Correa
Published: September 2024

This study investigates the mechanical and microstructural behavior of AISI 304 steel welds produced using the CO₂ laser welding process. The focus is on understanding the effects of different welding conditions on 2 mm thick steel sheets. The welds were performed under three conditions: autogenous welding without root opening, welding with a 1 mm root opening using filler metal, and welding with filler metal but without root opening. The joints were analyzed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), microhardness testing, uniaxial fatigue testing, and subsequent fractographic examination. The microstructural analysis revealed a significant presence of pores in the autogenous welds and predominant formation of delta ferrite and lathy ferrite phases across all conditions. In terms of mechanical performance, autogenous welds exhibited fractures in the base material, while welds using filler metal showed fractures near the weld metal. Despite noticeable differences in the mean fatigue resistance, the autogenous welds and those with filler metal but without root opening demonstrated a higher number of cycles to failure.
The impact of light compressive stress on early bone remodeling and the expression profile of associated circRNAs
Authors: Yuan Peiyan , Xi Keyu , Huang jinyu , Ning Tingting , Xu Shuaimei , Yuan Guohua
Published: September 2024

Objectives
The effects of mechanical stress on bone remodeling have been constantly studied by researchers at different levels, however several aspects still exist which are considerably unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate the response of osteoblasts exposed to different levels of compressive stress, to identify and perform a comprehensive analysis of the circRNA expression pattern as well as investigate their potential regulatory roles.
Methods
The gene and protein expression levels of Runx2, Alp, OCN, Rankl, and Opg were examined in MC3T3-E1 cells after exposure to varying levels of compressive stress. Whole transcriptome sequencing and qRT-PCR were used to identify the various differentially expressed circRNAs. Furthermore, MiRanda, Gene Ontology, Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes and Reactome enrichment analysis were used to predict the potential functions of the differentially expressed circRNAs.
Results
The osteoblastic and osteoclastic differentiation effects on the bone tissues were enhanced at 2g/cm2. 99 differentially expressed circRNAs were identified by whole transcriptome sequencing. They were predicted to interact with 1701 miRNAs, some of which play a crucial part in regulating osteogenic differentiation via the Wnt or Notch pathway.
Conclusions
This study suggested that 2g/cm2 compressive stress was sufficient to induce osteogeneis and bone tissue resorption. This was the first study to identify differentially expressed circRNAs and to integrate their potential ceRNA function during early bone remodeling after exposure to light compressive stress. These findings suggest that certain specific circRNAs might possess the potential to function as ceRNAs in order to promote bone remodeling.
Dynamic Monitoring of Surface Soil Moisture Fluctuations Using Synthetic Aperture Radar and Data- Driven Algorithms
Authors: Rajeev Hrushikesh , Gururaj Punithraj , Pathak Abhishek A
Published: September 2024

The primary goal of the study is to employ SAR data and data driven approaches to model Surface Soil Moisture (SSM) for cultivable bare fields. Three experimental test plots were selected which are basically cultivable but due water deficiency the plots are left bare. Samples for surface soil moisture, soil surface roughness and bulk density are collected from test plots in grid sampling manner in parallel with SAR data pass over study area. Sentinel-1A data is pre-processed and each field sampling grid backscattering energy values are obtained. Surface roughness, dielectric constant and backscattered energy were used as input features to model SSM using RF, SVR and BPANN. We observed that BPANN outperformed SVR and RF by accurately predicting soil moisture with RMSE = 0.077, bias = 0.013, and R = 0.94. This study sheds light on small scale agricultural lands which are deficient of water to support crop growth.
Snakes in Urban and Peri-Urban Areas: Encounters and Challenges in the Atlantic Forest Biome, Brazil
Authors: Souza¹ André Nascimento , França Rafaela Candido , Santos Nathalia Ribeiro , Jorge Antônio , Campiolo Sofia
Published: September 2024

In global scenarios, the implementation of major structural works, such as highways, railroads and ports, as well as the accelerated growth of urban centers, are processes that can have an impact on local fauna and if conducted without proper planning or focus on mitigating possible interference to fauna, can lead to the destruction of habitats and consequently damage to biodiversity, which also has an impact on society. Studies on herpetofauna and the management of species that appear in urban environments are little explored on the South American continent and research on snakes in these environments has not been carried out in the region investigated. The aim of this study was to identify the occurrences of snakes in urbanized areas of two municipalities in the Atlantic Forest biome, to learn about the spatial distribution and final destination of these animals. Our results found 25 species of snakes divided between the families Boidae (3 sp.), Colubridae (7 sp.), Dipsadidae (12 sp.) Typhlopidae (1 sp.) Viperidae (2 sp.) that circulated in urban and peri-urban areas and were identified using data obtained from the electronic system of the state fauna management agency and additionally from a herpetological collection of the local university, which presented a panorama of the return of animals to the wild as well as revealing animals victimized by trampling in the urbanized stretches. The final destinations of snakes that have appeared in urban areas are still poorly explained because most of the species rescued, despite having been relocated, had poorly detailed information on the management forms, which need to be better documented, from the level of species identification, as well as the final destination of the relocation, for more efficient management of urban wildlife, aiding in the process of conserving species that appear in cities.
Emotion regulation monitoring in daily life: The roles of event intensity, emotion intensity, perceived regulation success and psychopathology
Authors: Li Xu-hua , Zhang Yu-ting , Li Xu , Peng Ming , Houben Marlies , Vaessen Thomas , Myin-Germeys Inez
Published: September 2024

Purpose
During emotional events, people monitor the effectiveness of their emotion regulation (ER) to decide whether to keep using their current ER strategy, switch to a new strategy, or stop the regulation process. However, there is little empirical research on the monitoring phase of ER, particularly on what and how situational and individual factors influence this process.
Methods
We tested situational and individual factors as predictors of real-life ER monitoring decisions. 155 young adults responded to 5 prompts per day in a 7-day experience sampling protocol. At each prompt they described an emotional event, rated the intensity of event, their current emotions and perceived success in ER, and reported their decision to simply stop using their current ER strategy or to switch to a new strategy during the event.
Results
Multilevel modeling results showed the decision to stop using the current ER strategy was predicted by perceived success in ER after both positive and negative events, and by depressive and anxiety symptoms after positive events. The decision to switch to a new strategy was more likely when there were high negative emotions after a negative event, and less likely when there was perceived success after a positive event.
Conclusions
These findings suggest that situational and individual factors affect people’s decisions about how to regulate emotion. Interventions addressing excessive emotion regulation issues in response to positive events and their underlying causes may benefit individuals with depression or anxiety.
Prophage-DB: A comprehensive database to explore diversity, distribution, and ecology of prophages
Authors: Dieppa-Colón Etan , Martin Cody , Anantharaman Karthik
Published: September 2024

Background.
Viruses that infect prokaryotes (phages) constitute the most abundant group of biological agents, playing pivotal roles in microbial systems. They are known to impact microbial community dynamics, microbial ecology, and evolution. Efforts to document the diversity, host range, infection dynamics, and effects of bacteriophage infection on host cell metabolism are extremely underexplored. Phages are classified as virulent or temperate based on their life cycles. Temperate phages adopt the lysogenic mode of infection, where the genome integrates into the host cell genome forming a prophage. Prophages enable viral genome replication without host cell lysis, and often contribute novel and beneficial traits to the host genome. Current phage research predominantly focuses on lytic phages, leaving a significant gap in knowledge regarding prophages, including their biology, diversity, and ecological roles.
Results.
Here we develop and describe Prophage-DB, a database of prophages, their proteins, and associated metadata that will serve as a resource for viral genomics and microbial ecology. To create the database, we identified and characterized prophages from genomes in three of the largest publicly available databases. We applied several state-of-the-art tools in our pipeline to annotate these viruses, cluster and taxonomically classify them, and detect their respective auxiliary metabolic genes. In total, we identify and characterize over 350,000 prophages and 35,000 auxiliary metabolic genes. Our prophage database is highly representative based on statistical results and contains prophages from a diverse set of archaeal and bacterial hosts which show a wide environmental distribution.
Conclusion.
Prophages are particularly overlooked in viral ecology and merit increased attention due to their vital implications for microbiomes and their hosts. Here, we created Prophage-DB to advance our comprehension of prophages in microbiomes through a comprehensive characterization of prophages in publicly available genomes. We propose that Prophage-DB will serve as a valuable resource for advancing phage research, offering insights into viral taxonomy, host relationships, auxiliary metabolic genes, and environmental distribution.
Dental team barriers and enablers for the dental management of adults with severe obesity: a qualitative analysis
Authors: Malik Zanab , McBride Kate , Williams Kathryn , Cockrell Deborah , Collins Clare
Published: September 2024

Background
Broad challenges regarding the dental management of people with severe obesity experienced by general dentists have been minimally explored. The perspectives of the dental team regarding these multifaceted issues are currently unknown and they potentially impede the delivery of optimal dental care to this population and contribute to poor oral and general health.

Aims
Our qualitative study aimed to identify and explore barriers and enablers in the dental management of adults with severe obesity among dental professionals and support staff in Australia.

Methods
Focus groups and semi-structured interviews (n=34 participants) were conducted with dental professionals (n=23) and support staff (n=11). Recordings were transcribed verbatim and synthesised using thematic, inductive analysis.

Results
Multiple barriers to adequate provision of dental care for people living with severe obesity in both general and specialist dental settings were identified. Key themes emerged related to the clinical challenges reported by participants in providing dental management for people living with severe obesity, appropriateness of existing bariatric dental service provision and safety of care. Enablers to access were identified, including increased availability of bariatric dental chairs, environmental modifications, education of both patients and the entire dental team and for guideline development.

Conclusion
The current study explored multiple barriers to optimal dental management of people living with severe obesity in both general and specialist dental settings. Enablers should be used to inform future practice. The optimisation of existing bariatric dental service provision requires urgent review with solutions guided by systemic change. Study findings suggest a review of current health systems, economics, access barriers, policies and procedures and education and training beyond the individual level are needed. Future directions to improve the dental management of people living with severe obesity are proposed.
First record of Toxodontia for the Itaboraí Basin (Paleogene, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) and an assessment on the evolution of isotemnid notoungulates (Pan-Perissodactyla, Mammalia)
Authors: Castro Luis Otavio Resende , Bergqvist Lílian Paglarelli , García-López Daniel Alfredo
Published: September 2024

The traditional taxonomy of notoungulates divides this order in two main groups, Typotheria and Toxodontia. Within the latter, isotemnids encompass some of the earliest and more generalized species, radiating mostly during the Eocene and reaching also the Oligocene. Although somewhat conservative, the history of this group is marked by some morphological changes, and isotemnids presented a diversity of body sizes during the Paleogene. In Brazil, the Itaboraí Basin have yielded several paleontological records mainly represented by mammals. Its chronological context, in the first half of the Paleogene, places this basin as an important source of information on the evolution of South American vertebrates (particularly mammals). In this contribution we describe a new isotemnid species, based on a partial skull and isolated maxillary and dental material, recognized for levels of the Itaboraí Formation cropping out in São José de Itaboraí, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. A phylogenetic analysis was performed in order to evaluate the relationships of this new taxon, which results indicate (in part) that Isotemnidae represent a natural group, with some of the characters being related to the development of canines. Considering the evolutionary history of the family in this context, we recognized a series of radiation pulses during the Paleogene, and a possible correlation with Eocene climatic events that apparently affected the evolutionary rates of these notoungulates. This new record enhances our knowledge on the fossil diversity within the context of the Itaboraí Basin, whose vertebrates stand as important exponents of the early evolution of the South American biota.
Optimizing Landslide Susceptibility Mapping: A Comparative Study of Ensemble Models and Forest by Penalizing Attributes
Authors: Chen Wei , Wang Chao , Zhao Xia , Chen Xi , Zhao Qifei , Zhao Ruixin , Li Tao , Tsangaratos Paraskevas , Ilia Ioanna
Published: September 2024

The present study introduces a novel approach to landslide susceptibility assessment by integrating the Forest Attribute Penalty (FPA) model with three ensemble algorithms—AdaBoost (AB), Rotation Forest (RF), and Random Subspace (RS)—and utilizing the Evidential Belief Function (EBF) to weight the classes of 16 landslide-related factors. To evaluate the performance of the developed methodology Yanchuan County, China, was chosen as appropriate study area. Three hundred and eleven landslide areas were identified through remote sensing and field investigations, which were randomly divided into 70% for model training and 30% for model evaluation, whereas sixteen landslide – related factors were considered, such as elevation, slope aspect, profile curvature, plan curvature, convergence index, slope length, terrain ruggedness index, topographic position index, distance to roads, distance to rivers, NDVI, land use, soil, rainfall, and lithology. EBF was employed to analyze the spatial correlation between these factors and landslide occurrences, providing the class weights of each factor for the implementation of FPA and the ensemble models. The next step involved the generation of the landslide susceptibility maps based on the models, with findings showing that more than half of the study area is classified as very low susceptibility. Model performance was assessed using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves and other statistical metrics, with the RFFPA model achieving the highest predictive ability, with AUC values of 0.878 and 0.890 for training and validation datasets, respectively. The AFPA and RSFPA hybrid models, however, demonstrated weaker predictive abilities compared to the FPA model. The study highlights the importance of optimizing model performance and evaluating the suitability of ensemble approaches, emphasizing the role of topographical and environmental settings in influencing model accuracy. The use of EBF for weight calculation proved crucial in improving model outcomes, suggesting that this approach could be further refined and adapted to other regions with similar geomorphological settings for better land use planning and risk management.
Epidemiology of Diphtheria and Predictors of Outcome in Nigeria: A Single-Center Study from July 2023 to April 2024
Authors: Alege Abdurrazzaq , Ibrahim Olayinka Rasheed , Ibraheem Rasheedat Mobolaji , Aladesua Olajide , Lugga Abubakar Sani , Yahaya Yunusa Yusuf ,   Abdallah Sanda4 Sanda, Suleiman Bello Muhammed
Published: September 2024

Background:
Despite recurrent outbreaks of diphtheria in Nigeria, there is a lack of in-depth analysis of hospitalization outcomes. Herein, we describe the sociodemographic, clinical, and laboratory features that were associated with hospitalization outcomes (defined as death or discharge) during the recent diphtheria outbreak in Nigeria.
Methods
This prospective observational study included 246 diphtheria cases managed in a dedicated isolation ward of a health facility in northwestern Nigeria from July 1, 2023, to April 30, 2024. We adopted the case definition for diphtheria from the Nigeria Center for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC).
Results
The median age (interquartile range) was 7.00 (4–10) years, and half of the patients were aged 5–10 years (49.6%). The common clinical features were fever (95.9%), sore throat (91.9%), painful swallowing (90.7%), pseudomembrane (93.1%), and cervical-submandibular lymphadenopathy (91.5%). Most children were unvaccinated (158; 64.2%), and 199 (80.9%) received diphtheria antitoxin. Of the 246 cases of diphtheria, 58 in-hospital deaths occurred, with a crude mortality rate of 23.6%. After adjusting for confounders, the variables that predicted hospitalization deaths were neck swelling with an adjusted odds ratio (AOR) of 9.8 (95% CI 1.686–56.469), abnormal respiratory findings (AOR, 149.987 [95% CI, 15.600–1442.023] ), hypoxemia (AOR, 37.785 [95% CI, 4.255–331.962] ), and elevated serum creatinine above 1.5 mg/dL (AOR 107.783, 95% CI, 7.944–1462.376).
Conclusions
Diphtheria, a re-emerging disease, constitutes a significant burden in Nigeria, especially among children. Neck swelling, hypoxemia, abnormal respiratory findings and impaired renal function are predictive of hospitalized death.
Dynamic Wall Shear Stress Measurementusing Event-based 3D Particle Tracking
Authors: Willert Christian , Klinner Joachim
Published: September 2024

We describe the implementation of a 3d Lagrangian particle tracking (LPT) system based on event-based vision (EBV) and demonstrate its application for the near-wall characterization of a turbulent boundary layer (TBL) in air. The viscous sublayer of the TBL is illuminated by a thin light sheet that grazes the surface of a thin glass window inserted into the wind tunnel wall. The data simultaneously captured by three synchronized event-cameras is used to reconstruct the 3d particle tracks within 400 μm of the wall on a fieldof view of 12.0 mm × 7.5 mm. The velocity and position of particles within the viscous sublayer permit the estimation of the local vector of the unsteady wall shear stress (WSS) under the assumption of linearity between particle velocity and WSS. Thereby, time-evolving maps of the unsteady WSS and higher order statistics are obtained that are in agreement with DNS data at matching Reynolds number. Near-wall particle acceleration provide the rate of change of the WSS which exhibits fully symmetric log-normal superstatistics. Two-point correlations of the randomly spaced WSS data are obtained by a bin-averaging approach and reveal information on the spacing of near-wall streaks. The employed compact EBV hardware coupled with suited LPT tracking algorithms provide data quality on par with currently used, considerably more expensive, high-speed framing cameras.
Rock magnetic properties vis-à-vis thermal gradient in basaltic flows, Rajmahal traps, India
Authors: Chatterjee Saurodeep , Arif Mohammad , Singh Sahendra
Published: September 2024

The present study aims to determine the relationship between thermal gradient and rock magnetic parameters in the Rajmahal trap basalts of eastern India. Rock magnetic analyses are carried out which include magnetic susceptibility (χ) and its temperature (T) dependence (χ-T plots), Isothermal Remanent Magnetization (IRM) acquisition and backfield remanence coercivity of the IRM and Saturation IRM (SIRM). Also, some inter-parametric ratios like SIRM/χ and S-ratio are calculated. A thermo-magnetic deviation parameter (defined as the numerical difference between the Curie temperatures determined from the heating and cooling curves) is determined from the χ-T plots. Thermo-magnetic deviation varies with the distance from the eruptive centres, specifically, it decreases with increasing distance and cooling rate and is thus, considered a useful proxy for the cooling rate of lavas. It is shown that the composition-dependent parameters (χ and SIRM) and grain-size related parameters (SIRM/χ) have direct or indirect proportionality with the cooling rates. SIRM and χ decrease with increasing cooling rate and mark a decrease in ferrimagnetism from the eruptive centre towards the periphery in the igneous province. The SIRM/χ either decreases or shows an even pattern with increasing cooling rate, suggesting an abundance of Pseudo-Single-Domain (PSD)-sized magnetic grains. Despite this, the composition of the magnetic minerals (depicted by the S-ratio) is independent of the thermo-magnetic deviation and the cooling rate in the igneous province.
Enhanced Wound Healing in Superficial Infection Wounds Through α-SMA Upregulation and Collagen Density Increase by Secretome Hypoxia Mesenchymal Stem Cells
Authors: Sawitri Windi , Putra Agung , Chodijah Chodijah , Amalina Nur Dina , Prasetyo Ardi
Published: September 2024

Background: Superficial wound infections lead to delayed remodeling due to the suppression of alpha-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) gene expression, thus inhibiting collagen synthesis. Secretomes from hypoxia mesenchymal stem cells (SH-MSCs) contain various cytokines and growth factors that play a role in accelerating wound healing and suppressing infections. This study aims to determine the influence of SH-MSCs gel administration on the α-SMA gene expression and collagen density in the skin tissue of rats with superficial wound infections. Research Design: The research design was a posttest-only control group with a completely randomized design.
Methods: The study sample comprised 24 rats with superficial wound infections induced by Staphylococcus aureus bacteria at a concentration of 5x10^7 CFU/mL in 100 µl. The study included four groups: a healthy group, a negative control group, treatment 1 (T1) with a 10% dose of SH-MSCs gel, and treatment 2 (T2) with a 20% dose of SH-MSCs gel. The α-SMA gene expression was analyzed using qRT-PCR, and collagen density was analyzed using Masson's trichrome staining.
Results: qRT-PCR analysis showed increased α-SMA gene expression in the T2 group, which was the highest (10.03±3.78), followed by the mean α-SMA gene expression in the T1 group (4.96±2.77). The lowest ratio was observed in the negative control treatment group, at 0.46±0.09. Collagen density analysis also revealed increased collagen density in the T2 group (35.68±5.28), the highest, followed by the mean collagen density in the T1 group (34.78±1.72). The negative control group observed the lowest collagen density data, at 17.39±2.47.
Conclusion: Administration of SH-MSCs gel can increase α-SMA gene expression and collagen density in a rat model of superficial wound infection.
Extended hot dust emission around the earliest massive quiescent galaxy
Authors: Ji Zhiyuan , Williams Christina , Rieke George , Lyu Jianwei , Alberts Stacey , Sun Fengwu , Helton Jakob , Rieke Marcia , Shivaei Irene , D'Eugenio Francesco , Tacchella Sandro , Robertson Brant , Zhu Yongda , Maiolino Roberto , Bunker Andrew , Sun Yang , Willmer Christopher
Published: September 2024

A major unsolved problem in galaxy evolution is the early appearance of massive quiescent galaxies that no longer actively form stars only ~1 billion years after the Big Bang. Their high stellar masses and extremely compact structure indicate that they formed through rapid bursts of star formation between redshift z ≈ 6-11. Theoretical models of galaxy evolution cannot explain their high number density, rapid growth and truncation of star formation at such early times, which likely requires extreme feedback to destroy the cold interstellar medium (the fuel for star formation). We report the discovery of a significant reservoir of hot dust in one of the most distant known examples at z=4.658, GS-9209. The dust was identified using JWST's Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI), whose unprecedented sensitivity and high spatial resolution, for the first time, firmly show that this dust is significantly more extended than the stars by ≥3 times. We find that the dust has preferentially been evacuated or diluted in the galaxy center. Our analysis finds that the extended hot dust emission is consistent with recent heating by a younger and more spatially extended generation of star formation. This reveals that the earliest quiescent galaxies did not form in a single rapid burst; instead, similar to galaxy growth at later times, the center formed first with star formation continuing in an extended envelope. The growth of this galaxy is truncating from the inside out, consistent with central gas depletion from early AGN feedback.
Detecting tax evasion in the hospitality and tourism sector
Authors: Dumitriu Andrei , Grosu Veronica , Gabriela Cosmulese Cristina
Published: September 2024

One of the industries with the fastest development is the hospitality and tourism (HoReCa) sector. However, there is also a growing trend in this sector to evade some state taxes. Despite promises that digitalization will reduce tax evasion, this practice nevertheless is a serious threat to the economy and the state. This study aims to process a comprehensive model for screening and risk assessment of tax fraud in the HoReCa sector in Romania. In this sense, an empirical study was conducted using an econometric model to detect tax evasion in the HoReCa sector in Romania, based on a sample of 50 firms for each sub-sector (hotels, restaurants, cafes), analyzing the period 2018–2022. The dependent variable of the model was the tax evasion risk indicator, calculated as the difference between the average financial ratios of each firm and the average for the entire sector. The results show that the leverage ratio has the strongest positive impact on the tax evasion risk indicator. The fixed asset turnover ratio and the accounts receivable turnover ratio also have a significant impact, indicating false sales reports or collection irregularities. The solvency ratio and the immediate liquidity ratio show positive effects on the risk of tax fraud, while the net rate of return is the only one with a negative effect, suggesting that profitable entities are less prone to tax evasion. The proposed model provides a solid basis for identifying high-risk companies directing tax authorities to improve supervision in the HoReCa industry. The findings also highlight the importance of further automating tax reporting systems to reduce the risks of evasion.
A two-step method for assessing enhanced value in turnaround, spin-off, and value stocks
Authors: Pfister Nicolas , J. Kendzia Michael , Posth Jan-Alexander
Published: September 2024

To assess outright and relative value opportunities in stocks and benchmark their performance against an index with global relevance, it is important to achieve and measure risk-adjusted excess returns. Academic and corporate research has focused quite extensively on analyzing stock returns and comparing the outperformance of specific investment strategies, with value investing being one of the most prominent and longest-known factor strategies. In this event study, to test for the existence of risk-adjusted excess returns, or alpha, a novel two-step approach is proposed to assess Enhanced Value in single stocks for three different investment approaches: plain value investing, investing in spin-offs, and investing in turnaround companies. While the first step of the two-step approach screens companies for a combination of financial company characteristics, the second step ranks and sorts them by either their price-earnings ratio or by their price-book ratio, thus “enhancing” the value assessment. Their short- and mid-term stock performance is investigated for an investment horizon of one year, three years, and five years. Stocks of value companies, spin-offs, and turnaround companies outperform the S&P 500 benchmark on average and on a risk-adjusted basis for all three investment horizons when tested for Enhanced Value with the novel two-step approach. The analysis results provide deeper insights into how the value factor in its different characteristics needs to be understood in the context of investment strategies and how it potentially can be applied to stock selection and portfolio construction, resulting in investment strategies showing a risk-adjusted outperformance.