bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Performance of purebred dairy cows and crossbred cows between Swedish Red, Swedish Holstein, Jersey, and Montbéliarde in Swedish herds
Authors: Liedgren Sofie , Fikse Freddy , Nilsson Katja , Strandberg Erling
Published: September 2024

Introduction

The use of dairy x dairy crossbreeding has increased in Sweden. This study aimed to compare crosses between Swedish Red (R), Holstein (H), Jersey (J), and Montbéliarde (M) to purebred R, H, and J for fertility, calving, production, and survival traits. The focus was on F1 crosses between either H or R on the one hand and J or M on the other hand, but three-breed crosses were also studied.

Material and methods

There were 2,154,241 observations collected from the official cattle recording database for cows that calved between 2005 and 2020 in 7,390 herds. The dataset was separated into first and second parity and analyzed using a mixed linear model including fixed effects of breed group, herd, and year-season and a random effect of herd-year.

Results and discussion

Fertility traits were improved in the F1 crosses with J or M compared with R or H (i.e., JR and MR vs. R; JH and MH vs. H), especially in the first parity. In parity 2, the difference was often not significant. Crossing R or H with Jersey gave lower calving difficulty than in the pure breeds in the first parity. However, crossing with Montbéliarde rather tended to give slightly more calving difficulties, albeit not significantly so. Generally, there was no significant change in stillbirths when crossing purebred R or H with J or M. There was a general tendency for better survival in the F1-crosses, however, only significantly so for Jersey crosses in parity 2 with respect to R or H. F1 between J and H (JH) had a higher 305-day fat yield than H, but lower milk and protein yields. MH had higher fat and protein yields than H and MR had higher 305-d milk and protein yields than R. In conclusion, crossing R or H with either Jersey or Montbéliarde can be expected to improve fertility and probably also survival. Depending on the current situation, one could choose to improve fat yield (crossing with J) or protein yield (crossing with M), however, depending on the breed, there could be a trade-off, e.g., in milk yield. For other traits, one would not expect any deterioration.
Study on risk factors of impaired fasting glucose and development of a prediction model based on Extreme Gradient Boosting algorithm
Authors: Cui Qiyuan , Pu Jianhong , Li Wei , Zheng Yun , Lin Jiaxi , Liu Lu , Xue Peng , Zhu Jinzhou , He Mingqing
Published: September 2024

Objective

The aim of this study was to develop and validate a machine learning-based model to predict the development of impaired fasting glucose (IFG) in middle-aged and older elderly people over a 5-year period using data from a cohort study.

Methods

This study was a retrospective cohort study. The study population was 1855 participants who underwent consecutive physical examinations at the First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University between 2018 and 2022.The dataset included medical history, physical examination, and biochemical index test results. The cohort was randomly divided into a training dataset and a validation dataset in a ratio of 8:2. The machine learning algorithms used in this study include Extreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost), Support Vector Machines (SVM), Naive Bayes, Decision Trees (DT), and traditional Logistic Regression (LR). Feature selection, parameter optimization, and model construction were performed in the training set, while the validation set was used to evaluate the predictive performance of the models. The performance of these models is evaluated by an area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves (AUC), calibration curves and decision curve analysis (DCA). To interpret the best-performing model, the Shapley Additive exPlanation (SHAP) Plots was used in this study.

Results

The training/validation dataset consists of 1,855 individuals from the First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, yielded significant variables following selection by the Boruta algorithm and logistic multivariate regression analysis. These significant variables included systolic blood pressure (SBP), fatty liver, waist circumference (WC) and serum creatinine (Scr). The XGBoost model outperformed the other models, demonstrating an AUC of 0.7391 in the validation set.

Conclusions

The XGBoost model was composed of SBP, fatty liver, WC and Scr may assist doctors with the early identification of IFG in middle-aged and elderly people.
Global research trends and focus on the link between neutrophil extracellular traps and tumor: a bibliometric and visualization analysis from 2006 to 2024
Authors: Xiao Chaoyue , Feng Xiang , Zhao Zengyi , Ding Gouping , Gao Yawen
Published: September 2024

Background

Neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) have long been consistently considered an innate immune defense against foreign pathogens, but this oversimplified view has decelerated the progression of perceiving NET biology in chronic diseases. It is now increasingly accepted that NETs are not exclusive to anti-infection responses, but are also central players with a double-edged sword role in cancer progression. NETs have gradually emerged as tumor diagnostic, predictive, and prognostic biomarkers, and strenuous endeavors have been devoted to tapping their potential as new therapeutic targets. Correspondingly, the boom in studies on NETs and tumors in recent years has achieved a series of scientific outputs, which opens up a new perspective for perceiving the sophisticated landscapes of the tumor immune microenvironment. However, there is still much room to translate NET-targeted immunotherapies into clinical practice. Therefore, it is necessary to explore the knowledge structure and latent hotspots of the links between NETs and tumors using bibliometric analysis.

Methods

NETs and tumor publications from 2006 to 2024 were extracted from the Web of Science Core Collection. Bibliometric analysis and visualization were conducted using Microsoft Excel, VOSviewer, CiteSpace, and R-bibliometrix.

Results

The analysis included 1,339 publications authored by 7,747 scholars affiliated with 1,926 institutions across 70 countries/regions with relevant articles published in 538 journals. Despite China’s maximum number of publications, the United States has continued to dominate the field as a global cooperation center with overwhelming citation counts. Frontiers in Immunology published the most number of publications, whereas Blood was the most cited journal. Wagner, Denisa D. and Kaplan, Mariana J. are concurrently in both the top 10 most prolific authors and cited author lists. Tumor microenvironment and immunotherapy will likely be the focus of future research.

Conclusions

A comprehensive bibliometric analysis was first conducted to map the current landscape and knowledge structure of the link between NETs and tumors in the hope of providing guidance and fresh perspectives for further research in this field. NETs are promising antitumor targets, and perhaps the eventual destination in the realm is to translate NET-targeted immunotherapies into clinical practice.
Advancements in mammalian display technology for therapeutic antibody development and beyond: current landscape, challenges, and future prospects
Authors: Slavny Peter , Hegde Manjunath , Doerner Achim , Parthiban Kothai , McCafferty John , Zielonka Stefan , Hoet Rene
Published: September 2024

The evolving development landscape of biotherapeutics and their growing complexity from simple antibodies into bi- and multi-specific molecules necessitates sophisticated discovery and engineering platforms. This review focuses on mammalian display technology as a potential solution to the pressing challenges in biotherapeutic development. We provide a comparative analysis with established methodologies, highlighting key aspects of mammalian display technology, including genetic engineering, construction of display libraries, and its pivotal role in hit selection and/or developability engineering. The review delves into the mechanisms underpinning developability-driven selection via mammalian display and their broader implications. Applications beyond antibody discovery are also explored, alongside advancements towards function-first screening technologies, precision genome engineering and AI/ML-enhanced libraries, situating them in the context of mammalian display. Overall, the review provides a comprehensive overview of the current mammalian display technology landscape, underscores the expansive potential of the technology for biotherapeutic development, addresses the critical challenges for the full realisation of this potential, and examines advances in related disciplines that might impact the future application of mammalian display technologies.
Quantifying attributes of boring bivalve populations in corals using micro-computed tomography
Authors: Kramer Netanel , Amit Tal , Gavrieli Noga , Gross Maya , Wangpraseurt Daniel , Loya Yossi
Published: September 2024

Bioerosion plays a crucial factor in shaping the structure and function of coral reef ecosystems, with bioeroders actively altering both the physical and ecological dynamics of coral substrates. Despite their importance, studying internal bioeroders in corals presents significant challenges owing to their cryptic nature within the skeletal structures. Additionally, invasive methods are often required to reveal the subtle and microscopic bioerosive alterations they induce in calcium carbonate substrates. Here, we demonstrate the effectiveness of high-resolution micro-computed tomography (μCT) in quantifying the abundance, size, distribution, and growth directions of coral bioeroders such as cryptic calcareous bivalves in the northern Red Sea. We scanned three coral species inhabited by bioeroders, followed by the utilization of three-dimensional image analysis software to identify, count, and measure each bivalve within the coral skeleton, along with quantifying boring cavity volumes. We revealed that μCT captures small boring cavities (< 1mm), providing more accurate abundance estimates of live and dead boring bivalves than the skeleton decalcification technique, with the added benefits of being rapid and non-destructive in contrast to traditional methods. Furthermore, measurements of empty cavity volumes enabled the estimations of the contribution of bioeroders to the overall coral skeletal porosity. Overall, our study highlights μCT as a practical and effective tool for studying cryptic coral bioeroders, providing novel ecological insights into bioeroder population ecology and coral-bioeroder interactions.
Spatial pattern and coupling characteristics analysis of maritime traffic and economic development based on shipping big data
Authors: Wang Ping , Wen Yubo , Ai Bo , Liu Xue
Published: September 2024

The rapid development of maritime transport and the gradual increase in the number of ports, ships and shipping routes can produce direct economic benefits for regional development, and a profound grasp of the actual situation of maritime transport makes it possible to make practical plans for economic development and thus rationally develop and use marine resources. However, there is a lack of research on maritime transport, so this study is based on the AIS, waterways, routes and ports data in the near-shore sea area of Guangdong Province. Using GIS spatial analysis technology and various mathematical models, we refer to the evaluation method of road traffic dominance. It analyses and proposes the evaluation indexes of maritime traffic advantages, such as the density of maritime traffic network and the proximity of ports. Based on the actual situation of the study regions, the indicators were quantitatively evaluated and analyzed. The economic development level of each region was also quantitatively evaluated using principal component analysis, and the study regions were classified based on the coupling-coordination model. The results show that the coastal area of Guangdong Province is divided into four types of zones according to the coupling-coordination type of zoning criteria. Corresponding development suggestions are put forward for different zones, and the research results provide certain practical guidelines for promoting the benign cycle development of maritime traffic and economy, and have important guiding significance and application value for the organization and safety of maritime traffic.
Arctic and Southern Ocean polar sea level maps and along-tracks from multi-mission satellite altimetry from 2011 to 2021
Authors: Veillard Pierre , Prandi Pierre , Pujol Marie-Isabelle , Daguzé Jean-Alexis , Piras Fanny , Dibarboure Gérald , Faugère Yannice
Published: September 2024

Polar sea surface height observation by radar altimeters requires missions with high-latitude orbit and specific processing to observe the sea-ice-covered region within fractures in the ice. Here, we combine sea surface height estimates from different radar satellites over the ice-free and ice-covered polar oceans to create cross-calibrated along-tracks and gridded products over the Arctic Ocean (2011–2021) and the Southern Ocean (2013–2021). The sea surface height from our regional polar products is in great agreement with tide gauges and bottom pressure recorders at monthly timescales in seasonally to year-round ice-covered regions. Thanks to the use of several missions and the mapping strategy, our multi-mission products have a greater resolution than mono-mission products. Part of the sea level variability of the Arctic Ocean product is related to the Arctic Oscillation atmospheric circulation. At long term, the Arctic altimetry sea level is coherent with in-situ steric height evolution in the Beaufort gyre, and negative sea level trends over the 10-year period are observed in the East Siberian slope region, which may be related to the local freshwater decrease observed by other studies. Our regional polar sea level products are limited by current understanding of the sea-ice lead measurements, and homogenization of these polar products with global sea level products needs to be tackled.
Ecological connectivity of the Qiongzhou Strait: a case form Orangefin Ponyfish (Photopectoralis bindus) haplotype diversity and genetic structure
Authors: Xu Lei , Zhang Jinxia , Wang Xuehui , Chen Qinghua , Tang Quehui , Wang Lianggen , Ning Jiajia , Li Yafang , Liu Shuangshuang , Huang Delian , Du Feiyan
Published: September 2024

Grasping the genetic structure of marine fish populations is vital for comprehending species connectivity patterns and determining the appropriate spatiotemporal scales for conservation management strategies. Here, we analyzed the population genetics of the Orangefin Ponyfish (Photopectoralis bindus Valenciennes, 1835) by examining a portion of the gene coding for the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I. The aim was to evaluate the haplotype pattern, genetic structure, demographic history, as well as the influence of ecological connectivity through the Qiongzhou Strait on the distribution patterns of this species in the northern South China Sea and the Beibu Gulf. In total, 257 specimens yielded only 13 haplotypes, with the predominant haplotype present at all sampling locations. The analysis revealed a “star-like” haplotype pattern, indicating low levels of both haplotype and nucleotide diversity. Additionally, a small but significant genetic structure was observed between the coastal regions flanking the Leizhou Peninsula. These patterns in the haplotype network and genetic structure may be significantly influenced by contemporary currents, particularly through the connectivity of the Qiongzhou Strait. Tajima’s D and Fu’s Fs demonstrated pronouncedly negative values, along with a unimodal mismatch distribution, suggested a recent demographic expansion of Photopectoralis bindus during the late Pleistocene, likely influenced by fluctuations in sea levels.
Characterizing neuroinvasion and neuropathology of SARS-CoV-2 by using AC70 human ACE2 transgenic mice
Authors: Hsu Jason C. , Saenkham-Huntsinger Panatda , Huang Pinghan , Octaviani Cassio Pontes , Drelich Aleksandra K. , Peng Bi-Hung , Tseng Chien-Te K.
Published: September 2024

COVID-19 presents with a plethora of neurological signs and symptoms despite being characterized as a respiratory disease, including seizures, anxiety, depression, amnesia, attention deficits, and alterations in consciousness. The olfactory nerve is widely accepted as the neuroinvasive route by which the etiological agent SARS-CoV-2 enters the brain, but the trigeminal nerve is an often-overlooked additional route. Based on this consensus, we initially conducted a pilot experiment investigating the olfactory nerve route of SARS-CoV-2 neuroinvasion via intranasal inoculation in AC70 human ACE2 transgenic mice. Notably, we found that the trigeminal ganglion is an early and highly efficient site of viral replication, which then rapidly spread widely throughout the brain where neurons were primarily targeted. Despite the extensive viral infection across the brain, obvious evidence of tissue pathology including inflammatory infiltration, glial activation, and apoptotic cell deaths were not consistently observed, albeit inflammatory cytokines were significantly induced. However, the expression levels of different genes related to neuronal function, including the neurotransmitter dopamine pathway as well as synaptic function, and markers of neuronal damage were altered as compared to mock-infected mice. Our findings suggest that the trigeminal nerve may serve as a neuroinvasive route complementary to the olfactory nerve and that the ensuing neuroinvasion presented a unique neuropathological profile. This study provides insights into potential neuropathogenic mechanisms utilized by coronaviruses.
The critical roles of caveolin-1 in lung diseases
Authors: Fan Jiarun , Zheng Siping , Wang Maoping , Yuan Xiaoliang
Published: September 2024

Caveolin-1 (Cav-1), a structural and functional component in the caveolae, plays a critical role in transcytosis, endocytosis, and signal transduction. Cav-1 has been implicated in the mediation of cellular processes by interacting with a variety of signaling molecules. Cav-1 is widely expressed in the endothelial cells, smooth muscle cells, and fibroblasts in the various organs, including the lungs. The Cav-1-mediated internalization and regulation of signaling molecules participate in the physiological and pathological processes. Particularly, the MAPK, NF-κB, TGFβ/Smad, and eNOS/NO signaling pathways have been involved in the regulatory effects of Cav-1 in lung diseases. The important effects of Cav-1 on the lungs indicate that Cav-1 can be a potential target for the treatment of lung diseases. A Cav-1 scaffolding domain peptide CSP7 targeting Cav-1 has been developed. In this article, we mainly discuss the structure of Cav-1 and its critical roles in lung diseases, such as pneumonia, acute lung injury (ALI), asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), pulmonary hypertension, pulmonary fibrosis, and lung cancer.
Detecting five-pattern personality traits using eye movement features for observing emotional faces
Authors: Yu Ying , Lu Qingya , Wu Xinyue , Wang Zefeng , Zhang Chenggang , Wu Xuanmei , Yan Cong
Published: September 2024

The five-pattern personality traits rooted in the theory of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) have promising prospects for clinical application. However, they are currently assessed using a self-report scale, which may have certain limitations. Eye tracking technology, with its non-intrusive, objective, and culturally neutral characteristics, has become a powerful tool for revealing individual cognitive and emotional processes. Therefore, applying this technology for personality assessment is a promising approach. In this study, participants observed five emotional faces (anger, happy, calm, sad, and fear) selected from the Chinese Facial Affective Picture System. Utilizing artificial intelligence algorithms, we evaluated the feasibility of automatically identifying different traits of the five-pattern personality traits from participants’ eye movement patterns. Based on the analysis of five supervised learning algorithms, we draw the following conclusions: The Lasso feature selection method and Logistic Regression achieve the highest prediction accuracy for most of the traits (TYa, SYa, SYi, TYi). This study develops a framework for predicting five-pattern personality traits using eye movement behavior, offering a novel approach for personality assessment in TCM.
Anomaly detection via Gumbel Noise Score Matching
Authors: Mahmood Ahsan , Oliva Junier , Styner Martin Andreas
Published: September 2024

We propose Gumbel Noise Score Matching (GNSM), a novel unsupervised method to detect anomalies in categorical data. GNSM accomplishes this by estimating the scores, i.e., the gradients of log likelihoods w.r.t. inputs, of continuously relaxed categorical distributions. We test our method on a suite of anomaly detection tabular datasets. GNSM achieves a consistently high performance across all experiments. We further demonstrate the flexibility of GNSM by applying it to image data where the model is tasked to detect poor segmentation predictions. Images ranked anomalous by GNSM show clear segmentation failures, with the anomaly scores strongly correlating with segmentation metrics computed on ground-truth. We outline the score matching training objective utilized by GNSM and provide an open-source implementation of our work.
Pedestrian Re-Identification Based on Weakly Supervised Multi-Feature Fusion
Authors: Qin Changming , Wang Zhiwen , Zhang Linghui , Peng Qichang , Lin Guixing , Lu Guanlin
Published: September 2024

This article proposes a weakly supervised multi-feature fusion pedestrian re-identification method, which introduces a multi-feature fusion mechanism to extract feature information from different layers into the same feature space and fuse them into the deep and shallow joint features. The goal is to fully utilize the rich information in the image and improve the performance and robustness of the pedestrian re-identification model. Secondly, by matching the target character with unprocessed surveillance videos, one only needs to know that the identity of a person appears in the video, without annotating the identity of a person in any of the frames of the video during the training process. This simplifies the annotation of training images by replacing accurate annotations with broad annotations; that is, it puts the pedestrian identities that appeared in the video in one package and assigns a video-level label to each package. This greatly reduces the annotation work and transforms this weakly supervised pedestrian re-identification challenge into a multi-instance and multi-label learning problem. The experimental results show that the method proposed in this paper is effective and can significantly improve mAP.
A Dynamic Lane-Changing Trajectory Planning Algorithm for Intelligent Connected Vehicles Based on Modified Driving Risk Field Model
Authors: Zheng Liyuan , Liu Weiming , Zhai Cong
Published: September 2024

A dynamic LC trajectory planning algorithm based on the modified driving risk field is proposed to address the issue of dynamic changes during the lane-changing (LC) process. First, a modified driving risk field (MDRF) model is constructed for LC scenarios. Then, according to the state of the target vehicle and discrete sampling points, a series of LC candidate trajectories were generated based on the quintic polynomial. After eliminating candidate trajectories that do not meet the constraints, the MDRF was utilized as a safety evaluation function. Additionally, comfort and smoothness evaluation functions were combined to evaluate candidate LC trajectories in order to obtain the optimal LC reference trajectory. Then, this paper proposes a dynamic LC trajectory planning algorithm, addressing the challenges of complex traffic scenarios and dynamic changes in adjacent vehicle states. Utilizing the optimal reference trajectory as a basis, a dynamic segmented algorithm is applied to the x–t and y–x curves, constructing an optimized objective function that considers the MDRF. Under multiple constraints, including the continuity and smoothness of the lateral and longitudinal trajectories, the penalty function approach is employed to solve the optimization objective function, yielding the optimal LC trajectory adapted to real-time changes in the traffic state. Finally, the proposed dynamic LC trajectory planning algorithm was validated under four different scenarios by using MATLAB 2023b. The simulation results indicate the safety, continuity, and dynamic feasibility of the proposed algorithm. Moreover, it demonstrates strong adaptability and flexibility in challenging dynamic LC scenarios.
Believing in Change: Predicting Identification, Performance, and Ethical Culture in an Organizational Acquisition Case in Romania
Authors: Manole Elena Cristina , Curșeu Petru Lucian , Olar Nicoleta Iulia , Fodor Oana Cătălina
Published: September 2024

This study examines how positive beliefs about organizational changes during a foreign acquisition case influence organizational identification, perceptions of ethical organizational culture, and individual performance seven months post-acquisition. By integrating theories of social identity and organizational change, we offer a new perspective on how positive perceptions of change influence key outcomes following mergers and acquisitions (M&As). Using a cross-lagged design with two cross-sectional datasets within a high-intensity telecommuting organization in Romania, we found that viewing change positively significantly enhanced organizational identification, perceptions of ethical organizational culture, and individual performance. These findings highlight the crucial role of effectively managing the narrative surrounding change processes and enhancing employee perceptions in successful organizational integration following M&As.
Form-Finding of Tensegrity Basic Unit with Equal Cable Length
Authors: Zhao Yingyu , Luo Ani , Liu Heping
Published: September 2024

Tensegrity is a lightweight, self-stressing, and self-stabilizing structure made up of cables and bars, with each member bearing either tension or compression but not affected by shear stress. This design allows for optimal utilization of the material properties of the members. In a tensegrity basic unit, the bar members are of equal length, while the cable members come in three lengths: lower-end surface horizontal cable, upper-end surface horizontal cable, and stayed cable. The tensegrity basic unit with equal cable length simplifies this further by ensuring that all cables are the same length, resulting in a structure with only two member lengths, i.e., bar length and cable length, enhancing interchangeability. In order to find the form without the action of external forces, the force density coefficient ratio is introduced. By performing a force balance analysis on any node of the unit, the equilibrium equation of the structure is determined, incorporating the additional constraint of equal cable length. Two methods are employed to ascertain the force density coefficient ratio of each member in the unit: the theoretical derivation method based on the stable configuration condition of the tensegrity basic unit with equal cable length, and the method of solving the characteristic equations of the force density matrix. A program is developed to validate the form-finding method using basic units with three, four, five, and six bars as examples. The results show that the model accurately represents the physical structure, confirming the reliability of the form-finding methods.
The Effect of Humic Acid Supplementation on Selected Ruminal Fermentation Parameters and Protozoal Generic Distribution in Cows
Authors: Malyugina Svetlana , Horky Pavel
Published: September 2024

The objective of this study was to examine the effect of humic acid (HA) supplementation on the rumen fermentation and protozoal community in the rumen. For this purpose, four ruminally cannulated Simmental cows were randomly assigned in a replicated 4 × 4 Latin square design experiment to study the effect of HA dietary supplementation on feed utilization, rumen fermentation, and protozoal community for 84 days. The basal diet (BD) was composed of meadow hay (68.2% of dry matter [DM]), maize silage (17% of DM), and granulated feed mixture (14.9% of DM). There were four treatments, including the BD without additives (control diet, H0), the BD supplemented with 50 g HA/cow/day (H50 treatment), the BD supplemented with 100 g HA/cow/day (H100 treatment), and the BD supplemented with 200 g HA/cow/day (H200 treatment). HA supplementation did not affect the total or individual volatile fatty acid concentrations, the total protozoa, or the ruminal pH. However, HA at the dosage of 50 g/cow/day increased the NH3-N concentration and fecal nitrogen compared to the control (p < 0.001). HA supplementation also significantly impacted the abundance of individual protozoal genera in the rumen. The results of this study suggest that HA has potential in ruminants as a natural feed additive and may play a role in nitrogen metabolism and stabilizing the protozoal community without adverse effects on rumen fermentation.
Investigation of Spatiotemporal Changes and Impact Factors of Trade-Off Intensity in Cultivated Land Multifunctionality in the Min River Basin
Authors: Bao Jingling , Mao Liyu , Liu Yufei , Fan Shuisheng
Published: September 2024

Exploring the interrelationships and influencing factors of the multifunctionality of cultivated land is crucial for achieving its multifunctional protection and sustainable use. In this paper, we take the Min River basin as a case study to construct a multifunctional evaluation system based on “agricultural production, social security, ecological service, and cultural landscape” using multi-source data. We analyze the spatial and temporal characteristics of the multifunctionality of cultivated land through kernel density estimation (KDE) and visual mapping. Subsequently, we assess the trade-off strength between the multifunctional aspects of cultivated land using the root mean square error (RMSD). Finally, we identify the drivers of the multifunctional trade-off intensity of cultivated land and analyze their influencing mechanisms using Geographic Detectors. The results show that (1) from 2010 to 2020, the multifunctional structure of cultivated land in the study area underwent significant changes: the levels of agricultural production, social security, and ecological service functions first increased and then decreased, while the levels of cultural landscape function and comprehensive function continued to increase. The spatial distribution is characterized, respectively, by “high in the east and low in the west”, “high in the west and low in the east”, “high in the north and low in the south”, “high in the whole and sporadically low in the northeast”, and “high in the middle and low in the surroundings”. (2) During the study period, the trade-off strengths related to social security functions increased, while the trade-off strengths of the remaining multifunctional pairs of cultivated land showed a weakening trend, with high values of trade-off strengths among functions particularly prominent in the Nanping Municipal District. (3) Both natural and human factors significantly affect the multifunctional trade-off strength of cultivated land. Among the specific factors, elevation, slope, average annual temperature, and per capita GDP are the key factors influencing the strength of the trade-offs between functions. The results of this study provide empirical support for enriching the understanding of the multifunctionality of cultivated land and offer a decision-making basis for promoting the differentiated management of cultivated land resources and the synergistic development of its multifunctionality.
Construction of Bacillus–Pseudomonas Synthetic Communities and Development of Bio-Nursery Substrates
Authors: Li Qisheng , Li Qing , Yin Xiaodong , Jia Yanyan , Yang Kai , Song Jiamin , Che Yang , Li Ke , Wen Zhangrong , Gu Dalu , Du Xiaofeng , Yang Wenfei
Published: September 2024

With the rapid development of ecological agriculture and organic products, there is an urgent need to reduce the use of fertilizers and pesticides by producing bio-nursery substrates containing multifunctional microbial communities. In this study, beneficial Pseudomonas strains were screened from the rhizosphere of muskmelon (Cucumis melo L.) pre-inoculated with Bacillus velezensis R1-3. The ability of the strain to dissolve phosphorus and produce indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), the effect of the strain on seed germination rate, and the antagonism with R1-3 were determined. Four strains of beneficial Pseudomonas strains that had no antagonistic effect against R1-3 were obtained and formed a Bacillus–Pseudomonas community. The seedling effect of biological substrates containing the Bacillus–Pseudomonas community was evaluated using a seedling pot experiment and a pot experiment. The results showed that the phosphorus solubilization range of all Pseudomonas strains was 86.32–459.48 mg L−1 and the IAA production range was 2.98–11.86 mg L−1. There was a significant negative correlation between the amount of phosphorus dissolved in the fermentation solution and pH. Combined with the results of the seed germination rate and antagonism test, the strains R1-3 + HY-S7, R1-3 + HY-S25, R1-3 + HY-S36, and R1-3 + HY-S70 were selected for the seedling pot experiment and the pot experiment. The results of the two-season seedling culture and two-season pot experiments showed that the bio-nursery substrates containing the bacterial community R1-3 + HY-S70 significantly promoted the growth of muskmelon seedlings, improved plant height, maximum leaf length, and fresh weight, and were significantly better than single bacterial and control treatments at increasing plant height and fresh weight. Finally, the bacterial community R1-3 + HY-S70 was established as the optimal combination for developing biological seedling substrates. Based on 16S rDNA gene sequence analysis, the strain HY-S70 was preliminarily identified as Pseudomonas moraviensis.
Study on the Precise Evaluation of Environmental Impacts of Air Pollution in Cold Regions Using the Cost Control Method
Authors: Li Caoqingqing , An Di , Wang Ruxin , Zhang Huaishu , Liu Wei , Yao Jie
Published: September 2024

Objective: With the acceleration of industrialization, air pollution has become a global environmental issue, particularly in cold regions where the unique climatic and geographical conditions give rise to distinctive types of air pollution and impacts. Considering the economic evaluation of environmental damage is crucial for effective pollution control policies, this study aims to provide a more precise environmental damage assessment method through the Improved Virtual Control Cost Method (IVCCM) to optimize air pollution governance strategies in cold regions. Method: This study utilizes a case study of a major company producing methanol and coal-based natural gas, where the emissions from the boiler exhaust exceeded the prescribed standards for particulate matter, sulfur dioxide, and nitrogen oxides during a specific period. By employing a segmented counting approach that accounts for downtime, precise calculations were conducted for the actual periods of excess emissions. Adjustments were made to the calculation coefficients within the Virtual Control Cost Method to more accurately reflect the ecological damage caused by air pollution. Results: The IVCCM calculations revealed that the total environmental loss caused by the company’s excessive air pollution emissions amounted to USD 1.6844 million, significantly lower than the original calculation method (USD 2.1885 million). Specifically, the environmental losses due to particulate matter, sulfur dioxide, and nitrogen oxides were USD 0.0032 million, USD 0.3600 million, and USD 1.3212 million, respectively. Conclusions: The IVCCM enables a more precise assessment and prediction of ecological environmental damage caused by air pollution in cold regions. Compared to traditional methods, it effectively reduces assessment costs, mitigates disputes arising from unclear parameter values and calculation methods, and facilitates the development of more rational environmental protection policies and measures.
Pretest Estimation for the Common Mean of Several Normal Distributions: In Meta-Analysis Context
Authors: Mphekgwana Peter M. , Kifle Yehenew G. , Marange Chioneso S.
Published: September 2024

The estimation of unknown quantities from multiple independent yet non-homogeneous samples has garnered increasing attention in various fields over the past decade. This interest is evidenced by the wide range of applications discussed in recent literature. In this study, we propose a preliminary test estimator for the common mean (μ) with unknown and unequal variances. When there exists prior information regarding the population mean with consideration that μ might be equal to the reference value for the population mean, a hypothesis test can be conducted: H0:μ=μ0 versus H1:μ≠μ0. The initial sample is used to test H0, and if H0 is not rejected, we become more confident in using our prior information (after the test) to estimate μ. However, if H0 is rejected, the prior information is discarded. Our simulations indicate that the proposed preliminary test estimator significantly decreases the mean squared error (MSE) values compared to unbiased estimators such as the Garybill-Deal (GD) estimator, particularly when μ closely aligns with the hypothesized mean (μ0). Furthermore, our analysis indicates that the proposed test estimator outperforms the existing method, particularly in cases with minimal sample sizes. We advocate for its adoption to improve the accuracy of common mean estimation. Our findings suggest that through careful application to real meta-analyses, the proposed test estimator shows promising potential.
A New Methodology for the Development of Efficient Multistep Methods for First–Order IVPs with Oscillating Solutions IV: The Case of the Backward Differentiation Formulae
Authors: Simos Theodore E.
Published: September 2024

A theory for the calculation of the phase–lag and amplification–factor for explicit and implicit multistep techniques for first–order differential equations was recently established by the author. His presentation also covered how the approaches’ efficacy is affected by the elimination of the phase–lag and amplification–factor derivatives. This paper will apply the theory for computing the phase–lag and amplification–factor, originally developed for implicit multistep methods, to a subset of implicit methods, called backward differentiation formulae (BDF), and will examine the impact of the phase–lag and amplification–factor derivatives on the efficiency of these strategies. Next, we will show you the stability zones of these brand-new approaches. Lastly, we will discuss the results of numerical experiments and draw some conclusions about the established approaches.
Fuzzy Fixed Point Theorems in S-Metric Spaces: Applications to Navigation and Control Systems
Authors: Iqbal Maryam , Batool Afshan , Hussain Aftab , Alsulami Hamed
Published: September 2024

This manuscript examines fuzzy fixed point results using the concepts of S-metric space. We introduce two contractive maps, γ- and γ-weak contractions, within the context of S-metric spaces. These contractive maps form the cornerstone of our research, offering a novel approach to solving mathematical problems. We explore fixed point results derived from the application of these maps, showcasing their utility in finding solutions in diverse mathematical scenarios. Furthermore, we provide concrete examples that illustrate the practical relevance and versatility of our theorems, emphasizing their potential applications across a wide range of scientific and engineering domains. This manuscript presents the novel concepts of γ- and γ-weak contractions and establishes their importance in mathematical research. By demonstrating their effectiveness in solving real-world problems and offering illustrative examples, our work contributes valuable tools and insights to the broader scientific community, enhancing our understanding of contractive maps and their applications.
Elliptic Quaternion Matrices: Theory and Algorithms
Authors: Kösal Hidayet Hüda , Kişi Emre , Akyiğit Mahmut , Çelik Beyza
Published: September 2024

In this study, we obtained results for the computation of eigen-pairs, singular value decomposition, pseudoinverse, and the least squares problem for elliptic quaternion matrices. Moreover, we established algorithms based on these results and provided illustrative numerical experiments to substantiate the accuracy of our conclusions. In the experiments, it was observed that the p-value in the algebra of elliptic quaternions directly affects the performance of the problem under consideration. Selecting the optimal p-value for problem-solving and the elliptic behavior of many physical systems make this number system advantageous in applied sciences.
The Effect of Calcium Ions on Resting Membrane Potential
Authors: Elliott Elizabeth R. , Cooper Robin L.
Published: September 2024

Regulating membrane potential is key to cellular function. For many animal cells, resting membrane potential is predominantly driven by a family of K2P (two-pore domain) potassium channels. These channels are commonly referred to as leak channels, as their presence results in the membrane being permeable to K+ ions. These channels, along with various pumps and exchangers, keep the cell resting membrane potential (Rp) relatively close to potassium’s equilibrium potential (EK); however, in many cells, the resting membrane potential is more depolarized than the EK due to a small Na+ ion leak. Raising [Ca2+]O (extracellular Ca2+ concentration) can result in hyperpolarization of the membrane potential from the resting state. The mechanism for this hyperpolarization likely lies in the blockage of a Na+ leak channel (NALCN) and/or voltage-gated Na+ channels. The effects may also be connected to calcium-activated potassium channels. Using Drosophila melanogaster, we here illustrate that changing [Ca2+]O from 0.5 to 3 mM hyperpolarizes the muscle. Replacing NaCl with LiCl or choline chloride still led to hyperpolarization when increasing [Ca2+]O. Replacing CaCl2 with BaCl2 results in depolarization. K2P channel overexpression in the larval muscle greatly reduces the effects of [Ca2+]O on cell membrane potential, likely because potential is heavily driven by the EK in these muscles. These experiments provide an understanding of the mechanisms behind neuronal hypo-excitability during hypercalcemia, as well as the effects of altered expression of K2P channels on membrane potential.
A Deep Dive into the N-Terminus of STIM Proteins: Structure–Function Analysis and Evolutionary Significance of the Functional Domains
Authors: Narayanasamy Sasirekha , Ong Hwei Ling , Ambudkar Indu S.
Published: September 2024

Calcium is an important second messenger that is involved in almost all cellular processes. Disruptions in the regulation of intracellular Ca2+ levels ([Ca2+]i) adversely impact normal physiological function and can contribute to various diseased conditions. STIM and Orai proteins play important roles in maintaining [Ca2+]i through store-operated Ca2+ entry (SOCE), with STIM being the primary regulatory protein that governs the function of Orai channels. STIM1 and STIM2 are single-pass ER-transmembrane proteins with their N- and C-termini located in the ER lumen and cytoplasm, respectively. The N-terminal EF-SAM domain of STIMs senses [Ca2+]ER changes, while the C-terminus mediates clustering in ER-PM junctions and gating of Orai1. ER-Ca2+ store depletion triggers activation of the STIM proteins, which involves their multimerization and clustering in ER-PM junctions, where they recruit and activate Orai1 channels. In this review, we will discuss the structure, organization, and function of EF-hand motifs and the SAM domain of STIM proteins in relation to those of other eukaryotic proteins.
Insights into VDAC Gating: Room-Temperature X-ray Crystal Structure of mVDAC-1
Authors: Gonzalez-DeWhitt Kristofer R. , Ermolova Natalia , Wang Harrison K. , Hekstra Doeke R. , Althoff Thorsten , Abramson Jeff
Published: September 2024

The voltage-dependent anion channel (VDAC) is a crucial mitochondrial protein that facilitates ion and metabolite exchange between mitochondria and the cytosol. Initially characterized over three decades ago, the structure of VDAC-1 was resolved in 2008, revealing a novel β-barrel protein architecture. This study presents the first room-temperature crystal structure of mouse VDAC-1 (mVDAC-1), which is a significant step toward understanding the channel’s gating mechanism. The new structure, obtained at a 3.3 Å resolution, demonstrates notable differences from the previously determined cryogenic structure, particularly in the loop regions, which may be critical for the transition between the ‘open’ and ‘closed’ states of VDAC-1. Comparative analysis of the root-mean-square deviation (R.M.S.D.) and B-factors between the cryogenic and room-temperature structures suggests that these conformational differences, although subtle, are important for VDAC’s functional transitions. The application of electric field-stimulated X-ray crystallography (EF-X) is proposed as a future direction to resolve the ‘closed’ state of VDAC-1 by inducing voltage-driven conformational changes in order to elucidate the dynamic gating mechanism of VDAC-1. Our findings have profound implications for understanding the molecular basis of VDAC’s role in mitochondrial function and its regulation under physiological conditions.
Improved Glycemic Control during a One-Week Adventure Camp in Adolescents with Type 1 Diabetes—The DIACAMP Study
Authors: Kietaibl Antonia-Therese , Aziz Faisal , Wurm Eva , Tomka Celine , Moser Othmar , Pieber Thomas , Fröhlich-Reiterer Elke , Fasching Peter , Mader Julia , Sourij Harald , Aberer Felix
Published: September 2024

Adolescence remains a crucial age associated with diabetes distress in individuals living with type 1 diabetes (T1D). The Austrian organization “Diabär” regularly hosts a one-week adventure camp for adolescents (12–18 years) living with T1D. The camp focuses on “fun activities” without a structured educational protocol in order to minimize diabetes distress and increase diabetes management skills. In contrast to educational camps, training is kept to a minimum. However, attendees analyze the glycemic data of the previous day with their medical supervisor once daily during the camp. All subjects used a standardized real-time continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) system (DexcomG7) throughout the whole study. Glycemic metrics were prospectively analyzed during three periods: week 1 = home phase, week 2 = adventure camp, and week 3 = after the camp. Safety (time below range 1 [TBR1], 69–54 mg/dL, and time below range 2 [TBR2], <54 mg/dL) and efficacy (time in range [TIR], 70–180 mg/dL) were assessed by comparing the CGM data during weeks 1–3. The CGM data of 14 participants were analyzed. The TIR was higher during the camp week versus week 1 (70.4 ± 11.1% vs. 53.1 ± 20.2%; p = 0.001). The TBR1 significantly increased during camp compared to week 1 (2.5 ±1.7% vs. 1.3 ± 1.2%; p = 0.009), whereas the TBR2 did not differ. No serious adverse events occurred. This adventure camp without a main focus on education showed feasibility and safety in adolescents with T1D.