bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Ecological dynamics of anoxygenic phototrophs in stably redox-stratified waters: Intra and inter-seasonal variability of Lake Cadagno
Authors: Storelli Nicola , Steiner Oscar Sepúlveda , Nezio Francesco Di , Roman Samuele , Buetti-Dinh Antoine , Bouffard Damien
Published: February 2024

Lake Cadagno differs from typical alpine lakes as it is stratified into two water layers that never vertically mix. This stratification creates a niche for the development of primordial anoxygenic phototrophs, which thrive in the chemocline of the lake, forming a characteristic bacterial layer (BL). Yet, the relationship between the temporal variation of meteorological factors that regulate stratification and the development of the BL remains unclear. Here, we explored the intra- and inter-seasonal stability of the water column stratification and ecological dynamics of the anoxygenic phototroph community of the BL over three years. Our continuous monitoring showed that the meromixis of the lake is highly stable, with density stratification seemingly unaffected by external meteorological factors. Further reanalysis of the lake’s recent history substantiated this remarkable stability. In contrast, the community of anoxygenic phototrophs showed significant intra- and inter-seasonal variability, modulated by weather events that primarily impacted light penetration. In fact, an exceptional intra-seasonal light increases in September 2020 led to an overgrowth of purple sulfur bacteria compared to commonly dominant, green ones. At the inter-seasonal level, there is a difference in BL development in July 2021, which was characterized by much precipitation and less light, compared with that in 2019/2020.
A Solvent-free Processed Low-temperature Tolerant Adhesive
Authors: Lan Ya-Qian , Xie Xiaoming , Li Run-Han , Yao Xiaoman , Zhang Jiaqi , Zhang Zilin , Huang Taoping , Jiang Yulian , Chen Yifa , Li Shunli
Published: February 2024

Ultra-low temperature resistant adhesive is highly desired yet scarce for material adhesion for the potential usage in Arctic/Antarctic or outer space exploration. Here we develop a solvent-free processed low-temperature tolerant adhesive with excellent adhesion strength and organic solvent stability, wide tolerable temperature range (i.e. -196 to 55°C), long-lasting adhesion effect (> 60 days, -196°C) that exceeds the classic commercial hot melt adhesives. Notably, manufacturing at scale can be easily achieved by the facile scale-up solvent-free processing, showing much potential towards practical application in Arctic/Antarctic or planetary exploration. One Sentence Summary: We have designed a kind of solvent-free adhesive with excellent low temperature resistance up to -196°C and can be readily scale-up manufactured on a kilogram scale through a solvent-free heat-assisted process.
A Study on Source Identification of Contaminated Soil with total Petroleum Hydrocarbons (Aromatic and Aliphatic) in the Ahvaz Oil Field
Authors: Kazemi Ali , Parvaresh Hossein , Qanateghestani Mohsen Dehghani , Ghasemi Saber
Published: February 2024

Oil industry in Khuzestan province (Southwest Iran) is one of the main reasons contributing to pollution of the environment in this area. Total petroleum hydrocarbons, including both aromatic and aliphatic compounds, are important parameters in creating pollution. The present study aimed to investigate and source of soil contamination by total petroleum hydrocarbons (aromatic and aliphatic) in the Ahvaz oil field in 2022. The soil samples collected from four oil centers (an oil exploitation unit, an oil desalination unit, an oil rig, and a pump oil center). An area outside the oil field was determined as control area. 10 samples with three replicates were taken from each area according to the Standard Methods. Aromatic and Aliphatic compounds were measured by HPLC and GC methods. The PMF model was used to determine the source apportionment of aromatic compounds in soil samples. ERL and ERM indices were also used to assess the level of ecological risk of petroleum compounds in the soil samples. The results showed that Benzo.b.fluoranthene had the highest concentration with an average of 5667.7 ug/kg in soil samples in the Ahvaz oil field. The highest average was found in samples from the pump oil center area at 7329.48 ug/kg, while the lowest was found in control samples at 1919.4 ug/kg. The highest level of aliphatic components was also found in the pump oil center, with a total of 3649 mg/kg. The results of source apportionment of petroleum compounds in soil samples showed that oil activities accounted for 51.52% of the measured aromatic compounds in soil. 38.3% of other measured compounds had anthropogenic origins, and only 10.18% of these compounds were of biotic origin. The analysis of ecological risk indices resulting from the release of aromatic compounds in the environment showed that, except for Fluoranthene, other aromatic compounds in the oil exploitation unit area were above the ERM level (moderate risk range) and at high risk. The results of the study showed that soil pollution by total petroleum hydrocarbons, both aromatic and aliphatic, is at a high level, which is mainly caused by human activities, particularly oil activities.
Hoist missions and seasonal influences on air rescue service helicopters: A descriptive study based on three German helicopters
Authors: Werner Daniel , Dahlmann Philipp , Elsenbast Christian , Schwietring Jens
Published: February 2024

Background
In the German emergency medical services, 67 rescue helicopters and 12 helicopters for rescue and intensive care transport missions provide their services mostly under visual flight conditions. Of these, 10 helicopters are equipped with a rescue hoist. There is limited data on the frequency of hoist operations, tracer diagnoses, and influences such as weather and vacation periods. This study examines hoist deployment frequencies, tracer diagnostics, and the influence of vacation season at three German helicopter sites.
Methods
In the period from 01 Feb. 2018 to 31 Dec. 2021, a total of 1340 hoist missions were retrospectively examined descriptively for the helicopters Christoph 15 (n = 196), Christoph 1 (n = 316), and Christoph Murnau (n = 828) using their electronic mission documentation.
Results
56.89% of the hoist missions were flown during the summer months, with vacation periods having a small effect on Christoph 1 only. Traumatological diagnoses clearly predominated on all three helicopters, with 75.0% on Christoph 15, 78.8% on Christoph 1, and 52.17% on Christoph Murnau. Among the traumatological indications, extremity trauma (39.29%) was the most frequent, followed by spinal injuries (10.71%), traumatic brain injuries (8.67%), and polytrauma (4.59%). Among internal medicine emergencies, collapse/syncope (5.61%) and cardiovascular arrest (3.06%) were the most common, followed by acute coronary syndromes, anaphylaxis, and hypothermia (2.55% each).
Conclusions
Despite the predominance of extremity injuries and syncope/collapse, where risk stratification was the primary concern and complex medical care was usually not required, there were also dynamic and complex emergency events, e.g., cardiovascular arrests, traumatic brain injuries, and anaphylaxis. Not even the Covid-19 pandemic led to a significant shift in distribution. Surprisingly, the influence of vacation periods on the frequency of operations was less pronounced even in tourism-oriented regions. For future research, other aspects need to be studied, such as the impact of severe weather on helicopter operations in the context of climate change, as well as personnel strategy (e.g., 3-person vs. 4-person crews).
Fish oil induces thermogenesis in diet-induced obese mice in brown adipose tissue, but not in white adipose tissue.
Authors: Obo Takahiko , Hashiguchi Hiroshi , Matsuda Eriko , Kawade Shigeru , Ogiso Kazuma , Iwai Haruki , Ataka Koji , Yasuda Osamu , Arimura Aiko , Deguchi Takahisa , Asakawa Akihiro , Nishio Yoshihiko
Published: February 2024

The ω3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in fish oil enhance heat production in adipocytes and exert anti-obesity effects, but the effects of fish oil on heat production in diet-induced obese (DIO) mice are unclear. We examined whether diets containing fish oil increased the expression of heat-producing genes in adipose tissue and increased body temperature in DIO mice, resulting in weight loss. C57BL6/J mice were fed a lard-based high-fat diet for 8 weeks starting at 5 weeks of age and then divided into two groups: one group was fed a fish oil-based high-fat diet, and the other group was fed a lard-based high-fat diet continuously for another 8 weeks. Mice fed a fish oil-based high-fat diet lost body weight gain, adipose tissue weight gain, and reduced insulin/leptin resistance. In addition, the rectal temperatures of mice fed a fish oil-based high-fat diet remained higher. In DIO mice fed a fish oil-based high-fat diet, the FGF21 expression in BAT increased. In conclusion, the administration of fish oil increased the expression of heat-producing genes in brown adipose tissue (BAT) but did not alter heat-producing genes in inguinal white adipose tissue (WAT).
Unveiling the charge density wave mechanism in vanadium-based Bi-layered kagome metals
Authors: Shen Dawei , Yang Yichen , Cho Soohyun , Li Tongrui , Liu Xiangqi , Liu Zhengtai , Jiang Zhicheng , Ding Jianyang , Xia Wei , Tao Zicheng , Liu Jiayu , Jing Wenchuan , Huang Yu , Shi Yuming , Huh Soonsang , Kondo Takeshi , Sun Zhe , Liu Jishan , Ye Mao , Wang Yilin , Guo Yanfeng
Published: February 2024

The charge density wave (CDW), as a hallmark of vanadium-based kagome superconductor AV3Sb5 (A = K, Rb, Cs), has attracted intensive attention. However, the fundamental controversy regarding the underlying mechanism of CDW therein persists. Recently, the vanadium-based bi-layered kagome metal ScV6Sn6, reported to exhibit a long-range charge order below 94 K, has emerged as a promising candidate to further clarify this core issue. Here, employing micro-focusing angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (µ-ARPES) and first-principles calculations, we systematically studied the unique CDW order in vanadium-based bi-layered kagome metals by comparing ScV6Sn6 with its isostructural counterpart YV6Sn6, which lacks a CDW ground state. Combining ARPES data and the corresponding joint density of states (DOS), we suggest that the VHS nesting mechanism might be invalid in these materials. Besides, in ScV6Sn6, we identified multiple hybridization energy gaps resulting from CDW-induced band folding, along with an anomalous band dispersion, implying a potential electron-phonon coupling driven mechanism underlying the formation of the CDW order. Our finding not only comprehensively maps the electronic structure of V-based bi-layer kagome metals but also provide constructive experimental evidence for the unique origin of CDW in this system.
The Studying of high-temperature deformation mechanism in a new light-weight high-strength HEAs from the view of internal fricition
Authors: wang kan , Chen Qingjun , Ji Li. , Cui Xia , Deng Cuizhen
Published: February 2024

The BCC high entropy alloy (HEA) has always been considered a promising material for high temperatures, and a novel BCC HEA was developed in this study. The precipitation of a second HCP phase in the grain during the warming process is responsible for the alloy's characteristic high temperature strength. The dynamic modulus of the alloy increased continuously above 550°C, while its internal friction peak exhibited the typical signature of a grain boundary peak. Annealing at 800°C for 3 hours has the potential to slightly enhance ductility and reduce room temperature compression strength to a limited extent. It is believed that the initial decrease and subsequent increase in dynamic modulus can be attributed to the combination of second phase precipitation and thermal relaxation. The TEM and fracture SEM analysis of heat-treated specimens revealed that the modification of high temperature hardening and ductility was attributed to the second phase, which impedes the dislocation's movement.
Hormonal Differences in Perpetrators of intimate partner violence
Authors: Cantos Arthur , Ontiveros Gabriela , Dearth Robert , O'Leary k. Daniel
Published: February 2024

Objective
In order to gain a better understanding of the individual and joint impact of testosterone and cortisol on behavior, the present study was developed to test the differences in each hormone alone and conjointly between perpetrators of IPV and non-violent controls.
Method
Perpetrators of IPV on probation were compared to a control group of non-aggressive males from Hidalgo County in the Rio Grande Valley on baseline testosterone and cortisol, as well as several relevant questionnaires measuring aggression and trait anger. Differences in cortisol following exposure to a stressful event were also examined. Procedures included two laboratory visits consisting of questionnaires, a number of salivary testosterone and cortisol collections, and exposure to a stressor.
Results
Perpetrators had higher basal testosterone and post stressor cortisol levels than non-violent controls as well as a higher T/C ratio. In addition, trait anger moderated the relationship between both testosterone alone, and the testosterone/cortisol ratio and perpetration of IPV.
Conclusion
Results are consistent with the hypothesis that testosterone leads to antisocial behavior, including perpetration of violence. The results are also consistent with the dual hormone hypothesis, i.e., that testosterone and cortisol work together to jointly regulate social dominance and aggression. Both the increased freestanding testosterone and the increased cortisol following exposure to stress places these men at risk for perpetrating violence. Clinical implications are discussed.
Machine learning screening for molecular subtyping of Alzheimer's disease based on pyroptosis-related genes
Authors: Hu Baibo , Bai Yujie , Gao Wei
Published: February 2024

The aim of the present research was to find the Alzheimer's disease (AD) disease characteristic genes (DCGs) by machine learning algorithms, and constructed and verified the nomogram model of AD based on DCGs. In this study, Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database GSE132903 dataset was initially downloaded and sorted out a gene expression matrix for AD. Subsequently, through differential analysis of the gene expression matrix, We discovered 34 DE-PRGs, or differentially expressed pyroptosis-related genes. The expression levels of DE-PRGs in people with Alzheimer's were correlated using correlation analysis, we have gained insights into the interconnected regulatory dynamics among these DE-PRGs. On top of that, we classified the 97 AD samples into two molecular subtypes using cluster analysis based on the expression patterns of 34 DE-PRGs. We created the extreme gradient boosting (XGB), support vector machine (SVM), random forest (RF), and generalised linear model (GLM) models based on the expression features of these DE-PRGs to further select them as having high diagnostic value. In order to forecast illness risk, the SVM model was used and a nomogram was constructed to evaluate its predictive accuracy. Moreover, we validated the diagnostic performance of the model for predicting AD by calibrating the curve, decision curve analysis (DCA) curve, and independent validation dataset GSE5281. Together, our findings may provide new insights into risk prediction, early diagnosis, and targeted therapy for AD in the population.
Accurate Estimation for State of Charge (SoC) using different topologies of LSTM
Authors: Hassan Fehr , El-Bably Mohamed , Mubarak Roaa I.
Published: February 2024

For the best charge control of batteries and the forecast of operation range of electric vehicle, accurate estimation State of Charge (SoC) is a need. The accuracy of SoC estimation has a direct impact on these cars' operating range and safety. Accurate SoC estimation becomes a challenge due to environmental alterations, change in temperatures, and interference of electromagnetic fields. There are a lot of technologies depends on Machine Learning (ML) and Artificial Neural Network (ANN), the proposed model is using two cascaded Long Short-Term Memories (LSTM) networks that reduced the Mean Square Error (MSE). There are other models have been simulated such as Nonlinear Auto Regressive models with Exogenous input neural network (NARX) with LSTM, and a standard Long Short-Term Memories (LSTM). The proposed algorithm has reduced the error compared to a LSTM by 55% and has reduced the error compared to NARX with LSTM by 12%.
A hybrid approach for gearbox fault diagnosis based on deep learning techniques
Authors: Bessaoudi Mokrane , Habbouche Houssem , Benkedjouh Tarak , Mesloub Ammar
Published: February 2024

Faults identification plays a vital role in improving the safety and reliability of industrial machinery. Deep learning has stepped into the scene as a promising approach for detecting faults, showcasing impressive performance in this regard. However, challenges such as noise and variable working conditions often limit the effectiveness of these approaches. This study addresses these limitations by employing a combination of signal processing methods and neural networks. Specifically, the proposed methodology incorporates maximum overlapping discrete wavelet packet decomposition (MODWPD) for raw vibratory signal, mel frequency cepstral coefficient mapping (MFCC) for time-frequency feature extraction, and a fusion of bidirectional long and short-term memory network with convolutional neural networks (CNN-BiLSTM) to capture local features and temporal dependencies in sequential data. The evaluation is conducted using two diverse experimental datasets, PHM2009 for mixed defects and Case Western Reserve University (CWRU) for bearing faults, under unexpected operating conditions. The proposed method is rigorously tested through stratified K-fold cross-validation, demonstrating superior performance compared to a leading state-of-the-art model.
Assessing the Growth, Yield, and Biochemical Composition of Greenhouse Cherry Tomatoes with Special Emphasis on the Progressive Growth Report (PGR).
Authors: Arshad Adnan , Drăghici Elena Maria , Jerca Ionuț Ovidiu , Sovorn Chan , Ali Baber
Published: February 2024

The growth of plants is intricately influenced by interconnected biochemical and physiological activities throughout different phases, in response to environmental conditions. This study exploresthe impact of greenhouse climate on the growth, yield, and biochemistry of winter-grown cherry tomatoes (Cheramy F1). Climatic conditions ranged from a minimum of 10.5°C to the highest of 41.3°C (average 21.22°C) temperature during the vegetative stage and from 8.2°C to 32.3°C (average 20.89 °C) during the fruit-bearing stage, with an average CO2 concentration fluctuated within the range of 385.61 ppm to 510.30 ppm and an average light intensity of 94.62 to 240.45 W/m². W/m². This study assessed various growth parameters, such as plant Height, leaf growth, stem diameter, leaf spacing, leaf count, leaf area, and inflorescence count per plant. The key results of this study revealed the Progressive Growth Report (PGR), predicting daily potential growth. Rates: plant height (2.86 to 3.81 cm/day), mature old leaf growth (0.003988 m2/day), middle younger leaf growth (0.008733 m2/day), top nascent leaf growth (0.010722 m2/day), three to five leaves per week and one inflorescence per week. Additionally, accidental observations were noted. unusual plant growth and yield responses due to varied plant postures in the greenhouse. A non-significant interaction was found between fruit keeping quality (Shelf days), fruit height, fruit diameter, and inflorescence number. The results of this study offer valuable insights for optimizing greenhouse operations, aiming to improve cherry tomato yields and quality while fostering environmental sustainability. An analysis of variance was used to statistically analyze the presented results at a confidence level of p < 0.05.
Atopi̇c Dermati̇ti̇s as a Cause of Impari̇ed Quali̇ty of Li̇fe İn Chi̇ldren and Maternal Anxi̇ety and Depressi̇on Symptoms
Authors: tunca seda , Yilmaz Ozge , Alkin Tunç , Yuksel Hasan
Published: February 2024

Aim: Atopic dermatitis (AD), a chronic inflammatory skin condition which can cause severe psychosocial problems. We aimed to assess the connection between qaulity of life in children wiith atopic dermatitis and maternal anxiety and depression symptoms.
Methods: This study was prospective and was conducted at our Pediatric Allergy outpatient department. Atopic dermatitis severity was assessed using the SCORAD score. The mothers were asked to fill in the State-Trait Anxiety Scales (STAI-1, STAI-2) and Beck Depression Scale during the outpatient visit for the child. For children unders four years of age, the mothers were asked to fill in the 10 item infant dermatitis quality of life (IDQL) questionnaire. For children aged four and older, one of the researcher assisted the child to fill in the 10 item quality of life scale (CDLQI). At one-month follow-up, STAI-1 and STAI-2 and Beck Depression Scale were administered again as well as the IDQL or CDLQI depending on the age of the child. .
Results: 90 mother-child pairs were enrolled. According to the SCORAD index, at enrollement 10 cildren had mild, 62 chldren had moderate and 18 children had severe disease and this regressed to mild disease for all children at one-month follow up. (p<0.001). According to the SCORAD index, there was a significant relationship between the quality of life of children and their mothers' depression evaluations. According to the Beck Depression Scale, 69 mothers had minimal and 11 mothers had mild, depression whil 1 had severe depression. With the improvement of the SCORAD index, a significant improvement was observed in the maternal Beck Depression Scale score. Similarly, STAI-1 and STAI-2 scores alse improved (p<0.001)
Conclusion: Both the quality of life scores of the chldren and maternal anxiety and depression scores are associatd with disease severity.
Water electrolysis technologies in the future – projection of environmental impacts and levelized costs until 2045
Authors: Koj Jan Christian , Zapp Petra , Wieland Christoph , Görner Klaus , Kuckshinrichs Wilhelm
Published: February 2024

Background
To limit climate change and reduce further harmful environmental impacts the reduction and substitution of fossil energy carriers is a main challenge for the next decades. Recently, during the United Nations Climate Change Conference COP28, the participants agreed on the beginning of the end of the fossil fuel era. Hydrogen, when produced using renewable energy, can be a substitute for fossil fuel carriers and enables the storage of the renewable energy, leading into a post-fossil age. This paper presents environmental impacts as well as levelized costs along the life cycle of water electrolysis technologies for hydrogen production.
Methods
The applied methodological approaches are Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and Life Cycle Costing (LCC), both life cycle-oriented and based on consistent data sources and detailed assessments of prospective technological developments and their effects on environmental and economic indicators. The considered technological developments include electricity and critical raw material demand decreases on the one hand and lifetime as well as electrolysis capacity increases on the other hand. The objectives of the investigations are AEC, PEMEC, and SOEC as the currently most mature water electrolysis technologies for hydrogen production.
Results
The environmental impacts and life cycle costs provoked by the hydrogen production will significantly decrease in the long term (up to 2045). For the case of Germany, worst-case climate change results for 2022 are 27.5 kg CO2eq./kg H2. Considering technological improvements, electrolysis operation with wind power and a clean heat source, a reduction to 1.33 kg CO2eq./kg H2 can be achieved by 2045 in the best-case. The electricity demand of the electrolysis technologies is the main contributor to environmental impacts and levelized costs in most considered cases.
Conclusions
A unique combination of possible technological, environmental, and economic developments in the production of green hydrogen up to the year 2045 is presented.
Based on a comprehensive literature research, several research gaps, like a combined comparison of all three technologies by LCA and LCC, were identified and research questions were posed and answered. Consequently, prospective research should not be limited to one water electrolysis but should be carried out with an openness to all three technologies. Furthermore, it is shown that data from the literature for the LCA and LCC of water electrolysis technologies differ considerably in some cases. Therefore, extensive research into the material inventories for plant construction is needed, but also into the energy and mass balances of plant operation, for a corresponding analysis. Even for today’s plants, the availability and transparency of literature data is still low and must be expanded.
Multi-compartmental diversification of neutralizing antibody lineages dissected in SARS-CoV-2 spike-immunized macaques
Authors: Mandolesi Marco , Das Hrishikesh , de Vries Liset , Yang Yiqiu , Kim Changil , Dhinakaran Manojj , Dopico Xaquin Castro , Fischbach Julian , Kim Sungyong , Guryleva Mariia , Adori Monika , Chernyshev Mark , Stålmarck Aron , Hanke Leo , McInerney Gerald , Sheward Daniel , Corcoran Martin , Hällberg Martin , Murrell Ben , Hedestam Gunilla Karlsson
Published: February 2024

The continued evolution of SARS-CoV-2 underscores the need to understand qualitative aspects of the humoral immune response elicited by spike immunization. Here, we combined monoclonal antibody (mAb) isolation with deep B cell receptor (BCR) repertoire sequencing of rhesus macaques immunized with prefusion-stabilized spike glycoprotein. Longitudinal tracing of spike-sorted B cell lineages in multiple immune compartments demonstrated increasing somatic hypermutation and broad dissemination of vaccine-elicited B cells in draining and non-draining lymphoid compartments, including the bone marrow, spleen and, most notably, periaortic lymph nodes. Phylogenetic analysis of spike-specific monoclonal antibody lineages identified through deep repertoire sequencing delineated extensive intra-clonal diversification that shaped neutralizing activity. Structural analysis of the spike in complex with a broadly neutralizing mAb provided a molecular basis for the observed differences in neutralization breadth between clonally related antibodies. Our findings highlight that immunization leads to extensive intra-clonal B cell evolution where members of the same lineage can both retain the original epitope specificity and evolve to recognize additional spike variants not previously encountered.
Market structure or agent rationality: How efficiency trades with belief updating?
Authors: Giachini Daniele , Mousavi Shabnam , Ottaviani Matteo
Published: February 2024

For the Bayesian learner, updating priors based on observation is the path that improves the beliefs and this, in turn, aﬀects the eﬃciency of prices. Or so was believed until agents with no learning advantage, that is zero-intelligence, produced near-optimal levels of eﬃciency. We design a market environment characterized by model misspeciﬁcation in which agents update their initial probabilistic guesses with increasing sophistication in incorporating observations. In this designed environment, the market pe-nalizes divergence from the truth, measured in relative entropy. We show that a non-linear U-shaped relation brings together individual rationality in learning and quality of pricing (i.e. informative eﬃciency). Eﬃciency ﬁrst takes a dip with learning sophistication, then converges toward the full information limit (i.e. Bayesian learning). We argue that the results emerge from the particular interaction of two evolutionary forces operating at diﬀerent levels: learning (individual level) and selection (market level).
JEL Classiﬁcation: C60, D53, D81, D83, G11, G12
Identification of genes asscoiated with pyroptosis in Age-related cataract of using bioinformatics analyses
Authors: Bai Mengtian , Long Bo , Qiu Yuyan , Xiao Dan , Chen Wei , Li Yun , Lin Li
Published: February 2024

Background: Age-related ctaract is a common and frequently occurring disease in the elderly. The pyroptosis is believed to be related to the formation of cataract, but its mechanisms still remain unclear. This study aimed to investigate how pyroptosis affects lens development and promotes the formation of age-related cataract.
Methods: We used profile of GSE161701 downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO)
database to compare the tissue samples of lenses from 12 chips expression profiling by high throughput sequencing of cell samples of human lens epithelial cells from wild type(WT) HLE-B3 or Atg7KO HLE-B3 cells treated with or without 200 μM H2O2 for 12 hrs(three biological replicates per group). Then, the NetworkAnalyst online tool was employed to screen for the significantly differentially expressed genes (DEGs). Gene Ontology (GO) annotation, Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) and Reactome pathway analysis were examined in DEGs by using Metascape. In addition, we applied the STRING online tool and Cytoscape software to build the protein-protein interaction (PPI) network.
Results: 6156 DEGs were filtered in total, 5196 of which were up-regulated genes, while 960 of which were down-regulated genes. we found 55 genes related to pyroptosis through previous studies. The results of GSEA showed that most of the upregulated genes and pathways were involved IL18 signaling pathway, IL2 signaling pathway, IL4 signaling pathway, Noth signaling pathway , MAPK signaling pathway, cytokines and inflammatory response, and also showed that most downregulated genes and pathways were involved FOXM1 signaling pathway, PLK1 signaling pathway. The 7 related genes of age-related cataract. Simultaneously, we searched for the DESs related pyroptosis to in the gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) database. Within this network of PPI, we found that the interleukin-6（IL6）, tumor necrosis factor(TNF), interleukin-1A（IL1A）, interleukin-1β(IL1β), NOD-like receptor thermal protein domain associated protein 3（NLRP3）had higher connectivity degrees and may interact and influence each other.
Conclusions: The pyroptosis affected expression of various genes in human lens epithelial cells, such as IL6, TNF, IL1A, IL1β, NLRP3. These genes may have some effects on the occurrence and development of age-related cataract, and may serve as potential therapeutic targets for the treatment.
The deterministic behaviour of earthquake rupture beginning
Authors: Colombelli Simona , Longobardi Valeria , Zollo Aldo
Published: February 2024

Earthquakes are among the most destructive natural hazards. The energy released by an earthquake can be quantified by its magnitude. However, predicting how much energy the earthquake will release before the end of its rupture process represents a challenging question in geohazards. The way earthquake ruptures grow and arrest determines the final event size: small-to-moderate ruptures evolve in few seconds with typical lengths of few kilometers, while large-to-huge events develop in tens of seconds or more, involving lengths of several hundred kilometers. If the rupture process starts in the same way for small and large earthquakes, no deterministic prediction of the final size is feasible, until the process has finished. On the contrary, if the source mechanism starts differently from its early beginning, real-time proxies can be measured on seismic waves to discriminate the final event size. Here we show that the initial ground displacement growth is differently for small and large earthquakes, based on the analysis of an unprecedented catalog of seismic waveforms from worldwide earthquakes. The result supports the hypothesis of early predictable event magnitude for a wide range of different size earthquakes in diverse geological settings. This study confirms that the measure of the initial growth of displacement can be used as a parameter for a fast magnitude estimation, making it feasible for future implementation in early warning systems.
Recurrent herbicide applications on wheat: impact on productivity, weed dynamics, and nutrient depletion
Authors: Shah Maksud Hasan , Islam Md Mazharul , Mandal Bikas , Mukherjee Dhiman , Garai Sandip , Jewel Zilhas Ahmed , Rahman Md. Saidur
Published: February 2024

Wheat fields with weeds are known to contribute significantly to nutrient depletion, which lowers grain yield and quality. Given the unpredictable affects of these intricate and dynamic mixes, the use of herbicide combos and successive applications poses challenges to current standards aimed at maintaining ecosystem health. Thus, a two-year field experiment was carried out with a focus on soil health in a mesocosm experiment to identify the best herbicides to control weeds and assess the phytotoxic effects of herbicide mixtures while adhering to a feasible application timeline for wheat production. In a randomized block design with four replications, this study includes nine treatments. Plots treated with pendimethalin 30% EC at 1.0 kg/ha and metribuzin 70% WP at 0.2 kg/ha demonstrated significantly reduced weed uptake of potassium (K), phosphorus (P), and nitrogen (N). This finding was statistically identical to plots treated with sulfosulfuron 75% + metsulfuron 5% WG at 32 g/ha and pendimethalin 30% EC at 1.0 kg/ha, resulting in manual weeding at 30 days after sowing (DAS). In addition, pendimethalin and metribuzin prove effective to control weeds, yet they exhibited great efficacy in increasing wheat grain and straw yields. Treatments with pendimethalin, metribuzin, and sulfosulfuron + metsulfuron revealed substantial increases in the concentrations of N, P, and K in wheat grains. As a result, wheat growers need to exercise caution whenever it comes to the phytotoxic effects and environmental ramifications of herbicides. As consequently, sulfosulfuron 75% + metsulfu-ron 5% WG at 32g/ha proved to be an effective and environmentally friendly choice that boosted both productivity and quality.
Limited net poleward movement amongst Australian reef species over a decade of climate extremes.
Authors: Fuchs Yann Herrera , Edgar Graham , Bates Amanda , Waldock Conor , Smith Rick Stuart
Published: February 2024

Warming seas are expected to drive marine life poleward. However, few systematic observations can confirm movement among entire communities at both warm and cool range edges. We analysed two continent-scale reef monitoring datasets to quantify changes in latitudinal range edges of 662 Australian shallow-water reef fishes and invertebrates over a decade punctuated by climate extremes. Temperate and tropical species both showed little net movement overall, with retreat often balancing expansion across the continent. Within regions, however, range edges shifted ~100 km per decade, on average, in the poleward or equatorward directions expected from warming or cooling seas following climate extremes. While some species responded rapidly to temperature change, we found little evidence for mass poleward drift. Previous studies based on extreme observations, rather than tracking all species through time, may have over-estimated the prevalence, magnitude and longevity of range shifts amongst marine taxa.
Applications of LLMs for Generating Cyber Security Exercise Scenarios
Authors: Yamin Muhammad Mudassar , Hashmi Ehtesham , Ullah Mohib , Katt Basel
Published: February 2024

This study proposes a novel approach leveraging Large Language Models (LLMs) to generate dynamic and complex adaptable cybersecu-rity exercise scenarios. Motivated by Turing’s sem-inal exploration into machine cognition, which questions the ability of machines to mimic human thought and intelligence. By exploiting the generative potential of LLMs, our methodology simulates a wide range of cyber threats, both known and novel, thereby enhancing cybersecurity training and awareness. This approach transforms the potential for ’hal-lucination’ inherent in LLMs into a potential advantage , enabling the creation of complex exercise scenarios that push the boundaries of traditional cybersecurity training. The innovation lies in the sophisticated application of AI, aiming to advance the preparedness of security professionals against diverse cyber threats. The scenarios generated through this method were subject to meticulous testing and a rigorous evaluation process involving GPT models and expert review to ensure their realism and applicability. Furthermore, the prompts provided to the LLMs were meticulously designed to adopt a Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) approach, enriching the complexity and relevance of the scenarios. This incorporation of RAG, alongside the inspiration drawn from Tur-ing’s exploration of machine intelligence, showcases an advanced application of AI in cybersecurity training , reflecting a deep understanding of how machines can augment our capabilities to anticipate and mitigate cyber threats.
Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on depressive disorder among young adults in the United States: Analysis of the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System data, 2018-2022
Authors: Chowdhury Suman Kanti , Mansuri Fahad , Xing Zailing , Beltrame Anna , Chandra Kanika , Kirby Russell S.
Published: February 2024

Purpose: Depressive disorder during early adulthood has been a rising public health concern, potentially further compounded by the COVID-19 pandemic. Using nationally representative large survey samples, this study addressed the knowledge gaps in how COVID-19 affected depressive disorder among U.S. young adults.
Methods: The analysis included 348,994 U.S. non-institutionalized young adults aged 18-34 years from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System for 2018-2022. Changes in the prevalence of diagnosed depressive disorder before and during COVID-19 were assessed by weighted bi-variate analysis using Rao-Scott Chi-Square test, with multivariable logistic regression models fitted to assess the magnitude of depressive disorder before and during COVID-19.
Results: Overall, the prevalence of depressive disorder increased by 13.7% (p<0.001) from 20.5% before COVID-19 to 23.3% during COVID-19. Adjusted for sociodemographic and lifestyle factors, the odds of depressive disorder during COVID-19 as compared to before COVID-19 were highest for females (OR: 1.35, 95% CI: 1.29-1.40), aged 18-24 years (OR: 1.34, 95% CI: 1.27-1.41), other races (OR: 1.46, 95% CI: 1.31-1.62), attended college or technical school (OR: 1.33, 95% CI: 1.26-1.40), employed (OR: 1.32, 95% CI: 1.27-1.37), and married (OR: 1.32, 95% CI: 1.24-1.40).
Conclusion: The study findings revealed the importance of recognizing and understanding the most affected groups of young adults during a pandemic like COVID-19, providing essential insights for developing targeted interventions and policies.
Conversion Chemoradiotherapy Combined with nab-paclitaxel plus Cisplatin in Patients with Locally Advanced Borderline-Resectable or Unresectable Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma: a Phase Ⅰ/Ⅱ Prospective Cohort Study
Authors: Yu Nuo , Chen Xiankai , Li Jiao , Kang Xiaozheng , Wang Zhen , Zhang Ruixiang , Qin Jianjun , Li Yong , Zheng Qingfeng , Feng Guojie , Deng Lei , Zhang Tao , Wang Wenqing , Liu Wenyang , Wang Jianyang , Feng Qinfu , Lv Jima , Zhou Zongmei , Xiao Zefen , Bi Nan , Li Yin , Wang Xin
Published: February 2024

Background: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of nab-paclitaxel plus cisplatin as the regimen of conversional chemoradiotherapy (cCRT) in locally advanced borderline resectable or unresectable esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC).
Methods: Patients with locally advanced ESCC (cT3-4, Nany, M0-1, M1 was limited to lymph node metastasis in the supraclavicular area) were enrolled. All the patients received the cCRT of nab-paclitaxel plus cisplatin. After the cCRT, those resectable patients received esophagectomy; those unresectable patients continued to receive the definitive chemoradiotherapy (dCRT). The locoregional control (LRC), overall survival (OS), event-free survival (EFS), distant metastasis free survival (DMFS), pathological complete response (pCR), R0 resection rate, adverse events (AEs) and postoperative complications were calculated.
Results: 45 patients with ESCC treated from October 2019 to May 2021 were finally included. The median follow-up time was 30.3 months. The LRC, OS, EFS, DMFS at 1and 2 years were 81.5%, 86.6%, 64.3%, 73.2% and 72.4%, 68.8%, 44.8%, 52.7% respectively. 21 patients (46.7%) received conversional chemoradiotherapy plus surgery (cCRT+S). The pCR rate and R0 resection rate were 47.6% and 84.0%. The LRC rate at 1 and 2 years were 95.0%, 87.1% in cCRT+S patitents and 69.3%, 58.7% in dCRT patients respectively (HR, 5.14; 95%CI, 1.10-23.94; P = 0.021). The toxicities during chemoradiotherapy were tolerated, and the most common grade 3-4 toxicitiy was radiation esophagitis (15.6%). The most common postoperative complication was pleural effusion (38.1%) and no grade ≥ Ⅲb complications were observed.
Conclusion: nab-paclitaxel plus cisplatin are safe as the regimen of conversional chemoradiotherapy of ESCC.
Trial registration number: NCT04278287
Trial registration date: 2020-2-20
RETRACTED: Ultrasound-Assisted Synthesis of Novel 4-Oxo-Chromen-Dihydropyridine Derivatives by a One-Pot Fusion and Multicomponent Reaction under Environmentally Friendly Conditions
Authors: Potnuru Raju , Mamidi Gopi , Lagudu Devi , Bankuru Jyothi , Saripalli Tirumala Santhoshkumar , Mahammad Jameel
Published: February 2024

The authors have requested that this preprint be removed from Research Square.
E-selectin combined with soluble CD44 as predictors of acute graft-versus-host disease after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation
Authors: YANG Li , WANG Wei , CHENG Zhi , LONG Fei , SUN Ming , LU Wenjie , Qi Shanshan , XIONG Hao
Published: February 2024

Background Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) is the mainly curable treatment options in children with high-risk malignancies, bone marrow failure diseases and inherited metabolic diseases. Acute graft-versus-host disease (aGVHD) accompanied with series of serious complications are the most severe obstacle of allo-HSCT because the early and accurate diagnostic markers and effective treatment are still lacked. Non-organ-specific injury induced activated endothelial cells and tissue integrity biomarkers may have higher specificity for the occurrence and development of aGVHD. Methods The blood from 52 pediatric patients who underwent allo-HSCT including 16 recipients with aGVHD and 36 recipients without aGVHD were collected to check the level of adhesion molecules. The vitro experiments, transwell experiments, and aGVHD mouse model are used to verify the effects of E-selectin in the occurrence and development of aGVHD. Results We found that E-selectin secreted by endothelial cells was remarkably increased while the level of soluble CD44, a widely distributed tissue structure molecule, was significantly decreased in aGVHD patients. The level of E-selectin was negatively correlated with the soluble CD44 and associated with the severity of the aGVHD. After that, the vitro experiments suggested the elevated E-selectin could recruit immune cells that result in a series of inflammatory response and tissue injury. The aGVHD mouse model revealed that the level of E-selectin in the intestine occurred aGVHD was obviously increased than that without aGVHD. The expression level of CD44 in organs was related to the incidence of organ aGVHD. More importantly, the area under the ROC curve (AUC) of E-selectin and CD44 can reach 0.85 indicating that these two parameters have strong prediction ability of aGVHD. Conclusions E-selectin and CD44 could play an important role in the occurrence and development of aGVHD. E-selectin combined with soluble CD44 could act as efficient biomarkers for the diagnosis of aGVHD.
Growing meat on vegetables: plants with natural biomimetic micro-patterns as edible meat-engineering scaffolds
Authors: Du Yanan , Liu Ye , Deng Yulin , Han Jianyong , Wang Tiantian , Zhang Yongqian , Wu Zhaozhao , Yang Yuchen , Jin Yuhong , Zhang Rui , Lai Yuming
Published: February 2024

Cultured meat needs edible bio-scaffolds that provide not only an appropriate growth milieu for muscle and adipose cells, but also biomimetic microstructures to sculpt tissue architecture. Current meat-engineering technologies struggle to achieve scalable cell production, efficient cell differentiation, and tissue maturation in one single culture system. Here we propose a simple strategy to transform common vegetables into muscle- and adipose-engineering scaffolds, without undergoing conventional plant decellularization. We selected vegetables with natural anisotropic and isotropic topology mimicking muscle and adipose tissue microstructures respectively. We further adjusted vegetable stiffness by autoclaving to emulate the mechanical characteristics of animal tissues. Our selected anisotropic Chinese chive and Shiitake mushroom stem supported the scalable expansion of murine myoblasts and porcine myosatellite cells, and improved cell alignment and subsequent myogenesis. We also chose loofah with isotropic topology to construct lipid-containing fat tissues. Our cultured muscle and fat tissues can be assembled into meat stuffing or layered meat chips. Our results highlight naturally micro-patterned vegetables, without needing decellularization, as promising meat-engineering scaffolds. These edible biomaterials are simple to fabricate, low-cost, and possess tissue-mimicking topology and stiffness. Vegetable scaffolds may see broad applications in the bio-fabrication of meat analogs, muscle-powered robots, and transplantable tissue patches.
High Quality Mask Generation Using HardRegion Refinement in Object-based Instance Segmentation
Authors: Huang Shiliang , Liao Bingyan , Wang Yayun , Yin Jun , Xiang Zhiyu , Lin Jun
Published: February 2024

Existing object-based instance segmentation methods have made remarkable achievements recently. However, the conventional methods ignorethe inhomogeneity of the segmentation difficulty in the spatial dimension in different regions of instances. In this paper, we propose theHard Region Refinement (HRR) method to explicitly model easy andhard regions adaptively for high-quality instance masks generating.Our insight is that different regions of an instance should be treatedunequally on account of their different complexity. This approach decomposes the instance prediction into coarse prototype mask estimation andmultiple fine-grained hard mask prediction. To supervise the regionsat high resolution, Region-DCT (R-DCT) loss is proposed for theefficient region learning. We have carried out extensive exploratoryexperiments on the COCO and Cityscapes datasets. The experimental results demonstrate the superiority of our proposed method.