bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Analysis of clinical characteristics and risk factors for patients with heatstroke in western China in 2022: a multicenter retrospective study
Authors: Zheng Xin , Chen Qiulan , Guo Chuan , Dong Qionglan , Tang Jin , Luo Jun , Ge Ying , He Jian , Hou Xiaolin , Zhou Guanghong , Chen Yuan , Cao Haiquan , Xiao Jiujia , Lan An , Chen Qiu , Huang Jing , Yuchun Gao , Zeng Yonghong , Long Huaicong , Xie Qinli
Published: May 2024

OBJECTIVES
To analyzed the clinical characteristics and treatment modalities of HS and to identify risk factors for a poor prognosis of heat stroke and provide reference suggestions for its treatment and prevention.
MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS:
We collected a total of 247 patients, and the first three comorbidities of HS were hypertension, diabetes, psychosis. Men and older adults had a high incidence of HS. The poor prognosis group had higher temperature, higher incidence of cerebral edema and gastrointestinal bleeding than in the control group (all P < 0.05). Blood pH, HCO3−, Lac, Scr, AST, ALT, DBIL, CKMB, PT, DD, PLT were significantly higher in the poor prognosis group (all P < 0.05), and logistic regression analysis suggested that APACHE II, Lac, and Scr were poor prognosis risk factors (P < 0.05). The AUC values for Combined diagnostic were 0.848 (95% CI 0.781–0.914). We found that in the CHS group, male morbidity was higher, more patients with combined hypertension, worse prognosis, and higher APACHE II score and ALT level (P < 0.05). Kaplan–Meier analysis showed higher mortality in the CHS group than in the EHS group.
CONCLUSIONS
Men, older adults, hypertension, diabetes, and psychosis patients may have a high incidence of HS. HS patients with high blood cell counts, liver and kidney dysfunction, abnormal coagulation and CHS type may have a poor prognosis. APACHE II, Lac and Scr were independent risk factors for poor prognosis in HS patients.
Lifespan extension of Caenorhabditis elegans by sulforafane: Sulforafane induces Nrf2 (cSKN-1) via WDR23, but not keap1
Authors: Hirayama Moe , Oguro Ami , Tanaka Masako , Imaoka Susumu
Published: May 2024

Sulforaphane (SFN) derived from broccoli sprouts reduces oxidative stress by activating Nrf2, a key factor in cellular defenses against oxidative stress. In the present study, the lifespan-extending effects of SFN were investigated using Caenorhabditis elegans as a model organism. SFN induces SKN-1 (Nrf2 homolog) in C. elegans. SFN is also considered to induce Nrf2 by inactivating Keap1, a regulator of Nrf2; however, C. elegans has no Keap1 homolog. We previously showed that WDR23 regulated Nrf2 expression in mammals through a pathway independent of Keap1, which is also present in C. elegans. We herein focused on the Akt-FOXO-WDR23 ubiquitin ligase complex. We used Hep3B and A549 cells, which have wild-type and mutated Keap1, respectively. In both cells, SFN induced Nrf2 by reducing DDB1, a component of the WDR complex. DDB1 expression is regulated by the transcription factor FOXO3, and FOXO3 was phosphorylated and exported from the nucleus when SFN was added to both cells. In addition, we found that SFN did not expand the lifespan of skn-1 or daf-16 (FOXO3 homolog) mutant C. elegans, indicating that SFN induced Nrf2 in a Keap1-independent manner and that a novel mechanism is responsible for the lifespan extension of C. elegans.
The Perioperative Management of Patients Presenting for Whipple’s Procedure at an Academic Institution
Authors: Mohatla Ofentse , Marumo Thomas , Dingezweni Sithandiwe
Published: May 2024

Background
The Whipple’s procedure or pancreaticoduodenectomy is the primary treatment method of pancreatic cancer and more recently for other benign and cancerous lesions of the periampullary region. The procedure has associated with high mortality and morbidity rates since its inception but with improving surgical techniques and peri-operative care, these have improved over the decades. Our aims were to describe perioperative patient demographic profile, surgical indications, intra-operative surgical and anaesthetic techniques for Whipple’s procedure and their impact on patient outcomes in our centre.
Methods
A review of patients database over a 10-year period (01 January 2012 to 31 December 2022) at Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital was performed. The data was collected using a RedCap® collection tool developed by the researchers based on previous studies. The patient profile, preoperative clinical presentations, surgical indications, intra-operative surgical findings and intraoperative anaesthetic techniques were collected. Post operative data on length of intensive care unit stay, hospital stay, morbidity and mortality were also collected. Data was analysed using the Statistical Product and Services Solutionsystem.
Results
A total of 50 Whipple’s procedures were performed over the 10-year period, with the male gender at 58% and overall median patient age of 53 years. The main presenting symptom was jaundice with major surgical indication in this cohort being head of pancreas mass. Open procedure dominated surgical technique with an average surgical time of 552 minutes. All procedures were done under general anaesthesia and neuraxial analgesic technique favoured in addition to intravenous analgesics. Post-operatively, average length of ICU stay was 5.4 days and average length of hospital stay was 17 days. Intra-abdominal collection was the most observed complication. Liberal crystalloids use was associated with significantly longer ICU stays (p-value = 0.009) and bile leak. Blood transfusions were associated with wound sepsis and development of acute kidney injury. Mortality rate was 26%.
Conclusions
The lower volume of Whipple’s procedures performed yearly at CMJAH may be the reason for the observed higher mortality and morbidity rates than those seen in developed countries. In keeping with current literature, liberal crystalloids and blood transfusions were associated with post-operative complications.
Effect of low temperature plasma on the transcriptome of breast cancer cells
Authors: Liu Lei , Yan Zhuna , Liu Fang , Wang Hongzhi , Song Wencheng
Published: May 2024

Breast cancer is one of the most commonly diagnosed cancers in women, and due to the limitations of its therapeutic methods, new therapeutic method need to be developed. More and more evidences had shown the potential of low-temperature plasma (LTP) in cancer treatment. In this study, we investigated the inhibitory effect of LTP on the in vitro toxicity of breast cancer cells through the MTT assay, extracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS), and transcriptomics analysis. The results showed that under a certain treatment time, the cell viability was gradually decreased, and the extracellular ROS was gradually increased. In addition, the results of transcriptomics analysis showed that 1272 DEGs, 1573 DEGs, and 1272 DEGs were obtained in the 15s, 30s, and 45s treatment groups, respectively. DEGs were involved in MAPK signaling pathway, Fox O signaling pathway, Wnt signaling pathway, TGF-beta signaling pathway, chemical carcinogenesis-reactive oxygen species and mTOR Signaling pathway. In summary, our data suggested that LTP inhibited cell viability while inducing the activation of differentially expressed genes, representing a potential new therapy for breast cancer.
A Decentralized Application for Managing Organ Donation, Transportation, and Transplantation Processes through Blockchain, Smart Contracts, and Internet of Things Integration
Authors: Bawa Geet , Singh Harmeet
Published: May 2024

Currently organ donation and transplantation management systems are designed using either centralized architecture or decentralized architecture. The centralized architectures lack transparency for the stakeholders thereby causing unethical allocation of organs and unauthorized alterations to organ waiting lists. Additionally, centralized models are susceptible to data vulnerability through third-party interference, ultimately eroding trust in the system. On the other hand, the existing blockchain-based decentralized models suffer from high Ether consumption during deployment. Furthermore, both models fail to provide stakeholders with access to vital information regarding the condition of organs during their transportation from the donor to the recipient. This includes factors like temperature, humidity level, and light exposure inside the organ container, and orientation and vibration of the container. This absence of supervision increases the risk of contamination of organs during transit, highlighting a crucial gap in safe organ transportation. The paper presents a decentralized application powered by blockchain and Internet of Things technologies for managing stakeholder registration, efficient patient-donor matching, organ retrieval, transportation, and transplantation. The proposed application ensures complete data security, process transparency, and a trustful environment for stakeholders. Furthermore, the application ensures safe organ transportation and a reduction in the risk of organ contamination. A comparative analysis with existing blockchain-based organ management applications has been presented. Notable improvements in Ether consumption with a deployment cost of approximately 0.00582850 Ether, reduced gas utilization of 446104.333 units, process transparency, organ monitoring, and the assurance of safe transportation within the proposed application have been observed.
Retinopathy of prematurity and neurodevelopmental outcome and quality of life at 10 years of age
Authors: Sri Sudhir , Jensen Elizabeth , Msall Michael , Yi Joe , Zhabotynsky Vasyl , Joseph Robert , Kuban Karl , Frazier Jean , Hooper Stephen , Santos Hudson , Gogcu Semsa , Shenberger Jeffrey , Fry Rebecca , O'Shea Thomas
Published: May 2024

Objective
In a cohort of 10-year-old children born extremely preterm, we evaluated the hypothesis that increasing severity of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is associated with increasing frequency of unfavorable neurodevelopmental and quality of life outcomes.
Study Design
Study participants were classified according to the severity of ROP. At 10 years of age, their neurocognitive abilities, academic achievement, and gross motor function were assessed, and they were evaluated for autism spectrum disorder, anxiety, depression, and quality of life.
Results
After adjustment for sample attrition and confounders, only the association with lower quality of life persisted. Increasing severity of visual impairment was associated with worse neurodevelopmental outcomes and lower quality of life.
Conclusion
Among extremely preterm children, severity of visual impairment, but not severity of ROP, was associated with adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes at 10 years of age. Both severe ROP and more severe visual impairment were associated with lower quality of life.
Research on a soft saturation nonlinear SSVEP signal feature extraction algorithm
Authors: Liu Bo , Gao Hongwei , Jiang Yueqiu , Wu Jiaxuan
Published: May 2024

Brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) based on steady-state visual evoked potentials (SSVEP) have received widespread attention due to their high information transmission rate, high accuracy, and rich instruction set. However, the performance of its identification methods strongly depends on the amount of calibration data for within-subject classification. Some studies use deep learning (DL) algorithms for inter-subject classification, which can reduce the calculation process, but there is still much room for improvement in performance compared with intra-subject classification. To solve these problems, an efficient SSVEP signal recognition deep learning network model e-SSVEPNet based on the soft saturation nonlinear module is proposed in this paper. The soft saturation nonlinear module uses a similar exponential calculation method for output when it is less than zero, improving robustness to noise. Under the conditions of the SSVEP data set, two sliding time window lengths (1s and 0.5s), and three training data sizes, this paper evaluates the proposed network model and compares it with other traditional and deep learning model baseline methods. The experimental results of the nonlinear module were classified and compared. A large number of experimental results show that the proposed network has the highest average accuracy of inter-subject classification on the SSVEP data set, improves the performance of SSVEP signal classification and recognition, and has higher decoding accuracy under short signals, so it has huge potential ability to realize high-speed SSVEP-based for BCI.
Research on Efficient Matching Method of Coal Gangue Recognition Image and Sorting Image
Authors: Ye Zhang , Hongwei Ma , Peng Wang , Wenjian Zhou , Xiangang Cao , Mingzhen Zhang
Published: May 2024

The coal gangue sorting robot may encounter variations in the pose of the target coal gangue due to belt slippage, deviation, and speed fluctuations, leading to failed or missed grasping attempts during the sorting process of coal gangue. In response to this issue, we propose a special two-stage network coal gangue image fast matching method to re-obtain the target coal gangue pose information, further improving the grasping accuracy and efficiency of the robot. In the first stage, we use SuperPoint to enhance the scene adaptability and credibility of feature point extraction. The improved Multi-scale Retinex with Color Restoration enhancement algorithm is used to further enhance the ability of Superpoint to detect feature points. In the second stage, we introduce SuperGlue for feature matching to improve the robustness of the matching network. Integrating the Progressive Sample Consensus algorithm to further eliminate erroneous feature matching point pairs and improve the accuracy of image matching. We conducted matching experiments of coal gangue under different object distances, scales, and rotation angles using various methods on the double-manipulator truss-type coal gangue sorting robot experimental platform independently developed by our team. The results showed that the matching rate of the proposed method was 98.2%, with a matching time of 84.6ms. It has the characteristics of a high matching rate, good real-time performance, and strong robustness, and can meet the requirements of efficient and accurate matching between coal gangue recognition images and sorting images.
Interhemispheric connectivity during spontaneous switches in visual perceptual coherence as revealed by fMRI at multiple temporal resolutions
Authors: Sayal Alexandre , Direito Bruno , Sousa Teresa , Duarte João , Afonso Sónia , Castelo-Branco Miguel
Published: May 2024

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) allows to observe neural activity in real-time but tracking the neural correlates of perceptual decision as a function of interhemispheric connectivity has remained difficult. Recent advances in image acquisition, namely with the surfacing of multiband sequences, have led us to investigate this mechanism using higher temporal resolution approaches. We were able to better capture the hemodynamic responses to rapid changes in neural activity concomitantly with a task requiring either perceptual interhemispheric segregation or integration, shortening the gap to other neuroimaging techniques, which is particularly significant when considering the study of dynamic connectivity patterns. Here, we tested the hypothesis whether interhemispheric connectivity in the visual cortex relates to interhemispheric integration, when presented with bistable moving stimuli at four distinct temporal resolutions. Based on this connectivity metric, we could discern perceptual state transitions related to connectivity. First, we found that activation response metrics to visual motion in our target region of interest, the human visual motion complex hMT+, are stable across temporal resolutions. Then, we investigated interhemispheric connectivity between homologous hMT + in response to bistable moving stimuli, for all resolutions, which was critical for replication of perception related interhemispheric synchrony. The established relation between perceptual coherence and increased synchrony across the hemispheres suggests the feasibility of a real-time fMRI neurofeedback based on interhemispheric connectivity. Accordingly, we could infer perceptual states based on this connectivity metric while designing a rule that could even be used to generate feedback. We further showed that higher resolution sequences are beneficial when implementing feedback interfaces based on interhemispheric functional connectivity, both regarding the delay and the accuracy of the feedback itself. Regarding the use of real time fMRI and neurofeedback strategies, higher resolution sequences are likely needed, when relying on connectivity metrics.
Uncovering the face of acinic cell carcinoma of the breast with high-grade morphology: evidences from case report
Authors: Ge Yunjie , Wei Xianping , Liu Jing-Nan , Sun Ping-Li , Gao Hongwen
Published: May 2024

Background
Acinic cell carcinoma (AciCC) of the breast is a rare subtype of breast cancer. It was regarded as a low-grade triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) with the potential to progress or transform to a high-grade lesion due to the molecular similarities with conventional aggressive TNBC in several genetic studies. Microscopically, the coexistence of classical low-grade and high-grade triple-negative components in breast AciCC is not uncommon. Nevertheless, the comparative histopathological and genetic study on both components is rarely reported at present.
Case Presentation
We present the case of a 34-year-old woman diagnosed initially on the preoperative biopsy with malignant small round cell tumor (undifferentiated or poorly differentiated carcinoma) that was later identified as breast AciCC with a high-grade solid component. The breast AciCC consisted of a classical acinic component and a high-grade component. The high-grade lesion in the tumor showed a solid sheet-like pattern characterized by large, round, pleomorphic or vesicular nuclei, prominent nucleoli, frequent mitotic activities. Classical acinic architectures focally merged together to form solid nests and underwent a gradual transition into high-grade areas. Notably, in the high-grade lesion, conventional immunochemical markers for breast AciCC, such as, AAT, EMA, CK, SOX10, S100, GATA3, Periodic acid–Schiff-diastase (PASD), E-cadherin were lost while CyclinD1, Vimentin were diffusely expressed. Next‑generation sequencing (NGS) analysis revealed that 43.5% of variants were identical in both classical and high-grade components. Additionally, PAK5 mutation, copy number loss of CDH1, CHEK1, MLH1, copy number gains of CDK6, HGF, FOXP1 were identified in the high-grade component.
Conclusions
The case offers a comparative analysis of the histopathology and genetic characteristics of classical low-grade and high-grade components within the same breast AciCC. This may serve as a morphological and molecular basis for further investigation into the molecular mechanisms underlying high-grade lesions in breast AciCC.
Complete Mitochondrial Genome Analysis Unveils Genomic Variability and Phylogenetic Insights of Fasciola gigantica from Sudan
Authors: Salim Bashir , Mohamed Nouh S. , Ibrahim Kamal , Alasmari Saeed , Chatanga Elisha , Ohari Yuma , Nonaka Nariaki , Almathen Faisal , Nakao Ryo
Published: May 2024

The utilization of complete mitochondrial (mt) genomes as molecular markers for exploring phylogenetic relationships is increasingly prevalent. Here, we conducted sequencing of the complete mt genome of Fasciola gigantica from 16 samples sourced from cattle, sheep, and goats in Sudan, employing the Illumina MiSeq platform. The resultant mt genome of F. gigantica measured 14,483 bp in length, presenting a circular configuration and comprising 36 genes, including 12 protein-coding genes, 2 subunit ribosomal RNA genes (rRNA), and 22 transfer RNA genes (tRNA). Notably, the start and stop codons of the 12 protein-coding genes were consistently ATG and TAG, respectively, matching reference mt genomes, with the exception of the ND5 gene's start codon (GTG) and the ND4 gene's stop codon (TAA). While the lengths of ten protein-coding genes remained identical between the reference and Sudan isolates, variations were observed in ND4L and COX1. Specifically, the ND4L gene in the reference was 12 bp longer, measuring 273 bp compared to the Sudan isolates, which were 261 bp long. Conversely, COX1 in the reference was 9 bp shorter, measuring 1,533 bp, in contrast to the Sudan isolates, which were 1,542 bp long. These discrepancies highlight specific genomic differences between the reference and Sudan isolates of Fasciola gigantica, potentially indicative of evolutionary divergence or genetic adaptation within distinct populations. Evaluation of non-coding region lengths further revealed disparities between Sudan isolates and the reference. Sliding window analysis unveiled notable nucleotide variability within the mt genome of F. gigantica from Sudan compared to the reference. Phylogenetic analysis, based on concatenated amino acid sequences of all 12 protein-coding genes, depicted distinct clustering of F. gigantica from Sudan. Noteworthy insights into the evolutionary process affecting host specificity, particularly in sheep and goats, were gleaned from stem-loop analysis of non-coding regions. In conclusion, the novel complete mt genomes of F. gigantica from diverse host species serve as valuable genetic markers for investigating epidemiology, population genetics, phylogeography, and host-species interactions. .
Nesfatin-1 mitigates calcific aortic valve disease via suppressing ferroptosis mediated by GSH/GPX4 and ZIP8/SOD2 axes
Authors: Wang Song , Gu Jiaxi , Bian Jinhui , He Yuqiu , Xu Xiufan , Wang Chen , Li Geng , Zhang Hui , Ni Buqing , Chen Si , Shao Yongfeng , Jiang Yefan
Published: May 2024

Objective: Calcific aortic valve disease (CAVD) is a prevalent condition in the elderly population, lacking effective medical treatments. Nesfatin-1, a hypothalamic peptide generated from Nucleobindin 2 processing, has been implicated in both physiological and pathological calcification. In this study, we aimed to investigate the role of Nesfatin-1 in facilitating the transformation of aortic valve interstitial cells (AVICs) in relation to CAVD.
Methods and Results: In vitro experiments demonstrated that Nesfatin-1 treatment attenuated osteogenic differentiation of AVICs, while in vivo studies showed that it slowed down CAVD progression. RNA-sequencing analysis of AVICs treated with or without Nesfatin-1 revealed enrichment of the Ferroptosis pathway among the top 15 Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathways. Further investigations confirmed increased ferroptosis in calcified valves and osteoblast-like AVICs, with Nesfatin-1 treatment reducing ferroptosis in AVICs. Among the genes involved in the Ferroptosis pathway, ZIP8 exhibited the most significant change upon Nesfatin-1 treatment. Silencing ZIP8 enhanced ferroptosis and osteogenic differentiation in AVICs. Additionally, silencing ZIP8 reduced intracellular Mn2+ concentration, as well as the expression and activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD2). Concordantly, silencing SOD2 further enhanced ferroptosis and osteogenic differentiation in AVICs. Moreover, Nesfatin-1 treatment increased glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4) expression and glutathione (GSH) levels in AVICs, as confirmed by Western blotting and GSH concentration estimation.
Conclusion: In summary, Nesfatin-1 inhibits osteogenic differentiation of AVICs by attenuating ferroptosis. This reduction in ferroptosis levels is mediated by the GSH/GPX4 and ZIP8/SOD2 axes.
Generation of a mouse model of thyroid storm induced by exogenous thyrotoxicosis and lipopolysaccharide: preliminary investigation of the therapeutic effects of ghrelin
Authors: Kurimoto Chiaki , Furukawa Yasushi , Akamizu Takashi , Doi Asako , Takeshima Ken , Morita Shuhei , Iwakura Hiroshi , Ariyasu Hiroyuki , Furuta Hiroto , Nishi Masahiro , Matsuoka Taka-Aki
Published: May 2024

Background
Thyroid storm (TS), a life-threatening condition that can damage multiple organs, has limited therapeutic options. Hypercytokinemia is a suggested background, but the pathological condition is unclear and there are no appropriate animal models. We aimed to develop a TS model mouse by administration of triiodothyronine and lipopolysaccharide, and then to examine the effects of ghrelin on this model.
Methods
We evaluated the use of serum IL-6 levels as a representative marker of hypercytokinemia in patients with TS. As a TS model, C57BL/6 mice were titrated with triiodothyronine (subcutaneously, once daily for seven consecutive days) and lipopolysaccharide (intraperitoneally, on day 7) to develop a lethal model with approximately 30% survival on day 8. We assessed the survival ratio, mouse sepsis scores and blood biomarkers (IL-6, metanephrine, alanine aminotransferase) and evaluated the effects of ghrelin on these parameters.
Results
Serum IL-6 was increased in patients with TS compared with those with Graves' disease without TS (18.2 vs. 2.85 pg/mL, P < .05, n = 4 each). The dosage for the murine TS model was triiodothyronine 1.0 mg/kg and lipopolysaccharide 0.5 mg/kg. The TS model group had increased mouse sepsis score, serum IL-6, metanephrine and alanine aminotransferase. In this model, the ghrelin improved the survival rate to 66.7% (P < .01, vs. 0% [saline-treated group]) as well as the mouse sepsis score, and it decreased the serum IL-6 and metanephrine.
Conclusion
We established an animal model of TS that exhibits pathophysiological states similar to human TS with induction of serum IL-6 and other biomarkers by administration of T3 and LPS. The results suggest the potential effectiveness of ghrelin for TS in humans.
QAFI: A Novel Method for Quantitative Estimation of Missense Variant Impact Using Protein-Specific Predictors and Ensemble Learning
Authors: Ozkan Selen , Padilla Natàlia , Cruz Xavier de la
Published: May 2024

Next-generation sequencing (NGS) has revolutionized genetic diagnostics, yet its application in precision medicine remains incomplete, despite significant advances in computational tools for variant annotation. Many variants remain unannotated, and existing tools often fail to accurately predict the range of impacts that variants have on protein function. This limitation restricts their utility in relevant applications such as predicting disease severity and onset age. In response to these challenges, a new generation of computational models is emerging, aimed at producing quantitative predictions of genetic variant impacts. However, the field is still in its early stages, and several issues need to be addressed, including improved performance and better interpretability. This study introduces QAFI, a novel methodology that integrates protein-specific regression models within an ensemble learning framework, utilizing conservation-based and structure-related features derived from AlphaFold models. Our findings indicate that QAFI significantly enhances the accuracy of quantitative predictions across various proteins. The approach has been rigorously validated through its application in the CAGI6 contest, focusing on ARSA protein variants, and further tested on a comprehensive set of clinically labeled variants, demonstrating its generalizability and robust predictive power. The straightforward nature of our models may also contribute to better interpretability of the results.
Transdisciplinary approach to the characterisation and current status of Spanish karstic lakes on gypsum
Authors: Morant Daniel , Camacho-Santamans Alba , Hidalgo Rafael , Camacho Antonio
Published: May 2024

Karstic lakes on gypsum are a very peculiar type of ecosystem declared as a Habitat Type of Community Interest (Type 3190) by the European Habitats Directive. They are usually small lakes but often displaying a high relative depth, located in active gypsum karst areas, with a high saturation of Ca2+ and SO42− in its waters. These lakes can usually stratify from spring to early autumn when the depth is high enough, then a sulphide-rich anoxic hypolimnion can develop in deep layers. So far, neither a comprehensive scientific definition of their ecological characteristics nor an exhaustive catalogue of their occurrence in a particular territory are available. This paper delves on their biotic and abiotic features needed for their identification as an ecosystem type. A proper methodology was also designed and applied for the evaluation of their conservation status, with the definition of reference values and assessment methods following the criteria of the Habitats Directive. The Spanish karstic lakes on gypsum (THCI 3190) were here identified, statistically representative sites were selected, and spatial GIS methods and multimetric indices were applied to assess the range, area, structure and function, and future prospects of this Habitat Type, as requested for the reporting according to Article 17 of the Habitats Directive. Results showed a favourable conservation status of this habitat type in the Alpine and Atlantic regions of Spain, but unfavourable-inadequate status in the Mediterranean, due to the pressures and impacts acting on some specific sites. A critical analysis of the methodologies and the values obtained for its conservation status was carried out.
Evaluation of a long-lasting microbial larvicide against Culex quinquefasciatus and Aedes aegypti under laboratory and a semi-field trial
Authors: Rique Hyago Luiz , Menezes Heverly Suzany Gouveia , Santos Maria Alice Varjal Melo , Silva-Filha Maria Helena Neves Lobo
Published: May 2024

Background
Microbial larvicides containing both Lysinibacillus sphaericus and Bacillus thuringiensis svar. israelensis (Bti) insecticidal crystals can display advantages for mosquito control. This includes a broader action against larvae that are refractory to the Binary (Bin) toxin from Lysinibacillus sphaericus, as Bin-resistant Culex quinquefasciatus and Aedes aegypti larvae, that often co-habit urban areas of endemic countries for arboviruses. Our major goal was to assess the toxicity of a L. sphaericus/Bti larvicide (Vectomax FG™) to Cx. quinquefasciatus (susceptible CqS and Bin-resistant CqR) and Ae. aegypti (Aae) and to determine its persistence in the breeding sites with those larvae.
Methods
The toxicity of L. sphaericus/Bti to larvae was performed using bioassays, the persistence was evaluated in simulate field trials carried out under the shade and testing two label concentrations for twelve weeks. A laboratory strain SREC was established with CqS and CqR larvae and kept for four generations to evaluate the ability of the L. sphaericus /Bti to eliminate resistant larvae.
Results
The L. sphaericus/Bti showed toxicity to larvae from all strains with a decreasing pattern for CqS (LC50 = 0.006, LC90 = 0.030), CqR (LC50 = 0.009, LC90 = 0.069) and Aae (LC50 = 0.042, LC90 = 0.086). In a simulated field trial, the larvicide showed a persistence of six and eight weeks, controlling larvae from all strains, in containers with 100 L of water, using 2 g or 4 g per containers, respectively. The treatment of SREC larvae with L. sphaericus/Bti showed its capacity to eliminate the Bin-resistant larvae using suitable concentrations to target those larvae.
Conclusion
Our results showed the high efficacy and persistence of the L. sphaericus/Bti larvicide to control Cx. quinquefasciatus and Ae. aegypti that might cohabit breeding sites. These findings demonstrated that such larvicides can be an effective tool for controlling those species in urban areas with a low potential for selecting resistance.
Who Actualizes Postpartum Contraceptive Intentions? A Trajectory Cluster Analysis
Authors: O’Brien Michelle L. , Nur Aasli Abdi
Published: May 2024

Contraceptive intention is an important woman-centered indicator for family planning. Yet, few studies have examined the determinants of women or couples actualizing their contraceptive intentions. We leverage panel data from the Performance Monitoring for Action (PMA) survey in Ethiopia to examine these dynamics among a pregnancy cohort, over the first year postpartum. Using cluster analysis on intent-to-use trajectories, we find distinct patterns across wealth categories, education levels, and regions. Additionally, we find that receiving family planning counseling in both antenatal and postnatal care visits led to a higher likelihood of intending to use. However, counseling did not increase the odds of actualization. We argue that examining actualization through model-based approaches like cluster analysis generates better insight into woman-centered contraceptive demand and provides stronger evidence for strengthening postpartum family planning interventions, than quantifying contraceptive use alone. Modeling postpartum actualization trajectories can shed light on the barriers to women’s and couple’s reproductive autonomy and inform future investments in both upstream development of better contraceptive methods and downstream implementation.
Episodic Question Answering for Cognitive Agents
Authors: Singh Shweta , Seshadri Shraddha
Published: May 2024

As the demand for artificial intelligence robots and cognitive agents increases, it becomes essential for these agents to comprehend previous encounters and respond to inquiries based on their past experiences. In essence, they need to maintain their memories in an episodic manner. This paper presents a novel approach to address this demand by leveraging the real-life experiences of robots to enrich their knowledge base. To achieve this goal, we employ diverse artificial intelligence techniques, including computer vision, multimodal cross embeddings, speech processing, and generative AI. These methods are utilised to establish a knowledge base that functions as memories for an agent, enabling it to maintain a memory akin to that of a human.To ensure comprehensive memory retention, an agent encounters diverse scenarios such as interacting with individuals, observing conversations, and visiting various locations. To maintain a robust visual and linguistic knowledge base encompassing these experiences, we employ techniques like scene graphs, along with the aforementioned AI methodologies. Existing approaches that involve understanding language and vision used in problem statements such as video question answering, dialogue understanding, or world understanding often overlook the temporal order in which events are observed by the agent or may be restricted to the set of characters or the world in which it has been trained. They struggle to effectively retrieve memories and generate meaningful answers based on this chronological context or in cases where we may rely on a number of past experiences which may reason an event that happened in the future. So, in our study, we've worked on building a solid knowledge base and a way for an agent to remember and link events, just like people do.In conclusion, our work aims to make AI more like humans by helping agents remember and understand events better. This could lead to smarter AI systems that adapt well to different situations in the real world.
Zinc Manganite as an Efficient Battery-grade Material for Supercapattery Devices
Authors: Nagaraja Pernapati , Rao H. Seshagiri , Rao G. Ranga , Justin Ponniah
Published: May 2024

In the current context, supercapatteries emerge as highly desirable candidates capable of merging both energy and power density within a single device. Battery-type metal oxide materials, combined with capacitive-based materials, stand out as promising candidates for high-performance supercapatteries. This investigation centers on the synthesis of nanocrystalline ZnMn2O4 (ZMO) and CoMn2O4 (CMO) through a straightforward hydrothermal method, followed by their physico-electrochemical characterization. Electrochemical analysis reveals that ZMO exhibits notably enhanced charge storage capability compared to CMO. This superiority can be attributed to favourable electro-structural properties, and stable redox chemistry of ZMO. The real-time performance of ZnMn2O4 was further assessed by fabricating a hybrid asymmetric supercapattery device (ZnMn2O4||NrGO), which achieves a specific capacity of 232 C g− 1 at a current density of 1 A g− 1. The hybrid asymmetric device underwent rigorous stability testing for 4000 cycles at a current density of 2 A g− 1, showcasing remarkable performance with a 92% retention of its initial capacity. The device demonstrated a power density of 10 kW kg− 1 and an energy density of 22 W h kg− 1, highlighting its considerable promise in the field.
Targeting RACGAP1 Suppresses Growth Hormone Pituitary Adenoma Growth
Authors: Sun Feifan , Ji Chenxing , Zhou Xiang , Zhang Yichao , Cheng Haixia , Ye Zhao
Published: May 2024

Purpose: Growth hormone pituitary adenoma (GHPA) is a major subtype of pituitary adenoma (PA), with tumor enlargement and abnormal secretion of growth hormone (GH) often causing complications. Rac GTPase-activating protein 1 (RACGAP1), a member of the guanine triphosphatase-activating protein family, is highly overexpressed in multiple tumors and promotes tumor growth. However, the role of RACGAP1 in GHPA remains unelucidated. Besides, specific inhibitors targeting RACGAP1 have not yet been developed. In this study, we aimed to determine the expression and function of RACGAP1 in GHPA and identify effective inhibitors against RACGAP1.
Methods: Immunohistochemistry was used to detect the expression of RACGAP1 in GHPA and normal pituitary tissues. The effect of RACGAP1 on cell proliferation, apoptosis, and cell cycle was evaluated by knockdown of RACGAP1 in GH3 cells in vitro and xenograft models of GHPA in vivo. The downstream mechanism of RACGAP1 was explored by RNA sequencing, bioinformatic analysis, and Western blot. Inhibitors targeting RACGAP1 were screened and verified through a structure-based virtual docking method, cell viability assays, and surface plasmon resonance (SPR) experiments.
Results: RACGAP1 expression was increased in GHPA compared with normal pituitary tissues. Knocking down RACGAP1 suppressed cell growth in vitro and in vivo. Preliminary mechanism studies indicated that inhibition of RACGAP1 led to the upregulation of p21 and the downregulation of several genes involved in the cell cycle signaling pathway, such as Cyclin A, CDK1, and CDK2. Moreover, DB07268 was identified for the first time as an effective RACGAP1 inhibitor that could prominently restrain the proliferation of GH3 cells.
Conclusion: This study demonstrates that RACGAP1 plays a critical role in GHPA, highlighting the novel inhibitor DB07268 as a promising therapeutic approach.
TourOptiGuide: A Hybrid and Personalized Tourism Recommendation System
Authors: Intissar Hilali , Nouha Arfaoui , Ridha Ejbali
Published: May 2024

When visitors explore a city briefly, they must prioritize the key attractions that align with their interests. These significant points of interest (POIs) can be chosen based on specific criteria tailored to their needs. Additionally, travellers venturing into unfamiliar regions often seek help to plan their itinerary. To address this issue, we developed and presented a novel hybrid and personalized recommendation system aimed at helping tourists choose their next POI. The system tailors its suggestions based on four key factors: the tourist's current location, single preferences, age, and historical experiences. Deep learning models play a crucial role in identifying the tourist's current location from images and predicting age from selfies. In addition, our system leverages a trajectory data warehouse containing extensive historical data of past tourist’s experiences to provide suggestions. The core of our recommendation strategy is a fuzzy logic decision support system. This system effectively synthesizes diverse inputs to produce the top next POI to visit. By integrating various recommendation methods, our hybrid system significantly improves the precision and pertinence of its recommendations, offering a more customized and effective travel experience. Preliminary results demonstrate significant improvements in tourist satisfaction and in the efficiency of itinerary planning.
Effects of heating mediums on microstructure and chemical properties of thermally modified Matoa
Authors: Caishan Ling , Chenyang Cai , xianqing Xiong , Yunfang Shen
Published: May 2024

Thermal modification (TM) is considered to be the most environmentally friendly and effective industrial method to reduce the hygroscopicity of wood. However, different heating mediums of TM often results in various performance. In this study, the changes of microstructure, crystallization, chemical composition and equilibrium moisture content (EMC) of thermally modified wood (TMW) were investigated respectively to explore the effects of heating mediums (saturated steam, superheated steam, air), modification temperature and water leaching post-treatment on TMWs. The results showed the general intensity of TM was in the order of: saturated steam > superheated steam > air. Saturated steam induced severer cell wall destruction than the other two mediums. Although the porosity slightly increased with the increasing TM temperature and leaching treatment, superheated steam and air TM still decreased the porosity compared to that of control, whereas saturated steam TM increased the porosity apparently. Although TM increased both relative crystallinity and crystal size of TMWs. The increasing TM temperature slightly increased the relative crystallinity, but decreased the crystal size. Leaching caused opposite changes in crystal size of TMWs with different heating mediums. The highest crystallinity was observed after saturated steam TM. The increase in relative amount of lignin and cellulose due to the hemicellulose degradation was the main chemical changes of TMWs, further lignin condensation reaction was occurred after saturated steam TM. Although saturated steam TM induced increased porosity, its lowest EMC indicated the decrease of hydroxyl groups was the dominate reason for the decreased hygroscopicity than the changes of microstructure.
scDFN: Enhancing single-cell RNA-seq Clustering with Deep Fusion Networks
Authors: Liu Tianxiang , Bi Yue , Guo Xudong , Zou Quan , Jia Cangzhi , Li Fuyi
Published: May 2024

Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) technology can be used to perform high-resolution analysis of the transcriptomes of individual cells. Therefore, its application has gained popularity for accurately analyzing the ever-increasing content of heterogeneous single-cell datasets. Central to interpreting scRNA-seq data is the clustering of cells to decipher transcriptomic diversity and infer cell behavior patterns. Although clustering plays a key role in the subsequent analysis of single-cell transcriptomics, its complexity necessitates the application of advanced methodologies capable of resolving the inherent heterogeneity and limited gene expression characteristics of single-cell data. In this study, we introduced a novel deep learning-based algorithm for single-cell clustering, designated scFCN, which can significantly enhance the clustering of scRNA-seq data through a fusion network strategy. The scFCN algorithm applies a dual mechanism involving an autoencoder to extract attribute information and an improved graph autoencoder to capture topological nuances, integrated via a cross-network information fusion mechanism complemented by a triple self-supervision strategy. This fusion is optimized through a holistic consideration of four distinct loss functions. A comparative analysis with five leading scRNA-seq clustering methodologies across multiple datasets revealed the superiority of scFCN, as determined by better Normalized Mutual Information (NMI) and Adjusted Rand Index (ARI) metrics. Additionally, scFCN demonstrated robust multi-cluster dataset performance and exceptional resilience to batch effects. Ablation studies highlighted the key roles of the autoencoder and the improved graph autoencoder components, along with the critical contribution of the four joint loss functions to the overall efficacy of the algorithm. Through these advancements, scFCN set a new benchmark in single-cell clustering and can be used as an effective tool for the nuanced analysis of single-cell transcriptomics. The source code of scFCN is publicly available at https://github.com/11051911/scDFN.
Landslide Susceptibility Mapping Using Information Value Model with GIS in Wegeda Area, Northwestern Ethiopia
Authors: Mersha Tilahun
Published: May 2024

The geological and physiographical conditions have made Guna Mountain one of the area’s most vulnerable to disaster since it is a part of the northwestern highlands of Ethiopia. Parts of the Wegeda area are characterized by weathered volcanic rocks, rugged morphology with deeply incised gorges, heavy rainfall, and active surface processes. Many landslide events are frequently occurring in the studied area, mostly triggered by heavy seasonal rainfall and human activity, causing deaths and severe infrastructure damage to the local people. In this study, Information Value (IV) Model was applied to evaluate the landslide causative factors and generate a landslide susceptibility map (LSM). To do this, intensive fieldwork and Google Earth image interpretations were done on active and passive landslide scarps and produced a reliable landslide inventory map. These landslide locations were randomly divided into 80% training and 20% validation datasets. Seven landslide governing factors were combined with a training dataset using GIS tools to generate the LSM of the study area. Then the area was divided into five landslide susceptibility classes: very low, low, moderate, high, and very high. Later, the resulting map has been validated by using the area under the curve (AUC) and landslide density index methods for both the training and validation landslide datasets. According to the AUC graph, the IV model had a success rate and a predictive rate value of 82.4% and 78.3% respectively. This indicated that the produced LSM showed reasonable performance. Finally, the LSM produced by the IV model can be used by decision-makers for land use planning and landslide mitigation purpose.
Qualitative Interferon-γ Release Assay for Predicting Response to BCG instillations in Bladder Cancer
Authors: Köseoğlu Hikmet , Yalçın Berrin , Yücetaş Uğur , Eroğlu Tolga , Mungan Uğur
Published: May 2024

Background This study aims to fill the void in predictive markers for BCG instillation responsiveness in high-risk non-muscle invasive bladder cancer. Focusing on elevated progression risk, it explores the potential of the qualitative interferon-γ release assay T-spot, emphasizing CFP-10 positivity as a marker for BCG efficacy anticipation.
Objective This study aims to investigate the potential of qualitative interferon-γ release assay T-spot testing, specifically focusing on CFP-10 positivity, in predicting the response to intracavitary BCG instillations among patients with high-risk non-muscle invasive bladder cancer.
Materials and Methods Patients with NMIBC were recruited from the database retrospectively and tested with T-spot prospectively. Following sufficient BCG instillations, patients demonstrating unresponsiveness to BCG were designated as the study group, while those with at least one year of recurrence-free status were assigned to the control group.
ResultsIn this cohort of 42 high-risk NMIBC patients, with a median age of 67, 40% displayed BCG unresponsiveness. The distribution included 50% pTa and 81% high-grade cases. Over a median follow-up of 18 months, the positive BCG response varied between pTa (81%) and pT1 (38%) (p=0.005). T-spot testing revealed positivity in 75% of the control group and a higher 92% in BCG unresponsive patients (p=0.235). Significantly, CFP-10 positivity was more pronounced in the BCG unresponsive group at 91.7%, in contrast to 35.7% in the control group (p=0.004).
Conclusions CFP-10 positivity T-spot test may be a marker for predicting the response to BCG instillations.