bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
To scrounge or not to scrounge? An evolutionary game-theoretical result on the integration of marginalist food-sharing models
Authors: Pinheiro Marcos Paiva
Published: December 2023

Behavioral ecologists believe that a substantial portion of variability in observed human food transfers derive from marginal value asymmetries in resource acquisition and can be explained with the help of tolerated scrounging, kin selection and reciprocal exchange models. For this belief to be true, however, it must be shown whether and to what extent these models might be integrated into a coherently unified explanation of resource sharing behavior. In this contribution, I combine marginalist analysis with evolutionary game theory to show that, contrary to the conventional view, these models cannot be usefully integrated. Given the option to scrounge a producer's acquisition or respect her ownership, natural selection should predispose individuals to adopt a pure scrounging strategy that leads to the equalization of marginal value differences in consumption. Reviewing the empirical evidence with a focus on recent agent-based models that illuminate the complex dynamics of scrounging behavior, I show that the pure scrounging equilibrium hypothesis is (i) able to predict node-level data describing the scale and scope of food transfers, (ii) consistent with dyad-level data indicating kin and contingency biases in food transfers, and (iii) supported by the apparent lack of a production-consumption correlation across small-scale communities.
Coarse-Graining Hamiltonian Systems Using WSINDy
Authors: Messenger Daniel A. , Burby Joshua W. , Bortz David M.
Published: December 2023

The Weak-form Sparse Identification of Nonlinear Dynamics algorithm (WSINDy) has been demonstrated to offer coarse-graining capabilities in the context of interacting particle systems (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.physd.2022.133406). In this work we extend this capability to the problem of coarse-graining Hamiltonian dynamics which possess approximate symmetries associated with timescale separation. A smooth ε-dependent Hamiltonian vector field Xε possesses an approximate symmetry if the limiting vector field X0 = limε→0 Xε possesses an exact symmetry. Such approximate symmetries often lead to the existence of a Hamiltonian system of reduced dimension that may be used to efficiently capture the dynamics of the symmetry-invariant dependent variables. Deriving such reduced systems, or approximating them numerically, is an ongoing challenge. We demonstrate that WSINDy can successfully identify this reduced Hamiltonian system in the presence of large perturbations imparted in the ε > 0 regime, while remaining robust to extrinsic noise. This is significant in part due to the nontrivial means by which such systems are derived analytically. WSINDy naturally preserves the Hamiltonian structure by restricting to a trial basis of Hamiltonian vector fields. The methodology is computational efficient, often requiring only a single trajectory to learn the global reduced Hamiltonian, and avoiding forward solves in the learning process. In this way, we argue that weak-form equation learning is particularly well-suited for Hamiltonian coarse-graining. Using nearly-periodic Hamiltonian systems as a prototypical class of systems with approximate symmetries, we show that WSINDy robustly identifies the correct leading-order system, with dimension reduced by at least two, upon observation of the relevant degrees of freedom. We also provide a contribution to the literature on averaging theory by proving that first-order averaging at the level of vector fields preserves Hamiltonian structure in nearly-periodic Hamiltonian systems. We provide physically relevant examples, namely coupled oscillator dynamics, the Hénon-Heiles system for stellar motion within a galaxy, and the dynamics of charged particles.
Unraveling the adaptive mechanisms of Veronica nakaiana in response to drought stress: a transcriptome-based study
Authors: Kaur Chetan , Kwon Young Hyun , Song Ha Young , Gil Min , Rhie Yong Ha , Lee Geung-Joo
Published: December 2023

Drought is a severe environmental constraint to plant productivity. Being a multidimensional stress, it triggers a wide variety of plant responses at the physiological, biochemical, and molecular levels. Exploring stress-related genes in endemic plants such as Veronica nakaiana paves the way to identifying how these plants thrive in their respective locations. To identify genes related to the drought stress response in V. nakaiana, we compared the transcriptomes of plants under well-watered (WW) and drought-stressed (DS) conditions using RNA-sequencing. In DS plants, plant height, root length, leaf area, and stomatal width were significantly reduced, and stomatal density was increased. Interestingly, fresh, and dry weights did not significantly differ between WW and DS plants. To our knowledge, this was the first attempt to establish a de novo transcriptome-based sequence assembly of V. nakaiana under drought stress. We identified 2,261 upregulated and 3,315 downregulated differentially expressed genes in DS plants. In-depth data analysis revealed that a large number of these genes were associated with drought stress responses, including heat shock proteins, abiotic stress related transcription factors, and factors involved in abscisic acid signaling, lipid metabolism, and auxin binding. The results provide insights into the different mechanisms contributing to the drought response in V. nakaiana.
Two pathological patterns in different stages of the same disease：A case report
Authors: He Li , Wang Qiangtao , Liu Jing , Liu Yifan , Ma Jingping , Mao Jinghua
Published: December 2023

This case reports a patient with IgG4 related (IgG4-RD) lung disease who exhibited two different pathological manifestations during the disease process. IgG4 related diseases are a newly defined immune-mediated chronic inflammatory fibrosis disease in recent years. The most common clinical symptoms of this disease are a significant increase in serum IgG4 levels and a mass like lesion.IgG4 RD may have different pathological changes at different stages of the disease, mainly following two stages of development. Its characteristic is the "inflammation" stage, which ultimately leads to "fibrosis" results. Histopathology plays an extremely important role in disease diagnosis. Compared with imaging, it may detect the trend of pulmonary fibrosis earlier to better guide the diagnosis and treatment of IgG4 RD.
Transgelin 2 guards T cell lipid metabolic programming and anti-tumor function
Authors: Hwang Sung-Min , Awasthi Deepika , Jeong Jieun , Sandoval Tito , Chae Chang-Suk , Ramos Yusibeska , Tan Chen , Falco Matias Marin , McBain Ian , Mishra Bikash , Ivashkiv Lionel B. , Zamarin Dmitriy , Cantillo Evelyn , Chapman-Davis Eloise , Holcomb Kevin , Morales Diana , Rodriguez Paulo , Conejo-Garcia Jose , Kaczocha Martin , Vähärautio Anna , Song Minkyung , Cubillos-Ruiz Juan
Published: December 2023

Mounting effective immunity against pathogens and tumors relies on the successful metabolic programming of T cells by extracellular fatty acids1-3. During this process, fatty-acid-binding protein 5 (FABP5) imports lipids that fuel mitochondrial respiration and sustain the bioenergetic requirements of protective CD8+ T cells4,5. Importantly, however, the mechanisms governing this crucial immunometabolic axis remain unexplored. Here we report that the cytoskeletal organizer Transgelin 2 (TAGLN2) is necessary for optimal CD8+ T cell fatty acid uptake, mitochondrial respiration, and anti-cancer function. We found that TAGLN2 interacts with FABP5, enabling the surface localization of this lipid importer on activated CD8+ T cells. Analysis of ovarian cancer specimens revealed that endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress responses elicited by the tumor microenvironment repress TAGLN2 in infiltrating CD8+ T cells, enforcing their dysfunctional state. Restoring TAGLN2 expression in ER-stressed CD8+ T cells bolstered their lipid uptake, mitochondrial respiration, and cytotoxic capacity. Accordingly, chimeric antigen receptor T cells overexpressing TAGLN2 bypassed the detrimental effects of tumor-induced ER stress and demonstrated superior therapeutic efficacy in mice with metastatic ovarian cancer. Our study unveils the role of cytoskeletal TAGLN2 in T cell lipid metabolism and highlights the potential to enhance cellular immunotherapy in solid malignancies by preserving the TAGLN2-FABP5 axis.
How does practice modulate fake production costs in basketball? Analyses of frequency distributions and mixture effects
Authors: Böer Nils Tobias , Schütz Christoph , Weigelt Matthias , Güldenpenning Iris
Published: December 2023

The execution of incompatible actions imposes costs on action planning, commonly known as response-response incompatibility costs. This phenomenon is evident in various domains, including the sports context, such as executing head fakes in basketball, where spatially incompatible actions, like a head turn to the right paired with a passing movement to the left, are performed. Building upon prior research demonstrating that extensive practice diminishes the costs associated with producing passes with head fakes (Böer et al., 2023), this paper delves deeper into the underlying mechanisms driving the observed reduction in fake production costs. We employed distribution analyses by fitting individual frequency distributions of initiation times (ITs) to ex-Gaussian distributions. This approach allowed us to discern whether practice predominantly influences the Gaussian part or the exponential part of the distribution. Additionally, we applied mixture effect modeling (Miller, 2006) to explore whether fake production costs manifest occasionally but substantially (mixed effect) or continuously but moderately (uniform effect).The distribution analyses showed that the improvement in participants’ performance and the reduction of fake production costs with increasing practice can mainly be attributed to a reduction of the exponential part of the distribution, indicating an improvement of participants decision-making processes (Whelan, 2008). The analysis of mixture effects revealed that most participants exhibited a uniform effect when they didn’t have time to mentally prepare the movement, indicated by consistent fake production costs which were present in over 75% of trials. This pattern was not changed by practice, suggesting fake production costs can’t be overcome by practice.
A fruit-bearing angiosperm from the Jurassic of Inner Mongolia, China
Authors: Wang Xin , Han Gang , Sun Jie
Published: December 2023

Although pre-Cretaceous angiosperms have been rejected or suspected by some palaeobotanists, their existence in the Jurassic appears increasingly promising, especially when recent palaeobotanical progress is taken into consideration. Although an herbaceous whole plant of an angiosperm has been reported from the Jurassic Jiulongshan Formation, its implication for angiosperm evolution is under-appreciated. Here, from exactly the same fossil locality, we report a fruit-bearing angiosperm, Daohugoufructus fructiferous gen. et sp. nov. The unique fruits on elongated scapes distinguish Daohugoufructus from all known gymnosperms and suggest an angiospermous affinity. With physically connected fruits, leaves and branch, Daohugoufructus sheds an otherwise unavailable light on early angiosperms and their evolution.
Sub-SpaCE: Subsequence-based Sparse Counterfactual Explanations for Time Series Classification Problems
Authors: Refoyo Mario , Luengo David
Published: December 2023

The interpretation of existing machine learning models has become a critical task to facilitate the widespread adoption of AI across different domains, leading to the apparition of eXplainable AI (XAI). However, there exists an imbalance between methods tailored for specific data domains, with dedicated approaches for time series data having received limited attention until now. Moreover, current approaches often overlook the unique challenges present in time series data. In this paper, we introduce Subsequence-based Sparse Counterfactual Explanations (Sub-SpaCE), a novel method tailored for time series classification problems. Sub-SpaCE employs genetic algorithms with customized mutation and initialization processes, promoting changes in a small number of subsequences to generate highly sparse and plausible counterfactual explanations. Our empirical evaluations on various datasets demonstrate Sub-SpaCE's superior performance, achieving an optimal balance between sparsity and plausibility in counterfactual explanations for time series data.
Diet Quality as Assessed by the Healthy Eating Index-2020 among Different Smoking Status: An Analysis of National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) Data from 2005-2018
Authors: Luo Ting , Tseng Tung-Sung
Published: December 2023

Background
Combining smoking with poor eating habits significantly elevates the risk of chronic illnesses and early death. Understanding of how dietary quality shifts post-smoking cessation remains limited. The objective of this study is to examine dietary quality – using Healthy Eating Index (HEI – 2020) and its 13 components, among current, former, and never smokers, and particularly the impact of quitting and the duration of cessation on dietary habits.
Methods
A cross-sectional analysis of 31,569 adults from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2005-2018 was conducted. Dietary quality was assessed using HEI-2020 scores, which were determined by NIH developed - simple HEI scoring algorithm per person. Smoking status was categorized into current, former, and never smokers, with further subdivisions for current (heavy/light smokers) and former smokers (duration post-cessation). Descriptive analysis and multiple regression models weighted to represent the US population were performed.
Results
The current smoking rate was 19.4%, with a higher prevalence in males (22.5%) than females (17.5%). Current smokers reported statistically significantly lower HEI total score than both former and never smokers. Former smoker exhibited HEI scores similar to those of never smokers. The adjusted HEI total scores for current, former, and never smokers were 49.2, 54.0, and 53.3, respectively, with a statistically significant difference (p < 0.001). Moreover, light smokers had better total HEI score than heavy smokers (46.8 vs. 50.8, p < 0.001, respectively), but former and never smokers scored even higher. Quitting smoking immediately improved dietary quality, with former smokers reaching the dietary levels of never smokers within 5-10 years (53.8 vs. 53.3, p > 0.05, respectively). Compared to current smokers, former smokers tend to consume more beneficial foods (e.g., fruits, vegetables, greens and beans, whole grains, proteins, and fatty acids), while also consuming more sodium and less added sugar.
Conclusions
Current smokers, particularly heavy smokers, exhibit poorer dietary habits than former and never smokers. The dietary quality of former smokers aligns with never smokers over time, highlighting the positive impact of smoking cessation on diet. This has implications for reducing chronic disease risks associated with poor diet and smoking.
Revolutionary Data Deduplication With Fuzzy C-means: Advancing Data Quality Management
Authors: Selvi p
Published: December 2023

In an era in which statistics plays a crucial component in Decision-making techniques, records first-rate is vital. Data deduplication, or detecting and putting off replica statistics inside a dataset, is a key activity for ensuring record integrity and accuracy. Traditional deduplication procedures regularly rely upon best matches and can be ineffective while handling facts that incorporate variations and uncertainty. This work gives a unique way to statistics deduplication the usage of Fuzzy C-Means (FCM) clustering, a technique typically used for facts clustering however tailored right here to the context of facts deduplication. FCM allows record points to belong to extraordinary clusters in components, bearing in mind differences and uncertainties inside the statistics. This study represents a remarkablework of Fuzzy C-Means clustering in the context of data deduplication, contributing to the sphere of information exceptional control and statistics preprocessing. Further developments in this place keep the potential for extra correct and robust facts processing in a global more and more reliant on tremendous facts. The proposed work emphasizes the overall performance aspects of the FCM-based deduplication method, which includes its effectiveness and its ability to lessen false positives and false negatives, making it a robust solution for records deduplication in various contexts.
Post-Pandemic Recruitment Methods for Conducting School-Based Research
Authors: Michael Olivia , Kim Emily , Du Adora , Shih Wendy , Kasari Connie , Locke Jill
Published: December 2023

School-based research is valuable for understanding and improving educational practices and outcomes, but study recruitment in school settings can often be challenging, particularly after the COVID-19 pandemic. As school-based recruitment efforts have increasingly shifted online, researchers must consider and employ effective strategies when recruiting participants using digital communication tools like email. This short report reflects on anecdotal experiences from two studies conducted in elementary schools in the United States (US) and Canada to provide an overview of different practical techniques researchers can use to design email recruitment plans for school-based research. Notably, researchers may benefit from using web-based tools to create comprehensive and representative recruitment lists. Emails that feature concise and personalized messages with videos or graphics may cater to educators' needs and priorities. Strategically timing recruitment and reminder emails to match school calendars and educators’ schedules may help to align recruitment with the school calendar. Limitations related to the restricted generalizability of the sample and the need for further empirical research to test these methods are discussed. Future research should explore methods for recruiting other important school stakeholders (e.g., caregivers and students) and other recruitment tools (e.g., social media and video software).
Spiral tibiofibular fractures complicated by ipsilateral Tillaux and posterior malleolus fractures in adults—A rare injury patterns: case report
Authors: Zhang Jinlong , Zhang Hui , Gan Haiye , Tai Huiping , Ma Yuhong
Published: December 2023

BackgroundAn avulsion fracture of the distal tibia caused by severe traction of the anterior-inferior tibiofibular ligament (AITFL) is called a Tillaux fracture. This injury is rare in adults because the AITFL is usually broken before a Tillaux fracture. This case report describes, for the first time, an adult spiral tibiofibular fracture combined with ipsilateral Tillaux and posterior malleolus fractures and discusses the injury mechanism, diagnosis, and treatment.
Case A 45-year-old female experienced a slip and fall while walking. She experienced pain and swelling of the right calf, external rotation deformity of the right foot, and limited mobility. The X-ray imaging showed a tibiofibular spiral fracture, followed by a computed tomography (CT) scan that identified an associated ankle and Tillaux fractures. After the diagnosis was confirmed, AITFL tension was restored by open reduction and lag nail fixation of the Tillaux fracture. Subsequently, the posterior malleolus was stabilized using a cannulated nail to restore the alignment and stability of the tibiotalar joint. Finally, the spiral fracture of the tibia was fixed with an intramedullary nail, successfully restoring the normal anatomical structure of the patient.
Conclusions Adult Tillaux fractures combined with other fractures are rare and can be easily misdiagnosed. CT examination should be performed to confirm the diagnosis. Reduction and fixation can achieve satisfactory results in patients with a Tillaux fracture fragment displacement > 2 mm.
Use of 3D-CT-Derived Psoas Major Muscle Volume in Defining Sarcopenia in Colorectal Cancer
Authors: Takahashi Makoto , Sakamoto Kazuhiro , Kogure Yosuke , Nojiri Shuko , Tsuchiya Yuki , Honjo Kumpei , Kawai Masaya , Ishiyama Shun , Sugimoto Kiichi , Nagakari Kunihiko , Tomiki Yuichi
Published: December 2023

Background
Sarcopenia is characterized by reduced skeletal muscle volume and is a condition that is prevalent among elderly patients and associated with poor prognosis as a comorbidity in malignancies. Given the aging population in Japan, an understanding of malignancies, including colorectal cancer (CRC), complicated by sarcopenia is increasingly important. Therefore, the focus of this study is on a novel and practical diagnostic approach of assessment of psoas major muscle volume (PV) using 3-dimensional computed tomography (3D-CT) in diagnosis of sarcopenia in patients with CRC.
Methods
The subjects were 150 patients aged 80 or older with CRC who underwent primary tumor resection at Juntendo University Hospital between 2004 and 2017. 3D-CT measurement of PV and conventional CT measurement of the psoas major muscle cross-sectional area (PA) were used to identify sarcopenia (group S) and non-sarcopenia (group nS) cases. Clinicopathological characteristics, operative results, postoperative complications, and prognosis were compared between these groups.
Results
The S:nS ratios were 15:135 for the PV method and 52:98 for the PA method. There was a strong positive correlation (r = 0.66, p < 0.01) between PVI (psoas major muscle volume index) and PAI (psoas major muscle cross-sectional area index), which were calculated by dividing PV or PA by the square of height. Surgical results and postoperative complications did not differ significantly in the S and nS groups defined using each method. Overall survival was worse in group S compared to group nS identified by PV (p < 0.01), but not significantly different in groups S and nS identified by PA (p = 0.77). A Cox proportional hazards model for OS identified group S by PV as an independent predictor of a poor prognosis (p < 0.05), whereas group S by PA was not a predictor of prognosis (p = 0.60).
Conclusions
The PV method for identifying sarcopenia in elderly patients with CRC is more practical and sensitive for prediction of a poor prognosis compared to the conventional method.
Synthesis of Cu doped NiO for Their Antioxidant and Photocatalytic Properties: Green Synthesis Using Lycopodium Linn
Authors: Bavaji S. R. , Ahamed A. Jafar , Rajeswaran P.
Published: December 2023

When compared to metal oxide nanoparticles made via physical and chemical processes, those made using botanical extracts are more stable and biocompatible. Evaluation of the antioxidant and photocatalytic properties of NiO NPs synthesized from Phytolacca dodecandra L. Herit (P.d) leaf extract is the primary objective of this study. The produced Cu-doped NiO-NPs at an optimal temperature of 400 oC have been studied using XRD, TEM, FT-IR, UV-Vis, BET, and XPS studies at varying concentrations of copper (1, 3, and 5%). Dye water solutions of Rose Bengal (RB) and Methylene Blue (MB) were degraded to test the photocatalytic activity of the produced samples. When exposed to UV light for 60 minutes, 5-Cu-NiO nanophotocatalyst degraded MB dye at a rate of 98.7% (0.5 mol/L), with a high apparent constant of 0.9871 min-1 and excellent long-term stability. At concentrations of 363.96 and 350.29 g/mL, respectively, NiO NPs and CuNiO NPs inhibited the oxidation of 50% of the H2O2 molecules in the antioxidant test. In addition, copper ions may be responsible for the increased antioxidant activity of the biosynthesized NiO NPs.
In-Clinic and Natural Gait Observations (I-CAN-GO): A Master Protocol to Validate Gait using a Lumbar Accelerometer
Authors: Welbourn Miles , Sheriff Paul , Tuttle Pirinka Georgiev , Adamowicz Lukas , Psaltos Dimitrios , Kelekar Amey , Selig Jessica , Messere Andrew , Mei Winnie , Caouette David , Ghafoor Sana , Santamaria Mar , Zhang Hao , Demanuele Charmaine , Karahanoglu F. Isik , Cai Xuemei
Published: December 2023

Traditional measurements of gait are typically performed in clinical or laboratory settings where functional assessments are used to collect episodic data, which may not reflect naturalistic gait and activity patterns. The emergence of digital health technologies has enabled reliable and continuous representation of gait and activity in free-living environments. To provide further evidence for naturalistic gait characterization, we aimed to validate and evaluate the performance of a method for measuring gait derived from a single lumbar-worn accelerometer with respect to reference methods. This evaluation included distinguishing between participants’ self-perceived different gait speed levels, and effects of different floor surfaces such as carpet and tile on walking performance, and performance under different bouts, speed, and duration of walking during a wide range of simulated daily activities. Using data from 20 healthy adult participants, we found different self-paced walking speeds and floor surface effects can be accurately characterized. Furthermore, we showed accurate representation of gait and activity during simulated daily living activities and longer bouts of outside walking. Participants in general found that the devices were comfortable. These results extend our previous validation of the method to more naturalistic setting and increases confidence of implementation at-home.
Evaluation of the Plastid and Nuclear DNA barcodes in genus Ocimum towards Quality Assurance in Herbal Industry
Authors: Kumar Amit , Rodrigues Vereena , Saxena Akanksha , Mishra Priyanka , Shukla Ashutosh , Shasany Ajit Kumar , Nazar Nazia , Sgamma Tiziana , Slater Adrian , Sundaresan Velusamy
Published: December 2023

Background: Species of the genus Ocimumare of immense value and are in high demand in trade which leads to unscrupulous adulteration of both crude drugs as well as formulations. Traditional method-based authentication is difficult in case of incomplete or damaged samples and in dried herbal bulk material. High degree of morphological similarity, issues of polyploidy and the possibility of inter- and intraspecific hybridization have plagued the Ocimum market. Hence, there is an immediate need for developing DNA barcodes for fast and accurate identification of the species.
Results: In this study, three plastid regions (matK, rbcL and trnH-psbA) and two nuclear regions (ITS and ITS2) are evaluated for their performance as DNA barcodes to check the delineation of Ocimum species. Nearest genetic distance, Wilcoxon test, Best Match (BM) and Neighbor-Joining (NJ) tree methods were taken into account to assess the efficiency of proposed DNA barcodes. Our study suggests that discrimination rate amongst single barcodes is the highest for trnH-psbA with the NJ analysis. By combining two or more barcodes, no significant changes were observed.
Conclusion: A reliable and commercially viable DNA barcoding system has been developed for accurate species identification of various Ocimum species. The varied approaches used in the investigation had different species identification potential. The identification success rates of plastid DNA and nuclear DNA barcodes were comparable using pairwise genetic distance (PWG-distance), BM and NJ methods. Despite having high inter-specific and the lowest intra-specific genetic distance, trnH-psbAfailed to discriminate Ocimum species having hybrid origin, indicating the need to develop more suitable barcode loci in future.
The Role of External Heat Sources and Chemical Reactions for Enhanced Heat Transfer through Maxwell Nanofluid Flow
Authors: ahmad bilal , Ali Bagh , Bariq Abdul , Ahmed Muhammad Ozair , Shah Asif Ali , Idrees Muhammad , Ragab Adham E.
Published: December 2023

This research addresses finding the dynamics of heat transfer in two-dimensional MHD Maxwell nanoflu-ids flow under the influence of mixed convection and activation energy. The heat source is strategically positioned to take advantage of convective heat transfer and increase the overall thermal performance. Numerical simulations employing computational fluid dynamics (CFD) approaches are used to evaluate the improved thermal transfer efficiency. The governing equations, which comprise the continuity, momentum, energy, and species transport equations, are addressed using appropriate similarity transformations acquired from a PDE (Partial differential equations) model that has been turned into an ODE(ordinary differential equations). MATLAB is used to solve such a nonlinear ODE model. The effects of many parameters, such as nanoparticle concentration, the intensity of an external heat source, and chemical reaction speeds, are intentionally explored. The fluid flow declaration is evaluated in terms of viscosity, and porosity. It was discovered that increasing inputs of rotation, porosity factor, activation energy, and magnetic effect resulted in a significant increase in the profile of temperature. The variational patterns of Nusselt number and skin friction are numerically performed at a rectangular stretching surface.
Morphometric and Hypsometric Analyses in Prioritizing Sub‑watersheds of Drought-prone Barind Tract, NW Bangladesh: Statistical and Geospatial Tools for Soil Conservation Study
Authors: Ghose Bakul Kumar , Hassan Md. Nahid , Islam Monirul , Howlader Rakib , Rahman Md. Redwanur , Mazumdar Quamrul Hasan , Jahan Chowdhury Sarwar
Published: December 2023

Approach of watershed management activities have eventual role in soil conservation and protection of land degradation by adopting improved and refined efficient tool based on sub-watershed (SW) prioritization which is considered as effective initiatives for their sustainability. Present study has aimed to identify SWs in the topographically elevated drought–prone Barind Tract in NW Bangladesh from where runoff water flows to the surrounding perennial river basins making the areas vulnerable to soil erosion and land degradation. Here, the management approach by morphometric and hypsometric analyses have taken to assess the impact of geomorphological processes on SWs hydrology with the help of geomorphic information system (GIS) and remote sensing (RS) tools with statistical and geospatial technique for prioritizing SW. The analysis of morphometric parameters indicates that the sub-watersheds (SW2, SW11 and SW13) have high susceptibility to soil erosion. On the other hand, the hypsometric analysis shows that SWs (except WS13) are prioritized as high grade. The correlation matrix of 18 (eighteen) geomorphic parameters of studied SWs indicates possible interrelationship between multiple parameters in order to obtain the first factor rotated loading matrix. The sub-watersheds (SW2 and SW11) are categories as high priority class using the Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and the Weight Sum Approach (WSA), and reveals that they are more susceptible to land degradation than that of others. The high rates of soil erosion and land degradation result serious environmental hazard in ecosystem, and create economic hardship. Finally, it may be reveal that findings of present study will be remarkably important for stakeholder to enable decision-making process for strategies in watershed development and management initiatives through ecosystem-based adaptation (EbA) for soil and water conservation in the country.
Inhibitory effects of cenobamate on multiple human cardiac ion channels and possible arrhythmogenic consequences
Authors: Amuzescu Bogdan , Corlan Alexandru Dan , Radu Beatrice Mihaela
Published: December 2023

Cenobamate is a novel third-generation antiepileptic drug used for treatment of focal onset seizures and particularly for multi-drug-resistant epilepsy, producing a reduction in monthly seizure frequency of up to 55% and unprecedented seizure-free rates of up to 28% due to action on multiple targets: GABAA receptors (EC50 42–194µM) and inhibition of persistent neuronal Na+ currents (IC50 59µM). Side effects include QTc interval shortening with > 20ms, but not < 300ms; therefore, cenobamate is forbidden for patients with short QT syndrome. Our in vitro cardiac safety pharmacology study was performed via whole-cell patch-clamp on HEK293T cells with persistent/inducible expression of human cardiac ion channel isoforms hNav1.5 (INa), hCav1.2 (α1c + β2 + α2δ1) (ICaL), hKv7.1 + mink (IKs), and hKv11.1 (hERG) (IKr), using specific bath/pipette solutions and voltage protocols. Thus, we succeeded to evidence for exposure to cenobamate 200µM average inhibitions (± SD) of 69.5 ± 14.6% for peak INa, 39.3 ± 13.8% for peak ICaL (which may explain QT shortening effects), 36.7 ± 13.0% vs. 23.7 ± 9.9% in control experiments for IKs, 5.3 ± 1.8% vs. 4.1% in control experiments for IKr (at 20µM). The marked inhibition by cenobamate of INa raises the theoretical possibility of cardiac arrhythmia induction at therapeutic concentrations in the context of preexisting myocardial pathology, in the presence of electrophysiological conduction and repolarization heterogeneity. This hypothetical mechanism is consistent with known effects of class Ib antiarrhythmics. In preliminary simulations with linear cardiomyocyte strands we found a negligible cenobamate-induced conduction delay in normal tissue, but a marked delay and also block when gap junction conduction was already depressed.
Do cucumbers sleep during Witching hour?
Authors: Takagi Osamu , Sakamoto Masamichi , Kawano Kimiko , Yamamoto Mikio
Published: December 2023

In recent years, several lines of evidence have been reported indicating that brainless organisms also sleep. In this paper, with the aim of answering the question of whether brainless plants also sleep, we analyzed the relationship between the diurnal time at which cucumber sections were prepared and the concentration of gas released from the sections within a certain period of time thereafter. The results showed that the gas concentration released from cucumber sections prepared around 2:00 a.m., the middle of the night, known in Japan as "Ushi-Mitsu-Doki", was the lowest of the day. Our results suggested that the gas production reaction of cucumbers changes depending on the time of sectioning, and that cucumbers were in a state resembling sleep at the "Ushi-Mitsu-Doki" time.
Temporal changes in survival among adult patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia diagnosed in the period 1998-2020 – A Danish nationwide population-based study
Authors: Kristensen Daniel Tuyet , Jåtun Trine Louise , Simonsen Mikkel Runason , Toft Nina , Dimitrijevic Andreja , Ørskov Andreas , Roug Anne , El_Galaly Tarec , Severinsen Marianne
Published: December 2023

Previous studies have shown continuous improved overall survival (OS) for adults with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) up to 2015. However, since 2015 several important advances have been made justifying a more contemporary analysis of outcomes in adult ALL. Here we quantify progress in OS for adult Danish patients with ALL diagnosed between 1998 and 2020 using flexible parametric survival models. This population-based study includes 657 patients and demonstrates a significant improvement in OS over time with the 2-year age standardized OS increasing from 36.2% (95% CI, 26.8–45.6%) in 1998 to 68.5% (95% CI, 60.1–76.9) in 2020, corresponding to an absolute increase in 2-year OS of 32.3 percent points (95% CI, 19.3–45.4) during the surveyed period. Stratified analysis revealed improvements for both Philadelphia chromosome positive and negative ALL, across cytogenetic risk classes, and for B- and T-cell ALL, whereas the latter did not reach statistical significance. Additionally, in age strata improvements were seen across all ages; however, most pronounced for the younger patients ≤ 60 years. These results indicate a universal and continuous improvement in the treatment of adult ALL. Currently, novel treatment combination and advances in cellular therapy occur rapidly, and we expect even further improvements in the years to come.
Association of indications for mandibular third molar coronectomy and the Pell and Gregory and the Winter classification systems
Authors: Simons Rashida N. , Gonesh Mitchell S. , Tuk Jacco G. , de Lange Jan , Lindeboom Jerome A.H.
Published: December 2023

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine how the surgeon’s decision to perform a mandibular third molar coronectomy or surgical removal is associated with the impaction pattern as classified using Pell and Gregory or Winter’s system.
Methods: This observational, cross-sectional study was conducted on 813 mandibular third molars belonging to 565 patients. All patients were referred for removal of the mandibular third molar and had radiographic signs indicating a close relationship with the inferior alveolar nerve. Panoramic images were classified according to the impaction pattern.
Results: A coronectomy was performed on 492 (60.5%) mandibular third molars.
Most impacted mandibular third molars were class IIB with a mesioangular inclination. A significant association was found between the Pell and Gregory classification and the surgeon’s choice (p = 0.002). Winter’s classification was not significantly associated with surgeon choice (p = 0.425).
Conclusion: Mandibular third molar coronectomy is chosen more frequently than surgical removal if molars are class III and position B.
Development of the Perineal Health Behavior Scale: Data from Rural Women in Huaning County, Yunnan Province, China
Authors: Feng Lin-Sen , Meng Yang-xuan , Guo Wen-ran , Shen Ya , Zhang Yi-yan , Yan Ruo-yu , Wang Hao-yu , Song Yi-xiao , Xie Jia-qi , Dong Zheng-jiao
Published: December 2023

Purpose
To develop a set of Perineal Health Behavior Scale (PHBS) for adult female, and verify the reliability and validity of the scale.
Methods
The PHBS was developed using classical measures. The draft version of PHBS was compiled by semi-structured interview method (N = 8), Delphi expert consultation method (N = 5), and cognitive interviewing techniques (N = 20). A total of 1397 rural women from Huaning County were selected to participate in the survey. After items screening, the reliability and validity of final version of PHBS were verified. The influencing factors of perineal health behavior were explored by Multiple linear regression analysis.
Results
There were 11 items in the PHBS, including two dimensions – daily life (7 items), and sexual life (4 items). The scale had good structural validity, convergent validity, discriminant validity, content validity, internal consistency reliability, and split-half reliability. Multiple linear regression showed that suburban rural areas, higher education, and good family relationships were protective factors for poor perineal hygiene behavior (P < 0.05); High social pressure, irregular menstrual cycle, normal/less menstrual volume, and self-reported current genital tract infection are risk factors for poor perineal hygiene behavior (P < 0.05).
Conclusions
The PHBS was a reliable and valid measure to evaluate the level of perineal health behavior in adult female. In the work of health education and health promotion, we should focus on improving the perineal hygiene behaviors and habits of adult female in rural communities (especially remote rural communities).
Integrated Modeling for In-Depth EEG Based Emotional State Analysis via Convolutional-Transformer Fusion
Authors: Ali Noman , Kang A. S , Himral Saurabh
Published: December 2023

This study introduces a hybrid model designed for the predic- tion of emotional states derived from electroencephalogram (EEG) data, employing an amalgamation of convolutional and trans- former layers. The architectural framework of the model is metic- ulously structured to facilitate concurrent assimilation of local pat- terns and long-range dependencies inherent in EEG data, thereby augmenting its discernment of nuanced emotional experiences. The investigation presented herein undertakes a comprehensive explo- ration of the fusion technique, with a primary focus on dis- cerning three elemental emotional dimensions: Arousal, Valence, and Dominance, in addition to their concurrent combinations. The research methodology encompasses an in-depth evaluation of the model’s performance across these diverse emotional states, encompassing the intricate task of simultaneous Valence-Arousal (VA) prediction. Furthermore, the study extends its purview to encompass the intricate Valence-Arousal-Dominance (VAD) space, thereby providing a thorough analysis of the model’s efficacy. To articulate the model’s discriminative efficacy, this study meticu- lously presents the detailed F1 scores corresponding to each emotional state classification: Arousal (96.8), Valence (97.3), Valence-Arousal (VA) simultaneously (95.6), and Valence-Arousal-Dominance simultaneously (94.9). These scores serve as a testament to the model’s robust per- formance across diverse emotional dimensions. Importantly, to fortify the credibility of our findings, rigorous experimentation has been con- ducted on the DEAP dataset, unveiling noteworthy results even in scenarios involving simultaneous recognition of multiple emotional states.
Land-Use Change, No-Net-Loss Policies, and Effects on Carbon Dioxide Removals
Authors: Wear David N. , Wibbenmeyer Matthew
Published: December 2023

Background
Carbon dioxide removal from the atmosphere (CDR) is a critical component of strategies for restricting global warming to 1.5oC and is expected to come largely from the sequestration of carbon in vegetation. Because CDR rates have been declining in the United States, in part due to land use changes, policy proposals are focused on altering land uses, through afforestation, avoided deforestation, and no-net-loss strategies. Estimating policy effects requires a careful assessment of how land uses interact with forest conditions to determine future CDR.
Results
We evaluate how alternative specifications of land use-forest condition interactions in the United States affect projections of CDR using a model that mirrors land sector net emission inventories generated by the US government (EPA). Without land use change, CDR declines from 0.826 GT/yr in 2017 to 0.596 GT/yr in 2062 (28%) due to forest aging and disturbances. For a land use scenario that extends recent rates of change, we compare CDR estimated based on net changes in land use (Net Change model) and estimates that separately account for the distinct CDR implications of forest losses and forest gains (Component Change model). The Net Change model, a common specification, underestimates the CDR losses of land use by about 56 percent when compared with the Component Change models. We also estimate per hectare CDR losses from deforestation and gains from afforestation and find that afforestation gains lag deforestation losses in every ecological province in the US.
Conclusions
Net Change approaches substantially underestimate the impact of land use change on CDR and should be avoided. Component Change models highlight that avoided deforestation may provide up to twice the CDR benefits as increased afforestation—though preference for one policy over the other would require a cost assessment. The disparities in the CDR impacts of afforestation and deforestation indicate that no-net-loss policies could mitigate some CDR losses but would lead to overall declines in CDR for our 45-year time horizon. Over a much longer period afforestation could capture more of the losses from deforestation but at a timeframe inconsistent with most climate change policy efforts.
The modal damping ratio of a Single-Degree-of-Freedom (SDOF)
Authors: Felahi Saci
Published: December 2023

Both NeXT and RDT techniques have their advantages and limitations, and the choice between them depends on the specific requirements and characteristics of the structural system being analyzed. It's recommended to consult relevant literature or seek guidance from experts to ensure accurate and reliable computation of the free-decay response from ambient vibrations.
An iron isotopic perspective for the material flow from off-axis mantle plume to mid-ocean ridge system
Authors: Zhang Haitao , Yan Quanshu , Li Chuanshun , Shi Xuefa , Huang Fang , Shen Fangyu , Wen Qiuyu , Wang Ruirui
Published: December 2023

The interaction between the mid-oceanic ridge (MOR) and the mantle plume is a crucial aspect for understanding Earth’s internal works. However, the compositions and styles of material flow from off-axis plumes to the MOR system still remains elusive. This study examined the iron (Fe) isotope composition of basalts from the South Mid-Atlantic Ridge (SMAR) for the first time. The results showed a consistent relationship between the Fe isotope compositions, trace element ratios, and traditional radiogenic isotopic compositions of lavas from the SMAR and the off-axis Saint Helena plume. This suggests that variations in the Fe isotope compositions of the SMAR mantle source may be influenced by the contribution of the Saint Helena plume. We propose that heavy-Fe pyroxenites are widely distributed within the lithosphere-asthenosphere boundary (LAB) layer in the region between the plume and ridge. These plume-related pyroxenites can transport plume signatures with heavy Fe isotopic compositions into the MOR system at the LAB level.
Optimizing Nanofluid Formulations for Enhanced Thermophysical Properties in Crude Oil: A Study of MWCNTs and SDS in EOR Processes
Authors: Mousavi Seyed Borhan
Published: December 2023

This research delved into the effects of introducing multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) into crude oil with an anionic base, aiming to enhance its thermophysical attributes in the EOR process. The investigation encompassed a range of properties, including interfacial tension, viscosity, density, and electrical conductivity, measured using an LV rheometer with spindle 18. Various ratios of MWCNTs and SDS were mixed with the crude oil to evaluate their impacts. The study uncovered that the 1:1 ratio of MWCNTs to SDS achieved a noteworthy 10% reduction in interfacial tension while minimally affecting viscosity, showing promise for practical applications. Temperature had diverse effects on viscosity and interfacial tension, displaying fluctuating trends. The highest observed result was a substantial 190% viscosity increase at 40°C with a 2:1 ratio, whereas the lowest was a slight − 0.81% density change at 60°C for the 1:1 ratio. Additionally, interfacial tension consistently decreased over time for all ratios at various temperatures, with the most significant reductions observed at 40°C and 60°C, particularly for the 1:2 and 1:1 ratios. Furthermore, adding MWCNTs and SDS led to a remarkable drop in electrical conductivity, indicating a substantial decrease in salt content within the crude oil. However, it was noted that higher MWCNT concentrations might not be cost-effective, emphasizing the importance of optimizing additive ratios for a balance between performance and economic viability. This study highlights the potential of tailored nanofluid formulations to improve the thermophysical properties of crude oil, potentially enhancing extraction and refining processes.