bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Cardiac injury progression in children with multisystem inflammatory syndrome associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection: a review
Authors: Su Song , Hu Wandong , Chen Xiao , Ren Ying , Lu Yi , Shi Jianguo , Zhang Tong , Zhang Huan , Wang Meng , Wang Yaping , Zhao Fen , Jin Ruifeng , Liu Yong , Zhang Hongwei , Liu Guohua
Published: March 2024

The symptoms and signs of infection caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) are milder in children than in adults. However, in April 2020, British pediatricians first reported that coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) may present as multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children and adolescents (MIS-C), similar to that observed in Kawasaki disease. MIS-C can be associated with multiple systemic injuries and even death in children. In addition to digestive system involvement, cardiac injury is prominent. This article reviews the pathogenesis, clinical manifestations, and treatment of cardiac injury caused by MIS-C, which may help clinicians in early diagnosis and timely commencement of treatment.
Association between red cell distribution width-to-albumin ratio and prognostic outcomes in pediatric intensive care unit patients: a retrospective cohort study
Authors: Jing Rui , Yu Baolong , Xu Chenchen , Zhao Ying , Cao Hongmei , He Wenhui , Wang Haili
Published: March 2024

Objective

This study aimed to assess the association between Red Cell Distribution Width-to-Albumin Ratio (RAR) and the clinical outcomes in Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) patients.

Design

This is a retrospective cohort study.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective cohort study based on the Pediatric Intensive Care database. The primary outcome was the 28-day mortality rate. Secondary outcomes included the 90-day mortality rate, in-hospital mortality rate, and length of hospital stay. We explored the relationship between RAR and the prognosis of patients in the PICU using multivariate regression and subgroup analysis.

Results

A total of 7,075 participants were included in this study. The mean age of the participants was 3.4 ± 3.8 years. Kaplan–Meier survival curves demonstrated that patients with a higher RAR had a higher mortality rate. After adjusting for potential confounding factors, we found that for each unit increase in RAR, the 28-day mortality rate increased by 6% (HR = 1.06, 95% CI: 1.01–1.11, P = 0.015). The high-RAR group (RAR ≥ 4.0) had a significantly increased 28-day mortality rate compared to the low-RAR group (RAR ≤ 3.36) (HR = 1.7, 95% CI: 1.23–2.37, P < 0.001). Similar results were observed for the 90-day and in-hospital mortality rate. No significant interactions were observed in the subgroup analysis.

Conclusion

Our study suggests a significant association between RAR and adverse outcomes in PICU patients. A higher RAR is associated with higher 28-day, 90-day, and in-hospital mortality rates.
A systematic review of flurbiprofen 8.75 mg dose and risk of adverse events (excluding haemorrhagic) resulting from drug-drug interactions
Authors: Evans Alison , Roy Debabrata , Dhanda Sandeep , Lane Samantha , Coutinho Graça , Kulasekaran Anuradha , Miller-Shakesby David , Ramamoorthi Nagalakshmi , Shakir Saad
Published: March 2024

Background: Flurbiprofen 8.75 mg lozenges and oromucosal sprays are used for symptomatic relief of sore throat in patients aged 12 years and over. The documented adverse events of flurbiprofen use include those related to its pharmacological actions, namely, increased risk of haemorrhagic events, however other adverse events (such as nephrotoxicity and cardiac failure) have been known to occur. The likelihood of occurrence of adverse events increases when flurbiprofen is used concomitantly with some other medications. Therefore, the objective of this systematic review was to collate the current evidence on adverse events which occur with flurbiprofen 8.75 mg dose (any formulation), in particular as a result of interaction with other medicinal products, with a focus on non-haemorrhagic events.

Methods: Systematic searches of the literature were conducted to identify literature on any formulation of flurbiprofen 8.75 mg up to the date of the electronic database search (data lock: 28 April 2020). Publications were screened to identify studies reporting non-haemorrhagic adverse events with flurbiprofen 8.75 mg and/or non-haemorrhagic adverse events in the comparator arm. Data extraction was performed for eligible studies according to pre-defined criteria and summarised in narratives, tables and figures. Risk of bias and certainty of evidence assessments were planned for each included study where results relating to the primary objective of the systematic review were available.

Results: Of 1,528 publications identified by systematic literature searches, 26 met the inclusion criteria and were included in this review. None of these 26 studies contained information on non-haemorrhagic adverse events occurring as a result of a drug-drug interaction (interaction with concomitant medication used with flurbiprofen 8.75 mg), as per the primary objective and secondary objectives of the systematic review.

Conclusion: Results from this systematic review on the risk of non-haemorrhagic events did not provide evidence for these events occurring as a result of interaction with other medicinal products. Additional appropriately designed studies would be required to confirm whether these findings suggest a true absence of risk or limitations in reporting.
Mechanism of traditional Chinese medicine in elderly diabetes mellitus and a systematic review of its clinical application
Authors: Zhang Qiqi , Hu Shiwan , Jin Zishan , Wang Sicheng , Zhang Boxun , Zhao Linhua
Published: March 2024

Objective: Affected by aging, the elderly diabetes patients have many pathological characteristics different from the young people, including more complications, vascular aging, cognitive impairment, osteoporosis, and sarcopenia. This article will explore their pathogenesis and the mechanism of Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) intervention, and use the method of systematic review to evaluate the clinical application of TCM in elderly diabetes.

Method: Searching for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published from January 2000 to November 2023 in the following databases: Web of Science, Pubmed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Sinomed, China National Knowledge Internet, Wanfang and VIP. They were evaluated by three subgroups of Traditional Chinese Prescription, Traditional Chinese patent medicines and Traditional Chinese medicine extracts for their common prescriptions, drugs, adverse reactions and the quality of them.

Results and Conclusion: TCM has the advantages of multi-target and synergistic treatment in the treatment of elderly diabetes. However, current clinical researches have shortcomings including the inclusion of age criteria and diagnosis of subjects are unclear, imprecise research design, non-standard intervention measures, and its safety needs further exploration. In the future, the diagnosis of elderly people with diabetes needs to be further clarified. Traditional Chinese patent medicines included in the pharmacopoeia can be used to conduct more rigorous RCTs, and then gradually standardize the traditional Chinese medicine prescriptions and traditional Chinese medicine extracts, providing higher level evidence for the treatment of elderly diabetes with traditional Chinese medicine.
Moderate nitrogen application facilitates Bt cotton growth and suppresses population expansion of aphids (Aphis gossypii) by altering plant physiological characteristics
Authors: Guo Lixiang , Niu Lin , Zhu Xiangzhen , Wang Li , Zhang Kaixin , Li Dongyang , Elumalai Punniyakotti , Gao Xueke , Ji Jichao , Cui Jinjie , Luo Junyu
Published: March 2024

Introduction

Excessive application of nitrogen fertilizer in cotton field causes soil and water pollution as well as significant increase of aphid population. Reasonable fertilization is an important approach to improve agricultural production efficiency and reduce agriculture-derived pollutions. This study was aimed to explore the effects of nitrogen fertilizer on the Bt cotton physiological characteristics and the growth and development of A. gossypii, a sap-sucking cotton pest.

Methods

Five different levels of Ca(NO3)2 (0.0 g/kg, 0.3 g/kg, 0.9 g/kg, 2.7 g/kg and 8.1 g/kg) were applied into vermiculite as nitrogen fertilizer in order to explore the effects of nitrogen fertilizer on the growth and development of Bt cotton and aphids.

Results

The results showed that the medium level of nitrogen fertilizer (0.9 g/kg) effectively facilitated the growth of Bt cotton plant and suppressed the population expansion of aphids, whereas high and extremely high nitrogen application (2.7 and 8.1 g/kg) significantly increased the population size of aphids. Both high and low nitrogen application benefited aphid growth in multiple aspects such as prolonging nymph period and adult lifespan, enhancing fecundity, and improving adult survival rate by elevating soluble sugar content in host Bt cotton plants. Cotton leaf Bt toxin content in medium nitrogen group (0.9 g/kg) was significantly higher than that in high (2.7 and 8.1 g/kg) and low (0.3 g/kg) nitrogen groups, but Bt toxin content in aphids was very low in all the nitrogen treatment groups, suggesting that medium level (0.9 g/kg) might be the optimal nitrogen fertilizer treatment level for promoting cotton seedling growth and inhibiting aphids.

Discussion

Overall, this study provides insight into trophic interaction among nitrogen fertilizer levels, Bt cotton, and cotton aphid, and reveals the multiple effects of nitrogen fertilizer levels on growth and development of cotton and aphids. Our findings will contribute to the optimization of the integrated management of Bt cotton and cotton aphids under nitrogen fertilization.
Infants’ sensitivity to phonotactic regularities related to perceptually low-salient fricatives: a cross-linguistic study
Authors: Piot Leonardo , Nazzi Thierry , Boll-Avetisyan Natalie
Published: March 2024

Introduction

Infants’ sensitivity to language-specific phonotactic regularities emerges between 6- and 9- months of age, and this sensitivity has been shown to impact other early processes such as wordform segmentation and word learning. However, the acquisition of phonotactic regularities involving perceptually low-salient phonemes (i.e., phoneme contrasts that are hard to discriminate at an early age), has rarely been studied and prior results show mixed findings. Here, we aimed to further assess infants’ acquisition of such regularities, by focusing on the low-salient contrast of /s/- and /ʃ/-initial consonant clusters.

Methods

Using the headturn preference procedure, we assessed whether French- and German-learning 9-month-old infants are sensitive to language-specific regularities varying in frequency within and between the two languages (i.e., /st/ and /sp/ frequent in French, but infrequent in German, /ʃt/ and /ʃp/ frequent in German, but infrequent in French).

Results

French-learning infants preferred the frequent over the infrequent phonotactic regularities, but the results for the German-learning infants were less clear.

Discussion

These results suggest crosslinguistic acquisition patterns, although an exploratory direct comparison of the French- and German-learning groups was inconclusive, possibly linked to low statistical power to detect such differences. Nevertheless, our findings suggest that infants’ early phonotactic sensitivities extend to regularities involving perceptually low-salient phoneme contrasts at 9 months, and highlight the importance of conducting cross-linguistic research on such language-specific processes.
Exploring hub genes and crucial pathways linked to oxidative stress in bipolar disorder depressive episodes through bioinformatics analysis
Authors: Wu Shasha , Hu Haiyang , Li Yilin , Ren Yan
Published: March 2024

Background

Bipolar disorder (BD) is a complex and serious psychiatric condition primarily characterized by bipolar depression, with the underlying genetic determinants yet to be elucidated. There is a substantial body of literature linking psychiatric disorders, including BD, to oxidative stress (OS). Consequently, this study aims to assess the relationship between BD and OS by identifying key hub genes implicated in OS pathways.

Methods

We acquired gene microarray data from GSE5392 through the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO). Our approach encompassed differential expression analysis, weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA), and Protein-Protein Interaction (PPI) Network analysis to pinpoint hub genes associated with BD. Subsequently, we utilized Gene Ontology (GO), Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG), and Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) to identify hub genes relevant to OS. To evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of these hub genes, we performed receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) analysis on both GSE5388 and GSE5389 datasets. Furthermore, we conducted a study involving ten BD patients and ten healthy controls (HCs) who met the special criteria, assessing the expression levels of these hub genes in their peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs).

Results

We identified 411 down-regulated genes and 69 up-regulated genes for further scrutiny. Through WGCNA, we obtained 22 co-expression modules, with the sienna3 module displaying the strongest association with BD. By integrating differential analysis with genes linked to OS, we identified 44 common genes. Subsequent PPI Network and WGCNA analyses confirmed three hub genes as potential biomarkers for BD. Functional enrichment pathway analysis revealed their involvement in neuronal signal transduction, oxidative phosphorylation, and metabolic obstacle pathways. Using the Cytoscape plugin “ClueGo assay,” we determined that a majority of these targets regulate neuronal synaptic plasticity. ROC curve analysis underscored the excellent diagnostic value of these three hub genes. Quantitative reverse transcription-PCR (RT-qPCR) results indicated significant changes in the expression of these hub genes in the PBMCs of BD patients compared to HCs.

Conclusion

We identified three hub genes (TAC1, MAP2K1, and MAP2K4) in BD associated with OS, potentially influencing the diagnosis and treatment of BD. Based on the GEO database, our study provides novel insights into the relationship between BD and OS, offering promising therapeutic targets.
Effects of exercise therapy on anxiety and depression in patients with COVID-19: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Tang Ju , Chen Liang-Liang , Zhang Hongtao , Wei Peifeng , Miao Feng
Published: March 2024

Objective

With increasing rates of anxiety and depression during COVID-19, exercise treatment has drawn attention for its effects on COVID-19 patients with anxiety and depression. This study set out to assess the impact of exercise therapy on COVID-19 patients’ anxiety and depression.

Methods

PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science and Cochrane Library were used to search articles about exercise therapy as a means of treating anxiety and depression in COVID-19 patients from inception to April 30, 2023. The risk of bias was assessed by the Cochrane Collaboration bias risk tool. Data were pooled with the random effects model. RevMan version 5.4 was used for the statistical analyses. This work was registered in the PROSPERO database (registration number: CRD42023406439).

Selection criteria

Randomized clinical trials (RCTs) of COVID-19 patients with anxiety and depression were included to assess the impact of physical exercise on COVID-19 patients with anxiety and depression.

Results

6 studies including a total of 461 COVID-19 patients were analyzed in this meta-analysis. Overall, the meta-analysis showed that compared with the control group, exercise could significantly improve anxiety (SMD = −0.76; 95%CI: −0.96, −0.55; p < 0.00001), depression level (SMD = −0.39; 95%CI: −0.70, −0.09; p = 0.01), the PHQ-9 score (MD = −1.82; 95%CI: −2.93, −0.71; p = 0.001) and the sleep quality (SMD = −0.73; 95%CI: −1.32, −0.14; p = 0.01) in COVID-19 patients.

Conclusion

The research provided evidence that exercise therapy is able to help COVID-19 patients experience less anxiety and depression and have better-quality sleep.

Systematic review registration

CRD42023406439.
A community-embedded approach to increasing the health literacy of Aboriginal children in a regional area: processes of co-design and local implementation
Authors: Good Phillip , Grace Rebekah , Kaplun Catherine , Conti Janet
Published: March 2024

Purpose

This research explores the implementation of a child-centred, co-designed, community-embedded program called ‘Young Doctors for Life’ (YDFL). YDFL is designed to improve health and wellbeing outcomes for Aboriginal children in the middle childhood years. Focus is given in this paper to the processes of program adaptation of the YDFL to ensure local cultural relevance, drawing on the experiences and perspectives of children, parents, schoolteachers, and the implementation team.

Method

Two focus groups with program stakeholders were convened. The first group consisted of three members from the local Aboriginal implementation team, and the second group comprised two members of the program design team. Children (n = 22) and schoolteachers (n = 2) participated in semi-structured interviews. Parent survey data (n = 16) were also collected and included. The data was analysed, guided by the five elements of implementation as outlined in the Hexagon Implementation framework (Capacity; Fit; Need; Usability; Support; and Evidence), which served as a priori themes.

Results

YDFL provides a promising example of how programs can be adapted with and for Aboriginal communities to support child health. Successful adaptation and implementation of this program required a co-design approach engaging program designers and the local implementation team. Community collaboration was also essential to identifying and addressing local community goals and aligning new programs with local service and cultural contexts.

Conclusion

Health programs to support positive child outcomes are more likely to be successful when they share their focus between the risks and challenges within a community, and the positive, protective factors that can be leveraged to support children to flourish. Stakeholder engagement and community leadership are necessary to achieve meaningful program adaptation and implementation in Aboriginal communities.
ProTect: a hybrid deep learning model for proactive detection of cyberbullying on social media
Authors: Nitya Harshitha T. , Prabu M. , Suganya E. , Sountharrajan S. , Bavirisetti Durga Prasad , Gadde Navya , Uppu Lakshmi Sahithi
Published: March 2024

The emergence of social media has given rise to a variety of networking and communication opportunities, as well as the well-known issue of cyberbullying, which is continuously on the rise in the current world. Researchers have been actively addressing cyberbullying for a long time by applying machine learning and deep learning techniques. However, although these algorithms have performed well on artificial datasets, they do not provide similar results when applied to real-time datasets with high levels of noise and imbalance. Consequently, finding generic algorithms that can work on dynamic data available across several platforms is critical. This study used a unique hybrid random forest-based CNN model for text classification, combining the strengths of both approaches. Real-time datasets from Twitter and Instagram were collected and annotated to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed technique. The performance of various ML and DL algorithms was compared, and the RF-based CNN model outperformed them in accuracy and execution speed. This is particularly important for timely detection of bullying episodes and providing assistance to victims. The model achieved an accuracy of 96% and delivered results 3.4 seconds faster than standard CNN models.
Assessing flood risks and exploring opportunities for flood-based farming in the dry lowlands of Ethiopia
Authors: Desta Gizaw , Legesse Gizachew , Ahmed Mohammed Irshad , Muluneh Alemayehu , Birhanu Belete
Published: March 2024

Food grown in the rainfed system in Ethiopia is frequently insufficient to meet household food needs due to recurrent drought, which causes severe food insecurity. Ethiopia’s drylands have also been hit by an increase in torrential floods. As a result, the ability to adapt to shocks and risks decreases. Despite the opportunity of highland-to-lowland to lowland connectivity, the opportunities for flood-recession farming are poorly understood. This study maps flood recession opportunities incorporating national flood occurrence information, flood images, and SMAP surface soil moisture from Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) images in Omo Gibe basin and Mile sub-basin. The analysis demonstrates that during the past three decades, there have been substantial flood incidents in the country’s eastern, south-eastern, and southern regions. Notably, floods that happened in 1996, 2005, 2006, 2013, and 2018 affected 90, 91, 74, 74, and 69 locations, respectively. In 2020, flooding affected a considerable area (274 locations), which demonstrates the rise in flood hazards. Based on multi-criteria suitability analysis, about 32 million hectares of lowlands are highly suitable (61%) and moderately suitable (39%) for flood-based farming. In the Omo-Gibe and the Mile sub-basin, flood-recession zone mapping using a change detection approach revealed that Omo-Gibe basin has 107,359 ha and 29,550 ha of flood zones suitable for flood recession farming and Mile sub-basin of 8,048 ha and 88 ha, during the major and short rainy seasons, respectively. Our results highlight the extent of flood-prone areas and their suitability for flood farming and provide evidence of alternative strategies for managing flood risks. Consequently, identifying potential flood-prone areas using remote sensing technology aids decision-makers and subject-matter experts in introducing and demonstrating various types of flood-based farming. Further research is recommended to identify and validate appropriate flood farming practices under different biophysical and socio-economic contexts and explore complementary opportunities as well as support informed decision-making on flood risk management and recession flood strategies in the dry lowlands of Ethiopia.
Modulation of Gut Microbiota, and Morphometry, Blood Profiles and performance of Broiler Chickens Supplemented with Piper aduncum, Morinda citrifolia, and Artocarpus altilis leaves Ethanolic Extracts
Authors: Paredes-López Daniel Marco , Robles-Huaynate R. A. , Soto-Vásquez Marilu Roxana , Perales-Camacho Rosa Amelia , Morales-Cauti Siever Miguel , Beteta-Blas Xiomara , Aldava-Pardave Uriel
Published: March 2024

Bioactive plants such as P. aduncum, M. citrifolia, and A. altilis might improve intestinal health as an alternative to antibiotic growth promoters. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of the ethanolic extracts (EEs) of these plants on the intestinal health of broiler chickens. Cobb 500 chickens (n = 352) were distributed into eight treatments with four replicates and 11 chickens each. T1 received a base diet, and T2 received a base diet with 0.005% zinc bacitracin. T3, T5, and T7 were supplemented with 0.005% of P. aduncum, M. citrifolia, and A. altilis EE in the diet while T4, T6, and T8 with 0.01% of the extract. The EEs were supplemented with drinking water from 1 to 26 days of age. The following parameters were evaluated: hematological profiles at 28 days of age, blood metabolites profiles at 14, 21, and 28 days; Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and Lactobacillus sp. abundance in the ileum mucosa and content at 21 and 28 days, and histomorphometry of the duodenum, jejunum, and ileum mucosa at 14, 21, and 28 d. Final weight (FW), weight gain (WG), feed intake (FI), and feed conversion rate (FCR) were evaluated at seven, 21, and 33 days of age. M. citrifolia and A. altilis EE at 0.01% increased blood glucose levels at 21 and 28 days of age, respectively, and P. aduncum and M. citrifolia EE at 0.01% increased triglycerides at 28 days of age; in addition, this EE did not have any effect on the AST and ALT profiles. The depths of the Lieberkühn crypts and the villi length to the crypt’s depth ratio increased with age on supplementation with 0.01% M. citrifolia and A. altilis EE at 21 days of age (p < 0.05). In addition, the depth of the crypts increased at 28 days of age (p < 0.05) in chickens supplemented with 0.01% A. altilis EE. The 0.01% M. citrifolia EE in diet decreased in the Staphylococcus aureus population in the ileal microbiota (p < 0.05). The FW and WG during the fattening and in the three stages overall increased, and the FCR decreased; however, the FI and the carcass yield did not change in the broiler chickens supplemented with 0.01% M. citrifolia EE (p < 0.05). Conclusively, the M. citrifolia EE at 0.01% of the diet improved intestinal health and thus the performance indices of the broiler chickens and did not have a detrimental effect on any of the parameters evaluated, so it is postulated as a potential alternative to AGP in poultry.
Possibilities of Climate Control of Poultry Complexes through Co-Combustion of Poultry Waste–Solid Biomass for Agriculture in Romania
Authors: Lazaroiu Gheorghe , Mihaescu Lucian , Grigoriu Rodica-Manuela , Negreanu Gabriel-Paul , Stoica Dorel
Published: March 2024

The dynamics of poultry waste co-combustion with solid biomass has been theoretically and experimentally analyzed by authors in several works. The current work is focused on a case study regarding the energy recovery from poultry waste in order to use it for heating a 1000 m3 chicken rearing complex, considering the specific climatic conditions in Romania. Even if biomass has significant national potential, there are only a few experimental incentives in our country to use it for energy production. Since poultry manure is characterized by high moisture and low calorific value, its co-combustion with solid biomass was chosen. Thus, laboratory experiments involving the combustion of 20–30% poultry waste were carried out on a 55 kW pilot boiler. This is an environmentally friendly and low-cost approach. The tests showed that phosphorus and potassium are concentrated by the combustible mass disappearance in the ash (P = 3.2–5.5% and K = 2.2–3.8%), leading to the conclusion that it represents a much more valuable fertilizer than raw waste, since it is lighter and much easier to store, transport, and spread over the agricultural area. The poultry waste mix with solid biomass was taken into account for heating a chicken rearing hall module by considering the needs of each period (cycle) in the development of the chicken-bird flow in accordance with a temperate-continental climate, such as Romania’s climate. The resulting annual fuel consumption is 53.27 t. This quantity represents 42.60 t of biomass and 10.67 t of poultry manure. The co-combustion showed pollutant emissions within the legal limits and no presence of ammonia, which was incinerated on the biomass layer surface.
Strain-Specific Benefits of Bacillus on Growth, Intestinal Health, Immune Modulation, and Ammonia-Nitrogen Stress Resilience in Hybrid Grouper
Authors: Han Congjie , Shi Huizhong , Cui Congcong , Wang Jiawen , Li Ling , Bei Weilie , Cai Yan , Wang Shifeng
Published: March 2024

In the dynamic field of intensive aquaculture, the strategic application of probiotics has become increasingly crucial, particularly for enhancing resistance to environmental stressors such as ammonia-nitrogen. Over a 42-day period, this study investigated the effects of different probiotic strains—Bacillus subtilis (BS, 6-3-1, and HAINUP40)—on the health and resilience of hybrid groupers. Each strain, distinct in its origin, was assessed for its influence on growth performance, antioxidant capacity, immune gene expressions, and ammonia-nitrogen stress response in the hybrid grouper. The experimental design included a control group and three experimental groups, each supplemented with 1 × 108 CFU/g of the respective probiotic strains, respectively. Our results demonstrated notable differences in growth parameters, including final body weight (FBW) and feed conversion ratio (FCR). The 6-3-1 strain, originating from grouper, exhibited significant improvements in growth, oxidative capacity, and intestinal health. Conversely, the BS strain achieved the highest survival rates under ammonia-nitrogen stress, indicating its superior ability to regulate inflammatory responses despite its less pronounced growth-promoting effects. The HAINUP40 strain was distinguished for its growth enhancement and improvements in intestinal health, though it also showed significant activation of inflammatory genes and decreased resistance to ammonia-nitrogen stress after extended feeding. The uniqueness of this study lies in its detailed examination of the strain-specific effects of probiotics on fish in the context of ammonia-nitrogen stress, a significant challenge in contemporary aquaculture. The research revealed that host-derived probiotics, particularly the 6-3-1 strain, provided more comprehensive benefits for growth performance and stress resilience. In contrast, the BS and HAINUP40 strains exhibited varying efficiencies, with BS excelling in stress resistance and HAINUP40 promoting growth and gut health. In conclusion, this study underscores the complex roles of different probiotic strains in aquaculture, contributing to the understanding of probiotic applications and presenting new approaches to address the challenges of intensive farming.
Causes of Asphalt Pavement Blistering: A Review
Authors: Moretti Laura , Palozza Leonardo , D’Andrea Antonio
Published: March 2024

No theoretical model effectively explains the blistering process, which provokes functional distress in asphalt pavements worldwide. This study focuses on the possible causes of blistering, the physical processes that drive blistering, the role of asphalt properties, and the uncertainties and gaps in the current knowledge. This paper analyzes peer-reviewed studies on pavement blistering published between 1959 and 2022 retrieved in a systematic literature review to justify and model this distress observed on sidewalks, airports, and bridges. According to the scientific literature, high surface temperatures due to solar radiation are the common factor responsible for uplifting, but several causal mechanisms have been investigated. Indeed, chemical reactions, evolutionary materials, thermal buckling, and physical reactions are the generally recognized causes. Their effects on pavement smoothness vary according to the various interdependent geometrical, physical, and mechanical properties of asphalt mixtures and the boundary conditions. Both the mix design and construction processes can hinder the blistering process that occurs during daytime hours of the hot season, right after the work is finished or a few years later. Further research should identify measures to prevent bulges whose management after uplift is difficult but necessary to avoid safety and functional issues.
Spatial and Momentum Mapping Modes for Velocity Map Imaging Spectrometer
Authors: Feng Yunfei , Ding Bocheng , Wu Ruichang , Jin Xin , Wu Kefei , Liao Jianfeng , Huang Jianye , Liu Xiaojing
Published: March 2024

The velocity map imaging (VMI) technique is used to acquire the momentum distribution of charged particles. Here, we introduce two additional operation modes for our recently built velocity map imaging (VMI) spectrometer: the spatial mapping mode that magnifies the image of zero energy ions with different scales and the high-resolution momentum mapping mode that acquires the electron momentum distribution at the kinetic energy of about 100 eV. In simulations, the ion image is magnified with a factor of up to 7.6, and a relative resolution of 0.15% at 150 eV electron kinetic energy is predicted. Switching between these two modes helps reduce the alignment error to below 0.2 mm. In the test using the above-threshold ionization (ATI) of argon (Ar), the Ar+ ion image is magnified by a factor of up to 6.7, and a relative resolution of 1.3% at 44.6 eV electron kinetic energy is achieved.
Layout Pattern of Small Panel and Large Coal Pillar for Rockburst Prevention and Water Control under Extra-Thick Water-Bearing Key Strata
Authors: Zhang Ning , Cao Anye , Zhao Weiwei , Hao Qi , Lv Guowei , Wu Baixuan
Published: March 2024

There is a very thick water-bearing key strata above the coal seam in the Binchang mining area. When the mining scale is large, it easily breaks and leads to rockburst with a surge of water gushing in the panel. Adopting the layout pattern of a small panel and a large coal pillar can improve the stability of the main key strata, but at present, the research on the layout pattern of a small panel and a large coal pillar under extra-thick water-bearing key strata is still not perfect. Therefore, taking the second and third panels of a mine in Binchang as the engineering background, the width of the coal pillar and the mining scale of the panel are optimized by means of theoretical analysis, field measurement, and numerical simulation to prevent rockburst and control water inflow. The results show: (1) through theoretical calculation, it is deduced that the critical width of instability of the isolated coal pillar in the current mining scale is 257 m, and the critical mining scale of breaking and instability of the main key strata in the third panel is 537 m; (2) considering the bearing capacity of the isolated coal pillar and the recovery rate of coal resources, the reasonable width of the isolated coal pillar is 210~270 m, and when the width is 200 m and 250 m, the reasonable mining scale of the third panel is 490~550 m and 640~700 m, respectively; (3) the field practice shows that the actual width of the coal pillar between the second and third panels is less than the reasonable width, and the stress concentration in the isolated coal pillar area is relatively high, so the roof deep hole blasting and large-diameter drilling in coal seam are adopted to relieve pressure. After taking pressure relief measures, the stress concentration in the isolated coal pillar area is effectively reduced, and the pressure relief effect is remarkable.
Non-Destructive Detection of Golden Passion Fruit Quality Based on Dielectric Characteristics
Authors: Lin Fan , Chen Dengjie , Liu Cheng , He Jincheng
Published: March 2024

This study pioneered a non-destructive testing approach to evaluating the physicochemical properties of golden passion fruit by developing a platform to analyze the fruit’s electrical characteristics. By using dielectric properties, the method accurately predicted the soluble solids content (SSC), Acidity and pulp percentage (PP) in passion fruit. The investigation entailed measuring the relative dielectric constant (ε′) and dielectric loss factor (ε″) for 192 samples across a spectrum of 34 frequencies from 0.05 to 100 kHz. The analysis revealed that with increasing frequency and fruit maturity, both ε′ and ε″ showed a declining trend. Moreover, there was a discernible correlation between the fruit’s physicochemical indicators and dielectric properties. In refining the dataset, 12 outliers were removed using the Local Outlier Factor (LOF) algorithm. The study employed various advanced feature extraction techniques, including Recursive Feature Elimination with Cross-Validation (RFECV), Permutation Importance based on Random Forest Regression (PI-RF), Permutation Importance based on Linear Regression (PI-LR) and Genetic Algorithm (GA). All the variables and the selected variables after screening were used as inputs to build Extreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost) and Categorical Boosting (Cat-Boost) models to predict the SSC, Acidity and PP in passion fruit. The results indicate that the PI-RF-XGBoost model demonstrated superior performance in predicting both the SSC (R2 = 0.9240, RMSE = 0.2595) and the PP (R2 = 0.9092, RMSE = 0.0014) of passion fruit. Meanwhile, the GA-CatBoost model exhibited the best performance in predicting Acidity (R2 = 0.9471, RMSE = 0.1237). In addition, for the well-performing algorithms, the selected features are mainly concentrated within the frequency range of 0.05–6 kHz, which is consistent with the frequency range highly correlated with the dielectric properties and quality indicators. It is feasible to predict the quality indicators of fruit by detecting their low-frequency dielectric properties. This research offers significant insights and a valuable reference for non-destructive testing methods in assessing the quality of golden passion fruit.
Design and Evaluation of Wireless DYU Air Box for Environment-Monitoring IoT System on Da-Yeh University Campus
Authors: Shih Lun-Min , Tsai Huan-Liang , Tsai Cheng-Yu
Published: March 2024

This paper presents an original wireless DYU Air Box of an environment-monitoring IoT (EMIoT) system on a campus to offer information on environmental conditions through the public ThingSpeak IoT platform for stakeholders including all the students and employees on the Da-Yeh University (DYU) campus in Taiwan. Firstly, the proposed wireless heterogeneous multi-sensor module aggregates BME680, SCD30, PMS7003, and BH1750 sensors with a TTGO ESP32 Wi-Fi device based on the I2C and UART interface standards of series communication. Through the DYU-802.1X Wi-Fi network with the WPA2 Enterprise security directly, the wireless multi-sensor monitoring module further forwards the observation data of environmental conditions on campus via the DYU-802.1X Wi-Fi network to the public ThingSpeak IoT platform, which is a cloud service platform to aggregate, visualize, and analyze live sensing data of air quality index (AQI), concentrations of PM1.0/2.5 and CO2, brightness, ambient temperature, and relative humidity (RH). The results illustrate the proposed DYU Air Box for monitoring the indoor environmental conditions on campus and validate them with sufficient accuracy and confidence with commercialized measurement instruments. In this work, the wireless smart environment-monitoring IoT system features monitoring and automatic alarm functions for monitoring AQI, CO2, and PM concentrations, as well as ambient illumination, temperature, and RH parameters and collaboration and interoperability through the Enterprise Intranet. All the organizational stakeholders interested in the environmental conditions of the DYU campus can openly access the information according to their interests. In the upcoming future, the information of the environmental conditions in the DYU campus will be developed to be simultaneously accessed by all the stakeholders through both the public ThingSpeak IoT platform and the private EMIoT system.
Research Trends and Future Direction for Utilization of Woody Biomass in Japan
Authors: Zhou Junnan , Tabata Tomohiro
Published: March 2024

After nearly a decade of rapid development, woody biomass has been widely used in Japan for power generation and heating. However, it has faced bottlenecks in recent years, leading to a decline in its popularity. This study aimed to elucidate the current status of woody biomass utilization in Japan by reviewing relevant research papers on upstream resource supply and downstream case studies in the supply chain. The supply potential of woody biomass estimated by reviewed articles ranges from 1.2 to 5.5 m3/year/ha, yet a significant portion of this potential cannot be exploited. The utilization of government subsidies, mechanization, and aggregated forests can substantially enhance the availability. The utilization of woody biomass has garnered widespread attention from the Japanese government and private enterprises, presenting an economic impact ranging from 66 to 249 million JPY/t, along with a GHG emission reduction spanning from −17.29 to 202.44 kg-CO2eq/GJ. However, balancing cost and scale remains the primary challenge facing woody biomass utilization in Japan.
The Impacts of Open Data and eXplainable AI on Real Estate Price Predictions in Smart Cities
Authors: Trindade Neves Fátima , Aparicio Manuela , de Castro Neto Miguel
Published: March 2024

In the rapidly evolving landscape of urban development, where smart cities increasingly rely on artificial intelligence (AI) solutions to address complex challenges, using AI to accurately predict real estate prices becomes a multifaceted and crucial task integral to urban planning and economic development. This paper delves into this endeavor, highlighting the transformative impact of specifically chosen contextual open data and recent advances in eXplainable AI (XAI) to improve the accuracy and transparency of real estate price predictions within smart cities. Focusing on Lisbon’s dynamic housing market from 2018 to 2021, we integrate diverse open data sources into an eXtreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost) machine learning model optimized with the Optuna hyperparameter framework to enhance its predictive precision. Our initial model achieved a Mean Absolute Error (MAE) of EUR 51,733.88, which was significantly reduced by 8.24% upon incorporating open data features. This substantial improvement underscores open data’s potential to boost real estate price predictions. Additionally, we employed SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) to address the transparency of our model. This approach clarifies the influence of each predictor on price estimates and fosters enhanced accountability and trust in AI-driven real estate analytics. The findings of this study emphasize the role of XAI and the value of open data in enhancing the transparency and efficacy of AI-driven urban development, explicitly demonstrating how they contribute to more accurate and insightful real estate analytics, thereby informing and improving policy decisions for the sustainable development of smart cities.
Emission Characteristics of Odorous Compounds from a Swine Farm on Jeju Island, Korea
Authors: Song Jung-Min
Published: March 2024

This study investigated 26 malodorous substances emitted from a swine farm on Jeju Island, South Korea, to discern their specific emission characteristics and potential implications for workers’ health and environmental management. A detailed analysis of emissions from livestock buildings, the compost facility, and the manure storage tank was conducted. Accurate quantification involved rigorous collection methods measuring concentrations of NH3, hydrogen sulfide (H2S), trimethylamine (TMA), aldehyde compounds, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), volatile fatty acids (VFAs), p-cresol, indole, and skatole. High concentrations of NH3 and H2S, particularly in the manure storage tank, raised concerns about the health of workers. TMA levels were notably elevated in the livestock building, whereas aldehydes and VOCs remained within limits. VFAs were prevalent in the livestock building, with p-cresol, indole, and skatole in the manure storage tank. Distinct emission profiles across farm facilities highlight the need for tailored odor management strategies, ensuring worker well-being and effective environmental practices. These findings offer valuable insights for implementing targeted mitigation measures in similar agricultural settings.
Continuous Acceleration Sensing Using Optomechanical Droplets
Authors: Robb Gordon R. M. , Walker Josh G. , Oppo Gian-Luca , Ackemann Thorsten
Published: March 2024

We show that a Bose–Einstein Condensate illuminated by a far off-resonant optical pump field and its retroreflection from a feedback mirror can produce stable, localised structures known as optomechanical droplets. We show that these droplets could be used to measure the acceleration of a BEC via continuous monitoring of the position of the droplet via the optical intensity distribution.
Emerging Roles of Extracelluar Vesicles Derived from Bacteria, Mammalian or Plant Cells in the Pathogenesis and Clinical Application of Neurodegenerative Diseases
Authors: Li Yihong , Zhou Chenglong , Liu Huina , Cai Ting , Fan Huadong
Published: March 2024

A growing number of studies have indicated that extracellular vesicles (EVs), such as exosomes, are involved in the development of neurodegenerative diseases. Components of EVs with biological effects like proteins, nucleic acids, or other molecules can be delivered to recipient cells to mediate physio-/pathological processes. For instance, some aggregate-prone proteins, such as β-amyloid and α-synuclein, had been found to propagate through exosomes. Therefore, either an increase of detrimental molecules or a decrease of beneficial molecules enwrapped in EVs may fully or partly indicate disease progression. Numerous studies have demonstrated that dysbiosis of the gut microbiota and neurodegeneration are tightly correlated, well-known as the “gut–brain axis”. Accumulating evidence has revealed that the gut bacteria-derived EVs play a pivotal role in mediating microbe–host interactions and affect the function of the “gut–brain axis”, which subsequently contributes to the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases. In this review, we first briefly discuss the role of EVs from mammalian cells and microbes in mediating the progression of neurodegenerative diseases, and then propose a novel strategy that employs EVs of plants (plant cell-derived exosome-like nanoparticles) for treating neurodegeneration.
The Optic Nerve at Stake: Update on Environmental Factors Modulating Expression of Leber’s Hereditary Optic Neuropathy
Authors: Layrolle Pierre , Orssaud Christophe , Leleu Maryse , Payoux Pierre , Chavanas Stéphane
Published: March 2024

Optic neuropathies are characterized by the degeneration of the optic nerves and represent a considerable individual and societal burden. Notably, Leber’s hereditary optic neuropathy (LHON) is a devastating vision disease caused by mitochondrial gene mutations that hinder oxidative phosphorylation and increase oxidative stress, leading to the loss of retinal ganglion neurons and axons. Loss of vision is rapid and severe, predominantly in young adults. Penetrance is incomplete, and the time of onset is unpredictable. Recent findings revealed that the incidence of genetic LHON susceptibility is around 1 in 1000, much higher than believed till now. Environmental factors are critical in LHON triggering or severity. Families at risk have a very strong demand for how to prevent the onset or limit the severity of the disease. Here, we review recent knowledge of the extrinsic determinants of LHON expression, including lifestyle, dietary supplements, common chemicals, and drugs.
Impacts of Self-Administered 3,4-Methylenedioxypyrovalerone (MDPV) Alone, and in Combination with Caffeine, on Recognition Memory and Striatal Monoamine Neurochemistry in Male Sprague Dawley Rats: Comparisons with Methamphetamine and Cocaine
Authors: Seaman Robert W. , Lamon Kariann , Whitton Nicholas , Latimer Brian , Sulima Agnieszka , Rice Kenner C. , Murnane Kevin S. , Collins Gregory T.
Published: March 2024

Recent data suggest that 3,4-methylenedioxypyrovalerone (MDPV) has neurotoxic effects; however, the cognitive and neurochemical consequences of MDPV self-administration remain largely unexplored. Furthermore, despite the fact that drug preparations that contain MDPV often also contain caffeine, little is known regarding the toxic effects produced by the co-use of these two stimulants. The current study investigated the degree to which self-administered MDPV or a mixture of MDPV+caffeine can produce deficits in recognition memory and alter neurochemistry relative to prototypical stimulants. Male Sprague Dawley rats were provided 90 min or 12 h access to MDPV, MDPV+caffeine, methamphetamine, cocaine, or saline for 6 weeks. Novel object recognition (NOR) memory was evaluated prior to any drug self-administration history and 3 weeks after the final self-administration session. Rats that had 12 h access to methamphetamine and those that had 90 min or 12 h access to MDPV+caffeine exhibited significant deficits in NOR, whereas no significant deficits were observed in rats that self-administered cocaine or MDPV. Striatal monoamine levels were not systematically affected. These data demonstrate synergism between MDPV and caffeine with regard to producing recognition memory deficits, highlighting the importance of recapitulating the manner in which drugs are used (e.g., in mixtures containing multiple stimulants, binge-like patterns of intake).