bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Computational Exploration of Plant Ribosome Inactivating Proteins (RIPs) in Countering Snake Venom: A Novel Therapeutic Opportunity and Challenges
Authors: Seenivasan Prasanna , Balasubramanian Rajagopal , Nathan Bharathi , Vichangal Pridiuldi Santhanakrishnan , Renukadevi P
Published: September 2024

Snakebite envenoming represents a critical global health challenge, particularly prevalent in regions with limited access to healthcare resources, where venomous snakes pose a significant threat to human populations. Antivenom therapy which mainly rely on antibody production by immunization of large animals with venom components is labour intensive, time consuming and associated with various ethical concerns. Consequently, access to quality and affordable antivenom remains limited in many affected regions with high mortality associated with snakebites. In traditional medicine, many plant species have been ethnobotanically reported for their antivenom properties and are used to neutralize animal toxins. Ribosome-inactivating proteins (RIPs) are a diverse group of toxins found in various organisms, including plants that possess the ability to inhibit protein synthesis by irreversibly damaging the ribosomes. Even though considered to be harmful, the biological role of RIPs has gained increasing attention in recent years due to their potential therapeutic implications. With these insights, this review underscores the potential of RIPs as promising candidates for adjunct treatments in snakebite management strategies. In silico analysis by molecular docking of RIPs with major snake venom proteins resulted in effective binding and shows the interface residues involved in the interaction. This integrative approach enhances our understanding of snakebite pathophysiology, accelerating the development of novel next-generation antivenom therapies that are safer and more effective.
Serum Level of Cadherin-P (CDH3) a Novel Predictor of Cardiovascular Events Related to Atherosclerosis in a 3-Year Follow-Up Study
Authors: Gumanova Nadezhda G , Vasilyev Dmitry K. , Bogdanova Natalya L. , Drapkina Oxana M.
Published: September 2024

Placental cadherin (cadherin-P, CDH3) is a cell-to-cell adhesion molecule expressed at a high level in many malignant tumors. Associations of serum CDH3 with atherosclerosis have not been investigated previously. The present clinical cohort study with 3-year follow up measured atherosclerosis of the coronary, brachiocephalic, and femoral circulation and fasting levels of CDH3 in the serum in 218 patients in a hospital setting. Coronary lesions were assessed as Gensini score calculated according to the data of coronary angiography. The volumes of the brachiocephalic and femoral circulation plaques were quantified by ultrasound imaging. Serum proteomic profiling was performed in selected samples using antibody microarrays. The content of CDH3 in the serum was measured using an indirect ELISA. Odds ratio (OR), ROC-analysis, and logistic regressions were used to evaluate the associations between CDH3 content, atherosclerotic lesions, and various serum biomarkers. CDH3 serum content was associated with severity of atherosclerosis and diastolic blood pressure. The levels of СDH3 were able to discriminate patients with total subclinical and hemodynamically significant atherosclerotic lesions in all circulation pools (coronary, brachiocephalic, and femoral). Elevated serum СDH3 appeared to be a risk factor for cardiovascular outcomes after 3-year follow up with OR=1.81 (95%CI: 1.07-3.72; P=0.022). Endothelin-1 and NOx were associated with the content of СDH3 in the serum, suggesting the involvement of certain signal transduction pathways that may participate in plaque formation. CDH3 was associated with cardiovascular outcomes adjusted for coronary plaque presence, indicating a role of CDH3 in plaque biology.
Assessing Education Quality in Bangladeshi Universities: A Statistical Analysis of Secondary Data and Its Implications for Academic Standards
Authors: Shiddik Md. Abu Bokkor
Published: September 2024

The quality of education in Bangladeshi universities has long been a topic of concern, yet comprehensive studies on its statistical impact remain limited. This research aims to assess the current state of education quality in Bangladeshi higher education institutions using secondary data from national surveys, academic reports, and global rankings. A variety of statistical methods are employed to identify key factors influencing educational outcomes, including faculty-to-student ratios, infrastructure, research output, and employability of graduates. The findings reveal significant disparities in academic standards across public and private universities, highlighting challenges such as inadequate funding, lack of modern teaching practices, and low research productivity. This study provides data-driven insights and recommendations for policymakers and educators to enhance the quality of university education in Bangladesh, with the ultimate goal of aligning it with global standards.
Comparative Analysis of Profitability Drivers of Pig Production Systems in Northern Uganda
Authors: Adewale Caleb Ibukunoluwa , Munezero Elias , Ndyomugyenyi Elly Kurobuza , Mugonola Basil
Published: September 2024

Pork consumption has risen significantly in many emerging nations, with producers using various systems to meet demand. However, the profitability of these systems remains largely unexplored. Therefore, the drivers of profitability of pig production systems in Northern Uganda were examined. Data were collected using a pretested structured questionnaire through a cross-sectional survey of 240 randomly selected pig farmers. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, gross margin analysis, and ordinary least squares model. Results revealed that the cost of initial stock (p < 0.1), cost of feed (p < 0.05), cost of vaccines (p < 0.01), output (p < 0.05), and quantity of feed (p < 0.05) were drivers of profitability in the farrow-to-finish pig production system. Further, profitability in the farrow-to-weaner pig production system was influenced by access to credit (p < 0.1), household size (p < 0.1), access to extension service (p < 0.01), and cost of initial stock (p < 0.05). In the weaner-to-slaughter pig production system, drivers of profitability included access to extension service (p < 0.1), cost of feed (p < 0.1), cost of vaccines (p < 0.05), and cost of initial stock (p < 0.05). Researchers recommend that the government arrange sufficient capacity-building initiatives and training, particularly on the farrow-to-weaner pig production system to increase the output and profitability of this production system. Further, the government and non-governmental organizations should make inputs such as vaccines, drugs, and breeding stock available to pig farmers at competitive market prices to enable farmers to make price-responsive decisions.
Biocontrol of Grey Mold on Strawberry Fruit by Bacillus spp. and Study of the Mechanisms Involved
Authors: Barakat Ilham , Chtaina Noureddine , Caidi Kaoutar , Bentata Fatiha
Published: September 2024

Grey mold, caused by the fungus Botrytis cinerea, is one of the most prevalent diseases affecting strawberry plants (Fragaria ananassa). The objective of this study was to assess the antagonistic effect of 5 bacterial strains belonging to the genus Bacillus spp. (BA1, BF2, BB3, BI3, and BO4) against B. cinerea, tested both in vitro and in vivo on strawberry fruits. The strains exhibited antifungal activity against B. cinerea under in vitro conditions, both through direct confrontations and antibiosis tests, as well as through the effect of organic compounds. Strain BO4 could inhibit mycelial growth by 62.92% through direct confrontation and 64.58% through the secretion of volatile organic compounds. Additionally, the strain BF2 demonstrated a high antibiosis effect (74.64%) compared to the control at a concentration of 25%. Treating fruits with the bacterial suspension and culture filtrate of the 5 studied strains controlled grey mold growth in vivo, as indicated by low severity indices in strawberries treated with strains BI3, BF2, and BA1, marked by percentages of 24.44%, 24.44%, and 37.78%, respectively, for preventive treatment. The difference in the effectiveness of various strains depended on the treatment mode; preventive treatment proved to be more effective compared to curative treatment.
Improving the Accuracy of Building Damage Estimation Model Due to Earthquake Using 10 Explanatory Variables
Authors: Naito Shohei , Tomozawa Hiromitsu , Tsuchiya Misato , Nakamura Hiromitsu , Fujiwara Hiroyuki
Published: September 2024

Aiming to support disaster recovery, we have developed a new method to extract damaged buildings by using machine learning that combines 10 explanatory variables obtained from analysis of aerial photographs and observation data. We used site amplification factors, seismic intensities of foreshock and mainshock, distance from faults, estimated building structures and ages, coverage by blue tarps, texture analysis, and digital surface model differences before and after the earthquake as explanatory variables, in addition to convolutional neural network prediction results based on post-earthquake aerial photographs. The random forest method resulted in an overall accuracy of about 81% and an average F-measure of three classes was about 70%, indicating that it can classify possible damage to buildings more accurately than our previous studies.
The National Trend of Data of the Scale of Attitude Toward Culture of Living with Disaster Risk (SAC-LDR)
Authors: Sato Shosuke , Kimura Reo , Nakazawa Kosuke , Yi Tai-Young , Matsukawa Anna , Tsujioka Aya , Ohtsuka Rika
Published: September 2024

In this study, we analyzed data collected from an internet survey targeting Japanese citizens on the Scale of Attitude toward Culture of Living with Disaster Risk (SAC-LDR), which was proposed in our previous study. The scale quantifies respondents’ attitude toword living with nature and its risks, to examine how the SAC-LDR scores are affected by the respondents’ attributes, such as age or lifestyle, and frequency distributions and correlations between variables. We found that: (1) the SAC-LDR scores had a mean value of 41.1 out of 60 and displayed not a completely normal distribution, but a distribution with slightly long left tail; (2) the SAC-LDR scores had a high correlation with the Power to Live with Disasters, which represents individual traits favorable to surviving through disasters; and (3) the SAC-LDR scores displayed regional differences within Japan.
The Exploration of Lithner’s Creative And Imitative Mathematical Reasoning Analysis Based on High School Student’s Mathematical Anxiety in Trigonometry Class
Authors: Lakshita Argha , Meiliasari  , Abdul Azis Tian
Published: September 2024

This study aims to explore the creative and imitative reasoning process of high school students based on their mathematics anxiety (MA) level. The research method used was descriptive qualitative research. The subjects selected were 6 students, with the criteria of high/medium/low MA questionnaire results. Data collection techniques were conducted by written tests, field observations, and interviews. The results of MA levels are 19.4% low level and 80.6% medium level of MA. The absence of high MA level students made the researchers investigate through the three aspects of MA, which are: Attitudinal, Cognitive, and Somatic. There were no significant differences within the other two aspects but the somatic aspect shows 36% amongst the medium level MA are having high category on this aspect: 1) Creative reasoning process is only owned by students with medium level MA; 2) Students with high level and low level MA are considered vulnerable to misconceptions, rely heavily on available information, and tend to find it difficult to make new approximation; 3) The process of Imitative reasoning is possessed in each MA category, judging from the performance of solving Algorithmic and Memorized type problems. Thus, it can be concluded that the type of reasoning of a student will differ between types of MA categories and with different processes according to their particular interest in learning.
The Schroth Method for Pediatric Scoliosis
Authors: Baumann Anthony N. , Trager Robert J. , Anaspure Omkar S. , Floccari Lorena , Li Ying , Baldwin Keith D.
Published: September 2024

Background:

The Schroth method is the most commonly used patient scoliosis-specific exercise paradigm for treating pediatric scoliosis. The aim of this study is to systematically and critically examine the evidence for the Schroth method for pediatric scoliosis.

Methods:

PubMed, MEDLINE, CINAHL, and Web of Science were searched through April 5, 2024, for articles examining the Schroth method for pediatric scoliosis (<18 years old). Thirteen review questions were created spanning the study aim. Each included article was independently assessed for the level of evidence (I-IV). Research questions were given a grade of recommendation (A, B, C, and I [insufficient]).

Results:

A total of 29 articles (41.4% Level I, 31.0% Level II, 13.8% Level II, and 13.8% Level IV) met inclusion criteria out of 845 initially retrieved, describing 1,555 patients with scoliosis aged 4 to 18 years. There was grade A evidence that the Schroth method is most commonly used for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS), can improve the angle of trunk rotation, and is safe; grade B evidence for improvement in posture; and grade I evidence for improvement in Cobb angle, cosmetic deformity, quality of life, ideal treatment parameters, economic value, utility in delaying/preventing surgery, effectiveness in relation to patient characteristics (e.g., skeletal maturity or curve size), and comparative effectiveness to other conservative interventions.

Conclusion:

While there is good evidence that the Schroth method is commonly and safely used in AIS and can minimally improve the angle of trunk rotation and fair evidence of improvement in posture, there is insufficient evidence regarding multiple important clinical and economic outcomes, such as comparative effectiveness to other conservative interventions and improvement of Cobb angle. Although clinicians may consider the Schroth method as 1 option of several conservative strategies, clinical benefit may be limited, and further high-quality research is needed to evaluate its performance in areas of insufficient evidence.
“Tecnologias Sociais” and The Northeast Brazilian Semi-Arid: A Study on the Cisterns Program
Authors: Matos Júnior José Ednilson , Luft Maria Conceição Melo Silva , Rocha Ronalty
Published: September 2024

Purpose: To analyze the role of the Cisterns Program as a generator of “tecnologias sociais” in the Northeast Brazilian Semi-Arid.
Theoretical framework:  Characteristics, mechanisms and requirements of “Tecnologia Social”.
Design/methodology/approach: Instrumental single case study in the Cisterns Program, using interviews and document analysis for data collection. Categorical content analysis to evidence analysis.
Findings: The results show that the “tecnologias sociais” designed by the Cisterns Program have positive impacts beyond access to potable water. These include, among others, mitigation of desertification and articulation and mobilization between communities. Such findings corroborate the understanding that the Cisterns Program as a “supplier” of “tecnologias sociais” and its relevance to the advancement of the regions where it operates, mainly in the northeastern Brazilian semi-arid region.
Originality: This study deepens analyzes of the component elements of "tecnologia social", ways of acting by the groups involved and social implications (results), aspects with little discussion in the literature on the subject.
Theoretical and practical contributions: The study summarizes the forms of action, the groups involved, the mechanisms, the bottlenecks in the process, and the impacts related to social technologies in a set of elements that can serve as a guide for the implementation of social technologies in other places. It also identifies mechanisms for creating/strengthening actions and public policy to scale up, disseminate, and optimize these technologies.
Keywords: “Tecnologia Social”. Cisterns Program. Northeast Brazilian semi-arid.
Revealing Catalyst Restructuring and Composition During Nitrate Electroreduction through Correlated Operando Microscopy and Spectroscopy
Authors: Chee See Wee , Yoon Aram , Bai Lichen , Franco Federico , Zhan Chao , Ruescher Martina , Timoshenko Janis , Pratsch Christoph , Werner Stephan , Jeon Hyo Sang , Monteiro Mariana Cecilio de Oliveira , Cuenya Beatriz Roldan , Yang Fengli
Published: September 2024

Determining the active phase of an electrocatalyst at work is key to understanding its properties. However, the operating morphology of electrocatalysts is challenging to investigate because they can restructure into different motifs under applied potential due to changes in their oxidation state. These transformations will further alter their catalytic properties. Here, we employ a multi-modal approach centered on electrochemical liquid cell transmission electron microscopy (EC-TEM) to study the evolution of cubic Cu2O pre-catalysts during the electrocatalytic nitrate reduction reaction and unveil how redox kinetics determine the working catalyst morphology. We found drastic differences in catalyst restructuring during operation and a strong dependency of its composition on the applied potential and the chemical environment. Moreover, by matching the timescales of morphological changes observed in EC-TEM with time-resolved chemical state information obtained from operando transmission soft X-ray microscopy, hard X-ray absorption spectroscopy and Raman spectroscopy, we reveal that Cu2O can be kinetically stabilized for extended durations under moderately reductive conditions due to the formation of surface hydroxides. Finally, we rationalize how the interaction between the electrolyte and the catalyst influences the ammonia selectivity.
3D Anderson localization of light in disordered systems of dielectric particles
Authors: Grynko Yevgen , Siebert Dustin , Sperling Jan , Förstner Jens
Published: September 2024

We present the results of full wave numerical simulations of light transmission by layers of irregular dielectric particles that demonstrate 3D Anderson localization of light in disordered uncorrelated discrete media. Our simulations show that a high degree of disorder in a dense layer prevents transverse spreading of a propagating beam and allows anomalous conservation of its initial polarization state. A transition from the purely diffusive regime to a non-exponential time dependence when approaching the Ioffe-Regel criterion is observed in short pulse transmission measurements. Along with this, the transmission spectrum is consistent with the Thouless criterion. The effect depends on the turbidity of the layer: increasing the volume fraction and the refractive index leads to the enhancement of the non-exponential behavior caused by the disorder in the medium which is a clear signature of Anderson localization.
Scale-up synthesis of bioplastics polyglycolic acid from waste plastic polyethylene terephthalate
Authors: Chen Yong , Wang Yuxiang , Chen Jiu , Tse Edmund , Shi Rui
Published: September 2024

The conversion of discarded polyethylene terephthalate (PET) into bioplastics polyglycolic acid (PGA) represents a pivotal step in promoting the reuse of PET and bolstering the adoption of PGA. However, this promising pathway is currently hindered by (i) low conversion rate of PET-derived ethylene glycol (EG) into glycolate and (ii) high cost associated with purifying glycolic acid (GA). Herein, we designed a novel Pd-CoCr2O4/NF catalyst for continuous electrosynthesis of glycolate, achieving a 75% conversion rate of EG at a current density of ~280 mA cm–2. Furthermore, we devised a cost-effective purification process that circumvents unnecessary acidification steps. A scale-up experiment involving 20 kg of waste PET was conducted and resulted in an 87% PGA yield. Techno-economic analysis confirmed the cost competitiveness of PGA produced through this environmental-friendly method. This study shows a sustainable route to mitigate the environmental impact of waste plastics and reduce the production costs of bioplastics.
In Vitro Sperm Generation from Immature Mouse Testicular Tissue Using Plasma Rich in Growth Factors
Authors: Moradian Seyyed Amir , Movahedin Mansoureh
Published: September 2024

Background
Culture medium enriched with Knockout serum replacement (KSR) can produce in vitro mouse sperm, but it is inefficient, strain-specific and contains bovine products, which limits its use in the human clinic. The study aimed to optimize the culture medium for testicular tissue by using plasma rich in growth factors (PRGF) as a serum supplement, addressing the limitations of KSR.
Methods
Immature testicular tissues from NMRI mice were cultured for 14 days to identify the optimal PRGF concentration using histological analysis and tubular integrity scoring. Subsequently, tissues were cultured for 42 days with the optimal PRGF concentration and compared to a control group with 10% KSR, followed by evaluation through histological, tubular integrity, and immunofluorescence assays.
Results
After 14 days, 5% PRGF media significantly preserved tubule integrity better than 10% and 20% PRGF, performing similarly to 10% KSR. However, after 42 days, the integrity scoring revealed significantly a higher percentage of well-preserved tubules in 5% PRGF compared to 10% KSR. Additionally, only PRGF supported spermatogenesis to the production of flagellated sperm. Real-time PCR analysis revealed that transcript levels of Plzf, Tekt1, and Tnp1 were significantly elevated in 5% PRGF compared to 10% KSR. Immunofluorescence and quantitative analysis confirmed enhanced spermatogenesis progression in 5% PRGF media, with significantly increased numbers of PLZF + spermatogonia, SYCP3 + spermatocytes, ACRBP + spermatids, and Ki67 + proliferating cells per tubule compared to 10% KSR. Moreover, 5% PRGF showed a significantly lower mean fluorescence intensity of the pro-apoptotic marker Bax, with no significant difference in the anti-apoptotic marker Bcl-2 compared to KSR.
Conclusions
The findings suggest that 5%PRGF is a viable alternative to KSR in mouse testicular tissue cultures, promoting structural integrity and spermatogenesis up to the production of flagellated sperm. These results pave the way for using autologous PRGF in refined culture media for in vitro sperm production, advancing personalized reproductive medicine.
Determination of Electromagnetic Field Exposure in Arc Welding By Introducing Improved Numerical Anatomic Body Simulation
Authors: EGERLAND Stephan , Schranz Benjamin , Langeder Harald
Published: September 2024

Electric and magnetic field (EMF) phenomena arise where applying manual arc welding equipment. Consequently, using such systems may cause adverse effects to welding personnel. Models available quantitatively to assess EMF impacts in welding consistently show underestimation of exposure; mainly due to simplified boundary conditions implemented to facilitate modelling application. For arc welding this paper introduces a novel approach, namely, the implementation of Induction Factors to improve EMF exposure assessment quality. Moreover, it is shown in how far especially advanced MIG / MAG and TIG welding variants for example involving additional hardware that may produce EMF effects, are represented deploying the standards existing. Results are presented and discussed both found in practical process application and numerical simulation. Employing the developed calculation approach is capable of compensating for inaccuracies yet identified with models still recommended by regulatory- or professional bodies. Users are provided with comprehensive information to help practically evaluate EMF exposure.
The effects of calcium and phosphorus levels and phytase inclusion in the diet on the performance, nutrient digestibility, tibia characteristics, and FGF23 and SLC34A2 genes expression in broilers
Authors: Sedghi Mohammad , Sarrami Zahra , Mohammadi Ishmael , Ghasemi Razie , Kimiaeitalab Mohammad Vahid , Abbasi Mojtaba
Published: September 2024

This study aimed to evaluate the optimal levels of calcium (Ca) and phosphorus (P) in the diet using the Taguchi method and investigate the effect of adding phytase to diets with Ca and P deficiency. A total of 1458 day-old broilers were used in nine treatments. The L9 orthogonal array was chosen to obtain the Ca and non-phytate phosphorus (NPP) requirements, and the level of phytase that include: three levels of Ca (100%, 85% and 70% of recommendation), three levels of NPP (standard, standard-0.1 and standard-0.2), and three levels of phytase (0, 500 and 1000 FTU/kg). Results showed that, Std level of Ca, Std and Std-0.1 level of P, and 500 and 1000 FTU/kg (phytase in diets resulted in the lowest FCR, and the highest daily weight gain and feed digestibility in all rearing periods. Also, Std level for Ca and P, and 1000 (FTU/kg (for phytase were optimal levels for tibia ash and P percentage. In addition, the use of phytase in the 500 and 1000 (FTU/kg (levels with Std of Ca and Std-0.2 NPP, also, 70% Std of Ca and Std-0.1 NPP led to an increase in intestinal phosphorus bioavailability through the overexpression of intestinal FGF23, Klotho and SLC34A2 genes and reduction in the transcription of kidney SLC34A1. In general, this study suggests that to make the diets more economical, in the presence of phytase enzyme (500 or 1000 FTU/kg), Ca can be reduced up to 85% of the requirement, and P at a standard level minus 0.1.
A rare occurrence of xanthine urolithiasis in siblings with Lesch-Nyhan Syndrome treated with allopurinol- A Case Report
Authors: jodorkovsky roberto , Trivedi Saloni , Rana Asama , Thomae Mitchell
Published: September 2024

Introduction- Lesch-Nyhan Syndrome (LNS) is an X-linked disorder affecting the metabolism of the purine salvage pathway leading to excessive serum uric acid production. Treatment of hyperuricemia with Allopurinol is usually effective to lower serum uric acid concentration to acceptable levels. Allopurinol blocks the conversion of hypoxanthine and xanthine to serum uric acid in the purine degradation pathway. The effect of Allopurinol may result in excessive buildup of xanthine, potentially resulting in urolithiasis composed of xanthine. This rare occurrence poses a unique challenge maintaining a balance between lowering hyperuricemia and preventing the development of xanthine urolithiasis. This case report includes two siblings with LNS treated with Allopurinol who developed xanthine urolithiasis.
Case Description- Patients are siblings, a 22-year-old male and a 21-year-old female, with LNS diagnosed in early childhood. They both share similar manifestations of the disease and were treated with allopurinol with an intended therapeutic window of serum uric acid levels since diagnosis. Both were prone to developing urolithiasis and nephrolithiasis, the male more than the female, regardless of the medical regimen. Uric acid and calcium levels were normal in the serum and urine. Chemical analysis of calculi eliminated by both siblings revealed xanthine stones.
Conclusions- Patients with LNS tend to develop stones composed of urate. Rarely, they can also precipitate stones composed of xanthine resulting from its build up in serum and urine by Allopurinol. This complication should be considered in all patients undergoing treatment with allopurinol. Careful clinical monitoring and dose adjustments of Allopurinol must balance the need to control hyperuricemia with avoiding excessive blockade of hypoxanthine.
A comprehensive comparison study between DeepOnet and LSTM for very short-term prediction of ship motion
Authors: Zhao Yong , Zhao Jin-xiu , Wang Zi-zhong , Zou Li
Published: September 2024

Very Short-term prediction of ship motion is critically important in many scenarios such as carrier aircraft landings and marine engineering operations. This paper introduces the newly developed functional deep learning model, named as Deep Operator Networks neural network(DeepOnet) to predict very short-term ship motion in waves. It takes wave height as input and predicts ship motion as output, employing a cause-to-effect prediction approach. The modeling data for this study is derived from publicly available experimental data at the Iowa Institute of Hydraulic Research. Initially, the tuning of the hyperparameters within the neural network system was conducted to identify the optimal parameter combination. Subsequently, the DeepOnet model for wave height and multi-degree-of-freedom motion was established, and the impact of increasing time steps on prediction accuracy was analyzed. Lastly, a comparative analysis was performed between the DeepOnet model and the classical time series model, LSTM. It was observed that the DeepOnet model exhibited a tenfold improvement in accuracy for roll and heave motions. Furthermore, as the forecast duration increased, the advantage of the DeepOnet model showed a trend of strengthening. As a functional prediction model, DeepOnet offers a novel and promising tool for very short-term ship motion prediction.
An Integrated Deep Learning Framework for Early Prediction of Diabetic Retinopathy
Authors: Mostafa Fahad , Khan Hafiz , Farhana Fardous
Published: September 2024

Diabetic Retinopathy (DR) is a serious severe microvascular complication of diabetes that affects the eyes, leading to progressive damage to the retina and potential vision loss. Timely intervention and detection are crucial for preventing irreversible damage. With the advancement of technology, Deep Learning (DL) has emerged as a powerful tool in the field of medical diagnostics, offering a promising solution for the early prediction of diabetic retinopathy. This study compares four convolutional neural network architectures, DenseNet201, ResNet50, VGG19, and MobileNet V2. for predicting diabetic retinopathy prediction: DenseNet201, ResNet50, VGG19, and MobileNet V2. The evaluation is based on both accuracy and training time data. MobileNet V2 outperforms other models with a validation accuracy of \(\:78.22\text{\%}\). ResNet50 has the shortest training time (15.37 seconds). The findings emphasize the trade-off between model accuracy and computational efficiency, stressing MobileNet V2's potential applicability for Diabetic Retinopathy prediction due to its balance of high accuracy and reasonable training time. Making a 5-fold cross-validation with 100 repetitions, MobileNetV2 exhibits a validation accuracy of \(\:77.4\text{\%}\), showcasing its performance under the area under of the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) metric. This suggests its competence in effectively classifying data and highlights its robustness across multiple validation scenarios. Moreover, the clustering approach can find our damaged locations in the retina using the IRI method which achieves almost \(\:90\text{\%}\) accuracy. These findings are useful for researchers, and healthcare practitioners and researchers looking to investigate efficient and effective powerful models for predictive analytics to diagnose Diabetic Retinopathy.
Electrochemical Upcycling of Food Shell Waste for Fertilizer Production from Wastewater
Authors: Lei Yang , Zhan Zhengshuo , Luo Jiayu , Liu Jiyao , Saakes Michel , Weijden Renata van der , Buisman Cees , Liu Chongxuan
Published: September 2024

Food shell waste (seashells, eggshells, etc.) disposal, water eutrophication, and nutrient scarcity are challenges that slow our pace toward sustainable development goals. We report an electrochemical strategy to upcycle food shell waste for fertilizer production from wastewater to tackle these challenges in one shot, in which shell waste is decomposed by anodic produced H+, supplying cations (i.e., Ca2+) and alkaline condition for nutrients (i.e., phosphate) reclamation from wastewater. In batch studies, this system demonstrates promising P reclamation (84–99%) towards three common real wastewaters with P levels ranging from 7 to 1577 mg/L, indicating its potential for diverse applications, including wastewater in industrial schemes and source-separated urine in densely populated settings. On the inspiring outcomes, we build a scalable prototype in a household scenario upcycling eggshells for P reclamation from human urine and demonstrate the variability of this upcycling strategy for practical applications by its encouraging performance (> 85% P recovery at 1.0 kWh/m3) and long-term stability. The corresponding life cycle assessment and economic analysis further suggest that this strategy can significantly reduce environmental impacts with promising economic viability by alternating the current separate treatments of eggshell and urine as wastes. Our work outlines a green and sustainable route in simultaneously managing food waste disposal and fertilizer reclamation from wastewater.
Antifungal activity of traversianal, a diterpenoid aldehyde from Cercospora sp. ME202, against rice blast fungus Pyricularia oryzae
Authors: Ino Masatoshi , Kihara Junichi , Ishihara Atsushi , Ueno Makoto
Published: September 2024

Natural products from microorganisms are a rich resource for the identification of effective antifungal agents against plant pathogenic fungi. Traversianal, a diterpenoid produced by Cercospora spp., exhibits antifungal activity against Colletotrichum orbiculare, a pathogen that causes cucumber anthracnose. However, its effects on other fungi have not been investigated. Therefore, this study evaluated the antifungal activity of traversianal, derived from Cercospora sp. ME202, on Pyricularia oryzae, a rice blast pathogen. Traversianal exhibited a concentration-dependent inhibitory effect on conidial germination, with complete inhibition at 30 ppm. In the thin-layer chromatography bioassay, traversianal was detected as an antifungal zone at Rf 0.91, indicating mycelial growth inhibition. In addition, the time course of the fungicidal activity against P. oryzae, evaluated using double-fluorescent staining with fluorescein diacetate and propidium iodide, showed that most of the conidia were killed after 48 h of treatment with 40 ppm traversianal. In experiments with rice plants, blast lesion formation on rice leaves was significantly suppressed by pretreatment with traversianal. These results suggest the potential of traversianal as an inhibitory compound for the control of rice blast disease.
An epidemiological survey of bovine piroplasmosis in Kashgar, Xinjiang, China
Authors: Zhang Yuxia , Chen Xuke , Zhang Yanyan , Pu Na , Zhao Wenqing , Wang Zhengrong , Sun Yan , Jia Chunying , Bo Xinwen
Published: September 2024

Piroplasmosis is an important tick-borne disease in several regions, leading to significant economic losses in the development of animal husbandry. The present research aimed to systematically grasp the infection of bovine Piroplasma in Kashgar, Xinjiang, to provide a reference for the effective prevention and control of bovine piroplasmosis in the region. Based on the universal primers of Piroplasma and the specific primers of Theileria annulata, a total of 1403 bovine blood samples from 12 sampling sites were detected by PCR. The 18S rRNA gene sequence was amplified and sequenced. Species of Piroplasma were identified and phylogenetic relationship was analyzed using MEGA 7 and BLASTn tool of NCBI GenBank database. The overall infection rate of bovine Piroplasma was 65.93%(925/1403), a total of 3 species pathogens of Theileria including T. annulata, T. orientalis, and T. sinensis were detected out, and the infection rates were 65.07%༈913/1403) 、 0.50%༈7/1403) 、 0.07%༈1/1403). The mixed infection rate of T. orientalis and T. annulata was 0.29% (4/1403). No Babesia was detected in this study. In conclusion, bovine Piroplasmosis was still more serious in Kashgar. T. annulata is the dominant species, and there is a mixed infection of T. annulata and T. orientalis. In addition, it is noteworthy that T. sinensis was first detected in this region. Therefore, the prevention and control of bovine piroplasmosis should be strengthened.
Decoding the chicken gastrointestinal microbiome
Authors: Burrows PB , Santos Fernanda Godoy , KJ Lawther , Richmond Anne , Corcionivoschi N , Huws Sharon
Published: September 2024

Metataxonomic studies have underpinned a vast understanding of microbial communities residing within livestock gastrointestinal tracts, albeit studies have often not been combined to provide a global census. Consequently, in this study we characterised the overall and common ‘core’ chicken microbiota across the gastrointestinal tract (GIT), whilst assessing the effects of GIT location, bird breed, age and geographical location on the GIT resident microbes using metataxonomic data compiled from studies completed across the world. Specifically, bacterial 16S ribosomal DNA sequences from GIT samples associated with various breeds, differing in age, diet, GIT (caecum, faeces, ileum and jejunum) and geographical location were obtained from the Short Read Archive and analysed using the MGnify pipeline. Metataxonomic profiles produced across the 602 datasets illustrated the presence of 3 phyla, 25 families and 30 genera, of which core genera (defined by presence in over 90% of datasets) belonged to Lactobacillus, Faecalibacterium, Butyricicoccus, Eisenbergiella, Subdoligranulum, Oscillibacter, Clostridium & Blautia. PERMANOVA analysis also showed that GIT location, bird breed, age and geographical location all had a significant effect on GIT microbial diversity. On a genus level, Faecalibacterium was most abundant in the caeca, Lactobacillus was most abundant in the faeces, ileum and jejunum, with the data showing that the caeca and faeces were most diverse. AIL F8 progeny, Ross 308 and Cobb 500 breeds GIT bacteria were dominated by Lactobacillus, and Eisenbergiella, Megamonas and Bacteroides were most abundant amongst Sasso-T451A and Tibetan chicken breeds. Microbial communities within each GIT region develop with age, from a Lactobacillus and Streptococcus dominated community during the earlier stages of growth, towards a Faecalibacterium, Eisenbergiella, Bacteroides, Megamonas, and Lactobacillus dominated community during the later stages of life. Geographical locations, and thus environmental effectors, also impacted upon gastrointestinal tract microbiota, with Canadian and European datasets being dominated by Lactobacillus, whilst UK and Chinese datasets were dominated by Eisenbergiella and Bacteroides respectively. This study aids in defining what ‘normal’ is within poultry gastrointestinal tract microbiota globally, which is imperative to enhancing the microbiome for productive and environmental improvements.
Alteration of oral flora in betel nut chewers
Authors: Han Yu , Lu Yanxu , Zhou Hongbo , Wang Ran , Chen Chengxin
Published: September 2024

Objectives: To analyzed microbiota changes in gingival crevicular fluid of betel nut chewers and non-chewers.
Materials and methods: We collected gingival crevicular fluid samples from betel nut chewers and non-chewers and analyzed using 16srRNA high-throughput sequencing technology. Various statistical methods were used for the test. P values < 0.05 were considered to be statistically significant.
Results: Data analysis of all the abundant species revealed a lower abundance of Tannerella and Treponema in the chewer without periodontitis group than in the other groups(P < 0.05), and Haemophilus were more abundant in that group(P < 0.05). A statistically significant difference in PD Whole tree was observed (P < 0.05).
Conclusions: The results suggested that betel nut chewing altered the microbial flora in gingival crevicular fluid. However, the link between microbial changes and betel nut-induced periodontitis is speculative.
Forest Fire Ash Optimizer (FFA): A Novel Physics-based Metaheuristic Algorithm for Implementing Exploration-Exploitation Flexible Regulation
Authors: Lin Baisen , Yu Song , Wang Jigang , Zhou Xiaojing , Xie Congzhen
Published: September 2024

This study proposes a novel physics-inspired metaheuristic algorithm named Forest Fire Ash Optimizer (FFA). Inspired by the characteristics of ash movement in different forest fire burning stages, intelligently transformed these regular behaviors into a variety of unique algorithmic mechanisms, including a four-population mechanism based on fitness and denseness partitioning, an inverse proportionality selection mechanism for elite influence, and an ash movement strategy grounded in actual physical phenomena. These components complement each other to enable flexible regulation of exploration and exploitation, i.e., the two phases are not merely sequential, but change dynamically depending on the search status of FFA agents. To verify the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm, FFA is qualitatively analyzed using the CEC-2022 test suite. Additionally, the classical standard test suite, CEC-2017 test suite, and CEC-2022 test suite are conducted to compare the performance of FFA with 9 advanced algorithms. The results demonstrate that FFA excels in performance, exhibiting high stability, flexibility, and robustness. Finally, FFA is applied to 9 classical and challenging real-world engineering optimization problems. The results indicate that, compared to the competing algorithms, FFA provides superior and more novel solutions, predicting its potential for in-depth applications in more engineering fields.
Health and Well-Being in Medieval Estremoz, Portugal: Uncovering the Diet and Longevity of a Distinct and Thriving Community
Authors: Curto Ana , Navarrete Vanessa , Maurer Anne-France , Dias Cristina Barrocas , Fernandes Teresa
Published: September 2024

The intersection of socioeconomic policies and health in archaeological contexts highlights how ancient societies' structures, practices, and regulations influenced their people's health and well-being. This study investigates the diet and health of a 13th to 15th -century Portuguese town, Estremoz, known for having royal privileges. By analysing human remains for physiological stress indicators and employing stable isotopic analysis to estimate adult diet, the research provides insights into the life of this medieval population. Human remains (141 skeletons: 72 under 15 years old; 69 over 15 years old) from Rossio Marquês de Pombal (13th − 15th centuries) were analysed and faunal remains (N = 171) and bone collagen (N = 13 faunal remains; N = 37 human ribs: 14 females, 18 males, 5 undetermined) were examined to estimate adult diet using stable isotopic composition (δ15N and δ13C). Skeletal indicators of physiological stress (cribra orbitalia, cribra cranii, periosteal lesions, stature and body mass) were assessed to infer overall health. The diet was relatively uniform (δ13C x̄ = -18.3 ± 0.46‰; δ15N x̄ = 10.9 ± 0.77‰) with some outliers, mostly male, suggesting that there might have been outsiders in Estremoz attracted by the privileges given to its inhabitants. The low and non-severe frequency of physiological stress, particularly in females, indicates a good quality of life without major nutritional deficits. These findings illustrate how bioarchaeological studies can reveal the impact of social dynamics and cultural influences on past health.
Identification of CT-based Radiomic Biomarkers for Progression-Free Survival in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Authors: Ling Xiao , Bazyar Soha , Ferris Matthew , Molitoris Jason , Allor Erin , Thomas Hannah , Arons Danielle , Schumaker Lisa , Krc Rebecca , Mendes William Silva , Tran Phuoc T. , Sawant Amit , Mehra Ranee , Gaykalova Daria A. , Lei Ren
Published: September 2024

This study addresses the limited noninvasive tools for Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma (HNSCC) progression-free survival (PFS) prediction by identifying Computed Tomography (CT)-based biomarkers for predicting prognosis. A retrospective analysis was conducted on data from 203 HNSCC patients. An ensemble feature selection involving correlation analysis, univariate survival analysis, best-subset selection, and the LASSO-Cox algorithm was used to select functional features, which were then used to build final Cox Proportional Hazards models (CPH). Our CPH achieved a 0.69 concordance index in an external validation cohort of 77 patients. The model identified five CT-based radiomics features, Gradient ngtdm Contrast, Logσ=33D-FirstorderRootMeanSquared, Logσ=0.13D-glszm SmallAreaLowGrayLevelEmphasis, Exponential-gldm LargeDependenceHighGrayLevelEmphasis, and Gradient ngtdm Strength as survival biomarkers (p-value < 0.05). These findings contribute to our knowledge of how radiomics can be used to predict the outcome so that treatment plans can be tailored for people with HNSCC to improve their prognosis.
Variability of Agave amica in India Using SRAP Markers and Multivariate Analysis of Morphological Traits
Authors: PR Jadhav , AY Jagtap , PR Shingote , AU Solanke , MC Pagariya , Kumar PN , KV Prasad , PG Kawar
Published: September 2024

The genus Agave, indigenous to Mexico, comprises approximately 15 species, 3 varieties, and a few commercially cultivated cultivars. Despite its ornamental value and global economic importance, the development of new cultivars has been limited, with only two primary varieties and around 20 single and double-flower cultivars currently in cultivation, restricting the genetic diversity available to breeders. This study investigates the genetic and morphological diversity among thirteen tuberose (Agave amica) cultivars using Sequence-Related Amplified Polymorphism (SRAP) markers and morphological assessments. SRAP analysis generated 63 scorable bands, with 54 polymorphic and 9 monomorphic bands, resulting in about 81% polymorphism. Cluster analysis via the NTSYS-pc program grouped the cultivars into two major clusters, with genetic similarity coefficients ranging from 0.51 to 0.89, indicating significant genetic variation. Within Cluster I, Hyderabad Single and Arka Prajwal showed 85.93% similarity, while Arka Sugandhi shared 84.37% similarity with both. Arka Nirantara formed a distinct subgroup, showing 84.37% similarity with Arka Prajwal and 78.12% with Arka Sugandhi. In Cluster II, Bidhan Ujjwal and Arka Vaibhav exhibited high relatedness with 89.06% similarity. Sikkim Selection and Mexican Single formed a subgroup within this cluster. SRAP primers showed a resolving power ranging from 6 to 25, with an average of 3.85 polymorphic bands per primer pair and a PIC value of 0.528, demonstrating their effectiveness in distinguishing among cultivars. Morphological evaluation of 11 traits, including plant height, leaf dimensions, flowering period, and spike characteristics, revealed significant variability. Multifactorial Analysis (MFA) and Agglomerative Hierarchical Clustering (AHC) identified key traits contributing to this diversity. The integration of molecular and morphological data offers a thorough understanding of the genetic and phenotypic diversity in tuberose, crucial for breeding, conservation, and the development of improved cultivars, as well as the effective conservation of its germplasm.