bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Research Progress on Shear Characteristics and Rapid Post-Disaster Construction of Narrow-Width Steel Box–UHPC Composite Beams
Authors: Chen Yunteng , Xu Jiawei , Yuan Peilong , Wang Qiang , Cui Guanhua , Su Xulin
Published: June 2024

The narrow-width steel box girder is an important type of steel–concrete composite bridge structure, which is usually composed of reinforced concrete wing plates, narrow steel boxes partially injected with concrete, and shear connectors that promote shear force transfer. The utilization of narrow-width steel box girders, augmented by partially filled concrete, embodies the synthesis of steel and concrete elements, fostering structural efficiency. Moreover, its attributes, including reduced structural weight, diminished vertical profile, enhanced load-bearing capacity, and augmented stiffness, have prompted its gradual integration into bridge engineering applications. In this study, the calculated values of shear strength under three current design codes were reviewed, and the shear failure phenomena and its determinants of narrow-width steel box–ultra-high-performance concrete (UHPC) composite beams under negative bending moment conditions were investigated, which were mainly determined by shear span ratio, concrete wing plate, UHPC steel fiber content, UHPC plate thickness, and transverse partition inside the box. Concurrently, this paper evaluates two innovative structural designs, including a double-narrow steel box girder and a three-narrow steel box girder. In addition, strategies to reduce crack formation under the negative bending moment of long-span continuous narrow and wide box girder abutments are discussed, and we show that this measure can effectively control the formation of cracks to support the negative bending moment zone. At the same time, the scope of the application of a narrow-width steel box girder composite bridge is reviewed, and the conclusion is that a narrow-width steel box girder is mainly used in small-radius flat-curved bridges or widened-ramp bridges with a span of 30 m or more in interworking areas and in the main line with a 60–100 m span in mountainous or urban areas. Finally, the research direction of the shear resistance of the UHPC–narrow steel box girder under negative bending moments is proposed.
Experimental Study on the Shear Strength of Different Interfaces of Fine-Grained-Tailing-Filled Geotextile Tubes
Authors: Liu Xiaowen , Wu Zeming , Guo Feiyang
Published: June 2024

As damming material, fine-grained tailings present challenges such as low dam strength and poor stability. To address these issues, this study employs geotextile tube technology to mix water with fine-grained tailings, forming a tailing slurry with a concentration of 60%, which is filled into a geotextile bag to form a geotextile tube, so as to improve the stability of fine-grained tailings. The shear strength characteristics of each interface under different consolidation times and different filling degrees were studied via an indoor shear experiment, including the shear strength of tailing particles, that between tailings and geotextiles, and that within geotextile tubes themselves. The results show that the shear strength of each interface conforms to the Mohr–Coulomb strength criterion, and that the interface cohesion is greatly affected by the consolidation time, while the interface friction angle is mainly affected by the filling degree. Moreover, the shear strength comparison, based on the comprehensive friction angle concept, indicates a substantial increase in shear strength at the interfaces between geotextile tubes compared to both that of the tailings themselves and the interface between tailings and geotextiles, highlighting the reinforcing effect of the geotextile tube filling technology on tailings’ shear strength.
Identifying Street Environmental Factors That Attract Public Attention from the Jogger’s Perspective: A Multiscale Spatial Exploration
Authors: Zhong Yujia , Guo Meng , Zhang Menghan , Tan Li
Published: June 2024

Improving street jogging environments can promote urban health and sustainability, especially within urban built-up areas. Public attention to the environment during jogging has not been sufficiently studied, and the recommended route data from the fitness app offers an opportunity for multiscale spatial exploration. Initially, by analyzing the recommendation reason text, the study identified 22 environmental factors and proposed the Environmental Factor Public Attention Intensity (EFPAI) for quantification, with subsequent comparisons to expert opinions. Further, by analyzing five types of data from the recommended routes, the relationships between EFPAI and jogging frequency, route shape, spatial distribution, and seasonal variations were uncovered. The study revealed: (1) discrepancies between expert opinions and public attention, with experts more likely to overlook factors such as slope, visual quality, width, and acoustic quality; (2) the public tends to notice factors like pedestrians, green spaces, waterfront spaces, landscapes, culture, sports facilities, and accessibility on routes with high jogging frequency; (3) EFPAI for traffic infrastructure, waterfront spaces, landscapes, residential areas, and campuses is associated with route shape; (4) EFPAI of certain environmental factors is influenced by urban geographical spatial factors, and substantial differences exist between different cities. Specific recommendations were provided from three different scales—site scale, street block scale, and urban scale—to guide the resolution of issues in planning and decision-making processes for urban renewal.
Modelling the Smoke Flow Characteristics of a Comprehensive Pipe Gallery Fire with Rectangular Section
Authors: Wang Xu , Yao Zhilan , Wang Yanru , Kong Xianzhen , Lv Zhengxiu
Published: June 2024

In this study, a numerical model of the cable cabin of a comprehensive pipe gallery was established to study the smoke flow diffusion behaviour of a comprehensive pipe gallery fire under a rectangular cross-section. The effects of fire source power (Q = 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, 2.0, 2.5, 3.0 MW) and fire source location (D = 10, 20, 40, 50, 60, 80, 100 m) on the smoke flow characteristics—such as smoke layer height and thickness, longitudinal airflow velocity, and ceiling temperature distribution—were analysed, and the corresponding prediction model was fitted. The results show the following: (1) The height of the smoke layer decreases with increasing fire power, and the predictive model of the smoke layer thickness obtained from the fitting is proportional to the smoke mass flow rate and inversely proportional to the aspect ratio of the pipe gallery. (2) Longitudinal air velocity prediction models of D < 50 m and D ≥ 50 m are fitted, and the average error between them and the numerical simulation values is 9.611%. (3) The temperature decay gradient of the smoke decreases gradually with increasing distance from the fire source, while there is a significant temperature difference between the two sides of the fire source. The average relative errors of the dimensionless temperature rise models fitted upstream and downstream of the fire source in the form of ΔTT0=AeBD−XH+C exponentials with respect to the numerical simulations were 11.688% and 7.296%, respectively. The results of the study can provide a reference for smoke flow and fire prevention and control in comprehensive pipe galleries.
RETRACTED: Jain et al. Lysosomes in Stem Cell Quiescence: A Potential Therapeutic Target in Acute Myeloid Leukemia. Cancers 2022, 14, 1618
Authors: Jain Vaibhav , Bose Swaroop , Arya Awadhesh K. , Arif Tasleem
Published: June 2024

The Cancers Editorial Office retracts the article entitled ‘Lysosomes in Stem Cell Quiescence: A Potential Therapeutic Target in Acute Myeloid Leukemia’ [...]
Pro-Oxidant Auranofin and Glutathione-Depleting Combination Unveils Synergistic Lethality in Glioblastoma Cells with Aberrant Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor Expression
Authors: Martinez-Jaramillo Elvis , Jamali Fatemeh , Abdalbari Farah H. , Abdulkarim Bassam , Jean-Claude Bertrand J. , Telleria Carlos M. , Sabri Siham
Published: June 2024

Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most prevalent and advanced malignant primary brain tumor in adults. GBM frequently harbors epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) wild-type (EGFRwt) gene amplification and/or EGFRvIII activating mutation. EGFR-driven GBM relies on the thioredoxin (Trx) and/or glutathione (GSH) antioxidant systems to withstand the excessive production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). The impact of EGFRwt or EGFRvIII overexpression on the response to a Trx/GSH co-targeting strategy is unknown. In this study, we investigated Trx/GSH co-targeting in the context of EGFR overexpression in GBM. Auranofin is a thioredoxin reductase (TrxR) inhibitor, FDA-approved for rheumatoid arthritis. L-buthionine-sulfoximine (L-BSO) inhibits GSH synthesis by targeting the glutamate–cysteine ligase catalytic (GCLC) enzyme subunit. We analyzed the mechanisms of cytotoxicity of auranofin and the interaction between auranofin and L-BSO in U87MG, U87/EGFRwt, and U87/EGFRvIII GBM isogenic GBM cell lines. ROS-dependent effects were assessed using the antioxidant N-acetylsteine. We show that auranofin decreased TrxR1 activity and increased ROS. Auranofin decreased cell vitality and colony formation and increased protein polyubiquitination through ROS-dependent mechanisms, suggesting the role of ROS in auranofin-induced cytotoxicity in the three cell lines. ROS-dependent PARP-1 cleavage was associated with EGFRvIII downregulation in U87/EGFRvIII cells. Remarkably, the auranofin and L-BSO combination induced the significant depletion of intracellular GSH and synergistic cytotoxicity regardless of EGFR overexpression. Nevertheless, molecular mechanisms associated with cytotoxicity were modulated to a different extent among the three cell lines. U87/EGFRvIII exhibited the most prominent ROS increase, P-AKT(Ser-473), and AKT decrease along with drastic EGFRvIII downregulation. U87/EGFRwt and U87/EGFRvIII displayed lower basal intracellular GSH levels and synergistic ROS-dependent DNA damage compared to U87MG cells. Our study provides evidence for ROS-dependent synergistic cytotoxicity of auranofin and L-BSO combination in GBM in vitro. Unraveling the sensitivity of EGFR-overexpressing cells to auranofin alone, and synergistic auranofin and L-BSO combination, supports the rationale to repurpose this promising pro-oxidant treatment strategy in GBM.
Refining Risk Criteria May Substantially Reduce Unnecessary Additional Surgeries after Local Resection of T1 Colorectal Cancer
Authors: Martínez de Juan Fernando , Navarro Samuel , Machado Isidro
Published: June 2024

Background: The low positive predictive value for lymph node metastases (LNM) of common practice risk criteria (CPRC) in T1 colorectal carcinoma (CRC) leads to manyunnecessary additional surgeries following local resection. This study aimed to identify criteria that may improve on the CPRC. Methods: Logistic regression analysis was performed to determine the association of diverse variables with LNM or ‘poor outcome’ (LNM and/or distant metastases and/or recurrence) in a single center T1 CRC cohort. The diagnostic capacity of the set of variables obtained was compared with that of the CPRC. Results: The study comprised 161 cases. Poorly differentiated clusters (PDC) and tumor budding grade > 1 (TB > 1) were the only independent variables associated with LNM. The area under the curve (AUC) for these criteria was 0.808 (CI 95% 0.717–0.880) compared to 0.582 (CI 95% 0.479–0.680) for CPRC. TB > 1 and lymphovascular invasion (LVI) were independently associated with ‘poor outcome’, with an AUC of 0.801 (CI 95% 0.731–0.859), while the AUC for CPRC was 0.691 (CI 95% 0.603–0.752). TB > 1, combined either with PDC or LVI, would reduce false positives between 41.5% and 45% without significantly increasing false negatives. Conclusions: Indicating additional surgery in T1 CRC only when either TB > 1, PDC, or LVI are present could reduce unnecessary surgeries significantly.
Eosinophilic Cells in Ovarian Borderline Serous Tumors as a Predictor of BRAF Mutation
Authors: Badlaeva Alina , Tregubova Anna , Palicelli Andrea , Asaturova Aleksandra
Published: June 2024

According to recent reports, ovarian serous borderline tumor (SBT) harboring the BRAF V600E mutation is associated with a lower risk of progression to low-grade serous carcinoma. Preliminary observations suggest that there may be an association between eosinophilic cells (ECs) and the above-mentioned mutation, so this study aimed to evaluate interobserver reproducibility for assessing ECs. Forty-two samples of SBTs were analyzed for ECs with abundant eosinophilic cytoplasm. Immunohistochemical staining and genetic pro-filing were performed in all cases to verify the BRAF V600E mutation. A BRAF V600E mutation was found in 19 of 42 (45%) cases. Inter-observer reproducibility in the assessment of ECs was substantial (κ = 0.7). The sensitivity and specificity for predicting the mutation were 79% and 91%, respectively. Patients with BRAF-mutated SBTs were significantly younger than those without mutation (p = 0.005). SBTs with BRAF mutation were less likely to be accompanied by non-invasive implants than wild-type SBT: 12% (2/17) versus 33% (6/18). Seven cases were excluded due to incomplete cytoreductive surgery. Nevertheless, Fisher’s exact test showed no significant differences between the two groups (p = 0.228). Overall, this study strengthens the idea that ECs in ovarian SBTs may represent a mutation with prognostic significance, which can serve as a primary screening test for BRAF V600E mutation in this pathologic entity.
KRAS Exon 2 Mutations in Patients with Sporadic Colorectal Cancer: Prevalence Variations in Mexican and Latin American Populations
Authors: Venegas-Rodríguez José Luis , Hernández-Sandoval Jesús Arturo , Gutiérrez-Angulo Melva , Moreno-Ortiz José Miguel , González-Mercado Anahí , Peregrina-Sandoval Jorge , Ramírez-Plascencia Helen Haydee Fernanda , Flores-López Beatriz Armida , Alvizo-Rodríguez Carlos Rogelio , Valenzuela-Pérez Jesús Alonso , Cervantes-Ortiz Sergio , Ayala-Madrigal María de la Luz
Published: June 2024

We searched for the prevalence of actionable somatic mutations in exon 2 of the KRAS gene in western Mexican patients with CRC. Tumor tissue DNA samples from 150 patients with sporadic CRC recruited at the Civil Hospital of Guadalajara were analyzed. Mutations in exon 2 of the KRAS gene were identified using Sanger sequencing, and the data were analyzed considering clinical–pathological characteristics. Variants in codon 12 (rs121913529 G>A, G>C, and G>T) and codon 13 (rs112445441 G>A) were detected in 26 patients (with a prevalence of 17%). No significant associations were found between these variants and clinical–pathological characteristics (p > 0.05). Furthermore, a comprehensive search was carried out in PubMed/NCBI and Google for the prevalence of KRAS exon 2 mutations in Latin American populations. The 17 studies included 12,604 CRC patients, with an overall prevalence of 30% (95% CI = 0.26–0.35), although the prevalence ranged from 13 to 43% across the different data sources. Determining the variation and frequency of KRAS alleles in CRC patients will enhance their potential to receive targeted treatments and contribute to the understanding of the genomic profile of CRC.
Online Provision of BRCA1 and BRCA2 Health Information: A Search Engine Driven Systematic Web-Based Analysis
Authors: Gootzen Tamar A. , Kalra Ashwin , Sarig Katrina , Sobočan Monika , Oxley Samuel George , Dworschak Nina , Georgiannakis Ariadni , Glynou Sevasti , Taniskidi Angeliki , Ganesan Subhasheenee , Ferris Michelle , Legood Rosa , Eeles Ros , Evans D. Gareth R , Fierheller Caitlin T. , Manchanda Ranjit
Published: June 2024

BRCA genetic testing is available for UK Jewish individuals but the provision of information online for BRCA is unknown. We aimed to evaluate online provision of BRCA information by UK organisations (UKO), UK Jewish community organisations (JCO), and genetic testing providers (GTP). Google searches for organisations offering BRCA information were performed using relevant sets of keywords. The first 100 website links were categorised into UKOs/JCOs/GTPs; additional JCOs were supplemented through community experts. Websites were reviewed using customised questionnaires for BRCA information. Information provision was assessed for five domains: accessibility, scope, depth, accuracy, and quality. These domains were combined to provide a composite score (maximum score = 5). Results were screened (n = 6856) and 45 UKOs, 16 JCOs, and 18 GTPs provided BRCA information. Accessibility was high (84%,66/79). Scope was lacking with 35% (28/79) addressing >50% items. Most (82%, 65/79) described BRCA-associated cancers: breast and/or ovarian cancer was mentioned by 78%(62/79), but only 34% (27/79) mentioned ≥1 pancreatic, prostate, melanoma. Few websites provided carrier frequencies in the general (24%,19/79) and Jewish populations (20%,16/79). Only 15% (12/79) had quality information with some/minimal shortcomings. Overall information provision was low-to-moderate: median scores UKO = 2.1 (IQR = 1), JCO = 1.6 (IQR = 0.9), and GTP = 2.3 (IQR = 1) (maximum-score = 5). There is a scarcity of high-quality BRCA information online. These findings have implications for UK Jewish BRCA programmes and those considering BRCA testing.
The Crucial Role of Hereditary Cancer Panel Testing in Unaffected Individuals with a Strong Family History of Cancer: A Retrospective Study of a Cohort of 103 Healthy Subjects
Authors: Pilenzi Lucrezia , Anaclerio Federico , Dell’Elice Anastasia , Minelli Maria , Giansante Roberta , Cicirelli Michela , Tinari Nicola , Grassadonia Antonino , Pantalone Andrea , Grossi Simona , Canale Nicole , Bruno Annalisa , Calabrese Giuseppe , Ballerini Patrizia , Stuppia Liborio , Antonucci Ivana
Published: June 2024

Hereditary cancer syndromes caused by germline mutations account for 5–10% of all cancers. The finding of a genetic mutation could have far-reaching consequences for pharmaceutical therapy, personalized prevention strategies, and cascade testing. According to the National Comprehensive Cancer Network’s (NCCN) and the Italian Association of Medical Oncology (AIOM) guidelines, unaffected family members should be tested only if the affected one is unavailable. This article explores whether germline genetic testing may be offered to high-risk families for hereditary cancer even if a living affected relative is missing. A retrospective study was carried out on 103 healthy subjects tested from 2017 to 2023. We enrolled all subjects with at least two first- or second-degree relatives affected by breast, ovarian, pancreatic, gastric, prostate, or colorectal cancer. All subjects were tested by Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) multi-gene panel of 27 cancer-associated genes. In the study population, 5 (about 5%) pathogenic/likely pathogenic variants (PVs/LPVs) were found, while 40 (42%) had a Variant of Uncertain Significance (VUS). This study highlights the importance of genetic testing for individuals with a strong family history of hereditary malignancies. This approach would allow women who tested positive to receive tailored treatment and prevention strategies based on their personal mutation status.
Serum NF-κB in Epstein–Barr Virus-Related Oropharyngeal Carcinoma Diagnostic Usability
Authors: Polz Anna , Morshed Kamal , Drop Bartłomiej , Polz-Dacewicz Małgorzata
Published: June 2024

Early diagnosis and effective therapy are the fundamental challenge for modern oncology. Hence, many researchers focus on the search for new or improved biomarkers. Due to the great importance of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) in physiological and pathological processes, we focused on assessing its usefulness as a biomarker in OPSCC. The purpose of the research presented here was to evaluate the prevalence and the level of NF-κB in the serum of OPSCC patients (ELISA). Serum NF-κB levels were also assessed depending on the degree of histological differentiation of the tumor and TN classification. Additionally, we considered the existence of a correlation between the concentration of NF-κB and EBV antibody titers, viral load and selected MMPs—MMP3 and MMP9. Taken together, the obtained results demonstrated that NF-κB level was significantly higher among patients with EBV-related OPSCC than among those without EBV. In addition, the level of NF-κB was significantly higher in more advanced clinical stages. Moreover, a positive correlation was found between the concentration of NF-κB and the level of selected EBV antibodies, viral load and both tested MMPs. The diagnostic accuracy of NF-κB was confirmed by ROC analysis.
Brain RFamide Neuropeptides in Stress-Related Psychopathologies
Authors: Kovács Anita , Szabó Evelin , László Kristóf , Kertes Erika , Zagorácz Olga , Mintál Kitti , Tóth Attila , Gálosi Rita , Berta Bea , Lénárd László , Hormay Edina , László Bettina , Zelena Dóra , Tóth Zsuzsanna E.
Published: June 2024

The RFamide peptide family is a group of proteins that share a common C-terminal arginine–phenylalanine–amide motif. To date, the family comprises five groups in mammals: neuropeptide FF, LPXRFamides/RFamide-related peptides, prolactin releasing peptide, QRFP, and kisspeptins. Different RFamide peptides have their own cognate receptors and are produced by different cell populations, although they all can also bind to neuropeptide FF receptors with different affinities. RFamide peptides function in the brain as neuropeptides regulating key aspects of homeostasis such as energy balance, reproduction, and cardiovascular function. Furthermore, they are involved in the organization of the stress response including modulation of pain. Considering the interaction between stress and various parameters of homeostasis, the role of RFamide peptides may be critical in the development of stress-related neuropathologies. This review will therefore focus on the role of RFamide peptides as possible key hubs in stress and stress-related psychopathologies. The neurotransmitter coexpression profile of RFamide-producing cells is also discussed, highlighting its potential functional significance. The development of novel pharmaceutical agents for the treatment of stress-related disorders is an ongoing need. Thus, the importance of RFamide research is underlined by the emergence of peptidergic and G-protein coupled receptor-based therapeutic targets in the pharmaceutical industry.
Peripherally Restricted CB1 Receptor Inverse Agonist JD5037 Treatment Exacerbates Liver Injury in MDR2-Deficient Mice
Authors: Chen Jenny , Li Fengyuan , Lee Jiyeon , Manirujjaman Md , Zhang Lihua , Song Zhao-Hui , McClain Craig , Feng Wenke
Published: June 2024

Previous research highlighted the involvement of the cannabinoid CB1 receptor in regulating the physiology of hepatocytes and hepatic stellate cells. The inhibition of the CB1 receptor via peripherally restricted CB1 receptor inverse agonist JD5037 has shown promise in inhibiting liver fibrosis in mice treated with CCl4. However, its efficacy in phospholipid transporter-deficiency-induced liver fibrosis remains uncertain. In this study, we investigated the effectiveness of JD5037 in Mdr2−/− mice. Mdr2 (Abcb4) is a mouse ortholog of the human MDR3 (ABCB4) gene encoding for the canalicular phospholipid transporter. Genetic disruption of the Mdr2 gene in mice causes a complete absence of phosphatidylcholine from bile, leading to liver injury and fibrosis. Mdr2−/− mice develop spontaneous fibrosis during growth. JD5037 was orally administered to the mice for four weeks starting at eight weeks of age. Liver fibrosis, bile acid levels, inflammation, and injury were assessed. Additionally, JD5037 was administered to three-week-old mice to evaluate its preventive effects on fibrosis development. Our findings corroborate previous observations regarding global CB1 receptor inverse agonists. Four weeks of JD5037 treatment in eight-week-old Mdr2−/− mice with established fibrosis led to reduced body weight gains. However, contrary to expectations, JD5037 significantly exacerbated liver injury, evidenced by elevated serum ALT and ALP levels and exacerbated liver histology. Notably, JD5037-treated Mdr2−/− mice exhibited significantly heightened serum bile acid levels. Furthermore, JD5037 treatment intensified liver fibrosis, increased fibrogenic gene expression, stimulated ductular reaction, and upregulated hepatic proinflammatory cytokines. Importantly, JD5037 failed to prevent liver fibrosis formation in three-week-old Mdr2−/− mice. In summary, our study reveals the exacerbating effect of JD5037 on liver fibrosis in genetically MDR2-deficient mice. These findings underscore the need for caution in the use of peripherally restricted CB1R inverse agonists for liver fibrosis treatment, particularly in cases of dysfunctional hepatic phospholipid transporter.
An NLP-Based Exploration of Variance in Student Writing and Syntax: Implications for Automated Writing Evaluation
Authors: Goldshtein Maria , Alhashim Amin G. , Roscoe Rod D.
Published: June 2024

In writing assessment, expert human evaluators ideally judge individual essays with attention to variance among writers’ syntactic patterns. There are many ways to compose text successfully or less successfully. For automated writing evaluation (AWE) systems to provide accurate assessment and relevant feedback, they must be able to consider similar kinds of variance. The current study employed natural language processing (NLP) to explore variance in syntactic complexity and sophistication across clusters characterized in a large corpus (n = 36,207) of middle school and high school argumentative essays. Using NLP tools, k-means clustering, and discriminant function analysis (DFA), we observed that student writers employed four distinct syntactic patterns: (1) familiar and descriptive language, (2) consistently simple noun phrases, (3) variably complex noun phrases, and (4) moderate complexity with less familiar language. Importantly, each pattern spanned the full range of writing quality; there were no syntactic patterns consistently evaluated as “good” or “bad”. These findings support the need for nuanced approaches in automated writing assessment while informing ways that AWE can participate in that process. Future AWE research can and should explore similar variability across other detectable elements of writing (e.g., vocabulary, cohesion, discursive cues, and sentiment) via diverse modeling methods.
Biodiversity of Nematodes from Coral Reef Sediments in the South China Sea Based on eDNA Metabarcoding
Authors: An Lei , Wang Aiyang , Zhang Zheng , Ren Xiaoliang , Sha Zhongli
Published: June 2024

Coral reef ecosystems in the South China Sea are one of the globally important marine biodiversity hotspots. However, there are few studies on nematode biodiversity in coral reef sediments. Here, we assessed nematode biodiversity in coral reef sediments in the South China Sea using eDNA metabarcoding. Eight sampling stations were set up in the region north of the South China Sea Basin (Xisha and Zhongsha Islands) and south of it (Nansha Islands), respectively. We also compared and analysed the nematode biodiversity and community structure in different regions, as well as the effects of environmental factors on the community structure. The results showed that a total of 503 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) were detected in 16 sediment samples. The nematodes identified belong to two classes, 10 orders, 37 families, 51 genera and 61 species, and all of them were Enoplea and Chromadorea, except for the unidentified taxa, which accounted for 97.26% of the total abundance. The analyses showed that the northern region had higher nematode abundance and diversity relative to the southern region. However, there was no significant difference in the nematode community structure between the two regions, which was less affected by geographic location. Similarly, environmental factors (total nitrogen, total phosphorus, copper, zinc, cadmium, lead and arsenic) have an effect on the abundance of specific nematode groups but not on the overall community structure. In summary, this study initially reveals the composition and diversity of nematode communities in coral reef sediments in the South China Sea and provides an important reference for further in-depth study of the South China Sea ecosystem.
Bromeliad-Dwelling Frogs Revealed by Citizen Scientists
Authors: Zocca Cássio , Ghilardi-Lopes Natalia Pirani , Ferreira Rodrigo Barbosa
Published: June 2024

Understanding species composition across temporal and spatial scales through participatory monitoring has contributed to the development of several studies focused on biodiversity in Neotropical ecosystems. Habitat loss and the illegal collection of bromeliads pose significant threats to bromeligenous frogs, which depend on the rainwater collected between bromeliad leaves for egg and tadpole development. In this study, we compiled a comprehensive dataset of bromeligenous frogs using data from “Projeto Bromélias” on the iNaturalist citizen science platform. Our dataset includes records of 85 species of bromeligenous frogs, representing 52% of the 164 known species that reproduce in bromeliads. These species belong to 33 genera and 10 families and are reported from 18 countries. Twenty-eight species are listed in threatened categories on a global scale. Our findings extended the known geographic distribution of four species. Notably, the green and black poison dart Frog, Dendrobates auratus, was recorded as a non-native species in Hawaii, USA. Regarding the temporal data, the number of bromeligenous records increased substantially after 2009. This study highlights the value of citizen science platforms as important tools for monitoring bromeliad inhabitants and contributing to management and conservation initiatives.
AI-Driven Real-Time Classification of ECG Signals for Cardiac Monitoring Using i-AlexNet Architecture
Authors: Kolhar Manjur , Kazi Raisa Nazir Ahmed , Mohapatra Hitesh , Al Rajeh Ahmed M
Published: June 2024

The healthcare industry has evolved with the advent of artificial intelligence (AI), which uses advanced computational methods and algorithms, leading to quicker inspection, forecasting, evaluation and treatment. In the context of healthcare, artificial intelligence (AI) uses sophisticated computational methods to evaluate, decipher and draw conclusions from patient data. AI has the potential to revolutionize the healthcare industry in several ways, including better managerial effectiveness, individualized treatment regimens and diagnostic improvements. In this research, the ECG signals are preprocessed for noise elimination and heartbeat segmentation. Multi-feature extraction is employed to extract features from preprocessed data, and an optimization technique is used to choose the most feasible features. The i-AlexNet classifier, which is an improved version of the AlexNet model, is used to classify between normal and anomalous signals. For experimental evaluation, the proposed approach is applied to PTB and MIT_BIH databases, and it is observed that the suggested method achieves a higher accuracy of 98.8% compared to other works in the literature.
Characteristics of the Basel Postpartum Hypertension Cohort (Basel-PPHT Cohort): An Interim Analysis
Authors: Socrates Thenral , Wenker Céline , Vischer Annina , Schumacher Christina , Pugin Fiona , Schötzau Andreas , Mayr Michael , Hösli Irene , Mosimann Beatrice , Lapaire Olav , Burkard Thilo
Published: June 2024

Postpartum hypertension (PPHT) is hypertension that persists or develops after delivery and is a frequent cause of readmission, affecting 10% of pregnancies. This interim analysis aims to describe the cohort and to determine the feasibility and acceptance of a home-based telemonitoring management strategy (HBTMS) in PPHT patients. Enrollment at the University Hospital Basel began during the 2020 SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. Maternity-ward patients were screened for preexisting hypertension, hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, and de novo PPHT. In this pragmatic non-randomized prospective trial, the participants chose the HBTMS or standard of care (SOC), which consisted of outpatient hypertension clinic appointments. The HBTMS was a smartphone application or a programmed spreadsheet to report blood pressure (BP), followed by telephone consultations. Three months postpartum, the participants underwent a 24 h BP measurement and a blood, biomarker, and urine analysis. A total of 311 participants were enrolled between 06/20 and 08/23. The mean age was 34 (±5.3) years. The current pregnancy history demonstrated the following (≥1 diagnosis possible): 10% had preexisting hypertension, 27.3% gestational hypertension, 53% preeclampsia (PE), 0.3% eclampsia, 6% HELLP (hemolysis, elevated liver enzymes, and low platelets), and 18.3% de novo PPHT. A family history of cardiovascular disease and PE was reported in 49.5% and 7.5%, respectively. In total, 23.3% were high-risk for PE. A total of 68.5% delivered via c-section, the mean hospitalization was 6.3 days (±3.9), and newborn intrauterine growth restriction occurred in 21%. A total of 99% of the participants chose the HBTMS. This analysis demonstrated that the HBTMS was accepted. This is vital in the immediate postpartum period and pertinent when the exposure of hospital visits should be avoided.
The Skin Sebum and Moisture Levels of Children with Allergic Diseases: How Predictive Are They for House Dust Mite Allergy?
Authors: Çevik Seda , Altaş Uğur , Özkars Mehmet Yaşar
Published: June 2024

The aim was to evaluate the prediction of house dust mite allergy in children diagnosed with allergic disease based on their skin moisture and sebum levels. This is a case–control study including children with asthma, allergic rhinitis (AR), and atopic dermatitis (AD) and a healthy control group. The participants’ skin moisture and sebum levels were measured non-invasively using a digital device. A total of 421 patients and 143 healthy children were included. The median value of skin moisture percentage was statistically significantly lower in asthma, AR, and AD patients compared to the control group (p < 0.001 for each). The median value of skin sebum percentage was significantly lower in asthma and AD patients compared to the control group (p = 0.002 and p = 0.003, respectively). ROC analysis was performed to assess the predictive value of skin moisture percentage for house dust mite allergy in respiratory allergic diseases (asthma and AR) and AD separately. Using a cut-off point of 35.5% for skin moisture in asthma and AR patients, the sensitivity and specificity were 81.3% and 56.5%, respectively. Although the specificity is low, the high sensitivity value is promising. The non-invasive measurement of skin sebum and moisture could provide convenience to clinicians in the diagnosis and management of allergic diseases.
The Degrees of Coronary Heart Disease and the Degrees of New-Onset Blepharitis: A Nationwide Cohort Study
Authors: Lee Chia-Yi , Yang Shun-Fa , Chang Yu-Ling , Huang Jing-Yang , Chang Chao-Kai
Published: June 2024

In this study, we aimed to evaluate the association between the severity of coronary heart disease (CHD) and the subsequent severity of blepharitis. This retrospective population-based cohort study was conducted using the National Health Insurance Research Database (NHIRD) of Taiwan. The participants with a CHD diagnosis were divided into mild CHD and severe CHD groups at a 1:2 ratio, according to whether percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) was performed. The main outcomes were the development of blepharitis and severe blepharitis with the application of antibiotics. Cox proportional hazard regression was performed to obtain the adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) for blepharitis, with a 95% confidence interval (CI) between the groups. There were 22,161 and 15,369 blepharitis events plus 9597 and 4500 severe blepharitis episodes in the mild and severe CHD groups, respectively. The severe CHD group showed a significantly higher incidence of blepharitis development (aHR, 1.275; 95% CI: 1.051–1.912, p = 0.0285), whereas the incidence of severe blepharitis was not significantly different between the groups (aHR, 0.981; 95% CI: 0.945–1.020, p = 0.3453). The cumulative probability of blepharitis was significantly higher in the severe CHD group than in the mild CHD group (p < 0.001). In the subgroup analyses, the correlation between severe CHD and blepharitis was more significant in patients older than 70 years compared to the younger group (p = 0.0115). In conclusion, severe CHD is associated with a higher incidence of blepharitis than mild CHD, and this correlation is more prominent in individuals older than 70 years.
Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinases-2 (TIMP-2) as a Prognostic Biomarker in Acute Kidney Injury: A Narrative Review
Authors: Delrue Charlotte , Speeckaert Marijn M.
Published: June 2024

Acute kidney damage (AKI) is a serious and common consequence among critically unwell individuals. Traditional biomarkers, such as serum creatinine, frequently fail to detect AKI in its early stages, necessitating the development of new accurate early biomarkers. Tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases 2 (TIMP-2) has emerged as a promising biomarker for predicting early AKI. The present narrative review investigates the role of TIMP-2 in AKI prediction in a variety of clinical scenarios. In the NephroCheck® test, TIMP-2 exceeds established biomarkers for the early identification of AKI in terms of sensitivity and specificity when combined with insulin-like growth factor-binding protein 7 (IGFBP-7). Elevated levels of these biomarkers can provide a warning signal for AKI two to three days before clinical symptoms appear. TIMP-2 and IGFBP-7 have high predictive values, with an area under the curve (AUC) typically above 0.8, indicating good predictive capacity. For example, the [TIMP-2] × [IGFBP-7] product produced an AUC of 0.85 in surgical patients at high risk. In critically ill patients, a threshold of 0.3 (ng/mL)2/1000 demonstrated 92% sensitivity and 72% specificity. Elevated TIMP-2 levels have been correlated with higher mortality rates and the need for renal replacement therapy (RRT). In sepsis-associated AKI (SA-AKI), TIMP-2 levels combined with clinical prognostic models improved predictive accuracy (AUC: 0.822). Furthermore, elevated urine TIMP-2 levels were good predictors of AKI in pediatric patients after cardiac surgery, with AUC-ROC values of up to 0.848. Urine output and the presence of concomitant disorders may influence the prognostic accuracy of these biomarkers; therefore, more research is needed to fully understand their utility. The predictive value of TIMP-2 could be strengthened by combining it with other clinical parameters, reinforcing its role in the early detection and treatment of AKI.
Advancing Convergence Speed of Distributed Consensus Time Synchronization Algorithms in Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Ad Hoc Networks
Authors: Wu Jianfeng , Bai Kaiyuan , Wu Huabing
Published: June 2024

Time synchronization is a critical prerequisite for unmanned aerial vehicle ad hoc networks (UANETs) to facilitate navigation and positioning, formation control, and data fusion. However, given the dynamic changes in UANETs, improving the convergence speeds of distributed consensus time synchronization algorithms with only local information poses a major challenge. To address this challenge, this study first establishes a convex model on the basis of graph theory and relevant theories of random matrices to approximate the original problem. Subsequently, three acceleration schemes for consensus algorithms are derived by minimizing the Frobenius norm of the iteration matrix. Additionally, this study provides a new upper bound for constant communication weights and discusses the limitations of existing metrics used to measure the convergence speeds of consensus algorithms. Finally, the proposed schemes are compared with existing ones through simulation. Our results indicate that the three proposed schemes can achieve faster convergence while maintaining high-precision synchronization in scenarios with static or known topological structures of networks. In scenarios where the topological structure of a UANET is time-varying and unknown, the scheme proposed in this paper achieves the fastest convergence speed.
Impact of Firm-Specific and Macroeconomic Determinants on Environmental Expenditures: Empirical Evidence from Manufacturing Firms
Authors: Bagadeem Salim , Siddiqui Ayesha , Narula Sapna Arora , Farhan Najib H. S. , Magry Muneer Ahmad
Published: June 2024

This research aims to examine the association between firm-specific and macroeconomic determinants and environmental expenditures in the Indian manufacturing sector. Furthermore, it seeks to investigate the moderation effect of country-level governance and economic development on the association between macroeconomic, firm-specific, and environmental expenditures. The current study is based on 70 manufacturing firms for the period of 2011 to 2021. The dependent variable is environmental expenditures and the independent variables are firm-specific and microeconomic determinants. The results revealed that market capitalization and firm size have a positive and significant impact on environmental expenditures. On the other hand, inflation and the rule of law negatively and significantly affect environmental expenditures. Regarding the moderation effect, the results revealed that the rule of law and GDP positively moderate the association between inflation and environmental expenditures. Hence, this research has significant implications for corporate executives, financial experts, regulators, and other interested parties.
Material Attribute Estimation as Part of Telecommunication Augmented Reality, Virtual Reality, and Mixed Reality System: Systematic Review
Authors: Christoff Nicole , Tonchev Krasimir
Published: June 2024

The integration of material attribute estimation (MAE) within augmented reality, virtual reality, and mixed reality telecommunication systems stands as a pivotal domain, evolving rapidly with the advent of the Tactile Internet. This unifying implementation process has the potential for improvements in the realism and interactivity of immersive environments. The interaction between MAE and the haptic Internet could lead to significant advances in haptic feedback systems, enabling more accurate and responsive user experiences. This systematic review is focused on the intersection of MAE and the Tactile Internet, aiming to find an implementation path between these technologies. Motivated by the potential of the haptic Internet to advance telecommunications, we explore its potential to advance the analysis of material attributes within AR, VR, and MR applications. Through an extensive analysis of current research approaches, including machine learning methods, we explore the possibilities of integrating the TI into MAE. By exploiting haptic and visual properties stored in the materials of 3D objects and using them directly during rendering in remote access scenarios, we propose a conceptual framework that combines data capture, visual representation, processing, and communication in virtual environments.
E-DNet: An End-to-End Dual-Branch Network for Driver Steering Intention Detection
Authors: Fu Youjia , Xue Huixia , Fu Junsong , Xu Zihao
Published: June 2024

An advanced driving assistant system (ADAS) is critical for improving traffic efficiency and ensuring driving safety. By anticipating the driver’s steering intentions in advance, the system can alert the driver in time to avoid a vehicle collision. This paper proposes a novel end-to-end dual-branch network (EDNet) that utilizes both in-cabin and out-of-cabin data. In this study, we designed an in-cabin driver intent feature extractor based on 3D residual networks and atrous convolution, which is applicable to video data and is capable of capturing a larger range of driver behavior. In order to capture the long-term dependency of temporal data, we designed the depthwise-separable max-pooling (DSMax) module and combined it with a convolutional LSTM to obtain the road environment feature extractor outside the cabin. In addition, to effectively fuse different features inside and outside the cockpit, we designed and propose the dynamic combined-feature attention fusion (D-CAF) module. EDNet employs a freeze-training method, which enables the creation of a lightweight model while simultaneously enhancing the final classification accuracy. Extensive experiments on the Brain4Cars dataset and the Zenodo dataset show that the proposed EDNet was able to recognize the driver’s steering intention up to 3 s in advance. It outperformed the existing state of the art in most driving scenarios.
Readout Circuit Design for RRAM Array-Based Computing in Memory Architecture
Authors: Xu Xingjie , Wang Aili , Shui Yuhang
Published: June 2024

In recent advancements, the traditional von Neumann architecture has been challenged by the computational needs of AI. This is due to its high power and data transfer costs. As a solution, the computing-in-memory (CIM) architecture, which combines storage and computation, has gained attention for its superior computational power and energy efficiency. Within CIM, using resistive random access memory (RRAM) arrays, the readout circuit, which converts analog outputs from multiply–accumulate operations into digital signals, faces limitations due to its area and power consumption. There are mainly two types of CIM readout circuits for analog types: the traditional ADC type and the non-traditional type. This paper presents two types of readout circuit designs. The first is a low-power, compact successive approximation register (SAR) analog-to-digital converter (ADC) readout circuit. The core circuit is an 8-bit SAR ADC operating at 70 MS/s. It incorporates a linearity-improved bootstrapped switch to minimize leakage and enhance linearity, whose spurious-free dynamic range (SFDR) has been improved by 10.1 dB from 76.78 dB to 86.88 dB, and whose signal-to-noise and distortion ratio (SNDR) has increased by 4.56 dB from 75.13 dB to 79.69 dB. The delay of a transconductance-enhanced dynamic comparator is reduced from 184 ps to 149 ps, presenting a performance improvement of approximately 20%. Concurrently, the energy consumption decreased from 178 μm to 132 μm, attaining an improvement of roughly 26%. A “sandwich” capacitor structure is used that reduces the overall area of the layout. After layout and post-simulation, this circuit occupies only 49.6 μm × 51.5 μm, consumes 553 μW power, has a SINAD of 46.22 dB, and has an SFDR of 57.21 dB. The second is a current controlled oscillator (CCO)-type readout circuit, which comprises a CCO oscillator with low process-sensitivity. The readout circuit also utilizes an op-amp and current mirrors for a negative feedback loop, ensuring a constant voltage across the RRAM arrays. The frequency generated through the CCO is controlled by the current, and quantified by a counter, supporting different weights quantification per ReRAM column without additional digital weighting. This circuit achieves 95-level resolution, 5.2 μs delay, and an average consumption of 183.1 μW. A comparative analysis highlights that traditional ADC readout circuits offer high resolution and speed but are limited by their high power and area costs, often overshadowing CIM arrays’ benefits. Thus, for applications with more lenient resolution and speed requirements, non-traditional readout circuits present considerable advantages.