bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Development of a UPLC-MS/MS method for the simultaneous analysis of AT7519 and acetaminophen in a mouse model of acute inflammation
Authors: Cartwright Jennifer A. , Simpson Joanna P. , Homer Natalie Z.M. , Rossi Adriano G.
Published: March 2023

Background
Uncontrolled inflammation contributes to the progression of organ damage in acute conditions, such as acetaminophen-induced acute liver injury (APAP-ALI) and there are limited treatments for this condition. AT7519, a cyclic-dependent kinase inhibitor (CDKI), has been used successfully in several conditions, to resolve inflammation and return tissue homeostatic functions. AT7519 has not been assessed in APAP-ALI and its effect on APAP metabolism is unknown. Targeted chromatography and mass spectrometry can be used to assess multiple compounds simultaneously and this approach has not been applied yet to measure APAP and AT7519 in a mouse model.
Results
We show an optimised simple and sensitive LC-MS/MS method for determining concentrations of AT7519 and APAP in low volumes of mouse serum. Using positive ion mode electrospray ionisation, separation of AT7519 and APAP and their corresponding isotopically labelled internal standards [2H]8-AT16043M (d8-AT7519) and [2H]8-APAP (d4-APAP), was achieved on an Acquity UPLC BEH C18 column (100 x 2.1 mm; 1.7µm). A gradient mobile phase system of water and methanol was delivered at a flow rate of 0.5 mL/min with a run time of 9 min. Calibration curves were linear, intra-day and inter-day precision and accuracy were acceptable and the covariates of all standards and quality control replicates were less than 15%. The method was successfully applied to evaluate AT7519 and APAP levels 20 h post AT7519 (10 mg/mg) in C57Bl6J wild type mouse serum treated with either vehicle or APAP. Serum AT7519 was significantly higher in mice that had received APAP compared to control, but there was no correlation between APAP and AT7519 quantification. There was also no correlation of AT7519 and hepatic damage or proliferation markers.
Conclusion
We optimised an LC-MS/MS method to quantify both AT7519 and APAP in mouse serum (50 µL), using labelled internal standards. Application of this method to a mouse model of APAP toxicity proved effective in accurately measuring APAP and AT7519 concentrations after i.p. dosing. AT7519 was significantly higher in mice with APAP toxicity, indicating hepatic metabolism of this CDKI, but there was no correlation with markers of hepatic damage or proliferation, demonstrating that this dose of AT7519 (10 mg/kg) does not contribute to hepatic damage or repair. This optimised method can be used for future investigations of AT7519 in APAP in mice.
Highly efficient synthesis of nitrogen-sulfur co-doped carbon dots from biomass waste and its application in the sensitive detection of methyl orange
Authors: Zhang Zhenqian , Xu Lifeng , Meng Qingye , Gao Yan , Cui Xuejun
Published: March 2023

In this paper, the hydrothermal carbon and thiourea were used as raw materials to develop a simple, economical and highly efficient synthesis route for nitrogen-sulfur co-doped carbon dots (HC-CDs). Among them, the hydrothermal carbon is obtained by the hydrothermal reaction of Chinese cabbage at 200 °C. The structure and optical properties of the synthesized HC-CDs were characterized by transmission electron microscopy, ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and fluorescence spectroscopy. The obtained HC-CDs with a quantum yield of 55.6 % exhibit good solubility and stability in aqueous media, great resistance to photo-bleaching and stable fluorescence in the biological pH range. We found that methyl orange (MO) can effectively quench the fluorescence emission of HC-CDs, so HC-CDs are used as fluorescent probes for sensitive detection of MO. The limit of detection (LOD) is 0.92 μM, and the linear range is 0-100 μM. It proves the practicality and the possibility of large-scale production of converting biomass waste into carbon nanomaterials with great potential.
Enhancement of photocatalytic activity of Ba doped CoO for degradation of Emamectin Benzoate in aqueous solution
Authors: Khalid Huma , Haq Atta ul , Naqvi Syed Ali Raza , Usman Muhammad , Bokhari Tanveer Hussain
Published: March 2023

The present study was focused on the preparation of cobalt oxide (CoO) and barium doped cobalt oxide (Ba doped CoO) by following co-precipitation method for the degradation of Emamectin benzoate pesticide in aqueous medium. The prepared catalysts were characterized using SEM, EDX and XRD to confirm the formation of catalysts and to observe the variation in the composition of catalysts during degradation study. The degradation of Emamectin benzoate pesticide was studied under the influence of different factors like solution pH, dose of catalyst, contact time, temperature and initial concentration of pesticide. It was observed that solution pH affects the degradation of pesticide and maximum degradation was found at pH 5 and 6 using CoO and Ba doped CoO respectively. The degradation of pesticide was found to be increases continuously with time of contact and decreases with increase in temperature. Likewise, at the beginning, degradation was observed to be increases up to some extent with dose of catalyst and initial concentration of pesticide but started decreases with further augmentation in the dose of catalyst and initial concentration of pesticide. It may be concluded from this study that doping of Ba considerably enhanced the photocatalytic ability CoO for Emamectin benzoate pesticide.
Morphological characteristics and molecular markers of distyly in Primula obconica
Authors: Li Jinfeng , Li Ping , Li Juan , Zhang Lu , Zhang Xiaoman
Published: March 2023

Primula obconica is a perennial herbaceous flower of the Primulaceae that exhibits a distinct heterostyly. Long(L)- and short(S)- styled morphs differ substantially in various ways, and these variations can have a direct impact on how plants regulate their genetic makeup. We can improve the genetic breeding of heterostyly plants by understanding their differences and genetic principles. This trial of P. obconica as a material and morphological observation, cross-fertilization characteristics, and ISSR molecular markers were carried out to analyze the difference in distyly comprehensively. The findings demonstrated that the pollen, stigma, and other floral characteristics of L- and S-morphs varied. The affinity of the both morphs also differed, the L- and S-morphs of inter-pollination had high fruition rates, and pollen and stigma showed compatibility. Under illegitimate pollination, the L-morphs showed partial fitness, while the S-morphs showed complete heteromorphic incompatibility. The ISSR analysis also revealed that 13 primer pairs were polymorphic, clearly banded, and stable, showing significant differences in molecular markers for different morphs. Our study reveals the differences between the morphs of the Primula, which can provide a basis for genetic evolution and breeding work on heterostyly.
Use of machine learning techniques for phenotyping ischemic stroke instead of the rule-based methods: A nationwide population-based study
Authors: Lim Hyunsun , Park Youngmin , Hong JH , Yoo Ki-Bong , Seo Kwon-Duk
Published: March 2023

Background
Many studies have evaluated stroke using claims data; most of these studies have defined ischemic stroke by using an operational definition following the rule-based method. Rule-based methods tend to overestimate the number of patients with ischemic stroke.
Objective
We aimed to identify an appropriate algorithm for phenotyping stroke by applying machine learning (ML) techniques to analyze the claims data.
Methods
We obtained the data from the Korean National Health Insurance Service database, which is linked to the Ilsan Hospital database (n = 30,897). The performance of prediction models (extreme gradient boosting [XGBoost] or long short-term memory [LSTM]) was evaluated using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC), the area under precision-recall curve (AUPRC), and calibration curve.
Results
In total, 30,897 patients were enrolled in this study, 3,145 of whom (10.18%) had ischemic stroke. XGBoost, a tree-based ML technique, had the AUROC was 93.63% and AUPRC was 64.05%. LSTM showed results similar to those of the rule-based method. The F1 score was 70.01%, while the AUROC was 97.10% and AUPRC was 85.70%, which was the highest.
Conclusions
We proposed recurrent neural network based deep learning techniques to improve stroke phenotyping. We anticipate the ability to produce rapid and accurate results.
Loss-of-function gs3 allele decreases methane emission and increases grain yield in rice
Authors: Kwon Yongho , Lee Ji-Yoon , Choi Jisu , Lee So-Myeong , Kim Dajeong , Kim Pil Joo , Chae Ho Gyeong , Cha Jin-Kyung , Park Hyeonjin , Kang Ju-Won , Kim Tae Hee , KABANGE NKULU ROLLY , Oh Ki-Won , Kwak Youn-Sig , Lee Jong-Hee , Ryu Choong-Min
Published: March 2023

Rice paddies are a major source of methane emission. To meet the food demand of the growing population and to cope with global warming, reducing greenhouse gases and enhancing yield are critical. Here, we demonstrate for the first time that a novel loss-of-function rice allele, gs3, mitigates methane emission from methanogens by allocating more photosynthates to the grain and less to the root, and increases yield by enlarging grain size and weight.
The Role of Arsenic in the Operation of Electrical Threshold Switches
Authors: Wu Renjie , Gu Rongchuan , Gotoh Tamihiro , Zhao Zihao , Sun Yuting , Jia Shujing , Miao Xiang Shui , Zhu Min , Xu Ming , Elliott Stephen , Song Zhitang
Published: March 2023

Arsenic is one of the most frequently used elements for doping conventional silicon-based semiconductors and particularly in emerging phase-change-memory (PCM) chips, yet the detailed functional mechanism as well as its experimental demonstration is still lacking in the latter in spite of its wide application. Here, we fabricate chalcogenide-based ovonic threshold switching (OTS) selectors, which are essential units for suppressing sneak currents in 3D PCM arrays, with various As concentrations. We discovered that incorporation of 20 at. % As brings a more than 100 ℃ increase in crystallization temperature, remarkably improving the switching repeatability and prolonging the device lifetime. These benefits arise from strengthened As-S bonds and sluggish atomic migration after As incorporation, as demonstrated by molecular-dynamics simulations. As a result, the addition of As reduces the leakage current by more than an order of magnitude and significantly suppresses the operational voltage drift, ultimately enabling a backend-of-the-line (BEOL)-compatible OTS selector with > 12 MA/cm2 on-current, >104 on/off ratio, ~ 10 ns speed, and a lifetime approaching 1010 cycles after 450 ℃ annealing. These performance enhancements can be explained by an As-induced increase of the band gap and of trap states, as determined by experimental photothermal deflection spectroscopy. Mechanistically, this is due to abundant defect states associated with Ge-Ge chains introduced by As-Ge and As-S bonds. These findings allow the use of precise control of the As concentration in OTS materials for improved-performance high-density 3D PCM applications.
Atypical Tuning of Prediction Certainty in Autism: An EEG study on Anticipatory Processing During a Probabilistic Target Detection Task
Authors: Reisli Seydanur , Crosse Michael , Molholm Sophie
Published: March 2023

The brain generates predictions to prepare for upcoming events. As life is not always 100% predictable, it also estimates a level of certainty for these predictions based on their likelihood. Given that autistic individuals resist even small changes in everyday life, we hypothesized impaired tuning of prediction certainty in autism. To study this, EEG was recorded from adolescents and young adults with autism, and age- and IQ-matched controls while they performed a probabilistic cued target detection task in which cue validity was parametrically manipulated. A fully predictable condition (100% cue validity) was contrasted with less predictable conditions (84%, 67%, and 33% cue validity). The contingent negative variation (CNV), a brain response associated with the anticipation of a predictable target, was examined to test the influence of cue validity on target predictions. Whereas the CNV systematically modulated by cue validity in the control group, this was not the case for the autism group. In contrast, intact modulation of the target P3 response by cue validity indicated that stimulus statistics are registered in a typical manner in autism. This suggests that in autism target statistics were registered but were not effectively applied to modulate expectations (e.g., certainty) of upcoming predictable stimuli. This adds to our understanding of differences in predictive processing in autism and suggests that the tuning of prediction certainty is particularly vulnerable in this population.
Non-linear evolution of viscoplastic film flows down an inclined plane
Authors: Noma Djibrilla Mounkaila , Dagois-Bohy Simon , Millet Séverine , Hadid Hamda Ben , Botton Valéry , Henry Daniel
Published: March 2023

In this article, we experimentally investigate the non-linear behavior of a viscoplastic film flow down an inclined plane. We focus on the non-linear instabilities that appear as roll waves. Roll waves are generated by perturbing a permanent flow of Herschel-Bulkley fluid (Carbopol 980) at low frequencies. To determine the local thickness of the film, we used a laser sensor and a camera to globally capture the transverse shape of the waves. For a regular forcing, the results show the existence of different regimes. First, we observe primary instabilities below the cut-off frequency at the entrance of the channel. After the exponential growth of the wave in the linear regime, we recognize the non-linear dynamics with the existence of finite amplitude waves. This finite amplitude depends on the frequency, the Reynolds number and the inclination angle. The results show that this instability is supercritical. At moderate Reynolds numbers, the finite 2-D waves become sensitive to transverse perturbations, due to a secondary instability, and become 3-D waves. The experimental results illustrate a phenomenology of viscoplastic film flows similar to Newtonian fluids, except for the capillary waves.
Surface Lattice Resonance with an Ultra-High Unloaded Q-Factor in Capacitive Metal Meshes at Terahertz Frequencies
Authors: Bae Jongsuck , Nozokido Tatsuo
Published: March 2023

We investigated the surface lattice resonance (SLR) occurring in capacitive metal meshes (CMMs) in the terahertz (THz) range. CMMs, which comprise two-dimensional periodic arrays of square metal patches on thin quartz substrates, are one of the simplest metasurfaces. Experiments and theoretical simulations performed at frequencies around 0.1 THz show that the SLR in such CMMs has an extraordinarily high unloaded Q-factor of greater than 1000, when the ratio of the length of the metal patch to the mesh period of the CMM and the thickness of the quartz substrate are optimized. An intense and sharp dip in transmission in excess of -60 dB at the SLR frequency was produced with this high unloaded Q-factor in the CMM. Using the CMM as a refractive index sensor, a figure of merit of greater than 340 for frequency interrogation and a refractive index resolution of better than 1.9×10− 6 refractive index units for phase interrogation were experimentally demonstrated. These results indicate that CMMs are superior sensors with high performance in the THz-wave region.
The whole-genome shotgun sequence of a chitinolytic actinomycete, Streptomyces californicus TBG-201, and the in-silico studies of its chitinase-19 genes
Authors: Sreela Deepthi Kumaradasan , Salim Sajna , Satheesan Anugraha Anandhavally , Sugathan Shiburaj
Published: March 2023

Streptomyces species are reported to have family-19 chitinases, similar to plant chitinase-C. Streptomyces griseus HUT6037 is the first Streptomyces spp. found to produce family-19 chitinase. Chitinolytic Streptomyces have been reported to have antifungal activity against phytopathogenic fungi. Chitinase-19 (GH-19) has received much attention in recent decades because of its potential use in the biocontrol of phytopathogens like insects and fungi. According to reports, chitinase C has a significantly higher specific hydrolyzing activity than the common bacterial family-18 chitinases. This study presents the whole genome sequence of a chitinolytic isolate, S. californicus TBG-201. The genome is 7.99 Mb, with 72.60% G + C content, 6683 protein-coding genes, 31 rRNAs, 66 tRNAs, and 116 pseudogenes. Genome annotation using Glimmer, PGAP, and dbCAN provides insights into its chitinolytic activity. Multiple genes in the genome are involved in chitin degradation; based on this, a chitin degradation mechanism for S. californicus TBG-201 is presented. There are 35 biosynthetic gene clusters predicted from the whole genome sequence using the antiSMASH tool. The study further focused on the in-silico analysis of chitinase-19 genes, including phylogenetic analysis, physicochemical characterization, and functional studies. Homology modeling using the SWISS-MODEL server followed by docking studies has a better understood the enzyme structure and ligand binding features. The insights gathered from in-silico investigations would greatly assist in elucidating the in vitro characteristics of S. californicus chitinase-19.
Rainwater harvesting in University Buildings: Potable Water Savings Potential and Investment Feasibility Analysis
Authors: Shiguang Chen , Ziqing Liang
Published: March 2023

The application of the RWH system in universities not only helps to reduce financial expenditure but also provides a good opportunity to educate students about sustainable water management. This study uses daily rainfall data of three different climate regimes (dry, average, and wet years) to evaluate the potable water saving and economic efficiency of the proposed RWH system in a university campus in Guangzhou, China. The economic analysis shows that, except for two residential buildings, the installation of the RWH system in the four educational buildings is generally economically viable, with benefit-cost ratios ranging from nearly 1.0 to 2.01 and positive net present values of 5245 to 74963 CNY under normal and wet years. It is also observed that the RWH system in the academic buildings is more economically feasible than the student apartments, and the multi-story apartment building is more attractive in terms of financial returns than the high-rise building. The performance of the data for different buildings helps us to understand the range of water-saving efficiency and economic feasibility of the RWH system, and information on which type of building is appropriate to install an RWH system, which will be of great benefit to sustainable campus construction.
Assessment of prevalence and distribution of potato viruses in Ethiopian seed systems
Authors: Tessema Lemma , Kakuhenzire Rogers , Seid Ebrahim , Tafesse Shiferaw , Tadesse Yitagesu , Negash kasaye , McEwan Margaret
Published: March 2023

Viruses are among the significant biotic constraints burdening global potato production, particularly in developing countries where seed certification is not common and production, availability and accessibility to quality seed potato is a big hindrance. Virus infection in seed potato reduces yield, and the problem is exacerbated when an early-generation seed is affected. The prevalence of six key potato viruses, PVY, PVX, PLRV, PVA, PVS, and PVM, was assessed among decentralized seed multipliers such as individuals, farmer seed group cooperatives, private companies, and agricultural research center that produce early generation seed in six major potato growing districts in Ethiopia. A total of 262 leaf samples were randomly collected from potato plants and analyzed using a double antibody sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (DAS-ELISA) for potato viruses. Potato virus prevalence was calculated as the proportion of samples that tested positive for the viruses against the total number of samples tested. Only 1.8% of the samples were virus-free, while 98.2% of the samples collected from farmers' fields were infected with at least one of the six viruses. About 17% of the samples had a single viral infection with one of the six viruses, whereas 81% had multiple infections. Early generation seed and germplasm samples collected from breeding, research, and private screenhouses were infected with PLRV (68.1%), PVY (57.4%), PVS (40.4%), PVM (34%) and PVX (23.4%). These results indicate that virus infection is widespread in the country, posing challenges and threats potato production and food security efforts. To address this issue, it is critical to developing a robust system that prevents viral infection build-up and spread in the seed system through regular seed quality assurance and certification, particularly for early generation seed. Furthermore, smallholder farmers need to use an integrated management approach to effectively combat potato viruses.
Ukumela Impilo Trial: Preliminary Findings of Height-Adjustable sit to stand Workstations on Health Outcomes of South African Office Workers
Authors: Phaswana Merling , Gradidge Philippe Jean-Luc
Published: March 2023

Background

The prevalence of sedentary behaviour has concurrently risen with multiple cardiometabolic risk markers independent of physical activity levels. Office-based workers accumulate the highest levels of sitting time during occupational times. This study aims to investigate the short-term effects of using height-adjustable sit-to-stand workstations on cardiometabolic risk markers of office-based workers in South Africa.

Results

Sixty-two office-based workers were randomized into treatment (n = 44), and the control group (n = 18). Small improvements were observed in BMI, blood pressure, and cholesterol levels in this cohort.

Conclusion

This preliminary investigation confirms that short-term height-adjustable sit-stand interventions are effective in reducing workplace sitting time and selected health outcomes. South Africa has been attributed with the highest burden of obesity in Sub-Saharan Africa, as a result, there is a need to implement long-term workplace intervention to reverse these implications.
Trial registration: Pan African Clinical Trial Registry, PACTR201911656014962 on the 12th of November 2019.
Spatial Distribution and Habitat Relationships of Foraging Bats Inhabiting the Coastal Zone of the Northern Gulf of Alaska
Authors: Mullet Timothy C. , Burger Paul
Published: March 2023

We conducted a spatially explicit study of bat foraging activity in the terrestrial coastal habitats of the eastern Kenai Peninsula along the northern Gulf of Alaska. We confirmed the species and presence of foraging bats within these coastal habitats using spectral analysis from 24 automated acoustic recording devices that captured 24,058 recordings of bat vocalizations across 1,332 acoustic survey nights between June and September (2018–2 022. We used machine learning (TreeNet) to model and map the spatial relationship of bat foraging behavior and six habitat types (conifer forest, subalpine shrubland, water, barren, herbaceous meadows, and alpine). Bats foraged in areas close to fresh waterbodies with moderately sloped terrain along southwestern to north-facing aspects ≤ 50 m from conifer forests, < 150 m from the coastline, and at elevations < 200 m above sea level. These coastal habitats were largely discontinuous, but extensively distributed as a patchwork along the eastern Kenai Peninsula. Our model highlights specific areas where strategic planning and hypothesis-based research can be focused. Our results fill a fundamental data gap in this understudied region of Alaska that provides a foundation for proactive research, partnerships, and conservation as white-nose syndrome presents an eminent threat to bats inhabiting coastal habitats along the North Pacific.
Occurrence of MTHFR C677T gene polymorphism and its association with atherogenic indices in Mexican women from San Luis Potosi, a preliminary study
Authors: Fernández-Macías Juan Carlos , Ochoa-Martínez Angeles C. , Pérez-López Amairani Lizbeth , Pérez-López Annette Aylin , Pérez-Maldonado Iván Nelinho
Published: March 2023

Some genetic variants (polymorphisms) of the methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) enzyme are considered a susceptibility factor in the development of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the relationship between MTHFR C677T polymorphism and levels of well-recognized atherogenic indices in a female population from San Luis Potosi, Mexico. A total of 340 women participated in the study, and MTHFR C677T genotypification was assessed using a RT-PCR assay. Also, Framingham risk score (FRS), Castelli risk index (CRI), and atherogenic index of plasma (AIP) were estimated. The allelic frequency detected was 0.43 for the MTHFR 677T-allele in the enrolled women. Besides, the mean value of AIP was significantly higher (p < 0.05) for individuals with the mutant genotype (TT; 0.29 ± 0.20) contrasted to AIP values detected in people with the wild-type genotype (CC; 0.15 ± 0.20) and heterozygous genotype (CT; 0.16 ± 0.20). Similar findings were observed for CRI through MTHFR C677T genotypes (4.40 ± 1.80; 3.90 ± 1.30; and 3.60 ± 0.90; for CC, CT, and TT, respectively). No significant changes were detected for FRS values across MTHFR C677T genotypes. Lastly, significant statistical associations were identified between the TT genotype and the AIP values (odds ratio: 2.15; 95% CI: 1.95–4.95; p = 0.01). No significant associations were detected between MTHFR C677T genotypes and FRS and CRI indices values. The results found in this research agree with data that support an increased CVDs risk in MTHFR 677T-allele carriers in the human population, as AIP is considered a reliable CVDs risk biomarker.
Smart and Efficient EV Charging Navigation Scheme in Vehicular Edge Computing Networks
Authors: Li Haoyu , Chen Jihuang , Yang Chao , Chen Xin , Chang Le , Liu Jiabei
Published: March 2023

With the increasing number of electric fast charging stations (FCSs) deployed along roadsides of both urban roads and highways, the long-distance travel of electric vehicles (EVs) becomes possible. The EV charging navigation scheme is significant for the quality of user experience. However, the variable conditions of both power grid and traffic networks make it a serious challenge. In this paper, we propose an efficient EV charging navigation scheme while considering both the electric and computation resource sharing. With the support of vehicular edge computing networks in intelligent transportation systems (ITSs), EVs perform both the flexible power load and edge computing nodes. When the traffic network in the established route starts to become congested, EVs can select to enter the nearest FCS. In addition to being supplemented by electric resources, EVs also benefit by sharing their own computing resource with FCSs. We formulate the EV charging navigation as a mixed integer programming problem, the EV moving route planning, FCS selection, and staying time in FCSs are optimized, to balance the relationships among the traveling time, traveling cost and reward. To address the influence caused by the randomness of traffic conditions and charging prices, a two-stage charging navigation algorithm combined with A* algorithm and deep reinforcement learning (DRL) is proposed, with a novel designed reward function. Eventually, numerous experimental results show the effectiveness of the proposed schemes.
Comparison of the effects of compound probiotics and antibiotics on yellow-feather broilers based on growth performance, small intestine morphology and digestive enzymes activity, gut microbiota and fecal emissions
Authors: Feng Yuyan , Wu Xiaoting , Hu Dan , Wang Canyang , Chen Qu , Ni Yingdong
Published: March 2023

This study was devoted to the comparison of the probiotic effect of compound probiotics to the antibiotics as a chicken feed additive. Two hundred and seventy newly-hatched yellow-feather broilers were randomly divided into 3 groups, control group (Con), probiotics (Pb) and antibiotics group (Ab). Pb group received compound probiotics via drinking water for 24 days. Ab group received antibiotics in diet for 24 days. All broilers were slaughtered at day 42. Compared with Con group, the body weight significantly increased on day 13, 28 and 42 in the Pb group ( P < 0.05). Compared with Ab group, the body weight of broilers in the Pb group increased significantly on day 13 (P < 0.05), and the depth of duodenum, jejunum and ileum crypts decreased significantly relative to Con group (P < 0.05). The ratio of villi length to crypt depth in duodenum, jejunum and ileum epithelium significantly increased in Pb group compared to Con group (P < 0.05). The genera Bacteroidesand Barnesiella were the most significantly enriched bacteria in Ab and Pb groups, respectively (P < 0.05). The expression of genes related to antibiotic resistance significantly decreased in Pb group relative to Ab group (P < 0.05). Dietary compound probiotics improved growth performance, small intestinal morphology, cecal microbiome, and fecal emissions, indicating its bright future as an alternative to antibiotics in yellow-feather broiler industry.
Examining the Role of Motivation Cues from Narratives in Online Time Bank Participating Decisions
Authors: Jiao Huifang , Lin Meiyan , Ma Lijun , He Mei , Yu Shiguan
Published: March 2023

Time bank known as “Community/Neighborhood Pension”, provides a new solution to fulfill the unmet service needs of community members with idle community resources. The operation of time banks relies on the active participation of community members. Therefore, in this study we investigate the motivation of members to participate in web-based time banks from a service requirement narrative perspective. Drawing on grounded theory and self-determination theory, we built a model to assess how intrinsic and extrinsic cues underlying service requirement narratives affect time bank participation decisions of service providers. To test our hypotheses, we conducted a regression analysis of 12339 projects from the “Nansha Time Bank” (a web-based time bank) platform in China. We find that participants respond positively to time coin returns and narratives highlighting social connection and value fulfillment but respond negatively to service hour costs and empathy-altruism cues.
Postoperative drainage management and wound complications following resection of lower limb soft tissue tumors: A retrospective cohort study
Authors: Gerken Andreas L.H. , Jawny Philipp , Weigl Helene , Yang Cui , Hardt Julia , Menge Franka , Hohenberger Peter , Weiß Christel , Reißfelder Christoph , Jakob Jens
Published: March 2023

Purpose: Postoperative wound complications are common in patients undergoing resection of lower extremity soft tissue tumors. Postoperative drainage therapy ensures adequate wound healing but may delay or complicate it. The aim of this study is to evaluate the incidence of postoperative wound complications and delayed or prolonged drainage treatment and to propose a standardized definition and severity grading of complex postoperative courses.
Methods: A monocentric retrospective analysis of 80 patients who had undergone primary resection of lower extremity soft tissue tumors was performed. A new classification was developed, which takes into account postoperative drainage characteristics and wound complications. Based on this classification, risk factors and the prognostic value of daily drainage volumes were evaluated.
Results: According to this new definition, regular postoperative course grade 0 (no wound complication and timely drainage removal) occurred in 26 patients (32.5%), grade A (minor wound complications or delayed drainage removal) in 12 (15.0%), grade B (major wound complication or prolonged drainage therapy) in 31 (38.8%), and grade C (reoperation) in 11 (13.7%) patients. Tumor-specific characteristics, such as tumor size (p = 0.0004), proximal tumor location (p = 0.0484), and tumor depth (p = 0.0138) were identified as risk factors for complex postoperative courses (grades B and C). Drainage volume on postoperative day 4 was a suitable predictor for complex courses (cutoff of 70 ml/d).
Conclusion: The proposed definition incorporates wound complications and drainage management while also being clinically relevant and easy to apply. It may serve as a standardized endpoint for assessing the postoperative course after resection of lower extremity soft tissue tumors.
ARTICONF Decentralized Social Media Platform for Democratic Crowd Journalism
Authors: Lima Inês Rito , Filipe Vasco , Marinho Claudia , Ulisses Alexandre , Chakravorty Antorweep , Hristov Atanas , Saurabh Nishant , Zhao Zhiming , Xin Ruyue , Prodan Radu
Published: March 2023

Media production and consumption behaviors are changing in response to new technologies and demands, giving birth to a new generation of social applications. Among them, crowd journalism represents a novel way of constructing democratic and trustworthy news relying on ordinary citizens arriving at breaking news locations and capturing relevant videos using their smartphones. To address this need, the ARTICONF project proposes a trustworthy, resilient, and globally sustainable toolset for developing decentralized applications (DApps). Its goal is to overcome the privacy, trust, and autonomy-related concerns associated with proprietary social media platforms overflowed by fake news. Leveraging the ARTICONF tools, we introduce a new DApp for crowd journalism called MOGPlay. MOGPlay collects and manages audio-visual content generated by citizens and provides a secure blockchain platform that rewards all stakeholders involved in professional news production. Besides live streaming, MOGPlay offers a marketplace for audio-visual content trading among citizens and free journalists with an internal token ecosystem. We discuss the functionality and implementation of the MOGPlay DApp and illustrate four pilot crowd journalism live scenarios that validate the prototype.
Circulating bacterial peptides and linked metabolomic signatures are indicative of early mortality in Paediatric Cirrhosis
Authors: Mathew Babu , Tripathi Gaurav , Gautam Vipul , Bindal Vasundhra , Sharma Nupur , Yadav Manisha , Pandey Sushmita , Sharma Neha , Gupta Abhishak C , Bhat Sadam H , Saini Akhilesh K , Sood Vikrant , Lal Bikrant Bihari , Alam Seema , Khanna Rajeev , Maras Jaswinder Singh
Published: March 2023

Introduction: Paediatric Cirrhosis-Sepsis (PC-S) patients attain early mortality. Plasma bacterial composition, the cognate metabolites and their contribution in the deterioration of PC-S patients to early mortality in unknown. We aimed to delineate the plasma metaproteome-metabolome landscape and identify molecular indicators capable of segregating PC-S patients predisposed to early mortality using untargeted metaproteomics-metabolomics by UHPLC-HRMS followed by validation using Machine learning (ML) algorithms.
Methods: We enrolled 160 patients with liver diseases [Cirrhosis-Sepsis/Nonsepsis (n=110); Non-cirrhosis (n=50)] and performed untargeted metaproteomics-metabolomics on a training cohort of 110 patients (Cirrhosis-Sepsis/Nonsepsis; n=70 and Non-cirrhosis; n=40). The candidate predictors were validated on two test cohorts - T1 (Plasma test cohort) & T2 (one drop blood test cohort). Both T1 & T2 had 120 patients each, of which 70 were from the training cohort.
Results: Increased levels of tryptophan metabolites, Salmonella enterica and Escherichia coli associated peptides segregated cirrhotic patients. Increased levels of Deoxyribose-1-phosphate, N5-Citryl-D-ornithine and Herbinix hemicellulolytic and Leifsonia xyli segregated PC-S patients. MMCN based integration analysis of WMCNA-WMpCNA identified key microbial-metabolic modules linked to PC-S Non-survivors. Increased Indican, Staphylobillin, Glucose-6-phosphate, 2-Octenoylcarnitine, Palmitic acid and Guanidoacetic acid along with Leifsonia xyli, Mycoplasma genitalium and Hungateiclostridium thermocellumsegregated PC-S Non-survivors and superseded the liver disease severity indices with high accuracy, sensitivity & specificity for mortality prediction using random forest ML algorithm.
Conclusions: Our study reveals a novel metabolite signature panel capable of segregating PC-S patients predisposed to early mortality using as low as one drop blood.
HatEmoTweet: Low Level Emotion Classifications and Spatio-Temporal Trends of Hate and Offensive COVID-19 Tweets
Authors: Adesokan Ademola , Madria Sanjay , Nguyen Long
Published: March 2023

Social media platforms (like Twitter) positively and negatively impact users in diverse societies; one of Twitter’s negative effects is the usage of hate and offensive language. Hate speech fosters prejudice; it also harms the vulnerable. There are always emotions associated with hateful and offensive actions. This work addressed hate and offensive tweet detection, low-level emotional classifications using 28 labels to train transformers models in three ways (model 1-BERTG28, model 2-BERTG27 and model 3-RoBERTaG27) before predicting the hateful and offensive tweets emotions. Model 1 was trained on low-level labels, and model 2 and 3 were trained on 27 labels excluding the neutral label. This study performed topic modeling to extract the discussed theme, spatiotempo-ral trends to determine where and when these tweets occurred, and event summarization for identified hate and offensive tweets. GoEmotions and Ekman were used for direct and indirect assessment, respectively, to evaluate the model’s precision, recall, and F1-score. In terms of precision evaluation, the model 1 outperformed Google Research on GoEmo-tions. Furthermore, this study’s model 2 and 3 outperformed the Google research on both the GoEmotions and Ekman’s evaluation in terms of precision and F1-score. Generally, model 2 was the best model in the Social Network Analysis and Mining analysis for both recall and F1-score while model 3 performed better for precision. Due to the training on samples without the neutral label, model 2 obtained 27% and model 3 achieved 29% label prediction out of the 30% neutral samples that was predicted in model 1 for hate and offensive tweets. This is a significant improvement to optimize classified emotions that are not truly neutral by eliminating the false neutral classes.
In Vivo Application of Potent Probiotics for enhancing potato growth and controlling Ralstonia solancerium and Fusarium oxysporum infections
Authors: Abdelmoghies Ahmed Hamdy , El-Sehrawy Motaz hassan , Zakaria Abeer Emam , Fahmy Shimaa Mohamed
Published: March 2023

Plant probiotics are live microbial cells or cultures that support plant growth and control plant pathogens through different mechanisms. They have various effects on plants, including plant growth promotion effects through the production of indole acetic acid (IAA), biological control activity, and production of cellulase enzyme, thus induction of systemic resistance and increasing the availability of mineral elements. The present work aims at studying the potentials of Achromobacter xylosoxidans and Bacillus safensis as plant probiotics for the field cultivation of potatoes. In vitro studies of A. xylosoxidans and B. safensis have proved their abilities to produce IAA, and cellulase as well as exhibited antimicrobial activity against two plant pathogens that infect Solanum tuberosum as Fusarium oxysporum and Ralstonia solancerium under different conditions at a broad range of temperatures and pHs. Probiotic isolates A. xylosoxidans and B. safensis were able to tolerate (ultraviolet) Radiation exposure for up to two hours, the dose-response curve exhibited that the D10 values of A. xylosoxidans and B. safensis were 28 and 16 respectively. The in vivo study of the effects of probiotics A. xylosoxidans and B. safensis on S. tuberosum grown in sandy loamy soil was detected after cultivation for 60 days. The addition of both probiotic isolates either broth or wheat separately has enhanced all the growth parameters, however, the better results and increased production was in favor of adding probiotics with broth more than wheat. In the case of adding both probiotics with broth, the shoot dry weight was increased from 28 ± 1.0 in the control to 50 ± 1.2 gm, shoot length increased from 24 ± 1 to 45.7 ± 2 cm, branches numbers increased from 40 ± 4 to 70 ± 5, leaves number increased from 99 ± 6 to 130 ± 5, root dry weight increased from 9.3 ± 1.7 to 12.9 ± 2 gm, root length increased from 24 ± 3.8 to 35.7 ± 2 cm, tuber weight increased from 15 ± 2.3 to 37.0 ± 2 gm and tuber number increased from 9 ± 1 to 24.4, and the shoot and root rot percentage was reduced to 0%. On the other hand, both probiotics showed a remarkable protective effect against potato pathogens separately and reduced the negative impact of the infection using them together.
Epigenetic modifiers either individually or in specific combinations impair viability of patient-derived glioblastoma cell line while exhibiting moderate effect on normal stem cells growth
Authors: Alexanian Arshak , Stoellinger Heidi , Farias Virginea De Araujo , Quinones-Hinojosa Alfredo
Published: March 2023

Glioblastomas (GBM), also known as glioblastoma multiforme, are the most aggressive type of brain cancers. Currently, there is no real treatment for GBM and thus there is a compelling need for new therapeutic strategies for such type of cancers. Recently, we demonstrated that specific combinations of epigenetic modifiers significantly affect the metabolism and proliferation rate of two most aggressive GBM cell lines D54 and U-87. Importantly, these combinations exhibited minimal effect on normal stem cells growth. In this study we demonstrated that the combinations of modulators of histone and DNA covalent modifying enzymes that synergistically suppress D54 and U87 cell lines growth, also impair the viability of a patient freshly-derived GBM stem cell line. These data suggest that epigenetic modifiers alone or in specific combinations exhibit cytotoxic effect on established and low passage patient derived GB cell lines and thus could be a promising therapeutic approach for such type of brain cancers.
Reconfiguring assessment practices and strategies in online education during the pandemic
Authors: CHAVEZ Jason , LAMORİNAS Daisy D.
Published: March 2023

The rise of the COVID-19 pandemic has led to the overhaul of the conduct of teaching and learning particularly in the assessment of learners during a time of crisis trapped in many structural and practical challenges. This study examines the assessment practices and strategies to protect its quality and integrity in the delivery of teaching and learning among higher education students at Zamboanga Peninsula Polytechnic State University, Zamboanga City, Philippines. This research employs a comprehensive and reliable survey questionnaire on the assessment practices and strategies for assessment, including its quality and integrity. A total of 300 students and teachers were purposefully selected for the study. Based on the findings, practical assessment and skill assessment were among the most widely employed strategies by the teachers. There was a need for skill development in distance learning which calls teachers to integrate it into skill assessment strategies. The study yields the current practices of the teachers in assessing the academic performances of the students, strategies to execute their assessment practices that comply with the health protocols, and strategies to safeguard the quality and integrity of these assessments despite the difficulties in the learning environment. This study is integral to extending the body of knowledge regarding the different assessment practices and strategies and how these influence the delivery of online education. Nevertheless, academic institutions should reconfigure their assessment practices in terms of which of these suits well their stakeholders.
The relationship between return on investment and Jordanian banks value
Authors: Fawzi Shubita Mohammad
Published: March 2023

Bank stakeholders such as investors, creditors, and other stakeholders of a bank, expect full disclosure to evaluate banks’ financial statements. To achieve this goal, bank managers can increase the value of a bank by enhancing the return on their investments. This study examines the impact of financial performance on the market value of Jordanian public shareholding banks. The study model examines the effect of return on investment (ROI), debt ratio, dividend policy, and current ratio while controlling for bank size. Bank value is measured using the market value. The sample is Jordanian banks listed on the Amman Stock Exchange between 2005 and 2020. To investigate the link between the study variables, the random effect model, panel least squares approach, correlation analysis, and descriptive measures are used. The findings indicate that banks own 3.025 JD from current assets for each JD from current liabilities. In addition, the debt ratio is 38.4% from total assets. Adj R2 for the study model is 22.1%. The results show that profitability, leverage, and bank size significantly affect the value of Jordanian banks, while dividend policy and liquidity do not have a significant impact.
How to promote repurchase intention toward Covid-19 antigen test kits: Evidence from Thai consumers
Authors: Kim Long , Chouykaew Thanapa , Pongsakornrungsilp Siwarit , Jindabot Teerasak , Lee Sangwon
Published: March 2023

Promoting repurchase intention to existing consumers is a crucial advantage that helps businesses manage sufficient supply for their customers and ensure their business sustainability. Business managers must understand factors that can significantly promote repurchase intention. Therefore, this study aims to examine the influence of brand love, brand preference, and brand loyalty on the intention to repurchase Covid-19 antigen test kits among a sample of Thai consumers. To achieve this aim, 670 Thai people, who had used the antigen test kit for their Covid-19 testing, were invited to answer questionnaires using an online Google Forms survey. After clearing outliers, only 523 responses were deemed valid and reliable and kept for further path analysis. The research findings showed that brand love and brand preference demonstrated positive relationships with brand loyalty. In addition, brand love and brand preference displayed positive relationships with repurchase intention. In conclusion, the results emphasized brand loyalty as the primary driver of repurchase intention because of its significant impact on Thai customers.