bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Evaluating the Performance of Ensembled YOLOv8 Variants in Smart Parking Applications for Vehicle Detection and License Plate Recognition under Varying Lighting Conditions
Authors: Singh Ripunjay , Goyal Sarthak , Agarwal Shivam , Upadhyay Subho
Published: April 2024

This paper investigates the efficacy of YOLOv8 variants for vehicle detection and license plate detection within smart parking applications, emphasizing performance under varying ambient lighting conditions. The proposed system is to seize full video frames, extracts regions of interest containing vehicles, and feeds them into separate, pre-trained YOLOv8 models – one dedicated to vehicle detection and another for license plate detection. Four YOLOv8 variants, nano, small, medium, and large, are evaluated. As a pre-processing step, the images are processed with the help of OpenCV and Pillow libraries to adjust the luminosity and increase the images’ DPI so that they would be easy to perceive by the Tesseract OCR engine. Sixteen potential combinations arise from pairing the four YOLOv8 models for vehicle and license plate detection tasks. To identify the most suitable combinations, we employ the Multi-Criteria Decision-Making method, specifically Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) analysis. This analysis considers 4 critical metrics: Precision, mean average precision at 95% Intersection of Union threshold, Recall and Total Inference Time. The objective is to achieve an optimal balance between high accuracy and real-time processing. Following the selection of optimal YOLOv8 combinations through TOPSIS analysis, we assess their performance under varying ambient light intensity (measured in lux). This evaluation aims to identify the most robust model combinations that ensure accurate vehicle and license plate recognition across the diverse lighting conditions encountered in real-world environment.
A Comparative Study of Composition and Soluble Polysaccharide Content between Brewer’s Spent Yeast and Cultured Yeast Cells
Authors: Lee Hyun Ji , Park Bo-Ram , Chewaka Legesse Shiferaw
Published: April 2024

Yeast, crucial in beer production, holds promise as a valuable by-product resource, known as brewer's spent yeast (BSY), with potentially beneficial physiological effects. This study aimed to compare the composition and soluble polysaccharide content of Brewer's spent yeast with those of pure cultured yeast strains, namely Saccharomyces cerevisiae (SC) and S. boulardii (SB), to facilitate the utilization of BSY as an alternative source of functional polysaccharides. BSY exhibited significantly higher carbohydrate content and lower crude protein content than SC and SB cells. The residues recovered through autolysis were 53.11%, 43.83%, and 44.99% for BSY, SC, and SB, respectively. Notably, the polysaccharide content of BSY residue (641.90 μg/mg) was higher than that of SC (553.52 μg/mg) and SB (591.56 μg/mg). The yields of alkali-extracted water-soluble polysaccharides were 40%, 30%, and 35% for BSY, SC, and SB, respectively, with BSY comprising a higher proportion of water-soluble saccharides than SC and SB, including 49.3% mannan and 20.1% β-glucan. Furthermore, BSY demonstrated antioxidant activities, including superoxide dismutase (SOD), ABTS, and DPPH scavenging potential, suggesting its ability to mitigate oxidative stress. BSY also exhibited a significantly higher total phenolic compound content, indicating its potential as an effective functional food material.
Lime Application Reduces Methane Emissions from a Double-Cropped Rice Field under the Substitution of Chemical Fertilizers by Pig Manure
Authors: Liu Jinsong , He Yuxuan , Chen Jin , Huang Shan , Sun Yanni
Published: April 2024

The substitution of chemical fertilizers by organic manure plays a critical role in sustainable crop production. Nevertheless, organic amendments promote the global warming potential (GWP) in rice paddies due to increased methane (CH4) emissions. Increasing evidence shows that lime application can reduce CH4 emissions from acidic paddy soils, while it is still not clear whether liming can reduce the GWP in rice fields under organic manure substitution. A two-year field experiment was conducted to investigate the impacts of pig manure substitution and lime application on grain yield, CH4 and nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions in a subtropical double-cropped rice field in China. The experiment consisted of three treatments: chemical fertilization (CF, 100% N from urea), 50% of chemical N substituted by pig manure (1/2N + M), and the 1/2N + M treatment plus lime amendment (1/2N + M + L). On average, 1/2N + M reduced rice yield by 5.65% compared to CF, while lime application had no effect on rice yield. Mean cumulative CH4 emissions were 218.8% higher in 1/2N + M than in CF, whereas 1/2N + M + L reduced CH4 emissions by 36.6% compared to 1/2N + M. Neither pig manure substitution nor lime application affected N2O emissions. Consequently, 1/2N + M increased the GWP and greenhouse gas intensity (GHGI) by 214.6% and 228.3%, respectively, compared to CF. In contrast, 1/2N + M + L reduced the GWP and GHGI by 36.4% and 36.5% compared to 1/2N + M. Lime application can mitigate CH4 emissions and GWP induced by pig manure amendment in double-cropped rice fields.
Partition Entropy as a Measure of Regularity of Music Scales
Authors: Cubarsi Rafael
Published: April 2024

The entropy of the partition generated by an n-tone music scale is proposed to quantify its regularity. The normalized entropy relative to a regular partition, and its complementary, here referred to as the bias, allow to analyze various conditions of similarity between an arbitrary scale and a regular scale. Interesting particular cases are scales having limited bias because their tones are distributed along interval fractions of a regular partition. The most typical case in music concerns partitions associated with well-formed scales generated by a single tone h. These scales are maximal even sets that combine two elementary intervals. Then, the normalized entropy depends on the number of tones as well as the relative size of both elementary intervals. When well-formed scales are refined, several nested families stand out with increasing regularity. It is proven that a scale of minimal bias, i.e. with less bias than those with fewer tones, is always a best rational approximation of log2h.
A Study on the Establishment of a Faculty of Chinese Proficient Teachers and the Development Model of Chinese Expert Thai Teachers at the Primary and Secondary level in Thailand
Authors: Kaewbut Pichai
Published: April 2024

The development of Chinese teachers in Thailand has been going on for a long time. At the present time, Thai Chinese teachers are the important resource persons on driving Chinese language teaching in Thailand.  The study of the establishment of a panel of Chinese language proficient teachers and the development model of Chinese language proficient teachers in the primary and secondary level in Thailand is one of the important education issues at present. The objective of this research is to study the establishment of a panel of teachers who are experts in Chinese language and the development model of Chinese language proficient teachers in the primary and secondary schools in Thailand. The data was collected from 21 training sessions from Thai Chinese teachers nationwide. Altogether 1,400 teachers participated in the training during 2020-2022. The research methods include literature analysis, observation, and focus group interview. The results of the study showed that: 1) A panel of teachers who specialize in Chinese at various levels should be established concretely. 2) The development model of Chinese proficient teachers should be categorized in development, and 3) To promote and develop in order to increase the number of expert Chinese teachers.
Research on the Influence of Sand-Mud Interlayer Properties on the Expansion of SAGD Steam Chamber
Authors: An Guoqiang , Sun Hai , Ye Xiangdong , Li Aifen , Guo Wanjiang , Fu Shuaishi , Liu Shiqi , Zhu Yongchun , Hu Zhuocheng
Published: April 2024

Thermal recovery techniques serve as the primary approach for developing heavy oil due to its high viscosity and poor flowability. In this study, we established a high-temperature and high-pressure 3D physical experimental and numerical model based on the unique reservoir characteristics of the sand-mud interlayer in the Long Lake oil sands of Canada, using similarity criteria. Physical and numerical experiments employing steam-assisted gravity drainage (SAGD) were conducted to investigate the impact of sand-mud interlayer properties on the expansion limit of steam chambers during SAGD development. The results indicate that the expansion mode and limit of the steam chamber play a decisive role in heavy oil mobilization. Notably, heat loss during steam chamber expansion and the flow resistance caused by the interlayer are critical factors influencing the SAGD process. The presence of the interlayer extends the mobilization range in the lower portion of the reservoir, but it also limits the upward expansion of the steam chamber, resulting in a reduced mobilization range above the interlayer. Moreover, the steam chamber above the interlayer exhibits a distinct expansion pattern, featuring concave sides and a convex middle, resembling a “positive triangle.” Furthermore, the properties of the sand-mud interlayer and production parameters significantly affect the expansion limit of the steam chamber. Permeability and position exert a substantial impact on recovery, whereas thickness has a minor influence. Specifically, at an injection rate of 20 mL·min–1, steam quality of approximately 0.7, and a production/injection ratio of approximately 1.0, the steam chamber can successfully penetrate interlayers with a thickness of either 3.5 m and a permeability of 100×10−3 μm2 or 4.5 m and a permeability of 200×10−3 μm2.
Plane straight elements with semi-rigid connections: formulation from an energetic approach
Authors: Sousa Rafael , Pitaluga F.H. , Cheung Andrés
Published: April 2024

This work presents the analytical development of the stiffness matrix of a plane straight element with semi-rigid connections and its support reactions for three loading cases from the application of the Principle of Virtual Work. Semi-rigid connections are represented by translational and rotational linear elastic springs at both ends of the element, giving it six degrees of freedom. One example shows the application of this formulation using the Classical Displacement Method and the results are also obtained numerically via the Finite Element Method.
Statistical analysis plan for the TRANSLATE (TRANSrectal biopsy versus Local Anaesthetic Transperineal biopsy Evaluation of potentially clinically significant prostate cancer) multicentre randomised controlled trial
Authors: Marian Ioana R , Ooms Alexander , Holmes Jane , Parkes Matthew J , Lamb Alastair D , Bryant Richard J
Published: April 2024

Background
The TRANSLATE (TRANSrectal biopsy versus Local Anaesthetic Transperineal biopsy Evaluation) trial assesses the clinical and cost effectiveness of two biopsy procedures in terms of detection of clinically significant Prostate Cancer (PCa). This article describes the statistical analysis plan (SAP) for the TRANSLATE randomised controlled trial (RCT).
Methods/design:
TRANSLATE is a parallel, superiority, multicentre RCT. Biopsy-naïve men aged ≥ 18 years requiring a prostate biopsy for suspicion of possible PCa are randomised (computer-generated 1:1 allocation ratio) to one of two biopsy procedures: Transrectal (TRUS) or Local Anaesthetic Transperineal (LATP) biopsy. The primary outcome is the difference in detection rates of clinically significant PCa (defined as Gleason Grade Group ≥ 2, i.e. any Gleason pattern ≥ 4 disease) between the two biopsy procedures. Secondary outcome measures are ProBE questionnaire (Perception Part and General Symptoms) and International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF, Domain A) scores, International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) values, EQ-5D-5L scores, resource use, infection rates, complications, and serious adverse events. We describe in detail the sample size calculation, statistical models used for the analysis, handling of missing data, and planned sensitivity and subgroup analyses. This SAP was pre-specified, written and submitted without prior knowledge of the trial results.
Discussion
Publication of the TRANSLATE trial SAP aims to increase transparency of the data analysis and reduce the risk of outcome reporting bias. Any deviations from to the current SAP will be described and justified in the final study report and results publication.
Trial registration:
International Standard Randomised Controlled Trial Number ISRCTN98159689, registered on 28 January 2021 and registered on the ClinTrials.gov (NCT05179694) trials registry.
Funding/sponsor: National Institute of Health Research Health Technology Assessment Programme (Reference number NIHR131233).
The myelin water imaging transcriptome: myelin water fraction regionally varies with oligodendrocyte-specific gene expression
Authors: Lee Jaimie J. , Scheuren Paulina S. , Liu Hanwen , Laule Cornelia , Loucks Catrina M. , Kramer John L.K.
Published: April 2024

Identifying sensitive and specific measures that can quantify myelin are instrumental in characterizing microstructural changes in neurological conditions. Neuroimaging transcriptomics is emerging as a valuable technique in this regard, offering insights into the molecular basis of promising candidates for myelin quantification, such as myelin water fraction (MWF). We aimed to demonstrate the utility of neuroimaging transcriptomics by validating MWF as a myelin measure. Data from a normative MWF brain atlas, comprised of 50 healthy subjects (mean age = 25 years, range = 17–42 years) scanned at 3 Tesla was utilized. Magnetic resonance imaging data included myelin water imaging to extract MWF and T1 anatomical scans for image registration and segmentation. We investigated the inter-regional distributions of gene expression data from the Allen Human Brain Atlas in conjunction with inter-regional MWF distribution patterns. Pearson correlations were used to identify genes with expression profiles mirroring MWF. The Single Cell Type Atlas from the Human Protein Atlas was leveraged to classify genes into gene sets with high cell type specificity, and a control gene set with low cell type specificity. Then, we compared the Pearson correlation coefficients for each gene set to determine if cell type-specific gene expression signatures correlate with MWF. Pearson correlation coefficients between MWF and gene expression for oligodendrocytes and adipocytes were significantly higher than for the control gene set, whereas correlations between MWF and inhibitory/excitatory neurons were significantly lower. Our approach in integrating transcriptomics with neuroimaging measures supports an emerging technique for understanding and validating MRI-derived markers such as MWF.
Multivariate analysis of the effects of environmental factors on plant diversity and composition in the Afar Rangelands, Northeast Ethiopia
Authors: Gemeda Wakshum Shiferaw
Published: April 2024

The structure and biodiversity of natural vegetative communities are increasingly threatened by invasive species. Prosopis juliflora (Fabaceae) is a major invasive shrub in Africa, Australia, and North America. However, how its invasion is related to plant diversity and composition, and whether this varies with aspect, altitude, slope, and anthropogenic disturbances remains poorly understood. The aims of this study were to evaluate the relationships between P. juliflora invasion, floristic diversity and composition, and altitude, slope, aspect, and anthropogenic disturbance in the Afar region of Northeastern Ethiopia. The research examined two main hypotheses: (1) P. juliflora invasion was related to the diversity of native plant species; (2) native species diversity decreased with increasing aspect, altitude, slope, anthropogenic disturbances, and grazing. Sixty-four sample quadrats were placed in woodland vegetation using stratified random sampling. Quadrats measuring 1 m2, 100 m2, and 400 m2 were used to record the abundance and percent cover of herbs, seedlings and saplings, and trees, respectively. Physiographic variables and human activities were also recorded in the 400 m2 quadrats. Plant species diversity was unaffected by aspect, slope, grazing intensity, and disturbance (p > 0.05). However, plant diversity and composition were affected by altitude, P. juliflora invasion levels, and anthropogenic factors (p < 0.05). Three plant community types were identified using canonical correspondence analysis and P. juliflora had a negative relationship with native plant diversity in the third plant community type. Revisiting plots in the future will provide evidence to support lower plant diversity as a cause or effect of P. juliflora invasion.
An aid diagnostic platform to detect the transition of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) to Alzheimer's disease (AD) based on 48,116 AD and MCI patients
Authors: Song You-Qiang , LI JING , Li Siwen , Shea Yat-fung , Yue Ming , Zhu Pengfei , Zou Quan , Yuan Shuofeng , Chu Leung-Wing
Published: April 2024

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is an incurable, progressive neurodegenerative disorder, necessitating early diagnosis and intervention. Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) often precedes AD, but not all cases progress to AD, emphasizing the need for predictive biomarkers. We analyzed routine blood test data from 43,981 AD patients and 4,537 MCI subjects in Hong Kong hospitals (2000-2019). Among 31 shared biomarkers, five blood biomarkers (Hemoglobin, Hematocrit, Red blood cell related to oxygen carrying capacity, Neutrophils, and White blood cell related to immunity) significantly differentiated MCI from AD. Subjects were divided into four groups (Female 65 ~ 74, Male 65 ~ 74, Female 75 ~ 89, Male 75 ~ 89) to minimize gender and age bias. Models utilizing the five biomarkers along with machine learning yielded the highest accuracy in the Female 65 ~ 74 group (AUC of 0.76 on an independent test set). The other three models were trained with other biomarkers besides these 5 to optimize predictions, capturing models with AUC close to 0.70. We then constructed a platform predicting the risk of MCI converting to AD (MAP, http://lab.malab.cn/~lijing/MAP.html) to help physicians and MCI subjects with early diagnosis and prevention of AD. In conclusion, this study demonstrates the potential for accurate prediction of MCI to AD conversion using routine blood test data and machine learning, offering an economical and practical approach for early AD screening in MCI individuals.
Predicting the Implications of Climatic Alterations on the Distribution of Endangered Species: A Case Study of Saxifragaceae on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau
Authors: Sun Chenglin , Chen Wenpeng , Liu Yuping , Liu Tao , Su Xu , Zhou Yonghui , Wang Dong , Li Xiaoli , Ma Xiaoyan , Wei Chengrong , Wang Shengtao , Suonan Nima , Nizamani Mir Muhammad
Published: April 2024

Understanding the potential effects of climate change on species distribution is vital for the conservation of endangered taxa. The Saxifragaceae family, known to be susceptible to habitat disturbance, has a diverse distribution. While a significant portion is found on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (QTP), about half the species of Saxifraga are native to Europe, and other genera, such as Heuchera, have their centers of diversity in regions like North America and Japan. In this study, we employ the Maximum Entropy (MaxEnt) model in conjunction with Shared Socioeconomic Pathways (SSPs) to assess the potential influence of climate change on the distribution and richness of four endangered Saxifragaceae species (Saxifraga cernua L., Saxifraga tangutica Engl., Saxifraga przewalskii Engl. ex-Maxim., Saxifraga unguiculata Engl.) on the QTP, spanning time periods from the Last Glacial Maximum to 2080. Our results indicate that factors such as elevation, slope, mean annual temperature, isothermality, precipitation seasonality, and precipitation during the wettest quarter significantly affect species distribution patterns. Historical climate models demonstrate that approximately 30% of the QTP provided highly suitable habitat for Saxifragaceae species. Current projections suggest that this proportion has increased to over 30% and is anticipated to remain above 30% for the subsequent three-time intervals. Optimal habitats have been identified in southeastern QTP, western Sichuan, and northern Yunnan. The taxa are predicted to shift southward in response to future climate changes. Our findings underscore the importance of implementing conservation strategies that prioritize the establishment of protected areas in the southeastern QTP to safeguard these vulnerable Saxifragaceae species.
Single-cell and spatial transcriptomic analyses reveal the cellular origins and drivers of liver metastasis from pancreatic cancer
Authors: Cui Jing , Guo Yao , Chen Taoyu , Ling Yan , Liang Xueyi , Zhao Jingyuan , Xiong Jiongxin , Yin Tao , Ke Zunxiang , Peng Tao
Published: April 2024

Pancreatic cancer is a deadliest malignancy. The most common event of tumor progression in pancreatic cancer is liver metastasis, and current treatments have not produced the desired results. However, the cellular origins and drivers of liver metastasis have yet to be defined. In this study, we identified nine cell clusters in pancreatic cancer via analyzing single-cell transcriptomic profiles. Malignant epithelial cells in liver metastatic group might come from primary tumor subclones with 27 common gene copy number variation. Cell-cell communication demonstrated that malignant epithelial cells were specifically regulated by IL-1, Periostin, and IFN-II signaling pathways and fibroblasts regulated malignant epithelial cells through the Periostin pathway (POSTN-ITGAV/ITGB5). Moreover, we found that 34 differentially expressed genes were highly enriched in PI3K signaling pathway. Next, we constructed a LM index using these 34 genes, and found that pancreatic cancer patients with high-index exhibited a poor prognosis. The immuno-fluorescence staining assay showed that the spatial distance between POSTN and ITGAV was close, and ITGAV protein was expressed in tissue sections of pancreatic cancer patients. Finally, we found that ITGAV was upregulated in PANC-1 cells, and knockdown of ITGAV inhibited the invasion and migration of PANC-1 cells. This study clarified possible cellular origins and driv-ers of LM pancreatic cancer based on the single-cell and spatial transcriptomic profiles, and dis-covered that the ITGAV mRNA and protein were expressed in pancreatic cancer tissue and cells, and the knockdown of ITGAV inhibited the progression of pancreatic cancer.
A Bioinspired C–O/C–X σ-Bond Metathesis
Authors: Xie Youwei , Liu Hongmei , Zheng Yuzhu , Xian Ke-Lin , Hu Qi-Qi , Liao Rong-Zhen
Published: April 2024

Cross metathesis reactions of multiple bonds, such as alkenes and alkynes, have undoubtedly revolutionized various fields and become one of the most efficient strategies in organic synthesis. In contrast, metathesis reactions of more naturally abundant yet less reactive σ-bond bonds remain less developed, especially for polar C–X bonds, the existing activation modes are rather limited and reactions often occur between two C–X bonds of the same type. Here, inspired by the natural S-adenosylmethionine (SAM) cycle, we devise a σ-bond metathesis between the C–O bond of alcohols with various other different C–X bonds. This reaction is realized by using a delicate mixture of commonly used Lewis acids and allows fast access to various challenging thioethers or selenoethers from easily available ones by directly editing the C component of the C–X bond with easily available alcohols as the sources of the new C component. Like multiple bond metathesis, this method could also be rendered intramolecular to provide saturated heterocycles such as cyclic ethers, cyclic thioethers, as well as cyclic amines. Mechanistic experiments and DFT calculations were carried out to show a high level of resemblance to the natural SAM cycle. We anticipate this bioinspired design of C–O/ C–X metathesis will infuse the area of a σ-bond metathesis with more insights and provide opportunities for further advances in areas that have been facilitated by traditional C–X bond forming reactions.
Investigating the potential of bubbling and ultrasonic processes in reducing the fouling of the ultrafiltration membrane during the purification of raw sugar beet syrup
Authors: Soleymani Mostafa , Hakimzadeh Vahid , Noghabi Mostafa Shahidi , Arianfar Akram
Published: April 2024

Effective removal of impurities and appropriate decolorization in raw or thin beet juice are considered as important processes to obtain premium sugar industrially. Environmentally friendly processes, such as membrane processes, have the potential to replace some old processes in the sugar industry completely or partially. However, membrane fouling and flux reduction are important challenges facing this process. One of the methods to reduce fouling and improve the flux is bubble generation or cavitation in the inlet flow to create a turbulent flow and as a result reduce the concentration polarization. In this research, the injection of nitrogen gas along with ultrasound was used in the raw beet syrup inlet stream during its purification by ultrafiltration to investigate the efficiency of the membrane such as the improvement of the permeate flux, fouling, membrane resistance and the refining properties of the filtrated syrup. During the bubbling, by increasing the amount of nitrogen gas from 0.5 to 1.5 Lit/min, the permeate flux improved and the overall membrane fouling decreased. This reduction was more evident in the continuous gasification than in the interrupted method. Also, the results showed that the continuous gasification caused a slight disturbance in the purification properties such as purity, color and turbidity due to the improvement of the permeate flux. Furthermore, the results showed that the application of the ultrasonic process in the pulse form simultaneously with the gassing process could put the flux in a higher and more stable state than the gassing state alone during the ultrafiltration process.
Rumen DNA virome and its relationship with feed efficiency in dairy cows
Authors: Liu Xiaohan , Tang Yifan , Chen Hongyi , Liu Jian-Xin , Sun Hui-Zeng
Published: April 2024

Background
There are numerous viruses in the rumen that interact with other microorganisms, which play crucial roles in regulating rumen environmental metabolism. However, the knowledge of rumen viruses is limited, and their relationship with production traits (e.g., feed efficiency) has not been reported. In this study, we combined next-generation sequencing (NGS) and HiFi sequencing to investigate the rumen DNA virome and reveal the potential mechanisms of how viruses influence feed efficiency in dairy cows.
Results
Compared with NGS, HiFi sequencing improved the length, completeness, and resolution of viral operational taxonomic units (vOTUs) obviously. A total of 6,922 vOTUs were recruited, including 4,716 lytic and 1,961 temperate vOTUs. At family level, lytic viruses were mainly composed of Siphoviridae (30.35%) and Schitoviridae (23.93%), while temperate viruses were predominantly Siphoviridae (67.21%). A total of 2,382 auxiliary metabolic genes (AMGs) were annotated, which involved in the pathways of carbon metabolism, nitrogen metabolism, energy metabolism, etc. A total of 2,232 vOTU-hMAG (host metagenome-assembled genome) linkages were predicted, with Firmicutes_A (33.60%) and Bacteroidota (33.24%) being the most common host at phylum level. Differential viruses were detected between high and low feed efficiency groups at the family, genus and species levels (P < 0.05). By integrating differential viruses, vOTU-hMAG linkages and AMGs, two pathways have been proposed for how rumen viruses affect feed efficiency in dairy cows: 1) lytic viruses lyse host related to cattle phenotypes, such as vOTU1836 can lyse Ruminococcaceae that have a positive effect on organic acids, and 2) AMG-mediated modulation of host metabolism, for example, GT2 carried by vOTU0897 may enhance the fermentation capacity of Lachnosopraceae to produce more organic acids.
Conclusions
Overall, we constructed a rumen DNA virome profile of Holstein dairy cows, showing the structural and functional composition of rumen viruses, the roles of AMGs carried by vOTUs and the linkages between vOTUs and their hosts. By integrating the above information, we proposed potential mechanisms through which rumen viruses influence feed efficiency in dairy cows, providing new insights into the regulation of feed digestion and nutrient utilization in dairy cows.
Comparison of the accuracy of 99mTC-MDP and 99mTC-SC bone scanning imaging for the diagnosis of chronic osteomyelitis
Authors: Xu Houwei , Tang Ting , Yin Zhiliang , Qu Jia , Geng Yao , Zhong Xuemei , Chen Lu
Published: April 2024

Background
There is a lack of effective imaging tools for the clinical confirmation of chronic osteomyelitisis. At present, there are few studies/reports on the diagnosis of chronic osteomyelitisis by nuclear medicine at home and abroad. In this study, we retrospectively observed the accuracy of 99mTC-MDP and 99mTC-SC bone scanning imaging for the diagnosis of chronic osteomyelitisis and explored the clinical value of the two nuclear medicine imaging modalities for the diagnosis of chronic osteomyelitisis.
Methods
Patients who underwent 99mTC-MDP or 99mTC-SC bone scan imaging with surgical treatment for suspected chronic osteomyelitisis in our hospital from January 2019 to December 2022 were retrospectively analyzed. They were categorized into the 99mTC-MDP group and 99mTC-SC group according to their bone scan imaging modality. The bone scan results were also compared with the postoperative pathology and culture results to clarify the accuracy of the two imaging modalities.
Results
A total of 72 patients were included, including 38 patients in the 99mTC-MDP group and 34 patients in the 99mTC-SC group. A total of 51 patients were diagnosed with chronic osteomyelitisis. Bone scanning imaging in the 99mTC-MDP group showed positive results in 29 cases and negative results in 9 cases, consistent with the final pathologic diagnosis in 24 cases and inconsistent with the final pathologic diagnosis in 14 cases. Bone scanning imaging in the 99mTC-SC group showed positive results in 27 cases and negative results in 7 cases, consistent with the final pathologic diagnosis in 29 cases and inconsistent with the final pathologic diagnosis in 5 cases. The sensitivity, specificity, misdiagnosis rate, leakage rate, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and accuracy of 99mTC-MDP bone scan for the diagnosis of chronic osteomyelitisis were 80% (20/25), 30.77% (4/13), 69.23% (9/13), 20% (5/25), 68.97% (20/29), and 44.44% (4/9), respectively, 63.16% (24/38); the sensitivity, specificity, misdiagnosis rate, leakage rate, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and accuracy of 99mTC-SC bone scan for diagnosing chronic osteomyelitisis were 92.31% (24/26), 62.5% (5/8), 37.5% (3/8), 7.69% (2/26), and 88.89% (24/27), respectively, 71.43% (5/7), 85.29% (29/34). The accuracy of the two tests by chi-square test (2) was 2 = 8.25, P < 0.05, so 99mTC-SC bone scanning imaging was more accurate than 99mTC-MDP bone scanning imaging in diagnosing chronic osteomyelitisis.
Conclusion
Based on the current results, 99mTC-SC has a higher diagnostic accuracy for chronic osteomyelitisis than 99mTC-MDP bone scan imaging.
Shedding Light on Diagnostic Precision: GANs for Low Light Endoscopy Image Enhancements
Authors: Asif Muhammad , Song Hong , Zia Muhammad Azam , Ali Sajid , Awwad Emad Mahrous , Ghadi Yazeed Yasin , Al-Razgan Muna , Bhatti Uzair Aslam , Talpur Kazim Raza , Talpur Bandeh Ali
Published: April 2024

Understanding and identifying polyps in their early stages is crucial, and computerized diagnostic systems can significantly boost the effectiveness of screening through a large volume of endoscopy images. To achieve this, it's essential to enhance the quality of these images. In our research, we employ a well-established model called CycleGAN, introduced by Zhu et al. , which utilizes Generative Adversarial Networks (GANs). The CycleGAN model is trained on a diverse natural image database called RAISE and then tested on low illuminance endoscopy images from the Kvasir dataset, specifically created for polyp segmentation. Since there's no established ground truth for low illuminance endoscopy images, we use the non-reference Naturalness Image Quality Evaluator (NIQE) parameter to evaluate the quality of the generated high illuminance images in comparison to their low illuminance counterparts. Our main focus is to showcase how this image enhancement technique can be a valuable preprocessing step to avoid missing polyp detection during subsequent image analysis. Both visual observations and quantitative results suggest that our proposed method has the potential to effectively enhance endoscopic images analysis, contributing to an overall improvement in accuracy when it comes to polyp detection.
Retrospective comparison of local anesthesia for mandibular molars: articaine buccal infiltration vs. lidocaine intraosseous anesthesia
Authors: Yoon Ji-Young , Park Damin , Ku Jeong-Kui
Published: April 2024

Objectives
It is vital to identify more efficient anesthesia techniques for restorative or endodontic treatments of mandibular molars. Both articaine buccal infiltration anesthesia (ABI) and lidocaine inferior alveolar nerve block anesthesia (LIANB) may not provide profound anesthesia, necessitating supplementary anesthesia. This study aims to investigate whether lidocaine intraosseous (LIO) injection, compared to ABI, is suitable for primary anesthesia for caries treatments of mandibular molars.
Materials and Methods
This study retrospectively analyzed on patients for the treatment of advanced caries corresponding to the International Caries Detection and Assessment System (ICDAS) 5 and 6. The study involved 48 patients, split evenly between those receiving ABI and LIO, examining anesthesia success rate, pain during anesthesia, onset time, duration, and lower lip numbness, with data analyzed using Chi-square and Independent T-tests.
Results
In the ABI group, 17 individuals (70.8%) did not require additional anesthesia, whereas all 24 individuals (100%) in the LIO group did not require additional anesthesia (P<.001). ABI showed significantly higher pain during anesthesia, slower onset time, and longer duration of anesthesia compared to LIO. There was no significant difference in lower lip numbness between the two anesthesia methods.
Conclusions
For treating severe caries in mandibular molars, intraosseous anesthesia using lidocaine is more effective for its higher success rate, decreased pain during anesthesia, faster onset, and shorter recovery time.
Clinical Relevance
The findings of this study suggest that LIO may be considered as a primary anesthesia method for mandibular molar caries treatments in clinical practice, providing beneficial effects for patients.
Effect of the number of layers of multilayer graphene synthesized by ultrasonic exfoliation method on the electrode performance of SiO anode
Authors: Ajiki Yoshiharu , Sakamoto Taichi , Ikeuch Yuta N. , Yamashita Naoto , Mukai Takashi
Published: April 2024

In this study, multilayer graphene produced by ultrasonic crushing method was applied as a conductive aid for SiO anode. The SiO anode with multilayer graphene was superior in all cycle, high-rate charge, and high-rate discharge properties, although the resistivity of the active material layer was slightly higher than that with conventional AB. These properties are understood to be due not only to the electronic conductivity of graphene, but also to effects based on its shape. Comparing two types of multilayer graphene with different number of layers produced by the same manufacturing method, it was confirmed that the graphene with fewer layers was superior in cycle(Sustain initial capacity in XP), high-rate-of-charge(after 2.0C charge capacitance in XP is 1.5 times larger than that of AB), and high-rate-of-discharge properties e(after 2.0C discharge capacitance in XP is 1.3 times larger than that of AB). This may be due to the difference in the number of conductive paths formed within the active material layer due to the difference in the number of graphene particles per weight.
Psychometric Properties of an Arabic Translation of the 7-item Emotional and Behavioral Reaction to Intrusions Questionnaire among a sample of Arabic-speaking adults
Authors: Awad Emmanuelle , Malaeb Diana , Alhuwailah Amthal , Helmy Mai , Barakat Muna , Hallit Rabih , El-Khatib Sami , Rahal Mohamad , Rabbani Syed Arman , Alzayer Reem , Farrag Nada H. , Hajjar Rita El , Mallouh Jinan , Hallit Souheil , Fekih-Romdhane Feten , Obeid Sahar
Published: April 2024

Background: Intrusive thoughts represent undesirable cognitive activity that can cause distress, and occurs in individuals with and without psychological disorders. In order to deal with unwanted interrupting thoughts, individuals might consciously stop the flow of such cognitions in an attempt to stop through suppression, or unconsciously avoid intrusive thoughts automatically through repression. This study aimed to psychometrically evaluate and validate the Arabic translation of the 7-item Emotional and Behavioral Reaction to Intrusions Questionnaire (EBRIQ) among a sample of Arabic-speaking adults.
Methods: Using the snowball sampling technique, participants (n=755) were adults from five Arab countries (Lebanon, United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Jordan, and Kuwait), who completed the Arabic translation of the Emotional and Behavioral Reaction to Intrusions Questionnaire. To examine the factor structure of the EBRIQ, we conducted a Confirmatory Factor Analysis using the data from the total sample.
Results: A total of 755 participants filled the survey. CFA indicated that fit of the one-factor model of EBRIQ scores was modest. Internal reliability was excellent (ω = .96; α = .96). No significant difference was found in terms of EBRIQ scores between males (M = 10.37, SD = 7.80) and females (M= 10.52, SD = 7.99) in the total sample, t(753) = -.22, p = .830. The highest EBRIQ scores were found in Jordanian participants (12.55 ± 6.94), followed by Emirati (12.23 ± 8.20), Lebanese (11.12 ± 7.69), Egyptian (8.96 ± 8.05) and Kuwaiti (8.20 ± 7.75) participants, F(4, 750) = 10.36, p < .001.
Conclusion: This study suggests that our Arabic translation of the EBRIQ is psychometrically proven to be reliable for use. This validated tool will allow researchers and practitioners to assess emotions and behaviors related to intrusive thoughts.
CircSorbs1 regulates myocardial regeneration and reduces Cancer therapy-related cardiovascular toxicity through the Mir-99/GATA4 pathway
Authors: Huang Kang , Huang Denggao , Li Qiang , Zeng Jiangting , Qin Ting , Zhong Jianghua , Zhong Zanrui , Lu Shijuan
Published: April 2024

Due to the cancer therapy-related cardiovascular toxicity, heart failure following cancer therapy has a significant mortality rate. Gene-targeted therapy promotes the re-entry of existing cardiomyocytes into the cell cycle to achieve myocardial regeneration, which is a promising strategy for preventing and treating heart failure after myocardial infarction. Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are considered as potential targets for myocardial regeneration due to their strong stability, resistance to degradation, and potential role in heart development and cardiovascular diseases. By comparing the myocardial tissue of mice in the sham operation group and the cancer therapy group(CT), we observed a significant increase in Cirsorbs expression in the MI group. Cirsorbs was predominantly localized in cardiomyocytes and exhibited high conservation. Subsequent investigations revealed that Cirsorbs could promote myocardial proliferation and inhibit myocardial apoptosis. Mechanistic studies further demonstrated that Cirsorbs could bind to miR99 and reduce its expression level. Meanwhile, miR99 was found to bind to GATA4 mRNA and decrease its expression level. The binding of Cirsorbs to miR99 alleviated the repression of miR99, thereby enhancing GATA4 expression and the transcription of downstream cyclin A2 and cyclin E1. This, in turn, increased cardiomyocyte proliferation and reduced apoptosis. In conclusion, Cirsorbs holds promise as an effective target for myocardial regeneration in reducing cancer therapy-related cardiovascular toxicity.
The impact of remimazolam on hypoxemia in elderly patients undergoing bronchoscopy: a prospective cohort study
Authors: Ma Dongmei , Li Li , Han Fuyi , Chen Ping , He Jiannan , Xu Jianhong
Published: April 2024

Background
Fiberoptic bronchoscopy is a complex procedure that requires adequate anesthesia/sedation, and maintenance of safety is paramount. The elderly are at an increased risk of experiencing hypoxemia during flexible bronchoscopy. This prospective cohort study aimed to estimate whether remimazolam can reduce the incidence of hypoxemia during flexible bronchoscopy in elderly patients.
Methods
The elderly patients who underwent fiberoptic bronchoscopy were enrolled in this prospective cohort study. We evaluated the incidence of hypoxemia during bronchoscopy with remimazolam exposed vs propofol. Remimazolam group patients received remimazolam 0.15mg/kg i.v followed 1mg/kg/hr. infusion, and propofol group patients received propofol 1mg/kg i.v followed 4-6mg/kg/hr. infusion. The incidence rates of hypoxemia, severe hypoxemia, fully alert time, and adverse effects in both groups were compared.
Results
In the exposed group, a prevalence of 29.42% was observed compared to 60.00% in the non-exposed group (OR 2.10, 95% CI 1.18–3.74, P = 0.017) prior to controlling for potential confounding variables. Similarly, the overall incidence of severe hypoxemia was 24.64%, with a lower incidence in the exposed group compared to the non-exposed group (11.76% vs. 37.14%, OR 2.10, 95% CI 1.18–3.74, P = 0.017) before adjusting for confounding factors. No significant differences were found in hypotension, bradycardia, or hypopnea between the two groups. The incidence of hypotension was 17.65%, with a lower occurrence in the exposed group compared to the non-exposed group (17.65% vs. 37.14%, P = 0.0699), suggesting a trend towards clinical significance despite the small sample size. Modified Poisson regression found that remimazolam exposure was linked to a 57% lower risk of hypoxemia compared to propofol (RR 0.438, 95%CI 0.235–0.813, P = 0.009), and smoking was associated with a 64% lower risk of hypoxemia compared to non-smoking (RR 0.364, 95%CI 0.186–0.713, P = 0.003).
Conclusion
This observational cohort study highlights that using remimazolam sedative anesthesia can improve outcomes in elderly patients undergoing FB. Remimazolam is a safer option than propofol for FB in elderly.
Trial registration:
Clinicaltrails.gov: Retrospectively registered (ChiCTR2300071137; Registration date:05/05, 2023)
Optimizing Synthesis and Application of an Enhanced Oil Recovery Agent: Stability Assessment of the Optimized Nanostructured PNIPAM/PS Core-Shell Polymer using a Developed DLVO-based Model
Authors: Mohammadipour Ramin , Amiri Hossein Ali Akhlaghi , Dashti Ali , Tajbakhsh Seyed Farzan
Published: April 2024

To improve the efficiency of hydrophilic polymers in oil reservoirs, a method encapsulates the polymer within a protective shell, safeguarding the core polymer and enabling controlled release in demanding, high-temperature conditions. Poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) nanoparticles are encapsulated with Poly styrene shells through emulsion polymerization in this study. Varying the amounts of shell monmer and crosslinking agents resulted thick, sphere-shaped shells with homogeneous morphology, which protects the core polymer and enabling controlled release. Structural and morphological properties are characterized using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Proton nuclear magnetic resonance (H1NMR), Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS), and Scanning electron microscope (SEM) imaging. Increasing the styrene amounts lead to larger particles, while higher crosslinker amounts result in a narrower size distribution. Thermal testing indicates heat resistance up to 300°C, suitable for EOR applications. Rheological tests determine an optimal 30-day release for the PNIPAM core, with the CS polymer showing increased viscosity under harsh conditions. DLVO theory and experimental results demonstrate good stability and energy barriers at room temperature, but decreased stability and increased agglomeration at higher temperatures. Thickening the styrene shell leads to particle agglomeration and unsuitable stability. The study confirms the effectiveness of the model in analyzing CS colloidal latex systems.
Efficacy and safety of the disposable eyelid warming masks in the treatment of dry eye disease due to meibomian gland dysfunction
Authors: Wang Da-Hu , Guo Hua , Xu Wei , Liu Xin-Quan
Published: April 2024

Background
Warm compresses are the routine treatment for Meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD) in daily life, but in order to achieve satisfactory efficacy, the treatment needs to be sustained over a long time, which can affect the level of patient compliance. A more convenient warm compresses will help improve the patient compliance. Therefore, the purpose of the study was to investigate the efficacy and safety of the disposable eyelid warming masks for treatment of dry eye disease (DED) due to MGD.
Methods
This is a randomized, controlled, non-masked, two-center clinical trial. One hundred and forty-four patients were treated by the masks or the hot towel twice daily for 12 weeks. Patients were evaluated at baseline, 4-week and 12-week visits for subjective symptoms, objective signs and safety assessments, including ocular symptom scores, ocular surface disease index (OSDI), tear break-up time (BUT), corneal fluorescein staining (CFS), Schirmer I test (SIT), meibum quality, meibum expressibility, and adverse events (AEs).
Results
A totle of 134 patients were followed in the study. The mean age of the masks group (14 males and 52 females) and the hot towel group (20 males and 48 females) was 43.7 ± 13.5 years and 39.5 ± 13.9 years, respectively. At 4-week visit, there were significant statistical differences in ocular symptom scores, OSDI and CFS between two groups (P < 0.05). At 12-week visit, except for SIT, the treatment group showed a greater improvement in subjective symptoms and objective signs than the control group (P < 0.05). In addition, 40 AEs occurred in 27 patients (37.5%) in the treatment group, and 34 AEs occurred in 21 patients (29.17%) in the control group. No serious AEs were reported.
Conclusions
The masks had a good efficacy and safety in the treatment of DED due to MGD, and might offer an attractive treatment option for some patients.
Trial registration:
The study was registered at Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (ChiCTR1900025443).