bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Histone marks enable formation of immiscible phase-separated chromatin compartments
Authors: Li Pilong , Sun Wenjing , Wang Jiacheng , Liu Wenqian , Tang Baixue , Qu Hongyuan , Wang Jianwei , Li Haitao , Wei Xie
Published: December 2023

Eukaryotic chromatin is organized into compartments for gene expression regulation, but the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Here, we demonstrate that multivalent H3K27me3 and its reader, CBX7-PRC1 complex, regulate facultative heterochromatin via a phase separation mechanism, similar to constitutive heterochromatin1. Facultative and constitutive heterochromatin represent distinct, coexisting condensates in nuclei. In vitro, H3K27me3- and H3K9me3-marked nucleosomal arrays and their reader complexes can phase separate into immiscible condensates that are analogous to the relationship between facultative and constitutive heterochromatin in vivo. Moreover, overexpression of CBX7-PRC1 causes aberrant chromatin compartmentalization in vivo as demonstrated by H3K9me3 CUT&Tag and up-regulation of genes related to cancer such as acute myeloblastic leukemia (AML). CBX7 inhibitor effectively inhibits cancer cell proliferation possibly through phase separation-mediated compartment reorganization. Our data demonstrated how the specificity of compartmentalization is achieved based on the formation of immiscible phase-separated condensates, and offer novel epigenetic mechanistic insights into tumor development.
Overexpression of foxtail millet SiAAP9 inhibits the growth of transgenic Arabidopsis determined by the expression level
Authors: Meng Ru , Li Zhi-Peng , Kang Xue-Ting , Zhang Yu-Jia , Wang Yi-Ru , Ma Yu-Chao , Wu Yan-Feng , Dong Shu-Qi , Li Xiao-Rui , Gao Lulu , Chu Xiao-Qian , Yang Guang-Hui , Yuan Xiang-Yang , Wang Jia-Gang
Published: December 2023

Amino acid permeases (AAPs) transporters play a vital role in facilitating the long-distance transportation of amino acids from the source to the sink in plants. Numerous studies have been conducted on Arabidopsis and rice, while the research on foxtail millet remains relatively scarce. In this study, we discovered that SiAAP9 exhibits two transcripts. The expression patterns of the two transcripts of SiAAP9 were generally consistent and both transcripts were induced by NO3-. Overexpression of SiAAP9L and SiAAP9S in Arabidopsis inhibited plant growth and seed size, however, SiAAP9 can transport more amino acids into seeds. Moreover, the sensitivity of SiAAP9-OX transgenic Arabidopsis to amino acids demonstrated that SiAAP9 is not sensitive to excessive glutamate (Glu) and histidine (His). The high expression level of SiAAP9 makes its encoded protein not only localized on the plasma membrane, but also possibly localized on various organelles. Additionally, we also observed that sequence deletion weakened the sensitivity of SiAAP9 to Brefeldin A (BFA) and SiAAP9 has ectopic localization on endoplasmic reticulum (ER). Protoplast amino acid uptake experiments indicated that SiAAP9 is capable of facilitating increased transport of Glu into foxtail millet cells. Taken together, the functions of two SiAAP9 transcripts are largely functional similar, but their subcellular localization is variation. Our research may provide a candidate gene to improve foxtail millet quality in breeding.
DEC-MVSNet: multi-view 3D reconstruction based on improved MVSNet
Authors: Li Guangchen , Li Kefeng , Zhang Guangyuan , Zhu Zhenfang , Wang Peng , wang Zhenfei , Fu Chen
Published: December 2023

3D reconstruction, integral to environmental perception, has seen extensive adoption across numerous domains in recent years. Notably, within multi-view 3D reconstruction, MVSNet has emerged as a standout. MVSNet has pioneered the inclusion of differentiable homography transformations within neural networks, seamlessly merging camera model transformations and facilitating end-to-end multi-view 3D reconstruction. However, MVSNet's method has average performance in feature extraction and insufficient correlation between multi-scale cost volumes, which indicates that there is potential for further improvement in 3D scene reconstruction. To solve this problem, we propose an improved reconstruction algorithm based on the MVSNet network architecture. To glean richer pixel details from images, we suggest deploying a DE module integrated with a residual framework, supplanting the prevailing feature extraction mechanism. ECA-Net and dilated convolution are used to expand the range of the receptive field without increasing the number of parameters, and feature splicing and fusion is performed through the residual structure to retain the global information of the original image. Moreover, harnessing attention mechanisms refines the 3D cost volume's regularization process, bolstering the integration of information across multi-scale feature volumes, consequently enhancing depth estimation precision. On assessing our model using the DTU dataset, findings highlight the network's 3D reconstruction scoring a completeness (comp) of 0.411mm and an overall quality of 0.418mm. This performance is higher than that of traditional methods and other deep learning-based methods. Concurrently, the visual representation of the point cloud model exhibits marked advancements. Trials on the BlendedMVS dataset signify that our network exhibits commendable generalization prowess.
Numerical Investigation of Air-Sea Coupling to the Track and Intensity of Landfalling Tropical Cyclones in the South China Sea
Authors: Chen Yonghang , Wei Yu , Zheng Yunxia , wu xianwen , Liu Qiong , Sun Linlin , Zhao Bingke , Yin Sijie , Liu Haicheng , Li Xiaoyu
Published: December 2023

In general, the atmosphere-ocean coupled models can improve the simulation of tropical cyclone (TC) track and intensity, but the mechanism and quantitative analysis of this improvement is still lacking in the existing literature. This study investigates how atmosphere-ocean coupling affects the simulation of eleven tropical cyclones (TCs) in the Northwestern Pacific that made landfalls in China from 2011 to 2020. We use COAWST (Coupled Ocean Atmosphere Wave Sediment Transport), an atmosphere-ocean coupled model with ROMS (Regional Ocean Modeling System) and WRF (Weather Research and Forecast) as its components, and compare it with WRF, a non-coupled atmospheric model. We apply the potential vorticity tendency (PVT) framework to analyze the coupling impact on TC tracks. We find that coupling improves the track simulation by changing the diabatic heating and the residual term in the PVT framework, while the advection terms are less important. Coupling also reduces the sea surface temperature (SST) cooling and the heat flux to the TC, leading to weaker intensity simulation. The coupled model shows significant improvement in both track and intensity errors compared with the non-coupled model. The average SST cooling, heat flux reduction, wind speed reduction, and pressure increase for the coupled model are 0.36 K, 207.52 W·m-2, 3.86 m·s-1, and 6.5 hPa, respectively, for each 1 K SST decrease. These results indicate that the ocean-atmosphere coupling can improve the simulation of typhoon track and intensity, providing some effective theoretical methods for disaster prevention and mitigation in coastal areas.
The use of a portable X-ray fluorescence spectrometer for measuring nickel in plants: sample preparation and validation
Authors: Lima Luiz Henrique Vieira , Silva Fernando Bruno Vieira da , Echevarria Guillaume , Nascimento Clístenes Williams Araújo do
Published: December 2023

X-ray fluorescence is a fast, costly, and eco-friendly method for elemental analyses. Portable X-ray fluorescence spectrometers (pXRF) have proven instrumental in detecting metals across diverse matrices, including plants. However, sample preparation and measurement procedures need to be standardized for each instrument. This study examined sample preparation methods and predictive capabilities for nickel (Ni) concentrations in various plants using pXRF, employing empirical calibration based on ICP-OES Ni data. The evaluation involved 300 plant samples of 14 species with varying patterns of Ni accumulation. Various dwell times (30, 60, 90, 120, 300 s) and sample masses (0.5, 1.0, 1.5, 2.0 g) were tested. Calibration models were developed through empirical and correction factor approaches. Results showed that using less than 1.0 g of sample and dwell time below 60 seconds for the study conditions led to decreased Ni detection by pXRF. Ni concentrations determined by ICP-OES were highly correlated (R² = 0.94) with those measured by the pXRF instrument. Therefore, pXRF can provide reliable detection of Ni in plant samples, avoiding the digestion of samples and reducing the decision-making time in environmental management.
Multilayer Networks in Landscape Ecology: A Case Study to assess changes in aquatic habitat connectivity for flying and non-flying benthic macroinvertebrates in a Danube floodplain
Authors: Brizuela Sonia Recinos , Funk Andrea , Tiwari Shubham , Baldan Damiano , Hein Thomas
Published: December 2023

Context. In efforts to mitigate anthropogenic impacts on floodplain biodiversity, restoration measures that enhance habitat connectivity have been applied. However, these approaches have either neglected the spatial position of water bodies or the dynamic nature of the floodplain ecosystem.
Objectives. This study applies the novel multilayer network approach to evaluate restoration-induced changes in aquatic habitat connectivity for benthic macroinvertebrates (BM) in Austria's Donau-Auen National Park. BM indicator groups were categorised by dispersal-related traits (flying and non-flying).
Methods. Multilayer networks were constructed for conditions before, short-term and long-term after restoration to quantify habitat connectivity across inundation frequencies. Multilayer network analyses involved multilayer correlation, monolayer, and multilayer centrality assessments. We used a Partial Least Squares Regression analysis to identify which centrality measures were better indicators of the mechanisms influencing the α and β diversity of BM.
Results. In the short-term, our results indicated increased habitat connectivity, slightly diminishing in the long term. Multilayer centralities outperformed their monolayer counterpart in explaining variations in α and β diversity for strict aquatic dispersers, while monolayer centrality measures better explained α diversity for flying dispersers.
Conclusions. This study underscores the relevance of integrating dynamic aspects of water-mediated transport beyond traditional pairwise distances. The expanding cross-disciplinary applications and open-source tool development for multilayer networks offer practical implications for planning and evaluating management measures.
Complete chloroplast genomes of three copal trees (Bursera: Bullockia): comparative analysis and phylogenetic relationships
Authors: Lorenzana Gustavo P. , Rico Yessica
Published: December 2023

Background
Burseratrees are conspicuous elements of the tropical dry forests in the Neotropics, which have a significant cultural value due to their fragrant resins (incense), wood sources (handcrafts), and ecological benefits. Despite its relevance, genetic resources developed for the genus are scarce.
Methods and results
We sequenced and analyzed the complete chloroplast genome structure and functional annotation of three Bursera species of the Bullockia section: Bursera cuneata, B. palmeri, and B. bipinnata. The chloroplast (Cp) genome sizes ranged from 159,824 to 159,872 bp in length, including a large single-copy (LSC) region from 87,668 to 87,656 bp, a small single-copy (SSC) from 18,581 to 18,571 bp, and two inverted repeats regions (IRa and IRb) of 26,814 bp each. The three Cp genomes consisted of 135 genes, of which 90 were functional, 37 tRNAs, and 8 rRNAs. The Cp genomes were relatively conserved, with the LSC region exhibiting the greatest nucleotide divergence (psbJ, trnQ-UCC, trnG-UCC, and petL genes), whereas few changes were observed in the IR border regions. Between 589 to 591 simple sequence repeats were identified. Phylogenetic relationships within Burseraceae for each Cp region (LSC, SSC, IRa, and IRb) using Bayesian inference confirmed that Commiphora is the sister taxa of Bursera. Only the phylogenetic trees based on the SSC and LSC regions resolved the close relationship between B. bipinnata and B. palmeri within Bursera.
Conclusion
Our work contributes to the development of Bursera's genomic resources for taxonomic, evolutionary, and ecological-genetic studies.
scStateDynamics: deciphering the drug-responsive tumor cell state dynamics by modeling single-cell level expression changes
Authors: Gu Jin , Guo Wenbo , Li Xinqi , Wang Dongfang , Yan Nan , Hu Qifan , Yang Fan , Zhang Xuegong , Yao Jianhua
Published: December 2023

Understanding the heterogeneity and dynamic plasticity of tumor cells is crucial for overcoming drug resistance. Single-cell technologies enable the analysis of cell states at a given condition or time point, but it is still challenging to catenate static tumor cell snapshots to characterize their dynamic responses after drug treatment. Here, we propose scStateDynamics, an algorithm to infer tumor cell state dynamics and identify common drug effects by modeling single-cell level gene expression changes. We first demonstrate its reliability of inferring cell state dynamics on both simulated data and the data with lineage tracing information. By applying to several real tumor drug treatment datasets, we show scStateDynamics can identify more subtle cell subclusters with different drug responses beyond static transcriptome similarity. Further, scStateDynamics can also identify the common drug effects by extracting cluster-shared components from the cell-level expression changes.
Analysis of self-propulsion of alcohol droplets under the effect of surface tension differences and convection flow
Authors: Suzuki Tamako , Sawada Hideyuki
Published: December 2023

This study aims to control the self-propulsion of 1-pentanol droplets. When 1-pentanol droplets are dropped in an aqueous 1-pentanol solution, droplets move spontaneously. This self-propulsion is due to interfacial tension gradient caused by concentration differences. The shape of the droplet is deeply related to droplet behavior because the shape of the droplet changes the interfacial tension gradient. In this study, an exoskeleton is introduced to fix the droplet shape. In our preliminary experiments, we observed Marangoni convection in droplets dropped in exoskeleton frames with boomerang and round shapes holes. The results showed that a large surface tension difference was necessary to control the self-propulsion of 1-pentanol droplets. In this study, we prepared two exoskeletons having different holes, which have an elongated symmetrical elliptical shape and an asymmetrical shape to fix the shape of the droplet. Then, we dropped droplets into each exoskeleton, and observed the droplet behavior, Marangoni convection inside the droplet, and the convection in the aqueous phase. We found that the direction of self-propulsion of the droplet was determined by these exoskeletons, especially in the case of the asymmetrical exoskeleton, and the direction of self-propulsion was fixed in one direction. Marangoni convection was observed in the droplet from the direction of lower surface tension to that of higher surface tension. In the aqueous phase, two convections were generated from the aqueous phase to the droplet because of the diffusion of 1-pentanol. Especially, when an asymmetrical exoskeleton was used, two convections with different sizes and velocities in aqueous phase were observed. From these experimental results, the relationship between droplet behavior and convection will be discussed.
Examining the Optimum Panel Pillar Distance in Longwall Mining Considering Stress Distribution
Authors: Yetkin Mustafa Emre , Ozfirat Muharrem Kemal , Onargan Turgay
Published: December 2023

Longwall mining method is widely used for underground coal production in the world. Additional stresses occur surrounding the longwall during underground mining. Stresses occurring surrounding the longwall are investigated by many researchers for years. How these stresses affect longwall production, gob, main gate, tailgate and main haulage road has been always an important issue. In this study, the effect of the safety pillar left at the end of the panel on the main haulage road is investigated. For this purpose, 6 models with different pillar distances are created and the stresses occurring in the main haulage road, tailgate and main gate at different pillar distances are examined. It has been demonstrated with numerical models that the optimum pillar distance according to these stress conditions does not damage the main haulage road, tailgate and main gate. In addition, the pillar distance of 10 m gives maximum coal recovery efficiency, and it has been shown by numerical models that the stresses occurring in the main haulage road, main gate and tailgate are not damaging to these galleries.
Bioinsecticidal effect of lantana camara and urtica dioïca grown in northeast Algeria against plodia interpunctella (lepidopterae; pyralidae)
Authors: Hami Manel , Zidi Sourour , Hamdiken Malika , Grara Nedjoud , Atoki Ayomide Victor , Messaoudi Mohammed
Published: December 2023

To valorize both medicinal and aromatic Algerian flora, the present study was performed to assess the effective bio-insecticidal effect of essential oils extracted from the leaves of two aromatic and medicinal plants; L. camara, and U. dioica grown in northeast Algeria, on the development and the reproduction of Plodia interpunctella (Lepidopterae; pyralidae) found in the stored foodstuffs. The yield, organoleptic properties, and toxicity of essential oils were determined. The effectiveness of essential oils was examined using the median lethal concentration (LC50) and 90% lethal concentration (LC90) on some reproductive parameters of adult females of P. interpunctella aged between 0 and 24 hours. The crushed leaves were administered separately to adult insects via ingestion route at increasing doses to estimate the mortality rate for 24, 48, 72, and 96 hours. L. camara extracts were found to have a higher level of essential oils (1.78%) than that of U. dioica (0.95%). In addition, the essential oils of U. dioica and L. camara revealed a significant insecticidal activity with a mortality rate of 84.44±5.09% (U. dioica) and 72.22±6.94% (L. camara). The lethal doses (LC50; LC90) for U. dioica and L. camara were respectively, 5µL/insect; 33µL/insect, and 9.12 µL/insect; 16.94µL/insect. The reproductive effects of essential oils of U. dioica were evidenced by the extended duration of nymphal development and the preoviposition period since those of L. camara were shown by an extension of the preoviposition period, a reduction of the oviposition rate and the duration of nymphal development. Further, results showed a marked decrease in the fertility and viability of the eggs laid by females, resulting in a reduction in reproductive efficiency. The analysis of the leaf powders revealed a potential insecticidal effect proved by an increased mortality rate up to 100% at 72 and 96 hours of exposure. Essential oils and powders of U. dioica and L. camara exhibited considerable bio-insecticide properties against P. interpunctella, and hence they are promised as effective alternatives to synthetic pesticides during the conservation of stored foodstuffs.
Unlocking the Potential of Phloroglucinol and Tocopherol in Improving the Photosynthetic Efficiency, Membrane Stability, and Antioxidant Enzyme Activities of Cryopreserved In Vitro Raised Plantlets of Citrus maxima Merr. And Citrus jambhiri Lush
Authors: Sanglyne M Wanlambok , Kurbah Lavinia Alexis , Das Meera Chettri
Published: December 2023

This study examined the effects of tocopherol (Vitamin E) and phloroglucinol (1,3,5-trihydroxybenzene) on cryopreserved plantlets of Citrus jambhiri Lush and Citrus Maxima Merr., two important Citrusspecies used in citrus breeding and variety development. After undergoing cryopreservation using conventional desiccation methods, the seeds of these two species were propagated in Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium with various concentrations of tocopherol and phloroglucinol. Plantlets raised from both cryopreserved and non-cryopreserved seeds were multiplied using clonal propagation on MS medium supplemented with the specified two chemicals. The clones were subsequently assessed by a range of procedures, including the quantification of chlorophyll levels, measurement of electrolyte leakage, and evaluation of specific antioxidant enzyme activities, including superoxide dismutase, catalase, and peroxidase. Cryopreserved and non-cryopreserved C. jambhiri and C. maxima clones subjected to 2.0 µM and 15.0 µM tocopherol showed improved membrane stability compared to their control counterparts. Increased photosynthetic efficiency was attained by supplementing 0.3 µM and 4.0 µM phloroglucinol to C. jambhiri and C. maxima, respectively. Both cryopreserved and non-cryopreserved C. jambhiri clones had their maximum antioxidant enzyme activity when cultured in a medium with 2.0 µM tocopherol and 0.3 µM phloroglucinol. In C. maxima, cryopreserved and non-cryopreserved clones had higher antioxidant enzyme activity in medium with 15.0 µM tocopherol and 4.0 µM phloroglucinol. In conclusion, the use of vitamin E and phloroglucinol in cryopreservation can greatly improve the important developmental traits of cryopreserved citrus plantlets.
Complete genome sequences of three Prunus-infecting nepoviruses: apricot latent ringspot virus, myrobalan latent ringspot virus and a novel virus from smooth stone peach (Prunus mira Koehne)
Authors: Khalili Maryam , Candresse Thierry , Faure Chantal , Brans Yoann , Marais Armelle
Published: December 2023

The complete genome sequence of two poorly known Prunus-infecting nepoviruses, apricot latent ringspot virus (ALRSV) and myrobalan latent ringspot virus (MLRSV) was determined, confirming they are subgroup C members. Serological, biological and molecular data, in particular a low, 58.8% amino acid coat protein identity suggest ALRSV and MLRSV should be considered distinct. In addition, datamining of wild and ornamental Prunus public RNASeq data identified two contigs representing the nearly complete genome of a new subgroup A Nepovirus from a smooth stone peach (Prunus mira) dataset (SRR8369794) from the Himalayas for which the name Prunus mira virus A is proposed.
Temperature shocks and household credit access: Investigating impacts and potential channels
Authors: Munyanyi Musharavati Ephraim , Churchill Sefa Awaworyi , Feeny Simon
Published: December 2023

We contribute to the literature by providing the first study to examine the effect of temperature shocks on household credit access. We use three waves of Malawian household data from the World Bank Microdata Library and weather data from the University of Delaware’s climate database. Estimating a panel fixed effects model, we find that temperature shocks have a negative and statistically significant effect on household credit access. Next, we investigate the heterogeneous effects of temperature shocks and explore the channels through which these shocks influence household credit access. The heterogeneity analysis results suggest that when exposed to temperature shocks, female-headed and rural households have a lower likelihood of accessing credit, while informal lenders are less inclined to extend credit to households. Our channel analysis results identify district-level economic growth, household income, and local conflict as mediating channels.
JEL codes: Q54; G5; G2
Transcriptomic profiling and discovery of key transcription factors involved in adventitious root formation from root cuttings of mulberry
Authors: Dou Hao , Sun Jiajia , Wang Tiantian , Bi Shuwen , Feng Xi , Sun Huijuan , Quan Jin’e
Published: December 2023

Adventitious rooting is a critical aspect of plant morphogenesis and development, and the challenges associated with the limited and inefficient rooting of scions represent a significant impediment to the rapidity and caliber of clonal propagation of forest trees in silvicultural practices. Building upon the findings of prior investigations conducted by our team, it was determined that the application of indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) at a concentration of 1000 mg/L− 1 had the most profound effect on the promotion of mulberry rooting. To elucidate the underlying molecular mechanisms, this study involved the analysis of RNA sequencing data from mulberry phloem pre- and post-treatment with 1000 mg/L− 1 IBA across time intervals of 10, 20, 30, and 40 days, revealing 5226 differentially expressed genes (DEGs). These DEGs were subsequently categorized into Gene Ontology (GO) terms and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathways, with a pronounced enrichment observed in categories pertinent to hormone signaling processes. Weighted Gene Co-expression Network Analysis (WGCNA) was applied to all identified DEGs, resulting in the delineation of eight co-expression modules. Of these, two modules exhibited significant correlations with the 1000 mg/L− 1 IBA treatment. Furthermore, 18 transcription factors implicated in the facilitation of adventitious root formation in mulberry were identified. An exploratory analysis was also conducted on the cis-regulatory elements associated with these transcription factors. The outcomes of this research not only lay the groundwork for a comprehensive understanding of the mechanism of adventitious rooting in mulberry but also provide theoretical support for the discovery and harnessing of exceptional genetic resources within the species.
Effect of heat exposure on prostaglandin production and expression of COX-2, PGES, PGFS, ITGAV and LGALS15 mRNAs in endometrial epithelial cells of buffalo (Bubalus bubalis)
Authors: Mondal S. , Mor A. , Reddy I. J. , Nandi S. , Gupta P. S. P.
Published: December 2023

The present study aimed to investigate the influence of heat stress on prostaglandin production and the expression of key genes, including COX-2, PGES, PGFS, ITGAV, and LGALS15, in buffalo endometrial epithelial cells. Buffalo genitalia, containing ovaries with corpus luteum (CL), were collected immediately post-slaughter and transported to the laboratory. The stages of estrous cycle were determined based on macroscopic observations of the ovaries, and uteri from the mid luteal phase (days 6–10 of the estrous cycle) were utilized. Uterine lumens were washed and treated with trypsin to isolate epithelial cells, which were then cultured at control temperature (38.5°C for 24 hr) or exposed to elevated temperatures (38.5°C for 6 hr, 40.5°C for 18 hr; HS). The supernatant and endometrial epithelial cells were collected at various time points (0, 3, 6, 12, and 24 hr) from both control and treatment group. Despite the elevated temperature (40.5°C) not affecting the in vitro production of PGF2α and PGE2 in epithelial cells, there was a significant (P < 0.05) increase in COX-2, PGES, and PGFS transcripts in response to heat stress. Interestingly, the expression of ITGAV and LGALS15 mRNAs in endometrial epithelial cells remained unaltered under elevated temperature conditions. In conclusion, this study suggests that while elevated temperature did not directly modulate prostaglandin production, it promoted the expression of COX-2, PGES, and PGFS mRNA in buffalo endometrial epithelial cells. These findings contribute to our understanding of the molecular responses of buffalo reproductive cells to heat stress, potentially informing strategies for mitigating the impact of environmental factors on reproductive outcomes in this species.
Vertical distribution of picocyanobacteria in deep lakes: the influence of inorganic turbidity
Authors: Schenone Luca , Modenutti Beatriz , Balseiro Esteban
Published: December 2023

Picocyanobacteria (Pcy) represent the dominant photosynthetic fraction in aquatic systems, contributing significantly to global primary production and playing a key role in global biogeochemical cycles. Based on a 20-years dataset of in situ observations in four deep Andean North-Patagonian lakes, we analyzed and presented a simple model to understand how the input of inorganic particles affects light penetration and influences the vertical distribution of freshwater Pcy during summer stratification. The analyzed temporal series includes two important events (volcanic eruption and glacial recession) that substantially affected lake turbidity. Thus, our mechanistic model was constructed as a function of changes in light extinction coefficient (KdPAR) and mean irradiance of the mixing layer (Im). Our modeling approach using Bayesian inference and a continuous non-monotonic function successfully predicted changes in Pcy vertical distribution. The obtained model was successful in fitting data of different minerogenic particles (volcanic ashes and glacial clay) and in predicting changes under sharp increases in turbidity (volcanic eruptions) as well as in more steady changes (glacial recession). Pcy maximum abundance increased with transparency (lower KdPAR values) and the amplitude of the vertical profile increased with higher Im values. Using our model, we achieved a full prediction of Pcy vertical distribution under different scenarios of lake transparency and lake thermal structures.
A modified PRP conjugate gradient method with inertial extrapolation for sparse signal reconstruction
Authors: Zhang Yuanshou , Sun Min , Liu Jing
Published: December 2023

It is widely known that the inertial technique of the heavy ball method can accelerate its convergence speed. In this paper, by embedding the inertial technique in the famous PRP conjugate gradient method, we propose a modified PRP conjugate gradient method with inertial extrapolation (PRPCG-IE) for sparse signal reconstruction. Its direction satisfies the sufficient descent property, which is independent of any line search. Global convergence of PRPCG-IE is established under some standard conditions. Finally, PRPCG-IE is applied to two sparse signal reconstruction problems with noise. Preliminary experimental results demonstrate the effectiveness of PRPCG-IE.
MSC. 90C25, 90C30
Optimum mix design for quarry waste-based masonry blocks with alkali-activated rice husk ash and eggshell ash as a binder
Authors: Sathiparan Navaratnarajah
Published: December 2023

Using suitable waste materials as a replacement for cement and natural sand presents a viable and pragmatic approach to tackle the challenges associated with the construction sector's scarcity of building materials and environmental issues. Additionally, this approach aids in conserving a substantial quantity of waste. This study explored the possibility of geopolymer technology in manufacturing masonry blocks by utilizing eggshell ash, rice husk ash, quarry waste, and caustic soda. Various permutations of the mixture were evaluated to ascertain the components' optimal blending ratios. The ideal composition for block manufacturing was determined by studying many factors, including compressive strength, water absorption rate, energy demand, and carbon dioxide emissions during production. It was found that a geopolymer mortar comprising 2.5% eggshell ash, 7.5% rice husk ash, and 4% caustic soda mixed with quarry waste yielded the most favourable results. The findings indicate that the geopolymer blocks could meet the strength requirements of 1.2 MPa outlined in the SriLankan standard SLS 855 for non-load-bearing masonry when combined in specific ways. Yet, it should be noted that the geopolymer mortar's compressive strengths were relatively lower than those of the cement-quarry waste mortar. The geopolymer mortar with the optimum mix showed 14.1% less energy embodied per unit strength and 15.4% less CO2 emission per unit strength, respectively, compared to the control mortar.
Anti-soiling transparent sol-gel coating with fast curability at room temperature
Authors: MEDURI Angelo , BEZZON Alessia , DONATO Demetrio Massimiliano , IUFFRIDA Marco , BERGO Andrea , TULUI Mario
Published: December 2023

An innovative hydrophobic (WCA ≥ 90°), transparent thin film is reported. It is applicable on any glass, ceramic, or metallic surface. Notably, it can be applied on photovoltaic panels, providing a solution for the soiling phenomena, and increasing their efficiency, in fact in pursuing the energy efficiency, the importance of careful maintenance of cleaned photovoltaic fields to preserve their efficiency is a key factor.
The proposed new coating is based on organic-inorganic hybrid sol-gel formulations having two major advantages: (a) being applicable on any glass surface (photovoltaic, building glasses, automotive, marine, …); (b) being applicable directly in the field thanks to their fast-curing times (120 seconds or less) at ambient temperature.
The good physical and chemical behaviour of the new coating has been verified by measures and tests such as Water Contact Angle (WCA), anti-soiling properties and durability.
Segregation pattern in a four-component reaction-diffusion system with mass conservation
Authors: Morita Yoshihisa , Oshita Yoshihito
Published: December 2023

We deal with a four-component reaction-diffusion system with mass conservation in a bounded domain with the Neumann boundary condition. This system serves as a model describing the segregation pattern which emerges during the maintenance phase of asymmetric cell devision. By utilizing the mass conservation, the stationary problem of the system isreduced to a two-component elliptic system with nonlocal terms, formulated as the Euler-Lagrange equation of an energy functional. We first establish the spectral comparison theorem, relating the stability/instability of equilibrium solutions to the four-component system to that of the two-component system. This comparison follows from examining the eigenvalue problems of the linearized operators around equilibrium solutions. Subsequently, with an appropriate scaling, we prove a Γ-convergence of the energy functional. Furthermore, in a cylindrical domain, we prove the existence of equilibrium solutions with monotone profile representing a segregation pattern. This is achieved by applying the gradient flow and the comparison principle to the reduced two-component system.
MSC Classification: 35A15 , 35B35 , 35B36 , 35B40 , 35K57
Genome-Wide Identification of the Q-type C2H2 Zinc Finger Protein Gene Family and Expression Analysis under Abiotic Stress in Lotus (Nelumbo nucifera)
Authors: Liu Huan , Liu YiDan , Zeng Lihong , Liu Fangyu , Xu Yingchun , Jin Qijiang , Wang Yanjie
Published: December 2023

Background
Q-type C2H2 zinc finger proteins (ZFPs) play an important role in plant growth development and environmental stress responses. Although the Q-type C2H2 gene family has been identified in some plants, limited reports has been carried out it in lotus (Nelumbo nucifera).
Results
In this study, we identified 45 Q-type NnZFP members in lotus. Based on the phylogenetic tree, these Q-type NnZFP gene family members were divided into 4 groups, including C1-1i, C1-2i, C1-3i and C1-4i. Promoter cis-acting elements analysis indicated that most Q-type NnZFP gene family members in lotus are associated with response to abiotic stresses. Through collinearity analyses, no tandem duplication gene pairs and 14 segmental duplication gene pairs were identified, and it showed that duplication events play a key role in the expansion of the Q-type NnZFP gene family. The synteny results showed that 54 and 28 Q-type NnZFP genes were orthologous to Arabidopsis and rice, respectively. The expression patterns of these Q-type NnZFP genes showed that 30 Q-type NnZFP genes were expressed in at least one lotus tissue. Nn5g30550 showed relatively high expression levels in all tested tissues. The expression of 12 randomly selected gene from each phylogenetic clade was confirmed by qRT-PCR (quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction), and it indicated that Q-type NnZFP genes are extensively involved in cadmium, drought, salt and cold stress responses. Among them, 11 genes responded to at least three different stress treatments, especially Nn2g12894 was induced by all four treatments.
Conclusions
These results could increase our understanding of the characterization of the Q-type NnZFP gene family and provide relevant information for further functional analysis of Q-type NnZFP genes in plant development, and abiotic stress tolerance in lotus.
How effective are mood stabilizers in treating bipolar patients comorbid with cPTSD? Results from an observational study
Authors: Iazzolino Anna Maria , Valenza Marta , D’Angelo Martina , Longobardi Grazia , Stefano Valeria , Luca Steardo , Scuderi Caterina , Steardo Luca
Published: December 2023

Background: Multiple traumatic experiences, particularly in childhood, may predict and be a risk factor for the development of complex post-traumatic stress disorder (cPTSD). Unfortunately, individuals with bipolar disorder (BP) are more likely to have suffered traumatic events than the general population. Consequently, cPTSD could be comorbid with BD, and this may negatively affect psychopathological manifestations. To date, no one has explored whether such comorbidity also affects the response to treatment with mood stabilizers in BD patients.
Results: Here, a cross-sectional study was carried out by comparing the response to treatment, measured by the Alda scale, in a cohort of 344 patients diagnosed with BD type I and II, screened for the presence (or absence) of cPTSD using the International Trauma Questionnaire. The main result that emerged from the present study is the poorer response to mood stabilizers in BD patients with comorbid cPTSD compared with BD patients without cPTSD.
Conclusions: The results collected suggest the need for an add-on therapy focused on trauma in BD patients. This could represent an area of future interest in clinical research, capable of leading to more precise and quicker diagnoses as well as suggesting better tailored and more effective treatments.
Two novel genomes of fireflies with different degrees of sexual dimorphism reveal insights into sex-biased gene expression and dosage compensation
Authors: Catalan Ana , Gygax Daniel , Rodriguez-Montes Leticia , Hinzke Tjorven , Hoff Katharina , Duchen Pablo
Published: December 2023

Sexual dimorphism arises because of divergent fitness optima between the sexes. Phenotypic divergence between sexes can range from mild to extreme, as observed in various species of bioluminescent beetles - fireflies. Fireflies present various degrees of sexual dimorphism, including female neoteny, posing a unique framework to investigate the evolution of sexually dimorphic traits across species. In this work, we present novel assembled genomes of two firefly species, Lamprohiza splendidula and Luciola italica, species with different degrees of sexual dimorphism. We uncovered high synteny conservation of the X-chromosome across ~ 150 Mya. We also found full X-chromosome dosage compensation in our two fireflies hinting at common mechanism upregulating the single male X-chromosome. Different degrees of sex-biased expressed genes were found across two body parts showing different proportions of expression congruence between species. Interestingly, we did not find X-chromosome enrichment of sex-biased genes, but retrieved autosomal enrichment of sex-biased genes. We further uncovered higher nucleotide diversity in the intronic regions of sex-biased genes, hinting at a maintenance of heterozygosity through sexual selection. We identified different levels of sex-biased gene expression divergence including sex-biased genes conserved between species. Divergent and conserved sex-biased genes are candidate to test their role in sexually dimorphic traits.
A review on medicinal and ethnomedicinal uses, biological features, and phytochemical constituents of Sesbania sesban L. Merr., a nitrogen-fixing plant native to the Republic of Chad
Authors: Mahamat Ousman Brahim , Younes Saoud , Otchom Boy Brahim , Franzel Steven , Hidjazi Al-Djazouli Ouchar Mahamat , Soumaya El Ismaili
Published: December 2023

This study reports on a literature review of the leguminous tree Sesbania sesban (L.) Merr, which is found in the N'Djamena region, the Republic of Chad. The study focused on S. sesban’s medicinal and ethnomedicinal uses, biological features, and phytochemical constituents to assist in future evaluations. A literature review using academic websites, such as Science Direct and Springer, online international plant databases, and data from national herbaria was conducted. S. sesban is a perennial shrub or tree that measures 3–4 meters in height. This species is becoming rare in Ndjamena but can be found in the rainy season, while in winter, the species occurs mainly in ponds (Bouta), and in the shores of the Chari and Logone rivers. The local inhabitants in Chad use the species as medicine, livestock feed, fuelwood, and for improving soil fertility and repelling desert encroachment. Traditional healers use its leaves to treat breast cancer and edema. S. sesban is an essential species native to the Republic of Chad that needs conservation and valorization. Viewing its importance and rarity in N’Djamena, a strategy for replanting the species in gardens, homes, and fields around Ndjamena and other regions of Chad is recommended.
MAGIC AND SPELL IN FANTASY: HISTORICAL CONTEXTS OF SUPERNATURAL ELEMENTS IN FANTASY GENRE NARRATIONS
Authors: Ozturk Emrah
Published: December 2023

This paper will examine the usage and functions of the magic concept in fantastic narrations with the consideration of importance of supernatural in history.Magic and spell are different versions of supernatural. Theyall represent different structures of society in certain historical periods of humanity. While magic highlights the primitive era of civilizations, spell& occultism became important with the invention of writing. Defining and analyzing the supernatural types will also help to understand power relations, consensus reality and dominant ideology in society. With the acknowledgments of supernatural types in history, paper will make a study of fantastic genre in order to find the link between usage of supernatural in narrations and their political â€“ economicalrelations.Paper will ask the question of does analyzing the supernatural elements in narration help to understand texts discourse? and in the conclusion section it will try to give an answer. As a version of supernatural, magic has a link with matriarchy.Till witch hunt, magic can be accepted as a way of resistance of women against to patriarchy. In this point, paper will investigate of the connection between the usage of magic in fantasy and matriarchal theory.
TO STUDY OCCURRENCE OF PERIPHERAL ARTERIAL DISEASE IN YOUNG PATIENTS WITH CORONARY ARTERY DISEASE USING ANKLE BRACHIAL INDEX -A SMS HOSPITAL BASED OBSERVATIONAL STUDY
Authors:   DM Cardiology Resident, SMS Medical College, Jaipur., Swami Raghuraj , Kumar Sharma Sohan ,   DM Cardiology, Professor, Dept. of Cardiology, SMS Medical College, Jaipur(Guide)., Meena Pradeep ,   DM Cardiology, Associate Professor, Dept. of Cardiology, SMS Medical College, Jaipur.
Published: December 2023

Background: Coronary artery disease (CAD) and peripheral arterial disease (PAD) both are manifestations of systemic atherosclerosis. Many patients with CAD have associated PAD however, many patients are asymptomatic and thus remain underdiagnosed. Currently, little is known about the actual incidence and clinical implications of asymptomatic PAD in young patients less than 50-year-old undergoing coronary angiography in Indian population, so we will conduct this study to assess the prevalence of previously unrecognized PAD among patients with suspected ischemic heart disease undergoing coronary angiography, and to determine the relationship among PAD, severity of coronary angiographic stenosis, and major cardiovascular risk factors, in western Indian population. Method: This is an observational study conducted at a tertiary referral hospital. A total of 395 patients referred for coronary angiography without a prior diagnosis of PAD, between January 2023 to June 23 who fulfilling eligibility criteria of study, were included. Patients were evaluated through detailed medical history taking, a questionnaire survey to assess symptoms and functional status, ankle-brachial index (ABI) measurement, and coronary angiography. PAD was considered present if the ABI was< 0.90 in either leg. Result: In all patients, the prevalence of previously unrecognized PAD was 5.8%. There was significant difference between men and women (7.2% vs 1.1%, P=0.027). Abnormal angiographic results were seen in 63% (249 of 395). The prevalence of PAD was 7.2% in patients with abnormal coronary angiographic result, higher than that in patients with normal results but not statistically significant (3.2%, P=0.119). Patients with PAD were significantly older, and had higher rates of hypertension, dyslipidaemia, diabetes mellitus, current smoking, history of CAD than patients without PAD demonstrating high occurrence of PAD strongly associated with conventional risk factor for CAD. The occurrence of asymptomatic PAD was more among stable ischemic heart disease group(p=0.04). In our analysis, patients with PAD had a more severe form of CAD manifested by a higher frequency of multivessel coronary disease(p=0.002). Conclusion: The high occurrence of asymptomatic PAD in young patients with CAD confirms the importance of active screening for PAD by using ABI even in young patients. Routine determination of ABI in the clinical evaluation of all patients with CAD may helpful inidentifyhigh-risk patients.
EROSIVE TEMPOROMANDIBULAR JOINT DISORDER IN A PATIENT WITH ULCERATIVE COLITIS: RAREMANIFESTATION OF ARTHROPATHIES, CASE REPORT
Authors:   Consultant Internist and Rheumatologist, Head Division of Rheumatology, Al Noor Specialist Hospital, Makkah., Kalantan Nadeen , Basfar Abdurlahman ,   Saudi Board Internal Medicine Specialist, Gastroenterology Fellow, King Abdullah Medical City, Makkah, Saudi Arabia., Meeralam Yaser ,   Consultant Gastroenterology, King Abdullah Medical City, Makkah, Saudi Arabia., Hafiz Waleed ,   Assistant Professor, Internal medicine and Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah, Saudi Arabia., Bonadugji Khaled ,   Internal Medicine Specialist Saudi Board, Al Noor Specialist Hospital, Makkah, Saudi Arabia., Alim Baraa ,   Internal Medicine Specialist Saudi Board, Al Noor Specialist Hospital, Makkah, Saudi Arabia., Bondagji Mohammed ,   Medical Student, College of Medicine, Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah, Saudi Arabia., Alharthi Abdulrahman ,   Medical Student, College of Medicine, Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah, Saudi Arabia.
Published: December 2023

Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ) involvement in patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) is a rare manifestation. To the best of our knowledge there are only two cases in the literature reported the presence of TMJ involvement in a patient with UC. We report a case of 23-year-old female with a two-year history of UC she was complaining of unilateral temporomandibular jaw pain, the pain was severe enough to affect her daily activities, she was not able to speak and there was a limitation of mouth opening. The patient was only able to open her mouth for 2.5 cm. C-reactive protein and erythrocyte sedimentation rate were high, rheumatoid factor was negative. The computed tomography (CT) of the mandible and teeth reveals flattening with erosion of the condylar process of the left mandibular joint without the presence of joint effusion or soft tissue swelling. Our patient was managed by biological treatment Ustekinumab for 6 months, as a result the patient improved and she was able to open her mouth up to 4 cm. Clinicians should be aware of the importance of biological treatment in these circumstances, TMJ arthritis in UC patients is considered a rare and unusual picture of extraintesinal IBD manfistations.