bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Construction and Application of Machine Learning Models for Predicting Intradialytic Hypotension
Authors: Wang Pingping , Xu Ningjie , Wu Lingping , Hong Yue , Qu Yihui , Ren Zhijian , Luo Qun , Cai Kedan
Published: April 2024

Background
Intradialytic hypotension (IDH) remains a prevalent complication of hemodialysis, which is associated with adverse outcomes for patients. This study seeks to harness machine learning to construct predictive models for IDH based on multiple definitions.
Methods
In this study, a comprehensive approach was employed, leveraging a dataset comprising 35,431 hemodialysis (HD) sessions for training and testing cohort, with an additional 15,546 HD sessions serving as an external validation cohort. Five definitions of IDH were employed, and models for each IDH definition were constructed using ten machine learning algorithms. Subsequently, model interpretation was facilitated. Feature simplification ensued, leading to the creation and evaluation of a streamlined machine learning model. Both the most effective machine learning model and its simplified counterpart underwent external validation.
Results
Across the five distinct definitions of IDH, the CatBoost model consistently demonstrated superior predictive prowess, yielding the highest ROC-AUC (Definition 1–5: 0.859, 0.864, 0.880, 0.848, 0.845). Noteworthy is the persistent inclusion of certain features within the top 20 across all definitions, including LVMI, etc. Leveraging these features, we developed robust machine learning models that exhibited commendable performance (ROC-AUC for Definition 1–5: 0.858, 0.860, 0.879, 0.847, 0.841). Both the leading original machine learning model and the refined simplified machine learning model demonstrated commendable performance on an external validation set.
Conclusions
Machine learning emerged as a reliable tool for predicting IDH in HD patients. Notably, LVMI emerged as a crucial feature for effectively predicting IDH. The simplified models are accessible on the provided website.
Mitochondrial impairment demonstrated via 18F-BCPP-EF mitochondrial complex I PET ligand in case study of individual with bipolar disorder and alcohol use disorder
Authors: Wigstrom Travis P. , Roytman Stiven , Bohnen Jeffrey L. B. , Paalanen Rebecca R. , Griggs Alexis M. , Vangel Robert , Barr Jaime , Albin Roger , Kanel Prabesh , Bohnen Nicolaas I.
Published: April 2024

Background
With Bipolar Disorder (BD) having a lifetime prevalence of 4.4% and a significant portion of patients being chronically burdened by symptoms, there has been an increased focus on uncovering new targets for intervention in BD. One area that has shown early promise is the mitochondrial hypothesis, with supporting evidence in the form of mtDNA copy number, SNPs, ETC complex activity in peripheral cells, postmortem analyses of ETC function, and iPSC-derived biomarkers, among others. Despite this compelling evidence, at the time of this publication no studies have utilized PET imaging to assess mitochondrial function in the setting of BD.
Case Presentation
Our participant is a 58 year old male with a past medical history notable for alcohol use disorder and bipolar disorder (unspecified type) who, while enrolled as a control for a separate trial, underwent PET imaging with the mitochondrial complex 1 PET ligand 18F-BCPP-EF. Those images were compared to normal controls which demonstrated significant overlap between areas of dysfunction identified with the 18F-BCPP-EF PET ligand and areas of dysfunction previously identified in the setting of BD with fMRI techniques. That overlap was seen in both affective and cognitive circuits, with mitochondrial dysfunction in the fronto-limbic, ventral affective, and dorsal cognitive circuits showing particularly significant differences.
Conclusions
Despite mounting evidence implicating mitochondria in BD, this study represents the first PET imaging study to investigate this mechanistic connection. There were key limitations in the form of comorbid alcohol use disorder, limited statistical power inherent to a case study, no sex matched controls, and the absence of a comprehensive psychiatric history. However, even with these limitations in mind, the significant overlap between areas of dysfunction previously demonstrated on fMRI and this 18F-BCPP-EF PET ligand imaging provides compelling preliminary evidence that strengthens the mechanistic link between mitochondrial dysfunction and Bipolar Disorder and warrants further investigation.
Comparative Effectiveness of Ultrathin vs. Standard Strut Drug-Eluting Stents: Insights from a Large-Scale Meta-Analysis with Extended Follow-up
Authors: Hassan Ahmed , Amin Ahmed Mazen , Gadelmawla Ahmed Farid , Mansour Ahmed , Mostafa Hamed Abdelma'aboud , Desouki Mariam Tarek , Naguib Mostafa Mahmoud , Ali Bilal , Siraj Aisha , Suppah Mustafa , Hakim Diaa
Published: April 2024

Background: Newer generation ultrathin strut stents are associated with less incidence of target lesion failure (TLF) in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in the short term. However, its long-term effect on different cardiovascular outcomes remains unknown.
Objectives: We aim to identify the effects of newer-generation ultrathin-strut stents vs. standard thickness second-generation drug eluting stents (DES) on long term outcomes of revascularization in coronary artery disease.
Methods: We searched PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Library databases, and Scopus for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and registries that compare newer-generation ultrathin-strut (<70 mm) with thicker-strut (>70 mm) DES to evaluate cardioprotective effects over a period of up to 5 years. Primary outcome was TLF, a composite of cardiac death, target vessel myocardial infarction (TVMI) or target lesion revascularization (TLR). Secondary outcomes included the components of TLF, stent thrombosis (ST), and all-cause death were pooled as the standardized mean difference between the two groups from baseline to endpoint.
Results: We included 19 RCTs and two prospective registries (96756 patients) in this analysis. The overall effect on the primary outcome was in favor of second-generation ultrathin struts stents in terms of TLF at ≥ one year, ≥ two years, and ≥ three years (P value= 0.01, 95% CI [0.75, 0.96]), P value=0.003, 95% CI [0.77, 0.95]), P value= 0.007, 95% CI [0.76, 0.96]), respectively. However, there was no reported benefit in terms of TLF when we compared the two groups at ≥ five years (P value= 0.21), 95% CI [0.85, 1.04]). Some of the reported components of the primary and secondary outcomes, such as TLR, target vessel revascularization (TVR), and TVMI, showed the same pattern as the TLF outcome.
Conclusion: Ultrathin-strut DES showed a beneficial effect over thicker strut stents for up to three years. However, at the 5-year follow-up, the ultrathin strut did not differ in terms of TLF, TLR, TVR, and TVMI compared with standard-thickness DES, with similar risks of patient-oriented composite endpoint (POCE), MI, ST, cardiac death, and all-cause mortality.
High Similarity Controllable Face Anonymization Based on Dynamic Identity Perception
Authors: Xu Jiayi , Tan Xuan , Ju Yixuan , Mao Xiaoyang , Zhang Shanqing
Published: April 2024

In the meta-universe scenario, with the development of personalized social networks, interactive behaviors such as uploading and sharing personal and family photos are becoming increasingly widespread. Consequently, the risk of being searched or leaking personal financial information increases. A possible solution is to use anonymized face images instead of real images in the public situations. Most of the existing face anonymization methods attempt to replace a large portion of the face image tomodify identity information. However, the resulted faces are often not similar enough to the originalfaces as seen with the naked eyes. To maintain visual coherence as much as possible while avoidingrecognition by face recognition systems, we propose to detect part of the face that is most relevant tothe identity based on saliency analysis. Furthermore, we preserve the identification of irrelevant facefeatures by re-injecting them into the regenerated face. The proposed model consists of three stages.Firstly, we employ a Dynamic Identity Perception Network (DIPNet) to detect the identity-relevantfacial region and generate a masked face with removed identity. Secondly, we apply Feature Selectionand Preservation Network (FSPNet) that extracts basic semantic attributes from the original face andalso extracts multilevel identity-irrelevant face features from the masked face, and then fuses theminto conditional feature vectors for face regeneration. Finally, a pre-trained StyleGAN2 generator isapplied to obtain a high-quality identity obscured face image. The experimental results show that theproposed method can obtain more realistic anonymized face images that retain most of the originalfacial attributes, while it can deceive face recognition system to protect privacy in the modern digitaleconomy and entertainment scenarios.
Analytical Solution for Evaluating the Responses of Existing Pile Caused by Adjacent Tunnel Excavation
Authors: Wei Zheng
Published: April 2024

Tunnel excavation in short distance will change the physical equilibrium stress field of stratum and cause adverse effects on adjacent existing pile. A simplified analytical solution to calculate the horizontal displacement of existing pile under the influence of unloading in adjacent tunnel excavation is presented. First, consider that the existing pile is a Euler-Bernoulli beam resting on the Pasternak foundation model. Then, the free ground settlement of existing pile caused by a modified Loganathan’s formula during shield tunnel excavation is considered. The differential equation of lateral displacement of existing pile is established by combining the displacement coupling condition of tunnel-soil-pile foundation. Finally, the analytical solution of lateral displacement of pile caused by adjacent tunnelling is obtained by finite difference method. The reliability of the analytical solution is validated by comparing with boundary element program, finite element simulation and field measurement. Then, results of different factors such as tunnel buried depth, tunnel excavation radius, clearance distance between tunnel and pile on existing pile is analyzed. Through parameter analysis, the theoretical formula of maximum horizontal displacement of pile caused by tunnel excavation is put forward. The research content can provide theoretical verification for the investigation on the influence of adjacent tunnelling on deformation of existing pile.
Navigating Bioenergy Horizons: A Critical Examination of Europe's Potential, with Belgium as a Case Study
Authors: Colla Martin , Verleysen Kevin , Blondeau Julien , Jeanmart Hervé
Published: April 2024

Estimates of the energy potential of the different energy sources are essential for modelling energy systems. However, the potential of biomass is debatable due to the numerous dimensions and assumptions embedded. It is thus important to investigate further the final potential to understand their implications. Therefore, this study analyses European studies assessing biomass potential and proposes a critical discussion on the different results to converge to a realistic range of potentials for 2030. Biomass is divided into four categories: forestry products, agricultural residues, energy crops, and other waste, each with sub-categories. Belgium is used as a case study to highlight the convergences and divergences of the studies. Having a national case study allows for more precise analyses through in-depth comparisons with national data and reports. The potential estimates are compared with the current production for each category in order to have a better view of the gap to be bridged. From these national perspectives, the European potential can be better apprehended. The results show that the realistic potentials for 2030 for Belgium and Europe are somewhat in the lower range of the estimates of the different studies: from 30 TWh to 41 TWh and from 2000 TWh to 2500 TWh, respectively. The forestry biomass is already well exploited with a slight potential increase, while the agricultural residues present the most significant potential increase. The realistic potential for energy crops in Belgium turned out to be close to the minimum estimates. Indeed, the implications of those crops are considerable regarding the agricultural structure and logistics. This article emphasises that no energy potential is neutral, as it involves a specific system in terms of agriculture, forestry or waste management, with broader social, economic or environmental implications. Consequently, using one estimate rather than another is not a trivial matter; it has an impact on the system being modelled from the outset.
Phonon-boundary scatterings and second-order boundary conditions: Application to the heat transfer in thin layers
Authors: ID I. Bochicchio , ID F. Giannetti , ID A. Sellitto
Published: April 2024

Owing to the heat propagation, in nano-systems the phonons always undergo to different scattering mechanisms. The particular regime of heat transfer, instead, strictly depends on the ratio between the phonon mean-free path and the characteristic size of the system, i.e., the so-called Knudsen number. At nano-scale, wherein several conceptual questions still remain unanswered, the analysis of the role played by the phonon-boundary scatterings, for different values of the Knudsen number, in particular is an interesting research playground. We therefore here propose an enhanced model of boundary conditions in order to suitably address the problem of the correct tackling of the phonon-boundary scatterings when heat is flowing in a thin layer.
Sanitary napkins are a valid urine collection tool to asses urinary iodine and methylmalonic acid
Authors: Delgas Franziska , Bitsch Lisa , Kriegler Pauline , Petrov Ekaterina , Scholten Karin , Renz Sandra , Podszun Maren C.
Published: April 2024

Introduction: Urinary biomarkers are invaluable for non-invasive assessment of nutrient status but urine collection can be cumbersome, especially in infants. Cotton fiber-based sanitary napkins offer a practical and cost-effective solution for urine collection, but could potentially interact with the urine and affect biomarker measurements. In this study, we aimed to validate whether urine extracted from sanitary napkins, can be used for urinary iodine and methylmalonic acid (MMA) analysis. Methods: We collected urine samples from volunteers following different dietary patterns (n = 30). Daily intake of iodine and vitamin B12 were estimated by food frequency questionnaire and supplement use was recorded. Samples were evaluated both in their native state and after adding them on sanitary napkins, with subsequent re-collection. Urinary iodine was analyzed by ICP-MS, MMA by LC-MS/MS and creatinine photometrically. To compare the agreement of measurement between native and processed samples, intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) were calculated. Results: Daily estimated iodine intake varied from 57.8–216.5 µg/day and vitamin B12 from 1.2–685 µg/day yielding a broad range of urinary iodine: (5.60–151.3 µg/L) and MMA (0.70–2.37 mg/g creatinine). Native and processed urine showed an excellent agreement of measurement for iodine (ICC = 1.0), MMA (ICC = 0.99), creatinine (ICC = 0.99) as well as the ratio of MMA/ creatine (ICC = 0.95) with p < 0.001 for all, indicating no interaction between analytes and napkin. Conclusion: We demonstrate the validity of urine collection using sanitary napkins to measure urinary iodine, MMA and creatinine over a broad range of concentrations. Our approach is affordable and straightforward, and could streamline urine collection in large-scale studies.
Analysis and monitoring of behavior Rockfill dam ten years after end of construction ,Case study- Madani dam
Authors: Poursorkhabi Ramin Vafaei , Farajnia Rasoul , Zarean Ahmad , Dabiri Rouzbeh
Published: April 2024

The purpose of research is to compare monitoring results with those result of numerical analysis and to present plan for the first reservoir impounding of the Rockfill dam ten years after end of constructing the dam body. The stability of dam body has been examined using the results of numerical analysis and the values obtained from the sensors installed in the dam. The correctness and accuracy of the geotechnical parameters of the dam body materials were confirmed by comparing the results of numerical analysis and monitoring based on back analysis.
The linear correlation coefficients between the data obtained from the sensors and the numerical analysis results for the items of settlement, pore water pressure and total stress are 84, 67 and 99 %, respectively. The compatibility between the numerical analysis results, design assumptions, and instrumentation results were examined. The value of the arching ratio obtained from the results of instrumentation and numerical analysis in the core of the dam is 0.47 and 0.35, respectively, which indicates the safety of the dam. Ultimately, numerical sensitivity analyses was carried out for presente special impounding program for dam with controlling simultaneous two items the pore water pressure and effective stress changes in the clay core, with ten years passed since the completion of construction dam body.
The Impact of Metabolic Syndrome Severity on Frailty Progression among Chinese middle and old-aged adults: A Longitudinal Study
Authors: Zeng Peng , Li Minjie , Cao JiXing , Zeng Long , Jiang Cheng , Lin Feng
Published: April 2024

Background
The binary diagnosis of Metabolic Syndrome (MetS) fails to accurately evaluate its severity, and the association between MetS severity and frailty progression remains inadequately elucidated. This study aims to clarify the relationship between the severity of MetS and the progression of frailty among the middle-aged and elderly population in China.
Method
Participants from the 2011–2018 China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) were included for a longitudinal analysis. The study employs a frailty index (FI) based on 32 health deficits to diagnose frailty and to assess FI trajectories. The association between MetS, Cumulative MetS, and the risk and trajectory of frailty were evaluated using Cox regression/logistic regression, and linear mixed models. Restricted Cubic Splines (RCS) models were utilized to detect potential non-linear associations.
Results
A higher MetS score was significantly associated with an increased risk of frailty (HR per 1 SD increase = 1.205; 95% CI: 1.14 to 1.273) and an accelerated FI trajectory (β per year per 1 SD increase = 0.113; 95% CI: 0.075 to 0.15). Evaluating changes in MetS score using a cumulative MetS score indicated that each 1 SD increase in the cumulative MetS score increased the risk of frailty by 22% (OR = 1.222; 95% CI: 1.133 to 1.319) and accelerated the rate of increase in FI (β = 0.098 per year; 95% CI: 0.058 to 0.138). RCS model results demonstrated a dose-response curve relationship between MetS score and cumulative MetS score with frailty risk. Stratified analysis showed consistency across subgroups. The interaction results indicate that in males and individuals under 60, MetS score may accelerate the increase in FI, a finding consistent across both models.
Conclusions
Our findings underscore the positive correlation between the severity of MetS and frailty progression in the elderly, highlighting the urgent need for early identification of MetS and targeted interventions to reduce the risk of frailty.
Genetically supported causality between kidney volume and kidney stones: A mendelian randomization study
Authors: Xu Yufeng , Huang Ting , Jin Yue , Zhao Jin , Tao Fangze , Cheng Yidong
Published: April 2024

Purpose The association between kidney volume and the risk of kidney stones is unclear. Thus, we conducted a two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis to identify this association. Methods Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with kidney volume were obtained from publicly available genome-wide association study (GWAS) data. Inverse-variance weighted (IVW), MR-Egger, and weighted median (WM) methods were performed to assess the causal relationship between kidney volume and the risk of kidney stones. Additionally, horizontal pleiotropy and heterogeneity were detected using MR-Egger and Cochran’s Q test. Results The results of the IVW method (pooled OR: 2.90 95% CI: 1.910–4.410, P < 0.001) revealed a positive causal association between kidney volume and the risk of kidney stones. Conclusion Our study provided genetic support that an increase in kidney volume may raise the risk of kidney stones.
Development trends of intra-articular injection in arthroscopic treatment: A bibliometric visualization study from 2000 to 2024
Authors: Xu Feng , Chang Dehai , Guo Erpeng , Hou Zuobao , Kang Wannian
Published: April 2024

Background：Bibliometric analysis and visualization tools were used to determine the development trend of intra-articular injection in arthroscopic treatment in the past 20 years, so as to guide researchers to explore new directions and hotspots in the field in the future.
Method：In the Web of Science Core Collection, all articles about the application of intra-articular injection in arthroscopic treatment from 2000 to 2024 were searched. The qualitative and quantitative analysis was performed based on Web of Science, Vosviewer and Citespace software.
Result：After excluding non-article articles such as review and letter and non-English language articles, 1007 articles were finally included. Over the past 2 decades, the number of publications on the application of intra-articular injection in arthroscopic treatment increased. Among them, the United States, China, the United Kingdom and Italy have made significant contributions in this field. The most productive institution was Rush University. The Journal of Arthroscopic and Related Surgery published the largest number of publications. The journal with the highest citation frequency also was The Journal of Arthroscopic and Related Surgery. The authors with the highest output and the highest citation frequency on average were Cole, Brian J and Choi, Yun-Jin, respectively. “arthroscopy”, “osteoarthritis” and “cartilage” were the top three keywords that appeared. From the keyword analysis, the current research trend indicates that the primary research hotspots of intra-articular injection in arthroscopic treatment are the arthroscopy, osteoarthritis and cartilage. The frontiers of this ﬁeld are the Pain Management, osteoarthritis and Cartilage repair and regeneration.
Conclusion：Over the past 23 years, the application of intra-articular injection in arthroscopic treatment has received increasing attention. Our bibliometric analysis results provide valuable information and research trends for researchers in the field to understand the basic knowledge of the field, identify current research hotspots, potential collaborators, and future research frontiers.
The fastest and easiest way to transform genes to the pollen of a pear (Rosaceae) variety
Authors: Song Qirui , Wang Linru , Zhou Ziying , Zhang Yugang , Qu Haiyong
Published: April 2024

Background To date, the success rate of using pollen as a transgenic vector in agriculture has been very low, especially for fruit trees of the Rosaceae family.
Results We selected a widely cultivated pear variety, ‘Wonhuwang’(Pyrus pyrifolia Nakai. cv. Wonhuwang), which can be used to successfully transform genes into mature pollen within 4 min under negative pressure (- 80 Kpa). The pollen morphology of this pear variety is irregular, but its viability is not reduced. Pollen containing the green fluorescent protein (GFP) gene can complete pollination and fertilization, and the GFP gene is expressed in embryos. The greatest advantage of this method is that it does not require fresh pollen, and it can be used to verify gene function.
Conclusion This method is the simplest and fastest among reported transgenic methods for transforming genes into pollen.
Changing the Trajectory Client Journey Project: A collective care approach to map client journey against different risk levels and service responses using the Initial Assessment and Referral Tool (IAR)
Authors: Ahinkorah Bright Opoku , John James Rufus , McCue Lisa , Fellini Adriana , Cooper Alicia , O'Brien Joanne , Paulus Chenyll , Goodwin Glenys , Eapen Valsamma
Published: April 2024

Background Evidence suggests that early identification and integrated ‘whole-of-person’ care could lead to better outcomes for children and families, particularly those experiencing child abuse and neglect from priority populations. The aim of this research was to explore the views and experiences of a range of service providers on how child and family services could be better integrated by adopting shared language, processes, and care pathways. Methods Participants from a range of child and family services providers in South West Sydney participated in the two day workshop to express their perspectives and map clients’ journey using case scenarios from a variety of services against different risk levels and service responses using the Initial Assessment and Referral (IAR) Tool. Data collected included field notes at the workshop and post-workshop activities with anonymous online surveys. Data were thematically analysed. Results The qualitative data revealed some of the benefits including improved efficiency and shared understanding about the child and the family’s needs across the eight domains of the IAR framework. Emphasis was placed on the necessity of cross-service utilisation of the framework to achieve the intended purpose of establishing a common language and reaching a broader audience including education and social services. Identified gaps included ambiguity in classifying cases into specific care levels, particularly as it relates to children/adolescents given the impact of the family and the wider systems rather than just relying on the presenting complaints and diagnostic determination. The potential of this approach to prioritise services based on care levels coupled with a stepped care approach to match referrals and service responses across a range of services was acknowledged by participants, thereby providing optimism about achieving an Integrated Continuum of Connect and Care (I-CCC) model of service provision. Conclusion This report highlights the perceived usefulness, gaps, and challenges as well as opportunities of I-CCC, an integrated service model incorporating the IAR tool. Widespread adoption across services is crucial alongside a stepped care approach with effective integration and service navigation support as well as addressing staffing, data harmonisation and access, and referral pathway challenges for improved child and family service system response.
No Evidence of Causal Effects between Renal Impairment and Muscle Wasting: a Two-Sample Mendelian Randomization Study
Authors: Wang sicheng , Jin Zishan , Zhang Boxun , Yan Yan , Zhao Linhua
Published: April 2024

Background Numerous investigations have explored the potential correlation between renal impairment and muscle loss. However, the establishment of a definitive cause-and-effect relationship between these two remains elusive.Methods We utilized genome-wide association studies summary data from the CKDGen Consortium to identify genetically predicted estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate (eGFR), chronic kidney disease (CKD), and blood urea nitrogen (BUN) involving 567,460, 480,698, and 234,029 participants, respectively. To evaluate site-specific genetically predicted muscle mass, data from the UK Biobank were employed (n ≤ 454,835). The primary analysis relied on the inverse-variance weighted (IVW) method, with additional sensitivity analyses performed to validate the robustness of the MR results.Results No significant evidence could support that genetically predicted CKD was associated with appendicular and trunk muscle wasting [right leg FFM: IVW odds ratio (OR) = 1.010, confidence interval (CI) = 0.989 to 1.032, P-value = 0.355; left leg FFM: IVW OR = 1.009, CI = 0.988 to 1.031, P-value = 0.381; right arm FFM: IVW OR = 1.012, CI = 0.992 to 1.033, P-value = 0.231; left arm FFM: IVW OR = 1.010, CI = 0.990 to 1.030, P-value = 0.320; trunk FFM: IVW OR = 1.012, CI = 0.991 to 1.033, P-value = 0.279]. Similar estimations could also be observed in MR analyses of eGFR and BUN on muscle mass.Conclusions It is unlikely that genetically predicted renal impairment can causally increase the risk of muscle wasting. Clinically observed associations in epidemiologic studies might be attributed to metabolic homeostasis imbalances stemming from renal impairment.
Study of Short-term Longitudinal Profile and Sediment Dynamics of Ikpoba Reservoir
Authors: Alademomi Alfred Sunday , Oladosu Stephen Olushola , Matthew Gokeme Andy
Published: April 2024

Complex depositional systems, exemplified by dam reservoirs, pose significant challenges to natural sediment flow in river courses, impacting operational efficiency. This study focuses on the Ikpoba Dam, a critical water source for Benin City, facing functionality issues due to sedimentation. Through repeated bathymetric surveys conducted during wet and dry seasons, the research maps the dam's bed-floor topography. Analysis using empirical formulae and a geospatial approach unveils short-term sediment accumulation dynamics, emphasizing seasonal variations. Results indicate a sediment volume of 400,000 cubic meters in the 2019 survey, translating to 73.33% loss in storage capacity over 44 years, at an estimated rate of 1.66 m^3/year. Verification of bed profile results demonstrates high reliability, with root mean square errors ranging from 90–93%, employing ArcGIS 10.4. Notably, the study identifies a substantial sediment accumulation of 840,127.34 cubic meters. These findings are pivotal for formulating dredging plans essential for dam revamping initiatives, aiming to optimize efficiency while mitigating sedimentation challenges.
Isolation, molecular detection and antimicrobial susceptibility profiles of Campylobacter from camel meat, feces and processing environments at municipal abattoirs in eastern Ethiopia
Authors: Yirgalem Metages , Kemal Jelalu , Wolkaro Takele , Bekele Misgana , Terefe Yitagele
Published: April 2024

Background
Campylobacteriosis is an infectious zoonotic disease caused by the genus Campylobacter. The disease is transmitted from animals to humans predominantly through the consumption of contaminated food and water. However, the lack of information on the status of Campylobacter makes it difficult to quantify the role of camel meat in the dissemination of the pathogen. A cross-sectional study was conducted from June 2022 to August 2023 to investigate the occurrence of Campylobacter and associated risk factors and to determine the antimicrobial susceptibility profiles of Campylobacter species from camels slaughtered at municipal abattoirs in the towns of Harar, Babile, Jigjiga and Dire Dawa in eastern Ethiopia.
Methods
A total of 324 (146 carcass swabs, 146 camel feces and 32 abattoir environmental swab samples) were collected and analyzed using TaqMan real-time PCR and culture techniques following standard procedures. In addition, antimicrobial susceptibility tests were performed using the disk diffusion method for eight antimicrobial agents according to the Clinical Laboratory Standards Institute.
Results
The overall prevalence of Campylobacter was found to be 7.7%. Campylobacter was more frequently detected from carcasses and surface contact environmental swabs. We isolated Campylobacter at the genus level from approximately half of the PCR-positive samples, representing 54.2% (13 out of 24). The isolation level of C. jejuni and C. coli were also 5.56% and 2.2%, respectively, which varied significantly (p = 0.037) based on sample type and site. We detected resistance to chloramphenicol (78.6%), followed by amoxicillin (71.4%). However, 93%, 78.6%, and 71.4% of the isolates were susceptible to ceftriaxone, ciprofloxacin, and nalidixic acid, respectively. MDR was detected in 48% of the isolates. Of these MDR isolates, 9 (36%) were C. jejuni and 3 (12%) were C. coli.
Conclusion
The study concluded that a considerable proportion of multidrug-resistant Campylobacter species are circulating in camel meat and abattoir environments. This indicates a possible carcass cross-contamination by Campylobacter during slaughtering that can pose a threat to humans and limits therapeutic options, which could have been prevented by applying good hygienic practices in the abattoirs. This needs to create awareness of abattoir workers about abattoir hygienic standard operating procedures. Regular coordinated actions should be implemented on the rational use of veterinary and medical drugs at national level together with training and awareness to workers on good hygienic practices.
Simulation Analysis and Experimental Research of Friction Performance between Wood and Cemented Carbide Surface with Different Micro-textures
Authors: LI Weiguang , ZHU Zhen
Published: April 2024

Reasonable micro-pit texture has been proved to be able to improve the friction characteristics between wood and cemented carbide. In this paper, the finite element simulation analysis was used to simulate the friction surface stress, the simulation model was determined, and the simulation results were combined with the friction characteristics test to study the influence of different texture types on the friction coefficient of wood surface. The results show that the friction coefficient and the stress magnitude of friction between cemented carbide and wood surface have a good linear correlation(R2 = 0.9414), the finite element simulation can provide a reference for the study of friction behavior in wood cutting process. The friction coefficient can be influenced by texture parameters such as texture type, the friction length, the width of micro-texture and the angle of micro-texture. Under the condition of the same texture area occupancy, the surface friction coefficient of micro-pit texture is the smallest; The surface friction coefficient of the micro-groove texture is the largest, and the micro-grid texture has the smaller friction coefficient with the decrease of the texture angle. This is related to the actual contact area between the texture area of the friction area and the wood surface and the main braking force generated during contact.
Design and Implementation of Automatic Paddy Drying Robotic System with Raspberry Pi Integration
Authors: Devi G. Renuka , Praveen D. , Bhuvaneswari B. , Hariharan M. , Nithya N.
Published: April 2024

The process of drying rice paddies holds immense significance in rice production, profoundly influencing thequality of the final yield by ensuring the ideal moisture content. Among the conventional techniques for managing the solar drying process, manual tedding stands out – a labor-intensive procedure that entails the physical task of flipping and evenly dispersing the grains. This method remains widely practiced by Filipino farmers due to its cost- efficiency and minimal environmental impact. Nevertheless, there is an increasing demand for modernizing this process to enhance efficiency and elevate the quality of rice output. The focal point of this research is to engineer an automated tedding mechanism for sun- drying rice grains. Several forward-thinking designs were explored, encompassing a tossing mechanism, a plow-based configuration, a vacuum-assisted system, and a cutting-edge sweeper wheel concept. Following meticulous evaluation, a specific mechanism was chosen for production and subjected to rigorous testing. The findings unequivocally demonstrate the effectiveness of the chosen model in efficiently collecting and redistributing grains on the drying surface, achieving an impressively low margin of error, falling below 5%. This breakthrough holds the promise of streamlining the rice drying process, yielding time and resource savings, and ultimately elevating the overall quality of the rice harvest.
ParlaMint II: Advancing Comparable Parliamentary Corpora Across Europe
Authors: Erjavec Tomaž , Kopp Matyáš , Ljubešić Nikola , Kuzman Taja , Rayson Paul , Osenova Petya , Ogrodniczuk Maciej , Çöltekin Çağrı , Koržinek Danijel , Meden Katja , Skubic Jure , Rupnik Peter , Agnoloni Tommaso , Aires José , Barkarson Starkaður , Bartolini Roberto , Bel Núria , Pérez María Calzada , Darģis Roberts , Diwersy Sascha , Gavriilidou Maria , Heusden Ruben van , Iruskieta Mikel , Kahusk Neeme , Kryvenko Anna , Ligeti-Nagy Noémi , Magariños Carmen , Mölder Martin , Navarretta Costanza , Simov Kiril , Tungland Lars Magne , Tuominen Jouni , Vidler John , Vladu Adina Ioana , Wissik Tanja , Yrjänäinen Väinö , Fišer Darja
Published: April 2024

The paper presents the results of the ParlaMint II project, which comprise comparable corpora of parliamentary debates of 29 European countries and autonomous regions, covering at least the period from 2015 to 2022, and containing over 1 billion words. The corpora are uniformly encoded, contain rich metadata about their 24 thousand speakers, and are linguistically annotated up to the level of Universal Dependencies syntax and named entities. The paper focuses on the enhancement made since the ParlaMint I project and presents the compilation of the corpora, including the encoding infrastructure, use of GitHub, the production of individual corpora, the common pipeline for producing their distribution, and use of CLARIN services for dissemination. It then gives a quantitative overview of the produced corpora, followed by the qualitative additions made within the ParlaMint II project, namely metadata localisation, the addition of new metadata, such as the political orientation of political parties, the machine translation of the corpora to English and its tagging with semantic classes, and the production of pilot speech corpora. Finally, outreach activities and further work are discussed.
PSQE: Personalized Semantic Query Expansion for user-centric query disambiguation
Authors: Baumann Oliver , Schoenfeld Mirco
Published: April 2024

In Information Retrieval, query expansion refers to the procedure ofreformulating a user's search query by adding further search terms to theoriginal query to improve retrieval quality. Short queries, specifically, oftensuffer from ambiguity, i.e., they refer to multiple possible senses. Theobjective of query expansion, then, is to augment with terms that best match theuser's information need. In this work, we propose and analyse a system forsemantic query expansion that leverages contextual information extracted fromuser profiles to generate queries capable of disambiguating multi-sense searchqueries. We generate synthetic profiles from a knowledge graph of Wikipediaarticles, on which we train individual word2vec embeddings. Using a k-nearestneighbour search, we determine semantically close keywords to append to a givenquery. We evaluate this user-centric approach across corpora of varying sizes,assessing the extent to which sentinel articles are retrieved. Our findingssuggest that tailoring the expansion to the user's context results in animprovement of median rank by 2 levels, and an increase in category retrievalamong the top three results of 6% on average.
Longitudinal survey of insecticide resistance in a village of Central Region of Burkina Faso reveals co-occurrence of 1014F, 1014S and 402L mutations in Anopheles coluzzii and Anopheles arabiensis
Authors: Perugini Eleonora , Pichler Verena , Guelbeogo Wamdaogo Moussa , Micocci Martina , Ranson Hilary , Torre Alessandra della , Mancini Emiliano , Pombi Marco
Published: April 2024

Introduction.
Pyrethroid resistance is one of the major threats for effectiveness of insecticide-treated bed nets (ITNs) in malaria vector control. Genotyping of mutations in the voltage gated sodium channel (VGSC) gene is widely used to easily assess the evolution and spread of pyrethroid target-site resistance among malaria vectors. L1014F and L1014S substitutions are the most common and best characterized VGSC mutations in major African malaria vector species of the Anopheles gambiae complex. Recently, an additional substitution involved in pyrethroid resistance i.e. V402L, has been detected in Anopheles coluzzii from West Africa lacking any other resistance alleles at locus 1014. We here monitored the evolution of target-site resistance mutations L1014F/S and V402L in A. coluzzii and A. arabiensis specimens from a Burkina Faso village over a 10-year range after the massive ITN scale-up started in 2010.
Methods.
A. coluzzii (N = 300) and A. arabiensis (N = 362) specimens collected in 2011, 2015 and 2020 at Goden village were genotyped by TaqMan assays and sequencing for the three target site resistance mutations; allele frequencies were statistically investigated over the years.
Results.
A divergent trend in resistant allele frequencies was observed in the two species: 1014F decreased in A. coluzzii (from 0.76 to 0.52) but increased in A. arabiensis (from 0.18 to 0.70); 1014S occurred only in A. arabiensis and slightly decreased over time (from 0.33 to 0.23); 402L increased in A. coluzzii (from 0.15 to 0.48) and was found for the first time in one A. arabiensis specimen. In 2020 the co-occurrence of different resistance alleles reached 43% in A. coluzzii (alleles 410L and 1014F) and 32% in A. arabiensis (alleles 1014F and 1014S).
Conclusions.
Overall, an increasing level of target-site resistance was observed among the populations with only 1% of the two malaria vector species being wild type at both loci, 1014 and 402, in 2020. This, together with the co-occurrence of different mutations in the same specimens, calls for future investigations on the possible synergism between resistance alleles and their phenotype to implement local tailored intervention strategies.
Examining the relationship between health literacy and pesticide protection behaviors among farmers in Thailand
Authors: Rachutorn Thiwakorn , Aeksanti Thawatchai , Pall Chamroen , Tanamool Varavut , Srisu Anake , Mok Somany , Dewey Rebecca S , Sim Samphors , Kong Malika , Vong Pisey
Published: April 2024

Background The use of chemical pesticides without proper health literacy (HL) and necessary pesticide protection behaviors (PPB) can result in adverse effects on human health. Methods This study aimed to determine whether there was a correlation between HL and PPB among farmers in Nakhon Ratchasima Province using a random sample of 464 farmers. The structured interviews consisted of three parts: 1. General information, 2. Health literacy (including knowledge, understanding, and other subaspects); and 3. Protective behaviors against chemical exposure. Each part of the questionnaire had a reliability index of 0.60 or greater. The reliability of the second and third parts of the questionnaire was as follows: subsections of part 2 had a Kuder-Richardson (KR-20) coefficient of 0.79 and a Cronbach's alpha (α) coefficient of 0.85–0.86, while part 3 had an α of 0.88. The risk of chemical exposure was assessed using a Cholinesterase Reactive Paper test administered via a fingerprick blood test. The data were analyzed using Spearman correlation and binary logistic regression. The study was reviewed by the Human Research Ethics Committee with the following approval dates: August 9, 2021 and August 9, 2022. Results Most participants had moderate overall HL (48.8%) or PPB (44.6%). There was a statistically significant positive correlation between HL and PPB (rs(478) = 0.70, p < .005). Logistic regression analysis demonstrated that HL was significantly positively associated with PPB (p < .001, OR = 6.57, 95% CI 3.95, 10.94) and was associated with blood cholinesterase levels. Conclusion These findings highlight the need for increased health literacy among farmers in Thailand to ensure correct protection against chemical exposure and reduce the adverse effects of pesticide exposure on human health.
Tobacco smoking is associated with impaired error monitoring
Authors: Stam C. Henrico , Veen Frederik M. van der , Steele Vaughn R. , Franken Ingmar H.A.
Published: April 2024

Rationale: Addiction is associated with neurophysiological deficits in error monitoring (EM).EM refers to the continuous assessment of ongoing actions and comparing the outcomes of these actions with internal goals and standards, measured by, e.g., event-related potentials (ERPs). Yet, for tobacco smoking, despite being the largest and most lethal addictive substance globally, there is no firm conclusion on the relation with EM due to a paucity of studies.
Objectives and methods: A large gender-balanced sample (N=94, of which 46 were people who smoke tobacco) was established. The Eriksen-flanker task, a widely used speeded response task known to result in error commission, was administered while recording the electroencephalogram (EEG). The error-related negativity (ERN) and the error positivity (Pe) were measured, as well as event-related oscillations (EROs) in the theta and delta frequency bands that are known to be actively involved in error monitoring.
Results: The results showed a clear and consistently blunted ERN and Pe in smoking participants compared to non-smoking participants, providing important evidence for attenuated EM at multiple levels. Reduced power in event-related theta and delta oscillations corroborated these findings. Both errors and correct responses contributed to the findings, demonstrating their joint importance in EM.
Conclusions: Deficient error monitoring was found for people who smoke tobacco, manifested as lower ERN and Pe, which appear to be driven by reduced theta and delta power, respectively. This shows that tobacco smoking is associated with a neurophysiological deficit in EM that has been found in other substance use disorders.
Investigating the Causes and Trends of Infectious Diseases in Recent Years
Authors: Monfared zeinab
Published: April 2024

This research endeavors to delve into the multifaceted realm of infectious diseases, focusing on understanding their underlying causes and emerging trends in recent years. Infectious diseases pose significant challenges to global public health, necessitating a comprehensive investigation into their dynamics. The study employs a systematic approach, utilizing a combination of literature review, data analysis, and epidemiological methods to explore various facets of infectious diseases. Key areas of investigation include the role of microbial agents, environmental factors, human behaviors, and healthcare practices in disease transmission and prevalence. Furthermore, the study examines the impact of globalization, climate change, antimicrobial resistance, and vaccination strategies on the epidemiology of infectious diseases. By analyzing recent data and trends, this research aims to contribute valuable insights to the field of infectious disease management, prevention, and control strategies on both local and global scales.