bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Drivers of cocoa agroforestry adoption by smallholder farmers around the Taï National Park in southwestern Côte d’Ivoire
Authors: Kouassi Jean-Luc , Diby Lucien , Konan Dieudonné , Kouassi Allegra , Bene Yeboi , Kouamé Christophe
Published: August 2023

The encroachment of agricultural expansion into protected areas has led to severe biodiversity loss. To promote sustainable agriculture practices and reverse the anthropogenic pressure, several initiatives such as the Cocoa and Forests Initiative (CFI) and the National Strategy for Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+), have been undertaken. This study examines the adoption of cocoa agroforestry by smallholder farmers in the vicinity of the Taï National Park (TNP) in Southwestern Côte d’Ivoire. A structured questionnaire was administered to 323 cocoa farmers to understand their practices and perceptions of cocoa agroforestry. Results showed that most farmers (95%) grow unimproved cocoa varieties with an average yield of 376 ± 36 kg ha−1 year−1. The majority of farmers (86%) use agroforestry practices in their farming systems, with pruning techniques being used by 82% and fertilizers applied by 27%. Additionally, 54% of farmers are adopting improved agroforestry practices or planting more trees in their cocoa plantations. Factors influencing cocoa agroforestry adoption include gender, the length of residency, the number of cultivated cash crops and the incidence of black pod attacks. These findings highlight the potential to leverage community knowledge in promoting sustainable agricultural practices and generate positive impacts. These results have important implications for future initiatives aiming to promote sustainable agriculture practices and biodiversity conservation in the region. By capitalizing on the adoption of agroforestry and leveraging socioeconomic factors, it is possible to enhance the conservation of the TNP and promote sustainable cocoa farming practices.
Structural insights into MIC2 recognition by MIC2-associated protein in Toxoplasma gondii
Authors: Zhang Su , Wang Fangfang , Zhang Dujuan , Liu Dongsheng , Ding Wei , Springer Timothy A. , Song Gaojie
Published: August 2023

Microneme protein 2 (MIC2) and MIC2-associated protein (M2AP) play crucial roles in the gliding motility and host cell invasion of Toxoplasma gondii. Complex formation between MIC2 and M2AP is required for maturation and transport from the microneme to the parasite surface. Previous studies showed that M2AP associates with the 6th TSR domain of MIC2 (TSR6), but the detailed interaction remains unclear. In this study, we report crystal structures of M2AP alone and in complex with TSR6. TSR domains have an unusually thin, long structure with a layer of intercalated residues on one side. The non-layered side of TSR6 with hotspot residue His-620 at the center binds to M2AP. Remarkably, we show that TSR6 residue Y602 is dynamic; it equilibrates between being part of the layer (the layered state) and in a flipped-out state in the absence of M2AP. However, when bound to M2AP, Y602 shifts to the flipped-out state. Our findings provide insights into the association and stabilization of MIC2-M2AP complex, and may be used to develop new therapies to prevent infections caused by this parasite.
A two-step workflow based on plasma p-tau217 to screen for amyloid β positivity with further confirmatory testing only in uncertain cases
Authors: Brum Wagner S. , Cullen Nicholas C. , Janelidze Shorena , Ashton Nicholas J. , Zimmer Eduardo R. , Therriault Joseph , Benedet Andrea L. , Rahmouni Nesrine , Tissot Cécile , Stevenson Jenna , Servaes Stijn , Triana-Baltzer Gallen , Kolb Hartmuth C. , Palmqvist Sebastian , Stomrud Erik , Rosa-Neto Pedro , Blennow Kaj , Hansson Oskar
Published: August 2023

Cost-effective strategies for identifying amyloid-β (Aβ) positivity in patients with cognitive impairment are urgently needed with recent approvals of anti-Aβ immunotherapies for Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Blood biomarkers can accurately detect AD pathology, but it is unclear whether their incorporation into a full diagnostic workflow can reduce the number of confirmatory cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) or positron emission tomography (PET) tests needed while accurately classifying patients. We evaluated a two-step workflow for determining Aβ-PET status in patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) from two independent memory clinic-based cohorts (n = 348). A blood-based model including plasma tau protein 217 (p-tau217), age and APOE ε4 status was developed in BioFINDER-1 (area under the curve (AUC) = 89.3%) and validated in BioFINDER-2 (AUC = 94.3%). In step 1, the blood-based model was used to stratify the patients into low, intermediate or high risk of Aβ-PET positivity. In step 2, we assumed referral only of intermediate-risk patients to CSF Aβ42/Aβ40 testing, whereas step 1 alone determined Aβ-status for low- and high-risk groups. Depending on whether lenient, moderate or stringent thresholds were used in step 1, the two-step workflow overall accuracy for detecting Aβ-PET status was 88.2%, 90.5% and 92.0%, respectively, while reducing the number of necessary CSF tests by 85.9%, 72.7% and 61.2%, respectively. In secondary analyses, an adapted version of the BioFINDER-1 model led to successful validation of the two-step workflow with a different plasma p-tau217 immunoassay in patients with cognitive impairment from the TRIAD cohort (n = 84). In conclusion, using a plasma p-tau217-based model for risk stratification of patients with MCI can substantially reduce the need for confirmatory testing while accurately classifying patients, offering a cost-effective strategy to detect AD in memory clinic settings.
A novel inclusion complex of oxybenzone with C-methylresorcin[4]arene deters skin permeation
Authors: Kang Xu , Eisenhart Andrew , Dar Ajaz Ahmad , Mittapalli Ramana Reddy , Greenwood Alexander , Alsheddi Lama , Beck Thomas L. , Li S. Kevin , Kumari Harshita
Published: August 2023

Inclusion of photoactive oxybenzone within the C-methylresorcin[4]arene macrocycle allows for improved stability and decreased skin permeation, which inadvertently prevents side effects upon use.
Steam catalytic cracking and lump kinetics of naphtha to light olefins over nanocrystalline ZSM-5 zeolite
Authors: Al-Shafei Emad N. , Aljishi Ali N. , Shakoor Zaidoon M. , Albahar Mohammed Z. , Aljishi Mohammad F. , Alasseel Ahmed
Published: August 2023

This study investigates the reaction pathways and kinetics to comprehend the catalytic cracking of dodecane, a heavy naphtha model compound, to light olefin, over the nanocrystalline ZSM-5 catalyst in the presence and absence of steam.
Modulating shape transition in surfactant stabilized reverse microemulsions
Authors: Rastogi Preetika , Honecker Dirk , Alba Venero Diego , Mahmoudi Najet , Kaisare Niket S. , Basavaraj Madivala G.
Published: August 2023

The formation of AOT stabilised non-spherical reverse microemulsions at low water to surfactant molar ratio (ω) and a strategy to tune their aspect ratio as well as colloidal interactions is reported.
Development of furan-2,5-dicarboxylic acid (FDCA)-based organogelators
Authors: Rabaud Dorian , Dussart Paul , Ducouret Guylaine , Albouy Pierre-Antoine , Forté Jérémy , Isare Benjamin , Bouteiller Laurent
Published: August 2023

Organogels are used in a wide range of applications for which the development of new bio-based organogelators is highly desirable.
Fabrication of 3D printed PCL/PEG artificial bile ducts as supportive scaffolds to promote regeneration of extrahepatic bile ducts in a canine biliary defect model
Authors: Cai Yu-Long , Nan Fang , Tang Guo-Tao , Ma Yuan , Ren Yi , Xiong Xian-Ze , Zhou Rong-Xing , Li Fu-Yu , Cheng Nan-Sheng , Jiang Xia
Published: August 2023

Schematic representation of 3D Printed PCL/PEG artificial bile duct fabrication and in vivo promotion of biliary regeneration.
Peroxidase-like Cu–Fe bimetal oxide mesoporous nanospheres identified for the efficient recognition of toxic o-aminophenol and bioactive glutathione
Authors: Zhou Xuemei , Kong Lingmin , Hao Junkai , Feng Jing , Sun Shuo , Zhou Chuanzhen , Liu Yanmin , Yan Zhengquan , Zhu Xiao , Hu Lei
Published: August 2023

Peroxidase-like bimetal Cu–Fe oxide mesoporous nano-spheres with superior peroxidase-like activity were identified for high-performance colorimetric detection of o-aminophenol and glutathione in practice.
Src tyrosine kinase promotes cardiac remodeling induced by chronic sympathetic activation
Authors: Li Wenqi , Zhu Yuzhong , Wang Wenjing , He Dan , Feng Lei , Li Zijian
Published: August 2023

Cardiac remodeling serves as the underlying pathological basis for numerous cardiovascular diseases and represents a pivotal stage for intervention. The excessive activation of β-adrenergic receptors (β-ARs) assumes a crucial role in cardiac remodeling. Nonetheless, the underlying molecular mechanisms governing β-AR-induced cardiac remodeling remain largely unresolved. In the present study, we identified Src tyrosine kinase as a key player in the cardiac remodeling triggered by excessive β-AR activation. Our findings demonstrated that Src mediates isoproterenol (ISO)-induced cardiac hypertrophy, fibrosis, and inflammation in vivo. Furthermore, Src facilitates β-AR-mediated proliferation and transdifferentiation of cardiac fibroblasts, and hypertrophy and cardiomyocytes in vitro. Subsequent investigations have substantiated that Src mediates β-AR induced the extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase (ERK1/2) signaling pathway activated by β-AR. Our research presents compelling evidence that Src promotes β-AR-induced cardiac remodeling in both in vivo and in vitro settings. It establishes the promoting effect of the β-AR/Src/ERK signaling pathway on overall cardiac remodeling in cardiac fibroblasts and underscores the potential of Src as a therapeutic target for cardiac remodeling.
A Narrative Approach to Synthesizing Research on Vietnamese Bilingual and Monolingual Children
Authors: Pham Giang T.
Published: August 2023

Purpose:

This review article offers a narrativized synthesis of my research over the past 15+ years with Vietnamese-speaking children based on data collected from individual bilingual and monolingual children in preschool and elementary schools.

Method:

I begin with a positionality narrative to describe who I am in relation to the research conducted. I provide an overview of the research program including tool building and how my research with bilinguals in the United States led me to international collaborations in Vietnam.

Results:

I present main findings from this body of work in three areas: typical bilingual development, reading performance in Vietnam, and characteristics of developmental language disorder in the Vietnamese language. Implications within each area are discussed in terms of clinical application and future research directions. Practitioners and researchers alike can freely access the Vietnamese assessment tools created and validated to date from our website,
https://vietslp.sdsu.edu/
.

Conclusions:

This research overview aims to offer clinicians and researchers the sociocultural context for understanding the relevance of this body of research. It also serves as an invitation for new generations of scholars, particularly scholars of color, to see their own unique positionings and perspectives as valuable and necessary for scientific innovation and progress.

Presentation Video:

https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.23929491
The Influence of Sensorineural Hearing Loss on the Relationship Between the Perception of Speech in Noise and Dysarthric Speech
Authors: Yoho Sarah E. , Barrett Tyson S. , Borrie Stephanie A.
Published: August 2023

Purpose:

The ability to understand speech under adverse listening conditions is highly variable across listeners. Despite this, studies have found that listeners with normal hearing display consistency in their ability to perceive speech across different types of degraded speech, suggesting that, for at least these listeners, global skills may be involved in navigating the ambiguity in speech signals. However, there are substantial differences in the perceptual challenges faced by listeners with normal and impaired hearing. This study examines whether listeners with sensorineural hearing loss demonstrate the same type of consistency as normal-hearing listeners when processing neurotypical (i.e., control) speech that has been degraded by external noise and speech that is neurologically degraded such as dysarthria.

Method:

Listeners with normal hearing (
n
= 31) and listeners with sensorineural hearing loss (
n
= 36) completed an intelligibility task with neurotypical speech in noise and with dysarthric speech in quiet.

Results:

Findings were consistent with previous work demonstrating a relationship between the ability to perceive neurotypical speech in noise and dysarthric speech for listeners with normal hearing, albeit at a higher intelligibility level than previously observed. This relationship was also observed for listeners with hearing loss, although listeners with more severe hearing losses performed better with dysarthric speech than with neurotypical speech in noise.

Conclusions:

This study demonstrated a high level of consistency in intelligibility performance for listeners across two different types of degraded speech, even when those listeners were further challenged by the presence of sensorineural hearing loss. Clinical implications for both listeners with hearing loss and their communication partners with dysarthria are discussed.
Zahlen, Daten, Fakten – Ergotherapie in Zahlen
Authors: Mischner Julia Marlene , Nutz Melanie
Published: August 2023

Wie viele Ergotherapeut*innen gibt es eigentlich in Deutschland oder in Europa? Wie viele haben kürzlich die Ausbildung begonnen, wie groß ist die Anzahl der Absolvent*innen? Alles Informationen, die die Ergotherapie beschreiben. ergopraxis hat die prägnantesten Daten zusammengetragen.
Reflexion mit Wirkung – Update Spiegeltherapie
Authors: Thieme Holm
Published: August 2023

Die Spiegeltherapie wirkt dank der Plastizität des Gehirns. Sie nutzt hierzu die visuelle Spiegelreflexion einer gesunden Extremität, um Funktionen der betroffenen Extremität zu verbessern und/oder Schmerzen zu verringern. Mit diesem Refresher bringen Sie sich auf den aktuellen Stand der Forschung zur Therapie und erhalten wertvolle Informationen für das Anwenden in der Praxis.
A Prospective Study of the Effect and Safety of Atorvastatin on the Recurrence of Chronic Subdural Hematoma after Burr Hole Surgery
Authors: Bumpetch Duangkamol , Sitthinamsuwan Bunpot , Nunta-aree Sarun
Published: August 2023

Introduction Chronic subdural hematoma (CSDH) is a common neurosurgical condition. Recent studies showed efficacy of atorvastatin in reducing the requirement of surgical treatment. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of atorvastatin in reducing the recurrence of CSDH after burr hole surgery.

Methods This prospective study included patients with CSDH who underwent burr hole surgery. Atorvastatin at 20 mg per day was administered to all patients for 4 weeks postoperatively. The major outcome was the recurrence rate of CSDH at 8 weeks following the operation.

Results Seventy-three patients who completed the 4-week course of atorvastatin were included. The mean age was 73.9 years. The most common cause of CSDH was falling. The mean hematoma volume was 106.3 mL. There was no adverse effect of atorvastatin in all of 73 patients. During the 8-week postoperative period, recurrent CSDH was found in 2 of 73 (2.7%) patients. In a comparison of the recurrence rate of CSDH between patients with use of atorvastatin from the present and previous studies (2.6–4.8%), and patients without use of atorvastatin from previous studies (9.8–19%), a marked reduction in recurrent CSDH after burr hole surgery was found in patients with use of atorvastatin.

Conclusion An administration of atorvastatin of 20 mg daily for 4 weeks following burr hole surgery is safe and may be helpful in reducing the recurrence rate of CSDH after burr hole surgery.
The impact of sports participation on individuals’ subjective well-being: the mediating role of class identity and health
Authors: Liu Ningning , Zhong Qikang
Published: August 2023

Although studies have explored the relationship between physical activity and subjective well-being, exploration of the mechanisms underlying the effects of sports participation on subjective well-being remains limited. In the context of promoting the deep integration of national fitness and national health in China, we explore the patterns and differences in the effects of sports participation on the subjective well-being of different populations and explore the underlying mechanisms of the effects of sports participation on individual subjective well-being based on body and society theory. Using data from the China General Social Survey, this study used multiple linear regression models, propensity score matching methods, quantile regression and chain mediation models to explore the relationship between sport participation and subjective well-being, and further elaborated the mediating role of subjective class identity and health in it. The results of the study showed that sports participation significantly and positively affected individual subjective well-being. The results of quantile regression and heterogeneity tests showed that the effect of sports participation on individual subjective well-being showed a significant quantile effect and group heterogeneity. Sports participation had a more significant effect on the well-being of older adults. The results of the mediation effect test showed that sports participation increased subjective well-being by enhancing individuals’ subjective class identity and health, respectively, while subjective class identity and health had a significant chain mediation effect. Based on the findings of the study this paper provides some practical suggestions for improving the subjective well-being of residents, especially the elderly, which will provide some valuable references for the next studies on residents’ well-being and life satisfaction.
A long trend of sexually transmitted diseases before and after the COVID-19 pandemic in China (2010–21)
Authors: Xu Aifang , Zuo Zhongbao , Yang Chunli , Ye Fei , Wang Miaochan , Wu Jing , Tao Chengjing , Xun Yunhao , Li Zhaoyi , Liu Shourong , Huang Jinsong
Published: August 2023

Background The longer ongoing benefits of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) for sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) in China are still unclear. We aimed to explore the changes in five STDs (AIDS, hepatitis B, hepatitis C, gonorrhoea, and syphilis) before, during, and after the COVID-19 pandemic in mainland China, from 2010 to 2021. Methods The number of the monthly reported cases of the five STDs were extracted from the website to construct the Joinpoint regression and autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) models. Eight indicators reflecting NPIs were chosen from the COVID-19 Government Response Tracker system. The STDs and eight indicators were used to establish the Multivariable generalised linear model (GLM) to calculate the incidence rate ratios (IRRs). Results With the exception of hepatitis B, the other four STDs (AIDS, hepatitis C, gonorrhoea, and syphilis) had a positive average annual percent change over the past 12 years. All the ARIMA models had passed the Ljung–Box test, and the predicted data fit well with the data from 2010 to 2019. All five STDs were significantly reduced in 2020 compared with 2019, with significant estimated IRRs ranging from 0.88 to 0.92. In the GLM, using data for the years 2020 (February–December) and 2021, the IRRs were not significant after adjusting for the eight indicators in multivariate analysis. Conclusion Our study demonstrated that the incidence of the five STDs decreased rapidly during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. A recovery of STDs in 2021 was found to occur compared with that in 2020, but the rising trend disappeared after adjusting for the NPIs. Our study demonstrated that NPIs have an effect on STDs, but the relaxation of NPI usage might lead to a resurgence.
A comprehensive survey on the cold metal transfer process for additive manufacturing
Authors: Shanker Hari , Wattal Reeta
Published: August 2023

Cold metal transfer (CMT) welding has shown significant interest in the research community because of its excellent capabilities. A low heat input associated with the CMT process has made this technology important for difficult-to-weld stuff like aluminum and its alloys and dissimilar material joining. Nowadays, the primary emphasis has been on avoiding the negative impact of joining in order to achieve a longer service life. The aim of this analysis is to recognize the process parameters that affect additive manufacturing in terms of material and process by using CMT and its variants. It is observed that CMT as an advanced welding approach has gained a significant attraction of researchers in investigating it for additive manufacturing which leads to the advancement of a renowned wire and arc additive manufacturing, abbreviately called (WAAM) process. Bead width, height, current, and voltage are the main parameters that are influenced by linear energy density and in turn, leads to the quality of the fabricated products.
Magnetic anisotropy in the ferromagnetic Mn and N doped ZnO Nanocrystals
Authors: Agarwal Manish Baboo , Ali Shahjad , Mehrotra Manu , Panday Manish Kumar , Gupta Neeraj , Agarwal Seema
Published: August 2023

(Mn, N)- codoped ZnO thin films were prepared by two step process. Study of Magnetic anisotropy in Mn and N codoped ZnO nanoparticles was studied. X-ray diffraction (XRD) &X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) reveals that Manganese (Mn) and Nitrogen (N) ions in ZnO lattice exists as Mn2+ and N3-. Hysteresis measurement shows that at room temperature the samples show ferromagnetic nature and also indicate that the samples are having magnetic anisotropic behavior. This ferromagnetic nature in the samples is because of the hybridization between 2p of N & 3d of Mn state. The compound formed, corresponds to Mn-N-Mn cluster, which is found to be energetically strong enough for ferromagnetism at room temp.
Potential Assessment of Solar and Wind in Himachal Pradesh, India
Authors: Laledia Saurabh Singh , Channi Harpreet Kaur
Published: August 2023

India is second in population with 1.3 billion people in 2022. A large population means a huge electricity consumption. Renewable energy—hydropower, solar, wind, etc.—supplies 37% of India’s power requirement in 2021. Coal, crude oil, nuclear power, natural gases, and others make up the rest. Due to continued exploitation of conventional resources, we have had to develop and convert to renewable energy alternatives. Solar and wind power are among the easiest and cheapest green energy sources. Thus, we must promote eco-friendly energy production to reduce pollution and greenhouse gases. In Khajjiar, Himachal Pradesh, solar panels and wind turbines may provide green energy. Based on the results of the optimization, the best solution is to use parts with an NPC of $41,338. Table 9 shows that the proposed system needs 7 kW of PV panels, a 1.9 kW converter, and a 10 kW battery. The levelized COE of the proposed system is $0.65, and the OC is $1047.
Sustainability Performance Evaluation of Solar Panels Using Multi Criteria Decision Making Techniques
Authors: Manoj Vasupalli , Pilla Ramana , Pudi Vasudeva Naidu
Published: August 2023

Researchers from all around the world had worked tirelessly to find ways to lower the cost of solar panels, create more efficient new goods, boost their fuel efficiency, and create innovations and largely dependent on photovoltaic system technology. When compared to other forms of non-conventional energy, such as wind and tidal, solar has been one of the most widely employed resources. To harness the power of the sun using photovoltaics, one needs a photovoltaic system. Research into improving the cost-effectiveness of solar panels, which play a crucial part in photovoltaic systems, is a global endeavour. The process of choosing solar panels is nuanced, encompassing a wide range of subjective and objective considerations. To choose the best solar cell for a PV array, we use the VIKOR (VIekriterijumsko KOmpromisno Rangiranje) and TOPSIS (Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution) techniques. Using the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) and a resemblance to ideal result ordering technique, the study’s goals were satisfied. VIKOR and other MCDM tools like the AHP and TOPSIS are used to rank candidates in terms of performance. An in-depth case study was conducted using six different kinds of solar panels to show how well the approaches work.
Modelling and Simulation of Thermostatically Controlled Loads for Power System Regulation in Building-to-Grid Integration Framework
Authors: Pal Kalyan , Harish VSKV
Published: August 2023

Since last few decades the inclusion of renewable energies in the grid power system is rapidly increasing with the increase in technologies to minimize the use of conventional fossil fuels for minimizing the emission of greenhouse gases. But the uncertain behaviour of the renewable energy sources lead to a challenge of maintaining the stability and reliability of the grid system and to optimize the supply and demand balance. It is identified that more than 40% energy consumption is made by the consumers of buildings. To minimize the power fluctuation, caused by inclusion of renewable systems, the thermostatically controlled loads (TCLs) like ACs, refrigerators, heaters of buildings can be considered as flexible loads for regulation purpose as TCLs share the major part of the total power consumption and also TCLs can be adjusted without compromising the comfort level. In this paper, a practical linear network model of the multi layered construction materials of building is developed with 3R2C electrical circuit model and corresponding state-space equations are formulated, and also a 2ndorder TCL model is proposed as an RC network equivalent where main focus is on the works, which develop specific control strategies by modelling the building energy systems.
SRF theory-based shunt active power filter for power quality improvement in grid-interfaced solar photovoltaic system
Authors: Prasad Dinanath , Kumar Narendra , Sharma Rakhi
Published: August 2023

This paper uses Shunt Active Power Filter (SAPF) in a polluted and unbalanced mains voltage for the compensation of current harmonics along with the reactive power. During compensation the reference current is calculated by the theory of Synchronous Reference Frame (SRF). This study utilizes the Photovoltaic (PV) energy, a renewable energy source, for which a maximum power point tracking (MPPT) method, an incremental conductance (InCnd), is employed. To modify the energy storage of dc-voltage, an artificial neural network controller (ANN) is used. The power system toolbox of MATLAB/SIMULINK is used to simulate the system being proposed. The SAPF is compared and assessed on the basis of PI control, FUZZY controller, and Artificial Neural Network (ANN). The results demonstrate the ANN control’s efficiency in optimizing the DC capacitor energy storage, sinusoidal form of the current, and reactive power compensation. A low Total Harmonic Distortion (THD) will be achieved with the proposed system which shows the efficacy of the method presented.
Cooperative Spectrum Sensing with Amplify and Forward Scheme in CRNs
Authors: Sharma Krishnakant , Awasthi Meenakshi
Published: August 2023

Recent research has identified cognitive radio (CR) as a possible solution for increasing spectrum usage by allowing secondary access to unlicensed bands. Having no interference with the primary system is a need for this secondary access. Due to this requirement, spectrum sensing becomes a crucial component of cognitive radio systems. The ease and effectiveness of energy detection make it an appealing technique among popular spectrum sensing techniques. The uses of the available radio network spectrum, finite and important resources, have been severely constrained by the rising demand for wireless applications. It is essential to develop a successful cooperative spectrum sensing (CSS) system for cognitive radio (CR), whose are seen to be a promising solution for improving spectrum usage. A clusters-based optimal selective CSS system is suggested in this paper to shorten reporting times for the bandwidth whiles preserving a given performance by the sensing mode. The clusters have a dynamic head in each selected cluster in accordance with data sensing qualities for CR users in the cognitive radio. Clusters have been arranged based on identifying the major signals to the noise ratio value. Making a decision to use cluster sensing is based on a chosen CSS threshold that minimizes the likelihood of sensing inaccuracy. It takes less time to make the report for the decision of the clusters’ fusion centre is significantly reduced by the Amplify and Forward-based CSS approach that is proposed. The optimal Chair-Varshney rule is applied to the fusion centre for achieving a high sensing performance is depending on the information that is currently available about the cluster. Based on the results availability of simulation, it is clear to propose a way to supersede the other existing methods.
PLGA nanoparticle loaded with antioxidants and photosensitizer for ROS shock mediated phototherapy of triple negative breast cancer
Authors: Buddhiraju Hima Sree , Balaraman Jayalakshmi , Dehariya Dheeraj , Pebam Monika , Eswar Kalyani , Rengan Aravind Kumar
Published: August 2023

The potential use of antioxidants for photodynamic therapy (PDT) is investigated in this study. PDT causes reactive oxygen species (ROS)-mediated cell death; on the contrary, antioxidants scavenge ROS. The use of a photosensitizer along with an antioxidant photosensitizer compensates for the loss of ROS due to the use of antioxidant, eventually leading to cell death. In this work, for PDT and photothermal therapy (PTT), we have combined the photosensitizer IR 792 perchlorate dye with the antioxidants alpha-tocopherol (A) and p-coumaric acid (C) encapsulated in a polymeric nanocarrier (AC IR NPs). We have reported the synthesis of AC IR NPs using poly lactic-co-glycolic acid (PLGA) by nanoprecipitation method. The size of the polymeric nanoparticles was found to be 80.4 ± 15.6 nm, with a spherical morphology observed by scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. The synthesized AC IR NPs demonstrated good biocompatibility in fibroblast cell lines (L929). Furthermore, the efficacy assessment of the as prepared nanosystem in vitro on breast cancer cell lines (4T1) revealed a significant cell death of nearly 80%. This could be attributed to the ROS generation leading to oxidative stress and inhibition of metastasis. This study provides evidence that the combination of antioxidant drugs along with photosensitizers have the potential to be an effective therapy for treating triple negative breast cancer.
Water clubs: a new model for managing freshwater in small catchments
*
Authors: Talbot-Jones Julia , Sağlam Yiğit
Published: August 2023

Over the past 30 years market-based mechanisms have been upheld as the gold-standard of water governance approaches. However, while some water markets have been successful, many struggle to meet the strict institutional preconditions for efficiency and effectiveness, which has implications for social welfare and public good provision. As pressures on water resources increase, there is a growing need to consider alternative market designs that foster more cooperation between water users. Drawing on club theory and game theory, this paper investigates the economic and environmental benefits of (re)designing water markets as clubs. It finds that in small catchments, the introduction of group-level trading can increase provision of the public good, improve social welfare, and reduce free-riding when compared with a regulatory status quo. It also finds that the club model performs best when the number of active traders is low—a result that challenges the common assumption regarding group size and effective market performance. In local contexts, the group-level trading may also help characterise the optimal group size by weighing the benefits from more trading opportunities against the losses from free-riding.
Changes in vegetation greenness and its response to precipitation seasonality in Central Asia from 1982 to 2022
Authors: Su Yanan , Chen Shengqian , Li Xin , Ma Shuai , Xie Tingting , Wang Jianbang , Yan Dezhao , Chen Jianhui , Feng Min , Chen Fahu
Published: August 2023

Central Asia is the world’s largest azonal arid region, with strong seasonal precipitation patterns. Vegetation in this region is relatively sparse and extremely sensitive to climatic changes. However, long-term trends in vegetation in Central Asia are still unclear or even controversially recognized, hindering the assessment of climate change’s impact on regional sustainability. Here, we present the longest time series of vegetation index in Central Asia and investigated its response to precipitation seasonality from 1982 to 2022 by integrating normalized difference vegetation index data from the Global Inventory Monitoring and Modeling Studies and the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer. The results indicate a greening trend during 1982–2000 and a browning trend during 2000–2008. In contrast to previous studies, we detected a rapid greening trend during 2008–2022, largely resulted from a continuous warm-wet trend in Central Asia. In addition, strong spatial variation in vegetation is uncovered within the region, suggesting spatial differences in vegetation responding to contrasting precipitation seasonality. Under CMIP6 climate scenarios, spring wetting and summer drying are projected to prompt Central Asian vegetation change to a simultaneous greening south and browning north.
The association between exposure to PM2.5 components from coal combustion and mortality in female breast cancer patients
Authors: Su Mintao , Sun Huimin , Qiao Liying , Lin Hai , Zhang Yunjing , Qi Meng , Yan Ying , Kang Weiwei , Xu Lu , Liu Guozhen , Wang Mingyuan , Zhu Dawei , Liang Baosheng , Lv Xiaozhen , Meng Ruogu , Xi Yunfeng , Wang Shengfeng , Li Jing , Zhang Zhenyu
Published: August 2023

PM2.5 components may promote the development of breast cancer and increase the risk of mortality. This study aims to investigate the associations between long-term exposure to PM2.5 components and multiple causes of mortality among women with breast cancer living in Inner Mongolia, China. We constructed an Inner Mongolia cohort of 33 952 breast cancer patients from 2012 to 2021 using data from the Inner Mongolia Regional Health Information Platform. We assessed each patient’s exposure to PM2.5 components using the Tracking Air Pollution in China database. Cox regression models were used to estimate adjusted hazard ratios and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs). A total of 3295 deaths were identified. For each interquartile increase in concentration in the 5 years before diagnosis, the all-cause mortality increased significantly by 5% (HR: 1.05, 95%CI: 1.00–1.10) for black carbon and by 4% (HR: 1.04, 95%CI: 1.00–1.09) for sulfate (SO4
2−), and decreased by 7% (HR: 0.93, 95%CI: 0.88–0.98) for nitrate (NO3
−). An association between organic matter and an increased all-cause mortality was also observed. Similar results were found for associations with risk of death from breast cancer-specific causes, cardio-cerebrovascular disease (CCVD) causes, and respiratory causes. Stronger associations were observed in older age groups and in Han Chinese patients. Our results showed that long-term exposure to black carbon, organic matter, and SO4
2− were more responsible for the increased risk of death from all causes, breast cancer-specific causes, CCVD causes, and respiratory causes. This suggests that more effective measures to control coal combustion emissions in Inner Mongolia are urgently needed. The elderly and Han Chinese populations may be at high risk.
Machine learning models to predict the relationship between printing parameters and tensile strength of 3D Poly (lactic acid) scaffolds for tissue engineering applications
Authors: Ege Duygu , Sertturk Seda , Acarkan Berk , Ademoglu Ahmet
Published: August 2023

3D printing is an effective method to prepare 3D scaffolds for tissue engineering applications. However, optimization of printing conditions to obtain suitable mechanical properties for various tissue engineering applications is costly and time consuming. To address this problem, in this study, scikit-learn Python machine learning library was used to apply four machine learning-based approaches which are ordinary least squares (OLS) linear regression, random forest (RF), light gradient Boost (LGBM), extreme gradient boosting (XGB) and artificial neural network models to understand the relationship between 3D printing parameters and tensile strength of poly(lactic acid) (PLA). 68 combinations of process parameters for nozzle temperature, printing speed, layer height and tensile strength were used from investigated research papers. Then, datasets were divided as training (80%) and test (20%). After building the OLS linear regression, RF, LGBM, XGB and artificial neural network models, the correlation heatmap and feature importance of each printing parameter for tensile strength values were determined, respectively. Then, the tensile strength was predicted for real datasets to evaluate the performance of the models. The results demonstrate that XGB model was the most successful in predicting tensile strength among the studied models with an R
2 value of 0.98 and 0.94 for train and test values, respectively. A close R
2 value for the train and test also indicated that there was no overfitting of the data to the model. Finally, SHAP analysis shows significance of each feature on prediction of tensile strength. This study can be extended for independent variables including nozzle pressure, strut size and molecular weight of PLA and dependent variables such as elongation and elastic modulus of PLA which may be a powerful tool to predict the mechanical properties of scaffolds for tissue engineering applications.
Enhanced synaptic characteristics of H
x
WO3-based neuromorphic devices, achieved by current pulse control, for artificial neural networks
Authors: Nishioka Daiki , Tsuchiya Takashi , Higuchi Tohru , Terabe Kazuya
Published: August 2023

Artificial synapses capable of mimicking the fundamental functionalities of biological synapses are critical to the building of efficient neuromorphic systems. We have developed a H
x
WO3-based artificial synapse that replicates such synaptic functionalities via an all-solid-state redox transistor mechanism. The subject synaptic-H
x
WO3 transistor, which operates by current pulse control, exhibits excellent synaptic properties including good linearity, low update variation and conductance modulation characteristics. We investigated the performance of the device under various operating conditions, and the impact of the characteristics of the device on artificial neural network computing. Although the subject synaptic-H
x
WO3 transistor showed an insufficient recognition accuracy of 66% for a handwritten digit recognition task with voltage pulse control, it achieved an excellent accuracy of 88% with current pulse control, which is approaching the 93% accuracy of an ideal synaptic device. This result suggests that the performance of any redox-transistor-type artificial synapse can be dramatically improved by current pulse control, which in turn paves the way for further exploration and the evolution of advanced neuromorphic systems, with the potential to revolutionize the artificial intelligence domain. It further marks a significant stride towards the realization of high-performance, low-power consumption computing devices.
InDEP: an interpretable machine learning approach to predict cancer driver genes from multi-omics data
Authors: Yang Hai , Liu Yawen , Yang Yijing , Li Dongdong , Wang Zhe
Published: August 2023

Cancer driver genes are critical in driving tumor cell growth, and precisely identifying these genes is crucial in advancing our understanding of cancer pathogenesis and developing targeted cancer drugs. Despite the current methods for discovering cancer driver genes that mainly rely on integrating multi-omics data, many existing models are overly complex, and it is difficult to interpret the results accurately. This study aims to address this issue by introducing InDEP, an interpretable machine learning framework based on cascade forests. InDEP is designed with easy-to-interpret features, cascade forests based on decision trees and a KernelSHAP module that enables fine-grained post-hoc interpretation. Integrating multi-omics data, InDEP can identify essential features of classified driver genes at both the gene and cancer-type levels. The framework accurately identifies driver genes, discovers new patterns that make genes as driver genes and refines the cancer driver gene catalog. In comparison with state-of-the-art methods, InDEP proved to be more accurate on the test set and identified reliable candidate driver genes. Mutational features were the primary drivers for InDEP’s identifying driver genes, with other omics features also contributing. At the gene level, the framework concluded that substitution-type mutations were the main reason most genes were identified as driver genes. InDEP’s ability to identify reliable candidate driver genes opens up new avenues for precision oncology and discovering new biomedical knowledge. This framework can help advance cancer research by providing an interpretable method for identifying cancer driver genes and their contribution to cancer pathogenesis, facilitating the development of targeted cancer drugs.
Sequence-based prediction model of protein crystallization propensity using machine learning and two-level feature selection
Authors: Le Nguyen Quoc Khanh , Li Wanru , Cao Yanshuang
Published: August 2023

Protein crystallization is crucial for biology, but the steps involved are complex and demanding in terms of external factors and internal structure. To save on experimental costs and time, the tendency of proteins to crystallize can be initially determined and screened by modeling. As a result, this study created a new pipeline aimed at using protein sequence to predict protein crystallization propensity in the protein material production stage, purification stage and production of crystal stage. The newly created pipeline proposed a new feature selection method, which involves combining Chi-square (${\chi }^{2}$) and recursive feature elimination together with the 12 selected features, followed by a linear discriminant analysisfor dimensionality reduction and finally, a support vector machine algorithm with hyperparameter tuning and 10-fold cross-validation is used to train the model and test the results. This new pipeline has been tested on three different datasets, and the accuracy rates are higher than the existing pipelines. In conclusion, our model provides a new solution to predict multistage protein crystallization propensity which is a big challenge in computational biology.
Maternal blood transcriptome as a sensor of fetal organ maturation at the end of organogenesis in cattle
Authors: Rabaglino Maria Belen , Sánchez José María , McDonald Michael , O’Callaghan Elena , Lonergan Pat
Published: August 2023

Harnessing information from the maternal blood to predict fetal growth is attractive yet scarcely explored in livestock. The objectives were to determine the transcriptomic modifications in maternal blood and fetal liver, gonads, and heart according to fetal weight and to model a molecular signature based on the fetal organs allowing the prediction of fetal weight from the maternal blood transcriptome in cattle. In addition to a contemporaneous maternal blood sample, organ samples were collected from 10 male fetuses at 42 days of gestation for RNA-sequencing. Fetal weight ranged from 1.25 to 1.69 g (mean = 1.44 ± 0.15 g). Clustering data analysis revealed clusters of co-expressed genes positively correlated with fetal weight and enriching ontological terms biologically relevant for the organ. For the heart, the 1346 co-expressed genes were involved in energy generation and protein synthesis. For the gonads, the 1042 co-expressed genes enriched seminiferous tubule development. The 459 co-expressed genes identified in the liver were associated with lipid synthesis and metabolism. Finally, the cluster of 571 co-expressed genes determined in maternal blood enriched oxidative phosphorylation and thermogenesis. Next, data from the fetal organs were used to train a regression model of fetal weight, which was predicted with the maternal blood data. The best prediction was achieved when the model was trained with 35 co-expressed genes overlapping between heart and maternal blood (root-mean-square error = 0.04, R2 = 0.93). In conclusion, linking transcriptomic information from maternal blood with that from the fetal heart unveiled maternal blood as a predictor of fetal development.
Children’s growth and motor development following a severe burn: a systematic review
Authors: Cuijpers Maxime D , Baartmans Martin G A , van Zuijlen Paul P M , Ket Johannes C F , Pijpe Anouk
Published: August 2023

Background

The epidemiological data on post-burn growth, body composition and motor development is ambiguous and scattered. The aim of this systematic review was therefore to summarize the current body of evidence on post-burn growth, body composition and motor development in children.

Methods

A literature search was conducted in PubMed, EMBASE and Web of Science up to March 2021. We considered observational studies that reported (1) metrics on weight, height, body composition, bone mineral content, bone mineral density or motor development, in (2) paediatric burn patients and (3) published in a peer-reviewed journal.

Results

A total of 16 studies were included. Each of the included studies used quantitative methods, but with differing methodology: prospective cohort studies (n = 8), retrospective chart reviews (n = 3), case–control studies (n = 2), cross sectional studies (n = 2) and a retrospective cohort study (n = 1). When combined, the included studies represented 2022 paediatric burn patients, with a mean age of 7.7 (±3.2) years. The average burn size was 52.8% (±12.7) of the total body surface area. Identified outcome measures included weight (n = 12), height (n = 7), muscular strength (n = 4), bone mineral content (n = 5), bone mineral density (n = 5), body mass index (n = 3), fat mass (n = 5), lean body mass (n = 7) and fine and gross motor development (n = 1).

Conclusions

Following an initial decline, patients’ growth and motor development started to recover during the first or second year post-burn. Nonetheless, burns may have a profound and prolonged effect on the paediatric burn patients’ muscular strength, bone mineral content and lean body mass. It should be noted that the vast majority of studies included only patients with burns covering ≥30% total body surface area. The evidence presented in this review may thus not be representative of the whole paediatric burn population.
Topical timolol 0.5% as a novel therapeutic approach for Hailey–Hailey disease
Authors: Brent Geoffrey , Al-Wahab Yasir , Natkunarajah Janakan
Published: August 2023

We present the case of a 63-year-old man with refractory Hailey–Hailey disease who successfully responded to topical timolol 0.5%. This is a novel therapeutic approach that provides an alternative management option in this challenging disease.