bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Achieving Uniform Proppant Distribution in Horizontal Wellbore Clusters Using CFD Modeling
Authors: Bahri A. , Miskimins J. L. , Alajmei S.
Published: January 2025

Slickwater multi-stage hydraulic fracturing is one of the most effective technologies for stimulating unconventional reservoirs. However, achieving uniform proppant distribution between perforation clusters in slickwater fluids remains a significant challenge due to the low viscosities. Several studies have focused on proppant placement in the wellbore, but relatively few have focused on the variations in proppant distribution between sealed and leaking plugs. In this study, a computational fluid dynamic (CFD) model was developed to investigate uniform proppant distribution between the perforation clusters without fluid leakage from the plug.

The CFD model was initially developed using a laboratory-scale geometry and validated against experimental data of the proppant distribution in a horizontal wellbore. The laboratory and base model consist of a 1.5-in diameter, 30 ft long wellbore with three perforation clusters spaced 7 ft apart. Each cluster has 4 shots per foot (SPF) perforations with a 0.25-in diameter and a 90º phasing. A small valve was placed at the end of the wellbore section acting as a sealed plug. Subsequently, the model was scaled up to a 51 ft long wellbore with six perforation clusters of identical diameters and spacing. The initial model was used to investigate the effects of various injection parameters on proppant distribution, whereas this scaled-up model was used to evaluate the effect of perforation orientation and configuration on the proppant distribution.

Both lab and CFD model results show that closing the back valve without leakage affects the amount of the proppant placement in the last two toe clusters compared to those with leakage. This leads to less proppant settling in the toe cluster and more proppant settling in the preceding cluster. The leaking plug model showed all bottom perforations receive significantly more proppant, while the sealed plug model showed the last cluster's bottom perforation receives less proppant due to a plugging effect. The model results show that higher proppant density and larger particle sizes result in non-uniform proppant distribution with less proppant settling in the toe cluster. Higher proppant concentrations resulted in non-uniform proppant distribution, with more proppants being transported towards the toe clusters.

The scaled-up model results show that the perforation orientation significantly impacts proppant distribution. Changing the perforation phasing from 90º to 70º results in a uniform proppant distribution in a 2 SPF case. Additionally, a 4 SPF top perforation configuration with a 0° phasing displayed different proppant transport and distribution phenomena compared to a 90º phasing.
Evaluating Offset Strain Response on a Single Wellbore Equipped with Permanent and Disposable Fiber
Authors: Cox C. , Aljawfi F. , LeBlanc M. , Byrd G. D.
Published: January 2025

This study aims to improve the understanding of disposable fiber, a low-cost and increasingly popular option in cross-well monitoring. The research addresses industry concerns about the potential trade-offs associated with using disposable fiber, particularly focusing on fiber slippage and coupling effects on data interpretation. A central industry question is: "What are we giving up with disposable fiber?" Historically, attempts to answer this question have involved comparing disposable fiber data from one well with permanent fiber data from another, but varying well conditions have made this comparison inadequate.

A monitor wellbore offset to a multi-well pad stimulation was equipped with disposable fiber and permanent fiber to provide a true comparison of data from both deployment types. Multiple Fracture Driven Interactions (FDI's) from the stimulation were observed on both fibers throughout the project. The Low Frequency Distributed Acoustic Signal (LF-DAS) was analyzed to identify and compare key metrics such as the number of interactions, Volume to First Response (VFR), fracture azimuth, and Stage Domain Corridor (SDC) across the dataset. Additionally, a stage level, in-depth analysis of the LF-DAS data was performed to understand the impact of slippage on the strain signal for both deployment types.

The results demonstrate that several key strain metrics can be reliably obtained using disposable fiber. The results from the comparison are presented in detail along with a discussion of the limitations of disposable fiber and the interpretation of slippage effects. Our findings conclude that disposable fiber can be used confidently without significant loss of critical data, although its limitations should be well understood before implementing this technology.

This is the first publication presenting data from a wellbore equipped with both disposable and permanent fiber. The insights provided will offer the industry a clearer perspective on the trade-offs and benefits associated with disposable fiber, aiding in decision-making for hydraulic fracturing operations.
Mitigation Mechanism and Effect Evaluation of Hollow Microbeads Cement Sheath During Hydraulic Fracturing
Authors: Yan Y. , Han L. H. , Yang S. Y.
Published: January 2025

The casing deformation prevention technology based on the optimization of cement slurry is proposed to reduce the casing deformation of shale oil and gas wells during hydraulic fracturing. In this paper, the fracture mechanism of hollow particles in cement sheath was firstly analyzed by discrete element method, and the effect of hollow particles in cement on casing deformation was investigated by laboratory experiment method. Finally, field test was carried out to verify the improvement effect of the casing deformation based on cement slurry modification. The results show that the formation displacement can be absorbed effectively by hollow particles inside the cement transferring the excessive deformation away from casing. The particles in the uncemented state provide deformation space during formation slipping. According to the field test feedback, the method based on optimization of cement slurry can effectively reduce the risk of casing deformation.
The 47th Annual Report of the California Bird Records Committee: 2021 Records
Authors: Terrill Ryan S. , Benson Thomas A. , Fowler Rob , House Deborah J. , Rinkert Alex M. , Searcy Adam J.
Published: January 2025

From its last report through 2021, the California Bird Records Committee reached decisions on 177 records involving 184 individuals of 71 species and one species group, endorsing 151 records of 158 individuals. The first accepted records for California of the Mexican Duck (Anas diazi) are outlined in this report. The committee also voted to add naturalized populations of the Nanday Parakeet (Aratinga nenday), Mitred Parakeet (Psittacara mitratus), Red-masked Parakeet (Psittacara erythrogenys), and Lilac-crowned Parrot (Amazona finschi) to the state list. These additions bring California’s total list of accepted species to 681, of which 17 represent established introductions. Other especially notable records detailed in this report include those of California’s second through fifth Tundra Bean-Geese (Anser serrirostris), second Purple Sandpiper (Calidris maritima), third Ross’s Gull (Rhodostethia rosea), fourth Eurasian Skylark (Alauda arvensis), and fourth Common Crane (Grus grus).
Annual Variation in Habitat Selection of LeConte’s Thrasher
Authors: Simmons John Mark
Published: January 2025

Surveys of Tule Springs Fossil Beds National Monument near Las Vegas, Nevada, in 2021, after an exceptionally dry winter, revealed LeConte’s Thrasher (Toxostoma lecontei) only in uniform stands of Atriplex polycarpa on flat terrain. But in 2022, after a winter of rainfall 2.7 times greater than average, several LeConte’s Thrashers, including at least one nesting pair, appeared in Mojave Desert scrub on a rockier substrate and more sloped terrain, in an area where they had been absent the previous year. Thus habitat use by LeConte’s Thrasher may vary in response to annual fluctuation in rainfall.
E-GuARD: Expert-Guided Augmentation for Robust Interference Compound Detection
Authors: Palmacci Vincenzo , Nahal Yasmine , Welsch Matthias , Engkvist Ola , Kaski Samuel , Kirchmair Johannes
Published: January 2025

Assay interference caused by small organic compounds continues to pose formidable challenges to early drug discovery. Various computational methods have been developed to identify compounds likely to cause assay interference. However, due to the scarcity of data available for model development, the predictive accuracy and applicability of these approaches are limited. In this work, we present E-GuARD (Expert-Guided Augmentation for Robust Interference Compound Detection), a novel framework seeking to address data scarcity and imbalance by integrating self-distillation, active learning, and expert-guided molecular generation. E-GuARD iteratively enriches the training data with interference-relevant molecules, resulting in quantitative structure-interference relationship (QSIR) models with superior performance. We demonstrate the utility of E-GuARD with the examples of four high-quality data sets on thiol reactivity, redox reactivity, nanoluciferase inhibition, and firefly luciferase inhibition. Our models reached MCC values of up to 0.47 for these data sets, with two-fold or higher improvements in enrichment factors compared to models trained without E-GuARD data augmentation. These results highlight the potential of E-GuARD as a scalable solution to mitigating assay interference in early drug discovery.
Comparative genomic analysis of QTL for resistance to Aphanomyces euteiches between pea, lentil, faba bean and the model species Medicago truncatula
Authors: Leprévost Théo , Imbert Baptiste , Boutet Gilles , Lavaud Clément , Miteul Henri , Leduc Antoine , Aubert Grégoire , Kreplak Jonathan , Carrillo-Perdomo Estefania , Uhdre Renan , Sari Hatice , Bourland Britton , Caron Carolyn T. , Tayeh Nadim , Ma Yu , Coyne Clarice J. , Sugio Akiko , Pilet-Nayel Marie-Laure
Published: January 2025

Aphanomyces root rot, caused by Aphanomyces euteiches, is a damaging disease affecting various legume species. Quantitative trait loci (QTL) for partial resistance were previously identified mainly in pea, and also in lentil and Medicago truncatula. This study aimed to identify novel resistance loci from available populations in lentil and faba bean and examine genomic conservation of resistance QTL across legume host species.
QTL mapping in the Pop2 faba bean recombinant inbred line (RIL) population and genome-wide association study (GWAS) in the AGILE lentil diversity panel were performed for resistance to A. euteiches under controlled conditions, using genotyping data previously reported. A previous QTL mapping in the LR3 M. truncatula RIL population was updated using 1,536 new SNPs (single nucleotide polymorphisms). Synteny between resistance QTL to A. euteiches was analyzed based on gene orthology in the QTL regions projected onto genomes, using the OrthoLegKB graph database.
Four loci, including a major-effect QTL on chromosome 3, Ae-Vf3.1, were associated with resistance in faba bean. In lentil, six minor-effect GWAS-SNPs and two favorable haplotypes at Ae-Lc1.1 and Ae-Lc2.1 loci were identified. Updated analyses in M. truncatula narrowed to 8 Kb, including three candidate genes, the interval at the major-effect locus AER1. Synteny analysis identified 65 resistance QTL to A. euteiches overlapping 24 syntenic blocks defined between legume genomes. No synteny was highlighted between two major-effect QTL. These results pave the way for translational genomics approaches facilitating resistance gene discovery and for resistance QTL deployment strategies in legume rotations to preserve their durability.
Intrinsic, room temperature quantum resistance memristor for next generation zero-chain traceability SI standard
Authors: Valov Ilia , Milano Gianluca , Zheng Xin , Michieletti Fabio , Leonetti Giuseppe , Caballero Gabriel , Oztoprak Ilker , Boarino Luca , Bozat Ozgur , Callegaro Luca , De Leo Natascia , Godinho Isabel , Granados Daniel , Koymen Itir , Menghini Mariela , Miranda Enrique , Ribeiro Luis , Ricciardi Carlo , Sune Jordi , Cabral Vitor
Published: January 2025

The revision of the International System of Units opens new perspectives for the mise en pratique of SI units, fixing numerical values of fundamental constants of nature. Here, we show the realization of an intrinsic standard of resistance based on memristive devices working in air, at room temperature, directly accessible to the end user. Operating nanoionic cells in the quantum conductance regime, we report on a programming strategy based on the electrochemical polishing effects, allowing to control quantum conductance levels multiple of the fundamental unit of conductance and implement it as intrinsic standard values. The metrological consistency of results with respect to consensus values is verified, deviating -3.8 % and 0.6 % from of G0 and 2G0 values, respectively. Results pave the way for the implementation of National Metrological Institute services on-chip, towards the realization of self-calibrating systems with zero-chain traceability.
Discovery of a novel antibiotic, Transitmycin, from Streptomyces sp unveils highly efficient activities against tuberculosis and human immunodeficiency virus
Authors: Kumar Vanaja , Ramasamy Balagurunathan , Doble Mukesh , Manikkam Radhakrishnan , Hanna Luke Elizabeth , devi K R Uma , Arumugam Gandarvakottai Senthilkumar , Damodharan Kannan , Ganesan Suresh , Dusthakeer Azger , Lucia Precilla , Saadhali Shainaba A , John Shanthi , Eswaran Poongothai , UCA Jaleel , M Rakhila , Safeeda Ayisha , Sathish S , Nagamiah Selvakumar
Published: January 2025

HIV is identified as a factor that aggravates tuberculosis disease pathogenesis and its progression to latent TB. While, TB is declared as one of the major causes for AIDS-associated mortality. So there is a dire need for new drugs to combat such ailments that have a synergistic interaction.This has led us to study a novel antibiotic purified from a marine Streptomyces sp isolated from the coral reef ecosystem of South Indian coast. Streptomyces sp. R2 (MTCC 5597; DSM 26035)., isolated from the marine water was grown on agar plates and the crude yellowish orange pigment secreted was extracted using various solvents. The antibiotic, named as Transitmycin, was purified and tested against M. tuberculosis, drug resistant strains, and M. tuberculosis biofilm. The compound was also tested against HIV-1 viruses belonging to six subtypes. Several characterisation tools were used to elucidate the structure of this novel antibiotic. Transitmycin was derivitaised to elucidate the absolute configurations of the amino acids present in it. Tr, unlike actinomycin D, has L-valine in both the rings instead of D-valine (found in the latter). Also, one of the proline in Tr is in D–configuration while it is in L configuration in actinomycin D suggesting that ours is a novel compound and is not reported so far. It exhibits dual activities against the standard H37Rv, 49 drug sensitive clinical isolates, and MtB biofilm as well as standard and 20 clinical isolates of HIV. This is the first paper that reports the isolation of a new antibiotic from marine actinobacteria exhibiting unusual anti-TB and HIV activities which could be exploited further as a lead molecule in the quest for the design of drug with dual activities.
Breeding of the sea spider Phoxichildium femoratum (Rathke, 1799): functional anatomy perspective
Authors: Petrova Maria , Bogomolova Ekaterina
Published: January 2025

Sea spiders (Pycnogonida) are one of two arthropod taxa that exhibit external fertilization, making them interesting subjects for the reconstruction of plesiomorphic arthropod breeding features. However, data on pycnogonid breeding are limited, particularly their fertilisation was not observed at all. Most knowledge on of their breeding is mere assumptions based on occasional observations. In this work, we observed and photo- and video- recorded the breeding behaviour (courtship, oviposition, fertilization, and eggmass formation) of Phoxichilidium femoratum (Rathke, 1799). Additionally, we studied eggmasses for the presence of sperm and additional cement. The male initiates mating by climbing onto the female’s back and courts her until oviposition. During oviposition, the male gonopores are in proximity to the eggmass, and sperm is injected into the swollen vitelline envelope surrounding the laid eggs. Once oviposition is complete, the male leaves the female hooking the eggmass with one of his ovigers. No additional shaping of the eggmass by the male was recorded, nor was there any fastening of the eggs with additional cement. The eggs in the eggmass are secured solely by swollen vitelline envelopes. Thus, fertilization in a mucous eggmass is undoubtfully demonstrated for the species (and likely characteristic of most sea spiders). Our observation questions the cementing function of male femoral glands, widely accepted in review literature. Also, basing on comparison of P. femoratum with other sea spiders we suggest a hypothesis on eggmasses evolution.
How Relevant is Inflation Targeting in ECOWAS Common Currency Programme?
Authors: Kalu Ebere Ume , Nkwor Nelson , Ujunwa Austin , Al-Faryan Mamdouh Abdulaziz Saleh , Ujunwa Angela Ifeanyi , Okoyeuzu Chinwe
Published: January 2025

We examine the relevance of inflation targeting (IT) in the Economic Community of West African States’ (ECOWAS) common currency using the stability of money demand function to determine appropriate monetary policy framework. We employed annual data from 2003 to 2022 and autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) bound test approach and find the presence of a long-run relationship between money demand function and its determinants. The CUSUM and CUSUM of square tests reveal the stability of money demand for the selected countries. Monetary targeting is more appropriate for ECOWAS since member countries have stable money demand. Based on the findings, we recommend the adoption of integrated inflation targeting framework, which involves setting flexible reserve money targets and interest rate corridors, sustaining a flexible exchange rate regime, and strengthening prudential supervision and regulation to promote financial system resilience against exchange rate shocks. This approach would promote policy transparency and accountability from inception.
JEL Classification: FO2, E41, E52, E5
Boundary Gauge Field-Induced Topological Hinge States in Photonic Metamaterials
Authors: Ma Shaojie , He Changsheng , Zhao Liang , Zhou Lei , Zhang Shuang
Published: January 2025

Higher-order topological insulators (HOTIs) can support boundary states at least two dimensions lower than the bulk, attracting intensive attention from both fundamental science and application sides. Lattice-based tight-binding models such as Benalcazar-Bernevig-Hughes model have driven significant advancements in realizing HOTIs across various physical systems. Here, beyond lattice model, we demonstrate that a cylinder with an arbitrary cross section, composed of a homogeneous electromagnetic medium featuring nontrivial second Chern numbers c2 = ±1 in a synthetic five-dimensional space, can exhibit topologically protected HOTI-type hinge states in three-dimensional laboratory space. Interestingly, this hinge state is essentially a chiral zero mode arising from the interaction between Weyl arc surface states, guaranteed by a nontrivial c2, and an effective magnetic field induced by the curvature of the cylinder surface. We experimentally realize such a cylinder using a photonic metamaterial and confirm the existence of hinge states via microwave near-field measurements. Our work introduces the concept of boundary gauge fields and establishes the link between synthetic-space c2 and real-space HOTI states, thereby generalizing HOTIs to corner-less systems.
Combined immune-peptide nanofiber with HSP70/AKT/mTOR axis blockade enhances near-infrared photoimmunotherapy, inhibiting tumor growth and recurrence
Authors: Du Yang , Zhang Xinyu , Jiang Zhenqi , Zhang Wenjia , Wu Juncheng , Guo Haozhuo , Li Changlei , Sun Mingwei , Xiaoying Tang , Huang Wei , Xue Huadan
Published: January 2025

Although immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) therapies have shown clinical benefit, ICB remains limited effect on most “immune-cold” solid tumors, i.e., tumors with low immune infiltration. Near-infrared photoimmunotherapy (NIR-PIT) converts “cold” tumors into “hot” tumors, thereby enhancing immune responses and improving ICB efficacy. Hence, developing a strategy that can integrate NIR-PIT and ICB treatment is desirable. In this study, we designed a unique carrier-free PSP@IR-CF3 nanofiber (NF), self-assembled from the PD-L1 targeting immune-peptide NTGYFYGDQ (PSP) and NIR-PIT agents (IR-CF3). The NFs enable precise tumor targeting and immune checkpoint inhibition by specifically binding to PD-L1 on the tumor cell surface, also providing an NIR-mediated photothermal effect. Applying PSP@IR-CF3 NFs with NIR induced mild NIR-PIT, which effectively activated the tumor immune microenvironment and treat tumors with lower immunotoxicity. Moreover, we identified that the HSP70/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway, which regulates tumor resistance and recurrence, was activated after PIT. By incorporating mTOR inhibitors like rapamycin, the combination treatment can reduce tumor resistance to NIR-PIT and decrease recurrence, thereby significantly improving therapeutic outcomes. This innovative combination therapy has the potential to revolutionize “cold” tumor treatment by offering more precise interventions that markedly enhance immunotherapeutic efficacy, reduce toxicity, and improve patient outcomes.
Optimizing Stock Price Prediction for South Asian Markets Using LSTM, GRU, CNN with Greedy Algorithm
Authors: Saeed Bushra , Yin Wei
Published: January 2025

Accurately predicting socio-economic trends, including stock market behavior, has become increasingly vital for investors, policymakers, and researchers in today's economic growth. This task is particularly challenging in South Asian nations due to the region's economic instability and the unpredictable nature of financial information. This paper aims to predict stock values in five prominent South Asian stock exchanges, namely Karachi (KSE), Nifty50 (NSE), Colombo (CSE), Dhaka (DSE), and Afghanistan, using machine learning methods and daily data from 2018 to 2023. To improve forecasting accuracy, this research used a greedy approach to optimize the window size of a Simple Moving Average (SMA) and normalized the data to train three deep learning models: Convolutional Neural Networks (CNN), Gated Recurrent Units (GRU), and Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM). The models were evaluated using performance metrics such as Mean Squared Error (MSE), Mean Absolute Error (MAE), and R2 score. Our results demonstrate that GRU outperforms LSTM and CNN in all markets, with reduced MSE and elevated R² values. However, CNN exhibits the most volatility in unstable markets, such as Afghanistan and Sri Lanka. LSTM provides more dynamic forecasting patterns but is prone to overestimating abrupt fluctuations in stock values. In summary, our research provides a comprehensive evaluation of machine learning models for stock price prediction and identifies GRU as the most reliable model.
Who objectifies girls on social media? the associations between ambivalent sexism and online objectification: A 13-month prospective study
Authors: Luo Yi-jun , Zhang Jing-qiu , Nie Qian , Chen Hong
Published: January 2025

Objectification has been linked to self-objectification and increased mental health risks, particularly among adolescent girls. While social media has grown increasingly popular in recent years, much remains unknown about who engages in online objectification behaviors on these platforms and the mechanisms underlying it. This study aimed to investigate the associations between ambivalent sexism, thin-ideal internalization and online objectification using a 13-month longitudinal design. A sample of 577 Chinese adolescents (aged 11–14 years; 270 girls, 307 boys) completed self-report measures at baseline (T1) and again at the 13-month follow-up (T2). Cross-lagged panel analyses revealed that T1 benevolent sexism was associated with increased T2 thin-ideal internalization and T2 online objectification, yet no significant association was found between T1 online objectification and T2 thin-ideal internalization or T2 benevolent sexism. Additionally, thin-ideal internalization mediated the relationship between benevolent sexism and online objectification. These findings suggest that benevolent sexism may be a significant risk factor for adolescent objectification on social media. Targeted interventions aimed at reducing benevolent sexism could serve as effective strategies to mitigate online objectification and its negative impacts on adolescent girls.
Ancient allopolyploidy and specific subgenomic evolution drive adaptive radiation in poplars and willows
Authors: Liu Jianquan , Wang Deyan , Li Mengmeng , Yang Wenlu , Chen Kai , Zhao Jiale , Shan Lanxing , Sun Pengchuan , Xu Li , Lu Zhiqiang , Li Yiling , Chen Yang , Xie Jiaxiao , Wang Yubo , Huang Heng , Luo Tiannan , Luo Jianglin , Jiang Yuanzhong , Hu Quanjun , Xi Zhenxiang , Olson Matthew , Ma Tao
Published: January 2025

Allopolyploidy involves the fusion of genomes from different lineages through hybridization and chromosome doubling. However, detecting early allopolyploidy events in evolutionary history and understanding the specific subgenomic evolution that contributes to the origin of adaptive innovations for species radiation can be challenging. Here, we sequenced the genomes representing all three subfamilies of Salicaceae, a woody model clade, and collected epigenetic and transcriptomic samples. We revealed one shared ancient allopolyploidy event involving Populus,Salix and two sister genera, but followed by contrasted karyotypic and subgenomic evolution. The specific evolution drove the origin of unique photoperiod adaptation, flowering phenology and small, hairy seeds in the highly speciose Populus and Salixwhen compared with their species-depauperate sister genera. These adaptive traits may have ultimately led to the ecological adaptations and species radiation in both poplars and willows. Our findings underscore the previously overlooked role of ancient allopolyploidization and specific subgenomic evolution for fostering adaptive innovation and species diversification at deep nodes of the plant tree of life.
One sentence summary: The specific subgenome evolution after ancient allopolyploidy drives the origin of unique adaptive traits that promote species radiation of the highly speciose Populus (poplars) and Salix(willows).
Summer Sea Ice Returns to the Western Arctic after a 25-year Hiatus
Authors: Moore G.W.K. , Zhang Jinlun , Schweiger Axel , Steele Michael , Ballinger Thomas
Published: January 2025

The Arctic Ocean has seen a profound sea ice loss during the summer, with changes most pronounced in the Western Arctic. This has resulted in the Chukchi Sea, located just north of Bering Strait, being ice-free by the end of summer since the late 1990s, except during 2024. Here, we investigate the processes responsible for the return of summer sea ice to the region during 2024. We show that an exceptional ice convergence event in February 2024, along with additional events in the winter and spring, resulted in ice thicknesses along the Siberian coast of the Chukchi Sea through the summer months that exceeded values seen in the region during the late 20th century. We argue that a thinner and more mobile ice pack contributed to this remarkable return of summer sea ice after a 25-year hiatus, opening the possibility of similar events in the future.
Hybrid Modeling of Natural Gas Allocation amid Imbalances: Insights from Policy Scenarios in Iran
Authors: Rajabi Sajad , Shahdani Mahdi Sadeghi , ZahediVafa Mohammadhadi , Godarzi Gholamreza
Published: January 2025

This study investigates the economic implications of natural gas imbalances in Iran and develops an optimal allocation mechanism to address shortages under various policy scenarios. Utilizing a hybrid approach that combines Input-Output (IO) analysis and Linear Programming (LP), this research evaluates the impact of gas shortages across 70 economic sectors based on Iran’s 2023 IO table. The study considers four strategic scenarios: prioritizing GDP-contributing sectors (S-GDP), employment-intensive sectors (S-EML), high-value-added sectors (S-VAD), and export-oriented industries (S-EXP). Each scenario models phased gas outages to minimize economic and social costs, providing quantitative insights into sectoral vulnerabilities and policy trade-offs. Results indicate that strategic allocation of gas shortages can significantly mitigate societal welfare losses, with the S-GDP and S-EXP scenarios minimizing macroeconomic impacts. At the same time, S-EML and S-VAD emphasize social stability and productivity. Policy recommendations underscore the importance of aligning gas allocation strategies with national economic priorities to sustain resilience amid energy imbalances. This framework serves as a decision-support tool for policymakers managing gas crises in resource-dependent economies.
JEL Classification: Q41, Q48, C61, C67, O13
Human densities, not pollution, affect urban coyote boldness and exploration
Authors: Estien Cesar O. , Stanton Lauren A. , Schell Christopher J.
Published: January 2025

Comparative studies show that urban coyotes behave differently from their rural counterparts. However, these studies often treat cities as homogeneous. Cities feature diverse pressures for wildlife, such as variable human densities and environmental hazards, two factors that are known to drive increased risk-taking. Thus, this heterogeneity creates a shifting landscape of risk, which may drive locally adapted behavioral strategies within cities. Yet, the influence of these urban pressures on coyote behavior is not well understood. To investigate this, we conducted novel object testing at 24 sites across gradients of human density and pollution. We recorded coyote detections and coyote behavioral responses to the novel object, focusing on time spent alert, time spent close, and total exploration. We found that coyote detections varied with both human density and pollution, with coyote detections being markedly lower in areas with high human density and high pollution. Coyote boldness (time spent alert and close) and exploration were uniformly associated with human density, with coyotes in human-dense displaying elevated boldness and heightened exploration. Our results suggest that urban heterogeneity in human density impacts apex predator behavior, potentially having downstream consequences on human-carnivore coexistence.
Autophagy: a novel pathway for inhibitor of apoptosis protein-like protein-2 promoting breast cancer cell proliferation
Authors: Liu Shi , Zhang Zhiliang , Xiang Siqi , Jiang Shuangyan , Cui Ruxia , Peng Hang , Xiang Mingjun , Li Yusheng
Published: January 2025

Inhibitors of apoptosis protein-like protein-2 (ILP-2), which is a high expression in breast cancer, can cause apoptosis deficiency to promote proliferation on breast cancer cells. It is unclear that whether ILP-2 can promote breast cancer cell growth by regulating cellular autophagy. This study was designed to check the change of autophagy level in breast cancer cells (MCF-7 and MX-1) by MDC (monodansyl- cadaverin) staining through RNA interfering ILP-2 expression after addition of rapamycin (Rapa) treatment, and the results showed that the number of autophagic vesicles decreased significantly after the interference with ILP-2. Western blot analysis showed that expression of ILP-2, ATG14 and Beclin1 was downregulated and the ILC3-II/LC3-I ratio decreased in MCF-7 and MX-1 cells, while expression of P62 thereafter increased knockdown of ILP-2. A series of experiments such as CCK-8(Cell Counting Kit-8)assays, scratch assays, AO-EB༈Acridine Orange(AO)/EB Double Stain Kit ༉double staining analysis and western blot showed that knockdown of ILP-2 resulted in down-regulation of autophagy, significant increase in caspase-9, 3 expression and downregulation of MMP-9 (matrix metalloproteinase − 9) expression, increased apoptosis rate and inhibition of cell migration ability. Co-immunoprecipitation verified the existence of an interaction between ILP-2 and PI3K. Further Western blot results showed that after interference with ILP-2 expression, cellular autophagy levels and PI3K and Akt protein, LC3-II/LC3-I and Bcl-2 and Beclin1 protein expressions were significantly decreased. However, P62 protein expression was significantly increased. The results suggest that the possible pathways of ILP-2 are based on PI3K/Akt, Bcl-2/Bax, caspase-mediated signaling pathway to activate autophagy to inhibit apoptosis and promote tumor cell growth.
Clinical factors associated with prognosis in patients with differentiated thyroid cancer with lung metastases treated with radioiodine therapy
Authors: Hasegawa Tomokazu , Tsuchiya Takaaki , Kitagawa Mio , Gocho Toshio , Someya Masanori
Published: January 2025

Purpose
This retrospective study aimed to identify clinical factors associated with prognosis and to develop a scoring system to predict treatment efficacy in patients with differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) who developed lung metastases following radioiodine therapy (RAI).
Methods
Among 300 patients who received RAI at our institution between January 1, 2017, and December 31, 2022, 74 exhibited lung metastases. We constructed a scoring system based on age (< 55 years vs. ≥55 years), the size of lung metastases (< 10 mm vs. ≥10 mm), the total diameter of lung metastases (≤ 20 mm vs. >20 mm), the presence or absence of iodine-131 (131I) uptake, and the pretreatment serum thyroglobulin (Tg) level (< 100 vs. ≥100 ng/mL). Each factor was assigned a specific point value, yielding a total possible score ranging from 0 to 7.
Results
The median progression-free survival (PFS) for all patients was 46.3 months, and the median overall survival (OS) was 76.0 months. Among these patients, 20 had 131I -avid lung metastases. In univariate analyses, age, size of lung metastases, total diameter of lung metastases, pretreatment Tg level, and 131I uptake were significantly associated with PFS. In multivariate analyses, the size of lung metastases and the presence or absence of 131I uptake were identified as independent prognostic factors. Based on the scoring system, patients were categorized into low-risk (0–2 points), intermediate-risk (3–4 points), and high-risk (5–7 points) groups. Both PFS and OS were significantly shorter in the high-risk group.
Conclusion
The scoring system developed in this study may serve as a valuable tool to guide treatment decisions based on risk stratification.
Transcriptome profiling uncovered the therapeutic potentials of proso millet malt in regulating hyperlipidemia
Authors: Pujari Nivedita , Hoskeri Joy
Published: January 2025

Adipose tissue dysfunction and adipogenesis are the pivotal events that are intricately linked to lipid disorders, notably encompassing hyperlipidemia and obesity. Here, we investigated transcriptome alterations in the visceral adipose tissue of male Wistar albino rats fed a high-fat diet, following the treatment with proso millet malt extract, through RNA sequencing technology. In-vivo anti-hyperlipidemic studies showed increased weight gain in high fat diet fed animals (130.67 ± 22.7g), whereas proso-millet fed animals showed subsequent decrease in body weight (67.67 ± 15.2g). The millet treatment also demonstrated significant improvement in lipid profile and liver function. Histopathological studies of adipose tissue revealed hypertrophy and hyperplasia conditions elevated in high fat fed animals was mitigated in animals fed with proso millet malt. Comprehensive transcriptomic profiling of HFD adipose tissues projected 8030 differentially expressed genes out of which 859 genes were significantly down-regulated in the adipose tissue transcriptome of proso millet-treated rats. Gene ontology analysis showed the involvement of genes in some of the prominent adipogenesis and adipocyte dysfunction-associated signaling pathways. Most of the genes involved in the PI3/AKT signaling pathway were found to be significantly down-regulated in proso millet-treated rats. Further disease pathway analysis showed Fos and Mapk genes to be the bottleneck proteins that play a major role in the Il-6 signaling pathway. Our findings provide compelling evidence that proso millet malt has significant potential for managing lipid disorders. This is achieved through its modulation of Fos and MAPK proteins within the PI3/AKT signaling pathway, which is crucial for adipogenesis. This suggests a novel avenue for therapeutic intervention in lipid disorders. We present one of the first studies focusing on the alteration of gene expression profiles in visceral adipose tissue induced by proso millet malt.
High frequency of muscle activity relapses in anti-synthetase syndrome
Authors: Choma Kaioan , Brasileiro Caio Gabriel Jeronymo Lima , De Souza Fernando Henrique Carlos , Miossi Renata , Shinjo Samuel Katsuyuki
Published: January 2025

Background
To date, no study has analyzed muscular activity relapses in anti-synthetase syndrome (ASyS), underscoring the necessity for this investigation.
Methods. This single-center retrospective cohort study, conducted between 2010 and 2014, included patients with anti-Jo-1 ASyS.
Results. A total of 95 patients with ASyS were identified. However, we excluded patients with anti-aminoacyl-tRNA-synthetase non-Jo-1 antibodies (n = 26), or myositis-associated autoantibodies (n = 25), without muscle involvement (n = 10), and those with incomplete data (n = 2). Consequently, a total of 48 anti-Jo-1 ASyS patients were evaluated with a median age of 44 (interquartile range: 35–54) years, predominantly female (81.3%), and of white ethnicity (79.2%). The median follow-up period was 80 (26–126) months. Twenty patients (41.7%) experienced second muscle activity during follow-up, whereas 10 (20.8%) and four (10.4%) experienced third and fourth muscle relapses, respectively. Compared to those without muscle relapse (n = 20), patients with at least one muscle relapse (n = 28) were younger (48 vs. 39 years, respectively; P = 0.020), exhibited a higher median creatine phosphokinase level (4144 vs. 8124U/L; P = 0.019), and demonstrated lower rates of pulmonary involvement, specifically ground-glass opacity (P = 0.006) and lung fibrosis (P = 0.003). There was no significant difference in treatment between patients with and without muscle relapse, except for cyclophosphamide, which was more frequently utilized in patients without muscle relapse (5.0% vs. 32.9%; P = 0.031).
Conclusion. A high frequency of muscle activity relapse was observed in patients with ASyS, particularly among younger individuals with high initial creatine phosphokinase levels and reduced pulmonary involvement. A small subset of patients experienced more than three muscle relapses.
Rhizobacteria from vineyard and commercial mycorrhizal fungi induce synergistic microbiome shifts within grapevine root systems
Authors: Darriaut Romain , Lailheugue Vincent , Wastin Jules , Tran Joseph , Martins Guilherme , Ballestra Patricia , Masneuf-Pomarède Isabelle , Ollat Nathalie , Lauvergeat Virginie
Published: January 2025

Background
The addition of bacteria and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) is a strategy used to protect plants against disease and improve their growth and yield, known as biocontrol and biostimulation, respectively. In viticulture, the plant growth promotion (PGP) potential of bacteria endemic to vineyard soil has been underexplored. Furthermore, most research about microbial biostimulants focuses on the effect on the plant, but little is known on how their application modify the soil and root microbial ecosystem, which may have an impact on plant growth and resistance. The objectives of this work were 1) to identify bacteria present in vineyard soils with functional PGP traits, 2) to test their PGP activity on young grapevines, in combination with AMF, 3) to assess the impact on the microbial communities and their inferred functions in the rhizosphere and plant roots.
Results
Two hundred bacteria were isolated from vineyards and characterized for their biochemical PGP activities. The most efficient were tested in vitro, both singly and in combination, on Lepidium sativum and grapevine plantlets. Two Pseudomonas species particularly increased in vitro growth and were selected for further testing, with and without two Glomus species, on grapevines planted in soil experiencing microbial dysbiosis in a greenhouse setting. After five months of growth, the co-application of PGP rhizobacteria and AMF significantly enhanced root biomass and increased the abundance of potentially beneficial bacterial genera in the roots, compared to untreated conditions and single inoculum treatments. Additionally, the prevalence of Botrytis cinerea, associated with grapevine diseases, decreased in the root endosphere. The combined inoculation of bacteria and AMF resulted in a more complex bacterial network with higher metabolic functionality than single inoculation treatments.
Conclusions
To our knowledge, this is the first study to examine and apply bacterial strains derived from soils of the same vineyard plot in co-application with commercialized fungi. The results show a remodeling of microbial communities and their functions associated with a beneficial effect on the plant in terms of growth and presence of pathogens. The observed synergistic effect of bacteria and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi indicates that it is important to consider the combined effects of individuals from synthetic communities applied in the field.
An Advanced Cognitive Strategy for Drug Formulation Utilizing Deep Neural Networks and Feature-based Fusion
Authors: Singh Jagendra , Pal Yogesh , Suryavanshi Madhuri , S Jailani. , Amer A beer A. , Kumar Rakesh
Published: January 2025

This research introduces an innovative approach to drug formulation optimization by integrating a deep neural network (DNN) model with feature-based fusion. The study leverages diverse datasets, including molecular databases, biological response datasets, and pharmacokinetic information, to develop a holistic understanding of the intricate factors influencing drug behavior within biological systems. The DNN model, chosen for its capacity to handle high-dimensional data and capture complex relationships, was complemented by feature-based fusion to enhance the cognitive strategy for drug formulation. The quantitative evaluations of the models, conducted over 10 trials, yielded promising results. The DNN model demonstrated commendable performance with an average accuracy of 91.8%, precision of 89.2%, recall of 93.5%, and F1-score of 91.3%. However, the Feature-based Fusion approach consistently outperformed the DNN, achieving an average accuracy of 93.5%, precision of 91.7%, recall of 94.6%, and F1-score of 92.8%. These results highlight the superiority of the Feature-based Fusion approach in optimizing drug formulations, showcasing higher quantitative metrics and a more balanced trade-off between precision and recall. This research advances the field of drug formulation by providing a robust framework that integrates advanced cognitive strategies, contributing to more efficient and personalized therapeutic interventions.
Effect of Self-Regulated Learning by Nursing Students on Ethical Problems in Clinical Teaching
Authors: Bozkurt Ramazan , Dogu Ozlem
Published: January 2025

Background
The clinical education process, which is essential for nursing education, must be carried out by contributing to students' ethical values and self-regulated learning situations.
Aim
The study was conducted to evaluate the relationship between self-regulated learning situations and the ethical problems experienced by nursing students in clinical teaching and to determine their views.
Methods
This study used a mixed-method design with 371 nursing students. Data were collected using the Socio-Demographic Data Form, the Self-Regulated Learning Scale in Clinical Nursing Practice, and The Scale of Ethical Problems in Clinical Teaching in Nursing. The qualitative part was completed with 67 students who reported ethical issues.
Results
There was a weak, positive, and significant relationship between self-regulated learning in clinical practice and ethical problems in clinical teaching. Qualitative data were analyzed in two themes: "Team members with ethical problems" and "Ethical violation principles".
Conclusions
It was determined that nursing students experienced fewer ethical problems in clinical teaching as their self-regulated learning level increased. They also reported ethical problems within the team and that the most common violations were patient autonomy and respect for the individual.
Premarital spinal muscular atrophy screening program results from a province in the Black Sea region of Turkiye: Two years of experience
Authors: Yenercag Feyza Nur Topcu , Tarhan Günay Kaya
Published: January 2025

Objective
Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is a life-shortening autosomal recessive neuromuscular disease. In this study, the aim was to determine the use of premarital SMA carrier screening and the frequency of SMA carriers in this population.
Study Design:
The Premarital National SMA Carrier Screening Program was applied to 19,988 people between 27 December 2021 and 31 May 2024.
Result
A total of 453 people were found to be SMA carriers with heterozygote deletions in exon 7 of SMN1, indicating a carrier prevalence of approximately 1:44 (2.26%) in the population. After detailed genetic counseling, 441 partners were tested, and 13 were identified as SMA carriers. These couples were given information about preimplantation genetic diagnosis, and the birth of infants affected by SMA disease was prevented.
Conclusion
In our experience with carrier screening, awareness of premarital SMA carrier screening can be effectively maximized.
Experimental Design and Kinetics Study of Epoxidized Used Cooking Oil Using R
Authors: Bourkaib Nor El houda , irinislimane Ratiba , Belhaneche naima
Published: January 2025

The aim of this study is to optimize the parameters for epoxidizing used cooking oil (UCO) using in-situ generated performic acid (PFA), with a focus on employing the R Project for Statistical Computing. This optimization was achieved through a thorough full factorial experimental design, involving the variation of key parameters within defined ranges. Specifically, we varied the molar ratio of double bond C = C, hydrogen peroxide H2O2 and formic acid FA as follows: C = C/H2O2/FA from 1/1.5/1 to 1/2.5/1.5. Additionally, we considered temperature variations ranging from 40°C to 60°C, and adjusted the reaction times between 3 and 5 h. Following meticulous experimentation and analysis, we determined the optimal conditions to be a C = C/H2O2/FA molar ratio of 1/2.7/0.8, a temperature of 60°C, and a reaction time of 3 h. These ideal conditions served as the basis for a detailed study of reaction kinetics. Subsequent calculation of the activation energy resulted in an approximate value of 14.7 kcal mol-1. This finding strongly substantiates the possibility of replacing epoxidized fresh oil with epoxidized used cooking oil in industrial processes, underlining the potential for the effective utilization of recycled resources.