bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Characteristics of six cherry tomato genotypes as genetic material for plant breeding programs
Authors: WAHYUDI ANUNG , HAKIM NURMAN ABDUL , RACHMAN MICHO SANDEKA
Published: January 2025

Abstract. Wahyudi A, Hakim NA, Rachman MS. 2024. Characteristics of six cherry tomato genotypes as genetic material for plant breeding programs. Biodiversitas 25: 3850-3859. The morphological characteristics of tomato plants (Solanum lycopersicum L.) are a source of genetic variation in efforts to improve the quality of tomatoes in plant breeding programs. Breeding programs focus on developing genotypes with high fruit set and yield potential. Cherry tomatoes are often selected for their prolific fruiting capabilities. This study aimed to determine the morphological characteristics of six cherry tomato plant varieties. This study used a Randomized Block Design (RBD) comprising four introduced hybrid cherry tomato varieties from Japan (Chika, Chou Amai, Premium Ruby, and Aiko) with two commercial hybrid varieties from PT. Bintang Asia (Citra Asia F1 and Rempai), each with three replications. Data were analyzed using analysis of variance (ANOVA) at a 5% significance level, and orthogonal contrast analysis was adopted for mean value testing. Observations of qualitative characteristics were conducted from the vegetative phase through post-harvest. The results showed that Japanese-introduced tomatoes were superior in fruit length, sweetness, and number of fruits per plant. Meanwhile, the Chika tomato variety was superior in the number of leaves under the first bunch (8.67), weight of 10 fruits (280 g), fruit width (3.75 cm), and flesh thickness (0.45 cm). The Premium Ruby variety was superior in fruit sweetness (7.9 ºbrix) and in harvest age (64 DAT). In comparison, the Aiko variety showed superiority in bunch length (22.57 cm) and number of fruits per plant (238.33). The characteristics of introduced hybrid cherry tomato varieties from Japan can be used as material for assembling new cultivars. These findings have direct implications for increasing tomato productivity in Indonesia, providing valuable insights for future breeding programs.
Isolation and identification of salt-tolerant, phosphorus-solubilizing bacterial strains from rice soil in rice-shrimp farming systems in Tien Giang Province, Vietnam
Authors: TAT TRUONG QUOC
Published: January 2025

Abstract. Tat TQ. 2024. Isolation and identification of salt-tolerant, phosphorus-solubilizing bacterial strains from rice soil in rice-shrimp farming systems in Tien Giang Province, Vietnam. Biodiversitas 25: 3868-3875. This study aimed to isolate, select, and identify the phosphate-soluble bacterial (PSB) pathogens from eight salt-affected soil samples collected from paddy rice fields in the Go Cong Dong and Tan Phu Dong districts of Tien Giang Province, Vietnam. Bacteria were isolated on Pikovskaya’s agar media supplemented with 1% NaCl, and the amount of phosphorus dissolved in liquid NBRIP was supplemented with various concentrations of NaCl via molybdate coloration to evaluate the salt tolerance and phosphorus solubility of the isolated bacterial strains. The result showed that from 8 saline soil samples, a total of 15 strains of phosphorus solubilizing bacteria were isolated and 2 (code 1.7 and 6.1) of them showed good phosphorus solubilization. In addition, isolates 1.7 and 6.1 exhibited good growth and phosphorus solubilization in liquid NBRIP media supplemented with NaCl at concentrations ranging from 1.0% to 5.0%. Molecular analysis results showed that strains 1.7 and 6.1 were identified as Burkholderia vietnamiensis 1.7 and Priestia aryabhattai 6.1, respectively. These results show that B. vietnamiensis 1.7 and P. aryabhattai 6.1 can be used as biofertilizers for rice cultivation in salty soils in Tien Giang Province, reducing the cost and use of chemical fertilizers.
Physicochemical and microbiological properties of fermented milk using lactic acid bacteria isolated from dangke
Authors: SYAH SETIAWAN PUTRA , MUKHLISAH ANDI NURUL , NINGTIYAS WENY DWI , IRFAN MUHAMMAD , ANANDA NASRIA , AMALIA ANNISA , TASMIN TASMIN
Published: January 2025

Abstract. Syah SP, Mukhlisah AN, Ningtiyas WD, Irfan M, Ananda N, Amalia A, Tasmin. 2024. Physicochemical and microbiological properties of fermented milk using lactic acid bacteria isolated from dangke. Biodiversitas 25: 3876-3883. This study aimed to investigate the effect of milk and starter culture type (commercial and lactic acid bacteria (LAB) isolated from dangke). Two strains of LAB (Lactobacillus fermentum A323L and B111K) and commercial culture were tested for physicochemical and microbiological properties in milk fermentation. The results showed that the type of culture had a significant effect (p<0.05) on pH, titratable acidity, WHC, syneresis, viscosity, and total number of LAB, while the type of milk had a significant effect (p<0.05) on almost all variables, except for protein content and L* (lightness) of fermented milk. Two strains of LAB isolate from dangke produce pH values, titratable acidity, and viscosity that were relatively good compared to commercial cultures and even tended to be better, specifically in terms of the total number of LAB from fermented milk produced. Skimmed milk produced the best-fermented milk in terms of composition, color, pH value, acidity, and viscosity, but was not very good as a medium for LAB growth due to the low number of microbes compared to the other two types, specifically UHT (Ultra High Temperature) low-fat. However, the number of LAB in skimmed milk met the quality standards for fermented milk products. In conclusion, both strains of LAB isolated from dangke could be used as starter cultures in the manufacture of fermented milk with good physicochemical and microbiological properties.
Structural stability analysis of rain trees (Samanea saman) subjected to dead, live, and wind loads combination
Authors: AINI SITI CHUROTUL , ADZKIA ULFA , BAHTIAR EFFENDI TRI , RAHMAN M. MIFTAH , BUONO AGUS , KARLINASARI LINA
Published: January 2025

Abstract. Aini SC, Adzkia U, Bahtiar ET, Rahman MM, Buono A, Karlinasari L. 2024. Structural stability analysis of rain trees (Samanea saman) subjected to dead, live, and wind loads combination. Biodiversitas 25: 3899-3908. Tree failure can arise from factors associated with load resistance and structural stability at sites of environmental growth. In this study, an investigation was conducted into the structural analysis of standing trees, considering the combination of compression and flexure loads in the adoption of building code guidelines. The objective of this study is to determine the safety factor based on a combined load combination governing the Euler and Ylinen Buckling Stress Method. The study used 50 rain trees (Samanea saman (Jacq.) Merr.). Therefore, to assess the impact of various load combinations on standing trees, including dead, live, and wind loads, three analyses were performed: (1) D + L + W, (2) D + L, and (3) D only. The dead load (D) represents the weight of the crown and stem above the observed section, the live load (L) accounts for activities such as climbing or hanging, and W represents wind loads. The D + L + W load combination induced both compression and bending stresses on the trees, whereas the D + L and D only focused on compression loads. Determining the minimum critical height is crucial in assessing the safety factor and categorizing trees into three groups: unsafe, safe, and very safe. The results indicated that the combined load of D + L + W demonstrated that the minimum critical height resulted from the superposition of compression and bending stresses. This finding underscores the significant role of the wind in the safety of standing trees. Structural stability analysis revealed that 18 trees were unsafe, 30 were safe, and 2 were classified as very safe. This research contributes valuable insights into understanding tree biomechanics and tree characteristics, offering a distinct approach compared to existing methods.
Diversity, bioactivity, and phytochemistry of endophytic fungi in various organs of nipa palm (Nypa fruticans) mangrove
Authors: NASUTION SAKINAH SALMAN AHMAD , ELFITA ELFITA , WIDJAJANTI HARY , FERLINAHAYATI FERLINAHAYATI
Published: January 2025

Abstract. Nasution SSA, Elfita, Widjajanti H, Ferlinahayati. 2024. Diversity, bioactivity, and phytochemistry of endophytic fungi in various organs of nipa palm (Nypa fruticans) mangrove. Biodiversitas 25: 3928-3942. Nipa palm (Nypa fruticans Wurmb), a traditional medicinal mangrove species, grows along the coastal areas of South Sumatra. This study explores the diversity of endophytic fungi isolated from the stem, frond, and mesocarp of N. fruticans. A total of eighteen fungal isolates were identified and tested for antioxidant and antibacterial activities using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay and the disk diffusion method. Phytochemical profiles of these isolates were analyzed through thin layer chromatography (TLC) and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Among the isolates, Aspergillus niger (NfBa5, NfP7, and NfBu4), present in all organs, showed consistent antioxidant and antibacterial activities with similar major compounds across these isolates. Other endophytic fungi demonstrated significantly higher antioxidant and antibacterial activities compared to the host plant, highlighting their potential as promising sources of bioactive compounds. Despite some shared compound patterns, the fungal profiles differed from those of N. fruticans, underscoring the unique bioactive potential of endophytes. This study emphasizes the diversity of endophytic fungi in N. fruticans and reveals significant differences in their biological activities and phytochemical profiles compared to the host. These findings provide foundational insights for developing medicinal compounds from N. fruticans endophytic fungi for future pharmaceutical applications.
Determination of the mechanical properties of recycled brick aggregate concrete by multivariate regression analysis
Authors:   OSIJEK-KOTEKS d.d., Šamačka ulica 11, HR-31000 Osijek, Croatia, Karakaš Janjić Nikolina , Kalman Šipoš Tanja ,   Faculty of Civil Engineering and Architecture Osijek, Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek, Vladimir Preloga St. 3, HR-31000 Osijek, Croatia, Benšić Mirta ,   Department of Mathematics, Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek, Gajev trg 6, HR-31000 Osijek, Croatia
Published: January 2025

This study presents regression models for prediction of compressive strength and modulus of elasticity, applying variables such as the percentage of recycled brick aggregate replacement, cement content, and water-cement ratio. A comprehensive database was constructed, comprising data from 180 experimental tests conducted on recycled brick aggregate concrete. The database includes the findings of compressive strength and modulus of elasticity testing. Multivariate statistical analysis was performed on the data and prediction models were created. During the review of the existing literature, a research gap was observed, where the modulus of elasticity was always expressed with dependence on compressive strength. The modulus of elasticity and compressive strength are modelled separately using the values of the contents of the concrete mixture. From the derived equations, the relationship that the modulus of elasticity is the second root of the compressive strength is recognized, which is in accordance with the functional relationships of the modulus of elasticity and compressive strength determined by previous authors. These models were then evaluated and confirmed using a subset of 20 samples for compressive strength and 13 samples for modulus of elasticity, which were excluded from the main database. The main results confirmed the applicability of the proposed equations with acceptable accuracy for initial concrete mixtures and thus, can be used as guidelines by future researchers.
Are we ready for self-sampling for cervical cancer screening? Insights from service providers and policy makers in Nepal
Authors: Thapa Saki , Timilsina Amit , Bucha Bikram , Shrestha Swastika , Kunwar Safal , Dhital Raghu , Holdsworth Gillian
Published: January 2025

Cervical cancer is the leading cancer among women in Nepal, but the country has very low screening rate, with only 8.2% of women being screened. In recent years, a self-sampling kit for testing for the human papillomavirus (HPV) has been developed to allow self-sampling and enable early detection of cervical abnormalities. This kit enables women to collect cervical samples without the need for trained healthcare providers or healthcare facilities. Nevertheless, there has been a notable absence of scientific studies to analyse the feasibility and acceptability of self-sampling for cervical cancer screening in Nepal, particularly from the perspective of various service providers. The qualitative research method used semi-structured in-depth interviews and key informant interviews with healthcare providers, online service providers, and policymakers. These interviews were conducted in person with 20 participants until data saturation was achieved. Thematic analysis was performed where the translated data was coded inductively using NVivo 12. The majority of the participants identified the self-sampling method as an alternative sampling option for detection of cervical abnormalities/cancer in Nepal. Barriers to self-sampling included a low level of knowledge and information, the cost of the self-sampling kit, unclear information regarding self-sampling process and concerns about inaccurate results among women and girls, who are the end users. Similarly, factors such as knowledge and information regarding the self-sampling technique, accessibility of available services and information, and national self-care guidelines and policies for cervical cancer screening were identified as facilitators for self-sampling. It is crucial to have evidence-based discussions, especially regarding the effectiveness of a self-care approach in cervical cancer screening and help create a supportive policy environment for implementing self-care strategies in Nepal. Furthermore, disseminating education and information nationwide through campaigns to raise awareness about self-sampling is essential among beneficiaries for the scaling up of self-sampling for cervical cancer in Nepal.
Validating quality standards in Palestinian emergency departments: An e-Delphi survey approach
Authors: Bani Odeh Abed Alr’oof , Wallis Lee , Hamdan Motasem , Stassen Willem
Published: January 2025

To validate Palestine’s previously derived emergency department quality standards (EDQS) using an e-Delphi survey. A two-round e-Delphi survey validated the EDQS, developed in an earlier study through a literature review and consensus-building among Palestinian emergency medicine and healthcare quality experts. The study purposively sampled 53 emergency department and healthcare quality experts with over 5 years of experience. A Likert scale was used to rate the standards on readability, clarity, and comprehensiveness in the initial round to reach consensus on the EDQS, with detailed feedback. An expanded expert group refined the shortlisted standards in the next phase. Lime Survey collected data anonymously. A set of 100 EDQS was validated through a two-round e-Delphi survey. In the initial round, 103 standards were presented, and consensus was achieved, resulting in a refined list of 100 standards. Among these, 39 standards fell under the clinical pathway domain, and 61 under the administrative pathway domain. In the second round, the validity of these standards was affirmed, with 96.4% consensus for clinical standards and 97.3% for administrative standards. Additionally, seven subdomains of EDQS were associated with the clinical pathway domain: triage, treatment, transportation, medication safety, patient flow, and medical diagnostic services, and nine subdomains were linked to the administration pathway domain: documentation, information management systems, access-location, design, leadership, management, workforce staffing, training, equipment, supplies, capacity-resuscitation rooms, resources for a safe working environment, performance indicators, and patient safety-infection prevention and control programs. The study validated context emergency department quality standards in Palestine, with over 97% consensus indicating a commitment to quality care. Experts suggest further research on implementation feasibility. Validated standards can aid healthcare leaders in resource allocation, staff training, and enhancing patient care, potentially leading to significant improvements in emergency healthcare in Palestine.
Patterns of belatacept use and risk of post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder in US kidney transplant recipients: An analysis of the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network database
Authors: Cherikh Wida S. , Kou Tzuyung Douglas , Foutz Julia , Baker Timothy J. , Gomez-Caminero Andres
Published: January 2025

Background

Belatacept is approved for the prophylaxis of organ rejection in Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-seropositive kidney transplant recipients and is associated with a risk of post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder (PTLD).

Methods

Data from the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network were used to examine patterns of belatacept use, describe patient characteristics, and estimate risk of PTLD in EBV-seropositive, kidney-only transplant recipients receiving belatacept- or calcineurin inhibitor (CNI)-based immunosuppression as part of US Food and Drug Administration-mandated safety monitoring.

Results

During the study period (June 15, 2011–June 14, 2016), 94.9% (1631/1719) of belatacept-treated and 89.7% (59,992/66,905) of CNI-treated patients with known EBV serostatus were EBV seropositive. Among EBV-seropositive patients, 50.2% (belatacept) and 56.8% (CNI) received a standard criteria donor kidney, 59.5% and 18.7% received basiliximab induction, and 22.9% and 50.8% received antithymocyte globulin induction. PTLD developed in nine belatacept-treated patients (two with central nervous system [CNS] involvement) and 225 CNI-treated patients (nine with CNS involvement). Four and 81 patients, respectively, died due to PTLD. Kaplan–Meier analysis did not show a significant between-group difference in PTLD estimated incidence rates within 5 years (0.70% versus 0.48%, respectively; p = 0.18). Additionally, estimated PTLD incidence was not significantly different between treatment groups in a propensity score matched cohort.

Conclusions

The majority of adult kidney-only transplant recipients treated with belatacept in routine clinical practice are EBV seropositive. In this study, the risk of PTLD in these patients, while higher than for CNI-based immunosuppression, remained low after adjusting for differences in patient characteristics.

Trial registration

These studies are registered at ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT01670058 and NCT01656343.
Antibiotic consumption and utilization at a large tertiary care level hospital in Uganda: A point prevalence survey
Authors: Kizito Mark , Owachi Darius , Lule Falisy , Jung Laura , Bazanye Vivian , Mugerwa Ibrahim , Nabadda Susan , Kabugo Charles
Published: January 2025

Introduction

Effective antimicrobial stewardship programs require data on antimicrobial consumption (AMC) and utilization (AMU) to guide interventions. However, such data is often scarce in low-resource settings. We describe the consumption and utilization of antibiotics at a large tertiary-level hospital in Uganda.

Methods

In this cross-sectional study at Kiruddu National Referral Hospital, we analyzed medicine delivery records for the period July 2021 to June 2022, accessed on 12/08/2022, to extract AMC data expressed as defined daily doses (DDDs) per 1000 inhabitants per day (DID). We used the WHO point prevalence survey (PPS) to analyze AMU data with a systematic sampling of outpatient department (OPD) for a period between June and August 2022 and selected all inpatient department (IPD) patients admitted before 8:00 AM on 27/11/2022. AMU data was analyzed as the proportion of individual antibiotic prescriptions, indications for prescriptions, and compliance with the national treatment guidelines. Both AMC and AMU data were categorized by the WHO AWaRe (access, watch, and reserve) criteria.

Results

In the year 2021–2022, a total of 6.05 DID of antibiotics were consumed comprising 3.61 DID (59.6%) access, 2.44 DID (40.3%) watch, and 0.003 (0.1%) reserve antibiotics. The most consumed antibiotics comprised penicillin (1.61 DID, 26.7%), cephalosporins (1.51, 25%), and imidazole (1.10 DID, 18.1%).

A total of 119/211 (56%) patients in the OPD and 99/172 (57.5%) patients in the IPD were prescribed antibiotics. Of the 158 OPD antibiotic prescriptions, 73 (46.2%) were access, 72 (45.6%) were watch, 0 (0%) were reserve, and 13 (8.2%) were unclassified antibiotics. Of the 162 IPD antibiotic prescriptions, 62 (38.3%) were access, 88 (54.3%) were watch, 01 (0.6%) was reserve, and 11 (6.8%) were unclassified antibiotics. Indications for antibiotic prescriptions in the OPD comprised respiratory tract infections (53, 38.1%), urinary tract infections (34, 26.6%), gastrointestinal infections (20, 14.4%), sepsis (17, 12.2%), and medical prophylaxis (12, 8.7%). The indications for antibiotic prescriptions in the IPD comprised sepsis (28.2%), respiratory tract infections (18.3%), burn wounds (14.1%), and gastrointestinal infections (14.1%).

Conclusion

Prescription of watch antibiotics in both OPD and IPD hospital settings was high. Establishment of robust antimicrobial stewardship measures could help improve the rational prescription of antibiotics.
Impact of capacity building through learning, training, and coaching on agricultural innovation
Authors: Mwadzingeni Learnmore , Dandira Martin , Kutywayo Dumisani , Mwadzingeni Liboster , Chiwawa Andrew , Simatele Mulala Danny
Published: January 2025

Successful innovation requires employees to have intellectual and technical capacity. This study explored the effects of capacity building through educational learning, organizational training, and coaching on agricultural innovation. A sample of 142 operational-level agriculture scientists working within a public sector agricultural research organisation in Zimbabwe. Six key informants were also consulted. Descriptive statistics, factor analysis, principal component analysis (PCA), correlation analysis, and binary logistic regression analysis were employed. Results showed significant positive relationships between the variables stating that operational scientists receive adequate academic study opportunities from the research organisation and the one stating that they have relevant academic qualifications to help drive agriculture innovation (r = 0.421***). This reflects that once capacitated through educational learning, the employees gain the confidence and ability to innovate, which could be attributed to improved intelligence quotient (IQ). A significant positive relationship was also observed between the variables, stating that research employees required further training and that improving training would significantly improve innovation (r = 0.47***). Lastly, the variables, stating that direct supervisors offer adequate guidance to stimulate innovation positively correlated to the one stating that coaching has helped improve the operational staff’s innovativeness (P = 0.493***). This implies that efforts being put in by supervisors significantly contribute to innovation. Budgetary constraints were the leading challenge mentioned by 90.1% of the sample. Notably, there is a critical need to improve physical training workshops, exposure visits, and short courses to enhance innovativeness, as revealed by more than 70% of the respondents. The study also suggests cost-effective strategies to enhance capacity building and consequently stimulate innovation.
The development of preterm infants from low socio-economic status families: The combined effects of melatonin, autonomic nervous system maturation and psychosocial factors (ProMote): A study protocol
Authors: Kokkinaki Theano , Anagnostatou Nicole , Markodimitraki Maria , Roumeliotaki Theano , Tzatzarakis Manolis , Vakonaki Elena , Giannakakis Giorgos , Tsatsakis Aristidis , Hatzidaki Eleftheria
Published: January 2025

Preterm births constitute a major public health issue and a chronic, cross-generational condition globally. Psychological and biological factors interact in a way that women from low socio-economic status (SES) are disproportionally affected by preterm delivery and at increased risk for the development of perinatal mental health problems. Low SES constitutes one of the most evident contributors to poor neurodevelopment of preterm infants. Maternal perinatal mental health disorders have persistent effects on behavioral and physiological functioning throughout the lifespan and may even be evident across generations. The overall objective of the proposed longitudinal, multi-disciplinary and multi-method study is to compare the association of psychosocial (maternal mental health, intersubjectivity, attachment, family functioning, dyadic coping and perceived social support), and biological factors (melatonin and heart rate variability) with preterm infants’ development at 9 months (corrected age), between low and high SES families. We will collect data from preterm neonates (<37 weeks gestational age) hospitalized in the Department of Neonatology/Neonatal Intensive Care Unit of the University General Hospital of Heraklion, Greece, and their mothers. Data collection of psychosocial and biological factors will be carried out at birth, and at the corrected age of 6 and 9 months, while preterm infants’ cognitive and social development will be assessed at 9 months corrected age. The findings of this study may highlight the need for early interventions for new mothers coming from low SES in order to promote their preterm infants’ optimal early neurodevelopment and for community-evidence-based prevention efforts to restrict the cycle of health inequities and intergenerational mental disorders.
Plasma neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin as a single test rule out biomarker for acute kidney injury: A cross-sectional study in patients admitted to the emergency department
Authors: Wetterstrand Vicky Jenny Rebecka , Schultz Martin , Kallemose Thomas , Torre André , Larsen Jesper Juul , Friis-Hansen Lennart , Brandi Lisbet
Published: January 2025

Objectives

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a syndrome with high mortality and morbidity in part due to delayed recognition based on changes in creatinine. A marker for AKI based on a single measurement is needed and therefore the performance of a single measurement of plasma neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (pNGAL) to predict AKI in patients admitted to the emergency department was tested.

Methods

Samples from the Triage study which included 6005 consecutive adult patients admitted to the emergency department were tested for pNGAL. The optimal cutoff for pNGAL was determined by the AUC and compared to AKI based on creatinine using different estimations of the premorbid kidney function.

Results

In 4833 patients, two or more plasma creatinine (pCr) measurements were available allowing the detection of AKI. The highest prevalence of AKI (10%) was found when defining AKI as an increase in pCr ≥26.5 μmol/L from the prior year’s mean pCr. At these conditions the AUC for pNGAL to predict AKI was 85% giving an optimal cutoff of 142.5 ng/mL with a negative predictive value of 0.96, a positive predictive value of 0.35, a specificity of 0.87 and a sensitivity of 0.70.

Conclusion

The study illustrates that the value of a single measurement of pNGAL is primarily in excluding AKI whereas it`s poorer in predicting the presence of AKI. When diagnosing AKI with pCr the optimal baseline pCr level is the mean of available pCr (mb-pCr) measurements from up to a year prior to the current event.
Predicting the polyspecificity of aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase for non-canonical amino acids using molecular dynamics simulation and MM/PBSA
Authors: Lee Dongheon , Choi Jong-il
Published: January 2025

With the advancement of genetic code expansion, the field is progressing towards incorporating multiple non-canonical amino acids (ncAAs). The specificity of aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases (aaRSs) towards ncAAs is a critical factor, as engineered aaRSs frequently show polyspecificity, complicating the precise incorporation of multiple ncAAs. To address this challenge, predicting binding affinity can be beneficial. In this study, we expressed sfGFP using an orthogonal aaRS/tRNA pair with 4-Azido-L-phenylalanine (AzF) and another four different ncAAs. The experimental results showed specificity with O-Methyl-L-tyrosine as well as AzF, and these results were compared with computational predictions. We constructed a mutant aaRS structure specific for AzF through homology modelling and conducted docking studies with tyrosine and five ncAAs, followed by molecular dynamics simulations. The binding affinity was calculated using the molecular mechanics/Poisson–Boltzmann surface area, focusing on nonpolar solvation terms. While the analysis is based on the incorporation of limited number of ncAAs, the cavity and dispersion term method showed consistency with experimental data, highlighting its potential utility compared to the surface area term method. These findings enhance understanding of the ncAA specificity of aaRS in relation to computer simulations and energy calculations, which can be utilized to rationally design or predict the specificity of aaRS.
An optimized approach for container deployment driven by a two-stage load balancing mechanism
Authors: Lu Chaoze , Zhou Jianchao , Zou Qifeng
Published: January 2025

Lightweight container technology has emerged as a fundamental component of cloud-native computing, with the deployment of containers and the balancing of loads on virtual machines representing significant challenges. This paper presents an optimization strategy for container deployment that consists of two stages: coarse-grained and fine-grained load balancing. In the initial stage, a greedy algorithm is employed for coarse-grained deployment, facilitating the distribution of container services across virtual machines in a balanced manner based on resource requests. The subsequent stage utilizes a genetic algorithm for fine-grained resource allocation, ensuring an equitable distribution of resources to each container service on a single virtual machine. This two-stage optimization enhances load balancing and resource utilization throughout the system. Empirical results indicate that this approach is more efficient and adaptable in comparison to the Grey Wolf Optimization (GWO) Algorithm, the Simulated Annealing (SA) Algorithm, and the GWO-SA Algorithm, significantly improving both resource utilization and load balancing performance on virtual machines.
Enhancing semantical text understanding with fine-tuned large language models: A case study on Quora Question Pair duplicate identification
Authors: Han Sifei , Shi Lingyun , Tsui Fuchiang (Rich)
Published: January 2025

Semantical text understanding holds significant importance in natural language processing (NLP). Numerous datasets, such as Quora Question Pairs (QQP), have been devised for this purpose. In our previous study, we developed a Siamese Convolutional Neural Network (S-CNN) that achieved an F1 score of 82.02% (95% C.I.: 81.83%-82.20%). Given the growing attention toward large language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT, we aimed to explore their effectiveness in text similarity tasks. In this research, we leveraged 5 pretrained LLMs, conducted various fine-tuning approaches (prompt engineering, n-shot learning, and supervised learning using the low-rank adaptation [LoRA]), and compared their performance using F1 score. To ensure a fair comparison, we followed our previous study’s design and dataset by employing a 10-fold cross-validation for supervised model training and evaluation. Additionally, we conducted a secondary study by introducing a recent larger LLM with 70B parameters and comparing it with the 7B model using the GLUE benchmark, and both models were finetuned with the corpus. The fine-tuned LLaMA model with 7B parameters (qLLaMA_LoRA-7B) using 100,000 QQP corpus yielded the best results, achieving an F1 score of 84.9% (95% C.I.: 84.13%-85.67%), which outperformed the Alpaca_LoRA-65B (finetuned based on LLaMA-65B) (F1: 64.98% [64.72%-65.25%]; P<0.01) and had a 3% improvement compared to our previously published best model, S-CNN. The finetuned LLaMA3.1-70B (qLLaMA3.1_LoRA-70B) with 70B parameters (F1: 74.4%) outperformed the qLLaMA_LoRA-7B (F1: 71.9%) using the GLUE benchmark. The study demonstrated an effective LLM finetuning framework, which highlights the importance of finetuning LLMs for improved performance. Our task-specific supervised finetuning demonstrated improved LLM performance compared to larger pretrained models with or without n-shot learning; moreover, finetuning a larger LLM further improved performance compared to finetuning a smaller LLM. Our LLM-based finetuning framework may potentially improve various document similarity tasks, such as matching resumes with job descriptions, recommending subject-matter experts, or identifying potential reviewers for grant proposals or manuscript submissions.
Being honest won’t pay. Seven- but not 5-year-olds begin to predict that others will lie for reputational reasons
Authors: Klafka Mareike , Liszkowski Ulf
Published: January 2025

Children begin to manage their reputation around school-age, but it remains unclear when they start to explicitly reason about reputational strategies such as lying from a third-person perspective. The current study investigated whether 5- and 7-year-old children would explicitly predict reputational lying in the context of a third party interaction. Participants were told hypothetical stories and asked to predict whether a protagonist would lie to a peer character about a selfish resource allocation. Results revealed that about half of the 7-year-olds and neglectable few of the 5-year-olds began to predict that the protagonist would lie to his peer out of reputational concern and whitewash the selfishly distributed amount. The prediction of reputational lying did not differ for ingroup or outgroup third parties. Seven-year-olds justified their prediction of a lie with reference to how the protagonist would look to others. While reputational lying has been shown in 5-year-olds in comparable interactive scenarios with peers, a more abstract, explicit understanding of reputational lying seems to be a more complex cognitive ability, emerging around the age of 7 years.
Transcriptomic HIV-1 reservoir profiling reveals a role for mitochondrial functionality in HIV-1 latency
Authors: Man Shirley , Jansen Jade , Kroeze Stefanie , Geijtenbeek Teunis B. H. , Kootstra Neeltje A.
Published: January 2025

Identifying cellular and molecular mechanisms maintaining HIV-1 latency in the viral reservoir is crucial for devising effective cure strategies. Here we developed an innovative flow cytometry-fluorescent in situ hybridization (flow-FISH) approach for direct ex vivo reservoir detection without the need for reactivation using a combination of probes detecting abortive and elongated HIV-1 transcripts. Our flow-FISH assay distinguished between HIV-1-infected CD4+ T cells expressing abortive or elongated HIV-1 transcripts in PBMC from untreated and ART-treated PWH from the Amsterdam Cohort Studies. This flow-FISH method was employed to isolate CD4+ T cells expressing abortive or elongated HIV-1 transcripts from five ART-naïve PWH for transcriptomic analysis by 3’ RNA sequencing. Supervised cluster analysis identified several differentially expressed mitochondrial genes in infected CD4+ T cells with abortive HIV-1 transcripts compared to cells containing elongated HIV-1 transcripts. Notably, enhancing mitochondrial function induced HIV-1 transcription in PBMC from PWH. Our data strongly suggests that cellular metabolism is involved in maintaining HIV-1 latency and show that improving mitochondrial functions induces HIV-1 transcriptional activity in PWH. These findings underline the relevance of metabolic regulation in HIV-1 infection, and support the development of strategies modulating immunometabolism to target viral latency.
Procession: The role of screenwriting and filmmaking in the healing process of survivors
Authors: Frey Aline
Published: January 2025

This article discusses the therapeutic potential of scriptwriting in healing trauma behind and in front of the screen. It focuses on the documentary Procession (Greene 2021) that gives voice to six middle-aged male survivors of child abuse by Catholic priests. The documentary shows film director, Robert Greene, and the dramatherapist, Monica Phinney, leading a journey of continually supporting and encouraging survivors to re-tell their stories. Rather than focusing on direct interviews, Procession invites survivors to re-enact their memories, creating an opportunity for them to not only revisit but also to recover from their personal traumas. As they share their stories, they engage in a collective act of screenwriting, taking turns acting in each other’s scenes. The documentary shows the complex process of screenwriting to overcome child abuse and trauma, as each survivor creates and shoots a key scene from their personal history of abuse. Throughout the documentary, survivors play the roles of screenwriters, film directors and actors, leading their scenes, bringing traumatic dialogues back to life, recalling nightmares and revisiting physical sites of abuse. This article draws upon Bill Nichols’s and Jill Godmilow’s analytical framework of performance-based documentary to analyse how Procession uses scriptwriting and filmmaking as tools for participants to unpack their feelings, generating space for a cathartic reconciliation with their past.
Tatiana Huezo: Trauma and the poetics of displacement
Authors: Sheinbaum Diego
Published: January 2025

Is it possible to document trauma? How should one approach the disaster zone where the subject is torn to pieces? What narrative resources does Mexican-Salvadoran director Tatiana Huezo utilize to map these pains in her documentaries El lugar más pequeño (‘The Tiniest Place’) (2011) and Tempestad (‘Tempest’) (2016) and in her fiction Noche de Fuego (‘Prayers for the Stolen’) (2021)? In developing my argument, I propose that Huezo employs a poetics of displacement in her approach to women who have experienced gender-based violence and forced disappearance of family members. Their suffering is explored through displacing their stories with respect to their bodies, sheltering their emotions in visual metaphors and letting their voices wander through the landscape. Her work assists me to explore Adam Ganz’s notes () on the relationship between writing for the screen and oral tradition, as well as Michel Chion’s reflections () on the effect that the displacement of voices has with respect to the body in cinema. It also helps me to inquire into the significance of spaces of trust in the construction of the ‘idea for the screen’ among participants who are not writers and, ultimately, to investigate the nature and the function of art in the context of violence.
Documenting trauma in the age of transitional justice: A study of Jesse Hung Wai-Kin’s (J. C. Hung) documentaries on Taiwan’s Public Television Service
Authors: Wong Lucas Long Hin
Published: January 2025

This article examines the role of documentaries in addressing and healing trauma, as well as the pursuit of historical truthfulness during the age of transitional justice, with a focus on the documentaries of Jesse Hung Wai-Kin (JC Hung; 1950–2018) 洪維健 and its connection to Taiwan’s Public Television Service (PTS). As the first documentary director to concentrate his career on the White Terror period and transitional justice, Hung’s documentaries provide a case study to explore: (1) the impact of White Terror trauma on Hung’s filmmaking and screenwriting, particularly his narrative; (2) the transmission of personal traumatic experiences across generations and (3) the potential educational functions of these documentaries. Engaging with the concept of ‘postmemory’, this article investigates how trauma documentaries may facilitate intergenerational communication. Through a detailed textual analysis of Blind Night 暗夜哭聲 (2006), and ‘J. C. Hung’s study notes’ 洪維健的學習筆記 (2018), this study reveals his subjective, critical, and emotional style, emphasizing how his screenwriting contributes to shaping public perceptions of the historical trauma. Ultimately, this research contends that it is imperative to adopt a more inclusive perspective and respect the testimonies of victims.
Portraying disability with trauma: A case study of documentary screenwriting in presenting visually impaired subject
Authors: Tang Ruohan
Published: January 2025

Screenwriting for documentary films involves authentically and ethically representing real-life subjects, especially challenging when portraying disability. This article examines the screenwriting process for Invisible Summit (2023), directed by Fan Lixin, documenting Zhang Hong, the first visually impaired Asian mountaineer to summit Mount Everest. The research explores how the director balances narrative storytelling with ethical considerations, avoiding stereotypes and exploitation. Through a detailed case study, the analysis delves into Zhang Hong’s early childhood trauma and his sensitivity to social perceptions of disability, highlighting the importance of respecting the subject’s dignity. The article integrates insights from disability studies and trauma theory, advocating for a nuanced portrayal that transcends the ‘inspiration porn’ trope. The findings emphasize the necessity for documentary filmmakers to engage deeply with their subjects, ensuring narratives are grounded in empathy and reality. This approach enriches the documentary’s narrative and challenges traditional media representations of disability, promoting more inclusive and respectful portrayals. The study concludes that authentic representation in documentary screenwriting requires a commitment to ethical storytelling, respecting the complexities of the subject’s experiences and fostering a deeper understanding of disability and trauma among audiences.
El discurso aporofóbico entre el turismo y la migración por expulsión en Medellín y Colombia
Authors: Muñoz Elkin , Lellis Mees Luiz Alexandre
Published: January 2025

Colombia y específicamente Medellín, en los últimos años se han ido abriendo más a las dinámicas globales, debido al relativo cambio de imagen internacional que han logrado; pasando de ser espacios altamente estigmatizados por visitantes externos a ser destinos atractivos por su variedad cultural, natural, histórica y de transformación social. Tales condiciones han permitido que el país y Medellín particularmente, participe de manera amplia en diversas manifestaciones de la movilidad global. Algunas de esas manifestaciones vienen dadas por las prácticas turísticas, pero también la rápida migración venezolana que ha tomado a Colombia como uno de sus principales destinos y tránsitos. En este sentido, el objetivo del artículo es comparar el discurso que se ha creado en Colombia y en Medellín alrededor del turismo y la migración por expulsión. Para ello se utiliza una metodología cualitativa y el Análisis Crítico del Discurso como método de investigación, empleando técnicas como la entrevista y el análisis de contenido. Como principales resultados se encuentra que la diferenciación entre los discursos de uno y otro fenómeno se basa en una visión economicista, donde priman intereses privados que desde el discurso institucional parece responder a los intereses comunes. Es decir, se fomenta y apoya más aquella movilidad que se supone alineada con un mayor ingreso económico, mientras que informalmente se obstaculiza y estigmatiza aquella otra que se supone que se aprovecha de los recursos económicos locales. En este sentido, se concluye que en el caso de Medellín y en Colombia en general, esa relación entre turismo y migración por expulsión más que xenofobia refleja es una aporofobia.
High Yield Oil from Catalytic Pyrolysis of Polyethylene Terephthalate Using Natural Zeolite: A Review
Authors: Sunaryo Sunaryo , Suyitno Suyitno , Arifin Zainal , Setiyo Muji
Published: January 2025

Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) waste has emerged as a critical environmental issue due to its widespread use, particularly in food and beverage packaging. Catalytic pyrolysis with natural zeolite presents a promising approach to convert PET into valuable benzene-rich oil, providing a sustainable pathway for plastic waste management. However, significant challenges persist, notably the generation of acidic byproducts such as terephthalic acid, which may lead to reactor blockages and catalyst deactivation. This review explores the role of natural zeolite catalysts in enhancing PET pyrolysis, facilitating the breakdown of PET into shorter-chain hydrocarbons, and improving oil yield and quality. Various modifications of natural zeolite, including activation, acid treatment, and metal impregnation, are assessed for their effects on catalytic performance. The review further examines mechanistic insights into the reaction pathways, including C–C bond scission, decarboxylation, and aromatization, supported by the acidic sites within zeolite. A bibliometric analysis of studies from 2014 to 2024 identifies research trends and existing gaps in PET pyrolysis, underscoring the need for innovative catalyst designs to reduce energy demands and mitigate unwanted byproducts. Recommendations are also provided for optimizing reaction conditions, including temperature, residence time, and catalyst composition, to enable scalable and energy-efficient PET pyrolysis processes. These findings emphasize the significant potential of natural zeolite as a cost-effective catalyst in transforming PET waste into alternative fuels, contributing to both environmental sustainability and advancements in waste-to-energy catalysis.
Exploring Halophilic Bacteria Bacillus clausii Isolated from Madura Salt Pond: Challenges of Utilization in Hypersaline Microbial Fuel Cells for Fish Processing Wastewater Treatment
Authors: Christwardana Marcelinus , Asy’ari Mukhamad , Saputra Muhammad Ragil , Hadiyanto H.
Published: January 2025

This study investigates the influence of different NaCl concentrations on the performance of halophilic bacterial microbial fuel cells (MFCs) by using Bacillus clausii. The electron transfer rate constant (ks) revealed that MFCs operating at 10% NaCl exhibited the highest value of 2,318 s–1. The corresponding Rs and Rct values for these MFCs were determined to be 10.19 Ω and 4.74 Ω, respectively. Remarkably, the maximum power density (MPD) for MFCs at 10% salinity reached 39.79 ± 0.22 mW/m2, demonstrating a remarkable 33-fold increase compared to MFCs operating without added salinity. Furthermore, the estimated chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal efficiency for fish processing wastewater reached 95.45 ± 1.07%, with MPD of 50.92 ± 0.28 mW/m2. This study underscores the positive impact of salinity on the performance of halophilic bacterial MFCs, offering valuable insights for the optimization of MFC systems in the treatment of saline wastewater, such as fish processing industries.
¿Es útil la entrevista personal como sistema de evaluación?
Authors: Cortès Ferrer Maria Magdalena
Published: January 2025

La buena práctica analiza el uso de la entrevista personal como sistema de evaluación en los grados en educación infantil y primaria en el Centro de Enseñanza Superior Alberta Giménez (CESAG). Se considera un sistema apropiado, puesto que está alineado con los resultados de aprendizaje, aunque presenta alguna dificultad, que ha conseguido resolverse, en la sistematización de las anotaciones para poder proceder a calificar cada entrevista.