bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Radiomics characterization of tissues in an animal brain tumor model imaged using dynamic contrast enhanced (DCE) MRI
Authors: Bagher-Ebadian Hassan , Brown Stephen L. , Ghassemi Mohammad M. , Nagaraja Tavarekere N. , Movsas Benjamin , Ewing James R. , Chetty Indrin J.
Published: July 2023

Here, we investigate radiomics-based characterization of tumor vascular and microenvironmental properties in an orthotopic rat brain tumor model measured using dynamic-contrast-enhanced (DCE) MRI. Thirty-two immune compromised-RNU rats implanted with human U-251N cancer cells were imaged using DCE-MRI (7Tesla, Dual-Gradient-Echo). The aim was to perform pharmacokinetic analysis using a nested model (NM) selection technique to classify brain regions according to vasculature properties considered as the source of truth. A two-dimensional convolutional-based radiomics analysis was performed on the raw-DCE-MRI of the rat brains to generate dynamic radiomics maps. The raw-DCE-MRI and respective radiomics maps were used to build 28 unsupervised Kohonen self-organizing-maps (K-SOMs). A Silhouette-Coefficient (SC), k-fold Nested-Cross-Validation (k-fold-NCV), and feature engineering analyses were performed on the K-SOMs’ feature spaces to quantify the distinction power of radiomics features compared to raw-DCE-MRI for classification of different Nested Models. Results showed that eight radiomics features outperformed respective raw-DCE-MRI in prediction of the three nested models. The average percent difference in SCs between radiomics features and raw-DCE-MRI was: 29.875% ± 12.922%, p < 0.001. This work establishes an important first step toward spatiotemporal characterization of brain regions using radiomics signatures, which is fundamental toward staging of tumors and evaluation of tumor response to different treatments.
A Floquet engineering approach to optimize Schottky junction-based surface plasmonic waveguides
Authors: Herath Kosala , Gunapala Sarath D. , Premaratne Malin
Published: July 2023

The ability to finely control the surface plasmon polariton (SPP) modes of plasmonic waveguides unveils many potential applications in nanophotonics. This work presents a comprehensive theoretical framework for predicting the propagation characteristics of SPP modes at a Schottky junction exposed to a dressing electromagnetic field. Applying the general linear response theory towards a periodically driven many-body quantum system, we obtain an explicit expression for the dielectric function of the dressed metal. Our study demonstrates that the dressing field can be used to alter and fine-tune the electron damping factor. By doing so, the SPP propagation length could be controlled and enhanced by appropriately selecting the intensity, frequency and polarization type of the external dressing field. Consequently, the developed theory reveals an unexplored mechanism for enhancing the SPP propagation length without altering other SPP characteristics. The proposed improvements are compatible with existing SPP-based waveguiding technologies and could lead to breakthroughs in the design and fabrication of state-of-the-art nanoscale integrated circuits and devices in the near future.
Delayed feedback control for chaotic vibration in nonlinear impact dynamics of bouncing agricultural tractor
Authors: Watanabe Masahisa , Sakai Kenshi
Published: July 2023

Agricultural tractors often lose contact and recollide with the ground surface while driving on narrow paddy fields and bumpy farm roads owing to excessive vibrations. These nonlinear impact dynamics can cause chaotic vibrations during tractor operation. Chaotic vibrations are random complex motions that can deteriorate tractor stability and lead to tractor overturning accidents, causing damage to machinery and risk of injury to the operator. This study investigates the theoretical feasibility of chaos control to eliminate chaotic vibrations in tractor dynamics. Delayed feedback (DF) control is employed to eliminate complex vibrations in tractor dynamics. First, the frequency response, bifurcation diagram, and largest Lyapunov exponent are obtained to investigate the nonlinear dynamics of the tractor and identify the parametric region in which chaotic vibrations occur. Subsequently, the DF control is designed based on the trial-and-error method and applied to the tractor dynamics as the driving force control input. The numerical results demonstrate that the DF control can successfully eliminate chaotic vibration and reduce the vibration level. Therefore, this study is expected to contribute to improving the tractor safety by reducing the risk of overturning.
A family of edge-sharing bi-octahedral diruthenium(iii,iii) compounds containing Ru–Ru single bonds
Authors: Guo Li-Xiang , Gao Yao , Zhang Pei , Yang Jian-Hui , Liu Bin
Published: July 2023

Structural, spectroscopic and theoretical calculation of a family of ESBO diruthenium compounds formulated as Ru2(μ-O2CR′)2(μ-OR)2(η-L)2(1–10).
Users' grouping algorithm for fairness improvement of NOMA‐based multi‐beams satellite networks intended for 5G
Authors: Biyoghe Joel , Balyan Vipin
Published: July 2023

Non‐Orthogonal Multiple‐Access (NOMA)‐based Multibeam Satellite Networks (MBSNs) are intended for 5G implementation, and 5G networks set the requirement for both high system capacity as well as high system reliability to all users, which is achieved via high system's fairness. The NOMA network requires a user grouping algorithm (UGA), and most existing UGAs for 2‐users NOMA‐MBSNs, favor the system's capacity maximization with little regard to the system's fairness. Thus, this paper proposes a UGA that maximizes the fairness of 2‐users NOMA‐MBSNs. The algorithm seeks to group 2M users into M‐pairs satisfying three requirements, (i) a minimum channel‐gain margin; (ii) high channel‐correlation coefficients; and (iii) there is high fairness amongst the resulting pairs, in term of their respective channel‐correlation coefficients, to increase the users' fairness of the system. To achieve this, the 2M users are split into two sets of M‐far and M‐near users based on users' channel gains for pairing far and near users with high channel‐correlation coefficients. It will turn it into a maximization Bipartite Matching problem (BPMP) of channel‐correlation coefficients. The BPMP is addressed by means of the Hungarian Method (HM) to ensure high fairness amongst resulting pairs regarding their channel‐correlation coefficients. The proposed UGA demonstrates superior fairness compared to existing UGAs.
Integrated sensing and communication‐promoted beam tracking and coverage for complex vehicular networks
Authors: Zhao Yifeng , Huang Xuan , Chen Ning , Liu Haoran , Huang Lianfen
Published: July 2023

The future vehicle‐to‐everything (V2X) scenarios greatly call for reliable and efficient communication links between roadside units (RSUs) and vehicles. Integrated sensing and communication (ISAC) represents one of the key candidate technologies for 6G, which provides new solutions for this problem. In this paper, the beam tracking design for V2X communication is investigated by exploiting the ISAC technique, where the RSU uses the echoes of the ISAC signals to estimate the motion parameters of the vehicles. Compared with traditional feedback‐based beam tracking, the proposed method can reduce the overall signaling costs and improve communication robustness. Furthermore, to achieve high accuracy and low latency for beam alignment, a Trajectory Adaptive Unscented Kalman Filter (TA‐UKF) beam tracking algorithm is proposed, which obtains the optimal state transition model following the change of the vehicle state. Considering practical application scenarios, an ISAC‐based adaptive beam coverage (ISAC‐AC) scheme is further developed for the beam tracking of extended targets, which can achieve the beam misalignment of vehicles in practical scenarios. Numerical results demonstrate that the proposed beam tracking and coverage strategies outperform baseline approaches.
Polarization dynamics in spin‐VCSELs with integrated surface grating for high birefringence splitting
Authors: Lindemann Markus , Jung Natalie , Manrique‐Nieto Nicolas , Pusch Tobias , Michalzik Rainer , Gerhardt Nils C. , Hofmann Martin R.
Published: July 2023

Polarization dynamics in spin‐polarized vertical‐cavity surface‐emitting lasers (spin‐VCSELs) with high birefringence have recently been demonstrated to offer very high potential for optical data‐transmission systems that outperform their counterparts based on conventional direct current modulation by far. For polarization dynamics in spin‐VCSELs, the birefringence determines the resonance frequency and thus the modulation bandwidth. In previous work, birefringence was controlled using mechanical strain, which lacks the ability to be integrated in standard VCSEL manufacturing processes. In this work the polarization dynamics of a VCSEL with an integrated birefringence control mechanism is demonstrated based on custom designed integrated surface gratings. It is found that, despite the surface grating which is commonly known to stabilize the polarization, the presented spin‐VCSELs are able to generate polarization oscillations with frequencies corresponding to the birefringence induced by the surface grating and show polarization dynamics up to 68 GHz.
The design of non‐stacked and symmetric XOR for high‐speed applications
Authors: Park Minsu , Jin Jahoon , Park Sehoon , Chun jung‐Hoon
Published: July 2023

The paper proposes an advanced exclusive‐OR (XOR) design using a non‐stacked symmetric structure based on complementary pass transistor logic (CPL) for high‐speed applications. The proposed XOR adopts a non‐stacked structure where a cascade structure is used for pull‐up/down paths instead of a cascoded structure, allowing the increase of pull‐up/down strength and thus faster output transitions. The CPL provides a symmetric scheme that further improves the bandwidth by eliminating the deterministic jitter generated from various input patterns. Verified in a 28‐nm CMOS process, the proposed XOR shows 17.2 times smaller data‐dependent jitter compared to the conventional XOR at the data rate near the limit bandwidth of the process.
Attention‐based model for dynamic IR drop prediction with multi‐view features
Authors: Zhu Wenhao , Liu Wu
Published: July 2023

Dynamic IR drop prediction based on machine learning has been studied in recent years. However, most proposed models used all input features extracted from circuits or manually selected parts of raw features as inputs, which failed to differentiate the order of priority among input features in a flexible manner. In this paper, QuantumForest to vector‐based dynamic IR drop prediction is introduced. With the sparse attention mechanism brought by QuantumForest, important attributes of circuits are weighed more heavily than others. A new multi‐view feature creation method is also proposed and a novel regional distance feature is built up subsequently. The performance is evaluated on two chip designs with real simulation vectors. The experiment results indicate that the prediction result of the method outperforms other prominent methods for dealing with machine learning based IR drop analysis, reaching an average MAE of only 1.457  on two designs.
Influence of reference path length on self‐heterodyne‐based Brillouin observation
Authors: Sakamoto Mana , Sasage Haruki , Nakamura Kentaro , Mizuno Yosuke , Lee Heeyoung
Published: July 2023

Fibre‐optic distributed Brillouin sensing that utilises correlation‐domain techniques often requires an optical delay fibre in the reference path to control the correlation peak order in the sensing fibre. Nonetheless, a suboptimal delay fibre length can result in decreased performance. In this work, as a first step towards clarifying the optimal delay fibre length for Brillouin correlation‐domain sensing, the authors evaluate the effect of changing the delay fibre length on the Brillouin gain spectra in a full‐length measurement scenario.
An omega‐k algorithm for multireceiver synthetic aperture sonar
Authors: Zhang Xuebo , Yang Peixuan , Sun Haixin
Published: July 2023

In this Letter, the authors present a novel imaging algorithm for multireceiver synthetic aperture sonar (SAS). The Loffeld's bistatic formula (LBF) including quasi‐monostatic (QM) and multireceiver deformation (MD) phases is first reformulated into range‐variant and range‐invariant phases. After compensating the range‐invariant phase, the subsequent steps are the extended Stolt mapping for each bistatic SAS. Based on simulations, the presented method can also provide high‐resolution result which is similar to that of back projection (BP) algorithm.
Conversion‐less algebraic interleaver architecture for low‐latency IDMA systems
Authors: Kong Byeong Yong
Published: July 2023

This letter presents a conversion‐less algebraic interleaver architecture for low‐latency interleave division multiple access (IDMA) systems. The existing architectures adopt the two‐step approach that first generates a set of sequential indices, and then converts it into a set of interleaved indices, elongating the latency. In contrast, the proposed structure directly produces the interleaved indices by employing a logic that keeps returning the next index corresponding to the current one. As a result, it can greatly alleviate the latency compared with the existing schemes in the literature.
A 0.9 V wideband SPLL with an adaptive fast‐locking circuit achieving 24.68 µs settling time reduction
Authors: Wang Binghui , Shu Zhou , Yang Haigang
Published: July 2023

A low‐power wideband self‐biased phase‐locked loop (SPLL) is proposed for multi‐protocol SerDes applications in this letter. With the proposed adaptive fast‐locking current circuit (AFLCC) and self‐biased charge pump (CP), the settling time is reduced significantly, and no extra power and jitter contribution. In addition, a start‐up module is adopted to reset the system to an optimal initial operating frequency quickly. The proposed 1‐3‐GHz SPLL, fabricated in TSMC 28‐nm CMOS process, occupies a compact 0.028 mm2 area. It achieves a roughly constant settling time of 5 μs over all frequencies and division ratios range. Only 0.96 mW is consumed at 1 GHz frequency.
Fixed frequency beam‐steering using bow‐tie slot based dielectric filled waveguide antenna array
Authors: Bansal Aakash , Panagamuwa Chinthana J. , Whittow William G.
Published: July 2023

The paper presents a new practical design for a 4 × 1 planar switched array of dielectric filled waveguide antennas loaded with bow‐tie shaped slots operating at 26.5 to 29.5 GHz for 5G millimetre‐wave applications. The design is realized as a three‐layered architecture, with the top layer behaving as a radiator, the bottom layer as a feed network and a control circuit; and a common ground plane in the middle layer, offering a small form factor. The bow‐tie slots are used to achieve suitable bandwidth with a stable gain of ∼ 13 dBi. The proposed dielectric filled waveguide (DFW) is shown to offer a 5 deg/GHz freq.‐controlled beam‐sweep and a 70° fixed freq. beam‐steer. With only three switching ICs, it offers low power consumption and fast beam‐steering. Further, a combination of freq.‐controlled beam‐scanning and fixed‐freq. beam‐steering allows for a wide coverage of the antenna.
Tensor‐based mobile channel tracking for IRS‐aided transmission systems
Authors: Su Ying , Zhang Jing
Published: July 2023

In communication and sensing integrations, an intelligent reflective surface (IRS) will provide an auxiliary wireless link to enhance coverage and information transmission quality. For IRS‐aided millimetre wave multi‐input multi‐output systems, the instantaneous cascaded channel is highly dimensional, resulting in the difficulty of acquiring channel state information. This letter proposed a tensor‐based Kalman filtering method. Under a parallel factor decomposition condition, a distributed sub‐filter algorithm is established. This method benefits from low‐dimensional tensor modes and known IRS phase shifts. It can track the channel with a few pilot overheads.
Claw‐pole magnetic levitation torque motor for 2D valve with automatic neutral adjustment
Authors: Huang Jiahui , Song Zhankai , Li Sheng , Ruan Jian
Published: July 2023

In order to solve the problems of complex structure and the difficulty of neutral adjustment of the existing 2D valve electro‐mechanical converter, a kind of claw pole magnetic levitation torque motor (CPMLTM) was proposed, which automatically suspended the rotor in an axially and circumferentially neutral position by using the cogging torque and axial recovery forces between the stator claw pole and the rotor permanent magnet (PM). Compared with the conventional moving iron torque motor, it has positive magnetic stiffness, 1.54 times higher PM utilisation and 33.6% lower mass. A qualitative mathematical model of output torque is derived based on equivalent magnetic circuit model. Then, the response surface method was used to build the second‐order response surface model, and NSGA‐2 was used to optimise the design of five key structural parameters, and the non‐inferior solution sets satisfying the maximisation of the cogging torque, output torque and axial recovery force were obtained. The experimental prototype was developed, and static experiments were carried out on the experimental rigs. The results show that the relationship between the input current and the output angular displacement of the CPMLTM is linearly proportional when the magnetomotive force generated by the coil winding is from −50 to 50 A.
Nonlinear state estimator design and implementation for speed control of a BLDC motor drive using square‐root extended H∞$\text{H}_{\infty}$ filter
Authors: Chandra Kumar Pakki Bharani , Potnuru Devendra , Durairaj Danalakshmi , Manoharan Premkumar , Alhelou Hassan Haes
Published: July 2023

Sensorless speed control of a brushless DC (BLDC) motor, basically a combined control‐observer design, plays a crucial role in several industries, including electrical and aerospace applications. The key idea is to use only electrical (current) sensors and the remaining mechanical states (speed and rotor position) to be estimated using square‐root extended filter (SREF) for a BLDC motor. These estimated states are then fed‐back to the controller. In most of the designs, it is assumed that the BLDC motor plant parameters are constant; however, in reality, their parameters vary due to various intrinsic and extrinsic conditions. Compared to the conventional extended Kalman filter or its square‐root version, the proposed SREF for the BLDC motor has an inherent tendency to deal with parameter uncertainties and hence improves the robustness of the overall system. The robustness of the proposed scheme is tested at various reference speeds for a closed‐loop BLDC drive; further parametric uncertainties in stator resistance, detuning of inductance, and change in load are considered. The proposed control‐observer strategy using SREF is compared with its counterpart square‐root extended Kalman filter (SREKF), and the experimental results validate the efficacy of SREF for speed control of BLDC motor drive during the nominal conditions and in the presence of parametric uncertainties.
A reliable optimization framework for parameter identification of single‐diode solar photovoltaic model using weighted velocity‐guided grey wolf optimization algorithm and Lambert‐W function
Authors: Premkumar Manoharan , Shankar Natarajan , Sowmya Ravichandran , Jangir Pradeep , Kumar Chandrasekaran , Abualigah Laith , Derebew Bizuwork
Published: July 2023

In estimating the parameters of the five unknown parameters Single‐Diode Model (SDM) of the solar photovoltaic (PV) model, a non‐linear equation for the PV cell current is typically utilized. Then, the error between the estimated current and measured current is computed using the objective function called Root‐Mean‐Square‐Error (RMSE). In order to compute the PV cell current in SDM, an iterative method built on the Lambert‐W function is presented in this study. Along with the Lamber‐W function, an optimization algorithm called Weighted Velocity‐Guided Grey Wolf Optimizer (WVGGWO) is used to identify the unknown lumped parameters of SDM of the cell and the module. The proposed WVGGWO is an updated version of the original Grey Wolf Optimizer (GWO). The position update of the GWO has been modified, and the weightage has been provided for the wolf hierarchy. Additionally, by emphasizing the lengthening of each leading wolf's steps towards the others in the earlier search while emphasizing the shortening of the steps while reaching the later iterations, WVGGWO improves both the exploration and exploitation of the original GWO. Four case studies are considered for testing the validity of the proposed algorithm along with the Lambert‐W function. The performance of the proposed approach is compared with seven other well‐known algorithms. The results demonstrate that the suggested approach produces better outcomes than many optimization algorithms.
Role of carbon and nitrogen mineralisation of chitosan and crop straws in ameliorating acidity of acidic Ultisols
Authors: Nkoh Jackson Nkoh , Guan Peng , Shi Ren-yong , Wang Ru-hai , Li Jiu-yu , Xu Ren-kou
Published: July 2023

Context Carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) transformation processes in soils play an important role in the fluctuation of soil pH. Incorporation of chitosan and crop straws, byproducts from fishery and agriculture, into acidic soils can increase soil pH through decarboxylation, decomposition, N immobilisation and ammonification. Aims The study was designed to evaluate the transformation of organic N and C from chitosan and/or crop straws and their effects on soil physicochemical properties. Methods Chitosan, rice straw and maize straw were incubated with two acidic Ultisols from Langxi (Soil 1) and Yingtan (Soil 2) differing in initial pH. Six treatments were prepared in triplicate: control (no amendment), 4% chitosan, 4% rice straw, 4% maize straw, 2% chitosan + 2% rice straw, and 2% chitosan + 2% maize straw. Soil pH, N transformation and CO2 evolution were estimated at different time intervals. Key results After 40 days of incubation, control soil pH decreased by 0.35 and 0.32 units for Soils 1 and 2, respectively. Rice straw, maize straw, chitosan, rice straw–chitosan and maize straw–chitosan significantly increased soil pH by 0.51, 0.17, 2.27, 1.78 and 2.02 units for Soil 1, and 0.71, 0.16, 0.67, 0.49 and 0.68 units for Soil 2 (P < 0.01). The respective treatments decreased exchangeable acidity by 62%, 51%, 95%, 95% and 95% for Soil 1 and 75%, 69%, 88%, 88% and 87% for Soil 2. In treatments containing chitosan, the pH increase resulted from ammonification of organic N and mineralisation of organic C, with the effect higher in Soil 1 than Soil 2. Conclusions Amending acidic soils with chitosan and crop residues can effectively increase soil pH and slow soil acidification rate. Implications This study provides useful information for amelioration of acidic soils.
Determinants of cancer screenings participation in Queensland: a scoping review
Authors: Lui Paraniala Silas C. , Singh Kamal , Nguyen Tam , Kurth Brian , Phan Thuc , Nelson Ashleigh , Danisevska Renata , De Ambrosis Tony
Published: July 2023

Introduction Cancer screening programmes for cervical, breast, and colorectal cancer have successfully reduced mortality rates among target groups. However, a large proportion of women and men are unscreened. Aim This review aims to provide an overview of the literature regarding the determinants of cancer screening participation among target groups in Queensland. Methods Electronic databases were searched for studies on determinants of cancer screening participation in Queensland. Retrieved studies were screened, and eligible articles were selected for data extraction. Both peer-reviewed and grey literature studies were included. The determinants of cancer screening participation were classified according to the I-Change model. Results Sixteen out of 75 articles were selected and analysed. Information factors, such as the lack of tailored strategies, determined cancer screening participation. Age, gender, cultural beliefs, fear and past experiences were the most reported predisposing factors to cancer screening participation. Lack of knowledge, misconceptions, low awareness, timely access to service, privacy and confidentiality were mainly reported awareness and motivation factors. Encouragement from health professionals, providing more information and interactions with communities would result in different effects on cancer screening participation among the target groups. Discussion The I-Change model is a valuable tool in mapping the current determinants of cancer screening participation programs. Further research may be needed to fully understand the barriers and facilitators of cancer screening programs.
Women’s perspectives of direct pharmacy access to oral contraception
Authors: Dev Tara , Buckingham Pip , Mazza Danielle
Published: July 2023

Background Most oral contraception options require a doctor’s prescription in Australia; however, there are many models of direct pharmacy access that have been successfully implemented internationally. Despite these advancements, the most preferable OTC model for consumers is yet to be explored in the international literature, and no prior studies have determined the potential benefits of implementation in Australia. The aim of this study was to explore women’s perspectives and preferences for models of direct pharmacy access to oral contraceptive pills (OCPs). Methods Women participants (n = 20) aged 18–44 residing in Australia were recruited via posts on a community Facebook page and participated in semi-structured telephone interviews. Interview questions were guided by Andersen’s Behavioural Model of Health Service Use. Data were coded and thematically analysed in NVivo 12, using an inductive process to develop themes. Results Participants’ perspectives and preferences in relation to direct pharmacy OCP access were characterised by: (1) the importance of autonomy, accessibility and decreasing stigma; (2) confidence and trust in pharmacists; (3) health and safety concerns regarding OTC access; and (4) the need for varying OTC models to cater for both experienced and first-time users. Conclusion Women’s perspectives and preferences regarding direct pharmacy OCP access can be used to inform potential pharmacy practice advancements in Australia. While direct pharmacy OCP access is at the nexus of heated political debate in Australia, the potential benefits of being able to access OCPs directly from a pharmacist are evidently salient to women. Australian women’s preferred OTC availability models were identified.
Increased DNA strand breaks in spermatozoa of Pxt1 knockout mice
Authors: Pawlicka Bernadetta , Duliban Michał , Zięba Mateusz , Bochenek Michał , Zięba Kamila , Adham Ibrahim , Studencka-Turski Maja , Meinhardt Andreas , Grzmil Paweł
Published: July 2023

Context The Pxt1 gene encodes a male germ cell–specific protein and its overexpression results in male germ cell degeneration and male infertility in transgenic mice. Aims The analysis of the function of Pxt1 during mouse spermatogenesis. Methods The phenotype of Pxt1 knockout mice was characterised by testicular histology, assessment of semen parameters including sperm motility, and DNA fragmentation by flow cytometry. Gene expression was analysed using RT-PCR. Fertility of mutants was checked by standard breeding and competition breeding tests. Key results In Pxt1−/− mice, a strong increase in the sperm DNA fragmentation index (DFI) was observed, while other sperm parameters were comparable to those of control animals. Despite enhanced DFI, mutants were fertile and able to mate in competition with wild type males. Conclusions Pxt1 induces cell death; thus, the higher sperm DFI of mice with targeted deletion of Pxt1 suggests some function for this gene in the elimination of male germ cells with chromatin damage. Implications Ablation of mouse Pxt1 results in enhanced DFI. In humans, the homologous PXT1 gene shares 74% similarity with the mouse gene; thus, it can be considered a candidate for mutation screening in patients with increased DFI.
Activity range and patterns of free-roaming village dogs in a rural Cambodian village
Authors: Ladd Rachel , Meek Paul , Eames Jonathan C. , Leung Luke K.-P.
Published: July 2023

Context Free-roaming dogs are ubiquitous worldwide and pose a threat to wildlife. An understanding of the roaming behaviour of dogs is useful for developing effective management strategies. Aims We aimed to assess the activity ranges and patterns of free-roaming dogs in a rural Cambodian village. An adjacent wildlife sanctuary protects populations of threatened species that may be negatively impacted by dogs. Methods We used rudimentary hand-made GPS collars to track village dogs and quantify their movements. Activity ranges were calculated for male and female dogs, and the mean distances travelled at night and during the day were determined. Additionally, forays outside of the activity range were characterised. Key results We estimated a mean activity range of 178 ± 190 ha and found that dogs typically travelled longer distances at night. Females had significantly smaller activity ranges, as well as covering shorter distances per day. Foray behaviour was variable, with some dogs entering the wildlife sanctuary regularly and others not at all. Conclusions Free-roaming Cambodian dog activity overlapped with native mammals in the study site, posing a risk of predation, resource exclusion, harassment and competition of Cambodian species. Implications The data suggest that although dogs generally spend the majority of their time within the village, there is significant risk to wildlife. Actions are required to mitigate threats to native wildlife, in particular threatened species such as Eld’s Deer.
Transcriptomic profile of lettuce seedlings (Lactuca sativa) response to microalgae extracts used as biostimulant agents
Authors: Santoro Danilo F , Puglisi Ivana , Sicilia Angelo , Baglieri Andrea , La Bella Emanuele , Lo Piero Angela Roberta
Published: July 2023

To reduce the use of chemical fertilizers and maximize agricultural yields, the use of microalgae extracts as biostimulants has recently attracted significant attention due to their favourable impact on both plant growth and their ability to induce tolerance towards environmental stressors. Lettuce (Lactuca sativa) is one of the most important fresh vegetables that often requires applications of chemical fertilizers to increase quality and productivity. Accordingly, the purpose of this study was to analyse the transcriptome reprogramming of lettuce (L. sativa) seedlings in response to either Chlorella vulgaris or Scenedesmus quadricauda extracts by applying an RNAseq approach. Differential gene expression analysis revealed that the core gene set that responded to microalgal treatments in a species-independent manner includes 1330 clusters, 1184 of which were down-regulated and 146 up-regulated, clearly suggesting that the repression of gene expression is the main effect of algal treatments. The deregulation of 7197 transcripts in the C. vulgaris treated seedlings compared to control samples (LsCv vs. LsCK) and 7118 transcripts in the S. quadricauda treated seedlings compared to control samples (LsSq vs. LsCK) were counted. Although the number of deregulated genes turned out to be similar between the algal treatments, the level of deregulation was higher in LsCv versus LsCK than in LsSq versus LsCK. In addition, 2439 deregulated transcripts were observed in the C. vulgaris treated seedlings compared to S. quadricauda treated samples (LsCv vs. LsSq comparison) suggesting that a specific transcriptomic profile was induced by the single algal extracts. ‘Plant hormone signal transduction’ category includes a very elevated number of DEGs, many of them specifically indicating that C. vulgaris actives both genes involved in the auxin biosynthesis and transduction pathways, whereas S. quadricauda up-regulates genes implicated in the cytokinin biosynthesis pathway. Finally, algal treatments induced the deregulation of genes encoding small hormone-like molecules that are known to act alone or by interacting with major plant hormones. In conclusion, this study offers the groundwork to draw up a list of putative gene targets with the aim of lettuce genetic improvement that will allow a limited or even null use of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides in the management of this crop.
Public Interest in the Off-Label Use of Glucagon-like Peptide 1 Agonists (Ozempic) for Cosmetic Weight Loss: A Google Trends Analysis
Authors: Han Sabrina H , Safeek Rachel , Ockerman Kyle , Trieu Nhan , Mars Patricia , Klenke Audrey , Furnas Heather , Sorice-Virk Sarah
Published: July 2023

Glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) agonists are a drug class used for the treatment of diabetes that have recently gained FDA approval for medical management of obesity. The off-label use of Ozempic (Novo Nordisk, Bagsværd, Denmark), the brand name of the GLP-1 agonist semaglutide, for cosmetic weight loss has been popularized by social media and celebrity influence. The aim of this study was to analyze with Google Trends (Alphabet Inc., Mountain View, CA) the recent search popularity of Ozempic and related GLP-1 agonists. The term “Ozempic” was analyzed with Google Trends. Search popularity was assessed in terms of relative search volume (RSV) over a 5-year period. Changes in RSV were further compared with other GLP-1 agonists, “Wegovy” (Novo NordisK) and “Mounjaro” (Eli Lilly and Company, Indianapolis, IN). Between March 2018 and February 2023, overall RSV in “Ozempic” grew exponentially in the United States. Simple linear regression analysis showed significantly increased RSV over time with an R2 of 0.915 and a regression coefficient of 0.957 (P < .001). When comparing “Ozempic,” “Wegovy,” and “Mounjaro” since June 2021 (FDA approval of Wegovy), Ozempic remained at the greatest RSV. One-way analysis of variance found statistically significant differences between the 3 search terms at all time points between December 2021 and February 2023 (P < .001). This study demonstrates a significant and growing public interest in Ozempic and related GLP-1 agonists. As the use of GLP-1 agonists for weight loss becomes more prevalent, plastic surgeons, particularly in the aesthetic setting, must be prepared for the downstream implications. Increased awareness, understanding, and further scientific studies led by plastic surgeons will help deliver the safest possible patient outcomes.

Level of Evidence: 3
Morphological and anatomical evolution of species of Valeriana (Caprifoliaceae) during the uplift of the Andean range
Authors: Cruz Rafael , Klimeš Adam , Doležal Jiří , Sklenář Petr , Klimešová Jitka
Published: July 2023

Andean species of Valeriana are frequently pointed to as an example of island woodiness, i.e. plants with herbaceous ancestors that usually evolve woodier forms on islands. We investigated this phenomenon through morphoanatomical and phylogenetic analyses. Plants were collected in the Páramos of Ecuador and had their vegetative morphology described. Stems were sectioned for histological analyses. We mapped the morphoanatomical data plus the maximum reported size for these and other species of the genus, on phylogenetic trees reconstructed on the basis of previously published sequences. Bigger than their Holarctic counterparts, the ancestor of the South American Valeriana was likely to have had a maximum size of 132 cm, and then after evolved to bigger and smaller sizes in a pattern similar to Brownian motion, as supported by phylogenetic signal values. We classified the collected plants into six growth forms (rosette herbs, semirosette herbs, elevated rosettes, elevated semirosettes, shrubs, and lianas), that are not directly related to variable levels of woodiness, as pointed out by our histological analyses. However, the production of unlignified parenchyma in the wood is very frequent, except in older regions of shrubs. The ancestor of the South American Valeriana is also very likely to have unlignified parenchyma in its wood.
Floral trait variation in a putative hybrid zone between specialist pollination systems: how could it impact pollinator attraction?
Authors: Couto Maria Alice M S , Teixeira Marcelo C , Gope Alexia , Backes Alice , Rodrigues Daniele M , Soares Geraldo L G , Turchetto Caroline
Published: July 2023

Floral traits are used as signals to attract pollinators and play an important role in species identification and isolation. Nicotiana is a genus with a diverse range of flower morphologies, colours, and pollination systems related to a natural history of hybridization, a driver of speciation in this genus. Nicotiana alata and Nicotiana forgetiana are pollinated by hawkmoths and hummingbirds, respectively, and a putative hybrid population was recently found. This population presents flowers with intermediate phenotypes providing an opportunity to investigate the impact of hybridization on floral trait variation. Here we investigated the floral shape, floral pigments, and nectar traits in a putative hybrid population, hereafter termed atypical populations (AP) compared to phenotypes of allopatric populations of both species. We found a high variation in floral pigmentation in AP plants and observed phenotype segregation in some genotypes. Nicotiana forgetiana and AP plants showed the same flavanol peaks as Nicotiana alata, suggesting the same UV-absorbent phenotype attractive to hawkmoths. The geometric morphometric results showed that the intermediate-coloured flowers had similar floral shape and size to N. alata. Our results suggest that the putative hybrid population would be able to attract the same parental pollinator—hawkmoths and hummingbirds—making backcrossing events possible and attracting other pollinators, such as bees.
Heritability and preadult survivorship costs of ectoparasite resistance in the naturally occurring Drosophila–Gamasodes mite system
Authors: Polak Michal , Bose Joy , Benoit Joshua B , Singh Harmanpreet
Published: July 2023

Our understanding of the evolutionary significance of ectoparasites in natural communities is limited by a paucity of information concerning the mechanisms and heritability of resistance to this ubiquitous group of organisms. Here, we report the results of artificial selection for increasing ectoparasite resistance in replicate lines of Drosophila melanogaster derived from a field-fresh population. Resistance, as ability to avoid infestation by naturally co-occurring Gamasodes queenslandicus mites, increased significantly in response to selection and realized heritability (SE) was estimated to be 0.11 (0.0090). Deployment of energetically expensive bursts of flight from the substrate was a main mechanism of host resistance that responded to selection, aligning with previously documented metabolic costs of fly behavioral defenses. Host body size, which affects parasitism rate in some fly–mite systems, was not shifted by selection. In contrast, resistant lines expressed significant reductions in larva-to-adult survivorship with increasing toxic (ammonia) stress, identifying an environmentally modulated preadult cost of resistance. Flies selected for resistance to G. queenslandicus were also more resistant to a different mite, Macrocheles subbadius, suggesting that we documented genetic variation and a pleiotropic cost of broad-spectrum behavioral immunity against ectoparasites. The results demonstrate significant evolutionary potential of resistance to an ecologically important class of parasites.
When the neighborhood matters: contextual selection on seedling traits in native and non-native California grasses
Authors: Waterton Joseph , Mazer Susan J , Cleland Elsa E
Published: July 2023

Plants interact extensively with their neighbors, but the evolutionary consequences of variation in neighbor identity are not well understood. Seedling traits are likely to experience selection that depends on the identity of neighbors because they influence competitive outcomes. To explore this, we evaluated selection on seed mass and emergence time in two California grasses, the native perennial Stipa pulchra, and the non-native annual Bromus diandrus, in the field with six other native and non-native neighbor grasses in single- and mixed-species treatments. We also quantified characteristics of each neighbor treatment to further investigate factors influencing their effects on fitness and phenotypic selection. Selection favored larger seeds in both focal species and this was largely independent of neighbor identity. Selection generally favored earlier emergence in both focal species, but neighbor identity influenced the strength and direction of selection on emergence time in S. pulchra, but not B. diandrus. Greater light interception, higher soil moisture, and greater productivity of neighbors were associated with more intense selection for earlier emergence and larger seeds. Our findings suggest that changes in plant community composition can alter patterns of selection in seedling traits, and that these effects can be associated with measurable characteristics of the community.
Comparison of Claims-Based Frailty Indices in U.S. Veterans 65 and Older for Prediction of Long-Term Institutionalization and Mortality
Authors: Orkaby Ariela R , Huan Tianwen , Intrator Orna , Cai Shubing , Schwartz Andrea W , Wieland Darryl , Hall Daniel E , Figueroa Jose F , Strom Jordan B , Kim Dae H , Driver Jane A , Kinosian Bruce
Published: July 2023

Background

Frailty is increasingly recognized as a useful measure of vulnerability in older adults. Multiple claims-based frailty indices (CFIs) can readily identify individuals with frailty, but whether 1 CFI improves prediction over another is unknown. We sought to assess the ability of 5 distinct CFIs to predict long-term institutionalization (LTI) and mortality in older Veterans.

Methods

Retrospective study conducted in U.S. Veterans ≥65 years without prior LTI or hospice use in 2014. Five CFIs were compared: Kim, Orkaby (Veteran Affairs Frailty Index [VAFI]), Segal, Figueroa, and the JEN-FI, grounded in different theories of frailty: Rockwood cumulative deficit (Kim and VAFI), Fried physical phenotype (Segal), or expert opinion (Figueroa and JFI). The prevalence of frailty according to each CFI was compared. CFI performance for the coprimary outcomes of any LTI or mortality from 2015 to 2017 was examined. Because Segal and Kim include age, sex, or prior utilization, these variables were added to regression models to compare all 5 CFIs. Logistic regression was used to calculate model discrimination and calibration for both outcomes.

Results

A total of 3 million Veterans were included (mean age 75, 98% male participants, 80% White, and 9% Black). Frailty was identified for between 6.8% and 25.7% of the cohort with 2.6% identified as frail by all 5 CFIs. There was no meaningful difference between CFIs in the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve for LTI (0.78–0.80) or mortality (0.77–0.79).

Conclusions

Based on different frailty constructs, and identifying different subsets of the population, all 5 CFIs similarly predicted LTI or death, suggesting each could be used for prediction or analytics.
Challenging refractory type B lactic acidosis in gastric adenocarcinoma—a successfully managed case
Authors: Gobinath Sivakumaran , Gobishangar Sreekanthan , Thanenthiran Antony Joseph , Thuraisamy Sarma Suntharamoorthy Iyer , Theepan Jathavani Mario Maznet , Shathana Paramanathan
Published: July 2023

Type B lactic acidosis is a rare complication of gastric adenocarcinoma and is associated with poor prognosis. Very few cases have been reported in the literature. A 48-year-old female presented with recurrent episodes of vomiting, loss of appetite and loss of weight for 1 month duration. Endoscopy and subsequent biopsy revealed poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma at the pyloric antrum causing gastric outflow obstruction. Contrast enhanced computed tomography scan of the chest, abdomen and pelvis revealed a malignant neoplasm of the pylorus with no distant metastasis. She developed refractory lactic acidosis not responding to medical treatment. Distal gastrectomy with limited lymph node clearance was done and lactic acidosis improved. Pathophysiology of type B lactic acidosis in solid organ malignancies can be due to the rapid turnover of cells inducing anaerobic glycolysis, thiamine deficiency and extensive hepatic metastasis. This patient did not have hepatic metastasis. This is a successful, surgically managed case of type B lactic acidosis in a patient with gastric adenocarcinoma so far reported in the region. Type B lactic acidosis is very rare in gastric cancer. Patients with refractory lactic acidosis should bring about high suspicion of solid organ malignancies and good clinical outcomes can be obtained by the reduction of tumour burden.
BRUTUS-LIKE (BTSL) E3 ligase-mediated fine-tuning of Fe regulation negatively affects Zn tolerance of Arabidopsis
Authors: Stanton Camilla , Rodríguez-Celma Jorge , Krämer Ute , Sanders Dale , Balk Janneke
Published: July 2023

The mineral micronutrients zinc (Zn) and iron (Fe) are essential for plant growth and human nutrition, but interactions between the homeostatic networks of these two elements are not fully understood. Here we show that loss of function of BTSL1 and BTSL2, which encode partially redundant E3 ubiquitin ligases that negatively regulate Fe uptake, confers tolerance to Zn excess in Arabidopsis thaliana. Double btsl1 btsl2 mutant seedlings grown on high Zn medium accumulated similar amounts of Zn in roots and shoots to the wild type, but suppressed the accumulation of excess Fe in roots. RNA-sequencing analysis showed that roots of mutant seedlings had relatively higher expression of genes involved in Fe uptake (IRT1, FRO2, and NAS) and in Zn storage (MTP3 and ZIF1). Surprisingly, mutant shoots did not show the transcriptional Fe deficiency response which is normally induced by Zn excess. Split-root experiments suggested that within roots the BTSL proteins act locally and downstream of systemic Fe deficiency signals. Together, our data show that constitutive low-level induction of the Fe deficiency response protects btsl1 btsl2 mutants from Zn toxicity. We propose that BTSL protein function is disadvantageous in situations of external Zn and Fe imbalances, and formulate a general model for Zn–Fe interactions in plants.
Step by Step: Radiologic Features of Pulmonary Vascular Disease Made Simple
Authors: Gambetta Sofía , Mariussi Miriana , Ferrario Cecilia
Published: July 2023

“Pulmonary vascular disease” is a broad term that includes any condition that affects the blood vessels within the lungs. Most of these pathologies have similar radiologic findings, thus clinical and histopathologic complements are essential tools for an appropriate diagnosis. This article provides methodologic radiology guidelines to approach the diagnosis of the most frequent pathologies that involve pulmonary vascularity.