bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Microbial Revolution in the World of Joint Replacement Surgery
Authors: Srikrishnaraj Arjuna , Lanting Brent A. , Burton Jeremy P. , Teeter Matthew G.
Published: April 2024

Background:

The prevalence of revision surgery due to aseptic loosening and periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) following total hip and knee arthroplasty is growing. Strategies to prevent the need for revision surgery and its associated health-care costs and patient morbidity are needed. Therapies that modulate the gut microbiota to influence bone health and systemic inflammation are a novel area of research.

Methods:

A literature review of preclinical and clinical peer-reviewed articles relating to the role of the gut microbiota in bone health and PJI was performed.

Results:

There is evidence that the gut microbiota plays a role in maintaining bone mineral density, which can contribute to osseointegration, osteolysis, aseptic loosening, and periprosthetic fractures. Similarly, the gut microbiota influences gut permeability and the potential for bacterial translocation to the bloodstream, increasing susceptibility to PJI.

Conclusions:

Emerging evidence supports the role of the gut microbiota in the development of complications such as aseptic loosening and PJI after total hip or knee arthroplasty. There is a potential for microbial therapies such as probiotics or fecal microbial transplantation to moderate the risk of developing these complications. However, further investigation is required.

Clinical Relevance:

Modulation of the gut microbiota may influence patient outcomes following total joint arthroplasty.
Management of Capitellar Osteochondritis Dissecans
Authors: Akins Xavier A. , Javid Kashif , Stone Austin V.
Published: April 2024

» Osteochondritis dissecans of the capitellum is a localized compromise of bone that may lead to subchondral collapse with articular cartilage damage and loose body formation.

» The etiology is multifactorial; proposed mechanisms include repetitive microtrauma, vascular insufficiency, and genetic predisposition.

» Diagnosis is based on patient presentation, clinical examination, diagnostic imaging, and intraoperative findings.

» Management is dependent on lesion characteristics, with stable lesions amenable to nonoperative treatment and unstable lesions managed with surgical intervention.

» Adolescent athletes can expect a return to their preinjury level of activity or competition following indicated surgical intervention.
Production Forecast of Deep-Coalbed-Methane Wells Based on Long Short-Term Memory and Bayesian Optimization
Authors: Wang Danqun , Li Zhiping , Fu Yingkun
Published: April 2024

This study analyzes the production behaviors of six deep coalbed-methane (CBM) wells (>1980 m) completed in the Ordos Basin and presents a machine-learning method to predict gas production for six target wells. The production behaviors of target wells are characterized with several months of rapidly declining pressure, following by several years of stabilized gas rate and pressure. Production data analysis suggests a relatively large amount of free gas (but limited free water) in coal seams under in-situ condition. The production mechanisms generally transit from free-gas expansion and fracture/cleat closure at early stage to gas desorption at later stage. We treated the target wells’ production data as time-series data and applied the Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) model on the target wells for gas-rate predictions. We also employed a Bayesian-probabilistic method to optimize the LSTM model (BO-LSTM). Our results demonstrate the BO-LSTM model’s robustness in gas-rate predictions for target wells. Also, treating casing pressure and liquid level as inputs is sufficient for the BO-LSTM model to reach a reliable production forecast. This study provides a promising tool to forecast the gas production of deep-CBM wells using surface rates and pressure data. The findings of this study may guide the reservoir management and development-strategy optimizations of deep-CBM reservoirs.
WITHDRAWN: Cytotoxicity and wound healing efficacy of biosynthesis ZnO Nanoparticles Using Aspergillus niger against Multidrug Resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa
Authors: Moustafa Elham E. , Hewedy Maha A. , Abdelbary Salah , Mohammed Howida R. , Kheiralla Zeinab M.H.
Published: April 2024

The full text of this preprint has been withdrawn by the authors while they make corrections to the work. Therefore, the authors do not wish this work to be cited as a reference. Questions should be directed to the corresponding author.
Effect of training effort on neuromuscular control, static balance and muscle mechanical properties in ice hockey players
Authors: Smolarek Marcin , Michalik Kamil , Bieniec Anna , Mroczek Dariusz
Published: April 2024

In the study we aimed to determine the impact of training effort on neuromuscular control, static balance and mechanical properties of muscles depending on the sports level/competition experience in hockey players of the academic and senior teams. The study was conducted on hockey players of the senior team (n = 17) and the academic team (n = 21). All measurements were made in the sports hall and ice rink where both teams train. We measured the muscle stiffness, postural stability and competitor's jump height before and after training. The most important observation was that after the end of the same training unit, the senior team players achieved higher values in the CMJ (p = .000102) and SJ (p = .000020) tests and lower values in the stabilometric tests than the academic players. This may indicate a high training adaptation visible in athletes with a longer training experience, in whom an increased level of power and improvement in balance were observed, despite the increasing training fatigue. Our results suggest increased ice hockey-specific training adaptation and exercise tolerance in players with extended training experience. This information shows a more significant impact of training experience than chronological age.
Physics and physiology determine strategies of bacterial investment in flagellar motility
Authors: Sourjik Victor , Lisevich Irina , Colin Remy , Yang Hao Yuan , Ni Bin
Published: April 2024

Regulatory strategies that allow microorganisms to balance their investment of limited resources in different physiological functions remain poorly understood, particularly for numerous cellular functions that are not directly required for growth. Here, we investigate the allocation of resources to flagellar swimming, the most prominent and costly behavior in bacteria that is not directly required for growth. We show that the dependence of motile behavior on gene expression is determined by the hydrodynamics of propulsion, which limits the ability of bacteria to increase their swimming by synthesizing more than a critical number of flagellar filaments. Together with the fitness cost of flagellar biosynthesis, this defines the physiologically relevant range of investment in motility. Gene expression in all E. coli isolates tested falls within this range, with many strains maximizing motility under nutrient-rich conditions, particularly when grown on a porous medium. The hydrodynamics of swimming may further explain the bet-hedging behavior observed at low levels of motility gene expression.
Potential social-environmental factors affecting ADHD symptoms of 55528 children from Longhua district, Shenzhen, China
Authors: Chen Jianhui , Yang Xiao-nan , Yang Yan-ni , Li Rong , Zhang Xiao-xiao , Wu Jian-Bo
Published: April 2024

Objective:
Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a common childhood behavioral disorder which often persists into adulthood and is correlated with a broad range of other mental or behavioral problems. Some researches have indicated that social-environmental factors could be influential on children with ADHD, but none has a large sample size and most of them lack of data of social-environmental factors from early childhood. Therefore, we aimed to assess the frequency and duration of outdoor activities of preschool-age children at their age of 0–1 and 1–3 and to explore their association with ADHD symptoms.
Methods
We conducted a retrospective study. We distributed questionnaires to a 59,600 sample of parents of children enrolled in 250 kindergartens in Longhua District, Shenzhen, China. We collected data on sociodemographic characteristics, outdoor activities frequency and duration. We assessed ADHD symptoms with the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ).
Results
55528 valid questionnaires were finally included in the study. The prevalence of ADHD symptoms was 6.9%, with a higher score in boys (3.76 ± 1.96 vs. 3.42 ± 1.87, P < 0.001). There was a significant difference in ADHD symptoms between high level of household monthly income and low level of household monthly income (F = 261.478, P < 0.001). There was a significant association between higher frequency and duration of outdoor activitiesand lower ADHD symptoms scores (P < 0.001).
Conclusion
Higher frequency and duration of outdoor activities in early childhood may reduce the ADHD symptoms in children. More participation in outdoor activities should be encouraged to manage ADHD symptoms. Continued research should be conducted to better understand the mechanisms behind this association and to tailor interventions to the diverse needs of children with ADHD.
A screen of plant-based natural products revealed that quercetin prevents amyloid-β uptake in astrocytes as well as resulting astrogliosis and synaptic dysfunction
Authors: Arndt Helene , Bachurski Mark , Yuanxiang PingAn , Franke Katrin , Wessjohann Ludger A. , Kreutz Michael R. , Grochowska Katarzyna M.
Published: April 2024

Two connected histopathological hallmarks of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) are chronic neuroinflammation and synaptic dysfunction. The accumulation of the most prevalent posttranslationally modified form of Aβ1–42, pyroglutamylated amyloid-β (Aβ3(pE)-42) in astrocytes is directly linked to glial activation and the release of proinflammatory cytokines that in turn contribute to early synaptic dysfunction in AD. At present the mechanisms of Aβ3(pE)-42 uptake to astrocytes are unknown and pharmacological interventions that interfere with this process are not available. Here we developed a simple screening assay to identify substances from a plant extract library that prevent astroglial Aβ3(pE)-42 uptake. We first show that this approach yields valid and reproducible results. Second, we show endocytosis of Aβ3(pE)-42 oligomers by astrocytes and that quercetin, a plant flavonol, is effective to specifically block astrocytic buildup of oligomeric Aβ3(pE)-42. Importantly, quercetin does not induce a general impairment of endocytosis. However, it efficiently protects against early synaptic dysfunction following exogenous Aβ3(pE)-42 application.
CatPred: A comprehensive framework for deep learning in vitro enzyme kinetic parameters kcat, Km and Ki
Authors: Maranas Costas , Boorla Veda Sheersh
Published: April 2024

Quantification of enzymatic activities still heavily relies on experimental assays, which can be expensive and time-consuming. Therefore, methods that enable accurate predictions of enzyme activity can serve as effective digital twins. A few recent studies have shown the possibility of training machine learning (ML) models for predicting the enzyme turnover numbers (kcat) and Michaelis constants (Km) using only features derived from enzyme sequences and substrate chemical topologies by training on in vitro measurements. However, several challenges remain such as lack of standardized training datasets, evaluation of predictive performance on out-of-distribution examples, and model uncertainty quantification. Here, we introduce CatPred, a comprehensive framework for ML prediction of in vitro enzyme kinetics. We explored different learning architectures and feature representations for enzymes including those utilizing pretrained protein language model features and pretrained three-dimensional structural features. We systematically evaluate the performance of trained models for predicting kcat, Km, and inhibition constants (Ki) of enzymatic reactions on held-out test sets with a special emphasis on out-of-distribution test samples (corresponding to enzyme sequences dissimilar from those encountered during training). CatPred assumes a probabilistic regression approach offering query-specific standard deviation and mean value predictions. Results on unseen data confirm that accuracy in enzyme parameter predictions made by CatPred positively correlate with lower predicted variances. Incorporating pre-trained language model features is found to be enabling for achieving robust performance on out-of-distribution samples. Test evaluations on both held-out and out-of-distribution test datasets confirm that CatPred performs at least competitively with existing methods while simultaneously offering robust uncertainty quantification. CatPred offers wider scope and larger data coverage (~ 23k, 41k, 12k data-points respectively for kcat, Km and Ki). A web-resource to use the trained models is made available at: https://tiny.cc/catpred
De novo mutations promote inflammation in children with STAT3 gain-of-function syndrome by affecting IL-1β expression
Authors: Chen Jiyu , Li Yan-Fang , Jiang Xue-Mei , Bi Xin , Yang Mi-Feng , Zhou Zhu , Zhao Bo
Published: April 2024

Background
STAT3 Gain-of-Function (GOF) syndrome characterized by early onset autoimmunity and primary immune regulatory disorder, the immunological mechanisms remain poorly understood.
Employing whole-genome sequencing within familial trios, our study elucidated the pivotal role of de novo mutations in genetic diseases.
Results
We identified 37 high-risk pathogenic loci affecting 23 genes, notably including the novel STAT3c.508G>A mutation. Furthermore, significant downregulation of pathogenic genes in affected individuals, potentially associated with inflammatory responses regulated by PTPN14 via miR378c, was observed.
Conclusion
These findings not only contribute to our understanding of the pathogenesis but also highlight potential therapeutic strategies. Our study suggests that combined JAK inhibitors and IL-6R antagonists could offer promising avenues for mitigating the severity of these genetic disorders.
The asymmetry of the aquatic macrophyte response to temperature increases with global warming and has to be accounted for in phytoindication
Authors: Zhukov Olexander , Kunakh Olga
Published: April 2024

The study revealed the relationship between geographic and habitat estimates of the optimum of macrophyte species under temperature gradient conditions. How the estimates correlated with the point and habitat scales of the indicators was determined. The results indicate that the abundance of many species decreases sharply under extreme conditions caused by rising temperatures. The Didukh scales, after applying the ideal indicator method, provide a high level of accuracy for temperature estimation. The explanatory power of the Ellenberg scale was somewhat lower, which can be explained by the fact that this scale is "tuned" to optimal values, and under extreme conditions of factor action, the parameters of niche tolerance to which the Didukh scale is "tuned" have a limiting value. In addition, under extreme conditions, species responses to the impact of a factor often or always deviate from a symmetric model that does not take into account traditional Ellenberg scale values. At the landscape level, changes in temperature are associated with changes in oxygen, electrical conductivity and turbidity. Among the morphological characteristics of water bodies, shoreline development has the greatest influence on the temperature regime. The method of the ideal indicator, which takes into account the asymmetric distribution of species responses, has shown a high ability to indicate the temperature regime of water bodies in the Dnipro floodplain.
Explainability of CNN-based Alzheimer’s Disease Detection from Online Handwriting
Authors: Sweidan Jana , El-Yacoubi Mounim A. , Rigaud Anne-Sophie
Published: April 2024

With over 55 million people globally affected by dementia and nearly 10 million new cases reported annually, Alzheimer’s disease is a prevalent and challenging neurodegenerative disorder. Despite significant advancements in machine learning techniques for Alzheimer’s disease detection, the widespread adoption of deep learning models raises concerns about their explainability. The lack of explainability in deep learning models for online handwriting analysis is a critical gap in the literature in the context of Alzheimer’s disease detection. This paper addresses this challenge by interpreting predictions from a Convolutional Neural Network applied to multivariate time series data, generated by online handwriting data associated with continuous loop series handwritten on a graphical tablet. Our explainability methods reveal distinct motor behavior characteristics for healthy individuals and those diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. This emphasizes the critical role of explainability in translating complex models into clinically relevant insights. Our research contributes to the enhancement of early diagnosis, providing significant and reliable insights to stakeholders involved in patient care and intervention strategies. Our work bridges the gap between machine learning predictions and clinical insights, fostering a more effective and understandable application of advanced models for Alzheimer’s disease assessment.
Fusarium equiseti Causes Leaf Rot in Hylotelephium erythrostictum in China
Authors: Yin Fuqiang , jiang jiamin , Song Zhen , Xu Qin , Ma Wanli , Liu Ming , Qi Junseng
Published: April 2024

Colonies with similar molecular characterisation were isolated from rotten leaves of Hylotelephium erythrostictum collected from the Chinese Medicine Herbal Cultural EXPO Garden of Three Gorges, Chongqing, China. In this study, the pathogen that caused these symptoms was identified as Fusarium equiseti using morphological observation, molecular characterisation (ITS, RPB2 and CAMD) and a pathogenicity test. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of F. equiseti as a pathogen of H. erythrostictum. The findings of the present study are expected to contribute to the knowledge of H. erythrostictum-associated diseases in China and provide an essential foundation for the development of effective pre-harvest disease management strategies to curb disease spread.
National continuous professional development processes and systems for midwifery educators in low-and-middle-income-countries: a systematic review
Authors: Shikuku Duncan N , Bar-Zeev Sarah , Ameh Charles
Published: April 2024

Background
Strengthening the capacity of midwifery educators through continuous professional development (CPD) is a critical component of improving quality midwifery care provision and thus reducing maternal and newborn mortality. Variation in the quality and standards of midwifery educator training, scope of practice, weak regulation, and lack of opportunities for educators to update their knowledge or skills competencies are known barriers to midwifery educator development in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Most CPD programmes specific for midwifery educators have been implemented in high income settings and little is known about the availability, content and effectiveness of such programmes in LMICs that experience the greatest burden of maternal and newborn mortality and mobidity. This review appraises the current approaches, content and effectiveness of midwifery educator CPD programmes in LMICs.
Methods
An in-depth literature search across five databases was undertaken between 2000–2021. Quality appraisal based on internal and external validity was conducted and a combined numerical summary and categorical description were undertaken. A narrative synthesis and the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) was used for reporting. The protocol was registered in PROSPERO (CRD42021283273).
Results
Twenty-two papers met inclusion criteria although many did not report on CPD directly but focused on midwifery educator development initiatives. All the studies included were of good quality. Main CPD approaches identified was twinning (international collaborations employing the train-the-trainer approach). Others were greenfield, directed by regulators and formal program guided by an international midwifery/medical body. No formal CPD program managed by a national nursing/midwifery regulator or international midwifery body was identified. Content covered included: educational approaches in curriculum design and teaching; research; leadership and management in health; and project management & evaluation. Immediate outputs and outcomes of these programmes contributed to personal/professional development/promotions, institutional improvements in midwifery teaching and learning, and maternal newborn health systems. Few studies measured effectiveness of the CPD programmes.
Conclusion
There is low evidence of midwifery educator specific CPD programmes to maintain competence in LMICs. There is need for clear guidance from national regulatory bodies to inform the design of regulator accredited midwifery educator CPD programmes at country level. Robust evaluation of existing CPD programmes to measure effectiveness/impact is required.
Research on the Interaction Mechanism between Landslides and Tunnels: A Case Study of the Walibie Tunnel in Southwest China
Authors: Zhou Wenjiao , Fan Jiawei , Qiu Shumao , Zhang Yufang
Published: April 2024

The construction of tunnels can easily trigger the reactivation of old landslide bodies, posing a threat to the transportation safety. In this study, using methods such as engineering geological investigation, slope deformation monitoring, deep displacement monitoring, and numerical simulation, the interaction between landslides and tunnels was investigated from the perspective of landslide deformation and failure characteristics. The Walibie Tunnel (WLBT) of Shangri-La to Lijiang (XL) Expressway was taken as an example. The results showed that there were two unstable slopes developed in the upper part of the tunnel, with the new active landslides. Shallow and deep creeping deformation zones also exist within the landslide area. Combining the position of the deformation zones of the unstable slopes and the actual tunnel damage observed, it was determined that the failure mode of the tunnel was longitudinal tensile fracture in the traction section-tunnel. Numerical simulation and field investigation revealed the mechanism of interaction between the WLBT and landslides: the traction section of the tunnel passed through the unstable slope parallelly, and during the continuous opening and expansion process at the rear edge of the unstable slope, a significant tensile force was exerted on the tunnel, resulting in initial tensile fracture damage.
A Lophomonas infection mimicking Angina: An extremely rare case report
Authors: Hadid Noura , Ahmad Heya Ahmad , Tawashi Kenana , Al-Ghotani Basel , Kassem Ali , Assaf Amal
Published: April 2024

Background: Lophomonas is a non-aerobic protozoan parasite. This parasite has the ability to invade the respiratory tract. It presents with non-specific clinical manifestations. The gold standard for diagnosis is microscopic examination. The drug of choice for the treatment is Metronidazole. We report a rare case of Lophomonas infection that manifested with a dry cough and chest tightness, which was not reported in the medical literature previously.
Case presentation: We report the case of a 45-year-old asian male who experienced episodes of chest tightness and cough. He showed elevated numbers of Eosinophils and IGE. A bronchoscopy was performed to investigate the presence of elevated Eosinophils in the bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL). The microscopic examination of BAL detected a parasite with flagella. The Giemsa staining procedure confirmed the diagnosis of Lophomonas. He was cured with Metronidazole. Now the patient is in good condition.
Conclusions: Even if Lophomonas is a rare and unexpected diagnosis, we should keep it in mind as a probable cause in patients with unspecific manifestations and radiological and laboratory investigations. In addition, biosecurity procedures should be taken especially in endemic regions and workplaces.
Evaluation of a targeted congenital cytomegalovirus testing strategy: utilizing cytomegalovirus IgM antibody screening followed by DNA diagnosis
Authors: Li Dongming , Zhuo Weiyuan , Liang Zhikun , Feng Yuanyuan , Pan Minzhu , Fu Chunyun , Hu Xuehua
Published: April 2024

Background: Congenital cytomegalovirus (cCMV) infection is a prominent global public health concern due to its association with enduring neurological sequelae and sensorineural hearing impairments. Despite the recommendation for universal cCMV screening, its implementation remains limited. Consequently, alternative targeted testing strategies have been explored to augment detection rates. This study aimed to assess the efficacy of a targeted strategy for screening for cCMV utilizing CMV-IgM antibody screening followed by DNA diagnosis.
Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted, utilizing data collected between January 2013 and December 2022, encompassing all infants who underwent early cCMV testing. The testing protocol entailed an initial screening of CMV-IgM antibodies, subsequently confirmed through the detection of CMV-DNA in urine, blood, or both, to ascertain cCMV infection. Comprehensive data pertaining to infant presentation, test modalities, and outcomes were recorded for subsequent analysis.
Results: Of the total 60,950 infants subjected to CMV-IgM testing, 816 progressed to CMV-DNA diagnostic testing. Indications for CMV-DNA testing encompassed clinical symptoms (84.31%), maternal HIV infection (8.09%), maternal CMV infection (7.23%), and fetal CMV infection (0.37%). Among the tested population, 95 infants received a diagnosis of cCMV infection, accounting for 0.16% of all screened infants, 11.64% of those who underwent CMV-DNA testing, and 94.74% of symptomatic infants. Fifteen different symptoms were identified, with the highest detection rates for cCMV being hepatitis (38.46%, 5/13), intestinal intussusception (33.33%, 2/6), abnormal CNS imaging (25%, 3/12), jaundice (16.24%, 57/351), sepsis (16.13%, 15/95), and pneumonitis (14.29%, 37/259). The sensitivity and specificity of CMV-IgM screening for cCMV, based on CMV-DNA diagnosis, were determined to be 69.47% and 94.59%, respectively.
Conclusions: The targeted testing strategy utilizing CMV-IgM antibody screening followed by DNA diagnosis exhibits promising potential in substantially enhancing the detection rate of infants affected by cCMV who might otherwise remain undiagnosed. Further investigation is warranted to validate and optimize this approach, as well as assess its feasibility, implementation, and cost-effectiveness in diverse clinical settings.
Work from home, time allocations, and wellbeing: The impact of lockdowns
Authors: Giménez-Nadal José Ignacio , Velilla Jorge
Published: April 2024

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the incidence of WFH skyrocketed as business closed and distancing standards were mandated, exposing many workers to a remote work arrangement. How working from home (WFH) affects worker time management, activity timing, and enjoyment, considering gender differences and pandemic phases, is explored in the current study. The study uses real-time data from the UK Click-and-Drag Diary covering pre-pandemic, lockdown, and post-pandemic periods. Findings show no significant overall impact on time allocations, but reveal gender disparities: pre-pandemic, WFH involved less paid work and more leisure among women, but during lockdowns, patterns converged. No notable differences in instant enjoyment were found between WFH and non-WFH employees, though pre-pandemic negative correlations in women's WFH leisure time vanished during and post-pandemic. The economic implications span across labor productivity, gender dynamics in employment, business model adaptation, and work-life balance. These findings could impact corporate policies, human resource strategies, and the design of governmental policies related to the labor market and gender equality.
JEL classification: J16, J22.
Assessing the phytoextraction of Cd, Pb, and Zn from a slag-contaminated soil by legume species inoculated with rhizobial strains
Authors: Silva Jessyca Adriana Gomes Florêncio , Freitas Ana Dolores Santiago , Silva Vinicius Santos Gomes , Rosália Carolina Etienne , Fernandes Paulo Ivan , Melo Aline Fernandes , Souza Pablo Acácio Santos , Oliveira Andressa Silva , Santos Nielson Machado , Nascimento Clistenes Williams Araújo
Published: April 2024

Metal-polluted soils can pose a severe threat to the environment and need remediation. We assessed the potential of jack bean and mucuna inoculated with rhizobial strains on the phytoremediation of soils contaminated by lead (Pb) smelting activities in Santo Amaro, Bahia state, the most severe case of Pb contamination in Brazil. Plants were grown in pots containing soils with three contamination levels for Pb, cadmium (Cd), and zinc (Zn) based on the distance from the chimney of the abandoned Pb smelter plant. Legumes and inoculated strains were tolerant to soil contamination. The BR 2811 strain is potentially indicated to increase jack bean biomass. The Cd, Pb, and Zn concentrations in plants were highest when grown on the soil with the highest contamination level. We found significant interactions between strains and soil contamination levels for phytoextraction efficiency. However, soil's very high metal contents can make phytoextraction unfeasible due to the time required to bring the metals to regulatory concentrations. The Cd, Pb, and Zn net removal from soil was proportional to increased contamination levels. The legumes did not show potential for Pb phytoextraction, but they have the potential for Zn phytoextraction and Cd phytostabilization. The BR 2811, BR 3501, and BR 7606 strains were the most promising to increase the phytoremediation potential of jack bean and mucuna.
Real-time Monitoring of Urban Roadway Health: Utilizing GPR Techniques for Early Detection and Classification of Subsurface Cavity Diseases
Authors: Shrestha Rohit , Zhang Zhihou
Published: April 2024

The effectiveness of ground penetrating radar (GPR) in identifying and categorizing diseases that occur underground beneath the surfaces of urban roads is investigated in this study. Both 2D and 3D forward modeling use simulation with the GprMax program to show the response characteristics of common cavity illnesses, which facilitates interpretation in practical situations. The cavity morphology classification accuracy is improved to 90.5% by using convolutional neural networks (CNNs), specifically transfer learning with AlexNet. This method outperforms existing approaches even with minimal data. Four primary types are identified from an analysis of 1965 subsurface cavity data: hollow bodies, empty bodies, loose bodies, and water-rich bodies. These categories are important for evaluating road risks such as voids and subsidence. However, it is still difficult to interpret picture features linked to cavity diseases accurately because of a variety of elements, such as anthropogenic, environmental, and geological influences. However, the accurate interpretation and recognition of image features related to cavity diseases remain challenging. Moreover, there are various factors involved in the formation of underground diseases and cavities, including geological and environmental factors, physical and chemical properties of the geotechnical materials, anthropogenic engineering activity and social population or commercial effects.
Elevated production of 3-hydroxypropionic acid in recombinant Escherichia coli by metabolic engineering
Authors: Wang Yanwei , Huang Hongrong , You Wenhua , Abdallah Mutaz Mohammed , Gyapong Aduhene Albert , Yang Hongyi , Wang Pengchao , Liu Changli , Li Lixin
Published: April 2024

Background: 3-Hydroxypropionic acid (3-HP) is a platform compound that can produce many chemical commodities. This study focuses on establishing and optimizing the production of 3-HP in E. coli. We constructed a series of engineered E.coli strains which can produce 3-HP via the malonyl-CoA pathway. To increase the techniques the metabolic flux of precursor acetyl-CoA, CRISPR/Cas9-based DNA editing techniques were used to knock out the genes encoding pyruvate oxidase (poxB), lactate dehydrogenase (ldhA) and phosphate transacetylase (pta) reducing the by-products consumption. Simultaneously, to elevate the production of 3-HP and reduce the burden of the recombinant plasmid in Escherichia coli, the critical precursor of the malonyl-CoA pathway, acetyl-CoA carboxylase gene (accDABC), was overexpressed on the genome.
Results: We overexpressed the codon-optimized malonyl-CoA reductase gene (mcr) and increased 3-HP production also via adaptive laboratory evolution using the PpHpdR/PhpdH system to construct metabolite biosensors based on transcription factors. Combining the above metabolic engineering efforts with media and fermentation conditions optimization in a fermentor agitation resulted in the 3-HP titer of the engineered strain increasing about 63.5 times from the initial 0.34 g/L to 21.6 g/L.
Conclusions: This study encourages further bioprocess development to produce 3-HP from the malonyl-CoA pathway.
Investigation of electrical conductivity and oxygen relaxation behavior for BaBi0.98Sr0.02Nb5-xTixO15 ceramics
Authors: zou qirui , Hu xinyu , cao shuyao , wang weiguo , li xianyu , zhao qinfu , kang fang , zhang ping , chen lei , wang dan , hao gangling
Published: April 2024

BaBiNb5O15-based oxide ion conductors have shown promise for solid fuel cell applications at medium temperatures. In this study, the grain conductivity of the BaBi0.98Sr0.02Nb5−xTixO15−δ (x = 0.02, 0.04, 0.05, 0.06, 0.08) specimens was fabricated using conventional solid-state synthesis to thoroughly examine their electrical characteristics and oxygen relaxation tendencies. With increasing the Ti content, the bulk conductivity of the BaBi0.98Sr0.02Nb5−xTixO15−δ samples showed a trend of increasing first and then decreasing. When the doped Ti content reached 5 mol%, the highest bulk conductivity of BaBi0.98Sr0.02Nb5−xTixO15−δ samples can be got, 5.27×10− 5 S/cm at 773 K. According to the dielectric relaxation spectroscopy measurement, the BaBi0.98Sr0.02Nb4.95Ti0.05O15−δ sample exhibits the higher moveable oxygen vacancy concentration and mobility of oxygen vacancies. This could be the possible reason that there is the highest bulk conductivity in the BaBi0.98Sr0.02Nb4.95Ti0.05O15−δ sample. Additionally, the influence of sintering temperature on the electrical properties of the BaBi0.98Sr0.02Nb4.95Ti0.05O15−δ compound was investigated. When the BaBi0.98Sr0.02Nb4.95Ti0.05O15−δ sample is sintered at a temperature of 1423K, it exhibits the best bulk conductivity and total conductivity.
Dynamic high-pressure microjet combined with tyrosinase modify the complex system of pea protein and chlorogenic acid
Authors: Li Yajie , Ni Yidan , Guo Tingting , Bai Haimei , Han Qinshuo , Li Jiayi , Wang Honglei , Sheng Guihua , Zhou Quancheng
Published: April 2024

At present, the phenomenon of polyphenol substances represented by chlorogenic acid combined with pea protein to form food processing raw materials is increasingly common in the food processing industry. The purpose of this study is to modify pea protein (PP)/chlorogenic acid (CA) composite solution by DHPM and tyrosinase (Tyr) in order to further obtain better properties, so as to solve the problem of limited application of natural pea protein. And, the influences of Tyr and DHPM on the structure and functional properties of PP/CA complex under different treatment conditions, and the mechanism and effect of Tyr's influence in the PP/CA binary system were performed. The results showed that compared with PP/CA liquid phase without Tyr and DHPM treatment, for PP/CA treated with Tyr and DHPM, the color changed less, the cross-linking effect was the best, and the structure of the composite liquid was stable. DHPM decreased the emulsifying activity of protein, while Tyr significantly increased the emulsifying activity. The microstructure, secondary structure and tertiary structure of the modified protein were changed. The microstructure showed a relatively complete sheet, and the hydrogen bond interaction was enhanced. The content of sulfhydryl group was significantly reduced by 21.14%, and the content of disulfide bond was significantly increased by 13.40%. This study provides a thought for PP modification. Theoretically, it can be applied to the preparation of emulsions and the inclusion of functional substances. A theoretical basis for the development of high-value protein products.
Error Correction Model Analysis of Production and Consumption of Sugar in Ethiopia
Authors: Agalu Seyoum Woldebrehan , Kindu Yeshambal , Teha Ebsa
Published: April 2024

Each gram of sugar provides the body with four kilocalories. Sugar is a naturally occurring, non-toxic, sweet-tasting, water-soluble crystalline carbohydrate. Beet sugar or sugar cane is the primary source of sugar; additional sources include honey, corn syrup, fruits, and others. From Central Statistical Agency Sugar Corporation of Ethiopia annual data during the period of September 1954–2021 GC in Ethiopia, this study examined the link between the production and consumption of sugar. In this work, non-stationary time series was changed in to stationary time series by using differentiating. At 5% level of significance, all series are non-stationary at the level according to unit root tests, and stationary at first difference. The output of Johansson's cointegrated suggests that at 95% confidence level, at least one Cointegration vector exists and there is a long-run relationship between the production and consumption of sugar in the case of Ethiopia. One was discovered to be the ideal amount of delay. Different models might have conducted prior research on integration in other nations, but Ethiopia has not yet. A VECM analysis was used to empirically evaluate and confirm this result. The VECM, which implies that Ethiopia's current sugar output was considerably influenced by previous first-lag values of its own and consumption of sugar amounts, is better suited than the VAR model. Positive results are seen for sugar consumption that lags on its own. Similar to the production of sugar, the current consumption of sugar was likewise positively impacted by both its own past first-lag values and previous first-lag values. The production and consumption of sugar are expected to increase during the next five years, according to the VECM (1) trend of forecasting.
Morphological characterization and genetic diversity assessment of accessions of Musa spp
Authors: Ukwueze Calistus k. , Oselebe Happiness O. , Igwe David O. , Mekonnen Techale B.
Published: April 2024

Characterization of Musa spp is highly relevant to the development of effective Musa breeding programs, especially because crop productivity and yields are highly important for preventing hunger and food insecurity. This work aimed to characterize and determine the genomic constitutions of the Musa accessions established from the Ebonyi State University Abakaliki Musa germplasm. Ten start codon targeted (SCoT) polymorphic markers were employed for the genotyping of eleven accessions. The accessions were classified by assessing the expression of each of the 26 characters by assigning a score ranging from 1 to 5, where a score of 1 indicated close proximity to wild acuminata and 5 indicated wild balbisiana expression. For molecular analysis, a modified CTAB method was used for DNA extraction, and a total of ten polymorphic SCoT markers were used for genetic diversity assessment. The morphological results showed that the plantain genotypes considered were hybrids of banana and plantain, with the majority of the genotypes being classified as diploid, while Agbagba, Efolred, SH3436, Calcutta 4, and PITA 14 were triploid with two chromosome sets comprising banana origin. A total of 86 alleles with an average of 8.81 alleles per locus were observed in the accessions. Calcutta 4 scored higher on measures of diversity indices, with high similarity being observed among the eleven accessions of Musa spp. The dendrogram revealed five major clusters at a similarity index distance of 0.7400. This similarity observed among the accessions indicates that they are closely related and may have a recent common ancestor.
Investigation of Adsorption Capacity, Kinetics and Thermodynamics in The Removal of Textile Dye in Wastewater
Authors: SEVİM Fatih , DEMİR Fatih , LAÇİN Ömer , ERKILIÇ Ömer Faruk
Published: April 2024

In this study, we aimed to remove Reactive Blue-160 dye, which has a toxic effect when released to nature, with a cheap adsorbate. Scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, Thermogravimetry/Differential Thermal Analysis, Harkins-Jura Pore Size - Volume Analysis Brunauer–Emmett–Teller Surface Area Analysis were applied for the characterization of adsorbent. The effects of contact time, pH, adsorbent amount and temperature parameters were examined via adsorption. In pH studies conducted between 2.0 and 10.0, the free pH value was taken as 5.70 because adsorption did not change much. Free solution pH was used in other experiments to keep the cost low. The adsorption isotherm models widely used in aqueous solutions; The compatibility of Langmuir, Freundlich, Temkin and Dubinin-Radushkevich models with experimental data was investigated. For a kinetic model suitable for experimental data, Pseudo First Order, Pseudo Second Order, Elovich and Intra-Particle Diffusion, models were examined. It was determined that the most suitable isotherm and kinetic models were Freundlich and the Pseudo-Second Order Kinetic model respectively. The maximum adsorption capacity was found to be 11.63 mg.g− 1. In addition, as a result of the thermodynamic analysis, negative values of Gibbs Free Energy change and positive values of enthalpy change showed that the adsorption process took place spontaneously and endothermically.
A prospective cohort study on the role of surgical mentorship on medical students' surgical experience and attitudes towards surgery
Authors: Kerdegari Nikki , Tandanu Edelyne , Lee Karen , Zakri Rhana , Dasgupta Prokar , Chandak Pankaj
Published: April 2024

Background
Exposure to surgery during medical school is limited (1, 2). We ran a mentorship scheme pairing students at a medical school with local surgeons to improve undergraduate insight. We evaluated the effectiveness of mentorship in increasing surgical exposure and drivers for students seeking surgical mentorship.
Methods
35 surgeons across 7 specialties were recruited and matched with 37 students in years 2–4 for 7 months. Quantitative and qualitative evaluation was done with pre-, mid- and post-scheme questionnaires. Students rated confidence across pursuing a career in surgery, surgical exposure, career insight, understanding the application process, contacts, portfolio development, research knowledge and pursuing extra-curricular activities related to surgery using a 5-point Likert scale. Paired t-tests were performed to measure students’ confidence before and after the scheme.
Results
Of students that completed all 3 questionnaires (n = 21), conducting research/audit was most frequently selected as a main goal (81%), followed by theatre experience (67%) and career progression support (29%). The number of students that had assisted in theatre increased by 50%. Confidence ratings across all domains increased with 7/8 (88%) exhibiting a statistically significant improvement (p < 0.05). The greatest improvement was seen in having adequate contacts in surgery from 2.05 to 3.33 (p = 0.00). 95.2% would recommend the scheme.
Conclusions
Students seek mentorship to develop their clinical and academic skills. Students gained significantly more surgical experience and were better equipped with the knowledge required to pursue a surgical career. Mentorship schemes are invaluable in supplementing the undergraduate curriculum and empowering students.
Trial registration
Ethical clearance granted by King’s College London Research Ethics Committee, Reference Number MRSU-22/23-34530
Anomalyzer: A Visual Interface for Multimodal Time Series Anomaly Analysis
Authors: Huang Jiahang , Zhang Hui
Published: April 2024

Multimodal time series data are pervasive across various applications, providing detailed insights into the evolution of dynamic and complex systems with high-dimensional, high-resolution information. Analyzing the statistical characteristics, detecting changes, and uncovering unexpected behaviors over time from these longitudinal data can yield valuable insights. Traditional anomaly detection methods that rely solely on automated algorithms often overlook the context-specific nature of anomalies. To address this challenge, we introduce Anomalyzer, a novel visual interface for anomaly analysis with multimodal time series data at scale. Anomalyzer integrates sequential transformations to extract, refine, and analyze data representations crucial for anomaly analysis in complex multimodal time series data. Our approach offers a simple yet powerful workflow, a purposeful and step-by-step process meticulously crafted to guide users through the identification and analysis of anomalies with precision and clarity. We evaluate the performance of Anomalyzer with a synthetic multi-variate time series dataset, demonstrating the effectiveness of our novel approach in identifying and analyzing anomalies. The preliminary results have shown that Anomalyzer can help users to perform time series visualization and anomaly detection efficiently using its visualization, aggregation, and anomaly detection capabilities.
Prediction of Drug-Induced Liver Injury: From Molecular Physicochemical Properties and Scaffold Architectures to Machine Learning Approaches
Authors: Zhao Yulong , Zhang Zhoudong , Wang Kai , Jia Jie , Wang Yaxuan , Li Huanqiu , Kong Xiaotian , Tian Sheng
Published: April 2024

The process of developing new drugs is widely acknowledged as being time-intensive and requiring substantial financial investment. Despite ongoing efforts to reduce time and expenses in drug development, ensuring medication safety remains an urgent problem. One of the major problems involved in drug development is hepatotoxicity, specifically known as drug-induced liver injury (DILI). The popularity of new drugs often poses a significant barrier during development and frequently leads to their recall after launch. In silico methods have many advantages compared with traditional in vivo and in vitro assays. To establish a more precise and reliable prediction model, it is necessary to utilize an extensive and high-quality database consisting of information on drug molecule properties and structural patterns. In addition, we should also carefully select appropriate molecular descriptors that can be used to accurately depict compound characteristics. The aim of this study was to conduct a comprehensive investigation into the prediction of DILI. First, we conducted a comparative analysis of the physicochemical properties of extensively well-prepared DILI-positive and DILI-negative compounds. Then, we used classic substructure dissection methods to identify structural pattern differences between these two different types of chemical molecules. These findings indicate that it is not feasible to establish property or substructure-based rules for distinguishing between DILI-positive and DILI-negative compounds. Finally, we developed quantitative classification models for predicting DILI using the naïve Bayes classifier (NBC) and recursive partitioning (RP) machine learning techniques. The optimal DILI prediction model was obtained using NBC, which combines 21 physicochemical properties, the VolSurf descriptors, and the LCFP_10 fingerprint set. This model achieved a global accuracy (GA) of 0.855 and an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.704 for the training set, while the corresponding values were 0.619 and 0.674 for the test set, respectively. Moreover, indicative substructural fragments favorable or unfavorable for DILI were identified from the best naïve Bayesian classification model. These findings may help prioritize lead compounds in the early stage of drug development pipelines.