bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Relations with Russia in The Context of Turkey’s Policy in Constructing its ‘Strategic Autonomy’
Authors: GAFARLI Orhan , ROKNIFARD Julia
Published: September 2023

In the past two decades, the Turkish government has been seeking strategic autonomy in international relations by trying different foreign policy styles. Throughout that time, Turkey strongly prioritized its own interests in relations with other regional and global powers, and pursued a multilateral and balanced policy, seeing it as a window for more opportunities to maneuver in foreign policy. Part of Turkey’s approach to strategic autonomy relied on hedging, even if it resulted in the emergence of asymmetric relations with others. For example, Turkey developed not always economically and politically symmetric relations with Russia that had strong implications for the Middle East, South Caucasus, Black Sea region and Central Asia. On 24 February 2022, after Russia’s military intervention in Ukraine, Turkey did not join in with Western sanctions against Russia, and instead attempted to mediate between Kyiv and Moscow. This decision was not spontaneous, as it was premised on years of building and strengthening bilateral ties with Russia, despite some devastating incidents between the two. This article is an inquiry into the search for strategic autonomy in Turkey’s foreign policy with a focus on its relations with Russia.
Differences in liver and mortality outcomes of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease by race and ethnicity: A longitudinal real-world study
Authors: Nguyen Vy H. , Le Isaac , Ha Audrey , Le Richard Hieu , Rouillard Nicholas Ajit , Fong Ashley , Gudapati Surya , Park Jung Eun , Maeda Mayumi , Barnett Scott , Cheung Ramsey , Nguyen Mindie H.
Published: September 2023

Background/Aims: Understanding of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) continues to expand, but the relationship between race and ethnicity and NAFLD outside the use of cross-sectional data is lacking. Using longitudinal data, we investigated the role of race and ethnicity in adverse outcomes in NAFLD patients. Methods: Patients with NAFLD confirmed by imaging via manual chart review from any clinics at Stanford University Medical Center (1995–2021) were included. Primary study outcomes were incidence of liver events and mortality (overall and non-liver related). Results: The study included 9,340 NAFLD patients: White (44.1%), Black (2.29%), Hispanic (27.9%), and Asian (25.7%) patients. For liver events, the cumulative 5-year incidence was highest among White (19.1%) patients, lowest among Black (7.9%) patients, and similar among Asian and Hispanic patients (~15%). The 5-year and 10-year cumulative overall mortality was highest for Black patients (9.2% and 15.0%, respectively, vs. 2.5–3.5% and 4.3–7.3% in other groups) as well as for non-liver mortality. On multivariable regression analysis, compared to White patients, only Asian group was associated with lower liver-related outcomes (aHR: 0.83, P=0.027), while Black patients were at more than two times higher risk of both non-liver related (aHR: 2.35, P=0.010) and overall mortality (aHR: 2.13, P=0.022) as well as Hispanic patients (overall mortality: aHR: 1.44, P=0.022).Conclusions: Compared to White patients, Black patients with NAFLD were at the highest risk for overall and non-liver-related mortality, followed by Hispanic patients with Asian patients at the lowest risk for all adverse outcomes. Culturally sensitive and appropriate programs may be needed for more successful interventions.
Microtubule organization in neurons
Authors:   , He Liu
Published: September 2023

Neurons serve as the fundamental units for facilitating the transmission of information
in the human nervous system. To fulfill this crucial function, neurons possess specialized
cell extensions with distinct morphology and function, which is important for the
directed flow of information. Specifically, incoming information is received by the
dendrites and then transmitted along the axon to the subsequent neuron or effector
cell. This morphological and functional distinction between axons and dendrites is
referred to as neuron polarity.
The microtubule cytoskeleton is a critical factor for neurons to shape their distinctive
morphology. Particularly, the distribution of the microtubule cytoskeleton is different
between axons and dendrites. In axons, there is a uniform arrangement of microtubules
with their plus-ends oriented outward. In contrast, in dendrites, microtubules are
organized with a uniform orientation of minus-ends outward in invertebrates, and
a mixed orientation in vertebrates. This difference in microtubule organization
significantly influences the transportation of cellular cargo to either axons or dendrites.
As a result, this regulation ensures the differentiation between these two essential
compartments of neuronal architecture. Defects in microtubule polarity can potentially
impair neuronal development by disrupting intracellular transport. However, so far, little
is known about how the microtubule cytoskeleton acquires their distinct organizational
patterns within axons and dendrites. In this thesis, we aimed to elucidate the molecular
mechanisms that regulate the organization of the microtubule cytoskeleton in neurons.
Evaluation of Financial Failure of Healthcare Companies Traded in BIST with Fulmer H and Springate S Score Models
Authors: ALTAN İnci Merve , ŞİMŞEK Ünal
Published: September 2023

Financial failure begins when companies fail to meet their obligations regarding assets and liabilities, according to modern finance principles. It will be ensured that the financial performances of the health companies traded on the BIST will be determined, and the health expenditures that concern the whole society will be transferred to the appropriate areas by considering the maximum social benefit. In this direction, it is aimed at evaluating whether companies operating in the field of health and whose shares are traded in Borsa Istanbul carry the risk of financial failure. For this purpose, using the financial statement data of 8 companies in the BIST 100 index for the period 2019–2022, financial risk situations were examined with Fulmer H and Springate S score models. As a result of the research, it has been determined that all but one of the health companies traded on the BIST are not facing financial failure.
RANCANG BANGUN E-PERPUSTAKAAN DI SMA NEGERI 16 BATAM DENGAN CODEIGNITER
Authors: Gulo Erni Heppy , Saragih Saut Pintubipar
Published: September 2023

Technology development growth globally has continue to strive to work more effectively and efficiently. One solution is to computerize systems that were previously conventional. In this case, the use of the website can help the library to be more effective. In this study a web-based library application was built using the CodeIgniter Framework. With this system, it is hoped that it can meet various user needs, such as searching for books, recording member data, recording book data, returning books, calculating fines, borrowing books and preparing reports. The system development methodology used in this study is the software development method with the Extreme Programming model. The system was built using the Hypertext Pre Processor (PHP) programming language and MySQL database. The results of this research are that the web-based library information system is intended for library students and staff with a user-friendly web interface, users can search for books, borrow, return, managing library members becomes more practical. In designing a library information system, there are additional features that are quite important, such as data reports on books, members, transactions and fines that can assist in monitoring and making decisions related to library management.
RANCANG BANGUN SISTEM MONITORING KUALITAS UDARA BERBASIS ANDROID
Authors: Pradana Ronaldo Baja , Arnomo Sasa Ani
Published: September 2023

In this era of rapid technological development, it is a crucial period where technology has become an inseparable part of everyday life. The significant increase in human activity has triggered various air pollution problems, including burning, waste, industrial waste, vehicle fumes, industrial fumes, and the use of electronic equipment, among others. Additionally, besides the aforementioned problem of air pollution, its impact can also lead to a variety of serious problems and the occurrence of health issues such as asthma, ISPA, lung cancer, and so on. Therefore, an Android-based application was created that can provide information about the current air quality in the user's area. This application can be used to monitor air quality in specific areas based on measurements and data collection. The method used for this research is the RAD (Rapid Application Development) method, which is suitable for developing software in a short time. We have also added a real-time air quality monitoring feature that can monitor air levels to determine if they are within normal levels or not. This allows users to combat air pollution and carry out continuous monitoring without being limited by space and time.
PERANCANGAN TATA LETAK RAK PENYIMPANAN BAHAN BAKU DI WAREHOUSE PT. BBA
Authors: Sitohang Berry Ramlan , Sumantika Arsyad
Published: September 2023

Penelitian ini bertujuan agar dapat memberikan usulan perbaikan tata letak rak penyimpanan bahan baku pada warehouse PT BBA, sehingga dapat memangkas jarak perpindahan bahan baku dengan jarak yang lebih efektif dan efesien. Dengan mengoptimalkan perpindahan pada rancangan layout alternatif yang lebih pendek. Pada penelitian ini digunakan metode Activity Relationship Chart, dan aplikasi BLOCPLAN. Dari hasil penelitian yang dilakukan layout awal warehouse PT BBA tidak optimal oleh karena itu maka perlu dilakukan perbaikan perencanaan tata letak rak penyimpanan bahan baku dengan jarak yang lebih pendek dari segi penempatan bahan baku berdasarkan tingkat kebutuhan pada produksi. Hasil yang diperoleh dari analisis layout usulan dengan metode Activity Relationship Chart dan BLOCPLAN dapat lebih pendek dari layout sebelumnya dengan  mempertimbangkan derajat kedekatan antar fasilitas. Perbandingan jarak  awal 91,4m2 dan layout alternatif 78,77m2 maka didapatkan efisiensi layout alternatif 12,63m2 dan efisiensi sebesar 13,81%.
ANALISA POLA PEMBELIAN KONSUMEN MENGGUNAKAN DATA MINING DENGAN ALGORITMA APRIORI (STUDI KASUS: EDUKITS BATAM CENTRE)
Authors: Lowensky Elnas , Elisa Erlin
Published: September 2023

The initial research purposes is to do the analyzing of data transaction for one of the stationary stores in Batam city, namely edukits Batam Centre, because the store is a well-known business and of course many consumers are interested, of course, a lot of data has been collected so far. From transactions that have occurred so far, these data are only stored in the form of archive files without being processed or used for future business progress. To analyze this research, the a priori algorithm association rule method was used, by analysing support value and as well as the confidence value that were set so that the results of this study obtained the support value for the Printing Paper category 71%, Accessories 74%, 77%, Other Equipment 88%, Glue and Adhesive 72%. By using the Apriori algorithm, 2 rules are obtained, namely the antecedent value of stationery, the consequent accessories resulting in a support value of 65% and confidence of 84.4%. Then the second rule is the antecedent of accessories, the consequent of writing instruments with a support value of 65% and a confidence value of 88.4%.
PERANCANGAN SISTEM PAKAR DENGAN METODE FORWARD CHAINING UNTUK MENDIAGNOSIS PENYAKIT DIABETES BERBASIS WEB
Authors: Sirait David Arif Setiawan , Sitohang Sunarsan
Published: September 2023

Perkembangan komputer pada masa sekarang mengalami perubahan seiring dengan kebutuhan kehidupan manusia yang sangat semakin berkembang pesat dan kompleks. Pengetahuan tersebut telah menjangkau hampir semua kegiatan dalam aktifitas manusia yang tidak terlepas dari perangkat elektronik dalam sistem kinerja tak terkecuali pada bidang kesehatan. Bila di lihat dari aspek kehidupan, umumnya pada lingkungan masyarakat masih terdapat masyarakat yang menyepelekan atau remeh akan kesehatan dan penyakit sehingga tidak menjaga pola makan teratur dan berasumsi bahwa penyakit yang datang akan sembuh dengan sendirinya tanpa harus menemui dokter untuk melakukan pemeriksaan atau diagnosa. Selain menyepelekan penyakit sistem kegiatan mendiagnosis penyakit oleh dokter harus dilakukan secara langsung sehingga membuat bahan pertimbangan bagi masyarakat yang memerlukan waktu dan memerlukan biaya tambahan untuk melakukan pemeriksaan ke dokter. Salah satu penyakit yang sering menyerang dan sering di remehkan adalah penyakit Diabetes Melitus (DM) atau serig di sebut dengan Diabetes. Diabetes Melitus (DM) merupakan penyakit yang timbul akibat kurangnya produksi Insulin (hormon yang di produksi oleh pakreas yang mengatur tingkat glukosa) pada tubuh manusia. Penyakit ini merupakan suatu bentuk hambatan sistem kekebalan tubuh akibatnya menyebabkan peningkatan kosentrasi glukosa dalam darah (hiperglikemia) yang terbagi atas beberapa tipe. Sistem pakar merupakan suatu sistem dimana dapat menangkap dan memberikan informasi dengan menggunakan pengetahuan khusus serta metode pengambilan keputusan seperti para ahli pada bidang tertentu dan berisi tentang fakta-fakta untuk memecahkan masalah tertentu secara tepat sehingga menghasilkan keputusan sebagai kesimpulan layaknya berkonsultasi dengan seorang dokter.  Forward Chaining merupakan metode yang menggunakan aturan kondisi-aksi dengan menggunakan sejumlah aturan yang dijalankan.  Salah satu ciri dari metode ini ialah dengan cara melakukan penyimpanan pada media storage kerja, kemudian dialakukan pengulangan hingga menemukan hasil akhir sebagai keputusan kesimpulan. Dari penelitian yang telah dilakukan hasil yang telah dicapai adalah sebuah web yang dimana dapat berguna untuk mendiagnosis penyakit Diabetes dengan tipe 1, tipe 2 dan tipe 3.
SISTEM INFORMASI CUTI KARYAWAN BERBASIS WEB PADA PT GIKEN PRECISION INDONESIA
Authors: Sepentia Nirpan , Harman Rika
Published: September 2023

In the advancement of technology in the industrial era 4.0 is characterized by developments in all fields of activity, causing companies and government agencies to compete to keep up with changes by utilizing information technology For companies engaged in manufacturing, especially the PCBA (printed circuit board assemby) department at PT Giken Precision Indonesia is a manufacturing company located in the industrial area of citra buana park batu ampar. One of the needs of employees is a field that must be prioritized, Regarding matters of licensing and leave at a company is one of the company's obligations that must be given, most of the current leave information is still in paper format, one of the things that employees often complain about work is the submission of employee leave. Problems from this employee leave submission system such as the slow search for employee leave data, and the leave submission form is still filled in manually or in writing and there is no database so that data from leave is still stored in archive file cabinets and drawers so that leave information is still less efficient. The problem of applying for employee leave causes many parties to feel a lack of information such as how much data is left on their leave and the leave approval process must meet their respective superiors first, and data processing that is still written using paper format is a waste. Seeing the problems regarding leave.
USULAN PERBAIKAN SISTEM KERJA PADA DEPARTEMEN CNC DI PT OPTIMECH ENGINEERING PRODUCT AND SERVICES
Authors: Tampubolon Roni Chandra , Tarigan Elsya Paskaria Loyda
Published: September 2023

Competition between companies in the manufacture of increasingly strict industrial products, pt optimech engineering is still facing obstacles such as production time that does not meet the target.This restriction occurs due to the frequent occurrence of products that do not conform to the specifications because the equipment used for production has a low capacity and does not correspond to the quantity of production performed.The purpose of this research is to identify and provide proposals for repair of the work system so that it can eliminate waste found in the cnc department and know the changes that occur in the proposal for repair of the production process.Based on the waste assessment model (WAM), The defect is a percentage of 24.01%, and the waste defect also significantly affects the occurrence of other waste.From the results of the fishbone diagram summarized a number of possibilities which are considered to be the root of the problem, It is a basis for repair recommendations. Work system improvements can be done by accurately predicting and planning production in order to avoid overinventory and could harm the company, supplying employees with more insight into the work and handling of products, and do control for materials before being sent to the next process do the supply of machines according to the production capacity and complexity of products and machine repairs periodically, use or do machine purchases according to the body dimension the labor is owned and does things that can motivate employees to be able to work well.
RANCANG BANGUN SISTEM INFORMASI POINT OF SALE BERBASIS WEB
Authors: Yanti Chagu Hospita , Arnomo Sasa Ani
Published: September 2023

The development of the business world encourages companies to always try to improve the quality of products and services to consumers. Goods purchase services can be done electronically and can also be done online. The implementation of these business solutions is a commitment to increasing customer competitive advantage in terms of efficiency, effectiveness, performance, and business development. This study aims to design and develop a point of sale (POS) application to support a purchasing service system that can help CV Berdikari owners in data management. Making this POS application begins with collecting all the data needed using observation, interview, and literature study methods, designing Model Prototyping applications with application design tools in the form of flowcharts and Unified Modeling Language (UML) until the implementation of this POS application. With the implementation of this point of sales (POS) application, it can help users who are directly related to this POS application, especially customers, employees and owners in the process of managing reports and controlling their business activities.
IMPLEMENTASI ALGORITMA FAST CORNER DETECTION DALAM PERANCANGAN APLIKASI PENGELAN HEWAN BERBASIS AR
Authors: Java Irvan , Fajrin Alfannisa Annurrullah
Published: September 2023

The purpose of this study was to present findings on endangered species, specifically focusing on endangered animals worldwide. Several species were selected for investigation, including orangutans, Komodo dragons, Kakapo (Strigops habroptilus), Javan rhinos, Amur leopards, and vaquitas (Phocoena sinus). Augmented reality, a technology that merges the real and virtual worlds through computer devices, was employed by the author to develop an animal recognition application. The aim was to create an engaging educational tool, particularly targeting school children, to facilitate learning about endangered animals. The research progressed through three stages: gathering information on endangered animals globally, examining existing augmented reality applications, and designing markers for detection using the fast corner detection algorithm. Android, a Linux-based mobile operating system, offered an open platform for developers to create applications compatible with various mobile devices. Consequently, the outcome of this study manifested as an augmented reality-based application that delivers comprehensive information on endangered species. The application's potential to serve as a captivating medium for education and knowledge acquisition is highly anticipated.
IMPLEMENTASI MANAJEMEN BANDWIDTH MENGGUNAKAN METODE PEER CONNECTION QUEUE PADA MIKROTIK
Authors: Mariyanto Mariyanto , Maslan Andi
Published: September 2023

A hotspot consists of one or more WLAN or Wireless LAN Access Points of standard 802.11a/b/g that provide a restricted area in which users can freely join Access Points with WLAN-enabled mobile devices. With advances in technology, a router is a device that is used to perform the routing process. However, since routers are expensive, there are hardware alternatives such as Mikrotik. Mikrotik RouterOS is an operating system that can turn a computer into a router, or often called a PC Router. solutions to take advantage of bandwidth management and use Mikrotik router boards as a tool to divide bandwidth evenly. Because excessive use will cause a long load when accessing the internet or limited bandwidth. To distribute the load and manage the client connection path to a service on the server, the PCQ (Peer Connection Queue) method is used. The way to do PCQ is to upload with type pcq-dpwnload-phd, set the queue size and total queue size, and check the classification list for different addresses. In addition, to implement bandwidth management with PCQ for uploads, you must create the type pcq-upload-pd, set the queue size and total queue size, and check the classifier list for the source address. For setting upload and download targets on the proxy, you must point to the network address 192.168.100.0/24, with a maximum upload speed of 10 MBPS and 30 MBPS download. The results of this study indicate that the use of a PCQ-based proxy network can be applied properly for Pizza Hut delivery in Batam City.
Editorial: Case reports in heart failure and transplantation: 2022
Authors: Cameli Matteo , Landra Federico
Published: September 2023

In this editorial we summarize the most viewed and downloaded contributing articles to the Research Topic “Case Reports in Heart Failure and Transplantation: 2022” of the journal Frontiers in Cardiovascular Medicine.
Development of a novel clinical support tool for active surveillance of low risk papillary thyroid cancer
Authors: White Eleanor , Abbott Bridget , Schembri Geoffrey , Glover Anthony , Clifton-Bligh Roderick , Gild Matti L.
Published: September 2023

Background

Active surveillance (AS) is an alternative to surgery in select patients with very low risk papillary thyroid cancer (PTC). Many clinicians feel ill-equipped in selecting appropriate patients. We aimed to 1) Develop an evidence-based web delivered decision support tool to assist clinicians in identifying patients appropriate for AS; and 2) Evaluate the prevalence of patients suitable for AS in a tertiary high volume thyroid cancer centre.

Method

A REDCap web based clinical support tool was developed utilising evidence-based characteristics for AS suitability available to clinicals during initial assessment. A retrospective database was interrogated for patients who underwent hemithyroidectomy between 2012 – 2021 with final histopathology demonstrating PTC. Patients with PTCs>2cm, missing data, benign disease on surgical histopathology or incidental PTC were excluded.

Results

Between 2012 - 2021, 763 patients underwent hemithyroidectomy with final histopathology confirming PTC. Of these, 316 patients were excluded (missing data, incidental PTC, concomitant hyperparathyroidism were most common reasons for exclusion) and 114/447 remaining patients had a pre-operative fine needle aspirate (FNA) of Bethesda V or VI (high likelihood of malignancy). Using the tool, 59/114 (52%) met criteria for AS. The majority of patients were female (85% vs 15% male); median age 36 years (range 19 – 78). Following initial surgery, 10/59 patients had a completion thyroidectomy, with 4/10 demonstrating malignancy in contralateral lobe and eight of those patients undergoing I131 ablation. During a median follow up of over 3 years, 49/59 (83%) did not require further surgery or intervention with no patients developing recurrence. A subgroup analysis with second radiology assessment excluded 4/59 patients as meeting criteria for AS based on presence of ETE on preoperative ultrasound. None of these 4 patients had completion thyroidectomy.

Conclusion

Our clinical support tool identifies patients with PTC potentially suitable for AS which could be utilised during initial patient assessment. In a retrospective cohort of patients who had hemithyroidectomy for PTC with a pre-operative FNA diagnosis of Bethesda V or VI, 55/114 (48%) patients may have been suitable for AS. Prospective validation studies are required for implementation of the tool in clinical practice.
Hunger & satiety signals: another key mechanism involved in the NAFLD pathway
Authors: López-Méndez Iván , Maldonado-Rojas Andrea Del Carmen , Uribe Misael , Juárez-Hernández Eva
Published: September 2023

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a highly prevalent metabolic disease, although prevalence could change according to region, nowadays is considered a public health problem whose real impact on the health system is unknown. NAFLD has a multifactorial and complex pathophysiology, due to this, developing a unique and effective pharmacological treatment has not been successful in reverting or avoiding the progression of this liver disease. Even though NAFLD pathophysiology is known, all actual treatments are focused on modifying or regulating the metabolic pathways, some of which interplay with obesity. It has been known that impairments in hunger and satiety signals are associated with obesity, however, abnormalities in these signals in patients with NAFLD and obesity are not fully elucidated. To describe these mechanisms opens an additional option as a therapeutic target sharing metabolic pathways with NAFLD, therefore, this review aims to describe the hormones and peptides implicated in both hunger-satiety in NAFLD. It has been established that NAFLD pharmacological treatment cannot be focused on a single purpose; hence, identifying interplays that lead to adding or modifying current treatment options could also have an impact on another related outcome such as hunger or satiety signals.
The association between body mass index and live birth and maternal and perinatal outcomes after in-vitro fertilization: a national cohort study
Authors: Kluge Linda , Källén Karin , Thurin-Kjellberg Ann , Wennerholm Ulla-Britt , Bergh Christina
Published: September 2023

Objective

To investigate the association between female body mass index (BMI) and live birth rates and maternal and perinatal outcomes after in-vitro fertilization (IVF).

Methods

We performed a national, population-based cohort study including women undergoing IVF between 2002 and 2020. The cohort included 126,620 fresh cycles and subsequent frozen embryo transfers between 2007 and 2019 (subpopulation 1) and 58,187 singleton deliveries between 2002 and 2020 (subpopulation 2). Exposure was female BMI (kg/m2) categorized according to the World Health Organization as underweight (<18.5), normal weight (18.5–24.9, reference), overweight (25.0–29.9), class I obesity (30.0–34.9), class II obesity (35.0–39.9), and class III obesity (≥40.0). The primary outcome in subpopulation 1 was cumulative live birth per started fresh IVF cycle, including fresh and subsequent frozen embryo transfers. Primary outcomes in subpopulation 2 were hypertensive disorders of pregnancy and preterm birth at less than 37 weeks. Risk ratios (RRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the association between BMI class and outcomes were calculated using generalized linear models after adjustment for relevant confounders.

Results

The cumulative live birth rate decreased significantly with increasing BMI from 32.6% in normal-weight women to 29.4% in overweight women, 27.0% in women in obesity class I, 21.8% in women in obesity class II, and 7.6% in women in obesity class III. The risk of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy increased significantly and progressively with increasing BMI, from 4.6% in normal-weight women to 7.8% in overweight women and 12.5%, 17.9%, and 20.3% in women in obesity classes I, II, and III. The risk of preterm birth followed a similar pattern, from 6.3% in normal-weight women to 7.5% in overweight women and 8.9%, 9.9%, and 15.3% in women in obesity classes I, II, and III. The risks of other perinatal complications, such as perinatal death, showed an even more pronounced increase.

Conclusion

Using a large and complete national cohort of women undergoing IVF, we demonstrate a dose-dependent decrease in live birth rate and a substantial increase in maternal and perinatal complications with increasing BMI. Strategies to improve this situation are warranted.
Numerical and analytical flow models in ecological channels with interaction of vegetation and freshwater
Authors: Zhao Hanqing , Wang Weijie , Jia Fengcong , Wang Huilin , Liu Zhiwu , Xu Yuxuan
Published: September 2023

Aquatic vegetation interferes with river hydrodynamics, thus affecting the mass transport and energy transfer in an ecosystem. The flow over submerged vegetation is characterized by a complex velocity profile and multiple turbulence structures, which have been usually simulated using cylinders or strips in previous studies. Because the simplified vegetation configuration may hide or amplify some physical processes found in natural conditions, we investigate the velocity distribution and turbulence structure in foliaged vegetation flows using both analytical and numerical approaches. The main innovations and findings can be summarized as follows: 1) numerical and analytical models adopted in this paper accurately simulate the flow velocity profile in vegetated channel; 2) the Karman constant is found to be unsuitable for complex vegetation morphologies, so we proposed adjusted coefficient; 3) an image processing method is adopted to quantify the vegetation morphology accurately; 4) the existing mixing-layer thickness formula is found to be unsuitable for vegetation with leaves, an improved formula is proposed showing high correlation coefficient (0.9562) between measured and predicted data; 5) to ensure applicability to larger-scale hydrodynamic simulations, an analytical expression of Manning’s coefficient is proposed based on an analytical multi-layer flow velocity model. These research findings can provide theoretical support for the design of vegetated river and ecological restoration.
Novel ceRNA network construction associated with programmed cell death in acute rejection of heart allograft in mice
Authors: Guo Yiwen , Zhang Yixi , Yu Jia , Dong Yuqi , Chen Zhitao , Zhu Chuchen , Hong Xitao , Xie Zhonghao , Zhang Min , Wang Shuai , Liang Yichen , He Xiaoshun , Ju Weiqiang , Chen Maogen
Published: September 2023

Background

T cell-mediated acute rejection(AR) after heart transplantation(HT) ultimately results in graft failure and is a common indication for secondary transplantation. It’s a serious threat to heart transplant recipients. This study aimed to explore the novel lncRNA-miRNA-mRNA networks that contributed to AR in a mouse heart transplantation model.

Methods

The donor heart from Babl/C mice was transplanted to C57BL/6 mice with heterotopic implantation to the abdominal cavity. The control group was syngeneic heart transplantation with the same kind of mice donor. The whole-transcriptome sequencing was performed to obtain differentially expressed mRNAs (DEmRNAs), miRNAs (DEmiRNAs) and lncRNAs (DElncRNAs) in mouse heart allograft. The biological functions of ceRNA networks was analyzed by GO and KEGG enrichment. Differentially expressed ceRNA involved in programmed cell death were further verified with qRT-PCR testing.

Results

Lots of DEmRNAs, DEmiRNAs and DElncRNAs were identified in acute rejection and control after heart transplantation, including up-regulated 4754 DEmRNAs, 1634 DElncRNAs, 182 DEmiRNAs, and down-regulated 4365 DEmRNAs, 1761 DElncRNAs, 132 DEmiRNAs. Based on the ceRNA theory, lncRNA-miRNA-mRNA regulatory networks were constructed in allograft acute rejection response. The functional enrichment analysis indicate that the down-regulated mRNAs are mainly involved in cardiac muscle cell contraction, potassium channel activity, etc. and the up-regulated mRNAs are mainly involved in T cell differentiation and mononuclear cell migration, etc. The KEGG pathway enrichment analysis showed that the down-regulated DEmRNAs were mainly enriched in adrenergic signaling, axon guidance, calcium signaling pathway, etc. The up-regulated DEmRNAs were enriched in the adhesion function, chemokine signaling pathway, apoptosis, etc. Four lncRNA-mediated ceRNA regulatory pathways, Pvt1/miR-30c-5p/Pdgfc, 1700071M16Rik/miR-145a-3p/Pdgfc, 1700071M16Rik/miR-145a-3p/Tox, 1700071M16Rik/miR-145a-3p/Themis2, were finally validated. In addition, increased expression of PVT1, 1700071M16Rik, Tox and Themis2 may be considered as potential diagnostic gene biomarkers in AR.

Conclusion

We speculated that Pvt1/miR-30c-5p/Pdgfc, 1700071M16Rik/miR-145a-3p/Pdgfc, 1700071M16Rik/miR-145a-3p/Tox and 1700071M16Rik/miR-145a-3p/Themis2 interaction pairs may serve as potential biomarkers in AR after HT.
Exploring the newly emerging effects of native seagrasses on survival and growth of non-native juvenile clams
Authors: Galván Cristina , Puente Araceli
Published: September 2023

The Manila clam (Ruditapes philippinarum) has been introduced into the Atlantic European coast for commercial exploitation. In this region, the population dynamics of this clam species may be determined by the interaction with the native dwarf eelgrass (Zostera noltei). We performed an experiment in the tidal flats of an estuary located in northern Spain to analyse the interaction between Z. noltei and juvenile Manila clams. Based on existing knowledge, it was hypothesised that seagrasses act as a nursery protecting juveniles from predation, which is an important cause of natural mortality, and that seagrass density influences the survival, growth and condition of clams. The results indicate that the effects of seagrasses on juvenile clams depends on shoot density, which mainly determine the relative prevalence of positive versus negative interactions. Dense seagrass meadows protect juvenile clams from predation, likely decreasing their visibility and reducing the efficiency of predators. However, in these dense meadows, a decline in the condition of clams was also observed, although not in shell growth. This decline can be due to the fact that food supply in dense meadows is slow and does not fulfil the replenishment rates required by filter-feeding organisms or because competition for space with the seagrass causes stress. Clams are larger in populations where predator access is prevented, possibly indicating selective predation on larger organisms when this interaction is allowed. The knowledge gained from this experiment is of great interest for analysing possible future trends in clam populations and the derived social implications given its high economic value.
Development of an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for determining FSH plasma concentrations in green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas), using recombinant gonadotropins
Authors: Soffer Osher , Rubin Olga , Levy Yaniv , Aizen Joseph
Published: September 2023

Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) is involved in the regulation of essential reproductive processes such as gametogenesis and follicular growth. There are presently no immunoassays for measuring FSH in turtles. Recently we produced green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas) recombinant (r) FSH as a single-chain polypeptide using the methylotrophic yeast Pichia pastoris expression system, and polyclonal antibodies for the recombinant FSH. In this work we developed a competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for the measurement of FSH concentrations in plasma samples from green sea turtles. We used the rFSHβα for standard, rFSHβ for coating and a cmFSHβ antibody. The sensitivity of the assay was 0.13 ng/ml and the intra-assay and inter-assay coefficients of variation were 5.54% and 13.52% respectively. Parallelism was observed between the linearized FSH standard curves and the corresponding serial dilutions of green sea turtle plasma samples. We also observed parallelism between the linearized standard and serial dilutions of plasma samples from the loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta), hawksbill sea turtle (Eretmochelys imbricate), and African softshell turtle (Trionyx triunguis). The ELISA was used to study the FSH plasma concentrations during the reproductive cycles and was compared to hormonal steroid concentrations (Testosterone, Estradiol and Progesterone). This revealed a positive correlation between FSH and estradiol concentrations in females; estradiol concentrations were increased immediately after FSH elevation. In addition, nested females presented an increase in FSH concentrations prior to progesterone elevation in January to April, slightly before egg laying. This ELISA will increase our understanding of gonadotropin functions, and their effects on reproduction in the green sea turtle.
Host CD3+ T-cells can significantly modulate phage treatment effects on bacterial bioburden in mouse models
Authors: Li Renhua , Rouse Michael , Pace Brendon T. , Grey Scott F. , Mclaughlin Kimberly , Schobel Seth A. , Simons Mark P.
Published: September 2023

Wound healing is a complex system including such key players as host, microbe, and treatments. However, little is known about their dynamic interactions. Here we explored the interplay between: (1) bacterial bioburden and host immune responses, (2) bacterial bioburden and wound size, and (3) treatments and wound size, using murine models and various treatment modalities: Phosphate buffer saline (PBS or vehicle, negative control), doxycycline, and two doses of A. baumannii phage mixtures. We uncovered that the interplay between bacterial bioburden and host immune system may be bidirectional, and that there is an interaction between host CD3+ T-cells and phage dosage, which significantly impacts bacterial bioburden. Furthermore, the bacterial bioburden and wound size association is significantly modulated by the host CD3+ T-cells. When the host CD3+ T-cells (x on log10 scale) are in the appropriate range (1.35 < x < = 1.5), we observed a strong association between colony forming units (CFU) and wound size, indicating a hallmark of wound healing. On the basis of the findings and our previous work, we proposed an integrated parallel systems biology model.
EGFR trafficking: effect of dimerization, dynamics, and mutation
Authors: Schultz Destiny F. , Billadeau Daniel D. , Jois Seetharama D.
Published: September 2023

Spontaneous dimerization of EGF receptors (EGFR) and dysregulation of EGFR signaling has been associated with the development of different cancers. Under normal physiological conditions and to maintain homeostatic cell growth, once EGFR signaling occurs, it needs to be attenuated. Activated EGFRs are rapidly internalized, sorted through early endosomes, and ultimately degraded in lysosomes by a process generally known as receptor down-regulation. Through alterations to EGFR trafficking, tumors develop resistance to current treatment strategies, thus highlighting the necessity for combination treatment strategies that target EGFR trafficking. This review covers EGFR structure, trafficking, and altered surface expression of EGFR receptors in cancer, with a focus on how therapy targeting EGFR trafficking may aid tyrosine kinase inhibitor treatment of cancer.
Deep learning for Chilean native flora classification: a comparative analysis
Authors: Figueroa-Flores Carola , San-Martin Pablo
Published: September 2023

The limited availability of information on Chilean native flora has resulted in a lack of knowledge among the general public, and the classification of these plants poses challenges without extensive expertise. This study evaluates the performance of several Deep Learning (DL) models, namely InceptionV3, VGG19, ResNet152, and MobileNetV2, in classifying images representing Chilean native flora. The models are pre-trained on Imagenet. A dataset containing 500 images for each of the 10 classes of native flowers in Chile was curated, resulting in a total of 5000 images. The DL models were applied to this dataset, and their performance was compared based on accuracy and other relevant metrics. The findings highlight the potential of DL models to accurately classify images of Chilean native flora. The results contribute to enhancing the understanding of these plant species and fostering awareness among the general public. Further improvements and applications of DL in ecology and biodiversity research are discussed.
High angular diffusion tensor imaging estimation from minimal evenly distributed diffusion gradient directions
Authors: Tang Zihao , Chen Sheng , D’Souza Arkiev , Liu Dongnan , Calamante Fernando , Barnett Michael , Cai Weidong , Wang Chenyu , Cabezas Mariano
Published: September 2023

Diffusion-weighted Imaging (DWI) is a non-invasive imaging technique based on Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) principles to measure water diffusivity and reveal details of the underlying brain micro-structure. By fitting a tensor model to quantify the directionality of water diffusion a Diffusion Tensor Image (DTI) can be derived and scalar measures, such as fractional anisotropy (FA), can then be estimated from the DTI to summarise quantitative microstructural information for clinical studies. In particular, FA has been shown to be a useful research metric to identify tissue abnormalities in neurological disease (e.g. decreased anisotropy as a proxy for tissue damage). However, time constraints in clinical practice lead to low angular resolution diffusion imaging (LARDI) acquisitions that can cause inaccurate FA value estimates when compared to those generated from high angular resolution diffusion imaging (HARDI) acquisitions. In this work, we propose High Angular DTI Estimation Network (HADTI-Net) to estimate an enhanced DTI model from LARDI with a set of minimal and evenly distributed diffusion gradient directions. Extensive experiments have been conducted to show the reliability and generalisation of HADTI-Net to generate high angular DTI estimation from any minimal evenly distributed diffusion gradient directions and to explore the feasibility of applying a data-driven method for this task. The code repository of this work and other related works can be found at https://mri-synthesis.github.io/.
Rights, not rescue: trafficking (in)securities at the sport mega-event
Authors: Oliver Benton J. , De Lisio Amanda
Published: September 2023

We examine the impact of fantasies used in the redevelopment of sport mega-event cities on host communities; particularly as related to the male-dominated FIFA World Cup and forced prostitution. We start with a discussion of event fantasies, particularly those that circulate in relation to humanitarian aid and the alleged involvement of women and children in forced labour and sexual exploitation. We trace these fantasies across several FIFA host cities since the 2006 FIFA World Cup, hosted in Germany, to leverage continual and perpetuate attention (and profit) through the non-profit industrial complex. These fantasies have facilitated and coordinated collaborative consensus amongst state authorities and allies to act in a meaningful manner even as the evidence of forced prostitution is still scant—while the realities of people that continue to be subjected to violent and exploitative labour in the construction of stadia, athlete recruitment, or equipment and apparel industries are seldom addressed. We do this to question the lived impact of policies and personalities of rescue on people engaged, consensually, in erotic labour within host cities, that are often made target of rescue intervention. The figure of the proverbial sex slave, as a highly racialized and hypersexualized trope, is mobilized through the sport mega-event to further police the bodies of all women in labour and migration. We end with a cautious message to future host cities, particularly cities implicated in the 2026 FIFA World Cup within Mexico, Canada, and the United States, of the highly-profitable and politically-advantageous rhetoric of damsel in distress.
A Novel Friction Identification Method Based on a Two-Axis Differential Micro-Feed System
Authors: Zhang Zhen , Feng Xianying , Li Peigang , Wang Anning , Su Zhe
Published: September 2023

Ultra-precise actuation at extremely low speeds over a broad range is a major challenge for advanced manufacturing. A novel two-axis differential micro-feed system (TDMS) has been proposed recently to overcome the low-speed crawling of the worktable. However, due to the diversity of the force states of the TDMS, the methods for identification identifyingof friction parameters traditionally (like the all -components identification method, ACIM) didn’t did not perform well. And many studies on the performance of the pre-sliding phase of the TDMS are missing. Therefore, a novel whole-system identification method (WSIM) based on the TDMS was proposed in this paper to precisely identify the friction parameters under different states of motion. The generalized Maxwell sliding (GMS) friction model was also applied to improve the accurate description of the pre-sliding. A novel corrected Stribeck curve based on the TDMS (TDMSSC) was proposed under the uniqueness of the TDMS structure. Control experiments showedn that the WSIM has higher precision and stability rather thancompared torather than the ACIM, and the correction of the Stribeck curve for the TDMS makes a contribution to the performance. This method significantly improves the accuracy and stability of the machine tool drive system.
Soil Carbon and Microbial Processes in Agriculture Ecosystem
Authors: Saito Masanori , Novotny Etelvino Henrique , Chen Yinglong
Published: September 2023

As global warming progresses, concerns also arise regarding the decline in agricultural productivity and soil degradation [...]
Biomass Identification from Proximate Analysis: Characterization of Residual Vegetable Materials in Andean Areas
Authors: Velázquez Martí Borja , Gaibor-Chávez Juan , Franco Rodríguez John Eloy , López Cortés Isabel
Published: September 2023

This work was aimed at the characterization of residual generated biomass from pruned tree species present in the Andean areas of Ecuador as a source of energy, both in plantations and in urban areas, as a response to the change in the energy matrix proposed by the Ecuadorian government. From the proximate analysis (volatiles, ashes, and fixed carbon content), elemental analysis (C, H, N, S, O, and Cl), structural analysis (cellulose, lignin, and hemicellulose content), and higher heating value, the studied species were pine (Pinus radiata), cypress (Cupressus macrocarpa), eucalyptus (Eucalyptus globulus), poplar (Populus sp.), arupo (Chionanthus pubescens), alder (Alnus Acuminata), caper spurge (Euphorbia laurifolia), and lime (Sambucus nigra L.) trees. We evaluated the influence of the presence of leaves in the biomass. From this characterization, we developed a method based on obtaining the main components for the identification of the biomass’s species. If the origin of the biomass was unknown, this method enabled us to identify the species, with all its characteristics. If the origin of the biomass was unknown, this innovative method enabled the identification of the species from the lignocellulosic biomass, with all of its characteristics. Finally, we developed regression models that relate the higher heating value to the elemental, proximate, and structural composition.