bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Bonding Super Translucent Multilayered Monolithic Zirconia to Different Foundation Materials: An Invitro Study
Authors: Essam Noha , Ahmed Shaimaa , Attia Ahmed
Published: November 2024

Background: The purpose of the current study was to assess the impact of bonded substrate, zirconia surface conditioning and the interaction between them on the shear bond strength of monolithic zirconia.
Methods: A total of 48 monolithic zirconia discs were fabricated and divided into two groups according to surface treatment either as milled and Monobond N (P) or sandblasting then Monobond N (SP). Each main group was further divided into 3 subgroups according to the bonded substrate: dentin (DSP, DP), composite (CSP, CP) or resin modified glass ionomer (RMGI) (GSP, GP). Multilinik automix (Ivoclar-Vivadent) adhesive resin cement was used for bonding according to the manufacturer instructions. One hour after bonding, specimens were stored in water bath for six months followed by thermal cycling for 10000 cycles to simulate clinical situation. Finally, specimens underwent shear bond strength test using a universal testing machine. Two and one-way ANOVA and Bonferroni Post Hoc tests were used for statistical analysis.
Results: The means±SD (MPa) shear bond strength for each group were calculated. DSP group showed the highest mean shear bond strength (22.65±2.0) followed by DP group (18.61±2.55). Meanwhile, GSP and GP groups showed the lowest mean shear bond strength (4.77±0.09, 4.57±0.73 respectively).
Conclusion: Sandblasting with priming is recommended as a monolithic zirconia surface treatment method. Dentin is the most reliable substrate followed by composite.
An herbal formula Ruji decoction combined with 5-fluorouracil inhibits triple negative breast cancer growth by regulating the PTEN/PI3K/AKT signaling pathway
Authors: Lei Xiaochun , Chen Xikang , Wang Panpan , Gao Lanwen , Madni Asadullah , Oliveira Ralph Santos , Bai Li , Xie Mengjie , Zhang Kewei , Cao Ye , Li Detang , Cai Yu , Tian Huaqin
Published: November 2024

Objective: The purpose of the current research was to assess the inhibitory effect and potential mechanism of Ruji decoction (RJF) combined with 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) on TNBC growth through network pharmacology and in vivo experiments.
Methods: Compounds in RJF aqueous extracts were identified and their contents were determined by high performance liquid chromatography. Network pharmacology was used to screen potential targets for RJF in breast cancer. Subsequently, the inhibitory effect and mechanism of action of RJF in combination with 5-FU on tumour growth were evaluated in mouse experiments.
Results: The study showed that the herbal formula RJF contains Lobetyolin and screened 87 compounds and 226 related targets. The intersection of 2,644 targets related to bladder cancer yielded 147 targets related to RJF, with the main functions focusing on transcriptional regulation, hormonal responses and cancer pathways. Animal experiments showed that the combination of RJF and 5-FU increased tumour suppression, reduced 5-FU toxicity, inhibited metastasis, increased PTEN expression in tumour tissues, and decreased PI3K/AKT signalling pathway activity.
Conclusion: The combination of RJF and 5-FU could inhibit TNBC growth and reduce the toxic side effects of 5-FU by regulating the PTEN/PI3K/AKT signaling pathway.
Utility of ctDNA assessment after six weeks of immunotherapy to predict radiological response in advanced oesophageal cancer
Authors: Pacey Simon , Linossi Constanza , Azizi Alexander , Dayimu Alimu , Machin Andrea , Demiris Nikos , Miremadi Ahmad , O'Donovan Maria , Mennea Paulius , Zhou Ze , An Angela , Smyth Elizabeth , Dovedi Simon , Fitzgerald Rebecca , Roshan Amit , Godfrey Edmund , Faull Iris
Published: November 2024

The prospective, single-arm CALIBRATION trial (NCT03653052) assessed liquid biopsies for early response concordance compared with CT scan assessment in patients with advanced oesophageal cancer given durvalumab (PD-L1 inhibitor) after at least one prior systemic therapy.
19 participants received 1500mg of durvalumab every four weeks. ctDNA was analysed retrospectively with Guardant 360® CDx at baseline, weeks 4 and 7. Response at week 26 was assessed by RECIST v1.1. Tumour samples underwent 30X Whole Genome Sequencing.
Concordance between ctDNA and CT results was pre-defined as either ≥50% increase in ctDNA mean variant allele frequency (VAF) with progressive disease, or ≥50% decrease in VAF correlating with radiological response or stable disease. At week four, 4/17 patients (23.5%) showed concordance; at week seven, this rose to 6/12 patients (50.0%). We reduced ctDNA VAF thresholds sequentially from ±50% to ±1% and identified that with any change in ctDNA at week 7, 75% of cases (9/12) showed concordance. 14/18 (77.7%) of patients progressed in the cohort at 6 months. All patients with ctDNA increases progressed.
Our data supports assessing ctDNA at week seven rather than week four for immunotherapy response prediction. ctDNA VAF increases, especially, could aid decision-making in early-phase clinical trials to cease non-beneficial interventions.
Therapeutic Drug Monitoring of Nirmatrelvir/Ritonavirin Patients with COVID-19
Authors: ping xu , lijun zhang , qingguo wu
Published: November 2024

Background
The aim of this study is to retrospectively analyze the factors that lead to the drug concentration of Nirmatrelvir/Ritonavir (NMV/RTV) not reaching the standard.
Methods
In this study, the NMV/RTV drug concentration(Cnmv/rtv)data (n = 114) of COVID-19 patients over 18 years old were collected from May 2022 to October 2022, and the results of the patients were retrospectively compared. According to the analysis of the early study of NMV/RTV, combined with the research results at home and abroad, according to whether the measured drug concentration > 987ng/ml, the patients were divided into target group and non-target group ,The non-target group was defined as not reaching the trough concentration level.
Results
Serum NMV/RTV concentration in adult patients was correlated with prognostic nutritional index [PNI,(P < 0.05)], height (P < 0.05), weight (P < 0.05) and creatinine clearance [Crcl ,(P < 0.05)]. Multivariate analysis showed that height, weight, PNI, lymphocyte (LYM) and CrCl were independent influencing factors of NMV/RTV trough concentration. However, after the correction of BMI calculation, there was no correlation between NMV/RTV and BMI, so in the clinical medication plan, the drug was not adjusted according to the height and weight.
Conclusions
The serum NMV/RTV concentration of adult patients gradually decreased with the increase of CrCl. For patients with high and low CrCl, the trough concentration of NMV/RTV should be continuously monitored and the dosing regimen should be adjusted to achieve the target trough concentration in these patients to reduce the effect of CrCl. PNI is also a key factor affecting drug concentration. For poor nutritional status, drug concentration should be closely monitored and the dose should be adjusted.
Prescription Patterns and Trends of Antiparkinsonian Drugs in Korean Patients With Parkinson’s Disease: A Real-World Data Analysis
Authors: Yoon Bora , Kim Hwa Jung
Published: November 2024

While guidelines exist for Parkinson's disease (PD) treatment, variations in real-world patient management highlight the need for understanding prescription practices, yet real-world data (RWD) are limited. We aimed to analyze prescribing trends in patients with PD using RWD. We used the Korean National Health Insurance Service database to identify 160,476 patients with PD from 2002 to 2019. We analyzed initial drug prescriptions, dosage patterns, combination therapies, and dosage adjustments. Group-based trajectory modeling identified distinct levodopa prescription trajectories. Most patients initiated monotherapy (66.3%), with levodopa being the predominant across all ages. The dopamine agonist (DA)/levodopa ratio decreased with age. The average initial levodopa dose in the monotherapy group was 300 mg, irrespective of age. In the polytherapy group (33.7%), over 90% of patients started with levodopa or DA combinations; 73.4% started with two drugs, 21.8% with three, and 4.8% with four or more. In the initial levodopa monotherapy group, levodopa dosage increases and add-on therapies were most common within the first year. Trajectory analysis revealed four distinct levodopa prescription patterns. This RWD analysis provides valuable insights into age-dependent prescription variations and the timing of medication changes or dosage increases in PD management, aiding clinicians in making informed, patient-centered treatment decisions.
Comparative Study of Femtosecond and Conventional Optical Tweezers
Authors: SINGH AJITESH , SINGH KRISHNA KANT , KUMAR DEEPAK , GOSWAMI DEBABRATA
Published: November 2024

We present a comparative study of continuous-wave (CW) and pulsed optical tweezers for trapping polystyrene beads with radii of 250 nm, 500 nm, and 1 µm, using five different laser power settings. A Ti:Sapphire (MIRA 900F) laser, capable of seamlessly switching between CW and pulsed modes, was used to ensure identical experimental conditions for both cases. The trap strength in each mode was determined by fitting the power spectrum to a Lorentzian curve. Our results show that pulsed tweezers are more effective for smaller particles, while for larger particles, both CW and pulsed tweezers perform similarly at lower laser powers. However, as the power increases, pulsed tweezers provide more stable trapping.
Modulating Tumor-Associated Macrophages through CSF1R Inhibition: A Potential Therapeutic Strategy for HNSCC
Authors: Chen Kaiting , Li Xiaochen , Dong Shuyi , Guo Yu , Luo Ziyin , Zhuang Shi-Min , Liu Jie , Liu Tianrun , Liao Jing , Wen WeiPing
Published: November 2024

Purpose: Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) are pivotal immune cells within the tumor microenvironment (TME), exhibiting dual roles across various cancer types. Depending on the context, TAMs can either suppress tumor progression and weaken drug sensitivity or facilitate tumor growth and drive therapeutic resistance. This study explores whether targeting TAMs can suppress the progression of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) and improve the efficacy of chemotherapy.
Methods: Bioinformatics analyses were performed to evaluate TAMs infiltration levels in HNSCC tumor tissues and examine their associations with patients’ clinicopathological characteristics and prognosis. Flow cytometry was utilized to measure the expression of key macrophage markers and assess apoptosis following treatment with colony stimulating factor 1 receptor (CSF1R) inhibitors (BLZ945, PLX3397). Additionally, immunohistochemistry was employed to detect CD68 and CD8 expression. In vivo, the antitumor efficacy of CSF1R inhibitors was tested in mouse HNSCC tumor model, both as monotherapy and in combination with cisplatin, to evaluate potential synergistic effects.
Results: Bioinformatic analysis identified TAMs as the predominant infiltrating immune cells in the TME of HNSCC, with significantly higher infiltration levels in tumor tissues compared to adjacent non-tumor tissues. High TAMs infiltration was associated with poorer overall survival (OS), disease-free survival (DFS), human papillomavirus (HPV) infection status, and advanced disease staging. The TAMs-related genes prediction model demonstrated high prognostic accuracy. CSF1R is primarily expressed in TAMs, where high CSF1R expression may suppress antigen binding and activation. In vitro experiments showed that CSF1R inhibitors induce TAMs apoptosis, enhance their phagocytic activity, and reduce CD206 expression and IL-10 secretion, thereby diminishing their immunosuppressive function. In vivo experiments revealed that while CSF1R inhibitors alone had limited efficacy in suppressing tumor growth, their combination with cisplatin significantly enhanced therapeutic efficacy, as evidenced by increased CD8+ T cell infiltration within the TME.
Conclusion: Regulating TAMs by targeting CSF1R to diminish immunosuppressive functions and enhance anti-tumor immunity represents a promising therapeutic strategy for HNSCC.
Energy supply of comprehensive energy system in the park considering load density and efficiency zoning
Authors: ZHONG Jiaqing , LI Yunzhuo , SUN Xinying , ZHANG Xiaohui
Published: November 2024

In order to make a reasonable energy supply zoning plan for the comprehensive energy system in the park and realize the efficient utilization of energy, this paper puts forward an energy supply zoning strategy for the comprehensive energy system in the park based on the load density of each functional area in the park, and considers the cascade utilization of energy, and puts forward a multi-objective planning model for the park with the optimization goal of economy and efficiency. Firstly, the principle of energy cascade utilization of comprehensive energy system is studied, and the energy efficiency evaluation method of comprehensive energy system in park based on efficiency is put forward. Secondly, according to the land use characteristics and building structure characteristics of various functional areas in the park, the comprehensive load density of functional areas is calculated, the energy supply zoning strategy of the comprehensive energy system in the park is put forward, and the multi-objective planning model of the park is established. Finally, taking a park as an example, the effectiveness of the model and its solution is verified by numerical simulation. The results show that the proposed method can realize the complementarity of energy grades among loads, effectively realize the reasonable energy supply zoning of the park, and consider the influencing factors of load density, so as to improve the economy of the planning scheme and effectively realize the efficient use of energy.
Study on the bond-slip degradation mechanism of lightweight steel and foam concrete interface under freeze-thaw cycle
Authors: Yang Minghao , Yuan Hai , Yang Shuwang , Xu Qiang , Jiang Yongbiao , Zhang Chen , Xu Yingdong , Su Chenhao , Zhang Zhiyuan
Published: November 2024

In the overall mechanical properties of lightweight steel-foam concrete composite structures, the bonding properties of the interface play a crucial role. However, freeze-thaw cycles significantly affect the pore structure of foam concrete, which has an irreversible impact on the interfacial bonding properties of the composite structure, seriously affecting the overall performance and mechanical properties. Therefore, in this paper, the interfacial bond performance of the composite specimens of foam concrete and cold-formed thin-walled galvanized C-type steel under a freeze-thaw environment is analyzed by using the test method combining microscopic and macroscopic tests. Foam concrete was subjected to 0, 50, 100, and 150 freeze-thaw cycles, and the internal and surface microscopic pore structure of foam concrete was observed and analyzed under different densities and different freeze-thaw cycles using SEM and optical microscope. The test results show that the freeze-thaw cycle makes the pore structure of foam concrete deteriorate obviously, and the degree of pore damage is inversely proportional to the density of foam concrete. The internal porosity of the foam concrete increased with the increase in the number of freezing and thawing. Push-out tests were also conducted on 23 composite specimens. The results show that with the increase in freeze-thaw cycles, the maximum peak bond stress and residual bond stress of foam concrete of the same density decrease, and the slip corresponding to the maximum peak bond stress increases; the strain at the loading end decreases gradually. The maximum peak bond stress, the slip corresponding to the maximum peak bond stress, and the residual bond strength at the same number of freeze-thaw cycles increased with the increase of foam concrete density. For the analysis of bond-slip behavior, a three-stage model of bond-slip considering the change of porosity and compressive strength under ambient temperature environment was established, and the relative bond strength and slip calculation formulas based on the freeze-thaw damage of porosity and initial porosity under freeze-thaw environment were proposed.
WITHDRAWN: Designing a Nature Play Module for Preschool Teachers Using the Fuzzy Delphi Method: A Structured Approach for Early Childhood Education
Authors: Yanfei Xu , Rahman Mohd Nazri Abdul
Published: November 2024

The integration of nature play into preschool education has gained increasing attention due to its positive impact on children's development. However, many preschool teachers face challenges in implementing nature play effectively. This study aims to develop a Nature Play Module (NPM) to provide systematic guidance for teachers, enhancing their ability to integrate nature play into their curriculum and support children's holistic growth within the Chinese context. Using the Fuzzy Delphi Method (FDM), this research engaged 12 experts, including 4 specialists in early childhood education, 4 kindergarten principals, and 4 preschool teachers, in two rounds of surveys, utilizing semi-structured interviews and questionnaires. Data analysis results showed that the experts accepted all these elements through the expert consensus value above 75%, the threshold value (d) ≤ 0.2, and the fuzzy score (A) ≥ α - cut value = 0.5. The resulting module comprises 10 key themes and 61 sub-themes, which include the objectives, principles, teaching strategies, frequency and duration, environment and venue, activity resources, activity process, activity evaluation, precautions.
Depollution of water contaminated by Yellow Bezacryl (YB) - Kinetic study, Isotherms modeling and Adsorption Mechanism.
Authors: ABBAS Moussa
Published: November 2024

Progress in industrial and agricultural activities, as well as the discharge of insufficiently treated effluents, notably dyes and heavy metals, have amplified the polluting load on the environment. These organic compounds pose considerable challenges in drinking water and wastewater treatment systems, given their toxicity, high oxygen demand, and limited biodegradability climate change poses a threat to water security by altering precipitation patterns and other weather variables, which affect river flow and freshwater availability. This study is focused on the application of adsorption and photocatalysis of the Yellow Bezacryl (YB) dye in the presence of typical TiO2 (Eg = 3.5 eV) semiconductor and suggests a likely mechanism for this process. For that the effects of contact time, initial pH, adsorbent dosage and YB initial concentration on the dye adsorption by TiO2 catalyst have been studied. The adsorption of YB onto TiO2 catalyst has been investigated at batch conditions. The adsorption mechanism of YB onto TiO2 catalyst was studied by using the First-pseudo order, Second-pseudo order models. The adsorptions kinetics were found to follow rather a pseudo-second order kinetic with a determination coefficient (0.9906 < R2 <0.9968). The adsorption isotherm is a mathematical model that relates the equilibrium amount of the adsorbate immobilized onto the adsorbent surface to those remaining in the solution. Several models Langmuir, Freundlich, Temkin and Elovich models have been documented for describing the experimental data obtained for the adsorption processes. The adsorption follows well the Langmuir equation, providing a better fit of the equilibrium adsorption data (R2 = 0.998, SSE = 0.0006). Under optimized conditions, up to 14.705 mg/g at 25 oC is removed from the solution. The experimental results showed that the efficiency of the photocatalytic process strongly depends on the pH while the initial rate of the photocatalytic reaction is proportional to the catalyst dose, but above a certain value it becomes constant and sometimes decreases. The adsorption is an important parameter controlling the apparent kinetic constant of the degradation. The photocatalytic degradation rate was favored for high concentrations of solution in agreement with Langmuir–Hinshelwood (L-H) model. The values kc and K for the photocatalytic degradation of YB were found to be 1.992 mgL/min and 0.2906 L/mg respectively. The degradation rate was found to be dependent on pH and temperature with a high degradation rate for pH 4 and a rise in temperature. The TiO2 catalyst has a better activity for the YB degradation, compared to the various commercial catalysts already available in the literature.
Navigating condensate microenvironment to enhance small molecule drug targeting
Authors: Li Tingting , Zhang Xin , Ouyang Jian , Chen Junlin , Wu Zhili , You Kaiqiang , Chen Taoyu , Gao Yi Qin , Li Pilong
Published: November 2024

Many pharmaceutical targets partition into biomolecular condensates, whose microenvironment could significantly influence drug distribution. Nevertheless, it's unclear how small molecule drug design principles should adjust for these partitioned proteins to optimize target engagement. Here, we address this question by systematically investigating how the condensate microenvironment influences drug targeting efficiency. We found condensates formed by intrinsically disordered regions with varying properties highlighted a notable heterogeneity, with nonpolar residue-enriched condensates being more hydrophobic and housing more hydrophobic drugs and endogenous metabolites. Further, the L1000 dataset analysis revealed a strong positive correlation between inhibitor hydrophobicity and targeting efficiency for phase-separated (PS) proteins, represented by ESR1 enriched with nonpolar residues. In cellulo experiments with ESR1 condensates confirmed that both binding affinity and hydrophobicity contribute significantly to enhancing inhibitor potency. These results suggest a new drug design principle for PS proteins by considering condensate microenvironments, potentially leading to more effective drugs that exhibit optimal target engagement.
Does a Gentamicin-coated intramedullary nail prevent postoperative infection in Gustilo Type I and II tibial open fractures? A comparative study and retrospective analysis .
Authors: Rai SK , Gupta TP , Kashid Manoj , Sirohi Bhavya , Kale Amit , Sharma Ritesh
Published: November 2024

Purpose
Tibial open shaft fractures are very common and susceptible to infection, which can lead to significant morbidity especially infection and non-union. Antibiotic coated nail is one option for fixing open shaft tibial fractures to minimise infection. This study aimed to compare the clinical outcome of Gentamicin-coated tibial nails versus regular unreamed interlocking tibial nails in the treatment of type I and II tibial open fractures.
Methods
In the present study of 124 patients with Gustilo type I and II tibial fractures, 62 patients were treated with non-antibiotic-coated regular nails (control group, Group A), and 62 patients were treated with Gentamicin-coated nails (study group, Group B). They were followed for 12 months for fracture union. Fracture union was assessed by The Radiographic Union Scale for Tibial fractures (RUST) criteria.
Results
The postoperative infection rate in the regular nail group was 9.6% (6/62 patients), whereas it was 3.2% (2/62 patients) in the antibiotic nail group (χ2 = 4.64\chi^2 = 4.64χ2 = 4.64, p = 0.031p = 0.031p = 0.031). The Gentamicin-coated nail group showed a better fracture union rate compared to the regular nail group at the 6-month and 12-month follow-ups (p = 0.0267p = 0.0267p = 0.0267).
Conclusion
A tibial nail coated with Gentamicin is an effective method for preventing infection in type I and II open fracture shafts of the tibia. It allows, shortens hospital stay and healing time, prevents infection, and thus reduces the chance of a second surgery.
Level of Evidence
Level III, a prospective study
Glomerular filtration rate in children with sickle cell disease in the Eastern Region of Saudi Arabia
Authors: Zayed Abdalla Mohamed , Zayed Abdalla , Almohaimeed S , Eltayeb A , Alharbi R , Alotaibi T , Aldosari H , Alotaibi TS , Awadallah Y , Ancheta SJ , Alasmari M , Algarni A , Alghamdi A , Abdulrahman R Al
Published: November 2024

Introduction
Sickle cell nephropathy (SCN) is a serious complication of SCD that starts insidiously in childhood, with possible progression to chronic kidney disease in adulthood. Our aim was to study the prevalence and clinical correlates of the glomerular filtration rate, the earliest marker of renal dysfunction, in the Eastern Region of Saudi Arabia (SA).
Methods
A retrospective cross-sectional study was performed on 114 Saudi children with SCD aged 1-14 years who attended the pediatric hematology clinic in a steady state. Renal function was evaluated via estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR). The prevalence of GHF, and the correlation of eGFR with different clinical and laboratory data were investigated. Moreover, a comparison of the clinical characteristics and eGFRs was performed between children from the Southwestern (SW) and Eastern regions of Saudi Arabia (SA) and living in the same Eastern environment.
Results
A total of 114 children with SCD were included in the study (Male to female ratio: 1.3:1). The mean age was 8.8 ± 3.2 years. They were divided into two groups based on their provenance: Eastern (n: 26/114) and SW (n: 88/114). The mean eGFR was 179.4±52.7 ml/min/1.73 m2 with a glomerular hyperfiltration (GHF) prevalence of (44.7%). There was no statistical difference between the two groups in terms of the mean GFR or prevalence of GHF (p>0.5). The eGFR correlated with hemolytic markers, including steady-state hemoglobin (HB) (r = −0.25, P 0.003), hematocrit (r=-0.27, p 0.002), HBF (r=-0.28, p 0.001), reticulocytes% (r=0.225, p 0.016), AST(r = 0.32, p   0.000), LDH (r=0.30, p 0.001)and bilirubin (r=0.317, p O.001). In the multivariate regression of the factors determining the eGFR at 95% confidence intervals, only HBF (β =0.216, P = 0.042) remained independently predictive (R2 = 0.197, p= 0.001). There was no correlation between the GFR and patient age, BP, WBC or platelet count.
Conclusion:
The prevalence of GHF among Saudi children with SCD in the Eastern region is high, with no significant difference between Eastern and SW patients. The eGFR was correlated with the hemolytic markers, and low HBF was predictive of GHF. Further studies are needed to validate these findings.
Investigating the Amorphous to Crystalline Phase Transition in Se 80 In 5 Te 15-x Bi x Chalcogenide Thin Films
Authors: Khan Imtiyaz H. , Tripathi Ravi P. , Akhtar M. Shaheer , Khan Zubair M. S. H. , Kim Chong Yeal , Khan Shamshad A.
Published: November 2024

This work pronounces the interchange from amorphous to crystallization phase in quaternary Se80In5Te15 − xBix chalcogenide thin films which was prepared by controllable melt quenching technique using a vacuum of 10− 5 Torr. Non-isothermal behaviour by DSC measurements was carried out to establish the amorphous as well as glassy state of the synthesized Se80In5Te15 − xBix alloys. For phase transformation, Se80In5Te15 − xBix chalcogenide thin films were performed by thermal annealing at different temperatures 343 K, 353 K and 363 K for 2 h followed by taking XRD (X- Ray diffraction) and FESEM measurements. After thermal annealing, Se80In5Te15 − xBix thin films were considerably transformed from amorphous to crystalline nature. The luminescence peak position with elevated intensity was slightly shifted when the annealing temperatures were increased. The annealed Se80In5Te15 − xBix thin films exhibited the increased absorption coefficients (α) and extinction coefficient (k) with decreased optical band gap when annealing temperatures were increased. The lowering in the optical band gap with temperature of annealing was described on the basis of transferred phase from amorphous to crystalline.
Does Poverty Alleviation Relocation Improve the Happiness of Rural Residents in China? Evidence from the Microdata of CHFS
Authors: Han Xueying , Han Xia
Published: November 2024

Drawing data from the 2019 China Household Finance Survey (CHFS), this article explores whether the relocation policy for poverty alleviation improves the happiness of rural residents in China. This study documents a significantly positive relationship between the relocation policy for poverty alleviation and the happiness of relocated rural residents. Furthermore, resident income is found to play a mediating role. Further heterogeneous analyses provide evidence of differences in policy effects for relocated people of different ages and regions. In order to avoid endogeneity, this articleselects the resident location as the instrumental variable, and the endogeneity test further verifies that the implementation of PAR can significantly improve the happiness of rural residents.The findings could help provide policy implications for follow-up assistance and grassroots governance in the relocation areas.
Enhancing Enzyme Activity with Mutation Combinations Guided by Few-shot Learning and Causal Inference
Authors: Tian Boxue , Guo Lin , Yan Xiaoguang , Nie Shengxin , Ge Mingyue , Li Yukun , Lu Yali , Li Weiguo , Zhang Xiaochun , Liang Dongmei , Zhao Yihan , Tan Hongxiao , Chen Xiling , Fan Shilong , Tang Yefeng , Qiao Jianjun
Published: November 2024

Designing enzyme sequences to enhance product yield represents a fundamental challenge in metabolic engineering. Here, we established a workflow that integrates computational predictions with efficient experimental iteration to obtain outsized gains in product yield. Based on causal inference and examination of published datasets from previous yield-boosting engineering efforts, we realized and ultimately experimentally confirmed that in vivo unit yield (yield/expression) can serve as an attractive surrogate for aqueous Kcat/KM when optimizing for in vivo enzyme activity. In our workflow, we initially predict activity-enhancing single mutants by calculating the binding affinities of reactive intermediates, followed by experimental investigations of unit yield. Subsequently, we predict activity-enhancing mutation combinations using a few-shot learning model we developed called Physics-Inspired Feature Selection of Protein Language Models (PIFS-PLM), which requires only 60–100 experimentally examined mutation combinations as input, and which identifies enzyme regions likely to support additional yield gains from mutation based on the “local activity landscape”. In a case study of a bicyclogermacrene (BCG) synthase, we achieve a 72-fold increase in BCG yield based on combinations of 12 individual mutations, and provide extensive crystallographic and biochemical evidence for impacts from specific mutations. Thus, optimizing for unit yield is highly efficient as an alternative to optimizing for thermostability, and our study provides a powerful workflow for the efficient engineering of high-yield enzyme variants.
Impact of Declared Wildfire Disasters on Survival of Lung Cancer Patients Undergoing Radiation
Authors: Lichter Katie E. , Larson Bria , Pagadala Meghana , Mohamad Osama , Nogueira Leticia
Published: November 2024

Purpose
Oncological treatments, such as radiotherapy, which requires consistent electricity, the presence of specialized clinical teams, and daily patient access to treatment facilities, are frequently disrupted by extreme weather events, posing several health hazards to patients [1–3]. This study explores the association between declared wildfire disasters during radiotherapy and overall survival among patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).
Methods
The study population consisted of 202,935 adults with inoperable Stage III NSCLC, who initiated radiotherapy from 2004 through 2019. Exposure was defined as a wildfire disaster declaration in the county of the treatment facility within 12 weeks of initiating radiotherapy. Overall survival was defined as the interval (months) between age at diagnosis and age at death, date of last contact, or study end. Cox proportional hazards was used to estimate crude and adjusted hazard ratios and 95% confidence intervals with inverse probability weighting.
Results
Patients exposed to a wildfire disaster declaration during radiation treatment had worse overall survival (HR, 1.03; 95% CI, 1.00-1.06; p = 0.02), compared to unexposed patients in adjusted models.
Conclusion
Exposure to a wildfire disaster during radiotherapy is associated with worse overall survival among patients with stage III non-operable NSCLC. This finding underscores the critical need for developing adaptation strategies within the healthcare sector, especially in oncology.
Machine learning and data-driven inverse modeling of metabolomics unveil key process of active aging
Authors: Li Jiahang , Brenner Martin , Pierides Iro , Wessner Barbara , Franzke Bernhard , Strasser Eva-Maria , Waldherr Steffen , Wagner Karl-Heinz , Weckwerth Wolfram
Published: November 2024

Physical inactivity and weak fitness status have become a global health concern. Metabolomics, as an integrative systematic approach, might link to individual’s fitness at the molecular level. In this study, we performed blood samples metabolomics analysis of a cohort of elderly people with different treatments. By defining two groups of fitness and corresponding metabolites profiles, we tested several machine learning classifications to identify key metabolite biomarkers, which showed robustly aspartate as a dominant negative marker of fitness. Following, the metabolomics data of the two groups were analyzed by a novel approach for metabolic network interaction termed COVRECON. Where we identified the enzyme AST as the most important metabolic regulation between the fit and the less fit groups. Routine blood tests in two cohorts validated significant differences in AST and ALT. In summary, we combine machine-learning classification and COVRECON to identify metabolomics biomarkers and causal processes for fitness of elderly people.
Preparation of CeZrO2 with mixed alcohol/water solvents: as highly active catalysts for the synthesis of dimethyl carbonate from CO2 and methanol
Authors: Wang Yaning , Qi Guisheng , Guo Yujing , Li Ning , He Jingting , Guo Qiang , Liu Youzhi
Published: November 2024

Synthesis of dimethyl carbonate (DMC) from carbon dioxide (CO2) is a representative pathway for CO2 resource utilisation, which can effectively reduce atmospheric CO2 levels. CeZrO2 can effectively catalyse the generation of dimethyl carbonate (DMC) by direct reaction of carbon dioxide (CO₂) and methanol (MeOH). However, its morphologically controllable synthesis and resolution of particle agglomeration remain a challenge. In this paper, uniformly dispersed rod-like structures were synthesised by adjusting the composition of the reaction solvent during CeZrO2 synthesis. Experiments and characterisation showed that the addition of alcohol directly affected the morphology and aggregation of ions in solution and promoted the reduction of Ce4+ to Ce3+, thus improving the catalytic performance of rod-shaped CeZrO2. When n-butanol was added at an alcohol-to-water ratio of 1/1, the generation of DMC has been optimised at 4.36 mmol/g, which was about 10% higher than the performance of DMC from a single aqueous solution. In this work, a simple, efficient and rapid modification method was used to achieve the improvement of catalyst performance, and the modulation of the reaction solvent can effectively reduce the cost of catalyst production compared with the doping modification of the catalyst with metal elements, and this study is an important reference for the optimisation of the performance of other types of catalysts.
A restaurant recommendation method that combines neural network algorithms and information extraction from electronic word of mouth
Authors: Gregoriades Andreas , Herodotou Herodotos , Pampaka Maria , Christodoulou Evripides
Published: November 2024

Recommendation systems are popular information systems that help consumers manage the information overload problem, encountered when making decisions with many alternatives. One type of such systems are restaurant recommenders. Whilst personality has been recognized as important for influencing consumers’ choice, it has not yet been exploited in restaurant recommendation with dominant recommendation technique in this sector being collaborative filtering. This work proposes a restaurant recommendation method that exploits personalities, opinions and preferences of customers that are either extracted directly from online review platforms or derived from text in electronic word of mouth (eWOM), using information extraction techniques. The proposed method introduces the concept of venue personality based on theory stipulating that customers are more satisfied with brands that have similar personality to their own. A novel deep learning model is designed to extract personality from text and is used to assess customers and venues’ personalities. Food preferences are extracted from eWOM via a custom named-entity recognizer. Customer opinions are extracted from eWOM’s text through topic modelling. Latent information regarding customer preference are extracted form the interactions of customers with restaurants via a neural collaborative filtering (NCF) component. The embeddings of the NCF component are extracted and combined with the above features to form the input based on which an extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost) model is trained to predict restaurants ratings. Results are compared to baseline models using various performance metrics and verify that the method improve restaurant recommendation.
Antibiotic type and dose variably affect microbiomes of a disease-resistant Acropora cervicornis genotype
Authors: Patton Sunni , Silva Denise , Fuques Eddie , Klinges Grace , Muller Erinn , Thurber Rebecca Vega
Published: November 2024

Background
As coral diseases become more prevalent and frequent, the need for new intervention strategies also increases to counteract the rapid spread of disease. Recent advances in coral disease mitigation have resulted in increased use of antibiotics on reefs, as their application may halt disease lesion progression. Although efficacious, consequences of deliberate microbiome manipulation resulting from antibiotic administration are less well-understood – especially in non-diseased corals that appear visually healthy. Therefore, to understand how healthy corals are affected by antibiotics, we investigated how three individual antibiotics, and a mixture of the three, impact the microbiome structure and diversity of a disease-resistant Caribbean staghorn coral (Acropora cervicornis) genotype. Over a 96-hour, aquarium-based antibiotic exposure experiment, we collected and processed coral tissue and water samples for 16S rRNA gene analysis.
Results
We found that antibiotic type and dose distinctively impact microbiome alpha diversity, beta diversity, and community composition. In experimental controls, microbiome composition was dominated by an unclassified bacterial taxon from the order Campylobacterales, while each antibiotic treatment significantly reduced the relative abundance of this taxon. Those taxa that persisted following antibiotic treatment largely differed by antibiotic type and dose, thereby indicating that antibiotic treatment may result in varying potential for opportunist establishment.
Conclusion
Together, these data suggest that antibiotics induce microbiome dysbiosis – hallmarked by the loss of a dominant bacterium and the increase in taxa associated with coral stress responses. Understanding the off-target consequences of antibiotic administration is critical not only for informed, long-term coral restoration practices, but also for highlighting the importance of responsible antibiotic dissemination into natural environments.
Mapping and validation of a major QTL, QTkw.cau-3DL, controls kernel weight by regulating kernel length in wheat
Authors: He Xi , Liu Jilu , Ren Xiaomeng , Wei Shurong , Zhu Zhenzhen , Zhang Fuping , Hu Sijia , Ding Yanpeng , Sun Fangyao , Han Dong , Bai Guihua , Ni Zhongfu , Sun Qixin , Su Zhenqi
Published: November 2024

Increasing kernel weight is an effective way for improving grain-yield in wheat. Identification of major QTLs for kernel weight without negative effects on other yield-related traits is important to continuous yield improvement. We developed a population of F6 recombinant inbred lines (RILs) from Jimai120 x Jimai325 and identified eight QTLs for thousand-kernel weight (TKW), kernel length (KL) and kernel width (KW) in five environments. One QTL on chromosome arm 3DL consistently showed major effects on TKW (QTkw.cau-3DL) and KL in five field experiments, accounting for up to 16.43% and 13.87% of phenotypic variation, respectively. QTkw.cau-3DL was confined to a 5.72 Mb (3.48 cM) interval between 554.39 and 560.11 Mb. This QTL was validated in a pair of near-isogenic lines (NILs) and in a new double haploid (DH) population. QTkw.cau-3DL increased kernel weight per spike (KWPS) without any negative effect on heading data (HD), plant height (PH), spike length (SL), spikelet number per spike (SNS) and kernels number per spike (KNPS). It increased 6.2% of grain yield under regular field production conditions. Analyses on its marker haplotype and geographical distribution in a nationwide collection of 630 Chinese wheat cultivars and breeding lines showed that QTkw.cau-3DL has not been widely deployed in Chinese wheat breeding programs. QTkw.cau-3DL is a novel QTL for increasing TKW through increasing KL, therefore, it is an important locus for enhancing wheat grain yield. The tightly linked user-friendly markers developed in this study should facilitate map-based cloning and marker-assisted selection of the QTL in wheat breeding programs.
Embryonic Transfer Post-Vaginal Bleeding: Analysis of the Necessity of Tuberculosis Screening
Authors: Kexin Liu , Weina Gao , Xianlan Zhao
Published: November 2024

Objective: To analyze the clinical manifestations and outcomes of 10 cases of post-transplant tuberculosis and to explore the necessity of screening for tuberculosis in patients with vaginal bleeding after in-vitro fertilization-embryo transfer (IVF-ET).
Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on 10 clinical cases of active tuberculosis during pregnancy following IVF-ET treated at the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University from January 2018 to October 2024. The relationship between vaginal bleeding and active tuberculosis was assessed, and the potential value of tuberculosis screening in such patients was discussed.
Results: (1) General situation: Among the 10 pregnant patients with confirmed active tuberculosis after IVF-ET, 3 had a history of tuberculosis before pregnancy (3/10), 6 were diagnosed with tuberculosis for the first time during pregnancy (6/10), and 1 was diagnosed with tuberculosis after termination of pregnancy (1/10); all but one were primiparous (9/10). (2) Clinical symptoms: Among the 10 patients, fever of varying degrees was the main symptom in 9 cases (9/10), accompanied by vaginal bleeding in 8 cases (8/10), with the lung being the main affected organ, and the most common types of pulmonary tuberculosis were acute miliary pulmonary tuberculosis and hematogenous disseminated pulmonary tuberculosis. (3) Maternal and fetal outcomes: It took about 2 weeks from the onset of tuberculosis to diagnosis, and only 4 patients (4/10) had viable fetuses; all live birth cases were terminated by cesarean section, with 1 term live birth and 3 newborns born prematurely and transferred to the neonatal department.
Conclusion: Pregnancy outcomes in active tuberculosis after embryo transfer are poor. Screening for tuberculosis in patients with vaginal bleeding after IVF-ET is necessary to some extent. Clinically, it is necessary to be vigilant about the possibility of tuberculosis onset in patients after IVF-ET who are preventing miscarriage. Early diagnosis and regular anti-tuberculosis treatment can improve clinical prognosis.
Community perspectives regarding preparedness, response and prevention of Ebola Virus Disease amidst COVID-19 pandemic, an exploratory descriptive qualitative study using a community engagement approach in Mbale City
Authors: Kagoya Enid Kawala , Nsubuga Allan G. , Ewing Helen , Atuhairwe Irene , Ijangolet Esther , Otim Eric , Ronald Kibuuka , Jesca Atugonza , Okibure Ambrose , Okello Francis , Nakattudde Prossy , Nyangoma Faith , Namara Racheal , Nakabaale Mark , Nakawuka Betty , Nakawuki Ashley , Kizito Prisca , Waako Paul , Wandabwa Julius , Makoko Tonny Brian , Musaba Milton , Ahaisibwe Bonaventure , Barugahare Banson
Published: November 2024

Background: Ebola virus disease (EVD) is a rare and deadly infectious hemorrhagic fever disease. Four of the 6 known Ebola virus species can cause human disease. Since 1976, EVD outbreaks have been recorded sporadically in East, Central, and West Africa. Uganda has experienced 6 documented outbreaks of EVD since 2000 that can be attributed to 3 species of Ebola viruses (Zaire, Sudan, and Bundibugyo). Despite substantial advances in clinical management, the case fatality ratio for EVD remains high, reaching more than 60% for the Zaire Ebola virus in 2018–2020.
Methods. The study followed a descriptive qualitative study design. Data were collected using an interviewer-administered questionnaire with both closed and open-ended questions. Data were analysed using ATLAS Pro.
Results: Our results illustrate the lack of health education in the community among the different categories of people and this comes from an emic perspective. We identified 4 high-level themes and 19 subthemes, (1) Knowledge of Ebola Virus Disease, (2) Prevention of EVD in the community, (3) Preparedness for Ebola Virus Disease, and (4) Community response to Ebola Virus Disease and the final thematic area (4) which included giving first aid, using traditional medicines, and approaching a health facility among others.
Conclusions: With all the available information about the previous outbreaks in Uganda, it is surprising that less effort was made this time round to take local sensibilities and culture into account among other social factors contributing to the poor practices of masses toward the EVD, preparedness, prevention, and response.
Enhanced Automated Identification of Human Activity Using an Adaptive Framework
Authors: Bansal Neha , Bansal Atul , Gupta Manish
Published: November 2024

The incorporation of human-computer interface technologies into daily life has garnered the interest of researchers in developing more advanced autonomous systems. Human-computer interaction systems can succeed in actual applications by addressing the shortcomings of existing techniques. This study focuses on a crucial application of human-computer interaction known as human activity recognition. Human Activity Recognition (HAR) pertains to the identification and classification of human gestures, activities, and many forms of interactions. The system is taught to recognize human activities using video-based data streams and photos as input. The sensor data use any available touch or touchless sensing devices. Gyroscopes, Bluetooth, sound sensors, accelerometers, and other integrated sensors found in contemporary sophisticated smartphones exemplify sensing technologies. This research combines video-based and sensor-based activity recognition. Four models are proposed for the HAR system, comprising two sensor-based models and two video-based models. The utilized models are the Machine Learning-based Voting Classifiers for Human Activity Recognition (MLVC) and the Ensemble Convolutional Neural Networks. The suggested models are assessed against the prevailing leading tactics utilizing the metric of recognition accuracy.