bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Regulation of mitophagy and mitochondrial function: Natural compounds as potential therapeutic strategies for Parkinson's disease
Authors: Liang Hao , Ma Zhenwang , Zhong Wei , Liu Jia , Sugimoto Kazuo , Chen Hong
Published: February 2024

Mitochondrial damage is associated with the development of Parkinson's disease (PD), indicating that mitochondrial‐targeted treatments could hold promise as disease‐modifying approaches for PD. Notably, natural compounds have demonstrated the ability to modulate mitochondrial‐related processes. In this review article, we discussed the possible neuroprotective mechanisms of natural compounds against PD in modulating mitophagy and mitochondrial function. A comprehensive literature search on natural compounds related to the treatment of PD by regulating mitophagy and mitochondrial function was conducted from PubMed, Web of Science and Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure databases from their inception until April 2023. We summarize recent advancements in mitophagy's molecular mechanisms, including upstream and downstream processes, and its relationship with PD‐related genes or proteins. Importantly, we highlight how natural compounds can therapeutically regulate various mitochondrial processes through multiple targets and pathways to alleviate oxidative stress, neuroinflammation, Lewy's body aggregation and apoptosis, which are key contributors to PD pathogenesis. Unlike the single‐target strategy of modern medicine, natural compounds provide neuroprotection against PD by modulating various mitochondrial‐related processes, including ameliorating mitophagy by targeting the PINK1/parkin pathway, the NIX/BNIP3 pathway, and autophagosome formation (i.e., LC3 and p62). Given the prevalence of mitochondrial damage in various neurodegenerative diseases, exploring the exact mechanism of natural compounds on mitophagy and mitochondrial dysfunction could shed light on the development of highly effective disease‐modifying or adjuvant therapies targeting PD and other neurodegenerative disorders.
COVID‐19 organizing pneumonia with sudden dyspnea in an asymptomatic survivor
Authors: Lee Hwan Jin , Kim So Ri
Published: February 2024

Key message

This case shows that COVID‐19 survivors can develop delayed‐type pneumonia with sudden respiratory distress that responds dramatically to steroid treatment after remaining asymptomatic for more than several weeks, although pulmonary involvement of post‐COVID‐19 syndrome is often accompanied by long‐term and severe sequelae such as pulmonary fibrosis.
Tunable and responsive photonic bio‐inspired materials and their applications
Authors: Jeon Jisoo , Bukharina Daria , Kim Minkyu , Kang Saewon , Kim Jinyoung , Zhang Yiming , Tsukruk Vladimir
Published: February 2024

Bio‐enabled and bio‐mimetic nanomaterials represent functional materials, which use bio‐derived materials and synthetic components to bring the better of two, natural and synthetic, worlds. Prospective broad applications are flexibility and mechanical strength of lightweight structures, adaptive photonic functions and chiroptical activity, ambient processing and sustainability, and potential scalability along with broad sensing/communication abilities. Here, we summarize recent results on relevant functional photonic materials with responsive behavior under mechanical stresses, magnetic field, and changing chemical environment. We focus on recent achievements and trends in tuning optical materials' properties such as light scattering, absorption and reflection, light emission, structural colors, optical birefringence, linear and circular polarization for prospective applications in biosensing, optical communication, optical encoding, fast actuation, biomedical fields, and tunable optical appearance.
Carbon persistence of soils with long‐term biosolids amendments in California agroecosystems
Authors: Villa Yocelyn B. , Phosalath Eddie , Ryals Rebecca
Published: February 2024

Biosolids can build soil organic matter, but their ability to increase carbon and nitrogen in persistent fractions in deep soil is not well understood. We aimed to assess the mechanisms that influence soil carbon and nitrogen dynamics at three sites—Sacramento (irrigated, grazed grassland), Solano (rainfed, grazed grassland), and Merced (feed cropping system with alfalfa–corn rotation)—where soils were amended with biosolids for 20 years using density fractionations, organomineral extractions, and correlations between calcium and soil organic carbon at three depths (0–10, 30–50, and 75–100 cm). We found that amended soils had higher carbon and nitrogen content in the free‐ and occluded‐light fractions at all depths relative to the control in the Sacramento and Solano sites; however, the Merced site had a greater relative increase of carbon and nitrogen associated with the heavy fraction. Effect sizes show that biosolids increase carbon and nitrogen content in free‐ and occluded‐light fractions in the surface soil (0–10 cm), and in both light and heavy fractions in the deep soil layer (75–100 cm). Ratios of carbon to iron and aluminum show that chelation is an important mechanism of carbon stabilization in Sacramento and Solano sites throughout the soil profile. No (0–10 cm) to negative (75–100 cm) correlations were observed between calcium and soil carbon in the amended soils in the Merced site. Our results indicate that, while biosolids are typically incorporated at shallow depths, long‐term application of biosolids can increase the amount of free‐ and occluded‐light carbon fractions in deep soil.
Association between adverse childhood experiences and bodily pain in early adolescence
Authors: Abrahamyan Armine , Lucas Raquel , Severo Milton , Talih Makram , Fraga Sílvia
Published: February 2024

We aimed to examine the relationship between lifetime exposure to adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) during the first decade of life and recent pain features reported in early adolescence. We conducted a prospective study using data from 4564 adolescent Generation XXI birth cohort participants recruited in 2005–2006. Adverse childhood experiences were reported by children at ages 10 and 13 years using a 15‐item questionnaire. Recent pain features (e.g., any pain, pain sites, recurrent pain intensity, and recurrent pain duration) were measured using structured questionnaires, including the Luebeck pain screening questionnaire at age 13. Using hierarchical binary and multinomial logistic regression analyses with progressive adjustments for confounders, we estimated the associations [adjused odds ratios (aOR) with their 95% confidence intervals (95% CI)] between exposure to ACEs at 10 and pain features at 13 years. The study revealed a statistically significant association between exposure to ACEs reported at age 10 and any pain experienced at age 13 (OR = 1.09; 95% CI [1.07, 1.12]). Even after accounting for the newly reported ACEs at age 13, the association with ACEs at age 10, remained significant (aOR = 1.11 [95% CI, 1.08–1.14]). Consistent patterns were observed when the number of pain sites, recurrent pain intensity, or recurrent pain duration were used as outcome variables instead of any pain at age 13. Adverse childhood experiences occurring during the first decade of life predict the onset of pain features during early adolescence. Consequently, childhood exposure to adversity should be considered a pivotal initial exposure in a pathway leading to chronic pain later in life.
Functionalization design of zinc anode for advanced aqueous zinc‐ion batteries
Authors: Feng Ziyi , Feng Yang , Fan Fangfang , Deng Dezhao , Dong Han , Liu Shude , Kang Ling , Jun Seong Chan , Wang Ling , Zhu Jing , Dai Lei , He Zhangxing
Published: February 2024

Rechargeable aqueous zinc‐ion batteries (AZIBs) offer high energy density, low cost, and are environmentally friendly, rendering them potential energy storage devices. However, dendrite growth on the zinc anode and numerous side reactions during operation challenge their commercialization. Recent advancements have introduced various materials for the functionalization of zinc anodes. These developments effectively mitigate the performance degradation of zinc anode, enhancing both its cycle stability and the overall performance of AZIBs. Herein, the construction of functionalized zinc anodes is discussed, current materials (including organic, inorganic and their composites) for modified zinc anodes are categorized, and the protective mechanism behind functionalized zinc anodes is analyzed. The study concludes by outlining the characteristics of materials suitable for dendritic‐free zinc anode construction and the prospects for future development directions of functionalized zinc anodes in AZIBs.
Designing State‐of‐the‐Art Gas Sensors: From Fundamentals to Applications
Authors: Humayun Muhammad , Bououdina Mohamed , Usman Muhammad , Khan Abbas , Luo Wei , Wang Chundong
Published: February 2024

Gas sensors are crucial in environmental monitoring, industrial safety, and medical diagnostics. Due to the rising demand for precise and reliable gas detection, there is a rising demand for cutting‐edge gas sensors that possess exceptional sensitivity, selectivity, and stability. Due to their tunable electrical properties, high‐density surface‐active sites, and significant surface‐to‐volume ratio, nanomaterials have been extensively investigated in this regard. The traditional gas sensors utilize homogeneous material for sensing where the adsorbed surface oxygen species play a vital role in their sensing activity. However, their performance for selective gas sensing is still unsatisfactory because the employed high temperature leads to the poor stability. The heterostructures nanomaterials can easily tune sensing performance and their different energy band structures, work functions, charge carrier concentration and polarity, and interfacial band alignments can be precisely designed for high‐performance selective gas sensing at low temperature. In this review article, we discuss in detail the fundamentals of semiconductor gas sensing along with their mechanisms. Further, we highlight the existed challenges in semiconductor gas sensing. In addition, we review the recent advancements in semiconductor gas sensor design for applications from different perspective. Finally, the conclusion and future perspectives for improvement of the gas sensing performance are discussed.
The bio‐control potential of Alcaligenes aquatilis against its associated cyanobacteria Lyngbya aestuarii
Authors: Dash Karisma , Panda Bhabatarini
Published: February 2024

Cyanobacteria and heterotrophic bacteria show many similarities in their structure but are different based on their nutritional habits. Autotrophic cyanobacteria and heterotrophic bacteria coexist closely in their natural environments and are capable of a variety of interactions (synergistic, neutral, and antagonistic) due to the secretion of growth‐promoting/retarding (toxin) substances by the bacterial partner. In this study, the cyanobacteria Lyngbya aestuarii and its associated bacteria Alcaligenes aquatilis isolated from the mangrove water of Bhitarkanika showed an antagonistic interaction. The growth of axenic and co‐cultured (1:1; cyanobacteria to bacteria) cyanobacteria was examined under photoautotrophic conditions, to evaluate the interactions between the two groups. The bacteria were found to have cellulase and protease activity and were able to obstruct the growth of cyanobacteria under co‐culture conditions. Besides that, the bacteria secrete many allelochemicals like phenol, tannin, amino acids (alanine and aspartic acid), and hydroxamate siderophore to its surroundings which inhibit the growth and metabolism of the cyanobacteria under co‐cultured conditions. Findings from this study indicate its possible application for wastewater management.
Incorporating Decodable Books into an Early Grades Literacy Curriculum: Tensions and New Learnings from One Teacher
Authors: Elson Kerry , Pennell Ashley , Jordan Rebecca Payne , Nash Kindel Turner , Trathen Woodrow
Published: February 2024

In this article, one teacher shares her journey using decodable books with her culturally and linguistically diverse students, documenting new understandings and tensions that she has encountered. Four literacy teacher educators augment the teacher's story by connecting it with the current literature on literacy and decodable books. After reading this article, readers will walk away with a stronger understanding of how and when to use decodable books with beginning readers, as well as concrete ideas and resources to support incorporating decodable books into the early grades literacy curriculum.
Pre‐analytical stability of selected biochemical analytes in serum of horses and oxen stored at −20°C
Authors: Megerssa Yoseph Cherinet , Gari Fikru Regassa
Published: February 2024

Background

Delays between blood collection and analysis are inevitable, and samples are always stored in the refrigerator. The current study aimed to evaluate the stability of serum total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), total protein (TP), albumin and urea (URA) in horses and oxen after storage at −20°C.

Methods

Sera from apparently healthy 20 male horses and 20 oxen were obtained and aliquots of serum were divided into 3 portions. The first tube was used for baseline (T0) measurement of analyte values, whereas the other two tubes, T1 and T2, were stored at −20°C for 1 and 2 months, respectively, and analyte measurement was done.

Results

Results showed that the stability of TP (g/dL), URA (mg/dL) and TC (mg/dL) in oxen was statistically significant (p < 0.05). In horses, the stability of URA (mg/dL), TP (g/dL) and TG (mg/dL) were also statistically significant (p < 0.05). Additionally, URA and TC in oxen exceed TEa following measurement at T2 and TG in horses following measurement at T1 and T2.

Conclusion

Laboratories should consider the storage temperature and time for specific analytes among animals. Therefore, stability studies at various storage temperatures and times are recommended to fully validate the stability of the analytes.
A survey of parasitic infections in Psittaciformes and Passeriformes in Mashhad, Iran
Authors: Abbaszadeh Mojtaba , Lotfalizadeh Narges , Khedri Javad , Razmi Gholamreza , Borji Hassan
Published: February 2024

The health, growth and fertility of avian species can be negatively affected by parasite infection. This survey assesses the presence, variety and distribution of internal and external parasites among parrots and perching birds in Mashhad, Iran. This study examined 751 caged pet birds from different species and regions in Mashhad for faecal samples and 132 oral swabs for digestive tract parasites. Furthermore, skin scrapings were conducted on 14 canaries displaying dishevelled feathers. During the study, mortalities and moribund birds that had been referred underwent necropsies to examine internal parasites. Following the formol ether faecal examination, only one Malango parrot tested positive for Heterakoidea eggs among 751 faecal samples (0.13%). Further, one cockatiel showed evidence of parasitic infection with Eimeria spp. (0.13%). However, neither Cryptosporidium nor Giardia protozoa were detected in the samples (0%). Oral swabs revealed no evidence of Trichomonas (0%). On the other hand, skin scraping revealed the presence of the mite Dermanyssus in 7 out of 14 canaries with dishevelled feathers (50%). Of 25 moribund and weak budgerigars, 2 were infected with Acuaria in their proventriculus (8%). In addition, 3 out of 14 deceased myna birds carried the nematode Diplotriana in their coelomic cavities (21.42%). In conclusion, the rate of internal parasites has been relatively low in ornamental birds of Mashhad, whereas the prevalence of external parasites has been higher.
Uterine horn intussusception in immediate post‐partum in a Pomeranian Spitz dog
Authors: Mashhadi Mehrdad , Ganjiani Vahid , Bigham‐Sadegh Amin , Shafiee Amir‐Hossein
Published: February 2024

A 2‐year‐old Pomeranian‐Spitz dog (5.8 kg) was admitted with symptoms of uterine prolapse and lethargy 1 day after whelping three puppies. The prolapsed uterus was corrected, but the next day, prolapse reoccurred. To fix the cervix to the abdominal wall, the dog underwent a surgery operation where intussusception in the left horn of the uterus was found. Ovariohysterectomy was performed as the treatment of choice. The diagnosis of intussusception is challenging, and exploratory laparotomy is the reliable diagnostic approach. Although uterine intussusception is rare, it should be one of the important considerations in dogs within the post‐partum period.
Investigating the effect of sesame meal replacement for soybean meal in diets with different levels of calcium and phytase enzyme in broiler chickens
Authors: Aziz‐Aliabadi Fatemeh , Amirzadeh‐Garou Fariba , Hassanabadi Ahmad , Noruzi Hadi
Published: February 2024

Background

As a major part of the cost of broiler farms is related to their feed, breeders are looking for diets at a reasonable price. One of these affordable ingredients is sesame meal (SM), which can be used to replace soybean meal (SBM) in diets.

Objectives

This study aims to investigate the effect of replacing SBM with SM in diets with different levels of calcium (Ca) and phytase (Phy) during the grower (11–24 days), finisher (25–42 days) and whole phases (11–42 days) on the growth performance, carcass characteristics and blood serum parameters of broiler chickens.

Methods

A total of 600 1‐day‐old Ross 308 broiler male chicks were randomly dispensed to 12 dietary treatments with five replicates (10 birds per replicate) based on a completely randomized design in a factorial arrangement of 3 × 2 × 2 with 3 levels of SM (0%, 10% and 20%), 2 levels of Ca (standard (0.87% and 0.79% for grower and finisher phases, respectively) and 0.2% higher than the standard amount) and 2 levels of Phy (0 and 700 FTU/kg diet).

Results

During the study, the significant effects of SM, Ca and Phy on the daily average body weight gain (DAWG) and daily feed intake (DFI) were observed, whereas for the feed conversion ratio, only the effect of SM was significant (p < 0.05). During the finisher and whole phases, the SM and Ca levels influenced the DAWG and DFI, whereas the interaction between Phy and Ca was also significant for DAWG (p < 0.05). The main effects of SM and Ca on the relative weights of breast, heart and liver were significant (p < 0.05). Application of 20% of SM significantly reduced serum Ca concentration (p < 0.05).

Conclusion

Generally, the inclusion of more than 10% of SM in the broilers diet is not recommended. In addition, the use of Phy and Ca levels 0.2% higher than standard in broilers diet could improve the birds’ performance.
Serological investigation of seven zoonotic pathogens in companion dogs in South Korea, 2018–2021
Authors: Song Yun‐Qi , Hong Seol‐Ok , Park Woo Bin , Kim Suji , Lee Eun‐Seo , Choen Doo‐Sung , Yoo Han Sang
Published: February 2024

Based on the current situation of Korean culture and society, the population of companion animals in South Korea is growing rapidly along with zoonotic risks. The current data regarding zoonotic infections in companion dogs reported in Korea is sparse. This study aims to investigate the seroprevalence of seven potential zoonotic pathogens in companion dogs in South Korea: Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Borrelia burgdoferi, Ehrlichia canis, Coxiella burnetii, Brucella canis, Leptospira spp. and canine influenza A virus. A total of 284 serum samples were collected from 2018 to 2021, and the immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies against 7 zoonotic pathogens were detected using enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assays. Samples were divided into five groups and analysed based on age. IgG antibodies against six of the seven pathogens were detected. The highest seropositivity rate was detected for canine influenza A virus exposure (59.1%) for which the rates were the highest in dogs under 1 year old and declined with age. Positivity rates of the other pathogens were relatively low: 1.76% for Leptospira spp., 1.40% for A. phagocytophilum and E. canis, 1.06% for B. canis and 0.35% for B. burgdoferi. No antibodies against C. burnetii were detected in this study. The exposure of dogs in South Korea to six zoonotic pathogens was serologically confirmed, highlighting a potential risk for human infection. The zoonotic risk of companion dogs cannot be neglected, and implementation of One Health approach should be advocated to establish effective preventive measures.
Participation and co‐production in climate adaptation: Scope and limits identified from a meta‐method review of research with European coastal communities
Authors: Sartorius Julian V. , Geddes Alistair , Gagnon Alexandre S. , Burnett Kathryn A.
Published: February 2024

As climate change impacts increase, there are growing calls for strengthening relationships between researchers and other stakeholders to advance adaptation efforts. Participation and co‐production are widely held to be key to such relationships, both intended to open substantive engagement in science and research to non‐experts. Gains commonly attributed to participation and co‐production include improved understanding of user needs and contexts, enhanced trust, creating actionable knowledge for adaptation planning and decision‐making, and other new outcomes and practices supporting adaptation progress. At the same time, scrutiny of existing efforts to use participation and co‐production reveals limits and gaps in understanding the conditions and processes required to undertake them in meaningful, appropriate, and effective ways. This review assesses such limitations and gaps across the growing volume of research focused on adapting coastal and island communities within Europe. We systematically reviewed 60 peer‐reviewed papers, drawing on a novel meta‐method review approach to synthesize patterns in participation and co‐production implementations, types of outcomes, and the latter's associations with study research designs. We identify a propensity toward using more simplistic definitions of community, more conventional, extractive research methods in working with study communities, and emphasizing knowledge generation over other outcomes. These issues are all limits on participation and co‐production effectiveness, and we make recommendations to reduce them. We also recommend further recourse to systematic review methods to aid the development of participation and co‐production knowledge for adaptation.

This article is categorized under:

Assessing Impacts of Climate Change > Evaluating Future Impacts of Climate Change

Perceptions, Behavior, and Communication of Climate Change > Perceptions of Climate Change

Climate and Development > Social Justice and the Politics of Development
Brood protection is essential but not sufficient for population survival of lapwings Vanellus vanellus in central Switzerland
Authors: Korner Pius , Hohl Simon , Horch Petra
Published: February 2024

Lapwing are among those ground nesting bird species that suffered strong population declines following agricultural intensification in many parts of Europe. The key problem appears to be a low breeding success which, depending on the situation, may be due to predation of eggs and chicks, starvation of chicks especially during dry conditions, agricultural activities leading to direct killings, and suboptimal breeding habitat. Here, we report on a population of 40–60 lapwing breeding pairs in an intensively cultivated arable landscape in central Switzerland, where protection from farming activities, implementation of special lapwing habitat and nest fencing to exclude terrestrial predators (mainly red fox) started in 2005 and is still ongoing. Chicks were ringed and families subsequently observed every 2–3 days. Hatching success for fenced nests built before May was high. Low hatching success was observed in unfenced nests due to high predation rates and in late nests due to abandonment by the female when the vegetation was growing too tall (e.g. maize). Regularly, chicks disappeared during the night shortly after hatching. Most likely many of them first left the fence and were predated outside. Our observations from a fenced field with wet soils and puddles suggest that lapwing may produce sufficient offspring if predation can be reduced and if large enough areas with suitable habitat are available.
Kinematic Hopf algebra for amplitudes from higher-derivative operators
Authors: Chen Gang , Rodina Laurentiu , Wen Congkao
Published: February 2024

Abstract

Recently it has been shown that Bern-Carrasco-Johansson (BCJ) numerators of colour-kinematic duality for tree-level scattering amplitudes in Yang-Mills theory (coupled with scalars) can be determined using a quasi-shuffle Hopf algebra. In this paper we consider the same theory, but with higher-derivative corrections of the forms α′F3 and α′2F4, where F is the field strength. In the heavy mass limit of the scalars, we show that the BCJ numerators of these higher-derivative theories are governed by the same Hopf algebra. In particular, the kinematic algebraic structure is unaltered and the derivative corrections only arise when mapping the abstract algebraic generators to physical BCJ numerators. The underlying kinematic Hopf algebra enables us to obtain a compact expression for the BCJ numerators of any number of gluons and two heavy scalars for amplitudes with higher-derivative operators. The pure gluon BCJ numerators can also be obtained from our results by a simple factorisation limit where the massive particles decouple.
Scalar-graviton amplitudes and celestial holography
Authors: Ball Adam , De Shounak , Srikant Akshay Yelleshpur , Volovich Anastasia
Published: February 2024

Abstract

We compute scattering amplitudes involving one massive scalar and two, three, or four gravitons. We show that when the conformal dimension of the massive scalar is set to zero, the resulting celestial correlators depend only on the coordinates of the gravitons. Such correlators of gravitons are well-defined and do not suffer from divergences associated with the Mellin transform of usual graviton amplitudes. Moreover, they are non-distributional and take the form of standard CFT correlators. We show that they are consistent with the usual OPEs but the statement of the soft theorem is modified.
Entire Monogenic Functions of Given Proximate Order and Continuous Homomorphisms
Authors: Colombo Fabrizio , Krausshar Rolf Soeren , Pinton Stefano , Sabadini Irene
Published: February 2024

Infinite order differential operators appear in different fields of mathematics and physics. In the past decade they turned out to play a crucial role in the theory of superoscillations and provided new insight in the study of the evolution as initial data for the Schrödinger equation. Inspired by the infinite order differential operators arising in quantum mechanics, in this paper we investigate the continuity of a class of infinite order differential operators acting on spaces of entire hyperholomorphic functions. Precisely, we consider homomorphisms acting on functions in the kernel of the Dirac operator. For this class of functions, often called monogenic functions, we introduce the proximate order and prove some fundamental properties. As an important application, we are able to characterize infinite order differential operators that act continuously on spaces of monogenic entire functions.
Complexity of the multiobjective minimum weight minimum stretch spanner problem
Authors: Bökler Fritz , Jasper Henning
Published: February 2024

In this paper, we take an in-depth look at the complexity of a hitherto unexplored multiobjective minimum weight minimum stretch spanner problem; or in short multiobjective spanner (MSp) problem. The MSp is a multiobjective generalization of the well-studied minimum t-spanner problem. This multiobjective approach allows to find solutions that offer a viable compromise between cost and utility—a property that is usually neglected in singleobjective optimization. Thus, the MSp can be a powerful modeling tool when it comes to, e.g., the planning of transportation or communication networks. This holds especially in disaster management, where both responsiveness and practicality are crucial. We show that for degree-3 bounded outerplanar instances the MSp is intractable and computing the non-dominated set is BUCO-hard. Additionally, we prove that if $${\textbf{P}} \ne \textbf{NP}$$

P
≠
NP

, the set of extreme points cannot be computed in output-polynomial time, for instances with unit costs and arbitrary graphs. Furthermore, we consider the directed versions of the cases above.
Convolutional neural network-support vector machine-based approach for identification of wheat hybrids
Authors: Sonmez Mesut Ersin , Sabanci Kadir , Aydin Nevzat
Published: February 2024

Selecting wheat hybrids is vital for enhancing crop yield, adapting to changing climates, and ensuring food security. These hybrids align with market demands and sustainable farming practices, contributing to efficient crop management. Traditional methods for wheat hybrid selection, such as molecular techniques, are costly and time-consuming, and are prone to human error. However, advancements in artificial intelligence and machine learning offer non-destructive, objective, and more efficient solutions. This study is explored the classification of wheat varieties and hybrids using two deep learning models, MobileNetv2 and GoogleNet. These models are achieved impressive classification accuracy, with MobileNetv2 reaching 99.26% and GoogleNet achieving 97.41%. In the second scenario, the deep features obtained from these models are classified with Support Vector Machine (SVM). In the classification made with the MobileNetv2-SVM hybrid model, an accuracy of 99.91% is achieved. This study is provided rapid and accurate wheat variety and hybrid identification method, as well as contributing to breeding programs and crop management.
Xylanase treatment of eucalypt kraft pulps: effect of carryover
Authors: Matos José M. S. , Evtuguin Dmitry V. , de Sousa António P. Mendes , Carvalho M. Graça V. S.
Published: February 2024

The influence of pulp carryover on the efficiency of the xylanase (X) treatment of industrial unbleached and oxygen-delignified eucalypt kraft pulps (A1 and A2 pulps, with kappa number (KN) values of 16 and 10, respectively), collected at the same pulp mill, was studied regarding the consumption of bleaching chemicals and pulp bleachability. Another non-oxygen-delignified eucalyptus kraft pulp of KN 13 was received after the extended cooking from a different pulp mill (pulp B). The assays were performed with both lab-washed (carryover-free) and unwashed (carryover-rich) pulps. Both lab-washed and unwashed pulps with carryover were subjected to X treatment, the former being demonstrating considerably higher ClO2 savings than the pulps containing carryover. The savings of bleaching reagents were higher when the X stage was applied to the A1 pulp than to the A2 pulp. This advantage of A1 pulp, however, was not confirmed when using unwashed pulps. In contrast, the gains obtained from the X treatment of unwashed pulp A2 were practically as high as those observed for the lab-washed A2 pulp. Furthermore, a similar effect in X stage was recorded for unwashed pulps having close KN: oxygen-delignified A2 pulp and non-oxygen-delignified B pulp. The results suggest that pulp carryover and initial pH were the key factors relating to the effectiveness of X treatment. The application of X treatment to the A2 unwashed pulp (after the oxygen stage) not only saved 20% of the ClO2 and 10% of the sodium hydroxide, but also improved the brightness stability of the bleached pulp without affecting its papermaking properties.

Key points

• Xylanase treatment boosts kraft pulp bleaching

• Pulp carryover hinders the xylanase treatment

• Nearly 20% of ClO2 and 10% NaOH savings can be reached using xylanase
Eine Plattform zur Erstellung und Verwendung komplexer virtualisierter IT-Strukturen in Lehre und Forschung mit Open Source Software
Authors: Baun Christian , Kappes Martin , Cocos Henry-Norbert , Koch Malte Martin
Published: February 2024

In diesem Artikel wird eine an der Frankfurt University of Sciences entwickelte virtuelle Plattform für die Hochschullehre beschrieben, die insbesondere die Erstellung und Verwendung komplexer IT-Strukturen auch für Nichtexperten erlaubt. Bisher waren komplexe Netzwerkstrukturen in der Lehre meist weder virtuell noch physisch mit vertretbarem Aufwand realisierbar, obwohl sie zentraler Bestandteil fundamentaler Lehrveranstaltungen wie Rechnernetze, Verteilte Systeme oder IT-Sicherheit sind. Die hier beschriebene Plattform ermöglicht ein flexibles und praxisnahes Angebot für Dozenten, Wissenschaftler und Studentinnen und Studenten zugleich, indem kurzfristig und einfach komplexe IT-Infrastrukturen virtuell verfügbar gemacht werden. Sie bietet so neue Möglichkeiten zur Gestaltung und Nutzbarmachung virtueller Ressourcen und basiert ausschließlich auf freien Softwarekomponenten. Eingesetzt werden u. a. die Hypervisor-Technologie Proxmox Virtual Environment, die zusammen mit der verteilten Speicherlösung Ceph als Objektspeicherdienst eine Virtualisierungsplattform zur Bereitstellung virtueller Ressourcen anbietet.
Language impairments in seropositive and seronegative autoimmune encephalitis
Authors: Griffith Sarah P. , Wesselingh Robb , D’Aprano Fiore , Seery Nabil , Rushen Tiffany , Kyndt Chris , Long Brian , Seneviratne Udaya , Kalincik Tomas , Buzzard Katherine , Butzkueven Helmut , O’Brien Terence J. , Alpitsis Rubina , Malpas Charles B. , Monif Mastura ,   on behalf of Australian Autoimmune Encephalitis Consortium
Published: February 2024

Background and objective

Autoimmune encephalitis (AE) is a rare neuroinflammatory disease affecting the central nervous system. To examine language functions in patients with different subsets of AE consisting of seropositive and seronegative groups.

Methods

Fifty-two patients were recruited from neurology departments in Melbourne, Australia, who met clinical criteria for possible AE. Language tests include the Naming Test from the Sydney Language Battery (SydBat), the semantic fluency trial from the Controlled Oral Word Association Test (COWAT), and the Vocabulary and Similarities subtests of the Weschler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence–Second Edition. The results were standardised with normative data.

Results

The mean age of our cohort was 52.5 years old, with the average time from hospital admission to recruitment being 38.41 months. At an aggregate level, none of the mean language test z-scores were below normative data. At the patient level, impairment rates were 18.37% for COWAT (animals), 28.57% for SydBat (naming), 4.65% for Similarities, and 4.55% for Vocabulary. Chi-squared goodness of fit tests indicated that observed performances were significantly below expected performances for the SydBat (naming) test (p < 0.0001) and COWAT (animals) (p = 0.004).

Discussion

While, on average, language functions were within normal limits in patients with AE, but a subgroup exhibited lower performance in semantic fluency and visual confrontation naming, with impairment rates below expected norms. To advance understanding of language in chronic AE patients, exploring the impact of seizure burden, antiseizure medication use, and the relationship of language functions with other cognitive functions is crucial.
Mechanical characterization and torsional buckling of pediatric cardiovascular materials
Authors: Donmazov Samir , Piskin Senol , Gölcez Tansu , Kul Demet , Arnaz Ahmet , Pekkan Kerem
Published: February 2024

In complex cardiovascular surgical reconstructions, conduit materials that avoid possible large-scale structural deformations should be considered. A fundamental mode of mechanical complication is torsional buckling which occurs at the anastomosis site due to the mechanical instability, leading surgical conduit/patch surface deformation. The objective of this study is to investigate the torsional buckling behavior of commonly used materials and to develop a practical method for estimating the critical buckling rotation angle under physiological intramural vessel pressures. For this task, mechanical tests of four clinically approved materials, expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE), Dacron, porcine and bovine pericardia, commonly used in pediatric cardiovascular surgeries, are conducted (n = 6). Torsional buckling initiation tests with n = 4 for the baseline case (L = 7.5 cm) and n = 3 for the validation of ePTFE (L = 15 cm) and Dacron (L = 15 cm and L = 25 cm) for each are also conducted at low venous pressures. A practical predictive formulation for the buckling potential is proposed using experimental observations and available theory. The relationship between the critical buckling rotation angle and the lumen pressure is determined by balancing the circumferential component of the compressive principal stress with the shear stress generated by the modified critical buckling torque, where the modified critical buckling torque depends linearly on the lumen pressure. While the proposed technique successfully predicted the critical rotation angle values lying within two standard deviations of the mean in the baseline case for all four materials at all lumen pressures, it could reliably predict the critical buckling rotation angles for ePTFE and Dacron samples of length 15 cm with maximum relative errors of 31% and 38%, respectively, in the validation phase. However, the validation of the performance of the technique demonstrated lower accuracy for Dacron samples of length 25 cm at higher pressure levels of 12 mmHg and 15 mmHg. Applicable to all surgical materials, this formulation enables surgeons to assess the torsional buckling potential of vascular conduits noninvasively. Bovine pericardium has been found to exhibit the highest stability, while Dacron (the lowest) and porcine pericardium have been identified as the least stable with the (unitless) torsional buckling resistance constants, 43,800, 12,300 and 14,000, respectively. There was no significant difference between ePTFE and Dacron, and between porcine and bovine pericardia. However, both porcine and bovine pericardia were found to be statistically different from ePTFE and Dacron individually (p < 0.0001). ePTFE exhibited highly nonlinear behavior across the entire strain range [0, 0.1] (or 10% elongation). The significant differences among the surgical materials reported here require special care in conduit construction and anastomosis design.
Clinical Super-Resolution Computed Tomography of Bone Microstructure: Application in Musculoskeletal and Dental Imaging
Authors: Rytky Santeri J. O. , Tiulpin Aleksei , Finnilä Mikko A. J. , Karhula Sakari S. , Sipola Annina , Kurttila Väinö , Valkealahti Maarit , Lehenkari Petri , Joukainen Antti , Kröger Heikki , Korhonen Rami K. , Saarakkala Simo , Niinimäki Jaakko
Published: February 2024

Purpose

Clinical cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) devices are limited to imaging features of half a millimeter in size and cannot quantify the tissue microstructure. We demonstrate a robust deep-learning method for enhancing clinical CT images, only requiring a limited set of easy-to-acquire training data.

Methods

Knee tissue from five cadavers and six total knee replacement patients, and 14 teeth from eight patients were scanned using laboratory CT as training data for the developed super-resolution (SR) technique. The method was benchmarked against ex vivo test set, 52 osteochondral samples are imaged with clinical and laboratory CT. A quality assurance phantom was imaged with clinical CT to quantify the technical image quality. To visually assess the clinical image quality, musculoskeletal and maxillofacial CBCT studies were enhanced with SR and contrasted to interpolated images. A dental radiologist and surgeon reviewed the maxillofacial images.

Results

The SR models predicted the bone morphological parameters on the ex vivo test set more accurately than conventional image processing. The phantom analysis confirmed higher spatial resolution on the SR images than interpolation, but image grayscales were modified. Musculoskeletal and maxillofacial CBCT images showed more details on SR than interpolation; however, artifacts were observed near the crown of the teeth. The readers assessed mediocre overall scores for both SR and interpolation. The source code and pretrained networks are publicly available.

Conclusion

Model training with laboratory modalities could push the resolution limit beyond state-of-the-art clinical musculoskeletal and dental CBCT. A larger maxillofacial training dataset is recommended for dental applications.
A survey of smart dustbin systems using the IoT and deep learning
Authors: Arthur Menaka Pushpa , Shoba S. , Pandey Aru
Published: February 2024

With massive population growth and a shift in the urban culture in smart cities, the constant generation of waste continues to create unsanitary living conditions for city dwellers. Overflowing solid waste in the garbage and the rapid generation of non-degradable solid waste produce a slew of infectious illnesses that proliferate throughout the ecosystem. Conventional solid waste management systems have proved to be increasingly harmful in densely populated areas like smart cities. Also, such systems require real-time manual monitoring of garbage, high labor costs, and constant maintenance. Monitoring waste management on a timely basis and reducing labor costs is scarcely possible, realistically, for a municipal corporation. A Smart Dustbin System (SDS) is proposed that is to be implemented in densely populated urban areas to ensure hygiene. This paper undertakes a comprehensive analysis of the application of smart dustbin systems, following an extensive literature review and a discussion of recent research that is expected to help improve waste management systems. A current SDS used in real-time is implemented with the most recent advances from deep learning, computer vision, and the Internet of Things. The smart dustbin system used in day-to-day life minimizes the overloading of bins, lowers labor costs, and saves energy and time. It also helps keep cities clean, lowering the risk of disease transmission. The primary users of the SDS are universities, malls, and high-rise buildings. The evolution of the SDS over the years with various features and technologies is well analyzed. The datasets used for Smart Waste Management and benchmark garbage image datasets are presented under AI perception. The results of the existing works are compared to highlight the potential limitations of these works.
Uncovering the ceRNA Network Related to the Prognosis of Stomach Adenocarcinoma Among 898 Patient Samples
Authors: Liu Zhe , Liu Fang , Petinrin Olutomilayo Olayemi , Wang Fuzhou , Zhang Yu , Wong Ka-Chun
Published: February 2024

Stomach adenocarcinoma (STAD) patients are often associated with significantly high mortality rates and poor prognoses worldwide. Among STAD patients, competing endogenous RNAs (ceRNAs) play key roles in regulating one another at the post-transcriptional stage by competing for shared miRNAs. In this study, we aimed to elucidate the roles of lncRNAs in the ceRNA network of STAD, uncovering the molecular biomarkers for target therapy and prognosis. Specifically, a multitude of differentially expressed lncRNAs, miRNAs, and mRNAs (i.e., 898 samples in total) was collected and processed from TCGA. Cytoplasmic lncRNAs were kept for evaluating overall survival (OS) time and constructing the ceRNA network. Differentially expressed mRNAs in the ceRNA network were also investigated for functional and pathological insights. Interestingly, we identified one ceRNA network including 13 lncRNAs, 25 miRNAs, and 9 mRNAs. Among them, 13 RNAs were found related to the patient survival time; their individual risk score can be adopted for prognosis inference. Finally, we constructed a comprehensive ceRNA regulatory network for STAD and developed our own risk-scoring system that can predict the OS time of STAD patients by taking into account the above.
The Myanmar radical tradition: revolution, reaction, and the changing imperial world order
Authors: Aung Geoffrey Rathgeb , Campbell Stephen
Published: February 2024

This article historicizes and conceptualizes the Myanmar radical tradition: a tradition of thought and practice that has animated radical politics across Myanmar’s twentieth and twenty-first centuries. From anti-colonial struggle to decolonization, and from communist insurgency to left feminism, ethnic rebellion, and today’s revolutionary upsurge following the 2021 coup d’état, this radical tradition is best understood not as something bounded or solitary. Rather, it names a productive conjoining of radical thought and practice from within Myanmar, as well as from other times and places, beginning in the imperial world order of the early twentieth century. Revisiting scholarship on transatlantic and transpacific radicalisms, we argue that attention to imperialism offers important insights into Myanmar’s modern history and contemporary dynamics, including the Myanmar radical tradition. Yet, the Myanmar radical tradition—heterogeneous and internally conflictual, a site of historical dispute—also sheds light on the changing imperial world order, which we show has a fundamentally reactive, counter-revolutionary quality. Today’s late imperialism, we argue, can be seen as a retaliatory response to the long arc of decolonization, a story within which Myanmar’s contemporary revolutionary struggle renders the Myanmar radical tradition very much a living tradition.
Proposing and testing a model relating students’ graph selection and graph reasoning for dynamic situations
Authors: Johnson Heather Lynn , Donovan Courtney , Knurek Robert , Whitmore Kristin A. , Bechtold Livvia
Published: February 2024

Using a mixed methods approach, we explore a relationship between students’ graph reasoning and graph selection via a fully online assessment. Our population includes 673 students enrolled in college algebra, an introductory undergraduate mathematics course, across four U.S. postsecondary institutions. The assessment is accessible on computers, tablets, and mobile phones. There are six items; for each, students are to view a video animation of a dynamic situation (e.g., a toy car moving along a square track), declare their understanding of the situation, select a Cartesian graph to represent a relationship between given attributes in the situation, and enter text to explain their graph choice. To theorize students’ graph reasoning, we draw on Thompson’s theory of quantitative reasoning, which explains students’ conceptions of attributes as being possible to measure. To code students’ written responses, we appeal to Johnson and colleagues’ graph reasoning framework, which distinguishes students’ quantitative reasoning about one or more attributes capable of varying (Covariation, Variation) from students’ reasoning about observable elements in a situation (Motion, Iconic). Quantitizing those qualitative codes, we examine connections between the latent variables of students’ graph reasoning and graph selection. Using structural equation modeling, we report a significant finding: Students’ graph reasoning explains 40% of the variance in their graph selection (standardized regression weight is 0.64, p < 0.001). Furthermore, our results demonstrate that students’ quantitative forms of graph reasoning (i.e., variational and covariational reasoning) influence the accuracy of their graph selection.