bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Outcomes before and after Implementation of the ERAS (Enhanced Recovery after Surgery) Protocol in Open and Laparoscopic Colorectal Surgery: A Comparative Real-World Study from Northern Italy
Authors: Mangone Lucia , Mereu Federica , Zizzo Maurizio , Morini Andrea , Zanelli Magda , Marinelli Francesco , Bisceglia Isabella , Braghiroli Maria Barbara , Morabito Fortunato , Neri Antonino , Fabozzi Massimiliano
Published: May 2024

Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) protocols have changed perioperative care, aiming to optimize patient outcomes. This study assesses ERAS implementation effects on postoperative complications, length of hospital stay (LOS), and mortality in colorectal cancer (CRC) patients. A retrospective real-world analysis was conducted on CRC patients undergoing surgery within a Northern Italian Cancer Registry. Outcomes including complications, re-surgeries, 30-day readmission, mortality, and LOS were assessed in 2023, the year of ERAS protocol adoption, and compared with data from 2022. A total of 158 surgeries were performed, 77 cases in 2022 and 81 in 2023. In 2023, a lower incidence of postoperative complications was observed compared to that in 2022 (17.3% vs. 22.1%), despite treating a higher proportion of patients with unfavorable prognoses. However, rates of reoperations and readmissions within 30 days post-surgery increased in 2023. Mortality within 30 days remained consistent between the two groups. Patients diagnosed in 2023 experienced a statistically significant reduction in LOS compared to those in 2022 (mean: 5 vs. 8.1 days). ERAS protocols in CRC surgery yield reduced postoperative complications and shorter hospital stays, even in complex cases. Our study emphasizes ERAS’ role in enhancing surgical outcomes and recovery.
Abstracts of the Cell Therapy Transplant Canada 2023 Annual Conference
Authors: Maier Stephanie A. , Ahmad Imran , Berg Tobias , Berrigan Susan , Elsawy Mahmoud , Garcia-Horton Alejandro , Lam Wilson , Lapworth Alix , Melo Garcia Luciana , Shah Ravi M. , Vasudevan Nampoothiri Ram , Delisle Jean-Sébastien
Published: May 2024

On behalf of Cell Therapy Transplant Canada (CTTC), we are pleased to present the Abstracts of the CTTC 2023 Annual Conference. The conference was held in-person, 31 May–2 June 2023, in Halifax, Nova Scotia at the Westin Nova Scotian hotel. Poster authors presented their work during a lively and engaging welcome reception on Thursday, 1 June, and oral abstract authors were featured during the oral abstract session in the afternoon of Friday, 2 June 2023. Twenty-three (23) abstracts were selected for presentation as posters and four (4) as oral presentations. Abstracts were submitted within four categories: (1) Basic/Translational Sciences, (2) Clinical Trials/Observations, (3) Laboratory/Quality, and (4) Pharmacy/Nursing/Other Transplant Support. The top four (4) oral abstracts and top four (4) poster abstracts were selected to receive an award. All of these were marked as “Award Recipient” within the relevant category. We congratulate all the presenters on their research and contributions to the field.
Influence of Deliverable Form of Dietary Vitamin D3 on the Immune Response in Late-Lactating Dairy Goats
Authors: Mora-Gutierrez Adela , Núñez de González Maryuri T. , Woldesenbet Selamawit , Attaie Rahmat , Jung Yoonsung
Published: May 2024

Mastitis-causing bacteria can establish persistent infections in the mammary glands of commercially important dairy animals despite the presence of strong specific humoral and cellular immune mechanisms. We investigated the effect of vitamin D3 in the diet at a set level, but in two different forms (i.e., unencapsulated and encapsulated by complex coacervation with sulfur-saturated bovine lactoferrin-alginate using microbial transglutaminase-catalyzed crosslinking) on the immune response in late-lactating dairy goats. Dairy goats (n = 18) were randomly assigned to three experimental groups (n = 6). Dairy goats were orally administered 0.35 mg of vitamin D3/day in the unencapsulated form and 0.35 mg of vitamin D3/day in the encapsulated powder form. Another group received the basal diet. The experimental period lasted 6 weeks. The blood serum concentrations of 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 [25-(OH)-D3], lactoferrin, immunoglobulin A (IgA), and interferon-gamma (INF-γ) were measured. There were major differences in these parameters between dietary groups. However, the delivery of vitamin D3 in the encapsulated powder form to dairy goats resulted in a marked increase in 25-(OH)-D3 concentration in serum, while the serum level of lactoferrin also increased. Alternatively, the serum levels of IgA and the immunomodulatory cytokine INF-γ were elevated following supplementation with the encapsulated vitamin D3. The observed effects suggest that the deliverable form of dietary vitamin D3 results in differences in the immune response in late-lactating dairy goats.
Navigating the Labyrinth: When the “Mesenterium Commune” Turns Colonoscopy into an Endoscopic Rollercoaster
Authors: Rizzo Giacomo Emanuele Maria , Ferriolo Silvia , Carrozza Lucio , Rancatore Gabriele , Traina Mario
Published: May 2024

These images involved the case of a 51-year-old woman who had a history of chronic abdominal pain, iron deficiency, and diarrhoea but no blood or mucus in her stool. She had never undergone major abdominal surgery, and her past medical evaluation diagnosed her with celiac disease, leading to the adoption of a gluten-free diet alleviating most of her gastrointestinal symptoms. However, years later, her abdominal pain returned, so she underwent an abdominal ultrasound, revealing non-specific bowel loop dilation, and a weakly positive faecal occult blood test led to a colonoscopy. Despite many efforts to advance the scope beyond the transverse colon, colonoscopy was arduous and not complete, even after several changes in decubitus and abdominal compressions. Therefore, a virtual colonoscopy was conducted, revealing no intraluminal masses, but the entire colon was located on the left side of the abdomen. Indeed, the results showed sigma and that most of the colon was curled up in the small pelvis. This rare anatomical variant, known as “Mesenterium commune” (MC), is a type of gut malrotation that develops in childhood due to a lack of omphalomesenteric loop rotation during the embryonic period. This condition can lead to episodes of intestinal obstruction, potentially resulting in an acute abdomen and leading to surgical correction. Symptoms include chronic recurring abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, and occasionally bloody stools. Few cases of this extremely rare condition have been reported in the literature so far.
Improved Positron Emission Tomography Quantification: Evaluation of a Maximum-Likelihood Scatter Scaling Algorithm
Authors: Overbeck Nanna , Ahangari Sahar , Conti Maurizio , Panin Vladimir , Azam Aleena , Kurbegovic Sorel , Kjær Andreas , Højgaard Liselotte , Korsholm Kirsten , Fischer Barbara Malene , Andersen Flemming Littrup , Andersen Thomas Lund
Published: May 2024

Incorrect scatter scaling of positron emission tomography (PET) images can lead to halo artifacts, quantitative bias, or reconstruction failure. Tail-fitted scatter scaling (TFSS) possesses performance limitations in multiple cases. This study aims to investigate a novel method for scatter scaling: maximum-likelihood scatter scaling (MLSS) in scenarios where TFSS tends to induce artifacts or are observed to cause reconstruction abortion. [68Ga]Ga-RGD PET scans of nine patients were included in cohort 1 in the scope of investigating the reduction of halo artifacts relative to the scatter estimation method. PET scans of 30 patients administrated with [68Ga]Ga-uPAR were included in cohort 2, used for an evaluation of the robustness of MLSS in cases where TFSS-integrated reconstructions are observed to fail. A visual inspection of MLSS-corrected images scored higher than TFSS-corrected reconstructions of cohort 1. The quantitative investigation near the bladder showed a relative difference in tracer uptake of up to 94.7%. A reconstruction of scans included in cohort 2 resulted in failure in 23 cases when TFSS was used. The lesion uptake values of cohort 2 showed no significant difference. MLSS is suggested as an alternative scatter-scaling method relative to TFSS with the aim of reducing halo artifacts and a robust reconstruction process.
Review of Crop Phenotyping in Field Plot Experiments Using UAV-Mounted Sensors and Algorithms
Authors: Tanaka Takashi Sonam Tashi , Wang Sheng , Jørgensen Johannes Ravn , Gentili Marco , Vidal Armelle Zaragüeta , Mortensen Anders Krogh , Acharya Bharat Sharma , Beck Brittany Deanna , Gislum René
Published: May 2024

The phenotyping of field crops quantifies a plant’s structural and physiological characteristics to facilitate crop breeding. High-throughput unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)-based remote sensing platforms have been extensively researched as replacements for more laborious and time-consuming manual field phenotyping. This review aims to elucidate the advantages and challenges of UAV-based phenotyping techniques. This is a comprehensive overview summarizing the UAV platforms, sensors, and data processing while also introducing recent technological developments. Recently developed software and sensors greatly enhance the accessibility of UAV-based phenotyping, and a summary of recent research (publications 2019–2024) provides implications for future research. Researchers have focused on integrating multiple sensing data or utilizing machine learning algorithms, such as ensemble learning and deep learning, to enhance the prediction accuracies of crop physiological traits. However, this approach will require big data alongside laborious destructive measurements in the fields. Future research directions will involve standardizing the process of merging data from multiple field experiments and data repositories. Previous studies have focused mainly on UAV technology in major crops, but there is a high potential in minor crops or cropping systems for future sustainable crop production. This review can guide new practitioners who aim to implement and utilize UAV-based phenotyping.
UAV Swarm Cooperative Dynamic Target Search: A MAPPO-Based Discrete Optimal Control Method
Authors: Wei Dexing , Zhang Lun , Liu Quan , Chen Hao , Huang Jian
Published: May 2024

Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are commonly employed in pursuit and rescue missions, where the target’s trajectory is unknown. Traditional methods, such as evolutionary algorithms and ant colony optimization, can generate a search route in a given scenario. However, when the scene changes, the solution needs to be recalculated. In contrast, more advanced deep reinforcement learning methods can train an agent that can be directly applied to a similar task without recalculation. Nevertheless, there are several challenges when the agent learns how to search for unknown dynamic targets. In this search task, the rewards are random and sparse, which makes learning difficult. In addition, because of the need for the agent to adapt to various scenario settings, interactions required between the agent and the environment are more comparable to typical reinforcement learning tasks. These challenges increase the difficulty of training agents. To address these issues, we propose the OC-MAPPO method, which combines optimal control (OC) and Multi-Agent Proximal Policy Optimization (MAPPO) with GPU parallelization. The optimal control model provides the agent with continuous and stable rewards. Through parallelized models, the agent can interact with the environment and collect data more rapidly. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed method can help the agent learn faster, and the algorithm demonstrated a 26.97% increase in the success rate compared to genetic algorithms.
Patterns of Intergenerational Educational (Im)Mobility
Authors: Valentini Enzo
Published: May 2024

Intergenerational education mobility is a key dimension of social mobility and explores the extent to which educational attainment is transmitted across generations within a society. The implications of low education mobility concern both equity (everyone should have the same opportunities) and efficiency (it would be good for the economy and society if the most gifted and deserving young people were to study and not the children of the already educated). The literature identifies several drivers that can influence the level of social mobility in general and education mobility specifically, including characteristics of educational systems, public spending, degree of urbanisation, informal frictions, and beliefs. This paper seeks to identify ‘patterns of intergenerational education (im)mobility’ through a cluster analysis that takes into account the level of intergenerational mobility in education and a number of variables concerning its possible drivers, considering data on 82 countries (with different levels of development). The advantage of cluster analysis lies in the possibility of identifying regularities, but avoiding reasoning ‘on average’, i.e., safeguarding the possibility that different social patterns may exist. The results also allow us to speculate on possible policies to increase school mobility, highlighting, among other things, the ‘equalising’ role played by public spending on education.
Sustainable Financing for Renewable Energy: Examining the Impact of Sectoral Economy on Renewable Energy Consumption
Authors: Getachew Edosa , Lakner Zoltan , Desalegn Goshu , Tangl Anita , Boros Anita
Published: May 2024

This study examines the effect of international financial flows, including investments and development assistance, on the expansion of renewable energy technologies. It also seeks to investigate the impact of the sectoral economy on the proportion of renewable energy consumption in Ethiopia. This study used an explanatory research design and a quantitative research approach. An autoregressive distributed lag model was applied to explore the long and short-term relationship among variables. A time series of data aggregated and disaggregated ranging from 2000 to 2022 was used. According to this study, sustainable finance programs are essential for advancing and aiding renewable energy projects in the long and short term. Ethiopia’s use of renewable energy will increase as sustainable finance rises. The main economic sectors determining Ethiopia’s consumption of renewable energy in the long and short term include the manufacturing, mining and service industries. This study’s findings imply that policies focusing on providing continuous financial support and fostering international cooperation to promote the development of the manufacturing sector are needed. This could include incentives for adopting renewable energy technologies and investing in renewable energy infrastructure. On the other hand, since the service and mining industries negatively impact renewable energy use, there is a need to diversify renewable energy sources beyond these sectors. This could involve promoting renewable energy projects in other sectors, such as manufacturing, agriculture, construction and trade. Based on the findings of this study, it is suggested that policymakers carefully consider the consequences within each economic sector when formulating decisions related to renewable energy. This study is novel in presenting empirical evidence linking renewable energy use to long- and short-term economic growth.
Speech Emotion Recognition Based on Temporal-Spatial Learnable Graph Convolutional Neural Network
Authors: Yan Jingjie , Li Haihua , Xu Fengfeng , Zhou Xiaoyang , Liu Ying , Yang Yuan
Published: May 2024

The Graph Convolutional Neural Networks (GCN) method has shown excellent performance in the field of deep learning, and using graphs to represent speech data is a computationally efficient and scalable approach. In order to enhance the adequacy of graph neural networks in extracting speech emotional features, this paper proposes a Temporal-Spatial Learnable Graph Convolutional Neural Network (TLGCNN) for speech emotion recognition. TLGCNN firstly utilizes the Open-SMILE toolkit to extract frame-level speech emotion features. Then, a bidirectional long short-term memory (Bi LSTM) network is used to process the long-term dependencies of speech features which can further extract deep frame-level emotion features. The extracted frame-level emotion features are then input into subsequent network through two pathways. Finally, one pathway constructs the extracted frame-level deep emotion feature vectors into a graph structure applying an adaptive adjacency matrix to catch latent spatial connections, while the other pathway concatenates emotion feature vectors with graph-level embedding obtained from learnable graph convolutional neural network for prediction and classification. Through these two pathways, TLGCNN can simultaneously obtain temporal speech emotional information through Bi-LSTM and spatial speech emotional information through Learnable Graph Convolutional Neural (LGCN) network. Experimental results demonstrate that this method achieves weighted accuracy of 66.82% and 58.35% on the IEMOCAP and MSP-IMPROV databases, respectively.
Implications for Serious Game Design: Quantification of Cognitive Stimulation in Virtual Reality Puzzle Games through MSC and SpEn EEG Analysis
Authors: GomezRomero-Borquez Jesus , Del-Valle-Soto Carolina , Del-Puerto-Flores José A. , Castillo-Soria Francisco R. , Maciel-Barboza F. M.
Published: May 2024

This paper investigates the cognitive stimulation experienced by players engaging in virtual reality (VR) puzzle games through the analysis of electroencephalography (EEG) data. The study employs magnitude-square coherence (MSC) and spectral entropy (SpEn) metrics to quantify neural activity patterns associated with problem-solving processes during gameplay. Results reveal unique coherence and entropy profiles across different VR gaming tasks, with Tetris gameplay eliciting heightened coherence and entropy values compared to other games. Specifically, Tetris demonstrates increased coherence between frontal and temporal brain regions, indicative of enhanced visuospatial processing and decision making. These findings underscore the importance of considering both spectral coherence and entropy when assessing the cognitive effects of video game tasks on brain activity. Insights from this study may inform the design of serious VR games aimed at promoting cognitive development and problem-solving skills in players.
Effects of RF Signal Eventization Encoding on Device Classification Performance
Authors: Smith Michael J. , Temple Michael A. , Dean James W.
Published: May 2024

The results of first-step research activity are presented for realizing an envisioned “event radio” capability that mimics neuromorphic event-based camera processing. The energy efficiency of neuromorphic processing is orders of magnitude higher than traditional von Neumann-based processing and is realized through synergistic design of brain-inspired software and hardware computing elements. Relative to event-based cameras, the development of event-based hardware devices supporting Radio Frequency (RF) applications is severely lagging and considerable interest remains in obtaining neuromorphic efficiency through event-based RF signal processing. In the Operational Technology (OT) protection arena, this includes efficient software computing capability to provide reliable device classification. A Random Forest (RndF) classifier is considered here as a reliable precursor to obtaining Spiking Neural Network (SNN) benefits. Both 1D and 2D eventized RF fingerprints are generated for bursts from NDev = 8 WirelessHART devices. Average correct classification (%C) results show that 2D fingerprinting is best overall using detected events in burst Gabor transform responses. This includes %C ≥ 90% under multiple access interference conditions using an average of NEPB ≥ 400 detected events per burst. This is sufficiently promising to motivate next-step activity aimed at (1) reducing fingerprint dimensionality and minimizing the required computational resources, and (2) transitioning to a neuromorphic-friendly SNN classifier—two significant steps toward developing the necessary computing elements to achieve the full benefits of neuromorphic processing in the envisioned RF event radio.
Enhancing Heat Transfer in Mini-Scale Liquid-Cooled Heat Sinks by Flow Oscillation—A Numerical Analysis
Authors: Hockaday James , Law Richard
Published: May 2024

Oscillatory baffled flows (OBFs) provide a combined active and passive means of achieving convective heat transfer enhancement, and previous studies at large scale have demonstrated the heat transfer benefits of OBFs. To date, however, this technology has not been scaled down for the purpose of heat sink performance enhancement. Presented in this study is a numerical investigation of a single baffled channel with a hydraulic diameter of 2.8 mm, containing gate baffles, with a 50% open area, which are spaced 7.5 mm apart. Three net-flow rates were investigated while varying the oscillation conditions by varying the oscillation amplitude (3 mm to 7 mm) and by varying the oscillation frequency (0 to 8 Hz). Increasing the oscillation intensity had a greater impact on the Nusselt number compared to simply increasing the net-flow rate, with Nu enhancements of up to 330% observed when imposing oscillatory flow on a purely steady flow. Ideal operating conditions were identified by grouping the data by velocity ratio (Ψ) and graphing the theoretical pumping power against the thermal resistance of the channel. The highest Nu enhancement of 330% was achieved for a net-flow Reynolds number (Ren) of 165, oscillatory amplitude of 5 mm and a frequency of 8 Hz. Ideal operating conditions can be predicted by selecting conditions with Ψ > 1. A flow with a Ren of 46, Ψ of 7 and Nu = 12 required the same pumping power as a flow with a Ren of 165, Ψ of 0.65 and Nu = 6.
Research on Evolutionary Laws of Mechanical Properties and Pore Structure during CO2 Pre-Injection Fracturing in Shale Reservoirs
Authors: Tao Jiaping , Meng Siwei , Li Dongxu , Jin Xu , Liang Lihao , Liu He
Published: May 2024

CO2 pre-injection fracturing is a promising technology for shale reservoirs development, with multiple advantages for improving the complexity of fractures, the production of crude oil, and the sequestration of CO2. Previous research mostly focused on the CO2 effect on macroscopic mechanical properties of shale. However, there are many phenomena closely related to shale micro mechanical behavior. Therefore, this study presents a systematic investigation into the effects of CO2 on both macro and micro mechanical properties, as well as pore-fracture structures during CO2 pre-injection fracturing in shale reservoirs. The results show that CO2 can significantly decrease the tensile strength, uniaxial compressive strength, and elastic modulus of shale. With the increasing CO2 treatment time, the macro mechanical properties of shale decrease gradually. The microscopic experiments show that this significant decrease may be due to two mechanisms. The first is the significant decrease in the micro-mechanical properties of shale. The results of indentation analysis show that the microscopic elastic modulus and hardness of shale decrease by 51.3% and 63.3% after CO2 treatment. The second is the changes of the original shale framework. Pore-fractures structure analysis showed that after CO2 treatment, a large number of dissolution pores are generated in the shale matrix. Meanwhile, there are propagation of original fractures and opening of structural weak planes, which lead to the form of new fractures. Under the action of these two mechanisms, the macro mechanical strength of shale is reduced significantly. Therefore, in the field application, proper soaking following CO2 injection could lead to a significant overall reduction in mechanical strength, potentially lowering formation breakdown pressure, easing the requirements for treatment equipment, and enhancing fracturing effects.
An Overview of the Security of Programmable Logic Controllers in Industrial Control Systems
Authors: Cui Hui , Hong Jin , Louden Rodney
Published: May 2024

One key role in industrial control systems (ICSs) is known as Programmable Logic Controller (PLC). However, with the development of the Internet of Things (IoT), PLCs have become exposed to an increasing number of attacks, which may cause malfunctions of the whole ICS. Thus, it is necessary to identify potential attacks on PLCs and propose effective solutions to mitigate them. Unfortunately, to date, there have not been significant efforts made to provide a detailed overview of existing works on PLC security. With such a concern in mind, in this paper, we focus on summarising PLC security from different components running at different layers of a PLC architecture. We first review the framework of PLCs; then, we discuss several models when considering PLC security. After that, we provide an overview of existing attacks on PLCs and general solutions to those issues from different perspectives. Lastly, we conclude this paper with an overview of future research areas in PLC security.
Cultivation of a Novel Strain of Chlorella vulgaris S2 under Phototrophic, Mixotrophic, and Heterotrophic Conditions, and Effects on Biomass Growth and Composition
Authors: Grubišić Marina , Peremin Ines , Djedović Elvis , Šantek Božidar , Ivančić Šantek Mirela
Published: May 2024

Microalgal biomass is an excellent platform for producing food, feed, nutraceuticals, pharmaceuticals, and biofuels. This study aimed to investigate the effect of the trophic mode of cultivation (phototrophic, heterotrophic, and mixotrophic) on the growth and biomass composition of Chlorella vulgaris S2. The contents of lipids and carbohydrates, as well as the fatty acid composition of total lipids, were studied. The effects of the carbon-to-nitrogen ratio (C:N) and the organic carbon concentration of the growth media under mixotrophic and heterotrophic conditions were also investigated. The C:N ratio of 30 mol mol−1 favoured lipid synthesis, and the C:N ratio of 10 mol mol−1 favoured carbohydrate synthesis. Maximal lipid and biomass productivities (2.238 and 0.458 g L−1 d−1, respectively) were obtained under mixotrophic conditions at the C:N ratio of 50 mol mol−1 and glucose concentration of 50 g L−1. Fed-batch cultivation conducted in a stirrer tank bioreactor under heterotrophic growth conditions increased biomass (2.385 g L−1 d−1, respectively) and lipid (0.339 L−1 d−1) productivities ~50 and ~60 times compared to the fed-batch phototrophic cultivation, respectively. The trophic mode, growth phase, and growth medium composition significantly influenced the fatty acid composition. Under mixotrophic and heterotrophic growth conditions, lipid accumulation is associated with an increase in oleic acid (C18:1) content. Mixotrophically grown biomass of Chlorella vulgaris S2 under optimised conditions is a suitable source of lipids for biodiesel production.
Numerical Simulation of Passenger Evacuation and Heat Fluxes in the Waiting Hall of an Ultralarge Railway Station Hub
Authors: Chen Hua , Feng Yujing , Zhang Chenyang , Yu Liuyang , Shu Ya , Zhang Yong , Meng Tianchang , Jiang Chaozhe , Xu Fang
Published: May 2024

The resurgence of passenger flows after the pandemic poses a significant challenge to the safe operation of rail transit. Therefore, adopting the waiting hall of an ultralarge railway station hub as an example, thermal radiation and evacuation simulations were conducted by the Fire Dynamics Simulator and Pathfinder, respectively. Island-style shops, known for their high crowd density and fire load, were defined as fire sources, and the effectiveness of a 6 m wide fire isolation zone was validated via the adoption of the dual-validation model. By comparing the relationships between the total evacuation population after passenger flow recovery and various evacuation parameters, it was shown that passengers were not evenly distributed among the exits in the waiting hall during an emergency, leading to uneven utilization. Furthermore, to gain a comprehensive understanding of the evacuation process under simulated fire conditions, an evacuation simulation involving 10,000 evacuees over a duration of 324.8 s was conducted. This study provides a theoretical basis for optimizing fire emergency evacuation plans for ultralarge railway station hubs.
Environmental Hydraulics, Turbulence, and Sediment Transport, Second Edition
Authors: Pu Jaan H. , Pandey Manish , Hanmaiahgari Prashanth Reddy
Published: May 2024

Within river systems, the process of bed-forming is intricate, dynamic and is shaped by different factors [...]
High-Performance Detection of Mycobacterium bovis in Milk Using Recombinase-Aided Amplification–Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeat–Cas13a–Lateral Flow Detection
Authors: Wang Jieru , Wang Nan , Xu Lei , Zeng Xiaoyu , Cheng Junsheng , Zhang Xiaoqian , Zhang Yinghui , Yin Dongdong , Gou Jiaojiao , Pan Xiaocheng , Zhu Xiaojie
Published: May 2024

Mycobacterium bovis (M. bovis), the microorganism responsible for bovine tuberculosis (bTB), is transferred to people by the ingestion of unpasteurized milk and unprocessed fermented milk products obtained from animals with the infection. The identification of M. bovis in milk samples is of the utmost importance to successfully prevent zoonotic diseases and maintain food safety. This study presents a comprehensive description of a highly efficient molecular test utilizing recombinase-aided amplification (RPA)–clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat (CRISPR)-associated protein (Cas) 13a–lateral flow detection (LFD) for M. bovis detection. In contrast to ELISA, RPA–CRISPR–Cas13a–LFD exhibited greater accuracy and sensitivity in the detection of M. bovis in milk, presenting a detection limit of 2 × 100 copies/μL within a 2 h time frame. The two tests exhibited a moderate level of agreement, as shown by a kappa value of 0.452 (95%CI: 0.287–0.617, p < 0.001). RPA–CRISPR–Cas13a–LFD holds significant potential as a robust platform for pathogen detection in complex samples, thereby enabling the more dependable regulation of food safety examination, epidemiology research, and medical diagnosis.
Fractal Analysis of Cement-Based Composite Microstructure and Its Application in Evaluation of Macroscopic Performance of Cement-Based Composites: A Review
Authors: Zhang Peng , Ding Junyao , Guo Jinjun , Wang Fei
Published: May 2024

Cement-based composites’, as the most widely used building material, macroscopic performance significantly influences the safety of engineering structures. Meanwhile, the macroscopic properties of cement-based composites are tightly related to their microscopic structure. The complexity of cement-based composites’ microscopic structure is challenging to describe geometrically, so fractal theory is extensively applied to quantify the microscopic structure of cement-based composites. However, existing studies have not clearly defined the quantification methods for various microscopic structures in CCs, nor have they provided a comprehensive evaluation of the correlation between the fractal dimensions of different microscopic structures and macroscopic performance. So, this study categorizes the commonly used testing methods in fractal theory into three categories: particle distribution (laser granulometry, etc.), pore structure (mercury intrusion porosity, etc.), and fracture (computed tomography, etc.). It systematically establishes a detailed process for the application of testing methods, the processing of test results, model building, and fractal dimension calculation. The applicability of different fractal dimension calculation models and the range of the same fractal dimension established by different models are compared and discussed, and the advantages and disadvantages of different models are analyzed. Finally, the research delves into an in-depth analysis of the relationship between the fractal dimension of cement-based composites’ microscopic structure and its macroscopic properties, such as compressive strength, corrosion resistance, impermeability, and high-temperature resistance. The principle that affects the positive and negative correlation between fractal dimension and macroscopic performance is discussed and revealed in this study. The comprehensive review in this paper provides scholars with methods and models for quantitative research on the microscopic structural parameters of cement-based composites and offers a pathway for the non-destructive assessment of the macroscopic performance of cement-based composites.
Herbs and Spices: Modulation of Gut Microbiota for Healthy Aging
Authors: Pradhan Samjhana , Blanton Cynthia , Ochoa-Reparaz Javier , Bhattarai Nirajan , Sharma Kavita
Published: May 2024

The gut microbiota interacts with the host’s immune function, and evidence supports a relationship between the gut microbiota and age-related disease. Consumption of herbs and spices, which contain bioactive compounds such as polyphenols, is associated with gut microbiota characteristics that may act to prevent or manage age-related declines in health. This review evaluates the evidence describing the effect of herb/spice intake on the gut microbiota and health during aging. Commonly consumed herbs/spices, their impact on prominent gut bacteria phyla (Bacteriodetes, Firmicutes), and diseases of aging are highlighted. Studies in humans and animals are reviewed. Mechanisms of action are discussed, and future directions for research are proposed. Dietary enrichment with herbs and spices is a potential novel intervention for mitigating declines in physiological function with age.
The Stigma and Infertility-Related Stress of Chinese Infertile Women: A Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Luo Dan , Zhouchen Yi-Bei , Li Lu , Jiang Yu-Lei , Liu Yi , Redding Sharon R. , Wang Rong , Ouyang Yan-Qiong
Published: May 2024

Objectives: This study was conducted to investigate the stigma status of infertile women in China and to determine the influencing factors. Methods: 366 infertile women from the gynecological and reproductive departments of two tertiary hospitals completed socio-demographic questionnaires, the Infertility Stigma Scale (ISS) and the Mandarin Fertility Problem Inventory (M-FPI). Results: The scores of stigma and infertility-related stress in infertile women were (52.51 ± 17.74) and (150.03 ± 17.51), respectively. Multiple regression analysis found that location of residence, regarding children as the most important thing in life, talking to others about infertility and infertility-related stress were the main influencing factors of stigma in infertile women, which explained 17.3% of the total variance. Conclusions: In the current study, the level of stigma in women with infertility was at the middle range. Location of residence, regarding children as the most important thing in life, whether to talk with others about infertility and infertility-related stress were the four main influencing factors of stigma.
The Relationship between Heart Rate Variability, Pain Intensity, Pain Catastrophizing, Disability, Quality of Life and Range of Cervical Motion in Patients with Chronic Non-Specific Neck Pain: A Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Kyrosis Ioannis , Paraskevopoulos Eleftherios , Koumantakis George A. , Christakou Anna
Published: May 2024

The purpose of the present cross-sectional study was to examine the relationship between heart rate variability (HRV) and the range of cervical motion, disability, pain intensity, pain catastrophizing, and quality of life in patients with chronic, non-specific neck pain. Thirty-five patients, aged 20–48 years, with chronic non-specific neck pain, completed validated questionnaires regarding neck pain intensity, pain-associated disability, catastrophic thoughts, and quality of life. The range of cervical motion was assessed using a digital goniometer. HRV indices were recorded in three positions (supine, sitting, and standing) through a smartphone application. Several significant correlations were observed between HRV indices and neck pain disability, the helplessness factor of catastrophizing, neck rotation, and quality of life. These correlations were only observed in the standing position. Pain catastrophizing was positively correlated with disability and pain intensity during active neck movement (Pearson r = 0.544, p < 0.01; Pearson r = 0.605, p < 0.01, respectively). Quality of life was negatively correlated with pain intensity during active movement (Pearson r = −0.347, p < 0.05). HRV indices were correlated with the psychological and physical domains of neck pain. These cardiac indices have been related to neck pain variables in some previous studies. Further research is needed to confirm this relationship in different daily conditions.
Associations between Physical Activity Frequency in Leisure Time and Subjective Cognitive Limitations in Middle-Aged Spanish Adults: A Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Denche-Zamorano Ángel , Salas-Gómez Diana , Franco-García Juan Manuel , Adsuar José Carmelo , Parraca José A. , Collado-Mateo Daniel
Published: May 2024

There is a global ageing of the world’s population. Ageing is associated with multiple pathologies, reductions in physical activity, and losses in cognitive function. This study aimed to analyse the associations between the frequency of leisure-time physical activity (PAF) in middle-aged Spaniards and subjective cognitive limitations (SCLs): self-reported problems for remembering or concentrating (data extracted from the 2017 National Health Survey and the 2020 European Health Survey in Spain). Furthermore, the study aimed to evaluate risk factors that could be related to a higher probability of developing SCLs. This was a cross-sectional study with 15,866 middle-aged Spaniards. The associations between FAP and SCLs were analysed using chi-square. Also, the risk factors for SCLs were evaluated using binary multiple logistic regression. The median age of participants was 55 years, with 49% men and 51% women. Associations were found between PAF and SCLs (p < 0.001). The highest prevalence of SCLs was found in physically inactive people and the lowest in very active people (13.7% vs. 5.8%, p < 0.05), and people with SCLs had a higher prevalence of inactivity than those without SCLs (47.2% vs. 33.8%, p < 0.05). Physical inactivity, low educational level, low social class, and being female were the main risk factors for SCLs. Among the actions to prevent cognitive limitations, as well as interventions in people with cognitive limitations, it would be advisable to include physical activity programmes, both as a preventive measure to delay cognitive limitations and to reduce the risk of other pathologies in people who already have them.
Identification and Functional Analysis of the Flower Development-Related TCP Genes in Erycina pusilla
Authors: Tang Yu-Huan , Zhong Ying-Yin , Huang Xia
Published: May 2024

Orchid flowers have evolved in concert with pollinators to form highly specialized structures resulting in zygomorphy. In dicotyledons, it is widely accepted that CYC-like genes are involved in the dorsoventral polarity establishment of flowers, which determines the development of zygomorphic flowers. However, the function of TCP transcription factors involved in orchid floral development is rarely known. Here, we found 15 unigenes with TCP domain (EpTCPs) from the previously reported Erycina pusilla unigene database. The expression patterns of EpTCPs in various tissues and different floral organs were successively detected by quantitative real-time PCR. The results revealed that the CYC-like gene (EpTCP25) and CIN-like genes (EpTCP11 and EpTCP26) were highly expressed in inflorescences but lowly expressed in leaves and roots. What is more, these three genes were expressed relatively high in the dorsal labellum, and EpTCP26 showed differential expression along the dorsoventral polarity of tepals, which was high in the dorsal and low in the ventral. Ectopic expression of EpTCP25 in Arabidopsis repressed primary root growth and delayed flowering. EpTCP26 overexpression in Arabidopsis promoted primary root growth and leaf growth. In contrast, EpTCP11 overexpression repressed primary root growth and changed the radially symmetric flower to a bilaterally symmetric flower by inhibiting the elongation of one or two adjacent petals. In addition, the homeotic transition of floral organs is generated when these genes are ectopically expressed in Arabidopsis, suggesting their roles in floral morphogenesis. Altogether, our results indicate that CIN-like genes would be associated with the unique flower pattern development of Erycina pusilla.
Potential of Nettle Infusion to Protect Common Bean from Halo Blight Disease
Authors: Cerezo Carlota , García-Angulo Penélope , Largo-Gosens Asier , Centeno María Luz
Published: May 2024

The use of plant-based preparations to replace chemical pesticides is a challenge for sustainable agriculture. Preparations from nettle (Urtica dioica L.) are good candidates, as the treatment of common bean plants (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) with aqueous suspensions of nettle reduced symptoms of halo blight disease caused by Pseudomonas syringae pv. phaseolicola (Pph). The aim of the present work was to test if nettle infusions (Ui) have similar effects and find out what activity is behind this: antimicrobial, promotion of the natural defenses of plants, and/or antioxidant. To achieve this, Pph growth was tested in the presence of infusions of nettle leaves collected in two different years (Ui18 and Ui22), and we found that it was only weakly inhibited at high concentrations of Ui18. Interestingly, Ui22 promoted bacteria growth at all concentrations. Second, we estimated the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in response to flagellin22 (flg22) in common bean leaf discs, since recognition of this bacterial peptide usually leads to ROS accumulation in tissues as a plant immune response. However, leaf discs that were preincubated in Ui showed no accumulation of ROS after flg22 treatment, suggesting that Ui can neutralize ROS production. Finally, in a Pph inoculation experiment of common bean plants grown in vitro, we observed that pretreatment of plants with Ui drastically reduced foliar oxidative damage and disease symptoms 6 h after inoculation. This effect was more noticeable for Ui22, which was related to the higher antioxidant activity found in this extract in comparison with Ui18. These results suggest that the protective properties of Ui are mainly due to the content of antioxidant bioactive compounds.
Assessing Cadmium Stress Resilience in Myrtle Genotypes Using Machine Learning Predictive Models: A Comparative In Vitro Analysis
Authors: Tütüncü Mehmet , Isak Musab A. , İzgü Tolga , Dönmez Dicle , Kaçar Yıldız Aka , Şimşek Özhan
Published: May 2024

This study investigated the effects of cadmium (Cd) stress on the micropropagation and rooting dynamics of two myrtle (Myrtus communis L.) genotypes with different fruit colors under controlled in vitro conditions. We evaluated the response of these genotypes to varying concentrations of Cd (0, 100, 200, 300, 400, and 500 µM) to determine dose-dependent effects on plantlet multiplication and root formation. Our results demonstrate that the white-fruited (WF) genotype exhibits greater resilience than the black-fruited (BF) genotype across all concentrations, maintaining higher multiplication rates and shoot heights. For instance, the multiplication rate at 100 µM Cd was highest for WF at 6.73, whereas BF showed the lowest rate of 1.94 at 500 µM. Similarly, increasing Cd levels significantly impaired root length and the number of roots for both genotypes, illustrating the detrimental impact of Cd on root system development. Additionally, this study incorporated machine learning (ML) models to predict growth outcomes. The multilayer perceptron (MLP) model, including random forest (RF) and XGBoost, was used to analyze the data. The MLP model performed notably well, demonstrating the potential of advanced computational tools in accurately predicting plant responses to environmental stress. For example, the MLP model accurately predicted shoot height with an R2 value of 0.87 and root length with an R2 of 0.99, indicating high predictive accuracy. Overall, our findings provide significant insights into the genotypic differences in Cd tolerance and the utility of ML models in plant science. These results underscore the importance of developing targeted strategies to enhance plant resilience in contaminated environments.
Spirituality, Religiosity, and Mental Health in Patients with Idiopathic Inflammatory Myopathies: A Brazilian Multicentric Case–Control Study
Authors: Gonçalves Júnior Jucier , dos Santos Alexandre Moura , Sampaio Romão Augusto Alves Filgueira , do Nascimento Silva Thalita , Martines Giovanna , de Araújo Daniel Brito , Cândido Estelita Lima , Shinjo Samuel Katsuyuki
Published: May 2024

No published studies have investigated the correlation between religiosity, spirituality, mental health, and idiopathic inflammatory myopathy (IIM) or systemic autoimmune myopathy. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate the association between religiosity/spirituality, sociodemographic factors, and the mental health of IIM patients. This is a multicenter case–control study that included 151 patients with IIMs and 95 individuals without autoimmune diseases (controls), held between August 2022 and April 2023. This study used a semi-structured questionnaire that included sociodemographic information and the juxtaposition of the following questionnaires: the Attitudes Related to Spirituality Scale (ARES); the Duke University Religion Index (DUKE), which is composed of the organizational religious affiliation (ORA), non-organizational religious affiliation (NORA), and intrinsic religiosity (IR) domains; and the General Health Questionnaire-12 (GHQ-12). Data were analyzed using Epi Info software 7.2.5 (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA). A comparison between the mean values of the ARES, DUKE, and GHQ-12 scales was made using the Wilcoxon–Mann–Whitney and Kruskal–Wallis tests. A logistic regression test was used with the variables whose difference was statistically significant in the univariate analysis. Correlation analysis was performed using the Spearman rho coefficient. A higher prevalence of evangelicals and a lower prevalence of Catholics (p < 0.050) were seen in the IIM group compared to controls. Positive association was demonstrated between IIMs and the pardo ethnicity (OR = 2.26, 95% CI = 1.20–4.25, p = 0.011), highest ORA (OR = 2.81, 95% CI = 1.53–5.15, p < 0.001), NORA (OR = 3.99, 95% CI = 1.94–8·18, p < 0.001), IR (OR = 5.27, 95% CI = 2.32–11.97, p < 0.001), and ARES values (OR = 1.08, 95% CI = 1.04–1.13, p < 0.001). Mental health levels were compared between the groups (p > 0.999). Therefore, higher levels of religiosity and spirituality were observed in the IIM group than in the control group, but there was a similar distribution of mental health levels. The following can be cited as advantages of the present study: (i) the large sample for a rare disease with the presence of a control group; (ii) the multicenter characteristic with participation from three regions of Brazil; (iii) being the first study to map aspects of religiosity, spirituality, and mental health in IIMs.