bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Alarming patterns of mature forest loss in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest
Authors: PINTO LUIS GUEDES , Amaral Silvana , Metzger Jean Paul , Rosa Marcos , Adorno Bruno , Goncalves Gabriel
Published: May 2024

Controlling tropical deforestation requires a detailed understanding of its drivers. Here we provide for the first time a comprehensive quantitative and qualitative time-series analysis of mature forest loss within the Brazilian Atlantic Forest, a well-known global biodiversity hotspot. From 2010 to 2020 we detected 14,401 deforestation polygons, resulting in a loss of 186,289 ha, most of it with a high likelihood of illegality. This loss occurred mainly in small-sized patches on private lands for agricultural expansion, although it also occurred in protected areas and indigenous lands. Deforestation is concentrated in two hotspots involving different agricultural actors and land use change processes. This scenario poses risks of species extinction, ecosystem service losses, and a weakened capacity to address climate change in a densely populated region. This data challenges the effectiveness of the current mechanisms used to face deforestation. However, our data provides subisidies to prevent it and move towards zero deforestation.
Fine mapping of QGPC.caas-7AL for grain protein content in bread wheat
Authors: Zhao Dehui , Zeng Jianqi , Jin Hui , Liu Dan , Yang Li , Xia Xianchun , Tian Yubing , Zhang Yan , Cao Shuanghe , Zhu Wei , Wang Chunping , He Zhonghu , Liu Jindong , Zhang Yong
Published: May 2024

Wheat grain protein content (GPC) is important for end-use quality. Identification of genetic loci for GPC is helpful to create new varieties with good processing quality and nutrients. Zhongmai 578 (ZM578) and Jimai 22 (JM22) are two elite wheat varieties with different contents of GPC. In the present study, 262 recombinant inbred lines (RILs) derived from a cross between ZM578 and JM22 were used to map the GPC with high-density wheat Illumina iSelect 50K single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) array. Seven quantitative trait loci (QTL) were identified for GPC on chromosomes 3AS, 3AL 3BS, 4AL, 5BS, 5DL and 7AL by inclusive composite interval mapping, designated as QGPC.caas-3AS, QGPC.caas-3AL, QGPC.caas-3BS, QGPC.caas-4AL, QGPC.caas-5BS, QGPC.caas-5DL and QGPC.caas-7AL, respectively. Among these, alleles for increasing GPC at QGPC.caas-3AS, QGPC.caas-3BS, QGPC.caas-4AL and QGPC.caas-7AL loci were contributed by ZM578, whereas those at the other three loci were from JM22. The stable QTL QGPC.caas-7AL was fine mapped to a 1.82 Mb physical interval using secondary populations from six heterozygous recombinant plants obtained by selfing a residual RIL. Four genes were predicted as candidates of QGPC.caas-7ALbased on sequence polymorphism and expression patterns. The near-isogenic lines (NILs) with the favorable allele at the QGPC.caas-7AL locus increased farinograph stability time, extension area, extensibility and maximum resistance by 19.6%, 6.3%, 6.0% and 20.3%, respectively. Kompetitive allele-specific PCR (KASP) marker for QGPC.caas-7AL was developed and validated in a diverse panel of 166 Chinese wheat cultivars. These results provide further insight into the genetic basis of GPC, and the fine-mapped QGPC.caas-7AL will be an attractive target for map-based cloning and marker-assisted selection in wheat breeding programs.
Reducing uncertainties of climate projections on solar energy resources in Brazil
Authors: Lima Francisco José Lopes , Gonçalves Andre , Costa Rodrigo Santos , Pes Marcelo , Orsini José Antônio Marengo , Pereira Enio Bueno , Martins Fernando Ramos
Published: May 2024

The share of solar energy in Brazil's electrical grid has rapidly increased, reducing GHG emissions and diversifying energy sources for greater energy security. This study is the first to combine satellite and reanalysis data to evaluate Taylor's skill of CMIP6 models in replicating spatial and seasonal patterns of surface solar irradiance (SSR) in Brazil. We used an ensemble with the highest-skill CMIP6 models to assess the climate change factor (CCF) on solar energy up to 2100 under SSP2-4.5 and SSP5-8.5 scenarios. For most of the Brazilian territory, CCF evidences a robust signal that the annual average SSR will increase by 2% to 8% from the next decade to 2100. An exception occurs in the South of Brazil, where the annual CCF decreases by around -3%. PV yield is predicted to steadily increase in five metropolitan regions until 2100, highlighting the need for public policies to support PV distributed generation as a suitable resource to replace fossil fuels and meet the growing energy future demand in urban areas.
Automatic Segmentation of Early Triassic Vertebrate Fossil CT Scans: Reducing Human Annotation Time through Deep Learning
Authors: Knutsen Espen M. , Konovalov Dmitry A.
Published: May 2024

Recent developments in Deep Learning have opened the possibility for automated segmentation of large and highly detailed CT scan datasets of fossil material. However, previous methodologies have required large amounts of training data to reliably extract complex skeletal structures. Here we present a method for automated Deep Learning segmentation to obtain high-fidelity 3D models of fossils digitally extracted from the surrounding rock, training the model with less than 1%-2% of the total CT dataset. This workflow has the capacity to revolutionise the use of Deep Learning to significantly reduce the processing time of such data and boost the availability of segmented CT-scanned fossil material for future research outputs. Our final Unet segmentation model achieved a validation Dice similarity of 0.96.
Effectiveness of a Blended Simulation Education Program on Advanced Cardiac Life Support for Nursing Students Using the PARTNER Model
Authors: Kang Miyoung , Lee Eunju
Published: May 2024

Background
The incidence of acute cardiac arrest is increasing and is directly linked to patient survival, highlighting the critical role of nurses. Advanced nursing skills for cardiac arrest patients, such as self-directed pre-learning applied to various clinical situations, require a systematic blended learning approach to integrate knowledge and enhance clinical performance through face-to-face practice.
Objectives
This study aims to apply a blended simulation education program using the PARTNER model to nursing students and evaluate its effectiveness on their knowledge, confidence, performance in advanced cardiac life support, clinical performance ability, and learning satisfaction.
Design:
The program is structured in phases including pre-stage, pre-learning assessment, pre-learning integration, cooperative learning, core summary lectures, evaluation, and post-reflection. It is theoretically grounded in flipped learning based on the PARTNER model.
Setting and Participants:
The study design is a non-equivalent control group pre-post-test design, conducted from November 4 to December 30, 2022, with third-year nursing students at K University in D City, Korea.
Methods
The experimental group received a 480-minute advanced cardiac life support blended simulation education program using the PARTNER model, while the control group received a traditional simulation education program of equal duration.
Results
The study found that knowledge, confidence, performance in advanced cardiac life support, and clinical performance ability were effectively enhanced, although no significant effect was observed in learning satisfaction.
Conclusions
The program provides a new direction in applying blended simulation using the PARTNER model for advanced cardiac life support nursing education, ultimately contributing to the training of nurses competent in advanced cardiac life support.
Used cars Traffic From Europe to Atlantic Africa: Reconciling Environmental Requirements and Social Expectations.
Authors: LIHOUSSOU Messan , STECK Benjamin , NGOM Ndèye
Published: May 2024

This paper addresses sustainable mobility in Atlantic Africa through compliance with environmental standards, limited by the circulation of very used cars often responsible for various nuisances. This study aimed to show that, in view of environmental requirements, to perpetuate the export of used cars from Europe to Africa, it is necessary to systematize their management. Thus, the methodology (quantitative and qualitative) analyses databases of the International Organization of Motor Vehicle Manufacturers (OICA) from 2015 to 2023 of government and port authorities supplemented by surveys based on direct observation in the field, questionnaires and interviews involving 55 stakeholders in Europe and 127 in Africa. The results demonstrate that cars used and their parts, but not wrecks, are essential for motorization in Atlantic Africa. A pre-export process needs to be set up to ensure that exported vehicles are parked in better condition to meet the required common environmental standards.
An Outlier Detection Algorithm Based on Local Density Feedback Outlier Factor
Authors: Zhang Zhongping , Hou Yuehan , Jia Yin , Zhang Ruibo
Published: May 2024

Neighborhood similarity assumes that adjacent objects should exhibit similar characteristics. To address the issue that previous density-based algorithms neglected neighborhood similarity and global information, resulting in low accuracy for outlier detection, we propose an outlier detection algorithm based on local density feedback outlier factor. Firstly, principal component analysis method is employed combining with natural neighbor search algorithm for density estimation. Subsequently, a density feedback mechanism is introduced for post-processing density values, which defines the density differences within the neighborhood as feedback signals, and update density feedback values for each object based on the principle of neighborhood similarity. Through multiple iterations of feedback, individual objects can aggregate global information. Finally, feedback outlier factor is defined to quantify outlier degrees. Experimental validation demonstrates the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm in enhancing outlier detection performance.
Non-antibiotic feed additives production by Acremonium terricola solid-fermented Camellia oleifera meal
Authors: Zhang Peng , Xiong Ying , Bi Luanluan , Zhong Haiyan , Ren Jiali , Zhou Bo
Published: May 2024

The study of antibiotic-free feed additives production by Acremonium terricola (A. terricola) solid-fermented Camellia oleifera meal (COM) has been carried out in this work. Firstly, the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC, 10 mg/mL) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC, 15 mg/mL) of tea saponin on A. terricola were determined by double dilution method. Then, the tea saponin tolerance concentrations (≤5 mg/mL) for A. terricola to increase production of cordycepic acid and ergosterol has been determined according to the stress mechanism for homeostasis balance of cell and energy, and change in enzyme protection system. Lastly, the comparative analysis of production and accumulation of cordycepic acid and ergosterol in A. terricola cultures (ATCs), which solid-fermented desaponificated COM (tea saponin, 2.6 mg/100 g), rice bran (RB) and wheat bran (WB), has been conducted. All results demonstrated homeostasis of cell and energy has been balanced by increasing production of chitin and ergosterol, and the activity of POD and Na+/K+-ATPase, respectively. COM containing tea saponins (≤5 mg/mL) significantly promoted the production and accumulation of cordycepic acid and ergosterol compared to rice bran (RB) and wheat bran (WB). This work indicated that COM can partially replace food or food by-products to prepare antibiotic-free feed additives by A. terricola.
A vacuolar proton pump controls post-germinative growth of rice (Oryza sativa ssp. japonica)
Authors: Gann Peter James Icalia , Nandy Soumen , Botelho Flavia Barbosa Silva , Vinzant Kari , Khodakovskaya Mariya , Srivast Vibha
Published: May 2024

Post-germinative growth in plants is controlled by sucrose mobilization from the endosperm. Regulation of this process, however, is not fully understood. Transcriptional suppression of the rice vacuolar H + translocating pyrophosphatase (V-PPase) referred to as VPP5 led to enhanced starch content in mature grains. However, vpp5 suppressed lines displayed a slower post-germinative growth rescuable by sucrose, indicating inefficient sucrose mobilization from the endosperm. Biochemical and gene expression analyses showed a slower rate of starch to sucrose conversion and altered expression of the key starch conversion pathway genes. We hypothesized that the modulation of metabolic activities in the vpp5 lines was based on the perturbation in the homeostasis of H + and/or inorganic pyrophosphate (PPi). Concurring with this, we found enhanced levels of PPi in vpp5 germinating seeds. Metabolomic analysis of the germinating seeds at two different stages of germination revealed a slower rate of metabolism and a differential enrichment of metabolites associated with starch and sucrose metabolism in vpp5 compared to the wildtype. Notably, the yield traits of vpp5 lines were not impacted as grain numbers and grain weight of the greenhouse ripened seeds were similar to that of the wildtype. In conclusion, VPP5 encoding the endosperm-specific V-PPase regulates starch to sucrose conversion in germinating seeds, and its suppression results in a slower post-germinative growth but does not impact the reproductive development and grain yield of the plants.
Research on the correlation between surface damage and radon release of uranium tailings dam after seismic based on binocular vision
Authors: Liu Kai , Dai Xingwang , Liu Yong , Xu Zhenghua , Hong Changshou , Chang Chenxiao
Published: May 2024

In order to obtain the surface crack development, displacement information of uranium tailing dam conveniently, and evaluate the interrelationship between surface damage and radon migration changes, this paper constructed an indoor model based and built a binocular camera using smartphones to obtain the model surface image data under the multi-stage simulated seismic loading. Image processing techniques were used to quantify surface cracks and displacements, and radon meters recorded radon release data. The results showed that the surface crack of the model was positively correlated with the loading strength. At 0.9 g, the crack rate reached 3.27%, and the free surface caused by the crack led to multiple traction failures; The maximum displacement of artificial markers on the slope increased steadily from 7.748 mm after 0.3 g to 19.45 mm after 0.7 g, and then surged to 46.52 mm after 0.9 g; The stronger the simulated earthquake intensity, the higher the concentration of radon released by the model. The trend of radon release was consistent with the crack and displacement, but the rate of change was more synchronized with the displacement. The technique is expected to provide an economical and intuitive method for dam engineering and environmental safety evaluation.
The Societal Burden associated with Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis: a cross-sectional burden-of-disease study
Authors: Hoelen Thomáy-Claire Ayala , Evers Silvia M. , Arts Jacobus J. , Willems Paul C. , Mastrigt Ghislaine van
Published: May 2024

Background
Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) has a general population prevalence of 2–3%. The impact of AIS on the patients’ quality of life is increasingly recognized. However, there is limited knowledge on the societal burden of AIS. Therefore, this study aimed to determine societal burden of AIS.
Methods
A cross-sectional, prevalence-based, bottom-up burden of disease study was conducted. AIS patients or parents of a child with AIS residing in the Netherlands were eligible for inclusion. The survey was distributed between June - December 2022 and was completed once by each participant. The institute for Medical Technology Assessment - Medical Consumption and Productivity Cost Questionnaires were used to assess costs. The health-related quality of life (HRQoL) was assessed using the EuroQol 5D-5L/EuroQol 5D Youth and the Scoliosis Research Society-22 revised questionnaires. Costs and HRQoL were identified, measured, and valued.
Results
Participants (n = 229) were predominantly female (92%), on average 35 years old, and were employed (65%). The societal cost for a patient with AIS in the Netherlands was €12,275 per year. The largest costs were estimated for the healthcare and productivity sectors. The mean utility score for adults was 0.7 (SD 0.20). Severe pain was experienced by 10% of the adult participants and 44% reported to experience moderate pain/discomfort. Statistically significant differences between different age groups were present for individual sector costs and HRQoL.
Conclusions
AIS negatively impacts societal costs and the HRQoL. Reducing the productivity sector burden and further improving the HRQoL of life for patients with AIS is needed.
Exploring Multidimensional Aspects of Hope Speech Computationally: A Psycholinguistic and Emotional Perspective
Authors: Arif Muhammad , Tash Moein Shahiki , Jamshidi Ainaz , Ameer Iqra , Ullah Fida , Kalita Jugal , Gelbukh Alexander , Balouchzahi Fazlourrahman
Published: May 2024

Hope is a vital coping mechanism, enabling individuals to effectively confront life's challenges. This study proposes a technique employing Natural Language Processing (NLP) tools like Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count (LIWC), NRC-emotion-lexicon, and vaderSentiment to analyze social media posts, extracting psycholinguistic, emotional, and sentimental features from a hope speech dataset. The findings of this study reveal distinct cognitive, emotional, and communicative characteristics and psycholinguistic dimensions, emotions, and sentiments associated with different types of hope shared in social media. Furthermore, the study explores the potential of using this data to classify various hope types via machine learning algorithms. Notably, models such as LightGBM and CatBoost exhibit promising performance, outperforming traditional methods and rivaling deep learning techniques.
A nomogram based on circulating CD8 + T cell and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio to predict overall survival of patients with locally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma
Authors: Yan Chang , Yang Guohai , Zhang Chaojun , Chen KaiHua , Sun Yongchu , Liang Zhongguo , Lai Lin , Li Ling , Qu Song , Zhu Xiao-Dong
Published: May 2024

Purpose
To explore the influence of circulating lymphocyte subsets, serum markers, clinical factors, and their impact on overall survival (OS) in locally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma (LA-NPC). Additionally, to construct a nomogram predicting OS for LA-NPC patients using independent prognostic factors.
Methods
A total of 530 patients with LA-NPC were included in this study. In the training cohort, Cox regression analysis was utilized to identify independent prognostic factors, which were then integrated into the nomogram. The concordance index (C-index) was calculated for both training and validation cohorts. Schoenfeld residual analysis, calibration curves, and decision curve analysis (DCA) were employed to evaluate the nomogram. Kaplan-Meier methods was performed based on risk stratification using the nomogram.
Results
A total of 530 LA-NPC patients were included. Multivariate Cox regression analysis revealed that the circulating CD8+T cell, platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), albumin (ALB), gender, and clinical stage were independent prognostic factors for LA-NPC (p < 0.05). Schoenfeld residual analysis indicated overall satisfaction of the proportional hazards assumption for the Cox regression model. The C-index of the nomogram was 0.724 (95% CI: 0.669–0.779) for the training cohort and 0.718 (95% CI: 0.636-0.800) for the validation cohort. Calibration curves demonstrated good correlation between the model and actual survival outcomes. DCA confirmed the clinical utility enhancement of the nomogram over the TNM staging system. Significant differences were observed in OS among different risk stratifications.
Conclusion
Circulating CD8+ T cell, PLR, LDH, ALB, gender and clinical stage are independent prognostic factors for LA-NPC. The nomogram and risk stratification constructed in this study effectively predict OS in LA-NPC.
A two-stage optimized robust kernel density estimation for Bayesian classification with outliers
Authors: Wei Chenghao , Peng Bo , Li Chen , Liu Yingying , Ye Zhiwei , Zuo Zhiqiang
Published: May 2024

A Bayesian classifier based on kernel density estimation (KDE) is an effective routine for continuous data classification. However, the presence of outliers and inappropriate selection of bandwidth may cause inaccurate and distorted estimations of the density function. This paper presents an improved Bayesian classification approach by employing an optimized robust kernel density estimation (ORKDE). The impact of outliers can be down-weighted by a two-stage optimization in the conditional probability density calculation. In the first stage, an improved hybrid rice optimization (HRO) algorithm is proposed for selecting the bandwidth of a Gaussian KDE using a mixed cross-validation function. It incorporates Levy flight and elite reverse learning strategy to enhance the global optimization searching capability. In the second stage, a soft-redescending Welsch function is applied as the loss function to reduce the weights of outliers using the M-estimation in the kernel space. The relative efficiency index is used to derive the tuning parameter of the influence function. A kernelized iteratively re-weighted least-squares procedure employs both the tuning parameter and the quantile rule for effectively calculating the optimal weights of samples. With the proposed ORKDE method, the Naive Bayesian classifier enhances the generalization in the classification with outliers. The effectiveness of our method is demonstrated by the experiments using synthetic and real-world datasets.
Heparin anticoagulant reduces mortality in patients with cardiac arrest: A retrospective cohort study from the eICU database
Authors: Wang Yan , Zhang Jing , Lu Miao , Xu Chi , Zhang Jiaming , Zhang Yun
Published: May 2024

Background Improving the survival rate of patients with cardiac arrest (CA) remains a major challenge. This study is aimed at investigating the effects of treatment with heparin anticoagulants, including unfractionated heparin (UFH) and low-molecular-weight heparin (LMWH), on hospitalized patients with CA. Methods Electronic intensive care unit (eICU) data of patients diagnosed with CA were retrospectively analysed. Propensity score matching (PSM) was performed between alive and expired groups. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to identify risk factors influencing ICU and hospital mortality among these patients. They were also performed on matched data to determine the effect of anticoagulants on mortality risk. Clinical outcomes were compared between anticoagulant and non-anticoagulant groups after PSM. Subgroup analyses were performed to assess differences in anticoagulant effect. Log-rank tests were performed to evaluate the influence of anticoagulants versus non-anticoagulants and UFH versus LMWH on mortality rates and hospital stay length. Results This study included 5,858 patients (3,445 men; average age of 64.23 ± 15.88 years), of whom 2,866 died. Among the deceased, 969 (16.54%) received anticoagulant treatment. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed an association between the anticoagulants and a protective effect against ICU and hospital mortality, persisting after PSM. The anticoagulant group exhibited significantly lower ICU and hospital mortality rates than the non-anticoagulant group (P < 0.01) before and after PSM. Subgroup analysis demonstrated that anticoagulant therapy provided better protection in individuals not receiving antiplatelet therapy and without acute coronary syndrome. No significant differences in ICU or hospital mortality were observed between UFH and LMWH groups (P > 0.05). Conclusions Heparin anticoagulant treatment reduces mortality rate and prolongs survival time among patients experiencing CA.
Health status Monitoring of cutting arm of Anchor excavator based on Digital Twin
Authors: LIU Zhixiang , LI Zhenyu , ZOU Kang , XIE Chunxue
Published: May 2024

Considering that the traditional finite element method takes a long time to calculate and can not meet the real-time stress analysis of complex equipment such as anchor-digging machine, this paper takes the cutting mechanism of anchor-digging machine as the research object. in this paper, a fast analysis method of mechanical characteristics based on digital twinning is proposed, and this method is combined with digital twinning technology. In this paper, a digital twin model is established, which can be used to analyze the real-time mechanical characteristics of the cutting arm of the excavating and anchoring machine. Firstly, based on dimensional analysis and similarity principle, the simulation model of cutting mechanism test-bed of anchor-digging machine is established, and the model is used in finite element simulation and digital twin model. Secondly, the finite element analysis of the cutting arm of the integrated digging and anchoring machine is carried out, and the finite element calculation results are evaluated. Then, a fast analysis method of mechanical characteristics of cutting mechanism of anchor-digging integrated machine based on agent model is put forward, and an agent model for mechanical characteristic analysis of anchor-digging integrated machine is established. After verifying the fitting accuracy of the surrogate model, the established surrogate model is applied to analyze the mechanical characteristics of the cutting arm of the integrated digging and anchoring machine, and the necessary evaluation of the analysis results is made. Finally, the agent model of rapid analysis of mechanical characteristics is applied to the digital twin model, and the digital twin monitoring platform of cutting mechanism of anchor-digging machine is built in Unity, which realizes the real-time mechanical characteristic analysis, real-time residual life analysis and health monitoring of the cutting mechanism of anchor-digging machine.
Protocol of a nation-wide post-bereavement survey on quality of hospice and palliative care: J-HOPE 5 study
Authors: Aoyama Maho , Mori Masanori , Morita Tatsuya , Tsuneto Satoru , Miyashita Mitsunori
Published: May 2024

Background:
Maintaining quality of care and improving the quality of life (QOL) of patients and their families are important issues in palliative care. Therefore, there is a need to continuously evaluate the quality and outcomes of the care provided. In Japan, the Japan hospice and palliative evaluation (J-HOPE) study series has been conducted every three to four years since 2010, and we will conduct the fifth J-HOPE study (J-HOPE5). In the present paper, we describe the protocol of the J-HOPE5 study. The main objectives are: 1) to evaluate the processes, structures and outcomes of care at hospices or palliative care units; 2) to examine bereaved family members' self-reported psychosocial condition, such as grief and depression as bereavement outcomes; 3) to provide data to ensure and improve the quality of care provided by participating institutions via feedback based on the results from each institution; and 4) to provide clinical and academic information regarding the implications of various issues in palliative care by conducting specific research.
Methods:
We will conduct a cross-sectional, anonymous, self-reported questionnaire survey. In total, 153 institutions have agreed to participate in this study, meaning that approximately 12,240 bereaved family members (n = 80/institution) will be sent a questionnaire.
Discussion:
This is one of the largest cross-sectional bereavement surveys to evaluate the quality of specialized palliative care for patients with cancer, both in Japan and worldwide. The large sample size of this study will enable wide analyses of specific targets and topics.
Numerical modeling the process of deep slab dehydration and magmatism
Authors: Wu Hao , Lei Jiacheng , Jia Zeyu , Sheng Jian , Zhu Yinan , Wang Jian
Published: May 2024

This study utilizes a two-dimensional high-resolution thermodynamic-mechanical coupled model to explore the intricate processes of deep-seated plate hydration and dehydration, as well as the consequent magmatic activities within ocean-continent subduction zones. The research illuminates the mechanism by which hydrated plates release water during profound subduction phases. Notably, dehydration processes at depths exceeding 300 kilometers play an essential role in driving the magmatic activities of the mantle. Moreover, these processes significantly catalyze the partial melting of the mantle, leading to pronounced magmatic activities and the subsequent rise of molten material, culminating in the formation of magma chambers beneath remote continental plates. These insights could potentially contribute to a deeper understanding of the intricate hydrothermal interactions within subduction zones and how they might influence the Earth's internal dynamics.
Neurocognitive dysfunction in adolescents with recent onset MDD - a cross-sectional comparative study
Authors: Bienek Olga , Allott Kelly , Antonucci Linda , Bertolino Alessandro , Bonivento Carolina , Borgwardt Stephan , Brambilla Paolo , Chisholm Katharine , Dannlowski Udo , Haidl Theresa K. , Kambeitz Joseph , Kambeitz-Ilankovic Lana , Koutsouleris Nikolaos , Lencer Rebekka , Griffiths Siân Lowri , Maggioni Eleonora , Meisenzahl Eva , Pantelis Christos , Rosen Marlene , Ruhrmann Stephan , Salokangas Raimo K. R. , Stainton Alexandra , Upthegrove Rachel , Wenzel Julian , Wood Stephen J. , Romer Georg , Müller Jörg Michael
Published: May 2024

Objectives
The aim of this study was to examine the neurocognitive deficits associated with recent onset major depressive disorder (ROD) in adolescents as compared to adult patients.
Methods
Cross-sectional neurocognitive data from the baseline assessments of the PRONIA study with N = 650 (55.31% females) were analyzed. We built an overall neurocognitive performance (NP) score based on a battery of eleven neurocognitive tests. We examined mean score differences in NP between the groups of healthy controls (HC) and ROD and between adolescents (15–21 years) and adults (22–40 years) within a GLM approach for unbalanced data with focus on interaction effects while controlling for effects of medication and educational years.
Results
We found lower NP for the ROD as compared to the HC group (d=-0.29, p = .046) and lower NP for the adolescent group as compared to the adult group (d=-0.29; p < .039). We did not find an interaction between these two group effects (F = 1.11; p = .29). Educational years explained most of the variance in the model. An aggregated score of two subtests was highly correlated with the overall score of NP (r = 0.82)
Discussion
Our findings suggest that the detrimental effect of ROD on neurocognitive functioning is comparable in adolescent and adult patients, since lower scores in adolescent patients are explained by effects of age and education. This has theoretical, diagnostic and treatment implications for both age groups.
Conclusion
Neurocognitive impairment should be seen as an important factor in ROD, however, the implications of this has so far been under addressed in clinical treatment guidelines for adolescent MDD. Neurocognitive impairment should be considered an important diagnostic issue in adolescent mental health care. Our data further suggests that efficient monitoring of neurocognitive impairment could be implemented in clinical practice by using a subset of two short tests.
Understanding the Deltoid Phenomenon in the Perspective 3-Point (P3P) Problem
Authors: Rieck Michael
Published: May 2024

Concerning the Perspective 3-Point (P3P) Problem, Grunert's system of three quadratic equations has a repeated solution if and only if the cubic polynomial introduced by Finsterwalder has a repeated root. This polynomial is here shown to be obtainable from a particularly simple cubic polynomial with complex coefficients via a simple Mobius transformation. This provides surprising geometric insight into the P3P problem. In particular, (1) the discriminant of Finsterwalder's polynomial can be written using the formula for the standard deltoid curve, and (2) this discriminant, when regarded as a function of camera position, vanishes on a surface that approaches a deltoid shape when the camera is moved infinitely far from the control points in a direction perpendicular to the control points plane (the ''limit case"). These two facts have been previously reported, but obscure reasoning was required to establish them. In contrast, the present article uses the newly discovered cubic polynomial to easily produce the first fact, which then provides a basis for better understanding the second fact. Also presented are quartic polynomials whose real roots are the P3P solution point coordinates. A detailed geometric description of the P3P solution points in the ''limit case" is also supplied.
Flexibility in Choosing Decision Policies in Gathering Discrete Evidence Over Time
Authors: Golmohamadian Masoumeh , Faraji Mehrbod , Fallah Fatemeh , Sharifizadeh Fatemeh , Ebrahimpour Reza
Published: May 2024

The brain can remarkably adapt its decision-making process to suit the dynamic environment and diverse aims and demands. The brain’s flexibility can be classified into three categories: flexibility in choosing solutions, decision policies, and actions. We employ two experiments to explore flexibility in decision policy: a visual object categorization task and an auditory object categorization task. Both tasks required participants to accumulate discrete evidence over time, with the only difference being the sensory state of the stimuli. We aim to investigate how the brain demonstrates flexibility in selecting decision policies in different sensory contexts when the solution and action remain the same. Our results indicate that the decision policy of the brain in integrating information is independent of inter-pulse interval across these two tasks. However, the decision policy based on how the brain ranks the first and second pulse of evidence changes flexibly. We show that the sequence of pulses does not affect the choice accuracy in the auditory mode. However, in the visual mode, the first pulse had the larger leverage on decisions. Our research underscores the importance of incorporating diverse contexts to improve our understanding of the brain’s flexibility in real-world decision-making.
Agent Optimization for “Open Platform for Innovation in Logistics“ (OPIL)
Authors: Körösi Ladislav , Duchoň František
Published: May 2024

This manuscript presents the development of an innovative module intended for integration into the Open Platform for Innovation in Logistics (OPIL) library, which plays a pivotal role in the European Union Horizon 2020 initiative, codenamed “Grow your manufacturing business“ (commonly referred to as Better Factory). The primary aim of this module is to perform efficient computations to determine the optimal number of agents required for material transportation within logistics operations. This task holds considerable importance, particularly during the nascent stages of logistics automation or subsequent phases of expansion. The recently developed module has been designed as an autonomous Docker image. To demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed approach, this manuscript provides two examples. The first example showcases the module’s application in logistics. The second example demonstrates the module’s broader scope by applying it to an inspection task. These examples serve to underscore the versatility and practicality of the newly created module in addressing diverse challenges within logistics and beyond.
Identification of tomato cultivars resistant to Ralstonia pseudosolanacearum
Authors: Costa Ester da Silva , Varjão Luís Felipe Barbosa , Silva Ranniele Luíza Ventura da , Araújo Bianca Galúcio Pereira , Silva Fabian Santana , Souza Almir Rogério Evangelista , Filho José Luiz Sandes de Carvalho , Costa Kleyton Danilo Silva
Published: May 2024

The bacterium Ralstonia pseudosolanacearum is responsible for one of the main tomato diseases, bacterial wilt. The only effective control measure for this disease is the use of resistant cultivars. The aim of this study was to identify tomato cultivars resistant to Ralstonia pseudosolanacearum. The experiment was conducted in a greenhouse at the Federal Institute of Alagoas - Piranhas Campus. The experimental design used was entirely randomized in a factorial scheme (10 x 2), containing 10 tomato cultivars and two isolates of the species Ralstonia pseudosolanacearum, totaling 20 treatments in three replications, resulting in 60 experimental plots, each containing four plants. Using the diagrammatic scale of bacterial wilt scores, phytopathometry of the disease was carried out using the following variables: Incidence (INC), Bacterial Wilt Index (BWI), Disease Index (DI), Latency Period (LP50), Area Under the Disease Progress Curve (AUDPC) and Infection Rate (IR). These variables were obtained for the 5th − 10th and 15th − 20th day of evaluation. There was a significant interaction between Cultivars x Isolates for the following variables: BWI, AUDPC, IR (5th − 10th day of evaluation) and for BWI, DI and IR (15th − 20th day of evaluation). The variables LP50, INC, IR and AUDPC characterized the start of the bacterial wilt epidemic from the first evaluation interval, regardless of the cultivars and isolates. The cultivar Havaí 7996 was classified as resistant to the isolate CRMRs108, and the cultivar Bartô was classified as moderately resistant to both isolates.
GALNT6 promotes bladder cancer malignancy and immune escape by epithelial-mesenchymal transition and CD8+T cells
Authors: Sun Xiaoxin , Wu Haotian , AL-DANAKH ABDULLAH , Jian Yuli , Gong Li , Li Congchen , Yu Xiao , Tang Ling , Zeng Guang , Chen Qiwei , Yang Deyong , Wang Shujing
Published: May 2024

Bladder cancer (BC) ranks as the fourth cancer in males and the tenth most common cancer worldwide. Conventional treatment modalities, including surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, and immunotherapy, have limited efficacy in certain advanced instances. The involvement of GALNT6-mediated aberrant O-glycosylation modification in several malignancies and immune evasion is a subject of speculation. However, its significance in BC has not been investigated. Through the integration of bioinformatics analysis and laboratory experimentation, we have successfully clarified the role of this GALNT6 in BC. Our investigation revealed that GALNT6 has significant expression in BC, and its expression level correlates with advanced stage and high grade, leading to poor overall survival. Moreover, both in vitro and in vivo tests demonstrate a strong correlation between elevated levels of GALNT6 and tumor growth, migration, and invasion. Furthermore, there is a negative correlation between elevated GALNT6 levels, the extent of CD8+T cell infiltration in the tumor microenvironment, and the prognosis of patients. Functional tests have shown that the increased expression of GALNT6 could enhance the malignant characteristics of cancer cells by activating the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) pathway. Ultimately, a bioinformatics study demonstrated that GALNT6 has the ability to engage with immunosuppressive receptors located on the outer layer of immune cells via MUC1. In brief, this study examined the impact of GALNT6-mediated abnormal O-glycosylation on the occurrence and progression of bladder cancer and its influence on immune evasion. It also elucidated the molecular mechanism underlying the interaction between tumor cells and immune cells, as well as the bidirectional signaling involved. These findings offer a novel theoretical foundation rooted in glycobiology for the clinical application of immunotherapy in BC.
Identification of goldenseal (Hydrastis canadensis L.) habitat and indicators in Pennsylvania, U.S.A: the influence of climate and site on in situ conservation of an edge of range plant species
Authors: Houston Ezra , Burkhart Eric P. , Zuiderveen Grady , Chen Xin
Published: May 2024

Goldenseal (Hydrastis canadensis L.) is a perennial herbaceous plant native to forestlands in eastern North America. In Pennsylvania (PA), a U.S. state within the northeastern edge of its range, commercial harvesting for medicinal markets and habitat loss have led to conservation concerns. A better understanding of habitat predilections could help guide in situ conservation efforts including locating extant populations, forest farming adoption, and assisted migration. In this study, GIS-based Maximum Entropy (Maxent) modeling using occurrences (n=51) was combined with field plot data (n=28) to determine factors governing goldenseal’s distribution in PA and identify floral indicators of supportive habitat. The Maxent model suggested that winter temperature and bedrock type were the most important characteristics governing habitat suitability. The model identified base-rich bedrock types as most suitable; a trait confirmed in the field by soil test results showing high calcium and pH levels. However, the influence of bedrock is complicated by overlapping land use legacy, particularly in the Piedmont and Ridge-and-Valley physiographic provinces. Community analysis identified 159 woody and herbaceous associates, including indicators of the following supportive rich mesic forest types: “Tuliptree-Beech-Maple,” “Red Oak-Mixed hardwood,” and “Central Appalachian Rich Cove”. Thirteen so called “invasive” taxa were encountered, of which at least one was present in 83% of plots. These results suggest that goldenseal habitat is widespread in the state, and species absences may be due to abiotic factors, most importantly the severity of winter temperatures. Additionally, future negative impacts on extant goldenseal populations might be anticipated resulting from the continued spread of invasive taxa.
Hederagenin from Hedera helix promotes fat browning in 3T3-L1 adipocytes
Authors: Choi Seung Min , Lee Ho Seon , Lim Sung Ho , Choi Gayoung , Choi Chang-Ik
Published: May 2024

Background
Currently, the regulation of energy homeostasis through increased energy consumption is attracting attention to treat obesity. White adipose tissue is known to play a role in accumulating energy by storing excess energy, while brown adipose tissue consumes energy and maintains body temperature. Thus, the browning of white adipose tissue has been confirmed to be effective in controlling obesity. Hedera helix (H. helix) has been widely used as a traditional medicine for various diseases. In several previous studies, hederagenin (HDG) from H. helix has demonstrated many biological activities. In this study, we investigated the anti-obesity effect of HDG on fat browning in 3T3-L1 adipocytes.
Methods
Cytotoxicity was assessed in 3T3-L1 cells through the Dimethyl sulfoxide and thiazolyl blue tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay, while the extent of lipid accumulation was compared using the Oil red O (ORO) assay. Protein expression and mRNA expression were compared using Western blot and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR).
Results Consequent to HDG treatment, a reduction in lipid accumulation was confirmed through oil red O staining. In addition, this study confirmed that HDG increases heat production by upregulating the expression of several targets related to thermogenesis, including uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1). This process is closely related to the inhibition of lipogenesis through the adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) phosphorylation signaling pathway and lipolysis through the protein kinase A (PKA) signaling pathway.
Conclusions
HDG is expected to be effective in promoting fat browning, indicating its potential as a natural anti-obesity candidate.
ARIA-QA: AI-Agent based Requirements Inspection and Analysis through Question Answering
Authors: Biswas Chitrak , Das Souvick
Published: May 2024

Due to their predominant use of natural language (NL), requirements are prone to defects like inconsistency and incompleteness. Consequently, quality assurance processes are commonly applied to requirements manually. However, manual execution of these processes can be laborious and may inadvertently overlook critical quality issues due to time and budget constraints. This paper introduces ARIA, an innovative question-answering (QA) approach designed to automate support for stakeholders, including requirements engineers, during the analysis of NL requirements. The ability to pose questions and receive instant answers proves invaluable in proves beneficial in numerous quality-assurance scenarios, particularly in detecting incompleteness. The challenge of automating the answering of requirements-related questions is considerable, given the potential scope of the search for answers extending beyond the provided requirements specification. To overcome this challenge, ARIA integrates support for mining external domain knowledge resources like internet search results. Evaluation on seven diverse use cases drawn from the PURE dataset demonstrates ARIA's robustness and applicability across a range of real-life scenarios, highlighting its potential to significantly improve the quality and effectiveness of requirements analysis processes. This work represents one of the initial endeavors to seamlessly blend QA and external domain knowledge, effectively addressing complexities in requirements engineering.
Enhanced molecular structure, thermal stability, and linear/nonlinear optical characteristics of chitosan/titanium dioxide nanocomposite films
Authors: Guirguis Osiris
Published: May 2024

This study sought to fabricate and characterize novel nanocomposite films of chitosan and titanium dioxide in terms of molecular structure, thermal, and optical properties for usage in food packaging and optoelectronic applications. Fourier transform infrared analysis confirmed that TiO2-NPs interacted with chitosan and demonstrated good compatibility. Differential scanning calorimetry and thermogravimetric analysis revealed that increasing the concentration of TiO2-NPs improved the thermal stability of the nanocomposites. The linear optical properties in the UV-Vis range (200–800 nm) were measured spectrophotometrically. Below 400 nm, the transmittance spectra of the nanocomposites show decreased degrees of transparency, indicating their capacity to entirely block UV-light transmission. Tauc's model was used to identify the types of electronic transitions in the samples. The single-oscillator model was utilized to investigate the dispersion energy and parameters. Nonlinear optical properties were also investigated. UV-Vis analysis revealed that increasing the concentration of TiO2-NPs from 0 to 12 wt% reduced the absorption edge from 2.716 to 2.043 eV, decreased the direct (3.282 to 2.798 eV) and indirect (2.417 to 1.581 eV) energy band gaps, increased the Urbach energy from 0.692 to 1.295 eV, decreased the dispersion energy from 11.324 to 5.621 eV, decreased the single oscillator energy from 6.308 to 5.393 eV, and improved the other linear and nonlinear parameters. The findings support the usage of CS/TiO2 nanocomposite films in the packaging industry and a variety of optical applications.