bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Integrating brain function and structure in the study of the human attentional networks
Authors: Signes Mar Martín , Paz-Alonso Pedro , de Schotten Michel Thiebaut , Chica Ana
Published: June 2023

Attention is a heterogeneous function theoretically divided into alerting, orienting, and executive attention. While functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) has extensively characterized their functioning, the role of white matter in cognitive function has gained recent interest due to diffusion-weighted imaging advancements. However, most evidence relies on correlations between white matter properties and behavioral or cognitive measures. This study used a new method that combines the signal from distant voxels of fMRI images using the probability of structural connection given by a high-resolution normative tractography. We analyzed three fMRI datasets with a visual perceptual task and three attentional manipulations (phasic alerting, spatial orienting, and executive attention). The phasic alerting network engaged temporal areas and their communication with frontal and parietal regions, with a left hemisphere dominance. The orienting network involved bilateral fronto-parietal and midline regions communicating by association tracts and interhemispheric fibers. The executive attention network engaged a broad set of brain regions and white matter tracts connecting them, with a particular involvement of frontal areas and their connections with the rest of the brain. These results confirm and extend previous knowledge on the neural substrates of the attentional system, offering a more comprehensive understanding by integrating structure, function, and behavior.
IFR estimation of overlapped multicomponent signals from time frequency rate distribution
Authors: Li Po , Dong Peng , Luo Qiao
Published: June 2023

Instantaneous frequency rate (IFR) estimation from multi-component signals can be applied in a variety of applications. Viterbi algorithm (VA) on cubic phase function (CPF) is a highly performed IFR estimator for the mono-component signal. However, for the multi-component signal, when signal components are overlapped on the time frequency rate (TFR) plane, inaccurate IFRs may be tracked due to switch problem (SP) in VA and cross-terms in CPF. To overwhelm these two challenges, a directionally smoothed pseudo CPF (DSPCPF) is firstly proposed, the algorithm assumes that the IFR curve can be approximately linear along a direction within an adequately short time window, at a time instant, while the TFR points corresponding to cross-terms are dispersed in a entire TFR plane, then, TFR points of CPF along the IFR curve are integrated to enhance the auto-terms and suppress the cross-terms. In addition, to suppress the SP, the direction matrix of DSPCPF is utilized to construct an additional directional penalty function for VA. The new VA combined with DSPCPF is applied to estimate IFRs. In this way, more accurate IFRs can be obtained, and the performance of novel algorithms are validated by several artificial multi-component frequency modulated signals.
Urinary incontinence and its associated factors in nursing home residents: a multi-centre cross-sectional study in Central Catalonia
Authors: Jerez-Roig Javier , Farrés-Godayol Pau , Yildirim Meltem , Escribà-Salvans Anna , Moreno-Martin Pau , Goutan-Roura Ester , Rierola-Fochs Sandra , Romero-Mas Montse , Booth Joanne , Skelton Dawn , Giné-Garriga Maria , Minobes-Molina Eduard
Published: June 2023

Background
Urinary incontinence (UI) is a common geriatric syndrome with high health and socio-economic impacts in nursing home (NH) residents.
Objectives
To verify the prevalence and types of UI and its associated factors in older people living in NHs in Central Catalonia (Spain). We also determined the proportion of residents who were receiving behavioural strategies to prevent/manage UI.
Design and setting
Cross-sectional study in 5 NHs conducted from January to March 2020.
Methods
We included consenting residents aged 65 + permanently living in the NHs. Residents who were hospitalized, in a coma or palliative care were excluded. UI was assessed using Section H of the Minimum Data Set. Sociodemographic and health-related variables were examined. Descriptive, bivariate and multivariate (logistic regression) analyses were performed.
Results
We included 132 subjects (82.6% women), mean age of 85.2 (SD = 7.4) years. The prevalence of UI was 76.5% (95% CI: 68.60-82.93). The most common type was functional UI (45.5%), followed by urgency UI (11.4%). Most sedentary behaviour variables were significant in the bivariate analyses, but none remained in the final model. Moderate-severe cognitive impairment (OR = 4.44, p = .003), anticholinergic activity (OR = 3.50, p = .004) and risk of sarcopenia using SARC-F (OR = 2.75, p = .041) were significantly associated with UI. Only 46.2% of residents received any behavioural strategy to manage UI.
Conclusions
The prevalence of UI was high in this sample of NH residents compared to the literature, yet less than half received prompted voiding as a strategy to prevent/reduce UI. UI was associated with cognitive impairment, anticholinergic activity, and risk of sarcopenia.
Thermoring basis for the TRPV3 bio-thermometer
Authors: Wang Guangyu
Published: June 2023

The thermosensitive transient receptor potential (TRP) channels are well-known as bio-thermometers with specific temperature thresholds and sensitivity. However, their structural origins are still mysterious. Here, graph theory was used to test how the temperature-dependent non-covalent interactions as identified in the 3D structures of thermo-gated TRPV3 could form a systematic fluidic grid-like mesh network with the thermal rings from the biggest grids to the smallest ones as necessary structural motifs for the variable temperature thresholds and sensitivity. The results showed that the heat-evoked melting of the biggest grids may control temperature thresholds to activate the channel while the smaller grids may act as thermo-stable anchors to secure the channel activity. Together, all the grids along the gating pathway may be necessary for the specific temperature sensitivity. Therefore, this grid thermodynamic model may provide an extensive structural basis for the thermo-gated TRP channels.
FishDNAIDs: DNA barcoding as a tool in the development of a detection system to four species of Characiformes of commercial importance in the Brazilian Amazon
Authors: Bevilaqua Danniel Rocha , Batista Jacqueline da SIlva , Mota Adolfo José da , Silva Ana Caroline Viana da , Mota Andreza Mikeyne Silva da , Formiga Kyara Martins , Freitas Carlos Edwar de Carvalho
Published: June 2023

Backgroud The COI mitochondrial gene has been chosen as the “DNA barcode in animals” and the large quantity of genetic information in public databanks gives solid support for the use of DNA barcoding as a promising tool for the development of a specific molecular detection system.
Methods and results The present study aimed to develop a specific molecular detection system (SMDS) (primers and probe sets) for the following four target species: Prochilodus nigricans, Potamorhina altamazonica, Psectrogaster rutiloides and Triportheus angulatus, in qPCR assays. In silico and in vitro tests (using gDNA) were performed to test these sets. The database generated contained the COI nucleotide sequence for 187 specimens of Characiformes, distributed in 35 species representing eight families. In silico, primers designed for the target species amplified different species from the same genus, except for P. rutiloides, which amplified only the target species. In the in vitro test, using the SYBRGreentm and TaqMan® fluorescence systems, both sets detected the respective target species (P. nigricans, P. altamazonica, P. rutiloides and T. angulatus). In the qPCR assays using SYBRGreentm, species considered to be related were also detected, in addition to the target species, with the exception of P. amazonica and P. essequibensis (correlated to P. rutiloides). All target species were detected in the qPCR assays using the TaqMan® system; however, with the SMDS PALT, the target species P. altamazonica was detected with low CT values (22.21± 0.17) as well as the correlates of P. latior and P. pristigaster, though with high CT values (23.51 ± 0.19 and 30.21 ± 0.95). This assay uniquely identifies known adult tissue samples from all four species.
Conclusions The primers and probe sets developed can act as powerful tools for detecting the target Characiformes species.
GCMR: General Cross-Modality Registration Framework for Visible and Infrared UAV Target Image Registration
Authors: Luo Yu , Cha Hao , Zuo Lei , Cheng Peng , Zhao Qing
Published: June 2023

In all-day-all-weather tasks, well-aligned multi-modality images pairs can provide extensive complementary information for image-guided UAV target detection. However, multi-modality images in real scenarios are often misaligned, and images registration is extremely difficult due to spatial deformation and the difficulty narrowing cross-modality discrepancy. To better overcome the obstacle, in this paper, we construct a General Cross-Modality Registration (GCMR) Framework, which explores generation registration pattern to simplify the cross-modality image alignment into a easier mono-modality registration with an Image Cross-modality translation Network (ICMTN) module and a Multi-level Residual Dense Registration Network (MRDRN). Specifically, ICMTN module is used to generate a pseudo infrared image taking a visible image as input and correct the distortion of structural information during the translation of image modalities. Benefiting from the favorable geometry correct ability of the ICMTN, we further employs MRDRN module which can fully extract and exploit the mutual information of misaligned images to better registered Visible and Infrared image in a mono-modality setting. We evaluate five variants of our approach on the public Anti-UAV datasets. The extensive experimental results demonstrate that the proposed architecture achieves state-of-the-art performance.
Arterial stiffness measured by pulse wave velocity correlated with cognitive decline in hypertensive individuals: A systematic review
Authors: Aimagambetova Botagoz , Ariko Taylor , Merritt Stacy , Rundek Tatjana
Published: June 2023

Background
Arterial stiffness is a degenerative modification of the arterial wall significantly influencing normal aging, longevity, and vascular health. Hypertension is a major risk factor for the development of arterial stiffness, which can lead to changes in cerebral perfusion and cognitive dysfunction. This, in turn, can increase the risk of cognitive decline. Pulse wave velocity (PWV) is an established gold standard for measuring arterial stiffness. Studies have shown that individuals with hypertension and elevated PWV are more likely to experience worse cognitive decline compared to those with either condition alone. The current literature, however, demonstrates controversial results. The aim of this article is to review the most recent published studies linking arterial stiffness to cognitive function in individuals with arterial hypertension.
Methods
We conducted a systematic review following the Cochrane protocol that was registered through the NIHR PROSPERO system. The PRISMA 2020 guidelines were used for reporting the systematic review. PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, CINAHL, and Cochrane databases were searched for relevant publications from early June to the end of December 2022. This review includes publications with a sample size of at least 500 participants older than 45 years. Screening of abstracts and full-text review of chosen articles were carried out through the Covidence.
Results
A total of 434 articles were selected for the full-text review. Twenty-four longitudinal studies and four cross-sectional designs that met the inclusion criteria were selected for the comparisons. The total sample size for these studies was 56,946 individuals. Twenty-seven studies (95%) demonstrated a significant association between arterial stiffness and cognitive dysfunction in hypertensive individuals. One study reported an association between stiffness and cognition independent of blood pressure (5% of the total population).
Conclusion
The results of this systematic review showed that arterial hypertension is one of the most important factors linking arterial stiffness to cognitive disorders. Pulse wave velocity was shown to be a strong measure associated with cognitive decline in aging individuals with chronically elevated blood pressure. Early screening for arterial stiffness, hypertension treatment, and effective prevention of cerebrovascular disease are imperative for cognitive health.
NIHR PROSPERO registry ID: CRD 42022379887
Investigation of Nursing Students' Opinions on HPV Infection and HPV Vaccine in Turkey: A Qualitative Study
Authors: ÇETİN Serpil ABALI , ÇINAR Derya
Published: June 2023

Background A number of interventions are needed to remove barriers to early screening for cervical cancer. A step-by-step strategy is required for these interventions to be successful. The first stage will be building consensus among trained health care providers, policy makers and educators. This study aimed to determine nursing students’ opinions about HPV infection and HPV vaccine.Methods A qualitative focus group discussion study. A state university in western Turkey Undergraduate nursing students recruited through purposive sampling. The research data were collected on an online platform with the focus group interview method by using the Participant Information Form and Semi-Structured Interview Form.Results Three main themes (HPV infection/vaccine perception, severity perception, suggestions and requests/facilitators) and eight sub-themes were developed based on the thematic analysis of the research findings.Conclusions According to the findings, it was concluded that nursing students’ opinions on HPV infection and HPV vaccine were affected by factors related to cultural, religious and sexual behaviors. Based on study results, it is suggested to organize national cervical screening programs to increase public’s knowledge and awareness on the subject in accordance with the socio-cultural norms of the society with the agreement and cooperation of educated health service providers, policy makers and educators.
Assessment of sugarcane bagasse through thermo-kinetic study as sustainable energy resources
Authors: Parmar Pankaj , Meiakp B. C. , Mukherjee Subhrajit
Published: June 2023

The improper and careless disposal of sugarcane bagasse (SCB) has drawn much attention. To use biomasses, looking at their potential as a bioenergy source is critical. Using biomass and biochar to generate bioenergy in this situation requires understanding the thermal conversion processes of these two materials. With the use of kinetic isoconversional methods and thermogravimetric analysis (TG), which incorporates thermodynamic parameters for non-isothermal studies using Ozawa-Flynn-Wall (OFW), Kissinger- Akahira-Sunose (KAS), and Friedman, Understanding the thermal behavior of SCB biomass residue and his biochar was the goal of this work. Thermal studies were carried out at 10, 20, 30, and 40°C min− 1 rates of heating in an inert and oxidizing atmosphere. The most significant loss rate for devolatilization occurred at 200°C, while the maximum mass loss rates for cellulose and lignin occurred at 350°C and 510°C, respectively.
Cross-species transferability of soybean SSR markers to yam bean (Pachyrhizus erosus L.): an underutilized crop for diversity analysis
Authors: Jena Biswajit , Pati Kalidas , Donde Ravindra , Acharya Varsha , Dash Goutam Kumar , Giri Alok Kumar , Chauhan Vijay Bahadur Singh , Nedunchezhiyan Maniyam
Published: June 2023

Yam bean (Pachyrhizus erosus L.) is an underutilized tuber crop that has recently gained popularity because of its enormous advantages in terms of nutrition and health. To date, there are no such potential molecular and genomic tools are available for the improvement of the yam bean crop that could help in studying genetic diversity or to identify and selecting elite cultivars for their conservation. The present study has used 67 SSR markers from soybean crops and checked their transferability in the 140 accessions of the yam bean, which identified 15 polymorphic novel SSR markers that showed cross-species transferability. These SSR markers show diversity dissimilarity percentage of 0.42 among the all accession and polymorphic information content (PIC) ranging from 0.03 to 0.84 with a mean of 0.36. Among the 140 accessions of yam bean, the SSR markers showed major allele frequency varying from 0.22 to 0.99 with an average of 0.68. The highest allele frequency, 0.99, was observed in SSR marker GMES0011. The population structure K-3 was identified based on the values of delta K and maximum likelihood (K) among the population of the yam bean. In the AMOVA analysis, identified genetic variance obtained among the population and within the population was 21% and 79%, respectively. These 15 soybean SSR markers successfully differentiated the yam bean accessions in to three groups. The present finding could be used to design a breeding strategy for the yam bean, to discover donor parent with untapped genetic potential for improvement and promote crop preservation.
Targeting Ferroptosis Promotes Functional Recovery by Mitigating White Matter Injury Following Acute Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
Authors: Wang Shuhong , Xiong Binyuan , Tian Yin , Hu Quan , Jiang Xuheng , Zhang Ji , Chen Lin , Wang Ruilie , Li Mo , Zhou Xin , Zhang Tianxi , Ge Hongfei , Yu Anyong
Published: June 2023

Survivors experiencing acute carbon monoxide poisoning (ACMP) tend to develop white matter injury (WMI). The mechanism of ACMP-induced WMI remains unclear. Considering the role of ferroptosis in initiating oligodendrocyte damage to deteriorate WMI, exploring therapeutic options to attenuate ferroptosis is a feasible approach to managing WMI. Our results indicated that ACMP induced accumulation of iron and reactive oxygen species (ROS) eventually leading to WMI and motor impairment after ACMP. Further, ferrostatin-1 reduced iron and ROS deposition to alleviate ferroptosis, thereafter reducing WMI to promote the recovery of motor function. The nuclear factor erythroid-related factor 2 (Nrf2)/heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) signaling pathway was found to be involved in alleviating ferroptosis as seen with the administration of ferrostatin-1. The present study rationalizes that targeting ferroptosis to alleviate WMI is a feasible therapeutic strategy for managing ACMP.
Finding best orthogonal channels through arbitrary optical
systems using integrated photonic processors
Authors: SeyedinNavadeh SeyedMohammad , Milanizadeh Maziyar , Zanetto Francesco , Ferrari Giorgio , Sampietro Marco , Sorel Marc , Miller David , Melloni Andrea , Morichetti Francesco
Published: June 2023

Modes of propagation are generally defined as the eigensolutions of the wave equation in a given system. When propagation occurs through complicated or highly scattering media, however, modes are better identified as the best orthogonal communication channels to send information between sets of input and output apertures. Here, we demonstrate that we can find optimum bi-directional orthogonal communication channels through arbitrary and scattering optical systems using photonic processors. The processors, made from meshes of tunable Mach-Zehnder interferometers in silicon photonics, configure themselves based on simple power maximization or minimization algorithms, without external calculations or calibration or any prior knowledge of the optical system. The resulting communication mode channels correspond to a singular-value decomposition, performed by the photonic processors, of the entire complex optics. Cross-talk below -30dB is observed between channels even in the presence of distorting masks or partial obstructions; in such cases, the beams bear little resemblance to conventional mode families, but show orthogonality nonetheless.
The thermal DLTS study of defect states of PELLE polymer
Authors: Rusnák Jaroslav , Pecz Michal , Škoviera Ján , Klbik Ivan
Published: June 2023

Thermal Deep Level Transient Spectroscopy (DLTS) technique was applied to study the defect states and their activation energies of polyurethane-based polymer network (PELLE) insulator. It was demonstrated that decomposition analysis of exponential transients allows a more accurate determination of the activation energy of the defective states. Two groups of activation energies for the PELLE polymer were observed, ranging from 0.49 eV to 1.9 eV and − 7.84 eV to -2.53 eV, which were assigned to changes of bond properties in the hard and soft segments of the studied polymer, respectively. The applicability of the DLTS method for the characterization of polymers was demonstrated. It was shown that the DLTS technique could contribute to a more comprehensive picture of the properties of polymers.
Indicators From the Quality of Soil Management Using Dimensional Analysis
Authors: Manoel Márcia Pereira Silva , Ferraz Camila Porfírio Albuquerque , Fengler Felipe Hashimoto , Albiero Daniel , Pereira Elisabeth Teixeira , Ribeiro Admilson Írio
Published: June 2023

For the agro-environmental management the use of indicator variables from soil management combined in the form of an index may represent an alternative for the characterization from the quality of management and its response to the level of the environmental fragilization from locals with agrosilvopastoris activities in watersheds. In this scope, the work associated, through the method of dimensional analysis some of the variable indicators from the soil’s quality management aiming applicability in the agro-environmental management of agrosilvopastoral activities, these are: the geometric mean diameter of the aggregates, mechanical resistance to penetration, permeability coefficient, natural covering, the local of the agrosilvopastoral management, organic matter, effective root depth, exposed soil and analogue anthropic pressure in the management area. The application of dimensional analysis on these variables enabled the elaboration of six dimensionless indexes, two with applicability in relational analysis of areas and four applicable in the analysis of embrittlement and quality of soil management.
Dissecting Lymph Node Stations Into Separate Specimens During Gastrectomy For Gastric Cancer Improves The Quality Of Nodal Status Evaluation: a retrospective cohort study
Authors: Fernström Aleksi , Kokkola Arto , Korpela Akseli , Puolakkainen Pauli , Louhimo Johanna
Published: June 2023

Background
In gastric cancer (GC), the pN-stage is an important prognostic factor influencing treatment. In this study, we explored whether dissecting lymph node stations into separate specimens affects the quality of nodal status evaluation and patient outcome.
Methods
The clinical data of 130 GC patients treated at the Helsinki University Hospital between 2016-2019 was reviewed. The processing of the surgical specimen before the pathological examination was assessed from the operation records and pathology reports.
The association of the number of examined lymph nodes with other variables was assessed and multivariate survival analysis was performed to explore the independent prognostic factors in disease specific survival.
Results
Dissecting lymph node stations into separate specimens before pathological evaluation yielded a significantly greater number of examined lymph nodes compared with a specimen without intervention (median 34.5 vs 21.0, p<0.001). The pT-stage, the pN-stage and the extent of lymphadenectomy were identified as independent prognostic factors, whereas dissecting the specimen’s lymph node stations did not associate with survival.
Conclusions
Dissecting lymph node stations into separate specimens results in a greater number of examined lymph nodes, which may lead to a more reliable pN-stage assessment.
Lifestyle factors, physical health, and life satisfaction among Chinese community-dwelling older adults: a longitudinal analysis
Authors: Peng Man-Man , Liang Zurong
Published: June 2023

Background
The study aims to investigate the long-term effects of lifestyle-related factors and physical health on subjective well-being among Chinese community-dwelling older adults with transitions in mental health conditions.
Methods
Using data from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS), the analytic sample of this study included 1068 older adults who had participated in the surveys in both 2011 and 2018. Multivariate regression was used to examine the longitudinal associations of lifestyle-related factors and physical health with the subjective well-being of older adults. Additionally, distinct trajectories of their depressive symptoms were considered.
Results
Multimorbidity was found to be significantly related to baseline and follow-up depressive risk in older adults. Shorter sleep duration was associated with baseline depression risk. Compared to nondrinkers, current alcohol drinkers reported significantly more severe depressive symptoms. At baseline, current smokers were more likely to have a lower degree of life satisfaction than nonsmokers. Among older adults with chronic depression at the 7-year follow-up, former smokers tended to have lower life satisfaction than nonsmokers.
Conclusions
Our findings identified drinking alcohol and having a shorter sleep duration as modifiable lifestyle-related risk factors for late-life depression and smoking as a detrimental factor for life satisfaction in Chinese community-dwelling older adults. Multimorbidity was a significant predictor of more depressive symptoms at the 7-year follow-up. Our findings have implications for future psychosocial interventions that target the alleviation of depressive symptoms and the promotion of life satisfaction in older Chinese people based on their different long-term mental and physical health conditions.
Quantitative risk analysis of the sediment heavy metals using the positive matrix factorization-based ecological risk index method: Case of the Kuye River, China
Authors: Zhang Yaning , Wu Xijun , Dong Ying , Zhao Jian , Liu Jing
Published: June 2023

The risk sources of heavy metals (HMs) in river sediments are the key to pollution mitigation and risk control in coal mining area. Indeed, fifty-nine sediment samples were collected from the Kuye River and analyzed for eight HMs (Zn, Cr, Ni, Cu, Pb, As, Cd, and Hg). The ecological risks resulting from different sources were evaluated through an integrated method that combines the potential ecological risk index (RI) with positive matrix factorization (PMF) model. The obtained results showed that: the eight HMs contents in sediments exceeded the soil background values of Shaanxi Province. The average sediment Hg content was 3.42 times higher than the Hg background value. HMs in Kuye River sediments were mainly derived from industrial, traffic, agricultural pollution sources, and coal-mining sources according to the obtained PMF results. The RI indices ranged from 26.15 to 483.70. Hg contributed the most to ecological risk in the study area, showing a contribution rate of up to 75%. In addition, 28.8% of sampling sites belonged to the serious ecological risk. The coal-miningsource exhibited greatest impact on the river ecosystem (48.79%), followed, respectively, by traffic(34.41%), industrial (12.70%), and agricultural pollution (4.10%) sources according to the PMF-based RI model. These results indicated that the largest contributors to the environmental ecological risks are not necessarily the major sources of environmental pollutants for the river sediments. These findings highlight the ecological risks linked to potential sources of sediment HMs contamination and provided valuable information on the reduction of corresponding risks for local environmental managers.
Evaluation of Independent Parameter Effects on Sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) Yield and Water Productivity in Tape Drip Irrigation
Authors: Salamati nader , Danaie Amirkhosro , Behbahani Leila , azadi abolfazl
Published: June 2023

As water scarcity becomes more acute in many parts of the world, increasing the effectiveness with which agricultural water resources are used is a priority for enhanced food security of water. Experiment was carried in the fromed out of randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications in Behbahan Agricultural Research Station in Khuzestan province southwest Iran, during the 2018 and 2019 growing seasons. To evaluate of Yield and Water Productivity of Sesame using Drip Tape Irrigation system, different water levels based on water requirements (40, 60, 80, and 100% of the water requirement) and three sesame varieties (Darab1, Dashtestan2, and Shevin) were considered as main plots and sub plots, respectively. According to obtained results, Comparison of the average interaction effects of irrigation and various varieties showed that the Darab1 variety, which had the best results with 100% water requirement treatment and had 73.3 seeds per capsule, 125.7 capsules per plant, 2.703 gr of 1000-seed weight, and 1314.5 kg.ha− 1 yields, was superior and came in first place. The analysis of the regression model's, beta coefficient and the Pearson correlation coefficient for the studied traits revealed a trend toward increasing beta coefficient and Pearson correlation coefficient values as water consumption increased from treatment 40–100% water requirement. The increasing trend in beta and Pearson correlation coefficients had a higher slope from 40 to 80% of water requirement levels and a lower slope from 80 to 100% of water requirement levels. At the level of 80% of water requirement, yield and water productivity had the highest beta coefficients (0.622 and 0.633) and Pearson correlation (0.712 ** and 0.730 **) with capsules per plant, respectively. Less fluctuation of beta and Pearson correlation coefficients from the level of 80 to 100% of water requirement compared to other irrigation levels caused the level of 80% of water requirement to be introduced as the optimal level of irrigation, and in conclusion, the highest water productivity was observed in Darab1 variety. Additionally, this research highlights the possibility of using Darab1 variety in study area and region with similar conditions.
Associations between fasting plasma glucose trajectories and cardiovascular disease among older Chinese adults
Authors: chen quan , Du Jinling , Hong Xin
Published: June 2023

Background
The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between fasting plasma glucose (FPG) trajectories and the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in the elderly population aged 65 years and above in China based on a community-based cohort study.
Methods
We included 7,079 participants aged 65 and above from a cohort based on the health examination data in Nanjing after following strict inclusion and exclusion criteria. FPG and other covariates were repeatedly measured from 2018 to 2020. The trajectory analysis model (GBTM) was used to construct the trajectories of fasting blood glucose index (FPG logarithm, so that it obeys the normal distribution). And the first cardiovascular disease in 2021 was used as the outcome event. A Cox proportional hazards model was used to examine the association between FPG trajectories and incident cardiovascular disease.
Results
We identified three FPG trajectories based on 2018 FPG measurement and change patterns during 2018-2020: low level (n=5,635), medium level (n=1,201), and high level (n=243). In 2021, we documented 70 incident cardiovascular disease events. Compared with the low-level group, groups with higher level FPG trajectories had a higher risk of CVD events. Adjusted HRs (95% CIs) were 1.63(0.94-2.85) for the medium-level group, and 2.79(1.19-6.52) for the high-level group. After further adjusting for metabolic indicators, we observed similar results. Among the 70 outcome events, there were 64 cases of stroke outcome events. And in the outcome event of stroke, we also found similar results, independent of age, sex and other covariates.
Conclusions
Higher levels of fasting plasma glucose trajectories were associated with a higher risk of cardiovascular disease or stroke outcomes in the elderly population in China.
Combination of cerebrospinal fluid VAMP-2 and core AD biomarkers reflects episodic memory deficits in sporadic Alzheimer’s disease
Authors: Goossens Julie , Cervantes-Gonzalez Alba , Dewit Nele , Lidón Laia , Fortea Juan , Alcolea Daniel , Lleó Alberto , Belbin Olivia , Vanmechelen Eugeen
Published: June 2023

Background: Synapse loss is an early event that precedes neuronal death and symptom onset and is considered the best neuropathological correlate of cognitive decline in Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Vesicle-associated membrane protein 2 (VAMP-2) has emerged as a promising biomarker of AD-related synapse degeneration in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). The aim of this study was to explore the CSF profile of VAMP-2 across the AD continuum in relation to core AD biomarkers, other synaptic proteins, neurogranin (Ng) and synaptosomal-associated Protein-25 kDa (SNAP-25) and cognitive performance.
Methods: We developed a digital immunoassay on the Single Molecule Array platform to quantify VAMP-2 in CSF and used existing immunoassays to quantify Ng, SNAP-25 and core CSF AD biomarkers. The clinical study included 62 cognitively unimpaired AD biomarker negative subjects and 152 participants across the AD continuum from the SPIN cohort (Sant Pau Initiative on Neurodegeneration). Global cognition was measured by the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and episodic memory by the Free and Cued Selective Reminding test (FCSRT). Statistical methods included χ2 tests, spearman correlation, and regression analyses. For stepwise regression, age-at-analysis and years of education were forced into the model. Entry of sex, APOE ε4 status, CSF Aβ1-40, Aβ1-42, Aβ42:40 ratio, t-tau, p-tau, VAMP-2, SNAP-25 and Ng was conditional on their lowering the Akaike Information Criterion.
Results: The VAMP-2 assay had a good analytical performance (repeatability 8.9%, intermediate precision 10.3%). Assay antibodies detected native VAMP-2 protein in human brain homogenates. CSF concentrations of VAMP-2, neurogranin and SNAP-25 were lower in preclinical AD stage 1 and higher at later AD stages compared to controls and were associated with core AD biomarkers, particularly total tau (adj. r2=0.62 to 0.78, p<0.001). The optimal model for association with episodic memory (adj. r2=0.56, p<0.001) was observed in participants on the AD continuum and included age (p=0.001), years of education (p=0.001), t-tau (p<0.001), Aβ42:40 ratio (p=0.02) and VAMP-2 (p<0.001). The same model was the best predictor of MMSE (adj. r2=0.27, p<0.001).
Conclusions: Our novel digital immunoassay accurately measures VAMP-2 changes in CSF, which serve as a surrogate measure of episodic memory in sporadic AD in combination with core AD biomarkers.
Rotational Shallow Water Equations with viscous damping and boundary control: structure-preserving spatial discretization
Authors: Cardoso-Ribeiro Flávio Luiz , Haine Ghislain , Lefèvre Laurent , Matignon Denis
Published: June 2023

This paper is dedicated to structure-preserving spatial discretization of shallow water dynamics. First, a port-Hamiltonian formulation is provided for the two-dimensional rotational shallow water equations with viscous damping. Both tangential and normal boundary port variables are introduced. Then the corresponding weak-form is derived and a partitioned finite element method is applied to obtain a finite-dimensional continuous-time port-Hamiltonian approximation. Four simulation scenarios are investigated to illustrate the approach and show its effectiveness.
MSC Classification: 76D55 , 35Q35 , 76M10
The impact of PEG bulk volume fraction on the interlayer distance of clay- PEG hybrids: Experimental and theoretical study
Authors: BELGHAZDIS Mohammed , HACHEM El-Kaber
Published: June 2023

The intercalation of polyethylene glycol (PEG) chains, in the inter-layer environment of the clay from Meknes, was performed using the direct intercalation method in the presence of water as a solvent. X-ray diffraction (XRD) technique was applied to follow the evolution of interlayer distances as a function of PEG bulk volume fraction. The XRD data assert the formation of an intercalated structure through the displacement of the peaks, which characterize the clay minerals towards the small and large angles. The evolution of the d001-spacing for the three classes of clays was similar. Indeed, as φ increases, the d001 variation is marked by two depletion phenomena due to the magnitude of the gyration radius compared to the inter-layer distance of the clay minerals. The plateau regime, characterized by the weak insertion of the chains, appears after each depletion/expansion cycle, which reveals a succession of the depletion-adsorption-plateau phenomenon. Based on the results of the XRD method, we proposed a model for the insertion of PEG chains in monolayer and bilayer forms into the interlayer environment of clay minerals. Finally, the scaling theory reveals a good agreement with the experimental findings and perfectly illustrates the succession of three regimes: dilute, bidimensional semi-dilute, and plateau.
EuroQol-5D-3L in Long Covid patients After Supplementation with EchA Marine®, a Sea Urchin Eggs Extract: a double-blinded, multicentrical study.
Authors: V. Brichetti , T. Rubilar , J. Tejada , P. Montecino , A.C. Crespi-Abril , E. Barbieri , M.R. Núñez , J. Iriarte-Vásquez , M. Jajati , C. Volonteri , M. Sivori , G. de Larrañaga , F. Saldarini
Published: June 2023

Patients with Long COVID experience a significant decrease in their quality of life and the lack of effective treatment represents an unmet need in medical care and patient health. One proposed strategy for treating Long COVID is to increase the body's ability to restore immune balance by controlling inflammation with anti-inflammatory substances.For this reason, the aim of this double-blind study was to evaluate the supplementation of patients with EchA Marine®, a dietary supplement based on sea urchin eggs rich in Echinochrome A. This compound has demonstrated anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties by activating the metabolism of glutathione and improvingmitochondrial mass and performance. The EuroQol 5-Dimension (EQ-5D) is a standardized questionnaire assessing five dimensions of health: mobility, self-care, usual activities, pain/discomfort, and anxiety/depression used as an instrument to measure health-related quality of life in clinical and economic studies. In this multicenter, double-blind, intervention study, we have demonstrated that the dietary supplement EchA Marine® can significantly enhance the quality of life of these patients, particularly in pain and discomfort; notably improving their quality of life and daily activity’s ability. EchA Marine® is an effective treatment option for Long COVID patients and with further research its efficacy could be further strengthened. Clinical trial registration number: NCT05531019. First posted September 7th, 2022.
Aquaporin 3 modulates the risk of death conferred by dehydration in COVID-19
Authors: Marks Amanda , Butler-Laporte Guillaume , Yoshiji Satoshi , Lu Tianyuan , Morrison Dave , Nakanishi Tomoko , Chen Yiheng , Forgetta Vincenzo , Farjoun Joseph , Frithiof Robert , Lipcsey Miklós , Zeberg Hugo , Richards J. Brent , Hultstrom Michael
Published: June 2023

Severe COVID-19 has been associated with dehydration. Recently, a genetic variant near the aquaporin 3 (AQP3) water channel was associated with severe COVID-19 (rs60840586:G, Odds Ratio: 1.07, P=2.5*10-9). We show that dehydration is associated COVID-19 mortality (OR = 2.06 [95% CI = 1.62-2.65], P = 9.13*10-9), and is modulated by interaction with rs60840586:G genotype (OR = 1.95 [95% CI = 1.22-3.28], P = 0.0075).
Multiple mechanisms synergistically induce Pseudomonas aeruginosa multiple drug resistance
Authors: Dai Pei , Jiao Fangyan , Yang Lulu , Bajinka Ousman , Abdelhalim Khalid A , Wu Guojun , Tan Yurong
Published: June 2023

The aim of this study was to understand the molecular epidemiological characteristics and drug resistance mechanism of carbapenem-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa (CRPA), and to provide a theoretical basis for the prevention and treatment of CRPA infection in hospitals. 34 strains of CRPA were isolated and their resistance to 13 commonly used antibiotics was detected using TDR-300B Plus VitEK-2 compact automatic bacterial identification instrument. Then carbapenemase production was detected using Carbe NP test. RT-qPCR was used to detect the expression of efflux pump MexA and outer membrane protein OprD, and PCR amplification and sequence analysis were used to detect the class Ⅰ integrons carried by drug resistance genes. Our results showed that of the 34 CRPAs, 22 were multidrug resistant (MDR) and 5 were extensively drug resistant (XDR). Sequencing analysis of class Ⅰ integron resistance genes showed that class Ⅰ integrons mainly carried aminoglycosides or quinolones antimicrobial resistance genes. Multiple mechanisms play important roles in the formation and development of multidrug resistance or XDR resistance.
Corrosion Behavior of NdFeB Magnets in Different Aqueous Solutions
Authors: Popescu Ana-Maria , Calderon-Moreno Jose , Yanushkevish Kazimir , Aplevich Alexei , Demidenko Olga , Neacsu Elena Ionela , Constantin Virgil
Published: June 2023

Sintered NdFeB magnets possess excellent magnetic properties, but behave passively in alkaline and saline media and are susceptible to corrosion in acidic environments. The corrosion behavior of NdFeB magnets in industrial environments: potassium hydroxide (KOH), perchloric acid (HClO4) and sodium chloride (NaCl), was investigated by immersion and electrochemical tests. The immersion test concluded that the most corrosive electrolyte of the three studied was HClO4. Electrochemical tests showed that the NdFeB sample without magnetic order had better corrosion resistance. Metallographic microscopy and scanning electron microscopy support the obtained corrosion data. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy indicates that the main elements on the surface of the analyzed sample (Nd, Fe, B) are in the oxidized state after corrosion.
Determination of complementary irrigation times for rainfed cultivation based on biomass optimization and soil erosion index in Yellow River Valley
Authors: Li Xiaodan , Huang Xin , Zhang Xiaoning , Nian Lili , Yan Peijie , Liu Xingyu , Liu Xuelu
Published: June 2023

Drought is the most important factor limiting the growth and production of wheat in China. Arid and semi-arid regions and high water consumption in the agricultural sector have led to various deficit irrigation strategies. The effect of the hydrological process on yield production has been evaluated in rainfed cultivation of wheat for the three climatic stations of Gansu Province, Yellow River Valley, China. A general framework was provided for rainfed cultivation of wheat in arid and semi-arid regions. Moreover, the best time and amount of complementary irrigation and its effect on increasing yield production have been evaluated using grey wolf optimization algorithm. The results showed that rainfed cultivation of wheat in a humid regime could be suggested without complementary irrigation. Conducting two complementary irrigations in semi-humid regime can increase the final yield of wheat by more than 150 kg/ha. The maximum yields in sustainable management were obtained 4,844, 4,510, and 4,408 kg/ha for Longnan, Tianshui, and Dingxi, respectively.
Lipoprotein(a) as a Predictive Biomarker and Therapeutic Target for Acute Coronary Syndromes
Authors: Dimitroglou Yannis , Aggeli Constantina , Theofilis Panagiotis , Tsioufis Panagiotis , Oikonomou Evangelos , Tsioufis Konstantinos , Tousoulis Dimitris
Published: June 2023

Coronary artery disease (CAD) is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in Western societies, despite the significant advances that have improved primary and secondary prevention. Hence, several novel biomarkers have been identified as potential diagnostic and therapeutic targets which could improve outcomes even when traditional risk factors are well-controlled. Lipoprotein (a) [Lp(a)] has pro-atherogenic, pro-thrombotic, and pro-inflammatory properties, and its levels are relatively constant and genetically predetermined. Several epidemiological studies have associated high Lp(a) with increased risk for acute coronary syndromes (ACS) even when other CAD risk factors are included in the multivariate analysis. However, until recently, specific therapeutic options targeting Lp(a) were not associated, and thus, Lp(a) is currently used as a risk and treatment modifying biomarker with guidelines suggesting the intensified treatment of low-density lipoprotein in intermediate- to-high-risk patients with increased Lp(a) levels. Lately, specific treatment options targeting Lp(a) have become available and include antisense oligonucleotides and small-interfering RNA, which induce a robust reduction of Lp(a). Results of ongoing phase-3 trials will answer whether Lp(a) will become a biomarker specifically treated to reduce the burden of cardiovascular mortality. The scope of this review article is to present the current evidence regarding the use of Lp(a) as a biomarker, predictive of increased CAD risk, and to discuss the future perspectives on pharmaceutical reduction of Lp(a) as a therapeutic target in high-risk patients.
Current Drugs and their Therapeutic Targets for Hypoxia-inducible
Factors in Cancer
Authors: Joshi Esha , Pandya Medha , Desai Urja
Published: June 2023

Hypoxia, a prevalent characteristic of both solid and liquid malignancies, is found to regulate
how genes are expressed in a way that promotes cellular adaptability and survival. Metastasis is
controlled by hypoxia-inducible factors (HIFs). HIFs are dimeric protein molecules made up of an oxygen
(O2) responsive HIF-1α, HIF-2α, or HIF-3α domain and a periodically produced HIF-1β portion
(also known as ARNT). Nevertheless, it is important to note that HIFs degrade under normoxic conditions.
A large multitude of different biological operations, including vessels generation, oxygen delivery,
stemness, pluripotency, multiplication, epithelial to mesenchymal shift, metastatic prevalence and
intrusion, redox equilibrium, and programmed cell death, are strictly controlled by over 70 immediate
HIF target genes that have been reported. Metabolic reprogramming, which modulates cellular energy
generation aside from oxidative phosphorylation and concerning glycolysis, is among the core tasks of
HIF target genes. As a result, choosing HIFs as a primary target in the treatment of various tumors is
essential.

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We have a very limited understanding of this extremely complex topic, which is characterised by hypoxia-
induced resistance. In order to combat this, scientists are investigating numerous cutting-edge
approaches. Traditional chemotherapeutic drugs used to treat cancer are frequently linked to unfavourable
side effects and the development of chemoresistance. The use of natural compounds in conjunction
with chemotherapy drugs is rising as a result of their capacity to alter a number of molecular practices
with a lower detrimental impact. Experimental and clinical research is accumulating evidence
that phytochemicals can influence the genesis and progression of cancer by favourably modulating a
number of signalling pathways. Combinations of phytochemicals are potent cancer treatment options
because they incentivise apoptosis, limit cell prevalence, make cancerous cells more susceptible, and
escalate immunity. Despite being characterised, HIF-1-independent mechanisms for medication resistance
in hypoxia are still infrequently reported. The prime aim of the article is to summarise the
most recent research on the molecular basis of hypoxia-induced chemoresistance and how chemotherapy
and phytochemicals can be used to treat cancer patients who are resistant to drugs.