bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Diverse Utility of Cu Doped Zinc Sulfide/Iron Oxide Nanocomposites: Reusability, Adsorptive Properties, and Photocatalytic Efficacy in the Wastewater Purification
Authors: Kalantari Shirin , Shokuhfar Ali
Published: December 2023

The global water crisis is a growing concern, with water pollution from organic dyes being a significant issue. Photocatalysis has emerged as a sustainable and renewable method for removing organic pollutants from wastewater. The study synthesized innovative (2.5, 5 and 10wt.%) Cu doped zinc sulfide/iron oxide nanocomposites using a sonochemical method, which have versatile applications in adsorption and photocatalytic degradation of organic pollutants in wastewater. The nanocomposites underwent comprehensive characterization using powder x-ray diffraction, fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, photoluminescence spectroscopy, ultraviolet-visible spectrophotometer, field emission scanning electron microscopy combined with energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy and Mott-Schottky analysis. The synthesized samples demonstrate strong adsorption ability to remove RhB and MB dyes. Afterward, we evaluated their capability to degrade Rhodamine B (RhB) dye under UV light exposure. The greatest photocatalytic efficiency was noticed when employing a UV-C lamp in combination with the 10wt.%Cu doped ZnS/Fe3O4 nanocomposite as photocatalyst (98.8% degradation after 60 min irradiation). Furthermore, 10wt.% Cu doped ZnS/Fe3O4 showed good recyclability, with a degradation rate of 89% even after five cycles. Consequently, prepared samples have outstanding photocatalytic activity and can be used as useful adsorbents in water purification.
Ellagic acid modulates Na+, H+ exchanger activity, Na+, K+ ATPases, and Ca2+ ATPases membrane transporters in tert-butyl hydroperoxide-induced oxidative stress during aging in humans
Authors: . Deepika , Dakal Tikam Chand , . Richa , Maurya Pawan Kumar
Published: December 2023

Ellagic acid (EA), a dimer of gallic acid is mainly present in pomegranates and berries possessing health-promoting benefits via its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. We have evaluated the in vitro activity of EA on Na+, H+ exchanger (NHE), Na+, K+ ATPases, and Ca2+ ATPases activity in the control and tert-butyl hydroperoxide (t-BHP)-induced oxidative stress in erythrocytes of human subjects of both the sexes (n = 92). The young age group comprised human subjects between 18–35 years (n = 37), the middle group comprised human subjects between 36–60 years (n = 30), and the old group comprised subjects above 60 years of age (n = 25) age groups. We observe that with respect to their respective controls, the NHE activity increases in young, middle, and old age groups. Inducing stress via t-BHP increases the activity of NHE in all the age groups significantly (p < 0.001) with their respective control. EA administration further decreases NHE activity. Erythrocyte membrane Na+, K+ ATPase, and Ca2+ ATPase activity decreased significantly (p < 0.001) in middle and old human subjects as compared to the younger ones in the control samples. A significant decrease (p < 0.001) in the activity of Na+, K+ ATPase, and Ca2+ ATPase in t-BHP induced erythrocytes membrane was observed as compared to their respective control in all the age groups. Upon treatment of these erythrocyte membranes with EA increases the activity of membrane-bound enzymes significantly. The study provides insight into the protective health benefits of EA by the modulation of membrane transporters.
Carrier Blocking Layer Analysis for High Integral Confinement Factor of AlGaN-based Deep-Ultraviolet Light-Emitting Diode
Authors: Aman Mohammad Amirul Hairol , Noorden Ahmad Fakhrurrazi Ahmad , Daud Suzairi , Danial Wan Hazman
Published: December 2023

The deep-ultraviolet light-emitting diode (DUV-LED) has been applied in various fields such as the medical sector, plant lighting, UV curing, sensing, and sterilization. Alas, the issue of low internal quantum efficiency (IQE) due to the defects in the epitaxial layer has become an obstacle in developing and improving the performance of the DUV-LED. In this regard, the electron blocking layer (EBL) and hole blocking layer (HBL) is one of the means to obtain DUV-LED with high IQE. The EBL main purposes are to block the overflow of carriers and improve the carrier confinement in the active region, hence enhance the radiative recombination of the DUV-LED. Employing the blocking layers via controlled-polarization offers significant advantage to the DUV-LED. Two structures of AlGaN-based DUV-LED emitting UVB wavelength spectrum were simulated and investigated, (1) LED A (reference LED) with the absence of EBL and HBL, and (2) LED B with the presence of EBL and HBL. The numerical analysis covers the optoelectronics performance parameters of the chips such as band diagram, carrier concentrations, radiative recombination rates, luminescence spectrum and IQE. A novel approach for quantifying the confinement ability called the integral confinement factor (ICF) is introduced to analyze the carrier for the blocking layers. It is found that with the presence of EBL and HBL in the DUV-LED structure, the luminescence intensity and IQE have been amplified by 16% and 50% compared to the reference LED, respectively.
One stage bilateral total hip arthroplasty with direct anterior approach and fast-track protocols: a prospective study on the first 38 patients.
Authors: Vavalle Giovanni , Monteleone Gaetano , Martinelli Andrea , Fortunato Francesco , Piccolo Giuseppe
Published: December 2023

Background: Simultaneous bilateral total hip arthroplasty could represent a reasonable option in patients affected by end-stage bilateral arthritis of the hip. One-stage bilateral total hip arthroplasty (1-SBTHA) includes a single hospital stay, a shorter rehabilitation time, and decreased management costs per patient. However, there are concerns regarding the possible increase of intraoperative e postoperative complications. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether the advantages associated with the direct anterior approach (DAA) in combination with the application of Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) pathway, could ensure the efficacy and safety of simultaneous bilateral total hip arthroplasty (THA).
Materials and Method: A prospective single centre clinical study was conducted on 38 patients (25 men and 13 women) who underwent one-stage bilateral THA through the DAA between May 2019 and April 2023 at our institution. The mean age was 61.8 years (range 50 to 74 years) and the mean last follow-up was 6 months (range 5 to 7 months). Hospital length of stay, surgical time, blood transfusions and complications were documented. Functional outcomes and pain were assessed using Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC), Oxford Hip Score (OHS), Forgotten Joint Score (FJS) and Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NRS).
Results: The mean hospital length of stay was 6.4 days (range 5 to 10 days), and the mean surgery time was 145.1 minutes (range 90 to 185 minutes). Mean blood Hb levels were 14.5 ± 1.1 g/dL before the surgery and 10.4 ± 1.0 g/dL 72 hours after the surgery. Only 8 patients (21 %) received a unit of allogenic blood transfusion. No perioperative deaths were recorded. No thromboembolism or other systemic complications occurred.
The functional and pain scores improved statistically from preoperatively to the last follow-up.
Conclusions: Our results suggest that simultaneous bilateral THA performed using a tissue-sparing approach (DAA) and a fast-track pathway for optimisation of perioperative management with multidisciplinary approaches, can be considered a safe and effective method of treatment in well selected patients with severe bilateral hip arthritis
Strong electron-phonon coupling and predicted high superconducting transition temperature of MXenesrevealed in 2H-Mo2N under biaxial stress
Authors: Kotmool Komsilp , Tsuppayakorn-aek Prutthipong , Bovornratanaraks Thiti , Kaewmaraya Thanayut , Sakdanuphab Rachsak , Sakulkalavek Aparporn , Ahuja Rajeev , Luo Wei
Published: December 2023

Superconducting Mo-based MXenes have been intensively investigated due to their superior Tc values compared with other MXenes. This work reports the unexpectedly strong electron-phonon coupling (EPC) and the highest Tc record (≈ 38 K) among the MXenes revealed in the 2H-Mo2N under biaxial stress. At first, its excellent mechanical properties are demonstrated with an ideal strength of 37 GPa and elastic modulus of 438 GPa. We found that the nature of covalent bonding between the Natoms contributes to the extraordinary stiffness and elasticity of 2H-Mo2N compared with the 1T counterpart. Subsequently, EPC and corresponding Tc are elucidated upon the dynamically stable strain range. For strain-free 2H-Mo2N, the EPC constant(λ) and Tc are 1.3 and 22.7 K, respectively. This Tc is significantly higher than those of 2H-Mo2C (4.3 K), 1T-Mo2N (16.8 K), and other pristine MXenes. The material exhibits substantial improvement in λ and Tc when subjected to compressive and tensile stresses. The obvious strong EPC with λ over 2.0 occurs at strains of -4%, -2.5%, and 5%, yielding Tc’s of 37.8, 35.4, and 28.9 K, respectively. Our findings suggest that the strain-dependent feature and energy levels of electronic bands play an essential role in enhancing EPC. Moreover, the stronger EPC in Mo2N compared with Mo2C is clarified based on lattice vibrations. Therefore, this work paves a practical approach for designing 2D superconducting materials using tuning atomic recipes and strain-dependent engineering.
Near Optimal Algorithm for Fault Tolerant Distance Oracle and Single Source Replacement Path problem
Authors: Dey Dipan , Gupta Manoj
Published: December 2023

In a graph G with fixed source s, we design a distance oracle that can answer the following query: QU(s,t,e) -- find the length of the shortest path from the source s to any destination vertex t while avoiding any edge e. We design a deterministic algorithm that builds such an oracle in $\Tilde{O}(m\sqrt n)$ time\footnote{$\Tilde{O}$ hides poly$\log n$ factor} \footnote{A preliminary version of this article appeared in the Proceedings of 30th Annual European Symposium on Algorithms (ESA 2022), 5-9 September 2022, Potsdam, Germany \cite{DeyGupta} }. Our oracle uses $\Tilde{O}(n\sqrt n)$ space and can answer queries in $\Tilde{O}(1)$ time. Our oracle is an improvement of the work of Bil\'{o} et al. (ESA 2021) in the preprocessing time, which constructs the first deterministic oracle for this problem in $\Tilde{O}(m\sqrt n+n^2)$ time.
Using our distance oracle, we also solve the single source replacement path problem (SSRP problem).Chechik and Cohen (SODA 2019) designed a randomised combinatorial algorithm to solve the $\SSR$ problem. The running time of their algorithm is $\Tilde{O}(m\sqrt n + |R|)$ time, where R is the output set of the SSRP problem in G. Our SSRP algorithm is optimal (upto polylogarithmic factor) as there is a conditional lower bound of $\Omega(m\sqrt n)$ for any combinatorial algorithm that solves this problem.
What is the meaning of physical quantity $\nu$ in the expression of photon energy $h\nu$?
Authors: Zhang Xingchu , She Weilong
Published: December 2023

It is well known that, for an incident light of not so high intensity and in a certain range of frequency, the stopping voltage of photoelectric effect is independent of the intensity but dependent on the frequency of the light, which is described by the equation V = hν /e - W0/e , where V is the stopping voltage, h is the Planck constant, ν is the frequency of incident light, e is the electron charge, and W0 is the work function. It means that the larger the frequency of incident light, the higher the stopping voltage is. However, the present experiment finds that for a non-monochromatic incident light, the stopping voltage is not determined by the maximum frequency component of the incident light, but by the maximum center frequency of all the wave train components (with different center frequencies) involved in the incident light, that is to say, in the photon energy expression hν , physical quantity ν does not refer to the frequency of a monochromatic light, but represents the center frequency of a wave train spectrum. The spectral bandwidth of a wave train component can be as large as 122 nm in visible and near-infrared region. This should arouse more attention in the study of energy exchange between light and matter.
The role of specialty palliative care interdisciplinary team members in acute care decision support: a qualitative study protocol
Authors: MacMartin Meredith , Zhang Jingyi , Barnato Amber
Published: December 2023

Background: Specialty palliative care interdisciplinary teams (IDT) can play an important role in supporting patients and family members during acute care decision-making. Despite guidelines and evidence emphasizing decision-making support as a key domain of specialty palliative care, little is known about how decision making support is actually implemented by specialty palliative care IDTs. This study aims to 1) describe the structure and processes of inpatient decision-making support delivered by specialty palliative care IDT, and 2) examine the perspectives of IDT members on their role in this decision-support.
Methods: A team of clinician and non-clinician researchers will conduct non-participant observation ethnography at a single medical center in northern New England. The ethnography will focus on the work of IDT members in supporting decision making, particularly elements of specialty palliative care that have limited descriptions in the literature (e.g. systems and processes of care). Observations of formal and informal interactions between IDT members and clinical encounters will be conducted at one site over four months. Participants include patients, care partners, non-specialty palliative care providers, and specialty palliative care IDT members. Additionally, we will conduct semi-structured interviews with IDT members across three geographically diverse specialty palliative care teams across the United States to explore providers’ first-person perspective on their roles and function in decision-making support for hospitalized patients. Field notes and transcripts from observation and interviews will be uploaded to Dedoose software for management and thematic analysis following an inductive approach.
Discussion: To our knowledge, this will be the first observational study of the roles of interdisciplinary specialty palliative care teams. Results from this research will support further investigation into implementation of decision making support across different types of medical teams.
Synthesis of photoresponsive phenanthroimidazole-based S,S-dioxide dithienylethene for information storage and encryption
Authors: Lu Jiaxian , Yan Qing , Luo Miao , Ren Jun , Wang Sheng
Published: December 2023

Photoresponsive fluorescent compound have been widely used to prepare the encryption inks for modern information security. In this study, A photoresponsive fluorescent materials based on dithienylethene DTE-PIO4 was synthesized by oxidizing the two sulphur atoms to sulfones. Its solution presented a distinctive fluorescence switching performance when compared with the traditional "turn-off" mode fluorescent dithienylethene, while an irreversible "turn-off" fluorescence switching was observed in solid state upon exposure to 254 nm UV light. Remarkably, the PMMA ink was successfully prepared by incorporation with DTE-PIO4 which indicated the great potential in the fields of optical information storage and ink printing. The further research on information encryption has also been demonstrated through blending DTE-PIO4 with DTE-PI in PMMA medium.
Machine Learning-Based Short-Term Solar Power Forecasting: A Comparison Between Regression and Classification Approaches Using Extensive Australian Dataset
Authors: AOUIDAD Hichem Idris , BOUHELAL Abdelhamid
Published: December 2023

Solar energy production is an intermittent process that is affected by weather and climate conditions. This can lead to unstable and fluctuating electricity generation, which can cause financial losses and damage to the power grid. To better control power production, it is important to predict solar energy production. Big data and machine learning algorithms have yielded excellent results in this regard. This study compares the performance of two different machine learning approaches to solar energy production prediction: regression and classification. The regression approach predicts the actual power output, while the classification approach predicts whether the power output will be above or below a certain threshold. The study found that the random forest regressor algorithm performed the best in terms of accuracy, with mean absolute errors and root mean square errors of 0.046 and 0.11, respectively. However, it did not predict peak power values effectively, which can lead to higher errors. The Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) algorithm performed better in classifying peak power values. The study concluded that classification models may be better at generalizing than regression models. This proposed approach is valuable for interpreting model performance and improving prediction accuracy.
Worldwide Pipeline Transport Network for Green Fuel Ammonia Produced from Abundant Renewable Energy in Equatorial Waters to Prevent Global Warming
Authors: Kobayashi Hiroshi
Published: December 2023

The current large-scale deployment of solar and wind power poses several challenges, such as low generating capacity, fluctuating output, electrical energy storage difficulties, and reducing power grid inertia. These challenges can be overcome by (1) deploying large numbers of high-capacity floating offshore photovoltaic plants in equatorial waters with abundant renewable energy resources and generating sufficient electricity to meet the world’s primary energy needs and (2) using this electricity to synthesize green fuel ammonia, which can be stored and transported worldwide through pipeline networks. At least 33 Gt of CO2e must be removed from the atmosphere annually to prevent further rises in global temperatures. With the immediate deployment of the proposed system, all energy can be converted to carbon-free energy by 2050, thereby achieving the goals of the Paris Agreement. Furthermore, the proposed system effectively avoids the depletion of limited mineral resources associated with global carbon-free energy transportation.
Integrated Multi-Omics Profiling Reveals Neutrophil Extracellular Traps Promote Aortic Dissection
Authors: wang Lixin , Zhao Yufei , Mo Fandi , Li Zheyun , Yuan Ye , Hong Shichai , Wang Enci , yuzchong Zhang , Fu Weiguo , Zhou Bin
Published: December 2023

Background and Aims: Adverse aortic remodeling increases the risk of aorta-related adverse events (AAEs) after thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) and affects the overall prognosis of aortic dissection (AD). It is imperative to delve into the exploration of prognostic indicators to streamline the identification of individuals at elevated risk for postoperative AAEs, and therapeutic targets to optimize the efficacy of TEVAR for patients with AD.
Methods: We performed proteomic and single-cell transcriptomic analyses of peripheral blood samples and aortic lesions, respectively, from patients with AD and healthy subjects. We performed in vivo experiments to further confirm the effect of inhibiting NETs. Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression analysis were used to identify independent risk factors for AAEs.
Results: Integrated multi-omics profiling identified highly phenotype-associated macrophages, which frequently interacted with neutrophils via CXCL3/CXCR2 axis, and promoted neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) in driving and fueling the development of AD. Furthermore, we demonstrated that the level of citrullinated histone H3 (CitH3), a NETs associated marker, could serve as a risk factor for AAEs following endovascular therapy. Inhibiting NETs formation through the blockade of CitH3 alleviated the progression and rupture of AD in mice.
Conclusions: The multi-omics profiling reveals NETs formation features in the development of AD. NETs associated markers could facilitate the risk stratification and prognostic evaluation, and might serve as potential therapeutic targets of patients with AD.
Geospatial modelling of dry season habitats of the malaria vector, Anopheles funestus, in south-eastern Tanzania
Authors: Kahamba Najat F. , Okumu Fredros O. , Jumanne Mohamed , Kifungo Khamisi , Odero Joel O. , Baldini Francesco , Ferguson Heather M. , Neill Luca
Published: December 2023

Introduction:Anopheles funestusis a major malaria vector in east and southern Africa, and currently dominates transmission in many parts of Tanzania. Previous research has identified its preference for specific aquatic habitats, especially those that persist in dry months. This suggests the potential for targeted control through precise habitat mapping and characterization. In this study, we investigated the influence of habitat characteristics, land cover, and human population densities onAn. funestusdistribution during dry seasons, and subsequently developed a habitat suitability model for this vector species in southeastern Tanzania.Method:Eighteen villages in south-eastern Tanzania were surveyed during the dry season from September-December 2021. Water bodies were systematically inspected for mosquito larvae and characterized by their physio-chemical characteristics and surrounding environmental features. A generalized linear model was used to assess the presence ofAn. funestuslarvae as a function of the physico-chemical characteristics, land use and human population densities. The results from this model were used to generate spatially explicit predictions of habitat suitability in the study districts.Results:Of 1,466 aquatic habitats surveyed, 440 were positive forAn. funestus. River streams had the highest positivity (74%; n=322) followed by ground pools (15%; n=67). The final model had an 83% accuracy in predicting positiveAn. funestushabitats, with the most important characteristics being permanent waters, clear waters with or without vegetation or movement, and shading over the habitats. In addition, there was a positive association with forested areas and a negative association with built-up areas. Human population densities had no influence onAn. funestusdistribution.Conclusion:This study underscores the crucial role of both the specific habitat characteristics and key environmental factors, notably land-cover, in the distribution ofAn. funestus. In this study area, the species predominantly inhabits river streams and ground pools; and prefers clear, perennial waters with and shading. The strong positive association with more pristine environments with tree covers and the negative association with built-up areas underscore the importance of ecological transitions in vector distribution and malaria transmission risk. Such spatially explicit predictions could enable more precise interventions, particularly larval source management, to accelerate malaria control.
Mechanism of acute kidney injury in mild to moderate heat-related illness
Authors: Kondo Kenta , Hashiguchi Naoyuki , Watanabe Shin , Nishio Hirofumi , Takazawa Yuji , Iba Toshiaki
Published: December 2023

Background: Heat-related illnesses cause kidney injury, and recurrent minor kidney injuries may accumulate, resulting in the development of chronic kidney disease. Despite the increased incidence, the factors responsible for kidney injury in heat-related illnesses remain unclear. Our study focuses on mild-to-moderate severity cases to examine the triggers initiating kidney injury.
Methods: Patients aged 18 years or older with suspected heat-related illnesses at the Juntendo University Hospital Emergency and Primary Care Center between July and September 2020 and June and August 2022 were included. Blood samples were obtained during their visit, and the patients were categorized into two groups based on their cystatin-based estimated GFR (eGFRcys) values: a kidney injury group (eGFRcys < 60 mL/min/1.73 m2) and a non-kidney injury group (eGFRcys ≥ 60 mL/min/1.73 m2). Inflammation, coagulation, and skeletal muscle damage markers were compared between the groups, and markers related to the early development of kidney injury were examined.
Results: A total of 35 patients were diagnosed with heat-related illnesses, and 10 were diagnosed with kidney injury. White blood cell count was higher in the kidney injury group (P < 0.01), whereas the levels of CRP and Interleukin-6 showed no significant difference between the groups. No statistically significant differences in coagulation markers were observed. In contrast, myoglobin, a marker of skeletal muscle damage, showed elevated levels in the kidney injury group (P < 0.01) and demonstrated a stronger association with early kidney injury than creatine kinase (P < 0.05).
Conclusion: The predominant mechanism of acute kidney injury in mild to moderate heat-related illnesses appears to be tubular damage caused by myoglobin. Measuring myoglobin levels is essential to identify and exclude patients at risk of acute kidney injury due to heat-related illnesses.
Holographic Visual Cues for Mission Task Elements
Authors: Jusko Tim , Walko Christian , Kante Louis
Published: December 2023

Mission Task Elements (MTEs) are commonly used to evaluate the Handling Qualities (HQs) of rotorcraft. However, the traditional approach of physical ground courses faces challenges due to evolving rotorcraft designs and flight profiles. Infrastructure limitations and lack of flexibility for research pose significant obstacles, particularly for high-speed tasks. The emergence of new air vehicles, such as eVTOLs in the civil sector and Future Vertical Lift configurations in the military domain, requires an adapted visual cueing process for previously unaddressed mission profiles. This paper proposes an innovative solution: an Augmented Reality (AR) system utilizing a Head-Mounted Display to create virtual MTE courses called Holographic Visual Cues (HVCs). A piloted simulation campaign performed at DLR's AVES simulator compares the effectiveness of HVCs with dome projection-based visual cues, evaluating the performance of the AR system. The objective is to validate the efficacy of this technology for HQ evaluations. The initial results suggest that test pilots responded positively to this approach, indicating its potential as a more adaptable and efficient method for MTE visual cueing.
Evaluation of the relationship between genetic variation of single nucleotide RNA MBL2 and risk of salivary gland tumor in Southwest Iran
Authors: Rezazadeh Hojat , Rezazadeh Fahimeh , Fattahi Mohammad Javad , Mokhtari Mohammad Javad , Khademi Bijan , Amiri Kianoush
Published: December 2023

Background
Salivary gland tumors (SGTs) are rare and diagnostically challenging. Genetic factors likely influence SGT susceptibility. Mannose-binding lectin (MBL) plays a key role in inflammation and immunity. Variants in the MBL2 gene can reduce MBL levels and have been linked to cancer risk. Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) regulate gene expression and are dysregulated in tumors. This study explored associations between MBL2 polymorphisms and SGTs.
Methods
Ninety-nine SGT patients and fifty-nine healthy controls were recruited in Shiraz, Iran. DNA was extracted and genotyped using PCR and sequencing. MBL2 rs11003125 was analyzed using logistic regression under genetic models. LncRNA expression was evaluated in tumors.
Results
The GC genotype of rs11003125 was significantly associated with reduced SGT risk compared to GG under codominant (OR 0.30, p = 0.0008) and dominant (OR 0.33, p = 0.001) models. The C allele was associated with lower risk under overdominance (OR 0.49, p = 0.01). MBL2 expression was upregulated in tumors versus controls. No correlations existed between MBL2 variants and tumor features.
Conclusions
This first study of MBL2 and SGTs found that the GC genotype and C allele were associated with decreased SGT susceptibility. MBL2 upregulation in tumors warrants further exploration. These preliminary findings suggest that MBL2 polymorphisms may contribute to SGT risk in this population.
Investıgatıon of the Effects of Treatment with Enoxaparın Sodıum and Hyperbarıc on the Recovery of Rats Wıth Achılles Tendon Rupture
Authors: Aytekin Cafer Erman , Turhan Yalçın , Karaduman Zekeriya Okan , Arican Mehmet , Coşkun Sinem Kantarcıoğlu , Uludağ Veysel
Published: December 2023

Background: Tendons can be easily injured acutely or chronically due to repetitive movements, degeneration and trauma. To make the tendon more robust after healing, several biomaterials have been tested in different studies; skeletal structures have been created from cells containing fibroblasts, and growth factors and cytokines have been applied exogenously. In this study, we aimed to investigate the effects of hyperbaric oxygen therapy and enoxaparin sodium, which are known to accelerate bone tissue healing as well as tendon and soft tissue healing, on the healing of Achilles tendon rupture.
Methods: Thirty-six rats were used in the present study. All rats were divided into groups of nine. The groups were the enoxaparin sodium group, enoxaparin sodium and hyperbaric oxygen group, hyperbaric oxygen group and control group. After 21 days, the process was completed, and the rats were sacrificed. Achilles tendon samples were evaluated histopathologically.
Results: The groups were compared according to the results of statistical analysis based on the histopathological data. There was no significant difference between the groups in terms of acute inflammation (p=0.785) or chronic inflammation (p=0.827) scores, but there were significant differences in neovascularization (p=0.009), proliferation (p<0.001) and fibrosis (p=0.006) scores.
Conclusion: Our study showed that the use of enoxaparin sodium and hyperbaric oxygen had a positive effect on the healing of the Achilles tendon. Based on these results, we believe that the use of enoxaparin sodium and hyperbaric oxygen therapy after Achilles tendon rupture will be beneficial for healing and preventing complications.
ECDEP: Identifying essential proteins based on evolutionary community discovery and subcellular localization
Authors: Ye Chen , Wu Qi , Chen Shuxia , Zhang Xuemei , Xu Wenwen , Wu Yunzhi , Zhang Youhua , Yue Yi
Published: December 2023

Background:In cellular activities, essential proteins play a vital role and are instrumental for comprehending fundamental biological necessities and identifying pathogenic genes. Current deep learning approaches for predicting essential proteins underutilize the potential of gene expression data and are inadequate on the exploration of dynamic networks with limited evaluation across diverse species.Results: We introduce ECDEP, an essential protein identification model based on evolutionary community discovery. ECDEP integrates temporal gene expression data with protein-protein interaction (PPI) network and employs the 3-Sigma rule to eliminate outliers at each time point, constructing a dynamic network. Next, we utilize edge birth and death information to establish an interaction streaming source to feed into the evolutionary community discovery algorithm and then identify overlapping communities during the evolution of the dynamic network. SVM recursive feature elimination (RFE) is applied to extract the most informative communities, which are combined with subcellular localization data for classification predictions. We assess the performance of ECDEP by comparing it against ten centrality methods, four shallow machine learning methods with RFE, and two deep learning methods that incorporate multiple biological data sources onSaccharomyces. Cerevisiae (S. cerevisiae),Homo sapiens (H. sapiens),Mus musculus, andCaenorhabditis elegans. ECDEP achieves an AP value of 0.86 on theH. sapiensdataset and the contribution ratio of community features in classification reaches 0.54 on theS. cerevisiae(Krogan) dataset.Conclusions: Our proposed method adeptly integrates network dynamics and yields outstanding results across various datasets. Furthermore, the incorporation of evolutionary community discovery algorithms amplifies the capacity of gene expression data in classification.
A secure circular text-based CAPTCHA
Authors: gao jiahua , ren yawei
Published: December 2023

To prevent malicious activities and automated programmes from infiltrating and attacking websites or systems, a secure circular text-based CAPTCHA is designed based on a multi-secret visual cryptography. In this paper, multiple circular secret images are randomly generated by the server- side are encrypted into two circular share images, one of the share images is saved while the other is distributed to the user. Random characters are selected from each secret image to dynamically generate a circular CAPTCHA, with enhancing the authentication function for legitimate users and providing more effective resistance to phishing attacks. From the evaluation and recognition of the quality of the CAPTCHA, the circular text-based CAPTCHA has achieved a balance between usability and security at a certain extent.
Planting date and variation in quantitative traits of Solenostemon rotundifolius [(Poir.) J. K. Morton].
Authors: Tonde Ignace , Nanema K.Romaric , KIEBRE Zakaria
Published: December 2023

The present study aimed to verify the effect of the planting date on quantitative traits of S. rotundifolius. To this end, twelve accessions of S. rotundifolius, including six (6) from Burkina Faso and six (6) from Ghana, were subjected to agro-morphological evaluations using a Fisher block design with three replications at three dates: April 3rd (D1); June 3rd (D2) and July 8th (D3). Fourteen (14) quantitative traits related to the canopy and leaf size, the cycle, and the yield were recorded. Comparative analysis of the performance of accessions according to planting dates revealed significant differences for all the traits. These results showed that late planting (July) resulted in low canopy size. Late maturing of the accessions was observed in case of early planting (April). Planting in June (D2) resulted in good yielding and large canopy development. These results revealed that the planting date is a crucial parameter in S. rotundifolius phenotype. They could be useful for the development of suitable agronomic practices for S. rotundifolius growing and for breeding purpose.
RCFS: Rate and Cost Fair CPU Scheduling Strategy in Edge Nodes
Authors: Zhao Yumiao , Rao HuanLe , Le Kelei , Wang Wei , Xu Youqing , Jia Gangyong
Published: December 2023

The cloud-edge collaborative edge computing paradigm is driving the comprehensive development of the Internet of Things. With the widespread deployment of 5G mobile networks, IoT end devices tend to offload data to more powerful edge nodes for computing, thereby improving the speed. This has led to an explosive growth in the amount of data processed by edge nodes. General CPU scheduling strategies are unsuitable for edge nodes that frequently occur in data-intensive applications. In this study, we focus on application feature awareness and design a strategy that considers data arrival rate and cost-fair CPU scheduling (RCFS) with two components: CPU resource allocation based on process weights and process scheduling based on distributed weighted round-robin. Compared to the Linux default scheduling strategy, CFS, experiments on edge nodes show that the RCFS strategy can effectively improve CPU utilization, decrease the running time of data-intensive applications, and improve the system’s data throughput. In the best-case scenario, the RCFS strategy enhanced CPU utilization by up to 98.5%, decreased running time by up to 45.5%, and increased data throughput by up to 58.7%.
Evaluation of different levels of Nutrient and Growth Regulators on seed protein, seed Test Weight and available Post-harvest Soil Nutrient Status in Pearl Millet (Pennisetum glaucum (L)
Authors: Guru G , Suresh Gurrala , M.Marimuthu  , Ravichandran V. , Lokanadhan Subbalakshmi
Published: December 2023

Field trial was conducted to evaluate the levels of nutrients and growth regulators on quality of seed protein content, grain weight, and soil fertility status in pearl millet in rabi season of 2019-21 at Department of Millets, Directorate of PB&G, TNAU, Coimbatore. The experiment was conducted for three years and ten treatments were tried with replicated thrice. Plant Growth regulator is a chemical substances that help for developing growth of plant, progress for high yield, get superior quality of grain. The treatment 125 % Recommended dose of fertilizer with chlormequat chloride at 250 ppm on 20 and 40 Days after sowing recorded maximum grain protein content, test weight and nutrients uptake during the crop growing period. Simultaneously 125 % Recommended dose of fertilizer with foliar applied chlormequat chloride @ 250 ppm on 20th and 40th days after sowing was indicated more available soil nutrient status after harvest of the crop which was on par with 125 % RDF + NAA @ 250 ppm at 20 and 40 Days after sowing and other Recommended fertilizer dose treatments. The treatments effects were influenced on protein content and test weight of pearl millet with nutrients and growth regulators. The response of pearl millet to applied nitrogen as well as PGRs can be attributed to the favourable effect on yield and yield-attributing characters. This should be due to the reason that nitrogen fertilizer leads to higher availability of nutrients to facilitate promotion of growth and development furthermore resulting in rising yield attributes and yield.
WITHDRAWN: EIF4A3-regulated circGNAI2 inhibits the progression of triple-negative breast cancer by circGNAI2-miR-454-3p-VGLL4 axis
Authors: song hongming , Wang Haibo , Peng Jing , Niu Zhaohe , Liu Xiangping , lv Meng , Mao Yan , Wang Yuanyuan , Wang Yongmei , Wang Xinggang , Liu Fang
Published: December 2023

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a particularly aggressive subtype of breast cancer (BC) with high invasiveness, high rate of recurrence and metastasis, and poor prognosis. In this study, we demonstrated that circGNAI2 was lower expressed in TNBC tissues and cell lines. CircGNAI2 suppressed the proliferation and migration abilities of TNBC cells in vivo and in vitro. Of note, circGNAI2 can upregulate VGLL4 and inhibit the phosphorylation of STAT3 via sponging miR-454-3p. Moreover, circGNAI2 was downregulated by EIF4A3. Taken together, EIF4A3-regulated circGNAI2 could inhibit TNBC progression by regulating circGNAI2-miR-454-3p-VGLL4 axis and STAT3 signaling pathway, providing pivotal potential therapeutic targets for the treatment of TNBC.
Government response on russian war in Ukraine: Relocating business
Authors: Lavreniuk Vladyslav , Polishchuk Yevheniia , Kornyliuk Anna , Horbov Vladyslav , Ivashchenko Alla
Published: December 2023

The russian war in Ukraine replaced not only millions of people but also businesses in the safer regions of Ukraine. The study aims to identify regional stakeholders’ emergency responses in reaction to the russian war in Ukraine associated with business relocations and their impact on the host region. Employing qualitative research methods, including focus group discussions and in-depth semi-structured interviews with 25 informants (representatives of departments of economic development of regional authorities and administrators of regional development agencies), the study was conducted between March and May 2023. The findings reveal a diverse range of relocation strategies, with a significant inclination toward safer western and central regions of Ukraine, which accounted for more than 70% of displaced businesses. The notable share of relocated companies are wholesale and retail trade companies and the processing industry companies – 40% and 32%, respectively. It is assumed that not capital-intensive companies were relocated first. The support from regional stakeholders played a crucial role in mitigating business challenges related to relocation (communication difficulties, market loss, supply chain disruptions, and employee relocation issues, providing comprehensive assistance, and facilitating integration into the new socio-economic environment). The study acknowledges potential biases in responses and emphasizes the importance of correctly interpreting results. The study results are helpful for policy-making regarding regional development and the post-war rebuilding of Ukraine.
AcknowledgmentThe study was conducted within the framework of the State Budget of the Kyiv National Economic University named after Vadym Hetman on the topic “Displaced business in revitalization of regional ecosystems in Ukraine” (state registration number 0123U100357).
Random forest and support vector machine classifiers for coastal wetland characterization using the combination of features derived from optical data and synthetic aperture radar dataset
Authors: Cherian Sandra Maria , K Rajitha
Published: December 2023

Mapping mangrove forests is crucial for their conservation, but it is challenging due to their complex characteristics. Many studies have explored machine learning techniques that use Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) and optical data to improve wetland classification. This research compares the random forest (RF) and support vector machine (SVM) algorithms, employing Sentinel-1 dual polarimetric C-band data and Sentinel-2 optical data for mapping mangrove forests. The study also incorporates various derived parameters. The Jeffries–Matusita distance and Spearman’s rank correlation are used to evaluate the significance of commonly used spectral indices and SAR parameters in wetland classification. Only significant parameters are retained, reducing data dimensionality from 63 initial features to 23–33 essential features, resulting in an 18% improvement in classification accuracy. The combination of SAR and optical data yields a substantial 33% increase in the overall accuracy for both SVM and RF classification. Consistently, the fusion of SAR and optical data produces higher classification accuracy in both RF and SVM algorithms. This research provides an effective approach for monitoring changes in Pichavaram wetlands and offers a valuable framework for future wetland monitoring, supporting the planning and sustainable management of this critical area.
Comparison of multi-source satellite remote sensing observations for monitoring the variations of small lakes: a case study of Dai Lai Lake (Vietnam)
Authors: Pham-Duc Binh
Published: December 2023

This study compares the capability of Sentinel-1, Sentinel-2, and PlanetScope (PS) satellites in monitoring the variations of surface water of Dai Lai Lake, located in North Vietnam, for the 2018–2023 period. The analysis involves the utilization of Google Earth Engine to partially process Sentinel-1 and Sentinel-2 observations, while PS observations are processed using local computers, to generate VH-polarized backscatter coefficient, Normalized Difference Water Index (NDWI), and Modified of Normalized Difference Water Index (MNDWI) maps. The method for making binary water/non-water maps primarily employs the Otsu algorithm on each single map derived from the previous step. Findings reveal that the lake's water extent remains relatively stable over the 6-year period, and is not strongly affected by the seasonal cycle. Although the spatial distribution patterns of the lake exhibit significant similarity, average water extent of the lake derived from 3-m resolution PS imagery is about 2.17 and 5.60% more than that obtained from 10-m resolution Sentinel-2 and Sentinel-1 imagery, respectively. PS observations are effective for monitoring small lakes, but it is advised to check the quality of its NIR band. Sentinel-2 observations prove great effectiveness for lake monitoring, using both NDWI and MNDWI. For Sentinel-1 observations, potential misclassifications could arise due to similarities in VH-polarized backscatter coefficients between water surfaces and other flat surfaces.
Evaluation of School Administrator Appointment System and Implementations in Turkey
Authors: Yıldız Bektaş , Avcı Yunus Emre
Published: December 2023

The aim of the research is to evaluate the school administrator appointment system in Turkey and to present suggestions on this subject. The research is in the qualitative survey model and was designed with a phenomenological approach. The study group of the research; It consists of 40 people, including teachers, education administrators and education administration experts. As a data collection tool in the research, a semi-structured interview form developed by the researcher was applied through interview and the collected data was subjected to content analysis. According to the results of the research, it is seen that the current situation of the school administrator appointment system in Turkey is insufficient, the written exam and interview do not measure the adequacy, and there is no success in determining the qualified and qualified administrators. The interview should be done fairly by competent and independent commissions so as not to cause negative perceptions. Suggestions for determining the appointment system with a broad perspective and establishing a fair and transparent manager appointment system with objective evaluation criteria in manager appointments become prominent.
Bryophilous Agaricales in Southern Brazil
Authors: Cassiane Furlan-Lopes  , Alice Lemos Costa  , Ana Luiza Klotz-Neves  , Kamille Rodrigues Ferraz  , Fernando Augusto Bertazzo-Silva  , Jorge Renato Pinheiro Renato Pinheiro Velloso  , Jair Putzke
Published: December 2023

Bryophytes colonize different substrates, while fungi, such as basidiomycetes, can occur on the same substrate as these plants and sometimes associate with them. In Brazil, there are few studies with bryofilated Agarycomycetes and they rarely identify the mosses or the liverworts involved in this association. Taxonomic studies involving bryophyte fungi and the bryophytes involved could demonstrate the ecological relationship and help in the conservation efforts of these groups. This study aimed to investigate the biodiversity and associations of Agaricales (Fungi, Agaricomycetes) and bryophytes in a portion of the Atlantic Forest biome in the state of Rio Grande Sul, southern Brazil. The São Francisco de Paula National Forest (FLONA - SFP) is a preserved high and humid environment and was selected to carry out the collections. Our study described for the first time the true association with microscopic evidence between Gerronema stuckertii and Campylopus pilifer, Galerina stylifera, Campylopus julicaulis and Chlorella sp., Oudemansiella platensis and Metzgeria consanguinea, Psathyrella murrilli and Brachythecium sp. With regard to biological diversity in Brazil, this study improves the understanding of associations between mosses and fungi.
ENSINO DE MATERIAIS COM FOCO NA SUSTENTABILIDADE UTILIZANDO-SE HISTÓRIAS EM QUADRINHOS (HQs)
Authors: Paulo Cesar Machado Ferroli  , Lisiane Ilha Librelotto  , Yasmin Curvelo Doehl  , Julia Cipriani Prada  , Rodrigo Werle Rezende
Published: December 2023

Este artigo apresenta os resultados obtidos no 1.º ano do projeto que visa à transformação de todo o conteúdo presente na ementa da disciplina Materiais e Processos, do curso de Design de Produto da Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina (UFSC), em histórias em quadrinhos (HQs). Sabe-se que atualmente o modo de transmissão de conhecimento necessita de abordagens inovadoras que atendam às demandas de uma nova geração de estudantes da área projetual. Em trabalhos anteriores já foi mostrado o processo de criação base do projeto, com o desenvolvimento da estrutura dos volumes em HQ, personagens, conteúdo e história. Este artigo apresenta o processo de estruturação do primeiro capítulo da HQ.