bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Population Dynamics and Habitat Preferences of Waterbirds across Six Wetlands at Different Geographical Scales
Authors: Ullah Inam , You Deng Wen , Wu Qing-Ming , Ying Sun Xue , Rajpar Muhammad Nawaz , Khan Tauheed Ullah , Khan Jabar , Ahmad Tariq , Rehman Faiz Ur
Published: July 2024

Wetlands are vital ecosystems for waterbirds, are experiencing global decline due to human activities. Our study investigated the population dynamics and habitat preferences of waterbirds in six geographically distinct wetlands (Chashma, Dhap Chapak, Taunsa, Haleji, Raja, and Uchali) along the Indus River flyway. Point count methods were used during five consecutive migratory seasons (September and March from 2017 to 2022). In total, 73 waterbird species from 19 families and 11 orders were detected. Species richness varied significantly (F5, 437 = 8.14, p < 0.000) across wetlands. we recorded species richness (R = 73.0), species diversity (H' = 3.714), population trend (λ = 0.031), and species dispersion (E = 0.865). Chashma wetland exhibited the highest species richness (S = 52), relative abundance, and diversity. Uchali had the highest population of waterbirds (26.612%), while Raja displayed the uniform species dispersion (4.184%). Two globally endangered Pallas fish eagle (Haliaeetus leucoryphus) and Black-bellied tern (Sterna acuticauda) and seven Near Threatened water bird species: Black-tailed godwit (Limosa limosa), Great painted snipe (Rostratula benghalensis), Oriental darter (Anhinga melanogaster), Northern lapwing (Vanellus vanellus), Indian river tern (Sterna aurantia), Asian Woolly-necked stork (Ciconia episcopus), and Lesser flamingo (Phoeniconaias minor),were detected, highlighting the significance of these wetlands for conservation.We recommend regular monitoring by wildlife authorities to track population trends, assess habitat suitability, and identify threats. Conservation efforts should prioritize water regime maintenance, pollution control, and community engagement for long-term wetland management and waterbird conservation.
Identification of CaCRT gene family and function of CaCRT1 under low temperature stress in pepper (Capsicum annuum L.)
Authors: Wang Yanzhuang , Yang Ping , Li Jian , Li Juan , Zhu Keyan , Pei Minkun , li jie , Du Hongbin
Published: July 2024

In order to explore the information of CRT gene family members and their response under low temperature stress, bioinformatics methods were used to identify the CRT gene family in pepper. In this study, a total of 4 CRT gene family members were identified by screening, chromosome localization was found to be located on different chromosomes, Phylogenetic tree analysis was performed, and Colinearity analysis was performed. At the same time, these cis-acting elements identified in the 2.0 kb upstream promoter region of 4 CaCRTs in this study can be divided into three categories. The expression patterns of different tissues and organs under low temperature stress and the expression levels of CRTs in pepper under low temperature stress were analyze. Meanwhile, Using virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) technology to verify the function of CaCRT1, The results showed that CaCRT1 participated in the process of pepper response to low temperature stress,accumulation of excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS) and malondialdehyde (MDA). In summary, this study systematically verified the regulatory role of the CaCRT gene family in pepper under low temperature stress, and laid an important foundation for further research on the biological functions of pepper genes.
The farthest color Voronoi diagram in the plane
Authors: Mantas Ioannis , Papadopoulou Evanthia , Silveira Rodrigo I. , Wang Zeyu
Published: July 2024

The farthest-color Voronoi diagram (FCVD) is defined on a set of $n$ points in the plane, each of which is labeled with one of $m$ colors.The colored points can be seen as a family $\cC$ of$m$ clusters (sets) of points in the plane, whose farthest-site Voronoi diagram is the FCVD. The diagram finds applications in problems related to facility location, shape matching, imprecision in geometric data, sensor deployment, and others. In this paper we present structural properties of the FCVD, refine its combinatorial complexity bounds, and present efficient algorithms for its construction. We show that the complexity of the diagram is $O(n\alpha(n)+\str(\cC))$, where $\str(\cC)$ is a parameter reflecting the number of straddles between pairs of clusters, which is $O(m(n-m))$. The bound reduces to $O(n+ \str(\cC))$ if the clusters are pairwise non-crossing. We also present a lower bound, establishing that the complexity of the FCVD can be $\Omega(n+m^2)$, even if the clusters have pairwise disjoint convex hulls. Our algorithm runs in $O((n+\str(\cC))\log^3 n)$-time, and in certain special cases in $O(n\log n)$ time.
Optimal designing and parameter selection of voltage source inverter for real-time performance analysis in weak grid and standalone mode
Authors: Singh Harendra Pal Singh Harendra Pal , Swami Anurag K. Swami Anurag K.
Published: July 2024

In this study the grid impedance-based stability is concerned and improve the inverter stability for lower-voltage distribution networks. Also proposes the optimal filter and controller parameters for weak grids, considering IEEE std 519. The two methods are employed to enhance the inverter stability: (A). Changing the output impedance of the VSI by adjusting the grid-side inductance, (B). Optimizing the parameters for filter design and VSI controller. Ziegler-Nichols (ZN), Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) and a real coded Genetic Algorithm (GA) are used to obtain the optimized CCL parameters to maintain the VSI stability and Total Harmonic Distortion (THD) level at the Point of Common Coupling (PCC) during the parametric uncertainty. The VSI-based system connected to the weak grid and in standalone mode is simulated on a real-time simulator, i.e., Typhoon HIL, to validate the effectiveness of obtained optimized CCL parameters by changing various conditions like filter inductance variation, grid Short Circuit Ratio (SCR), output power regulation and sudden load change in a standalone distribution network. The MATLAB/SIMULINK with m-files is utilized for the parameters optimization and controller model simulation purposes for VSI-based system. This paper presents a comprehensive review on how to choose the best inverter component parameters and their impact under different real-world conditions, whether the inverter is connected to the grid or not.
Turbulence Structure and Mixing in Strongly Stable Couette Flows over Thermally Heterogeneous Surfaces: Effect of Heterogeneity Orientation
Authors: Mironov Dmitrii , Sullivan Peter
Published: July 2024

Direct numerical simulations (DNS) of plane Couette flows over thermally heterogeneous surfaces at bulk Reynolds number Re=104 and bulk Richardson number Ri=0.25 are performed. The focus of the present study (that extends previous studies by the authors) is on the effect on the boundary-layer structure of the orientation of the surface heterogeneity patterns relative to the mean velocity. The temperature of the upper and lower walls is either homogeneous or varies sinusoidally, where the temperature-wave crests are either normal or parallel to the mean flow (HETx and HETy cases, respectively). Importantly, the horizontal-mean surface temperature is the same in all simulations. The stratification is strong enough to quench turbulence over a homogeneous surface, but turbulence survives over heterogeneous surfaces. In all heterogeneous cases, both molecular diffusion and turbulence contribute to down-gradient momentum transfer. The total (diffusive plus turbulent) heat flux is directed downward, but turbulent motions generated by the surface thermal heterogeneity transfer heat up the gradient of the mean temperature. Comparative analysis of HETx and HETy cases shows that the configuration with the spanwise heterogeneity is more turbulent and more efficient in transporting momentum and heat vertically than its counterpart with the streamwise heterogeneity. Vertical profiles of mean fields and turbulence moments differ considerably between the HETx and HETy cases, e.g., the streamwise heat flux differs not only in magnitude but also in sign. A close examination of the second-order turbulence moments, vertical-velocity and temperature skewness, and the flow eddy structure helps explain the observed differences between the HETx and HETy cases. The implications of our DNS findings for modelling turbulence in stably-stratified environmental and industrial flows with surface heterogeneity are discussed.
STRAP positively regulates the antiviral immune response against pseudorabies virus via targeting TBK1
Authors: He Wenfeng , Chang Hongtao , Li Chen , Wang Chenlong , Li Longxi , Yang Guoqing , Chen Jing , Liu Huimin
Published: July 2024

Serine/threonine kinase receptor associated protein (STRAP) functions as a scaffold protein and involves in diverse cellular processes, yet its role in antiviral innate immunity is still elusive. Here, we found that STRAP acts as an interferon (IFN)-inducible positive regulator to facilitate type I IFN signaling during pseudorabies virus (PRV) infection. Mechanistically, STRAP interacted with TBK1 and promoted the activation of type I IFN signaling. Both the CT and WD40 7 − 6 domains contribute to STRAP’s function. Furthermore, TBK1 competed with PRV-UL50 for binding to STRAP, and STRAP impedes the degradation of TBK1 mediated by PRV-UL50, thereby augmenting the interaction between STRAP and TBK1. In general, these findings revealed a previously unrecognized role for STRAP in innate antiviral immune responses in PRV infection. STRAP could be a potential therapeutic target for viral infectious diseases.
How to Reduce the Vulnerability of Pregnant Women in Disasters? Components and criteria for improving the resilience of pregnant women in disasters; a systematic review
Authors: Zamani Elham , Kolivand Pirhossein , Namdar Peyman , Kivi Hamid Karimi , Azari Samad
Published: July 2024

Background and purpose: Climate changes, the emergence of epidemics, and the increase in the number of disasters, disaster management systems, such as health management, have faced many challenges especially for pregnant women. The studies carried out regarding the impact of disasters on pregnant women mostly focus on the vulnerability aspects of this group in disasters, and there is no comprehensive study of the criteria of preparation, resilience and empowerment of pregnant women to deal with disasters. The present study, using a systematic review method, seeks to find effective components and criteria for improving the resilience of pregnant women against disasters.
Methods: A systematic search was conducted in Scopus, Cochran Library, PubMed, Web of Science, ProQuest and Science Direct databases to identify relevant literature. The search keywords of the articles included "pregnant women", "disasters" and "resilience". By screening the articles based on the PRISMA flowchart and the STROBE checklist to evaluate the final selected articles, the effective components and criteria in improving the resilience of pregnant women against disasters were extracted
Results: In the systematic search of articles, 3939 articles were obtained, after removing duplicates and screening the title/abstract, after reviewing full content of articles, finally 7 articles were selected for final evaluation. The results obtained, in the form of 5 themes; Preparedness, social support, provision of vital needs, mental health and awareness and information providing were categorized.
Conclusion: The results of this study provide a perspective of the challenges and influential components in improving the resilience of pregnant women in disasters. This information can be use as recommendation and the basis for managers' planning and policymakers of disaster management in preparing for future disasters especially disasters related to climate change in the field of health, treatment, support, and care of pregnant women in disasters.
It Takes a Village: Health and Old-Age Support in China
Authors: Oliveira Jaqueline , Kerr Amanda
Published: July 2024

How do older individuals cope with health impairments and the potential economic losses that ensue? Exploiting longitudinal data on a nationally representative sample of Chinese seniors, we investigate whether and how familial economic support responds to sudden and sizable changes in health. We find that both financial and instrumental support from children go up following a health shock. Furthermore, financial transfers coming from siblings, other relatives and friends increase by a larger percentage than those from children. We also find evidence that instrumental care received from a spouse responds strongly to health shocks. Finally, we find that although labor supply and earned income drop considerably, there is no significant change in non-health expenditure. Our results suggest that households are able to cope with some of the adverse economic impacts of health shocks by relying on support networks that extend beyond their children and grand-children. This is particularly relevant in the context of shrinking family sizes resulting from stringent family planning policies.
JEL Classification: D64, J14
Modified Natural Seawater as Growth Medium for Halotolerant Cyanobacterium Aphanothece halophytica to Increase Lipid Content for Biodiesel Production
Authors: Thongtha Sitthichai , Aryusuk Kornkanok , Kittiwongwattana Chokchai , Incharoensakdi Aran , Phunpruch Saranya
Published: July 2024

Biodiesel derived from cyanobacterial oils becomes attractive as an efficient renewable energy. The present study aims to optimize growth and lipid production of halotolerant unicellular cyanobacterium Aphanothece halophytica cultivated in natural seawater. In this study, A. halophytica was able to grow in natural seawater when supplemented with low concentration of NaNO3, whereas no growth occurred without supplementation. The specific growth rate of 0.230 day− 1 and cell concentration of 25.17 x 106 cells mL− 1 were achieved in A. halophytica cultivated in natural seawater supplemented with 17.6 mM NaNO3 and Turk Island salt solution (suitable natural seawater; SNSW) for 14 days. This growth rate was comparable to that of cells grown in normal BG11 plus Turk Island salt solution. The lipid content and fatty acid profiles of A. halophytica varied with changes in NaCl concentrations. The highest lipid content of 50.47% and lipid productivity of 48.33 mg L− 1 day− 1 were obtained in cultures supplemented with 1.89 mmol C-atom L− 1 glucose and 0.75 M NaCl. The optimal medium pH and cultivation temperature for lipid production was 7.5 and 25–35°C, respectively. When cultivating A. halophytica in optimized SNSW with various NaCl concentrations, the highest contents of linoleic and linolenic acids, and the lowest contents of palmitic, stearic, and oleic acids were observed with 0.75 M NaCl. In contrast, cultures grown in optimized SNSW with 0.5 M NaCl showed fatty acid methyl ester profiles rich in monounsaturated fatty acids, which are favorable for high-quality biodiesel production.
Investigating the Influence of Cues on Pain Perception: A Bayesian Model Selection Approach
Authors: Falhani Nadia , Nothdurfter Caroline , Wunder Nina , Rupprecht Rainer , Schwarzbach Jens V.
Published: July 2024

The intensity of noxious stimuli usually shapes the perception of discomfort or pain. Here, we compare three mechanistic accounts of how cued expectation about stimulus intensity may modulate behavioral reports of discomfort: response gain, input gain or baseline shift. In two behavioral sessions, thirty-nine healthy participants rated a series of 160 uncomfortable electrical stimuli (UES) applied to the skin of the forearm, preceded by a visual cue indicating the intensity of the upcoming stimulus as 'weak' or 'strong'. Cue contingency of 65% or 70% varied between the two sessions to investigate the effect of informativeness on putative modulatory cueing effects.
We found that verbal cueing of the expectation of an upcoming UES biased subjects' ratings towards the expected outcome. A Bayes factor analysis revealed that of the three putative modulatory processes, the baseline shift model received the strongest support from our empirical data. Manipulating the level of contingency of the cue did not further alter the results.
We conclude that, within the parameters of our experiment, expectations influence the perception of the UES independently of stimulus intensity. Extending these findings to a clinical context may improve our understanding of hypersensitivity in chronic pain patients.
Extraoral photobiomodulation to prevent hyposalivation in patients treated with head and neck radiotherapy: randomized double-blind clinical trial
Authors: de Albuquerque Raylane Farias , Ribeiro Lucas Nascimento , Carvalho Alessandra Albuquerque Tavares , Silva Igor Henrique Morais , Meleti Marco , Vescovi Paolo , Leao Jair Carneiro
Published: July 2024

Purpose
To evaluate the efficacy of extraoral photobiomodulation in preventing hyposalivation in patients treated with radiotherapy for head and neck cancers.
Methods
52 patients divided into an intervention group (23 patients) and a control group (29 patients). The parameters used were: 30mW, 7.5 J / cm2, 10s / point, 0.3 J / point, a wavelength of 830 nm and an area of 0.028 cm². The salivary flow at rest and the xerostomia inventory were evaluated three times from the beginning to the end of radiotherapy and one month after the end. The primary outcome was the absence of hyposalivation, with secondary outcomes showing a higher prevalence of dry mouth and hyposalivation.
Results
Most of the sample remained with salivary flow > 0.2 ml / min before and after radiotherapy (control 69% × 65% intervention p > 0.05). The prevalence of xerostomia was higher in the control group (21% x 17% p > 0.05) as well as the complaint of severe xerostomia at the end of radiotherapy (35% x 30% p > 0.05). Oral pain was the most frequent complication (26% vs. 20%, P > 0.05).
Conclusion
Extraoral photobiomodulation was not effective in preventing the reduction of salivary flow during radiotherapy, but it was responsible for higher flow values compared to the control group. This study allowed for a lower prevalence and severity of xerostomia; however, further studies should be conducted to confirm the real benefits.
Trial Registration Numbe at REBEC: RBR5746z9, Dated: April 5th 2020
Acute airway inflammation following controlled biodiesel exhaust exposure in healthy subjects
Authors: Sandström Thomas , Bosson Jenny A , Muala Ala , Kabéle Mikael , Pourazar Jamshid , Boman Christoffer , Rankin Gregory , Mudway Ian S , Blomberg Anders , Friberg Maria
Published: July 2024

Background: Exposure to standard petrodiesel exhaust is linked to adverse health effects. Moreover, there is a mounting request to replace fossil-based fuels with renewable and sustainable alternatives and, therefore, rapeseed methyl ester (RME) and other biofuels have been introduced. However, recent toxicological research has indicated that biodiesel exhaust may also induce adverse health-related events.
Aim: To determine whether exposure to 100% RME biodiesel (BD100) exhaust would cause an acute airway neutrophilic recruitment in humans.
Methods: Fourteen healthy subjects underwent exposure to diluted BD100 exhaust and filtered air for 1-hour, in a blinded, random fashion. Bronchoscopy with endobronchial mucosal biopsies, bronchial wash (BW) and bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) was performed six hours after exposure. Differential cell counts and inflammatory markers were determined in the supernatant and biopsies were stained immunohistochemically.
Results: Compared with filtered air, BD100 exhaust exposure increased bronchial mucosal endothelial P-selectin adhesion molecule expression, as well as neutrophil, mast cell and CD68+ macrophage numbers. An increased influx of neutrophils and machrophages was also seen in BW.
Conclusion: Exposure to biodiesel exhaust was associated with an acute airway inflammation that was similar to preceding petrodiesel exposure studies. However, the recruitment of macrophages into the bronchial mucosa and bronchi was a new finding.
The present findings, together with recently reported adverse cardiovascular effects after a similar biodiesel exposure, indicate that replacement of petrodiesel with RME-based biodiesel does not necessarily provide health benefits.
Is curve sprint performance in soccer related to other speed and power abilities across age categories?
Authors: Barros Tércio Araújo do Rego , Nakamura Fábio Yuzo , Filho Rostand Souza Lira , Silva Noadia Maria Guimarães , Lima Victor Ferreira , Fonseca Fabiano Souza , Bibrowicz Bartosz , Henrique Rafael Santos
Published: July 2024

This study investigated whether curve sprint (CS) performance in soccer was related to linear sprint (LS), change of direction (COD), and countermovement jump (CMJ) in highly trained soccer players across different age categories. One hundred and twenty-one soccer players (U-13, U-15, U-17, and Senior) from the same professional club were recruited and performed all tests. One-way ANOVA and effect sizes were used to compare CS across age categories, while Pearson’s r correlation coefficient measured the relationships between all physical test performance. CS performance improved from the U-13 to the Senior category, exhibiting very large differences across all age categories (Cohen’s d > 2.0), except between the U-15 and U-17 categories. Moderate-large correlations (r = from 0.38 to 0.77) were found in most relationships between the CS and LS (5 and 20 meters), COD, and CMJ performance. Based on the findings CS improved gradually from the U-13 to the Senior category, with the smallest improvement occurring from the U-15 to the U-17. Regarding the association between CS and the speed-power abilities assessed, we suggest that specific training and assessments for young and professional soccer players should be utilized to develop such capacities (i.e., CS, LS, COD, and CMJ).
Determinants of intimate partner violence among female youth in Tanzania: Evidence from Tanzania Demographic and Health Survey
Authors: Mwita Winfrida C. , Mitao Modesta , Antony Cecilia , Adinan Hamidu , Ngiga Steven , Mtuy Tara B. , Leyaro Beatrice J. , Msuya Sia E.
Published: July 2024

Background
Intimate partner violence (IPV) has been recognized as a public health problem and is associated with poor health and social outcomes. However, there is limited knowledge about IPV among women aged 15 to 24 years in Tanzania. This age group is critical as it is the period when lifelong patterns of violence and norms about acceptable IPV are formed. The ecological framework portrays intimate partner violence as a multifaceted phenomenon, demonstrating the interplay of factors at different levels. This study aimed to determine individual and community determinants of IPV among female youth in Tanzania.
Methods
An analytical cross-sectional study was carried out using secondary data from the Tanzania Demographic and Health Survey 2015/16. Data analysis was performed using STATA version 14. Data analysis considered the complex survey design. A multilevel mixed-effects generalized linear model was used to determine individual and community-level factors associated with IPV among female youth.
Results
Almost one in two (47.8%) female youth in Tanzania reported to have ever experienced partner violence. Having adjusted for other relevant covariates, at the individual level, having at least one living child, witnessing interparental violence, having unfavorable attitudes towards IPV, and having a partner who drinks alcohol increased the odds of IPV. At the community level, geographical zones and community norms that justified IPV had a positive influence on IPV.
Conclusion
In addition to individual characteristics of woman, community-level factors also determine the experience of partner violence among female youth in Tanzania. Interventions to prevent violence should take into consideration both individual characteristics and the context of the community, putting a focus on transforming gender norms and attitudes, reducing harmful alcohol use and addressing prior histories of witnessing abuse.
Psychosocial functioning of patients up to 6 months after hospitalization for COVID-19
Authors: Rachubińska Kamila , Schneider-Matyka Daria , Cybulska Anna Maria , Skonieczna-Żydecka Karolina , Sołek-Pastuszka Joanna , Grochans Elżbieta
Published: July 2024

The aim of this study was to determine the associations between anxiety, insomnia, fatigue, fatigue, depression, perceived social support of patients hospitalised for SARS-CoV-2 infection not later than up to 6 months after hospitalisation. The study included 97 participants hospitalised for SARS-CoV-2 infection up to 6 months after enrollment. The study was conducted with the method of a diagnostic survey using the questionnaire technique: Modified Fatigue Impact Scale, The Patient Health Questionnaire-9, The Athens Insomnia Scale, The Generalized Anxiety Questionnaire, The Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, Self-administered questionnaire. Statistically significant: negative correlation between AIS and PHQ-9 scores (r=-0.195; p < 0.001), positive between AIS scores and MFIS (r = 0.468; p < 0.0001), negative between AIS scores and MSPSS (r=-0.267; p < 0.0081), positive between AIS and GAD-7 scores (r = 0.428; p < 0.001), positive between GAD-7 and MFIS scores (r = 0.384; p < 0.0001), negative between GAD-7 and MSPSS scores (r=-0.301; p < 0.0028), negative correlation, strong between MSPSS and MFIS scores (r=-0.201; p < 0.0484) were detected. The study presented here provides important associations and may help to assess the need for psychosocial support and provides a starting point for a larger study to determine the associations between depression, anxiety, fatigue, insomnia and social support among COVID-19 hospitalised patients.
Optimal Allocation of Antenatal and Young Child Nutrition Interventions: An Individual-Based GBD-Calibrated Microsimulation
Authors: Bowman Alison , Lutze Sylvia , Albright James , Blair-Stahn Nathaniel , Jafari Hussain , Kaur Simar , Kinuthia Caroline , Mudambi Rajan , Nast Patrick , Pletcher Alix , Flaxman Abraham
Published: July 2024

Background: Undernutrition remains a global crisis and is a focus of Sustain Development Goals. While there are multiple known, effective interventions, complex interactions between prevention and treatment and resource constraints can lead to difficulties in allocating funding. Simulation studies that use in silico computer simulation can help illuminate the interactions between interventions and provide insight into the cost-effectiveness of alternative packages of options.
Methods: We developed an individual-based microsimulation model to test a range of antenatal and child nutrition interventions (iron and folic acid, multiple micronutrients, balanced energy protein supplementation, treatment for severe acute malnutrition, treatment for moderate acute malnutrition, and wasting prevention with small-quantity lipid-based nutrient supplements) and an analytic approach to processes the results of the microsimulation and provide the optimal intervention funding allocation for a given budget size.
Results: The reallocation of the baseline budget to minimize DALYs resulted in first funding multiple micronutrients to their maximum coverage, and then funding treatment for severe acute malnutrition. Relative to the baseline allocation, the reallocation optimized to minimizing DALYs resulted in 592,000 fewer annual DALYs.
For budgets larger than the baseline, our model recommended funding first targeted moderate acute malnutrition treatment, second universal moderate acute malnutrition treatment, third wasting prevention with small-quantity lipid-based nutrient supplements, and fourth balanced energy protein supplementation.
Conclusions: Our simulation is a novel model for estimating optimal allocation of spending on antenatal and child health nutrition interventions. We utilized a detailed health model that accounts for the interaction between preventive and therapeutic approaches. Our results show that an optimized reallocation of current spending on multiple micronutrients and treatment for severe acute malnutrition can substantially improve pregnancy-related and child health without additional funding. Additionally, we provide direction for how to best allocate expanded budgets to maximize impact.
Sci-tech analysis and related research on three glass beads unearthed from M686 in the Qin Cemetery of Warring States Period in Hejia, Zhouling
Authors: HA Wenhui , Sun Feng , Zhai Congwen
Published: July 2024

This paper analyzed three glass beads unearthed from M686 in the Qin Cemetery of Warring States Period (475 BC-207 BC) in Hejia,Zhouling by using ultra depth of field 3D video microscopy (OM), X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (XRF) and microscopic laser Raman spectroscopy. The results show that the three glass beads belong to the unique lead-barium silicate glass system in ancient China. The main chromic element of glass is Cu(Ⅱ), and the weathering products are PbCO3 and BaSO4. And taking the cross section of sample 2 as the main research object, the weathering mechanism of lead-barium glass was studied by means of scanning electron microscope energy spectrum scanning (SEM-EDS) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The weathering of lead-barium glass was caused by the continuous loss of Pb, Ba and S elements in the substrate, and the interaction with the materials in the buried environment to produce the weathering products of PbCO3 and BaSO4. Based on the analysis of soil elements in the buried environment, the water solubility of Ba ion is greater than that of Pb ion. The weathering process of glass is accompanied by the transformation of Cu(Ⅱ) to Cu(Ⅰ), which explains the essence of weathering discoloration of glass. This study has reference significance for the research of production process, weathering mechanism and protection of lead-barium silicate system.
Evaluating the Challenges and Strategies for SDG.15.3: A Case Study of Goa State
Authors: Dubey Harshit , Bhatt Naimish , Chaturvedi Shobhit , Kant Ravi
Published: July 2024

With increased anthropogenic activity and commitments toward various international organisations and countries to mitigate its ill effects, finding a sustainable way out is very important. The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) thus become an important part of our collective efforts. The present study aims at assessing SDG 15: Life on land (SDG 15.3.1) for India’s state of Goa following the good practices guidelines of the United Nations to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) by employing the “Trends. Earth” plug-in in QGIS software. The assessment of the indicator is based on three sub-indicators: soil carbon, productivity, and land cover. The study yields a total land area improvement of 81.16% to the overall area of the state. The individual sub-indicator of productivity depicted an improvement of 85.14%, whereas 8.70% area was with stable productivity. Other sub-indicators of land cover showed a larger portion of land as stable, with 90.26% and a minor improvement of 5.20%. The soil organic carbon depicted an improvement of 0.54% with a maximum stable soil organic carbon of 94.91%. Several factors, such as better resource utilisation, improved governance practices, and a more sustainable approach to development, have affected the overall improvement of the indicators. Over the years, these improvements have allowed the state to grow as a sustainable tourist attraction for Indian nationals and foreign visitors.
Analysis of clinical characteristics of febrile seizures in children with COVID-19: a retrospective study
Authors: Zhu Nanxi , Ye Ruming , Liu Fangyi , Li Dan , Lin Ying , Li Wanting , Wu Guanhong , Zhuang Deyi , Huang Xianghui
Published: July 2024

Background
Transmission of COVID-19 is now normalized. COVID-19 can invade the central nervous system, cause abnormalities in the nervous system, and is associated with an increased incidence of febrile seizures in children. This study is to compare the differences in clinical features, hematological features, and cerebrospinal fluid characteristics between COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 children with febrile seizures and to explore the clinical characteristics of febrile seizures caused by COVID-19.
Methods
This was a retrospective case-control study. The cases included children with COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 febrile seizures admitted to Xiamen Children's Hospital from December 2022 to December 2023. The age, gender, length of hospital stay, peak body temperature, presence or absence of other viral infections, hematological characteristics, and cerebrospinal fluid characteristics were compared between children with COVID-19 febrile seizures and non-COVID-19 febrile seizures.
Results
A total of 50 COVID-19 children with febrile seizures and 192 non-COVID-19 children with febrile seizures were enrolled in this study. Multivariate analysis showed that age (OR=0.715, P=0.031), blood urea nitrogen (OR=0.454, P=0.029), platelet count (OR=0.987, P=0.009), and magnesium ion concentration (OR=0.109, P<0.001) were independent protective factors for COVID-19 febrile seizures. Albumin (OR=1.840, P<0.001) was an independent risk factor. The concentration of potassium ions in cerebrospinal fluid(OR=4.383, P=0.022)was an independent protective factor, while the concentration of sodium ions (OR=4.383, P=0.022) was an independent risk factor.
Conclusion
There were differences in age, blood urea nitrogen, platelet count, magnesium ion concentration, albumin, potassium ion concentration in cerebrospinal fluid, and sodium ion concentration in the cerebrospinal fluid between children with COVID-19 febrile seizures and non-COVID-19 febrile seizures. This study may provide valuable insights into the potential mechanisms of COVID-19 damage to the nervous system in children, and the long-term neurological prognosis of these children requires long-term follow-up.
Prevention of Argentinian Flag Sign in Intumescent Cataracts Using Anterior Chamber Air Bubble and Cortical Fluid Release Techniques
Authors: Wang Suchang , Zhang Ming , Hou Wenwen , Wang Yan , Cai Liming , Zhang Guimin
Published: July 2024

Objective: To effectively avoide the occurrence of the Argentinian flag sign during the process of continuous, circular, and centered anterior capsulotomy (CCC) on the anterior capsule in cortically liquefied intumescent cataracts
Methods: Preoperative examinations including slit-lamp examination, ocular A-scan ultrasonography, and UBM were conducted on 61 patients with intumescent cataracts. Cases with cortically liquefied intumescent cataracts were selected and after staining with indocyanine green, the anterior chamber air bubble technique was used to compress the anterior capsule, and liquefied cortex was aspirated using a puncture needle. CDVA and intraocular pressure were recorded on postoperative days 1, 1 week, 1 month, and 6 month. Intraoperative and postoperative complications were documented and analyzed.
Results: Fifty eyes were identified as having cortically liquefied intumescent cataracts. No cases of the Argentinian flag sign occurred, and standard capsulorrhexis was achieved, facilitating smooth phacoemulsification. All patients achieved satisfactory outcomes at follow-ups of 1 day, 1 week, 1 month, and 6 month postoperatively. Mild corneal edema was observed in three cases on the first postoperative day, with no other complications noted.
Conclusion: The anterior chamber air bubble technique combined with cortical fluid release technique can prevent the occurrence of the Argentinian flag sign in cortically liquefied intumescent cataracts, this method is simple, convenient and economic for the clinical promotion.
Potential Immunological Biomarkers in Chronic Spontaneous Urticaria Patients Receiving Omalizumab Treatment
Authors: Kara Rabia Oztas , Hamarat Kaan Furkan , Eskiler Gamze Guney , Dikicier Bahar Sevimli , Ozkan Asuman Deveci , Yanar Sevinç , Kara Ahmet , Yaldiz Mahizer
Published: July 2024

Background: We aimed to investigate the therapeutic role of different cytokines as potential biomarkers to diagnose and follow up chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU) patients in response to omalizumab.
Methods: The study was planned in two stages. At first, we measured the serum levels of 48 different cytokines to assess the potential role of cytokines in response to omalizumab. In the second stage, we statistically validated the differences in serum levels of higher cytokines by ELISA analysis in CSU patients compared with the control. The patient group was divided into two groups, under and over 45 years of age, and the data were compared between age groups. The association was analyzed for C-reactive protein, anti-thyroid peroxidase, D-dimer, antinuclear antibody, and total immunoglobulin E levels at the beginning of the treatment and after treatment in the first month and third month.
Results: The human cytokine antibody array showed that Interleukin-8 (IL-8), GROα, and ENA-78 protein levels significantly changed compared to the beginning of treatment. In the group over 45 years of age, IL-8, GROα, and ENA-78 levels statistically decreased in the third month of treatment. However, the level of them increased following treatment in the first month among CSU patients under 45 years of age.
Conclusion: Our results indicated that IL-8, GROα, and ENA-78 levels decreased with recovery in patients over 45. However, further investigations should be required to verify the results in larger groups consisting of CSU patients of different ages to identify the role of cytokines in response to omalizumab.
Examining patch and landscape-level white-tailed deer connectivity using a novel, buffer and resistance-based metric
Authors: O’Connor Collin , Aldstadt Jared , Wilson Adam
Published: July 2024

Context: Landscape connectivity drives many ecological processes and can be quantified using numerous metrics. Few metrics can be interpreted at both patch and landscape-levels, incorporate structural and functional connectivity, and are computationally efficient.
Objectives: We sought a generalizable connectivity metric for individual patches and landscapes. An ideal metric could accurately estimate the functional connectivity of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus).
Methods: The Sinuous Connection Reduction (SCR) index is a functional connectivity metric modified from the Probability of Connectivity (PC) index and Equivalent Connected Area (ECA). SCR is calculated by adding patch area between adjacent patches, where the area added is reduced by a factor of the inverse of least-cost-path sinuosity between the patches. A case-study calculates SCR, PC, and ECA for white-tailed deer in NYS, and metrics are compared to historical counts of deer take.
Results: SCR can be calculated for individual patches and landscapes, providing a hierarchical understanding of connectivity. Spatial panel regression models indicate ECA is the best fitting metric for white-tailed deer connectivity, followed by SCR and PC. Both PC and ECA are susceptible to boundary effects, and ECA values are partially attributed to landscape size. Geographically weighted regression models indicate opposing relationships between metrics and deer take in different regions of NYS, indicating deer populations are modulated by other locationally-specific factors apart from connectivity.
Conclusions: SCR can be considered useful over PC when home-ranges apply, though it requires data-intensive least-cost path modeling. SCR is computationally efficient when modeling landscapes with many disjointed patches and incorporates both functional and structural connectivity.
Structural plasticity of pyramidal cell neurons measured after FLASH and conventional dose-rate irradiation
Authors: Dickstein Dara L. , Zhang Richard , Ru Ning , Vozenin Marie-Catherine , Perry Bayley C. , Wang Juan , baulch janet , Acharya Munjal M. , Limoli Charles L.
Published: July 2024

Evidence shows that ultra-high dose-rate FLASH-radiotherapy (FLASH-RT) protects against normal tissue complications and functional decrements in the irradiated brain. Past work has shown that radiation-induced cognitive impairment, neuroinflammation and reduced structural complexity of granule cell neurons were not observed to the same extent after FLASH-RT (> MGy/s) compared to conventional dose-rate (CONV, 0.1 Gy/s) delivery. To explore the sensitivity of different neuronal populations to cranial irradiation and dose-rate modulation, hippocampal CA1 and medial prefrontal cortex (PFC) pyramidal neurons were analyzed by electron and confocal microscopy. Neuron ultrastructural analyses by electron microscopy after 10 Gy FLASH- or CONV-RT exposures indicated that irradiation had little impact on dendritic complexity and synapse density in the CA1, but did increase length and head diameter of smaller non-perforated synapses. Similarly, irradiation caused no change in PFC prelimbic/infralimbic axospinous synapse density, but reductions in non-perforated synapse diameters. While irradiation resulted in thinner myelin sheaths compared to controls, none of these metrics were dose-rate sensitive. Analysis of fluorescently labeled CA1 neurons revealed no radiation-induced or dose-rate-dependent changes in overall dendritic complexity or spine density, in contrast to our past analysis of granule cell neurons. Super-resolution confocal microscopy following a clinical dosing paradigm (3×10Gy) showed significant reductions in excitatory vesicular glutamate transporter 1 and inhibitory vesicular GABA transporter puncta density within the CA1 that were largely dose-rate independent. Collectively, these data reveal that, compared to granule cell neurons, CA1 and mPFC neurons are more radioresistant irrespective of radiation dose-rate.
Study the effect of a new design of a twisted impeller blade on the vortexes formation and power consumption using a centric and eccentric stirred tank experimentally and numerically
Authors: Salho Ameer K. , Hamzah Dhafer A.
Published: July 2024

Vortex formation in stirred tanks is one of the problems facing many stirred tank designers. The current study depicts experimentally and numerically the effect of changing the impeller structure and its location in a twisted shape on the shape of the vortex, energy consumption, flow patterns, and turbulent kinetic energy. Numerically, the finite volume method was used, the mathematical model used the Volume of Fluid to simulate the free surface between air and water, and the mathematical model (k- ε ) was used to simulate turbulent flow. Rotational speeds of the impeller of different values ​​between (150-450 RPM) were applied, noting the effect of changing the location of the impeller experimentally and numerically on the flow parameters and other parameters. The current study showed that the rate of deviation in the values ​​of torque and energy consumption between the numerical and practical studies is relatively acceptable in addition to the convergence in the shape of the vortex. The results obtained showed that the shape and location of the impeller affect the shape of the vortex, and changing the rotation speed affects the growth and depth of the vortex. The study also showed that the amount of torque for the un-baffled stirred tank is less than that for the eccentric stirred tank, depending on the rotation speed. For example, at the rotation speed (350RPM) it was (0.034 N.m) and at the same speed, it was (0.093 N.m) for the eccentric location. The study also showed a comparison of flow patterns between the central and eccentric locations of the impeller.
A Named Entity Recognition and Topic Modeling-based Solution for Locating and Better Assessment of Natural Disasters in Social Media
Authors: Mehmood Ayaz , Ayub Muhammad Asif , Zamir Muhammad Tayyab , Ahmad Nasir , Ahmad Kashif
Published: July 2024

Over the last decade, similar to other application domains, social media content has been widely explored for disaster informatics. However, due to the unstructured nature of the data, several challenges are associated with disaster analysis in social media content. For example, social media content is generally very noisy containing disaster-related words (e.g., floods, wildfires) used in a different context. Similarly, most of social media posts either do not contain geo-location information or do not represent the actual disaster location. To fully explore the potential of social media content in disaster informatics, access to relevant content and the correct geo-location information is very critical. In this paper, we propose a three-step solution to tackling these challenges. Firstly, the proposed solution aims at the classification of social media posts into relevant and irrelevant posts followed by the automatic extraction of location information from the posts' text itself through Named Entity Recognition (NER) analysis. Finally, to quickly analyze the topics covered in large volumes of social media posts, we perform topic modeling resulting in a list of top keywords, that highlight the issues discussed in the tweet. For the classification of the tweets, we proposed a merit-based fusion framework combining the capabilities of multiple Large Language Models (LLMs), obtaining the highest F1-score of 0.933 on a benchmark dataset. For the Location Extraction from Twitter Text (LETT), we evaluated four LLMs obtaining the highest F1-score of 0.960. For topic modeling, we used the BERTopic library to discover the hidden topic patterns in the relevant tweets. The experimental results of all the components of the proposed end-to-end solution are encouraging and hint at the effectiveness of social media content and NLP in disaster management.
Wastewater and clinical based epidemiology for viral surveillance in urban sewage and clinical samples from Egypt
Authors: Shaheen Mohamed N. F. , Ahmed Nehal Ibrahim , Elmahdy Elmahdy M.
Published: July 2024

The release of inadequately treated wastewater, containing human viruses, into the water environment or agricultural use represent a major problem in public health. In this study we evaluated the presence of polyomavirus (HPyV), papillomavirus (HPV), hepatitis A virus (HAV), and hepatitis E virus (HEV) in urban sewage and among children with acute gastroenteritis by real time PCR. The seasonal distribution in wastewater and viral removal by wastewater treatment process were also evaluated. HPyV, HPV, HAV, and HEV, were detected in 68%, 39.6% 42.4%, and 33.3% of the raw sewage and in 21%, 9.4%, 18.7%, and 0% of the treated sewage samples. Among the 200 children with acute gastroenteritis, HPyV, HPV, HAV, and HEV were detected in 72.5%, 50%, 13%, and 5% of stool samples tested, respectively. HPyV was more prevalent in both environmental and clinical samples. The concentration of these viruses (HPyV, HPV, HAV, HEV) in raw sewage, treated sewage, and stool samples ranged from 1.30×101 GC/ml to 9.86×107 GC/ml with a mean concentration of 3.62 ×106, from 0 GC/ml and 2.15×105 GC/ml with a mean concentration of 4.03×103, and from 1.40×101 to 9.85×107 GC/g with a mean concentration of 4.05×106 GC/g, respectively. Examination of wastewater treatment process efficiency based on mean concentration values at entry and exit observed an overall reduction of 49.5%, 47.9%, 41.2%, 100%, for HPyV, HPV, HAV, and HEV respectively. This study showed the benefit of environmental monitoring as an additional tool to investigate the epidemiology of these viruses circulating in a given community.