bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Machine Learning as a Strategic Tool for Helping Cocoa Farmers in Côte d’Ivoire
Authors: Ferraris Stefano , Meo Rosa , Pinardi Stefano , Salis Matteo , Sartor Gabriele
Published: August 2023

Machine Learning can be used for social good. In this paper, we discuss how it can be used to combat climate change and facilitate land management and farming in developing countries and in particular in Côte d’Ivoire. This paper explores models that improve land and water management and agricultural farming cultivation to contrast climate change. Côte d’Ivoire is the largest producer of cocoa beans (43%) in the world, but deforestation, lack of rainfall, drought, and climate change threaten crops and the already fragile economy of Ivorian farmers. It is important to combat climate change with methods and techniques that are affordable to the local farmers and also induce positive effects in production. We discuss the use of low-cost sensors to collect data on the soil and open data and open source software to develop AI tools. We show that using deep neural networks (YOLOv5m) is effective for detecting healthy plants and pods of cocoa from damaged ones only using mobile phone images. Focusing on a single land is not enough to combat climate change, which has different causes and involves also knowledge at a higher scale. We propose a new method of forecasting for the analysis of remote sensors. Remote sensor data come from GRACE NASA Mission and ERA5 produced by the Copernicus Climate Change Service at ECMWF. We implement a new deep neural network architecture named CIWA-net. It is based on a Fully Convolutional Neural Network (FCN) [ 1] and it is a U-net like architecture [2]. The aim of CIWA-net is to forecast Total Water Storage Anomalies (TWSA). We show the quality of our model with a comparison to a vanilla Convolutional Neural Network. CIWA-net could be used also for the detection of lands that interfere with agricultural work and yields, such as deserted areas, water-soaking soil areas, zones at risk of desertification, and poor land use. The employment of AI at the service of agriculture can decrease crop losses and waste, lower the inputs onto the soil of fertilizers, responsible for the increase of Greenhouse Gases. It could be useful to help the small farmers (at a local scale) and also the policy-makers and farmers’ cooperatives (at the regional scale) to take valid and coordinated countermeasures to improve the correct use of the lands, helping to contrast and adapt to climate change.
Research on Practical Path Tracking Control of Autonomous Underwater Vehicle Based on Constructive Dynamic Gain Controller
Authors: Wang Fang , Peng Yudong , Guo Longchuan
Published: August 2023

This paper studies the trajectory tracking control of an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) based on a stochastic uncertain nonlinear system. We investigate the time-varying gain adaptive control method looking for possible approaches to alleviate the heavy computational burden. Under nonlinear growth, conditions satisfy polynomial growth conditions. These two problems are resolved the fast response time and good path tracking, respectively. Novel adaptive algorithms are developed exploiting the dynamic properties of the AUV motion. By appropriately turning the original controller design problems into parameters choosing problems and then solving them in a functional time-varying observer technical theorem. In order to deal with the station error of system converges to arbitrarily small domains with stochastic uncertain disturbance. A coordinate transformation is proposed for all system states to meet boundedness. We show that the convergence of the AUV trajectory errors can be guaranteed by the proposed contraction constraints in the stability analysis, closed-loop stability is proved, and the system is asymptotically probabilistic in the global scope. They are taking advantage of the guaranteed stability. Extensive simulation studies on the AUV model demonstrate the effectiveness and robustness of the proposed approach. A real-time time-varying gain constructive control strategy is further developed for the Hardware-in-the-loop simulation; the controller design results are imported into the AUV actuator model to verify the effectiveness of the controller design.
Fibrinolytic Enzyme from Green Microalgae: A New Potential Drug for Thrombolytic Therapy?
Authors: Moura Yanara Alessandra Santana , De Souza Ariadne Tennyle Vieira , Costa e Silva Páblo Eugênio da , Da Silva Marllyn Marques , Porto Ana Lúcia Figueiredo , Bezerra Raquel Pedrosa
Published: August 2023

Thrombosis is characterized by the pathological formation of fibrin clots within a blood vessel, leading to the obstruction of blood flow. Fibrinolytic enzymes from microorganisms have exhibited promising effects to dissolve clots in a more efficient and safe way. Then, the aim of this study was to evaluate the biomass and fibrinolytic enzyme production of Tetradesmus obliquus under autotrophic and mixotrophic conditions using different concentration of corn steep liquor (CSL). Different extraction and precipitating methods were tested, and the enzyme was purified by ion exchange chromatography. More advantageous culture condition was mixotrophic using 0.25% CSL, showing the highest values of biomass productivity (Px = 169.3 ± 44.36 mg∙L-1day-1) and specific growth rate (µmax = 0.17 ± 0.00 day-1), and significant fibrinolytic production (391.34 ± 40.03 U∙mg-1). Moreover, fibrinolytic activity was higher when extracted by homogenization and precipitated using acetone, which exhibited clear zone of fibrin degradation in the fibrinolytic plate assay. Additionally, the purified enzyme showed specific activity of 1176.90 ± 140.37 U∙mg-1 and molecular weight around 97 kDa. Finally, the enzyme has higher enzymatic activity than various fibrinolytic enzymes, and the obtained enzyme has potential to be developed as a therapeutic agent in thrombosis treatment. Additional studies are need to investigate the biochemical properties and biological profile of this enzyme.
CAM Model: Intriguing Natural Bioreactor for Sustainable Research and Reliable/Versatile Testing
Authors: Palumbo Carla , Sisi Federica , Checchi Marta
Published: August 2023

We are witnessing the revival of the CAM model, which was already used in the past by some authors studying angiogenesis and anti-cancer drugs, that now offers a refined model to fill, in the translational meaning, the gap between in vitro-in vivo studies. It can be used for a wide range of purposes, from testing cytotoxicity, pharmacokinetics, tumorigenesis, invasion, to action mechanisms of molecules, and validation of new materials from tissue engineering research. CAM model is easy to use with a fast outcome and makes experimental research more sustainable since allowing to replace, reduce and refine pre-clinical experimentation ("3Rs" rules [1]). This re-view aims to highlight some unique potentials that CAM-assay presents; in particular, the authors intend to use in the next future the CAM model to verify, in a microenvironment comparable to in vivo conditions, albeit simplified, the angiogenic ability of functionalized 3D constructs to be used in regenerative medicine strategies in the recovery of skeletal injuries of critical size (CSD) that do not repair spontaneously. For this purpose, organotypic cultures will be planned on sever-al CAMs set up in temporal sequence: a sort of organ model for assessing CSD conducted in the CAM bioreactor, rather than in vivo.
Diagnosing ASEAN –Part 1: the Metacybernetic Theory
Authors: Rautakivi Tuomo , Yolles Maurice
Published: August 2023

A regional organisation (RO) is a group of states that, through the formation of mutual relationships, work together for shared regional goals such as economic growth, social welfare, security, and democracy. The Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) is one such organisation, of interest because of its operative paradoxes. However, current theory to study ROs is both fragmented across the field of study, and inadequate. Taking ROs to be complex adaptive systems, diagnosing ROs requires theory that can to explore their hidden aspects. The metacybernetics framework enables the creation of a critical realism configurative a-priori inquiry approach to theory building, the configurations providing coordinative schemas able to respond to predefined complex modelling needs. To analyse ROs using metacybernetics, we offer a derivative schema, Cultural Agency Theory (CAT). Currently this is limited to exploring modes of information acquisition processes through cognitive style, and until now has had no inherent mechanism to explore social relationships as is required to explore ROs. To enable CAT to explore such relationships, we configure the Tönnies social organisation paradigm for CAT. Mindset Agency Theory (MAT) is a specific elaboration of CAT, and creates an empirical setting for the set of formative traits that de-fine an RO character. A related derivative of CAT is that of Multiple Identity Theory (MIT) which enables organisational pathologies to be explored in terms of identity conflicts. This multifaceted paradigm provides a relatively simple approach to the RO diagnosis, in particular in terms of stability/coherence. This paper is in two parts. In this part 1, the CAT theory will be further developed through the joint configuration of Tönnies social organisation paradigm allowing its pathologies to be diagnosed. In part 2 of the paper, the theory will be applied to ASEAN and the diagnosis will show that it is an inherently incoherent organisation.
Overview on the Polyphenol Avenanthramide in Oats (Avena sativa Linn.) as Regulators of PI3K Signaling in the Management of Neurodegenerative Diseases
Authors: Wankhede Nitu L , Kale Mayur B , Bawankule Ashwini K , Aglawe Manish M , Taksande Brijesh G , Trivedi Rashmi V , Umekar Milind J , Jamadagni Ankush , Walse Prathamesh , Koppula Sushruta , Kopalli Spandana Rajendra
Published: August 2023

Avenanthramides (Avns) and its derivatives, a group of polyphenolic compounds found abundantly in Oats (Avena sativa Linn.) have emerged as a promising candidate for neuroprotection due to their immense anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-apoptotic properties. Neurodegenerative diseases (NDDs), characterized by progressive degeneration of neurons, present a significant global health burden with limited therapeutic options. The phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) signalling pathway plays a crucial role in cell survival, growth, and metabolism, making it an attractive target for therapeutic intervention. Dysregulation of PI3K signalling has been implicated in the pathogenesis of various NDDs including Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease. Avns has been shown to modulate PI3K/AKT signalling, leading to increased neuronal survival, reduced oxidative stress, and improved cognitive function. This review explores the potential of Avns polyphenols, as modulators of the PI3K signalling pathway focusing on their beneficial effects against NDDs. Further, we outlined the need for clinical exploration to elucidate the specific mechanisms of Avns action on the PI3K/AKT pathway and its potential interactions with other signalling cascades involved in neurodegeneration. Based on the available literature using relevant keywords from Google Scholar, PubMed, Scopus, Science Direct, and Web of Science, our review emphasizes the potential of Avns as a therapeutic strategy for NDDs and warrants further investigation and clinical exploration.
Development and Validation of a Canine Health Related QoL Questionnaire and a Human-Canine Bond Questionnaire for Use in Veterinary Practice
Authors: Lavan Robert P. , Tahir Muna , O’Donnell Christina , Bellenger Alex , DeBock Elodie , Koochaki Patricia
Published: August 2023

Background: Valid questionnaires to assess dogs’ health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in veterinary practice can improve canine health outcomes and communications between veterinarians and dog caretakers. The Canine HRQoL Questionnaire (HRQoL-Q) and the Human-Canine Bond Questionnaire (HCBQ) were developed and validated to fulfill this need. Methods: A literature review, interviews with veterinarians, and focus groups with caretakers were conducted to generate questionnaire items to develop draft questionnaires, piloted with caretakers to establish content validity. Measurement properties were evaluated using data from a prospective survey study (N = 327). Results: Draft Canine HRQoL-Q and HCBQ measures were developed, including a domain structure, items, recall period, and scale/response options. Refinements were made via iterative cognitive interviews with caretakers. When no additional revisions were indicated and content validity established, the questionnaires were psychometrically tested. Ceiling effects were observed for all items, and factor analyses indicated that pre-specified domains are appropriate. Internal consistency was demonstrated for the HCBQ (α = 0.79–0.86) and all but the canine HRQoL-Q social functioning domain (α = 0.60)). Test-retest reliability for the canine HRQoL-Q was generally moderate-to-good (intraclass correlation coefficients [ICCs] > 0.79). Test-retest reliability for the HCBQ was moderate (ICCs: 0.70–0.79), except the trust domain (ICC: 0.58). Known-groups validity was demonstrated by significant differences (p < 0.05) in scores by health/bonding groups. Convergent validity was supported (r > 0.40) between all domains and the total score for both questionnaires. Conclusions: The Canine HRQoL-Q and the HCBQ are valid, reliable measures of canine HRQoL for use in veterinary clinics and appear to measure related but distinct concepts that contribute to canine health and wellness.
Epigenetics and the Environmental Landscape of Autism Spectrum Disorders
Authors: Torres German , Mourad Mervat , Iqbal Saba , Moses-Fynn Emmanuel , Pandita Ashani , Siddhartha Shriya S. , Sood Riya A. , Srinivasan Kavya , Subbaiah Riya T. , Tiwari Alisha , Leheste Joerg R.
Published: August 2023

Complex interactions between gene variants and environmental risk factors underlie the pathophysiological pathways in major psychiatric disorders. Autism Spectrum Disorder is a psychiatric condition in which susceptible alleles along with epigenetic memories contribute to the mutational landscape of the ailing brain. The present work reviews recent evolutionary, molecular, and epigenetic mechanisms potentially linked to the etiology of autism. First, we present a clinical vignette to describe clusters of maladaptive behaviors frequently diagnosed in autistic patients. Next, we microdissect brain regions pertinent to the nosology of autism as well as cell networks from the bilateral body plan. Lastly, we catalog a number of pathogenic environments associated with disease risk factors. This set of perspectives provides emerging insights into the dynamic interplay between epigenetic and environmental variation in the development of Autism Spectrum Disorders.
Team Approach: Improving Orthopaedic Operating Room Efficiency
Authors: Tanaka Miho J. , Prasad Rashmi , Miller Lauren A. , Fleck Marina M. , Stiles Beverly , Boyne Catherine J. , Nguyen The-Hung Edward
Published: August 2023

The cost of surgical care accounts for almost one-third of all health care spending in the United States. Within health care spending, the operating room (OR) is one of the largest health care costs during a perioperative episode of care. Efficiency in the OR has been associated with increased productivity, safety, and quality of care. However, multiple sources of delays can contribute to inefficiency, and improving efficiency in the OR requires a systematic approach to identify and address each issue. We report on the case of a process improvement initiative implemented in a large academic institution to improve OR efficiency in outpatient orthopaedic cases, and we discuss the lessons learned through this program. Optimizing workflow in the OR requires a multidisciplinary team approach consisting of clinician leaders with common goals and open discussion regarding the needs of each team member, including circulating nurses, surgical nurses/technologists, and anesthesiologists. Our experience highlights the importance of practical, clinician-driven changes that are supported by administrative engagement, resources for staffing and equipment, and institutional flexibility, which are required to implement systemic changes to address and improve efficiency in the OR.
Failure Analysis of the Screw Press Machine
Authors: Wardianto Dedi , Anrinal
Published: August 2023

In this paper, an analysis of the mechanical components of the Screw Press Machine is carried out in the form of an analysis of the design of mechanical components, maintenance cycles and remaining life. From the design analysis of mechanical components, it is known that the stresses that occur in the screw are in the form of nominal shear stresses of 18.18 N/mm², axial stresses of -10.41 N/mm², bending stresses of 54.66 N/mm², and shear stresses acting on the base screw of 65.41 N/mm². The number of press cycles that occur in one hour is 121 cycles. Number in the press cycle that occurs in the worm screw press is 2.625x105 cycles. In field conditions with pressure fluctuating between 30-40 bars, the life time of using a worm screw press is around 2169.43 hours.
Design and Manufacturing of Wind Tunnel for Turbine Impeller Airfoil Testing
Authors: Yanel Karnova , Yanto Asmara
Published: August 2023

In this study, the design of a wind tunnel was carried out to observe airflow through an airfoil, streamlines and turbine blades. To accommodate this, in this study a design was made of an open return wind tunnel. In this case, an open circuit wind tunnel type will be made because the construction is simpler and the manufacturing costs are relatively cheaper compared to the closed circuit wind tunnel type. The Wind Tunnel is designed with Open CLosed Wind Tunnel (OCWT) type. The OCWT is designed to consist of fan and housing, diffuser, test section, contraction, honeycomb. The OCWT design uses an operating fan to circulate air into the test section. The maximum air speed in the Test Section is 5 m/s with a flow that is closed to laminar. The recommended diffuser has a dimension of 50 cm on the side that is attached to the test section and 52 cm on the side facing the fan with an inclination angle of 1.79o. The driver uses a 16 inch exhaust fan with a power of 74 W to make the flow in the Test Section stable at a speed of 2 m/s.
Application of Volatile Solvent Treatment for Downhole Water Blockage and Organic Residue Removals – A Case Study
Authors: Asghar Shahab Azeem , Talha M Shehzad , Haque Inam , Khan M Nisar , Nawaz Ahmad , Asad Abdul , Saeed Muhammad Salman , Anwar Rameez , Yousaf Arif , Ahmad Syed Hamza
Published: August 2023

Liquid blockage is a damage mechanism which occurs due to accumulation of immovable liquid phase near the wellbore area causing impairment of the relative permeability of the valuable hydrocarbons leading to significant reduction in production. The liquid block may be caused by the accumulation of condensates, water or immovable emulsions formed by interaction of incompatible fluids. These incompatible fluids may be introduced during the drilling operations or during the commingled production of fluids through single completion string. This damage may cause complete seizure of production in low pressure gas wells due to drastic reduction in the relative permeability of gas due to high mobility contrast. Similarly, the potential organic residue deposition in injection wells cause significant damage leading to abnormal injection pressures and rendering the operation expensive and uneconomical.

A well-known solution for treating liquid blocks is the usage of alcohol-based treatments that work by reducing the viscous forces of the blocking fluid, reducing the interfacial tension, solubilizing the blocking water, causing vaporization, and subsequently removing the fluid blockage. Similarly, the aromatic fluids-based mixture with mutual solvent has been used for treatment of organic residue depositions and emulsion removal. However, limited applications of these solutions in the Indus Basin require further work on the subject to establish the minimum confidence on the successful solution recipe and development of the best practices for such wells.

This paper demonstrates the practical application of utilization of these solutions for successful treatment of liquid blockage in 1st attempt, putting depleted gas well back at pre water block damage production level and significant improvement in injection pressures of another injector well saving multi folds cost of operation.
Further physical study about solution structures for nonlinear q-deformed Sinh-Gordon equation along with bifurcation and chaotic behaviors
Authors: Bai Leiqiang , Qi Jianming , Sun Yiqun
Published: August 2023

In this article, with the help of Matlab R2021a software, the exact solutions of the nonlinear q-deformed Sinh-Gordon equation are successfully examined by (G′/G2)-expansion method. The main novelty of this paper lies in fifive aspects: (1) To our best knowledge, the modifified(G′/G2)-expansion method was fifirstly applied in nonlinear q-deformed Sinh-Gordon equation (NQSGE). And thus get many new solutions that were not found previously literature[Ali et al., 2022; Raza et al., 2023]. (2) The effffects of wave obliqueness about NQSGE are fifirstly discussed in this paper which did not happen in previous papers[Ali & Abdel-Aty, 2022; Raza et al., 2022, 2023; Ali et al., 2022; Alrebdi et al., 2022]. (3) Phase portraits and bifurcation behaviors about NQSGE are also fifirstly investigated in Hamiltonian system that did not appear in previous literatures[Ali & Abdel-Aty, 2022; Raza et al., 2022, 2023; Ali et al., 2022; Alrebdi et al., 2022]. (4) Sensitive analysis to initial value and chaotic behavior are also fifirstly studied in NQSGE. This is also a work not done in other previous literatures[Ali & Abdel-Aty, 2022; Raza et al., 2022, 2023; Ali et al., 2022; Alrebdi et al., 2022]. (5) The modifified Riemann-Liouville, Beta, Conformable and M-truncated fractional derivatives are tested for accuracy in Fig. 18 (a) and (b). To our best knowledge, we seem fifirstly compare the relations and distinctions among difffferent fractional order derivatives in NQSGE model. The generalizations (1)-(5) indicated the wave propagation of solitions about NQSGE model is mastered by the changed fraction, changed wave obliqueness angle and other physical factors. The geometrical representations of the NQSGE provide the corporal information to explain the physically phenomenons.
Spin-orbital Jahn-Teller bipolarons
Authors: Franchini Cesare , Celiberti Lorenzo , Mosca Dario Fiore , Allodi Giuseppe , Pourovskii Leonid , Tassetti Anna , Forino Paola , Cong Rong , Garcia Erick , Tran Phuong , De Renzi Roberto , Woodward Patrick , Mitrovic Vesna , Sanna Samuele
Published: August 2023

Polarons and spin-orbit (SO) coupling are distinct quantum effects that play a critical role in charge transport and spin-orbitronics. Polarons originate from strong electron-phonon interaction and are ubiquitous in polarizable materials featuring electron localization, in particular 3d transition metal oxides (TMOs). On the other hand, the relativistic coupling between the spin and orbital angular momentum is notable in lattices with heavy atoms and develops in 5d TMOs, where electrons are spatially delocalized. Here we combine ab initio calculations and magnetic measurements to show that these two seemingly mutually exclusive interactions are entangled in the electron-doped SO-coupled Mott insulator Ba2Na1-xCaxOsO6 (0 < x < 1), unveiling the formation of spin-orbital bipolarons. Polaron charge trapping, favoured by the Jahn-Teller lattice activity, converts the Os 5d1 spin-orbital Jeff=3/2 levels, characteristic of the parent compound Ba2NaOsO6 (BNOO), into a bipolaron 5d2 Jeff=2 manifold, leading to the coexistence of different J-effective states in a single-phase material. The gradual increase of bipolarons with increasing doping creates robust in-gap states that prevents the transition to a metal phase even at ultrahigh doping, thus preserving the Mott gap across the entire doping range from 5d1 BNOO to 5d2 Ba2CaOsO6 (BCOO).
Landscape of molecular crosstalk between SARS-CoV-2 infection and cardiovascular diseases: emphasis on mitochondrial dysfunction and immune-inflammation
Authors: Dai Shiyu , Cao Ting , Shen Han , Zong Xuejing , Gu Wenyu , Li Hanghang , Wei Lei , Huang Haoyue , Yu Yunsheng , Chen Yihuan , Ye Wenxue , Hua Fei , Fan Hongyou , Shen Zhenya
Published: August 2023

Background: SARS-CoV-2, the pathogen of COVID-19, is a worldwide threat to human health and causes a long-term burden on the cardiovascular system. Individuals with pre-existing cardiovascular diseases are at higher risk for SARS-CoV-2 infection and tend to have a worse prognosis. However, the relevance and pathogenic mechanisms between COVID-19 and cardiovascular diseases are not yet completely comprehended.
Methods: Common differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were obtained in datasets of human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes (hiPSC-CMs) infected with SARS-CoV-2 and myocardial tissues from heart failure patients. Further GO and KEGG pathway analysis, protein–protein interaction (PPI) network construction, hub genes identification, immune microenvironment analysis, and drug candidate predication were performed. Then, an isoproterenol-stimulated myocardial hypertrophy cell model and a transverse aortic constriction-induced mouse heart failure model were employed to validate the expression of hub genes.
Results: A total of 315 up-regulated and 78 down-regulated common DEGs were identified. Functional enrichment analysis revealed mitochondrial metabolic disorders and extensive immune inflammation as the most prominent shared features of COVID19 and cardiovascular diseases. Then, 11 hub DEGs, as well as hub immune-related and mitochondria-related DEGs, were screened. Additionally, nine potential therapeutic agents for COVID-19-related cardiovascular diseases were proposed. Furthermore, the expression patterns of most of the hub genes related to cardiovascular diseases in the validation dataset along with cellular and mouse myocardial damage models, were consistent with the findings of bioinformatics analysis.
Conclusions: The study unveiled the molecular networks and signaling pathways connecting COVID-19 and cardiovascular diseases, which may provide novel targets for intervention of COVID-19-related cardiovascular diseases.
BBB Dysfunction Defines the Aging Myeloid Landscape Favoring Immune Evasion for Glioma and Alzheimer's Disease
Authors: Gargini Ricardo , Segura-Collar Berta , Mondejar-Ruescas Lucia , Garranzo-Asensio María , Mata-Martinez Pablo , Garcia-Escudero Ramón , Hernández-Laín Aurelio , Sepúlveda Juan , Nuñez Ángel Pérez , Avila Jesus , Sánchez-Gómez Pilar
Published: August 2023

The blood-brain barrier (BBB) defines the physiological function of the brain, and it is disrupted in multiple neuropathological diseases. Although vascular abnormalities and BBB leakage characterize the progression of gliomas and occurs in the early stages of Alzheimer's disease (AD), it is unclear their correlation with the neurodegeneration observed in the brain parenchyma. Here, molecular analysis of the brain’s ecosystem showed that gene expression signatures linked to BBB dysfunction and neuronal synapses correlate directly and inversely, respectively, with the progression of AD and gliomas. Using human samples, patient´s-derived xenografts and mice with orthotopically implanted glioma cells, we observed that neuronal loss is linked to BBB breakdown in mesenchymal tumors. This involves the extravasation of monocyte-derived macrophages, specifically those with a suppressive phenotype, in tandem with a surge of inflammatory cytokines. Moreover, our data demonstrate that vascular normalization can revert the neuronal loss and the aggressiveness in those gliomas. Overall, we propose that BBB dysfunction is a common process associated with aging that drives chronic inflammation, which is governed by TREM2+/TIM3+ suppressor myeloid cells. These results could help us to apply therapies to the progression of central nervous system pathologies that are associated with the aging process, with the hallmarks of toxic neuroinflammation and myeloid dysfunction.
Dynamic Resectorization to Improve Utility of Healthcare Systems
Authors: Teymourifar Aydin , Trindade Maria A. M.
Published: August 2023

This study discusses a regional healthcare system including several hospitals with different characteristics. We define a utility function for the system based on the sectorization concept to form a balance between hospitals in terms of important outputs such as waiting times and demands. Since the determined system is dynamic, the balance state is lost over time; consequently, resectorization is done over time. We simulate the system utilizing the data of a case study. We characterize multiple periods and calculate the utility of the system's current state. We design resectorization scenarios based on boosting the capacity and quality of hospitals. Numerical results demonstrate that substantial improvement of utility with resectorization is achievable.
Predicting phenotypes of elderly from resting state fMRI
Authors: Verovnik Barbara , Hajduk Stefan , Hulle Marc Van
Published: August 2023

Machine learning techniques are increasingly embraced in neuroimaging studies of healthy and diseased human brains. They have been used successfully in predicting phenotypes, or even clinical outcomes, and in turning functional connectome metrics into phenotype biomarkers of both healthy individuals and patients. In this study, we used functional connectivity characteristics based on resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging data to accurately classify healthy elderly in terms of their phenotype status. Additionally, as the functional connections that contribute to the classification can be identified, we can draw inferences about the network that is predictive of the investigated phenotypes. Our proposed pipeline for phenotype classification can be expanded to other phenotypes (cognitive, psychological, clinical) and possibly be used to shed light on the modifiable risk and protective factors in normative and pathological brain aging.
DSFFNet: Tire Defect Detection Based on Deep and Shallow Feature Fusion
Authors: Wu Hao , Wang Yunfeng , Zhou Yi , Liu Xiyu , Zhai Xiaodi , Sun Kuizhi , Zheng Zhouzhou , Tian Chengliang , Li Tao , Jia Wenguang , Zhao Haixia , Zhang Yan
Published: August 2023

Recently, object detection based on deep learning has made great progress in the field of defect detection. Due to its complex texture background and varied defect features, existing defect detection methods based on object detection are face great challenges for the detection of tire internal defects. In this paper, a tire defect detection model based on deep and shallow feature fusion is proposed. Firstly, a multi-head feature extraction module is proposed, which extract abundant effective information from multiple dimensions. Secondly, a spatial semantic fusion upsampling module is proposed to alleviate the problem of information loss in the upsampling process. Finally, a novel prediction head is designed to expand the receptive field by compressing the size of the feature map to improve the detection accuracy of large defects. Experimental results show that the mAP of the proposed method achieves 94.03% on the tire internal defect dataset, the average detection time is 36.74ms, which can meet the needs of industrial online detection.
Adversarial system of one-pixel attack for hyperspectral image classification
Authors: Peng Xiaoxu , Zhou Dong , Sun Guanghui , Hu Yuhui
Published: August 2023

The introduction of deep learning arouses great success in hyperspectral image (HSI) classification. However, there is a growing concern about adversarial attacks on deep models, which can significantly impact the performance of HSI classification through imperceptible perturbations. In this paper, we first introduce a semi-black-box attack method to hyperspectral domain, one-pixel attack, which fools the HSI classifier by modifying only one pixel with high intensity. It is verified on standard datasets and a well-known HSI classification model, HybridSN. An adversarial system based on one-pixel attack (OPAS) is then proposed by integrating adversarial training into model training. The system not only improves the robustness of the classification model but also enhances the model’s ability to defend against other adversarial attacks. Experimental results demonstrate show that OPAS can achieve nearly 100% defense effectiveness against some basic adversarial attacks. Additionally, an HSI adversarial map is created to visualize one-pixel attack. Through it can be observed the characteristic that one-pixel attack can attack classification boundaries, and this property is further verified in hyperspectral field.
Comprehensive Analysis of Prognostic Value and Immune Infiltration of Chromobox Family Members in Human Glioma
Authors: Wang Chao , Song ChenYi , Liu Jun , Liao Bin , Liu Feng
Published: August 2023

Objective: Glioma is the most common primary intracranial tumor. The proteins encoded by the Chromobox (CBX) family genes are essential components of the epigenetic regulatory complexes, which have been proved to be related to tumor progression in many cancers. However, little is known about the expression and prognostic value of CBX in human glioma.
Methods: The transcription and survival data of CBXs in glioma patients were explored from the online databases: Oncomine, Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis (GEPIA), Chinese Glioma Genome Atlas (CGGA), GeneMANIA, DAVID, cBioPortal and TIMER.
Results: The expression levels of CBX3, CBX6, CBX7, and CBX8 were significantly related to glioma classification. CBX4 was significantly associated with glioma recurrence. Survival analysis showed that the expression levels of CBX3, CBX6, CBX7 and CBX8 were significantly related to the prognosis of patients. Moreover, the expression levels of CBXs were related to the infiltration of neutrophils, macrophages, B cells, CD4 + T cells, CD8 + T cells and dendritic cells (DCs) in glioma tissues.
Conclusions: Our study showed that CBXs were significantly related to the progression, recurrence, prognosis and immune status of glioma. It indicated that CBXs may become a potential insight for epigenetic therapy, immunotherapy, and precision therapy of glioma.
Classification of Incomplete Data using Augmented Dataset
Authors: Bhattacharya Avigyan , Bhose Sreeja , Choudhury Suvra Jyoti
Published: August 2023

We introduced a new way to train a classifier to classify different data specifically incomplete data. Here, we train a classifier using a two-phase approach. In the first phase, we train a classifier using complete data. Then, we create a new data set (augmented dataset) before the second phase of training. After that, in the second phase, we retrain the classifier using the newly created data set. At the time of testing, if a feature vector with a missing value appears, we initially impute it using various strategies and complete it. Then we try to find the class label of each complete feature vector using the trained classifier. If a clas-sifier is trained using the augmented dataset, the performance of that classifier is dependent on that augmented dataset. To overcome this issue, later, we proposed two ways to combine different augmented datasets. We compare the proposed method using five classifiers on twelve datasets. We also use four types of imputation strategies for initial imputation if a dataset has missing values. The proposed method’s performance is better compared to the originally trained classifier.
An investigation of the effect of mindfulness-integrated cognitive behavior therapy on demoralization, body image, and sexual function in Iranian women with breast cancer
Authors: Moghadam Mahboobeh Soleymani , Parvizifard Aliakbar , Foroughi Aliakbar , Ahmadi Seyed Mojtaba , Farshchian Negin
Published: August 2023

Background
Breast cancer is an extremely unpleasant and unbearable experience that can have a profound impact on a person's life. Compared to other types of cancer, breast cancer has a more severe psychological impact on women.
Objective
Women with breast cancer were assessed for the effectiveness of mindfulness-integrated cognitive behavior therapy on demoralization, body image, and sexual function.
Method
A sample of 30 women with breast cancer was chosen for the study. The participants were randomly divided into intervention and control groups. Participants in the intervention group received Mindfulness-integrated cognitive behavior therapy, while the control group received self-help treatment (through an educational book). A demographic questionnaire, Demoralization Scale (DS-II), Body Image Scale (BIS), and Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) were used to collect data. Descriptive statistics criteria such as frequency, mean, and standard deviation, repeated measures ANOVA, and the Bonferroni test were used to analyze the data. The maximum alpha error level was considered 0.05 to test the hypotheses (P ≥ 0/05).
Results
The results showed the effectiveness of mindfulness-integrated cognitive behavior therapy on demoralization, body image, and sexual function (p < 0.05). Concerning demoralization in the intervention group, the pre-test mean was 16.73 ± 3.33, and it reduced to 11.93 ± 1.49 in the post-test. The body image mean score showed a decreasing trend in the intervention group, from 12.47 ± 1.88 in the pre-test to 8.80 ± 3.21 in the post-test. The mean score for sexual function showed an increasing trend, increasing from 18.06 ± 2.29 in the pre-test to 23.07 ± 0.91 in the post-test. The results of the Bonferroni test indicated a significant decrease in the mean score of demoralization and body image and an increase in sexual function in post-test and follow-up (p < 0.05). There was no significant difference in the mean score of the post-test compared to the pre-test and follow-up in the control group (p < 0.05).
Conclusion
Women with breast cancer can significantly benefit from mindfulness-integrated cognitive behavior therapy, particularly concerning symptoms such as low mood, body image, and sexual function. Therefore, it is recommended to implement this treatment along with other treatment services.
Trial registration:
(IRCT20160103025817N6). 2022-04-06
Poised PABP-RNA hubs implement signal-dependent mRNA decay in development
Authors: Modic Miha , Kuret Klara , Steinhauser Sebastian , Faraway Rupert , Genderen Emiel van , Lee Flora , Mozos Igor Ruiz de Los , Vičič Žiga , Novljan Jona , Berge Derk ten , Luscombe Nicholas , Ule Jernej
Published: August 2023

Changes in gene expression implement signalling pathways to drive cell fate transitions1,2. However, the mechanisms for rapid and selective transcriptome rewiring in response to signalling cues remain elusive3-6. Here we use deep learning to deconvolve both the sequence determinants and trans-acting regulators that trigger clearance of the naïve pluripotency programme. We show that A/U-rich 3’UTR termini serve as hubs for poised PABP binding to license selective mRNA decay. Timing of decay is coupled to embryo implantation via ERK/MEK phosphorylation of LIN28A, repositioning pLIN28A to the PABP-RNA hubs at 3’UTR termini. Multivalency of AUU-motifs determines the efficacy of pLIN28A-PABP convergence, enhancing PABP 3’UTR binding selectively, decreasing the protection of polyA tails and activating mRNA decay to enable progression towards primed pluripotency. Collectively, PABP-RNA hubs are poised for signal-induced convergence with the regulator LIN28A, which selects naïve mRNAs for decay, thus enabling the switch-like capacity of its phosphorylation in ensuring swift developmental progression.
Tunable templating of photonic microparticles via liquid crystal order-guided adsorption of amphiphilic polymers in emulsions
Authors: Lagerwall Jan , Ma Xu , Han Yucen , Zhang Yan-Song , Geng Yong , Majumdar Apala
Published: August 2023

Multiple emulsions are usually stabilized by amphiphilic molecules that combine the chemical characteristics of the different phases in contact. When one phase is a liquid crystal (LC), the choice of stabilizer also determines its configuration, but conventional wisdom assumes that the orientational order of the LC has no impact on the stabilizer. Here we show that, for the case of amphiphilic polymer stabilizers, this impact can be considerable. The mode of interaction between stabilizer and LC changes if the latter is heated close to its isotropic state, initiating a feedback loop that reverberates on the LC in form of a complete structural rearrangement. We utilize this phenomenon to dynamically tune the configuration of cholesteric LC shells from one with radial helix and spherically symmetric Bragg diffraction to a focal conic domain configuration with highly complex optics. Moreover, we template photonic microparticles from the LC shells by photopolymerizing them into solids, retaining any selected LC-derived structure. Our study places LC emulsions in a new light, calling for a reevaluation of the behavior of stabilizer molecules in contact with long-range ordered phases, while also enabling highly interesting photonic elements with application opportunities across vast fields.
Bicontrol of Pythium aphanidermatum and Damping-off Disease of Papaya Seedlings (Carica papaya cv. Tainung No.2) by Different Smoke-water
Authors: Chen Chang-Lin , Chen Yan-Ting , Lin Huey-Ling
Published: August 2023

Two key trends of sustainable agriculture are reducing the amount of inputs such as pesticides, fungicides, or fertilizer and finding ways to reduce or reuse agricultural waste. Leafy plant waste can be burned to produced smoke-water extracts that have effective antimicrobial and germination properties. Damping-off disease caused by Pythium spp. leads to significant losses at the papaya seedling stage and is usually managed with fungicides. Five smoke-water extracts derived from burning different plant residues—namely, rice straw smoke-water (R-SW), wheat straw smoke-water (W-SW), pangola grass smoke-water (P-SW), cornstalk smoke-water (C-SW), and bamboo leave smoke-water (B-SW)—were prepared. These were mixed into the V8 media used for culture of Pythium aphanidermatum. In vitro treatment with 5% P-SW, C-SW, or B-SW reduced mycelial growth rate significantly, whereas 5% B-SW inhibited mycelial growth completely. All 1% smoke-water preparations reduced zoospore production significantly, but the inhibition rate of 3% R-SW, 3% W-SW, 1% P-SW, 1% C-SW, and 1% B-SW reached 100%. For in vivo experiments, P. aphanidermatum was inoculated in 1 kg of potting soil and mixed with B-SW in concentrations of 1% to 5%. The papaya seedlings treated with 2% to 5% B-SW maintained the growth parameter without damping-off symptoms.
Temporal Accumulation of Geosmin, Oxalic Acid, and Total Dissolved Solids in Table Beet
Authors: D’Angelo Adam , Goldman Irwin L.
Published: August 2023

Consumers perceive flavor as a critically important attribute of vegetable crops. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), spectrophotometry, and refractometry of tissue samples collected during multiple years from table beet (Beta vulgaris) at various stages of maturity were performed to characterize the endogenous production of geosmin, oxalic acid, and total dissolved solids within the root. The geosmin concentration was primarily influenced by the cultivar and peaked early during the growing season, with root concentrations at 6 weeks after planting that were 312% higher, on average, than those found in harvest stage roots at 15 weeks after planting. The highest average concentration of geosmin in harvest stage roots was detected in tissue from the cultivar Bull’s Blood (16.08 μg⋅kg−1). The oxalic acid concentration showed a strong cultivar influence and statistically significant variability across the growing season. Hybrid beet cultivar Boro had the lowest soluble oxalic acid concentration (95.73 mg⋅100 g−1 fresh tissue) at all locations and during all years. The oxalic acid concentration peaked 12 weeks after planting, and it was lower at the postharvest sampling date 18 weeks after planting. Total dissolved solids (TDS) concentrations were strongly influenced by year and growing environment and displayed crossover interactions for environment × week. TDS measurements had a moderate negative correlation with root mass. ‘Chioggia Guardsmark’ consistently had the highest TDS during all years and at all locations at 12.01 °Brix. The TDS varied significantly according to time, and diurnal sampling revealed fluctuations as large as 4 °Brix over the course of a 12-hour period. The TDS concentrations increased throughout the growing season, although the rate at which they increased changed according to plant age. The results from this study suggest that interactions between cultivar, time, and environment are important determinants of oxalic acid and TDS concentrations, but they have less influence on geosmin. This information may influence the methods that plant breeders use to collect phenotypic data of important flavor compounds in beets.
Current methods of treatment gingivostomatitis in cats, with insight into mesenchymal stem cell therapy
Authors: KIRAGA ŁUKASZ , WYSMOŁEK MAGDALENA E. , PADZIŃSKA-PRUSZYŃSKA IRENA , CROWLEY KIJAN , LEWICKI SŁAWOMIR
Published: August 2023

Gingivostomatitis is a common finding in veterinary feline patients. Many conditions and infectious agents have been suggested to play a part in pathogenesis of feline chronic gingivostomatitis (FCGS), including pathogens and noninfectious factors. The most common approaches to treating gingivostomatitis are pharmacotherapy and surgical dental extraction. However, despite the application of these methods, treatment progress is often unsatisfactory: many cats show little or no improvement and require further treatment. Data from the literature indicate a high therapeutic efficacy of tooth extraction combined with mesenchymal stem cell application. This method can significantly improve the effectiveness of treatment and the patient’s prognosis compared to tooth extraction alone, which is a method of choice in the case of gingivostomatitis. Mesenchymal stem cells are multipotent progenitor cells that divide, differentiate, and eventually trigger the genesis of different tissues. Furthermore, they exhibit anti-inflammatory, anti-apoptotic, and antimicrobial effects and can modulate neoangiogenesis. These and other properties of stem cells, whose biology has been studied and described in detail, explain their beneficial effects in FCGS treatment. For veterinary surgeons considering this method, mesenchymal stem cell sources include bone marrow and adipose tissue. There are many established stem cell isolation protocols, which are summarized in this publication.
Ultrasound monitoring of the regenerative treatment of Biceps Tendonitis and Tenosynovitis in dogs by stem cells injections
Authors: ROMAN ALEKSIEWICZ , KRZYSZTOF LUTNICKI , TOMASZ MARCINEK
Published: August 2023

Injuries and the overloading of the bicipital muscle tendon in dogs are a common cause of Bicipital Tendinitis and Tenosynovitis (BBT). The aim of the study was to evaluate the advantage of ultrasound monitoring during regenerative treatment of BBT together with treatment assessment by dog owners. 32 dogs of both sexes were used in the study. The dogs were treated with adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells with platelet-rich plasma (ADMSC + PRP) administered twice in a dose of 0.5 ml (15.0 × 106 cells/ml). The ADMSC + PRP was injected into the tendon sheath of the biceps and 0.5 ml was injected into the brachial joint cavity. During the research, pain evaluation was performed according to the Canine Brief Pain Inventor – Penn CHART (CBPI), ultrasound scans were also performed. Some of the changes in ultrasound images are permanent and the recovery is gradual and incomplete. The research showed a correlation between the results of the ultrasound scans and the owners of the CBPI questionnaire, this was correlated with the effects of regenerative therapy. Studies have shown the regenerative effect of ADMSC + PRP on the tendon sheath and biceps tendon of the brachii after 4 months.