bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Modelos pedagógicos em educação a distância
Authors: Garbin Mônica Cristina , Oliveira Edison Trombeta de
Published: April 2024

A pesquisa que culminou neste artigo tem como objetivo principal discutir e construir modelos de disciplinas para oferta em Educação a Distância (EaD) baseados nas áreas do conhecimento. O referencial teórico base para tal foi o framework TPACK (Conhecimento Tecnológico Pedagógico do Conteúdo), que considera que, para a aplicação de uma prática pedagógica com o uso de tecnologias, deve haver a sua interação com os conteúdos a serem trabalhados, com os conhecimentos socio-educacionais (a pedagogia) e o ambiente em que a prática se desenvolve. Metodologicamente, caracteriza-se esta pesquisa como qualiquantitativa, de abordagem centrada no ser humano e com os seguintes procedimentos de coleta de dados: pesquisa documental, questionários e grupos focais. A discussão levantada por esta pesquisa passa por esses temas, destacando a importância de pensar no uso de tecnologias aliados às metodologias educacionais e considerando o contexto vivenciado, em que se inclui a modalidade de oferta de um determinado curso. Como resultados foram criados três modelos para ofertas de disciplinas em EaD, considerando as áreas de conhecimentos ofertadas na instituição, de modo a contribuir para uma discussão sobre o uso de tecnologias aliadas às metodologias de ensino e de aprendizagem. Com a divulgação dos resultados obtidos nesta pesquisa, espera-se também fortalecer as possibilidades de oferta de educação de qualidade na referida modalidade.
Fonologia do kheuól do Uaçá, variedade Karipuna
Authors: Silva Glauber Romling da , Forte Janina dos Santos
Published: April 2024

O kheuól do Uaçá é uma língua indígena falada por dois povos de origens diferentes, os Karipuna e os Galibi-Marworno. Ambos compartilham Terras Indígenas no município de Oiapoque, Brasil, na fronteira com a Guiana Francesa. Apresentamos os principais aspectos da fonologia segmental da língua kheuól do Uaçá, variedade Karipuna. Neste trabalho utilizamos dados mais recentes e contamos com a introspecção de um dos autores, que é falante nativo de kheuól Karipuna. Através de pares mínimos e análogos, buscamos estabelecer os fonemas consonantais e vocálicos, bem como seus alofones. Recorremos à fonologia autossegmental da Geometria de Traços (Clements; Hume 1995) para capturarmos os fenômenos de nasalização (/j/ [ɲ], /g/ [ŋ]) e de abertura vocálica (/e/ [ɛ], /o/ [ɔ]) como instâncias de assimilação com a mudança do valor dos traços [nasal] e [aberto] (feature-changing assimilation), respectivamente. Explicamos a pós-aspiração consonantal /Ch/ [Cʰ] engatilhada por reajuste silábico, como o espraiamento do nódulo de Cavidade Oral (CO) de /h/ para a articulação secundária de CO da consoante precedente (partial assimilation). Pretendemos em trabalhos futuros descrever a fonologia segmental da variedade Galibi-Marworno do kheuól do Uaçá. Este estudo buscou apresentar uma contribuição original sobre a fonologia de uma língua indígena subdocumentada e ameaçada de extinção.
Pengaruh Perceived Ease Of Use, Perceived Usefulness dan Satisfaction terhadap Continuance Intention Pengguna Aplikasi Food Delivery Saat Pandemi
Authors: Fahrizal  , Suherman  , Ika Febrilia
Published: April 2024

Penelitian ini bertujuan: 1) Untuk mengetahui deskripsi atau gambaran dari Pengaruh Perceived Ease Of Use, Perceived Usefulness dan Satisfaction Terhadap Continuance Intention Pengguna Aplikasi Food Delivery Saat Pandemi. 2) Untuk mengetahui pengaruh secara positif variabel perceived ease of use terhadap variabel perceived usefulness pada aplikasi food delivery. 3) Untuk mengetahui pengaruh secara positif variabel perceived ease of use terhadap variabel satisfaction pada aplikasi food delivery. 4) Untuk mengetahui pengaruh secara positif variabel perceived usefulness terhadap variabel satisfaction pada aplikasi food delivery. 5) Untuk mengetahui pengaruh secara positif variabel satisfaction terhadap variabel continuance intention pada aplikasi food delivery. 6) Untuk mengetahui pengaruh secara positif variabel perceived ease of use terhadap variabel continuance intention pada aplikasi food delivery. 7) Untuk mengetahui pengaruh secara positif variabel perceived usefulness terhadap variabel continuance intention pada aplikasi food delivery. Objek penelitian ini adalah pengguna aplikasi food delivery yang berusia minimal 17 tahun dan telah bertransaksi setidaknya 3 kali dalam kurun waktu Juli 2022 sampai Agustus 2022 yang bertempat tinggal di Jakarta.
Ácido aristolóquico - nefropatia e o cancro
Authors:   Escola Superior de Tecnologia da Saúde do Instituto Politécnico de  Coimbra,  Rua 5 de Outubro, São  Martinho do Bispo,  3046-854 Coimbra,  Portugal, Faria Bruna , Bispo Cátia ,   Escola Superior de Tecnologia da Saúde do Instituto Politécnico de  Coimbra,  Rua 5 de Outubro, São  Martinho do Bispo,  3046-854 Coimbra,  Portugal, Cordeiro Mariana ,   Escola Superior de Tecnologia da Saúde do Instituto Politécnico de  Coimbra,  Rua 5 de Outubro, São  Martinho do Bispo,  3046-854 Coimbra,  Portugal, Baltazar Ana ,   Escola Superior de Tecnologia da Saúde do Instituto Politécnico de  Coimbra,  Rua 5 de Outubro, São  Martinho do Bispo,  3046-854 Coimbra,  Portugal
Published: April 2024

O ácido aristolóquico é um composto natural tóxico, proveniente da família de uma herbácea perene, Aristolochia. Este pertence à família de ácidos nitrofenantrol carboxílicos e é uma mistura de dois ácidos estruturalmente semelhantes: ácido aristolóquico I e ácido aristolóquico II. As espécies de plantas que contém ácido aristolóquico são utilizadas essencialmente na medicina tradicional chinesa. Este artigo pretende rever a relação entre o efeito tóxico do ácido aristolóquico e a ocorrência de nefropatia e cancro. A ingestão de ácido aristolóquico provoca nefrotoxicidade, genotoxicidade e carcinogenicidade. A nefropatia por ácido aristolóquico e a nefropatia endémica nos Balcãs são causadas pela intoxicação alimentar por ácido aristolóquico e estão associadas à ocorrência de carcinoma urotelial do trato urinário superior. O ácido aristolóquico foi classificado como carcinogénico do grupo I pela International Agency for Research on Cancer. O conhecimento da relação direta entre os efeitos tóxicos do consumo de ácido aristolóquico e de nefropatia por ácido aristolóquico e carcinoma urotelial do trato urinário superior deve ser considerada importante para a sua futura prevenção.
Detrital-zircon U-Pb and (U-Th)/He double-dating provenance signatures in the Jaca foreland basin: interplay of direct vs. recycled sources during Pyrenean orogenic growth
Authors: Coll Xavier , Gómez-Gras David , Roigé Marta , Stockli Daniel , Teixell Antonio , Boya Salvador
Published: April 2024

The Eocene to Miocene clastic wedge of the south Pyrenean basin constitutes a reference model to understand the progressive evolution of sediment provenance and source-to-sink dynamics in a foreland basin. We present new detrital-zircon (DZ) U-Pb and U-Pb-He (ZHe) double-dating data from the Jaca basin and the Ebro basin, providing insights into the evolution of the sedimentary systems that record a major tectonic and drainage reorganization from the late Eocene to Miocene. Three distinct DZ U-Pb signatures have been identified: i) Variscan dominated, ii) mixed Cadomian–Variscan, iii) Cadomian dominated, and two DZ ZHe signatures: i) Pyrenean dominated, ii) pre-Pyrenean dominated. Coupling DZ U-Pb, ZHe, and petrographic data allows us to discriminate among distinct Pyrenean sources as well as to understand how DZ signatures are propagated in a source-to-sink system. Our results indicate that while the eastern Jaca basin was fed from eastern source areas located in the central and eastern Pyrenees, the western Jaca basin was fed from the Basque massifs and the Urbasa–Andía Sierra (Basque–Cantabrian Pyrenees).
An Analysis of Effect Different Fracturing Fluids on the Productivity of Multi-Stage Fractured Marcellus Shale Horizontal Wells
Authors: El Sgher Mohammed. , Aminian Kashy. , Ameri Samuel.
Published: April 2024

The objective of this study is to assess the impact of fracturing fluid type on proppant transport and productivity of hydraulic fractures in a Marcellus Shale horizontal well. The available data from Bogges-5H well including core plug measurements, well logs, and image logs were collected and analyzed to determine shale's petrophysical and geomechanical properties. Laboratory measurements and published data were analyzed to determine the adsorption characteristics and shale compressibility including its various components (fissure, matrix, hydraulic fracture). The results of the data analysis were used as input for a hydraulic fracture model and subsequently with a reservoir model in order to investigate the impact of fluid type on proppant transport and gas productivity.

The accuracy of the model was confirmed by the close match between the field and the predicted production. For the purpose of this study slickwater, high-viscosity friction reducer (HVFR), and hybrid fluid were considered for the investigation. The application of HVFR as the fracturing fluid resulted in higher fracture volume (increased fracture height) and improved productivity as compared to slickwater. Stress shadow was found to negatively impact the proppant transport, hydraulic fracture properties, and gas productivity The impact of stress shadow is more pronounced during early production due to higher production rates. The fracture treatment design in the Marcellus shale can be improved by proper fluid selection and stage spacing to mitigate the impacts of stress shadow.
Adapting Oilfield Operational Strategies for Optimizing Injectivity in Complex CCS Systems – A Scoping Study
Authors: Ganesh P. Ravi , Hershberger J. , Vance T. , Skopec S. , Chundur S. , Kelley M. , Gupta N.
Published: April 2024

With increased commercial interest in geologic CO2 sequestration and 45Q-related activities in the United States, the Midwest Regional Carbon Initiative (MRCI) includes a pertinent evaluation of stimulation strategies for enhancing well injectivity and storage efficiency. This could open significant additional resource potential to the existing onshore storage options by leveraging several complex or seemingly ‘lower quality’ reservoirs found throughout the MRCI region that could potentially be cost-effective compared to ultra-deep targets to support carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) projects. This manuscript discusses innovative scenario analyses of different well configurations and operational strategies adapted from oil and gas industry practices to identify potential optimal storage solutions and their impacts on CO2 injectivity and storage efficiency. A scoping evaluation for preliminary insights into specific injection strategies in complex systems including naturally fractured reservoirs for their impacts on CO2 injectivity and storage efficiency is conducted using simplified representative sites for CO2 storage. The scoping simulations provide a framework to inform optimal storage solutions for the MRCI region that can be investigated further during the subsequent detailed design phase of analogous sites.
Designing giant Hall response in layered topological semimetals
Authors: Schoop Leslie , Skorupskii Grigorii , Orlandi Fabio , Robredo Iñigo , Jovanovic Milena , Yamada Rinsuke , Katmer Fatmagul , Vergniory Maia , Manuel Pascal , Hirschberger Max
Published: April 2024

Noncoplanar magnets are excellent candidates for spintronics. Particularly important are those with clear electrical transport signatures that can simplify data readout – however, such materials are difficult to find, and even more so to intentionally design. Here, we report a chemical design strategy that allowed us to find a series of new non-coplanar magnets Ln3Sn7 (Ln = Dy, Tb), by targeting layered materials that take decoupled magnetic sublattices with dissimilar single-ion anisotropies, and combining those with a square-net topological semimetal sublattice. Ln3Sn7 shows high carrier mobilities upwards of 17,000 cm2·V−1·s−1, and hosts noncoplanar magnetic order. This results in a strong and sharp Hall effect anomaly, with an anomalous Hall angle of 0.11 and Hall conductivity of over 42,000 Ω−1·cm−1, the highest value reported so far in noncoplanar magnets, and over an order of magnitude larger than the established benchmarks in Mn3Sn and Fe thin films.
Addressing the Insufficiency of Marine Outfall Regulations in Mitigating Microplastic and AMR Pollution from Wastewater Treatment
Authors: Bhikhoo R , Bezuidenhout K , Molale-Tom L. G , Mienie C , Bezuidenhout CC
Published: April 2024

Microplastics are found in all marine compartments, ranging from sea ice to sediments, beaches, and the open ocean, with a significant portion originating from land-based wastewater treatment plants. Policy in the South African context permits responsible disposal of wastewater through a marine outfall provided that the raw wastewater undergoes treatment and does not cause any adverse effects to the receiving body. However, a desktop study focused on regulatory framework for marine outfalls in South African coastal cities shows that partially treated (primary or preliminary treated) wastewater could be deposited into oceans. Microplastics form a considerable proportion of the wastewater mixture but also Enterobacteriaceae. To demonstrate the relevance of the wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) bacteria in biofilms on microplastics, this study aimed at identifying and characterizing Enterobacteriaceaeisolates from a simulated marine environment using microcosms. Experiments challenging the regulations were based on microbiology of the effluent that is discharged through an outfall. Microcosms were set up by spiking seawater with WWTP effluent and adding the sterilized collected plastic pieces. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to determine colonization on the microplastics. After 30 days of microcosm exposure, selective media and incubation conditions were used to isolate Enterobacteriaceae. Pure isolates were tested against 16 antibiotics normally used in human clinical settings. In the initial biofilms directly from microplastics from the WWTPs, several genera generally associated with wastewater treatment were isolated. Dominant species isolated and identified were Citrobacter sp., Escherichia sp., Enterobacter sp., Serratia sp., Klebsiella sp. and Pseudomonas sp.. Several isolates were resistant to carbapenems (doripenem and imipenem; 9% to 27%). Some isolates were resistant to up to ten of the antibiotics. Bacterial infections caused by Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae have become a global concern in the fight against bacterial infections. The results of the present project show that clinically relevant Enterobacteriaceae colonize microplastics and that these survive in biofilms on these microplastics surfaces. Such results suggest that more data is needed that will challenge the current policy regulating the release of sewage through marine outfalls as well as the notion that dilution of sewage is an answer to pollution.
Enhanced Dual Contouring for Continuous Surface Reconstruction: A Novel Method in Real-Time Geometric Visualization for CNC Machining Simulation
Authors: Su Chang , Han Yong , Song Guoxian , He Qingchen
Published: April 2024

This study introduces Enhanced Dual Contouring Continuous Surface Reconstruction (EDCCSR) to improve CNC simulation for complex surface multi-axis machining. By integrating advanced computer graphics algorithms and octree encoding, EDCCSR enhances real-time visualization and efficiency in geometric model reconstruction. It converts the outer rough model into a triangulated mesh through voxelization, ensuring consistency. Innovatively, it employs a crack table method for seamless integration of rough and cutting surface meshes, facilitating uniform mesh transitions and accurately visualizing dynamic geometric transformations. This method not only optimizes simulation efficiency but also minimizes errors and delays in machining processes. It underscores computer graphics' potential in manufacturing and supports the industry's digital transformation, highlighting its wide applicability in industrial contexts.​
Prediction of Emergency Cesarean Delivery in Chile using Machine Learning
Authors: Mondschein Susana , Garmendia Maria Luisa , Montiel Braulio , Kusanovic Juan Pedro
Published: April 2024

Background: Emergency cesarean section (EmCS) is associated with a higher risk of intraoperative and postoperative maternal complications for both the mother and the offspring. Identifying which women who deliver by EmCS without indication for elective C-section should be a concern for health systems.
Objective: To examine predictors related to EmCS in women with a medium-low socioeconomic status from the southeast area of ​​Santiago de Chile.
Methods: This study involves a secondary analysis of all single birth records at Dr. Sótero del Río Hospital in the southeast public health district of Santiago, Chile, from 2002 to 2018 (n = 83,936). In total, fifty-nine potential predictors of EmCS were studied, 28 variables related to the pregnancy period, and the other 31 variables were related to the delivery period. Fivemachine learning (ML) algorithms were applied: Logistic regression, Random forest, AdaBoost, XGBoost, and Optimal classification tree.
Results: The prevalence of EmCS was 18.6%, with an increase of 48.8% in the study period. Women's profiles were identified using eight factors that predicted EmCS (parity, previous cesarean section, labor already initiated, maternal age, gestational age, maternal height, pregestational body mass index, and the appearance of amniotic fluid). The Optimal classification tree was the algorithm with the highest sensitivity (0.74). The highest probability of EmCS (46%) occurred in multiparous women with one previous cesarean section.
Conclusions: Most of the EmCS predictors are easily identifiable before delivery (age, parity, previous cesarean section, and maternal anthropometry). ML techniques are useful tools for predicting the risk of EmCS, potentially guiding the clinical decisions of health professionals.
Is there some predictive factors for isolated brain PROgression in patients with CErebral metastatic MElanoma after stereotactic brain radiotherapy ? PROCEME
Authors: CROIX Manuel , LEQUESNE Justine , GEFFRELOT Julien , DOMPMARTIN Anne , L’ORPHELIN Jean Matthieu
Published: April 2024

Melanoma is a skin cancer with an excellent prognosis if diagnosed at an early stage. However, it has a high potential for brain metastasis, making the prognosis considerably poorer. In current practice, we observe discordant responses and progression at cerebral and extra-cerebral levels. The aim of this study was to identify predictive factors of isolated brain progression after treatment with stereotactic brain radiotherapy, with or without systemic treatment. Between January 2014 and December 2020, 121 patients treated by stereotactic brain radiotherapy (Cyber Knife) were included. Radiotherapy was associated to systemic treatment in the major of cases (Targeted Therapies, Immunotherapy, or Chemotherapy). In our cohort, 83 patients showed progression after stereotactic brain radiotherapy: 38 in brain only, 45 in brain and at distance. The study showed a double increase in the risk of isolated brain progression in BRAF V600 mutated patients compared with BRAF V600 WT patients. BRAF V600 mutated melanomas seems more at risk of isolated brain escape in our cohort, we therefore need to develop new local therapies for these patients in the future, and clarify the mechanisms of intrinsic and extrinsic resistance.
Serine promotes the progression of esophageal cancer through regulating one-carbon metabolism
Authors: Jie Hui , Wei Jing , Li Zhuoling , Yi Min , Qian Xinying , Li Yan , Liu Chunqi , Li Chuan , Wang Liang , Deng Pengchi , Liu Lunxu , Cen Xiaobo , Zhao Yinglan
Published: April 2024

Serine metabolism provides important metabolic intermediates that support rapid proliferation of tumor cells. However, the role of serine metabolism in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) and the underlying mechanisms remains unclear. Here, we show that serine starvation predominantly inhibits ESCC cell proliferation by suppressing purine nucleotide and NADPH synthesis, which inducing by inhibition of one-carbon metabolism. Mechanistically, aminoimidazole carboxamide ribonucleoside (AICAR), an intermediate metabolite for de novo synthesis of purine nucleotides, accumulated during serine starvation, activated 5’-AMP-activated kinase (AMPK), and then inhibited the mTORC1 pathway by directly phosphorylating Raptor at Ser792. Conversely, p53-p21 mediated G1 phase cell cycle arrest induced by DNA oxidative damage and Activating transcription factor 4 (ATF4)-mediated robust expression of phosphoserine aminotransferase 1 (PSAT1), which in turn promoted compensatory endogenous serine synthesis, which maintained cell survival in serine starvation. Accordingly, serine deprivation combined with PSAT1 inhibition significantly suppressed tumor growth in vitro and in vivo. Taken together, our findings demonstrate a novel mechanism by which serine supports the proliferation of ESCC via one-carbon metabolism to synthesize NADPH and purine nucleotide, which maintaining the mTORC1 activation. Our study provides a theoretical basis for targeting serine metabolism as a potential therapeutic strategy for ESCC.
Explainable Machine-Learning-Based Prediction of Equivalent Circulating Density Using Surface-based Drilling Data
Authors: Ekechukwu Gerald , Adejumo Abayomi
Published: April 2024

When drilling wells for energy explorations, it is important to regulate the formation pressures appropriately to prevent kicks, which can lead to unimaginable loss of lives and properties. This is usually done by controlling the equivalent circulating density (ECD), which responds to the dynamic conditions that occur during drilling. The conventional approach to determine ECD is via mathematical modeling or downhole measurements. However, the downhole measurement tools can be very expensive, and the mathematical models do not provide a high degree of accuracy. Some previous authors have proposed using machine learning (ML) techniques to improve the degree of accuracy of the ECD predictions. In this work, we employed an extreme gradient-boosting (XGBoost) methodology to predict ECD values. The model's accuracy was determined using correlation coefficients (R2) and root mean square errors (RMSE) as their performance metrics. The results showed a strong prediction capability with an R2 and RMSE of 1.00 and 0.0005 for the training data and an R2 and RMSE of 0.989 and 0.023 for the testing/blind data set, respectively. Lastly, we used SHAP (SHapley Additive exPlanations) approach, a concept borrowed from cooperative game theory, to enhance the interpretability and the explainability of the model prediction values.
Chromosomal aberrations and early mortality in a non-mammalian vertebrate: example from triploid-induced Atlantic salmon
Authors: Delaval Aurelien , Glover Kevin , Solberg Monica , Fjelldal Per Gunnar , Hansen Tom , Harvey Alison
Published: April 2024

In commercial aquaculture, the production of triploid fish is currently the most practical approach to prevent maturation and farm-to-wild introgression following escapes. However, triploids often exhibit poor welfare, and the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Inheritance issues associated with (sub-optimal) hydrostatic pressure treatments used to induce triploidy, or the genetic background of parental fish, have been speculated to contribute. Here, we quantified the frequency and type of chromosomal aberrations in Atlantic salmon subjected to a gradient of sub-optimal pressure treatments (Experiment 1) and from multiple mothers (Experiment 2). From these experiments, we genotyped a subsample of ~900 eyed eggs and all ~3,300 surviving parr across ~20 microsatellites. Chromosomal aberrations included aneuploidy and uniparental disomy, which are evidence of genetic nondisjunction. Although a low frequency of chromosomal aberrations were identified in eyed eggs from the diploid and triploid controls, our results demonstrated that sub-optimal pressure treatments resulted in lower triploidization rates, increased incidence of chromosomal aberrations, and higher egg mortality rates. We also observed maternal effects on triploidization success and incidence of chromosomal aberrations. In contrast to the results in eggs, chromosomal aberrations were rare among surviving parr, suggesting a purge of maladapted individuals during early development. This is the first study to document a link between chromosomal aberrations and early mortality in a non-mammalian vertebrate, and has implications for aquaculture breeding programs.
An Ab-initio Investigation of LiBeX (X = Sb, Bi) Semiconductors For Opto-electronic Applications
Authors: Mazhar Muhammad , Atiq Atia , Ain Qurat Tul , Andleeb Farah , Imran Iqra , Manzoor Aqsa , Rasul Muhammad Nasir
Published: April 2024

Half Heusler compounds possess a broad array of characteristics which make them well suited materials for diverse functional applications. The extant study intended to scrutinize the structural, phononic, opto-electronic, elasto-mechanical and pressure induced properties of LiBeX (X = Sb, Bi) compounds. This investigation employed DFT based WIEN2k and VASP simulation packages by considering PBE-GGA, WC and TB-mBJ exchange correlation schemes to better corroborate the outcomes. The investigated compounds have successfully passed the energetic, lattice dynamic and mechanical stabilities. Electronic structure calculations with TB-mBJ functional revealed indirect band gaps of 1.007 and 0.789 eV for LiBeSb and LiBeBi compounds respectively. The partial charge density distribution in HOMO and LUMO disclosed maximum localization of charge around X-site atoms. The examination of COHP revealed the strongest Be-X bonding interactions among the bonding pairs. The physio-mechanical features indicated the brittle and mechanical anisotropic behavior of both compounds with covalent bonding characteristics. The compounds found active in the visible and lower ultraviolet spectrum regarding opto-electronic applications. The determined properties align well with prior theoretical findings. The comparative analysis suggests that the mBJ approach is highly recommended for treating the band gap of semi-conducting materials.
Characterization of Nuvita Biosearch Center (NBC) Isolated Lactic Acid Bacteria Strains from Human Origin and Determination of Growth Kinetic Profiles of Selected Cultures by Lab-Scale Bioreactor Fermentation
Authors: Kavak Akif Emre , Zent İnci , Sağır Ezgi Metin , Öncü Gülistan , Şimşek Feride İrem
Published: April 2024

Backgorund
In recent years, there has been an increasing interest in the field of research into the isolation and characterization of probiotics in the prevention of diseases and the need to maintain the continuity of healthy microbiota. Therefore, the aim of this study is to isolate and identify bacteria found in maternal colostrum, breast milk, adult and infant feces, analyze possible probiotic potential, and reveal the developmental kinetics of selected strains.
Results
We isolated 40 bacterial species from 4 different sources and identified 19 bacteria in the form of bacilli through molecular biology and carried out studies with 11 of them. 5 of the selected strains were showed the better results considering bile salt resistance and ability to survive at different pH, antimicrobial effect. When the adhesion capacity in cell culture was compared, Lactobacillus pontis ZZ6780 and Lactobacillus reuteri NBC2680 came into prominence. Furthermore, the growth kinetics of these strains were demonstrated on a 3 L bioreactor scale. Finally, the growth kinetics of selected strains were determined and the maximum specific growth rate of selected Lactobacillus pontis ZZ6780 and Lactobacillus reuteri NBC2680 was calculated as 0.412 h-1 and 0.481 h-1, respectively. In addition, the dry cell matter amounts were found to be and 4.45 g/L and 5.23 g/L, respectively.
Conclusion
This study established the groundwork for the selection of safety probiotics for the development and application of LAB. It is thought that the two strains obtained as a result of this study can be considered as potential probiotic strains in the food, pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries.
Cycle threshold values are associated with adaptive immunity to COVID-19– a case-control study in Qatar
Authors: Ahmed Ashraf I. , Mahmoud Elhassan , Kaleem Muhammad Zain , Ali Sara , Farooqui Habib , Chivese Tawanda
Published: April 2024

Background
We investigated the prevalence of detectable SARS-CoV-2 specific antibodies and its determinants, including the cycle threshold value of the polymerase chain reaction (Ct value), in a Middle Eastern cohort, where these data have not been previously reported.
Methods
In this longitudinal study of participants in Qatar who recovered from COVID-19, data on demographics, comorbidities, Ct values, and antibody titters were collected at baseline and antibody titres measured monthly thereafter. Multiple variable logistic regression was performed to explore determinants of humoral immunity, with the binary outcome of antibody reactivity one month after recovery.
Results
We included 225 participants with a median age of 42.2 (IQR 32.2–52.3) of which 53.8% were female and 38.7% were of Qatari nationality. At one month after recovery, 177 (78.7%) participants had anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibodies. Male gender and a Ct value < 20 were associated with higher odds of anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibodies (OR 3.24, 95% CI 1.53–6.89), (OR 2.03, 95% CI 0.97–4.24), respectively.
Conclusion
In a Middle Eastern setting, nearly 80% of individuals with confirmed COVID-19 showed reactive IgG antibodies at one month follow up. The male sex and a Ct Value < 20 were associated with higher odds of reactive IgG antibodies.
The Effect of Visual and Auditory Cueing Walker on Gait in İndividuals with Parkinson's Disease Experiencing Freezing of Gait
Authors: YILMAZ Neslihan Altuntaş , ÇORBACIOĞLU Muazzez Betigül , YETİM Ahmet Can , ARSLAN Abdurrahman Talat , KARAKÜLAH İrem
Published: April 2024

Objective
The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of a visual and auditory cueing walker on freezing of gait during walking in patients with Parkinson's disease (PDF), compared to Parkinson patients without freezing of gait (PDNF). Design: Eighteen PDF and 12 PDNF were included in the study. Participants walked back and forth on a 7-meter walking path under two different conditions: without cues and with a walker providing visual and auditory cues. To assess the risk of falls in both groups, the "Tinetti Balance and Gait Assessment" was conducted. Additionally, the "Dynamic Gait Index" was used to evaluate the ability to adapt walking to varying task demands, and the Timed Up and Go Test (TUGT) was employed to determine walking speed.
Results
In the PDF group, visual and auditory cueing walker significantly decreased walking speed, but improved fall risk and walking adaptation. However, for the PDNF group, fall risk was unaffected, walking speed decreased, yet walking adaptation improved. When compared between the two groups, the visual and auditory cueing walker had a more positive effect on the PDF group.
Conclusions
This study suggests that a walker providing visual and auditory cues may improve daily walking in patients with Parkinson's disease with freezing of gait (PDF) and reduce the risk of falls in patients with Parkinson's disease without freezing of gait (PDNF) who exhibit hypokinetic gait patterns.
Orphanhood and caregiver death among children in the United States due to all-cause mortality 2000-2021: A Modeling Study
Authors: Villaveces Andres , Chen Yu , Tucker Sydney , Blenkinsop Alexandra , Cluver Lucie , Sherr Lorraine , Losby Jan , Graves Linden , Noonan Rita , Annor Francis , Kojey-Merle Victor , Wang Douhan , Massetti Greta , Rawlings Laura , Nelson Charles , Unwin H. Juliette , Hillis Susan , Ratmann Oliver
Published: April 2024

Importance: Deaths of parents and grandparent caregivers linked to social and health crises threaten child wellbeing due to losses of nurturance, financial support, physical safety, family stability, and care. Little is known about the full burden of all-causes and leading cause-specific orphanhood and caregiver death beyond estimates from select causes.
Objective: To estimate 2000-2021 prevalence and incidence trends of all-cause orphanhood and caregiver death among children <18, by cause, age, race/ethnicity, and state.
Data Sources: National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) birth, death, race/ethnicity, and population data to estimate fertility rates and identify causes of death; 1983-1998 ICD-9 causes-of-death harmonized to ICD-10 classifications; 1999-2021 ICD-10 causes-of-death; CDC WONDER for state-specific estimates; and American Community Survey for grandparent population estimates.
Data extraction and synthesis: We extracted U.S. population-level death, birth, population size, race, and ethnicity data from NCHS and attributed to each deceased individual the average number of children left behind according to subgroup-specific fertility rates in the previous 0-17 years. We examined prevalence and incidence of orphanhood by leading causes-of-death, including COVID-19, the leading 5 causes-of-death for 1983-2021, and additional leading causes for ages 15-44. We extended these to obtain state-level outcome estimates.
Main outcome measures: National incidence and prevalence of orphanhood and caregiver death from 2000-2021, with orphanhood by year, parental cause-of-death and sex, child age, race/ethnicity, and state.
Results: From 2000-2021, orphanhood and custodial/co-residing grandparent caregiver loss annual incidence and prevalence trends increased 49.2% and 8.3%, respectively. By 2021, 2.9 million children (4% of all children) had experienced prevalent orphanhood and caregiver death. Populations disproportionately affected by orphanhood included 5.0% of all adolescents; 6.5%, 4.8%, and 3.9% respectively of non-Hispanic American Indian/Alaska Native, non-Hispanic Black, and non-Hispanic White children; and children in New Mexico and Southern and Eastern States. Parental death due to drug overdose during 2020-2021 surpassed COVID-19 as the leading cause of incident and prevalent orphanhood during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Conclusions and Relevance: Policies, programs, and practices aimed at orphanhood prevention, identification, and linkage to services and support of nearly 3 million bereaved children are needed, foremost prioritizing rapidly increasing overdose-linked orphanhood.
Quantitative and Comparative Analysis of the Helminthofauna of 12 Spanish Anurans
Authors: CAÑIZALES ISRAEL
Published: April 2024

In Spain, the study of parasitic organisms such as arthropods, protozoa, and helminths (macroparasites) in wild animals began in the late nineteenth century. However, their information is scattered in various sources. In particular, the availability of information on anurans in Spain is limited. For anurans, knowledge of the diversity of this group of organisms is crucial to herpetology, given its ecological importance and its effects on demographics and behavior. In general, there is an urgent need for the development of collaborative joint ventures among specialists destined to evaluate the consequences on the ecological processes and health of anurans and their parasites due to the ongoing processes of habitat loss, climate change and the still-present taxonomic issues of native anurans. The main electronic databases were searched to find relevant literature on parasites identified in anurans in Spain. A total of 58 scientific documents concerning parasites, taxonomic descriptions, and parasite ecology were included. Here, the parasite diversity and richness of helminths of the Spanish anuran species were analyzed. The anuran family with the highest parasite richness was Ranidae with 66 species, followed by Bufonidae with 19 species, and Hylidae and Alytidae with 10 species. The family with the lowest richness was Pelobatidae (n = 2). Phelophylax perezi showed the highest specific parasite richness (n = 52), followed by Bufo spinosus, Rana iberica (n = 16) and R. temporaria (n = 15). Alytes cisternasii had the lowest parasite richness (n = 1). A total of 78 species of five helminth parasitic groups represented by acanthocephalans (n = 3), cestodes (n = 2), monogeneans (n = 5), nematodes (n = 27) and trematodes (n = 41) were reported. The helminth species Cosmocerca ornata and Oswaldofilaria filiformis are the most cited with five records each. The generalized linear model revealed that the habitat-activity interaction influenced the richness of parasites (Chi2 = 22.47; df = 8; p = 0.0041). The degree of similarity between anuran families according to Sørensen's similarity index ranged from 2.94–40.00%. In the cluster analysis the Morisita similarity index showed heterogeneous groups with coefficients ranging from 0.00 to 0.50. The interaction network of parasite-host sympatric species according to habitat type and activity pattern was significantly different between groups (F(2, 219) = 35.25; p = 0.000). Terrestrial and arboreal hosts had more complex associations with parasites. Endoparasitic helminths remain to be identified in 61.29% of the Spanish anuran species. This compilation excludes ectoparasitic arthropods and protozoa.
Generation of rule-based explanations of CNN classifiers using regional features
Authors: Philipp William , R Yashwanthika , K Sikha O , Benitez Raul
Published: April 2024

Although Deep Learning networks generally outperform traditional machine learning approaches based on tailored features, they often lack explainability. To address this issue, numerous methods have been proposed, particularly for image-related tasks such as image classification or object segmentation. These methods generate a heatmap that visually explains the classification problem by identifying the most important regions for the classifier. However, these explanations remain purely visual. To overcome this limitation, we introduce a novel CNN explainability method that identifies the most relevant regions in an image and generates a decision tree based on meaningful regional features, providing a rule-based explanation of the classification model. We evaluated the proposed method on a synthetic blob's dataset and subsequently applied it to two cell image classification datasets with healthy and pathological patterns.
Synthesis of a smart pH sensitive micelle containing hyaluronic acid-curcumin bioconjugate against colorectal cancer
Authors: Hazrati Niloufar , Dehghani Sadegh , Taghavi Sahar , Taghdisi Seyed Mohammad , Abnous Khalil , Ramezani Mohammad , Alibolandi Mona
Published: April 2024

In the current study, we fabricated a pH-sensitive self-assembled CD44-targeted therapeutic micelle, comprising curcumin (CUR)-hyaluronic acid (HA) conjugate. At the first stage, the biopolymer, HA, as a back bone was attached to ethylene glycol vinyl ether (equivalent to 50% of the carboxylic acids of HA) and then hydroxyl of curcumin was attached to this linker to form a pH-responsive acetal linkage. The prepared HA-CUR conjugate was self-assembled and formed a micellar structure with size of 84 nm. The release of CUR from the prepared platform illustrated a controlled, sustained release at pH 7.4 while it was significantly accelerated at pH 5.4. The cytotoxicity and cellular uptake of the platform were evaluated against C26 as a CD44 positive and CHO as CD44 negative cells. The cytotoxicity and cellular uptake study showed higher internalization and cellular toxicity of the synthesized platform in C26 cells compared with CHO cells. In vivo study demonstrated desirable therapeutic efficacy of HA-CUR toward C26 tumor growth suppression and survival rate of BALB/c mice. These findings suggested HA-CUR as a hopeful natural product-based nanomedicine for active targeting and delivery of CUR to colon adenocarcinoma.
Interventional real-time molecular MRI allows diagnostic targeting of early myocardial injury in a pig model of ischemia and reperfusion
Authors: Heidt Timo , Reiss Simon , Thielmann Julien , Weber Christian , Maier Alexander , Lottner Thomas , Cristina-Schmitz Heidi R. , Bühler Timon , Chiang Diana , Jülicher Claus , Wadle Carolin , Hilgendorf Ingo , Wolf Dennis , Tumlinson Gavin , Hortells Luis , Westermann Dirk , Bock Michael , Mühlen Constantin
Published: April 2024

Introduction: Inflammation is a hallmark of post-ischemic myocardial injury. Expression of P-selectin by platelets and activated endothelial cells drives recruitment of immune cells to the deprived area and may serve as an early indicator of tissue injury. Due to its high soft tissue contrast, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is used for myocardial tissue characterization. Molecular imaging further allows for functional assessment using target-specific contrast agents. In this study, we assessed ischemic cardiac lesions non-invasively within the first hours after ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) in a porcine model using standard and advanced MRI techniques as well as molecular imaging targeting the cell adhesion molecule P-selectin. Methods: For molecular imaging, a monoclonal P-selectin antibody was functionalized with microparticles of iron oxide (MPIO). Specific binding to the target was confirmed by in vitro flow chamber using activated platelets as well as endothelial cells. In vivo, we used a closed-chest model of I/R of the circumflex artery in juvenile farm pigs by balloon-occlusion for 40 minutes, and real time MRI-guided coronary injection of MPIO-based contrast agents. 3T MRI was performed 2–4 hours after reperfusion, and lesions were characterized using injury (T1 mapping, LGE), edema (T2 mapping) and iron (T2* mapping) sensitive MRI. Results: Within the first hours after I/R, we detected increased inflammatory activity by means of higher numbers of innate immune cells in the blood. We found T1 mapping to be most sensitive for tissue injury, while no changes were detectable in edema-sensitive T2 mapping this early. Intriguingly, P-selectin MPIO contrast agent selectively enhanced the ischemic area in iron sensitive T2* mapping 4 hours after I/R which was confirmed histologically, while late gadolinium enhancement was always absent. Conclusion: By using real time MRI-guided coronary intervention, molecular MRI using P-selectin MPIO allows for sensitive detection of early myocardial inflammation after I/R beyond the capabilities of traditional edema sensitive imaging.
DataSet for Unflappable Driving : UNFLAPSet
Authors: Kim SuBi , Kang JiEun , Yoon YongIk
Published: April 2024

Autonomous vehicles must be aware of dynamic and static objects, road lanes, road signs and road markings. Recent autonomous vehicles awareness studies adaptable to various road environments continues, it is necessary to construct datasets that accurately reflect the real driving environment. The existing datasets consist of annotations that focus on dynamic and static objects, lanes, and road signs in the driving environment. These annotations enable management of object distance and avoidance, lane recognition and maintenance and awareness of road signs. Although road markings on the road surface provide the traffic regulations and guidance for driving lanes in the driving environment, there is a lack of the road marking datasets containing various types of directions and regulations. When driving without recognizing road markings, difficulty in recognizing lane information poses challenges in determining the appropriate lanes for the driving route and the limitation in predicting the movement of surrounding cars presents difficulties in maintaining stable driving responses. This paper presents a road marking dataset, UNFLAPSet(UNFLAPpable Set). UNFLAPSet is able to be aware of multidimensional information by including the various types of direction and regulations compared to existing road marking datasets. UNFLAPSet consists of three classes - 1. Driving Direction Centric class(DDCclass) 2. Capable of Lane Maneuver class(CLMclass) 3. Specific Condition Caution class(SCCclass), which are based on the meaning of road markings for emphasizing the primary implication of labels unlike the existing road marking datasets. Especially, Merge Line, Merge Arrow and Uturn Dot Line of CLMclass enable the prediction of surrounding vehicles’ movement and subsequently allow for stable responses. Furthermore, restricted direction road markings of SCCclass helps mitigate the risk of accidents caused by driving in unsuitable lanes, thereby facilitating the maintenance of smooth traffic flow. The validation results of UNFLAPSet showed high recognition accuracy for each label, enabling predictable driving integrated perception of driving lanes and surrounding lanes based on road surface marking recognition using UNFLAPSet.
Forecasting Day-Ahead Electricity Prices in Irish Markets: Time Series and Machine Learning Approaches and Performance Evaluation
Authors: Mandadapu Purnachandra
Published: April 2024

Electricity price forecasting has become increasingly vital following the liberalization of electricity markets—ushering in a more competitive environment for electricity generation and distribution. Notably, electricity prices in Day-Ahead Markets (DAMs) hold significant sway, influencing decisions made by energy traders. However, modeling electricity prices poses challenges due to their inherent characteristics such as heteroscedasticity, sharp price spikes, and multiple levels of seasonality. Therefore, in this study, we delve into various methodologies from existing literature to forecast electricity spot prices within the Irish DAM. Our focus lies on employing time series and Machine Learning (ML) techniques to predict prices for all 24 hours of each DAM auction facilitated by the Single Electricity Market Operator (SEMO). For this, we begin by providing a concise overview of the electricity market and its functioning, particularly concerning our objective of price forecasting within the DAM. Subsequently, we elucidate the key aspects of the data utilized in this study. Following this, we offer succinct explanations of each model employed, detailing their structures and preparatory steps for the modeling task. Central to our analysis are the results showcasing the performance of each model relative to a benchmark, along with a brief discussion on the significance of predictors in the forecasting process. Finally, based on our findings, we draw conclusions and outline potential avenues for further research and development.