bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Zinc-oxide nanoparticles ameliorated the phytotoxic hazards of cadmium toxicity in maize plants by regulating primary metabolites and antioxidants activity
Authors: Hussain Mujahid , Kaousar Rehana , Haq Syed Ijaz Ul , Shan Changfeng , Wang Guobin , Rafique Nadia , Shizhou Wang , Lan Yubin
Published: January 2024

Cadmium stress is a major threat to plant growth and survival worldwide. The current study aims to green synthesis, characterization, and application of zinc-oxide nanoparticles to alleviate cadmium stress in maize (Zea mays L.) plants. In this experiment, two cadmium levels (0, 0.6 mM) were applied to check the impact on plant growth attributes, chlorophyll contents, and concentration of various primary metabolites and antioxidants under exogenous treatment of zinc-oxide nanoparticles (25 and 50 mg L-1) in maize seedlings. Tissue sampling was made 21 days after the zinc-oxide nanoparticles application. Our results showed that applying cadmium significantly reduced total chlorophyll and carotenoid contents by 52.87% and 23.31% compared to non-stress. In comparison, it was increased by 53.23%, 68.49% and 9.73%, 37.53% with zinc-oxide nanoparticles 25, 50 mg L-1 application compared with cadmium stress conditions, respectively. At the same time, proline, superoxide dismutase, peroxidase, catalase, and ascorbate peroxidase contents were enhanced in plants treated with cadmium compared to non-treated plants with no foliar application, while it was increased by 12.99 and 23.09%, 23.52 and 35.12%, 27.53 and 36.43%, 14.19 and 24.46%, 14.64 and 37.68% by applying 25 and 50 mg L-1 of zinc-oxide nanoparticles dosages, respectively. In addition, cadmium toxicity also enhanced stress indicators such as malondialdehyde, hydrogen peroxide, and non-enzymatic antioxidants in plant leaves. Overall, the exogenous application of zinc-oxide nanoparticles (25 and 50 mg L-1) significantly alleviated cadmium toxicity in maize. It provides the first evidence that zinc-oxide nanoparticles 25 ~ 50 mg L-1 can be a candidate agricultural strategy for mitigating cadmium stress in cadmium-polluted soils for safe agriculture practice.
Leader’s Machiavellianism and employees’ counterproductive work behavior: testing a moderated mediation model
Authors: Cai Han , Wang Le , Jin Xiu
Published: January 2024

Counterproductive work behavior wastes organizational resources and significantly damages organizational development. The importance of employees’ counterproductive work behaviors in organizations is becoming increasingly obvious. This is directly related to the sustainable development and survival of organizations. This study believes that employee’s behavior is closely related to leadership style. In particular, employees’ in small- and medium-sized enterprises are often manipulated and deceived by leaders, resulting in dissatisfaction and counterproductive work behavior. In order to address this behavior, this study collected survey data from 289 employees from Chinese SMEs to explore the relationship between perceived abusive supervision and organizational political behavior in Machiavellian leadership and counterproductive work behavior. The results suggest that Machiavellian positive influence counterproductive work behavior through a mediating role of perceived abusive supervision. Furthermore, leader organizational political behavior moderates the indirect effect of perceived abusive supervision such that the effect is stronger when leader organizational political behavior is high. This study aimed to identify the variables that increase employees counterproductive work behavior, propose recommendations for reducing employees’ counterproductive work behavior, expanded the scope of counterproductive work behavior research, and provided a theoretical basis for related studies.
Sea of plastic: representations of the sea and pro-environmental attitudes and behaviors regarding marine plastic pollution in Peru and Chile
Authors: Saavedra Fernanda , Mego Marisol , Ticona Sofia , Thiel Martin , Baeza Jostein , Espinosa Agustín
Published: January 2024

Marine plastic pollution remains one of the greatest problems worldwide. Hence, this study explores the attitudes and pro-environmental behaviors of Peruvian and Chilean citizens regarding marine pollution, with an emphasis on plastic pollution. For this, forty-four semi-structured interviews were conducted with Peruvian (n = 24) and Chilean (n = 20) citizens, of which, through thematic analysis, semantic patterns were identified. Results show that the participants’ representation of the sea is positive and related to the connection they report having with this environment. Additionally, it was found that the sea fulfills recreational and economic purposes, reflecting an anthropocentric perspective, since it is associated with leisure and resource extraction, respectively. Both purposes are related to the causes of plastic pollution, although with differentiated effects. Anthropocentrism is also reflected in the direction that environmental concern takes towards the impact of this type of pollution predominately on individuals and society. Regarding pro-environmental behaviors, most of the initiatives proposed by the participants in response to marine plastic pollution correspond to individual actions, which could be due to the fact that they perceive a low commitment level from authorities to address the problem. In particular, the Chilean participants attributed a greater role to their authorities in dealing with plastic pollution, which would indicate a more institutional perspective of the problem. Thus, it is proposed that to address marine plastic pollution it is necessary to articulate individual actions with public policies carried out by social stakeholders such as governments, companies and non-governmental organizations, in order to build a more efficient culture of marine protection.
“That's like therapy”—A qualitative study on socially disadvantaged women's views on the effects of a community-based participatory research project on their health and health behavior
Authors: Kreiml Verena , Sauter Alexandra , Abu-Omar Karim , Eickmann Sascha , Herrmann-Johns Anne
Published: January 2024

Background

Regular physical activity has positive effects on both physical and mental health. Nevertheless, socially disadvantaged women are often insufficiently physically active. Through needs-based physical activity offers, community-based participatory research (CBPR) projects have the potential to reach these women and increase the effectiveness of physical activity interventions by supporting women's empowerment, health, and health behaviors. This study aimed to examine socially disadvantaged women's views on the effects of long-term participation in Bewegung als Investition in Gesundheit (BIG, i.e., movement as an investment in health), a long-standing German CBPR project, on their health and health behavior.

Methods

Semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted with 30 participating women at five BIG sites across Germany between April and August 2022. The interviews were recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using framework analysis.

Results

Women reported that participation in BIG classes contributed to their physical, mental, and social health. For many women, the positive effects on their mental and social wellbeing were most important. In addition to increased fitness and improved physical endurance, many participating women were able to expand their social networks, thus receiving further social support, and improve their self-esteem, self-confidence, and self-efficacy. Furthermore, participation in BIG physical activity classes positively influenced the health awareness of many women helping them to improve their activity level and diet over time.

Conclusion

Our results suggest that CBPR projects, such as the BIG project, can increase physical activity among socially disadvantaged groups and contribute to their overall health and wellbeing. CBPR projects could thus be considered a key element of health promotion for this target group. Future interventional research is required to confirm and further explore the effects of CBPR interventions and to examine whether the effects can be replicated in other settings.
Soft gripper for small fruits harvesting and pick and place operations
Authors: Navas Eduardo , Shamshiri Redmond R. , Dworak Volker , Weltzien Cornelia , Fernández Roemi
Published: January 2024

Agriculture 4.0 presents several challenges for the automation of various operations, including the fundamental task of harvesting. One of the crucial aspects in the automatic harvesting of high value crops is the grip and detachment of delicate fruits without spoiling them or interfering with the environment. Soft robotic systems, particularly soft grippers, offer a promising solution for this problem, as they can operate in unstructured environments, manipulate objects delicately, and interact safely with humans. In this context, this article presents a soft gripper design for harvesting as well as for pick-and-place operations of small and medium-sized fruits. The gripper is fabricated using the 3D printing technology with a flexible thermoplastic elastomer filament. This approach enables the production of an economical, compact, easily replicable, and interchangeable gripper by utilizing soft robotics principles, such as flexible structures and pneumatic actuation.
Dictionary Encoding Based on Tagged Sentential Decision Diagrams
Authors: Zhong Deyuan , Fang Liangda , Guan Quanlong
Published: January 2024

Encoding a dictionary into another representation means that all the words can be stored in the dictionary in a more efficient way. In this way, we can complete common operations in dictionaries, such as (1) searching for a word in the dictionary, (2) adding some words to the dictionary, and (3) removing some words from the dictionary, in a shorter time. Binary decision diagrams (BDDs) are one of the most famous representations of such encoding and are widely popular due to their excellent properties. Recently, some people have proposed encoding dictionaries into BDDs and some variants of BDDs and showed that it is feasible. Hence, we further investigate the topic of encoding dictionaries into decision diagrams. Tagged sentential decision diagrams (TSDDs), as one of these variants based on structured decomposition, exploit both the standard and zero-suppressed trimming rules. In this paper, we first introduce how to use Boolean functions to represent dictionary files and then design an algorithm that encodes dictionaries into TSDDs with the help of tries and a decoding algorithm that restores TSDDs to dictionaries. We utilize the help of tries in the encoding algorithm, which greatly accelerates the encoding process. Considering that TSDDs integrate two trimming rules, we believe that using TSDDs to represent dictionaries would be more effective, and the experiments also show this.
A Rapid Method of Integrated Aeropropulsive Analysis for the Conceptual Design of Airbreathing Hypersonic Aircraft
Authors: Dai Yalin , Fan Zhouwei , Xu Jian , He You , Yu Xiongqing
Published: January 2024

A special feature of airbreathing hypersonic aircraft is the complex coupling between aerodynamic and propulsive performances. This study presents a rapid analysis methodology for the integration of these two critical aspects in the conceptual design of airbreathing hypersonic aircraft. Parametric modeling is used to generate a three-dimensional geometric model of an aircraft. The integrated aerodynamic and propulsive analysis is performed using a loosely coupled method. The aerodynamic analysis uses Euler equations to solve the inviscid aerodynamic forces, while the viscous forces are estimated using semi-empirical engineering methods. The propulsion system is modeled using hybrid one- and three-dimensional approaches. The inlet aerodynamic performance is simulated using three-dimensional simulation based on the Euler equations. The ramjet performance is estimated using a quasi-one-dimensional mathematical model. Nozzle simulation is performed using a one-dimensional plume method. The entire computational process is integrated and can be run automatically. The usefulness of the method is demonstrated through aerodynamic and propulsive performance evaluations in the conceptual design of a notional airbreathing hypersonic aircraft.
A Dual-Branch Model Integrating CNN and Swin Transformer for Efficient Apple Leaf Disease Classification
Authors: Si Haiping , Li Mingchun , Li Weixia , Zhang Guipei , Wang Ming , Li Feitao , Li Yanling
Published: January 2024

Apples, as the fourth-largest globally produced fruit, play a crucial role in modern agriculture. However, accurately identifying apple diseases remains a significant challenge as failure in this regard leads to economic losses and poses threats to food safety. With the rapid development of artificial intelligence, advanced deep learning methods such as convolutional neural networks (CNNs) and Transformer-based technologies have made notable achievements in the agricultural field. In this study, we propose a dual-branch model named DBCoST, integrating CNN and Swin Transformer. CNNs focus on extracting local information, while Transformers are known for their ability to capture global information. The model aims to fully leverage the advantages of both in extracting local and global information. Additionally, we introduce the feature fusion module (FFM), which comprises a residual module and an enhanced Squeeze-and-Excitation (SE) attention mechanism, for more effective fusion and retention of both local and global information. In the natural environment, there are various sources of noise, such as the overlapping of apple branches and leaves, as well as the presence of fruits, which increase the complexity of accurately identifying diseases on apple leaves. This unique challenge provides a robust experimental foundation for validating the performance of our model. We comprehensively evaluate our model by conducting comparative experiments with other classification models under identical conditions. The experimental results demonstrate that our model outperforms other models across various metrics, including accuracy, recall, precision, and F1 score, achieving values of 97.32%, 97.33%, 97.40%, and 97.36%, respectively. Furthermore, detailed comparisons of our model’s accuracy across different diseases reveal accuracy rates exceeding 96% for each disease. In summary, our model performs better overall, achieving balanced accuracy across different apple leaf diseases.
Effect of Mussel Shells as Soil pH Amendment on the Growth and Productivity of Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis L.) Cultivation
Authors: Lolas Alexios , Molla Aikaterini , Georgiou Konstantinos , Apostologamvrou Chrysoula , Petrotou Alexandra , Skordas Konstantinos
Published: January 2024

Mussel shells, with their calcium carbonate content, serve as a natural pH buffer, aiding in neutralizing acidic soils and, consequently, enhancing nutrient availability for plants. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of treating soils with mussel shells as a soil pH amendment on the agronomic characteristics and productivity of Rosmarinus officinalis. A pot experiment was set up for two growing years. The treatments were amended using different doses of mussel shells. Overall, the treatments were the following: C: unamended soil (control); T1: 0.1%; T2: 0.3%; T3: 0.5%; T4: 1%; T5: 3%; T6: 6%. Plant height was higher in pots amended with 6% mussel shells and reached the value of 32.2 cm in the first year and 51 cm in the second. The application of mussel shells increased the branch length by 53.4–58.7% and the number of branches per plant by 61.3–62% in T6 compared to the control. The total yield of fresh and dry weight in the 1st and 2nd year was ordered as follows: T6 > T5 > T4 > T3 > T2 > T1 > C. In conclusion, while the established optimal quantity for neutralizing soil pH is 300 g of mussel shells per 10 kg of soil, it has been observed that a ratio of 600 g of mussel shells proves more effective in terms of both the productivity and agronomic characteristics of rosemary.
Comparison of Minimum Inhibitory Concentrations of Selected Antimicrobials for Non-Aureus Staphylococci, Enterococci, Lactococci, and Streptococci Isolated from Milk Samples of Cows with Clinical Mastitis
Authors: Kolar Quinn K. , Goncalves Juliano L. , Erskine Ronald J. , Ruegg Pamela L.
Published: January 2024

The objective of this study was to compare the minimum inhibitory concentrations of antimicrobials included in a commercial broth microdilution panel among Gram-positive pathogens that caused non-severe clinical mastitis on three Michigan dairy farms. Duplicate quarter milk samples were collected from eligible quarters of cows enrolled in a randomized clinical trial, cultured in a university laboratory, and identified using MALDI-TOF. Etiologies were grouped by genus as Enterococcus species (n = 11), Lactococcus species (n = 44), non-aureus Staphylococcus species (n = 39), or Streptococcus species (n = 25). Minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) were determined using the mastitis panel of a commercially available broth microdilution test. In vitro susceptibility was determined using approved guidelines and included breakpoints for mastitis pathogens, or when not available, breakpoints from other species. Most isolates were inhibited at or below breakpoints that demonstrated in vitro susceptibility. The proportions of susceptible isolates varied among pathogens for pirlimycin, penicillin, and tetracycline. The greatest proportion of resistance was observed for pirlimycin, tetracycline, and sulfadimethoxine. Survival analysis was performed to evaluate differences in MICs among pathogen groups. MIC values varied among pathogens for ceftiofur, cephalothin, erythromycin, penicillin, pirlimycin, and tetracycline. However, nearly all isolates were susceptible to ceftiofur and cephalothin, indicating that pathogen differences in MIC are not likely clinically relevant, as these are the two most commonly administered mastitis treatments in the United States. While differences in vitro susceptibility were observed for some antimicrobials, susceptibility was high to cephalosporin-based IMM treatments that are most commonly used and did not vary among pathogens.
Effects of a Primary Care Antimicrobial Stewardship Program on Meticillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Strains across a Region of Catalunya (Spain) over 5 Years
Authors: Jover-Sáenz Alfredo , Ramírez-Hidalgo María , Bellés Bellés Alba , Ribes Murillo Esther , Batlle Bosch Meritxell , Ribé Miró Anna , Mari López Alba , Cayado Cabanillas José , Piqué Palacín Neus , Garrido-Calvo Sònia , Ortiz Valls Mireia , Gracia Vilas María Isabel , Gros Navés Laura , Javierre Caudevilla María Jesús , Montull Navarro Lidia , Bañeres Argiles Cecilia , Vaqué Castilla Pilar , Ichart Tomás José Javier , Saura Codina Mireia , Andreu Mayor Ester , Martorell Solé Roser , Vena Martínez Ana , Albalad Samper José Manuel , Cano Marrón Susana , Soler Elcacho Cristina , Rodríguez Garrocho Andrés , Terrer Manrique Gemma , Solé Curcó Antoni , Escuin David de la Rica , Estadella Servalls María José , Figueres Farreny Ana M. , Montaña Esteban Luís Miguel , Sanz Borrell Lidia , Morales Valle Arancha , Pallerola Planes Mercè , Hamadi Aly , Pujol Aymerich Francesc , Toribio Redondo Francisca , Urgelés Castillón María Cruz , Valgañon Palacios Juan , Olivart Parejo Marc , Torres-Puig-gros Joan ,   the P-ILEHRDA Group,   on behalf of Clinical Microbiology and Antibiotic Resistance Group -IRBLleida-
Published: January 2024

Primary care antimicrobial stewardship program (ASP) interventions can reduce the over-prescription of unnecessary antibiotics, but the impact on the reduction in bacterial resistance is less known, and there is a lack of available data. We implemented a prolonged educational counseling ASP in a large regional outpatient setting to assess its feasibility and effectiveness. Over a 5-year post-implementation period, which was compared to a pre-intervention period, a significant reduction in antibiotic prescriptions occurred, particularly those associated with greater harmful effects and resistance selection. There was also a decrease in methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) strains and in their co-resistance to other antibiotics, particularly those with an ecological impact.
Impact of Multiplex PCR in the Therapeutic Management of Severe Bacterial Pneumonia
Authors: Dessajan Julien , Timsit Jean-François
Published: January 2024

Pneumonia is a common and severe illness that requires prompt and effective management. Advanced, rapid, and accurate tools are needed to diagnose patients with severe bacterial pneumonia, and to rapidly select appropriate antimicrobial therapy, which must be initiated within the first few hours of care. Two multiplex molecular tests, Unyvero HPN and FilmArray Pneumonia+ Panel, have been developed using the multiplex polymerase chain reaction (mPCR) technique to rapidly identify pathogens and their main antibiotic resistance mechanisms from patient respiratory specimens. Performance evaluation of these tests showed strong correlations with reference techniques. However, good knowledge of their indications, targets, and limitations is essential. Collaboration with microbiologists is, therefore, crucial for their appropriate use. Under these conditions, and with standardized management, these rapid tests can improve the therapeutic management of severe pneumonia faster, more precisely, and with narrow-spectrum antibiotic therapy. Further randomized controlled trials are needed to address the many unanswered questions about multiplex rapid molecular testing during the diagnosis and the management of severe pneumonia. This narrative review will address the current knowledge, advantages, and disadvantages of these tests, and propose solutions for their routine use.
Maintaining the Mitochondrial Quality Control System Was a Key Event of Tanshinone IIA against Deoxynivalenol-Induced Intestinal Toxicity
Authors: Zhang Cong , Wang Youshuang , Zhang Xinyu , Zhang Kefei , Chen Fengjuan , Fan Jiayan , Wang Xuebing , Yang Xu
Published: January 2024

Deoxynivalenol (DON) is the one of the most common mycotoxins, widely detected in various original foods and processed foods. Tanshinone IIA (Tan IIA) is a fat-soluble diterpene quinone extracted from Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge, which has multi-biological functions and pharmacological effects. However, whether Tan IIA has a protective effect against DON-induced intestinal toxicity is unknown. In this study, the results showed Tan IIA treatment could attenuate DON-induced IPEC-J2 cell death. DON increased oxidation product accumulation, decreased antioxidant ability and disrupted barrier function, while Tan IIA reversed DON-induced barrier function impairment and oxidative stress. Furthermore, Tan IIA dramatically improved mitochondrial function via mitochondrial quality control. Tan IIA could upregulate mitochondrial biogenesis and mitochondrial fusion as well as downregulate mitochondrial fission and mitochondrial unfolded protein response. In addition, Tan IIA significantly attenuated mitophagy caused by DON. Collectively, Tan IIA presented a potential protective effect against DON toxicity and the underlying mechanisms were involved in mitochondrial quality control–mediated mitophagy.
Prediction of Particle Settling Velocity in Newtonian and Power-Law Fluids Using Artificial Neural Network Model
Authors: Lv Weiping , Xu Zhengming , Jia Xia , Duan Shiming , Liu Jiawei , Song Xianzhi
Published: January 2024

In petroleum engineering, accurately predicting particle settling velocity during various stages of a well’s life cycle is vital. This study focuses on settling velocities of both spherical and non-spherical particles in Newtonian and non-Newtonian fluids. Utilizing a dataset of 931 experimental observations, an artificial neural network (ANN) model with a 7-42-1 architecture is developed (one input layer, one hidden layer with 42 neurons, and one output layer). This model effectively incorporates particle settling orientation and the inclusion of the settling area ratio, enhancing its predictive accuracy. Achieving an average absolute relative error (AARE) of 8.51%, the ANN model surpasses traditional empirical correlations for settling velocities in both Newtonian and power-law fluids. Key influencing factors, such as the consistency index and particle equivalent diameter, were identified. This approach in ANN model construction and data analysis represents a significant advancement in understanding particle dynamics.
QuoTa: An Online Quality-Aware Incentive Mechanism for Fast Federated Learning
Authors: Cai Hui , Bian Chao , Sheng Biyun , Zhou Jian , Li Juan , He Xin
Published: January 2024

In addition to federated optimization, more current studies focus on incentive mechanism design problems for federated learning (FL), stimulating data owners to share their resources securely. Most existing works only considered data quantity but neglected other key factors like data quality and training time prediction. In combination with all the above factors, we proposed an online quality-aware incentive mechanism based on multi-dimensional reverse auction, QuoTa, for achieving fast FL. In particular, it first designs model quality detection to eliminate some malicious or dispensable devices based on their historical behaviors and marginal contributions. Due to the possible fluctuations of CPU frequency in realistic model training, it next predicts model training time based on the upper confidence bound algorithm. By combining the two modules, QuoTa incentivizes data owners with high data quality, high computing capability, and low cost to participate in the FL process. By rigorous theoretical proof and extensive experiments, we prove that QuoTa satisfies all desired economic properties and achieves higher model accuracy and less convergence time than the state-of-the-art work.
Application of CFD Modelling for Pollutant Dispersion at an Urban Traffic Hotspot
Authors: Ioannidis Giannis , Li Chaofan , Tremper Paul , Riedel Till , Ntziachristos Leonidas
Published: January 2024

Health factors concerning the well-being of the urban population urge us to better comprehend the impact of emissions in urban environments on the micro-scale. There is great necessity to depict and monitor pollutant concentrations with high precision in cities, by constructing an accurate and validated digital air quality network. This work concerns the development and application of a CFD model for the dispersion of particulate matter, CO, and NOx from traffic activity in a highly busy area of the city of Augsburg, Germany. Emissions were calculated based on traffic activity during September of 2018 with COPERT Street software version 2.4. The needed meteorological data for the simulations were taken from a sensor’s network and the resulting concentrations were compared and validated with high-precision air quality station indications. The model’s solver used the steady-state RANS approach to resolve the velocity field and the convection–diffusion equation to simulate the pollutant’s dispersion, each one modelled with different molecular diffusion coefficients. A sensitivity analysis was performed to decide the most efficient computational mesh to be used in the modelling. A velocity profile for the atmospheric boundary layer (ABL) was implemented into the inlet boundary of each simulation. The cases concerned applications on the street level in steady-state conditions for one hour. The results were evaluated based on CFD validation metrics for urban applications. This approach provides a comprehensive state-of-the-art 3D digital pollution network for the area, capable of assessing contamination levels at the street scale, providing information for pollution reduction techniques in urban areas, and combining with existing sensor networks for a more thorough portrait of air quality.
Parameter Conditions for Boundedness of Two Integral Operators in Weighted Lebsgue Space and Calculation of Operator Norms
Authors: Zhang Lijuan , He Bing , Hong Yong
Published: January 2024

Firstly, Hilbert-type integral inequalities with best constant factors are established for two non-homogeneous kernels. Then, by utilizing the relationship between the Hilbert-type inequality and the integral operator of same kernel, the parameter conditions for two integral operators with non-homogeneous kernels in weighted Lebesgue space to be bounded and the formula for calculating the operator norm are obtained.
Research on Multimodal Fusion of Temporal Electronic Medical Records
Authors: Ma Moxuan , Wang Muyu , Gao Binyu , Li Yichen , Huang Jun , Chen Hui
Published: January 2024

The surge in deep learning-driven EMR research has centered on harnessing diverse data forms. Yet, the amalgamation of diverse modalities within time series data remains an underexplored realm. This study probes a multimodal fusion approach, merging temporal and non-temporal clinical notes along with tabular data. We leveraged data from 1271 myocardial infarction and 6450 stroke inpatients at a Beijing tertiary hospital. Our dataset encompassed static, and time series note data, coupled with static and time series table data. The temporal data underwent a preprocessing phase, padding to a 30-day interval, and segmenting into 3-day sub-sequences. These were fed into a long short-term memory (LSTM) network for sub-sequence representation. Multimodal attention gates were implemented for both static and temporal subsequence representations, culminating in fused representations. An attention-backtracking module was introduced for the latter, adept at capturing enduring dependencies in temporal fused representations. The concatenated results were channeled into an LSTM to yield the ultimate fused representation. Initially, two note modalities were designated as primary modes, and subsequently, the proposed fusion model was compared with comparative models including recent models such as Crossformer. The proposed model consistently exhibited superior predictive prowess in both tasks. Removing the attention-backtracking module led to performance decline. The proposed model consistently shows excellent predictive capabilities in both tasks. The proposed method not only effectively integrates data from the four modalities, but also has a good understanding of how to handle irregular time series data and lengthy clinical texts. An effective method is provided, which is expected to be more widely used in multimodal medical data representation.
Dyadic and Individual Variation in 24-Hour Heart Rates of Cancer Patients and Their Caregivers
Authors: Kumar Rajnish , Fu Junhan , Ortiz Bengie L. , Cao Xiao , Shedden Kerby , Choi Sung Won
Published: January 2024

Background: Twenty-four-hour heart rate (HR) integrates multiple physiological and psychological systems related to health and well-being, and can be continuously monitored in high temporal resolution over several days with wearable HR monitors. Using HR data from two independent datasets of cancer patients and their caregivers, we aimed to identify dyadic and individual patterns of 24 h HR variation and assess their relationship to demographic, environmental, psychological, and clinical variables of interest. Methods: a novel regularized approach to high-dimensional canonical correlation analysis (CCA) was used to identify factors reflecting dyadic and individual variation in the 24 h (circadian) HR trajectories of 430 people in 215 dyads, then regression analysis was used to relate these patterns to explanatory variables. Results: Four distinct factors of dyadic covariation in circadian HR were found, contributing approximately 7% to overall circadian HR variation. These factors, along with non-dyadic factors reflecting individual variation exhibited diverse and statistically robust patterns of association with explanatory variables of interest. Conclusions: Both dyadic and individual anomalies are present in the 24 h HR patterns of cancer patients and their caregivers. These patterns are largely synchronous, and their presence robustly associates with multiple explanatory variables. One notable finding is that higher mood scores in cancer patients correspond to an earlier HR nadir in the morning and higher HR during the afternoon.
Erythropoietin N-glycosylation of Therapeutic Formulations Quantified and Characterized: An Interlab Comparability Study of High-Throughput Methods
Authors: O’Flaherty Róisín , Amez Martín Manuela , Gardner Richard A. , Jennings Patrick M. , Rudd Pauline M. , Spencer Daniel I. R. , Falck David
Published: January 2024

Recombinant human erythropoietin (EPO) is a biopharmaceutical frequently used in the treatment of anemia. It is a heavily glycosylated protein with a diverse and complex glycome. EPO N-glycosylation influences important pharmacological parameters, prominently serum half-life. Therefore, EPO N-glycosylation analysis is of the utmost importance in terms of controlling critical quality attributes. In this work, we performed an interlaboratory study of glycoanalytical techniques for profiling and in-depth characterization, namely (1) hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection after 2-aminobenzamide labeling (HILIC-FLD(2AB)) and optional weak anion exchange chromatography (WAX) fractionation and exoglycosidase digestion, (2) HILIC-FLD after procainamide labeling (PROC) optionally coupled to electrospray ionization-MS and (3) matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-MS). All techniques showed good precision and were able to differentiate the unique N-glycosylation profiles of the various EPO preparations. HILIC-FLD showed higher precision, while MALDI-TOF-MS covered the most analytes. However, HILIC-FLD differentiated isomeric N-glycans, i.e., N-acetyllactosamine repeats and O-acetylation regioisomers. For routine profiling, HILIC-FLD methods are more accessible and cover isomerism in major structures, while MALDI-MS covers more minor analytes with an attractively high throughput. For in-depth characterization, MALDI-MS and HILIC-FLD(2AB)/WAX give a similar amount of orthogonal information. HILIC-FLD(PROC)-MS is attractive for covering isomerism of major structures with a significantly less extensive workflow compared to HILIC-FLD(2AB)/WAX.
A New Phenothiazine-Based Fluorescent Sensor for Detection of Cyanide
Authors: Li Yulei , Zhou Chen , Li Jiaxin , Sun Jing
Published: January 2024

A new fluorescent sensor for the detection of CN− was developed based on the conjugation of phenothiazine fluorophore and benzofuran unit. By the nucleophilic attacking of CN− to the fluoroacetylamino group in the sensor, the additional reaction of CN− and carbonyl group induced the ICT (intramolecular charge transfer) effect in the molecule and caused the fluorescence quenching sensor. The titration experiments show that the sensor has good sensitivity, selectivity and quick response for CN−. In addition, the fluorescent detection of CN− in the living cell and zebrafish experiments demonstrated the value of the sensor in tracing the CN− in biological systems.
Ageing-in-Place at Naturally Occurring Retirement Communities (NORCs): A Case Study on Bribie Island, Australia
Authors: E Jiaxuan , Xia Bo , Chen Qing , Buys Laurie , Susilawati Connie , Burton Lindy Osborne
Published: January 2024

Through a case study on Bribie Island in Queensland, Australia, this study investigates Naturally Occurring Retirement Communities (NORCs) as a viable alternative for ageing-in-place. Aim: The objectives were to investigate why older adults relocate to Bribie Island, how they perceive their living environment, and their future relocation intentions. Method: The research data were attained through semi-structured interviews with 21 Bribie Island residents, aged 65 and older. These data provided the basis for an in-depth understanding of the residents’ perspectives and experiences, with respect to their community and living conditions. Results: The findings indicate that, overall, the participants expressed a high level of satisfaction with their current living environment; however, they also highlight areas for improvement, particularly the transportation and healthcare facilities. Significantly, most respondents confirmed their desire and intention to continue residing on the island. Conclusion: As exemplified by this Bribie Island case study, this study confirms that NORCs offer desirable settings for ageing-in-place. Recognizing the diversity and range of personal preferences, this study emphasizes the importance of ongoing research to develop responsive, inclusive, and supportive environments, to strategically improve the amenities within future NORCs.
National Multicenter Study on the Comparison of Robotic and Open Thymectomy for Thymic Neoplasms in Myasthenic Patients: Surgical, Neurological and Oncological Outcomes
Authors: Sicolo Elisa , Zirafa Carmelina Cristina , Romano Gaetano , Brandolini Jury , De Palma Angela , Bongiolatti Stefano , Gallina Filippo Tommaso , Ricciardi Sara , Maestri Michelangelo , Guida Melania , Morganti Riccardo , Carleo Graziana , Mugnaini Giovanni , Tajè Riccardo , Calabró Fabrizia , Lenzini Alessandra , Davini Federico , Cardillo Giuseppe , Facciolo Francesco , Voltolini Luca , Marulli Giuseppe , Solli Piergiorgio , Melfi Franca
Published: January 2024

Thymectomy is the gold standard in the treatment of thymic neoplasm and plays a key role in the therapeutic path of myasthenia gravis. For years, sternotomy has been the traditional approach for removing anterior mediastinal lesions, although the robotic thymectomy is now widely performed. The literature is still lacking in papers comparing the two approaches and evaluating long-term oncological and neurological outcomes. This study aims to analyze the postoperative results of open and robotic thymectomy for thymic neoplasms in myasthenic patients. Surgical, oncological and neurological data of myasthenic patients affected by thymic neoplasms and surgically treated with extended thymectomy, both with the open and the robotic approach, in six Italian Thoracic Centers between 2011 and 2021 were evaluated. A total of 213 patients were enrolled in the study: 110 (51.6%) were treated with the open approach, and 103 (48.4%) were treated with robotic surgery. The open surgery, compared with the robotic, presented a shorter operating time (p < 0.001), a higher number of postoperative complications (p = 0.038) and longer postoperative hospitalization (p = 0.006). No other differences were observed in terms of surgical, oncological or neurological outcomes. The robotic approach can be considered safe and feasible, comparable to the open technique, in terms of surgical, oncological and neurological outcomes.
Combined Merkel Cell Carcinoma and Squamous Cell Carcinoma: A Systematic Review
Authors: Ríos-Viñuela Elisa , Mayo-Martínez Fatima , Nagore Eduardo , Millan-Esteban David , Requena Celia , Sanmartín Onofre , Llombart Beatriz
Published: January 2024

Combined Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) have classically been regarded as more aggressive than conventional, pure, Merkel cell polyomavirus (MCPyV)-positive MCC. It is still unknown whether combined MCC and SCC are more aggressive than pure, MCPyV-negative MCC, and the origin of both the SCC and MCC elements of these combined tumors has not been elucidated. The main objective of this systematic review was to assess whether combined MCC and SCC tumors are associated with a worse prognosis than pure MCC; the secondary goals were the characterization of the clinical and histopathological features of these combined neoplasms. A total of 38 studies, including 152 patients, were selected for review. In total, 76% of the cases were MCPyV-negative, whereas 4% were MCPyV-positive. The most frequent histopathological pattern was that of an SCC in situ combined with a dermal MCC (36%), followed by both an in situ and invasive SCC combined with a dermal MCC (20%). Forty-seven percent of all cases fitted in the morphology of the so-called “collision tumors”. Three combined MCC cases that would fit in the morphological category of collision tumors presented both squamous and neuroendocrine elements in their respective nodal metastases. The mean overall survival was 36 months, comparable to that of pure, MCPyV-negative MCC. This review found similarly aggressive behavior for combined MCC and SCC and pure, MCPyV-negative MCC. Preliminary data strongly suggest that all MCPyV-negative MCC tumors, whether combined or pure, are part of a common spectrum.
Cetuximab as a Key Partner in Personalized Targeted Therapy for Metastatic Colorectal Cancer
Authors: Saoudi González Nadia , Ros Javier , Baraibar Iosune , Salvà Francesc , Rodríguez-Castells Marta , Alcaraz Adriana , García Ariadna , Tabernero Josep , Élez Elena
Published: January 2024

Cetuximab, a chimeric IgG1 monoclonal antibody targeting the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), has revolutionized personalized treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) patients. This review highlights the mechanism of action, characteristics, and optimal indications for cetuximab in mCRC. Cetuximab has emerged as a pivotal partner for novel therapies in specific molecular subgroups, including BRAF V600E, KRAS G12C, and HER2-altered mCRC. Combining cetuximab with immunotherapy and other targeted agents further expands the therapeutic landscape, offering renewed hope for mCRC patients who face the development of resistance to conventional therapies. Ongoing clinical trials have continued to uncover innovative cetuximab-based treatment strategies, promising a brighter future for mCRC patients. This review provides a comprehensive overview of cetuximab’s role and its evolving importance in personalized targeted therapy of mCRC patients, offering valuable insights into the evolving landscape of colorectal cancer treatment.
CO2 Capture, Utilization and Storage: Catalysts Design
Authors: Liotta Leonarda Francesca , Wu Hongjing
Published: January 2024

Today, the problem of CO2 emission into the atmosphere is one of the most urgent and complex challenges facing humanity [...]
Autophagy and Apoptosis in Rabies Virus Replication
Authors: Li Saisai , Xu Bowen , Luo Yongwen , Luo Jun , Huang Shile , Guo Xiaofeng
Published: January 2024

Rabies virus (RABV) is a single-stranded negative-sense RNA virus belonging to the Rhabdoviridae family and Lyssavirus genus, which is highly neurotropic and can infect almost all warm-blooded animals, including humans. Autophagy and apoptosis are two evolutionarily conserved and genetically regulated processes that maintain cellular and organismal homeostasis, respectively. Autophagy recycles unnecessary or dysfunctional intracellular organelles and molecules in a cell, whereas apoptosis eliminates damaged or unwanted cells in an organism. Studies have shown that RABV can induce both autophagy and apoptosis in target cells. To advance our understanding of pathogenesis of rabies, this paper reviews the molecular mechanisms of autophagy and apoptosis induced by RABV and the effects of the two cellular events on RABV replication.
Cannabidiol Combination Enhances Photodynamic Therapy Effects on MCF-7 Breast Cancer Cells
Authors: Mokoena Dimakatso , George Blassan P. , Abrahamse Heidi
Published: January 2024

Cannabis sativa is a well-known plant for its psychoactive effects; however, its many derivatives, such as Cannabidiol (CBD), contain several therapeutic applications. Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is the main cannabis derivative responsible for psychoactive properties, while CBD is non-psychotropic. For this reason, CBD has been more exploited in the last decade. CBD has been connected to multiple anticancer properties, and when combined with photodynamic therapy (PDT), it is possible to eradicate tumors more effectively. In this study, CBD was utilized to treat MCF-7 breast cancer cells, followed by in vitro PDT combination therapy. Conventional breast cancer treatment modalities such as chemotherapy, radiotherapy, etc. have been reported for inducing a number of undesirable side effects, recurrence of the disease, and low quality of life. In this study, cells were exposed to varying concentrations of CBD (i.e., 1.25, 2.5, 5, 10, and 20 μg/mL) and incubated 12 and 24 h after treatment. The optimal doses were then used in combination therapy. Morphology and biochemical assays, including lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) for membrane integrity, adenosine triphosphate (ATP) for viability, and trypan blue exclusion assay for viability, were used to examine cellular responses after treatments. The optimal concentration was then utilized in Hypericin-Gold nanoparticles mediated PDT combination. The results revealed that, in a dose-dependent manner, conventional morphological characteristics of cell death, such as vacuolization, blebbing, and floating were observed in treated cells. The biochemical responses demonstrated an increase in LDH, a decrease in ATP, and a reduction in viability. This study demonstrated that CBD induces cell death in MCF-7 breast cancer cells cultured in vitro. The immunofluorescence results of combination therapy indicated that cell death occurred via apoptosis. In conclusion, this study proposes that the CBD and PDT combination therapy is effective in killing MCF-7 breast cancer cells in vitro by induction of apoptosis.
Age-Dependent and Aβ-Induced Dynamic Changes in the Subcellular Localization of HMGB1 in Neurons and Microglia in the Brains of an Animal Model of Alzheimer’s Disease
Authors: Seol Song-I , Davaanyam Dashdulam , Oh Sang-A , Lee Eun-Hwa , Han Pyung-Lim , Kim Seung-Woo , Lee Ja-Kyeong
Published: January 2024

HMGB1 is a prototypical danger-associated molecular pattern (DAMP) molecule that co-localizes with amyloid beta (Aβ) in the brains of patients with Alzheimer’s disease. HMGB1 levels are significantly higher in the cerebrospinal fluid of patients. However, the cellular and subcellular distribution of HMGB1 in relation to the pathology of Alzheimer’s disease has not yet been studied in detail. Here, we investigated whether HMGB1 protein levels in brain tissue homogenates (frontal cortex and striatum) and sera from Tg-APP/PS1 mice, along with its cellular and subcellular localization in those regions, differed. Total HMGB1 levels were increased in the frontal cortices of aged wildtype (7.5 M) mice compared to young (3.5 M) mice, whereas total HMGB1 levels in the frontal cortices of Tg-APP/PS1 mice (7.5 M) were significantly lower than those in age-matched wildtype mice. In contrast, total serum HMGB1 levels were enhanced in aged wildtype (7.5 M) mice and Tg-APP/PS1 mice (7.5 M). Further analysis indicated that nuclear HMGB1 levels in the frontal cortices of Tg-APP/PS1 mice were significantly reduced compared to those in age-matched wildtype controls, and cytosolic HMGB1 levels were also significantly decreased. Triple-fluorescence immunohistochemical analysis indicated that HMGB1 appeared as a ring shape in the cytoplasm of most neurons and microglia in the frontal cortices of 9.5 M Tg-APP/PS1 mice, indicating that nuclear HMGB1 is reduced by aging and in Tg-APP/PS1 mice. Consistent with these observations, Aβ treatment of both primary cortical neuron and primary microglial cultures increased HMGB1 secretion in the media, in an Aβ-dose-dependent manner. Our results indicate that nuclear HMGB1 might be translocated from the nucleus to the cytoplasm in both neurons and microglia in the brains of Tg-APP/PS1 mice, and that it may subsequently be secreted extracellularly.