bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Floodplain forests under stress: how ash dieback and hydrology affect tree growth patterns under climate change
Authors: Henkel Stefanie , Richter Ronny , Andraczek Karl , Mundry Roger , Dontschev Madeleine , Engelmann Rolf , Hartmann Timo , Hecht Christian , Kasperidus Hans Dieter , Rieland Georg , Scholz Mathias , Seele-Dilbat Carolin , Vieweg Michael , Wirth Christian
Published: August 2024

Floodplain forests are currently undergoing substantial reorganization processes due to the combined effects of management-induced altered hydrological conditions, climate change and novel invasive pathogens. Nowadays, the ash dieback is one of the most concerning diseases affecting temperate floodplain forests, causing substantial tree mortality and threatening the loss of the dominant key tree species of the hardwood floodplain forest, Fraxinus excelsior. Understanding how the increased light availability caused by pathogen-driven mortality in combination with altered hydrological conditions and climate change affects growth responses in a diverse forest community is of crucial importance for conservation efforts. Thus, we examined growth of the main tree species in response to ash dieback and how it depended on altered hydrological conditions under novel climatic conditions for the lower and upper canopy in the floodplain forest of Leipzig, Germany. Our study period encompassed the consecutive drought years from 2018 to 2020. We found that tree growth responded mostly positively to increased light availability, but only on moist sites, while tree growth largely declined on dry sites, suggesting that water availability is a critical factor for tree species to be able to benefit from increased light availability due to canopy disturbances caused by ash dieback. This hydrological effect was species specific in the lower canopy but not in the upper canopy. While, in the lower canopy, some species such as the competitive shade-tolerant but flood-intolerant Acer pseudoplatanus and Acer platanoides benefited from ash dieback on moist sites, others were less affected or suffered disproportionally, indicating that floodplain forests might turn into a novel ecosystem dominated by competitive Acer species, which may have detrimental effects on ecosystem functioning. Our results give hints on floodplain forests of the future and have important implications for conservation measures, suggesting that a substantial revitalization of natural hydrological dynamics is important to maintain a tree composition that resembles the existing one and thus sustain their conservation status.
Dynamic Niche Technology Based Hybrid Breeding Optimization Algorithm for Multimodal Feature Selection
Authors: Cai Ting , Ma Fan , Ye Zhiwei , Zhou Wen , Wang Mingwei , He Qiyi , Pan Hu , Shen Jun
Published: August 2024

Currently, many newly proposed evolutionary algorithms have been successfully employed in the field of feature selection with the aim of finding a single optimal feature subset for a given dataset. However, due to the complexity of real-world data, the optimal feature subset in a dataset is often not unique. To represent data information with a single feature subset will be biased, which has made multimodal feature selection become a research hotspot. Most of those proposed algorithms could not deal with multimodal feature selection or were easily trapped into the local optima. Therefore, inspired by the nature, this paper investigates a new evolutionary algorithm to deal with multimodal feature selection. We proposes to handle multimodal feature selection by utilizing the hybrid breeding optimization algorithm (HBO), which is a novel evolutionary algorithm derived from Heterosis theory and incorporated with dynamic niching technology. Furthermore, to improve the performance of the traditional HBO, neighborhood search and elite mutation strategies are introduced in the global search, and a neighborhood crossover strategy is applied to broaden the diversity of population. Experimental results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method, which outperforms some latest algorithms such as grey wolf optimizer algorithm, whale optimization algorithm and Harris hawks optimization algorithm etc. for multimodal feature selection.
A Comparison of Laminectomy and Hemilaminectomy Approaches for Resection of Spinal Schwannomas and Meningiomas
Authors: Dobran Mauro , Lisi Serena Vittoria , Aiudi Denis , Cappella Fabiola , Chiapponi Mario , Bianchi Elena , Iacoangeli Alessio , Rienzo Alessandro Di
Published: August 2024

Background: Spinal schwannomas and meningiomas are the most common spinal cord benign tumors in adults and total excision is the goal of the treatment. The traditional surgical approach is performed by total laminectomy, but recently unilateral hemilaminectomy has been recognized as a valuable surgical alternative.
We report the clinical results of patients affected by spinal schwannoma and meningioma in whom total laminectomy or unilateral hemilaminectomy were performed.
Material and Methods: A retrospective study of patients who underwent resection of spinal meningioma or schwannoma by laminectomy or unilateral hemilaminectomy approaches in our Institute from January 2013 to January 2023 was made. The baseline data of these patients, operative approach and postoperative outcome were compared.
Results: The study was performed on 41 patients with mean age of 62.5 ±14.6 years. Our series included 24 (59%) cases of schwannomas and 17 (41%) cases of meningiomas, with a prevalent location in the thoracic spine. The average schwannomas volume was 3,6 ±2,7 cm3, whereas the average meningiomas volume was 1.1 ±0.5 cm3. Total excision was achieved in all cases. Operative time of schwannomas was longer (p=0.001) respect to meningiomas with higher intra-operative blood loss (p=0.000). Total laminectomy approach was performed in 24 out of 41 patients (59%) and unilateral hemilaminectomy approach in 17 out of 41 (41%) patients. Unilateral hemilaminectomy was associated with shorter postoperative bed rest (p=0.003), shorter hospitalization (p=0.028) and lower postoperative pain (p=0.02) respect to total laminectomy.
Conclusions: Both spinal schwannomas and spinal meningiomas in various size can be safely and effectively treated with unilateral hemilaminectomy approach. This approach grants more advantages compared with standard total laminectomy, including shorter postoperative bed rest, shorter hospitalization and reduced postoperative pain.
LncRNA 4930544M13Rik-201 regulates CACNA2D1 expression via interacting with hnRNPA2B1 to promote neuropathic pain following nerve injury
Authors: Fang Zhonghan , Liu Fei , Tang Qingfeng , Liu Yajing , Feng Yuheng , Ye Minghan , Wu Zhongyuan , Peng Yuan , Zheng Zheng , Li Qijing , Zhang Yanyan , Wang Hang , Shen Jiefei
Published: August 2024

Long non-coding RNAs (LncRNAs) have recently been reported to play a crucial role in neuropathic pain (NP) resulting from peripheral nerve injury. However, the underlying mechanisms are not fully elucidated. Here, we investigated the role and mechanism of lncRNA 4930544M13Rik-201, a significantly up-regulated lncRNA in both trigeminal ganglion (TG) and dorsal root ganglion (DRG) following peripheral nerve injury, as determined by previous RNA-sequencing results, in the pathogenesis of trigeminal NP induced by infraorbital nerve chronic constriction injury (CCI-ION) in mice. LncRNA 4930544M13Rik-201 was predominantly located in the nuclei of neurons and significantly upregulated in the TG after CCI-ION. Silencing the expression of 4930544M13Rik-201 alleviated mechanical allodynia induced by CCI-ION, while over-expression of 4930544M13Rik-201 in the TG of the WT mice caused orofacial allodynia. Moreover, calcium voltage-gated channel auxiliary subunit alpha 2 delta 1 (CACNA2D1) was identified as the downstream target of lncRNA 4930544M13Rik-201. Notably, 4930544M13Rik-201 increased the stabilization of Cacna2d1 mRNA and protein expression via interacting with heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein A2/B1 (hnRNPA2B1). Furthermore, inhibition of CACNA2D1 and silencing of hnRNPA2B1 both alleviated the allodynia induced by CCI-ION and the overexpression of 4930544M13Rik-201. Taken together, these results suggest that 4930544M13Rik-201 plays a critical role in the regulation of trigeminal NP induced by CCI-ION through upregulating Cacna2d1 expression via binding to hnRNPA2B1. These findings have important implications for the development of new therapeutic strategies for the treatment of NP by targeting the 4930544M13Rik-201—hnRNPA2B1—CACNA2D1 axis.
Mechanical Energy Amplification Effect of the Kwale law in Hydraulic Motor Application
Authors: Olise Nduka Micheal
Published: August 2024

The kwale law, a new milestone in engineering has proven that mechanical energy can be amplified without any noticeable input energy change in a closed hydraulic system. The law which state that; “If a barrier can interact with a flowing fluid and not affect its flow rate, change its direction or try to stop the flow of the fluid, energy gained by the barrier will not affect the energy supplied by the fluid” This law, unlike the pascals law which amplify force while volume gains, will amplify force without affecting the volume. To test this law, the kwale law was incorporated in a Eaton Vickers m25 hydraulic motor, results from test showed there was a minimum 20% output power increase without any major change in the energy consumption of the machine. The new motor functioning with the kwale law had the same displacement and speed like the original machine before it was incorporated with the kwale law. The major advantage of the kwale law is its potential for fully optimized energy generation and usage, hydraulic motors that will be designed with kwale law will have very high torque output and small displacement making room for very high torque and high-speed hydraulic motors.
Simultaneously improving toughness and strength for biodegradable Poly (lactic acid) modified by rice
husk and acetyl tributyl citrate
Authors: Wang Y.B. , Ren Liang , Gan H.N. , Han Y.G. , Xu M.F. , Wang Y.H. , Liu Q. , Zhang M.Y.
Published: August 2024

Developing a stiffness-toughness balance, low-cost, and biodegradable PLA composite is an effective strategy for improving product market competitiveness, reducing dependence on petroleum-based resources and protecting the environment. Rice husk (RH) is extensively used as a filler in polymers, but the addition of too much rice husk into PLA has damaged the toughness of the composite. In this work, fully biodegradable composites with a stiffness-toughness balance and low cost are successfully fabricated through melt blending of PLA, RH and acetyl tributyl citrate (ATBC). The results show that bio-based plasticizer ATBC can improve the flowability of PLA composites, further enhancing their processability, which promotes the dispersion of RH in PLA. The impact strength and elongation at break of PLAC20 reach the value of 100 J/m and 148%, achieving an increase of 4.3 and 60.1 times compared with PLAC0, respectively. The torque rheological test shows that the maximum torque and equilibrium torque arrive 25.3 N/m and 2.3 N/m, and are about 67.4% and 63.5% lower than those for PLAC0 after incorporation of 18 phr ATBC, respectively, indicating a significant improvement in processing performance. As the ATBC amount increases, the water absorption rate of the composite progressively rises, while the contact angle steadily diminishes, resulting in the improvement for hydrophilicity, thereby broadening its potential applications.
Reduction of Silver Oxide Nanoparticles Using Anethum Graveolens Leaves Extract and Assessment of Their Antibacterial and Antibiofilm Properties
Authors: Ahmed Rasha S. , Dahham Abdulkader Makki , Abdalameer Nisreen Kh. , Mohammed Raghad S.
Published: August 2024

This research aims to develop a new method for preparing silver oxide nanoparticles using Anethum graveolens (dill) leaf extract as a natural reducing agent, using cold plasma technology. This study was designed to evaluate the antibacterial and anti-biofilm properties of the prepared nanoparticles. Initially, dill leaf extract was prepared and used as a reducing agent and stabilizer for silver oxide nanoparticles. Cold plasma technology was used to enhance the synthesis process and provide ideal conditions for the formation of nanoparticles. The results showed that the prepared silver oxide nanoparticles possess strong antibacterial properties, as they showed remarkable activity against a variety of pathogenic bacteria such as "Klebsiella pneumoniae, Escherichia coli, and Staphylococcus aureus". Nanoparticles also proved effective in preventing the formation of bacterial biofilms, as the highest rate of inhibition was for the Gram-positive bacteria Staphylococcus aureus. The study provides evidence of the effectiveness of combining plant extracts and cold plasma technology in producing nanoparticles with improved properties, which could push towards the use of these materials. In developing innovative and sustainable solutions in various scientific and applied fields.
Key role of the TM2-TM3 loop in calcium potentiation of the α9α10 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor
Authors: Gallino Sofia L. , Aguero Lucia , Boffi Juan C. , Schottlender Gustavo , Buonfiglio Paula , Dalamon Viviana , Marcovich Irina , Carpaneto Agustín , Craig Patricio O. , Plazas Paola V. , Elgoyhen Ana B.
Published: August 2024

The α9α10 nicotinic cholinergic receptor (nAChR) is a ligand-gated pentameric cation-permeable ion channel that mediates synaptic transmission between descending efferent neurons and mechanosensory inner ear hair cells. When expressed in heterologous systems, α9 and α10 subunits can assemble into functional homomeric α9 and heteromeric α9α10 receptors. One of the differential properties between these nAChRs is the modulation of their ACh-evoked responses by extracellular calcium (Ca2+). While α9 nAChRs responses are blocked by Ca2+, ACh-evoked currents through α9α10 nAChRs are potentiated by Ca2+ in the micromolar range and blocked at millimolar concentrations. Using chimeric and mutant subunits, together with electrophysiological recordings under two-electrode voltage-clamp, we show that the TM2-TM3 loop of the rat α10 subunit contains key structural determinants responsible for the potentiation of the α9α10 nAChR by extracellular Ca2+. Moreover, molecular dynamics simulations reveal that the TM2-TM3 loop of α10 does not contribute to the Ca2+ potentiation phenotype through the formation of novel Ca2+ binding sites not present in the α9 receptor. These results suggest that the TM2-TM3 loop of α10 might act as a control element that facilitates the intramolecular rearrangements that follow ACh-evoked α9α10 nAChRs gating in response to local and transient changes of extracellular Ca2+ concentration. This finding might pave the way for the future rational design of drugs that target α9α10 nAChRs as otoprotectants.
Enhancing Urban Climate Resistance Through the Application of Selected Strategies and Technologies
Authors: Hachem-Vermette Caroline
Published: August 2024

Adapting cities for climate resilience is one of the most pressing tasks for urban areas, as climate change is projected to increase both the frequency and severity of extreme weather events. A summary is presented of a broad set of resilience strategies that can potentially improve resilience of urban areas in four critical domains water, food, shelter, and energy. These strategies range from short-term, easy-to-implement solutions to more extensive, long-term plans, and can be applied in new and existing neighborhoods. A flexible framework is proposed for evaluating and implementing these urban resilience strategies. As a first stage, the framework presents a scoring system to prioritize strategies applied to each of the four domains, based on resilience criteria such as cost, maintenance required, impact, level of acceptability, regulations required, and scalability. These resilience criteria can be adjusted based on local context. The second stage of the framework allows to prioritize strategies that can simultaneously contribute to multiple domains. Weights are assigned to resilience domains according to the priority of enhancing specific objectives (e.g. water management, energy, etc.). The third stage allows to combine the first and second stages, prioritizing strategies that can simultaneously contribute to different resilience objectives, while also satisfying specific criteria such as reduced cost, reduced maintenance and others. This allows to identify optimal combinations of strategies for a particular urban context, that better aligns with given objectives and resources. Incorporating data related to the resilience criteria (e.g. costs, impacts, and community acceptance), the methodology provides a robust, data-driven ranking of resilience strategies. Such a framework can support urban planners and policymakers in taking well-informed decisions to improve efficiently urban resilience. This framework can be applied in part or in whole, to meet specific objectives.
Ultrasound-Triggered Piezoelectric Polyetheretherketone with Boosted Osteogenesis via Regulating Akt/GSK3β/β-Catenin Pathway
Authors: Li Yue , Fan Yingying , Zhao Siyu , Cheng Bo
Published: August 2024

Maxillofacial bone defects can severely impact quality of life by impairing physiological functions such as chewing, breathing, swallowing, and pronunciation. Polyether ether ketone (PEEK) is commonly used for the repair of maxillofacial defects due to its mechanical adaptability, while its osteogenic properties still need refinement. Herein, we have utilized the piezoelectric effect exhibited by barium titanate (BTO) under low-intensity pulsed ultrasound (LIPUS) to develop an ultrasound responsive PEEK (PDA@BTO-SPEEK, PBSP) through the mediating effect of polydopamine (PDA), for repairing maxillofacial bone defects. After modification by PDA@BTO, PBSP possesses better hydrophilicity, which is conducive to cell growth and adhesion. Simultaneously, by virtue of the piezoelectric characteristics of BTO, PBSP obtains a piezoelectric coefficient that matches the bone cortex. Notably, when PBSP is stimulated by LIPUS, it can generate stable electricity and effectively accelerate the osteogenic differentiation of osteoblasts through the regulation of the Piezo1-induced calcium (Ca2+) influx and Akt/GSK3β/β-catenin pathway. In addition, PBSP presents satisfactory therapeutic effects in rat skull defect models, and its osteogenic efficiency can be further improved under LIPUS stimulation with high tissue penetration. Collectively, PBSP + LIPUS exhibits great potential as a promising alternative strategy for the repair of maxillofacial bone defects.
P addition weakens the positive effects of N addition on CH4 uptake and does not affect the effects of N addition on CO2 emission in alpine grasslands
Authors: Xiao Jiannan , Dong Shikui , Shen Hao , Zhang Ran , Shi Hang , He Fencai , Li Wei , Li Xiaoyan
Published: August 2024

Aims
Anthropogenic activities have substantially elevated nitrogen (N) deposition globally and affect ecosystem processes, including soil carbon (C) storage potential. Phosphorus (P) can become a limiting factor for plant production in instances of N deposition, yet the responses of ecosystem C cycles to P enrichment are poorly understood, particularly in sensitive alpine ecosystems.
Methods
We conducted a short-term field study to appraise the effects of N and P addition on ecosystem CO2 emissions and CH4 uptake in three typical alpine grasslands, alpine meadow, alpine steppe, and cultivated grassland on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (QTP). The closed chamber technique was employed to monitor the fluxes of CO2 and CH4. Environmental factors, including plant biomass and diversity and soil nutrients, and the abundance of C-cycling genes were analyzed to investigate the factors regulating CO2 and CH4 fluxes.
Results
The results showed that: (i) N and P addition tended to increase CO2 emissions and CH4 uptake. Furthermore, P addition weakened the positive effects of N on CH4 uptake across the three grasslands, but the interaction of N and P addition on CO2 emissions varied across the three grasslands. (ii) N and P addition affected the fluxes of CO2 and CH4 both directly and indirectly through their impacts on soil and plant factors rather than C-cycling functional genes.
Conclusions
These results indicate that in the context of increasing N deposition in the QTP, short-term P addition is not an effective method for mitigating global warming potential and improving soil C sequestration in alpine grassland ecosystems.
Lived Experience of Patients during Treatment of Extranodal NK-/T- Cell Lymphoma: A Phenomenological Inquiry
Authors: Liu Hai-ping , Gong Shu-mei , Ge Nan-nan , Liu Ping
Published: August 2024

Purpose
To understand in greater depth patients’ experiences of living and coping with extranodal NK-/T- cell lymphoma, and to inform the development of models of care for this population.
Methods
A qualitative descriptive approach including face to face interviews with semi-structured questions was applied in the study. The interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim.
Results
Twenty-one patients were interviewed from December 2019 to May 2023. Four key themes emerged: (1) physical challenges and adaptation (symptom burden, shift in social roles); (2) psychological stress and adjustment (denial and anger, delayed diagnosis, and coping with psychological stress); (3) reorganization and adaptation of daily life (focusing on their illness, focusing on the present, and life reorganization); and (4) seeking and feedback of social support (social support, shame, escape, and grateful feedback).
Conclusions
The findings gave a broad insight into the profound impact of extranodal NK-/T- cell lymphoma. To support patients, easily accessible services are needed to improve their quality of life. That includes timely diagnosis, providing psychological support and information, understanding the patient adjustment and adaptation process, and management of symptoms.
Facile preparation of 3D porous graphene-based composite hydrogels doped with different ratios of MXene for MB adsorption
Authors: Wang Yaning , Yan Xiaoxia , Wang Yuxi , Yang Kai , Lin Fei , Shen Jiefen , Sun Xuming , Chen Zhigang , Jiang Wenshuai
Published: August 2024

The 3D porous structure of graphene functional materials possesses characteristics such as high porosity and large specific surface area, enabling dye molecules to easily enter and diffuse within the 3D network, thereby emerging as a promising solution for treating dye wastewater pollution. In this study, graphene@MXene composite hydrogels with a 3D porous structure were prepared using the hydrothermal reduction method with MXene and graphene oxide as raw materials, and their adsorption performance towards MB was investigated. The morphology and structure of the graphene@MXene composite hydrogels were examined through SEM, EDX,FT-IR, and BET analysis techniques. The graphene@MXene composite hydrogels doped with 20 wt% MXene exhibited the best removal efficiency for MB, showcasing excellent adsorption performance following the introduction of MXene. It is noteworthy, however, that as the proportion of MXene increased, there was a noticeable decrease in the adsorption performance of the composite hydrogels towards MB. During the preparation of the composite hydrogel, the introduction of Ca2+ as a cross-linking agent not only reduced the preparation time but also adjusted the specific surface area and pore size distribution of the hydrogel. As a result, there was an approximately 30% increase in the MB adsorption rate. The adsorption kinetics results revealed that the adsorption of MB on the graphene@MXene composite hydrogels, both pre- and post-introduction of calcium ions, conformed to a pseudo-second-order kinetic model. This observation suggests that the adsorption process is influenced by various mechanisms such as external diffusion, surface adsorption, and internal diffusion. Our study further revealed that the microwave irradiation spectra of 3D graphene@MXene composite aerogels changed before and after MB adsorption, exhibiting characteristic features of graphene or MXene. This finding confirms the adsorption of MB, suggesting a potential new method for its detection. This research demonstrates promising applications in both dye wastewater treatment and the detection of MB.
Body Image and Its Relationship with Shyness Among Female Students of the College of Physical Education and Sports Sciences - University of Basra
Authors: Abdul-Hussain Abbas Zaki , Ashour Aya Hashem , Nouri Ali Sabah
Published: August 2024

The study aimed to investigate the nature of the relationship between body image and shyness among a sample of female students from the College of Physical Education and Sports Science. Additionally, it aimed to determine the level of shyness among these students and explore the statistically significant relationship between body image and shyness. The study sample consisted of 60 female students from the College of Physical Education and Sports Science at the University of Basra, To achieve the study's objectives, the researcher employed a descriptive-analytical method. Questionnaires were used as the primary tool for data collection, with two specific instruments: one to measure body image, comprising 29 items, and another to measure shyness, comprising 26 items. These tools were initially applied to a pilot sample of 15 students from the study population. After verifying the validity and reliability of the instruments and ensuring they had good psychometric properties, they were distributed to a random sample of 60 students. Multiple statistical methods were used to analyze the responses of the sample members
Study Results:
1.Body image is not constant but changes according to life events. It varies between illness and health and across different life stages, as well as according to economic and social conditions.
Key Recommendations:
1.Guide students who suffer from negative thoughts about their body image and help them overcome the psychological difficulties they face.
A clinical practical model for preoperative prediction of visual outcome for pituitary adenoma patients in a retrospective and prospective study
Authors: Zheng Zijian , Wang He , Wang Zhicheng , Fu Jun , Fan Wenjian , Lin Yuanxiang , Kang Dezhi , Jiang Changzhen , Lin Zhangya , Yan Xiaorong , chen qianxi
Published: August 2024

Objective: Preoperative prediction of visual recovery after pituitary adenoma resection surgery remains challenging. This study aimed to investigate the value of clinical and radiological features in preoperatively predicting visual outcomes after surgery.
Methods:Patients undergoing endoscopic transsphenoidal surgery (ETS) for pituitary adenoma were included in this retrospective and prospective study. Preoperative MRI, visual acuity, visual field, and postoperative visual recovery data were collected. Logistic regression analysis was used to assess the importance of clinical and MRI features, and a prediction model was developed.
Results: The cohort included 198 patients (150 retrospective, 48 prospective). In the retrospective data, visual recovery was observed in 111 patients (74.0%), while non-recovery was observed in 39 patients (26.0%). In the prospective data, visual recovery was observed in 27 patients (56.25%) and non-recovery in 21 patients (43.75%). Blindness, headache, adenoma area, and adenoma upward growth distance were negatively correlated with visual recovery (p < 0.05), while the pituitary gland area was positively correlated (p = 0.001). Logistic regression selected three clinical features: blindness, headache, and visual impairment course. Two additional imaging features, pituitary gland maximum area, and adenoma maximum area, were incorporated into the prediction model. The area under the curve of the prediction model was 0.944 in the retrospective cohort and 0.857 in the prospective cohort. Accuracy was 88% and 81.25%, respectively.
Conclusion: This study successfully developed a clinical practical model combining clinical and radiological features to preoperatively predict visual recovery for patients with pituitary adenoma. The model has the potential to provide personalized counseling for individual patients.
Opto-electrical decoupled phototransistor for starlight detection
Authors: Zhang Zhiyong , Zhou Shaoyuan , Zhang Xinyue , Wang Ying , Lin dongyi , zou shoubin , Wang Jingwen , Xiao luna , Zhang Dijie , Jiang Jianhua , Zhang Panpan , Zhang Jianbing , Tang Jiang
Published: August 2024

Highly sensitive shortwave infrared (SWIR) detectors are essential for detecting weak radiation (typically below 10− 8 W·Sr− 1·cm− 2·µm− 1) with high-end passive image sensors. However, mainstream SWIR detection technology is based on epitaxial photodiodes, which cannot effectively detect ultraweak infrared radiation due to the lack of inherent gain. Here, we developed a heterojunction-gated field-effect transistor (HGFET) consisting of a colloidal quantum dot (CQD)-based p-i-n heterojunction and a carbon nanotube (CNT) field-effect transistor, which achieves a high inherent gain based on an opto-electric decoupling mechanism for suppressing noise. The stacked heterojunction absorbs infrared radiation and separates electron-hole pairs. Then, the generated photovoltage tunes the drain current of the CNT FET through an Y2O3 gate insulator. As a result, the HGFET significantly detects and amplifies SWIR signals with a high inherent gain while minimally amplifying noise, leading to a recorded specific detectivity above 1014 Jones at 1300 nm and a recorded maximum gain-bandwidth product of 69.2 THz. Direct comparative testing indicated that the HGFET can detect weak infrared radiation at 0.46 nW/cm2 levels; thus, compared to commercial and reported SWIR detectors, this detector is much more sensitive and enables starlight detection or vision. As the fabrication process is very compatible with CMOS readout integrated circuits, the HGFET is a promising SWIR detector for realizing passive night vision imaging sensors with high resolutions that are high-end, highly sensitive, and inexpensive.
Functional ultrasound and brain connectivity reveal central nervous system compromise in Trembler-J mice, model of Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease
Authors: Fialho Maximiliano Anzibar , Barreiro Mariana Martínez , Alberdi Lucia Vázquez , Damián Juan Pablo , Tomaso Maria Vittoria Di , Baranger Jérôme , Tanter Mickael , Calero Miguel , Negreira Carlos , Rubido Nicolás , Kun Alejandra , Brum Javier
Published: August 2024

The Charcot-Marie-Tooth-1E (CMT1E) disease is typically described as a peripheral neuropathy in humans, causing decreased nerve conduction, spastic paralysis, and tremor. The Trembler-J (TrJ) mice serve as a high fidelity model of this disease. Here, we use functional ultrasound (fUS) and functional connectivity (FC) to analyze TrJ mice’s brain activity during sensory stimulation and resting-state experiments against Wild Type (WT) mice – the healthy counterpart. fUS is an imaging technique that measures cerebral blood volume (CBV) temporal changes. We study these changes in the primary somatosensory cortex barrel field (S1BF) of both mice populations during periodic vibrissae stimulation, measuring the number of pixels that correlate to the stimulation (i.e., the size of the activation area), the average correlation of these pixels (i.e., the response strength), and the CBV’s rate of change for each stimulation (i.e., the hemodynamic response). Then, we construct a FC matrix for each genotype and experiment by correlating the CBV signals from the 8 cortical regions defined by the Paxinos & Franklin atlas. Our results show that TrJ mice have significantly diminished neurovascular responses and altered brain connectivity with respect to WT mice, pointing to central nervous system effects that could shift our understanding of the CMT1E disease.
ICAT-net:Integration of Coordinate Attention and Transformer network for seismic signal detection and phase arrival picking
Authors: Li XueNing , Chen Fangjiong , Lai YePing , Tang Peng , Liang XiaoJun
Published: August 2024

Seismic signal detection is a crucial technology for enhancing the efficiency of earthquake early warning systems.However, existing deep learning-based seismic signal detection models often face limitations in resource-constrained seismic monitoring engineering environments due to their high computational resource demands. To address this challenge, we introduce an innovative seismic signal detection network, which integrates the advantages of Coordinate Attention modules and Transformer attention mechanisms (ICAT-net). It aims to reduce computational resource consumption while maintaining or enhancing the multitask recognition performance of seismic waveform detection and phase picking. Specifically, ICAT-net employs a Downsampling module to reduce data dimensions, while meticulously controlling the spatial relationships of features through the Coordinate Attention module. Coupled with the capacity of the Transformer to capture long-range dependencies, a significant enhancement is observed in the accuracy of earthquake event detection and phases picking. By using concatenation operations between encoders and decoders, the model retains rich contextual information and gradually restores the spatial resolution of the signal during the decoding process. The study trained the ICAT-net using the global seismic dataset Stanford Earthquake Dataset (STEAD) and employed multidimensional performance metrics, including precision, recall, F1-score, mean absolute error, floating-point operations, and model parameters, to ensure comprehensive and accurate evaluation. Extensive experiments demonstrate that the ICAT-net can generate more accurate responses in various seismic scenarios, achieving higher detection accuracy with lower computational power consumption, providing a highly valuable tool for earthquake monitoring and disaster risk assessment.
Morphometric description of the feline tibia using three – dimensional computed tomography
Authors: Pantangco Marie J.A.P.V. , Chui Matthew , Johnson Kenneth A. , Basa Rachel M.
Published: August 2024

Background: Previous studies have described bone length and surface area of the feline tibia, however information regarding three-dimensional (3D) and internal morphometry is lacking. The objective of this study was to describe the length, external and internal bone diameter, cortical thickness, cancellous bone volume and mechanical joint angles in 8 domestic adult feline cadaver tibiae using computed tomography (CT). Measurements of the paired tibiae were performed in triplicate and the average was recorded.
Results: Overall tibia length measured 111.61mm (95% CI 107.89 – 115.53mm).
The proximal tibia had a mean cancellous bone volume of 12.45mm3 (95% CI 11.4 – 13.49mm3). The distal tibia had a mean cancellous bone volume of 2.09mm3 (95% CI 1.62 – 2.55mm3). The narrowest internal bone diameter mediolaterally was at 50% tibial length (4.23mm 95% CI 4.05 – 4.42mm) and craniocaudally at 75% tibial length (3.77mm 95% CI 3.57 – 3.97mm). Mean mechanical joint angles and 95% CI were: tibial plateau angle 31.42° (30.09 – 32.75°); mechanical medial proximal tibia angle 95.15° (94.63 – 95.68°); mechanical medial distal tibia angle 94.08° (93.36 – 94.79°); mechanical cranial distal tibia angle 88.69° (87.04 – 90.32°); mechanical caudal proximal tibia angle 58.53° (57.20 – 59.86°) and sagittal plane alignment 30.16° (28.47 – 31.84°).
Conclusions: Use of computed tomography allowed the estimation of internal bone morphometry and joint geometry in a heterogeneous sample of feline tibias. This provided data that would be valuable in planning and developing new techniques for internal fracture fixation.
Cardiovascular performance of neonates with hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy under therapeutic hypothermia evaluated by conventional and advanced echocardiographic techniques
Authors: Nunes Vanessa A. C. , Assef Jorge E. , Bihan David C. S. Le , Barretto Rodrigo B. M. , Magalhães Maurício , Pedra Simone R. F. F.
Published: August 2024

This study aimed to evaluate hemodynamic and ventricular performance of neonates with hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy under therapeutic hypothermia using conventional and advanced echocardiographic techniques. This was an observational, prospective study including 22 neonates with hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy matched with 22 healthy neonates. The echocardiographic studies were performed during hypothermia and after rewarming. Echo parameters included ejection and shortening fractions, right ventricular fractional area change, biventricular Tei index, right ventricular s´ wave velocity, tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion, biventricular stroke volume and cardiac output, left and right ventricular global longitudinal strain, left ventricular circumferential and radial strain, twist and torsion.
Results: Left ventricular ejection and shortening fractions did not change during therapeutic hypothermia (hypothermia:72±7% and 39±6%, rewarming:74±5% and 41±5%, p=0.21 and p=0.25) however they were higher after rewarming compared to the control group (70±5%, p=0.003 and 36±4%, p=0.002 respectively). There was no difference on left ventricular global longitudinal, circumferential and radial strain, twist and torsion during the therapeutic process. Higher pulmonary artery systolic pressure and worse right ventricular global longitudinal strain were observed in the study group (hypothermia:44±24mmHg and 17,9±4,9%, rewarming:53±24mmHg and 19,2±3,8%, control group:29±11mmHg and 20,5±2,2% respectively).
Conclusion: Left ventricular parameters remain stable during the two phases of therapeutic hypothermia what suggests no impact of the induced cooling on left ventricular systolic function. Right ventricular global longitudinal strain was the only echocardiographic tool able to identify some degree of systolic function impairment during therapeutic hypothermia. This could be explained by the pulmonary hypertension identified in the study group during this period.
Akkermansia modulates microglia and astrocytes in a strain specific manner
Authors: Schwerdtfeger Luke A. , Lanser Toby B. , Montini Federico , Moreira Thais , LeServe Danielle S. , Cox Laura M. , Weiner Howard L.
Published: August 2024

Microglia and astrocytes are the primary glial cells in the central nervous system (CNS) and their function is shaped by multiple factors. Regulation of CNS glia by the microbiota have been reported, although the role of specific bacteria has not been identified. We colonized germ-free mice with the type strain Akkermansia muciniphila (AmT) and a novel strain of A. muciniphila (BWH-H3) isolated from a subject with multiple sclerosis and compared to mice colonized with Bacteroides cellulosilyticus (BWH-E5) isolated from a healthy control subject. We then investigated the effect of these bacteria on microglia and astrocyte gene expression by RNA sequencing. We found altered gene expression profiles in brain microglia, with Akkermansia downregulating genes related to antigen presentation and cell migration. Furthermore, we observed strain specific effects, with Akkermansia H3 upregulating histone and protein binding associated genes and downregulating channel and ion transport genes. Astrocyte pathways that were altered by Akkermansia H3 mono-colonization included upregulation of proliferation pathways and downregulation in cytoskeletal associated genes. Furthermore, animals colonized with type strain Akkermansia and strain H3 had effects on the immune system including elevated splenic γδ-T cells and increased IFNg production in CD4 + T cells. We also measured intestinal short chain fatty acids and found that both A. muciniphila strains produced proprionate while B. cellulosilyticus produced acetate, proprionate, and isovalerate. Taken together, our study shows that specific members of the intestinal microbiota influence both microglial and astroyctes which may be mediated by changes in short chain fatty acids and peripheral immune signaling.
The role of stakeholders in the development of ChAdOx1-S Covid-19 vaccine: reflection for future pandemics
Authors: Ayres Ana Beatriz Nascimento , Travassos Xisto Lucas , Savino Wilson , Sampaio Renelson Ribeiro
Published: August 2024

COVID-19, an infectious disease caused by the virus SARS-CoV-2, has become a global pandemic and has been classified as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern. Considering vaccines as an effective action to shorten viral transmission and to reduce mortality, stakeholders have worked together to develop vaccines, which played a vital role in containing this pandemic worldwide. In the development of the adenovirus-based ChAdOx1-S vaccine, it is interesting to note the speed at which it was created, with safety, breaking paradigms, relying on connections and influences at various levels, showing that a vaccine can be produced in a very short period of time if there are specific stakeholder dynamics. Herein, we combined the concepts and methods of Stakeholder Theory and Social Network Analysis within this complex scenario, indeed, the positive results delivered to society reinforce the principles of the Stakeholder Theory. Moreover, Social Network Analysis revealed that the ChAdOx1-S vaccine ecosystem had 30 nodes of interconnection. Overall, the data summarized presently discussed indicate the need for preparedness within the vaccine development ecosystem, important for future research into the management and development process of vaccines designed to cope with future global or regional health emergencies. Key points related to the complexity of a health emergency, considering its risks to public health and society. A coordinated, interdisciplinary, and systemic response between the different actors is emphasized. This study focuses on analyzing the actors involved in the activities related to the development of the ChAdOx1-S vaccine against COVID-19, taking into account the paradigms of time and the pandemic emergency. Considering the network analysis, for this vaccine, new institutional arrangements have emerged, significantly expanding the limits of knowledge, since the initial research was based on more than a decade of knowledge production.
Active Constrained Motion Control for a Robot-Assisted Endoscope Manipulator in Pediatric Minimal Access Surgery
Authors: Li Hongbing
Published: August 2024

Robot-assisted laparoscopic surgery has three main system requirements: safety, simplicity, and intuitiveness. However, accidental movement of the endoscope due to body fatigue and misunderstanding of the verbal orders between the surgeon and assistant will contribute to highly unexpected tool-tissue interactions, particularly in pediatric minimal-access surgery with restricted working space. This study introduces a compact, lightweight endoscope manipulator with a mechanical remote-center-motion function. Using a custom-designed human-machine interface, the surgeon can intuitively control the movement of the endoscope manipulator over their view. In addition, an active constrained motion control algorithm is proposed to generate a forbidden-region constraint for avoiding collisions between the endoscope tip and surrounding organs in a pediatric abdominal cavity with restricted space. Simulations and experiments demonstrate the performance of the proposed compact endoscope manipulator and the active constrained surface tracking control scheme.
Similarity Pattern Enhancement for API Recommended Methods via Graph Representation Learning
Authors: Fang Yingtao , Wang Yong , Gao Cuiyun , Chen Linjun , Zhang Yifan
Published: August 2024

Developers often utilize application programming interfaces (API) to simplify their development tasks. API recommendation methods can automatically recommend the APIs that developers need to improve development quality and efficiency. Recent research combines collaborative filtering with graph neural networks for API recommendation. However, these approaches often face the problem of sub-optimal graph representation due to data sparsity. To address these issues, we propose an API recommendation method that enhances the raw data by fusing usage patterns in similar projects. Typically, similar projects share similar functional and structural features, including code modules with similar usage patterns, which include rich information such as invocation and structural details. Enhancing the raw data with this information can effectively alleviate the sparsity problem of the interaction matrix induced by the construction graph of the raw data. Specifically, our approach consists of matching similar items for each entry in the original dataset to form new classes. These new classes are then merged into code modules with similar usage patterns to augment the original dataset. Subsequently, the graph represents the learning model capturing the higher-order collaborative signals of the API calls in the augmented dataset and integrating the structural information of the items into the graph. To evaluate the effectiveness of our approach, we conducted experiments using data collected from large open source repositories. The experimental results show that the method is effective.
Controlled induction of type 2 diabetes in mice using high fat diet and osmotic-mini pump infused streptozotocin
Authors: Attrill Emily , Scharapow Oscar , Perera Sathya , Mayne Sophie , Sumargo Nicole , Ross Renee M , Richards Stephen M , Sutherland Brad A , Premilovac Dino
Published: August 2024

Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is a progressive metabolic disorder characterised by obesity, insulin resistance, impaired glucose tolerance, and hyperglycaemia. The long time-course of T2D in humans makes accurate modelling of sustained T2D in animal models difficult. The goal of this study was to develop and characterise an accurate and reproducible, non-transgenic model of sustained T2D in mice. Adult, male C57BL/6 mice were placed on a high-fat diet (HFD) for 17 weeks. From weeks 3–5, osmotic mini-pumps were implanted subcutaneously to slowly infuse streptozotocin (STZ; 200-350mg/kg) for 14-days after which mini-pumps were removed. Body weight, blood glucose concentration, and glucose tolerance were monitored for 12 weeks post STZ treatment. Our data demonstrate that the combination of HFD and 200mg/kg STZ delivered by mini-pump leads to increased blood glucose concentrations and impaired glucose tolerance, while maintaining obesity and hepatic dyslipidaemia. In week 17, plasma insulin concentration was assessed and showed that with STZ treatment, mice still produce insulin, but that this is reduced compared with mice on HFD only. Lastly, we examined pancreas sections using immunohistochemistry and show that there is no overt loss of beta cell mass. In conclusion, we demonstrate development of a reproducible in vivo model of T2D in mice that replicates a number of key pathophysiological changes seen in humans with T2D.