bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Landscape gradient of autumn photosynthetic decline in Abies sachalinensis seedlings
Authors: Sugai Tetsuto , Ishizuka Wataru , Watanabe Toshihiro
Published: January 2023

Understanding what environmental factors are genetically linked to a phenological event is critical for predicting responses to climate change. Photosynthetic phenology often varies among a species of evergreen conifers due to local adaptation. However, few empirical studies have revealed relevant relationships between climatic factors in provenance environments and photosynthetic phenology. This study evaluated the effects of environmental conditions of the growing site and seed source provenance on the seasonal changes in maximal photochemical quantum yield of photosystem II (Fv/Fm) in a common garden experiment with 2-year-old seedlings of Sakhalin fir (Abies sachalinensis), a representative species with local adaptation, from four seed source provenances. A logistic model was constructed to explain the seasonal variation ofFv/Fmfrom July to October and the relationships between the estimated model parameters and representative factors featuring provenance environments were evaluated. The landscape gradient of the detected model parameters responsible for the provenance environments was visualized in a map of the distribution area. The lowest temperature was the most plausible factor in the growing environment to explain the seasonal changes ofFv/Fm. Among the representative meteorological factors of provenance environments, the lowest temperatures in July showed significant relationships with two model parameters, explaining the lower limit ofFv/Fmand the higher sensitivity of autumnFv/Fmdecline. The estimated spatial maps of model parameters consistently showed that the higher the lowest temperature in July in the provenance environment, the lower theFv/Fmin October and the greater the decrease in the autumnFv/Fmdecline. Therefore, the lowest summer temperature could be associated with the local adaptation of autumn photosynthetic phenology inA. sachalinensis.
Kaum Geschlechtsunterschiede bei Opioidkonsumierenden in Haft
Authors: Boksán K. , Weiss M. , Geißelsöder K. , Dechant M. , Endres J. , Breuer M. , Stemmler M. , Wodarz N.
Published: January 2023

Hintergrund

Ein hoher Anteil inhaftierter Frauen weist eine Opioidabhängigkeit auf. Hinsichtlich der Frage, ob sich Frauen und Männer in ihrem Opioidkonsummuster unterscheiden, und ob sich empirische Belege für einen Telescoping-Effekt (späterer Einstieg in den Drogenkonsum bei beschleunigtem Verlauf der Abhängigkeit) bei den Frauen finden lassen, ist die Forschungslage uneindeutig. Dabei mangelt es an Studien zu möglichen Geschlechtsunterschieden, insbesondere im Strafvollzug.

Zielsetzung

In einer Stichprobe von n = 247 opioidabhängigen Gefangenen im bayerischen Strafvollzug wurden die weiblichen (n = 31) mit den männlichen (n = 216) Studienteilnehmenden hinsichtlich Alter, Drogenkonsum, Substitutionsbehandlung, psychischer Vorbelastung, Bildung und wirtschaftlicher Situation verglichen.

Methode

Die Daten wurden im Rahmen einer Erstbefragung der Studie „Haft bei Opioidabhängigkeit – eine Evaluationsstudie“ erhoben.

Ergebnisse

Im Drogenkonsum zeigten sich keine Unterschiede zwischen den beiden Geschlechtergruppen, es konnten folglich keine Hinweise auf einen Telescoping-Effekt bei opioidabhängigen weiblichen Gefangenen gefunden werden. Weiterhin fanden sich keine Unterschiede zwischen Frauen und Männern bezüglich der Substitutionsbehandlung, der Bildung und der wirtschaftlichen Situation. Frauen gaben häufiger an, vor der Haft an Depressionen gelitten zu haben und Opfer von sexuellem Missbrauch gewesen zu sein.

Schlussfolgerungen

Es zeigten sich Belege für eine stärkere psychische Vorbelastung bei den weiblichen im Vergleich zu den männlichen Inhaftierten mit Opioidabhängigkeit, darüber hinaus jedoch auffallend wenige Unterschiede. Bei der untersuchten Stichprobe handelt es sich um eine Gruppe, bei der möglicherweise eine besonders schwere Verlaufsform der Opioidabhängigkeit vorliegt, die etwaige geschlechtsspezifische Unterschiede in den Hintergrund treten lässt.
Impact of climate change on hydrochemical properties and quality of groundwater for domestic and irrigation purposes in arid environment: a case study of Al-Baha region, Saudi Arabia
Authors: Alghamdi Abdulaziz G. , Aly Anwar A. , Majrashi Mosaed A. , Ibrahim Hesham M.
Published: January 2023

Groundwater over-exploitation, rising temperature and declined precipitation, have resulted in groundwater quality deterioration, subsequently affecting human health and agricultural productivity. Therefore, to evaluate the suitability of groundwater for domestic and irrigation purposes, groundwater samples were collected from 88 locations in Sarat Al-Baha region, Saudi Arabia. The hydrochemical characteristics were assessed to evaluate the suitability of groundwater for drinking and irrigation purposes. The results revealed that most groundwater samples were medium to highly salinity hazards; nevertheless, no sodicity hazards were expected. By using the water quality indices, 70.5% of studied waters were class II. Nevertheless, 91% of collected samples were in acceptable concentrations of heavy metals and nitrate. The saturation index showed that the groundwater was largely under-saturated with most minerals, indicating a possibility of salinity increase due to increasing the concentration of iron, calcium, magnesium, sodium, chloride and sulfate due to the dissolution of under-saturated minerals. Due to the increased salinity levels, more than 90% of the collected groundwater samples showed low quality for irrigation due to higher potential for salinity problems. Furthermore, the development of salinity of groundwater in Sarat Al-Baha could be the result of the increased temperatures and decreased rainfall. Therefore, it is recommended to implement appropriate management practices to optimize groundwater usage and decrease the potential of further deterioration in its quality. The discharge of groundwater need to be controlled, strictly preventing the drilling of new wells. It is also important to assess the suitability of planted crops, and implement proper water management practices to sustain groundwater resources in Sarat Al-Baha region. The approach used in this study can be used to alike environment worldwide.
BTC-fCNN: Fast Convolution Neural Network for Multi-class Brain Tumor Classification
Authors: Abd El-Wahab Basant S. , Nasr Mohamed E. , Khamis Salah , Ashour Amira S.
Published: January 2023

Timely prognosis of brain tumors has a crucial role for powerful healthcare of remedy-making plans. Manual classification of the brain tumors in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) images is a challenging task, which relies on the experienced radiologists to identify and classify the brain tumor. Automated classification of different brain tumors is significant based on designing computer-aided diagnosis (CAD) systems. Existing classification methods suffer from unsatisfactory performance and/or large computational cost/ time. This paper proposed a fast and efficient classification process, called BTC-fCNN, which is a deep learning-based system to distinguish between different views of three brain tumor types, namely meningioma, glioma, and pituitary tumors. The proposed system’s model was applied on MRI images from the Figshare dataset. It consists of 13 layers with few trainable parameters involving convolution layer, 1 × 1 convolution layer, average pooling, fully connected layer, and softmax layer. Five iterations including transfer learning and five-fold cross-validation for retraining are considered to increase the proposed model performance. The proposed model achieved 98.63% average accuracy, using five iterations with transfer learning, and 98.86% using retrained five-fold cross-validation (internal transfer learning between the folds). Various evaluation metrics were measured to evaluate the proposed model, such as precision, F-score, recall, specificity and confusion matrix. The proposed BTC-fCNN model outstrips the state-of-the-art and other well-known convolution neural networks (CNN).
Integrated Framework Towards Construction Waste Reduction: The Case of Egypt
Authors: Daoud Ahmed Osama , Omar Hany , Othman Ayman Ahmed Ezzat , Ebohon Obas John
Published: January 2023

The construction industry is plagued with significant construction and demolition waste (C&DW) generated during various phases of construction projects. This waste has created a universal, pervasive, and enduring problem globally. To propose practical solutions to resolve this consequential issue, this research adopted a quantitative approach in two stages. The first stage involved an online survey, administrated to 360 methodically selected construction organisations working in Egypt, to evaluate the impact of six main factors on C&DW reduction (C&DWR). The six main factors are as follows: (1) materials procurement measures (MPMR); (2) materials procurement models (MPMO); (3) green building practices (GBPR); (4) legislation (LG); (5) culture and behaviour (CB); and (6) awareness (AW). The second stage comprised multivariate statistical analysis via the structural equation modelling (SEM) approach to develop an integrated framework for C&DWR, to support Egypt’s vision 2030. The results revealed that these six factors positively affect C&DWR in Egypt. Additionally, the study found that GBPR has the highest importance value of 0.293 and the highest performance rate of 92.169. However, CB has the second highest importance value of 0.238 whilst it has the lowest performance of 72.08 among the six factors. This paper proposes practical recommendations for the government and the construction sector to reduce the C&DW in support of Egypt's Vision 2030.
Equilibrium electron beam parameters of the High Energy Photon Source
Authors: Xu Haisheng , Meng Cai , Peng Yuemei , Tian Saike , Wang Na , Cui Xiaohao , Du Chongchong , Duan Zhe , Guo Yuanyuan , He Ping , Huang Xiyang , Ji Daheng , Ji Hongfei , Jiao Yi , Li Jingyi , Li Nan , Li Xiaoyu , Lu Xiaohan , Liang Pengfei , Pan Weimin , Qu Huamin , Wang Bin , Wang Jiuqing , Wei Yuanyuan , Wan Jinyu , Xu Gang , Yan Fang , Yu Chenghui , Yue Sen , Zhang Xiang , Zhao Yaliang
Published: January 2023

Purpose

The physics design of the High Energy Photon Source (HEPS) was finished after many times of iteration. Hereby, the typical equilibrium electron beam parameters corresponding to the proposed two baseline operation modes in the baseline design of HEPS are presented.

Methods

To compute the equilibrium parameters of the electron beam, the lattice parameters, RF parameters, and the parameters of the insertion devices (IDs) were determined first. Furthermore, it is more precise to use the full-current electron beam parameters in the estimations of the performance of the synchrotron light. Therefore, not only the single-particle dynamics but also the current-dependent collective effects need to be considered in the computations of the full-current, equilibrium parameters of the electron beam. Both analytic computations and multi-particle tracking simulations were carried out.

Results

The full-current, equilibrium parameters of the electron beams in the HEPS storage ring are presented in this paper. Moreover, the main beam parameters in the injector (the booster and the LINAC), corresponding to the two baseline operation modes of the storage ring, are also presented.

Conclusion

The typical electron beam parameters corresponding to the two baseline operation modes are given in detail in this paper.
Phase-controlled van der Waals growth of wafer-scale 2D MoTe2 layers for integrated high-sensitivity broadband infrared photodetection
Authors: Wu Di , Guo Chenguang , Zeng Longhui , Ren Xiaoyan , Shi Zhifeng , Wen Long , Chen Qin , Zhang Meng , Li Xin Jian , Shan Chong-Xin , Jie Jiansheng
Published: January 2023

Being capable of sensing broadband infrared (IR) light is vitally important for wide-ranging applications from fundamental science to industrial purposes. Two-dimensional (2D) topological semimetals are being extensively explored for broadband IR detection due to their gapless electronic structure and the linear energy dispersion relation. However, the low charge separation efficiency, high noise level, and on-chip integration difficulty of these semimetals significantly hinder their further technological applications. Here, we demonstrate a facile thermal-assisted tellurization route for the van der Waals (vdW) growth of wafer-scale phase-controlled 2D MoTe2 layers. Importantly, the type-II Weyl semimetal 1T′-MoTe2 features a unique orthorhombic lattice structure with a broken inversion symmetry, which ensures efficient carrier transportation and thus reduces the carrier recombination. This characteristic is a key merit for the well-designed 1T′-MoTe2/Si vertical Schottky junction photodetector to achieve excellent performance with an ultrabroadband detection range of up to 10.6 µm and a large room temperature specific detectivity of over 108 Jones in the mid-infrared (MIR) range. Moreover, the large-area synthesis of 2D MoTe2 layers enables the demonstration of high-resolution uncooled MIR imaging capability by using an integrated device array. This work provides a new approach to assembling uncooled IR photodetectors based on 2D materials.
Phonon-assisted upconversion in twisted two-dimensional semiconductors
Authors: Dai Yuchen , Qi Pengfei , Tao Guangyi , Yao Guangjie , Shi Beibei , Liu Zhixin , Liu Zhengchang , He Xiao , Peng Pu , Dang Zhibo , Zheng Liheng , Zhang Tianhao , Gong Yongji , Guan Yan , Liu Kaihui , Fang Zheyu
Published: January 2023

Phonon-assisted photon upconversion (UPC) is an anti-Stokes process in which incident photons achieve higher energy emission by absorbing phonons. This letter studies phonon-assisted UPC in twisted 2D semiconductors, in which an inverted contrast between UPC and conventional photoluminescence (PL) of WSe2 twisted bilayer is emergent. A 4-fold UPC enhancement is achieved in 5.5° twisted bilayer while PL weakens by half. Reduced interlayer exciton conversion efficiency driven by lattice relaxation, along with enhanced pump efficiency resulting from spectral redshift, lead to the rotation-angle-dependent UPC enhancement. The counterintuitive phenomenon provides a novel insight into a unique way that twisted angle affects UPC and light-matter interactions in 2D semiconductors. Furthermore, the UPC enhancement platform with various superimposable means offers an effective method for lighting bilayers and expanding the application prospect of 2D stacked van der Waals devices.
Tetra-color superresolution microscopy based on excitation spectral demixing
Authors: Wu Wanyan , Luo Shihang , Fan Chunyan , Yang Tianjie , Zhang Shuwen , Meng Wenxiang , Xu Tao , Ji Wei , Gu Lusheng
Published: January 2023

Multicolor imaging allows protein colocalizations and organelle interactions to be studied in biological research, which is especially important for single-molecule localization microscopy (SMLM). Here, we propose a multicolor method called excitation-resolved stochastic optical reconstruction microscopy (ExR-STORM). The method, which is based on the excitation spectrum of fluorescent dyes, successfully separated four spectrally very close far-red organic fluorophores utilizing three excitation lasers with cross-talk of less than 3%. Dyes that are only 5 nm apart in the emission spectrum were resolved, resulting in negligible chromatic aberrations. This method was extended to three-dimensional (3D) imaging by combining the astigmatic method, providing a powerful tool for resolving 3D morphologies at the nanoscale.
Mid-infrared optical modulator enabled by photothermal effect
Authors: Wang Zhen , Ren Wei
Published: January 2023

Photothermal effect in a gas-filled hollow-core fiber may result in agile mid-infrared optical modulators for broadband phase modulation and high extinction ratio intensity modulation.
AKT1 regulates UHRF1 protein stability and promotes the resistance to abiraterone in prostate cancer
Authors: Fu Yongming , Cao Tuoyu , Zou Xiaorui , Ye Yubing , Liu Youhong , Peng Yuchong , Deng Tanggang , Yin Linglong , Li Xiong
Published: January 2023

Oncogenic activation of PI3K/AKT signaling pathway, together with epigenetic aberrations are the characters of castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). UHRF1 as a key epigenetic regulator, plays a critical role in prostate cancer (PCa) development, and its expression is positively correlated with the degree of malignancy. In this present study we investigated the potential regulatory mechanism of AKT1 on UHRF1, and further validated the in vitro and in vivo anticancer efficacy of AKT phosphorylation inhibitor MK2206 in combination with abiraterone. Both UHRF1 and p-AKT aberrantly overexpressed in the abiraterone-resistant PCa cells. Further studies revealed that AKT1 protein interacts with UHRF1, and AKT1 directly phosphorylates UHRF1 via the site Thr-210. MK2206 induced UHRF1 protein degradation by inhibiting AKT1-induced UHRF1 phosphorylation, and then reduced the interaction between UHRF1 and deubiquitinase USP7, while promoted the interaction between UHRF1 and E3 ubiquitin protein ligase BTRC. MK2206 significantly promoted the sensitivity of abiraterone-refractory PCa cells and xenografts to abiraterone by decreasing UHRF1 protein level, and reversed the phenotype of NEPC, evently induced cellular senescence and cell apoptosis. Altogether, our present study for the first time revealed a novel molecular mechanism of abiraterone resistance through PI3K/AKT-UHRF1 pathway, and provided a novel therapeutic modality by targeting PI3K/AKT1 to promote the drug sensitivity of abiraterone in PCa patients.
Transitional circulation and hemodynamic monitoring in newborn infants
Authors: Chakkarapani Aravanan Anbu , Roehr Charles C. , Hooper Stuart B. , te Pas Arjan B. , Gupta Samir ,   On behalf of the ESPR Neonatal Resuscitation section writing group
Published: January 2023

Transitional circulation is normally transient after birth but can vary markedly between infants. It is actually in a state of transition between fetal (in utero) and neonatal (postnatal) circulation. In the absence of definitive clinical trials, information from applied physiological studies can be used to facilitate clinical decision making in the presence of hemodynamic compromise. This review summarizes the peculiar physiological features of the circulation as it transitions from one phenotype into another in term and preterm infants. The common causes of hemodynamic compromise during transition, intact umbilical cord resuscitation, and advanced hemodynamic monitoring are discussed.

Impact

Transitional circulation can vary markedly between infants.

There are alterations in preload, contractility, and afterload during the transition of circulation after birth in term and preterm infants.

Hemodynamic monitoring tools and technology during neonatal transition and utilization of bedside echocardiography during the neonatal transition are increasingly recognized.

Understanding the cardiovascular physiology of transition can help clinicians in making better decisions while managing infants with hemodynamic compromise.

The objective assessment of cardio-respiratory transition and understanding of physiology in normal and disease states have the potential of improving short- and long-term health outcomes.
The molecular structure of IFT-A and IFT-B in anterograde intraflagellar transport trains
Authors: Lacey Samuel E. , Foster Helen E. , Pigino Gaia
Published: January 2023

Anterograde intraflagellar transport (IFT) trains are essential for cilia assembly and maintenance. These trains are formed of 22 IFT-A and IFT-B proteins that link structural and signaling cargos to microtubule motors for import into cilia. It remains unknown how the IFT-A/-B proteins are arranged into complexes and how these complexes polymerize into functional trains. Here we use in situ cryo-electron tomography ofChlamydomonas reinhardtiicilia and AlphaFold2 protein structure predictions to generate a molecular model of the entire anterograde train. We show how the conformations of both IFT-A and IFT-B are dependent on lateral interactions with neighboring repeats, suggesting that polymerization is required to cooperatively stabilize the complexes. Following three-dimensional classification, we reveal how IFT-B extends two flexible tethers to maintain a connection with IFT-A that can withstand the mechanical stresses present in actively beating cilia. Overall, our findings provide a framework for understanding the fundamental processes that govern cilia assembly.
Insecticidal activities of Streptomyces sp. KSF103 ethyl acetate extract against medically important mosquitoes and non-target organisms
Authors: Amelia-Yap Zheng Hua , Low Van Lun , Saeung Atiporn , Ng Fong Lee , Chen Chee Dhang , Hassandarvish Pouya , Tan Geok Yuan Annie , AbuBakar Sazaly , Azman Adzzie Shazleen
Published: January 2023

A potentially novel actinobacterium isolated from forest soil, Streptomyces sp. KSF103 was evaluated for its insecticidal effect against several mosquito species namely Aedes aegypti, Aedes albopictus, Anopheles cracens and Culex quinquefasciatus. Mosquito larvae and adults were exposed to various concentrations of the ethyl acetate (EA) extract for 24 h. Considerable mortality was evident after the EA extract treatment for all four important vector mosquitoes. Larvicidal activity of the EA extract resulted in LC50 at 0.045 mg/mL and LC90 at 0.080 mg/mL for Ae. aegypti; LC50 at 0.060 mg/mL and LC90 at 0.247 mg/mL for Ae. albopictus; LC50 at 2.141 mg/mL and LC90 at 6.345 mg/mL for An. cracens; and LC50 at 0.272 mg/mL and LC90 at 0.980 mg/mL for Cx. quinquefasciatus. In adulticidal tests, the EA extract was the most toxic to Ae. albopictus adults (LD50 = 2.445 mg/mL; LD90 = 20.004 mg/mL), followed by An. cracens (LD50 = 5.121 mg/mL; LD90 = 147.854 mg/mL) and then Ae. aegypti (LD50 = 28.873 mg/mL; LD90 = 274.823 mg/mL). Additionally, the EA extract exhibited ovicidal activity against Ae. aegypti (LC50 = 0.715 mg/mL; LC90 = 6.956 mg/mL), Ae. albopictus (LC50 = 0.715 mg/mL; LC90 = 6.956 mg/mL), and An. cracens (LC50 = 0.715 mg/mL; LC90 = 6.956 mg/mL), evaluated up to 168 h post-treatment. It displayed no toxicity on the freshwater microalga Chlorella sp. Beijerinck UMACC 313, marine microalga Chlorella sp. Beijerinck UMACC 258 and the ant Odontoponera denticulata. In conclusion, the EA extract showed promising larvicidal, adulticidal and ovicidal activity against Ae. aegypti, Ae. albopictus, An. cracens, and Cx. quinquefasciatus (larvae only). The results suggest that the EA extract of Streptomyces sp. KSF103 has the potential to be used as an environmental-friendly approach in mosquito control. The current study would serve as an initial step toward complementing microbe-based bioinsecticides for synthetic insecticides against medically important mosquitoes.
Simulation of electrical conductivity for polymer silver nanowires systems
Authors: Mohammadpour-Haratbar Ali , Zare Yasser , Rhee Kyong Yop
Published: January 2023

A simple model is developed for the conductivity of polymeric systems including silver nanowires (AgNWs). This model reveals the effects of interphase thickness, tunneling distance, waviness and aspect ratio of nanowires, as well as effective filler volume fraction on the percolation and electrical conductivity of AgNW-reinforced samples. The validity of this model is tested by using the measured data from several samples. Based on this model, the conductivity calculations are in proper accordance with the measured values. A large network and a low percolation onset are produced by nanowires with a high aspect ratio developing the nanocomposite conductivity. The results also show that a thicker interphase expands the network, thereby increasing the electrical conductivity. Furthermore, non-waved AgNWs exhibit more conductivity compared to wavy nanowires. It is concluded that the surface energies of polymer medium and nanowires have no effect on the conductivity of samples. On the other hand, the volume fraction and aspect ratio of nanowires, in addition to the interphase thickness and tunneling distance have the greatest influences on the conductivity of nanocomposites.
Diagnostic performance between in-house and commercial SARS-CoV-2 serological immunoassays including binding-specific antibody and surrogate virus neutralization test (sVNT)
Authors: Winichakoon Poramed , Wipasa Jiraprapa , Chawansuntati Kriangkrai , Salee Parichat , Sudjaritruk Tavitiya , Yasri Saowaluck , khamwan Chantana , Peerakam Rungnapa , Dankai Dararat , Chaiwarith Romanee
Published: January 2023

This study aimed to evaluate the correlation between in-house and commercial binding-specific IgG antibodies and between in-house and commercial SARS-CoV-2 surrogate virus neutralization tests (sVNT). Samples from healthcare workers who received vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 were tested for RBD-specific antibody, S-specific antibody, and in-house ELISA, commercial sVNT, and in-house sVNT, against wild-type SARS-CoV-2. Three hundred and five samples were included in the analysis. The correlation between S-specific binding antibodies and in-house ELISA was 0.96 (95% CI 0.96–0.97) and between RBD-specific antibodies and in-house ELISA was 0.96 (95% CI 0.95–0.97). The Cohen’s kappa between in-house sVNT and the commercial test was 0.90 (95% CI 0.80, 1.00). If using 90% inhibition of sVNT as the reference standard, the optimal cut-off value of RBD-specific antibodies was 442.7 BAU/mL, the kappa, sensitivity, and specificity being 0.99, 99%, and 100%, respectively. The optimal cut-off value of S-specific antibodies was 1155.9 BAU/mL, the kappa, sensitivity, and specificity being 0.99, 100%, and 99%, respectively. This study demonstrated a very strong correlation between in-house ELISA and 2 commercial assays. There was also a very strong correlation between in-house and commercial SARS-CoV-2 sVNT, a finding of particular interest which will inform future research.
Automated identification of blastocyst regions at different development stages
Authors: Farias Adolfo Flores-Saiffe , Chavez-Badiola Alejandro , Mendizabal-Ruiz Gerardo , Valencia-Murillo Roberto , Drakeley Andrew , Cohen Jacques , Cardenas-Esparza Elizabeth
Published: January 2023

The selection of the best single blastocyst for transfer is typically based on the assessment of the morphological characteristics of the zona pellucida (ZP), trophectoderm (TE), blastocoel (BC), and inner cell-mass (ICM), using subjective and observer-dependent grading protocols. We propose the first automatic method for segmenting all morphological structures during the different developmental stages of the blastocyst (i.e., expansion, hatching, and hatched). Our database contains 592 original raw images that were augmented to 2132 for training and 55 for validation. The mean Dice similarity coefficient (DSC) was 0.87 for all pixels, and for the BC, BG (background), ICM, TE, and ZP was 0.85, 0.96, 0.54, 0.63, and 0.71, respectively. Additionally, we tested our method against a public repository of 249 images resulting in accuracies of 0.96 and 0.93 and DSC of 0.67 and 0.67 for ICM and TE, respectively. A sensitivity analysis demonstrated that our method is robust, especially for the BC, BG, TE, and ZP. It is concluded that our approach can automatically segment blastocysts from different laboratory settings and developmental phases of the blastocysts, all within a single pipeline. This approach could increase the knowledge base for embryo selection.
Bacterial nanocellulose production using Cantaloupe juice, statistical optimization and characterization
Authors: El-Naggar Noura El-Ahmady , Mohammed A. B. Abeer , El-Malkey Sahar E.
Published: January 2023

The bacterial nanocellulose has been used in a wide range of biomedical applications including carriers for drug delivery, blood vessels, artificial skin and wound dressing. The total of ten morphologically different bacterial strains were screened for their potential to produce bacterial nanocellulose (BNC). Among these isolates,Bacillussp.strain SEE-3 exhibited potent ability to produce the bacterial nanocellulose. The crystallinity, particle size and morphology of the purified biosynthesized nanocellulose were characterized. The cellulose nanofibers possess a negatively charged surface of − 14.7 mV. The SEM images of the bacterial nanocellulose confirms the formation of fiber-shaped particles with diameters of 20.12‒47.36 nm. The TEM images show needle-shaped particles with diameters of 30‒40 nm and lengths of 560‒1400 nm. X-ray diffraction show that the obtained bacterial nanocellulose has crystallinity degree value of 79.58%. FTIR spectra revealed the characteristic bands of the cellulose crystalline structure. The thermogravimetric analysis revealed high thermal stability. Optimization of the bacterial nanocellulose production was achieved using Plackett–Burman and face centered central composite designs. Using the desirability function, the optimum conditions for maximum bacterial nanocellulose production was determined theoretically and verified experimentally. Maximum BNC production (20.31 g/L) byBacillussp.strain SEE-3 was obtained using medium volume; 100 mL/250 mL conical flask, inoculum size; 5%, v/v, citric acid; 1.5 g/L, yeast extract; 5 g/L, temperature; 37 °C, Na2HPO4; 3 g/L, an initial pH level of 5, Cantaloupe juice concentration of 81.27 percent and peptone 11.22 g/L.
Inner mitochondrial membrane protein Prohibitin 1 mediates Nix-induced, Parkin-independent mitophagy
Authors: Alula Kibrom M. , Delgado-Deida Yaritza , Callahan Rosemary , Till Andreas , Underwood Lucia , Thompson Winston E. , Souza Rhonda F. , Dassopoulos Themistocles , Onyiah Joseph , Venuprasad K. , Theiss Arianne L.
Published: January 2023

Autophagy of damaged mitochondria, called mitophagy, is an important organelle quality control process involved in the pathogenesis of inflammation, cancer, aging, and age-associated diseases. Many of these disorders are associated with altered expression of the inner mitochondrial membrane (IMM) protein Prohibitin 1. The mechanisms whereby dysfunction occurring internally at the IMM and matrix activate events at the outer mitochondrial membrane (OMM) to induce mitophagy are not fully elucidated. Using the gastrointestinal epithelium as a model system highly susceptible to autophagy inhibition, we reveal a specific role of Prohibitin-induced mitophagy in maintaining intestinal homeostasis. We demonstrate that Prohibitin 1 induces mitophagy in response to increased mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS) through binding to mitophagy receptor Nix/Bnip3L and independently of Parkin. Prohibitin 1 is required for ROS-induced Nix localization to mitochondria and maintaining homeostasis of epithelial cells highly susceptible to mitochondrial dysfunction.
Two phase feature-ranking for new soil dataset for Coxiella burnetii persistence and classification using machine learning models
Authors: Ahmad Fareed , Ghani Khan Muhammad Usman , Tahir Ahsen , Tipu Muhammad Yasin , Rabbani Masood , Shabbir Muhammad Zubair
Published: January 2023

Coxiella burnetii (Cb) is a hardy, stealth bacterial pathogen lethal for humans and animals. Its tremendous resistance to the environment, ease of propagation, and incredibly low infectious dosage make it an attractive organism for biowarfare. Current research on the classification of Coxiella and features influencing its presence in the soil is generally confined to statistical techniques. Machine learning other than traditional approaches can help us better predict epidemiological modeling for this soil-based pathogen of public significance. We developed a two-phase feature-ranking technique for the pathogen on a new soil feature dataset. The feature ranking applies methods such as ReliefF (RLF), OneR (ONR), and correlation (CR) for the first phase and a combination of techniques utilizing weighted scores to determine the final soil attribute ranks in the second phase. Different classification methods such as Support Vector Machine (SVM), Linear Discriminant Analysis (LDA), Logistic Regression (LR), and Multi-Layer Perceptron (MLP) have been utilized for the classification of soil attribute dataset for Coxiella positive and negative soils. The feature-ranking methods established that potassium, chromium, cadmium, nitrogen, organic matter, and soluble salts are the most significant attributes. At the same time, manganese, clay, phosphorous, copper, and lead are the least contributing soil features for the prevalence of the bacteria. However, potassium is the most influential feature, and manganese is the least significant soil feature. The attribute ranking using RLF generates the most promising results among the ranking methods by generating an accuracy of 80.85% for MLP, 79.79% for LR, and 79.8% for LDA. Overall, SVM and MLP are the best-performing classifiers, where SVM yields an accuracy of 82.98% and 81.91% for attribute ranking by CR and RLF; and MLP generates an accuracy of 76.60% for ONR. Thus, machine models can help us better understand the environment, assisting in the prevalence of bacteria and decreasing the chances of false classification. Subsequently, this can assist in controlling epidemics and alleviating the devastating effect on the socio-economics of society.
No effect of subthalamic deep brain stimulation on metacognition in Parkinson’s disease
Authors: Trenado Carlos , Boschheidgen Matthias , N’Diaye Karim , Schnitzler Alfons , Mallet Luc , Wojtecki Lars
Published: January 2023

Deep brain stimulation of the subthalamic nucleus (STN-DBS) is a powerful treatment in Parkinson’s disease (PD), which provides a positive effect on motor symptoms although the way it operates on high cognitive processes such as metacognition remains unclear. To address this issue, we recorded electroencephalogram (EEG) of PD patients treated with STN-DBS that performed a reversal learning (RL) paradigm endowed with metacognitive self-assessment. We considered two stimulation conditions, namely DBS-ON (stimulation on) and DBS-OFF (stimulation off), and focused our EEG-analysis on the frontal brain region due to its involvement on high cognitive processes. We found a trend towards a significant difference in RL ability between stimulation conditions. STN-DBS showed no effect on metacognition, although a significant association between accuracy and decision confidence level held for DBS OFF, but not in the case of DBS ON. In summary, our study revealed no significant effect of STN-DBS on RL or metacognition.
Long-term label-free assessments of individual bacteria using three-dimensional quantitative phase imaging and hydrogel-based immobilization
Authors: Shin Jeongwon , Kim Geon , Park Jinho , Lee Moosung , Park YongKeun
Published: January 2023

Three-dimensional (3D) quantitative phase imaging (QPI) enables long-term label-free tomographic imaging and quantitative analysis of live individual bacteria. However, the Brownian motion or motility of bacteria in a liquid medium produces motion artifacts during 3D measurements and hinders precise cell imaging and analysis. Meanwhile, existing cell immobilization methods produce noisy backgrounds and even alter cellular physiology. Here, we introduce a protocol that utilizes hydrogels for high-quality 3D QPI of live bacteria maintaining bacterial physiology. We demonstrate long-term high-resolution quantitative imaging and analysis of individual bacteria, including measuring the biophysical parameters of bacteria and responses to antibiotic treatments.
Anthropogenic influence on extremes and risk hotspots
Authors: Estrada Francisco , Perron Pierre , Yamamoto Yohei
Published: January 2023

Study of the frequency and magnitude of climate extremes as the world warms is of utmost importance, especially separating the influence of natural and anthropogenic forcing factors. Record-breaking temperature and precipitation events have been studied using event-attribution techniques. Here, we provide spatial and temporal observation-based analyses of the role of natural and anthropogenic factors, using state-of-the-art time series methods. We show that the risk from extreme temperature and rainfall events has severely increased for most regions worldwide. In some areas the probabilities of occurrence of extreme temperatures and precipitation have increased at least fivefold and twofold, respectively. Anthropogenic forcing has been the main driver of such increases and its effects amplify those of natural forcing. We also identify risk hotspots defined as regions for which increased risk of extreme events and high exposure in terms of either high Gross Domestic Product (GDP) or large population are both present. For the year 2018, increased anthropogenic forcings are mostly responsible for increased risk to extreme temperature/precipitation affecting 94%/72% of global population and 97%/76% of global GDP relative to the baseline period 1961–1990.
An efficient sharding consensus algorithm for consortium chains
Authors: Wu Xiaoxiong , Jiang Wangxi , Song Mingyang , Jia Zhenhong , Qin Jiwei
Published: January 2023

The consensus algorithm is very critical in any blockchain system, because it directly affects the performance and security of the blockchain system. At present, the classic Practical Byzantine Fault Tolerance Algorithm (PBFT), which is mainly used in the consortium chain, will lead to system communication congestion and reduced throughput when the number of nodes increases, so the PBFT algorithm is not suitable for large-scale consortium chains. In response to the above problems, this paper proposes a new clustering-based sharding consensus algorithm (KBFT), which aims to ensure that the consortium chain takes into account decentralization, security and scalability. The KBFT algorithm first uses the K-prototype clustering algorithm to shard the nodes in the network according to mixed attributes, and second, disjoint transactions are used to reach consensus in parallel in different shards. Concurrently, the KBFT algorithm introduces a supervision mechanism and a node credit mechanism, which is used to supervise and score the behavior of the nodes and select the proxy nodes, which improves security. We discuss the choice of shard size with the help of the binomial probability distribution and analyze the probability that the system can successfully form a global block under different node failure probabilities. Finally, the proposed algorithm is evaluated through theoretical analysis and simulation experiments. Results show that the proposed algorithm achieves a marked improvement in scalability and throughput along with a marked reduction in communication complexity compared with the classic baseline algorithm PBFT in this field of study, which improves the operating efficiency of the system and simultaneously guarantees the security and robustness of the system.
The time-frequency analysis of the acoustic signal produced in underwater discharges based on Variational Mode Decomposition and Hilbert–Huang Transform
Authors: Han Zhen , Zhang Xiaobing , Yan Bing , Qiao Liang , Wang Zhigang
Published: January 2023

The experiments of underwater discharges in an anechoic pool were carried out and analysis of the time-frequency characteristics of the acoustic signals was conducted based on Variational Mode Decomposition and Hilbert–Huang Transform (VMD-HHT). We propose a relative center frequency difference method to determine the decomposition numbers K which has to be given before the application of VMD and the result is satisfying. The HHT spectrum and marginal spectrum are obtained, then, some valuable conclusions are drawn. The high-frequency components of the acoustic signal are mainly attributed to the shock wave, and the low-frequency components mostly result from the bubble pulse. The frequency range of the acoustic signal is basically from 0 to 90kHz, and the ratio of energy in the low-frequency band(0–4kHz) to that of the total acoustic signal is up to 55.56%. Furthermore, this ratio versus gaps is also explored and it has the minimum at the gap of 1.5 mm which is the optimal gap for the peak pressure and radiated energy of the acoustic signal. Therefore, we can not obtain the maximum energy of the acoustic signal and the maximum ratio in the low-frequency band simultaneously.
Influence of ligand substitution and the solvent effect on the structures and magnetic properties of dinuclear Dy2 supramolecular architectures constructed with the bis-β-diketonate-Dy2 building block as a metalloligand
Authors: Tang Jiamin , Zhang Sheng , Li Linzhou , Yao Linbin , Zhang Ronghu , Yin Bing , Zhang Jiangwei
Published: January 2023

Based on the bis-β-diketonate-Dy2 metalloligand, six dinuclear complexes with eight-coordinated geometries were synthesized solvothermally through different capping N-donor coligands or solvent systems.
Near-infrared AIE-active phosphorescent iridium(iii) complex for mitochondria-targeted photodynamic therapy
Authors: Pan Zheng-Yin , Liang Bin-Fa , Zhi Yun-Shi , Yao Da-Hong , Li Chen-Yang , Wu Hai-Qiang , He Liang
Published: January 2023

A near-infrared Ir(iii) complex with aggregation-induced emission (AIE) properties exhibits potent photodynamic anticancer activity in vitro and in vivo upon 525 nm light irradiation.
Porous boron nitride nanofibers enhanced sodium acrylate and acrylamide copolymer hydrogels for effective adsorption of Pb2+
Authors: Gao Xiangqian , Huang Xindi , Lin Jing , Yu Chao , Tang Chengchun , Huang Yang
Published: January 2023

A new composite hydrogel adsorbent for adsorption of Pb2+ has been prepared by combining porous boron nitride nanofibers (BNNFs) and the acrylamide and sodium acrylate copolymer (P(AANa-co-AM)) via a chemical crosslinking method.
Enhanced ionic conductivity of protonated antiperovskites via tuning lattice and rotational dynamics
Authors: Guan Chaohong , Yang Yu , Ouyang Runxin , Jing Huirong , Yan Jieqiong , Zhu Hong
Published: January 2023

The thermodynamically more stable lithium halide hydroxide, Li2OHCl, is experimentally easier to synthesize than Li3OCl.
Composition effects on exciton recombination dynamics of blue-emitting alloyed Cd1−xZnxS/ZnS quantum dots
Authors: Wu Wenzhi , Liu Weilong , Han Qiuju , Gao Yachen , Kong Degui , Yang Qingxin
Published: January 2023

With increasing x in core/shell Cd1−xZnxS/ZnS QDs, the contribution of short-lived band-edge excitonic to the PL decay increases and the trapping state at the core/shell interface can trap more holes that are excited by multi-exciton Auger process.
Retrospective comparison of G-EYE balloon-colonoscopy with standard colonoscopy for increased adenoma detection rate and reduced polyp removal time
Authors: Kiesslich Ralf , Teubner Daniel , Hoffman Arthur , Rey Johannes W.
Published: January 2023

Background and study aims The newly introduced G-EYE colonoscope (G-EYE) employs a balloon, installed at the bending section of a standard colonoscope (SC), for increasing adenoma detection and stabilizing the colonoscope tip during intervention. This retrospective work explores the effect of introducing G-EYE into an SC endoscopy room, in terms of adenoma detection and polyp removal time.

Patients and methods This was a single-center, retrospective study. Historical data from patients who underwent colonoscopy prior to, and following, introduction of G-EYE into a particular endoscopy room were collected and analyzed to determine adenoma detection rate (ADR), adenoma per patient (APP), and polyp removal time (PRT), in each of the SC and G-EYE groups.

Results Records of 1362 patients who underwent SC and 1433 subsequent patients who underwent G-EYE colonoscopy in the same endoscopy unit by the same endoscopists were analyzed. Following G-EYE introduction, overall ADR increased by 37.5 % (P < 0.0001) from 39.2 % to 53.9 %, the serrated adenoma rate increased by 47.3 % from 27.9 % to 41.1 % (P < 0.0001), and the APP increased by 50.6 % from 0.79 to 1.19 (P < 0.0001). The number of advanced adenomas increased by 32.7 %, from 19.6 % to 26.0 % of all adenomas (P < 0.0001). With G-EYE, average PRT was reduced overall by 29.5 % (P < 0.0001), and particularly for endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR) by 37.5 % for polyps measuring ≥ 5 mm to ≤ 20 mm (P < 0.0001) and by 29.4 % for large polyps > 20 mm (P < 0.0001).

Conclusions Introduction of G-EYE to an SC endoscopy room yielded considerable increase in ADR and notable reduction in PRT, particularly with the EMR technique. G-EYE balloon colonoscopy might increase the effectiveness of colorectal cancer screening and surveillance colonoscopy, and can shorten the time of endoscopic intervention.
A Retrospective Analysis of BCR-ABL1 Kinase Domain Mutations in the Frontline Drug Intolerant or Resistant Chronic Myeloid Leukemia Patients: An Indian Experience from a High-End Referral Laboratory
Authors: Majumdar Atreye , Katara Rahul , Mishra Avshesh , Gupta Aastha , Sharma Deepak K. , Srivastava Aman K. , Sharma Shivani , Jaiswal Ankita , Dixit Mallika , Kumar Vipin , Kumar Sachin , Kumar Varun , Sharma Rahul , Mohanty Sambit K.
Published: January 2023

Objective This article identifies and evaluates the frequency of mutations in the BCR-ABL1 kinase domain (KD) of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) patients who showed suboptimal response to their current tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) regime and assesses their clinical value in further treatment decisions.

Materials and Methods Peripheral and/or bone marrow were collected from 791 CML patients. Ribonucleic acid was extracted, reverse transcribed, and Sanger sequencing method was utilized to detect single-nucleotide variants (SNVs) in BCR-ABL1 KD.

Results Thirty-eight different SNVs were identified in 29.8% (n = 236/791) patients. T315I, E255K, and M244V were among the most frequent mutations detected. In addition, one patient harbored a novel L298P mutation. A subset of patients from the abovementioned harbored compound mutations (13.3%, n = 33/236). Follow-up data was available in 28 patients that demonstrated the efficacy of TKIs in correlation with mutation analysis and BCR-ABL1 quantitation. Molecular response was attained in 50% patients following an appropriate TKI shift. A dismal survival rate of 40% was observed in T315I-harboring patients on follow-up.

Conclusion This study shows the incidence and pattern of mutations in one of the largest sets of Indian CML patients. In addition, our findings strengthen the prognostic value of KD mutation analysis among strategies to overcome TKI resistance.
Acetabular Inclination as a Function of Hip Center of Rotation While Obtaining Inferior Screw Fixation: A Simulation Model
Authors: Sheth Neil P. , Duxbury Elizabeth A. , Melnic Christopher M.
Published: January 2023

Clinical success of cementless total hip arthroplasty is predicated on proper component position, restoration of biomechanics, and implantation of a mechanically stable construct. In the setting of acetabular bone loss, this target is more difficult to achieve, and elevation of the center of hip rotation may compromise the ability to obtain inferior screw fixation. We used the LifeMOD virtual human modeling simulation software (Smith & Nephew, San Clemente, CA) to determine the relationship between cup inclination and center of rotation position while maintaining the ability to obtain screw fixation within the superior pubic ramus. This simulation demonstrated that for every 5 mm of hip center elevation, cup inclination increased by 5.67 degrees. Based on this data, we recommend the use of a porous acetabular component when the hip center is elevated. This acetabular reconstruction allows for cementation of a liner to address the vertical nature of the cup needed to obtain inferior screw fixation within the superior pubic ramus.