bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Minimally sufficient experimental design using identifiability analysis
Authors: Gevertz Jana L. , Kareva Irina
Published: January 2024

Mathematical models are increasingly being developed and calibrated in tandem with data collection, empowering scientists to intervene in real time based on quantitative model predictions. Well-designed experiments can help augment the predictive power of a mathematical model but the question of when to collect data to maximize its utility for a model is non-trivial. Here we define data as model-informative if it results in a unique parametrization, assessed through the lens of practical identifiability. The framework we propose identifies an optimal experimental design (how much data to collect and when to collect it) that ensures parameter identifiability (permitting confidence in model predictions), while minimizing experimental time and costs. We demonstrate the power of the method by applying it to a modified version of a classic site-of-action pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic model that describes distribution of a drug into the tumor microenvironment (TME), where its efficacy is dependent on the level of target occupancy in the TME. In this context, we identify a minimal set of time points when data needs to be collected that robustly ensures practical identifiability of model parameters. The proposed methodology can be applied broadly to any mathematical model, allowing for the identification of a minimally sufficient experimental design that collects the most informative data.
Single molecule real-time sequencing data sets of Hypericum perforatum L. plantlets and cell suspension cultures
Authors: Selvakesavan Rajendran K. , Nuc Maria , Kolarčik Vladislav , Krajewski Paweł , Franklin Gregory
Published: January 2024

Hypericum is a large genus that includes more than 500 species of pharmacological, ecological and conservation value. Although latest advances in sequencing technologies were extremely exploited for generating and assembling genomes of many living organisms, annotated whole genome sequence data is not publicly available for any of the Hypericum species so far. Bioavailability of secondary metabolites varies for different tissues and the data derived from different cultures will be a valuable tool for comparative studies. Here, we report the single molecule real-time sequencing (SMRT) data sets of Hypericum perforatum L. plantlets and cell suspension cultures for the first time. Sequencing data from cell suspension cultures yielded more than 33,000 high-quality transcripts from 20 Gb of raw data, while more than 55,000 high-quality transcripts were obtained from 35 Gb of raw data from plantlets. This dataset is a valuable tool for comparative transcriptomic analysis and will help to understand the unknown biosynthetic pathways of high medicinal value in the Hypericum genus.
Cytochrome oxidase I DNA barcodes of crocodilians meat selling in Hong Kong
Authors: So Wai Lok , Chong Tze Kiu , Lee Ivy Hoi Ting , So Miu Tsz Wai , Liu Avis Mang Yi , Leung Sam Tsz Chung , Ching Wai , Yip Ho Yin , Shaw Pang Chui , Hui Jerome Ho Lam
Published: January 2024

The crocodilians include true crocodiles, alligators, caimans, and gharial, and the trade of crocodilian products is regulated in accordance with the Convention of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). Hong Kong does not have her own wild crocodilians; thus, all crocodilians meat available is presumably imported with proper license. Here, we obtained a dataset of cytochrome oxidase I (COI) gene markers of 114 crocodilian meat samples (including frozen and dried crocodilian meat products) available in the contemporary market. We have also validated these barcodes in a phylogenetic approach with other data deposited on the GenBank, and detected 112 samples belonging to four crocodile species Crocodylus siamensis, C. porosus, C. niloticus and Alligator mississippiensis, and 2 samples belonging to snake Malayopython reticulatus. The dataset generated in this study will be useful for further studies including meat inspection, illegal trading, and enhancement of international and local legislations on illegal reptile importation.
Near-chromosomal-level genome of the red palm weevil (Rhynchophorus ferrugineus), a potential resource for genome-based pest control
Authors: Sudalaimuthuasari Naganeeswaran , Kundu Biduth , Hazzouri Khaled M. , Amiri Khaled M. A.
Published: January 2024

The red palm weevil (RPW) is a highly destructive pest that mainly affects palms, particularly date palms (Phoenix dactylifera), in the Arabian Gulf region. In this study, we present a near-chromosomal-level genome assembly of the RPW using a combination of PacBio HiFi and Dovetail Omini-C reads. The final genome assembly is around 779 Mb in size, with an N50 of ~43 Mb, consistent with our previous flow cytometry estimates. The completeness of the genome was confirmed through BUSCO analysis, which indicates the presence of 99.5% of BUSCO single copy orthologous genes. The genome annotation identified a total of 29,666 protein-coding, 1,091 tRNA and 543 rRNA genes. Overall, the proposed genome assembly is significantly superior to existing assemblies in terms of contiguity, integrity, and genome completeness.
A clinical, morphological and molecular study of 70 patients with gastrointestinal involvement in systemic mastocytosis
Authors: Lübke Johannes , Naumann Nicole , Hoffmann Oliver , Horny Hans-Peter , Sotlar Karl , Rudelius Martina , Metzgeroth Georgia , Fabarius Alice , Hofmann Wolf-Karsten , Reiter Andreas , Schwaab Juliana
Published: January 2024

In 70 patients with KIT D816V positive systemic mastocytosis (SM) including 36 patients with advanced SM (AdvSM), we correlated the extent of reported mucosal mast cell ([m]MC) infiltration of the upper and/or lower gastrointestinal tract (UGIT, n = 63; LGIT, n = 64; both, n = 57) with symptoms and markers of MC burden/subtype. GI symptoms were reported by all patients (mean 2.1 number of symptoms). A strong mMC infiltration was identified in 24 patients (UGIT, 17/63, 27%; LGIT, 19/64, 30%). Concurrent involvement of UGIT and LGIT (n = 12) correlated with female gender (75%) and a higher symptom burden (mean 2.7) but not with MC burden or subtype. Significant differences between non-AdvSM and AdvSM were reported regarding food intolerance (54% vs. 17%), cramping (54% vs. 22%) and weight loss (0% vs. 64%). KIT D816V was identified in 54/56 (96%) available biopsies. In 46 patients, digital PCR revealed a correlation with low albumin levels (r =  − 0.270, P = 0.069) and the KIT D816V VAF in peripheral blood (r = 0.317, P = 0.036) but not with the extent of mMC infiltration or markers of MC burden/subtype. Although MC mediator triggered GI symptoms have a substantial impact on the quality of life, correlation to objective disease parameters is lacking thus making its systematic assessment challenging.
A proof of concept study on reliability assessment of different metal foil length based piezoelectric sensor for electromechanical impedance techniques
Authors: Parida Lukesh , Moharana Sumedha , Vicente Romeu , Ascensão Guilherme
Published: January 2024

Lead zirconate titanate (PZT) patches gained popularity in structural health monitoring (SHM) for its sensing and cost effective. However, a robust installation of PZT patches is challenging due to the often-complex geometry and non-accessibility of structural parts. For tubular structures, the curved surface can compromise the perfect bonding of PZT patches. To alleviate the above-mentioned challenges, the non-bonded and reusable configuration of sensor received considerable interest in the field of SHM. However, ensuring the repeatability and reproducibility of Electro-Mechanical Impedance (EMI) measurements is crucial to establish the reliability of these techniques. This work investigated the repeatability and reproducibility measures for one of non-bonded configuration of PZT patch i.e., Metal Foil Based Piezo Sensor (MFBPS). In addition, the concept, application, and suitability of MFBPS for impedance-based monitoring technique of Civil infrastructure are critically discussed. This study evaluates the effect of length of MFBPS on piezo coupled admittance signature. Also, this study evaluates repeatability and reproducibility of EMI measurements via statistical tools such as ANOVA and Gage R&R analysis. The statistical index CCDM was used to quantify the deviations of impedance signals. The overall result shows that the repeatability of the EMI measurements improves with a metal foil length of 500 mm. Overall, this investigation offers a useful point of reference for professionals and scholars to ensure the reliability of MFBPS for EMI techniques, a variant of piezoelectric sensor for SHM applications.
Semantic embedding based online cross-modal hashing method
Authors: Zhang Meijia , Li Junzheng , Zheng Xiyuan
Published: January 2024

Hashing has been extensively utilized in cross-modal retrieval due to its high efficiency in handling large-scale, high-dimensional data. However, most existing cross-modal hashing methods operate as offline learning models, which learn hash codes in a batch-based manner and prove to be inefficient for streaming data. Recently, several online cross-modal hashing methods have been proposed to address the streaming data scenario. Nevertheless, these methods fail to fully leverage the semantic information and accurately optimize hashing in a discrete fashion. As a result, both the accuracy and efficiency of online cross-modal hashing methods are not ideal. To address these issues, this paper introduces the Semantic Embedding-based Online Cross-modal Hashing (SEOCH) method, which integrates semantic information exploitation and online learning into a unified framework. To exploit the semantic information, we map the semantic labels to a latent semantic space and construct a semantic similarity matrix to preserve the similarity between new data and existing data in the Hamming space. Moreover, we employ a discrete optimization strategy to enhance the efficiency of cross-modal retrieval for online hashing. Through extensive experiments on two publicly available multi-label datasets, we demonstrate the superiority of the SEOCH method.
Multichannel high noise level ECG denoising based on adversarial deep learning
Authors: Mvuh Franck Lino , Ebode Ko’a Claude Odile Vanessa , Bodo Bertrand
Published: January 2024

This paper proposes a denoising method based on an adversarial deep learning approach for the post-processing of multi-channel fetal electrocardiogram (ECG) signals. As it’s well known, noise leads to misinterpretations of fetal ECG signals and thus limits the use of fetal electrocardiography for healthcare applications. Therefore, denoising algorithms are essential for the exploitation of non-invasive fetal ECG. The proposed method is based on the combination of three end-to-end trained sub-networks to convert noisy fetal ECG signals into clean signals. The first two sub-networks are linked by skip connections and form a deep convolutional network that downsamples the noisy signals into a latent representation and subsequently upsamples this latent representation to recover clean signals. The third sub-network aims to boost the decoder sub-network to generate realistic clean signals. Experiments carried out on synthetic and real data showed that the proposed method improved by the signal-to-noise (SNR) of fetal ECG signals with input SNR ranging from $$-\,30$$

-

30

to 0 dB by an average of 20 dB, and improve fetal signal quality by significantly increasing the number of true detected QRS complexes and halving QRS complex detection errors.
Association of air pollution and weather conditions during infection course with COVID-19 case fatality rate in the United Kingdom
Authors: Hossain M. Pear , Zhou Wen , Leung Marco Y. T. , Yuan Hsiang-Yu
Published: January 2024

Although the relationship between the environmental factors, such as weather conditions and air pollution, and COVID-19 case fatality rate (CFR) has been found, the impacts of these factors to which infected cases are exposed at different infectious stages (e.g., virus exposure time, incubation period, and at or after symptom onset) are still unknown. Understanding this link can help reduce mortality rates. During the first wave of COVID-19 in the United Kingdom (UK), the CFR varied widely between and among the four countries of the UK, allowing such differential impacts to be assessed. We developed a generalized linear mixed-effect model combined with distributed lag nonlinear models to estimate the odds ratio of the weather factors (i.e., temperature, sunlight, relative humidity, and rainfall) and air pollution (i.e., ozone, $$N{O}_{2}$$

N

O
2

, $$S{O}_{2}$$

S

O
2

, $$CO$$

CO

, $$P{M}_{10}$$

P

M
10

and $$P{M}_{2.5}$$

P

M

2.5

) using data between March 26, 2020 and September 15, 2020 in the UK. After retrospectively time adjusted CFR was estimated using back-projection technique, the stepwise model selection method was used to choose the best model based on Akaike information criteria and the closeness between the predicted and observed values of CFR. The risk of death reached its maximum level when the low temperature (6 °C) occurred 1 day before (OR 1.59; 95% CI 1.52–1.63), prolonged sunlight duration (11–14 h) 3 days after (OR 1.24; 95% CI 1.18–1.30) and increased $$P{M}_{2.5}$$

P

M

2.5

(19 μg/m3) 1 day after the onset of symptom (OR 1.12; 95% CI 1.09–1.16). After reopening, many COVID-19 cases will be identified after their symptoms appear. The findings highlight the importance of designing different preventive measures against severe illness or death considering the time before and after symptom onset.
Performance evaluation of PSO-PID and PSO-FLC for continuum robot’s developed modeling and control
Authors: Aner Elsayed Atif , Awad Mohammed Ibrahim , Shehata Omar M.
Published: January 2024

Continuum robots are complex structures that require sophisticated modeling and control methods to achieve accurate position and motion tracking along desired trajectories. They are highly coupled, nonlinear systems with multiple degrees of freedom that pose a significant challenge for conventional approaches. In this paper, we propose a system dynamic model based on the Euler–Lagrange formulation with the assumption of piecewise constant curvature (PCC), where we accounts for the elasticity and gravity effects of the continuum robot. We also develop and apply a particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm to optimize the parameters of our developed controllers: an inverse dynamic proportional integral derivative (PID) controller and an inverse dynamic fuzzy logic controller (FLC), where we use the integral time of absolute error (ITAE) as the objective function for the PSO algorithm. We validate our proposed model and optimized controllers through different designed trajectories, simulated using our developed unique animated MATLAB simulation. The results show that the PSO-PID controller improves the rise time, overshoot percentage, and settling time by 16.3%, 31.1%, and 64.9%, respectively, compared to the PID controller without PSO. The PSO-FLC controller shows the best performance among all controllers, with a settling time of 0.7 s and a rise time of 0.4 s, leading to the highest level of precision in trajectory tracking. The ITAE error for the PSO-FLC controller is 11.4% and 29.9% lower than that of the PSO-PID and FLC controllers, respectively.
Lymphatic remapping by long-term lymphoscintigraphy follow-up in secondary lymphedema after breast cancer surgery
Authors: Hong Garam , Lee Koeun , Han Sangwon , Jeon Jae Yong
Published: January 2024

The purpose of the study is to investigate long-term changes on lymphoscintigraphy and their association with clinical factors in breast cancer-related lymphedema (BCRL) patients. This single-center cohort study included BCRL patients who underwent baseline and follow-up lymphoscintigraphy. The percentage of excessive circumference (PEC) of the affected upper limb compared with the unaffected side was used as an indicator of the clinical severity of BCRL. Each 99mTc-phytate lymphoscintigraphy image was categorized according to the Taiwan lymphoscintigraphy staging system. Clinical parameters and the lymphoscintigraphy stage at baseline and follow-up were compared and analyzed. Eighty-seven patients were included. Baseline and follow-up lymphoscintigraphies were performed at median 7 (interquartile range [IQR]: 2‒14) and 78 (IQR: 49‒116) months after surgery, respectively. Both lymphoscintigraphy stage and PEC showed variable change with overall increases in their severity. Stepwise multivariable analysis revealed follow-up lymphoscintigraphy stage (P = 0.001) to be independent variables for PEC at follow-up, however, baseline lymphoscintigraphy stage was not. The clinical courses of BCRL and patients’ lymphoscintigraphy patterns showed diverse changes over long-term follow-up. In addition to initial lymphoscintigraphy for diagnosis, lymphatic remapping by follow-up lymphoscintigraphy can be useful to visualize functional changes in the lymphatic system that may guide the optimal management in BCRL.
Mangiferin (mango) attenuates AOM-induced colorectal cancer in rat’s colon by augmentation of apoptotic proteins and antioxidant mechanisms
Authors: Abdul-Aziz Ahmed Khaled , Jabbar Ahmed A. J. , Abdulla Mahmood Ameen , Zuhair Alamri Zaenah , Ain Salehen Nur , Abdel Aziz Ibrahim Ibrahim , Almaimani Ghassan , Bamagous Ghazi A. , Almaimani Riyad A. , Almasmoum Hussain A. , Ghaith Mazen M. , Farrash Wesam F.
Published: January 2024

Mangiferin (MF) is a natural C-glucosylxantone compound that has many substantial curative potentials against numerous illnesses including cancers. The present study's goal is to appraise the chemo preventive possessions of MF on azoxymethane (AOM)-mediated colonic aberrant crypt foci (ACF) in rats. Rats clustered into 5 groups, negative control (A), inoculated subcutaneously with normal saline twice and nourished on 0.5% CMC; groups B-E injected twice with 15 mg/kg azoxymethane followed by ingestion of 0.5% CMC (B, cancer control); intraperitoneal inoculation of 35 mg/kg 5-fluorouracil (C, reference rats) or nourished on 30 mg/kg (D) and 60 mg/kg (E) of MF. Results of gross morphology of colorectal specimens showed significantly lower total colonic ACF incidence in MF-treated rats than that of cancer controls. The colon tissue examination of cancer control rats showed increased ACF availability with bizarrely elongated nuclei, stratified cells, and higher depletion of the submucosal glands compared to MF-treated rats. Mangiferin treatment caused increased regulation of pro-apoptotic (increased Bax) proteins and reduced the β-catenin) proteins expression. Moreover, rats fed on MF had significantly higher glutathione peroxidase (GPx), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and lower malondialdehyde (MDA) concentrations in their colonic tissue homogenates. Mangiferin supplementation significantly down-shifted pro-inflammatory cytokines (transforming growth factor-α and interleukine-6) and up-shifted anti-inflammatory cytokines (interleukine-10) based on serum analysis. The chemo-protective mechanistic of MF against AOM-induced ACF, shown by lower ACF values and colon tissue penetration, could be correlated with its positive modulation of apoptotic cascade, antioxidant enzymes, and inflammatory cytokines originating from AOM oxidative stress insults.
Genetically engineered HEK cells as a valuable tool for studying electroporation in excitable cells
Authors: Batista Napotnik Tina , Kos Bor , Jarm Tomaž , Miklavčič Damijan , O’Connor Rodney P. , Rems Lea
Published: January 2024

Electric pulses used in electroporation-based treatments have been shown to affect the excitability of muscle and neuronal cells. However, understanding the interplay between electroporation and electrophysiological response of excitable cells is complex, since both ion channel gating and electroporation depend on dynamic changes in the transmembrane voltage (TMV). In this study, a genetically engineered human embryonic kidney cells expressing NaV1.5 and Kir2.1, a minimal complementary channels required for excitability (named S-HEK), was characterized as a simple cell model used for studying the effects of electroporation in excitable cells. S-HEK cells and their non-excitable counterparts (NS-HEK) were exposed to 100 µs pulses of increasing electric field strength. Changes in TMV, plasma membrane permeability, and intracellular Ca2+ were monitored with fluorescence microscopy. We found that a very mild electroporation, undetectable with the classical propidium assay but associated with a transient increase in intracellular Ca2+, can already have a profound effect on excitability close to the electrostimulation threshold, as corroborated by multiscale computational modelling. These results are of great relevance for understanding the effects of pulse delivery on cell excitability observed in context of the rapidly developing cardiac pulsed field ablation as well as other electroporation-based treatments in excitable tissues.
Ca2+ and force during dynamic contractions in mouse intact skeletal muscle fibers
Authors: Fukutani Atsuki , Westerblad Håkan , Jardemark Kent , Bruton Joseph
Published: January 2024

Muscle fiber force production is determined by the excitation frequency of motor nerves, which induce transient increases in cytoplasmic free Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i) and the force-generating capacity of the actomyosin cross-bridges. Previous studies suggest that, in addition to altered cross-bridge properties, force changes during dynamic (concentric or eccentric) contraction might be affected by Ca2+-dependent components. Here we investigated this by measuring [Ca2+]i and force in mouse muscle fibers undergoing isometric, concentric, and eccentric contractions. Intact single muscle fibers were dissected from the flexor digitorum brevis muscle of mice. Fibers were electrically activated isometrically at 30–100 Hz and after reaching the isometric force plateau, they were actively shortened or stretched. We calculated the ratio (relative changes) in force and [Ca2+]i attained in submaximal (30 Hz) and near-maximal (100 Hz) contractions under isometric or dynamic conditions. Tetanic [Ca2+]i was similar during isometric, concentric and eccentric phases of contraction at given stimulation frequencies while the forces were clearly different depending on the contraction types. The 30/100 Hz force ratio was significantly lower in the concentric (44.1 ± 20.3%) than in the isometric (50.3 ± 20.4%) condition (p = 0.005), whereas this ratio did not differ between eccentric and isometric conditions (p = 0.186). We conclude that the larger force decrease by decreasing the stimulation frequency during concentric than during isometric contraction is caused by decreased myofibrillar Ca2+ sensitivity, not by the decreased [Ca2+]i.
Analysis of the maternal inheritance hypothesis of the exochorium in eggs from hybrids of Chagas disease vectors
Authors: de Sousa Paulo Sergio , de Oliveira Jader , Ravazi Amanda , dos Reis Yago Visinho , de Azeredo Oliveira Maria Tercília Vilela , da Rosa João Aristeu , Galvão Cleber , Alevi Kaio Cesar Chaboli
Published: January 2024

Morphological studies applied to the taxonomy of the Triatominae cover various structures (head, wing, thorax, genitalia, and eggs). Exochorial structures of hybrid eggs were characterized and compared with the parents, demonstrating that hybrids presented characteristics identical to the exochorial pattern observed in the females of the crosses, which resulted in the hypothesis that the pattern of triatomine eggs is possibly a characteristic inherited from females. Thus, we characterized the exochorium of the eggs of several triatomine hybrids and compared them with the parents, to assess the pattern of segregation and test the hypothesis of maternal inheritance. Hybrids were obtained in at least one direction from all crosses. The analysis of the exochorium of the eggs of the hybrids showed different patterns of segregation: "exclusively paternal", "predominantly maternal", "predominantly paternal", "mutual", and "differential". Curiously, none of the hybrids evaluated presented characteristics that segregated exclusively from the female parental species. Thus, we demonstrate that the hypothesis of maternal inheritance of the exochorium pattern of eggs is not valid and we emphasize the importance of alternative/combined tools (such as integrative taxonomy) for the correct identification of these insect vectors (mainly in view of possible natural hybridization events due to climate and environmental changes).
QR-1011 restores defective ABCA4 splicing caused by multiple severe ABCA4 variants underlying Stargardt disease
Authors: Kaltak Melita , de Bruijn Petra , van Leeuwen Willemijn , Platenburg Gerard , Cremers Frans P. M. , Collin Rob W. J. , Swildens Jim
Published: January 2024

Stargardt disease type 1 (STGD1), the most common form of hereditary macular dystrophy, can be caused by biallelic combinations of over 2200 variants in the ABCA4 gene. This leads to reduced or absent ABCA4 protein activity, resulting in toxic metabolite accumulation in the retina and damage of the retinal pigment epithelium and photoreceptors. Approximately 21% of all ABCA4 variants that contribute to disease influence ABCA4 pre-mRNA splicing. This emphasizes the need for therapies to restore disrupted ABCA4 splicing and halt STGD1 progression. Previously, QR-1011, an antisense oligonucleotide (AON), successfully corrected splicing abnormalities and restored normal ABCA4 protein translation in human retinal organoids carrying the prevalent disease-causing variant c.5461−10T>C in ABCA4. Here, we investigated whether QR-1011 could also correct splicing in four less common non-canonical splice site (NCSS) variants flanking ABCA4 exon 39: c.5461−8T>G, c.5461−6T>C, c.5584+5G>A and c.5584+6T>C. We administered QR-1011 and three other AONs to midigene-transfected cells and demonstrate that QR-1011 had the most pronounced effect on splicing compared to the others. Moreover, QR-1011 significantly increased full-length ABCA4 transcript levels for c.5461−8T>G and c.5584+6T>C. Splicing restoration could not be achieved in the other two variants, suggesting their more severe effect on splicing. Overall, QR-1011, initially developed for a single ABCA4 variant, exhibited potent splice correction capabilities for two additional severe NCSS variants nearby. This suggests the possibility of a broader therapeutic impact of QR-1011 extending beyond its original target and highlights the potential for treating a larger population of STGD1 patients affected by multiple severe ABCA4 variants with a single AON.
Big data-driven spatio-temporal heterogeneity analysis of Beijing's catering service industry during the COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Jia Haichao , Zheng Minrui , Wang Peipei , Li Tianle , Zheng Xinqi
Published: January 2024

The Catering Service Industry (CSI) experienced profound impacts due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the long-term and multi-timepoint analysis using big data remained limited, influencing governmental decision-making. We applied Kernel Density Estimation, Shannon Diversity Index, and the Geographic detector to explore the spatial heterogeneity and determinants of the CSI in Beijing during the pandemic, with monthly granularity. The temporal-spatial dynamics of the CSI presented a "W"-shaped trend from 2018 to 2023, with pivotal shifts aligning with key pandemic stages. Spatial characteristics exhibited heterogeneity, with greater stability in the city center and more pronounced shifts in peripheral urban zones. Districts facing intricate outbreaks showed lower catering income, and Chinese eateries exhibited heightened resilience compared to others. The CSI displayed strong interconnections with living service sectors. Development in each district was influenced by economic level, population distribution, service facilities convenience, and the risk of the COVID-19 pandemic. Dominant factors included total retail sales of consumer goods, permanent population, average Baidu Heat Index, density of transportation and catering service facilities, infection cases and the consecutive days with confirmed cases existing. Consequently, we suggested seizing post-pandemic recovery as an avenue to unlock the CSI's substantial potential, ushering a fresh phase of growth.
Analysis and experimental research of transient temperature rise characteristics of high-speed cylindrical roller bearing
Authors: Dong Yanfang , Ma Yafei , Qiu Ming , Chen Feifan , He Kai
Published: January 2024

In this paper, on one hand, the time-varying characteristics of the heat source and thermal boundary conditions of the high-speed spindle system were analyzed considering the thermal-structural coupling effect. And a transient bearing temperature field prediction method combining the thermal network method and finite element method was proposed. Furthermore, the relationships between time step, calculation efficiency and calculation results were analyzed. On the other hand, a online real-time monitoring system of the transient temperature of the cylindrical roller bearing inner ring for maximum speed of 13,000 r/min was designed and implemented using fibre optic sensing technology. Comparing with the conventional static thermal analysis results, it is verified that the simulation method proposed in this paper has higher accuracy. This paper provides a new approach for analysing and testing the thermal characteristics of high-speed spindle system.
Domestic pigs are susceptible to experimental infection with non-human primate-derived Reston virus without the need for adaptation
Authors: Lewis Charles E. , Pinette Mathieu M. , Lakin Steven M. , Smith Greg , Fisher Mathew , Moffat Estella , Embury-Hyatt Carissa , Pickering Brad S.
Published: January 2024

Domestic pigs are a critical component of the food supply and one of the most commonly raised production animals. Pork consumption has driven the intensification of pig production expanding into environments conducive to increased emergence and spread of infectious diseases, including the spillover of pathogens into human populations. One of these emerging viruses, Reston virus (RESTV), is an enigma among the Orthoebolavirus genus in that its lack of human pathogenicity is in stark contrast to the high virulence associated with most other ebolaviruses. RESTV is, however, associated with outbreaks of highly lethal hemorrhagic disease in non-human primates (NHP), as well as poorly understood clinical manifestations of mixed virulence and lethality in naturally and experimentally infected domestic pigs. Our results show it is possible for RESTV derived from an NHP to infect domestic pigs resulting in a spectrum of disease, from asymptomatic to severe respiratory distress. Further, we report on the first experimental transmission of RESTV between infected pigs and a co-housed, naïve animal, as well as the first report of the successful use of group oral fluids for the detection of RESTV RNA and virus-specific IgA antibodies.
The role of implants and implant prostheses on the accuracy and artifacts of cone-beam computed tomography: an in-vitro study
Authors: Gurjar Balwant Singh , Sharma Vineet , Paliwal Jyoti , Kalla Rajani , Meena Kamal Kumar , Tahir Mohammed
Published: January 2024

To assess the accuracy of CBCT in implant-supported prostheses and to evaluate metal artifacts with and without implants or implant prostheses. Accuracy and artifacts were assessed in the dried mandible at three points on the buccal and lingual cortical plates on the mandible's body near the crest and the base. On the buccal cortical plate, these points were labelled as A, B and C near the crest and D, E and F near the base of the body of the mandible. Similarly, points a to f were marked on the lingual cortical plate corresponding to points A to F. The study had two control groups, C0 for physical linear measurement (PLM) and C1 for radiographic linear measurement (RLM) and artifact assessment. There were seven test groups, TG 1 to 7, progressing from a single implant to implant full-arch prosthesis. For accuracy assessment, PLM was compared to RLM. CBCT artifacts were investigated in images integrated at 0.25 mm, 10 mm, and 20 mm at regions of interest on concentric circles at different intersecting angles by comparing grayscale values at C1 and TG1 to 7. The data were collected and statistically analyzed. A significant difference was observed between C0 and C1, and RLM in test groups at the superior axial plane. Similarly, PLM and test RLM in the sagittal plane at A-B, B-C, and D-E were statistically significant. A significant difference between PLM and RLM was also observed in the vertical plane at A-D, B-E, and C-F. Quantification of CBCT artifacts in the presence of implants or prostheses revealed that full-arch prostheses had the highest mean grayscale value, whereas single implants with a prosthesis had the lowest. The mean grayscale change was greatest around the implant and implant prosthesis. The mean grayscale value was maximum at 20 mm voxel integration scales (VIS) and lowest at 0.25 mm. CBCT is a clinically reliable device. Metal in implants or implant-supported prostheses prevents true assessment of the peri-implant area; therefore, lower VIS is suggested in the presence of implants or implant prostheses.
New energy vehicle battery recycling strategy considering carbon emotion from a closed-loop supply chain perspective
Authors: Guo Rong , He Yongjun , Tian Xianjun , Li Yixin
Published: January 2024

The negative impact of used batteries of new energy vehicles on the environment has attracted global attention, and how to effectively deal with used batteries of new energy vehicles has become a hot issue. This paper combines the rank-dependent expected utility with the evolutionary game theory, constructs an evolutionary game model based on the interaction mechanism between decision makers' emotions and decision making, and studies the recycling strategy of new energy automobile trams under the heterogeneous combination of emotions. The study shows that: (1) In addition to the establishment of effective external norms, the subjective preference of decision makers can also positively affect the recycling strategy of new energy vehicle batteries. (2) Fairness preferences can have a significant nonlinear effect on new energy vehicle battery recycling strategies by changing the utility function of decision makers. (3) When new energy vehicle manufacturers remain optimistic and new energy vehicle demanders remain rational or pessimistic, the new energy vehicle battery recycling strategy can reach the optimal steady state.
Enhancing engineering optimization using hybrid sine cosine algorithm with Roulette wheel selection and opposition-based learning
Authors: Pham Vu Hong Son , Nguyen Dang Nghiep Trinh , Nguyen Van Nam
Published: January 2024

Meta-heuristic algorithms distinguish themselves from conventional optimization methods owing to their intrinsic adaptability and straightforward implementation. Among them, the sine cosine algorithm (SCA) is lauded for its ability to transition seamlessly between exploration and exploitation phases throughout the optimization process. However, there exists potential for enhancing the balance that SCA maintains between exploration and exploitation. To augment the proficiency in global optimization of SCA, an innovative strategy—nSCA—that integrates the roulette wheel selection (RWS) with opposition-based learning was formulated. The robustness of nSCA was rigorously evaluated against leading-edge methods such as the genetic algorithm (GA), particle swarm optimization, moth-flame optimization, ant lion optimization, and multi-verse optimizer, as well as the foundational SCA. This evaluation included benchmarks set by both CEC 2019 and CEC 2021 test functions. Additionally, the performance of nSCA was confirmed through numerous practical optimization problems, emphasizing its effectiveness in applied settings. In all evaluations, nSCA consistently showcased superior performance compared to its evolutionary algorithm counterparts, delivering top-tier solutions for both benchmark functions and real-world optimization challenges. Given this compelling evidence, one can posit that nSCA serves as a strong candidate for addressing intricate optimization challenges found in real-world contexts, regardless of whether they are of a discrete or continuous nature.
A method for extracting small water bodies based on DEM and remote sensing images
Authors: Sun Qingzhen , Li Jinguang
Published: January 2024

Accurate and comprehensive extraction of water bodies facilitates the study of watershed changes and water quality monitoring and also provides a reference for ecological evolution. When extracting tributaries and small water bodies based on remote sensing images, there are problems such as uncertain threshold selection, more edge voids, and extraction difficulties. The improved water body extraction method (Combination Normalized Difference Water Index), fuses Digital Elevation Model and remote sensing images. The river network is extracted from the Digital Elevation Model and the remote sensing image is normalized. After fusion, threshold comparison is performed, and the threshold of the river network location is used as the basis for connecting the broken water bodies, it is compared and verified with the normalized thresholds to achieve accurate identification and complete extraction of water bodies. Taking the water bodies in Xinyang City as an example, the overall accuracy of the confusion matrix was the highest, with an overall accuracy of 93.0% compared with the traditional index method. Combined with water bodies in Zhengzhou City for model validation, it has high applicability. Whether the water body is large or small, the extraction results are complete, with no voids or broken, and the accuracy is high.
Anterior atlantoaxial motion preservation fixation technique for axis complex fractures (odontoid process with Hangman’s fractures) and technique notes
Authors: Lu Qilin , Tang Jin , Xie Wei , Mei Xianzhong , Kang Hui , Liu Ximing , Xu Feng , Cai Xianhua
Published: January 2024

This study aims to investigate the feasibility and efficacy of anterior atlantoaxial motion preservation fixation (AMPF) in treating axis complex fractures involving the odontoid process fracture and Hangman’s fractures with C2/3 instability. A retrospective study was conducted on eight patients who underwent AMPF for axis complex fractures at the General Hospital of Central Theater Command from February 2004 to October 2021. The types of axis injuries, reasons for injuries, surgery time, intraoperative blood loss, spinal cord injury classification (American Spinal Injury Association, ASIA), as well as complications and technical notes, were documented. This study included eight cases of type II Hangman’s fracture, five cases of type II and three cases of type III odontoid process fracture. Five patients experienced traffic accidents, while three patients experienced falling injuries. All patients underwent AMPF surgery with an average intraoperative blood loss of 288.75 mL and a duration of 174.5 min. Two patients experienced dysphagia 1 month after surgery. The patients were followed up for an average of 15.63 months. One case improved from C to E in terms of neurological condition, three cases improved from D to E, and four cases remained at E. Bony fusion and Atlantoaxial Motion Preservation were successfully achieved for all eight patients. AMPF is a feasible and effective way for simultaneous odontoid process fracture and Hangman’s fractures with C2/3 instability, while preserving atlantoaxial movement.
Yeast strains isolated from fermented beverage produce extracellular vesicles with anti-inflammatory effects
Authors: Nenciarini Stefano , Amoriello Roberta , Bacci Giovanni , Cerasuolo Benedetta , Di Paola Monica , Nardini Patrizia , Papini Alessio , Ballerini Clara , Cavalieri Duccio
Published: January 2024

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are lipid-bilayered particles, containing various biomolecules, including nucleic acids, lipids, and proteins, released by cells from all the domains of life and performing multiple communication functions. Evidence suggests that the interaction between host immune cells and fungal EVs induces modulation of the immune system. Most of the studies on fungal EVs have been conducted in the context of fungal infections; therefore, there is a knowledge gap in what concerns the production of EVs by yeasts in other contexts rather than infection and that may affect human health. In this work, we characterized EVs obtained by Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Pichia fermentans strains isolated from a fermented milk product with probiotic properties. The immunomodulation abilities of EVs produced by these strains have been studied in vitro through immune assays after internalization from human monocyte-derived dendritic cells. Results showed a significant reduction in antigen presentation activity of dendritic cells treated with the fermented milk EVs. The small RNA fraction of EVs contained mainly yeast mRNA sequences, with a few molecular functions enriched in strains of two different species isolated from the fermented milk. Our results suggest that one of the mechanisms behind the anti-inflammatory properties of probiotic foods could be mediated by the interactions of human immune cells with yeast EVs.
Acute ischemic stroke prediction and predictive factors analysis using hematological indicators in elderly hypertensives post-transient ischemic attack
Authors: Shu Chang , Zheng Chenguang , Luo Da , Song Jie , Jiang Zhengyi , Ge Le
Published: January 2024

Elderly hypertensive patients diagnosed with transient ischemic attack (TIA) are at a heightened risk for developing acute ischemic stroke (AIS). This underscores the critical need for effective risk prediction and identification of predictive factors. In our study, we utilized patient data from peripheral blood tests and clinical profiles within hospital information systems. These patients were followed for a three-year period to document incident AIS. Our cohort of 11,056 individuals was randomly divided into training, validation, and testing sets in a 5:2:3 ratio. We developed an XGBoost model, developed using selected indicators, provides an effective and non-invasive method for predicting the risk of AIS in elderly hypertensive patients diagnosed with TIA. Impressively, this model achieved a balanced accuracy of 0.9022, a recall of 0.8688, and a PR-AUC of 0.9315. Notably, our model effectively encapsulates essential data variations involving mixed nonlinear interactions, providing competitive performance against more complex models that incorporate a wider range of variables. Further, we conducted an in-depth analysis of the importance and sensitivity of each selected indicator and their interactions. This research equips clinicians with the necessary tools for more precise identification of high-risk individuals, thereby paving the way for more effective stroke prevention and management strategies.
Volcanic forcing of high-latitude Northern Hemisphere eruptions
Authors: Fuglestvedt Herman F. , Zhuo Zhihong , Toohey Matthew , Krüger Kirstin
Published: January 2024

High-latitude explosive volcanic eruptions can cause substantial hemispheric cooling. Here, we use a whole-atmosphere chemistry-climate model to simulate Northern Hemisphere (NH) high-latitude volcanic eruptions of magnitude similar to the 1991 Mt. Pinatubo eruption. Our simulations reveal that the initial stability of the polar vortex strongly influences sulphur dioxide lifetime and aerosol growth by controlling the dispersion of injected gases after such eruptions in winter. Consequently, atmospheric variability introduces a spread in the cumulative aerosol radiative forcing of more than 20%. We test the aerosol evolution’s sensitivity to co-injection of sulphur and halogens, injection season, and altitude, and show how aerosol processes impact radiative forcing. Several of these sensitivities are of similar magnitude to the variability stemming from initial conditions, highlighting the significant influence of atmospheric variability. We compare the modelled volcanic sulphate deposition over the Greenland ice sheet with the relationship assumed in reconstructions of past NH eruptions. Our analysis yields an estimate of the Greenland transfer function for NH extratropical eruptions that, when applied to ice core data, produces volcanic stratospheric sulphur injections from NH extratropical eruptions 23% smaller than in currently used volcanic forcing reconstructions. Furthermore, the transfer function’s uncertainty, which propagates into the estimate of sulphur release, needs to be at least doubled to account for atmospheric variability and unknown eruption parameters. Our results offer insights into the processes shaping the climatic impacts of NH high-latitude eruptions and highlight the need for more accurate representation of these events in volcanic forcing reconstructions.
ARCTIC-3D: automatic retrieval and clustering of interfaces in complexes from 3D structural information
Authors: Giulini Marco , Honorato Rodrigo V. , Rivera Jesús L. , Bonvin Alexandre M. J. J.
Published: January 2024

The formation of a stable complex between proteins lies at the core of a wide variety of biological processes and has been the focus of countless experiments. The huge amount of information contained in the protein structural interactome in the Protein Data Bank can now be used to characterise and classify the existing biological interfaces. We here introduce ARCTIC-3D, a fast and user-friendly data mining and clustering software to retrieve data and rationalise the interface information associated with the protein input data. We demonstrate its use by various examples ranging from showing the increased interaction complexity of eukaryotic proteins, 20% of which on average have more than 3 different interfaces compared to only 10% for prokaryotes, to associating different functions to different interfaces. In the context of modelling biomolecular assemblies, we introduce the concept of “recognition entropy”, related to the number of possible interfaces of the components of a protein-protein complex, which we demonstrate to correlate with the modelling difficulty in classical docking approaches. The identified interface clusters can also be used to generate various combinations of interface-specific restraints for integrative modelling. The ARCTIC-3D software is freely available at github.com/haddocking/arctic3d and can be accessed as a web-service at wenmr.science.uu.nl/arctic3d.
Contextualising the developability risk of antibodies with lambda light chains using enhanced therapeutic antibody profiling
Authors: Raybould Matthew I. J. , Turnbull Oliver M. , Suter Annabel , Guloglu Bora , Deane Charlotte M.
Published: January 2024

Antibodies with lambda light chains (λ-antibodies) are generally considered to be less developable than those with kappa light chains (κ-antibodies). Though this hypothesis has not been formally established, it has led to substantial systematic biases in drug discovery pipelines and thus contributed to kappa dominance amongst clinical-stage therapeutics. However, the identification of increasing numbers of epitopes preferentially engaged by λ-antibodies shows there is a functional cost to neglecting to consider them as potential lead candidates. Here, we update our Therapeutic Antibody Profiler (TAP) tool to use the latest data and machine learning-based structure prediction, and apply it to evaluate developability risk profiles for κ-antibodies and λ-antibodies based on their surface physicochemical properties. We find that while human λ-antibodies on average have a higher risk of developability issues than κ-antibodies, a sizeable proportion are assigned lower-risk profiles by TAP and should represent more tractable candidates for therapeutic development. Through a comparative analysis of the low- and high-risk populations, we highlight opportunities for strategic design that TAP suggests would enrich for more developable λ-antibodies. Overall, we provide context to the differing developability of κ- and λ-antibodies, enabling a rational approach to incorporate more diversity into the initial pool of immunotherapeutic candidates.