bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Method to aid the diagnosis of prostate cancer using machine learning and clinical data
Authors: Araujo Wesley B. D. , Santana Ewaldo E. C. , Sousa Nilviane P. S. , Junior Carlos M. S. , Filho Allan K. D. B. , Moura Giullianno L. , Santos José A. L. M. , Lopes Paloma L. A. , Silva Wesley N. , Gonçalves João P. P. , Silva Felipe C. B. R.
Published: March 2023

Prostate cancer is the most common type of cancer among men and the one that causes the most deaths in the world. To start the diagnosis of prostate cancer, basically are used digital rectal examination (DRE) and prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels. Currently, the biopsy is the only procedure able to confirm cancer, it has a high financial cost, and it is a very invasive procedure. In this research, a new method is suggested to aid in the screening of patients at risk of prostate cancer. The method was developed based on clinical variables (age, race, diabetes mellitus (DM), alcoholism, smoking, systemic arterial hypertension (SAH), DRE, and total PSA) obtained from the patient’s medical records. The method was tested using the algorithms of machine learning: Support Vector Machine (SVM), Naive Bayes (NB), K-Nearest Neighbor (KNN), Decision Trees (DT), and Artificial Neural Networks (ANN), which predicted the samples between the presence or absence of prostate cancer. The method evaluation was made by performance metrics: accuracy, specificity, sensitivity, and AUROC (area under the receiver operating characteristic). The best performance found was through the Linear SVM model, resulting in an accuracy of 86.8%, sensitivity of 88.2%, specificity of 85.3%, and AUROC of 0.90.
Theoretical study on the adsorption and oxidation of glucose on Au(111) surface
Authors: Wang Yingying , Liu Zhanna , Sun Hainan , Yu Zhan , Zhong Wenhui
Published: March 2023

Context While Au-based catalysts recently have shown tremendous potential in glucose oxidation to gluconic acid, the detailed reaction mechanism is still unclear, which impedes the development of direct glucose fuel cell (DGFC).
Methods Using density functional theory (DFT), we exhibit some new adsorption configurations and oxidation mechanisms by considering both the open chain form and the ring form of glucose on Au(111) surface in the presence of OH. The strong interactions between glucose and the OH adsorbed surface are obtained. Moreover, form the calculated energy pathways, the oxidation of glucose in the open chain involves the dissociation of the formyl C−H bond by the adsorbed OH, while the ring form glucose oxidation is initiated by O−H bond rupture rather than C−H bond scission and preferentially undergoes the ring-open process to generate the open chain form glucose. Meanwhile, the results demonstrate that the adsorbed OH assists in reducing the activation energy of reaction process.
Enhancing the Cloud Security using Secured Quantum Key Distribution
Authors: N Gopinath
Published: March 2023

Cloud storages are currently crucial for data storage due to the rapid rise in data demand. However, there are security concerns with cloud computing, such as holes that allow hackers to access or edit data. Such that the data security algorithms are utilized. The primary issue is how to securely distribute the encryption key among users, which is why numerous techniques have been created. Hackers may be able to access the secret key with the use of cutting-edge quantum computers. To avoid those problems quantum key distribution methods are developed. The presented work uses some preprocessing techniques like shifting and binary conversion together with block re-ordering method, fuzzification process, and block re-ordering method to identify and address side channel assaults, one of the issues in the quantum key distribution algorithms. By minimizing security losses, the Binary Conversion and Block Reordering with Fuzzification procedure improve the accuracy and authenticity of the data. According to the experimental findings, the mean rate of security harms using Binary Conversion and Block reordering with Fuzzifcation method is 0.69, whereas the mean rate using conventional approaches is 11.0, with standard deviations of 0.3785 and 6.055, respectively.
Decorated bacteria-cellulose meta-skin kirigami
Authors: Zhu Xue-Feng , Li Zonglin , Chen Kun , Li Fei , Shi Zhijun , Sun Qi-Li , Li Pengqi , Peng Yu-Gui , Huang Laixin , Yang Guang , Zheng Hairong
Published: March 2023

Cellulose, as a component of green plants, becomes attractive for fabricating biocompatible flexible functional devices but plagued by hydrophilic properties which make it easily break down in water by poor mechanical stability. Here we report a class of SiO2-nanoparticle-decorated bacteria-cellulose meta-skin with a superior stability in water, excellent machining property, ultrathin thickness, and bacteria repairing capacity. We further develop the methodology of meta-skin kirigami that can generate intricate patterns of ~10 μm precision. Benefited from the ultrasound insulation of the surface Cassie-Baxter states, we utilize the meta-skin kirigami to design and fabricate ultrathin (~ 20 μm) and super-light (< 20 mg) chip-scale devices, such as nonlocal holographic meta-lens and the 3D imaging meta-lens, realizing complicated acoustic holograms and high-resolution 3D ultrasound imaging in the far field. The cellulose-based meta-skin kirigami opens the way for exploiting flexible and bio-degradable soft metamaterial devices with functionality customization and key applications in advanced biomedical engineering technologies.
Evaluation of non-traumatic brachial plexus using Diffusion Tensor Imaging
Authors: PAYEN Mathilde , DIDIER Mélanie , VIALLE Raphaël , Lehericy Stéphane , Fitoussi Franck , BACHY Manon
Published: March 2023

BACKGROUND: Clinical examination is the gold standard for surgical indication. Electromyogram and conventional MRI are insufficient to understand the highly variable clinical presentation of neonatal brachial plexus (BP) lesions. Diffusion Tensor Imaging is based on motion of water molecules and can explore nerve function. PURPOSE: This pilot study of healthy subjects aimed to develop a new method for BP exploration using MRI. The main objective was to obtain complete and accurate BP mapping using DTI and MRI tractography.
METHODS: Six healthy volunteers had MRI (3T PRISMA) with anatomical 3D STIR, SPACE and RESOLVE diffusion sequences. Image analysis and processing was performed with MATLAB software. Diffusion parametric maps of fractional anisotropy (FA) were extracted from RESOLVE acquisitions. A reproducible method for root volume and angle measurements was created using 3DSlicer. Regions Of Interest were segmented on Mean B0 sequences. FA measurements were obtained with ROI on Mean B0 sequences.
RESULTS: RESOLVE sequence was adapted to the BP. Mean FA was 0.30. Angle measurements on 3D STIR SPACE sequences showed increasing values from proximal to distal roots with an ICC of 0.6. Volume measurements on anatomical sequences varied widely from one root to another but no significant difference was shown on laterality.
CONCLUSION: A new and reproducible method for BP exploration was developed using MRI RESOLVE diffusion sequences. Complete mapping was obtained despite low track density imaging resolution. The whole BP was visualized. Extraction of diffusion, volume and angle parameters of the plexus roots, and script creation for image processing was adapted to the healthy BP.
Optimization of microplate-based phenol-sulfuric acid method and application to the multi-sample measurements of cellulose nanofibers
Authors: Ogura Isamu , Sugiyama Miyuki , Tai Rie , Mano Hioroyuki , Matsuzawa Tomohiko
Published: March 2023

The phenol-sulfuric acid (PSA) method is a widely used colorimetric method for determining the total saccharides, which is simple and rapid. Microplate-based PSA methods have been developed to handle a large number of samples and reduce the use of hazardous chemicals. However, the optimal procedures and measurement conditions for this method have not yet been fully established. To address this gap, we investigated the optimal procedure for microplate-based PSA. In addition to glucose (Glc), two types of cellulose nanofibers (CNFs) were also evaluated as they are a new type of nanomaterial, and a technique to quantify the concentration of CNFs is required in their safety assessment. The results showed that the thermal reaction with sulfuric acid before the addition of phenol resulted in a higher coloration than was shown after the addition of phenol. Furthermore, the longer the resting time after shaking with phenol, the greater the coloration and the smaller the variation, with a resting time of 60 min or longer being optimal. Overall, this study demonstrated that the optimized microplate-based PSA method can be used for the multi-sample measurements of CNFs and Glc, with a detection limit of < 8 mg/L. This research provides valuable insights into improving the reliability and efficiency of the PSA method, which can facilitate the analysis of saccharides and other substances in a range of applications.
A Novel Prognostic Signature for Combined T-cell Exhaustion and Mitochondrial Dysfunction in Hepatocellular Carcinoma
Authors: Liu Jie , He Mingang , Liu Ying , Liu Menghan , Wang Hao , Gu Wenchao , Gao Yang , Li ZengJun , Song Haihan
Published: March 2023

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a common lethal gastrointestinal cancer worldwide. Despite the involvement of T-cell exhaustion and mitochondrial dysfunction in HCC progression, there are no reliable biomarkers for these processes. In this study, we aimed to develop a gene signature that combines T-cell exhaustion- and mitochondrial dysfunction (TEMD)-related genes to predict HCC prognosis and direct immunotherapy and chemotherapy. Data of 240 and 370 patients were obtained from the International Cancer Genome Consortium database as well as the Cancer Genome Atlas, respectively. Using the R package Consensus ClusterPlus, TEMD-high and -low subtypes were generated based on the differential expression of TEMD-related genes and univariate Cox analysis. A two-gene prognostic signature comprising EZH2 and G6PD was constructed and regarded as an independent predictor of outcome. The TEMD high-risk group had a worse overall survival, higher immune infiltration levels, and higher expression of human leukocyte antigen and immune checkpoints. Tumor stemness indices, immunophenoscores, tumor immune dysfunction and exclusion scores, and half-maximal inhibitory concentrations were also compared for TEMD-based molecular subtypes and risk signature. Furthermore, stratification, nomogram construction, gene set enrichment analysis, and small-molecule drug response prediction were performed based on the TEMD-risk signature. Collectively, the proposed two-gene prognostic signature may help determine HCC prognosis and design individualized treatments.
Identification of potential Akt activators: A ligand and structure-based computational approach
Authors: B Harish kumar , Manandhar Suman , Rathi Ekta , Kabekkodu Shama Prasada , Mehta Chetan H. , Kini Suvarna G. , Ranganath K. Sreedhara
Published: March 2023

The Akt pathway plays an important role in cell metabolism, growth, proliferation, and survival. Akt is the central protein whose phosphorylation controls many downstream pathways. In many diseases like Alzheimer’s, Parkinson, and diabetes, there is downregulation of the Akt pathway. It is proven that the binding of small molecules to the PH domain of Akt facilitates its phosphorylation in the cytoplasm. In the current study, to identify Akt activators, ligand-based approaches like fingerprint-based 2D-QSAR, shape, and pharmacophore-based screening were used, followed by structure-based approaches like docking, MM-GBSA, ADME prediction, and MD simulation. Using the 2D-QSAR activity of the Asinex gold platinum database was predicted, and the top twenty-five molecules found to be active using most models were selected for shape-based and pharmacophore-based screening. Later docking was performed using the PH domain of Akt1 (PDB: 1UNQ), and 197105, 261126, 253878, 256085, and 123435 were selected based on docking score and interaction with Lys 14, Arg 23, Arg 25, Asn 53, and Arg 86. The selected molecules were druggable and formed a stable protein-ligand complex. MD simulations of 261126 and 123435 showed better stability and interaction with key residues. To further investigate the SAR of 261126 and 123435, derivates were downloaded from PubChem, and structure-based approaches were employed. The MD simulation of derivates 12289533, 12785801, 83824832, 102479045, and 6972939 was performed in which 83824832 and 12289533 showed interaction with key residues for a longer duration of time. Therefore, 83824832 and 12289533 may act as Akt activators, and further in-vitro and in-vivo experiments must be performed to support the study.
Evaluation of Lipid composition and growth parameters of cold-adapted microalgae under different conditions
Authors: Rezaei Azar , Cheniany Monireh , Ahmadzadeh Hossein , Vaezi Jamil
Published: March 2023

In the current study, Cheshmeh-Sabz Lake located in northeastern Iran (36°20’N, 59°3’ E) with an average minimum annual temperature of -15˚C was screened to isolate native cold-adapted microalgae strains. Various isolation and purification methods (different freshwater culture media at 5 ºC, liquid serial dilution with streak plate methods, and then fluorescence-activated cell sorting) were used to find dominant cold-adapted microalgae strains. Three cold-adapted microalgae growth parameters (Scenedesmus sp., Ankistrodesmus sp., and Chlorella sp.) were investigated at 8 ºC and 25 ºC. Among isolates, Scenedesmus sp. (dominant in BG-11) had the same and relatively high biomass productivity (~ 0.54 ± 0.001 g L−1 d−1) at low and high temperatures. Fatty acid profile evaluation of three species at 8, 15, and 25 ºC indicated, the highest amount of α-linolenic acid was produced in Scenedesmus sp., and there was no significant difference between the amount of α-linolenic acid at 15 ºC and 25 ºC (10.96 ± 1.5% and 11.07 ± 0.31%, respectively). There were no significant differences between palmitic acid amount at 8, 15, and 25 ºC (41.05 ± 5.2, 38.48 ± 4.25, 39.82 ± 1.58% respectively) in Scenedesmus sp. Based on the results, Scenedesmus sp. is the proper choice for outdoor cultivation in different seasons due to its relatively high biomass productivity and the specific growth rate in low and high temperatures (8, and 25 ºC). In addition, the good ability of polyunsaturated fatty acids production (~27%) and rich in saturated fatty acids at low and high temperatures (~ 66%) makes this species susceptible to work in the biofuels field and feed supplements.
Facile synthesis of paramagnetic Co(II)-hexaborate(2-) based semiorganic complexes: A combined investigation on X-Ray crystal structure, Hirshfield surfaces analysis, optical and magnetic properties
Authors: Karoui Brahim , Maalaoui Ahlem , Duval Sylvain , Rzaigui Mohamed , Akriche Samah
Published: March 2023

Two new paramagnetic hybrid cobalt(II)-hexaborate(2-) based semiorganic complexes; (2A3MP)2[Co{κ3O-B6O7(OH)6}2].2H2O(1) and (2A4MP)2[Co{κ3O-B6O7(OH)6}2].2H2O (2)(2A3MP = 2-amino-3-methylpyridinium, 2A4MP = 2-amino-4-methylpyridinium)have been obtainedand characterized by X-ray diffraction, FT-IR, TG-DTA, optical and magnetic measurements. X-ray diffraction revealed two isostructural lattices with octahedral coordination of Co(II) complexes of bis(κ3O-donor hexaborate(2-)) ligands, [Co{κ3O-B6O7(OH)6}2]2-. The hydrated oxidopolyborate anions are extensively H-bounded to perform 3D-porous supramolecular anionic frameworks. In both 1 and 2 isostructures, 2A3MP and 2A4MP cations are pendant in the created voids of the inorganic frameworks through a set of H-bonds with 8.5 % and 60.5%H…O/O…H inter-contact contributions, respectively for 1 and 2 as confirmed by Hirshfield surfaces analysis. The optical band gap of Co(II) complexes range between 2.72 and 3.13 eV. Both compounds exhibited well-resolved paramagnetic properties with magnetic susceptibility values ranged between 0.9552 and 0.0088 cm3.mol-1, typical of octahedral Co(II) complexes.
Microtubule-dependent polarization and migration of microglia conserved by α-linolenic acid and extracellular Tau-mediated stimulation
Authors: Desale Smita Eknath , Chinnathambi Subashchandrabose
Published: March 2023

Background
The polarized migratory microglia consisting of front edge lamellipodia and rear edge uropod direct migration at the chemotactic gradient. Thus, maintenance of polarized morphology of the cell is utmost to sense the extracellular signal and migrate towards it. During migration, actin provides protrusive forces for the cell; whereas microtubules contribute to directionality.
Methods
The disruption of microtubule with depolymerizing agent, Colchicine or stabilizing agent, Taxol significantly hampered polarized morphology and subsequent directed migration in response to the extracellular Tau species. Disruption of microtubule dynamics majorly challenge the matrix adhesion; resulting in the reduction of mesenchymal migration of microglia. In neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s disease, it is necessary to improve the disrupted polarized morphology of microglia as an approach to reduce the burden of extracellular aggregated proteins.
Results
Incorporation of α-linolenic acid (ALA), an omega-3 fatty acid; had significantly improved the microtubule-disrupted polarized morphology of microglia. The enhanced migration process over to Tau stimulus, which is a significant beneficial property to conserve polarized microglia in Alzheimer’s disease.
Conclusion
To conclude, the directed migration of microglia is a microtubule-dependent process since microtubule maintains polarized morphology and provides direction according to extracellular stimuli.
Integrating the 17 SDGs into the European Green Deal, through Strategic and Financial Approaches
Authors: Plataniotis Angelos , Koundouri Phoebe , Alamanos Angelos , Stavridis Charalambos , Landis Conrad , Chiatto Elisa , Halkos Georgios , Perifanos Konstantinos , Devves Stathis
Published: March 2023

The European Green Deal (EGD) is the growth strategy for Europe, covering multiple domains, and aiming to an equitable, carbon neutral European Union by 2050. The UN Agenda 2030, with its 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) set the bases for a global sustainability transition. However, the integration of the SDGs into the EGD is an overlooked issue in the literature, although it is particularly important, given Europe’s slow progress to achieve the sustainability targets. In this paper, 22 central policies and strategies published during 2020–21 to support the EGD's implementation are assessed on how they align with Agenda’s 2030 aspirations, using novel text-mining methodologies: one human-based and one machine-learning-based. The results outline an alignment of EGD policies to the main SDGs themes relevant to Food, Land, Oceans, Energy, but also a strong indication that the progress towards sustainability passes through "Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions" (SDG16) and international "Partnerships for the Goals" (SDG17). We further explain the underlying policy mechanisms of the established ‘necessary transformations’ to build a sustainable Europe, along with the relevance of valuing the natural capital and integrating it into future investment and financial decisions.
Unidirectional and Heterogenous Wolbachia Transfer Rates Among Insect Host Orders
Authors: Aboumourad Marwa , zu Dohna Heinrich
Published: March 2023

Background
Wolbachia are highly prevalent endosymbiotic bacteria infecting more than two-thirds of arthropods. While Wolbachia are mainly transmitted vertically through the female germline, experiments and phylogenetic studies have suggested that horizontal transmission between hosts is not uncommon. In this study, we aim to get a better understanding of horizontal transfer events between hosts of different orders and between continents using a large database containing nucleotide sequences of the genes wsp and ftsZ.
Results
Our results show a high frequency of horizontal Wolbachia transmission between host orders and continents, but nevertheless detectable signals of the host phylogeny and geography in the Wolbachia phylogeny. Two different approaches for estimating transition rates between host orders from phylogenies produced evidence that Wolbachia transition rates between some insect orders are unidirectional. Furthermore, the phylogenies and transition rate estimates differed between the genes, suggesting that not all genes are equally likely to spread in a new host following horizontal transmission. This discrepancy between genes, however, is more evident on a larger timescale because highly similar sequences were grouped in the same clades on both genes.
Conclusions
Together, these results contribute to understanding the dynamics and patterns of Wolbachia host shifts and generate new hypotheses about factors that might prevent horizontal Wolbachia transfer. These insights have important implications for controlling disease vectors or understanding the coevolution of hosts and their associated microbes.
The Analysis of Orthopedic Steel Implant – Chemical Compositions, Mechanical Properties, and Static and Dynamic Electromagnetic Signatures
Authors: Chen Lucas Braddock
Published: March 2023

Steel implants remains a major class of orthopedic prosthesis. However, it is often difficulty to obtain the exact chemical compositions of the implants, as the process requires extensive analysis procedures in the laboratory. Nevertheless, this information is important, as it has been shown that variability of steel composition may be responsible for some of the early prosthetic failures.
We previously developed a technique to identify metal alloys based on their magnetic signatures. We demonstrated that metals of different chemical composition would exhibit different electrical conductivity, and thus different magnetic field strengths when evoked by different levels of electric current. We further demonstrated that the electromagnetic signatures could be detected by the internal magnetometers located inside most smartphones as a part of the internal compass. In this manuscript we have compiled the electromagnetic signatures and magnetic force vectors of 516L steel alloy, a commonly used steel alloy for orthopedics implants. The manuscript further correlates the electromagnetic signatures to the chemical compositions and physical properties of the alloy. It is hoped that manufacturers can use the method to quickly verify the chemical compositions of the steel prior to prosthesis manufacturer, and also allow Pathologists to examined failed steel implants for chemical degradation that contributed to the implant failure.
A Simple Weakly-Supervised Contrastive Learning Framework for Few-shot Sentiment Classification
Authors: Chen Long , Ren Zhilin , Lu Shaoshuai , Huang Xiaohua , Wang Wenjing , Xu Cai , Zhao Wei , Guan Ziyu
Published: March 2023

Most existing deep learning-based sentiment classification methods need large human-annotated data, but labeling large amounts of high-quality emotional texts is labor-intensive. Users on various social platforms generate massive amounts of tagged opinionated text (e.g., tweets, customer reviews), providing a new resource for training deep models. However, some of the tagged instances have sentiment tags that are diametrically opposed to their true semantics. We cannot use this tagged data directly because the noisy labeled instances have a negative impact on the training phase. In this paper, we present a novel Simple Weakly-supervised Contrastive Learning framework (SWCL). We use the contrastive learning strategy to pre-train the deep model on the large user-tagged data (referred to as weakly-labeled data) and then the pre-trained model is fine-tuned on the small human-annotated data. We refine the contrastive loss function to better exploit inter-class contrastive patterns, making contrastive learning more applicable to the weakly-supervised setting. Besides, multiple sampling on different sentiment pairs reduces the negative impact of label noises. SWCL captures the diverse sentiment semantics of weakly labeled data and improves their suitability for downstream sentiment classification tasks. Our method outperforms the other baseline methods in experiments on the Amazon review, Twitter, and SST-5 datasets. Even when fine-tuned on 0.5 percent of the training data (i.e. 32 instances), our framework significantly boosts the deep models’ performance, demonstrating its robustness in a few-shot learning scenario.
Conversion of glucose into 5-hydroxymethylfurfural by carbonaceous solid acid catalysts loaded with Brønsted acid and Lewis acid in biphasic system
Authors: Guo Hui , Han Long , Baloch Humair Ahmed , Wang Zhonghui , Xia Jia , Zhang Chengkun , Yin Xuejian
Published: March 2023

Biomass-derived 5-Hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) is a vital platform compound for synthesizing biofuel and various high-value chemicals. This work prepared carbonaceous solid catalysts with Brønsted acid and Lewis acid using pine biomass as raw materials through metal chloride impregnation, carbonization, and sulfonation. Catalysts were then applied to convert glucose into HMF in a biphasic system involving NaCl solution and gamma-valerolactone. The results showed good catalytic reactivity for carbonaceous solid catalysts. The experiment of PC-Al-SO3H catalyzed glucose obtained 85.62 mol% glucose conversion and 45.40 mol% HMF yield at 160°C and 6 h. HMF yield and glucose conversion were significantly improved compared to uncatalyzed control experiments. Further, by using PC-2Al-SO3H as the catalyst, we were able to obtain an optimum HMF yield of 59.62 mol%. Furthermore, under the same conditions, PC-2Al-SO3H showed good cycle stability, with a decrease in the yield of less than 5 mol% after 5 cycles.
Prospecting the functional potential of Bacillus altitudinis 1.4 isolated from sediment in association with Bradyrhizobium japonicum
Authors: Jankoski Priscila Ribeiro , Bach Evelise , Bald Daniela Ritiele Quadros , Passaglia Luciane Maria Pereira , Carvalho Joseane Biso , Oliveira Rafael Rodrigues , Omori Wellington Pine , Motta Amanda Souza da
Published: March 2023

Bacteria of the genus Bacillus are ubiquitous in nature and produce several antimicrobial compounds, being increasingly used in plant biocontrol. The objective of this study was to identify the bacterium isolate Bacillus sp. 1.4 at the species level and study its bioactive properties prospecting a potential in agricultural application. The bacterial isolate was identified as belonging to Bacillus altitudinis by 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis and genomic metrics. The antimicrobial substance extracted with butanol inhibited Listeria monocytogenes ATCC 7644 and Bradyrhizobium japonicum CT 00345 with inhibition halos of 12 and 13 mm, respectively. In the exopolysaccharide production assay, B. altitudinis1.4 presented a negative result and in the evaluation of motility through the swarming assay, 90 mm halos were observed in both agar concentrations (0.3 and 0.7%) for up to 72 h of incubation. Genomic analysis revealed genes potentially coding for features that might both be beneficial for plants and improve the competition of B. altitudinis 1.4 in soil. This bacterium was able to solubilize inorganic phosphate, coexist with B. japonicum CT 00345, and form more biofilm when grown together. Based on the results found and with new tests to be performed, it is suggested that the B. altitudinis 1.4 isolate could be a candidate for plant growth promoter.
The effects of sugammadex on pentylenetetrazole-induced seizures in mice
Authors: Karademir Mustafa , Ozturk Aysegul , Yulak Fatih , Ozkaraca Mustafa , Taskiran Ahmet Sevki
Published: March 2023

Sugammadex (SUG) is a modified γ-cyclodextrin molecule used in patients under general anesthesia to reverse the effects of neuromuscular blocking agents. Besides, recent studies have shown that SUG has positive effects on the nervous system. However, its effect on seizures is still unclear. The current study aimed to examine the effects of SUG on pentylenetetrazole (PTZ)-induced epileptic seizures in mice. The mice were randomly divided into 4 groups. Group 1 was control, group 2 was administered saline (1 mL/kg serum physiologic), and Groups 3 and 4 were administered vortioxetine (150 and 300 mg/kg). Pentylenetetrazole (60 mg/kg) was given to induce seizures 30 min after saline or drug administration except for the control group. Total oxidant status (TOS) and total antioxidant status (TAS) levels in the hippocampus and cortex were measured using a commercial kit. 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine (8-OHdG), 4-hydroxynonenal (4-HNE), 3,3 dityrosine, caspase-3, apoptosis-inducing factor (AIF), and light chain 3 (LC3B) levels in the hippocampal CA1 region after seizures were evaluated immunohistochemical staining. SUG reduced seizure stages and increased epileptic seizure onset times. Moreover, it decreased TOS levels and increased TAS levels in the hippocampus and cortex. Besides, after seizures, it reduced 4-HNE, 3,3 dityrosandine, caspase-3, and LC3B immunohistochemical scores in the hippocampal CA1 region. SUG has protective effects on pentylenetetrazole-induced seizures in mice, with alleviated seizures, oxidative stress, apoptosis, and autophagy. The anticonvulsant mechanism of SUG may be related to the inhibition of the oxidative stress pathway.
Effects of Organic Acids content in Roots and Root Exudates of Hordeum bogdanii by Endophytic Fungi
Authors: Mengfei Hu , Xiaozhen Liu , Feng Long , Shuihong Chen , Jun Gao , Zhenfang Chen , Dong Wang
Published: March 2023

Organic acid is one of the important components in plant roots and root exudates, which plays an important role in nutrient activation, changing soil microbial activity and alleviating metal element toxicity stress. To study the effect of endophytic fungi infection on the organic acid contents of plants, this study used the grass species Hordeum bogdanii, Endophytic Fungi (E+) and without endophytic fungi (E-) H. bogdanii grasses from Wensu County, Xinjiang Province, China, as test materials H. bogdanii plants were grown hydroponically and treated with 0, 50 and 150 mmol/L mixed alkali (Na2CO3:NaHCO3 = 1:1) for 1 and 21 h. Root exudates and fresh root samples were collected for determination the organic acid contents of malic acid, shikimic acid, citric acid, and oxalic acid. The results showed that under alkali stress, the oxalic acid content in roots and root exudates of E + and E- plants decreased. The contents of citric acid and shikimic acid in roots and root exudates of E + and E- plants increased first and then decreased. Malic acid content in root exudates did not change significantly, and malic acid content in roots increased with the increase of alkali stress time. Among them, the organic acid content of H. bogdanii E + plants was significantly higher than that of uninfected E- plants, indicating that endophytic fungi under alkali stress were helpful to increase the root exudates of H. bogdanii grass and the accumulation of malic acid, shikimic acid, citric acid and oxalic acid content in the root. The most obvious change was oxalic acid content, and there was interaction between endophytic fungi and alkali treatment. It indicated that endophytic fungi could increase the secretion of organic acids from plants under alkali stress, which was conducive to the survival of plants in alkaline soil.
Combined effect of basalt and polypropylene fibers on compressive strength of concrete
Authors: Almohammed Fadi , Thakur Mohindra S.
Published: March 2023

This study examines the compressive strength of two concrete mixes (M25 and M20) enhanced with basalt fiber and polypropylene fiber. The experiment investigates the impact of each fiber independently as well as their combined effect. Various combinations of the fibers were employed, including 100% basalt fiber (BF), 100% polypropylene fiber (PF), 50% BF 50% PF, 75% BF 25% PF, and 25% BF 75% PF. For M25, the results indicate a decrease in compressive strength with the application of all fibers both independently and in combination, except for the (75% BF 25% PF) combination, which resulted in a slight increase in compressive strength. Basalt fiber was found to be more effective than polypropylene when applied independently, whereas the hybrid effect yielded better results than individual fiber. For M20, fibers had a more positive impact on the compressive strength, and the hybrid effect yielded better results than individual fibers. The combination of 25% BF and 75% PF was found to be the most effective in improving compressive strength.
Multi-criteria Decision Making Models in assessment of heavy metals leaching from waste
Authors: Król Anna , Jurczyk-Bunkowska Magdalena , Mizerna Kamila
Published: March 2023

The paper presents a specific model used for the assessment and selection of the method of heavy metals leaching from waste materials. A recommendation for the rational selection of leachability method was made, taking into account the crucial parameters affecting the leaching process derived from the authors' research experience. The assessment models were supplemented with characteristics relating to the cost and time required to perform the tests. An approach was developed that makes the weights of the assessment criteria dependent on the degree of environmental risk from particular heavy metals and waste types. Using multiple-criteria decision analysis four models were developed for the assessment and selection of a test method for the leaching of heavy metals from waste, differing in the way in which the weights of the assessment criteria depend on the potential threat the waste poses to the environment. A key element of the proposed approach is assigning the weights of the criterion to the toxicity of the heavy metal and the kind of wastes and their management scenario. The results obtained indicate that the current practice of only imposing a batch leaching test is inappropriate. The choice of method should be justified in terms of environmental safety and reasonable in terms of time and costs. The results of the paper indicate the possibility of using the proposed model in practice as a recommendation for the method for heavy metals leaching from waste materials and their further treatment in accordance with the principles of sustainable waste management.
Short- and long-term temporal network prediction based on network memory
Authors: Zou Li , Ceria Alberto , Wang Huijuan
Published: March 2023

Temporal networks like physical contact networks are networks whose topology changes over time. Predicting future temporal networks is crucial e.g., to forecast and mitigate the spread of epidemics and misinformation on the network. The classic temporal network prediction problem that aims to predict the temporal network in the short-term future based on the network observed in the past has been addressed mostly via machine learning algorithms, at the expense of high computational costs and limited interpretation of the underlying mechanisms that form the networks. This motivates us to develop network-based models to predict future network based on the network properties of links observed in the past. Firstly, we explore the similarity between the network topologies (snapshots) at any two time steps with a given time lag/interval. We find that the similarity is relatively high when the time lag is small and decreases as the time lag increases. Inspired by such time-decaying memory of temporal networks and recent advances, we propose two models that predict a link’s activity (i.e., connected or not) at the next time step based on past activities of the link itself or also of the neighboring links, respectively. It is observed that in seven real-world physical contact networks, our models outperform in both prediction quality and computational complexity, and predict better in networks that have a stronger memory. We also reveal how different types of neighboring links contribute to the prediction of a given link’s future activity, again depending on the properties of temporal networks. Furthermore, we adopt both models as well as baseline models for long-term temporal network prediction, that is, predicting temporal networks multi-time steps ahead based on the network topology observed in the past. Our models still perform better than baseline models at each step ahead in long-term prediction, and our models have a higher prediction quality in networks with stronger memory. The prediction quality of our SD model decays as the prediction step is further ahead in time and this decay speed is positively correlated with the decay speed of network memory. Finally, networks predicted by various models respectively have a heterogeneous distribution of inter-event time similar to real-world networks, and also the burstiness of inter-event times for individual link
The Close Relationship between Health Actions and Peacebuilding for the “Bien-Vivir” of Communities Affected by Armed Conflict in Colombia
Authors: González Lina , Duarte Andrés , Muñoz Jenny , Gómez Oscar , Castellanos Camila , Cuevas Virginia , Gómez-Restrepo Carlos
Published: March 2023

Background: This study aims to present the design of a proposal for implementing the Comprehensive Health Care Routes in the municipality of Vista Hermosa (Meta, Colombia). We are trying to obtain an accurate and broad view of the health context in the municipality; identify the health assets, problems, and needs, as well as the enablers and barriers for implementing RIAS; and draft a series of recommendations for the implementation of the RIAS. We developed the fieldwork with people living in the urban area of Vista Hermosa and the rural settlement of Santo Domingo.
Methods: We developed this quasiexperimental study with quantitative and qualitative methods in four phases. First, we identified the area and worked on the bases. Second, we conducted community-based research to characterize the population; identify health beliefs, values, and needs, as well as enablers and barriers to accessing the health system; and evaluate the implementation of the RIAS for Health Promotion and Maintenance and the RIAS for Maternal-Perinatal Health in the municipality. Third, we designed a methodology for implementing the RIAS and developed six health interventions with their respective deliverables. Fourth, we transferred the constructed knowledge to the local community, the Health Care Talent, and the government authorities in Vista Hermosa.
Results: We made a diagnosis of the health of the residents of Vista Hermosa and specifically of the study participants based on the RIAS for Health Promotion and Maintenance and the RIAS for Maternal-Perinatal Health. We also developed a compendium of their values and beliefs about health, grouped into five categories: health and disease processes; health, body, and territory; health care; care networks; and barriers to access. Finally, we mapped the municipality's capacity to implement the RIAS and divided it into three categories: key actors, resources, and facilitators.
Discussion: This study made essential contributions in three areas: a) the communities in the urban areas of Vista Hermosa and Santo Domingo; b) the ongoing implementation of the RIAS in Vista Hermosa; and c) the field of research on peacebuilding health interventions. Finally, we identified challenges and limitations that may affect the implementation of the RIAS, as well as some recommendations to address the latter.
Understanding Transportation Needs of Underserved Older adults in Rural Communities: A Dual-Perspective Approach
Authors: Yu Jie , Liu Yue , Beimborn Edward
Published: March 2023

Older adults who need transportation assistance in rural communities face more transportation challenges than those in urban environments. Yet, their transportation needs are not well understood. Drawing on the 2021 Older Adult Transportation Survey data in rural Wisconsin, this paper deepened the understanding of important rural transport service features from perspectives of both senior users and service providers. Using the Likert scale analysis, a total of 13 important service features have been selected by both senior users and service providers, which were then grouped into three factors (i.e., basic, technological, and special) by the exploratory factor analysis. Older adults reached consensus with service providers in identifying the most important basic features, but rated the technological features more important than service providers expected. They also showed incompatible preferences on the special features comparing with service providers. Statistical tests were followed to further reveal that the basic features are significantly important for older females and those with mobility device and very limited leisure trips; while the technological features were highly rated by older females and those with younger age and internet access. Special features received different attention depending on older adults’ diverse needs. Service providers of various characteristics exhibited no significant differences on the classified service features. Our findings suggest that rural transport service providers can better support their senior users through advancing the basic service features, promoting age-friendly technologies, and developing value-added special service features to better fit special users’ needs and adapt to local contexts.
MRI Reconstruction with Enhanced Self-Similarity Using Graph Convolutional Network
Authors: Ma Qiaoyu , Lai Zongying , Wang Zi , Qiu Yiran , Qu Biao , Zhang Haotian , Qu Xiaobo
Published: March 2023

Background
Recent convolutional neural network (CNN) performs low-error reconstruction in fast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Most of them convolve the image with kernels and have successfully explored the local information. However, the non-local image information, which is embed among image patches that are relatively far from each other, may be lost since the convolution kernel size is usually small. We aim to incorporate a graph to represent non-local information, and improve the reconstructed images by Enhanced Self-Similarity Using Graph Convolutional Network (GCESS).
Methods
First, image is reconstructed into graph to extract the non-local self-similarity in the image. Second, GCESS uses graph convolution and spatial convolution to process the information in the image, so that local and non-local information can be effectively utilized. The network strengthens the non-local similarity between similar image patches while reconstructing images, making the reconstruction details more reliable.
Results
Experimental results on in vivo knee and brain data demonstrate that the proposed method achieves better artifacts suppression and details preservation than state-of-the-art methods, both visually and quantitatively. Under 1D Cartesian sampling with 4x acceleration (AF=4), the PSNR of knee data reached 34.19 dB, 1.05 dB higher than that of the compared methods; the SSIM achieved 0.8994, 2% higher than the compared methods. Similar results were obtained for the reconstructed images under other sampling templates as demonstrated in our experiment.
Conclusions
The proposed method successfully construct a hybrid graph convolution and spatial convolution network to reconstruct images. Along with the network training, the non-local self-similarities are enhanced, and will benefit the image details reconstruction. Experiments demonstrate that the proposed method outperforms the state-of-the-art reconstruction method in suppressing artifacts, as well as in preserving image details.
Computer Vision in Manufacturing: A Bibliometric Analysis and future research propositions
Authors: Sharma Himanshu , Kumar Harish , Gupta Ashulekha , Shah Mohd Asif
Published: March 2023

Computer vision simulates human capabilities and automates the tasks. Its application within the manufacturing context has garnered ample attention and interest from both academics and practitioners. Due to its large-scale applicability and adoption potential, extensive research has been conducted to understand and appreciate it’s working. However, extant research in this domain is rather disjointed, thereby delimiting the otherwise vast scope and knowledge boundaries. Therefore, this study utilizes bibliometric analysis to synthesize extant literature within this field to address this lacuna. This research analyzed 897 articles from Scopus, entailing contributions from 309 journals, 108 countries, 2138 authors and 1334 organizations from 1981 to 2022. Additionally, citation and co-authorship networks are also analyzed to acknowledge prominent authors, organizations, and countries within this domain. The thematic classification of extant literature through bibliographic coupling identified five major thematic areas: automated visual inspection, object tracking and process controlling, real-time monitoring, roughness inspection and profile projection. Importantly, the study uses both knowledge and insights from our findings and scope for future research.
Facile and green synthesis of Pd-decorated alginate/ nanofibrillated cellulose aerogel for simultaneous dye degradation, oil/water separation and oil collection
Authors: Li Yuqi , Zhang Hui , Lin Xiaoying , Gong Lingzhu , Shi Ronghui
Published: March 2023

Water pollution caused by dyeing wastewater discharge, organic chemical reagent leakage and frequent oil spill incidents has received wide international attention. Various methods for the removal of single pollutant from wastewater have been proposed. However, developing advanced materials capable of simultaneously and effectively removing multifarious pollutants from wastewater remains a challenging task. In this study, a novel multifunctional Pd-decorated alginate/nanofibrillated cellulose (Pd@ALG/NFC) aerogel was successfully fabricated through a facile and green in-situ reduction, followed by solution-aerogel conversion strategy. The as-prepared Pd@ALG/NFC aerogel exhibits superior catalytic activity and excellent underwater superoleophobicity, which not only can rapidly degrade methylene blue, but also can continuously and efficiently separate various kinds of organic pollutants and oils from water by gravity. Furthermore, the aerogel is compressible, shape stable and recyclable. All these features make the hybrid aerogel a promising candidate for multi-pollutants wastewater treatment.