bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Modification of the Physical Properties of SnO2 Thin Films for Optoelectronic Applications Combining Rapid Atmospheric Pressure Chemical Vapor Deposition Technique and Heat Treatment
Authors: Govahi Charani Maedeh , Rozati Seyed Mohammad
Published: December 2023

Herein, the influence of the postannealing process on tin oxide thin films deposited by chemical vapor deposition in the atmospheric pressure technique is investigated. The as‐deposited films are heat treated under different environments, including ambient air, oxygen, nitrogen, and vacuum. The postannealing process is performed at 600 ºC for 60 min. It is worth mentioning that no sign of damage or destruction has been observed in samples after the annealing process. The structural characterization of the thin films is studied using X‐ray diffraction analysis, which reveals an increase in the peak intensities after annealing. Field‐emission scanning electron microscope surface morphology shows that heat‐treated tin oxide thin films have larger grain sizes than as‐deposited ones. Hall effect analysis shows a significant reduction in sheet resistance and a substantial increase in mobility after postannealing. The ultraviolet–visible–near‐infrared transmittance spectra in the 300–3000 nm range exhibit near 80% transparency in the visible region after annealing. Furthermore, the estimated bandgap values increase from 2.95 to 3.08 eV as the carrier concentration increases after the heat treatment. The results suggest the superiority of the oxygen‐annealed sample over the other annealing environments.
Tracing of Deoxidation Products in Ti‐Stabilized Interstitial Free Steels by La and Ce on an Industrial and Laboratory Scale
Authors: Truschner Christoph , Thiele Kathrin , Ilie Sergiu , Rössler Roman , Jungreithmeier Alfred , Michelic Susanne K.
Published: December 2023

The continuous casting of Al‐killed Ti‐stabilized interstitial free steels is often affected by clogging. By today, the mechanism behind this phenomenon is not entirely clarified. The active tracing method, which involves the direct addition of rare‐earth elements (REEs), enables tracking of nonmetallic inclusions (NMIs) over process time. Due to the high oxygen affinity of these elements, preexisting NMIs are partially reduced and marked by this tracer. Using scanning electron microscopy with energy‐dispersive spectroscopy, it is possible to differentiate such labeled NMIs from particles formed at later stages in the process by the absence of these tracing elements. Active tracing is used in industrial and laboratory settings to trace preexisting alumina NMIs with La or Ce. In the investigation, it is revealed that the number of small NMIs increases after the addition of REEs, and subsequently, the size increases again after FeTi is alloyed. In both settings, traced and untraced Al–Ti oxides are found. The separation tendency of traced NMIs is studied over time by analyzing the composition of the slags. Furthermore, the impact of deoxidation products on the formation of the clogging layer within the submerged entry nozzle is investigated, indicating that these NMIs contribute to its formation.
Introduction and Foundations
Authors: Badger Simon , Henn Johannes , Plefka Jan Christoph , Zoia Simone
Published: December 2023

In this introductory chapter we review the foundations of perturbative, relativistic quantum field theory. We focus on space-time and internal symmetries that are a highly successful guiding principle in the construction and classification of relativistic quantum field theories. We begin with the Poincaré group—the fundamental space-time symmetry of nature—that achieves the classification of elementary particles in terms of their masses and spins. We review scalars, fermions, gauge fields and gravity, and expose their perturbative quantisation leading to their Feynman rules. Helicity spinors are introduced that capture the polarisation and momentum degrees of freedom of the scattered particles. The internal non-Abelian gauge symmetry is reviewed and two methods for an efficient management of the colour degrees of freedom are discussed. They lead to the central concept of colour-ordered amplitudes. In the final section, we employ this colour-ordered formalism to evaluate tree-level three- and four-gluon amplitudes, and depict general classes of vanishing tree-amplitudes of gluons and gravitons.
Solutions to the Exercises
Authors: Badger Simon , Henn Johannes , Plefka Jan Christoph , Zoia Simone
Published: December 2023

he sigma-matrix four-vector is defined as $$(\bar {\sigma }^{\mu })^{\dot {\alpha } \alpha } := ({\mathbb{1} },-\boldsymbol {\sigma })^{\top }$$

(

σ

̄

μ

)

α

̇

α

:
=

(
𝟙
,
−
σ
)

⊤

, where $$\boldsymbol {\sigma } = (\hat \sigma _1,\hat \sigma _2, \hat \sigma _3)$$
σ
=
(

σ

̂

1

,

σ

̂

2

,

σ

̂

3

)
is the list of the Pauli matrices $$\hat \sigma _i$$

σ

̂

i

.
Introduction
Authors: Debrunner Gabriela
Published: December 2023

This book takes up a topical issue in spatial planning, land use policy, housing studies, and sustainable urban geography—the fight against urban sprawl leading to new urban densification strategies—and interrogates the consequences of densification from the perspective of its impacts on social sustainability. Such an analysis is absolutely necessary considering that the arguments in favor of densification have so far relied mostly on discourses of ecological and economic sustainability. However, planners, policymakers, and urban practitioners cannot avoid the question of the social dimension of densification, if only to secure the social acceptance of densification objectives without which implementing densification will quickly become very difficult. This chapter announces the research objectives and clearly formulates the general question, which is then broken down into three sub-questions.
Governing by New Institutionalist Political Ecology
Authors: Debrunner Gabriela
Published: December 2023

To address the impacts of densification on social sustainability, this book follows a multidisciplinary theoretical approach based on three theoretical strands: public policy analysis (land use planning as a public policy), new institutional economics (role of property rights) and political ecology (conceptualization of power). In addition, these concepts are linked to human geography (actor-centered perspective, construction of space) as well as housing (gentrification, social segregation) and sustainability (resources use) studies. The analytical framework of the Institutional Resource Regimes (IRR) makes it possible to connect these different disciplines. The IRR enables to conceptualize the combined effect of public policies and property rights on the regulation of use rights to the land and housing resources. In general, this multidisciplinary theoretical approach allows to point out and highlight the limited amount of recent scientific research on the crucial role played by power in spatial development.
Investigating Switzerland
Authors: Debrunner Gabriela
Published: December 2023

The book pertains the coherent integration of the four scientific articles—all published in well-known academic journals in the field. It therefore presents an outstanding empirical analysis of four case studies in Switzerland, including not only a detailed analysis of the selected case studies, but also detailed comparisons carried out according to the specific needs of the different articles. 54 interviews were carried out in total. Article 1 starts with the analysis of the Swiss federal institutional regime in force to understand how the Swiss federal government defines policies for housing (re)development in dense urban environments (sub-question 1). Article 2 discusses the concept of social sustainability in housing from different theoretical perspectives. Article 3 further investigates how densification materializes at the municipal level. It focuses on public policies and policy instruments that guide densification of housing stocks in municipalities. Finally, Article 4 then shifts the focus from the federal to the local level and examines in a single case study how private property owners respond to the Swiss policy shift towards densification.
Feedback Stabilization of a Two-Fluid Surface Tension System Modeling the Motion of a Soap Bubble at Low Reynolds Number: The Two-Dimensional Case
Authors: Court Sébastien
Published: December 2023

The aim of this paper is to design a feedback operator for stabilizing in infinite time horizon a system modeling the interactions between a viscous incompressible fluid and the deformation of a soap bubble. The latter is represented by an interface separating a bounded domain of $$\mathbb {R}^2$$

R

2

into two connected parts filled with viscous incompressible fluids. The interface is a smooth perturbation of the 1-sphere, and the surrounding fluids satisfy the incompressible Stokes equations in time-dependent domains. The mean curvature of the surface defines a surface tension force which induces a jump of the normal trace of the Cauchy stress tensor. The response of the fluids is a velocity trace on the interface, governing the time evolution of the latter, via the equality of velocities. The data are assumed to be sufficiently small, in particular the initial perturbation, that is the initial shape of the soap bubble is close enough to a circle. The control function is a surface tension type force on the interface. We design it as the sum of two feedback operators: one is explicit, the second one is finite-dimensional. They enable us to define a control operator that stabilizes locally the soap bubble to a circle with an arbitrary exponential decay rate, up to translations, and up to non-contact with the outer boundary.
Detecting and diagnosing prior and likelihood sensitivity with power-scaling
Authors: Kallioinen Noa , Paananen Topi , Bürkner Paul-Christian , Vehtari Aki
Published: December 2023

Determining the sensitivity of the posterior to perturbations of the prior and likelihood is an important part of the Bayesian workflow. We introduce a practical and computationally efficient sensitivity analysis approach using importance sampling to estimate properties of posteriors resulting from power-scaling the prior or likelihood. On this basis, we suggest a diagnostic that can indicate the presence of prior-data conflict or likelihood noninformativity and discuss limitations to this power-scaling approach. The approach can be easily included in Bayesian workflows with minimal effort by the model builder and we present an implementation in our new R package . We further demonstrate the workflow on case studies of real data using models varying in complexity from simple linear models to Gaussian process models.
Estimation of a likelihood ratio ordered family of distributions
Authors: Mösching Alexandre , Dümbgen Lutz
Published: December 2023

Consider bivariate observations$$(X_1,Y_1), \ldots , (X_n,Y_n) \in {\mathbb {R}}\times {\mathbb {R}}$$(X1,Y1),…,(Xn,Yn)∈R×Rwith unknown conditional distributions$$Q_x$$QxofY, given that$$X = x$$X=x. The goal is to estimate these distributions under the sole assumption that$$Q_x$$Qxis isotonic inxwith respect to likelihood ratio order. If the observations are identically distributed, a related goal is to estimate the joint distribution$$\mathcal {L}(X,Y)$$L(X,Y)under the sole assumption that it is totally positive of order two. An algorithm is developed which estimates the unknown family of distributions$$(Q_x)_x$$(Qx)xvia empirical likelihood. The benefit of the stronger regularization imposed by likelihood ratio order over the usual stochastic order is evaluated in terms of estimation and predictive performances on simulated as well as real data.
Microstress for metal halide perovskite solar cells: from source to influence and management
Authors: Lei Yixiao , Liu Wenwu , Li Caixia , Da Shiji , Zheng Yawen , Wu Youzhi , Ran Fen
Published: December 2023

In recent years, the PCE of metal halide perovskite solar cells has been greatly improved, but its commercial application is limited by external stimuli such as water, oxygen, radiation and internal and external stress of perovskite.
A stable amphiphilic hybrid nanoparticle compatibilizer constructed from polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS) for immiscible thermoplastic polyurethane/methyl vinyl silicone elastomer (TPU/MVQ) blends
Authors: Tian Fuyue , Hu Jing , Song Yanyan , Ning Nanying , Yu Bing , Tian Ming
Published: December 2023

A series of amphiphilic hybrid POSS particles grafted with PDMS chains and PU analogue chains (PUA-POSS-PDMS) were prepared by a grafting-from method, and can be used as compatibilizers for TPU/MVQ blends.
Hair Cortisol Concentrations in Opioid-Exposed versus Nonexposed Mother–Infant Dyads
Authors: Morrison Tierney M. , Schiff Davida M. , Olson Abigael , Hunter Richard G. , Agarwal Joel , Work Erin C. , Muftu Serra , Shrestha Hira , Boateng Jeffery , Werler Martha M. , Carter Ginny , Jones Hendree E. , Wachman Elisha M.
Published: December 2023

Objective To pilot measurement of hair cortisol concentration (HCC) in pregnant women with opioid use disorder and their infants over time and study the potential utility of hair cortisol as a biomarker of chronic stress in this population.

Study Design In this pilot prospective cohort study of mother–infant dyads with and without prenatal opioid exposure, we obtained mother–infant HCCs at delivery and again within 1 to 3 months' postpartum. HCCs were compared between the opioid and control groups and between the two time points.

Results There were no significant differences between opioid and control group maternal or infant HCCs at either time point. However, within the opioid-exposed group, there was a significant increase in infant HCCs across the two time points.

Conclusion This pilot study describes our experience with the measurement of HCCs in opioid-exposed mother–infant dyads.

Key Points
Experimental study of seismic dispersion: influence of clay mineral content
Authors: Mews K S , Lozovyi S , Stenebråten J F , Giger S B , Holt R M
Published: December 2023

We conducted an extensive study on the elastic properties of Opalinus Clay and the overlying and underlying rock formations, which range in the overall clay mineral content from nearly 0 to 60 wt.%. Our laboratory experiments focused on seismic and ultrasonic frequencies to determine the extent to which seismic dispersion affects elastic parameters and seismic wave velocities. The results comprise the static stiffness from undrained triaxial cycles (axial–confining stress: 8–10 MPa), the dynamic stiffness at seismic frequencies (0.5–143 Hz), intrinsic attenuation (0.5–20 Hz), compressional velocity measurements (0.5–2 Hz) and ultrasonic velocity measurements (250 and 500 kHz). We compared these laboratory results to in situ sonic logging measurements to assess the role of frequency in measured elastic parameters. The results suggest a notable correlation between clay mineral content and dispersion. Specifically, high clay mineral content leads to increased dispersion, even within the seismic frequency band. The overall dispersion of P-wave velocity in the frequency range from 1 Hz to 500 kHz is up to 16%. This frequency dependency is crucial when establishing a relationship between sonic well log data and static stiffness for geomechanical modelling. The results are discussed with respect to possible dispersion mechanisms, including the role of bound water in clay.
Transcriptome analysis reveals the underlying mechanism for over-accumulation of alkaline protease in Bacillus licheniformis
Authors: Ji Anying , Zheng Xianliang , Yang Wei , Chen Ming , Ma Aimin , Liu Yongfeng , Wei Xuetuan
Published: December 2023

Aims

Bacillus licheniformis AQ is an industrial strain with high production of alkaline protease (AprE), which has great industrial application value. However, how to regulate the production of AprE in the process of industrial fermentation is still not completely clear. Therefore, it is important to understand the metabolic process of AprE production in the industrial fermentation medium.

Methods and results

In this study, transcriptome sequencing of the whole fermentation course was performed to explore the synthesis and regulation mechanism of AprE in B. licheniformis AQ. During the fermentation process, the AprE got continuously accumulated, reaching a peak of 42 020 U/mL at the fermentation endpoint (48 h). Meanwhile, the highly expressed genes were observed. Compared with the fermentation endpoint, there were 61 genes in the intersection of differentially expressed genes, functioning as catabolic processes, peptidases and inhibitors, chaperones, and folding catalysts. Furthermore, the protein–protein interactions network of AprE was constructed.

Conclusion

This study provides important transcriptome information for B. licheniformis AQ and potential molecular targets for further improving the production of AprE.
An Ecosystemic Approach to Human Rights Philanthropy
Authors: García Laura
Published: December 2023

Climate change is a human rights issue. Human rights philanthropy can address climate change and other human rights challenges by supporting grassroots organizations led by those most affected. However, traditional philanthropic practices often perpetuate harmful power dynamics and do not reflect the needs of the communities they serve. An ecosystemic approach to human rights philanthropy can help by shifting power to grassroots organizations, supporting collaboration and co-learning. Global Greengrants has developed an ecosystemic approach that views the entire system of actors and organizations working for environmental justice as interconnected and interdependent rather than competitive. This is a values-led approach to workplace organizing that prioritizes equity, power sharing, and collaboration. Participatory grantmaking is an example of an ecosystemic approach to human rights philanthropy in which the communities impacted by funding decisions make decisions about grants. The fund’s grantmaking process is led by a network of activist advisors who represent communities that experience environmental injustices and human rights violations. An ecosystemic approach to human rights philanthropy is essential to address climate change and Global Greengrants Fund is an example of how participatory grantmaking can work efficiently and at scale, with a decentralized decision-making model that involves a network of activist advisors who decide on the allocation of resources.
Machine learning approach for ambient-light-corrected parameters and the Pupil Reactivity (PuRe) Score in smartphone-based pupillometry
Authors: Bogucki Aleksander , John Ivo A. , Zinkiewicz Łukasz , Jachura Michał , Jaworski Damian , Chróst Hugo , Wlodarski Michal , Kałużny Jakub , Campbell Doug , Bakken Paul , Pandya Shawna , Chrapkiewicz Radosław , Manohar Sanjay G.
Published: December 2023

The pupillary light reflex (PLR) is the constriction of the pupil in response to light. The PLR in response to a pulse of light follows a complex waveform that can be characterized by several parameters. It is a sensitive marker of acute neurological deterioration, but is also sensitive to the background illumination in the environment in which it is measured. To detect a pathological change in the PLR, it is therefore necessary to separate the contributions of neuro-ophthalmic factors from ambient illumination. Illumination varies over several orders of magnitude and is difficult to control due to diurnal, seasonal, and location variations. We assessed the sensitivity of seven PLR parameters to differences in ambient light, using a smartphone-based pupillometer (AI Pupillometer, Solvemed Inc.). Nine subjects underwent 345 measurements in ambient conditions ranging from complete darkness (<5 lx) to bright lighting (≲10000 lx). Lighting most strongly affected the initial pupil size, constriction amplitude, and velocity. Nonlinear models were fitted to find the correction function that maximally stabilized PLR parameters across different ambient light levels. Next, we demonstrated that the lighting-corrected parameters still discriminated reactive from unreactive pupils. Ten patients underwent PLR testing in an ophthalmology outpatient clinic setting following the administration of tropicamide eye drops, which rendered the pupils unreactive. The parameters corrected for lighting were combined as predictors in a machine learning model to produce a scalar value, the Pupil Reactivity (PuRe) score, which quantifies pupil reactivity on a scale 0-5 (0, non-reactive pupil; 0-3, abnormal/”sluggish” response; 3-5, normal/brisk response). The score discriminated unreactive pupils with 100% accuracy and was stable under changes in ambient illumination across four orders of magnitude. This is the first time that a correction method has been proposed to effectively mitigate the confounding influence of ambient light on PLR measurements, which could improve the reliability of pupillometric parameters both in pre-hospital and inpatient care settings. In particular, the PuRe score offers a robust measure of pupil reactivity directly applicable to clinical practice. Importantly, the formulae behind the score are openly available for the benefit of the clinical research community.
Partial RNA Design
Authors: Runge Frederic , Franke Jörg K.H. , Fertmann Daniel , Backofen Rolf , Hutter Frank
Published: December 2023

RNA design is a key technique to achieve new functionality in fields like synthetic biology or biotechnology. Computational tools could help to find such RNA sequences but they are often limited in their formulation of the search space. In this work, we propose partial RNA design, a novel RNA design paradigm that addresses the limitations of current RNA design formulations. Partial RNA design describes the problem of designing RNAs from arbitrary RNA sequences and structure motifs with multiple design goals. By separating the design space from the objectives, our formulation enables the design of RNAs with variable lengths and desired properties, while still allowing precise control over sequence and structure constraints at individual positions. Based on this formulation, we introduce a new algorithm, libLEARNA, capable of efficiently solving different constraint RNA design tasks. A comprehensive analysis of various problems, including a realistic riboswitch design task, reveals the outstanding performance of libLEARNA and its robustness.
On effect of chloroform on electrical activity of proteinoids
Authors: Mougkogiannis Panagiotis , Adamatzky Andrew
Published: December 2023

Proteinoids, or thermal proteins, produce hollow microspheres in aqueous solution. Ensembles of the microspheres produce endogenous spikes of electrical activity, similar to that of neurons. To make a first step towards evaluation of the mechanisms of such electrical behaviour we decided to expose proteinoids to chloroform. We found that while chloroform does not inhibit the electrical oscillations of proteinoids it causes substantial changes in the patterns of electrical activity. Namely, incremental chloroform exposure strongly affect proteinoid microsphere electrical activity across multiple metrics. As chloroform levels rise, the spike potential drops from 0.9 mV under control conditions to 0.1 mV at 25 mg/mL. This progressive spike potential decrease suggests chloroform suppresses proteinoid electrical activity. The time between spikes, the interspike period, follows a similar pattern. Minimal chloroform exposure does not change the average inter-spike period, while higher exposures do. It drops from 23.2 min under control experiments to 3.8 min at 25 mg/mL chloroform, indicating increased frequency of the electrical activity. These findings might leads to deeper understanding of the electrical activity of proteinoids and their potential application in the domain of bioelectronics.
Single-cell analysis of bone marrow CD8+ T cells in Myeloid Neoplasms predicts response to treatment with Azacitidine
Authors: Tasis Athanasios , Papaioannou Nikos E. , Grigoriou Maria , Paschalidis Nikolaos , Loukogiannaki Katerina , Filia Anastasia , Katsiki Kyriaki , Lamprianidou Eleftheria , Papadopoulos Vasileios , Rimpa Christina Maria , Chatzigeorgiou Antonios , Kourtzelis Ioannis P. , Gerasimou Petroula , Kyprianou Ioannis , Costeas Paul , Liakopoulos Panagiotis , Liapis Konstantinos , Kolovos Petros , Chavakis Triantafyllos , Alissafi Themis , Kotsianidis Ioannis , Mitroulis Ioannis
Published: December 2023

CD8+T cells are critical players in anti-tumor immunity. In higher-risk myelodysplastic neoplasms (HR-MDS) and acute myeloid leukemia (AML), CD8+T cells exhibit altered functionality, however whether this affects disease course is poorly understood. Herein, we aimed to identify immune cell signatures in the bone marrow (BM) associated with disease progression and treatment outcomes. In-depth immunophenotypic analysis utilizing mass and flow cytometry on 104 pre-treatment BM samples from patients with myeloid neoplasms, revealed an increased frequency of a CD57+CXCR3+subset of CD8+T cells in patients with HR-MDS and AML who failed AZA therapy. Furthermore, increased baseline frequency (>29%) of the CD57+CXCR3+CD8+T cell subset correlated with poor overall survival. We further engaged scRNA-seq to assess the transcriptional profile of BM CD8+T cells from treatment-naïve patients. We observed an increased abundance of cells within cytotoxic CD8+T lymphocytes (CTL) cluster in secondary AML compared to HR-MDS. Additionally, response to AZA was positively associated with enrichment of IFN-mediated pathways, whereas enhanced TGF-β signaling signature in CTL clusters was observed in non-responders. Our results support that targeting of CD8+T cells with inhibitors of TGF-β signaling in combination with AZA is a potential future therapeutic strategy in HR-MDS and AML.
Association between Cardiovascular Disease Risk and long COVID-19: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis
Authors: Huang Yunxia , Wen Zhuofeng , Luo Hongbin , Liao Yijie , Chen Zisheng
Published: December 2023

Objectivate

To assess demographic characteristics and investigate the correlation between cardiovascular diseases and long COVID-19 patients.

Methods

Comprehensive details, encompassing the first author’s name, publication year, sample inclusion criteria, sample size, and demographic characteristics, including age and gender of participants, were systematically extracted from all incorporated studies. Meanwhile, the analysis encompassed the assessment of the risk associated with nineteen cardiovascular outcomes.

Results

A total of 3, 201 potentially eligible studies were initially identified for consideration. Following rigorous literature screening and quality control measures, eighteen studies, encompassing 46, 083, 975 patients, met the specified criteria. In comparison to the control cohort, our investigation unveiled a heightened risk of 19 cardiovascular outcomes associated with long COVID-19. Our meta-analysis revealed a pooled OR of 1.68 (95% CI 1.55-1.81) (I2= 69.1%, p= 0.000) for the overall risk of cardiovascular outcomes, indicating an elevated risk of cardiovascular diseases in individuals affected by long COVID-19. While the heterogeneity was relatively high, it is essential to acknowledge that all studies inherently carry an unavoidable risk of bias, irrespective of their quality rating. Moreover, there appears to be no significant publication bias based on the funnel plot, Begg’s, and Egger’s tests. Sensitivity analysis did not reveal substantial alterations in the overall stability of the results.

Conclusions

Our meta-analysis substantiates that individuals afflicted with long COVID-19 face an elevated risk of developing cardiovascular diseases. Routine assessment of cardiac function is deemed essential for a long COVID-19 high-risk cardiovascular disease population. Timely interventions have the potential to mitigate the risk of cardiovascular diseases and associated mortality in this population.

TRIAL REGISTRATION PROSPERO Identifier

CRD42023455701
Ensemble Learning: Predicting Human Pathogenicity of Hematophagous Arthropod Vector-Borne Viruses
Authors: Hu Huakai , Zhao Chaoying , Jin Meiling , Chen Jiali , Liu Xiong , Shi Hua , Guo Jinpeng , Wang Changjun , Chen Yong
Published: December 2023

Hematophagous arthropods serve as crucial vectors for numerous viruses, posing significant public health risks due to their potential for zoonotic spillover. Despite the advances in metagenomics expanding our understanding of arbovirus diversity, traditional phylogenetic approaches often miss the pathogenic potential of viruses not yet identified in humans. Here, we curated two datasets: one with 294 viruses and 36 epidemiological characteristics (including virus properties, vector hosts, and non-vector hosts), and another with 71,622 viral sequences focusing on pathogenic traits. Using these datasets, we developed a regression model and a prediction model to assess and predict viral pathogenicity. Using these datasets, we developed a regression model and a prediction model to assess and predict viral pathogenicity. Our regression model (R2= 90.6%) reveals a strong correlation between non-vector host diversity, especially withinPerissodactylaandCarnivoraorders, and virus pathogenicity. The prediction model (F1 score = 96.79%) identifies key pathogenic functions such as “Viral adhesion” and “Host xenophagy” as enhancers of pathogenic potential, while the “Viral invasion” function was associated with an inverse effect. Validation against an external independent dataset confirmed the models’ ability to identify pathogenic viruses and revealed the potential threat posed by Palma and Zaliv Terpeniya viruses, previously undetected in humans. These findings highlight the necessity of integrating predictive models with metagenomic data to provide early warnings of potential zoonotic viruses carried by hematophagous vectors at the strain level, enhancing public health responses and preparedness.
Asymptomatic hypoglycemia among preterm newborns: a cross-sectional analysis
Authors: Salum Shani S. , Kalabamu Florence S. , Fataki Maulidi R. , Omary Salha A. , Mohammed Ummulkheir H. , Kizwi Hillary A. , Leshabari Kelvin M.
Published: December 2023

Background

Hypoglycemia is the commonest metabolic abnormality encountered in newborns. Preterm newborns are the group with the highest risk of clinically significant hypoglycemia. However exact factors associated with asymptomatic neonatal hypoglycemia is not known.

Objective

To assess factors associated with asymptomatic hypoglycemia among preterm newborns.

Materials and Methods

A cross sectional hospital analytical-based study was carried out at Dar es salaam public regional referral hospitals. Specifically, the study was done at Amana, Mwananyamala and Temeke. Data on demographic and clinical characteristics of preterm newborns and their mothers were collected and analyzed using Epi-Info™ software version 7.4. Main data analysis was done by applying a multivariable logistic regression model with neonatal random glycaemia coded in a binary fashion at a cut-off point of 2.6 mmol/L. An α-level of 5% was used as a limit of type I error.

Results

We recruited and analysed 217 asymptomatic preterm newborns within 6-24 hours post-delivery. Male: Female = 1.1:1 (females n=105, 48.4%). Median glycemic level was 2.6 (IQR; 2.1-3.9) mmol/L. Breastfeeding within 1st hour post-delivery was the only statistically significant protective factor against development of neonatal hypoglycemia (OR; 0.123, 95%-CI; 0.052-0.287) in a fitted multivariable logistic regression model.

Conclusion

Nearly half of all asymptomatic newborns were in hypoglycemic range. Delayed breast feeding within 1sthour post-delivery was associated with neonatal hypoglycemia.

Recommendations

Breastfeeding practices within 1sthour post-delivery need to be emphasized to all expectant mothers in order to avoid risk of asymptomatic neonatal hypoglycemia. Preterm neonates maybe the risky group worth considering for continuous glycemic screening at hospital protocols.
Determinants of enrollment into community based health insurance among households in Chora District, Southwest Ethiopia: Unmatched Case Control Study
Authors: Disasa Awolu Abdulkadir , Gebremedhin Tadesse , Jihad Mohammad
Published: December 2023

Background

Community-based health insurance (CBHI) has emerged with exciting ideas in accessing reliable health care services for low and middle-income countries. Despite increasing effort, empirical evidence shows enrolment has remained low in Ethiopia. Therefore, this study aimed identifies determinants of enrollment into CBHI in Southwest Ethiopia.

Methods

Community based unmatched case-control study was conducted in Chora district, Bunno Beddele Zone Southwest Ethiopia from 17th May-14th June 2021. About 245 cases and 245 controls (1: 1 ratio) were selected by simple random sampling technique, and participated in the study. Data were collected using face-to-face interview techniques with pre-tested questionnaire, and entered to Epi-data 4.6, then exported to SPSS version 25 for analysis. Logistic regression analyses were conducted to identify risk factors associated with enrolment into CBHI. The strength of association was measured using odds ratio. The findings were presented along with their corresponding 95%CI. Variables with p-values <0.05 were considered as determinants of CBHI enrolment.

Results

The study revealed that female-headed households [AOR:10.86, 95%CI: 3.005-39.16], age of household head, being 35-50 years old [AOR:3.81, 95%CI:1.61-9.02], and being above50 years [AOR: 3.59, 95%CI: 1.23-10.47], having 4-5 family sizes [AOR:7.3, 95%CI: 2.08-25.84] and ≥6 family sizes [AOR:13.31, 95%CI: 3.86-45.92], distance from health facility of ≤30 minutes [AOR:8.35, 95%CI: 3.22-21.65], favorable perception toward providers technical competencies [AOR:7.62, 95%CI:2.2-26.4], fully trusted on CBHI scheme [AOR:10.82, 95%CI:2.37-45.17] and moderate trust towards CBHI scheme managements [AOR:4.91, 95%CI:1.9-12.65] and positive attitudes towards CBHI scheme [AOR:4.34, 95%CI: 1.525, 12.32] were determinants among households for CBHI enrollment.

Conclusion

Availability of contractual health-facility at nearest distances, being households’ head aged above 35years, being female-headship, large family-size, favorable perception towards health care providers technical competencies, trust towards scheme management, and positive attitudes toward scheme were determined CBHI scheme enrollment.
Molecular Insights into β-Lactams Resistance inKlebsiella pneumoniaeClinical Isolates with a Focus on Multidrug Resistance and Virulence
Authors: Nogueira Lavouisier F.B. , Maia Marília S. , Clementino Marco A.F. , Lima Ila F.N. , Rodrigues Jorge L.N. , Fragoso Luciana V.C. , Costa Glairta S. , Filho Jose Q.S. , Havt Alexandre , Costa Deiziane V.S. , Magalhães Lyvia M.V.C. , Silva Dilza , Sherman Nicholas E. , Sousa José K. , Lima Aldo A.M.
Published: December 2023

Klebsiella pneumoniaeis associated with high resistance to antimicrobials and is common in isolates from colonization and healthcare-associated infections (HAIs). This study aims to develop assays to detect resistance genes belonging to theblafamily and investigate metabolic pathways in resistant isolates ofK. pneumoniae. The genes of the subfamilies included were:blaSHV, blaTEM, blaNDM, blaKPC, blaGES, blaCTX-M and relevant variants of theblaOXA subfamily. Mass spectrometry data were acquired on the Orbitrap IDX spectrometer (Thermo) connected to the Vanquish UPLC system. Isolates ofK. pneumoniae(N = 122) were obtained from clinical samples from 04/23/2019 to 05/29/2021. A high prevalence of resistance to penicillins, cephalosporins and carbapenems was found among the isolates. The identified genotypic profile showed a high prevalence of genes belonging to Ambler’s classes of beta-lactamases A, B and D. In the metabolomic study, the N-fructosyl isoleucine metabolite was identified increased in multidrug-resistant (MDR) strains ofK. pneumoniaecompared to strains susceptible to antimicrobials. In conclusion, the assays developed were efficient in detecting the main genes of theblafamily of resistance inK. pneumoniae. The use of the pentose phosphate metabolic pathway suggests a beneficial regulation of bacterial growth, and colonization in MDRK. pneumoniaestrains, with may indicate the use of this pathway as a virulence mechanism in resistant strains.
Solid tumor growth depends on an intricate equilibrium of malignant cell states
Authors: Torborg Stefan R. , Grbovic-Huezo Olivera , Singhal Anupriya , Holm Matilda , Wu Katherine , Han Xuexiang , Ho Yu-Jui , Haglund Caj , Mitchell Michael J. , Lowe Scott W. , Dow Lukas E. , Pitter Kenneth L. , Sanchez-Rivera Francisco J. , Levchenko Andre , Tammela Tuomas
Published: December 2023

Control of cell identity and number is central to tissue function, yet principles governing organization of malignant cells in tumor tissues remain poorly understood. Using mathematical modeling and candidate-based analysis, we discover primary and metastatic pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) organize in a stereotypic pattern whereby PDAC cells responding to WNT signals (WNT-R) neighbor WNT-secreting cancer cells (WNT-S). Leveraging lineage-tracing, we reveal the WNT-R state is transient and gives rise to the WNT-S state that is highly stable and committed to organizing malignant tissue. We further show that a subset of WNT-S cells expressing the Notch ligand DLL1 form a functional niche for WNT-R cells. Genetic inactivation of WNT secretion or Notch pathway components, or cytoablation of the WNT-S state disrupts PDAC tissue organization, suppressing tumor growth and metastasis. This work indicates PDAC growth depends on an intricately controlled equilibrium of functionally distinct cancer cell states, uncovering a fundamental principle governing solid tumor growth and revealing new opportunities for therapeutic intervention.
Transient power-law behaviour following induction distinguishes between competing models of stochastic gene expression
Authors: Nicoll Andrew G. , Szavits-Nossan Juraj , Evans Martin R. , Grima Ramon
Published: December 2023

What features of transcription can be learnt by fitting mathematical models of gene expression to mRNA count data? Given a suite of models, fitting to data selects an optimal one, thus identifying a probable transcriptional mechanism. Whilst attractive, the utility of this methodology remains unclear. Here, we sample steady-state, single-cell mRNA count distributions from parameters in the physiological range, and show they cannot be used to confidently estimate the number of inactive gene states, i.e. the number of rate-limiting steps in transcriptional initiation. Distributions from over 99% of the parameter space generated using models with 2, 3, or 4 inactive states can be well fit by one with a single inactive state. However, we show that for many minutes following induction, eukaryotic cells show an increase in the mean mRNA count that obeys a power law whose exponent equals the sum of the number of states visited from the initial inactive to the active state and the number of rate-limiting post-transcriptional processing steps. Our study shows that estimation of the exponent from eukaryotic data can be sufficient to determine a lower bound on the total number of regulatory steps in transcription initiation, splicing, and nuclear export.
From Selfies to Science – Precise 3D Leaf Measurement with iPhone 13 and Its Implications for Plant Development and Transpiration
Authors: Bar-Sella Gabriel , Gavish Matan , Moshelion Menachem
Published: December 2023

Advanced smartphone technology now integrates sophisticated sensors, increasing access to high-precision data acquisition. This study tested the hypothesis that the iPhone 13-Pro camera, with LiDAR technology, can accurately estimate maize leaf surface area (Zea mays). 3D point cloud models enabled non-destructive data collection, and four methods for canopy area extraction were evaluated in relation to plant transpiration rates. Results showed a strong correlation (R2=0.92, RMSE=49.78) between manually scanned and iPhone-estimated plant surface areas. Additionally, the stem-to-plant surface area ratio was found to be 12.3% (R2=0.9, RMSE=28.42). Using this ratio to predict canopy area showed a significant correlation (R2=0.83) with actual canopy measurements. The iPhone’s surface area measurement tool offers an advantage by scanning the entire plant surface, unlike traditional leaf area index measurements, which often cannot penetrate the canopy. Moreover, real-size surface measurement of the canopy correlated strongly (R2=0.83) with whole canopy transpiration rates measured gravimetrically. This study introduces a novel method for analyzing 3D plant traits using a portable, affordable, and accurate tool, which has the potential to enhance plant breeding and agricultural practices.

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Complexity And Ergodicity In Chaos Game Representation Of Genomic Sequences
Authors: Mehrpooya Adel , Tavassoly Iman
Published: December 2023

Abstract

The Chaos Game Representation (CGR) serves as a powerful graphical tool for transforming long one-dimensional sequences, such as genomic sequences, into visually insightful and complex graphical patterns. This algorithmic approach has revealed captivating fractal properties, providing a systems-level perspective on the underlying patterns inherent in specific genomic sequences. Each CGR image generated is distinctive and unique, capturing the individuality of different genomic sequences. We have investigated the nature of the fractal patterns discerned within CGR of genomic sequences, aiming to assess the ergodicity and identify potential ergodic patterns. Our findings present a mathematical proof establishing that CGRs are non-ergodic. This finding suggests that the distribution properties of nucleotide sequences play a pivotal role in shaping the emergent patterns within the CGR images.
Hypoxia impacts small intestinal organoid stemness and differentiation
Authors: Lan Xi , Qiu Ping , Mou Chunfeng
Published: December 2023

Comprised of several cell types functioning differently, the small intestinal epithelial cells perform their functions and synergistically maintain homeostasis in the first part of the mammalian intestine. Due to the uneven distribution of the vessel, the oxygen level exhibits a gradient decreasing pattern in the normal intestine and becomes aberrant in some intestinal diseases. In this work, we find certain levels of hypoxia simulated by cobaltous chloride (CoCl2) caused an increase in the secretive cell types and a decrease in the absorptive cell typesin vitrocultured mouse small intestinal organoids. Importantly, the intestinal stem cell amount is impacted which leads to attenuated epithelial regeneration. Our study highlights the cell-type-specific alterations under the hypoxia insult, which gives possible therapeutic hints for hypoxia-relevant gastrointestinal diseases.
A Memory Model of Rodent Spatial Navigation: Place Cells are Memories Arranged in a Grid and Grid Cells are Non-spatial
Authors: Huber David E.
Published: December 2023

A theory and neurocomputational model are presented that explain grid cell responses as the byproduct of equally dissimilar hippocampal memories. On this account, place and grid cells are best understood as the natural consequence of memory encoding and retrieval. In the proposed memory model, place cells represent memories that are conjunctions of both spatial and non-spatial attributes, and grid cells primarily represent the non-spatial attributes (e.g., sounds, surface texture, etc.) found throughout the two-dimensional recording enclosure. Place cells support memories of the locations where non-spatial attributes can be found (e.g., positions with a particular sound), which are arranged in a hexagonal lattice owing to memory encoding and consolidation processes (pattern separation) as applied to situations in which the non-spatial attributes are found at all locations of a two-dimensional surface. Grid cells exhibit their spatial firing pattern owing to feedback from hippocampal place cells (i.e., a hexagonal pattern of remembered locations for the non-spatial attribute represented by a grid cell). The model explains: 1) grid fields that appear to be centered outside the box; 2) the toroidal nature of grid field representations; 3) grid field alignment with the enclosure borders; 4) modules in which grid cells have the same orientation and spacing but different phases; 5) head direction conjunctive grid cells that become simple head direction cells in the absence of hippocampal feedback; 6) the instant existence of grid fields in a novel environment; 7) the slower learning of place cells; 8) the manner in which head direction sensitivity of place cells changes near borders and in narrow passages; 9) the kinds of changes that underlie remapping of place cells; and 10) grid-like responses for two-dimensional coordinate systems other than navigation.
Threshold of somatic mosaicism disrupting the brain function
Authors: Kim Jintae , Park Sang Min , Koh Hyun Yong , Ko Ara , Kang Hoon-Chul , Chang Won Seok , Kim Dong Seok , Lee Jeong Ho
Published: December 2023

Somatic mosaicism in a fraction of brain cells causes neurodevelopmental disorders, including childhood intractable epilepsy. However, the threshold for somatic mosaicism leading to brain dysfunction is unknown. In this study, we induced various mosaic burdens in mice of focal cortical dysplasia type II (FCD II), featuring mTOR somatic mosaicism and spontaneous behavioral seizures. Mosaic burdens ranged from approximately 1,000 to 40,000 neurons expressing the mTOR mutant in the somatosensory (SSC) or medial prefrontal (PFC) cortex. Surprisingly, just ∼8,000-9,000 neurons expressing the MTOR mutant were sufficient to trigger epileptic seizures. Mutational burden correlated with seizure frequency and onset, with a higher tendency for electrographic inter-ictal spikes and beta- and gamma-frequency oscillations in FCD II mice exceeding the threshold. Moreover, mutation-negative FCD II patients in deep sequencing of their bulky brain tissues revealed somatic mosaicism of mTOR pathway genes as low as 0.07% in resected brain tissues through ultra-deep targeted sequencing (up to 20 million reads). Thus, our study suggests that extremely low levels of somatic mosaicism can contribute to brain dysfunction.