bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Manure and mosquitoes: life history traits of two malaria vector species enhanced by larval exposure to cow dung, whilst chicken dung has a strong negative effect
Authors: Hardy Harrison , Hopkins Richard , Mnyone Ladslaus , Hawkes Frances M.
Published: December 2022

Background

Malaria vectors have a strong ecological association with rice agroecosystems, which can provide abundant aquatic habitats for larval development. Climate-adapted rice cultivation practices, such as the System of Rice Intensification (SRI), are gaining popularity in malaria-endemic countries seeking to expand rice production; however, the potential impact of these practices on vector populations has not been well characterised. In particular, SRI encourages the use of organic fertilisers (OFs), such as animal manures, as low-cost and environmentally friendly alternatives to industrially produced inorganic fertilisers. We therefore set out to understand the effects of two common manure-based OFs on the life history traits of two major African malaria vectors,Anopheles arabiensisandAnopheles gambiaesensu stricto (s.s.).

Methods

Larvae ofAn. arabiensisandAn. gambiaes.s. were reared from first instar to emergence in water containing either cow or chicken dung at one of four concentrations (0.25, 0.5, 0.75, and 1.0 g/100 ml), or in a clean water control. Their life history traits were recorded, including survival, development rate, adult production, and adult wing length.

Results

Exposure to cow dung significantly increased the development rate ofAn. gambiaes.s. independent of concentration, but did not affect the overall survival and adult production of either species. Chicken dung, however, significantly reduced survival and adult production in both species, with a greater effect as concentration increased. Interestingly,An. arabiensisexhibited a relative tolerance to the lowest chicken dung concentration, in that survival was unaffected and adult production was not reduced to the same extent as inAn. gambiaes.s. The effects of chicken dung on development rate were less clear in both species owing to high larval mortality overall, though there was some indication that it may reduce development rate. Adult wing lengths in males and females increased with higher concentrations of both cow and chicken dung.

Conclusions

Our findings suggest that manure-based OFs significantly alter the life history traits ofAn. gambiaes.s. andAn. arabiensis.In both species, exposure to cow dung may improve fitness, whereas exposure to chicken dung may reduce it. These findings have implications for understanding vector population dynamics in rice agroecosystems and may inform the use of OFs in SRI, and rice agriculture more widely, to avoid their adverse effects in enhancing vector fitness.

Graphical Abstract
Efficient generation of epigenetic disease model mice by epigenome editing using the piggyBac transposon system
Authors: Horii Takuro , Morita Sumiyo , Kimura Mika , Hatada Izuho
Published: December 2022

Background

Epigenome-edited animal models enable direct demonstration of disease causing epigenetic mutations. Transgenic (TG) mice stably expressing epigenome-editing factors exhibit dramatic and stable changes in target epigenome modifications. Successful germline transmission of a transgene from founder mice to offspring will yield a sufficient number of epigenome-edited mice for phenotypic analysis; however, if the epigenetic mutation has a detrimental phenotypic effect, it can become difficult to obtain the next generation of animals. In this case, the phenotype of founder mice must be analyzed directly. Unfortunately, current TG mouse production efficiency (TG founders per pups born) is relatively low, and improvements would increase the versatility of this technology.

Results

In the current study, we describe an approach to generate epigenome-edited TG mice using a combination of both the dCas9–SunTag and piggyBac (PB) transposon systems. Using this system, we successfully generated mice with demethylation of the differential methylated region of the H19 gene (H19-DMR), as a model for Silver–Russell syndrome (SRS). SRS is a disorder leading to growth retardation, resulting from low insulin-like growth factor 2 (IGF2) gene expression, often caused by epimutations at the H19-IGF2 locus. Under optimized conditions, the efficiency of TG mice production using the PB system was approximately threefold higher than that using the conventional method. TG mice generated by this system showed demethylation of the targeted DNA region and associated changes in gene expression. In addition, these mice exhibited some features of SRS, including intrauterine and postnatal growth retardation, due to demethylation of H19-DMR.

Conclusions

The dCas9–SunTag and PB systems serve as a simple and reliable platform for conducting direct experiments using epigenome-edited founder mice.
Multi-region sequencing with spatial information enables accurate heterogeneity estimation and risk stratification in liver cancer
Authors: Yang Chen , Zhang Senquan , Cheng Zhuoan , Liu Zhicheng , Zhang Linmeng , Jiang Kai , Geng Haigang , Qian Ruolan , Wang Jun , Huang Xiaowen , Chen Mo , Li Zhe , Qin Wenxin , Xia Qiang , Kang Xiaonan , Wang Cun , Hang Hualian
Published: December 2022

Background

Numerous studies have used multi-region sampling approaches to characterize intra-tumor heterogeneity (ITH) in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, conventional multi-region sampling strategies do not preserve the spatial details of samples, and thus, the potential influences of spatial distribution on patient-wise ITH (represents the overall heterogeneity level of the tumor in a given patient) have long been overlooked. Furthermore, gene-wise transcriptional ITH (represents the expression pattern of genes across different intra-tumor regions) in HCC is also under-explored, highlighting the need for a comprehensive investigation.

Methods

To address the problem of spatial information loss, we propose a simple and easy-to-implement strategy called spatial localization sampling (SLS). We performed multi-region sampling and sequencing on 14 patients with HCC, collecting a total of 75 tumor samples with spatial information and molecular data. Normalized diversity score and integrated heterogeneity score (IHS) were then developed to measure patient-wise and gene-wise ITH, respectively.

Results

A significant correlation between spatial and molecular heterogeneity was uncovered, implying that spatial distribution of sampling sites did influence ITH estimation in HCC. We demonstrated that the normalized diversity score had the ability to overcome sampling location bias and provide a more accurate estimation of patient-wise ITH. According to this metric, HCC tumors could be divided into two classes (low-ITH and high-ITH tumors) with significant differences in multiple biological properties. Through IHS analysis, we revealed a highly heterogenous immune microenvironment in HCC and identified some low-ITH checkpoint genes with immunotherapeutic potential. We also constructed a low-heterogeneity risk stratification (LHRS) signature based on the IHS results which could accurately predict the survival outcome of patients with HCC on a single tumor biopsy sample.

Conclusions

This study provides new insights into the complex phenotypes of HCC and may serve as a guide for future studies in this field.
Effect of proton pump inhibitors in infants with esophageal atresia on the gut microbiome: a pilot cohort
Authors: Brusselaers Nele , Pereira Marcela , Alm Johan , Engstrand Lars , Engstrand Lilja Helene
Published: December 2022

Background

The effects of proton-pump inhibitors (PPIs) on the infant microbiome remain unclear. Swedish pilot cohort study to assess the longitudinal effect of long-term PPI on the infant gut microbiome, including ten newborn infants operated for esophageal atresia exposed to PPIs (mean 57 weeks), compared to healthy one-year-old controls. All children were born vaginally and were otherwise healthy. Within- and between sample diversity of the fecal microbiome was assessed using untargeted whole genome Shotgun metagenomics which sequences all the DNA in the sample and can capture genes rather than a taxonomic fingerprint.

Results

A longer duration of PPI-use was associated with considerable changes in evenness and high variation on diversity within samples compared to a shorter duration of use. The limited difference between baseline samples and controls suggests that this shift was most likely due to the drug exposure and not the underlying alterations on the microbiome. We found no associations with the number of antibiotic treatment episodes among the PPI-users.

Conclusion

Prolonged PPI-use may alter the early infant gut microbiome composition, especially those with the most prolonged duration of use.
Coronary artery aneurysm presenting as ST-elevation myocardial infarction in a man with coronavirus disease 2019: a case report
Authors: Alao David O. , Alabdouli Amani , Jalabi Ala
Published: December 2022

Background

Patients with underlying cardiovascular risk factors have worse clinical outcomes when they have coronavirus disease. In addition, a reduced workload of cardiovascular emergencies has been reported during the coronavirus pandemic due to patients’ reluctance to attend hospitals for fear of contracting the disease. Regional health service reorganization, separating hospitals into coronavirus and non-coronavirus can mitigate this effect. However, the effectiveness of this approach on outcomes and patient satisfaction is unknown.

Case presentation

A 35-year-old Pakistani man with acute ST myocardial infarction was found to have thrombosis of the right coronary artery aneurysm and concomitant coronavirus disease. He had percutaneous coronary angiography and thrombus removal, and was transferred to a coronavirus hospital for the management of the infection. Due to the large size of the aneurysm, he was considered for surgical intervention. Following discharge from the coronavirus hospital and a period of stay at the isolation center, he failed to keep his cardiology follow-up appointment.

Conclusion

This case illustrates an unusual cause of myocardial infarction in a patient with coronavirus infection whose care may have been adversely affected by the healthcare system restructuring.
Severe alveolar bone resorption in Felty syndrome: a case report
Authors: Morikawa Satoru , Miyashita Yoko , Nasu Mana , Shibazaki Shunichi , Usuda Satoshi , Tsunoda Kazuyuki , Nakagawa Taneaki
Published: December 2022

Background

Felty syndrome is defined by three conditions: neutropenia, rheumatoid arthritis, and splenomegaly. Neutropenia associated with pancytopenia may further affect the dental condition of a patient. Periodontal treatment and surgery in patients with Felty syndrome necessitates cooperation with a hematologist. Here we present a case of a patient with Felty syndrome who was initially referred to the oral surgery hospital attached to the School of Dentistry for extensive periodontitis. She was effectively treated in collaboration with the hematology department.

Case presentation

A 55-year-old Asian woman visited our department with concerns of worsening tooth mobility, discomfort, and spontaneous gingival bleeding. Initial periodontal examination revealed generalized severe periodontitis (Stage IV Grade C) resulting from leukopenia/neutropenia and poor oral hygiene. A thorough treatment strategy involving comprehensive dental procedures, such as multiple extractions and extensive prosthetic treatment, was implemented. Following the diagnosis of Felty syndrome, the patient was started on treatment with oral prednisolone 40 mg/day, which effectively controlled the disease. Furthermore, there was no recurrence of severe periodontitis after the periodontal treatment.

Conclusions

Dentists and physicians should be aware that immunocompromised individuals with pancytopenia and poor oral hygiene are at risk of developing extensive periodontitis. If their susceptibility to infection and pancytopenia-related bleeding can be managed, such patients can still receive comprehensive dental treatment, including teeth extractions and periodontal therapy. Cooperation among the dentist, hematologist, and patient is necessary to improve treatment outcomes and the patient’s quality of life.
Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of university students in the United Arab Emirates: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Vajpeyi Misra Anamika , Mamdouh Heba M. , Dani Anita , Mitchell Vivienne , Hussain Hamid Y. , Ibrahim Gamal M. , Alnakhi Wafa K.
Published: December 2022

Background

The COVID-19 pandemic had a significant impact on the mental well-being of students worldwide. There is a scarcity of information on the mental health impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on university students in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). This study aimed to investigate the mental health impact of the COVID-19, including depression, anxiety and resilience among a sample of university students in the UAE.

Methods

A cross-sectional study using an online survey was conducted from September to November 2021. The patient health questionnaire (PHQ-9), generalized anxiety disorder-7 (GAD-7) and Connor–Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC-10) were used to assess depression, anxiety, and resilience. The COVID-19 impact was assessed using a list of questions.

Results

Only, 798 students completed the survey and were analyzed for this study. Overall, 74.8% of the students were females, 91.2% were never married, and 66.3% were UAE-nationals. Based on PHQ-9 and GAD-7 cut-off scores (≥ 10), four out of ten of the students self-reported moderate to severe depression (40.9%) and anxiety (39.1%). Significantly higher mean PHQ-9 and GAD-7 scores were found among students who were impacted by COVID-19 than those non-impacted (mean PHQ-9 = 9.51 ± 6.39 and 6.80 ± 6.34; p = 0.001, respectively) and (mean GAD-7 = 9.03 ± 6.00 and 8.54 ± 6.02; respectively, p < 0.001). Female students who were impacted by COVID-19 had statistically significant higher depression and anxiety scores (mean PHQ-9 of 9.14 ± 5.86 vs. 6.83 ± 6.25, respectively; p < 0.001) than the non-impacted females (mean GAD-7 of 9.57 ± 6.32 vs. 5.15 ± 3.88, respectively; p = 0.005). Never married students had significantly higher PHQ-9 and GAD-7 scores than ever-married (9.31 ± 6.37 vs. 6.93 ± 5.47, P = 0.003) and (8.89 ± 6.11 vs. 7.13 ± 5.49, respectively; p = 0.017).

Conclusions

The results of this study demonstrate that the COVID-19 pandemic has negatively impacted the mental health of this sample of university students in terms of depression and anxiety. The results highlight the need to adopt culturally appropriate interventions for university students and focus on vulnerable groups.
An exploration into the relationship between mineral elements (nitrogen and phosphorus) and nutritional quality in soil-watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) system
Authors: He Shan , Zhao Yuyan , Liu Chuanpeng , Li Zhenghe , Zhang Zeyu , Li Bing , Tang Xiaodan
Published: December 2022

To fundamentally explore the correlation between crop nutritional quality and mineral elements, specific tests and accurate analysis were carried out on all organs and root soil of watermelon (Citrullus lanatus). The results showed that the distribution patterns of nitrogen and phosphorus at watermelon maturity were similar, and the average nitrogen and phosphorus contents were in the orders of leaf and seed > stem, peel, root > pulp > root soil, and peel > seed > root, stem, leaf > root soil > pulp, respectively. From the perspective of element geochemistry, biophile and lithophile elements had the strongest correlation with nitrogen and phosphorus, and watermelon did not antagonize soil nitrogen and phosphorus uptake. The prediction model of nitrogen translocation factor in watermelon organs to total acid was established by partial least squares with R2 = 0.81. Significantly, when the isometric log-ratio of nitrogen to phosphorus in watermelon leaves was 1.97 to 2.19, the watermelon pulp showed better quality with total acid > 0.5%, total sugar > 5% and soluble solids > 10%. Therefore, the characterization of nitrogen and phosphorus in watermelon leaves can serve as a non-destructive analysis to predict watermelon fruit quality.
Ultrasensitive thrombin sensing platform based on three-way junction initiated dual signal amplification
Authors: Yang Hongxiu , Hou Lixuan , Liu Chunjing , Liu Wei , Li Lihua
Published: December 2022

The sensitive and precise quantitative determination of thrombin is important for both fundamental research and clinical diagnostics of hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy because it is a key biological molecule in hemostasis and hemolysis. Herein, we depict a sensitive and label-free thrombin detection approach by taking the advantages of aptamer’s superior capability to bind with thrombin and the high efficiency of three-way junction initiated dual signal recycle. In this method, a capture probe which is inserted with an aptamer sequence is designed to specifically identify thrombin molecule and facilitate the signal amplification. Based on the DNA polymerase and endonuclease Nb.BbvCI-assisted chain extension, a large amount of single-strand DNA sequences that can fold into G-quadruplex are produced to specifically recognize commercial fluorescent dye thioflavin T for signal generation. Consequently, the approach exhibits a high detection sensitivity with the limit of detection as low as 768 fM, holding a great promise for detection of thrombin and disease diagnosis in the clinic.
“Are you there?”: Teaching presence and interaction in large online literature classes
Authors: Li Fang
Published: December 2022

Increasing interaction in large online classes is a challenge that many teachers are facing in the post-pandemic era. This study, rooted in Garrison et al.’s CoI (Community of Inquiry) framework, employs both quantitative and qualitative methods to explore what a teacher can do in large online literature classes to promote interaction by way of enhancing teaching presence. The correlation and regression analysis of the questionnaire survey indicates that the teacher’s strategies lead to high levels of teaching, social and cognitive presence, and in turn facilitate students’ online interaction, resulting in their strong sense of satisfaction. Besides, it suggests teaching presence has stronger relationship with cognitive presence than social presence. In addition, social and cognitive presences are strong predictors for learning outcomes which account for 68% of the explained variance in this study. Students’ online interaction in the form of postings show that they are more cognitively engaged rather than socially involved, which implies that students are more focused on the construction of knowledge rather than try to be connected in the community. The limited peer interaction in spite of students’ acknowledgement that peer interaction plays a unique role in pushing them towards better understanding of the texts poses the teacher another challenge for enhancing social presence.
What I Wish My Instructor Knew: How Active Learning Influences the Classroom Experiences and Self-Advocacy of STEM Majors with ADHD and Specific Learning Disabilities
Authors: Pfeifer Mariel A. , Cordero Julio J. , Stanton Julie Dangremond
Published: December 2022

The experiences of STEM students with ADHD and specific learning disabilities are centered to determine how these students perceive active learning as influencing their classroom and self-advocacy experiences. The way an active-learning practice is implemented and limited awareness of universal design for learning likely contribute to active-learning barriers.
Predictors of Scientific Civic Engagement (PSCE) Survey: A Multidimensional Instrument to Measure Undergraduates’ Attitudes, Knowledge, and Intention to Engage with the Community Using Their Science Skills
Authors: Alam Irfanul , Ramirez Karen , Semsar Katharine , Corwin Lisa A.
Published: December 2022

Scientific civic engagement is an individual’s active participation in a community using science skills with the intention to improve the community or enact positive social change. The Predictors of Scientific Civic Engagement survey measures four predictors of future civic engagement: value, self-efficacy, action, and knowledge.
The bumblebee field excitations in a cosmological braneworld
Authors: Lessa L. A. , Silva J. E. G. , Almeida C. A. S.
Published: December 2022

We investigate the effects of the spacetime curvature and extra dimensions on the excitations of the Lorentz violating bumblebee field B

μ
. By assuming the bumblebee field living in a five-dimensional AdS
5 bulk, we found an exponential suppression of the bumblebee self-interacting constant λ and of the bumblebee vacuum expectation value (VEV) b

M
along the fifth extra dimension. The fluctuations of the bumblebee field upon the VEV can be decomposed into transverse and longitudinal modes with respect to b

M
. For a spacelike b

M
along the extra dimension and assuming a thin FRW 3-brane embedded in the AdS
5, the transverse mode is localized on the brane. The bulk geometry leads to a propagating and unbound longitudinal mode along the extra dimension. On the brane, the cosmological expansion leads to the decay of the longitudinal mode in time, as Δt ≈ H
−1.
Middle Ear Condition at the Time of Pediatric Myringotomy Tube Placement: Pain Associations Following Intraoperative Fentanyl/Ketorolac and Seasonal Variation
Authors: Cohen William G. , Zhang Bingqing , Lee David R. , Ampah Steve B. , Sobol Steven E. , Cook-Sather Scott D.
Published: December 2022

BACKGROUND:

Ketorolac-refractory pain behavior following bilateral myringotomy and pressure equalization tube placement (BMT) is associated with the absence of middle ear fluid. Intraoperative fentanyl/ketorolac affords more reliable pain control than ketorolac alone. We hypothesized that middle ear condition would correlate with postoperative pain despite such combination therapy. We further sought to demonstrate seasonal variation in ear condition and its influence on pain.

METHODS:

We conducted a single-institution retrospective cohort study of healthy children (9 months–7 years), who underwent BMT by a single surgeon from 2015 to 2020. Anesthetic care included sevoflurane/nitrous oxide/oxygen/air by mask and intramuscular fentanyl/ketorolac. Left/right middle ear fluid status was recorded at the time of BMT, and ear condition (primary exposure) was dichotomized as bilateral infected (mucoid or purulent) or normal/unilateral infected. The primary outcome was maximum postanesthesia care unit Face, Legs, Activity, Cry, and Consolability (FLACC) score: 4–10 (moderate-to-severe pain) versus 0–3 (no-to-low pain). Rescue oxycodone, acetaminophen administration, and emergence agitation were secondary outcomes. Statistical analysis incorporated generalized linear mixed-effect models (GLMMs) with random intercepts to account for clustering by anesthesia provider. A year-over-year monthly time-series analysis was conducted using an autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) regression model.

RESULTS:

Excluding recurrent cases, 1149 unique evaluable subjects remained. Bilateral infection prevalence was 39.8% (457/1149; 95% confidence interval [CI], 37.0–42.6). Probability of moderate-to-severe pain behavior was 23.5% (270/1149; 95% CI, 21.1–26.0) overall. Compared to patients with bilateral infected middle ears, those with normal/unilateral infected ears were more likely to have a FLACC score ≥4 (26.7% [185/692] versus 18.6% [85/457]; odds ratio [95% CI], 1.7 [1.2–2.3]; P = .002). Variability in pain outcome explained by the multivariable GLMM was 4.7%. Fentanyl dose response was evidenced by oxycodone administration differences (P ≤ 0.002). Moderate-to-severe pain and emergence agitation were more likely with reduced fentanyl dosing. Bilateral infection prevalence exhibited seasonality, peaking in March and nadiring in July. However, pain outcomes did not vary by season.

CONCLUSIONS:

Normal/unilateral infected ears at time of pediatric BMT are associated with higher incidence of moderate-to-severe postoperative pain following intraoperative fentanyl/ketorolac administration, but the predictive value of ear condition on pain is limited. Infections were less common in the summer.
Foxd1-dependent induction of a temporal retinal character is required for visual function
Authors: Hernández-Bejarano María , Gestri Gaia , Monfries Clinton , Tucker Lisa , Dragomir Elena I. , Bianco Isaac H. , Bovolenta Paola , Wilson Stephen W. , Cavodeassi Florencia
Published: December 2022

Appropriate patterning of the retina during embryonic development is assumed to underlie the establishment of spatially localised specialisations that mediate the perception of specific visual features. For example, in zebrafish, an area involved in high acuity vision (HAA) is thought to be present in the ventro-temporal retina. Here, we show that the interplay of the transcription factor Rx3 with Fibroblast Growth Factor and Hedgehog signals initiates and restricts foxd1 expression to the prospective temporal retina, initiating naso-temporal regionalisation of the retina. Abrogation of Foxd1 results in the loss of temporal and expansion of nasal retinal character, and consequent absence of the HAA. These structural defects correlate with severe visual defects, as assessed in optokinetic and optomotor response assays. In contrast, optokinetic responses are unaffected in the opposite condition, in which nasal retinal character is lost at the expense of expanded temporal character. Our study indicates that the establishment of temporal retinal character during early retinal development is required for the specification of the HAA, and suggests a prominent role of the temporal retina in controlling specific visual functions.
Energy security as a research area of international security
Authors: Misiągiewicz Justyna
Published: December 2022

Energy security is the basic analytical category for this conducted study and its findings that are included in the article. This category defines the scope and the specific character of research and its relation to security studies. It is an important element of the epistemic layer of the conducted research. On the other hand, in terms of social reality and ontology, energy security is a foreign policy objective, an international value, and a dynamic process. It concerns various types of actors: from individuals to large social groups, institutions, states, nations, and international systems. Therefore, energy security policy aims to protect the state and society against numerous threats, the multitude, unpredictability, and complexity of which result from the polyarchic international system. The research objective of the study is to analyse the essence and specificity of energy security in the light of research on international security. Thus, various theoretical approaches, useful in the analysis of energy security issues, were taken into account. Their usefulness was also determined in the case of the analysis of the specificity of the contemporary energy market.        

The analysis allows us to conclude that energy security issues take into account long-term development trends as well as unpredictable events related to the functioning of energy market and energy technology. Thus, unexpected, sudden phenomena resulting from the dynamics of the international environment gain in importance. The dilemma related to non-linear thinking often ignores a variety of solutions that, taken together, can cause a radical turn in the energy security concept and its evolution.
Deep Learning for Commodity Procurement: Nonlinear Data-Driven Optimization of Hedging Decisions
Authors: Busch Nicolas , Crönert Tobias , Minner Stefan , Rettinger Moritz , Sel Burakhan
Published: December 2022

As the number of exchange-traded commodity contracts and their volatility increase, risk management through financial hedging gains importance for commodity-purchasing firms. Existing data-driven optimization approaches for hedging decisions include linear regression-based techniques. As such, they assume linear price–feature relationships and, thus, do not automatically detect nonlinear feature effects. We propose an alternative, nonlinear data-driven approach to commodity procurement based on deep learning. The prescriptive algorithm uses artificial neural networks to allow for universal approximation and requires no a priori knowledge regarding underlying price processes. We reformulate the periodic review procurement problem as a multilabel time series classification problem as the optimal bang-bang type procurement policy allows us to treat the hedging decision for each demand period as an individual subproblem that is independent of the other periods. Thereby, we are differentiating between optimal and suboptimal hedging decisions in each period and introduce a novel opportunity cost–sensitive loss function. We train maximum likelihood classifiers based on different deep learning architectures and test their performance in numerical experiments and case studies for natural gas, crude oil, nickel, and copper procurement. We show comparable performance to the state of the art for linear price–feature relationships and considerable advantages in the nonlinear case.

Funding: Financial support received through the DFG as part of the AdONE GRK2201 [Grant 277991500] is gratefully acknowledged.
Quality Characteristics and Antioxidant Activities of Kombucha Added with Orostachys japonicus During Fermentation
Authors: Jeon Joo Young , Kim Myung Hyun , Han Young Sil
Published: December 2022

In this study, kombucha was prepared by adding 0%, 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100% of Orostachys japonicus as a natural functional source to broaden its usage and obtain valuable data for fermented beverage research. The kombucha’s pH and sugar content decreased during the fermentation period, but its acidity level increased during the same period. Additionally, its L value increased after decreasing, its a value decreased after increasing, its b value continued to increase, and its sugar reduction increased and then decreased. In the sensory characteristic strength evaluation, its color, fermented odor, and sour taste became stronger, but its sweetness became less. As a result of preference evaluation, fragrance and swallowing capability stood the highest in the 25% addition group, color and taste were the highest in the 50% addition group, and overall preference was highest in the 50% addition group. Total flavonoids, total polyphenols, DPPH, ABTS radical scavenging ability, and reducing power increased until the third day of the experiment and decreased afterward. Therefore, the study determined that fermenting kombucha with 50% Orostachys japonicus extract for 9 days would increase its quality characteristics and provide the most palatability.
Quality Characteristics of Convenient Rice Porridge Prepared with Freeze-Dried Cooked Rice
Authors: Jeon Jae-Eun , Lee In-Seon
Published: December 2022

In this study, the authors investigated the quality characteristics of convenient rice porridge made from powder (PR) and half-rice (HR) sized freeze-dried cooked rice using Samgwang and Jinsumi rice. The hydration properties of the freeze-dried cooked rice and the color, viscosity, spreadability, and sensory evaluation of porridge were measured. PR showed significantly higher water-binding capacity, solubility, and swelling power than HR for both varieties (p<0.05). As a result of the quality characteristic of the porridge, PR showed significantly higher lightness, redness, yellowness, viscosity, and spreadability than HR (p<0.05). Acceptance testing showed that HR had significantly better results for all acceptance attributes than PR (p<0.05). Jinsumi HR showed better consumer acceptance for taste, texture, and overall acceptability than Samgwang HR (p<0.05). Intensity evaluations of sensory properties revealed that the Samgwang PR was more spreadable but was less chewy than Samgwang HR. Furthermore, Jinsumi HR had higher transparency, greater spreadability, and a better cooked-rice odor and savory taste than Samgwang HR (p<0.05). These results confirm that convenient porridges can be produced using freezedried cooked rice.
Analysis of the Quality Characteristics of Napa Cabbage and Lettuce according to Hot Air Drying Conditions
Authors: Lee Seung-Hee , Lee Mi-Yeon , Ko Eun Young , Lee Hyeonbo , Choi Mi-Jung
Published: December 2022

This study aims to investigate the effect of drying temperatures on the quality characteristics and physicochemical properties of vegetables. Lettuce and napa cabbage were dried at 40, 50, and 60°C and analyzed for various quality indexes. Higher drying temperature induced the lower L* and higher a* and b* values of samples. Also, it resulted in lowering the rehydration ratio, pH, and total free amino acid content of dried vegetables. The outcome might be due to the damage to the internal structure of vegetables and the decomposition of free amino acids during thermal treatment. Higher drying temperatures led to higher soluble solid and total polyphenol contents due to the conversion of phenolic compounds from combined to free form during the drying process, which changed phenolic compounds from combined to free form. Consequently, samples dried at higher temperatures had higher DPPH radical scavenging ability. The final moisture content and drying time decreased as the drying temperature increased; moreover, the antioxidant activity increased. A lower drying temperature is beneficial to maintaining the chemical characteristics of crops.
Quality Characteristics of Malt From Domestic Beer Barley Varieties Cultivated under Varying Nitrogen Fertilization Application Rates
Authors: Park Jiyoung , Kim Yang-gil , Park Jong-ho , Choi Hyun-chol , Oh Sea-kwan
Published: December 2022

Korea depends almost entirely on imports for malt, the main ingredient in beer. However, the consumer market for domestic malt has not developed in Korea because of the prejudice that the quality of domestic malt is inferior to that of imported malt. This study aimed to analyze the quality of malt from Gwangmaeg (GM) and Hopum (HP), representative domestic beer barley varieties cultivated under varying nitrogen fertilizer application rates (standard fertilizer application, 50% increase in application, and 50% decrease in application), and use the findings as primary data to promote domestic malt consumption. GM’s crude protein and starch contents were significantly (Ρ<0.05) higher and lower, respectively, than those in HP. With decreased fertilizer application (GM: 14.0±0.8% and HP: 11.4±0.4%), the protein content was significantly lower than that with increased fertilizer application (GM: 15.5± 0.3% and HP: 13.1±1.3%). Although there was no difference in b-glucan content, starch content tended to increase, indicating quality improvement. Acrospire length, yield, and enzyme titer, quality indicators of malt, increased with further fertilizer application, whereas friability and Kolbach index increased with decreased fertilizer application. For wort qualities, filtration time decreased from 36 to 34 minutes in GM and 55 to 42 minutes in HP, with the wort extraction rate increasing with decreased fertilizer application. These findings showed that decreased nitrogen fertilizer application improves the qualities of malt and wort.
Quality and Aroma Characteristics of ‘Fuji’ Apples According to Storage Method
Authors: Park Chun Wan , Choi Dong Soo , Kim Yong Hoon , Kim Jin Se , Kim Seung Heui , Kwack Yong Bum , Song Ju Hee
Published: December 2022

To predict the quality of Fuji apples, this study investigated the characteristics and correlations of their fruit quality according to storage method and storage period. Fuji apples were stored in cold storage at 0°C for 250 days with no treatment, with 1-MCP treatment, and under controlled atmosphere (CA) storage. According to the storage method, the weight loss was the lowest in the CA-treated group (3.43%) until 250 days, and the change in fruit firmness was the least in the 1-MCP group. The titratable acidity remained above 0.2% for 1-MCP and CA storage until 250 days and decreased to 0.1% for cold storage. The principal component analysis showed a difference in quality between the 1-MCP group, CA group, and cold storage group after 200 days of storage. Six types of volatile components were commonly detected in all storage methods, while three types of independent components with a low threshold were detected in 1-MCP. Weight loss, titrable acidity, and firmness were highly correlated with physicochemical quality, and CA storage was judged to be a long-term storage technology that satisfies consumers’ tastes by maintaining excellent flavor and quality.
Wideband Printed Antipodal Vivaldi Antenna using Straight Slots for UHF DVB-T/T2 Applications
Authors: Kwon Na-Rae , Ahn Seong-Hyeop , Lee Wang-Sang
Published: December 2022

This paper presents a wideband printed antipodal Vivaldi antenna using straight slots for UHF DVB-T/T2 applications covering a frequency range of 470–862 MHz. The proposed antenna consists of two radiation flares with straight slots and a feeding line. A wideband impedance matching was achieved by inserting the slots between the flares and the feeding line. For the experimental verification of the proposed antenna, it was fabricated on a flat circular printed circuit board (PCB) substrate with a radius of 0.25 λ0, where λ0 is the wavelength at 0.74 GHz (the center frequency of the operating band). The measured −10 dB impedance bandwidth and maximum gain were approximately 72.1% (0.47–1.00 GHz) and 2.57 dBi, respectively. Due to the addition of the slots, the impedance bandwidth of the proposed antenna was improved by approximately 212% compared with the Vivaldi antenna without slots.
Empirical mode decomposition for post-processing the GRACE monthly gravity field models
Authors: Huan Changmin
Published: December 2022

Considering the advantage of Empirical Mode Decomposition (EMD) for extracting the geophysical signals and filtering out the noise, this paper will first apply the EMD approach to post-process the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) monthly gravity field models. A 14-year time-series of Release 06 (RL06) monthly gravity field models from the Center for Space Research (CSR) truncated to degree and order 60 from the period April 2002 to August 2016 are analyzed using the EMD approach compared with traditional Gaussian smoothing filtering. Almost all fitting errors of GRACE spherical harmonic coefficients by the EMD approach are smaller than those by Gaussian smoothing, indicating that EMD can retain more information of the original spherical harmonic coefficients. The ratios of latitude-weighted RMS over the land and ocean signals are adopted to evaluate the efficiency of eliminating noise. The results show that almost all ratios of RMS for the EMD approach are higher than those of Gaussian smoothing, with the mean ratio of RMS of 3.61 for EMD and 3.41 for Gaussian smoothing, respectively. Therefore, we can conclude that the EMD method can filter noise more effectively than Gaussian smoothing, especially for the high-degree coefficients, and retain more geophysical signals with less leakage effects.
Low-cost and flexible paper-based plasmonic nanostructure for a highly sensitive SERS substrate
Authors: Dong Jun , Cao Yi , Yuan Jiaxin , Wu Haoran , Zhao Yizhen , Li Chenlu , Han Qingyan , Gao Wei , Wang Yongkai , Qi Jianxia
Published: December 2022

The application of a noble-metal-based plasmon-enhanced substrate to detect low-concentration analytes has attracted extensive attention. Most of the substrates used in recently reported researches are based on two-dimensional structures. Hence, we prepared a higher efficiency Raman activity substrate with a filter paper structure, which not only provides more plasmonic “hot spots,” but also facilitates analyte extraction and detection due to the flexibility of the paper. The preparation of the plasmonic paper substrate adopted centrifugation to deposit the alloy nanoparticles onto the paper base. The optimal particle deposition condition was found by adjusting the centrifugal force and centrifugation time. Then, the surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) performance of the substrate was enhanced by altering the plasmon resonance peak on the surface of the nanoparticles. The enhancement factor of this paper-based substrate was

1.55

×

1

0

7

, with high detection uniformity (

1

0

−
6

M

, rhodamine 6G) and a low detection limit (

1

0

−
11

M

, rhodamine 6G). Then, we applied the SERS substrate to pesticide detection; the detection limit of the thiram reached

1

0

−
6

M

. As a result, the simple and cost-effective paper-based SERS substrate obtained in this way has high detection performance for pesticides and can be used for rapid detection in the field, which is beneficial to food safety and environmental safety.
Creeping and erupting dynamics in a pure-quartic soliton fiber laser
Authors: Han Ying , Gao Bo , Wu Ge , Huo Jia-Yu , Wen Hong-Lin , Li Ying-Ying , Liu Lie , Ma Chun-Yang
Published: December 2022

Pure-quartic solitons (PQSs) are gradually becoming a hotspot in recent years due to their potential advantage to achieve high energy. Meanwhile, the fundamental research of PQSs is still in the fancy stage, and exploring soliton dynamics can promote the development of PQSs. Herein, we comprehensively and numerically investigate the impact of saturation power, small-signal gain, and output coupler on PQS dynamics in passively mode-locked fiber lasers. The result indicates that altering the above parameters makes PQSs exhibit pulsating or creeping dynamics similar to traditional solitons. Moreover, introducing an intra-cavity filter combined with intra-cavity large fourth-order dispersion makes PQSs go through stationary, pulsating to erupting. That is, the intra-cavity filter changes PQS dynamics. These findings provide new insights into PQS dynamics in fiber lasers.
Electrically driven supersymmetric semiconductor laser arrays with single-lobe far-field patterns
Authors: Fu Ting , Chen Jingxuan , Wang Yufei , Zhou Xuyan , Qi Aiyi , Wang Xueyou , Dai Yingqiu , Wang Mingjin , Zheng Wanhua
Published: December 2022

Semiconductor laser arrays based on the third-order supersymmetric (SUSY) transformation are proposed to increase the mode discrimination between fundamental supermode and high-order supermodes. The distance between the edge waveguide of the main array and that of the superpartners is optimized. Then, the electric field distributions of different modes are also calculated, which show that, except for the fundamental supermode, the high-order supermodes penetrate deeper into the superpartner arrays, which accounts for the increased loss of high-order supermodes. The fabricated third-order SUSY laser array can emit light with a single-lobe far-field pattern under an injection current of 70 mA, which is a promising candidate for optical couplings between lasers and optical elements.
Identification of genetic variants of the industrial yeast Komagataella phaffii (Pichia pastoris) that contribute to increased yields of secreted heterologous proteins
Authors: Offei Benjamin , Braun-Galleani Stephanie , Venkatesh Anjan , Casey William T. , O’Connor Kevin E. , Byrne Kevin P. , Wolfe Kenneth H.
Published: December 2022

The yeast Komagataella phaffii (formerly called Pichia pastoris) is used widely as a host for secretion of heterologous proteins, but only a few isolates of this species exist and all the commonly used expression systems are derived from a single genetic background, CBS7435 (NRRL Y-11430). We hypothesized that other genetic backgrounds could harbor variants that affect yields of secreted proteins. We crossed CBS7435 with 2 other K. phaffii isolates and mapped quantitative trait loci (QTLs) for secretion of a heterologous protein, β-glucosidase, by sequencing individual segregant genomes. A major QTL mapped to a frameshift mutation in the mannosyltransferase gene HOC1, which gives CBS7435 a weaker cell wall and higher protein secretion than the other isolates. Inactivation of HOC1 in the other isolates doubled β-glucosidase secretion. A second QTL mapped to an amino acid substitution in IRA1 that tripled β-glucosidase secretion in 1-week batch cultures but reduced cell viability, and its effects are specific to this heterologous protein. Our results demonstrate that QTL analysis is a powerful method for dissecting the basis of biotechnological traits in nonconventional yeasts, and a route to improving their industrial performance.
Prevalence, patterns and predictors of metabolic abnormalities in Nigerian hypertensives with hypertriglyceridemic waist phenotype: A cross sectional study
Authors: Amadi Casmir E. , Mbakwem Amam C. , Duro Dolapo C. , Udenze Ifeoma C. , Akinsola Clement M. , Ajuluchukwu Jayne N. , Wale Oke David A.
Published: December 2022

Background

Simultaneous presence of elevated waist circumference and hypertriglyceridemia (HTGW) is a simple and low-cost measure of visceral obesity, and it is associated with a plethora of cardio-metabolic abnormalities that can increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases and incident Type 2 diabetes mellitus. We decided to study the prevalence, patterns, and predictors of metabolic abnormalities in Nigerian hypertensives with the HTGW phenotype.

Methods

The medical records of 582 hypertensives with complete data of interest were retrieved and analyzed for the study. Their socio-demographic data, anthropometric data, and booking blood pressure values were retrieved. The results of their fasting plasma glucose, lipid profile, uric acid and serum creatinine were also retrieved for analysis.

Results

The mean age of the study population was 56.2 ±13.6, with 53.1% being males. The prevalence of smoking and use of alcohol was 4.3% and 26.5% respectively. The prevalence of the HTGW phenotype was 23.4% and were predominantly males (61%). Subjects with the HTGW phenotype were more obese assessed by waist circumference (WC) and body mass index (BMI). Mean serum total cholesterol, triglyceride, very low-density lipoprotein, uric acid, and creatinine were significantly higher in the HTGW phenotype (p = 0.003; <0.001; <0.001; 0.002 and <0.001 respectively). The prevalence of newly diagnosed Type 2 diabetes was 28.7%. There was also a preponderance of cardio-metabolic abnormalities (obesity, dyslipidaemia, hyperuricemia) in the HTGW phenotype. In both males and females, the HGTW phenotype was significantly associated with elevated Tc, TG, VLDL, hyperuricemia and atherogenic index of plasma.

Conclusion

The HTGW phenotype is common amongst Nigerian hypertensives, and it is associated with metabolic abnormalities.
Long read single cell RNA sequencing reveals the isoform diversity of Plasmodium vivax transcripts
Authors: Hazzard Brittany , Sá Juliana M. , Ellis Angela C. , Pascini Tales V. , Amin Shuchi , Wellems Thomas E. , Serre David
Published: December 2022

Plasmodium vivax infections often consist of heterogenous populations of parasites at different developmental stages and with distinct transcriptional profiles, which complicates gene expression analyses. The advent of single cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) enabled disentangling this complexity and has provided robust and stage-specific characterization of Plasmodium gene expression. However, scRNA-seq information is typically derived from the end of each mRNA molecule (usually the 3’-end) and therefore fails to capture the diversity in transcript isoforms documented in bulk RNA-seq data. Here, we describe the sequencing of scRNA-seq libraries using Pacific Biosciences (PacBio) chemistry to characterize full-length Plasmodium vivax transcripts from single cell parasites. Our results show that many P. vivax genes are transcribed into multiple isoforms, primarily through variations in untranslated region (UTR) length or splicing, and that the expression of many isoforms is developmentally regulated. Our findings demonstrate that long read sequencing can be used to characterize mRNA molecules at the single cell level and provides an additional resource to better understand the regulation of gene expression throughout the Plasmodium life cycle.