bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Zero-shot learning of aerosol optical properties with graph neural networks
Authors: Lamb K. D. , Gentine P.
Published: October 2023

Black carbon (BC), a strongly absorbing aerosol sourced from combustion, is an important short-lived climate forcer. BC’s complex morphology contributes to uncertainty in its direct climate radiative effects, as current methods to accurately calculate the optical properties of these aerosols are too computationally expensive to be used online in models or for observational retrievals. Here we demonstrate that a Graph Neural Network (GNN) trained to predict the optical properties of numerically-generated BC fractal aggregates can accurately generalize to arbitrarily shaped particles, including much larger ($$10\times$$

10
×

) aggregates than in the training dataset. This zero-shot learning approach could be used to estimate single particle optical properties of realistically-shaped aerosol and cloud particles for inclusion in radiative transfer codes for atmospheric models and remote sensing inversions. In addition, GNN’s can be used to gain physical intuition on the relationship between small-scale interactions (here of the spheres’ positions and interactions) and large-scale properties (here of the radiative properties of aerosols).
Biogeography and evolutionary history of Puntius sensu lato (Teleostei: Cyprinidae) in Sri Lanka
Authors: Sudasinghe Hiranya , Ranasinghe Tharindu , Dahanukar Neelesh , Raghavan Rajeev , Rüber Lukas , Pethiyagoda Rohan , Meegaskumbura Madhava
Published: October 2023

Sri Lanka’s biota is derived largely from Southeast Asian lineages which immigrated via India following its early-Eocene contact with Laurasia. The island is now separated from southeastern India by the 30 km wide Palk Strait which, during sea-level low-stands, was bridged by the 140 km-wide Palk Isthmus. Consequently, biotic ingress and egress were mediated largely by the climate of the isthmus. Because of their dependence on perennial aquatic habitats, freshwater fish are useful models for biogeographic studies. Here we investigate the timing and dynamics of the colonization of—and diversification on—Sri Lanka by a group of four closely-related genera of cyprinid fishes (Puntius sensu lato). We construct a molecular phylogeny based on two mitochondrial and two nuclear gene markers, conduct divergence timing analyses and ancestral-range estimations to infer historical biogeography, and use haplotype networks to discern phylogeographic patterns. The origin of Puntius s.l. is dated to ~ 20 Ma. The source of diversification of Puntius s.l. is Sri Lanka-Peninsular India. Species confined to perhumid rainforests show strong phylogeographic structure, while habitat generalists show little or no such structure. Ancestral range estimations for Plesiopuntius bimaculatus and Puntius dorsalis support an ‘Out of Sri Lanka’ scenario. Sri Lankan Puntius s.l. derive from multiple migrations across the Palk Isthmus between the early Miocene and the late Pleistocene. Species dependent on an aseasonal climate survived aridification in rainforest refugia in the island’s perhumid southwest and went on to recolonize the island and even southern India when pluvial conditions resumed. Our results support an historical extinction of Sri Lanka’s montane aquatic fauna, followed by a recent partial recolonization of the highlands, showing also that headwater stream capture facilitated dispersal across basin boundaries.
Comparison of chloroplast genomes and phylogenetic analysis of four species in Quercus section Cyclobalanopsis
Authors: Chen Xiaoli , Li Buyu , Zhang Xuemei
Published: October 2023

The identification in Quercus L. species was considered to be difficult all the time. The fundamental phylogenies of Quercus have already been discussed by morphological and molecular means. However, the morphological characteristics of some Quercus groups may not be consistent with the molecular results (such as the group Helferiana), which may lead to blurring of species relationships and prevent further evolutionary researches. To understand the interspecific relationships and phylogenetic positions, we sequenced and assembled the CPGs (160,715 bp-160842 bp) of four Quercus section Cyclobalanopsis species by Illumina pair-end sequencing. The genomic structure, GC content, and IR/SC boundaries exhibited significant conservatism. Six highly variable hotspots were detected in comparison analysis, among which rpoC1, clpP and ycf1 could be used as molecular markers. Besides, two genes (petA, ycf2) were detected to be under positive selection pressure. The phylogenetic analysis showed: Trigonobalanus genus and Fagus genus located at the base of the phylogeny tree; The Quercus genus species were distincted to two clades, including five sections. All Compound Trichome Base species clustered into a single branch, which was in accordance with the results of the morphological studies. But neither of group Gilva nor group Helferiana had formed a monophyly. Six Compound Trichome Base species gathered together in pairs to form three branch respectively (Quercus kerrii and Quercus chungii; Quercus austrocochinchinensis with Quercus gilva; Quercus helferiana and Quercus rex). Due to a low support rate (0.338) in the phylogeny tree, the interspecies relationship between the two branches differentiated by this node remained unclear. We believe that Q. helferiana and Q. kerrii can exist as independent species due to their distance in the phylogeny tree. Our study provided genetic information in Quercus genus, which could be applied to further studies in taxonomy and phylogenetics.
Assessment of in vitro anti-skin aging activities of Phyllanthus indofischeri Bennet extracts for dermatological and aesthetic applications
Authors: Boonpisuttinant Korawinwich , Taka Thanachai , Ruksiriwanich Warintorn , Chutoprapat Romchat , Udompong Sarinporn , Kansawang Rattiya , Sangsee Jinapa , Chompoo Wirinda , Samothai Kitrawi , Srisuttee Ratakorn
Published: October 2023

Giant Indian Gooseberry (GIG) or Phyllanthus indofischeri Bennet are commercially cultivated and commonly used herbs in Traditional medicine, especially in Thailand. The aim of this study was to assess the potential of the GIG extracts in anti-aging activities to be a dermatological application. The juice, meat residues, and seeds of GIG collected from Sra Kaeo Province, Thailand, were extracted by the Boiling method (B) and the Maceration process (M) by using 95% ethanol as a solvent. The GIG extracts gave the total phenolic, total flavonoid contents and quercetin contents, as well as exhibited anti-oxidative activities. The GIG-R-B extract inhibited tyrosinase activity and had the highest anti-melanogenesis activity on B16F10 cells at 31.63 ± 0.70%. The GIG-S-B, GIG-S-M, and GIG-R-M extracts demonstrated the highest collagen biosynthesis, which was comparable to vitamin C (p < 0.05), whereas the GIG-R-B extracts gave the highest stimulation of anti-aging genes (SIRT1 and FOXO1). All extracts at the concentration of 0.1 mg/mL showed no cytotoxicity on human skin fibroblasts. Therefore, the GIG-S-B extract was discovered to be a promising natural anti-aging agent for dermatological health and aesthetic applications that can be further developed in cosmetic, functional food and food supplement industries.
Availability of iron ions impacts physicochemical properties and proteome of outer membrane vesicles released by Neisseria gonorrhoeae
Authors: Płaczkiewicz Jagoda , Gieczewska Katarzyna , Musiałowski Marcin , Adamczyk-Popławska Monika , Bącal Paweł , Kwiatek Agnieszka
Published: October 2023

Outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) are bilayer structures released by bacteria for various purposes, e.g., response to environmental factors, bacterial communication, and interactions with host cells. One of the environmental variables bacteria need to react is the amount and availability of iron, a crucial element for bacteria biology. We have investigated the impact of the iron amount and availability on OMV secretion by pathogenic Neisseria gonorrhoeae, which, depending on the infection site, challenges different iron availability. N. gonorrhoeae releases OMVs in iron starvation and repletion growth environments. However, OMVs differed in physicochemical features and proteome according to iron amount and availability during the bacteria growth, as was analyzed by Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry, Infrared spectroscopy with a Fourier transform infrared spectrometer, and Atomic Force Microscopy. OMVs from iron starvation and repletion conditions had a higher variation in size, different flexibility, and different membrane protein and lipid components than OMVs isolated from control growth conditions. These OMVs also varied qualitatively and quantitatively in their total proteome composition and contained proteins unique for iron starvation and repletion conditions. Thus, the modulation of OMVs' properties seems to be a part of N. gonorrhoeae adaptation to surroundings and indicates a new direction of antigonococcal proceeding.
Mathematical modeling of BCG-based bladder cancer treatment using socio-demographics
Authors: Savchenko Elizaveta , Rosenfeld Ariel , Bunimovich-Mendrazitsky Svetlana
Published: October 2023

Cancer is one of the most widespread diseases around the world with millions of new patients each year. Bladder cancer is one of the most prevalent types of cancer affecting all individuals alike with no obvious “prototypical patient”. The current standard treatment for BC follows a routine weekly Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) immunotherapy-based therapy protocol which is applied to all patients alike. The clinical outcomes associated with BCG treatment vary significantly among patients due to the biological and clinical complexity of the interaction between the immune system, treatments, and cancer cells. In this study, we take advantage of the patient’s socio-demographics to offer a personalized mathematical model that describes the clinical dynamics associated with BCG-based treatment. To this end, we adopt a well-established BCG treatment model and integrate a machine learning component to temporally adjust and reconfigure key parameters within the model thus promoting its personalization. Using real clinical data, we show that our personalized model favorably compares with the original one in predicting the number of cancer cells at the end of the treatment, with$$14.8\%$$14.8%improvement, on average.
Diet-induced rewiring of the Wnt gene regulatory network connects aberrant splicing to fatty liver and liver cancer in DIAMOND mice
Authors: López-Pérez Ana , Remeseiro Silvia , Hörnblad Andreas
Published: October 2023

Several preclinical models have been recently developed for metabolic associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) and associated hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) but comprehensive analysis of the regulatory and transcriptional landscapes underlying disease in these models are still missing. We investigated the regulatory and transcriptional landscape in fatty livers and liver tumours from DIAMOND mice that faithfully mimic human HCC development in the context of MAFLD. RNA-sequencing and ChIP-sequencing revealed rewiring of the Wnt/β-catenin regulatory network in DIAMOND tumours, as manifested by chromatin remodelling and associated switching in the expression of the canonical TCF/LEF downstream effectors. We identified splicing as a major mechanism leading to constitutive oncogenic activation of β-catenin in a large subset of DIAMOND tumours, a mechanism that is independent on somatic mutations in the locus and that has not been previously shown. Similar splicing events were found in a fraction of human HCC and hepatoblastoma samples.
Molecular imaging of bacterial outer membrane vesicles based on bacterial surface display
Authors: Szöllősi Dávid , Hajdrik Polett , Tordai Hedvig , Horváth Ildikó , Veres Dániel S. , Gillich Bernadett , Shailaja Kanni Das , Smeller László , Bergmann Ralf , Bachmann Michael , Mihály Judith , Gaál Anikó , Jezsó Bálint , Barátki Balázs , Kövesdi Dorottya , Bősze Szilvia , Szabó Ildikó , Felföldi Tamás , Oszwald Erzsébet , Padmanabhan Parasuraman , Gulyás Balázs Zoltán , Hamdani Nazha , Máthé Domokos , Varga Zoltán , Szigeti Krisztián
Published: October 2023

The important roles of bacterial outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) in various diseases and their emergence as a promising platform for vaccine development and targeted drug delivery necessitates the development of imaging techniques suitable for quantifying their biodistribution with high precision. To address this requirement, we aimed to develop an OMV specific radiolabeling technique for positron emission tomography (PET). A novel bacterial strain (E. coli BL21(DE3) ΔnlpI, ΔlpxM) was created for efficient OMV production, and OMVs were characterized using various methods. SpyCatcher was anchored to the OMV outer membrane using autotransporter-based surface display systems. Synthetic SpyTag-NODAGA conjugates were tested for OMV surface binding and 64Cu labeling efficiency. The final labeling protocol shows a radiochemical purity of 100% with a ~ 29% radiolabeling efficiency and excellent serum stability. The in vivo biodistribution of OMVs labeled with 64Cu was determined in mice using PET/MRI imaging which revealed that the biodistribution of radiolabeled OMVs in mice is characteristic of previously reported data with the highest organ uptakes corresponding to the liver and spleen 3, 6, and 12 h following intravenous administration. This novel method can serve as a basis for a general OMV radiolabeling scheme and could be used in vaccine- and drug-carrier development based on bioengineered OMVs.
Seasonal variations in the phenolic profile, antioxidant activity, and mineral content of south Indian black tea (Camellia sinensis (L.) O. Kuntze)
Authors: Govindasamy Kottur , Sugumar Daisylin Anbu Sujitha , Kandan N. Mani , Nagaprasad N. , Ramaswamy Krishnaraj
Published: October 2023

In the Anamallais region of south India, crop shoots from the UPASI-3, UPASI-9, UPASI-17, Assam seedlings, and TRI-2043 cultivars were examined for seasonal variations in total phenolics, antioxidant activity, and minerals during four harvest seasons: summer (January to March), premonsoon (April and May), monsoon (June to September), and winter (October to December) of two consecutive years. The total phenolics of all cultivars were lower in monsoon period and grew over rest of the seasons and it was greater during summer. Crop shoot antioxidant activity as measured by the DPPH radical scavenging experiment exhibited a similar pattern to total phenolics. Summer was the season with the highest antioxidant activity across all cultivars, followed by premonsoon, winter, and monsoon. On the other hand, the employed cultivars differed noticeably in terms of seasonal change of minerals. These results appear to indicate that the harvest period is hypercritical in deciding the antioxidant potency of tea crop shoots.
Individual and population diversity of 20 representative olfactory receptor genes in pigs
Authors: Kang Mingue , Ahn Byeongyong , Youk Seungyeon , Jeon Hyoim , Soundarajan Nagasundarapandian , Cho Eun-Seok , Park Woncheoul , Park Chankyu
Published: October 2023

Understanding the influence of genetic variations in olfactory receptor (OR) genes on the olfaction-influenced phenotypes such as behaviors, reproduction, and feeding is important in animal biology. However, our understanding of the complexity of the OR subgenome is limited. In this study, we analyzed 1120 typing results of 20 representative OR genes belonging to 13 OR families on 14 pig chromosomes from 56 individuals belonging to seven different breeds using a sequence-based OR typing method. We showed that the presence of copy number variations, conservation of locus-specific diversity, abundance of breed-specific alleles, presence of a loss-of-function allele, and low-level purifying selection in pig OR genes could be common characteristics of OR genes in mammals. The observed nucleotide sequence diversity of pig ORs was higher than that of dogs. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on the individual- or population-level characterization of a large number of OR family genes in livestock species.
Deciphering morphological and biochemical responses of Salvia leriifolia to seed cold plasma treatment, priming, and foliar spraying with nano-salicylic acid
Authors: Ghodsimaab Seyedeh Parisa , Ghasimi Hagh Ziba , Makarian Hassan , Gholipoor Manoochehr
Published: October 2023

The pretreatment of seeds with cold plasma (CP) (0 and 100 w for 240 s), and salicylic acid priming (SA) (0 and 2 mM normal and nano form), and foliar spraying of SA at the six-leaf stage (0 and 2 mM normal and nano form) ofSalvia leriifoliaplants in field condition was studied. Compared to the control plants ofS. leriifolia, the results showed that CP + both forms of SA priming + nano-SA spraying increased plant height, leaf length, plant dry weight, total phenol, and the activities of phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL) and tyrosine ammonia-lyase (TAL) enzymes. The chlorophyll a and b contents in all treated plants remained either unchanged or decreased when compared to the control. The highest PAL activity was obtained in CP-free + hydro-priming + nano-SA foliar spraying. The highest content of caffeic acid was achieved in CP + SA priming + SA foliar spraying in the leaf. The maximum contents of rosmarinic and salvianolic acid were obtained in the control plants. In conclusion, CP and nano-SA can increase PAL and TAL activity and total phenol accumulation inS. leriifoliaplants, but not rosmarinic and salvianolic acid contents. Other phenolic compound enzymes and their production require further study.
Facile fabrication of carboxymethylcellulose/ZnO/g-C3N4 containing nutmeg extract with photocatalytic performance for infected wound healing
Authors: Youshi Maysa , Farahpour Mohammad Reza , Tabatabaei Zohreh Ghazi
Published: October 2023

New topical antibacterial agents are required to inhibit and development of bacteria and also promoting the wound healing process. This study was evaluating the healing effect of Myristica fragrans extract coated with carboxymethyl cellulose, zinc oxide and graphite carbon nitride (CMC/ZnO/g-C3N4/MyR) by photocatalytic process on the healing process of full-thickness infectious excision wounds in mice. Nanosheets were prepared and physicochemical properties were evaluated. Safety, in vitro release, antibacterial activities under in vitro and in vivo condition, wound contraction, histopathological properties and the protein expressions of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), collagen 1A (COL1A) and CD31 were also evaluated. Physicochemical properties confirmed their successful synthesis. Nanosheets exhibited antibacterial activity under in vitro and in vivo conditions. The formulations containing CMC/ZnO/g-C3N4/MyR, significantly (P < 0.05) competed with standard ointment of mupirocin for accelerating the wound healing process due to their effects on bacterial count and the expression of TNF-α and also accelerating the proliferative phase. This structure can be used as a safe structure in combination with other agents for accelerating the wound healing process following future clinical studies.
Network efficiency of spatial systems with fractal morphology: a geometric graphs approach
Authors: Flores-Ortega A. C. , Nicolás-Carlock J. R. , Carrillo-Estrada J. L.
Published: October 2023

The functional features of spatial networks depend upon a non-trivial relationship between the topological and physical structure. Here, we explore that relationship for spatial networks with radial symmetry and disordered fractal morphology. Under a geometric graphs approach, we quantify the effectiveness of the exchange of information in the system from center to perimeter and over the entire network structure. We mainly consider two paradigmatic models of disordered fractal formation, the Ballistic Aggregation and Diffusion-Limited Aggregation models, and complementary, the Viscek and Hexaflake fractals, and Kagome and Hexagonal lattices. First, we show that complex tree morphologies provide important advantages over regular configurations, such as an invariant structural cost for different fractal dimensions. Furthermore, although these systems are known to be scale-free in space, they have bounded degree distributions for different values of an euclidean connectivity parameter and, therefore, do not represent ordinary scale-free networks. Finally, compared to regular structures, fractal trees are fragile and overall inefficient as expected, however, we show that this efficiency can become similar to that of a robust hexagonal lattice, at a similar cost, by just considering a very short euclidean connectivity beyond first neighbors.
Acoustic compression in Zoom audio does not compromise voice recognition performance
Authors: Perepelytsia Valeriia , Dellwo Volker
Published: October 2023

Human voice recognition over telephone channels typically yields lower accuracy when compared to audio recorded in a studio environment with higher quality. Here, we investigated the extent to which audio in video conferencing, subject to various lossy compression mechanisms, affects human voice recognition performance. Voice recognition performance was tested in an old–new recognition task under three audio conditions (telephone, Zoom, studio) across all matched (familiarization and test with same audio condition) and mismatched combinations (familiarization and test with different audio conditions). Participants were familiarized with female voices presented in either studio-quality (N = 22), Zoom-quality (N = 21), or telephone-quality (N = 20) stimuli. Subsequently, all listeners performed an identical voice recognition test containing a balanced stimulus set from all three conditions. Results revealed that voice recognition performance (dʹ) in Zoom audio was not significantly different to studio audio but both in Zoom and studio audio listeners performed significantly better compared to telephone audio. This suggests that signal processing of the speech codec used by Zoom provides equally relevant information in terms of voice recognition compared to studio audio. Interestingly, listeners familiarized with voices via Zoom audio showed a trend towards a better recognition performance in the test (p = 0.056) compared to listeners familiarized with studio audio. We discuss future directions according to which a possible advantage of Zoom audio for voice recognition might be related to some of the speech coding mechanisms used by Zoom.
Effect of cyanide-utilizing bacteria and sulfur on feed utilization, microbiomes, and cyanide degradation in cattle supplemented with fresh cassava root
Authors: Sombuddee Napudsawun , Prachumchai Rittikeard , Khota Waroon , Boontiam Waewaree , Cherdthong Anusorn
Published: October 2023

This study aimed to compare the effects of adding cyanide-utilizing bacteria (CUB) and sulfur on rumen fermentation, the degradation efficiency of hydrogen cyanide (HCN), feed utilization, and blood metabolites in beef cattle fed two levels of fresh cassava root (CR). A 2 × 2 factorial arrangement in a 4 × 4 Latin square design was used to distribute four male purebred Thai native beef cattle (2.5–3.0 years old) with an initial body weight (BW) of 235 ± 15.0 kg. Factor A wasEnterococcus faeciumKKU-BF7 oral direct fed at 108 CFU/ml and 3% dry matter (DM) basis of pure sulfur in concentrate diet. Factor B was the two levels of CR containing HCN at 300 and 600 mg/kg on DM basis. There was no interaction effect between CUB and sulfur supplementation with CR on feed utilization (p > 0.05). Similarly, CUB and sulfur supplementation did not affect (p > 0.05) DM intake and apparent nutrient digestibility. However, the high level of CR supplementation increased (p < 0.05) feed intake and neutral detergent fiber digestibility. The ruminal pH, microbial population, ammonia–nitrogen, blood urea nitrogen, and blood thiocyanate concentrations were unaffected by the addition of CUB and sulfur at two CR concentrations (p > 0.05). The addition of CUB or sulfur had no effect on the efficiency of HCN degradation in the rumen (p > 0.05). However, cattle given CR with HCN at 600 mg/kg DM had considerably higher degradation efficiency than those fed CR containing HCN at 300 mg/kg DM (p < 0.05). The group fed CUB had a considerably greater CUB population (p < 0.05) than the sulfur group. Cyanide-utilizing bacteria or sulfur supplementation with CR had no interaction effect between total VFAs and their profiles (p > 0.05). However, the study observed a significant positive correlation between the amount of CR and the concentration of propionate in the rumen (p < 0.05). The levels of nitrogen absorption and nitrogen retention did not differ significantly among the treatments (p > 0.05). Hence, it may be inferred that the administration of a high concentration of CR at a dosage of 600 mg/kg DM HCN could potentially provide advantageous outcomes when animals are subjected to oral CUB incorporation.
The impact and complete genome characterisation of viruses involved in outbreaks of gastroenteritis in a farrow-to-finish holding
Authors: Brnić Dragan , Vlahović Dunja , Gudan Kurilj Andrea , Maltar-Strmečki Nadica , Lojkić Ivana , Kunić Valentina , Jemeršić Lorena , Bačani Ivica , Kompes Gordan , Beck Relja , Mikuletič Tina , Steyer Andrej
Published: October 2023

Viral enteric pathogens continuously burden intensive pig farming, causing gastrointestinal diseases of epidemic and endemic nature. The present study investigated two diarrhoea outbreaks on a large farrow-to-finish holding and subsequent circulation of outbreak-related enteric viruses. These viruses were characterised by whole genome sequencing, and statistical evaluation of the impact on specific production metrics was performed. The results provided evidence that the Porcine epidemic diarrhoea virus–swine enteric coronavirus (PEDV–SeCoV) S gene recombinant strain was responsible for the first outbreak, whilst Rotavirus A (RVA) in a mixed infection with Rotavirus B (RVB) and porcine kobuvirus (PKV) probably caused the second diarrhoea outbreak. Whole genome characterisation revealed a porcine origin of all viruses involved and significant heterogeneity of RVB strain, proposing four novel genotypes and changes in RVB VP1 genotype classification. The statistical evaluation confirmed only a minor disturbance in the number of weaned pigs per sow, with statistical forecasting showing positive trends. A follow-up study corroborated the endemicity of RVA and PKV, in contrast to PEDV–SeCoV. Punctual, comprehensive and timely investigation of diarrhoea outbreaks is a prerequisite for applying adequate pig health and biosecurity management. Calculating such outbreaks' impact on production metrics can potentially shape future decisions on management improvements.
Association between depression and endometriosis using data from NHANES 2005–2006
Authors: Hu Pan-Wei , Zhang Xiao-Le , Yan Xiao-Tong , Qi Cong , Jiang Guo-Jing
Published: October 2023

Studies on the association between depression and self-reported endometriosis are limited, and further studies are required to investigate this association. Data were collected from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey database (2005–2006). Based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria, 100 participants with self-reported endometriosis and 1295 participants without self-reported endometriosis were included, representing a total population of 64,989,430. Depression severity was assessed using the Patient Health Questionnaire 9 (PHQ9). A survey-weighted logistic regression analysis was performed to explore the association between depression and endometriosis. Subgroup analyses were conducted to explore heterogeneity. The prevalence of endometriosis was 7.17%. A significant positive association was found between the PHQ9 score and endometriosis. After adjusting for all covariates, the PHQ9 score positively correlated with endometriosis. Furthermore, compared with the participants without depression, those with moderate depression were more prone to have endometriosis both in unadjusted and fully adjusted model. However, the relationship between severe depression and endometriosis was not significant in all models (P > 0.05). Our findings highlight the influence of depression on the prevalence of self-reported endometriosis. Further studies are required to elucidate the causal relationship between depression and self-reported endometriosis.
Crystals structures of carbonate phases with Mg in Triassic rocks, mineral formation and transitions
Authors: Stanienda-Pilecki Katarzyna J.
Published: October 2023

Detailed data on carbonate minerals different in magnesium content including their crystal structures were presented in this article. The samples were collected from the formations of the Lower Muschelkalk and the Upper Muschelkalk. X-ray diffraction and electron microprobe analysis were used for carbonate phases determination. The following minerals with different Mg content were identified: low-Mg calcite, high-Mg calcite, proto-dolomite, ordered dolomite and de-huntite. The content of Mg in high-Mg calcite is higher than in low-Mg calcite but lower than that of proto-dolomite. Proto-dolomite is characterized by lower content of Mg than typical for stoichiometric value for dolomite—ordered dolomite. Due to the reduced Mg content in identified huntite, this carbonate phase was named as de-huntite. The research results are significant because they are a source of new data on carbonate phases with different Mg content which build studied Triassic rocks and crystal structures of these minerals.
Analysis of risk factors and prognostic factors of brain metastasis in gastric cancer: a surveillance, epidemiology and end-results database study
Authors: Rehman Mohammad Ebad Ur , Kulsoom Afifa , Faraz Fatima , Mustafa Biah , Shahid Abia , Cheema Huzaifa Ahmad , Maqbool Shahzaib , Khan Israr , Hussain Taimoor , Iftikhar Ahmed , Awan Rehmat Ullah , Swed Sarya , Raza Shahzad , Anwer Faiz
Published: October 2023

Brain metastasis in gastric cancer (GC) patients is a rare phenomenon that is associated with adverse clinical outcomes and poor survival rates. We conducted a retrospective cohort study to investigate the incidence, risk factors and prognostic factors of brain metastasis in GC patients. Data on sociodemographic and tumor characteristics of GC patients from 2010 to 2019 was extracted from the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End-Results (SEER) database. Descriptive statistics, multivariable logistic and Cox regression were applied on SPSS. Kaplan–Meier-Survival curves and ROC curves were constructed. A total of 59,231 GC patients, aged 66.65 ± 13.410 years were included. Brain metastasis was reported in 368 (0.62%) patients. On logistic regression, the risk of brain metastasis was significantly greater in males, patients aged < 60 years and patients having concurrent bone and lung metastasis. High grade and high N stage were significant risk factors for development of brain metastasis. Patients who had undergone surgery for the primary tumor were at reduced risk for brain metastasis (adjusted odds ratio 0.210, 95% CI 0.131–0.337). The median OS was 3 months in patients with brain metastasis and 17 months in patients without brain metastasis (p < 0.05). On Cox regression, Grade IV tumors and primary antral tumors were significant predictable parameters for poor prognosis. Overall Survival (OS) and Cancer-Specific Survival (CSS) were prolonged in patients who had undergone surgery. Brain metastasis in gastric cancer is associated with significantly worse survival. Employing large-scale screening for high-risk patients holds a promising impact to improve survival rates, but it must be accurately balanced with a comprehensive understanding of clinicopathological aspects for accurate diagnosis and treatment.
Evidence of a metacognitive illusion in judgments about the effects of music on cognitive performance
Authors: Bell Raoul , Komar Gesa Fee , Mieth Laura , Buchner Axel
Published: October 2023

Two experiments serve to examine how people make metacognitive judgments about the effects of task-irrelevant sounds on cognitive performance. According to the direct-access account, people have direct access to the processes causing auditory distraction. According to the processing-fluency account, people rely on the feeling of processing fluency to make heuristic metacognitive judgments about the distracting effects of sounds. To manipulate the processing fluency of simple piano melodies and segments of Mozart’s sonata K. 448, the audio files of the music were either left in their original forward direction or reversed. The results favor the processing-fluency account over the direct-access account: Even though, objectively, forward and backward music had the same distracting effect on serial recall, stimulus-specific prospective metacognitive judgments showed that participants incorrectly predicted only backward music but not forward music to be distracting. The difference between forward and backward music was reduced but not eliminated in global retrospective metacognitive judgments that participants provided after having experienced the distracting effect of the music first-hand. The results thus provide evidence of a metacognitive illusion in people’s judgments about the effects of music on cognitive performance.
Analysis of tumour oxygenation in model animals on a phosphorescence lifetime based macro-imager
Authors: Zhdanov Alexander V. , Sen Rajannya , Devoy Ciaran , Li Liang , Tangney Mark , Papkovsky Dmitri B.
Published: October 2023

Monitoring of tissue O2 is essential for cancer development and treatment, as hypoxic tumour regions develop resistance to radio- and chemotherapy. We describe a minimally invasive technique for the monitoring of tissue oxygenation in developing grafted tumours, which uses the new phosphorescence lifetime based Tpx3Cam imager. CT26 cells stained with a near-infrared emitting nanoparticulate O2 probe NanO2-IR were injected into mice to produce grafted tumours with characteristic phosphorescence. The tumours were allowed to develop for 3, 7, 10 and 17 days, with O2 imaging experiments performed on live and euthanised animals at different time points. Despite a marked trend towards decreased O2 in dead animals, their tumour areas produced phosphorescence lifetime values between 44 and 47 µs, which corresponded to hypoxic tissue with 5–20 μM O2. After the O2 imaging in animals, confocal Phosphorescence Lifetime Imaging Microscopy was conducted to examine the distribution of NanO2-IR probe in the tumours, which were excised, fixed and sliced for the purpose. The probe remained visible as bright and discrete ‘islands’ embedded in the tumour tissue until day 17 of tumour growth. Overall, this O2 macro-imaging method using NanO2-IR holds promise for long-term studies with grafted tumours in live animal models, providing quantitative 2D mapping of tissue O2.
Engineering semi-permeable giant liposomes
Authors: Radhakrishnan Sreelakshmi , Nair Karthika S , Nandi Samir , Bajaj Harsha
Published: October 2023

Giant unilamellar vesicles (GUVs) with semi-permeable nature are constructed as building blocks for synthetic cells.
In the pursuit of a ‘disappearing’ anhydrous phase of the antipyrine–dipicolinic acid (ANT–DPA) co-crystal: explained through relative stability and charge density analyses
Authors: Akram Sehrish , Mehmood Arshad , Noureen Sajida , Ahmed Maqsood
Published: October 2023

The relative stability and growth of the two new cocrystal forms of antipyrine–dipicolinic acid, one of which is the ‘disappearing’ one, were systematically examined.
On the nature of the two-positron bond: evidence for a novel bond type
Authors: Goli Mohammad , Bressanini Dario , Shahbazian Shant
Published: October 2023

The nature of the two-positron bond is considered in the (PsH)2 molecule through an ab initio computational study and a novel bonding character, called gluonic, is attributed to this type of bond.
Raman scattering and spectroscopic ellipsometry studies of Sb2S3 and Sb2Se3 bulk polycrystals
Authors: Hajdeu-Chicarosh Elena , Rotaru Victoria , Levcenko Sergiu , Serna Rosalia , Victorov Ivan A. , Guc Maxim , Caballero Raquel , Merino José Manuel , Arushanov Ernest , León Máximo
Published: October 2023

The optical properties of Sb2Se3 and Sb2S3 polycrystals from 1.0 to 4.6 eV were analyzed. The multi-oscillator Tauc–Lorentz model allowed complex dielectric functions to be parametrized and the optical dielectric functions of the samples were evaluated.
Visible light-responsive materials: the (photo)chemistry and applications of donor–acceptor Stenhouse adducts in polymer science
Authors: Clerc Michèle , Sandlass Sara , Rifaie-Graham Omar , Peterson Julie A. , Bruns Nico , Read de Alaniz Javier , Boesel Luciano F.
Published: October 2023

In this review, the recent developments and challenges in the field of donor–acceptor Stenhouse adduct (DASA)-containing polymers are discussed, aiming at providing a better understanding of the interplay between the properties of both matrix and photoswitch.
Regulating the electronic structure of plasmonic Co/Cu catalysts through morphology engineering to enhance visible-light-driven hydrogen generation from aqueous ammonia borane
Authors: Guo Shoujun , Qiao Yue , Ding Junfang , Guo Yan , Han Chenhui , Gu Xiaojun
Published: October 2023

Plasmonic Co/Cu catalysts with different morphologies were synthesized to explore the impact of the exposed crystal facets on the electronic structure and the charge transfer in photocatalytic hydrogen generation from aqueous ammonia borane.
Efficient one-pot syntheses of secondary amines from nitro aromatics and benzyl alcohols over Pd/NiTi-LDH under visible light
Authors: Wang Jiaqi , Jiang Jiaqi , Li Zhaohui
Published: October 2023

Visible light-initiated one-pot syntheses of secondary amines from the reaction between nitro aromatics and alcohols are realized over Pd/NiTi-LDH via a successful coupling of LDH-based photocatalysis and Pd-based hydrogenation.
A review of progress in proton ceramic electrochemical cells: material and structural design, coupled with value-added chemical production
Authors: Wang Yakun , Ling Yeqing , Wang Bin , Zhai Guowei , Yang Guangming , Shao Zongping , Xiao Rui , Li Tao
Published: October 2023

Improved performance of proton ceramic electrochemical cells (PCECs) through material development and structural design, and application of PCECs for efficient energy conversion render them promising for clean energy and sustainable development.
Sustainable mechanosynthesis of diamide tetraols monomers and their enzymatic polymerization
Authors: Herrlé Chloé , Fadlallah Sami , Toumieux Sylvestre , Wadouachi Anne , Allais Florent
Published: October 2023

Biobased poly(ester-amide)s were synthesized from cellulose-derived levoglucosenone using mechanochemistry and enzymatic polymerization.
Facile synthesis of O-doped carbon nitride nanofibers for two-step single-electron oxygen reduction to H2O2
Authors: Ji Tingshuo , Wei Xue , Wang Juanjuan , Fan Yuanjing , Wang Ziwei , Zhou Shengxian , Wei Xuefeng , Yang Baocheng , Guo Yanzhen
Published: October 2023

O doping is an effective and attractive method for improving the photocatalytic oxygen reduction to H2O2 generation performance.
Post-functionalization of sulfur quantum dots and their aggregation-dependent antibacterial activity
Authors: Mondal Avijit , Pandit Subrata , Sahoo Jagabandhu , Subramaniam Yogeswari , De Mrinmoy
Published: October 2023

Sulfur quantum dots (SQDs) exhibited potent antibacterial activity upon surface functionalization. Yet, hydrophobic ligand attachment diminished efficacy. This study underscores the impact of hydrophobicity on antibacterial agent development.
Acoustic platforms meet MXenes – a new paradigm shift in the palette of biomedical applications
Authors: Richard Bartholomew , Shahana C. , Vivek Raju , M. Amarendar Reddy , Rasheed P. Abdul
Published: October 2023

Acoustic applications of MXenes including artificial eardrum, photoacoustic imaging, acoustic sensors, sonodynamic therapy and thermoacoustic devices.
Trends in carbazole synthesis – an update (2013–2023)
Authors: Allen Lewis A. T. , Natho Philipp
Published: October 2023

This review discusses last decade's developments in carbazole synthesis. Aspects of selectivity and functional group tolerance are evaluated, as well as the applicability of such protocols towards the total synthesis of natural products.
Synthesis, characterization, and evaluation of polymeric surfactants derived from PET plastic waste as green corrosion inhibitor of steel surfaces in marine environment for heavy industry
Authors: Abdel-Hameed Reda , Aleid Ghadah M. S. , Ragab Hanan , Alshafey Hussin , Alosaimi Abeer M.
Published: October 2023

The aim of this work was to prepare a nonionic polymeric surfactant from a recycled product of poly(ethylene terephthalate) plastic waste, PET.
Super tough and high adhesive eutectic ionogels enabled by high-density hydrogen bond network
Authors: Jin Li , Ju Su , Zhao Yiming , Xing Suli , Tang Jun , He Yonglyu , Chen Chen , Liang Gengyuan , Zhang Jianwei
Published: October 2023

In this paper, ionogels with high mechanical properties were prepared by constructing a high-density hydrogen bond crosslinking network. The ionogel also has excellent transparency, environmental stability, adhesion and shape memory ability.
Accelerating water oxidation – a mixed Co/Fe polyoxometalate with improved turnover characteristics
Authors: Soriano-López Joaquín , Steuber Friedrich W. , Mulahmetović Muhamed , Besora Maria , Clemente-Juan Juan Modesto , O'Doherty Mariah , Zhu Nian-Yong , Hill Craig L. , Coronado Eugenio , Poblet Josep M. , Schmitt Wolfgang
Published: October 2023

A novel mixed-metal cobalt–iron polyoxometalate (POM) aids the understanding of the role of the inner, coordinatively saturated metal ions in Weakley archetype POMs on the catalytic OER activity.
Biomass-derived 2D carbon materials: structure, fabrication, and application in electrochemical sensors
Authors: Xiao Xuanyu , Li Lei , Deng Hui , Zhong Yuting , Deng Wei , Xu Yuanyuan , Chen Zhiyu , Zhang Jieyu , Hu Xuefeng , Wang Yunbing
Published: October 2023

The latest methods and mechanisms of BC material synthesis and their applications in electrochemical sensors are systematically reviewed. The challenges and prospects of BC in building electrochemical sensors are also emphasized.
Elaboration of Ce:(Lu,Gd)3Al5O12–Al2O3 transparent nanoceramics through full glass crystallization for high-power white LED/LD lighting
Authors: Fu Jie , Zhang Ying , Feng Shaowei , Guo Yongchang , Yang Yafeng , Genevois Cécile , Véron Emmanuel , Wang Hui , Allix Mathieu , Li Jianqiang
Published: October 2023

Ce:LuGAG-Al2O3 nanoceramics prepared by partially replacing Lu3+ with Gd3+ through glass crystallization solve the inherent problem that Ce:LuAG phosphor ceramics cannot be used for white lighting.
Scalable stellar evolution forecasting
Authors: Maltsev K. , Schneider F. R. N. , Röpke F. K. , Jordan A. I. , Qadir G. A. , Kerzendorf W. E. , Riedmiller K. , van der Smagt P.
Published: October 2023

Many astrophysical applications require efficient yet reliable forecasts of stellar evolution tracks. One example is population synthesis, which generates forward predictions of models for comparison with observations. The majority of state-of-the-art rapid population synthesis methods are based on analytic fitting formulae to stellar evolution tracks that are computationally cheap to sample statistically over a continuous parameter range. The computational costs of running detailed stellar evolution codes, such as MESA, over wide and densely sampled parameter grids are prohibitive, while stellar-age based interpolation in-between sparsely sampled grid points leads to intolerably large systematic prediction errors. In this work, we provide two solutions for automated interpolation methods that offer satisfactory trade-off points between cost-efficiency and accuracy. We construct a timescale-adapted evolutionary coordinate and use it in a two-step interpolation scheme that traces the evolution of stars from zero age main sequence all the way to the end of core helium burning while covering a mass range from 0.65 to 300 M⊙. The feedforward neural network regression model (first solution) that we train to predict stellar surface variables can make millions of predictions, sufficiently accurate over the entire parameter space, within tens of seconds on a 4-core CPU. The hierarchical nearest-neighbor interpolation algorithm (second solution) that we hard-code to the same end achieves even higher predictive accuracy, the same algorithm remains applicable to all stellar variables evolved over time, but it is two orders of magnitude slower. Our methodological framework is demonstrated to work on the MESA ISOCHRONES AND STELLAR TRACKS (Choi et al. 2016) data set, but is independent of the input stellar catalog. Finally, we discuss the prospective applications of these methods and provide guidelines for generalizing them to higher dimensional parameter spaces.
FeCl3-Catalyzed Aerobic Oxidative Degradation of Polystyrene to Benzoic Acid: Scope and Mechanism
Authors: Zhang Guoxiang , Xue Ting , Wang Liting , Wang Sichang , Ke Congyu , Zeng Rong
Published: October 2023

Chemical upcycling of polystyrene (PS) is one of the most promising approaches to plastic waste reuse and to achieve economic development goals. However, it remains a huge challenge because PS has only chemically inert covalent bonds. As part of an ongoing study, we herein describe the development, scope, and mechanism of photoinduced iron catalysis for the selective oxidative degradation of polystyrene to benzoic acid. A series of commonly found polystyrene products could be degraded to benzoic acid efficiently. A plausible mechanism involving radical-based stepwise aerobic oxidation was proposed.
A Spontaneous Tubal Heterotopic Triplet Pregnancy Resulting in Viable Twin Deliveries
Authors: Kassi Luce , Lantos Emma , Sheran Jordan , Yee Lynn M.
Published: October 2023

There are limited U.S. reports of spontaneous triplet heterotopic pregnancies discussing both maternal and fetal outcomes. A 34-year-old patient at 7 weeks of gestation presented to the emergency department with abdominal pain. She was diagnosed with a spontaneous heterotopic triplet pregnancy, consisting of a twin monochorionic-diamniotic intrauterine gestation and a ruptured left ectopic pregnancy. She underwent a laparoscopic unilateral salpingectomy. Her antepartum course was complicated by gestational diabetes mellitus and fetal growth restriction. Delivery of liveborn twins was via a cesarean delivery at 32 weeks. Timely intervention and management of a ruptured spontaneous triplet heterotopic pregnancy can result in a viable twin delivery with overall favorable maternal and newborn outcomes, although long-term implications due to prematurity and other twin sequelae exist.
Photocatalytic [2,3]-Sigmatropic Rearrangement Reactions of Ethyl Diazoacetate
Authors: M. Bopape Karabo , Shah Aryan , Koenigs Rene M.
Published: October 2023

We describe a photocatalytic reaction of diazo compounds with allyl sulfides under visible-light reaction conditions. In the presence of Ru(bpy)3Cl2 as a photocatalyst, a [2,3]-sigmatropic rearrangement reaction occurs that leads to the formation of homoallylic sulfides. This reaction proceeds in acetone as the solvent, which is unusual in carbene-transfer reactions, and it shows a broad substrate scope in the rearrangement reaction of allylic sulfides.