bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Phylloquinone improves endothelial function, inhibits cellular senescence, and vascular inflammation
Authors: Kieronska-Rudek Anna , Kij Agnieszka , Bar Anna , Kurpinska Anna , Mohaissen Tasnim , Grosicki Marek , Stojak Marta , Sternak Magdalena , Buczek Elżbieta , Proniewski Bartosz , Kuś Kamil , Suraj-Prazmowska Joanna , Panek Agnieszka , Pietrowska Monika , Zapotoczny Szczepan , Shanahan Catherine M. , Szabo Csaba , Chlopicki Stefan
Published: July 2024

Phylloquinon (PK) and menaquinones (MK) are both naturally occurring compounds belonging to vitamin K group. Present study aimed to comprehensively analyze the influence of PK in several models of vascular dysfunction to determine whether PK has vasoprotective properties, similar to those previously described for MK. Effects of PK and MK on endothelial dysfunction were studied in ApoE/LDLR−/− mice in vivo, in the isolated aorta incubated with TNF, and in vascular cells as regard inflammation and cell senescence (including replicative and stress-induced models of senescence). Moreover, the vascular conversion of exogenous vitamins to endogenous MK-4 was analyzed. PK, as well as MK, given for 8 weeks in diet (10 mg/kg) resulted in comparable improvement in endothelial function in the ApoE/LDLR−/− mice. Similarly, PK and MK prevented TNF-induced impairment of endothelium-dependent vasorelaxation in the isolated aorta. In in vitro studies in endothelial and vascular smooth muscle cells, we identified that both PK and MK displayed anti-senescence effects via decreasing DNA damage while in endothelial cells anti-inflammatory activity was ascribed to the modulation of NFκB activation. The activity of PK and MK was comparable in terms of their effect on senescence and inflammation. Presence of endogenous synthesis of MK-4 from PK in aorta and endothelial and smooth muscle cells suggests a possible involvement of MK in vascular effects of PK. In conclusion, PK and MK display comparable vasoprotective effects, which may be ascribed, at least in part, to the inhibition of cell senescence and inflammation. The vasoprotective effect of PK in the vessel wall can be related to the direct effects of PK, as well as to the action of MK formed from PK in the vascular wall.
A Lipid-Structured Model of Atherosclerosis with Macrophage Proliferation
Authors: Chambers Keith L. , Watson Michael G. , Myerscough Mary R.
Published: July 2024

Atherosclerotic plaques are fatty deposits that form in the walls of major arteries and are one of the major causes of heart attacks and strokes. Macrophages are the main immune cells in plaques and macrophage dynamics influence whether plaques grow or regress. Macrophage proliferation is a key process in atherosclerosis, particularly in the development of mid-stage plaques, but very few mathematical models include proliferation. In this paper we reframe the lipid-structured model of Ford et al. (J Theor Biol 479:48–63, 2019. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jtbi.2019.07.003) to account for macrophage proliferation. Proliferation is modelled as a non-local decrease in the lipid structural variable. Steady state analysis indicates that proliferation assists in reducing eventual necrotic core lipid content and spreads the lipid load of the macrophage population amongst the cells. The contribution of plaque macrophages from proliferation relative to recruitment from the bloodstream is also examined. The model suggests that a more proliferative plaque differs from an equivalent (defined as having the same lipid content and cell numbers) recruitment-dominant plaque in the way lipid is distributed amongst the macrophages. The macrophage lipid distribution of an equivalent proliferation-dominant plaque is less skewed and exhibits a local maximum near the endogenous lipid content.
Forschungsethische Prinzipien und methodische Güte in der Umfrageforschung
Authors: Zillich Arne Freya , Schlütz Daniela , Roehse Eva-Maria , Möhring Wiebke , Link Elena
Published: July 2024

Die standardisierte Befragung ist eine zentrale empirische Erhebungsmethode in der Kommunikations- und Medienwissenschaft. Es existieren zahlreiche theoretische Zugänge und empirische Studien, um die methodischen Prinzipien und Standards von Umfragen besser zu verstehen und in ihrer Wirkung zu optimieren. Für die Durchführung empirischer Studien sind Kriterien der methodischen Güte zentrale Entscheidungskriterien. Für die Sicherung wissenschaftlicher Qualität ist eine ausschließliche Beachtung methodischer Aspekte jedoch nicht ausreichend; auch aus den forschungsethischen Prinzipien Selbstbestimmung, Schadensvermeidung und Gerechtigkeit sind Beurteilungskriterien ableitbar. Allerdings können methodische und ethische Anforderungen auch im Widerspruch zueinanderstehen; entsprechende Dilemmata können in jeder Phase des Forschungsprozesses auftreten. In solchen Fällen ist eine systematische Güterabwägung zwischen ethischen Bedenken und methodischen Erfordernissen nötig. In der vorliegenden Studie wurden im Rahmen des BMBF-geförderten FeKoM-Verbundprojekts 29 empirisch arbeitende Kommunikationswissenschaftler*innen aus dem deutschsprachigen Raum interviewt, um zu ermitteln, wie sie diese Herausforderungen wahrnehmen und wie sie mit ihnen im Forschungsalltag umgehen. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass die Interviewten keinen der beiden Aspekte priorisieren, sondern danach streben, methodische und ethische Anforderungen miteinander in Einklang zu bringen. Gleichzeitig werden Herausforderungen im jeweiligen Einzelfall sowie grundsätzliche Bedenken hinsichtlich des Stellenwertes von Forschungsethik deutlich.
Dynamic capabilities as a moderator: enhancing the international performance of SMEs with international entrepreneurial orientation
Authors: Fernandes Cristina I. , Ferreira João J. M. , Veiga Pedro Mota , Hu Qilin , Hughes Mathew
Published: July 2024

This paper explores the impact of International Entrepreneurial Orientation (IEO) on the international performance of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs), with a focus on the post-COVID-19 era. IEO, treated as a subdimension of entrepreneurial orientation, is crucial for SMEs in global markets, especially given the challenges posed by the pandemic. The study examines dynamic capabilities as a moderating factor in the IEO-international performance relationship, based on the resource-based view (RBV). A survey involving 120 internationalized SMEs from industrial and service sectors was conducted, and data were analyzed using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) through Partial Least Squares (PLS). The findings indicate that seizing and reconfiguring capabilities significantly enhance the IEO-international performance link while sensing capabilities do not show a notable impact. This research contributes to the literature by affirming the role of dynamic capabilities in strengthening SMEs’ international performance through IEO, highlighting the differential impact of various dynamic capabilities, and offering insights into the specific roles of these capabilities as moderators in the IEO-international performance relationship. The study underscores the importance of strategic entrepreneurial orientation and dynamic capabilities for SMEs in the global market.
Telemedicine in Endourology for Patient Management and Healthcare Delivery: Current Status and Future Perspectives
Authors: Talyshinskii Ali , Naik Nithesh , Hameed B. M. Zeeshan , Khairley Gafour , Randhawa Princy , Somani Bhaskar Kumar
Published: July 2024

Purpose of Review

Researchers have examined how telemedicine affects endourological patients. This review analyzes the literature to determine telemedicine's benefits and limitations in endourology.

Recent Findings

Many studies were devoted to describing the effect of telemedicine on endourological patient satisfaction, optimization of the clinical decision-making among patients with kidney and ureteric stones, the effectiveness of telemedicine in the management of patients with indications for PCNL, follow-up for patients with urolithiasis and describing financial effectiveness for the patients after BOO surgery. The authors describe phone calls, video calls, and online booking platforms as used as telemedicine technology. However, several concerns also exist, such as the necessity of internet connections and appropriate devices, different receptivity among certain subgroups, data safety, and different regulatory environments among countries.

Telemedicine offers the potential to reduce patient travel time, expedite decision-making, and save costs in endourology. However, its everyday implementation is challenging due to various obstacles faced by patients and providers, hindering the realization of its full potential and necessitating a systematic approach to problem-solving.
Longitudinal Assessment of Blood-Based Inflammatory, Neuromuscular, and Neurovascular Biomarker Profiles in Intensive Care Unit–Acquired Weakness: A Prospective Single-Center Cohort Study
Authors: Klawitter Felix , Laukien Friederike , Fischer Dagmar-C. , Rahn Anja , Porath Katrin , Danckert Lena , Bajorat Rika , Walter Uwe , Patejdl Robert , Ehler Johannes
Published: July 2024

Background

The diagnosis of intensive care unit (ICU)-acquired weakness (ICUAW) and critical illness neuromyopathy (CINM) is frequently hampered in the clinical routine. We evaluated a novel panel of blood-based inflammatory, neuromuscular, and neurovascular biomarkers as an alternative diagnostic approach for ICUAW and CINM.

Methods

Patients admitted to the ICU with a Sequential Organ Failure Assessment score of ≥ 8 on 3 consecutive days within the first 5 days as well as healthy controls were enrolled. The Medical Research Council Sum Score (MRCSS) was calculated, and motor and sensory electroneurography (ENG) for assessment of peripheral nerve function were performed at days 3 and 10. ICUAW was defined by an MRCSS < 48 and CINM by pathological ENG alterations, both at day 10. Blood samples were taken at days 3, 10, and 17 for quantitative analysis of 18 different biomarkers (white blood cell count, C-reactive protein, procalcitonin, C-terminal agrin filament, fatty-acid-binding protein 3, growth and differentiation factor 15, syndecan 1, troponin I, interferon-γ, tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-1α [IL-1α], IL-1β, IL-4, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, IL-13, and monocyte chemoattractant protein 1). Results of the biomarker analysis were categorized according to the ICUAW and CINM status. Clinical outcome was assessed after 3 months.

Results

Between October 2016 and December 2018, 38 critically ill patients, grouped into ICUAW (18 with and 20 without) and CINM (18 with and 17 without), as well as ten healthy volunteers were included. Biomarkers were significantly elevated in critically ill patients compared to healthy controls and correlated with disease severity and 3-month outcome parameters. However, none of the biomarkers enabled discrimination of patients with and without neuromuscular impairment, irrespective of applied classification.

Conclusions

Blood-based biomarkers are generally elevated in ICU patients but do not identify patients with ICUAW or CINM.

Trial registration
: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT02706314.
Physiological biodistribution on Ga68-PSMA PET/CT and the factors effecting biodistribution
Authors: Arçay Öztürk Ayça , Erkılıç Metin , Bural Gonca Gül , Aydın Funda , Boz Adil
Published: July 2024

Aim

The study aims to determine the physiological and pathophysiological distribution of the radiopharmaceutical (Ga68-PSMA-617) and investigate whether there are differences in distribution according to the laboratory, histopathological and clinical findings that can affect image evaluation. Also, we aimed to determine cut-off values to distinguish physiological and pathological uptake in prostate, bone, and lymph nodes.

Materials and Methods

229 prostate cancer patients who underwent Ga68-PSMA PET/CT at our department were retrospectively analyzed. The patients were grouped according to PET/CT results, Gleason scores, PSA values, received treatments, metastatic status and other laboratory values. The SUV values of the organs, tissues, and pathological lesions of the patients in these subgroups were compared among themselves.

Results

No significant difference was detected in the physiological uptake of lymph nodes and bone between the groups. In the group with patients that received androgen deprivation therapy (ADT), the bone metastasis SUV values were found to be higher and the SUV values of the submandibular gland and renal cortex were found to be lower (Mann–Whitney U, p = 0.043; 0.004; 0.01, respectively). In the group with patients who received radiotherapy, the normal prostate tissue SUV values were determined to be higher (Mann–Whitney U, p = 0.009). The SUV values of the submandibular gland, muscle, liver, and blood pool were found to be lower in the group of patients with high serum LDH values. The cut-off SUVmax value was determined to be 6.945 (sensitivity 89.6%, specificity 98.1%) for primary prostate lesion; 4.72 for lymph node metastasis; 4.25 for bone metastasis. The serum PSA cut-off value to distinguish the negative/positive groups was found to be 1,505 (sensitivity 79.7%, specificity 77.3%).

Conclusion

In conclusion, PSMA-617 demonstrates a similar biodistribution with other PSMA ligands. The physiological uptake of lymph nodes and bone which are mostly metastasized in prostate cancer, are not affected by the factors we examined. It should be kept in mind that the normal prostate tissue uptake may increase in patients receiving radiotherapy, and the physiological/pathological uptake of the organs may differ due to the changes in PSMA expression in patients receiving ADT, tumor burden, and kidney function may affect the biodistribution.
Ewes of a leather flock together. Feeding management systems during Late Antiquity in the northeast of the Iberian Peninsula (4th c. – 8th c. AD): a dental microwear approach
Authors: Gallego-Valle Abel , Colominas Lídia , Palet Josep Maria
Published: July 2024

In recent years, the dental microwear analysis technique has been proven as an approach for contributing to animal husbandry research. It has been tested with good results on providing information related to the animal feeding strategies of bygone agri-livestock societies. In this paper, we present the first dental microwear study from the northeast of Tarraconensis province –the administrative region covering the northeastern Iberian Peninsula in Late Antiquity (4th – 8th c. CE) – in order to provide first order information about the different systems that may have been used to nourish sheep flocks. A total of 146 lower sheep (Ovis aries) molars from five archaeological sites were analysed. The results allow us to propose that different livestock practices were conducted, and various natural resources were exploited by the region’s inhabitants during Late Antiquity, with fodder being particularly important as a feeding system to nourish the flock.
Prevalence of intestinal protozoan parasites among Asian schoolchildren: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Abdoli Amir , Olfatifar Meysam , Eslahi Aida Vafae , Moghadamizad Zeinab , Nowak Oskar , Pirestani Majid , Karimipour-saryazdi Amir , Badri Milad , Karanis Panagiotis
Published: July 2024

Purpose

Intestinal protozoan parasites among Asian schoolchildren are a subject of concern due to their prevalence and potential health impact. Understanding and addressing this issue is crucial for public health in the region.

Methods

We conducted a comprehensive search for articles published up to December 2023 across four databases, including Scopus, PubMed, ProQuest, and Web of Science. To estimate the combined prevalence, a random-effects model with a 95% confidence interval (CI) was applied, and the statistical analysis was performed using meta-analysis packages in R version (3.6.1). This study is registered with PROSPERO (CRD42023481146).

Results

Among 131 eligible articles, the prevalence of intestinal protozoan parasites was 0.208 (95% CI = 0.180–0.238). Lebanon and Tajikistan had the highest country-level prevalence at 0.851 and 0.836, respectively, with Giardia duodenalis being the most prevalent species at 0.082.

Conclusion

In summary, our study highlights the urgent public health issue of protozoan parasites among Asian schoolchildren due to poor sanitation and water quality. Immediate interventions are essential, considering climate and socioeconomic factors, to combat these infections and improve overall health.
Merging TROPOMI and eddy covariance observations to quantify 5-years of daily CH4 emissions over coal-mine dominated region
Authors: Hu Wei , Qin Kai , Lu Fan , Li Ding , Cohen Jason B.
Published: July 2024

A simple and flexible mass balance approach was applied to observations of XCH4 from TROPOMI to estimate CH4 emissions over Shanxi Province, including the impacts of advective transport, pressure transport, and atmospheric diffusion. High-frequency eddy-covariance flux observations were used to constrain the driving terms of the mass balance equation. This equation was then used to calculate day-to-day and 5 km × 5 km grided CH4 emissions from May 2018 to July 2022 based on TROPOMI RPRO column CH4 observations. The Shanxi-wide emissions of CH4, 126 ± 58.8 ug/m2/s, shows a fat tail distribution and high variability on a daily time scale (the 90th percentile is 2.14 times the mean and 2.74 times the median). As the number of days in the rolling average increases, the change in the variation decreases to 128 ± 35.7 ug/m2/s at 10-day, 128 ± 19.8 ug/m2/s at 30-day and 127 ± 13.9 ug/m2/s at 90-day. The range of values of the annual mean emissions on coal mine grids within Shanxi for the years 2018 to 2022 was 122 ± 58.2, 131 ± 71.2, 111 ± 63.6, 129 ± 87.1, and 138 ± 63.4 ug/m2/s, respectively. The 5-year average emissions from TROPOMI are 131 ± 68.0 ug/m2/s versus 125 ± 94.6 ug/m2/s on the grids where the EDGAR bottom-up database also has data, indicating that those pixels with mines dominate the overall emissions in terms of both magnitude and variability. The results show that high-frequency observation-based campaigns can produce a less biased result in terms of both the spatial and temporal distribution of CH4 emissions as compared with approaches using either low-frequency data or bottom-up databases, that coal mines dominate the sources of CH4 in Shanxi, and that the observed fat tail distribution can be accounted for using this approach.
Māori (Flexible) Learning Spaces, Old and New
Authors: Stewart Georgina Tuari , Benade Leon , Smith Valance , Wells Alastair , Yates Amanda
Published: July 2024

Māori aspirations in education have not been served by past national policies. It is hard to extinguish the influence of monoculturalism, whereby schools were used to colonise Māori by enforcing linguistic and cultural assimilation. The history of debate on Innovative Learning Environments (ILE) and Flexible Learning Spaces (FLS) demonstrates the ongoing dominance of this Eurocentric, monocultural approach. Official New Zealand education policy and practice follows international trends in school design, moving away from traditional single-cell classrooms towards more open and inter-connected spaces, despite no real evidence concerning the relative effects on learning of each classroom type. Meanwhile, school marae have been around for several decades, but largely ignored in national ILE and FLS policy and research literature. Our experiences lead us to suggest that Māori identity must be ‘built in’ not ‘added on’ to monocultural ILE frameworks, and for this reason, spatiality is crucial in Māori teaching and learning spaces. This article explores the notion of ‘Māori learning spaces.’
An Intrusion Detection System on The Internet of Things Using Deep Learning and Multi-objective Enhanced Gorilla Troops Optimizer
Authors: Asgharzadeh Hossein , Ghaffari Ali , Masdari Mohammad , Gharehchopogh Farhad Soleimanian
Published: July 2024

In recent years, developed Intrusion Detection Systems (IDSs) perform a vital function in improving security and anomaly detection. The effectiveness of deep learning-based methods has been proven in extracting better features and more accurate classification than other methods. In this paper, a feature extraction with convolutional neural network on Internet of Things (IoT) called FECNNIoT is designed and implemented to better detect anomalies on the IoT. Also, a binary multi-objective enhance of the Gorilla troops optimizer called BMEGTO is developed for effective feature selection. Finally, the combination of FECNNIoT and BMEGTO and KNN algorithm-based classification technique has led to the presentation of a hybrid method called CNN-BMEGTO-KNN. In the next step, the proposed model is implemented on two benchmark data sets, NSL-KDD and TON-IoT and tested regarding the accuracy, precision, recall, and F1-score criteria. The proposed CNN-BMEGTO-KNN model has reached 99.99% and 99.86% accuracy on TON-IoT and NSL-KDD datasets, respectively. In addition, the proposed BMEGTO method can identify about 27% and 25% of the effective features of the NSL-KDD and TON-IoT datasets, respectively.
Sexual Function of Women with and without Pregnancy-Related Pelvic Girdle Pain and its Relationship with Physical Activity, Kinesiophobia and Body Image: A Cross-Sectional Comparative Study
Authors: Yenişehir Semiha , Karakaya İlkim Çıtak , Özbey Gürkan
Published: July 2024

The aim of this study was to compare the sexual function of women with and without pregnancy-related PGP, and to investigate its relationship with physical activity (PA), kinesiophobia, and body image (BI). Demographic characteristics, sexual function (Pregnancy Sexual Response Inventory), PA (Pregnancy Physical Activity Questionnaire), kinesiophobia (Tampa Kinesiophobia Scale), and BI (Body Image in Pregnancy Scale) of 125 pregnant women were recorded. In the PGP group (n = 46), visual analogue scales were used to assess the pain intensity during resting and sexual activity, and Pelvic Girdle Questionnaire was used to evaluate the activity limitation. Although total sexual function and BI scores of the groups were similar (p > 0.05), dyspareunia during pregnancy and level of kinesiophobia were higher, and energy expenditure during moderate-intensity PA was lower in pregnant women with PGP (p < 0.05). The PGP group had moderate activity limitation and reported increased PGP intensity during sexual activities (p < 0.001). PA level was significantly correlated with sexual desire (r = 0.180), and overall sexual function was correlated with kinesiophobia (r = -0.344) and BI (r = -0.199) during pregnancy (p < 0.05). These findings suggest that pregnant women with PGP are more vulnerable to sexual dysfunctions, and there is a need to develop biopsychosocial framework-oriented management strategies which aim to improve PA level and to eliminate psychological factors such as kinesiophobia and negative BI.

Clinical Trial Registration: NCT05990361
Neurocysticercosis Prevalence and Characteristics in Communities of Sinda District in Zambia: A Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Zulu Gideon , Stelzle Dominik , Gabriël Sarah , Trevisan Chiara , Van Damme Inge , Mubanga Chishimba , Schmidt Veronika , Ngowi Bernard J. , Welte Tamara M. , Magnussen Pascal , Ruether Charlotte , Fleury Agnes , Dorny Pierre , Bottieau Emmanuel , Phiri Isaac K. , Mwape Kabemba E. , Winkler Andrea S. ,   the SOLID consortium
Published: July 2024

Background

This study aimed at describing the epidemiology of (neuro)cysticercosis as well as its clinical and radiological characteristics in a Taenia solium endemic district of Zambia.

Methods

This was part of a cross-sectional community-based study conducted in Sinda district to evaluate an antibody-detecting T. solium point-of-care (TS POC) test for taeniosis and (neuro)cysticercosis. All TS POC cysticercosis positive (CC+) participants and a subset of the TS POC cysticercosis negative (CC-) received a clinical evaluation and cerebral computed tomography (CT) examination for neurocysticercosis (NCC) diagnosis and staging.

Results

Of the 1249 participants with a valid TS POC test result, 177 (14%) were TS POC CC+ . Cysticercosis sero-prevalence was estimated to be 20.1% (95% confidence intervals [CI] 14.6–27.0%). In total, 233 participants received a CT examination (151 TS POC CC+ , 82 TS POC CC-). Typical NCC lesions were present in 35/151 (23%) TS POC CC+ , and in 10/82 (12%) TS POC CC- participants. NCC prevalence was 13.5% (95% CI 8.4–21.1%) in the study population and 38.0% (95% CI 5.2–87.4%) among people reporting epileptic seizures. Participants with NCC were more likely to experience epileptic seizures (OR = 3.98, 95% CI 1.34–11.78, p = 0.01) than those without NCC, although only 7/45 (16%) people with NCC ever experienced epileptic seizures. The number of lesions did not differ by TS POC CC status (median: 3 [IQR 1–6] versus 2.5 [IQR 1–5.3], p = 0.64). Eight (23%) of the 35 TS POC CC+ participants with NCC had active stage lesions; in contrast none of the TS POC CC- participants was diagnosed with active NCC.

Conclusion

NCC is common in communities in the Eastern province of Zambia, but a large proportion of people remain asymptomatic.
Septic Shock, Tubular Necrosis, and Central Diabetes Insipidus: A Challenging Syndrome
Authors: Melegari Gabriele , Manenti Antonio , Arturi Federica , Gualdi Eugenia , Filoni Sonia , Zelent Gabriele , Barbieri Alberto
Published: July 2024

Background

The association between septic shock, acute tubular necrosis, and central diabetes insipidus is infrequent: our recent clinical observation invited us to deepen its pathophysiological features.

Methods

We reported an unusual case report of a young, healthy man with a septic shock, severe dehydration with a hematocrit of 70.6% caused by gastrointestinal infection and refractory renal failure, and persistent polyuria.

Results

The patient presented severe dehydration, hypovolemic shock with a hematocrit of 70.6%, and acute renal failure. The subsequent laboratory exams demonstrated a gastrointestinal infection of Campylobacter Upsaliensis and Helicobacter pylori. The persistent renal failure and polyuria later 20 days made it mandatory for further investigations. A Magnetic brain Resonance excluded encephalic lesions but demonstrated a posterior pituitary lobe hypointense.

Conclusions

This cascade of pathological events seems originated from a septic shock: the consequent increase in hematocrit and blood viscosity, estimated double the normal, with severe hypotensive shock correlated, decelerated the microcirculatory blood flow, until a proper blood stasis in the venous system. These factors caused hypoxia and possible venous thromboses, electively affecting the pituitary hypothalamic nuclei and their axons in the post-hypophysis and its portal system.
Flood risk assessment in Kogi State Nigeria through the integration of hazard and vulnerability factors
Authors: Aladejana Olabanji Odunayo , Ebijuoworih Etari Joy
Published: July 2024

Annually, Kogi State in Nigeria experiences significant flooding events, leading to serious fatalities, the destruction of livelihoods, and damage to vital infrastructure. This study presents a multi-faceted approach and methodology to generate a state-wide flood risk map by analyzing both flood vulnerability and flood hazard factors. Seven flood hazard factors (drainage length, distance to river, elevation, slope, rainfall, distance from confluence/dam area, and geomorphology) and vulnerability factors (population density, female population, land cover, road length, distance from hospitals, literacy rate, and employment rate) were ranked and weighted based on their contributions to flooding within the state using the Fuzzy Analytical Hierarchy Process (FAHP). From these, the Flood Hazard Index (FHI), Flood Vulnerability Index (FVI), and Flood Risk Index (FRI) were derived. Results showed that Kabba, Idah, Olamabor, Kotonkar, and the southern part of Ajaokuta LGAs exhibit high flood vulnerability due to dense populations, remoteness from roads and critical infrastructure, and considerable distances from healthcare facilities. Likewise, LGAs exhibiting a very high FHI occur along the geographic zones bounded by the confluence of the Niger and Benue rivers, specifically along the Lokoja area, and the Kotonkar, Kogi, Bassa, and Ibaji LGAs. Five flood risk classes—very low, low, moderate, high, and very high FRI classes—occupy 26.82, 31.12, 22.07, 15.26, and 4.71% of the area, respectively. Out of 295 villages, 65 villages are spread across the high flood risk zone. The safest LGAs include Ankpa, Omala, Dekina, Ijumu, Kabba, and Mopa-Muro LGAs.
Performing Ethics in English Revenge Drama
Authors: Reisner Noam
Published: July 2024

Adapting Francis Bacon's notion of revenge as a 'kind of wild justice', Noam Reisner shows how English Renaissance revenge drama takes the form of 'wild play'. These plays drew on complicated modes of audience participation and devices of metatheatricality, allowing audiences to test how abstract moral or ethical concepts play out in a performative arena of human action. Reisner demonstrates that their overwhelming popularity is best understood in terms of these 'mimetic ethical exercises' which they generated for their audiences. This study surveys a range of revenge plays from the period's commercial theatre, beginning with Kyd's The Spanish Tragedy and tracking the development of similar plays responding to Kyd's original design in late Elizabethan and early Jacobean drama. In the process it also provides a stage history of Kydian revenge drama with fresh readings of select plays by Marlowe, Shakespeare, Marston, Middleton and other early Jacobean playwrights.
Guide Field Dependence of Energy Conversion and Magnetic Topologies in Reconnection Turbulent Outflow
Authors: Xiong Q. Y. , Huang S. Y. , Zhang J. , Yuan Z. G. , Jiang K. , Wu H. H. , Lin R. T. , Yu L. , Tang Y. T.
Published: July 2024

Energy conversion between the fields and the particles occurs through various physical processes within space environments. Magnetic reconnection stands out as one such process capable of rapidly and massively releasing energy. The high‐speed outflow jets produced by reconnection can induce turbulence characterized by intermittent structures. In this study, we investigate the impact of guide field on the energy conversion associated with the magnetic topologies within these structures during reconnection. Utilizing both particle‐in‐cell simulations and observations from the Magnetospheric Multiscale mission, our findings suggest that a larger guide field present during reconnection leads to increased energy conversion as well as the generation of O‐type topology structures within the turbulent outflow. Our results provide significant evidence on the relationships between energy conversion and magnetic topologies within turbulent outflow of reconnection and the guide field conditions.
Simultaneous de novo calling and phasing of genetic variants at chromosome-scale using NanoStrand-seq
Authors: Bai Xiuzhen , Chen Zonggui , Chen Kexuan , Wu Zixin , Wang Rui , Liu Jun’e , Chang Liang , Wen Lu , Tang Fuchou
Published: July 2024

The successful accomplishment of the first telomere-to-telomere human genome assembly, T2T-CHM13, marked a milestone in achieving completeness of the human reference genome. The upcoming era of genome study will focus on fully phased diploid genome assembly, with an emphasis on genetic differences between individual haplotypes. Most existing sequencing approaches only achieved localized haplotype phasing and relied on additional pedigree information for further whole-chromosome scale phasing. The short-read-based Strand-seq method is able to directly phase single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) at whole-chromosome scale but falls short when it comes to phasing structural variations (SVs). To shed light on this issue, we developed a Nanopore sequencing platform-based Strand-seq approach, which we named NanoStrand-seq. This method allowed for de novo SNP calling with high precision (99.52%) and acheived a superior phasing accuracy (0.02% Hamming error rate) at whole-chromosome scale, a level of performance comparable to Strand-seq for haplotype phasing of the GM12878 genome. Importantly, we demonstrated that NanoStrand-seq can efficiently resolve the MHC locus, a highly polymorphic genomic region. Moreover, NanoStrand-seq enabled independent direct calling and phasing of deletions and insertions at whole-chromosome level; when applied to long genomic regions of SNP homozygosity, it outperformed the strategy that combined Strand-seq with bulk long-read sequencing. Finally, we showed that, like Strand-seq, NanoStrand-seq was also applicable to primary cultured cells. Together, here we provided a novel methodology that enabled interrogation of a full spectrum of haplotype-resolved SNPs and SVs at whole-chromosome scale, with broad applications for species with diploid or even potentially polypoid genomes.
A high-quality genome assembly and annotation of Thielaviopsis punctulata DSM102798
Authors: Purayil Gouthaman P. , Saeed Esam Eldin , Mathai Archana M. , El-Tarabily Khaled A. , AbuQamar Synan F.
Published: July 2024

Black scorch disease (BSD), caused by the fungal pathogen Thielaviopsis punctulata (Tp) DSM102798, poses a significant threat to date palm cultivation in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). In this study, Chicago and Hi-C libraries were prepared as input for the Dovetail HiRise pipeline to scaffold the genome of Tp DSM102798. We generated an assembly with a total length of 28.23 Mb comprising 1,256 scaffolds, and the assembly had a contig N50 of 18.56 kb, L50 of three, and a BUSCO completeness score of 98.6% for 758 orthologous genes. Annotation of this assembly produced 7,169 genes and 3,501 Gene Ontology (GO) terms. Compared to five other Thielaviopsis genomes, Tp DSM102798 exhibited the highest continuity with a cumulative size of 27.598 Mb for the first seven scaffolds, surpassing the assemblies of all examined strains. These findings offer a foundation for targeted strategies that enhance date palm resistance against BSD, and foster more sustainable and resilient agricultural systems.
Cyclic quantum teleportation of two-qubit entangled states by using six-qubit cluster state and six-qubit entangled state
Authors: Slaoui A. , El Kirdi M. , Ahl Laamara R. , Alabdulhafith M. , Chelloug S. A. , Abd El-Latif A. A.
Published: July 2024

Cyclic quantum teleportation schemes requires at least the existence of three collaborators acting all as senders and receivers of quantum information, each one of them has an information to be transmitted to the next neighbour in a circular manner. Here, new cyclic quantum teleportation scheme is proposed for perfectly transmitting cyclically three arbitrary unknown two-qubit states ($$\alpha $$
α
, $$\beta $$
β
and $$\gamma $$
γ
) among the three collaborators. In this scheme, Alice can send to Bob the quantum information contained in her two-qubit state $$\alpha $$
α
and receive from Charlie the quantum information contained in the two-qubit state in his possession $$\gamma $$
γ
and similarly, Bob can transmit to Charlie the quantum information contained in his two-qubit state $$\beta $$
β
through a quantum channel of twelve-qubit state consisting of a six-qubit cluster state and a six-qubit entangled state by sequentially and cyclically performing Bell state measurements. Subsequently, each one of the three participants can afterwards retrieve his own desired two-qubit state using classical channel and by performing appropriate unitary Pauli operators and we have shown that our proposed scheme performs efficiently.
Enhanced carbon dioxide drainage observed in digital rock under intermediate wetting conditions
Authors: Azpiroz Jaione Tirapu , Giro Ronaldo , Neumann Barros Ferreira Rodrigo , Nogueira Pereira da Silva Marcio , Fernandes Blanco Rodriguez Manuela , Lopez Adolfo E. Correa , Vasquez David A. Lazo , Esteves Ferreira Matheus , Del Grande Mariana , Ferreira Da Silva Ademir , Steiner Mathias B.
Published: July 2024

Carbon dioxide (CO$$_2$$

2

) trapping in capillary networks of reservoir rocks is a pathway to long-term geological storage. At pore scale, CO$$_2$$

2

drainage displacement depends on injection pressure, temperature, and the rock’s interaction with the surrounding fluids. Modeling this interaction requires adequate representations of both capillary volume and surface. For the lack of scalable representations, however, the prediction of a rock’s CO$$_2$$

2

storage potential has been challenging. Here, we report how to represent a rock’s pore space by statistically sampled capillary networks (ssCN) that preserve morphological rock characteristics. We have used the ssCN method to simulate CO$$_2$$

2

drainage within a representative sandstone sample at reservoir pressures and temperatures, exploring intermediate- and CO$$_2$$

2

-wet conditions. This wetting regime is often neglected, despite evidence of plausibility. By raising pressure and temperature we observe increasing CO$$_2$$

2

penetration within the capillary network. For contact angles approaching 90$$^\circ$$

∘

, the CO$$_2$$

2

saturation exhibits a pronounced maximum reaching 80$$\%$$
%
of the accessible pore volume. This is about twice as high as the saturation values reported previously. For enabling validation of our results and a broader application of our methodology, we have made available the rock tomography data, the digital rock computational workflows, and the ssCN models used in this study.
Liver fibrosis as a predictor of liver failure and outcome following ALPPS among patients with primary liver cancer
Authors: Zhang Junwei , Zhang Lei , Yang Xiaobo , Zheng Yongchang , Xu Haifeng , Du Shunda , Mao Yilei , Sang Xinting , Zhao Haitao , Xu Yiyao , Lu Xin
Published: July 2024

The influence of liver fibrosis on the rate of liver regeneration and complications following ALPPS has yet to be fully understood. This study aimed to scrutinize the effects of liver fibrosis on the postoperative complications, and prognosis subsequent to ALPPS. Clinical data were collected from patients with primary liver cancer who underwent ALPPS at Peking Union Medical College Hospital between May 2014 and October 2022. The degree of liver fibrosis was assessed using haematoxylin–eosin staining and Sirius red staining. This study encompassed thirty patients who underwent ALPPS for primary liver cancer, and there were 23 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma, 5 with cholangiocarcinoma, and 2 with combined hepatocellular-cholangiocarcinoma. The impact of severe liver fibrosis on the rate of liver regeneration was not statistically significant (P = 0.892). All patients with severe complications belonged to the severe liver fibrosis group. Severe liver fibrosis exhibited a significant association with 90 days mortality (P = 0.014) and overall survival (P = 0.012). Severe liver fibrosis emerges as a crucial risk factor for liver failure and perioperative mortality following the second step of ALPPS. Preoperative liver function impairment is an important predictive factor for postoperative liver failure.
Formation of the junctions between lymph follicles in the Peyer's patches even before postweaning activation
Authors: Teshigahara Anri , Banba Yuri , Yoshida Hiromi , Kaji Mitsuji , Zhou Zhou , Koyama Nao , Sakai Yoshifumi , Karrow Niel A. , Ogasawara Kouetsu , Hirakawa Ryota , Islam Jahidul , Furukawa Mutsumi , Nochi Tomonori
Published: July 2024

Peyer’s patches (PPs), which contain an abundance of B and T cells, play a key role in inducing pivotal immune responses in the intestinal tract. PPs are defined as aggregated lymph follicles, which consist of multiple lymph follicles (LFs) that may interact with each other in a synergistic manner. LFs are thought to be spherical in shape; however, the characteristics of their structure are not fully understood. To elucidate changes in the structure of PPs as individuals grow, we generated serial 2D sections from entire PPs harvested from mice at 2, 4, and 10 weeks of age and performed a 3D analysis using a software, Amira. Although the number of LFs in PPs was not changed throughout the experiment, the volume and surface area of LFs increased significantly, indicating that LFs in PPs develop continuously by recruiting immune cells, even after weaning. In response to the dramatic changes in the intestinal environment after weaning, the development of germinal centers (GCs) in LFs was observed at 4 and 10 weeks (but not 2 weeks) of age. In addition, GCs gradually began to form away from the center of LFs and close to the muscle layer where export lymphatic vessels develop. Importantly, each LF was joined to the adjacent LF; this feature was observed even in preweaning nonactivated PPs. These results suggest that PPs may have a unique organization and structure that enhance immune functions, allowing cells in LFs to have free access to adjacent LFs and egress smoothly from PPs to the periphery upon stimulation after weaning.
Embedding textile capacitive sensing into smart wearables as a versatile solution for human motion capturing
Authors: Geißler Daniel , Zhou Bo , Bello Hymalai , Sorysz Joanna , Ray Lala , Javaheri Hamraz , Rüb Matthias , Herbst Jan , Zahn Esther , Woop Emil , Bian Sizhen , Schotten Hans D. , Joost Gesche , Lukowicz Paul
Published: July 2024

This work presents a novel and versatile approach to employ textile capacitive sensing as an effective solution for capturing human body movement through fashionable and everyday-life garments. Conductive textile patches are utilized for sensing the movement, working without the need for strain or direct body contact, wherefore the patches can sense only from their deformation within the garment. This principle allows the sensing area to be decoupled from the wearer’s body for improved wearing comfort and more pleasant integration. We demonstrate our technology based on multiple prototypes which have been developed by an interdisciplinary team of electrical engineers, computer scientists, digital artists, and smart fashion designers through several iterations to seamlessly incorporate the technology of capacitive sensing with corresponding design considerations into textile materials. The resulting accumulation of textile capacitive sensing wearables showcases the versatile application possibilities of our technology from single-joint angle measurements towards multi-joint body part tracking.
Demequina capsici sp. nov., a novel plant growth-promoting actinomycete isolated from the rhizosphere of bell pepper (Capsicum annuum)
Authors: Humaira Zalfa , Cho Donghyun , Peng Yuxin , Avila Forbes , Park Yu Lim , Kim Cha Young , Lee Jiyoung
Published: July 2024

Demequina, commonly found in coastal and marine environments, represents a genus of Actinomycetes. In this study, strains Demequina PMTSA13T and OYTSA14 were isolated from the rhizosphere of Capsicum annuum, leading to the discovery of a novel species, Demequina capsici. Bacteria play a significant role in plant growth, yet there have been no reports of the genus Demequina acting as plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB). Comparative genomics analysis revealed ANI similarity values of 74.05–80.63% for PMTSA13T and 74.02–80.54% for OYTSA14, in comparison to various Demequina species. The digital DNA-DNA hybridization (dDDH) values for PMTSA13T ranged from 19 to 39%, and 19.1–38.6% for OYTSA14. Genome annotation revealed the presence of genes associated with carbohydrate metabolism and transport, suggesting a potential role in nutrient cycling and availability for plants. These strains were notably rich in genes related to ‘carbohydrate metabolism and transport (G)’, according to their Cluster of Orthologous Groups (COG) classification. Additionally, both strains were capable of producing auxin (IAA) and exhibited enzymatic activities for cellulose degradation and catalase. Furthermore, PMTSA13T and OYTSA14 significantly induced the growth of Arabidopsis thaliana seedlings primarily attributed to their capacity to produce IAA, which plays a crucial role in stimulating plant growth and development. These findings shed light on the potential roles of Demequina strains in plant–microbe interactions and agricultural applications. The type strain is Demequina capsici PMTSA13T (= KCTC 59028T = GDMCC 1.4451T), meanwhile OYTSA14 is identified as different strains of Demequina capsici.
Sex-specific survival gene mutations are discovered as clinical predictors of clear cell renal cell carcinoma
Authors: Hwang Jia , Lee Hye Eun , Han Jin Seon , Choi Moon Hyung , Hong Sung Hoo , Kim Sae Woong , Yang Ji Hoon , Park Unsang , Jung Eun Sun , Choi Yeong Jin
Published: July 2024

Although sex differences have been reported in patients with clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC), biological sex has not received clinical attention and genetic differences between sexes are poorly understood. This study aims to identify sex-specific gene mutations and explore their clinical significance in ccRCC. We used data from The Cancer Genome Atlas-Kidney Renal Clear Cell Carcinoma (TCGA-KIRC), The Renal Cell Cancer-European Union (RECA-EU) and Korean-KIRC. A total of 68 sex-related genes were selected from TCGA-KIRC through machine learning, and 23 sex-specific genes were identified through verification using the three databases. Survival differences according to sex were identified in nine genes (ACSS3, ALG13, ASXL3, BAP1, JADE3, KDM5C, KDM6A, NCOR1P1, and ZNF449). Female-specific survival differences were found in BAP1 in overall survival (OS) (TCGA-KIRC, p = 0.004; RECA-EU, p = 0.002; and Korean-KIRC, p = 0.003) and disease-free survival (DFS) (TCGA-KIRC, p = 0.001 and Korean-KIRC, p = 0.000004), and NCOR1P1 in DFS (TCGA-KIRC, p = 0.046 and RECA-EU, p = 0.00003). Male-specific survival differences were found in ASXL3 (OS, p = 0.017 in TCGA-KIRC; and OS, p = 0.005 in RECA-EU) and KDM5C (OS, p = 0.009 in RECA-EU; and DFS, p = 0.016 in Korean-KIRC). These results suggest that biological sex may be an important predictor and sex-specific tailored treatment may improve patient care in ccRCC.
The impact of scavenging air state on the combustion and emission performance of marine two-stroke dual-fuel engine
Authors: Yu Hongliang , Gao Jianqun , Zhang Peng , Han Fang Jun , Yang Qizheng , Cui Bin
Published: July 2024

The scavenging process significantly affects the combustion and emission performance of marine low-speed two-stroke dual-fuel engines. Optimizing scavenging air pressure and temperature can enhance the engine's combustion efficiency and emission control performance, thereby achieving more environmentally friendly and efficient operation of dual-fuel engines. This study focuses on marine low-speed two-stroke dual-fuel engines, analyzing the effects of scavenging air pressure (3.0 bar, 3.25 bar, 3.5 bar, and 3.75 bar) and scavenging air temperature (293 K, 303 K, and 313 K) on engine performance and emission products. The results indicate that scavenging air pressure has a greater impact on engine performance than scavenging air temperature. An increase in scavenging air pressure leads to higher thermal efficiency and power. As the scavenging air pressure increases from 3 to 3.75 bar, the indicated thermal efficiency (ITE) increases from 44.02 to 53.26%, and indicated mean effective pressure (IMEP) increases by approximately 0.35 MPa. Increased scavenging air pressure improves nitrogen oxide (NOx) and hydrocarbons (HC) emissions. For every 0.25 bar increase in scavenging air pressure, NOx emissions decrease by 3.53%, HC emissions decrease by 33.35%, while carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions increase by 0.71%. An increase in scavenging air temperature leads to lower ITE and IMEP. As the air temperature changes from 293 to 313 K, the ITE decreases by approximately 1%, and IMEP decreases by about 0.04 MPa. Increased scavenging air temperature improves CO2 emissions. For every 10 K increase in the air temperature, the CO2 emissions decrease by 0.02%, while NOx emissions increase by 4.84%, HC emissions increase by 34.39%. Therefore, controlling scavenging air pressure is more important than scavenging air temperature in the operational management of marine two-stroke engines. Higher power and lower NOx and HC emissions can be achieved by increasing the scavenging air pressure.