bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Remote and In-person Supervised Exercise in Patients with Knee Osteoarthritis (RISE-KOA): study protocol for a non-inferiority randomized controlled trial.
Authors: Carvalho Maurício Tatsch Ximenes , Alberton Cristine Lima
Published: May 2024

Background: Knee Osteoarthritis is a prevalent joint condition resulting in years lived with disability. A first-line treatment recommended by clinical guidelines is the therapeutic exercise to control pain and improve physical function. One possible approach for exercise supervision is telehealth using video calls, as it can be an effective alternative to in-person physical therapy for treating musculoskeletal conditions, expanding community access to physical rehabilitation. In this scenario, this study will investigate whether a muscle-strengthening exercise program for the lower limbs supervised remotely via video calls is as effective as the same exercise applied in person for improving condition-specific patient-reported outcomes (PROMs), psychological well-being, sleep quality, functional performance, and quadriceps muscle architecture.
Methods: A RISE-KOA study is a parallel, two-armed, single-blinded protocol for a non-inferiority randomized controlled trial. Sixty-eight participants aged 45 years or more, with a symptomatic and radiographic diagnosis of unilateral or bilateral knee OA (grade II or III according to Kellgren & Lawerence) will be randomly assigned to a remote exercise group supervised by video calls or in-person exercise group supervised at a physiotherapy clinic. Both groups will receive the same muscle-strengthening exercises for the lower extremities for 12 weeks. Follow-ups will be conducted during treatment (6 weeks), after treatment (12 weeks), and 18 weeks after randomization. The primary outcomes will be pain intensity and physical function during (6 weeks) and after treatment (12 weeks). Secondary outcomes will be condition-specific PROMs, psychological well-being, sleep quality, functional performance, and quadriceps muscle architecture.
Discussion: We hypothesize that muscle strengthening exercise supervised remotely via videocalls willnot be inferior to in-person exercise at a physiotherapy clinic on primary and secondary outcomes in patients with knee OA.
Trial registration: The study was prospectively registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT06101797. Registered on Oct 26, 2023).
Calibration of mathematical water quality modeling applied to a basin located in central region of the state of São Paulo, Brazil
Authors: Nakamura Carolina Harue , Silva Gustavo Henrique Ribeiro da
Published: May 2024

Mathematical water quality models are support tools widely used in the management of water resources, as they may provide a broad view of the water system studied. In this way, the present study aimed to calibrate the “State Water Resources Plan Application” (APERH), applied in the São Paulo State Water Resources Plan 2023–2030, at the Jacaré-Pepira River, located in the Jacaré/Tietê River Basin (BH-TJ), central region of the state of São Paulo. The calibrated parameters were biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), dissolved oxygen (DO) and total phosphorus (P), which results showed that k1, k2 and b4 coefficients were within the range of typical values described in the literature, while s5 was higher than typical ranges. When evaluating the adjustments of the curves estimated by APERH with water monitoring data from Environmental Company of São Paulo (CETESB), visual analysis showed that BOD and DO had satisfactory adjustments between the estimated data and monitored data, while P was adequate at two of the three monitoring stations. Through the statistical method, it was observed that both BOD and DO indicated reliability between the estimated and monitoring data, while P had the opposite result. Thus, there is an understanding that APERH achieved the proposed objectives of this study, obtaining a first knowledge of BH-TJ, since there is a lack of water quality modeling studies in this region. The next step of this study is to apply the calibrated parameters to all BH-TJ and introduce the sociohydrology concept in this basin.
Self-Transitioning or Other-Transitioning? The Positive Effects of LGBT College Students’ Positive Coping and Perceived Academic Support
Authors: Ma Chenwei , Li jiangyu
Published: May 2024

Stigmatization directed towards LGBTQ individuals poses a considerable threat to their psychological well-being. LGBTQ college students frequently report exposure to perceived stress and microaggressions. Research indicates that self-regulation and proactive coping mechanisms can act as a protective buffer against the stigma and bias faced by sexual minorities. Consequently, this study aimed to investigate whether and to what extent proactive coping and perceived academic support moderate the relationship between perceived stress specific to LGBTQ college students, their psychological well-being, and academic performance. The study involved the snowball sampling and online recruitment of 359 Chinese LGBTQ college students with a mean age of 20.65. Employing structural equation modeling analysis, the study revealed that a) proactive coping moderated the relationship between perceived stress and psychological well-being, and b) perceived academic support moderated the relationship between perceived stress and academic performance. These findings suggest that Chinese colleges should implement adequate support and counseling services to enhance the proactive coping abilities of LGBTQ students and create an academically supportive environment to alleviate the adverse effects of perceived stress on psychological well-being.
A high-performance metabolomic diagnostic panel for early-stage non-small cell lung cancer detection based on UPLC‒MS/MS
Authors: Wan Lingling , Liu Qingyi , Liang Di , Guo Yongdong , Liu Guangjie , Ren Jinxia , Gu Xuexiu , He Yutong , Shan Baoen
Published: May 2024

Lung cancer is the most common cancer in the world and has a consistently high mortality rate, with the majority of patients being diagnosed at an advanced stage. This study aimed to identify potential biomarkers through metabolomics to provide clues for the diagnosis and treatment of early-stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). We enrolled two prospective cohorts with a total of 180 patients (115 patients with I-II a NSCLC and 65 healthy controls) and tested serum samples for tumour markers, cytokines, and 306 metabolites by ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC‒MS/MS). In both the discovery and validation cohorts, there were 57 differentially abundant metabolites in the serum between patients with early-stage NSCLC and healthy controls, which were concentrated in the fatty acid metabolic pathway and amino acid metabolic pathway. Finally, three metabolites with significant differences were screened as isoleucine, 5Z-dodecenoic acid and 9E-tetradecenoic acid. The AUC of centralized combined diagnosis reached 0.95. This study provides new evidence that abnormalities in valine, leucine, and isoleucine metabolism and dysregulation of fatty acid synthesis may play important roles in the development of NSCLC.
Exploration of mitochondrial-related biomarkers and regulatory mechanisms in pulmonary hypertension
Authors: Hao Yu , Wu Peng , Zhao Wenli , Cheng Hua , Zhang Hui , Wu Hailiang , Chen Dapeng , Ma Xueping , Yan Ning
Published: May 2024

Multiple mechanisms of mitochondrial dysfunction have been implicated in the pathogenesis of pulmonary hypertension (PH). Thus, this study aims to identify biomarkers associated with mitochondrial-related genes (MRGs) in patients with PH. The GSE33463 (blood training set), GSE15197 (tissue training set), GSE113439 (external validation set) and MRGs were all acquired from public databases. Differential expression analysis was undertaken to selected differentially expressed genes (DEGs) from blood and tissue training set, respectively. Then, the DEGs were intersected with MRGs to identify potential candidate genes, followed by detecting their functions via enrichment analysis. Moreover, crucial genes were obtained by overlapping the signature genes from least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression and support vector machine recursive feature elimination (SVM-RFE). Based on the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves of crucial genes, the genes with area under curves (AUC) value ≥ 0.7 were deemed as biomarkers. Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA), multiple regulatory networks and drug prediction were applied to explore biomarkers’ molecular mechanism. A total of 144 DEGs (78 up-DEGs and 66 down-DEGs) were obtained by intersecting 751 DEGs1 in blood training set and 6,155 DEGs2 in tissue training set. Next, taking the intersection of 144 DEGs and 1,136 MRGs, 7 candidate genes (ALAS2, CPT2, TST, SLC25A39, COQ10B, MRPS30 and MCL1) were acquired and enriched in multiple mitochondria related pathways, like mitochondrial inner membrane. MRPS30, ALAS2 and TST were recognized as biomarkers depending on the 4 crucial genes (CPT2, MRPS30, ALAS2 and TST) through overlapping signature genes by two machine learning algorithms. The immune analysis showed that the percentage of 7 kinds of immune cells (e.g. B cells naive, monocytes, neutrophils) were differed markedly at control and PH groups, and monocytes were related to all three biomarkers. In 3 datasets, the expression of ALAS2 was up-regulated in PH, while MRPS30 was down-regulated in PH. And bisphenol A was predicted by ALAS2, MRPS30 and TST. Three biomarkers (ALAS2, MRPS30 and TST) associated with MRGs was identified and verified, which provided a new perspective to probe the mechanism of MRGs in PH.
Effectiveness of a Protocol with Antimicrobial Photodynamic Therapy for Treating Osteoradionecrosis: A Retrospective Study
Authors: Ferigatto Júlia Lopes , Coracin Fábio Luiz , Tanimoto Hélio Massaiochi , Viola Vivian Palata , Tieghi-Neto Victor , Prado Diogo Dias , Hirai Wellinton Yoshio , Teodoro Valiana Alves , Vazquez Fabiana Lima , Rios Simone Hassan Khatib
Published: May 2024

Objective: To compare the treatment of ORN using a protocol containing antimicrobial photodynamic therapy with a conventional protocol.
Methodology: A retrospective study of 55 patients who had presented with ORN at a reference hospital between 2002 and 2021 and received treatment by two clinical protocols was conducted. Clinical treatment success was defined as the epithelialization of the ORN lesion and absence of painful symptoms and local infection.
Results: The study included 53 ORN lesions with a median ORN development time of 30 months; 83.02% were men, with a median age of 58 years. The main etiologies of ORN included prosthetic trauma (28.30%) and dental extractions caused by infection (32.07%). Satisfactory oral hygiene and lesion hygiene, when compared with the outcome of lesion epithelialization, were found to be protective factors for achieving clinical success (p ≤ 0.0001). ORN developed more rapidly in oral cavity tumors (median of 8 months) than in oropharyngeal tumors (39 months) (p = 0.01).
Conclusion: Compared with the conventional protocol, the proposed protocol demonstrated effectiveness, achieving clinical success in a shorter time in 75% of the analyzed lesions (p ≤ 0.0001). Maintaining oral and lesion hygiene is a protective factor for achieving clinical success. ORN develops more rapidly in oral cavity tumors.
Effectiveness of a dynamic seat cushion on recovery and recurrence of neck and low back pain in office workers: a secondary analysis of a randomized controlled trial
Authors: Channak Sirinant , Speklé Erwin M. , Beek Allard J. , Janwantanakul Prawit
Published: May 2024

Background: Neck and low back pain are prevalent issues among office workers due to prolonged sitting, necessitating effective interventions. Dynamic seat cushion, designed to promote postural shifts have emerged as promising solutions to address these concern. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of a dynamic seat cushion on recovery and recurrence of neck and low back pain in office workers.
Methods: This study used 6-month follow-up data of a randomized controlled trial, involving 66 office workers who reported pain in the trial. At baseline, participants were cluster-randomized into an intervention group, which received a dynamic seat cushion designed to encourage postural shifts, or a control group, which received a placebo seat pad. Health outcomes included recovery duration and recurrence of pain. Analyses utilized log rank test and Cox proportional hazard models.
Results: In the intervention group, the recovery rate from neck and low back pain was 100%, which was 86% for the control group. The median recovery duration in the intervention group (1 month) was two months shorter than in the control group (3 months). The intervention group had a higher probability of recovery compared to the control group (HRadj 4.35, 95% CI 1.87 – 10.11; p < 0.01). The recurrence rate of neck and low back pain was 27% in the intervention group, which was 75% in the control group. The Hazard Ratio, after adjustment, for the intervention group compared to the control group was 0.50 (95% CI = 0.11 – 2.12).
Conclusions: A dynamic seat cushion that encourages postural shifts shortened recovery duration of neck and low back pain among office workers. Due to small numbers, however, a potentially relevant reduction of recurrence of neck and low back pain could not be statistically confirmed.
Thai Clinical Trials Registry: TCTR20230623002 (23/06/2023).
Employing randomized controlled clinical settings, research explores the impact of strain-counter-strain on the management of lower back myofascial pain syndrome
Authors: Koura Ghada Rashad , Selim Mohamed Naeem , Elshiwi Ahmed Mohamed Fathi , Asiri Amani Abdu Mohammed , Alqahtani Reem Hadi Jowaied , Elimy Doaa Ayoub , Alshehri Mohammed Abdullah , Alnakhi Hani Hassan , Ahmad Fuzail , Ahmad Irshad
Published: May 2024

The purpose of this study is to analyse the impact of incorporating the strain-counter-strain (SCS) approach into physical therapy exercises for patients with lower back myofascial pain syndrome (MPS) on pain levels, ROM, and functional impairment.
Methods:The experimental group consisted of thirty individuals with lower back MPS, while the control group included forty patients. When it came to physical treatment, one group used the SCS method and exercised four days a week, whereas the other group only exercised three days a week. There was a pre- and post-test lasting four weeks for each and every outcome measure.
Results:After treatment, the study group outperformed the control group in most metrics (VAS, lumber ROM, and ODI) (p 0.001), except for left-side bending ROM (p > 0.05).
Conclusion: Lower back MPS patients may benefit more from a combination of physical therapy exercises and the SCS approach when it comes to pain, range of motion (ROM), and functional impairment than from individual physical therapy treatments.
Impact of dental pulp stromal cells-derived small extracellular vesicles on the properties and behavior of dental pulp stromal cells: An invitro-study
Authors: Hammouda Dina A. , Mansour Alaa M , Zaher Ahmed R. , Grawish Mohammed E.
Published: May 2024

Background
Dental pulp stromal cells-derived small extracellular vesicles (DPSCs-sEVs) had shown immunomodulatory, anti-inflammatory, and tissue function restorative abilities. Therefore, DPSCs-sEVs should be considered as a promising regenerative tool for dentin-pulp complex or whole pulp regeneration. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of DPSCs-sEVs on the proliferation rate, migration capability and expression pattern of DPSCs, in comparison with mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA).
Methods
DPSCs-sEVs were isolated from rats’ incisors by ultracentrifugation technique. Morphology, size and protein concentration of DPSCs-sEVs were monitored and analyzed using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), nanoparticle tracking analysis (NTA) and bicinchoninic acid assay (BCA). In addition, the tetraspanin proteins CD81, CD63 and the cytosolic protein syntenin of sEVs markers were immunodetected using Western blotting. Cell cultures of DPSCs from the third passage were left untreated and considered as a control (group I), whereas other cultured cells were treated with 50 µg/mL DPSCs-sEVs (group II), 0.2 mg/mL MTA-conditioned medium (group III), or their combination (50 µg/mL DPSCs-sEVs + 0.2 mg/mL MTA-conditioned media (group IV). MTT assay, transwell migration assay, and real-time polymerase chain reaction were used for assessing proliferation, migration and expression patterns.
Results
The DPSCs-sEVs increased DPSCs proliferation and MTA enhanced their effects. The proliferative capacity of DPSCs treated with 50 µg/mL DPSCs-sEVs + 0.2 mg/mL MTA-conditioned medium was significantly higher when compared with the other groups. The cell migration was more prominent in the group treated with 0.2 mg/mL MTA-conditioned medium than in the group treated with 50 µg/mL DPSCs-sEVs. DPSCs treated with 50 µg/mL DPSCs-sEVs + 0.2 mg/mL MTA-conditioned medium showed a significant increase in the migration ability of DPSCs, in comparison with other ones. Moreover, the combination group showed the greatest expression of dentin sialophosphoprotein, osteocalcin, collagen type I and Runt-related transcription factor 2.
Conclusion
MTA and sEVs together could be a powerful combination for regenerative endodontics.
Multi-omics integration analysis and association study reveal the potential of ADIPOQ function in gestational diabetes mellitus
Authors: Litao Sun , Li Xiaoying , Jia Tianshuang , Wu Yingnan , Peng Yanqing , Feng Yanan , Gong Liping , Dong Shuang
Published: May 2024

AimTo investigate the role of ADIPOQ gene in gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM).
Methods
We genotyped SNPs rs266729 and rs1501299 of ADIPOQ gene in1157 pregnant women of north Chinese Han population. Additionally, we used conventional bioinformatics analysis methods to conduct multi-omics analysis (transcriptome, epigenome, and single cell level) of ADIPOQ regulated GDM.
Results
The fetal umbilical artery doppler systolic blood flow velocity/diastolic blood flow velocity (S/D) ratio of umbilical artery in GDM patients with CC genotype of rs266729 and GG genotype of rs1501299 was higher than control. Single cell analysis suggested that ADIPOQ was expressed in extravillous trophoblast (EVT), T cell, monocytes, myelocyte, NK cell and syncytiotrophoblast (SCT). Functional enrichment analysis showed ADIPOQ gene was associated with response to nutrient levels, fat cell differentiation.
Conclusion
The findings of our study indicate a correlation between SNPs of ADIPOQ in GDM patients, and ADIPOQ is involved in the transcriptional regulation of GDM.
Natural resource pulses influence social-network dynamics: experimental evidence from a tree cavity-dependent bird community
Authors: Norris Andrea Rose , Martin Kathy
Published: May 2024

To explore how social networks might respond to ecological change we investigated the impact of two natural resource pulses at the foraging and nidic levels on intra- and inter-specific territorial behaviour of two species that co-occur year-round in multi-species groups. We simulated conspecific and heterospecific territorial intrusions in two insectivorous cavity-nesting species using 974 model presentations with territorial song playbacks during and after a dual resource pulse of insect (bark beetle) prey and nest cavities across 5 years in British Columbia, Canada. As beetle abundance increased, both species increased aggression toward conspecific intruders, but at peak beetle abundance, the (typically) subordinate generalist insectivore, mountain chickadee (Poecile gambeli), attacked model intruders more frequently than did the dominant bark insectivore, red-breasted nuthatch (Sitta canadensis). Surprisingly, chickadees shifted to an inter-specific resource defense strategy, responding more aggressively to nuthatch intruders than to conspecifics. Thus, obligate secondary cavity nesting chickadees dominated facultative excavating nuthatches, providing evidence of a dominance reversal at the nesting guild level. Both insectivores increased defense of high-quality territories, with increasing availability of food resources. The reversal in the interspecific dominance hierarchy suggests that behavioural mechanisms governing social networks and community structure may change during resource pulses. Overall, we suggest that social networks of chickadees and nuthatches are dynamic with high complexity and flexibility to major ecological disruptions. Future work that examines the fitness consequences of temporal variation in social network dynamics and resiliency could help to reveal evolutionary mechanisms by which these species co-exist.
Formation Mechanism and Physical Properties of Particle Ejection during Laser Cutting of Metal Alloys
Authors: Nie Yi , Low Kenny W Q , Liu Zhongkui , Yang Lihang , Wang Yuxuan , Li Tianqi , Li Haonan , He Yinfeng
Published: May 2024

Micro-scale particle ejection, an inevitable second emission during laser cutting of metal alloys, leads to significant hazards to operators’ lung and workpiece’s surface quality. This study established a Multiphysics numerical model to investigate the formation mechanism and physical properties of the ejected particles. An incompressible Newtonian laminar non-isothermal multiphase fluid flow was modelled for the laser-metal interaction process by implementing the governing equations, sources terms representing the laser energy and dynamic assist gas pressure, and melting and solidification effect. The volume of fluid (VOF) method, together with dynamic mesh adaption, was employed to track the metal-air interface of the two-phase fluid model. The physical formation phenomena of particles ejected from the kerf front were illustrated by the temperature and morphology evolution history. The dynamic behaviour of the ejected particles was revealed by their shape, size and velocity distribution over time using VOF-to-DPM technique. The effect of laser power and assist gas pressure on the equivalent diameter and velocity of the ejected particles were further studied quantitively to assist the development of subsequent exhaustion systems for secondary emissions. The developed numerical model takes a step forward in understanding the mechanics at the kerf regions and assisting the development of subsequent exhaustion systems for secondary emissions during laser cutting of high-end components.
Spatial Single-Cell Transcriptomic Analysis in Breast Cancer Reveals Potential Biomarkers for PD-1 Blockade Therapy
Authors: Wang Nan , Song Yan , Hong Weifeng , Mo Hongnan , Song Zhentao , Dai Wenshuang , Wang Lianshui , Zhang Haiyang , Zhang Yuyan , Zhang Qi , Zhang Hui , Zhang Tao , Wang Yuyi , Li Yeyu , Ma Jiafei , Shao Changchao , Yu Min , Qian Haili , Ma Fei , Ding Zhiyong
Published: May 2024

Introduction:
Spatially defined cellular interaction and crosstalk are eminently important in deciphering key molecular messages driving oncogenesis and disease progression. To date, methods enabling high-plex true single-cell resolution profiling under spatial settings are gradually becoming available and those majorly include the expansion of spatial transcriptomics (ST) being utilized.
Results:
Through in-depth spatial single-cell profiling on four breast cancer (BC) tissue samples bearing distinct biological characteristics, we evaluated the analytical performance benchmarked against conventional pathology and by selecting pre-defined region-of-interests (ROIs), we consolidated the technical robustness of this method in defining different molecular subtypes at the transcript level matching with canonical immunohistochemistry. Moreover, we demonstrated that high-dimensional ST data is capable of identifying a major cellular network inter-wired via macrophage and cytotoxic T cells interaction in tumor adjacent cellular neighborhood via PD-L1/CD80 and CD86/CTLA4 axis, a phenomenon reflecting an improved PD-1 mediated drug response observed clinically. By incorporating open-source computational methods (Tangram and SpaGE), we found compatible inference tools for in-situ expression imputation, an approach generalizable to enable deeper spatial profiling using Xenium in-situ or other parallel approaches.
Discussion:
Our spatial single-cell ST sets as a technical and analytical prototype for those using similar approaches for high-dimensional in-situ profiling work.
Materials:
We applied a newly developed spatial single-cell technology (Xenium in-situ) to interrogate the spatial single-cell architecture of the complex tumor microenvironment on a set of breast cancer patient tissues (luminal-type, HER2 2+/HR- and triple negative breast cancer, TNBC) and benchmarked against multiple clinicopathological features using bioinformatic tools.
Mango Fruit Diseases Severity Estimation based on Image Segmentation and Deep Learning
Authors: FAYE Demba , DIOP Idy , MBAYE Nalla , DIONE Doudou , DIEDHIOU Marius Mintu
Published: May 2024

Plant disease severity is the ratio between the surface area of disease symptoms and the total surface area of the plant unit (e.g. fruit, leaf). It is related to plant disease diagnosis and has several advantages for farmers. It is therefore a key element in the protection and management of plant diseases. In the literature, there are three proposed categories of plant disease severity determination solutions: those based on segmentation algorithms, those based on classical ML algorithms and those based on DL algorgorithms. Despite their many advantages, these solutions have a number of limitations, including i) subjectivity in data labeling, ii) loss of information on disease lesion contours during (manual) data labeling, and iii) the proposed solutions have focused on estimating plant disease severity from leaves, although diseases can also affect other parts of the plant, such as fruits. In this paper, we present a solution for estimating the severity of four mango fruit diseases, namely alternaria, anthracnose, aspergillus rot and stem rot. This solution is based on ResNet50 CNN and uses a dataset automatically labeled by a proposed algorithm based on two segmentation algorithms such as image color space segmentation and image thresholding. The solution has achieved an accuracy and a F1_score of 97.82% and 97.79%, respectively, on test data. It is then deployed in a mobile application with a diagnostic solution we previously proposed. This mobile application will help mango growers, particularly those in Sahelian countries like Senegal, to manage their mango diseases earlier.
A Real-Time Common Rust Maize Leaf Disease Severity Identifications and Pesticide Dose Recommendation Using Deep Neural Network
Authors: Megersa Zemzem Mohammed , Adege Abebe Belay , Rashid Faizur
Published: May 2024

Maize is one of the most widely grown crops in Ethiopia, although common rust maize disease (CRMD) is becoming a serious problem. Conventional CRMD detection and treatment methods are time-consuming, expensive and ineffective. To solve these problems, we propose a real-time deep learning model that provides disease detection and pesticide dosing recommendations. In the model development process, we collect 8000 maize-leaf images experimentally with permission obtained from Haramaya University and apply image pre-processing such as image equalization, augmentation, noise removal, and image enhancement to improve the performance of the proposed model. We then jointly apply batch normalization, dropout, and early stopping during training the proposed algorithm to reduce the overfitting problem. Next, we generate an optimal model that recognizes CRMD and classifies it accurately based on its severity levels. To evaluate the proposed techniques, we compare Resnet50 with other state-of-the-art algorithms, such as VGG19, VGG16, and AlexNet algorithms with similar parameters. The performance of ResNet50 is more than 2% better than that of other algorithms in terms of accuracy. The proposed technique provides promising results for the classification of CRMD and pesticide dosage recommendations based on the severity of the disease type. This study also demonstrates the potential of Resnet50 models for improving maize disease management.
Cell Free Supernatants of Bifidobacterium: B. adolescentis and B. longum Suppress the Tumor Growth in Colorectal Cancer Organoid Model
Authors: Kim Min Jung , Song Myoung-Hyun , Ji Yo-Sep , Park Ji Won , Shin Young-Kyoung , Kim Soon-Chan , Kim Gihyeon , Cho Beomki , Park Hansoo , Ku Ja-Lok , Jeong Seung-Yong
Published: May 2024

The gut microbiome and its metabolites are pivotal for regulating host metabolism, inflammation, and immunity. Host genetics, colonization at birth, the host lifestyle, and exposure to diseases and drugs determine microbial composition. Dysbiosis and disruption of homeostasis in the microbiome have been reported to be involved in the tumorigenesis and progression of colorectal cancer (CRC). However, the influence of bacteria-secreted metabolites on CRC growth is yet to be fully elucidated. In this study, we compared the microbial composition of CRC patients to healthy controls to identify distinct patterns of microbiota-derived metabolites in CRC patients. Metagenomic analysis demonstrated that Blautia producta, Bifidobacterium adolescentis, and Bifidobacterium longum decreased, while Parabacteroides distasonis and Bacteroides ovatus were more prevalent in the CRC patient group. Treatment of cancer organoid lines with microbial culture supernatants from Blautia producta, Bifidobacterium adolescentis, and Bifidobacterium longum showed remarkable inhibition of cancer growth. This study demonstrates that the bacterial metabolites depleted in CRC patients may inhibit cancer growth and highlights the effects of microbiome-derived metabolites on CRC growth.
Molecular characteristics and virulence factors of group B Streptococcus in South Korea according to the invasiveness
Authors: Choi Jae Hong , Kim Tae Hyoung , Kim Eui Tae , Kim Young Ree , Lee Hyunju
Published: May 2024

Background: Group B Streptococcus (GBS) causes invasive infections in newborns and elderly individuals, but is a noninvasive commensal bacterium in most immunocompetent people. Recently, the incidence of invasive GBS infections has increased worldwide, and there is growing interest in the molecular genetic characteristics of invasive GBS strains. Vaccines against GBS are expected in the near future. Here, we aimed to analyze the molecular characteristics of GBS according to the invasiveness.
Methods:We analyzed GBS isolates collected and stored in two hospitals in South Korea between January 2015 and December 2020. The invasiveness of these isolates was determined via a retrospective review of clinical episodes. Serotype and sequence type (ST) were determined using multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and multilocus sequence typing, respectively. Fourteen virulence factor-encoding genes of GBS were analyzed using multiplex PCR.
Results: One hundred and twenty GBS isolates from 55 children and 65 adults were analyzed; among them, 41 (34.2%) were invasive infection-related GBS isolates (iGBS). The most frequently detected serotype was III (39/120, 32.5%), and it accounted for a high proportion of iGBS (21/41, 51.2%). The most frequent ST was ST19 (18/120, 15.0%), followed by ST2 (17/120, 14.2%). Serotype III/ST17 was predominant in iGBS (12/41, 29.3%), and all 17 ST2 strains were noninvasive. The distribution of most of the investigated virulence factors was not significantly related to invasiveness; noteworthily, most of the serotype III/ST17 iGBS carried pilus island (PI) 2b (10/12, 83.3%), and the prevalence of fbsB was significantly low compared with noninvasive GBS isolates (P = 0.004). Characteristically, the combination of bca(+)-cspA(+)-pavA(+)-fbsB(-)-rib(+)-bac(-) was predominant in iGBS (24.4%, 10/41).
Conclusions: Serotype III/ST17 GBS carrying PI-2b was frequently detected in iGBS. There was no significant association between invasiveness and the pattern of virulence factors; however, a specific combination of virulence factors was predominant in iGBS.
Inferencing the vector competence of Aedes mosquitoes incorporating environmental impact on dengue infection risk
Authors: Chathurangika Piyumi , Premadasa Lakmini , Perera S.S.N. , De Silva Kushani
Published: May 2024

Background: For decades, dengue has posed a significant threat as a viral infectious disease, affecting numerous lives, yet no cure has been discovered. Genetic traits are often challenging to quantify and particularly susceptible to environmental fluctuations. Assessing genetic traits such as the vector competence of Aedes mosquitoes, which enable transmitting dengue among humans, presents obstacles and is notably sensitive to climate variations, especially considering their probability to flourish in tropical regions of the world.
Methods: In this study, we attempt, for the first time in a non-laboratory setting, to quantify the vector competence of Aedes mosquitoes using an existing mathematical model, originally developed for malaria, in a Bayesian inferencing setup. We conducted this study in the Colombo district of Sri Lanka where the highest number of populations are threatened with dengue.
Results: Our research successfully deduced vector competence values for each identified season within a year. These estimated values have been corroborated through experimental studies documented in the literature, thereby validating the malaria model for dengue disease.
Conclusion: Our research findings conclude that environmental conditions can amplify vector competence within specific seasons, categorized by their environmental attributes. Additionally, the deduced vector competence offers compelling evidence that it impacts disease
The (in)congruence effects of organizational green compensation and employee green conscientiousness on pro-environmental behavior: Evidence from China
Authors: Zhang Haiyan , Sun Shuwei
Published: May 2024

Background
In past decades, the Chinese government has enacted a series of ecological policies to encourage organizations, the pivotal institutional agents implementing national policies, and employees, the ultimate crucial micro-actors engaging in ecological construction, to bring about employee pro-environmental behavior (EPEB) which is the foundation to realize nation’s ecological strategies. Yet, the effectiveness of a widely-adopted organizational-level green management practice “organizational green compensation” (OGC) and a typical individual-level green personality trait “employee green conscientiousness” (EGC) have been explored alone, ignoring various OGC-EGC combinations and failing to clarify potential influences of OGC-EGC (in)congruence on EPEB. This research endeavours to address this limitation.
Methods
Two studies were conducted. Study 1 surveyed EGC, OGC, and EPEB among 778 subordinate-supervisor dyads and sought to test two single effects and three sets of comparisons between and within congruence and incongruence effects using polynomial regression and response surface analysis. Study 2 measured EGC, employee environmental commitment (EEC), and EPEB by 713 sample employees and OGC by their direct supervisors and attempted to verify EEC’s mediating role employing the block variable approach.
Results
Study 1 (N = 778) found that 1) when being implemented individually, OGC and EGC both positively promote EPEB (ß=0.39, p < 0.001; ß=0.24, p < 0.001), 2) when being performed simultaneously, OGC-EGC congruence is associated with higher EPEB compared to that corresponding to OGC-EGC incongruence (p11 = 3.77 with 95% CI [0.71, 23.04] including 1, p10=-0.65 with 95% CI [− 25.80, 0.42] including 0, [α3 − α4 + α5] = − 0.24 with 95% CI [− 0.41, − 0.07] excluding 0), EPEB level is higher when OGC-EGC congruence is at a high rather than low level ([α1 + α2] = 0.51 with 95% CI [0.39, 0.62] excluding 0), and EPEB level under high-low combination of OGC and EGC is lower than that under low-high combination ([α1-α2] = − 0.20 with 95% CI [− 0.38, − 0.02] excluding 0). Study 2 (N = 713) further confirmed that EEC plays a mediating role during the OGC-EGC-EPEB relationship (indirect effect = 0.14 with 95% CI [0.08, 0.20] excluding 0).
Conclusion
Through two studies, we offer Chinese evidence to support hypotheses regarding OGC-EGC (in)congruence effects on EPEB and the mediating role of EEC, providng theoretical and practical implications for the optimization of OGC-EGC combinations to strengthen EPEB.
A Systematic Review of Graphical PasswordMethods Resistant to Shoulder-surfing Attacks
Authors: Binbeshr Farid , Siong Khaw Chee , Por Lip Yee , Imam Muhammad , Al-Saggaf Alawi A. , Abudaqa Anas A.
Published: May 2024

Graphical passwords have emerged as an alternative to traditionalalphanumeric passwords, offering potentially better memorability. However,they are often vulnerable to shoulder-surfing attacks, where attackers observeusers entering their credentials. This Systematic Literature Review (SLR) addresses this critical gap by comprehensively analyzing existing graphical password methods resistant to shoulder-surfing attacks. A review protocol wasdeveloped to systematically search, conduct, and report the SLR. Two authors searched six databases and extracted the data from 183 articles. The review sheds light on effective graphical password methods resistant to shouldersurfing attacks, evaluation methods used to evaluate these methods, and challenges hindering the adoption of graphical passwords as the mainstream authentication method. By synthesizing existing research, this SLR serves as a guide for future investigations and contributes to the development of more secure authentication methods.
Childhood Traumas and Personality Traits' Impact on Rhinoplasty Decision
Authors: Yılmaz Yavuz , Aksoy Ahmet , Altuntaş Emine Elif
Published: May 2024

Purpose
Aesthetic surgeries, especially rhinoplasty, are increasingly common today and are closely linked to an individual's psychological health. Patients seeking rhinoplasty tend to be more anxious and have experienced more negative childhood experiences. However, the impact of personality traits and adverse childhood experiences on the decision to undergo rhinoplasty is not well understood.
Methods
The study involved 256 individuals: 106 who had undergone rhinoplasty, 46 considering it, and 104 not considering it. Participants completed the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire Revised Short Form and the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire.
Results
Neuroticism increased the likelihood of undergoing rhinoplasty by 16.3%, rising to 29.3% if a family member had the surgery. Psychoticism increased the likelihood by 15.4%, reaching 19.1% if no family member had rhinoplasty. Extraversion increased the likelihood by 24.4%, reaching 30.9% with a family history. Emotional abuse, mediated by neuroticism, increased the likelihood of rhinoplasty by 5.4%, reaching 17.7% with a family history. Physical neglect increased the likelihood by 17.9%, rising to 22% without a family history.
Conclusions
Personality traits and childhood traumas influence the decision to undergo rhinoplasty. These findings provide important insights for future research.
Investigating Perimidine Precursors for the Synthesis of New Multiredox Polymers
Authors: Janasik Patryk , Chulkin Pavel , Czichy Malgorzata , Lapkowski Mieczyslaw
Published: May 2024

We present a new simple approach for electrochemical synthesis of semi-condensed ambipolar perinone polymers with phthaloperine (p1) or phenanthroline (p2) skeleton from available and cheap perimidine precursors. Polymerization of perimidine derivatives varies in efficiency depending on the monomer, but overall is highly efficient, especially when electropolymerization is used. Electrooxidation is well controllable and provides a certain characteristic share of new bonds in the structure of perimidine polymers: semi-ladder bis-perimidine unit, ladder bis-perimidine unit, and protonated bis-perimidine unit. Polymer p2 obtained with higher efficiency was put through broader analysis (UV-Vis, IR, ESR and quantum-chemical calculations). As indicated, donor-acceptor structure and specific intermolecular interactions of p2 assure its electrical conductivity and complex redox activity. Although protonated bonds break π-conjugation in the structure of the macromolecule, there is also a diradical state that favors intermolecular interactions and intermolecular π-conjugation channels within bis-perimidine segments. It has been proven that there is a diradical state which appears as an intermediate state between the oxidized and reduced states of the protonated polymer unit. This work positions perimidine polymers as a versatile ambipolar multiredox p- and n-type conductor, indicating a potential for expanding perinone-based perylene-diperimidine polymers for innovative electronics and (bio)sensors.
Floristic Composition and Temporal Dynamics of Palm Oil Agroforests in the Eastern Amazon
Authors: BARROS Priscila Castro , Costa Alessa Nayhara , GOMES Mila Façanha , CASTELLANI Debora Cristina , KATO Osvaldo Ryohei , VASCONCELOS Steel Silva
Published: May 2024

Oil palm (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.) is a crop of high relevance in the global economy. In the eastern Amazon, a region with potential for the expansion of this crop, the initiative to plant oil palm together with other regional species of commercial interest, forming agroforestry systems (AFS), is considered ecologically, economically, and socially promising. We evaluated the floristic and structural dynamics of oil palm AFSs in the eastern Amazon, Brazil. We analyzed the Shannon-Wiener diversity index (H'), the Importance Value Index (IVI), the Current Annual Increment (CAI), and mortality in six AFSs, between 2016 and 2018. Fabaceae, Arecaceae, Meliaceae, Anacardiaceae, and Malvaceae were the main botanical families occurring in the AFSs. The H' index ranged from 0.88 to 2.08. Elaeis guineensis, Theobroma cacao Linn., and Gliricidia sepium Jacq showed the highest IVIs. In total, 38.46% of the species were wood trees, 38.46% were fruit trees, 7.69% were species planted for green manure purposes, and 15.38% were multiple-use species. Mortality in all AFSs was low (< 6%). The largest diameter increments occurred in the 2016–2017 period. Between 2017 and 2018, E. guineensis, Euterpe oleraceae Mart., and T. cacao showed low diameter increments. The El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) caused a long dry spell in the Amazon between 2015 and 2016. Our results suggest that this event slowed down tree growth. The AFSs with greater floristic diversity showed higher diameter increment after the ENSO, which may indicate greater resilience of these systems to climatic events compared to the AFSs with lower floristic diversity.
Engineering a GPCR-based yeast biosensor for a highly sensitive melatonin detection from fermented beverages
Authors: Bisquert Ricardo , Guillén Alba , Muñiz-Calvo Sara , Guillamón José M.
Published: May 2024

Melatonin is a multifunctional molecule with diverse biological roles that holds great value as a health-promoting bioactive molecule in any food product and yeast’s ability to produce it has been extensively demonstrated in the last decade. However, its quantification presents costly analytical challenges due to the usual low concentrations found as the result of yeast metabolism. We tackled this issue by optimizing a yeast GPCR-based biosensor for melatonin detection and quantitation. Through strategic genetic modifications, we significantly enhanced its sensitivity and signal output, making it suitable for detection of yeast-produced melatonin and enabling the screening of 101 yeast strains and the detection of melatonin in diverse wine samples. Our biosensor’s efficacy in quantifying melatonin in yeast growth media underscores its utility in exploring melatonin production dynamics and potential applications in functional food development. This study provides a new analytical approach that allows a rapid and cost-effective melatonin analysis to reach deeper insights into the bioactivity of melatonin in fermented products and its implications for human health and it also highlights the broader implications of biosensor technology in streamlining analytical processes in fermentation science.
Assessing the Impact of Advanced Energy-Efficient Technologies on Sustainability in the Nigerian Construction Sector
Authors: Unegbu H. C. O. , Yawas D. S. , Dan-asabe B. , Alabi bdulmumin .A.
Published: May 2024

This study evaluates the impact of advanced energy-efficient technologies on sustainability in the Nigerian construction sector, with an emphasis on their influence on energy consumption, cost reduction, environmental benefits, and social impacts. Employing a quantitative research approach, data were collected through structured questionnaires distributed among 150 construction professionals across Nigeria, achieving an 82% response rate. The analysis included descriptive statistics, ANOVA, and regression analysis to assess the perceptions and impacts of energy-efficient technologies based on different professional roles within the construction industry. Findings indicated that energy-efficient technologies substantially reduce energy consumption and operational costs, with most respondents reporting significant savings. Environmental impacts were also positively noted, with substantial reductions in carbon emissions aligning with global sustainability objectives. However, the study identified a less pronounced recognition of the social benefits of these technologies, suggesting a potential area for increased advocacy and education. Significant differences in perceptions across job roles highlighted the need for role-specific educational programs to harmonize understanding and implementation practices. Advanced energy-efficient technologies are crucial for enhancing sustainability in the Nigerian construction sector. The study underscores the need for comprehensive educational and policy initiatives to fully leverage these technologies for economic, environmental, and social benefits
Integrated time-course transcriptome and sphingolipidomics revealed that saturated ceramide accelerated seed germination in soybean
Authors: Liu Fei , Zhang Jialing , Qiao Zhiqing , Gao Yinghui , Tan Pinting , Liu Ning , Hu Mingyu , Zhang Jian , Yi Zelin , Luo Ming , Xu Fan
Published: May 2024

Background
Soybean (Glycine max) is one of the most important oil and fodder crop worldwide. High and uniform seed germination is crucial for soybean yield. Sphingolipid is one of the major components of membrane lipid raft, which has crucial roles in plant growth and stress responses. However, Knowledge regarding the functions of sphingolipid in seed germination is elusive.
Results
Through chemicobiological methods, we found that exogenous application of C24 phytoceramide t18:0/24:0 could accelerate seed germination in soybean. In order to explore the functions of sphingolipid in soybean seed germination, we performed integrated time-course transcriptome and sphingolipidomics with germinated soybean seeds. We identified two modules of gene set that were positively or negatively associated with seed germination by time-course transcriptome analysis, and the expression of these genes were gradually up- or down- regulated during seed germination, respectively. Among which, many genes involved in sphingolipid biosynthesis were down-regulated during seed germination, especially, the LCB Δ8 desaturases attracted our attentions. Moreover, our time-course sphingolipidomics results indicated that the amounts of ceramide d18:0/16:0, ceramide d18:0/22:0, and phytoceramide t18:0/24:0 were elevated during seed germination, suggesting that saturated ceramides is positive related to seed germination in soybean.
Conclusion
Through time-course transcriptome analysis, we identified two set genes that related to soybean seed germination. Moreover, consider with time-course sphingolipidomics and chemicobiological assays, we demonstrated that saturated simple ceramides have positive roles in soybean seed germination.