bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
High circulation of pertussis in infants and close contacts in Antananarivo, the capital of Madagascar, and Cambodia
Authors: Noel Gaelle , Harimanana Aina , Borand Laurence , Campana Florence , Leng Chanthy , Botr Chhunly , Rafetrarivony Lala , Rajabizadeh Mahdi , Kerleguer Alexandra , Dim Bunnet , Randriamoramanana Anny M. , Ait-Ahmed Mohand , Guiso Nicole , Collard Jean-Marc , Taieb Fabien , group The PERILIC working
Published: November 2024

Background: Reliable data on whooping cough, a highly contagious disease sometimes fatal for infants, are largely lacking in low- and middle-income countries.
Methods: We conducted a hospital-based prospective study (PS) on infants, and a household contact-case investigation (CCI) for positive cases throughout Cambodia and in the city of Antananarivo, Madagascar, between 2017 and 2019. The PS, in which
Bordetella diagnostics (qPCR) were performed, included infants aged ≤6 months presenting with ≥5 days of cough associated with one pertussis-like symptom. CCI was performed using qPCR and serology regardless of clinical signs.
Results: In this study, 207 and 173 participants from Cambodia and Antananarivo were respectively enrolled. Respectively 26.1% (54/207) and 22.0% (38/173) of the infants were infected in the cohorts from Cambodia and Antananarivo. Cough longer than 10 days appeared as a risk factor in both countries, as well as coughing spells, apnea and normal pulmonary auscultation, having a coughing contact in Cambodia. In Antananarivo, good condition between cough appeared as a risk factor. Five infants, all positive, died during the study. In Cambodia and Antananarivo respectively, 50.9% (118/232) and 67.8% (82/121) of the contact cases were positive. Respectively 94.4% (51/54) and 90.3% (28/31) of the households had at least one positive contact case.
Conclusion: The data show that pertussis circulates at high levels among infants and in their households both in Cambodia and in Antananarivo. Given the vulnerability of youngest infants, who are too young to receive fully primary vaccination, they need to be protected through boosters breaking transmission chains. Molecular diagnosis, as well as trained medical human resources to detect the disease early, are absolutely key to protect populations.
Identification and expression analysis of P-type ATPase IIIA subfamily in Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici
Authors: Yingjie SUN , TAO Hong , Hong HAN , ZOU Yiping , Yingyu XUE , Shiwen CHEN , Fei TAO
Published: November 2024

Background
Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici (Pst) causes wheat stripe (yellow) rust disease, which is one of the most destructive diseases affecting wheat worldwide. ATPases, a class of membrane proteins, play an important role in material exchange and signal transduction both within and outside biological cells by transporting ions and phospholipids. In plant pathogens, P-type ATPases primarily participate in pathogen development and virulence regulation. However, the P-type ATPase of subfamily IIIA (PMA) has not yet been identified in Pst. To investigate the potential functions of the PMA gene family in Pst, we conducted a genome-wide bioinformatics analysis and examined the expression profiles of the PMA gene family.
Results
Six PMA genes were identified in the genome of Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici (CYR34 race). The PMA proteins encoded by these genes ranged in length from 811 to 960 amino acids. Each of the six PMA genes contained a typical ATPase IIIA H superfamily domain and was distributed across four chromosomes. Thirty-six major cis-regulatory elements were detected within the PMA gene family members. Elements such as the CGTCA-motif and TGACG-motif play significant roles in responding to environmental stresses and hormone signals. Quantitative PCR analysis revealed that the expression of the PMA04 gene was generally higher at 9°C under various temperature stresses. The PMA06 gene typically exhibited higher expression levels at 16°C. During the infection of Pst, the expression levels of PMA04, PMA05, and PMA06 were elevated at 72 hours post treatment.
Conclusions
The P-type ATPase IIIA gene family in the CYR34 strain contains six PMA genes, and they play a crucial role in responding to temperature stress and pathogen infection, exhibiting a distinct splicing pattern.
Utilizing Relativistic Photon Travel in Microstrip Circuits for Quantum Router Implementation and Timeline Establishment
Authors: Luangvilay Xaythavy , Yupapin Preecha , Sonasang Somchat , Boonkirdram Sarawoot , Jalil Muhammad Arif , Ray Kanad , Mallik Saurav , Pham Nhat Truong , Jamsai Meechai , Angkawisittpan Niwat , Shah Mohd Asif
Published: November 2024

A time-traveling is generated and experimentally confirmed using a relativistic circle constructed by a microstrip add-drop multiplexer. Such a device can operate with both an antenna and electronic device functions, which can be applied to link the two different time events with wired or wireless transmission schemes. A timeline is formed by the Rabi frequency oscillation when entangled states under successive filtering. In this letter, the message can be modulated for the lower and upper sidebands of the Rabi frequency, presenting the past and future traveling times, respectively. The required information can be retrieved in the past or the future via point-to-point transmission terminals. In the experiment, the message is modulated by the required information to the frequency-time function of the present carrier and input into the system performed by a point-to-point link. The merging information is formed on the timeline, and can be retrieved via the device output ports. The band pass filter is applied to obtain the required message. The results have shown that the proposed work can be realized with point-to-point communication, where the collapsed entangled pairs from both sides of the worlds are merged then Bob can communicate with Alice via the timeline.
Records of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) from prehistoric sediments and their environmental significance in the Lubei Plain of China
Authors: Zuo Huanrong , Tan Zhihai , Han Yongming , Mao Longjiang , Zheng Shuxin , Zhang Qi , Wang Meng , Li Shihao
Published: November 2024

Due to the differences in paleofire combustion patterns, the sources of biomass burning remains uncertain. This study examines the sediments from the Lubei Plain in the Shandong Peninsula, Lower Yellow River, integrating black carbon analysis and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) to reveal the evolution of fire ecology and human activities in this region over the past 5000 years. During the mid-to-late Holocene (5000 − 3500 year BP), the findings reveal that biomass burning levels in this region were generally low. However, between 3500 and 3000 year BP, smoldering biomass combustion pattern was prevalent, driven by extensive deforestation and prolonged droughts during the Shang Dynasty (3600 − 3046 year BP). During the late Holocene. three intensified-fire episodes (2600 − 2400 year BP, 2100 − 1900 year BP, and 1600 − 1400 year BP) may be a consequence of the population growth, deforestation to reclaim land, and/or the frequent wars during the periods of the Spring and Autumn & Warring States, Eastern Han, Wei, Jin, Southern & Northern Dynasties in China with cold and dry climatic condition. Conversely, two distinct periods of reduced fire activity are related to a significant decrease in anthropogenic biomass burning, likely due to population migration and farming activities decreased in the study area. Meanwhile, n-alkane and pollen records indicate a shift from primary forests to secondary artificial forests during the late Holocene, which were attributed to a decrease in the seasonal precipitation controlled by the weakening East Asian monsoon and increased anthropogenic biomass burning. In the past 300 years, the climate has become more arid, and the local biomass burning in this study area has increased significantly. According to principal component analysis, warfare was a potential factor in the high-intensity pyrogenic fires in the past 5000 years, and the low-intensity fire pattern induced by long-term and frequent deforestation activities of human beings is an important factor that cannot be ignored, which leads to the decrease of vegetation and land degradation in this region.
Analysis of karst groundwater runoff conditions based on statistics and reverse hydrogeochemical modeling methods
Authors: Hui Sun , Shuhong Mo , Jingyu Lyu , Siyu Yan , Honglan Peng
Published: November 2024

Karst groundwater is widely distributed in China, and karst water resources are the main source of water for human life, industry and agriculture. In order to scientifically understand and rationally exploit karst groundwater, it is necessary to analyze the runoff conditions of karst groundwater. This study comprehensively applied statistical methods, Shukalev classification, reverse hydrogeochemical modeling, and Kriging interpolation in ArcGIS to analyze the hydrochemical characteristics and runoff conditions of the three karst groundwater runoff zones in the Fengfeng mining area. The results show that: (1) The hydrochemical type in the study area is mainly HCO3·SO4-Ca·Mg type, and the eastern region changes greatly, while the western region changes little; (2) There are differences in the hydrogeochemical processes occurring in different runoff zones, and the groundwater flow field and geological structures play a significant controlling role in the hydrogeochemical reactions of the karst groundwater; (3) The runoff conditions derived from hydrogeochemical methods are consistent with existing geological data, indicating that this method is suitable for identifying groundwater runoff conditions. In this study, the hydrogeochemical reaction of karst groundwater in the flow process is quantitatively evaluated from the spatial point of view, and the runoff conditions of different runoff zones are analyzed, so as to provide new methods and new ideas for the determination of groundwater runoff conditions.
Multi-centered Pre-treatment CT Based Radiomics Features to Predict Locoregional Recurrence of Locally Advanced Esophageal Cancer After Definitive Chemoradiotherapy
Authors: Yu Nuo , Wang Peipei , Zuo Lijing , Cao Ying , Liu Wenyang , Deng Lei , Zhang Tao , Wang Wenqing , Wang Jianyang , Lv Jima , Xiao Zefen , Feng Qinfu , Zhou Zongmei , Bi Nan , Ge Xiaolin , Zhang Wencheng , Wang Xin
Published: November 2024

Purpose
We constructed a prediction model to predict 2-year locoregional recurrence based on the clinical features and radiomics features extracted from machine learning method using computed tomography (CT) before definite chemoradiotherapy (dCRT) in locally advanced esophageal cancer.
Patients and methods:
A total of 264 patients (156 in Beijing, 87 in Tianjin, and 21 in Jiangsu) were included in this study. All those locally advanced esophogeal cancer patients received definite radiotherapy, and were randomly divided into 5 subgroups with similar number and divided into training group and validation group by five cross-validation. The esophageal tumor and extratumoral esophagus were segmented to extract radiomics features from the gross tumor volume (GTV) drawn by radiation therapists before radiotherapy, and 6 clinical features associated with prognosis were added. T stage, N stage, M stage, total stage, GTV and GTVnd volume were included to construct a prediction model to predict the 2-year locoregional recurrence of patients after definitive radiotherapy.
Results
264 patients were enrolled from August 2012 to April 2018, with a median age of 62 years and 81% were males. The 2-year locoregional recurrence rate was 52.6%, and the 2-year overall survival rate was 45.6%. About 66% patients received concurrent chemotherapy. In total, we extracted 786 radiomics features from CT images and. the Principal Component Analysis (PCA) method was used to screen out the maximum 30 features. Finally the Support Vector Machine (SVM) method was used to construct the integrated prediction model combining radiomics and clinical features. In the 5 training groups for predicting locoregional recurrence, the mean value of C-index was 0.9841 (95%CI, 0.9809–0.9873), and in the 5 validation groups, the mean value was 0.744 (95%CI, 0.7437–0.7443).
Conclusion
The prediction model could predict 2-year locoregional recurrence after radiotherapy. It can provide a foundation for searching for suitable treatment strategy for patients receiving definitive radiotherapy and guiding subsequent consolidation therapy.
Microfluidic-assisted Biomineralization of Calcium Phosphate: Enhancing Particle Design for Medical and Therapeutic Applications
Authors: Rodriguez Carol Yazbleydy Cárdenas , Shukla Nutan , Mukhanova Elizaveta , Chapek Sergei V. , Soldatov Alexander V.
Published: November 2024

Calcium phosphate (CaP) polymorphs are non-toxic and biocompatible, making them intriguing for a variety of applications, including hard tissue regeneration, medicine delivery, and vaccine development. Investigating the mechanism of calcium phosphate nucleation and development is critical for understanding disorders caused by pathological mineralization and developing biomimetic materials with suitable properties. The current CaP in situ/batch biomineralization process follows the crystal-formation route of pre-nucleation cluster aggregation of particles larger than 500 microns. However, due to their large size, current synthesis methods may have limited efficiency, scalability, and particle uniformity. The development of new technologies for producing nano- and microparticles in biomedicine is interesting for various reasons. In this context, a microfluidic-based biomineralization technology is developed, with distinct microfluidic parameters altered, and the chip architecture allows for fine manipulation of the reaction parameters. The obtained reaction conditions yielded a 20-100-micron crystal. Furthermore, this approach enables the straightforward encapsulation of two different model dyes: methylene blue (MB) and rose Bengal (RB). The proposed microfluidic-aided synthesis technique provides a viable route for future study in particle production and medicine delivery systems.
Xizi 3: a new rice variety with stable low-cadmium-accumulation characteristics
Authors: wang tiankang , Fu Yuefeng , song shufeng , li yixing , yang hanshu , bai lianyang , li li
Published: November 2024

This study pioneered the identification method of cadmium accumulation in rice grains of sterile rice lines, took the lead in discovering important rice resources of low cadmium accumulation Luohong 3A and Luohong 4A, established the precise design breeding technology system of low cadmium accumulation in rice, and developed the first rice variety of low cadmium accumulation approved by the state "Xizi 3", which is of great significance for solving the problem of excessive cadmium in rice in southern China. It was selected as the major leading agricultural technology of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs in 2024 and the major new scientific and technological achievements of China's agriculture and rural areas.
Effects of nonionic surfactants on life history traits of Drosophila melanogaster
Authors: RICHARD Chloé M. C. , RENAULT David , WALLART Violette , DENIS Béatrice , TARAPACKI Pénélope , MARION-POLL Frédéric , COLINET Hervé
Published: November 2024

Surfactants are used for a variety of applications as emulsifiers, solubilizers, or foaming agents. Their intensive production and use in pharmaceuticals, cosmetics or agricultural products have resulted in their continuous discharge in the environment, especially via wastewaters. Surfactants have become a threat to living organisms, as they interact with, and disrupt, cell membranes and macromolecules. Their effects have mainly been studied in aquatic species; however, terrestrial organisms are also threatened by these emerging contaminants. In this context, this study investigates the effects of two widely used nonionic surfactants, Tween-20 and Triton X-100 on key traits of the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster. We assessed the toxicity of the two surfactants on viability, development time, body size and food intake of the flies. The results revealed that both surfactants induced toxic effects on the drosophila flies leading to decreased viability, delayed development and lowered food consumption at the highest tested concentrations. For all traits tested, Triton X-100 appeared more toxic than Tween-20. Both surfactants proved to be toxic to flies, and these results might extend to other invertebrates. The widespread use of these substances, which then end up in the environment, should be regulated to mitigate their impacts on biodiversity and ecosystems.
An LLM-guided Platform for Multi-Granular Collection and Management of Data Provenance
Authors: Lauro Luca , Lazzaro Pasquale Leonardo , Lazzaro Marialaura , Missier Paolo , Torlone Riccardo
Published: November 2024

As machine learning and AI systems become more prevalent, understanding how their decisions are made is key to maintaining their trust. To solve this problem, it is widely accepted that fundamental support can be provided by the knowledge of how data are altered in the pre-processing phase, using data provenance to track such changes. This paper focuses on the design and development of a system for collecting, managing, and querying data provenance of data preparation pipelines in data science. An investigation of publicly available machine learning pipelines is conducted to identify the most important features required for the tool to achieve impact on a broad selection of pre-processing data manipulation. Building on this study, we present an approach for transparently collecting data provenance based on the use of an LLM to: (i) automatically rewrite user-defined pipelines in a format suitable for this activity and (ii) store an accurate description of all the activities involved in the input pipelines for supporting the explanation of each of them. We then illustrate and test implementation choices aimed at supporting the provenance capture for data preparation pipelines efficiently in a transparent way for data scientists.
Dentists' Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices Regarding Antithrombotic Drugs: Pre-Post Test Study
Authors: yürük fatıma ulya , Tezcan Songül , Cengiz Ayşenur , Sancar Mesut
Published: November 2024

Background
Dentists frequently encounter patients taking antithrombotic drugs. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of training by a clinical pharmacist on dentists' knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding antithrombotic drugs.
Method
This pre-post test study was conducted in Oral and Dental Health Centers (Istanbul/Turkey). A self-structured questionnaire consisting of 49 questions prepared by the researchers was used. This questionnaire was administered twice in a face-to-face setting, before (pre-test) and after (post-test) the 45-minute training given by the clinical pharmacist.
Results
The median age of 238 dentists was 37.9 (27-58) years and 76% were female. The participants' knowledge of antithrombotic drugs was low (13.2%) but increased significantly after the training (91.7%) and Cronbach alpha value of this section was found to be 0.684. Before the training, only 13.2% of the participants believed that aspirin treatment should not be stopped before dental procedures. After the training, this percentage increased significantly to 89.3%. Similarly, the number of participants who correctly answered the question "Should warfarin be stopped before dental treatment?" also increased significantly from 13.2% before the training to 55.6% after the training (p <0.05).
Conclusion
The data obtained in our study showed that dentists' knowledge and attitudes toward antithrombotic drugs improved significantly after receiving training from the clinical pharmacist.
Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Behavioral Intervention as a Preventative Approach for Elderly Individuals at Risk of Depression and Anxiety: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Garg Rachna , Awasthi Shubhagata , Gupta Naveen
Published: November 2024

Background:
Mental health challenges, particularly depression and anxiety, are increasingly prevalent among the elderly, highlighting a need for preventative strategies. Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Behavioral Intervention (MBCBI) combines mindfulness techniques with cognitive restructuring to enhance emotional regulation and resilience in older adults. This pilot study examines the efficacy of MBCBI in reducing symptoms of depression and anxiety, with an emphasis on its potential as a preventative mental health approach for at-risk elderly individuals.
Method:
This study utilized a mixed-method approach with elderly participants aged 60–75 years who presented mild to moderate symptoms of depression and anxiety. Participants underwent a 10-week MBCBI program, involving weekly 90-minute sessions focused on mindfulness practices and cognitive-behavioral techniques. Quantitative data were collected using the Geriatric Depression Scale-Short Form (GDS-SF), State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) and a Resilience Scale, while qualitative insights were gathered through semi-structured interviews.
Results:
The MBCBI program demonstrated significant reductions in participants’ depression and anxiety levels (p < 0.05). Additionally, resilience scores improved, and participants reported enhanced emotional regulation and a stronger sense of social connection and self-awareness.
Conclusion:
Findings from this pilot study suggest that MBCBI is an effective preventative intervention for elderly individuals at risk of mental health issues, particularly depression and anxiety. MBCBI’s integration of mindfulness and cognitive-behavioral elements offers a promising approach to strengthening resilience and reducing psychological distress among aging populations. Further research with larger, diverse samples is recommended to confirm and generalize these results.
Over a decade of HIV infection prevalence and incidence among Mozambican pregnant women: a secondary analysis of prospectively collected data
Authors: Mendes-Muxlhanga Anete , Nhacolo Arsénio , Figueroa-Romero Antia , Mazuze Maura , Mayor Alfredo , Vala Anifa , Sevene Esperança , Couto Aleny , Eliseu Namita , Quintó Llorenç , Matabisso Gloria , Macete Eusebio , Vaz Paula , Alonso Pedro , Menendez Clara , González Raquel , Nhampossa Tacilta
Published: November 2024

Background: Monitoring HIV infection estimates is critical to guide health interventions and assess their impact, especially in highly vulnerable groups to the infection such as African pregnant women. This study describes the trends of HIV infection over eleven years in women attending selected antenatal care (ANC) clinics from southern Mozambique.
Methods: We performed a secondary analysis of data registered at the ANC clinic of the Manhiça District Hospital and from the Ministry of Health's HIV National ProgramRegistry between 2010 and 2021. HIV incidence was calculated using prevalence estimates. HIV incidence trends over time were obtained by fitting splines regression model.
Results: Data from 21810 pregnant women were included in the analysis. Overall HIV prevalence was 29.3% (95% CI: 28.7-29.9), with a reduction from 28.2% (95% CI: 25.6-30.8)in 2010 to 21.7% (95% CI: 19.8-23.6)in 2021, except for a peak in prevalence (35.3%, 95% CI: 30.1-40.8)in 2016. Over the study period, by maternal age group, the largest reduction in HIV prevalence was in the 15-20 year-old group [62% reduction, from 14.3% (95% CI 10.8-18.4)to 5.3% (95% CI: 3.6-7.5)], followed by the 20-25 year old group [43% reduction, from 29.0% (95% CI: 24.2-34.5)to 16.6% (95% CI: 13.6-19.8)]and the 25-30 year old group [13% reduction, from 36.9% (95% CI: 31.0-43.1)to 32.0% (95% CI: 27.3-37.0)](p<0.001). Incidence of HIV infection increased from 12.75 per 100 person-years in 2010 to 18.65 per 100 person-years in 2018, and then decreased to 11.48 per 100 person-years in 2021.
Conclusions: The prevalence of HIV decreased while the overall incidence stayed similar over time in Mozambican pregnant women. However, both estimates remain unacceptably high, which indicates the need to revise current preventive policies and implement effective ones to improve HIV control among the most vulnerable groups.
Elevated Urinary Trace Elements Associated with Increased Osteoporosis Risk and Mixed Arthritis Outcomes in Postmenopausal Women: Evidence from a Shenzhen(China) Cohort Study
Authors: Ye Mingqi , Lin Haofeng , Chen Mei , Zhou Tao , Zhang Duo , Liu Peiyi , Luo Yi , Lu Shaoyou , Liu Jianjun , Huang Zhenlie , Ren Xiaohu
Published: November 2024

Background:The disruption of balanced bone remodeling in postmenopausal women leads to a higher risk of osteoporosis and arthritis. Despite existing evidence linking trace elements to these conditions, the association between urinary trace elements and osteoporosis or arthritis, with consideration of menopausal history, has not been thoroughly investigated.
Methods:In this study, health data from 3,667 postmenopausal women, selected from 9,441 participants in the Shenzhen Age-related Disease Cohort (2017–2018), were analyzed. Urine samples were collected to measure concentrations of 21 trace elements. Osteoporosis cases were identified through bone mineral density (BMD) scans, while arthritis cases were self-reported during structured surveys. The analysis adjusted for various confounders, and statistical models were employed to explore associations between trace element levels and disease risk.
Results:The study found that higher urinary excretion of essential trace elements—chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), selenium (Se), molybdenum (Mo), and cobalt (Co)—was positively associated with an increased risk of osteoporosis in postmenopausal women. Additionally, a quartile increase in a mixture of trace elements likely essential for bone health, particularly vanadium (V), nickel (Ni), and manganese (Mn), was linked to a 13% higher osteoporosis risk, with vanadium being a primary contributor. No significant association was found between trace element mixtures and arthritis risk, although single-element analysis suggested potential risk factors: higher excretion of molybdenum (Mo) was associated with a lower arthritis risk, while increased excretion of vanadium (V) and manganese (Mn) was linked to a higher arthritis risk.
Conclusions: This study suggests that urinary levels of certain essential and likely essential trace elements may play a role in osteoporosis risk among postmenopausal women, with vanadium showing a particularly strong association. Further research is recommended to clarify the mechanisms by which trace elements influence bone health and to evaluate possible preventive strategies for osteoporosis in this population.
Antitumoral potency of isorhamnetin and its derivates carbohydrate in methanol extract from Nitraria retusa leaves
Authors: Boubaker Jihed , Lahmar Aida , Toumia Imène Ben , Ghedira Kamel , Chekir-Ghedira Leila
Published: November 2024

Background
Nitraria retusa is a traditional Tunisian herb that has been widely used in folk medicine for its great remedies. In this study, we evaluated the antitumoral potency of methanol extract from leaves of Nitraria retusa, (Nr-MeOH) via its major compounds isorhamnetin and its carbohydrate derivatives against human lymphoblastoid cells (TK6), breast cancer murine cells (4T1), and in tumor-bearing mice.
Methods
The Nr-MeOH was analysed by LC-MSn to determine the major compounds. The cell apoptotic mechanism was described using DNA fragmentation and double staining annexin/propidium iodide by flow cytometry. The PARP cleavage was investigated by Western blotting. BALB/c mice were subcutaneously inoculated with 4T1 cells, and then treated intra-peritoneally with the methanol extract for 21 days. The tumor growth was evaluated. Macrophage phagocytosis was assessed by measuring the lysosomal activity and the nitric oxide production.
Results
Our investigation showed that the Nr-MeOH contains various flavonoids, quercetin, isorhamnetin 3-O-glucoside, isorhamnetin-3-O-rutinoside, isorhamnetin glucuronide, and isorhamnetin. These compounds were found to induce apoptosis in the cancer cell line tested and to reduce tumor growth rates in induced 4T1-bearing tumor mice.
Conclusion
The results of this work suggest that Nitraria retusa could be a substitute for wild resource as an anticancer therapy.
Epigenetic array data from the Northern Ireland COhort for the Longitudinal study of Ageing (NICOLA)
Authors: Smyth Laura Jane , Hill Claire , Potter Claire , Young Ian , McGuinness Bernadette , Kee Frank , McKnight Amy Jayne
Published: November 2024

The Northern Ireland COhort for the Longitudinal study of Ageing (NICOLA) is Northern Ireland’s largest national population cohort collecting longitudinal data from a representative sample of older people. NICOLA’s Wave 1 includes 8,283 participants aged over 50 years, additionally recruiting 195 household partners living at the same address as primary participants. Baseline WAVE 1 data includes computer-assisted personal interviews, self-completed questionnaires and in-person health assessments to help researchers explore how social, economic, health, lifestyle, and biological factors influence healthy ageing. A subset of NICOLA (n=3,471 participants; 44%) participated in a health assessment at baseline that included collection of blood samples for molecular analysis.
Objectives:
To generate epigenetic data that will help explain how people’s social, economic, health, lifestyle, environmental, and biochemical stressors change a person’s underlying biology to influence their risk of disease across the life course.
Data description:
All data is derived from peripheral blood samples. Epigenetic data was generated using the Infinium MethylationEPIC v1.0 BeadChip array (Illumina, USA) and is available for 1,976 NICOLA participants during Wave 1, of which 1,870 samples passed quality control, generating single site resolution data for DNA methylation at 862,927 sites.
AstroMLab 3: Achieving GPT-4o Level Performance in Astronomy with a Specialized 8B-Parameter Large Language Model
Authors: de Haan Tijmen , Ting Yuan-Sen , Ghosal Tirthankar , Nguyen Tuan Dung , Accomazzi Alberto , Wells Azton , Ramachandra Nesar , Pan Rui , Sun Zechang
Published: November 2024

AstroSage-Llama-3.1-8B is a domain-specialized natural-language AI assistant tailored for research in astronomy, astrophysics, and cosmology. Trained on the complete collection of astronomy-related arXiv papers from 2007-2024 along with millions of synthetically-generated question-answer pairs and other astronomical literature, AstroSage-Llama-3.1-8B demonstrates remarkable proficiency on a wide range of questions. AstroSage-Llama-3.1-8B scores 80.9% on the AstroMLab-1 benchmark, greatly outperforming all models—proprietary and open-weight—in the 8-billion parameter class, and performing on par with GPT-4o. This achievement demonstrates the potential of domain specialization in AI, suggesting that focused training can yield capabilities exceeding those of much larger, general-purpose models. AstroSage-Llama-3.1-8B is freely available, enabling widespread access to advanced AI capabilities for astronomical education and research.
A New Framework for Contextual Multilayer Knowledge Embedding in Large Language Models
Authors: Bennet Michael , Roberts Karen , Whitmore Sebastian , Young Jason
Published: November 2024

The exponential growth of data and the increasing complexity of language understanding tasks require more sophisticated models capable of capturing complex contextual information. Introducing a novel approach termed contextual multilayer knowledge embedding, this methodology enhances large language models through the integration of layered contextual embeddings, thereby improving their performance and adaptability across diverse domains. The proposed framework incorporates a theoretical basis for embedding contextual knowledge across multiple layers, modifications to existing architectures, and comprehensive training protocols. Experimental evaluations demonstrate significant improvements in accuracy, precision, recall, and F1-scores, alongside increased robustness to noisy inputs and efficient scalability across various hardware configurations. These findings demonstrate the potential of contextual multilayer knowledge embedding to advance the capabilities of large language models, offering a promising direction for future research and applications in natural language processing.
ATP-dependent thermoring basis for the heat unfolding of the first nucleotide-binding domain isolated from human CFTR
Authors: Wang Guangyu
Published: November 2024

Traditionally, the thermostability of a protein is defined by a melting temperature, at which half of the protein is unfolded. However, this definition cannot indicate the structural origin of a heat-induced unfolding pathway. Here, the thermoring structures were studied on the ATP-dependent heat-induced unfolding of the first nucleotide-binding domain from the human cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator. The results showed that initial theoretical and experimental melting thresholds aligned well after three structural perturbations including the F508del mutation, the most common cause of cystic fibrosis. This alignment further demonstrated that the heat-induced unfolding process began with the disruption of the least-stable noncovalent interaction within the biggest thermoring along the single peptide chain. The C-terminal region, which was related to the least-stable noncovalent interaction and the ATP-dependent dimerization of two nucleotide-binding domains, emerged as a crucial determinant of the thermal stability of the isolated protein and a potential interfacial drug target to alleviate the thermal defect caused by the F508del mutation. This groundbreaking discovery significantly advances our understanding of protein activity, thermal stability, and molecular pathology.
On the phylogenetic history of the Sanje mangabey (Cercocebus sanjei)
Authors: Paddock Christina Lynette , Silva Maria Joana Ferreira da , McCabe Gráinne Michelle , Fernández David , McGraw William Scott , Bruford Michael William
Published: November 2024

The Sanje mangabey (Cercocebus sanjei) is an Endangered (IUCN) primate endemic to the Udzungwa Mountains, Tanzania. Two populations, both inhabiting montane forest fragments, have been identified. The phylogenetic position of the Sanje mangabey relative to other Cercocebus species remains unclear and this knowledge gap has important conservation implications. Here, we use sequence data from all recognised Cercocebus species to clarify the phylogeny of the Sanje mangabey and estimate its divergence time from other species. Phylogenies were reconstructed using nuclear (CD4 and TSPY) and mitochondrial (COII and control region) sequences. The Sanje mangabey grouped with the Central/East African mangabeys - C. galeritus, C. chrysogaster, and C. agilis – and is estimated to have diverged from the common ancestor shared with these three species 2.34 million years ago (MYA; 95% HPD interval: 1.73–2.95 MYA). The two extant Sanje mangabey populations represent distinct lineages, diverging 0.77 MYA (95% HPD interval: 0.43–1.15 MYA). This divergence and isolation into two montane forest fragments are attributed to: i) increasing aridification in eastern Africa beginning ~ 2.6 MYA, ii) competition with other species, and iii) the formation of physical barriers to dispersal. This study confirms the evolutionary distinctiveness of the Sanje mangabey and therefore conservation management policies should be considered at the species level and the Sanje mangabey populations managed independently as evolutionarily significant units.
High-Resolution Simulation of CME-CIR Interactions: Small- to Mesoscale Solar Wind Structure Formation Observable by the SWIFT Constellation
Authors: IV Ward Manchester , Sachdeva Nishtha , Kilpua Emilia , Ala-Lahti Matti , Soni Shirs Lata , Huang Zhenguang , Chen Hongfan , Jivani Aniket , Holst Bart van der , Szabo Adam , Akhavan-Tafti Mojtaba
Published: November 2024

Coronal Mass Ejections (CME) are large eruptions of plasma and magnetic fields from the Sun, causing significant disturbances through the heliosphere. Their internal structure and complexity are yet unresolved due lack of suitable observations and simulations. We present the results of a high- resolution simulation capable for the first time of capturing the formation and evolution of small- to mesoscale structures in a CME demonstrating significant increases in complexity. These structures dynamically form in our simulation initialized using the solar maximum conditions of September 2014 in which the heliospheric current sheet is vertically inclined running over the poles and where the CME interacts with a preceding slow-fast stream interaction region. The simulation of this interaction is performed with the Alfv ́en Wave Solar Atmosphere Model (AWSoM). With AWSoM, we first produce the background solar wind condition using a synoptic magnetic field map for Carrington Rotation 2154. The CME is initiated from active region (AR) 12158 applying a Gibson-Low magnetic flux rope with parameters to produce a fast CME. With the use of high-resolution grids, we capture magnetic reconnection within the leading extremity of CME, resulting in the formation of mesoscale flux ropes, containing sufficiently strong magnetic fields (∼ 30 nT) to affect planetary magnetospheres. Finally, we use a tetrahedral configuration of four virtual probes, corresponding to the Space Weather Investigation Frontier (SWIFT) mission concept, to show that the mission can uniquely resolve the spatial characteristics and temporal evolution of reconnecting current sheets within the CME, as well as the resulting small- to mesoscale structures.
Optimization of Submerged Arc Welding through Voltage Variation to Achieve Superior Mechanical Properties Using P355N Base Material
Authors: Cioroagă B. Dorel , Cioată Vasile George , Socalici Ana , Linul Emanoil , Hulka Iosif , Anghe Iasmina-Mădălina
Published: November 2024

This study focuses on the optimization of the submerged arc welding (SAW) process through the variation of welding voltage to achieve improved mechanical properties of butt-welded joints made from P355N fine-grained low-alloy carbon steel as a material commonly used in the production of pressure vessels. The optimization process was carried out by analyzing the effects of different welding voltages on mechanical performance, including tensile strength, hardness, and metallographic characteristics. In addition to mechanical testing, the study evaluates weld geometry and the transition zones to provide a comprehensive understanding of how voltage variation can optimize the welding process and improve joint performance. The welded samples were obtained using five different welding modes, the primary variable of which was the intensity of the welding current with a voltage range of 22–38 V within a seemingly narrow range. Significant changes were identified in microstructure, mechanical properties, and the shape and size of the welded joints. The experimental samples were considered from welded joints made from 6 mm thick plates of P355N material. The reference criterion against which the welding modes under study were compared is the industry-standard welding voltage of 33 V.
Predicting temporal clear water scour depth around bridge piers with XGBoost and SVM–PSO approaches
Authors: Baranwal Anubhav , Gaurav Prince , Reddy Lohit , Das Bhabani Shankar , Naik Balaji
Published: November 2024

Scouring around a bridge pier involves removing sediment from the riverbed and banks due to water flow. This paper employs eXtreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost) and support vector machine with particle swarm optimization (SVM-PSO) machine learning (ML) approaches to model the temporal local scour depth around bridge piers under clear water scouring (CWS) conditions. CWS datasets, incorporating bridge pier geometry, flow characteristics, and sediment properties, are collected from existing literature. Five non-dimensional influencing parameters, such as ratio of pier width to flow depth (b/y), ratio of approach mean velocity to critical velocity (V/Vc), ratio of mean sediment size to pier width (d50/b), Froude number (Fr), and standard deviation of sediment (σg), are chosen as input parameters. XGBoost and SVM-PSO ML models demonstrate superior predictive capabilities, achieving coefficient of determination (R2) values exceeding 0.90 and mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) and root mean square error (RMSE) values less than 17.07% and 0.0341, respectively. Comparison with the previous four empirical models based on statistical indices reveals that the proposed XGBoost model outperforms SVM-PSO and empirical models in predicting scour depth, so it is recommended for estimating clear water scour depth under varying temporal conditions within the specified dataset range.
Otimização de protocolos de criopreservação do sêmen de catetos (Pecari tajacu LINNEAUS, 1758)
Authors:   , Souza Ana Liza Paz
Published: November 2024

A presente tese teve como objetivo aperfeiçoar protocolos de criopreservação de sêmen de catetos (Pecari tajacu). Para tanto, foram utilizados animais adultos oriundos do Centro de Multiplicação de Animais Silvestres (CEMAS) da Universidade Federal Rural do Semi-Árido (UFERSA), cujo sêmen foi coletado por eletroejaculação e imediatamente avaliado. O primeiro experimento objetivou avaliar o efeito da lipoproteína de baixa densidade (LDL) purificada, em relação à gema de ovo (G) e determinar a concentração ideal (20%, 10% e 5%) para criopreservação de sêmen em catetos. Após a análise dos dados verificou-se que a LDL (20%) pode ser utilizada em substituição à gema de ovo, tendo sido verificados 36.4±5.3% e 21.8±6.9 de motilidade espermática total após a descongelação, respectivamente. No segundo experimento, avaliou-se a ação do gel de Aloe vera (AV) tanto na refrigeração quanto na congelação do sêmen de catetos, em diferentes concentrações (20%, 10%, 5%) ou associado à gema de ovo (10%:10%). Verificou-se que o gel de Aloe vera (20%) se mostrou eficiente para a refrigeração a 5°C, mantendo a longevidade espermática por até 48 horas de avaliação apresentando uma motilidade total de 54.2±21.3%; quanto ao processo de criopreservação, verificou-se que o uso de Aloe vera a 20% pode substituir a gema de ovo, porém a associação desta com a gema promoveram a melhor preservação da viabilidade (32.7±2.3%), resposta osmótica (37.8±4.2%) e integridade de membrana (40.2±3.1). No terceiro experimento verificou-se a ação da adição (0,5% e 1,0%) do detergente a base de dodecil sulfato de sódio (SDS), Equex ® STM, no sêmen de catetos. Entretanto, observou-se que este, em nenhuma concentração proposta, foi eficiente em aumentar a longevidade da célula espérmática de catetos além dos 15 minutos, conforme previamente descrito para a espécie. Os experimentos realizados foram suficientes a responder as hipóteses propostas, sendo úteis para o aperfeiçoamento de protocolos de criopreservação de sêmen de catetos (Pecari tajacu). Palavra Chave: Cateto, Criopreservação de sêmen, Lipoproteína de baixa Densidade, Dodecil Sulfato de Sódio, Gel de Aloe vera
Avaliação do potencial fisiológico, condicionamento e armazenamento de sementes de melão
Authors:   , Medeiros Maria Aparecida de
Published: November 2024

Essa pesquisa teve como objetivo estudar procedimentos para a condução dos testes de deterioração controlada (graus de umidade de 20, 22 e 24%, a 45ºC, durante 24 horas), envelhecimento acelerado (períodos 48, 72 e 96 horas, a 38 e 41ºC) e condutividade elétrica (temperaturas de 25ºC, volumes de 50 e 75 mL de água, 25 e 50 sementes e períodos de embebição de 4, 6, 8, 12, e 24 horas), verificando-se sua eficiência na identificação de diferentes níveis de vigor de lotes de sementes de melão (Cucumis melo L.), bem como analisar o efeito do condicionamento fisiológico durante o armazenamento, relacionando os testes de germinação, primeira contagem de germinação e emergência de plântulas. Composto por quatro experimentos, utilizando dois híbridos, Imperial e Gaúcho, cada um representado por quatro lotes de sementes. No primeiro experimento selecionou-se os procedimentos para condução dos testes de deterioração controlada, envelhecimento acelerado (com e sem solução saturada de NaCl) e condutividade elétrica. No segundo experimento, foram avaliados os procedimentos considerados mais promissores para cada teste, do primeiro experimento. No terceiro experimento, repetiu-se os melhores resultados do segundo experimento, a título de confirmação, incluindo apenas os testes de germinação e primeira contagem de germinação. O quarto experimento constou do condicionamento fisiológico, secagem e armazenamento das sementes, durante (0, 30, 60 e 90 dias) em condições controladas de (18 a 20ºC e 45% UR). Os resultados indicam que o teste de deterioração controlada (20%/24h/45ºC), para envelhecimento acelerado com e sem solução saturada de NaCl (41ºC/72h) e condutividade elétrica (25/sementes/50mL/25ºC, durante seis horas de embebição), mostraram-se eficientes para detectar diferenças de vigor entre lotes de sementes de melão. Percebeu-se que o armazenamento das sementes em condições controladas, permite a manutenção dos efeitos benéficos do condicionamento
Building Bridges:the magic of light andthe logic of molecules
Authors: Szymański Wiktor
Published: November 2024

The inaugural lecture of Prof. Wiktor Szymanski, newly appointed as chair of Medicinal Chemistry, Photopharmacology and Imaging, will focus on building bridges between disciplines, faculties and ideas. His lecture is based on 9 questions about ‘magic bullet’ drugs, light, and bridges between mysticism and science. Questions that his lecture will address include: 1. How is it possible that after 100 years of looking for a drug that would - like a “magic bullet” - only cure the disease without affecting the patient, we still do not have one? 2. How can light be used in the clinic to help doctors see, diagnose and treat diseases with laser precision and help us find such “magic bullet”? 3. How can fundamental photochemistry enable and guide the work of the photo-physicians of the future? 4. What needs to happen in Groningen to bring the light-driven solution to the clinics? 5. What is the only correct approach to describing the way that toys work that emit light in the dark? 6. Is it possible to generate light inside a human body and what does this have to do with exploding bubbles? 7. Where do Yoga and chemistry meet, and is it possible to build a bridge between mysticism and science? 8. Can doctors be taught quantum physics and why the answer needs to be a “yes”? And finally, 9. What do a doctor born in Silesia, a chemist born in India and a philosopher born in Wales have to do with any of this?