bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
synNotch-programmed iPSC-derived NK cells usurp TIGIT and CD73 activities for glioblastoma therapy
Authors: Lupo Kyle B. , Yao Xue , Borde Shambhavi , Wang Jiao , Torregrosa-Allen Sandra , Elzey Bennett D. , Utturkar Sagar , Lanman Nadia A. , McIntosh MacKenzie , Matosevic Sandro
Published: March 2024

Severe heterogeneity within glioblastoma has spurred the notion that disrupting the interplay between multiple elements on immunosuppression is at the core of meaningful anti-tumor responses. T cell immunoreceptor with Ig and ITIM domains (TIGIT) and its glioblastoma-associated antigen, CD155, form a highly immunosuppressive axis in glioblastoma and other solid tumors, yet targeting of TIGIT, a functionally heterogeneous receptor on tumor-infiltrating immune cells, has largely been ineffective as monotherapy, suggesting that disruption of its inhibitory network might be necessary for measurable responses. It is within this context that we show that the usurpation of the TIGIT − CD155 axis via engineered synNotch-mediated activation of induced pluripotent stem cell-derived natural killer (NK) cells promotes transcription factor-mediated activation of a downstream signaling cascade that results in the controlled, localized blockade of CD73 to disrupt purinergic activity otherwise resulting in the production and accumulation of immunosuppressive extracellular adenosine. Such “decoy” receptor engages CD155 binding to TIGIT, but tilts inhibitory TIGIT/CD155 interactions toward activation via downstream synNotch signaling. Usurping activities of TIGIT and CD73 promotes the function of adoptively transferred NK cells into intracranial patient-derived models of glioblastoma and enhances their natural cytolytic functions against this tumor to result in complete tumor eradication. In addition, targeting both receptors, in turn, reprograms the glioblastoma microenvironment via the recruitment of T cells and the downregulation of M2 macrophages. This study demonstrates that TIGIT/CD155 and CD73 are targetable receptor partners in glioblastoma. Our data show that synNotch-engineered pluripotent stem cell-derived NK cells are not only effective mediators of anti-glioblastoma responses within the setting of CD73 and TIGIT/CD155 co-targeting, but represent a powerful allogeneic treatment option for this tumor.
Cancer-associated fibroblast-derived acetate promotes pancreatic cancer development by altering polyamine metabolism via the ACSS2–SP1–SAT1 axis
Authors: Murthy Divya , Attri Kuldeep S. , Shukla Surendra K. , Thakur Ravi , Chaika Nina V. , He Chunbo , Wang Dezhen , Jha Kanupriya , Dasgupta Aneesha , King Ryan J. , Mulder Scott E. , Souchek Joshua , Gebregiworgis Teklab , Rai Vikant , Patel Rohit , Hu Tuo , Rana Sandeep , Kollala Sai Sundeep , Pacheco Camila , Grandgenett Paul M. , Yu Fang , Kumar Vikas , Lazenby Audrey J. , Black Adrian R. , Ulhannan Susanna , Jain Ajay , Edil Barish H. , Klinkebiel David L. , Powers Robert , Natarajan Amarnath , Hollingsworth Michael A. , Mehla Kamiya , Ly Quan , Chaudhary Sarika , Hwang Rosa F. , Wellen Kathryn E. , Singh Pankaj K.
Published: March 2024

The ability of tumour cells to thrive in harsh microenvironments depends on the utilization of nutrients available in the milieu. Here we show that pancreatic cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) regulate tumour cell metabolism through the secretion of acetate, which can be blocked by silencing ATP citrate lyase (ACLY) in CAFs. We further show that acetyl-CoA synthetase short-chain family member 2 (ACSS2) channels the exogenous acetate to regulate the dynamic cancer epigenome and transcriptome, thereby facilitating cancer cell survival in an acidic microenvironment. Comparative H3K27ac ChIP–seq and RNA–seq analyses revealed alterations in polyamine homeostasis through regulation of SAT1 gene expression and enrichment of the SP1-responsive signature. We identified acetate/ACSS2-mediated acetylation of SP1 at the lysine 19 residue that increased SP1 protein stability and transcriptional activity. Genetic or pharmacologic inhibition of the ACSS2–SP1–SAT1 axis diminished the tumour burden in mouse models. These results reveal that the metabolic flexibility imparted by the stroma-derived acetate enabled cancer cell survival under acidosis via the ACSS2–SP1–SAT1 axis.
A charge-dependent long-ranged force drives tailored assembly of matter in solution
Authors: Wang Sida , Walker-Gibbons Rowan , Watkins Bethany , Flynn Melissa , Krishnan Madhavi
Published: March 2024

The interaction between charged objects in solution is generally expected to recapitulate two central principles of electromagnetics: (1) like-charged objects repel, and (2) they do so regardless of the sign of their electrical charge. Here we demonstrate experimentally that the solvent plays a hitherto unforeseen but crucial role in interparticle interactions, and importantly, that interactions in the fluid phase can break charge-reversal symmetry. We show that in aqueous solution, negatively charged particles can attract at long range while positively charged particles repel. In solvents that exhibit an inversion of the net molecular dipole at an interface, such as alcohols, we find that the converse can be true: positively charged particles may attract whereas negatives repel. The observations hold across a wide variety of surface chemistries: from inorganic silica and polymeric particles to polyelectrolyte- and polypeptide-coated surfaces in aqueous solution. A theory of interparticle interactions that invokes solvent structuring at an interface captures the observations. Our study establishes a nanoscopic interfacial mechanism by which solvent molecules may give rise to a strong and long-ranged force in solution, with immediate ramifications for a range of particulate and molecular processes across length scales such as self-assembly, gelation and crystallization, biomolecular condensation, coacervation, and phase segregation.
Cavity-mediated long-range interactions in levitated optomechanics
Authors: Vijayan Jayadev , Piotrowski Johannes , Gonzalez-Ballestero Carlos , Weber Kevin , Romero-Isart Oriol , Novotny Lukas
Published: March 2024

The ability to engineer cavity-mediated interactions has emerged as a powerful tool for the generation of non-local correlations and the investigation of non-equilibrium phenomena in many-body systems. Levitated optomechanical systems have recently entered the multiparticle regime, which promises the use of arrays of strongly coupled massive oscillators to explore complex interacting systems and sensing. Here we demonstrate programmable cavity-mediated interactions between nanoparticles in vacuum by combining advances in multiparticle optical levitation and cavity-based quantum control. The interaction is mediated by photons scattered by spatially separated particles in a cavity, resulting in strong coupling that is long-range in nature. We investigate the scaling of the interaction strength with cavity detuning and interparticle separation and demonstrate the tunability of interactions between different mechanical modes. Our work will enable the exploration of many-body effects in nanoparticle arrays with programmable cavity-mediated interactions, generating entanglement of motion, and the use of interacting particle arrays for optomechanical sensing.
A gut microbial signature for combination immune checkpoint blockade across cancer types
Authors: Gunjur Ashray , Shao Yan , Rozday Timothy , Klein Oliver , Mu Andre , Haak Bastiaan W. , Markman Ben , Kee Damien , Carlino Matteo S. , Underhill Craig , Frentzas Sophia , Michael Michael , Gao Bo , Palmer Jodie , Cebon Jonathan , Behren Andreas , Adams David J. , Lawley Trevor D.
Published: March 2024

Immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) targeting programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) and cytotoxic T lymphocyte protein 4 (CTLA-4) can induce remarkable, yet unpredictable, responses across a variety of cancers. Studies suggest that there is a relationship between a cancer patient’s gut microbiota composition and clinical response to ICB; however, defining microbiome-based biomarkers that generalize across cohorts has been challenging. This may relate to previous efforts quantifying microbiota to species (or higher taxonomic rank) abundances, whereas microbial functions are often strain specific. Here, we performed deep shotgun metagenomic sequencing of baseline fecal samples from a unique, richly annotated phase 2 trial cohort of patients with diverse rare cancers treated with combination ICB (n = 106 discovery cohort). We demonstrate that strain-resolved microbial abundances improve machine learning predictions of ICB response and 12-month progression-free survival relative to models built using species-rank quantifications or comprehensive pretreatment clinical factors. Through a meta-analysis of gut metagenomes from a further six comparable studies (n = 364 validation cohort), we found cross-cancer (and cross-country) validity of strain–response signatures, but only when the training and test cohorts used concordant ICB regimens (anti-PD-1 monotherapy or combination anti-PD-1 plus anti-CTLA-4). This suggests that future development of gut microbiome diagnostics or therapeutics should be tailored according to ICB treatment regimen rather than according to cancer type.
Insight into antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of marine bacterial natural exopolysaccharide (EPSSM) using carrageenan-induced paw edema in rats
Authors: El awady Mohamed E. , Mohamed Sahar S. , Abo Elsoud Mostafa M. , Mahmoud Manal G. , Anwar Mai M. , Ahmed Mahgoub M. , Eltaher Ashraf , Magdeldin Sameh , Attallah Ashraf , Elhagry Ali E. , Abdelhamid Sayeda A.
Published: March 2024

Inflammation is a part of the body’s intricate biological reaction to noxious stimuli and defensive reactions. So, the aim of this investigation was to study the anti-inflammatory activity of exopolysaccharide (EPSSM) using carrageenan-induced paw edema in rats. A halophilic bacterial strain was isolated from marine sediments in the Red Sea in Egypt. The isolate has been visually and physiologically recognized, as well as by analyzing its 16S rRNA gene, which confirms Kocuria sp. clone Asker4. This particular isolate can be referenced using the accession number OL798051.1. EPSSM was subjected to purification and fractionation by a DEAE-cellulose column. Preliminary chemical analysis of EPSSM indicated that the monosaccharides were fructose, glucuronic acid, and xylose, with 2.0, 0.5, and 1.0, respectively. The antioxidant potential of EPSSM was investigated, and it was discovered that the level of activity increased independently of the concentrations, reaching a maximum threshold of 94.13% at 100 µg/mL of EPSSM for 120 min. Also, EPSSM at 50 mg/kg orally produced a significant anti-inflammatory effect on the carrageenan model at 2, 3, and 4 intervals. The EPSSM intervention resulted in reductions in the levels of catalase and superoxide dismutase enzymes, as well as a decrease in glutathione. Furthermore, the levels of nitric oxide, lipid peroxidation, and reactive oxygen species resulting from carrageenan-induced edema showed a significant reduction subsequent to the administration of EPSSM. Moreover, the findings indicated that the protein expression levels of cyclooxygenase-2 and interleukin-6 were reduced following treatment with EPSSM, resulting in a reduction of paw edema.
Preliminary assessment of new single and blended volatile binding media for temporary consolidation of cultural heritage
Authors: Kotb Hamada Sadek , Saccani Andrea , Vallet Jean-Marc , Franzoni Elisa
Published: March 2024

Volatile Binding Media (VBM) are waxy solids that can be used for temporary consolidation of heritage artifacts and architectural surfaces thanks to their spontaneous sublimation at room temperature. They are used to temporary shelter, consolidate or protect materials during high-risk operation, such as excavation, transportation, water-based treatments, etc. Although they are employed since the 1990s, research focused almost entirely on one of them, cyclododecane (CDD), which is by far the most used in onsite applications. However, CDD exhibits some drawbacks, including a fixed sublimation speed that hardly fits into all the possible applications and climates, hence the development of new VBM is strongly needed. In recent years, a certain attention was addressed to menthol as a possible alternative, but the research on other possible substitutes is still lacking. In this paper, a range of different VBM for temporary consolidation of cultural heritage materials was prepared and investigated, including five pure compounds (CDD, cyclododecanol, cyclododecanone, menthol and camphene) and fifteen mixes. These new materials are expected to provide tunable properties in terms of melting temperatures and sublimation rates, allowing their use in a variety of climatic contexts and applications, and to exhibit better properties for onsite applications compared to CDD, such as lower flash point, lower hazard for conservators’ health and/or higher availability.
Neurobiologically realistic neural network enables cross-scale modeling of neural dynamics
Authors: Chang Yin-Jui , Chen Yuan-I , Yeh Hsin-Chih , Santacruz Samantha R.
Published: March 2024

Fundamental principles underlying computation in multi-scale brain networks illustrate how multiple brain areas and their coordinated activity give rise to complex cognitive functions. Whereas brain activity has been studied at the micro- to meso-scale to reveal the connections between the dynamical patterns and the behaviors, investigations of neural population dynamics are mainly limited to single-scale analysis. Our goal is to develop a cross-scale dynamical model for the collective activity of neuronal populations. Here we introduce a bio-inspired deep learning approach, termed NeuroBondGraph Network (NBGNet), to capture cross-scale dynamics that can infer and map the neural data from multiple scales. Our model not only exhibits more than an 11-fold improvement in reconstruction accuracy, but also predicts synchronous neural activity and preserves correlated low-dimensional latent dynamics. We also show that the NBGNet robustly predicts held-out data across a long time scale (2 weeks) without retraining. We further validate the effective connectivity defined from our model by demonstrating that neural connectivity during motor behaviour agrees with the established neuroanatomical hierarchy of motor control in the literature. The NBGNet approach opens the door to revealing a comprehensive understanding of brain computation, where network mechanisms of multi-scale activity are critical.
Analysis of the efficacy of sleeve gastrectomy, one-anastomosis gastric bypass, and single-anastomosis sleeve ileal bypass in the treatment of metabolic syndrome
Authors: Yu Hang , Qian Lulu , Yan Yu , Yang Qi , Shan Xiaodong , Chen Youwei , Fu Xiao , Chu Xuehui , Kang Xing , Sun Xitai
Published: March 2024

The objective of this study was to evaluate and compare the effectiveness of three different types of bariatric surgeries, namely, sleeve gastrectomy (SG), one-anastomotic gastric bypass (OAGB), and single anastomosis sleeve ileal (SASI) bypass, in the treatment of metabolic syndrome (MS). The optimal approach for managing MS remains uncertain, and thus this study aimed to provide a recent analysis of the efficacy of these surgical procedures. This retrospective study evaluated data of individuals who underwent SG, OAGB, and SASI bypass. The primary outcome measures included weight, body mass index (BMI), glucolipid metabolic index, and the occurrence of treatment-related complications within 6 to 12 months post-surgery. A total of 324 patients were included in this study. Of these, 264 patients underwent SG, 30 underwent OAGB, and 30 underwent SASI bypass. A significant decrease in weight was observed at the 6-month and 12-month marks following all three surgical procedures. Of these, patients who underwent SASI bypass exhibited the greatest reduction in weight and BMI post-surgery. Furthermore, the SASI bypass was associated with a significantly higher percentage of total weight loss (%TWL) and excess body mass index loss (%EBMIL) compared to SG and OAGB. Patients who underwent OAGB and SASI bypass demonstrated notable improvements in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Patients who underwent SASI bypass and OAGB experienced greater postoperative comfort and reported fewer complaints of discomfort compared to the other procedure. Based on the retrospective analysis of the data, SASI bypass was associated with greater reductions in weight and BMI, higher percentages of %TWL and %EBMIL, and better improvement in T2DM compared to SG and OAGB. Therefore, both SASI bypass and OAGB were found to be more effective than SG in the treatment of MS.
Development of a deep learning model to distinguish the cause of optic disc atrophy using retinal fundus photography
Authors: Lee Dong Kyu , Choi Young Jo , Lee Seung Jae , Kang Hyun Goo , Park Yu Rang
Published: March 2024

The differential diagnosis for optic atrophy can be challenging and requires expensive, time-consuming ancillary testing to determine the cause. While Leber's hereditary optic neuropathy (LHON) and optic neuritis (ON) are both clinically significant causes for optic atrophy, both relatively rare in the general population, contributing to limitations in obtaining large imaging datasets. This study therefore aims to develop a deep learning (DL) model based on small datasets that could distinguish the cause of optic disc atrophy using only fundus photography. We retrospectively reviewed fundus photographs of 120 normal eyes, 30 eyes (15 patients) with genetically-confirmed LHON, and 30 eyes (26 patients) with ON. Images were split into a training dataset and a test dataset and used for model training with ResNet-18. To visualize the critical regions in retinal photographs that are highly associated with disease prediction, Gradient-Weighted Class Activation Map (Grad-CAM) was used to generate image-level attention heat maps and to enhance the interpretability of the DL system. In the 3-class classification of normal, LHON, and ON, the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) was 1.0 for normal, 0.988 for LHON, and 0.990 for ON, clearly differentiating each class from the others with an overall total accuracy of 0.93. Specifically, when distinguishing between normal and disease cases, the precision, recall, and F1 scores were perfect at 1.0. Furthermore, in the differentiation of LHON from other conditions, ON from others, and between LHON and ON, we consistently observed precision, recall, and F1 scores of 0.8. The model performance was maintained until only 10% of the pixel values of the image, identified as important by Grad-CAM, were preserved and the rest were masked, followed by retraining and evaluation.
A novel T cell-redirecting anti-GPRC5D × CD3 bispecific antibody with potent antitumor activity in multiple myeloma preclinical models
Authors: Tomita Urara , Ishimoto Yoko , Ri Masaki , Kawase Yumi , Hizukuri Yoshiyuki , Maru Chikako , Nanai Kayoko , Nakamura Ryuichi , Nakayama Makiko , Oguchi-Oshima Keiko , Sumi Hiroyuki , Ohtsuka Toshiaki , Iida Shinsuke , Agatsuma Toshinori
Published: March 2024

G-protein-coupled receptor class 5 member D (GPRC5D) is detected in malignant plasma cells in approximately 90% of patients diagnosed with multiple myeloma (MM). Here, we constructed BsAb5003, a novel humanized bispecific monoclonal antibody targeting CD3 and GPRC5D, and evaluated its therapeutic impact on MM. BsAb5003 induced specific cytotoxicity of GPRC5D-positive MM cells with concomitant T cell activation and cytokine release. The efficacy of BsAb5003 was associated with GPRC5D expression levels in MM cell lines. Flow cytometry analysis of bone marrow mononuclear cells (BMMNCs) from 49 MM patients revealed that GPRC5D was expressed in a wide population of MM patients, including heavily treated and high-risk patients. In ex vivo assays using BMMNCs, BsAb5003 induced potent efficacy against CD138 + MM cells in both newly diagnosed and relapsed/refractory patient samples in a GPRC5D expression-dependent manner. BsAb5003 significantly enhanced T cell activation and cytokine production in combination with immunomodulatory drugs (IMiDs) against MM cell lines. BsAb5003 also demonstrated significant inhibition of in vivo tumor growth by recruiting T cells. Taken together, these results suggest that T cell-redirecting bispecific antibody targeting GPRC5D as monotherapy and combination therapy with IMiDs could be a highly potent and effective treatment approach for a wide population of MM patients.
Amazon savannization and climate change are projected to increase dry season length and temperature extremes over Brazil
Authors: Bottino Marcus Jorge , Nobre Paulo , Giarolla Emanuel , da Silva Junior Manoel Baptista , Capistrano Vinicius Buscioli , Malagutti Marta , Tamaoki Jonas Noboru , de Oliveira Beatriz Fátima Alves , Nobre Carlos Afonso
Published: March 2024

Land use change and atmospheric composition, two drivers of climate change, can interact to affect both local and remote climate regimes. Previous works have considered the effects of greenhouse gas buildup in the atmosphere and the effects of Amazon deforestation in atmospheric general circulation models. In this study, we investigate the impacts of the Brazilian Amazon savannization and global warming in a fully coupled ocean-land-sea ice-atmosphere model simulation. We find that both savannization and global warming individually lengthen the dry season and reduce annual rainfall over large tracts of South America. The combined effects of land use change and global warming resulted in a mean annual rainfall reduction of 44% and a dry season length increase of 69%, when averaged over the Amazon basin, relative to the control run. Modulation of inland moisture transport due to savannization shows the largest signal to explain the rainfall reduction and increase in dry season length over the Amazon and Central-West. The combined effects of savannization and global warming resulted in maximum daily temperature anomalies, reaching values of up to 14 °C above the current climatic conditions over the Amazon. Also, as a consequence of both climate drivers, both soil moisture and surface runoff decrease over most of the country, suggesting cascading negative future impacts on both agriculture production and hydroelectricity generation.
A real-world analysis of FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) events for liposomal and conventional doxorubicins
Authors: Su Huiling , Jia Jing , Mao Yuxiang , Zhu Riran , Li Zhengjun
Published: March 2024

The clinical application of conventional doxorubicin (CDOX) was constrained by its side effects. Liposomal doxorubicin was developed to mitigate these limitations, showing improved toxicity profiles. However, the adverse events associated with liposomal doxorubicin and CDOX have not yet been comprehensively evaluated in clinical settings. The FAERS data from January 2004 to December 2022 were collected to analyze the adverse events of liposomal doxorubicin and CDOX. Disproportionate analysis and Bayesian analysis were employed to quantify this association. Our analysis incorporated 68,803 adverse event reports related to Doxil/Caelyx, Myocet and CDOX. The relative odds ratios (RORs, 95%CI) for febrile neutropenia associated with CDOX, Doxil/Caelyx, and Myocet were 42.45 (41.44; 43.48), 17.53 (16.02; 19.20), and 34.68 (26.63; 45.15) respectively. For cardiotoxicity, they were 38.87(36.41;41.49), 17.96 (14.10; 22.86), and 37.36 (19.34; 72.17). For Palmar-Plantar Erythrodysesthesia (PPE), the RORs were 6.16 (5.69; 6.68), 36.13 (32.60; 40.06), and 19.69 (11.59; 33.44). Regarding onset time, significant differences adverse events including neutropenia, PPE, pneumonia and malignant neoplasm progression. This study indicates that clinical monitoring for symptoms of cardiotoxicity of CDOX and Myocet, and PPE and interstitial lung disease of Doxil should be performed. Additionally, the onset time of febrile neutropenia, malignant neoplasm progression, and pneumonia associated with Doxil and Myocet merits particular attention. Continuous surveillance, risk evaluations, and additional comparative studies between liposomal doxorubicin and CDOX were recommended.
Analysis and visualisation of electronic health records data to identify undiagnosed patients with rare genetic diseases
Authors: Moynihan Daniel , Monaco Sean , Ting Teck Wah , Narasimhalu Kaavya , Hsieh Jenny , Kam Sylvia , Lim Jiin Ying , Lim Weng Khong , Davila Sonia , Bylstra Yasmin , Balakrishnan Iswaree Devi , Heng Mark , Chia Elian , Yeo Khung Keong , Goh Bee Keow , Gupta Ritu , Tan Tele , Baynam Gareth , Jamuar Saumya Shekhar
Published: March 2024

Rare genetic diseases affect 5–8% of the population but are often undiagnosed or misdiagnosed. Electronic health records (EHR) contain large amounts of data, which provide opportunities for analysing and mining. Data analysis in the form of visualisation and statistical testing, was performed on a database containing deidentified health records of 1.28 million patients across 3 major hospitals in Singapore, in a bid to improve the diagnostic process for patients who are living with an undiagnosed rare disease, specifically focusing on Fabry Disease and Familial Hypercholesterolaemia (FH). On a baseline of 4 patients, we identified 2 additional patients with potential diagnosis of Fabry disease, suggesting a potential 50% increase in diagnosis. Similarly, we identified > 12,000 individuals who fulfil the clinical and laboratory criteria for FH but had not been diagnosed previously. This proof-of-concept study showed that it is possible to perform mining on EHR data albeit with some challenges and limitations.
Nutrient retention after crop harvest in a typic hapludults amended with biochar types under no-tillage system
Authors: Sarfaraz Qamar , Drescher Gerson Laerson , Zafar Mohsin , Shah Muhammad Nadeem , Zhao Fengliang , Danish Subhan , Mustafa Abd El-Zaher M. A. , Elshikh Mohamed S. , Souza da Silva Leandro
Published: March 2024

The utilization of biochar’s as soil amendments for enhancing nutrient retention in subsoils present potential limitations. To address this issue, we conducted a greenhouse experiment to assess the effects of various biochar’s derived from animal manures (swine manure, poultry litter, cattle manure) and plant residues (rice straw, soybean straw, corn straw) when applied to surface of an acidic soil. Our study focused on wheat crops under a no-tillage system, with a subsequent evaluation of the residual impacts on soybeans. The experimental design involved the application of biochar’s at different rates i.e. 10 and 20 Mg ha−1, followed by the assessment of their influence on NPK levels, pH, and exchangeable Al in stratified soil layers (0–5, 5–10, 10–15, and 15–25 cm). Furthermore, we investigated the interplay between biochar doses and the application of nitrogen (N) in the top 5 cm of soil, specifically examining $${\text{NO}}_{{3}}^{ - }$$

NO

3

-

, $${\text{NH}}_{{4}}^{ + }$$

NH

4

+

, P and K levels. Our findings revealed that in the top 5 cm of soil, biochar doses and N application significantly affected $${\text{NO}}_{{3}}^{ - }$$

NO

3

-

, $${\text{NH}}_{{4}}^{ + }$$

NH

4

+

, P and K concentrations. However, in deeper soil layers, no significant differences were observed among biochar doses with or without N application. Interestingly, K levels were impacted throughout all soil depths, regardless of the presence or absence of N application. Moreover, biochar application up to a 5 cm depth induced favorable changes in soil pH and reduced exchangeable Al. In contrast, deeper layers experienced a decrease in soil pH and an increase in exchangeable Al following biochar treatment. In conclusion, our study demonstrates that biochar’s can effectively retain NPK nutrients, enhance soil pH, and decrease exchangeable Al, independent of the type and dosage of application under a no-tillage system. Nonetheless, the efficacy of biochar amendments may vary with soil depth and type of nutrient, warranting careful consideration for maximizing their benefits in sustainable agricultural practices.
Joint superpixel and Transformer for high resolution remote sensing image classification
Authors: Dang Guangpu , Mao Zhongan , Zhang Tingyu , Liu Tao , Wang Tao , Li Liangzhi , Gao Yu , Tian Runqing , Wang Kun , Han Ling
Published: March 2024

Deep neural networks combined with superpixel segmentation have proven to be superior to high-resolution remote sensing image (HRI) classification. Currently, most HRI classification methods that combine deep learning and superpixel segmentation use stacking on multiple scales to extract contextual information from segmented objects. However, this approach does not take into account the contextual dependencies between each segmented object. To solve this problem, a joint superpixel and Transformer (JST) framework is proposed for HRI classification. In JST, HRI is first segmented into superpixel objects as input, and Transformer is used to model the long-range dependencies. The contextual relationship between each input superpixel object is obtained and the class of analyzed objects is output by designing an encoding and decoding Transformer. Additionally, we explore the effect of semantic range on classification accuracy. JST is also tested by using two HRI datasets with overall classification accuracy, average accuracy and Kappa coefficients of 0.79, 0.70, 0.78 and 0.91, 0.85, 0.89, respectively. The effectiveness of the proposed method is compared qualitatively and quantitatively, and the results achieve competitive and consistently better than the benchmark comparison method.
Geological exploration of coal mine burnt rock and waterlogged area boundary based on transient electromagnetic and high-density electrical resistivity
Authors: Yang Yanlong , Zhao Ci , Di Yaxiao , Li Qian
Published: March 2024

The water-rich burnt rock may threaten the safe production of coal mines. Identifying the boundaries of burnt rock and the water-rich area is of great practical significance for the ensuring the safety of mining operations. Transient electromagnetic and high-density resistivity methods are commonly employed in geophysical exploration, such as for investigating the presence of groundwater or delineating boundaries of altered rocks. These methods are non-invasive and provide detailed information about subsurface conditions without the need for drilling or excavation. The Jiangjun Gobi No. 1 open-pit coal mine is situated in the Kalamaili fault zone and is characterized by a high groundwater content. In certain mining sites within the study area, the inflow of water reaches tens of thousands of cubic meters per day, which significantly impacts production and presents major risks. To accurately determine the boundaries of burnt rock and water accumulation areas in the Jiangjun Gobi No. 1 open-pit coal mine, this paper uses different geophysical prospecting methods based on the depth of the strata. The middle and deep parts are investigated using the high-resolution transient electromagnetic method, while the shallow parts are examined using the high-accuracy high-density electric method. Through analyzing the electrical characteristics of the study area, it is inferred that the low-resistivity area in the northwest represents a shallow surface water-rich region. This area extends continuously towards the northwest, is not trapped, and is supplied by surface water. The deep low-resistivity zone primarily consists of sandstone and coarse sandstone. It is inferred that the low-resistance area in the southern part of the study area is also a shallow surface water-rich region, extending towards the east and west sides, not trapped, and supplied by surface water. The deep low-resistivity zone mainly comprises a combination of sandstone, coarse sandstone, and burnt rock, with intermittent layers of mudstone and argillaceous sandstone. The boundary line of burnt rock (coal-bearing strata) is located in the south of the study area. The resistivity of burnt rock (coal-bearing strata) is higher than that of the surrounding rocks, and the resistivity of coal seams is slightly higher than that of sandstone with larger porosity. Estimating the boundaries of groundwater and altered rocks serves to prevent geological disasters and provides valuable information for mineral development and ecological protection.
Reversing immunosuppression in the tumor microenvironment of fibrolamellar carcinoma via PD-1 and IL-10 blockade
Authors: Daniel S. K. , Sullivan K. M. , Dickerson L. K. , van den Bijgaart R. J. E. , Utria A. F. , Labadie K. P. , Kenerson H. L. , Jiang X. , Smythe K. S. , Campbell J. S. , Pierce R. H. , Kim T. S. , Riehle K. J. , Yeung R. S. , Carter J. A. , Barry K. C. , Pillarisetty V. G.
Published: March 2024

Fibrolamellar carcinoma (FLC) is a rare liver tumor driven by the DNAJ-PKAc fusion protein that affects healthy young patients. Little is known about the immune response to FLC, limiting rational design of immunotherapy. Multiplex immunohistochemistry and gene expression profiling were performed to characterize the FLC tumor immune microenvironment and adjacent non-tumor liver (NTL). Flow cytometry and T cell receptor (TCR) sequencing were performed to determine the phenotype of tumor-infiltrating immune cells and the extent of T cell clonal expansion. Fresh human FLC tumor slice cultures (TSCs) were treated with antibodies blocking programmed cell death protein-1 (PD-1) and interleukin-10 (IL-10), with results measured by cleaved caspase-3 immunohistochemistry. Immune cells were concentrated in fibrous stromal bands, rather than in the carcinoma cell compartment. In FLC, T cells demonstrated decreased activation and regulatory T cells in FLC had more frequent expression of PD-1 and CTLA-4 than in NTL. Furthermore, T cells had relatively low levels of clonal expansion despite high TCR conservation across individuals. Combination PD-1 and IL-10 blockade signficantly increased cell death in human FLC TSCs. Immunosuppresion in the FLC tumor microenvironment is characterized by T cell exclusion and exhaustion, which may be reversible with combination immunotherapy.
Hemifield-based analysis of pattern electroretinography in normal subjects and patients with preperimetric glaucoma
Authors: Ahn Eun Jung , Shin Young In , Kim Young Kook , Jeoung Jin Wook , Park Ki Ho
Published: March 2024

This prospective cross-sectional study investigated the visual function of preperimetric glaucoma (PPG) patients based on hemifield (HF) pattern electroretinogram (PERG) amplitudes. Thirty-two (32) normal subjects and 33 PPG patients were enrolled in control and PPG groups, respectively. All of the participants had undergone full ophthalmic examinations, including spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT), visual field (VF) examination and pattern electroretinography (PERG). The PERG parameters along with the HF ratios of SD-OCT and PERG were compared between the control and PPG groups. Pairwise Pearson's correlation coefficients and linear regression models were fitted to investigate the correlations. The PERG N95 amplitudes were significantly lower in the PPG group (P < 0.001). The smaller/larger HF N95 amplitude ratio of the PPG group was found to be smaller than that of the control group (0.73 ± 0.20 vs. 0.86 ± 0.12; P = 0.003) and showed positive correlations with affected HF average ganglion cell-inner plexiform layer (GCIPL) thickness (r = 0.377, P = 0.034) and with average GCIPL thickness (r = 0.341, P = 0.005). The smaller/larger HF N95 amplitude ratio did not significantly change with age (β =  − 0.005, P = 0.195), whereas the full-field N95 amplitude showed a negative correlation with age (β =  − 0.081, P < 0.001). HF analysis of PERG N95 amplitudes might be particularly useful for patients with early glaucoma.
Evaluating public opinions: informing public health policy adaptations in China amid the COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Wang Chenyang , Wang Xinzhi , Wang Pei , Deng Qing , Liu Yi , Zhang Hui
Published: March 2024

Public concern regarding safety policies serious consequences is anticipated to persist over an extended duration. A study examining a case of rapid public health policy adaptation in China during the COVID-19 epidemic was conducted by gathering public opinion data from major social media platforms. A systematic approach to comprehend public opinion was developed. Five fundamental elements and four dimensions were delineated. An indicator system was established utilizing the K-means text clustering model. Public prediction, expectation, and their evolution underlying public concern were elucidated employing TF–IDF text mining models. The HMM elucidated the way public opinion influences policy adjustments. The findings underscore that public concern regarding enduring events undergoes temporal shifts, mirroring the evolution of public opinion towards policy. Public opinion aroused by both the original event and derived events collaboratively influence policy adjustments. In China, public opinion serves as a mechanism for policy feedback and oversight; notably, negative public sentiment plays a pivotal role in expediting policy transitions. These findings aid in refining policies to mitigate emergencies through a feedback loop, thereby averting the emergence of safety risks such as social unrest prompted by public opinion.
Source analysis and health risk assessment of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAHs) in total suspended particulate matter (TSP) from Bengbu, China
Authors: Wu Danchen , Chen Liu , Ma Zhijing , Zhou Dalin , Fu Le , Liu Mengmeng , Zhang Tianer , Yang Jing , Zhen Quan
Published: March 2024

The polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) concentrations in total suspended particulate matter (TSP) samples collected from October, 2021 to September, 2022 were analyzed to clarify the pollution characteristics and sources of 16 PAHs in the atmospheric TSP in Bengbu City. The ρ(PAHs) concentrations ranged from 1.71 to 43.85 ng/m3 and higher concentrations were detected in winter, followed by spring, autumn, and summer. The positive matrix factorization analysis revealed that, in spring and summer, PAH pollution was caused mainly by industrial emissions, gasoline and diesel fuel combustion, whereas in autumn and winter, it was coal, biomass and natural gas combustion. The cluster and potential source factor analyses showed that long-range transport was a significant factor. During spring, autumn, and winter, the northern and northwestern regions had a significant impact, whereas the coastal area south of Bengbu had the greatest influence in summer. The health risk assessment revealed that the annual total carcinogenic equivalent concentration values for PAHs varied from 0.0159 to 7.437 ng/m3, which was classified as moderate. Furthermore, the annual incremental lifetime cancer risk values ranged from 1.431 × 10−4 to 3.671 × 10−3 for adults and from 6.823 × 10−5 to 1.749 × 10−3 for children, which were higher than the standard.
Comparative analysis of the quality of execution of road surfaces on newly built, reconstructed and renovated roads in the city Płock area (Poland)
Authors: Gryszpanowicz Piotr , Gasik-Kowalska Natalia , Waluś Konrad J.
Published: March 2024

Carrying out repair works, reconstruction, and construction of new road surfaces is a permanent element of urban space. The quality of the new pavement for the adopted traffic category directly impacts the road infrastructure's durability. The choice of road surface structure depends on the adopted traffic category. The aim of the article is to assess the works carried out on selected road surfaces within the city of Płock (Poland) in terms of the technical specification requirements and the durability of road infrastructure. The paper presents the tests of three road layers: base layer, binding layer and wearing course. The tests were carried out on 11 streets, and 29 samples were collected.
Effect of nutrition counseling on nutritional status and gestational weight gain of pregnant adolescents in West Arsi, Central Ethiopia: a cluster randomized controlled trial
Authors: Tesfaye Adane , Tamiru Dessalegn , Belachew Tefera
Published: March 2024

When pregnancy occurs in adolescence, the growth and development of the mother and fetus may be impaired due to strong competition for nutrients between the still-growing adolescent and the fetus. Pregnant adolescents constitute an underserved population; they lack adequate nutritional knowledge. Therefore, this study investigated the effect of nutritional behavior change communication (NBCC) through alliance for development (AFD) on the nutritional status and gestational weight gain (GWG) of pregnant adolescents. A two-arm parallel cluster randomized controlled community trial was conducted in the West Arsi Zone, central Ethiopia, from August 2022 to July 2023. The nutritional status of the pregnant adolescent was assessed using mid-upper arm circumference. Weight was measured at baseline and at the end of the intervention. A total of 207 and 219 pregnant adolescents participated in the intervention and control clusters, respectively. The intervention started before 16 weeks of gestation, and the intervention group attended four NBCC sessions. The NBCC was based on the health belief model (HBM) and was given at the participants’ homes with their husbands. The NBCC intervention was delivered by AFDs and community-level health actors. Pregnant adolescents in the control group received routine nutrition education from the health care system. A linear mixed-effects model and difference in difference (DID) were used to measure the intervention effect after adjusting for potential confounders. After the implementation of the trial, the mean mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC) in the intervention arm significantly increased from baseline (p ≤ 0.001), 23.19 ± 2.1 to 25.06 ± 2.9 among intervention group and 23.49 ± 2.1 to 23.56 ± 2.0 among control group and the mean difference in the MUAC (DID) was 1.89 ± 2 cm (p ≤ 0.001); the mean GWG in the intervention arm significantly increased from baseline; 51.54 ± 4.7 to 60.98 ± 4.6 among intervention group and 52.86 ± 5.27 to 58 ± 5.3 among control group; the mean GWG in the intervention group was 9.4 kg, and that in the control group was 5.14 kg, and the difference in difference was 4.23 kg and this was statically significant p ≤ 0.001). This study demonstrated that the use of the HBM for NBCC delivered through the AFD was effective at improving the nutritional status and GWG of pregnant adolescents. These results imply the need for the design of model-based nutritional counseling guidelines.

Clinical trial registration: PACTR202203696996305, Pan African Clinical Trials Registry, date of first registration: 16/03/2022.
The effect of soy isoflavones on non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and the level of fibroblast growth factor-21 and fetuin A
Authors: Neshatbini Tehrani Asal , Hatami Behzad , Helli Bizhan , Yari Zahra , Daftari Ghazal , Salehpour Amin , Hedayati Mehdi , Khalili Elmira , Hosseini Seyed Ahmad , Hekmatdoost Azita
Published: March 2024

A two-arm randomized open labeled controlled clinical trial was conducted on 50 patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Subjects were randomized to either receive two tablets of soy isoflavone (100 mg/day) or placebo. At week 12, the serum levels of alanine amino transferase (ALT), aspartate amino transferase (AST) and controlled attenuation parameter (CAP) score were significantly decreased only in the soy isoflavone group (P < 0.05). A significant decline in the gamma glutamyl transferase (GGT) level was observed only in the placebo group (P = 0.017). A significant increase in the serum level of fetuin A was shown in both groups at the end of the trial with a significantly greater increment in the soy isoflavone group compared to the placebo group (P < 0.05). The changes in the serum level of FGF-21 were not significant in any of the two groups. Steatosis grade significantly improved only in the soy isoflavone group (P = 0.045). There was no significant change in the fibrosis grade in the groups. Soy isoflavone intake led to a decrease in ALT, AST, CAP score, steatosis grade and an increase in the level of fetuin A. However, no significant changes were observed in the fibrosis grade and serum levels of GGT and FGF-21.
The effect of a mindfulness intervention (MI) on sleep disturbance (SD) among nurses
Authors: Hayajneh Audai A. , Al-Younis Malak O. , Rababa Mohammad
Published: March 2024

Sleep disturbance (SD) makes it difficult for nurses in intensive care units (ICUs) to perform activities that require focused and continual concentration, which raises the risk of medical errors, health issues, loss of sleep, and patient care mistakes. The mindfulness intervention (MI) was created to give participants the capacity to approach their own emotions with non-judgmental awareness and to become more conscious of their thoughts and feelings, and it reduced psychological symptoms. This study examined the effect of MI on SD among nurses. A randomized control trail (RCT) was conducted and recruited 100 nurses from intensive care and medical-surgical units from three hospitals located at the northern and middle regions of Jordan. Bivariate analysis including independent T-test and multiple linear regressions were used to study the differences between the interventional group (MI) and the comparison group (watching mindfulness videos) in terms of the impact on the SD. Nurses reported significant and high levels of SD. MI significantly reduced the level of SD and improved sleep quality among nurses. MI should be integrated into nursing competences to combat the negative impacts of poor sleep quality on nurses and organizational-sensitive outcomes.
Large rectangular cross-section tunnel undercrossing urban road by micro pipe jacking and joint assembly structure (MPJ & JAS) method in soft soils
Authors: Zou Jia , Xie Xiongyao , Zhou Biao , Jiang Chunzhao , Zhang Zhen , Han Jianjun , Dai Qing , Shahrour Isam
Published: March 2024

With the continuous construction of urban traffic roads, more and more new roads are cut off by existing roads to form “dead end roads”. There is an urgent need for a trenchless method suitable for urban ultra-shallow overburden to build the undercrossing tunnel. To solve this problem, this paper proposed the micro pipe jacking and joint assembly structure (MPJ & JAS) method, which has the characteristics of shallow burial depth, low cost, short construction time, flexible cross-section setting and high space utilization. The MPJ & JAS method construct a large cross-section tunnel through assembling small cross-section elements, quite different from traditional methods. Therefore, this paper designed a CT-shaped integrated joint, the mechanical performance of which was verified and clarified by tensile test. The bending test and finite element (FE) analysis proved the reliability of MPJ & JAS tunnel structure, and confirmed the structure performances such as the failure models, crack behaviors, load–deflection response and stress–strain distribution. Moreover, the influences of the steel plate thickness, concrete strength and shear connector spacing were determined by the FE analysis. On the basis of test results and reasonable assumptions, a theoretical design method considering the influence of the CT-shaped integrated joint was proposed, which can effectively predict the bending strength of the MPJ & JAS tunnel structure with an error of less than 10%. Finally, in view of the characteristics of the MPJ & JAS method, the suitable micro pipe jacking machine, soil reinforcement measure, hydraulic traction construction technology, high-precision guidance system and concrete construction quality detection method based on the phased array ultrasonic imaging technology were developed, supporting the accurate and efficient construction of the MPJ & JAS tunnel.