bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Incidence, temporal trends, and socioeconomic aspects of male hypogonadism
Authors: Percik Ruth , Vered Shiraz , Liel Yair
Published: December 2023

Little data exists on temporal changes in the incidence of definite hypogonadism and its correlation with socioeconomic status.
We extracted data from the Maccabi Health Services computerized database between 2001-2017, which includes all electronic health records and laboratory data. The study included 4261 men with biochemically verified hypogonadism defined according to the European Male Study criteria.
Male hypogonadism increased persistently with age in all the socioeconomic strata. 75% of the hypogonadal men had hypogonadotropic hypogonadism (HH). The overall incidence of hypogonadism increased 1.4-fold between the 2001-2009 and 2010-2017 periods, mainly due to an increase in HH. The temporal increase in hypogonadism occurred in all age groups of all socioeconomic strata but was notably more prominent in the >51 age group of the more affluent socioeconomic strata. BMI remained unchanged throughout the study period.
The temporal increase in HH corresponds with previous observations of a temporal decrease in testosterone levels in men of a yet undetermined cause. Hypothetically, both could be linked to an underappreciated association between mental distress due to workplace demands and occupational burnout in specific occupations (i.e., high-tech, finance, medical) associated with more affluent populations, and reflected by decreased global happiness indices. This preliminary proposition deserves further investigation.
Efficacy of paracetamol and mannitol injection in managing chronic post-thoracotomy pain following lung cancer surgery: Study protocol for a single center, prospective, randomized, double-blind, and controlled trial
Authors: Zhou Junhui , Li Xi , Gao Jie , Liu Siqing , Zhong Wei , Xi Gaoyuan , Guo Yinchun , Xu Hongdang
Published: December 2023

Background Chronic post-thoracotomy pain (CPTP) is a common complication after lung cancer surgery, involving 20% to 60% of patients. This persistent pain affects patients' quality of life and satisfaction with surgery. Paracetamol and mannitol injection, known for its analgesic and antipyretic properties, may help relieve moderate-to-severe postoperative pain. This trial aims to assess the effectiveness and safety of paracetamol and mannitol injection in managing CPTP after lung cancer surgery.
Methods This is a prospective, double-blind, randomized controlled clinical trial conducted at a single center. A total of 394 patients scheduled for thoracoscopic radical surgery for lung cancer will be enrolled andrandomly assigned to test group (intravenous infusion of paracetamol and mannitol injection) or control group(intravenous infusion of normal saline) in a 1:1 ratio, with 197 patients in each group. The primary outcome is the incidence of CPTP at 3 months after surgery. Secondary outcomes include the dosage of propofol and remifentanil, numerical rating scale (NRS) pain scores, patient-controlled intravenous analgesia (PCIA) pressing times, the occurrence of postoperative nausea andvomiting, and respiratory depression, time to first flatus and ambulation after surgery, length of hospital stay, surgeon and patient satisfaction, and the incidence of CPTP at 6 and 12 months after surgery. The patient's quality of daily life will be evaluated at 3, 6, and 12 months after the surgery. Intention-to-treat (ITT) analysis will be conducted.
Discussion We hypothesize that the use of intravenous paracetamol and mannitol injection can reduce the incidence and severity of CPTP and improve the quality of daily life. Additionally, the expected rate of adverse reactions from paracetamol and mannitol injection will be low. This trial will assess the effectiveness and safety of paracetamol and mannitol injection in managing CPTP after lung cancer surgery and provide scientific evidence for clinical practice.
Trial Registration Chinese Clinical Trial Registry, Registration number: ChiCTR2300072869, 2023-06-27, https://www.chictr.org.cn/.
Trial Status This trial is currently ongoing. Study execution period: July 1, 2023, to October 1, 2024. Recruiting period: August 1, 2023, to May 1, 2024. Version number and date: Version 1.1 of 08-20-2023
Identification of a ferroptosis-related gene signature for the prognosis of pediatric neuroblastoma
Authors: Lin Xijin , Xie Lanting , Lin Zhuangbin , Shao Kongfeng , Liang Qiandong , Li Xiaoyan , Wu Junxin
Published: December 2023

Background
To establish a prognostic ferroptosis-related gene model for predicting prognostic value in pediatric neuroblastoma (NB) patients.
Methods
The gene expression array and clinical characteristics of NB were downloaded from a public database. Correlations between ferroptosis-related genes and drug responses were analyzed by Childhood Cancer Therapeutics. The prognostic model was constructed by least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) Cox regression and was validated in NB patients from the ICGC cohort. The survival analysis was performed by Cox regression analysis. ssGSEA was used to quantify the immune cell infiltration correlation.
Results
Overall, 70 genes were identified as ferroptosis-related DEGs from 247 samples. Then, 13 ferroptosis-related genes were correlated with OS in the univariate Cox regression analysis. Five prognostic ferroptosis-related DEGs (pFR-DEGs) (STEAP3, MAP1LC3A, ULK2, MTOR and TUBE1), which were defined as the intersection of DEGs and prognostic ferroptosis-related genes, were identified and utilized to construct the prognostic signature. The correlation between five pFR-DEGs and drug responses was analyzed, and the box plots indicated that MTOR gene expression was highest, suggesting that MORT expression is related to progressive NB disease. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve showed that the model had moderate predictive power. The survival analysis indicated that the high-risk group had poor overall survival (OS) (p = 2·087×10− 06). Univariate and multivariate analyses identified the risk score as a significant prognostic risk factor (p = 0·003, HR = 1·933). Immune cell infiltration correlation analysis showed that the high-risk group was related to more immune cells.
Conclusions
The present study indicated a difference in ferroptosis-related gene expression between low- and high-risk NB patients. The ferroptosis-related signature could serve as a prognostic prediction tool. Additionally, immune infiltration might play an important role in different risk groups for NB patients.
WITHDRAWN: Novel FOXM1 inhibitor STL001 sensitizes human cancers to a broad-spectrum of cancer therapies
Authors: Gartel Andrei , Raghuwanshi Sanjeev , Zhang Xu , Arbieva Zarema , Khan irum , Wang Zefeng , Domling Alex , Camacho Carlos
Published: December 2023

Forkhead box protein M1 (FOXM1) is often overexpressed in human cancers and strongly associated with therapy-resistance and less good patient survival. The chemotherapy options for patients with the most aggressive types of solid cancers remain very limited because of the acquired drug-resistance, making the therapy less effective. Pharmacological inhibition of FOXM1 could be a promising approach to sensitize therapy-resistant cancers. Here, we explore a novel FOXM1 inhibitor STL001, a first-generation modification drug of our previously reported FOXM1 inhibitor STL427944. STL001 preserves the mode of action of the STL427944; however, STL001 is up to 50 times more efficient in reducing FOXM1 activity in a variety of solid cancers. The most conventional cancer therapies studied here observed with reduced toxicity due to the induction of FOXM1 expression in solid cancers. Interestingly, STL001 demonstrated suppression of FOXM1 activity and exhibited increased sensitivity of cancer cells to the cytotoxic effects of these drugs. Notably, STL001 does not provide further sensitization to FOXM1-KD cancer cells, suggesting that the sensitization effect is conveyed specifically through FOXM1 suppression. RNA-seq and gene set enrichment studies revealed prominent suppression of FOXM1-dependent pathways and gene ontologies. Also, gene regulation by STL001 showed extensive overlap with FOXM1-KD, suggesting a high selectivity of STL001 toward the FOXM1 regulatory network. A completely new activity of FOXM1, mediated through steroid/cholesterol biosynthetic process and protein secretion in cancer cells was also detected. Collectively, STL001 offers intriguing translational opportunities as combination therapies targeting FOXM1 activity in a variety of human cancers driven by FOXM1.
Clinical Characteristics of IgG4-related Disease: An Analysis of 166 Cases in a Taiwanese Population
Authors: Chan Tien-Ming , Yu Han-Hua , Lee Chih-Chun , Yu Kuang-Hui
Published: December 2023

Objectives: To scrutinize clinical attributes and associated factors of elevated serum IgG4 concentrations over an 8-year timeline in 166 patients diagnosed with IgG4-related diseases (IgG4-RD).
Methods: This study conducted retrospective analysis of medical records belonging to 2,968 adults, all of whom had participated in serum IgG4 assessments between December 2007 and August 2014.
Results: Among the 2,968 participants, we identified 166 (5.6%) having IgG4-RD, while the remaining 2,802 (94.4%) were diagnosed with other diseases; thus, forming the non-IgG4-RD cohort. We observed a significant differences in the mean serum IgG4 levels between the IgG4-RD group (average: 1087.5 mg/dL, median: 597.0, range: 15–6790 mg/dL) and the non-IgG4-RD cohort, (average: 104.1 mg/dL, median: 75.0, range: 1–4400 mg/dL; p < 0.0001). The patients with IgG4-RD had a mean age of 58.5 ± 15.9 years, ages ranging from 21 to 87 years, and the group was predominantly male (71%.) Autoimmune pancreatitis (AiP) did not present in 87 (52.4%) of the IgG4-RD cases, termed non-AiP IgG4-RD, while 27 patients (16.3%) had AiP with other organ involvement (OOI). Elevated serum IgG4 levels (>135 mg/dL) were detected in 143 (86.1%) of the IgG4-RD patients, in contrast with 652 (23.3%) in the non-IgG4-RD group (p < 0.001). An optimal IgG4 diagnostic threshold for IgG4-RD was determined at 222 mg/dL.
Conclusions: In this cohort, we found that non-AiP IgG4-RD represented more than half of the diseases linked to IgG4-RD. The symptoms of IgG4-RD in our group covered an extensive range of organ systems. Further, the optimal diagnostic cutoff for IgG4 was determined through nephelometry via a Siemens BN ProSpec device and Siemens reagent, established at 222 mg/dL.
Clinical usefulness of the serum-soluble transferrin receptor in functional iron deficiency associated with long-term hemodialysis
Authors: Motomiya Yoshihiro , Kaneko Yoshiteru , Higashimoto Yuichiro
Published: December 2023

Background
Soluble transferrin receptor (sTfR) was reported to be a valuable diagnostic marker for functional iron deficiency (FID). Hepcidin, which is a key regulator of iron metabolism, has been shown to have increased values in patients undergoing hemodialysis (HD). Thus, we measured serum levels both of sTfR and hepcidin in 97 HD patients and investigated the clinical value of these measures.
Methods
We used a commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kit to measure serum levels both of hepcidin and sTfR.
Results
Although serum sTfR levels did not clearly increase, both sTfR levels and its index value correlated with the saturation of transferrin, erythropoietin-stimulating agent dosage, and erythropoietin resistance index (ERI). In addition, a strong negative correlation was found for sTfR and log serum hepcidin values.
Conclusions
Serum sTfR levels and the sTfR index were acceptable markers for FID and ERI even in patients undergoing HD whose serum levels of hepcidin increased.
Categorical equivalences for Hopf trusses and their modules
Authors: Rodríguez Ramón González , Raposo Ana Belén Rodríguez
Published: December 2023

In this paper we introduce the notion of generalized invertible 1-cocycle in a strict braided monoidal category C, and we prove that the category of Hopf trusses is equivalent to the category of generalized invertible 1-cocycles. On the other hand, we also introduce the notions of module for a Hopf truss and for a generalized invertible 1-cocycle. We prove some functorial results involving these categories of modules and we show that the category of modules associated to a generalized invertible 1-cocycle is equivalent to a category of modules associated to a suitable Hopf truss. Finally, assuming that in C we have equalizers, we introduce the notion of Hopf-module in the Hopf truss setting and we obtain the Fundamental Theorem of Hopf modules associated to a Hopf truss.
2020 Mathematics Subject Classification: 18M15, 16T05.
Coral reef restoration in Indonesia: lessons learnt from the world’s largest coral restoration nation
Authors: Watt-Pringle Rowan , Razak Tries Blandine , Jompa Jamaluddin , Rappe Rohani Ambo , Nadhira Alyssa , Smith David J.
Published: December 2023

Indonesia is the global coral reef restoration leader by number of projects, yet these remain diverse and disparate. This study reviews the status of Indonesian coral reef restoration and current best practice (CBP) through the lens of international CBP as defined by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration manager’s guide for reef restoration planning and design, providing suggestions for a formal network of reef restoration practitioner network to develop and implement a national restoration roadmap. Surveyed projects were identified from existing reef restoration networks and databases and using online search engines. Responses were obtained from 45 projects with whom interviews were conducted to determine alignment with international CBP. There is particular scope to increase quantitative data collection, reinforce community involvement, and improve ecological data collection. While 84% of projects reported quantifiable goals, 64% didn’t quantify goals during planning and 61% didn’t incorporate climate smart design features. Quantitative reef monitoring surveys were absent in 22% of projects. Important ecological metrics including coral community composition/diversity (96%), coral health/bleaching (89%), benthic community (62%), and coral survival (62%) weren’t quantified by long-term monitoring in the majority of projects. Indonesia has the capacity, regulations, and networks to position itself as reef restoration driver in the Coral Triangle region, but this will require countrywide coordination, alignment, and quantification of restoration. A structured, collaborative and iterative national network of government authorities, decision-makers, and reef restoration managers, practitioners, and researchers, could facilitate the development of a national restoration roadmap, including a tiered system to standardise project planning, monitoring, and reporting, and greater focus on climate change adaptation goals.
Chemical Quantification of CBD and THC and Bacteriological Analysis of Artisan Cannabis Sativa Extracts: TheImportance of Regulation
Authors: Costa Pâmela Aparecida da , Júnior Linério Ribeiro de Novais , Silva Larissa Mendes da , Scussel Rahisa , De Pieri Ellen , Ramos Suelen de Souza , Kock Kelser de Souza , Amaral Patrícia de Aguiar , Rigo Flávia Karine , de Ávila Ricardo Andrez Machado , de Bitencourt Rafael Mariano
Published: December 2023

Objectives
Cannabis sativa is a plant species that has been used for millennia, especially in medicinal form, due to its great therapeutic potential. Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) are the main pharmacologically active substances found in the plant. Efficient methods of extraction, purification and, sometimes, the separation of these cannabinoids are necessary to obtain extracts and compounds that can be used in the search for safe and effective therapeutic responses.
Methods
In this work, it was possible to analyze the composition of cannabinoids in 41 extracts of Cannabis sp. (32 produced by associations and 9 produced by the patients themselves), determining the amount of THC and CBD in the samples, using the High Performance Liquid Chromatography technique (RP-HPLC), as well as the presence of bacteria, using the Gram method.
Results
The median concentrations of THC and CBD measured in the samples were 51% and 58%, lower than the expected concentration, respectively. Furthermore, the presence of a Gram positive microorganism was observed in only one sample, suggestive of Staphylococcus Aureus.
Conclusion
Although associations have a noble social function, quality control in the production of medicines is important, with proper titration of cannabinoids and microbiological analysis of samples, which can be implemented through regulation by the Public Power.
Social Capital and Quality of Life among the Refugees residing in Mbarara City Southwestern Uganda
Authors: Kakai Brenda , Bahati Ronald , Otwine Anne , Nzamuhiki Steven , Ainamani Herbert
Published: December 2023

Introduction:
Globally, social capital is considered a significant resource in improving quality of life among human beings. In this study, we aimed at assessing the proportions of forms of social capital and their association with the quality of life among the refugees living in Mbarara City southwestern Uganda.
Methods
This cross-sectional study used consecutive sampling method to select 344 refugees that were living in Mbarara city at the time of data collection. Refugees were assessed on their social capital using the World bank Social Capital Integrated Questionnaire. Quality of life was assessed using the World Health Organization questionnaire of quality of life. Data were analyzed using STATA. Descriptive statistics determined the occurrence of social capital while linear regression model determined the association between social capital and quality of life.
Results
Almost all participants endorsed one form of social capital, with majority of the participants [251(73%)] endorsing sociability, followed by trust and solidarity 186(54%), groups and networks were the least endorsed [170(49%)] within our sample. Our findings further showed that having high levels of trust and solidarity, positively correlated with quality of life (b = 0.80; 95% CI, 0.09 to 1.51; p = 0.027).
Conclusions
High social capital is likely to be associated with quality of life among refugees. Interventions aimed at building strong social capital are encouraged.
SSB-2548 Attenuates C-X-C chemokine receptor type 4 (CXCR-4) Activation to Induce Apoptosis; An in silico Guided invitro Validation in Acute Myeloid Leukemia cells
Authors: Dera Ayed A.
Published: December 2023

Background and Aim:
The role of C-X-C chemokine receptor type 4 (CXCR-4) in chemotherapy resistance remains crucial in promoting proliferation, invasion and progression in Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) cells. This study aims to screen and investigate a potential lead candidate as a therapeutic agent targeting CXCR-4 in AML cells.
Methods
Diversity-based virtual screening process using Autodock-vina was employed to screen approximately 8,50,000 compounds from the ChemBridge-small molecule database. The binding stability and dynamics was investigated through GROMACS-based molecular dynamics simulations and RMSD. AML cells (THP-1, HL-60 and SKM-1cell cell lines) was used to assess proliferation CXCR-4 expression and apoptosis induction were measured using flow cytometry and trans-endothelial migration was assessed using calorimetric method in AML cells. The ADME properties were predicted using SwissADME server.
Results
The computational evaluations revealed SSB-2548 as a lead candidate that binds stably to CXCR-4. Molecular dynamics simulations provided detailed insights into the conformational changes of the SSB-2548/CXCR-4 complex. The compound inhibited the THP-1, HL-60 and SKM-1cell proliferations with GI50 values of 84.57 nM, 41.30 nM and 120.50 nM respectively. SSB-2548 decreased the trans-endothelial migration and CXCR-4 expression in while inducing early and late phase apoptosis in all three AML cell types. ADME predictions indicated a favorable lead-likeness, gastrointestinal absorption and lack of notable toxicity.
Conclusion
Computational assessments identified SSB-2548 as a novel CXCR-4 inhibitor. Invitro evaluations proved this lead compound effective against AML cells. These findings lay the groundwork for future investigations positioning SSB-2548 as a candidate for the development of targeted therapies against AML.
Species of Fusarium fujikuroi complex causing seed and seedling rot of Baru (Dipteryx alata Vogel) in Brazil
Authors: Marques Eder , Silva Moisés Rodrigues , Rios Emilly Ferreira Braga , Luz Geovana Guimarães , Costa Isabela Gomes Ferreira da , de Souza Eli Regina Barboza , Cunha Marcos
Published: December 2023

Baru (Dipteryx alata Vogel) is a plant native to the Brazilian Cerrado and has numerous uses. In October 2022, Baru seedlings were received at the NPF plant disease diagnosis clinic, Universidade Federal de Goiás. These plants showed symptoms of stem lesions and apical death, in addition to rotten seeds. To investigate the cause of the disease, isolation was initially carried out on potato dextrose agar medium, and 30 conidia were measured. Then, the pathogenicity test was conducted on Baru seedlings and seeds. Molecular characterization was performed by partial sequencing of act, its, rpb2 and tef1-α markers and concatenated phylogenetic analysis by Bayesian inference. Based on the isolations, it was observed that the mycelium presented a cotton-like appearance in culture, from pink to purple. The microconidia were ellipsoid, unicellular, and ranged from 5.224 to 12.773 µm x 2.250 to 4.532 µm. In the pathogenicity test, apical death of seedlings, lesions and seed rot were observed. In the laboratory test, the appearance of depressed lesions on the seed coat, cotyledons, stem, and roots was observed, from which it was also possible to recover the fungi, fulfilling Koch's postulates. The molecular identification revealed that the isolates belong to the species Fusarium sacchari and F. musae. To our knowledge, this is the first report of them associated with rot of Baru seeds and seedlings in Brazil.
Hip-knee-ankle physiotherapy for the improvement of the lower limb ’ s biomechanical environment in knee disorders: A literature review
Authors: Zhang Yusheng , Liu Yang , Jin Liang
Published: December 2023

Purpose：To analyse the research conducted in recent years on conservative treatment modalities for various knee joint, to provide a correct orientation for hip-knee-ankle lower limb force line correction methods, and to provide a theoretical basis for the creation of an excellent mechanical environment for the knee joint, a reasonable joint space, and a neutral movement trajectory that allows for sustainable and safe treatment.
Methods：Literature was searched from the electronic databases PubMed, Scopus, and China Knowledge Internet (CNKI), Wanfang Data (WD), and China Biomedical Literature Database (CBM) to identify studies that used physiotherapy to treat knee-related disorders during the period from January 2018 to January 2023. Ultimately, 19 randomized controlled trial studies were included, involving a total of 1022 clinical studies.
Results：In the ankle and foot region, improvements in lower limb biomechanics can be achieved through the use of customized insoles, gait correction training, and ankle function and strength training. At the knee joint, various training modalities such as concentric and eccentric training, electrical nerve stimulation, and blood flow restriction training can be employed to enhance the strength and flexibility of the quadriceps muscles, thereby improving lower limb strength and stability, and promoting a favorable mechanical environment for the joints. At the hip joint, increasing strength in hip external rotation and abduction, along with the use of acupuncture and massage therapy, can be employed to alleviate joint pain and enhance control over the lower limbs.
Conclusions：Physically adjusting the hip-knee-ankle joint can treat knee-related disorders by progressively correcting the aberrant lower limb force lines and improving the symptoms of knee-related disorders.
Experimental and Large Eddy Simulation Study of Slot Jet Impingement Cooling from Heated Cylinder placed on Flat Plate
Authors: Ganatra Ketan Atulkumar , Singh Dushyant , Mukhopadhyay Achintya
Published: December 2023

The present study focuses on experimental investigation and numerical study using Large Eddy Simulation (LES) for an air impinging jet flow. The investigation is carried out for slot jet impingement on heated cylinder with provision of adiabatic flat plate beneath the heated cylinder. The parametric investigation is conducted for parameters such as Reynolds number (Re), jet to cylinder spacing (h/S), surface curvature (S/D) and plate length (P/D). They are varied as Re = 10,000 – 25,000; h/S = 4 – 12, S/D = 0.072 – 0.108 and P/D = 0.5 – 2. The Nusselt number distribution over cylinder is experimentally obtained and to understand the impact of parameters such as Re, h/S, S/D and P/D on it; the numerical results are extracted from LES. The Nusselt number improves with increasing Re and decreasing h/S, although their impacts are not same. The major influence of Re and h/S is noticeable from θ = 0o – 180o and θ = 0o – 90o; however impact of h/S is very negligible from θ = 90o – 180o. The Nusselt number increases with increasing S/D due to more air entrainment which produces higher Reynolds stress and turbulence kinetic energy. The increasing plate length (P/D) shifts flow separation at lower angular position (θ) thereby increasing recirculation zone and reducing attached flow region. The recirculation zone contributes to heat transfer improvement in that region. Hence longer plate length P/D = 2 is ideal selection of plate length compared to P/D = 0.5 and 1 as it better facilitates positioning of cylindrical food product with optimum heat transfer.
Cutaneous application of SecurePig® FLASH, a Pig Appeasing Pheromone analogue, facilitates adaptation and manages social behavior during feeding in semi-extensive conditions
Authors: Chasles Manon , Marcet‑Rius Míriam , CHOU Jen-Yun , Teruel Eva , Pageat Patrick , Cozzi Alessandro
Published: December 2023

Background
Farm animals face several challenges throughout their lives, which can affect both their welfare and their productivity. Promoting adaptation in animals is one way of limiting these consequences. In various animal species, the use of maternal appeasing pheromones is efficient to reduce aggressiveness, improve adaptation and thus ensuring better welfare and productivity. This study sought to investigate the efficiency of a treatment with a Pig Appeasing Pheromone (PAP) on the behavior of pigs reared under semi-extensive conditions and exposed to a potential conflict – collective feeding. Animals (n = 14 divided in 2 groups of 7) were subjected to 3 different phases, A) baseline - no pigs received the PAP, B) SP − 2 out of the 7 pigs per group received the PAP and C) AP – all pigs received the PAP. Behaviors related to feeding, aggression and locomotion were compared between the 3 phases of the study.
Results
Compared to the baseline period, we observed that the number of head knocks was reduced when some pigs (p < 0.001) and all pigs (p < 0.005) received the PAP. Similarly, we observed that the number of fleeing attempts was reduced when some pigs (p < 0.001) and all pigs (p < 0.001) were treated when compared to baseline. This number was lower in the AP phase than in the SP phase (p < 0.001). When all pigs were treated (AP), we also observed that they spent less time investigating the floor than during the two other phases (p < 0.001), but they seemed more likely to leave the feeder due to the presence or behavior of another pig of the group (SP vs AP, p < 0.05; Baseline vs AP, p = 0.06).
Conclusions
The PAP application improved adaptation in pigs by reducing aggressiveness and promoting conflict avoidance. Those results validate the efficiency of the pheromonal treatment under semi-extensive rearing conditions to help pigs to cope with a challenging situation. Using PAP in the pig industry seems interesting to limit unwanted consequences of farm practices on animal welfare and productivity, by promoting their adaptation.
The exploration of a new technology: preservation of immovable silicate cultural relics against salt efflorescence by directional induction of water and salt migration
Authors: Li Qiang , Gao Ge , Yang Longkang , Huang Xiao , Luo Hongjie
Published: December 2023

Salt efflorescence is one of the critical problems for the preservation of immovable silicate relics. Salt efflorescence mainly comes from continuous cycles of crystallization/dissolution or hydration/dehydration of salts in confined pores in silicate relics. Many protocols have been developed in attempts to alleviate possible salt damages with minor success because of endless water and salt feed from underground. In this study, we propose and design a novel technique for salt damage prevention and protection of immovable relics. Materials with higher water-absorbing ability than matrix are applied to control the water and salt migration direction in simulated sand samples. The distribution of moisture content on the surface of sand is followed by hyperspectral imaging. It appears that water and salt molecules will preferentially transport towards positions containing higher water-absorbing material. Both organic and inorganic high water-absorbing materials show effective in controlling the water and salt migration direction, which provides a new approach for the prevention and protection of salt efflorescence in silicate cultural relics.
Precision Controllable Reversible Watermarking Algorithm for Oblique Photography 3D Models
Authors: Wang Pengbin , Zhang Liming , Zhang Ziyi , Tan Tao
Published: December 2023

The existing reversible watermarking algorithms for the oblique photography 3D model can only restore the original model or not, which fails to meet the diverse needs of different users. Therefore, we propose a reversible watermarking algorithm for the oblique photography 3D model in this paper, aiming to achieve controlled model error recovery. Firstly, according to its global stability, the feature points of the oblique photography 3D model are extracted by utilizing the mean angle between vertex normals. Secondly, a mapping relationship is established based on the ratio of distances between feature points and non-feature points. Then, the vertices are grouped, with each group consisting of one feature point corresponding to several non-feature points. Finally, a spherical coordinate system is constructed with the feature point as the origin of each group. The watermark information is embedded by modifying the radius of the coordinate system. In the process of extracting the watermark, we extracted the watermark from different positions within the radius. This method recovers the model by obtaining different radii so that the method can achieve controlled data error. In addition, the experimental results have demonstrated that this algorithm can achieve controlled recovery of model error and exhibits good robustness against attacks such as translation, rotation, cropping, and simplification.
Alkali etching enhanced polyimide based three-layer composite separator for lithium-ion batteries
Authors: Jiang Wenzhao , Chen Youpeng , Zhang Jiangyun , Zhang Guoqing , Cao Dongqing , Li Xinxi. , Liu Junyuan
Published: December 2023

Separators has directly affected the safety and electrochemical performance of lithium-ion batteries. In this study, an alkali etched enhanced polyimide (PI)/polyacrylonitrile (PAN)@ (Cellulose acetate) CA/PI three-layer composite separator is prepared using electrospinning, non-solvent phase separation, and alkali etching methods. The effects of alkali etching on the mechanical strength, thermal stability, and electrochemical performance of the PI/PAN@CA/PI separator are explored. The obtained separator has two different pore structures, and the surface of the alkali etched separator has abundant polar groups, further enhancing the migration rate of lithium-ions. The mechanical strength and thermal performance decrease with the prolongation of alkali etching time. When the alkali etching time is 3 min, the PI/PAN@CA/PI separator has the best comprehensive performance, with a mechanical strength of 17.8 MPa, ion conductivity of 1.22 mS cm− 1, and interface impedance of 152 Ω. After 100 cycles of charging and discharging at a current density of 1 C, the capacity retention rate is 95.3%. At a current density of 5 C, the specific capacity of charging and discharging can reach 114 mAh g− 1, which is better than the 87.3 mAh g− 1 of the initial PI/PAN@CA/PI separator.
Fish community and its relationships with environmental variables in the channel of Poyang Lake into Yangtze River
Authors: Yin Hong , Wang Sheng , Yang Jing , Chen Shiwei , Hua Qi , Wang Luyao , Yang Qiuju , Hu Maolin
Published: December 2023

The river-lake transitional zone of Poyang Lake is a key water area connecting the Yangtze River and Poyang Lake. It is important to understand the relationship between fish communities, hydrological dynamics, and other water environment factors in these waters. This study examined the status of fish resources in the river-lake transitional zone of Poyang Lake, from 2021 to 2022. We collected 3,880 individual fish, belonging to 5 orders, 10 families, and 54 species. Cypriniformes comprised the largest number of fish species at 64.81% of the total number of species. Overall, the fish ecological types were dominated by carnivorous, demersal, resident and viscous egg fish. According to the relative importance index, there were eight dominant species (including Coilia brachygnathus and Megalobrama mantschuricus). The fish community was more abundant and structure was more complex in downstream areas and in the flood season. This area showed significant regional differences in the fish community structure, whereas seasonal differences were not significant. Analysis showed that the water level and flow correlated significantly with the Margalef richness index and Shannon-Wiener diversity index. Redundancy analysis showed that pH, oxidation-reduction potential, dissolved oxygen and the water level were key environmental factors affecting the fish community structure and species spatio temporal distribution. Thus, high water levels in the flood season and in downstream waters are important to the river-lake transitional zone of Poyang Lake. Collectively, this survey of fish resources in the river-lake transitional zone will support the protection and management of aquatic biological resources in Poyang Lake.
Assessing DNA damage during optical imaging of the preimplantation embryo: a comparison between light sheet and confocal microscopy
Authors: Chow Darren J.X. , Schartner Erik P. , Corsetti Stella , Upadhya Avinash , Morizet Josephine , Gunn-Moore Frank J. , Dunning Kylie R. , Dholakia Kishan
Published: December 2023

Embryo quality assessment by optical imaging is increasing in popularity. Among available optical techniques, light sheet
microscopy has emerged as a superior alternative to confocal microscopy due to its geometry, enabling faster image acquisition
with reduced photodamage to the sample. However, previous assessments of photodamage induced by imaging, may have
failed to measure more subtle impacts. In this study, we employed DNA damage as a sensitive indicator of light induced
damage. We use light sheet microscopy with excitation at a wavelength of 405 nm for imaging embryo autofluorescence and
compare its performance to laser scanning confocal microscopy at the same wavelength. At an equivalent signal-to-noise ratio
for images acquired with both modalities, light sheet microscopy reduces image acquisition time by 10-fold. Further, light sheet
microscopy at this excitation wavelength does not induce DNA damage when compared to non-imaged embryos. In contrast,
imaging with confocal microscopy led to significantly higher levels of DNA damage within embryos. This study confirms that
light sheet microscopy is faster and safer than confocal microscopy for imaging embryos, indicating its potential as a label-free
diagnostic for embryo quality.
Novel hierarchical porous carbon materials derived from bamboo shoot shells for high-performance symmetric supercapacitor
Authors: Zeng Fanen , Zhang Yaning , Lv Qi , Xie Hao , Xu Bing
Published: December 2023

Porous carbon materials were synthesized from bamboo shoot shells through carbonization and static air activation. The physicochemical properties of bamboo shoot shell-based porous carbon (BBC) were observed by scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and N2 adsorption desorption analysis. BBC has an optimal hierarchical porous structure that displays a specific surface area of 546.04 m2 g-1 and an average pore diameter of 3.28 nm. The formation mechanism of the BBC, which has a hierarchical porous structure in static air activation, was illustrated systematically. To evaluate the suitability of BBC for practical implementations further, the constructed symmetric supercapacitor achieved an energy density of 11.11 Wh kg-1 at a power density of 252 W kg-1 and an outstanding cyclic retention rate of 100% over 7,000 cycles at a current density of 10 A g-1.
Physically Adjusted Ground Motion Prediction Equations for Induced Seismicity at Preston New Road, UK
Authors: Suroyo Pungky Megasari , Sunny Jaleena , Edwards Benjamin
Published: December 2023

Predicting ground motions due to induced seismicity is a challenging task owing to the scarcity of data and heterogeneity of the uppermost crust. Dealing with this requires a thorough understanding of the underlying physics and consideration of inter-site variability. The most common ground motion model used in practice is the parametric ground motion prediction equation (GMPE), of which hundreds exist in the literature. However, relatively few are developed with a focus on induced seismicity. Developing GMPEs that are specific to an appropriate magnitude-distance range (R < 30 km; 2 < M <6) is important for induced seismicity applications. This paper proposes a framework for the development of physically-based GMPEs to provide more accurate and reliable estimates of the potential induced-seismicity ground motion hazard, allowing for better risk assessment and management strategies.
To demonstrate this approach, a new set of GMPEs for the 2018-2019 induced seismicity sequence at the Preston New Road (PNR) shale gas site near Blackpool, United Kingdom, is presented. The physically-based GMPE was developed based on a pseudo-finite-fault stochastic ground motion simulation, calibrated with parameters derived from the spectral analysis of weak-motion records from induced seismic events. An optimization-based calibration technique using the area metric (AM) was subsequently performed to calibrate optimal parameters for simulating ground motion at the PNR site. Finally, using a suite of forward simulations for events with 1 < M < 6 recorded at distances up to 30 km, combined with empirical data, a location-specific GMPE was derived through adjustment of an existing model.
Metrics Based Dataset Analysis Used For CNN Absolute Pose Estimation
Authors: Kobzili Elhaouari , Allam Ahmed , Grini Abdellah
Published: December 2023

Convolutional neural networks (CNNs) have recently been used for a variety of computer vision tasks,including pose regression and image classification. Estimating the absolute localisation of a monocular camera in six degrees of freedom (6-DOF) is a new CNN application. The accuracy of the data set utilized will directly affect how well this strategy performs. In this research, utilizing a CNN architecture built on six dimensions of pose regression, we present new metrics to assess dataset quality and achieve adequate performances of Camera absolute posture estimate from a single image. The Structural SIMilarity (SSIM) and Correlation similarity rates are the suggested metrics. These two metrics are based on the analysis of visual similarity across all of the CNN training images. By leveraging the camera poses in our work, we present a different type of metric. As a result, using the position and orientation of the camera, all training camera views are combined to create a three-dimensional map of a probable coverage volume. The camera covering rate metric is used to define the latter.The proposed metrics are intended to give a first understanding of a dataset’s limitations when utilized for absolute pose regression using CNN architecture. By assuring an acceptable Camera coverage volume and minimizing ambiguity by managing similarity carefully, our metrics may also direct us effectively in dataset elaboration to cope with the expected performances. Our metrics are evaluated using the well-known PoseNet framework, which is applied to a well-known dataset (7-scenes).The obtained results are encouraging and deal with our expectations in terms of prediction errors.
MSC Classification: 68T07 , 68T01 , 68T20 , 68T45
Phenotypic comparison and the potential antitumor function of immortalized bone marrow-derived macrophages (iBMDMs)
Authors: Xie Dong-kun , Yao Jin , Li Peng-hui , Zhu Yan-wen , Chen Jia-nuo , Cao Xiu-li , Cheng Shi-lin , Chen Ya-miao , Wang Liang , Wang Zan-han , Qiao Rong , Ge Jia-mei , Yue Huan , Wei Li , Liu Zhong-yuan , Han Hua , Qin Hong-yan , Zhao Jun-long
Published: December 2023

Macrophages are an important component of innate immunity and involved in the immune regulation of multiple diseases. The functional diversity and plasticity make macrophages to exhibit different polarization phenotypes after different stimuli. During tumor progression, the M2-like polarized tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) promote tumor progression by assisting immune escape, facilitating tumor cell metastasis, and switching tumor angiogenesis. Our previous studies demonstrated that functional remodeling of TAMs through engineered-modifying or gene-editing provides the potential immunotherapy for tumor. However, lack of proliferation capacity and maintained immune memory of infused macrophages restricts the application of macrophage-based therapeutic strategies in the repressive tumor immune microenvironment (TIME). Although J2 retrovirus infection enabled immortalization of bone marrow-derived macrophages (iBMDMs) and facilitated the mechanisms exploration and application, little is known about the phenotypic and functional differences among multi kinds of macrophages. In this study, we demonstrated iBMDMs exhibited the features of rapid proliferation and long-term survival. We also compared iBMDMs with RAW264.7 cell line and mouse primary BMDMs with in vitro and in vivo experiments, indicating that the iBMDMs could undergo the same polarization response as normal macrophages with no obvious cellular morphology changes after polarization. What’s more, iBMDMs owned stronger phagocytosis and pro-apoptosis functions on tumor cells. In addition, M1-polarized iBMDMs could maintain the anti-tumor phenotypes and domesticated the recruited macrophages of receptor mice, which further improved the TIME and repressed tumor growth. In summary, iBMDMs can serve as a good object for the function and mechanism study of macrophages and the optional source of macrophage immunotherapy.
Fe3O4@SiO2@CS.HCl.VO3 as A Novel Recyclable Heterogeneous Catalyst with Core-Shell Structure for Oxidation of Sulfides
Authors: Ismaile Ula Zuhaire , Bahrami Kiumars , Khodamorady Minoo
Published: December 2023

Iron nanoparticles, with low toxicity and many active sites, are among the materials that not only reduce waste along with green chemistry, but also increase the separation power and recover the catalyst from the reaction environment. In this study, first, the surface of iron nanoparticles was silanized, and in the next step, the complex of chitosan HCl.VO3.was placed on the surface of MNPs (Fe3O4@SiO2@Cs.HCl.VO3). This nanocatalyst is a novel, recoverable and potent nanocatalyst with high selectivity for the oxidation of sulfides to sulfoxides. Various physicochemical techniques such as IR, XRD, TGA, SEM, EDX, mapping, TEM and VSM were used to affirm the well synthesis of the catalyst. Oxidation of sulfides in the presence of hydrogen peroxide as green oxidant and in ethanol was catalyzed by the Fe3O4@SiO2@Cs.HCl.VO3. All sulfoxides were achieved with high efficiency and in a short time. The notable privileges of this method include facile and economic catalyst synthesis, proper catalyst durability, great performance, simple catalyst isolation, good recovery capability at least up to 5 times without an index drop in catalytic power.
100 % Natural Biomass Thermoplastic Materials Comprising Wood, Stone, and Natural Deep Eutectic Solvent Prepared by an Industrial Twin-Screw Extruder
Authors: Mori Ryohei
Published: December 2023

Biomass-based renewable and biodegradable materials are attractive candidates for replacing non-biodegradable petrochemical-derived plastics. Herein, a wood-based thermoplastic material comprising wood, stone, and a natural deep eutectic solvent (NADES) was prepared by a facile method using an industrial twin-screw extruder. In addition, molding products were also obtained by simple injection molding. All of the components were derived from 100% biomass (assuming talc as biomass), with no materials originating from petroleum or fossil fuels. A deep eutectic solvent was used to dissolve a part of the wood to afford a 100% biomass-based thermoplastic material by using a simple twin-screw extrusion process. The results revealed that the introduction of rosin or poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) led to the improvement in the mechanical strength and water resistance. IR and NMR spectral analyses revealed that cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin were still present after treatment with NADES. As wood and stones are abundant and cost-effective materials, the as-prepared materials demonstrate novelty as new 100% bio-based thermoplastic materials.
Large eddy simulation of emulsified canola oil combustion in swirl-promoted combustion chamber
Authors: Li Qibo , Alvarado Jorge , Kannaiyan Kumaran , Sadr Reza
Published: December 2023

Recent studies have revealed that large eddy simulation (LES) as CFD technique is capable of capturing the unstable features of two-phase swirling flows during the combustion of straight vegetable oil (SVO) emulsions. In this study, blends of canola oil and methanol have been selected as emulsified SVO fuels for simulation purposes. To fully understand the effects of swirl number and equivalence ratio on combustion characteristics of emulsified canola oil, a numerical approach based on the discrete phase model (DPM), stochastic model and Taylor Analogy Breakup (TAB) model have been adopted to simulate SVO blend droplets in a swirl-promoted environment. Moreover, simulation results of fuel droplets distribution are compared directly with experimental results. Furthermore, a two-step chemical reaction mechanism and the Eddy-Dissipation model have been used to understand the effects of swirl number and equivalence ratio on the combustion characteristics of SVO. A robust and stable numerical algorithm has been selected and validated, which is capable of simulating turbulent combustion of emulsified canola oil using LES by considering two swirl numbers and equivalence ratios. Results reveal that turbulent flow and combustion characteristics are affected by the swirl number significantly. The simulation emission data show the same trends as the experimental results even though the simulations depict higher combustion temperatures in absence of heat losses. Nevertheless, the comprehensive numerical approach has been validated using experimental LDA droplet size distribution data. In summary, the numerical approach can be applied as a first order approximation to determine the effects of biofuel blend and swirl number on emission levels.