bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Highly Selective Ratiometric Sensors for Pb2+ Based on Luminescent Zn(II)-Coordination Polymers with Thiophenedicarboxylate. Crystal Structures and Spectroscopic Studies
Authors: Otero-Fuentes Georgina M. , Sánchez-Mendieta Victor , Sánchez-Ruiz Alejandro , Morales-Luckie Raúl A. , Martínez-Otero Diego , Jaramillo-García Jonathan , León-Gómez Juan Pablo , Dorazco-González Alejandro
Published: May 2024

The development of luminescent coordination polymers for the selective sensing of Pb2+ in water constitutes an active area of research that impacts analytical, environmental, and inorganic chemistry. Herein, two novel water-stable 2D Zn-coordination polymers {[Zn2(H2O)2(tdc)2(bpy)]·(H2O)}n1 and [Zn(tdc)(tmb)]n2 (tdc = thiophenedicarboxylate; bpy = 4,4’-bipyridine and tmb = 4,4'-trimethylenebipyridine) were synthesized, structurally determined by single crystal X-ray diffraction, and studied in-depth as luminescent sensors for a series of cations (Ca2+, Mg2+, Mn2+, Fe2+, Co2+, Ni2+, Cu2+, Zn2+ Cd2+, Hg2+ and Pb2+) in 20% aqueous ethanol. These Zn-polymers possess photostability in 20% aqueous ethanol with a strong emission at 410 upon excitation at 330 nm and quantum yields of around Φ = 0.09. Under these conditions, Pb+2 can be efficiently sensed with polymer 2 through a fluorescent ratiometric response with selectivity over common interfering metal ions such as Cu2+, Cd2+ and Hg2+ in the micromolar concentration range (detection limit = 1.78 ± 10 μM). Such selectivity/affinity of Pb2+ over Hg2+ for luminescent chemosensors is still rare. On the basis of spectroscopic tools (1H NMR, far ATR-IR, PXRD), the X-ray crystal structure of 2, and Scanning Electron Microscopy with Energy-Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopic analysis, the ratiometric fluorescent response is proposed via an efficient metal-ion exchange driven through interactions between thiophenedicarboxylate rings and Pb2+ ions. The use of flexible luminescent Zn-coordination polymers as sensors for selective and direct detection of Pb2+ in aqueous media has been unexplored until now.

Graphical Abstract
The Functions of Human Touch: An Integrative Review
Authors: Saluja Supreet , Croy Ilona , Stevenson Richard J.
Published: May 2024

There appears to be no attempt to categorize the specific classes of behavior that the tactile system underpins. Awareness of how an organism uses touch in their environment informs understanding of its versatility in non-verbal communication and tactile perception. This review categorizes the behavioral functions underpinned by the tactile sense, by using three sources of data: (1) Animal data, to assess if an identified function is conserved across species; (2) Human capacity data, indicating whether the tactile sense can support a proposed function; and (3) Human impaired data, documenting the impacts of impaired tactile functioning (e.g., reduced tactile sensitivity) for humans. From these data, three main functions pertinent to the tactile sense were identified: Ingestive Behavior; Environmental Hazard Detection and Management; and Social Communication. These functions are reviewed in detail and future directions are discussed with focus on social psychology, non-verbal behavior and multisensory perception.
Improving Programming in Juvenile Detention: The Impact of Project Safe Neighborhoods Youth Outreach Forums
Authors: Davis Jonathan M V. , Meares Tracey , Arnesen Emily
Published: May 2024

Objectives

A growing body of evidence suggests focused deterrence strategies successfully reduce criminal behavior. Very little of this evidence comes from randomized experiments. This paper takes a step toward filling this gap in the literature. We present the results of a randomized experiment evaluating a series of youth outreach forums that leverage several focused deterrence strategies.

Methods

This paper presents the results of a randomized controlled trial of a youth outreach forums program run in the Cook County Juvenile Detention Center (JTDC) by the Northern Illinois Project Safe Neighborhoods Task Force.

Results

We find the program caused a 20 percent reduction in the number of new spells at the JTDC in the eight months after random assignment and reduced total arrests by 18 percent in the first year after random assignment. While both of these impacts are somewhat imprecisely estimated, the reduction in total arrests is driven by statistically significant 43 and 40 percent reductions in arrests for violent and drug crime, respectively, and a large but less precisely estimated 30 percent reduction in arrests for property crime. These correspond to very valuable and proportionally large reductions in the social costs of crime. Our estimates also suggest the forums increase attachment to school.

Conclusion

The results of our study suggest juvenile detention centers may better reduce the future criminal behavior of residents by implementing similar programs to the youth outreach forums program.
Time-lag effects of habitat loss, but not fragmentation, on deadwood-dwelling lichens
Authors: Hämäläinen Aino , Fahrig Lenore
Published: May 2024

Context

Landscape habitat amount is known to increase biodiversity, while the effects of habitat fragmentation are still debated. It has been suggested that negative fragmentation effects may occur with a time lag, which could explain inconsistent results. However, there is so far no empirical support for this idea.

Objectives

We evaluated whether habitat amount and fragmentation at the landscape scale affect the species density of deadwood-dwelling lichens, and whether these effects occur with a time lag.

Methods

We surveyed deadwood-dwelling lichens in woodland key habitats in two regions in northern Sweden, and modelled their species density as a function of past (1960s) and present (2010s) habitat amount (old forest area) and fragmentation (edge density) in the surrounding landscapes.

Results

Present habitat amount generally had weak positive effects on lichen species density. Positive effects of the past habitat amount were stronger, indicating a time lag in habitat amount effects. Habitat fragmentation effects were generally weak and similar whether fragmentation was measured in the past or the present landscapes, indicating no time lag in fragmentation effects.

Conclusions

We found a time lag effect of habitat amount, but not fragmentation. This result is not consistent with suggestions that time lags explain the mixed observations of fragmentation effects. Time-lag effects of habitat amount suggest that the studied lichen communities face an extinction debt. Conservation should therefore prioritize increasing the amount of old forest, for example by creating forest reserves, to maintain the current lichen diversity. More generally, our results imply that studies examining only the present habitat amount risk under-estimating its importance.
Dual-Channel Autoencoder with Key Region Feature Enhancement for Video Anomalous Event Detection
Authors: Ye Qing , Song Zihan , Zhao Yuqi , Zhang Yongmei
Published: May 2024

Video anomaly event detection is crucial for analyzing surveillance videos. Existing methods have limitations: frame-level detection fails to remove background interference, and object-level methods overlook object-environment interaction. To address these issues, this paper proposes a novel video anomaly event detection algorithm based on a dual-channel autoencoder with key region feature enhancement. The goal is to preserve valuable information in the global context while focusing on regions with a high anomaly occurrence. Firstly, a key region extraction network is proposed to perform foreground segmentation on video frames, eliminating background redundancy. Secondly, a dual-channel autoencoder is designed to enhance the features of key regions, enabling the model to extract more representative features. Finally, channel attention modules are inserted between each deconvolution layer of the decoder to enhance the model’s perception and discrimination of valuable information. Compared to existing methods, our approach accurately locates and focuses on regions with a high anomaly occurrence, improving the accuracy of anomaly event detection. Extensive experiments are conducted on the UCSD ped2, CUHK Avenue, and SHTech Campus datasets, and the results validate the effectiveness of the proposed method.
Seismic hazard study for the duration of ground-motions triggered by intraslab earthquakes
Authors: López-Castañeda Alhelí S. , Martín del Campo Osvaldo , Reinoso Eduardo
Published: May 2024

This paper presents a probabilistic seismic hazard analysis for the duration of ground motions in Mexico City caused by intraslab earthquakes. The study implies establishing criteria to measure the duration of ground motions and developing predictive equations (GMPEs) for its estimation. Focus is placed on the relative significant duration, $$D_{Sr}$$

D

Sr

, which is based on the accumulation of energy of ground motions. The study extends to the development of hazard curves that allow estimating the annual probability of exceedance of said parameter. The scope is limited to ground motions caused by intraslab earthquakes occurring in Mexico and that engineeringly affect its capital, Mexico City, which is in a geographical region where the effects of soil-dynamic amplification are manifested considerably. A strong-motion database that includes 1517 horizontal accelerograms, with peak ground acceleration, $$PGA$$

PGA

, greater than or equal to 3 cm/s2, recorded during 21 earthquakes from 1994 to 2023 were used to develop the GMPEs. The quantitative description of the time, size, and spatial distribution of the seismic-activity occurrence was defined using a catalog of 46 earthquakes that occurred from 1900 to 2023. The earthquakes have moment magnitude, $$M_{w}$$

M
w

, greater than or equal to 6. With the tools developed, amplitude- and duration-based hazard-consistent accelerograms can be simulated and used in nonlinear dynamic analyses (NDAs) of structures. This study includes an application example where three sites in Mexico City are selected to compute inelastic response spectra. Hysteretic-energy demands up to 5 times higher are found after a comparison between the inelastic-response spectra from hazard-consistent accelerograms and those provided by current Mexican regulations.
Perceptions and knowledge of ecosystem services in urban river systems, Eastern Cape, South Africa
Authors: Mack Elizabeth A. , Akamagwuna Frank C. , Murata Chenai , Materechera-Mitochi Fenji , Nnadozie Chika Felicitas , Odume Oghenekaro Nelson
Published: May 2024

The ecosystem services concept has been studied in rural contexts but not as much in urban landscapes, particularly for aquatic ecosystems in Africa. There is little knowledge of how people perceive ecosystem services (ES) supplied by rivers in urban centres and the factors influencing their perceptions. To fill this gap, the research presented here addresses two objectives: 1) to assess local communities’ perception and knowledge of different types of ecosystem services of an urban river in South Africa, 2) to assess the influence of particular demographic characteristics (age and gender), socio-economic characteristics (education, housing type, income, and years of residence), and prior knowledge of the ecosystem services concept on people’s perception of the ecosystem services provided by the Swartkops River in the Eastern Cape of South Africa. To address these objectives, a team of ten trained field staff collected 181 surveys between May–June 2021 in communities within the river catchment. We used multinomial logit models to analyse the relationships between demographic and socio-economic variables, and people’s perception of ecosystem services. For the majority of the ecosystem services, there was almost an equal split between the perception “sometimes” and “never” that the river provides a particular ecosystem service, and people were less likely to say that the river always provide a particular service. Prior knowledge of the ecosystem services concept, years of residence, age, income and housing type significantly influence people’s perception of ecosystem services. Prior knowledge, was important for the intangible services, whereas years of residence was more important for tangible services with direct use value. Level of formal education was not a significant variable. An important implication of this study is that ecological interventions can be designed through an understanding of factors influencing people’s perceptions of ecosystem services.
Seasonal toxicity of urban road dust in runoff process-studies in Poland
Authors: Rybak Justyna , Ziembik Zbigniew , Wróbel Magdalena , Bihałowicz Jan Stefan , Rogula-Kozłowska Wioletta , Mudiyanselage Niranjala Dissanayake , Majewski Grzegorz
Published: May 2024

Urban road dust (URD) is one of the most important non-point sources of pollution in agglomerations. The aim of this study was to assess the seasonal toxic effects of URD runoff in two regions of Poland. The concentrations of elements in URD and leachate were studied. The impact of pollutants in URD runoff on water organisms was evaluated using Daphtoxkit F and Rotoxkit F (LC50). The acute toxicity tests for crustaceans and rotifers were selected as the response of these taxa reflects the impact on zooplankton, a key component of aquatic ecosystem and the basis of most food webs. The concentrations of elements were found to vary depending on the site, although URD samples collected in Katowice agglomeration (Upper Silesia) had higher values of elements (Mn, Cu, Zn, As) compared to Wrocław (Lower Silesia). The concentrations of Mn, Zn, As, Cr, and Mg in water-soluble fraction of URD were higher in summer and winter in the Upper Silesia region due to rainwater runoff resulting from traffic, industries, post-industrial waste, and the presence of old heating systems. When comparing the content of elements in the water-soluble fraction between seasons, Zn, As, Cr, and Al concentrations were slightly higher in winter. The highest mortality of Daphnia magna and Brachiouns calyciflorus was observed in URD from both agglomerations in winter. However, the mortality is likely due to the concentration of elements or/and the coexistence of an unknown compound or a synergistic effect of the studied elements. This study highlights the alarming seasonal sources of elements in URD runoff, which will directly enter the food chain and affect the entire ecosystem, and human health.
Solidification/stabilization of lead-contaminated soil using alkali-activated volcanic ash
Authors: Molaei Mohammad Amin , Miraki Hania , Morovati Mohsen , Ghadir Pooria , Javadi Akbar A.
Published: May 2024

The bioaccumulation of lead in soil poses a significant human health risk. The solidification/stabilization (S/S) technique, employing binders like Portland cement or lime, is a common method for remediating lead-contaminated soil. However, cement production has adverse environmental impacts, prompting the exploration of eco-friendly alternatives like alkali-activated materials (AAMs). This study assesses AAM efficacy in the S/S of lead-contaminated soil. The effects of several factors, including varying amounts of volcanic ash (VA), lead concentration, curing temperatures, and curing times are investigated. Unconfined compressive strength (UCS), toxicity characteristic leaching procedure test (TCLP), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and field emission scanning electron microscope-energy-dispersive spectroscopy-mapping analyses (FESEM/EDS/mapping) analyses are used to study the specimens. The findings indicated a substantial increase in the UCS of lead-contaminated soil treated with 15% VA (under oven curing (OC) conditions), and 10% VA (under ambient curing (AC) conditions) exhibited remarkable increases of up to 600% and 458%, respectively. Moreover, the leaching of Pb2+ ions from samples contaminated with 10,000 mg/kg (under OC conditions) and 2500 mg/kg (under AC conditions) experienced significant reductions of 87% (from 135.14 to 13.36 ppm) and 91% (from 26.32 to 2.21 ppm), respectively. The S/S process in these samples operated through three primary mechanisms of chemical bonding, physical encapsulation, and the formation of insoluble silicate. The formation of N-A-S–H and hydroxy sodalite structures played a vital role in facilitating these mechanisms. Therefore, alkali-activated VA demonstrated excellent performance in the remediation of lead-contaminated soil.

Graphical Abstract
Optimized Deep Learning for Potato Blight Detection Using the Waterwheel Plant Algorithm and Sine Cosine Algorithm
Authors: Elshewey Ahmed M. , Tawfeek Sayed M. , Alhussan Amel Ali , Radwan Marwa , Abed Amira Hassan
Published: May 2024

Potato blight, sometimes referred to as late blight, is a deadly disease that affects Solanaceae plants, including potato. The oomycete Phytophthora infestansis causal agent, and it may seriously damage potato crops, lowering yields and causing financial losses. To ensure food security and reduce economic losses in agriculture, potato diseases must be identified. The approach we have proposed in our study may provide a reliable and efficient solution to improve potato late blight classification accuracy. For this purpose, we used the ResNet-50, GoogLeNet, AlexNet, and VGG19Net pre-trained models. We used the AlexNet model for feature extraction, which produced the best results. After extraction, we selected features using ten optimization algorithms in their binary format. The Binary Waterwheel Plant Algorithm Sine Cosine (WWPASC) achieved the best results amongst the ten algorithms, and we performed statistical analysis on the selected features. Five machine learning models—Decision Tree (DT), Random Forest (RF), Multilayer Perceptron (MLP), Support Vector Machine (SVM), andK-Nearest Neighbour (KNN)—were used to train the chosen features. The most accurate model was the MLP model. The hyperparameters of the MLP model were optimized using the Waterwheel Plant Algorithm Sine Cosine (WWPASC). The results indicate that the suggested methodology (WWPASC-MLP) outperforms four other optimization techniques, with a classification accuracy of 99.5%.
How has the COVID-19 pandemic shaped behavior in crowdsourcing? The role of online labor market training
Authors: Mourelatos Evangelos , Simonen Jaakko , Hosio Simo , Likhobaba Daniil , Ustalov Dmitry
Published: May 2024

The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic and the associated lockdown measures have been a shock to market systems worldwide, affecting both the supply and demand of labor. Intensified by this pandemic-driven recession, online labor markets are in many ways at the core of the economic and policy debates about their technological innovation, which could be used as a way of economic reform and recovery. In this work, we focus on crowdsourcing, which is a specific type of online labor. We apply a unique dataset of labor data to investigate the effects of online training, a policy that was provided to requesters by the platform during the COVID-19 period. Our findings suggest that workers indirectly finance on-the-job online training by accepting lower wages during the pandemic. By utilizing a difference-in-difference research design, we also provide causal evidence that online training results in lower job completion time and the probability of being discontinued. Our findings show that both employers and employees in our online labor context reacted to the pandemic by participating in online labor procedures with different risk strategies and labor approaches. Our findings provide key insights for several groups of crowdsourcing stakeholders, including policy-makers, platform owners, hiring managers, and workers. Managerial and practical implications in relation to how online labor markets react to external shocks are discussed.
Valorization of waste glycerol into value-added dihydroxyacetone via microbial fermentation: feasibility study
Authors: Tiong Angnes Ngieng Tze , Cheonh Priscilla Yi Yun , Chua Wi Fern , Kolloju Nikhita , Ting Jia Min , Thian Jia Jia
Published: May 2024

The waste glycerol generated during biodiesel production can be converted into a value-added product like dihydroxyacetone (DHA). DHA is widely applied in the cosmetic industry as a color additive in sunless tanning products. There is a market demand for DHA as the revenue for sunless tanning products is growing. Study on reviewing the viability of an industry-scaled DHA production plant is scarce. Therefore, it is the aim of this study to examine and evaluate the feasibility of the DHA production plant in terms of technical, economical, and safety aspects. In this present study, the DHA is synthesized from glycerol via microbial fermentation using Gluconobacter oxydans. The production process is designed and simulated using Aspen Plus software. Preliminary process hazards and safety reviews are conducted using HAZOP and process material risk assessment. Techno-economic and sensitivity analyses are also performed. The simulation results indicate that with 6266 tons of crude glycerol, 3871 tons of DHA can be generated annually. The DHA production from crude glycerol is found to be technically and economically viable. The DHA plant is able to retain profitability at ± 25% fluctuation of the DHA selling price, with a payback period of less than 5 years. The findings from this work provide insight into the feasibility of the valorization of waste crude glycerol from biodiesel synthesis into DHA.

Graphical abstract
Smoothed particle hydrodynamics based numerical study of hydroplaning considering permeability characteristics of runway surface
Authors: Yang Yang , Zhu Xingyi , Jelagin Denis , Guarin Alvaro
Published: May 2024

The presence of water films on a runway surface presents a risk to the landing of aircraft. The tire of the aircraft is separated from the runway due to a hydrodynamic force exerted through the water film, a phenomenon called hydroplaning. Although a lot of numerical investigations into hydroplaning have been conducted, only a few have considered the impact of the runway permeability. Hence, computational problems, such as excessive distortion and computing efficiency decay, may arise with such numerical models when dealing with the thin water film. This paper presents a numerical model comprising of the tire, water film, and the interaction with the runway, applying a mathematical model using the smoothed particle hydrodynamics and finite element (SPH-FE) algorithm. The material properties and geometric features of the tire model were included in the model framework and water film thicknesses from 0.75 mm to 7.5 mm were used in the numerical simulation. Furthermore, this work investigated the impacts of both surface texture and the runway permeability. The interaction between tire rubber and the rough runway was analyzed in terms of frictional force between the two bodies. The SPH-FE model was validated with an empirical equation proposed by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). Then the computational efficiency of the model was compared with the traditional coupled Eulerian-Lagrangian (CEL) algorithm. Based on the SPH-FE model, four types of the runway (Flat, SMA-13, AC-13, and OGFC-13) were discussed. The simulation of the asphalt runway shows that the SMA-13, AC-13, and OGFC-13 do not present a hydroplaning risk when the runway permeability coefficient exceeds 6%.
Impact of electronic cigarettes (e-cigs) and heat-not-burn/heated tobacco products (HnB/HTP) on asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a viewpoint of the Italian Society of Internal Medicine
Authors: Andreozzi Paola , Gussoni Gualberto , Sesti Giorgio , Montano Nicola , Pietrangelo Antonello ,   the Italian Society of Internal Medicine (SIMI) Council Member Group, Basili Stefania , Bracco Christian , Cittadini Antonio , Desideri Giovambattista , Mancuso Gerardo , Persico Marcello , Petrolani Stafano , Pirisi Mario , Sechi Leonardo Alberto , Suppressa Patrizia , Vacca Angelo , Zaccone Vincenzo
Published: May 2024

The association of cigarette smoking with several severe and very severe diseases (oncological, cardiovascular, respiratory) which have dramatic epidemiological, medical, and financial impact, is a well-known public threat. Asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are highly prevalent diseases in Italy, posing significant public health challenges. Tobacco smoking, a primary risk factor for COPD and a common asthma trigger, remains a critical preventable public health issue. While universally acknowledged that quitting smoking drastically reduces the risk of smoking-related health issues, a significant portion of smokers and patients find quitting challenging or undesirable, hence a need for new ways to deal with it. A worth considering alternative might be the switch to electronic cigarettes (e-cig), and heat-not-burn/heated tobacco products (HnB/HTP). Emerging evidence suggests potential benefits in asthma and COPD management when transitioning from traditional smoking to e-cigs or HnB devices. However, the effectiveness of these products in facilitating smoking cessation is still debated, alongside concerns about their role in promoting smoking initiation among non-smokers. Internists are among the physicians who most frequently assist patients with smoking-related diseases, and in this perspective they cannot avoid paying attention to the progressive diffusion of smoking products alternative to the traditional cigarette, and to the controversies with respect to their use. In this context, the Italian Society of Internal Medicine, also recognizing a growing need for clarity for healthcare providers, has undertaken a comprehensive analysis of existing literature to offer an informed perspective on the health impact of e-cigs and HnB/HTP on asthma and COPD.
Open-set marine object instance segmentation with prototype learning
Authors: Hu Xing , Li Panlong , Karimi Hamid Reza , Jiang Linhua , Zhang Dawei
Published: May 2024

The ocean world is full of Unknown Marine Objects (UMOs), making it difficult to deal with unknown ocean targets using the traditional instance segmentation model. This is because the traditional instance segmentation networks are trained on a closed dataset, assuming that all detected objects are Known Marine Objects (KMOs). Consequently, traditional closed-set networks often misclassify UMOs as KMOs. To address this problem, this paper proposes a new open-set instance segmentation model for object instance segmentation in marine environments with UMOs. Specifically, we integrate two learning modules in the model, namely a prototype module and an unknown learning module. Through the learnable prototype, the prototype module improves the class’s compactness and boundary detection capabilities while also increasing the classification accuracy. Through the uncertainty of low probability samples, the unknown learning module forecasts the unknown probability. Experimental results illustrate that the proposed method has competitive known class recognition accuracy compared to existing instance segmentation models, and can accurately distinguish unknown targets.
Hypertension and Cardiovascular Risk Among Children with Chronic Kidney Disease
Authors: Larkins Nicholas G. , Craig Jonathan C.
Published: May 2024

Purpose of Review

Cardiovascular disease is the most common cause of mortality across the lifespan of children with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Hypertension is a common and important contributor, but other factors such as obesity, dyslipidemia and mineral bone disease play a role. This narrative review focusses on studies published in the past five years that have investigated hypertension and cardiovascular risk among children with CKD.

Recent Findings

Cohort studies such as Chronic Kidney Disease in Children (CKiD) and Cardiovascular Comorbidity in Children with CKD (4C) have continued to develop our understanding of blood pressure (BP) phenotypes, and of progressive changes in the structure and function of the heart and blood vessels occurring in children with CKD. Metabolic risk factors, such as dyslipidemia, may represent an under-recognized component of care. Trial data are less common than observational evidence, but support lifestyle interventions currently used, mainly the low sodium dietary approaches to stop hypertension (DASH) diet. The findings of the recently reported Hypertension Optimal Treatment in Children with Chronic Kidney Disease trial (HOT-KID) are described in relation to the use of office BP treatment targets.

Cardiovascular health is critical to the long-term outcomes of children with CKD. Recognizing and treating hypertension remains a critical component to improving outcomes, along with measures to improve concurrent cardiovascular risk factors. Some cardiovascular changes may not be reversible with transplantation and further research is needed for children at all stages of CKD.
Predicting the Prognosis of Bladder Cancer Patients Through Integrated Multi-omics Exploration of Chemotherapy-Related Hypoxia Genes
Authors: Shi Wensheng , Dong Jiaming , Zhong Bowen , Hu Xiheng , Zhao Chunguang
Published: May 2024

Bladder cancer is a prevalent malignancy with high mortality rates worldwide. Hypoxia is a critical factor in the development and progression of cancers. However, whether and how hypoxia-related genes (HRGs) could affect the development and the chemotherapy response of bladder cancer is still largely unexplored. This study comprehensively explored the complex molecular landscape associated with hypoxia in bladder cancer by analyzing 260 hypoxia genes based on transcriptomic and genomic data in 411 samples. Employing the 109 dysregulated hypoxia genes for consensus clustering, we delineated two distinct bladder cancer clusters characterized by disparate survival outcomes and distinct oncogenic roles. We defined a HPscore that was correlated with a variety of clinical features, including TNM stages and pathologic grades. Tumor immune landscape analysis identified three immune clusters and close interactions between hypoxia genes and the various immune cells. Utilizing a network-based method, we defined 129 HRGs exerting influence on apoptotic processes and critical signaling pathways in cancer. Further analysis of chemotherapy drug sensitivity identified potential drug–target HRGs. We developed a Risk Score model that was related to the overall survival of bladder cancer patients based on doxorubicin-target HRGs: ACTG2, MYC, PDGFRB, DHRS2, and KLRD1. This study not only enhanced our understanding of bladder cancer at the molecular level but also provided promising avenues for the development of targeted therapies, representing a significant step toward the identification of effective treatments and addressing the urgent need for advancements in bladder cancer management.
A qualitative study of the psychological effects of quarantine as an infection control measure in Norway
Authors: Eid Jarle , Bøhn Emilie K. , Guderud Martine R. , Rath Thea M. , Sætrevik Bjørn
Published: May 2024

This study explores the psychological reactions to being placed in quarantine during the early stage (March and April 2020) of the COVID-19 lockdown in Norway. We interviewed a sample of nineteen Norwegian citizens aged 21–64 years who were quarantined for 14 days in the early period of the pandemic before testing and vaccination were available to the general population. A semi-structured interview guide was used to conduct in-depth interviews about stress, coping, and adaptation to quarantine. A thematic analysis approach was used. Four main themes emerged in the interviews: (a) Being responsible, in terms of addressing the fear of being infected and infecting others, (b) The stress of the situation, in terms of highlighting worries, loss and loneliness, (c) Ways of coping, in terms of elaborating on cognitive, behavioral, and affective strategies to adapt to the quarantine, and (d) Social support and gratitude, in terms of appreciating interpersonal relations and the social context of the quarantine situation. The study contributes to our understanding of how differences in stress, appraisal, and coping may influence adaptation to a radically changed living condition in the early stage of the pandemic. These findings may inform health service providers and promote public health advise to support coping and resilient response in future health crises.
Treadmill Exercise Reshapes Cortical Astrocytic and Neuronal Activity to Improve Motor Learning Deficits Under Chronic Alcohol Exposure
Authors: Liu Linglin , Luo Lanzhi , Wei Ji-an , Xu Xintong , So Kwok-Fai , Zhang Li
Published: May 2024

Alcohol abuse induces various neurological disorders including motor learning deficits, possibly by affecting neuronal and astrocytic activity. Physical exercise is one effective approach to remediate synaptic loss and motor deficits as shown by our previous works. In this study, we unrevealed the role of exercise training in the recovery of cortical neuronal and astrocytic functions. Using a chronic alcohol injection mouse model, we found the hyperreactivity of astrocytes along with dendritic spine loss plus lower neuronal activity in the primary motor cortex. Persistent treadmill exercise training, on the other hand, improved neural spine formation and inhibited reactive astrocytes, alleviating motor learning deficits induced by alcohol exposure. These data collectively support the potency of endurance exercise in the rehabilitation of motor functions under alcohol abuse.
Dynamics of cold-water dinoflagellates in the northern Baltic Sea based on 18S rRNA gene metabarcoding
Authors: Majaneva Markus , Jääskeläinen Sara , Autio Riitta , Blomster Jaanika , Rintala Janne-Markus
Published: May 2024

Cold-water dinoflagellates contribute significantly to spring blooms in temperate coastal waters. In the northern Baltic Sea, Peridiniella catenata, Apocalathium malmogiense, Gymnodinium corollarium, and Biecheleria baltica predominate the dinoflagellate spring blooms. Spring dynamics of cold-water dinoflagellates have been previously studied using cyst sedimentation data. Here, we utilize time-series data based on amplicons of the V4 region of the 18S rRNA gene spanning from autumn 2012 to spring 2013 and describe dynamics and habitat preferences of the relatively most abundant dinoflagellates in the northern Baltic Sea. Our results indicate that these species preferred either sea ice, under-ice water, or deeper water columns during the ice-covered season and that they shifted in temporal dominance during our sampling period.
How Artificial Intelligence Challenges Tailorable Technology Design
Authors: Fechner Pascal , König Fabian , Lockl Jannik , Röglinger Maximilian
Published: May 2024

Artificial intelligence (AI) has significantly advanced healthcare and created unprecedented opportunities to enhance patient-centeredness and empowerment. This progress promotes individualized medicine, where treatment and care are tailored to each patient’s unique needs and characteristics. The Theory of Tailorable Technology Design has considerable potential to contribute to individualized medicine as it focuses on information systems (IS) that users can modify and redesign in the context of use. While the theory accounts for both the designer and user perspectives in the lifecycle of an IS, it does not reflect the inductive learning and autonomy of AI throughout the tailoring process. Therefore, this study posits the conjecture that current knowledge about tailorable technology design does not effectively account for IS that incorporate AI. To investigate this conjecture and challenge the Theory of Tailorable Technology Design, a revelatory design study of an AI-enabled individual IS in the domain of bladder monitoring is conducted. Based on the empirical evidence from the design study, the primary contribution of this work lies in three propositions for the design of tailorable technology, culminating in a Revised Theory of Tailorable Technology Design. As the outcome of the design study, the secondary contribution of this work is concrete design knowledge for AI-enabled individualized bladder monitoring systems that empower patients with neurogenic lower urinary tract dysfunction (NLUTD). Overall, this study highlights the value of AI for patient-centeredness in IS design.
Plasma exosomes contain protein biomarkers valuable for the diagnosis of lung cancer
Authors: Liu Zhiqiang , Huang Hong , Ren Jing , Song Tingting , Ni Yinyun , Mao Shengqiang , Yang Ying , Liu Dan , Tang Huairong
Published: May 2024

Accumulating evidence indicates that exosomal proteins are critical in diagnosing malignant tumors. To identify novel exosomal biomarkers for lung cancer diagnosis, we isolated plasma exosomes from 517 lung cancer patients and 168 healthy controls (NLs)—186 lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) patients (screening (SN): 20, validation (VD): 166), 159 lung squamous carcinoma (LUSC) patients (SN: 20, VD: 139), 172 benign nodules (LUBN) patients (SN: 20, VD: 152) and 168 NLs (SN: 20, VD: 148)—and randomly assigned them to the SN or VD group. Proteomic analysis by LC–MS/MS and PRM were performed on all groups. The candidate humoral markers were evaluated and screened by a machine learning method. All selected biomarkers were identified in the VD groups. For LUAD, a 7-protein panel had AUCs of 97.9% and 87.6% in the training and test sets, respectively, and 89.5% for early LUAD. For LUSC, an 8-protein panel showed AUCs of 99.1% and 87.0% in the training and test sets and 92.3% for early LUSC. For LUAD + LUSC (LC), an 8-protein panel showed AUCs of 85.9% and 80.3% in the training and test sets and 87.1% for early LC diagnosis. The characteristics of the exosomal proteome make exosomes potential diagnostic tools.
Application of Delaunay adaptive mesh refinement in flood risk assessment of multi-bridge system with short distance
Authors: Lin Jinbo , He Yanli , Mao Hongfei , Yang Hui , Wu Guanglin
Published: May 2024

To ensure bridge safety, the flood risk analysis is significant important. However, due to the small size and large number of piers in the short-distance multi-bridge system, the extremely long calculation time and low efficiency of the numerical model are induced by the small mesh size and large mesh number. In this paper, a flood risk assessment model of the multi-bridge system with short distance was established to improve the calculation efficiency based on the finite volume method combined with the Delaunay mesh adaptive refinement method. The calculated water level with refined and non-refined mesh was compared with the experimental data of a partial failure dam break test case and Shukry experiment of open channel bend flow. The calculated water level results are in good agreement with the experimental data. In addition, the mesh refinement model improved the calculation efficiency by more than 73% with ensuring the calculation accuracy. Finally, the flood risk of a real multi-bridge system with short distance was evaluated by using the numerical model. The calculated results shown that, different from the general flow law, the water level in the upstream and downstream channel of Bridge 2 rose with a maximum difference value of 0.326 m while the water level in the far downstream channel of Bridge 2 dropped result from the construction of Bridge 2 on the basis of the Bridges 1, 3 and 4. The construction of Bridge 2 also increased the flow velocity around Bridge 3 with maximum 0.013 m/s. This study provides a new tool and technical reference for flood risk analyses of similar multi-bridge system with short distance.
A Simulation-Based Investigation on Thermal Responses of Suspension Bridge Tower Under Different Fire Scenarios
Authors: Mostofi Sara , Altunişik Ahmet Can , Akbulut Yunus Emrahan , Okur Fatih Yesevi
Published: May 2024

Records of bridge fire incidents illustrate that bridge fires can have catastrophic consequences. The severity of these fires can be influenced by various factors such as bridge type, vehicle size, and wind. Contrary to building fires that have been extensively studied, scant attention has been paid to bridge fires and more specifically fire exposure to the suspension bridges. In addition, existing bridge fire literature is mostly concentrated on fire exposure to girders or cables of suspension bridges. Therefore, this study focused on the post-fire condition of a fire-exposed suspension bridge tower using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modeling techniques and finite element analysis (FEA). The impacts of the main bridge fire parameters including vehicle size, exposure duration, distance between the fire source and tower, and wind effects were also evaluated. Initially, fire dynamic simulator (FDS) was used to simulate 12 different fire scenarios. The time–temperature histories obtained from each scenario were transferred to the ABAQUS finite element (FE) software to conduct transient thermal analysis and obtain the temperature development within the steel tower of the bridge. The post-fire evaluation was performed with respect to the temperature-induced reduction in the yield strength of steel. The results show that fire exposure from a fuel truck in the proximity of a steel tower could significantly reduce the strength of the tower and lead to severe damage. Early control of the fuel truck fire is crucial in reducing the severity of the damage and preventing temperature development in higher areas of the tower. Although a wind toward the tower can significantly increase the fire-induced damage to the bottom parts of the tower, it considerably reduces the temperature exposure to the higher parts of the tower. Fire exposure from a normal vehicle does not put the tower at risk of failure, and an unprotected steel tower can withstand it. However, a bus fire may lead to minor damage. The thermal strengthening of the first 20 m of the tower can help in preventing the potential fire damage.
OrganoIDNet: a deep learning tool for identification of therapeutic effects in PDAC organoid-PBMC co-cultures from time-resolved imaging data
Authors: Ferreira Nathalia , Kulkarni Ajinkya , Agorku David , Midelashvili Teona , Hardt Olaf , Legler Tobias J. , Ströbel Philipp , Conradi Lena-Christin , Alves Frauke , Ramos-Gomes Fernanda , Markus M. Andrea
Published: May 2024

Purpose

Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma (PDAC) remains a challenging disease due to its complex biology and aggressive behavior with an urgent need for efficient therapeutic strategies. To assess therapy response, pre-clinical PDAC organoid-based models in combination with accurate real-time monitoring are required.

Methods

We established stable live-imaging organoid/peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) co-cultures and introduced OrganoIDNet, a deep-learning-based algorithm, capable of analyzing bright-field images of murine and human patient-derived PDAC organoids acquired with live-cell imaging. We investigated the response to the chemotherapy gemcitabine in PDAC organoids and the PD-L1 inhibitor Atezolizumab, cultured with or without HLA-matched PBMCs over time. Results obtained with OrganoIDNet were validated with the endpoint proliferation assay CellTiter-Glo.

Results

Live cell imaging in combination with OrganoIDNet accurately detected size-specific drug responses of organoids to gemcitabine over time, showing that large organoids were more prone to cytotoxic effects. This approach also allowed distinguishing between healthy and unhealthy status and measuring eccentricity as organoids’ reaction to therapy. Furthermore, imaging of a new organoids/PBMCs sandwich-based co-culture enabled longitudinal analysis of organoid responses to Atezolizumab, showing an increased potency of PBMCs tumor-killing in an organoid-individual manner when Atezolizumab was added.

Conclusion

Optimized PDAC organoid imaging analyzed by OrganoIDNet represents a platform capable of accurately detecting organoid responses to standard PDAC chemotherapy over time. Moreover, organoid/immune cell co-cultures allow monitoring of organoid responses to immunotherapy, offering dynamic insights into treatment behavior within a co-culture setting with PBMCs. This setup holds promise for real-time assessment of immunotherapeutic effects in individual patient-derived PDAC organoids.
A systematic review on the culture methods and applications of 3D tumoroids for cancer research and personalized medicine
Authors: Kalla Jessica , Pfneissl Janette , Mair Theresia , Tran Loan , Egger Gerda
Published: May 2024

Cancer is a highly heterogeneous disease, and thus treatment responses vary greatly between patients. To improve therapy efficacy and outcome for cancer patients, more representative and patient-specific preclinical models are needed. Organoids and tumoroids are 3D cell culture models that typically retain the genetic and epigenetic characteristics, as well as the morphology, of their tissue of origin. Thus, they can be used to understand the underlying mechanisms of cancer initiation, progression, and metastasis in a more physiological setting. Additionally, co-culture methods of tumoroids and cancer-associated cells can help to understand the interplay between a tumor and its tumor microenvironment. In recent years, tumoroids have already helped to refine treatments and to identify new targets for cancer therapy. Advanced culturing systems such as chip-based fluidic devices and bioprinting methods in combination with tumoroids have been used for high-throughput applications for personalized medicine. Even though organoid and tumoroid models are complex in vitro systems, validation of results in vivo is still the common practice. Here, we describe how both animal- and human-derived tumoroids have helped to identify novel vulnerabilities for cancer treatment in recent years, and how they are currently used for precision medicine.
Effects of Phytochemicals on Type 2 Diabetes via MicroRNAs
Authors: Sivri Dilek , Gezmen-Karadağ Makbule
Published: May 2024

Purpose of Review

Type 2 diabetes, characterized by inadequate insulin secretion and resistance, is increasingly prevalent. To effectively manage type 2 diabetes, identifying new therapeutic targets is crucial. MicroRNAs, short noncoding RNA molecules, play a pivotal role in regulating β-cell function, insulin production, and resistance, and show promise as biomarkers for predicting type 2 diabetes onset. Phytochemicals, known for their antioxidant activities, may influence microRNA expression, potentially improving insulin sensitivity and mitigating associated complications. This review aims to explore the significance of microRNA in type 2 diabetes, their potential as biomarkers, and how certain phytochemicals may modulate microRNA expressions to reduce or prevent diabetes and its complications.

Recent Findings

Current research suggests that microRNAs show promise as novel therapeutic biomarkers for diagnosing type 2 diabetes and monitoring diabetic complications. Additionally, phytochemicals may regulate microRNAs to control type 2 diabetes, presenting a potential therapeutic strategy.

The multifactorial effects of phytochemicals on type 2 diabetes and its complications through microRNAs warrant further research to elucidate their mechanisms. Comprehensive clinical trials are needed to assess the safety and efficacy of phytochemicals and their combinations. Given their ability to modulate microRNAs expression, incorporating phytochemical-rich foods into the diet may be beneficial.