bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Assessment of water quality and heavy metal contamination in ballast water: Implications for marine ecosystems and human health
Authors: Onyena Amarachi Paschaline , Nwaogbe Obioma Reuben
Published: May 2024

The global menace of non-compliance with ballast water management poses a pressing environmental threat, as it facilitates the transfer of harmful organisms and sediment contaminants. This study investigates the environmental impact of ballast water discharged by ships, focusing on water quality and heavy metal concentrations. The release of ballast water, often containing elevated levels of heavy metals like mercury, lead, and cadmium, poses a significant threat to marine ecosystems. The research, involving water sample collection from ten different vessels across various countries, assesses physicochemical parameters and heavy metal concentrations. Results indicate variations in temperature, turbidity, conductivity, dissolved oxygen, and pH levels among samples. Turbidity values surpassing WHO limits suggest potential anthropogenic pollution. The study identifies significant differences in pH values, potentially influencing microbial populations. Total dissolved solids and total suspended solids values vary, affecting the distribution of potential pathogens. The results reveal varying total concentrations of heavy metals (mg/L) in the following decreasing order: SA>SE>SF>SB>SC>SD>SH>SI>SG>SJ(6.07 >4.95 > 2.07 > 1.59>0.24>1.22>0.09>0.04>0.03>0.01). The highest concentration of heavy metals is recorded for iron (SA= 5.78), zinc (mg/L) (SB = 1.36, SE = 1.30, and SF = 1.35) and lead (Pb) (SE = 2.39). The elevated iron levels in vessels from SA are potentially linked to corrosion processes. Cadmium, lead, and nickel were not detected, except for lead in the sample from SE. Copper concentrations were aligned with EU standards in the vessels. Proper ballast water management is vital for monitoring water qualities, preventing environmental spread of heavy metals, ensuring marine ecosystem health, and developing compliance strategies for ships docking in ports.
Highlights

Global shipping causes heavy metal pollution, affecting human and ecosystem health
Physicochemical parameters variations suggest potential pollution and microbial impact
Mercury, lead, and cadmium in ballast water (BW) pose threats to marine ecosystems
Increased iron levels could be associated with corrosion processes
Effective BW management is crucial for environmental conservation
Peer Review Policy
Authors: Balogh Lajos
Published: May 2024

The process by which manuscripts submitted to Precision Nanomedicine are evaluated by a group of experts in the appropriate field.
Motivation components of personnel management at enterprises
Authors: Makovoz O. V , Ishchenko V. O
Published: May 2024

Methods. Methods of analysis and synthesis, empirical methods, methods of induction and deduction, graphic and logical methods, methods of financial, economic and statistical analysis were used in the process of researching the components of personnel management of enterprises. The methodological basis of the research is the index method, the results of which allow evaluating the main components of the enterprise personnel management. Results. The article provides a detailed analysis of statistical data and survey results regarding the main motivational components of personnel management at enterprises. The dependence between indicators of economic activity and components of personnel motivation was revealed. The article substantiates the main motivational components of personnel management, improves the structuralfunctional model of the dependence of quantitative and qualitative indicators and the motivational component of personnel management of the enterprise, which synthesizes a comprehensive approach to taking into account all important directions of improvement of motivational processes of personnel management. Novelty. It consists in justifying the need to take into account motivational components when planning and improving the scientific and methodological foundations of the development of a structural and functional model of personnel management and a system for evaluating the economic activity of the enterprise. Practical value. Evaluation of the motivational components of the personnel management of the enterprise is the basis for building effective models of the development of enterprises, which is an analytical tool for organizing the vertical and horizontal connections of the management system of the multi-level and multifunctional management decision-making system, taking into account the properties of the interdependent influence of performance indicators and establishing the safety parameters of individual trajectories of the development of personnel management .
Model for assessing the effectiveness of implementing the financial strategy of an enterprise
Authors: Savchuk L. M , Bandorina L. M , Udachyna K. O , Savchuk R. V , Usenko M. P
Published: May 2024

Methods. In the course of studying the issues of evaluating the effectiveness of implementation of the financial strategy of enterprise, the article uses methods of generalization, systematization of terms and concepts, critical analysis in defining the essence of the concept of «financial strategy of enterprise», methods of economic and mathematical modeling – in building a component model of management of the financial strategy of enterprise, information technologies – in implementing the proposed approach. Results. A component model for managing the financial strategy of enterprise, consisting of three stages, is proposed. For each component, tasks, methods and models and the result obtained are defined. Based on the results of the first component, the type of the chosen financial strategy is determined. The second component allows obtaining forecast data of indicators necessary for assessing the effectiveness of strategy implementation. The paper develops and implements the third component of the model designed to evaluate the effectiveness of the financial strategy implementation. Novelty. The concept of financial strategy is clarified, which consists in determining the priority goals and a system of measures to achieve them in the field of financial resources formation, optimization of the capital structure and efficiency of asset use, which correspond to the general concept of enterprise development and ensure its implementation. The information system was improved on the basis of a built-in module based on the algorithm for building and implementing a financial strategy for enterprise development, which will allow: choosing economically feasible options for decisions regarding the selection and implementation of a financial strategy; correctly using the experience and subjective judgments of financial managers in making management decisions; improving functional coordination between employees of the financial department and the management of the enterprise. Practical value. To test the model, a model experiment was carried out using the financial statements of one of the operating enterprises. The results obtained indicate the efficiency and correctness of the proposed model and serve as an information basis for managerial decisions on assessing the effectiveness of measures to manage the financial strategy of enterprise.
Surgical Site Wound Infection Following Caesarian Section at Ad-din Women’s Medical College and Hospital, Dhaka: Rates and Microbiological Profile
Authors: Khatun Rahima , Mostafa Sharmin , Sultana Sabiha , Jahan Nilufar , Biswas Banika
Published: May 2024

Background: Surgical site infection (SSI) occurs within 30 days of post-surgical procedure involving skin, subcutaneous tissue, soft tissue or any other parts of anatomy. According to the CDC. SSI is a significant cause of post-surgical morbidity and mortality. The objectives of this study were to determine the occurrence, the risk factors for infection following caesarean section (C/S) and to analyze its microbiological pattern.
Method: This prospective hospital-based study was conducted at the OBG Dept. of Ad-din Women's Medical College and Hospital. Dhaka, from 6 months period (January to June 2021). Total 5199 caesarean sections were performed at the OBG, AWMCH among women who developed surgical site infections (SSI) within 30 days of CS performed. Suspected SSIs were confirmed clinically by the surgeon, attested, by bacteriological culture.
Results: Of 5199 caesarean deliveries, 136 cases developed SSI (2.6%). The highest incidence of SSI was documented among women aged 20-30 years (63.2%), of who 54.4% were multiparous. The majority women were originally from rural areas (5 1.5%) women, 76.5% of women which were due to not attending for an antenatal care (ANC) checkup. Of them 90 cases (66.2%) belonged to middle class family. The incidence of infection was higher in obese women (47.8%) having BM1 > 30. and 33% in those with a BMI of 25-29.9. Of all associated comorbidities Premature Rupture of Membranes (PROM) were 25%, Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM) in 14.7%, anemia in 14.7% and Gestational hypertension (GHTN) in 1 1%. Majority emergency caesarean deliveries 77.9% cases. Of total 52.2% cases had prolonged operation. On bacteriological culture growth. 26% which were S. aureus, followed by 25% P. Aeruginosa, 12.5% S. Epidermis's and 1 1.5% E. coli. However, 60 cases (44.1%) revealed as Multi-drug Resistant (MDR).
Conclusion : Surgical site infection in patients of caesarean delivery may be reduced by maintaining a normal BMI, ensuring proper and regular ANC to identify and treat comorbidities, limiting the preoperative hospital stay, improving surgeon's operative skill and technique and to reduce the operating duration and also informing the patients about the risk of SSI associated with elective C/S.
The Journal of Ad-din Women's Medical College; Vol. 11 (1), Jan 2023; p 26-32
Value added in Teaching-Learning (T-L) Methodology of Under Graduate Medical Education in Bangladesh: Student’s Benefits and Learning Outcome
Authors: Rahman Ridwana
Published: May 2024

Abstract not available
The Journal of Ad-din Women's Medical College; Vol. 11 (2), July 2023; p 1-2
A simulation study to assess the impact missing values on the performance of different statistical methods for analysis of binary repeated measures data with an additional hierarchical structure
Authors: Masaoud Elmabrok , Stryhn Henrik
Published: May 2024

The primary objective of the study was to assess the impact of missing values on the analy- sis of binary repeated measures data with an additional hierarchical structure. One motivat- ing example for the present study was records of high somatic cell counts in milk samples obtained by approximately monthly sampling throughout the lactations of cows in dairy herds. Random effects models with autocorrelated (ρ = 1, 0.9 or 0.5) subject-level ran- dom effects were behind the simulated data. In general, the settings of the simulation were chosen to reflect a real somatic cell count dataset (scc40), except that the within-cow time series length was set to 8-time points for each cow. The estimation procedures consid- ered were: Ordinary Logistic Regression (OLR), Alternating Logistic Regression (ALR), Weighted Generalized Estimating Equations (WGEE), Penalized Quasi Likelihood (PQL), Maximum likelihood via numerical integration (ML) and Bayesian Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC). Multiple scenarios of simulated incomplete datasets were considered and include: a scenario corresponded to a combination of missingness patterns present in the scc40 dataset (scc40 scenario) The remaining scenarios involved only drop-outs, and corre- sponded to either moderate or high percentages of values either missing at random (MAR) or not missing at random (NMAR), respectively. In the scc40 scenario, all estimation procedures except OLR performed well and produced estimates with small relative bias (generally less than 5%) for levels of missingness that roughly corresponded to the scc40 data. In MAR missingness scenarios, some biases were found for ALR, WGEE and PQL procedures, whereas the likelihood-based procedures were largely unaffected by the miss- ing values. In NMAR scenarios, all procedures experienced similar and strong biases in the time coefficient; however, fixed effects estimates at the subject and cluster levels were relatively unaffected.
Journal of Statistical Research 2023, Vol 57, No.1-2, pp.35-67
The Impact of Plyometric Resistance Training Implemented During the European Championship Preparation on Athletic Performance: A Case Study of the Youth Boxing National Team
Authors: Gürkan Alper Cenk , Aydın Ahmet Serhat
Published: May 2024

The purpose of this study is to examine the effect of plyometric resistance training applied to the Turkish National Junior Men's Boxing Team during the European Championship preparation process. A total of 14 athletes from the Turkish National Junior Men's Boxing Team volunteered to participate in the study. The average age of the boxers was 17.57±1.04 years, the average height was 172.28±5.7 cm, the average weight was 72.14±2.9 kg, and the average body fat percentage was 20.47±1.15%. Participants engaged in a plyometric resistance training program prepared and scheduled by the researchers throughout the preparation camp. Various physical and biomotor parameters of all boxers (weight, BMI, body fat percentage, Squat, vertical jump, reaction time, grip strength, 5-meter speed, 10-meter speed, 40-meter speed, flexibility included) were measured at the beginning and end of the camp. Statistical analyses of all data were performed using the SPSS 22.0 statistical package program. Normal distribution analyses were conducted using the Shapiro-Wilk Test. Wilcoxon Test was used for the pre-test and post-test comparison of Body Mass Index and weight values, while the paired T-test statistic was used for the pre-test and post-test comparison of body fat percentage, Squat, vertical jump, reaction time, grip strength, 5-meter speed, 10-meter speed, 40-meter speed, and flexibility values. A significance value of p < 0.05 was accepted. Statistically significant changes were observed between pre- and post-camp changes. In conclusion, we suggest that a well-designed plyometric resistance training program may positively contribute to the physical and biomotor parameters of national junior male boxers before an important tournament during a preparation camp.
Pengembangan E-Modul Logika Matematika Dengan Heyzine untuk Menunjang Pembelajaran di SMK
Authors: Erawati Ni Ketut , Purwati Ni Kadek Rini , Saraswati I Dewa Ayu Putri Diah
Published: May 2024

Modul adalah salah satu sumber belajar. Oleh karena itu perlu disusun suatu modul yang dapat digunakan secara mudah dan praktis. Oleh karena itu tujuan penelitian ini adalah mengembangkan e-modul (modul digital) matematika dengan heyzine yang valid dan layak digunakan dalam pembelajaran. Jenis penelitian yang digunakan dalam penelitian ini adalah penelitian pengembangan. Desain pengembangan yang digunakan adalah Model Plomp. Adapun tahapan-tahapan dalam pengembangan yaitu: penelitian awal, fase pengembangan, dan fase penilaian. Uji coba lapangan dilakukan pada siswa kelas XI SMK N 1 Denpasar. Hasil pengembangan e-modul menunjukkan rata-rata skor dari tiga validator sebesar 85% yang masuk dalam kategori sangat valid. Hal ini berarti e-modul yang dikembangkan layak digunakan dalam pembelajaran oleh guru dan siswa. Hasil uji kepraktisan dari sisi siswa menunjukkan angka sebesar 90% dan dari sisi guru sebesar 96% dengan kategori sangat praktis. Berdasarkan hasil evaluasi dengan melihat hasil belajar siswa menunjukkan semua siswa tuntas dengan nilai di atas KKM yaitu 76 sehingga dapat disimpulkan bahwa e-modul logika matematika sangat efektif.Â  Berdasarkan hasil yang diperoleh dapat disimpulkan bahwa e-modul yang dihasilkan valid, praktis, dan efektif. Kelebihan e-modul yang dikembangkan adalah e-modul dilengkapi dengan soal online melalui tautan yang diberikan, sehingga dapat memberikan umpan balik secara langsung pada siswa.Â
Analisis Kemampuan Pemecahan Masalah Siswa Kelas XI IPA pada Materi Program Linier di MAN Waikabubak
Authors: Ayu Mitra Permata , Bouk Yemi Maria
Published: May 2024

Pemecahan masalah masih menjadi topik pembahasan setiap hari ketika dihadapkan dengan sebuah masalah. Tujuan dari penelitian ini adalah untuk menganalisis kemampuan pemecahan masalah berdasarkan prosedur Polya. Dilihat dari tahap memahami, merencanakan, melakukan perencanaan, sampai pemeriksaan ulang. Penelitian ini merupakan penelitian deskriptif kualitatif dengan teknik pengumpulan data menggunakan tes kemampuan pemecahan masalah, dan wawancara. Penelitian ini dilakukan pada siswa kelas XI Peminatan IPA MAN WKB. Hasil penelitian ini menunjukkan secara keseluruhan tes kemampuan pemecahan masalah siswa dikategori cukup dan tes wawancara pada beberapa siswa dikategorikan cukup. Terdapat faktor-faktor penghambat yang mempengaruhi yaitu: 1) siswa belum sepenuhnya memahami konsep materi yang diajarkan; 2) siswa belum paham strategi penyelesaian; 3) siswa tidak melakukan pengecekan kembali; 4) siswa kurang motivasi belajar dan kepercayaan diri dalam mengerjakan soal.
Visualisasi `Si Pitung` Berdasarkan Cerita Margreet Van Till untuk Memotivasi Perjuangan Bela Negara bagi Generasi Muda
Authors: Pamungkas Wisnu Bayu , Arizal Fariza Wahyu
Published: May 2024

Cerita rakyat selalu ada di setiap wilayah Indonesia. Cerita rakyat berupa dongeng hasil sastra budaya dan/atau sejarah suatu tempat hingga saat ini. Maka dari itu, cerita rakyat yang telah eksis perlu dipertahankan dengan membuat literasi terbaru yang menyesuiakan perkembangan zaman dan teknologi. Salah satunya dengan membuat adaptasi cerita rakyat melalui komik digital berbasis situs internet alias web comic. Tujuannya agar cerita rakyat bisa relevan dan bisa diakses dengan mudah dan menjadi lebih dikenal oleh masyarakat. Penelitian ini menggunakan metode penelitian design thinking dengan merujuk buku yang membahasan kondisi zaman ketika cerita rakyat terjadi dan kajian pustaka yang relevan. Media pendukung yang menjadi material promosi dalam penelitian ini diantaranya tautan media sosial, poster, banner, tote bag, gantungan kunci, pin, mug, kipas.
Analisis Komunikasi Visual Mural Karya Studio Imaginer House Di Café Wow Ponorogo
Authors: Jeremiah Sean Elbert
Published: May 2024

Pada era digital ini, komunikasi visual menjadi unsur yang tak terpisahkan dalam menyampaikan pesan dan ekspresi seni. Salah satu bentuk ekspresi tersebut dapat ditemui dalam seni mural. Di Indonesia sendiri mural sudah berkembang sangat pesat, sehingga banyak sekali studio-studio mural bermunculan untuk menawarkan jasa pembuatan mural, salah satunya ada studio mural Imaginer House yang terdapat di Kota Malang. Mural yang berada di café Wow Ponorogo karya Studio Imaginer House tersebut tidak hanya menjadi dekorasi visual, tetapi juga menciptakan atmosfer unik dan menggambarkan nilai-nilai serta konsep yang ingin disampaikan, maka dilakukan penelitian untuk menganalisa komunikasi visual. Metode yang digunakan adalah metode kualitatif dengan jenis penelitian deskriptif. Untuk mengetahui makna menggunakan teori simeotika Barthes. Analisa ini dilakukan agar mengetahui tentang komunikasi visual seperti tema, makna, dan prinsip desain yang ada pada mural café Wow Ponorogo.
Effect of High Salt Stress on Germination and Growth of Some Varieties of Common Beet
Authors: Hajiyeva I.
Published: May 2024

Information is provided on soil salinization as the most common abiotic stress that reduces the productivity and quality of agricultural plants. Salt stress is associated with lipid peroxidation in cell membranes, DNA damage, protein denaturation, carbohydrate oxidation, pigment breakdown and disruption of enzymatic activity, as well as metabolic adaptations, including primarily the accumulation of osmolytes. The growth of higher plants in saline soil depends on the salt tolerance of the plant species. Reduced plant growth due to salinity includes a reduction in plant leaf area. A pot experiment plant materials was carried out based on investigate the effect of salt stress on growth and state stomatal of three sugar beet (Beta vulgaris) cultivars, Cooper, Tarifa and Taltos which import from Denmark. Plants were harvested after 30, 45 and 60 days of salt treatment and were separated into leaf lamina, petioles, stem, and roots.
Drug-induced agranulocytosis – prevalence, complications, management tactics
Authors: Pecherskikh A. A. , Chaparyan B. A. , Orlova N. V. , Pinchuk T. V. , Chernenok E. S. , Karseladze N. D.
Published: May 2024

Based on the results of a review of clinical cases and research data, the prevalence of drug-induced agranulocytosis, complications and management tactics are considered. A clinical case of agranulocytosis caused by taking nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) is presented. The patient was admitted to the purulent surgical department with purulent lymphadenitis and sepsis. During the examination, agranulocytosis was revealed against the background of constant intake of NSAIDs (Aertal, Diclofenac, ibuprofen) for 3 years for joint pain. Surgical treatment was performed and antibiotic therapy was prescribed. Against the background of Filgrastim therapy, a positive dynamics of peripheral blood parameters was noted. The use of granulocyte colony stimulating factors (G-CSF) significantly reduces the severity of the disease, reduces the duration of hospitalization and mortality in patients with drug-associated agranulocytosis.
Acciones de ALAFARPE y FIHU frente al COVID-19
Authors: Fundación Instituto Hipólito Unánue
Published: May 2024

Resumen
Antiviral activity in vitro of double combinations of enteroviral inhibitors
Authors: Stoyanova Adelina , Galabov Simeon , Galabov Angel S.
Published: May 2024

The challenges in combating enteroviruses continue due to their genetic diversity and the rapid development of resistance. Combining antiviral agents offers a promising solution. Our study evaluated the combined effects of pocapavir, a potent capsid-binding inhibitor, with enterovirus-targeting compounds such as pleconaril, 2-(3,4-dichlorophenoxy)-5-nitrobenzonitrile (MDL-860), guanidine hydrochloride, oxoglaucine, and 2-α-hydroxybenzyl-benzimidazole (HBB). The combinations tested demonstrated additive to highly synergistic antiviral effects without observed combined cytotoxicity. These results suggest their potential for further research and clinical trials in combating enterovirus infections.
Crop safety and control of acetolactate synthase inhibitor-resistant Palmer amaranth (Amaranthus palmeri) with very long-chain fatty acid-inhibiting herbicides in dry edible bean
Authors: Miranda Joshua W. A. , Jhala Amit J. , Bradshaw Jeffrey , Lawrence Nevin C.
Published: May 2024

Palmer amaranth is a relatively recent arrival in Western Nebraska, where acetolactate synthase (ALS)-inhibitor-resistant biotypes are common in the region. With limited effective postemergence (POST) herbicides for controlling ALS-inhibitor-resistant Palmer amaranth in dry edible bean, a sequential preemergence (PRE) followed by (fb) POST program of very long-chain fatty acid (VLCFA)-inhibiting herbicides shows promise. Currently, dimethenamid-P is the only VLCFA-inhibiting herbicide registered for POST use in dry edible bean in Nebraska. The objective of this study was to assess the crop safety and effectiveness in weed control of sequential PRE fb POST programs, including pendimethalin + dimethenamid-P applied PRE fb dimethenamid-P POST, pendimethalin + S-metolachlor PRE fb S-metolachlor POST, and pendimethalin + pyroxasulfone PRE fb POST, in comparison with pendimethalin + dimethenamid-P applied PRE fb imazamox + bentazon + fomesafen applied POST in dry edible bean. Results showed that sequential PRE fb POST programs were more effective in reducing both the density and biomass of Palmer amaranth compared to PRE-alone programs. Pendimethalin + dimethenamid-P applied PRE fb dimethenamid-P POST, along with pendimethalin + S-metolachlor PRE fb S-metolachlor POST, resulted in over 85% control of Palmer amaranth, similar to the effectiveness of pendimethalin + dimethenamid-P PRE fb fomesafen + imazamox + bentazon applied POST. Pendimethalin + pyroxasulfone applied PRE-alone and the application of pendimethalin + pyroxasulfone PRE fb pyroxasulfone POST showed inconsistent control of Palmer amaranth, causing high crop injury, stand loss, and delayed maturity, ultimately leading to yield loss. Dimethenamid-P and S-metolachlor demonstrated excellent crop safety when applied either PRE-only or sequentially. Pendimethalin + S-metolachlor PRE fb S-metolachlor POST provided control of Palmer amaranth comparable to that achieved with POST applications of dimethenamid-P and imazamox + bentazon + fomesafen.
Digital droplet PCR analysis of organoids generated from mouse mammary tumors demonstrates proof-of-concept capture of tumor heterogeneity
Authors: Lake Katherine E. , Colonnetta Megan M. , Smith Clayton A. , Saunders Kaitlyn , Martinez-Algarin Kenneth , Mohta Sakshi , Pena Jacob , McArthur Heather L. , Reddy Sangeetha M. , Roussos Torres Evanthia T. , Chen Elizabeth H. , Chan Isaac S.
Published: May 2024

Breast cancer metastases exhibit many different genetic alterations, including copy number amplifications (CNA). CNA are genetic alterations that are increasingly becoming relevant to breast oncology clinical practice. Here we identify CNA in metastatic breast tumor samples using publicly available datasets and characterize their expression and function using a metastatic mouse model of breast cancer. Our findings demonstrate that our organoid generation can be implemented to study clinically relevant features that reflect the genetic heterogeneity of individual tumors.
Melamine phosphate-modified magnetic chitosan: a novel biocompatible catalyst for the synthesis of biological tetrahydrodipyrazolopyridine and pyrazolopyranopyrimidine derivatives
Authors: Mousavi-Ebadi Maryam , Safaei-Ghomi Javad
Published: May 2024

A novel biocompatible composite was fabricated by the functionalization of magnetic chitosan with the melamine phosphate (MP) ionic compound to serve as a recoverable and bifunctional catalyst, aiming at the diversity-oriented generation of biological tetrahydropyrazolopyridine and pyrazolopyrimidine derivatives. This involved a meticulously orchestrated reaction, exploiting the in situ generated pyrazole alongside aromatic aldehydes, ammonium acetate, and (thio) barbituric acid. The present work manifests outstanding advantages, offering a novel and great method for the optimal synthesis of two valuable heterocyclic series especially five new derivatives. The resulting novel biocompatible composite was comprehensively characterized through a range of analytical techniques, including FT-IR, NH3 and CO2-TPD, XRD, TEM, FE-SEM, VSM, EDX, elemental CHNS analysis, ICP-MS, and NMR spectroscopy. Notably, the study represents a critical step in the preparation of advanced materials from accessible and cost-effective precursors.
Tradescantia response to air and soil pollution, stamen hair cells dataset and ANN color classification
Authors: Rodrigues Leatrice Talita , Goeldner Barbara Sanches Antunes , Mercuri Emílio Graciliano Ferreira , Noe Steffen Manfred
Published: May 2024

Tradescantiaplant is a complex system that is sensible to environmental factors such as water supply, pH, temperature, light, radiation, impurities, and nutrient availability. It can be used as a biomonitor for environmental changes; however, the bioassays are time-consuming and have a strong human interference factor that might change the result depending on who is performing the analysis. We have developed computer vision models to study color variations fromTradescantiaclone 4430 plant stamen hair cells, which can be stressed due to air pollution and soil contamination. The study introduces a novel dataset, Trad-204, comprising single-cell images fromTradescantiaclone 4430, captured during theTradescantiastamen-hair mutation bioassay (Trad-SHM). The dataset contain images from two experiments, one focusing on air pollution by particulate matter and another based on soil contaminated by diesel oil. Both experiments were carried out in Curitiba, Brazil, between 2020 and 2023. The images represent single cells with different shapes, sizes, and colors, reflecting the plant's responses to environmental stressors. An automatic classification task was developed to distinguishing between blue and pink cells, and the study explores both a baseline model and three artificial neural network (ANN) architectures, namely, TinyVGG, VGG-16, and ResNet34.Tradescantiarevealed sensibility to both air particulate matter concentration and diesel oil in soil. The results indicate that Residual Network architecture outperforms the other models in terms of accuracy on both training and testing sets. The dataset and findings contribute to the understanding of plant cell responses to environmental stress and provide valuable resources for further research in automated image analysis of plant cells. Discussion highlights the impact of turgor pressure on cell shape and the potential implications for plant physiology. The comparison between ANN architectures aligns with previous research, emphasizing the superior performance of ResNet models in image classification tasks. Artificial intelligence identification of pink cells improves the counting accuracy, thus avoiding human errors due to different color perceptions, fatigue, or inattention, in addition to facilitating and speeding up the analysis process. Overall, the study offers insights into plant cell dynamics and provides a foundation for future investigations like cells morphology change. This research corroborates that biomonitoring should be considered as an important tool for political actions, being a relevant issue in risk assessment and the development of new public policies relating to the environment.
What factors affect the development of public charging infrastructures? a study from the perspective of potential users
Authors: Chen Xian-Peng , Jiang Xiao , Yu Xiao-Chen , Hao Peng , Xie Bai-Chen
Published: May 2024

The rapid development of the electric vehicle market has greatly stimulated the demand for public charging infrastructure (PCI) and made it a pertinent topic to improve its charging service quality in the industry. Data from perceived preference, PCI and electric vehicles cannot reflect the factors influencing potential users’ anxiety. This study designed a PCI development evaluation framework to investigate the impact of economic, technological, market, policy, and social environmental factors on PCI development from the perspective of potential users. We collected a dataset including 386 potential users in Tianjin, China, and employed structural equation model to survey the implementation of PCI. The following conclusions were drawn from this study: 1) Reducing operating costs will not significantly increase PCI charging user demand and improve use efficiency for potential users; 2) Technical factors cannot directly promote the development of PCI but will reverse lag the development of the market; 3) The growing market demand is the main impetus to the development of electric vehicle industry, and the incentive policy and social environment can indirectly incentivize PCI development. The policy implications suggest that the PCI industry can experience sustainable development by continuously innovating market-oriented business models, and improving policy systems and industry mechanisms. This study provides analytical foundation and decision support for policymakers and pertinent industry participants, promotes the development of electric vehicle-related industries, and helps achieve the strategic goal of carbon neutrality.
Genetic association and transferability for urinary albumin-creatinine ratio as a marker of kidney disease in four Sub-Saharan African populations and non-continental individuals of African ancestry
Authors: Brandenburg Jean-Tristan , Chen Wenlong Carl , Boua Palwende Romuald , Govender Melanie A. , Agongo Godfred , Micklesfield Lisa K. , Sorgho Hermann , Tollman Stephen , Asiki Gershim , Mashinya Felistas , Hazelhurst Scott , Morris Andrew P. , Fabian June , Ramsay Michèle
Published: May 2024

Background

Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have predominantly focused on populations of European and Asian ancestry, limiting our understanding of genetic factors influencing kidney disease in Sub-Saharan African (SSA) populations. This study presents the largest GWAS for urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio (UACR) in SSA individuals, including 8,970 participants living in different African regions and an additional 9,705 non-resident individuals of African ancestry from the UK Biobank and African American cohorts.

Methods

Urine biomarkers and genotype data were obtained from two SSA cohorts (AWI-Gen and ARK), and two non-resident African-ancestry studies (UK Biobank and CKD-Gen Consortium). Association testing and meta-analyses were conducted, with subsequent fine-mapping, conditional analyses, and replication studies. Polygenic scores (PGS) were assessed for transferability across populations.

Results

Two genome-wide significant (P < 5 × 10−8) UACR-associated loci were identified, one in the BMP6 region on chromosome 6, in the meta-analysis of resident African individuals, and another in the HBB region on chromosome 11 in the meta-analysis of non-resident SSA individuals, as well as the combined meta-analysis of all studies. Replication of previous significant results confirmed associations in known UACR-associated regions, including THB53, GATM, and ARL15. PGS estimated using previous studies from European ancestry, African ancestry, and multi-ancestry cohorts exhibited limited transferability of PGS across populations, with less than 1% of observed variance explained.

Conclusion

This study contributes novel insights into the genetic architecture of kidney disease in SSA populations, emphasizing the need for conducting genetic research in diverse cohorts. The identified loci provide a foundation for future investigations into the genetic susceptibility to chronic kidney disease in underrepresented African populations Additionally, there is a need to develop integrated scores using multi-omics data and risk factors specific to the African context to improve the accuracy of predicting disease outcomes.
Risk and low-density dispersed urbanism
Authors: Fletcher Roland , White Kirrily , Penny Dan
Published: May 2024

Settlements operate across a wide range of densities and do so for every socio- economic mode of life from those based on hunter-gatherer economies to those which are based on industrial production. Human beings also live across a range of residential densities from very high to very low. Why they do so is a function of many factors, especially differing socio-cultural ways of managing interaction and communication and the associated social and political practices of the communities. Settlement forms are seen as a derivative of many factors because they are. But they are not thereby an epiphenomenon - especially as they become larger, more durable, and bulkier. That gives them inertia and, as a consequence, they become an agency in their own right which produces outcomes with consequences for the communities, which inhabit them. They are not a neutral background. Instead, their materiality, their sizes, and their densities have an impact on the viability of social life. This paper considers the outcomes generated by the regional networks of low-density, urban settlements larger than 100 sq km in extent. The implications of what happened to agrarian-based low-density urban settlements, like Greater Angkor and the Classic Maya settlements, such as Caracol, are of consequence for the risk faced by the regional networks of present-day, low-density urban giants – the megalopoleis and desa-kota. A further perspective is provided by placing these great cities of the past and the present in the larger context of the trajectories and outcomes of smaller low-density settlements over the previous six millennia. The concern is the implications for the viability of low-density urbanism in contexts of the rapid, extreme climate change we are now beginning to experience. The implications are ominous, yet the past also indicates that social and cultural systems are robust, that human beings can survive, and that they retain and continue to remake their social traditions as they adjust to seriously changing circumstances.
Tissue-specific sex differences in pediatric and adult immune cell composition and function
Authors: Mitul Mahina Tabassum , Kastenschmidt Jenna M. , Sureshchandra Suhas , Wagoner Zachary W. , Sorn Andrew M. , Mcllwain David R. , Hernandez-Davies Jenny E. , Jain Aarti , de Assis Rafael , Trask Douglas , Davies D. Huw , Wagar Lisa E.
Published: May 2024

Sex-based differences in immune cell composition and function can contribute to distinct adaptive immune responses. Prior work has quantified these differences in peripheral blood, but little is known about sex differences within human lymphoid tissues. Here, we characterized the composition and phenotypes of adaptive immune cells from male and female ex vivo tonsils and evaluated their responses to influenza antigens using an immune organoid approach. In a pediatric cohort, female tonsils had more memory B cells compared to male tonsils direct ex vivo and after stimulation with live-attenuated but not inactivated vaccine, produced higher influenza-specific antibody responses. Sex biases were also observed in adult tonsils but were different from those measured in children. Analysis of peripheral blood immune cells from in vivo vaccinated adults also showed higher frequencies of tissue homing CD4 T cells in female participants. Together, our data demonstrate that distinct memory B and T cell profiles are present in male vs. female lymphoid tissues and peripheral blood respectively and suggest that these differences may in part explain sex biases in response to vaccines and viruses.
Prospects for the computational humanization of antibodies and nanobodies
Authors: Gordon Gemma L. , Raybould Matthew I. J. , Wong Ashley , Deane Charlotte M.
Published: May 2024

To be viable therapeutics, antibodies must be tolerated by the human immune system. Rational approaches to reduce the risk of unwanted immunogenicity involve maximizing the ‘humanness’ of the candidate drug. However, despite the emergence of new discovery technologies, many of which start from entirely human gene fragments, most antibody therapeutics continue to be derived from non-human sources with concomitant humanization to increase their human compatibility. Early experimental humanization strategies that focus on CDR loop grafting onto human frameworks have been critical to the dominance of this discovery route but do not consider the context of each antibody sequence, impacting their success rate. Other challenges include the simultaneous optimization of other drug-like properties alongside humanness and the humanization of fundamentally non-human modalities such as nanobodies. Significant efforts have been made to develop in silico methodologies able to address these issues, most recently incorporating machine learning techniques. Here, we outline these recent advancements in antibody and nanobody humanization, focusing on computational strategies that make use of the increasing volume of sequence and structural data available and the validation of these tools. We highlight that structural distinctions between antibodies and nanobodies make the application of antibody-focused in silico tools to nanobody humanization non-trivial. Furthermore, we discuss the effects of humanizing mutations on other essential drug-like properties such as binding affinity and developability, and methods that aim to tackle this multi-parameter optimization problem.
The HPV viral regulatory mechanism of TLRs and the related treatments for HPV-associated cancers
Authors: Qi Shi-Yu , Yang Miao-Miao , Li Chong-Yang , Yu Kun , Deng Shou-Long
Published: May 2024

Infection with human papillomavirus (HPV) typically leads to cervical cancer, skin related cancers and many other tumors. HPV is mainly responsible for evading immune tumor monitoring in HPV related cancers. Toll like receptors (TLRs) are particular pattern recognition molecules. When the body is facing immune danger, it can lead to innate and direct adaptive immunity. TLR plays an important role in initiating antiviral immune responses. HPV can affect the expression level of TLR and interfere with TLR related signaling pathways, resulting in sustained viral infection and even carcinogenesis. This paper introduces the HPV virus and HPV related cancers. We discussed the present comprehension of TLR, its expression and signaling, as well as its role in HPV infection. We also provided a detailed introduction to immunotherapy methods for HPV related diseases based on TLR agonists. This will provide insights into methods that support the therapeutic method of HPV related conditions with TLR agonists
How to quantify developmental synchrony in malaria parasites
Authors: Greischar Megan A. , Savill Nicholas J. , Reece Sarah E. , Mideo Nicole
Published: May 2024

Malaria infections represent an iconic example of developmental synchrony, where periodic fevers can result when the population of parasites develops synchronously within host red blood cells. The level of synchrony appears to vary across individual hosts and across parasite species and strains, variation that—once quantified—can illuminate the ecological and evolutionary drivers of synchrony. Yet current approaches for quantifying synchrony in parasites are either biased by population dynamics or unsuitable when population growth rates vary through time, features ubiquitous to parasite populations in vitro and in vivo. Here we develop an approach to estimate synchrony that accounts for population dynamics, including changing population growth rates, and validate it with simulated time series data encompassing a range of synchrony levels in two different host-parasite systems: malaria infections of mice and human malaria parasites in vitro. This new method accurately quantifies developmental synchrony from per capita growth rates using obtainable abundance data even with realistic sampling noise, without the need to sort parasites into developmental stages. Our approach enables variability in developmental schedules to be disentangled from even extreme variation in population dynamics, providing a comparative metric of developmental synchrony.
Efficacy of novel bacterial consortia in degrading fipronil and thiobencarb in paddy soil: a survey for community structure and metabolic pathways
Authors: Faridy Nastaran , Torabi Ehssan , Pourbabaee Ahmad Ali , Osdaghi Ebrahim , Talebi Khalil
Published: May 2024

Introduction

Fipronil (FIP) and thiobencarb (THIO) represent widely utilized pesticides in paddy fields, presenting environmental challenges that necessitate effective remediation approaches. Despite the recognized need, exploring bacterial consortia efficiently degrading FIP and THIO remains limited.

Methods

This study isolated three unique bacterial consortia—FD, TD, and MD—demonstrating the capability to degrade FIP, THIO, and an FIP + THIO mixture within a 10-day timeframe. Furthermore, the bioaugmentation abilities of the selected consortia were evaluated in paddy soils under various conditions.

Results

Sequencing results shed light on the consortia’s composition, revealing a diverse bacterial population prominently featuring Azospirillum, Ochrobactrum, Sphingobium, and Sphingomonas genera. All consortia efficiently degraded pesticides at 800 µg/mL concentrations, primarily through oxidative and hydrolytic processes. This metabolic activity yields more hydrophilic metabolites, including 4-(Trifluoromethyl)-phenol and 1,4-Benzenediol, 2-methyl-, for FIP, and carbamothioic acid, diethyl-, S-ethyl ester, and Benzenecarbothioic acid, S-methyl ester for THIO. Soil bioaugmentation tests highlight the consortia’s effectiveness, showcasing accelerated degradation of FIP and THIO—individually or in a mixture—by 1.3 to 13-fold. These assessments encompass diverse soil moisture levels (20 and 100% v/v), pesticide concentrations (15 and 150 µg/g), and sterile conditions (sterile and non-sterile soils).

Discussion

This study offers an understanding of bacterial communities adept at degrading FIP and THIO, introducing FD, TD, and MD consortia as promising contenders for bioremediation endeavors.
The microbiome of the pregnant uterus in Holstein dairy heifers and cows assessed by bacterial culture and 16S ribosomal RNA gene sequencing
Authors: Moraes Joao G. N. , Gull Tamara , Ericsson Aaron C. , Poock Scott E. , Caldeira Monica O. , Lucy Matthew C.
Published: May 2024

Introduction

The possibility that there is a resident and stable commensal microbiome within the pregnant uterus has been supported and refuted by a series of recent studies. One element of most of the initial studies was that they were based primarily on 16S rRNA gene sequencing from bacteria. To account for this limitation, the current study performed both bacterial culture and 16S rRNA gene sequencing in a side-by-side manner (e.g., same tissues isolated from the same animal).

Methods

The uteruses of 10 mid-pregnant (156 ± 5 d of gestation) Holstein heifers and cows were collected following slaughter. The external surface of the reproductive tract (positive control for contamination during tissue collection) as well as tissues within the pregnant uterus (placentome, inter-cotyledonary placenta, inter-caruncular endometrium, amnionic fluid, allantoic fluid, fetal abomasum content, and fetal meconium) were sampled for bacterial culture and 16S rRNA gene sequencing.

Results

There were 87 unique bacterial species cultured from the external surface of the pregnant reproductive tract (contamination control) and 12 bacterial species cultured from pregnancy tissues. Six out of 10 cattle (60%) exhibited bacterial growth in at least one location within the pregnant uterus. For the metataxonomic results (16S rRNA gene sequencing), a low targeted microbial biomass was identified. Analyses of the detected amplicon sequence variants (ASV) revealed that there were: (1) genera that were prevalent on both the external surface and within the pregnant uterus; (2) genera that were prevalent on the external surface but either not detected or had very low prevalence within the pregnant uterus; and (3) genera that were either not detected or had low prevalence on the external surface but found with relatively high prevalence within the pregnant uterus.

Conclusion

There are a small number of viable bacteria in the pregnant uterus. The 16S rRNA gene sequencing detected a microbial community within the pregnant uterus but with a low biomass. These results are consistent with recent studies of the pregnant bovine uterus and leave open the question of whether there is adequate microbial mass to significantly affect the biology of the normal healthy bovine pregnancy.