bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Molecular identification of Gekko gecko (black-spotted tokay geckoes) and its counterfeit based on mitochondrial 16S rRNA gene sequences
Authors: Wang Yilin , Jing Xiaotong , Chen Guangyu , Cai Bo , Zhao Chengjian , Li Hongyu , Huang Yong
Published: August 2023

Background
Authenticity identification has always been one of the hot research issues in the identification of traditional Chinese medicine. Since the Chinese medicinal materials are usually processed and stored dry, the DNA degradation is serious, and the standard DNA barcoding length (648bp) or longer gene fragments are difficult to amplify, which makes it impossible to conduct molecular identification of the Chinese medicinal materials. In this study, we used the mitochondrial 16S rRNA gene (< 200bp) as a barcode to identify Gekko gecko (black-spotted tokay geckoes) and its counterfeits. We collected a total of 63 samples from 17 species of Gekko gecko (black-spotted tokay geckoes) and its counterfeit, including not previously been involved in any molecular identification analyses.
Results
All samples were obtained 189 bp 16S rRNA sequences. The content of A + T (60%) was higher than that of G + C (40%). According to phylogenetic analysis and genetic distance, the genuine Gekko gecko (black-spotted tokay geckoes) samples collected in this study constitute a monophyly and can be distinguished from its counterfeits, including red-spotted tokay geckoes with very similar morphology.
Conclusions
Using the mitochondrial 16S rRNA gene can effectively identify Gekko gecko (black-spotted tokay geckoes) and its counterfeits, providing technical reference for the quality evaluation of Gekko gecko (black-spotted tokay geckoes) and clinical medication containing Gekko gecko (black-spotted tokay geckoes) components.
Feed Plants, Ethnoveterinary Medicine, and Biocultural Values: Insights on the Luchuan Pig from Hakka Communities in China
Authors: Liufu Yongqin , Zhou Jilong , Fu Qiongyao , Shao Min , Xie Yaozhang , Luo Binsheng
Published: August 2023

Background
The Luchuan pig is an indigenous breed from Luchuan County, China, with cultural and genetic significance. However, traditional knowledge and conservation status have not been systematically documented.
Methods
Using ethnobiological methods, we surveyed 72 Luchuan pig farmers in 7 townships during 2021–2023. Semi-structured interviews and participant observation were conducted to document traditional knowledge and management practices.
Results
The locals reported 51 plant species used as pig feed, with 30 wild species. Growth-stage-specific feeding and seasonal adjustment practices were documented. We recorded 62 ethnoveterinary plant uses, mainly for treating pigs' heat stress and skin conditions. Luchuan pigs play central roles in Hakka customs, rituals, and cuisine. While the ecological farming model minimizes environmental impacts, challenges remain for conserving and promoting local pigs.
Conclusions
The Luchuan Hakka people possess rich traditional knowledge and management experience in raising Luchuan pigs. Our study provides extensive documentation of traditional knowledge and recommends integrating cultural and genetic aspects for sustaining this biocultural heritage. Findings can inform initiatives supporting local breed conservation globally.
Genetic algorithms based optimized hybrid deep learning model for explainable Alzheimer's prediction based on temporal multimodal cognitive data
Authors: Saleh Hager , ElRashidy Nora , Elaziz Mohamed Abd , Aseeri Ahmad O. , El-Sappagh Shaker
Published: August 2023

Alzheimer's Disease (AD) is an irreversible neurodegenerative disease. Its early detection is crucial to stop disease progression at an early stage. Most deep learning (DL) literature focused on neuroimage analysis. However, there is no noticed effect of these studies in the real environment. Model's robustness, cost, and interpretability are considered the main reasons for these limitations. The medical intuition of physicians is to evaluate the clinical biomarkers of patients then test their neuroimages. Cognitive scores provide an medically acceptable and cost-effective alternative for the neuroimages to predict AD progression. Each score is calculated from a collection of sub-scores which provide a deeper insight about patient conditions. No study in the literature have explored the role of these multimodal time series sub-scores to predict AD progression.
We propose a hybrid CNN-LSTM DL model for predicting AD progression based on the fusion of four longitudinal cognitive sub-scores modalities. Bayesian optimizer has been used to select the best DL architecture. A genetic algorithms based feature selection optimization step has been added to the pipeline to select the best features from extracted deep representations of CNN-LSTM. The SoftMax classifier has been replaced by a robust and optimized random forest classifier. Extensive experiments using the ADNI dataset investigated the role of each optimization step, and the proposed model achieved the best results compared to other DL and classical machine learning models. The resulting model is robust, but it is a black box and it is difficult to understand the logic behind its decisions. Trustworthy AI models must be robust and explainable. We used SHAP and LIME to provide explainability features for the proposed model. The resulting trustworthy model has a great potential to be used to provide decision support in the real environments.
Design Efficacy Evaluation of a LIM-SD-based Approach for Ecological Engineered Landscaping Design: A Case Study of An Urban River Wetland
Authors: Huang Yan , Li Tianjie
Published: August 2023

Ecological engineered landscaping (EEL) is a type of design work which incorporates various ecological principles and aims to provide aesthetic and ecological characteristics to semi-natural environments. Digital landscape techniques, such as Landscape Information Modelling (LIM) and Stable Diffusion (SD) -based approach, has significant potential to support EEL projects for both environmental engineers and landscape architects. This study aims to quantitatively evaluate the design efficacy and feasibility of the LIM-SD-based approach applied for an urban river wetland EEL design task. An experiment was used to quantify the EEL design efficacy within the digital approach for students from different backgrounds, i.e., industrial design postgraduates (ID), landscape architecture undergraduates (UG), landscape architecture postgraduates (PG). Experts were invited to evaluate the EEL design works of the participants according to 4 criteria, i.e., "Site adequacy", "Aesthetic", "Spatial arrangement" and "Eco-engineering", while the vegetation coverage rate (VCR) and proportion of riparian areas (PRA) of each design is automatically calculate by a parametric program. Participants’ objective experiences are also evaluated by questionnaires. It indicates that LIM-SD-based approach can improve most designers' productivity in EEL design tasks. The ranking of scores for most of the quantitative indicators is PG > UG > ID. Explanation of some phenomena, i.e., the mismatch between LIM and SD generated renderings and the different objective experiences of the participants, are provided. Future research can further investigate the impact of digital EEL workflows on landscape architects’ and environmental engineers’ performance.
Enhancing load frequency control with plug-in electric vehicle integration in non-reheat thermal power systems
Authors: Garg Man Mohan , Shukla Rakesh Rajan , Panda Anup Kumar , Das Debapriya
Published: August 2023

As the percentage of renewable energy source within the energy production mix has expanded, it's become gradually difficult to determine the appropriate values for controller gains and model parameters. Controlling system frequency of interconnected power system during sudden load disturbance requires careful consideration of the controller gain values and small signal stability model parameters. This study proposes an innovative methodology for ascertaining controller gain values and model parameters for plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs) in load frequency control (LFC) applications. Proposed method uses the root locus (RL) approach to find the suitable controller gain values and model parameters for PEVs. This paper offers a thorough mathematical description of the proposed RL approach. Routh approximation method is used for reduced-order modelling (ROM), which comprises thermal and PEV systems, to reduce complexity of higher-order system while designing controllers. Fractional order proportional-integral-derivative controller (FO-PID) is proposed, and its parameters are adjusted using particle swarm optimization (PSO) optimization tool. To validate the efficacy of suggested method, a comprehensive comparison of time response parameters and performance indices (PI) is carefully carried out. Also, the various PEVs state of charge (SOC) levels is investigated, and effects of these levels are studied in LFC. The proposed method for determining gain value is highly reliable and efficient, outperforming existing methodologies in the literature.
Performance analysis of a hybrid optical amplifier based 480-Gbps DWDM-FSO system under the effect of different atmospheric conditions
Authors: Obaid Hafiz Muhammad , Shahid Hifsa , Akram Adeel , Zafrullah Muhammad
Published: August 2023

Free space optical (FSO) systems offer a desirable and affordable way of providing communication services in remote locations. They provide secure transmission without the requirement for licensing and with lower implementation costs. However, due to the impact of atmospheric turbulences on the effectiveness of FSO systems, their implementation faces significant challenges. Dense wavelength division multiplexing (DWDM) has shown promise in addressing the growing bandwidth needs in optical networks. This paper introduces a hybrid optical amplifier based system, combining DWDM and FSO technology. The proposed DWDM-FSO system operates at a rate of 480 Gbps and consists of 12 channels, each capable of transmitting data at 40 Gbps. The system’s performance is evaluated and compared by determining the Q-factor and bit error rate (BER) for both the cases when hybrid amplifier is employed and with no hybrid amplifier within the C-band, specifically focusing on wavelengths around 1550 nm. Moreover, the length of the FSO link is increased to assess the corresponding Q-factor and BER. Resultantly, the maximum distance for the FSO link is determined, ensuring that it remains within acceptable Q-factor and BER thresholds. Furthermore, the effectiveness of the FSO system is also evaluated and compared under different atmospheric conditions, considering both scenarios: when employing a hybrid amplifier and when not utilizing one.
Segmentation based early Melanoma Detection Using Random Forest Algorithm
Authors: Abate Mesfin , Hussein Jemal , Varadarajan V. K. , Zemene Solomon
Published: August 2023

This article proposes a method to detect melanoma at the early stage before it becomes something severe. The lesion of melanoma has five stages, stage zero to stage four, of which stage one and stage two are early stages. Melanoma is mainly caused by UV radiation, unhealthy lifestyle, hereditary etc.; In addition, age and gender (sex) are also part of the risk factors causing melanoma. So people ought to be aware of what skin disease they have and what precautions and measures they must be taken at its early stage so as to treat it. Because fatal and dangerous cancers must be managed either through prevention or immediate reaction as it occurs. The purpose of this work is to detect melanoma by applying segmentation method at its early stage using random forest classification algorithms. Therefore, segmentation process is implemented as a means of its detection by taking 600 image datasets which are randomly selected from SIIM- ISIC-2020 training dataset. And attained an accuracy of 95%, a precision of 97.3%, a specificity of 95.4%, a selectivity of 95.3% and an f1 score of 96.3. Hopefully, this result will help physicians treat diseases at an early stage and thus prevent further damage.
Intrusion Detection based on Concept Drift Detection & Online Incremental Learning
Authors: Jemili Farah , Jouini Khaled , Korbaa Ouajdi
Published: August 2023

Intrusions are constantly evolving and changing, and to keep up with these changes, it is necessary to have models that detect these changes, also known as concept drifts, and offer the ability to update the model without starting the learning process from scratch. In our contribution, we have opted for a new approach to intrusion detection based on concept drift detection and online incremental learning, named DDM-ORF. Our approach is based on the Detection Drift Method (DDM) and Online Random Forest algorithm (ORF). The model has shown very good accuracy compared to traditional approaches and an ability to handle massive data, providing multi-class classification that allows for determining insights. The proposed system achieves very good classification results, along with good processing speed that meets real-world scenarios. Apache Spark Structured Streaming provides important functionalities for dealing with streaming data and enables the deployment of the proposed system DDM-ORF in real-world applications.
Ceratobasidioid mycobionts in Russian populations of Goodyera repens and mycorrhizal specificity in Goodyerinae subtribe (Orchidaceae)
Authors: Bibikov Nikita , Voronina Elena , Kamzolkina Olga , Yarmeeva Maria , Kurakov Alexander
Published: August 2023

Members of Ceratobasidiaceae family (more commonly known by its anamorphic name “rhizoctonias”) possess a variety of nutritional modes: plant pathogens, saprotrophs, endophytes and symbionts of orchid mycorrhiza. Links between nutritional modes and taxonomy of these fungi as well as their specificity towards plant host is still ambiguous. The scope of the present study was to explore biodiversity of ceratobasidioid mycobionts of sciophytic terrestrial orchid Goodyera repens, search for evolutionary stable clades within mycobionts of Goodyerinae subtribe uniform by plant host or geographic region and to establish possible connection between ceratobasidioid nutritional modes and morphological characteristics. We consider G. repens a generalist associated with a wide range of distantly related mycobionts. Two unidentified Ceratobasidium species and Thanatephorus ochraceus are reported from G. repens roots for the first time. Ceratobasidiaceae tend to form stable clades specific to either temperate or tropical region. Morphological characteristics of pathogenic and mycorrhizal rhizoctonia isolates tend to form a variety of transitional forms to correlate with nutritional mode.
How do substrate types affect the seasonal composition and functional feeding groups variation of benthic insects in an arid region (northeastern Algeria)?
Authors: MERADI Kenza , Bounar Rabah , Benzina Imène , Meradi Salah , Bachir Abdelkrim Si , Céréghino Régis
Published: August 2023

The diversity of bottom substrates is a primary driver of taxonomic richness and species abundance patterns of freshwater benthic insects in space and time. Here, we examine the influence of substrate composition on the seasonal patterns of benthic insect communities in streams of arid regions. Benthic insects were sampled monthly over a year at three sampling sites distributed along the Bouilef stream within the Belezma biosphere reserve (Algeria). Different substrate types (sand, gravel, pebbles, boulders, and emergent macrophytes) were sampled in the rainy and dry seasons. During the 2 studied seasons, a total of 8599 insects belonging to 6 orders, 26 families, and 39 genera/species were sampled and identified. Student's t-test analysis showed that season influences significantly the mean abundance of benthic insects, which increases in the rainy season. However, the season does not affect taxa richness. Substrate types influence taxa composition and variation of benthic insect communities. The results showed that pebbles and boulders are the most populated by gathering and filtering collectors in terms of taxa abundance. Emergent macrophytes are more favorable for herbivores shredders. Principal Coordinates Analysis ‘’PCoA’’ also showed that pebbles and boulders differed significantly from other substrates, whereas sand and gravel substrates exhibited similar taxa mean abundance. Such assessments can help propose conservation measures needed to successfully safeguard these fragile ecosystems.
Evaluating the expression level of miR-192 and miR-377 in serum of type 2 diabetic patients as potential biomarkers for prognosis of diabetic nephropathy
Authors: Khedrimirghaed Maryam , Ghaneialvar Hori , Mozafari Aliashraf , Heidari Mohammad Amin , Bastaminejad Saiyad
Published: August 2023

Background
Diabetic nephropathy is a common complication of diabetes, which can be prevented by early diagnosis and development. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the expression level of miR-192 and miR-377 in serum samples of diabetic subjects without nephropathy and diabetic nephropathy subjects to investigate these miRNAs as a biomarker for the diagnosis and prognosis of diabetic nephropathy.
Methods and Results
We reviewed 370 patients diagnosed with diabetes mellitus type 2 (T2D) (190 patients with diabetic nephropathy and 180 patients with diabetes without nephropathy), and 170 healthy control individuals without any history of T2D. Expression analysis of miR-192 and miR-377 was performed by Real-Time PCR. The expression level of miR-192 was significantly increased in the diabetic nephropathy and diabetic without nephropathy groups (p < 0.05 and p < 0.01). Also, the expression level of miR-377 was significantly increased in the diabetic group without nephropathy compared to the control group (P < 0.05), although miR-377 expression in the diabetic nephropathy samples was a significant decrease compared with the diabetic without nephropathy samples (P > 0.05). QRT-PCR results showed that the expressions of miR-192 and miR-377 were significantly lower and higher in the diabetic without nephropathy group than in micro-albuminuria and macro-albuminuria groups, respectively.
Conclusions
Overexpression of miR-192 and down-regulation of miR-377 were observed in diabetic nephropathy. Up-regulation of miR-192 can be used as a prognostic factor for diagnosing diabetic nephropathy.
Intelligent Characterization of Spark-Assisted Chemical Engraving (SACE) Process Using Time Series Classification
Authors: Sahebari Seyed Mahmoud Seyedi , Bassyouni Zahraa , Barari Ahmad , Ziki Jana D Abou
Published: August 2023

Spark-Assisted Chemical Engraving (SACE) requires precise control over key factors to overcome gas film instability and achieve reproducible optimal resolution and machining speed. This paper presents a substantial advancement in the SACE micromanufacturing technique by introducing a composite algorithm. This algorithm leverages deep learning and time series classification, employing a Temporal Convolutional Network (TCN) and a Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) architecture for sequence-to-sequence intelligent classification. These classifiers are trained and optimized using Bayesian optimization, achieving impressive accuracies of 97.12% for TCN and 96.64% for LSTM. The algorithm utilizes TCN's superior performance to calculate derived parameters like gas film formation time, lifetime, mean discharge current and energy, and discharging frequency. Its versatility is demonstrated across various experimental conditions, showcasing its potential for rapid and accurate systematic studies. By highlighting the algorithm's applicability in real-time process control for SACE, this study establishes a foundation for future advancements in the field of glass micro manufacturing.
Selective under-representation of Pacific peoples in population estimates for health indicator measurements in Aotearoa New Zealand misinforms policy making
Authors: Sonder Gerard JB , Grey Corina , Ryan Debbie , Cumming Jacqueline , Sporle Andrew , Hill Philip C
Published: August 2023

Background
The Aotearoa New Zealand ‘Census of Populations and Dwellings’ is a five yearly count of people and dwellings in. Best available populations (BAP) are subnational projections based on census data and demographic assumptions developed for healthcare planning and funding allocation but are also used as the denominator for health indicator monitoring. Pacific people are systematically undercounted, but the impact on health statistics is not well studied. For COVID-19 vaccination coverage, health service user (HSU) data were considered a more reliable denominator than BAP but introduced new biases. We examined the impact of both denominators on two health indicators, by ethnic group and geographic district.
Methods
We described how declining census response rates affected population data quality. We compared BAP and HSU data at district level. For the indicators ‘access to primary care’ and ‘cervical cancer screening uptake’ we replaced currently used BAP denominators with HSU and examined the impact for different ethnic groups in different geographic districts.
Results
Overall census 2018 response declined by 10%, but for Māori and Pacific people by 21% and 23%, respectively. This inequitably impacting BAP accuracy. Census undercount was highest in the district with the largest Pacific populations, where HSU exceeded BAP most. Notably, ‘access to primary care’ for Pacific people in this district consistently exceeds 100%. Using BAP, both health indicators are currently estimated as highest for Pacific people compared to other ethnic groups, but when based on HSU, they dropped to lowest. Similar, but less pronounced trends occurred in other districts. Changes in trends over time for both indicators coincided mostly with adjustments in BAP, rather than changes in the numerators.
Conclusions
The current use of BAP denominators for health statistics does not enable reliable monitoring of key health indicators for Pacific people. HSU denominators are also unsuitable for monitoring health. A real-time population register is strongly recommended as a new, transparent, way of obtaining more reliable, timely population data to guide policymaking and underpin a more equitable health system under the health reforms. Meanwhile, reporting of ethnic specific outcomes need to include a clear assessment of the potential for bias due to inaccurate population estimates.
A multi-physical structure-preserving method and its analysis for the conservative Allen-Cahn equation with nonlocal constraint
Authors: Liu Xu , Hong Qi , Liao Hong-lin , Gong Yuezheng
Published: August 2023

The conservative Allen-Cahn equation satisfies three important physical properties, namely the mass conservation law, the energy dissipation law and the maximum bound principle. However, very few numerical methods can preserve them at the same time. In this paper, we present a multi-physical structure preserving method for the conservative Allen-Cahn equation with nonlocal constraint by combining the averaged vector field method in time and the central finite difference scheme in space, which can conserve all three properties simultaneously at the fully discrete level. We propose an efficient linear iteration algorithm to solve the presented nonlinear scheme, and prove that the iteration satisfies the maximum bound principle and a contraction mapping property in the discrete L∞ norm. Furthermore, concise error estimates in the maximum norm are established on nonuniform time meshes. The theoretical findings of the proposed scheme are verified by several benchmark examples, where an adaptive time-stepping strategy is employed.
MSC Classification: 65M06 , 65M12 , 65M70
Analysis of stress changes on the Poso fault caused by large inland earthquake: Case study of the 2017 Mw 6.6 Poso and the 2018 Mw 7.5 Palu-Donggala earthquakes
Authors: Massinai Muh. Altin , Rafie Muhammad Taufiq , Razin Tsaqif , Assagaf M. Alimuddin Hamzah , Syamsuddin Erfan , Maria Maria
Published: August 2023

The 2017 Mw 6.6 Poso and the 2018 Mw 7.5 Palu-Donggala earthquakes are the most recent large inland earthquakes (Mw ≥ 6.5) that occurred in the central part of Sulawesi Island. These large earthquakes transferred the stress to the surrounding faults which can promote or inhibit the critical condition in a fault, thus evaluating the stress transfer from these large events could give us a better understanding regarding the fault potential to be advanced towards rupture. In this study, we investigate the effect due to these two large events by resolving the accumulated Coulomb stress change onto a multi-strike segment of the Poso fault. The increase in tectonic stress rate is also estimated which comes from the geodetic measurement of the coupling of triple-junction plate convergence. Based on the stress changes of large earthquake and the tectonic stress rate, we analyse the Coulomb stress changes time function on the Poso fault. The coulomb stress changes on the Poso fault due to the 2017 Poso earthquake vary, ranging from positive values of 7 kPa to 27 kPa in the central segment of the Poso fault, negative values of -4 kPa to -10 kPa in the northern segment of the fault, and less significant effects in the southern segment. The 2018 Palu-Donggala earthquake transferred a relatively high negative Coulomb stress ranging from -16 kPa to -27 kPa in the entire northern segment of the fault. Additionally, the cumulative Coulomb stress of both earthquakes decreased the Coulomb stress mainly on the northern part of the Poso fault, suggesting a delay in reaching its critical point. Furthermore, the analysis of the Coulomb stress changes time function shows that the stress accumulation of some segments in the north of the Poso fault are more modulated by the stress release due to large inland earthquakes while stress accumulation in the southern segments of the Poso fault are more controlled by the long-term tectonic stress loading.
Two-sample Mendelian Randomization Study: Iron Deficiency Anemia Increases the Risk of Epilepsy
Authors: Tong Yu , Liu Xianyun , Yang Wenqi , Qin Ningxiang , Peng Xi
Published: August 2023

Background
Several studies have suggested a possible association between iron deficiency anemia (IDA) and neurological dysfunction. In the present study, we aimed to investigate whether there is a causal relationship between IDA and epilepsy. We used a two-sample Mendelian randomization design.
Methods
We obtained summary data of IDA and epilepsy from the FinnGen consortium. Genetic variants significantly associated with iron deficiency anemia were used as instrumental variables. Epilepsy, focal epilepsy, and generalized epilepsy were the outcomes. We used inverse variance weighting (IVW) as the primary estimate, and other MR methods were used as supplementary measures. Sensitivity analysis was also performed to assess heterogeneity and pleiotropy.
Results
IVW estimates genetically predicted a causal relationship between iron deficiency anemia and the risk of epilepsy [odds ratio (OR), 1.153; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.054–1.261; p = 0.002] and focal epilepsy (OR, 1.978, 95%CI, 1.576–2.482, p=3.975E-09), while no significant causal relationship was found with generalized epilepsy（OR, 1.103, 95%CI, 0.936-1.300, p=0.242）. There was no evidence of horizontal pleiotropy and heterogeneity in the sensitivity analysis.
Conclusions
This two-sample Mendelian randomization study found that iron deficiency anemia has a negative effect on the development of epilepsy. Clinical control of iron deficiency anemia may be helpful in the prevention of epilepsy.
Improved NSGA-III Algorithm for sloving the Optimal Allocation problem of Water Resources in Jinzhong City
Authors: zhu sifeng , li zixu
Published: August 2023

The phenomenon of water resources caused by unreasonable use of water resources is becoming more frequent, the demand for the optimization allocation of water resources is also increasing. The optimal allocation of water resources refers to the rational allocation of regional water resources by scientific and effective methods under the premise that the total amount of water resources is limited, comprehensively considering social、economic and ecological benefits. In this paper, the status of water resources in Jinzhong City is analyzed, the demand for optimizing the allocation of water resources in Jinzhong City is considered comprehensively, and a model of Jinzhong Water Resources Optimized Configuration Model with social benefits、economic benefits and ecological benefits is established. Finally, the improved NSGA-III algorithm is applied to the optimized configuration model of the water resources of Jinzhong City and conducted instance analysis, at the same time, it is compared with other intelligent algorithm solutions. Example analysis results show that the water resources optimization configuration based on the improved NSGA-III algorithm is less lacking、higher economic benefits and less discharged pollutants than the other intelligent algorithm optimization configuration solution based on the improved NSGA-III algorithm, and the feasibility of the optimization of water resources in Jinzhong City based on the improved NSGA-III algorithm is proved. Based on the different targets of decision makers for different goals, three optimized configuration solutions and three solutions are given, these configuration schemes also take into account social、 economic benefits and ecological benefits at the same time, which can effectively solve the problem of optimizing the configuration of water resources with multi sub-regions, multi water sources, multi users and multi multiple constraints, and can provide a new way of thinking for water resources allocation and planning in Jinzhong city.
Resveratrol and 3,3’-diindolylmethane differentially regulate aryl hydrocarbon receptor and estrogen receptor alpha to modulate diverse signalling pathways in MCF-7 human breast cancer cells
Authors: Das Siddhartha , Ulven Stine M , Matthews Jason
Published: August 2023

Background
Inhibitory crosstalk between estrogen receptor alpha (ERα) and aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) regulates 17β-estradiol (E2)-dependent breast cancer cell signalling. ERα and AHR are ligand activated transcription factors that mediate the actions of E2 and pollutants such as 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD), respectively. Like ERα, AHR binds many dietary compounds, including resveratrol (RES) and 3,3´diindolylmethane (DIM) often found in berries and cruciferous vegetables, respectively. RES activates ERα but inhibits AHR, whereas DIM activates ERα and AHR. Thus, dietary intake of RES and DIM will modulate both receptor activities. Here we used chromatin immunoprecipitation with high-throughput sequencing (ChIP-seq) and transcriptomics (RNA-seq) to study ERα and AHR crosstalk after treatment of MCF-7 human breast cancer cells with DIM, RES, E2 or TCDD alone or in combination.
Methods and Results
1 h or 6 h ligand treated MCF-7 cells were profiled for ERα and AHR binding sites using ChIP-seq or gene expression changes using RNA-seq, respectively. E2 resulted in 866 differentially expressed genes (DEGs), 532 of which were also bound by ERα. DIM and RES resulted in 577 and 446 DEGs, respectively, with 278 of the RES and 393 of the DIM DEGs also bound by ERα. An estrogen response element (ERE) was enriched after treatments with all three ligands, while an AHR response element (AHRE) was also enriched in the DIM-ERα but not after E2-ERα bound sites. An ERE was enriched in E2 + TCDD and DIM AHR bound sites but not for the TCDD-AHR bound sites. We found that 90% of the DEGs closest to an AHR binding site after DIM or E2 + TCDD also had an ERE and 60% of coregulated genes were common to both treatments. Collectively, our data show that DIM activates ERα and AHR like that of E2 + TCDD, while RES activates ERα but inhibits AHR.
Conclusion
The dietary compounds DIM and RES differentially regulate ERα and AHR action and likely other signalling pathways, which need to be considered to properly interpret their cellular and biological responses. These data further highlight the complex crosstalk between ERa and AHR and suggest that when both receptors are activated ERa dominants causing the preferential recruitment of AHR to ERa target genes.
Video-based Analysis of the Blink Reflex in Parkinson’s Disease Patients
Authors: Jansen Talisa S. , Güney Gökhan , Ganse Bergita , Monje Mariana H.G. , Schulz Jörg B. , Dafotakis Manuel , Antink Christoph Hoog , Braczynski Anne K.
Published: August 2023

We developed a video-based tool to quantitatively assess the Glabellar Tap Reflex (GTR) in patients with idiopathic Parkinson’s Disease (iPD) patients as well as healthy age-matched subjects. We also video-graphically assessed the effect of dopaminergic medication on the GTR in iPD patients, as well as frequency and velocity of reflex and non-reflex blinks. The Glabellar Tap Reflex is a clinical sign seen in patients e.g. suffering from iPD. Reliable tools to quantify this sign are lacking.
Methods: We recorded the GTR in 11 iPD patients and 12 healthy controls (HC) with a high-speed camera and a framerate of at least 180 images/s. In these videos, reflex and non-reflex blinks were analyzed for blink count and velocity in an automated fashion.
Results: With our setup, the GTR can be extracted from high-resolution cameras using landmarks of MediaPipe face algorithm. iPD patients did not habituate to the GTR; dopaminergic medication did not alter that response. iPD patients’ non-reflex blinks were higher in frequency and lower in velocity (mean width); dopaminergic medication decreased the frequency and increased the velocity – both in the direction of HC.
Conclusion: We developed a quantitative, video-based tool to assess the GTR and other blinking-specific parameters in HC and iPD patients. Further studies could compare the video data to electromyogram (EMG) data for accuracy and comparability, as well as evaluate the specificity of the GTR in patients with other neurodegenerative disorders, in whom the GTR can also be present.
Significance: The video-based detection of the blinking parameters allows for unobtrusive measurement in patients, a safer and more comfortable option.
Introduction of Pediatric Laparoscopic Inguinal Hernia Repair in Guatemala
Authors: Cóbar Juan P. , Nichol Peter F.
Published: August 2023

Purpose
Introducing new surgical techniques in a developing country can be challenging. Inguinal hernias in children are a common surgical problem, and open repair is the standard surgical approach. Laparoscopic repair has gained popularity in developed countries because of similar results. This study aimed to determine the outcomes following the introduction of laparoscopic repairs in Guatemala.
Methods
This retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data from all patients under 18 years who underwent laparoscopic repair at Corpus Christi Hospital in Patzun, Guatemala, from September 5th to September 8th, 2022.
Results
A total of 14 patients were included in the study. A board-certified pediatric surgeon and a Guatemalan physician performed all cases. The mean patient age was 7.6 years; 7 boys and 7 girls. All patients were interviewed at 7 days, 30 days, and 6 months. There were no postoperative infections, pain requiring re-evaluation, gonadal atrophy, or hernia recurrence.
Conclusion
Under controlled circumstances with limited but proper equipment and disposables, laparoscopic inguinal hernia repairs can be introduced and performed in a developing country with a risk complication profile comparable to that in developed countries. This study provides promising evidence of laparoscopic repair feasibility and safety where surgical resources are limited.
Nucleoporin NUP98 suppresses the basal HIV-1 gene expression through its N-terminal domain
Authors: Chintala Kumaraswami , Yandrapally Sriram , Faiz Warisha , Kispotta Chhaya Rani , Mishra Krishnaveni , Banerjee Sharmistha
Published: August 2023

Background: Nucleoporins (NUPs) are cellular effectors of HIV-1 replication that support nucleocytoplasmic trafficking of viral components, and non-canonically promote viral DNA integration into the host genome and proviral DNA transcription. However, some of the NUPs were also shown to aid the host restriction factor MX2 to inhibit the replication of HIV-1, indicating both pro- and anti-viral role for NUPs towards HIV-1 replication.
Results: Here, we examined the expression of NUPs such as NUP98, NUP62, NUP155, NUP133, NUP107 and NUP85 during HIV-1 infection, and observed that the expression of NUP98 was downregulated. However, its cellular localization remained unchanged. Over-expression, supplemented with knockdown studies indicated that NUP98 negatively affected HIV-1 LTR promoter activity. This negative effect on promoter activity was independent of HIV-1 Tat suggesting that NUP98 prevents the basal viral gene expression from HIV-1 LTR promoter. Further we demonstrated that NUP98 associated with HIV-1 LTR promoter, and that NUP98-mediated perturbation in viral gene transcription was independent of host factors, HEXIM1 and NF-kB. The attenuation of HIV-1 LTR-driven transcription was predominantly contributed by the N-terminal domain of NUP98.
Conclusions: Our experimental evidence for the first time demonstrates that NUP98 associates with HIV-1 LTR and suppresses the viral gene transcription. HIV-1, attempting to downregulate NUP98, supports the concepts of evolutionary conflicts between viruses and host anti-viral factors.
Nanopore Sequencing for smear-negative pulmonary tuberculosis - a multicentre prospective study in China
Authors: Yan Xiaojing , Yang Guoli , Wang Yunfei , Wang Yuqing , Cheng Jie , Xu Peisong , Qiu Xiaoli , Su Lei , Liu Lina , Geng Ruixue , You Yingxia , Liu Hui , Chu Naihui , Ma Li , Nie Wenjuan
Published: August 2023

Purpose: In this prospective study, the diagnosis accuracy of nanopore sequencing-based Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) detection was determined through examining sputum or bronchoalveolar lavage ﬂuid (BALF) samples from pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) -suspected patients. Compared the diagnostic performance of nanopore sequencing, mycobacterial growth indicator tube (MGIT) culture and Xpert MTB/rifampin resistance (MTB/RIF) assays.
Methods: Specimens collected from suspected PTB cases across China from September 2021 to April 2022 were tested then assay diagnostic accuracy rates were compared.
Results: Among the 111 suspected PTB cases that were ultimately diagnosed as PTB, the diagnostic rate of nanopore sequencing was statistically significant different from other assays (P < 0.05). Fleiss’ kappa values of 0.219 and 0.303 indicated fair consistency levels between MTB detection results obtained using nanopore sequencing versus other assays, respectively. Respective PTB diagnostic sensitivity rates of MGIT culture, Xpert MTB/RIF and nanopore sequencing of 36.11%, 40.28% and 83.33% indicated superior sensitivity of nanopore sequencing. Analysis of area under the curve (AUC), Youden’s index and accuracy values and the negative predictive value (NPV) indicated superior MTB detection performance for nanopore sequencing (with Xpert MTB/RIF ranking second), while the PTB diagnostic accuracy rate of nanopore sequencing exceeded corresponding rates of the other methods.
Conclusions: In comparison with MGIT culture and Xpert MTB/RIF assays, BALF’s nanopore sequencing provided superior MTB detection sensitivity and thus is suitable for testing of sputum-scarce suspected PTB cases. However, negative results obtained using these assays should be confirmed based on additional evidence before ruling out a PTB diagnosis.
Adaptive Hierarchical Knowledge Distillation from GNNs to MLPs
Authors: Zhang Junfeng , Xie Cheng , Yu Beibei , Yang Rui
Published: August 2023

Knowledge distillation has attracted much attention in knowledge and information systems.
The latest distillation methods use Kullback-Leibler Divergence to distill complex models from simple models, yielding surprising results.
However, due to the difference in the capacity of GNNs and MLPs models, distilling GNNs through fixed dimensions and layers of MLPs will inevitably cause information loss.
Also, the gap between the features produced by GNNs and the features produced by MLPs gradually becomes larger as the number of layers increases.
To this end, we propose an adaptive hierarchical distillation framework that distills GNNs through MLPs with variable dimensions and layers to ensure the integrity of the distilled information.
Specifically, we use a Neural Architecture Search(NAS) to adaptively find MLPs with appropriate dimensions and layers for each layer of GNNs.
Then, the graph structure information is distilled from GNNs layer by layer, which makes the student neural network(NN) structure can better match with the teacher model, and the features are better aligned, so as to better learn the graph structure information.
At last, the student model distilled to the complete information is used in the downstream learning task.
Experimental results on various datasets show impressive improvements in node classification tasks compared with previous state-of-the-art methods.
An MCDM Approach for Enhancing Breast Cancer Diagnosis Using AHP and Bidirectional RNN with Bayesian Optimization
Authors: Hoda Sk Anamul , Mondal Abhoy Chand
Published: August 2023

On average, one woman loses her life to breast cancer every minute. On the other hand, there are currently an unprecedented number of grounds for optimism. Breast cancer patients have a greater surviving chance if they obtain an early diagnosis of the disease. In order to conduct a more accurate assessment of machine learning models, the purpose of this research is to make use of an innovative strategy that integrates artificial intelligence (AI) with a multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) process. The MCDM technique[1] that has been implemented incorporates the Preference AHP technique for Ranking Evaluations. The neural network model considered is the Bidirectional Recurrent Neural Network and for hyper-parameter tuning and optimization of the performance, Bayesian Optimization is considered. The proposed model consisting of BRNN and BES is found to be the most advantageous model for the early identification of breast cancer. It was able to provide a performance accuracy of 99.5%
Empathic Resonance and Discretion in Public Administration: Interplay of Mental Health and Artificial Intelligence among Street-Level Bureaucrats
Authors: Salah Mohammed , Alhalbusi Hussam , Alshallaqi Mohammad , Abdelfattah Fadi
Published: August 2023

This article investigates the influence of a novel construct, Empathic Resonance and its three dimensions—helping behavior, empathic concern, and perspective-taking—on street-level bureaucrats’ discretion. Mental health factors’ effect on bureaucrats’ behavior during implementation and enforcement through the moderating role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) perception were also examined. Approximately 1,214 bureaucrats were surveyed about various aspects of Empathic Resonance, including its dimensions, discretion, mental health, and AI perception. Empathic Resonance, characterized by the ability to understand, assist, and maintain positive relationships with clients, and regulate and comprehend one’s own emotions and those of others, significantly impacted discretion, and mental health among street-level bureaucrats. Analyses included the contributions of helping behavior, empathic concern, and perspective-taking to Empathic Resonance, and showed that certain mental health factors, including depression, anxiety, and stress, negatively influenced bureaucrats’ discretion; this relationship was intensified by their views regarding AI. These findings highlight the importance of Empathic Resonance, its dimensions, mental health, and AI perception in understanding and enhancing discretion among street-level bureaucrats and emphasize the need for further research.
Shock Wave at the Rear Surface of Reinforced Concrete Panel - A Numerical Investigation
Authors: Nguyen Xuan Bang , Mai Viet Chinh
Published: August 2023

The utilization of sacrificial walls for safeguarding human life and critical structures presents a captivating subject within the realm of blast resistance design. Sacrificial layers can be strategically positioned in front of structures requiring protection, aiming to absorb the energy generated by blasts and consequently mitigate the impact of shock waves on non-sacrificial structures. The efficiency of shock wave reduction stands as a pivotal criterion in the formulation of such protective barriers. This simulation-based study investigates the characteristics of shock waves behind protective barriers. Numerical models are constructed using the Abaqus Explicit platform, employing the Coupled Eulerian-Lagrangian (CEL) concept to simulate wave propagation within the air medium. The analysis outcomes shed light on the impact of factors such as concrete strength, panel dimensions, and others, on the peak magnitude of shock waves at the rear surface of the sacrificial wall.
Occupational Stress and Coping Strategies in Chinese Medical Research Graduate Students: An Investigation into the Origins of Stress and Recommendations for Effective Mitigation
Authors: Jiang Weiwei , Gong Zhenye , Xu En , Hu Weiguo , Jin Haijiao , Li Xiaoyang
Published: August 2023

Background
Medical research graduate students face considerable stress that can adversely impact their wellbeing and performance. A comprehensive understanding of stress sources, effects and coping methods is needed to create a supportive academic environment. This study investigated the multidimensional stress landscape among medical research graduate students.
Methods
A mixed-methods approach combining an online survey (N = 186) and semi-structured interviews was utilized to examine stress experiences among graduate students at two hospitals in Shanghai. Quantitative data was analyzed using descriptive statistics, comparative analysis and correlation methods. Qualitative data was thematically analyzed.
Results
High stress levels were reported, especially regarding research workload (mean 3.74/5) and publishing demands (mean 3.92/5). Key stressors were academic requirements, career uncertainty and work-life imbalance. Females exhibited more work-life and relationship stress. Doctoral students showed greater publishing stress. Coping strategies varied by demographics; females and older students preferred counseling while males used physical activities more.
Conclusions
The complex interplay of stress sources, impacts and coping methods with demographic factors emphasizes the need for tailored interventions to support graduate students. A multidimensional approach is recommended to address this significant issue. Findings provide insights to foster graduate student wellbeing and growth.