bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Impact of Feeding Vitamin D3 Encapsulated by Sulfur-Saturated Bovine Lactoferrin-Alginate Complex Coacervates Using Microbial Transglutaminase on the Immune Response of Late-Lactating Dairy Goats
Authors: Mora-Gutierrez Adela , Nuñez de González Maryuri T , Woldesenbet Selamawit , Attaie Rahmat , Jung Yoonsung
Published: April 2024

Mastitis-causing bacteria can establish persistent infections in the mammary gland of commercially important dairy animals despite the presence of strong specific humoral and cellular immune mechanisms. The aim of this study was to encapsulate vitamin D3 by complex coacervation with sulfur-saturated bovine lactoferrin-alginate using microbial transglutaminase-catalyzed crosslinking and investigate the oral administration of encapsulated vitamin D3 in blood serum biomarkers of the immune response in late-lactating dairy goats. Dairy goats (n = 18) in late lactation were randomly assigned to three experimental groups (n = 6), after balancing weight. Dairy goats were orally administered with 0.35 mg vitamin D3/day in the unencapsulated form and 0.35 mg vitamin D3/day in the encapsulated powder form. Another group received the basal diet. The experimental period lasted 6 weeks. The blood serum concentrations of 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 [25-(OH)-D3], lactoferrin, immunoglobulin A (IgA), and interferon-gamma (INF-γ) were measured. The delivery of vitamin D3 to dairy goats resulted in a marked increase of 25-(OH)-D3 concentration in serum while the serum level of lactoferrin also increased. Alternatively, the serum levels of IgA and the immunomodulatory cytokine INF-γ were elevated following supplementation with the encapsulated vitamin D3. Overall, the capsules in the powder form used in this study kept vitamin D3 highly bioavailable.
Pulmonary Vascular Responses to Chronic Intermittent Hypoxia in a Guinea Pig Model of Obstructive Sleep Apnea
Authors: Olea Elena , Valverde-Perez Esther , Docio Inmaculada , Prieto-Lloret Jesus , Aaronson Philip Irving , Rocher Asuncion
Published: April 2024

Experimental evidence suggests that chronic intermittent hypoxia (CIH), a major hallmark of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), boosts carotid body (CB) responsiveness, thereby causing in-creased sympathetic activity, arterial and pulmonary hypertension, and cardiovascular disease. An enhanced circulatory chemoreflex, oxidative stress, and NO signaling appear to play im-portant roles in these responses to CIH in rodents. Since the guinea pig has a hypofunctional CB (i.e., it is a natural CB knockout), in this study we used it as a model to investigate the CB de-pendence of the effects of CIH on pulmonary vascular responses, including those mediated by NO, by comparing them with those previously described in the rat. We have analyzed pulmonary artery pressure (PAP), the hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction (HPV) response, endothelial function both in vivo and in vitro, and vascular remodeling (intima-media thickness, collagen fiber content, and vessel lumen area). We demonstrate that 30 days of exposure of guinea pigs to CIH (FiO2, 5% for 40 s, 30 cycles/h) induces pulmonary artery remodeling but does not alter en-dothelial function or the contractile response to phenylephrine in these arteries. In contrast, CIH exposure increased the systemic arterial pressure, and enhanced the contractile response to phenylephrine while decreasing endothelium-dependent vasorelaxation to carbachol in the aorta, without causing its remodeling. We conclude that since all of these effects are independent of CB sensitization, there must be other oxygen sensors, beyond the CB, with the capacity to alter the autonomic control of the heart and vascular function and structure in CIH.
Robust Wideband Interference Suppression Method for GNSS Array Antenna Receiver via Hybrid Beamforming Technique
Authors: Xu Zhenxing , Dong Qijia , Li Shenyang , Yue Fuzhan , Wang Meng , Xia Zhenghuan , Chen Xiao , Zhang Shuangna , Zou Guoji , Wang Huizheng
Published: April 2024

Global navigation satellite system (GNSS) array antenna receivers are widely used to suppress wideband interference in navigation countermeasures. However, existing array antenna receivers all adopt digital array structure and digital beamforming technique, and it has limited analog-front-end (AFE) dynamic range. In strong interference scenarios, AFE saturation will occur, which limits the maximum interference suppression ability of the array receiver. Aiming at this issue, this paper proposes a robust wideband interference suppression method for GNSS array antenna receivers based on hybrid beamforming technique. Firstly, a novel fully connected hybrid array receiver structure is proposed; Secondly, the corresponding hybrid beamforming method is proposed at the same time, and it realizes the complete elimination of strong interference by jointly suppression in analog domain and digital domain. After mathematical simulation experiments, it is verified that compared to the digital beamforming-based anti-jamming technique, the proposed method can effectively suppress strong wideband interference, and the maximum interference suppression ability is improved by 36 dB.
The Prevalence and Risk Factors of Low Bone Mineral Density in the Population of the Abay Region of Kazakhstan
Authors: Madiyeva Madina , Rymbaeva Tamara , Kaskabayeva Alida , Bersimbekova Gulzhan , Kanapiyanova Gulnur , Prilutskaya Marya , Akhmetzhanova Dinara , Alimbaeva Aliya , Omarov Nazarbek
Published: April 2024

Osteoporosis is considered a serious public health problem, particularly affecting the postmenopausal period. In 2018, in the Republic of Kazakhstan the total and primary incidence was 10 and 3.7 cases per 100,000 adults, respectively. The objective is to study osteoporosis prevalence and indicate main factors affecting low bone mineral density by screening adult population of Abay region, Kazakhstan. The target group were 641 respondents aged between 18 and 65 years old, Kazakh population living in Abay region since birth. All participants filled out questionnaire and had a bone mineral density measurement by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) between July 15, 2023 and February 29, 2024. Logistic regression analysis was conducted to assess the association between low bone mineral density and key demographic characteristics, aforementioned lifestyle factors and nutrition habits. We identified the prevalence of low bone density and osteoporosis at the level of 34.1% with the highest prevalence in the older population group (50+ years) - 48.3%. Regression analysis revealed a number of indicators associated with the likelihood of bone sparing. However, only 4 of these showed significance in the final multivariate model (R2=22.4%). These included age (AOR 1.05), body mass index (AOR 0.92), fracture history (AOR 1.64), consumption of nuts and dried fruits were associated with lower prevalence of osteoporosis (AOR 0.48). Our study was the first in Kazakhstan that investigates the association of key demographic, behavior and anamnestic factors with low mineral density.
Unveiling Fungi Armor: Fortifying Pisum sativum L. Seeds against Drought with Schizophyllum commune Fries 1815. Polysaccharides
Authors: Mišković Jovana , Tamindžić Gordana , Rašeta Milena , Ignjatov Maja , Krsmanović Nenad , Karaman Maja
Published: April 2024

Amidst worsening climate change, drought stress imperils global agriculture, jeopardizing crop yields and food security, necessitating urgent exploration of sustainable methods like biopriming, harnessing beneficial microorganisms to bolster plant resilience. Recent research has revealed diverse biological compounds with versatile applications produced by Schizophyllum commune, rendering this fungus as a promising contender for biopriming applications. For the first time this study aimed to investigate,the potential of S. commune exo- (EPSH) and intra-PSH (IPSH), isolated from two strains: Italian (ITA) and Serbian (SRB) under submerged cultivation, in enhancing the resilience of Pisum sativum L. seeds through biopriming technique. Testing of seed quality of bioprimed, hydroprimed, and unprimed seeds was done using a germination test, under optimal and drought conditions. In optimal conditions, the IPSH SRB increased germination energy by 5.50% compared to the control, while the highest percentage of germination (94.70%) was shown after biopriming with PSH isolated from the ITA strain. Additionally, all assessed treatments resulted in a boost in seedling growth and biomass accumulation, where the ITA strain demonstrated greater effectiveness in optimal conditions, whereas the SRB strain showed superiority in drought conditions. The drought tolerance indices increased significantly in response to all examined treatments during the drought, with EPSH ITA (23.00%) and EPSH SRB (24.00%) demonstrating the greatest effects. Results demonstrate a significant positive influence of fungal PSH, indicating their potential as biopriming agents and offers insights into novel strategies for agricultural resilience in the face of changing environmental conditions.
The Influence of Nano-emulsion Derived from Neem Oil on Nematode Infestation and Soil Microbial Activity
Authors: Alnemari Ashwaq M. , Mustafa N. S. , El-Dahshouri Mohamad F. , Noweer E. M. A , Matter Ibrahim A. , Elkelany U. S. , Shaarawy H. H. , Hassoub M. A. , Selim Rasha E. , Zuhair Raghda M.
Published: April 2024

.Various synthetic nematicides are currently used effectively in the control of plant parasitic nematodes. However, these nematicides have adverse effects on humans and the environment. Neem oil is eco-friendly alternatives to synthetic nematicides. The effectiveness of repeated neem oil application in suppressing the root-knot nematodes infestation in figs seedlings was therefore examined in this study, both in its natural form (10 ml/L) and in its nano-emulsion form (5 and 7 ml/L). The recorded reduction parameters of M. incognita were J2/250g soil, galls and egg masses / 5g roots of infected fig seedlings were measured at that time, and the effects of these natural additives were compared with the Fosthiazate (Krenkel 75%EC). The impact of such soil amendments on some typical plant parameters, the total microbial count of soil, and the overall enzymatic activity of the fig rhizosphere were also included. Obtained results revealed that the soil population density of root knot nematode suppressed by 80.3% , reduction of nematode egg masses (60.4%) due to the application of nano-emulsion of neem oil (at 7ml/L). Present work recommend the use of nano-emulsion of neem oil as one of the effective and eco-friendly means to reduce the root- knot nematode on fig .
Adult human brain tissue cultures to study neuroHIV
Authors: Van Duyne Rachel , Irollo Elena , Lin Angel , Johnson James A. , Guillem Alain M. , O’Brien Erick V. , Merja Laura , Nash Bradley , Jackson Joshua G. , Sarkar Atom , Klase Zachary A. , Meucci Olimpia
Published: April 2024

HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND) persist under antiretroviral therapy as a complex pathology that has been difficult to study in cellular and animal models. Therefore, we generated an ex vivo human brain slice model of HIV-1 infection from surgically resected adult brain tissue. Brain slice cultures processed for flow cytometry showed >90% viability of dissoci-ated cells within the first three weeks in vitro, with parallel detection of astrocyte, myeloid, and neuronal populations. Neurons within brain slices showed stable dendritic spine density and mature spine morphologies in the first weeks in culture, and they generated detectable activity in multi-electrode arrays. We infected cultured brain slices using patient-matched CD4+ T-cells or monocyte-derived macrophages (MDMs) that were exposed to a GFP-expressing R5-tropic HIV-1 in vitro. Infected slice cultures expressed viral RNA and developed a spreading infection up to 9-days post-infection, which were significantly decreased by antiretrovirals. We also detected infected myeloid cells and astrocytes within slices and observed minimal effect on cellular via-bility over time. Overall, this human-centered model offers a promising resource to study the cel-lular mechanisms contributing to HAND (including antiretroviral toxicity, substance use, and aging), infection of resident brain cells, and new neuroprotective therapeutics.
Bayesian Optimization for Digging Control of Wheel-Loader Using Robot Manipulator
Authors: Koyama Motoki , Muranaka Hiroaki , Ishikawa Masato , Takagi Yuki
Published: April 2024

Wheel loaders are construction machines that are mainly used for excavating and loading sedimented ground into dump trucks. The objects to be excavated range from large materials, such as blast rock and crushed stone, to small materials, such as gravel, slag, and coal ash. Therefore, the excavation operation of wheel loaders requires a high skill level to cope with various terrains and soil types. As worker numbers at quarry sites decline, developing highly automated technology to replace operators is crucial. In particular, the geometry of the ground to be excavated by the wheel loader changes with each excavation, so the control parameters must be adapted sequentially during automated excavation. In this study, we proposed an online learning method using Bayesian optimization to search for control parameters from multiple trials and modify them sequentially. In particular, we formulate a multi-objective optimization problem maximizing a weighted linear combination of the payload and workload as an objective function. To validate the proposed method, we constructed an environment in which repeated digging tests can be performed using a robot manipulator with a bucket attached. Through comparative tests between feed-forward control, in which the robot moves along a fixed trajectory independent of the digging reaction force, and off-line control, in which the robot modifies the digging trajectory in response to the digging reaction force, we compared the ability of these methods to cope with terrain volume that is different from that of the optimization trial.
Visual Presentation Interface to Reduce Effect of Machine Switching for Teleoperated Hydraulic Excavators
Authors: Nagai Masaki , Masunaga Junya , Ito Masaru , Raima Chiaki , Saiki Seiji , Yamazaki Yoichiro , Kurita Yuichi
Published: April 2024

In the future, a situation in which operators switch between different machine classes in teleoperated hydraulic excavator is envisioned. In such a case, because the classes have different dynamic characteristics, the operator is expected to acquire an internal model for each class and switch models each time the operator switches between machines. However, in the case of teleoperated hydraulic excavator, the operator cannot obtain information such as the size and dynamic characteristics of the machine to be switched to; thus, the operator may not be able to switch internal models properly, which may affect the operation efficiency. Therefore, this study proposes a method in which images and videos are used to present the dynamic characteristics of the next machine to be operated during machine changeover in teleoperated hydraulic excavator. To verify the effectiveness of the proposed method, a simulator that imitates teleoperated hydraulic excavator was built and tested on test subjects. The swing operation time significantly increased when the machine was switched without presentation, compared with the case without switching. Meanwhile, the proposed method did not increase the swing operation time associated with machine switching, suggesting its effectiveness. The video presentation method was more effective than the image presentation method for suppressing the increase in swing operation time, indicating that the operator can immediately switch to an appropriate internal model with the presentation of the dynamic characteristics of the machine in advance using video.
Data Fusion for Sparse Semantic Localization Based on Object Detection
Authors: Uygur Irem , Miyagusuku Renato , Pathak Sarthak , Asama Hajime , Yamashita Atsushi
Published: April 2024

Semantic information has started to be used in localization methods to introduce a non-geometric distinction in the environment. However, efficient ways to integrate this information remain a question. We propose an approach for fusing data from different object classes by analyzing the posterior for each object class to improve robustness and accuracy for self-localization. Our system uses the bearing angle to the objects’ center and objects’ class names as sensor model input to localize the user on a 2D annotated map consisting of objects’ class names and center coordinates. Sensor model input is obtained by an object detector on equirectangular images of a 360° field of view camera. As object detection performance varies based on location and object class, different object classes generate different likelihoods. We account for this by using appropriate weights generated by a Gaussian process model trained by using our posterior analysis. Our approach follows a systematic way to fuse data from different object classes and use them as a likelihood function of a Monte Carlo localization (MCL) algorithm.
Development of Two-Finger Robot that Performs In-Hand Rotation Using Center of Pressure Information
Authors: Rizgi Aulia Khilmi , Kurata Ryohei , Takesue Naoyuki , Toso Yoshiyuki , Kawabata Shinichi , Tsunoda Akira , Suzuki Daichi
Published: April 2024

We developed a two-finger robot that can grasp, rotate in-hand, and place an uneven object. To improve the success rate of in-hand rotation, three pressure sensors were mounted on each finger to detect the center of pressure (CoP) on each finger. Two approaches, called object on-the-fly adjustment and re-grasp object movement (ROM), were proposed to use the obtained CoP information to adjust the position of each finger before performing in-hand rotation and were compared with a general in-hand rotation movement. Evaluation experiments were conducted on several objects, and the effectiveness of the proposed approaches was demonstrated with the highest success rate of 93% for ROM compared with 63% for general in-hand rotation.
An Admittance Controller with a Jerk Limiter for Position-Controlled Robots
Authors: Mae Ryusei , Kikuuwe Ryo
Published: April 2024

This paper proposes an admittance control scheme for robots equipped with joint-level position controllers involving deadtime. Its main feature is an elaborate discrete-time jerk limiter, which limits the third derivative of the position command sent to the controller. The jerk limiter is designed to suppress undesirable oscillation especially when the robot is in contact with a stiff environment. The controller is designed as a differential inclusion involving normal cones in the continuous-time domain, and its discrete-time algorithm is derived by the implicit Euler discretization. The presented controller was validated with experiments using a collaborative robot UR3e of Universal Robots, which has a deadtime of 6 ms in the velocity-command mode.
Анализ динамики эпидемического процесса COVID-19 в мире за неделю с 13.04.2024 г. по 19.04.2024 г.
Authors: Зимирова Анастасия , Поспелов Михаил , Иванова Александра , Дмитриева Людмила , Чумачкова Елена , Карнаухов Игорь , Щербакова Светлана , Кутырев Владимир
Published: April 2024

В обзоре представлен анализ эпидемиологической ситуации в странах мира по COVID-19 за неделю с 13.04.2024 г. по 19.04.2024 г.
PRESERVATIONAL ANALYSIS OF JURASSIC CLAM SHRIMPS FROM LA MATILDE FORMATION (PATAGONIA, ARGENTINA) BY LIBS AND RAMAN SPECTROSCOPIES
Authors: JIMÉNEZ VICTORIA CECILIA , MONFERRAN MATEO DANIEL , DÍAZ PACE DIEGO MARTIN , COPELLO GUILLERMO JAVIER , PELLERANO ROBERTO GERARDO , CABALERI NORA GRACIELA , GALLEGO OSCAR FLORENCIO
Published: April 2024

Preservation of arthropod cuticles is of paramount importance for taphonomic interpretations in which the fossil record of the chitin-protein complex is considered a key molecular signature of the group studied. In this work, different specimens of clam shrimps and their surrounding sedimentary matrix recovered from four localities of the La Matilde Formation (Patagonia, Argentina) were chemically analyzed for the first time by Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) and RAMAN spectroscopic techniques. The spectral data recorded from the fossils were processed and analyzed through multivariate statistics, including Principal Component Analysis (PCA), Nonmetric Multidimensional Scaling (NMDS), and Analysis of Similarities (ANOSIM). The correlation between the different colorations featured by the specimens and the atomic chemical composition of their carapaces was systematically investigated to gain a better understanding of the fossilization processes together with more detailed interpretations. We found that the carapaces featuring a yellow-brown color exhibited a similar chemical profile with iron predominance, while those with the same color as the sedimentary matrix presented a distinctive composition. Considering the volcanic influence to which the different localities studied and carapaces were exposed, we propose that the clam shrimps from the four localities were preserved in at least three ways, namely, (1) pyritization; (2) admixed preservation; and (3) impression, each with distinctive characteristics of the taphonomic processes involved. Overall, results obtained provide useful information to achieve a more comprehensive knowledge about the taphonomy of fossils in a Jurassic lacustrine paleo-environment, as the La Matilde Formation.
Research of the influence of technological parameters of thermal diffusion zincaming in the Znотх–Al2O3 system on the properties and microstructure of the coating
Authors: Urbanovich N. I. , Baranovsky K. E. , Dashkevich V. G. , Zhumaev A. A.
Published: April 2024

This article presents the findings of research on the impact of thermal diffusion galvanizing duration and the particle size of zinc dust waste in the galvanizing mixture on the properties and structure of the zinc coating. The study focuses on coating characteristics, such as microstructure and particle distribution.
Calibration of the Composition of Low-Alloy Steels by the Interval Partial Least Squares Using Low-Resolution Emission Spectra with Baseline Correction
Authors: Belkov M. V. , Catsalap K. Y. , Khodasevich M. A. , Korolko D. A. , Aseev A. V.
Published: April 2024

Express determination of the elemental composition of steels and iron-based alloys is an urgent problem. Laser induced breakdown spectroscopy can be applied for its decision. The disadvantage of single- and multivariate modeling the elemental composition of steels is the semi-quantitative accuracy of the models. The aim of the study was developing quantitative multivariate calibrations of the concentrations of a set of chemical elements sufficient to identify low-alloy steels using low-resolution emission spectra. The multivariate partial least squares method was used to create the calibrations. Reducing the effect of redundancy of wideband emission spectra on the results of quantitative analysis was achieved by searching combination moving window containing one spectral variable more than the optimal number of latent variables for the wideband multivariate model. Further improvement of calibration accuracy was achieved by using the adaptive iteratively reweighted penalized least squares algorithm for spectrum baseline correction. Based on the laser emission spectra of 65 reference samples of low-alloy steels registered in the wavelength range 172–507 nm with a spectral resolution of 0.5 nm and a step of 0.1 nm, the following calibration models were developed: for carbon concentration with a root mean square error 0.059 % in the range ≤ 0.8 %, for manganese – 0.02 % and 2.0 %, respectively, chromium – 0.009 % and 1.0 %, silicon – 0.021 % and 1.2 %, nickel – 0.04 % and 0.8 %, copper – 0.019 % and 0.5 %, vanadium and titanium – 0.005 % without range limitation. The obtained multivariate models are quantitative for eight elements. These models give the possibility to identify the grade of low-alloy steels in an express manner at the stages of production or recycling.
Study of Influence of Product Range on Production Capacity Indicators of Precast Construction Plants
Authors: Gurinovich V. Yu
Published: April 2024

The paper presents the results of research of the influence of product range parameters on the indicators of development of the design capacities of precast construction plants. The quantity and concrete consumption of products in terms of  1 m2 of total area,  as well as the circulation of products,  have been taken as the analyzed parameters of product range.  It is noted that calculations of production capacity and basic technical and economic indicators of production at the stage of technological design are based on the product range of a typical block section of a house series. At the same time, architectural individuality, flexibility of planning and design solutions of prefabricated houses buildings in industrial design require a variety of modifications of block sections, which is inextricably linked with the growth of the range of manufactured products. Expansion of the range of products for modifications of block sections in the production program of plants is an objective regularity that should be taken into account in the technological design of new or reconstruction of  existing precast constructions plants and planning production programs for housing construction. Significant fluctuations in the parameters of the product range in the production programs of plants have been recorded. A regression analysis of the parameters of the range products of production programs of precast construction plants  has been carried out. The dependence of product range on the share of dotted houses in housing construction programs has been established. The main parameters of houses determining fluctuations in the range of products have been identified, which include the number of storeys and the number of sections in the house configuration. Taking into account the fact of the significant influence of  the product range on the production capacity of plants, the dependence of the indicator of compliance of the concrete capacity of products with 1 m2 of total area on the production capacity indicators has been established. The reliability of the obtained mathematical models is confirmed by the results of statistical processing of research results and verification of models in calculations of the current production capacity of plants.
Road Safety Concept in the Republic of Belarus
Authors: Kapski D. V. , Bogdanovich S. V. , Kot E. N. , Khmelnitskaya L. V.
Published: April 2024

The general trend of accident rate reduction, which has been observed in the Republic of Belarus since 2010, reversed in 2017–2018. Remaining within the framework of the country’s traditional engineering activities related to road maintenance is unlikely to  significantly improve road safety. A transition to qualitatively new practices and mechanisms for ensuring road safety is required. In order to implement this transition, a second Road Safety Concept has been developed. The Concept is based on the Safe System approach, which offers the implementation of measures in four areas: improving road infrastructure safety, increasing vehicle safety, ensuring safe speeds, and training safe road users. The main threat to the implementation of the Safe System approach in the Republic of Belarus is the fixation of stakeholders on their narrow corporate interests and the unwillingness to take into account  nation-wide road safety. The Concept mainly focuses on the “Safe Road Infrastructure” component. A transition to sustainable road safety and the introduction of a Forgiving Road approach are included in the Concept. The introduction of assessment of infrastructure projects impact on traffic safety, traffic safety audit and inspections, road traffic risk assessment, and elimination of accident hotspots are also specified. The introduction of road safety audit is considered an important milestone in the transition to the Forgiving Road approach. The development of Intelligent Transportation Systems is included for the same purpose. Despite the fact that the Concept sets reasonably realistic goals, there are certain concerns about the feasibility of their achievement. This is due to significant institutional problems, such as the lack of a single coordinating body and the complexity of interdepartmental interaction.
The incidence of acute exacerbation of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: wang yan , Ji Zile , Xu Baichuan , Li Suyun , Xie Yang
Published: April 2024

Background: Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a chronic interstitial lung disease with a high incidence of acute exacerbation and an increasing mortality rate. Currently, treatment methods and effects are limited. Therefore, we conducted a meta-analysis of the incidence of acute exacerbation in patients with IPF, hoping to provide reference for the prevention and management of IPF.
Methods: We systematically searched the PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library and Web of Science databases. From the creation of the database to the cohort study on April 3, 2023, we collected studies on the incidence of acute exacerbation of IPF patients, and used Stata software (version 16.0) for meta analysis. We used the Newcastle Ottawa Quality Assessment Scale (NOS) to assess the risk of bias for each study. We calculated the incidence of acute exacerbation in IPF patients and analyzed the risk and prognostic factors for acute exacerbation in IPF patients.
Results: A total of ten cohort studys on the incidence of AE-IPF were included, including 11855 IPF patients. The results showed that the incidence of acute exacerbation within one year was 9%; the incidence of acute exacerbation within 2 years is 13%; the incidence of acute exacerbation within 3 years is 19%; the incidence of acute exacerbation within 4 years is 11%. In addition, one study reported an acute exacerbation rate of 1.9% within 30 days. The incidence of acute exacerbation within ten years reported in one study was 9.8%. One study included a retrospective cohort study and a prospective cohort study. In this study, the prospective cohort study showed that the incidence of acute exacerbation within 3 years was 18.6%, similar to the results of the retrospective cohort study meta-analysis.
Conclusions: Our system evaluation and meta-analysis results show that the incidence of AE-IPF is relatively high. Therefore, sufficient attention should be paid to the research results, including the management and prevention of the disease, in order to reduce the risk of AE.
Systematic review registration: PROSPERO, identifier CRD42022341323.
WITHDRAWN: Optimization and characterization of biochar obtained from weedy biomass of Calotropis gigantea by vacuum pyrolysis
Authors: Poonia Poonam , Gaur Loveena , Panwar Narayan Lal
Published: April 2024

The full text of this preprint has been withdrawn by the authors due to author disagreement with the posting of the preprint. Therefore, the authors do not wish this work to be cited as a reference. Questions should be directed to the corresponding author.
Do Preventive Programmes Reduce the Need for New Sedation for the Treatment of Oral Pathology?
Authors: Ríos Inmaculada Gómez , Muñoz Clara Serna , Silva Amparo Pérez , Beneyto Yolanda Martínez , Ruiz Antonio José Ortiz
Published: April 2024

Objetives: To analyse the need for re-interventions under deep sedation to treat new oral pathology in a population of healthy children and SHCN who followed a prevention programme during follow-up and to study the influence of parental motivation and child collaboration on the need for re-interventions under deep sedation.
Material and methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out in a private clinic in Cartagena (Murcia, Spain), with patients treated under deep sedation from 2006 to 2018, both years included, following the Strobe statement.
Results: In this study with 230 patients, 63.05% were referred for deep sedation due to inadequate behavior management in the dental chair. Most patients were between 4 and 9 years old. High rates of dental caries and pulpal pathology were observed, with 47.40% of patients being healthy and 52.60% having special needs. Parental cooperation and participation in preventive programs reduced the need for additional sedation, especially in "cooperative" children, highlighting significant improvements in their awake dental treatment.
Conclusions: Prevention programmes, including motivational interviewing, are essential to improve children's behaviour in the dental chair and reduce the need for re-interventions under general anaesthesia or deep sedation.
Clinical Relevance: Although patients with special needs do require more sedation during their lifetime due to their inability to cooperate, these programmes are necessary for the maintenance of oral health status and for the early diagnosis of caries lesions.
Evidence of a cascading positive tipping point towards electric vehicles
Authors: Mercure Jean-Francois , Lam Aileen , Buxton Joshua , Boulton Chris , Lenton Timothy
Published: April 2024

Electric vehicles (EVs) can reduce road transport emissions and have recently seen rapid innovation, decline in cost and a rise in popularity.1–7 Past a tipping point where uptake becomes self-propelling, EVs could irreversibly replace internal combustion engine vehicles (ICEVs), as industry discontinues conventional production chains.8–10 Here we provide evidence that this tipping point likely lies within the next few years in lead markets of the EU and China, and potentially the US, which could spill out into peripheral vehicle markets across the rest of the world. We use a comprehensive dataset over the composition of car sales between 2016 and 2022, tracking 2452 models in 33 countries. The historical evidence shows a sudden decline in conventional vehicle sales starting in 2019 concurrent to a rapid rise in sales of EVs. Critically, the variance and lag-1 autocorrelation of fluctuations in ICEV sales have increased, indicating a loss of resilience of the incumbent technology consistent with the approach to a tipping point. Activating tipping points does not necessarily achieve a sufficiently rapid transition to meet emissions targets. We use simulations of technology evolution to identify timescales for cost-parity and policy frameworks that could accelerate the transition to largely eliminate ICEVs before 2050.
WITHDRAWN: Optimizing Agricultural Sustainability: A Comparative Analysis of Crop Plans through Goal Programming and R Programming
Authors: Polasi Sridevi , Shalini K
Published: April 2024

The full text of this preprint has been withdrawn, as it was submitted in error. Therefore, the authors do not wish this work to be cited as a reference. Questions should be directed to the corresponding author.
The ammonite faunas of the upper Hypselocyclum to Divisum zones (Lower Kimmeridgian, Upper Jurassic) at Małogoszcz, Holy Cross Mts., central Poland: their stratigraphical interpretation and evolutionary development
Authors: Wierzbowski Andrzej
Published: April 2024

The transgressive succession of deposits of the late Early Kimmeridgian at Małogoszcz in the south-western margin of the Holy Cross Mts. in central Poland yielded diversified faunas of ammonites. The commonly represented Submediterranean ataxioceratid ammonites include the last members of Ataxioceras in the Hypselocyclum Zone and the assemblage of various Crussoliceras, Garnierisphinctes and Progeronia, mostly developed in the Divisum Zone, and associated upwards (Uhlandi Subzone) with aspidoceratids (Pseudhimalayites). A few typical Mediterranean ammonites (Nebrodites, Presimoceras, Idoceras, Taramelliceras) are indicative of the Herbichi Zone. The Subboreal ammonites include mostly Eurasenia, Involuticeras in addition to some Rasenia and Rasenioides of the uppermost Cymodoce Zone, corresponding to the Askepta Subzone. The changes in composition of ammonite faunas and comparison with the coeval faunas of other areas of Europe give indications on the evolutionary development of some Ataxiocertidae and Aulacostephanidae at the end of Early Kimmeridgian. The development of the Crussoliceras, Garnierisphinctes and Progeronia, having possibly their roots in the Mediterranean areas, was strictly correlated with the overall transgression and oscillations of sea-level controlled possibly by climatic eccentricity cycles in northern Tethyan shelf. This resulted also in decline of older Ataxioceras and its nearby allies. The indigenous lineage of Aulacostephanidae includes the transition from Eurasenia to Pararasenia. The development from Rasenioides to Aulacostephanoides occurred mostly in the Subboreal areas – although some late representatives of Rasenioides like R. moeschi reached the area of study. The existence of an independent lineage leading from Rasenia involuta to heavily-ribbed Aulacostephanoides/Aulacostephanus is also suggested.
High prevalence of multidrug resistant and extended-spectrum β-lactamase-producing Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae isolated from urinary tract infections in West region, Cameroon.
Authors: Bayaba Solomon , Founou Raspail Carrel , Tchouangueu Flaurant Thibau , Dimani Brice Davy , Mafo Lethicia Danaëlle , Nkengkana Omer Aurelle , Founou Luria Leslie , Noubom Michel
Published: April 2024

Background Antimicrobial resistance remains a worldwide health problem with serious societal and economical repercussions. Multidrug resistant and Extended-Spectrum β-Lactamase producing-Enterobacterales (ESBL-E) are pathogens of critical public health priority that urgently require the research and development of new drugs. This study aims to determine the prevalence and assess the genes conferring resistance to β-lactams among Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae isolated from patients with urinary tract infections (UTIs) in the West region, Cameroon.Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted among two healthcare facilities during a four-month period from February to May, 2023. All mid-stream urine samples were collected from UTIs patients. The Escherichia coli and K. pneumoniae strains were identified using Enterosystem 18R kit following the manufacturer instructions. The antimicrobial susceptibility test (AST) was performed using the Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion method. The screening of ESBL production was done using ESBL ChromAgar medium combined with the double-disk synergy test (DDT). Antimicrobial resistance genes were detected using polymerase chain methods. The data analysis was performed using Excel 2016 and IBM SPSS version 20.Results A total of 215 urine samples were collected and analyzed during the study period. A 31.62% (68/215) prevalence of Enterobacterales was detected with prevalence of 79.41% (54/68) and 14.70% (10/68) for Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae respectively. The overall prevalence of ESBL-Enterobacterales was 64.70% (44/68). About 82% (36/44) of isolates were MDR and high antimicrobial resistance was observed for amoxicillin + clavulanic acid and ceftazidime. The resistance genes detected were blaCTX−M, blaTEM, tet(B) and tet(A), respectively.Conclusion The findings of this study highlight the high burden of MDR and ESBL-E. coli and K. pneumoniae isolates from UTIs. The study emphasizes the necessity of routine screening and monitoring of antimicrobial resistance in healthcare facilities and community settings. It is critical to implement antimicrobial stewardship programs in the country and infection prevention and control (IPC) measures in hospital settings.
Mathematical modeling of the progression of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy in San Diego in an era of allele specific oligonucleotide therapy
Authors: Kingsmore Stephen , Baun Dominic , Tobin Laura , Nguyen Hung , Arenchild Madison , Juarez Edwin , kiernan elizabeth , Lesser Daniel , Wong Emily , Prilutsky Daria , Zach Neta , Han Steve , Diogo Dorothee , Szalma Sandor , Laverty Chamindra
Published: April 2024

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a relatively common, severe, progressive, X-linked muscle disorder caused by pathogenic variation in the dystrophin gene. Affected status can be determined at birth, 3-5 years before symptom onset. As effective corticosteroid and genetic therapies are becoming available for DMD, predictive models of DMD progression are needed to guide individualized care of patients and clinical trials of new treatments. We developed a multivariable, dynamical model of DMD progression, as measured by percent of predicted FVC (FVC%), through a longitudinal natural history study of 113 boys from a single center in San Diego County between 2008 – 2023. A mixed effect linear regression model of FVC% had marginal and conditional r2 values of 0.54 and y of 0.83 with five factors (Hispanic ethnicity, B= -10.0, 95% CI -16.2 to -3.89, p=.002; age at symptom onset, B= -2.4, 95% CI -3.6 to -1.3; p<.001; DMD exon 44 skip amenability, B= 13.14, 95% CI 4.0 to 22.31, p=.007; steroid therapy start <10 years, B=24.9, 95% CI 16.0 to 33.9, p<.001; years from symptom onset, B= -2.5, 95% CI -2.9 to -2.2, p<.001). Race, age when first seen at a tertiary referral center, age at molecular diagnosis and treatment with allele specific oligonucleotides were not significantly associated with respiratory progression of DMD as measured by longitudinal predicted forced vital capacity. This model of DMD respiratory progression suggests that care be individualized by earlier or more intensive treatment in Hispanic patients and those with early onset of symptoms. Clinical trials of new treatments for DMD that use FVC% as a primary or secondary end-point may benefit from designs that account for potentially confounding effects of ethnicity, DMD genotype, concurrent use of corticosteroids, and earlier age of onset of symptoms.
Preoperative carbohydrate loading reduces length of hospital stay compared to fasting in patients undergoing major elective, non-cardiac surgery: A systematic Review and Meta- Analysis
Authors: Sebestyén Anna Réka , Szemere Ambrus , Virág Marcell , Ocskay Klementina , Dembrovszky Fanni , Engh Marie Anne , Szabó László , Turan Caner , Hegyi Péter , Molnár Zsolt
Published: April 2024

Introduction
Preoperative fasting is a worldwide routine even though the most recent Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) Guidelines recommend preoperative carbohydrate loading instead of fasting, but with low quality of evidence. Our aim was to compare the effects of preoperative carbohydrate loading to fasting and placebo in patients undergoing elective major non-cardiac surgery under general anaesthesia.
Methods
Our systematic search was conducted on 15th of October 2021 in five databases, Medline, Embase, Central, Web of Science and Scopus. We included randomized controlled trials that compared the carbohydrate loading (CHO-group) with fasting (Fasting-group) and with placebo (Placebo-group). Main outcomes were length of hospital stay (LOS), postoperative glucose levels on postoperative day 1 and 2, postoperative insulin levels on postoperative day 1, and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels on postoperative day 1.
Results
Our search revealed 55 eligible articles for the data extraction. LOS was almost two days shorter in the CHO-group as compared to the Fasting-group (MD: -1,71 [95% CI: -3.04, -0,38] days), but there was no significant result when compared to the Placebo-group (-0.01 [-0.16; 0.16]). There were no significant differences between the CHO-group and Fasting-group and CHO-group and Placebo-group regarding the postoperative glucose, insulin and CRP levels.
Conclusion
This meta-analysis found that preoperative CHO-loading as compared to preoperative fasting shortened the length of hospital stay in patients undergoing major elective, non-cardiac surgery. Although several details are still to be unveiled, these data provide further support that preoperative fluid intake with CHO-loading could be beneficial in this patient population.
Optimization study of single point incremental forming process of low carbon steel/CP-Titanium bimetallic sheets using grey relational analysis and response surface methodology
Authors: Abdelkader Wifak Ben , HMIDA RAMZI BEN , Sbayti Manel , Bahloul Riadh
Published: April 2024

Single-point incremental forming (SPIF) of bilayer sheets is an inventive manufacturing technique. The formability and deformation behavior of an incrementally formed composite sheet are not sufficiently explored. In this paper, the incremental forming of CP-titanium/low-carbon steel bimetallic sheets are studied both experimentally and numerically. The results demonstrated that the deformation mechanisms are different from the deformation behavior of a monolithic metal sheet. The inner layer is deformed according to the layer in contact with the numerically controlled punch. In addition, the study reveals that the layer arrangement strongly influences the process. The grey relational analysis (GRA) and the global approach based on response surface methodology (RSM) are used to optimize the process parameters, namely the total initial sheet thickness of all the considered layers, the wall-drawing angle, and the vertical step size. Hence, the forming force and the thinning of the sheet material are considered responses to the output model. The results are given for both modes of layer positioning, depending on the material layer in contact with the tool. Moreover, this investigation aims to identify the influence of the process parameters on the grey relational grade (GRG) response through the analysis of variance (ANOVA). Additionally, the optimal conditions for both layer stacking approaches, contributing to achieving the minimum values of both responses and corresponding to the highest grey relational grade, are determined using the proposed optimization methodology to improve bimetal sheet formability. Finally, it could be observed that the optimization results proved the appropriateness and reliability of the developed techniques.
Evaluation of core Biomarkers of Alzheimer’s disease in saliva and plasma measured by chemiluminescent enzyme immunoassays on a fully automated platform
Authors: Agnello Luisa , Giglio Rosaria Vincenza , Ben Fabio Del , Piccoli Tommaso , Colletti Tiziana , Scazzone Concetta , Sasso Bruna Lo , Ciaccio Anna Maria , Gambino Caterina Maria , Salemi Giuseppe , Ciaccio Marcello
Published: April 2024

Background. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) core biomarkers of Alzheimer’s disease (AD), including amyloid peptide beta-42 (Aβ42), Aβ42/40 ratio, and phosphorylated tau (pTau), are precious tools for diagnosing AD. However, their use in clinical practice is limited due to the invasiveness of CSF collection. Thus, there is intensive research to find alternative, noninvasive, and widely accessible biological matrices to measure AD core biomarkers. In this study, we measured AD core biomarkers in saliva and plasma by a fully automated platform. Methods. We enrolled all consecutive patients with cognitive decline. For each patient, we measured Aβ42, Aβ40, and pTau levels in CSF, saliva, and plasma by Lumipulse G1200 (Fujirebio). Results. We included forty-two patients, of whom 27 had AD. Levels of all biomarkers significantly differed in the three biofluids, with saliva having the lowest and CSF the highest levels of Aβ42, Aβ40, and pTau. A positive correlation of pTau and Aβ42/40 ratio levels in CSF and plasma was detected, while no correlation between any biomarker in CSF and saliva was found. Conclusions. Our findings suggest that plasma but not saliva could represent a surrogate biofluid for measuring core AD biomarkers. Specifically, plasma Aβ42/40 ratio and pTau could serve as surrogates of the corresponding CSF biomarkers.