bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Small- and medium-sized rice fields identification in hilly areas using all available sentinel-1/2 images
Authors: Wang Lihua , Ma Hao , Gao Yanghua , Chen Shengbo , Yang Songling , Lu Peng , Fan Li , Wang Yumiao
Published: February 2024

Background

Mastering the spatial distribution and planting area of paddy can provide a scientific basis for monitoring rice production, and planning grain production layout. Previous remote sensing studies on paddy concentrated in the plain areas with large-sized fields, ignored the fact that rice is also widely planted in vast hilly regions. In addition, the land cover types here are diverse, rice fields are characterized by a scattered and fragmented distribution with small- or medium-sized, which pose difficulties for high-precision rice recognition.

Methods

In the paper, we proposed a solution based on Sentinel-1 SAR, Sentinel-2 MSI, DEM, and rice calendar data to focus on the rice fields identification in hilly areas. This solution mainly included the construction of rice feature dataset at four crucial phenological periods, the generation of rice standard spectral curve, and the proposal of spectral similarity algorithm for rice identification.

Results

The solution, integrating topographical and rice phenological characteristics, manifested its effectiveness with overall accuracy exceeding 0.85. Comparing the results with UAV, it presented that rice fields with an area exceeding 400 m2(equivalent to 4 pixels) exhibited a recognition success rate of over 79%, which reached to 89% for fields exceeding 800 m2.

Conclusions

The study illustrated that the proposed solution, integrating topographical and rice phenological characteristics, has the capability for charting various rice field sizes with fragmented and dispersed distribution. It also revealed that the synergy of Sentinel-1 SAR and Sentinel-2 MSI data significantly enhanced the recognition ability of rice paddy fields ranging from 400 m2to 2000 m2.
Prediction of fruit characteristics of grafted plants of Camellia oleifera by deep neural networks
Authors: Yang Fan , Zhou Yuhuan , Du Jiayi , Wang Kailiang , Lv Leyan , Long Wei
Published: February 2024

Background

Camellia oleifera, an essential woody oil tree in China, propagates through grafting. However, in production, it has been found that the interaction between rootstocks and scions may affect fruit characteristics. Therefore, it is necessary to predict fruit characteristics after grafting to identify suitable rootstock types.

Methods

This study used Deep Neural Network (DNN) methods to analyze the impact of 106 6-year-old grafting combinations on the characteristics of C.oleifera, including fruit and seed characteristics, and fatty acids. The prediction of characteristics changes after grafting was explored to provide technical support for the cultivation and screening of specialized rootstocks. After determining the unsaturated fat acids, palmitoleic acid C16:1, cis-11 eicosenoic acid C20:1, oleic acid C18:1, linoleic acid C18:2, linolenic acid C18:3, kernel oil content, fruit height, fruit diameter, fresh fruit weight, pericarp thickness, fresh seed weight, and the number of fresh seeds, the DNN method was used to calculate and analyze the model. The model was screened using the comprehensive evaluation index of Mean Absolute Error (MAPE), determinate correlation R2 and and time consumption.

Results

When using 36 neurons in 3 hidden layers, the deep neural network model had a MAPE of less than or equal to 16.39% on the verification set and less than or equal to 13.40% on the test set. Compared with traditional machine learning methods such as support vector machines and random forests, the DNN method demonstrated more accurate predictions for fruit phenotypic characteristics, with MAPE improvement rates of 7.27 and 3.28 for the 12 characteristics on the test set and maximum R2 improvement values of 0.19 and 0.33. In conclusion, the DNN method developed in this study can effectively predict the oil content and fruit phenotypic characteristics of C. oleifera, providing a valuable tool for predicting the impact of grafting combinations on the fruit of C. oleifera.
The sucker-like end-to-side arterial anastomosis for free flap in extremities reconstruction: a retrospective study of 78 cases
Authors: Cheng Liangkun , Tan Yuzhong , Cui Liuchao , Zheng Yun , Qin Chenghe , Tian Lin
Published: February 2024

Background

The application of end-to-side (ETS) anastomosis for flap transfer poses challenges, particularly in cases of significant size discrepancy between the donor and flap arteries. Herein, a novel ETS anastomosis technique, termed “sucker-like ETS anastomosis”, is developed to mitigate and rectify such vessel discrepancies. This study aims to evaluate the efficacy of this technique in tissue defect reconstruction through free flap transfer.

Methods

Between September 2018 and March 2023, the medical records and follow-up data of 78 patients who underwent free flap transfer using sucker-like ETS anastomosis for significant artery size discrepancies were collected and retrospectively analyzed.

Results

Among the 78 cases that received free flap transfer, the range of artery size discrepancy (flap artery vs donor artery) was 1:1.6–1:4 (mean: 1:2.5). Following anastomosis with the sucker-like ETS technique, 75 cases achieved flap survival without requiring additional surgical intervention, yielding a one-stage success rate of 96.2%. Three cases experienced post-operative venous crises, with two cases surviving after vein exploration and one case undergoing flap necrosis, necessitating a secondary skin graft. Seven cases faced delayed wound healing but eventually achieved complete healing following dressing changes. No arterial crisis was observed during hospitalization. With an average follow-up of 13 months, the surviving flaps exhibited excellent vitality without flap necrosis or pigment deposition. Overall, the application of sucker-like ETS arterial anastomosis for flap transfer resulted in a high overall surgical success rate of 98.7% (77/78).

Conclusion

The application of sucker-like ETS anastomosis for free flap transfer is highly effective, particularly in cases with significant size discrepancy between the recipient and donor arteries.
A Y-incision to enlarge the aortic root for aortic valve stenosis with anomalous aortic origin of the right coronary artery
Authors: Yoshida Keisuke , Miura Yujiro , Fukunaga Yukiko , Mitsuishi Atsuyuki
Published: February 2024

Background

Anomalous aortic origin of the coronary artery (AAOCA) is a rare congenital heart disease. Therefore, optimal indications for surgery in patients with severe aortic valve stenosis (AS) complicated by AAOCA remain uncertain.

Case presentation

We report the case of a 57-year-old male patient who underwent aortic valve replacement (AVR) and aortic root enlargement using a Y-incision procedure for severe AS with an anomalous aortic origin of the right coronary artery (AAORCA). Since preoperative single-photon emission computed tomography revealed no ischaemic lesions, an aortic root enlargement with a Y-incision was performed to prevent the potential compression of the prosthetic valve on the AAOCA and prosthesis-patient mismatch.

Conclusions

Preoperative evaluation of the coronary anatomy and myocardial ischaemia using advanced imaging modalities and aortic root enlargement with the Y-incision procedure is an effective strategy for preventing ischaemic complications in cases of severe AS with AAORCA.
Endovascular repair with a physician-modified fenestrated endograft to treat abdominal aortic pseudoaneurysm with Behcet’s disease: a case report
Authors: Lian Wenzhuo , Song Xitao , Cui Liqiang , Zheng Yuehong , Liu Changwei , Ni Leng
Published: February 2024

Background

Aortic involvement in patients with Behcet’s disease (BD) is rare, but it is one of the most severe manifestations. Open surgical repair of aortic aneurysm is challenging considering the high risk of postoperative recurrent anastomotic pseudoaneurysms and is associated with a much higher mortality rate. Recently, endovascular treatment has proven to be a feasible, less invasive alternative to surgery for these patients.

Case presentation

We report a total endovascular repair of a paravisceral abdominal aortic pseudoaneurysm in a 25-year-old male patient with BD. The pseudoaneurysm was successfully excluded, and the blood supply of visceral arteries was preserved with a physician-modified three-fenestration endograft under 3D image fusion guidance. Immunosuppressive therapy was continued for 1 year postoperatively. At 18 months, the patient was asymptomatic without abdominal pain. Computed tomography angiography demonstrated the absence of pseudoaneurysm recurrence, good patency of visceral vessels.

Discussion and conclusions

Endovascular repair using physician-modified fenestrated endografts is a relatively safe and effective approach for treating paravisceral aortic pseudoaneurysm in BD patients. This technique enables the preservation of the visceral arteries and prevents aneurysm recurrence at the proximal and distal landing zones, which are common complications of open surgical repair in these patients. Furthermore, we emphasize the importance of adequate immunosuppressive therapy before and after surgical repair in BD patients, which is a major risk factor for recurrence and poor prognosis.
Association between HbA1c and deep sternal wound infection after coronary artery bypass: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Zhao Wenyu , Xie Jingui , Zheng Zhichao , Zhou Han , Ooi Oon Cheong , Luo Haidong
Published: February 2024

Background

Deep sternal wound infection (DSWI) constitutes a serious complication after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) surgery. The aim of this study is to evaluate the dose-response relationship between glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) level and the risk of DSWI after CABG.

Methods

PubMed, Scopus, and Cochrane Library databases were searched to identify potentially relevant articles. According to rigorous inclusion and exclusion criteria, fourteen studies including 15,570 patients were enrolled in our meta-analysis. Odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) was used as the summary statistic. The robust-error meta-regression model was used to synthesize the dose-response relationship.

Results

Our meta-analysis shows that among patients undergoing CABG, preoperative elevated HbA1c was associated with the risk of developing DSWI (OR = 2.67, 95% CI 2.00–3.58) but with low prognostic accuracy (diagnostic OR = 2.70, 95% CI 1.96–3.73; area under the curve = 0.66, 95% CI 0.62–0.70) for predicting postoperative DSWI. Subgroup analyses showed the relationship became nonsignificant in patients without diabetes and studies adopting lower HbA1c thresholds. Dose-response analysis showed a significant nonlinear (p = 0.03) relationship between HbA1c and DSWI, with a significantly increased risk of DSWI when HbA1c was > 5.7%.

Conclusions

An elevated HbA1c level of > 5.7% was related to a higher risk of developing DSWI after CABG, and the risk increased as the HbA1c level grew. The association between HbA1c and DSWI was nonsignificant among nondiabetic patients while significant among diabetic patients.
Selective aneurysmal sac neck-targeted embolization during endovascular repair of abdominal aortic aneurysm with hostile neck anatomy
Authors: Zhang Lifeng , Tang Yongjiang , Wang Jiantao , Liu Xianjun , Liu Yang , Zeng Wei , He Chunshui
Published: February 2024

Purpose

To evaluate the efficacy and safety of selective aneurysmal sac neck-targeted embolization in endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) in patients with a hostile neck anatomy (HNA).

Materials and methods

Between October 2020 and June 2022, patients with an abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) and HNA who underwent EVAR with a low-profile stent graft and a selective aneurysmal sac neck-targeted embolization technique were analysed. An HNA was defined by the presence of any of the following parameters: infrarenal neck angulation > 60°; neck length < 15 mm; conical neck; circumferential calcification ≥ 50%; or thrombus ≥ 50%. Before occluding the entire aneurysm during the procedure, a buddy wire was loaded prophylactically into the sac through the contralateral limb side. If a type Ia endoleak (ELIa) occurred and persisted despite adjunctive treatment such as balloon moulding or cuff extension, this preloaded wire could be utilized to enable a catheter to reach the space between the stent graft and sac neck to perform coil embolization. In the absence of ELIa, the wire was simply retracted. The primary outcome of this study was freedom from sac expansion and endoleak-related reintervention during the follow-up period; secondary outcomes included technical success and intraoperative and in-hospital postoperative complications.

Results

Among the 28 patients with a hostile neck morphology, 11 (39.5%) who presented with ELIa underwent intraprocedural treatment involving sac neck-targeted detachable coil embolization. Seventeen individuals (60.7%) of the total patient population did not undergo coiling. All patients in the coiling group underwent balloon moulding, and 2 patients additionally underwent cuff extension. In the noncoiling group, 14 individuals underwent balloon moulding as a treatment for ELIa, while 3 patients did not exhibit ELIa during the procedure. The coiling group showed longer operating durations (81.27 ± 11.61 vs. 70.71 ± 7.17 min, P < 0.01) and greater contrast utilization than the noncoiling group (177.45 ± 52.41 vs. 108.24 ± 17.49 ml, P < 0.01). In the entire cohort, the technical success rate was 100%, and there were no procedure-related complications. At a mean follow-up of 18.6 ± 5.2 months (range 12–31), there were no cases of sac expansion (19 cases of sac regression, 67.86%; 9 cases of stability, 32.14%) or endoleak-related reintervention.

Conclusions

Selective aneurysmal sac neck-targeted embolization for the treatment of ELIa in AAA patients with an HNA undergoing EVAR is safe and may prevent type Ia endoleak and related sac expansion after EVAR.
Identification and expression analysis of expansin gene family in Salvia miltiorrhiza
Authors: Li Yunyun , Li Bin , Pang Qiyue , Lou Yaoyu , Wang Donghao , Wang Zhezhi
Published: February 2024

Background

Expansins (EXP) are important enzymes that are involved in the extension of plant cells and regulation of root configurations, which play important roles in resisting various stresses. As a model medicinal plant, Salvia miltiorrhiza is well recognized for treating coronary heart disease, myocardial infection, and other cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases; however, the SmEXP gene family has not yet been analyzed.

Methods

The SmEXP family was systematically analyzed using bioinformatics. Quantitative real-time PCR was employed to analyze the tissue expression patterns of the SmEXP family, as well as its expression under abscisic acid (ABA) treatment and abiotic stress. Subcellular localization assay revealed the localization of SmEXLA1, SmEXLB1, and SmEXPA2.

Results

This study identified 29 SmEXP that belonged to four different subfamilies. SmEXP promoter analysis suggested that it may be involved in the growth, development, and stress adaptation of S. miltiorrhiza. An analysis of the expression patterns of SmEXP revealed that ABA, Cu2+, and NaCl had regulatory effects on its expression. A subcellular localization assay showed that SmEXLA1 and SmEXLB1 were located on the nucleus and cell membrane, while SmEXPA2 was located on the cell wall.

Conclusion

For this study, the SmEXP family was systematically analyzed for the first time, which lays a foundation for further elucidating its physiological and biological functionality.
Real-world outcomes of mepolizumab for the treatment of severe eosinophilic asthma in Canada: an observational study
Authors: Chapman Kenneth R. , Cogger Kathryn , Arthurs Erin , LaForty Callahan , Golden Shane , Millson Bradley , Usuba Koyo , Licskai Christopher
Published: February 2024

Background

Mepolizumab, the first widely available anti-interleukin 5 biologic, targets eosinophilic inflammation and has been shown in clinical trials to reduce exacerbations, oral corticosteroid dependence, and healthcare utilization in patients with severe asthma. The impact of mepolizumab in a real-world, publicly funded healthcare setting is unknown. The objective of this study was to describe the demographics and clinical characteristics of real-world patients receiving mepolizumab, and to compare asthma-related outcomes and associated asthma-related costs before and during mepolizumab use.

Methods

This retrospective, observational study in Ontario, Canada, included patients initiating mepolizumab between February 2016 and March 2019. Patients were identified using the mepolizumab patient support program and linked to the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences database of publicly accessed healthcare. Patient outcomes were obtained for 12 months pre- and post-mepolizumab initiation and compared.

Results

A total of 275 patients were enrolled in the overall patient support program cohort (mean [standard deviation] age 57.6 [13.5] years, mean [standard deviation] of the median per-patient eosinophil count 540.4 [491.9] cells/μL). Mepolizumab was associated with reductions in asthma exacerbations (46.1%, P < 0.001) and in the number of asthma-related visits to general practitioners (40.2%, P < 0.001), specialists (27.2%, P < 0.001), and emergency departments (52.1%, P < 0.001). Associated costs were significantly lower post- versus pre-mepolizumab for asthma-related general practitioner and specialist visits, and for all-cause emergency department visits and hospital admissions.

Conclusions

In a real-world population of Canadian patients with severe asthma with an eosinophilic phenotype, the use of mepolizumab within a patient support program reduced asthma exacerbations and decreased asthma-related healthcare resource utilization and associated costs.
Lumbar decompression and fusion for symptomatic spinal stenosis in a patient with chronic thoracic sensory level from prior transverse myelitis: a case report
Authors: Pesante Benjamin D. , Paro Mitch R. , Nadeem Tooba , Bulsara Ketan R. , Choi David B.
Published: February 2024

Background

Many patients with transverse myelitis suffer from sensory loss below the spinal level of the lesion. This is commonly associated with chronic neuropathic pain. However, the presence of somatic pain below a complete thoracic sensory level after transverse myelitis is exceptionally rare, and it is unclear if surgical decompression is an effective form of treatment for these patients.

Case presentation

In this report, we describe a 22-year-old Caucasian female who suffered from chronic lumbar back pain despite a complete thoracic sensory level secondary to prior transverse myelitis. Imaging demonstrated multilevel central stenosis below the sensory level, and her pain improved after surgical decompression. To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of symptomatic lumbar stenosis below a sensory level after transverse myelitis successfully treated with surgical decompression.

Conclusion

This is the first reported case of a patient with symptomatic lumbar stenosis after transverse myelitis whose lower back pain and quality of life improved following surgical decompression and fusion. This case provides evidence that typical lumbago is possible in patients with sensory loss from transverse myelitis, and standard lumbar decompression may provide benefit for these patients.
Tunable PhenoCycler imaging of the murine pre-clinical tumour microenvironments
Authors: Abraham Madelyn J. , Goncalves Christophe , McCallum Paige , Gupta Vrinda , Preston Samuel E. J. , Huang Fan , Chou Hsiang , Gagnon Natascha , Johnson Nathalie A. , Miller Wilson H. , Mann Koren K. , del Rincon Sonia V.
Published: February 2024

Background

The tumour microenvironment (TME) consists of tumour-supportive immune cells, endothelial cells, and fibroblasts. PhenoCycler, a high-plex single cell spatial biology imaging platform, is used to characterize the complexity of the TME. Researchers worldwide harvest and bank tissues from mouse models which are employed to model a plethora of human disease. With the explosion of interest in spatial biology, these panoplies of archival tissues provide a valuable resource to answer new questions. Here, we describe our protocols for developing tunable PhenoCycler multiplexed imaging panels and describe our open-source data analysis pipeline. Using these protocols, we used PhenoCycler to spatially resolve the TME of 8 routinely employed pre-clinical models of lymphoma, breast cancer, and melanoma preserved as FFPE.

Results

Our data reveal distinct TMEs in the different cancer models that were imaged and show that cell-cell contacts differ depending on the tumour type examined. For instance, we found that the immune infiltration in a murine model of melanoma is altered in cellular organization in melanomas that become resistant to αPD-1 therapy, with depletions in a number of cell-cell interactions.

Conclusions

This work presents a valuable resource study seamlessly adaptable to any field of research involving murine models. The methodology described allows researchers to address newly formed hypotheses using archival materials, bypassing the new to perform new mouse studies.
Impact of harm minimization interventions on reducing blood-borne infection transmission and some injecting behaviors among people who inject drugs: an overview and evidence gap mapping
Authors: Tonin Fernanda S. , Alves da Costa Filipa , Fernandez-Llimos Fernando
Published: February 2024

Background

This study aimed to synthetize the evidence on the effectiveness of harm minimization interventions on reducing blood-borne infection transmission and injecting behaviors among people who inject drugs (PWID) through a comprehensive overview of systematic reviews and evidence gap mapping.

Methods

A systematic review was conducted with searches in PubMed and Scopus to identify systematic reviews assessing the impact of interventions aimed at reducing the harms associated with injectable drug use. The overall characteristics of the studies were extracted and their methodological quality was assessed using AMSTAR-2. An evidence gap map was constructed, highlighting the most frequently reported outcomes by intervention (CRD42023387713).

Results

Thirty-three systematic reviews were included. Of these, 14 (42.2%) assessed the impact of needle/syringe exchange programs (NSEP) and 11 (33.3%) examined opioid agonist therapy (OAT). These interventions are likely to be associated with reductions of HIV/HCV incidence (10–40% risk reduction for NSEP; 50–60% for OAT) and sharing injecting paraphernalia (50% for NSEP, 25–85% for OAT), particularly when combined (moderate evidence). Behavioral/educational interventions were assessed in 12 reviews (36.4%) with most authors in favor/partially in favor of the use of these approaches (moderate evidence). Take-home naloxone programs and supervised-injection facilities were each assessed in two studies (6.1%), which reported inconclusive results (limited/inconsistent evidence). Most authors reported high levels of heterogeneity and risk of bias. Other interventions and outcomes were inadequately reported. Most systematic reviews presented low or critically low quality.

Conclusion

The evidence is sufficient to support the effectiveness of OAT, NSEP and their combination in reducing blood-borne infection transmission and certain injecting behaviors among PWID. However, evidence of other harm minimizations interventions in different settings and for some outcomes remain insufficient.
The value of bronchodilator response in FEV1 and FeNO for differentiating between chronic respiratory diseases: an observational study
Authors: Gong Zhaoqian , Huang Junwen , Xu Guiling , Chen Ying , Xu Maosheng , Ma Yanyan , Zhao Wenqu , Wang Yanhong , Liang Jianpeng , Ou Chunquan , Liu Laiyu , Cai Shaoxi , Zhao Haijin
Published: February 2024

Background

There is no uniform standard for a strongly positive bronchodilation test (BDT) result. In addition, the role of bronchodilator response in differentiating between asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and asthma–COPD overlap (ACO) in patients with a positive BDT result is unclear. We explored a simplified standard of a strongly positive BDT result and whether bronchodilator response combined with fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) can differentiate between asthma, COPD, and ACO in patients with a positive BDT result.

Methods

Three standards of a strongly positive BDT result, which were, respectively, defined as post-bronchodilator forced expiratory volume in 1-s responses (ΔFEV1) increasing by at least 400 mL + 15% (standard I), 400 mL (standard II), or 15% (standard III), were analyzed in asthma, COPD, and ACO patients with a positive BDT result. Receiver operating characteristic curves were used to determine the optimal values of ΔFEV1 and FeNO. Finally, the accuracy of prediction was verified by a validation study.

Results

The rates of a strongly positive BDT result and the characteristics between standards I and II were consistent; however, those for standard III was different. ΔFEV1 ≥ 345 mL could predict ACO diagnosis in COPD patients with a positive BDT result (area under the curve [AUC]: 0.881; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.83–0.94), with a sensitivity and specificity of 90.0% and 91.2%, respectively, in the validation study. When ΔFEV1 was < 315 mL combined with FeNO < 28.5 parts per billion, patients with a positive BDT result were more likely to have pure COPD (AUC: 0.774; 95% CI 0.72–0.83).

Conclusion

The simplified standard II can replace standard I. ΔFEV1 and FeNO are helpful in differentiating between asthma, COPD, and ACO in patients with a positive BDT result.
Possible uses of Hunter–Schreger bands of dental enamel for automated personal identification
Authors: Dioguardi Mario , Sanesi Lorenzo , Sovereto Diego , Ballini Andrea , Crincoli Vito , Alovisi Mario , Aiuto Riccardo , Caloro Giorgia Apollonia , Lo Muzio Lorenzo
Published: February 2024

Background

Hunter–Schreger bands (HSB) are optical phenomena observed on tooth surfaces under polarized light, resulting from the intersection of enamel prisms. Anthropological studies demonstrate the prevalence of HSB in large mammals, contributing to enamel resistance. Historically, John Hunter and Schreger depicted HSB in dental literature. In dentistry, HSB play a role in non-carious cervical lesions (NCCL) and internal dental perikymata, suggesting their potential for personal identification. Personal identification, crucial in both daily and professional life, involves biometric characteristics, such as fingerprints or facial recognition. The need for non-invasive, rapid, and user-friendly methods has prompted the exploration of using HSB dental images for personal identification. The review aimed to consolidate studies employing HSB for personal identification.

Methods

The scoping review was carried out strictly following the PRISMA–ScR checklist; the search was carried out on tree databases (PubMed, Scopus, Science Direct,) and a register (Cochrane library).

Results

The research produced a number of bibliographic sources totaling 410. With the removal of duplicates, 334 were obtained; potentially eligible articles amounted to 14, of which only 4 fully complied with the criteria of eligibility.

Conclusions

From the data in the literature, we can assert that HSB could be used in personal identification, as they are characteristics that are difficult to change and easily detectable.
Repeated inoculation with rumen fluid accelerates the rumen bacterial transition with no benefit on production performance in postpartum Holstein dairy cows
Authors: Kong Fanlin , Wang Feiran , Zhang Yijia , Wang Shuo , Wang Wei , Li Shengli
Published: February 2024

Background

The dairy cow’s postpartum period is characterized by dramatic physiological changes, therefore imposing severe challenges on the animal for maintaining health and milk output. The dynamics of the ruminal microbiota are also tremendous and may play a crucial role in lactation launch. We aim to investigate the potential benefits of early microbial intervention by fresh rumen microbiota transplantation (RMT) and sterile RMT in postpartum dairy cows. Twelve fistulated peak-lactation dairy cows were selected to be the donors for rumen fluid collection. Thirty postpartum cows were divided into 3 groups as the transplantation receptors respectively receiving 10 L fresh rumen fluid (FR), 10 L sterile rumen fluid (SR), or 10 L saline (CON) during 3 d after calving.

Results

Production performance, plasma indices, plasma lipidome, ruminal microbiome, and liver transcriptome were recorded. After fresh and sterile RMT, we found that the molar proportion of propionic acid was increased on d 7 in the FR and SR groups and the bacterial composition was also significantly changed when compared with the CON group. A similarity analysis showed that the similarities between the CON group and FR or SR group on d 7 were 48.40% or 47.85%, whereas the similarities between microbiota on d 7 and 21 in the FR and SR groups were 68.34% or 66.85%. Dry matter intake and feed efficiency were not affected by treatments. Plasma β-hydroxybutyrate concentration in the FR group was decreased and significantly different lipids mainly included phosphatidylcholine and lysophosphatidylcholine containing polyunsaturated fatty acids. Hepatic transcriptomics analysis indicated acute-phase response pathways were upregulated in the SR group.

Conclusions

Our study suggests that RMT can shorten the transition process of the ruminal microbiota of postpartum dairy cows with no benefit on dry matter intake or feed efficiency. Inoculation with rumen fluid may not be a useful approach to promote the recovery of postpartum dairy cows.

Graphical Abstract
Vitamin A regulates mitochondrial biogenesis and function through p38 MAPK-PGC-1α signaling pathway and alters the muscle fiber composition of sheep
Authors: Song Pengkang , Zhao Jiamin , Li Fanqinyu , Zhao Xiaoyi , Feng Jinxin , Su Yuan , Wang Bo , Zhao Junxing
Published: February 2024

Background

Vitamin A (VA) and its metabolite, retinoic acid (RA), are of great interest for their wide range of physiological functions. However, the regulatory contribution of VA to mitochondrial and muscle fiber composition in sheep has not been reported.

Method

Lambs were injected with 0 (control) or 7,500 IU VA palmitate into the biceps femoris muscle on d 2 after birth. At the age of 3 and 32 weeks, longissimus dorsi (LD) muscle samples were obtained to explore the effect of VA on myofiber type composition. In vitro, we investigated the effects of RA on myofiber type composition and intrinsic mechanisms.

Results

The proportion of type I myofiber was greatly increased in VA-treated sheep in LD muscle at harvest. VA greatly promoted mitochondrial biogenesis and function in LD muscle of sheep. Further exploration revealed that VA elevated PGC-1α mRNA and protein contents, and enhanced the level of p38 MAPK phosphorylation in LD muscle of sheep. In addition, the number of type I myofibers with RA treatment was significantly increased, and type IIx myofibers was significantly decreased in primary myoblasts. Consistent with in vivo experiment, RA significantly improved mitochondrial biogenesis and function in primary myoblasts of sheep. We then used si-PGC-1α to inhibit PGC-1α expression and found that si-PGC-1α significantly abrogated RA-induced the formation of type I myofibers, mitochondrial biogenesis, MitoTracker staining intensity, UQCRC1 and ATP5A1 expression, SDH activity, and enhanced the level of type IIx muscle fibers. These data suggested that RA improved mitochondrial biogenesis and function by promoting PGC-1α expression, and increased type I myofibers. In order to prove that the effect of RA on the level of PGC-1α is caused by p38 MAPK signaling, we inhibited the p38 MAPK signaling using a p38 MAPK inhibitor, which significantly reduced RA-induced PGC-1α and MyHC I levels.

Conclusion

VA promoted PGC-1α expression through the p38 MAPK signaling pathway, improved mitochondrial biogenesis, and altered the composition of muscle fiber type.

Graphical Abstract
Effects of maternal methyl donor intake during pregnancy on ileum methylation and function in an intrauterine growth restriction pig model
Authors: Lin Yan , Wu Jiangnan , Zhuo Yong , Feng Bin , Fang Zhengfeng , Xu Shengyu , Li Jian , Zhao Hua , Wu De , Hua Lun , Che Lianqiang
Published: February 2024

Background

Intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR) affects intestinal growth, morphology, and function, which leads to poor growth performance and high mortality. The present study explored whether maternal dietary methyl donor (MET) supplementation alleviates IUGR and enhances offspring’s growth performance by improving intestinal growth, function, and DNA methylation of the ileum in a porcine IUGR model.

Methods

Forty multiparous sows were allocated to the control or MET diet groups from mating until delivery. After farrowing, 8 pairs of IUGR and normal birth weight piglets from 8 litters were selected for sampling before suckling colostrum.

Results

The results showed that maternal MET supplementation tended to decrease the IUGR incidence and increased the average weaning weight of piglets. Moreover, maternal MET supplementation significantly reduced the plasma concentrations of isoleucine, cysteine, urea, and total amino acids in sows and newborn piglets. It also increased lactase and sucrase activity in the jejunum of newborn piglets. MET addition resulted in lower ileal methionine synthase activity and increased betaine homocysteine S-methyltransferase activity in the ileum of newborn piglets. DNA methylation analysis of the ileum showed that MET supplementation increased the methylation level of DNA CpG sites in the ileum of newborn piglets. Down-regulated differentially methylated genes were enriched in folic acid binding, insulin receptor signaling pathway, and endothelial cell proliferation. In contrast, up-regulated methylated genes were enriched in growth hormone receptor signaling pathway and nitric oxide biosynthetic process.

Conclusions

Maternal MET supplementation can reduce the incidence of IUGR and increase the weaning litter weight of piglets, which may be associated with better intestinal function and methylation status.
Text mining domestic violence police narratives to identify behaviours linked to coercive control
Authors: Karystianis George , Chowdhury Nabila , Sheridan Lorraine , Reutens Sharon , Wade Sunny , Allnutt Stephen , Kim Min-Taec , Poynton Suzanne , Butler Tony
Published: February 2024

Background and setting

Domestic and family violence (DFV) is a significant societal problem that predominantly affects women and children. One behaviour that has been linked to DFV perpetration is coercive control. While various definitions have been proposed, it involves “acts of assault, threats, humiliation and intimidation or other abuse that is used to harm, punish, or frighten a victim” ranging from emotional to social and financial abuse. One potentially rich source of information on coercive control are police reports. In this paper we determine whether it is possible to automatically identify behaviours linked to coercive control from DFV police reports and present the prevalence of such behaviours by age and sex.

Methods

We modified an existing rule-based text mining method to identify 48 coercive control related behaviours from 406,196 DFV reports involving a single person of interest (POI) (i.e., an individual suspected or charged with a DFV offence) against a single victim from NSW Police Force records between 2009 and 2020.

Results

223,778 (54.6%) DFV events had at least one identifiable coercive control behaviour with the most common behaviour being verbal abuse (38.9%) followed by property damage (30.0%). Financial (3.2%) and social abuse (0.4%) were the least common behaviours linked to coercive control. No major differences were found in the proportion of DFV events between male and female POIs or victims. The oldest POI group (≥ 65 years) had the largest proportion for behaviours related to verbal abuse (38.0%) while the youngest POI group reported the highest proportion of DFV involving property damage (45.5%). The youngest victim group (< 18 years old) had the highest proportion of DFV events involving verbal abuse (37.3%) while victims between 18 and 24 years old reported the most harassment through phone calls and text messages (3.1% and 2.4% respectively); double that of those in the oldest (≥ 65 years) victim group (1.4% and 0.7% respectively).

Conclusions

Police data capture a wide variety of behaviours linked to coercive control, offering insights across the age spectrum and sex. Text mining can be used to retrieve such information. However, social and financial abuse were not commonly recorded emphasising the need to improve police training to encourage inquiring about such behaviours when attending DFV events.
Dysregulation of stress granule dynamics by DCTN1 deficiency exacerbates TDP-43 pathology in Drosophila models of ALS/FTD
Authors: Ueda Tetsuhiro , Takeuchi Toshihide , Fujikake Nobuhiro , Suzuki Mari , Minakawa Eiko N. , Ueyama Morio , Fujino Yuzo , Kimura Nobuyuki , Nagano Seiichi , Yokoseki Akio , Onodera Osamu , Mochizuki Hideki , Mizuno Toshiki , Wada Keiji , Nagai Yoshitaka
Published: February 2024

The abnormal aggregation of TDP-43 into cytoplasmic inclusions in affected neurons is a major pathological hallmark of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD). Although TDP-43 is aberrantly accumulated in the neurons of most patients with sporadic ALS/FTD and other TDP-43 proteinopathies, how TDP-43 forms cytoplasmic aggregates remains unknown. In this study, we show that a deficiency in DCTN1, a subunit of the microtubule-associated motor protein complex dynactin, perturbs the dynamics of stress granules and drives the formation of TDP-43 cytoplasmic aggregation in cultured cells, leading to the exacerbation of TDP-43 pathology and neurodegeneration in vivo. We demonstrated using a Drosophila model of ALS/FTD that genetic knockdown of DCTN1 accelerates the formation of ubiquitin-positive cytoplasmic inclusions of TDP-43. Knockdown of components of other microtubule-associated motor protein complexes, including dynein and kinesin, also increased the formation of TDP-43 inclusions, indicating that intracellular transport along microtubules plays a key role in TDP-43 pathology. Notably, DCTN1 knockdown delayed the disassembly of stress granules in stressed cells, leading to an increase in the formation of pathological cytoplasmic inclusions of TDP-43. Our results indicate that a deficiency in DCTN1, as well as disruption of intracellular transport along microtubules, is a modifier that drives the formation of TDP-43 pathology through the dysregulation of stress granule dynamics.
Survey of transformers and towards ensemble learning using transformers for natural language processing
Authors: Zhang Hongzhi , Shafiq M. Omair
Published: February 2024

The transformer model is a famous natural language processing model proposed by Google in 2017. Now, with the extensive development of deep learning, many natural language processing tasks can be solved by deep learning methods. After the BERT model was proposed, many pre-trained models such as the XLNet model, the RoBERTa model, and the ALBERT model were also proposed in the research community. These models perform very well in various natural language processing tasks. In this paper, we describe and compare these well-known models. In addition, we also apply several types of existing and well-known models which are the BERT model, the XLNet model, the RoBERTa model, the GPT2 model, and the ALBERT model to different existing and well-known natural language processing tasks, and analyze each model based on their performance. There are a few papers that comprehensively compare various transformer models. In our paper, we use six types of well-known tasks, such as sentiment analysis, question answering, text generation, text summarization, name entity recognition, and topic modeling tasks to compare the performance of various transformer models. In addition, using the existing models, we also propose ensemble learning models for the different natural language processing tasks. The results show that our ensemble learning models  perform better than a single classifier on specific tasks.

Graphical Abstract
Conventional dendritic cell 2 links the genetic causal association from allergic asthma to COVID-19: a Mendelian randomization and transcriptomic study
Authors: Liu Hua , Huang Siting , Yang Liting , Zhou Hongshu , Chen Bo , Wu Lisha , Zhang Liyang
Published: February 2024

Recent evidence suggests that allergic asthma (AA) decreases the risk of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). However, the reasons remain unclear. Here, we systematically explored data from GWAS (18 cohorts with 11,071,744 samples), bulk transcriptomes (3 cohorts with 601 samples), and single-cell transcriptomes (2 cohorts with 29 samples) to reveal the immune mechanisms that connect AA and COVID-19. Two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis identified a negative causal correlation from AA to COVID-19 hospitalization (OR = 0.968, 95% CI 0.940–0.997, P = 0.031). This correlation was bridged through white cell count. Furthermore, machine learning identified dendritic cells (DCs) as the most discriminative immunocytes in AA and COVID-19. Among five DC subtypes, only conventional dendritic cell 2 (cDC2) exhibited differential expression between AA/COVID-19 and controls (P < 0.05). Subsequently, energy metabolism, intercellular communication, cellular stemness and differentiation, and molecular docking analyses were performed. cDC2s exhibited more differentiation, increased numbers, and enhanced activation in AA exacerbation, while they showed less differentiation, reduced number, and enhanced activation in severe COVID-19. The capacity of cDC2 for differentiation and SARS-CoV-2 antigen presentation may be enhanced through ZBTB46, EXOC4, TLR1, and TNFSF4 gene mutations in AA. Taken together, cDC2 links the genetic causality from AA to COVID-19. Future strategies for COVID-19 prevention, intervention, and treatment could be stratified according to AA and guided with DC-based therapies.

Graphical Abstract
Internal dynamics of patent reference networks using the Bray–Curtis dissimilarity measure
Authors: Baranyi József , Csorba Szilveszter , Farkas Zsuzsa , Pacza Tünde , Józwiak Ákos
Published: February 2024

Background

Patents are indicators of technological developments. The science & technology categories, to which they are assigned to, form a directed, weighted network where the links are the references between patents belonging to the respective categories. This network can be conceived as a kind of intellectual ecology, lending itself to mathematical analyses analogous to those carried out in numerical ecology. The non-metric Bray–Curtis dissimilarity, commonly used in quantitative ecology, can be used to describe the internal dynamics of this network.

Results

While the degree-distribution of the network remained stable during the studied years, that of the sub-networks of with at least k links showed that k = 5 is a critical number of citations: this many are needed that the bias towards already highly cited works come into effect (preferential attachment). Using the dij Bay-Curtis dissimilarity between nodes i and j, a surprising pattern emerged: the log-probability of a change in dij during a quarter of year depended linearly, with a negative coefficient, on the magnitude of the change itself.

Conclusions

The developed methodology could be useful to detect emerging technological developments, to aid decisions, for example, on resource allocation. The pattern found on the internal dynamics of the system depends on the categorisation of the patents, therefore it can serve as an indicator when comparing different categorisation methods.

Graphical Abstract
Monitoring volcanic activity with distributed acoustic sensing using the Tongan seafloor telecommunications cable
Authors: Nakano Masaru , Ichihara Mie , Suetsugu Daisuke , Ohminato Takao , Ono Shigeaki , Vaiomounga Rennie , Kula Taaniela , Shinohara Masanao
Published: February 2024

The devastation caused by the January 2022 eruption of Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai volcano (HTHH) in the Tongan archipelago reminded us of the importance of monitoring shallow-sea volcanic activity. Seismic observations are essential for such monitoring, but there were no operational seismic stations in Tonga at the time of the eruption. There are only a few islands near Tongan volcanoes, and installation and maintenance of seismic stations on remote islands are expensive. Seismic observations based on distributed acoustic sensing (DAS) using a seafloor cable may provide a more practical and economical solution. To investigate the potential of this approach, we made preliminary DAS observations for 1 week using the seafloor domestic broadband telecommunications cable in Tonga. DAS equipment was installed at the landing station of the seafloor cable at Nuku’alofa on Tongatapu, the main island of Tonga. To provide reference data, we installed several seismometers on Tongatapu. The DAS data we obtained showed high noise levels in areas of shallow coral reef, but noise levels decreased greatly in deeper water areas, indicating that DAS is suitable for seismic observations of the deep seafloor. We detected many local and regional earthquakes during our week of observation and determined 17 earthquake hypocenters by picking P- and S-wave arrival times from the DAS and onshore seismic data. Although most of these were tectonic events related to the subduction of the Pacific plate along the Tonga trench, several events were detected around the volcanic chain of the Tongan archipelago including one event beneath the HTHH crater, implying that activity at HTHH has continued since the 2022 eruption. The much lower cost of installation of DAS equipment compared to that for pop-up type ocean-bottom seismometers and the ability of DAS systems to monitor seismic activity in real-time make it an attractive option for monitoring the activity of HTHH and other volcanoes near seafloor cables in the Tongan archipelago.

Graphical Abstract