bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Novel Resin Coated Sand Placement Design Guidelines for Controlling Proppant Flowback Post Slickwater Hydraulic Fracturing Treatments
Authors: Tarek Mohamed , Leung Jada
Published: January 2024

Resin coated sand (RCS) is an effective way for controlling post stimulation proppant flowback. However, with the shift to slickwater treatment fluids, the "tail-in" placement approach has proved to be less efficient for complete flowback control due to proppant settling characteristics from using low viscosity fluids. A new RCS placement approach was developed based on results of several flowback studies. Trial wells were completed in different US basins with successful results.

Proppant flowback samples were collected during different stages of drillout and production from wells using slickwater fluid systems. Thirty-five wells, completed by thirteen different operators, within the Permian and MidCon basins were evaluated. All wells were completed using multiple proppant mesh sizes. 375 flowback samples were collected during drillout and production phases. The samples were sieved, and results were fed into an in-house material balance model to determine the percentages of different mesh sizes in the flowback samples. The conclusions were used as guidelines for a new placement approach implemented in multiple new wells to control proppant flowback.

The flowback samples ranged from predominantly lead proppant to a similar proportion of the pumped mesh sizes. Not one of the thirty-five wells had flowback samples containing majority tail-in mesh size. This supports the early sand dune assumption. The assumption suggests that the early proppant forms dunes near wellbore and late sand settles over the existing proppant beds. The use of late RCS appears to have a minimal effect on preventing flowback of the early proppant within a stage utilizing slickwater fracturing. Therefore, RCS efficiency to control proppant flowback with the tail-in method is reduced when used in such slickwater stimulations. To seal the different proppant beds, the new approach recommends pumping multiple RCS steps within a stage. The first RCS step is recommended within the first 10-20%, second sequence within the first 40-60% of proppant volume and third as a tail-in. The exact percentages and step design were based on the results of flowback samples from neighbor wells. The implementation of this approach in more than 30 wells resulted in superior flowback control compared to offset control wells. In all trials, the proppant flowback completely stopped within 1 to 7 days of starting production.

This paper discusses the drawbacks of the current RCS placement practice while suggesting a new practical approach supported by data. Resin coated sand tail-in showed successful flowback control with viscous fracturing fluids and hybrid systems. For slickwater systems, an optimized placement design for RCS throughout the pump schedule provided enhanced flowback control compared to RCS tail-in. Finally, this paper illustrates results of field trials in which utilizing the new RCS placement approach successfully reduced flowback.
Getting Granular with Proppant Logistics
Authors: Wagner C. , Poppel B. , McKee G.
Published: January 2024

Delivery of the proppant required for a hydraulic fracturing job can quickly become a weak link in operational excellence. New technology in the oil and gas industry has been hyper focused on well site efficiency but has missed out on the synergies that can be leveraged between proppant delivery and hydraulic fracturing operations. A new logistics solution was developed to take advantage of these synergies and support higher operational efficiency.

The new proppant logistics solution was built on an established hydraulic fracturing field data collection platform. Driver and proppant load information was ingested into the new solution with a software program used to order the proppant loads to be delivered to the job. The combination of these two systems synergized the new solution and ensured the supply chain of products needed for a hydraulic fracturing job would not create a weak link in the chain of operational excellence.

With the world still feeling impacts from the 2020 pandemic, worldwide shipping and logistics markets sank into a supply imbalance. This supply-demand disparity combined with the consistency of over-the-road trucking as compared with the historically volatile nature of proppant delivery, over-the-road trucking became very desirable for existing proppant delivery drivers. This paper will present a case study reviewing how a new software solution was built and implemented to facilitate rapid field data delivery and will also discuss how this solution was utilized to build out differential visual and predictive analysis tools to promote timely delivery of proppant needed at each fracturing location. After implementing the new solution, success was measured through the following observations.

90% decrease in proppant delivery downtime. 35% decrease in drivers needed for a job, lowering the footprint of drivers on the road. Individual drivers delivered 20% more loads per day. 33% decrease in total time required to deliver a load of proppant. Enhanced competitiveness among drivers lowering the cost to produce a barrel of oil.

With this new solution, proppant logistics teams are now able to leverage intelligent solutions to help dispatch proppant so that operational excellence is maintained to the highest standard.
Single-Chip Silicon Photonic Processor for Analog
Optical and Microwave Signals
Authors: Deng Hong , Zhang Jing , Soltanian Emadreza , Chen Xiangfeng , Pang Chao , Vaissiere Nicolas , Neel Delphine , Ramirez Joan , Decobert Jean , Singh Nishant , Torfs Guy , Roelkens Gunther , Bogaerts Wim
Published: January 2024

We present a single photonic chip that processes both optical and microwave signals, and can convert signals between the two domains. Our chip, fabricated in IMEC’s iSiPP50G silicon photonics process, is capable of both generation and detection of analog electrical and optical signals, and can program a user-defined filter response in both domains. The single chip integrates all essential components like modulators, optical filters, and photodetectors, as well as tunable lasers enabled by transfer-printed indium phosphide optical amplifiers. This makes it possible to operate the chip as a black-box microwave photonics processor, where the user can process high-frequency microwave signals without being exposed to inner optical operation of the chip. The system’s configuration is locally programmed through thermo-optic phase shifters and monitored by photodetectors, and can select any combination of optical or microwave inputs and outputs. We demonstrate our chip’s capabilities with different combinations of RF and optical signal processing functions, including optical and RF signal generation and filtering. This represents a key step towards compact and affordable microwave photonic systems that can enable higher-speed wireless communication networks and low-cost microwave sensing applications.
The origin of exceptionally large ductility in Molybdenum Alloys dispersed with Irregular-Shaped La2O3 Nano-Particles
Authors: Yu Qian , Chen Yujie , Fang Yan , Cheng Pengming , Ke Xiaoxing , Zhang Manchen , Zou Jiawei , Ding Jun , Zhang Bozhao , GU Lin , Zhang Qinghua , Liu Gang
Published: January 2024

Molybdenum and its alloys typically exhibit superior strength compared with other body centered cubic materials, while the pronounced decrease in ductility at lower temperatures often imped their widespread applications. In this study, we demonstrate the attainment of extraordinary ductility by utilizing rotary-swaging to process a Mo alloy containing rare earth La2O3 nanoparticles —a rarity within the domain of Mo-based materials. Our atomic structure analysis elucidates that the exceptionally large ductility is originated from the substantial variations in electronic density of states, a characteristic intrinsic to rare-earth elements, which can expedite the generation of oxygen vacancies. This, in turn, facilitates the amorphization of the oxide-matrix interface under precise processing control, which then exhibits a propensity for vacancy absorption and modification of dislocation configurations. Furthermore, by imparting irregular shapes to the La2O3 nanoparticles through rotary-swaging, we succeeded in engendering multiple dislocation sources in the vicinity of the interface as incoming dislocations interact with these La2O3 nanoparticles. The newly generated dislocation sources persistently operate as potent dislocation initiators under applied stress even at reduced temperatures, resulting in the formation of diverse dislocation types and intricate dislocation networks and ultimately leading to superior dislocation plasticity.
Narratives and Opinion Polarization: A Survey Experiment
Authors: Antinyan Armenak , Bassetti Thomas , Corazzini Luca , Pavesi Filippo
Published: January 2024

We explore the impact of narratives on beliefs and policy opinions through a survey experiment that exposes US subjects to two media-based explanations of the causes of COVID-19. The Lab narrative ascribes the pandemic to human error and scientific misconduct in a Chinese lab, and the Nature narrative describes the natural causes of the virus. First, we find that both narratives influence individual beliefs about COVID-19 origins. More precisely, individual beliefs tend to be swayed in the direction of the version of the facts to which one is more exposed generating a potential source of polarization by exposure. Second, only the Nature narrative unidirectionally affects policy opinions by increasing people’s preferences toward climate protection and trust in science, therefore representing a channel for one-sided polarization by exposure. Finally, we also explore the existence of heterogeneous effects of our narratives, finding that the Lab narrative leads to opinion polarization between Republican- and Democratic-leaning states on climate change and foreign trade. This indicates the existence of an additional channel that can lead policy opinions to diverge, which we denote polarization by social context.
Perforated small bowel lymphoma presenting as an acute abdomen and requiring emergency surgery, a case report
Authors: Finnerty Ailbhe J , O’Connell Lauren V , Sheehan Margaret , Joyce Myles
Published: January 2024

Introduction: Diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is the most common type of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL). It accounts for most lymphomas affecting the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Extranodal sites include the stomach, small intestine, and ileocecal region. Mesentery is commonly involved. Symptoms are generally non-specific but may present as surgical emergencies secondary to perforation or ischemia.
Case presentation: This case report discusses an emergency presentation of a DLBCL in a 74-year-old male. On examination, he had a palpable mass in the mid abdomen. Cross sectional computed tomography (CT) demonstrated a large intra-peritoneal mass, 20cm in transverse diameter with a smaller more proximal mass. Prior to treatment initiation he represented with an acute abdomen. He underwent an emergency laparotomy. Encasement of the SMA (Superior mesenteric artery) produced ischemia and subsequent perforation of a segment of distal small bowel. This required resection and formation of an end ileostomy. The 20cm mass involving the proximal mesentery was left in situ as safe surgical removal was not feasible.
Conclusion: We conclude that in the case of mesenteric lymphoma, surgical intervention should address the compromised bowel segment and accompanying contamination only to avoid vascular risks or potential for extensive small bowel resection. When stabilized the definitive treatment should be in the form of systemic chemotherapy.
An atom-level interaction design between amine and support: achieving efficient and stable CO2 capture
Authors: Zuotai Zhang , Xin Sun , Xuehua Shen , Hao Wang , Feng Yan , Jiali Hua , Guanghuan Li
Published: January 2024

Amine-functionalized adsorbents hold great promise for CO2 capture due to their exceptional selectivity and diverse applications scenarios. However, their applications are impeded by low efficiency and unstable cyclic performance. Here, a novel amine-support system is synthesized to achieve an efficient and stable CO2 capture. Based on an atom-level design, each polyethyleneimine (PEI) molecule is precisely impregnated into cage-like pore of MIL-101(Cr), forming stable composites through strong coordination with unsaturated Cr acid sites in crystal internalization. The developed adsorbent exhibits low regeneration energy (39.6 kJ/molCO2), excellent cyclic stability (0.18% decay per cycle under dry CO2 regeneration) high CO2 adsorption capacity (4.0 mmol/g), and rapid adsorption kinetics (15 min for saturation at room temperature). These outstanding properties result from the unique electron-level interaction between amine and support, which prevents the dehydration of carbamate products. This work provides a feasible and promising strategy for cost-effective and sustainable CO2 capture.
Evolution of characteristics of MASLD with and without diabetes: A meta- analysis of placebo arms
Authors: Lee Han Ah , Lee Hye Ah , Kim Hwi Young
Published: January 2024

Background: We explored the changes in metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) severity over time by analyzing data from the placebo arms of randomized controlled trials (RCTs), particularly in relation to the presence of diabetes.
Methods: RCTs on MASLD that included a placebo arm were identified using a systematic search of the literature. The primary outcomes were the changes in hepatic steatosis and fibrosis.
Results: The meta-analysis included 8 RCTs involving 386 patients without diabetes and 24 RCTs involving 637 patients with diabetes. The pooled estimate of mean change in steatosis grade by histology was -0.1 in patients without diabetes, and -0.37 in patients with diabetes (P=0.066). The mean change in fibrosis stage by histology was 0.05 in patients without diabetes, and -0.03 in patients with diabetes (P=0.359). The mean change in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease activity score was -0.55 in patients without diabetes, and -1.50 in patients with diabetes (P=0.100).The mean change in ALT (-20.22 IU/L vs. -4.48 IU/L) and AST (-10.67 IU/L vs. -2.58 IU/L) were significantly larger in patients without diabetes compared to those with diabetes (P <0.05).
Conclusion: In the placebo arm, patients with diabetes showed greater improvement in liver steatosis than those without diabetes.
Acute clinical features and persistence of joint pain in probable cases of Chikungunya Fever in Eritrea
Authors: Frezgi Okbu , Berhane Araia , Ghebrewelde Ghide , Tekie Henok , Kiflezgi Tsegezab , Mohamedsied Abdelaziz , Tekie Yonas , Asrat Medhanie , Gebrejesus Tewaldemedhine
Published: January 2024

Background Chikungunya fever is a mosquito-borne viral illness that has re-emerged as an important global concern. Persistent arthralgia following chikungunya fever is common and requires advanced pharmacological interventions as pain does not respond well to analgesics. Objective The study aimed to describe the acute clinical features of probable cases of chikungunya fever and risk factors associated with the persistence of joint pain. Methods A prospective, descriptive cohort study was conducted on probable cases of chikungunya fever from October 2018 to March 2019 following the chikungunya outbreak of October 2018 in the Tesseney subzone of Eritrea. Results A total of 203 probable cases of chikungunya fever were enrolled, majority being males (68%) with a mean age of 39.2 years. The acute phase symptoms include the triad of polyarthralgia (97%), fever (96.1%), and skin rash (56.7%). Commonly affected joint sites were the wrist (59.4%) and interphalangeal joints of the hands (56.9%). Fever had a mean duration of 4.1 ± 3 days, while headache had a mean duration of 3.8 ± 3 days. Skin rash was maculopapular which was pruritic (85.2%) with common involved sites were the hands (71%) and trunk (46.5%). Complete blood count during the initial visit showed lymphocytosis (64.5%) and granulocytopenia (43.3%). Joint pain persisted at three months in 52.1% of cases and at six months in 21.7% of the cases. Age > 41 (p = 0.001, OR: 1.588; 95% CI: 0.935–2.695) and having the O-type blood group (p = 0.033, OR: 0.704; 95% CI: 0.448–1.105) were found to be significant risk factors for the persistence of joint pain. Conclusion Our study indicates polyarthralgia, fever, and skin rash as a triad of symptoms during the acute phase. Persistent arthralgia was a frequent long-term complication of chikungunya fever in which increasing age was identified to be a significant risk factor.
The Developing Myeloarchitecture of the Human Cortex: Relationships between Intra-Cortical Myelination and Developing Cognitive Function
Authors: Deoni Sean CL , D’Sa Viren , Beauchemin Jennifer , Huentelman Matthew , Lewis Candace , Carnell Susan , Bonham Kevin , Klepec-Ceraj Vanja , Bruchhage Muriel , Volpe Alexandra
Published: January 2024

Three important themes in neuroscience are parcellation, structure-function specificity, and neural plasticity. These themes relate to: 1. The ability to delineate brain regions, for example on the basis of their cellular composition, myeloarchitecture, microstructural architecture, and/or connectivity profiles; 2. Relate parcellations to specific cognitive functions or behaviors; and 3. The ability of the tissue microstructure and architecture to adaptively change in response to environmental influences, with concurrent functional consequences. Neural plasticity suggests that any regional delineation scheme is likely to change with age and functional development, which we can exploit to identify functionally relevant regions and their development with age. From a large longitudinal cohort of neurotypically-developing children, 0 to 13 years of age, we used a data-driven approach to subdivide the cortex based on cortical myelination patterns. Next, we quantified the relationships between rates of myelination across each region and rates of functional development (including motor, language, visuospatial, executive, and academic ability). Linking these evolving processes, we identified unique and overlapping cortical regions that underly diverse skill development, providing new insight into how the cortical myeloarchitecture develops throughout early childhood and its importance to developing cognitive functioning.
Improving compliance and effectiveness in Falls’ prevention, using a Dynamic Balance Training Platform. A randomized Control Trial. A feasibility study
Authors: Antoniadou Eleftheria , LAKOUMENTAS John , PANAGIOTOPOULOS Elias , ZAMPAKIS Peter
Published: January 2024

Methods
The design was a Randomized control trial. The setting was an outpatient Balance Rehabilitation Clinic in a tertiary University Hospital. Results from 20 women all of them fallers, 10 in the intervention group and 10 in the control group (no intervention) were analyzed. Older women with falls in their anamnesis were evaluated with the mCTSIB test of the dynamic platform as a screening test, and if pathological also with the miniBEST test and the SPPB test. Based on the miniBEST (less than 18) the woman was placed randomly in the intervention or the control group. The intervention group completed a total of 36 sessions, 3 times per week for 30 min. The control group had no intervention.
Results
Dynamic platform exercise programs are proved to be effective (mini-BEST p < 0.006 and mCTSIB p < 0.02, SPPB p < 0.02) to balance rehabilitation and therefore to fall prevention. The results show also that a good compliance was achieved with a p < 0.001, and a % of patient that adhere to the protocol up to 96%
Conclusion
We can conclude that that fall prevention exercises on a dynamic platform are effective and with good compliance.
Enhanced 3D Dose Prediction for Hypofractionated SRS (Gamma Knife Radiosurgery) in Brain Tumor Using Cascaded-Deep-Supervised Convolutional Neural Network
Authors: Li Nan , Wang Jinyuan , Fang Chunfeng , Zhou Dongxue , Liu Yaoying , Wang Yanping , Zhang Chunsu , Cao Lin , Zhang Gaolong , Xu Shouping
Published: January 2024

Gamma Knife radiosurgery (GKRS) is a well-established radiation therapy (RT) technique for treating brain tumors. However, the planning process for GKRS is complex and time-consuming, heavily reliant on the expertise of medical physicists. Incorporating deep learning approaches for GKRS dose prediction can reduce this dependency, improving planning efficiency and homogeneity, streamlining clinical workflows, and reducing patient lagging times. Despite this, precise Gamma Knife plan dose distribution prediction using existing models remains a significant challenge. The complexity stems from the intricate nature of dose distributions, subtle contrasts in CT scans, and the interdependence of dosimetric metrics. In an effort to overcome these challenges, we have developed a "Cascaded-Deep-Supervised" Convolutional Neural Network (CDS-CNN) that employs a hybrid-weighted optimization scheme. Our innovative method incorporates multi-level deep supervision along with a strategic sequential multi-network training approach. It enables the extraction of intra-slice and inter-slice features, leading to more realistic dose predictions with additional contextual information. CDS-CNN was trained and evaluated using data from 105 brain cancer patients who underwent GKRS treatment, with 85 cases used for training and 20 for testing. Quantitative evaluations and statistical analyses demonstrated high consistency between the predicted dose distributions and the reference doses from the treatment planning system (TPS). The 3D overall gamma passing rates (GPRs) reached 97.15%±1.36% (3mm/3%, 10% threshold). When evaluated using the more stringent criteria of 2mm/3%, 10% threshold, the overall GPRs still achieved 96.33%±1.08%. Furthermore, the average target coverage (TC) was 98.33%±1.16%, dose selectivity (DS) was 0.57±0.10, gradient index (GI) was 2.69±0.30, and homogeneity index (HI) was 1.79±0.09. The experimental results showed that the proposed CDS-CNN outperformed other models in predicting GKRS dose distributions, with the prediction being the closest to the TPS dose.
Fluvial Geomorphological Changes in the Moribund Deltaic Region of Eastern India using remote sensing and GIS techniques
Authors: Quamar Shams , Parhi Prabeer Kumar , Dwivedi Anuj Kumar , Singh Deepak , Jeet Pawan , Singh Umesh Kumar , Mayank Muskan , Kumar Pradeep , Mishra Alok , Kumar Saral , Kumar Sumit
Published: January 2024

The present study focuses on the deltaic region of West Bengal, which is one of the most dynamic natural regions in the state. The study area is a part of the moribund deltaic region of Nadia district. Bank erosion, channel shifting, siltation of channels, and the decay of oxbow lakes are common geomorphic hazards in the Bhagirathi-Jalangi interfluve and further south in the floodplain of the Hugli River. The study area is susceptible to various geomorphic hazards, including bank erosion, channel shifting, siltation of channels, and the decay of oxbow lakes. These hazards are prevalent in the Bhagirathi-Jalangi interfluve and the southern floodplain of the Hugli River. The primary aim of the study is to identify distinct patterns of fluvial geomorphic features on the floodplain using remote sensing and GIS techniques. For the analysis, data on river planform were collected from the Survey of India toposheets and a number of satellite images. Surveys were carried out to compare the present scenario with the past situation. The results revealed that fluvial geomorphological changes over a period of 45 years are considerably significant. Anthropogenic causes have a greater influence on changing the morphology and increasing the rate of bank erosion.
CB2 expression in mouse brain: from mapping to regulation in microglia under inflammatory conditions
Authors: Grabon Wanda , Ruiz Anne , Gasmi Nadia , Degletagne Cyril , Georges Béatrice , Belmeguenai Amor , Bodennec Jacques , Rheims Sylvain , Marcy Guillaume , Bezin Laurent
Published: January 2024

Since its detection in the brain, the cannabinoid receptor type 2 (CB2) has been considered a promising therapeutic target for various neurological and psychiatric disorders. However, precise brain mapping of its expression is still lacking. Using magnetic cell sorting, calibrated RT-qPCR and single-nucleus RNAseq, we show that CB2 is expressed at a low level in all brain regions studied, mainly by few microglial cells, and by neurons in an even lower proportion. Upon lipopolysaccharide stimulation, modeling neuroinflammation in non-sterile conditions, we demonstrate that the inflammatory response is associated with a transient reduction in CB2 mRNA levels in brain tissue, particularly in microglial cells. This result, confirmed in the BV2 microglial cell line, contrasts with the positive correlation observed between CB2 mRNA levels and the inflammatory response upon stimulation by interferon-gamma, modeling neuroinflammation in sterile condition. Discrete brain CB2 expression might thus be up- or down-regulated depending on the inflammatory context.
High levels of total cholesterol in the serum as a predictor of poor survival in patients with glioma
Authors: Ding Weilong , Wang Jing , Yang JunBao , Wang XiangYu
Published: January 2024

Introduction
The alteration of lipid profiles has been documented to be associated with the incidence of various cancers. However, the prognostic value of pre-operative serum total cholesterol (TC) in glioma patients has not been reported.
Material and methods
Pre-operative serum lipid and lipoprotein concentrations, including TC, triglycerides (TG), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and ApoA-I, were retrospectively analyzed in 221 patients with glioma and compared with 218 healthy controls. The Cox proportional hazards model and log-rank test were performed to analyse the prognostic value of serum lipid levels in patients with glioma.
Results
Compared with healthy control patients, the levels of TC and LDL-C were statistically significantly lower in patients with glioma. Serum TC concentrations were significantly higher in patients with glioma recurrence than in patients whose disease did not recur. Univariate and multivariate analyses indicated TC level, WHO grade, post-operative chemoradiotherapy and age to be independent prognostic factors that were correlated with shorter overall survival. In addition, TC level, WHO grade and age were identified as prognostic factors associated with recurrence-free survival in the multivariate analysis.
Conclusions
Increased pre-operative TC concentrations were found to be associated with poorer long-term survival in patients with glioma. Ultimately, our findings indicate that, in glioma patients, the evaluation and control of serum lipids may provide prognostic and therapeutic value respectively.
What does that head-tilt mean? Brain Lateralization and Sex Differences in the Processing of Familiar Human Speech by Domestic Dogs
Authors: Buckley Colleen , Sexton C. L. , Hecht E. E. , Bradley B. J. , Subiaul Francys
Published: January 2024

Does the head-tilt observed in many domesticated dogs index lateralized language processing? To answer this question, the present study had dogs participate in four conditions in which owners provided an increasing amount of communicative cues. These ranged from no communicative/affective cues to rich affective cues coupled with dog-directed speech. In a sample of 103 dogs representing seven breed groups and mixed-breed dogs, we found significant differences in the number of head-tilts occurring between conditions, with the most communicative (last) condition eliciting the most head-tilts. There were also significant differences in the direction of the head-tilts and between sex groups. Dogs were more likely to tilt their heads to the right, and neutered male dogs were more likely to tilt their heads than spayed females. The right-tilt bias is consistent with left-hemisphere language processing, with males processing language in a more lateralized manner, and females processing language more bilaterally— a pattern also observed in humans.
Abundant feasts: Favoring the invasion of an American fish species in Europe
Authors: Gonzalez Gala Gonzalez , Vilas Cesar , Baldo Francisco , Fernandez-Delgado Carlos , Cuesta Jose A , Gonzalez-Ortegon Enrique
Published: January 2024

The ready availability of abundant food sources can be a key factor in the success of biological invasions. This study provides information about feeding habits, dietary niche, and seasonal and ontogenetic diet changes of the American invasive weakfish Cynoscion regalis in the Gulf of Cádiz, where its population is increasing exponentially since 2011 when its presence was reported in the area. By content analysis of 340 stomachs, we assessed the diet composition, prey diversity and abundance of juveniles and adults present in the Guadalquivir River Estuary. Fish and crustaceans accounted for more than 90% of their diet. Mysids are the main food intake for juveniles and piscivory becomes more important as C. regalis grows in size. Stomachs were significantly fuller during the summer and autumn months, coinciding with the higher abundance of small pelagic fish during that time in the estuary, especially the anchovy Engraulis encrasicolus, the main prey consumed through all months of the year, that showed a consumption peak in September and October. Adults also show significant monthly variations in the diet composition (P < 0.01) respect to Total Length. Juveniles show a specialist behaviour feeding almost exclusively on Mesopodopsis slabberi, while adults show a mixed feeding strategy. This research constitutes a comprehensive study of weakfish diet along the year in the non-native area, including for the first time, juvenile’s stages.
The Impact of Skin Pigmentation on Pulse Oximetry SpO2 and Wearable Pulse Rate Accuracy: A Meta-Analysis
Authors: Nelson Benjamin , Singh Sanidhya , Bennett Miles , Chen Chen , Shin Sooyoon , Ghanbari Hamid
Published: January 2024

Background:
Medicine has used photoplethysmography (PPG) with pulse oximetry devices for decades to assess blood oxygenation (SpO2) and pulse rate (PR) and this technology is now being used in consumer devices. Skin pigmentation may influence accuracy, leading to health outcomes disparities.
Methods:
This meta-analysis identified 23 pulse oximetry studies with 59,684 participants and 197,353 paired observations between SpO2 and arterial blood and 4 wearable PR studies with 176 participants and 140,771 paired observations between PR and electrocardiography. The primary objectives were to evaluate SpO2 and PR accuracy by skin pigmentation group by comparing SpO2 accuracy root-mean-square (Arms) values to regulatory thresholds of 3% and PR 95% Limits of Agreement (LoA) to American National Standards Institute (ANSI), Advancing Safety in Medical Technology (AAMI), and International Electrotechnical Commision (IEC) Standards of ±5bpm. The secondary objectives were to evaluate biases and clinical relevance using mean bias and 95% confidence intervals (CI).
Findings:
For SpO2, Arms was 3·96%, 4·71%, and 4·15% and the pooled mean bias was 0·70% (95% CI: 0·17 to 1·22), 0·27% (95% CI: -0·64 to 1·19), and 1·27% (95% CI: 0·58 to 1·95) for light, medium, and dark pigmentation, respectively. For PR, the 95% LoA were -16.02 to 13.54, -18.62 to 16·84, and -33.69 to 32.54 and the pooled mean bias was -1·24 bpm (95% CI: -5·31-2·83), -0·89 bpm (95% CI: -3·70-1·93), and -0·57 bpm (95% CI: -9·44-8·29) for light, medium, and dark pigmentation, respectively.
Interpretation:
The current meta-analysis suggests overall inaccurate SpO2 and PR measurements across all skin pigmentation groups as they exceed FDA guidance and ANSI standard thresholds. Pulse oximeters also exhibit statistically significant overestimation of SpO2 for light and dark skin pigmentation, but no clinically relevant bias. Wearable PR exhibits no statistically significant or clinically relevant bias.
The effect of methanolic extract of Spirogyra varians on biofilm genes expression of Staphylococcus aureus
Authors: Salman Nagham Dawood , Dwaish Ahmed Sahi , Kareem Sawsan Mohammed
Published: January 2024

Background and goals: Methicillin resistance Staphylococcus
aureus
(MRSA) is one of the most significant antibiotic resistant bacteria, that can produce biofilm. Which has seriously hampered patient care, Twenty to thirty percent of people carry this bacteria with no clinical symptoms appear. New strategies were required to eradicate the effect of this bacteria on health care, so this study aimed to evaluate biofilms gene expression levels in MRSA after treated with alga Spirogyra extract.
Materials and Methods
Soxhlet extract of the Spirogyra varians species was made in methanol, the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of methanol extract of Spirogyra toward S. aureus was detect. PCR technique was used to Real Time PCR was used to measure the desired genes' expression levels at doses below the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC).
Results
the Spirogyra extract MIC toward S. aureus was 200 mg/ml, the effect of extract on genes the significantly changed the expression of genes involved in MRSA biofilm formation. After being treated with algal extracts from Spirogyra, the expression level of icaA and icaD were 0.480, 0.688, respectively, icaD expression level was correspondingly high.
Conclusion
This study showed that Spirogyra methanol extract can prevent S. aureus from forming biofilms.
Association between alcohol consumption and incidence of type 2 diabetes in middle-aged Japanese: Panasonic cohort study 12
Authors: Takahashi Fuyuko , Okada Hiroshi , Hashimoto Yoshitaka , Kurogi Kazushiro , Murata Hiroaki , Ito Masato , Fukui Michiaki
Published: January 2024

This historical cohort study aimed to investigate the association between alcohol consumption and onset of type 2 diabetes in middle-aged Japanese individuals. Participants were aged 40 and above from Panasonic Corporation, Osaka, Japan’s medical health checkup program in 2008–2021. Alcohol consumption was calculated by converting the quantity consumed into daily ethanol consumption. We assessed the association between alcohol consumption and onset of type 2 diabetes using Cox regression analysis. Among 102,802 participants, 7,510 participants (7.3%) developed type 2 diabetes during the study period. Alcohol consumption at the level of 0 < to < 22 g/day and 22 to < 39 g/day were associated with a reduced risk of type 2 diabetes compared to complete alcohol abstainers. Individuals consuming alcohol at levels of 39 to < 66 g/day and at levels of ≥ 66 g/day had an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes in participants with BMI < 25 kg/m2. All levels of alcohol consumption were protective against the onset of type 2 diabetes in participants with BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2. Moderate-to-heavy alcohol consumption poses a risk of type 2 diabetes for participants with BMI < 25 kg/m2, whereas alcohol intake has a protective effect on onset of type 2 diabetes among participants with BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2.
Post-traumatic Growth and Influencing Factors of Parents With Children With Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy: A Cross-sectional Survey Study
Authors: Xu Li , Liu Meili , Chen Yuewei , Wu Liwen , Gan Siyi , Xie Jianhui , Latour Jos M.
Published: January 2024

Background: The aim of the study was to identify the post-traumatic growth status and influencing factors of parents with children with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD).
Methods: We adopted a cross-section survey study. Between February and December 2022, 181 parents responded to the survey including a participants’ characteristics section, post-traumatic growth assessment scale, caregiver burden scale, and social support assessment scale. Multiple linear regression analysis was used to investigate influencing factors of post-traumatic growth.
Results: The mean score of post-traumatic growth of parents was 56.66 (SD±18.67). Post-traumatic growth was positively correlated with social support (r=0.452, P<0.01) and negatively correlated with care burden (r=-0.207, P<0.01). Multiple linear regression showed that the child's age, course of disease, self-care ability, parent’s working condition, residence, education, number of children, and health status were the main influencing factors for the post-traumatic growth of parents (P<0.001).
Conclusion: The post-traumatic growth of parents with children with DMD was at a moderate level. Healthcare professionals should pay attention to the psychological state of parents with children with this rare disease and promote post-traumatic growth through psychological mindfulness interventions, strengthening family and social support, and providing care knowledge and skills.
Adaptor Protein Complex-4 Mediates GluR2 Trafficking in Oxygen-Glucose-Deprived Hippocampal Neurons
Authors: Zhang Jing , Hao Qingfei , Cheng XiuYong
Published: January 2024

Objectives
To investigate the expression of adaptor protein complex-4 and GluR2 in oxygen-glucose deprived neurons, and to investigate the relation between AP-4 and GluR2 in injured neurons.
Methods
We used primary cultured hippocampal neurons from 18-day-old Sprague-Dawley rat fetuses as material. Oxygen-glucose deprivation was performed to build a cellular model of hypoxic-ischaemic brain injury. Real-time RT-PCR and Western blotting were performed to evaluate the expression of GluR1, GluR2 and AP4M1, both in mRNA and protein levels. AP4M1 and GluR1/GluR2 were double-labeled using immunofluorescence to investigate whether their distributions were similar. Finally, we performed co-immunoprecipitation after over-expressing AP4M1 to investigate whether AP4M1 interacts with GluR2.
Results
We found that AP4M1 was down-regulated in oxygen-glucose-deprived neurons, while the levels of GluR1 and GluR2 were not reduced. After the OGD procedure, both AP4M1 and GluR2 showed similar distributional pattern. This phenomenon was not observed in GluR1 distribution. AP4M1 cannot be co-immunoprecipited with GluR2 with normal AP4M1 expression, but the CO-IP between AP4M1 and GluR2 turned to positive when AP4M1 is over-expressed.
Conclusion
AP4M1 mediates GluR2 trafficking in oxygen-glucose deprived neurons, either directly or through other proteins.
Exploring Regular Exercisers’ Experiences with Readiness/Recovery Scores Produced by Wearable Devices: A Descriptive Qualitative Study
Authors: Ibrahim Adam H. , Beaumont Cory T. , Strohacker Kelley
Published: January 2024

Meta-session autoregulation, a person-adaptive exercise programming approach, is characterized by individuals’ matching exercise demands specifically to their current readiness states. Some consumer wearables provide ‘recovery’ or ‘readiness’ scores, computed primarily based on heart rate variability. Despite the growing popularity of consumer wearables and interest in person-adaptive programming, limited research exists on how exercisers interact, interpret and use these scores. This study explores individuals' experiences with wearable devices and their associated readiness or recovery scores. Seventeen regular exercisers who owned and used a Whoop™ band or Oura™ ring for at least 3 months participated in a one-on-one virtual semi-structured interview. Interviews were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis, with themes supported by 'in-vivo' quotes. This paper focuses on three key themes for a comprehensive demonstration. Theme 1,'It's more about how I can make adjustments to optimize my programming,'(MPR) highlights users' intended use of wearables for guiding training decisions. Theme 2,'So many things outside of training modifications have changed,'(Misty) reveals that users also modify non-exercise behaviors to manage and optimize their scores. Theme 3, ‘You can’t really capture the complexities of a human on a device’ (Letty) underscores users' recognition of the limitations and errors associated with these devices emphasizing self-reliance to further direct behavioral adjustments. While wearable devices provide a numeric approach to measuring readiness and recovery, users prioritize self-awareness, flexibility, and personal judgment for exercise decisions. Understanding these experiences, in addition to exploring the psycho-behavioral aspects of user interactions, can contribute to refining meta-session autoregulation.
Pseudorabies virus hijacks Rab6 protein to promote viral assembly
Authors: Liang Dong-Ge , Zhao Shi-Bo , Yang Guo-Yu , Han Ying-Qian , Chu Bei-Bei , Ming Sheng-Li
Published: January 2024

Pseudorabies virus (PRV) is the causative agent of Aujeszky's disease, also known as pseudorabies, in pigs. Rab6, a small GTPase, is thought to be essential for certain membrane trafficking activities and is associated with the regulation of exocytosis. Whether Rab6 is involved in PRV infection has not been previously reported. We found that the mRNA and protein levels of Rab6 were significantly upregulated in PK-15 cells and porcine alveolar macrophages, as well as in the lungs and spleen of PRV-infected mice. Overexpression of the wild-type and GTP-bound mutant of Rab6 promoted PRV proliferation, while the GDP-bound mutant inhibited it, suggesting that the GTPase activity of Rab6 is critical for PRV propagation. We further confirmed that knockdown of Rab6 inhibited PRV proliferation. Additionally, our results demonstrated that Rab6 knockdown disrupted PRV assembly. Mechanistically, Rab6 interacted with PRV glycoproteins gB and gE, which are crucial for PRV assembly. Our data suggest that PRV co-opts Rab6 to facilitate viral assembly and provide a potential new therapeutic target for PRV infection.
A Voltage Monitoring Approach for Eliminating Flux Trapping in Josephson Junction Arrays
Authors: Qiao Huan , Cao Wenhui , Li Jinjin , Wan Jun , She Guanhua , Zhong Qing , Zhong Yuan , Wang Shijian
Published: January 2024

Based on the characteristic change in resistance of superconducting devices during the superconducting transition, a quantitative method to determine the temperature of superconducting devices has been proposed. This method can detect in real time whether the temperature of the superconducting device exceeds the superconducting transition temperature, thereby enabling quick elimination of the trapped magnetic flux in devices. We apply this method in our experiment, which uses a superconducting 22 subarrays programmable Josephson voltage standard (PJVS) device and obtains satisfactory results. We conclude that this method can efficiently eliminate the tapped magnetic flux in superconducting device testing systems that do not possess thermometers and facilitate testing.
Ethanologenic fermentation by Parageobacillus thermoglucosidasius with continuous hot microbubble gas- stripping
Authors: Calverley Joseph , Ibenegbu Christopher , Hussein-Sheik Abdulkadir , Bandulasena Hemaka , Leak David
Published: January 2024

The increased use of biofuels in place of fossil fuels is one strategy to support the transition to net-zero carbon emissions, particularly in transport applications. However, expansion of the use of 1st generation crops as feedstocks is unsustainable due to the conflict with food use. The use of the lignocellulosic fractions from plants and/or co-products from food production including food wastes could satisfy the demand for biofuels without affecting the use of land and the availability of food, but organisms which can readily ferment all the carbohydrates present in these feedstocks often suffer from more severe bioethanol inhibition effects than yeast. This paper demonstrates the potential of hot gas microbubbles to strip ethanol from a thermophilic fermentation process using Parageobacillus thermoglucosidasius TM333, thereby reducing product inhibition and allowing production to continue beyond the nominal toxic ethanol concentrations of ≤ 2% v/v. Using an experimental rig in which cells were grown in fed-batch cultures on sugars derived from waste bread, and the broth continuously cycled through a purpose-built microbubble stripping unit, it was shown that non/low-inhibitory dissolved ethanol concentrations could be maintained throughout, despite reaching productivities equivalent to 4.7% v/v dissolved ethanol. Ethanol recovered in the condensate was at a concentration appropriate for dewatering to be cost effective and not prohibitively energy intensive. This suggests that hot microbubble stripping could be a valuable technology for the continuous production of bioethanol from fermentation processes which suffer from product inhibition before reaching economically viable titres, which is typical of most thermophilic ethanologenic bacteria.
Ultrasound-based ADNEX model for differentiating between benign, borderline, and malignant epithelial ovarian tumors
Authors: Xie Wenting , Zhang Qianyi , Wang Yaoqin , Xiang Zhisheng , Zeng Piaoyi , Huo Ran , Du Zhongshi , Tang Lina
Published: January 2024

Background: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the ability of the International Ovarian Tumor Analysis-Assessment of Different NEoplasias in the adneXa (IOTA-ADNEX) model to distinguish between benign, borderline, and malignant epithelial ovarian tumors(BeEOTs, BEOTs, and MEOTs, respectively).
Methods: The study included 813 patients with BeEOTs, BEOTs, and MEOTs who underwent ultrasound examinations and pelvic operations. Comparisons were made between the clinical information and ultrasonographic features of the three patient groups. Three clinical variables and six ultrasound variables were used to estimate malignancy risk. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and AUC (the area under the receiver operating characteristics [ROC] curve) of the ADNEX model were calculated.
Results: Of the 813 patients, 257 (31.6%) had BeEOTs, 114 (14.0%) had BEOTs, and 442 (54.4%) had MEOTs. The most common type, serous and mucinous epithelial tumors, accounted for 81.3% of the total cases. In the MEOTs group, serous, mucinous, endometrioid, and clear cell tumors accounted for 85.3%, 2.5%, 4.5%, and 7.7% of the total cases, respectively. For a cut-off value of 10% to identify the overall risk for ovarian cancer (OC), the sensitivity and specificity were 99.1% and 73.2%, respectively. According to the ROC curves, the AUC was 0.987 (95% CI: 0.981–0.993) for BeEOTs compared with MEOTs, 0.820 (95% CI: 0.768–0.872) for BeEOTs compared with BEOTs, 0.912 (95% CI: 0.876–0.948) for BeEOTs compared with stage I OC, and 0.995 (95% CI: 0.992–0.998) for BeEOTs compared with stages II–IV OC. The AUC was 0.614 (95% CI: 0.519–0.709) for BEOTs compared with stage I OC, 0.903 (95% CI: 0.869–0.937) for BEOTs compared with stages II–IV OC, and 0.851 (95% CI: 0.800–0.902) for stage I OC compared with stages II–IV OC.
Conclusions: The IOTA-ADNEX model demonstrated good diagnostic performance for the three categories of EOTs and can be helpful for clinical treatment management.