bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Formulation of Air Freshener Gel Combination of Mint Leaf Essential Oil (Mentha piperita L.) and Lemon (Citrus limon (L) Burm F.)
Authors: Hafidzah Nurul , Putri Novita Eka Kartab , Almeida Maria , Rusman Arman , Herman Herman
Published: September 2024

Air freshener gel is a semi-solid fragrance product that uses carrageenan and pectin as gel-forming components to overcome unpleasant odors when in a room with high temperatures. The purpose of this study was to determine the composition of carrageenan and pectin as gel-forming materials for air fresheners and the composition of the aroma comparison of mint oil (Mentha piperita L.) and lemon (Citrus limon (L) Burm F). The gel base was made with a ratio of carrageenan: pectin concentration of 1: 2; 1.8: 1.2; 2.5: 0.5 then the base was evaluated including organoleptic examination, stability test and gel hardness. The best base was then added with mint oil and lemon with a ratio of 1: 1.5; 1.25: 1.25; 1.5: 1 and the gel preparation was evaluated with organoleptic parameters, gel stability, gel hardness, liquid evaporation, fragrance resistance and hedonic test. The results of the study showed that the best base preparation after the evaluation of the base was a ratio of carrageenan: pectin concentration of 25: 0.5. Evaluation of the preparation with the addition of mint leaf oil (Mentha piperita L.) and lemon (Citrus limon (L) Burm F) to the base showed a value that was not too significant in the evaluation results. In the hedonic test, the formula with the addition of 2.5%: 2.5% mint leaf oil (Mentha piperita L.) and lemon (Citrus limon (L) Burm F) was the formula preferred by the panelists. So it can be concluded that the carrageenan and pectin combination room freshener gel with a concentration ratio of 2.5: 0.5% can be formulated as a base for room freshener gel preparations, namely producing a chewy and elastic gel base. The formulation of the most preferred combination of mint leaf essential oil and lemon oil as a gel fragrance is with a concentration of 2.5: 2.5%, because it produces a refreshing aroma
Development of TIG MIG Hybrid Welding Process: A Brief Review
Authors: Rosmin Aiman Syazwan , Mamat Sarizam
Published: September 2024

The purpose of this article is to review the TIG MIG hybrid welding process, which benefits from the advantages of conventional MIG welding and TIG welding. The review focuses more on the studies related to the concepts of each welding process, its advantages and disadvantages, and some applications in the industry. The TIG MIG hybrid welding is a new method that is less popular than the conventional welding process. Thus, fewer experimental studies have been conducted on the process. Since the TIG MIG hybrid welding is promising a better welding process and is potent to improve the welding process with a combination of advantages of both conventional MIG and TIG welding, hence more work needs to be done on the TIG MIG hybrid welding research study to provide more valuable information that is lacking so that it could be applied to the industry.
Effect of Commercial Cationic Starch on Paper Properties Made from Recycled Pulp
Authors: Boon Jia Geng , Liew Jing Xian , Liew Jeng Young
Published: September 2024

The production of packaging paper is growing steadily annually globally. Packaging paper such as liner paper and medium paper are mainly made from recycled pulp. The strength of pulp deteriorated over the cycle of recycling. To ensure the packaging paper strength produced from recycled paper is up to par, the additive is mandatory. Starch is one of the common and economical additives used in papermaking. In this research, the performance of commercial cationic starch as an additive in packaging papermaking is evaluated.  4 different percentages of starch, including 2%, 4%, 6%, and 8%, were studied. Five replicates of 60gsm hand sheets were produced for each level, and 0% was introduced as a control. The properties such as thickness, Canadian Standard Freeness Test, Cobb test, tensile index, folding endurance, and tear index were evaluated according to the TAPPI Standard. From the result, an 8% dosage of this commercial cationic starch exhibited the best performance in mechanical tests without compromising the drainage of water significantly.
Development of High-Effectiveness Photocatalytic Materials for Water Purification and Environmental Remediation
Authors: Niu Yitong , Abd alla Israa Hussain , Jabur Younus khalaf , Jassim Salah Ayad , Mohammed Mohammed kareem , Sulaiman Bahjat Hardan , Alsultan Qusay Hatem , Shawqi Omar Salah Al deen , Mohameed Othman jasim , Abed Tareq Hamad , Panessai Ismail Yusuf Panessai , Khalaf Haitham Abbas Khalaf , Abdulbaqi Azmi Shawkat Abdulbaqi , Jia Zhaoju Jia , Wang Haiyang , Abdulrahman Mayasa M. , Nejrs Salwa Mohammed
Published: September 2024

The development of high-efficiency photovoltaic systems is essential to prevent environmental pollution, especially in water and air purification. This study addresses the problem of poor performance of existing photocatalytic materials under visible light, which limits their practical application. The main objective of this research was to design and characterize advanced fluorescent materials, enhance their performance by doping composites, and test their performance on the degradation of various impurities Nitrogen-doped TiO2 obtained 90% degradation of methylene blue in 60 minutes in visible light, while undoped TiO2 degradation was 70%. Similarly, the ZnO-based photocatalysts showed 85% removal of pesticides in sunlight, and the TiO2/graphene composites showed 85% reduction of benzene (VOCs) in 2 hours, which exceeded 60 % decrease by pure TiO2 this result highlights the effectiveness of doping and composite fabrication to enhance the photocatalytic performance. The review also highlights the potential for large-scale environmental applications, and the importance of addressing practical challenges such as photocatalyst recovery and energy stability Future research will focus on strategies a through optimization, exploration of new combinations, and long-term field surveys.
Secure and Scalable Quantum Cryptographic Algorithms for Next-Generation Computer Networks
Authors: Burhanuddin M.A.
Published: September 2024

The rise of quantum computing poses a serious threat to traditional cryptosystems, such as RSA and ECC, which rely on the mathematical problem of factoring large numbers and dealing with discrete logarithms Quantum algorithms such as Shor and Grover can solve solve these problems effectively, so that classical The encryption is simple. This research addresses the urgent need for quantum-resistant cryptographic algorithms to protect next-generation networks, including 5G, IoT, and cloud computing, from future quantum attacks. The main objective of this study is to investigate the efficiency and scalability of quantum post-cryptography techniques, especially lattice-based cryptography, and to evaluate their performance in comparison with traditional cryptography and other post-quantum techniques. It also provides robust protection against quantum attacks and reasonable scalability to large networks, while delivering large key size requirements, low connectivity and excess capacity. The study concludes that lattice-based cryptography is an appropriate solution that balances quantum resistance with practical performance in real-world applications to ensure secure communications in the post-quantum era.
Sustainable Community Empowerment Approaches in the Mangrove Ecotourism Sector Through Creative Initiatives in Sei Nagalawan Village, Serdang Bedagai Regency, Indonesia
Authors: Sari Anisah
Published: September 2024

This study explores the potential and sustainable empowerment of the local community through the creative economy within the ecotourism area of Sei Nagalawan Village, Serdang Bedagai Regency. Utilizing a triangulation approach, the research gathers diverse perspectives, including insights from experts at the University of Sumatera Utara's Faculty of Forestry. The area features natural attractions such as mangroves, unique local products, and the shifting sands phenomenon. The Mangrove Conservation Group of Muara Baimbai plays a central role in fostering community empowerment. A SWOT analysis identifies key factors influencing development, including institutional support, limited government assistance, and the underutilization of technology in marketing. The findings demonstrate that ecotourism contributes positively to the local economy and community welfare while highlighting existing challenges. This research emphasizes the importance of sustainable strategies for ecotourism management, such as utilizing technology, expanding partnership networks, and enhancing human resource capabilities. The study concludes by stressing the need for increased government support, effective technology use, and a holistic approach to environmental conservation and community empowerment for the sustainable development of the ecotourism sector.
Kaçakçılıkla Mücadele Kanununda Aldatıcı işlem ve Davranış Kavramı
Authors: Köşeli Fatih
Published: September 2024

18/06/2014 tarihli ve 6545 sayılı Türk Ceza Kanunu ile Bazı Kanunlarda Değişiklik Yapılmasına Dair Kanun’un 89’uncu maddesi ile 5607 sayılı Kaçakçılıkla Mücadele Kanunu’nun 3’üncü maddesi ikinci fıkrasında yer alan “sahte belge kullanmak suretiyle” ibaresi “aldatıcı işlem ve davranışlarla” şeklinde değiştirilmiştir. 6545 sayılı Kanun’un yasama görüşmelerinde bu husus kaçakçılık fiillerinin mevcut durumda dar yorumlandığı ve bazı kaçaklık eylemlerinin cezasız kaldığı eleştirileriyle gündeme getirilmiştir. Mevcut düzenlemeye göre eşyanın aldatıcı işlem ve davranışlar sergilemek suretiyle gümrük vergileri kısmen ya da tamamen ödenmeksizin ülkeye sokulması hapis ve adli para cezasıyla yaptırım altına alınmaktadır. Gerekli hukuki belirliliği sağlamadığı nedeniyle uygulamada ve öğretide eleştirilere konu olan kavrama dair kanun koyucunun iradesi irdelenecektir. Müteakiben, kavramın diğer ülkelerde nasıl alındığı ortaya konacak ve değer azlığı kavramının ilgili madde metnine dahil edilmesiyle birlikte bir çözüm önerisi sunulacaktır.
Fat embolism syndrome: a review in cosmetic surgery
Authors: Kim Hongil , Seo Bommie Florence , Evans Gregory Randolph Dean
Published: September 2024

The growing popularity of cosmetic procedures such as liposuction and fat grafting has been accompanied by a rise in associated side effects. Among these, fat embolism syndrome stands out as a potential complication that sometimes has critical consequences. It is important to recognize that fat embolism affects organs through distinct mechanisms from those involved with other types of embolisms. Early diagnosis is crucial. Unfortunately, no effective treatments have been established for this condition. Therefore, starting with a more detailed categorization of diagnoses, developing new treatment methods for each subtype is essential.
Evolving Brains, Emerging Gods
Authors: Torrey E. Fuller
Published: September 2024

Religions and mythologies from around the world teach that God or gods created humans. Atheist, humanist, and materialist critics, meanwhile, have attempted to turn theology on its head, claiming that religion is a human invention. In this book, E. Fuller Torrey draws on cutting-edge neuroscience research to propose a startling answer to the ultimate question. Evolving Brains, Emerging Gods locates the origin of gods within the human brain, arguing that religious belief is a by-product of evolution. Based on an idea originally proposed by Charles Darwin, Torrey marshals evidence that the emergence of gods was an incidental consequence of several evolutionary factors. Using data ranging from ancient skulls and artifacts to brain imaging, primatology, and child development studies, this book traces how new cognitive abilities gave rise to new behaviors. For instance, autobiographical memory, the ability to project ourselves backward and forward in time, gave Homo sapiens a competitive advantage. However, it also led to comprehension of mortality, spurring belief in an alternative to death. Torrey details the neurobiological sequence that explains why the gods appeared when they did, connecting archaeological findings including clothing, art, farming, and urbanization to cognitive developments. This book does not dismiss belief but rather presents religious belief as an inevitable outcome of brain evolution. Providing clear and accessible explanations of evolutionary neuroscience, Evolving Brains, Emerging Gods will shed new light on the mechanics of our deepest mysteries.
First principles study of Be-doped graphdiyne as anode material for lithium-ion batteries
Authors: Zhang Ni-Ni , Ren Juan , Luo Lan-Xi , Liu Ping-Ping ,   School of Sciences, Xi’an Technological University, Xi’an 710023, China,   College of Materials and Engineering, Yangtze Normal University, Chongqing 408100, China
Published: September 2024

The performances of beryllium-doped graphdiyne (GDY), which is used as an anode material for lithium-ion batteries at various doping sites, are investigated by first-principles methods based on density functional theory. Calculations of the formation energy and cohesive energy of GDY at different doping concentrations indicate that beryllium-doped GDY has excellent prospects for experimental synthesis. More importantly, the beryllium-doped GDY exhibits good electrical conductivity. The adsorption energy for a single lithium atom on beryllium-doped GDY is –4.22 eV, which is significantly higher than that for boron, nitrogen-doped GDY, and intrinsic GDY. As the number of stored lithium atoms increases, the adsorption energy remains greater than the cohesive energy of solid lithium, and the average open-circuit voltage stays between 0 and 1 V, ensuring the safety of the battery. Additionally, the lithium storage capacity is increased to 881 mAh/g, which is 1.14 times that of undoped GDY and 2.36 times that of graphite. Meanwhile, the diffusion performance of lithium on beryllium-doped GDY is also enhanced. For the CIII site doping system, by studying the ion transports at low, medium, and high lithium concentrations, we find that as the lithium concentration increases, the diffusion barriers are 0.38, 0.44, and 0.77 eV, respectively, making lithium ion movement more difficult, but still superior to those of other element-doped GDY. In summary, beryllium-doped GDY has great potential as an excellent anode material for lithium-ion batteries.
Nuclear structure effects to atomic Lamb shift and hyperfine splitting
Authors: Ji Chen ,   Key Laboratory of Quark and Lepton Physics, Institute of Particle Physics, Central China Normal University, Wuhan 430079, China,   Southern Center for Nuclear-Science Theory, Institute of Modern Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Huizhou 516000, China
Published: September 2024

The development of precision atomic spectroscopy experiments and theoretical advancements plays a crucial role in measuring fundamental physical constants and testing quantum electrodynamics (QED) theories. It also provides a significant platform for studying the internal structure of atomic nuclei and developing high-precision nuclear structure theories. Nuclear structure effects such as charge distribution, magnetic moment distribution, and nuclear polarizability have been accurately determined in many atomic spectroscopy experiments, significantly enhancing the precision of nuclear structure detection.

This paper systematically reviews the theoretical research and developments on the corrections of two-photon exchange (TPE) effects on the Lamb shift and hyperfine structure (HFS) in light ordinary and muonic atoms. Advanced nuclear force models and ab initio methods are employed to analyze the TPE nuclear structure corrections to the Lamb shift in a series of light muonic atoms. The paper compares the calculation of TPE effects from various nuclear models and evaluates the model dependencies and theoretical uncertainties of TPE effect predictions.

Furthermore, the paper discusses the significant impact of TPE theory on explaining the discrepancies between experimental measurements and QED theoretical predictions in atomic hyperfine structures, resolving the accuracy difficulties in traditional theories. Detailed analyses of TPE effects on HFS in electronic and muonic deuterium using pionless effective field theory show good agreement with experimental measurements, validating the accuracy of theoretical predictions.

The theoretical studies of TPE effects in light atoms are instrumental for determining nuclear charge radii and Zemach radii from spectroscopy measurements. These results not only enhance the understanding of nuclear structure and nuclear interactions but also offer crucial theoretical guidance for future experiments, thereby advancing the understanding of the proton radius puzzle and related studies.
Pharmacologic activation of integrated stress response kinases inhibits pathologic mitochondrial fragmentation
Authors: Baron Kelsey R , Oviedo Samantha , Krasny Sophia , Zaman Mashiat , Aldakhlallah Rama , Bora Prerona , Mathur Prakhyat , Pfeffer Gerald , Bollong Michael J , Shutt Timothy E , Grotjahn Danielle A , Wiseman R Luke
Published: September 2024

Excessive mitochondrial fragmentation is associated with the pathologic mitochondrial dysfunction implicated in the pathogenesis of etiologically diverse diseases, including many neurodegenerative disorders. The integrated stress response (ISR) – comprising the four eIF2α kinases PERK, GCN2, PKR, and HRI – is a prominent stress-responsive signaling pathway that regulates mitochondrial morphology and function in response to diverse types of pathologic insult. This suggests that pharmacologic activation of the ISR represents a potential strategy to mitigate pathologic mitochondrial fragmentation associated with human disease. Here, we show that pharmacologic activation of the ISR kinases HRI or GCN2 promotes adaptive mitochondrial elongation and prevents mitochondrial fragmentation induced by the calcium ionophore ionomycin. Further, we show that pharmacologic activation of the ISR reduces mitochondrial fragmentation and restores basal mitochondrial morphology in patient fibroblasts expressing the pathogenic D414V variant of the pro-fusion mitochondrial GTPase MFN2 associated with neurological dysfunctions, including ataxia, optic atrophy, and sensorineural hearing loss. These results identify pharmacologic activation of ISR kinases as a potential strategy to prevent pathologic mitochondrial fragmentation induced by disease-relevant chemical and genetic insults, further motivating the pursuit of highly selective ISR kinase-activating compounds as a therapeutic strategy to mitigate mitochondrial dysfunction implicated in diverse human diseases.
Sibling Similarity Can Reveal Key Insights into Genetic Architecture
Authors: Souaiaia Tade , Wu Hei Man , Hoggart Clive , O’Reilly Paul
Published: September 2024

The use of siblings to infer the factors influencing complex traits has been a cornerstone of quantitative genetics. Here we utilise siblings for a novel application: the inference of genetic architecture, specifically that relating to individuals with extreme trait values (e.g. in the top 1%). Inferring the genetic architecture most relevant to this group of individuals is important because they are at greatest risk of disease and may be more likely to harbour rare variants of large effect due to natural selection. We develop a theoretical framework that derives expected distributions of sibling trait values based on an index sibling’s trait value, estimated trait heritability, and null assumptions that include infinitesimal genetic effects and environmental factors that are either controlled for or have combined Gaussian effects. This framework is then used to develop statistical tests powered to distinguish between trait tails characterised by common polygenic architecture from those that include substantial enrichments of
de novo
or rare variant (Mendelian) architecture. We apply our tests to UK Biobank data here, although we note that they can be used to infer genetic architecture in any cohort or health registry that includes siblings and their trait values, since these tests do not use genetic data. We describe how our approach has the potential to help disentangle the genetic and environmental causes of extreme trait values, and to improve the design and power of future sequencing studies to detect rare variants.
Trends in Self-citation Rates in High-impact Neurology, Neuroscience, and Psychiatry Journals
Authors: Rosenblatt Matthew , Mehta Saloni , Peterson Hannah , Dadashkarimi Javid , Rodriguez Raimundo X , Foster Maya L , Adkinson Brendan D , Liang Qinghao , Kimble Violet M , Ye Jean , McCusker Marie C , Farruggia Michael C , Rolison Max , Westwater Margaret L , Jiang Rongtao , Noble Stephanie , Scheinost Dustin
Published: September 2024

Citation metrics influence academic reputation and career trajectories. Recent works have highlighted flaws in citation practices in the Neurosciences, such as the under-citation of women. However, self-citation rates—or how much authors cite themselves—have not yet been comprehensively investigated in the Neurosciences. This work characterizes self-citation rates in basic, translational, and clinical Neuroscience literature by collating 100,347 articles from 63 journals between the years 2000-2020. In analyzing over five million citations, we demonstrate four key findings: 1) increasing self-citation rates of Last Authors relative to First Authors, 2) lower self-citation rates in low- and middle-income countries, 3) gender differences in self-citation stemming from differences in the number of previously published papers, and 4) variations in self-citation rates by field. Our characterization of self-citation provides insight into citation practices that shape the perceived influence of authors in the Neurosciences, which in turn may impact what type of scientific research is done and who gets the opportunity to do it.
Movies reveal the fine-grained organization of infant visual cortex
Authors: Ellis Cameron T , Yates Tristan S , Arcaro Michael J , Turk-Browne Nicholas B
Published: September 2024

Studying infant minds with movies is a promising way to increase engagement relative to traditional tasks. However, the spatial specificity and functional significance of movie-evoked activity in infants remains unclear. Here we investigated what movies can reveal about the organization of the infant visual system. We collected fMRI data from 15 awake infants and toddlers aged 5–23 months who attentively watched a movie. The activity evoked by the movie reflected the functional profile of visual areas. Namely, homotopic areas from the two hemispheres responded similarly to the movie, whereas distinct areas responded dissimilarly, especially across dorsal and ventral visual cortex. Moreover, visual maps that typically require time-intensive and complicated retinotopic mapping could be predicted, albeit imprecisely, from movie-evoked activity in both data-driven analyses (i.e., independent components analysis) at the individual level and by using functional alignment into a common low-dimensional embedding to generalize across participants. These results suggest that the infant visual system is already structured to process dynamic, naturalistic information and that fine-grained cortical organization can be discovered from movie data.
A novel bioinformatics pipeline for the identification of immune inhibitory receptors as potential therapeutic targets
Authors: Singh Akashdip , Bedate Alberto Miranda , von Richthofen Helen J , Vijver Saskia V , van der Vlist Michiel , Kuhn Raphael , Yermanos Alexander , Kuball Jurgen , Keşmir Can , Ramos M Ines Pascoal , Meyaard Linde
Published: September 2024

Blocking inhibitory receptors like PD-1 and CTLA-4 has revolutionized cancer treatment in recent years. However, despite major successes in melanoma and lung cancer, the majority of cancer types are not responsive to these immunotherapies. As such, there is an ongoing need for the identification of novel inhibitory receptors as drug targets. Most inhibitory receptors signal via immunoreceptor tyrosine-based inhibitory motifs (ITIMs) and previous studies have estimated that our genome contains over 1600 ITIM- bearing transmembrane proteins. However, further testing and development of this large number of candidates requires increased understanding of their expression patterns and likelihood to function as inhibitory receptor.To assist in the selection of novel inhibitory receptor as therapeutic targets, we designed a novel bioinformatics pipeline integrating machine learning-guided structural predictions and sequence-based likelihood models to identify 51 known and 390 putative inhibitory receptors. Using publicly available transcriptomics data of immune cells, we determined the expression of these novel inhibitory receptors, and classified them into previously proposed functional categories.Known and putative inhibitory receptors were expressed across a wide variety of immune cells, and we found cell type-specific patterns in expression of these receptors. We used our pipeline to study inhibitory receptor expression patterns in single cell transcriptomics data of tumour infiltrating T cells. We determined that putative immune inhibitory receptors were expressed differentially in CD4
+
and CD8
+
T cell subsets, including exhausted CD8
+
T cells and CD4
+
memory T cells, which could allow for subset-specific targeting.In conclusion, we present an inhibitory receptor pipeline that identifies 51 known and 390 novel inhibitory receptors. This pipeline will support future drug target selection across diseases where therapeutic targeting of immune inhibitory receptors is warranted.
Single-cell eQTL mapping in yeast reveals a tradeoff between growth and reproduction
Authors: Boocock James , Alexander Noah , Tapia Leslie Alamo , Walter-McNeill Laura , Munugala Chetan , Bloom Joshua S , Kruglyak Leonid
Published: September 2024

Expression quantitative trait loci (eQTLs) provide a key bridge between noncoding DNA sequence variants and organismal traits. The effects of eQTLs can differ among tissues, cell types, and cellular states, but these differences are obscured by gene expression measurements in bulk populations. We developed a one-pot approach to map eQTLs in
Saccharomyces cerevisiae
by single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) and applied it to over 100,000 single cells from three crosses. We used scRNA-seq data to genotype each cell, measure gene expression, and classify the cells by cell-cycle stage. We mapped thousands of local and distant eQTLs and identified interactions between eQTL effects and cell-cycle stages. We took advantage of single-cell expression information to identify hundreds of genes with allele-specific effects on expression noise. We used cell-cycle stage classification to map 20 loci that influence cell-cycle progression. One of these loci influenced the expression of genes involved in the mating response. We showed that the effects of this locus arise from a common variant (W82R) in the gene
GPA1
, which encodes a signaling protein that negatively regulates the mating pathway. The 82R allele increases mating efficiency at the cost of slower cell-cycle progression and is associated with a higher rate of outcrossing in nature. Our results provide a more granular picture of the effects of genetic variants on gene expression and downstream traits.
Short heat shock factor A2 confers heat sensitivity in Arabidopsis: Insights into heat resistance and growth balance
Authors: Chen Wanxia , Zhao Jiaqi , Tao Zhanxia , Zhang Shan , Bei Xiujuan , Lu Wen , Qi Xiaoting
Published: September 2024

Cells prevent heat damage through a highly conserved canonical heat stress response (HSR) in which heat shock factors (HSFs) bind heat shock elements (HSEs) to activate heat shock proteins (HSPs). Plants generate short HSFs that originate from HSF splicing variants, but little is known about S-HSFs. Although an enhanced canonical HSR confers thermotolerance, its hyperactivation inhibits plant growth. How this process is prevented to ensure proper plant growth has not been determined. Here, we report that
Arabidopsis
S-HsfA2, S-HsfA4c, and S-HsfB1 confer extreme heat (45°C) sensitivity and represent new kinds of HSF with a unique truncated DNA-binding domain (tDBD) that binds a new heat-regulated element (HRE). The HRE conferred a minimal promoter response to heat and exhibited heat stress sensing and transmission patterns. We used S-HsfA2 to investigate whether and how S-HSFs prevent hyperactivation of the canonical HSR.
HSP17.6B,
a direct target gene of HsfA2, conferred thermotolerance, but its overexpression caused HSR hyperactivation. We revealed that S-HsfA2 alleviated this hyperactivation in two different ways. 1) S-HsfA2 negatively regulates
HSP17.6B via
the HRE-HRE-like element, thus constructing a noncanonical HSR (S-HsfA2-HRE-
HSP17.6B
) to antagonistically repress HsfA2-activated
HSP17.6B
expression. 2) S-HsfA2 binds to the DBD of HsfA2 to prevent HsfA2 from binding to HSEs, eventually attenuating HsfA2-activated
HSP17.6B
promoter activity. Overall, our findings underscore the biological importance of S-HSFs, namely, preventing plant heat tolerance hyperactivation to maintain proper growth.
Road surface semantic segmentation for autonomous driving
Authors: Zhao Huaqi , Wang Su , Peng Xiang , Pan Jeng-Shyang , Wang Rui , Liu Xiaomin
Published: September 2024

Although semantic segmentation is widely employed in autonomous driving, its performance in segmenting road surfaces falls short in complex traffic environments. This study proposes a frequency-based semantic segmentation with a transformer (FSSFormer) based on the sensitivity of semantic segmentation to frequency information. Specifically, we propose a weight-sharing factorized attention to select important frequency features that can improve the segmentation performance of overlapping targets. Moreover, to address boundary information loss, we used a cross-attention method combining spatial and frequency features to obtain further detailed pixel information. To improve the segmentation accuracy in complex road scenarios, we adopted a parallel-gated feedforward network segmentation method to encode the position information. Extensive experiments demonstrate that the mIoU of FSSFormer increased by 2% compared with existing segmentation methods on the Cityscapes dataset.
Identification of non-model mammal species using the MinION DNA sequencer from Oxford Nanopore
Authors: Velasquez-Restrepo Sara , Corrales Orozco Mariana , Franco-Sierra Nicolás D. , Martínez-Cerón Juan M. , Díaz-Nieto Juan F.
Published: September 2024

Background

The Neotropics harbors the largest species richness of the planet; however, even in well-studied groups, there are potentially hundreds of species that lack a formal description, and likewise, many already described taxa are difficult to identify using morphology. Specifically in small mammals, complex morphological diagnoses have been facilitated by the use of molecular data, particularly from mitochondrial sequences, to obtain accurate species identifications. Obtaining mitochondrial markers implies the use of PCR and specific primers, which are largely absent for non-model organisms. Oxford Nanopore Technologies (ONT) is a new alternative for sequencing the entire mitochondrial genome without the need for specific primers. Only a limited number of studies have employed exclusively ONT long-reads to assemble mitochondrial genomes, and few studies have yet evaluated the usefulness of such reads in multiple non-model organisms.

Methods

We implemented fieldwork to collect small mammals, including rodents, bats, and marsupials, in five localities in the northern extreme of the Cordillera Central of Colombia. DNA samples were sequenced using the MinION device and Flongle flow cells. Shotgun-sequenced data was used to reconstruct the mitochondrial genome of all the samples. In parallel, using a customized computational pipeline, species-level identifications were obtained based on sequencing raw reads (Whole Genome Sequencing). ONT-based identifications were corroborated using traditional morphological characters and phylogenetic analyses.

Results

A total of 24 individuals from 18 species were collected, morphologically identified, and deposited in the biological collection of Universidad EAFIT. Our different computational pipelines were able to reconstruct mitochondrial genomes from exclusively ONT reads. We obtained three new mitochondrial genomes and eight new molecular mitochondrial sequences for six species. Our species identification pipeline was able to obtain accurate species identifications for up to 75% of the individuals in as little as 5 s. Finally, our phylogenetic analyses corroborated the identifications from our automated species identification pipeline and revealed important contributions to the knowledge of the diversity of Neotropical small mammals.

Discussion

This study was able to evaluate different pipelines to reconstruct mitochondrial genomes from non-model organisms, using exclusively ONT reads, benchmarking these protocols on a multi-species dataset. The proposed methodology can be applied by non-expert taxonomists and has the potential to be implemented in real-time, without the need to euthanize the organisms and under field conditions. Therefore, it stands as a relevant tool to help increase the available data for non-model organisms, and the rate at which researchers can characterize life specially in highly biodiverse places as the Neotropics.
Identification of a novel immune infiltration-related gene signature, MCEMP1, for coronary artery disease
Authors: Ye Wei , Shen Bo , Tang Qizhu , Fang Chengzhi , Wang Lei , Xie Lili , He Qi
Published: September 2024

Background

This study aims to identify a novel gene signature for coronary artery disease (CAD), explore the role of immune cell infiltration in CAD pathogenesis, and assess the cell function of mast cell-expressed membrane protein 1 (MCEMP1) in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) treated with oxidized low-density lipoprotein (ox-LDL).

Methods

To identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs) of CAD, datasets GSE24519 and GSE61145 were downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database using the R “limma” package with p < 0.05 and |log2 FC| > 1. Gene ontology (GO) and pathway analyses were conducted to determine the biological functions of DEGs. Hub genes were identified using support vector machine-recursive feature elimination (SVM-RFE) and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO). The expression levels of these hub genes in CAD were validated using the GSE113079 dataset. CIBERSORT program was used to quantify the proportion of immune cell infiltration. Western blot assay and qRT‐PCR were used to detect the expression of hub genes in ox-LDL-treated HUVECs to validate the bioinformatics results. Knockdown interference sequences for MCEMP1 were synthesized, and cell proliferation and apoptosis were examined using a CCK8 kit and Muse® Cell Analyzer, respectively. The concentrations of IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α were measured with respective enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kits.

Results

A total of 73 DEGs (four down-regulated genes and 69 up-regulated genes) were identified in the metadata (GSE24519 and GSE61145) cohort. GO and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analysis results indicated that these DEGs might be associated with the regulation of platelet aggregation, defense response or response to bacterium, NF-kappa B signaling pathway, and lipid and atherosclerosis. Using SVM-RFE and LASSO, seven hub genes were obtained from the metadata. The upregulated expression of DIRC2 and MCEMP1 in CAD was confirmed in the GSE113079 dataset and in ox-LDL-treated HUVECs. The associations between the two hub genes (DIRC2 and MCEMP1) and the 22 types of immune cell infiltrates in CAD were found. MCEMP1 knockdown accelerated cell proliferation and suppressed cell apoptosis for ox-LDL-treated HUVECs. Additionally, MCEMP1 knockdown appeared to decrease the expression of inflammatory factors IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α.

Conclusions

The results of this study indicate that MCEMP1 may play an important role in CAD pathophysiology.
HPV-driven heterogeneity in cervical cancer: study on the role of epithelial cells and myofibroblasts in the tumor progression based on single-cell RNA sequencing analysis
Authors: Zhang Yunyun , Zhang Yu , Pan Chenke , Wang Wenqian , Yu Yao
Published: September 2024

Background

Cervical cancer (CC) is a neoplasia with a high heterogeneity. We aimed to explore the characteristics of tumor microenvironment (TME) for CC treatment.

Methods

HPV positive (+) and negative (−) samples from cervical cancer (CC) patients were sourced from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. The single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) data were processed and annotated for cell types utilizing the Seurat package. Following this, the expression levels and biological roles of the marker genes were analyzed applying real-time PCR (RT-PCR) and transwell assays. Furthermore, the enrichment of genes with significantly differential expressions and copy number variations was assessed by the ClusterProlifer and inferCNV software packages.

Results

Seven main cell clusters were classified based on a total of 12,431 cells. The HPV− CC samples exhibited a higher immune cell infiltration level, while epithelial cells and myofibroblasts had higher proportion in the HPV+ CC samples with extensive heterogeneity. Immune pathways including antigen treatment and presentation, immunoglobulin production and T cell mediated immunity were significantly activated in the HPV− CC group with lower cell cycle and proliferation activity. However, the anti-tumor immunity of these cells was inhibited in HPV+ CC group with higher cell proliferation activity. Moreover, the amplification and loss of CNVs also supported that these cells in HPV− CC samples were prone to anti-tumor activation. Further cell validation results showed that except GZMA, the levels of APOC1, CEACAM6, FOXP3, SFRP4 and TFF3 were all higher in CC cells Hela, and that silencing TFF3 could inhibit the migration and invasion of CC cells in-vitro.

Conclusion

This study highlighted the critical role of HPV infection in CC progression, providing a novel molecular basis for optimizing the current preventive screening and personalized treatment for the cancer.
Inovações na gestão pública a partir da lei de responsabilidade fiscal
Authors: Silva Sthefânia Danyelle Soares , Santos Leonardo Sobral , Fortes Filho Valdinar de Freitas
Published: September 2024

As inovações nas organizações demonstram uma necessidade e com uma demanda crescente ano após ano. E dentro da gestão pública, a inovação alicerçada à Lei de Responsabilidade Social surge como quebra de paradigmas, prevendo o rompimento da burocracia e estratégias de crescimento e renovação dentro do setor público. A LRF está pautada em planejamento, controle, responsabilidade e transparência, o que vem a calhar a uma gestão pública compromissada às necessidades reais da população, o que engaja o uso de novas tecnologias e inovações nos moldes burocráticos. E por consequência de bons atos e aplicabilidade da inovação e LRS na gestão pública percebemos as cidades inteligentes que são modelos de inovação e incentivo ao capital humano qualificado e criativo.
Fertilidade do solo no semiárido: características e desafios
Authors: Mata Djair Alves da , Silva Teonis Batista da , Silva Jakeline Florêncio da , Silva Geiziane de Fátima da , Paiva José Henrique Soares , Macena Romildo Araújo , Nascimento Raiff Ramos Almeida , Araújo Josefa Vanessa dos Santos , Pereira Flaviano Moura , Lima Aline Daniele da Cunha , Silva Francisco Gledson da , Soares Junior Viegas , Silva Belchior Oliveira Trigueiro da , Martins Arthur Henrique Peixe da Cunha , Mata Daniel Alves da
Published: September 2024

O solo do semiárido brasileiro enfrenta desafios significativos devido às condições climáticas adversas, como longas secas e altas temperaturas, que afetam sua fertilidade e produtividade. A degradação do solo, agravada pela desertificação e manejo inadequado, compromete a produção agrícola e contribui para problemas sociais como a fome. Este estudo analisa a variabilidade espacial e as características dos solos da região, abordando a importância de práticas agrícolas sustentáveis para melhorar a fertilidade e a produtividade. A revisão de literatura revela que a baixa disponibilidade de fósforo e matéria orgânica, aliada à escassez hídrica, são desafios críticos. Propõe-se a adoção de técnicas como adubação orgânica, uso de plantas de cobertura e manejo sustentável para reverter a degradação do solo. Conclui-se que, para garantir a sustentabilidade da agricultura no semiárido, é crucial integrar conhecimentos científicos e tradicionais, além de uma gestão eficiente dos recursos hídricos.
A Review on Seed and Varietal Replacement in Indian Agriculture and Its Impact for Farmers Income
Authors: Sindhuja Konigapaga , Singh Nitesh Kumar , Raj Kaushal Keshav , Sahu Srijal , Singh Mukesh Kumar , Srivastava RP
Published: September 2024

This article provides a complete overview on the Seed and Varietal Replacement Rates in India and examines the significant advancements in seed technology and their transformative impacts on Indian agriculture. As technological innovations and policy reforms have introduced high-yielding, good quality and resistant varieties for biotic and abiotic stresses, these improvements have greatly influenced seed replacement rates and varietal adoption in different climatic conditions. The study highlights how these developments contribute to enhanced crop productivity, better resource use efficiency, and increased food security. Key areas of focus include the role of biofortification in improving nutritional quality, the adoption of drought-tolerant crops to combat climate challenges, and the benefits of high-quality certified seeds. The article emphasizes that optimizing seed replacement rates and integrating advanced seed technologies are crucial for achieving sustainable agricultural practices and maximizing farm profitability. Continued investment in research and effective extension services are essential to support the widespread adoption of these innovations and drive future advancements in Indian agriculture.
Interrelationship between Non-Alcoholic Steatohepatitis and Vitamin D: A Mini Review
Authors: Kaintura Anil , Hussein Mohamed Abdelrahman El
Published: September 2024

Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is a progressive liver disease characterized by inflammation and accumulation of fat in the liver, often associated with obesity, diabetes and metabolic syndrome leading to fibrosis and ultimately cirrhosis of the liver. The literature search included original articles, randomized controlled trials, cohort studies, case-control studies and review articles from the year 2004 onwards. The electronic databases Cochrane, MEDLINE, ScienceDirect and PubMed were used for the literature search. The current state of evidence shows a positive correlation between non-alcoholic steatohepatitis and vitamin D deficiency. The association between vitamin D and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is a complex one and further studies are needed for understanding this relationship.  This review is aimed at the relationship between non-alcoholic steatohepatitis and vitamin D, additionally, it will discuss the role of vitamin D in modulating immune responses with its protective effects on the liver. The need for maintaining an adequate level of vitamin D in at-risk populations will also be discussed along with future research in this matter.
Alpinia zerumbet Anxiolytic and Antidepressant Effects: A Literature Review
Authors: Ferreira Flávia dos Santos , Silva Paula Hosana Fernandes da , Mattos Juliana Lucena Azevedo de , Resende Angela de Castro , Ognibene Dayane Teixeira , Costa Cristiane Aguiar da , Montes Guilherme Carneiro , Fontes-Dantas Fabrícia Lima , Bem Graziele Freitas de
Published: September 2024

Studies demonstrated that many elderly individuals suffer from depressive and anxiety disorders. The drugs used to treat these disorders cause adverse effects such as sedation, gastrointestinal discomfort, and locomotor deficits, which are often responsible for treatment abandonment. Literature data also describe that older people may be refractory to pharmacological treatments used to combat depressive and anxiety disorders, which is potentially worrying due to the suicide risk associated with these conditions. Previous research reported the medicinal plant's beneficial potential in psychiatric disease treatment due to its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antiapoptotic actions. This paper reviews the Alpinia zerumbet actions, a medicinal plant with antidepressant and anxiolytic effects, through increases in noradrenergic neurotransmission and decreases oxidative stress on the central nervous system by increasing antioxidant activity.  Moreover, Alpinia zerumbet also causes a reduction in IL-6 and elevates BDNF levels in the hippocampus, contributing to its antidepressant, anxiolytic, and anti-inflammatory actions. The adverse effects reduction, combined with the fact that there is no toxicity when ingested by humans and increased longevity, suggests that this medicinal plant is promising for older individuals treatment who suffer from depression and anxiety.
Evaluation of Serum Electrolytes among Geriatric and Non-Geriatric Men in Osisoma, ABA, Nigeria
Authors: Oguji Chidinma Blessing , Omejua Chimdike Godswill , Igboh Ngozi M.
Published: September 2024

Background: Ageing is a progressive development associated with a decline in the physiological functions, which increases susceptibility to organ dysfunction (especially the kidney) in geriatrics. This facilitates the risk of electrolyte imbalance, as the kidneys play a crucial role in maintaining these electrolyte concentration.
Aim: This was a cross-sectional study designed to evaluate serum sodium ( ), potassium ( ), chloride ( ), and bicarbonate ( ) levels, and understand their prevalence among apparently healthy geriatric and non-geriatric men residing in Osisoma, Aba.
Methodology: A total of 100 apparently healthy participants were enrolled for this study, comprising of 50 geriatric men aged 65 years and above, and 50 non-geriatric men aged 20-30 years. From both groups, serum samples were used for the analyses of sodium ( ), potassium ( ), chloride ( ), and bicarbonate ( ) using Spectrophotometer. The data obtained was analyzed statistically using Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS version 25), student’s t-test, one way analysis of variance (ANOVA), pearson correlation coefficient and P values less than 0.05 were considered statistically significant.
Results: The mean values of sodium (136.6+3.9mmol/L), potassium (3.9+0.5mmol/L), chloride (100.2+3.9mmol/L) and bicarbonate (24.4+4.3 mmol/L) levels in geriatric subjects showed no statistical significant difference (P > 0.05) when compared to the mean values of sodium (136.9+2.3 mmol/L), potassium (3.9+0.4 mmol/L), chloride (100.8+2.8 mmol/L) and bicarbonate (24.9+3.9 mmol/L) in non-geriatric subjects. The study also revealed a significant difference (P = 0.001) in the mean value of bicarbonate (24.8+4.3 mmol/L; 25.8+1.9mmol/L, and 18.1 +3.3 mmol/L) among geriatric subjects, when compared based on age range using ANOVA. There was a significant negative correlation between the ages and bicarbonate levels (r = -0.4, P = 0.008), a non-significant positive correlation between ages and sodium levels (r = 0.1, P = 0.498), and chloride levels (r = 0.2, P = 0.125), and a non-significant negative correlation between the ages and potassium levels (r = -0.1, P = 0.691) in geriatric subjects.
Conclusion: The result from this study showed no significant alteration of serum electrolytes between geriatric and non-geriatric subjects, and a significant alteration of bicarbonate levels among the geriatric subjects. This present study has shown that ageing without any comorbidities has lesser effect on serum electrolytes.