bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
New insights into the antifungal and anti-mycotoxigenic potential of the TickCore3 peptide against Fusarium species causing Fusarium Head Blight
Authors: Leannec-Rialland Valentin , Atanasova Vessela , Cabezas-Cruz Alejandro , Chereau Sylvain , Minh-Trang Tran , Pinson-Gadais Laetitia , Richard-Forget Florence 
Published: December 2024

Abstract

Cereal crops are frequently affected by Fusarium species that are responsible for the devastating fungal disease Fusarium Head Blight (FHB). These Fusarium species are also capable of producing mycotoxins that accumulate in grains. Reducing the use of synthetic fungicides in agriculture while guaranteeing low levels of mycotoxin contamination in crops requires the development of innovative and environment-friendly solutions. TickCore3 (TC3) is the γ-core of the Ixodes ricinus tick defensin DefMT3. This peptide was previously reported as a potent antifungal and anti-mycotoxin agent but was only tested against one strain of Fusarium graminearum, which is only one of the species causing FHB. In this study, we demonstrated that the peptide was active against major Fusarium species infecting wheat and could mitigate the accumulation of various mycotoxins. Fungal susceptibility to TC3 was shown to vary significantly according to the species and the strain as well. We found that TC3 is highly efficient when applied to the spores and has a strong anti-germination activity. Using a FITC-labeled TC3 peptide and confocal microscopy, we showed that TC3 has a strong affinity for the conidia surface and surrounds these fungal structures. Finally, the implementation of in planta tests demonstrated the bioactivity of TC3 when applied on wheat leaves. This study provides additional convincing results supporting the huge potential of TC3 as a novel and efficient anti-fungal agent to control FHB.
The Economic Burden of Healthcare Utilisation: Findings from a Health and Well-being Survey in Informal Settlements of Freetown, Sierra Leone
Authors: Fullah Sullaiman , Vangahun Dora , Gandi Ibrahim , Tengbe Sia Morenike , Koroma Braima , Sesay Samira , Kibuchi Eliud , Lakshman Rajith W. D. , Sesay Ibrahim Juldeh , Conteh Abu , Saidu Samuel , Elsey Helen , Quayyum Zahidul , Mansaray Bintu , Whittaker Lana , Georgi Neele Wiltgen , Nganda Motto , Tolhurst Rachel , Filha Noemia Teixeira de Siqueira 
Published: December 2024

Abstract

The fragile health system in Sierra Leone undermines healthcare, leading to substantial patient costs. We aimed to estimate the economic burden and inequalities in healthcare in urban informal settlements in Freetown, Sierra Leone. A cross-sectional survey was conducted in three informal settlements in Freetown in April and May 2023 to collect data on healthcare usage within and outside the boundaries of the informal settlements. Catastrophic expenditures were estimated using the payer’s household budget. Logistic regression explored socio-economic characteristics associated with catastrophic expenditures. Inequalities in healthcare expenditures were assessed through concentration curves and indices. 2,575 participants reported healthcare utilisation. Dwarzark (US$6.9) and Moyiba (US$7.1) had higher costs than Cockle Bay (US$5.5) when utilising healthcare within the communities. Households incurred higher costs when seeking healthcare outside their informal settlements than within (US$14 vs US$ 7). Over half of the households across the settlements incurred catastrophic expenditures when seeking care outside the communities (57%), with the poorest wealth quintile (poorest: 89%; wealthier: 12%) incurring in higher incidence. Attending informal healthcare had a protective effect against catastrophic expenditure for healthcare within the communities. Age +35, residence in Dwarzark and Moyiba and length of residence +4 years were associated with catastrophic expenditures. Healthcare expenditure was progressive in Dwarzark and equally distributed across wealth quintiles in the other communities. Our findings indicate the need to provide accessible, affordable and good-quality healthcare within communities to alleviate the catastrophic costs of healthcare utilisation. The regulation of informal health providers and their integration into the formal health system should be considered.
Effects of pore morphology and topography on the rate of capillary imbibition in metal porous structures exposed to ambient air
Authors: Weragoda Delika M. , Tian Guohong , Cai Qiong , Hinder Steven , Huang Peter 
Published: December 2024

Abstract

Capillary imbibition of porous structures is crucial for capillary driven evaporative cooling systems that utilize capillary drive to transport working fluid. Even though the use of working fluids with high surface tension improve the capillary pumping pressure, larger cohesive forces could lead to larger contact angles, if the constituent porous surface renders low surface energy. This study investigates the influence of different pore morphologies and topographies on the wettability transition of several different pore structures when exposed to air, using deionized water as the working fluid. The droplet absorption rates of the porous structures were obtained over a period of 28 days. The samples with larger microscopic pore-scale roughness and lower porosity exhibited greater retention of their wettability over time. The Cu sample with the largest microscopic pore-scale roughness and the lowest porosity maintained its wettability throughout the study period, while the Cu foam, which had the smallest microscopic pore-scale roughness and the largest porosity, lost its wettability within 3 days. The formation of the highly stable oxide layer in Al porous structures restrict further contamination compared to the oxide layer formed on Cu porous structures. Findings provide insights into determining the appropriate grain structures and pore parameters required to minimize the wettability transition of porous metals when designing capillary driven evaporative cooling systems.
Bone, dentin and cementum differentially influence the differentiation of osteoclast-like cells
Authors: Both Annika , Ibrahim Ghosn , Marciniak Jana , Rath-Deschner Birgit , Küchler Erika Calvano , Kirschneck Christian , Gölz Lina , Jäger Andreas , Beisel-Memmert Svenja 
Published: December 2024

Abstract

Our aim was to investigate how different oral hard tissues determine the differentiation of osteoclast-like cells. Murine macrophage cells were stimulated for 12 d with RANKL and M-CSF on dentin slices. Morphological changes of cells and hard tissues were examined by electron microscopy and toluidine blue staining. Cells were stimulated with RANKL and M-CSF on pulverized bone, dentin, cementum or polystyrene – with and without stimulation. TRAP staining was performed. To elucidate total gene expression, RNA sequencing was carried out. Four target genes (CXCL2, IGF-1, GDF15, HSPA1b) were selected and their expression was analyzed by RT-PCR and ELISA. Statistics comprised One-way ANOVA and Tukey’s test (P < 0.05). Stimulation induced differentiation of mouse macrophages into TRAP-positive osteoclast-like cells forming resorption pits on dentin. Gene expression analysis revealed that 1930, 446 and 87 genes were differentially regulated by cultivation on cementum, bone or dentin respectively compared to polystyrene. Culture on bone or dentin caused CXCL2 upregulation. In all stimulated groups IGF-1 was downregulated while GDF15 expression was elevated in cultures on dentin. Cultivation of cells on cementum resulted in an upregulated HSPA1b expression. Our results indicate that extracellular matrix of different oral hard tissues plays an important role in differentiation processes of osteoclast-like cells.
Multi-objective Optimization Based on Full LCEVA Life Analysis of Straw Energy Technologies
Authors: Chang Zhen , Li YongHui , Wang Changmei , Yu YongCai , Yin Fang , Zhang Wudi 
Published: December 2024

Abstract

In recent years, straw energy conversion technology has become a key research focus due to its potential to alleviate energy shortages and reduce environmental pollution. This paper systematically evaluates the economic, environmental, and social benefits of five main straw energy conversion technologies in Yunnan Province, based on a Life Cycle Energy Analysis (LCEA) and multi-objective linear programming. The technologies studied include straw biogas/biomethane, pellet fuel power generation, fuel ethanol, direct combustion power generation, and pyrolysis gas co-production. The results show that straw biogas/biomethane technology has the highest sustainability index, indicating its significant advantages in economic, environmental, and social benefits; therefore, it is recommended for prioritized development. In contrast, the sustainability indices of fuel ethanol and pyrolysis gas co-production technologies are 0.46 and 0.43, respectively, suggesting poor sustainability, and that their development should be restricted. If the policy goal is to enhance regional economic benefits, increasing the proportion of straw biogas/biomethane and pellet fuel power generation technologies is advisable, but i the focus is on environmental impact, straw biogas/biomethane technology should be the primary treatment method. The study further suggests that by improving the utilization rate of straw energy conversion, a win-win situation for economic growth and environmental protection can be achieved, providing strong support for Yunnan Province's transition to green, low-carbon development. The results provide a theoretical basis for local governments to formulate scientific policies.
Changes in Brain Oscillatory Dynamics in Elderly Adults as a Consequence of Natural Aging
Authors: Capurro Lucila , Radloff Michael , Brusco Luis Ignacio , Ramele Rodrigo , Forcato Cecilia 
Published: December 2024

Abstract

The oscillatory nature of slow waves during non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep has recently been proposed as crucial for the glymphatic system, facilitating the clearance of metabolic waste from the brain. While aging-related reductions in slow wave quantity and amplitude are well-documented and linked to this cleansing function, we propose that the rhythmic dynamics in which slow waves occur may also play a critical role.
Thus, we introduce a novel classification of slow waves based on their dynamics into isolated waves and oscillation trains. Using overnight EEG recordings from young and elderly adults, we compared the proportions of each wave type. Additionally, we analyzed train composition, including the proportion of slow waves that initiate a train (lead waves) and the lengths of the trains.
Elderly adults exhibited a higher prevalence of isolated waves and a lower proportion of oscillation trains. Moreover, while elderly adults showed a higher proportion of lead waves, their oscillation trains were shorter.
We propose that natural aging may result in a less oscillatory brain state, potentially impairing cerebrospinal fluid pulsation and reducing the brain’s efficiency in cleansing pathogenic substances during sleep.
Application of uterine suture under tourniquet binding in placenta previa patients with severe placenta implantation
Authors: Ma Shanduo , Chen Bowen , Nie Zhui , Qi Ting , Dong Haoyan , Wang Weijun 
Published: December 2024

Abstract

Objective
To investigate the clinical feasibility and safety of uterine suture use under rubber tourniquet binding in placenta previa patients with severe placenta implantation.
Methods
A retrospective analysis of 60 pregnant women with placenta previa and severe placenta implantation who underwent cesarean section from June 2018 to June 2023 was conducted. The different methods used to block blood vessels can be divided into two groups. Among them, 30 cases of uterine sutures assisted by interventional blocking of uterine blood vessels were used as the interventional group, and 30 cases of uterine sutures assisted by rubber tourniquets binding whole pelvic blood vessels were used as the tourniquet group.
Results
There were no significant differences in clinical characteristics between the intervention group and the tourniquet group (P > 0.05). The operation time was 180.68 ± 66.61 minutes in the interventional group and 118.32 ± 38.23 minutes in the tourniquet group. The difference between the two groups was significant (p < 0.01). The median 24-hour postpartum hemorrhages were 1990.32 (1000, 2500) and 1574.19 (900, 2000) (p = 0.172), respectively. The postoperative hospital stays were 7.58 ± 2.20 and 5.87 ± 1.69 (p = 0.01). The hospitalization expenses were M (P25, P75) 44037.10 (34331.84,52373.1) and 20480.69 (15389.04,22913.65) (p < 0.01); among them, the costs of blood transfusion were 5778.79 (1641.00,9918.71) and 2825.97 (1244.98,3760.00) (p < 0.01); and the short-term complication rates (n, %) were 11 (36.67%) and 2 (6.45%) (p < 0.05). The two groups were compared in terms of operation time, postoperative hospitalization days, hospitalization expenses and short-term complications, and the differences were statistically significant (p < 0.05). There was no significant difference in the amount of bleeding 24 hours after the operation or the neonatal Apgar score between the two groups (p > 0.05). Postoperative 1-year follow-up,the comparison of the two groups of surgical long-term complications (n,%) was 10 (33.33%) and 8 ( 26.67%) (p = 0.399), The difference was not statistically significant.
Conclusion
In the surgical treatment of placenta previa complicated with severe placenta accreta, uterine suturing under tourniquet binding can quickly and effectively control massive intraoperative bleeding, shorten the operation time, and reduce postoperative hospitalization days, hospitalization expenses and blood transfusion costs. This surgical method is more accessible than interventional surgery. It is easy to perform, simple and has good hemostatic effects. It is a safe and effective surgical treatment method.
Endothelial soluble guanylyl cyclase enzyme inhibitors as novel target for treatment of sepsis related hypotension
Authors: Suleiman Yousif Ali Ahmed , Almofti Yassir , Khalil abouzer Mohammed 
Published: December 2024

Abstract

Background
Sepsis-related hypotension is a life-threatening condition due to systemic infection leading to widespread inflammation and blood vessel dilation. This can cause a dramatic drop in blood pressure, impairing blood flow to vital organs and potentially leading to organ failure and death. NO was recognized as a significant factor in sepsis in 1990 and became an important therapeutic target. NO plays a dual role in sepsis, exhibiting both beneficial and harmful effects. Inhibiting sGC may help reduce the excessive vasodilation associated with sepsis-induced vasoplegia.
Methods
This study utilized CADD to screen over 320 naturally occurring compounds from the PubChem database for potential sGC inhibitors. A comprehensive virtual screening process, which included protein-ligand docking, binding free energy calculations, and pharmacokinetic profiling, led to the identification of promising candidates such as Hypericin and Hypocrellin A2.
Results
These compounds demonstrated superior binding affinities and pharmacokinetic properties compared to existing inhibitors. Hypericin achieved a docking score of -14.232, indicating strong interactions with the receptor. It also exhibited favourable pharmacokinetic characteristics, including significant tissue-binding potential and stability within the binding pocket, as well as low predicted toxicity and a substantial safety margin.
Conclusions
This research lays the groundwork for future in vitro and in vivo studies, which could improve Hypericin-based effective therapies for sepsis-induced vasoplegia and hypotension.
Multivariate analysis of inland water quality index in parts of Vapi district, Gujarat, India
Authors: Seth Mridul , Dholakia Mrugen , Dhiman Sanjay , Khare U. K. , Amin Jignesh , Bhangaonkar Pranavkumar 
Published: December 2024

ABSTRACT

Water resource management substantially depends on water quality (WQ). Anthropogenic and geogenic pollutants in water system are challenging to identify, transport, and properly dispose of, thus demanding frequent monitoring. Study focuses on application of statistical approach to analyse pattern and to monitor WQ parameters of region. Paper presents computation of water quality index (WQI) based on various WQ parameters of the Daman Ganga River situated in Vapi, Gujarat, India. 17 WQ parameters considered were pH, electrical conductivity, temperature (Temp), total dissolved solids, NO2 + NO3, (P-Tot), Ca, Mg, Na, K, Cl, SO4, CO3, HCO3, total hardness, sodium absorption ratio (SAR), and calcium hardness (HAR_Ca). Quartile deviation was carried out as preprocessing technique to identify fair analysis of trend followed by other parameters. Application of PCA followed by varimax rotation factor analysis was attempted to identify contribution of significant parameters. Methods developed by Council of Canadian Ministry of Environment (CCME) and British Columbia (BC) were applied to compute WQI. WQI evaluated were 42.35 and 63.29 for CCME and BC, respectively, based on five significantly influencing parameters, namely, HAR_Ca, SAR, CO3, Temp, and P-Tot. Study signifies the hardness and salinity factors impacting WQ and efficiently reduces subjectivity and bias to determine the WQI model.
Songs in the shape of Abpril: the 25 of April and music with words for adults and for children
Authors: Gomes José António 
Published: December 2024

One of the main instruments of democratic resistance to the fascist dictatorship of Salazar and Marcello Caetano, in Portugal, was the so-called canto de intervenção (protest songs). Preceded by composers and pioneer works, such as the Heróicas songs, by Lopes-Graça, these protest songs in Portugal are linked to several unavoidable names: José Afonso, Adriano Correia de Oliveira, Luís Cília, José Mário Branco, Sérgio Godinho, Fausto Bordalo Dias and other singers and songwriters. A striking feature of this musical expression of great political-cultural relevance was its connection to the written word, that is, to poetry (Camões, Pessoa, Carlos de Oliveira, Manuel da Fonseca, António Gedeão, Ary dos Santos, Manuel Alegre, Luís Pignatelli…). On the other hand, it can be said that the long and exhilarating days of the April Revolution of 1974, which would become known in history as the Carnation Revolution, were constantly punctuated by these songs of political commitment and criticism, in which the songwriters already mentioned and many others, from the following generation, were involved. The article seeks to describe this dynamic, from a mainly historical perspective, highlighting and characterizing the protagonists of this musical movement and the poets whose poems they set to music. Another aspect emphasized in the text is the fact that some of these singers and composers (Godinho, Barata-Moura, João Lóio and others), in whose music childhood, as a topic, was sometimes present, also made a relevant contribution to musical and literary renewal of the songs for children in Portugal.
Qwen-2.5 Outperforms Other Large Language Models in the Chinese National Nursing Licensing Examination: Retrospective Cross-Sectional Comparative Study
Authors: Zhu Shiben , Hu Wanqin , Yang Zhi , Yan Jiani , Zhang Fang 
Published: December 2024

Background
Large language models (LLMs) have been proposed as valuable tools in medical education and practice. The Chinese National Nursing Licensing Examination (CNNLE) presents unique challenges for LLMs due to its requirement for both deep domain–specific nursing knowledge and the ability to make complex clinical decisions, which differentiates it from more general medical examinations. However, their potential application in the CNNLE remains unexplored.

Objective
This study aims to evaluates the accuracy of 7 LLMs including GPT-3.5, GPT-4.0, GPT-4o, Copilot, ERNIE Bot-3.5, SPARK, and Qwen-2.5 on the CNNLE, focusing on their ability to handle domain-specific nursing knowledge and clinical decision-making. We also explore whether combining their outputs using machine learning techniques can improve their overall accuracy.

Methods
This retrospective cross-sectional study analyzed all 1200 multiple-choice questions from the CNNLE conducted between 2019 and 2023. Seven LLMs were evaluated on these multiple-choice questions, and 9 machine learning models, including Logistic Regression, Support Vector Machine, Multilayer Perceptron, k-nearest neighbors, Random Forest, LightGBM, AdaBoost, XGBoost, and CatBoost, were used to optimize overall performance through ensemble techniques.

Results
Qwen-2.5 achieved the highest overall accuracy of 88.9%, followed by GPT-4o (80.7%), ERNIE Bot-3.5 (78.1%), GPT-4.0 (70.3%), SPARK (65.0%), and GPT-3.5 (49.5%). Qwen-2.5 demonstrated superior accuracy in the Practical Skills section compared with the Professional Practice section across most years. It also performed well in brief clinical case summaries and questions involving shared clinical scenarios. When the outputs of the 7 LLMs were combined using 9 machine learning models, XGBoost yielded the best performance, increasing accuracy to 90.8%. XGBoost also achieved an area under the curve of 0.961, sensitivity of 0.905, specificity of 0.978, F1-score of 0.901, positive predictive value of 0.901, and negative predictive value of 0.977.

Conclusions
This study is the first to evaluate the performance of 7 LLMs on the CNNLE and that the integration of models via machine learning significantly boosted accuracy, reaching 90.8%. These findings demonstrate the transformative potential of LLMs in revolutionizing health care education and call for further research to refine their capabilities and expand their impact on examination preparation and professional training.