bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Characterization of antibacterial, antibiofilm and antioxidant properties of Exopolysaccharides produced by Lactobacillus casei
Authors: Pouragha Bahareh , Pirouzian Haniyeh Rasouli , Rad Aziz Homayouni 
Published: September 2024

Abstract

Periodontal diseases and tooth decay are the most common oral and dental diseases in the world. Oxidation, habits, diet and bacterial infections are among the effective factors in the mentioned diseases. Streptococcus mutans is the main bacteria that causes tooth decay. New strategies needed in order to prevent these diseases. Bacterial exopolysaccharides (EPSs) could be considered for this purpose. In this study, minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum batericidal concentration (MBC) tests were used to determine the antibacterial properties of EPS against S. mutans. Then, using the crystal violet method, the postbiotic effect on the reduction of biofilm formation (adhesion) by S. mutans bacteria was investigated. In addition, the antioxidant properties of these compounds were measured using the DPPH method. The results showed that exopolysaccharide has a significant inhibitory effect against the S. mutans growth. The minimum inhibitory concentration as well as the minimum bactericidal concentration were 18.75 and 37.5 mg/ml, respectively. The concentration of 18.75 mg/ml significantly reduced biofilm adhesion. The results obtained from the evaluation of the antioxidant property showed that EPS indicated good antioxidant properties at much lower concentrations (4 mg/ml).
Microbiome-based conversion of glucose to butyrate and hexanoate: roles and limitations revealed through genome-centered metatranscriptomics
Authors: Stamatopoulou Panagiota , Scarborough Matthew J. 
Published: September 2024

Abstract

Background
Chain elongation is emerging as a biotechnological tool to convert waste organics to beneficial fermentation products with wide utility across industrial and agricultural sectors. Glucose, the most abundant sugar on earth, is present in organic feedstocks as both a monomer and as a constituent of complex polymers. In this work, glucose was used as the sole carbon and electron source to enrich a chain elongating microbial community using duplicate bioreactor systems and batch experiments were performed to assess the role of hydrogen supplementation on fermentation.
Results
Hexanoic acid was the most abundant MCCA produced in both bioreactors with steady-state concentrations of about 4 g COD L− 1 while butyric acid was the most abundant carboxylic acid with concentrations of about 5 g COD L− 1. Metagenomic and metatranscriptomic analyses showed that the microbial communities in the duplicate reactors were very similar, with Caproicibacter sp. 002316805 and Caproicibacterium sp. 002399445 emerging as the most abundant chain elongating bacteria in both bioreactors. The microbiomes also contained a high abundance of lactic acid bacteria, primarily the Coriobacteriaceae Tractidigestivibacter and Olegusella. H2 supplementation with batch experiments resulted in marginal changes in the products compared to controls with N2 supplementation, with butyric acid production being higher than but not hexanoate production. One low-abundance Clostridium_B increased expression of genes for the Wood Ljungdahl pathway during H2 supplementation.
Conclusions
The duplicate bioreactors behaved similarly, with the same abundant species. Combined, Caproicibacter sp. 002316805, Caproicibacterium sp. 002399445, and Tractidigestivibacter sp902834555 accounted for > 65% of the transcriptome and analysis of transcribed genes suggests butyrate and hexanoate originate from both direct sugar conversion by Caproicibacter sp. 002316805 and Caproicibacterium sp. 002399445 as well as initial conversion to lactate by Tractidigestivibacter sp902834555. Further, it was found that Caproicibacter and Caproicibacterium differ in synteny of chain elongation genes. H2 supplementation during batch experiments did not reliably increase hexanoate production.
Reassembly of photosystem II in the repair process involves multiple intermediate complexes associated with TEF30
Authors: Liu Zhenfeng , Wang Yidi , Wang Chenxi , Li Anjie 
Published: September 2024

Abstract

During oxygenic photosynthesis, photosystem II (PSII) utilizes light energy for oxidizing water and reducing plastoquinone. It is susceptible to photodamage and the damaged PSII is repaired through a sophisticated biological process assisted by numerous auxiliary proteins. Here we report the cryo-EM structures of four different PSII-repair complexes associated with the Thylakoid Enriched Fraction 30 (TEF30) protein, namely a TEF30-associated PSII core monomer (TEF30-C), two types of TEF30-associated PSII core dimers (types I and II, TEF302-C2-I and TEF302-C2-II) and a TEF30-associated C2S-type PSII-LHCII supercomplex (TEF30-C2S; S, strongly-associated light-harvesting complex II trimer). Intriguingly, TEF30 mediates the assembly of CP43 with RC47 module by clamping on the stromal surfaces and prevents the premature association of peripheral antennae with PSII-C. In the transition from TEF302-C2-I to TEF302-C2-II, TEF30-C2S and mature C2S2, one PSII core slides along the dimerization interface against the adjacent one by 22-35 Å, generating a zigzagged surface for accommodating the peripheral antennae. The results suggest that the PSII repair process undergoes multiple TEF30-mediated intermediate states to form intact PSII-LHCII supercomplexes.
Multi-scale dynamics influence the division potential of stomatal lineage ground cells in Arabidopsis
Authors: Bergmann Dominique , Fung Hannah , Amador Gabriel , Dale Renee , Gong Yan , Vollbrecht Macy , Erberich Joel , Mair Andrea 
Published: September 2024

Abstract

During development, many precursor lineages are flexible, producing variable numbers and types of progeny cells. What factors determine whether a precursor cell differentiates or retains the capacity to divide? Here, we leverage the developmental flexibility of the stomatal lineage ground cell (SLGC) in Arabidopsis leaves as a model for how flexible decisions are regulated. Using a quantitative approach that combines long-term live imaging and statistical modeling, we discover that cell size is a strong predictor of SLGC behaviour: larger SLGCs divide less often than smaller cells. We propose that cell size is linked to division behaviour at multiple spatial scales. At the neighbourhood scale, cell size correlates with the strength of cell-cell signaling, which affects the rate at which SPEECHLESS (SPCH), a division-promoting transcription factor, is degraded. At the subcellular scale, cell size correlates with nuclear size, which modulates the concentration of SPCH in the nucleus. Our work shows how initial differences in SPCH levels are canalized by nuclear size and cell-cell signaling to inform the behaviour of a flexible cell type.
Innovative Enhancements in Quantum Key Distribution Using Multi-Decoy States, Advanced Bit Recovery, and Adaptive Filtering with ML
Authors: Ajlouni Naim 
Published: September 2024

Abstract

Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) stands as a ground breaking approach to secure communication, exploiting the principles of quantum mechanics to achieve theoretically unbreakable encryption. Despite substantial progress, challenges in optimizing key rates and ensuring robustness, particularly in high-loss environments, persist. This research proposes an advanced QKD method that integrates multiple decoy states with optimized intensity levels and pulse probabilities, advanced bit recovery techniques, and adaptive machine learning (ML) filtering to enhance signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). The proposed framework leverages ML-driven adaptive filtering to dynamically reduce noise, thereby improving the accuracy of gain and error rate calculations for decoy states and enhancing the efficiency of bit recovery. The bit recovery process incorporates permutation-based enhancement techniques, optimizing the recovery of unused quantum bits (RUQB). The proposed method is thoroughly evaluated through comparative analysis against leading QKD protocols, including E91, BBM92, B92, Six-state, Decoy State, and DSP protocols. The results demonstrate significant improvements in secure key rates, the percentage of correctly recovered bits, and overall system robustness, especially in challenging conditions. This research contributes to the advancement of QKD by providing a more resilient and efficient approach, addressing key limitations of existing methods, and paving the way for enhanced secure quantum communication systems.
Osteoporosis in males and its causative factors in Damascus Hospital
Authors: IbraheemTalib Ali , Al-Doori Ihab Arif , Hamoud Taghreed 
Published: September 2024

Abstract

Background: Osteoporosis is a silent disorder characterized by low bone density and structural deterioration of bone microarchitecture leading to fragility and increased risk of fractures. It has been considered primarily a postmenopausal condition, due to the known effects of low estrogen on bone mass loss in females. However, recognition of the burden of osteoporosis in the male population has grown in the past decades, associated with an increase in fragility fractures in the population, likely due to the worldwide longevity, a more sedentary lifestyle, and an increased prevalence of risk factors. The aim of the study was to evaluate osteoporosis in males and its causative factors in Damascus Hospital.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in Damascus Hospital (Al-Mujtahid), during the period from 20/6/2024 to 15/8/2024. Patient files were studied in the Department of Endocrinology, between 2013 and 2024, and the number of patients studied was 73 patients diagnosed with osteoporosis.
Results: Our study included 73 patients diagnosed with osteoporosis, aged 60-97 with a mean age of 77 years. The majority of patients were rural residents (61.6%). Chronic diseases suffered by patients were: hypertension (23.3%), followed by diabetes (15.1%). More than half of the patients were smokers (74%). A small percentage (8.2%) consumed alcohol. The majority of patients (67.1%) were not physically active. The common primary causes were: family history (35.6%), vitamin D deficiency (32.9%), lack of physical activity (15.1%), advanced age (9.6%). Secondary causes were: medications (42.5%), then underlying medical conditions (9.6%).
Conclusion: Osteoporosis in men is caused by a complex interaction between hormone deficiency, medication use, lifestyle choices, and genetic factors. Understanding these causes is critical to developing effective prevention and treatment strategies. Our study found that the most important causes of osteoporosis were long-term steroid use and a family history of osteoporosis.
Assessing Explainability in Large Language Models Through Soft Counterfactual Analysis: A Comparative Study of Google Gemini and OpenAI ChatGPT
Authors: Penicig James , Chen Benjamin , Wilson Scott , Garcia Sophia 
Published: September 2024

Abstract

The increasing integration of large language models into various domains has heightened the demand for transparency and interpretability in the decision-making processes of complex models. Traditional methods for achieving explainability have often fallen short, particularly when applied to sophisticated models like Google Gemini and OpenAI ChatGPT, which require novel approaches to fully unravel their internal logic. This paper introduces a comprehensive evaluation of model explainability through the innovative use of soft counterfactual analysis, a method that systematically generates minimally altered input scenarios to probe the consistency, sensitivity, and attribution mechanisms within the models. Empirical results indicate that while both models maintain a high degree of consistency and exhibit responsiveness to subtle input variations, challenges remain in ensuring transparency in tasks involving creative reasoning and numerical precision. Through detailed attribution mapping, the study further illuminates how different input features contribute to the models' outputs, revealing potential biases and guiding future improvements. The findings demonstrate the value of integrating explainability into the design and deployment of language models, advocating for the continued development of methods that enhance model transparency, user trust, and ethical AI use.
Extensão e pesquisa para promoção e sustentabilidade da agricultura familiar no município de Conceição da Feira - Ba
Authors: SANTANA Thiago Pires , MATIAS Rogério Gomes , COSTA Ianca Rodrigues , SILVA FILHO Aloísio Machado da , DIAS Rui Manuel Teixeira Santos , ZEBENDE Gilney Figueira 
Published: September 2024

Este artigo descreve, no âmbito da pesquisa e extensão universitária, as ações desenvolvidas na associação rural de moradores e agricultores do Cruzeiro, Tábua, Timbó e Adjacências situada na região de Conceição da Feira, Bahia-Brasil. A proposta de trabalho foi discutir economia, agricultura familiar, formação e capacitação nesta associação. A agricultura familiar desempenha um papel essencial nas pequenas comunidades rurais, colaborando e promovendo o desenvolvimento sustentável, a geração de renda e a segurança alimentar. Partir deste entendimento e neste cenário, desenvolvemos na associação rural rodas de conversa para discutir economia, agricultura familiar, formação e capacitação. As rodas de conversa foram estruturadas em dois encontros, almejando promover e fortalecer a agricultura familiar dessa localidade. Identificamos que a comunidade da associação rural não é autossuficiente e não está inserida diretamente na produção avícola, que é o principal vetor econômico da região. Porém, existe interesse da comunidade em capacitar-se por meio atividades presenciais e inserir-se nesse nicho econômico. Identificamos que, para alcançar o desenvolvimento sustentável é necessário a colaboração de instituições públicas e privadas que possam apoiar a comunidade na superação de suas necessidades.
The frequency and features of allergic diseases in environmental pathology
Authors: Bolotova E. V. , Dudnikova A. V. , Onopriev V. V. , Batrakova L. V. 
Published: September 2024

Introduction. The study of the influence of environmental toxicants on the incidence of allergic diseases is a significant medical and social problem.Aim. To study the frequency and characteristics of allergic pathology in patients with multiple chemical sensitivity syndrome (MCH).Materials and methods. Using the QEESI questionnaire, 468 outpatients undergoing a preventive medical examination were surveyed (232 men, mean age 34.2 ± 9.3 years and 236 women, mean age 42.9 ± 13.8 years). Statistical processing was carried out using the statistical program MedCalc. The relationships and differences in the indicators were considered statistically significant at p < 0.05.Results. The frequency of MCH was 211 people (45.1%). Allergic diseases were found in the study in 21.0% (102) of patients: allergic rhinitis in 24 (44.4%), asthma in 13 (22.2%), food allergy in 9 (16.6%), atopic dermatitis in 8 (14.8%) patients. Significant differences in the subscale of the effect on life were revealed in patients with bronchial asthma (p = 0.01), food allergies (p = 0.01), atopic dermatitis (p = 0.01). The average scores on all points in patients with MCH and allergic diseases were significantly higher than in the group with isolated MCH syndrome (p = 0.01). Among patients with allergies, the number of women was significantly higher (74.9% vs. 25.1%, p = 0.01), women more often had high scores for each of the three subscales compared with men: 25% vs. 10% (p = 0.001) for chemical intolerance, 29% vs. 10% (p = 0.001) in terms of severity of symptoms and 22% versus 5% (p = 0.001) in terms of impact on life.Conclusion. 25.6% of patients with HCV had allergic diseases: asthma, allergic rhinitis, food allergies, and atopic dermatitis. Significant differences in the subscale of life effects in patients with bronchial asthma, food allergies and atopic dermatitis were revealed.
The effectiveness of radiation diagnostics in differentiating the source of pelvic pain in gynecological patients
Authors: Borisova L. I. , Tselkovich L. S. , Balter R. B. , Ibragimova A. R. , Ivanova T. V. , Kotelnikova N. A. 
Published: September 2024

Introduction. Ultrasound (US) diagnostics is used in the diagnosis of chronic pelvic pain (CPP). In difficult cases, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), computed tomography (CT) with contrast enhancement are used. In modern medicine, there is no standard diagnostic algorithm for СРР and requires development.Aim. To compare the results of ultrasound and MRI for differentiating diagnosis between minor forms of external endometriosis and for studying chronic inflammatory processes in the reproductive tract of women with chronic pelvis pain (CPP).Materials and methods. A total of 183 patients of reproductive age with CPP were included in the examination, of which 95 had CCP associated with external endometriosis, and 88 - with chronic inflammatory diseases of the uterus and appendages not in the acute stage. Prior to initiating therapy, all patients underwent ultrasound and MRI examinations. Statistical analysis of the results was performed using Statistica 10 (StatSoft Inc., USA) and MedCalc (version 15.2) software.Results and discussion. Ultrasound confirmed the presence of endometriosis in 29 (30.52%) women of the main group and in 38 (3.18%) patients of the comparison group. MRI was effective in the main group in 54 examined women (56.84%), in the comparison group - in 41 patients (46.59%). The remaining 12 patients of the main group (12.64%) and 9 women from the comparison group (10.23%) were diagnosed based on laparoscopy performed before the women were included in the study.Conclusions. If early stages of external endometriosis are suspected in patients with СРР, MRI is justified. Differential diagnosis of small forms of external endometriosis and fibrosis associated with inflammation in MRI is difficult. Additional laboratory tests are required for accurate differential diagnosis.
Efficacy and safety of epoetin beta in dialysis patients
Authors: Marasaev V. V. , Shormanov I. S. , Zhigalov S. A. , Soloviev A. S. , Bazhina O. V. , Belova K. Yu. , Ershova O. B. 
Published: September 2024

Introduction. Effective treatment of renal anaemia is achieved due to the use of erythropoietin-stimulating agents, which not only increase haemoglobin levels, but also significantly improve the prognosis for cardiovascular diseases in patients on haemodialysis.Aim. To evaluate the safety and tolerability of Russian recombinant human erythropoietin beta (Epostim®) intended for intravenous administration to maintain stable haemoglobin levels in patients with chronic renal anaemia on programmed haemodialysis.Materials and methods. A retrospective study included 67 patients with end-stage kidney disease on renal replacement therapy by programmed haemodialysis.Results and discussion. Haemoglobin levels at the initiation of treatment (1 month) with epoetin beta and at the end of treatment (12 months) were 106.3 ± 9.0 and 107.4 ± 10.2 g/l, respectively, p = 0.03. The average number of patients with haemoglobin level < 110 g/l in the first 12 months during therapy with epoetin alfa was 8.5 ± 1.1. The average number of patients with haemoglobin level < 110 g/L in the following 12 months (during treatment with epoetin beta) was 6.1 ± 0.5, p = 0.04. The average number of patients with increased haemoglobin levels > 130 g/l in patients treated with epoetin alfa and epoetin beta did not differ from each other and amounted to 4.3 ± 0.6 and 5.1 ± 0.9, respectively, p = 0.46. After conversion to epoetin beta, the changes in haemoglobin levels were much smoother (Friedman test, p = 0.29). The frequency of first-year dose modifications (epoetin alfa) was 2.1 ± 0.12 episodes per year, and that of second-year dose modifications (epoetin beta) was 1.7 ± 0.16 episodes per year, p < 0.047. Epostim® showed good tolerability; no adverse effects, including serious ones, were reported.Conclusion. The use of epoetin beta (Epostim®) allows to effectively maintain a stable haemoglobin level that was achieved after the use of other erythropoietin agents in the treatment of anaemia associated with end-stage chronic renal failure.
Forecasting monthly peak flows for the flood-prone River Jhelum in the Kashmir Valley, India
Authors: Parvaze Sabah , Kumar Rohitashw , Khan Junaid Nazir , Allaie Saqib Parvaze 
Published: September 2024

ABSTRACT
Prediction of the peak discharges is of great significance for water resource management and flood mitigation strategies. In this study, the performance of the deseasonalised ARIMA modelling technique was tested to evaluate its suitability for streamflow prediction in flood-prone Kashmir Valley. Monthly peak flow modelling and forecast was performed for the following three key discharge stations of the River Jhelum: Sangam, Ram Munshi Bagh, and Asham. Based on the results, the models were found to perform reasonably well for simulation and forecasting of the monthly peak flows. The values of root mean square error (RMSE) were 75.19, 85.51, and 92.15 cumecs, and MAPE values were 31.94, 29.81, and 32.96% for Sangam, Ram Munshi Bagh, and Asham stations. Nash–Sutcliffe efficiency (NSE) values for these stations were 0.89, 0.85, and 0.86. The results showed that the models could recognise the patterns in the observed time series and recognise the basic relations. The models will contribute towards designing an efficient decision support tool for flood planning and management in the flood-prone valley.
Removal of NOVACRON® red C-4B reactive dye from textile industry wastewater by the UV/H2O2-assisted advanced oxidation process
Authors: Nawaz Muhammad Imran , Fida Sadia , Javed Tayyaba , Numan Fiza , Choudhary Laiba , Saleem Muhammad Usman , Pervez Saimar 
Published: September 2024

ABSTRACT

Contamination of industrial wastewater with dyes poses a significant threat to public health. Extensive efforts have been dedicated to mitigating the presence of dyes in aquatic ecosystems. This research focuses on the degradation of the azo-type NOVACRON® C-4B reactive red dye generated from the textile industry through ultraviolet (UV) radiation in conjunction with hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). This research investigated multiple variables, including dye concentration, pH levels, H2O2 concentration, UV exposure duration, and UV power, to evaluate their influence on the degradation process. The maximum dye degradation of 86 and 78% chemical oxygen demand (COD) reduction was achieved for 50 mg/L dye concentration at pH 4, 0.9 mL of H2O2, and 120 min of UV irradiation time. The degradation results were compared with other advanced oxidation processes to check the effectiveness of this system. It has been demonstrated that the UV/H2O2 system is effective and capable of degrading the azo dyes such as NOVACRON® C-4B reactive red dye effectively compared with other conventional biological and physiochemical treatment processes.