bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Production and use of crumb rubber for bitumen modification from end-of-life passenger car tyres in comparison with truck tyres: a comprehensive study on bitumen and asphalt performance
Authors: Swaney Michael , Lu Dai Xuan , Sun Da , Giustozzi Filippo 
Published: August 2024

Abstract

The use of crumb rubber (CR) from shredded end-of-life vehicle tyres in road engineering practices has become increasingly popular as a method of enhancing sustainability. Historically, crumb rubber produced from end-of-life tyres only used sources of rubber with high natural rubber content. This approach was believed to enhance the final properties of the crumb rubber modified binder, hence also providing betterments to the asphalt mix. The presence of a lower volume of textile fibre in radial truck tyres (TT) also contributed to the recycling of these type of tyres for road applications. However, with the development of more efficient recycling machines, and with the raised awareness that passenger car tyres are available in a much larger quantity, new research is needed to explore the suitability of recycling passenger car tyres (PCT) for bitumen modification. This study aims to evaluate the possible use of PCT in bitumen by studying its performance and comparing it to the performance of the same bitumen modified with TT and S45R (a commercial crumb rubber modified binder). Different percentages of PCT CR and TT CR were added to a neat binder, and their composition and performance were analysed through a series of physical, chemical, and rheological tests. The results indicate that adding PCT CR to neat bitumen can significantly improve the temperature susceptibility, elasticity, hardness, and stiffness of the binder, thus improving the rutting performance and resistance to fatigue similar to what TT CR can do. From a direct comparison, the performance of PCT CR modified binders is very similar to TT CR, especially at lower CR content (i.e. below 10%). Additionally, PCT CR in the approximate range of 13–16% by weight of bitumen would provide similar results to the commercially available S45R binder for most of the tests conducted. Consequently, selected binders and modified binders (with 15% and 20% CR) with a warm mix additive were used to produce a gap graded asphalt mix for mechanical behaviour evaluation on compactability, moisture resistance, non-damage viscoelastic behaviour, cracking, and rutting resistance. The study found minimal differences between the two sources of rubber (PCT and TT). Overall, PTC were found to be suitable to produce CR for bitumen modification through the wet process.
Brems1 mutation induced tapetum deficiency leading to male sterility in Chinese cabbage (Brassica rapa L. ssp. pekinensis)
Authors: Liu Chuanhong , Wang Lin , Tan Chong , Zhao Di , Liu Zhiyong 
Published: August 2024

Abstract

Male sterile lines are ideal for hybrid seed production in Chinese cabbage. Herein, the complete male sterile mutants M5026 and M5073 were obtained through ethyl methanesulfonate (EMS) mutagenesis in the cabbage double haploid line ‘FT’. Observation of paraffin sections showed that M5026 lacked the tapetum and had excessive microsporocytes. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) revealed abnormal exine formation in M5026 microspores. Genetic analysis revealed a single recessive nuclear gene caused the male sterility phenotype of M5026. Using Mutmap sequencing and Kompetitive allele-specific PCR (KASP) identification and gene cloning, BraA10g029920.3.5C, encoding EMS1 (Excess microsporocytes 1), a leucine-rich repeat receptor-like protein kinase (LRR-RLK), was identified as the candidate gene of M5026 and named Brems1. A nonsynonymous G-to-A mutation in an exon of the Brems1 gene in M5026 resulted in the substitution of glycine with arginine. Employing Mutmap and cloning approaches, a C-to-T SNP was identified within Brems1 of M5073, resulting in premature translation termination. Both BrEMS1 and Brems1 were subcellularly localized at the cell membrane. qRT-PCR analysis indicated Brems1 exhibited the highest expression level in flower buds, while no expression was detected in roots. Transcriptomic analysis revealed that mutation in Brems1 reduced the expression levels of genes associated with the tapetum, pollen tube, and LRR-RLK family. These results suggested that Brems1 plays a critical role in pollen development and contributes to elucidating the molecular mechanisms underlying tapetum development and male sterility in Chinese cabbage.
Classification of Synoptic Weather Patterns associated with Extreme Wave Events in Different Regions of Western South Atlantic
Authors: Silva Matheus Bonjour Laviola da , de Souza Danilo Couto , Barreto Fernando Tulio Camilo , Tecchio Rodrigo , Pimentel Renan Freitas , Gramcianinov Carolina Barnez , de Camargo Ricardo 
Published: August 2024

Abstract

The identification of weather patterns and associated surface waves for the Southwestern Atlantic Ocean is the goal of the present work. For this purpose, a K-means algorithm was adopted to group data into similar atmospheric conditions considering 25 years of reanalysis data (1993-2017) of zonal and meridional wind components and geopotential height at 1000 hPa. Three points (Vitoria, Santos and Rio Grande) along the Brazilian coast were chosen to evaluate the wave extremes and which Weather Patterns are associated with the extremes in these three different regions. The knee point detection method was used to determine the ideal number of centroids for representing the Weather Patterns at each point. The dates corresponding to each WP were used to plot the average wave field associated with each WP. The results indicate that WPs are dominated by both cyclones and anti-cyclones in the domain. Cyclones with a south/southwest fetch induce extreme waves in Santos and Rio Grande, while for Vitoria, extreme wave generation is more dominant due to the influence of the post-frontal high.
Comparison of AI applications and anesthesiologist's anesthesia method choices
Authors: ÇELİK ENES , TURGUT MEHMET ALİ , AYDOĞAN MESUT , KILINÇ METİN , TOKTAŞ İZZETTİN , AKELMA HAKAN 
Published: August 2024

Abstract

Background: In medicine, Artificial intelligence has begun to be utilized in nearly every domain, from medical devices to the interpretation of imaging studies. There is still a need for more experience and more studies related to the comprehensive use of AI in medicine. The aim of the present study is to evaluate the ability of AI to make decisions regarding anesthesia methods and to compare the most popular AI programs from this perspective.
Methods: The study included orthopedic patients over 18 years of age scheduled for limb surgery within a 1-month period. Patients classified as ASA I-III who were evaluated in the anesthesia clinic during the preoperative period were included in the study. The anesthesia method preferred by the anesthesiologist during the operation and the patient’s demographic data, comorbidities, medications, and surgical history were recorded. The obtained patient data were discussed as if presenting a patient scenario using the free versions of the ChatGPT, Copilot, and Gemini applications by a different anesthesiologist who did not perform the operation.
Results: Over the course of 1 month, a total of 72 patients were enrolled in the study. It was observed that both the anesthesia specialists and the Gemini application chose spinal anesthesia for the same patient in 68.5% of cases. This rate was higher compared to the other AI applications. For patients taking medication, it was observed that the Gemini application presented choices that were highly compatible (85.7%) with the anesthesiologists’ preferences.
Conclusion: AI cannot fully master the guidelines and exceptional and specific cases that arrive in the course of medical treatment. Thus, we believe that AI can serve as a valuable assistant rather than replacing doctors.
Overexpression of the R2R3-MYB transcription factor GmMYB3a improves isoflavone accumulation in soybean
Authors: Xu ZiBo , Li JingWen , Zhang YongQiang , Wang Ying , Zhu YouCheng , Liu TianYi , Song Xue , He YuXuan , Liu YaJing , Wang QingYu , Yan Fan 
Published: August 2024

Abstract

We performed a comprehensive analysis of the R2R3-MYB subclass of MYB transcription factors in soybeans, focusing on GmMYB3a. Notably, we found that GmMYB3a shares high homology with MYB genes in Arabidopsis thaliana and is a MYB regulator of isoflavone biosynthesis in soybean. In our rigorous study, we have discovered that GmMYB3a exhibits nuclear localization, which concurs with its potential involvement in the biosynthesis of isoflavones. Furthermore, our analysis indicates a synergistic expression pattern between GmMYB3a and seed development, thereby strengthening the hypothesis of its critical role in the regulation of isoflavone synthesis. Transgenic experiments further demonstrated that GmMYB3a positively regulates isoflavone biosynthesis and leads to its overexpression. Moreover, GmMYB3a has been implicated in abiotic stress responses, thereby affecting soybean stress tolerance. RNA sequencing analysis revealed that GmMYB3a regulates downstream genes involved in isoflavone, flavonoid, and phenylalanine metabolism, especially the key chalcone synthase genes, CHS7 and CHS8. Moreover, GmMYB3a was shown to be tightly associated with GmCHS7 and GmCHS8 expressions, potentially regulating them directly. Yeast two-hybrid screening identified GmMYB3a interacting proteins crucial for the synthesis of physiologically active substances and abiotic stress responses. This study provided insights into the regulatory mechanisms of GmMYB3a and established a molecular network involving GmMYB3a, GmCHS7, and GmCHS8, thereby offering novel strategies for improving soybean quality and stress-tolerant breeding.
Clay-rich fault gouges become frictionally less stable at elevated temperatures
Authors: Ashman Isabel , Faulkner Daniel , Mariani Elisabetta 
Published: August 2024

Abstract

Large earthquakes nucleate on crustal faults that have accumulated significant slip displacement and field observations show that these faults are ubiquitously clay-rich. Earthquake nucleation requires a reduction in shear resistance for instability to develop. Previous laboratory friction measurements indicate that only stable fault creep should occur in clay-rich faults; a result at odds with observations of widespread earthquake behaviour on mature clay-rich faults in nature.
Here we show that the frictional stability of synthetic clay-bearing fault gouges decreases systematically with elevated temperatures commensurate with those found at typical earthquake depths. In materials containing ≤50% clay, the stability of slip decreases with increasing temperature so that gouges display unstable slip at temperatures between 100 and 180°C. At room temperature the same materials host only stable slip. This reduction in stability with increasing temperature coincides with a greater degree of localization observed in the gouge microstructure and with progressive loss of water adsorbed on clay surfaces.
Our results indicate that a broad compositional range of clay-bearing fault rocks, and therefore mature faults, can nucleate unstable slip at conditions common to the clay-bearing brittle crust; a result that resolves the apparent paradox that mature clay-bearing faults in nature can nucleate and propagate earthquakes.
A comparison of efficacy of erector spinae plane block versus serratus anterior plane block plus subcostal transversus abdominus plane block for bariatric laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy surgery: study protocol for a randomised clinical trial.
Authors: Wiseman Patrick N , Walt Michaela Van der , O'Riordan Michael , Brosnan Kieran , Shaikh Mujeeb , Cosgrave David 
Published: August 2024

Abstract

Background
Obesity is a rapidly growing global health concern. Limited long-term success of diet, behavioural modification and medical therapy have led to the increased performance of bariatric surgery. Laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy, which permanently reduces the size of the stomach, has been shown to cause considerable weight loss, as well as improving or even eliminating obesity related medical comorbidities such as diabetes, obstructive sleep apnoea and hypertension. Unfortunately, this surgery can also result in significant postoperative pain which, when combined with the dangers of perioperative opioid administration for bariatric patients, can lead to a significantly reduced quality of recovery. Opioid-sparing analgesia has been widely recommended for perioperative bariatric patients but research into the optimum regional analgesia approach for this surgery is lacking, with no trials to date comparing different regional analgesic techniques. This study protocol describes a randomised clinical trial aimed at answering this question, comparing the quality of recovery after laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy for patients who receive erector spinae plane block, versus those who receive serratus anterior plane block plus subcostal TAP block.
Methods
We propose a prospective, randomised, blinded (investigator) clinical trial in a tertiary hospital in Ireland. 70 patients presenting for laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy will be randomised to two study groups – group A will receive bilateral erector spinae blockade, group B will receive left sided serratus anterior plane block plus subcostal TAP blocks. Both groups will receive the same dose of the same local anaesthetic and the different regional technique performed will be the only difference in their care. The primary outcome will be QoR-15 scores at 24 hours postoperatively, a validated international tool for assessing a patient’s overall postoperative recovery.
Discussion
Regional analgesia should be a mainstay of perioperative opioid-sparing analgesia where possible. This is especially important in the bariatric cohort who are particularly susceptible to the complications of perioperative opioid administration. To the best of our knowledge, this trial will be the first to compare efficacy of two different regional analgesia techniques for bariatric patients undergoing laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy surgery. Trial Registration
This trial was pre-registered on clinicaltrials.gov, reference number NCT05839704, on March 5th 2023. All items from the World Health Organisation Trial Registration Data Set have been included.
Pollutions and Incidence of Liver and Breast Cancer in Damietta Governorate, Egypt: A Multiregional Analysis
Authors: Moawed Elhossein A , Gohar Omnia H , El–tohamy Wael S , Sharawy Heba O El , El-Zahed Mohamed M. , Atta Eman , Sadda Rana R. El 
Published: August 2024

Abstract

Cancer stands as a pervasive global health concern, ranking among the leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. This paper addresses this challenge by presenting a focused analysis of liver and breast cancer incidence rates in Damietta Governorate, Egypt, utilizing statistical data from 2021.The study meticulously divided Damietta Governorate into distinct regions for comprehensive analysis. Medical records, comprising 128 cases for liver cancer and 100 cases for breast cancer, were diligently collected from Damietta Cancer Center's Oncology Institute and death records throughout 2021. Incidence rates for both cancers were meticulously analyzed, considering factors such as sex, age, occupation, location, stage, grade, and diagnosis. The results highlighted a significant increase in liver cancer incidence rates by 2021, signaling a growing burden in Damietta Governorate. Similarly, projections indicated an upward trend in breast cancer incidence rates, with distinct variations observed in types like duct carcinoma and infiltrating duct carcinoma across specific regions. Noteworthy differences were also observed in age groups, marital status, and occupation. This study contributes valuable insights into the escalating incidence of liver and breast cancer in Damietta Governorate, emphasizing the urgency of continued monitoring and intervention efforts. The specific nuances in breast cancer types and demographic variations underscore the necessity for targeted strategies to alleviate the escalating burden of these diseases in the region. Ongoing surveillance and effective interventions are paramount to combat the rising incidence of liver and breast cancer in Damietta Governorate. Our results suggest a potential correlation between environmental pollution and cancer incidence rates in Damietta Governorate. Given the region's industrial activities and environmental challenges, the link between pollution and cancer warrants further investigation. Understanding and addressing the impact of pollution on cancer rates is crucial for developing effective prevention and intervention strategies.
Establishment of evaluation index system of high output health education for patients with middle and low rectal cancer undergoing preventive ileostomy
Authors: zhang siyuan , gao huanling , li hongmei , liu lihong , chen weijing 
Published: August 2024

Abstract

Objective We aimed to establish an evaluation index system for health education among high output stoma patients with low anterior resection of rectal cancer and preventive ileostomy.As a theoretical basis,this system may be applied by the clinical nurses to carry out targeted health education and guidance among prophylactic ileostomy patients with hight output stoma and to evaluta the effect of health education.
Methods From January to April 2024, We constituted a scientific research team, including clinical medical experts, ostomy nurses and international ostomies,et al,based on the theory of Knowledge-Belief-Practice.Literature review semi-structured interviews，as well as the Delphi method and Multi-dimensional Analytic Hierarchy Process，were used to establish a framework of the evaluation index system and set weighted value for each evaluation index.
Results The response rates of the 2 rounds of expert consultations are 75.0% and 86.7%.The expert authority coeddicients are 0.873 and 0.969, respectively.The total Kendall harmony coefficients of the 2 rounds of expert consultations are 0.267~0.338 and 0.377~0.397(P <0.05).As a result，we built up an evaluation index system of health education which comprised 3 first-level indexes，13second-level indexes and 63 third-level indexes for high output stoma patients with low anterior resection of rectal cancer and preventive ileostomy.
Conclusion The evaluation index system may provide evidence and a practice tool for clinical nurses in conducting a comprehensive and efficient evaluation of health education among high output stoma patients with low anterior resection of rectal cancer and preventive ileostomy.
Detectable episodic positive selection in the virion strand A-strain maize streak virus genes may have a role in its host adaptation
Authors: Oyeniran Kehinde A. , Tenibiaje Mobolaji O. 
Published: August 2024

Abstract

Maize streak virus (MSV) has only three genes : cp encoding the coat protein, mp encoding the movement protein and rep/repA encoding two distinct replication associated proteins from an alternatively spliced transcript. These genes have roles in encapsidation, movement, replication and interactions with the external environment and are thus prone to stimuli-driven molecular adaptation. We accomplished selection studies for these publicly available curated, recombination-free complete coding sequences for representative A-strain maize streak virus (MSV-A) cp and mp genes. We found evidence of gene-wide selection in these two MSV genes at specific sites within the genes (cp 1.23% and mp 0.99%). Positively selected sites have amino acids that are 60% hydrophilic and 40% hydrophobic in nature. We found significant evidence of positive selection at branches (cp: 0.76 and mp :1.66%) representing the diversity of MSV-A strain in South Africa that is closely related to the MSV-Mat-A isolate (GenBank accession number: AF329881) that is well disseminated and adapted to the maize plant in the sub-Saharan Africa. While in the mp gene, selection significantly intensified for the overall diversities of the MSV-A sequences, and those that are closely related to the MSV-Mat-A isolate. These findings have revealed that these genes, despite mostly undergoing non-diversifying selection, the detectable diversifying positive selection observed could have a major role in MSV-A host adaptive evolution that has over time, ensured a degree of pathogenicity that is sufficient for onward transmission rather than killing its host.
Role of mitochondrial lncRNA GAS5 in the pathogenesis of Multiple Sclerosis: interfering with the release of miR-651-5p-enriched exosomes from microglia cells
Authors: Mohajeri-Khorasani Amirhossein , Karimi Elham , Zarei Mahboobeh , Azari Hanieh , Beyer Cordian , Mousavi Pegah , Sanadgol Nima , Negahi Ahmad Agha 
Published: August 2024

Abstract

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) arises from immune system dysfunction and damage to the myelin sheath within the CNS. At various stages of MS, analyzing blood samples has the potential to help differentiate between individuals with MS and those without, detect the early onset of the disease, or distinguish between different types of MS. Long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) growth arrest-specific 5 (GAS5) serves a pivotal role in governing cell growth and arrest, as well as modulating the immune system by acting as the glucocorticoid receptor. This research aims to explore GAS5 expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of Relapsing-Remitting MS (RRMS) patients and evaluate its targeted miRNAs in exosomes. Our findings revealed an elevated expression level of GAS5 in RRMS patients in contrast to control groups (P-value = 0.0121), and GAS5 demonstrated diagnostic potential for RRMS, with an AUC of 0.6498. The in-silico analysis revealed that hsa-miR-651-5p emerged as a central component in the regulatory network of GAS5, with its target genes primarily implicated in transcription and apoptosis regulation. Additionally, RUNX1, YY1, GSK3B, FMR1, and KLF2 were identified as entities linked to GAS5. In this regard, our findings indicate a significant association between redox imbalance and the dysregulation of GAS5 and miR-651-5p expression in the HMC3 cell line. Given the increased expression of miR-651-5p in exosomes under stress, the transport of miR-651-5p into serum exosomes may be varied and related to GAS5 expression in PBMCs of MS subtypes. In conclusion, GAS5 can serve as a mitochondrial marker for RRMS, and redox imbalance appears to influence its regulation, highlighting its role in the cellular stress response. Future research is suggested to focus on elucidating the molecular mechanisms underlying GAS5/miR-651-5p interaction to better understand this process.