bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Evaluating the response of Sagittaria lancifolia to combined inundation and nitrogen addition using a marsh organ
Authors: Grimes Evan S. , Wu Wei , Suir Glenn 
Published: June 2024

Abstract

Freshwater diversion may be implemented to restore coastal wetlands. With more freshwater coming into the estuarine systems, salinity decreases while nutrients and inundation increase. With salinity decreases, brackish marshes are likely to become freshwater marshes. However, research is generally lacking on how freshwater marsh plants can adapt to fluctuations of water levels, extended flooding, and elevated nutrients. Here we investigated the response of a dominant southeastern freshwater marsh species - Sagittaria lancifolia to inundation and nutrient addition. We built a marsh organ with six rows at different heights that underwent varying inundation durations. Each row had eight replicates with four randomly chosen for nitrogen fertilizer addition. We find that the end-of-season belowground biomass reached the maximum at around 85% of inundation while aboveground biomass increased with inundation, showing strong tolerance of inundation for this species. Fertilization did not impact biomass. However, the interaction between fertilization and percent inundation time was important in predicting leaf traits, including count, length, and width. Fertilized vegetation showed an increase of leaf count with inundation while control vegetation showed a decrease of leaf count with inundation. While both control and fertilized vegetation showed increase in leaf length and width with inundation, the increasing rate was greater in the fertilized vegetation, showing that fertilization helped leaves adapt to higher inundation more quickly. On the other hand, control vegetation showed a higher probability of flowering as the season continued, while fertilization reduced the probability of flowering as the time went on. This research will enhance our mechanistic understanding of how large-scale restoration activities that alter the biophysical environment could impact marsh vegetation.
A universal method for precise in situ control of stoichiometry and termination of epitaxial perovskite thin films
Authors: Davidson Bruce , Petrov Aleksandr , Li Fengmiao , Pons Rebecca , Shin Hyungki , Liu Chong , Parisse Pietro , Torelli Piero , Cristiani Georg , Logvenov Gennady , Kim Gideok , Xi Xiaoxing , Benckiser Eva , Zou Ke 
Published: June 2024

Abstract

The perovskite ABO3 structure forms the basis for a wide range of functional and quantum materials discussed in the literature, although applications so far have been limited in part because accurate control of film stoichiometry and the ability to precisely construct heterostructures continues to lag behind their conventional semiconductor counterparts. While layer-by-layer growth mode is often cited for perovskite films, most transition-metal perovskite oxides self-assemble via an energetically-favorable layer-inversion mechanism whose phenomenology we demonstrate can be exploited to precisely adjust the stoichiometry and surface termination at any point during growth. Layer inversion results in a universal behavior of the in situ electron diffraction rocking curves and diffracted-beam intensity oscillations during alternating A- and B-site shuttered growth for a wide range of polar and nonpolar surfaces. We present a model that permits unambiguous interpretation of the oscillations, providing for the first time a completely in situ method for precise relative and absolute calibration of multielemental A- and B-site fluxes at the percent level, and apply it to successfully grow a single-phase high-entropy oxide film.
Water quality and dissolved load in the Chirchik and Akhangaran river basins (Uzbekistan, Central Asia)
Authors: Fornasaro Silvia , Ghezzi Lisa , Shukurov Nosir , Petrov Maxim , Petrini Riccardo 
Published: June 2024

Abstract

In Central Asia, Uzbekistan experiences water scarcity and stress, being highly dependent on external flow from the upstream water-rich neighboring countries. Chirchik and Akhangaran are the main rivers in the Tashkent province, taking their sources from the Middle Tien Shan Mountains, flowing through floodplains, and becoming major tributaries of Syrdarya river, providing water to the Aral Sea. In this study, the major and trace element chemistry were obtained on surface- and groundwater collected in October 2023 from the Chirchik and Akhangaran river, with the aim to investigate the geogenic and anthropogenic contributions to the dissolved load. The results indicate that the geochemistry of water from the upstream catchments reflect silicate and carbonate weathering, mostly belonging to the Ca-HCO3 hydrofacies. The downstream increase in Na+, K+, SO42−, Cl−, and NO3− indicates loadings from fertilizers used in croplands, mostly in the Chirchik river. Water quality parameters (SAR and Na%) indicate that waters are generally suitable for irrigation purposes, even if the TDS increasing downstream suggests possible salinity hazard. The concentration of trace elements is lower than the thresholds set for water quality by different regulations. However, an exceedingly high concentration of Zn, Mo, Sb, Pb, Ni, U, As, and B compared with the averaged river water worldwide is observed. The B content increases with nitrate in Chirchik, indicating anthropogenic inputs. Water in a coal fly-ash pond related to the Angren coal-fired power plants distinguishes for the highest As, Al, B, Mo, and Sb concentration, due to leaching from the coal fly-ash.
Exposure to Climatic Variability and Associated Hydro-Meteorological Hazards in Beas River Basin of Western Himalaya, India
Authors: Kumar Shekhar , Rao K. Nageswara 
Published: June 2024

Abstract

Vulnerability and its causes vary considerably over space and time because some societies, age groups, regions, landscapes, and nations are predominantly more exposed to climate change. Therefore, an understanding of spatio-temporal patterns of present climates and its reliable projections is critical for getting better equipped and address the implications of climate change. Another important aspect of climate change mitigation and adaptation is formulation of locally relevant strategies. Exposure was conceptualized as the sum of the various elements of climate and hydro-meteorological hazards. The approach allowed us to frame a climate change exposure index integrating past and present. Exposure index has the potential to integrate different parameters representing climatic variability and associated hydro-meteorological hazards to guide preventive decision making. Hence, various such indicators have been integrated in a single index to calculate the degree of exposure to climatic variability. A positive relationship is established between climate change, hydro-meteorological hazards and exposure. We found that actually, out of fifteen, ten districts have high exposure to rainfall variability, residents of eight districts may suffer the consequences of landslides, six districts are prone to wind damages, five are exposed temperature variability, and five are exposed to flood events.
"5G wireless + wired network" based multi-console robotic telesurgery accommodates to the complicated surgeries and various network infrastructure
Authors: Ye Zixing , Ding Yongxue , Xu Weifeng , Xie Yi , Dong Jie , Qin Mingwei , Fan Jing , Cui Liang , Li Na , Qiao Xin , Fang Yu , Yang Yan , Ji Zhigang 
Published: June 2024

Abstract

Robotic telesurgery is applying to more complicated operations. However, single-console robotic surgery and wired networks are inconvenient for intraoperative multidisciplinary collaboration. 5G wireless requires the setup of base stations. We proposed a new model for robotic telesurgery, utilizing multiple consoles and "5G wireless + wired network". In the study, the three-console robotic telesurgery was performed by Kangduo Surgical Robot-01. The patient cart and one surgeon console were in Liaoyang City Central Hospital; the other two consoles were in Peking Union Medical College Hospital in Beijing, approximately 700km away from the patient. The consoles in Beijing and Liaoyang were connected to the backbone network via 5G wireless and wired networks, respectively. In our study, the "5G wireless + wired network" based multi-console robotic telesurgery of left radical nephrectomy was performed successfully without intraoperative adverse event. The 3D video and signals from consoles were transmitted stably. The control of the robot from all consoles were consistent. The signal coverage was 100%, the average latency was 220ms without packet loss. In conclusion, multi-console robotic system is crucial for surgical safety, complicated telesurgery, and intraoperative teaching. The "5G wireless + wired network" model bears advantages of both networks, and is suitable for most telesurgeries.
Development of strategies to enhance holistic antenatal care in Limpopo Province, South Africa: A qualitative method protocol
Authors: Chewe Violet Manonyana , Mathibe-Neke Johannah Mabojalwa 
Published: June 2024

Abstract

Background: Holistic antenatal care encompasses a range of services, including mental, physical, social, intellectual, emotional, and spiritual. Antenatal care is regarded as the cornerstone of maternal health. As such, a lack of holistic antenatal care can lead to poor pregnancy outcomes, such as maternal and perinatal mortality. This study aims to develop strategies to enhance holistic antenatal care in Limpopo Province, South Africa.
Methods: The population for the study is pregnant women, midwives, and operational managers in selected community health centers in Limpopo Province, South Africa. Non-probability purposive sampling will be used to select the province, districts, municipalities, and community health centers for the study. Convenience sampling will be used to select participants for antenatal card auditing and non-participatory observations of the antenatal care process as offered by midwives. Pregnant women will engage in focus group discussions. Midwives and operational managers will be sampled for in-depth interviews using nonprobability purposive sampling. Non-participatory observation will be conducted using a checklist and an audit tool to audit antenatal cards to support the qualitative data. Data will be analysed manually using Tesch's thematic analysis method for focus groups and in-depth interviews. Quantitative data will be analysed using computerized statistical software for the social sciences (SPSS 28). Ethical considerations will be adhered to throughout the study.
Significance of the study: This study aims to enhance midwives' understanding and practice of holistic antenatal care in Limpopo Province. With the data collected, strategies for enhancing holistic antenatal care will be developed, strengthening the standard of antenatal care. Holistic antenatal care has been proven to contribute to the reduction of maternal and perinatal deaths.
Autoantibody Positivity in Chronic Hepatitis C Pre- and Post-Direct- Acting Antiviral Therapy: A Prospective Multicenter South Korean Study
Authors: Choi Su Hyun , Choi Gwang Hyeon , Jang Eun Sun , Lee Youn Jae , Kim Young Seok , Kim In Hee , Cho Sung Bum , Lee Byung Seok , Kim Kyung-Ah , Chung Woo Jin , Baik Dahye , Ki Moran , Jeong Sook-Hyang 
Published: June 2024

Abstract

Background/Aims: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection causes extrahepatic manifestations involving autoantibody production. This study aimed to elucidate the positivity rates of four autoantibodies (ANA, ASM, anti-LKM1, and AMA) in patients with chronic hepatitis C (CHC) before and after direct-acting antiviral (DAA) therapy compared to those in healthy controls.
Methods: This study enrolled prospectively collected plasma samples from 201 CHC patients [median age, 62 years; 49.8% women] from eight hospitals before and after DAA therapy and 127 healthy individuals.
Results: The ANA positivity at pretreatment was higher in CHC patients than in healthy controls (32.3% vs. 21.3%, p=0.030), which decreased at SVR (32.3% vs. 23.9%, p=0.009). Female sex and higher globulin levels were related to ANA positivity in the control and CHC patient groups, respectively. Patients with ANA positivity at pretreatment and at SVR (n=48) were older and had a higher proportion of advanced liver disease than ANA-negative patients at SVR (n=153).
Conclusions: ANA positivity was observed in one-third of CHC patients at pretreatment, which was significantly higher than that in healthy controls, and decreased after SVR. CHC patients with ANA positivity after SVR were older and had more advanced liver disease than those with ANA negativity.
Two-stage forecasting of TCN-GRU short-term load considering error compensation and real-time decomposition
Authors: Li Yang , Ye Yongsheng , Xu Yanlong , Li Lili , Chen Xi , Huang Jianghua 
Published: June 2024

Abstract

With the continuous development of power system and the growth of load demand, efficient and accurate short-term load forecasting (SLTF) provides reliable guidance for power system operation and scheduling. Therefore, this paper proposes a two-stage short-term load forecasting method based on temporal convolutional network and gated recurrent unit (TCN-GRU) considering error compensation and real-time decomposition. In the first stage, the original sequence is processed by improved complete ensemble empirical mode decomposition with adaptive noise (ICEEMDAN), the time series characteristics of the data are extracted by TCN, and the initial load forecasting is realized based on GRU. At the same time, in order to overcome the problem that the prediction model established by the original subsequence has insufficient adaptability in the newly decomposed subsequence, the real-time decomposition strategy is adopted to improve the generalization ability of the model. In the second stage, the error sequence is constructed by the difference between the original sequence and the prediction sequence. The unpredictability of the error sequence is reduced by adaptive variational mode decomposition (AVMD), and the initial prediction result is corrected by TCN-GRU error compensator. Taking the real load as an example, the analysis results show that the proposed method can better capture the nonlinear and unstable characteristics in the load data, and the average absolute percentage error of prediction is 0.819%, which has high accuracy in SLTF.
Prediction of postoperative recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma after radiofrequency ablation combining psychological and sleep quality using a nomogram model based on Cox regression
Authors: Tu Weiwei , Ren Lizhong , Ye Jinwei , Zhao Lidan 
Published: June 2024

Abstract

Purpose
This study aimed to investigate the risk factors for postoperative recurrence in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and develop a Cox regression-based nomogram model incorporating psychological factors and sleep quality to predict postoperative recurrence after radiofrequency ablation (RFA) for HCC. The model was further visualized for practical use.
Methods
A prospective follow-up was conducted at Shengzhou People’s Hospital (the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University Shengzhou Branch) from January 2013 to December 2021, including HCC patients who underwent RFA. Sleep quality and psychological status were assessed through questionnaires, and relevant baseline and tumor data were collected, including age, gender, Pathology, PT, INR, PLT, Alb, TBIL, AFP, DCP, PHT, ALBI grade, Cirrhosis, ascites, Maximum tumor diameter, and tumor number. Cox proportional hazards models were used to analyze the factors associated with postoperative recurrence, both in univariate and multivariate analysis. A nomogram prediction model was constructed, and its performance was evaluated using ROC curve, AUC, and calibration curve.
Results
The study included 70 patients with a mean age of 61.07 years (range: 23–87 years). The median time to recurrence was 13 months (range: 2–64 months), and 32 patients (45.70%) experienced recurrence during the follow-up period. Univariate analysis showed significant correlations between AFP, PHT, ALBI grade, DCP, Maximum tumor diameter, tumor number, cirrhosis, SAS, SDS, and postoperative recurrence in HCC patients (P < 0.05). Multivariate analysis confirmed that AFP, ALBI grade, Maximum tumor diameter, cirrhosis, SAS, and SDS were independent risk factors for postoperative recurrence (P < 0.05). The nomogram model based on these factors showed good predictive accuracy with a concordance index of 0.857 (95% CI: 0.798–0.916). The ROC curve analysis demonstrated that the nomogram model had a high predictive accuracy and clinical utility. The calibration curve showed good consistency between the predicted and actual recurrence rates. Additionally, the decision curve analysis indicated that the nomogram model had superior clinical value compared to individual variables.
Conclusion
AFP, ALBI grade, Maximum tumor diameter, cirrhosis, DCP, SAS, and SDS were identified as independent factors associated with postoperative recurrence in HCC patients undergoing RFA. The nomogram model incorporating these factors can provide better guidance for personalized clinical decision-making.
Gliclazide enhances exercise performance and recovery of muscle strength in healthy trained individuals: a randomized controlled trial
Authors: Martins Jocelito Bijoldo , Dipp Thiago , Schaan Beatriz D. , Lehnen Alexandre Machado 
Published: June 2024

Abstract

To examine the acute effect of gliclazide on exercise performance and recovery of muscle strength in healthy participants. We conducted a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover clinical trial in 44 strength-trained men. They were allocated to gliclazide modified release (MR) (90mg, 8h before exercise sessions) or placebo, undergo three consecutive sessions of strength exercise (four sets, 80% of one-repetition maximum [1-RM] of bench press and free squat exercise). We evaluated total volume-load (VL) (#repetitions x 80%1-RM), range of motion (ROM), insulin and glucose levels, creatine kinase MM (CK-MM), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), hemodynamic parameters, perceived pain and recovery scores. Gliclazide enhanced strength exercise performance with improvements in total VL (bench press 23.3%, p < 0.001; squats 23.2%, p < 0.001), and improved muscle recovery 24-48h post-exercise: ROM (shoulder 1.1%, p < 0.001; knee 1.6%, p = 0.004), CK-MM (–13.2%, p < 0.001), LDH (–12.8%, p < 0.001), TNF-α (–17.4%, p < 0.001), IL-6 (–5.3%, p < 0.001), pain (–17.7%, p < 0.001) and recovery scores (32.5%, p = 0.001). However, hypoglycemia events were observed in 3 participants in the gliclazide group. In conclusion, Gliclazide MR 90mg, 8h before strength exercise, produced ergogenic effects (exercise performance and muscle recovery), although hypoglycemia was observed in 7% of subjects. Registration: “www.clinicaltrials.gov”, “NCT04443777” (Primary Completion: 01/08/2020; Study Completion: 31/10/2023).
Motor Development of Preschool Children Congenital Exposed to Zika Virus Without Microcephaly
Authors: Mizani Renata Maria , de Souza Tathiana Ghisi , de Sousa Maria Helena , Cohort Jundiaí Zika , Passos Saulo Duarte 
Published: June 2024

Abstract

Background: The Zika virus garnered global attention in 2015 due to a Brazilian epidemic, prompting a public health emergency over a surge in microcephaly cases in newborns. Long-term monitoring and care are crucial, and studies on affected children without microcephaly are essential for understanding their development. This study aims to evaluate the motor development of children over two years old exposed to the Zika virus in Jundiaí, Brazil.
Method: This is a cross-sectional, comparative study integrated into the Jundiaí Zika cohort (JZC) project. The assessment instrument was the Movement Assessment Battery for Children - Second Edition (MABC-2), which measures the motor development of children and adolescents. Children with severe comorbidities and/or disorders that prevented them from doing the tasks were excluded.
Results: 69 children aged 44 to 80 months completed the assessment, divided into two groups: 25 children in the Exposed group and 44 children in the Non-Exposed group. The Exposed group presented an average Total Standard Score (TSS) of 8.52 (2.97), and the Non-Exposed group presented an average TSS of 9.56 (2.97). Both groups remained in the Green Zone of the assessment, showing a satisfactory development mechanism.
Conclusion: This study showed that preschool children congenitally exposed to the Zika virus without microcephaly showed satisfactory motor development compared to children in the Non-Exposed group.
Trial registration:This study was approved by the Research Ethics Committee of the Faculdade de Medicina de Jundiaí (CAAE 55278022.7.0000.5412).
Ontogenetic Changes During Development of the Whelk Neptunea cumingii Determined Using a Geometric Morphometric Method
Authors: Jia Menghao , Xie Yaoyu , Han Yida , Huang Xianpeng , Mao Junxia , Wang Xubo , Tian Ying , Hao Zhenlin 
Published: June 2024

Abstract

Age determination in gastropods has been challenging due to the lack of reliable methods. In this study, we assessed the morphological changes of whelk (Neptunea cumingii) shells at 3, 6, 9, and 12 months of development using traditional measurements and geometric morphometry, and we cross-validated the results using a different sample of whelks. We detected distinct patterns in shell length distribution at each stage, with values of 8.16 ± 2.48 mm, 11.76 ± 2.63 mm, 21.43 ± 7.64 mm, and 32.08 ± 4.89 mm, respectively. Neptunea cumingii displayed specific morphological characteristics at each stage, primarily in the number of spiral layers and the shape of the shell apex. Individual development exhibited unique growth trajectories in shell size and shape, indicating allometric growth characteristics. One-way analysis of variance demonstrated significant differences among age groups. The growth curve based on shell length revealed an accelerating growth rate of Neptunea cumingii before 12 months of age. Our results illustrated the effectiveness of using a non-destructive approach for age identification of Neptunea cumingii in China and provided valuable insights for resource management and aquaculture practices.