bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Cytokeratin expression and distribution pattern of epithelioid macrophages in granulomatous lesions of animals with different pathological forms of bovine paratuberculosis: cytokeratin as a biomarker of resilience.
Authors: León Alejandra Isabel Navarro , Muñoz Marta , Blanco-Vázquez Cristina , Iglesias Natalia , Iglesias Tania , Canive María , Badia-Bringué Gerard , Alonso-Hearn Marta , Balseiro Ana , Casais Rosa 
Published: May 2024

Abstract

A recent genome-wide association study identified 92 genetic variants in cattle with paratuberculosis (PTB)-associated multifocal lesions. Pathway analysis with the identified candidate genes revealed a significant enrichment of the keratinization (KRT) pathway in those animals. To confirm, at the protein level, this enrichment the number and distribution pattern of cytokeratin (CK)-expressing cells in granulomas of distal jejunum (DJE) and jejunal lymph nodes (JELN) of animals with different PTB-associated lesions (focal, multifocal and diffuse) and in control animals without lesions was determined by quantitative double-immunohistochemical analysis using Iba1 (ionized calcium-binding adapter molecule-1) and CK as specific markers of macrophages and epithelial cells, respectively.
Animals with multifocal lesions showed the highest numbers of double-Iba1/CK positive cells (epithelioid macrophages (EMs)) showing significant differences with focal, diffuse and control animals in JELN and higher numbers of single-CK expressing cells in JELN and DJE. Two distribution patterns of the EMs in the granulomas were observed. In focal and multifocal animals EMs were surrounding the granuloma forming a barrier crucial to control Map infection while in animals with diffuse lesions (with significantly higher infection scores) EMs were throughout all the extension of the granuloma. Multifocal animals might be resilient to the disease as they control the shift from subclinical to the clinical through formation of ordered granulomas where EMs have a relevant role preventing Map dissemination and maintaining tissue integrity. Since CK expression was enriched in cattle with multifocal lesions, it could be considered as a potential biomarker of PTB resilience.
Susceptibility of approved rice varieties in Punjab, Pakistan to Sitophilus oryzae L. (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) and its impact on nutritional contents of rice grains
Authors: Rizwan Muhammad , Nasiba Ammara , Tahir Muhammad , Atta Bilal , Sabir Arshed Makhdoom , Sagheer Umair , Shahzadi Neelam , Sabar Muhammad , Banazeer Ansa , Afzal Muhammad Babar Shahzad , Ahmad Ammad , Awan Tahir Hussain 
Published: May 2024

Abstract

Rice is an important cereal crop commonly infested by stored grain insects, including Sitophilus oryzae L. This study evaluated the varietal resistance and nutritional composition of different rice varieties following infestation by S. oryzae. The research was carried out using completely randomized design (CRD) with 11 treatments (varieties) and 3 replications. The rice varieties PK 1121 Aromatic, Kissan Basmati, and KSK 434 were found to be more susceptible to S. oryzae, with the highest weight loss at 45 days following infestation. Infestation by S. oryzae decreased amylose and increased protein contents. The highest amylose contents were found in PK 386, KSK 133, and KS 282, whereas the highest protein contents were in PK 1121 Aromatic, Kissan Basmati, and Basmati 515. The faster larval development in S. oryzae occurs on Kissan Basmati, PK 1121 Aromatic and Punjab Basmati. The adult lifespan was longer on Kissan Basmati, PK 1121 Aromatic, and Punjab Basmati. The results indicate that the least affected rice varieties (KS 282, Basmati 515, Super Basmati, and PK 386) have potential to be included in integrated pest management program to control S. oryzae.
Association of Serum Vitamin D Levels with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Patients- Study from Tertiary Care Hospital
Authors: John Meera Ann , Bhowal Rajarshi , Choudhury Biswadeep , Roy Joydeep , Patoa Simi , Pradhan Vandana , Gupta Tanushree Deb , Dasgupta Nivedita 
Published: May 2024

Abstract

Background-Vitamin D deficiency is on the rise and has been associated with many chronic and autoimmune diseases. The objective of this study is to determine the association of Vitamin D with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE).
Methodology- A case control study was done on 42 confirmed Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) patients attending Department of Dermatology and Venerology and Department of Medicine, at Silchar Medical College and Hospital and 50 age and gender matched healthy controls. All the samples were checked for ANA, dsDNA, ANCA by immunofluorescence and Vitamin D levels by radioimmunoassay.
Results- In the SLE cases group, mean Vitamin D levels were estimated to be 17.57 with a standard deviation of 4.51. The control group had mean of 52.23 with a standard deviation of 2.01. Paired test done between the Vitamin D levels in SLE cases and control groups, revealed a p value of <0.001 and was considered statistically significant. After supplementation with Vitamin D, the mean in the SLE cases group was 46.82 with a standard deviation of 14.65. Paired sample t test was done with the data obtained before and after supplementation of Vitamin D in the SLE cases group, and was found to be <0.001 and was considered statistically significant. Within the various types/patterns of ANA, there was no significant association as the p value obtained was 0.21 before supplementation and 0.09 after supplementation. Hence, it was considered statistically insignificant.
Conclusion-Vitamin D is statistically decreased in SLE patients as compared to healthy individuals. But there was no significant association of Vitamin D with the various ANA patterns among SLE patients.
CD44/PI3K/NF-κB/AHR is a Novel Signaling Pathway Mediating Breast Tumor Progression
Authors: Alateyah Nouralhuda , Hasan Arij Fouzat , Vranic semir , Ouhtit Allal 
Published: May 2024

Abstract

Cell adhesion molecules (CAMs), present on cell surfaces, are involved in cell-to-cell and cell-extracellular adhesion. The hyaluronic acid (HA) receptor, CD44, is a CAM protein that is highly generally highly expressed in metastatic solid tumors, including breast cancer (BC), and correlates with poor prognosis. To increase our understanding of the underlying CD44-downstream signaling pathways involved in BC metastasis, we developed a tetracycline (tet)-off regulated expression of CD44s gene in BC cell line MCF-7 (B5 clone) and identified aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) as a potential CD44-downstream transcriptional target by microarray analysis. To validate this observation in vitro, RNA and protein lysates collected from human metastatic BC cell lines MDA-MB-231 (expressing high levels of CD44), were examined for both CD44 and its target AHR, in the presence of HA. Our results confirmed that CD44 activation by HA significantly increased the expression of AHR at HA activation of CD44 increased significantly the expression of AHR at both mRNA and protein levels. More interestingly, inhibition of CD44 gene by its siRNA decreased significantly AHR expression, and further inhibited BC cell migration/invasion. Interestingly, pharmacological approach using inhibitors of major known transduction signaling pathways revealed that CD44 activates the transcription of AHR at least via PI3K/ Nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) signaling pathway. These data support our hypothesis revealing AHR as a novel transcriptional target that underpin CD44-promoted BC cell invasion, via CD44/PI3K/AKT/ NF-κB/AHR novel signaling pathways.
YOLO-based lightweight traffic sign detection algorithm and Mobile deployment
Authors: Wu Yaqin , Hao Wangli , Niu Jianjun , Wang Hao 
Published: May 2024

Abstract

In response to the problems of large parameter quantity, poor real-time performance and low accuracy in small targets and complex background traffic sign detection, based on the self-made road traffic sign dataset, this paper proposes a lightweight traffic sign detection algorithm based on Yolo and implements mobile deployment. Firstly, Utilizing the C2f lightweight network architecture, we employ variable convolution and BiFPN_Concat operations to augment the adaptability of the backbone network towards geometric transformations across objects of varying sizes; Secondly, After the C2f layer in the backbone network, the SimAm attention mechanism is introduced to prioritize key features of small-sized targets and reduce model complexity, facilitating the development of a lightweight detection system; Next, the Focal EIoU loss function is integrated to adjust the weights of challenging samples, addressing the issue of sample imbalance during classification; Finally, using Android Studio platform, we accomplish the comprehensive interface design and functional implementation of the mobile app. The deployed mobile app achieves real-time and accurate detection of traffic signs under real-world road conditions, even in offline mode. The experiment also conducted a vertical comparison between the SimAm and EMA attention mechanisms at different network levels to determine the optimal level and position for embedding the attention mechanism. Additionally, the algorithm proposed was horizontally compared with mainstream algorithms, and the improved method was evaluated on a custom dataset. The obtained metrics, including F1 score, mAP@0.5, and mAP@0.5:0.95, are 0.8987, 98.8%, and 75.6% respectively. The detection speed achieves 50 FPS, meeting the requirements for real-time detection.
Hierarchical multi-label text classification model based on multi-scale gated-dilated convolution
Authors: Yu Wenxia , Xingrong Chen , Na Lin 
Published: May 2024

Abstract

This paper proposed a Hierarchical Multi-label Text Classification Model based on Multi-Scale Gated-Dilated Convolution (HiDilated) to address the issue of insufficient feature extraction in longer text data. The model emphasized the design of a three-layer one-dimensional dilated convolutional structure with a gating mechanism. By exponentially increasing the receptive field of the network, it effectively captured long-distance dependencies between words, fully extracting deeper textual semantic information, thereby enhancing understanding of complex textual structures and semantic content. Additionally, the model integrated multi-scale gated-dilated convolutions, multi-head self-attention mechanisms, and Bi-GRU into different positions within the feature extraction layer. A multi-granularity fusion module was designed to thoroughly extract both local key information and long-distance semantic information from the text. Moreover, considering the imbalanced distribution of labels with a hierarchical structure, the paper designed a focal balanced loss as the model's loss function. This loss function assigned appropriate weights to samples based on their classification difficulty, enabling the model to focus more on deeper, harder-to-classify labels during training. Experimental results demonstrated that the proposed model achieved higher classification accuracy than baseline models, and that each improved module contributed to enhancing the model's performance. These findings confirm the superiority and practicality of the HiDilated model.
Molecular Characterization of Root-Knot Nematodes Meloidogyne spp. Isolated from Cucumber Farms in Different Iraqi Regions
Authors: Abbas Mohammed R. , Saadedin² Shurook M.K. , Suleiman³ Ahmed A. 
Published: May 2024

Abstract

Worldwide, Meloidogyne spp. is a leading cause of agricultural disease. Due to the similarity in morphological features between various Meloidogyne spp., molecular techniques were used to identify their species. In this study, conducted in October 2022 and January 2023, genetic identification was undertaken on 61 samples collected from nine distinct regions of Iraq. PCR was used to amplify the part of the Meloidogyne spp. genome between the COI and 16S mtDNA genes. Afterward, M. incognita, M. hapla, M. javanica, M. enterolobii, and M. arenaria were genotyped using Sequence Characterized Amplified Region (SCAR-PCR), with decreasing prevalence rates, respectively. The data revealed that the 50 isolates of M. incognita were in the Shuan Kara region, which means they exhibited the highest percentage. Interestingly, M. arenaria was the least common species in all areas and was isolated from Ghanaia. Additionally, M. enterolobii's representation of other species led to the discovery of new ones in Iraq. The coexistence of more than two species within a single region has never been documented. The goal of this study is to use molecular detection to find out how different Meloidogyne species infect cucumber plants and how important it is to be able to spot infected regions.
A Software System for Planning Collision-Free Motion for Multi-Agent Systems Using Control Barrier Functions
Authors: SIRI Fidelia Chaitra , BAI Yang , SVININ Mikhail 
Published: May 2024

Abstract

The research concerning the control of multi-agent systems has grown rapidly over the past decade, attributed to their adaptiveness, efficiency, and robustness in dynamic environments. While multi-agent systems have a vast potential, safety, specifically obstacle avoidance, is indispensable when controlling such systems. In this paper, a control barrier function-based algorithm is employed to deal with obstacle avoidance problems. The computational load of the proposed algorithm remains constant even as the scale of multi-agent systems increases, making it highly compatible. Unlike conventional obstacle avoidance algorithms, the proposed algorithm guarantees a collision-free motion of agents. The feasibility of the proposed algorithm is verified under both simulations and experiments.
Outcomes of an integrated knowledge translation approach in five African countries: A mixed methods comparative case study
Authors: Sell Kerstin , Rehfuess Eva , Osuret Jimmy , Bayiga-Zziwa Esther , Geremew Bezinash , Pfadenhauer Lisa 
Published: May 2024

Abstract

Background: Integrated knowledge translation (IKT) aims to enhance evidence-informed decision-making in public health and healthcare by establishing continuous relationships between researchers and knowledge users, in particular decision-makers. The Collaboration for Evidence-based Healthcare and Public Health in Africa (CEBHA+) undertook research on non-communicable diseases in Ethiopia, Malawi, Rwanda, South Africa, and Uganda. Alongside the research activities, we implemented an IKT approach, which entailed training and the development and implementation of site-specific IKT strategies. We evaluated these strategies according to a pre-defined programme theory.
Methods: Drawing on our published protocol (https://rdcu.be/dyfBP), we interviewed and surveyed CEBHA+ researchers and their decision-making counterparts during two project stages (3/2020-2/2021; 9/2022-5/2023) and collected IKT-related documents. Transcripts and documents were analysed using qualitative content analysis and surveys were analysed descriptively, with subsequent integration, cross-case analysis, and revision of the programme theory.
Results: A total of 36 researchers and 19 decision-makers participated in surveys, focus groups and/or interviews, and we collected 92 documents. Relationship-building, capacity-building, and collaborative research were the most proximal intervention outcomes: CEBHA+ researchers and their counterparts built mutual appreciation and partnerships, accessed contacts and networks, and expanded skills in conducting and using research and in IKT. The level of trust between partners varied. Intermediate outcomes were changes in attitudes and knowledge; beyond the conceptualisation in our initial programme theory, researchers substantially increased their understanding of the decision-making context and developed a vision for ‘research impact’. While it was challenging to evaluate distal outcomes, the IKT approach was linked to the production of research perceived as addressing local priorities and being highly applicable and contextualised; and some consideration of evidence among decision-makers. Unintended effects included high opportunity costs associated with undertaking IKT. An unanticipated outcome was the heightened interest of the research funder in policy engagement. Our updated programme theory constitutes a low-level theory for IKT.
Conclusion: Whilst this study faced many challenges common to the evaluation of knowledge translation interventions, it presents rich, theory-informed insights into IKT outcomes.
These are based on documented IKT activities and participants’ views, particularly in-depth insights of researchers’ experiences with implementing the CEBHA+ IKT approach.
Evaluation of Some Chemical and Biological Fungicides for Controlling Stem Canker on Apricot Trees Caused by Neoscytalidium dimidiatum
Authors: karakuş yusuf , yiğit talip , Oksal Erçin , yıldız murat 
Published: May 2024

Abstract

Neoscytalidium dimidiatum (Penz.) Crous & Slippers has been causing significant damage to apricot trees in Turkey in recent years. This disease can lead to various problems in apricot trees, including dieback, the formation of cankers, necrosis in vascular tissues, gumming, and ultimately the death of the host. This study was conducted in 2021–2022 in the region with the highest apricot production in the world, Malatya, Türkiye. This research aims to develop a control strategy against N. dimidiatum, which poses a destructive threat to apricot trees. In the study, the effectiveness of 10 chemical and 2 biological fungicides was tested in vitro and under field conditions to manage N. dimidiatum. While the effectiveness of chemical fungicides was assessed both in vitro and under field conditions, the effectiveness of biological fungicides was tested only under field conditions. Given the absence of a study conducted under field conditions for the controlling of N. dimidiatum, this aspect of the research is groundbreaking. In vitro experiments were performed in three replicates for each of the chemical fungicides. In the conducted in vitro experiments, most of the tested chemical fungicides, except for metalaxyl-m + acibenzolar-s-methyl (10.46%), effectively inhibited the mycelial growth of N. dimidiatum. In terms of inhibiting the mycelial growth of N. dimidiatum, the most effective fungicides were ranked as follows: tebuconazole (100%), cyprodinil + fludioxonil (99.43%), azoxystrobin + difenoconazole (99.40%), and floupyram + tebuconazole (99.26%). Chemical fungicides that exhibited high efficacy under in vitro conditions also proved to be effective in field trials. Among these fungicides, azoxystrobin + difenoconazole, floupyram + tebuconazole, and tebuconazole were identified as the most effective fungicides both before and after artificial inoculation. Cyprodinil + fludioxonil showed high efficacy when applied before inoculation but was not effective when applied after inoculation. In contrast to the chemical fungicides, the commercial Bacillus subtilis and Trichoderma harzianum Rifai KRL-AG2, which were exclusively examined in field studies, did not display significant effectiveness against N. dimidiatum.
Effects of dual histamine blockade on filgrastim induced bone pains in female cancer patients: single institutional analysis
Authors: Azam Noor ul Ain , Samad Fauzia Abdus , Khan Asif Riaz , Saif Faraz , Mushtaq Aalia 
Published: May 2024

Abstract

Purpose: Bone pain is the commonest side-effect faced by cancer patients receiving Granulocyte Colony Stimulating Factor (G-CSF) therapy for the primary or secondary prevention of febrile neutropenia. We conducted a prospective quasi-experimental study at our setup to see the efficacy of dual histamine blockade (combined H1 and H2 blockers) for preventing G-CSF-induced bone pains. Methods: Adult female patients with solid tumors who had received Filgrastim for the primary prophylaxis of febrile neutropenia and met our inclusion criteria, were enrolled (n= 119). This population was analyzed for the development of significant bone pains 24 hours after the administration of Filgrastim. Significant bone pain in our study was defined as emergence of new onset pain measuring ≥4 on 11-point Numerical rating scale (NRS) or at least ≥ 2-point increase in score when compared to the baseline pain (if any). Those patients who experienced significant bone pains (n=47) were given Loratadine 10 mg and Famotidine 20 mg orally half an hour before the next Filgrastim administration. Pain assessment was done 24 hours after Filgrastim administration, using NRS and data was analyzed. Results: The mean NRS score in our patients after administration of Filgrastim was 6.87±1.055. Most of these patients (81%) experienced relief in bone pains after dual histamine blockade use. The mean NRS score after the use of dual antihistamine blockade was 4.36±1.870. The NRS score improved by a mean of 2.51 after using dual histamine blockade, which was statistically significant (p-value= 0.0005). Conclusion: We propose that dual antihistamine blockade may prove to be an effective option for prophylaxis of G-CSF-induced-bone-pains. Randomized control trials on larger and more diverse patient populations are required to reinforce the findings.
State of Charge Estimation of Li-Ion Batteries Based on Sage-Husa High-Degree Cubature Kalman Filter
Authors: Xu Daxing , Dong Zhengqi , Wang Hailun 
Published: May 2024

Abstract

Accurate estimation of the state of charge (SOC) is crucial for efficient energy management in Li-ion batteries. This paper addresses the challenge of SOC estimation in Li-ion batteries with unknown statistical characteristics of the noises in battery systems. Initially, a state space model for Li-ion batteries is established for identifying model parameters using online parameter identification method. Subsequently, a noise estimator is designed based on Sage-Husa to estimate the means and variances of the unknown noises. Additionally, an adaptive high-degree cubature Kalman filter is developed to achieve highly accurate SOC estimation. Finally, the effectiveness and high accuracy of the proposed algorithm are validated through several battery experiments.