bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Molecular detection and multilocus sequence analysis of Candidatus Phytoplasma solani-related strains infecting potato and sugar beet plants in Southern Germany
Authors: Eini Omid , Shoaei Zahra , Varrelmann Mark 
Published: March 2024

Abstract

Syndrome ‘basses richesses’ (SBR) disease in sugar beet caused by two phloem-limited pathogens, 'Candidatus Arsenophonus phytopathogenicus' and 'Candidatus Phytoplasma solani' is a fastspreading disease in Central Europe. The planthopper vector, Pentastiridius leporinus (Cixiidae), has recently expanded its host range to potato in Germany. However, the genetic diversity of 'Ca P. solani' in potato and possible association to SBR phytoplasma is unknown. In this study we charachterized ‘Ca. P. solani’ infecting sugar beet and potato plants in close distance fields in Southern Germany. Initially, the pathogen was detected in the potato tubers (18.7%) and sugar beet roots (60%) using TaqMan Real-Time PCR. Then, the sequences of 16S rRNA and other informative genes (stamp, vmp1, tuf and secY) were analysed in a number of infected potato and sugar beet plants. The phytoplasma strain infecting sugar beet in Southern Germany was classified into 16SrXII-P subgroup, a novel subgroup recently reported from sugar beet in Eastern Germany. While, the potato related strains were close to 16SrXII-A, which is a common subgroup for potato stolbur reported in Europe. The multilocus sequence analysis (MLSA) of non-ribosomal genes of the phytoplasma strains showed that the potato strain is clearly different from the sugar beet associated strain in this region. The presence and prevalence of 16SrXII-P in sugar beet in Southern and Eastern Germany suggests that this subgroup is dominant in sugar beet in Germany. In addition, this study elucidates for the first time, the genetic diversity of ‘Ca. P. solani’ strains in potato in Germany with a possible different source rather than sugar beet. Further investigation is required to investigate genetic variation of ‘Ca. P. solani’ in all sugar beet and potato-growing regions including weeds host in Central Europe to better understand the epidemiology of both sugar beet SBR and potato stolbur disease.
Adherence to low-dose methotrexate in children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis using a sensitive methotrexate assay
Authors: Möhlmann Julia E. , de Roock Sytze , Egas Annelies C. , Weijden Evelien ter , Doeleman Martijn J.H. , Huitema A D.R. , Luin Matthijs van , Swart Joost F. 
Published: March 2024

Abstract

Background: Low-dose weekly methotrexate is the mainstay of treatment in juvenile idiopathic arthritis. Unfortunately, a substantial part of patients has insufficient efficacy of methotrexate. A potential cause of this inadequate response is suboptimal drug adherence. The aim of this study was to assess methotrexate adherence in juvenile idiopathic arthritis patients by quantification of methotrexate concentrations in plasma. Secondly, the association between methotrexate concentrations and either self-reported adherence issues, or concomitant use of biologics was examined.
Methods: This was a retrospective, observational study using plasma samples from juvenile idiopathic arthritis patients. An ultrasensitive liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method was developed for quantification of methotrexate and its metabolite 7-hydroxy-methotrexate in plasma. The determined methotrexate plasma concentrations in juvenile idiopathic arthritis patients were compared with corresponding adherence limits, categorising them as either adherent or possibly non-adherent to methotrexate therapy.
Results: Plasma samples of 43 patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis were analysed. Adherence to methotrexate in this population was 88% shortly after initiation of methotrexate therapy and decreased to 77% after one year of treatment. Teenagers were more at risk for non-adherence (p=0.002). We could not find an association between methotrexate adherence with either self-reported adherence issues, nor with the use of concomitant biological treatment (p=1.00 and p=0.27, respectively; Fisher’s Exact).
Conclusions: Quantification of methotrexate in plasma is a feasible and objective method to assess adherence in patients using low-dose weekly methotrexate. In clinical practice, the use of this method could be a helpful tool for physicians to refute or support suspicion of non-adherence to methotrexate therapy.
Baricitinib as a novel treatment for bullous pemphigoid: a case series report
Authors: Liang Guirong , Li Xiaoguang , Qian Hua , Sun Chao , Zhang Hanmei , Feng Suying 
Published: March 2024

Abstract

Bullous pemphigoid (BP) is an autoimmune blistering disorder occurring mostly in the elderly. The standard treatment of BP patients with systemic corticosteroid have some potential serious side effects. Up till now, there is still lack of novel treatment for BP patients. Baricitinib, a selective Janus kinase (JAK) 1 and 2 inhibitor, has been used to treat rheumatoid arthritis, alopecia areata, and COVID-19. Successful treatment of refractory BP by JAK inhibitors has been reported in sporadic cases. In this study, we reported 8 BP patients treated with baricitinib. The patients after treatment were followed up for 3-24 months, with an average of 9.1 months. All 8 cases achieved disease control and the mean disease control period was 3 weeks (1-6 weeks). The bullous pemphigoid disease area index total (21.2 ± 13.0 to 2.5 ± 4.3, p<0.01), erosion/blister (6.0 ± 7.7 to 0.2 ± 0.5, p<0.05), urticaria/erythema (10.2 ± 11.9 to 0.0 ± 0.0, p=0.06), mucosal erosion/blister (10.0 ± 6.4 to 4.5 ± 5.1, n=4, p=0.25) and itching NRS (3.6 ± 3.5 to 0.0 ± 0.0, p=0.06) scores were all reduced after 2 months’ treatment. Seven of 8 patients achieved complete remission during tapering at month 3 and did not experience relapse during the follow-up period. The serum levels of anti-BP180 autoantibodies (IgG) were reduced significantly (77.1 ± 47.8U/mL to 40.1 ± 37.1U/mL, n=6, p<0.05) after 3 months’ treatment. During the follow-up period, only one patient experienced mild elevation of serum creatinine level after 3 months’ treatment of baricitinib, which returned to normal through discontinuation of the medication. In conclusion, this study demonstrated that low-dose, short-term administration of baricitinib is effective and safe for treating BP patients.
UniTracker:Transformer Based CrossUnihead for Multi-object Tracking
Authors: Wu Fan , Zhang Yifeng 
Published: March 2024

Abstract

In recent years, tracking-by-detection (TBD) has emerged as the predominant approach for
Multi-object Tracking (MOT). Most TBD algorithms typically employ separate branch heads to handle
the coarse feature representations extracted from the backbone network. However, this approach often leads to suboptimal model performance.
This is due to the presence of feature conflicts among multiple tasks on one hand, and the lack of information interaction among these tasks on the other.
Inspired by CSTrack and Unihead, we have combined the feature decoupling module REN with the transformer-based task interaction module CIT to form CrossUnihead which is a plug and play module.
This module not only effectively achieves task-based feature decoupling, but also facilitates information interaction among different tasks.
The MOT algorithm based on CrossUnihead, named UniTracker, demonstrates impressive performance on the MOT dataset when compared to other advanced methods and is capable of achieving real-time tracking.
The impact of quark many-body effects on exotic hadrons
Authors: Takeuchi Sachiko , Takizawa Makoto , Yamaguchi Yasuhiro , Hosaka Atsushi 
Published: March 2024

Abstract

We investigate the exotic hadrons consisting of two light quarks and two heavy antiquarks, $(q\bar Q)$-$(q\bar Q)$. The spin-dependent term between quarks is known to give an attraction to the $ud$ spin-0 component in the isospin-0 $u\bar c d\bar c$ system, $T_{cc}$. However, the said component also gets a repulsion from the partial Pauli-blocking. By the dynamical calculation with a simplified quark model, we discuss that the competition of the two effects leads to a shallow bound state for $T_{cc}$, which is preferred from the experiment, and a deep bound state for $T_{bb}$.
Preparation of Biodegradable Chitosan Semi-Interpenetrating Network Hydrogel and Its Application for Gastric Retention
Authors: DONG Pei , ZHANG Peng , SHENG Yang , SUN Yixin , Bradley Mark , ZHANG RONG , LIU Yuxin 
Published: March 2024

Abstract
Gastric retention hydrogels represent a potential material with weight-loss effects and offer an effective solution to address the low bioavailability of drugs in pharmaceutical therapy. This study aims to develop a degradable hydrogel capable of prolonged retention in the stomach, facilitating both weight loss and drug release. Two degradable macromolecular crosslinking agents were synthesized, with acrylamide as the main monomer, mixed with chitosan solution for the preparation of a degradable hydrogel with a semi-interpenetrating network (sIPN) structure initiated by a redox initiator. The morphology and chemical structure of the prepared hydrogels were characterized using analytical techniques such as SEM and FTIR. In vitro drug release experiments demonstrated that the hydrogel achieved controlled drug release, extending the drug's retention time in the stomach. The swelling performance, biocompatibility and degradation properties of the hydrogel in simulated gastric fluid (SGF) were also evaluated. Results indicated that the hydrogel with crosslinking agent ratio 4:6 exhibited a swelling ratio of 2700%, excellent biocompatibility and a weight loss of 7% in SGF over 5 days. The 4:6 hydrogel had a compressive modulus greater than 13 kPa at 60% deformation, demonstrating resistance to gastric peristalsis. Therefore, the chitosan sIPN hydrogel holds promising potential for applications in weight loss and the treatment of gastric diseases.
1H, 15 N &amp; 13 C resonance Backbone and side-chain assignments and secondary structure determination of the BRCT domain of Mtb LigA
Authors: Vaishnav Jayanti , Ampapathi Ravi Sankar 
Published: March 2024

Abstract

The BRCA1 carboxyl-terminal (BRCT) domain, an evolutionarily conserved structural motif, is ubiquitous in a multitude of proteins spanning prokaryotic and eukaryotic organisms. In Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb), BRCT domain plays a pivotal role in the catalytic activity of the NAD+-dependent DNA ligase (LigA). LigA is pivotal in DNA replication, catalyzing the formation of phosphodiester bonds in Okazaki fragments and repairing single-strand breaks in damaged DNA, essential for the survival of Mtb. Structural and functional aspects of LigA unveil its character as a highly modular protein, undergoing substantial conformational changes during its catalytic cycle. Although the BRCT domain of Mtb LigA plays an essential role in DNA binding and protein-protein interactions, the precise mechanism of action remains poorly understood. Unravelling the structure of the BRCT domain holds the promise of advancing our understanding of this pivotal domain. Additionally, it will facilitate further exploration of the protein-protein interactions and enhance our understanding of inter domain interactions within LigA, specifically between BRCT and the Adenylation domain. In this study, we demonstrate the overexpression of the BRCT domain of Mtb LigA and conduct its analysis using solution NMR spectroscopy, reveals a well-folded structure and we present a nearly complete chemical shift assignments of both backbone and sidechains. In addition, a secondary structure prediction by TALOS N predicts BRCT consisting of 3 α-helices and 4 β-sheets, closely resembling the typical structural topology of most BRCT domains.
Bonding strength of wood adhesives with fire-retardants under elevated temperatures
Authors: Silva Luana V. , Alves Matheus , Andrade Djems , Ferreira Débora , Piloto Paulo A. G. , Mesquita Luís M. R. 
Published: March 2024

Abstract
The utilization of wood and wood derivatives are growing in building construction, mainly due to sustainability and circularity reasons, despite the inherent flammability of wood. Woodworking often requires bonding elements with adhesives, which are prone to degradation under fire. A potential solution to improve the fire resistance of wood joints and their derivatives involves incorporating fire retardants into the adhesive compositions. This study explores the adhesion properties of bonded joints of medium-density fibreboard and pinewood panels using resins based on urea and polyurethanes derived from diphenylmethane diisocyanate (MDI). Various proportions of ammonium polyphosphate, borax, and expandable graphite were incorporated as fire retardants. Shear testing was conducted on lap joints under both room and elevated temperatures to evaluate their adhesive performance. At room temperature and 100°C, the predominant failure mode was panel tear failure, while at higher temperatures, cohesive failure became more prevalent. The results indicated a reduction in bonding strength and displacement with increasing temperature. In particular, the MDI-based resin demonstrated higher shear resistance at elevated temperatures in comparison to the urea-based resin. The addition of fire retardants, particularly ammonium polyphosphate, improved the shear strength of MDI joints at 100°C and 200°C. Furthermore, the determined shear modulus per meter evaluated the decreasing rigidity of the bonding joint with increasing temperature. In the reference case of urea without fire retardants, the rigidity of the bond decreased by approximately 100% at 200°C compared to room temperature. In contrast, the MDI cases with ammonium polyphosphate and borax experienced a more moderate decrease of around 60% at 230°C, indicating improved thermal stability.
Senescence-Related Diagnostic Biomarkers in Gastric Carcinoma: Identification and Comprehensive Analysis Using a Machine Learning Algorithm
Authors: Tu Dao-yuan , Zhang Jie , Wang Ming-kao , Zhu Lun , Li Heng , Dou Jin , Zhang Xiao-yu , Zhao Hai-jian 
Published: March 2024

Abstract
Recent research indicates that senescence plays a pivotal role in carcinogenesis. However, there is a lack of studies exploring the clinical significance and predictive capabilities of senescence-related genes (SRGs) in gastric carcinoma (GC). This study employs machine learning techniques to discern the diagnostic biomarker associated with senescence in GC. Moreover, it delves into an extensive evaluation of its immunological infiltration, biological function, and clinical relevance. Our analysis identified four SRGs (FEN1, HIF1A, PDGFRB, and PEX5) using a combination of least absolute shrinkage and selection operator regression, support vector machine recursive feature elimination, and the area under the curve metrics. Subsequently, these four SRGs were incorporated into a senescence-based prognostic signature termed “riskScore.” Notably, the riskScore demonstrated reliability and accuracy as an independent prognostic marker. We observed a robust association between the riskScore and tumor mutation burden, clinicopathological features, tumor immune microenvironment, and overall prognosis. Single-cell sequencing revealed heightened immune cell infiltration in the high-risk group. Furthermore, the riskScore emerged as a pivotal determinant guiding therapeutic decisions for GC, including immunotherapy and chemotherapy. The results strongly suggest the riskScore as the signature diagnostic biomarker for GC. These findings lay a robust foundation for GC treatments and hold promise for developing a rapid, non-invasive technique for disease monitoring and prognostic prediction.
A Prospective Cohort Study Exploring the Joint Influence of Sunlight Exposure and Tanning Bed Use on Basal Cell Carcinoma, Squamous Cell Carcinoma, and Melanoma Risk
Authors: Tran Megan M. , George-Washburn Elisabeth A. , Rhee Jongeun , Li Wen-Qing , Qureshi Abrar , Cho Eunyoung 
Published: March 2024

Abstract

Exposure to solar ultraviolet (UV) radiation and use of UV-emitting tanning devices are known risk factors for skin cancer. Few studies have explored the interaction between these risk factors, namely how the risk of skin cancer increases among those who both have been exposed to high levels of natural sunlight and regularly use tanning beds. Nurses’ Health Study II followed 116,430 women, aged 25-42, from 1991 to 2011. Cumulative average UV exposure was based on participants’ residences at follow-up periods. History of severe sunburn during ages 15-20 was used as a proxy for early-life sunlight exposure. Tanning bed use in early life data was collected. Participants reported melanoma, basal cell carcinoma (BCC), and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) diagnoses. We built multivariable Cox regression models to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for risk of skin cancer associated with joint effects of sunlight exposure and tanning bed use. Participants with high sunlight exposure and tanning bed use during high school/college had an increased risk of BCC (HR=1.53, CI 1.37-1.71, P interaction =0.01; vs. low UV exposure and no tanning bed use). Participants with a history of severe sunburns and tanning bed use during high school/college were at increased risk of BCC (HR=1.62, CI 1.47-1.79, P interaction =0.02; vs. no sunburns and no tanning bed use). No significant interactions were found between sunlight exposure and tanning bed use on SCC and melanoma risk. We found significant interactions between sunlight exposure and tanning bed use on the risk of BCC.
The Design and Development of an Ai-driven Chinese English Teaching Model
Authors: Fan Lin 
Published: March 2024

Abstract

Global English has developed into a language spoken across the globe due to education. Chinese English seems to be quite important in this particular situation, since China is the nation with the greatest population that speaks and understands English. To gather qualitative data, six students were chosen at random to participate in individual discussions. To examine drawback of the existing Chinese private education system and provide qualified advice for improving the efficacy and rationality of English private education in China.To overcome this problem, we proposed a Scarlet Fox Boosted Deep Neural Network (SF-BDNN) method. The purpose of SF-BDNN method is to improve the Chinese English teaching model. Initially, we gather a Chinese English teaching dataset and secondly, the collected data is preprocessed using Min max normalization to clean the data. Thirdly, Term frequency Inverse Document Frequency (TF-IDF) method is employed to extract the unwanted data. Recursive Feature Elimination (RFF) is used to choose the appropriate data. The simulation findings of the result uses a Python tool. As a result, our proposed method achieves a superior result with listening skills (97%), Fluency English speaking (94%), Writing Proficiency (95.2), when compared to other existing methods.
L1-norm optimization of problems with arbitrary column rank by Whale method and its improved algorithm for outlier detection
Authors: Mahboub Vahid 
Published: March 2024

Abstract

In this contribution L1-norm target function is minimized by Whale algorithm for the first time. It is a meta-heuristic optimization method which mimics the social behavior of humpback whales. The Whale algorithm is simple and flexible. It takes advantage of a derivation-free mechanism. L1-norm is an efficient tool for outlier detection, nevertheless, its implementation is complex since after formulation of L1-norm minimization for a certain problem, one must solve a linear programming problem by a cumbersome search method while here we only need to set the corresponding L1-norm cost function. During this contribution we also investigate other advantages of the proposed method over traditional methods numerically. As the Whale algorithm cannot deal with rank deficient problems, it must be improved. Thus the second algorithm of this contribution is an improved Whale algorithm which is developed here. Three geodetic applications approve the robustness of the proposed approach.
mbDriver: identifying driver microbes in microbial communities based on time-series microbiome data
Authors: Tan Xiaoxiu , Xue Feng , Zhang Chenhong , Wang Tao 
Published: March 2024

Abstract
Background
Alterations in human microbial communities are intricately linked to the onset and progression of diseases. Identifying the key microbes driving these community changes is crucial, as they may serve as valuable biomarkers for disease prevention, diagnosis, and treatment. However, there remains a need for further research to develop effective methods for addressing this critical task. This is primarily because defining the driver microbe requires consideration not only of each microbe’s individual contributions but also their interactions.
Results
This paper introduces a novel framework, called mbDriver, for identifying driver microbes based on microbiome abundance data collected at discrete time points. mbDriver comprises three main components: (1) data preprocessing of time-series abundance data using smoothing splines based on the negative binomial distribution, (2) parameter estimation for the generalized Lotka-Volterra (gLV) model using regularized least squares, and (3) quantification of each microbe’s contribution to the community’s steady state by manipulating the causal graph implied by gLV equations. The performance of nonparametric spline-based denoising and regularized least squares estimation is comprehensively evaluated on simulated datasets, demonstrating superiority over existing methods. Furthermore, the practical applicability and effectiveness of mbDriver are showcased using a dietary fiber intervention dataset and an ulcerative colitis dataset. Notably, driver microbes identified in the dietary fiber intervention dataset exhibit significant effects on the abundances of short-chain fatty acids, while those identified in the ulcerative colitis dataset show a significant correlation with metabolism-related pathways.
Conclusions
mbDriver holds promise for studying the dynamics of human microbiota and predicting microbiota-based targets for disease treatment.
A sensitive electrochemical DNA biosensor for determination of Capecitabine anticancer drug based on ss-DNA/RGO/MoS2/CPE electrode
Authors: Mohammadi Masoumeh , Rafati Amirabbas 
Published: March 2024

Abstract
The present research utilized a simplified procedure for developing a novel electrochemical sensor based on a carbon paste electrode (CPE) modified with single-stranded DNA (ss-DNA), reduced graphene oxide and molybdenum disulfide. Unmodified (bare CPE) and modified (ss-DNA/RGO/MoS2/CPE) electrodes were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), EDX analysis and cyclic voltammetry (CV). Characterization data confirm the good conductivity and electrocatalytic nature with more electrochemically active sites in ss-DNA/RGO/MoS2/CPE compared to bare CPE in determination of capecitabine (CAP) analysis in real samples. Two linear ranges have been obtained for the CAP concentration within the ranges of 0.01-10 µM with and 10–60 µM, with a detection limit of 0.0108 µM and limit of quantification of 0.036 µM. Lower linear concentration range, 0.01-10 µM showed sensitivity of 276.85 AM− 1cm− 2, and another from 10 µM to 60 µM with a sensitivity of 5.88 AM− 1cm− 2. The performance of the modified electrode was tested in human serum samples and obtained satisfactory recovery results. The selectivity and practical ability of ss-DNA/RGO/MoS2/CPE to determine CAP in the presence of different interfering species were investigated. The results show the selective, reliable and accurate response of ss-DNA/RGO/MoS2/CPE as CAP electrochemical sensor.