bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
A concentrated machine learning-based classification system for age-related macular degeneration (AMD) diagnosis using fundus images
Authors: Abd El-Khalek Aya A. , Balaha Hossam Magdy , Alghamdi Norah Saleh , Ghazal Mohammed , Khalil Abeer T. , Abo-Elsoud Mohy Eldin A. , El-Baz Ayman 
Published: January 2024

AbstractThe increase in eye disorders among older individuals has raised concerns, necessitating early detection through regular eye examinations. Age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a prevalent condition in individuals over 45, is a leading cause of vision impairment in the elderly. This paper presents a comprehensive computer-aided diagnosis (CAD) framework to categorize fundus images into geographic atrophy (GA), intermediate AMD, normal, and wet AMD categories. This is crucial for early detection and precise diagnosis of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), enabling timely intervention and personalized treatment strategies. We have developed a novel system that extracts both local and global appearance markers from fundus images. These markers are obtained from the entire retina and iso-regions aligned with the optical disc. Applying weighted majority voting on the best classifiers improves performance, resulting in an accuracy of 96.85%, sensitivity of 93.72%, specificity of 97.89%, precision of 93.86%, F1 of 93.72%, ROC of 95.85%, balanced accuracy of 95.81%, and weighted sum of 95.38%. This system not only achieves high accuracy but also provides a detailed assessment of the severity of each retinal region. This approach ensures that the final diagnosis aligns with the physician’s understanding of AMD, aiding them in ongoing treatment and follow-up for AMD patients.
A retrospective study of inpatients diagnosed with degloving skin and soft tissue injuries
Authors: Yu Shao-shuo , Zhu Zhe , Fang He , Jiang Yao-nan , Tang Chen-qi , Shi Ying , Gan Lan-xia , Tang Hong-tai , Wang Hai-bo , Sun Yu , Xia Zhao-fan 
Published: January 2024

AbstractThe overall picture of degloving skin and soft tissue injuries (DSTI) remains a blank space in China. Therefore, a retrospective study was designed to summarize the current situation of this injury. Patients diagnosed with DSTI hospitalized between 2013 and 2018 were identified from the Hospital Quality Monitoring System (HQMS) database, of whom demographics, injury characteristics, hospitalization and cost information were analyzed. A total of 62,709 patients were enrolled in this study. Male sex predominated, with a mean age of 43.01 ± 19.70 years. Peasants seemed to be the most vulnerable. East China and Hubei province had the most patients. The most and least frequently injured anatomic site were lower extremity and torso, respectively. Traffic-related accidents and summer accounted for the highest proportion in terms of injury mechanism and season. The operation rate of DSTI roughly showed a growing trend, and the average length of stay was 22.02 ± 29.73 days. At discharge, 0.93% of DSTI patients ended up in death. Medicine accounted mostly for hospitalization cost, while the proportion decreased year by year. More than half DSTI patients paid at their own charge. This study made a relatively detailed description of DSTI patients nationwide, and might provide enlightenments for better prevention and treatment.
Comprehensive bile acid pool analysis during ex-vivo liver perfusion in a porcine model of ischemia-reperfusion injury
Authors: Rossignol Guillaume , Muller Xavier , Brunet Thomas Alexandre , Bidault Valeska , Hervieu Valerie , Clement Yohann , Ayciriex Sophie , Mabrut Jean-Yves , Salvador Arnaud , Mohkam Kayvan 
Published: January 2024

AbstractBile acids (BA) are key for liver regeneration and injury. This study aims at analyzing the changes in the BA pool induced by ischemia-reperfusion (IRI) and investigates the impact of hypothermic oxygenated perfusion (HOPE) on the BA pool compared to static cold storage (SCS). In a porcine model of IRI, liver grafts underwent 30 min of asystolic warm ischemia followed by 6 h of SCS (n = 6) ± 2 h of HOPE (n = 6) and 2 h of ex-situ warm reperfusion. The BA pool in bile samples was analyzed with liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry. We identified 16 BA and observed significant changes in response to ischemia-reperfusion, which were associated with both protective and injury mechanisms. Second, HOPE-treated liver grafts exhibited a more protective BA phenotype, characterized by a more hydrophilic BA pool compared to SCS. Key BA, such as GlycoCholic Acid, were identified and were associated with a decreased transaminase release and improved lactate clearance during reperfusion. Partial Least Square-Discriminant Analysis revealed a distinct injury profile for the HOPE group. In conclusion, the BA pool changes with liver graft IRI, and preservation with HOPE results in a protective BA phenotype compared to SCS.
A Wilkinson power divider with harmonic suppression through low-pass filter for GSM and LTE applications
Authors: Mohammadi Nariman , Moloudian Gholamhosein , Roshani Saeed , Roshani Sobhan , Parandin Fariborz , Lalbakhsh Ali 
Published: January 2024

AbstractConventional Wilkinson power dividers (WPDs) perform satisfactorily near the intended operation frequency. Nonetheless, these WPDs demonstrate subpar performance in the stopband and necessitate a significant physical space. To enhance the existing level of advancement and in order to improve on the current state-of-the-art, a modified WPD is designed and fabricated, demonstrating a significant improvement in stopband and superior isolation between output ports. To improve the stopband and suppress unwanted harmonics, a low-pass filter (LPF) structure is placed in the both branches of the conventional WPD. The proposed modified WPD depicts a wide stopband bandwidth (fSB > 17.25 GHz) from 2.75 to over 20 GHz with an attenuation level of 20 dB, suppressing 2nd to 11th harmonics. According to measured results, the input return loss (|S11|), insertion loss (|S21|) and output isolation (|S32|) at f = 1.8 GHz are better than 33 dB, 3.2 dB and 21 dB, respectively. Indeed, the proposed modified WPD exhibits a magnitude imbalance of 0.00018, a phase imbalance of 1.25 degrees and a group delay of 0.5 ns. The proposed WPD depicts a compact size of 35 mm × 25 mm (0.38 λg × 0.27 λg), where λg is the guided wavelength at f = 1.8 GHz. There is a good agreement between the simulated and measured results. According to the obtained results, the proposed modified WPD shows a desirable performance for modern LTE and GSM communication applications.
Occurrence and temporal overlap of sympatric jungle cats and leopard cats in Parsa‒Koshi Complex, Nepal
Authors: Sharma Hari Prasad , Bhattarai Bishnu Prasad , Regmi Sandeep , Bhandari Shivish , Adhikari Dipendra , Aryal Bishnu , Tamang Krishna , Nepali Amrit , K. C. Sabin , Rawal Basudha , Parajuli Sagar , Baral Bashu Dev , Devkota Surya , Koirala Sabina , Belant Jerrold L. , Katuwal Hem Bahadur 
Published: January 2024

AbstractCo-occurrence and spatial and temporal overlap of sympatric jungle and leopard cats are influenced by habitat preferences, and interspecific competition. Understanding these factors influence is crucial for developing effective conservation strategies. We conducted a camera survey in Parsa‒Koshi Complex (PKC), Nepal during December 2022–March 2023 to investigate factors influencing occupancy and spatial and temporal overlap between jungle cats (Felis chaus) and leopard cats (Prionailurus bengalensis). The mean detection probability (t = 0.664,p = 0.507) did not differ between jungle cats (p = 0.500 ± 0.289) and leopard cats (p = 0.501 ± 0.288); however, occupancy (t = 31.008,p < 0.001) was greater for jungle cats (ψ = 0.247 ± 0.020) than leopard cats (ψ = 0.178 ± 0.019). Jungle cats and leopard cats were positively associated with large predators, and jungle cats were positively associated with human presence and negatively associated with canopy cover. We observed high diel overlap between leopard cats and jungle cats (Dhat1 = 0.802, norm0CI: 0.720–0.884), with both species largely nocturnal. Co-existence of jungle cats and leopard cats in PKC appears to be facilitated by spatial segregation. These findings provide valuable insights into the complex ecological dynamics and interactions between sympatric jungle and leopard cats.
Boosting Solanum tuberosum resistance to Alternaria solani through green synthesized ferric oxide (Fe2O3) nanoparticles
Authors: Anwaar Sadaf , Ijaz Dur-e-Shahwar , Anwar Tauseef , Qureshi Huma , Nazish Moona , Alrefaei Abdulwahed Fahad , Almutairi Mikhlid H. , Alharbi Sultan N. 
Published: January 2024

AbstractPotato (Solanum tuberosum) is the third crucial global crop facing threats from Alternaria solani, a necrotrophic fungal pathogen causing early blight disease. Beyond crop impact, it leads to substantial production reduction and economic losses worldwide. This study introduces a green synthesis method for producing Ferric Oxide nanoparticles (FNPs) using dried Guava (Psidium guajava) leaves. Guava leaf extract acts as a reducing agent, with iron (III) chloride hexahydrate (FeCl3·6H2O) as the oxidizing agent. This study employed various characterization techniques for Ferric Oxide nanoparticles (FNPs). Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) revealed peaks at 877 cm−1, 1180 cm−1, 1630 cm−1, 1833 cm−1, 2344 cm−1, and 3614 cm−1, associated with Maghemite vibrations, polyphenol compounds, and amino acids. UV–Vis spectroscopy exhibited a characteristic absorbance peak at 252 nm for FNPs. Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) images illustrated particle sizes of 29-41 nm, and Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS) indicated elemental composition. X-ray diffraction (XRD) confirmed crystalline FNPs with peaks at 26.78, 30.64, 36.06, 38.21, 43.64, 53.52, 57.42, 63.14 and 78.32. Disease resistance assays demonstrated FNPs’ effectiveness against A. solani, reducing disease incidence and severity. In the leaf detach assay, concentrations of 15, 10 and 5 mg/L showed a dose-dependent reduction in disease severity and incidence. The Greenhouse Assay confirmed FNPs’ concentration-dependent effect on disease incidence and severity. The study also explored FNPs’ potential as biocontrol agents showing no adverse effects on overall plant development. Additionally, the study highlighted the agronomic potential of FNPs in enhancing plant growth and development emphasizing their role as micronutrients in biofortification. The findings suggest the promising application of FNPs in plant protection and biofortification strategies.
Light pollution disrupts circadian clock gene expression in two mosquito vectors during their overwintering dormancy
Authors: Fyie Lydia R. , Westby Katie M. , Meuti Megan E. 
Published: January 2024

AbstractArtificial light at night (ALAN) is an increasingly important form of environmental disturbance as it alters Light:Dark cycles that regulate daily and seasonal changes in physiology and phenology. The Northern house mosquito (Culex pipiens) and the tiger mosquito (Aedes albopictus) enter an overwintering dormancy known as diapause that is cued by short days. These two species differ in diapause strategy: Cx. pipiens diapause as adult females while Ae. albopictus enter a maternally-programmed, egg diapause. Previous studies found that ALAN inhibits diapause in both species, but the mechanism is unknown. As the circadian clock is implicated in the regulation of diapause in many insects, we examined whether exposure to ALAN altered the daily expression of core circadian cloc genes (cycle, Clock, period, timeless, cryptochrome 1, cryptochrome 2, and Par domain protein 1) in these two species when reared under short-day, diapause-inducing conditions. We found that exposure to ALAN altered the abundance of several clock genes in adult females of both species, but that clock gene rhythmicity was maintained for most genes. ALAN also had little effect on clock gene abundance in mature oocytes that were dissected from female Ae. albopictus that were reared under short day conditions. Our findings indicate that ALAN may inhibit diapause initiation through the circadian clock in two medically-important mosquitoes.
Determinants of household adoption of clean energy with its rural–urban disparities in Bangladesh
Authors: Haq Iqramul , Khan Maruf , Chakma Sharanon , Hossain Md. Ismail , Sarkar Shuvongkar , Rejvi Md. Rayhan Ali , Salauddin Md. , Sarker Md Mizanur Rahman 
Published: January 2024

AbstractThis study aims to investigate factors influencing the adoption of clean energy among households in Bangladesh, using Blinder-Oaxaca decomposition and extended probit regression model with data from the 2019 Bangladesh multiple indicator cluster survey. Small households, primarily Muslim and urban dwellers, who speak the Bengali language and are Internet and mobile users, were likelier to adopt cleaner fuels than their counterparts. On the contrary, households residing in the Barisal, Khulna, Rajshahi, and Rangpur divisions, belonging to poor and middle-class households, with household heads aged 15–64 and without formal education, were less likely to adopt cleaner fuels than their counterparts. The concentration curve revealed socioeconomic inequality in the adoption of clean energy, particularly favouring richer households in urban and rural areas. Further analysis using the Blinder-Oaxaca decomposition showed that urban residents showed a higher probability of adopting clean energy, with a significant difference of 0.508 compared to rural areas. Regarding the endowment effect, poor wealth quintile contributed the most, followed by the ownership of rented dwellings and the middle wealth quintile. The Bengali differential effect made the largest contribution to this aspect of the disparity, followed by the exposure of the Internet and the influence of the Dhaka and Chattogram divisions. The detailed analysis provides valuable insights for policymakers and practitioners on the issue of disparities in the adoption of clean energy between urban and rural areas in Bangladesh.
Harnessing machine learning to find synergistic combinations for FDA-approved cancer drugs
Authors: Abd El-Hafeez Tarek , Shams Mahmoud Y. , Elshaier Yaseen A. M. M. , Farghaly Heba Mamdouh , Hassanien Aboul Ella 
Published: January 2024

AbstractCombination therapy is a fundamental strategy in cancer chemotherapy. It involves administering two or more anti-cancer agents to increase efficacy and overcome multidrug resistance compared to monotherapy. However, drug combinations can exhibit synergy, additivity, or antagonism. This study presents a machine learning framework to classify and predict cancer drug combinations. The framework utilizes several key steps including data collection and annotation from the O’Neil drug interaction dataset, data preprocessing, stratified splitting into training and test sets, construction and evaluation of classification models to categorize combinations as synergistic, additive, or antagonistic, application of regression models to predict combination sensitivity scores for enhanced predictions compared to prior work, and the last step is examination of drug features and mechanisms of action to understand synergy behaviors for optimal combinations. The models identified combination pairs most likely to synergize against different cancers. Kinase inhibitors combined with mTOR inhibitors, DNA damage-inducing drugs or HDAC inhibitors showed benefit, particularly for ovarian, melanoma, prostate, lung and colorectal carcinomas. Analysis highlighted Gemcitabine, MK-8776 and AZD1775 as frequently synergizing across cancer types. This machine learning framework provides a valuable approach to uncover more effective multi-drug regimens.
Cycle threshold of SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR as a driver of retesting
Authors: Markewitz Robert , Dargvainiene Justina , Junker Ralf , Wandinger Klaus-Peter 
Published: January 2024

AbstractSARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR is a critical and, at times, limited resource. Frequent Retesting of patients may strain testing infrastructure unduly. Recommendations that include cycle threshold (Ct) cutoffs may incentivize early retesting when the Ct value is reported. We aimed to investigate patterns of retesting in association with initial Ct-values. We performed a retrospective analysis of RT-PCR results (including Ct-values) for patients from whom ≥ 2 samples were collected within 14 days, the first of which had to be positive. We calculated absolute and baseline-corrected kinetics of Ct-values over time, as well as the median initial Ct-values in dependence of the timing of the first retesting and the time until RT-PCR negativity for SARS-CoV-2. Retesting after an initial positive SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR was most commonly performed on day 7, with patients being retested as early as day 1. The majority of patients retested within 14 days remained SARS-CoV-2 positive in the RT-PCR. Baseline-corrected Ct-values showed a quasi-linear increase over 14 days since the initial positive result. Both the timing until the first retesting and until RT-PCR negativity were inversely correlated with the initial Ct-value. The timing of retesting after a positive SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR appears to be significantly influenced by the initial Ct-value. Although it can be assumed that Ct-values will increase steadily over time, strategies that rely on rigid Ct-cutoffs should be discussed critically, not only because of methodological caveats but also because of the strain on testing infrastructure caused by the incentive for early retesting that Ct-values apparently represent.
Europe faces up to tenfold increase in extreme fires in a warming climate
Authors: El Garroussi Siham , Di Giuseppe Francesca , Barnard Christopher , Wetterhall Fredrik 
Published: January 2024

AbstractThis study quantifies how changes in temperature and precipitation would influence the intensity and duration of extreme fires across Europe. The analysis explores the impact of a range of climate change projections on fire events compared to a baseline of fire danger, using a 30-year ERA5 reanalysis. The results show that areas in southern Europe could experience a tenfold increase in the probability of catastrophic fires occurring in any given year under a moderate CMIP6 scenario. If global temperatures reach the +2 °C threshold, central and northern Europe will also become more susceptible to wildfires during droughts. The increased probability of fire extremes in a warming climate, in combination with an average one-week extension of the fire season across most countries, would put extra strain on Europe’s ability to cope in the forthcoming decades.
The pseudochiral Fermi surface of α-RuI3
Authors: Louat Alex , Watson Matthew D. , Kim Timur K. , Ni Danrui , Cava Robert J. , Cacho Cephise 
Published: January 2024

AbstractIn continuation of research into RuCl3 and RuBr3 as potential quantum spin liquids, a phase with unique magnetic order characterised by long-range quantum entanglement and fractionalised excitations, the compound RuI3 has been recently synthesised. Here, we show RuI3 is a moderately correlated metal with two bands crossing the Fermi level, implying the absence of any quantum spin liquids phase. We find that the Fermi surface as measured or calculated for a 2D (kx, ky) slice at any kz lacks mirror symmetry, i.e. is pseudochiral. We link this phenomenon to the ABC stacking in the R$$\bar{3}$$

3

¯

space group of α-RuI3, which is achiral but lacks any mirror or glide symmetries. We further provide a formal framework for understanding when such a pseudochiral electronic structure may be observed.
Enhancing polarization transfer from nitrogen-vacancy centers to external nuclear spins via dangling bond mediators
Authors: Espinós Hilario , Munuera-Javaloy Carlos , Panadero Iván , Acedo Pablo , Puebla Ricardo , Casanova Jorge , Torrontegui Erik 
Published: January 2024

AbstractThe use of nitrogen-vacancy (NV) centers in diamond as a non-invasive platform for hyperpolarizing nuclear spins in molecular samples is a promising area of research with the potential to enhance the sensitivity of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) experiments. Transferring NV polarization out of the diamond structure has been achieved on nanoscale targets using dynamical nuclear polarization methods, but extending this polarization transfer to relevant NMR volumes poses significant challenges. One major technical hurdle is the presence of paramagnetic defects in the diamond surface which interfere with polarization outflow. However, these defects can be harnessed as intermediaries for the interaction between NVs and nuclear spins. We present a method that benefits from existing microwave sequences, namely the PulsePol, to transfer polarization efficiently and robustly using dangling bonds or other localized electronic spins, with the potential to increase polarization rates under realistic conditions.
Impact of underlying liver disease on unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors
Authors: Wu Y. Linda , Cappuyns Sarah , Loh Amanda , Sun Sean , Lewis Sara , Sung Max W. , Schwartz Myron , Llovet Josep M. , Cohen Deirdre J. 
Published: January 2024

Abstract
Background
Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) are standard therapy for unresectable HCC, but many patients do not respond. Non-viral HCC, particularly non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), have been implicated in ICI resistance.

Methods
We reviewed 288 patients with unresectable HCC who received ICI from 1/2017 to 12/2021. The overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), and objective response rate (ORR) between patients with viral HCC and non-viral HCC were compared using the full and Child Pugh (CP) class A only cohorts.

Results
In total, 206 patients (71.5%) had viral HCC (most HCV), and 82 patients had non-viral HCC. Non-viral HCC was associated with worse OS (HR 1.6, 95% CI: 1.1–2.1, P = 0.006) and PFS (HR 1.5, 95% CI: 1.2–2, P = 0.002) in univariate but not multivariate analyses. For the CP class A cohort, non-viral HCC was independently associated with worse OS (HR 1.8, 95% CI: 1.2–2.7, P = 0.005) and PFS (HR 1.9, 95% CI: 1.3–2.7, P < 0.001). Viral HCC and CP class A liver disease was associated with better ORR than non-viral HCC (38% vs. 16%, P = 0.001).

Conclusions
Following ICI treatment, non-viral HCC correlated with worse OS, PFS, and ORR than viral HCC, particularly in patients with preserved liver function.
The helicase domain of human Dicer prevents RNAi-independent activation of antiviral and inflammatory pathways
Authors: Baldaccini Morgane , Gaucherand Léa , Chane-Woon-Ming Béatrice , Messmer Mélanie , Gucciardi Floriane , Pfeffer Sébastien 
Published: January 2024

AbstractIn mammalian somatic cells, the relative contribution of RNAi and the type I interferon response during viral infection is unclear. The apparent inefficiency of antiviral RNAi might be due to self-limiting properties and mitigating co-factors of the key enzyme Dicer. In particular, the helicase domain of human Dicer appears to be an important restriction factor of its activity. Here, we study the involvement of several helicase-truncated mutants of human Dicer in the antiviral response. All deletion mutants display a PKR-dependent antiviral phenotype against certain viruses, and one of them, Dicer N1, acts in a completely RNAi-independent manner. Transcriptomic analyses show that many genes from the interferon and inflammatory response pathways are upregulated in Dicer N1 expressing cells. We show that some of these genes are controlled by NF-kB and that blocking this pathway abrogates the antiviral phenotype of Dicer N1. Our findings highlight the crosstalk between Dicer, PKR, and the NF-kB pathway, and suggest that human Dicer may have repurposed its helicase domain to prevent basal activation of antiviral and inflammatory pathways.