bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Partial Purification and Characterization of Pectinase From Actinomycete : Nocardiopsis Dasnonivelli Isolated From Marine Samples
Authors: Suman Vaddadi , Yugandhar N. M 
Published: February 2024

Abstract

Biocatalysis, one of the oldest technologies, is becoming a favorable alternative to chemical processes and a vital part of green technology. This study was to purification and characterization of the pectinase. The extracted enzyme was subjected to partial purification which include ammonium sulphate precipitation, dialysis, sephadex G-100 column chromatography. The cell free supernatant pectinase activity was found to be in the 20% salt saturation fraction. Enzyme activity of pectinase increased from 75.9 ± 0.15U/mL to 81.08 ± 1.06 U/mL at 20% salt saturation fraction. As a result, the 20% ammonium sulphate fraction of crude enzyme extract was further analysed for purification of potential pectinase. Pectinase from the 20% ammonium sulphate crude enzyme fraction was purified by using sephadex-G-100 gel chromatography. From these results, the purified pectinase exhibited 85.83 ± 16 U/ml of enzyme activity. It was observed that the purification of pectinase by sephadex-G-100 gel chromatography increased its activity by 11.51%. The purified pectinase when subjected to SDS PAGE appeared as a single homogenous band with a molecular weight of 40 kDa. Partially purified enzyme was characterized, the enzyme was stable 50C upto 80 min at pH 9. Later the purified 40KDa protein spot of Nocardiopsis dassonvillei S10 was identified as pectinase by Peptide mass fingerprinting. PMF results of the protein spot was matched with Bacillus subtilis Mutant which is having highest score i.e. 63.4.Protein 3D structure models were predicted and validated by the Ramchandran plot assessment and the functional prediction was done by I-TASSER server.
Sandy beaches contribution to the ocean silicon cycle: a reassessment of the global Si budget
Authors: Aparicio Marius , Bihan Antoine Le , Jeandel Catherine , Fabre Sebastien , Almar Rafael , Mingo Ivana Maiten 
Published: February 2024

Abstract

This study investigates the effect of energy dissipation induced by wave breaking on silica dissolution rate. For this purpose,
an experimental protocol was set up to simulate an artificial sandy beach composed entirely of pure α-quartz under stirred
conditions due to constant wave breaking. The concentrations obtained suggest a significant increase in dissolution rate and
highlight the impact of wave action on the latter. Up-scaling laboratory flux to the worldwide sandy coastlines led to a detailed description on how, depending on sea surface temperature and wave power, beaches from different parts of the globe play a respective role in an integrated input estimated to be as strong as the one from rivers (FBeaches = 8.4 ± 3.0 Tmol Si y−1 ). The results enhance the one previously proposed and further strengthen the hypothesis of an overlooked silicon input to the ocean due to sandy beaches. This newly established contribution to the silicon cycle has led to a reassessment of the silica budget by subjecting it to a Monte Carlo analysis, suggesting that the steady state hypothesis commonly accepted until now stands on less solid ground than previously accepted.
Platelet count has a nonlinear association with 30-day in-hospital mortality in ICU End- stage kidney disease patients: a multicenter retrospective cohort study
Authors: Zhou Pan , Xiao Jian-hui , Li Yun , Zhou Li , Deng Zhe 
Published: February 2024

Abstract
Background: This study addresses the relationship between platelet count and 30-day in-hospital mortality in End-Stage Kidney Disease (ESRD) patients in the intensive care unit (ICU), a topic with limited existing evidence.
Methods: Utilizing data from the US eICU-CRD v2.0 database (2014-2015), a retrospective cohort study was conducted involving 3700 ICU ESRD patients. We employed binary logistic regression, smooth curve fitting, and subgroup analyses to explore the association between platelet count and 30-day in-hospital mortality.
Results: The 30-day in-hospital mortality rate was 13.27% (491/3700), with a median platelet count of 188×109/L. After adjusting for covariates, we observed an inverse relationship between platelet count and 30-day in-hospital mortality (OR = 0.98, 95% CI: 0.97, 0.99). Subgroup analyses supported these findings, particularly in non-diabetic patients (P for interaction 0.0002). Additionally, a nonlinear association surfaced, revealing an inflection point at 222×109/L. The effect sizes (OR) on the left and right sides of the inflection point were 0.94 (0.92, 0.96) and 1.03 (1.00, 1.05), respectively.
Conclusion: This study identified a curved relationship between platelet count and 30-day in-hospital mortality rate in ICU ESRD patients. The saturation effect suggests that maintaining a platelet count around 222×109/L can reduce the in-hospital mortality rate of these patients for 30 days.
Association of hemoglobin level trajectories with clinical outcomes in patients with sepsis or shock: a retrospective observational study
Authors: Huang Jingjing , Zou Dengxiu , Wang Quan , Liu Yuchen , Zhang Kexin , Sheng Xiaoxuan , Liu Shiya , Huang Sufang 
Published: February 2024

Abstract
Background
Sepsis has a high incidence and mortality rate and is an important global public health problem. Anemia as one of the common complications of sepsis, a single-point value of hemoglobin cannot provide enough information. This study aimed to investigate the impact of hemoglobin latent trajectories on clinical outcomes in septic patients.
Method
Patients diagnosed with sepsis and who stayed in the ICU for more than 3 days were included in the medical big data platform, and those with continuous hemoglobin data were selected. Patients with hemorrhagic diseases and chronic consumptive diseases that affect hemoglobin were excluded. The latent growth mixed model was used to identify the latent trajectories of hemoglobin, and multivariate forward stepwise Cox regression was used to evaluate the relationship between hemoglobin trajectories and clinical outcomes (in-hospital mortality and organ dysfunction).
Results
A total of 811 patients ultimately met the inclusion criteria, and after latent growth mixed model (LGMM) analysis, optimal 3 potential Hb trajectories were detected. 441 (54.4%), 281 (34.7%), and 89 (10.9%) patients were identified as having flat decreasing, low, and rapidly decreasing Hb, respectively. Compared with flat decreasing Hb, low Hb was associated with increased hospital mortality [hazard ratio (HR) 2.44, 95% confidence interval (CI) 2.03–2.92], organ dysfunction (HR 3.02, 95% CI 2.57–3.53), and rapid decreasing FB was significantly associated with hospital mortality (HR 3.45, 95% CI 2.48–4.80) and organ failure (HR5.45, 95%CI 4.09–7.24), after adjustment for potential covariates.
Conclusion
The latent hemoglobin trajectories were associated with clinical outcomes in sepsis patients. Patients with persistently low hemoglobin levels had increased risks of in-hospital mortality and organ dysfunction, and patients with rapid decline of hemoglobin levels had significantly higher risks.
Cognitive Capacity and Aesthetics: The Influence of Visual Working Memory on Landscape Ink Painting Preference
Authors: Long Dingning , Chen Rongrong 
Published: February 2024

Abstract

The appreciation of art is not solely influenced by the inherent qualities of a work, such as image complexity, but also by external factors related to the observer, such as their visual working memory capacity, which allows for the real-time storage and manipulation of visual information. In this study, we sought to examine the predictive role of both intrinsic and extrinsic factors in aesthetic appreciation of landscape ink paintings. To assess the visual working memory capacity, we utilized the Visual-Object Working Memory task which required participants to sequentially encode, maintain, and determine whether the current visual pattern matched the one presented two trials ago. Following this, participants were presented with pairs of twenty landscape ink paintings and asked to indicate either their preference or perceived complexity for one painting over the other. Additionally, participants rated their aesthetic preference and perceived level of complexity for each painting on 6-point Likert scales. While our sample did not exhibit a bias towards complexity in their evaluation of paintings, we did discover that individuals with a greater visual working memory capacity tend to favor ink paintings with higher image entropy. These results align with the Processing Fluency Theory, suggesting that individuals typically have a more positive reaction to stimuli that are readily and smoothly processed. This research may have implications for the customization of art recommendation algorithms that take into account individual cognitive traits.
Novel feature extraction based on DCT-DOST features for classification of Digital Breast Tomosynthesis images into benign and malignant tumors
Authors: Moghadam Farangis Sajadi , Rashidi Saeid 
Published: February 2024

Abstract
Background: Breast cancer is caused by the uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells, resulting in a mass in the breast tissue. Early detection of the disease can significantly improve its prognosis and treatment outcome. Digital Breast Tomosynthesis, a three-dimensional imaging technology of the breast tissue, is emerging as a standard for breast imaging with improved screening and diagnostic results. The additional information obtained from tomosynthesis reduces the misleading effects of tissue overlap and improves the detection, identification, and localization of abnormalities. Benign-malignant breast tumors classification at early detection is a crucial step to improve diagnosis and prolong patient survival. The aim of this study is to classify benign-malignancy of masses in Digital Breast Tomosynthesis images based on new DCT-DOST and Radiomic features on an open database of TCIA that consist of 224 lesion bounding boxes.
Methods: In order to effectively obtain both DCT-DOST and Radiomics characteristics, a 2D central slice of the DBT image, which encompasses a substantial anatomical size of the breast tumor, was employed. In the pre-processing stage, rescale intensity method was used to improve contrast and image quality. After that, by using a binary mask, the mass of the breast tissue was subjected to segmentation. Then, using radiomic and DCT-DOST features, new features were extracted from the images. In addition, we also investigated the importance of feature selection and class balancing. By pooling the radiomics and DCT-DOST features into a hybrid feature set, we investigated the compatibility of these two sets with respect to benign malignancy prediction.
Results: Finally, for classification using Random Forest algorithm, K-Nearest Neighbor and Support Vector Machine, it was shown that the best result of the evaluation metrics are respectively equal to 87.80%, 78.51%, 82.78% and 75.19% in terms of mean AUC, Accuracy, Sensitivity and Specificity which was obtained by Random Forest classifier.
Conclusion: The findings from the empirical analysis reveal that integrating DCT-DOST and Radiomic features into the same learning algorithm improves the discrimination power.
Thermodynamic assessment of evaporation during molten steel testing onboard the International Space Station
Authors: Nawer Jannatun , Stanford Brian , Kolbe Matthias , Schneider Stephan , Gossé Stéphane , Wunderlich Rainer , Mohr Markus , Borzì Aurelio , Neels Antonia , Matson Douglas 
Published: February 2024

Abstract

A series of 54 experiment cycles were performed on an FeCr21Ni19 (at. %) sample in vacuum, He and Ar gas atmospheres using the Electromagnetic Levitation facility onboard the International Space Station (ISS-EML). Evaporation control is a critical facility resource that limits processing time and must be tracked to ensure astronaut safety. Species specific evaporation during this test has been estimated using a mathematical model based on thermodynamic assessment and Langmuir’s equation to track the dynamic mass loss during each thermal cycle. The findings from this study were validated using post-mission SEM-EDX evaluations. The predicted mass loss and elemental distribution from the evaporation model was consistent with experimental observations. Based on facility geometry, deposit layer thicknesses at various locations have also been calculated and results showed excellent agreement with near-real-time predictions using software developed by the German Space Agency (DLR) Microgravity User Support Center (MUSC).
Electrical conductivity of siderite and the effect of the spin transition of iron
Authors: Mashino Izumi , Yoshino Takashi , Mitsui Takaya , Fujiwara Kosuke , Garai Máté , Yamashita Shigeru 
Published: February 2024

Abstract

We have conducted electrical conductivity measurements of FeCO3 siderite under high pressure up to 62 GPa in order to understand the nature and effect of iron spin transition and its influence on the geophysical properties of siderite, which is an end-member of major carbonate minerals. The results from Raman and Mössbauer spectroscopic measurements show that the high- to low-spin transition of iron occurs at around 50 GPa. A sharp decrease of the electrical conductivity was also observed at around 50 GP, which is associated with the iron spin transition. Although the stability of FeCO3 siderite may be limited under high-temperature conditions along with the mantle geotherm, solid solutions in the MgCO3-FeCO3 system, Mg1-xFexCO3, could be stable up to the pressure-temperature condition of the lowermost mantle. The pressure-temperature range of the iron spin transition of Mg1-xFexCO3 would be narrower than those of the major lower mantle minerals of ferropericlase and bridgmanite, and thus the drop of the electrical conductivity induced by the spin transition could be clearer under the lower mantle conditions. Therefore, the existence of Mg1-xFexCO3 may affect the observed heterogeneity of electrical conductivity in the mid-lower mantle.
Real-time siamese neural network based algorithm for user recognition by their eye blinking
Authors: Malinowski Kamil , Saeed Khalid 
Published: February 2024

Abstract
The article proposes a new method for user recognition based on a unique eyelid blinking pattern. Our research aimed to develop a user recognition method using eyelid blinking that is resistant to shoulder surfing and brute force attacks, while also not requiring complex recording devices. Most user authentication methods utilizing eyelid blinking patterns are vulnerable to pattern replication attacks. On the other hand, methods using EEG sometimes require the use of complicated equipment to record the blinking event. In our study, we utilized the publicly available mEBAL database. The temporal eyelid movement patterns extracted from the samples in the database are analyzed by a Siamese neural network. Our achieved results of 98.20% accuracy and 0.11 EER unequivocally demonstrate the superiority of the proposed method over other methods using eyelid blinking for user authentication.
Assessment of heavy metals contamination/pollution of phosphate discharge mud in the Metlaoui region (Gafsa, southern Tunisia).
Authors: Amor BEN GARALI 
Published: February 2024

Abstract

The aim of this study is to evaluate the geochemical and heavy metal contamination degree of phosphate mud in the Metlaoui region (Gafsa, southern Tunisia). These discharges are one of the sources of contamination of the region's hydrographic network to Chott el Gharssa (Tozeur) more to the south.
Assessment of heavy metals pollution is based on the relatively simple principles of measuring concentrations, calculating indexes and comparing them with established standards, which vary according to the nature of the element, its toxicity, and the receiving environment.
Seven mud samples were taken from the beds of the Thelja, Sebseb, Gouifla, Tarfawi, Melah and Charia wadis. Our investigations to assess the degree of heavy metal contamination focused on: zinc (Zn), chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), nickel (Ni) and cadmium (Cd). These metallic elements are measured by atomic absorption spectrometry.
To meet our objectives, we calculated the following contamination/pollution indexes: geo-accumulation index (Igeo), contamination factor (FC), degree of contamination (DC) and sediment pollution index (SPI). The index approach can be used to predict the extent of mud pollution and identify priority polluted sites.
Heavy metals content in phosphate mud in the Metlaoui region shows the following order of abundance: Zn > Cr > Ni > Cd > Cu. Calculation of contamination/pollution indexes reveals at first sigt polymetallic contamination dominated by four elements. Cd (FC ranging from 8.42 to 28.75) , Cr (FC = 9.24), Cu (FC = 7.27) and Ni (FC = 5.86) are of greatest concern. Consequently, the mud analyzed is considered hazardous sediment for most of the study area.
Lineage-specific canonical and non-canonical activity of EZH2 in advanced prostate cancer subtypes
Authors: Venkadakrishnan Varadha Balaji , Presser Adam G. , Singh Richa , Booker Matthew A. , Traphagen Nicole A. , Weng Kenny , Voss Nathaniel C. , Mahadevan Navin R. , Mizuno Kei , Puca Loredana , Idahor Osasenaga , Ku Sheng-Yu , Bakht Martin K. , Borah Ashir A. , Herbert Zachary T. , Tolstorukov Michael Y. , Barbie David A. , Rickman David S. , Brown Myles , Beltran Himisha 
Published: February 2024

Abstract

Enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (EZH2) is a histone methyltransferase and emerging therapeutic target that is overexpressed in most castration resistant prostate cancers and implicated as a driver of disease progression and resistance to hormonal therapies. Here we define the lineage-specific action and differential activity of EZH2 in both prostate adenocarcinoma (PRAD) and neuroendocrine prostate cancer (NEPC) subtypes of advanced prostate cancer to better understand the role of EZH2 in modulating differentiation, lineage plasticity, and to identify mediators of response and resistance to EZH2 inhibitor therapy. Mechanistically, EZH2 modulates bivalent genes that results in upregulation of NEPC-associated transcriptional drivers (e.g., ASCL1), neuronal gene programs, and forward differentiation after targeting EZH2 in NEPC. Subtype-specific downstream effects of EZH2 inhibition on cell cycle genes support the potential rationale for co-targeting cyclin/CDK to overcome resistance to EZH2 inhibition.
Emission of abnormal electrons with energy up to 790TeV detected at downstream of RF cavity of electron storage ring of BEPCII
Authors: Qian Dapeng 
Published: February 2024

Abstract
In a new version of special relativity that incorporates the uncertainty principle, the Einstein-Lorentz mass formula is extended more completely. The new formula shows that there is a weak "high-speed but low-mass" effect in particles movement, which will cause the generation of abnormal ultra-high energy electrons with a certain small probability when the electron beam passes through an accelerating electric field. This previously unknown anomaly was tested on the electron storage ring of BEPCII by the author with a cumulative detection method, and results show that there is indeed the emission of electrons with energy up to 790TeV at downstream of the RF cavity, which is consistent with the theoretical expectation. On this basis, it is suggested that particle physicists do more experimental detection, so as to further fully verify the extended Einstein-Lorentz mass formula.
Variation of extreme values of rainfall and temperature in Subarnarekha River basin in India
Authors: Kumar Santosh , Singh Vivekanand 
Published: February 2024

Abstract

In recent years, the Subarnarekha River basin has frequently experienced harsh weather and has also observed extreme floods during monsoons and a shortage of water during lean periods. Hence, in this study, the data of extreme values of rainfall and maximum–minimum temperatures from the years 1990 to 2020 in the Subarnarekha River basin have been analysed. The trend analysis of annual extreme rainfall, maximum–minimum temperatures, extreme diurnal temperature range, and number of rainy days have been determined using the Mann–Kendall test and Sen's slope estimator. Further, the analysis has also been carried out to study the shifting of the onset date of monsoon. The results show that extreme rainfall showed a significant increasing trend at a 95% level of confidence in the upper and middle parts of the basin, whereas it had a decreasing trend in the lower part. Annual extreme maximum temperature indicated a decreasing trend of 0.03 and 0.08 °C/year in the upper and middle parts, respectively, and the decrease in extreme minimum temperature in the lower part was 0.03 °C/year. No significant variations in the number of rainy days have been observed; however, a major shift in the onset date of the monsoon was observed during the selected time-period.
Microplastics’ toxic effects and influencing factors on microorganisms in biological wastewater treatment units
Authors: Zhou Sijie , Wang Lili , Liu Jin , Zhang Chuanguo , Liu Xianbin 
Published: February 2024

Abstract
Prior to entering the water body, microplastics (MPs) are mostly collected at the sewage treatment plant and the biological treatment unit is the sewage treatment facility's central processing unit. This review aims to present a comprehensive analysis of the detrimental impacts of MPs on the biological treatment unit of a sewage treatment plant and it covers how MPs harm the effluent quality of biological treatment processes. The structure of microbial communities is altered by MPs presence and additive release, which reduces functional microbial activity. Extracellular polymers, oxidative stress, and enzyme activity are explored as micro views on the harmful mechanism of MPs on microorganisms, examining the toxicity of additives released by MPs and the harm caused to microorganisms by harmful compounds that have been adsorbed in the aqueous environment. This article offers a theoretical framework for a thorough understanding of the potential problems posed by MPs in sewage treatment plants and suggests countermeasures to mitigate those risks to the aquatic environment.