bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Characterization of ABO / Rhesus Antigen Polymorphism Associated with Malaria in a Malaria Hotspot in Bayelsa State, Niger Delta, Nigeria
Authors: Ogbole Faith Ajiebabhio , Igwe Chidi Uzoma , Onuoha Henrietta Chinyere , Nzebude Chiamaka Perpetua 
Published: September 2023

Aim: The aim of the present study was to characterize the role of ABO/Rhesus blood group antigen polymorphism in malaria among adults in Bayelsa State, Niger Delta, Nigeria. The pattern of distribution of ABO/Rhesus antigen polymorphism in the area was also assessed.
Materials and Methods: Two hundred and six adults (91 males and 115 females) were randomly selected for the study and they were examined for the presence of malaria parasite infection and illness as well as for type of ABO/Rhesus antigen polymorphism using real time PCR-high resolution melting analysis, clinical malaria indicators and agglutination methods respectively. The density of malaria parasitemia was evaluated using microscopy and socio-demographic variables were collected using a structured questionnaire. Multinomial logistics regression and one way ANOVA tests were used to assess the difference between frequencies and means, respectively.
Results: Showed that the distribution of ABO/Rhesus antigen polymorphism were in the following order: blood group O, 50% (O+ 47.57%; O- 2.43%), blood group B, 21.36% (B+, 20.39%; B-, 0.97%), blood group A, 18.93% (A+, 18.93%, A-, 0%), and blood group AB (AB+, 9.71%, AB-, 0%). Among severe malaria subjects, ABO antigen polymorphism distribution were A, 29%; B, 57%; AB, 5% and O, 10%. Among mild malaria subjects, ABO antigen polymorphism distribution were A, 36%; B, 33%; AB, 23% and O, 8%. Among asymptomatic malaria subjects, ABO antigen polymorphism distribution were A, 12%; B, 12%; AB, 7% and O, 69% of the subjects respectively. Among uninfected subjects, ABO antigen polymorphism distribution were A, 20%; B, 20%; AB, 7% and O, 53%. Each ABO blood group antigen was associated with asymptomatic malaria, while blood group A, B, and AB were associated with mild malaria and only blood group B was associated with severe malaria (P < 0.05). Parasite density showed no association with ABO Blood group.
Conclusion: ABO blood group antigen polymorphism was associated with malaria. Blood group O conferred protection against mild and severe malaria, while blood group B conferred susceptibility to severe malaria. Prevention and treatment of malaria in relation to ABO blood groups is implicated in the present study.
Mitigation of Salinity Stress by Application of Plant Growth Promoting Substances in Rice
Authors: Selvamani S. , Senthil A. , Ravichandran V. , Djanaguiraman M. , Anitha K. , Shanmugam P. M. , Boopathi N. Manikanda 
Published: September 2023

Aim: Salt stress adversely affects plant growth and development. Various mitigating strategies have been employed to enhance the adaptability of plants to salt stress. The present study was conducted with the objective of evaluating the recently developed CO55 rice variety's ability to withstand salt-induced stress during seedling growth. This evaluation included foliar spraying of plant growth promoting substances like melatonin, salicylic acid, silicon, and selenium, along with the identification of effective plant growth-promoting substances that exhibit tolerance to salinity. This study is required to develop salt-tolerant varieties capable of withstanding salinity stress during the seedling stage. The seedling stage is more susceptible to salinity, and also to increase the growth and yield of rice, thereby satisfying the country's agricultural needs.
Study Design: Completely randomized design.
Place and Duration of Study: Department of Crop Physiology, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore; March-April 2023.
Methodology: In the hydroponics experiment, the CO55 rice variety was subjected to foliar spraying of various plant growth promoting substances such as melatonin, salicylic acid, orthosilicic acid, and sodium selenate. Parameters like leaf drying score, osmotic potential, osmotic adjustment, sodium content, potassium content, and Na+/K+ ratio were assessed. One-way ANOVA was used to analyze the data.
Results: Specific pairwise differences between means were assessed at the 0.05 significance level using Fisher's least significant difference (LSD) test. Among the treatments applied, salicylic acid recorded the highest potassium content (3.94%), and the lowest potassium content (2.60%) was found in orthosilicic acid. On the other hand, from the standard evaluation score, it was observed that CO55 rice variety seedlings were found to be tolerant when treated with salicylic acid, whereas it was susceptible under orthosilicic acid treatment.
Conclusion: Observations indicated that foliar application of salicylic acid at the concentrations of 50µM and 100µM exhibited higher tolerance towards salinity during the seedling growth stages.
Exterior design of townhouse and their extension/reconstruction process with regard to eaves types in a World Cultural Heritage site of a Nepali city
Authors: Yamamoto Naohiko , Takahashi Kayo , Masui Masaya , Miyauchi Anri , Mukai Yoichi 
Published: September 2023

AbstractThe paper deals with the exterior design of townhouses both inside and outside the Historic Monument Zone in the eastern part of Bhaktapur of Kathmandu Valley inscribed on the World Cultural Heritage List in 1979. This paper consists of following steps. First, the authors compose the original format of the survey sheet for Nepali townhouses. Second, the paper hypothesizes that a townhouse either experienced an extension of the upper floors or was totally reconstructed in the course of time. The authors propose “eaves types” as the key idea in this hypothesis. The result of the exterior design survey is primarily compared between inside and outside the Historic Monument Zone of the World Cultural Heritage site. Further comparison among eaves group or eaves types is done. Finally, eaves types are confirmed with the floor extension/reconstruction period demarcated by past devastating earthquakes. The result of the comparison again very well explained the characteristics of each eaves type.
Multispecies crop mixtures increase insect biodiversity in an intercropping experiment
Authors: Brandmeier Jana , Reininghaus Hannah , Scherber Christoph 
Published: September 2023

Abstract

Recent biodiversity declines require action across sectors such as agriculture. The situation is particularly acute for arthropods, a species‐rich taxon providing important ecosystem services. To counteract the negative consequences of agricultural intensification, creating a less hostile agricultural ‘matrix’ through growing crop mixtures can reduce harm for arthropods without yield losses.

While grassland biodiversity experiments showed positive plant biodiversity effects on arthropods, experiments manipulating crop diversity and agrochemical input used to study arthropods are lacking.

Here, we experimentally manipulated crop diversity (1–3 species, fallows), crop species (wheat, faba bean, linseed and oilseed rape) and agrochemical input (high vs. low) and studied responses of arthropod biodiversity. We tested whether arthropod responses were affected by crop diversity, mixtures and management. Additionally, we measured crop biomass.

Crop biomass increased with crop diversity under high‐input management, while under low management intensity, biomass was highest in two‐species mixtures.

Increasing crop diversity positively affected arthropod abundance and diversity, under both low‐ and high‐input management. Crop mixtures containing faba bean, linseed or oilseed rape had particularly high arthropod diversity.

Mass‐flowering crops attracted more arthropods than legumes or cereals. Integrating intercropping into agricultural systems could increase flower visits by insects up to 1.5 million per hectare, thus likely also supporting pollination and pest‐control ecosystem services.

Flower visitor network complexity increased in mixtures containing linseed and faba bean and under low‐input management.

Intercropping can counteract insect declines in farmland by creating beneficial matrix habitat without compromising crop yield.
Visual crowd analysis: Open research problems
Authors: Khan Muhammad Asif , Menouar Hamid , Hamila Ridha 
Published: September 2023

AbstractOver the last decade, there has been a remarkable surge in interest in automated crowd monitoring within the computer vision community. Modern deep‐learning approaches have made it possible to develop fully automated vision‐based crowd‐monitoring applications. However, despite the magnitude of the issue at hand, the significant technological advancements, and the consistent interest of the research community, there are still numerous challenges that need to be overcome. In this article, we delve into six major areas of visual crowd analysis, emphasizing the key developments in each of these areas. We outline the crucial unresolved issues that must be tackled in future works, in order to ensure that the field of automated crowd monitoring continues to progress and thrive. Several surveys related to this topic have been conducted in the past. Nonetheless, this article thoroughly examines and presents a more intuitive categorization of works, while also depicting the latest breakthroughs within the field, incorporating more recent studies carried out within the last few years in a concise manner. By carefully choosing prominent works with significant contributions in terms of novelty or performance gains, this paper presents a more comprehensive exposition of advancements in the current state‐of‐the‐art.
Non‐fragile state estimation of discrete‐time two‐time‐scale Markov jump complex networks subject to partially known probabilities
Authors: Cai Youzhi , Li Feng , Xia Jianwei , Shen Hao 
Published: September 2023

SummaryThis paper investigates the problem of non‐fragile state estimation for Markov jump complex networks with two‐time‐scale characteristics in discrete time, in which the transition probabilities information is partially known. A singular perturbation parameter reflects the two‐time‐scale property of Markov jump complex networks. The goal is to design a mode‐dependent state estimator to ensure that the estimation error system is stochastically stable and satisfies the performance index. By constructing a mode‐dependent Lyapunov function with the singular perturbation parameter, a sufficient condition based on the linear matrix inequality is obtained. By introducing an optimized relaxation matrix, a novel decoupling method is proposed for complex networks with two‐time‐scale characteristics to reduce the conservatism of the obtained state estimator. The usefulness of the intended state observer and the superiority of the unique decoupling approach provided are demonstrated numerically.
Size‐Tunable Nanoregulator‐Based Radiofrequency Ablation Suppresses MDSCs and Their Compensatory Immune Evasion in Hepatocellular Carcinoma
Authors: Tang Yuhao , Shu Zhilin , Zhu Meiyan , Li Shuping , Ling Yunyan , Fu Yizhen , Hu Zili , Wang Jiongliang , Yang Zhenyun , Liao Junbin , Xu Li , Yu Meng , Peng Zhenwei 
Published: September 2023

AbstractRadiofrequency ablation (RFA) is a widely used therapy for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, in cases of insufficient RFA (iRFA), nonlethal temperatures in the transition zone increase the risk of postoperative relapse. The pathological analysis of HCC tissues shows that iRFA‐induced upregulation of myeloid‐derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) in residual tumors is critical for postoperative recurrence. Furthermore, this study demonstrates, for the first time, that combining MDSCs suppression strategy during iRFA can unexpectedly lead to a compensatory increase in PD‐L1 expression on the residual MDSCs, attributed to relapse due to immune evasion. To address this issue, a novel size‐tunable hybrid nano‐microliposome is designed to co‐deliver MDSCs inhibitors (IPI549) and αPDL1 antibodies (LPIP) for multipathway activation of immune responses. The LPIP is triggered to release immune regulators by the mild heat in the transition zone of iRFA, selectively inhibiting MDSCs and blocking the compensatory upregulation of PD‐L1 on surviving MDSCs. The combined strategy of LPIP + iRFA effectively ablates the primary tumor by activating immune responses in the transition zone while suppressing the compensatory immune evasion of surviving MDSCs. This approach avoids the relapse of the residual tumor in a post‐iRFA incomplete ablation model and appears to be a promising strategy in RFA for the eradication of HCC.
Facile Solution‐Processed Semiconductor/Metal Hybrid Nanoporous Materials; their Highly Photoredox Catalytic Power
Authors: Mustaqeem Mujahid , Naikoo Gowhar A. , Ahmad Naveed , Chou Pi‐Tai , Chen Yang‐Fang 
Published: September 2023

Designing a photoredox material with highly efficient organic pollutant degradation ability and cost effectiveness is challenging. Conventional photoredox materials have inherent drawbacks, including high cost, low photon‐to‐electron conversion rates, and low effective surface area. Herein, an alternative nanoporous semiconductor/metal hybrid (CuO‐Ag) photoredox catalysis material with all solution processes is developed to circumvent these shortcomings. The obtained results evidently indicate that the loading of Ag onto the CuO nanoporous material leads to improving the Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) specific surface area (48.369 m2 g−1) with pore size (36.436 nm) and pore's volume (0.301 cm3 g−1) of CuO‐Ag nanoporsity. The improved semiconductor/metal hybrid surface area and porosity significantly enhance the photocatalytic efficiency (i.e., ≈99% degradation of RhB and 4‐NP), owing to the synergy effect. Additionally, the decoration of metal nanostructure enables to enhance photo‐absorption and the semiconductor/metal heterojunction is useful to enhance photo‐excited electron and hole charge carriers separation. Such structure‐designed CuO‐Ag nanoporous materials maintain high photostability during long light irradiation conditions. The photocatalytic efficiency is better than all published reports. This strategy using hybrid semiconductor/metal nanoporous material with high surface area and greater porosity improved activity significantly offers a facile guideline for targeting photoredox catalysis applications.
A Nanoporous Permselective Polymer Coating for Practical Low N/P Ratio Lithium Metal Batteries
Authors: McNamara Declan , Shaibani Mahdokht , Majumder Mainak , Hill Matthew R. 
Published: September 2023

AbstractLithium metal batteries, in particular lithium–sulfur chemistries, hold great promise in energy storage from potentially increased gravimetric storage density and diminished reliance on transition metals, lowering resource demand and hence overall unit cost. However, these cells can have their feasibility improved to a greater extent by lowering the demand for lithium within their construction and reducing the polysulfide shuttling effect. Rising lithium costs and a lack of recycling options indicate the use of excess lithium to mitigate cycling stability issues is sub‐optimal. Herein, the direct casting of a lithophilic, superglassy, nanoporous PTMSP polymer separator directly onto the lithium anode is described. PTMSP's bi‐modal, sub‐angstrom pore size distribution results in selective rejection of polysulfide species, while its high fractional free volume acts as a stabilizing matrix for deposited lithium as well as possessing a high ionic conductivity of 8.8 × 10‐4 S cm−1. The coated anodes exhibit 5.7 times more dense lithium over controls, translating to improved cycling performance due to increased capacity retention and improved lithium utilization at low (< 3) N/P ratios for extended cycle life (> 250 cycles), at practical sulfur loadings (4 mg cm−2). These developments are promising steps for more widespread adoption of lithium sulfur batteries and other metallic lithium systems.
Dynamic Phosphorylation of G9a Regulates its Repressive Activity on Chromatin Accessibility and Mitotic Progression
Authors: Geng Qizhi , Kong Yue‐Yu , Li Weizhe , Zhang Jianhao , Ma Haoli , Zhang Yuhang , Da Lin‐Tai , Zhao Yan , Du Hai‐Ning 
Published: September 2023

AbstractPhosphorylation of Ser10 of histone H3 (H3S10p), together with the adjacent methylation of Lys9 (H3K9me), has been proposed to function as a ‘phospho‐methyl switch’ to regulate mitotic chromatin architecture. Despite of immense understanding of the roles of H3S10 phosphorylation, how H3K9me2 are dynamically regulated during mitosis is poorly understood. Here, it is identified that Plk1 kinase phosphorylates the H3K9me1/2 methyltransferase G9a/EHMT2 at Thr1045 (pT1045) during early mitosis, which attenuates its catalytic activity toward H3K9me2. Cells bearing Thr1045 phosphomimic mutant of G9a (T1045E) show decreased H3K9me2 levels, increased chromatin accessibility, and delayed mitotic progression. By contrast, dephosphorylation of pT1045 during late mitosis by the protein phosphatase PPP2CB reactivates G9a activity and upregulates H3K9me2 levels, correlated with decreased levels of H3S10p. Therefore, the results provide a mechanistic explanation of the essential of a ‘phospho‐methyl switch’ and highlight the importance of Plk1 and PPP2CB‐mediated dynamic regulation of G9a activity in chromatin organization and mitotic progression.
Are CUL3 variants an underreported cause of congenital heart disease?
Authors: Di Francesco Daniela , Swenerton Anne , Li Wenhui Laura , Dunham Christopher , Hendson Glenda , Boerkoel Cornelius F. 
Published: September 2023

AbstractComplex heart defects (CHD) are a common malformation associated with disruption of developmental pathways. The Cullin‐RING ligases (CRLs) are multi‐subunit E3 ubiquitin ligases in which Cullin 3 (CUL3) serves as a scaffolding subunit. Heterozygous CUL3 variants have been associated with neurodevelopmental disorders and pseudohypoaldosteronism type IIE. We report a fetus with CHD and a de novo CUL3 variant (NM_003590.4:c.[1549_1552del];[=], p.(Ser517Profs*23)) and review CUL3 variants reported with CHD. We postulate that CUL3 variants predispose to CHD and hypothesize mechanisms of pathogenesis.
Study on the adsorption of volatile gasoline components via HKUST‐1: Isobutylene as a model compound
Authors: Sun Kai , Li Xinbao , Yuan Ye , Wang Yucheng , Chen Ying , Zhu Yingying , Lu Junliang 
Published: September 2023

AbstractAdsorption of volatile gasoline components at oil terminal by using metal organic frameworks (MOFs) is a prospective technology in reducing environment pollution and increasing oil resource recovery. In this study, a typical MOF of HKUST‐1 was facile prepared by solvothermal method and tested in the adsorption of volatile gasoline components. Isobutylene was selected as a model compound. The effects of preparation parameters Cu2+/H3BTC molar ratios, Cu2+ precursors, and solvent compositions on the structure of HKUST‐1 and its subsequent adsorption performance were systematically studied. The synthesized samples were characterized by XRD, SEM, and N2 physisorption. It was found that the HKUST‐1 prepared by using DMF as the unique solvent obtained the highest specific surface area (1076.7 m2/g) and the largest pore volume (0.90 cm3/g). Furthermore, the maximum isobutylene adsorption capacity of 31.9 mg/g was found on the HKUST‐1 which prepared under the conditions of Cu2+/H3BTC = 2, Cu (CH3COO)2 as the Cu2+ precursor, and a solvent composition of DMF:EtOH:H2O = 0:4:3.
Improvement of the metabolic stability of pan‐RAF/VEGFR2 dual inhibitors
Authors: Maiti Santanu , Kwon Jeong Hee , Hong Sung Pyo , Kwon Ho‐Seok , Kim Jinho , Ahn Soon Kil 
Published: September 2023

AbstractDevelopment of dual inhibitors of pan‐RAF/VEGFR2 is important for the treatment of K‐Ras mutated colorectal cancer, which is one of the most common and lethal malignancies. Building upon our studies in dual inhibitors of pan‐RAF/VEGFR2, we designed and synthesized new dual inhibitor candidates by installing a urea or guanidine moiety to the previously reported dual inhibitors in order to enhance both metabolic stability and solubility. Various 1‐(5‐((3‐(9H‐purin‐6‐yl)pyridin‐2‐yl)amino)‐2‐fluorophenyl)‐3‐phenylurea and 1‐(5‐((3‐(9H‐purin‐6‐yl)pyridin‐2‐yl)amino)‐2‐fluorophenyl)‐3‐phenylguanidine derivatives were synthesized, and their antiproliferative activities against LS513 cell (K‐RasG12D) and VEGFR2 were evaluated. Among the tested compounds, 1‐(5‐((3‐(9H‐purin‐6‐yl)pyridin‐2‐yl)amino)‐2‐fluorophenyl)‐3‐(3‐fluorophenyl)urea (7b) and 1‐(5‐((3‐(9H‐purin‐6‐yl)pyridin‐2‐yl)amino)‐2‐fluorophenyl)‐3‐(4‐chloro‐3‐trifluoromethyl)phenyl)urea (7e) are the most potent dual inhibitors against LS513 (GI50 = 0.1 and 0.06 μM, respectively) and VEGFR2 (IC50 = 0.03 and 0.06 μM, respectively). The preclinical study with these compounds are currently underway.
Business strategy and environmental information disclosure from a Confucian cultural perspective: Evidence from China
Authors: Zhao Meilin , Wang Xiaohong , Zhang Shaopeng , Cheng Lei 
Published: September 2023

AbstractBased on social contract theory, this study investigates the impact of business strategy on environmental information disclosure from an informal institutional perspective. Using empirical data from a panel of Chinese listed A‐share firms in Shanghai and Shenzhen from 2010 to 2020, we demonstrate that firms following prospector strategies have higher levels of environmental information disclosure compared to those following defender strategies. Our findings also reveal that Confucian culture positively moderates the relationship between business strategy and environmental information disclosure. Specifically, we find that when environmental uncertainty increases, the moderating effect of Confucian culture weakens, while effective legal supervision strengthens the positive moderating effect of Confucian culture. Additionally, our results show that business strategy affects environmental information disclosure through the dual channels of economic benefits contract and social recognition contract. Overall, this research provides valuable insights for corporate sustainable development and effective government environmental governance.
Ectasia and slow flow phenomena of coronary artery related to apical hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
Authors: Mood Elahenaz Parsi , Kahnooji Masoomeh , Aliramezany Maryam 
Published: September 2023

Key Clinical MessageAlthough the combination of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and slow flow coronary artery is a rare phenomenon, but a comprehensive evaluation of these patients is essential. Because timely diagnosis and treatment can prevent irreversible complications.AbstractHypertrophic cardiomyopathy‐related coronary artery ectasia and slow flow phenomena is an extremely rare association that can cause manifestations of ischemic heart disease in patients. Distinguishing these cases and prompt diagnosis and treatment can prevent possible complications. In this current case, a 72‐year‐old man complaining of typical exertional dyspnea for 6 months was admitted to the hospital in December 2022. An echocardiogram was conducted and revealed apical hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. A coronary angiogram showed ectasia and slow flow pattern in the coronary artery without significant stenosis. The patient was diagnosed with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy associated with ectasia via electrocardiography, echocardiography, and coronary angiography. Medical treatment was started for the patient. The patient did not appear to suffer from dyspnea or other symptoms during the follow‐up period.