bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Use of covariance matrix images for electroencephalography signal classification for multiclass motor imagery‐based brain computer interface
Authors: Thrikkannoor Kolathod Muhamed Jishad , Sanjay M. 
Published: July 2023

AbstractElectroencephalogram (EEG) signals can be used to control devices using brain computer interface (BCI) systems, which offer assistance to patients with neuromuscular diseases. This article aims to determine the feasibility of using spatial covariance matrices with deep convolutional neural networks for multiclass motor imagery (MI) task classification for EEG‐based BCIs. Covariance matrices derived from multichannel EEG data are converted into color‐scaled images, which are used to train the AlexNet neural network using transfer learning. Samples of 2‐s duration are extracted every 200 ms intervals from each MI activity EEG eventually increasing the training data size sixfold and reducing the latency in real‐time implementations. Observed the performance using two popular publicly available BCI datasets for two‐class and four‐class MI classification. BCI competition IV Dataset IIa has shown average accuracy of 93.99% (k = 0.88) for two‐class and 86.70% (k = 0.82) for four‐class MI classification. BCI competition III Dataset IVa exhibited average accuracy of 97.02% (k = 0.94) for two‐class classification. Good performance was observed for training with cross‐subject data for two‐class and four‐class classification. The proposed method has shown improved accuracy for multiclass MI classification compared with existing works. The CNN is able to extract features from the covariance matrix and classify the MI data with reasonable accuracy. Since this method can handle large‐dimension data, dimension reduction, and source separation techniques are not required.
Evaluation of immunotoxicity of sodium metavanadate following drinking water exposure in female B6C3F1/N mice in a 28‐day study
Authors: Frawley Rachel , Johnson Victor J. , Burleson Gary R. , Shockley Keith R. , Cesta Mark F. , Travlos Greg , Cora Michelle , Roberts Georgia , Germolec Dori 
Published: July 2023

AbstractSodium metavanadate (NaVO3) is a pentavalent vanadium compound used in the metal industry and dietary supplements; human exposure occurs through inhalation of fumes and dust and ingestion of NaVO3‐containing products. The objective of this study was to assess the potential immunotoxicity of NaVO3. Female B6C3F1/N mice were exposed to 0–500 ppm NaVO3in drinking water for 28 days and evaluated for effects on immune cell populations and innate, cellular‐mediated, and humoral‐mediated immunity. There was a decreasing trend in body weight (BW) and BW gain in NaVO3exposed mice, with a decrease (p ≤ 0.05) in BW gain at ≥250 ppm, relative to control. Conversely, increasing trends in spleen weights and an increase (p ≤ 0.05) in the spleen:BW ratio at ≥250 ppm NaVO3were observed. NaVO3exposure altered antibody production against sheep red blood cells (SRBC). Antibody forming cells (AFC)/106spleen cells exhibited a decreasing trend, with a decrease (p ≤ 0.05) at 500 ppm NaVO3, concurrent with an increase in percent B cells. NaVO3had no effect on the serum anti‐SRBC IgM antibody titers or anti‐keyhole limpet hemocyanin antibody production. Exposure to NaVO3decreased the percentage of natural killer cells at all dose levels (p ≤ 0.05), with no effect on the lytic activity. NaVO3altered T‐cell populations at 500 ppm but had no effect on T‐cell proliferative responses or the lytic activity of cytotoxic T cells. Collectively, these data indicate that NaVO3exposure can adversely affect the immune system by inducing alterations in humoral‐mediated immunity, specifically the AFC response, with no effect on cell‐mediated or innate immunity.
Effective sanction avoidance in drug trafficking: The construction and validation of the restrictive deterrence utility scale using a sample of female drug offenders
Authors: Guan Xin , Lo T. Wing 
Published: July 2023

AbstractDrug traffickers perform many crime strategies to avoid legal sanctions. The use of any crime strategy is mainly for reducing the risk of arrest, which has been the focus of research on restrictive deterrence. This study aims to develop a Restrictive Deterrence Utility Scale (RDUS) to measure the effectiveness of crime strategies used in drug trafficking. Survey data were collected from August to October 2021, including 294 female drug offenders aged between 21 and 61 years serving sentences with a median length of around 10 years in a Southern city in Mainland China. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis was conducted for scale investigation. Three valid and reliable factors for the RDUS were found: anomaly avoidance, reduction of exposure time, and the use of weapons and tools. Composite reliability, convergent validity, discriminant validity of three factors were confirmed with Cronbach α being higher than 0.9, that being higher than correspondent Average Variance Extracted which all being higher than 0.5 and higher than correspondent factor correlation. The RDUS offers a helpful method for assessing the motivation for drug traffickers to persist in drug crime and for formulating appropriate interventions for drug prohibition.
Postpandemic rebound of adeno‐associated virus type 2 (AAV2) infections temporally associated with an outbreak of unexplained severe acute hepatitis in children in the United Kingdom
Authors: Gates Shannah , Andreani Julien , Dewar Rebecca , Smith Donald B. , Templeton Kate , Child Harry T. , Breuer Judy , Golubchik Tanya , Bassano Irene , Wade Matthew J. , Jeffries Aaron R. , Simmonds Peter , Harvala Heli 
Published: July 2023

AbstractOver 1000 cases of unexplained severe acute hepatitis in children have been reported to date worldwide. An association with adeno‐associated virus type 2 (AAV2) infection, a human parvovirus, prompted us to investigate the epidemiology of AAV in the United Kingdom. Three hundred pediatric respiratory samples collected before (April 03, 2009–April 03, 2013) and during (April 03, 2022) the COVID‐19 pandemic were obtained. Wastewater samples were collected from 50 locations in London (August 2021–March 2022). Samples were tested for AAV using real‐time polymerase chain reaction followed by sequencing. Selected adenovirus (AdV)‐positive samples were also sequenced. The detection frequency of AAV2 was a sevenfold higher in 2022 samples compared with 2009–2013 samples (10% vs. 1.4%) and highest in AdV‐positive samples compared with negatives (10/37, 27% vs. 5/94, 5.3%, respectively). AAV2‐positive samples displayed high genetic diversity. AAV2 sequences were either very low or absent in wastewater collected in 2021 but increased in January 2022 and peaked in March 2022. AAV2 was detected in children in association with AdV of species C, with a highest frequency in 2022. Our findings are consistent with the expansion of the population of children unexposed to AAV2, leading to greater spread of the virus once distancing restrictions were lifted.
Determination of volatile profiles of woodland strawberry (Fragaria vesca) during fruit maturation by HS‐SPME GC–MS
Authors: Zheng Sujin , Cai Jingjing , Huang Peibin , Wang Yuqi , Yang Zhenbiao , Yu Yuan 
Published: July 2023

AbstractBACKGROUNDAroma is an important agronomic trait for strawberries, and the improvement of fruit flavor is a key goal in current strawberry breeding programs. Fragaria vesca (also known as woodland strawberry) has become an excellent model plant with exquisite flavor, a small genome size and a short life cycle. Thus, the comprehensive identification of fruit volatiles and their accumulation pattern of F. vesca strawberries are very important and necessary to the fruit aroma study. This study examined the volatile profile changes from the fruits of three F. vesca genotypes during maturation using headspace solid‐phase microextraction combined with gas chromatography–mass spectrometry with multivariate analysis.RESULTSA total of 191 putative volatile compounds were identified, while 152, 159 and 175 volatiles were detected in 20–30 DAP (days after pollination) fruits of Hawaii 4 (HW), Reugen (RG) and Yellow Wonder (YW), respectively. Aldehydes and alcohols predominated in the early time point while esters were predominant during the late time point. Ketones were the dominant compounds from F. vesca strawberries at the ripe stage. Certain genotype‐characteristic volatiles were identified, including eugenol, γ‐octalactone and δ‐decalactone only detected in YW, and mesifurane was found in HW.CONCLUSIONSRG and YW showed very similar volatile compositions, but YW presented a greater number of volatiles and RG yielded a higher content. Differences in the volatile composition may be primarily due to genetic relationships. The metabolic changes that occurred during fruit ripening and characteristic volatiles will be a useful reference for future studies of strawberry volatiles. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.
Agricultural production efficiency estimation and spatiotemporal convergence characteristic analysis in the Yangtze River Economic Belt: A semi‐parametric metafrontier approach
Authors: Guo Baishu , He Dawei , Jin Gui 
Published: July 2023

AbstractThe sustainable development goals regard improving agricultural production efficiency (APE) as the main method to solve food security problems. Based on the geographical cognition, combined with the functional positioning, we used meta semi‐parametric linear programming and spatial convergence models to analyze the spatiotemporal convergence characteristics of APE in the Yangtze River Economic Belt from 2000 to 2020. The results show that (1) under the framework of metafrontier analysis, the APE increases while maintaining an olive‐shaped stable structure of “sharp at both ends and wide in the middle”; (2) the efficiencies in agricultural production areas and the middle reaches has obviously declined compared with that of non‐agricultural production areas; and (3) non‐spatial factors and spatial factors jointly drive the convergence. The research results can provide references for clarifying the evolution law of regional agriculture and formulating differentiation macro policies.
Computational study unravels inhibitory potential of epicatechin gallate against inflammatory and pyroptosis‐associated mediators in COVID‐19
Authors: Rajak Prem , Ganguly Abhratanu 
Published: July 2023

AbstractCoronavirus disease‐19 (COVID‐19) is the global health emergency caused by SARS‐CoV‐2. Upon infection, antigenic determinants of the virus trigger massive production of proinflammatory/pyroptosis‐associated proteins, resulting in cytokine storm, tissue damage, and multiorgan failure. Therefore, these proinflammatory/pyroptosis‐associated mediators are promising therapeutic targets to combat COVID‐19. Epicatechin gallate (ECG) is a polyphenol found in green tea. It has antioxidative and anti‐inflammatory properties. Hence, in the present study, ECG was selected to explore its binding potential for inflammatory mediators such as interleukins, interferon‐γ (IFNγ), and tumor necrosis factor‐α (TNF‐α), along with their native receptors. In addition, the interacting potential of ECG with pyroptosis‐associated proteins, viz. caspases and BAX has also been investigated. Molecular docking analysis has revealed that ECG interacts with interleukins, IFNγ, TNF‐α, cytokine receptors, caspase‐1/4/11, and BAX with significant binding affinity. Several amino acid residues of these mediators were blocked by ECG through stable hydrogen bonds and hydrophobic contacts. ECG interacted with caspase‐11, BAX, and TNF‐R1 with better binding affinities. Therefore, the present in silico study indicates that ECG could be a potential drug to subvert cytokine storm and pyroptosis during COVID‐19.
Examination of Predictors of Pain at 12 Months Postdiagnosis in Head and Neck Cancer Survivors
Authors: Howren M. Bryant , Seaman Aaron , Super Grace L. , Christensen Alan J. , Pagedar Nitin A. 
Published: July 2023

AbstractObjectivePain following the completion of treatment is important but has received less attention in the head and neck cancer (HNC) literature. The present study sought to examine the prevalence and predictors of pain measured 12 months postdiagnosis and its impact on HNC‐specific health‐related quality of life (HRQOL) in 1038 HNC survivors.Study DesignProspective observational study.SettingSingle‐institution tertiary care center.MethodsPain was measured using a single item ranging from 0 to 10 with 0 representing no pain and 10 representing the worst pain possible. Self‐reported depressive symptomatology was measured using the Beck Depression Inventory and self‐reported problem alcohol use was measured by the Short Michigan Alcoholism Screening Test. HNC‐specific HRQOL was measured using the Head and Neck Cancer Inventory (HNCI).ResultsHierarchical multivariable linear regression analyses indicated that in addition to pain at 3 months postdiagnosis (β = .145, t = 3.18, sr2 = .019, p = .002), both depressive symptomatology (β = .110, t = 2.49, sr2 = .011, p = .015) and problem alcohol use (β = .092, t = 2.07, sr2 = .008, p = .039) were significant predictors of pain at 12 months postdiagnosis. Subgroup analyses suggest that across all 4 HNCI domains, those in the moderate and severe pain groups at 12 months postdiagnosis failed to reach 70 which is indicative of high functioning.ConclusionPain in patients with HNC is a considerable issue at 12 months postdiagnosis, deserving further attention. Behavioral factors such as depression and problem alcohol use may be associated with pain and require systematic screening over time to identify and treat issues that impact optimal long‐term recovery from HNC, including disease‐specific HRQOL.
Predicting GPR40 Agonists with A Deep Learning‐Based Ensemble Model
Authors: Yang Jiamin , Jiang Chen , Chen Jing , Qin Lu‐Ping , Cheng Gang 
Published: July 2023

AbstractRecent studies have identified G protein‐coupled receptor 40 (GPR40) as a promising target for treating type 2 diabetes mellitus, and GPR40 agonists have several superior effects over other hypoglycemic drugs, including cardiovascular protection and suppression of glucagon levels. In this study, we constructed an up‐to‐date GPR40 ligand dataset for training models and performed a systematic optimization of the ensemble model, resulting in a powerful ensemble model (ROC AUC: 0.9496) for distinguishing GPR40 agonists and non‐agonists. The ensemble model is divided into three layers, and the optimization process is carried out in each layer. We believe that these results will prove helpful for both the development of GPR40 agonists and ensemble models. All the data and models are available on GitHub. (https://github.com/Jiamin‐Yang/ensemble_model)
A latent profile analysis of emotional, behavioral, and social problems among victims of bullying
Authors: Balan Raluca , Dobrean Anca , Balazsi Robert , Cordier Reinie 
Published: July 2023

AbstractPrevious research, using a variable‐centered approach, points out to the possibility that not all victims of bullying have the same mental health and social profile. The aim of the current investigation was to explore whether there are different profiles—related to emotional, behavioral, and social problems—of pure victims of bullying and bully‐victims, respectively, by using a person‐centered approach. The analytical sample consisted of 224 children and adolescents, aged 8–17 years old (M = 14, SD = 1.97), who self‐identified as pure victim or bully‐victims. Latent profile analysis (LPA) produced the following four profiles among pure victims of bullying: (1) an asymptomatic profile; (2) a profile with high emotional problems and moderate hyperactivity; (3) a profile with high emotional problems and hyperactivity, but moderate conduct and social problems; and (4) a profile high in conduct and social problems, yet with moderate emotional problems and hyperactivity. Among bully‐victims, LPA yielded the following four profiles: (1) an asymptomatic profile; (2) a profile of high conduct, emotional and social problems, but moderate hyperactivity; (3) a profile with high hyperactivity, moderate emotional, and conduct problems; and (4) a profile characterized by high emotional, social problems, and hyperactivity. The implications, limitations, and future directions will be discussed.
Protective factors in schools after the COVID‐19 pandemic: Views of school counselors
Authors: Çetinkaya Ali , Bulut Safiye Sarıcı 
Published: July 2023

AbstractThis research examines the protective factors in schools after the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) pandemic by considering the opinions of school counselors. It was carried out within the scope of phenomenology design, one of the qualitative research methods. The research was conducted in Turkey. The research data were obtained through face‐to‐face interviews with 20 school counselors who were working in public schools in the fall semester of the 2022–2023 academic year and were determined by the purposeful sampling method. The content analysis method was used to analyze the data. School counselors were asked four questions about protective factors at school, skills needed by students, and the roles of schools and teachers. According to school counselors, the school needs to create a supportive and safe atmosphere. Having skills such as coping with stress, emotion regulation, problem‐solving skills, resilience, interpersonal skills, conscious use of technology, and media literacy will increase student adaptation. According to school counselors, having features such as creating a positive atmosphere in schools, monitoring and supporting student development, cooperation, providing counseling services, and creating a safe environment is necessary. It was also emphasized that teachers should have characteristics such as unconditional acceptance, establishing close relationships, being a model, cooperation, and getting to know the student. The results obtained were discussed in light of the literature and suggestions were made.
Graphene Oxide Incorporated Zinc Oxide Thin Films by Spray Pyrolysis for Efficient Photodegradation of Methylene Blue
Authors: Paul John , Dhivyaprasath Kasinathan , Ashok Mahalingam , Chandroth Santhosh Kumar Maniyeri 
Published: July 2023

AbstractPhotodegradation of methylene blue dye was studied with pure and graphene oxide incorporated zinc oxide thin films as catalysts. Graphene oxide content in the precursor solution was varied from 0.0005 to 0.005 g/L. Thin films were prepared by automated spray pyrolysis technique at a substrate temperature of 425 °C. Structural studies revealed the formation of hexagonal wurtzite structure of zinc oxide. Carbon presence in the films was confirmed with energy‐dispersive spectroscopy. Optical band gap of the samples was determined using Tauc method. Intensity of the near band emission of photoluminescence spectrum was found to decrease upon increasing graphene oxide concentration. Photocatalytic activity of all the films has been studied against methylene blue dye under solar irradiation for 180 minutes and it is found that the highest graphene oxide content attributes to better degradation efficiency of 91.2 %.
Novel Semiconductive Ternary Hybrid Heterostructures for Artificial Optoelectronic Synapses
Authors: Liu Jing‐Yan , Zhang Xiang‐Hong , Fang Hua , Zhang Shu‐Quan , Chen Yong , Liao Qing , Chen Hong‐Ming , Chen Hui‐Peng , Lin Mei‐Jin 
Published: July 2023

AbstractSynaptic devices that mimic biological synapses are considered as promising candidates for brain‐inspired devices, offering the functionalities in neuromorphic computing. However, modulation of emerging optoelectronic synaptic devices has rarely been reported. Herein, a semiconductive ternary hybrid heterostructure is prepared with a D‐D’‐A configuration by introducing polyoxometalate (POM) as an additional electroactive donor (D’) into a metalloviologen‐based D‐A framework. The obtained material features an unprecedented porous 8‐connected bcu‐net that accommodates nanoscale [α‐SiW12O40]4− counterions, displaying uncommon optoelectronic responses. Besides, the fabricated synaptic device based on this material can achieve dual‐modulation of synaptic plasticity due to the synergetic effect of electron reservoir POM and photoinduced electron transfer. And it can successfully simulate learning and memory processes similar to those in biological systems. The result provides a facile and effective strategy to customize multi‐modality artificial synapses in the field of crystal engineering, which opens a new direction for developing high‐performance neuromorphic devices.
Standardized Figures of Merit for Proper Benchmarking of Photocatalytic Inactivation of Bacteria Using Thin Films Based on TiO2 Nanostructures
Authors: Romero‐Morán Alejandra , Molina‐Reyes Joel 
Published: July 2023

AbstractThe study of photocatalysts fixed to surfaces for the inactivation of bacteria in wastewater has increased in recent years. However, there are no standardized methods to analyze the photocatalytic antibacterial activity of these materials, and no systematic studies have attempted to relate this activity to the number of reactive oxygen species generated during UV‐light irradiation. Additionally, studies regarding photocatalytic antibacterial activity are usually carried out with varying pathogen concentrations, UV light doses, and catalyst amounts, making it difficult to compare results across different materials. The work introduces the photocatalytic bacteria inactivation efficiency (PBIE) and bacteria inactivation potential of hydroxyl radicals (BIPHR) figures of merit for evaluating the photocatalytic activity of catalysts fixed onto surfaces for bacteria inactivation. To demonstrate their applicability, these parameters are calculated for various photocatalytic TiO2‐based coatings, accounting for the catalyst area, the kinetic reaction rate constant associated with bacteria inactivation and hydroxyl radical formation, reactor volume, and UV light dose. This approach enables a comprehensive comparison of photocatalytic films prepared by different fabrication techniques and evaluated under diverse experimental conditions, with potential applications in the design of fixed‐bed reactors.
Heterologous protein production in filamentous fungi
Authors: Liu Dujuan , Garrigues Sandra , de Vries Ronald P. 
Published: July 2023

Abstract

Filamentous fungi are able to produce a wide range of valuable proteins and enzymes for many industrial applications. Recent advances in fungal genomics and experimental technologies are rapidly changing the approaches for the development and use of filamentous fungi as hosts for the production of both homologous and heterologous proteins. In this review, we highlight the benefits and challenges of using filamentous fungi for the production of heterologous proteins. We review various techniques commonly employed to improve the heterologous protein production in filamentous fungi, such as strong and inducible promoters, codon optimization, more efficient signal peptides for secretion, carrier proteins, engineering of glycosylation sites, regulation of the unfolded protein response and endoplasmic reticulum associated protein degradation, optimization of the intracellular transport process, regulation of unconventional protein secretion, and construction of protease-deficient strains.

Key points
• This review updates the knowledge on heterologous protein production in filamentous fungi.
• Several fungal cell factories and potential candidates are discussed.
• Insights into improving heterologous gene expression are given.