bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Cost-minimization analysis of oral versus intravenous antibiotic treatment for Klebsiella pneumoniae liver abscess
Authors: Yoong Joanne , Yuen Kah Hung , Molton James S. , Ding Ying , Cher Boon Piang , Chan Monica , Kalimuddin Shirin , Oon Jolene , Young Barnaby , Low Jenny , Salada Brenda M. A. , Lee Tau Hong , Wijaya Li Min , Fisher Dale , Izharuddin Ezlyn , Wei Yuan , Phillips Rachel , Moorakonda Rajesh , Lye David C. , Archuleta Sophia 
Published: June 2023

AbstractA cost-minimization analysis was conducted for Klebsiella pneumoniae liver abscess (KLA) patients enrolled in a randomized controlled trial which found oral ciprofloxacin to be non-inferior to intravenous (IV) ceftriaxone in terms of clinical outcomes. Healthcare service utilization and cost data were obtained from medical records and estimated from self-reported patient surveys in a non-inferiority trial of oral ciprofloxacin versus IV ceftriaxone administered to 152 hospitalized adults with KLA in Singapore between November 2013 and October 2017. Total costs were evaluated by category and payer, and compared between oral and IV antibiotic groups over the trial period of 12 weeks. Among the subset of 139 patients for whom cost data were collected, average total cost over 12 weeks was $16,378 (95% CI, $14,620–$18,136) for the oral ciprofloxacin group and $20,569 (95% CI, $18,296–$22,842) for the IV ceftriaxone group, largely driven by lower average outpatient costs, as the average number of outpatient visits was halved for the oral ciprofloxacin group. There were no other statistically significant differences, either in inpatient costs or in other informal healthcare costs. Oral ciprofloxacin is less costly than IV ceftriaxone in the treatment of Klebsiella liver abscess, largely driven by reduced outpatient service costs.Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier NCT01723150 (7/11/2012).
Observations of the delayed-choice quantum eraser using coherent photons
Authors: Kim Sangbae , Ham Byoung S. 
Published: June 2023

AbstractQuantum superposition is the cornerstone of quantum mechanics, where interference fringes originate in the self-interference of a single photon via indistinguishable photon characteristics. Wheeler’s delayed-choice experiments have been extensively studied for the wave-particle duality over the last several decades to understand the complementarity theory of quantum mechanics. The heart of the delayed-choice quantum eraser is in the mutually exclusive quantum feature violating the cause-effect relation. Here, we experimentally demonstrate the quantum eraser using coherent photon pairs by the delayed choice of a polarizer placed out of the interferometer. Coherence solutions of the observed quantum eraser are derived from a typical Mach–Zehnder interferometer, where the violation of the cause-effect relation is due to selective measurements of basis choice.
Detecting common coccinellids found in sorghum using deep learning models
Authors: Wang Chaoxin , Grijalva Ivan , Caragea Doina , McCornack Brian 
Published: June 2023

AbstractIncreased global production of sorghum has the potential to meet many of the demands of a growing human population. Developing automation technologies for field scouting is crucial for long-term and low-cost production. Since 2013, sugarcane aphid (SCA)Melanaphis sacchari(Zehntner) has become an important economic pest causing significant yield loss across the sorghum production region in the United States. Adequate management of SCA depends on costly field scouting to determine pest presence and economic threshold levels to spray insecticides. However, with the impact of insecticides on natural enemies, there is an urgent need to develop automated-detection technologies for their conservation. Natural enemies play a crucial role in the management of SCA populations. These insects, primary coccinellids, prey on SCA and help to reduce unnecessary insecticide applications. Although these insects help regulate SCA populations, the detection and classification of these insects is time-consuming and inefficient in lower value crops like sorghum during field scouting. Advanced deep learning software provides a means to perform laborious automatic agricultural tasks, including detection and classification of insects. However, deep learning models for coccinellids in sorghum have not been developed. Therefore, our objective was to develop and train machine learning models to detect coccinellids commonly found in sorghum and classify them according to their genera, species, and subfamily level. We trained a two-stage object detection model, specifically, Faster Region-based Convolutional Neural Network (Faster R-CNN) with the Feature Pyramid Network (FPN) and also one-stage detection models in the YOLO (You Only Look Once) family (YOLOv5 and YOLOv7) to detect and classify seven coccinellids commonly found in sorghum (i.e.,Coccinella septempunctata,Coleomegilla maculata,Cycloneda sanguinea,Harmonia axyridis,Hippodamia convergens,Olla v-nigrum, Scymninae). We used images extracted from the iNaturalist project to perform training and evaluation of the Faster R-CNN-FPN and YOLOv5 and YOLOv7 models. iNaturalist is an imagery web server used to publish citizen’s observations of images pertaining to living organisms. Experimental evaluation using standard object detection metrics, such as average precision (AP),AP@0.50, etc., has shown that the YOLOv7 model performs the best on the coccinellid images with anAP@0.50 as high as 97.3, andAPas high as 74.6. Our research contributes automated deep learning software to the area of integrated pest management, making it easier to detect natural enemies in sorghum.
Defining an optimal control for RNAi experiments with adult Schistosoma mansoni
Authors: Moescheid Max F. , Puckelwaldt Oliver , Beutler Mandy , Haeberlein Simone , Grevelding Christoph G. 
Published: June 2023

AbstractIn parasites such as Schistosoma mansoni, gene knockdown by RNA interference (RNAi) has become an indispensable tool for functional gene characterization. To distinguish target-specific RNAi effects versus off-target effects, controls are essential. To date, however, there is still no general agreement about suitable RNAi controls, which limits the comparability between studies. To address this point, we investigated three selected dsRNAs for their suitability as RNAi controls in experiments with adult S.mansoni in vitro. Two dsRNAs were of bacterial origin, the neomycin resistance gene (neoR) and the ampicillin resistance gene (ampR). The third one, the green fluorescent protein gene (gfp), originated from jellyfish. Following dsRNA application, we analyzed physiological parameters like pairing stability, motility, and egg production as well as morphological integrity. Furthermore, using RT-qPCR we evaluated the potential of the used dsRNAs to influence transcript patterns of off-target genes, which had been predicted by si-Fi (siRNA-Finder). At the physiological and morphological levels, we observed no obvious changes in the dsRNA treatment groups compared to an untreated control. However, we detected remarkable differences at the transcript level of gene expression. Amongst the three tested candidates, we suggest dsRNA of the E. coli ampR gene as the most suitable RNAi control.
Antibacterial activity and phytochemical components of leaf extract of Calpurnia aurea
Authors: Wasihun Yared , Alekaw Habteweld Habtemariam , Dires Ayenew Kassahun 
Published: June 2023

AbstractLocal Ethiopians use Calpurnia aurea to treat skin infections. However, there is no adequate scientific confirmation. The aim of this study was to evaluate the antibacterial activities of the crude and the fractionated extracts of C. aurea leaves against different bacterial strains. The crude extract was made by maceration. The Soxhlet extraction method was used to obtain fractional extracts. The antibacterial activity against gram positive and gram negative American Type Culture Collection (ATCC) strains was performed using the agar diffusion technique. The minimum inhibitory concentration was determined through the microtiter broth dilution method. Preliminary phytochemical screening was done using standard techniques. The largest yield was obtained from ethanol fractional extract. Except for chloroform, which provided a relatively low yield when compared to petroleum ether, increasing the polarity of the extracting solvent improved the yield. The crude extract, solvent fractions, and the positive control showed inhibitory zone diameter, while the negative control did not. When used at a concentration of 75 mg/ml, the crude extract had similar antibacterial effects as gentamicin (0.1 mg/ml) and the ethanol fraction. The 2.5 mg/ml crude ethanol extract of C. aurea suppressed the growth of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Streptococcus pneumoniae, and Staphylococcus aureus, according to the MIC values. The extract of C. aurea was more effective in inhibiting P. aeruginosa than the other gram-negative bacteria. Fractionation enhanced the antibacterial effect of the extract. All fractionated extracts showed the highest inhibition zone diameter against S. aureus. Petroleum ether extract had the greatest inhibition zone diameter against all bacterial strains. The non-polar components were more active compared to the more polar fractions. The phytochemical components discovered in the leaves of C. aurea included alkaloids, flavonoids, saponins, and tannins. Among these, the tannin content was remarkably high. The current results could provide a rational support for the traditional use of C. aurea to treat skin infections.
Impact assessment of increasing renewable energy penetration on voltage instability tendencies of power system buses using a QV-based index
Authors: Adetokun Bukola Babatunde , Muriithi Christopher Maina , Ojo Joseph Olorunfemi , Oghorada Oghenewvogaga 
Published: June 2023

AbstractThis paper presents a QV-based approach called Critical Voltage-Reactive Power Ratio (CVQR) index to assess the voltage instability tendencies of power system buses with increase in renewable energy (RE) penetration within the power system. The buses are thus ranked according to the order in which they are impacted by increase in renewable energy penetration. Simulations were performed using DIgSILENT PowerFactory and result analyses were done with MATLAB. The developed CVQR index has been employed to assess the effect of increasing RE generation on grid voltage stability. This index provides information on the voltage instability tendencies of all non-slack buses of the RE-integrated grid and the buses are ranked from the weakest to the strongest. The rankings obtained from the developed CVQR has been compared with five commonly-used indices and the result of the comparison verifies the accuracy of the proposed index. IEEE 14-bus and IEEE 39-bus New England systems have been used to evaluate the proposed CVQR index and various scenarios of RE system combinations and placements have been considered. Voltage collapse condition is indicated whenever the CVQR index associated with any bus becomes positive (CVQR > 0). This index can as well be applied to other power system networks. The overall ranking of the buses based on the CVQR index can provide insights on the most appropriate location for large inductive loads or compensating devices, which can either absorb or inject reactive power into the power system, thereby influencing the system’s voltage stability.
Proton and alpha radiation-induced mutational profiles in human cells
Authors: Delhomme Tiffany M. , Munteanu Maia , Buonanno Manuela , Grilj Veljko , Biayna Josep , Supek Fran 
Published: June 2023

AbstractIonizing radiation is known to be DNA damaging and mutagenic, however less is known about which mutational footprints result from exposures of human cells to different types of radiation. We were interested in the mutagenic effects of particle radiation exposures on genomes of various human cell types, in order to gauge the genotoxic risks of galactic cosmic radiation, and of certain types of tumor radiotherapy. To this end, we exposed cultured cell lines from the human blood, breast and lung to fractionated proton and alpha particle (helium nuclei) beams at doses sufficient to considerably affect cell viability. Whole-genome sequencing revealed that mutation rates were not overall markedly increased upon proton and alpha exposures. However, there were modest changes in mutation spectra and distributions, such as the increases in clustered mutations and of certain types of indels and structural variants. The spectrum of mutagenic effects of particle beams may be cell-type and/or genetic background specific. Overall, the mutational effects of repeated exposures to proton and alpha radiation on human cells in culture appear subtle, however further work is warranted to understand effects of long-term exposures on various human tissues.
The novel Orshina Rhythm in a colonial urochordate signifies the display of recurrent aging/rejuvenation sequels
Authors: Ben-Hamo Oshrat , Izhaki Ido , Ben-Shlomo Rachel , Rinkevich Baruch 
Published: June 2023

AbstractWhen it comes to aging, some colonial invertebrates present disparate patterns from the customary aging phenomenon in unitary organisms, where a single senescence phenomenon along ontogeny culminates in their inevitable deaths. Here we studied aging processes in 81 colonies of the marine urochordate Botryllus schlosseri each followed from birth to death (over 720 days). The colonies were divided between three life history strategies, each distinct from the others based on the presence/absence of colonial fission: NF (no fission), FA (fission develops after the colony reaches maximal size), and FB (fission develops before the colony reaches maximal size). The study revealed recurring patterns in sexual reproductive statuses (hermaphroditism and male-only settings), colonial vigor, and size. These recurring patterns, collectively referred to as an Orshina, with one or more 'astogenic segments' on the genotype level. The combination of these segments forms the Orshina rhythm. Each Orshina segment lasts about three months (equivalent to 13 blastogenic cycles), and concludes with either the colonial death or rejuvenation, and is manipulated by absence/existing of fission events in NF/FA/FB strategies. These findings indicate that reproduction, life span, death, rejuvenation and fission events are important scheduled biological components in the constructed Orshina rhythm, a novel aging phenomenon.
The possible role of sodium leakage channel localization factor-1 in the pathophysiology and severity of autism spectrum disorders
Authors: Al-Mazidi Sarah , Al-Ayadhi Laila , Alqahtany Fatmah , Abualnaja Amani , Alzarroug Abdullah , Alharbi Turki , Farhat Karim , AlMnaizel Ahmad , El-Ansary Afaf 
Published: June 2023

AbstractAutism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by social, stereotypical, and repetitive behaviors. Neural dysregulation was proposed as an etiological factor in ASD. The sodium leakage channel (NCA), regulated by NLF-1 (NCA localization factor-1), has a major role in maintaining the physiological excitatory function of neurons. We aimed to examine the level of NLF-1 in ASD children and correlate it with the severity of the disease. We examined the plasma levels of NLF-1 in 80 ASD and neurotypical children using ELISA. The diagnosis and severity of ASD were based on the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition (DSM-IV), Childhood Autism Rating Score, Social Responsiveness Scale, and Short Sensory Profile. Then, we compared the levels of NLF-1 with the severity of the disease and behavioral and sensory symptoms. Our results showed a significant decrease in the plasma levels of NLF-1 in ASD children compared to neurotypical children (p < 0.001). Additionally, NLF-1 was significantly correlated with the severity of the behavioral symptoms of ASD (p < 0.05). The low levels of NLF-1 in ASD children potentially affect the severity of their behavioral symptoms by reducing neuron excitability through NCA. These novel findings open a new venue for pharmacological and possible genetic research involving NCA in ASD children.
Genomic studies of the additive and dominant genetic control on production traits of Euterpe edulis fruits
Authors: Canal Guilherme Bravim , Oliveira Gabriela França , de Almeida Francine Alves Nogueira , Péres Marcello Zatta , Moro Gabriel Lenen Javarini , dos Santos Oliveira Wagner Bastos , Azevedo Camila Ferreira , Nascimento Moysés , da Silva Ferreira Marcia Flores , Ferreira Adésio 
Published: June 2023

AbstractIn forest genetic improvement programs for non-domesticated species, limited knowledge of kinship can compromise or make the estimation of variance components and genetic parameters of traits of interest unfeasible. We used mixed models and genomics (in the latter, considering additive and non-additive effects) to evaluate the genetic architecture of 12 traits in juçaizeiro for fruit production. A population of 275 genotypes without genetic relationship knowledge was phenotyped over three years and genotyped by whole genome SNP markers. We have verified superiority in the quality of the fits, the prediction accuracy for unbalanced data, and the possibility of unfolding the genetic effects into their additive and non-additive terms in the genomic models. Estimates of the variance components and genetic parameters obtained by the additive models may be overestimated since, when considering the dominance effect in the model, there are substantial reductions in them. The number of bunches, fresh fruit mass of bunch, rachis length, fresh mass of 25 fruits, and amount of pulp were strongly influenced by the dominance effect, showing that genomic models with such effect should be considered for these traits, which may result in selective improvements by being able to return more accurate genomic breeding values. The present study reveals the additive and non-additive genetic control of the evaluated traits and highlights the importance of genomic information-based approaches for populations without knowledge of kinship and experimental design. Our findings underscore the critical role of genomic data in elucidating the genetic control architecture of quantitative traits, thereby providing crucial insights for driving species' genetic improvement.
The motivations and practices of vegetarian and vegan Saudis
Authors: Alnasser Aroub , Alomran Norah 
Published: June 2023

AbstractIn the Middle East, particularly in Saudi Arabia, the offering of a meat dish to guests is a deeply embedded cultural tradition, and a meat-based diet is the standard in Saudi Arabia. Thus, the rise of veganism and vegetarianism within Saudi Arabia is surprising and worthy of attention, as is understanding the perceptions and motivations behind this phenomenon, particularly as they relate to food and sustainability. This research was designed to investigate this emerging phenomenon and to identify key differences in dietarian identity between Saudi vegetarians and vegans using Rosenfeld and Burrow's Dietarian Identity Questionnaire. Among other results, the vegan group scored significantly higher on the prosocial motivation construct, suggesting the desire to help society as a whole is a stronger motivating factor for vegans. As well, the vegan cohort scored higher in the personal motivation category. From an environmental and public health perspective, understanding the key factors motivating individuals to adopt a vegetarian or vegan diet in a meat-based culture like Saudi Arabia can be used to encourage others to pursue more healthy and sustainable food behaviors.
Using nanopore sequencing to identify fungi from clinical samples with high phylogenetic resolution
Authors: Ohta Atsufumi , Nishi Kenichiro , Hirota Kiichi , Matsuo Yoshiyuki 
Published: June 2023

AbstractThe study of microbiota has been revolutionized by the development of DNA metabarcoding. This sequence-based approach enables the direct detection of microorganisms without the need for culture and isolation, which significantly reduces analysis time and offers more comprehensive taxonomic profiles across broad phylogenetic lineages. While there has been an accumulating number of researches on bacteria, molecular phylogenetic analysis of fungi still remains challenging due to the lack of standardized tools and the incompleteness of reference databases limiting the accurate and precise identification of fungal taxa. Here, we present a DNA metabarcoding workflow for characterizing fungal microbiota with high taxonomic resolution. This method involves amplifying longer stretches of ribosomal RNA operons and sequencing them using nanopore long-read sequencing technology. The resulting reads were error-polished to generate consensus sequences with 99.5–100% accuracy, which were then aligned against reference genome assemblies. The efficacy of this method was explored using a polymicrobial mock community and patient-derived specimens, demonstrating the marked potential of long-read sequencing combined with consensus calling for accurate taxonomic classification. Our approach offers a powerful tool for the rapid identification of pathogenic fungi and has the promise to significantly improve our understanding of the role of fungi in health and disease.
Chitosan functionalized Mn3O4 nanoparticles counteracts ulcerative colitis in mice through modulation of cellular redox state
Authors: Mondal Susmita , Das Monojit , Ghosh Ria , Singh Manali , Adhikari Aniruddha , Darbar Soumendra , Kumar Das Anjan , Bhattacharya Siddhartha Sankar , Pal Debasish , Bhattacharyya Debasish , Ahmed Ahmed S. A. , Mallick Asim Kumar , Al-Rooqi Munirah M. , Moussa Ziad , Ahmed Saleh A. , Pal Samir Kumar 
Published: June 2023

AbstractRecent findings suggest a key role for reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the pathogenesis and progression of ulcerative colitis (UC). Several studies have also highlighted the efficacy of citrate functionalized Mn3O4 nanoparticles as redox medicine against a number of ROS-mediated disorders. Here we show that synthesized nanoparticles consisting of chitosan functionalized tri-manganese tetroxide (Mn3O4) can restore redox balance in a mouse model of UC induced by dextran sulfate sodium (DSS). Our in-vitro characterization of the developed nanoparticle confirms critical electronic transitions in the nanoparticle to be important for the redox buffering activity in the animal model. A careful administration of the developed nanoparticle not only reduces inflammatory markers in the animals, but also reduces the mortality rate from the induced disease. This study provides a proof of concept for the use of nanomaterial with synergistic anti-inflammatory and redox buffering capacity to prevent and treat ulcerative colitis.