bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Natural Enemy communities are more abundant and diverse in heterogeneous landscapes, but not their interactions
Authors: Montagnana Paula C. , Alves Rafael S C , Garófalo Carlos A , Ribeiro Milton C 
Published: June 2023

Abstract

Context
Land use changes have become a major driver of biodiversity loss, impacting natural ecosystems and the species that depend on them. As a result, many species have become isolated from their natural habitats and cannot interact with other species as they would in natural ecosystems. Ecological interactions are crucial for the functioning and stability of ecosystems.
Objectives
Here, we aimed to evaluate the effects of landscape structure on the natural enemy community and on antagonistic networks consisting of natural enemies and solitary trap-nesting bees and wasps, at two landscape scales.
Methods
Trap-nests were installed in forest edges in the Cantareira-Mantiqueira Corridor (CCM), Atlantic Forest biome located in São Paulo state, Brazil. Natural enemy community was described using species richness, abundance (number of attacked brood cells), parasitism rate, and taxonomic diversity. While to describe the host-natural enemy network we used the robustness metric, natural enemy’s niche overlap, and linkage density.
Results
The natural enemy community is richer in species when there is high forest connectivity at the local scale, while landscape heterogeneity increases abundance, taxonomic diversity, and parasitism rate. High similarity between natural enemy species’ trophic niches occurs as landscape heterogeneity increases at the local scale, and the antagonist network is dominated by generalist species of natural enemies.
Conclusions
Our study presents one of the first results about functional forest connectivity and landscape heterogeneity on natural enemy communities and their antagonistic interactions, highlighting the importance of landscape structure for its conservation and not just insects that respond only to the presence of their hosts in the study region. The presence of specialist species in host-natural enemy networks, both natural enemy species and bee and wasp hosts, may occur through increased functional connectivity of forest patches and landscapes and restored forest fragments.
Noninvasive CSF shunt patency evaluation by superb microvascular imaging
Authors: Putzer Daniel , Brawanski Konstantin , Verius Michael , Oberheber Helmut , Thome Claudius , Gizewski Elke Ruth , Gruber Hannes 
Published: June 2023

Abstract
Background and Objectives
Occlusion of a ventriculoperitoneal shunt system is a potentially life threatening complication in patients suffering from hydrocephalus. However, there is no imaging established as standard approach in this acute setting. In the present study, we evaluate the use of superb microvascular imaging for investigation of the patency of ventriculoperitoneal shunt systems.
Methods
Simulation of low flow rates of cerebrospinal fluid through a small diameter CSF shunt system was performed in a dedicated phantom in order to proof the principle of superb microvascular imaging (SMI) being feasible for the measurement of slow liquor flow through the dedicated CSF shunt system.
Results
SMI is able to detect low flow rates in CSF shunt systems effectively and fast. Visualization of a Doppler ultrasound flow wave pattern in the VP shunt system after the reservoir has been pressed confirms patency.
Conclusion
SMI is an effective method for evaluating CSF shunt patency and diagnosing shunt obstruction. This bears the potential to facilitate evaluation of clinically symptomatic VP shunt patients in an acute setting. Further evaluation of ultrasound flow patterns is granted.
Evaluation of the Corneal Endothelial Layer in Patients with Hashimoto's Thyroiditis
Authors: Yildizli Yakup , Cankaya Cem , Genc Selin , Ozturk Emrah , Evren Bahri 
Published: June 2023

Abstract
Purpose
Evaluation of corneal endothelial layer in patients with Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT) by specular microscopy
Methods
This prospective cross-sectional study was carried out with 50 patients with Hashimoto's thyroiditis (group 1) and 44 healthy subjects (group 2) as controls. Endothelial cell density (ECD), hegzogonality (HEX), coefficient of variation (CV), central corneal thickness (CCT), minimum-maximum and mean cell volume (min-max MCV) were evaluated by noncontact specular microscope (Konan Medical Inc., Nishinomiya, Japan).
Results
The mean ages of the patients in group 1 and group 2 were 38.42 ± 9.70 and 38.18 ± 10.96 years, respectively. There was no significant difference between the two groups in terms of age and gender distribution (p > 0.05). HEX ratio (44.98 ± 5.86) and min-MCV values (149.82 ± 15.01) were statistically significantly lower in group 1 (p˂0.05). No significant difference was observed in other parameters evaluated by specular microscopy (p > 0.05).
Conclusion
The detection of thyroid hormone receptors in orbital structures and corneal layers suggests that the corneal endothelial layer may be affected and that structural or functional changes may occur in this layer in patients with HT.
Study of the behavior of clay mixtures for the treatment of glass and concrete waste in road construction
Authors: OUSLIMANE Noureddine , BAREBITA Hanane , BELFAQUIR Mustapha 
Published: June 2023

Abstract
This research aimed at the stabilization of clay, which is often prone to problems such as swelling and sliding. Indeed, the addition of glass and concrete waste to these clays can offer an ideal solution for their stabilization, by interestingly modifying their geotechnical properties. In the overall context of recycling and the development of the public works sector in Morocco, there is a significant demand for clay. The main objective of this study is the reuse of glass and concrete waste, combined with natural clay, in road construction. In addition to the adverse effects on the environment, the excessive exploitation of clay seriously threatens the supply of projects. Thus, the exploitation of new clay sources appears as a future solution. Indeed, different natural materials such as clay, marl, as well as recycled materials such as concrete and glass debris, are identified to form clay mixtures with varying proportions of glass and concrete (ranging from 30% glass and 30% concrete to 30% glass + 30% concrete). These mixtures undergo several series of mechanical tests, including Proctor compaction tests, CBR bearing capacity tests, and oedometer tests. The work also involves conducting oedometer tests on the natural clay used as a reference and on clay mixtures with crushed glass and concrete waste at different percentages. It was found that the addition of glass and concrete to clay reduces swelling and settlement indices, while modifying the intrinsic characteristics of clay. The obtained results are very interesting and open a wide range of possibilities for the reuse of the studied materials in the field of civil engineering in general, and specifically in road construction.
Modelling and Optimizations of Triple-Pass TDFAs for Next-Generation Fiber Optical Communication Systems
Authors: Dincer Ayten , Yücel Murat 
Published: June 2023

Abstract
The main goal of designing a multistage fiber amplifier is to achieve higher performance for long-haul optical transmission systems. In this paper, multistage triple-pass (TP) TDFAs are represented. Three types of TP-TDFA are modeled, optimized, and compared in the S-band for next-generation fiber optical communication systems. First, to examine the performance of these 3 types of TP-TDFAs, signal power, pump power, thulium-doped fiber (TDF) length, and thulium ion concentration were optimized in the input signal at the 1469 nm wavelength, which gives the highest gain value in the S-band, respectively. Second, the input signals in the 1444–1499 nm band gap were amplified by using these specified optimized values in all designs. Gain and noise figure values of all three types were obtained and analyzed by plotting separately for easy comparison. At the end of the study, all results were evaluated and all types were compared to determine the best TP-TDFA.
Insect pests and natural enemies associated with lettuce Lactuca sativa L. (Asteraceae) in an aquaponics system
Authors: Silva Tamara Machado , Cividanes Francisco Jorge , Salles Fernando André , Perticarrari Amanda Lis Pacífico Manfrim , Cunha Suzan Beatriz Zambon , Santos-Cividanes Terezinha Monteiro dos 
Published: June 2023

Abstract
Although food is produced in aquaponics systems worldwide, no information is available on the occurrence of insect pests and natural enemies in aquaponic lettuce, Lactuca sativa L. In this study, a survey was carried out in an aquaponic system combining lettuce with lambari, Astyanax altiparanae (Garutti & Briski), aiming to determine the insect pests and natural enemies associated with this system. We also determined the predominant insect species and the effect of meteorological factors on their populations. Insect abundance was estimated by visual sampling during 13 cultivation cycles, totaling 27 sampling dates. The meteorological factors considered were air temperature and relative humidity, and their effects were determined using the Pearson correlation. The thrips Frankliniella schultzei (Trybom) and Caliothrips phaseoli (Hood) and the aphid Aphis spiraecola (Patch) predominated. Ambient temperature and relative humidity were essential factors affecting C. phaseoli and F. schultzei. The natural enemies found on the lettuce plants were the thrips Franklinothrips vespiformis (Crawford) and Stomatothrips angustipennis (Hood) and the ladybugs Cycloneda sanguinea L., Eriopis connexa (Germar), and Hippodamia convergens (Guérin-Méneville). These results constitute the first step for a lettuce-integrated pest-management program in aquaponics systems.
Effect of non-woven polypropylene geotextile on the mechanical properties of soil /polymer composite structures
Authors: Moein Behzad , Rajabi Ali M , Khodaparast Mahdi 
Published: June 2023

Abstract
In this paper, the effect of polypropylene (PP) geotextile as reinforcing phase in enhancing the mechanical properties of soil structures under different loading conditions is investigated. For this purpose, the effect of effective parameters such as type of surface geometry and the locality of loading on load-bearing capacity changes and the structure failure mechanism were studied using modeling by centrifuge method. Therefore, the horizontal and vertical displacements on the structure, which simulated by geotechnical centrifuge model, were recorded using the displacement measurement sensor and digital camera. The results show that for loads of the same width in the soil/PP composite structures, which is affected by the presence of PP reinforcing phase, whatever the shape of the loading support area changes from square to strip and the length of the loading level increases, the final load-bearing capacity of the structure will increase. Also, by examining the soil reinforcement PP fabric after the experiments, it was found that the maximum and minimum expansion rate of damage in PP reinforcing phase was related to the condition of the soil/PP composite structure, under loading with strip and square geometry, respectively.
An Efficient Deepfake Detection Using Robust Deep Learning Approch
Authors: Qadir Abdul , Mahum Rabbia , El-Meligy Mohammed A. , Ragab Adham E. , AlSalman Abdulmalik , Hassan Haseeb 
Published: June 2023

Abstract
The creation and manipulation of synthetic images have evolved rapidly, creating serious concerns about their effects on society. Although there have been various attempts to identify deep fake videos, these approaches are not universal. Identifying these misleading deepfakes is the first step in preventing them from following on social media sites. We introduce a unique deep-learning technique to identify fraudulent clips. Most deepfake identifiers currently focus on identifying face exchange, lip synchronous, expression modification, puppeteers, and other factors. However, exploring a consistent basis for all forms of fake video and images in real-time forensics is challenging. We propose a hybrid technique that takes input from videos of successive targeted frames, then feeds these to the ResNet-Swish-BiLSTM, an optimized convolutional BiLSTM-based residual network for training and classification. This proposed method helps identify artifacts in deepfake images that do not seem real. To assess the robustness of our proposed model, we used the open deepfake detection challenge dataset (DFDC) and Face Forensics deepfake collections (FF++.) We achieved 96.23% accuracy when using the FF + + digital record. In contrast, we attained 78.33% accuracy using the aggregated records from FF + + and DFDC. We performed extensive experiments and believe that our proposed method provides more significant results than existing techniques.
Efficacy of a Longitudinal Project-Based Quality Improvement Curriculum in Pediatric Cardiology Fellowship
Authors: Bird Cara M , Kaushal Sonia , Trivedi Mira K , Moore Judson A , Sheth Shreya S 
Published: June 2023

Abstract
Our goal was to create a robust quality improvement and patient safety (QI/PS) curriculum that gives fellows both didactic knowledge and first-hand experience with improvement science and produces a longitudinal QI/PS project to improve patient care and safety over their three-year fellowship. The curriculum will meet Clinical Learning Environment Review (CLER) requirements. A series of six 30-minute didactic lectures is paired with designated group work time over the course of 1 year. Each class chooses a QI/PS project which they will continue for the entirety of fellowship. Faculty mentors coach these projects. Knowledge assessment is obtained through pre- and post-surveys. A secondary measure of success is academic products resulting from fellows’ QI/PS work, and future participation in QI/PS efforts. Since 2019, 51 pre-tests and 36 post-tests were completed, showing improvement across all competencies. Fellows have produced one published manuscript, two poster presentations, and two oral presentations describing their improvement work. Additionally, mentoring faculty members have gone on to lead other QI work throughout the division. This longitudinal QI/PS curriculum provides both knowledge and experience in QI/PS work. It also creates opportunities for academic publications and presentations, builds faculty expertise, and most importantly, works to improve multiple aspects of patient care. This curriculum can serve as a model for other cardiology fellowships working to meet CLER requirements.
Higher Socio-Economic Status (SES) is associated with the Traditional Risk Factors of Cardiovascular Diseases; Results of MASHAD Cohort Study
Authors: Sadabdi Fatemeh , Talkhi Nasrin , Omouri-Kharashtomi Mahyaar , Mirzaei Mohammad , Soflaei Sara Saffar , Rahimi Zahra , Shabani Niloofar , Latifi Mohamad Reza , Sarabi Mohammad Reza Mohammad Taghizadeh , Iri Sarina , Moghaddas Elham , Ferns Gordon A. , Esmaily Habibollah , Ghayour-Mobarhan Majid 
Published: June 2023

Abstract
Introduction and Objective: Socio-economic status has been shown to be associated with cardiovascular disease. We aimed to investigate the relationship between socio-economic status and traditional risk factors for cardiovascular diseases in the MASHAD cohort study drawn from a population sample in northeast Iran.
Methods: In this cross-sectional study, subjects were divided into three categories of socio-economic status (SES) based on their education level, employment status and monthly income using latent class analysis (LCA). The three SES classes were compared in terms of cardiovascular diseases risk factors. P value less than 0.05 was considered as significant.
Results: A total number of 9704 participants were included in the study. Participants with a low SES had significantly lower means of age, physical activity level, waist circumference, systolic blood pressure and LDL-C, and higher means of weight, and hip circumferences. Also, the prevalence of smoking, hypertension and metabolic syndrome were lower in low SES group than the two other groups. Logistic regression showed that the chance of obesity in the high SES class was 1.3-fold higher than for the middle SES class. Moreover, the chance of metabolic syndrome and hypertension in the low SES class was respectively 0.81 and 0.83 of the middle SES class.
Conclusion: The different levels of socio-economic status were associated with different CVD risk factor profiles, it is may therefore be necessary to develop more specific and personalized preventive policies for populations in each socio-economic class.
Numerical and analytical investigation of reduced beam section with and with yielding damper and their comparison
Authors: Cheraghi Kambiz , TahamouliRoudsari Mehrzad , Cheraghi Kaveh 
Published: June 2023

Abstract
Connections are one of the sensitive points in structures, including steel structures, which have a significant impact on the seismic behavior of the structure. One type of connection used in steel structures is the Reduced Beam Section (RBS), which reduces the moment strength of the beam near the column, resulting in less moment being transferred to the column at the final moment. In this research, 36 numerical analyses were performed using ABAQUS to investigate two cases. In the first case, a connection with a beam with a hole in the flange area was examined, with the area of the flange holes and the axial force of the column as variables. In the second case, a yield ring was used in the flange area of the beam, with the radius of the yield ring as the variable in six cases. Analytical formulas for calculating the maximum strength moment of the beam, as well as equations for analysis in the linear region, were presented. One design requirement of the yielding damper is to yield earlier than other members, and an equation was presented to ensure that yielding occurs first in the yielding loop. After performing the numerical analysis, it was observed that if the area of the flange holes is half of the area of the beam flanges, a significant decrease in strength does not occur with an increase in axial force up to a certain extent. One of the primary advantages of adding a yielding damper to the beam is the ability to adjust the maximum moment transferred to the column by changing the final moment of the beam.
PreciSplit: A Novel Approach to Predicting Polynomial Regression Data
Authors: Verma Utkarsh , Shah Shreya , Shah Aditya , Zaveri Dishant , Kanani Pratik 
Published: June 2023

Abstract
Time complexity is crucial in machine learning models, especially with large datasets, as it impacts efficiency and scalability. Reducing time complexity even by a fraction is necessary to avoid computational bottlenecks and enable faster model development cycles. It saves on resources, allowing for cost-effective operations. Data splitting involves dividing datasets into subsets for training, validation, and testing. It enables unbiased evaluation, prevents overfitting, and facilitates hyperparameter tuning and model selection. By evaluating models on separate test sets, their performance on unseen data can be assessed, leading to better generalization and more reliable machine learning systems. This paper introduces PreciSplit, a highly effective approach for data splitting based on the dataset’s points of inflection. By strategically dividing the data at non-linear regions, PreciSplit creates nearly linear data segments, enabling the application of 1 precise linear regression on each split region. Additionally, the evaluation of models on distinct test sets allows for comprehensive assessment of their performance on unseen data. This evaluation process enhances generalization capabilities and fosters the development of more reliable machine learning systems. The proposed PreciSplit method showcases promising potential for advancing data analysis and model accuracy. For smaller datasets, PreciSplit shows slower training times and lower accuracy compared to Support Vector Regression (SVR).However, as the dataset size grows,it exhibits a substantial improvement in training speed, outperforming SVR, while maintaining only a slight increase in error margin.
AXL receptor tyrosine kinase modulates gonadotropin-releasing hormone receptor signaling
Authors: Mohammadzadeh Pardis , Roueinfar Mina , Amberg Gregory C. 
Published: June 2023

Abstract
Background Gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) receptors are essential for reproduction and are expressed in numerous urogenital, reproductive, and non-reproductive cancers. In addition to canonical G protein-coupled receptor signaling, GnRH receptors functionally interact with several receptor tyrosine kinases. AXL is a receptor tyrosine kinase expressed in numerous tissues as well as multiple tumors. Here we tested the hypothesis that AXL, along with its endogenous ligand Gas6, impacts GnRH receptor signaling.Methods We used clonal mouse pituitary gonadotrope cell lines to examine the effect of AXL activation on GnRH receptor-dependent signaling outcomes. ELISA and immunofluorescence were used to observed AXL and GnRH receptor expression in αT3-1 and LβT2 mouse gonadotrope cell lines, as well as in mouse and human pituitary sections. We also used ELISA to measure changes in ERK phosphorylation, pro-MMP9 production, and release of LHβ. Digital droplet PCR was used to measure the abundance of Egr-1 transcripts. A transwell migration assay was used to measure LβT2 migration responses to GnRH and AXL.Results We observed AXL, along with the GnRH receptor, expression in αT3-1 and LβT2 gonadotrope cell lines, as well as in mouse and human pituitary sections. Consistent with a potentiating role of AXL, Gas6 enhanced GnRH-dependent ERK phosphorylation in αT3-1 and LβT2 cells. Further, and consistent with enhanced post-transcriptional GnRH receptor responses, we found that Gas6 increased the abundance of Egr-1 transcripts. Suggesting functional significance, Gas6/AXL signaling enhanced GnRH receptor-dependent generation of LHβ and pro-MMP9 protein by LβT2 cells and promoted cell migration.Conclusions Altogether, these data describe a novel role for AXL as a modulator of GnRH receptor signaling.
Electrochemical investigations of plant response to salt stress: insights through impedance studies of OECT-based biosensor
Authors: M Sneha , RAVINDRANATH NAIR AFIJITH , JAYARAMAN V 
Published: June 2023

Abstract
Organic Electrochemical Transistor fabricated from conducting polymer material, PEDOT: PSS has been demonstrated towards study of plant response to salt stress. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopic studies of OECT under both in-vivo and in-vitro salt stress monitoring conditions have been carried out. Change in ionic concentration induced in the biological system of a living plant subjected to salt stress has been elucidated in terms of change in impedance of biosensor integrated in its stem. The impedance data recorded was used to derive equivalent distributed-element circuit models for the device, under both in-vivo and in-vitro conditions.