Folate, also known as vitamin B9, plays a crucial role in the one-carbon (1C) metabolism, a conserved pathway from microbes to humans. The 1C metabolism, consisting of the folate and methionine cycles, is essential in many biological processes such as nucleotide and protein biosynthesis, cell proliferation, and embryonic development. Despite its functional role, little is known about the 1C metabolism in crustaceans. As part of an ongoing effort to characterize important pathways in Calanus finmarchicus, the biomass-dominant zooplankton in much of the North Atlantic Ocean, we identified transcripts encoding the 1C metabolism enzymes. Using an in silico workflow consisting of a transcriptome mining, reciprocal blasts, and structural analyses of the deduced proteins, we identified the entire set of enzymes in both cycles. The majority encoded for full-length proteins and clustered with homologs from other species. Stage-specific expression was reported, with several transcripts showing high expression in the naupliar stage (e.g., 10-FTHFD, SHMT2) while some methyltransferases (e.g., BHMT, SHMT, DNMT) were more expressed in adults. Overall, this study provides a set of genes which can be used as potential biomarkers of development and reproduction and can be tested in other zooplankters to assess ocean health status monitoring. Full article

Ding’an (DA) pig, a prominent local breed in Hainan Province, exhibits notable advantages in coarse feeding tolerance and high-quality meat. To explore the potential genetic mechanism of coarse feeding tolerance in DA pigs, 60-day-old full sibling pairs of DA and DLY (Duroc-Landrace-Yorkshire) pigs were subjected to fed normal (5%) and high (10%) crude fiber diets for 56 days, respectively. The findings showed that increasing the crude fiber level had no impact on the apparent digestibility of crude fiber, intramuscular fat, and marbling scores in DA pigs, whereas these factors were significantly reduced in DLY pigs (p < 0.05). Through differential expression analysis and Weighted Gene Co-expression Network Analysis (WGCNA) of the colonic mucosal transcriptome data, 65 and 482 candidate genes with coarse feeding tolerance in DA pigs were identified, respectively. Joint analysis screened four key candidate genes, including LDHB, MLC1, LSG1, and ESM1, potentially serving as key regulated genes for coarse feeding tolerance. Functional analysis revealed that the most significant pathway enriched in differential genes associated with coarse feeding tolerance in Ding’an pigs was the signaling receptor binding. The results hold substantial significance for advancing our understanding of the genetic mechanisms governing coarse feeding tolerance in Ding’an pigs. Full article

This paper focuses on the experimental investigation of the axial load capacity of CFT (concrete-filled steel tube) columns under actual construction conditions during building reconstruction. A total of four samples were loaded up to failure. The varied parameters were the column length and absence/presence of the concrete infill within the steel tube. Further, the analysis is extended to developing a numerical model in the finite element-based software ABAQUS version 6.9. This numerical model includes material and geometrical nonlinearities and was validated with the experimental results. The contribution of the concrete core to the column capacity and the concrete core confinement effect are discussed. Finally, the column capacity was calculated according to several design codes: the Eurocode 4 with and without considering the confinement effect, American specifications, Australian standards, the American Institute of Steel Construction, and the Architectural Institute of Japan. The Eurocode 4 considering the confinement effect provides the closest results to those obtained in the tests. Full article

Cataracts, known for lens clouding and being a common cause of visual impairment, persist as a primary contributor to vision loss and blindness, presenting notable diagnostic and prognostic challenges. This work presents a novel framework called the Cataract States Detection Network (CSDNet), which utilizes deep learning methods to improve the detection of cataract states. The aim is to create a framework that is more lightweight and adaptable for use in environments or devices with limited memory or storage capacity. This involves reducing the number of trainable parameters while still allowing for effective learning of representations from data. Additionally, the framework is designed to be suitable for real-time or near-real-time applications where rapid inference is essential. This study utilizes cataract and normal images from the Ocular Disease Intelligent Recognition (ODIR) database. The suggested model employs smaller kernels, fewer training parameters, and layers to efficiently decrease the number of trainable parameters, thereby lowering computational costs and average running time compared to other pre-trained models such as VGG19, ResNet50, DenseNet201, MIRNet, Inception V3, Xception, and Efficient net B0. The experimental results illustrate that the proposed approach achieves a binary classification accuracy of 97.24% (normal or cataract) and an average cataract state detection accuracy of 98.17% (normal, grade 1—minimal cloudiness, grade 2—immature cataract, grade 3—mature cataract, and grade 4—hyper mature cataract), competing with state-of-the-art cataract detection methods. The resulting model is lightweight at 17 MB and has fewer trainable parameters (175, 617), making it suitable for deployment in environments or devices with constrained memory or storage capacity. With a runtime of 212 ms, it is well-suited for real-time or near-real-time applications requiring rapid inference. Full article

During chemical looping combustion (CLC) and chemical looping gasification (CLG) of coal, the release, migration, and speciation of mercury in coal are significantly influenced by oxygen-carrier materials; however, the underlying mechanism remains inadequately addressed. In this work, the effect of a typical iron-based oxygen carrier on the release behavior of mercury from a bituminous coal and a lignite was investigated based on the Ontario-Hydro method. It is found that the effect of the iron-based oxygen carrier is attributed to three aspects: the enhanced release rate of mercury from coal, the adsorption of the released mercury, and the oxidization of gaseous Hg⁰ into Hg²⁺. With the increasing temperature, the adsorbance of mercury by the iron-based oxygen carrier decreases, while the oxidation of mercury enhances. Even at 900 °C, the adsorbance of mercury by the oxygen carrier remained at 0.1687 g/g, with a relative content of Hg²⁺ at 22.55%. Additionally, it was observed that iron-based oxygen carriers can physically absorb both Hg⁰ and Hg²⁺, while chemisorption refers to complex-compound formation between the iron-based oxygen carrier and mercury. Full article

The aim of the study was to assess the impact of two lengths of Nordic walking (NW) training interventions combined with time-restricted eating (TRE) on improving body-composition parameters, lipid profiles, and levels of selected adipokines in women with elevated body mass. Overweight and obese women (n = 55, age: 21–85) were recruited. Four groups were selected: 6 weeks (SG6, n = 13) and 12 weeks intervention (SG12, n = 13); and two control groups: CON6 (n = 13) and CON12 (n = 13). The training sessions took place three times a week (60 min each) and were conducted outdoors under the supervision of a professional coach. The training intensity was determined individually. The extended NW program combined with TRE induced a significant weight reduction in SG12 by 1.96 kg (p = 0.010) and fat tissue by 1.64 kg (p = 0.05). The proposed interventions did not affect LBM, TBW [kg], VFA, and lipid profile. The LDL/HDL ratio changed with a small size effect. The leptin concentration differed between groups (p = 0.006), but not over time. For resistin, the differentiating factor was time (p = 0.019), with lower results observed after the intervention. The change in leptin concentration was negatively correlated with its baseline concentration (p = 0.025). Extended to 12 weeks, this intervention allows for an improvement in body composition. Neither 6 nor 12 weeks of training and fasting affected the lipoprotein profile. It is, therefore, indicated to recommend prolonged training protocols and to inform patients that beneficial effects will be seen only after prolonged use of training and time-restricted eating. Full article

The safety of the use of psychotropic drugs, widely used in neurological and psychiatric practice, is an urgent problem in personalized medicine. This narrative review demonstrated the variability in allelic frequencies of low-functioning and non-functional single nucleotide variants in genes encoding key isoenzymes of valproic acid β-oxidation in the liver across different ethnic/racial groups. The sensitivity and specificity of pharmacogenetic testing panels for predicting the rate of metabolism of valproic acid by P-oxidation can be increased by prioritizing the inclusion of the most common risk allele characteristic of a particular population (country). Full article

The risk analysis and assessment of snow disasters are essential foundational tasks in natural disaster management and profoundly impact the scientific and precise formulation of disaster prevention, preparedness, and mitigation strategies. Employing the theory and methodology of snow disaster assessment, this research focuses on historical and potential snow disasters in the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau (QTP) Region. Utilizing a long-time-series snow depth remote sensing dataset, we extracted six assessment indicators for historical snow disaster risk factors and potential snow disaster risk factors. We determined the weights of these six assessment indicators using the entropy weight method. Subsequently, we established a snow disaster assessment model to evaluate the grade distribution of snow disasters in the study area. This method can effectively solve the problem of the sparse data distribution of meteorological stations and reflect degrees of snow disaster risk on a large spatial scale. The findings reveal that areas with a relatively high snow disaster risk are primarily concentrated in the western part of the Ali Region, the central part of Chamdo, and near the border in Southern Xizang. Additionally, regions with a high frequency of snow disasters are predominantly located at the junction of Nagchu, Chamdo, and Nyingchi in the eastern part of Xizang. These results contribute valuable insights into the risk assessment of snow disasters and facilitate the development of effective strategies for disaster management in the region. Full article

The gut microbiome reflects health and predicts possible disease in hosts. A holistic view of this community is needed, focusing on identifying species and dissecting how species interact with their host and each other, regardless of whether their presence is beneficial, inconsequential, or detrimental. The distribution of gut-associated eukaryotes within and across non-human primates is likely driven by host behavior and ecology. To ascertain the existence of free-living amoebae (FLA) in the gut of wild and captive non-human primates, 101 stool samples were collected and submitted to culture-dependent microscopy examination and DNA sequencing. Free-living amoebae were detected in 45.4% (46/101) of fecal samples analyzed, and their morphological characteristics matched those of Acanthamoeba spp., Vermamoeba spp., heterolobosean amoeboflagellates and fan-shaped amoebae of the family Vannellidae. Sequence analysis of the PCR products revealed that the suspected amoebae are highly homologous (99% identity and 100% query coverage) with Acanthamoeba T4 genotype and Vermamoeba vermiformis amoebae. The results showed a great diversity of amoebae in the non-human primate’s microbiome, which may pose a potential risk to the health of NHPs. To our knowledge, this is the first report of free-living amoebae in non-human primates that are naturally infected. However, it is unknown whether gut-borne amoebae exploit a viable ecological niche or are simply transient residents in the gut. Full article

Markers that allow for the selection of tailored treatments for individual patients with inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) are yet to be identified. Our aim was to describe trends in real-life treatment usage. For this purpose, patients from the ENEIDA registry who received their first targeted IBD treatment (biologics or tofacitinib) between 2015 and 2021 were included. A subsequent analysis with Machine Learning models was performed. The study included 10,009 patients [71% with Crohn’s disease (CD) and 29% with ulcerative colitis (UC)]. In CD, anti-TNF (predominantly adalimumab) were the main agents in the 1st line of treatment (LoT), although their use declined over time. In UC, anti-TNF (mainly infliximab) use was predominant in 1st LoT, remaining stable over time. Ustekinumab and vedolizumab were the most prescribed drugs in 2nd and 3rd LoT in CD and UC, respectively. Overall, the use of biosimilars increased over time. Machine Learning failed to identify a model capable of predicting treatment patterns. In conclusion, drug positioning is different in CD and UC. Anti-TNF were the most used drugs in IBD 1st LoT, being adalimumab predominant in CD and infliximab in UC. Ustekinumab and vedolizumab have gained importance in CD and UC, respectively. The approval of biosimilars had a significant impact on treatment. Full article

Sulfite, a widely used food additive, is subject to regulated labeling. The extraction of sulfite as the stable hydroxymethylsulfonate (HMS) form and its quantitative analysis by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) has been recognized for their good sensitivity, selectivity, and versatility across various food materials. This study aimed to develop a cost-effective and simpler method for sulfite quantitation, while maintaining the superior sensitivity and selectivity of mass spectrometry (MS). To achieve this, we introduced paper spray ionization (PSI), an ambient desorption ionization technique that could achieve the direct measurement of analytes without employing separation. We also employed a novel internal standard (IS) structurally similar to the analyte, replacing the more expensive isotopically labeled IS. Although the PSI-MS/MS method developed in this study exhibited slightly lower analytical performance compared to the conventional LC-MS/MS, it remained effective for sulfite analysis in dried fruits. Full article

Periods with high precipitation and temporary waterlogging in the humid tropics are challenging to the production and survival of some grasses of the genus Urochloa. This study aimed to evaluate the tolerance of five types of grass belonging to the genus Urochloa under waterlogging conditions through productive and morphological traits. The grasses [U. arrecta (Tanner), U. arrecta x U. mutica (Brachipará), U. brizantha cv. Marandú, U. hybrid cv. Cayman and U. humidicola cv. Llanero] were planted in pots and kept under field capacity for 33 days; then, half of them were submitted to (i) field capacity (33% humidity retention) and the other half were submitted to (ii) waterlogging conditions (2 cm of water above soil level) for 28 days. In this study, Tanner and Brachipará grasses showed higher dry shoot mass under waterlogging conditions, which were followed by Llanero, Cayman, and Marandú, respectively. Llanero, Tanner, and Brachipará presented higher waterlogging tolerance coefficients, 78.7, 76.5, and 64.5, respectively, being less affected than Cayman and Marandú (41.0 and 23.1, respectively). Brachipará, Tanner, and Cayman presented a higher root volume under waterlogging conditions, while Marandú root volume decreased by 88.77%. The Tanner, Brachipará, and Llanero genotypes were more tolerant to poorly drained or waterlogged soils than Cayman and Marandú genotypes. Full article

Computational statistics is a critical skill for professionals in fields such as data science, statistics, and related disciplines. One essential aspect of computational statistics is the ability to simulate random variables from specified probability distributions. Commonly employed techniques for sampling random variables include the inverse transform method, acceptance–rejection method, and Box–Muller transformation, all of which rely on sampling from the uniform $(0,1)$ distribution. A significant concept in statistics is the finite mixture model, characterized by a convex combination of multiple probability density functions. In this paper, we introduce a modified version of the composition method, a standard approach for sampling finite mixture models. Our modification offers the advantage of relying on sampling from the uniform $(0,1)$ distribution, aligning with prevalent methods in computational statistics. This alignment simplifies teaching computational statistics courses, as well as having other benefits. We offer several examples to illustrate the approach. Full article

Understanding human actions often requires in-depth detection and interpretation of bio-signals. Early eye disengagement from the target (EEDT) represents a significant eye behavior that involves the proactive disengagement of the gazes from the target to gather information on the anticipated pathway, thereby enabling rapid reactions to the environment. It remains unknown how task difficulty and task repetition affect EEDT. We aim to provide direct evidence of how these factors influence EEDT. We developed a visual tracking task in which participants viewed arrow movement videos while their eye movements were tracked. The task complexity was increased by increasing movement steps. Every movement pattern was performed twice to assess the effect of repetition on eye movement. Participants were required to recall the movement patterns for recall accuracy evaluation and complete cognitive load assessment. EEDT was quantified by the fixation duration and frequency within the areas of eye before arrow. When task difficulty increased, we found the recall accuracy score decreased, the cognitive load increased, and EEDT decreased significantly. The EEDT was higher in the second trial, but significance only existed in tasks with lower complexity. EEDT was positively correlated with recall accuracy and negatively correlated with cognitive load. Performing EEDT was reduced by task complexity and increased by task repetition. EEDT may be a promising sensory measure for assessing task performance and cognitive load and can be used for the future development of eye-tracking-based sensors. Full article

Light plays a crucial role in the growth of fruit trees, influencing not only nutrient absorption but also fruit appearance. Therefore, understanding fruit tree canopy light transmittance is essential for agricultural and forestry practices. However, traditional measurement methods, such as using a canopy analyzer, are time-consuming, labor-intensive, and susceptible to external influences, lacking convenience and automation. To address this issue, we propose a novel method based on point clouds to estimate light transmittance, with the Leaf Area Index (LAI) serving as the central link. Focusing on apple trees, we utilized handheld LiDAR for three-dimensional scanning of the canopy, acquiring point cloud data. Determining the optimal voxel size at 0.015 m via standardized point cloud mean spacing, we applied the Voxel-based Canopy Profile method (VCP) to estimate LAI. Subsequently, we established a function model between LAI and canopy light transmittance using a deep neural network (DNN), achieving an overall correlation coefficient R² of 0.94. This model was then employed to estimate canopy light transmittance in dwarfed and densely planted apple trees. This approach not only provides an evaluation standard for pruning effects in apple trees but also represents a critical step towards visualizing and intelligentizing light transmittance. Full article

Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) is considered a lifelong disability that has been framed with neurobiological descriptions focused on the brain. These are important features but fail to tell the story of living with FASD. By surveying those with FASD, this work expanded upon prior survey work which illustrated a multitude of early-onset physiological issues occurring at rates much higher than is typical of the general population. The current project, again using an anonymous survey methodology, sought to open up other direct experiences to better understand the complexity of living with FASD. An anonymous online survey was used to gather data on adversity in childhood, schooling, employment, housing and finances, and involvement with the criminal justice system, as well as relationships and parenting. Results indicate high levels of adversity throughout the life span; vulnerability to manipulation, which is connected to involvement in the criminal justice system; struggles with housing; economic instability; and struggles maintaining employment, as well as difficulties with social and familial relationships. Systemic stigma was also identified. Suggestions are offered to inform others on how support can be enhanced and targeted with a goal of improving quality of life, as well as dealing with self-imposed stigma. The survey was developed by adults living with FASD who have served as a long-standing advocacy and educational group influencing policy and practice in the field. Full article

Computer-based pre-diagnosis of diseases through medical imaging is a task worked on for many years. The so-called fundus images stand out since they do not have uniform illumination and are highly sensitive to noise. One of the diseases that can be pre-diagnosed through fundus images is age-related macular degeneration, which initially manifests as the appearance of lesions called drusen. Several ways of pre-diagnosing macular degeneration have been proposed, methods based entirely on the segmentation of drusen with prior image processing have been designed and applied, and methods based on image pre-processing and subsequent conversion to feature vectors, or patterns, to be classified by a Machine-Learning model have also been developed. Finally, in recent years, the use of Deep-Learning models, particularly Convolutional Networks, has been proposed and used in classification problems where the data are only images. The latter has allowed the so-called transfer learning, which consists of using the learning achieved in the solution of one problem to solve another. In this paper, we propose the use of transfer learning through the Xception Deep Convolutional Neural Network to detect age-related macular degeneration in fundus images. The performance of the Xception model was compared against six other state-of-the-art models with a dataset created from images available in public and private datasets, which were divided into training/validation and test; with the training/validation set, the training was made using 10-fold cross-validation. The results show that the Xception neural network obtained a validation accuracy that surpasses other models, such as the VGG-16 or VGG-19 networks, and had an accuracy higher than 80% in the test set. We consider that the contributions of this work include the use of a Convolutional Neural Network model for the detection of age-related macular degeneration through the classification of fundus images in those affected by AMD (drusen) and the images of healthy patients. The performance of this model is compared against other methods featured in the state-of-the-art approaches, and the best model is tested on a test set outside the training and validation set. Full article

Bacteriophages exert strong selection on their bacterial hosts to evolve resistance. At the same time, the fitness costs on bacteria following phage resistance may change their virulence, which may affect the therapeutic outcomes of phage therapy. In this study, we set out to assess the costs of phage resistance on the in vitro virulence of priority 1 nosocomial pathogenic bacterium, Acinetobacter baumannii. By subjecting phage-resistant variant Ev5-WHG of A. baumannii WHG40004 to several in vitro virulence profiles, we found that its resistance to phage is associated with reduced fitness in host microenvironments. Also, the mutant exhibited impaired adhesion and invasion to mammalian cells, as well as increased susceptibility to macrophage phagocytosis. Furthermore, the whole-genome sequencing of the mutant revealed that there exist multiple mutations which may play a role in phage resistance and altered virulence. Altogether, this study demonstrates that resistance to phage can significantly alter phenotypes associated with virulence in Acinetobacter baumannii. Full article

The practical application of BFRPB (Basalt Fiber-Reinforced Polymer Bars) as a support structure in foundation pit and slope engineering is relatively under-researched. The indoor tensile test presented in this paper is carried out on the bond between BFRPB and different labelled concrete. The mechanical characteristics of BFRPB, the failure characteristics, and the load-carrying capacity were analyzed. The results of this study demonstrate that the normal section stress of concrete cylindrical components with BFRP has a good linear relationship and supports the rationality of the flat section assumption. In circular reinforced concrete BFRP structures, the failure of the pile load occurs in four phases, and the cracking load is in the range of 51% to 67% of the normal yield load. The main bars increase in strain with load but become attenuated in the compression zone. The deformation of the main bars increases with the load but becomes muted in the compression zone. Based on the method of calculating the load-carrying capacity of GFRP-reinforced RC piles and the normal limit load-carrying moment obtained from in-door tests, the bending moment correction coefficient in the calculation formula for the load-carrying capacity of BFRP-reinforced RC piles was then obtained. Full article

The compression of images for efficient storage and transmission is crucial in handling large data volumes. Lossy image compression reduces storage needs but introduces perceptible distortions affected by content, compression levels, and display environments. Each compression method generates specific visual anomalies like blocking, blurring, or color shifts. Standardizing efficient lossy compression necessitates evaluating perceptual quality. Objective measurements offer speed and cost efficiency, while subjective assessments, despite their cost and time implications, remain the gold standard. This paper delves into essential research queries to achieve visually lossless images. The paper describes the influence of compression on image quality, appropriate objective image quality metrics (IQMs), and the effectiveness of subjective assessment methods. It also provides an overview of the existing literature, surveys, and subjective and objective image quality assessment (IQA) methods. Our aim is to offer insights, identify challenges in existing methodologies, and assist researchers in selecting the most effective assessment approach for their needs. Full article

Nodulation is the most efficient nitrate assimilation system in the ecosystem, while excessive fertilization has an increased nitrate inhibition effect; deciphering the nitrate signal transduction mechanism in the process is of the utmost importance. In this study, genome-wide analyses of the GmCEP genes were applied to identify nodulation-related CEP genes; 22 GmCEP family members were identified, while GmCEP6 was mainly expressed in nodules and significantly responded to nitrate treatment and rhizobium infection, especially in later stages. Overexpression and CRISPR-Cas9 were used to validate its role in nodulation. We found that GmCEP6 overexpression significantly increased the nodule number, while GmCEP6 knock-out significantly decreased the nodule number, which suggests that GmCEP6 functions as a positive regulator in soybean nodulation. qRT-PCR showed that alterations in the expression of GmCEP6 affected the expression of marker genes in the Nod factor signaling pathway. Lastly, the function of GmCEP6 in nitrate inhibition of nodulation was analyzed; nodule numbers in the GmCEP6-overexpressed roots significantly increased under nitrogen treatments, which suggests that GmCEP6 functions in the resistance to nitrate inhibition. The study helps us understand that GmCEP6 promotes nodulation and participates in the regulation of nitrate inhibition of nodulation, which is of great significance for high efficiency utilization of nitrogen in soybeans. Full article

Complementary and Alternative Medicines (CAMs) constitute products and practices not considered allopathic medicine. CAM use is high in children, but little is known about factors that may influence parents using CAM with their child. This study aimed to determine the variables associated with CAM use in children with a prospective study among children and their parents attending a tertiary care hospital in New Zealand (NZ). Outcomes included current CAM use, parental opinions on CAM, parental health literacy and child well-being. This study was completed by 130 parents (85% female), and the mean child age was 6.7 years. CAM use was reported for 59 (45%) children, the most common being oral supplements and body manipulation. Children were more likely to use CAM if their parent had higher health literacy (p = 0.001), and if they had previously attended the emergency department within 12 months (p = 0.03). There was no association between child well-being and CAM use. Parental opinion of using CAM only if a doctor recommended it was associated with CAM use for their child (p = 0.01). Only 40% of parents disclosed their child’s CAM use to the medical team. This study highlights that parental health literacy influences the use of CAM for children in NZ, providing insight for translational research to improve CAM safety and disclosure rates in NZ. Full article