Browse Articles

Evaluation and optimisation of regular RC frame structures of varying heights with graphene oxide

Prevalence and diagnostic reliability of BRAF, RAS mutations, and RET/PTC rearrangements in a Latin American public health service population with thyroid nodular disease

Despite their high prevalence and generally benign nature in most cases, the investigation of thyroid nodules still presents potential diagnostic pitfalls, especially in cases with indeterminate cytology results. The performance of molecular markers of thyroid cancer may vary across centers and populations. This study aimed to verify the prevalence of mutations in the BRAF, and RAS genes, and RET/PTC rearrangements in patients undergoing fine-needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) for thyroid nodule evaluation in a real-world public health service population. Point mutations and rearrangements were detected by Sanger DNA sequencing. A total of 231 thyroid nodules in 220 patients were evaluated, being 86.8% females and a mean age of 55.6 ± 13.9 years. For molecular analysis, high-quality DNA and RNA were obtained from 200 samples. Mutations or rearrangements in target genes were identified in 14% of the 200 samples evaluated. The frequency of the BRAF-like mutations was 5.5%, detected in 9 out of 17 malignant nodules (52.9%) and one in a benign nodule (0.7%). Fourteen RAS-like mutations were identified in benign nodules (57.1% HRAS, 21.5% NRAS and 21.5% KRAS) and only one was present in a malignant nodule (5.9%). Considering only nodules with indeterminate cytology (Bethesda III and IV, n = 53), 9 mutations were detected, 6 in benign histology (all RAS-like), 1 in malignant histology (BRAF-like), and 2 still unoperated, therefore without a histopathological diagnosis. This research concludes that the presence of the BRAF V600E mutation could be useful in supporting the diagnosis of thyroid cancer, due to its high positive predictive value, since 89% of nodules with BRAF V600E mutation were malignant. Additionally, clinical criteria should be established to determine which nodules with RAS-like mutations require closer follow-up, particularly those with indeterminate cytology.

Observer based resilient security control for networked nondeterministic Markovian jump systems with cyber attacks and its applications

Association between serum anion gap and all-cause mortality in critically ill patients with diabetic kidney disease: Analysis of the MIMIC-IV database

Background Diabetic kidney disease (DKD) is one of the most common diabetic complications and is closely related to metabolic acidosis. The serum anion gap (AG), an important index of acid-base balance, may reflect disturbed metabolism and be correlated with increased mortality risk. However, the role of AG in all-cause mortality risk in individuals suffering from severe DKD is not yet clear. Methods In this study, patients identified with a diagnosis of severe DKD utilizing MIMIC-IV database were determined. They were subsequently divided into four quartiles based on their serum AG levels. The findings consisted of in-hospital deaths and ICU deaths. The relationship between serum AG levels of severe DKD patients and clinical outcomes was elucidated using Cox proportional hazards regression analysis and RCS analysis. Results In total, 1,716 patients (66.43% male) received treatment, with in-hospital and ICU mortality rates reaching 16.43% and 13.17%, respectively. Multivariate Cox regression analysis revealed that elevated serum AG levels were remarkably linked to all-cause mortalities. When adjusted for confounders, elevated serum AG levels correlated notably with in-hospital mortality [HR = 1.09(95%CI:1.07,1.11)P < 0.0001] and ICU mortality [HR = 1.10(95%CI:1.07,1.12)P < 0.0001]. RCS analysis showed that serum AG levels were positively correlated in a linear fashion with all-cause death risk. Conclusion Serum AG shows a significant positive correlation with all-cause mortalities in hospitals and ICU settings among patients with severe DKD. This suggests that serum AG could serve as a potential indication for recognizing DKD individuals with an increased overall risk of all-cause death.

An efficient approach for mathematical modeling and parameter estimation of PEM fuel based on Young’s double-slit experiment algorithm

Evolutionary origins and life-history correlates of coloniality in the epiphytic fern genus Platycerium (Polypodiaceae)

Many animals live in cooperative groups comprised of morphologically differentiated individuals that subdivide labour to help the group persist in harsh, unpredictable environments. Recently it has been shown that a colonial fern from Australasia, Platycerium bifurcatum (Polypodiaceae), sub-divides labour similarly, with individuals producing morphologically different fronds depending on their vertical position within the colony. The genus contains approximately 18 taxa, which range from solitary to colonial. Whether other Platycerium species exhibit similar morphological differentiation remains poorly understood, and the evolutionary origins of coloniality along with its life-history correlates across the genus remain unknown. Here, we use ancestral state reconstruction to explore the evolution of coloniality and morphologically differentiated division of labour in the genus Platycerium. We found coloniality to be likely ancestral in Platycerium, with the condition being lost twice across the phylogeny. Eight Platycerium species exhibited colonies with morphologically differentiated individuals. This condition is derived and likely evolved twice within the genus. Coloniality was also negatively correlated with nest frond length and width but was unrelated to strap frond length. Overall, results reveal the evolutionary origins and life-history correlates of coloniality across the genus Platycerium, and support a scenario in which a colonial species with morphologically variable colony members evolved gradually from a solitary species.

Decontaminant activity of volume dielectric barrier discharge against Fusarium spp. on barley seeds

A comparative analysis of syntactic complexity in argumentative essays from rhetorical perspective: ChatGPT vs. English native speakers

This study investigates the syntactic complexity of argumentative essays generated by ChatGPT in comparison to those written by native speakers. By examining cross-rhetorical-stage variation in syntactic complexity, we explore how ChatGPT’s writing aligns with or diverges from human argumentative writing. The results reveal that ChatGPT and native speakers exhibit similar patterns in mean length of sentence in the thesis stage, mean length of T-unit and complex nominals per T-unit in the conclusion stage. However, ChatGPT showed a preference for coordination structures across all stages, relying more on parallel constructions, and native speakers used subordination structure and verb phrases more frequently across all stages. Additionally, ChatGPT’s syntactic complexity was characterized by lower variability across multiple measures, indicating a more uniform and formulaic output. These findings underscore the differences between ChatGPT and native speakers in syntactic complexity and rhetorical functions in argumentative essays, therefore contributing to our understanding of ChatGPT’s argumentative writing performance and providing valuable insights for ChatGPT integration into writing instruction.

Nanopore sequencing reveals the genomic diversity of the variants of concern of SARS-CoV-2 during 2021 disease outbreak in Pakistan

Fibrosis-4 index as a predictor of all-cause and cardiovascular mortality in patients with chronic kidney disease

This study utilized data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2005–2020 (n = 28,231, including 4,907 chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients) with weighted analyses and, through variance inflation factor (VIF) assessment to verify covariate selection, supported model validity, to demonstrate for the first time that the Fibrosis-4 (FIB4) index serves as an independent predictor of all-cause and cardiovascular disease (CVD)-related mortality in CKD patients. Weighted logistic regression confirmed FIB4 index as a significant independent predictor of CKD risk (fully adjusted odds ratios (OR) 1.85, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.64–2.08), with strong dose-response gradient (Q4 OR 3.51–6.02). Multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression models revealed that each 1-unit increase in the FIB4 index was associated with a 34% elevated risk of all-cause mortality (hazard ratio (HR) = 1.34, 95%CI: 1.27–1.41, p < 0.001) and a 34% increased risk of CVD mortality (HR = 1.34, 95% CI: 1.24–1.44, p < 0.001). Restricted cubic spline (RCS) analysis identified nonlinear threshold effects at inflection points of 1.84 (all-cause mortality) and 1.74 (CVD mortality), with mortality risks escalating sharply beyond these thresholds (all-cause HR = 2.57; CVD HR = 2.85). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis demonstrated robust predictive performance (area under the curve (AUC): 0.799 for all-cause mortality; 0.801 for CVD mortality). Subgroup analyses highlighted heightened risks among non-Hispanic Black individuals, older adults, and those with low physical activity. Mediation analysis indicated that neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) mediated 5.48% of the FIB4–all-cause mortality association and 5.83% of the CVD mortality association, though direct effects predominated (94.52% and 94.17%, respectively). These findings establish the FIB4 index as a practical, evidence-based tool for risk stratification in CKD patients, offering critical insights for personalized clinical management.

Critical velocity criterion of explosive charges initiated by fragment impact considering impact angle and charge radius

Detection of false position attacks in VANETs through bagging ensemble learning

Vehicular Ad-hoc Networks (VANETs) are critical to Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS), enabling vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) and vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) communication to improve road safety and traffic flow. However, VANETs face significant security threats, particularly position falsification attacks, where malicious nodes disseminate false Basic Safety Messages (BSMs). This study proposes an ensemble learning framework to detect such attacks, leveraging Decision Tree (CART), Random Forest, K-Nearest Neighbors (KNN), and Multilayer Perceptron (MLP) classifiers enhanced with bagging. Using the VeReMi dataset, our RSU-level detection system analyzes sequential BSMs to detect malicious behavior. Results demonstrate that KNN with bagging achieves perfect precision, recall, accuracy, and F1 score (100%) for Attack 1, while maintaining near-perfect performance for complex attacks like Attack 2 (99.87% accuracy) and Attack 16 (97.85% accuracy). Decision Tree with bagging also performs well for simpler attacks but experiences a slight decline for highly complex scenarios. Random Forest with bagging excels in simpler attacks but struggles with complex patterns. MLP with bagging shows strong results for simpler attacks but underperforms in complex scenarios. The proposed framework highlights the effectiveness of ensemble techniques, particularly KNN with bagging, in safeguarding VANET communication systems, offering a scalable, efficient, and robust solution for VANET security.

A non-canonical fungal peroxisome PTS-1 signal, SYM, and its evolutionary aspects

Abstract Proteins localized to peroxisomes, particularly those expressed under specific conditions or in low abundance, are often undetected by routine proteomics methods due to detection sensitivity limits. In silico identification and experimental validation of peroxisomal targeting signals (PTSs) offer a reliable alternative. We demonstrate that SYM, a non-canonical plant PTS-1 signal, functions similarly in Aspergillus nidulans, as GFP tagged with a SYM C-terminal tripeptide localizes to peroxisomes. One of two native A. nidulans proteins with C-terminal SYM tripeptide shows weak peroxisomal localization alongside cytoplasmic presence, indicating that only a subset of proteins with non-canonical signals access peroxisomes. In silico analysis of 1,010 fungal genomes identified diverse SYM-proteins with variable functions, suggesting that non-canonical PTS-1 signals may evolve spontaneously. Two-thirds of SYM-proteins are predicted to localize to specific intracellular compartments other than the peroxisome. We propose that despite their predicted localization, these proteins possessing SYM as a non-canonical peroxisomal signal might also have peroxisomal presence. Among SYM-proteins, pectinesterases, known plant pathogen virulence factors, were frequent. Notably, 25% of fungal pectinesterases harbor non-canonical PTS-1 signals, suggesting that partial peroxisomal localization of pectinesterases has evolved convergently. This suggests that partial peroxisomal localization may enhance protein functional flexibility, contributing to the organism’s adaptability.

Locality matters: Variation in the reproductive cycle and population structure of subtropical sea urchins

The life cycle of many Echinoidea species remains poorly understood despite research conducted in temperate and tropical-subtropical regions. Common species in the Central-Eastern Atlantic’s shallow waters include Paracentrotus lividus, Arbacia lixula, and Sphaerechinus granularis. Nevertheless, significant gaps in understanding their life cycles persist. This study discusses the reproductive cycles of three sea urchin species in rocky coastal ecosystems around Gran Canaria Island (Spain) (27º45´N, 15º45´W) from June 2020 to May 2021. Morphological measurements reveal that test length increases without a corresponding weight gain. The average size at first maturity (L50) was greater in females (A. lixula 46.26 mm; P. lividus 46.03 mm; S. granularis 49.67 mm SL) than in males (A. lixula 43.55 mm; P. lividus 42.82 mm; S. granularis 48.57 mm SL). The gonadosomatic index in females exceeded that of males. Histological analysis showed oocytes at various developmental stages, indicating asynchronous ovarian development with successive batch spawning seasons. Reproductive activity was generally observed during the warm season for all three species, likely coinciding with increased nutrient availability in Canarian waters. Notably, P. lividus was the only species to show two reproductive seasons annually in San Cristobal. DNA analysis confirmed species identification and provided new fragments of the COI gene, now available in GenBank for future population analysis. These findings represent the first reproductive data for these species in the North Atlantic region, offering valuable insights into their populations and establishing baseline information for managing sea urchin populations.

Effects of inpatient treatment of adolescents with anorexia nervosa are associated with body representation: a monocentric pilot study

Abstract This monocentric pilot study investigates the relationship between nutritional treatment and body representation distortion in adolescents with Anorexia Nervosa (AN) using the Rubber Hand Illusion (RHI) task. A total of 28 adolescents participated, including 14 patients with restrictive AN and 14 healthy controls. The RHI and Robot Hand Illusion (RoHI) tasks were conducted, with assessments taken at admission and discharge for the AN group. Sense of Ownership (SO) and Sense of Agency (SA) rated via 7-item Likert; proprioceptive drift was millimetre shift in perceived hand position after stimulation vs baseline under congruent (sync/in-phase) or incongruent (async/out-of-phase) feedback. Results showed that all groups exhibited higher SO scores in the synchronous condition compared to the asynchronous condition in the RHI task. In the RoHI task, AN patients at admission displayed significantly higher SA scores in the in-phase than in the out-of-phase condition. Notably, SO scores in the RHI task at discharge were positively correlated with weight recovery one month post-discharge (ρ = 0.59). These findings suggest that inpatient treatment influences body representation in adolescents with AN and that changes in body perception may serve as an indicator of treatment effectiveness.

Endovascular repair of type B acute aortic syndromes involving the left subclavian artery: A retrospective single-centre study

Background The mid-term outcomes of using the Castor single branched stent graft to treat patients with type B acute aortic syndromes (AASs) involving the left subclavian artery (LSA) were unclear. This study aims to evaluate the mid-term efficacy of the Castor single branched stent graft in the treatment of type B AASs involving the LSA. Methods The retrospective study enrolled patients with type B AASs involving the LSA who were consecutively admitted to our hospital between January 1, 2019 and October 30, 2023. Patients underwent thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) using the Castor device. The clinical data of these patients were collected, and their outcomes were followed. Results This study included 106 patients, comprising those presenting with aortic dissection (AD) (n = 93), penetrating aortic ulcer (PAU) (n = 9), and intramural haematoma (IMH) (n = 4). All patients achieved the technical success. After a median follow-up period of 454 days (range: 359–771 days), all patients demonstrated survival, with 14 (14.4%) patients experiencing complications, including acute myocardial infarction (AMI, n = 1), endoleaks (n = 7), stenosis of the branched section(n = 3), stent graft-induced new entry tear (SINE, n = 2), and progressive aortic dilation (n = 1). Among the endoleaks, there were 1 Type Ib, 2 Type II, and 4 Type IV cases. Among the enrolled patients, two required re-intervention. No retrograde type A aortic dissection (RTAD), paraplegia or stroke were observed during the follow-up period. Conclusion The Castor device provided an easily manipulated, safe, and effective treatment option for patients with type B AASs involving the LSA.

Systematic analysis of potato MYB family genes and their potential functions in anthocyanin biosynthesis

Interactions of substrates and phosphinyl containing inhibitors with bacterial and human zinc proteases

Inhibitors of bacterial virulence is suggested to be a promising strategy in the fight against bacterial resistance. The zinc metalloproteases (MPs) thermolysin (TLN), pseudolysin (PLN, LasB) and aureolysin (ALN) are bacterial virulence factors from the M4 family of proteases structurally resembling human zinc MPs. Knowledge about the binding modes of substrates and inhibitors with the bacterial and human zinc MPs is therefore fundamental for developing inhibitors without strong off-target effects. In the present paper, we studied the molecular interactions and cleavage of TLN, the prototype enzyme of the M4 family, with the substrate Mca-Arg-Pro-Pro-Gly-Phe-Ser-Ala-Phe-Lys(Dnp)-OH (ES005) by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. Enzyme inhibition kinetic studies were used to test 5 compounds (H-1 - H-5) containing phosphinyl as the zinc binding group for their inhibition of TLN, PLN and ALN and of the human matrix metalloproteases MMP-9 and MMP-14. The MALDI-TOF MS results revealed that TLN cleaves ES005 at three sites. The most abundant cleavages were between Ala and Phe, and between Gly and Phe, while the third was between Ser and Ala. MD simulations with Ala or Gly in the S1 subpocket and Phe in S1’ subpocket gave stable interactions between ES005 and TLN. The MD simulations with Ser in the S1 subpocket and Ala in the S1’ subpocket showed larger movements of the substrate relative to the catalytic site than the others, which may explain that the Ser-Ala cleavage product was less abundant than the cleavage products from Ala-Phe and Gly-Phe. H-1 inhibited MMP-14 and MMP-9 with inhibition constants ranging from 0.89 to 30 μM but did not inhibit the bacterial zinc MPs. Induced fit docking showed that the aromatic group of H-1, that entered the S1’ subpocket of the human MMPs, is too big for the S1’ subpocket of the bacterial zinc MPs. H-2 inhibited the human MMPs with inhibition constants ranging from 0.53 μM (MMP-9) to 3.0 μM (MMP-14) and the bacterial zinc MPs with inhibition constants ranging from 2.5 μM (TLN) to 80 μM (ALN). Induced fit docking indicated that H-2 interacted quite differently with the human and bacterial zinc proteases, but with primed and unprimed subpockets in both. H-3, H-4 and H-5 did not inhibit any of the zinc MPs with inhibition constants < 100 μM. The MD simulations of ES005 with TLN showed that the MALDI-TOF MS results could be explained by that a Phe in S1’ subpocket generate more stable interaction with TLN than an Ala in that subpocket. The docking studies indicated that the size of the S1’ subpocket is an important determinant for inhibitor selectivity between bacterial and human zinc MPs.

STELLA provides a drug design framework enabling extensive fragment-level chemical space exploration and balanced multi-parameter optimization

Study of the rice yield variations under water saving scenarios using DSSAT crop model

The current instability of water resources poses a major challenge and may lead to a food shortage crisis. To address this issue and to cope with the challenges of future extreme weather events and insufficient water resources, it is imperative to develop water-saving cultivation measures. This study used the long-term historical yield data of three rice varieties, TK9, TNG67 and TCS10, from an agricultural research station in Taiwan, simulated two water-saving cultivation experiments using the DSSAT crop model, and established a yield model based on the water-saving ratio, aiming to recommend appropriate irrigation water for Taiwan rice varieties. The goal was to save water while ensuring that the yield is not affected. Through water-saving cultivation simulation experiments, we estimated that under the condition of maintaining more than 90% of rice yield, water-saving irrigation treatment of rice in two different cropping seasons can save about 48% to 100% and 42% to 61% of irrigation water respectively. For irrigation treatment during sensitive growth stages, significant water-saving effects can be achieved, which are about 40% to 75% and 55% to 91% respectively. This study suggests that in the case of water shortage, it is possible to consider moderately increasing the water-saving ratio and implementing irrigation during sensitive growth periods, so as to effectively cope with future water shortage scenarios and achieve sustainable rice production while saving water resources.