Glial expression of a steroidogenic enzyme underlies natural variation in hitchhiking behavior.

Phoresy is an interspecies interaction that facilitates spatial dispersal by attaching to a more mobile species. Hitchhiking species have evolved specific traits for physical contact and successful phoresy, but the regulatory mechanisms involved in such traits and their evolution are largely unexplored. The nematode Caenorhabditis elegans displays a hitchhiking behavior known as nictation during its stress-induced developmental stage. Dauer-specific nictation behavior has an important role in natural C. elegans populations, which experience boom-and-bust population dynamics. In this study, we investigated the nictation behavior of 137 wild C. elegans strains sampled throughout the world. We identified species-wide natural variation in nictation and performed a genome-wide association mapping. We show that the variants in the promoter of nta-1, encoding a putative steroidogenic enzyme, underlie differences in nictation. This difference is due to the changes in nta-1 expression in glial cells, which implies that glial steroid metabolism regulates phoretic behavior. Population genetic analysis and geographic distribution patterns suggest that balancing selection maintained two nta-1 haplotypes that existed in ancestral C. elegans populations. Our findings contribute to further understanding of the molecular mechanism of species interaction and the maintenance of genetic diversity within natural populations.

Surface-Originated Weak Confinement in Tetrahedral Indium Arsenide Quantum Dots.

While the shape-dependent quantum confinement (QC) effect in anisotropic semiconductor nanocrystals has been extensively studied, the QC in facet-specified polyhedral quantum dots (QDs) remains underexplored. Recently, tetrahedral nanocrystals have gained prominence in III-V nanocrystal synthesis. In our study, we successfully synthesized well-faceted tetrahedral InAs QDs with a first excitonic absorption extending up to 1700 nm. We observed an unconventional sizing curve, indicating weaker confinement than for equivalently volumed spherical QDs. The (111) surface states of InAs QDs persist at the conduction band minimum state even after ligand passivation with a significantly reduced band gap, which places tetrahedral QDs at lower energies in the sizing curve. Consequently, films composed of tetrahedral QDs demonstrate an extended photoresponse into the short-wave infrared region, compared to isovolume spherical QD films.

Characteristics and biomarkers associated with mortality in COVID-19 patients presenting to the emergency department.

This study aimed to investigate the diverse clinical manifestations and simple early biomarkers predicting mortality of COVID-19 patients admitted to the emergency department (ED). A total of 710 patients with COVID-19 were enrolled from 6,896 patients presenting to the ED between January 2022 and March 2022. During the study period, a total of 478 patients tested positive for COVID-19, among whom 222 (46.4%) presented with extrapulmonary manifestations of COVID-19; 49 (10.3%) patients displayed gastrointestinal manifestations, followed by neurological (n = 41; 8.6%) and cardiac manifestations (n = 31; 6.5%). In total, 54 (11.3%) patients died. A Cox proportional hazards model revealed that old age, acute kidney injury at presentation, increased total leukocyte counts, low platelet counts, decreased albumin levels, and increased LDH levels were the independent predictors of mortality. The albumin levels exhibited the highest area under the curve in receiver operating characteristic analysis, with a value of 0.860 (95% confidence interval, 0.796-0.875). The study showed the diverse clinical presentations and simple-to-measure prognostic markers in COVID-19 patients presenting to the ED. Serum albumin levels can serve as a novel and simple early biomarker to identify COVID-19 patients at high risk of death.

Spatiotemporal Changes in the Slavery-Inequality Relationship: The Diffusion of the Legacy of Slavery.

Despite the persistence of relationships between historical racist violence and contemporary Black-White inequality, research indicates, in broad strokes, that the slavery-inequality relationship in the United States has changed over time. Identifying the timing of such change across states can offer insights into the underlying processes that generate Black-White inequality. In this study, we use integrated nested Laplace approximation models to simultaneously account for spatial and temporal features of panel data for Southern counties during the period spanning 1900 to 2018, in combination with data on the concentration of enslaved people from the 1860 census. Results provide the first evidence on the timing of changes in the slavery-economic inequality relationship and how changes differ across states. We find a region-wide decline in the magnitude of the slavery-inequality relationship by 1930, with declines traversing the South in a northeasterly-to-southwesterly pattern over the study period. Different paces in declines in the relationship across states suggest the expansion of institutionalized racism first in places with the longest-standing overt systems of slavery. Results provide guidance for further identifying intervening mechanisms-most centrally, the maturity of racial hierarchies and the associated diffusion of racial oppression across institutions, and how they affect the legacy of slavery in the United States.

The Potentiality of Natural Products and Herbal Medicine as Novel Medications for Parkinson's Disease: A Promising Therapeutic Approach.

As the global population ages, the prevalence of Parkinson's disease (PD) is steadily on the rise. PD demonstrates chronic and progressive characteristics, and many cases can transition into dementia. This increases societal and economic burdens, emphasizing the need to find effective treatments. Among the widely recognized causes of PD is the abnormal accumulation of proteins, and autophagy dysfunction accelerates this accumulation. The resultant Lewy bodies are also commonly found in Alzheimer's disease patients, suggesting an increased potential for the onset of dementia. Additionally, the production of free radicals due to mitochondrial dysfunction contributes to neuronal damage and degeneration. The activation of astrocytes and the M1 phenotype of microglia promote damage to dopamine neurons. The drugs currently used for PD only delay the clinical progression and exacerbation of the disease without targeting its root cause, and come with various side effects. Thus, there is a demand for treatments with fewer side effects, with much potential offered by natural products. In this study, we reviewed a total of 14 articles related to herbal medicines and natural products and investigated their relevance to possible PD treatment. The results showed that the reviewed herbal medicines and natural products are effective against lysosomal disorder, mitochondrial dysfunction, and inflammation, key mechanisms underlying PD. Therefore, natural products and herbal medicines can reduce neurotoxicity and might improve both motor and non-motor symptoms associated with PD. Furthermore, these products, with their multi-target effects, enhance bioavailability, inhibit antibiotic resistance, and might additionally eliminate side effects, making them good alternative therapies for PD treatment.

Identification of 2,4-Di-tert-butylphenol as a Novel Agonist for Insect Odorant Receptors.

Odorant molecules interact with odorant receptors (ORs) lining the pores on the surface of the sensilla on an insect's antennae and maxillary palps. This interaction triggers an electrical signal that is transmitted to the insect's nervous system, thereby influencing its behavior. Orco, an OR coreceptor, is crucial for olfactory transduction, as it possesses a conserved sequence across the insect lineage. In this study, we focused on 2,4-di-tert-butylphenol (DTBP), a single substance present in acetic acid bacteria culture media. We applied DTBP to oocytes expressing various Drosophila melanogaster odor receptors and performed electrophysiology experiments. After confirming the activation of DTBP on the receptor, the binding site was confirmed through point mutations. Our findings confirmed that DTBP interacts with the insect Orco subunit. The 2-heptanone, octanol, and 2-hexanol were not activated for the Orco homomeric channel, but DTBP was activated, and the EC50 value was 13.4 ± 3.0 µM. Point mutations were performed and among them, when the W146 residue changed to alanine, the Emax value was changed from 1.0 ± 0 in the wild type to 0.0 ± 0 in the mutant type, and all activity was decreased. Specifically, DTBP interacted with the W146 residue of the Orco subunit, and the activation manner was concentration-dependent and voltage-independent. This molecular-level analysis provides the basis for novel strategies to minimize pest damage. DTBP, with its specific binding to the Orco subunit, shows promise as a potential pest controller that can exclusively target insects.

Evaluating bacterial contamination and surgical site infection risks in intracorporeal anastomosis: Role of bowel preparation.

We recently read the study by Kayano et al on intracorporeal anastomosis (IA) for colon cancer, which assessed bacterial contamination and medium-term oncological outcomes and affirmed that IA is analogous to extracorporeal anastomosis in reducing intraperitoneal bacterial risk and achieving similar oncological results. Our commentary addresses gaps, particularly concerning bowel preparation and surgical site infections (SSIs), and highlights the need for comprehensive details on the bowel preparation methods that are currently employed, including mechanical bowel preparation, oral antibiotics (OA), their combination, and specific OA types. We emphasize the necessity for further analyses that investigate these methods and their correlation with SSI rates, to enhance clinical protocol guidance and optimize surgical outcomes. Such meticulous analyses are essential for refining strategies to effectively mitigate SSI risk in colorectal surgeries.

The Ray Method: Aesthetic and Simple Technique for Prosthesis Coverage in Prepectoral Breast Reconstruction.

In prepectoral breast reconstruction, the acellular dermal matrix (ADM) is commonly used to envelop breast implants. Various wrapping methods have been proposed. We present a simple but aesthetic method (ie, the ray method) for wrapping in prepectoral breast reconstruction. Without any complicated design, we folded the four corners of one large ADM and sewed them together to completely envelop the implant. Then, the 6 o'clock corner of the ADM envelope was folded up and sutured to make a pentagonal shape. The other corners of the ADM envelope were quilted to determine the position and movement of the internal implant. Additional sutures were placed on the ADM envelope to separate the implant from the host tissue. The folded 6 o'clock corner was cut to a convex contour and had a diagonal gap to prevent the collection of fluid in the ADM envelope. Finally, the wrapped implant was inserted in the postmastectomy space, and the ADM envelope was spread widely to support soft tissue effectively. This simple design is straightforward for inexperienced surgeons and reduces operation time. The position and movement of the breast implant in the ADM envelope can be easily controlled by using quilted sutures. Subclavian depression and step-off deformities can be minimized by this wide-stretched ADM. By total coverage with a large ADM, the breast implant is separated from the surrounding tissue, and foreign body reactions are reduced. This method is reliable for maximizing the aesthetic advantages of prepectoral direct-to-implant breast reconstruction.

Correction: Evaluating the dispersibility of rGO prepared using a solvothermal method with DMF and its application as a CDI electrode material: recovery of sp2-hybridized carbon.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1039/D4RA03387F.].

Effect of a solvothermal method using DMF on the dispersibility of rGO, application of rGO as a CDI electrode material, and recovery of sp2-hybridized carbon.

Graphene is prized for its large surface area and superior electrical properties. Efforts to maximize the electrical conductivity of graphene commonly result in the recovery of sp2-hybridized carbon in the form of reduced graphene oxide (rGO). However, rGO shows poor dispersibility and aggregation when mixed with other materials without hydrophilic functional groups, This could lead to electrode delamination, agglomeration, and reduced efficiency. This study focuses on the impact of solvothermal reduction on the dispersibility and capacitance of rGO compared with chemical reduction. The results show that the dispersibility of rGO-D obtained through solvothermal reduction using N,N-dimethylformamide improved compared to that obtained through chemical reduction (rGO-H). Furthermore, when utilized as a material for CDI, an improvement in deionization efficiency was observed in the AC@rGO-D-based CDI system compared to AC@rGO-H and AC. However, the specific surface area, a key factor affecting CDI efficiency, was higher in rGO-H (249.572 m2 g-1) than in rGO-D (150.661 m2 g-1). While AC@rGO-H is expected to exhibit higher deionization efficiency due to its greater specific surface area, the opposite was observed. This highlights the effect of the improved dispersibility of rGO-D and underscores its potential as a valuable material for CDI applications.

Reconstruction of Orbital Wall Fractures with a Combination of Resorbable Plates and Antibiotic-Impregnated Collagen Sheets.

(1) Background: Orbital wall fractures are common in maxillofacial trauma, and artificial implants are often used for reconstruction. However, there has always been concern about infection because implants are directly exposed to the airway. This study was conducted to determine the effectiveness of a combination of resorbable plates and antibiotic-impregnated collagen sheets in reconstructions of orbital fractures and to determine whether it had an effect in reducing postoperative antibiotic use. (2) Methods: The retrospective study was conducted on 195 patients who underwent orbital wall reconstruction from March 2019 to August 2022. The 176 patients in the control group underwent reconstruction using only resorbable plates and were administered postoperative antibiotics for 5 to 7 days. On the other hand, the 19 patients in the experimental group underwent reconstruction using a combination of resorbable plates and antibiotic-impregnated collagen sheets and only received antibiotics once before surgery. The occurrence of ocular complications, the length of hospitalization, the infection incidence rate, and the adverse effects of antibiotics were investigated. (3) Results: significant ocular complications were observed in the experimental group during a follow-up period of more than 1 year. Regarding postoperative infections, there were two cases of infection in the control group (infection rate: 1.14%), while no infection was found in the experimental group. The hospitalization period of the experimental group was significantly shorter than that of the control group (p < 0.01), and the incidence of total adverse effects of antibiotics, especially nausea, was lower in the experimental group (p = 0.02). (4) Conclusions: The combined use of resorbable plates and antibiotic-impregnated collagen sheets allows effective orbital wall reconstruction without infection, with a shorter hospital stay, and with fewer antibiotic adverse effects.

Crystallographic and Photophysical Analysis on Facet-Controlled Defect-Free Blue-Emitting Quantum Dots.

The burgeoning demand for commercializing self-luminescing quantum dot (QD) light-emitting diodes (LEDs) has stimulated extensive research into environmentally friendly and efficient QD materials. Hydrofluoric acid (HF) additive improves photoluminescence (PL) properties of blue-emitting ZnSeTe QDs, ultimately reaching a remarkable quantum yield (QY) of 97% with an ultranarrow peak width of 14 nm after sufficient HF addition. The improvement in optical properties of the QDs is accompanied by a morphology change of the particles, forming cubic-shaped defect-free ZnSeTe QDs characterized by a zinc blende (ZB) crystal structure. This treatment improves the QD-emitting properties by facilitating facet-specific growth, selectively exposing stabilized (100) facets, and reducing the lattice disorders. The facet-specific growth process gives rise to defect-free monodispersed cubic dots that exhibit remarkably narrow and homogeneous PL spectra. Meticulous time-resolved spectroscopic studies allow an understanding of the correlation between ZnSeTe QDs' particle shape and performance following HF addition. These investigations shed light on the intricacies of the growth mechanism and the factors influencing the PL efficiency of the resulting QDs. The findings significantly contribute to understanding the role of HF treatment in tailoring the optical properties of ZnSeTe QDs, thereby bringing it closer to the realization of highly efficient and bright QD-LEDs for various practical applications.

The contribution of an X chromosome QTL to non-Mendelian inheritance and unequal chromosomal segregation in Auanema freiburgense.

Auanema freiburgense is a nematode with males, females, and selfing hermaphrodites. When XO males mate with XX females, they typically produce a low proportion of XO offspring because they eliminate nullo-X spermatids. This process ensures that most sperm carry an X chromosome, increasing the likelihood of X chromosome transmission compared to random segregation. This occurs because of an unequal distribution of essential cellular organelles during sperm formation, likely dependent on the X chromosome. Some sperm components are selectively segregated into the X chromosome's daughter cell, while others are discarded with the nullo-X daughter cell. Intriguingly, the interbreeding of 2 A. freiburgense strains results in hybrid males capable of producing viable nullo-X sperm. Consequently, when these hybrid males mate with females, they yield a high percentage of male offspring. To uncover the genetic basis of nullo-spermatid elimination and X chromosome drive, we generated a genome assembly for A. freiburgense and genotyped the intercrossed lines. This analysis identified a quantitative trait locus spanning several X chromosome genes linked to the non-Mendelian inheritance patterns observed in A. freiburgense. This finding provides valuable clues to the underlying factors involved in asymmetric organelle partitioning during male meiotic division and thus non-Mendelian transmission of the X chromosome and sex ratios.

Relationship between Serum Total Testosterone Concentration and Metabolic Syndrome in Premenopausal Obese Women.

BACKGROUND: Men with low testosterone levels are at an increased risk of developing metabolic syndrome, irrespective of age or obesity. However, the relationship between metabolic syndrome and testosterone levels in women remains unclear. We compared the total testosterone concentrations between premenopausal obese women with and without metabolic syndrome and identified the factors affecting these concentrations. METHODS: A single-center retrospective analysis was conducted using the medical records of 580 premenopausal women with obesity. The diagnostic criteria for metabolic syndrome were established using the National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III guidelines. RESULTS: The mean±standard deviation age, weight, and body mass index were 38.8±8.4 years, 78.0±11.8 kg, and 30.0±4.1 kg/m2, respectively. The mean total testosterone concentration was lower in the metabolic syndrome group than in the non-metabolic syndrome group (n=385 vs. n=195; 0.22±0.10 ng/mL vs. 0.24±0.11 ng/mL; P<0.001). In a model adjusted for age, body mass index, skeletal muscle mass, body fat mass, and body fat percentage, the odds ratio for metabolic syndrome with respect to the total testosterone level was 0.128 (P=0.028). Testosterone concentration was negatively correlated with age (r=-0.334), systolic blood pressure (r=-0.084), and triglyceride concentration (r=-0.093) but positively correlated with weight (r=0.144), body mass index (r=0.140), waist circumference (r=0.133), body fat mass (r=0.167), and body fat percentage (r=0.167). Stepwise regression analysis revealed that age (ß=-0.004, P<0.001), body mass index (ß=0.003, P=0.004), and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol concentration (ß=0.001, P=0.019) were independently associated with total testosterone concentration (adjusted R2=12.6%). CONCLUSION: Metabolic syndrome and obesity may be independently associated with testosterone levels in premenopausal women with obesity.

Diagnosis of ADHD using virtual reality and artificial intelligence: an exploratory study of clinical applications.

Introduction: Diagnosis of Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is based on clinical evaluation of symptoms by a psychiatrist, referencing results of psychological tests. When diagnosing ADHD, the child's behavior and functionality in real-life situations are critical components. However, direct observation by a clinician is often not feasible in practice. Therefore, such information is typically gathered from primary caregivers or teachers, which can introduce subjective elements. To overcome these limitations, we developed AttnKare-D, an innovative digital diagnostic tool that could analyze children's behavioral data in Virtual Reality using Artificial Intelligence. The purpose of this study was to explore the utility and safety of AttnKare-D for clinical application. Method: A total of 21 children aged between 6 and 12 years were recruited for this study. Among them, 15 were children diagnosed with ADHD, 5 were part of a normal control group, and 1 child was excluded due to withdrawal of consent. Psychological assessments, including K-WISC, Conners CPT, K-ARS, and K-CBCL, were conducted for participants and their primary caregivers. Diagnoses of ADHD were confirmed by child and adolescent psychiatrists based on comprehensive face-to-face evaluations and results of psychological assessments. Participants underwent VR diagnostic assessment by performing various cognitive and behavioral tasks in a VR environment. Collected data were analyzed using an AI model to assess ADHD diagnosis and the severity of symptoms. Results: AttnKare-D demonstrated diagnostic performance with an AUC of 0.893 when compared to diagnoses made by child and adolescent psychiatrist, showing a sensitivity of 0.8 and a specificity of 1.0 at a cut-off score of 18.44. AttnKare-D scores showed a high correlation with K-ARS scores rated by parents and experts, although the correlation was relatively low for inattention scores. Conclusion: Results of this study suggest that AttnKare-D can be a useful tool for diagnosing ADHD in children. This approach has potential to overcome limitations of current diagnostic methods, enhancing the accuracy and objectivity of ADHD diagnoses. This study lays the groundwork for further improvement and research on diagnostic tools integrating VR and AI technologies. For future clinical applications, it is necessary to conduct clinical trials involving a sufficient number of participants to ensure reliable use.

Structural Modification and Characteristics of Lappaconitine Alkaloid for the Discovery of Bioactive Components by Hypervalent Iodine Reagent.

Lappaconitine, a diterpene alkaloid isolated from Aconitum sinomontanum Nakai, exhibits a wide range of biological activities, making it a promising candidate for the development of novel derivatives with therapeutic potential. In our research, we executed a two-step transformation via oxidative cleavage of lappaconitine's vicinal diol using the hypervalent iodine reagent PhI(OAc)2, followed by strong alkaline hydrolysis. This approach yielded four new unanticipated compounds, whose structures were identified by spectroscopic methods and/or X-ray crystallography. Thus, we proposed plausible reaction mechanisms for their formations and particularly investigated the remarkable diastereoselectivity for the formation of single stereoisomer 8 observed during the alkaline hydrolysis step. Among them, compound 8 (code name: QG3030) demonstrated both enhanced osteogenic differentiation of human mesenchymal stem cells and significant osteogenic effect in an ovariectomized rat model with no acute oral toxicity.

Adjuvant Chemotherapy for Upper Tract Urothelial Carcinoma: A Real-World, Retrospective Study.

PURPOSE: The aim of this retrospective study was to evaluate the efficacy of adjuvant cisplatin-based chemotherapy in patients with locally advanced upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC), administered following radical nephroureterectomy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients with UTUC, arising from renal pelvis or ureter, staged pT3/T4 or N+ were treated with adjuvant chemotherapy following surgery. The chemotherapy consisted of gemcitabine 1,000 mg/m2 on days 1 and 8, cisplatin 70 mg/m2 on day 1. Treatment was repeated every 3 weeks for up to 4 cycles. Endpoints included disease-free survival (DFS), metastasis-free survival (MFS), and safety. RESULTS: Among 89 eligible patients, 85 (95.5%) completed at least 3 cycles of adjuvant chemotherapy. Chemotherapy was well tolerated, the main toxicities being mild-to-moderate gastrointestinal toxic effects and pruritus. With a median follow-up of 37 months, median DFS was 30 months (95% confidence interval, 22 to 39), and the median MFS was not reached. The 3-year DFS and MFS were 44% and 56%, respectively. Multivariate analyses revealed that the main factor associated with DFS and MFS was the lymph node involvement, whereas age, T category, grade, or the primary site of UTUC were not significantly associated with DFS or MFS. CONCLUSION: Adjuvant cisplatin-based chemotherapy after radical surgery of pT3/T4 or N+ UTUC was feasible and may demonstrate benefits in DFS and MFS. Whether novel agents added to the chemotherapy regimen, as a concurrent combination or maintenance, impacts on survival or reduces the development of metastases remains to be studied.

Lazertinib versus Platinum-Based Chemotherapy with Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR)-Positive Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer after Failing EGFR-Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitor: A Real-World External Comparator Study.

BACKGROUND: Lazertinib is a third-generation tyrosine kinase inhibitor of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR-TKI) that selectively inhibit common EGFR mutation and T790M mutation in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients. No previous studies have compared lazertinib to platinum-based chemotherapy. We have compared lazertinib with platinum-based chemotherapy in EGFR-mutated NSCLC patients after previous EGFR-TKI therapy. METHODS: We retrospectively compared 200 patients from LASER201, LASER301, and LASER-PMS studies to 334 patients who were treated with platinum-based chemotherapy after previous EGFR-TKI from the Samsung Medical Center. After propensity score matching (PSM), we selected 156 patients from each group. The primary outcome was progression-free survival (PFS), with overall survival (OS), objective response rate (ORR), and time to treatment discontinuation (TTD) as secondary outcomes. RESULTS: The median follow-up of PFS was 15.61 months in the lazertinib group and 21.67 months in the external control group. The PFS was significantly longer in patients who were treated with lazertinib than those treated with platinum-based chemotherapy (10.97 months vs. 5.10 months; adjusted hazard ratio (HR) 0.40; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.29-0.55; p < 0.01) after PSM. Lazertinib showed superior OS (32.23 months vs. 18.73 months; adjusted HR 0.45; 95% CI, 0.29-0.69; p < 0.001), ORR (64.1% vs. 47.4%), and TTD (11.66 months vs. 6.73 months; adjusted HR 0.54; 95% CI, 0.39-0.75; p < 0.001) compared to platinum-based chemotherapy. CONCLUSION: Based on this retrospective, external control study, lazertinib has demonstrated significantly better efficacy compared with platinum-based chemotherapy. The external controls provide important context to evaluate efficacy in single-arm studies.

Comparative connectomics of dauer reveals developmental plasticity.

A fundamental question in neurodevelopmental biology is how flexibly the nervous system changes during development. To address this, we reconstructed the chemical connectome of dauer, an alternative developmental stage of nematodes with distinct behavioral characteristics, by volumetric reconstruction and automated synapse detection using deep learning. With the basic architecture of the nervous system preserved, structural changes in neurons, large or small, were closely associated with connectivity changes, which in turn evoked dauer-specific behaviors such as nictation. Graph theoretical analyses revealed significant dauer-specific rewiring of sensory neuron connectivity and increased clustering within motor neurons in the dauer connectome. We suggest that the nervous system in the nematode has evolved to respond to harsh environments by developing a quantitatively and qualitatively differentiated connectome.

Internal quality prediction technology for 'Sulhyang' strawberry fruit using organic analysis and hyperspectral imaging.

In recent years, hyperspectral imaging combined with machine learning techniques has garnered significant attention for its potential in assessing fruit maturity. This study proposes a method for predicting strawberry fruit maturity based on the harvest time. The main features of this study are as follows. 1) Selection of wavelength band associated with strawberry growth season; 2) Extraction of efficient parameters to predict strawberry maturity 3) Prediction of internal quality attributes of strawberries using extracted parameters. In this study, experts cultivated strawberries in a controlled environment and performed hyperspectral measurements and organic analyses on the fruit with minimal time delay to facilitate accurate modeling. Data augmentation techniques through cross-validation and interpolation were effective in improving model performance. The four parameters included in the model and the cumulative value of the model were available for quality prediction as additional parameters. Among these five parameter candidates, two parameters with linearity were finally identified. The predictive outcomes for firmness, soluble solids content, acidity, and anthocyanin levels in strawberry fruit, based on the two identified parameters, are as follows: The first parameter, ps, demonstrated RMSE performances of 1.0 N, 2.3 %, 0.1 %, and 2.0 mg per 100 g fresh fruit for firmness, soluble solids content, acidity, and anthocyanin, respectively. The second parameter, p3, showed RMSE performances of 0.6 N, 1.2 %, 0.1 %, and 1.8 mg per 100 g fresh fruit, respectively. The proposed non-destructive analysis method shows the potential to overcome the challenges associated with destructive testing methods for assessing certain internal qualities of strawberry fruit.