bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
First Contact with Cancer: Patients' Perceptions, Fears and Perspectives on the Treatment Process in Turkey
Authors: Oktay Esin , Demirkiran Ozge , Nigdelioglu Busra , Meydan Nezih
Published: January 2025

Objective: The number of cancer patients in the society is gradually increasing and cancer also brings psychological problems. Knowing the fears and concerns of the patient group in this difficult process, we should increase their compliance with the treatment process by empathising.
Materials and Methods: The questionnaires were completed face-to-face all of newly diagnosed cancer patients in this study between February 2018-July 2018. Demographic data of the patients were recorded, and questionnaire data were collected about their fears at the time of diagnosis, reactions from the environment, from whom they learnt the diagnosis, whom they trusted the most, and which type of treatment they were afraid of.
Results: Patients who learned their diagnosis coincidentally from other people were felt 12.8% more fear and more disturbance because of the reactions of the people around them than patients who learned from doctors (p= 0.00, p=0.028). Women were more afraid of leaving their families alone, while men were more afraid of death(p<0.05) Women trusted oncologists more than their husbands, while men trusted their wives more(p<0,01).
Conclusion: We have observed that patients' feelings are different according to age and gender when they are diagnosed with cancer, and we think that approaching them knowing these will add positively to the treatment process of patients.
Robot Calibration of Conveyor Chain Countspermeter: Advancing Precision in Industrial Production
Authors: Wang Yunfei
Published: January 2025

In modern industrial automated production, countspermeter parameter accuracy is crucial importance for conveyor chain. However, the current tape measure calibration method restricts accuracy. Industrial robots are used to calibrate in this study. Comparison between tape measure and robot calibration on five conveyor chains. The results show that accuracy is improved by robot calibrate, due to division value is only 1/1000 of tape measure. Although the improvement is only 0.7%, it is significant for conveyor chain. This study can enhance refined production management and quality control level for enterprises.
LncRNA HULC-miR-556-5p axis regulates cardiac microvascular endothelial cell function in chronic heart failure through the AMPK/FOXO3 pathway
Authors: Hao Yafeng , Fu Mingming , Wang Zhiqian
Published: January 2025

Purpose
This study aimed to investigate the regulatory mechanism of miR-556-5p in endothelial cell injury associated with heart failure and its impact on endothelial cell function.
Methods
Human cardiac microvascular endothelial cells (HCMECs) were utilized as the study model. The expression levels of miR-556-5p and related proteins were assessed using techniques such as real-time quantitative PCR and Western blot. Cell apoptosis detection, analysis of inflammatory cytokine release, cell viability assays, and immunoblotting were employed to evaluate cell function and physiological status.
Results
We observed a crucial role of miR-556-5p in Ang II-induced HCMEC injury. Upregulation of miR-556-5p significantly suppressed cell apoptosis and the release of inflammatory cytokines (such as TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6), while promoting cell survival. Further experimental results indicated that miR-556-5p regulated cell function by reducing the expression level of FOXO3 and possibly modulating the AMPK signaling pathway to affect the physiological status of endothelial cells. Additionally, miR-556-5p markedly decreased cellular autophagy levels, further supporting its regulatory role in endothelial cell injury associated with heart failure.
Conclusion
This study elucidates the important role of miR-556-5p in endothelial cell injury associated with heart failure, providing new insights into the pathophysiological mechanisms of heart failure.
Characterization and Performance Evaluation of Soybean (Glycine Max (L.) Merr.) Accessionsforagronomic Traits in Assosa Zone, Northwestern Ethiopia
Authors: Paulos Mesay , Atumo Tessema Tesfaye , Yada Gobeze Loha
Published: January 2025

A field experiment was conducted during 2023/24 cropping season at Dabus testing site of Asossa zone to characterize and evaluate soybean genotypes for useful traits. Twenty soybean accessions obtained from three geographic areas of Assosa and laid out in a randomized complete block design with three replications. Qualitative traits dominated were erect type, rounded leaf shape, white flower colour, yellow green testacolour, dense down hair colour, presence of hair and pubescence, dark leaf colour, large sized seed, medium green pod colour and spherical flattened seed shape. Results depicted the presence of sufficient variability among the genotypes for agronomic traits. Higher phenotypic and genotypic variance was observed for grain yield while relatively medium phenotypic variance for days to flowering and maturity, plant height and pods per plant. Branches per plant, pods per plant, seeds per pod and grain yield had higher PCV while a trait plant height exhibited moderate PCV. Genotypic coefficient variance was high for pods per plant and grain yield whereas plant height and seeds per pod showed moderate GCV. Days to flowering and maturity, plant height, pods per plant and seeds per pod had high heritability whereas relatively moderate H2 was recorded for HSW and grain yield. Plant height, pods per plant, seeds per pod and grain yield exhibited high GA. Significant genetic variability in mean performance of all the traits under studied material indicated that genotypes have considerable amount of genetic variation that could be used for further breeding program in variety development.
Dual-fiber optical tweezers integrating high-sensitivity structured-light displacement measurement system on fiber end-face
Authors: Li Guofeng , Xiong Wei , Feng Haining , Feng Zijian , Kuang Tengfang , Lu Zhechun , Han Xiang , He Xin , Chen Xinlin , Yang Junbo , Xiao Guangzong
Published: January 2025

The dual-fiber optical tweezers have become widespread in trapping, assembling, and sensing due to their simple fabrication process and flexible operation. However, the miniaturization and integration of their displacement measurement optical paths remain challenging. Here, we propose and experimentally demonstrate an integration of structured-light displacement (SLD) measurement method tailored for dual-fiber optical tweezers. A key component split-waveplate is integrated onto the fiber end via coating and etching in the SLD method. The etched fiber and another single mode fiber form an optical tweezers, which enables to trap particle and measure its position simultaneously without additional optics. More importantly, it demonstrates a superior signal-to-noise ratio after filtering out the trapping field by the etched fiber. Our results demonstrate a displacement sensitivity reaching the 0.1 pm/Hz1/2 level, which surpasses the performance of most results using the quadrant photodiode method. Ultimately, we discussed the possibilities of using two etched fibers to detect displacements in different directions, or integrating this method into a single optical fiber. This method has significant potential applications in precision sensing, contributes to the integration of optical tweezers and fosters the development of lab-on-fiber applications.
Real-World Data Analysis of Vascular and Lymphatic Adverse Events Associated with Anti-Tumor Angiogenesis Drugs: A WHO-VigiAccess Study
Authors: Zu Yue , Dai Lingling , Meng Peng
Published: January 2025

Pro-angiogenic factors play a crucial role in the treatment of malignant tumors, particularly in anti-angiogenic therapies. This study evaluated vascular and lymphatic adverse events (AEs) associated with four anti-tumor angiogenesis drugs in the WHO-VigiAccess database. It also compared the adverse drug reaction (ADR) profiles of these drugs to support personalized treatment decisions and optimize therapeutic benefits and safety. Methods:This study was designed as a descriptive retrospective analysis. Adverse reactions of four commonly used drugs for the clinical treatment of malignant tumors were reviewed using reports from the WHO-VigiAccess database. Data collected included demographic characteristics (age group, gender, and region), annual AE reports, and system organ class (SOC) data and symptoms associated with the reported adverse events. The overall characteristics of the ADR reports were examined, and the distribution of the 27 SOC categories was analyzed. The most common vascular and lymphatic AEs associated with these drugs were subsequently compared. Finally, similarities and differences in vascular and lymphatic AEs among the drugs were assessed. Results:A total of 130,801 adverse events (AEs) associated with four anti-VEGF drugs were identified. The analysis revealed that 42.91% of the AEs occurred in females, 36.14% in males, and 20.96% in cases where the gender was unspecified. The age group of 45–64 years had the highest reporting frequency. Nearly half of the AE reports originated from the Americas (49.43%). The ten most common types of AEs were: general disorders and administration site conditions (41.10%), gastrointestinal disorders (30.04%), eye disorders (23.02%), injuries, poisoning, and procedural complications (17.31%), investigations (16.80%), nervous system disorders (16.04%), infections and infestations (12.83%), blood and lymphatic system disorders (12.32%), respiratory, thoracic, and mediastinal disorders (11.85%), and vascular and lymphatic disorders (10.60%). Compared to the other three inhibitors, bevacizumab had a significantly higher reporting rate for vascular and lymphatic disorders. The most common vascular and lymphatic AEs associated with these four anti-VEGF drugs were hypertension, hemorrhage, hypotension, and deep vein thrombosis. However, differences in AE profiles were observed among the drugs. Conclusion:The occurrence of vascular and lymphatic adverse events associated with the clinical use of anti-angiogenic drugs for the treatment of malignant tumors warrants significant clinical attention. Clinicians should carefully evaluate the specific manifestations of these adverse events to optimize the rational use of these costly medications and develop personalized treatment plans tailored to individual patient needs.
Anston: An Attention Mechanism Network Model for Structured Data Classification
Authors: Zhou Feng , Hu Shijing , Du Xiaozheng , Lu Zhihui
Published: January 2025

To reduce the pressure on public health services caused by the aging population, nursing homes need to predict disease risks for the elderly periodically. To improve the disease risks predicting ability of nursing homes, we designed Anston (An Attention Mechanism Network Model for Structured Data Classification) in the application scenario of innovative elderly care. The Anston model can use the physiological indicators and pathogenic factors easily collected by nursing homes to predict disease risks. In the study of disease risk prediction based on physiological indicators and pathogenic factors for thoughtful elderly care, we designed a data enhancement method, a feature weight automatic update method, and a multi-layer perceptron neural network to solve the problems of sample shortage, inconsistent feature weights, and sample imbalance. At the same time, we designed an attention mechanism network model for structured data classification based on the multi-layer perceptron neural network developed in this paper. To fit the application scenario of competent elderly care, we propose a disease risk prediction model, Anston, based on the data enhancement method, feature automatic update method, and structured data classification attention mechanism network designed in this paper. We use public data sets and subject data as sample data in the experiment. The experimental results show that the Anston model has an accuracy of 95%, a precision of 92%, a recall of 91%, a specificity of 93%, an F1 score of 91%, and an AUC of 93% in predicting disease risks in the experiment, which have achieved the SOTA result.
Utilizing Machine Learning to Decode Growth Patterns and Yield Dynamics in Potato Cultivation
Authors: RATHER KHALID UL ISLAM
Published: January 2025

Understanding growth patterns and yield dynamics in potato cultivation is essential for optimizing agricultural practices and improving productivity. This study leverages machine-learning techniques to analyze and predict potato growth stages and yield outcomes based on environmental and physiological data. Various machine-learning models were developed using multispectral imaging, soil parameters, and climatic factors collected across diverse cultivation environments. The models were evaluated for their accuracy in identifying growth stages and forecasting yield performance. Key physiological trends were identified during the tuber initiation, bulking, and maturation phases, correlating with specific environmental conditions. Predictions for tuber yield showed high accuracy, with models achieving R² values above 0.90 across validation datasets. Additionally, the study highlights the importance of integrating machine learning with precision agriculture systems to enhance decision-making and resource management. The proposed methodology demonstrates significant potential for advancing potato-farming practices by providing actionable insights into growth and yield optimization.
Impact of surgical urgency on outcomes after coronary artery bypass surgery: A retrospective cohort study
Authors: Abdullah Hemn Abdulrahman , Saeed Darya Nadir , Ismael Sherzad Ali , Flayeh Abdullah Haider , Hussein Marwan Abdullah
Published: January 2025

Background: surgical urgency is a significant factor influencing outcomes of coronary artery bypass grafting. This study aims to assess the impact of urgency on postoperative complications and patient outcomes.
Methods: a retrospective cohort analysis was conducted. out of 205 patients, 38 patients were selected, who underwent coronary artery bypass graft at the Dr. Hemn foundation, Erbil, Iraq, from February 2021 to December 2023. Patients were divided equally into urgent and elective groups, matched for age, gender, chronic disease presence, and type of surgery.
Results: no significant difference was observed in age (p-value = 1.000), gender (p-value = 1.000), and body mass index (p-value = 0.748). the prevalence of posterior descending artery stenosis in the elective group was observed (p-value = 0.039). The urgent group experienced longer total hospital stay and intensive care unit. Postoperatively the urgent group experienced more blood loss compared to the elective group (p-value = 0.019) and had higher serum creatinine levels (p-value = 0.021).
Conclusions: urgent coronary artery bypass grafting was associated with increased postoperative challenges, particularly in terms of renal function, blood loss, and extended hospital stay.
Trial registration: retrospectively registered
Transfer Learning on Protein Language Models Improves Antimicrobial Peptide Classification
Authors: Georgoulis Elias , Zervou Michaela Areti , Pantazis Yannis
Published: January 2025

Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are essential components of the innate immune system in humans and other organisms, exhibiting potent activity against a broad spectrum of pathogens. Their potential therapeutic applications, particularly in combating antibiotic resistance, have rendered AMP classification a vital task in computational biology. However, the scarcity of labeled AMP sequences, coupled with the diversity and complexity of AMPs, poses significant challenges for the training of standalone AMP classifiers. Self-supervised learning has emerged as a powerful paradigm in addressing such challenges across various fields, leading to the development of Protein Language Models (PLMs). These models leverage vast amounts of unlabeled protein sequences to learn biologically relevant features, providing transferable protein sequence representations (embeddings), that can be fine-tuned for downstream tasks even with limited labeled data. This study evaluates the performance of several publicly-available PLMs in AMP classification utilizing transfer learning techniques and benchmarking them against state-of-the-art neural-based classifiers. Our key findings include: (a) Model scale is crucial, with classification performance consistently improving with increasing model size; (b) State-of-the-art results are achieved with minimal effort utilizing PLM embedding representations alongside shallow classifiers; and (c) Classification performance is further enhanced through efficient fine-tuning of PLMs’ parameters. Code showcasing our pipelines is available at https://github.com/EliasGeorg/PLM_AMP_Classification.
A Fault Diagnosis Method for Analog Circuits Based on VMD-CFOA-ELM
Authors: Ma Shuangbao , Shi Songjie , Wan Li , Zhang Yapeng , Zhang Guoqin
Published: January 2025

Fault feature extraction of analog circuits is the main factor affecting their fault diagnosis accuracy. Therefore, in order to increase the accuracy of analog circuit fault diagnosis, this paper proposes a fault diagnosis method for analog circuit based on VMD-CFOA-ELM and DGCCA(Deep Generalized Canonical Correlation Analysis,DGCCA). The method firstly performs VMD(Variational Mode Decomposition,VMD) on the fault time-domain response signal to obtain all the IMF (Intrinsic Mode Function,IMF) components and calculates the CMSE(Composite Multi-Scale Entropy,CMSE) of each IMF component, treating this as a separate subset of fault features. Next, it extracts the time-frequency domain characteristic features of the fault response signal and uses the DGCCA algorithm for supervised feature fusion extraction, constructing a shared representation feature matrix G, which is spliced with the subset of fault features as the input features of the classifier. Finally, the CFOA(Catch Fish Optimization Algorithm, CFOA)algorithm is relied upon to optimize the ELM (Extreme Learning Machine,ELM) classifier to have good classification accuracy to diagnose the type of faults in the test circuits. Fault simulation diagnostics on a Sallen-Key bandpass filter circuit show that, compared to methods such as KPCA-ELM, KSLPP-ELM, EEMD multi-scale entropy-LSSVM, and WP-ICA energy spectrum-SVM, the proposed method achieves the highest accuracy, reaching 99.20%. Additionally, this method is portable and applicable to fault diagnosis of other analog circuits.
The association between the ZJU index and bone mineral density (BMD) among patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus
Authors: Zhang Yuan , Chen Guanhua , Jing Yali
Published: January 2025

Background
Previous studies have suggested that type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is associated with poor bone health, including osteoporosis (OP) and osteopenia. The ZJU index, a novel calculation that integrates fasting plasma glucose (FPG), body mass index (BMI), triglyceride (TG), and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) to aspartate aminotransferase (AST) ratio, is strongly associated with glucolipid metabolism and insulin resistance (IR). In this study, we explored the association of ZJU with bone mineral density (BMD) and OP/osteopenia, and investigated the predictive effect of ZJU on OP/osteopenia in patients with T2DM.
Methods
This cross-sectional study included 496 patients with T2DM aged > 50 years. The clinical data were collected and the BMD of femoral neck (FN), left hip (LH), and lumbar spine (LS) were measured. The association between BMDs and ZJU levels was investigated by adjusting for covariates utilizing multiple linear regression analyses. Multivariable logistic regression was constructed to identify independent factors of OP and osteopenia, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were used to display the diagnostic performance according to the area under the ROC curve (AUC).
Results
OP and osteopenia patients showed significantly higher ZJU levels than those with normal BMD in T2DM (39.387 ± 3.558, 38.112 ± 2.552 vs 35.192 ± 2.600, p < 0.001). Spearman’s correlation analysis showed that ZJU was significantly negatively correlated with the BMD of FN (r = -0.39, p < 0.001), LH (r = -0.35, p < 0.001), and LS (r = -0.32, p < 0.001). The multiple linear regression indicated a negative association between ZJU and BMD of FN (β = -0.006, p = 0.009), LS (β = -0.155, p = 0.011) after adjusted for covariates. Meanwhile, the results of logistic regression revealed that the ZJU was a contributing factor to osteopenia and OP risk in T2DM individuals aged > 50 years (OR 1.446, 95% CI: 1.087 ~ 1.923, p = 0.011; OR 1.878, 95% CI: 1.218 ~ 3.715, p = 0.039, respectively). ZJU provided the AUC value of 0.695 and 0.716 on osteopenia and OP in T2DM, respectively.
Conclusions
A high ZJU index was significantly associated with an increasing risk of osteopenia and OP. The ZJU is expected to be a potential index for detecting decreased BMDs in middle-aged and elderly T2DM patients. Early intervention in T2DM patients with increased ZJU may further reduce the incidence of osteopenia and OP, in addition to focusing on independent biomarker in clinical practice.
Molecular sexing of chick embryos by LAMP and RPA assays: a step toward in ovo egg sexing
Authors: Hofstadt Marc Van Der , l’Helgoualch Nicolas , Houot-Cernettig Juliette , Galindo Thérèse , Martins Priscila , Huguenin Joris , Manso Taciana , Espeut Julien , Molina Franck , VAN Thi Nhu Ngoc
Published: January 2025

Despite of global efforts, reducing the culling of one-day hatched male chicks in the poultry industry has been a critical priority due to significant socio-economic concerns. Indeed, various molecular assays have been developed to determine the sex of eggs before hatching (in ovo) to eliminate male embryos at early developmental stages. Because of their precision-related complexity, needs for advanced infrastructures and time-consuming processes, there is still no widespread commercialization for these assays. In this study, we developed two novel digital readouts assays employing PCR, LAMP and RPA techniques whose sensitivity, specificity and robustness were validated on 82 chick embryos at day 9. Our data demonstrate that, while the two novel PCR based assays correctly and robustly sex the 82 embryos, the LAMP and RPA based assays propose comparable results. Moreover, LAMP and RPA assays propose isothermal amplification associated with naked-eye colorimetric and/or fluorescent detection in a relatively shorter time (20 minutes at 65°C and 30 min at 37°C, respectively). These newly developed assays, not only significantly reduce the complexity of experimental setting but also being faster and more affordable sexing methods, addressing key barriers to in ovo sexing to a future commercialization of a non-invasive in ovo sexing assay.
Distinct effects of mucin on phage-host interactions in model systems of beneficial and pathogenic bacteria
Authors: Lazar Jaka Jakin , Šimunović Katarina , Dogša Iztok , Mulec Ines Mandić , Middelboe Mathias , Dragos Anna
Published: January 2025

Phage-host interactions that occur in host-associated microbiomes are influenced by a plethora of environmental factors. Mucins are glycoproteins representing the largest proportion of mucus, found in the animal digestive tract and on the surface of certain organs, serving as the first line of defense against toxins and pathogens. Previous studies have shown that lytic phages have an important influence on the microbial composition in mucosal areas. Our study expands this knowledge to interactions between previously untested lytic phages targeting probiotic and pathogenic bacteria, as well as temperate phages targeting probiotic bacteria. These interactions could be important in shaping the microbial communities and host well-being. This study demonstrates that mucins enhance the adherence of Vibrio anguillarum lytic phages and Bacillus subtilis lytic and temperate phages, as well as B. subtilis and V. anguillarum cells to solid surfaces. Our results also show that mucins positively affect the attachment of B. subtilis cells even in the presence of phages. At the same time, this positive effect was not observed in the case of V. anguillarum. This suggests that mucin may shield certain bacteria from phage infections. Our findings also demonstrate that mucin differently influences metabolic activity of the two tested bacterial species, with strong positive effects on V. anguillarum. but not on B. subtilis. The work supports previous findings that phages efficiently adhere to mucus (Barr et al., 2013), extending them to include new beneficial and pathogenic bacterial species. It also reveals that mucins have different effects on phage-host interactions in different phage-host systems, which may have implications for phage therapies or probiotic treatment strategies.
A Rare Cause of Hypercalcemia In Adults: Idiopathic Infantile Hypercalcemia
Authors: Ünal Fatma Tuğçe Şah , Aydemir Esra Eraslan , Leblebici Can Berk , Kutlay Nüket Yürür , Erdoğan Murat Faik
Published: January 2025

Idiopathic Infantile Hypercalcemia (IIH) is a rare disorder marked by PTH-independent hypercalcemia, usually diagnosed in infancy, with adult cases being uncommon. This report discusses a 60-year-old male with a 25-year history of type 2 diabetes, recurrent kidney stones, and stage 3a chronic kidney disease. Laboratory findings included hypercalcemia, normal phosphorus and 25-hydroxycholecalciferol levels, and suppressed PTH. Urinary ultrasonography revealed medullary nephrocalcinosis. Comprehensive evaluation ruled out malignancies, granulomatous diseases, and endocrinopathies. Genetic testing identified compound heterozygous mutations in the CYP24A1 gene, confirming IIH type 1. Initial management involved calcium- and vitamin D-restricted diets and sunlight avoidance. When hypercalcemia persisted, fluconazole treatment (50 mg/day) was trialed but proved ineffective. Cinacalcet (60 mg/day) was subsequently introduced, successfully normalizing serum calcium levels. Family genetic screening revealed biallelic mutations in two siblings and heterozygous mutations in two others, though none exhibited hypercalcemia. This case underscores the need for heightened awareness of IIH in adults, advocating for family screening to detect asymptomatic carriers early. The effectiveness of cinacalcet in managing adult IIH highlights its therapeutic potential when lifestyle modifications alone are insufficient, preventing long-term complications from untreated hypercalcemia.
A Hierarchical Key Assignment Scheme
Authors: Celiktas Baris , Celikbilek Ibrahim , Guzey Sueda , Ozdemir Enver
Published: January 2025

This work introduces a novel access control scheme employing a hierarchical key assignment mechanism based on inner product spaces. The scheme is computationally lightweight and designed for digital environments with hierarchical access control policies. By leveraging orthogonal projection and distributing a basis to each group, it supports flexible and efficient left-to-right and top-down policies, accommodating dynamic updates in the hierarchy. The scheme allows parent groups to derive the secret keys of their child groups while preventing the reverse. It ensures resistance to collusion attacks and privilege creep, offering key recovery and indistinguishability properties. With low storage overhead and an efficient key derivation process, the scheme provides a practical solution for secure hierarchical access control.
Identification of Cell Death Markers in Keratinocytes Due to Cryopreservation with Various DMSO Concentrations
Authors: Čechová Katarína , Štibrániová Iveta , Gálfiová Paulína , Balcerzak Łucja , Kosnáč Daniel , Kĺbik Ivan , Waczulíková Iveta , Šikurová Libuša
Published: January 2025

Cryopreservation of cells is a critical challenge in contemporary cryobiology, particularly in the burgeoning field of tissue engineering. The method of cryopreservation significantly affects the quality of cells post-thaw, as cells are sensitive to the stress induced by freezing and thawing, leading to physical damage, loss of functionality, or cell death. It is essential to develop protocols that ensure good physiological and adherent conditions post-thaw. This study investigates the effect of cryopreservation on human keratinocytes using the intracellular cryoprotective agent dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), known for mitigating cell damage during freezing and thawing, although its toxicity remains debated.
We evaluated the cryopreservation of human keratinocytes with low (1.8% and 2.2% v/v) and standard (5% and 10% v/v) concentrations of DMSO during short-term storage (4 days) at -80°C. Post-thaw, we examined the impact of the cryopreservation process on cell viability, plasma membrane fluidity, and identified signs of cell death depending on the concentration of DMSO used in the freezing medium. This study is the first to systematically examine the impact of various DMSO concentrations on cell viability and plasma membrane fluidity of keratinocytes in the context of 30% FBS concentration in the freezing medium, slow cooling, and − 80°C temperature, highlighting the originality and significance of our research.
This research demonstrated that lower DMSO concentrations (1.8% and 2.2%) significantly reduce keratinocyte viability due to increased apoptotic activity and cellular stress. In contrast, higher concentrations (5% and 10%) provide better protection and maintain higher cell viability. The study revealed that membrane fluidity increases with higher DMSO concentrations, which may facilitate the clustering of death receptors and the formation of apoptotic signaling complexes, thereby increasing the sensitivity of keratinocytes to apoptotic stimuli. Morphological analysis showed that lower DMSO concentrations lead to significant morphological changes and apoptosis, while higher concentrations result in cell enlargement and shape alteration. Ultrastructural analysis provided detailed insights into the internal structure of cells, revealing changes in the nucleus, mitochondria, and the presence of vesicles around the plasma membrane at lower DMSO concentrations, whereas higher DMSO concentration led to significant nuclear damage. These findings have implications for cryopreservation to improve cell viability and functionality post-thaw and may enhance the success of cell preservation in biomedical applications.
Broadband single-polarization single-mode low confinement loss hollow core anti -resonant fiber with semi-elliptical nested tube
Authors: Lin Wen , Fei Yihong , Wang Ning , Jia Hongzhi
Published: January 2025

In this paper, a hollow-core anti-resonant optical fibre containing a semi-elliptical nested tube is proposed, which has the characteristics of single-polarization, large bandwidth, single- mode and low confinement loss. By optimizing the structural design, the polarization extinction ratio (PER) of the fiber reaches 21,0183 at a wavelength of 1.55μm, and the y-polarized fundamental mode (FM) loss is only 0.00086 dB/m. By changing the material and thickness of the semi-ellipsoidal nested tube, a large bandwidth of 280 nm was achieved in the wavelength range of 1.51-1.78 μm, with loss limited to less than 0.001 dB/m within the bandwidth range. The PER and higher-order mode extinction ratio (HOMER) of 4870, 1487, respectively. The loss remains below 0.01 dB/m when the bending radius exceeds 4.5 cm. Therefore, it is expected that this optical fiber can be used in optical devices such as fiber optic sensors, fiber optic lasers and fiber optic gyroscopes.
Comparative analysis and trend prediction of research progress in medical teaching management-- Research on Web of Science Literature Based on CiteSpace (2014-2023)
Authors: Yu Wen , Zhou Xinyu , Xu Ming , Zhao Ziming , Guo Dong , Liu Ying
Published: January 2025

Background
With the increase of medical demand, the teaching quality of medical universities was highly valued by all sectors of society. How to innovate the teaching management mode in the new era was an important problem faced by all universities. In the past decade, many research hotspots have emerged in medical teaching management. The research of the latest literature in this period can help us grasp the frontier dynamics of this field, which was of great significance to the development of higher medical education.
Methods
From Web of Science,we searched for studies published between 2014 and 2023 using the terms “medical education” and “teaching management”, ended up with 1407 eligible papers. CiteSpace software was used to visually analyze the research institutions, authors and keywords of the studies.
Results
The number of research on medical teaching management had shown a steady increase trend in the past decade. BMC MEDICAL EDUCATION was the journal with the largest number of publications. Durning, Steven J., of the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences - USA, was the most prolific author. Literature research in the field of medical teaching management had many research directions but not deep enough.
Conclusions
As the core author group had not yet been formed and the team effect cannot be brought into play. Organized teaching research that can efficiently integrate resources and cooperatively complete tasks was urgently needed.Literature research in the field of medical teaching management had many research directions but not deep enough. This study identified three characteristics of medical teaching management research in recent years: people-oriented, application of high technology, and teaching reform. These topics can provide useful information for educators and researchers to continue in-depth research.
A Spherical Hybrid Energy Harvester for Marine Environments
Authors: Liu Hongmei , Li Shixiang , Ban Chuncheng , Dou Yanwei
Published: January 2025

The ocean represents a vast reservoir of kinetic energy with tremendous potential for energy harvesting. During extreme adverse weather conditions, the GPS signal of a vessel may be interfered with, posing a risk of hitting reefs while navigating shipping lanes. This paper focuses on the models of regular ocean waves and wind-induced waves,we show a piezoelectric photovoltaic energy harvester based on a sealed spherical structure, which can be used as a self-powered marine floating light for guidance and warning in harsh environments..The system consists of three main components: a piezoelectric module, a photovoltaic module, and an energy storage module. The piezoelectric module comprises two piezoelectric sheets that generate electricity through deformation induced by continuous fluctuations. The photovoltaic module consists of flexible amorphous silicon, which produces the photovoltaic effect under light exposure. The energy harvested from the piezoelectric and photovoltaic modules is rectified, regulated sand stored in the energy storage module. Experimental results show that the energy harvester can achieve a power of 1.35mW, demonstrating the promising potential of the hybrid energy harvester for practical applications in marine environments.
Implementing telemedicine for medical abortion within the public health system: A qualitative study on implementation bottlenecks and solutions in South Africa
Authors: Storey Simone , Cleeve Amanda , Endler Margit
Published: January 2025

Background
Abortion in South Africa is legal, but there are still many barriers to access and high utilisation of the informal sector. Telemedicine for medical abortion is an alternative model that has been found to be a safe, effective, and acceptable option to increase access to abortion services. This study aimed to understand how key informants view telemedicine for medical abortion and how they view potential bottlenecks and solutions concerning implementation in the public sector of South Africa.
Methods
Interviews were conducted between February and March 2023 with 19 experts across telemedicine and medical abortion provision, policy, and research. The study had a qualitative design and interviews were analysed using inductive content analysis. Baker et al.’s model of the implementation pathway was used to conceptualise and discuss the findings.
Results
The findings showed that telemedicine was perceived as a valuable complement to in-clinic care to increase access to safe abortions. Respondents identified clinical concerns and logistical challenges as implementation bottlenecks which could be overcome with innovative thinking and by drawing on existing resources. Research, leadership, collaboration, and policy alignment were suggested to increase stakeholder willingness and capacity to build health system readiness. Across the implementation process, it was viewed as necessary to consider users’ needs and adapt to contextual differences.
Conclusions
Telemedicine was found to be a valuable model for increasing access to safe abortion services. Considerations and actionable steps to overcome implementation bottlenecks were provided to guide implementing telemedicine for medical abortion in the public sector of South Africa and similar settings.
Embryology and character evolution in the tribe Stewartieae (Theaceae)
Authors: Takagi Mina , Tokuoka Toru
Published: January 2025

The Theaceae family, consisting of nine genera within three tribes, is classified under the order Ericales. While embryological studies of the tribes Theeae and Gordonieae are well-documented, research on the tribe Stewartieae, the earliest diverging lineage within the family, remains limited. To address this gap, we conducted a literature review and examined three species of Stewartia (S. monadelpha, S. pseudocamellia, and S. serrata) to elucidate the evolutionary trajectories of embryological characters in Theaceae. Our findings propose novel evolutionary polarities in these characters. The absence of vascular bundles in the integuments is identified as a plesiomorphy, while their presence in the inner integument of Theeae and the outer integument of Gordonieae represents respective apomorphies. Ribbed pseudopollen grains are a plesiomorphy, whereas a clade comprising Franklinia and Schima exhibits porous pseudopollen grains and an anther middle layer with more than three cell layers, which are shared as synapomorphies. Stewartieae possess a bitegmic ovule, a character that Theaceae share as a synplesiomorphy with Pentaphyllaceae and Sladeniaceae. In contrast, the unitegmic ovule is a synapomorphy for a clade that includes the Ericoid, Sarracenioid, and Styracoid families. Both integuments in Stewartieae are of dermal origin, and the transition from bitegmic to unitegmic ovules involves the development of a subdermatogen at the base of the integuments. The presence of endothelium and hypostase are synapomorphies of the family. Additional evolutionary trends in embryological traits within Theaceae are discussed in detail.
Designing an efficient Deep Dyna Q based VARMAx Model for Prediction of Real-Time changes in Stock Value Patterns
Authors: Sable Rachna , Singh Aman , Gupta Sudhanshu , Parlewar Pallavi
Published: January 2025

In the intricate complexities of modern financial markets, the capability to predict stock values with high accuracy stands as a cornerstone for investors and analysts alike. Existing methods still struggle with the complex dynamics of markets, especially in adapting to stock fluctuations' multifaceted nature. In response to these limitations, the proposed work introduces a ground-breaking approach that integrates the robust forecasting capabilities of VARMAx with the adaptive ability of Deep Dyna Q algorithms. The rationale for this integration is rooted in the quest to enhance the responsiveness and accuracy of stock value predictions. The model's performance was evaluated using datasets from the Indian and USA markets. It showed significant improvements in precision, accuracy, recall, AUC, and specificity, as well as a substantial reduction in response time. These enhancements are crucial for financial decision-making, where accuracy and timeliness are essential.
Evaluating the Health and Fitness Benefits of a 6-Month FES-Cycling Program on a Recumbent Trike for Individuals with Motor Complete SCI: A Pilot Study
Authors: Sanna Nicole , Nossa Roberta , Biffi Emilia , Guanziroli Eleonora , Diella Eleonora , Ferrante Simona , Molteni Franco , Peruzzo Denis , Nicola Casali , Alfonso Mastropietro , Rizzo Giovanna , Tarabini Marco , Pedrocchi Alessandra , Ambrosini Emilia
Published: January 2025

Background: Spinal cord injury (SCI) severely affects physical function, leading to muscle atrophy and reduced bone density. Sport-therapy, incorporating recreational and competitive activities, has shown promise in enhancing recovery for individuals with SCI. Functional Electrical Stimulation (FES)-cycling combines exercise benefits with stimulation advantages, and recent integration with mobile recumbent trikes adds further potential. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of a 6-month FES-cycling sport therapy using a recumbent trike on individuals with motor complete SCI.
Methods: Five participants engaged in bi-weekly FES-cycling sessions using an instrumented recumbent trike. A comprehensive assessment was conducted before training, at 3 and 6 months of training, and at 1-month follow-up. Outcome measures included maximal muscle Cross-Sectional Area (maxCSA) from Magnetic Resonance Images, bone mineral density, clinical scales, and questionnaires on spasticity, pain, bowel dysfunction, psychological well-being, and sport motivation. Additionally, maximal power output and cycling endurance were assessed.
Results: The FES-cycling program led to a significant increase in muscle mass of 34% after 6 months of training, correlated to an improved cycling performance (maxCSA versus peak power). A slight decrease of muscle mass was observed as expected at follow-up. Participants reported high well-being and strong motivation throughout the training program. Bone health, spasticity, bowel dysfunction, and pain levels did not significantly change overall.
Conclusions: FES-cycling on a recumbent trike shows potential as a therapeutic and recreational activity for individuals with SCI. It significantly improved muscle mass and physical performance while positively impacting psychological well-being and motivation. Further research with larger cohorts is necessary to confirm these benefits and optimize protocols, establishing FES-cycling as a valuable sport-therapy model for SCI.
Trial registration: The study protocol was retrospectively registered on clinicaltrials.gov (NCT06321172) due to technical issue.
Bibliographie botanischer Literatur über Sachsen-Anhalt 2024 und Nachträge
Authors: Krumbiegel Anselm
Published: January 2025

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Effects of Reduced Substrate Volumetric Water Contents on the Morphology and Physiology of Three Landscape Shrubs Grown in a Greenhouse
Authors: Chen Ji-Jhong , Sun Youping
Published: January 2025

Reduced precipitation and increasing temperatures caused by climate change have escalated the irrigation requirements for maintaining the aesthetic quality of urban landscape plants. Many cities in the western United States now mandate the incorporation of drought-tolerant plants in new landscapes because of concerns regarding water scarcity. However, a knowledge gap persists regarding the drought tolerance of ornamental plant species commonly used in urban landscapes. The objectives of this study were to determine the effects of decreased volumetric water contents on the morphology, physiology, and plant growth of Rosa ×hybrida ‘Meibenbino’ (Petite Knock Out® rose), Salvia rosmarinus ‘Arp’ (‘Arp’ rosemary), and Vitex agnus-castus ‘SMVACBD’ (Blue Diddley® chaste tree). Twenty-four plants of each species were randomly assigned to an automated irrigation system, and the substrate volumetric water content was maintained at 0.40 or 0.20 m3⋅m−3 for 50 days. As the substrate volumetric water content declined, plants exhibited an increase in the proportion of visibly wilted and damaged leaves as well as chlorosis. Rose, rosemary, and vitex experienced up to a 30% decrease in the plant growth index [(height + width 1 + width 2)/3], whereas leaf dry weights (DWs) decreased by 84%, 66%, and 58%, respectively. Landscape plants in this study acclimated to drought stress by reducing the total leaf area, developing small leaves, increasing the root-to-shoot ratio, and decreasing stomatal conductance. However, stomatal closure also led to increases in leaf temperatures because of limited transpirational cooling efficiency. For the rosemary, trichome density on the adaxial surface increased as the substrate volumetric water content decreased. The trichome density might be regulated by turgor-pressure-driven cell expansion because the trichome density decreased with the increased leaf width. Rose was sensitive to decreased substrate water availability, resulting in severe growth reduction with a high leaf–air temperature difference. Rosemary maintained better visual quality than that of rose, but the low root-to-shoot ratio resulted in a high leaf-air temperature difference. Vitex, which had the highest root-to-shoot ratio, exhibited the lowest canopy–air temperature and lower growth reduction. Overall, under the experimental conditions, S. rosmarinus ‘Arp’ and V. agnus-castus ‘SMVACBD’ showed better tolerance to drought stress compared with that of R. ×hybrida ‘SMVACBD’.
Amêndoa de macaúba: incentivo à agricultura familiar por meio do desenvolvimento de produtos
Authors: PAIVA Caroline Liboreiro , ANDRADE Maria Eduarda Soares , FONSECA Dayane Helena da , SILVA Larissa Fernandes da , FLORIANO Renata Osaqui , FIDELIS Priscila Cardoso , BARROS Frederico Augusto Ribeiro de
Published: January 2025

A amêndoa de macaúba, rica em lipídeos, proteínas, fibras e minerais, é um ingrediente promissor para a elaboração de alimentos. Este projeto, uma parceria entre UFV, UFOP e UFMG, teve como objetivo promover o uso desta amêndoa junto a famílias afetadas pelo rompimento da barragem do Fundão e pelos efeitos econômicos causados pela pandemia de COVID-19, a partir da elaboração e divulgação de alimentos saudáveis. Agricultoras familiares de Goiabeiras/MG foram o público-alvo por fabricarem produtos para a merenda escolar e pelo fato de já possuírem a palmeira macaúba presente em suas propriedades. Foram desenvolvidos bolos, cookies, cocadas e extratos solúveis utilizando a amêndoa, os quais foram submetidos às análises de composição nutricional e sensorial. O projeto culminou com a realização de oficinas e cartilhas sobre a elaboração dos produtos. Acredita-se que a comercialização desses produtos seja uma oportunidade de geração de renda para aqueles que vivem do extrativismo da macaúba.
ROLE OF METFORMIN AND VITAMIN D3 IN OBESE PCOS PATIENTS
Authors: Gupta Veena
Published: January 2025

Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is a common metabolic and endocrinological disorder affecting women of reproductive age, with a prevalence of 4-20%. It is characterized by symptoms such as oligoamenorrhea/amenorrhea, hyperandrogenism, hyperinsulinemia, and ultrasound (USG) features of polycystic ovaries. Risk factors include excessive weight gain, high BMI, dyslipidemia, stress, and chronic illness. Symptoms such as menstrual irregularity, infertility, male-pattern hair loss, facial hair, and acne are common due to anovulation and androgen excess. The exact cause of PCOS is unknown, but it is believed to be multifactorial, involving environmental and genetic factors. Studies suggest overexpression of LH receptors on theca cells as a potential mechanism. Metformin is recommended in addition to lifestyle interventions (LSI) for women with PCOS and BMI ?25 kg/mÂ², irrespective of glucose disturbances or menstrual irregularity. It is effective for glucose intolerance and may be beneficial for long-term use, though the optimal duration is unclear. Vitamin D deficiency has been associated with insulin resistance and PCOS. Vitamin D enhances insulin synthesis, release, receptor expression, and reduces pro-inflammatory cytokines, improving insulin sensitivity. In conclusion, both metformin and vitamin D play significant roles in managing PCOS by addressing insulin resistance and hormonal imbalances.