bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Om Vanskelighederne ved den straffende Retshaandhævelse.
Authors: Cold C. E.
Published: February 2025

Foredrag ved International Kriminalistforenings Møde i Hamborg Septbr. 1905 af Professor Prins, Belgien.
Forkortet Referat ved Kriminalretsassessor C. E. Cold.
Et Tilbageblik.
Authors: Goll Aug.
Published: February 2025

Nogle Bemærkninger til Hr. Fængselsinpektør Ammitzbøll.
Kampen mod de internationale Forbrydere
Authors: Grundtvig Stener
Published: February 2025

Frit sammenarbejdet Referat af 2 Afhandlinger i Mittheil derInternat. krim, Vereinigung Bd. 13, S. 281-332 og af Forhandlingerneom samme Æmne paa Foreningens Møde i Hamburg12. Septbr. 1905, ibd. 8. 370-425.
C. Goos.
Authors: Thyrén Johan C. W.
Published: February 2025

Intet resumé
Endnu lidt om Fosterfordrivelses Strafbarhed.
Authors: Olrik Eyvind
Published: February 2025

Intet resumé
Carl Goos.
Authors: Olrik Eyvind
Published: February 2025

Intet resumé
Några ord om den nuvarande Ungdomsbrottsligheten i Sverige.
Authors: Almquist Viktor
Published: February 2025

Intet resumé
Forarbejder til den nye danske Straffelov.
Authors: Poulsen P. C.
Published: February 2025

Intet resumé
Revisitando la amnistía, ya aprobada, desde la significación de su proposición de ley. O los dilemas que arrastra el silencio de la Constitución
Authors: Martínez Sospedra Manuel
Published: February 2025

El artículo analiza la ley de amnistía recientemente aprobada en España, enfocándose especialmente en su fase de proposición. Examina su legitimidad jurídica y política, destacando la ausencia de habilitación explícita en la Constitución de 1978. Se revisan su naturaleza, efectos y compatibilidad con derechos fundamentales, señalando posibles conflictos con el principio de tutela judicial efectiva y la independencia del Poder Judicial. El autor también evalúa precedentes legales, la doctrina del Tribunal Constitucional y comparativas internacionales, cuestionando su legitimidad constitucional y política en un contexto de divisiones sociales y parlamentarias. Se proponen alternativas constitucionales para su implementación.
Una reflexión sobre la reforma de los artículos 9 y 41 de la Constitución italiana. Estudio bibliográfico
Authors: Siclari Massimo
Published: February 2025

En Italia, los últimos intentos de revisión constitucional han evidenciado, con su fracaso, la necesidad de un replanteamiento metodológico en la acción reformadora, a favor de cambios más progresivos y escalonados que eviten el impacto traumático de reformas complejas y radicales. Como consecuencia de este cambio de enfoque, puede observarse una limitada innovación en las modificaciones realizadas recientemente, afectadas por la excesiva generalidad de los temas introducidos y la redundancia respecto a garantías y protecciones ya incluidas en la Carta Magna. El presente análisis ofrece algunas reflexiones sobre las revisiones de la Constitución efectuadas durante la XVIII legislatura y, en particular, sobre la ley constitucional n.º 1/2022, que modificó los artículos 9 y 41 de la Constitución italiana, explicitando una garantía en materia de protección ambiental, específicamente de la noción de paisaje, reconocida desde hace tiempo de manera interpretativa en el ámbito jurisprudencial y doctrinario.
La iniciativa legislativa popular en el ámbito de la Comunitat Valenciana: la problemática de la aplicación de la Ley 10/2017, de la Generalitat, por la que se regula la iniciativa legislativa popular ante Les Corts
Authors: García Mengual Fernando , Marco Marco Joaquín J.
Published: February 2025

El trabajo analiza la iniciativa legislativa popular en la Comunitat Valenciana, comenzando con una introducción sobre su naturaleza y la regulación inicial establecida en la Ley 5/1993. Posteriormente, se examinan las novedades incorporadas en su reemplazo, la Ley 10/2017, que sigue vigente. El artículo profundiza en estas novedades y aborda, desde una perspectiva práctica, los problemas surgidos en su aplicación, centrados en cuatro aspectos clave: la legitimación activa para presentar la iniciativa, la recogida de firmas, la tramitación parlamentaria de la proposición de ley y la compensación de gastos a la Comisión Promotora.
Tax policy and gender equality: the impact of the fiscal system on women and men
Authors: Madatov Oleg Yakovlevich
Published: February 2025

The author examines the impact of tax policy on gender equality, analyzing the differentiated impact of the fiscal system on women and men through the study of various tax instruments, such as direct and indirect taxes, family taxation mechanisms and the provision of tax benefits. The purpose of the study is to identify specific problems related to the unequal impact of tax instruments and to develop recommendations for improving the fiscal system that ensures equal economic opportunities for all citizens, regardless of gender. The subject of the study is the relationship between tax mechanisms (direct and indirect taxes, family taxation, tax benefits) and the economic status of women and men, as well as the identification of ways to improve the tax system taking into account gender factors. Research methods include economic analysis, comparative legal analysis, and statistical modeling. The author used both quantitative and qualitative methods, such as the analysis of tax statistics, the study of national and international legislation, the analysis of cases and international experience (Germany, France, USA, Canada, etc.), as well as the involvement of scientific publications and expert opinions. The results of the study show that despite the formal gender neutrality of tax legislation, its effects differ for women and men due to gender differences in income, employment, and the distribution of family responsibilities. Joint taxation of spouses, especially with a progressive tax scale, can reduce women's motivation to work due to the effect of the "second income tax". In turn, the separate taxation applied in a number of countries contributes to greater economic independence of women and stimulates their active participation in the economy. The article offers recommendations for improving the tax system, including the transition to separate taxation, the revision of tax benefits taking into account gender aspects, the conduct of a gender audit of the tax system and the introduction of gender-based budgeting. The author concludes that it is necessary to create a fair and efficient tax system that ensures equal opportunities for all citizens without providing unreasonable preferences to one gender.
The Government of the Russian Federation in the system and structure of the Federal Executive authorities of the Russian Federation: administrative and legal aspect
Authors: Lapina Marina Afanas'evna , Valentik Georgii  Igorevich , Samofalov Dmitrii  Evgen'evich
Published: February 2025

The subject is the conceptual aspects and regulatory legal acts defining the legal status of the Government of the Russian Federation. The article reveals the signs of executive authorities. The analysis of the provisions of regulatory legal acts affecting the legal status of the Government of the Russian Federation is carried out. The relevance of the article is to identify the existing legal uncertainty of the place and role of the Government of the Russian Federation in the exercise of executive power.The theoretical basis is made up of scientific works by scientists and practitioners in the field of public law, whose research interests focused on issues related to the study of the system of executive authorities in Russia. The main purpose of the article is to analyze the legal status of the Government of the Russian Federation and to draw conclusions about its place in the system and structure of federal executive authorities and its role in public, including executive, government. In the course of the research, legal methods (formal-logical, comparative-legal), as well as the methodology of system analysis and expert analysis were used. As a result of the analysis of constitutional and administrative legislation in the field of public administration, significant features of the Government of the Russian Federation have been identified, interaction and relationship with federal executive authorities have been characterized, and problematic aspects of its legal status have been identified. The statement in the Federal Law "On the Government of the Russian Federation" that the Government of the Russian Federation is part of the system of federal executive authorities does not seem sufficiently justified, taking into account the content of the Basic Law of Russia and the acts of the President. The novelty of the article lies in substantiating the need to verify the provisions of regulatory legal acts on the legal status of the Government of the Russian Federation for their compliance with the Constitution of the Russian Federation, as well as the need for interpretation by the Constitutional Court of the Russian Federation, taking into account the amendments to the Constitution of the Russian Federation introduced in 2020.
Dissecting infant leukemia developmental origins with a hemogenic gastruloid model
Authors: Ragusa Denise , Suen Chun-Wai , Torregrosa-Cortés Gabriel , Pastorino Fabio , Johns Ayona , Cicirò Ylenia , Dijkhuis Liza , van den Brink Susanne , Cilli Michele , Byrne Connor , Ionescu Giulia-Andreea , Cerveira Joana , Kranc Kamil R , Hernandez-Hernandez Victor , Ponzoni Mirco , Bigas Anna , Garcia-Ojalvo Jordi , Martinez Arias Alfonso , Pina Cristina
Published: February 2025

Current in vitro models of developmental blood formation lack spatio-temporal accuracy and weakly replicate successive waves of hematopoiesis. Herein, we describe a mouse embryonic stem cell (SC)-derived 3D hemogenic gastruloid (hGx) that captures multi-wave blood formation, progenitor specification from hemogenic endothelium (HE), and generates hematopoietic SC precursors capable of short-term engraftment of immunodeficient mice upon maturation in an adrenal niche. We took advantage of the hGx model to interrogate the origins of infant acute myeloid leukemia (infAML). We focused on MNX1-driven leukemia, representing the commonest genetic abnormality unique to the infant group. Enforced MNX1 expression in hGx promotes the expansion and in vitro transformation of yolk sac-like erythroid-myeloid progenitors (EMP) at the HE-to-hematopoietic transition to faithfully recapitulate patient transcriptional signatures. By combining phenotypic, functional and transcriptional profiling, including at the single-cell level, we establish the hGx as a useful new model for the study of normal and leukemic embryonic hematopoiesis
.
Dendritic growth and synaptic organization from activity-independent cues and local activity-dependent plasticity
Authors: Kirchner Jan H , Euler Lucas , Fritz Ingo , Ferreira Castro André , Gjorgjieva Julijana
Published: February 2025

Dendritic branching and synaptic organization shape single-neuron and network computations. How they emerge simultaneously during brain development as neurons become integrated into functional networks is still not mechanistically understood. Here, we propose a mechanistic model in which dendrite growth and the organization of synapses arise from the interaction of activity-independent cues from potential synaptic partners and local activity-dependent synaptic plasticity. Consistent with experiments, three phases of dendritic growth – overshoot, pruning, and stabilization – emerge naturally in the model. The model generates stellate-like dendritic morphologies that capture several morphological features of biological neurons under normal and perturbed learning rules, reflecting biological variability. Model-generated dendrites have approximately optimal wiring length consistent with experimental measurements. In addition to establishing dendritic morphologies, activity-dependent plasticity rules organize synapses into spatial clusters according to the correlated activity they experience. We demonstrate that a trade-off between activity-dependent and -independent factors influences dendritic growth and synaptic location throughout development, suggesting that early developmental variability can affect mature morphology and synaptic function. Therefore, a single mechanistic model can capture dendritic growth and account for the synaptic organization of correlated inputs during development. Our work suggests concrete mechanistic components underlying the emergence of dendritic morphologies and synaptic formation and removal in function and dysfunction, and provides experimentally testable predictions for the role of individual components.
An emerging view of neural geometry in motor cortex supports high-performance decoding
Authors: Perkins Sean M , Amematsro Elom A , Cunningham John , Wang Qi , Churchland Mark M
Published: February 2025

Decoders for brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) assume constraints on neural activity, chosen to reflect scientific beliefs while yielding tractable computations. Recent scientific advances suggest that the true constraints on neural activity, especially its geometry, may be quite different from those assumed by most decoders. We designed a decoder, MINT, to embrace statistical constraints that are potentially more appropriate. If those constraints are accurate, MINT should outperform standard methods that explicitly make different assumptions. Additionally, MINT should be competitive with expressive machine learning methods that can implicitly learn constraints from data. MINT performed well across tasks, suggesting its assumptions are well-matched to the data. MINT outperformed other interpretable methods in every comparison we made. MINT outperformed expressive machine learning methods in 37 of 42 comparisons. MINT’s computations are simple, scale favorably with increasing neuron counts, and yield interpretable quantities such as data likelihoods. MINT’s performance and simplicity suggest it may be a strong candidate for many BCI applications.
Single-cell sequencing provides clues about the developmental genetic basis of evolutionary adaptations in syngnathid fishes
Authors: Healey Hope M , Penn Hayden B , Small Clayton M , Bassham Susan , Goyal Vithika , Woods Micah A , Cresko William A
Published: February 2025

Seahorses, pipefishes, and seadragons are fishes from the family Syngnathidae that have evolved extraordinary traits including male pregnancy, elongated snouts, loss of teeth, and dermal bony armor. The developmental genetic and cellular changes that led to the evolution of these traits are largely unknown. Recent syngnathid genome assemblies revealed suggestive gene content differences and provided the opportunity for detailed genetic analyses. We created a single-cell RNA sequencing atlas of Gulf pipefish embryos to understand the developmental basis of four traits: derived head shape, toothlessness, dermal armor, and male pregnancy. We completed marker gene analyses, built genetic networks, and examined the spatial expression of select genes. We identified osteochondrogenic mesenchymal cells in the elongating face that express regulatory genes bmp4, sfrp1a, and prdm16. We found no evidence for tooth primordia cells, and we observed re-deployment of osteoblast genetic networks in developing dermal armor. Finally, we found that epidermal cells expressed nutrient processing and environmental sensing genes, potentially relevant for the brooding environment. The examined pipefish evolutionary innovations are composed of recognizable cell types, suggesting that derived features originate from changes within existing gene networks. Future work addressing syngnathid gene networks across multiple stages and species is essential for understanding how the novelties of these fish evolved.
Template switching during DNA replication is a prevalent source of adaptive gene amplification
Authors: Chuong Julie N , Ben Nun Nadav , Suresh Ina , Matthews Julia Cano , De Titir , Avecilla Grace , Abdul-Rahman Farah , Brandt Nathan , Ram Yoav , Gresham David
Published: February 2025

Copy number variants (CNVs) are an important source of genetic variation underlying rapid adaptation and genome evolution. Whereas point mutation rates vary with genomic location and local DNA features, the role of genome architecture in the formation and evolutionary dynamics of CNVs is poorly understood. Previously, we found the GAP1 gene in Saccharomyces cerevisiae undergoes frequent amplification and selection in glutamine-limitation. The gene is flanked by two long terminal repeats (LTRs) and proximate to an origin of DNA replication (autonomously replicating sequence, ARS), which likely promote rapid GAP1 CNV formation. To test the role of these genomic elements on CNV-mediated adaptive evolution, we evolved engineered strains lacking either the adjacent LTRs, ARS, or all elements in glutamine-limited chemostats. Using a CNV reporter system and neural network simulation-based inference (nnSBI) we quantified the formation rate and fitness effect of CNVs for each strain. Removal of local DNA elements significantly impacts the fitness effect of GAP1 CNVs and the rate of adaptation. In 177 CNV lineages, across all four strains, between 26% and 80% of all GAP1 CNVs are mediated by Origin Dependent Inverted Repeat Amplification (ODIRA) which results from template switching between the leading and lagging strand during DNA synthesis. In the absence of the local ARS, distal ones mediate CNV formation via ODIRA. In the absence of local LTRs, homologous recombination can mediate gene amplification following de novo retrotransposon events. Our study reveals that template switching during DNA replication is a prevalent source of adaptive CNVs.
Enhancing breast cancer prediction through stacking ensemble and deep learning integration
Authors: Gurcan Fatih
Published: February 2025

Breast cancer is one of the most common types of cancer in women and is recognized as a serious global public health issue. The increasing incidence of breast cancer emphasizes the importance of early detection, which enhances the effectiveness of treatment processes. In addressing this challenge, the importance of machine learning and deep learning technologies is increasingly recognized. The aim of this study is to evaluate the integration of ensemble models and deep learning models using stacking ensemble techniques on the Breast Cancer Wisconsin (Diagnostic) dataset and to enhance breast cancer diagnosis through this methodology. To achieve this, the efficacy of ensemble methods such as Random Forest, XGBoost, LightGBM, ExtraTrees, HistGradientBoosting, AdaBoost, GradientBoosting, and CatBoost in modeling breast cancer diagnosis was comprehensively evaluated. In addition to ensemble methods, deep learning models including convolutional neural network (CNN), recurrent neural network (RNN), gated recurrent unit (GRU), bidirectional long short-term memory (BILSTM), long short-term memory (LSTM) were analyzed as meta predictors. Among these models, CNN stood out for its high accuracy and rapid training time, making it an ideal choice for real-time diagnostic applications. Finally, the study demonstrated how breast cancer prediction was enhanced by integrating a set of base predictors, such as LightGBM, ExtraTrees, and CatBoost, with a deep learning-based meta-predictor, such as CNN, using stacking ensemble methodology. This stacking integration model offers significant potential for healthcare decision support systems with high accuracy, F1 score, and receiver operating characteristic area under the curve (ROC AUC), along with reduced training times. The results from this research offer important insights for enhancing decision-making strategies in the diagnosis and management of breast cancer.
Understanding Psychological Contract Breach in Clinical Psychology Internships: A Thematic Analysis
Authors: Tan Lindsey Ng , Z. Tiangco Joseph Anthony Narciso
Published: February 2025

Aims: The supervisor-supervisee relationship, especially in the context of clinical supervision of postgraduate interns, brings complexity to the gatekeeping functions of the clinical supervisor. In Industrial and Organizational Psychology, supervisor-supervisee relationships and exchange have been investigated through the lens of psychological contract (PC) and psychological contract breach (PCB), which are concepts associated with the formation of workplace expectations and those instances when expectations go unmet and lead to frustration. To date, there are no qualitative studies that specifically investigate clinical psychology interns’ experiences of psychological contract formation (PCF), psychological contract (PC), and psychological contract breach (PCB). More so, there is a perceived inadequacy in clinical supervision research in the field of clinical psychology and counseling psychology in the Philippines. There is a gap in determining to what extent are the expectations of clinical psychology interns being met by their clinical supervisors during internships. This qualitative research investigated the meaning Filipino postgraduate clinical psychology interns ascribed to their experiences of PC and PCB. Specifically, it answers the research questions: 1) how a psychological contract is formed and, 2) how a psychological contract breach occurs.
Study Design: A Qualitative Design was primarily chosen given that research on PC and PCB often investigated these phenomena using quantitative approaches. In addition, a qualitative design makes it possible for the clinical psychology interns to fully describe and clarify experiences related to PCF, PC, and PCB.
Methodology: Specifically, in-depth Interviews were carried out with 6 research participants (2 females and 4 males with age range from 24-52 years old) from different parts of the Philippines. 3 participants are from Metro Manila, and the other 3 are based in Davao.
Data Analysis: Theoretical Thematic Analysis was carried out wherein the themes and categories used for the coding were theorized based on the literature on PCF, PC, and PCB.
Results and Conclusion: This qualitative research found that psychological contract formation evolves over time depending on the interplay of between obligations and expectations. Experiences of psychological contract breach are based on perceived inadequate training, inadequate supervision, neglecting responsibilities, and not ideal internship set-up. The study highlights how clinical supervisors are expected to provide more adequate training, mentoring, and coaching instead of just passing on their and an organization’s workload to the interns. Obligations and expectations checks in clinical supervision should be approached as a reiterative process.
Antimicrobial Resistance Patterns in Pediatric Urinary Tract Infections: Insights from Hospitalized Children in Sudan
Authors: Abass Reem Abass Babiker , Aloob Husham M Taha , Ismail Samia S Mohamed , Arman Amira H , Ibrahem Ahmed AbdElhadi Abdlhamed , H. Ali Abdelhakam
Published: February 2025

Introduction: Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are among the most common bacterial diseases in children, affecting 3–5% of girls and 1% of boys, and leading to significant antibiotic exposure in this population. Initial UTI treatment is often empirical, based on symptomatology without microbiological confirmation.
Objective: This study aimed to identify the causative agents of UTIs in children, evaluate antimicrobial resistance rates, and recommend appropriate antibiotics.
Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 67 urine samples collected from hospitalized children at Gaafar Bin Ouf Children's Hospital in Khartoum, Sudan. Samples were processed for bacterial isolation, identification, and antimicrobial susceptibility testing using the Kirby-Bauer method.
Results: Among the isolates, 24 (35.8%) were Staphylococcus aureus, 20 (29.9%) Klebsiella spp., 14 (20.9%) Escherichia coli, 8 (11.9%) Pseudomonas spp., and 1 (1.5%) Proteus spp. The highest resistance rates were observed for Amoxyclav (68.7%) and Erythromycin (61.2%), while Gentamicin (40.3%), Ciprofloxacin (43.3%), and Penicillin (46.3%) showed lower resistance rates.
Conclusion: Staphylococcus aureus was the most common UTI pathogen in hospitalized children, with high resistance rates to Amoxyclav and Erythromycin. These findings highlight the need for regular resistance monitoring and revising empirical antibiotic protocols to improve treatment outcomes.
Mathematical Modeling of Host-Parasitoid Dynamics for Sustainable Pest Management
Authors: Santhosh Anandhi , Prabaharan Sujatha
Published: February 2025

Aims: The management of agricultural pest populations represents a critical challenge in sustainable crop production, particularly for challenging species like the tomato fruit borer, Helicoverpa armigera. The research work aimed in developing and analysing a novel mathematical model describing the interaction between the tomato fruit borer and its egg parasitoid, Trichogramma chilonis. The main objective of this study to analyze the stability of the proposed system of differential equations.
Model Formulation: The model incorporates stage-structured population dynamics and impulsive control measures, providing insights into biological pest control strategies. In this model the tomato borer is represented by the egg and larval stages, and the parasitoid is considered in terms of the parasitized eggs. This model assumes uniform spatial distribution of both host and parasitoid populations, constant environmental conditions affecting parameters like reproduction and mortality rates, and idealized parasitoid release conditions where the released amount p remains consistent across interventions.
Methodology: We used existing secondary data from research articles' instead of conducting primary field experiments for parameter identification for this mathematical model. The use of secondary data from peer-reviewed literature not only provides validated parameter values that have been rigorously tested and verified by multiple researchers, but also allows for the incorporation of findings from diverse geographical locations and climatic conditions.
Results: Stability analysis identified three equilibrium points: the trivial, host-only E0,coexistence equilibria E1, and E2. The coexistence equilibirium E2 found to be locally stable under optimal parasitoid release intervals and quantities. The equilibrium point E2= (9.14,0.02,5.71) represents a coexistence state in the host-parasitoid dynamics, where the tomato fruit borer's egg density stabilizes at 9.14, the density of parasitized eggs at 0.02, and the larval density stabilizes at 5.71. This equilibrium is analyzed through its associated eigenvalues. This stability provides a reliable basis for implementing successful biological pest control strategies in tomato cultivation, ensuring a resilient and sustainable ecosystem.
Improvement of Agronomic Parameters of Rice Plants Infected by Rice Yellow Mottle Virus (RYMV) Using Plant Extracts
Authors: Doumbia Bakaye , Dao Sognan , Kassogué Adounigna , Ouattara Djeneba , Nantoumé Djeneba , Samaké Salimatou , Fané Rokiatou , Tekete Cheick , Dicko Amadou Hamadoun , Dembélé Mamadou , Babana Amadou Hamadoun
Published: February 2025

Aims: The aim of this study was to assess the effect of plant extracts Azadirachta indica, Piper nigrum L, Acacia gummifera, Combretum micranthum, and Clenodium vulgare L on rice yellow mottle virus in rice.
Study Design:  The experiment was conducted in a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with five repetitions. The blocking factor was the sunshine.
Place and Duration of Study: The study was carried out at the Microbiology and Microbial Biotechnology Research Laboratory (LaboREM-Biotech) of the Faculty of Sciences and Techniques, between June and November 2020.
Methodology: The rice variety Kogoni91-1, which is highly susceptible to rice yellow mottle, was grown under greenhouse at the LaboREM-Biotech, inoculated with a highly virulent virus from the laboratory's collection and treated with plant extracts.
Results: The results showed that rice plants treated with the combination of plant extracts from C. micranthum, A. indica, and C. vulgare recorded higher grain and aerial biomass yields than the positive control and very close to those of the negative control. Similarly, plants treated with black pepper extracts showed a number of spikelets, a yield and an aerial biomass higher than those of the positive control and very close to those of the negative control.
Conclusion: Using plant extracts to combat rice yellow mottle could be an alternative to the application of chemical pesticides harmful to human and animal health.
In Silico Screening of Rauwolfia Serpentina Phytochemicals as Orexin Receptor-2 Agonists for the Management of Narcolepsy
Authors: Yadav Pawan , Azram Mohammad , Faraz Mohd , Nadeem  , Abbas Kashif , Mustafa Mohd , Alam Mudassir , Khan Sarfaraz
Published: February 2025

The neuropeptide orexin/hypocretin plays a crucial role in numerous physiological processes such as regulation of sleep/wakefulness, appetite and emotions. Dysregulation of orexin signaling has been implicated in hypersomnia, especially in narcolepsy, characterized by excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS), sudden loss of muscle tone while awake (cataplexy), sleep paralysis, and hallucinations. Lack of orexins contributes to the development of narcolepsy, thus small-molecule orexin receptor agonists are promising therapeutics for narcolepsy. In this study, we employed several bioinformatics tools to screen and identify effective phytochemicals of Rauvolfia serpentina that may act as Orexin 2 receptor (OX2R) agonists. In silico methods such as protein‒ligand interaction analysis, drug‒likeness evaluation, ADMET analysis, molecular docking, molecular dynamics simulation, and biological activity prediction, have been employed extensively. Among all screened phytochemicals from R. serpentina, both tetraphylline and yohimbine were identified as promising drug candidates due to their favorable ADMET profile, high docking scores, permeability of the blood‒brain barrier, and significant RMSD, RMSF, Rg, and SASA values. However, the study is solely based on in silico study, therefore in vitro and in vivo experimental studies are suggested to validate the potency and efficacy of these medications.
Osmopriming with Polyethylene Glycol (PEG-6000) Improves the Action of Seed Germination, Growth, and Physiology in Carrot
Authors: Kundu Eshita , Bordolui Sanjoy Kumar
Published: February 2025

In order to improve germination and vigour, the current study was conducted using three carrot varieties viz. Carrot Florence (G1), Deb Kuroda-1 (G2), and Deb Kuroda-3 (G3), and various concentrations and durations of PEG-6000, including 0.1 MPa for 24 hours (T2), 0.1 MPa for 48 hours (T3), 0.25 MPa for 24 hours(T4), 0.25 MPa for 48 hours (T5), 0.40 MPa for 24 hours (T6), and 0.40 MPa for 48 hours (T7), non-primed seeds (T1). A pre-sowing technique called seed priming produces a physiological environment that promotes more efficient seed germination. The experiment was carried out in the Department of Seed Science and Technology's seed testing lab at the BCKV, Mohanpur, Nadia, West Bengal, India. According to the experiment's results, seeds treated with 0.25 MPa PEG-6000 soaking for 48 hours produced the best results among treatments over genotype; these seeds showed notably greater potential than seeds treated with other priming concentrations and durations. Deb Kuroda-3 is the best from a germination perspective, and Deb Kuroda-1 is the best from a vigour perspective. The best results were clearly obtained with a 0.25 MPa PEG-6000 soaking duration of 48 hours for seed quality parameters like germination energy (47.273), seedling Vigour Index-I (639.032), and germination index (5.503). Therefore, to improve seedling establishment, PEG-6000 0.25 Mpa pre-sowing treatment for 48 hours is recommended for carrot.
A Case Report on Pneumatosis Intestinalis Complicated by Pneumoperitoneum
Authors: Jaafar Ayman , Khalili Haytham Al , ALakkad Ashraf
Published: February 2025

Background: Pneumatosis intestinalis (PI) is a rare radiological finding characterized by gas within the bowel wall, often linked to conditions such as ischemia, infection, or inflammation. When complicated by pneumoperitoneum, it suggests a potentially life-threatening condition, such as bowel perforation, and may necessitate surgical intervention.
Case Summary: A 43-year-old male patient presented with 5 days of diffuse abdominal pain, distention, and vomiting of gastric contents. He had a remote history of peptic ulcer disease. On physical examination, he appeared sick, dehydrated, and cachexic. His vital signs were stable, but his BMI was low (16.2 kg/m2). His abdomen was distended with diffused tenderness and had no guarding or bowel sounds. There was a radiological evidence of pneumoperitoneum, pneumatosis intestinalis, and free fluid concerning hollow viscus perforation. However, small bowel biopsy showed polypoid, grape-like lesions with cystic spaces lined by multinucleated giant cells and surrounded by inflammatory cells and hemosiderin pigment. Findings were consistent with Pneumatosis Cystoides Intestinalis, with no atypia or malignancy. Following fluid resuscitation, the patient underwent laparotomy exploration which did not demonstrate any bowel injury but scarred the 1st part of the duodenum. The pneumoperitoneum was attributed to the rupture of gas-filled cysts located along the bowel wall but not within it. He had an uncomplicated postoperative course. The endoscopy was done on follow-up, revealing a small Forest III pre-pyloric ulcer with a stenotic pyloric ring managed by balloon dilatation and PPI.
Conclusion: Pneumatosis intestinalis is a rare finding and its significance cannot be determined outside of a clinical contest. Surgery may be performed occasionally when pneumoperitoneum is present, raising concerns about the risk of hollow viscus injury.
Patient-related Factors that Influence Surgical Site Infections among Post Laparotomy Patients in the Surgical Unit at Thika Level 5 Hospital Kiambu County
Authors: Mwangi Catherine , Jivraj Nilufar , Mbithi Bernard
Published: February 2025

A surgical site infection (SSI) is a common complication of surgical procedures and represents one form of healthcare-associated infection (HAI) acquired by patients before, during, or after receiving surgical intervention. It's the second most common Healthcare-Associate Infection, and it's responsible for the rise of antibiotic resistance and the deaths of millions of people every year. This research examined patients done laparotomy procedure at Thika Level 5 Hospital (TL5H), which forms a good representation of study population to identify risk factors for surgical site infections. The research took the form of analytical cross-sectional study. Post laparotomy Patients at the hospital throughout the research period made up the study's primary population. One hundred and ninety-six patients from the gynecology and surgery departments were selected at random. Quantitative data on patient-related variables and institutional factors as predictors of SSIs was collected using a questionnaire designed in accordance with CDC guidelines and SSI Surveillance checklist tool. Pretesting of data tools were conducted in Kiambu level 5 hospital in Kiambu County to ensure validity and reliability of data tools. Data was analyzed using the Statistical Program for the Social Sciences (SPSS) computer program, version 25.0, and participants' privacy was protected at all times. The study found that factors such as delay in seeking treatment, age, nutritional status, smoking habits, existing medical conditions, transfusion after surgery, and length of hospital stay before surgery were significantly associated with SSIs. Institutional factors such as timing of prophylaxis antibiotics, length of hospital stay after surgery, hygiene practices observed by healthcare workers, and the duration of the operation influence the incidence of SSIs significantly.
The healthcare facilities should implement strict protocols for pre-operative and post-operative care, including timely administration of prophylaxis antibiotics. Healthcare workers should adhere to proper hygiene practices, including hand hygiene and the use of personal protective equipment. Patients should be educated on the importance of seeking timely medical care and adopting healthy lifestyle practices to reduce the risk of SSIs. The results of this research will be published and utilized to close the knowledge gaps that contribute to the high morbidity and mortality rates associated with SSIs after laparotomy.
Modelling and Estimation of Average Annual Soil Loss in Ika South Local Government Area of Delta State, Nigeria
Authors: KuroTamuno Peace Jackson, , Chiziandu Enyinda Okwere,
Published: February 2025

Soil-related phenomenon and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) particularly SDG-15 are strictly tied. A healthy soil ecosystem encourages the existence of life on Earth and for agricultural purposes. One of the key factors that is contributing to unhealthy soil ecosystems is soil erosion. The research involves the assessment and modelling of soil erosion using the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE II) with the sole aim of ascertaining the annual Soil loss within the study area, this will be a veritable tool in estimating soil loss in farming systems and in supporting the achievement of the SDGs. It provides a concrete estimation of the distribution of soil erosion at Ika South LGA, through the combination of the influencing factors such as rainfall aggressivity, soil erodibility, topography, vegetation cover, and soil conservation practices. The soil loss estimated at Ika South ranges from 0 to 49119.93 t/ha/year. Results have shown that 5% of the surface area displays a high rate of soil loss, and it represents zones with moderate to severe soil erosion. These areas are mainly situated in moderate to very high slope where the runoff is high. This loss is favoured by the other factors of erosion, which are also combined to accelerate erosion losses significantly (58% of the total area has a very high rainfall erosivity), moderately erodible soils (49% of the soils show a K factor between 0.128 and 0.27t ha H/ha MJ mm), 78% of the soil have nearly level to gently undulating plains, and 14% of the areas representing steep slopes. The results revealed that, there is a probability that the rate of erosion will increase in the future in this area which pose a great threat to the achievement of the SDG-15. Therefore, proper land-use planning should be adopted such as cropping pattern for agricultural land in local area. Accurate planning should be done as a means for restoring degraded vegetation.
Emamectin Benzoate 1.9 EC and 5 SG: A Safer Insecticide to Predatory Spiders of Bhendi [Abelmoschus esculentus (L.) Moench]
Authors: R Sheeba Jasmine
Published: February 2025

Bhendi is a vital vegetable crop in India is heavily infested by a variety of insect pests causing considerable damage and yield loss.  Borers are major pests of economical importance. The indiscriminate use of insecticides has affected the population of bio control agents. Emamectin benzoate is an avermectin effective against several pests in number of crops. Two field experiments were conducted to study the impact of emamectin benzoate on spiders of bhendi ecosystem. Emamectin benzoate 5 SG and 1.9 EC @ 7,11 15 and 20 g a.i. ha-1 was tested in comparison with Emamectin benzoate 5 SG @ 11 g a.i. ha-1 with different trader, chlorpyrifos 20 EC @ 200 g a.i. ha-1 and untreated check.  Observations on the population of spiders were made prior to spraying and on 3, 7, 10 and 14 days after spraying from 10 randomly tagged plants per plot and the mean was worked out. Results clearly showed that emamectin benzoate 5 SG and 1.9 EC was found to be relatively safer to spiders at all concentrations tested. However, among the insecticidal treatments, highest population was recorded in plots treated with Emamectin benzoate @ 7 g a.i. ha-1 followed by emamectin benzoate @ 11 g a.i. ha-1, respectively.
Restoring Soil Fertility through Organic Amendments: Impacts on Agriculture and Human Health
Authors: C Chethan , Melavanki Manjunath S , Vijay Fiskey Vrushabh , Bagrecha Shreyas , R. T Chethan Babu,
Published: February 2025

The application of organic amendments in agriculture has become a vital approach to addressing key challenges in Indian agriculture, such as fragmented landholdings, inadequate irrigation, and declining soil fertility. These amendments, which are added to soil to enhance its physical, chemical, and biological properties, play a significant role in promoting sustainable farming. Organic amendments like compost, manure, and green manure serve as excellent sources of organic carbon and essential nutrients. They improve soil structure, enhance drainage, and facilitate nutrient cycling while mitigating soil alkalinity and fostering microbial activity, thereby supporting overall soil health. Research highlights the effectiveness of organic amendments in improving soil quality. Organic amendments also offer notable benefits for human health by reducing dependence on synthetic fertilizers and minimizing toxic residues. They decrease the risks of heavy metal contamination and pesticide exposure. Adopting organic amendments supports the broader goals of sustainable agriculture by enhancing biodiversity, improving soil fertility, and reducing environmental and health risks. Nevertheless, further research is needed to refine these practices, optimize their application, and thoroughly evaluate their effects on human well-being and agricultural productivity. Organic amendments offer a promising solution to meet the growing food demands of an expanding population while maintaining ecological balance and ensuring food security.
Assessment of Rheological Properties of Round Gourd under Different Storage Conditions
Authors: Mishra Abhishek , Pateriya Raj Narayan , Awasthi Vishnu Ji
Published: February 2025

The study was conducted to ascertain rheological properties of round gourd under cold storage conditions and was compared with the normal conditions. The cold storage developed at the Department of Farm Machinery and Power Engineering, Govind Ballabh Pant University of Agriculture and Technology (GBPUAT), Pantnagar and was employed for the effective storage of round gourd. Some samples of round gourd were stored under cold storage (control) conditions and some were stored under normal (ambient) conditions. The study involved the evaluation of rheological properties viz. physiological weight loss, volume shrinkage, total soluble salts (TSS), firmness, stiffness and pH. The volume shrinkage (%) of round gourd ranged from 0% during initial to 58% for sample A and 0% to 63% for sample B at ambient temperature condition, whereas, it ranged from 0% during initial to 33% for both the samples at control condition. TSS ranged from 3.00 to 5.30 and from 3.50 to 4.10 for ambient and control condition respectively. pH ranged from 7.80 to 8.50 and from 7.10 to 7.65 for ambient and control condition respectively. It was investigated that the physiological weight loss of round gourd was substantially maximum at ambient temperature compared to the weight loss at cold storage temperature. The effect of storage period of round gourd on the weight loss was highly significant. The storage days exhibit a highly significant effect on volume shrinkage of round gourd samples. The l, a, b values depends on the color change of fruits and vegetables, the sample color changes significantly from initial day to 12th day of storage period. The ripening stage was faster in ambient condition as compared to cold storage condition.
Genes Involved in Sexual Conflict and Selection
Authors: Plesnar‐Bielak Agata
Published: January 2024

Understanding genetic basis of traits involved in sexual selection and sexual conflict is key to understand the influence of these processes on the evolution. While we are still far from a detailed picture, some conclusions can be made based on current results in the field. Genetic architecture of sexually selected traits is usually quite complex as these traits are most often polygenic and involve pleiotropic effects. Moreover, sexually selected genes are also under ecological evolutionary pressures and subject to sexual conflict. Sexually selected genes, especially those involved in sexual conflict, often evolve sex‐biased expression. However, while this should relax sexual conflict, it might not resolve it completely. Male‐biased genes, involved in sexual selection on males tend to evolve relatively fast. It is not clear, though, if this pattern should be attributed to intense adaptive evolution of these genes or relaxed purifying selection acting on them.

Key Concepts

Sexual selection and conflict are widespread and are important drivers of various evolutionary processes.

How sexual selection and conflict impact evolutionary trajectories of populations depends on genetic architecture of sexually selected and conflict traits.

Investigating genetics of sexual selection and conflict is challenging, yet our understanding of it has currently increased.

Genetic bases of sexually selected traits in usually complex, with multiple loci involved.

Sexual selection is often associated with interlocus and/or intralocus sexual conflict.

The expression of sexual conflict and selection genes is often sexually dimorphic or even sex limited.

Sex‐biased expression limits intralocus sexual conflict.

Pleiotropic effects can contribute to maintenance of sexual conflict even if the traits are sex limited in expression.

Sexually selected traits seem to evolve faster, either due to strong positive selection or relaxed purifying selection.

Sex chromosomes are hotspots of sexual conflict genes.
Nationwide survey of patients with multisystem proteinopathy in Japan
Authors: Yamashita Satoshi , Takahashi Yuji , Hashimoto Jun , Murakami Ayuka , Nakamura Ryoichi , Katsuno Masahisa , Izumi Rumiko , Suzuki Naoki , Warita Hitoshi , Aoki Masashi ,   the Japan MSP Study Group
Published: January 2024

Objective

Multisystem proteinopathy (MSP) is an inherited disorder in which protein aggregates with TAR DNA‐binding protein of 43 kDa form in multiple organs. Mutations in VCP, HNRNPA2B1, HNRNPA1, SQSTM1, MATR3, and ANXA11 are causative for MSP. This study aimed to conduct a nationwide epidemiological survey based on the diagnostic criteria established by the Japan MSP study group.

Methods

We conducted a nationwide epidemiological survey by administering primary and secondary questionnaires among 6235 specialists of the Japanese Society of Neurology.

Results

In the primary survey, 47 patients with MSP were identified. In the secondary survey of 27 patients, inclusion body myopathy was the most common initial symptom (74.1%), followed by motor neuron disease (11.1%), frontotemporal dementia (FTD, 7.4%), and Paget's disease of bone (PDB, 7.4%), with no cases of parkinsonism. Inclusion body myopathy occurred most frequently during the entire course of the disease (81.5%), followed by motor neuron disease (25.9%), PDB (18.5%), FTD (14.8%), and parkinsonism (3.7%). Laboratory findings showed a high frequency of elevated serum creatine kinase levels and abnormalities on needle electromyography, muscle histology, brain magnetic resonance imaging, and perfusion single‐photon emission computed tomography.

Interpretation

The low frequency of FTD and PDB may suggest that FTD and PDB may be widely underdiagnosed and undertreated in clinical practice.