bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Factors influencing the frequency of manic and depressive episodes in bipolar disorder: a multicenter study in China
Authors: Liu Shuang , Xu Jin-jie , Zhu Xue-quan , Fu Bing-bing , Pan Yan-li , Sun Cong-cong , Li Sheng , Xie Gao-ming , Zhang Ling
Published: November 2024

Background
Mania and depression are the main types of episodes of bipolar disorder (BD), and numbers of mania and depression affect long-term prognosis of patients.
Method
This is a multicenter, longitudinal cohort study, enrolling 520 BD patients in China. Sociodemographic information and clinical characteristics of patients were statistically analyzed. Poisson regression analyses were performed to analysis the possible factors for manic or depressive episodes.
Results
Poisson regression model analysis showed that shorter educational attainment (IRR = 0.97, P = 0.03), mixed first episode polarity, earlier age at diagnosis (IRR = 0.97, P = 0.01), comorbid substance abuse (IRR = 1.41, P = 0.02), presence of psychotic symptoms (IRR = 1.18, P = 0.04), use of antidepressant medication (IRR = 0.66, P<0.01), and non-use of mood stabilizers (IRR = 1.57, P<0.01) are positively associated with the number of manic episodes. Conversely, being female (IRR = 0.82, P = 0.01) and the non-use of mood stabilizers (IRR = 0.68, P<0.01) are negatively associated with the number of depressive episodes.
Conclusion
The study highlights the critical influence of clinical and sociodemographic factors on the frequency of manic and depressive episodes in BD patients. Addressing these factors may improve long-term outcomes for individuals with bipolar disorder.
Entropy-driven Adsorption of Cellulose Ethers to Cellulose Nanocrystals Measured in 2D and 3D
Authors: Zhu Wei , Liu Lingli , Wu Chao , Huang Lin , Xue Shanjiang , li Yongqiang
Published: November 2024

Cellulose, the most abundant organic polymer on Earth, has garnered significant interest across a myriad of scientific and industrial domains. The burgeoning utilization of cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) has underscored the critical importance of understanding the interactions between CNCs and cellulose derivatives. Herein, the interactions between commercial cellulose ethers (METHOCEL™) and CNCs were investigated. The adsorption dynamics of 11 types of methylcellulose and hydroxypropyl methylcellulose were quantified in 2D on CNC films using quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation monitoring (QCM-D) and surface plasmon resonance (SPR). Furthermore, dynamic light scattering, electrophoretic mobility, and isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) were utilized to elucidate the thermodynamic details of the adsorption processes in 3D in suspension. All cellulose ethers irreversibly adsorbed to CNCs in 2D, with higher hydroxypropyl content and lower methoxy content led to more adsorption in a flattened polymer conformation; In 3D, higher molecular weight led to more adsorption in a globular polymer conformation. The interactions between common hydrocolloid polymers and nanocellulose are important for the design of formulated products such as emulsions, gels, foams, and films.
Soil environment effects on the occurrence of black sesame spot and clubroot disease in Chinese Cabbage
Authors: Chi Xiuli , Yang Kun , Li Chengran , Chu Dong
Published: November 2024

Chinese cabbage is a popular leafy vegetable widely consumed in Asian cuisine, particularly in China. However, it is susceptible to various diseases, including clubroot and black sesame spot, which can significantly impact yield and quality. The soil environment plays a crucial role in developing these two diseases. In our experiment, we measured eight soil indicators-soil pH, organic matter, alkali-hydrolyzable nitrogen, available phosphorus, rapidly available potassium, total salinity, total nitrogen, and slowly available potassium-across 38 cabbage-growing locations in Jiaozhou City, China. We compared the soil environments of disease-infested and non-infested sites. Our results indicated that the soil environment did not influence the occurrence of clubroot disease. However, black sesame spot was more prevalent in acidic soils with low phosphorus levels, demonstrating a significant correlation between soil conditions and the incidence of black sesame spot. Overall, our study provides a comprehensive understanding of how the soil environment affects the occurrence of clubroot and black sesame spot, offering valuable insights for the integrated management of these challenging cabbage diseases.
DiMorph: A Morphological Analyzer for Arabic Dialects with a Focus on the Moroccan Dialect
Authors: Khlif Nadia , Mazroui Azzeddine , Nahli Ouafae
Published: November 2024

Given the limited availability of resources for Arabic dialects, establishing corpora , linguistic resources, and tools presents a considerable challenge. To address the need for processing dialectal text, we developed a morphological analyzer called DiMorph (Dialectal Morphological Analyzer), specifically designed to process the Moroccan dialect. We adopted the AraMorph morphological engine, originally designed for processing Modern Standard Arabic texts. Subsequently, we created specific linguistic resources and preprocessing and postprocessing components to better handle dialectal texts’ morphological and linguistic intricacies. This article details the methodology and steps in constructing DiMorph and annotated corpora and lexical resources based on a Moroccan corpus.
Malware Detection Method Based on Feature Fusion
Authors: Yan Hao , Zhang Jian , Tang Zhangguo , Long Hancheng , Zhu Min , Zhang Tianyue , Luo Linglong , Li Huanzhou
Published: November 2024

In recent years, as cyberattacks continue to escalate, malware has become increasingly diverse and complex, posing significant security threats to enterprises, government agencies, and individual users. Malware developers often employ techniques such as feature obfuscation and behavior hiding, rendering traditional detection methods less effective. To address this challenge, this study proposes a malware detection method based on feature fusion and a multi-feature detection framework. The method extracts frequency features and semantic information from opcodes and readable characters, and byte transition probabilities from byte sequences, thereby constructing a comprehensive feature vector. A two-layer detection framework that combines deep learning with traditional machine learning is designed, effectively integrating different feature types and overcoming the limitations of single-feature approaches. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed method significantly outperforms traditional algorithms in terms of detection accuracy and generalization capability, greatly enhancing the detection of complex malware families. Notably, it excels in handling packed code, obfuscation techniques, and imbalanced data, offering an efficient solution for malware detection.
Improving mental health, self-efficacy and social support in older people through a community intervention based on mindfulness
Authors: Juraga Denis , Rukavina Tomislav , Glavić Mihaela Marinović , Roviš Darko , Bilajac Lovorka , Antonić Maša , Raat Hein , Vasiljev Vanja
Published: November 2024

Background: Ageing is a complex process that involves various biological, psychological and social changes. At the same time, older people are more susceptible to lower self-efficacy and social support, as well as deteriorating mental health and increasing levels of loneliness. As the global population ages, there is a growing demand for evidence-based interventions tailored to address specific mental health problems, enhance social support and improve overall well-being. The aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of a seven-week mindfulness-based community intervention on mental health, self-efficacy and social support in older people.
Methods: The study included 257 participants who were divided into an intervention group and a control group. Assessments were conducted before the intervention began and 6 months after its completion.
Results: The results showed a significant reduction in depression in the intervention group (p<.001). Furthermore, the intervention led to a significant improvement in general self-efficacy, chronic disease self-management self-efficacy, physical activity and nutritional self-efficacy in the intervention group compared to the control group, in addition to a statistically significant improvement in social support in the intervention group.
Conclusions: Overall, the results demonstrate the effectiveness of mindfulness-based community interventions in improving mental health, self-efficacy and social support of older people in a community setting. The results of the present study show that this programme leads to immediate health benefits in terms of mental health and self-efficacy in older people, while contributing to the development of effective strategies for chronic disease self-management and has the potential to reduce loneliness and social isolation.
Study of the Boundary Layer Interaction With the Bow Shock at Supersonic Flow Around a Blunt Body
Authors: Lapushkina T. A. , Kolesnik E. V. , Monahov N. A. , Popov P. A. , Belov K. I.
Published: November 2024

The work studies the influence of a growing boundary layer on the process of the supersonic flow around an aerodynamic body. The task is to select and implement in an experiment the parameters of a supersonic flow and to study the flow pattern near the surface of an aerodynamic body at different viscosity values of the incoming flow. Visualization of the shock wave configuration in front of the body and to study the change in the pressure field in the flow region under these conditions is the main goal of the work. The experiment is carried out on an experimental stand created on the basis of a shock tube. The aerodynamic body under study (a semi-cylinder pointed along a circle or an ellipse) is placed in the supersonic nozzle. The model is clamped by lateral transparent walls, which are simultaneously a source of boundary layer growth and the viewed windows for visualizing the flow. For selected modes with Reynolds numbers from 8200 to 45000, schlieren flow patterns and pressure distribution fields near surface of the streamlined models and the plate of the growing boundary layer were obtained. Data show a complex unsteady flow pattern is realized near the model that is caused by the viscous-inviscid interaction of the boundary layer with the bow shock wave near the wall.
Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Detection and Genotype Correlation with Cervical Lesions at the University Teaching Hospital of Kigali, Rwanda
Authors: Mbabazi Evode , Munyemana Jean Bosco , Mukashema Julienne , Bazimaziki Emmanuel , Ndayisaba Marie Claire , Tope Adegboyega Taofeek , Rugwizangoga Belson
Published: November 2024

Background
Cervical cancer remains a major health issue, especially in low- and middle- income countries (LMICs), with Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection serving as the primary precursor. Despite global efforts to combat cervical cancer, including vaccination, a critical knowledge gap persists regarding HPV prevalence, genotype distribution, and their correlation with cervical lesions in women from poor resource areas. This study assessed the prevalence of HPV infection, identified the most common HPV genotypes, and evaluated their correlation with cervical lesions among women attending the University Teaching Hospital of Kigali (CHUK), Rwanda.
Methods
This cross-sectional retrospective study initially involved 473 women who were screened for HPV infection. Cervical lesions were further evaluated in 74 HPV-positive women. Clinical and demographic data, HPV genotypes, and cervical lesion information were collected and analyzed for these 74 HPV-positive women. Data were analysed using IBM SPSS Statistics version 29.0.2. and significance level was set at 0.05.
Results
HPV detection rate was 74/473 (15.6%), with a concentration among women aged 41–45 years (29.7%). Notably, 16/74 (21.6%) of HPV-positive women were also human immunodeficiency virys (HIV) positive. HPV genotypes 16 and 18 were the most prevalent with 14(8.3%) each. Cytological analysis revealed 5.2% precancerous lesions, while histological examination showed 33.3% precancerous lesions and 33.3% invasive carcinomas. Women with high risk HPV (HR-HPV) infections demonstrated a 2.5-fold increased risk of developing cancerous lesions compared to those with low risk HPV (LR-HPV) infections (95% CI: 1.637–4.56, p = 0.0028).
Conclusion
This study highlights the varied distribution of HPV genotypes among Rwandan women and a link between HR-HPV types and cervical lesions. The findings emphasize the need for tailored cervical cancer prevention strategies, including targeted surveillance, vaccination, and enhanced screening in Rwanda and similar resource-limited settings.
Clinical Trial Number: not applicable
Convolutional Autoencoder Recommendation System
Authors: Ghadami Amirhossein , Tran Thomas
Published: November 2024

In today's online business environment, recommendation systems are essential for increasing companies' revenue by guiding customers to spend time or money on products. However, the challenge of creating an effective recommendation system has always been a concern for both companies and scientists.Researchers have explored various methods to understand the complex interaction between users and item features, aiming for more precise and accurate recommendations. This paper introduces a new recommendation system based on deep learning. Our approach (CAERS) employs a Convolutional Autoencoder to capture meaningful interaction between users and items.Furthermore, we enhance our system by extracting additional content information, offering a comprehensive overview of each item. This process enables the model to understand better and process individual items. Additionally, our method uniquely addresses the cold start problem by depending exclusively on content information. This approach improves our system's capability to provide recommendations even in situations with limited user or item interaction data. Our model is designed to be versatile and capable of functioning across various domains. However, we utilize movie datasets to showcase the model's ability and performance for our experimental purposes. Our experience demonstrates that our proposed method effectively captures interactions between users and items, successfully overcoming the cold start problem and outperforming existing approaches.
Infestation symptoms as indicators of a sustained bark beetle outbreak in conserved and managed Norway spruce forests in south-eastern Finland
Authors: Simon Diana-Cristina , Lyytikäinen-Saarenmaa Päivi , Pelto-Arvo Mikko , Tuviala Johanna , Kosunen Maiju , Honkavaara Eija , Näsi Roope , Tikkanen Olli-Pekka , Kilpeläinen Antti , Peltola Heli
Published: November 2024

European spruce bark beetle (Ips typographus L., SBB) infestations are extending in northern Europe due to increases in temperature and drought, which increase the risk of outbreaks in Norway spruce (Picea abies L.) forests. The severity of SBB damage may be decreased by timely detection and management measures. In this study, we analysed the SBB infestation levels of trees, the overall SBB damage at the stand level, the relationship between SBB damage and stand characteristics, and the effect of an outbreak over time on the volume and basal area in managed and conserved areas. We visually observed SBB symptoms at the stem level (entrance-exit holes, resinous flows, bark damage) and crown level (defoliation, discoloration) in 60 sampling plots in south-eastern Finland. These plots were established in an SBB outbreak area triggered by a severe wind disturbance in August 2010. Data were collected in 2014–2017 in conserved areas and in 2019–2021 in both conserved and managed areas. The results showed that in conserved areas, 70% of the trees were already highly infested in 2015, reaching 90% in 2017. During 2019–2021, the conserved areas were significantly more damaged than the managed ones. The volume of the stands decreased over time on average by 80% in conserved areas and 40% in managed areas, with the highest decrease occurring six to seven years after the initial SBB colonization. The damage estimated based on resinous flows and entrance-exit holes was similar regardless of the year or treatment. Our detection method may be used to support timely risk assessment and management of SBB outbreaks and decrease damage at the landscape level.
Are LLMs Good for Low-resource Vietnamese and Other Translations?
Authors: Nguyen Van-Vinh , Nguyen-Tien Ha , Nguyen-Ngoc Phuc , Hoang Minh-Cong Nguyen , Nguyen-Tat Dat
Published: November 2024

Large language models (LLMs) such as ChatGPT4, Gemini and LLaMA have seen widespread applications due to their strong instruction-following abilities, including machine translation (MT). LLMs have revolutionized machine translation for well-resourced languages. However, this paper studies their limitations in translating languages with small parallel text data (low-resource languages), especially, Vietnamese and other pairs. To address this problem, we propose a systematic study for examining the theoretical underpinnings of LLMs and their adaptation to low-resource settings carefully. We also present a new method for training the vanilla transformer model from scratch to create the most effective translation model for resource-poor language pairs like Vietnamese-Lao. Experiment results with the low-resource language pair Vietnamese-Lao show that the vanilla transformer model (seq2seq is only used for machine translation tasks) is better than MT with large language models, especially open source models (Llama2,3) both quality and speed time. This research is very meaningful as Vietnam has 54 different ethnic groups who speak more than 100 different languages [1], most of which have few bilingual resources. This study also shows the selection of a model to specifically optimize the translation problem with few resources between Vietnamese (the official language) and other languages.
Neuroprotective activities of sertraline, tiagabine, and bicifadine with autophagy-inducing potentials in a 6-hydroxidopamine-treated Parkinson’s disease cell model
Authors: Lee Chaemi , Kim Seong Soon , Bae Myung Ae , Kim Seong Hwan
Published: November 2024

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a prevalent neurodegenerative disease characterized by the progressive loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra. The development of effective neuroprotective therapies is crucial for mitigating the devastating effects of PD, and autophagy induction has recently emerged as a promising neuroprotective strategy. This study aimed to identify autophagy-inducing compounds and evaluate their neuroprotective activity in the chemical library. Among 3,200 chemicals consisting of FDA-approved drugs or are being evaluated in clinical trials, 547 chemicals indicating CNS diseases were filtered in, and 3 compounds (sertraline, tiagabine and bicifadine) were finally identified to exhibit the autophagy-inducing activity and the neuroprotective activity in 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA)-induced PC12 neuronal damaged PD model. Furthermore, Neurochemical profiling also revealed that 3 chemicals alleviated 6-OHDA-induced neurochemical pathway disruptions in PC12 cells. In conclusion, sertraline, tiagabine, and bicifadine, not only exhibited autophagy-inducing potential but also demonstrated significant neuroprotective activity with the change of neurochemical profiles against 6-OHDA-induced neurotoxicity in PD model, suggesting that 3 autophagy-inducing chemicals could be repositioned for PD to protect the neuronal cells.
Liver-X receptor β-selective agonist CE9A215 regulates Alzheimer’s disease- associated pathology in a 3xTg-AD mouse model
Authors: Ban So Young , Nam Yunkwon , Do Thi Thuong , Kim Byeong-Hyeon , Shin Soo Jung , Nguyen My Tuyen Thi , Kim Jaehan , Moon Minho , Park Jong-Tae
Published: November 2024

Background
In Alzheimer's disease (AD), tau pathology is more closely associated with disease progression. Therefore, the development of agents that alleviate tau pathology is essential. Liver-X receptor (LXR), a nuclear receptor with α and β subunits, has garnered interest for the prevention and treatment of neurodegenerative diseases, especially AD. Inotodiol (CE9A215) is an oxysterol isolated from Chaga mushroom, known for its anti-inflammatory, hepatoprotective effects, and efficacy in diabetes. However, its mechanism of action (MOA), how it regulates genes, and its potential effects on Alzheimer's disease (AD) remain unclear.
Methods
Molecular docking simulation and LXR FRET assay were performed for CE9A215. Gene expression of CE9A215 was confirmed using LXR a K/O mice and LXR b K/O mice. Y-maze analysis was conducted using 3xTg mice to assess AD-associated behaviors, and immunohistochemistry (IHC) was performed to examine amyloid-b, phosphorylated tau, and neuroinflammation. Transcriptome analysis of the brain was performed following oral administration of CE9A215.
Results
Molecular docking studies and TR-FRET binding assays demonstrated that CE9A215 preferentially binds to LXRβ (EC50 <10 nM), with no significant interaction observed with LXRα at concentrations up to 1,000 nM. Moreover, CE9A215 affected the expression of ABCA1, APOE, SREBP-1c and AQP4, in brain of wild-type and LXR α/β knockout mice in LXRβ-dependent manner. The treatment efficacy of CE9A215 on AD-related pathologies was evaluated using 3xTg-AD mice. CE9A215 exerted both prophylactic and therapeutic effects on AD-associated behaviors and pathologies, including reductions in amyloid-β, phosphorylated tau, and neuroinflammation in the hippocampus. Transcriptomic analysis revealed that CE9A215 induced significant changes in genes associated with tau pathology, particularly in pathways related to protein phosphorylation and PI3K/AKT signaling.
Conclusions
Our findings suggest that CE9A215 could be a promising therapeutic candidate for AD, particularly in mitigating tau hyperphosphorylation and related AD pathologies.
mRNA-based AXL-targeting chimeric antigen receptor-T cells against solid tumors
Authors: Zou Bo , Bai Shimeng , Wang Mengge , Li Ning , Fan Zhongyi , Peng Yuanzheng , Han Mingshu , Zeng Chen , Lu Hongzhou , Qi Lin , Zhang Xing-Ding , Tan Xiaohua , Liao Qibin
Published: November 2024

Background
Currently approved CAR-T cells primarily utilize retroviral or lentiviral vectors (LV), posing significant challenges due to their time-consuming and costly nature, and associated safety concerns, including insertional mutagenesis. Consequently, mRNA delivery holds promising prospects in CAR-T cell engineering. AXL represents an ideal target for LV-engineered CAR-T cells in the treatment of various malignancies, including breast, lung, and pancreatic cancer. However, the anti-tumor activity of mRNA-based AXL CAR-T cells remains to be fully elucidated.
Methods
We developed a novel CAR utilizing a fully humanized AXL-specific antibody. Subsequently, the mRNA encoding AXL-specific CAR was synthesized via in vitro transcription. This mRNA was then transfected into pre-activated T cells through electroporation. The expression levels of mRNA-based CAR were evaluated by flow cytometry. Furthermore, in vitro and in vivo assays were performed to evaluate the antigen-specific cytotoxicity and cytokine release capabilities of mRNA-based AXL CAR-T cells in various tumor cells and in a tumor-bearing mouse model.
Results
Electroporation of mRNA-encoding AXL CAR minimally affected T cell viability, resulting in high CAR expression over 90%, and this CAR expression persisted for at least three days following electroporation, consistent with observed cytotoxicity against the lung cancer cell line A549. mRNA-based AXL CAR-T cells exhibited dose-dependent cytotoxicity against both A549 and pancreatic cancer cell line Panc-1, achieving a killing rate exceeding 80% at an effector:target ratio of 4:1. Additionally, mRNA-based AXL CAR-T cells specifically secreted high level of cytokines IL-2 and IFN-γ upon interaction with target tumor cells. mRNA-based AXL CAR-T cells exhibited minimal impact on T cell subtypes while demonstrating robust cytotoxicity comparable to LV-engineered CAR-T cells. Additionally, mRNA-based AXL CAR-T cells demonstrated good anti-tumor activity in a subcutaneous lung cancer xenograft model.
Conclusions
mRNA-based AXL CAR-T cells transiently expressed high levels of CAR, enabling cost-effective large-scale production, and comparable functionality to LV-engineered CAR-T cells within a short time frame, which offers a safe alternative for clinical therapy utilizing LV-engineered CAR-T cells. mRNA-based AXL CAR-T cells have shown promising results in treating solid tumors, including lung cancer and pancreatic cancer, establishing an experimental basis for their potential clinical application in solid tumors.
Isolation and characterization of 35 SNP markers based on RAD sequencing in Vallisneria natans
Authors: Zhang Shengman , Tan Meng , He Peimin , Huang Xiangfeng , Li Chunyang
Published: November 2024

Vallisneria natans is widely distributed around the world. This species can adsorb suspended solids and solve the eutrophication of water bodies effectively, so it has become the focus of aquatic environment research. With the intensification of water pollution, the wild population of V. natans has declined rapidly during recent years, and insufficient molecular markers have limited the effective conservation of this species. In this research, 35 novel single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers were developed in a cultivar of V. natans and 14 wild species of V. natans using restriction site-associated DNA sequencing (RAD-seq). A total of 778 alleles were detected, with an average value of 2.59 alleles per sample. The newly developed polymorphic SNPs of V. natans are of great significance for the genetic breeding of Vallisneria and conservation genetics research.
To Effectively Control Tuta absoluta (Meyrick) and Improve Crop Yields, Consider Exploring the Benefits of Intercropping Tomatoes with Garlic
Authors: Fathi Seyed Ali Asghar
Published: November 2024

Diversifying agroecosystems is crucial for maintaining ecosystem functions, including pest control, beneficial insect diversity, and soil fertility. In this study, the impact of intercropping tomato (T) (Lycopersicon esculentum (Mill.) and garlic (G) (Allium sativum L.) in three designs of 4E:4G, 4E:8G, and 4E:12G (row ratios) were assessed on the density of the tomato leafminer (TLM), Tuta absoluta (Meyrick), fruit infestations, diversity of tomato-dwelling predators, parasitism rate, and crop yields compared with the sole crops over two growing seasons of 2022 and 2023. Three intercrops caused a significant reduction in the number of TLM eggs, larvae, and galleries, as well as the percentage of infested fruits compared to the sole tomato plots. The abundance of primary predators, Nesidiocoris tenuis (Reuter) and Orius niger (Wolff), were higher in intercrops compared to sole tomato plots. Furthermore, the annual abundance of tomato-dwelling predators enhanced in the intercrops than in the sole tomato plots. Besides, there was a noticeable enhancement in the Shannon diversity index for tomato-dwelling predators (the values of 1.98 in 4T: 4G in 2022 to 2.31 in 4T: 12G in 2023) compared to the values of 1.68 in 2022 and 1.82 in 2023 for sole tomato plots. The land equivalent ratio (LER) showed a notable improvement, ranging from 1.19 in 2022 to 1.32 in 2023 in the 4T: 12G intercrop, in intercrops compared to sole crops. Therefore, farmers may consider the implementation of the aforementioned intercrops as a strategy for the integrated management of T. absoluta infestations in their tomato fields.
Concentration-response Curve for Acetylcholine (Ach) in the Absence and Presence of Atropine and Measurement of the Equilibrium Dissociation Constant (Kb) Using Schild Analysis
Authors: Wilfred Obaalologhi , Urangikor Igbanam Michael , Itiri Eugene , Samuel Victor , Wilfred Otuamiobhedio Messiah , Ogbonna Victor Nnaemeka , Ezealisiobi Emeka Emmanuel
Published: November 2024

Acetylcholine is a chemical mediator synthesized in the central nervous system (the parasympathetic pathway) and act primarily on the muscarinic receptors so as to meditate smooth muscle cunctation. In this experiment, the effect of acetylcholine (ACh) and atropine (antagonist) were measured using an isolated guinea pig ileum which contain receptors that interact with these drugs. The relationship between the amount of drug and the biological response was plotted as a dose-response or concentration- response curve and the equilibrium dissociation constant (KB) for the antagonist and (KD) and for the agonist was obtained from the graph. Experiments were carried out using isolated pig ileum to characterize muscarinic receptor involved in the prejunctional regulation of acetylcholine (ACh) release from cholinergic nerve terminals, and in the postjunctional smooth muscle contractile response. The effects of ACh and atropine were evaluated on muscarinic receptor to measure muscle contraction. This result showed that atropine is a competitive inhibitor of mAChR as it antagonized and prevented the binding of ACh on the muscarinic receptor, thereby preventing the mediation of muscle contraction of guinea pig ileum.
Individual building based net-zero emission transition pathways for global cities
Authors: Guan Dabo , Chen Yuxin , Wang Zhenyu , Meng Jing , Bi Jun , Huo Jingwen , Li Shuping , Zhou Li , Chen Peipei , Liang Diling
Published: November 2024

Carbon reduction during the operational phase of buildings is a critical component in achieving global carbon neutrality objectives. Current methods for estimating carbon dioxide emissions in this phase predominantly focus on national or city-level scales, often ignoring the heterogeneity in building types and functions. This oversight limits the precision with which low-carbon management technologies can be applied to retrofit existing buildings effectively. To address this gap, we develop a building-based emissions accounting approach at city-scale that considers building type, function, floor area, and floor height of individual building. Additionally, we integrate point source data from facility-level power plants to characterize the structure of the energy supply sector. We then propose a suite of emission reduction technologies tailored for the operational phase of buildings, constructing baseline, regulatory, and blueprint scenarios to analyze the emission reduction pathways from 2020 to 2050. The demand-side pathways primarily target two key areas of emission reduction, such as modifying energy consumption behaviors by replacing conventional lighting with energy-efficient alternatives. On the supply-side, three major technological categories are addressed, including the conversion of coal-fired power plants to coal-biomass co-firing systems to enhance power generation efficiency. We applied the methodology to a global city of Nanjing, encompassing 534,000 individual buildings across 101 streets. Our analysis reveals that the carbon intensity of terminal energy use in commercial buildings in Nanjing is approximately 3.9 times higher than that in residential buildings. Enhancing energy efficiency in end-use sectors such as HVAC systems, commercial lighting, and electrical equipment emerges as the most effective strategy for reducing carbon emissions during the operational phase of commercial buildings. From a supply-side perspective, the early retirement of coal-fired power plants offers the most significant contribution to emission reductions. This approach accelerates the transition to a more efficient energy structure by phasing out outdated capacities before 2045 and optimizing the deployment of advanced power generation technologies, such as solar, wind, nuclear. Our findings offer targeted pathways for emission reduction during the operational phase of buildings and provide valuable scientific insights for policymakers.
Ranking of Treatments in Network Meta-Analysis: Incorporating Minimally Important Differences
Authors: Curteis Tristan , Wigle Augustine , Michaels Christopher J. , Nikolakopoulou Adriani
Published: November 2024

Background
In network meta-analysis (NMA), the magnitude of difference between treatment effects is typically ignored in the calculation of ranking metrics, such as probability best and surface under the cumulative ranking curve (SUCRAs).
Methods
Analogues to commonly available NMA ranking metrics that account for minimally important differences (MIDs) are provided. In particular, definitions are provided for MID-adjusted median ranks, MID-adjusted probability jth, MID-adjusted cumulative probability jth, and MID-adjusted SUCRA values. Since adjustment for MIDs allows for ties between treatments in a network, methods for handling ties in ranking are discussed, with it shown that the midpoint method for handling ties retains the property that the average value of all SUCRA values in a network is one half. Comparability of MID-adjusted P-scores and MID-adjusted SUCRA values is discussed, and a Bayesian software implementation of the MID-adjusted ranking metrics is provided.
Results
Two real-world applications of MID-adjusted ranking metrics are presented to illustrate their use. Specifically, NMAs are conducted based on published networks on treatments for diabetes and Parkinson’s disease. To present the results, MIDs are selected from relevant literature to interpret MID-adjusted ranking metrics for these networks.
Conclusions
Although dependent on the magnitude of the MID and the magnitude of difference between treatments, failure to consider MIDs in ranking treatments can lead to erroneous conclusions of differences when ranking treatments where none of clinical relevance exists.
Urbanization results in highly dynamic, degraded benthic macroinvertebrate communities in North Carolina streams
Authors: Westman Riley , Martin Katherine L
Published: November 2024

Benthic macroinvertebrates are frequently used as bioindicators of stream health. We compared macroinvertebrate communities from 22 urban stream sites with a range of development and impervious surface cover to those from 24 highly forested stream sites to determine how urban land cover impacts in-stream communities. We also assessed the temporal change in species compositions in the urban streams from 2001–2021 to test whether increasing development in watersheds that are already highly urbanized leads to further community degradation. Urban streams and forested streams represented alternate community states, with dispersed, non-overlapping clustering in a nonmetric multidimensional scaling analysis. Urban streams were degraded by all community-level metrics examined (richness, diversity, pollution tolerance) relative to the forested streams. In the urban streams, species compositions differed significantly over 20 years, with pollution tolerant species continually replacing other tolerant species. However, these changes were not related to land cover, and most community-level metrics remained stable. A decline in gamma diversity suggests urban macroinvertebrate communities may gradually become more homogenized. Overall, we found that landcover changes associated with urbanization, particularly increases in impervious surface cover, result in persistently degraded, dynamic macroinvertebrate communities containing a few highly tolerant species.
Public Health Infrastructure in Rural America
Authors: Rochford Hannah I. , Marthey Daniel , Ferdinand Alva O.
Published: November 2024

Understanding community needs and preferences is essential for effective public health. This applies to access to services and other challenges faced by rural local health departments (LHDs). Rural areas lack public sector investments, workforce support, and economic recovery seen in urban counterparts. Overcoming reliance on declining state and federal funding is crucial for rural LHDs. Collaborations and resource pooling can enhance capacity. Social connectedness and self-reliance provide a foundation for effective partnerships and tailored solutions in rural public health.
Housing and Homes
Authors: Ferdinand Alva O. , Eboreime Emesomhi
Published: November 2024

Rural residents face housing challenges due to aging, limited repair abilities, lower incomes, and older housing stock. Insufficient investment in affordable rural housing affects mental health, lead exposure, and financial well-being. Children, the elderly, the homeless, and marginalized groups are profoundly affected. Despite these challenges, there are promising strategies that can be employed to achieve the overall goal of promoting healthy and safe home environments in rural contexts in the upcoming decade. These strategies include: Wraparound services to identify and address housing needs; partnerships with trusted service organizations for repairs and lead abatement; educate clinicians about housing-related social support programs; consider policies that protect rural multiunit residents from second-hand smoke exposure. These strategies can promote healthier and safer home environments in rural areas.
Controle de Qualidade no Setor de Hematologia com Ênfase no Leucograma
Authors: Silva Yara Ingrid Alves da , Amorim Werick Mendes
Published: November 2024

O controle de qualidade no setor de hematologia, especialmente no leucograma, é fundamental para garantir resultados precisos e confiáveis em exames laboratoriais. Este estudo analisa as práticas de controle de qualidade no hemograma completo, com ênfase na série leucocitária, através de uma pesquisa bibliográfica qualitativa. A evolução histórica do controle de qualidade laboratorial revela avanços significativos, desde a implementação das Regras de Westgard até métodos automatizados recentes. Os resultados indicam que a maioria dos laboratórios utiliza controles comerciais, embora métodos alternativos sejam adotados em situações de recursos limitados. A automação tem reduzido erros humanos e melhorado a precisão, mas desafios como variabilidade entre laboratórios e limitações financeiras persistem. A discussão enfatiza a importância do controle de qualidade para evitar erros diagnósticos e garantir a segurança do paciente. Conclui-se que, apesar dos avanços, é necessário investimento contínuo em tecnologia e treinamento para enfrentar desafios futuros e manter a confiabilidade dos resultados hematológicos.
JAMAL ASSADI: A VOICE OF CULTURAL BELONGING IN MODERN ARAB POETRY
Authors: Assadi Nassim
Published: November 2024

This article explores the poetry of Jamal Assadi, a prominent Palestinian poet whose works delve into themes of identity, displacement, and cultural belonging. Using a biographical approach, the study analyzes how Assadis personal experiences, particularly as a Palestinian Arab living in Israel, inform his poetic voice. By drawing on Assadis own words from interviews and his body of work, the article examines key poems to highlight his reflection on time, memory, and the socio-political struggles of the Arab world. Assadis use of both classical Arabic poetic forms and modern free verse techniques enriches the Arab literary tradition, blending the old with the new to address contemporary concerns.The critical method employed in this article focuses on the relationship between Assadis life and his literary creations, emphasizing how his poetry acts as a mirror of personal and collective experiences of exile and cultural fragmentation. Additionally, the article explores Assadis engagement with global literary traditions, showing how intertextuality plays a role in his political critique. Ultimately, this article affirms Assadis significant contribution to modern Arab literature, arguing that his poetry serves as both a continuation of classical Arabic traditions and a platform for innovation. By addressing themes of cultural resilience and political critique, Assadis work provides a nuanced and powerful voice within the broader landscape of Arab poetry, making it an essential subject of literary study.
LITHOPEDION: A CASE REPORT
Authors:   Department of Gynecology Obstetric, Mohamed VI University Medical Center, Marrakech, Morocco., Elmahfoudi A. , Sali M. ,   Department of Gynecology Obstetric, Mohamed VI University Medical Center, Marrakech, Morocco., Boukhani L. ,   Department of Gynecology Obstetric, Mohamed VI University Medical Center, Marrakech, Morocco., Fakhir B. ,   Department of Gynecology Obstetric, Mohamed VI University Medical Center, Marrakech, Morocco., Bassir A. ,   Department of Gynecology Obstetric, Mohamed VI University Medical Center, Marrakech, Morocco., Harrou. A. Aboulfalah K. ,   Department of Gynecology Obstetric, Mohamed VI University Medical Center, Marrakech, Morocco., Asmouki H. ,   Department of Gynecology Obstetric, Mohamed VI University Medical Center, Marrakech, Morocco., Soumani A. ,   Department of Gynecology Obstetric, Mohamed VI University Medical Center, Marrakech, Morocco.
Published: November 2024

This article presents a case of lithopedion, a rare condition characterized by the calcification of a deceased fetus within the mothers abdomen. The objective is to highlight the clinical features, diagnostic challenges, and management strategies associated with this phenomenon. We describe the case of a 34-year-old patient, gravida 2 para 1 (G2P1), in whom lithopedion was incidentally discovered during a cesarean section.A lithopedion, also known as a stone baby, refers to the calcification of a fetus following intra-abdominal fetal demise. This occurs when the non-viable fetus is encased in a calcified shell, a process termed fetal mummification. It is an exceptionally rare outcome of a failed intrauterine or ectopic pregnancy [1].Our case is unusual, as the lithopedion was discovered incidentally during a cesarean section in a woman with a history of infertility. The newborn presented in a breech position, likely due to the reduced intrauterine space caused by an adnexal mass.
USE OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY IN TEACHING AND LEARNING ON STUDENTS PERFORMANCE IN MATHEMATICS IN PUBLIC SECONDARY SCHOOLS OF RWANDA
Authors:   School of Education, Mount Kigali University, P.O.Box 5826 Kigali, Rwanda., Marie Ange Ingabire , Faustin Mugiraneza ,   School of Education, Mount Kigali University, P.O.Box 5826 Kigali, Rwanda.
Published: November 2024

This study explored the impact of English language proficiency on students performance in Mathematics in Kirehe Districts public secondary schools. It aims to assess students English skills in math classes, identify challenges stemming from language barriers, and determine the correlation between English proficiency and math performance. The research involved 336 students, from which 183 respondents, including head teachers, teachers, and students from four schools, were selected through purposive and random sampling methods. A descriptive research design using both quantitative and qualitative approaches was adopted, with data collected via questionnaires, interviews, and observations, then analyzed using SPSS version 21. Findings revealed that 76.5% of students understood basic math terms in English, while 89.7% felt confident discussing challenges in math. However, 81.8% struggled with complex instructions due to unfamiliar vocabulary. Anxiety about using English was noted by 86.8% of students, and 94.1% reported difficulties with lengthy word problems. The study found a significant correlation between teachers English skills and student performance, participation, and learning independence. Recommendations include prioritizing access to English resources, providing teacher incentives for language skill enhancement, and using clear, concise language in instruction. Further research on the relationship between English proficiency and students attitudes toward Mathematics is suggested.
AI AND EMPLOYEE WELLBEING: HOW ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE CAN MONITOR AND IMPROVE MENTAL HEALTH IN THE WORKPLACE
Authors: Jangid Ankita
Published: November 2024

This paper explores the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in enhancing employee mental health and well-being in workplace environments. With growing concerns over stress, anxiety, and burnout in the workplace, AI offers novel solutions to monitor, assess, and improve mental health. By leveraging AI technologies such as sentiment analysis, chatbots, virtual assistants, and wearable devices, organizations can detect early signs of stress and burnout, enabling timely interventions. AIs role in providing personalized mental health support, including customized wellness programs and real-time stress management tools, is also discussed. However, the paper highlights key challenges, including data privacy, algorithmic bias, and the ethical implications of continuous employee monitoring. Ethical considerations surrounding employee consent, privacy, and the role of human oversight are crucial to ensuring AIs effectiveness and maintaining trust in its application. Ultimately, the integration of AI in mental health management has the potential to create healthier, more productive workplace environments when coupled with ethical practices and human support systems.
ASSESSMENT OF SERUM LEVEL OF ERYTHROPOIETIN AND ANTI-ERYTHROPOIETIN ANTIBODY IN CHRONIC HEPATITIS C VIRUS INFECTED PATIENTS WITH CHRONIC ANEMIA
Authors:   Internal Medicine Department Faculty of Medicine Suez Canal University., Mahmoud Ibrahim Mohamed Mohamed , Ali Khalil Khalil ,   Internal Medicine Department Faculty of Medicine Suez Canal University., Ahmed Seliem Hamdy ,   Internal Medicine Department Faculty of Medicine Suez Canal University., Ahmed Tawfik Gamal ,   Internal Medicine Department Faculty of Medicine Suez Canal University.
Published: November 2024

Background and Aims: Circulating erythropoietin (Epo) levels were found to be increased in patients with acute and chronic liver diseases. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the level of plasma erythropoietin and anti-erythropoietin antibodies levels in patients suffering from HCV positive chronic liver disease with chronic anemia in order to assess the relationship between serum erythropoietin and anti-erythropoietin antibodies and hemoglobin concentration as an indicator of the activity of bone marrow erythropoiesis Methods: Thestudy group:comprised (60) chronic HCV infected anaemic patients they were subdivided into three subgroups according to Child-Pugh classification: Child A: comprised (20) patients (Childs grade A) Child B: comprised (20) patients (Childs grade B) Child C: comprised (20) patients (Childs grade C) The control group: comprised (20) non anemic chronic HCV infected patients as controls. Plasma Epo anti-erythropoietin antibodies was detected to all subjects. Results: a positive correlation of plasma EPO levels to the severity of liver diseases, HCV infected patients with anemia had higher plasma levels of EPO than those without anemia a highly significant negative correlation between mean Hb concentration and mean plasma EPO values, positive correlation between serum erythropoietin and serum ferritin (r = 0.2, p < 0.001), (7) patients showed anti-EPO antibodies positivity all were included among the Childâ€“Pugh C. Conclusion: Plasma Epo levels are significantly higher in anemic HCV infected patients than that of non anemic HCV patients and High serum ferritin with anaemia indicates failure of iron utilization during the process of erythropoiesis which constitutes the major iron utilisation pool in the body which could be due to irresponsiveness of the early erythroid proginators to the increased continous erythropoietin stimulation.