bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Depressive symptoms and its influencing factors of older people with cataracts in China: a national cross-sectional survey
Authors: Niu Tengfei , Cao Shiwei , Wang Xiaoyu , Xian Xiaobing , Luo Chunyang , Ma Jingxi
Published: January 2025

Background

Depressive symptoms are a common complication in patients with cataracts and may exacerbate cataract symptoms. Therefore, it is important to focus on depressive symptoms and their influencing factors in older people with cataracts. The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence rate of depressive symptoms and influencing factors in Chinese older people with cataracts.

Methods

Descriptive analyses were used to report the sociodemographic characteristics, lifestyle, health status, and depressive symptoms of old people with cataracts in China. The chi-square test was used to compare differences between subjects with different demographic characteristics. Binary logistic regression was used to analyze the factors that influenced the depressive symptoms of cataract patients. Meanwhile, a random forest model was developed in this study to rank the importance of the influencing factors.

Results

Three hundred and six (25.27%) of 1,211 cataract patients included in this study suffered from depressive symptoms. Logistic regression analysis suggested that poor economic situation (AOR = 3.162, 95%CI: 1.719–5.817), social participation (AOR = 1.530, 95%CI: 1.053–2.222), having hearing disorder (AOR = 1.445, 95%CI: 1.040–2.008), poor self-reported health status (AOR = 2.646, 95%CI: 1.705–4.106), poor life satisfaction (AOR = 3.586, 95%CI: 1.652–7.784) were risk factors for depressive symptoms in cataract patients and consumption of fresh fruits (AOR = 0.587, 95%CI: 0.369–0.933) was a protective factor for depressive symptoms in cataract patients. The results of the random forest showed that self-reported health status was the most important factor influencing depressive symptoms in cataract patients. The other factors, in order of importance, were life satisfaction, economic situation, fruits, hearing disorder, and social participation.

Conclusion

The results suggested that the development of depressive symptoms in cataract patients was influenced by various factors. Medical staff should monitor these influencing factors more closely when treating and caring for patients with cataracts.
Investigating neuropathological correlates of hyperactive and psychotic symptoms in dementia: a systematic review
Authors: Negro Giulia , Rossi Michele , Imbimbo Camillo , Gatti Alberto , Magi Andrea , Appollonio Ildebrando Marco , Costa Alfredo , Poloni Tino Emanuele
Published: January 2025

Introduction

Behavioral and Psychological Symptoms of Dementia (BPSD) are common neuropsychiatric manifestations that complicate the clinical course of dementia and impact caregiving. Among these, the Hyperactivity–Impulsivity–Irritiability–Disinhibition–Aggression–Agitation (HIDA) and Psychosis (P) domains are particularly challenging to manage. Despite their prevalence, their underlying mechanisms and neuropathological correlates, remain poorly understood. This systematic review aims to elucidate the neuropathological basis of the HIDA and psychosis domains, exploring whether distinct proteinopathies and neural circuit dysfunctions are associated with these symptoms.

Methods

The review follows PRISMA guidelines, with a systematic search conducted across MEDLINE, CENTRAL, and EMBASE databases. Inclusion criteria involved studies exploring the neuropathology of the HIDA and psychosis domains in individuals with dementia. Records were screened using PICO software, and data quality was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS) and CARE guidelines. A narrative synthesis was conducted due to heterogeneity in the data.

Results

From 846 records identified, 37 studies met inclusion criteria. Of the 18,823 cases analyzed, the most common diagnoses were Alzheimer's Disease (83.44%), Dementia with Lewy Bodies (5.37%), and Frontotemporal Dementia (13.40%). HIDA-P symptoms were distributed across all clinical diagnoses, with agitation (14.00%), delusions (11.60%), disinhibition (7.61%), and hallucinations (6.83%) being the most frequently reported behaviors. The primary neuropathological diagnosis was Alzheimer's Disease Neuropathologic Change (ADNC), present predominantly in intermediate to severe forms. The neuropathological analysis revealed the co-occurrence of multiple proteinopathies, particularly TAUopathy, TDP-43 pathology, and Lewy-related pathology (LRP), with the latter, in association with ADNC, reported in 15 studies.

Discussion

HIDA-P symptoms were linked with overlapping involvement of different neural circuits, particularly the amygdala and the broader limbic system. Evidence suggests that TAUopathy and multiple proteinopathies in key brain regions, such as amygdala, are central to the development of these symptoms. In contrast, the contribution of beta-amyloid and vascular damage appears marginal in the genesis of HIDA and psychotic symptoms. No behavioral symptom is pathognomonic of a specific proteinopathy; rather, the topography and severity of lesions plays a more decisive role than their single molecular composition.

Systematic review registration

INPLASY2024100082.
Case Report: Accuracy analysis of a new scanning body for intraoral digital impressions in full-arch edentulous patients
Authors: Ma Hongyang , Cao Jia , Tang Zhihui , Wu Yuwei
Published: January 2025

This clinical report aimed to compare the scanning accuracy of SRA, and a novel extended scan body in edentulous patients. Through quantitative analysis, the study provided data support for oral prosthodontics and digital treatments. Edentulous patients with six Straumann bone-level implants were selected. The scan data was compared to the standard model derived from traditional impressions to evaluate scanning accuracy. The SRA scan bodies showed lower accuracy (46 ± 45 μm), while the Segma scan bodies with an extended structure achieved significantly higher accuracy (20 ± 2 μm). The extended structure effectively reduced image stitching errors in challenging intraoral regions, improving accuracy and speed. The Segma scan bodies with an extended structure accurately replicated spatial position information of implants in edentulous patients, providing insights for oral prosthodontics and digital treatments to enhance restoration quality.
Approximation properties relative to continuous scale space for hybrid discretisations of Gaussian derivative operators
Authors: Lindeberg Tony
Published: January 2025

This paper presents an analysis of properties of two hybrid discretisation methods for Gaussian derivatives, based on convolutions with either the normalised sampled Gaussian kernel or the integrated Gaussian kernel followed by central differences. The motivation for studying these discretisation methods is that in situations when multiple spatial derivatives of different orders are needed at the same scale level, they can be computed significantly more efficiently, compared to more direct derivative approximations based on explicit convolutions with either sampled Gaussian derivative kernels or integrated Gaussian derivative kernels. We characterise the properties of these hybrid discretisation methods in terms of quantitative performance measures, concerning the amount of spatial smoothing that they imply, as well as the relative consistency of the scale estimates obtained from scale-invariant feature detectors with automatic scale selection, with an emphasis on the behaviour for very small values of the scale parameter, which may differ significantly from corresponding results obtained from the fully continuous scale-space theory, as well as between different types of discretisation methods. The presented results are intended as a guide, when designing as well as interpreting the experimental results of scale-space algorithms that operate at very fine scale levels.
Shaking, Slow Movements, and Science: Discovering Parkinson’s Disease
Authors: Corral Isabel Sala , Mendes Pellegrino Nathalia , Salloum e Silva Layla Cupertino , Los Angeles Emanuele , Coelho Daniel Boari
Published: January 2025

This article is about Parkinson’s disease, a condition that affects the brain and makes it hard for people to control their movements. It explains the main symptoms, like shaking, slow movements, and stiffness, and how Parkinson’s can also affect sleep, memory, and emotions. The article discusses how doctors diagnose Parkinson’s and the early signs that might appear before movement problems start. It also covers the treatments available, such as medications, physical exercise, and therapies that can help manage the symptoms. By understanding more about Parkinson’s disease, kids, parents, and teachers can better support loved ones with this condition and learn how to help them stay healthy and happy.
Association between the attentional network efficiency and change of direction speed ability in young male Indian footballers
Authors: Chatterjee Debabrata , Dasgupta Santi Ranjan , Dutta Arkadeb
Published: January 2025

Introduction

Interactions between cognitive functions and sports-specific motor actions are crucial for strategic sports performance. Change of direction speed (CODS) is an essential motor ability required for rapid positional maneuvering in football. Although CODS lacks perceptual judgment and anticipatory elements of higher-level cognition, its connection with fundamental cognitive abilities cannot be undermined. The attentional networks is the basis of the fundamental cognitive abilities controlling complex behavior. The present study aimed to investigate the association between CODS ability and the efficiency of alerting, orienting, and executive components of the attentional networks, and decision-making in footballers.

Methods

Seventy-eight male footballers (age: 15.4 ± 0.87 years, BMI: 19.4 ± 1.98 kg/m2) during pre-season completed a battery of field tests comprising Illinois agility test (IAT), 30 m sprint, standing broad jump, and Yo-Yo test. Attentional network components and decision-making ability were tested in the participants with computerized Attentional Network Test-Interactions (ANT-I) and choice reaction time (CRT) tasks in the laboratory set-up. A 2(alerting) ×3 (orienting) ×2 (executive) repeated measures ANOVA tested interactions between the attentional network components. Partial correlation was conducted between the physical (field tests) and cognitive test scores adjusted for age and BMI.

Results

CODS ability measured with IAT was significantly correlated [r = +0.507 (large), p < 0.05] with the executive control network only, nor with alerting [r = −0.039 (trivial), p > 0.05] and orienting [r = + 0.051 (trivial), p > 0.05] networks and neither the CRT task performance [r = −0.011 (trivial), p > 0.05].

Discussion

A strong positive association between executive control and preplanned CODS indicates better interference control by the attentional network. The later may be a factor for faster CODS execution in young footballers. Hence, it may be concluded that better CODS ability is possibly an outcome of innate competence in executive control of the attentional network in young male footballers. These findings attempted to fill the knowledge gap by highlighting the importance of the attentional network functions in modulating CODS ability. The outcomes can benefit football training by implementing ANT-I test in sports-specific settings and for screening purposes. However in the future, a large-scale study including female footballers is required to strengthen this claim further.
Spillover effects of rural residents’ past pro-environmental production behavior on their voluntary waste separation behavior
Authors: Teng Yuhua , Li Ning , Liu Changjin , Yang Jing , Chen Yan
Published: January 2025

Based on the survey data of rural residents in the National Ecological Civilization Pilot Area (Jiangxi), this paper empirically analyzes the spillover effect and mechanism of past pro-environmental production behavior on rural residents’ voluntary garbage sorting behavior, and adopts the fsQCA to clarify the grouping paths and examines the interactive relationship among multiple factors. The results of the empirical study show that: firstly, past pro-environmental production behaviors can directly promote rural residents’ voluntary garbage sorting behaviors; secondly, environmental self-identification and subjective norms have a partially mediating effect; thirdly, publicity and village regulations play a positive moderating effect. Further, the results of fsQCA analysis reaffirm the influence mechanisms, and reveal the multiple concurrent pathways through which past pro-environmental production behaviors drive the active waste sorting behaviors of rural residents. It’s found that there is a substitution relationship between rural residents’ past pro-environmental production behavior and publicity and education. This study enriches the theoretical explanation of the spillover of residents’ pro-environmental behaviors, and provides useful ideas for stimulating rural residents’ enthusiasm in active participation of rural residents in household waste sorting.
Impact of dietary Spirulina on performance, antioxidant status, carcass traits and pathological alteration in broilers exposed to ochratoxin A stress
Authors: Salah Ayman S. , El-Tarabany Mahmoud S. , Mostafa Marwa , Zaki Rania Samir , Azzam Mahmoud M. , El Euony Omnia I. , Alagawany Mahmoud , Lestingi Antonia , Elolimy Ahmed A. , Madkour Mahmoud , Fotouh Ahmed
Published: January 2025

Introduction

This study examined the influence of Spirulina platensis, ochratoxin A (OTA), and their combination on growth, antioxidant status, liver and kidney functions, immunity, and carcass traits of broiler chickens.

Methods

160 unsexed 1-day broiler chicks were divided into four treatment groups, each consisting of 4 replications of 10 chicks. The duration of this study was six weeks, during which the experimental groups were organized as follows: G1 consumed a basal diet (control), G2 consumed a basal diet treated with OTA at a level of 1 mg/kg of diet, G3 consumed a basal diet treated with Spirulina platensis at a level of 1 g/kg of diet, G4 consumed a basal diet treated with OTA at a level of 1 mg/kg of diet and Spirulina platensis at a level of 1 g/kg diet.

Results and discussion

The results illustrated that OTA-contaminated feed resulted in a significant elevation in total cholesterol, triglyceride, low- and very low density lipoprotein, and malondialdehyde, along with a significant reduction in antioxidant status and immunological response. On the other hand, Spirulina supplementation significantly enhanced performance performance (body weight, body weight gain and feed conversion ratio). Lipid profile was significantly decreased by Spirulina supplementation. Antioxidant activity (superoxide dismutase, catalase, total antioxidant capacity, and glutathione peroxidase) of broilers exposed to OTA was significantly increased by Spirulina supplementation. Finally, supplementing Spirulina platensis in broiler chickens fed on OTA contaminated diet attenuated the harmful effects of OTA, while improving the growth performance, antioxidant activity, lipid profile, and immune response of broiler chickens.
Relationship Between Physical Activity Level and Primary Care Costs in Older Diabetic Patients From a Middle-Size Brazilian City: An Eight-Year Follow-Up Study
Authors: Koyama Kelly Akemi Kikuti , Araujo Monique Yndawe Castanho , Morais Luana Carolina de , Lemes Italo Ribeiro , Fernandes Rômulo Araújo , Turi-Lynch Bruna Camilo , Sarti Flávia Mori , Delacosta Thais Cristina , Monteiro Henrique Luiz , Codogno Jamile Sanches
Published: January 2025

Objectives

Physical activity and costs have been consistently related each other, but mostly in cross-sectional investigations. This study aims to investigate the relationship between changes in physical activity level and changes in healthcare costs among older diabetic adults in an 8-year follow-up study.

Methods

The study followed 151 diabetic adults ≥50 years of age, for a period of 8 years, who were patients of Basic Health Care Units in the city of Bauru (Brazil). Medical records were consulted to obtain information on healthcare costs. Physical activity level was assessed through an interview. Data analysis included descriptive statistics, analysis of variance, and linear regression.

Results

Participants who increased leisure-time physical activity from 2010 to 2018 accumulated less healthcare costs from 2020 to 2018. The magnitude of the relationship was small (r = −0.233 [95% CI: −0.379 to −0.076]).

Conclusion

In summary, among diabetic patients, to increase leisure-time physical activity from 2010 to 2018 was inversely related to the amount of healthcare costs spent over the same period of 8 years.
An Intelligent Group Learning Framework for Detecting Common Tomato Diseases Using Simple and Weighted Majority Voting with Deep Learning Models
Authors: Javidan Seyed Mohamad , Ampatzidis Yiannis , Banakar Ahmad , Asefpour Vakilian Keyvan , Rahnama Kamran
Published: January 2025

Plant diseases pose significant economic challenges and may lead to ecological consequences. Although plant pathologists have a significant ability to diagnose plant diseases, rapid, accurate, and early diagnosis of plant diseases by intelligent systems could improve disease control and management. This study evaluates six efficient classification models (classifiers) based on deep learning to detect common tomato diseases by analyzing symptomatic patterns on leaves. Additionally, group learning techniques, including simple and weighted majority voting methods, were employed to enhance classification performance further. Six tomato leaf diseases, including Pseudomonas syringae pv. syringae bacterial spot, Phytophthora infestance late blight, Cladosporium fulvum leaf mold, Septoria lycopersici Septoria leaf spot, Corynespora cassiicola target spot, and Alternaria solani early blight, as well as healthy leaves, resulting in a total of seven classes, were utilized for the classification. Deep learning models, such as convolutional neural networks (CNNs), GoogleNet, ResNet-50, AlexNet, Inception v3, and MobileNet, were utilized, achieving classification accuracies of 65.8%, 84.9%, 93.4%, 89.4%, 93.4%, and 96%, respectively. Furthermore, applying the group learning approaches significantly improved the results, with simple majority voting achieving a classification accuracy of 99.5% and weighted majority voting achieving 100%. These findings highlight the effectiveness of the proposed deep ensemble learning models in accurately identifying and classifying tomato diseases, featuring their potential for practical applications in tomato disease diagnosis and management.
Distribution Characteristics and Ecological Risk Assessment of Pharmaceutical and Personal Care Products (PPCPs) in Different Water Sources, Soil Profiles and Rice Crops Under Rural Domestic Reclaimed Water Irrigations
Authors: Xiao Menghua , Yang Caijie , Wang Lei , Zheng Shizong , Xiong Ling , Kong Peipei , Cai Jiafang
Published: January 2025

Pharmaceutical and personal care products (PPCPs) have the characteristics of environmental persistence, bioaccumulation, and high toxicity, and their environmental behavior has attracted the attention in the process of sewage resource utilization in recent years. In this study, four kinds of irrigation water sources (the primary treated water of rural domestic sewage (RDS) R1, the secondary treated water of RDS R2, the ecological pond purified water R3 and river water (CK) and three kinds of water level regulations (low-, medium- and high-water level regulation of W1, W2, and W3) were set to study the migration law of 22 kinds of PPCPs in rural domestic reclaimed water (RDRW), paddy soil and rice plants. Five rice plant and soil samples were, respectively, taken from each treatment using the five-point sampling method in this study. The samples were pretreated using the solid-phase extraction (SPE) method. After pretreatment, PPCPs were quantitatively analyzed by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). The objective of the research was to explore the distribution patterns in soil-crop system, further evaluating the ecological risks of PPCPs in soil and rice plants under the regulation of RDRW irrigation. The results showed that 21 kinds of PPCPs were detected in RDRW and CK, among which the concentration of ofloxacin (OFL) was the highest. Fifteen kinds of PPCPs were detected in paddy soil and rice grain, among which atenolol (ATE) content was relatively higher. Compared with CK, the total content of PPCPs in the soil surface layer (0–20 cm) was the highest under RDRW irrigation. The impacts of different water level regulations on the PPCPs content between soil profile and rice grain were not significant. In addition, the reduction rate of 15 PPCPs in soil under RDRW irrigation was greater than 85%, and the bio-concentration factor (BCF) of PPCPs in rice grain was less than 0.1. The ecological risk assessment showed that ibuprofen (IBU) was a high-risk substance pollutant, triclocarban (TRIC) was a medium-risk pollutant, ofloxacin (OFL) was a low-risk pollutant, while the other PPCPs were all risk-free pollutants under RDRW irrigation. Therefore, R3 water sources can be selected for direct agricultural irrigation, while direct irrigation of R1 and R2 water sources should be avoided.
Combined Mineral and Organic Fertilizer Application Enhances Soil Organic Carbon and Maize Yield in Semi-Arid Kenya: A DNDC Model-Based Prediction
Authors: Aluoch Stephen Okoth , Raseduzzaman Md , Li Xiaoxin , Li Zhuoting , Bizimana Fiston , Yawen Zheng , Mosongo Peter Semba , Mburu David M. , Waweru Geofrey , Dong Wenxu , Hu Chunsheng
Published: January 2025

The application of mineral fertilizers can effectively enhance crop yields. However, this potential benefit may be diminished if the use of mineral fertilizers leads to a substantial decline in soil organic carbon (SOC) and an increase in soil greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. This study aimed to determine the optimal fertilizer combinations and rates for improving SOC and maize yield while reducing GHG emissions in the semi-arid uplands of Kenya. Data were collected from five different fertilizer treatments (N50, N100, N150, N100+manure, and N100+straw) compared to a control (N0) in a long-term experimental field, which was used to run and validate the DNDC model before using it for long-term predictions. The results showed that the combination of mineral fertilizer and straw resulted in the highest SOC balance, followed by that of fertilizer and manure. All fertilized treatments had higher maize grain yields compared to low-fertilizer treatment (N50) and control (N0). Daily CO2 fluxes were highest in the treatment combining mineral fertilizer and manure, whereas there were no significant differences in N2O fluxes among the three tested treatments. The findings of this study indicate that the judicious application of mineral fertilizer, animal manure, and straw has great potential in enhancing SOC and maize yields while reducing GHG emissions, thereby providing practical farming management strategies in semi-arid Kenya.
Phytogenic Feed Additives as a Sustainable Alternative to Antibiotics: Enhancing Growth and Disease Resistance in Nile Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus)
Authors: Gruber Christina , Ocelova Vladimira , Kesselring Jutta C. , Wein Silvia
Published: January 2025

Pathogens and challenging conditions in fish farming are common problems that cause mortality and reduce growth performance. Phytogenic feed additives can support the immunity of fish and thereby improve performance, production, and disease resistance. Two experiments with Nile Tilapia aimed to evaluate the effects of a matrix-encapsulated phytogenic additive (Digestarom® P.E.P. MGE) in different feed formulations, which vary in the marine meal inclusion level (5% and 12.8%), on growth performance and resistance against Streptococcus agalactiae. Fish were stocked in a recirculating aquaculture tank system per experiment and were fed with diets with or without the phytogenic supplementation for 8 weeks (six replicates per group). After an intraperitoneal injection with a sterilized saline solution and bath immersion with S. agalactiae (5 × 106 CFU/mL), mortality of the fish was recorded for 20 days. Independent of the diet formulation, the supplementation with the phytogenic feed additive significantly improved the fish production; feed conversion ratio; immune response (mainly lactic acid dehydrogenase, differential blood cell counts, and the lysozyme activity in blood); and fish survival after the S. agalactiae challenge. Thus, phytogenic feed additives are promising strategies to improve Nile tilapia production by enhancing fish growth performance, health, and protection against S. agalactiae infections.
High Rosmarinic Acid Content Melissa officinalis L. Phytocomplex Modulates Microglia Neuroinflammation Induced by High Glucose
Authors: Videtta Giacomina , Sasia Chiara , Galeotti Nicoletta
Published: January 2025

Diabetic patients experience hyperglycemia, which can affect multiple organs, including brain function, leading to disabling neurological complications. Hyperglycemia plays a key role in promoting neuroinflammation, the most common complication in diabetic individuals, through the activation of microglia. Attenuating hyperglycemia-related neuroinflammation in microglia may reduce diabetes-associated neurological comorbidities. Natural remedies containing phenolic compounds have shown efficacy in mitigating microglia-mediated neuroinflammation. The aim of this study was to investigate the potential of a Melissa officinalis L. (MO) phytocomplex, obtained from plant cell cultures and enriched in its main polyphenolic constituent, rosmarinic acid (RA), in attenuating hyperglycemia-induced neuroinflammation in microglia. A time-course morphological analysis of BV2 microglial cells exposed to high glucose (HG) levels showed a shift towards a proinflammatory phenotype, peaking after 48 h, which was reversed by pretreatment with MO. Biochemical assays revealed increased expression of the microglial marker CD11b (187%), activation of the NF-κB pathway (179%), expression of iNOS (225%), enhanced phosphorylation of ERK1/2 (180%), and increased expression of the proinflammatory cytokine IL-6 (173%). Pretreatment with MO prevented the aberrant expression of these proinflammatory mediators and restored SIRT1 levels. Exposure of neuronal SH-SY5Y cells to the conditioned medium from HG-exposed microglia significantly reduced cell viability. MO counteracted this effect, exhibiting neuroprotective activity. RA showed efficacy comparable to that of MO. In conclusion, MO and RA attenuated microglia-mediated oxidative imbalance and neuroinflammation under HG exposure by inhibiting the morphological shift toward a proinflammatory phenotype induced by HG and abrogating the subsequent activation of the downstream ERK1/2–NF-κB–iNOS pathway.
Crystallization Kinetics of Sr-Modified Precipitation Hardening Al-Si-Cu Alloys
Authors: Krupiński Mariusz , Gruszka Magdalena , Pakieła Wojciech , Labisz Krzysztof , Wierzbicki Łukasz
Published: January 2025

Aluminum alloys are still very useful materials for diverse application. The die-casting process of Al alloys is the most common technology to manufacture cast components. Therefore, the research on aluminum alloy solidification with high thermal conductivity has an important engineering significance and application value. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine the effect of a strontium addition on crystallization kinetics, the microstructure (including β—phase morphology) and properties of an Al-Si-Cu alloy after solidification and after precipitation hardening. In order to determine the effect of strontium on crystallization kinetics, thermal-derivative analysis (TDA) was performed. Microstructure observation, EDS chemical composition analysis and X-ray phase analysis were performed. Strontium changed the derivative curve of solidifying Al-Si-Cu alloys. After its addition, the morphology of the α + β eutectic was modified from lamellar to fibrous.
The Effect of Pre-Treatment on the Rehydration of Dried Apple Cube
Authors: Tomasz Hebda , Beata Brzychczyk , Jan Giełżecki , Klaudia Cieśla
Published: January 2025

The subject of the research was a comparative analysis of the rehydration process of dried apples in cubic form. Cubes of dried Idared apples were subjected to various pre-treatment processes, including steam blanching, microwave heating and osmotic dehydration in a sucrose solution. The pre-treatment was followed by a convection drying process conducted using two different drying systems. The rehydration process was carried out at a water temperature of 20 °C for 150 min. Rehydration kinetics, instantaneous increments in rehydrate mass and the relative and absolute moisture content of rehydrated samples were analyzed based on the tests. The rehydration process rates were also determined. It was observed that osmotic drying in a 10% sucrose solution reduced the rehydration process of dried apples by up to 32%.
Multiscale Dynamic Attention and Hierarchical Spatial Aggregation for Few-Shot Object Detection
Authors: An Yining , Song Chunlin
Published: January 2025

Few-shot object detection (FSOD) remains a critical challenge in computer vision, where the limited training data significantly hinder model performance. Existing methods suffer from poor robustness and accuracy, primarily due to scale sparsity and inadequate feature extraction. In this paper, we propose MDA-HAPP, a novel framework built on a transfer learning architecture and a two-stage object detection approach, specifically designed to address these issues. The key innovations of MDA-HAPP include 1. MultiScale-DynaAttention, a novel attention module that enhances feature extraction by integrating multi scale convolutions into channel attention and applying a dynamic pooling ratio to spatial attention, with residual connections to improve robustness; 2. hierarchical adaptive-pyramid pooling, designed based on a spatial pyramid pooling (SPP) structure, extracts multiscale features from intermediate layers and dynamically adjusts pooling strategies. These features are then fed into a dual-branch detection head for comprehensive results.The experimental results on the PASCAL VOC and COCO datasets show that MDA-HAPP achieves significant improvements across different K-shot settings. Specifically, the model demonstrates an up to 9.8% gain in AP75 on PASCAL VOC for K-shot values of 10 and an up to 3.7% improvement on COCO for K-shot values of 30. These results confirm its superior performance in FSOD and highlight its potential for real-world applications.
A Physical Model Test of Coal-Mining-Induced Deformation Mechanisms in a Canal
Authors: Ding Renwei , Tian Ye , Liu Handong , Jiang Tong , Yu Huaichang , Li Dongdong
Published: January 2025

The route of the South-to-North Water Diversion channel strides across part of the coal mine goaf in Yuzhou County, Henan Province, China, and long-term deformation due to coal seam recovery poses a threat to the safe operation of the main canal. Therefore, the study of the deformation mechanisms induced by coal seam recovery is of great significance to the canal’s safe operation, as well as to deformation monitoring and to the development of early warnings. The geologic model was established based on the geological engineering conditions of the Yuzhou Gongmao mining area, spanning the main canal of the South-to-North Water Diversion Project; then, the physical model test was carried out according to similar theories. The deformation characteristics of the rock overlay and the channel above the goaf were analyzed, and failure criteria for overburdened rock and the channel were proposed. The results showed that horizontal fissures were gradually observed in the overlying rock as the coal mining progressed, extending and widening. When the goaf was excavated to 76 cm, the overlying rock body suddenly collapsed as a whole, and the channel collapsed and was destroyed. During the formation of the goaf, there was a critical span ratio (R): When the height-to-span ratio was greater than 0.039, the collapse of overlying rock occurred only within a certain range above the goaf. When the height-to-span ratio was less than 0.039, the overlying rock body collapsed in a wide area, and the soil on both sides of the channel collapsed to the center of the channel, presenting a “V” glyph collapse. The sediment in the center of the channel measured 22 mm, and there were multiple tensile cracks on both sides of the embankment, with a width of 5–10 mm. The vertical deformation of the channel went through three stages, namely, the initial deformation stage, the deceleration deformation stage, and the stability stage. This study can provide scientific guidance for early warnings of channel deformation and safe operation across the goaf.
Fit for What Purpose? NER Certification of Automatic Captions in English and Spanish
Authors: Romero-Fresco Pablo , Van Gauwbergen Yanou
Published: January 2025

As human and fully automatic live captioning methods coexist and compete against one another, quality analyses and certification become essential. A case in point is LiRICS, the Live Respeaking International Certification Standard created by the Galician Observatory for Media Accessibility (GALMA) to help maintain high international standards in the live captioning profession. Until now, this certification had only been used to assess human captioners. In this paper, it is applied for the first time to automatic captioning (more specifically to Lexi, the automatic software used by the leading captioning company AI-Media) in order to ascertain whether automatic captions have reached an accuracy level that can match that of human captions. After presenting the materials and the methods (NER model), the paper reports on the results of the analysis of Lexi’s English and Spanish automatic captions. With average accuracy rates of 98.56% in English and 98.26% in Spanish, these captions often manage to reach human levels of quality, except when applied to colloquial content featuring several speakers. A final discussion is devoted to a reflection on how automatic and human live captions can coexist as long as the different purposes they serve are considered, namely the access in bulk provided by automatic captions and the curated access offered by human captions.
Parallel Primal-Dual Method with Linearization for Structured Convex Optimization
Authors: Zhang Xiayang , Tang Weiye , Wang Jiayue , Zhang Shiyu , Zhang Kangqun
Published: January 2025

This paper presents the Parallel Primal-Dual (PPD3) algorithm, an innovative approach to solving optimization problems characterized by the minimization of the sum of three convex functions, including a Lipschitz continuous term. The proposed algorithm operates in a parallel framework, simultaneously updating primal and dual variables, and offers potential computational advantages. This parallelization can greatly accelerate computation, particularly when run on parallel computing platforms. By departing from traditional primal-dual methods that necessitate strict parameter constraints, the PPD3 algorithm removes reliance on the spectral norm of the linear operator, significantly reducing the computational burden associated with its evaluation. As the problem size grows, calculating the spectral norm, which is essential for many primal-dual methods, becomes progressively more expensive. In addition, adaptive step sizes are computed to accelerate the convergence process. In contrast to most primal-dual approaches that employ a fixed step size constrained by a global upper limit throughout all iterations, the adaptive step size is typically greater and may result in faster convergence. An O(1/k) ergodic convergence rate is proved theoretically. Applications in Fused LASSO and image inpainting demonstrate the method’s efficiency in computation time and convergence rate compared to state-of-the-art algorithms.
Using a Neural Network Architecture for the Prediction of Neurologic Outcome for Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrests Using Hospital Level Variables and Novel Physiologic Markers
Authors: Razo Martha , Kotini Pavitra , Li Jing , Khosla Shaveta , Buhimschi Irina A. , Hoek Terry Vanden , Rios Marina Del , Darabi Houshang
Published: January 2025

Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) is a major public health burden due to its high mortality rate, sudden nature, and long-term impact on survivors. Consequently, there is a crucial need to create prediction models to better understand patient trajectories and assist clinicians and families in making informed decisions. We studied 107 adult OHCA patients admitted at an academic Emergency Department (ED) from 2018–2023. Blood samples and ocular ultrasounds were acquired at 1, 6, and 24 h after return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC). Six classes of clinical and novel variables were used: (1) Vital signs after ROSC, (2) pre-hospital and ED data, (3) hospital admission data, (4) ocular ultrasound parameters, (5) plasma protein biomarkers and (6) sex steroid hormones. A base model was built using 1 h variables in classes 1–3, reasoning these are available in most EDs. Extending from the base model, we evaluated 26 distinct neural network models for prediction of neurological outcome by the cerebral performance category (CPC) score. The top-performing model consisted of all variables at 1 h resulting in an AUROC score of 0.946. We determined a parsimonious set of variables that optimally predicts CPC score. Our research emphasizes the added value of incorporating ocular ultrasound, plasma biomarkers, sex hormones in the development of more robust predictive models for neurological outcome after OHCA.
Relevance of Leg Rehabilitation to Modulating Neurogenic Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms: A Systematic Review
Authors: Ciardi Gianluca , Giraudo Donatella , Fontana Milena , Citterio Chiara , Gandolfi Paola , Lamberti Gianfranco
Published: January 2025

Neurogenic lower urinary tract dysfunction (NLUTD) is a secondary complication of a wide range of neurological disorders, which affects patients’ everyday life and self-efficacy. Some brain imaging studies have shown an overlap between motor activation of the pelvic floor and lower limbs. This systematic review sought to examine the possibility of improving overactive bladder outcomes through a conservative approach based on lower limb training. We conducted a systematic literature review, following the PRISMA guidelines. The following databases were searched: PEDro, PubMed, TRIP, Cochrane Library, EDS base index, Google Scholar, and CINAHL. The PEDro Scale and Cochrane Risk of Bias Assessment Tool were used to assess the overall study quality and sources of bias. A total of 5567 records were retrieved through the systematic search, of which 104 were sought for retrieval; two cohort studies and one randomized controlled trial were finally included. Urodynamics and specific bladder functionality questionnaires showed preliminary evidence of improvement following lower limb stimulation, implemented according to different treatment types (exoskeleton training and weight-suspension walking training). Lower limb-focused exercises showed promising results for improving bladder function, despite the small number of studies and small sample sizes. Future research should confirm this hypothesis using larger samples.
Refining Glaucoma Management: Korean Population-Specific Findings from Visual Field and Optical Coherence Tomography Testing
Authors: Lee Sun Jung , Jang Sung Hun , Kim Jae Kyung
Published: January 2025

Background/Objectives: This study aimed to serve as a reference for establishing glaucoma evaluation standards for the Korean by analyzing the results of visual field tests and optical coherence tomography (OCT). We also determined the correlation between these test results and patient demographics, such as age and sex, which is crucial for early glaucoma detection and management. Methods: This study was conducted at a national hospital in Seoul and analyzed 1510 visual field tests and 1337 OCT tests. The patients underwent the Humphrey automated visual field test and OCT measurements. Glaucoma was classified into early, moderate, and advanced stages based on the mean deviation (MD) value. Statistical analyses were performed to assess the relationships between age, sex, and test results. Results: The visual field test results showed that the visual field index and MD values decreased as age increased for both males and females, with a more significant decrease observed in males. The OCT findings revealed gradual thinning of the ganglion cell–inner plexiform layer (GCIPL) and retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) with increasing age, although, compared to males, thicker GCIPLs and RNFLs were maintained in females until their 60s. Conclusion: This study indicates that there may be an association between age and sex in glaucoma progression and provides valuable insights for establishing diagnostic and management modalities specifically for Korean patients. These findings support the use of both visual field testing and OCT in glaucoma diagnosis, emphasizing the importance of early detection and personalized treatment strategies for effective glaucoma management in Korea.
Research on the Range of Stiffness Variation in a 2D Biomimetic Spinal Structure Based on Tensegrity Structures
Authors: Zhang Xiaobo , Pei Zhongcai , Tang Zhiyong
Published: January 2025

This paper presents a novel variable stiffness mechanism, namely the SBTDTS (Spinal Biomimetic Two-Dimensional Tensegrity Structure), which is constructed by integrating bioinspiration derived from biological spinal structures with the T-Bar mechanical design within tensegrity structures. A method for determining the torsional stiffness of the SBTDTS around a virtual rotational center is established based on parallel mechanism theory. The relationship between various structural parameters is analyzed through multiple sets of typical parameter combinations. Ultimately, the PSO (Particle Swarm Optimization) algorithm is employed to identify the optimal combination of structural parameters for maximizing the stiffness ratio, Kθ_time, of SBTDTS under different constraint conditions. This optimal configuration is then compared with the RAPRPM (a type of rotational parallel mechanism) under different values of μ, with an analysis of the distinct advantages of both variable stiffness structures.
Perceptions of Monica Geller in Friends: A Pilot Study on Personality Frameworks and Parasocial Relationships
Authors: Garcia Danilo
Published: January 2025

This pilot study investigated how viewers perceive Monica Geller’s personality using three evidence-based personality models: Big Five, HEXACO, and Cloninger’s Biopsychosocial Model. Additionally, it examined how these perceptions are associated to audiences’ engagement in parasocial relationships with this iconic character from the sitcom Friends. A sample of sixty-three participants assessed Monica’s personality by responding to the Big Five Inventory (BFI), the HEXACO-60, and the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI-60). Participants also completed the Multidimensional Measure of Parasocial Relationships (MMPR). Personality scores were contextualized against U.S. population norms (NBFI = 711, NHEXACO = 1126, NTCI = 1948) and Pearson correlations were conducted to explore associations between personality traits and the Affective, Behavioral, Cognitive, and Decisional dimensions of parasocial engagement. Normative comparisons revealed Monica’s perceived Openness and Agreeableness in the Big Five and her Openness and Agreeableness in the HEXACO as significantly below average, while her Big Five Neuroticism and her HEXACO Conscientiousness were significantly above average. In the Biopsychosocial Model, Monica’s Persistence was significantly higher than population norms, while Cooperativeness was significantly lower. Big Five Agreeableness showed correlations across all parasocial engagement dimensions. HEXACO Emotionality was strongly linked to the Affective and Behavioral dimensions, while Honesty–Humility was associated with Cognitive parasocial engagement. In the Biopsychosocial Model, Reward Dependence and Cooperativeness were associated with Cognitive and Affective parasocial engagement, while Self-Directedness was linked to the Behavioral dimension. The Biopsychosocial Model offered the most comprehensive insights, capturing the multidimensional nature of viewer–character engagement. The Big Five and HEXACO models added valuable perspectives, particularly in explaining that traits associated with trust and kindness are linked to decision making. These findings emphasize the importance of integrating multiple personality frameworks to advance the understanding of parasocial relationship engagement, shedding light on the nuanced ways personality traits shape audience perceptions and relationships with media characters, with significant implications for media psychology and personality research. Limitations and avenues for future developments are discussed, building on the insights from this pilot study.
Core Competencies for Psychological Counselors: A Scoping Review
Authors: Chen Cheng , Zhang Yandi , Guo Qing , Wang Xuanyi , Chen Shulin
Published: January 2025

Treatment provided by psychological counselors is a professional solution to prevailing mental health issues. Despite the presence of several narrative reviews, the counseling competencies have not been systematically examined based on empirical studies. Therefore, the present study aimed to comprehensively clarify the core counseling competencies using the scoping review method. Five databases were searched, including Web of Science, PsycINFO, PubMed, WANFANG, and CNKI. The articles were included or excluded based on strict criteria of having a specific focus on the general counseling competencies. The competencies were extracted using a three-stage coding process following the principles of the Grounded Theory method. Only 15 studies qualified and were subsequently coded to extract the relevant competencies. Through the three-level coding, 122 competencies were initially identified; then, 30 core competencies were obtained by merging similar items. Based on the attributes of the core competencies, four categories finally emerged: (1) attitude, (2) personality, (3) knowledge, and (4) skill and ability. The precise definition of each core competence was explicitly articulated and presented with references. The category of skill and ability emerged as the most frequently reported in the articles reviewed. The empirical research on counseling competencies was limited. The present study enumerated 30 core competencies for counselors and further extracted four categories from them. The findings contribute to the establishment of a compelling framework that facilitates a comprehensive understanding of the pivotal areas for counselors’ professional growth and development.