bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
CO2 Mobility Control by Foam at Bati Raman Heavy Oilfield - Laboratory Tests on Mobility Reduction and Oil Recovery
Authors: Topgüder N.N. Senol
Published: January 2025

A series of laboratory tests were performed to investigate the applicability of foam as a mobility control process at the ongoing Ban Raman CO2 injection project. The tests consisted of the following steps : selection of the suitable surfactant by preliminary screening and foam texture tests, adsorption, mobility reduction and oil recovery. The suitable surfactant, Gafoam AD, was tested in mobility reduction by pre generated foam and in-situ foam generation by either alternating slugs or simultaneous injection. In alternating slugs injection mode, the mobility reduction effect of foam was not very distinguished. However, with pregenerated foam injection and especially in simultaneous injection case, significant reduction in mobility was observed. Regardless of foam quality or injection rate; simultaneous injection of surfactant solution and CO2 gas, showed good performance in CO2 mobility reduction. Therefore, in oil recovery tests, only simultaneous injection mode was employed. Oil recovery with foam was about 53-60 per cent of OIP where by plain CO2 injection only 25-30 per cent of OIP was recovered.
Evolution of livestock production systems and impact on infectious disease resilience: the Swiss example
Authors: Galli Francesco , Perret-Gentil Saskia , Champetier Antoine , Lüchinger Rita , Harisberger Myriam , Kuntzer Thibault , Rieder Stefan , Nathues Christina , Vidondo Beatriz , Lentz Hartmut , Belik Vitaly , Dürr Salome
Published: January 2025

Livestock production systems are complex and evolve over time, affecting their adaptability to economic, political, and disease-related changes. In Europe, disease resilience is crucial due to threats like the African swine fever virus, which jeopardizes pork production stability. The European Union identifies farm production type as a key risk factor for disease spread, making it important to track changes in farm production types to assess disease risk. However, detailed production type data is often lacking in national databases. For Swiss pig farms, we used prediction and clustering algorithms to classify 9’687 − 11’247 trading farms between 2014 and 2019 by one of eleven production types. We then analyzed the pig trade network and stratified farm centrality measures (ICC and OCC) by production type. We found that 145 farms belonging to three production types have substantially higher ICC and OCC than other farms, suggesting that they could be the target of disease surveillance programs. Our predictions until 2025 show an increase both in overall pig trade network connectivity and in proportion of production types with high ICC and OCC, indicating that the structural changes in the Swiss pig production system may increase infectious disease exposure over time.
Nuclei-specific abnormalities of amygdala functional connectivity and their changes after multiple types of treatments for depression: a multicenter MRI study
Authors: Oishi Naoya , Ishikawa Yuzuki , Kyuragi Yusuke , Hatakoshi Momoko , Hirano Jinichi , Noda Takamasa , Yoshihara Yujiro , Igarashi Hiroyuki , Takahashi Kento , Murakami Shingo , Kanno Hiroyuki , Takamiya Akihiro , Matsumoto Junya , Kodaka Fumitoshi , Nakagome Kazuyuki , Mimura Masaru , Murai Toshiya , Suwa Taro
Published: January 2025

Exploring the neurobiological effects of various treatments for depression is pivotal in elucidating shared and unique mechanisms of action that may explain commonalities and differences in treatment outcomes. The amygdala, consisting of subdivisions with distinct roles in emotional processing, is thought to be implicated in the pathophysiology of depression. However, how various treatments alter nuclei-specific resting-state functional connectivity (rs-FC) of the amygdala remains unclear. Here, we hypothesized that treatments restore nuclei-specific rs-FC abnormalities of the amygdala, with shared and unique changes. To test this hypothesis, this multicenter observational study analyzed functional MRI data of patients with depression (N = 187) and healthy controls (N = 113). Patients were scheduled to undergo either cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT; N = 63), medication therapy (N = 43), electroconvulsive therapy (ECT; N = 32), or transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS; N = 26). Nine amygdala subregions were delineated using the FreeSurfer segmentation module. To enhance interpretability and reliability, these subregions were further clustered by applying k-means + + clustering to resting-state functional MRI time courses, resulting in three clusters referred to as the basolateral (BL), basomedial (BM), and centromedial (CM) subdivisions based on their anatomical locations. At baseline, the BL and BM subdivisions of patients with depression exhibited hyperconnectivity with the mediodorsal thalamus (MDTH), periaqueductal gray, perigenual anterior cingulate cortex, dorsal raphe nucleus, and dorsomedial prefrontal cortex. Following treatment, there were no shared rs-FC changes across treatment types; however, BL-MDTH connectivity decreased to the level of healthy controls following ECT. These results demonstrate that ECT-specific restoration of rs-FC exists while multiple treatments do not share common rs-FC changes in the amygdala.
Machine Learning Modeling for Multi-order Human Visual Motion Processing
Authors: Nishida Shin'ya , Sun Zitang , Chen Yen-Ju , Yang Yung-hao , Li Yuan
Published: January 2025

Our research aims to develop machines that learn to perceive visual motion as do humans. While recent advances in computer vision (CV) have enabled DNN-based models to accurately estimate optical flow in naturalistic images, a significant disparity remains between CV models and the biological visual system in both architecture and behavior. This disparity includes humans' ability to perceive the motion of higher-order image features (second-order motion), which many CV models fail to capture because of their reliance on the intensity conservation law. Our model architecture mimics the cortical V1-MT motion processing pathway, utilizing a trainable motion energy sensor bank and a recurrent graph network. Supervised learning employing diverse naturalistic videos allows the model to replicate psychophysical and physiological findings about first-order (luminance-based) motion perception. For second-order motion, inspired by neuroscientific findings, the model includes an additional sensing pathway with nonlinear preprocessing before motion energy sensing, implemented using a simple multilayer 3D CNN block. When exploring how the brain acquired the ability to perceive second-order motion in natural environments, in which pure second-order signals are rare, we hypothesized that second-order mechanisms were critical when estimating robust object motion amidst optical fluctuations, such as highlights on glossy surfaces. We trained our dual-pathway model on novel motion datasets with varying material properties of moving objects. We found that training to estimate object motion from non-Lambertian materials naturally endowed the model with the capacity to perceive second-order motion, as can humans. The resulting model effectively aligns with biological systems while generalizing to both first- and second-order motion phenomena in natural scenes.
Southern Ocean CO2 outgassing and nutrient load reduced by a well-ventilated glacial North Pacific
Authors: Shankle Madison , MacGilchrist Graeme , Gray William , de Lavergne Casimir , Menviel Laurie , Burke Andrea , Rae James
Published: January 2025

The biogeochemistry of Southern Ocean surface waters has global impacts on nutrient distributions, the carbon cycle, and climate, motivating study of its underlying controls and changes under altered climate states. Today, poorly-ventilated North Pacific waters supply the majority of carbon and nutrients upwelling in the Southern Ocean, outpacing the rate of biological carbon assimilation and fueling CO2 outgassing. A means of reducing this carbon/nutrient supply is central to explaining the improved biological pump efficiency evidenced in paleo-proxy reconstructions and invoked in theories for glacial CO2 change. Past studies predominantly attribute reduced glacial carbon/nutrient load of Southern Ocean surface waters to local physical processes (e.g., reduced wind-driven upwelling or enhanced stratification). Here we propose a complementary mechanism in which the carbon/nutrient load of the source waters feeding the Southern Ocean surface is reduced remotely, prior to being upwelled. Comparing glacial North Pacific and Southern Ocean proxy records, alongside results from 3 different Earth System Models, we show that improved ventilation of the glacial North Pacific directly reduces carbon/nutrient-delivery to and CO2 outgassing in the Southern Ocean surface. This highlights a novel interhemispheric influence on the biogeochemical state of the Southern Ocean, which may play a key role in glacial CO2 change.
The Utility of Serum Neuropilin 1 as a Diagnostic Marker for Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Egyptian Cirrhotic Patients Running Title: Serum Neuropilin 1 as a Diagnostic Marker for Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Egyptian Cirrhotic Patients
Authors: Assem Nourhan , Ahmed Osama Ashraf , Mohamed Nada Mohamed Hassan , Mahmoud Kareem Ahmed
Published: January 2025

Background: Incidence of Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has increased over the past few decades to become the most common primary hepatic malignancy. Most patients with HCC have advanced unresectable disease, resulting in limited treatment options with curative intent and poor survival outlooks.
Results: In this study on Egyptian patients, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) primarily occurred in the sixth decade of life, often alongside liver cirrhosis. No significant gender or smoking differences were found between HCC and cirrhotic groups, suggesting smoking isn't a major HCC risk factor. Diabetes mellitus (DM) and hypertension (HTN) were more common in HCC patients, reflecting their roles in cirrhosis and HCC development. Serum alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) levels were significantly higher in HCC patients. Neuropilin-1, a novel marker, showed a significant increase in HCC patients compared to cirrhotic ones, with a strong correlation to liver function markers (AST, ALT, AFP, albumin) and Barcelona and Child scores. Neuropilin-1 demonstrated higher sensitivity (96.67%) and specificity (80%) for HCC detection compared to AFP, highlighting its potential as a superior biomarker for diagnosing HCC.
Conclusion: Serum neuropilin 1 level was significantly higher in patients with HCC regardless presence of combined conditions as DM and HTN or viral markers and mildly elevated in patients with liver cirrhosis compared to HCC group. Neuropilin 1 is more sensitive and more specific than AFP. Using neuropilin 1 will improve the diagnostic field and can help in early detection of HCC in surveillance programs together with AFP.
Potential for expanding sorghum production in Europe in the face of climate change
Authors: Davoudkhani Mohsen , Guilpart Nicolas , Makowski David , Viovy Nicolas , Ciais Philippe , Lauerwald Ronny
Published: January 2025

Today, sorghum is a minor crop in Europe cultivated on only ~0.1% of the cropland area. Nonetheless, sorghum is of growing interest due to its high heat tolerance compared to other crops and better adaptation to future hot and dry summers. In this study, we investigated the feasibility of expanding sorghum cultivation in Europe under current and future climatic conditions. We also explored the possibility of replacing maize with locally-produced sorghum for feeding livestock. To this end, we developed a machine-learning model that predicts sorghum yields from high-resolution climate data. The model was trained on historical sorghum yield data collected at the county level in France, Italy, Spain, and the USA. Then, we used the model to predict sorghum yields for current and future climate conditions, following different climate change scenarios. In almost all scenarios, sorghum yields decreased by up to -1.5 t ha-1 in the southern part of Europe but increased substantially by up to + 3 t ha-1 in the northern part of Europe by end-of-century. We found that at least 90% of maize currently used to feed livestock could be replaced by sorghum in Europe if grown in one out of three years. These results provide valuable information for improving feed security in Europe in the face of climate change.
Reproductive phenology and sexual propagation of the pink sea fan Eunicella verrucosa Pallas, 1766 for coral restoration
Authors: Egger Christina , Melo Catarina , Marquardt Bailey , Engelen Aschwin H. , Melzer Roland R. , Santos Elsa , Fernandes Margarida , Baylina Núria , Serrao Ester A. , Coelho Márcio A.
Published: January 2025

The widespread decline of coral-dominated ecosystems due to human disturbances has highlighted the urgent need for active habitat restoration. Coral restoration using sexually produced individuals instead of clonal fragments is essential to reduce impacts on donor populations and promote genetic diversity, which is vital for adaptability to environmental changes. However, for most coral species, particularly those in temperate and deep-water (> 50 m), critical knowledge of reproduction and larval ecology for ex situ sexual propagation is lacking. To address this gap, in this study, we provide the first report of spawning of the octocoral Eunicella verrucosa in the North-East Atlantic and describe details on larval development and settlement. The annual reproductive timing in South-West Portugal was determined from samples collected as fisheries bycatch from a single population source and monitored for comparison across distinct durations and conditions. The species exhibited split-spawning over about one month (mid September – mid October), with 3 major events approximately every 2 weeks. Spawning patterns suggest lunar periodicity but shifted between colonies kept in distinct conditions. Oocytes were positively buoyant and developed into swimming larvae after 3 days. Settlement trials using substrates like natural rock, CCA, and gorgonian skeleton, showed larvae behaviour testing the substrates about two weeks post-spawning, and settlement activity continuing over three months. Fully developed recruits were observed after one month, with sclerite production starting before tentacle development. New settlement continued for up to three months, indicating a prolonged competency period. This study provides crucial data for coral restoration efforts using ex situ sexual propagation of this vulnerable species.
Concurrent Warming and Freshening Led to a Record-High Sea Level in the Labrador Sea
Authors: Yashayaev Igor , Zhang Yang
Published: January 2025

The Labrador Sea plays a pivotal role in the global climate system as a primary source of newly ventilated intermediate-depth water masses and a major carbon sink of the North Atlantic. Since the 1950s, this region has seen significant shifts in heat and freshwater contents, resulting in arguably the largest full-depth deep-ocean temperature and salinity changes ever recorded. However, the contribution of these changes to sea level variability has yet to be thoroughly quantified and investigated. Using satellite altimetry in conjunction with profiling Argo float and ship-based hydrographic measurements, we show that between 2017 and in 2023 the central Labrador Sea experienced an exceptionally fast sea level rise elevating the level to a record high. Six concurrent factors contributed to these rise and, consequently, extreme height – reduced winter surface cooling, increased summer surface warming (i.e., oceanic heat uptake), anomalous freshening, drastically shoaled winter convection, reduced deep-water density, and water-column mass gain. We also claim that the effect of salinity changes on sea level switched from counterbalancing (1948–2015) to reinforcing (2015–onward) the effect of temperature changes in result of Labrador Sea freshening caused by increased Arctic sea ice melt. This mechanism raises possibility of greater environmental impacts of both recent and imminent heat and freshwater regime shifts than predicted.
Cognitive Embodied Learning for Anomaly Active Target Tracking
Authors: Zhou Fuhui , Wu Qihui , Li Jiahao , Ji Jiahuan , Wang Haoyang , Liang Hongtao , Ma Kai-Kuang
Published: January 2025

The primary challenge in active object tracking (AOT) lies in maintaining robust and accurate tracking performance in the complex physical scenarios. Existing end-to-end frameworks based on deep learning and reinforcement learning often struggle with high computational costs, data dependency, and limited generalization, hindering their performance in practical applications. Although embodied intelligence (EI) is promising to enable agents to learn from physical interactions, it cannot tackle severe anomalies happened in the complex scenarios. In order to address this issue, we propose a novel embodied learning method, called the Cognitive Embodied Learning (CEL), which is inspired by the dual decisionmaking system of the human brain. The CEL can dynamically switch between normal tracking and anomaly handling modes, supported by specialized modules including the anomaly cognition module (ACM), the rule reasoning module (RRM), and the anomaly elimination module (AEM). Moreover, we further introduce the categorical objective function (COF) to address function non-measurability and data confusion caused by severe anomalies. Extensive unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) anomaly active target tracking experiments in both simulated and real-world scenarios demonstrate the superior performance of our method. Compared to the state-of-the-art methods, the CEL achieves a 361.4% increase in the success rate and a 54.4% improvement of the task completion efficiency, which highlights the potential of CEL to advance the field of AOT and open new avenues for more robust and intelligent tracking systems in the challenging environments.
Alleviating effect on periodontal inflammation through anti-inflammatory and osteogenic differentiation induction of KGC19b in vitro and in vivo experimental model
Authors: Lee Da Eun , Kim Eun-Nam , Trang Nguyen Minh , Kim Jong Han , Koo Gi-Bang , Jung You Hee , Jeong Gil-Saeng
Published: January 2025

Background
Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer of the Araliaceae family have various biological activities and pharmacological actions such as anticancer, immunomodulation, and anti-inflammatory. In many studies on ginseng, studies on ginseng fruit are still new, and the effect and potential of ginseng fruit on periodontitis in HPDL cells have been investigated in vitro and in vivo.
Methods
The effects of KGC19b on a Porphyromonas gingivalis lipopolysaccharide (Pg-LPS)-induced periodontitis model were assessed using cultured HPDL cells and an SD-rats model. HPDL cells were stimulated with Pg-LPS for 12 h and grouped into control, Pg-LPS, and Pg-LPS + KGC19b. Cell viability, pro-inflammatory markers, reactive oxygen species (ROS), and osteogenesis-related markers were evaluated. In the rat model, periodontitis was induced with ligature and Pg-LPS. KGC19b was administered orally for 6 days. Rats were divided into 6 groups (n = 6): control, ligature/Pg-LPS, ligature/Pg-LPS + KGC19b (each dose group). Effects of KGC19b were assessed through micro-CT analysis and H&E staining.
Results
KGC19b significantly reduced inflammatory cytokines (IL-6, IL-1β, TNF-α) and pro-inflammatory mediators in HPDL cells stimulated with Pg-LPS. It also restored osteocalcin (ocn) and alkaline phosphatase (alp) levels, and enhanced antioxidant enzyme expression (SOD, CAT), reducing reactive oxygen species (ROS). In the rat model, KGC19b alleviated periodontal inflammation and prevented bone mass loss.
Conclusion
In this study, KGC19b shows the possibility of improving and treating periodontitis through anti-inflammatory, osteogenesis, and antibacterial effects.
How does the digital economy enhance carbon efficiency? A study from the perspective of market distortions
Authors: Yang Qing , Zhang Jinru , Hao Jiayi , Zou Shaohui , Zhang Lei , Fan Xiangbo
Published: January 2025

To elucidate the mechanism through which the digital economy enhances carbon efficiency, this paper analyzes it from the perspective of market distortion. It constructed a causal mediation model, a dynamic spatial panel Durbin model, and a quantile regression model, utilizing panel data from 282 prefecture-level cities spanning from 2011 to 2021. The findings indicate that the digital economy significantly enhances carbon efficiency. This conclusion remains robust following endogenous tests and multiple robustness tests. Further mechanism analysis emphasizes the reduction of market distortions in the product market as a crucial factor, acting as a primary pathway through which the digital economy enhances carbon efficiency. Subsequent sensitivity analysis confirms the robustness of the mediating effect. Regarding the spatial spillover effects of the transmission mechanism, the digital economy has not only significantly enhanced total factor carbon efficiency (tfce) in neighboring cities but has also alleviated product market distortions in these regions. With respect to the heterogeneity of transmission mechanisms, as the carbon efficiency level of a region increases, the impact of the digital economy on improving carbon efficiency becomes more pronounced. Furthermore, as the degree of distortion in the product market rises, the digital economy's effect on mitigating this distortion follows an inverted U-shaped pattern, initially intensifying before gradually weakening. This comprehensive analysis of the transmission mechanism offers a novel perspective for systematically understanding the role of the digital economy in enhancing carbon efficiency and provides valuable pathways and policy insights for advancing carbon peaking and carbon neutrality.
Paeoniflorin inhibits renal fibrosis in MRL/lpr mice via suppression of TGF-β1/Smad2/3 signaling
Authors:   jinmeng0101@126.com, Xin Xingpan , Ma Ke , Wu Shan , Ma Jiawei , Li Hangchao , Dai Qiaoding , Ji Lina
Published: January 2025

Lupus nephritis (LN) is a common kidney injury associated with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and represents the most significant cause of disability and mortality in SLE patients. Renal interstitial fibrosis is a common pathological process leading to end-stage renal failure in various chronic kidney diseases. Paeoniflorin (PF) is a water-soluble monoterpenoid glycoside extracted from Paeonia lactiflora. Although there is evidence that PF protects against LN, its underlying mechanisms remain unclear. This study found a significant relationship between TGF-β1 and LN and a good binding activity between PF and the core target proteins of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) by LncRNA sequencing and molecular docking. After 9 weeks of PF treatment, renal function and structure were significantly improved in MRL/lpr mice, with increased expression of E-cadherin and decreased expression of vimentin and α-SMA. Furthermore, PF further inhibited EMT by increasing E-cadherin expression and reducing the expression of vimentin and α-SMA in TGF-β1-treated HK-2 cells and co-culture of M2c and HK-2 cells. Additionally, PF inhibited the expression of the TGF-β1/Smad2/3 pathway both in vivo and in vitro. Thus, PF may improve renal fibrosis and EMT by inhibiting the TGF-β1/Smad2/3 signaling pathway, thereby to slow down the pathological process of LN fibrosis.
A comparative study on the application methods of phosphorus and silicon in finger millet (Eleusine coracana) in the acidic soils of Meghalaya, India
Authors: Choudhary Dinesh , Majumdar Sabyasachi , Thakuria Dwipendra , Dutta Pranab , Thimappa Pallavi , Prakash Nagabovanalli Basavarajappa
Published: January 2025

A field experiment was conducted at the research farm of the College of Agriculture (CAU), Kyrdemkulai, Ri-Bhoi, Meghalaya, during the Kharif season of 2023 to study the “Comparison of Application Methods of Phosphorus and Silicon in Finger Millet (Eleusine coracana).” The experiment was designed in a factorial randomized block design with three replications. Factor-A (phosphorus) consisted of three application methods: broadcasting (BC), band placement (BP), and seedling root dip (SRD). Similarly, Factor-B (silicon) also included three application methods: broadcasting, band placement, and seedling root dip. The results revealed that the different application methods of phosphorus and silicon significantly influenced most of the parameters studied. Yield parameters and soil parameters were all affected. Yield parameters, including biological yield, grain yield, and stover yield, were significantly highest in the A2B2 treatment (phosphorus-band placement and silicon-band placement) at 7632, 2967, and 4665 kg ha-1, respectively, and lowest in A3B1 (phosphorus-seedling root dip and silicon-broadcasting) at 4797, 1789, and 3008 kg ha-1, respectively. Soil parameters such as available nitrogen (N), available phosphorus (P), exchangeable acidity, and exchangeable Al were significantly highest in A3B3 (P-SRD and Si-SRD) at 344 kg ha-1, 25.7 kg ha-1, 1.9 meq 100g-1 soil, and 1.117 meq 100g-1 soil, respectively. Soil available silicon (Si) was significantly highest in A1B2 (P-BC and Si-BP) at 25.63 mg/kg soil. Total phosphorus and silicon nutrient uptake were significantly highest in A2B2 (phosphorus-band placement and silicon-band placement) at 8.14 kg ha-1 and 108.92 kg ha-1, respectively. The results of the experiment indicated that the band placement method for both phosphorus and silicon (P-BP and Si-BP) was superior in terms of yield, while the seedling root dip method (P-SRD and Si-SRD) was more effective for soil fertility in the mid-hills of Meghalaya. This is first time reporting comparison of application methods of phosphorus and silicon in finger millet.
The Impact of serum uric acid Levels on the Cumulative Live Birth Rate in Women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome Undergoing In Vitro Fertilization-Embryo Transfer (IVF-ET)
Authors: Xu Siyue , Zhang Ting , Jia Nan , Li Meng , Tian Lifeng , Zhang Shaodi
Published: January 2025

Purpose
To estimate the impact of serum uric acid (SUA) levels on the cumulative live birth rate (CLBR) in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) undergoing in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer (IVF-ET).
Methods
A retrospective cohort study analyzed data from 2,841 women who had their first IVF-ET treatment at the Reproductive Center of Henan Provincial People's Hospital and the Reproductive Center of Jiangxi Provincial Maternal and Child Health Hospital between January 2016 and December 2021. The women were divided into four groups based on SUA quartiles. Baseline characteristics and clinical and laboratory indicators were compared across these groups. Logistic regression was used to assess the impact of different SUA levels on CLBR. Correlation analysis identified factors influencing SUA levels and clarified the main factors affecting CLBR in women with PCOS.
Results
After adjusting for confounding factors, the SUA level did not significantly affect CLBR (P > 0.05). SUA levels were positively correlated with body mass index (BMI), weight, baseline testosterone (T), and fasting insulin (P < 0.05). Curve-fitting analyses showed that SUA levels exhibited an increasing trend with the rise of BMI, weight, fasting insulin, and baseline T. BMI and weight were linearly associated with the CLBR, with rates decreasing as BMI and weight increased. In contrast, SUA, fasting insulin, and baseline T did not correlate significantly with the CLBR.
Conclusion
SUA levels do not have a significant impact on the CLBR in women with PCOS. BMI and weight are negatively correlated with CLBR.
The European Coal Blessing
Authors: Dong Baomin , Li Nan , Xie Bing
Published: January 2025

This paper examines the impact of modern European coal mining on technological and scientific innovation. Our city-level empirical results demonstrate that coal extraction had a beneficial impact on the cultivation of science figures, as evidenced by a unique dataset of scientists and engineers in Europe during the 19th century and their proximity to coalfields. The results indicate a positive impact when we employ historical European innovation data as an alternative dependent variable. The potential endogeneity problem is controlled by the time-lagged independent variables and conventional instrumental variables, such as the rock strata of the Carboniferous era. In addition, we show that this positive effect was channeled by the forward linkages of collieries such as the cotton textile industry and manufacturing as a whole. Our cliometric findings shed lights on the mechanisms underlying the Industrial Revolution.
JEL Classification: O13, Q35, N13, I25, O10
Computer-Aided Detection (CAD) Software Versus Radiologists from Multiple Countries: A Comparison of Tuberculosis Detection from Chest X-Rays
Authors: Qin Zhi Zhen , Walt Martie Van der , Moyo Sizulu , Ismail Farzana , Maribe Phaleng , Denkinger Claudia , Zaidi Sarah , Barrett Rachael , Mvusi Lindiwe , Tsibolane Yolisa , Mkhondo Nkateko , Zuma Khangelani , Manda Samuel , Koeppel Lisa , Mthiyane Thuli , Creswell Jacob
Published: January 2025

Nearly a third of TB cases go undetected annually. WHO recommends computer-aided detection (CAD) to enhance TB screening, with studies showing comparable performance to local radiologists. Using 774 chest X-rays from the South African National TB Prevalence Survey, we compared 12 CAD software with 11 radiologists from Nigeria, India, the UK, and the US, against a composite microbiological reference standard. Sensitivity, specificity and Cohen’s kappa were calculated and compared. Receiver-operating characteristic curves were developed for CAD and Euclidean distance assessed radiologists’ alignment with the best-performing software. Binomial regression tested the impact of radiologists’ characteristics on accuracy. Radiologist performance varied. On the restricted read, British radiologists had the highest sensitivity (78.7% [73.2–83.5%]) and Indian radiologists the lowest (67.1% [61.0-72.8%]). Specificity ranged from 75.8% (71.8–79.4%, Nigeria) to 84.3% (80.9–87.3%, the US). The top CAD outperformed all except Indian radiologists when matching specificity. CAD with Conformité Européenne (CE) generally matched or surpassed radiologists. British radiologists’ sensitivity was closest to the top CAD, while American radiologists were closest in specificity and overall. Experience, TB reads, and country had no significant impact on accuracy. CAD performed well against radiologists globally, underscoring its potential to enhance access to care.
Indacenodithienothiophene-based A-D-A-type phototheranostics for immuno-phototherapy
Authors: Ye Yangtian , Zhao Shaojing , Pang E , Tang Yuanyu , Zhu Pan , Gao Wenjie , Diao Qingxu , Yu Jie , Zeng Jie , Lan Minhuan , Yi Jianing
Published: January 2025

The development of phototherapeutics with high photothermal conversion efficiency (PCE) and strong ability to generate reactive oxygen species under single near-infrared (NIR) laser irradiation for immuno-phototherapy applications remains a significant challenge. Herein, we optimally selected the molecule IT-4F with an acceptor-donor-acceptor (A-D-A) structure to prepare water-dispersible nanoparticles (NPs) by assembly with DSPE-PEG-NH2. Such NPs have NIR absorption and fluorescence peaks at 728 and 817 nm, respectively. They can generate singlet oxygen (1O2) and superoxide anion (O2-·) under laser irradiation, with a 1O2 generation quantum yield of 31.5%. They can also effectively convert photon-energy into heat with a high PCE of 42.8%. The outstanding properties of IT-4F NPs enable them to be used in NIR fluorescence imaging guided photothermal therapy (PTT), and photodynamic therapy (PDT). Moreover, PDT and PTT triggered immunogenic cell death and PANoptosis in tumor cells, which not only inhibited tumor growth and metastasis in mice model, but also induced a robust immune response, evidenced by increased infiltration of CD8+ T cells, CD4+ T cells, dendritic cells, and a decreased presence of immunosuppressive cells such as myeloid-derived suppressor cells and regulatory T cells. The efficacy of IT-4F NPs in organoid of human breast cancer was also verified.
Using Agricultural Originated Biochars To Improve Chemical Properties Of An Acid Soil And Wheat Yield
Authors: Mawalla Dennis , Gülser Coşkun
Published: January 2025

Biochar is the carbon-rich product obtained when organic material underwent pyrolysis. When applied to soil, biochar is claimed to have positive influence on soil quality and productivity could be improved.
Purpose
The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of biochars generated from various agricultural wastes on soil chemical properties of moderate acidic clayey loam soil and wheat yield.
Methods
Green house pot experiment has been conducted to gain insight on effect of biochars originated from agricultural biomass on soil chemical quality and wheat yield. The four types of biochars used were; rice husk biochar, hazelnut waste biochar, wheat straw biochar, and tea waste biochar. The biochar application rate was 2%.
Results
All the applied biochars altered soil pH signifying liming potential of biochars and their effectiveness on improving the quality of acid soils. Biochar applications showed varied effects on soil properties and wheat yield components.
Conclusion
Hazelnut waste biochar demonstrated higher capacity on improving both soil chemical parameters and wheat yield components. Tea waste biochar improved most of soil chemical parameters but not wheat yield. Observed variation on chemical properties and yields suggesting that composition of biochar has primary effect on influencing the quality of soil and yield.
Surgery for a Low-Grade Thalamic Tumor in a 10-year-old Pediatric Patient
Authors: Cavalheiro Sergio , Quiróz José Antonio Rangel , Dastoli Patricia Alessandra , Kim Isaque Hyung Tong , Suzuki Fernando Seiji , Costa Marcos Devanir Silva da
Published: January 2025

Thalamic tumors represent 1–5% of pediatric brain tumors, where according to histopathological and molecular classification of the tumor, we can divide them into low-grade tumors and high-grade tumors. These tumors have a poor prognosis; however, with current advances in medicine, many patients have achieved a survival of more than 5 years, depending on the prognosis of these patients in terms of the resectability of the lesion and the histopathological and molecular classification of the tumor.
In this article, we present a brief review of thalamic tumors with a focus on the surgical approach, exemplifying our case where we demonstrated our surgical technique with favorable results.
We can conclude that good management of this pathology depends on the type of tumor, resectability, and adequate follow-up of these patients by a multidisciplinary team that includes pediatric neurosurgeons, pediatric neuro-oncologists, neurophysiologists, neuropsychologists, physiotherapists, neuroradiologists, and radiation oncologists.
Ethics committee approval was not required to perform the surgical procedure on the patient.
The patient's parents provided informed consent for the surgery and gave verbal consent for the publication of their images and their surgery.
AI in Marketing Management: Executive Perspectives from Companies
Authors: Maldonado-Canca Luis-Alfonso , Cabrera-Sanchez Juan-Pedro , Gonzalez-Robles Eva-Maria , Casado-Molina Ana-Maria
Published: January 2025

The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) in marketing and business communication is transforming corporate strategies, offering significant opportunities while presenting notable challenges. This study examines the factors influencing AI adoption by companies, focusing on the perspectives of CEOs. Using a survey of 409 senior executives from Spanish firms, this research develops an advanced framework based on the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT), enriched with additional constructs.The findings reveal that effort expectancy and facilitating conditions are critical drivers of AI adoption. AI aversion, reflecting concerns about distrust, complexity, and ethical risks, emerges as a significant barrier, particularly for CEOs of smaller firms, where its impact is notably stronger. Relative advantage and perceived value also influence adoption intentions, albeit to a lesser degree, indicating the perceived benefits and tangible outcomes of AI in improving processes such as segmentation, automation, and predictive analytics. Key differences arise between companies of varying revenue sizes: smaller firms exhibit greater aversion to AI, whereas larger organisations focus on maximizing their strategic benefits to drive innovation. These insights highlight the importance of tailored approaches, such as financial incentives, pilot programs, and targeted training, to reduce aversion and encourage adoption across diverse organizational contexts. This study contributes to the academic discourse by extending the UTAUT framework to address emerging challenges in AI adoption. Practically, it provides actionable strategies for business leaders to address human-centric and technological barriers, fostering a more efficient and data-driven marketing process. By offering a comprehensive understanding of the enablers and barriers to AI adoption, this research equips companies to harness AI’s full potential, enhancing their competitive advantage in an increasingly digital landscape.
Innovation Activity of Slovak SMEs Operating in the ICT Sector
Authors: Korcsmaros Eniko , Machova Renata , Csereova Angelika , Metzker Zdenko
Published: January 2025

The objective of this study was to analyse contemporary trends in innovation among small and medium–sizedenterprises in Slovakia’s ICT sector. The study explored different types of innovations, the factors that either promote or hinder innovation, and the innovative practices of small and medium–sized enterprises within this sector. To achieve thisgoal, a questionnaire survey was conducted between September 2021 and February 2022. The research sample consisted of 1,000 randomly selected small and medium–sized enterprises operating in the ICT sector, drawn from a total of 8,416 eligible companies. Ultimately, 124 respondents completed the questionnaire, including 73 microenterprises and 51 small and medium–sized enterprises. The research hypotheses were evaluated via descriptive statistical analysis and the Z score methodology. The findings revealed that the most prominent form of innovation in Slovakia’s ICT sector was service innovation, followed by product innovation and the adoption of new production processes. The primary motivational factor driving innovation is the desire to achieve high customer satisfaction by meeting customer needs and enhancing service quality. Conversely, the most significant barrier to innovation was identified as a lack of time. The study indicated that approximately 75% of small and medium–sized enterprises intend to pursue innovation within the next few years. Moreover, innovation plans were more pronounced among small and medium–sized enterprises than among microenterprises. The primary areas of interest for future innovations included enhancing existing products and services, developing new products or services, and implementing new technologies or production processes. With respect to the research hypotheses, no statistically significant differences were observed between the innovation activities of microenterprises and those of small and medium–sized enterprises.
Greenhouse Covering Material Overall Heat-transfer Coefficient Determination Using Contour Plots
Authors: Ohashi Yuta , Tsuchiya Ryota , Ishii Masahisa , Hayashi Makio
Published: January 2025

Improving greenhouse heat-insulating performance requires covering materials with low overall heat-transfer coefficients. We constructed a contour plot using equations relating this coefficient to longwave radiation absorptance under different outdoor downward longwave radiation levels. It revealed that the coefficient ranged from 4.7 to 7.7 W·m−2·K−1, decreasing with increasing downward longwave radiation and longwave radiation absorptance. This method facilitates rapid estimation of overall heat-transfer coefficients under different downward longwave-radiation levels, based on longwave-radiation absorptance.
Aşçılık Eğitimi Alan Bireylerin Aşırı Yemek Yapma Korkusu (Mageirofobi) Düzeylerinin İncelenmesi
Authors: Kazkondu İhsan
Published: January 2025

Son yıllarda artan gastronomik ilgi, aşçılık eğitimine olan talebi de beraberinde getirmiştir. Tüketicilerin yeme-içme deneyimlerine verdikleri değer, işletmelerin yüksek standartlarda ürün ve hizmet sunmasını zorunlu kılmaktadır. Bu bağlamda, iyi bir aşçılık eğitimi almış personel, işletmelerin rekabet gücünü artırarak karlılıklarına doğrudan katkı sağlamaktadır. Ancak aşçılık mesleğini seçen bireylerde mesleğini severek icra etmesine rağmen psikolojik faktörlerden dolayı mesleki performans açısından bazı olumsuzluklar da yaşanabilmektedir. Bu çalışmanın amacı, aşçılık eğitimi alan bireylerde mageirofobi düzeyini belirlemek, ilişkili faktörleri tespit etmek ve çözüm önerileri sunmaktır. Araştırma aşçılık programında eğitimi alan ve almış 400 bireyle yürütülmüştür. Veri toplama aracı olarak, demografik bilgileri, aşırı yemek yapma korkusunu ve kişilik özelliklerini ölçen anket kullanılarak online yöntemle veri toplama süreci yürütülmüştür. Araştırma verileri, SPSS 22.0 istatistik paket programı ile ölçeklerin geçerlik ve güvenirliği, demografik özellikler ve araştırma hipotezleri bu program ile analiz edilmiştir. Katılımcıların demografik özelliklerine göre kişilik özellikleri ile aşırı yemek yapma korkuları arasındaki ilişki, farklı demografik gruplar arasındaki aşırı yemek yapma korkusu düzeyleri ve gruplar arasındaki farklılıklar analiz edilmiştir. Yapılan çalışmadan çıkan bulgulara göre aşçılık eğitimi alan bireylerde mageirofobinin yaygın olduğu, özellikle kadınlarda, öğrencilerde ve içe dönük kişilik özelliklerine sahip bireylerde daha yüksek mageirofobi düzeylerinin görüldüğü ortaya çıkmıştır. Mageirofobinin, gıda güvenliği ve hijyen, gastronomik estetik, pişirme sürecinde kontrol kaybı ve tarif takibi korkusu gibi farklı boyutları olduğu ve bu boyutların demografik ve psikolojik faktörlerle ilişkili olduğu tespit edilmiştir. Çalışma, aşçılık eğitimi sürecinde öğrencilerin karşılaşabileceği psikolojik zorluklara dikkat çekmekte ve bu alanda daha fazla araştırma yapılmasının önemini vurgulamaktadır.
Development and verification of a computational model of the magnetic system of the “Beta-decay” experimental facility, calculation of spatial distributions of fields and forces
Authors:   D. V. Efremov Institute of Electrophysical Apparatus, Amoskov Victor M. , Vasiliev Vyacheslav N. ,   D. V. Efremov Institute of Electrophysical Apparatus, Grosheva Aleksandra D. ,   St. Petersburg State University, Kovalchuk Oleg A. ,   D. V. Efremov Institute of Electrophysical Apparatus, Kukhtin Vladimir P. ,   D. V. Efremov Institute of Electrophysical Apparatus, Lamzin Evgeny A. ,   D. V. Efremov Institute of Electrophysical Apparatus, Melnikov Dmitrii D. ,   D. V. Efremov Institute of Electrophysical Apparatus, Murashkin Aleksander N. ,   Petersburg Nuclear Physics Institute named by B. P. Konstantinov of National Research Centre “Kurchatov Institute”, Ovsyannikov Dmitri A. ,   St. Petersburg State University, Serebrov Anatoly P. ,   Petersburg Nuclear Physics Institute named by B. P. Konstantinov of National Research Centre “Kurchatov Institute”, Sytchevsky Sergei E. ,   St. Petersburg State University
Published: January 2025

The work is devoted to the development and testing of a computational model of the precision magnetic system of the experimental facility “Beta-decay” for measuring the correlation coefficients of the neutron beta-decay, created at the Scientific Research Center “Kurchatov Institute”. The magnetic field of the system in its various configurations is studied, and the possibility of applying an adapted geometric model to calculations is also investigated. The distributions of magnetic fields and forces arising in the system are calculated. Verification of the model is carried out by comparing the results of calculations performed by several independent software. The results of numerical modeling coincide with the required accuracy for all software packages used, in particular, the estimate of the relative deviation of the force values does not exceed 3 %.
Pre-Islamic Poetry as Seen by a Historian
Authors:   Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Mishin Dmitriy E.
Published: January 2025

The problem of authenticity of the big body of verses presented in the extant sources as preIslamic Arabic poetry has been object of studies for over 150 years, mainly among experts in literature. This article presents a historian’s perception of that problem. The main observations and conclusions made herein are as follows. The diversity of topics which the pre-Islamic poetry addressed excludes the possibility to reduce the poets’ work to a use of ready formulas. On the contrary, it seems that there was a trend to keep originality of each author’s poetry. The poetry were mainly preserved by oral tradition, but there is evidence that a number of verses were written down in pre-Islamic times. That was likely for urban centres, in particular, for al-Hira, where verses were put in written form at rulers’ orders. The question whether verses were written down in Mecca remains open and not resolved in favour of denial of such possibility. The extant tests of verses contain a number of obvious fakes. A study of those fakes (in comparison with Arabic transmissions of pre-Islamic Persian texts) suggests that the authors of fakes fabricated what they held for acceptable and understandable to their audience. However, not every fake was aimed at distorting reality. Where falsified verses are in line with historical context, they may be considered as evidence reflecting mediaeval authors’ knowledge of the events in question.
About the Origin of Some Sudanese Toponyms
Authors:   St. Petersburg State University, Gerasimov Igor V.
Published: January 2025

The article is devoted to the analyses of several Sudanese toponyms and historical information about their origin, which until recently was transmitted orally. The study of the folklore material has shown that the toponyms of the Sudan reflect the ancient past of the country. They also show the multinational and multilingual nature of the country. Among them there are toponyms of Nubian and even earlier origin, the meaning of which is not always understood by the locals. The dominant language of the Sudan is Arabic and many toponyms are of Arabic origin. However, among the geographical names there are many words of non-Arabic origin that came from the languages of the peoples of Sudan like Fors, Beja, Nubians, etc. At the turn of the 19th–20th centuries, toponyms of Turkish, Greek and English origin appeared, that is explained by the presence of Turkish and British government officials and army officers and soldiers on the Sudanese territory. The presented material reflects the diversity of the origins of toponyms in Sudan. Geographical names allow us to trace certain stages of the country’s history, starting from ancient times to the present day. Oral tradition has preserved and continues to preserve interesting historical data on the origin of settlements of different levels, hydronyms, etc., and poses new questions for researchers, allowing for a deeper understanding of the processes of migration, development, and exploration of new territories in the southern parts of the country by Sudanese from the north, the peculiarities of seasonal movements of nomadic tribes, and the economic system.