bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Light Quality Plays a Crucial Role in Regulating Germination, Photosynthetic Efficiency, Plant Development, Reactive Oxygen Species Production, Antioxidant Enzyme Activity, and Nutrient Acquisition in Alfalfa
Authors: Rahman Md Atikur , Lee Sang-Hoon , Park Hyung Soo , Min Chang-Woo , Woo Jae Hoon , Choi Bo Ram , Rahman Md. Mezanur , Lee Ki-Won
Published: January 2025

Light is a vital regulator of photosynthesis, energy production, plant growth, and morphogenesis. Although these key physiological processes are well understood, the effects of light quality on the pigment content, oxidative stress, reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, antioxidant defense systems, and biomass yield of plants remain largely unexplored. In this study, we applied different light-emitting diode (LED) treatments, including white light, red light, blue light, and a red+blue (1:1) light combination, to evaluate the traits mentioned above in alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.). Fluorescence staining showed that red light significantly triggered the oxidative stress indicators compared to blue and white light, while the combined red and blue light treatment significantly reduced the ROS (O2•−, H2O2) intensity in alfalfa seedlings. Interestingly, the combined light treatment significantly boosted the seed germination rate (%), maximum photochemical quantum yield of PSII (Fv/Fm), leaf greenness (SPAD score), photosynthetic pigment levels (chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, and carotenoids), and plant biomass yield in alfalfa seedlings. The red and/or combined (red+blue) light treatments significantly regulated antioxidant enzymes (SOD, CAT, APX, and GR) and the expression of genes related to the ascorbate–glutathione (AsA-GSH) pathway, including monodehydroascorbate reductase (MsMDHAR), dehydroascorbate reductase (MsDHAR), ascorbate peroxidase (MsAPX), and glutathione reductase (MsGR). These results indicate that light quality is crucial for regulating the morphological, physiological, and molecular traits linked to alfalfa improvement. These findings suggest a new approach to enhancing the adaptation, as well as the morphological and agronomic yield, of alfalfa and forage legumes through light-quality-mediated improvement.
Quantitative Analysis of Pseudogene-Associated Errors During Germline Variant Calling
Authors: Podvalnyi Artem , Kopernik Arina , Sayganova Mariia , Woroncow Mary , Zobkova Gauhar , Smirnova Anna , Esibov Anton , Deviatkin Andrey , Volchkov Pavel , Albert Eugene
Published: January 2025

A pseudogene is a non-functional copy of a protein-coding gene. Processed pseudogenes, which are created by the reverse transcription of mRNA and subsequent integration of the resulting cDNA into the genome, being a major pseudogene class, represent a significant challenge in genome analysis due to their high sequence similarity to the parent genes and their frequent absence in the reference genome. This homology can lead to errors in variant identification, as sequences derived from processed pseudogenes can be incorrectly assigned to parental genes, complicating correct variant calling. In this study, we quantified the occurrence of variant calling errors associated with pseudogenes, generated by the most popular germline variant callers, namely GATK-HC, DRAGEN, and DeepVariant, when analysing 30x human whole-genome sequencing data (n = 13,307). The results show that the presence of pseudogenes can interfere with variant calling, leading to false positive identifications of potentially clinically relevant variants. Compared to other approaches, DeepVariant was the most effective in correcting these errors.
Patient-Independent Epileptic Seizure Detection with Reduced EEG Channels and Deep Recurrent Neural Networks
Authors: El-Dajani Nadine , Wilhelm Tim Friedrich Lutz , Baumann Jan , Surges Rainer , Meyer Bernd T.
Published: January 2025

Epileptic seizures affect around 1% of people worldwide and have an enormous impact on the quality of life as well as the health of each patient. Electroencephalography (EEG) is widely used to diagnose epilepsy and detect seizures. Automatic detection and documentation of epileptic seizures using EEG signals would help neurologists evaluate the course of disease of each patient individually. As scalp EEG systems are not suited to be worn in everyday life situations, there is a need for mobile EEG systems to permanently record EEG signals. An approach for such mobile devices consists of using behind-the-ear (BTE) electrodes, leading to a reduction in electrode channels. To address this reduction, we investigated the influence of different scalp EEG channel arrangements on the detection of epileptic seizures. Raw EEG signals have been used as input for a long short-term memory (LSTM) recurrent neural network (RNN), as well as a combination of a convolutional neural network (CNN) and LSTM to classify ictal and inter-ictal phases. When using all channels of the 10–20 EEG cap system, the CNN-LSTM model achieved a sensitivity of 73%, with fewer than two seizures being falsely detected per hour. The usage of BTE channels as input to the proposed epileptic seizure detection produced a promising sensitivity of 68% with around 10 false alarms per hour.
Impact of Triple Inhaler Therapy on COPD Patients with Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer After Radical Surgery: A Single-Centre Retrospective Analysis
Authors: Bertuccio Francesco Rocco , D’Agnano Vito , Cordoni Simone , Tafa Mitela , Novy Cristina , Baio Nicola , Mucaj Klodjana , Bortolotto Chandra , Melloni Giulio , Bianco Andrea , Corsico Angelo Guido , Perrotta Fabio , Stella Giulia Maria
Published: January 2025

Background: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is among the most relevant comorbidity associated with lung cancer. The advent of innovative triple treatment approaches for COPD has significantly improved patients’ quality of life and outcomes. Few data are available regarding the impact of triple inhaler therapy on patients featuring COPD and lung cancer. Methods: We retrospectively evaluated the impact of triple inhale bronchodilators in a cohort of 56 patients with treated COPD who underwent lung surgery for primary cancer. Results: Triple bronchodilation can help to relieve the symptoms of the disease and improve lung function, allowing people with lung cancer to reduce the risk of serious exacerbations and improve their quality of life. Conclusions: Within the limits of the study, it should be underlined that bronchodilators can effectively affect the outcome and performance status after thoracic surgery.
Pain and Dyspnea During Acute Exacerbations of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: Documentation Audit 2019–2020
Authors: Clarke Stephanie Y. , Williams Marie T. , Johnston Kylie N. , Lee Annemarie L.
Published: January 2025

Background/Objectives: Patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) assess the severity and impact of both pain and dyspnea in those with acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), but their frequency of use in clinical practice is unknown. This study aimed to determine the point prevalence of pain and dyspnea assessment in patients hospitalized with an acute exacerbation of COPD and the measurement tools applied for this purpose in clinical practice. Methods: Clinical notes and observation charts of patients admitted with acute exacerbations of COPD to a metropolitan hospital in 2019 and 2020 were retrospectively audited to identify the point prevalence of pain and dyspnea assessment, the PROMs applied, and their associated focal periods. Results: Pain and dyspnea were assessed using a PROM in 99% and 8% of cases of acute exacerbation of COPD, respectively. All PROMs used measured symptom intensity. Focal periods were rarely reported in the assessment of pain; in the dyspnea assessment, timeframes predominantly reflected the impact of exertion. Conclusions: At this single health service site, in people hospitalized with an acute exacerbation of COPD, pain was more frequently assessed using a PROM than dyspnea. Understanding factors influencing clinicians’ choice of assessment tools may inform future recommendations for the assessment of these symptoms in people hospitalized with exacerbations of COPD.
Health-Related Quality of Life in Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis: A Systematic Review of Phase III Clinical Trials
Authors: Romano Federica , Di Scipio Federica , Baima Giacomo , Franco Francesco , Aimetti Mario , Berta Giovanni Nicolao
Published: January 2025

Background/objectives: Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) is the most common rheumatic disease in childhood, leading to severe disability and negatively affecting patients’ health-related quality of life (HRQoL). The aim of this systematic review was to evaluate the adoption, reporting and assessment methodology of HRQoL in phase III clinical trials involving children with JIA. Methods: An electronic and manual search was conducted to identify primary and secondary publications of pharmacological trials conducted between 2012 and 2023. Data were extracted and recorded in duplicate. Results: A total of 222 studies were screened and 24 articles (22 primary and 2 secondary publications) were included in the review. HRQoL was not listed among the endpoints in 10 trials (45.5%), while it was a secondary endpoint in 12 trials (54.5%). The proportion of trials that did not consider HRQoL was equally relevant in both for-profit and no-profit settings (44.4% versus 50.0%), but it was higher in studies on systemic JIA compared to other JIA subtypes (62.5%), and on IL inhibitor treatment (72.7%) with respect to other disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs. Information on HRQoL was usually collected from parents/caregivers, and only three studies were categorized as “probably robust” with regard to HRQoL assessment. Conclusions: Systematic incorporation of HRQoL measures represents an urgent need in pediatric rheumatology, aiding clinicians in their decision-making in relation to treatment effectiveness and considering the children’s perspective.
A Digital Twin Framework to Improve Urban Sustainability and Resiliency: The Case Study of Venice
Authors: Villani Lorenzo , Gugliermetti Luca , Barucco Maria Antonia , Cinquepalmi Federico
Published: January 2025

The digital transition is one of the biggest challenges of the new millennium. One of the key drivers of this transition is the need to adapt to the rapidly changing and heterogeneous technological landscape that is continuously evolving. Digital Twin (DT) technology can promote this transition at an urban scale due to its ability to monitor, control, and predict the behaviour of complex systems and processes. As several scientific studies have shown, DTs can be developed for infrastructure and city management, facing the challenges of global changes. DTs are based on sensor-distributed networks and can support urban management and propose intervention strategies based on future forecasts. In the present work, a three-axial operative framework is proposed for developing a DT urban management system using the city of Venice as a case study. The three axes were chosen based on sustainable urban development: energy, mobility, and resiliency. Venice is a fragile city due to its cultural heritage, which needs specific protection strategies. The methodology proposed starts from the analysis of the state-of-the-arts of DT technologies and the definition of key features. Three different axes are proposed, aggregating the key features in a list of fields of intervention for each axis. The Venice open-source database is then analysed to consider the data already available for the city. Finally, a list of DT services for urban management is proposed for each axis. The results show a need to improve the city management system by adopting DT.
Analysis of Climate Change Effects on Precipitation and Temperature Trends in Spain
Authors: Arellano Blanca , Zheng Qianhui , Roca Josep
Published: January 2025

The objective of this study was to analyze the climate change experienced in Spain between 1971 and 2022 and to estimate the future climate (2050). The main objectives were as follows: (1) to analyze the temporal evolution of temperature from 1971 to the present, to quantify the warming process experienced in the case study and to evaluate the increase in extreme heat events (heatwaves); (2) to study the evolution of the precipitation regime to determine whether there is a statistically representative trend towards a drier climate and an increase in extreme precipitation; (3) to investigate the interaction between annual precipitation and the continuous increase in temperature; and (4) to estimate the future climate scenario for mainland Spain and the Balearic Islands towards 2050, analyzing the trends in land aridity and predicting a possible change from a Mediterranean climate to a warm steppe climate, according to the Köppen classification. The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that the increase in temperature resulting from the global warming process implies a tendency towards progressive drought. Given the extreme annual variability of the climate, in addition to the ordinary least squares methodology, the techniques mainly used in this study were the Mann–Kendall test and the Kendall–Theil–Sen (KTS) regression. The Mann–Kendall test confirmed the very high statistical significance of the relationship between precipitation (RR) and maximum temperature (TX). If the warming trend experienced in recent years (1971–2022) continues, it is foreseeable that, by 2050, there will be a reduction in precipitation in Spain of between 14% and 23% with respect to the precipitation of the reference period (understood as the average between 1971 and 2000). Spain’s climate is likely to change from Mediterranean to warm steppe in the Köppen classification system (from “C” to “B”).
A Study on Community Unit Scale Construction in China Under the Orientation of Green Production
Authors: Zhang Rui , Zeng Qingjian , Lv Yanhang , Liu Huanjie , Shi Lixian , Zhang Yukun
Published: January 2025

Based on the principle of distributed layout, the community is chosen as the basic unit of the city, and an appropriate community scale is redefined based on the attributes and characteristics of green production. This article first summarizes the existing research models at the community level using bibliometric methods, and on this basis the process of researching the green productive community unit scale is constructed. Subsequently, the data on the scales of agriculture, energy, transport, and commercial facilities from the relevant Chinese national city standards are summarized, classified, and generalized. This is followed by the derivation of appropriate grid scales for green productive community units. Ultimately, a quadratic optimization scale was devised for community units at varying levels based on fractal and management unit theory. This paper presents a new community unit scale constructed for use in large- and medium-sized areas in China, which serves as an illustrative example. The newly developed community scale has the potential to improve the efficiency of resource allocation and support the transition from functional adjustment to structural adjustment in urban areas. Furthermore, the scale definition method and principle can be extended and applied to other large- and medium-sized urban areas globally.
Exploring Mitochondrial Evolutionary Pathways: Insights into the Origin of the Endemic Ohrid Trout
Authors: Hoda Anila , Locci Chiara , Azzena Ilenia , Pascale Noemi , Deplano Ilaria , Kristo Roland , Demiri Arian , Scarpa Fabio , Casu Marco , Sanna Daria
Published: January 2025

The Ohrid trout, Salmo letnica, is an endemic species of Lake Ohrid, one of Europe’s oldest lakes, located on the Albania-North Macedonia border. This species exhibits distinct morphotypes—Salmo letnica typicus, Salmo letnica aestivalis, Salmo letnica balcanicus, and Salmo letnica lumi—that differ in morphology and spawning behaviour. However, the extent of their genetic differentiation remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the genetic variability and population structure of Salmo letnica morphotypes using the mitochondrial Control Region as molecular marker. We obtained 127 sequences from Salmo letnica morphotypes and compared them with sequences from other species within the genus Salmo. Phylogenetic and clustering analyses revealed no significant genetic structuring among the four morphotypes, suggesting an ecological differentiation not (yet) fixed at mitochondrial level. Additionally, our findings suggest that the modern Salmo letnica population likely originated in Lake Ohrid from Salmo farioides founders through evolutionary differentiation, potentially driven by environmental changes. Future studies incorporating a larger number of samples from both Salmo letnica and Salmo farioides are essential to fully understand the evolutionary and ecological dynamics of Salmo letnica morphotypes.
Crystal Structure of 5-Nitro-4-(4-methoxyphenoxy)phthalonitrile
Authors: Erzunov Dmitry , Rassolova Anastasia , Abramov Igor , Maizlish Vladimir , Rumyantsev Roman , Vashurin Arthur
Published: January 2025

This article presents findings on the synthesis and crystal structure analysis of 5-nitro-4-(4-methoxyphenoxy)phthalonitrile. The crystal structure was meticulously refined using X-ray diffraction techniques, which allowed for a detailed examination of the molecular arrangement within the crystal. The manuscript elaborates on the significant intermolecular and intramolecular interactions that contribute to the overall crystal packing, highlighting how these interactions influence the stability and properties of the material.
The Miocene Source-to-Sink Evolution of Fibrous Clay Minerals in Hyperalkaline Playa-Lakes, Duero Basin (Central Spain)
Authors: del Buey Pablo , Sanz-Montero María Esther , Rodríguez-Aranda Juan Pablo , Sánchez-Román Mónica , Nieto Fernando
Published: January 2025

Palygorskite is assumed to be the predominant clay mineral in playa-lakes, where it may be detrital or authigenic in origin. Discriminating between detrital and authigenic clays is crucial to elucidate paleoenvironmental conditions in lacustrine deposits. This study provides insight into the sedimentary evolution of clay minerals from source, lacustrine Miocene marlstones and mudstones, to sink, represented by three recent hyperalkaline playa-lakes in Central Spain. XRD, TEM, and AEM analyses show concomitant detrital and authigenic palygorskites in the three playa-lakes. The inherited palygorskites exhibit degradation features, larger widths, and common and ideal compositions, in contrast to neoformed particles. The latter are narrower. Depending on the hydrochemical composition of each playa-lake, neoformed palygorskites are enriched in a different octahedral cation (Al2O3, MgO, and Fe2O3). Iron-rich palygorskites are only formed in association with authigenic saponites in one of the playa-lakes. The same effect of magnesium competition between smectite and palygorskite is observed in Miocene mudstones, where palygorskite is relatively enriched in iron. In hyperalkaline, seasonal playa-lakes lying in the vicinity, slight physicochemical differences play a crucial role in the crystallochemical composition of authigenic palygorskites, highlighting the use of this mineral as a geochemical proxy.
Synthesis of Branched Cyclo-Olefin Copolymers Using Neutral α-Sulfonate-β-Diimine Nickel Catalyst
Authors: Li Donghui , Pei Lixia , Du Wenbo , Xiao Xieyi , Gao Heng , Zheng Handou , Gao Haiyang
Published: January 2025

The homopolymerization of norbornene and the copolymerization of norbornene and ethylene were carried out using the neutral α-sulfonate-β-diimine nickel catalyst SD-Ni. The neutral α-sulfonate-β-diimine catalyst is highly active in the homopolymerization of norbornene, producing vinyl-addition polynorbornene (PNB) with a high molecular weight. The copolymerization of norbornene (NB) and ethylene (E) using the catalyst SD-Ni was also investigated. The α-sulfonate-β-diimine catalyst SD-Ni shows distinctive catalytic copolymerization properties to produce high-molecular-weight E-NB copolymers with low norbornene incorporation. Importantly, microstructure analyses confirm that the resultant E-NB copolymers are branched cyclo-olefin copolymers (COCs) with branched polyethylene units.
Agathisflavone Inhibits Viability and Modulates the Expression of miR-125b, miR-155, IL-6, and Arginase in Glioblastoma Cells and Microglia/Macrophage Activation
Authors: da Silva Karina Costa , Lima Irlã Santos , Santos Cleonice Creusa dos , Nonaka Carolina Kymie Vasques , Souza Bruno Solano de Freitas , David Jorge Mauricio , Ulrich Henning , Nascimento Ravena Pereira do , Costa Maria de Fátima Dias , dos Santos Balbino Lino , Costa Silvia Lima
Published: January 2025

Glioblastomas (GBM) are malignant tumours with poor prognosis. Treatment involves chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy; however, there is currently no standard treatment for recurrence, and prognosis remains unfavourable. Inflammatory mediators and microRNAs (miRNAs) influence the aggressiveness of GBM, being involved in the communication with the cells of the tumour parenchyma, including microglia/macrophages, and maintaining an immunosuppressive microenvironment. Hence, the modulation of miRNAs and inflammatory factors may improve GBM treatments. In this study, we investigated the effects of agathisflavone, a biflavonoid purified from Cenostigma pyramidale (Tul.), on the growth and migration of GBM cells, on the expression of inflammatory cytokines and microRNAs, as well on the response of microglia. Agathisflavone (5–30 μM) induced a dose- and time-dependent reduction in the viability of both human GL-15 and rat C6 cells, as determined by the MTT test, and reduced cell migration, as determined by cell scratch assay. RT-qPCR analysis revealed that agathisflavone (5 μM) down-regulated the expression of miR-125b and miR-155 in the secretome derived from GL-15 cells, which was associated with upregulation of the mRNA expression of IL-6 and arginase-1 immunoregulatory factors. Exposure of human microglia/macrophage to the secretome from GL-15 GMB cells modulated proliferation and morphology, effects that were modulated by agathisflavone treatment. These results demonstrate the effect of flavonoids on the growth of GBM cells, which impacts cells in the microenvironment and can be considered for preclinical studies for adjuvant treatments.
Influence of Graphene Oxide on Mechanical and Morphological Properties of Nafion® Membranes
Authors: Ceballos-Alvarez Carlos , Jafari Maziar , Siaj Mohamed , Shahgaldi Samaneh , Izquierdo Ricardo
Published: January 2025

This study explored the influence of graphene oxide (GO) on morphological and mechanical properties of Nafion® 115 membranes with the objective of enhancing the mechanical properties of the most widely employed membrane in Proton Exchange Membrane Water Electrolyzers (PEMWE) applications. The membrane surface was modified by ultrasonically spraying a GO solution and different annealing temperatures were tested. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) cross-sectional images revealed that annealing the composite membranes was sufficient to favor an interaction between the graphene oxide and the surface of the Nafion® membranes. The GO covering only 35% of the membrane surface increased the composite’s wettability from hydrophobic (105.2°) to a highly hydrophilic angle (84.4°) while slightly reducing membrane swelling. Tensile tests depicted an increase in both the strain levels and tensile loads before breaking. The samples with GO presented remarkable mechanical properties when the annealing time and temperature increased; while the Nafion® control samples failed at elongations of 95% and 98%, their counterparts with GO on the surface achieved elongations of 248% and 191% when annealed at 80 °C and 110 °C respectively, demonstrating that the presence of GO mechanically stabilizes the membranes under tension. In exchange, the presence of GO altered the smoothness of the membrane surface going from an average 1.4 nm before the printing to values ranging from 8.4 to 10.2 nm depending on the annealing conditions which could affect the quality of the subsequent catalyst layer printing. Overall, the polymer’s electrical insulation was unaffected, making the Nafion®-GO blend a more robust material than those traditionally used.
The Impact of Social Media on Disordered Eating: Insights from Israel
Authors: Dopelt Keren , Houminer-Klepar Nourit
Published: January 2025

Background: Social media platforms have become integral to daily life and increasingly disseminate health, nutrition, and food information. While these platforms can offer evidence-based nutrition education and meal planning guidance, a significant portion of content promotes unrealistic beauty standards and unhealthy weight-loss practices, potentially contributing to disordered eating behaviors. The increasing prevalence of disordered eating, characterized by abnormal eating behaviors and attitudes, has become a global public health concern. This study examines whether social media consumption correlates with disordered eating symptoms in Israeli college students. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among college students at Ashkelon Academic College in Israel. The questionnaire assessed demographics, social media usage (platforms used, frequency, and content followed), body satisfaction, and disordered eating symptoms, measured via the Eating Attitudes Test (EAT-26). Results: The study sample comprised 580 students (73% were female and 27% were male) with a mean age of 27.87 years. Participants predominantly used multiple social media platforms, with a majority following food-, eating-, and health-related content. Despite having a normal BMI, a substantial number of participants reported body dissatisfaction. The results indicated a positive correlation between social media use and disordered eating symptoms. Individuals who frequently engaged with food-related content on social media exhibited higher levels of disordered eating. Moreover, body satisfaction emerged as a significant mediator in the relationship between social media use and disordered eating symptoms. Conclusions: The findings of this study support the growing body of evidence linking social media use to disordered eating behaviors among young adults. Developing targeted interventions that promote media literacy and foster body positivity is essential. Additionally, future research should explore the long-term effects of social media on eating behaviors and the effectiveness of different prevention strategies.
Vegetable-Enriched Brownies: A Healthier Twist on a Classic Treat
Authors: Petka Katarzyna , Topolska Kinga
Published: January 2025

Background/Objectives: In response to concerns about high-fat and low-fiber diets, this study modified a traditional brownie recipe by replacing butter with plant-based ingredients, including sweet potatoes, red beans, beetroot, zucchini, pumpkin, lentils, and spinach. The goal was to increase vegetable consumption while identifying the best vegetable fat replacer using sensory and instrumental analyses. Methods: Chemical analyses were conducted to measure dry matter, protein, fat, ash, and dietary fiber, alongside texture, color, and sensory evaluations. Results: The butter replacement led to a significant reduction in fat content, up to three-fold, and a decrease in caloric value by 57% while increasing dietary fiber and ash levels. Sweet potato brownies (SPB) had the highest fiber and ash content, while zucchini brownies (ZB) exhibited improved texture due to greater moisture retention. Sensory assessments showed that classic brownies (CB) ranked highest in appearance, taste, and texture, while lentil (LB) and spinach brownies (SB) had lower acceptability. Conclusions: Incorporating plant-based ingredients into brownies significantly improves their nutritional profile but can affect sensory attributes. Further optimization is needed to balance nutritional benefits with consumer preferences, offering a promising approach to increasing vegetable intake through a popular dessert.
Nose-to-Brain Delivery of Chitosan-Grafted Leciplexes for Promoting the Bioavailability and Antidepressant Efficacy of Mirtazapine: In Vitro Assessment and Animal Studies
Authors: El Sisi Amani M. , Eissa Essam M. , Hassan Ahmed H. E. , Bekhet Marina A. , El-Ela Fatma I. Abo , Roh Eun Joo , Kharshoum Rasha M. , Ali Adel A.
Published: January 2025

Background/Objectives: Mirtazapine (MRZ) is a psychotropic drug prescribed to manage serious sorts of depression. By virtue of its extensive initial-pass metabolic process with poor water solubility, the ultimate bioavailability when taken orally is a mere 50%, necessitating repeated administration. The current inquiry intended to fabricate nose-to-brain chitosan-grafted cationic leciplexes of MRZ (CS-MRZ-LPX) to improve its pharmacokinetic weaknesses and boost the pharmacodynamics aspects. Methods: Primarily, MRZ-loaded leciplexes (MRZ-LPXs) were fabricated and tailored employing a central composite design (CCD). Vesicle diameter size (VS), entrapment efficiency (EE %), cumulative MRZ release percentage (CMRZR %), and total quantity penetrating after twenty-four hours (Q24) were the four parameters assessed. Then, the determined optimum formulation was coated with chitosan (CS-MRZ-LPX) and utilized in pharmacodynamics investigations and in vivo biologic distribution studies in Wistar male rats. Results: The customized MRZ-LPX formulation had a diameter size of 186.2 ± 3.5 nm and drug EE of 45.86 ± 0.76%. Also, the tailored MRZ-LPX formulation had a cumulative amount of MRZ released of 76.66 ± 3.06% and the total Q24 permeated was 383.23 ± 13.08 µg/cm2. Intranasal delivery of the tailored CS-MRZ-LPX revealed notably superior pharmacokinetic attributes inside the brain and circulation compared to the orally administered MRZ suspension and the intranasal free drug suspension (p < 0.05); the relative bioavailability was 370.9% and 385.6% for plasma and brain, respectively. Pharmacodynamics’ and immunohistopathological evaluations proved that optimum intranasal CS-MRZ-LPX boosted antidepressant activity compared to the oral and free nasal drug administration. Conclusions: CS-MRZ-LPX tailored formulation can potentially be regarded as a prospective nano platform to boost bioavailability and enhance pharmacodynamics efficacy. Ultimately, intranasal CS-MRZ-LPX can be considered a promising avenue for MRZ targeted brain delivery as an antidepressant.
Identification of a New Pentafluorosulfanyl-Substituted Chalcone with Activity Against Hepatoma and Human Parasites
Authors: Viperino Alessandra , Höpfner Michael , Edel Nicole , Al Nasr Ibrahim S. , Koko Waleed S. , Khan Tariq A. , Ben Abdelmalek Imen , Schobert Rainer , Biersack Bernhard , Nitzsche Bianca
Published: January 2025

Background/Objectives: New drugs are required for the treatment of liver cancers and protozoal parasite infections. Analogs of the known anticancer active and antileishmanial 2′,4′,6′-trimethoxychalcone SU086 were prepared and investigated. Methods: The chalcones were prepared according to the Claisen–Schmidt condensation protocol and analyzed. They were tested for activity against two liver cancer cell lines (HepG2 and HuH-7) and protozoal parasites (Toxoplasma gondii and Leishmania major). Unspecific toxicity and expression of Hsp90 and Hsp70 upon treatment were analyzed in liver cancer cells. Results: A new chalcone, 2′,4′,6′-trimethoxy-3-pentafluorosulfanylchalcone (246TMP-3SF5), with a pentafluorosulfanyl (SF5) substituent showed pronounced activities against liver cancer cells and T. gondii parasites which were superior to the activities of the parent chalcone SU086 in these models. In contrast, SU086 and its anthracene analog 2′,4′,6′-trimethoxy-9-anthracenylchalcone (246TMP-Anth) were most active against L. major promastigotes. The new SF5-substituted chalcone behaved like the known Hsp90 inhibitor 17-AAG and upregulated Hsp70 expression in liver cancer cells. Conclusions: The SF5-substituted SU086 analog has potential to become a new drug for the therapy of hepatoma and toxoplasmosis.
Cost-Effectiveness of Itopride Hydrochloride for the Treatment of Functional Dyspepsia in Vietnam
Authors: Kim Hansoo , Byrnes Joshua , Kim Kyoo , Quach Duc Trong , Tuong Tran Thi Khanh , Nguyen Cuc Thi Thu
Published: January 2025

Background/Objectives: Functional dyspepsia is associated with abdominal pain and nausea, which leads to reduced quality of life, loss of productivity, and economic loss for patients. Itopride hydrochloride (itopride) stimulates the gastrointestinal smooth muscles, thereby promoting gastric emptying. It has been shown to significantly improve symptoms in patients with functional dyspepsia without severe side effects. Itopride has been available in Vietnam for many years; however, the cost-effectiveness of the drug has not been established. The aim of this study is to estimate the cost-effectiveness of itopride for the treatment of functional dyspepsia in Vietnam. Methods: A 3-stage Markov model with the following health states—controlled functional dyspepsia, uncontrolled functional dyspepsia, and dead—was developed. Functional dyspepsia was used to assess itopride over 10 years using 8-week cycles. A broader Vietnamese societal perspective was assumed for the analysis. Input was retrieved from the literature and through local clinical input from physicians in Vietnam. Output was reported as an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) per quality-adjusted life years (QALY). A GDP/capita threshold (very cost-effective: 1 × GDP = Vietnamese Dong (VND) 64.1 M, cost-effective: 3 × GDP = VND 192.2 M) was used as recommended by the WHO in Vietnam. One-way and probabilistic sensitivity analyses were performed. Results: Itopride use resulted in an additional 0.28 QALYs at an extra cost of VND 11.2 M. This resulted in an ICER of VND 39.7 M per QALY, which is lower than the threshold of VND 192.2 M. One-way sensitivity analyses showed that the ICER was sensitive to varying the efficacy VND 31.8 M to VND 88.3 M), cost of itopride (ICER: VND 43.1 M to VND 56.5 M), and the health utility values (ICER: VND 45.2 M to VND 55.3 M). More than 80% of the simulations in the probabilistic sensitivity analysis were cost-effective at the 1 × GDP (VND 64.1 M) threshold, and 91.3% were cost-effective at the 3 × GDP (VND 192.2 M) threshold. Conclusion: This study shows that itopride hydrochloride is a very cost-effective treatment for functional dyspepsia in Vietnam, with the ICER (VND 39.7 M/QALY) being even lower than the 1 × GDP (VND 64.1 M) threshold.
Comparative Study of γ Radiation-Induced Effects on Fiber Bragg Gratings by Femtosecond Laser Point-by-Point Method and Line-by-Line Method
Authors: Hou Mingyang , Zhang Yumin , Xiong Xin , Zhu Lianqing
Published: January 2025

In the realm of advanced optical fiber sensing (OFS) technologies, Fiber Bragg Grating (FBG) has garnered widespread application in the monitoring of temperature, strain, and external refractive indices, particularly within high-radiation environments such as high-energy physics laboratories, nuclear facilities, and space satellites. Notably, FBGs inscribed using femtosecond lasers are favored for their superior radiation resistance. Among various inscription techniques, the point-by-point (PbP) and line-by-line (LbL) methods are predominant; however, their comparative impacts on radiation durability have not been adequately explored. In this research, FBGs were inscribed on a single-mode fiber using both the PbP and LbL methods, and subsequently subjected to a total irradiation dose of 5.04 kGy (radiation flux of 2 rad/s) over 70 h in a 60Co-γ radiation environment. By evaluating the changes in temperature- and strain-sensing performance of the FBG pre-irradiation and post-irradiation, this study identifies a more favorable technique for writing anti-irradiation FBG sensors. Moreover, an analysis into the radiation damage mechanisms in optical fibers, alongside the principles of femtosecond laser inscription, provides insights into the enhanced radiation resistance observed in femtosecond laser-written FBGs. This study thus furnishes significant guidance for the development of highly radiation-resistant FBG sensors, serving as a critical reference in the field of high-performance optical fiber sensing technologies.
A Deep Learning-Based Approach for the Detection of Various Internet of Things Intrusion Attacks Through Optical Networks
Authors: Imtiaz Nouman , Wahid Abdul , Ul Abideen Syed Zain , Muhammad Kamal Mian , Sehito Nabila , Khan Salahuddin , Virdee Bal S. , Kouhalvandi Lida , Alibakhshikenari Mohammad
Published: January 2025

The widespread use of the Internet of Things (IoT) has led to significant breakthroughs in various fields but has also exposed critical vulnerabilities to evolving cybersecurity threats. Current Intrusion Detection Systems (IDSs) often fail to provide real-time detection, scalability, and interpretability, particularly in high-speed optical network environments. This research introduces XIoT, which is a novel explainable IoT attack detection model designed to address these challenges. Leveraging advanced deep learning methods, specifically Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs), XIoT analyzes spectrogram images transformed from IoT network traffic data to detect subtle and complex attack patterns. Unlike traditional approaches, XIoT emphasizes interpretability by integrating explainable AI mechanisms, enabling cybersecurity analysts to understand and trust its predictions. By offering actionable insights into the factors driving its decision making, XIoT supports informed responses to cyber threats. Furthermore, the model’s architecture leverages the high-speed, low-latency characteristics of optical networks, ensuring the efficient processing of large-scale IoT data streams and supporting real-time detection in diverse IoT ecosystems. Comprehensive experiments on benchmark datasets, including KDD CUP99, UNSW NB15, and Bot-IoT, demonstrate XIoT’s exceptional accuracy rates of 99.34%, 99.61%, and 99.21%, respectively, significantly surpassing existing methods in both accuracy and interpretability. These results highlight XIoT’s capability to enhance IoT security by addressing real-world challenges, ensuring robust, scalable, and interpretable protection for IoT networks against sophisticated cyber threats.
Molecular Dynamics Study on Thermal Conductivity Properties and Dielectric Behaviors of Graphene-Based Epoxy Resin Nanocomposites
Authors: Zhang Chong , Zhao Chaofeng , Cui Huize , Wang Bo , Luo Chumeng , Guo Ruilu , Chen Shuo , Gu Wenwen , Li Wenpeng
Published: January 2025

In order to increase the thermal conductivity of neat epoxy resin and broaden its practical application in high-voltage insulation systems, we have constructed four kinds of epoxy resin nanocomposite models (a neat epoxy resin (EP), a graphene-doped epoxy resin nanocomposite (EP/GR) and hydroxyl- or carboxyl-functionalized graphene-doped epoxy resin nanocomposites (EP/GR-OH or EP/GR-COOH)) to systematically investigate their thermodynamic and electrical properties using molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. Compared with the EP model, carboxyl-functionalized graphene particles enhanced the thermal conductivity of the EP/GR-COOH model by 66.5% and increased its Tg by 26.6 K. Furthermore, the dielectric constant of the EP/GR-COOH model was significantly reduced. To investigate the intrinsic mechanism, the lowest fraction of free volume (13.22%) and the largest number of hydrogen bonds (102.2) in the EP/GR-COOH model were identified as playing essential roles for its excellent thermodynamic properties and favorable electrical performance. The present study provides a molecular-level understanding of the satisfactory thermodynamic and electrical properties of the EP/GR-COOH nanocomposite, which will aid in designing novel epoxy resin nanocomposite materials with high thermal conductivity.
Investigation of Bolt Support Mechanisms and Parameter Optimization for Hard Roof Control in Underground Mining
Authors: Wang Cong , Zheng Xigui , Xin Wei , Wang Jiyu , Liu Longhe
Published: January 2025

The control of hard roof conditions in underground coal mining is critical for ensuring mining safety and efficiency. Hard roof control remains a critical challenge in underground mining, particularly affecting mining safety and efficiency. Traditional support theories often show limitations in addressing the complex interactions between bolt spacing patterns and geological variability. This study focuses on the No. 10904 working face of Jingu Mine, where three distinct roof types are present: Type I (thick limestone roof, TLR, ≥1.2 m), Type II (moderate limestone roof, MLR, 0.5–1.2 m), and Type III (composite mudstone–limestone roof, CLR). Through FLAC3D numerical simulation and field validation, the mechanisms of bolt support under hard roof conditions were systematically investigated, and the optimization of bolt support parameters, including spacing, length, and pre-tension force, was conducted. The results indicate that: (1) when the ratio between lateral and row spacing approaches unity, reducing lateral spacing while increasing row spacing enhances support effectiveness, achieving 2 mm less roof subsidence with the 1.0 m × 1.5 m configuration compared to the 1.4 m × 0.8 m arrangement, despite a 21% reduction in bolt density; (2) an optimal rib bolt length of 1.8 m was determined, with support effectiveness diminishing beyond 2.0 m, and 1.5 m-long bolts reducing rib convergence by 15% compared to unsupported conditions; and (3) when the anchoring length exceeds 60% of the total bolt length, further increases in bolt length have minimal impact on deformation control under TLR, MLR, and CLR conditions. Field implementation of the optimized support scheme confirmed its effectiveness, with borehole television inspection showing no separation or fracturing within the monitored depth of 4 m in the roof strata. These findings provide practical guidelines for support design in similar geological settings, particularly for shallow-buried roadways with hard roof conditions.
Deep-Learning-Based Method for the Identification of Typical Crops Using Dual-Polarimetric Synthetic Aperture Radar and High-Resolution Optical Images
Authors: Ma Xiaoshuang , Li Le , Wu Yinglei
Published: January 2025

Timely monitoring of distribution and growth state of crops is crucial for agricultural management. Remote sensing (RS) techniques provide an effective tool to monitor crops. This study proposes a novel approach for the identification of typical crops, including rapeseed and wheat, using multisource remote sensing data and deep learning technology. By adopting an improved DeepLabV3+ network architecture that integrates a feature-enhanced module and an attention module, multiple features from both optical data and synthetic aperture radar (SAR) data are fully mined to take into account the spectral reflectance traits and polarimetric scattering straits of crops. The proposal can effectively address the limitations of using a single data source, alleviating the misclassification problem brought by the spectral similarity of crops in certain bands. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed crop identification DeepLabV3+ (CI-DeepLabV3+) method outperforms traditional classification methods and the original DeepLabV3+ network, with an overall accuracy and F1 score of 94.54% and 94.55%, respectively. Experimental results also support the conclusion that using multiple features from multi-source data can indeed improve the performance of the network.
Multi-Task Federated Split Learning Across Multi-Modal Data with Privacy Preservation
Authors: Dong Yipeng , Luo Wei , Wang Xiangyang , Zhang Lei , Xu Lin , Zhou Zehao , Wang Lulu
Published: January 2025

With the advancement of federated learning (FL), there is a growing demand for schemes that support multi-task learning on multi-modal data while ensuring robust privacy protection, especially in applications like intelligent connected vehicles. Traditional FL schemes often struggle with the complexities introduced by multi-modal data and diverse task requirements, such as increased communication overhead and computational burdens. In this paper, we propose a novel privacy-preserving scheme for multi-task federated split learning across multi-modal data (MTFSLaMM). Our approach leverages the principles of split learning to partition models between clients and servers, employing a modular design that reduces computational demands on resource-constrained clients. To ensure data privacy, we integrate differential privacy to protect intermediate data and employ homomorphic encryption to safeguard client models. Additionally, our scheme employs an optimized attention mechanism guided by mutual information to achieve efficient multi-modal data fusion, maximizing information integration while minimizing computational overhead and preventing overfitting. Experimental results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed scheme in addressing the challenges of multi-modal data and multi-task learning while offering robust privacy protection, with MTFSLaMM achieving a 15.3% improvement in BLEU-4 and an 11.8% improvement in CIDEr scores compared with the baseline.
Security Evaluation of Provably Secure ECC-Based Anonymous Authentication and Key Agreement Scheme for IoT
Authors: Park Kisung , Kim Myeonghyun , Park Youngho
Published: January 2025

The proliferation of the Internet of Things (IoT) has worsened the challenge of maintaining data and user privacy. IoT end devices, often deployed in unsupervised environments and connected to open networks, are susceptible to physical tampering and various other security attacks. Thus, robust, efficient authentication and key agreement (AKA) protocols are essential to protect data privacy during exchanges between end devices and servers. The previous work in “Provably Secure ECC-Based Anonymous Authentication and Key Agreement for IoT” proposed a novel AKA scheme for secure IoT environments. They claimed their protocol offers comprehensive security features, guarding against numerous potential flaws while achieving session key security. However, this paper demonstrates through logical and mathematical analyses that the previous work is vulnerable to various attacks. We conducted a security analysis using the extended Canetti and Krawczyk (eCK) model, which is widely employed in security evaluations. This model considers scenarios where an attacker has complete control over the network, including the ability to intercept, modify, and delete messages, while also accounting for the potential exposure of ephemeral private keys. Furthermore, we show that their scheme fails to meet critical security requirements and relies on flawed security assumptions. We prove our findings using the automated validation of internet security protocols and applications, a widely recognized formal verification tool. To strengthen attack resilience, we propose several recommendations for the advancement of more robust and efficient AKA protocols specifically designed for IoT environments.