bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Exploring dental students' knowledge on oral cancer prevention: a cross-sectional study in Moldova, Armenia, and Belarus
Authors: Golburean Olga , Uncuta Diana , Manrikyan Gayane , Shakavets Natalia , Vardanyan Izabella , Markaryan Marina , Özkaya Ferda , Costea Daniela-Elena , Osman Tarig Al-Hadi
Published: January 2025

Background

Survival rate of patients with oral cancer (OC) remains to be very low despite advancements in therapy and surgical techniques. This is attributed to the fact that most OC cases are discovered at a late stage. Dentists play a vital role in early detection of OC through oral mucosal examination, and in informing the patients about avoidable risk factors of the disease, such as tobacco and excessive alcohol use. This study aimed at evaluating knowledge about OC among dental students in Moldova, Armenia and Belarus; three former soviet countries with high rates of tobacco use.

Methods

This was a cross-sectional, multi-country study based on self-administered questionnaire. Dental students in their clinical years at three dental faculties in Moldova, Armenia and Belarus were invited to participate in the study. Data collection took place during the period May to September 2019. Association between different categorical variables was investigated using Chi-squared test. A knowledge score ranging from 0–14 was constructed from the obtained data. Differences in the knowledge score between different groups of students was investigated using either student`s t-test whenever comparing two groups, or One-way ANOVA with Bonferroni`s correction for three or more groups. The level of significance was set to 0.05 for all statistical tests.

Results

A total of 642 dental students participated in the study. The mean knowledge score was found to be 6.62 ± 2.61, with 45% of the students scoring below the mean. Students from Belarus had the highest score (7.3 ± 2.14) in comparison to Armenia (6.66 ± 2.64) and Moldova (5.66 ± 2.81), as revealed by ANOVA test. However, we observed a significant increase (p-value < 0.001, ANOVA) in the students` knowledge score as they proceed through study years from third (6.07 ± 2.61) to fifth year (7.49 ± 2.48). In addition, we found that Students with current or previous cigarette smoking habits had significantly (p-value < 0.001, student`s t-test) lower mean knowledge score (5.96 ± 2.82) when compared to students who have never been smokers (6.98 ± 2.42).

Conclusions

The present study reveals notable gaps in OC knowledge and concerning tobacco use behaviors among dental students in Moldova, Belarus, and Armenia. By providing comprehensive education on risk factors and addressing personal habits, dental schools can better prepare future professionals to play a critical role in OC prevention and management.
Self-directed learning versus traditional didactic learning in undergraduate medical education: a systemic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Aulakh Jasmine , Wahab Hana , Richards Christine , Bidaisee Satesh , Ramdass Prakash V. A. K
Published: January 2025

Background

Self-Directed Learning (SDL) is a theory of andragogy in which adult learners take their own initiative to identify and tailor their individual learning process and outcomes. In undergraduate medical education, SDL aims to develop medical students into lifelong learners. This study aims to estimate the overall effectiveness of self-directed learning compared to traditional didactic learning (TDL).

Methods

We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis according to the PRISMA statement. A systematic search was used across PubMed, Scopus, Embase and Google Scholar to identify peer-reviewed articles spanning from January 1, 2014, to May 30, 2024. Key words used were “self-directed learning” AND “undergraduate medical education.” Forest plots were generated with the Open Meta-analyst Software, comparing SDL and TDL.

Results

A total of 2,955 titles and abstracts were screened for eligibility, of which 95 articles met the eligibility criteria for full-text review. Following a more detailed screening, 19 articles met the criteria for inclusion in the systematic review and 14 articles met the criteria for inclusion in the meta-analysis. The systematic review included 2,098 students while the meta-analysis included 1,792 students. The overall mean difference for all studies was 2.399, 95% CI [0.121–4.678], and I2 = 98.56%.

Conclusion

Self-directed learning compared to traditional didactic learning is an effective learning strategy in medical undergraduate education and has the potential to aid in students’ learning and improve their cognitive performance. Moreover, SDL nurtures qualities such as autonomy, curiosity, and self-regulation, which are essential for success in the ever-evolving field of medicine.
Turning nursing students’ mistakes into resources for learning in simulation-based training: facilitators’ assumptions about providing feedback in debriefing
Authors: Lervik Wenche , Solberg Mads , Wiig Astrid Camilla , Berg Helen
Published: January 2025

Background

The aim of this study was to investigate how facilitators approach and use nursing students’ mistakes in simulation-based training as learning resources in the simulation debriefing phase. Facilitators are responsible for raising students’ awareness of their performances during the debriefing and facilitating reflections on their performances, including satisfactory behaviours and performance gaps. Research on facilitators’ work during debriefing has highlighted various challenges, such as providing a safe and constructive climate among novice students while simultaneously teaching them the correct procedures, methods, and knowledge of caring practices to become professional nurses. There is a lack of research on how facilitators approach, handle, and use students’ mistakes as a learning resource. Thus, this study investigated facilitators’ assumptions about providing feedback to nursing students when they made mistakes during simulation-based training

Method

Individual semi-structured interviews were conducted with nine experienced facilitators from three universities in Norway. Data were analyzed following the principles of thematic analysis (TA).

Results

Facilitators made varying assumptions about the simulations and debriefings as learning processes. These differences were evident in their accounts of how feedback was provided to students when they made mistakes during the simulation-based training.

Conclusion

Facilitators’ statements about their practices reflect assumptions about how they make simulation activities a resource for meaningful learning, including how to use students’ mistakes as learning opportunities during debriefing discussions. Consequently, these assumptions regarding learning provide valuable insights into the ambiguous and complex praxis of using simulation-based training as a professional educational tool.
Discrete choice modelling of hypertension patients’ preferences for attributes of a public medical facility in Ibadan, Nigeria
Authors: Otekunrin Oluwaseun Aramide , Adebisi Tekiyat Abiola , Adeniran-Babatunde Sururoh , Otekunrin Olutosin Ademola
Published: January 2025

Background

Not much is known about hypertension patients’ preferences for attributes of public medical facilities in Nigeria and how these preferences influence their choices of medical facilities for treatment. An understanding of what these patients want especially in terms of service delivery could contribute to improved hypertension control.

Objective

This study aimed to determine hypertension patients’ preferences for attributes of a public medical facility in Ibadan, Nigeria.

Methods

A Discrete Choice Experiment (DCE) that utilized three hypothetical medical facilities was used for the study. A simple random sample (SRS) of 150 eligible hypertension patients was selected from a secondary medical facility in Ibadan, Nigeria. An efficient D-optimal choice design was adopted and used in generating nine hypothetical choice sets for the experiment. Each patient was expected to study the nine sets carefully and choose an option from each of the sets. The first choice set was repeated as the tenth set to examine respondents’ consistency. The DCE questionnaires were administered using a one-to-one interview method. A mixed logit regression modeling technique was used to obtain parameter and Willingness to Pay (WTP) estimates.

Results

The patients preferred medical facilities with waiting time before consultation with medical doctors to be between thirty minutes and one hour. The attribute level ‘‘a lot of information’’ was the most preferred. The patients were unwilling to pay for the “little or no drugs and diagnostic equipment” attribute level. A negative and significant coefficient for cost indicated that higher out-of-pocket costs negatively affected hypertension patients’ choice of a public medical facility.

Conclusion

Hypertension patients attending a public medical facility in Ibadan, Nigeria preferred a facility with access to comprehensive information about their health in addition to reasonable waiting times, availability of a lot of drugs and diagnostic equipment, and reduced out-of-pocket costs. Provision of healthcare services that align with these preferences could enhance patient satisfaction thus contributing to improved hypertension control.
Identification and characterization of tumor and stromal derived liquid biopsy analytes in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma
Authors: Götze Julian , Meißner Kira , Pereira-Veiga Thais , Belloum Yassine , Schneegans Svenja , Kropidlowski Jolanthe , Gorgulho Joao , Busch Alina , Honselmann Kim Christin , Schönrock Martin , Putscher Arne , Peine Sven , Nitschke Christine , Simon Ronald , Spindler Volker , Izbicki Jakob Robert , Hackert Thilo , Bokemeyer Carsten , Pantel Klaus , Uzunoglu Faik Güntaç , Sinn Marianne , Harriet Wikman
Published: January 2025

Background

The lack of predictive biomarkers contributes notably to the poor outcomes of patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are the key components of the prominent PDAC stroma. Data on clinical relevance of CAFs entering the bloodstream, known as circulating CAFs (cCAFs) are scarce. Here, we developed a combined liquid biopsy assay to detect cCAFs and circulating tumor cells (CTCs) in metastatic PDAC (mPDAC) and other metastatic gastrointestinal malignancies (mGI). In addition, we evaluated plasma hyaluronan (HA) levels as a complementary surrogate biomarker of the stromal extent in patients with PDAC.

Methods

A sequential liquid biopsy assay based on a two step-enrichment, combining marker dependent and independent cell enrichment, was established for cCAF and CTC detection and validated in mPDAC and mGI patients. The enriched cells were identified by multiplex immunofluorescence. HA measurement was performed by ELISA on blood samples from healthy blood donors (HD), localized and late-stage PDAC patients.

Results

cCAFs (≥ 1cCAFs/7.5 mL blood) were detected in 95.4% of mPDAC and in 78.2% of mGI patients, with significantly higher numbers in mPDAC compared to mGI patients (mean number 22.7 vs. 11.0; P = 0.0318). mPDAC patients with ≥ 15 cCAFs/7.5 mL blood had a significant shorter median overall survival (mOS 3.2 months (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.801–5.855) vs. 14.2 months (95% CI 6.055–22.332); P = 0.013), whereby CTC levels were not associated with mOS. In mGI neither cCAFs nor CTCs had a significant impact on OS. HA plasma levels in mPDAC patients were significantly higher compared to HD (mean 123.0 ng/mL vs. 74.45 ng/mL, P = 0.015). High HA in localized and late-stage PDAC were associated with a significantly shorter mOS (mOSlocalized PDAC: 12.6 months vs. 23.5 months (P = 0.008); mOSmPDAC: 1.8 months vs. 5.3 months (P = 0.004)).

Conclusions

Our liquid biopsy assay provides robust detection of cCAFs in mPDAC and mGI patients. The measurement of both circulatory stromal parameters, cCAFs and HA, adds valuable clinical information as they are associated with an unfavorable outcome in PDAC. These results highlight that stromal characteristics unique to PDAC could be leveraged to fill the current gap in discovering predictive biomarkers.
SNORA37/CMTR1/ELAVL1 feedback loop drives gastric cancer progression via facilitating CD44 alternative splicing
Authors: Bao Banghe , Tian Minxiu , Wang Xiaojing , Yang Chunhui , Qu Jiaying , Zhou Shunchen , Cheng Yang , Tong Qiangsong , Zheng Liduan
Published: January 2025

Background

Emerging evidence shows that small nucleolar RNA (snoRNA), a type of highly conserved non-coding RNA, is involved in tumorigenesis and aggressiveness. However, the roles of snoRNAs in regulating alternative splicing crucial for cancer progression remain elusive.

Methods

High-throughput RNA sequencing and comprehensive analysis were performed to identify crucial snoRNAs and downstream alternative splicing events. Biotin-labeled RNA pull-down, mass spectrometry, cross-linking RNA immunoprecipitation, and in vitro binding assays were applied to explore interaction of snoRNAs with protein partners. Alternative splicing and gene expression was observed by real-time quantitative RT-PCR and western blot assays. In vitro and in vivo studies were performed to investigate biological effects of snoRNAs and their protein partners in gastric cancer. Survival analysis was undertaken by using Kaplan-Meier method and log-rank test.

Results

SNORA37 was identified as an up-regulated snoRNA essential for tumorigenesis and aggressiveness of gastric cancer. Gain- and loss-of-function studies indicated that SNORA37 promoted the growth, invasion, and metastasis of gastric cancer cells in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, as an ELAV like RNA binding protein 1 (ELAVL1)-generated snoRNA, SNORA37 directly bound to cap methyltransferase 1 (CMTR1) to facilitate its interaction with ELAVL1, resulting in nuclear retention and activity of ELAVL1 in regulating alternative splicing of CD44. Rescue studies revealed that SNORA37 exerted oncogenic roles in gastric cancer progression via facilitating CMTR1-ELAVL1 interaction. In clinical gastric cancer cases, high levels of SNORA37, CMTR1, ELAVL1, or CD44 were associated with shorter survival and poor outcomes of patients.

Conclusions

These results indicated that SNORA37/CMTR1/ELAVL1 feedback loop drives gastric cancer progression via facilitating CD44 alternative splicing.
Experimental infection of wild boars (Sus scrofa) with Rickettsia rickettsii and evaluation of the transmission potential to Amblyomma sculptum ticks
Authors: Neves Lucianne Cardoso , de Campos Binder Lina , de Freitas Paula Warley Vieira , de Lima Nicolas Jalowitzki , Cardoso Ennya Rafaella Neves , Santos Rayane Almeida , Bittencourt Raphaela Bueno Mendes , Pádua Gracielle Teles , dos Santos Gabriel Cândido , Tavares Mariana Avelar , de Azevedo Serpa Maria Carolina , Pinter Adriano , de Almeida Felicio Artur Luiz , Labruna Marcelo B. , da Silva Krawczak Felipe
Published: January 2025

Background

Brazilian spotted fever is a tick-borne disease caused by the bacterium Rickettsia rickettsii, whose main vector in Brazil is the tick Amblyomma sculptum. Amplifying hosts are essential for the perpetuation of this bacterium in the tick population as they can be sources of infection during bacteremic periods. Recent studies demonstrated the ability of suids (Sus scrofa) to sustain populations of A. sculptum, one of the main tick species found parasitizing wild boars in the midwestern and southeastern regions of Brazil. In this study, wild boars were experimentally infected with R. rickettsii by tick infestation and were evaluated for their ability to transmit the infection to A. sculptum ticks, under laboratory conditions.

Methods

Four wild boars were infected with R. rickettsii through infestation with R. rickettsii-infected A. sculptum adults (infected group); a fifth wild boar was infested with uninfected A. sculptum adults (control group). Simultaneously, the animals were infested with uninfected larvae and nymphs of A. sculptum. The wild boars were monitored for 28 days by clinical examination and hematological tests, real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR) of blood for the detection of Rickettsia and inoculation of blood in guinea pigs. IgG antibody titers were followed until the end of the experiment. Unfed nymphs and adults, molted from engorged larvae and nymphs that fed on wild boars, were used to infest susceptible guinea pigs and rabbits; some of these unfed ticks were tested by qPCR for rickettsial detection.

Results

The wild boars showed no clinical or hematological alterations, and bacteremia was not detected by qPCR or inoculation of wild boar blood into guinea pigs. Furthermore, wild boars showed a moderate humoral response, with anti-R. rickettsii endpoint titers up to 256 or 512. Rickettsial DNA was not detected in molted ticks after acquisition feeding on wild boars. Moreover, no disease or seroconversion was observed in guinea pigs and rabbits that were infested with ticks originated from wild boar acquisition feeding.

Conclusions

Wild boars seroconverted to Rickettsia spp. after being infested with R. rickettsii-infected A. sculptum; however, they did not develop bacteremia and did not act as competent amplifying hosts of R. rickettsii for A. sculptum ticks.

Graphical Abstract
Age- and sex-specific differences in myocardial sympathetic tone and left ventricular remodeling following myocardial injury
Authors: Haider Achi , Bengs Susan , Portmann Angela , Fröhlich Sandro , Etter Dominik , Maredziak Monika , Warnock Geoffrey I. , Akhmedov Alexander , Kozerke Sebastian , Keller Claudia , Montecucco Fabrizio , Weber Bruno , Mu Linjing , Buechel Ronny R. , Regitz-Zagrosek Vera , Kaufmann Philipp A. , Camici Giovanni G. , Ametamey Simon M. , Gebhard Catherine
Published: January 2025

Background

Presentations and outcomes of acute myocardial infarction (MI) differ between women and men, with the worst outcomes being reported in younger women. Mental stress induced ischemia and sympathetic activation have been suggested to play a prominent role in the pathogenesis of MI in younger women, however, the impact of sex hormones on these parameters remains unknown.

Methods

The effect of sex hormones and age on myocardial infarct size and myocardial sympathetic activity (MSA) was assessed in male and female, as well as young (4–6 months) and aged (20–22 months) FVB/N mice (n = 106, 60 gonadectomized and 46 sham-operated animals) who underwent in vivo [11C]meta-hydroxyephedrine ([11C]mHED) positron emission tomography (PET) and cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging 24 h after a 30 min myocardial ischemic injury.

Results

MSA and catecholamine levels following myocardial injury were highest in young males (p = 0.008 and p = 0.043 vs. young females, respectively) and were reduced by orchiectomy. Accordingly, testosterone serum levels correlated positively with MSA (r = 0.66, p < 0.001). Males had a larger average infarct size and lower left ventricular contractility following myocardial injury than females (p < 0.05 vs. females). These sex differences were no longer evident in gonadectomized animals (p = NS vs. females). In female animals, estrogen depletion did not affect MSA (ovariectomy effect, p = 0.892). Female animals showed an age-dependent increase in MSA (p = 0.011), which was absent in males.

Conclusion

Testosterone associates with an increase in sympathetic tone, contributing to adverse cardiac remodeling following MI. Conversely, females maintain sympathetic integrity, independent of sex hormones. Our results suggest a biological advantage of female sex in post MI recovery. Further research is warranted to confirm these findings in humans.
Peripheral proteinopathy in neurodegenerative diseases
Authors: Xu Bin , Lei Xia , Yang Ying , Yu Jiayi , Chen Jun , Xu Zhi , Ye Keqiang , Zhang Jing
Published: January 2025

Proteinopathies in neurology typically refer to pathological changes in proteins associated with neurological diseases, such as the aggregation of amyloid β and Tau in Alzheimer’s disease, α-synuclein in Parkinson’s disease and multiple system atrophy, and TAR DNA-binding protein 43 in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and frontotemporal dementia. Interestingly, these proteins are also commonly found in peripheral tissues, raising important questions about their roles in neurological disorders. Multiple studies have shown that peripherally derived pathological proteins not only travel to the brain through various routes, aggravating brain pathology, but also contribute significantly to peripheral dysfunction, highlighting their crucial impact on neurological diseases. Investigating how these peripherally derived proteins influence the progression of neurological disorders could open new horizons for achieving early diagnosis and treatment. This review summarizes the distribution, transportation pathways, and pathogenic mechanisms of several neurodegenerative disease-related pathological proteins in the periphery, proposing that targeting these peripheral pathological proteins could be a promising strategy for preventing and managing neurological diseases.
A longitudinal analysis of physical exercise in shaping language learners’ emotional well-being: a comparative analysis between L1 and L2 students
Authors: Akram Huma , Oteir Ibrahim Naser
Published: January 2025

Background

Students’ psychological wellness is one of the key elements that improve their well-being and shape their academic progress in the realm of language learning. Among various strategies, physical exercise emerges as an effective approach, allowing learners to manage their emotions considerably.

Methods

Employing a quasi-experimental research design, this study examines the impact of a three-month physical running exercise intervention on emotional regulation behaviors among L1 (Arabic language) and L2 (English as a foreign language learning) students. Data was collected at three (pre-test, mid-test, and post-test) intervals, focusing cognitive reappraisal (CR) and expressive suppression (ES) the key constructs of emotional regulation.

Findings

The results showed that the emotional regulation abilities of both groups were considerably impacted by the physical running exertion and differed significantly, with students’ CR skills significantly improving and their ES decreasing over time. However, no significant interaction effect between time and (L1 and L2) groups’ CR was observed, suggesting that physical exercise universally benefits cognitive reappraisal regardless of the language learning context. Conversely, a significant interaction effect was observed in students’ ES, with L2 students experiencing more reduction compared to their L1 counterparts, highlighting the unique emotional challenges faced by L2 learners and the effectiveness of physical activity in mitigating these challenges.

Conclusion

The results highlight the importance of physical exercise in enhancing emotional regulation abilities among students, particularly in a second language learning context. Given this, regular physical activity programs should be incorporated into educational curricula to support students’ emotional well-being and academic success. It further offers insightful recommendations for teachers, students, administrators, and policymakers to optimize physical exercise integration in higher education.
Transcriptome analysis of novel B16 melanoma metastatic variants generated by serial intracarotid artery injection
Authors: Kienzler Jenny C. , Contreras Erick M. , Treger Janet , Liau Linda M. , Owens Geoffrey C. , Prins Robert M.
Published: January 2025

The incidence of brain metastases (BrM) in patients with metastatic melanoma is reported to be 30–50% and constitutes the third most frequent BrM after breast and renal cancers. Treatment strategies including surgical resection, stereotactic radiation, and immunotherapy have improved clinical response rates and overall survival, but the changes that occur in circulating melanoma cells to promote invasion of the brain are not fully understood. To investigate brain tropism, we generated new variants of the B16 mouse melanoma model by serially passaging B16 cells through the brain of immune competent syngeneic C57BL/6 mice. Cells were injected into the right carotid artery and recovered from the brain after the mice had reached the study endpoint due to tumor burden, then expanded in vitro and reinjected. We compared the transcriptomes of 4th generation B16 cell populations from separate lineages with the founder B16-F0 cells. Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) of differentially expressed protein coding genes revealed that cells isolated from the brain as well as from the lung and meninges expressed higher levels of genes associated with an epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT), upregulation of the KRAS signaling pathway, and a metastasis aggressiveness gene signature associated with poor survival in melanoma patients. Principal component analysis of differentially expressed genes showed that 4th generation melanoma cells isolated from the brain, lung and meninges from one lineage were distinct from those of the other three lineages. Among the differentially expressed genes, transcript levels of several genes, including Itgb2, Rftn2, and Kcnn4, were significantly higher in all cell populations that comprised this lineage compared with all cell populations from the other three lineages. In conclusion, we have derived an aggressive, highly brain metastatic B16 variant associated with leptomeningeal disease by serially passaging cells in vivo.
The dark side of non-fungible tokens: understanding risks in the NFT marketplace from a fraud triangle perspective
Authors: Upadhyay Nitin , Upadhyay Shalini
Published: January 2025

This study investigates the dark side of the non-fungible token (NFT) marketplace, with a focus on understanding the risks, and underlying factors driving fraud in the NFT ecosystem. Using the fraud triangle framework, this study examines pressure, opportunity, and rationalization from individual and organizational perspectives. The research provides a comprehensive understanding of the contributing factors to NFT marketplace fraud by analyzing the reasons behind fraudulent actions. A conceptual framework is developed that includes ten propositions to aid in understanding the complexity of this issue. This study’s outcomes will assist policymakers in crafting efficient approaches to mitigate fraud within the NFT marketplace.
Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio: association with microcirculatory changes detected by nailfold capillaroscopy in scleroderma patients and its relation to disease severity
Authors: Hammoda Rasha M. , El-Gharbawy Nermin H. , Khalifa Ahmed A. , Moharram Amira A. , Elziaty Rahma A.
Published: January 2025

Background

Microvascular alteration in scleroderma patients is well documented. Microcirculatory changes can be visualized by nailfold capillary microscopy (NFC) examination which is a safe and noninvasive technique. This study aims to identify possible association between neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and microvascular changes detected by nailfold capillaroscopic examination in scleroderma patients.

Results

The study was conducted on 25 patients with systemic sclerosis. On studying the correlation of NLR with laboratory parameters, we found significant positive correlations with erythrocyte sedimentation rate “ESR” and C-reactive protein “CRP” values (p = 0.000). Regarding the clinical manifestations, higher NLR was significantly related to the presence of digital ulcer (p = 0.023) and Raynaud’s phenomenon (p = 0.015). There was significantly negative relation between NLR with cyclophosphamide treatment. Regarding NFC examination’s results, there was significant negative correlation of NLR with capillary number/mm (p = 0.000) and significant positive correlation of NLR with capillary width (p = 0.005), and a significant relation of NLR with the presence of capillary hemorrhage and presence of active scleroderma pattern (p = 0.010) was also reported.

Conclusion

High N/L ratio as a marker of inflammation was found to reflect severity of systemic sclerosis and is associated with larger capillary diameter and lower capillary number in nailfold capillaroscopy. Active scleroderma pattern was associated with high N/L ratio. Further longitudinal studies are needed to determine the frequency of nailfold videocapillaroscopy and N/L ratio.
Accounting for the role of the gastro-intestinal tract in the ammonia and urea-N dynamics of freshwater rainbow trout on long-term satiation feeding
Authors: Wood Chris M. , Eom Junho
Published: January 2025

The contribution of the gut to the ingestion, production, absorption, and excretion of the extra ammonia and urea-N associated with feeding (“exogenous” fraction) has received limited prior attention. Analysis of commercial pellet food revealed appreciable concentrations of ammonia and urea-N. Long term satiation-feeding increased whole trout ammonia and urea-N excretion rates by 2.5-fold above fasting levels. Blood was sampled from the dorsal aorta, posterior, mid, and anterior sub-intestinal veins, as well as the hepatic portal vein in situ. Ammonia, urea-N, and fluid flux rates were measured in vitro using novel gut sac preparations filled with native chyme. The sacs maintained the extreme physico-chemical conditions of the lumen seen in vivo. Overall, these results confirmed our hypothesis that the stomach and anterior intestine+pyloric caecae regions play important roles in ammonia and urea-N production and/or absorption. There was a very high rate of urea-N production in the anterior intestine+pyloric caecae, whereas the posterior intestine dominated for ammonia synthesis. The stomach was the major site of ammonia absorption, and the anterior intestine+pyloric caecae region dominated for urea-N absorption. Model calculations indicated that >50% of the exogenous ammonia and urea-N excretion associated with satiation-feeding was produced in the anaerobic gut. This challenges standard metabolic theory used in fuel use calculations. The novel gut sac preparations gained fluid during incubation, especially in the anterior intestine+pyloric caecae, due to marked hyperosmolality in the chyme. Thus, satiation-feeding with commercial pellets is beneficial to the water balance of freshwater trout.
Modulation of sex pheromone detection by nutritional and hormonal signals in a male insect
Authors: Force Evan , Suray Caroline , Monsempes Christelle , Fuentes Annabelle , Maria Annick , Debernard Stéphane
Published: January 2025

As in other animals, insects can modulate their odor-guided behaviors, especially sexual behavior, according to environmental and physiological factors such as the individual's nutritional state. This behavioral flexibility results from modifications of the olfactory pathways under the control of hormones. Most studies have focused on the central modulation of the olfactory system and less attention has been paid to the peripheral olfactory system. To understand how nutritional inputs influence the detection of sex pheromones in insects, we turned to the male moth Agrotis ipsilon, for which the behavioral responsiveness to sex pheromones is dependent on diet and reproductive hormones, juvenile hormone (JH) and 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E). We demonstrated that a sugar-rich diet with sodium increases the sensitivity of olfactory receptor neurons to (Z)-7-dodecen-1-yl acetate, the major sex pheromone compound, and the antennal expression of the pheromone binding protein (PBP2) and the pheromone receptor (OR3). Such a diet also induces overexpression of the methoprene-tolerant receptor to JH and underexpression of the ecdysone receptor to 20E in antennae. The diet-induced olfactory responses were maintained by treatment with cucurbitacin B, a 20E antagonist, but were suppressed by the topic application of precocene, a JH biosynthesis inhibitor. These findings reveal that a positive nutritional state enhances sex pheromone detection through JH actions on the peripheral actors of the pheromone system in male moths. More broadly, in insects, our study provides, for the first time, a neuronal and molecular basis of the dietary-dependent endocrine modulation of the peripheral olfactory system.
Analysis of multidimensional patient data with cardiovascular diseases through medical image processing, modeling, and machine learning techniques
Authors: Καλυκάκης Γεώργιος-Ελευθέριος
Published: January 2025

Οι καρδιαγγειακές παθήσεις παραμένουν η κύρια αιτία θνησιμότητας παγκοσμίως, γεγονός που καθιστά αναγκαία την ανάπτυξη βελτιωμένων διαγνωστικών και προγνωστικών εργαλείων. Η παρούσα διατριβή ενσωματώνει την υπολογιστική δυναμική ρευστών (CFD), την ανάλυση ραδιομικών χαρακτηριστικών και τις αυτοματοποιημένες τεχνικές τμηματοποίησης με προηγμένες απεικονιστικές μεθόδους, με στόχο τη βελτίωση της αξιολόγησης της στεφανιαίας νόσου (CAD) και των συστηματικών αγγειακών παθήσεων. Η ενδοθηλιακή διατμητική τάση (ESS), που υπολογίζεται μέσω CFD μοντέλων βασισμένων στην αξονική στεφανιογραφία (CCTA), εξετάζεται σε σχέση με τη σοβαρότητα της στένωσης, τον όγκο της πλάκας και την αιμάτωση του μυοκαρδίου. Η έρευνα αποτυπώνει πώς οι διακυμάνσεις στο ESS συσχετίζονται με λειτουργικές αλλαγές στην αιμάτωση του μυοκαρδίου, όπως μετρώνται με τη μέθοδο της τομογραφίας εκπομπής ποζιτρονίων (PET). Τα ευρήματα αυτά παρέχουν νέες πληροφορίες για τον ρόλο των αιμοδυναμικών δυνάμεων στη στεφανιαία νόσο και αναδεικνύουν το ESS ως διαγνωστικό δείκτη. Η ανάλυση ραδιομικών (Radiomics) χαρακτηριστικών εφαρμόζεται σε δεδομένα πλάκας που προέρχονται από CCTA για την εξαγωγή βιοδεικτών που προβλέπουν ανωμαλίες στην αιμάτωση του μυοκαρδίου. Η ενσωμάτωση αυτών των βιοδεικτών με δεδομένα από PET και τομογραφία εκπομπής μονήρους φωτονίου (SPECT) ενισχύει σημαντικά την ακρίβεια της διάγνωσης σε σύγκριση με τα παραδοσιακά απεικονιστικά χαρακτηριστικά. Αυτή η προσέγγιση υπογραμμίζει τη χρησιμότητα της ραδιομικής στην μη επεμβατική ταξινόμηση κινδύνου στην στεφανιαία νόσο. Επιπλέον, η διατριβή αναπτύσσει αυτοματοποιημένες μεθόδους τμηματοποίησης για την ανάλυση της αορτής σε PET/CT απεικονίσεις, επιτρέποντας ακριβή και αναπαραγόμενη αξιολόγηση της μεταβολικής δραστηριότητας σε αγγειίτιδες μεγάλων αγγείων. Αυτές οι τεχνικές βελτιώνουν την αποδοτικότητα της ροής των εργασιών και παρέχουν νέα εργαλεία για την αξιολόγηση συστηματικών φλεγμονωδών παθήσεων. Συνδυάζοντας την ανάλυση της ESS, τους ραδιομικούς βιοδείκτες και την αυτοματοποιημένη τμηματοποίηση, η διατριβή αυτή διαμορφώνει ένα ολοκληρωμένο πλαίσιο για μη επεμβατική διάγνωση καρδιαγγειακών παθήσεων. Τα ευρήματα συμβάλλουν στην πρόοδο της εξατομικευμένης αξιολόγησης κινδύνου και στις στρατηγικές διαχείρισης ασθενών, με σημαντικές προεκτάσεις για την κλινική πρακτική.
Impact of Trichoderma Strains Isolated from Pulses Rhizosphere on Plant Growth Promotion of Chickpea
Authors: Rathore Utkarsh Singh , Singh Rudra Pratap , Pandey Sonika , Mishra R.K.
Published: January 2025

Twenty one isolates of Trichoderma spp. were isolated from the rhizosphere of chickpea were evaluated for salt and thermo tolerance, plant growth promoter and antagonists to Rhizoctonia bataticola causing dry root rot in chickpea. Eleven isolates (Tr5, Tr6, Tr8, Tr9, Tr10, Tr11, Tr13, Tr16, Tr17, Tr20 and Tr21) exhibited high antagonistic activity against R. bataticola (more that 70% inhibition of fungal growth). Our findings indicated significant correlation between plant growth promotion of chickpea and antagonism against dry root rot. Four isolates namely Tr11, Tr10, Tr20 & Tr13 showed more tolerance to salt having less than 60% reduction in growth at 10% NaCl. Eight isolates namely Tr20, Tr19, Tr17, Tr10, Tr11, Tr12, Tr13 and Tr9 were most thermotolerant with mycelium growth of more than 4cm at 35⸰C compared to remaining isolates. Three isolates Tr11(Trichoderma afroharzianum), Tr13 (Trichoderma asperellum) and Tr20 (Trichoderma asperellum) were most promising having fungal antagonistic activity along with growth promoting parameters, salinity and thermo tolerance.
Revolutionizing Agriculture Soil Testing with Agriculture 4.0 and IoT Integration
Authors: Mane Smita Sandeep , Narawade Vaibhav , Ranshur Nitinkumar J.
Published: January 2025

The introduction of "Agriculture 4.0," which transforms traditional farming processes through the integration of digital technology and the Internet of Things (IoT), has made a huge impact on the agriculture business. In modern agriculture, soil testing is an indispensable component that plays a major role in increasing crop yields, minimizing environmental impact, and advancing sustainable agricultural practices. This paper presents a comprehensive study on how Agriculture 4.0 and IoT technologies are used in revolutionizing the process of agriculture soil testing. A new era in the collection, analysis, and application of data in agriculture is brought about by Agriculture 4.0. With the help of an integration of advanced sensors, wireless connectivity, and cloud computing to create a robust IoT-based soil testing system. Such a system can continuously monitor soil parameters such as moisture content, pH levels, nutrient levels, and temperature in real-time, providing farmers with a wealth of data for decision-making. Farmers can access this data through user-friendly dashboards on their smartphones or computers, enabling them to make data-driven decisions regarding crop selection, irrigation scheduling, and nutrient management. Furthermore, the system can provide early warnings for soil health issues, helping farmers prevent potential crop losses. This paper also delves into the incorporation of machine learning and artificial intelligence algorithms with data from the Internet of Things (IoT). These technologies can analyze real-time soil testing data for Murbad, Bhivandi, Shahapur and Kalyan regions, to provide predictive insights, for the various soil properties like PH, EC, OC, N, P, Zn enabling to set the threshold values for the sensor used in precision agriculture and optimizing resource utilization. The use of machine learning algorithms will train the model to provide the optimal value recommendations for the application of fertilizers and pesticides, reducing input costs and minimizing environmental impact.
Analysis of Websites of Indian Agricultural Universities for their adaptation of Web 2.0 Technology
Authors: Panwar Renu , Nain Ajeet Singh , Goria Sunil
Published: January 2025

India is an agrarian country where approximately 65% population is still dependent on agriculture. Agricultural Universities in India has been mandated with preparing trained human resources, conducting need-based research and taking the technologies to farmer’s field through extension activities. Website is good source of communication provide crucial information to stakeholders such as students, farmers and a common man. The content on the website and how it has been kept plays a crucial role in fulfilling the objectives of the website. Web 2.0 technology is an important technology of 21st century, which counts on information sharing through participatory approach, interoperability, design keeping in mind user’s preferences, and Inter-institutional collaboration. The critical analysis of the websites of Indian Agricultural Universities shows that most appeared feature on the agricultural website was webmail followed by Web OPAC and Search Option. The group-wise analysis of the institutional websites shows that there is large intra-group variation as far as Web 2.0 technology is concerned. The adoption of the Web 2.0 technology on the websites of the Agricultural Universities varied from 0 to 33 %, horticultural and veterinary group websites varied from approximately 7 to 27 % and 0 to 40%, respectively, while deemed-to-be universities adopted 13 to 30 % contents of Web 2.0 technology on the institutional websites. The results show that the websites of deemed-to-be University are comparatively better with Web 2.0 technology, while websites of agriculture and veterinary universities are trailing in the list.
Spiritual and Medical Melancholy in Lutheran Responses to Johann Weyer’s Criticism of the Witch Trials
Authors: Morton Peter A.
Published: January 2025

Abstract: This article examines responses from Lutheran pastors, theologians, and physicians to the arguments given by Johann Weyer in 1563 that those women who confessed to a pact with the devil suffered from melancholy and were thus not responsible for their acts. Weyer’s conception of melancholy was a medical one, yet among Lutheran pastors and theologians the concept of a spiritual form of melancholy emerged that came from religious sources. The article clarifies the difference between the concepts of medical and spiritual melancholy within Lutheranism and reviews the respective roles they played in the debates over Weyer’s arguments.
SU(1,1) × SU(2) approach and the Mandel parameter to the Hamiltonian of two oscillators with weak coupling
Authors: Vega J. C. , Ojeda-Guillén D. , Mota R. D.
Published: January 2025

We study the Hamiltonian of two isotropic oscillators with weak coupling from an algebraic approach. We write the Hamiltonian of this problem in terms of the boson generators of the SU(1,1) and SU(2) groups. This allows us to apply two tilting transformations based on both group similarity transformations to obtain their energy spectrum and eigenfunctions. Then, we obtain the Mandel Q-parameter and the second-order correlation function g2(0) of the photon numbers n
a
and n
b
. It is important to note that, in our procedure, we consider the case of weak coupling.
A Concept of Using a Super-Large Mirror in the Solar System Orbit to Reflect Sunlight to Interstellar Space to Transmit Signals
Authors: zhou jiajun
Published: January 2025

This is a concept that enables our communication with extraterrestrial civilizations. Using a super-large reflector in the solar system orbit to regularly reflect sunlight to interstellar space can we transmit information to extraterrestrial civilizations. Super-large reflectors can reflect light more effectively than planets. They are easier to observe and can be distinguished by existing technology.
Machine learning and spatio-temporal analysis of meteorological factors on waterborne diseases in Bangladesh
Authors: Chowdhury Arman Hossain , Rahman Md. Siddikur
Published: January 2025

Background

Bangladesh is facing a formidable challenge in mitigating waterborne diseases risk exacerbated by climate change. However, a comprehensive understanding of the spatio-temporal dynamics of these diseases at the district level remains elusive. Therefore, this study aimed to fill this gap by investigating the spatio-temporal pattern and identifying the best tree-based ML models for determining the meteorological factors associated with waterborne diseases in Bangladesh.

Methods

This study used district-level reported cases of waterborne diseases (cholera, amoebiasis, typhoid and hepatitis A) obtained from the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) and meteorological data (temperature, relative humidity, wind speed, and precipitation) sourced from NASA for the period spanning 2017 to 2020. Exploratory spatial analysis, spatial regression and tree-based machine learning models were utilized to analyze the data.

Results

From 2017 and 2020, Bangladesh reported 73, 606 cholera, 38, 472 typhoid, 2, 510 hepatitis A and 1, 643 amoebiasis disease cases. Among the waterborne diseases cholera showed higher incidence rates in Chapai-Nawabganj (456.23), Brahmanbaria (417.44), Faridpur (225.07), Nilphamari (188.62) and Pirojpur (171.62) districts. The spatial regression model identified mean temperature (β = 12.16, s.e: 3.91) as the significant risk factor of waterborne diseases. The optimal XGBoost model highlighted mean and minimum temperature, relative humidity and precipitation as determinants associated with waterborne diseases in Bangladesh from 2017 to 2020.

Conclusions

The findings from the study, incorporating the One Health perspective, provide insights for planning early warning, prevention, and control strategies to combat waterborne diseases in Bangladesh and similar endemic countries. Precautionary measures and intensified surveillance need to be implemented in certain high-risk districts for waterborne diseases across the country.
Advancing semantic segmentation: Enhanced UNet algorithm with attention mechanism and deformable convolution
Authors: Sahragard Effat , Farsi Hassan , Mohamadzadeh Sajad
Published: January 2025

This paper presents a novel method for improving semantic segmentation performance in computer vision tasks. Our approach utilizes an enhanced UNet architecture that leverages an improved ResNet50 backbone. We replace the last layer of ResNet50 with deformable convolution to enhance feature representation. Additionally, we incorporate an attention mechanism, specifically ECA-ASPP (Attention Spatial Pyramid Pooling), in the encoding path of UNet to capture multi-scale contextual information effectively. In the decoding path of UNet, we explore the use of attention mechanisms after concatenating low-level features with high-level features. Specifically, we investigate two types of attention mechanisms: ECA (Efficient Channel Attention) and LKA (Large Kernel Attention). Our experiments demonstrate that incorporating attention after concatenation improves segmentation accuracy. Furthermore, we compare the performance of ECA and LKA modules in the decoder path. The results indicate that the LKA module outperforms the ECA module. This finding highlights the importance of exploring different attention mechanisms and their impact on segmentation performance. To evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed method, we conduct experiments on benchmark datasets, including Stanford and Cityscapes, as well as the newly introduced WildPASS and DensPASS datasets. Based on our experiments, the proposed method achieved state-of-the-art results including mIoU 85.79 and 82.25 for the Stanford dataset, and the Cityscapes dataset, respectively. The results demonstrate that our proposed method performs well on these datasets, achieving state-of-the-art results with high segmentation accuracy.
Trends in the prevalence of obesity and estimation of the direct health costs attributable to child and adolescent obesity in Brazil from 2013 to 2022
Authors: Nilson Eduardo Augusto Fernandes , da Costa Michele Gonçalves , de Oliveira Ana Carolina Rocha , Honorio Olivia Souza , Barbosa Raphael Barreto da Conceição
Published: January 2025

Introduction

Childhood obesity is a major global public health issue globally and in Brazil. The impacts of childhood obesity include higher risk of disease during childhood and of obesity and non-communicable diseases in adulthood and represent an important epidemiological and economic burden to countries. This study aims to analyze the trends and to estimate the direct healthcare costs of childhood and adolescent obesity to the National Health System from 2013 to 2022.

Methods

We used Prais-Winsten regressions for determining the trends in the prevalence of obesity and modeled the attributable to childhood and adolescent obesity in the Brazilian National Health System using previous meta-analysis of studies.

Results

The hospitalizations of children and adolescents with obesity as a primary cause totaled Int$2.6 million to the Brazilian National Health System from 2013 to 2022, demonstrating that obesity is rarely considered as a cause of hospitalization especially among children and adolescents. The additional costs of hospitalizations attributable to childhood obesity totaled Int$101.5 million during the same period. The additional non-hospital, outpatient and medication cost attributable to childhood obesity in Brazil were estimated at Int$6.0 million, so the total estimated healthcare costs were of approximately Int$107.5 million in the last decade.

Conclusion

This study highlights that childhood and adolescent obesity are increasing for most age-groups and that its costs are not limited to the economic impacts on adult health and represent a relevant economic burden to the Brazilian National Health System and to families because of additional costs during childhood and adolescence. Therefore, the prevention and control of childhood and adolescent obesity must be public health priorities.