bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Final-year undergraduate nursing and medical students’ knowledge and perception of, orientation and perceived self-efficacy to provide palliative and end- of-life care. Qualitative findings from a parallel mixed methods study
Authors: Natuhwera Germanus , Ellis Peter , Namisango Eve
Published: November 2024

Introduction: About a decade after the introduction of palliative care teaching for undergraduate nurses and medical students in Uganda, it is unclear to what extent the course impacts students’ understanding and view of and orientates trainees to deliver palliative care end-of-life care.
Aims: To: (1) explore final-year nursing and medical students’ knowledge and perceptions of palliative and end-of-life care, (2) examine students’ orientation and perceived self-efficacy to provide palliative and end-of-life-care.
Design: A multicentre descriptive qualitative study.
Setting/participants: 82 undergraduate nursing and medical students were selected from seven medical and nursing schools in Uganda. Data were collected through 10 face-to-face focus group discussions using an interview guide and analysed using inductive thematic analysis.
Results: Five master themes emerged-: (1) palliative care as a concept with multiple meanings, (2) Misinformation about palliative care, opiates and pain management, (3) Students’ experiences of the course, (4) Dilemmas in knowledge and action, and (5) Palliative and end-of-life care as emotional labour.
Conclusion: Participants generally had inadequate and varied understanding of, and very few demonstrated low willingness and limited confidence to provide, palliative and end-of-life care. They blamed this mainly on the huge emotional labour of palliative/end-of-life care and inadequate teaching and/or limited clinical exposure.
Exploring the Interplay Between Physical Activity, Dietary Patterns, Diabetes, and All-Cause Mortality in the U.S.A. Population, NHANES 2011-2014: A Distributional Data Analysis Perspective.
Authors: Matabuena Marcos , Carreira Anxo , Wagner Robert , Sousa Miguel , Saavedra Miguel , Ghosal Rahul , Onnela JP , Bohn Lucimere
Published: November 2024

Objective: This study investigates the impact of physical activity, measured by accelerometer technology, on the prevalence of type 2 diabetes and related adverse events among U.S.A. adults. Additionally, it examines patient survival in older adults within this cohort.
Methods: The research analyzed a cohort of 5,011 adults from the 2011–2014 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). Participants' physical activity was assessed using wrist-worn accelerometers, with data analyzed through a novel cluster analysis based on distributional representations to identify digital physical activity phenotypes. Statistical associations between these phenotypes, diabetes prevalence, and all-cause mortality were evaluated using logistic regression and Cox models, adjusting for survey weights and confounding factors such as sex, age, and ethnicity. NHANES data were linked to the National Death Index to perform Cox-survival analysis.
Results: Four physical activity phenotypes were found, highlighting variability in diabetes susceptibility. Phenotype 1, associated with the lowest diabetes prevalence, exhibited the highest levels of moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA), averaging 504 minutes weekly—5% of the time. Other phenotypes, characterized by less MVPA (1-3% of the time), showed a 57%-114% higher risk of diabetes compared to phenotype 1. Survival analysis demonstrated association with longer survival between physical activity levels and glucose values, with higher levels of MVPA and lower glucose showing a statistical association with longer survival.
Conclusions: Sedentary behavior significantly increases diabetes risk, particularly in older adults. Higher sedentary behavior, coupled with inadequate proportion of MVPA intensity time, heightens mortality risk, especially when combined with elevated baseline glucose levels.
Increased melanin induces aberrant keratinocyte−melanocyte−basal−fibroblast cell communication and fibrogenesis by inducing iron overload and ferroptosis resistance in keloids
Authors: Shi Xiangguang , Xia Xueyi , Xiao Yang , Zhang Ying , Gong Yiyi , Chen Yahui , Shi Chenyi , Wang Wei , Shi Mengkun , Liu Jianlan , Huang Jia , Liu Mengguo , Wang Jiucun , Wu Wenyu
Published: November 2024

Keloid is a typical skin fibrotic disease with unclear mechanisms and limited therapeutic options. In this study, we found the enriched skin pigmentation-related pathways in the melanocytes of keloid by single-cell RNA-sequence (scRNA-seq) analysis. We further validated increased melanin levels in keloid patients. Additionally, melanin positively correlated with the Keloid Area and Severity Index in keloid. Furthermore, melanocyte-secreted melanin significantly promoted fibroblast proliferation, migration, and collagen synthesis. Mechanically, melanin increased basal cell permeability and inflammation to facilitate its transfer to the dermis, where it further activated fibroblasts by evoking iron overload and ferroptosis resistance. Consistently, iron overload and ferroptosis resistance were validated in primary fibroblasts and skin tissues of keloid patients. Inhibition of iron overload and ferroptosis resistance effectively diminish melanin-induced fibrogenesis. Interestingly, melanin induced iron overload and ferroptosis resistance in melanocytes in an autocrine manner and further stimulated keratinocytes to take up melanin to deepen skin color by upregulating the F2R-like trypsin receptor 1 (F2RL1). In vivo, the delivery of ML329, a micropthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF) inhibitor, could suppress melanogenesis and alleviate keloid in human keloid-bearing nude mice. Meanwhile, ML329 decreased the iron content and restored the sensitivities of ferroptosis. Collectively, melanin-lowing strategies may appear as a potential new therapeutic target for keloid.
A Case of Digital Vasculitis in Anti-Synthetase Syndrome (Anti-OJ Subtype)
Authors: Ak Deniz , Stratton Richard J.
Published: November 2024

Anti-synthetase syndrome is a rare autoimmune disorder characterised by the presence of autoantibodies against aminoacyl transfer RNA synthetases. We report a unique case of a 54-year-old woman with anti-OJ anti-synthetase syndrome, characterised by the atypical occurrence of digital vasculitis in conjunction with the classic manifestations of anti-synthetase syndrome. Our patient presented with digital vasculitis affecting the right third and fourth fingers, rapidly evolving interstitial lung disease of the organising pneumonia subtype, sub-clinical myositis, arthritis and mechanic's hands. Notably, she had no prior history of Raynaud's phenomenon. Serological tests revealed positive anti-OJ antibodies and weakly positive anti-MI2 antibodies. Our patient's condition was managed with intravenous methylprednisolone then after stepped down to prednisolone and mycophenolate mofetil. Current literature primarily highlights Raynaud's phenomenon and vasculopathy-related ischemia, whether occlusive or non-occlusive in anti-synthetase syndrome. This case study identifies digital vasculitis as a distinctive complication of anti-synthetase syndrome, anti-OJ subtype. It emphasises the importance of recognising vascular complications, including vasculitis, even when classic signs like Raynaud's phenomenon are absent. Further research is crucial to fully understand the range of vascular manifestations associated with anti-synthetase syndrome.
MLKD-CLIP：Multi-layer Feature Knowledge Distillation of CLIP for Open-Vocabulary Action Recognition
Authors: Wang Jingjing , Ye Junyong , Liu Xinyuan , Li Youwei , Xu Guangyi , Zheng Chaoming
Published: November 2024

Open-vocabulary action recognition aims to identify unseen action categories during training, which is crucial for enabling models to address diverse action scenarios and enhancing their generalizability and adaptability to dynamic environments. Large-scale vision-language pre-trained models (such as CLIP) excel in zero-shot image tasks due to their strong generalizability. However, their lack of temporal information hampers direct application to video tasks. Many studies have fine-tuned CLIP on video datasets, but video datasets are much smaller than the pre-training datasets, potentially leading to reduced generalizability and challenges in recognizing unseen actions. To this end, we propose MLKD-CLIP, which uses the frozen CLIP as the teacher and the fine-tuned CLIP as the student to perform multi-layer feature knowledge distillation. Firstly, we introduce a feature fusion module that employs self-attention to merge features from different layers and incorporates a temporal convolution module, enabling the model to maintain the learning of temporal capabilities during the distillation process. Next, we perform layer-wise fusion to combine the multi-layer features of both the teacher and student models, allowing the model to balance their significance in the distillation process. Finally, we distill the fused features, enabling the student model to learn the multi-level features of the teacher model while considering both global representations and local details. Additionally, the classification tasks on video datasets enhance the student model to learn video features. We evaluated the open-vocabulary action recognition capability of MLKD-CLIP on the UCF101, HMDB51, and SSv2 datasets, achieving the best top-1 accuracy compared to popular methods.
The influence and relationship of dysbiosis in the urinary microbiota on patients with urolithiasis
Authors: Lee Hsiang Ying , Lin Chung Yu , Juan Yung-Shun , Liu Chung-Jung , Wu Wen-Jeng , Yeh Hsin-Chih , Li Wei-Ming , Cho Sung Yong , Wu Deng‐Chyang
Published: November 2024

Background
Urolithiasis is a disease with high prevalence and recurrence rate. There are various risk factors impacting on stone formation including intestinal micorbiome. This study aims to investigate the relationship between urine microbiota with urolithiasis.
Methods
We collected mid-stream voided urine samples from urolithiasis patients and control participants and stored them in a freezer at -80°C. All enrolled participants were requested to provide information about their clinical characteristics. Each step of the procedure, including the extraction of the genomic DNA from the urine samples; the amplification by polymerase chain reaction (PCR); PCR product quantification, mixing, and purification; DNA library preparation; and sequencing was performed with quality control (QC) measures. Alpha diversity was indicative of the species complexity within individual urine samples, and beta diversity analysis was used to evaluate the differences among the samples in terms of species complexity.
Results
We enrolled 28 urolithiasis patients and 59 control participants who reported no recent antibiotic usage. In the beta diversity analysis, there was a significant difference between the microbiota in the samples of the urolithiasis and control groups according to ANOSIM statistical analysis. (P = 0.004). On comparing the groups, it showed Alcaligenes, Bacteroides, Blautia, Ruminococcaceae_UCG, Cutibacterium, Alistipes, Lachnoclostridium present more significant in control group than urolithiasis patients.
Conclusions
Our current study shows that dysbiosis of urine microbiota may be related to the development of urolithiasis. Further research targeting specific microbes to identify their role in the development of diseases is necessary and might provide novel diagnostic biomarkers and therapeutic options.
Using Induced Immortalized Dendritic Cells to Start an In Vitro Immunization with Antigen-Specific Antibody Production
Authors: Egert Juliane , Maier Natalia , Micheel Burkhard , Hanack Katja
Published: November 2024

Background
Current methods of monoclonal antibody production like hybridoma technology rely on laboratory animals and a tedious screening process. Available in vitro methods like Phage Display need expensive equipment and are not practical for small laboratories. Transferring the in vivo immune response into an in vitro setup is a promising approach to producing antigen-specific antibodies quickly and with reduced animal experiments.
Results
Here, we present an in vitro immunization (IVI) strategy that uses immortal dendritic cells (DCs) from a transgenic irtTA-GBD/T-Ag mouse as a scaffold for an antigen-specific immune reaction in vitro. These cells can be transferred into a reversible immortal period (iniDCs) and increased in long-term culture. Upon deinduction, de-iniDCs can fully mature and start an immune cascade in co-cultivation with naïve T and B lymphocytes at which end antigen-specific antibodies were detectable.
Conclusion
By using this immortal DC population as the first encounter and presenter of antigens we could establish a reproducible protocol for a new approach that offers a fast and precise way to generate hybridoma cells in a shorter time frame with fewer animal experiments.
Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi strongly influence the endorhizosphere of grapevine rootstocks with soil type as a key factor
Authors: Štůsková Kateřina , Vavřiník Aleš , Hakalová Eliška , Franková Šárka , Čechová Jana , Gramaje David , Eichmeier Ales
Published: November 2024

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) play a crucial role in enhancing the health and productivity of host plants, including grapevine. By forming symbiotic relationships with plant roots, AMF significantly improve water uptake and nutrient absorption, particularly phosphorus (P) and nitrogen (N). This study evaluated the microbiome composition and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) colonization in the endorhizosphere across five wine-growing regions in the Czech Republic. In all five regions, in terms of composition of fungal microbiome, the phyla Ascomycetes and Basidiomycetes were most numerous. The study confirmed that LSU primers are more sensitive than ITS primers for AMF sequencing. While the representation of the phylum Glomeromycetes ranged from 0.07–5.65% in the ITS library, it was significantly higher, ranging from 83.74–98.71%, in the LSU library. The most significant difference compared to other regions was observed in the Slovácko region, where the soil had a lower pH, a different texture (sandy loam), reduced micronutrient content, and low organic matter. These factors resulted in only trace amounts of AMF being detected. Furthermore, it was demonstrated that AMF positively influenced the phosphorus content in the soil and reduced the presence of certain fungal pathogens.
Vertical Agrivoltaics in a Temperate Climate: Exploring Technical, Agricultural, Meteorological, and Social Dimensions
Authors: Victoria Marta , Pullens Johannes , Torma Gabriele , Lindhardt Magnus , Niazi Kamran , Jahangirlou Maryam , Khoury Yannick El , Aschemann-Witzel Jessica , Ottosen Carl-Otto , Jørgensen Uffe
Published: November 2024

The combined use of land for agriculture and photovoltaic electricity production (agrivoltaics) could be a strategy to capture benefits for both crops and solar panels. Here, we investigated an 89-kW pilot system comprising vertically mounted and tilted bifacial solar panels in Denmark (latitude 56.5⁰). Variables including microclimate and electricity production were measured for one year, together with the yield of wheat and grass clover mixture grown between the rows of solar panels. The vertical solar panels acted as wind shelters and resulted in similar crop yields to the control (open field), and higher compared to south-oriented 25⁰-tilted solar panels. The daily profile for electricity generation of the vertical solar panels matches electricity demand better. In addition, the social acceptance study highlights that vertical agrivoltaic systems were perceived more positively than conventional solar panels. Our results offer a strategy for the sustainable integration of solar electricity generation and agriculture in temperate climates.
New Types Infrastructure Construction, Governmental Peer Effects and Regional Carbon Emission Reduction
Authors: Wang Qianqian
Published: November 2024

Coordinating economic growth with environmental protection has become a key challenge in public economics. This study introduces a novel perspective by examining the impact of new-type infrastructure (NTI) on regional carbon emission reduction through the lens of peer effects. Leveraging the quasi-natural experiment of the “Broadband China” pilot, the research demonstrates that NTIs significantly reduce carbon emissions. A key finding is that avoidant imitation pressure—where local governments align with regional averages to avoid risks—has a stronger impact on carbon reduction than competitive pressure. This suggests that NTIs enable local governments to navigate trade-offs between economic development and environmental objectives more effectively. The study also uncovers how political leadership dynamics, such as the age, tenure, and turnover of municipal CPC secretaries and mayors, shape NTIs' effectiveness. By integrating peer effects into the analysis of infrastructure-driven carbon reduction, the research introduces a new framework for environmental governance. It also provides micro-level evidence of competitive imitation and avoidant imitation behaviors among local governments, offering fresh insights into the subtle dynamics that influence policy implementation and environmental performance.
JEL: H11; P25; Q56
Evaluation of the Knowledge Levels and Awareness of Dentists in Turkey About Oral Cancers
Authors: Nuhoğlu Gizem Ecem , Nuhoğlu Çağatay
Published: November 2024

Purpose: Early diagnosis is crucial for the management of oral mucosal carcinomas, which are a significant contributor to mortality. Patients initially seek advice from their dentists regarding issues in their oral cavity. The knowledge and awareness of dentists regarding the matter is essential for early diagnosis. The objective of the study is to evaluate the knowledge, frequency, and awareness of independent dentists in Turkey about the early diagnosis and biopsy of oral cancer.
Method: This is cross-sectional questionnaire-based research. The dentists were contacted by e-mail. The study assessed the dental practitioners' level of knowledge on oral cancer, frequency of performing biopsies, clinical experience, and whether they received education on the subject.
Results: The average age of the dentists who participated in the study was 33.96 ± 9.79. 55.3% of dental practitioners were women (n=208), and 44.7% were males (n = 168). 64.9% of dental practitioners (n=244) did not perform a biopsy due to lack of experience. The average information score of the dentists is 4.70±1.66. For dentists with less than 5 years of clinical experience, the knowledge score was 5.09 and for dentists who had more than 15 years of medical experience, it was 4.17. There is a statistically significant relationship between the knowledge scores of dentists and their age in a negative direction (p<0,05).
Conclusion: The study determined that dentists require additional training, particularly in post-graduate programs and practical courses focused on oral cancer and biopsy, which are regarded to be beneficial.
Reproductive strategy of partially asexual brown macroalga Sargassum fusiforme: levels of asexuality and dispersal scale
Authors: Minamiguchi Sota , Hanyuda Takeaki , Jozawa Yuta , Chizaki Kenta , Maeda Natsu , Mizuta Hiroyuki , Uji Toshiki , Akita Shingo
Published: November 2024

Sargassum fusiforme is a macroalga of commercial importance in Eastern Asia, and understanding the reproductive strategy of this macroalga is necessary for conservation and recovery. Here, we used a population genetics approach to identify the reproductive strategy of S. fusiforme. To do this, we performed two sampling procedures: random sampling and quadrat sampling. For random sampling, we collected 80 samples at > 1 m intervals in Site A, B, C and D apart 700 m from each other. For quadrat sampling, we collected 207 samples using 50 cm × 50 cm quadrats comprising 10 cm grid, in two sites Site B and D. Clonemates within these samples were identified by genotyping using 14 (random sampling) or 13 microsatellites (quadrat sampling). For samples obtained by random sampling, only three clonal pairs were detected. For samples obtained by quadrat sampling, each quadrat contained 4–7 genets, and the size was 23.2 ± 14.3 cm (standard deviation) on average and 70.7 cm at maximum. Levels of asexuality was higher in Site B than in Site D, perhaps due to longer exposure time. Site B located rear edge of the intertidal zonation of this species. Over 65% of gene flow via sexual reproduction was limited to within the quadrats, whereas at least 10% extended for meters to kilometers. Taken together, these results suggest that S. fusiforme disperses its offspring sexually and asexually on a small scale, and sexually on a larger scale, with levels of asexuality varying depending on the stress originate from exposure.
Smoking Relapse and Withdrawal Symptoms Among Smokers Accessing Smoking Cessation Services Provided by the Primary Care Settings of Qatar
Authors: Zainel Abduljaleel Abdullatif , Mujalli Hanan Al , Yfakhroo Ameena Ibrahim , Ahmed Hafiz , Nuaimi Ahmed Sameer Al , Syed Muslim Abbas , Syed Mohamed Ahmed
Published: November 2024

Objectives
To demonstrate the most common reasons led to smoking relapse and the withdrawal symptoms associated with that relapsing as well as the socio-economic impacts of smoking cessation.
Methods
This study is part of a larger historical cohort study conducted on a sample of 490 participants attended the smoking cessation clinics in primary health care settings. The participants undergone phone interviews used a structured questionnaire form after approval to participate. Frequency distribution tables and proportions used to describe the results of the study.
Results
More than half (54.1%) of participants who initially quitted smoking by attending the smoking cessation clinics reported relationships with smokers as the main reason for smoking relapse. Emotional/Social problem led to relapsing among 37.2% of the participants. Withdrawal symptoms was relatively low (14.2 %) as a reason for relapsing.
Increasing in the appetite was prevalent among 79.8% of smoking quitter as the main withdrawal symptom. This followed by weight gaining in 71.8%, craving for cigarettes/smoking in 58.9% and feeling anger in 49.7%.
The smoking quitters reported positive impacts of smoking cessation on their socio-economic life, as 77.9% of them saved important amounts of their income and 68.7% saved extra time for their family and work.
Conclusion
There are many different reasons that lead to smoking relapse. The most prevalent reasons were increased appetite and weight gaining, as well as craving for smoking. Further studies needed to reach better solutions to combat smoking and the relapsing factors.
Role of the scrum process to imporve the quality of knowledge discovery process
Authors: Masud Izzah , Ali Sadia , Hafeez Yaser
Published: November 2024

Agile development methodologies, such as Scrum, have emerged as popular approaches for product development, enabling teams to quickly respond to the changing requirements and deliver of value to customers in a timely and efficient manner. However, the success of an Agile product development approach is not guaranteed, and many teams face challenges in prioritizing and delivering the right features to their customers. Therefore, this paper explores the use of scrum to optimize quality of knowledge discovery and contributes to the field of agile product development. It will provide more accurate and detailed insights into the outcomes achieved by addressing those challenges in the scrum based development. This will help in clarifying and prioritizing the objectives and goals and it will facilitate the communication and collaboration between the stakeholders.
THz Polarimetric Imaging of Carbon Fiber-Reinforced Composites Using a Handheld Scanner
Authors: Xu Kuangyi , Harris Zachery B. , Vahey Paul , Arbab M. Hassan
Published: November 2024

Recent advancements in novel terahertz (THz) spectroscopic imaging technology have accelerated applications in nondestructive testing (NDT). Although polarization information of THz waves can play a critical role in material characterization, there are few demonstrations of polarization-resolved THz imaging as an NDT modality due to the deficiency of such polarimetric imaging devices. In this paper, we have inspected industrial carbon fiber composites using a portable and handheld imaging scanner, in which THz polarizations of two orthogonal channels are simultaneously captured by two photoconductive antennas. We observe significant differences between the two-channel images of the same sample, which are attributed to the anisotropic conductivity of carbon fiber composites. Using both polarimetric channels, we can visualize the superficial and underlying interfaces of the first laminate. These results also pave the way for future applications of THz polarimetry to the assessment of coatings or surface quality.
Asset impairment in accounting treatment of listed companies: the impact of exogenous shock and expectation management
Authors: Yan Xianzhen
Published: November 2024

This article explores the role of asset impairment provision in reflecting macroeconomic conditions, particularly the policy guidance effect under external shock conditions. Based on expectancy management theory, researchers analyze the asset impairment data of Chinese listed companies from 2007 to 2024, considering the negative correlation between asset impairment and GDP growth rate. Research has found that when the economy suffers from consecutive exogenous shocks, companies may reduce the proportion of expected future GDP growth in the decision-making process when setting aside impairment provisions, while increasing the proportion of policy guidance. This reflects an increase in uncertainty regarding changes in GDP growth rate. At this point, good policy guidance can enable enterprises to establish more optimistic and rational expectations under the guidance of monetary or fiscal policy expectations, thereby reducing the financial fluctuations caused by the cyclical adjustment of asset impairment.
Innovating Eco-friendly and Sustainable Diapers and Pads from Water Hyacinth and Coconut Coir
Authors: Rafin Md Danesh , Ohe Abrar Galib , Arpita Nuzhat Mahjabin , Mumit Sayed Huzaifa , Sikder Alman
Published: November 2024

Conventional synthetic sanitary pads and diapers pose significant environmental, health, and socio-economic challenges due to their non-biodegradable nature and reliance on plastic materials. This paper highlights the negative impacts of these disposable products on aquatic ecosystems, public health, and waste management systems. Furthermore, the research investigates the potential of water hyacinth and coconut coir as renewable and eco-friendly alternative materials for pad and diaper production. Water hyacinth, an invasive aquatic plant abundant in tropical regions, allows us to turn a problematic species into valuable material for sanitary pads and baby diapers. Additionally, coconut coir, extracted from coconut husks, offers absorbent and biodegradable properties suitable for diapers and pads. The performance, durability, and environmental footprint of water hyacinth-based and coconut coir/fiber sanitary pads and diapers are evaluated through laboratory testing and user feedback. Moreover, the paper shows the economic and social factors such as production costs, market accessibility, and community empowerment. By addressing critical challenges in menstrual hygiene and infant care, this research contributes towards decreasing water pollution and achieving sustainable development.
F1 Hybrid Seed Can Enhance Cannabis Crop Uniformity and Yield
Authors: McDonald Michelle M. , Lubell-Brand Jessica D.
Published: November 2024

Cannabis (Cannabis sativa) growers seek greater crop uniformity and yield; however, use of vegetatively propagated plants has several drawbacks. There is increased interest in F1 hybrid seed, especially for flower production. Plant growth and performance of inbred lines of the cultivars Wife (WF) and Wilhelmina (WH), produced from one to four rounds of selfing (S1 to S4), and three F1 hybrid lines (WF S1 × WH S1, WF S2 × WH S2, and WF S3 × WH S3) were evaluated. As selfing increased from S1 to S4, within line plant variation did not change substantially for most measures for WF, but variation progressively decreased for plant height, total shoot length and plant dry weight for WH. S4 plants of WH were uniformly diminutive and likely exhibited inbreeding depression. F1 hybrids between WF and WH were larger than WH plants for all measures because WH is photoperiod insensitive (autoflowering) and dwarf. Compared with WF self-lines, F1 WF × WH hybrid lines exhibited greater uniformity, plant dry weight, flower dry weight, and percent cannabidiol and tetrahydrocannabinol. F1 WF × WH hybrid plants were able to achieve similar height and shoot growth to WF self-lines, even though they had a dwarf parent in WH. It is likely that heterosis is responsible for the growth enhancements observed in the F1 WF × WH hybrids. These findings indicate that F1 hybridization can produce uniform, stable, and high-yielding cannabis plants from seed.
An examination of the fluctuation and long-term persistence of drought regimes in the Jing River basin using the PDSI–SWAT model
Authors: Mu Dengrui , Zhang Hongbo , Dang Chiheng , Yao Congcong , Zhang Yu , Lyu Fengguang
Published: November 2024

Droughts are becoming more widespread around the world. Drought warnings have become more complex as environmental factors affect drought severity. Furthermore, droughts have an increasing impact on social and economic growth. As a result, it is critical to analyze drought patterns and previous drought events. The study used the Jing River basin in China as an example and employed hydro-meteorological data from 1961 to 2013 to feed into the Soil and Water Assessment Tool model. Through the persistence analysis, it can be found that the current drought will likely remain, with drought deepening in arid areas and water scarcity in humid ones. The findings indicate that monitoring the sub-basin for signals of inconsistent droughts is necessary to improve drought early warning systems and relief efforts, especially in areas with slightly lower precipitation. As a result, this paper suggests a basin drought zoning technique that may adapt to future local conditions, enabling the implementation of more efficient drought-relief measures in response to shifting drought conditions and patterns. This will bring new insights into the best framework for drought-relief strategies in various places.
Impact of forest cover and human intervention on crop water footprint
Authors: Ghosh Aindrila , Warwade Pratibha
Published: November 2024

Water, the most needed substance, is declining alarmingly worldwide. This huge water consumption is due to the increasing population and rapid unsystematic urbanization. Water footprint (WF) is an indicator used to understand water consumption, whether it is visible or invisible. Water is majorly consumed in the agricultural sector. This study estimated the crop WF of rice in two urban districts, Ranchi, and Dhanbad, and two forest-covered districts, Palamu and Hazaribagh, of Jharkhand. The study was done for the paddy (rice) crop from 2000 to 2017 through the Cropwat 8.0 model. Ranchi and Dhanbad showed a decrease in consumptive crop WF (WFconsumptive) of rice i.e., 39.92 and 48.29%, respectively, during the study period, whereas Palamu and Hazaribagh showed a comparatively lower decrease with 24.12 and 23.45%, respectively. All four districts experienced lower WFblue than WFgreen. Ranchi is suggested to cultivate rice through rainfed agriculture due to higher WFgreen, good rainfall, and the lowest average WFblue with 167 m3/ton throughout the study period. This study also suggests preparing a proper data management system to calculate white WF at a regional and global level to reduce irrigation loss and achieve sustainable water management goals.
Unraveling Glioblastoma: TME Implication and Gene Therapy Advances
Authors: Raali Rohith , P.K. Suresh
Published: November 2024

Glioblastoma is a malignant manifestation of a solid brain tumour with a very dismal
prognosis due to an overall median survival of 14 months. The currently administered Standard
treatment plan, the STUPP regimen, is not very effective in tackling this neoplasia. A major concern
that affects the development of new drug formulations, specifically for Glioma, is the inherent
sub-clonal heterogeneity, which includes the dynamic and intricate nature of the Tumour Microenvironment
(TME). Targeting the cellular niche using personalized medication for glioma specifically
gene therapy, seems to be promising, with most studies in preclinical models yielding optimistic
results. This paper analyses the great headways made in glioma gene therapy in the last 10
years while looking into different therapeutic strategies. That said, certain challenges do plague
the clinical use of gene therapy which have been highlighted in the hopes that future researchers
will address these concerns and further propel gene therapy in its journey from the Lab to the bedside.
Exploring the Molecular Basis of Anticancer Activity in Various
Mushroom Species Against Colorectal Cancer Cells
Authors: Ceylan İpek , Özerkan Dilşad , Emin Nuray , Akata Ilgaz , Altuner Ergin Murat
Published: November 2024

Background:

Mushrooms are shown to protect against the side effects of cancer. Therefore,
mushrooms with proven anticancer properties and active ingredients are fascinating in the
search for new cancer drugs.

Objective:

In this study, the effects of extracts from Hericium coralloides (M1), Lactarius deliciosus
(M2), Lepista nuda (M3), Pleurotus ostreatus (M4), and Suillus collinitus (M5) together on HCT116
were investigated. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) were used to study the effect on healthy cells.

Methods:

MTT was used to determine cell viability. Dose-response curves were generated, the IC50
values of the compounds were calculated, and the effect of the extracts was compared using it. The
FTIR was used to analyze the quantitative changes of the cellular components.

Results and Discussion:

The evaluation of the IC50 values of all fungal species showed that they
reduced the cell viability of HCT116 cells. In contrast, no significant reduction in cell viability was
observed in MSCs. Changes in the ratio of cell membrane lipids, proteins, and cell nucleic acids
between control and fungal-treated HCT116 cells were detected by FTIR.

Conclusion:

Many of the chemotherapeutic agents are of plant origin, and many resources should
still be explored to inhibit the side effects of cancer therapy. The data obtained through this experiment
will serve as a reference for studies to be a new source of anticancer drugs in modern pharmacology.
Molecular Mechanism of Finerenone in Treating Diabetic Nephropathy
Based on Bioinformatics
Authors: Lin Mengshu , Lu Meiqi , Chen Yixuan , Gao Qing
Published: November 2024

Background:

Diabetic Nephropathy (DN) is the leading cause of the end-stage renal disease
(ESRD). Finerenone (with the molecular formula C21H22N4O3) is an oral non-steroidal mineralocorticoid
antagonist (ns-MRA) that is both highly potent and has strong selectivity for the MR. At
present, it has been used to treat DN. However, the molecular mechanism of finerenone in the treatment
of diabetic nephropathy remains unclear.

Objective:

In this study, we employed bioinformatics approaches to investigate the molecular mechanism
of finerenone as a novel therapeutic agent for the treatment of DN.

Methods:

We examined a number of databases, including GEO, DisGeNET, Genecards, and OMIM,
to find putative genes linked to DN. We then employed the PubChem database and PharmMapper
service platform to identify targets of finerenone. Further analysis was conducted using the DAVID
database for enrichment analysis and the STRING database for protein-protein interaction (PPI) networks.
Molecular docking (MD) was performed using AutoDockTools software, and results were
visualized using PyMOL software.

Results:

In total, we identified 82 drug-disease targets, primarily associated with lipid and atherosclerosis,
diabetic cardiomyopathy, MAPK signaling pathway, and PI3K-Akt signaling pathway. Our
PPI network analysis and docking studies demonstrated good binding ability of finerenone to specific
targets such as AKT1, MMP-9, IGF1, EGFR, CASP3, PPARG, ESR1, MMP-2, and KDR.

Conclusion:

Finerenone has the potential to reduce the progression of DN through various pathways,
including lipid and atherosclerosis, diabetic cardiomyopathy, MAPK signaling pathway, and PI3KAkt
signaling pathway. Moreover, it could exert anti-inflammatory and antifibrotic effects on specific
targets, such as AKT1, MMP-9, IGF1, EGFR, CASP3, PPARG, ESR1, MMP-2, and KDR.
De ontmannelijking van Marcus Antonius. Karaktermoord en gender in de Late Romeinse Republiek
Authors: Icks Martijn
Published: November 2024

In de machtsstrijd van de Late Romeinse Republiek speelden karakteraanvallen een prominente rol. Octavianus zette Marcus Antonius weg als een weke, verwijfde figuur die Rome had verraden en zich liet domineren door Cleopatra. Vanwege hun felle toon, hoge frequentie en coherentie, grote bereik en uitgekiende inhoud wisten deze aanvallen de reputatie van Antonius waarschijnlijk effectief te beschadigen.
Analysis of Farmers' Entrepreneurial Behavior, and its Effect on Farm Productivity
Authors: Ilham Muh. , Karno Edy , Halim Muliha , Igo BD Abdullah , Hasniah Hasniah , Murniati Murniati
Published: November 2024

AbstractThis study aims to analyze the entrepreneurial behavior of farmers from the aspect of formal education and farming experience and its influence on farm productivity. The research population was rice paddy farmers in Cialam Jaya Village, Konda Subdistrict, South Konawe District, Southeast Sulawesi Province totaling 215. The number of samples was 140 farmers who were determined proportionally based on the area of cultivated land with the Slovin method. This research is quantitative using path analysis to analyze the direct and indirect effects of exogenous variables on endogenous variables. The results showed that farmers' formal education and farming experience had a positive effect on entrepreneurial behavior. Formal education of farmers has no direct effect on farm productivity but influences entrepreneurial behavior. Farming experience has a direct effect on farm productivity and indirectly through entrepreneurial behavior. Entrepreneurial behavior has a positive effect on farm productivity. Keywords:Education, Experience, Entrepreneurial Behavior, Productivity
Smart detection of denial of service (DoS) attacks in internet of vehicles (IoV) networks
Authors:   College of Computing and Informatics, Saudi Electronic University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Helal Maha , Bakhamis Mohammed ,   College of Computing and Informatics, Saudi Electronic University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Al-Akhras Mousa ,   King Abdullah II School of Information Technology, The University of Jordan, Amman 11942, Jordan, Atawneh Samer ,   College of Computing and Informatics, Saudi Electronic University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Al-Oqily Ibrahim ,   Prince Al-Hussein Bin Abdallah II for Information Technology, The Hashemite University, Zarqa 131333, Jordan, Kashmeery Tariq ,   College of Computing, Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah, Saudi Arabia
Published: November 2024

Smart cities are receiving increasing attention because of their potential to improve quality of life. Roads and transportation systems have seen significant improvements, particularly in terms of safety. Technologies like the internet of things (IoT) have introduced new features and services for both drivers and governments to reduce road risks and manage transportation more efficiently. Vehicles can now connect to either self-organized or public networks to share information about incidents and road conditions. Access to the Internet and cloud services further enhances these systems by enabling real-time interactions with data collected from various sources, such as other vehicles and road signs. This has led to the development of a new concept called the internet of vehicles (IoV), where vehicles and road objects communicate with each other, and connect to the Internet and services like cloud or fog computing to process large amounts of data. However, implementing IoV comes with challenges, particularly related to security and privacy, which could put road users at risk. One major threat is a denial of service (DoS) attack, which can disrupt these networks. This paper presents a smart detection system that ensures secure communication between nodes, such as vehicles and road objects. To counter DoS attacks, the system also introduces a "honeypot" strategy, which can be used by government vehicles or road objects. The results show that the proposed solution is practical and can be applied in real-world scenarios.
Examining the Role of Large Language Models in Orthopedics: Systematic Review
Authors: Zhang Cheng , Liu Shanshan , Zhou Xingyu , Zhou Siyu , Tian Yinglun , Wang Shenglin , Xu Nanfang , Li Weishi
Published: November 2024

Background

Large language models (LLMs) can understand natural language and generate corresponding text, images, and even videos based on prompts, which holds great potential in medical scenarios. Orthopedics is a significant branch of medicine, and orthopedic diseases contribute to a significant socioeconomic burden, which could be alleviated by the application of LLMs. Several pioneers in orthopedics have conducted research on LLMs across various subspecialties to explore their performance in addressing different issues. However, there are currently few reviews and summaries of these studies, and a systematic summary of existing research is absent.

Objective

The objective of this review was to comprehensively summarize research findings on the application of LLMs in the field of orthopedics and explore the potential opportunities and challenges.

Methods

PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases were searched from January 1, 2014, to February 22, 2024, with the language limited to English. The terms, which included variants of “large language model,” “generative artificial intelligence,” “ChatGPT,” and “orthopaedics,” were divided into 2 categories: large language model and orthopedics. After completing the search, the study selection process was conducted according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The quality of the included studies was assessed using the revised Cochrane risk-of-bias tool for randomized trials and CONSORT-AI (Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials–Artificial Intelligence) guidance. Data extraction and synthesis were conducted after the quality assessment.

Results

A total of 68 studies were selected. The application of LLMs in orthopedics involved the fields of clinical practice, education, research, and management. Of these 68 studies, 47 (69%) focused on clinical practice, 12 (18%) addressed orthopedic education, 8 (12%) were related to scientific research, and 1 (1%) pertained to the field of management. Of the 68 studies, only 8 (12%) recruited patients, and only 1 (1%) was a high-quality randomized controlled trial. ChatGPT was the most commonly mentioned LLM tool. There was considerable heterogeneity in the definition, measurement, and evaluation of the LLMs’ performance across the different studies. For diagnostic tasks alone, the accuracy ranged from 55% to 93%. When performing disease classification tasks, ChatGPT with GPT-4’s accuracy ranged from 2% to 100%. With regard to answering questions in orthopedic examinations, the scores ranged from 45% to 73.6% due to differences in models and test selections.

Conclusions

LLMs cannot replace orthopedic professionals in the short term. However, using LLMs as copilots could be a potential approach to effectively enhance work efficiency at present. More high-quality clinical trials are needed in the future, aiming to identify optimal applications of LLMs and advance orthopedics toward higher efficiency and precision.
The Virtual Digital Intelligence Experience Empowers the Practical Development of the Han-Tibet-Qiang Yi Corridor
Authors: Wen Huang , Mingyan Liu , Yiran Shang
Published: November 2024

With the infiltration of new technologies in the meta-universe, the blending and transformation of the blending scene brought by virtual space and digital intelligent cultural tourism has always been the core element of the presentation of cultural tourism industry. Although the research on virtual digital intelligence experience has been very extensive, the cultural and tourism blending scene in the Han-Tibet-qiang Yi Corridor still seems to be unclear, and the corresponding understanding for the construction of beautiful China is still scattered. This paper aims to establish the theoretical basis of the blending scene of Han, Tibet and Qiang Yi corridor based on the core characteristics of virtual digital intelligence travel and the basic content of the blending scene of Han, Tibet and Qiang Yi Corridor. This paper discusses how to define and explain different perspectives of virtual digital intellectual and cultural tourism in the development of ecological civilization, and discusses related issues of the integration scene of Han-Tibet-qiang Yi corridor from the perspectives of transportation and tourism, health and tourism, ecology and tourism, rural revitalization and tourism. From the marketing and design perspective, the article also puts forward the comprehensive impact of the virtual digital intellectual tourism to enable the integration scene of the Han-Tibet-qiang Yi corridor to grasp national security and maintain social stability.
Exploring the Integration of Curriculum Ideology and Politics into the Course of “College Japanese”: A Case Study Approach
Authors: Zhao Xia , Lu Jingshi
Published: November 2024

The course of "College Japanese" is an important part of college foreign languages teaching. As one of the compulsory courses at university level, and also one of the important positions for the implementation of the ideology and politics education, and the integration of moral education into the teaching of the course is an important part for the fundamental task of cultivating morality and educating students. In accordance with the arrangement of the textbook the course will dig the corresponding moral education material to carry out immersion education. This paper selects the seventh lesson of the book I of "New Era College Japanese" published by Shanghai Foreign Language Education Press as a case study to provide reference for the practice of "College Japanese" curriculum ideology and policy construction.