bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Multi-method approach effectively identifies and engages children impacted by parental substance misuse into school-based prevention services
Authors: Wood Merchant Julie , Snell-Johns Jessica
Published: December 2024

Children living in households where parents or caregiving adults misuse substances face significant risk academically, socially, physically, and emotionally. An estimated 12% or more of U.S. children lived with an adult with past-year substance use problems in 2009–2014. Engaging this high-need, underserved population in targeted prevention services is a public health imperative, requiring children first be identified. School-based services reduce access barriers and promote equitable access, providing a model that can address the scope and significance of parental substance misuse (PSM) on children. A review of published studies for this population revealed a lack of information regarding identification strategies and their relative effectiveness. This article uses data from a 2010–2020 field-based evaluation to analyze the performance of the Kids Like Us (KLU) program’s manualized approach to identifying and engaging elementary students impacted by PSM into its school-based program. KLU, a program of the Frederick County Health Department (Maryland, U.S.), is implemented in collaboration with public school counselors. KLU’s multi-method approach achieves universal prevention outcomes while simultaneously providing parent, self, school counselor, and community referral options. Over the 10-year study, 537 students were identified with a notable 83% of referred students completing 75–100% of sessions offered. Parent referral, a strategy not included in any reviewed studies, contributed the highest percentage of referrals (44% in response to a student take-home letter alone), followed by self (18%), school counselor (13%), and other/a combination (24%). KLU engaged students across varying school settings, sizes, and socioeconomics. Chi-square analysis of gender and ethnicity found no significant differences. Referral outcome and school counselor data results highlight the benefits of KLU’s multi-method, multi-source approach, including its ease of replication. KLU’s approach holds promise for addressing the public health crisis of children impacted by PSM. Study results highlight the need for policy changes including that U.S. and world alcohol and drug reports assess parent status. Additional research with a larger, more ethnically diverse population is recommended to examine the relationship between family and student demographics and referral strategies and sources.
Enhancing mass vaccination programs with queueing theory and spatial optimization
Authors: Xie Sherrie , Rieders Maria , Changolkar Srisa , Bhattacharya Bhaswar B. , Diaz Elvis W. , Levy Michael Z. , Castillo-Neyra Ricardo
Published: December 2024

Background

Mass vaccination is a cornerstone of public health emergency preparedness and response. However, injudicious placement of vaccination sites can lead to the formation of long waiting lines or queues, which discourages individuals from waiting to be vaccinated and may thus jeopardize the achievement of public health targets. Queueing theory offers a framework for modeling queue formation at vaccination sites and its effect on vaccine uptake.

Methods

We developed an algorithm that integrates queueing theory within a spatial optimization framework to optimize the placement of mass vaccination sites. The algorithm was built and tested using data from a mass dog rabies vaccination campaign in Arequipa, Peru. We compared expected vaccination coverage and losses from queueing (i.e., attrition) for sites optimized with our queue-conscious algorithm to those used in a previous vaccination campaign, as well as to sites obtained from a queue-naïve version of the same algorithm.

Results

Sites placed by the queue-conscious algorithm resulted in 9–32% less attrition and 11–12% higher vaccination coverage compared to previously used sites and 9–19% less attrition and 1–2% higher vaccination coverage compared to sites placed by the queue-naïve algorithm. Compared to the queue-naïve algorithm, the queue-conscious algorithm placed more sites in densely populated areas to offset high arrival volumes, thereby reducing losses due to excessive queueing. These results were not sensitive to misspecification of queueing parameters or relaxation of the constant arrival rate assumption.

Conclusion

One should consider losses from queueing to optimally place mass vaccination sites, even when empirically derived queueing parameters are not available. Due to the negative impacts of excessive wait times on participant satisfaction, reducing queueing attrition is also expected to yield downstream benefits and improve vaccination coverage in subsequent mass vaccination campaigns.
Enhancing the psychological well-being and sleep quality of healthcare providers with a multimodal psychological support program: a randomized controlled trial
Authors: Gao Qi , Yao Yuanyuan , Wang Ruiyu , Zhang Xinyue , Gudenkauf Lisa M. , Xu Guangxin , Harrison Samantha , Zheng Leilei , Wang Jingping , Chen Guanqing , Zheng Bin , Ma Haobo , Yan Min
Published: December 2024

Background

The COVID-19 pandemic significantly challenged the global healthcare system, especially frontline healthcare professionals, such as those working in intensive care units (ICUs). In late 2022, a sudden increase in COVID-19 cases in China led to a large number of ICU admissions, requiring new ICU staff (non-ICU professionals to work in ICUs), exacerbating their stress. This study aimed to develop an effective stress management strategy for new ICU professionals, focusing on reducing the detrimental effects of stress on their psychological state. We hypothesized that the online multimodal psychological support (MPS) program might improve the psychological well-being and sleep quality of the participants.

Methods

This single-center, single-blind randomized controlled trial included new ICU staff during the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants were randomly assigned to either an intervention (online psychological support, MPS) or a control (routine wellness care, RWC) group for 28 days, and assessments were conducted before intervention (baseline), after intervention, and at the 1-month follow-up. The intervention included music therapy, sleep hygiene education, psychoeducation, and relaxation training, tailored to address common psychiatric issues experienced by healthcare professionals during the pandemic. The primary outcome was a DASS-21 score 28 days after the end of the intervention.

Results

One hundred and one professionals eventually participated in the study, 47 in the MPS group and 54 in the RWC group. No significant differences were observed in the overall psychological well-being immediately after the end of the intervention. However, the MPS group showed improved sleep and sustained lower stress levels, anxiety, and depression scores at the 1-month follow-up, significantly improving the severity of insomnia (marginal mean difference −2.028; SE 1.00; p = 0.044).

Conclusion

The online multimodal psychological support program effectively enhanced the psychological well-being and sleep quality of new ICU staff demonstrating the potential of off line training in managing stress and improving health outcomes during crises. The findings of this study emphasize the importance of accessible, flexible psychological support, especially in high-stress environments such as ICUs during pandemics.
Patient experience of an abstinence-based Indigenous residential treatment program in Northern Ontario: a descriptive qualitative study
Authors: Marsh T. N. , Eshakakogan C. , Spence M. , Morin K. A. , Oghene P. , Goertzen A. , Tahsin F. , Gauthier G. , Sayers Dean , Ozawanimke Alan , Bissaillion Brent , Marsh D. C.
Published: December 2024

Background

Indigenous peoples with substance use disorders (SUD) and intergenerational trauma (IGT) face complex healthcare needs. Therefore understanding Indigenous patient experiences is crucial for enhancing care delivery, fostering engagement, and achieving optimal outcomes, yet few studies explore the motivations for seeking, staying in, and utilizing treatment from an Indigenous perspective. The goal of this study was to understand the patient experience with an abstinence-based treatment model in a residential treatment setting.

Methods

A qualitative thematic study was conducted between April 2018 and February 2020 at Benbowpka treatment centre in Blind River, Ontario, Canada. We evaluated the results of the abstinence-based model intervention from the patient's perspective. The Client Quality Assurance Survey tool was employed to gather this data. The data underwent thematic analysis to derive meaningful insights.

Results

A total of 157 patients were interviewed. The results were categorized into three parts: (1) Critical events that encouraged participants to seeking treatment; (2) Benefits experienced by participants while they were in the program; (3) Participants take-aways and priorities after completing the program. Core themes emerged in each category and each theme is sub-categorized into quadrants of the Medicine Wheel. Firstly, there was a critical juncture that significantly impacted participants' lives that motivated them to seek treatment at the Benbowpka Treatment Centre. Second, during the study, participants admission to the Benbowopka Treatment Centre, the participants benefitted from a holistic program that addresses spiritual, physical, mental and emotional aspects of healing. Third, participants identified tangible ways in which they implement the skills they gained during the program in their daily lives. Overall, study demonstrates that clients benefitted from both the program activities and the traditional healing practices.

Conclusion

This research identified that SUD Indigenous residential treatment programs need to include culture, healing practices, activities and relationships that are part of the treatment process. This study found that the cultural elements and healing practices of the program were highly valued by clients.
An overview of artificial intelligence based automated diagnosis in paediatric dentistry
Authors: Rajinikanth Suba B. , Rajkumar Densingh Samuel Raj , Rajinikanth Akshay , Anandhapandian Ponsekar Abraham , J. Bhuvaneswarri
Published: December 2024

Artificial intelligence (AI) is a subfield of computer science with the goal of creating intelligent machines (1) Machine learning is a branch of artificial intelligence. In machine learning a datasets are used for training diagnostic algorithms. This review comprehensively explains the applications of AI in the diagnosis in paediatric dentistry. The online database searches were performed between 25th May 2024 to 1st July 2024. Original research studies that focus on the automated diagnosis or predicted the outcome in Paediatric dentistry using AI were included in this review. AI is being used in varied domains of paediatric dentistry like diagnosis of supernumerary and submerged teeth, early diagnosis of dental caries, diagnosis of dental plaques, assessment of bone age, forensic dentistry and preventive oral dental healthcare kit. The field of AI, deep machine learning and CNN's is an upcoming and newer area, with new developments this will open up areas for more sophisticated algorithms in multiple layers to predict accurately, when compared to experienced Paediatric dentists.
New insights on the role of auxiliary information in target speaker extraction
Authors: Elminshawi Mohamed , Mack Wolfgang , Chetupalli Srikanth Raj , Chakrabarty Soumitro , Habets Emanuël A. P.
Published: December 2024

Speaker extraction (SE) aims to isolate the speech of a target speaker from a mixture of interfering speakers with the help of auxiliary information. Several forms of auxiliary information have been employed in single-channel SE, such as a speech snippet enrolled from the target speaker or visual information corresponding to the spoken utterance. The effectiveness of the auxiliary information in SE is typically evaluated by comparing the extraction performance of SE with uninformed speaker separation (SS) methods. Following this evaluation procedure, many SE studies have reported performance improvement compared to SS, attributing this to the auxiliary information. However, recent advancements in deep neural network architectures, which have shown remarkable performance for SS, suggest an opportunity to revisit this conclusion. In this paper, we examine the role of auxiliary information in SE across multiple datasets and various input conditions. Specifically, we compare the performance of two SE systems (audio-based and video-based) with SS using a unified framework that utilizes the commonly used dual-path recurrent neural network architecture. Experimental evaluation on various datasets demonstrates that the use of auxiliary information in the considered SE systems does not always lead to better extraction performance compared to the uninformed SS system. Furthermore, we offer new insights into how SE systems select the target speaker by analyzing their behavior when provided with different and distorted auxiliary information given the same mixture input.
N-dimensional Lomb Scargle Periodogram analysis of traveling ionospheric disturbances using ionosonde data
Authors: Hughes Joe , Collett Ian , Newheart Anastasia , Kelly Ryan , Wilson Walter Junk , Obenberger Ken , Landry Russell , Colman Jonah , Malins Joe
Published: December 2024

There is a multitude of wave-like phenomena in Earth’s ionosphere and thermosphere such as acoustic waves, gravity waves, planetary waves, tides, and Traveling Ionospheric Disturbances (TIDs) which are the ionospheric manifestation of atmospheric waves. These phenomena are often difficult to study since measurements are typically irregular in time and space due to geographic constraints for deploying ground instruments and the natural orbital motion of satellites. This frequently precludes Fourier methods such as the Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) from being used. The Lomb-Scargle Periodogram (LSP) provides FFT-like analysis when measurements are irregular. To our knowledge, all prior use of the LSP in space science has been one-dimensional. This paper uses a N-Dimensional extension of the LSP (ND LSP) to study traveling ionospheric disturbances in four dimensions on a quiescent day near solar minimum. We use an exquisite dataset consisting of 12 ionosondes over Australia on June 29, 2019. The ND LSP resolves the full 3-dimensional wave vector as well as the period for many discrete TIDs. To the degree possible, we validate our findings from ionosonde data processed with the ND LSP by using an FFT-based method on line-of-sight TEC data from the same period and find similar wavelengths and periods for the large TIDs. We show that TIDs occur preferentially near 70o elevation and could be missed or mischaracterized if using TEC data in the thin-shell approximation.
Skiing quality analysis of recreational skiers based on IMU data and self-assessment
Authors: Kranzinger Christina , Kranzinger Stefan , Hollauf Eva , Rieser Harald , Stöggl Thomas
Published: December 2024

Alpine skiing is a popular sport in many countries and holds benefits in terms of health and well-being. At the same time alpine skiing is associated with a certain risk of accidents caused, among other things, by overestimating one’s own skiing skills. Self-assessment of skiing skills is not trivial. Therefore, feedback modalities can be assistive. One feasible option to provide skiers with feedback on their skiing ability are Inertial Measurement Units (IMUs). The aim of this study was to analyse the skiing quality of recreational skiers based on IMU data, collected with the Connected Boot sensor system with a living lab approach to investigate whether the skiing quality score delivers reasonable results for recreational skiers. The system has been developed with expert skiers and so far has not been validated with recreational skiers. Therefore, we aimed to investigate whether the objective skiing quality score of the Connected Boot corresponds to the self-assessed carving ability and to analyse changes in the assessment before and after the study. In total, data from 62 participants who skied with the sensor system were analysed. At the beginning and the end of the study the participants additionally received questionnaires to assess their skiing skills. The results show that there was a strong correlation between the self-reported carving ability and the skiing quality score of the Connected Boot and that the self-reported carving ability before the study was around 1.71 points higher than the algorithm-based skiing quality score. Interestingly, the correlation was higher for female compared to male participants.
Impact of light spectral combinations on morphology, yield, and quality of indoor-grown cilantro
Authors: Akter Nazmin , Cammarisano Laura , Taylor Gail , Naznin Most Tahera , Verdonk Julian C. , Ahamed Md Shamim
Published: December 2024

Advanced indoor farming systems utilizing artificial lighting to produce high-quality crops are rapidly gaining research interest. Specific light spectra from artificial lights can create optimal conditions for indoor plant cultivation. Cilantro, an herb widely used in the culinary industry for its distinct fresh flavor and high nutritional content, has been the subject of numerous studies examining the effects of different ratios of blue (B, 400–500 nm) and red (R, 600–700 nm) light on its growth. However, the impact of adding far-red (FR, 700–780 nm) light has not been fully explored. This study aimed to determine the optimal light spectral combinations for enhancing the morphology, yield, phytochemical content, and shelf life of indoor-grown cilantro. Three light spectral treatments [R:B:FR = 4:1:0 (R4B1), R:B:FR = 4:0.5:0.5 (R4B0.5FR0.5), and R:B:FR = 3:1:1 (R3B1FR1)] were evaluated at a consistent Photon Flux Density of 160 ± 10 μmol m−2 s−1 using broad-spectrum LED lamps. The growth chamber conditions during light treatments were maintained at an average temperature of 23°C, relative humidity of 49%, and CO2 concentration of 575 ppm, with a 16/8 h (light/dark) photoperiod. Growth, yield, and various quality parameters of cilantro were measured. Results indicated that the R3B1FR1 and R4B0.5FR0.5 treatments increased plant height, leaf area, and yield by 88 and 29%, respectively, compared to the R4B1 treatment. Conversely, R4B1 positively influenced quality parameters and shelf life. The study concluded that R3B1FR1 had a more substantial positive effect on cilantro yield than R4B0.5FR0.5 and R4B1, although the light treatments statistically unaffected quality parameters and shelf-life.
Gastrocnemius muscle flap for coverage of knee defects in the injuries of popliteal artery: a clinical case report
Authors: Zarch Mohammadali Babaei , Mahmoudi Samira , Shirazi Mohammad Hadi Gerami , Fereidouni Armin
Published: December 2024

The use of the gastrocnemius muscle flap has become an excellent choice for coverage of Knee Defects. However, the surgical management of gastrocnemius muscle flap in the injuries of the popliteal artery remains a challenging therapeutic problem. The purpose of this manuscript is to present a case of a successful knee gastrocnemius flap in a patient with popliteal artery injuries. In 2024, a 46-year-old woman with a tibia fracture and popliteal artery injury went to the emergency department of Namazi Hospital. In the first step, the external fixator of the tibia bone was performed to fix the fracture. Then, popliteal artery anastomosis was performed. After two weeks, all internal implants were removed due to abscess. Four weeks later, the patient's skin developed necrosis and was repaired using medial hemi gastrocnemius Muscle flaps. We present a case of the successful use of medial hemi gastrocnemius Muscle flaps for Coverage of knee defects in the injuries of the popliteal artery.
The Situation of Social Cooperatives in Small Villages in Hungary
Authors: Lipták Katalin
Published: December 2024

Social cooperatives, which are an important pillar of the solidarity economy, have become increasingly popular and common in Hungary over the past 10 years, especially in disadvantaged settlements, where the administrative burden of public employment is outsourced to social cooperatives. Analyzing social cooperatives in small villages is a relevant topic for local economic development. Of the 3155 settlements in Hungary, 1162 have a population of less than 500 inhabitants, i.e., small villages. In the spatial structure of Hungary, small villages tend to be located on the periphery, which is both the spatial and socio-economical peripheral position, with mostly disadvantaged inhabitants with low educational attainment and high unemployment. In these settlements, local communities can better understand what hinders and what helps their economies to grow and improve living standards by assessing their economic base. With this new knowledge, local communities can achieve results through strategically designed programs and projects that social cooperatives can join and help achieve. The methodology of the study is field research; we interviewed managers of the social cooperatives to learn about its operations and difficulties. The study described well-run and successful social cooperatives. In small villages, these cooperatives can be an important source of employment, even if the number of people employed is low. The experiences of the field research are presented in the form of recommendations for policymakers, as social cooperatives can be an important instrument of employment policy.
Terpinen-4-ol Improves the Intestinal Barrier Function of the Colon in Immune-Stressed Weaning Piglets
Authors: Yu Lihuai , Qiu Guangzhi , Yu Xiaomu , Zhao Jianwei , Liu Jun , Wang Hongrong , Dong Li
Published: December 2024

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of terpinen-4-ol (TER) supplementation on the intestinal barrier function of pigs. Five groups of fifty 28-day-old piglets with comparable body weights were randomly assigned to the following groups: the control group (CON), the lipopolysaccharide group (LPS), the low TER group (PLT), the middle TER group (PMT), and the high TER group (PHT). The basal diet was given to the CON and LPS groups, and 30, 60, or 90 mg/kg TER was added to the basal diet for the TER groups. After the 21-day trial period, piglets in the LPS and TER groups received an intraperitoneal injection of 100 μg/kg body weight of LPS, whereas the piglets in the CON group received an injection of 0.9% normal saline solution. The results showed that LPS stimulation resulted in a decrease (p < 0.05) in the depth of colonic crypts in piglets, which was greater (p < 0.05) in the TER group. Compared with those in the CON group, the number of goblet cells and MUC2 expression were decreased in the colon of piglets in the LPS group, while these parameters were increased in the PMT group (p < 0.05). The malondialdehyde (MDA) content was greater in the colon of the LPS group than in that of the CON group, while the activities of glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and catalase (CAT) were lower in the colon of the LPS group; conversely, the MDA content was lower in the colons of the PLT and PMT groups than in those of the LPS group (p < 0.05). TER also reduced (p < 0.05) LPS-induced upregulation of IL-1β and TNF-α expression, along with the relative gene expression of NLRP3, ASC, and caspase-1 in the colon of piglets (p < 0.05). Compared with those in the CON group, the abundances of Firmicutes and UCG-005 in the LPS group were lower (p < 0.05), and those in the TER group were significantly greater than those in the LPS group. Compared with those in the CON group, the abundance of Proteobacteria in the LPS group increased (p < 0.05), while the abundance of Actinobacteria and Phascolarctobacterium increased (p < 0.05) in the colon of the PHT group compared with that in the LPS group. In conclusion, TER effectively improved the intestinal barrier function of the colon in weaning piglets. Based on the results of this study, the appropriate dose of TER in the diets of weaning piglets was 60 mg/kg.
The Response of the miRNA Profiles of the Thyroid Gland to the Artificial Photoperiod in Ovariectomized and Estradiol-Treated Ewes
Authors: Ren Zizhen , Wang Wei , He Xiaoyun , Chu Mingxing
Published: December 2024

The photoperiod has been considered to be a key environmental factor in sheep reproduction, and some studies have shown that the thyroid gland plays an important role in mammalian reproduction, but the molecular mechanism is still unclear. In this study, we used the artificial-light-controlled, ovariectomized, and estradiol-treated model (OVX + E2 model); healthy and consistent 2–3-year-old Sunite multiparous ewes were collected; and thyroids were collected for testing, combined with RNA-seq technology and bioinformatics analysis, to analyze the effects of different photoperiods (long photoperiod treatment for 42 days, LP42; short photoperiod treatment for 42 days, SP42; SP42 transferred to LP42, SPLP42) on the variations in the miRNA profiles of the thyroid gland. A total of 105 miRNAs were differentially expressed in the thyroid gland, most of which were new miRNAs. Through GO and KEGG enrichment analysis, the results showed that the photoperiod response characteristics of Sunite ewes were affected by Olfactory transduction, Wnt signaling pathways, and Apelin signaling pathways. A different illumination time may have a certain influence on the downstream of these pathways, which leads to the change in animal estrus state. In addition, lncRNA-mRNA-miRNA network analysis revealed the target binding sites of identified miRNAs in DE-circRNA and DE-mRNA, such as Novel_369, Novel_370, Novel_461, and so on. The results of this study will provide some new insights into the function of miRNA and the changes in sheep thyroid glands under different photoperiods.
A Lightweight Small Target Detection Algorithm for UAV Platforms
Authors: Lv Yanhui , Tian Bo , Guo Qichao , Zhang Deyu
Published: December 2024

The targets in the aerial view of UAVs are small, scenes are complex, and background noise is strong. Additionally, the low computational capability of UAVs is challenged when trying to meet the requirements of large neural networks. Therefore, a lightweight object detection algorithm tailored for UAV platforms, called RSG-YOLO, is proposed. The algorithm introduces an attention module constructed with receptive field attention and coordinate attention, which helps reduce background noise interference while improving long-range information dependency. It also introduces and refines a fine-grained downsampling structure to minimize the loss of target information during the downsampling process. A general efficient layer aggregation network enhances the base feature extraction module, improving gradient flow information. Additionally, a detection layer rich in small target information is added, while redundant large object detection layers are removed, achieving a lightweight design while enhancing detection accuracy. Experimental results show that, compared to the baseline algorithm, the improved algorithm increases the P, R, mAP@0.5, and mAP@0.5:0.95 by 6.9%, 7.2%, 8.4%, 5.8%, respectively, on the VisDrone 2019 dataset, and by 5.7%, 9%, 9.3%, 3.6%, respectively, on the TinyPerson dataset, while reducing the number of parameters by 23.3%. This significantly enhances the model’s detection performance and robustness, making it highly suitable for object detection tasks on low-computing-power UAV platforms.
Study on Damage Characteristics and Failure Patterns of Sandstone Under Temperature–Water Interactions
Authors: Bao Xiankai , Tian Baolong , Wang Lingyu , Qiao Jianlong , Yu Chaoyun , Huang Shunjia , Huang Yue
Published: December 2024

In modern tunnel construction, complex environments with high geothermal gradients and abundant groundwater are frequently encountered. To investigate the damage and failure mechanisms of sandstone under the combined effects of temperature and water, uniaxial compression tests were conducted on sandstone at different temperatures (25 °C, 55 °C, 85 °C, and 95 °C) and soaking durations (0.5 h, 1 h, and 3 h). The acoustic emission (AE) signals and energy evolution during the damage and failure processes were analyzed, revealing the damage characteristics and failure mechanisms of sandstone. The results indicate the following: (1) As the temperature increases, under the 3 h condition, the water content of sandstone is highest at 55 °C, reaching 3.01%, and the thermal expansion effect of sandstone is not obvious. Under the conditions of 85 °C and 95 °C, the thermal expansion effect leads to a decrease in the water content, enhances the water absorption softening effect, increases the plastic deformation capacity of sandstone, and weakens its brittle failure capacity. (2) When soaked for 0.5 h and 1 h, the maximum acoustic emission ring count and maximum acoustic emission energy of sandstone increase initially, then decrease, and subsequently increase again as the temperature rises, while the cumulative acoustic emission ring count gradually increases with temperature. Under the 3 h soaking condition, the maximum ring count, maximum energy, and cumulative ring count of sandstone at all temperatures show a consistent increasing trend with temperature. (3) The increase in soaking time reduced the damage variable of sandstone, with the largest reduction of 54.17% under the 3 h condition. At different temperatures, the damage variable of sandstone was smallest at 55 °C, only 0.33. (4) Sandstone primarily experiences tensile failure under different temperatures and soaking times. The extension of soaking time promotes the development of shear cracks, while the increase in temperature can effectively promote the expansion of tensile cracks. The research results provide certain theoretical references for the damage and failure of surrounding rock in modern tunnel construction.
Long-Term Changes and Trends in the F2 Layer Critical Frequency over Alma-Ata (Kazakhstan)
Authors: Gordiyenko Galina , Yakovets Artur , Litvinov Yurii , Zhiganbayev Murat
Published: December 2024

The long-term variability and trends in the F2 layer critical frequency variations over Alma-Ata [43.25 N, 77.92 E] for the period 07.1957–04.2018 are studied using near-midday, near-midnight, and hourly median foF2 values. It is shown that the foF2 and solar activity index F10.7 display regular 11-year periodicity, stable negative trend over the 60-year observation interval, and some long-term (approximately four 11-year solar cycles) oscillation. The foF2 trend dependencies on the season and time of day are studied. The critical frequency shows a good connection with solar activity for the entire observation period and for each season. However, the position of the maximum in the time distribution of the difference between the observed foF2 and those calculated in accordance with the regression relationship between foF2 and F10.7 and smoothed with the 11-year window occurred earlier (around 1980) relative to the maximum in the F10.7 distribution (around 1986), which may indicate the influence of an additional (to solar activity) source on the ionosphere, possibly of an anthropogenic nature. The foF2 trend for 22-year periods before and after 1980 is investigated.
Perceived Nuisance Caused by Air Pollution on Amateur Endurance Athletes/Exercisers: Development of a Psychometric Scale
Authors: Koskinas George , Mavroidis Ilias , Giossos Yiannis
Published: December 2024

Air pollution is a major health-related environmental challenge that affects many aspects of people’s daily lives. For amateur endurance athletes/exercisers, air pollution can cause, apart from the common health issues, reduced performance capacity during training and races. The most significant inconveniences that these amateur athletes/exercisers have to deal with, are related to breathing difficulty, increased heart rate, cough or respiratory problems, and eye or nose discomfort. The aim of this study is to create a psychometric scale that estimates the nuisance/discomfort that amateur endurance athletes/exercisers (triathlon, cycling, running, swimming) feel during their training, under conditions of increased air pollution, and to see how this is linked to demographic characteristics. The main overall purpose is the identification of possible correlation between air pollution and reduced athletic performance, as well as between air pollution and the wellbeing of amateur endurance athletes/exercisers, and to thus enable recommendations on training in a polluted environment. To this aim, a questionnaire was developed, initially through a pilot stage. The fully developed scale was provided to two hundred and ninety-two (292) amateur endurance athletes/exercisers for an exploratory factor analysis to be carried out. The exploratory factor analysis indicated three (3) factors accounting for 37.11% of the overall variance. The first factor “Physical discomfort” included nine (9) questions, the second factor “Lack of discomfort” five (5) questions, and the third factor “No general discomfort” six (6) questions. The degree of reliability was satisfactory, since Cronbach’s a coefficient was 0.841 for the first factor, 0.642 for the second, and 0.766 for the third factor. Subsequently, fluctuation analysis (ANOVA), multivariate fluctuation analysis (MANOVA), and Pearson’s r coefficient were used to indicate correlations between the independent variables and the three factors identified. Correlation between discomfort due to air pollution and the place of residence, as well as the presence or absence of allergies, was indicated. On the other hand, there were no significant statistical differences between gender, type of sport, the volume of training, the presence or not of respiratory problems, and smoking. Overall, the scale can be considered both valid and reliable.
Vascular Endothelium at the Molecular Level: From Fundamental Knowledge Toward Medical Implementation
Authors: Shirinsky Vladimir P.
Published: December 2024

The concept of multiple physiologic roles played by a single layer of endothelium on the intimal face of blood vessels started gaining recognition in the 1960s [...]
Molecular Mechanisms, Diagnoses, and Treatments of Respiratory Diseases
Authors: Shen Te-Chun
Published: December 2024

The Special Issue “Molecular Mechanisms, Diagnoses, and Treatments of Respiratory Diseases” in the journal Biomedicines compiles critical advancements in the understanding of respiratory diseases, focusing on their molecular mechanisms, diagnostic approaches, and therapeutic strategies [...]
Regression-Based Classification of the Middle-Latency Auditory-Evoked Potentials in Vestibular Migraine and Concussion Patients with Dizziness
Authors: Beppi Carolina , Agostino Daniel , Palla Antonella , Feddermann-Demont Nina , Dlugaiczyk Julia , Straumann Dominik
Published: December 2024

Background/Objectives: The auditory middle-latency responses (AMLRs) assess central sensory processing beyond the brainstem and serve as a measure of sensory gating. They have clinical relevance in the diagnosis of neurological conditions. In this study, magnitude and habituation of the AMLRs were tested for sensitivity and specificity in classifying dizzy patients with vestibular migraine (VM) and post-concussive syndrome. Methods: Twenty-three healthy individuals, 12 concussion and 26 VM patients were recruited. AMLR were recorded performing five blocks of 200 binaural click-stimulations at 60 dB sensation level with a repetition rate of 6.1 Hz. Reduction in P0, Na and Pa magnitudes between blocks was measured. Group classifications were performed through logistic and multiple regression. Results: Among healthy subjects, a consistent P0 and Na habituation can be observed. Concussed subjects show control-like Na habituation, despite a lower magnitude, while P0 habituation was negligible. VM patients showed poor habituation for all waves. Regression analyses suggest that P0 and Na better distinguish healthy subjects from neurological patients, whereas Pa best distinguishes concussion from VM patients. Conclusions: The results support that AMLR habituation can contribute to unraveling different mechanisms of dizziness due to concussion compared to VM, providing insights that can complement routine diagnostic assessments.
Cognitive Planning Improved After Cycling Exercise in Older Adults with Down Syndrome
Authors: Ringenbach Shannon D. R. , Arnold Nathaniel E. , Rezvani Forouzan Rafiei , Chen Chih-Chia
Published: December 2024

Background/Objectives: Cognitive functions are a crucial part of daily living, especially for adults with Down syndrome (DS) who have a high likelihood of developing Alzheimer’s disease in adulthood. In addition, adults with DS move slower and are not meeting the standard aerobic activity guidelines each week. The aim of this study was to examine if Assisted Cycle Therapy (ACT) would improve cognitive planning as measured by the Tower of London (TOL), set switching as measured by the modified Wisconsin Card Sorting Test, and spatial memory as measured by the Corsi Block Test in adults with DS as compared to self-paced cycling. Methods: Twenty-four participants were randomly assigned to one of two interventions over eight weeks. (1) Thirteen older adults with DS completed the ACT intervention, which is stationary cycling with the assistance of a motor to maintain a cadence at least 35% greater than voluntary cycling. (2) Eleven older adults with DS completed voluntary cycling (VC). Results: Our results showed that cognitive planning as measured by total correct score in the TOL showed improvement for both ACT and VC after 8 weeks of exercise, F(1, 22) = 6.22, p = 0.021. There were no significant differences for spatial memory or set switching. Conclusions: We concluded that cycling exercise has a positive impact on cognitive function, especially problem solving in older adults with DS. Our results are discussed with respect to upregulation of neurotrophic factors that increase functioning in the prefrontal cortex that accompanies exercise and leads to improvements in cognitive planning which is essential to many activities of daily living and quality of life for older adults with DS.
The Moral Psychological Justification of Anger: An Exploration of Self-Respect and Recognition
Authors: Zhang Jinjin , Xiong Zhiheng , Zheng Hao , Ma Xiangzhen
Published: December 2024

In the field of moral psychology, traditional perspectives often evaluate anger based on its consequences, either validating or condemning it for its perceived benefits or harms. This paper argues for a shift in focus from the outcomes of anger to its moral and psychological foundations. By integrating insights from psychological research, this study posits that the fundamental nature of anger is intrinsically linked to the quest for recognition. Justified anger is defined as an emotional response to the unmet need for fair acknowledgment, while unjustified anger stems from feelings of superiority and the pursuit of higher status. This paper distinguishes between these two forms of anger, providing a more nuanced and intuitive understanding of the emotion. This interpretive framework not only aligns with our experiential understanding of anger but also offers a theoretical bridge to reconcile divergent philosophical and psychological perspectives. This study emphasizes the importance of addressing the underlying issues of recognition and self-esteem, suggesting that anger, when properly understood and managed, can serve as a constructive force for social justice and mutual respect.
Correction: Peisen et al. Can Delta Radiomics Improve the Prediction of Best Overall Response, Progression-Free Survival, and Overall Survival of Melanoma Patients Treated with Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors? Cancers 2024, 16, 2669
Authors: Peisen Felix , Gerken Annika , Hering Alessa , Dahm Isabel , Nikolaou Konstantin , Gatidis Sergios , Eigentler Thomas K. , Amaral Teresa , Moltz Jan H. , Othman Ahmed E.
Published: December 2024

There was an error in the original publication [...]
Pericytes in Glioblastoma: Hidden Regulators of Tumor Vasculature and Therapy Resistance
Authors: Salazar-Saura Irene , Pinilla-Sala María , Megías Javier , Navarro Lara , Roselló-Sastre Esther , San-Miguel Teresa
Published: December 2024

Glioblastoma IDH wild type (GB), the most common malignant primary brain tumor, is characterized by rapid proliferation, extensive infiltration into surrounding brain tissue, and significant resistance to current therapies. Median survival is only 15 months despite extensive clinical efforts. The tumor microenvironment (TME) in GB is highly specialized, supporting the tumor’s aggressive behavior and its ability to evade conventional treatments. One critical component is the aberrant vascular network that complicates the delivery of chemotherapy across the blood–brain barrier. Antiangiogenic therapies emerged as a promising option but have shown limited efficacy in extending the survival of these patients. Comprehension of the complex vascular network of GB may be a key to overcoming the limitations of current therapies. Pericytes are gaining recognition within the context of the TME. These mural cells are essential for vascular integrity and may contribute to tumor progression and therapeutic resistance. Although their role has been evidenced in other tumors, they remain underexplored in GB. Pericytes are known to respond to tumor hypoxia and interact with vascular endothelia, influencing responses to DNA damage and antiangiogenic treatments. They actively regulate not only angiogenesis but also the different vasculogenic strategies for tumor neovascularization. Additionally, they affect leukocyte trafficking and tumor-associated macrophages. This review aims to integrate the various functions controlled by pericytes to favor deeper investigation into their actionable potential. Pericytes may represent a promising target for novel therapeutic strategies in order to improve patient outcomes.
Femtosecond Laser-Induced Photothermal Effects of Ultrasmall Plasmonic Gold Nanoparticles on the Viability of Human Hepatocellular Carcinoma HepG2 Cells
Authors: Santhosh Poornima Budime , Hristova-Panusheva Kamelia , Petrov Todor , Stoychev Lyubomir , Krasteva Natalia , Genova Julia
Published: December 2024

Laser-induced photothermal therapy using gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) has emerged as a promising approach to cancer therapy. However, optimizing various laser parameters is critical for enhancing the photothermal conversion efficacy of plasmonic nanomaterials. In this regard, the present study investigates the photothermal effects of dodecanethiol-stabilized hydrophobic ultrasmall spherical AuNPs (TEM size 2.2 ± 1.1 nm), induced by a 343 nm wavelength ultrafast femtosecond-pulse laser with a low intensity (0.1 W/cm2) for 5 and 10 min, on the cell morphology and viability of human hepatocellular carcinoma (HepG2) cells treated in vitro. The optical microscopy images showed considerable alteration in the overall morphology of the cells treated with AuNPs and irradiated with laser light. Infrared thermometer measurements showed that the temperature of the cell medium treated with AuNPs and exposed to the laser increased steadily from 22 °C to 46 °C and 48.5 °C after 5 and 10 min, respectively. The WST-1 assay results showed a significant reduction in cell viability, demonstrating a synergistic therapeutic effect of the femtosecond laser and AuNPs on HepG2 cells. The obtained results pave the way to design a less expensive, effective, and minimally invasive photothermal approach to treat cancers with reduced side effects.
Caveolin-Mediated Endocytosis: Bacterial Pathogen Exploitation and Host–Pathogen Interaction
Authors: Barman Dibyasri , Drolia Rishi
Published: December 2024

Within mammalian cells, diverse endocytic mechanisms, including phagocytosis, pinocytosis, and receptor-mediated endocytosis, serve as gateways exploited by many bacterial pathogens and toxins. Among these, caveolae-mediated endocytosis is characterized by lipid-rich caveolae and dimeric caveolin proteins. Caveolae are specialized microdomains on cell surfaces that impact cell signaling. Caveolin proteins facilitate the creation of caveolae and have three members in vertebrates: caveolin-1, caveolin-2, and caveolin-3. Many bacterial pathogens hijack caveolin machinery to invade host cells. For example, the Gram-positive facultative model intracellular bacterial pathogen Listeria monocytogenes exploits caveolin-mediated endocytosis for efficient cellular entry, translocation across the intestinal barrier, and cell–cell spread. Caveolin facilitates the internalization of group A streptococci by promoting the formation of invaginations in the plasma membrane and avoiding fusion with lysosomes, thereby aiding intracellular survival. Caveolin plays a crucial role in internalizing and modulation of host immune responses by Gram-negative bacterial pathogens, such as Escherichia coli K1, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium. Here, we summarize how bacterial pathogens manipulate the host’s caveolin system to facilitate bacterial entry and movement within and between host cells, to support intracellular survival, to evade immune responses, and to trigger inflammation. This knowledge enhances the intervention of new therapeutic targets against caveolin in microbial invasion and immune evasion processes.
Comprehensive Transcriptome-Wide Profiling of 5-Methylcytosine Modifications in Long Non-Coding RNAs in a Rat Model of Traumatic Brain Injury
Authors: Xiang Zhijun , Luo Yixing , Yu Jiangtao , Ma Haoli , Zhao Yan
Published: December 2024

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) poses a major global health challenge, leading to serious repercussions for those affected and imposing considerable financial strains on families and healthcare systems. RNA methylation, especially 5-methylcytosine (m5C), plays a crucial role as an epigenetic modification in regulating RNA at the level of post-transcriptional regulation. However, the impact of TBI on the m5C methylation profile of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) remains unexplored. In the present study, we conducted a thorough transcriptome-wide examination of m5C methylation in lncRNAs in a rat TBI model utilizing MeRIP-Seq. Our results revealed significant differences in the amount and distribution of m5C methylation in lncRNAs between TBI and control groups, indicating profound changes in m5C methylation following TBI. Bioinformatic analyses linked these specifically methylated transcripts to pathways involved in immune response, neural repair, and lipid metabolism, providing insight into possible mechanisms underlying TBI pathology. These findings offer novel perspectives on the post-transcriptional modifications in lncRNA m5C methylation following TBI, which may contribute to understanding the disease mechanisms and developing targeted therapeutic strategies.