bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Development, Validation, and Application of the Paya Hamsan Technologies Underivatized Newborn Screening Assay (PHUNSA) for Inborn Metabolic Disorders in Dried Blood Spot Samples from Iranian Infants
Authors: Khodadadi Azam , Nanbedeh Saber , Joodaki Mahsa , Therrell Bradford L. , Gilany Kambiz
Published: January 2025

Screening for inborn metabolic disorders (IMDs) in newborns is an important way to prevent serious metabolic and developmental difficulties that can result in lasting disabilities or even death. Electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) provides an efficacious newborn blood spot screening (NBS) mechanism for analyzing dried blood spot specimens (DBSs) for biochemical markers for these conditions. Where possible, the elimination of derivatization in specimen preparation can simplify and streamline analysis. The Paya Hamsan Technologies Underivatized Newborn Screening Assay (PHUNSA) is an underivatized MS/MS test kit for IMD NBS. Validation of the accuracy, precision, linearity, and stability was based on the ISO 15189 standard and the CLSI NBS04 guideline. The PHUNSA kit demonstrated suitable performance along with acceptable recovery rates and negligible bias for many IMD analytes. Assay sensitivity was demonstrated through acceptable limits of detection (LOD) and lower limits of quantification (LLOQ). Specimen preparation times were decreased, the coefficients of variation were consistently below 10%, and accuracy and stability were demonstrated under various testing conditions, including prolonged storage and transportation. The PHUNSA kit provides a simplified, efficient, and reliable approach to IMD NBS with the potential to enhance NBS in Iran and other locations by providing a scalable, cost-effective, and streamlined option for early IMD detection and management.
Managing Retinitis Pigmentosa: A Literature Review of Current Non-Surgical Approaches
Authors: Colombo Leonardo , Baldesi Jacopo , Martella Salvatore , Quisisana Chiara , Antico Aleksei , Mapelli Luca , Montagner Stefania , Primon Alberto , Rossetti Luca
Published: January 2025

Retinitis pigmentosa (RP) is a heterogeneous group of inherited retinal diseases characterized by the progressive loss of photoreceptor function, visual impairment, and, ultimately, blindness. While gene therapy has emerged as a promising therapy, it is currently available only for the RPE65 gene mutation, leaving many patients without targeted genetic treatments. Non-surgical interventions may help in managing the progression of RP and improving patients’ quality of life. Visual training and rehabilitation, maximizing residual vision, have shown potential in improving mobility and patients’ ability to perform daily activities. Visual aids enhance visual function. Moreover, photo-protection demonstrated effectiveness in mitigating light-induced damage and improving visual comfort. Alternative therapies (i.e., electrostimulation, acupuncture, and ozone therapy) are being explored to preserve retinal function and reduce disease progression. Pharmacological interventions supported by nutritional and psychological counseling play a role in slowing retinal degeneration while managing the emotional burden of progressive vision loss. Although for these interventions, further validation is required, their potential benefits make them valuable additions to care for RP patients. The integration of these interventions into a multidisciplinary care approach—including ophthalmologists, orthoptist, dietitians, and psychologists—is essential for providing comprehensive, personalized care to RP patients while awaiting more widespread gene therapy solutions.
Neuroinflammation: A Driving Force in the Onset and Progression of Alzheimer’s Disease
Authors: Long Campbell , Fritts Arianne , Broadway Jessica , Brawman-Mintzer Olga , Mintzer Jacobo
Published: January 2025

Background/Objectives: The goal of this commentary is to highlight several key components of the inflammatory process as it relates to amyloid toxicity in Alzheimer’s disease (AD), including the role of neuroinflammatory factors and peripheral inflammatory events. Methods: Google Scholar and PubMed were used to find articles with the following keywords: Alzheimer’s disease, amyloids, neuroinflammation, peripheral inflammation, microglia, cytokines, and treatments. Sources that were case reports, not peer-reviewed, or older than 30 years were excluded. Abstracts were reviewed first for their relevance before the full text was considered. Methods sections were reviewed to ensure the interventional papers included were randomized controlled trials, meta-analyses, or systematic reviews; however, several literature reviews were also included due to the relevance of their background information. Results: Based on the literature review, we chose to concentrate on microglia, cytokine signaling, and peripheral inflammation markers. We found that microglia activation and subsequent microglia-driven inflammation play a pivotal role in the pathomechanism of AD. Additionally, cytokines such as interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-a) appear to contribute to amyloid accumulation and cell damage. Finally, the increased permeability of the blood–brain barrier (BBB) allows for the peripheral inflammatory process to contribute to the inflammation of the central nervous system (CNS) and amyloid-beta (Aβ) accumulation. Conclusions: Current evidence suggests that the immune system plays a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of AD, both in the CNS and the periphery.
The Changes in the Antibiotic Resistance of Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Enterococcus faecalis and Enterococcus faecium in the Clinical Isolates of a Multiprofile Hospital over 6 Years (2017–2022)
Authors: Jama-Kmiecik Agnieszka , Mączyńska Beata , Frej-Mądrzak Magdalena , Choroszy-Król Irena , Dudek-Wicher Ruth , Piątek Daniel , Kujawa Krzysztof , Sarowska Jolanta
Published: January 2025

Background/Objectives: The growing resistance of bacteria to antibiotics is a serious problem in health care. The present study aims to assess the drug resistance of Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus faecium, Enterococcus faecalis and Streptococcus pneumoniae isolated from infections in a multispecialty hospital over a 6-year period. Methods: Identification and antimicrobial susceptibility testing were performed using the VITEK®2 automated system (Biomerieux). Results and Conclusions: Based on data from the analyzed hospital, MRSA strains were the etiological factor of 18–28% of S. aureus infections. In each year from 2017 to 2022, the percentage of MSSA strains steadily exceeded the number of MRSA strains. The MRSA strains isolated show significant sensitivity to antibiotic groups other than β-lactams, such as aminoglycosides, tetracyclines, cotrimoxazole, linezolid and vancomycin. Ciprofloxacin is the antibiotic to which S. aureus displays the second-highest resistance, after methicillin. In the case of MRSA strains, almost 100% lack of sensitivity to quinolines was found. An increase in the number of infections caused by strains of the Enterococcus genus was observed. For E. faecium strains, the percentage of vancomycin-resistant strains reached as much as 41% in 2018. Among the resistant strains in E. faecalis, VREs (Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococci) slightly predominate, while GREs (Glycopeptide-Resistant Enterococci) are much more prevalent in E. faecium. The data show that the percentage of S. pneumoniae strains insensitive to ampicillin ranged from 6% to 17%. In 2017, the percentage of strains resistant to this antibiotic reached 17%, while in 2022, their share decreased to 9%. In 2021–2022, the percentage of strains resistant to erythromycin was as high as 33%. This resistance is related to the MLS (macrolides, lincosamides, streptogramines B) mechanism. An increase in S. pneumoniae resistance to 100% was observed in 2017 and 2019. In the analyzed six-year period, from 2020 (beginning of the pandemic), in some groups of antibiotics, a significant increase in consumption in DDD/100 person-days was recorded. This is most visible in the case of fluoroquinolones. The analysis carried out will increase the effectiveness of empirical therapy in the hospital and the prudent use of antibiotics to limit the selection of multidrug-resistant strains.
Frailty in Older Adults with Severe Aortic Stenosis: The Role of Systemic Inflammation and Calcium Homeostasis
Authors: Solla-Suarez Pablo , Encuentra-Sopena Marta , Almendárez Marcel , Álvarez-Velasco Rut , Martin-Vega Tatiana , Avanzas Pablo , López-Álvarez Eva , Coto-Montes Ana , Gutiérrez-Rodríguez José
Published: January 2025

Background: Frailty and severe aortic stenosis (AoS) are critical conditions in older adults, both of which share pathophysiological mechanisms including chronic inflammation and calcium metabolism dysregulation, potentially influencing the development and progression of these conditions. This study aimed to analyze systemic inflammation and calcium homeostasis biomarkers and their associations with frailty in older adults with severe AoS. Methods: This prospective study included 191 patients aged ≥75 years with severe AoS who were candidates for aortic valve replacement and were evaluated at a Geriatrics Frailty Assessment and Intervention Clinic. Frailty was defined as a score ≤6 on the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB). Biomarkers analyzed included aortic valve calcium score, parathyroid hormone (PTH), calcidiol (vitamin D), calcium, phosphate, creatinine, interleukin-6 (IL-6), and the Systemic Immune-Inflammation Index. Multivariate logistic regression was performed to identify independent predictors of frailty. Results: Of the 191 patients studied, 53.9% were women, with a mean age of 84.1 ± 4.1 years. Frailty was identified in 28.3% of patients (mean SPPB score 7.6 ± 2.5). Statistically significant differences between frail and non-frail patients were observed for PTH (87.7 ± 61.1 pg/mL vs. 70 ± 44.4 pg/mL, p = 0.028) and IL-6 (10.4 ± 11.2 pg/mL vs. 7 ± 8.2 pg/mL, p = 0.049). Notably, in the multivariate model, IL-6 emerged as a significant independent predictor of frailty (OR 1.037; CI 1.001–1.074, p = 0.043). Conclusions: IL-6 was identified as a biomarker significantly associated with frailty in older adults with severe AoS. Evaluating IL-6 could enhance the precision of frailty assessments, complement functional measures, and support clinical decision-making in this population.
“Add More Arrows to Your Quiver”: The Role of Adding Another Chemotherapy Drug to Fluoropyrimidine and Long Term Radiotherapy in Locally Advanced Rectal Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Giuliani Jacopo , Tebano Umberto , Mandarà Marta , Franceschetto Antonella , Giorgi Carlotta , Missiroli Sonia , Gabbani Milena , Napoli Giuseppe , Luca Nicoletta , Mangiola Daniela , Muraro Marco , Perrone Mariasole , Pinton Paolo , Fiorica Francesco
Published: January 2025

Objectives: Despite optimal local control obtained with neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (CRT), data on overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) of local advanced rectal cancer patients are still equivocal. This meta-analysis aimed to estimate the pathological complete response (pCR), regression rate, DFS, and OS probabilities of rectal cancer patients treated with a second chemotherapy drug added to fluoropyrimidine and long-term radiotherapy. Methods: Computerized bibliographic searches of MEDLINE, PUBMED, Web of Science and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials databases (1970–2023) were supplemented with hand searches of reference lists. Studies were included if they were randomised controlled trials (RCTs) comparing intensified chemotherapy with CRT to preoperative CRT and if they had patients with resectable, histologically proven rectal adenocarcinoma without metastases. Results: Eighteen RCTs (7695 patients) were analysed. Data on population, intervention, and outcomes were extracted from each RCT, following the intention-to-treat method, by three independent observers and combined using the DerSimonian and Laird methods. A chemotherapy with two drug and long-term radiotherapy CRT, compared to preoperative CRT (fluoropyrimidine and long-term radiotherapy), significantly increases the rate of pathological complete response (OR 1.37 (95% CI, 1.16–1.63) p = 0.0003) and the regression rate (OR 1.57 (95% CI, 1.16–2.14) p < 0.00001). Furthermore, it increases DFS (HR 0.87 (95% CI, 0.79 to 0.95) p = 0.002 and OS HR 0.84 (95% CI, 0.74 to 0.95) p = 0.007). The risk of severe adverse events (≥G3) is increased OR 1.96 (95% CI 1.35–2.85), p = 0.0005. Conclusions: In patients with resectable rectal cancer, intensified chemotherapy can reduce by 13% the risk of disease progression and by 16% the risk of death.
Long-Term Lung Sequelae in Survivors of Severe/Critical COVID-19 Pneumonia: The “Non-Steroid”, “Non-Interventional” Approach
Authors: Antonogiannaki Elvira-Markela , Grigoropoulos Ioannis , Manali Effrosyni D. , Thomas Konstantinos , Kallieri Maria , Alexopoulou Panagiota , Papaioannou Andriana I. , Prountzos Spyridon , Karachaliou Anastasia , Kontopoulou Christina , Karageorgou Vagia , Lampadakis Stefanos , Blizou Myrto , Tomos Ioannis , Grigoropoulou Sotiria , Kavatha Dimitra , Loukides Stelios , Antoniadou Anastasia , Papiris Spyros A.
Published: January 2025

Introduction: Long-term lung sequelae in severe COVID-19 survivors, as well as their treatment, are poorly described in the current literature. Objective: To investigate lung fibrotic sequelae in survivors of severe/critical COVID-19 pneumonia and their fate according to a “non-interventional” approach. Methods: Prospective study of the above COVID-19 survivors after hospital discharge from March 2020 to October 2022. Re-evaluation lasted 3–12 months and included chest HRCT, PFTs, dyspnea, and overall health evaluation by modified Medical Research Council (mMRC) and St. George’s Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ), respectively. Results: In this study, 198 patients (61.1% male) with a median age of 57 years (IQR 49–66). After 3 months, 187 (94.4%) patients were assessed; after 6 months, 82 (41.1%) patients were assessed; and after 12 months, 16 (8%) patients were assessed. At each time point, a significant reduction was observed in the extent of COVID-19-associated opacities (p < 0.001 and p = 0.002) and of parenchymal bands (p = 0.014 and p = 0.025). Persisting fibrotic-like changes were observed in 18 (9%) patients (apical findings in 2 patients, fibrotic non-specific interstitial pneumonia-like changes in 14 patients, minimal fibrotic changes in 2 patients). At 3 months, the predicted median FVC% was 93% (80–100%) and the predicted DLCO% was 65% (58–78%) with a statistically significant improvement at 6 months in both (p = 0.001). Moreover, 81.1% had mMRC ≤ 1 and the median SGRQ was 11.65 [0–24.3] with a significant reduction at 6 months in both dyspnea (p < 0.001) and SGRQ (p = 0.027) persisting at 12 months. Conclusions: This prospective study, including only survivors of severe/critical COVID-19 pneumonia, documented the significant improvement in all imaging, functional, and clinical parameters by applying the “non-interventional” approach. These data do not indicate any post-COVID-19 severe/critical pneumonia and “epidemic of widespread pulmonary fibrosis”.
Reply to Cosio et al. Glycation of Nail Proteins as a Risk Factor for Onychomycosis. Comment on “Gupta et al. Diabetic Foot and Fungal Infections: Etiology and Management from a Dermatologic Perspective. J. Fungi 2024, 10, 577”
Authors: Gupta Aditya K. , Shemer Avner , Economopoulos Vasiliki , Talukder Mesbah
Published: January 2025

We find the comment on the article titled “Diabetic Foot and Fungal Infections: Etiology and Management from a Dermatologic Perspective” informative and wish to thank the authors for their added insight on this complex topic [...]
Cardiotoxicity of Chemotherapy: A Multi-OMIC Perspective
Authors: Ma Yan , Grootaert Mandy O. J. , Sewduth Raj N.
Published: January 2025

Chemotherapy-induced cardiotoxicity is a critical issue in cardio-oncology, as cancer treatments often lead to severe cardiovascular complications. Approximately 10% of cancer patients succumb to cardiovascular problems, with lung cancer patients frequently experiencing arrhythmias, cardiac failure, tamponade, and cardiac metastasis. The cardiotoxic effects of anti-cancer treatments manifest at both cellular and tissue levels, causing deformation of cardiomyocytes, leading to contractility issues and fibrosis. Repeated irradiation and chemotherapy increase the risk of valvular, pericardial, or myocardial diseases. Multi-OMICs analyses reveal that targeting specific pathways as well as specific protein modifications, such as ubiquitination and phosphorylation, could offer potential therapeutic alternatives to current treatments, including Angiotensin converting enzymes (ACE) inhibitors and beta-blockers that mitigate symptoms but do not prevent cardiomyocyte death, highlighting the need for more effective therapies to manage cardiovascular defects in cancer survivors. This review explores the xenobiotic nature of chemotherapy agents and their impact on cardiovascular health, aiming to identify novel biomarkers and therapeutic targets to mitigate cardiotoxicity.
Language Proficiency Across Tasks in Sequential Bilingual and Monolingual Children
Authors: Logue Susan , Folli Raffaella , Sevdali Christina , Singer Victoria , Gerard Juliana
Published: January 2025

A number of different language measures are used in child language acquisition studies. This raises the issue of comparability across tasks, and whether this comparability diverges depending on the specific language domain or the language population (e.g., monolinguals versus bilinguals). The current study investigates the comparability across tasks in the domains of vocabulary, morphology, and syntax in primary-school-aged sequential bilingual children with L1 Arabic/L2 English (N = 40, 5;7–12;2) and age-matched monolinguals (N = 40). We collected narrated speech samples to produce measures across language domains, and additional measures from separate vocabulary, morphology, and syntax assessments. Using a logistic regression analysis, we find a correspondence between syntax measures in monolinguals; however, we find no further correspondences in the other domains for monolinguals, and no correspondences at all in bilinguals. This suggests that assessment measures are highly task-dependent, and that a given assessment measure is not necessarily indicative of language as a whole, or even of language within a domain. We also find selective effects of age for monolinguals and both age and length of exposure (LOE) for bilinguals; in particular, while LOE predicts variation between the first and second language, age effects reflect underlying similarity across languages. We consider the implications of these effects for language assessments across populations.
Study on the Tribological Behavior of Laser Surface Texturing on Silicon Nitride Ceramic Under Water Lubrication
Authors: Wang Hong-Jian , Huang Jing-De , Wang Bo , Zhang Yang , Wang Jin
Published: January 2025

The tribological behavior of silicon nitride (Si3N4) ceramic with textured patterns under water lubrication was investigated in this paper. Different textured patterns were fabricated using laser surface texturing (LST). Surface wettability was characterized by contact angle. The original surface and textured Si3N4 ceramic with triangular patterns presented as hydrophobic. However, the textured Si3N4 ceramic with hexagonal patterns presented as hydrophilic. Surface wettability and textured patterns were important factors affecting the friction performance of the Si3N4 ceramic. Our results indicated that symmetrical textured patterns were more beneficial for decreasing the coefficient of friction (COF) at lower reciprocating frequencies. In contrast, better surface wettability played a more important role in reducing the COF at higher reciprocating frequencies. The most severe damage observed on the untextured Si3N4 ceramic led to a higher wear rate. The symmetrical structure of hexagonal patterns was more conducive to decreasing the wear rate than triangular patterns. However, the Si3N4 ceramic with triangular patterns was more suitable for use at high-speed frictions due to better lubrication. The textured patterns had the function of storing lubricants and capturing and cutting debris. Thus, friction performance was improved by introducing textured patterns onto the surface of the Si3N4 ceramic. The friction and wear mechanisms are also discussed in this study.
Laser Powder Bed Fusion of a Novel Crack-Free γ′ Phase-Strengthened Ni-Based Alloy
Authors: Wu Defan , Feng Jiafeng , Wang Yi , Wang Zhijie , Wu Meng , Han Quanquan
Published: January 2025

Laser powder bed fusion (LPBF)-fabricated Ni-based alloys with high γ′ phase fractions generally suffer from cracking that limits their applications. This study presents SD247, a novel alloy that overcomes the challenge of cracking issues and exhibits superior mechanical properties after heat treatment. Compared to CM247LC, SD247 exhibited a lower cracking tendency due to alloying element modification. After heat treatment, SD247 features primary γ′ phases with an average diameter of 306 nm and secondary γ′ phases averaging 25 nm, with few Ta- and Ti-rich MC-type carbides. The columnar grain structure in as-built specimens largely disappeared, and the fraction of grains in soft orientations decreased by 12.8%. The microhardness and ultimate tensile strength increased by 30% and 20%, respectively. These findings demonstrate that the superior LPBF fabrication of Ni-based alloys with a high γ′ fraction can be achieved. Because of the excellent mechanical properties and acceptable cost, LPBF-fabricated SD247 shows great potential in aerospace hot-end components.
Advancing Structural Reinforcement in 3D-Printed Concrete: Current Methods, Challenges, and Innovations
Authors: Nan Bo , Qiao Youxin , Leng Junjie , Bai Yikui
Published: January 2025

With rapid global urbanization and economic development, 3D concrete printing (3DCP) technology has emerged as an innovative construction method, garnering increasing attention and application. Compared to traditional construction techniques, 3DCP not only reduces resource waste and carbon emissions during the building process but also significantly enhances construction efficiency, demonstrating considerable potential in the construction industry. As 3DCP advances from theoretical studies to real-world applications, providing stable and reliable structural reinforcement solutions becomes essential. This paper focuses on examining various methods to improve the performance of 3D-printed concrete (3DPC) structures. The analysis shows that reinforcement using steel bars, in combination with other materials (mainly fibers and nanomaterials), remains a key strategy for structural enhancement. By integrating diverse reinforcement methods, this study proposes an innovative bidirectional steel mesh layout scheme. Additionally, given the unique nature of 3DPC construction, a critical review of various methods for improving interface bonding strength is included. These findings aim to guide the engineering community in selecting suitable reinforcement solutions for 3DPC.
Improved Grain Boundary Reconstruction Method Based on Channel Attention Mechanism
Authors: Duan Xianyin , Chen Yang , Duan Xianbao , Rong Zhijun , Nie Wunan , Gao Jinwei
Published: January 2025

The grain size of metal materials has a significant impact on their macroscopic properties. However, original metallographic images often suffer from issues such as substantial noise, missing grain boundaries, low contrast, and blurred edges. These challenges hinder the accurate extraction of complete grain boundaries, limiting the precision of grain size measurement and material performance prediction. Therefore, effectively reconstructing incomplete grain boundaries is particularly crucial. This paper proposes a grain boundary reconstruction and grain size measurement method based on an improved channel attention mechanism. A generative adversarial network (GAN) serves as the backbone, with a custom-designed channel attention module embedded in the generator. Combined with a global context attention mechanism, the method captures the global contextual information of the image, enhancing the network’s semantic understanding and reconstruction accuracy for regions with missing grain boundaries. During the image reconstruction process, the method effectively leverages long-range feature correlations within the image, significantly improving network performance. To address the Mode Collapse observed during experiments, the loss function is optimized using Focal Loss, balancing the ratio of positive and negative samples and improving network robustness. Compared with other attention modules, the improved channel attention module significantly enhances the performance of the generative network. Experimental results demonstrate that the generative network based on this module outperforms comparable modules in terms of MIoU (86.25%), Accuracy (95.06%), and Precision (86.54%). The grain boundary reconstruction method based on the improved channel attention mechanism not only effectively improves the accuracy of grain boundary reconstruction but also significantly enhances the generalization ability of the network. This provides reliable technical support for the characterization of the microstructure and the performance prediction of metal materials.
Integrating Energy and Time Efficiency in Robotic Manufacturing Cell Design: A Methodology for Optimizing Workplace Layout
Authors: Ruzarovsky Roman , Horak Tibor , Bocak Robert , Csekei Martin , Zelník Roman
Published: January 2025

The efficient and sustainable design of robotic manufacturing cells is a critical aspect of modern industrial processes, for which energy and time efficiency play significant roles in achieving sustainability goals. In industrial practice, robotic cell design often involves methods such as predefined layout templates, empirical rules for positioning, and simulation-based validation. While these approaches provide a practical starting point, they may not fully account for the complex interdependencies between robot configuration, energy consumption, and operational efficiency. Consequently, opportunities for optimizing resource usage are frequently overlooked. This paper presents a novel methodology for optimizing the deployment of industrial robots and their peripherals, focusing on minimizing energy and time costs to enhance the sustainability of industrial processes. The proposed approach, grounded in experimental measurements and simulations, was validated through an experimental model of a welding robot station. The methodology integrates the analysis of the relationship between the robot base position, trajectory, and energy consumption. The results indicate that adjusting the relative positions of robots and work points can achieve energy savings of approximately six percent. Specifically, optimization reduced energy consumption by 1.6731 Wh per work cycle, translating to an annual savings of 0.8794 MWh for a 60 s clock cycle. These findings highlight the practical applicability of the proposed methodology, demonstrating its potential to significantly improve the energy and time efficiency of robotic workplaces.
Double Security Level Protection Based on Chaotic Maps and SVD for Medical Images
Authors: Ye Conghuan , Tan Shenglong , Wang Jun , Shi Li , Zuo Qiankun , Xiong Bing
Published: January 2025

The widespread distribution of medical images in smart healthcare systems will cause privacy concerns. The unauthorized sharing of decrypted medical images remains uncontrollable, though image encryption can discourage privacy disclosure. This research proposes a double-level security scheme for medical images to overcome this problem. The proposed joint encryption and watermarking scheme is based on singular-value decomposition (SVD) and chaotic maps. First, three different random sequences are used to encrypt the LL subband in the discrete wavelet transform (DWT) domain; then, HL and LH sub-bands are embedded with watermark information; in the end, we obtain the watermarked and encrypted image with the inverse DWT (IDWT) transform. In this study, SVD is used for watermarking and encryption in the DWT domain. The main originality is that decryption and watermark extraction can be performed separately. Experimental results demonstrate the superiority of the proposed method in key spaces (10225), PSNR (76.2543), and UACI (0.3329). In this implementation, the following key achievements are attained. First, our scheme can meet requests of different security levels. Second, encryption and watermarking can be performed separately. Third, the watermark can be detected in the encrypted domain. Thus, experiment results and security analysis demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed scheme.
sAMDGCN: sLSTM-Attention-Based Multi-Head Dynamic Graph Convolutional Network for Traffic Flow Forecasting
Authors: Zhang Shiyuan , Ju Yanni , Kong Weishan , Qu Hong , Huang Liwei
Published: January 2025

Accurate traffic flow prediction plays a vital role in intelligent transportation systems, helping traffic management departments maintain stable traffic order, reduce traffic congestion, and improve road safety. Existing prediction methods focus on dynamic modeling of the spatiotemporal dependencies of traffic flow, capturing the periodicity and spatial heterogeneity in traffic data. However, they still suffer from a lack of focus on the important local information in long-term predictions, leading to overly smooth results that fail to effectively capture sudden changes in traffic patterns. To address these limitations, we propose the sLSTM-Attention-Based Multi-Head Dynamic Graph Convolutional Network (sAMDGCN) model. Specifically, we extend sLSTM and introduce temporal trend-aware multi-head attention to jointly capture the complex temporal dependencies. We propose a multi-head dynamic graph convolutional network to capture a wider range of dynamic spatial dependencies. To validate the effectiveness of sAMDGCN, we perform extensive experiments on four real-world traffic flow datasets. Experimental results show that our proposed sAMDGCN model outperforms the advanced baseline methods in long-term traffic flow prediction tasks, demonstrating its superior performance in capturing complex and dynamic traffic patterns.
On the Search for Supersingular Elliptic Curves and Their Applications
Authors: Martinez-Diaz Ismel , Ali Rashad , Jamil Muhammad Kamran
Published: January 2025

Elliptic curves with the special quality known as supersingularity have gained much popularity in the rapidly developing field of cryptography. The conventional method of employing random search is quite ineffective in finding these curves. This paper analyzes the search of supersingular elliptic curves in the space of curves over Fp2. We show that naive random search is unsuitable to easily find any supersingular elliptic curves when the space size is greater than 1013. We improve the random search using a necessary condition for supersingularity. As our main result, we define for the first time an objective function to measure the supersingularity in ordinary curves, and we apply local search and a genetic algorithm using that function. The study not only finds these supersingular elliptic curves but also investigates possible uses for them. These curves were used to create cycles inside the isogeny graph in one particular application. The research shows how the design of S-boxes may strategically use these supersingular elliptic curves. The key components of replacement, which is a fundamental step in the encryption process that shuffles and encrypts the data inside images, are S-boxes. This work represents a major advancement in effectively identifying these useful elliptic curves, eventually leading to their wider application and influence in the rapidly expanding field of cryptography.
Optimization of Fermentation Conditions for Increasing Erucamide Content in Bacillus megaterium Using Several Accelerants
Authors: Zhao Hao , Xie Yudan , Li Zhu , Wei Longfeng , Ai Renli
Published: January 2025

As a food packaging sliding agent, erucamide is widely used in the field of food packaging, but the traditional synthesis method of erucamide faces the problems of insufficient raw materials and low yield of colza oil. Our laboratory has found that Bacillus megaterium L2 has the potential to produce erucamide. This study aims to improve the ability of B. megaterium L2 to produce erucamide by adding various accelerants to optimize the fermentation conditions. Univariate and orthogonal tests showed that 0.3% Tween 80, 0.004% Ca2+, 0.04% colza oil, and 0.02% chloroform were the best regulation conditions for erucamide production of the L2 strain, and erucamide content reached 1.778 mg/L, which was 32.59% higher than the blank group and 60.26% higher than before fermentation culture. The mechanism of membrane metabolism in the L2 strain was further investigated, and our data suggested that the conductivity, nucleic acid and protein content, and β-galactosidase activity of L2 were increased significantly after treatment with accelerants, indicating that the accelerants changed the cell membrane permeability of the L2 strain but did not harm or kill the bacteria. Moreover, GC-MS analysis of the cell membrane fatty acids of the L2 strain showed that the ratio of unsaturated to saturated fatty acid components increased from 0.893 to 1.856, which increased the fluidity and reduced the rigidity of the cell membrane. This study could provide some theoretical reference for microbial erucamide fermentation.
Mycobacteria Exploit Host GPR84 to Dampen Pro-Inflammatory Responses and Promote Infection in Macrophages
Authors: Wumaier Reziya , Zhang Ke , Zhou Jing , Wen Zilu , Chen Zihan , Luo Geyang , Wang Hao , Qin Juliang , Du Bing , Ren Hua , Song Yanzheng , Gao Qian , Yan Bo
Published: January 2025

Tuberculosis (TB) remains the major cause of mortality and morbidity, causing approximately 1.3 million deaths annually. As a highly successful pathogen, Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) has evolved numerous strategies to evade host immune responses, making it essential to understand the interactions between Mtb and host cells. G-protein-coupled receptor 84 (GPR84), a member of the G-protein-coupled receptor family, contributes to the regulation of pro-inflammatory reactions and the migration of innate immune cells, such as macrophages. Its role in mycobacterial infection, however, has not yet been explored. We found that GPR84 is induced in whole blood samples from tuberculosis patients and Mycobacterium marinum (Mm)-infected macrophage models. Using a Mm-wasabi infection model in mouse tails, we found that GPR84 is an important determinant of the extent of tissue damage. Furthermore, from our studies in an in vitro macrophage Mm infection model, it appears that GPR84 inhibits pro-inflammatory cytokines expression and increases intracellular lipid droplet (LD) accumulation, thereby promoting intracellular bacterial survival. Our findings suggest that GPR84 could be a potential therapeutic target for host-directed anti-TB therapeutics.
Evaluation of Faecal Microbiota Following Probiotics in Infants of Mothers with Gestational Diabetes Mellitus Trial: Protocol for Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Randomized Trial
Authors: Athalye-Jape Gayatri , Rath Chandra Prakash , Panchal Harshad , Mishra Archita , Graham Dorothy , Patole Sanjay
Published: January 2025

(1) Background: The incidence of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is rising globally. The current evidence indicates that GDM, especially in conjunction with maternal overweight, can alter the composition of infants’ gut microbiota, potentially increasing the risk of inflammatory diseases, metabolic disorders, and neurodevelopmental issues later in life. Probiotic supplantation early in life might establish eubiosis and mitigate future complications. To best of our knowledge, no study has evaluated the effects of probiotics on gut dysbiosis in the infants of mothers with GDM. (2) Methods: This study will be a single-centre, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial enrolling sixty neonates born after 35 weeks of gestation to mothers with GDM. The participants will be randomly assigned to receive either a triple-strain probiotic or a placebo for four months. The primary objective is to assess the effectiveness of probiotic supplementation in correcting gut dysbiosis in the infants of mothers with GDM at four months of age. Faecal microbiome composition shall be estimated using 16SrRNA and shotgun sequencing. The secondary outcomes will include the quantification of faecal short-chain fatty acids at birth and at four months, as well as growth and developmental assessments at four, twelve, and twenty-four months. (3) Trial registration: This trial protocol is registered (ACTRN12624000930583p) in the Australian Clinical Trials registry (ANZCTR).
Enhanced Electrochemical Performance of Dual-Ion Batteries with T-Nb2O5/Nitrogen-Doped Three-Dimensional Porous Carbon Composites
Authors: Qi Chen , Ying Duo , Ma Cheng , Qiao Wenming , Wang Jitong , Ling Licheng
Published: January 2025

Niobium pentoxide (T-Nb2O5) is a promising anode material for dual-ion batteries due to its high lithium capacity and fast ion storage and release mechanism. However, T-Nb2O5 suffers from the disadvantages of poor electrical conductivity and fast cycling capacity decay. Herein, a nitrogen-doped three-dimensional porous carbon (RMF) was prepared for loading niobium pentoxide to construct a composite system with excellent electrochemical performance. The obtained T-Nb2O5/RMF composites have a well-developed pore structure and a high specific surface area of 1568.5 m2 g−1, which could effectively increase the contact area between the material and electrolyte, improving the electrode reaction and lithium-ion transfer diffusion. Nitrogen doping increased surface polarity, creating more active sites and accelerating the electrode reaction rate. The introduction of T-Nb2O5 imparted high power density and excellent cycling stability to the battery. The composites exhibited good electrochemical performance when used as dual-ion battery anode, with a stable cycle life of 207.2 mA h g−1 at 1 A g−1 current density after 650 cycles and great rate performance of 181.5 mA h g−1 at 5A g−1 was also obtained. This work provides the possibility for applying T-Nb2O5/RMF as an anode for a high-performance dual-ion battery.
Dietary Factors and Interventions for Cognitive Impairment and Dementia
Authors: Dawson Alice L. , Willette Auriel A.
Published: January 2025

Nutrition is an important lifestyle factor that can reduce the risk of future cognitive impairment and various neurodegenerative disorders, such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and AD-related dementias (ADRDs) [...]
Postprandial Aminoacidemia Following the Ingestion of Alternative and Sustainable Proteins in Humans: A Narrative Review
Authors: Yimam Mohammed , Andreini Martina , Carnevale Sara , Muscaritoli Maurizio
Published: January 2025

There is a pressing need to expand the production and consumption of alternative protein sources from plants, fungi, insects, and algae from both nutritional and sustainability perspectives. It is well known that the postprandial rise in plasma amino acid concentrations and subsequent muscle anabolic response is greater after the ingestion of animal-derived protein sources, such as dairy, meat, and eggs, than plant-based proteins. However, emerging evidence shows that a similar muscle anabolic response is observed—despite a lower and slower postprandial aminoacidemia—after the ingestion of alternative protein sources compared with animal-derived protein sources. Therefore, a comprehensive analysis of plasma amino acid kinetics after the ingestion of alternative protein sources would play a significant role in recognizing and identifying the anabolic properties of these protein sources, allowing for the implementation of the best nutritional intervention strategies, contributing to more sustainable food production, and developing new medical nutritional products with optimal impacts on muscle mass, strength, and function, both in terms of health and disease. Therefore, this narrative review is focused on postprandial amino acid kinetics (the area under the curve, peak, and time to reach the peak concentration of amino acids) based on experimental randomized controlled trials performed in young and older adults following the ingestion of different novel, sustainable, and alternative protein sources.
Transcultural Adaptation of Environmental Health Questionnaire with Attitude, Knowledge, and Skills Scales for Portuguese Nursing Students
Authors: Álvarez-García Cristina , Edra Beatriz , Marques Goreti , Simões Catarina , López-Franco Mª Dolores
Published: January 2025

Background/Objectives: Climate change adversely affects some of the fundamental determinants of health, and children are the population group most vulnerable to exposure to environmental risk factors. The main objective of this study was to validate in the Portuguese context three scales to assess attitudes, knowledge, and skills on children’s environmental health. Methods: A cross-sectional observational study was developed to translate, adapt, and validate the questionnaire consisting of the following three scales: Attitude Scale (SANS_2), knowledge scale (ChEHK-Q), and skills scale (ChEHS-Q). This was carried out in two phases: the translation and adaptation process and the validation process using classical measure theory and item response theory with undergraduate nursing students. Results: We obtained a valid and reliable questionnaire to measure children’s environmental health competence consisting of an attitude scale (α = 0.84), a knowledge scale (Infit = 0.98, Outfit = 0.97, item reliability = 0.98, and people reliability = 0.75), and a skills scale (Infit = 1.00, Outfit = 0.99, item reliability = 0.82, and people reliability = 0.88). The mean score on the attitude scale was 28.15 (5–35) ± 4.61; 14.92 (0–26) ± 4.51 on the knowledge scale; and 42.51 (24–60) ± 6.41 on the skills scale. Conclusions: We found that most Portuguese undergraduate nursing students have very good pro-environmental attitudes and good knowledge and skills in dealing with children’s environmental health. The questionnaire obtained in this study will be useful for comparative studies with other countries and for evaluating the effectiveness of educational interventions.
Gender Stereotypes and Bias in Nursing: A Qualitative Study in Tanzania
Authors: Masibo Racheal Mukoya , Masika Golden M. , Kibusi Stephen M.
Published: January 2025

(1) The question addressed in this study is what kinds of stereotypes and biases of gender in nursing exist in Tanzania. This study aimed to investigate gender stereotypes and bias among healthcare providers and non-healthcare providers. (2) Methods: Qualitative descriptive design and data were collected from the Dar es Salaam region of Tanzania through a Focus Group Discussion approach. The qualitative content analysis was used to obtain themes the following themes. (3) Results: Three themes and eighteen subthemes emerged from this study. The first theme is role distribution based on nurse gender, its impact, and mitigating approaches for biased role distribution; the second theme is the different ways of addressing challenges in gender in nursing diversity; and the third theme is gender in nursing biases at the training institutions. (4) Conclusions: The bias and stereotypes about gender in nursing still exist in clinical areas and training institutions. Exercising professionalism in both settings remains a vital aspect of reducing bias. Moreover, role distribution should not be dominated by social roles of men and women in the community but rather should be based on competence and individual abilities.
Characterization of Esocid Herpesvirus 1 (EsHV1) from Europe
Authors: Leijon Mikael , Axén Charlotte , Banihashem Fereshteh , Lilja Tobias , Tibblin Petter , Persson Björn David
Published: January 2025

During routine sampling of northern pike, a male Esox lucius with circular blue-metallic granular spots mainly located on the head and back was identified. Histological investigations presented multifocally thickened epidermis rich in basophilic large structures with a granulated rim and a dense, non-granulated center. Other organs showed no signs of infection. Ultrastructural analysis of the skin revealed three different types of herpes-like structures predominantly located within enlarged vacuoles. PCR analysis and NGS of dissected skin tissue verified the presence of EsHV1 DNA. In this study, we describe the first identification of EsHV1 in mainland Europe. In addition, for the first time, full sequences of both the DNA polymerase and terminase of the virus is available, thus allowing for an improved phylogenetic placement of EsHV1 within the Alloherpesviridae family. In addition to the EsHV1 infected pike, we also observed that 11.1% of the pike were affected by lymphosarcoma, a hyperplasia-disease caused by retroviruses. In conclusion, viral infections in pike are relatively common and likely have consequences for the local population dynamics.
Beliefs About Cats and Dogs Among Pet Owners and Former Owners
Authors: Howell Tiffani J. , Diverio Silvana , Menor-Campos David J.
Published: January 2025

Despite an increase in research into cat and dog cognition, behavior, and welfare in recent decades, it is unclear whether pet owners are aware of recent advances in our understanding of cats and dogs. Misunderstandings about the reasons for animal behavior can lead to negative welfare outcomes for the animal, and potentially distress for the owner, so it is important for owners to understand the latest science on animal behavior. Current and former pet owners (N = 224) completed an online survey rating their agreement with a series of statements about cat and dog behavior. After completing the survey, participants were provided with a document describing the latest scientific knowledge about each of the statements in the survey. For both species, participant beliefs generally accord with the latest scientific knowledge, but there is evidence of remaining beliefs about aspects of dominance training theory in dogs, and the belief that cats are low-maintenance pets. These findings can be used by trainers and behaviorists to help educate owners about pet needs, working from the owner’s baseline knowledge and debunking persistent myths.