bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Soil Degradation around Orji Municipal Solid Waste Dumpsite: A Spatial Assessment
Authors: Nwawuike Nnawugwu , Nwawuike Ifeoma Monica
Published: August 2023

The present study assessed the impact of municipal solid waste dump on the degradation of soil around Orji dumpsite. The major municipal open solid waste dump was used for this study. A total of fifteen soil samples were collected. Three control samples were randomly obtained from IMSU research farm while twelve soil samples were collected from the base (0 m) of the dumpsite, 10 m and 20 m away from the dumpsite. The samples were collected to the east, west, north and south of the dumpsite. The samples were air dried, crushed and sieved before laboratory analyses. The results obtained indicate that the concentration of the parameters analyzed ranged from 82–91% (sand), 3–9% (silt), 7–9%(clay), 5.30–7.70 (pH), 2–9 dS m− 1 (EC), 0.0013–0.0058 mg kg− 1 (salinity), 1.24–5.71% (OM), 23.20-46.40Cmol kg− 1 (CEC), 2.36–16.20 Cmol kg− 1 (Ca) and 0.34–4.39 Cmol kg− 1 (Mg). These concentrations indicate substantial enrichment. Correlation analysis was applied to establish the relationship between selected chemical parameters. It was found that EC and salinity majorly determined the availability of most of the other analyzed parameters. The extent of soil degradation around the dumpsite was analyzed using the SDI. It showed that the dumpsite soil degradation index varied from 4,863% (0 m), 3,598% (10 m) and 3,353% (20 m). Thus, distance affected the rate of soil degradation in all directions away from the dumpsite.
Novel Exploration of Topological Degree Method for Non-Instantaneous Impulsive Fractional Integro-Differential Equation through Application of Filtering System
Authors: Muthuselvan K. , Vadivoo B Sundara , MUNJAM SHANKAR RAO , Nisar K S
Published: August 2023

This paper explores the execution of the topological degree method (TDM) on initial conditions
for a non-instantaneous impulsive fractional integro-di erential equation (NIFrIDE). The Laplace
transform technique (LTT) is used to obtain the solution representation of the given system. The
fundamental objective of this work is to acquire the existence and uniqueness results for a nite-
dimensional case of a given dynamical system using the topological degree method and Gronwall's
inequality, respectively. We examine two numerical computations for a given non-instantaneous
impulsive fractional integro-di erential equation. In addition to discussing the application of a
given problem through the ltering system.
Performance Characteristics of an Ultrasonic Homogenizer by Analytical, Numerical and Experimental Methods
Authors: Jahromi Mohammad Saber , Abedini Rezvan , Fartashvand Vahid
Published: August 2023

The following paper discusses the modeling of an ultrasonic homogenizer, and the characteristics obtained from the modeling and the results of experimental tests are examined and compared. Analytical solution method, electromechanical equivalent circuit, and finite element simulation can be used in designing and modeling an ultrasonic tool. This paper aims to compare three modeling methods to obtain the advantages and applications of each one. Experimental tests such as measuring the amplitude of the vibration using the inductive gap sensor and impedance test to calculate the impedance value in a frequency range have also been carried out. Finally, the data obtained from the experimental tests have been compared with the modeling results. A comparison of the results shows that for the design of an ultrasonic tool, design parameters such as resonance frequency and amplitude output of the tool can be obtained with good accuracy using modeling. The finite element method is a powerful tool for designing and modeling the ultrasonic system and determining its modal and harmonic characteristics.
Relationship Between NDEL1 Anomaly, Lissencephaly, and Developmental Delay: A Case Report
Authors: CHEN Chun-yu , SUN Shu-Fen , TUAN Sheng-Hui , HUANG Wan-Yun , CHANG Shin-Tsu , *LIOU I-Hsiu
Published: August 2023

Background: Nuclear-distribution element-like 1 (NDEL1) anomaly is a rare genetic condition associated with neurodevelopmental disorders, such as brain malformations, seizures, lissencephaly, and cognitive impairment. However, the clinical features and long-term outcomes of NDEL1 anomaly remain poorly understood.
Case Presentation: A 7-month-old male infant initially presented with nodding of the head and limb extension, along with seizures and developmental delay. The patient was diagnosed with West syndrome based on generalized tonic seizures, hypsarrhythmia on sleep electroencephalogram, and delayed myelination on brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). At the age of 3 years, the patient was further diagnosed with NDEL1 anomaly, confirmed by genetic testing. Follow-up examinations at 18 months and 4 years revealed severe developmental delay, speech and language deficits, poor motor function, and lissencephaly on brain MRI.
Conclusion: This is the first reported case of lissencephaly, developmental delay, and NDEL1 anomaly. Knowledge regarding the pathophysiology, clinical presentation, treatment options, and prognosis of the disease remains limited.
Significant improvement after sensory tricks and trunk strength training for Parkinson’s disease with Antecollis and Camptocormia: a case report and literature review
Authors: WANG JIAREN , HU YUE
Published: August 2023

Objective: To investigate whether central and peripheral interventions can alleviate symptoms in a patient with Parkinson's disease (PD) with Antecollis (AC) and Camptocormia (CC) as the primary manifestations. To the best of our knowledge, this case is the first reported case of rehabilitation method for AC.
Methods: We present the case of a 65-year-old female PD patient with AC and CC. The course of the disease was 5 years. She was treated with rehabilitation strategies such as sensory tricks and trunk strength training. In the inpatient period, we compared and analyzed this patient's gait analysis, rehabilitation assessment scale, and angles of her trunk abnormal posture in the first, third, and fifth weeks.
Results: The patient's stride length increased, indicating that the patient's walking ability was improved. The patient could simulate shopping on the street under supervision and needed minimal assistance to go up and down stairs. The Unified Parkinson's Disease ScalePart Three score and Camptocormia severity score decreased. Furthermore, the Modified Barthel Index score, Lawton's Scale of Instrumental Activities of Daily Living score, and Berg Balance Scale score increased. In addition, the patient showed significant improvements in the angles of AC, Upper CC, and Lower CC.
Conclusion: The present case suggests that sensory tricks and trunk strength training are beneficial and safe for patients with AC and CC. Further studies are required to confirm the effectiveness of therapeutic interventions.
Impact of different fludarabine doses in the fludarabine-based conditioning regimen for unrelated bone marrow transplantation
Authors: Kuriyama Kodai , Fuji Shigeo , Ito Ayumu , Doki Noriko , Katayama Yuta , Ohigashi Hiroyuki , Nishida Tetsuya , Serizawa Kentaro , Eto Tetsuya , Uchida Naoyuki , Kanda Yoshinobu , Tanaka Masatsugu , Matsuoka Ken-ichi , Nakazawa Hideyuki , Kanda Junya , Fukuda Takahiro , Atsuta Yoshiko , Ogata Masao
Published: August 2023

To compare the effect of fludarabine (Flu) dose, the clinical outcomes of patients who received Flu and busulfan (FB; n = 1647) or melphalan (Flu with melphalan (FM); n = 1162) conditioning for unrelated bone marrow transplantation were retrospectively analyzed using Japanese nationwide registry data. In the FB group, high-dose Flu (180 mg/m2; HFB) and low-dose Flu (150/125 mg/m2; LFB) were given to 1334 and 313 patients, respectively. The three-year overall survival (OS) rates were significantly higher in the HFB group than in the LFB group (49.5% vs. 39.2%, p < 0.001). In the HFB and LFB groups, the cumulative incidences were 30.4% and 36.6% (p = 0.058) for three-year relapse. In the multivariate analysis for OS and relapse, Flu dose was identified as an independent prognostic factor (hazard ratio: 0.83, p = 0.03; hazard ratio: 0.80, p = 0.043). In the FM group, high-dose Flu (180 mg/m2; HFM) and low-dose Flu (150/125 mg/m2; LFM) were given to 118 and 1044 patients, respectively. The OS and relapse did not differ significantly between the HFM and LFM groups. These findings suggest that high-dose Flu was associated with favorable outcomes in the FB group but not in the FM group.
Investigating the ratio between the lengths of the second and fourth fingers in newborns: its relationship with the umbilical cord testosterone level at Shahidan-e-Mobini hospital during the year 2021
Authors: Akbarian mehdi Jalili , Eizi Farzaneh , Hassanpour Kazem , Amiri Parastoo , lotfi hadi
Published: August 2023

Objectives: The second finger to the ring finger or fourth finger (2D:4D ratio) has been used to predict androgen-related diseases in various studies. However, few studies have investigated this ratio at birth, therefore, the aim of the present study was to determine the relationship between the 2D:4D ratio and the umbilical cord testosterone level in the Shahidan-e-Mobini hospital, Sabzevar in 2021.
Material & Methods: The present study is a cross-sectional and prospective study that was conducted on a convenience sample of 124 NICU newborns of Shahidan-e-Mobini hospital in Sabzevar in 2021. At the time of delivery, two cc of blood was taken from the mother's umbilical cord to determine its serum testosterone level. Also, the length of the second and fourth fingers was measured during the first few hours after birth, 2D:4D ratio was calculated and finally compared with the testosterone level, gestational age, and birth weight. Data analysis was carried out using SPSS version 21. P-value<0.05 was considered as the significance level.
Results: The results of the present study showed no significant correlation between the testosterone blood level and 2D:4D ratio in both males and females (P>0.05). There was a significant negative and positive correlation between birth weight and 2D:4D ratio in boys and in girls, respectively, but the correlation coefficient was low in both cases. There was also a significant negative correlation between gestational age with the 2D:4D ratio in males.
Conclusion: The results of the present study showed that the typical sexually dimorphic pattern was not seen in 2D:4D ratio. Also, no androgen-dependent pattern was seen in the 2D:4D ratio.
Effects of polyphosphates with different chain lengths on carcass quality, intestinal environment, and cecum microbiota in broiler chickens
Authors: Chang Yi-Qiang , Wang Yan-Qing , Moon Seung-Gyu , Kim Soo-Hyun , Kim Soo-Ki
Published: August 2023

Polyphosphates has antibacterial activity. However, effects of polyphosphates with different chain lengths vary. Results showed that P14, a medium chain polyphosphate (MCPP), and P130, a long chain polyphosphate (LCPP), had significant antibacterial activities. The addition of P3, a short chain polyphosphate (SCPP) as supplement to the diet for broiler chickens, increased the abundance of intestinal Lactobacillibut decreased the abundance of Coliform bacteria. In addition, MCPP and LCPP exerted antimicrobial effects. They significantly reduced the abundance of Coliform bacteria, Shigella, and Salmonella. LCPP intervention showed a tendency to decrease the weight of the liver. In the meantime, LCPP increased levels of glucose and triglycerides in chickens, while SCPP decreased levels of triglycerides (p < 0.05). MCPP increased the abundance of microbiota in the cecum. The addition of polyphosphate promoted the expression of inflammatory factors in intestinal cells, demonstrating anti-inflammatory properties of polyphosphate as a polymer. In addition, polyphosphates did not adversely affect the growth performance or meat quality of broilers. In summary, polyphosphates of different chain lengths could improve the intestinal environment. They could be used as alternative antimicrobial agents for poultry and livestock.
Development of Remote-Controlled Solar-Powered Pesticide Sprayer Vehicle
Authors: Kayode Joseph Friday , Amudipe Samuel Olufemi , Afolalu Sunday Adeniran , Akinola Adebisi Olayinka , Nwodo Chubike William , Ikumapayi Omolayo Micheal , Oladapo Bankole Ibrahim
Published: August 2023

Pest species pose a significant threat to the agricultural industry as they can negatively impact crop productivity and result in potential financial losses due to damage. To address this issue, a solar-powered remote-controlled, semi-automated knapsack sprayer vehicle has been developed. It operates using a 100 AH battery that is charged by four 30W solar panels connected in tandem to produce 120 W, providing power to the motors and pump. The vehicle uses a 12V hub motor to drive the back and steer the front and is equipped with a 12V window regulator/wiper motor. The vehicle is controlled by a remote control and an HC-05 transmitter and receiver, programmed with an ATMEGA32A, which is linked to a relay board. The vehicle utilizes a 116 psi pump for the sprayer. Results indicate that as the feed pressure increases, the flow rate steadily rises and reaches 4 liters/min at the 116-psi pump. With a pump spray rate of 5 liters per minute and a pesticide tank capacity of 20 liters, the vehicle can spray for a total of 4 minutes and cover 159 meters. By employing a remote control, the need for manual labor is reduced, making pesticide spraying more consistent, efficient, and productive. The sprayer also saves time compared to traditional methods and poses no harm to the operator.
Impact of Atmospheric Rivers on the Winter Snowpack in the Headwaters of Euphrates-Tigris Basin
Authors: Ezber Yasemin , Bozkurt Deniz , Sen O.L
Published: August 2023

Understanding the hydrometeorological impacts of atmospheric rivers (ARs) on mountain snowpack is crucial for water resources management in the snow-fed river basins such as the Euphrates-Tigris (ET). In this study, we investigate the contribution of wintertime (December-January-February) ARs to precipitation and snowpack in the headwater regions of the ET Basin for the period of 1979–2019 using a state-of-the-art AR catalog and ERA5 reanalysis data. The results show that AR days in the headwaters region could be warmer by up to 3oC and wetter by over 5 mm day− 1 compared to non-AR days. The contribution of ARs to the total winter precipitation varies from year to year, with a maximum contribution of over 80% in 2010 and an average contribution of 60% over the 40-year period. While snow accumulation on AR days shows spatial variability, the average snow contribution is 27% of the seasonal average, ranging from 12–57% for different years. The south-facing parts of the mountain range experience significant snowmelt, with contributions ranging from 15–80% for different years. The high total precipitation (60%) and low snowpack (27%) contribution can be attributed to the semi-arid characteristics of the region and the occurrence of rain-on-snow events, where rain falling on existing snow rapidly melts the snowpack. The findings have implications for water resource management and call for continued research to improve our knowledge of ARs and their interactions with the complex terrain of the ET Basin
Graph Based Imbalanced Multi-Text Classification: A Study on Low Resource Language
Authors: Jimmy Laishram , Arun Biri
Published: August 2023

A pre-labeled dataset is required for any machine learning or deep learning tasks in Natural Language Processing (NLP). Certain languages lack adequate resources, hence impeding research efforts, even for seemingly straightforward natural language processing (NLP) problems. This work introduces a novel methodology for enhancing data in the context of Natural Language Processing (NLP) tasks, specifically focusing on Part-of-Speech (POS) tagging and Named Entity Recognition (NER). The representation of a limited quantity of data takes the form of a directed graph, which is utilized in conjunction with the Random Walk method to produce sentence instances for a given word. A Long Short Term Memory (LSTM) neural network is employed to create a hybrid Part-of-Speech (POS) and Named Entity Recognition (NER) model. This model is designed to annotate words within sentence instances. The empirical findings demonstrate that the model applied to the Manipuri dataset achieves exceptional performance, as evidenced by an F-score metric of 1 for both POS and NER classification.
Identification, validation and candidate gene analysis of major QTL for Supernumerary Spikelets in wheat
Authors: Wang Zhiqiang , Li Haojie , Zhou Xinjian , Mou Yuzhou , Zhang Ying , Yu Lang , Chen Xudong , Wu Fangkun , Zhou Hong , Lin Yu , Li Caixia , Liu Yaxi
Published: August 2023

The number of spikelets per spike is a key trait that affects The number of spikelets per spike is a key trait that affects grain yield in bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) In this study, four recombinant inbred lines (RILs) populations were generated and used, having YuPi branching wheat (YP), with Supernumerary Spikelets (SS) phenotype, as a common parent. QTL (QSS.sicau-2A and QSS.sicau-2D) related to SS trait were mapped on chromosomes 2A and 2D (Chr.2A and Chr.2D) through bulked segregant exome sequencing (BSE-Seq) analysis. 14 molecular markers were further developed within the localization interval, QSS.sicau-2Awas narrowed to 7.3 cM covering 11.3 Mb physical region of the reference genome, explained 6.3%~15.6% the phenotypic variance, and QSS.sicau-2D was narrowed to 0.9 cM covering 6.9 Mb physical region of the reference genome, explained 23.4%~34.8% the phenotypic variance, respectively. These two QTL were validated in three different genetic backgrounds by the linked markers. QSS.sicau-2A was identified as WFZP-A, and QSS.sicau-2D was a novel locus that was different from WFZP-D. TraesCS2D03G0260700 was predicted to be a potential candidate gene for QSS.sicau-2D based on the gene expression patterns, gene annotation and sequence analysis. Overall, This study will be useful for cloningQSS.sicau-2D in wheat.
Characteristics of Complete Chloroplast Genome of Grevillea robusta
Authors: liu guanghua , Li Jiaxi , Yang Yubing , Yu Jie
Published: August 2023

Grevillea robusta is an important plant in Proteaceae, and decoding and understanding the chloroplast genome of Grevillea robusta is of great theoretical significance and practical value to the genetic diversity and phylogenetic relationship of Proteaceae. On the basis of high-throughput sequencing data of Grevillea robusta, we assembled and annotated the sequencing results using GetOrganelle and CPGAVAS2 programs, and downloaded the chloroplast genome data of genera Macadamia, Helicia and Protea from NCBI database. The chloroplast genomes of four generas. The length of chloroplast genome of Grevillea robusta was 158,642 bp, consisting of 129 genes, including 84 protein-coding genes, 37 tRNA genes and 8 rRNA genes. 56 SSRs were obtained from Grevillea robusta, among which the single nucleotide repeats were the most (66.07%) and the six nucleotide repeats were the least (1). At the same time, 34 repeats were detected in chloroplast genome of Grevillea robusta, mainly are palindrome repeats (16). The IR region of Grevillea robusta didn’t experience a significant contraction/expansion event, whereas Protea kilimandscharica showed a dramatic contraction. Gene selection pressure analysis showed that ycf1 genes showed positive selection signals. Analysis of RNA editing sites showed that there were 148 RNA editing sites in the protein-coding genes of chloroplast genome of Grevillea robusta, and most of them are C/U editing, up to 54.73%. Phylogenetic analysis confirmed that Grevillea robusta was belongs to Proteaceae, and grouped with Helicia and Macadamia, with a support rate of 100%. The chloroplast genome of Grevillea robusta was assembled successfully, which had high similarity with the chloroplast genome of Helicia and Macadamia, and was clustered into a branch during the phylogeny of Proteaceae. The results of this study laid a foundation for understanding the systematic evolution of the Proteaceae plants, and provide rich data supported for the development of molecular biological information such as molecular marker.
Associations between Phascolarctobacterium/ Phascolarctobacterium faecium and disorders of glucose and lipid metabolism in type 2 diabetes mellitus - a population cohort study
Authors: Li Lisha , Hu Qiongying , Xiong Daqian
Published: August 2023

(1) Background: Host-microbiome dysbiosis have been linked to type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). The purpose of this paper is to investigate whether Phascolarctobacterium and Phascolarctobacterium faecium (P. faecium) serve as ideal biomarkers for T2DM. On this basis, to evaluate the key role of multi-omics analysis in the early diagnosis of T2DM;
(2) Methods: Detected Stool samples from healthy people, T2DM patients, and T2DM patients after metformin treatment in our cohort study by 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing. In addition, various baseline clinical and metabolic index were collected to evaluate the diagnostic models of ROC curves which combined use of intestinal bacteria, fatty acids, and miRNA as predictive tools for early detection of T2DM;
(3) Results: Our multi-omics analysis indicates that T2DM patients had specific gut microbiota dysbiosis, where faecium and P.faecium are correlated with multiple biochemical indicators of T2DM. And the intervention of metformin had some influence on the composition of gut microbiota. We also identified the diagnostic models of ROC curves were able to classify T2DM patients from healthy people with a better estimation accuracy;
(4) Conclusions: Phascolarctobacterium and P.faecium can be novel biomarkers for the early diagnosis of T2DM, The multi-omic analysis based on gut microbiome provides insights for elucidating the specific mechanism in the host-microbiome dysbiosis at the early metabolic disorders.
Bertrand-Edgeworth game under oligopoly. General results and comparisons with duopoly
Authors: De Francesco Massimo A. , Salvadori Neri
Published: August 2023

This paper studies price competition among a given number of capacity-constrainedproducers of a homogeneous commodity under the efficient rationing rule andconstant (and identical) marginal cost until full capacity, whendemand is a continuous, non-increasing, and non-negative function defined onthe set of non-negative prices and is positive, strictly decreasing, twicedifferentiable and (weakly) concave when positive.The focus is on general properties of equilibria in the region of the capacityspace in which no pure strategy equilibria exist. We study how theproperties that are known to hold for the duopoly are generalized to theoligopoly and, on the contrary, what properties do not need to hold in oligopoly.Our inquiry reveals, among other properties, the possibility of an atom in the support of a firm smaller than the largest one and the properties that such an atom entails. Although the characterization of equilibria is far from being complete, this paper provides substantial elements in this direction.
JEL: C72, D43, L13
Circulating miR-218-5p is downregulated in the extracellular vesicles of patients with psoriatic arthritis
Authors: Yan Kexiang , Zhu Jie , Zhang Mengmeng , Zhang Fuxin , Wang Bing , Han Ling , Huang Qiong , Tang Yulong , Li Yuan , Yawalkar Nikhil , Zhang Zhenghua , Niu Zhenmin
Published: August 2023

Background
There is an urgent need to identify biomarkers for psoriatic arthritis to assist with early diagnosis. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play a pivotal role in psoriatic arthritis. To investigate the difference between plasma extracellular vesicle (EV) miRNA profiles of psoriasis patients without psoriatic arthritis (PsO) and patients with psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis (PsA).
Methods
Plasma EV isolation and next-generation sequencing were performed to identify differentially expressed EV miRNAs between patients with PsO (n = 15) and those with PsA (n = 8). miRNA target genes were predicted via miRNA target-predicting tools (TargetScan, miRDB, MIRDIP) and further validated by western blotting. GO and KEGG enrichment analyses were performed on these target genes. Additionally, a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was performed to assess the diagnostic value of the selected miRNA candidates.
Results
Among a complete profile of 597 miRNAs detected, 15 miRNAs were significantly altered in PsA, including two upregulated miRNAs and 13 downregulated miRNAs. According to the results from miRNA target-predicting tools and our previous quantitative iTRAQ-based proteomics study, miR-218-5p and its possible target ADP-ribosylation factor 6 (ARF6) provoked our interest. The higher expression of ARF6 in PsA was validated via western blotting in validation samples, and ROC curve analysis further revealed that miR-218-5p was a diagnostic candidate (AUC = 0.758; P value = 0.023). GO and KEGG pathway analyses were mainly enriched in the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway, MAPK signaling pathway and epithelial cell apoptotic process.
Conclusions
This pilot study revealed that miR-218-5p is downregulated in the EVs of patients with PsA and could serve as a candidate biomarker to distinguish PsA from PsO, which may be a strategy for PsA diagnosis.
The use of CBCT prior to Nasal Intubation for Orofacial Surgical Procedure
Authors: Ng Almond Yi Qi , Sng Timothy Jie Han , Loh Ne Hooi Will , Lim Asher Ah Tong
Published: August 2023

Purpose
This case report presents an unusual case of multiple cuff leaks after successful nasotracheal tube placement, and the use of Cone beam Computed Tomography (CBCT) to identify the problem: a left nasal septal spur. We performed a literature review of similar cases and provided recommendations on the usage of CBCT for pre-operative assessment prior to nasotracheal intubation.
Conclusion
Anatomical variations in the nasal cavity may complicate the process of nasal intubation. Preoperative analysis should be done to identify and locate such anomalies, and to select a suitable nostril to circumvent anticipated anatomical roadblocks. This case report shows that the use of CBCT as a pre-operative tool to assess nasal anatomical variations – particularly in orthognathic patients, should be recommended as the standard of care prior to nasal intubation.
A Correlational Study of Orthorexia and Positive Body Experiences
Authors: Zohar Ada H. , Bachner-Melman Rachel , Lev-Ari Lilac
Published: August 2023

Background There has been little progress on identifying protective factors for eating disorders in general and for orthorexia in particular. In this study we tested the hypothesis that positive body experiences would offer some protection from symptoms of orthorexia nervosa (ONs). Methods A community sample of 561 adult volunteers aged 19–72 was recruited via social media networks. Participants self-reported on measures of ONs [DOS], compulsive exercise [CET], positive body experiences [DKB-35] including body acceptance, body narcissism, vitality, sexual satisfaction and physical contact, and disordered eating [EDE-Q-13]. Results All positive body experiences except physical contact were significantly and negatively correlated with all disordered eating subscales. ONs correlated negatively with body acceptance and sexual satisfaction, and compulsive exercise correlated negatively with vitality, and positively with body narcissism. Body acceptance and sexual satisfaction were lowest for the group who scored above the clinical cut-off for orthorexia nervosa. In a linear regression analysis, positive body experiences contributed 14% to the explained variance, over and beyond the negative contribution of education. Body acceptance down-moderated the association between compulsive exercise and ONs. Conclusions Positive body experiences, in particular body acceptance and sexual satisfaction may be protective of ONs. Further research is needed to identify factors that offer protection from ONs and can therefore be targeted in treatment and prevention programs.
Surgical strategy for intravenous leiomyomatosis spreading from uterine to the right atrium presenting with recurrent syncope
Authors: He Gengxu , Yao Tong , zhao lei , Geng Hong , Ji Qiang , Zuo Kun , Yuanzhi Luo , Kai Zhou
Published: August 2023

Uterine leiomyoma invading internal iliac vein and consequently disseminating into the right atrium is an extremely rare condition, and surgical strategy is controversial. Here, we reported a specific case with successful surgical resection through one-stage total hysterectomy, bilateral oophorectomy, and the intracardiovascular lesion. This procedure would be an optimal choice for uterine leiomyoma invading inferior vena cava and spreading to right atrium.
Detecting Ransomware Using Alignment of the Different Sections of the PE Header
Authors: Manavi Farnoush , Samie Mohammad Ebrahim , Hamzeh Ali
Published: August 2023

Ransomware is one of the most challenging types of malware that uses cryptology to attack victims' computers. The attackers then demand ransom payments to recover encrypted resources. Ransomware is currently one of the most serious threats to individuals and organizations. Therefore, it is essential to detect them before they cause serious problems. Because of the obfuscation tactics used in Polymorphic and Metamorphic ransomware, it is difficult to detect them before they infect the system. Therefore, features from a program must be extracted in a way that is resistant to obfuscation techniques. The executable file header includes the fields that define the program structure. Extract this section of executable file does not require preprocessing or special resources. Note that changing the structure of the program changes, the header fields as well. The aims of ransomware and benign programs differ, resulting in discrepancies in parts of their headers. In recent paper, we propose a technique to detect ransomware utilizing executable file header bytes. According to the sequential character of header information, sequence processing algorithms are used to process it. Based on the alignment score of the important sections of the header and weighted vote technique, the proposed method determines the desired sample label. The results confirmed that this approach can detect up to 95% accuracy of ransomware, which is a significant improvement over previous methods.
Diurnal cycle of precipitation in Brazil
Authors: Silva Cláudio Santos e , Rodrigues Daniele , Medeiros Felipe , Valentim Aléxia , Araújo Paula , Pinto Joicy , Mutti Pedro , Mendes Keila , Bezerra Bergson , Oliveira Cristiano , Gonçalves Weber
Published: August 2023

The diurnal cycle is an important mode of climatic variability associated with different aspects of micro, meso and large scale meteorological phenomena. Thus, we performed a study of the space-time variability of the diurnal cycle based on the longest time series (13-years) of precipitation with hourly sampling and covering all regions of Brazil. The dataset was collected during the period from 1st January 2008 to 31th December 2020. We used data from 411 rain gauges installed in automatic weather stations. In order to evaluate regional aspects, we conducted a cluster analysis with different configurations (4, 5 and 6 groups). We identified a considerable heterogeneity in the hour of maximum precipitation in Brazil and three main types of diurnal cycle were observed: i) maximum precipitation at mid- to late afternoon associated with strong local convection activity; ii) diurnal cycle with intense precipitation during nighttime at the Amazon basin, the coast of Northeast Brazil and the Southern region; iii) semidiurnal cycles with low precipitation rate at the Northeast Brazil. Seasonality promotes changes in the spatial distribution of types of diurnal cycles, while interannual variability influences on the intensity of maximum precipitation, mainly at the Amazon basin and Southern region.
Multimodal nonlinear correlates of behavioural symptoms in frontotemporal dementia
Authors: Zamboni Giovanna , Mattioli Irene , Arya Zobair , Tondelli Manuela , Vinceti Giulia , Chiari Annalisa , Jenkinson Mark , Huey Edward D. , Grafman Jordan
Published: August 2023

Background
Studies exploring the brain correlates of behavioural symptoms in the frontotemporal dementia spectrum (FTD) have mainly searched for linear correlations with single modality neuroimaging data, either structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or fluoro-deoxy-D-glucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET). We aimed at studying the two imaging modalities in combination to identify nonlinear co-occurring patterns of atrophy and hypometabolism related to behavioural symptoms.
Methods
We analysed data from 93 FTD patients who underwent T1-weighted MRI, FDG-PET imaging, and neuropsychological assessment including the Neuropsychiatric Inventory, Frontal Systems Behaviour Scale, and Neurobehavioral Rating Scale. We used a data-driven approach to identify the principal components underlying behavioural variability, then related the identified components to brain variability using a newly developed method fusing maps of grey matter volume and FDG metabolism.
Results
A component representing apathy, executive dysfunction, and emotional withdrawal was associated with atrophy in bilateral anterior insula and putamen, and with hypometabolism in the right prefrontal cortex. Another component representing the disinhibition versus depression/mutism continuum was associated with atrophy in the right striatum and ventromedial prefrontal cortex for disinhibition, and hypometabolism in the left fronto-opercular region and sensorimotor cortices for depression/mutism. A component representing psychosis was associated with hypometabolism in the prefrontal cortex and hypermetabolism in auditory and visual cortices.
Discussion
Behavioural symptoms in FTD are associated with atrophy and altered metabolism of specific brain regions, especially located in the frontal lobes, in a hierarchical way: apathy and disinhibition are mostly associated with grey matter atrophy, whereas psychotic symptoms are mostly associated with hyper-/hypo-metabolism.
Šolar, the developmental corpus of Slovene
Authors: Holdt Špela Arhar , Kosem Iztok
Published: August 2023

The paper presents the Šolar developmental corpus of Slovene, comprising the written language production of students in Slovene elementary and secondary schools, along with teacher feedback. The corpus consists of 5,485 texts (1,635,407 words) and features linguistically categorized teacher corrections. Notably, the annotation of language problems is based on actual teacher corrections, making the corpus unique in reflecting authentic classroom correction practices. The paper addresses the corpus compilation, content and format, annotation, availability, and its applicative value. While learner corpora are abundant, developmental corpora are less common. The paper bridges the gap by introducing the evolution from Šolar 1.0 to 3.0, emphasizing improvements in text collection, error and correction annotation, and categorization methodology. It also underlines the challenges and unresolved issues of compiling developmental corpora, most notably the lack of openly available tools and standards for different steps of the compilation process. Overall, the Šolar corpus offers valuable insights into language learning and teaching, contributing to teacher training, empirical studies in applied linguistics, and natural language processing tasks.
Ιn vitro RNA delivery in breast cancer cells using polysaccharide functionalized SPIONs
Authors: Tsave Olga , Psarrou Maria , Kastrinaki Georgia , Papachristou Eleni , Papi Rigini , Zaspalis Vassilios , Nalbandian Lori , Sarafidis Charalampos , Ouranidis Andreas , Choli-Papadopoulou Theodora , Vamvakaki Maria , Chatzidoukas Christos
Published: August 2023

RNA-based pharmaceuticals have recently emerged as a novel platform for the prevention and treatment of numerous pathological conditions, including cancer, diabetes, and heart disease among others, because they demonstrate great potential towards effectiveness and specificity and significantly lower toxicity compared to already established treatments. However, the effective delivery of the nucleic acid to the cells remains a major challenge. The present study focuses on the use of superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs) coated with natural polysaccharide derivatives to improve the efficiency of mRNA delivery in breast cancer cells. Two polysaccharide derivatives, namely oxidized dextran and quaternized chitosan, bearing aldehyde and cationic quaternary ammonium groups, respectively, were prepared and coated onto the SPIONs. The hybrid nanoparticles were characterized in terms of their size, surface charge, magnetization and polymer content, and were next used to bind Green Fluorescent Protein-mRNA constructs to create mRNA delivery vehicles. Biological assessments were conducted to evaluate the cellular uptake, cell proliferation, viability, migration and binding efficiency, and protein expression of the nanoparticle treated cells, aiming to develop a suitable nanocarrier for future pre-clinical in vivo application.
Longitudinal changes of brain metabolites following pediatric concussion: An Advancing Concussion Assessment in Pediatrics (A-CAP) study
Authors: La Parker L , Walker Robyn , Bell Tiffany K , Craig William , Doan Quynh , Beauchamp Miriam H. , Zemek Roger , Yeates Keith Owen , Harris Ashley D
Published: August 2023

Concussion is commonly characterized by a cascade of neurometabolic changes following injury. Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (MRS) can be used to quantify neurometabolites non-invasively. Longitudinal changes in neurometabolites have rarely been studied in pediatric concussion, and fewer studies consider symptoms. This study examines longitudinal changes of neurometabolites in pediatric concussion and associations between neurometabolites and symptom burden. Participants who presented with concussion or orthopedic injury (OI, comparison group) were recruited. The first timepoint for MRS data collection was at a mean of 12-days post-injury (n = 545). Participants were then randomized to 3- (n = 243) or 6- (n = 215) months for MRS follow-up. Parents completed symptom questionnaires to quantify somatic and cognitive symptoms at multiple timepoints following injury. There were no significant changes in neurometabolites over time in the concussion group and neurometabolite trajectories did not differ between asymptomatic concussion, symptomatic concussion, and OI groups. Cross-sectionally, Choline was significantly lower in those with persistent somatic symptoms compared to OI controls at 3-months post-injury. Lower Choline was also significantly associated with higher somatic symptoms. Although overall neurometabolites do not change over time, choline differences that appear at 3-months and is related to somatic symptoms.
Predictions of Land Use and Land Cover (LULC) and Runoff of the Teesta River Basin under Different Emission and Socioeconomic Scenarios
Authors: Rahman Syadur , Islam AKM Saiful
Published: August 2023

The Teesta basin, shared by Bangladesh and India, undergoes profound changes due to land use and land cover (LULC) dynamics combined with climate change, significantly impacting its water balance. This comprehensive study aims to analyze the combined effects of future LULC changes and climate change on basin runoff. Employing a cellular-automata model, we accurately predicted LULC for 2020 and projected scenarios for 2050 and 2080. We utilized the semi-distributed Soil Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) hydrological model for the base period (1995–2014) and two future periods: 2050s (2035–2064) and 2080s (2071–2100). SWAT model is forced by 8 General Circulation Models (GCMs) under two Socioeconomic Pathways (SSPs): SSP245 and SSP585. The study reveals notable LULC changes, with substantial increases in agricultural (0.49%) and settlement areas (1.67%) from 2000 to 2010, followed by changes from 2010 to 2020. The CA-Markov prediction indicates significant future increases in settlements and agricultural land by 2050 and 2080, coupled with reductions in forest, water, and snow cover. The calibrated and validated SWAT model effectively simulated discharge, yielding satisfactory results. Projected changes in discharge during the monsoon and winter periods were examined under different scenarios. Monsoon discharge is predicted to increase by 26–38% in the 2050s and 30–45% in the 2080s. Conversely, the winter/dry period may experience a decrease of 46–49% in the 2050s and 38% in the 2080s for SSP245 and SSP585 scenarios, respectively. Considering LULC changes to account, additional discharge increases during the monsoon are projected, with slight increases in the dry period during the 2050s and decreases during the 2080s. This study anticipates an increasing trend in peak flow during the monsoon and a declining trend in mean flow during winter without further upstream water control. Understanding and managing the combined effects of LULC changes and climate change on the hydrological dynamics of the basin is of utmost importance for sustainable water resource management in the region.
Variations in the cystic duct: frequency and the relationship among insertion sides and heights on the bile duct
Authors: Fujiwara Kenji , Hiraka Kiyohisa , Shindo Koji , Abe Atsushi , Masatsugu Toshihiro , Hirano Tatsuya , Sada Masayuki
Published: August 2023

Background
Evaluation of the cystic duct anatomy prior to cholecystectomy is important, to decrease the risk of bile duct injury. This study aimed to clarify the frequency of cystic duct variations and the relationship between them.
Methods
Data of 205 patients who underwent cholecystectomy after imaging at Sada Hospital, Japan, were analyzed. The Chi-square test was used to analyze the relationships among variations.
Results
The lateral and posterior sides of the bile duct were the two most common insertion points (92 patients, 44.9%), and the middle height was the most common insertion height (135 patients, 65.9%). Clinically important variations (spiral courses, parallel courses, low insertions, and right hepatic duct draining) relating to the risk of bile duct injury were observed in 24 patients (11.7%). Regarding the relationship between the insertion sides and heights, we noticed that the posterior insertion frequently existed in low insertions (75.0%, P < 0.001) and did not exist in high insertions. In contrast, the anterior insertion coexisted with high and never low insertions. Spiral courses have two courses: anterior and posterior, and anterior ones were only found in high insertion cases.
Conclusions
The insertion point of the cystic duct and the spiral courses tended to be anterior or lateral superiorly and posterior inferiorly. Clinically significant variations in cystic duct insertions are common and surgeons should be cautious about these variations to avoid complications.
Comparative study of binding affinity of short chain fatty acids on free fatty acid receptors-A computational approach
Authors: Sundaram Subhiksha , S Sumathi
Published: August 2023

Free fatty acid receptors are a class of G-protein coupled receptors, that are mainly involved in binding of free fatty acids obtained by breakdown of dietary sources. Short chain fatty acids are a class of free fatty acids that are saturated aliphatic organic compounds consisting of 1-6 carbon atoms. The most known SCFAs are acetate, butyrate and propionate. To understand the binding affinity of short chain fatty acid to the free fatty acid receptors, molecular docking was performed.Upon performing docking it was found that butyrate had the lowest binding energy for all the four free fatty acid receptors (FFAR1, FFAR2, FFAR3, FFAR4). This shows that butyrate is the best ligand for the four fatty acid receptors than acetate and propionate.
The Power of Tentative Truth: The Impacts of Enhanced Science Instruction on Student Paranormal Beliefs
Authors: Basir Mo
Published: August 2023

This research explores the impact of epistemic-focused science instruction on college students' paranormal beliefs and conceptual physics understanding. Despite lacking a scientific foundation, paranormal beliefs are common. Grounded on previous studies, a theoretical model was conceived to tackle this challenge. The model indicates that these beliefs, much like common science alternative ideas, are likely derived from inherent biases in intuitive thinking. Accordingly, an intervention was designed and put into practices in three consecutive semesters. The intervention incorporated epistemic and ontological training. It challenged students' intuitive idea formation and confirmation, and encouraged model-based hypothesis formation backed by empirical evidence. A three-level, mixed-methods study tested the effectiveness of the intervention. Quantitative data at the whole-class level displayed a reduction in paranormal beliefs with a small effect size. Concurrently, a large effect size was observed in enhancing students' conceptual physics understanding. Moving to the subgroup level, a k-means clustering analysis revealed distinct student clusters characterized by different shifts in paranormal beliefs and conceptual physics learning, indicating differential responses to the intervention. At the individual layer of analysis, qualitative data underscored instances where students creatively misconstrued scientific concepts to reinforce their paranormal beliefs, highlighting the situated and contextual nature of epistemic practices. This work reinforces the critical role of science as a way of knowing for transforming student epistemic practices. It highlights the transition from forming definitive truth based on intuitive idea formation and confirmation, towards model-based hypothesis formation, backed by empirical evidence, to construct a tentative truth until the better one emerges.
Relationship between Language learners’ perceived supports and their approaches to online language learning (LLAOLL): The mediation role of online self-regulation
Authors: Rahimi Amir Reza
Published: August 2023

The authors have requested that this preprint be removed from Research Square.
Safety and Efficacy of Favipiravir in COVID-19 Patients with Pneumonia. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study (FAVID)
Authors: Horcajada Juan P. , Aldonza Rebeca , Real Mónica , Espinosa Silvia Castañeda , Sendra Elena , Gomez-Junyent Joan , López-Montesinos Inmaculada , Gómez-Zorrilla Silvia , Briansó Silvia , Taberna Montserrat Duran , Fernández Andrés , Tarragó Cristina , Quintillá Teresa Auguet
Published: August 2023

Purpose: To design a randomized clinical trial to assess the efficacy and safety of favipiravir in patients with COVID-19 disease with pneumonia.
Methods: A randomized, double blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial of favipiravir in patients with COVID-19 pneumonia was conducted in 3 Spanish sites. Randomization 1:1 to favipiravir or placebo (in both groups added to the Standard of Care) was performed to treat the patients with COVID-19 pneumonia. The primary endpoint was “time to clinical improvement,” measured as an improvement for ≥ two categories on a 7-point WHO ordinal scale in an up to 28 days' time frame.
Results: 44 patients were randomized (23 in the favipiravir group and 21 in the placebo group). The median time to clinical improvement was not different between the favipiravir and the placebo arms (10 days for both groups) and none of the secondary endpoints showed significant differences between arms.
The proportion of adverse events (both serious and non-serious) was statistically different between the favipiravir group (68.29%) and the placebo group (31.7%) (p = 0.019), but there was insufficient statistical evidence to correlate the degree of severity of the events with the treatment groups.
Conclusions: Favipiravir administered for ten days to patients with COVID-19 and pneumonia did not improve outcomes compared with placebo. Although this is an underpowered negative study, efficacy results align with other randomized trials. However, in the present study, the non-serious adverse events were more frequent in the favipiravir group.