bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Prostate Cancer Knowledge, Beliefs, and Screening Uptake among Black Survivors: A Qualitative Exploration at a Tertiary Hospital, Limpopo Province, South Africa
Authors: Nkoana Shai Elliot , Sodi Tholene , Themane Mahlapahlapana
Published: August 2024

Men of African ancestry suffer disproportionately from prostate cancer (PCa) than other racial groups in South Africa. Equally concerning is that black South African men generally present later with higher stage and grade of the disease than their non-black counterparts. Despite this, South African black men continue to have little uptake in PCa screening behaviors. The objective of the study was to explore knowledge and beliefs of PCa among black South African survivors. A sample of 20 prostate cancer survivors, with ages ranging from 67 to 85 years (meanage = 76yrs; SD = 5.3) were selected through purposive sampling and requested to participate in the study. Data were collected through in-depth, semi-structured individual interviews, and analysed using interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA). The findings demonstrated that black South African men had poor knowledge of PCa and that this may create an unfortunate system that preclude this population group from taking part in life-saving PCa screening services. The results highlight a need to elevate knowledge and awareness of PCa among black South African men and ultimately enhance screening practices.
Resilience Mechanisms and Coping Strategies for Forcibly Displaced Youth Experiencing Social Isolation: An Exploratory Rapid Review
Authors: Alamgir Akm , Kyriakides Christopher , Johnson Andrew , Abeshu Gemechu , Bahri Bay , Abssy Miles
Published: August 2024

Context:
The global escalation of conflict, violence, and human rights violations sets a pressing backdrop for examining the resilience of forcibly displaced youth (FDY) in Canada. This study aims to unpack the multifaceted challenges and resilience mechanisms of FDY, focusing on their health, well-being, and integration into host communities. It seeks to identify current models of resilience, understand the factors within each model, and highlight gaps and limitations.
Methodology:
Using a university librarian-supported structured search strategy, this exploratory rapid review searched literature from Ovid Medline and Open Source databases, published in English between January 2019 and January 2024, that fit specific inclusion criteria. The eligible articles (N=12 out of 4,096) were charted and analyzed by two student researchers with the PI. Charted data were analyzed thematically.
Results:
The selected studies captured diverse geographical perspectives, resilience models (such as Ungar's ecological perspective and Masten's resilience developmental models), as well as protective and promotive frameworks. Key findings indicate the complexity of resilience influenced by individual, familial, societal, and cultural factors. Each model offers insights into the dynamic interplay of these influences on FDY's resilience. However, these models often fall short of addressing the nuances of cultural specificity, the impact of trauma, and the intersectionality of FDY's identities.
Conclusion:
Recognizing the diverse and evolving nature of FDY's coping mechanisms, this study advocates for a culturally appropriate approach to resilience that integrates an intersectionality framework of individual attributes and culturally sensitive models.
Solar Energy Resource and Power Generation in Morocco: Current Situation, Potentials and Future Perspective
Authors: Benbba Rania , Barhdadi Majd , Ficarella Antonio , Manente Giovanni , Romano Maria Pia , El Hachemi Nizar , Barhdadi Abdelfettah , Al-Salaymeh Ahmed , Outzourhit Abdelkader
Published: August 2024

It’s very well known that the world's attention is currently focused on the energy transition. The energy security, in addition to the drive to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in order to limit global warming, and the generalization of the access to energy, have contributed to adoption of the Moroccan Energy Strategy with a strong focus on Renewable Energies (RE). Morocco is notoriously poor in conventional fossil primary energy resources with an energy dependence on the order of 90%. The energy crisis and that resulted from Covid-19 pandemic and the geopolitical conflicts, combined compounded with steady increase in demand have heavily affected the security and the stability of the country's energy situation. The transition to RE, by strongly engaging in the implementation of several solar, wind and hydro energy projects benefiting from the country's excellent solar and wind energy potential, has made the country the leader in RE in Africa. By 2030, the share of RE in the installed capacity is expected to reach 52%. In this work, an overview of the current situation of RE (particularly solar energy) in Morocco is provided, including, the potentials, obstacles and challenges, and future perspectives. Thanks to its high solar potential location, it’s predictable that Morocco effort will be focused on this field: the Erasmus Plus Innomed Project is a virtuous example of international cooperation, aiming at create a Solar Energy Network, in synergy with EU Partners.
Influence of FA Content on Mechanical and Hydration Properties of Alkali-Activated Ground Granulated Blast Furnace Slag Cements
Authors: Liu Yun peng , Fu Zhen bo , Yang Xi hao , Zhao Yi meng , Li Bing han , Xu Da , Yu Shi ge , Yao Zhi yu , Sun Zhi bin , Zhen Zhi lu , Ouyang Xinfeng , Zong Yang yang , Tian Wen di , Yu Hai , Zhao Shu li , Wei Yen , Niu Kang min
Published: August 2024

This study primarily investigates the effect of fly ash (FA) content on the mechanical properties and hydration performance of alkali-activated ground granulated blast furnace slag cements (AAGC), and compares the related properties with ordinary Portland cement (OPC). Additionally, the study examined the hydration products, thermal analysis, MIP, SEM, chemically bound water, and pH values of AAGC. The compressive strength of AAGC showed a retrogression phenomenon from 3 to 28 days, with the 14-day and 28-day compressive strengths of AAGC being higher than those of OPC. The AAGC with 20% FA content exhibits the highest 28-day compressive strength (75 MPa). The hydration heat release rate curved of OPC and AAGC can be divided into the initial induction period, induction period, acceleration period, deceleration period and steady period. As FA content increases, the 28-day pore volume of AAGC increased while pH values and chemically bound water decrease. SEM images of AAGC with low FA content showed more microcracks.
Technology Innovation for Discovering Renal Autoantibodies in Autoimmune Conditions
Authors: Bruschi Maurizio , Candiano Giovanni , Petretto Andrea , Angeletti Andrea , Meroni Pier luigi , Ghiggeri Gian Marco
Published: August 2024

Autoimmune Glomerulonephritis represents a homogeneous area of renal pathology with clinical relevance for either the numerical impact or difficulties in treatment. SLE and Lupus nephritis are the most frequent occurrences. They are characterized by glomerular deposition of circulating autoantibodies that recognize glomerular antigens Technologies for studying tissue and circulating antibodies have evolved over the years and culminated with the direct analysis of the antigen-antibody complex in renal bioptic fragments. Mass-spectrometry of immunoprecipitates from the renal tissue is, in fact, the most recent evolution that eliminates the need for tissue microdissection. The results obtained with this technique have led to the discovery of several new glomerular antigens in Membranous Nephropathy and in Lupus Nephritis, two conditions whose pathogenesis remained unknown for decades, Peptide and protein arrays (Immunopeptidomics and immunoproteomics, respectively) for the characterization of circulating autoantibodies represent the new frontier for identifying autoantibodies. Immunopeptidomics consists in 7.5 million aligned peptides of 16 amino acids each which cover the whole human proteome; immunoproteomics utilizes a chip containing structured proteins, 26.000 overall. Both are very sensitive techniques that allow the characterization of hundreds of new antibodies in circulation. The contribution of arrays to amplify the panel of potential autoantibodies involved in glomerulonephritis is expected to be relevant for improving our knowledge of the pathogenesis of several autoimmune conditions.
Smart Governance among Smart Cities for Legal Consideration to International Data Migration in Cloud Using Machine Learning , Nlp and Blockchain Smart Contract
Authors: R Komala , B.R. Arun Kumar , Prasad Mahadeshwara , A Shreyas
Published: August 2024

Legal consideration hold significant importance in the cloud migration process, encompassing contractual arrangements, data sovereignty concerns, and liability matters. Organizations need to make sure that their contracts with cloud service providers (CSPS) cover important aspects such as data ownership, usage rights, and indemnification clauses. In the ever-changing world of smart cities, the importance of ensuring secure, compliant, and efficient data migration across international borders has become more crucial than ever. This paper introduces a new framework that combines natural language processing (NLP), and blockchain smart contracts to tackle the intricate legal issues involved in moving data across borders in cloud settings. The framework starts by utilizing an NLP model to ensure compliance with data protection regulations, such as GDPR, CCPA, and DPDPA, which are specific to the destination jurisdiction of the data. After confirming the verification, the smart contract initiates the data transfer process, securely recording metadata such as file hash, timestamp, and transfer details on the blockchain, guaranteeing transparency and immutability. After the transfer, an international vendor at the destination verifies the data against the relevant legal requirements, guaranteeing compliance before storing it in the destination cloud. By adopting this approach, we can ensure the legal validity of cross-border data transfers, while also promoting trust and accountability among all parties involved in smart city ecosystems. The findings indicate that this framework has the potential to greatly reduce the risks associated with data sovereignty, liability, and contractual obligations when moving data to the cloud.
Impact of Treatment with Direct Antivirals on Coagulation Parameters in Patients with HCV-related Liver Cirrhosis and Sustained Virological Response
Authors: Huiban Laura , Stanciu Carol , Muzica Cristina Maria , Girleanu Irina , Avram Raluca Ioana , Damian Ioana Roxana , Nastasa Robert , Stratina Ermina , Zenovia Sebastian , Minea Horia , Stafie Remus , Rotaru Adrian , Singeap Ana-Maria , Chiriac Stefan , Balmus Ioana Miruna , Trifan Anca
Published: August 2024

Background and Aims: Sustained virologic response (SVR) lead to the decrease of portal hypertension, the regression of fibrosis, the improvement of the hepatic synthesis of procoagulant and anticoagulant factors. We aimed to assess the influence of SVR on coagulation parameters in HCV cirrhotic patients treated with DAAs. Methods: We performed a prospective study in the Institute of Gastroenterology and Hepatology Iasi, Romania, between January 2022 and February 2024. We included patients diagnosed with compensated and decompensated HCV-related liver cirrhosis, treated with direct antivirals (PrOD ± RBV or SOF/LED ± RBV) for 12/24 weeks. Blood samples for biochemical, immunological and coagulation tests were collected at baseline, EOT and SVR12/24. Results: We analyzed a group of 52 patients with HCV-related liver cirrhosis, predominantly female (68.0%), the degree of severity of cirrhosis placed the patients mainly in Child-Pugh classes B (40%) and C (36%). All patients achieved SVR. The MELD score decrease at EOT (13.48 ± 4.273; p =0.001), and SVR (9.88 ± 2.774; p = 0.000), compared to baseline (14.92 ± 4.707). Fibroscan values decreased at SVR (17.596 ± 3.7276; p = 0.000) compared to baseline (26.068 ± 7.0954). For all common coagulation parameters (platelets, INR, PT, fibrinogen, aPTT) there was a trend towards improvement during treatment, changes that were statistically significant for the majority of patients. Factor II low at baseline (75.40 ± 7.506), increases at EOT (87.40 ± 9.587), and later at SVR (99.12 ± 11.695; p = 0.000). FVIII values increased at baseline (175.52 ± 16.414) decrease at EOT (151.48 ± 13.703) and SVR (143.40 ± 13.937). FvW values decreased during treatment (146.84 ± 9.428 – baseline, 141.32 ± 9.690; p =0.000 – EOT, 126.68 ± 17.960 – SVR). In regards to the anticoagulant factors (PC, PS, ATIII), a significant improvement was brought on by SVR. Advanced stages of liver disease showed the most diminished FII activity, while at baseline and in Child-Pugh C patients we recorded the highest values of FVIII and FvW. Conclusions: Our study proved that the “reset” of the coagulopathy might be due to the improving of the liver function due to viral eradication secondary to AAD therapy.
Autonomous Planetary Liquid Sampler (APLS) for In-Situ Sample Acquisition and Handling from Liquid Environments
Authors: Nazarious Miracle Israel , Becker Leonie , Zorzano Maria-Paz , Martin-Torres Javier
Published: August 2024

Many natural and artificial liquid environments such as rivers, oceans, lakes, water storage tanks, aquariums, and urban water distribution systems, are difficult to access. As a result, technology is needed to enable autonomous liquid sampling to monitor water quality and ecosystems. The existing in-situ sample acquisition and handling systems for liquid environments are currently limited to a single use and are semi-autonomous, relying on an operator. Liquid sampling systems should be robust and light and withstand long-term operation in remote locations. The system components involved in liquid sampling should be sterilisable to ensure reusability. Here, we introduce a prototype of a liquid sampler that can be used in various liquid environments and may be valuable for the scientific characterisation of different natural, remote, and planetary settings. The Autonomous Planetary Liquid Sampler (APLS) is equipped with pre-programmed fully autonomous extraction, cleaning, and sterilisation functionalities. It can operate in temperatures between -10 ℃ and 60 ℃ and pressure of up to 0.24 MPa (~24 m depth below mean sea level on Earth). As part of the control experiment, we demonstrate its safe and robust autonomous opera-tion in a laboratory environment using a liquid media with Bacillus subtilis. A typical sampling procedure required 28 s to extract 250 mL of liquid, 5 s to fill the MilliQ water, 25 s for circulation within the system for cleaning and disposal, and 200 s to raise the system temperature from ~30 °C ambient laboratory temperature to 150 °C. The temperature is then maintained for another 3.2 hours to sterilise the critical parts, allowing a setup reset for a new experiment. In the future, the liquid sampler will be combined with various existing analytical instruments to characterise the liquid solution and enable the autonomous, systematic monitoring of liquid environments on Earth.
Enhanced Mapping for Ecosystem Management: Evaluating the Accuracy of Sentinel-1 and Sentinel-2 Data Fusion Compared to Sole Sentinel-2 Using Random Forest Classification
Authors: Sarker Sajib , Wang Xin , Azad Abul
Published: August 2024

Recent advances in satellite technology have brought enormous potential to ecosystem mapping, which is one of the fundamental components of environmental studies. In this paper, a Random Forest classifier is applied for the strict assessment of the efficiency of ecosystem mapping through a detailed comparative analysis between combined Sentinel-1 and Sentinel-2 data and stand-alone Sentinel-2 imagery over three priority ecosystems, including wetlands, riverine areas, and mangroves in Bangladesh. The collocated images, based on the integration of Sentinel-1 data with Sentinel-2 data, would do better than Sentinel-2 imagery alone over various ecosystems. Particularly, in this study, attention focused on the Hakaluki Haor area for the wetlands, the Padma-Jamuna River confluence for the riverine ecosystem, and the Sundarban forest for mangroves. By leveraging Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) data in C-band dual-polarization from Sentinel-1 and four spectral bands (blue, green, red, and near-infrared) from Sentinel-2, the study analyzes imagery from December 2022 to February 2023. A 5% cloud masking filter is applied to optical data to enhance accuracy. In this methodology, 70% of the total signature values are used for training the classification model and the remaining 30% for testing. It can be noticed from the results that with the use of fused data, remarkably high accuracy in classification has been improved, such as overall accuracies of 94.17% for mangroves, 87.30% for riverine, and 85.96% for wetland ecosystems. In contrast, the use of singular Sentinel-2 imagery yields lower accuracies of 91.56%, 85.21%, and 82.51% for the respective ecosystems. The integration of radar data is shown to provide critical information, especially in environments with dense vegetation or cloud cover, where optical data alone may be insufficient. The findings of this study underline the limitations of relying on Sentinel-2 imagery to capture complex details of diverse ecosystems and highlight the need to include Sentinel-1 data for a more holistic analysis. This fusion allows improved accuracy to be achieved, which not only brings in more depth of ecological knowledge but also underpins more effective conservation strategies.
Antiproliferative And Ultrastructural Analysis Triggered by Drugs Contained In The Medicines for Malaria Venture Covid-Box Against Toxoplasma gondii Tachyzoites
Authors: Costa Andreia Luiza Oliveira , dos Santos Mike , Lopes Rosalida Estevam Nazar , Vommaro Rossiane C. , Martins-Duarte Érica S.
Published: August 2024

Toxoplasma gondii is a protozoan and the etiologic agent of toxoplasmosis causes high mortality in immunocompromised individuals and newborns. Despite the medical importance of toxoplasmosis, few drugs are available for its treatment, which are associated with side events and parasite resistance. Here, we show a screening of molecules present in Covid-Box as a way of discovering new hits with anti-T. gondii activity. Covid-Box contains 160 molecules with known or predicted activity against SARS-CoV-2. Our analysis selected 23 Covid-Box molecules that can inhibit the tachyzoite forms of the RH strain of T. gondii in vitro by more than 70% at 1 µM after seven days of treatment. The inhibitory curves showed that most of these molecules inhibited the proliferation of tachyzoites with IC50 values below 0.80 µM; Cycloheximide and (-)-Anisomycin were the most active drugs, with IC50 values of 0.02 μM. Cell viability assays showed that the compounds are not toxic at active concentrations, and most are highly selective for parasites. Overall, all 23 compounds were selective, and for three of them (Apilimod, Midostaurin, and Salinomycin), this is the first report of activity against T. gondii. To better understand the effect of the drugs, we analyzed the effect of six of them on the ultrastructure of T. gondii using transmission electron microscopy. The main changes observed in parasite morphology after treatment with the selected drugs were changes in cell division and parasite organelles.
Creation of an Experimental Animal Model for the Study of Postmortal Dark Scleral Spots
Authors: Nioi Matteo , Napoli Pietro Emanuele , Nieddu Domenico , Chighine Alberto , Fossarello Maurizio , D'Aloja Ernesto
Published: August 2024

: The phenomenon of dark scleral spots postmortem is well-known in forensic pathology, first de-scribed by Sommers in 1833. Despite this, their presence is currently considered a nonspecific sign, and their pathogenesis has received little attention in forensic literature. In recent years, however, preliminary studies have suggested new mechanisms in their pathogenesis and links to specific types of death. This study aims to create a model for studying scleral spots using an animal model. Thirty-three sheep, already slaughtered for food, were used. After decapitation, the heads were transported to an environment with known temperature and humidity. The right eye underwent eyelid excision, while the left eye's eyelids were sutured. Continuous observation for approximately 24 hours was conducted, with brief interruptions to observe the closed eyes. Macroscopic obser-vation revealed dark scleral spots in 100% (20 out of 20) of the open eyes after an average of 240.96± 58,36 minutes. The spots did not appear in any of the closed eyes. Experimental data indicate that, despite the different location compared to human cadavers, this model serves as an excellent ex-perimental framework for studying postmortem scleral spots.
The Relationship between Vitamin D Levels, Insulin Resistance and Monocyte to HDL-
-Cholesterol Ratio in Children
Authors: Okuyan Omer , Dumur Seyma , Elgormus Neval. , Uzun Hafize
Published: August 2024

Objective: In this study, we investigated vitamin D, inflammatory hematologic ratios such as neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), MHR and plasma atherogenic index (PAI) and possible relationships with insulin resistance in children. Methods: A total of 210 individuals, including 96 children with insulin resistance and 114 children without insulin resistance, aged 6-18 years, who were admitted to the Pediatric Endocrinology Outpatient Clinic at Medicine Hospital, Istanbul Atlas University were included in our study. Result: NLR, PLR, SII and MHR were significantly higher in patients with insulin resistance compared to those without. Fasting insulin, PAI, HOMA-IR, HOMA- were significantly higher and QUICKI was significantly lower in patients with insulin resistance compared to those without insulin resistance. NLR, SII and MHR were lower in normal vitamin D groups than the others were (p
The Effect of Positive Self-Talk on Standing Long Jump Training in Healthy Adults
Authors: Jeon Eun Young , Kang Seung Hyeon , Nam Yeon Gyo , Oh Sung Yeon , Nam Yeon Gyo
Published: August 2024

The abstract should be an objective representation of the article and it must not contain results that are not presented and substantiated in the main text and should not exaggerate the main conclusions. This study investigated whether positive self-talk (ST) over 4 weeks would improve standing long jump (SLJ) performance in men and women in their 20s. The participants of this study were 36 men and 28 women, selected through interviews with male and female students. The test subjects’ performance was measured 10 times over a 4-week period, 2-3 sessions per week. In the experimental group, participants performed SLJ while reciting positive ST; the control group performed SLJ without any specific conditions. A pre-and post-intervention survey was conducted using the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSE). The results revealed a significant difference in the performance of experimental group (p < 0.05), while no significant difference was observed in the control group. RSE survey results also showed a significant difference only in the experimental group (p < 0.05). These findings indicate that self-affirmation yields positive effects on SLJ performance.
The State of UAS Operations at Airports, A Perspective from Airport Managers
Authors: Lercel Damon
Published: August 2024

As the number of Uncrewed Aircraft Systems (UAS) operating in our National Airspace System (NAS) increases, so do UAS operations near or at an airport. The accelerating technology in Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) along with the related business opportunities will only further increase UAS operations at airports. This continued growth in new UAS technologies and applications introduces new hazards and risks to the airport environment. This proliferation of UAS highlights the importance of airports developing a robust Safety Management System (SMS) that includes specific UAS risk mitigations. To date, there is currently little empirical data regarding UAS traffic around airports. Nor is there a system to collect this data at a national level. This study attempted to gain insight into the commercial UAS operations across a broader airport population by surveying the airport manager population here in the United States. Research results found that 62% of airports are experiencing an increase in UAS operations in their surrounding airspace. This increase applies to all airspace classifications, with 67% of airports located in controlled airspace experiencing an increase in UAS operations. However, only 27% of airports have some type of UAS safety plan. Similarly, the increase in adverse UAS events near airports suggests that UAS operators may also lack robust safety plans or an understanding of the risks and regulations associated with operating near airports.
Telling Tales (Tails): Factors Associated with Older People’s Anxiety Symptom Positioning after COVID-19
Authors: Low Gail , AliSher Anila Naz , Morero Juceli , Gao Zhiwei , Gutman Gloria , Franca Alex , VonHumboldt Sofia
Published: August 2024

This study sheds light on personal characteristics of and the coping strategies that older Canadians self-identifying as severely anxious post-COVID-19 were more and less prone to gravitate to. Our studied sample consisted of 606 older people residing in 10 Canadian provinces. Participants completed the Geriatric Anxiety Scale – 10 and a personal checklist of everyday coping strategies for mitigating anxiety. Severely anxious older Canadians tended to be in their 60s, and in poor to fair health. They were not significantly more likely to be women or to be chronically ill, nor to self-identify as non-binary or as having a life partner. Older Canadians experiencing severe anxiety were, however, far more likely to normalize their fear and anxiety, challenge their worries, and to relax or meditate. They were less inclined to decrease other sources of stress in their lives, to stay active, and to get enough sleep. We offer anticipatory guidance for mental health program planners and practitioners, and researchers, fruitful avenues of inquiry.
A Systems Firm-Centered Perspective on the Environmental Assessment of Recyclable PET and Glass Soft Drink Containers
Authors: Adamides Emmanuel D. , Syrigos Antonios D.
Published: August 2024

This paper adopts a systems firm-centered perspective on the environmental assessment of recyclable glass and PET soft drink containers. We employ LCA and discrete-event simulation modelling for the environmental assessment of the two soft drinks packaging alternatives in operational terms, over the entire supply chain, over a period of three years. The assessment is based on real data collected from a large soft-drinks producer and its suppliers. The research and practice contribution of the paper is twofold: first, it introduces a methodological framework for environmental assessment of companies’ packaging environmental impact under different product and operations strategies, and secondly, it provides a holistic environmental assessment of the two packaging materials (PET and glass) taking into account specific operational issues, such as product mix and recycling and reuse options, and activity interdependences and stochasticity. The results of the simulation experiments confirm at system level, for glass, the importance for sustainability, to increase the number of reuse cycles and the percentage of used bottles collected for refilling, whereas for PET, to increase the percentage of recycled PET in new bottles.
Developing a Mobility as a Service Status Index: A Quantitative Approach Using Mobility Market and Macroeconomic Metrics
Authors: Fian Tabea , Hauger Georg
Published: August 2024

Despite the growing adoption of Mobility as a Service (MaaS) in urban transportation systems, standard monitoring methods for evaluating its impact and effectiveness still need to be developed. This study proposes a quantitative state of MaaS analysis based on mobility market indicators and macroeconomic metrics to generate a MaaS Status Index (MSI). The intention is to introduce a standardised quantitative methodology for systematically assessing and comparing the state of MaaS in urban mobility systems. The MSI aims to quantitatively capture the economic, social, technological, and infrastructural conditions relevant to MaaS implementation. The methodology includes four steps: identifying relevant mobility markets, defining mobility market metrics, integrating macroeconomic metrics, and deriving the MSI formula. We apply the MSI methodology to the Austrian mobility market as a case study, demonstrating its practicality in assessing MaaS readiness and highlighting specific challenges and opportunities within the Austrian mobility system. The analysis covers the present (2017-2022) and the projected future (2023-2028). The findings indicate that the proposed MSI is an effective tool for evaluating MaaS implementation readiness.
Relationship of Serum Zonulin Level with Renal Functions, Systemic Inflammation and Endothelial Dysfunction in Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease
Authors: Kirik Ali , Toprak Omer , Sen Hacer , Uysal Saliha , Kocyigit Suleyman Emre , Bilgicler İldeniz , Parlak Elif , Mutlu Tugcin , Bascı Ozge Kama
Published: August 2024

Background and Objectives: Zonulin is a molecule that has been identified as an intestinal permeability marker in recent years. Zonulin previously linked to Diabetes Mellitus, Obesity and Cardiovascular Disease but but its role in chronic kidney disease (CKD) was unclear. This study aims to investigate the relationship between Zonulin and systemic inflammation (SI), endothelial dysfunction (ED), especially renal functions, in patients with CKD. Materials and Methods: One hundred sixty-three participants were enrolled in this study. All participants were divided into two groups, patient and control groups, according to the presence of CKD (eGFR
Lightweight Chip Pad Real-Time Alignment Detection Method and Application Based on Improved YOLOv5s
Authors: Zou Yanli , Zhang Zongjian , Zhou Chiyang , Tan Yufei
Published: August 2024

Chip pad alignment inspection is of great importance in the industrial field. However, due to the fact that chip pads are usually small, problems such as misdetection and missed detection often occur. When applying deep learning methods for chip pad detection, it is necessary to ensure accurate detection of small target chips while meeting the requirements of lightweight detection models for industrial needs. To solve the above problems, this paper proposes a lightweight model based on improved YOLOv5s. Firstly, the feature extraction part is improved to increase the network's focus on the target. Secondly, the feature fusion layer is improved to double the resolution of the prediction head, and the context-aware network is designed to enhance the context-capture ability of key features of small targets. Finally, SIoU is adopted as the loss function to improve the speed and accuracy of the regression frame. The experimental results show that the improved YOLOv5s algorithm improves the detection accuracy by 2.3% and reduces the network parameters by 81.8% compared to the original algorithm. The improved algorithm is combined with image processing techniques to design correction methods for alignment anomalies and realize real-time alignment anomaly correction in industry.
The Critical Magnetic Field and Current Density of an Entangled Yttrium Barium Copper Oxide Superconductor Using Ginzburg‐Landau Theory
Authors: Kundu Moses Simiyu , Wakhu Bernard Rapando , Ndinya Boniface
Published: August 2024

This work focuses on the theoretical study of the effect of entanglement in the Yttrium Barium Copper Oxide (YBCO) superconductor on the critical current density, critical magnetic field, and penetration depth. Using the Ginzburg Landau (GL) theory, the expression for the GL coherence length, the critical current density, the lower critical magnetic field (Hc1), and the upper critical magnetic field (Hc2) for the entangled superconducting YBCO was obtained. At zero external magnetic fields, YBCO was found to undergo a transition from the normal state to the superconducting state at 93K and returned to normal. We found a direct relationship between the GL coherence length penetration depth and the temperature of the entangled superconducting YBCO. The graphs of the lower critical magnetic field (Hc1) and critical current density against temperature show a non-linear dependence.In contrast, the graph of the upper critical magnetic field (Hc2) against temperature (T) shows the linear dependence, which is in agreement with existing theoretical observations. On the other hand, the graph of critical current density against the distance of separation between the entangled electrons that form a cooper pair showed that the critical current density increases between 1.8 and 6 nanometers attaining a constant value after reaching 7 nanometers for infinite distances. Finally, for lower critical fields, the magnetic field decreases between 1.5 to 6 nanometers attaining a constant value of the magnetic field, for infinite values of distance of separation between the entangled pair of electrons
Emerging Roles for Sphingolipids in Cardiometabolic Disease: A Rational Therapeutic Target?
Authors: Foran Daniel , Antoniades Charalambos , Akoumianakis Ioannis
Published: August 2024

Cardiovascular disease is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality. New research elucidates in-creasingly complex relationships between cardiac and metabolic health, giving rise to new possible therapeutic targets. Sphingolipids are a heterogenous class of bioactive lipids with critical roles in normal human physiology. They have also been shown to play both protective and deleterious roles in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular disease. This review will explore the roles of Sphingolipids in vascular, cardiac, and metabolic pathologies and will evaluate the therapeutic potential in targeting Sphingolipids with the aim of prevention and reversal of cardiovascular disease, in order to improve long-term cardiovascular outcomes.
COVID-19 Vaccination and Vaccine Hesitancy in the Gaza Strip from a Cross-Sectional Survey in 2023: Prevalence, Risk Factors, and Associations with Health System Interventions
Authors: Majer Jennifer , Elhissi Jehad H. , John-Kall Jill , Kostandova Natalya
Published: August 2024

Preventing COVID-19 in Gaza is crucial due to the devastation of advanced health services infrastructure by war. Despite the high protection offered by COVID-19 vaccines against severe disease, a 2021 survey in Gaza found only half of the population vaccinated and one-third vaccine hesitant. This follow-up study conducted in March 2023 aimed to re-evaluate vaccination levels, hesitancy, exposure to vaccine promotion efforts, and other risk factors in Gaza. A community-based cross-sectional survey with multistage stratified sampling was used. Associations of primary exposures and other determinants with vaccine status and hesitancy were quantified using bivariate and multivariate logistic regression. In 2023, 63.5% of adults received at least one vaccine dose compared to 49.1% in 2021. Vaccine hesitancy prevalence was 31.7% in 2023 versus 34.1% in 2021 (p=0.395). Adjusted odds of vaccination were 4.2 times higher among those referred by health workers compared to those not referred. Adjusted odds of vaccine hesitancy among those who received information on the vaccine from health workers were 0.3 times that of people who did not receive information. Results suggest health workers could play a crucial role in future vaccination strategies, as their vaccine promotion efforts were linked to better vaccine outcomes. Investing in the skills development of community health workers to contribute to these efforts is recommended.
Visceral Leishmaniasis Following A+AVD Treatment in a Patient with Classical Hodgkin’s Lymphoma: Case Report and Review of the Literature
Authors: Banegas Daniela Estefania , Moioli Alessia , Santoni Eleonora , Tagliavini Erica , Quaglia Francesca Maria , Bernardelli Andrea , Visco Carlo
Published: August 2024

We report the case of a 45-year-old Caucasian man who was treated upfront with brentuximab vedotin (A) and doxorubicin, vinblastine, and dacarbazine (AVD; A+AVD) for advanced-stage classical Hodgkin's lymphoma (cHL). Right after completing the 6th cycle of induction therapy, he developed serotine fever, progressive clinical deterioration, symptomatic splenomegaly and se-vere anemia. Extensive infectious disease evaluations and serial PET scans were conducted to rule out lymphoma progression. Finally, a diagnosis of visceral leishmaniasis (VL) was performed. The patient was treated with parenteral amphotericin B, with rapid and complete resolution of clinical and laboratory abnormalities. We described this rare case of infectious complication after A+AVD delivered for cHL, and we performed a comprehensive review of the literature on the occurrence of VL in the context of non-HL and cHL, since this infection is becoming increasingly prevalent in non-tropical countries.
Pre-Crop and Residue Management Effects on Photosynthesis Efficiency and Grain Yield of Dryland Wheat Genotypes
Authors: Lotfi Ramin , Golkari Saber , Abbasi Amin , Rahimzadeh Reza , Mohammadzadeh Arash , Pessarakli Mohammad
Published: August 2024

To evaluate dryland wheat genotypes' performance to different pre-crop and residue management under dryland conditions, a split-split plot experiment based on RCB design with three replications was conducted for two years (2017-2018 and 2018-2019). The site of study's long-term average precipitation, temperature, and relative humidity are 376 mm, 9 ◦C, and 50%, respectively. Wheat-wheat and vetch-wheat cropping systems were considered in the main plots, different wheat and vetch residue levels including 0, 2, and 4 t ha-1 were located in subplots, and five dryland wheat genotypes including Sadra, Hashtroud, Baran, Varan, and Ohadi were allocated in sub-sub plots. Results indicated that leaf chlorophyll content index (CCI) and stomatal conductance (gs) were greater in the vetch-wheat cropping system compared to the wheat monoculture system for all genotypes. Normalized differences vegetative index (NDVI) of genotypes improved by applying the crop residue. Over two years, the application of crop residues resulted in higher variable fluorescence at J and I steps as well as an increase in the photosynthesis performance index (PI). Varan and Baran genotypes stood out as the superior genotype, exhibiting the highest values physiological characteristics and grain yield under the application of 4 t ha-1 of vetch residue. Grain filling rate (GFR) was reduced, while grain filling duration (GFD) was increased with increasing the crop residue levels. The enhanced grain yield of wheat genotypes grown under vetch residue attributed to the factors such as improvement in leave pigments and photosynthetic efficiency which facilitate longer grain filling duration with high grain weight. As a result, it is advisable to adopt a vetch-wheat cropping system with a high proportion of crop residue in dryland regions to achieve increased and sustainable wheat production.
Socio-Demographic Factors, Behaviors, Motivations, and Attitudes in Food Waste Management of Romanian Households
Authors: Morosan Elena , Dărăban Adriana Maria , Popovici Violeta , Rusu Andreea , Ilie Elena Iuliana , Licu Monica , Karampelas Oana , Lupuliasa Dumitru , Ozon Emma Adriana , Maravela Vanessa-Maria , Popescu Ioana Andreea
Published: August 2024

(1) Background: Food waste (FW) in Romania is 70 Kg/capita/year, while 70% of food waste comes from public catering, retail services, and households (over 50% – 47 million tons). (2) Methods: A cross-sectional observational study was conducted using an online questionnaire via the Google Forms platform from 15 April 2023 to 15 May 2023. The questionnaire was designed to assess various aspects, such as some socio-demographic information (age, sex, occupation, area of residence, study level, household members number, children < 18 years of age); the personal involvement and frequency of food purchases and homemade food cooking; the main sources that generate food waste; the motivation and frequency with which food waste occurs; the level of awareness regarding the impact of food waste; the respondents' intentions regarding sustainable behaviors and practices food management; the level of information and familiarity of the respondents with the notions of validity and how these may influence their food consumption decisions. (3) The results show that FW incidence is occasionally (42%), very rarely (43.33%), frequently (15%), and no food waste was reported by 2.66% of respondents. The [35-44] age category records the highest FW frequency, followed by [18-24]. The most wasted are homemade food (29.67%), bread and bakery products (27.00%), and fruits and vegetables (14.33%). High involvement in purchasing and buying food following a previously established list reduces FW frequency. The same is valid for high daily involvement in food and homemade cooking. High interest in the FW problem and its perception as a waste of money leads to diminishing it, while guilty feelings increase the FW level (37.50% to 73.33%). (4) Conclusions: The present study shows that household food waste management is a multifactorial process that involves numerous socio-demographic, behavioral, and emotional aspects. Extensive data analysis supports our results, revealing deep self-reported information details and confirming its complex approach.
Tumor Heterogeneity in Gastrointestinal Cancer based on Multimodal Data Analysis
Authors: Ai Dongmei , Du Yang , Duan Hongyu , Qi Juan , Wang Yuduo
Published: August 2024

The abstract should be a total of about 250 words and structured to contain the following headings: Background/Objectives, Methods, Results, Conclusions. Background/Objectives: Place the question addressed in a broad context and highlight the purpose of the study; Methods: Describe briefly the main methods or treatments applied. Include any relevant preregistration numbers, and species and strains of any animals used; Results: Summarize the article’s main findings; Conclusions: Indicate the main conclusions or interpretations. The abstract should be an objective representation of the article: it must not contain results which are not presented and substantiated in the main text and should not exaggerate the main conclusions. Clinical trial abstracts should include items that the CONSORT group has identified as essential.
Grammar-Based Computational Framework for Predicting Pseudoknots of K-Type and M-Type in RNA Secondary Structures
Authors: Pavlatos Christos
Published: August 2024

Understanding the structural intricacies of RNA molecules is essential for deciphering numerous biological processes. Traditionally, scientists have relied on experimental methods to gain insights and draw conclusions. However, the recent advent of advanced computational techniques has significantly accelerated and refined the accuracy of research results in several areas. A particularly challenging aspect of RNA analysis is the prediction of its secondary structure, which is crucial for elucidating its functional role in biological systems. This paper deals with the prediction of pseudoknots in RNA, focusing on two types of pseudoknots: K-type and M-type pseudoknots. Pseudoknots are complex RNA formations in which nucleotides in a loop form base pairs with nucleotides outside the loop and thus contribute to essential biological functions. Accurate prediction of these structures is crucial for understanding RNA dynamics and interactions. Building on our previous work in which we developed a framework for the recognition of H- and L-type pseudoknots, an extended grammar-based framework tailored to the prediction of K- and M-type pseudoknots is proposed. This approach uses syntactic pattern recognition techniques and provides a systematic method to identify and characterize these complex RNA structures. Our framework uses context-free grammars (CFGs) to model RNA sequences and predict the occurrence of pseudoknots. By formulating specific grammatical rules for type K and type M pseudoknots, we enable efficient parsing of RNA sequences to recognize potential pseudoknot configurations. This method ensures an exhaustive exploration of possible pseudoknot structures within a reasonable time frame. In addition, the proposed method incorporates essential concepts of biology, such as base pairing optimization and free energy reduction, to improve the accuracy of pseudoknot prediction. These principles are crucial to ensure that the predicted structures are biologically plausible. By embedding these principles into our grammar-based framework, we aim to predict RNA conformations that are both theoretically sound and biologically relevant.
Determination of Local Heat Transfer Coefficients and Friction Factors at Variable Temperature and Velocity Boundary Conditions for Complex Flows
Authors: Hartmann Christopher , von Wolfersdorf Jens
Published: August 2024

Transient conjugate heat transfer measurements under varying temperature and velocity inlet boundary conditions at incompressible flow conditions were performed for flat plate and ribbed channel geometries. Therefrom local adiabatic wall temperatures and heat transfer coefficients are determined. Those data are analyzed using typical heat transfer correlations, e.g. Nu=CRe^mPr^n determining the local distribution of C and m. It is shown that they are closely linked. A relationship lnC=A−mB is observed with A and B as modeling parameters. They could be related to parameters in log law or power law representations for turbulent boundary layer flows. The parameter m is shown to have a close link to local pressure gradients and therewith near wall streamlines as well as friction factor distributions. A normalization of the C parameter allows to derive a Reynolds analogy factor and therefrom local wall shear stresses.