bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A New Theoretical Framework for Unification: The Surprising Link Between Newton’s Gravity and Coulomb’s Law
Authors: Roopkom Ittipat , Wisartpong Pichet , Jongchanachavawat Wirote , Stout Beverly , Mayteevarunyoo Thawatchai , Wardkein Paramote
Published: January 2025

This paper presents a unification framework linking Newtonian gravity and Coulomb’s electrostatic force, revealing a deeper connection between two fundamental interactions governed by inverse-square laws. Newton’s law explains the gravitational attraction between masses, essential for understanding large-scale cosmic structures, while Coulomb’s law describes the interactions between electric charges, which dominate atomic and subatomic scales. Despite their differences in strength and application, both forces exhibit striking structural and mathematical similarities, hinting at a shared underlying principle. At the heart of this framework lies the electron-gravitational coupling constant (αGe), a dimensionless parameter quantifying the relative weakness of gravity compared to electromagnetism, valued at approximately 2.4×10−43. This study synthesizes Coulombic and Newtonian forces into a cohesive interaction model by deriving a unified equation and formulating the electro-gravity framework. The proposed framework has significant implications for understanding fundamental forces, uncovering potential symmetries underlying physical laws, and bridging the divide between classical and quantum mechanics. It also offers fresh insights into the relationship between gravity and electromagnetism, marking a step toward the realization of unified field theories.
Kolmogorov-Arnold Network Model Integrated with Hypoxia Risk for Predicting PD-L1 Inhibitor Response in Hepatocellular Carcinoma
Authors: Huang Mohan , Chen Xinyue , Yi Jiang , Chan Lawrence Wing-Chi
Published: January 2025

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a leading cause of cancer-related deaths, with immunotherapy being a first-line treatment at the advanced stage and onwards. Hypoxia plays a critical role in tumor progression and resistance to therapy. This study develops and validates an artificial intelligence (AI) model based on publicly available genomics datasets to predict hypoxia-related immunotherapy responses. Based on the HCC-Hypoxia Overlap (HHO) and immunotherapy response to hypoxia (IRH) genes selected by differential expression and enrichment analyses, a hypoxia model was built and validated on TCGA-LIHC and GSE233802 datasets respectively. The training and test sets were assembled from the EGAD00001008128 dataset of 290 HCC patients and the response and non-response classes were balanced by the Synthetic Minority Over-Sampling Technique. With the genes selected by minimum Redundancy Maximum Relevance and stepwise forward methods, a Kolmogorov-Arnold Network (KAN) model was trained. Support Vector Machine (SVM) combined the Hypoxia and KAN models to predict immunotherapy response. The hypoxia model was constructed using 10 genes (IRH and HHO). The KAN model with 11 genes achieved a test accuracy of 0.7. The SVM integrating the hypoxia and KAN models achieved a test accuracy of 0.725. The established AI model can predict immunotherapy response based on hypoxia risk and genomic factors potentially intervenable in HCC patients.
AI-Driven Early Detection Systems for Chronic Diseases
Authors: Luz Ayuns , Gimah Mathew
Published: January 2025

AI-driven early detection systems for chronic diseases have emerged as powerful tools in revolutionizing healthcare by offering timely diagnoses, personalized treatment plans, and improved patient outcomes. These systems leverage advanced machine learning algorithms, including deep learning and predictive analytics, to process vast amounts of health data such as medical records, imaging, genetic information, and lifestyle patterns. By identifying subtle patterns and risk factors, AI can predict the onset of chronic conditions like diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and neurodegenerative disorders well before symptoms manifest, enabling proactive management. Additionally, AI systems can continuously adapt to new data, enhancing their accuracy and efficiency over time. Despite significant progress, challenges such as data privacy concerns, integration into existing healthcare infrastructures, and the need for large, diverse datasets remain. This paper explores the potential benefits, challenges, and future directions of AI in early chronic disease detection, emphasizing the integration of AI-driven solutions with clinical practice to ensure accessibility, effectiveness, and patient-centered care.
Master or Escape: Digitization-oriented Job Demands and Crafting and Withdrawal of Chinese Public Sector Employees
Authors: Huang Huan , Li Jiangyu
Published: January 2025

Public sector employees face the profound impact of digital work demands, especially with the advancement of China's digital government construction. This study explores the dual-edged consequence of digital job demands on the work behaviors of public sector employees in China by constructing a dual-path model. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to validate the data of 873 public sector employees. This study found that digital job demands increase civil servants' thriving at work, facilitating their job crafting behaviors and increasing their workplace anxiety, leading to their work withdrawal behavior. Furthermore, this study validates the moderating effects of promotion and preventive focus. This study provides managers in the public sector with valuable insights to develop digital job demands managing strategies and for civil servants to adapt their perceptions and behaviors in the digital context.
Telemedicine as an Approach to the Mental Health of Healthcare Workers in a Healthcare Network in Angola
Authors: Serra Edmilson , Magalhães Teresa
Published: January 2025

Introduction: African healthcare professionals face significant mental health challenges. Telemedicine, widely adopted during the pandemic, has shown promise in overcoming geographical barriers and improving access to mental healthcare.Objective: To identify the key factors influencing the adoption of telemedicine as a tool to support healthcare workers’ mental health in an Angolan healthcare network and to develop a telemedicine model tailored to this context. Methodology: A cross-sectional study was conducted, collecting quantitative data via a questionnaire applied to healthcare workers (n=275) and qualitative data through structured interviews (n=5) with psychologists and psychiatrists.Results: Previous experiences with mental health consultations, perceptions of teleconsultations, and the doctor-patient relationship were significant in influencing telemedicine adoption. Thematic analysis revealed four themes: perception and ease of telemedicine use, intention to use, and the perception of mental health in Angola. Key adoption factors included project feasibility, management support, training, payment policies, and adherence to legal, ethical, and deontological standards.Conclusion: Telemedicine can be a viable tool to support healthcare workers’ mental health. While there is clear intention to use it, establishing occupational mental health foundations in Angola’s healthcare network is essential. Overcoming barriers is crucial to incorporate digital transformation and create value.
The Driver Factors Affecting Consumer Behavior in Purchasing Canned Fish Products in Makassar City, Indonesia: Evidence from Binary Logistic Regression
Authors: Agung Firyal Nada Salsabila , Salam Muslim , Sulaiman Andi Amran , Jamil Muhammad Hatta , Arief Andi Adri , Munir Abdul Razak , Rahmadanih Rahmadanih , Fudjaja Letty , Heliawaty Heliawaty , Muslim Ahmad Imam
Published: January 2025

Due to major shifts in consumer behavior, instant food products—like canned fish products—are currently becoming widespread and consumed by a large number of people. Inevitably, this makes competition fiercer in this sector. Therefore, companies must focus on customer satisfaction and fulfillment to shape their purchasing decisions. This study aimed to examine the factors influencing consumers' decision to choose canned fish products. Eight independent variables—brand image, product quality, product price, product taste, product availability, product packaging, brand trust, and consumer satisfaction—were hypothesized to influence consumers' purchasing decisions in canned fish products as dependent variables. Primary data was collected through an online survey using pre-designed questionnaires to achieve the study objective. Then, the binary logistic regression was employed to analyze the data. The results of this study indicated that brand image, product quality, product taste, product availability, brand trust, and customer satisfaction significantly affected purchasing decisions for canned fish products. These findings serve as important indicators and valuable insights in promoting the canned fish product. These facts and findings indicate that company should recognize that improving product quality through innovation, competitive advantage strategies, and technology adoption are important advantages for the sustainable growth of canned fish products.
How Much Is the Removed Amount of Potassium with On-Line Hemodiafiltration Affected by the Filter Surface?
Authors: Mavromatidis Konstantinos S. , Kalogiannidou Irini M. , Katzel Achmet Gkiounai S.
Published: January 2025

Introduction: The potassium removed by various dialysis methods (pre- and post-dilution on-line hemodiafiltration) is not clear in the literature. The aim of the study was to investigate the amount of potassium eliminated with each session of pre- or post-dilution on-line hemodiafiltration with collection of the total ultrafiltrate in a tank. Materials and Methods: We studied in 10 dialyzed patients the removal of potassium by a polyetherosulfone dialysis filter. We sought to investigate whether the amount removed is related to filter surface area and type of dialysis. We examined the removal of potassium by on-line hemodiafiltration and post-dilution with high-flux filters, surface areas 2.5 m2 (Group A) and 2.1 m2 (Group B). We repeated the same process with low-flux filters with conventional hemodialysis (Group C), as well as with pre-dilution on-line hemodiafiltration and 2.5 m2 surface area filters (Group D). Results: Significantly higher potassium removal was noted with post-dilution on-line hemodiafiltration versus conventional haemodialysis, which was not affected by filter surface area, and also higher with pre-dilution on-line hemodiafiltration versus all other methods. The amounts of removed potassium even exceeded 300 mmol of potassium/dialysis session in some cases. Conclusions: It is concluded that, with on-line hemodiafiltration, much higher amounts of potassium are removed (mainly with pre-dilution) compared to conventional haemodialysis. The amount removed is not affected by the surface of the filter. The lower potassium levels of dialysate play an important role in this elimination.
Constructure and Feasibility of Micron Sized Fe3O4/PCL Biocomposite Scaffolds to Guide Magnetic Drug Delivery
Authors: Ge Jianhua , Drees Riley , Wang Aoran , Zhu Bo , Yang Shang-You
Published: January 2025

Adjuvant chemotherapy is a critical regime in cancer treatment. The Magnetic Targeted Drug Delivery System (MTDDS) can selectively aggregate chemotherapy agents at the target areas, which has attracted high attention due to its safety, high efficiency, and minimal side effects to the human body. It would be ideal to establish a tissue engineering scaffold that can not only reconstruct the defect from the surgical tumor removal, but also serve as a magnetic station to attract MTDDS to the local site to enhance the targeted drug delivery. The current study constructed polycaprolactone magnetic tissue engineering scaffolds with various micrometer-sized magnets. The degradation properties of the scaffolds were assessed in simulated body fluid (SBF), and primary mouse bone marrow stromal cells were used to evaluate the biocompatibility of the scaffolds to osteoblast differentiations. The scaffolds were further examined by implantation to an air pouch model on the back of BALB/c mice. The intro-peritoneal injected fluorescence-magnetic particles were enriched on the implanted magnetic scaffold, indicating that the magnetic scaffold can effectively attract magnetic substances. The hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining and the real time PCR results showed that the prepared magnetic tissue engineering scaffolds have good biocompatibility without cytotoxicity.
Elastin Peptides: A Disease Vector in the Pathogenesis of
Pulmonary Emphysema
Authors: Cantor Jerome
Published: January 2025

The degradation of elastic fibers is a fundamental characteristic of pulmonary emphysema, resulting in the release of proinflammatory elastin peptides. The findings discussed in this paper support the hypothesis that these peptides act as carriers of disease, interacting with elastin receptor complexes that promote inflammation, elastic fiber damage, and airspace enlargement. Studies from our laboratory show that the breakdown of these fibers is significantly enhanced by intratracheal instillation of elastin peptides in a lipopolysaccharide-induced model of acute lung injury. This result is consistent with a mechanism of elastic fiber injury in which an expanding pool of elastin peptides generates further elastolysis. The accelerating release of the peptides results in a self-perpetuating disease process with the features of an epidemic, where self-replicating agents spread disease. As in the case of an epidemic, elastin peptides resemble disease vectors that transmit alveolar wall injury throughout the lung. This concept may provide a framework for developing novel therapeutic approaches specifically designed to protect elastic fibers from various enzymatic and oxidative insults, thereby slowing the progression of a disease with no robust treatment options.
Empirical Time Complexity for Assessing the Algorithm Computational Consumption on a Hardware
Authors: Wu Yue , Cannistraci Carlo Vittorio
Published: January 2025

Scalability is an important aspect of algorithm design. Typical methods for accessing scalability in terms of running time include theoretical time complexity by algorithm analysis, and model-fitting time complexity derived from simulation results. However, theoretical time complexity often fails to account for real-world conditions in algorithm implementation such as influence from compilers, and lacks a simulation-based examination method. Alternatively, model-fitting time complexity is prone to learn a model with incorrect scaling orders. Here, we propose the empirical time complexity (ETC), which is a data-driven model-free and parameter-free method to account for the factors influencing an algorithm; for instance, the crosstalk between algorithm realization, compilation and hardware implementation. This can be used to guide code optimization and to gain algorithmic maximum efficiency for specific hardware, programming language or compiler. The values of ETC in function of an input variable form a curve that offers a visual representation of how an algorithm scale with input size. When the ETC curves of different versions of an algorithm are reported together with the theoretical time complexity curve, their comparison allows to select what versions are closer to the theoretical complexity. To showcase the utility of ETC in real scenarios, we investigated two sets of algorithms (graph shortest path and matrix multiplication) and we offer evidence on how ETC is crucial for diagnostic and optimized design of algorithms as close as possible to their theoretical limit.
The Second Exteroceptive Suppression Period of the Temporalis Muscle Is Altered in Migraine Patients With Allodynia
Authors: Rota Eugenia , Immovilli Paolo , Aguggia Marco , Saracco Maria Gabriella , Ghiglione Elisabetta , Melotti Antonella , Morelli Nicola
Published: January 2025

Background/Objectives
The study of the second exteroceptive suppression period (ES2) of the temporalis muscle could provide information as to the brainstem neural circuits involved in migraine pathophysiology.
Allodynia is known to be related to the sensitization of second/third order neurons in the trigeminal nucleus caudalis and sensory thalamus, respectively.
The aim of this observational, pilot study was to investigate the ES2 of the temporalis muscle in female migraineurs, with and without allodynia, in the interictal period, compared to controls.
Methods
A total of 49 non-consecutive female patients fulfilling the diagnostic criteria for migraine (13 with aura, 26 episodic 23 chronic), naïve from any pharmacological prophylactic treatment, without relevant comorbidities and 19 healthy controls were enrolled.
The exteroceptive suppression of the temporalis muscle activity was registered, according to international standards, in the interictal period. The presence of allodynia was assessed by the Allodynia Symptom Checklist.
Results
Twenty-four patients (50%) had allodynia, 16/24 (67%) were chronic migraineurs.
The ES2 latency and duration between the groups were compared by the Student’s t-test. There were no statistically significant differences in the ES2 latency or its duration between the migraine patients and controls. Conversely, the ES2 duration was significantly longer in allodynic migraineurs than in controls (p=0.04) and in allodynic than in non-allodynic migraineurs (p=0.04).
Conclusions
This study suggests that the increased duration of ES2 observed in allodynic migraineurs may reflect an impaired activity of brainstem circuits. Indeed, we suppose that this alteration in ES2 may be a neurophysiological correlate of central sensitization in migraine patients with allodynia.
Glycemic Goals and Lifestyle in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes
Authors: Rocha López Angélica Georgina , Campos-Solis Norma Erandi , Guzmán-Reguera América
Published: January 2025

Background: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a health problem in Mexico and the world. Its glycemic control is determined, not only by pharmacological treatment, but also by factors influenced by lifestyles. Objective: To determine the relationship between lifestyle and glycemic control goals in patients with T2DM. Methods: A descriptive, descriptive, retrospective, and cross-sectional study included 385 patients with T2DM treated at a first-level clinic in Uruapan–ISSSTE, from Nov-2021 to Feb-2022. The main clinical characteristics were collected and the Instrument to Measure Lifestyle in Diabetics (IMEVID) was applied. Glycemic control was determined by HbA1c. The analysis included measures of central tendency and dispersion, use of chi-square and Student's t-test with p < 0.05 as an indicator of significance. Results: The mean age of the participants was 47.7 years, 54.8% women, 55.1% obese, 9.4 years of disease evolution and HbA1c of 9.0%. Unfavorable lifestyles were associated with poor glycemic control HbA1c <7% (p < 0.0001), older age (48.4 vs 44.9 years, p = 0.0427), longer time of evolution (9.8 vs 7.6 years, p = 0.0397) and obesity (31.8 vs 26 kg/m2, 95% CI: 4.672 - 6.932, p < 0.0001).Conclusions: Unfavorable lifestyles are associated with poor glycemic control, mainly due to poor nutrition, sedentary lifestyle, anger and pessimistic thoughts on a regular basis, as well as poor adherence to treatment and following medical instructions.
Blockchain Interoperability for Future Telecoms
Authors: Bayraktar Suha , Gören Sezer , Serif Tacha
Published: January 2025

The inherent characteristics of blockchain, including immutability, self-execution, and removing intermediaries, consistently generate increasing interest in its applications within the telecom sector, making it an exciting area for investment. This literature review article aims to explore a promising research area known as blockchain interoperability. Interoperability seeks to connect two or more independent blockchains to exchange information. By leveraging the interoperability features of blockchain, independent telecom networks can seamlessly share information with other mobile, fixed, and next-generation networks. This results in improved security, efficiency, cost savings, and an enhanced customer experience. This study reviews highly cited research papers and literature to assess blockchain's relevance to telecom use cases for interoperability. Additionally, it presents prominent interoperability solutions and identifies essential requirements for successful blockchain interoperability implementation in the telecom sector. The findings highlight key research gaps and future directions for blockchain adoption in telecommunications, particularly for the forthcoming 6G.
Multi-Objective Optimization of Transonic Variable-Camber Airfoil with Leading and Trailing Edge Deflections Using Kriging Surrogate Model
Authors: Wang Wei , Feng He , Cui Shenao , Li Zhandong
Published: January 2025

To investigate the aerodynamic characteristics and multi-objective optimization of the variable camber transonic airfoils, the influence of leading and trailing edge deflection angles on aerodynamic performance is analyzed under different angles of attack and Mach numbers. A prediction model is developed based on a Kriging surrogate model, with leading and trailing edge deflection angles as inputs and lift coefficients and drag coefficients as outputs, NSGA-II multi-objective optimization algorithm is employed to determine the optimal deflection parameters for Mach numbers of 0.74, 0.75, and 0.76. The results show that leading edge upward deflection contributes to improve the lift-to-drag ratio, while downward deflection enhances the critical angle of attack. The trailing edge deflection has a relatively minor effect on the critical angle of attack, the downward deflection can improve the lift coefficient. Additionally, appropriate upward deflections of both the leading and trailing edges can delay the critical Mach number, while downward deflections of both edges can advance the critical Mach number. Compared to the basic airfoil, the optimized airfoil reduces the drag coefficient by 22.92%, 43.88% and 56.31% at the three Mach numbers, and increases the lift-to-drag ratio by 11.13%, 20.65%, and 24.89%, respectively, resulting in significant aerodynamic performance enhancement. The prediction errors between the Kriging model and simulation values are less than 6%, effectively improving computational efficiency.
Evaluating HOMER Software's Decision-Making Capabilities in Terms of Ecological Impact and Financial Benefits
Authors: ECHARRADI OTHMANE , Mounir Fahoume
Published: January 2025

The need to protect the environment against human-induced pollution is no longer to be demonstrated. Radical solutions are expected soon to mitigate the impact of climate change in the first step and then gradually improve the ecological situation in the second step. Several efforts on the part of governments and the scientific community are being deployed to better serve the planet. It is in this sense that this work is registered to bring a contribution to this field of study. What it is particularly intriguing about this work is its critical examination of a well-known software, aiming to underscore a significant finding that has been corroborated by multiple simulations even before this study. These simulations reveal that the so-called "best" proposals generated by the software are not as environmentally friendly as one might expect. While these solutions may be economically advantageous, they often fall short in terms of environmental sustainability. The primary aspiration for this work is that, through certain modifications to the algorithms, the platform can introduce a separate option. This option would cater to individuals who are more concerned with environmental respect, allowing them to take advantage of the benefits offered by the platform alongside those who prioritize profit. This work draws inspiration from a recently published paper titled "Ecological impact due to the implementation of a modeled and optimized hybrid system." In comparison to the previous work, this current study provides a wealth of additional details and aspires to make available to the general public a method that stands as a post-Homer study, while offering solutions tailored to those whose concerns lean more towards the well-being of our planet than financial gains.
Ethical Pathway for Safe Artificial Intelligence (AI) with Five Pillars
Authors: Siafakas Nikolaos
Published: January 2025

Artificial Intelligence (AI), the rapidly advancing science, has been beneficial for humanity so far. However, there are already significant dangers, and it is predicted that it may become life-threatening when (and if) AI reaches the level of super-AI, an AI stronger than humans. Therefore, it is of paramount importance to invent methods that will guard AI to remain friendly to the human race in the future. Digital Ethics may be one way to achieve safe AI. An Ethical pathway with five pillars: ethical courses and a Hippocratic-like oath for computer students, a global code of AI ethics, ethical committees, and trials to embed ethical principles into algorithms is discussed as an additional method for safe AI. Enhancing ethical knowledge and responsibilities of AI scientists in addition to a globally accepted treaty and a proper function of local ethical committees, the danger of mal uses of AI would minimized. Finally by 'vaccinating' AI algorithms with appropriate ethical and moral principles, the dream task of a more clever but also more ethical than the human machine may achieved.
Thermodynamic Stability of Clay Minerals in Boreal Forest Soils and Its Relationship to the Properties of Soil Organic Matter
Authors: Danilin Igor V. , Izosimova Yulia G. , Aimaletdinov Ruslan A. , Tolpeshta Inna I.
Published: January 2025

This paper assesses the thermodynamic stability of clay minerals in the upper organo-mineral horizon of podzolic soil, as well as in the rhizosphere of Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) H. Karst.) and Norway maple (Acer platanoides L.). Moreover, it determines the impact of soil organic matter on thermodynamic stability of clay minerals. Calculations of ΔGf and the saturation index (SI) for clay minerals in laboratory experiments simulating soil conditions without soil moisture outflow allowed us to find out that the thermodynamic stability of clay minerals decreased in the series: kaolinite > illite > vermiculite > chlorite. The spruce rhizosphere contained kaolinite, vermiculite and illite in the lowest thermodynamic stability, while the soil under maple showed the highest thermodynamic stability of clay minerals due to the differences in the properties of soil organic matter in the rhizospheres of different tree species. Laboratory experiments on the sorption of soil humic acid (HA) on clay minerals demonstrated that sorbed HA decreased the thermodynamic stability of biotite and increased the thermodynamic stability of kaolinite and muscovite. Thermodynamic stability of clay minerals decreased with increased proportion of sorbed thermolabile organic matter.
Risk of New-Onset Diabetes Mellitus and Cardiovascular Outcomes of Telmisartan in Hypertensive Patients
Authors: Lin Chihung , Huang Shu-Chun , Chen Jia-Jin , Li Yan-Rong , Yen Chieh-Li , Ho Wen-Yu , Sun Wei-Chiao , Fan Pei-Yi , Chen Kuan-Hsing , Hsiao Ching Chung
Published: January 2025

Background: Telmisartan, a widely used angiotensin II receptor blocker (ARB) with partial peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma (PPAR-γ) activity, may confer additional cardiovascular and metabolic benefits. However, evidence comparing telmisartan with other ARBs in terms of major cardiovascular outcomes and risk of new-onset diabetes remains limited
Method: 59767 patients with hypertension and ARB use between January 1, 2007 to December 31, 2017 were identified from the Chang Gung Research Database (CGRD), a multi-institutional electronic medical record database in Taiwan. Patients prescribed telmisartan or other ARBs for at least six months were included. Propensity score matching (1:4) was applied to balance baseline characteristics. Primary outcomes were new-onset diabetes mellitus(DM), major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) (non-fatal myocardial infarction, non-fatal stroke and CV death) and all cause mortality.Secondary outcomes include hospitalization for heart failure and malignancy.The risks of new-onset DM, MACE, and mortality were compared between two groups using Cox proportional hazards models. In addition, we performed analyzes using Fine and Gray sub-distribution hazard models that considered death a competing risk.
Result: A total of 15,160 patients (telmisartan: 3,032; other ARBs: 12,128) were included after matching. Telmisartan users had a significantly lower risk of 3P-MACE (aHR 0.88, 95% CI 0.80–0.97, p = 0.0074) and non-fatal MI (aHR 0.68, 95% CI 0.52–0.90, p = 0.006) compared to other ARB users. No significant differences were observed for new-onset DM (aHR 1.06, 95% CI 0.88–1.28, p = 0.54), cardiovascular death (aHR 0.86, 95% CI 0.62–1.18, p = 0.35), or other outcomes such as stroke or hospitalization for heart failure.
Conclusion: Telmisartan is associated with superior cardiovascular protection which mainly attributed to reducing risks of non-fatal MI compared to other ARBs, while exhibiting a neutral effect on risk of new-onset DM. These findings suggest telmisartan may be a preferred ARB for hypertensive patients at high cardiovascular risk. Further prospective studies are warranted to validate these results and explore the underlying mechanisms.
The Role of Immunonutrition in Head and Neck Surgeries: An Umbrella Review on Reducing Post-Operative Hospital Stay
Authors: Nonato de Menezes Rafaela , Monteiro Costa Sousa Aline Pinto , Rodrigues Yasmin da Silva , Azevedo Paula Sampaio de , Marchione do Nascimento Luis Henrique , de Melo Wesley Soares , Ferreira de Sousa Danilo
Published: January 2025

Objective: This umbrella review investigates the influence of immunonutrition on postoperative outcomes in patients undergoing surgical treatment for head and neck cancer. The primary focus is to determine whether supplementation with immunomodulatory nutrients enhances recovery, reduces surgical complications, and shortens hospital stay durations. Method: Systematic reviews of randomized controlled trials were analyzed, sourced from prominent databases including PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, and Cochrane Library. Searches employed MeSH terms targeting immunonutrition and surgical procedures in head and neck oncology. Two independent reviewers conducted the selection and extraction of relevant studies, resolving discrepancies through consensus. Methodological rigor was evaluated using AMSTAR 2 and ROBIS tools, and the certainty of evidence was graded via the GRADE framework. Statistical assessments utilized Bayesian modeling to estimate pooled effects and evaluate heterogeneity. Results: The analysis encompassed ten high-quality reviews comparing immunonutrition interventions to standard perioperative care. Findings demonstrated a modest but significant reduction in hospital stay duration (effect size: 0.18; 95% CI: 0.02–0.35), suggesting a potential benefit of immunonutrition. Nonetheless, considerable variability in supplementation regimens and reported outcomes across studies underscores the need for protocol standardization and consistent reporting. Conclusion: Immunonutrition emerges as a valuable strategy in optimizing postoperative care for head and neck cancer patients, with evidence pointing to reduced hospitalization times and improved recovery trajectories. However, more robust and harmonized research is required to establish comprehensive guidelines and confirm these preliminary findings.
Characterisation of a Chondrus crispus Stakehouse Hydrolysate for Functional, Nutritional and Bioactive Benefits and Application as an Emulsifier in Baked Goods
Authors: Bhati Dolly , Mora Leticia , Hayes Maria
Published: January 2025

Alternative protein ingredients and vegan products are in demand by consumers due to environmental, animal welfare, and economic reasons associated with consumption of soy and animal proteins. Herein, we describe the development of a marine plant (seaweed) alternative protein ingredient developed from the red seaweed Chondrus crispus Stakehouse and its application as an alternative to egg as an emulsifier ingredient in a vegan fairy cake recipe. Development of alternative proteins faces challenges in recent years including increased costs for production and growing competition. For these reasons, the generation and characterisation of the ingredient for techno-functional attributes is described along with predicted bioactivities and potential health benefits associated with the peptides generated in the hydrolysed protein. A prototype vegan fairy cake made using the C. crispus hydrolysate used as an emulsifier is also described and product proximate qualities are compared to a traditionally manufactured fairy cake. Results suggest that hydrolysis of C. crispus increases the protein content of C.crispus hydrolysate relative to the whole biomass and makes the application of C. crispus in food products more attractive by improving the technofunctional attributes of the protein source, increasing emulsifying properties and enhancing tertiary benefits like bioactive potential beyond basic, nutrition.
How to Improve Software Energy Efficiency? A Systematic Literature Review and the Current State of Applied Methods in Practice
Authors: Wysocki Włodzimierz , Miciuła Ireneusz
Published: January 2025

Managing software development processes is still a serious challenge and offers the possibility of introducing improvements that will reduce the resources needed to complete projects successfully. The article presents the original concept of classification of types of project tasks, which will allow for more beneficial use of the collected data in management support systems in the IT industry. The currently used agile management methods, described in the article, and the fact that changes in the course of projects are inevitable were the inspiration for creating sets of tasks that occur in software development. Thanks to statistics for generating tasks and aggregating results in an iterative and incremental way, the analysis is more accurate and allows you to plan the further course of work in the project, select the optimal number of employees in task teams and identify bottlenecks that may decide on a faster completion of the project with success. The use of data from actual software projects in the IT industry made it possible to classify the types of tasks and the necessary values ​​for further work planning depending on the nature of the planned software development project.
The Challenging Complete and Detailed 1H and 13C NMR Assignment for Ent-Kaurenoic Acid, a Remarkable Natural Product
Authors: Ferreira Alexsandro Eurípedes , Rocha Ana Carolina Ferreira Soares , Pavan Julian Carlos da Silva , Takahashi Viviani Nardini , Dias Herbert Júnior , Pauletti Patrícia Mendonça , Sass Daiane Cristina , Heleno Vladimir Constantino Gomes
Published: January 2025

In this work, the primary objective was to achieve a complete and detailed structural assignment of the 1H and 13C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) data for kaurenoic acid (KA) (ent-kaur-16-en-19-oic acid), a widely studied natural diterpene with various reported biological activities. To facilitate this, the kaurenoic acid methyl ester (ent-methyl-kaur-16-en-19-oate) was also elucidated, leveraging its slight structural differences and the corresponding variations in chemical shifts. The comprehensive assignment was accomplished through the analysis of spectra obtained from each sample, enabling the measurement of all hydrogen homonuclear coupling constants and the clarification of signal multiplicity in the 1H-NMR spectra. Consequently, NMR techniques such as 1H-NMR, 13C{1H}, g-COSY, g-HSQC, g-HMBC, and J-resolved experiments were employed. Additionally, two different software programs, FOMSC3 and NMR_MultiSim, were utilized to simulate 1H-NMR signals, which further assisted in the complete assignment. Furthermore, different deuterated solvents were used to clarify overlapping regions and enrich the dataset.
Ticks and Pathogen Infection Rates in Ixodes scapularis at Two Residential Sites in Baltimore County, Maryland, USA
Authors: Awasare Adtiya , Ali Reneé L.M.N. , Norris Douglas E.
Published: January 2025

Reports of tick-borne diseases are on the rise globally, with Lyme disease as the most prevalent vector-borne disease in the United States. Tick and tick-borne pathogen distributions have been expanding, increasing the populations at risk for tick-vectored pathogens. In endemic regions, such as Maryland in the eastern United States, individuals and homeowners are concerned about the personal risk of exposure to these vectors and pathogens. In response, we carried out a pilot study at two residential properties in Baltimore County, Maryland. Tick drag collections were carried out March-December 2023 and resulted in the capture of 139 ticks. Collections were comprised of 114 Ixodes scapularis, 7 Dermacentor variabilis, and 18 invasive Haemaphysalis longicornis. Pathogen screening of the Ix. scapularis using qPCR and PCR revealed 42 (36.8%) infected with Borrelia burgdorferi and 3 infected with Anaplasma phagocytophilum. One tick was co-infected with both pathogens. Phylogenetic analysis of OspA genetic variability of B. burgdorferi revealed little variation both between samples and with reference sequences. The overall B. burgdorferi infection rate was higher than has been previously reported in Maryland. Whether this reflects an increase, represents variability between regional studies or is biased by relatively small sample sizes is unknown. The findings of this pilot study highlight the need for more robust tick and tick-borne pathogen surveillance in the mid-Atlantic region.
A Literature Review on Urban Air Quality
Authors: Rai Ariti
Published: January 2025

Urbanization and population growth present significant challenges to urban air quality, with adverse implications for public health. This review synthesizes findings from global studies, highlighting the relationship between population density, emissions, and air pollutants such as PM2.5, NOx, and O3. Developed nations show improved air quality due to technological advancements and policies, while developing nations struggle with escalating pollution. Health impacts, including respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, underscore the urgency of mitigation measures. Lessons from COVID-19 lockdowns emphasize innovative strategies like green infrastructure and remote work. Future efforts require periodic policy evaluations and adaptive approaches to sustain urban air quality improvements.
A Green Chemistry and Energy Cost-Effective Approach in Innovative Advanced Oxidation Processes Through Photoactive Microgels for Sustainable Applications
Authors: Fabregat Víctor , Pagán Juana María
Published: January 2025

Sustainability challenges faced by the chemical industry today include the increasing prevalence of persistent Contaminants of Emerging Concern in wastewater, which requires the development of advanced treatment technologies. Additionally, transitioning from petroleum-derived raw materials to renewable biomass is essential for achieving more sustainable chemical processes. PNIPAM microgels with covalently integrated Rose Bengal as a photosensitizer has been synthesized and characterized in this study. The micellar-like structure of the colloidal microgels enhances substrate adsorption and overall efficiency. Designed in alignment with Green Chemistry principles, these materials support sustainable applications such as the green synthesis of 5-hydroxy-2(5H)-furanone, a C4 building block intermediate, and the removal of Diclofenac from wastewater. These photoactive microgels act as efficient photocatalysts, capable of generating singlet oxygen (O₂(¹Δg)) under visible light, with full recoverability and reusability over multiple cycles. By employing direct solar-driven photocatalysis, the approach offers a cost-effective, eco-friendly solution to address economic and environmental challenges in water treatment processes, as demonstrated by scale-up economic simulations. Additionally, it allows the synthesis of 5-hydroxy-2(5H)-furanone in aqueous media, a sustainable key-factor enabled by the enhanced adsorption capabilities of the microgels.
Multifunctional Cementitious Composites from Fabrication to Their Application in Pavement: A Comprehensive Review
Authors: Roshan Mohammad Jawed , Gomes Correia António
Published: January 2025

Transportation infrastructure is crucial for the global development and economic prosperity of countries. To ensure the longevity and efficiency of road and railway systems, it is essential that the various layers of these infrastructures are maintained in high performance condition. Multifunctional cementitious composites have been widely recommended for constructing the pavement due to their versatile applications. These advanced pavement materials can perform numerous functions, such as structural health monitoring (SHM), traffic management, de-icing and snow-melting, cathodic protection, grounding, energy harvesting, and shielding against electromagnetic interference (EMI). This review paper begins with an overview of recent advancements in the characterization of multifunctional cementitious composites as pavement materials followed by a detailed examination of their practical applications and benefits in the construction of pavements. To this end, this review comprehensively presents the components of conductive pavements, including conductive fillers, matrix materials, electrode configurations, conductive mechanisms, factors influencing the electrical properties of conductive fillers, and practical applications. This paper offers an integrated review of all aspects of conductive pavements, serving as a valuable resource for researchers and practitioners.
Title Blockiness of 3D Fractured Rocks of Different Fracture Persistence, Spacing, and Orientations
Authors: Kongandembou Maxime Levy , Wang Qiuyu , Liang Yihao , Yu Qingchun
Published: January 2025

Understanding the blockiness of 3D fractured rocks with varying fracture persistence, spacing, and orientations is essential for comprehending rock mass behavior, particularly in engineering and geological applications. These factors significantly the mechanical behavior, stability, and blockiness of fragmented rock formations. This study aims to analyze the complex behavior of fractured rocks within blockiness fracturing setups using advanced numerical experiments. This study significantly enhances our understanding of how persistence and spacing affect fractured rock formation in three dimensions. Unlike previous studies, our work establishes a fundamental link between fracture geometry and blockiness using parameters of Discrete Fracture Networks (DFNs). Through meticulous analysis and advanced digital experiments, the GeneralBlock software was used to identify and discuss the key components of rupture systems, such as blockiness and representative elemental volume (REV). By establishing DFNs with different parameters, we discovered a fundamental link between fracture geometry and blockiness. The findings indicate that fractured rocks exhibit varied behaviors depending on the blockiness percentage and structural parameters. A higher fracture persistence, lower spacing, and larger angles, limited by the orientation of the fracture surfaces, result in higher L* values. When L* was less than 7.36, blockiness was below 1%. When L* ranges between 7.36 and 22.83, blockiness undergoes a sudden change ranging from 1% to 90%. When L* exceeds 22.83 and the blockiness surpasses 90%, it gradually stabilizes. These findings are crucial for a better understanding and prediction of the mechanical behavior, stability, and blockiness of fragmented rock formations, with significant implications for engineering and geological applications.
Building Climate Solutions Through Trustful, Ethical, and Localized Co-Development
Authors: Caudill C. , Avalon-Cullen C. , Archer C. , Smith R-A. , Newlands Nathaniel K. , Taylor D.R. Fraser , Pulsifer Peter L , Enenkel Markus
Published: January 2025

The Small Island Developing States (SIDS) in the Latin American and Caribbean region are among the most vulnerable to climate change, with intensifying and more frequent disasters posing a significant threat to infrastructure, human life, and to achieving global Sustainable Development Goals. Urgent regional and localized approaches are needed for coordinated climate risk assessment and anticipatory action strategies backed by science-informed climate modeling (e.g., Earth Observation) and a strong global community of support. In this paper, we detail the fundamental challenges to implementing climate action strategies as elucidated during a co-development initiative led by a team of Jamaican and international interdisciplinary, cross-sector experts on SIDS climate catastrophes. Following the principles of co-design, a regional review, and discourse analysis with Systems Thinking approaches, we suggest a new place-based framework involving relevant sectors of society and often marginalized voices as crucial to building real climate resilience through bottom-up approaches. The Relationship and Place-Based Framework provides an international coordination and collaboration model with ethical space for co-development and a theoretical basis for climate action strategies. With a focus on local ownership and self-determination as the basis of climate-informed governance, actors and institutions might simultaneously manage the interplays of single and multi-hazards and other residual risks.
Exploring Multiverses: Generative AI and Neuroaesthetic Perspectives
Authors: Forte Maurizio
Published: January 2025

This paper examines the transformative potential of generative artificial intelligence (AI) and neuroaesthetic methodologies in archaeology, museum’s collections and art history. It introduces the concept of the AI multiverse, which allows archaeologists and social scientists to construct multiple plausible reconstructions of ancient environments and cultural practices, addressing the inherent uncertainties in archaeological data. Generative AI tools create simulations and visualizations that redefine traditional archaeological frameworks by incorporating multivocal and dynamic interpretations. The study also integrates visual thinking strategies (VTS), eye tracking and saliency map analyses to investigate how structured observation enhances cognitive and emotional engagement with visual artifacts. A case study involving the painting My Mother, She Fell From the Sky highlights the impact of VTS on guiding viewers' gaze and improving interpretive depth, as evidenced by heatmaps and saliency distribution.