bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Subjective Realities
Authors: Arrigoni Carlo
Published: February 2025

In Giovanni Verga’s I Malavoglia (The House by the Medlar Tree, 1881), the most important novel of verismo (Italian naturalism), the natural and social environment is not described in detail but appears in glimpses and fragments, filtered through the characters’ perspectives and as a window into their feelings, desires, or interests. The stress is not so much on the influence of the milieu on the characters’ psyche as on how their psyche molds the world around them. Through an analysis of the many ways in which the village and its polar opposite, the modern city, are reinvented and described within the novel, this article argues that, by showing the discursive malleability of the environment, I Malavoglia ends up casting doubt on the mere possibility of an objective representation of reality.
Border Solidarity
Authors: Poyares Marianna
Published: February 2025

This essay investigates how border solidarity—that is, grassroots coalitions against the current state of migration and border governance—allows for a radical articulation of traditional theories concerning the foundations of solidarity. Drawing on four years of activism and participatory fieldwork with the New Sanctuary Movement in the United States, the author looks at specific coalitions within migrants’ rights social movements to argue against traditional or otherwise familiar conceptions of the normative foundations of solidarity, such as a common social membership, a shared moral feeling, or a shared experience of oppression. Rather, the author argues, border solidarity as a praxis of contesting border regimes clearly shows the conceptual insufficiency of methodological nationalism, implicit in all three familiar conceptions, for articulating the meaning of solidarity. Taking a cue from materialist feminists bell hooks, Beatriz Nascimento, and Verónica Gago, the author argues that border solidarity as praxis is grounded in differential interdependence and heterogeneous transversal alliances that forge new territories (and constituencies) in opposition to hegemonic ones.
A CRISPR mis-insertion in the Zic3 5'UTR inhibits in vivo translation and is predicted to result in formation of a mRNA stem-loop hairpin
Authors: Bellchambers Helen M. , Padua Maria B. , Ware Stephanie M.
Published: February 2025

Zic3 loss of function is associated with a range of congenital defects, including heterotaxy and isolated heart defects in humans, as well as neural tube defects, situs anomalies, and tail kinks in model organisms. Here, we describe a novel Zic3ins5V mouse line generated due to a mis-insertion during the CRISPR genome editing process which altered the Zic3 5'UTR structure. Mice with this insertion developed similar phenotypes to Zic3LacZ null mice, including heterotaxy, isolated heart defects, neural tube defects and tail kinks. Surprisingly, gene expression analysis revealed that the novel Zic3ins5V line displays higher levels of Zic3 mRNA, but western blot analysis confirmed that levels of ZIC3 were greatly reduced in vivo. RNAfold, a RNA secondary structure prediction tool, showed that this mis-insertion may cause the formation of a large stem-loop hairpin incorporating some of the 5'UTR and first exon of Zic3, and the insertion of similar hairpins in a cell-based assay caused the loss of ZIC3. Thus, this mouse line displays a loss of ZIC3 protein consistent with the inhibitory effects of 5'UTR stem-loop hairpin structures.
A multidisciplinary evaluation of robotic-assisted surgery effectiveness and its implications for healthcare education and practice - review of literature
Authors: Korus Justyna , Hopej Natalia , Grzegorczyk Aleksandra , Dardzińska Nicol , Dziedziak Marta
Published: February 2025

The following work is a review of the literature on the use of robots in the operating room in various fields of surgery. Due to the progress of medicine and technology, the management of a patient requiring surgery is changing and new technologies are increasingly being used, including robotic surgery and the da Vinci robot. They have found application in various fields of surgery, such as urology, gynecology, general surgery, and cardiothoracic surgery, examples of which are described in the following work. Both its positive aspects, which include precision, better visibility of the operating field and the possibility of visualization in 3D HD technology, have been discussed. On the other hand, there are also negative aspects such as the need for specialist staff training and the cost of surgery using a robot. All of the above should be taken into account when qualifying the patient for the method of performing the surgery and considering the possible benefits that he or she is able to achieve. The use of this treatment method requires an individual approach and the determination of specific indications and contraindications to ensure the greatest possible safety and the best possible outcome.
Association between sleep deprivation and fertility - a literature review
Authors: Dukacz Adriana , Konarska Anna , Machowiak Anna , Ufnalska Barbara , Lisiecka Justyna , Janik Mateusz , Nowak Michał , Rychlewska-Duda Joanna , Firlej Wojciech , Fabijański Artur
Published: February 2025

Infertility gained increasing importance throughout our life period in this fast pacing world as increasingly more couples struggle to conceive. Taking into account the cost of fertility treatment there is a good strategy to look into less high-priced options on increasing conception possibilities. In this article we are going to focus on one of them which is sleep. Sleeping hygiene is neglected by many of us as only 8% of polish population rate their sleeping as satisfactory. There are primary matters for instance regular sleep hours, sustaining a healthy diet to make a tremendous change in our mental and as well reproductive health. In the male population deprived sleep is blamed for lower sperm motility, as well as concentration, total count. There is a probability that Leydig cells function and count, cortisol secretion and testosterone levels can be affected but for now we have to conduct more research to rule it out or confirm. For women on the other hand sleep depravation produces a huge hormonal dysregulation. Temporarily the impact of sleep depravation is being inconsistent about estradiol, prolactin and melatonin. This article presents a meticulously collected date which shows the connection between sleep and punctuate need for further research.
Modern Imaging Methods in the Diagnosis of Neurodegenerative Diseases
Authors: Pietrukaniec Paulina Dorota , Omasta Bartosz , Kamińska-Omasta Katarzyna , Krupa Olga , Rybak Daria , Romańczuk Kuba Borys , Czerska Magdalena Agata , Stolarczyk Szymon Przemysław , Wójcik Zofia Martyna , Furtak Kinga
Published: February 2025

Neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and other forms of dementia, represent a major global health challenge. Early diagnosis and monitoring of disease progression are key to effective management of these conditions. Advanced brain imaging techniques, such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), positron emission tomography (PET), single photon emission tomography (SPECT) and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), play a key role in the diagnosis and monitoring of neurodegenerative diseases. This article outlines the various imaging methods, their application in the context of major neurodegenerative diseases, as well as the advantages and limitations of each. In addition, the prospects for the development of these technologies, including the use of artificial intelligence and new biomarkers in diagnosis, are also discussed.
‘As Strong as a Hippo’: Trading Stigma for Confidence in Menstrual Health Efforts in Kenya
Authors: Fry Whitney , Wanjogu Mutua Sheila , Muli Alfred
Published: February 2025

As part of a three-year, multi-country action research initiative to understand the linkages between menstrual health and women’s economic empowerment, a small team of researchers and practitioners facilitated a half-day Appreciative Inquiry workshop with women-identifying employees of a factory just outside of Nairobi, Kenya to ask: Could workplace conditions for people who menstruate be improved?
Appreciative Inquiry for Change in Micro Social Communities: Field Notes from a Real-World Experience
Authors: Aular López Andrès
Published: February 2025

Cooperrider and Sekeika (2003) stated that the Appreciative Paradigm is focused on finding out what brings life into a social system so that a better future can be built upon a worldview fit for change. This article reports on a real-world experience of an Appreciative Inquiry process development designed for change management in a social community with the involvement of community leaders with values and attitudes that enabled a community development built collectively in pursuit of common wellbeing.
Optimal Partition for a Multi-Type Queueing System
Authors: Cao Shengyu , He Simai , Wang Zizhuo , Feng Yifan
Published: February 2025

We study an optimal server partition and customer assignment problem for an uncapacitated first-come-first-served queueing system with heterogeneous types of customers. Each type of customer is associated with a Poisson arrival, a certain service time distribution, and a unit waiting cost. The goal is to minimize the expected total waiting cost by partitioning the server into subqueues, each with a smaller service capacity, and routing customer types probabilistically. First, we show that by properly partitioning the queue, it is possible to reduce the expected waiting costs by an arbitrarily large ratio. Then, we show that for any given server partition, the optimal customer assignment admits a certain geometric structure, enabling an efficient algorithm to find the optimal assignment. Such an optimal structure also applies when minimizing the expected sojourn time. Finally, we consider the joint partition-assignment optimization problem. The customer assignment under the optimal server partition admits a stronger structure. Specifically, if the first two moments of the service time distributions satisfy certain properties, it is optimal to deterministically assign customer types with consecutive service rates to the same subqueue. This structure allows for more efficient algorithms. Overall, the common rule of thumb to partition customers into continuous segments ranked by service rates could be suboptimal, and our work is the first to comprehensively study the queue partition problem based on customer types.

Funding: Financial support from the National Natural Science Foundation of China [Grants 72192830, 72192832, 71825003, 72394361, and 72425013] and the Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory on Mathematical Foundations for Artificial Intelligence [Grant 2023B1212010001] is gratefully acknowledged.

Supplemental Material: The online appendix is available at https://doi.org/10.1287/moor.2023.0035 .
Pharmacodynamics in paramedic practice
Authors: Thain Angus , Webster Carl A
Published: February 2025

Pharmacodynamics is the study of how drugs interact with the body to produce their effects, with a focus on the mechanisms of drug action and their impact on physiological processes. It encompasses the exploration of four principal families of molecular targets – enzymes, receptors, ion channels and transporters – and examines how drugs influence these targets to achieve therapeutic outcomes. Through an understanding of pharmacodynamics, paramedics can better engage with the evidence base underpinning commonly used medications, enhancing their ability to apply pharmacological principles to clinical practice effectively.
Cervicomedullary Spinal Cord Injury
Authors:   University of Toledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences, Department of Neurological Surgery, Toledo, Ohio,, King Noah , Waack Andrew ,   University of Toledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences, Department of Neurological Surgery, Toledo, Ohio,, Kosco Ethan ,   University of Toledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences, Department of Neurological Surgery, Toledo, Ohio,, Bhavsar Aastha ,   University of Toledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences, Department of Neurological Surgery, Toledo, Ohio,, Schroeder Jason ,   University of 2Toledo Medical Center, Department of Neurological Surgery, Toledo, Ohio., Hoyt Alastair ,   University of 2Toledo Medical Center, Department of Neurological Surgery, Toledo, Ohio.
Published: February 2025

Introduction: Spinal cord injury (SCI) is most common following trauma, typically involving motor vehicle incidents. The clinical prognosis depends on many factors, most importantly the initial grade of injury.

Case Report: We present a 26-year-old male who presents to the emergency department after a motor vehicle accident. He sustained significant injuries with an initial Glasgow Coma Scale of 3 and signs of complete SCI. A computed tomography scan demonstrated cervicomedullary transection caused by C6-C7 facet distraction with C6 retrolisthesis on C7. The patient recovered the ability to track with eyes, utilize facial expression, and unilateral trapezius function to command. Neurological recovery was not made despite aggressive treatment.

Conclusion: Patients with complete SCI typically have poor outcomes despite aggressive treatment. We present a unique mechanism, treatment, and outcome of a cervicomedullary SCI through C6 retrolisthesis on C7.

Keywords: Cervicomedullary, spinal cord injury, transection, retrolisthesis, trauma.
Late Presentation of Cauda Equina Syndrome with Isolated Bladder Bowel Incontinence in Massive Lower Lumbar Disc Herniation: A Series of Three Cases
Authors:   Department of Orthopaedics, Government Medical College, Nagpur, Maharashtra, India., Dhole Kiran , Sakhare Kuber ,   Department of Orthopaedics, Government Medical College, Nagpur, Maharashtra, India., Sakharkar Nilesh ,   Department of Orthopaedics, Government Medical College, Nagpur, Maharashtra, India., Agrawal Pravin ,   Department of Orthopaedics, Government Medical College, Nagpur, Maharashtra, India., Chaudhary Sumedh ,   Department of Orthopaedics, Government Medical College, Nagpur, Maharashtra, India., Giri Vishal ,   Department of Orthopaedics, Government Medical College, Nagpur, Maharashtra, India.
Published: February 2025

Introduction: Cauda equina syndrome (CES) is a constellation of symptoms that include lower limb paralysis, saddle anesthesia, bowel bladder incontinence, and sexual dysfunction. However, atypical cases of CES may present with isolated bladder-bowel involvement without motor weakness. This often leads to late patient presentation to an orthopedic surgeon and late surgical intervention. Surgical outcomes in such cases are unpredictable owing to chronic bladder incontinence. The purpose of this case series is to evaluate the effect of surgical decompression in delayed presentation of CES with isolated bladder bowel involvement.

Case Report: We attended three such patients at our institute with massive lumbar disc herniation. All of them had bladder and bowel dysfunction with the absence of lower limb weakness. Patients were operated with conventional laminectomy and discectomy. Bladder ultrasonography was done preoperatively and postoperatively. Bladder and bowel function improved in all three patients, but recovery duration was different in all three cases.

Conclusion: Atypical presentation of CES presenting to other broad specialties, especially urology, may not detect massive lumbar disc herniation in the absence of lower limb deficit. Clinicians should be highly suspicious about the isolated presentation of CES and refer to spine surgeons. Thus, surgical decompression of massive lumbar disc prolapse can be done in the initial stages of bladder-bowel dysfunction. Surgical decompression is effective in delayed presentation of CES with good long-term prognosis.

Keywords: Cauda equina syndrome, massive lumbar disc herniation, isolated bladder-bowel involvement, laminectomy and discectomy.
Medial Epicondyle Fracture Dislocation, Multiple Failed Reductions, and a Median Nerve Entrapment: A Case Report
Authors:   Department of Orthopedic Surgery, The University of Toledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences, Toledo, OH,, Farmer Neal Chase , Boesel Joseph ,   Department of Orthopedic Surgery, The University of Toledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences, Toledo, OH,, Yatsonsky David ,   Department of Orthpaedic Surgery, The University of Toledo Medical Center, Toledo, OH,, Riley Scott ,   [3] Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Shriners Children’s Lexington, Lexington, KY, [4] Department of Orthopedic Surgery, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, Kluemper Chase ,   [3] Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Shriners Children’s Lexington, Lexington, KY, [4] Department of Orthopedic Surgery, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY
Published: February 2025

Introduction: Medial epicondyle fracture dislocations are common in the pediatric population; however, they often lead to favorable patient outcomes. Rarely, the median nerve (MN) can be trapped within the joint space or fracture upon reduction. If the nerve is trapped within the fracture, the MN slowly gets compressed as the fracture heals, leading to progressive deficits in motor function and sensation. These symptoms present as a mixture of pain, numbness, weakness, and paresthesia in the distribution of the MN. Therefore, careful monitoring of the patient post-reduction is crucial in making an early diagnosis.

Case Report: A 9-year-old girl presented with an incarcerated MN following closed reduction of a left elbow medial epicondyle fracture after multiple reduction attempts. She presented 2 years post-injury with a healed medial epicondyle, median sensory deficits, and anterior interosseous palsy. Nerve studies showed deficits in median-innervated muscles. Operative exploration revealed the MN incarcerated within the healed fracture. Tendon transfer allowed for opposition and flexion of the thumb, index finger flexion, and composite fist formation.

Conclusion: MN entrapment following medial epicondyle reduction may present as ongoing sensory changes and median innervated weakness. Electromyography and advanced imaging should be obtained expeditiously.

Keywords: Median nerve, entrapment, pediatric, medial epicondyle, tendon transfer.
Mucinous ACL Degeneration is Rarely Thought About, a Missing Diagnosis: Case Report
Authors:   Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Amulya Nursing Home, Narasaraopet, Andhra Pradesh, India., Aravindbabu Chadalavada , Kareemulla Syed ,   Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Amulya Nursing Home, Narasaraopet, Andhra Pradesh, India., Chadalavada Aditya ,   Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Amulya Nursing Home, Narasaraopet, Andhra Pradesh, India., Kumar Naveen ,   Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Amulya Nursing Home, Narasaraopet, Andhra Pradesh, India., Nutalapati Pranavi ,   Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Amulya Nursing Home, Narasaraopet, Andhra Pradesh, India., Fathima Taslim ,   Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Amulya Nursing Home, Narasaraopet, Andhra Pradesh, India.
Published: February 2025

Introduction: Mucoid degeneration (MD) of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is a rare entity affecting the middle-aged people with equal gender predisposition. The enigmatic pathological etiology of MD of ACL has been the subject of numerous ideas, including synovial, traumatic, degenerative, ectopic, changed joint mechanics, etc. correlating magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with clinical diagnosis helps in concluding the diagnosis. Arthroscopic debulking of the ACL helps in relieving the pain.

Case Report: We describe here a woman in her 40s who has been experiencing right knee pain for the past 2 years. Although there are no additional clinical symptoms visible upon examination, there is pain with deep knee flexion. MRI’s knee has been taken, and celery stalk appearance has been noticed, as described by Akin. The patient was treated with arthroscopic debulking using conventional arthroscopic portals, and the pain was relieved.

Conclusion: The diagnosis of MD is assisted by clinical examination and correlating the clinical findings with MRI, as it is typically overlooked. The pain is reduced with arthroscopic debulking.

Keywords: Mucoid degeneration anterior cruciate ligament, celery stalk appearance, arthroscopic debulking.
Ulnar Nerve Compression at the Wrist Secondary to Heterotopic Ossification following a Minor Trauma: A Case Report
Authors:   Department of Trauma and Orthopaedics, The Rotherham NHS Foundation Trust, Rotherham, United Kingdom., Taha Mohamed , Srinivasa Chiranjeevi Gowda ,   Department of Trauma and Orthopaedics, The Rotherham NHS Foundation Trust, Rotherham, United Kingdom., Paniker Jayanth ,   Department of Trauma and Orthopaedics, The Rotherham NHS Foundation Trust, Rotherham, United Kingdom.
Published: February 2025

Introduction: Heterotopic ossification (HO) is a known complication in the rehabilitation setting, involving the abnormal formation of bone in soft tissues. Ulnar nerve compression at the wrist due to HO is a rare occurrence, not widely reported in the literature. This case report highlights the unusual presentation of HO leading to ulnar nerve compression at the wrist, adding significant insight into the potential complications and management strategies for such cases.

Case Report: A 52-year-old woman of Caucasian ethnicity presented with a painful lump on the ulnar side of the volar aspect of her left wrist, 1 year after minor trauma. The patient initially forcefully dorsiflexed her wrist against a bus railing to prevent a fall, leading to a soft-tissue injury diagnosed through radiographs. Over the following months, she developed swelling, pain, and tingling in the ring and little fingers. Clinical examination revealed a firm 3 × 4 cm swelling associated with the flexor carpi ulnaris tendon and ulnar neurovascular bundle, indicated by increased pain on movement and a positive Tinel’s sign. Imaging showed calcific deposits and a lesion compressing the ulnar nerve. Surgical excision of the lesion was performed, and histopathology confirmed the diagnosis of HO. The patient experienced complete resolution of symptoms post-surgery, with no complications or recurrence observed at follow-up.

Conclusion: This case report discusses the importance of considering HO as a differential diagnosis for chronic ulnar-sided wrist pain with swelling post-trauma. The unusual presentation of ulnar nerve compression due to HO at the wrist enriches the orthopedic literature by highlighting a rare but significant complication.

Keywords: Heterotopic ossification, ulnar nerve compression, wrist trauma.
Hybrid and/or mixed infection by pig and human Ascaris in a Guarani indigenous village in southern Brazil
Authors: Boeira Veridiana Lenartovicz , Bezagio Renata Coltro , Carvalho Marina Silva de , Gandra Rinaldo Ferreira , Abreu Ana Paula de , Massara Cristiano Lara , Colli Cristiane Maria , Toledo Max Jean de Ornelas
Published: February 2025

Background

Ascaris lumbricoides and Ascaris suum are nematode parasites that infect millions of people and pigs worldwide, respectively. Reports of cross-infection and hybridization between the two species has stimulated molecular epidemiological studies of the Ascaris genus. In this study, we evaluated the dynamics of Ascaris transmission between Guarani indigenous schoolchildren, pigs, and the environment of a village in the state of Paraná, southern Brazil.

Methodology/principal findings

Parasitological and molecular analyses of fecal samples from humans and pigs, and soil samples from the village were carried out. Eggs of Ascaris spp. were observed in 8.4% (7/83) of human samples, 44.4% (8/18) of pig samples, and 8.9% (6/68) of soil samples. PCR amplification of the ITS-1 locus of the rDNA gene in samples that were positive in the parasitological examination revealed mixed infection and/or hybrids of the two species, A. lumbricoides and A. suum, in human and swine hosts. The soil, which was contaminated by both human and swine feces, also contained eggs of the two Ascaris species and hybrids, thus constituting a source of Ascaris infection for both hosts. DNA from A. lumbricoides and A. suum, individually, was detected in samples from humans and pigs, respectively, and the soil, while DNA from hybrid and/or Ascaris spp. was detected in samples from both hosts and the soil.

Conclusions/Significance

The results of this study confirm the necessity of a One Health approach with the correct disposal of both human and animal feces to control the spread of human and swine ascariasis.
Evaluation of a Low-threshold Exercise And Protein supplementation intervention for Women (LEAP-W) experiencing homelessness and addiction: Protocol for a single-arm mixed methods feasibility study
Authors: Kennedy Fiona , Murray Deirdre , Ní Cheallaigh Clíona , Romero-Ortuno Roman , Broderick Julie
Published: February 2025

Background

Frailty is a complex multi-dimensional state of increased vulnerability to adverse outcomes and is associated with older age but there is growing evidence of accelerated ageing and frailty in non-geriatric populations, including those experiencing socio-economic deprivation and extreme social exclusion, such as people experiencing homelessness. Addiction, as a coping mechanism for prior trauma, is common among people who are homeless and can have a gendered dimension. Women experiencing homelessness and addiction have unique needs which require a gendered approach. The aim of this study is to evaluate the feasibility and impact of an exercise intervention to target the known physical functioning deficits and frailty which this population experiences.

Methods

This quantitatively driven, sequential single-arm mixed-methods feasibility study will evaluate the feasibility and impact of a low threshold trauma informed exercise intervention on physical functioning and frailty in women experiencing homelessness and addiction. Physical function (10m Walk Test, 2Min Walk Test, Single Leg Stance, Chair Stand Test, hand grip dynamometry), frailty (Clinical Frailty Scale and the SHARE-Frailty Instrument) and nutritional status (Mini-Nutritional Status), pain (Numerical Rating Scale) and quality of life (SF 12-V2) will be evaluated. The 10-week intervention will involve a 3-times weekly exercise programme with protein supplementation. Following this, qualitative interviews, which will be thematically analysed using Braun & Clarke methodology, will be conducted. This study will be conducted in Dublin from February to July 2024.

Discussion

Little is known about frailty-focussed interventions in women experiencing homelessness and addiction. This proposed study will help to increase the knowledge base regarding the physical health burden and frailty experienced by this vulnerable population and will deliver a targeted intervention with a gendered dimension to mitigate its affects. The findings of this research will help narrow the research gap and will guide clinicians and policy makers to implement unique gender-based treatment strategies for this population. (300).

Clinical trials.gov number

NCT05700305.
Evaluating the impacts of microplastics on agricultural soil physical, chemical properties, and toxic metal availability: An emerging concern for sustainable agriculture
Authors: Chakraborty Tapos Kumar , Nice Md. Simoon , Rahman Md. Sozibur , Netema Baytune Nahar , Islam Khandakar Rashedul , Zaman Samina , Ghosh Gopal Chandra , Hossain Md. Ripon , Munna Asadullah , Akter Mst. Shamima , Rayhan Md. Abu , Asif Sk Mahmudul Hasan , Khan Abu Shamim
Published: February 2025

Microplastics (MPs) are an emerging environmental issue that might endanger the health of agricultural soil. Even though several research on the particular toxicity of MPs to species have been carried out, there is little information on MPs’ impacts on soil physicochemical properties and heavy metals (HMs) availability of HMs contaminated and without contaminated soils. This study examined the changes in soil characteristics for both HMs contaminated and without contaminated soils by five distinct MPs, including Polyethylene (PE), Polyethylene terephthalate (PET), Polystyrene Foam (PS), Polyamide (PA), and a combination of these four types of MPs (Mixed MPs), at two different concentrations (0.2% and 1%; w/w), where soil incubation experiments were setup for this studies and the standard analytical techniques employed to measure soil characteristics and toxic metal availability. After the ending of soil incubation studies (90 days), significant changes have been observed for physicochemical properties [bulk density, porosity, water holding capacity, pH, electrical conductivity (EC), organic carbon (OC), and organic matter (OM)]. The soil nutrients change in descending order was found as NH4+ -N> PO43+ > Na > Ca > NO3- > Mg for lower concentrations of MPs compared to higher concentrations. The HMs availability is reducing with increasing MPs concentration and the descending order for metal availability was as follows Pb > Zn > Cd > Cr > Cu > Ni. Based on MP type, the following descending order of MPs PS > Mix (MPs) > PA > PET > PE, respectively act as a soil properties influencer. Usually, effects were reliant on MPs’ category and concentrations. Finally, this study concludes that MPs may modify metal movements, and soil quality; consequently, a possible threat will be created for soil health.
Genome-wide association study reveals major loci for resistance to septoria tritici blotch in a Tunisian durum wheat collection
Authors: Ouaja Maroua , Ghimire Bikash , Bahri Bochra Amina , Maher Medini , Ferjaoui Sahbi , Udupa Sripada , Hamza Sonia
Published: February 2025

Septoria tritici blotch (STB) is a devastating fungal disease affecting durum and bread wheat worldwide. Tunisian durum wheat landraces are reported to be valuable genetic resources for resistance to STB and should prominently be deployed in breeding programs to develop new varieties resistant to STB disease. In this study, a collection of 367 old durum and 6 modern wheat genotypes previously assessed using single Tunisian Zymoseptoria tritici isolate TUN06 during 2016 and 2017 and TM220 isolate during 2017 were phenotyped for resistance to a mixture of isolates (BULK) under field conditions. Significant correlations for disease traits using the three different inoculums were observed. Using 7638 SNP markers, fifty-one marker-trait associations (MTAs) for STB resistance were identified by genome-wide association study (GWAS) at Bonferroni correction threshold of -log10(P) > 5.184 with phenotypic variance explained (PVE) reaching up to 58%. A total of eleven QTL were identified using TUN06 isolate mean disease scoring (TUNMeanD and TUNMeanA) including threeQTL controlling resistance to both isolates TUN06 and TM220. A major QTL was identified on each of chromosomes 1B, 4B, 5A, and 7B, respectively. The QTL on 7B chromosome colocalized with Stb8 identified in bread wheat. Four QTL including the major QTL identified on chromosome 1B were considered as novel. SNP linked to the significant QTL have the potential to be used in marker-assisted selection for breeding for resistance to STB.
PGC-1α activation to enhance macrophage immune function in mycobacterial infections
Authors: Frandsen Joel R. , Yuan Zhihong , Bedi Brahmchetna , Prasla Zohra , Choi Seoung-Ryoung , Narayanasamy Prabagaran , Sadikot Ruxana T.
Published: February 2025

Nontuberculous Mycobacteria (NTM) are a heterogeneous group of environmental microorganisms with distinct human pathogenesis. Their incidence and prevalence are rising worldwide, due in part to elevated antimicrobial resistance which complicates treatment and potential successful outcomes. Although information exists on the clinical significance of NTMs, little is known about host immune response to infection. NTM infections alter macrophage mitochondrial capacity and decrease ATP production, efficient immune response, and bacterial clearance. Transcription factor peroxisome proliferator activated receptor (PPAR) γ coactivator-1α (PGC-1α) is a master regulator of mitochondrial biogenesis, influencing metabolism, mitochondrial pathways, and antioxidant response. Mitochondrial transcription factor A (TFAM) is a protein essential for mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) genome stability, integrity, and metabolism. Both PGC-1α and TFAM regulate mitochondrial biogenesis and activity, and their disruption is linked to inflammatory signaling and altered macrophage function. We show that NTM causes macrophage mitochondrial damage and disrupted bioenergetics. Mechanistically we show that this is related to attenuation of expression of PGC-1α and TFAM in infected macrophages. Importantly, rescuing expression of PGC-1α and TFAM using pharmacologic approaches restored macrophage immune function. Our results suggest that pharmacologic approaches to enhance mitochondrial function provide a novel approach to target macrophage immune function and means to combat NTM infections.
RESILSTIGMA. Resilience to self-stigmatization experienced by people living with HIV: Which self-reported factors improve awareness among health workers?
Authors: Jacomet Christine , Miele Cécile , Goncalves Emilie , Lambert Céline , Belletier Clément , Linard Françoise , Phalip-Le Besnerais Josiane , Dellamonica Pierre , Dambrun Michaël
Published: February 2025

Background

Self-stigmatization is the process by which environmental stigmas are internalized. It leads to a decline in self-esteem, isolation, denial and risk behavior, and impairs quality of life. The aims of our study were to investigate the psychological, social and medical factors, in particular psychological flexibility and its defusion component, that are associated with resilience to self-stigmatization in people living with HIV (PLHIV), and to assess clinicians’ perceptions of the condition.

Methods

A multicenter observational study was conducted in France using self-reports from PLHIV consulted between January 15, 2022 and June 15, 2022 and from professionals responsible for their care (study registration number 2021-A01588-33/SI:21.02814.000036). Self-stigmatization was measured by examining four domains: perceived stigma, anticipated stigma, internalized stigma and enacted stigma.

Results

Self-reports were collected from 45 hospital wards, 666 from PLHIV, of whom 71% were male with a mean age of 53 +/- 12.6 years, and 131 from health professionals, of whom 72.5% were clinicians. A total of 279 PLHIV (42%) reported items of self-stigmatization. Multivariable analysis showed that self-stigmatization was significantly associated with major depression (OR: 3.59, 95% CI: 1.19 to 10.80, p = 0.02), psychological inflexibility (OR: 1.53, 95% CI: 1.19 to 1.97, p = 0.001), and parental support deficit in childhood (OR parental support: 0.63, 95% CI: 0.40 to 0.98, p = 0.04). Among the dimensions of psychological inflexibility associated with HIV self-stigma, only fusion was positively associated (p<0.01). The proportion of PLHIV experiencing self-stigma was accurately estimated by only 31 (23.7%) health workers. Those health workers who did not minimize the prevalence of self-stigmatization among PLHIV had no particular characteristics.

Conclusions

While the best means to combat self-stigmatization would be a social-ecological approach, it is fundamental to target in parallel individual vulnerability and protective factors accessible to health workers’ interventions. Psychiatric care and/or the new cognitive-behavioral therapies could be offered more often as part of personalized care.
FIRM image analysis: A machine learning workflow for quantifying extracellular matrix components from electron microscopy images
Authors: Gigliotti Nicholas T. , Lee Justin , Mang Emily H. , Zambrano Giancarlo R. , Taheri Mitra L.
Published: February 2025

The extracellular matrix (ECM) is a complex network of biomolecules that plays an integral role in the structure, processes, and signaling mechanisms of cells and tissues. Identifying and quantifying changes in these matrix components provides insight into the mechanisms behind specific tissue remodeling processes; however, quantifying these changes is challenging due to difficult imaging conditions, complexity of the ECM, and the subtlety of these changes. Current imaging techniques allow us to visualize these critical remodeling events and developments in image analysis have employed a combination of analysis software and machine learning techniques to improve the efficiency and accuracy with which features are measured. Although image analysis has seen much improvement in recent years, there has been no technique developed to address ambiguity in feature edges in electron microscopy images. Presented here is a new machine learning-based workflow for the analysis of microscopy images named FIRM (Feature Identification from Raw Microscopy) that uses a random forest classifier to identify ECM features of interest and generate binary segmentation masks for quantification with ImageJ-FIJI. FIRM performed with an F1 score of 0.794 and greater than 80% accuracy for number and size of features detected. FIRM had similar deviation from the ground truth in the number of identified fibrils, fibril size, and size distributions when compared to human analyses. The results suggest that FIRM performs as well as manual analysis and requires a fraction of the time. This analysis technique is more efficient, eliminates user bias, and can be easily optimized to identify a variety of features, making it useful for any discipline requiring image analysis.
Basic fibroblast growth factor helps protect facial nerve cells in a freeze-induced paralysis model
Authors: Iwata Shinji , Yamada Hiroyuki , Teraoka Masato , Tanaka Takemichi , Kimura Takuya , Joko Tomonori , Tabata Yasuhiko , Wakisaka Hiroyuki , Hato Naohito
Published: February 2025

Severe axonal damage in the peripheral nerves results in retrograde degeneration towards the central side, leading to neuronal cell death, eventually resulting in incomplete axonal regeneration and functional recovery. Therefore, it is necessary to evaluate the facial nerve nucleus in models of facial paralysis, and investigate the efficacy of treatments, to identify treatment options for severe paralysis. Consequently, we aimed to examine the percentage of facial nerve cell reduction and the extent to which intratympanic administration of a basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) inhibits neuronal cell death in a model of severe facial paralysis. A severe facial paralysis model was induced in Hartley guinea pigs by freezing the facial canal. Animals were divided into two groups: one group was treated with gelatin hydrogel impregnated with bFGF (bFGF group) and the other was treated with gelatin hydrogel impregnated with saline (control group). Facial movement scoring, electrophysiological testing, and histological assessment of facial neurons were performed. The freezing-induced facial paralysis model showed a facial neuronal cell death rate of 29.0%; however, bFGF administration reduced neuronal cell death to 15.8%. Facial movement scores improved in the bFGF group compared with those in the control group. Intratympanic bFGF administration has a protective effect on facial neurons in a model of severe facial paralysis. These findings suggest a potential therapeutic approach for treating patients with refractory facial paralysis. Further studies are required to explore the clinical applicability of this treatment.
A hybrid approach for intrusion detection in vehicular networks using feature selection and dimensionality reduction with optimized deep learning
Authors: Hassan Fayaz , Syed Zafi Sherhan , Memon Aftab Ahmed , Alqahtany Saad Said , Ahmed Nadeem , Reshan Mana Saleh Al , Asiri Yousef , Shaikh Asadullah
Published: February 2025

Autonomous transportation systems have the potential to greatly impact the way we travel. A vital aspect of these systems is their connectivity, facilitated by intelligent transport applications. However, the safety ensured by the vehicular network can be easily compromised by malicious traffic with the exponential growth of IoT devices. One aspect is malicious traffic identification in Vehicular networks. We proposed a hybrid approach uses automated feature engineering via correlation-based feature selection (CFS) and principal component analysis (PCA)-based dimensionality reduction to reduce feature matrix size before a series of dense layers are used for classification. The intended use of CFS and PCA in the machine learning pipeline serves two folds benefit, first is that the resultant feature matrix contains attributes that are most useful for recognizing malicious traffic, and second that after CFS and PCA, the feature matrix has a smaller dimensionality which in turn means that smaller number of weights need to be trained for the dense layers (connections are required for the dense layers) which resulting in smaller model size. Furthermore, we show the impact of post-training model weight quantization to further reduce the model size. Results demonstrate the effectiveness of feature engineering which improves the classification f1score from 96.48% to 98.43%. It also reduces the model size from 28.09 KB to 20.34 KB thus optimizing the model in terms of both classification performance and model size. Post-training quantization further optimizes the model size to 9 KB. The experimental results using CICIDS2017 dataset demonstrate that proposed hybrid model performs well not only in terms of classification performance but also yields trained models that have a low parameter count and model size. Thus, the proposed low-complexity models can be used for intrusion detection in VANET scenario.
Why do people resist AI-based autonomous cars?: Analyzing the impact of the risk perception paradigm and conditional value on public acceptance of autonomous vehicles
Authors: Park Ie Rei , Kim Seoyong , Moon Jungwook
Published: February 2025

This study examines the factors that lead to the acceptance of AI-based autonomous vehicles. Despite the considerable importance of AI-based autonomous vehicles there has been a lack of analysis based on theoretical models and analysis that considers contextual conditions. The survey was conducted between July 8 and 17, 2019. In order to increase the representativeness of the sample, a quota sampling method was adopted, based on considering gender and region. The sample size of this survey is 2,000 people. According to the response statistics, 26,231 people requested the survey, 3,973 people participated in the survey, and 2,000 people completed the survey. We adopted regression and moderation analysis as main statistical analysis methods. In modeling, we set up the variable from risk perception paradigm as independent variable and the conditional value as moderating variable in explaining the acceptance of AI-based autonomous vehicles. For this work, the analysis was conducted in two stages. Initially, a regression analysis was performed to determine the impact of the risk perception paradigm and conditional value on the acceptance of autonomous vehicles. Secondly, a moderation analysis was conducted to determine whether the perception of self-driving taxis moderates the relationship between the risk perception paradigm and the acceptance of autonomous vehicle. The study revealed that the acceptance of autonomous vehicles is influenced by a number of factors, including knowledge, image, conditional value, and perceived risks. Additionally, the relationship with perceived benefits, image and autonomous vehicle is moderated by conditional value.
An intelligent spam detection framework using fusion of spammer behavior and linguistic
Authors: Iqbal Amna , Younas Muhammad , Hanif Muhammad Kashif , Murad Muhammad , Saleem Rabia , Javed Muhammad Aater
Published: February 2025

The diverse types of fake text generation practices by spammer make spam detection challenging. Existing works use manually designed discrete textual or behavior features, which cannot capture complex global semantics of text and reviews. Some studies use limited features while neglecting other significant features. However, in case of a large number of features set, the selection of all features leads to overfitting the model and expensive computation. The problem statement of this research paper revolves around addressing challenges concerning feature selection and evolving spammer behavior and linguistic features, with the goal of devising an efficient model for spam detection. The primary objective of this endeavor was to identify the most efficacious subset of features and patterns for the task of spam detection. Spammer behavior features and linguistic features often exhibit complex relationships that influence the nature of spam reviews. The unified representation of features is another challenging task in spam detection. Various deep learning approaches have been proposed for spam detection and classification but these methods are specialized in extracting the features but lack to capture feature dependencies effectively with other features but there is a lack of comprehensive models that integrate linguistic and behavioral features to improve the accuracy of spam detection. The proposed spam detection framework SD-FSL-CLSTM used the fusion of spammer behavior features and linguistic features which automatically detect and classify the spam reviews. Fusion enables the proposed model to automatically learn the interactions between the features during the training process, allowing it to capture complex relationships and make predictions based on both types of features. SD-FSL-CLSTM framework apparently shows the promising result by obtaining a minimum accuracy 97%.
Preparing controlled low strength materials with cement-treated construction waste clay improved by sodium hexametaphosphate
Authors: Li Chenhao , Xie Tinglong , Ding Jianwen , Tang Jian , Gao Mengying
Published: February 2025

To solve the disposal of large quantities of construction waste clay, this study proposes a new method for preparing controlled low strength materials (CLSM). Flow tests, unconfined compressive strength (UCS) tests, hydraulic conductivity tests and scanning electron microscope (SEM) analyses were performed on cement-treated construction waste clay with different additive content (e.g. sodium hexametaphosphate (SHMP), water glass, and phosphogypsum (PG)). The influence of additive content on the mechanical and microstructural properties of cement-treated clay-based CLSM was analyzed. The results indicated that the SHMP greatly enhanced the flowability of samples, adding 1%SHMP increased the fluidity of the sample by more than 80%, whereas 5% water glass had negligible effect. Additionally, the 10% PG improved the flowability retention, making it have higher flowability after 30 mins (more than 200 mm). SHMP interacted with Ca2+, significantly influencing the cement hydration; notably, 1% content resulted a notable reduction of samples from 167.5 kPa to 21.5 kPa at 1 day. Although increasing SHMP content improved the early strength, it led to a decrease in later strength, with the maximum late strength observed at 2% SHMP. Both PG and water glass also contributed to late strength enhancement, though higher SHMP levels diminished their effects. While SHMP markedly improved permeability resistance (less than 8 × 10−8 cm/s after 28d), hydraulic conductivity showed minimal variation with increased dosage. The combination of SHMP, PG and water glass effectively enhances the flowability and strength of clay-based CLSM at low water content, solving the contradiction between fluidity and strength. This promotes the sustainable development of green building materials.