bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Feature Separation and Fusion to Optimise the Migration Model of Mural Painting Style in Tombs
Authors: Wu Meng , Li Minghui , Zhang Qunxi
Published: March 2024

Tomb murals are different from cave temple murals and temple murals, as they are underground cultural relics, their painting style is unique, solemn, and austere, and the performance image is characterised by simple colours, low contrast, and fewer survivors. During the digital restoration process, it is important to have sufficient reference samples to ensure the accuracy of the restoration. In addition, the style of mural paintings in the tombs varies greatly from other styles of murals and types of word paintings. Therefore, learning the unique artistic style of tomb murals, providing stylistically consistent training samples for digital restoration, and overcoming the problems of dim lighting and complex surface granularity of tomb murals are all necessary for research. This paper proposes a generative adversarial network algorithm that separates and fuses style features to enhance the generative network’s ability to acquire image information. The algorithm extracts underlying and surface style feature details of the image to be tested and conducts fusion generation experiments. The generative network’s parsing layer modifies the input noise tensor and optimises the corresponding weights to prevent misalignment between drawing lines and fresco cracks. Finally, to optimise the fresco generation effect, we add the corresponding loss function in the discriminator. The tomb murals dataset was established for experiments and tests, and quantitatively and qualitatively analysed with other style migration models, and SSIM, FID, LPIPS and NIQE were used as evaluation indexes. The results were 0.97, 269.579, 0.425 and 3.250, respectively, and the effect of style migration of this paper’s method was significantly higher than that of the control group model.
A Novel Approach to Sensor Placement: Recursive Exhaustive Search and Stochastic Optimization Parameter Impact Analysis
Authors: Banov Marina , Pinčić Domagoj , Lenac Kristijan , Sušanj Diego
Published: March 2024

This study presents a comprehensive approach for single sensor placement optimization in two-dimensional and three-dimensional spaces. A traditional exhaustive search technique and a novel method called recursive exhaustive search are used to place a sensor in a way that maximizes the area coverage metric. Exhaustive search provides a baseline by methodically evaluating all potential placements, while recursive exhaustive search innovates by segmenting the search process into more manageable, recursive steps. Our findings highlight the significant impact of two key parameters, the number of evaluations and the rasterization value, on the achieved coverage and computation time. The results show that the right choice of parameters can significantly reduce the computational effort without compromising the quality of the solution. This underlines the critical need for a balanced approach that considers both computational complexity and placement efficacy. We show that exhaustive search is not feasible for three-dimensional environment models and propose to establish a modified exhaustive search method as a ground truth for the single sensor placement problem. We then explore nature-inspired genetic algorithms and the impact of the number of evaluations of the optimization function for these algorithms on both accuracy and computational cost.
Secure Aviation Control through a Streamlined ADS-B Perception System
Authors: Abu Al-Haija Qasem , Al-Tamimi Ahmed
Published: March 2024

Automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast (ADS-B) is the future of aviation surveillance and traffic control, allowing different aircraft types to exchange information periodically. Despite this protocol’s advantages, it is vulnerable to flooding, denial of service, and injection attacks. In this paper, we decided to join the initiative of securing this protocol and propose an efficient detection method to help detect any exploitation attempts by injecting these messages with the wrong information. This paper focused mainly on three attacks: path modification, ghost aircraft injection, and velocity drift attacks. This paper aims to provide a revolutionary methodology that, even in the face of new attacks (zero-day attacks), can successfully detect injected messages. The main advantage was utilizing a recent dataset to create more reliable and adaptive training and testing materials, which were then preprocessed before using different machine learning algorithms to feasibly create the most accurate and time-efficient model. The best outcomes of the binary classification were obtained with 99.14% accuracy, an F1-score of 99.14%, and a Matthews correlation coefficient (MCC) of 0.982. At the same time, the best outcomes of the multiclass classification were obtained with 99.41% accuracy, an F1-score of 99.37%, and a Matthews correlation coefficient (MCC) of 0.988. Eventually, our best outcomes outdo existing models, but we believe the model would benefit from more testing of other types of attacks and a bigger dataset.
Atmospheric Rivers in South-Central Chile: Zonal and Tilted Events
Authors: Garreaud René D. , Jacques-Coper Martín , Marín Julio C. , Narváez Diego A.
Published: March 2024

The extratropical west coast of South America has one of the largest frequencies of landfalling atmospheric rivers (ARs), with dozens of events per season that account for ~50% of the annual precipitation and can produce extreme rainfall events in south-central Chile. Most ARs form an acute angle with the Andes, but, in some cases, the moist stream impinges nearly perpendicular to the mountains, referred to as zonal atmospheric rivers (ZARs). Enhanced surface-based and upper-air measurements in Concepcion (36.8° S), as well as numerical simulations, were used to characterize a ZAR and a meridionally oriented AR in July 2022. They represent extremes of the broad distribution of winter storms in this region and exhibit key features that were found in a composite analysis based on larger samples of ZARs and tilted ARs. The latter is associated with an upper-level trough, broad-scale ascent, extratropical cyclone, and cold front reaching southern Chile. Instead, ZARs are associated with tropospheric-deep, strong zonal flow and a stationary front across the South Pacific, with ascent restricted upstream of the Andes. Consequently, ZARs have minimum precipitation offshore but a marked orographic precipitation enhancement and exhibit relatively warm temperatures, thus resulting in an augmented risk of hydrometeorological extreme events.
Risk Estimation of Heavy Metals Associated with PM2.5 in the Urban Area of Cuernavaca, México
Authors: Brito-Hernández Alhelí , Saldarriaga-Noreña Hugo , Rosales-Rivera Mauricio , García-Betancourt Maria-Luisa , Murillo-Tovar Mario Alfonso , Romero-Aguilar Mariana , Mugica-Alvarez Violeta , Díaz-Torres José de Jesús , Figueroa-Lara José de Jesús
Published: March 2024

The city of Cuernavaca has experienced a significant deterioration in air quality in recent years. Despite this situation, few studies in the region have constantly monitored this problem. The objective of this study was to determine the concentrations of heavy metals in PM2.5 in three representative sites of the city and estimate the risks posed to human health and the environment. The results revealed concentrations in the following order of abundance: Fe > Al > Mg > Zn > As > Ni > V > Pb > Mn. The EF indicated that As comes mainly from anthropogenic emissions; Zn, V, Pb, and Ni come from natural and anthropogenic sources; and Mn, Fe and Al have a natural origin derived from the soil. The Igeo, As, Pb and Zn were greater than five, followed by V and Ni, whose values ranged between two and three. The ecological RI was far greater than 600 in all cases. The HQ revealed that all values were below one, indicating that the health risk posed by exposure to ambient air is below that established by the USEPA. The Ni ILCR values for adults were 1.03 × 10−5, followed by 2.9 × 10−6 and 1.6 × 10−7 for Pb and As, respectively. For children, the values were in the following order: Pb (1.2 × 10−6), Ni (4.8 × 10−6) and As (7.5 × 10−6). These findings suggest that Cuernavaca’s air has moderate to heavy contamination levels, which must be taken into account by environmental authorities so that measurements can be taken to help reverse this situation.
Considering the Size Distribution of Elements in Particle Matter and Oxidation Potential: Association before and after Respiratory Exposure
Authors: Li Xing , Xu Tingting , Guo Ying
Published: March 2024

Oxidation potential (OP), reflecting the redox activities of particle matter (PM), is considered an optimal measure to explain the biological effects of PM exposure. However, the size resolution of the relationship between OP and chemical composition in PM, especially how the relationship changes after respiratory exposure, has not been well investigated. In this study, size-resolved indoor PM10 samples were collected from a waste recycling plant from November to December 2021 using an Anderson eight-stage cascade impactor. OP, measured by a dithiothreitol (DTT) assay (defined as OPDTT), and elements, determined by inductively coupled plasma–mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) in size-resolved PM, were determined to check their relationships and the related human exposure risk. The results indicated that compared with PM0.4 and PM0.4–2.1, PM2.1–10 contributed the most to total OPDTT and its bound elements contributed the most to potential health risks, both before and after respiratory exposure. The association between OPDTT and the elements varied with PM size. Pearson correlation analysis showed that the PM0.4- and PM0.4–2.1-bound elements were moderate-to-strongly positively correlated with OPvDTT (r: 0.60–0.90). No significant correlation or dose–response relationship was found in PM2.1–10. After respiratory exposure, several PM0.4- and PM0.4–2.1-bound elements had a moderate-to-strongly positive correlation with deposition fluxes of OP (defined as OPFlux) (0.69–0.90). A generalized linear model analysis showed that the interquartile range (IQR) increase in the PM-bound elements (ng h−1) was associated with a 41.7–58.1% increase in OPFlux. Our study is a special case that enriches the knowledge of the association between OPDTT and the chemical composition of PM of different sizes, especially after respiratory exposure, but the generalizability of the findings to other settings or types of PM may be limited. The associations among OPDTT, other chemical compositions of PM, and human exposure risk merit further research.
Adjustment Methods Applied to Precipitation Series with Different Starting Times of the Observation Day
Authors: Becherini Francesca , Stefanini Claudio , della Valle Antonio , Rech Francesco , Zecchini Fabio , Camuffo Dario
Published: March 2024

The study of long precipitation series constitutes an important issue in climate research and risk assessment. However, long datasets are affected by inhomogeneities that can lead to biased results. A frequent but sometimes underestimated problem is the definition of the climatological day. The choice of different starting times may lead to inhomogeneity within the same station and misalignment with other stations. In this work, the problem of temporal misalignment between precipitation datasets characterized by different starting times of the observation day is analyzed. The most widely used adjustment methods (1 day and uniform shift) and two new methods based on reanalysis (NOAA and ERA5) are evaluated in terms of temporal alignment, precipitation statistics, and percentile distributions. As test series, the hourly precipitation series of Padua and nearby stations in the period of 1993–2022 are selected. The results show that the reanalysis-based methods, in particular ERA5, outperform the others in temporal alignment, regardless of the station. But, for the periods in which reanalysis data are not available, 1-day and uniform shift methods can be considered viable alternatives. On the other hand, the reanalysis-based methods are not always the best option in terms of precipitation statistics, as they increase the precipitation frequency and reduce the mean value over wet days, NOAA much more than ERA5. The use of the series of a station near the target one, which is mandatory in case of missing data, can sometimes give comparable or even better results than any adjustment method. For the Padua series, the analysis is repeated at monthly and seasonal resolutions. In the tested series, the adjustment methods do not provide good results in summer and autumn, the two seasons mainly affected by heavy rains in Padua. Finally, the percentile distribution indicates that any adjustment method underestimates the percentile values, except ERA5, and that only the nearby station most correlated with Padua gives results comparable to ERA5.
Traffic Flow Prediction Research Based on an Interactive Dynamic Spatial–Temporal Graph Convolutional Probabilistic Sparse Attention Mechanism (IDG-PSAtt)
Authors: Ding Zijie , He Zhuoshi , Huang Zhihui , Wang Junfang , Yin Hang
Published: March 2024

Accurate traffic flow prediction is highly important for relieving road congestion. Due to the intricate spatial–temporal dependence of traffic flows, especially the hidden dynamic correlations among road nodes, and the dynamic spatial–temporal characteristics of traffic flows, a traffic flow prediction model based on an interactive dynamic spatial–temporal graph convolutional probabilistic sparse attention mechanism (IDG-PSAtt) is proposed. Specifically, the IDG-PSAtt model consists of an interactive dynamic graph convolutional network (IL-DGCN) with a spatial–temporal convolution (ST-Conv) block and a probabilistic sparse self-attention (ProbSSAtt) mechanism. The IL-DGCN divides the time series of a traffic flow into intervals and synchronously and interactively shares the captured dynamic spatiotemporal features. The ST-Conv block is utilized to capture the complex dynamic spatial–temporal characteristics of the traffic flow, and the ProbSSAtt block is utilized for medium-to-long-term forecasting. In addition, a dynamic GCN is generated by fusing adaptive and learnable adjacency matrices to learn the hidden dynamic associations among road network nodes. Experimental results demonstrate that the IDG-PSAtt model outperforms the baseline methods in terms of prediction accuracy. Specifically, on METR-LA, the mean absolute error (MAE) and root mean square error (RMSE) induced by IDG-PSAtt for a 60 min forecasting scenario are reduced by 0.75 and 1.31, respectively, compared to those of the state-of-the-art models. This traffic flow prediction improvement will lead to more precise estimates of the emissions produced by mobile sources, resulting in more accurate air quality forecasts. Consequently, this research will greatly support local environmental management efforts.
A Comparative Study for Stock Market Forecast Based on a New Machine Learning Model
Authors: González-Núñez Enrique , Trejo Luis A. , Kampouridis Michael
Published: March 2024

This research aims at applying the Artificial Organic Network (AON), a nature-inspired, supervised, metaheuristic machine learning framework, to develop a new algorithm based on this machine learning class. The focus of the new algorithm is to model and predict stock markets based on the Index Tracking Problem (ITP). In this work, we present a new algorithm, based on the AON framework, that we call Artificial Halocarbon Compounds, or the AHC algorithm for short. In this study, we compare the AHC algorithm against genetic algorithms (GAs), by forecasting eight stock market indices. Additionally, we performed a cross-reference comparison against results regarding the forecast of other stock market indices based on state-of-the-art machine learning methods. The efficacy of the AHC model is evaluated by modeling each index, producing highly promising results. For instance, in the case of the IPC Mexico index, the R-square is 0.9806, with a mean relative error of 7×10−4. Several new features characterize our new model, mainly adaptability, dynamism and topology reconfiguration. This model can be applied to systems requiring simulation analysis using time series data, providing a versatile solution to complex problems like financial forecasting.
Increased Vulnerability to Ferroptosis in FUS-ALS
Authors: Ismail Muhammad , Großmann Dajana , Hermann Andreas
Published: March 2024

Ferroptosis, a regulated form of cell death characterized by iron-dependent lipid peroxide accumulation, plays a pivotal role in various pathological conditions, including neurodegenerative diseases. While reasonable evidence for ferroptosis exists, e.g., in Parkinson’s disease or Alzheimer’s disease, there are only a few reports on amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a fast progressive and incurable neurodegenerative disease characterized by progressive motor neuron degeneration. Interestingly, initial studies have suggested that ferroptosis might be significantly involved in ALS. Key features of ferroptosis include oxidative stress, glutathione depletion, and alterations in mitochondrial morphology and function, mediated by proteins such as GPX4, xCT, ACSL4 FSP1, Nrf2, and TfR1. Induction of ferroptosis involves small molecule compounds like erastin and RSL3, which disrupt system Xc− and GPX4 activity, respectively, resulting in lipid peroxidation and cellular demise. Mutations in fused in sarcoma (FUS) are associated with familial ALS. Pathophysiological hallmarks of FUS-ALS involve mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative damage, implicating ferroptosis as a putative cell-death pathway in motor neuron demise. However, a mechanistic understanding of ferroptosis in ALS, particularly FUS-ALS, remains limited. Here, we investigated the vulnerability to ferroptosis in FUS-ALS cell models, revealing mitochondrial disturbances and increased susceptibility to ferroptosis in cells harboring ALS-causing FUS mutations. This was accompanied by an altered expression of ferroptosis-associated proteins, particularly by a reduction in xCT expression, leading to cellular imbalance in the redox system and increased lipid peroxidation. Iron chelation with deferoxamine, as well as inhibition of the mitochondrial calcium uniporter (MCU), significantly alleviated ferroptotic cell death and lipid peroxidation. These findings suggest a link between ferroptosis and FUS-ALS, offering potential new therapeutic targets.
The Role of Citrullination Modification in CD4+ T Cells in the Pathogenesis of Immune-Related Diseases
Authors: Chen Yuhang , Teng Yi , Xu Ping , Wang Shengjun
Published: March 2024

The post-translational modifications (PTMs) of proteins play a crucial role in increasing the functional diversity of proteins and are associated with the pathogenesis of various diseases. This review focuses on a less explored PTM called citrullination, which involves the conversion of arginine to citrulline. This process is catalyzed by peptidyl arginine deiminases (PADs). Different members of the PAD family have distinct tissue distribution patterns and functions. Citrullination is a post-translational modification of native proteins that can alter their structure and convert them into autoantigens; thus, it mediates the occurrence of autoimmune diseases. CD4+ T cells, including Th1, Th2, and Th17 cells, are important immune cells involved in mediating autoimmune diseases, allergic reactions, and tumor immunity. PADs can induce citrullination in CD4+ T cells, suggesting a role for citrullination in CD4+ T cell subset differentiation and function. Understanding the role of citrullination in CD4+ T cells may provide insights into immune-related diseases and inflammatory processes.
Mitochondrial Dysfunction as the Major Basis of Brain Aging
Authors: Bondy Stephen C.
Published: March 2024

The changes in the properties of three biological events that occur with cerebral aging are discussed. These adverse changes already begin to develop early in mid-life and gradually become more pronounced with senescence. Essentially, they are reflections of the progressive decline in effectiveness of key processes, resulting in the deviation of essential biochemical trajectories to ineffective and ultimately harmful variants of these programs. The emphasis of this review is the major role played by the mitochondria in the transition of these three important processes toward more deleterious variants as brain aging proceeds. The immune system: the shift away from an efficient immune response to a more unfocused, continuing inflammatory condition. Such a state is both ineffective and harmful. Reactive oxygen species are important intracellular signaling systems. Additionally, microglial phagocytic activity utilizing short lived reactive oxygen species contribute to the removal of aberrant or dead cells and bacteria. These processes are transformed into an excessive, untargeted, and persistent generation of pro-oxidant free radicals (oxidative stress). The normal efficient neural transmission is modified to a state of undirected, chronic low-level excitatory activity. Each of these changes is characterized by the occurrence of continuous activity that is inefficient and diffused. The signal/noise ratio of several critical biological events is thus reduced as beneficial responses are gradually replaced by their impaired and deleterious variants.
Dysbiosis of Gut Microbiome Aggravated Male Infertility in Captivity of Plateau Pika
Authors: Zhang Liangzhi , Tang Xianjiang , Fan Chao , Ren Shi’en , Cheng Qi , Zhou Huakun , Liu Kai , Jia Shangang , Zhang Yanming
Published: March 2024

Captivity is an important and efficient technique for rescuing endangered species. However, it induces infertility, and the underlying mechanism remains obscure. This study used the plateau pika (Ochotona curzoniae) as a model to integrate physiological, metagenomic, metabolomic, and transcriptome analyses and explore whether dysbiosis of the gut microbiota induced by artificial food exacerbates infertility in captive wild animals. Results revealed that captivity significantly decreased testosterone levels and the testicle weight/body weight ratio. RNA sequencing revealed abnormal gene expression profiles in the testicles of captive animals. The microbial α-diversity and Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio were drastically decreased in the captivity group. Bacteroidetes and Muribaculaceae abundance notably increased in captive pikas. Metagenomic analysis revealed that the alteration of flora increased the capacity for carbohydrate degradation in captivity. The levels of microbe metabolites’ short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) were significantly high in the captive group. Increasing SCFAs influenced the immune response of captivity plateau pikas; pro-inflammatory cytokines were upregulated in captivity. The inflammation ultimately contributed to male infertility. In addition, a positive correlation was observed between Gastranaerophilales family abundance and testosterone concentration. Our results provide evidence for the interactions between artificial food, the gut microbiota, and male infertility in pikas and benefit the application of gut microbiota interference in threatened and endangered species.
Recurrence of Idiopathic Membranous Nephropathy in the Kidney Allograft: A Systematic Review
Authors: Panagakis Anastasios , Bellos Ioannis , Grigorakos Konstantinos , Panagoutsos Stylianos , Passadakis Ploumis , Marinaki Smaragdi
Published: March 2024

Introduction: The recurrence of idiopathic membranous nephropathy (iMN) after kidney transplantation is common, although its exact clinical significance remains unclear. This systematic review aims to elucidate the effects of iMN recurrence on graft survival. Materials and methods: A literature search was performed by systematically searching Medline, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar from inception. Cohort studies examining iMN recurrence after kidney transplantation were deemed eligible. Meta-analysis was performed by fitting random-effects models. Results: Twelve (12) articles published from 1995 to 2016 reporting on 139 transplant patients with recurrent iMN were included. The median time of the diagnosis of recurrent iMN was 18 months during follow-up from 35 to 120 months. Risk factors for iMN recurrence in the renal allograft are a positive serum test for anti-PLA2R antibodies pretransplant, female sex, younger age, high proteinuria pretransplant, the longest interval from initial disease to end-stage chronic kidney disease, and the combination of alleles HLA DQA1 05:01 and HLA DQB1 02:01. In the pretransplant period, 37 (26.61%) patients had a positive serum test and 18 (12.94%) patients had a positive biopsy stain for anti-PLA2R antibodies. The sensitivity of the pretransplant positive serum test for these antibodies ranges from 57% to 85.30% and the specificity is 85.10–100%. A total of 81.80% of patients who received rituximab as treatment for iMN recurrence achieved complete and partial remission, while 18.20% had no response to treatment. iMN recurrence was not associated with significantly different rates of graft loss (odds ratio = 1.03, 95% CI: 0.52–2.04, p = 0.524, I2 = 0.00%). Recurrence of iMN was not associated with increased risk of graft loss independently of whether patients were treated with rituximab (OR: 0.98, 95% CI: 0.39–2.50, I2: 0%) or not (OR: 1.22, 95% CI: 0.58–2.59, I2: 3.8%). Patients with iMN recurrence who achieved remission had significantly reduced risk of graft loss (OR: 0.14, 95% CI: 0.03 to 0.73). Conclusion: The main outcome from this systematic review is that there is no statistically significant difference in graft survival in patients with iMN recurrence compared to those without recurrence in long-term follow-up. The achievement of remission is associated with significantly reduced risk of graft loss.
Reinforcement Learning with Task Decomposition and Task-Specific Reward System for Automation of High-Level Tasks
Authors: Kwon Gunam , Kim Byeongjun , Kwon Nam Kyu
Published: March 2024

This paper introduces a reinforcement learning method that leverages task decomposition and a task-specific reward system to address complex high-level tasks, such as door opening, block stacking, and nut assembly. These tasks are decomposed into various subtasks, with the grasping and putting tasks executed through single joint and gripper actions, while other tasks are trained using the SAC algorithm alongside the task-specific reward system. The task-specific reward system aims to increase the learning speed, enhance the success rate, and enable more efficient task execution. The experimental results demonstrate the efficacy of the proposed method, achieving success rates of 99.9% for door opening, 95.25% for block stacking, 80.8% for square-nut assembly, and 90.9% for round-nut assembly. Overall, this method presents a promising solution to address the challenges associated with complex tasks, offering improvements over the traditional end-to-end approach.
Standard Operating Procedure to Optimize Resazurin-Based Viability Assays
Authors: Petiti Jessica , Revel Laura , Divieto Carla
Published: March 2024

The resazurin assay, also known as the Alamar Blue assay, stands as a cornerstone technique in cell biology, microbiology, and drug development. It assesses the viability of cells through the conversion of resazurin into highly fluorescent resorufin. The resulting fluorescence intensity provides a reliable estimate of viable cell numbers. Cytotoxicity assays, such as the resazurin-based method, play a crucial role in the screening of potential drug candidates and in the assessment of pharmaceutical and chemical toxicity. In recent years, inconsistencies have arisen in pharmacogenomic studies, often due to poorly optimized laboratory protocols. These inconsistencies hinder progress in understanding how substances affect cell health, leading to unreliable findings. Thus, the need for standardized and rigorously optimized protocols is evident to ensure consistent and accurate results in cytotoxicity studies. This manuscript describes a standardized procedure for optimizing resazurin-based viability assays to improve the reliability of cytotoxicity data. This optimization approach focuses on critical experimental parameters and data quality, aiming to achieve a level of measurement imprecision of less than 20%. In conclusion, to address the critical issues of reproducibility and reliability, protocol standardization, such as the one described in this manuscript, can greatly enhance the credibility of cytotoxicity studies, ultimately advancing drug safety assessments.
Current Status and Future Perspective in Glioma Invasion Research
Authors: Ohnishi Takanori
Published: March 2024

Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most malignant brain tumor in adults and shows an extremely poor prognosis, with a median survival of 15 months [...]
Development and Validation of a Food Frequency Questionnaire for Evaluating the Nutritional Status of Patients with Serious Mental Illnesses (DIETQ-SMI) in Bahrain
Authors: Jahrami Haitham , Saif Zahra , Ammar Achraf , Husain Waqar , Trabelsi Khaled , Ghazzawi Hadeel , Pandi-Perumal Seithikurippu R. , Seeman Mary V.
Published: March 2024

General food frequency questionnaires (FFQs) have not been tailored for or validated in individuals with psychiatric disorders. Given the unique eating behaviors of patients with serious mental illnesses (SMIs), custom-made tools are needed. Therefore, we developed and validated an FFQ customized to individuals with SMIs. A total of 150 adults with SMIs (schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, or major depression) were recruited from Bahrain. The participants completed the 50-item Dietary Intake Evaluation Questionnaire for Serious Mental Illness (DIETQ-SMI) FFQ and a 3-day food record (FR). The validity of the FFQ was assessed by comparing nutrient intake to FR intake using correlation and reliability statistics. The DIETQ-SMI demonstrated a good ranking validity compared to the FR based on correlation coefficients (rho 0.33 to 0.92) for energy and macro- and micronutrients. The FFQ had high internal consistency (McDonald’s omega = 0.84; Cronbach’s alpha = 0.91) and test–retest reliability (ICC > 0.90). The FFQ tended to estimate higher absolute intakes than the FR but adequately ranked the intakes. The FFQ value was correlated with the FR for all the items (p < 0.001). The DIETQ-SMI is a valid and reliable FFQ for ranking dietary intake in individuals with an SMI. It can help assess nutritional status and, subsequently, guide interventions in high-risk psychiatric populations.
An Empirical Study on Corporate ESG Behavior and Employee Satisfaction: A Moderating Mediation Model
Authors: Zhang Tianxing , Zhang Jun , Tu Siyuan
Published: March 2024

As the role of human capital in enhancing corporate value becomes increasingly prominent in the new economic era, employee satisfaction has garnered widespread attention in organizational behavior theory and business practices. However, constrained by the traditional governance model of “shareholder primacy”, which tends to view employees instrumentally, adverse effects on employee satisfaction and organizational identification persist. Currently, corporate ESG behaviors are flourishing in China, bringing profound and extensive transformations to economic and social sustainability. Yet, the research on whether and how corporate ESG behaviors improve employee satisfaction remains unclear. This study, based on data from the “China’s 100 Best Employers Award” and employing regression analysis on panel data from listed companies on the Shanghai and Shenzhen stock exchanges, reveals that corporate ESG behaviors have the potential to enhance employee satisfaction. Transparency in corporate environmental information and internal control mechanisms emerge as the primary means through which corporate ESG behaviors elevate employee satisfaction. Furthermore, heightened environmental awareness among executives and higher educational qualifications among employees strengthen the relationship between corporate ESG behaviors and employee satisfaction.
The Impact of Motherhood on Women’s Career Progression: A Scoping Review of Evidence-Based Interventions
Authors: Torres Ana Júlia Calegari , Barbosa-Silva Letícia , Oliveira-Silva Ligia Carolina , Miziara Olívia Pillar Perez , Guahy Ully Carolina Rodrigues , Fisher Alexandra N. , Ryan Michelle K.
Published: March 2024

(1) Background: Despite the progress made by women in the workplace, mothers still face systemic barriers that prevent them from advancing professionally. This “motherhood penalty” involves a variety of discriminatory practices and experiences that mothers can face at work, including being held to stricter standards regarding salary and recruitment. Despite ongoing research on the association between motherhood and career outcomes, few studies specifically explore how motherhood impacts career advancement and, consequently, access to leadership. This scoping review seeks to gain an understanding of how motherhood impacts women’s career progression, and how interventions can address the underrepresentation of mothers in leadership. (2) Methods: Following the PRISMA-ScR framework, we analyzed 52 articles from 2010 to 2022, drawn from 10 databases. (3) Results: The results showed both negative and positive impacts of motherhood on career progression, affecting mothers’ attitudes, feelings, and behaviors and yielding changes in interpersonal relationships and work conditions. Intersectionality is highlighted, urging a nuanced examination of challenges faced by mothers from a diversity of backgrounds. Recommendations for interventions include individual and institutional efforts, comprising societal support structures, organizational policy changes, and cultural shifts. (4) Conclusions: This scoping review offers an updated perspective on a classic challenge, providing practical insights for a more inclusive and structural understanding of the career trajectories of working mothers.
Rural Residents’ Willingness to Adopt Energy-Saving Technology for Buildings and Their Behavioral Response Path
Authors: Li Shilong , Hu Wenwen
Published: March 2024

There is an urgent need to promote the technical means of energy conservation in rural buildings. However, it is difficult to inspire enthusiasm among rural residents to implement the mandatory building energy conservation policy, resulting in invisible and avoidable waste. Based on the characteristics of energy-saving technology for buildings and the theory of planned behavior, structural equation modeling was adopted to explore the transformation process of the “cognition–willingness–behavior” of rural residents. The model results validate the hypothesis that behavioral attitudes, subjective norms and perceived behavioral control influence the adoption of energy-efficient building technologies by rural residents. The results show that in terms of the factors influencing rural residents’ willingness to adopt building energy-saving technology, behavioral attitudes have the greatest impact, followed by subjective norms and perceived behavior control, and that rural residents’ subjective norms can indirectly promote their willingness to adopt building energy-saving technology, which is mediated through their behavioral attitudes. The paper concludes with suggestions for countermeasures to enhance buildings’ energy efficiency and energy management in rural areas.
Flexural Behavior of Inverted Steel Fiber-Reinforced Concrete T-Beams Reinforced with High-Yield Steel Bars
Authors: Hou Zhicheng , Nordin Norhaiza
Published: March 2024

This study discusses the effectiveness of T-beams reinforced with steel fibers and 600 MPa longitudinal reinforcements on negative flexural responses based on experimental and finite element analysis (FEA) methods. Four T-beams reinforced with 400 MPa or 600 MPa reinforcements were manufactured and inversely loaded. Two of the beams were fabricated with 0.75% (by volume) steel fibers as per JGJ/T465-2019, while the rest were cast following the same design but without steel fibers for comparison. The failure modes, the cracking moment and width, and the stress of the longitudinal reinforcements and concrete were compared between the four tested T-beams. In particular, deflection–load curves indicated the improved flexural ability of the specimens with steel fibers and high-yield steel bars. Models of T-beams with longitudinal reinforcements measuring 6, 8, and 12 mm in diameter were simulated and compared with the results of validated models. The FEA results further demonstrate the better flexural performance of T-beams reinforced with steel fibers and longitudinal reinforcements. Both materials can increase the overall performance of inverted steel fiber-reinforced concrete T-beams, including cracking load, crack width, ultimate load, and deflection. However, the findings showed that different diameters of longitudinal reinforcements generated different levels of effectiveness.
Learning from the Past: Urban Landscape Transformation Praxis on the Example of Interwar German Housing Estates
Authors: Gierko Aleksandra
Published: March 2024

In this paper, the incorporation of formerly existing built environment and natural elements was studied in eight housing estates from the interwar period in the Weimar Republic as a part of broader research on landscape transformations. The data on the original state of land development were collected using the comparative cartographic analysis method. The analysis was supplemented by a comparison with iconography, such as aerial photographs, orthoimagery, and, in some cases, manually drafted plans. The results suggest that pre-existing conditions significantly influenced the functional dispositions and urban layout of the estates. These findings add to our understanding of the development of housing estates of the interwar period in the Weimar Republic and the posture of designers and urban planners towards the natural conditions of the respective project sites. This work can be valuable for adding to existing guidelines or principles of urban planning.
Bond-Damaged Prestressed AASHTO Type III Girder-Deck System with Retrofits: Parametric Study
Authors: Ni Haoran , Aboutaha Riyad
Published: March 2024

This research describes an in-depth analysis of the flexural strength of a strengthened AASHTO Type III girder-deck system with debonding-damaged strands based on the finite element software ABAQUS 6.17. To investigate the stand-debonding impact and retrofit, two strengthening techniques by the separate use of carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) and steel plate (SP) were proposed. A detailed finite element analysis (FEA) model considering strand debonding, material deterioration, and retrofitting systems was developed and verified against relevant experimental data obtained by other researchers. The proposed FEA model and the experimental data were in good agreement. The sensitivity of the numerical model to the mesh size, element type, dilation angle and coefficient of friction was also investigated. Based on the verified FEA model, 156 girder-deck systems were studied, considering the following variables: (1) debonding level, (2) span-to-depth ratio (L/d), (3) strengthening type, and (4) strengthening material amount. The results indicated that the debonding level and span-to-depth ratio had a major effect on both load–deflection behaviors and the ultimate strength. The relationships between the enhancement of the ultimate strength and the thickness of the strengthening material were obtained through regression equations with respect to the CFRP- and SP-strengthened specimens. The coefficient of determination (R2) was 0.9928 for the CFRP group and 0.9968 for the SP group.
Temporal Trends in Treatment and Outcomes of Endometrial Carcinoma in the United States, 2005–2020
Authors: Adekanmbi Victor , Guo Fangjian , Hsu Christine D. , Gao Daoqi , Polychronopoulou Efstathia , Sokale Itunu , Kuo Yong-Fang , Berenson Abbey B.
Published: March 2024

Endometrial cancer has continued to see a rising incidence in the US over the years. The main aim of this study was to assess current trends in patients’ characteristics and outcomes of treatment for endometrial carcinoma over 16 years. A dataset from the National Cancer Database (NCDB) for patients diagnosed with endometrial carcinoma from 2005 to 2020 was used in this retrospective, case series study. The main outcomes and measures of interest included tumor characteristics, hospitalization, treatments, mortality, and overall survival. Then, 569,817 patients who were diagnosed with endometrial carcinoma were included in this study. The mean (SD) age at diagnosis was 62.7 (11.6) years, but 66,184 patients (11.6%) were younger than 50 years, indicating that more patients are getting diagnosed at younger ages. Of the patients studied, 37,079 (6.3%) were Hispanic, 52,801 (9.3%) were non-Hispanic Black, 432,058 (75.8%) were non-Hispanic White, and 48,879 (8.6%) were other non-Hispanic. Patients in the 4th period from 2017 to 2020 were diagnosed more with stage IV (7.1% vs. 5.2% vs. 5.4% vs. 5.9%; p < 0.001) disease compared with those in the other three periods. More patients with severe comorbidities (Charlson Comorbidity Index score of three) were seen in period 4 compared to the first three periods (3.9% vs. ≤1.9%). Systemic chemotherapy use (14.1% vs. 17.7% vs. 20.4% vs. 21.1%; p < 0.001) and immunotherapy (0.01% vs. 0.01% vs. 0.2% vs. 1.1%; p < 0.001) significantly increased from period 1 to 4. The use of laparotomy decreased significantly from 42.1% in period 2 to 16.7% in period 4, while robotic surgery usage significantly increased from 41.5% in period 2 to 64.3% in period 4. The 30-day and 90-day mortality decreased from 0.6% in period 1 to 0.2% in period 4 and 1.4% in period 1 to 0.6% in period 4, respectively. Over the period studied, we found increased use of immunotherapy, chemotherapy, and minimally invasive surgery for the management of endometrial cancer. Overall, the time interval from cancer diagnosis to final surgery increased by about 6 days. The improvements observed in the outcomes examined can probably be associated with the treatment trends observed.
Asciminib Maintains Antibody-Dependent Cellular Cytotoxicity against Leukemic Blasts
Authors: Holzmayer Samuel J. , Kauer Joseph , Mauermann Jonas , Roider Tobias , Märklin Melanie
Published: March 2024

B cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL) is characterized by an accumulation of malignant precursor cells. Treatment consists of multiagent chemotherapy followed by allogeneic stem cell transplantation in high-risk patients. In addition, patients bearing the BCR-ABL1 fusion gene receive concomitant tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) therapy. On the other hand, monoclonal antibody therapy is increasingly used in both clinical trials and real-world settings. The introduction of rituximab has improved the outcomes in CD20 positive cases. Other monoclonal antibodies, such as tafasitamab (anti-CD19), obinutuzumab (anti-CD20) and epratuzumab (anti-CD22) have been tested in trials (NCT05366218, NCT04920968, NCT00098839). The efficacy of monoclonal antibodies is based, at least in part, on their ability to induce antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC). Combination treatments, e.g., chemotherapy and TKI, should therefore be screened for potential interference with ADCC. Here, we report on in vitro data using BCR-ABL1 positive and negative B-ALL cell lines treated with rituximab and TKI. NK cell activation, proliferation, degranulation, cytokine release and tumor cell lysis were analyzed. In contrast to ATP site inhibitors such as dasatinib and ponatinib, the novel first-in-class selective allosteric ABL myristoyl pocket (STAMP) inhibitor asciminib did not significantly impact ADCC in our settings. Our results suggest that asciminib should be considered in clinical trials.
Breaking Bad Proteins—Discovery Approaches and the Road to Clinic for Degraders
Authors: Bouvier Corentin , Lawrence Rachel , Cavallo Francesca , Xolalpa Wendy , Jordan Allan , Hjerpe Roland , Rodriguez Manuel S.
Published: March 2024

Proteolysis-targeting chimeras (PROTACs) describe compounds that bind to and induce degradation of a target by simultaneously binding to a ubiquitin ligase. More generally referred to as bifunctional degraders, PROTACs have led the way in the field of targeted protein degradation (TPD), with several compounds currently undergoing clinical testing. Alongside bifunctional degraders, single-moiety compounds, or molecular glue degraders (MGDs), are increasingly being considered as a viable approach for development of therapeutics, driven by advances in rational discovery approaches. This review focuses on drug discovery with respect to bifunctional and molecular glue degraders within the ubiquitin proteasome system, including analysis of mechanistic concepts and discovery approaches, with an overview of current clinical and pre-clinical degrader status in oncology, neurodegenerative and inflammatory disease.
Analysis of the Expression of LSF Transcription Factor in the Regulation of Transcription and TSG101 during the Neoplastic Transformation of Endometrial Cells
Authors: Ziemiński Rafał , Stupak Aleksandra , Kwiatek Maciej , Gęca Tomasz , Warowicka Alicja , Hejne Karolina , Kwaśniewska Anna , Goździcka-Józefiak Anna , Kwaśniewski Wojciech
Published: March 2024

Previous research indicates that carcinogenesis involves disrupting the functions of numerous genes, including factors involved in the regulation of transcription and cell proliferation. For these reasons, in endometrial carcinogenesis, we decided to investigate the expression of TSG101 (a suppressor of tumor transformation) and LSF (a transcription factor involved in numerous cellular processes, such as cell cycle regulation, cell growth, development, and apoptosis). LSF may be involved in the regulation of TSG101 expression. The research material consisted of endometrial cancer samples from 60 patients. The control group consisted of normal endometrium samples donated by 60 women undergoing surgery for benign diseases of the female reproductive organs. The samples were subjected to immunohistochemical staining with antibodies specific to TSG101 and LSF. Specific antibodies were used to identify TSG101 and LSF in the examined histopathological preparations. An approximately 14-fold lower risk of endometrial cancer development was observed in patients with TSG expression in more than 75% of the assessed cells (4% vs. 36%; OR = 0.07; p = 0.0182). There was a four-fold lower risk of endometrial cancer development in patients with LSF expression in more than 50% of the assessed cells (32% vs. 64%; OR = 0.26; p = 0.0262). A more than three-fold lower risk of endometrial cancer development was observed in patients with LSF expression in more than 75% of the assessed cells (24% vs. 52%; OR = 0.29; p = 0.0454). Endometrial cancer was diagnosed in those with a lower level of TSG101 expression than in those with a cancer-free endometrium. Decreased expression of TSG101 may be a marker of endometrial cancer, and increased expression of LSF when diagnosed with endometrial cancer may indicate greater advancement of the disease. These markers might be used as diagnostic and prognostic markers—however, there is a lack of a correlation between them.