bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Organizational Mechanism for Managing the Quality of Services Provided by Railway Transport Enterprises
Authors:   O. M. Beketov National University of Urban Economy in Kharkiv, Novikova Maryna M. , Shved Alina B. ,   O. M. Beketov National University of Urban Economy in Kharkiv, Bratash Myroslava A. ,   O. M. Beketov National University of Urban Economy in Kharkiv
Published: March 2024

The article forms an organizational mechanism for managing the quality of services provided by railway transport enterprises. It is noted that today the active development of globalization processes requires a change in the quality management systems that exist at domestic railway transport enterprises. One of the progressive directions of such changes is the formation of effective mechanisms for managing the quality of services provided by railway transport enterprises that meet modern requirements for quality management. It is observed that the organizational mechanism for managing the quality of services provided by railway transport enterprises consists of a number of sequential procedures that exert a comprehensive managerial impact on all management objects involved in the economic activities of the railway industry, and ensure the optimization and efficient use of economic resources. It is noted that for the implementation of the proposed mechanism, it is necessary to use an integrated approach. This approach affects the use of resources through the improvement of the technology of service provision, the development and mastering of innovations, the intensification and increase of production efficiency. It is concluded that one of the important conditions for the formation of an organizational mechanism for managing the quality of services provided by railway transport enterprises is the use of modern management technologies in combination with the introduction of appropriate State policy both at the macroeconomic level and at the level of economic entities. The application of the organizational mechanism for managing the quality of services provided by railway transport enterprises should be combined with the development of a program for the development of the transport industry. This program should include the implementation of priority areas of activity, the provision of scientific, technical and personnel measures, as well as the State support for railway transport enterprises within the frameworks of individual investment projects.
Evolution of Personnel Management Models: From Theory to Practice in Modern Entrepreneurship
Authors:   Vasyl Stefanyk Precarpathian National University, Zvarych Olena I. , Kohut Nazarii O. ,   Vasyl Stefanyk Precarpathian National University
Published: March 2024

This article is devoted to the evolution of personnel management models from their emergence to their use in practice. Making use of system and synergetic approaches, methods of analysis and synthesis, deduction and induction, historical, comparative and content analysis, it is found that the study of the development of models allows to understand their impact on organizational culture and management efficiency. It also helps to single out the key features of these models and tendencies in their development. The present study makes it possible to form more effective approaches to organizational management in the modern economic environment. Also, it is determined that personnel management is an integral part of the general theory of management of modern enterprises, because it appears not as a separate function, but as the main element of a successful management strategy. Thus, considering the views of different scientific schools on the role of a person in the economic system, including in a company, it is possible to distinguish three approaches to scientific research of the phenomenon of management: humanitarian, economic, and organizational. To clarify these processes, this paper analyzes the three most well-known models of personnel management: American, European, and Japanese, highlighting their strengths and weaknesses and disclosing the impact of these systems on human resource management. The authors of the article try to identify possible synergies between these models, given that each of them has a number of strengths. Given that these models are different, the article allows us to understand how they stimulate the professional development of employees and increase the success of the enterprise. Furthermore, this study can be useful for those who form a strategy for management of staff in various sectors of the economy, thereby increasing the competitiveness of the enterprise and its stable development.
Marketing Logistics in Electronic Commerce
Authors:   V. N. Karazin Kharkiv National University, Rozhko Viktor I. , Tatarko Darina Yu. ,   V. N. Karazin Kharkiv National University
Published: March 2024

This article examines the role of marketing logistics in e-commerce. Marketing logistics covers the entire life cycle of a product, from production to delivery to the customer, and is therefore an important component of digital enterprises. Marketing logistics includes such elements as inventory management, order processing, packaging, delivery and rotation of goods. In addition, data analysis and analytics are important components in helping companies understand demand, customer responce, and market trends. This helps to optimize the range of products, pricing and marketing campaigns. Furthermore, the article delves into the significance of data analysis and analytics in enhancing the efficiency of marketing logistics within the e-commerce landscape. In the dynamic realm of digital enterprises, leveraging data-driven insights becomes crucial for informed decision-making. The integration of data analytics allows companies to gain a deeper understanding of various aspects, including revenue patterns, customer preferences, and emerging market trends. Optimizing the product range, pricing strategies, and marketing campaigns becomes more precise when supported by comprehensive data analysis. This strategic use of data empowers businesses to align their offerings with customer demands and market dynamics, ultimately leading to improved customer satisfaction and competitive advantage. The article emphasizes the interconnectedness of marketing logistics and data analytics, highlighting how these elements work in tandem to drive success in the e-commerce sector. As digital enterprises continue to evolve, a holistic approach that integrates logistics management with robust data-driven strategies becomes essential for staying ahead in the highly competitive online marketplace. The article also underscores the adaptability aspect of marketing logistics in response to real-time data. In a rapidly changing digital environment, businesses that can swiftly analyze and respond to emerging market trends gain a competitive edge.
نسبة مساهمة بعض المتغيرات الكينماتيكية للذراعين في تطوير مستوى الأداء لمهارة التصويب اماماً بكرة اليد
Authors: Teacher.Dr.  Sakna Abdel Razzaq Tarish
Published: March 2024

الملخص

تضمن البحث أربع أبواب أحتوى الباب الأول على مقدمة البحث وأهميته وتم التطرق الى لعبة كرة اليد من المسابقات ذات الأداء الفني المعقد ومهارة التصويب والتي تعتمد على مستوى عالي من القوة والسرعة . إذ تعد مفتاح الأساسي في تحقيق هدف المهارة لهذا المفتاح الرئيسي في تحقيق الفوز ، مما جعل الأهتمام بفهم المتغيرات الخاصة بالأداء للذراعين لتشكل أهمية كبيرة كون هذه الذراعين تؤثر على دقة التصويب أما مشكلة البحث التعرف على المتغيرات البايوميكانيكية التي ترافق تنفيذ مهارة التصويب أماما من جهة اليمين والتنبؤ بمستوى التطور المبني على نسبة مساهمة متغيرات الكينماتيكية للكتفين والمرفقين وهدف البحث الى إيجاد معادلات تنبؤية بمستوى التطور بدلالة الأنحدار لقيم المتغيرات وتمثل عينة البحث بلاعبي المدرسة التخصصية بكرة اليد وأستخدم التصوير والتحليل الميكانيكي لأستخراج النتائج وأستنتجت الباحثة أسهمت متغير ( التعجيل الزاوي للكتف اليسار ) ، بأعلى نسبة مساهمة بدقة التصويب من القفز لجهة اليمين .
Efficacy of Entomopathogens, Botanical and New Generation Insecticides Against Papaya Mealybug
Authors: Islam A , Haque MA , Das G , Khan AA , Topu MAA , Rahman MS , Hasan MJ , Mollah MLR , Roknuzzaman M
Published: March 2024

The papaya mealybug is an invasive polyphagus pest species causing several economic damages to a wide range of agricultural crop. Five new generation insecticides of different groups, one botanical and one entomopathogenic fungus (Beauveria bassiana) were evaluated in laboratory for their effectiveness in reducing mealybug incidence on papaya. The present study was conducted to evaluate the toxic effect of different insecticides at different concentration against P.marginatus. Among the 7 insecticides, Imixam 70 WDG (Imidacloprid+Thiamethoxam) was the most effective insecticide followed by Ravjum 14.5 SC (Indoxacarb), Saka 25 SC (Abamectin 5% +Spirodiclofen 20%), Imixan and Biotrin 0.5% (Matrin), Tundra 20 SP (Acetameprid), Antario (Bacillus thuringiensis+Abamectin) and Beauveria bassiana, respectively.All the selected insecticides provided their highest efficacy at their maximum doses as well as within 7-9 DAT, among them two new generation insecticides e.g. Saka 25 SC (Abamectin 5% +Spirodiclofen 20%) @ 1.0 ml/L, Ravjum 14.5 SC (Indoxacarb) @ 1.0 ml/L and the botanical insecticide Biotrin 0.5% upto 7 DAT would be effective in controlling papaya mealybug considering the efficacy. To confirmation of the results, need to be tested under field condition.
Bangladesh J. Nuclear Agric, 37(2): 81-88, 2023
Nghiên cứu sự phụ thuộc lợi nhuận của tiền kỹ thuật số: Tiếp cận phương pháp Copula có điều kiện
Authors: Phan Thị Hằng Nga
Published: March 2024

Bài viết nghiên cứu sự phụ thuộc lợi nhuận của hai đồng tiền điện tử Bitcoin và Ethereum trong 3 giai đoạn: trước dịch COVID-19 từ đầu năm 2018 đến cuối năm 2019, giai đoạn trong COVID-19 từ đầu năm 2020 đến gần cuối năm 2021 và giai đoạn chiến tranh của Nga – Ukraine từ đầu năm 2022 đến đầu năm 2023. Nghiên cứu sử dụng chuỗi dữ liệu thời gian từ tháng 1 năm 2018 đến tháng 1 năm 2023, áp dụng phương pháp Copula có điều kiện để đo lường cấu trúc phụ thuộc của dữ liệu chuỗi thời gian. Kết quả nghiên cứu cho thấy có sự phụ thuộc mạnh của tỷ suất lợi nhuận của 02 đồng tiền kỹ thuật số trong giai đoạn nghiên cứu, từ kết quả này tác giả đề xuất các hàm ý cho nhà đầu tư cũng như hoạch định chính sách trong thời gian tới.
Kant'ta Estetik Deneyim
Authors: Kargın Hasan Hüseyin
Published: March 2024

Kant, bilgi alanında yaptığı devrim ile felsefenin gidişatını değiştirmiş, yeni ve farklı felsefe yapma biçimlerinin doğmasına neden olmuştur. Bir yeniliği de ahlak alanına getirmiş, Platon’dan beri süregelen mutluluk ahlakını devre dışı bırakmıştır. Kant, böylesi iki büyük devrimi gerçekleştirdiğinde insanın bölündüğünün farkına varır. Bir yanda saf teorik akıl, öte yanda tüm canlılığı ve esnekliği ile pratik akıl yer almaktadır. Bir tarafta bilimin soğukluğu, öte tarafta hayatın sıcaklığı vardır. İşte bu iki kutupluluğu ortadan kaldıracak bir bağlantıya ihtiyaç vardır. Estetik bize bu bağlantıyı verebilir ve teorik dünyayı yaşam dünyasına bağlayabilir. Estetik deneyim, güzel ilan ettiğimiz nesnelerin özel beğeni yargılarımızın üzerine kurulabileceği deneyim türüdür. Kant açısından estetik deneyim bir nesneyi gözlemlerken hissedilen zevktir. Bu makalede Kant’ın estetik deneyim kavramı araştırma konusu yapılacaktır.
1784 BAHRİYE DÜZENLEMESİ VE OSMANLI DONANMASINDA ERKEN NİZÂM-I CEDİD
Authors: DEPE Enes
Published: March 2024

1770 yılında Çeşme’de ağır kayıplara uğrayan Osmanlı donanması, takip eden yıllarda ciddi bir güvenlik sorunu ile karşı karşıya kalmıştır. 1770’li yıllar boyunca bu kayıpların telafisine çalışılırken, 1780’li yıllarda donanma ile ilgili girişimler farklı bir boyuta ulaşmıştır. Amerikan Bağımsızlık Savaşı ile Batı dünyası hızlı bir silahlanma yarışına girerken, Akdeniz’de de suların ısınmaya başlaması Osmanlı yetkililerini ilave tedbirler almaya yöneltmiştir. 1783 yılında Kırım’ın Rusya tarafından ilhakı ile güvenlik zafiyeti büyüyen Osmanlılar için, sefere hazır deniz gücünün arttırılması ve hızla gerekli yerlere intikali yönünde bazı çalışmaların yapılması gerekmiştir.

Halil Hamid Paşa’nın sadrazamlığı dönemine denk gelen 1783-1785 yılları arasında gerçekleştirilen savaş hazırlıkları kapsamında, donanmada da bazı tedbirlerin alınması gündeme gelmiştir. Rusya’nın artan deniz gücü ve Osmanlılara yönelik tehdidi, 1784 yılında yürürlüğe giren bir düzenlemeyle önlenmeye çalışılmıştır. Bahriye için erken nizâm-ı cedid olarak adlandırılabilecek bu düzenlemenin temeli, sistematik olarak daha fazla gemiyi sefere hazır halde tutabilmeye dayanmaktadır. Önceki yıllara kıyasla daha masraflı bir donanma anlamına gelen bu teşebbüs, 1785 yılından itibaren uygulamaya konulmuştur. 1787’de başlayan Rus Harbi’nden önce donanmanın sefer kapasitesinin arttırılmasına yönelik tedbirler, savaş yıllarında ve sonrasında donanmaya yapılan yatırımların desteklenmesinin de önünü açmıştır. Bu araştırma, 1790’lı yıllarda da geliştirilerek devam edecek olan donanmadaki nizâm-ı cedid teşebbüslerinden, 1784 yılında yapılan düzenlemenin detaylarına odaklanmıştır.
PAKET TUR BAŞLAMADAN ÖNCE TUR FİYATININ DEĞİŞTİRİLMESİ
Authors: Yağcıoğlu Burcu
Published: March 2024

Paket tur başlamadan önce tur fiyatının değiştirilmesine ilişkin hükümler, turun başlamasından önce tüketiciye koruma güvencesi sağlayan düzenlemeler arasında yer alır. Ancak mevcut hükümler bu özelliği taşısa da belli noktalarda tüketiciler aleyhine yorumlanabilecek şekilde muğlak ve eksiktir. Özellikle, sadece tur düzenleyicisine tüketicinin aleyhine olacak şekilde fiyat değişikliği yapabilme yetkisinin tanınması, üzerinde önemle durulması gereken bir eksikliktir. Bunlara ilişkin olarak çalışmada, tüketicinin korunması amacına uygun olarak, birtakım değişiklik ve yenilik önerilerinde bulunulmuştur. Konunun sunumu açısından, esaslı ve esaslı olmayan fiyat artışları şeklinde ikili bir ayrım benimsenmiştir. Bu noktada sadece hukukumuzdaki düzenlemeler değil, ilgili AB Direktifi, Alman ve İsviçre Hukukundaki ilgili hükümler de göz önünde bulundurulmuştur. Bu bağlamda çalışma, tüketicinin ne ölçüde korunduğu, konuyla ilgili olarak hukukumuzdaki mevzuat hükümleri açısından ne gibi düzeltme veya değişiklik yapılması gerektiği, bunun yanında ilgili hükümlerin hangi yönlerden ilerici bir tavır takındığı konularında fikir vermeyi amaçlamıştır.
The Impact of Body Fat Distribution on COVID-19 Vaccine Response: An MRI-Based Study
Authors: Balyemez Uğurcan , Erşen Mehmet , Süer Hüseyin Kaya
Published: March 2024

Objective: Subcutaneous and visceral adipose tissue have distinct physiological roles. The correlation between the amount of visceral tissue and the immunity response following vaccination remains unclear, despite its known effects on immunity. The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibody levels after vaccination and body fat tissue values measured using a specialized software on specific magnetic resonance imaging sequences.

Methods: After ethics committee approval, prospectively 60 volunteers (27 males, 33 females; median age of 33 years) were vaccinated with inactivated SARS-CoV-2 vaccine and tested for IgG levels. Abdominal MRI was performed to measure subcutaneous and visceral fat tissue areas using a semiautomatic application.

Results: The median value of IgG antibody titers after vaccination was 1039 (113 – 6613). Median subcutaneous adipose tissue(cm2), visceral adipose tissue (cm2), SAT index (SATI) (cm2/m2), VAT index (VATI) (cm2/m2), total fat area (TFA) (cm2), and SAT/VAT (cm2) were 178.5 (38.1-552.5), 51.5 (7.1-273.2), 61.4 (14.3-213.1), 19.1 (2.7-90.6), 251.3 (45.3-683.2), and 3.3 (0.4-12.3) respectively. There was no significant

correlation between the adipose tissue measurements and antibody titers (p>.05).

Conclusion: This study demonstrated that automated software can efficiently and accurately evaluate body fat distribution using MRI. However, the results showed no significant association between fat distribution and the immunization response to the SARS-CoV-2 vaccine.
Altered ocular surface microbiota in obesity: a case-control study
Authors: Liang Chenghong , Wang Limin , Wang Xiudan , Jia Yifan , Xie Qinyuan , Zhao Lingyun , Yuan Huijuan
Published: March 2024

Purpose

This study aimed to investigate the composition of ocular surface microbiota in patients with obesity.

Methods

This case-control study, spanning from November 2020 to March 2021 at Henan Provincial People’s Hospital, involved 35 patients with obesity and an equivalent number of age and gender-matched healthy controls. By employing 16S rRNA sequencing, this study analyzed the differences in ocular surface microbiota between the two groups. The functional prediction analysis of the ocular surface microbiota was conducted using PICRUSt2.

Results

The alpha diversity showed no notable differences in the richness or evenness of the ocular surface microbiota when comparing patients with obesity to healthy controls (Shannon index, P=0.1003). However, beta diversity highlighted significant variances in the microbiota composition of these two groups (ANOSIM, P=0.005). LEfSe analysis revealed that the relative abundances of Delftia, Cutibacterium, Aquabacterium, Acidovorax, Caulobacteraceae unclassified, Comamonas and Porphyromonas in patients with obesity were significantly increased (P<0.05). Predictive analysis using PICRUSt2 highlighted a significant enhancement in certain metabolic pathways in patients with obesity, notably xenobiotics metabolism via cytochrome P450 (CYP450), lipid metabolism, and the oligomerization domain (NOD)-like receptor signaling pathway (P<0.05).

Conclusions

Patients with obesity exhibit a distinct ocular surface core microbiome. The observed variations in this microbiome may correlate with increased activity in CYP450, changes in lipid metabolism, and alterations in NOD-like receptor signaling pathways.
You better listen to yourself: studying metacognitive efficiency in emotion recognition by voice
Authors: Sinvani Rachel-Tzofia , Fogel-Grinvald Haya
Published: March 2024

Purpose

Metacognition, or the ability to monitor the performance of oneself, is known for its fundamental importance for human behavior adjustments. However, studies of metacognition in social behaviors focused on emotion recognition are relatively scarce. In the current study, we aimed to examine the effectiveness of metacognition, measured by self-rated confidence in voice emotion recognition tasks within healthy individuals.

Methods

We collected 180 audio-recorded lexical sentences portraying discrete emotions: anger, happiness, sadness, fear, surprise, and neutrality expressions. Upon listening to voice stimuli, participants (N = 100; 50 females, 50 males) completed the perception task of recognition of emotion. After each trial, a confidence rating (CR) was assigned.

Results

A series of one-tailed t-tests showed that the differences in mean CRs assigned to correct and incorrect performances were significant for all emotions and neutral expression.

Conclusions

Our preliminary results demonstrate efficiency in metacognition of emotion recognition by voice. Theoretically, our results support the difference between accuracy in metacognition, measured by CR, and efficiency in metacognition, as it specified the CR between correct and incorrect performance. To gain better insights into practical issues, further studies are needed to examine whether and what are the differences between accuracy and efficiency in metacognition, as part of social communication.
Interaction between peripheral blood mononuclear cells and Trypanosoma cruzi-infected adipocytes: implications for treatment failure and induction of immunomodulatory mechanisms in adipose tissue
Authors: Moreira Leyllane Rafael , Silva Ana Carla , Costa-Oliveira Cíntia Nascimento da , Silva-Júnior Claudeir Dias da , Oliveira Kamila Kássia dos Santos , Torres Diego José Lira , Barros Michelle D. , Rabello Michelle Christiane d. S. , de Lorena Virginia Maria Barros
Published: March 2024

Background/Introduction

Adipose tissue (AT) has been highlighted as a promising reservoir of infection for viruses, bacteria and parasites. Among them is Trypanosoma cruzi, which causes Chagas disease. The recommended treatment for the disease in Brazil is Benznidazole (BZ). However, its efficacy may vary according to the stage of the disease, geographical origin, age, immune background of the host and sensitivity of the strains to the drug. In this context, AT may act as an ally for the parasite survival and persistence in the host and a barrier for BZ action. Therefore, we investigated the immunomodulation of T. cruzi-infected human AT in the presence of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) where BZ treatment was added.

Methods

We performed indirect cultivation between T. cruzi-infected adipocytes, PBMC and the addition of BZ. After 72h of treatment, the supernatant was collected for cytokine, chemokine and adipokine assay. Infected adipocytes were removed to quantify T. cruzi DNA, and PBMC were removed for immunophenotyping.

Results

Our findings showed elevated secretion of interleukin (IL)-6, IL-2 and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1/CCL2) in the AT+PBMC condition compared to the other controls. In contrast, there was a decrease in tumor necrosis factor (TNF) and IL-8/CXCL-8 in the groups with AT. We also found high adipsin secretion in PBMC+AT+T compared to the treated condition (PBMC+AT+T+BZ). Likewise, the expression of CD80+ and HLA-DR+ in CD14+ cells decreased in the presence of T. cruzi.

Discussion

Thus, our findings indicate that AT promotes up-regulation of inflammatory products such as IL-6, IL-2, and MCP-1/CCL2. However, adipogenic inducers may have triggered the downregulation of TNF and IL-8/CXCL8 through the peroxisome proliferator agonist gamma (PPAR-g) or receptor expression. On the other hand, the administration of BZ only managed to reduce inflammation in the microenvironment by decreasing adipsin in the infected culture conditions. Therefore, given the findings, we can see that AT is an ally of the parasite in evading the host‘s immune response and the pharmacological action of BZ.
Unraveling the causal role of immune cells in gastrointestinal tract cancers: insights from a Mendelian randomization study
Authors: Wang Yu-xiang , Zhou Chao-ping , Wang Da-tian , Ma Jun , Sun Xue-hu , Wang Yao , Zhang Ya-ming
Published: March 2024

Background

Despite early attempts, the relationship between immune characteristics and gastrointestinal tract cancers remains incompletely elucidated. Hence, rigorous and further investigations in this domain hold significant clinical relevance for the development of novel potential immunotherapeutic targets.

Methods

We conducted a two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis using the tools available in the “TwoSampleMR” R package. The GWAS data for these 731 immune traits were sourced from the GWAS Catalog database. Concurrently, data on gastrointestinal tract cancers, encompassing malignant tumors in the esophagus, stomach, small intestine, colon, and rectum, were extracted from the FinnGen database. The immune traits subjected to MR analysis predominantly fall into four categories: median fluorescence intensities (MFI), relative cell (RC), absolute cell (AC), and morphological parameters (MP). To ensure the reliability of our findings, sensitivity analyses were implemented to address robustness, account for heterogeneity, and alleviate the impact of horizontal pleiotropy.

Results

A total of 78 immune traits causally linked to gastrointestinal tract cancers were identified, encompassing esophageal cancer (12 traits), gastric cancer (13 traits), small intestine cancer (22 traits), colon cancer (12 traits), and rectal cancer (19 traits). Additionally, 60 immune traits were recognized as protective factors associated with gastrointestinal tract cancers, distributed across esophageal cancer (14 traits), gastric cancer (16 traits), small intestine cancer (7 traits), colon cancer (14 traits), and rectal cancer (9 traits). Furthermore, it was observed that seven immune traits are causally related to gastrointestinal tract cancers in at least two locations. These traits include “CCR2 on CD14- CD16+ monocyte,” “CD19 on IgD+ CD38-,” “CD19 on IgD+ CD38- naive,” “CD25hi CD45RA+ CD4 not Treg AC,” “CD27 on unsw mem,” “CD28 on CD39+ activated Treg,” and “CD45 on CD4+.”

Conclusion

This study elucidates a causal link between immune cells and gastrointestinal tract cancers at various sites through genetic investigation. The findings of this research open up new perspectives and resources for exploring tumor prevention strategies and immunotherapeutic targets.
Plastic additives in commercial fish of Aegean and Ionian Seas and potential hazard to human health
Authors: Marmara Dimitra , Brundo Maria Violetta , Pecoraro Roberta , Scalisi Elena Maria , Contino Martina , Sica Carmen , Ferruggia Greta , Indelicato Stefania , Velardita Rosario , Tiralongo Francesco , Krasakopoulou Evangelia
Published: March 2024

Plastic additives include a wide range of pollutants, added throughout the production process of plastics aiming to improve their properties. Given that they are not chemically bound to the plastic items, they can easily migrate in the marine environment allowing their uptake by marine organisms and accumulation in their tissues. Representatives of Phthalic acid esters (PAEs) and bisphenols have been characterized for their ability to impact not only marine organisms but also humans via fish and seafood consumption. In this study, a liquid-liquid method was applied to determine the concentrations of selected PAEs and Bisphenol A (BPA) in the tissues of E.encrasicolus, S.pilchardus, B.boops, and M.barbatus from two important divisions of fisheries (North Aegean and the Western Ionian Seas, thereof NAS and IOS respectively) of the Mediterranean Sea. The level of contamination varied among the different species and geographical locations. DEHP (bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate) had the highest mean concentrations of the examined PAEs for all four species examined. Statistically significant differences in DEHP mean concentrations were observed between the tissues of B.boops (collected from NAS) and S.pilchardus (from IOS) (p < 0.05, Wilcoxon rank test). DIDP (di-isodecyl phthalate) was the following most common PAEs, although no statistically significant differences were presented between sites, species, and tissues. DINP (di-isononyl phthalate) was recorded only in the GIT of E.encrasicolus (from NAS), while the rest of the examined PAEs were presented in a smaller subset of the samples. Noticeably, the parent diester DBP and the metabolic monoester MNBP were concurrently detected in a part of the analyzed samples. The level of risk via fish consumption, based on the Estimated Daily Intake and the Target Hazard Quotient (THQ), showed that the PAEs and BPA had a low likelihood of a negative effect occurring for every scenario that was examined, although THQ for BPA indicated there was a higher likelihood than PAEs of an adverse effect to be presented. The results of this study highlighted the need for future efforts focusing on the factors affecting plastic additives occurrences in the marine environment, especially for marine organisms intended for consumption.
Influence of print speed and nozzle diameter on the fiber alignment in 3D printed ultra-high-performance concrete
Authors: Shahzad Qamar , Abbas Nadeem , Akbar Muhammad , Sabi Ehab , Thomas Blessen Skariah , Arshid Muhammad Usman
Published: March 2024

The limitations in the available reinforcing methods have accompanied the increasing popularity of 3D Concrete Printing (3DCP). Incorporating steel fibers as reinforcement is a promising approach to overcome these limitations. However, the impact of the printing process on the alignment of these fibers is not well understood. Therefore, the objective of this research is to quantitatively analyze the distribution of steel fiber alignment in 3D printed concrete. To achieve this, digital image analysis was employed to assess the influence of nozzle diameter, print speed, and fiber content on fiber alignment in both mold-cast and 3D-printed samples. UHPC matrix without fiber addition and fiber reinforced UHPC composites with brass-coated steel fiber contents of 1.5% and 3% by volume fraction were printed. Furthermore, Material nozzles ranging from 10 mm to 40 mm in size were employed and printing speeds of 15, 25, 35, and 45 mm/s were adjusted. Subsequently, the study examined the implications of fiber alignment on the hardened performance of printed specimens and compared them with conventionally mold-cast samples. The findings of the study demonstrated that increasing the fiber content and using smaller diameter nozzles during the printing procedure led to significant improvements in fiber orientation along the printing direction. As a result, the mechanical performance of the printed samples showed a substantial enhancement compared to the specimens produced through mold casting, primarily due to the improved fiber alignment.
Natronoglomus mannanivorans gen. nov., sp. nov., beta-1,4-mannan utilizing natronoarchaea from hypersaline soda lakes
Authors: Sorokin Dimitry Y. , Elcheninov Alexander G. , Bale Nicole J. , Sinninghe Damsté Jaap S. , Kublanov Ilya V.
Published: March 2024

Beta-mannans are insoluble plant polysaccharides with beta-1,4-linked mannose as the backbone. We used three forms of this polysaccharide, namely, pure mannan, glucomannan, and galactomannan, to enrich haloarchaea, which have the ability to utilize mannans for growth. Four mannan-utilizing strains obtained in pure cultures were closely related to each other on the level of the same species. Furthermore, another strain selected from the same habitats with a soluble beta-1,4-glucan (xyloglucan) was also able to grow with mannan. The phylogenomic analysis placed the isolates into a separate lineage of the new genus level within the family Natrialbaceae of the class Halobacteria. The strains are moderate alkaliphiles, extremely halophilic, and aerobic saccharolytics. In addition to the three beta-mannan forms, they can also grow with cellulose, xylan, and xyloglucan. Functional genome analysis of two representative strains demonstrated the presence of several genes coding for extracellular endo-beta-1,4-mannanase from the GH5_7 and 5_8 subfamilies and the GH26 family of glycosyl hydrolases. Furthermore, a large spectrum of genes encoding other glycoside hydrolases that were potentially involved in the hydrolysis of cellulose and xylan were also identified in the genomes. A comparative genomics analysis also showed the presence of similar endo-beta-1,4-mannanase homologs in the cellulotrophic genera Natronobiforma and Halococcoides. Based on the unique physiological properties and the results of phylogenomic analysis, the novel mannan-utilizing halolarchaea are proposed to be classified into a new genus and species Natronoglomus mannanivorans gen. nov., sp. nov. with the type strain AArc-m2/3/4 (=JCM 34861=UQM 41565).
Inter-brain desynchronization in social interaction: a consequence of subjective involvement?
Authors: Froese Tom , Loh Chen Lam , Putri Finda
Published: March 2024

Hyperscanning approaches to human neuroscience aim to uncover the neural mechanisms of social interaction. They have been largely guided by the expectation that increased levels of engagement between two persons will be supported by higher levels of inter-brain synchrony (IBS). A common approach to measuring IBS is phase synchrony in the context of EEG hyperscanning. Yet the growing number of experimental findings does not yield a straightforward interpretation, which has prompted critical reflections about the field’s theoretical and methodological principles. In this perspective piece, we make a conceptual contribution to this debate by considering the role of a possibly overlooked effect of inter-brain desynchronization (IBD), as for example measured by decreased phase synchrony. A principled reason to expect this role comes from the recent proposal of irruption theory, which operationalizes the efficacy of a person’s subjective involvement in behavior generation in terms of increased neural entropy. Accordingly, IBD is predicted to increase with one or more participant’s socially motivated subjective involvement in interaction, because of the associated increase in their neural entropy. Additionally, the relative prominence of IBD compared to IBS is expected to vary in time, as well as across frequency bands, depending on the extent that subjective involvement is elicited by the task and/or desired by the person. If irruption theory is on the right track, it could thereby help to explain the notable variability of IBS in social interaction in terms of a countertendency from another factor: IBD due to subjective involvement.
SGLFormer: Spiking Global-Local-Fusion Transformer with high performance
Authors: Zhang Han , Zhou Chenlin , Yu Liutao , Huang Liwei , Ma Zhengyu , Fan Xiaopeng , Zhou Huihui , Tian Yonghong
Published: March 2024

Introduction

Spiking Neural Networks (SNNs), inspired by brain science, offer low energy consumption and high biological plausibility with their event-driven nature. However, the current SNNs are still suffering from insufficient performance.

Methods

Recognizing the brain's adeptness at information processing for various scenarios with complex neuronal connections within and across regions, as well as specialized neuronal architectures for specific functions, we propose a Spiking Global-Local-Fusion Transformer (SGLFormer), that significantly improves the performance of SNNs. This novel architecture enables efficient information processing on both global and local scales, by integrating transformer and convolution structures in SNNs. In addition, we uncover the problem of inaccurate gradient backpropagation caused by Maxpooling in SNNs and address it by developing a new Maxpooling module. Furthermore, we adopt spatio-temporal block (STB) in the classification head instead of global average pooling, facilitating the aggregation of spatial and temporal features.

Results

SGLFormer demonstrates its superior performance on static datasets such as CIFAR10/CIFAR100, and ImageNet, as well as dynamic vision sensor (DVS) datasets including CIFAR10-DVS and DVS128-Gesture. Notably, on ImageNet, SGLFormer achieves a top-1 accuracy of 83.73% with 64 M parameters, outperforming the current SOTA directly trained SNNs by a margin of 6.66%.

Discussion

With its high performance, SGLFormer can support more computer vision tasks in the future. The codes for this study can be found in https://github.com/ZhangHanN1/SGLFormer.
Differential contributions of body form, motion, and temporal information to subjective action understanding in naturalistic stimuli
Authors: Smekal Vojtěch , Poyo Solanas Marta , Fraats Evelyne I. C. , de Gelder Beatrice
Published: March 2024

Introduction

We investigated the factors underlying naturalistic action recognition and understanding, as well as the errors occurring during recognition failures.

Methods

Participants saw full-light stimuli of ten different whole-body actions presented in three different conditions: as normal videos, as videos with the temporal order of the frames scrambled, and as single static representative frames. After each stimulus presentation participants completed one of two tasks—a forced choice task where they were given the ten potential action labels as options, or a free description task, where they could describe the action performed in each stimulus in their own words.

Results

While generally, a combination of form, motion, and temporal information led to the highest action understanding, for some actions form information was sufficient and adding motion and temporal information did not increase recognition accuracy. We also analyzed errors in action recognition and found primarily two different types.

Discussion

One type of error was on the semantic level, while the other consisted of reverting to the kinematic level of body part processing without any attribution of semantics. We elaborate on these results in the context of naturalistic action perception.
Optical density of high fluence autoradiographic images to study boron microdistribution: validation of the technique in tissue sections
Authors: Espain M. S. , Viglietti J. S. , Vidal C. , Martin D. , Trivillin V. A. , Monti Hughes A. , Palmieri M. A. , De Leo L. , Garabalino M. A. , Curotto P. , Thorp S. I. , Pozzi E. C. C. , Saint Martin G. , Portu A. M.
Published: March 2024

The distribution of boron in biological samples coming from BNCT protocols can be determined by the analysis of autoradiographic images formed by nuclear tracks on polymeric detectors. The tissue section is first explored to delimit regions of interest (ROIs), and then it is removed in order to reveal nuclear tracks through an etching process. A quantitative autoradiographic technique was developed to measure the boron concentration in the sample by counting the nuclear tracks on the detector. However, under certain circumstances, rapid measurements of boron distribution are required. For that purpose, a methodology was developed, allowing a rapid and easy determination of boron concentration and distribution in a tissue section by measuring grey levels in the corresponding high fluence autoradiographic image (HFA). The grey levels are then converted to optical density values which are then correlated with boron concentration values. In order to validate the technique, consecutive sections of several tissue samples were analyzed by the conventional counting method and by HFA. The image analysis and boron concentration estimation can be carried out in under 15 min, and relative differences between zones can be easily determined.
The postbiotic sodium butyrate synergizes the antiproliferative effects of dexamethasone against the AGS gastric adenocarcinoma cells
Authors: Eladwy Radwa A , Alsherbiny Muhammad A. , Chang Dennis , Fares Mohamed , Li Chun-Guang , Bhuyan Deep Jyoti
Published: March 2024

A growing body of literature underlines the fundamental role of gut microbiota in the occurrence, treatment, and prognosis of cancer. In particular, the activity of gut microbial metabolites (also known as postbiotics) against different cancer types has been recently reported in several studies. However, their in-depth molecular mechanisms of action and potential interactions with standard chemotherapeutic drugs remain to be fully understood. This research investigates the antiproliferative activities of postbiotics- short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) salts, specifically magnesium acetate (MgA), sodium propionate (NaP), and sodium butyrate (NaB), against the AGS gastric adenocarcinoma cells. Furthermore, the potential synergistic interactions between the most active SCFA salt-NaB and the standard drug dexamethasone (Dex) were explored using the combination index model. The molecular mechanisms of the synergy were investigated using reactive oxygen species (ROS), flow cytometry and biochemometric and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC–MS)-driven proteomics analyses. NaB exhibited the most significant inhibitory effect (p < 0.05) among the tested SCFA salts against the AGS gastric cancer cells. Additionally, Dex and NaB exhibited strong synergy at a 2:8 ratio (40 μg/mL Dex + 2,400 μg/mL NaB) with significantly greater inhibitory activity (p < 0.05) compared to the mono treatments against the AGS gastric cancer cells. MgA and NaP reduced ROS production, while NaB exhibited pro-oxidative properties. Dex displayed antioxidative effects, and the combination of Dex and NaB (2,8) demonstrated a unique pattern, potentially counteracting the pro-oxidative effects of NaB, highlighting an interaction. Dex and NaB individually and in combination (Dex:NaB 40:2400 μg/mL) induced significant changes in cell populations, suggesting a shift toward apoptosis (p < 0.0001). Analysis of dysregulated proteins in the AGS cells treated with the synergistic combination revealed notable downregulation of the oncogene TNS4, suggesting a potential mechanism for the observed antiproliferative effects. These findings propose the potential implementation of NaB as an adjuvant therapy with Dex. Further investigations into additional combination therapies, in-depth studies of the molecular mechanisms, and in vivo research will provide deeper insights into the use of these postbiotics in cancer, particularly in gastric malignancies.
Intelligent structure prediction and visualization analysis of non-coding RNA in osteosarcoma research
Authors: Chen Longhao , He Liuji , Liu Baijie , Zhou Yinghua , Lv Lijiang , Wang Zhiguang
Published: March 2024

Background

Osteosarcoma (OS) is the most common bone malignant tumor in children and adolescents. Recent research indicates that non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) have been associated with OS occurrence and development, with significant progress made in this field. However, there is no intelligent structure prediction and literature visualization analysis in this research field. From the perspective of intelligent knowledge structure construction and bibliometrics, this study will comprehensively review the role of countries, institutions, journals, authors, literature citation relationships and subject keywords in the field of ncRNAs in OS. Based on this analysis, we will systematically analyze the characteristics of the knowledge structure of ncRNAs in OS disease research and identify the current research hotspots and trends.

Methods

The Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC) database was searched for articles on ncRNAs in OS between 2001 and 2023. This bibliometric analysis was performed using VOSviewers, CiteSpace, and Pajek.

Results

This study involved 15,631 authors from 2,631 institutions across 57 countries/regions, with a total of 3,642 papers published in 553 academic journals. China has the highest number of published papers in this research field. The main research institutions include Nanjing Medical University (n = 129, 3.54%), Shanghai Jiao Tong University (n = 128, 3.51%), Zhengzhou University (n = 110, 3.02%), and China Medical University (n = 109, 2.99%). Oncology Letters (n =139, 3.82%), European Review for Medical Pharmacological Sciences (120, 3.31%), and Molecular Medicine Reports (n = 95, 2.61%) are the most popular journals in this field, with Oncotarget being the most co-cited journal (Co-Citation = 4,268). Wei Wang, Wei Liu, and Zhenfeng Duan published the most papers, with Wang Y being the most co-cited author. “miRNA”, “lncRNA” and “circRNA” are the main focuses of ncRNAs in OS studies. Key themes include “migration and invasion”, “apoptosis and proliferation”, “prognosis”, “biomarkers” and “chemoresistance”. Since 2020, hotspots and trends in ncRNA research in OS include “tumor microenvironment”, “immune” and “exosome”.

Conclusion

This study represents the first comprehensive bibliometric analysis of the knowledge structure and development of ncRNAs in OS. These findings highlight current research hotspots and frontier directions, offering valuable insights for future studies on the role of ncRNAs in OS
“There is nothing that can prevent me from supporting her:” men’s perspectives on their involvement and support of women’s use of topical therapy for cervical precancer treatment in Kenya
Authors: Mungo Chemtai , Adewumi Konyin , Adoyo Everlyn , Zulu Graham , Goraya Supreet Kaur , Ogollah Cirillus , Omoto Jackton , Ferrari Renée M. , Rahangdale Lisa
Published: March 2024

Purpose

Cervical cancer disproportionately impacts women in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). The World Health Organization’s (WHO) 90/70/90 strategy aims to eliminate cervical cancer by 2030 by increasing HPV vaccination coverage to 90%, screening 70% of eligible women, and effectively treating 90% of those with abnormal results by 2030, potentially preventing 62 million deaths in LMICs. LMICs, however, struggle with limited access to cervical precancer treatment, in part due to a lack of trained professionals and weak health systems. Effective non-surgical, self-administered, which have demonstrated efficacy in high-income countries, could bridge the treatment gap in LMICs and may be more scalable and cost-effective than provider-administered therapies. To inform feasibility studies in LMICs, data are needed on the role of male partners in influencing the acceptability and uptake of self-administered topical therapies, including their support of recommended abstinence and contraception guidelines associated with these therapies.

Methods

Between November 2022 and April 2023, we conducted five focus group discussions (FGDs) with men aged 25 to 65 years in Kenya to explore their perspective and perceived support regarding their female partners using topical self-administered therapies for cervical precancer treatment. The FGDs were moderated by local qualitative research assistants and conducted in local languages, transcribed, coded, and analyzed using qualitative description.

Results

Thirty-nine male participants meeting the eligibility criteria participated in five FGDs. The mean age of participants was 42.5 years. Most participants, 79.5%, had a female partner with a history of cervical precancer treatment, 5.1% did not, and 15.4% were unsure of their female partner’s prior precancer treatment history. The study aimed to assess men’s support of their female partners’ use of topical therapies for treating cervical precancer. We find that male participants strongly express acceptance and willingness to support their wives or partners in using such therapies, if available. Reported supportive behavior included permitting the use of the therapies and support of maintaining abstinence during the recommended times. Additionally, participants desired male involvement in clinic and community-based education about topical therapies to facilitate widespread support.

Conclusion

The use of self-administered topical therapies for cervical precancer treatment, if supported by efficacy studies in LMICs, may support achieving the WHO’s 2030 goal of 90% treatment access. We find that with adequate education, men express overwhelming support of their female partner’s use of topical therapies, including adherence to abstinence and contraception guidelines.
Phyllosphere bacterial community dynamics in response to bacterial wildfire disease: succession and interaction patterns
Authors: Peng Deyuan , Wang Zhenhua , Tian Jinyan , Wang Wei , Guo Shijie , Dai Xi , Yin Huaqun , Li Liangzhi
Published: March 2024

Plants interact with complex microbial communities in which microorganisms play different roles in plant development and health. While certain microorganisms may cause disease, others promote nutrient uptake and resistance to stresses through a variety of mechanisms. Developing plant protection measures requires a deeper comprehension of the factors that influence multitrophic interactions and the organization of phyllospheric communities. High-throughput sequencing was used in this work to investigate the effects of climate variables and bacterial wildfire disease on the bacterial community’s composition and assembly in the phyllosphere of tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.). The samples from June (M1), July (M2), August (M3), and September (M4) formed statistically separate clusters. The assembly of the whole bacterial population was mostly influenced by stochastic processes. PICRUSt2 predictions revealed genes enriched in the M3, a period when the plant wildfire disease index reached climax, were associated with the development of the wildfire disease (secretion of virulence factor), the enhanced metabolic capacity and environmental adaption. The M3 and M4 microbial communities have more intricate molecular ecological networks (MENs), bursting with interconnections within a densely networked bacterial population. The relative abundances of plant-beneficial and antagonistic microbes Clostridiales, Bacillales, Lactobacillales, and Sphingobacteriales, showed significant decrease in severally diseased sample (M3) compared to the pre-diseased samples (M1/M2). Following the results of MENs, we further test if the correlating bacterial pairs within the MEN have the possibility to share functional genes and we have unraveled 139 entries of such horizontal gene transfer (HGT) events, highlighting the significance of HGT in shaping the adaptive traits of plant-associated bacteria across the MENs, particularly in relation to host colonization and pathogenicity.