bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Sustainable E-commerce: Blockchain and Channel Structure in Online Retail Platforms
Authors: Wu Xunbo , Jiang Wenqi , Meng Lingjie
Published: July 2024

With the burgeoning growth of online retail, the issue of counterfeit products has become a significant threat to both consumer trust and brand integrity, posing challenges to sustainable market practices. Online retail platforms are promoted to redesign their channel structures and enhance brand traceability to tackle counterfeits using blockchain technology. To investigate the interactions between blockchain technology and the channel structures of online retail platforms, we design a game theory model incorporating a manufacturer with(out) blockchain participation selling products via an online retail platform that operates an agency channel and/or a reselling channel. We show that the critical trade-off of blockchain participation comprises the brand assurance effect of the blockchain, the channel competition intensification effect, and the blockchain adoption cost. The platform is capable of strategically designing the channel structure to encourage (while discouraging) blockchain participation by the manufacturer. Our analysis highlights the complementarity between blockchain participation and the channel structure. Furthermore, the effect of the consumer’s belief in the reselling channel, the commission fee in the agency channel, and the substitutability between channels are investigated in depth. The research provides valuable insights for online retail platforms and policymakers seeking to foster a sustainable and trustworthy e-commerce ecosystem.
Saturated Fats: Time to Assess Their Beneficial Role in a Healthful Diet
Authors: Lawrence Glen D.
Published: July 2024

Saturated fats are widely seen as undesirable components of a healthy diet, as a result of their illusive association with elevated serum cholesterol. The regulation of serum cholesterol is now better understood and polyunsaturated fatty acids rather than saturated fatty acids are responsible. Palmitic acid received further specious allegations of inciting inflammation when in fact it was found to play an auxiliary role as a precursor to ceramide biosynthesis. Studies of arthritic inflammation in lab animals showed dietary saturated fats are anti-inflammatory, whereas polyunsaturated oils are pro-inflammatory. Inflammation plays a role in numerous metabolic diseases, including insulin resistance, fatty liver disease and metabolic syndrome among others. Fat, as triglycerides in adipose tissue, is an efficient way for living organisms to store energy and reduce toxicity of other macronutrients. However, adipose tissue lipolysis releases fatty acids into the blood to provide many organs with an energy supply and spare glucose for brain tissue. Some metabolic disorders result in elevated nonesterified fatty acids in blood, leading to hepatic lipid accumulation, inflammation and insulin resistance. This paper will attempt to clarify the role of saturated fatty acids, and palmitic acid in particular, with regard to certain adverse health conditions.
Tradução e adaptação transcultural da escala Sustainable and Healthy Eating Behaviors em universitários portugueses
Authors: Gabriela Cabilhas Ana ,   Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade do Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre, s/n, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal, Rodrigues Sara , Afonso Cláudia ,   Faculdade de Ciências da Nutrição e Alimentação da Universidade do Porto,  Rua do Campo Alegre,  n.º 823,  4150-180 Porto, Portugal,   Faculdade de Ciências da Nutrição e Alimentação da Universidade do Porto,  Rua do Campo Alegre,  n.º 823,  4150-180 Porto, Portugal,   EPIUnit – Instituto de Saúde Pública, Universidade do Porto,  Rua das Taipas, n.º 135,  4050-600 Porto, Portugal,   Laboratório para a Investigação Integrativa e Translacional em Saúde  Populacional (ITR),  Rua das Taipas, n.º 135,  4050-600 Porto, Portugal,   Faculdade de Ciências da Nutrição e Alimentação  da Universidade do Porto,  Rua do Campo Alegre,  n.º 823,  4150-180 Porto, Portugal,   EPIUnit – Instituto de Saúde Pública, Universidade do Porto,  Rua das Taipas, n.º 135,  4050-600 Porto, Portugal,   Laboratório para a Investigação Integrativa e Translacional em Saúde  Populacional (ITR),  Rua das Taipas, n.º 135,  4050-600 Porto, Portugal
Published: July 2024

Permanecem desafios para melhorar o estado nutricional das populações e garantir padrões de produção e consumo sustentáveis. A escala Sustainable and Healthy Eating Behaviors avalia comportamentos alimentares saudáveis e sustentáveis em jovens adultos polacos. No nosso melhor conhecimento, em Portugal, desconhece-se a existência de um instrumento que avalie estes comportamentos, de forma holística, em jovens adultos universitários. Como tal, o objetivo do estudo consistiu em traduzir e adaptar transculturalmente esta escala para esta população. Após obtenção da versão portuguesa da escala, através da tradução e retrotradução, procedeu-se à sua adaptação transcultural, com a participação de 30 jovens adultos, numa entrevista semiestruturada, com a aplicação direta da versão preliminar da escala. Depois, foram realizadas adaptações às afirmações da escala, que tinham suscitado problemas de compreensão por parte dos universitários e como resultado das sugestões feitas pelo painel de especialistas. Obteve-se a versão final da escala em língua portuguesa, pelo que será possível caracterizar os comportamentos alimentares saudáveis e sustentáveis em universitários portugueses e avaliar o impacto de projetos de educação alimentar e de políticas alimentares nesta população.
Influência da gravidez e dos fatores de início de vida nos comportamentos relacionados com o apetite na infância: uma revisão narrativa
Authors: Dias Inês ,   Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade do Porto, Alameda Prof. Hernâni Monteiro, 4200-319 Porto, Portugal, Teixeira Beatriz , Afonso Cláudia ,   Faculdade de Psicologia e de Ciências da Educação  da Universidade do Porto,  Rua Alfredo Allen,  4200-135 Porto, Portugal,   Laboratório para a Investigação Integrativa e Translacional em Saúde  Populacional (ITR),  Rua das Taipas, n.º 135,  4050-600 Porto, Portugal,   Laboratório para a Investigação Integrativa e Translacional em Saúde  Populacional (ITR),  Rua das Taipas, n.º 135,  4050-600 Porto, Portugal,   Faculdade de Ciências da Nutrição e Alimentação da Universidade do Porto,  Rua do Campo Alegre,  n.º 823,  4150-180 Porto, Portugal,   EPIUnit - Instituto de Saúde Pública da Universidade do Porto, Rua das Taipas, n.º 135,  4050-600 Porto, Portugal,   Laboratório para a  Investigação Integrativa e  Translacional em Saúde  Populacional (ITR),  Rua das Taipas, n.º 135,  4050-600 Porto, Portugal,   Faculdade de Ciências  da Nutrição e Alimentação  da Universidade do Porto,  Rua do Campo Alegre,  n.º 823,  4150-180 Porto, Portugal,   EPIUnit - Instituto  de Saúde Pública da  Universidade do Porto,  Rua das Taipas, n.º 135,  4050-600 Porto, Portugal
Published: July 2024

Os vários fatores de início de vida têm vindo a ser associados aos comportamentos relacionados com o apetite em crianças. Para além disso, tem-se verificado uma relação entre estes comportamentos e o desenvolvimento do peso corporal na infância. Como tal, torna-se de extrema relevância estudar como os fatores de início de vida se podem relacionar com os comportamentos relacionados com o apetite em idades precoces. De forma a alcançar este objetivo, desenvolveu-se uma pesquisa nas bases de dados Medline (Pubmed) e Science Direct de janeiro a junho de 2022. De acordo com a análise da literatura efetuada compreendeu-se que as caraterísticas da mulher durante a gravidez, as caraterísticas da criança ao nascimento e os hábitos alimentares durante o primeiro ano de vida têm sido associados aos variados comportamentos relacionados com o apetite. Verifica-se uma maior tendência para os comportamentos de “aproximação à comida” se associarem com um maior risco de excesso de peso na infância, podendo perlongar-se para a vida adulta. A avaliação dos comportamentos relacionados com o apetite na infância e a sua possível associação com os fatores de início de vida são de extrema importância para compreender quais as melhores estratégias para planear ou modificar intervenções futuras de forma eficaz e orientada, para uma melhor promoção de comportamentos alimentares saudáveis e consequentemente da saúde e bem-estar dos indivíduos.
The Social Construction of Technology for the Use of CHATGPT in Indonesia
Authors: Wibowo Tangguh Okta
Published: July 2024

The purpose of this study is to map the vulnerable issue about ChatGPT in academic field. This study seeks to understand the role of online media channels in mediating the understanding behind the use of ChatGPT in Indonesia. This is because the media also constructs how new technology is used, so that the use of technology is not neutral or taken for granted according to what users want. Thus, mapping the information constructed by the media is important to locate in the context of the use of ChatGPT in Indonesia. The main research question of this paper is how does the media construct the discourse related to how ChatGPT should be used? This study tries to fill the knowledge gap over the use of ChatGPT through the social construction of technology (SCOT) approach. This study uses literature review as a method to understand the discourse about the use of ChatGPT through the existence of "relevant social groups". The result shows that online media channels not only act as producers of information, but also act as groups that construct a discourse behind the presence of ChatGPT. This study expands by analyzing the reporting or production of information about ChatGPT through online media channels in Indonesia by identifying three main themes namely context, navigation, and imagination. From the results of this study, it can be concluded that the use of ChatGPT constructs a discourse that triggers concerns regarding its misuse as misleading technology if there is no regulation surrounding it. Therefore, strict laws, regulations, and supervision need to be implemented to ensure the optimal use of ChatGPT and in accordance with the desired goals in related fields.
Study of Online Gambling Promotion Policy in Indonesia, Pakistan, and USA
Authors: Pradika Mohammad Fawaid
Published: July 2024

Kemajuan teknologi membuat semakin mudah diaksesnya berbagai informasi dan hiburan, tidak terkecuali judi online. Hadirnya internet membuat judi menjadi bisa dilakukan secara digital, dengan berbagai skema dan permainan didalamnya judi online lebih mudah diakses. Kegiatan perjudian online juga membutuhkan strategi promosi yang dilakukan dalam menarik perhatian publik untuk berpartisipasi, bahaya judi online sangat perlu diperhatikan dari beberapa fondasi kebijakan komunikasi, maka dari itu kajian ini akan meneliti bagaimana kebijakan komunikasi terkait promosi judi online pada negara Indonesia, Pakistan dan Amerika. Menggunakan metodologi kualitatif dan pengumpulan data melalui kajian literatur peneliti menemukan jika Indonesia sebagai negara yang melarang judi baik konvensional maupun digital masih kesusahan dalam mengimplementasikan kebijakannya. Pakistan yang memiliki kebijakan sama dengan Indonesia terkait pelarangan judi online akibat kentalnya adat dan budaya agama Islam, serta membuat implementasi penegakan hukum, karena dasarnya penduduk Pakistan tidak memiliki kebebasan berekspresi. Sedangkan USA, beberapa negara bagian mengizinkan untuk kegiatan judi online maupun konvensional karena dianggap memberikan pemasukan yang tinggi pada pajak negara, melihat promosi judi online berbahaya jika menjangkau anak-anak dan remaja. Kemudian implementasi promosi judi online sangat ketat terutama pada judi online ilegal karena adanya dugaan subsidi dana pada kegiatan terorisme.
Protrusion Study of Through-Silicon-Vias in Dual Anneal-CMP Processes for 3D Integration
Authors: Liu Sheng , Liu Tianjian , Wang Shizhao , Dong Fang , Xi Yang , Zhang Yunpeng , He Tao , Sun Xiang
Published: July 2024

Through-Silicon Via (TSV) technology is extensively utilized to achieve dense 3D integration. It facilitates the vertical electrical interconnection of different layers of integrated circuits, enabling the creation of sophisticated and space-efficient systems that incorporate a variety of functionalities. This work reports a TSV fabrication with dual anneal-CMP processes to explore the influence of annealing and CMP processes on the evolution of TSV-Cu microstructures and the protrusion. The results show that the dual CMP process can effectively reduce protrusion during high temperatures. The Cu protrusion height increased with the elevation of both the annealing temperature and duration. And it shows good consistency under the high temperature annealing, while shows random phenomenon under 250oC annealing. The phase field model related to TSV grain size was established to quantitatively explore the grain morphology distribution and the thermal mechanical behavior. The results show that the strain in Cu is non-uniform, and the degree of plastic deformation for each grain is closely related to its distribution. The quantity of grains within the TSV is the most important factor affecting the protrusion. As the average grain size expands, the prominence of Cu grain protrusions within TSV intensifies, and the anisotropy of the Cu grains becomes more pronounced. The thermal-mechanical behavior strongly depends on the grain orientation near the top of the TSV, which will lead to some TSV protrusion irregularities. This work may open more opportunities to design high performance TSV preparation methods from the viewpoint of dual CMP process.
Oxytocin reduces subjective fear in naturalistic social contexts via enhancing top-down middle cingulate-amygdala regulation and brain-wide connectivity
Authors: Becker Benjamin , Fu Kun , Xu Shuyue , Zhang Zheng , Liu Dan , Xu Ting , Zhang Yuan , Zhou Feng , Zhang Xiaodong , Lan Chunmei , Wang Junjie , Wang Lan , He Jingxian , Kendrick Keith , Biswal Bharat , Liang Zhen , Zhao Weihua
Published: July 2024

Accumulating evidence from animal and human studies suggests a fear-regulating potential of the neuropeptide oxytocin (OT), yet the clinical translation into novel interventions for pathological fear requires a behavioral and neurofunctional characterization under close-to-real life conditions. Here, we combined a naturalistic fMRI-design inducing high and immersive fear experience in social and non-social contexts with a preregistered between-subjects randomized double-blind placebo-controlled intranasal OT trial (24 IU, n\(=\)67 healthy men). OT reduced subjective fear in non-social and social contexts with small or moderate effect sizes, respectively. In the social fear contexts, OT enhanced left middle cingulate cortex (lMCC) activation and its functional connectivity with the contralateral amygdala, with both neural indices significantly and inversely associated with subjective fear following OT. On the network level, OT enhanced communication between the dorsal attention network (DAN) with the fronto-parietal (FPN) and the default-mode network (DMN) as well as on the more fine-grained level brain-wide communication. These findings indicate a fear-reducing potential of OT under naturalistic conditions with pronounced effects in social contexts, highlighting its potential value as a treatment option for disorders characterized by excessive fear in social situations.
On a New Taxonomy of Concepts and Conceptual Change: In Search of the Brain's Probabilistic Language of Learning Scientific Concepts
Authors: Li Lin , Zhou George (Guoqiang)
Published: July 2024

Over four decades of conceptual change studies in science education have been based on the assumption that learners come to science classrooms with functionally fixated intuitive ideas. However, it is largely ignored that such pre-instructional conceptions are probabilistic, reflecting some aspects of an idiosyncratic sampling of their experiences and intuitive decision-making. This study foregrounds the probabilistic aspect of international students' intuitive and counterintuitive conceptions when learning pendulum motion. The probability here is rooted in a moving neural time average in the mind for characterizing these students' cognition (sampling and decision-making) and learning processes (resampling and making a new decision). To sharpen the said focus, we would argue that a new taxonomy of physics concepts is needed to save the mathematical identification of the isochrony of pendulum motion. To connect the mathematical core-based taxonomy with reality, we conducted an experimental study to characterising these students' reaction time and error rates in matching the period of a visually presented pendulum, which embodied its mathematical identity: T = 2π√l/g. The reaction times and error rates data have converged on the probabilistic aspects of the students' active learning mechanisms in their mind. The pedagogical implications of such a probabilistic cognitive mechanism have also been discussed.
Identification of Representative Wind Power Fluctuation Patterns for Water Electrolysis Device Stress Testing - A Data Mining Approach
Authors: Choi Kyong Jin , Kim Sanghoon , Kwon Yongchai , Sim Min Kyu
Published: July 2024

Wind power generation is expected to greatly contribute to the future of humanity as a promising source of renewable energy. However, the high variability inherent in wind is a challenge that hinders stable power generation. To utilize wind power as a primary energy source, integration with a polymer electrolyte membrane water electrolysis (PEMWE) system is proposed. Yet, PEMWE is known to suffer from degradation when exposed to input power patterns with high variability. This poses challenges to its commercialization. This necessitates stress testing with various wind power fluctuations during the production process of the devices. This study investigates representative patterns of wind power fluctuation so that these patterns can be used for the stress testing process. We employ data-mining techniques, including the Swing Door Algorithm and k-means clustering, to identify these patterns by analyzing wind power generation data at a 10-second interval. As a result, the five most representative wind power ramps are presented. This study provides practical guidelines for the development process of expensive devices for wind power generation, thereby promoting the active utilization of wind power generation.
Molecular Mechanism of Exogenous Salicylic Acid Manipulates Watermelon Immune System Against Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. niveum Infection
Authors: Yang Kankan , Wang Ruozhong , Fang Yong , Zou Ting , Peng Xiaoyun , Wang Zhiwei , Zhu Feiying
Published: July 2024

Watermelon fusarium wilt is a soil-borne disease that seriously affects watermelon yield and economic benefits. Our previous study found that salicylic acid (SA) plays an essential role in regulating watermelon roots against the Fusarium wilt (FW), but the molecular mechanism is still unclear. Therefore, in this experiment, the molecular mechanism of how SA manipulate watermelon immune system to against FW was explored by transcriptome analysis, combined with chlorophyll fluorescence images, phytohormone content quantification, RT-qPCR verification and promoter prediction analysis. The plant phenotyping and pathway enrichment analyses revealed that exogenous SA activates watermelon plants against Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. niveum (FON) infection at early stage (3 dpi) by inducing other phytohormones and enriching resistance genes to keep the citrate cycle working. Furthermore, DEGS comparison, RT-qPCR verification and promoter sequences analyses demonstrated that the CIPER10, CIMYB59, CIMYB44, CIPYL4, CIAGP31, and CIACO3 genes play significant roles in against FON infection by signal network between SA and abscisic acid (ABA), jasmonic acid (JA), and ethylene (ET). Collectively, the findings suggested that SA manipulate watermelon immune system to maintaining the citrate cycle via activating a phytohormone crosstalk.
The role of circadian rhythm preference in the onset of depression in adolescents
Authors: Liu Daoli , Teng Huimin , Li Hengfen
Published: July 2024

Background:Evening Chronotype (ET) is associated with Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) and dysregulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. Arginine vasopressin (AVP), in conjunction with CRH, promotes the production of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), thereby influencing cortisol (COR) secretion.
Objective:To explore biomarkers related to circadian rhythm preference in adolescent patients with depression and to investigate the association between evening chronotype and copeptin levels in adolescents.
Methods:A case-control study was conducted, including 99 adolescent patients diagnosed with depression according to DSM-5 criteria. They were divided into an evening chronotype group (MDD-ET+,n=61) and a non-evening chronotype group (MDD-ET-, n=38) based on the Morning and Evening Questionnaire 5 (MEQ-5). An age-matched control group of 57 individuals was also selected and divided into an evening chronotype group (HC-ET+, n=30) and a non-evening chronotype group (HC-ET-, n=27) based on the MEQ-5 questionnaire. Biological markers such as cortisol (COR), adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), and interleukin-6 (IL-6) were measured using electrochemiluminescence, C-reactive protein (CRP) was measured using immunoturbidimetry, and copeptin was measured using competitive ELISA.
Results:1.The MDD-ET+ group had higher scores for depression, anxiety, and levels of inflammatory factors IL-6 and CRP compared to the MDD-ET- group. No significant difference in copeptin levels was found between the MDD-ET+ and MDD-ET- groups.
2.IL-6 might be a risk factor for evening chronotype depression (P<0.05). In a 2x2 ANCOVA, MDD showed a significant main effect on copeptin levels (F=4.79; P=0.030), but ET did not (F=1.53; P=0.083), nor was there a significant interaction between MDD and ET (F=1.37; P=0.243).
Conclusion:1.Evening chronotype preference is related to the severity of depressive symptoms in adolescents, with IL-6 and CRP potentially mediating the worsening of depression.
Challenging the standard: Clinical consequence of the 4-week X-ray control after ESIN osteosynthesis of forearm fractures in children
Authors: Wegner Erik , Laubach Nora , Schippers Phillip , Schierjott Lotte , Shrotriya Rujuta , Gercek Erol , Drees Philipp , Dietz Sven-Oliver
Published: July 2024

Purpose: The absence of general guidelines for radiographic follow-ups of pediatric diaphyseal forearm fractures treated with ESIN results in an arbitrary array of X-ray examinations. In most pediatric traumatology departments, an X-ray check is carried out 4 weeks after ESIN osteosynthesis of forearm shaft fractures to detect incipient consolidation of the fracture. However, the elevated sensitivity to ionizing radiation requires special precautions in the pediatric populations. To prevent the indiscriminate use of this diagnostic tool it is necessary to assess the consequence of routinely taken X-rays at the 4-week follow-up.
Methods: This retrospective analysis included 219 pediatric patients who had undergone ESIN treatment for a diaphyseal forearm fracture. They completed their follow-up between 2010 and 2018 at the same level one pediatric trauma center. Binary logistic regression was calculated to identify risk factors that are associated with an increased probability of an abnormal X-ray examination or even a change in the postoperative procedure.
Results: Of the 219 pediatric patients included, 12 (5.5 %) patients had aberrant radiographic findings at the 4-week follow-up. The regression showed that the probability of receiving an abnormal radiograph increased significantly as soon as other non-radiological (p = 0.012, OR 14.554) deviations (nRDs) were found. In the group of nRDs, a positive correlation between irregularities in medical history (n = 59) could be demonstrated (p = 0.003, OR = 8.134). Abnormalities in the physical examination (p = 0.193) did not show this correlation. Confounding factors such as gender (p = 0.403) or the age of the children at the time of fracture (p = 0.141) also had no statistically relevant influence. The presence of an nRD also increases the probability of the postoperative procedure to be modified (p < 0.001).
Conclusion: This study provides clear evidence that standardized radiographic follow-up 4 weeks after surgical treatment has no clinical consequences if the course of the fracture is otherwise uneventful. It should be strictly reserved for pediatric patients with a complicated course.
Level of evidence: Level III
Effect of burst spikes on linear and nonlinear signal transmission in spiking neurons
Authors: Schlungbaum Maria , Barayeu Alexandra , Grewe Jan , Benda Jan , Lindner Benjamin
Published: July 2024

We study the impact of bursts on spike statistics and neural signal transmission.We propose a stochastic burst algorithm that is applied to a burst-free spike train and adds a random number of temporally-jittered burst spikes to each spike. This simple algorithm ignores any possible stimulus-dependence of bursting but allows to relate spectra and signal-transmission characteristics of burst-free and burst-endowed spike trains.
By averaging over the various statistical ensembles, we find a frequency-dependent factor connecting the linear and also the second-order susceptibility of the spike trains with and without bursts. The relation between spectra involves an additional frequency-dependent offset. We confirm these relations for the (burst-free) spike trains of a stochastic integrate-and-fire neuron and identify frequency ranges in which the transmission is boosted or diminished by bursting. We then consider bursty spike trains of electroreceptor afferents of weakly electric fish and approach the role of burst spikes as follows. We compare the spectral statistics of the bursty spike train to (i) that of a spike train with burst spikes removed and to (ii) that of the spike train in (i) endowed by bursts according to our algorithm. Significant spectral features are explained by our signal-independent burst algorithm, e.g. the burst-induced boosting of the nonlinear response. A difference is seen in the information transfer for the original bursty spike train and our burst-endowed spike train. Our algorithm is thus helpful to identify different effects of bursting, in particular also those features only captured in a burst-generating dynamical neuron model.
Deep learning radiomics analysis of CT imaging for preoperative Lauren classification in gastric cancer
Authors: Cheng Ming , Guo Yimin , Zhao Huiping , Zhang Anqi , Liang Pan , Gao Jianbo
Published: July 2024

Purpose
Preoperative prediction of the Lauren classification in gastric cancer (GC) has important clinical significance for improving the prognostic system and guiding personalized treatment. This study investigated the usefulness of deep learning radiomics analysis (DLRA) for preoperatively differentiating Lauren classification in patients with GC, using computed tomography (CT) images.
Methods
A total of 329 patients pathologically diagnosed with GC were recruited from August 2012 and December 2020. Patients (n = 262) recruited from August 2012 to July 2019 were randomly allocated into training cohort (n = 184) and internal validation cohort (n = 78), and patients recruited from August 2019 to December 2020 were included in external validation cohort (n = 67). Information on clinical characteristics were collected. Radiomics features were extracted from CT images at arterial phase (AP) and venous phase (VP). A radiomics nomogram incorporating the radiomics signature and clinical information was built for distinguishing Lauren classification, and its discrimination, calibration, and clinical usefulness were evaluated. Moreover, we also constructed a clinical model using the clinical factors only for baseline comparison.
Results
The nomogram incorporating the two radiomics signatures and clinical characteristics exhibited good discrimination of Lauren classification on all cohorts [overall C-indexes 0.771 (95% CI: 0.709–0.833) in the training cohort, 0.757 (95% CI: 0.698–0.807) in the internal validation cohort, 0.725 (95% CI: 0.655–0.793) in the external validation cohort]. Compared with the conventional clinical model, the deep learning hybrid radiomics nomogram (DHRN) exhibits enhanced predictive ability. Further, the calibration curve and decision curve substantiated the excellent fitness and clinical applicability of the model.
Conclusions
DLRA exhibited good performance in distinguishing Lauren classification in GC. In personalized treatment of GC, this preoperative nomogram could provide baseline information for optimizing the quality of clinical decision-making and therapeutic strategies.
A hole in the bucket? Exploring England’s retention rates of recently qualified GPs
Authors: Palmer William L , Rolewicz Lucina , Tzortziou-Brown Victoria , Russo Giuliano
Published: July 2024

Background
As the senior medics within primary care services, general practitioners (GPs) have a pivotal role within the National Health Service (NHS). Despite several commitments made by government to increase the number of GPs in England, the level has consistently fallen. Much attention has been paid to recruitment of trainee GPs and overall retention, whereas this study sought to examine the specific transition from ending training to joining the NHS.
Methods
The study used aggregated, published administrative data to examine rates at which 14,302 doctors leaving their third year of specialty training (GP ST3s) became fully qualified NHS GPs between 2018 and 2023. We separately analysed average levels of part-time working of those joining the NHS from 21,293 fully qualified joiners in England between 2017 and 2023. We calculated joiner and participation rates and used generalised linear mixed-effects models to explore possible demographic, period and cohort effects.
Results
Of those doctors leaving their third year of training since 2018, around a third (34.3%) had taken up a fully qualified GP role in NHS general practice six months after finishing training, rising to 47.5% within one year, and 62.2% within two years. Average estimated participation rates of joiners seemed to remain consistent at about 65-69% of a full-time contract between 2017 and 2023.
Joiner rates were lower for doctors with a primary medical qualification from outside the UK and, over a two-year timeframe, both UK and non-UK trained male GP ST3s. Our statistical modelling suggests that there is a significant ‘period effect’ in connection to the recent Covid-19 pandemic, with apparent differences in the likelihood of GP ST3s joining the NHS in a fully-qualified role at certain points in time, and an effect among some cohorts, with doctors who left specialty training in specific periods having significantly different joiner rates.
Conclusion
The GP pipeline is expanding, but we find no evidence that retention of newly trained GPs is improving. We discuss possible factors for such attrition, from barriers to hiring new doctors, to their diminishing interest in joining the NHS. More work is needed to further explore the changing career behaviours of subsequent cohorts and demographics of doctors completing GP training.
Measurement of cross-sectional wind speed and fuzzy representation of wind volume and pressure in tunnels based on LDA
Authors: Jia Jinzhang , Xing Yinghuan
Published: July 2024

Shaft wind flow is mostly turbulent, with random pulsation characteristics, the fluid mass point in time and space for the violent random movement, to accurately describe each instantaneous, each space point on the flow of physical quantities is difficult. Under the influence of turbulent pulsation, the nodal pressure energy will rise and fall randomly, and the random fluctuation of mine ventilation resistance test results is inevitable. In this paper, we design a ventilation channel model without external perturbation, use laser Doppler velocimeter (LDA) and digital micropressure meter to measure the wind flow velocity and relative static pressure in the channel model, obtain the time series of wind speed and pressure, introduce the method of fuzzy number generated by fuzzy structural elements to represent the mine ventilation parameters wind speed and pressure, and compute the mine ventilation resistance based on the proposed method of fuzzy number representation. The experiments show that the wind flow is characterized by turbulent random pulsation, and the time series of wind speed is characterized by random pulsation around a certain average value, obeying the "normal distribution", and the distribution curve of the average wind speed in the roadway cross section is irregularly wavy. The instantaneous flow field of turbulent pulsation is irregular, but has statistical average characteristics. The fuzzy structural element representation can describe the size of the statistical average of wind speed and wind pressure in the roadway, and can also describe the fluctuation change of wind speed and wind pressure, which is more accurate and scientific. Based on the fuzzy structural element representation of mine wind speed and pressure, the concept of "fuzzy wind network" is proposed.
A coupled hydro-mechanical field-enriched finite element method for simulating the hydraulic fracture process of rocks subjected to in-situ stresses
Authors: Han Linyuan , Zhou Xiaoping
Published: July 2024

A coupled hydro-mechanical field-enriched finite element method (HM-FE-FEM) is developed for simulating the hydraulic fracture process of rocks subjected to in-situ stresses. The staggered iterative scheme based on the Newton-Raphson iterative algorithm is utilized to address the coupled hydro-mechanical problems. The opening process of the hydraulic fracture and natural fracture subjected to in-situ stresses can be reproduced by the proposed method. The accuracy of the proposed method is verified through stress intensity factor, fracture opening and experiment results. For coalescence patterns between hydraulic and natural fractures, the influences of horizontal stress difference and intersection angle are analyzed and discussed. Additionally, for coalescence patterns between hydraulic fracture and natural karst caves, the influences of cave location, cave radius and horizontal stress difference are investigated and discussed. The numerical results illustrate the effectiveness of HM-FE-FEM in handling the complex coalescence behaviors in the hydraulic fracture process of underground rock reservoirs with different defects. This study has a certain guiding significance for optimizing the fracturing operation parameters.
Synthesis, spectroscopic, crystal structure, Hirshfeld surface analysis, NBO and DFT calculations of (E)-N-(4-methoxyphenyl)-1-(5-nitro-2-(piperidin-1-yl)phenyl) methanamine
Authors: OZSANLI Hanifi , AYGUN Seda Nur , AGAR Erbil , GUMUS Sedat , CORUH Ufuk
Published: July 2024

In this investigation, the structure of the new Schiff base (E)-N-(4-methoxyphenyl)-1-(5-nitro-2-(piperidin-1-yl)phenyl)methanimine was studied using experimental methods such as X-ray single crystal analysis, UV-vis and FT-IR spectroscopy. NBO analysis, the FT-IR and UV-Vis calculations were theoretically carried out with the help of B3LYP/DFT. Additionally, the optical properties were investigated through DFT calculations, and the experimental UV-Vis spectrum were related to the HOMO-LUMO transtions. Apart from this, the Molecular Electrostatic Surface Potential and determination of thermodynamic properties for the title compound were done at the same level of theoretical approach. The structural state and crystal packing of the compound were also analyzed by three-dimensional Hirshfeld surfaces, and two-dimensional fingerprint maps.
Exploring Irisin Levels in Patients with Endometrial Atypical Hyperplasia and Carcinoma: A Comparative Analysis
Authors: BILDACI Tevfik Berk , ATA Can , ATLIHAN Ufuk , AVSAR Huseyin Aytug , ERKILINC Selcuk
Published: July 2024

Background
Endometrial atypical hyperplasia is recognized as the precursor to type I endometrial cancer. Endometrial cancer, strongly associated with disorders in glucose metabolism such as obesity and insulin resistance, is believed to be influenced by hormones secreted from adipose tissue known as adipokines.
Methods
In a prospective case-control study, 88 patients diagnosed with either endometrial atypical hyperplasia or endometrial cancer were enrolled. Their irisin levels in serum were compared to those of a control group.
Results
Irisin levels were found to be significantly higher in patients diagnosed with both endometrial atypical hyperplasia and endometrial cancer compared to the control group (p = .022).
Conclusion
We demonstrated that Irisin levels in patients with EAH or EC differ from those in a control group, suggesting that irisin levels are correlated with the risks of EH and EC. Larger studies are required to clarify the potential use of irisin in the diagnosis of EC.
Single-Cell Analysis of the Endometrial Characteristics of Meishan Pigs Across the Estrous Cycle
Authors: Jiang Nengjing , xiao Wei , Zhao Qingbo , Liu Chenxi , Ma Jinfen , Liu Qian , Cai Wenwu , Xiao Xuemei , Xu Binbin , Yang Cheng , Hou Liming , Li Pinghua , Huang Ruihua
Published: July 2024

Background: The Meishan pig, native to China, is renowned for its superior reproductive capabilities, including a high ovulation rate, substantial uterine capacity, and an impressively high rate of embryo implantation. The endometrium plays a pivotal role in facilitating embryo implantation and sustaining pregnancy. It is regulated by ovarian hormones and uterine prostaglandins and undergoes a complex series of coordinated processes across the estrous cycle, including proliferation, differentiation, shedding, and regeneration. A detailed examination of the intricate sow endometrial gene expression patterns during this cycle can yield valuable insights into creating ideal conditions for successful embryo implantation and early embryonic development. To gain a comprehensive understanding of the Meishan pig endometrial biological functions across the estrous cycle, we specifically used uterine tissues in the proliferative and secretory phases for single-cell transcriptomic sequencing.
Results: The comprehensive transcriptional profile of uterine cells was elucidated throughout the estrous cycle in Meishan pigs. We identified 7 distinct cell types within the primary cell categories, with 4 subpopulations specifically discerned among the endometrial epithelial cells. Considerable variability was observed in the types and quantities of epithelial cell subpopulations spanning the proliferative and secretory phases of the estrous cycle. Significantly, SOX9-expressing epithelial cells were characterised as potential endometrial epithelial stem cells in Meishan pigs. NURP1 and HES1were identified as potential marker genes for these stem cells. Pseudotime analysis indicated that these SOX9-expressing epithelial cells can differentiate into glandular epithelial (GE) or luminal epithelial (LE) cells. We also observed that SOX9-expressing epithelial cells may differentiate into ciliated epithelial (CE) cells. There was a marked increase in the number of GE and CE cells during the secretory phase compared to the proliferative phase. GE cells are vital for processes such as glycolysis, amino acid biosynthesis, and N-glycan biosynthesis, all of which are crucial for supplying essential nutrients required for embryo implantation and early stages of embryonic development.
Conclusions: We reveal the integrated transcriptional profile of uterine cells in sexually mature Meishan pigs and delineate the gene expression patterns within the uterine horns throughout the estrous cycle. These findings provide potential new diagnostic indicators for determining the estrous cycle in sows.
Assessing Genetic Diversity in Squash Pumpkin (Cucurbita moschata) Through Computational Analysis of Plastid Genes.
Authors: Edem Uduak Linus , Osuagwu Aniefiok Ndubuisi , Edu Ndem Enyegor , Emeagi Lasbrey Ikenna , Udensi ogbuagbu Ugorji
Published: July 2024

Understanding the genetic diversity of economic crops, including wild relatives of genetic resources is fundamental for the continued improvement of varieties and breeds needed to cope with changes in climatic conditions. Obtaining high plant yield is not always achievable in agricultural activity as it is determined by various factors, including cultivar quality, nutrient and water supplies, degree of infection by pathogens, natural calamities and soil conditions, which affect plant growth and development. The present study was carried out using computational analysis to assess the genetic diversity in the plastid gene of 20 accessions of squash pumpkin (Cucurbita moschata). Guanine-cytosine (GC) content, phylogenetic relationship, secondary and tertiary protein structure and domain architecture were assessed. The accessions of the Squash pumpkin were retrieved from the National Centre for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) database. The phylogenetic tree showed a total of 12 clades which had 2 main clades with 4 100% bootstrap in accessions XM_023105445.1, XM_023105444.1, XM_023075850.1 and XM_023075859.1. The GC content was highest in accession XM_021009681.1 and lowest in accession XM_023076698.1. The domain architecture prediction showed the highest number of domains in accession XM_02100968.1 and a single domain in accessions XM_02105444.1, XM_0230758951.1 and XM_023067309.1, suggesting that these sequences may have more specialized functions. The secondary and tertiary protein structure showed variations among the accessions, indicating the possibility of structural differences which could have functional implications in the protein stability or interactions with other molecules.
The Japanese tits evaluates the threat level based on the posture of a predator
Authors: Mingju E , Jin Jiangping , Luo Yu , Li KaiYan , Liu Duo
Published: July 2024

Previous studies showed that the threat level of a predator poses can vary with physical features. In this study, we want to test whether wing posture of a predator can serve as a clue for threat assessment of birds. We observed behavioral response of Japanese tits Parus minor to taxider-mic dummy Eurasian sparrowhawks Accipiter nisus with spread wings and closed wings respectively. The results showed that the response scores to sparrowhawks with spread wings was higher than sparrowhawks with closed wings. We suggested that the Japanese tit can assess predation risk asso-ciated with changes in wing posture of predators.
physics-guided deep learning-based constitutive modeling for the gravelly soil-structure interface
Authors: SUN Wei , CHEN Yiwei , DU Qiuhao , HUANG Zhiyuan , REHMAN Zia ur , HUANG Linchong
Published: July 2024

This study presents a novel deep learning-based constitutive model for the gravelly soil-structure interface by employing a physics-guided Bidirectional Short-term and Long-term (BiLSTM) neural network. Employing separate modeling frameworks for shear and dilatancy, the approach integrates physics-guided neural networks and parameters to accurately capture the physical mechanisms underlying the mechanical response of the interface. Notably, the BiLSTM neural network exhibits precision in capturing shear response characteristics, including shear stress (τ) and τ-shear displacement (u) curves. Its adeptness in encapsulating interface mechanisms, such as loading scenarios, peak τ-values, and elastoplastic shear responses, makes it comparable to complex elastoplastic models. To represent the physical mechanism of dilatancy response, a physics-guided decomposed model is developed, separating the total dilatancy (v) into irreversible (vir) and reversible (vre) components. Comparisons with conventional holistic dilatancy models demonstrate the superior ability of the physics-guided decomposed framework to simulate v and its components, i.e., vir and vre, and their relationships with u. The study recommends utilizing the physics-guided decomposed modeling framework for dilatancy alongside the shear modeling framework for constitutive modeling of the gravelly soil-structure interface. The proposed modeling framework simulated both monotonic and cyclic responses under various normal stresses (σz), demonstrating its capacity to comprehensively capture the interface behavior.
Sub-millimeter fiberscopic robot with integrated maneuvering, imaging, and biomedical operation abilities
Authors: Shen Yajing , ZHANG Tieshan , Li Gen , Ren Hao , YANG Liu , Yang Xiong , TAN Rong , Tang Yifeng , Guo Dong , Zhao Haoxiang , Shang Wanfeng
Published: July 2024

Small-scale continuum robots hold promise for interventional diagnosis and treatment, yet existing models struggle to achieve small size, precise steering, and visualized functional treatment simultaneously, termed an “impossible trinity”. This study introduces an optical fiber-based continuum robot integrated imaging, high-precision motion, and multifunctional operation abilities at submillimeter-scale. With a slim profile of 0.95 mm achieved by microscale 3D printing and magnetic spray, this continuum robot delivers competitive imaging performance and extends obstacle detection distance up to ~9.4 mm, a tenfold improvement from the theoretical limits. Besides, the robot showcases remarkable motion precision (less than 30 μm) and substantially widens the imaging region by ~25 times the inherent view. Through ex vivo trials, we validate the robot’s practicality in navigating constrained channels, such as the lung end bronchus, and executing multifunctional operations including sampling, drug delivery, and laser ablation. The proposed submillimeter continuum robot marks a significant advancement in developing biomedical robots, unlocking numerous potential applications in biomedical engineering.