bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Postoperative venous thromboembolism after surgery for locally recurrent rectal cancer
Authors: Kusunoki Chikako , Uemura Mamoru , Osaki Mao , Takiguchi Nobuo , Kitakaze Masatoshi , Paku Masakatsu , Sekido Yuki , Takeda Mitsunobu , Hata Tsuyoshi , Hamabe Atsushi , Ogino Takayuki , Miyoshi Norikatsu , Tei Mitsuyoshi , Kagawa Yoshinori , Kato Takeshi , Eguchi Hidetoshi , Doki Yuichiro
Published: April 2024

Background
Local recurrence is common after curative resections of rectal cancer. Surgical resection is considered a primary curative treatment option for patients with locally recurrent rectal cancer (LRRC). LRRC often requires a combined resection of other organs, especially in the case of posterior recurrence, which requires a combined resection of the sacrum, making the surgery highly invasive. Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is one of the lethal complications in the postoperative period, particularly in the field of pelvic surgery. We found no reports regarding the risks of postoperative VTE in surgery for LRRC, a typical highly invasive procedure in the field of colorectal surgery. This study aims to evaluate the risk of postoperative VTE in surgery for LRRC patients.
Methods
From April 2010 to March 2022, a total of 166 patients underwent surgery for LRRC in the pelvic region at our institutions. Clinicopathological background and VTE incidence were compared retrospectively.
Results
Among the 166 patients included in the study, 55 patients (33.1%) needed sacral resection. Pharmacological prophylaxis for prevention of VTE was performed in 121 patients (73.3%), and the incidence of VTE was 9.09% (5/55 patients) among those who underwent surgery for LRRC with sacral resection, while it was 1.8% (2/111 patients) in those without sacral resection. In univariate analysis, the combination with sacral resection was identified as a risk factor for VTE in surgery for LRRC (p = 0.047).
Conclusions
This study demonstrates that surgery for LRRC combined with sacral resection is a significant risk factor for VTE.
Sustainable Development of Alkali-Activated Bricks using Cinders
Authors: Oraon Amberdeep , K Thejas H
Published: April 2024

This study investigates the feasibility and efficacy of utilizing cinder, a byproduct of industrial processes, as a fine aggregate in the production of geopolymer bricks. Geopolymer technology offers a promising alternative to conventional brick manufacturing methods by utilizing industrial by-product materials and reducing the environmental impact associated with traditional clay brick production. The research focuses on optimizing the geopolymer formulation by varying the proportions of cinder, alkali activator, and other additives to achieve desirable properties such as compressive strength, and durability performance. Mechanical property compressive strength is evaluated along with durability aspects such as water absorption, and efflorescence. For this purpose, five different brick compositions were synthesized with fly ash, GGBS, and Cinder along with Na2SiO3sol.The raw materials underwent characterization through different methods including X-ray fluorescence (XRF), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The resulting bricks exhibited a peak compressive strength of 12.11 MPa and a minimal water absorption rate of 15%. Notably, the use of 8% Na2SiO3as an alkaline activator, combined with fly ash and GGBS, enabled the incorporation of over 30% cinder, resulting in the production of high-quality bricks under ambient curing conditions.The results demonstrate the potential of incorporating cinder as a fine aggregate in geopolymer bricks, offering a sustainable solution for waste utilization and contributing to the development of environmentally friendly building materials.
Highly sensitive detection of Staphylococcus aureus α-Hemolysin protein (Hla or α-toxin) by Apta-qPCR
Authors: Jahangiri Abolfazl , Dahaghin Samira , Malekara Ehsan , Halabian Raheleh , Mahboobi Mahdieh , Sedighian Hamid
Published: April 2024

α-toxin of Staphylococcus aureus is belonging to pore-forming toxins (PFTs) which can lyse red and white blood cells except neutrophils. In addition to existence of the hla gene in the majority of S. aureus strains (about 95%), higher expression exert enhanced pathogenicity to the bacteria. Various methods such as aptamer-based ones could serve for detection of the toxin. In the current study, an apta-qPCR assay is developed based on the murine polyclonal antibodies and a specific aptamer to detect wide range of α-toxin amounts. A recombinant α-toxin was administered to mice in denature form to trigger specific antibodies. The specific antibodies were purified from immune sera. These antibodies served as capture where an aptamer employed as detector in the designed apta-qPCR assay. The results showed that spiked α-toxin in the sera samples was detected alpha toxin between 300 to 0.5 ng/mL with no cross reactivity. The coefficient of variation (CV) percent of intra- and inter assays were 0.84 and 1.06 respectively. Since in apta-qPCR assay, combination of specific polyclonal antibodies as capture, and specific aptamer along with real-time PCR (qPCR) sensitivity is employed, this robust method could be used in diagnostic laboratories to detect various levels of the toxin in human sera samples.
Unraveling hepatic consequences of intrauterine growth restriction and catch- up growth: Insights from histological, biochemical, and metabolomic analysis in rats Running title: Hepatic Metabolomics and Intrauterine Growth Retardation
Authors: Eşrefoğlu Mukaddes , Selek Sahabettin , Koktasoglu Fatmanur , Bayindir Nihan , Hekimoglu Emine-Rumeysa , Kirmizikan Seda , Karakaya-Cimen Fatma-Bedia , Dulun-Agac Halime , Alim Mehtap , Elibol Birsen , Pasin Ozge , Bekiroglu Somer
Published: April 2024

Intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) is increasingly recognized as a significant risk factor for metabolic disorders in adulthood. Employing a multi-faceted approach encompassing histopathological, immunohistochemical, biochemical, Western-blotting, and metabolomics analyses, the study aimed to elucidate potential metabolite markers of IUGR, and catch-up growth-related metabolic disturbances and the underlying metabolic pathways implicated in IUGR pathogenesis. This study cohort comprised 54 male siblings from 20 Sprague-Dawley female young rats. On the 19th day of gestation, half of the pregnant rats underwent bilateral uterine artery ligation, while the remaining half underwent a simulated surgical intervention involving solely peritoneal incisions. Blood and liver samples were collected from the pups after attaining catch-up growth at the postnatal weeks 2, 4, and 8. IUGR rats exhibited a spectrum of changes including histological abnormalities, altered apoptosis rates, oxidative stress markers, and mitochondrial energy metabolism. Metabolomic analysis revealed dysregulation, in multiple metabolic pathways encompassing galactose, propanoate, glycerolipid, cysteine, methionine, and tyrosine metabolism, among others. Notably, disturbances were observed in butanoate, glutathione metabolism, valine, leucine, and isoleucine biosynthesis and degradation, citrate cycle, aminoacyl-tRNA biosynthesis, as well as glycolysis/gluconeogenesis. Our metabolomics analysis provides insights into the potential disease susceptibility of individuals born with IUGR, including obesity, diabetes, heart failure, cancer, mental retardation, kidney and liver diseases, and cataracts. These findings underscore the intricate interplay between intrauterine conditions and long-term metabolic health outcomes, highlighting the need for further investigation into preventive and therapeutic strategies aimed at mitigating the risk of metabolic diseases in individuals with a history of IUGR. Formun Üstü
Strengthening a RC Beam Under Torsion: An Experimental-Numerical Study
Authors: Safia Abdullah Rafiq , Mondal Subhajit
Published: April 2024

This paper shows the effect of fibre-reinforced polymer strengthening on the behaviour of reinforced concrete beams under pure torsion. Two RC beams of 150mm× 250mm× 1500mm were cast monolithically with lever arms and tested. To shed light on shear strengthening without the intervention of shear stirrups, 0% shear reinforcement and 0.69% longitudinal reinforcement were used to reinforce the beam. Firstly, experimental tests were carried out. After that, we performed a numerical validation of the experimental beams, and then a nonlinear finite element model was developed for further study. Adopting a strengthening program with two different parameters, the number of strengthened faces and the number of layers, in order to strengthen the beam. The experimental part illustrated the shear crack initiation was always on the wider face of the beam. In the failure of a beam under torsion, a crack needs to propagate on at least three faces. Extensive numerical analysis shows an increase of the ductility represented by twist-angle in addition to the strength. The gain in torque resistance and twisting angle was found to be 54.08% and 1763%, respectively.
Triglyceride Glucose Index: as an Effective predictor for Vancomycin-Induced Acute Kidney Injury
Authors: yuan li , Song Shuang , Zhu Liying , Zhang Xiaorun , Mou Yijiao , Lei Maoxing , Wang Wenjing , Tao Zhen
Published: April 2024

Objectives:The triglyceride glucose (TyG) index is dependable marker of insulin resistance (IR) . It was reported to be associated with cardiovascular diseases and acute kidney injury.
However, The correlation between the TyG and vancomycin-induced acute kidney injury remains uncertain. The aim of this study was to investigated the association between the TyG and Vancomycin-Induced acute kidney injury(VI-AKI).
Methods: We extracted clinical data of patients treated with vancomycin from the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care IV (MIMIC-IV) and divided them into four groups according to their TyG index tertiles. The primary outcome was VI-AKI. Cox proportional hazards regression and restricted cubic spline (RCS) analysis were employed to investigate the relationship between the TyG index and VI-AKI. Kaplan-Meier analysis was employed to assess the association between the TyG index and the occurrence of VI-AKI, as well as the 90-day mortality rate among patients who experienced VI-AKI.
Results:. A total of 1071 participants were included, among whom 674 (62.9%) experienced VI-AKI. Stratifying by baseline TyG quartiles, it was observed that elevated TyG levels were correlated with a heightened risk of VI-AKI. Cox proportional hazards regression analysis indicates that the TyG index is a risk factor for VI-AKI (HR=1.33, 95%CI 1.20-1.47). The RCS model illustrated the linear relationship between higher TyG index and increased risk of VI-AKI(p for nonlinear=0.004). Kaplan-Meier analysis revealed an association between high TyG levels and an increased incidence of VI-AKI(p<0.001), but it did not correlate with the 90-day mortality rate among patients who experienced AKI(p=0.7).
Conclusions:In participants treated with vancomycin, there is a significant relationship between high TyG levels and a higher incidence rate of VI-AKI.
The Mediating Role of Cognitive Function in the Association between Grip Strength and Depression among Chinese middle-aged and elderly adults: A Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Wang Xinzheng , Yi Guohao , Wu Lifei , Zhou Huifen , He Jiandong
Published: April 2024

Objective
This study investigates the associations and mediating pathways between grip strength, cognitive function, and depression in middle-aged and elderly individuals in China.
Methods
Utilizing data from the 2011 China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS), we employed logistic regression and mediation analysis to examine the relationships and mediating factors between grip strength, cognitive function, and depression, while adjusting for potential confounders.
Results
The study included 6,841 participants, of whom 1,734 (25.35%) exhibited symptoms of depression. Our findings indicate that weak grip strength is significantly associated with an increased risk of depression (OR: 1.57, 95% CI: 1.32–1.87) among the middle-aged and elderly population. Conversely, good cognitive function was found to be protective against depression (OR: 0.94, 95% CI: 0.93–0.95). The analysis revealed that grip strength indirectly affects depression through cognitive function, accounting for 9.4% of the total effect (OR: −0.008, 95% CI: -0.013, − 0.004). Specifically, cognitive abilities such as calculation, memory, and orientation were identified as significant mediators in the relationship between grip strength and depression.
Conclusion
This study highlights that adequate cognitive function can mitigate the association between weak grip strength and an increased risk of depression among middle-aged and elderly individuals in China. These insights provide valuable guidance for clinical practitioners in the diagnosis and management of depression, emphasizing the importance of assessing grip strength and cognitive function.
Decomposing the Caste Gap in Food Insecurity among the Older Adults in India: Evidence from Longitudinal Ageing Study in India, 2017-18.
Authors: Nandi Shreyantika , Barman Manabindra , Nandi Digantika
Published: April 2024

Background
Older adults from socially disadvantaged backgrounds remain most vulnerable to face threats to meet basic requirements and adverse health outcomes. India is a country of socio-cultural and regional differences. Caste is one of the crucial social determinants affecting the phenomena of food insecurity leading to several disadvantages regarding an individual’s physical, social, and emotional conditions. The present study examined the caste differential in food insecurity between the non-SC/ST and SC/ST groups.
Methods
The present study utilizes data from the Longitudinal Ageing Study in India (LASI-Wave-I), a nationally representative survey of 73,396 older adults aged 45 and above conducted in 2017–18. The final analytical sample is 62,369 older adults aged 45 & above. Descriptive statistics was conducted to assess sample characteristics. Linear regression was performed to show the association between caste and food insecurity. Finally, blinder Oaxaca decomposition was carried out to show the caste gap in food insecurity and the factors contributing to the gap.
Results
The result showed that older adults from the SC/ST group are more likely to have higher food insecurity than those from the Non-SC/ST group [Coef: 1.04; CI: 1.03, 1.06]. The model shows that 45.55% explained the caste gap between non-SC/ST and SC/ST in food insecurity among older adults. The model reveals that education (13.37%), MPCE_Quintile (9.13%), place of residence (10.98%), country region (8.37%), living arrangement satisfaction (7.72%), subjective social position (6.52%) was contributing in widening the caste gap in food insecurity while factors like self-rated health (-1.2%), health behaviour (-4.13%), facing discrimination (-2.39%), and depression (-5.33%) were found responsible for narrowing the gap between the two groups in food insecurity.
Conclusion
The SC/ST population faces several challenges when it comes to accessing and utilizing opportunities even some basic requirements like secure food. Efforts have been made for their upliftment, though certain gaps are still there for policymakers to address for further betterment. The study shows factors widening and narrowing the caste gap, and these areas should be addressed and worked on to improve the scenario.
The missing link: ARID1B non-truncating variants causing Coffin-Siris syndrome due to protein aggregation
Authors: Bosch Elisabeth , Güse Esther , Kirchner Philipp , Winterpacht Andreas , Walther Mona , Alders Marielle , Kerkhof Jennifer , Ekici Arif B. , Sticht Heinrich , Sadikovic Bekim , Reis André , Vasileiou Georgia
Published: April 2024

ARID1B is the most frequently mutated gene in Coffin-Siris syndrome (CSS). To date, the vast majority of causative variants reported in ARID1B are truncating, leading to nonsense-mediated mRNA decay. In the absence of experimental data, only few ARID1B amino acid substitutions have been classified as pathogenic, mainly based on clinical data and their de novo occurrence, while most others are currently interpreted as variants of unknown significance. The present study substantiates the pathogenesis of ARID1B non-truncating/NMD-escaping variants located in the SMARCA4-interacting EHD2 and DNA-binding ARID domains. Overexpression assays in cell lines revealed that the majority of EHD2 variants lead to protein misfolding and formation of cytoplasmic aggresomes surrounded by vimentin cage-like structures and co-localizing with the microtubule organisation center. ARID domain variants exhibited not only aggresomes, but also nuclear aggregates, demonstrating robust pathological effects. Protein levels were not compromised, as shown by quantitative western blot analysis. In silico structural analysis predicted the exposure of amylogenic segments in both domains due to the nearby variants, likely causing this aggregation. Genome-wide transcriptome and methylation analysis in affected individuals revealed expression and methylome patterns consistent with those of the pathogenic haploinsufficiency ARID1B alterations in CSS cases. These results further support pathogenicity and indicate two approaches for disambiguation of such variants in everyday practice. The few affected individuals harbouring EHD2 non-truncating variants described to date exhibit mild CSS clinical traits. In summary, this study paves the way for the re-evaluation of previously unclear ARID1B non-truncating variants and opens a new era in CSS genetic diagnosis.
The Thief Orienteering Problem on Series-Parallel Graphs
Authors: Bloch-Hansen Andrew , Solis-Oba Roberto
Published: April 2024

In the thief orienteering problem an agent called athiefcarries a knapsack of capacity $W$ and has a time limit $T$ to collect a set of items of total weight at most $W$ and maximum profit along a simple path in a weighted graph $G = (V, E)$ from a start vertex $s$ to an end vertex $t$. There is a set $I$ of items each with weight $w_{i}$ and profit $p_{i}$ that are distributed among $V \setminus \{s,t\}$. The time needed by the thief to travel an edge depends on the length of the edge and the weight of the items in the knapsack at the moment when the edge is traversed.There is a polynomial-time approximation scheme for the thief orienteering problem on directed acyclic graphs. We give a polynomial-time algorithm for transforming instances of the problem on series-parallel graphs into equivalent instances of the thief orienteering problem on directed acyclic graphs; therefore, yielding a polynomial-time approximation scheme for the thief orienteering problem on this graph class.
Heavy Metals Accumulation in Different Organs of Poultry and Hypothetical Risk Analysis: Evidence from Experimental Feeding with Assorted Metal Feed
Authors: Morshed A. J. M. , Islam Md. Samrat Mohay Menul , Hossain A. H. Rashadul , Chakraborty Dipankar , Chowdhury Tasmina Afroz , Roy Banani , Das Suman
Published: April 2024

The study evaluated the growth performance of experimental chickens and concentration of heavy metals accumulated in their various organs such as muscle, bone, liver, kidney and lung. Eight groups of chickens C0 to C7 were fed diets containing Pb, Cr and Cd in different amounts and concentrations. Pb and Cd were absent in the feed given to C0 group chickens. But in 7 experimental groups C1 to C7 the range of each metal was found between 0.72 ± 0.20 to 46.14 ± 21.20 mgkg-1. Cr was measured at 0.88 ± 0.47mgkg-1 in group C0 whereas the concentration range of this metal in C1 and C7 was (1.77 ± 0.91–45.90 ± 20.08) mgkg-1. Cd concentrations ranged from 0.90 ± 0.53 mgkg-1 to 40.46 ± 12.25mgkg-1 in groups C1 to C7. No consistent variation in chicken feed intake rate was observed with increasing concentration of HMs. At the end of experiment, it was observed that the growth performance of chickens decreased from group C0 to C7. The study showed that feed conversion ratio (FCR) increased gradually from group C0 to C7. Bone has the highest concentrations of Pb and Cd compared to other organs. However, the highest amount of Cr was found in the liver. Heavy metal concentrations were progressively increased in all groups by increasing concentrations of the same metal in feed. Nevertheless, in histological section, other organs than brain such as liver, kidney, intestine, skin and lung were more or less affected by heavy metal consumption. Hypothetical health risk analysis suggested that THQ and TR values were increasing with increasing HM concentration.
Dynamic Changes in Neuron-specific Enolase Level to Glasgow Coma Scale Score Ratio Predict Long-term Neurological Function of Diffuse Axonal Injury Patients
Authors: Chen Weiliang , Wu Jiayi , Li Shengwen , Yao Chunyu , Chen Rui , Su Wen , Wang Guanjun
Published: April 2024

Background Patients with diffuse axonal injury (DAI) are often plagued by sequelae, and the current indicators for predicting long-term neurological function are not accurate enough. Our previous studies have found that serum Neuron-specific enolase (NSE) level to Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score ratio(NGR) at admission could be used as an independent predictor of DAI. Objective To explore the accuracy of dynamic changes of NGR in predicting long-term neurological function in patients with DAI. Methods Patients with DAI were included based on clinical MRI as the diagnostic standard, and divided into two groups with favorable and unfavorable outcome according to the 6-month Extended Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOSE) as the prognosis indicator. The differences in clinical parameters between the two groups of patients were compared by Pearson correlation analysis. The trend of dynamic changes in NSE, GCS, and NGR at 1st, 3rd, 5th, 7th and 14th days after injury were shown by line graphs. The predictive efficacy of various parameters for long-term neurological function were further analyzed by receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curves. Results Among the 102 DAI patients, 75 (73.5%) were classified to favorable outcome group (GOSE5-8) and 27 (26.5%) to unfavorable outcome (GOSE1-4). The NSE, NGR and Marshall CT grade at the first day after injury in the favorable outcome group were significantly lower than those in the unfavorable outcome group (p = 0.005, p < 0.001, p = 0.002), but the GCS score was significantly higher than that of the latter (p = 0.006). There was a negative correlation between NGR at 1st, 3rd, 5th, 7th, and 14th days post-TBI (r1=-0.557, r3=-0.746, r5=-0.761, r7=-0.727, r14=-0.694), and the 6-month GOSE. DAI patients with a favorable outcome exhibited a gradual decline in NGR. The area under the ROC curves (AUC) of NGR at 1st, 3rd and 5th days post-TBI were 0.751 (95% CI, 0.646–0.856, p < 0.001), 0.913 (95% CI, 0.859–0.967, p < 0.001), 0.934 (95% CI, 0.886–0.982, p < 0.001), which were the largest among the three parameters. Conclusions The dynamic changes of NGR may be an accurate predictor of long-term neurological function in patients with DAI. Trial Registration Trial Registration Number ChiCTR2100044352, registration date was March 17, 2021.
Promoting safe and equitable police-youth interactions: Recommendations from young people and policing personnel
Authors: Fix Rebecca L , Jackson Dylan B
Published: April 2024

Given the frequency of harmful interactions between policing personnel and young people, especially Black young people, there is a need for policing personnel to learn how to promote safe and equitable interactions with young people. We conducted individual interviews with 35 Black YP (15-22 years) and focus group discussions with 50 police representing multiple ranks/roles. Results indicated that both young people and policing personnel view four policing practices as essential: respect, communication skills, empathy/understanding, and engaging young people in non-enforcement contexts. Young people wanted less use of force, more cultural sensitivity and anti-racism, and recognition of youth positive behavior. Some felt nothing could remediate youth-police ruptures. And police noted the importance of having a positive mindset in general and using developmentally appropriate language with young people. Though both groups had reservations overall, both envisioned a future where they could interact more positively. If these two diverse groups can see room for growth and possibility, we should support efforts to achieve safe and equitable relations between young people and policing personnel.
The context of urban immunization services: The case of Sodo town, Wolaita Zone, South Ethiopia
Authors: Adane Haile Bekele
Published: April 2024

Introduction:
The world continued to be urbanized with approximately 55% of the world's population and it is expected to increase to 68 per cent by 2050. Urban areas generally have better healthcare resources and higher immunization coverage compared to rural one. However, the challenge of zero doses and under-immunization exist in urban. These variation within urban communities exist due to factors such as population mobility, socio-economic and demographic disparities, and vaccine hesitancy. Therefore, this study tried to assess factors that enhance or affect the delivery of immunization services in Wolaita Sodo town.
Methods
A community-based cross-sectional study design was conducted among 411 children aged 0–35 months. Participants were selected using simple random sampling method through a multi-stage approach. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire using ODK (Open Data Kit) mobile app. The collected data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences software version 25 (SPSS). Bivariate and multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed.
Results
Fully vaccinated and vaccinated for their age as per the national schedule were 56.7% and 29.4%, respectively. And, 7.8% experienced vaccination dropouts and 6.1% of children were never vaccinated. Significant associations were found between the completion of child immunization schedules and factors such as Antenatal Care follow-up AOR = 0.082 with 95% CI (0.009–0.777), facility delivery AOR = 0.18 with 95% CI (0.046–0.703), Community Health Insurance enrollemen OR = 34 with 95% CI (0.125–0.923), and health service access AOR = 0.11 with 95 CI (0.04–0.32).
Conclusion
Children aged 0–35 months who properly attended their immunization schedule fell below the required optimum level of 95%. Efforts should be made to strengthen vaccination delivery points, promote ANC follow-up and facility deliveries, and enhance the enrollment of the CBHI scheme to improve immunization services in Sodo town.
Tea Grading Counting Recognition Model Based on YOLOv8n-SSMC
Authors: Xia Yuxin , Wang Zejun , Cao Zhiyong , Chen Yaping , Li Limei , Chen Lijiao , Zhang Shihao , Li Hongxu , Wang Chun , Wang Baijuan
Published: April 2024

In order to solve the problems of dense distribution, limited feature extraction ability, and false detection in the field of tea grading recognition, a YOLOv8n-SSMC tea grading and counting recognition model was proposed in this study. Firstly, the SPD-Conv module was embedded into the backbone of the network model to enhance the deep feature extraction ability of the target. Secondly, the Super-Token Vision Transformer was integrated to reduce the attention of the model to redundant information, thus improving the perception ability of tea. Subsequently, the positioning loss function was improved to MPDIoU, which accelerated the convergence speed of the model, optimized the performance of the model. Finally, the classification positioning counting function was added to achieve the purpose of classification counting. The experimental results showed that the precision, recall and average precision improved by 17.6%, 19.3%, and 18.7% respectively. The average precision of single bud, one bud and one leaf, and one bud and two leaves were 88.5%, 89.5% and 89.1% respectively. In this study, the YOLOv8n-SSMC recognition model demonstrated strong robustness and proved suitable for tea grading edge picking equipment, laying a solid foundation for the realization of mechanized tea industry.
Examination of Content Types and Social Media Engagement Indicators on Facebook: Case Analysis of a 5-Star Hotels of Visegrad Group Countries
Authors: Nastisin Ludovit , Fedorko Richard , Gavurova Beata , Bacik Radovan
Published: April 2024

Delving into the intricate world of social media engagement, this comprehensive study analyses the dynamics of user interaction with posts from 5-star hotels on Facebook across the Visegrad Group countries. It meticulously aims to shed light on the variances among engagement metrics—shares, comments, and reactions—across different types of posted content. Furthermore, it explores the complex interrelations among these metrics to provide a holistic understanding of user engagement patterns. In pursuit of this goal, we scrutinized an extensive dataset comprising 10,820 Facebook posts shared by selected 5-star hotels throughout 2019. The data were meticulously collected from the social network utilizing the accessible API, ensuring a robust and reliable foundation for analysis. The investigation employed advanced statistical tools, namely the Kruskal‒Wallis test and Spearman’s rho test, to thoroughly examine and interpret the complex data. The insights gleaned from this research are invaluable, painting a detailed picture of brand management strategies on social platforms. A significant finding of this study is the variation in user engagement levels in relation to the type of content disseminated. It highlights that visual content—specifically videos and photos—tends to dominate in terms of eliciting user responses, as compared to text statuses and links. This underlines the importance of leveraging visual media to captivate and engage the audience effectively. The study also reveals that engagement metrics are intricately linked, suggesting a synergistic effect rather than isolated impacts. This indicates that an integrated approach, considering these metrics as a cohesive unit, could be more beneficial in strategizing content for social media. Understanding these relationships and the dominant role of visual content can greatly inform and transform the way brands, especially in the hospitality industry, navigate their presence on social networks. These findings serve as a guiding framework for optimizing social media content strategies, aiming to maximize engagement and enhance the effectiveness of online brand management.
Assessment of time to death, brain tissue damage and clinical signs of consciousness in mature Jersey x Holstein cattle receiving a secondary penetrating captive bolt gunshot at the poll or frontal sinus locations
Authors: Robbins Jesse A. , Sanchez Helstrom , Spangler Conrad , Vazquez Sergio , Spatz Nate , Boyum Brett
Published: April 2024

Providing cattle with a good death is an ethical imperative for the dairy industry. When using a penetrating captive bolt gun (PCBG), a secondary (adjunctive) method is currently recommended. Some farms prefer to apply the secondary shot in the poll location whereas others prefer the frontal-sinus location. Unfortunately, little is known about the efficacy of these alternative secondary shot locations. The purpose of this study was to compare clinical signs of consciousness and time to death for 2 different secondary PCBG shot locations in mature Jersey x Holstein cross dairy cattle. Data was collected contemporaneously at 6 dairy operations located in the Midwest U.S. After receiving the first PCBG shot in the frontal-sinus location, cattle requiring euthanasia (n = 46) were randomly assigned to receive a secondary PCBG shot in either the poll (Frontal- Poll) or the frontal-sinus location (Frontal-Frontal) and continuously monitored for clinical signs of consciousness (corneal and palpebral reflex, rhythmic breathing, threat response, etc.) and heartbeat. Signs of consciousness were rarely observed immediately following the first frontal-sinus shot. The median time period when the last heartbeat was heard (7-8 min) did not differ between groups (P = 0.253) nor did gross brain trauma scores (P = 0.247). We conclude the location of the secondary PCBG shot (frontal vs poll) does not seem to impact time to death or gross brain trauma scores. These findings confirm results of previous research involving younger cattle and suggest additional research is needed to better understand the effect of different PCBG locations.
survey of Southeast U.S. beef veterinarians regarding methods for bull breeding soundness evaluation
Authors: Gunderson Todd , Jumper W. Isaac , King E. Heath , Huston Carla L. , Smith David R.
Published: April 2024

The purpose of this survey was to describe veterinarians’ methods for performing bull breeding soundness evaluations (BSEs). Veterinarians in Mississippi, Louisiana and Arkansas were emailed a survey regarding their experience, demo­graphics, opinions and perceptions of client pref­erences regarding BSEs. Logistic regression was used to test respondent characteristics for associations with dichotomous outcomes including evaluating semen morphology as part of every BSE and detecting the diadem defect. Of 3,757 veterinar­ians solicited, 204 (5%) responded and 83 (2%) qualified for analysis. Of these, 10/73 (14%) indicated they do not evaluate morphology during every BSE. When shown an image of the diadem defect, 18/73 (25%) indicated seeing it often or some­times, and 55/73 (75%) indicated rarely or never. The only fac­tor associated with evaluating morphology as part of every BSE, was indicating belief that morphology was most predic­tive of bull fertility vs. believing motility was most predictive, or being unsure (OR = 11.2, 95% C.I. = 1.3-94.1). Respondents who always evaluate morphology with bright field microscopy at 1,000X (OR = 4.1, 95% C.I. = 1.2-13.3) or with phase contrast microscopy at ≥ 400X (OR = 5.4, 95% C.I. = 1.1-27.7) had higher odds of indicat­ing they detect the diadem defect sometimes/often. There was an interaction between always using 1000X magnification, or not, and always using 400X, or not, on the reported detection of the diadem defect. Veterinarians’ perceptions of which as­pects of the BSE are most predictive of fertility influence their methods for performing BSEs, and influence the frequency of detecting diadem defects.
Salvia reflexa-contaminated hay poisoning in cattle
Authors: Stonecipher Clinton A. , Gardner Dale R. , Webb Brett T. , Laegreid Will , Welch Kevin D. , Stegelmeier Bryan > , Cook Daniel
Published: April 2024

Salvia reflexa is an annual forb that has recently (2021) been reported to contaminate hay and cause fatal hepatotoxicity in cattle. It is possible that prior poisoning cases may have gone unrecognized due to the lack of information on fatal hepatotoxicity caused by S. reflexa. Two cases are reported. Case 1 occurred in December 2001 in Montana, in which 30 cows died out of 105. Case 2 occurred in 2023 in Wyoming, in which 111 cows out of 155 died. Poisoned cows in both cases had elevated aspartate aminotransferase and alkaline phosphatase activities with  microscopic severe acute centrilobular necrosis with hemorrhage. These lesions were similar to those described previously in clinical and experimental S. reflexa trials. Hepatotoxic diterpenes of S. reflexa, salviarin and rhyacophiline, were detected in hay samples in both cases and in rumen contents from animals in Case 2. Plant specimens of S. reflexa were collected from 2 herbaria, representing collections from 12 states, and screened for salviarin and rhyacophiline. The S. reflexa toxins were found in herbarium samples suggesting if S. reflexa is present, it is potentially toxic to cattle.
Regionalism in the Life of Grigorii Gurkin
Authors:   Herzen State Pedagogical University of Russia, Shchebrova Svetlana Ya.
Published: April 2024

The problem of the disintegration of our country has arisen several times: the first time — as the disintegration of the Russian Empire, the second time — as the disintegration of the Soviet Union. Since the situation of disintegration has been consistently repeated, this process cannot be regarded as accidental. Among its causes is the ideology of regionalism. It emerged in the 19th century as a response to the colonial policy of the centre towards the outlying territories. Regionalism was inseparably linked to the life of Grigory Ivanovich Gurkin (1870–1937), the first painter of the Altai landscape, having affected him three times. For the first time, at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, regionalism helped a representative of the minority from the Altai to become a professional artist. The work of the spiritual mission in the Altai, with all its peculiarity, was objectively the embodiment of regionalists’ dream about elementary education of national minorities. Gurkin’s painstaking mastering of literacy and icon painting, allowed him not only to develop creative abilities, but also to get acquainted through A. V. Anokhin with the leader of the Siberian regionalists G. N. Potanin. Friendship with Potanin, Anohin, and other representatives of the Siberian regionalism, promoted political awakening of the Altai landscape painter. After October events of 1917, Gurkin turned from assimilation of ideas of regionalism to their direct realization in political activity. For the third time, the ideas of regionalism were actualized at the turn of the 20th and 21st centuries, when the national elite of the Altai Republic transformed Gurkin into a key figure of ethnic solidarity.
Cumans in the Hungarian Domestic Policy in the Second Half of the 13th Century
Authors:   University of Szeged, Zhumangaliyev Meirambek K. , Polgár Szabolcs ,   University of Szeged
Published: April 2024

The article explores a range of issues related to the role of the Cuman population in the life of Hungarian society in the second half of the 13th century. Political crises arose against the background of the struggle between contenders for the throne. Gradually, special vassal-lord relationships were formed. Land allotments were granted to the feudal lords not in exchange for service but on account of their past services to the king. As wealth grew, so did the ambitions of the Hungarian barons. Bela IV planned to use the Cumans, who had resettled in the middle of the 13th century, in the fight against the local magnates. Gradually, the role of nomads in the royal court increased. The Cumans had become one of the key players in the domestic political arena of the country. During the civil war between Bela IV and Prince Istvan, the Cumans supported the king at the beginning of the conflict. During the reign of Laszlo IV, the Cuman aristocracy gained an advantage in terms of influence over the king. The king favored the Cumans, who also comprised his bodyguards. Local magnates, with the support of the papal legate in 1279, achieved the adoption of a law on the Cumans, which radically changed the way of life of the nomads. Because of this, the Cumans rebelled, and the king lost their traditional support. Later, representatives of the Cuman nobility became the main participants in the murder of Laszlo IV.
Ruling Pattern of the Parchment Codices in the Context of the Technological Development of Ancient Russian Booklore
Authors:   National Library of Russia, Shibaev Mikhail A.
Published: April 2024

At the beginning of the 15th century, there was a process of transition from manual to mechanical ruling or ruling pattern. With this type of ruling, the result was achieved not by running the tip of a knife or an awl over the parchment, but by using a template. A similar tool had been used since the 12th century in Oriental manuscripts and was called “mastara”. In Europe, it was called “tabula ad rigandum” in Latin, “planche à régler” in French, “rule-board” in English. In the Russian tradition it was known as “carax”, “terax”, “kerax”, etc. In Europe, it apparently appeared at the same time as in the Old Russian tradition — at the beginning of the 15th century. The earliest ruling pattern (1403) was found in the copy of Izbornik of 1073 originating from the Moscow Andronikov monastery of the Savior. The main feature of this ruling pattern is the absence of any kind of pricks on the margins of the parchment sheet. The introduction of the template into written practice led to a change in the traditional schemes and principles of ruling of Old Russian parchment codexes. The ruling known patterns with threads of animal or plant origins worked well on paper, but clearly could not leave a mark on a harder material, such as parchment. An experiment was conducted with a specially made template with metal threads and modern parchment, similar in its properties to the medieval one. The result of the successful experiment revealed that the application of the ruling pattern on parchment was only possible if it was preliminarily softened with water.
Historical Contextualisation of the Word Loyalty in the Discourse of the European Parliament
Authors:   University of Niš, Radulović Milica
Published: April 2024

This article is an analysis of the meaning of the word loyalty in the discourse of the European Parliament. The European Parliamentary Assembly of the European Economic Community and Euratom replaced the Common Assembly of the European Coal and Steel Community. The European Parliament met for the first time in 1958, and initially had a primarily consultative function. However, in the following years, its power increased, and the Maastricht, Amsterdam and Lisbon Treaties transformed it into a legislative body. Together with the Commission, the Council, and the Court of Justice, it forms the complex multi-, inter- and supranational institutional framework of the European Union. Parliamentary discourse can be defined as an argumentative communication genre characterised by official аnd unofficial preconditions. This article examines how loyalty is defined and described in the international parliamentary deliberative discourse with respect to various demands, values, and interests. The research was based on 50 instances of the word loyalty taken from the European Parliament Proceedings Parallel Corpus 1996‒2011, accessed through the web-based system for corpus analysis CQPweb — Lancaster University. The article identifies six meanings of the word loyalty in accordance with the co-text provided by the evidence of quotations and examines the historical context of the development of the European Parliament. The aim of the analysis is to show that a better understanding of the meaning of loyalty in the discourse of the European Parliament depends on the historical contextualisation.
Comparative analysis of tracer studies in the determination of longitudinal dispersion coefficient
Authors: Ukpaka Chinedu , Agunwamba Jonah Chukwuemeka
Published: April 2024

The research presented in this paper is to determine the best tracer studies that will give acceptable estimates of longitudinal dispersion coefficient for Orashi river using rhodamine WT dye and sodium chloride as water tracer. Estimated results obtained for longitudinal dispersion coefficient for the case of rhodamine WT experiment ranges between 71 and 104.4 m2s−1 while that of sodium chloride experiment ranges between 20.1 and 34.71 m2s−1. These results revealed lower dispersion coefficient using sodium chloride as water tracer (WT) indicating that for larger rivers, sodium chloride should not be used as water tracer. The usage of sodium chloride as water tracer in the estimation of longitudinal dispersion coefficient is recommended in smaller streams as NaCl is relatively conservative. The established equations for both cases of investigation are proving satisfactory upon validation as degree of accuracy of 100.0% was obtained using discrepancy ratio (Dr). Standard error (SE), normal mean error (NME) and mean multiplication error (MME) of the developed equations is better when compared with other existing equations. However, Equation ( 17) is satisfactorily recommended.
Conflitos que se apresentam no uso da tecnologia digital em sala de aula acentuados pela pandemia da COVID-19
Authors: Silva Aline , Fischer Adriana , Pottmeier Sandra
Published: April 2024

Este artigo objetiva identificar conflitos que se apresentam no uso de tecnologias digitais (TD) em sala de aula acentuados pela pandemia da COVID-19. A metodologia desta pesquisa inscreve-se em uma abordagem qualitativa circunscrita em um enfoque documental a partir da análise da discursivização de duas professoras em uma live produzida pelo projeto Aula Aberta e a outra realizada pela Associação Brasileira de Linguística (ABRALIN) durante a pandemia da COVID-19, em 2020. Tal investigação afilia-se aos estudos dos letramentos que considera as práticas com tecnologias digitais sociais e plurais. Os resultados indicam que práticas de letramentos com TD podem potencializar o ensino. Contudo, tal perspectiva, paralelamente, evidencia que diversas TD utilizadas em práticas sociais antes conhecidas no cotidiano do estudante, para se inserirem na esfera escolar, ocasionam conflitos em detrimento da infraestrutura precária e da falta de formação específica de muitos professores quanto ao seu uso pedagógico na pandemia da COVID-19.
In Vitro Propagation and Secondary Metabolite Production from Withania Somnifera (L.) Dunal
Authors: Nagella Praveen , Sudheer Wudali Narashima , Banadka Akshatha
Published: April 2024

Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal, commonly known as ashwagandha or Indian
ginseng, is an important medicinal plant that belongs to the family Solanaceae.
Ashwagandha has been used from time immemorial in different systems of medicine
and extensively used in the Indian system of medicine, and there is discussion of this
plant in different ayurvedic scripts like Charaka samhita, Ashtanga sangraha, etc. The
plant is extensively used for anti-aging and general well-being, and also has anti-cancer
potential. Ashwagandha is also known for its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and other
therapeutic activities. In the recent days of Covid-19, the plant has been extensively
used as an immunostimulant. The plant has great potential for its raw materials,
especially for the extraction of bioactive molecules like withanolide-A, withaferin-A,
withasomniferin, withanone, etc. The conventional mode of propagation could not meet
the required commercial demand for either the pharmaceutical industries or the
traditional practitioners. The conventional method of obtaining biomass is influenced
by a large number of environmental factors, where biomass quality and quantity of
bioactive molecules have shown variation. To overcome this, biotechnological
approaches such as plant tissue culture techniques have been established for large-scale
cultivation using micropropagation and also other techniques like a callus and cell
suspension culture, shoot culture, adventitious root culture, and hairy root culture have
been extensively used for in vitro production of bioactive molecules from
ashwagandha. With the advent of metabolic engineering, biosynthetic pathway editing
has made it possible to obtain higher yields of desired metabolites. The present chapter
focuses on the in vitro propagation, biosynthesis of withanolides, and tissue culture
strategies for obtaining high biomass and metabolites. The chapter also focuses on
different elicitation strategies, metabolic engineering approaches, and the development
of elite germplasms for improved metabolite content. The chapter also identifies
research lacunas that need to be addressed for the sustainable production of important
bioactive molecules from ashwagandha.