bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
SELENIUM CONTENT IN THE GONADS OF MALE AND FEMALE EURASIAN WILD BOAR (SUS SCROFA) FROM THE MAZOVIAN PROVINCE
Authors:   Department of Biology of Animal Environment, Institute of Animal Science, Warsaw University of Life Sciences, Warsaw, Poland, SKIBNIEWSKA Ewa M. , SKIBNIEWSKI Michał ,   Department of Morphological Sciences, Institute of Veterinary Medicine, Warsaw University of Life Sciences, Warsaw, Poland, VOVK Stakh ,   Institute of Agriculture of the Carpathian region of National Academy of Agrarian Sciences of Ukraine, Obroshyn in Lviv region, Ukraine, HANUSZ Ewa ,   District Veterinary Inspectorate, Bystrzyca Kłodzka, Poland, KOŚLA Tadeusz ,   Department of Biology of Animal Environment, Institute of Animal Science, Warsaw University of Life Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
Published: March 2024

Selenium is counted among the trace elements necessary to maintain metabolic processes occurring in the animal body, including reproductive processes. The aim of the study was to assess selenium content in testes and ovaries of wild boars (Sus scrofa) in an attempt to establish a range of reference values for individuals of this species. Selenium concentrations in tissues tested were determined using spectrofluorometric method after wet mineralization in HNO3 and HClO4 mixture. Based on the results, it was found that male wild boars accumulated significantly higher concentrations of Se than females. The average content of this element in the testes of wild boars was 0.32 mg · kg−1 while in the ovaries it was at the level of 0.14 mg · kg−1 wet weight. In addition, the gonads of males were characterized by a higher variability of the analyzed parameter in relation to samples obtained from female wild boars. The coefficient of variation in their case was almost 40.9, while the value of the coefficient of variation for selenium content in the parenchymal layer of the ovaries was 24.9. On the basis of statistical analysis, highly significant differences were found at p ≤ 0.01 according to the sex of the individuals studied. Despite the fact that samples were taken from individuals living in areas with selenium deficiencies due to the biogeochemical background, it should be considered that the supply of Se is optimal, which is evident in the population growth dynamics of individuals of this species in the study area.
Learning Management System in the Post-Pandemic Era: Comparative Study
Authors: Junining Esti , Herawati  , Setiarini Nuria
Published: March 2024

In the post-pandemic era, virtual educational environments are replacing the role of traditional classroom instruction. Due to the technological revolution and the COVID-19 pandemic, learning has evolved considerably in recent decades in educational parties at the higher education levels in Indonesia have offered various new options. LMS is referred to as a program that may optimize the ease of learning while promoting sustainable learning at home, particularly for lecturers who must provide teaching-learning during the challenging periods of the COVID-19 pandemic. Existing previous studies confirmed that acceptance of the LMS in higher education may vary from one country to another. This paper attempted to answer questions dealing with students’ engagement in learning and the usage of LMS in Indonesia compared to other countries. The study surveys online polling and measures their acceptance and preference of LMS in Indonesian higher education. The findings showed that as a sustainability program in higher education, LMS had favourable impacts during the COVID-19 outbreak and was recognized as user-friendly.
Analysis of The Causes of Defects In Products in Cup Filing Machines
Authors: Efendi Moch Miqdar , Tjahjanti Prantasi Harmi
Published: March 2024

Drinking water is good water and can be in natural form or processed like sea water for desalination, itmust meet the drinking water standards set. Drinking water standards are divided into ordinary water, mineral water, natural mineral water and bottled water. AMDK is drinking water that has been treated, packaged and is safe for direct consumption in accordance with industrial standards in Indonesia. Manufacturing machines including glass, bottle and gallon filling machines often experience product defects outside the planned schedule and machine damage causes production to stop, thereby reducing machine performance and suggestions and input for improvements so that it can run as desired.
Paleomagnetism of the Abinskaya Group of the Kuznetsk Depression (Southern Siberia) – Implications for the Evolution of the Siberian Large Igneous Province at the Permian–Triassic Boundary
Authors: Eliseev A.A. , Metelkin D.V. , Abashev V.V. , Mikhaltsov N.E. , Vinogradov E.V. , Bragin V.Yu.
Published: March 2024

—We report results of a systematic paleomagnetic study of the Abinskaya Group of the Kuznetsk depression, including a typical volcanic complex that reflects important features of the evolution of the Permian–Triassic Siberian large igneous province (LIP). Four zones of magnetic polarity have been established in the group’s deposits. We revise the correlation of the volcanic sheets of the Mal’tsevo Formation (Fm.) at the base of the group with the Ivakinsky Fm. of the Norilsk region, which is linked to the initiation of trap magmatism. The beginning of the eruption of the Saltymak complex volcanic rocks in the Kuznetsk area corresponds to the boundary between subchrons LT1n.1n and LT1n.1r (251.2 Ma) within the Kedrovka sub-formation of the Mal’tsevo Fm. This boundary was traced in the magnetostratigraphic sections of the Maimecha-Kotui, Koltogor-Urengoy, Western Taimyr, and Norilsk regions of the Siberian LIP and suggests a correlation of the Mal’tsevo Fm. volcanic rocks with the upper part of the undifferentiated interval of the Onkuchak – Tyvankit (?) fms., the base of the Korotchaev Fm., the Verkhnetam Fm. and the top of the Samoed Fm. The duration of this main pulse of volcanism in the Kuznetsk depression did not exceed 0.1 Myr. The volcanic sheets of the second, significantly weaker pulse of the Yamin Fm. are compared with the Maimecha Fm. of the Maimecha-Kotui area and the top of the Korotchaev Fm. of the Koltogor-Urengoy area. Thus, the accumulation of the entire Abinskaya Group, including the sedimentary complex of the Sosnovka Fm., lasted no more than 1.5 Myr. Except for the initial stage, this coincided with the eruption of most of the Maimecha-Kotui and Koltogor-Urengoy trap sections. The early magmatism of the Ivakinsky time and its analogs in other areas of the Siberian province during the Permian–Triassic boundary in the Kuznetsk depression probably corresponds to the break between the Taylugan Fm. and the Abinskaya Group. The mean paleomagnetic pole (PLat = 59.0°, PLon = 160.3°, A95 = 5.7°, N = 33) calculated for the entire studied section reflects the paleogeography of the Kuznetsk depression and can be considered a reference pole for the Permian–Triassic boundary.
Virtual reality-based pre-discharge home assessment (ReTHo) to improve participation-focused patient transition from rehabilitation to home: development and feasibility testing.
Authors: Kirchner-Heklau Uta , Saal Susanne
Published: March 2024

Background
Pre-discharge home assessments (PDHA) aim to identify environmental barriers to patients’ activities, to recommend and provide aids and home modifications and to assess activity performance within “real life conditions”. PDHA are time consuming. Virtual approaches might overcome these obstacles.
Aim
This study aimed to develop a technical system (ReTho) supporting ward-based PDHA within the virtual twin of the real patients´ home and to evaluate the feasibility of the Virtual Reality (VR)-PDHA within clinical processes.
Methods
ReTho was developed within 11 months involving users (workshops, pre-pilot testing, usability testing groups, interviews) to achieve usability and fit of the intervention to the context. ReTho comprised a smartphone-home scan, a data backend with interface to organize data and applications to measure the home as a 3D model on desktop and immersively in VR. Feasibility and acceptance of the intervention and feasibility of study processes were testet as single-arm study in an inpatient rehabilitation clinic.
Results
Twelve patients (neurological diagnoses n=11, geriatric diagnosis n=1) received the intervention. The scan took between 40 and 90 minutes per patient. Per PDHA, on average 7.76 (SD 1.97) rooms were assessed. Therapy sessions took 43.67 (SD 10.52, range from 25 to 65) minutes in total. On average 12.42 (SD 5.02) recommendations per patient were given, and on average 36% (SD 21%) of them were ongoing two weeks after discharge. Data collection procedures were feasible with minor implications for improvement.
Therapists rated satisfaction in usability and usefulness of the tool overall as very good. ReTho had the potential to enable tailored recommendations and advice on home modifications/aids, to increase patients’ acceptance of recommendations and to improve activity goals. Information flow and communication within the discharge preparation process was not enhanced due to misssing interfaces between the system and the clinic IT. Performance and satisfaction with activities increased slightly after discharge (4.41 to 5.3 and 4.53 to 4.90). The fear of falling remained consistent.
Conclusions:
The study demonstrates the clinical feasibility of ReTho. The system goes beyond functions of other previously known applications for PDHA. Further intervention development concerns the connection of process stakeholders in the rehabilitation context inside and outside the ward setting.
Trial Registration: Study registration of the pilot study occurred prior to inclusion of the first study participant as DRKS00025836 in a publicly accessible study registry (German Clinical Trials Register).
SMART-CYPS: An Intelligent Internet of Things and Machine Learning Powered Crop Yield Prediction System for Food Security
Authors: Kuradusenge Martin , Hitimana Eric , Mtonga Kambombo , Gatera Antoine , Habiyaremye Joseph , Ngabonziza Jackson , Hanyurwimfura Damien , Rukundo Placide , Mukasine Angelique
Published: March 2024

The sub-Saharan Africa region continues to experience food insecurity, a consequence of the less productive agricultural sector that has dragged to adapt to the effects of climate change. As the region’s population continues to grow, there is a need to modernize the region’s agricultural sector to meet the increasing food demand. Although extreme atmospheric conditions cannot be entirely mitigated, however, the integration of technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT) and Machine Learning (ML) can increase the quantity and quality of production from the crop fields. These technologies have potential to empower agricultural management systems to handle both climatic and farm data in an orchestrated manner, informing formulation of effective strategies. This study presents the design and development of a system for predicting crop yields that integrates IoT and ML. The system combines current weather data and historic crop yield data to predict seasonal crop yields. The weather parameters including, rainfall, temperature, humidity and soil moisture are collected by IoT sensors and transmitted to the cloud for crop yield forecasting. The system is used to analyze seasonal yields of Irish-Potato and Maize in Musanze District of Rwanda. Using data over different agricultural seasons, the system achieved favorable predictive accuracy with mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) values of 0.339, 0.309, and 0.177 for two seasons of Irish potatoes and one season of maize, respectively. Such predictive yield systems can reduce food insecurity risks and enhance harvest efficiency by enabling early awareness of crop production, fostering effective strategies shared among decision-makers and stakeholders. While maize and Irish potatoes were the initial case studies, expansion to include other crops is envisioned.
Biological and genomic characterization of a polyvalent phage PSH-1 against multidrug- resistant Salmonella
Authors: Li Shuaihua , Wang Rui-yun , Zhang Jun-kai , Yi Kai-fang , Liu Jian-hua , Wu Hua , Yuan Li , Zhai Ya-jun , Hu Gongzheng
Published: March 2024

Background
Bacteriophage has been renewed attention as a new antibacterial agent due to the limitations of antibiotic treatment. Through the biological characterization and genome analysis of the isolated Salmonella phage, the bacteria can be specifically killed through the advantages of safe, efficient and fast bacteriophages in the future, so as to reduce or even solve the current drug resistance and safety problems of Salmonella bacteria.
Results
In this study, a virulent lytic bacteriophage (named Salmonella phage PSH-1) of Salmonella was isolated from the sewage samples of a large-scale pig farm, it can not only lyse multidrug-resistant Salmonella but also E. coli, and then its biological characteristics, genome and bacteriostatic ability were investigated. The results showed that the initial titer of PSH-1 was 1.15x1010 PFU/mL and the optimal multiplicity of infection (MOI) was 0.01, PSH-1 has stable activity in the range of pH 3.0–11.0. One-step growth curve showed that its latent period was 20 min, burst time was 80 min, and the burst was 495 particles. The whole-genome sequencing results revealed phage PSH-1 had a linear dsDNA with 48466 bp length. The G/C content was 45.33%. Non-coding RNA genes and virulence factors were not found. Eighty- five open reading frames (ORFs) were identified after online annotation. By tests, the use of phage could succeed in controlling the artificial salmonella contamination in milk at a range of temperatures.
Conclusions
This study reports a novel Salmonella phage PSH-1, which has a robust lytic ability, no virulence factors, and good stability. The characterization and genomic analysis of PSH-1 will develop our understanding of phage biology and diversity and provide a potential arsenal for controlling of salmonellosis.
The evolution of Envelope function during coinfection with phylogenetically distinct Human Immunodeficiency Virus
Authors: Omar Shatha , Woodman Zenda L.
Published: March 2024

Background Coinfection with two phylogenetically distinct Human Immunodeficiency Virus-1 (HIV-1) variants might provide an opportunity for rapid viral expansion and the emergence of fit variants that drive disease progression. However, autologous neutralising immune responses are known to drive Envelope (Env) diversity which can either enhance replicative capacity, have no effect, or reduce viral fitness. This study investigated whether in vivo outgrowth of coinfecting variants was linked to pseudovirus and infectious molecular clones’ infectivity to determine whether diversification resulted in more fit virus with the potential to increase disease progression.Results For most participants, emergent recombinants displaced the co-transmitted variants and comprised the major population at 52 weeks post-infection with significantly higher entry efficiency than other co-circulating viruses. Our findings suggest that recombination within gp41 might have enhanced Env fusogenicity which contributed to the increase in pseudovirus entry efficiency. Finally, there was a significant correlation between pseudovirus entry efficiency and CD4 + T cell count, suggesting that the enhanced replicative capacity of recombinant variants could result in more virulent viruses.Conclusion Co-infection provides variants with the opportunity to undergo rapid recombination that results in more infectious virus. This highlights the importance of monitoring the replicative fitness of emergent viruses.
RETRACTED: MiR-145 modulation of TGF-β pathway attenuates EMT inhibition of Wilms’Tumor cell proliferation, invasion and migration
Authors: Zhou Jun , Wu Zhiwei , Zhu Jian , Song Jialun , Wang Peng , Zhao Xinxin , Liu Ziping , Lu Songxian , Shi Hongguang , Feng Xiaojuan , Zheng Mingjun , Du Junpeng
Published: March 2024

The authors have requested that this preprint be removed from Research Square.
The Ties That Bind: Exploring Place Identity and Attachment Among Digital Nomads
Authors: Lagidze Nato , Pirtskhalava Ekaterine
Published: March 2024

Place identity and place attachment are central concepts in environmental psychology that are especially relevant in the current era of enhanced international mobility. Recently, Georgia has emerged as a hotspot for ‘digital nomads.’ This mixed-methods research undertakes a comparative analysis of place identity and place attachment among Georgian residents and ‘digital nomads’ connected to Georgia. Study 1 focused on qualitative analysis through 16 in-depth interviews, comprising both Georgian participants and international digital nomads. This phase aimed to understand personal experiences, adaptation strategies, and the impact of mobility on place identity and attachment. Themes from these in-depth interviews were categorized into past, present, and future perspectives. The qualitative insights revealed significant factors that shape place identity among people on the move, including cultural, social, and environmental elements, as well as participants' past experiences and future aspirations. In Study 2, quantitative analysis was conducted with a sample of 176 individuals, using an online self-report questionnaire. The quantitative results highlighted the relationships between place identity, place attachment, and psychological well-being and life satisfaction.
Insights on Lipid Biodegradation in Domestic Biodegradable Waste at a Full-scale Black Soldier Fly Larvae (Hermetia illucens L.) Bioconversion
Authors: Fan Shilin , Ma Jingjin , Jiang Shuoyun , Khan Faw , Xiang FA , Zhijian zhang
Published: March 2024

The lipids in the domestic biodegradable waste (DBW) pose a challenge to resource regeneration, and few studies have examined the evolution of lipid profiles during the process of black soldier fly larvae (Hermetia illucens L., BSFL) bioconversion. This study aimed to explore the dynamic features of lipid fraction and their associated responses of microbial community succession in residue during a full-scale BSFL bioconversion. Data showed that the lipid content decreased by95%, while the seed germination index increased by 20% through the synergistic effects of BSFL and microbiota. The results of spectral and Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry showed that free fatty acids and medium-chain fatty acids were given first priority in degrading in larval and microbial coexistence systems, resulting in the relative accumulation of sterols. The lipid content (71.1%, P = 0.002) was the prime environmental factor that promoted the succession of the bacterial community. The diversity and structure of the bacterial community varied at different stages of the bioprocess, where BSFL induced Corynebacterium, Marinobacter, and Brevibacterium. EC: 4.2.1.17 (Enoyl-CoA hydratase) and EC: 1.1.1.35 (3-hydroxyacyl-CoA dehydrogenase) were the key lipid metabolic enzymes, promoting the degradation and transformation of materials and lipids. The synergistic effect of BSFL and microbiota promotes lipid metabolisms in DBW, which is conducive to the sustainable utilization of BSFL biotechnology to convert wastes into high-value resources.
The Spotted Lanternfly Contains High Concentrations of Plant Hormones in Its Salivary Glands: Implications in Host Plant Interactions
Authors: ACEVEDO FLOR E.
Published: March 2024

The spotted lanternfly (SLF), Lycorma delicatula is an invasive species in the United States that has emerged as a significant pest in vineyards. This polyphagous insect causes significant damage to grapevines and tree of heaven (TOH). SLF feeds voraciously on plant tissues using its piercing and sucking mouthparts through which it injects saliva and uptakes plant sap. Despite its impact, research on fundamental mechanisms mediating SLF interactions with their predominant hosts is limited. This study documents the morphology of salivary glands and quantifies plant hormones in salivary glands of SLF adults fed on grapevines and TOH using Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (LC/MS). SLF adults have one pair of large salivary glands, ranging from 10–15 mm in length that extend from the insect’s head to the last sections of the abdomen. The salivary glands of SLF contain salicylic acid (89 ng/g), abscisic acid (6.5 ng/g), 12-oxo-phytodienoic acid (5.7 ng/g), indole-3-acetic acid (2 ng/g), jasmonic acid (0.6 ng/g), jasmonic acid isoleucine (0.037 ng/g), and the cytokinin ribosides trans-zeatin (0.6 ng/g) and cis-zeatin (0.1 ng/g). While the concentrations of these hormones were similar in insects fed on grapevines and TOH, abscisic acid was more abundant in insects fed on grapevines, and jasmonic acid isoleucine was only detected in insects fed on grape. These results are discussed in the context of the possible implications that these hormones may have on the regulation of plant defenses. This study contributes to our understanding of the composition of SLF saliva and its potential role in plant immunity.
Development of a Spatial Accuracy Compensation Method Based on Multi-Beam Laser Interferometer
Authors: Lei Lihua , Sun Changjian , Cao Chenming , Liang Lijie , Fu Yunxia
Published: March 2024

A mathematical model has been established for the error associated with the degree of freedom for each motion axis, with a correction applied based on the 12-line method in three-dimensional space. A multi-beam laser interferometer is proposed, which comprises four lasers, where different laser combinations can be used to measure different parameters, ultimately achieving simultaneous measurement of errors for the six degrees of freedom. This has informed the development of a spatial error measurement and accuracy compensation system. The error in the X/Y/Z axis data of the computer numerical control (CNC) machine tool is determined using the multi-beam laser interferometer. Spatial accuracy compensation is achieved by applying a software algorithm, and the positioning accuracy is obtained by measuring the same axis at different spatial coordinate positions to verify correction of the angular error. The experimental results have confirmed that after spatial error compensation, linear positioning accuracy, horizontal and vertical straightness errors improved by nearly 96%, 89% and 55% respectively, and the average and maximum deviations of positioning accuracy improved by nearly 88% and 91% respectively.
Dynamic changes in the real-time glomerular filtration rate and kidney injury markers in different acute kidney injury models
Authors: Xin Yu , Liu Yanqi , Liu Linqiong , Wang Xinran , Wang Dawei , song yuchen , shen lifeng , liu yuxi , liu yuhan , peng yahui , wang xibo , zhou yang , li hongxu , zhou yuxin , huang pengfei , yuan mengyao , xiao yu , yu kaijiang , wang changsong
Published: March 2024

In this study, the dynamic changes in the real-time glomerular filtration rate in acute kidney injury models were monitored via percutaneous glomerular filtration rate monitoring technology. Male C57BL/6 mice were used to establish sepsis, ischemia‒reperfusion, cisplatin, and antibiotic-induced acute kidney injury models. In addition to the real-time glomerular filtration rate, renal tissue NGAL and Kim-1 mRNA expression levels and serum creatinine and blood urea nitrogen levels were also used to evaluate renal function. The results showed that the changes in biomarkers always lagged the real-time glomerular filtration rate during the progression and recovery of renal injury. In sepsis-induced acute kidney injury, the glomerular filtration rate decreases significantly as early as 2 hours after modeling, similar to renal injury induced by ischemia‒reperfusion, and the glomerular filtration rate can still better reflect renal insufficiency in the recovery stage of injury. In a model of antibiotic-induced kidney injury, vancomycin plus piperacillin-tazobactam did not worsen nephrotoxicity.
Evaluating the effectiveness of Toxfin and Novasil as dietary aflatoxin-binding agents in broilers for sustaining hepatic antioxidant capacity and intestinal health status during aflatoxin B 1 exposure
Authors: Alqhtani Abdulmohsen , Sulaiman Ali Al , Abudabos Ala
Published: March 2024

To assess the efficacy of Toxfin and Novasil as aflatoxin-binding agents in broilers exposed to aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) from 11–30 d, 288 mixed-sex Ross 308 broiler chickens were randomly allocated to four dietary groups: control feed, control feed + 0.25 mg/kg AFB1, AFB1 feed + 0.3% Toxfin, and AFB1 feed + 0.3% Novasil. The evaluation encompassed growth performance for the grower (11–20 d), finisher (21–30 d), and overall (11–30 d) phases, carcass characteristics, serum biochemical components, liver function enzymes, hepatic antioxidant capacity, AFB1 residue in the liver and kidney, and ileal morphology at 30 d, and apparent nutrient digestibility during 29–30 d. Exposure to AFB1 significantly resulted in reduced growth efficiency, lowered carcass yields, liver hypertrophy, impaired metabolic and hepatic functions, liver oxidative stress, disrupted ileum architecture, diminished nutrient digestibility, and accumulated AFB1 in liver and kidney. Conversely, supplementation of Toxfin or Novasil significantly augmented body weight gain (BWG) and reduced feed conversion ratio (FCR) during the finisher and overall phases, elevated BWG in the grower phase, heightened levels of glucose, hepatic protein, and glutathione peroxidase, declined malondialdehyde content, improved apparent metabolizable energy, and lowered AFB1 residues in the liver and kidney. Furthermore, Toxfin inclusion significantly reduced FCR during the grower phase, enhanced European production efficiency factor during the grower and overall phases, augmented dressing percentage, declined proportional liver weight, elevated concentrations of total protein, albumin, and total antioxidant capacity, heightened villus surface area, and boosted crude protein digestibility. To conclude, incorporating 0.3% Toxfin into broilers' feeds confers a more effectual safeguard than Novasil against the deleterious consequences of AFB1 exposure.
Ulcerative colitis and Nephrotic syndrome: a two-sample Mendelian randomization study
Authors: Zhan Jinfeng , Rao Yujie , Liu Jiahao , Miao Haizhou , Xia Zhongbin
Published: March 2024

Objectives
This study employed Mendelian randomization to investigate the potential causal relationship between ulcerative colitis and nephrotic syndrome
Methods
We obtained the whole-genome association study data of ulcerative colitis in the European population from the GWAS database. Relevant single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were selected for analysis. We employed the inverse variance-weighted meta-analysis of multiplicative random effects models to obtain SNP-specific Wald ratio estimates, which assume horizontal pleiotropy. In addition, we performed sensitivity analyses using MR-Egger, weighted median, and IVW.
Results
Our findings suggest a strong association between ulcerative colitis and nephrotic syndrome(P < 0.05). After conducting sensitivity analyses, we found no evidence of horizontal pleiotropy or heterogeneity(P > 0.05).
Conclusion
Our Mendelian randomization study provides evidence for an association between ulcerative colitis and nephrotic syndrome, which may help us better understand the conditions of ulcerative colitis and nephropathy, as well as their relationship.
Evaluation of the Relationship Between Frailty Level and Quality of Life in Elderly Individuals with Type 2 Diabetes
Authors: RASHİDİ Mahruk , YILDIRIM Gülay , KARAMAN Funda , ÇAKMAK Sultan , DURUSOY Ebru , ŞAHİN Buse SAYGIN , GENÇ Aslı , AKGÖZ Hasan Fatih
Published: March 2024

Background
The aim of the study was to examine the relationship between frailty level and quality of life in elderly individuals with Type 2 diabetes.
Methods
This descriptive and correlational study was conducted with 211 patients who applied to the diabetes outpatient clinic of a private and a public hospital in Istanbul between September and November 2022. The data were obtained by using the Personal Information Form, Edmonton Frail Scale and the Quality of Life in the Elderly Scale.
Results
The mean Edmonton Frail Scale score of the participants was 7.36 ± 4.35. Their mean quality of life scale score was 19.32 ± 7.12. A low degree of negative correlation was found between Elderly Quality of Life Scale total and subscale scores and the Edmonton Frail Scale score (p < 0.05). Besides, there was a statistically significant difference between the Edmonton Frail Scale mean score and education level, history of falling in the last 1 year, using oral antidiabetic drugs, and the presence of diabetes complications (p < 0.05).
Conclusion
It is recommended that frailty and quality of life should be evaluated regularly in elderly patients with diabetes and necessary planning should be made in diabetes management and improving quality of life in the presence of frailty.
A Randomized, Multicenter, Treatment-as-usual Controlled Clinical Trial to Evaluate the Safety and Efficacy of Digital Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Eating Disorders in South Korea: Study Protocol
Authors: Moon Daa Un , Lee Jung-Hyun , Song Youn Joo , Kim Kyung Ran , Kang Min Jae , Choi Soo-Hee , Lee Joongsuk , Lee Yujin , Kim Youngin , Jung Young-Chul
Published: March 2024

Background
Eating disorders, including anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge eating disorder, present significant challenges to both physical health and psychosocial functioning. Despite cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) being an effective treatment for binge eating, accessibility issues limit its reach, underscoring the need for innovative treatment solutions. The digital cognitive behavioral therapy (dCBT) application "WELT-ED" presents a promising alternative, aiming to bridge this gap by offering accessible, scalable, and cost-effective treatment.
Methods
This study is a two-center, two-arm randomized controlled trial comparing the efficacy and safety of "WELT-ED" against standard care for individuals with eating disorders in South Korea. A total of 134 participants will be enrolled, randomly divided into either the dCBT intervention group (n = 67) or a control group receiving standard care (n = 67). Assessments at baseline, midpoint, and post-intervention will evaluate primary outcomes such as binge eating frequency, and secondary outcomes including psychosocial impairment. Safety, compliance, and satisfaction within the intervention group will also be analyzed to provide a comprehensive evaluation of the dCBT's impact.
Discussion
This research aims to investigate the possibility of "WELT-ED," a dCBT app, addressing the treatment gap for eating disorders in South Korea. By evaluating its efficacy, safety, and user satisfaction, the results could support incorporating digital interventions into standard care. This may transform how eating disorders are managed by improving access to evidence-based therapies.
Trial registration
This study was approved by the Institutional Review Board of Yonsei Severance Hospital (No. 2022-2865-002) and Seoul National University Hospital (No. D-2212-043-1385). It has been registered on ClinicalTrials.gov (27 February 2025, identifier: NCT06294353).
Location Based Collision Analysis to Detect Accident Blackspot Zones and Its Alternative Measures for Coimbatore City
Authors: Selvasofia S. D. Anitha , Jebaseelan S.D Sundarsingh
Published: March 2024

In this work, an effort has been made to identify the accident prone zones within Coimbatore district, Tamilnadu. For this purpose, the road accident data during the period pertaining to Coimbatore district have been used. Accident particulars like date, location, type of vehicle involved, number of persons injured or died were included in the GIS database. The objective of the work is to identify the accident prone areas on the national highways namely Rakkipalayam Junction, Anaikatti, Thudiyalur junction and Thanner panthal and to identify the high accident prone locations and safety deficient areas. The road geometry was measured in the accident prone locations to find out the deficiencies in the geometric design of highways. The model was validated with the accident data performance of the model was found to be excellent. In order to reduce the traffic congestion and accident spots, remedial measures was suggested. Suggestions were given to remove or relocate the bus stops and the new traffic signals were proposed. The emergence of traffic and subsequently traffic congestion in urban road networks are increasing worldwide with the growing number of vehicles, which results in excess delay, and reduced safety. Based on the GIS analysis, it was found that traffic volume is one of the major causes for the traffic congestion. Finally the percentage area of high risk zones and very high risk zones have reduced while the percentage area of medium traffic congestion zone have increased by 20.23 percentage and the percentage decreased in area of safe zone is 16.79%.
An effective study on the diagnosis of colon cancer with the developed local binary pattern method
Authors: Gül Mehmet
Published: March 2024

According to a recent study, 1 million people died from colon cancer and approximately 2 million from lung cancer. Regardless of the type of cancer, identifying the tumor area is extremely important. The pathology method is the most trustworthy technique for locating the tumor. Nucleus detection and classification studies were performed on images obtained with the pathology method. The principal objective of this study is to ascertain the presence of the tumor and acquire insights into its behavior. There could be some complications while the pathology procedure is performed. On the other hand, it is also important that the samples obtained are examined correctly by experts. Within the scope of the study, the local binary pattern method was used as a highly effective method among image enhancement methods. Colon cancer was diagnosed with two valuable local binary pattern (LBP) methods derived from the local binary pattern (LBP) method. During the diagnosis procedure, the developed LBP methods were first evaluated with machine learning and some transfer learning (TL) methods. Within the scope of the study, the LC25000 dataset was used to analyze colon cancer histopathological images. The performance values for step LBP method analysis were, respectively, accuracy (96.87%), kappa (93.74%), precision (96.9%), recall (96.9%), F1 score (96.9%), and ROC (99.4%). The results obtained with the developed cross-over LBP method were, respectively, accuracy (94.57%), kappa (90.91%), precision (94.9%), recall (94.9%), F1 score (94.9%), and ROC (98.8%).
Secure Cloud Data with Attribute-based Honey Encryption
Authors: Siyal Reshma , Long Jun
Published: March 2024

Encryption is a Technique to convert plain text into Cipher text, which is unreadable without an appropriate decryption key. Hadoop is a platform to process and store huge amounts of data reliably. It also provides a flexible service for big data through HDFS storage. Inappropriately, Hadoop's lack of built-in security measures makes it more likely that hostile attacks will be made against the data processed or stored using Hadoop. So, the data stored in Hadoop is a big, challenging task. The prevalence of private data attacks underscores the critical need for robust Encryption techniques. In this article, we have used Attribute-based encryption based on Cipher text policy attributes encryption. Attribute-based Honey Encryption (ABHE) is a novel encryption technique that provides an additional layer of security to data stored in a database. This paper especially focused on the file sizes encoded inside the Hadoop. Hadoop is good for handling big data but it lacks security, making data vulnerable to attacks. To fix this, we have created Attribute Honey Encryption (ABHE), a method to encode and decode files securely in HDFS, and compared work with the CP-ABE algorithm and KP-ABE algorithm. ABHE works well even with large files and performs better. This makes Hadoop safer for storing and processing data.
Rural Tourism Combined with Relaxation Guidance on Fertility Outcomes in the Infertility Population
Authors: fu xianchun , zhong di , Dai Zhijun , Ni Gang , Hong Mingyun
Published: March 2024

This study aims to investigate the effects of rural tourism combined with relaxation guidance on the conception rates and live birth rates among patients suffering from infertility.A retrospective cohort study was conducted, involving 208 infertile couples who received treatment at a reproductive centre in Anhui province between September 2021 and September 2023. The primary indicators monitored in this study were the pregnancy rate, live birth rate, and emotional state of the patients.Out of the participants, 32% had recently undergone rural tourism combined with relaxation guidance. The study found that those who received this combined approach had a significantly higher conception rate (88% vs. 54%) and live birth rate (71% vs. 37%) compared to those who did not participate in the rural tourism and relaxation guidance.The findings suggest that incorporating rural tourism with relaxation guidance significantly improves the live birth rates in infertile patients. Therefore, it is recommended that healthcare providers consider this combined approach as a part of the infertility treatment and care plan for patients.
Active fraction from clove inhibits colorectal cancer cell proliferation by downregulating M2-type pyruvate kinase to reduce aerobic glycolysis
Authors: Liu Lin , Xing Gang , Guo Xiaoyi , Chen Hui , Li Jian , Wang Jian , Li Yaling , Liang Gang , Liu Minghua
Published: March 2024

Background
Aerobic glycolysis contributes to the high rate of metabolism in tumour cells and colorectal cancer is one of the highly metabolic malignancies. Highly expressed M2-type pyruvate kinase (PKM2) promotes tumour cell proliferation and migration as the rate-limiting enzyme of aerobic glycolysis. Previously we have shown that the active fraction from clove (AFC) can inhibit the growth of colon cancer cells in vitro. However, the mechanism of action regarding the anti-colon cancer activity of AFC, especially in aerobic glycolysis, has not been adequately investigated.
Methods
In vitro anti-colon cancer activity was assessed by CCK8 assay and colony formation assay, and changes in aerobic glycolytic capacity were assessed by evaluating changes in glucose consumption, lactate production, pyruvate kinase activity and pyruvate production. HCT116 cells xenograft model in nude mice was established to measure the anti-colon cancer activity of AFC in vivo. Mechanism of action studies involved western blotting, reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR), small interfering RNA (siRNA) knockdown transfection, and immunohistochemistry.
Results
The present study confirmed those findings by showing that the active fraction significantly inhibited the growth of five lines of colon cancer cells (HT29, SW620, Caco-2, HCT116 and LoVo). And we found that the active fraction reduced pyruvate kinase activity, glucose uptake, and production of pyruvate and lactate. It also downregulated M2-type pyruvate kinase (PKM2), c-myc and cyclin D1. Knockdown of PKM2 on its own mimicked the effects of active fraction, which could result in the ability to inhibit cell proliferation and aerobic glycolysis. Consistent with these results in cell culture, the active fraction significantly inhibited tumor growth and downregulated PKM2, c-myc and cyclin D1 in HCT116 xenografts in mice, while causing milder liver damage and weight loss than the conventional chemotherapeutic 5-fluorouracil (5-FU).
Conclusion
Our fndings indicate that AFC inhibits colon cancer growth by downregulating PKM2 to inhibit aerobic glycolysis and reduces tumour-specific high expression of c-myc and cyclin D1. Future work should explore how it downregulates pyruvate kinase in the first place, and the intrinsic mechanism between the down-regulation of PKM2 and the down-regulation of c-myc and cyclin D1.
The relationship between the physical activity intensity, and the risk of type 2 diabetes in active and sedentary adults: Zahedan Adult Cohort Study (ZACS), Iran
Authors: Dehdari Tahereh , Shahraki-Sanavi Fariba , Nasiri Amir , Nouri Roghayeh , Moghaddam Alireza Ansari , Mohammadi Mahdi
Published: March 2024

Background: Given the effect of lifestyle on Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM), the present study was conducted to determine the association between PA intensity and the risk of T2DM in sedentary and active adults in Zahedan based on a cohort study.
Method: This cross-sectional study was conducted as a component of the population-based cohort known as prospective epidemiological research studies in Iran. The baseline data from the Zahedan Adult Cohort Study (ZACS) was utilized for this study. A total of 10,004 adults aged between 35 and 70 years were selected as participants from 2015 to 2019. Data on general information, socio-economic status, sleep status, medical history, and PA were collected through self-report questionnaires. Anthropometric measurements and biochemical parameters were obtained from participants after a 12-hour fasting period. Finally, data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, as well as independent-samples t-test, chi-square, and logistic regression tests in SPSS22.
Results: Out of 10,004 adults studied, 81.2% were sedentary, with worse health indicators such as higher weight, waist size, and poor blood metrics than active participnts. Sedentary lifestyle correlated strongly with higher rates of hypertension, heart diseases, and stroke. Diabetes prevalence was higher in sedentary (77%) compared to active (16%) participants. The findings showed that the chance of developing T2DM in active individuals were less than sedentary individuals (OR=0.62, p<0.001). Moreover, this relationship was significant after adjusting variables demographic factors (OR=0.65, p<0.001), triglyceride and cholesterol (OR=0.68, p=0.001), sleep status (OR=0.72, p=0.001), and family history of diabetes (OR=0.66, p=0.001).
Conclusion: The findings showed a clear association between sedentary lifestyles and an increased risk of T2DM. Physical inactivity correlates with adverse health markers and an elevated incidence of T2DM, which is mitigated by an active lifestyle. These results underscore the imperative for public health initiatives to promote PA as a critical strategy for diabetes prevention.
Analyzing a transportation problem with reliability under the shadowed environment
Authors: MONDAL SHYAMAL KUMAR , BERA RAJ KUMAR
Published: March 2024

In today's market, sources are being pressurized to deliver the product in a reliable and cost effective manner. From this perspective, the aim of the present work is to model a transportation problem to transport items from some sources to various destinations by minimizing the cost with maximum reliability. Here, the considered reliability is called 'transportation reliability' and it refers to the probability of successfully transporting items over different routes. Also, system reliability has been for different type transportation problems. Due to the imprecise nature of unit transportation cost and transportation reliability, the model has been formulated in shadowed environment. To convert the uncertain model into a deterministic form, a weighted-based de-shadowed procedure has been established. Further, to find the most efficient pareto optimal solution, an algorithm has been developed. Finally, Some numerical examples are considered to illustrate the models in both crisp and shadowed environments numerically.
Intrinsically Lipschitz Graphs on Semidirect Products of Groups
Authors: Donato Daniela Di
Published: March 2024

In metric groups, we give some equivalent conditions of intrinsically Lipschitz maps introduce by Franchi, Serapioni and Serra Cassano in subRiemannian Carnot groups. Unlike the case of the Carnot groups, in our context intrinsic dilations do not exist but we can prove the same results using the Lipschitz property of the projection maps.
2020 Mathematics Subject Classification. 53C17, 26A16, 51F30, 54E35.
Foraging habitat availability and diet composition of the Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea) at two spatial scales
Authors: Cieślińska Karolina , Manikowska-Ślepowrońska Brygida , Zbyryt Adam , Jakubas Dariusz
Published: March 2024

Habitat composition on foraging ground is one of the crucial factors determining diet diversity in colonially breeding avian predators. Studies on habitat and diet composition at different spatial scales (regional and local inter-colonial) may help to better understand drivers of diet composition. In this study we reconstructed from pellets diet composition of an opportunistic predator, the Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea) and compared it among 21 colonies in two different regions of Poland differing in foraging habitat presence/absence and composition. We used multivariate statistical techniques to analyze the relationship between diet and habitat compositions in a 20 km radius around the studied colonies. We found significant inter-regional and inter-colony differences in the Grey Heron diet and habitat composition in foraging areas. We found that some taxa were present in diet only in one of the studied regions. The heronries with predominance of farmland habitats in the vicinity were characterized by low frequency of the European water vole (Arvicola amphibius) and terrestrial invertebrates and high contribution of the Field striped mouse (Apodemus agrarius). Voles (Microtus sp.) were more frequent in colonies with prevalence of non-irrigated arable land around the colony, in contrast to the Bank vole (Myodes glareolus) which was less common in heronries with higher contribution of this habitat type. Remains of aquatic invertebrates were less abundant in colonies surrounded by extensive forests. Conducted study indicates opportunistic character of the diet of the Grey Heron adapted to the local foraging habitat and prey availability other than fish.
Estimation of Hypocentral Paremeters of Local/regional Earthquakes by Grid Search Method With a Fuzzy Logic Approach
Authors: GÖKALP Hüseyin
Published: March 2024

This study presents improvements to the hypocentral location
method based on Grid Search technique with fuzzy logic approach for
resolving regional/local earthquake locations. The method is tested
on synthetic models to evaluate its effectiveness in various
situations, and then, after gaining experience, it is tested on
actual earthquake data. For this purpose, three different
artificial seismic networks with different station distribution
geometries are selected to investigate the effect of the network
shape on the solution. Additionally, for all networks, for the
three scenarios, i.e. the earthquake's proximity to the networks,
whether inside, just outside, or further away, is taken into
account. Four types of norms are examined in this study, that is,
L2, L1 for P wave and L2 and
L1 for S wave are used, and they are transformed into
fuzzy logic space using a half trapezoidal membership function that
constructed minimum and maximum RMS values for the all norms. The
location determination process was performed in two ways; One is
defuzzification of the output of the intersection process on four
fuzzy logic output matrix, and other is defuzzification of only all
grid points having maximum fuzzy output values of the highest
values. The results show that this method for epicentral estimation
work well if the depth of an earthquake is shallow enough,
according to the distance between the event and seismic network and
it has a special advantage in the location of an event far from the
network. This method is only applicable to the hypocentral location
of the earthquake that happened in the upper crust because it only
uses Pg and Sg arrivals on the seismograms and a half-space
velocity model so its validity is somehow limited. By using this
method, we were able to estimate the hypocenter locations of 151
shallow earthquakes that occurred in the eastern Black Sea and
found them to be highly comparable to those obtained by other
seismic agencies. The average total difference between most
earthquakes is approximately 5 kilometers. Believed that this
method works well for local earthquakes taking place within network
and for regional earthquakes taking place outside a network and
hypocenter-station distances significantly larger than distance
between stations i.e. having a great azimuthal gap.