bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Juxtaposing Gender Differentials in Credit Assessment of Farmers in Nigeria: A Hybridized Credit-Scoring Approach
Authors: Ukoha Igwe Ikenna , Osuji Maryann , Uhuegbulem Ifyenwa Josephine , Ibekwe Chigozie , Ibeagwa Okwudili
Published: September 2024

Using data from 360 smallholder farmers in Southeast Nigeria, the study creates the architecture for a new farmer's hybrid credit rating system used in classifying farmers who applied for microfinance loans based on their creditworthiness. We discovered new evidence that the hybridized credit scoring algorithm demonstrated unprecedented concordance in assessing the financial viability of farmers along gender lines. The discriminant analysis, in particular, closely aligned with the credit score model, with 34.4% and 46.7% of male and female farmers grouped as creditworthy, reflecting the model's estimates of 33.3% and 45.5%, indicating gaps of 12.3% and 12.2%, respectively, to the advantage of the female farmers. Our findings further suggest that annual income, marital status, and farm size strongly influence the separation between creditworthy and non-creditworthy farmers. While age, loan term, and a history of defaults had a negative impact on discrimination, in light of the findings, we recommend a collaboration between authorities, financial institutions, and extension workers in offering tailored trainings to both male and female farmers, assisting them in meeting up-to-date credit prerequisites, adopting modified farming techniques, and improving their general preparedness to be accepted for loans in this changing credit evaluation landscape so as to bridge the disparity and promote financial inclusion for farmers irrespective of gender affiliations.
Penser le développement des compétences transformatives par les arts dans une perspective d’interculturalité
Authors: Rosso Nithaël , Terrien Pascal
Published: September 2024

Un individu se construit en interaction avec son environnement. La société française présente une pluriculturalité venant interroger notamment la transmission des normes et des valeurs à l’École. Cette dernière est investie d’une fonction sociale visant l’émancipation et la cohésion des personnes dans la société. Les politiques éducatives françaises tournées vers l’homogénéisation des traits culturels créent de débats vifs quant au partage d’un même espace-temps (Garnier, 2014). Par conséquent, le développement de compétences socio-citoyennes et interculturelles à travers les enseignements artistiques pourrait ainsi être pensé comme un outil favorisant l’unité sociale. Cet article pose quelques préalables conceptuels à l’axe « Le développement de compétences transformatives à travers l’apprentissage des et par les arts ». La méthodologie réside en une analyse comparative de différents textes institutionnels français afin d’étudier la pertinence des enseignements artistiques dans une perspective interculturelle (Abdallah-Pretceille, 1997).
Impact of hydrogeology factors on geotechnical conditions of the heritage Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra Monastery complex: Lessons from three decades of monitoring
Authors: Cherevko Iryna , Kril Tetyana , Bugai Dmitri , Shekhunova Stella
Published: September 2024

Abstract
The architectural ensemble of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra monastery located in the city of Kyiv on the Right Bank of the Dnipro River, which represents historical and cultural heritage of world significance, suffers from a wide range of hazardous geological processes. The review and analysis of data of the long-term (since the 1990s) groundwater monitoring studies of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra shows that hydrogeological hazards caused by a complex combination of natural and anthropogenic factors (as well as sometimes by engineering miscalculations) have led to a significant number of emergency situations that threaten the heritage architectural monuments. Monitoring data illustrate a wide range of hydrogeological hazards (flooding, subsidence, landslides, suffusion), and emphasize the importance of consideration of hydrogeological aspects for safeguarding architectural monuments in the urbanized context. The paper also summarizes experience in engineering measures aimed at mitigating of hydrogeological hazards and discusses the pending research tasks
Groundwater resilience, security, and safety in the four largest cities in Denmark
Authors: Jorgensen L. F. , Troldborg L. , Ondracek M. , Seidenfaden I. K. , Kidmose J. , Vangsgaard C. , Hinsby K.
Published: September 2024

Denmark's complete reliance on groundwater for water supply presents a unique case study in management of natural resources, urban planning, and water resilience in the face of climate change. This paper examines the groundwater management strategies in Denmark in general, focusing on Denmark's four largest cities—Copenhagen, Aarhus, Odense, and Aalborg— each facing distinct challenges due to their demographic, geographical, hydrogeological, and economic characteristics. Through analysis of these cities' approaches to groundwater management, this research contributes to the global discourse on sustainable urban water supply systems. As coastal groundwater cities (CGC), these urban areas must navigate the complexities of sustaining growing populations, mitigating climate change impacts, and coastal processes while ensuring the long-term viability of their groundwater resources. Copenhagen and Aalborg, built atop semi-confined fractured and locally karstic carbonate rocks, highlights the specific challenges associated with karstic groundwater systems, while, Aarhus, and Odense built on glaciofluvial aquifers faces different issues. The different groundwater challenges in these cities underscores the importance of integrating urban development with water resource management and environmental sustainability, offering valuable insights and lessons learned for other regions facing similar challenges. This study, thus not only sheds light on Denmark's groundwater management practices, but also emphasizes the need for innovative solutions to ensure the resilience of urban water supply systems in a changing climate and increasing pressures of emerging organic contaminants and elevated concentrations of geogenic elements induced by water abstraction and fluctuating water tables. Advanced Danish monitoring and modelling tools applied to support decision-making and innovation within the water sector are continuously developed and improved to support resilient and sustainable management of the available water resources.
Groundwater in Katowice - center of a large urban and deep coal mining area in Poland
Authors: Razowska-Jaworek Lidia
Published: September 2024

The paper presents the groundwater resources of Katowice and the results of studies conducted to identify prospective areas in aquifers with sufficient water resources for the location of public water intakes. The city of Katowice is the capital of Upper Silesia, the largest urban-industrial area in Poland, the region with a highly developed hard coal mining and many other different industries covering almost the entire scope of the economy. Due to long term drainage of mines causing the depletion and deterioration of groundwater and surface water resources, the main municipal water intakes have been located outside Katowice. Most of the pumped mine water is discharged into surface waters, causing significant salinity of water and disallow its use for municipal or industrial purposes in Katowice. The water collection and supply system is very extensive and covers a significant part of the Silesian agglomeration which is why Katowice is supplied with water from surface water intakes located outside the city. According to older published materials, such as the Hydrogeological map of Poland, there were no aquifers in the city that could have been used to supply the city with drinking water, however recent studies have shown that groundwater in the Quaternary aquifers in the western part of the city can be used to supply the city with public water. Less productive, Quaternary aquifers in north-eastern parts of the city may constitute the basis for drinking water supply in emergency situations, when surface intakes cannot be used, such as toxic, radiological or viral contamination or damage to the water supply network eg. as a result of an earthquake or warfare.
Guardians of the aquifers: ehancing Rome’s groundwater monitoring network
Authors: Roma Mauro , Bonfà Isidoro , Congi Maria Pia , Gafà Rossella Maria , Martarelli Lucio , Monti Gennaro Maria , Papiccio Claudio , Silvi Angelantonio , Vitale Valerio , La Vigna Francesco
Published: September 2024

This paper proposes a methodology for managing groundwater monitoring directly in the field through a specific data entry system installed on mobile devices and a relational geographic database that allows the visualization and querying of data via a specific web interface. The study area is the city of Rome, where a monitoring system of approximately 150 piezometers and wells, currently manually monitored twice a year. The proposed method uses the Enterprise cloud platform (ESRI, 2024) managed by ISPRA-SNPA, which guarantees the repository of the data collected in an online cloud system and the use of Web applications. The data of the time series of levels and chemical-physical parameters such as temperature, pH, conductivity are freely accessible through attribute tables, graphs, and viewer elements. The results highlight numerous possibilities for expanding the network of active wells, enabling the use of groundwater resources for adaptation measures to address ongoing climate change.
Delineation of Groundwater Storage and Recharge Potential Zones Using Multi-Influencing Factors (MIF) Method: Application in Synclinal Coastal Basin of Essaouira (Western High Atlas of Morocco)
Authors: Agli Saloua , Ahmed Algouti , Abdellah Algouti , Abdelouahed Farah , Moujane Said , Salma Kabili , Maryam Errami
Published: September 2024

Unpredictable rainfall caused by climate change and pollution directly impacts groundwater demand, making the exploitation of groundwater reserves necessary. To achieve this, a study in the synclinal basin of Essaouira (Western High Atlas) used GIS, remote sensing, and the Multi-Influencing Factors (MIF) method, to identify areas ideal for the installation of productive wells. An overlay analysis created a groundwater potential zone (GWPZ) map, showing 30% of the basin with high potential, 51% with moderate potential, and 19% with low to very low potential. The groundwater potential zone map was validated using geophysical surveys, piezometric data, and well water levels, showing a 69.3% prediction accuracy with the ROC curve.
WebGIS Open-source Platform for Localizations of New P2G Plants in Sicily
Authors: La Guardia Marcello , D'Ippolito Filippo
Published: September 2024

The climatic emergency that involves the globe has led targets of greenhouse gas reduction in the EU and all over the world. In this scenario, recent advances in renewable renewable energy sources (RESs) have focused interest on the diffusion of power supplies that are produced by photovoltaic and wind plants. The non-programmable nature of these energy sources has led recent studies to consider the power-to-gas (P2G) solution as an opportunity for employing the curtailed electric energy by converting it into hydrogen. The localizations of P2G plants depend on several factors regarding power production, distances, and population distributions. The necessity of integrating these factors led this work to study the development of a cost function that is hosted by a webbased GIS (geographic information system) platform, thus allowing for the storage, elaboration, and web fruition of an entire data set that is related to the possible new localizations of P2G plants. The structure is based on open-source technology and creates a solution that is easily employable by specialists. The developed platform is composed of different remotely connected blocks that are solely based on open-source technology and is focused the interest on the territory of Sicily (Italy). GIS software, a RDBMS database, a geospatial server (Geoserver ), a Python optimization module, and a WebGIS visualizer are integrated. This work represents a scientific contribution to the management of energy sources, with a particular focus on policies that are based on hydrogen technology. In fact, different data sets that contain several levels of information that are related to the management and the localization of P2G plants will be even further employed in the future.
Instruments for Supporting Implementation of Sustainable Development Goals for Construction Sector – Case of Poland
Authors: Szopińska Kinga , Ramczyk Marek
Published: September 2024

Currently, three billion people face dangerous levels of air pollution and rely on non-renewable energy sources for cooking and heating. Due to its environmental impact, the construction sector is a particularly important area for implementing sustainable development policies. On July 10, 2023, the UN published The Sustainable Development Goals Report 2023 (SDGs). In accordance with the provisions of Goal 7 (which was discussed in the above document), the international community should increase its share of renewable energy sources in the global energy mix and promote investment in clean energy technologies by 2030. Achieving this goal necessitates the introduction of support mechanisms to enhance the energy efficiency of residential buildings. Hence, this study aims to showcase the legal and financial tools that aid the growth of energy-efficient construction in Poland, to compare the renovation costs of an existing residential building in order to meet energy-efficiency standards, and to detail the financial support that is available for planned thermal-modernization efforts.
TRPML1 gating modulation by allosteric mutations and lipids
Authors: Gan Ninghai , Han Yan , Zeng Weizhong , Jiang Youxing
Published: September 2024

Transient Receptor Potential Mucolipin 1 (TRPML1) is a lysosomal cation channel whose loss-of-function mutations directly cause the lysosomal storage disorder mucolipidosis type IV (MLIV). TRPML1 can be allosterically regulated by various ligands including natural lipids and small synthetic molecules and the channel undergoes a global movement propagated from ligand-induced local conformational changes upon activation. In this study, we identified a functionally critical residue, Tyr404, at the C-terminus of the S4 helix, whose mutations to tryptophan and alanine yield gain- and loss-of-function channels, respectively. These allosteric mutations mimic the ligand activation or inhibition of the TRPML1 channel without interfering with ligand binding and both mutant channels are susceptible to agonist or antagonist modulation, making them better targets for screening potent TRPML1 activators and inhibitors. We also determined the high-resolution structure of TRPML1 in complex with the PI(4,5)P
2
inhibitor, revealing the structural basis underlying this lipid inhibition. In addition, an endogenous phospholipid likely from sphingomyelin is identified in the PI(4,5)P
2
-bound TRPML1 structure at the same hotspot for agonists and antagonists, providing a plausible structural explanation for the inhibitory effect of sphingomyelin on agonist activation.
Regeneration following tissue necrosis is mediated by non-apoptotic caspase activity
Authors: Klemm Jacob W , Van Hazel Chloe , Harris Robin E
Published: September 2024

Tissue necrosis is a devastating complication for many human diseases and injuries. Unfortunately, our understanding of necrosis and how it impacts surrounding healthy tissue – an essential consideration when developing effective methods to treat such injuries – has been limited by a lack of robust genetically tractable models. Our lab previously established a method to study necrosis-induced regeneration in the
Drosophila
wing imaginal disc, which revealed a unique phenomenon whereby cells at a distance from the injury upregulate caspase activity in a process called Necrosis-induced Apoptosis (NiA) that is vital for regeneration. Here we have further investigated this phenomenon, showing that NiA is predominantly associated with the highly regenerative pouch region of the disc, shaped by genetic factors present in the presumptive hinge. Furthermore, we find that a proportion of NiA fail to undergo apoptosis, instead surviving effector caspase activation to persist within the tissue and stimulate reparative proliferation late in regeneration. This proliferation relies on the initiator caspase Dronc, and occurs independent of JNK, ROS or mitogens associated with the previously characterized Apoptosis-induced Proliferation (AiP) mechanism. These data reveal a new means by which non-apoptotic Dronc signaling promotes regenerative proliferation in response to necrotic damage.
Regeneration following tissue necrosis is mediated by non-apoptotic caspase activity
Authors: Klemm Jacob W , Van Hazel Chloe , Harris Robin E
Published: September 2024

Tissue necrosis is a devastating complication for many human diseases and injuries. Unfortunately, our understanding of necrosis and how it impacts surrounding healthy tissue – an essential consideration when developing methods to treat such injuries – has been limited by a lack of robust genetically tractable models. Our lab previously established a method to study necrosis-induced regeneration in the
Drosophila
wing imaginal disc, which revealed a unique phenomenon whereby cells at a distance from the injury upregulate caspase activity in a process called Necrosis-induced Apoptosis (NiA) that is vital for regeneration. Here we have further investigated this phenomenon, showing that NiA is predominantly associated with the highly regenerative pouch region of the disc, shaped by genetic factors present in the presumptive hinge. Furthermore, we find that a proportion of NiA fail to undergo apoptosis, instead surviving effector caspase activation to persist within the tissue and stimulate reparative proliferation late in regeneration. This proliferation relies on the initiator caspase Dronc, and occurs independent of JNK, ROS or mitogens associated with the previously characterized Apoptosis-induced Proliferation (AiP) mechanism. These data reveal a new means by which non-apoptotic Dronc signaling promotes regenerative proliferation in response to necrotic damage.
Multi-level processing of emotions in life motion signals revealed through pupil responses
Authors: Yuan Tian , Wang Li , Jiang Yi
Published: September 2024

Perceiving emotions from the movements of other biological entities is critical for human survival and interpersonal interactions. Here, we report that emotional information conveyed by point-light biological motion (BM) triggered automatic physiological responses as reflected in pupil size. Specifically, happy BM evoked larger pupil size than neutral and sad BM, while sad BM induced a smaller pupil response than neutral BM. Moreover, this happy over sad pupil dilation effect is negatively correlated with individual autistic traits. Notably, emotional BM with only local motion features retained could also exert modulations on pupils. Compared with intact BM, both happy and sad local BM evoked stronger pupil responses than neutral local BM starting from an earlier timepoint, with no difference between the happy and sad conditions. These results revealed a fine-grained pupil-related emotional modulation induced by intact BM and a coarse but rapid modulation by local BM, demonstrating multi-level processing of emotions in life motion signals. Taken together, our findings shed new light on BM emotion processing, and highlight the potential of utilizing the emotion-modulated pupil response to facilitate the diagnosis of social cognitive disorders.
Machine learning and biological validation identify sphingolipids as potential mediators of paclitaxel-induced neuropathy in cancer patients
Authors: Lötsch Jörn , Gasimli Khayal , Malkusch Sebastian , Hahnefeld Lisa , Angioni Carlo , Schreiber Yannick , Trautmann Sandra , Wedel Saskia , Thomas Dominique , Ferreiros Bouzas Nerea , Brandts Christian H , Schnappauf Benjamin , Solbach Christine , Geisslinger Gerd , Sisignano Marco
Published: September 2024

Background:

Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) is a serious therapy-limiting side effect of commonly used anticancer drugs. Previous studies suggest that lipids may play a role in CIPN. Therefore, the present study aimed to identify the particular types of lipids that are regulated as a consequence of paclitaxel administration and may be associated with the occurrence of post-therapeutic neuropathy.

Methods:

High-resolution mass spectrometry lipidomics was applied to quantify d=255 different lipid mediators in the blood of n=31 patients drawn before and after paclitaxel therapy for breast cancer treatment. A variety of supervised statistical and machine-learning methods was applied to identify lipids that were regulated during paclitaxel therapy or differed among patients with and without post-therapeutic neuropathy.

Results:

Twenty-seven lipids were identified that carried relevant information to train machine learning algorithms to identify, in new cases, whether a blood sample was drawn before or after paclitaxel therapy with a median balanced accuracy of up to 90%. One of the top hits, sphinganine-1-phosphate (SA1P), was found to induce calcium transients in sensory neurons via the transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1) channel and sphingosine-1-phosphate receptors.SA1P also showed different blood concentrations between patients with and without neuropathy.

Conclusions:

Present findings suggest a role for sphinganine-1-phosphate in paclitaxel-induced biological changes associated with neuropathic side effects. The identified SA1P, through its receptors, may provide a potential drug target for co-therapy with paclitaxel to reduce one of its major and therapy-limiting side effects.

Funding:

This work was supported by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (German Research Foundation, DFG, Grants SFB1039 A09 and Z01) and by the Fraunhofer Foundation Project: Neuropathic Pain as well as the Fraunhofer Cluster of Excellence for Immune-Mediated Diseases (CIMD). This work was also supported by the Leistungszentrum Innovative Therapeutics (TheraNova) funded by the Fraunhofer Society and the Hessian Ministry of Science and Arts. Jörn Lötsch was supported by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG LO 612/16-1).
Estradiol elicits distinct firing patterns in arcuate nucleus kisspeptin neurons of females through altering ion channel conductances
Authors: Qiu Jian , Voliotis Margaritis , Bosch Martha A , Li Xiao Feng , Zweifel Larry S , Tsaneva-Atanasova Krasimira , O’Byrne Kevin T , Rønnekleiv Oline K , Kelly Martin J
Published: September 2024

Hypothalamic kisspeptin (Kiss1) neurons are vital for pubertal development and reproduction. Arcuate nucleus Kiss1 (Kiss1
ARH
) neurons are responsible for the pulsatile release of Gonadotropin-releasing Hormone (GnRH). In females, the behavior of Kiss1
ARH
neurons, expressing Kiss1, Neurokinin B (NKB), and Dynorphin (Dyn), varies throughout the ovarian cycle. Studies indicate that 17β-estradiol (E2) reduces peptide expression but increases
Vglut2
mRNA and glutamate neurotransmission in these neurons, suggesting a shift from peptidergic to glutamatergic signaling. To investigate this shift, we combined transcriptomics, electrophysiology, and mathematical modeling. Our results demonstrate that E2 treatment upregulates the mRNA expression of voltage-activated calcium channels, elevating the whole-cell calcium current and that contribute to high-frequency burst firing. Additionally, E2 treatment decreased the mRNA levels of Canonical Transient Receptor Potential (TPRC) 5 and G protein-coupled K
+
(GIRK) channels. When TRPC5 channels in Kiss1
ARH
neurons were deleted using CRISPR, the slow excitatory postsynaptic potential (sEPSP) was eliminated. Our data enabled us to formulate a biophysically realistic mathematical model of the Kiss1
ARH
neuron, suggesting that E2 modifies ionic conductances in Kiss1
ARH
neurons, enabling the transition from high frequency synchronous firing through NKB-driven activation of TRPC5 channels to a short bursting mode facilitating glutamate release. In a low E2 milieu, synchronous firing of Kiss1
ARH
neurons drives pulsatile release of GnRH, while the transition to burst firing with high, preovulatory levels of E2 would facilitate the GnRH surge through its glutamatergic synaptic connection to preoptic Kiss1 neurons.
Ensemble learning approach for distinguishing human and computer-generated Arabic reviews
Authors: Alhayan Fatimah , Himdi Hanen
Published: September 2024

While customer reviews are crucial for businesses to maintain their standing in the marketplace, some may employ humans to create favorable reviews for their benefit. However, advances in artificial intelligence have made it less complex to create these reviews, which now rival real ones written by humans. This poses a significant challenge in distinguishing between genuine and artificially generated reviews, thereby impacting consumer trust and decision-making processes. Research has been conducted to classify whether English reviews were authored by humans or computers. However, there is a notable scarcity of similar studies conducted in Arabic. Moreover, the potential of ensemble learning (EL) techniques, such as soft voting, to enhance model performance remains underexplored. This study conducts a comprehensive empirical analysis using various models, including traditional machine learning, deep learning, and transformers, with an investigation into ensemble techniques, like soft voting, to classify human and computer-generated Arabic reviews. Integrating top logistic regression (LR) and convolutional neural network (CNN) models, it achieves an accuracy of 89.70%, akin to AraBERT’s 90.0%. Additionally, a thorough textual analysis, covering parts of speech (POS), emotions, and linguistics reveals significant linguistic disparities between human and computer-generated reviews. Notably, computer-generated reviews exhibit a substantially higher proportion of adjectives (6.3%) compared to human reviews (0.46%), providing crucial insights for discerning between the two review types. The results not only advance natural language processing (NLP) in Arabic but also have significant implications for businesses combating the influence of fake reviews on consumer trust and decision-making.
Health situation of immigrants in Chile around HIV/AIDS : a qualitative analysis of Chile public health policies
Authors:   , Anaedum Ifeanyi Theodore
Published: September 2024

Hay varios factores políticos, económicos y socioculturales que giran en torno a las leyes vigentes para tratar los casos de VIH / SIDA entre los migrantes. El VIH / SIDA como importante problema de salud pública sigue afectando principalmente a los jóvenes y sus familias, y produce una alta carga de morbilidad y mortalidad que no solo conduce al empobrecimiento de las personas, sino que también repercute en la calidad de vida de estas personas. El proyecto tiene como objetivo analizar la situación de salud de los inmigrantes en Chile con respecto al VIH / SIDA bajo la percepción de las políticas de salud pública existentes en el país. Esto se debe al aumento de la incidencia y la tasa de prevalencia del VIH entre los migrantes en el país. Con el objetivo de conocer cuáles son las políticas públicas existentes para estos grupos focales en relación a la prevención, atención y tratamiento del VIH y también las barreras y potenciales facilitadores que plantea la adecuada implementación de estas políticas. Por último también ayuda a identificar la limitación con respecto a las políticas y al final dar recomendaciones.
Horizontal laminar flow cabinet with a low background and clean air
Authors: Samborski Tomasz , Zbrowski Andrzej , Kozioł Stanisław
Published: September 2024

The publication presents the design, construction of a prototype, and the course of verification tests of a special horizontal laminar flow cabinet made entirely of plastics. In the cabinet design process, numerical simulations and airflow analyses were used to achieve a laminar, uniform flow in the device's workspace. A prototype was built and subjected to verification tests regarding the intensity and nature of airflow as well as air cleanliness. The cabinet is equipped with its own filtration-ventilation module providing clean air to the workspace and removing used air to the external ventilation system. It ensures an increased level of protection for workers dealing with microorganisms and hazardous airborne chemicals, as well as complete corrosion resistance inside the workspace. A particular area of application for the cabinet is research involving radionuclides, volatile, toxic chemical compounds for which air-recirculating devices cannot be used in the room where they are placed. The developed solution has been protected by industrial property rights and used to implement a contract for the supply of a set of equipment to the laboratory of the Institute of Nuclear Physics of the Polish Academy of Sciences.
Modern problems of coast protection in Taganrog
Authors: Bespalova L.A.
Published: September 2024

On the instructions of the Government of the Russian Federation and the Ministry of Natural Resources of Rostov Region, in April-September 2023, the Southern Federal University and the Southern Scientific Centre of the Russian Academy of Sciences carried out a study on the topic “Comprehensive survey of the coastal territory with justification of necessary measures to prevent the collapse of the coastline of the Taganrog Bay of the Sea of Azov”. An assessment of existing coastal protection structures has been carried out within the coastline of the city of Taganrog. A total of 27 structures were examined, with a total length of10.8 km. The coastal protection of the city is represented by various types of structures (passive, active, non- traditional). It was found that 55.8% of the coastal defenses length are classified as emergency and extremely emergency and do not perform their coastal protection functions. The methods that are still used to protect the shores are ineffective, and they are often harmful. In this regard, there is an urgent need to develop a general scheme of coastal protection and environmental management of the coast of Taganrog. In recreational areas, it is necessary to plan the creation of artificial beaches with retaining structures. Regulated backfilling of the beach material should be provided. To protect industrial facilities and housing stock - the creation of stone-filled berms is required. It is necessary to dismantle ineffective coastal protection structures or overlap them with a stone filling.All coastal defenses where there is no possibility of slope planning must be put out to sea by creating beaches and rock-cast berms. The area of water, for a possible advance of the coastline towards the sea can be up to 200 m, considering the rate of coastal erosion in Taganrog 0.5-3 m/year for a period of 100-150 years.
To the biology of Ligularia sibirica in the South Ural Reserve
Authors: Yusupova O.V.
Published: September 2024

The article presents the results of studying the life and reproductive characteristics of plants of the relict for Europe Eurasian polymorphic species Ligularia sibirica (L.) Cass. in three coenopopulations in the conditions of the South Ural Nature Reserve. The plant is little studied in the Ural region, medicinal and very effective, therefore in many ways promising for study in introduction purposes. In natural coenopopulations it grows in fairly moist areas, occurs sparsely in meadows, and in dense clusters under the forest canopy. In forest cenoses, Ligularia sibirica plants are tall and look much larger than in meadow cenoses. In different ecotopes, the variability of morphometric characters is not the same and is specific to a particular habitat. The characteristics of the generative sphere vary to a greater extent relative to the vegetative one. Analysis of variance revealed the dependence of the height of the generative shoot on the plant habitat (56.8%), as well as the length and width of the stem leaves on the ecotope conditions (51.3-69.2%). The age structure of the CP has a right-sided single-vertex type of spectrum with a predominance of young generative plants and a low proportion of mature ones. The superiority of generative plants in the spectra is due to the seed renewal of this species. Ligularia sibirica is distinguished by high reproductive rates with a fairly high coefficient of seed productivity (91%). However, the germination rate of its seeds is quite low, since the seeds are characterized by shallow organic dormancy, from which the seeds can be removed by short stratification or by storing the seeds in dry conditions. In the Southern Urals, this species requires further study.
Juniper mealybug Planococcus vovae (Nasonov, 1908) (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) – a new dangerous pest of Cupressaceae in the Donbass and Cis-Azov region
Authors: Martynov V.V.
Published: September 2024

In August 2022, during phytopathological surveys in the city of Taganrog, focal occurrences of the juniper mealybug, Planococcus vovae (Nasonov, 1908) (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae), were registered for the first time. In 2023, the species had been recorded in urban plantings of Donetsk and Mariupol. The following introduced species, commonly utilized in urban landscaping within the steppe zone, were observed as host plants for the mealybug: Thuja occidentalis L., Juniperus communis L., J . chinensis L., J . scopulorum Sarg., and others. The biology of Planococcus vovae in the steppe zone remains unstudied; it is presumed that at least two generations may develop within a year. The juniper mealybug has the capacity to trigger outbreaks of mass reproduction and is deemed one of the most detrimental sap-sucking pests of Cupressaceae. The penetration ofP. vovae into the steppe zone presents an ominous prognosis for the phytosanitary conditions of urban green spaces. Presently, a complex comprising 13 species of specialized phytophages has emerged on Cupressaceae in the Donbass region, among which P. vovae could potentially emerge as a principal pest. Plants weakened by mealybug feeding become susceptible to aggressive xylophagous pests such as Lamprodila festiva (Linnaeus, 1767) and Phloeosinus aubei (Perris, 1855). Establishing phytosanitary monitoring systems and implementing a set of protective measures will inevitably elevate the costs associated with maintaining urban plantings. Given that the primary vector of invasion by specialized Cupressaceae phytophagous species is the inadvertent introduction through infected plants, it is paramount to conduct thorough inspections and impose quarantines on planting materials. Additionally, curtailing the volume of imports can be achieved through the development of regional nurseries.
To the fauna of rare bird species of coastal habitats of Temryuk Bay
Authors: Lebedeva N.V.
Published: September 2024

New information on the presence of 27 rare, protected or little-studied species and subspecies of birds (greylag and red-breasted geese, common shelduck, gadwall, common pochard, Eurasian oystercatcher, pied avocet, black-winged stilt, Eurasian golden-plover, Eurasian curlew, sanderling, common greenshank, yellow-legged, great black-headed, Mediterranean, slender-billed, and little gulls, Caspian tern, European turtle-dove, great white and dalmatian pelicans, squacco heron, glossy ibis, Eurasian spoonbill, lesser spotted and white-tailed eagles, Eurasian hobby) obtained in the Temryuk region (Eastern Azov region) in different seasons of 2022-2023. The coast of the bay is a stopping place on the spring migration of Eurasian oystercatcher, pied avocet, Eurasian golden-plover, Eurasian curlew, sanderling, common greenshank, common shelduck, slender-billed gull, and Caspian tern; in the fall - pied avocet, sanderling, and Caspian tern. Information about the migration of the sanderling at the end of March has been obtained for the first time. The location of the concentration of Caspian tern and slender-billed gull has been identified. The glossy ibis, the number of which is growing, the black-winged stilt, and the great black-headed gull remain in the spring-summer period in the flooded rice fields. Harvested rice fields provide valuable habitat for Eurasian spoonbills during their fall migration. Information about a large aggregation of red-breasted goose in rice fields in January 2023 is presented for the first time. The great black-headed gull is found on estuaries in all seasons. The common pochard, gadwall, little gull, and Dalmatian pelican stop at the estuaries during the migration period. The migration of the lesser spotted eagle at the end of September and the migration of a large flock of great white pelican in May were recorded in this area for the first time. The squacco heron, which is disturbance tolerant, is common in reed habitats of estuaries and irrigation canals.
In vivo comparison of antioxidant properties of fucoidan from Fucus vesiculosus after intragastric administration and external application
Authors: Pozharitskaya O.N.
Published: September 2024

Fucoidans are sulfated heteropolysaccharides from brown seaweed, known for anticoagulant, anti- inflammatory, antiviral and other properties. The method of administration and the dosage form of the medicinal substance have a significant impact on the bioavailability of the drug, as well as on its metabolism in the body.The purpose of the work was to evaluate the effect of fucoidan from Fucus vesiculosus on the indicators of the antioxidant system in mice with experimental streptozotocin-induced diabetes when administered intragastrically and externally.To evaluate the antioxidant properties of fucoidan in vivo , diabetes mellitus was developed in mice by intraperitoneal administration of streptozotocin and a 1% solution of nicotinic acid. Fucoidan in two dosage forms was administered for 10 days after the formation of the pathology at a dose of 50 mg/kg in the form of tablets intragastrically and 10 mg per animal in the form of an ointment when applied externally. To assess the antioxidant status of animals, the concentration of thiobarbituric acid-reactive products (TBA-RP) in the blood plasma, the level of reduced glutathione (GSH) and catalase activity (CAT) in the erythrocytes were determined.In mice with streptozotocin-induced diabetes against the background of pathology, the process of lipid peroxidation intensified and the effectiveness of the antioxidant system decreased. Fucoidan from F. vesiculosus suppresses systemic oxidative stress in mice with induced type 2 diabetes mellitus. This is achieved due to the inhibition of excessive generation of pro-oxidants (TBA-RP) and a protective effect on the factors of the antioxidant defense system (catalase activity and glutathione content). To the greatest extent, fucoidan, when administered intragastrically, prevents the formation of pro-oxidants, while when applied externally, it has a protective effect to a greater extent due to the activation of antioxidants.
Adaptation Practices of Dairy Farmers to Climate Change in Coastal Tamil Nadu, India
Authors: M.S Shanthya. , Meena Brajendra Singh
Published: September 2024

An investigation was conducted to evaluate the adaptation strategies of dairy farmers in light of climate change in Tamil Nadu. For this research, four out of the 13 coastal districts—Villupuram, Cuddalore, Ramanathapuram, and Thoothukudi—were chosen at random. Two blocks were randomly picked from each district for analysis. From each selected block, two villages were randomly identified from the existing villages. Consequently, 16 villages were included in this study. Fifteen dairy farmers were randomly selected from each village, yielding a total of 240 respondents for the research. Data were gathered using a predesigned interview schedule. The information collected was analyzed with suitable statistical tools to interpret the results of this research. It can be concluded that the area studied was primarily populated by crossbred cattle due to their high productivity, and “no distinct alterations of forage in the diet” were observed by fewer than half (48.33%) of the dairy farmers during periods of heat or cold stress. A notable 62.92 percent of dairy farmers did not employ feed additives during these distressing times, opting instead for a feeding strategy that involved “crop residues + unconventional materials” in drought conditions. It emerged that they were compelled to source water from open areas as adequate drinking water was not consistently available during drought periods. The majority of dairy farmers (70.42%) opted for a combination of “consult veterinarian + ethno veterinary practices” for addressing reproductive issues amid extreme weather events.
Heritability and Genetic Advance Studies on Fruit Yield and It’s Attributes Traits in Brinjal (Solanum melongena L.)
Authors: Mahla Jagruti S. , Acharya R. R. , Pandya M. M. , Kumar Sushil , Chauhan B. P. , Patel Ashita
Published: September 2024

The present investigation was conducted at the Main Vegetable Research Station, Anand Agricultural University, Anand during the period of 2023-2024. The experimental material comprised twelve generations viz., P1, P2, F1, F2, B1, B2, B11, B12, B21, B22, B1S and B2S of four families involving eight diverse cultivars of brinjal (Solanum melongena L.) used to study the heritability and genetic advance of brinjal for yield and shoot and fruit borer incidence. The experiment was laid out in a compact family block design with three replications. Higher magnitude of heritability along with a higher value of genetic advance as per cent mean was estimated for day to first flowering in family 2, plant height in family 1 and family 4, leaf blade length in family 4, leaf blade width in family 2, fruit length in all families, fruit girth in family 3 and 4, fruit weight in all families expect to family 2, fruits per plant in family 2, fruit yield per plant in all families expect family 4 and shoot and fruit borer incidence in family 2 which suggested preponderance of additive gene effect. The higher value of heritability coupled with the higher value of genetic advance shows higher selection efficiency, permitting plant breeders to efficiently select individuals or groups of individuals. In crops like brinjal, high narrow sense heritability estimates are particularly beneficial for developing enhanced varieties through the fixation of additive gene effects.
The Pursuit of Doctoral Studies in an African Context
Authors: Alhassan Mustapha , Alidu Sanatu Mustapha
Published: September 2024

This paper discusses the pursuit of doctoral studies in an African context. Doctoral studies are not a new development worldwide. It has been reported that the first conferred doctoral degree was at the University of Paris. This paper examines the situation of doctoral studies in Africa, the role of doctoral students, the role of supervisors, doctoral studies across the globe, and the challenges facing doctoral students in Africa. This paper reveals that the role of a doctoral student is planning research, scheduling meetings, searching for literature, carrying out the research, drafting the thesis preparation, proofreading the thesis, writing the final thesis, submitting the final thesis, defending the final thesis, publishing the final thesis, and communicating the findings in the form of publications. The situation of doctoral studies in Africa, the role of supervisors, doctoral studies across the globe, and the challenges facing doctoral students in Africa have been discussed. It is recommended that the research work should be collaborative to enhance sharing of ideas and knowledge, involvement in presentations at seminars, participating in conferences/workshops, commitment to a research plan, and if possible joining research associations or groups. In this article recommendations for the quality doctoral programs in Africa have been provided. The conclusion states that the effort and input of supervisors also play a critical role in the quality of doctoral students who are turned out at any point in time. So, the future of research in the African context needs special attention regarding the role of role of doctoral candidates, supervisors and the government itself.
Gene expression panel predicts metastatic‐lethal prostate cancer outcomes in men diagnosed with clinically localized prostate cancer
Authors: Rubicz Rohina , Zhao Shanshan , Wright Jonathan L. , Coleman Ilsa , Grasso Catherine , Geybels Milan S. , Leonardson Amy , Kolb Suzanne , April Craig , Bibikova Marina , Troyer Dean , Lance Raymond , Lin Daniel W. , Ostrander Elaine A. , Nelson Peter S. , Fan Jian‐Bing , Feng Ziding , Stanford Janet L.
Published: February 2017

Prognostic biomarkers are needed to distinguish patients with clinically localized prostate cancer (PCa) who are at high risk of metastatic progression. The tumor transcriptome may reveal its aggressiveness potential and have utility for predicting adverse patient outcomes. Genomewide gene expression levels were measured in primary tumor samples of 383 patients in a population‐based discovery cohort, and from an independent clinical validation dataset of 78 patients. Patients were followed for ≥ 5 years after radical prostatectomy to ascertain outcomes. Area under the receiver‐operating characteristic curve (AUC), partialAUC(pAUC, 95% specificity), andP‐value criteria were used to detect and validate the differentially expressed transcripts. Twenty‐three differentially expressed transcripts in patients with metastatic‐lethal compared with nonrecurrentPCa were validated (P < 0.05; false discovery rate < 0.20) in the independent dataset. The addition of each validated transcript to a model with Gleason score showed that 17 transcripts significantly improved theAUC(range: 0.83–0.88; allP‐values < 0.05). These differentially expressedmRNAs represent genes with diverse cellular functions related to tumor aggressiveness. This study validated 23 gene transcripts for predicting metastatic‐lethalPCa in patients surgically treated for clinically localized disease. Several of thesemRNAbiomarkers have clinical potential for identifying the subset of PCa patients with more aggressive tumors who would benefit from closer monitoring and adjuvant therapy.
Mechanical models favor a ramp geometry for the Ventura‐pitas point fault, California
Authors: Marshall Scott T. , Funning Gareth J. , Krueger Hannah E. , Owen Susan E. , Loveless John P.
Published: February 2017

Recent investigations have provided new and significantly revised constraints on the subsurface structure of the Ventura‐Pitas Point fault system in southern California; however, few data directly constrain fault surfaces below ~6 km depth. Here, we use geometrically complex three‐dimensional mechanical models driven by current geodetic strain rates to test two proposed subsurface models of the fault system. We find that the model that incorporates a ramp geometry for the Ventura‐Pitas Point fault better reproduces both the regional long term geologic slip rate data and interseismic GPS observations of uplift in the Santa Ynez Mountains. The model‐calculated average reverse slip rate for the Ventura‐Pitas Point fault is 3.5 ± 0.3 mm/yr, although slip rates are spatially variable on the fault surface with > 8 mm/yr predicted on portions of the lower ramp section at depth.