bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Sustainability Reporting Assurance within Worldwide Trends
Authors: CÎRSTEA Andreea ,   Babeş-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, Romania, Faculty of Economics and Business Administration
Published: July 2024

Assurance of sustainability reports has gained increasing attention in academic research and professional practice as organizations strive to enhance the credibility and transparency of their environmental, social, and governance (ESG) disclosures. This bibliometric analysis examines the academic landscape of assurance in sustainability reporting by analyzing relevant literature indexed in the Scopus database from 1995 to 2024. The study focused on analyzing the co-authorship at the country level, the co-occurrence of keywords, as well as co-citations at the level of cited references. The analysis explores trends, patterns, and emerging themes in research related to assurance practices, methodologies, standards, and stakeholder perspectives. The results revealed a growing interest in the topic of sustainability reporting assurance, particularly in countries such as the United Kingdom, USA, Spain, and Australia. Furthermore, the high number of citations indicates that the topic is increasingly debated among researchers.
Hubungan antara Optimisme dan Efikasi Diri dengan Flow pada Atlet Mahasiswa
Authors: Royyan Hafidz , Hidayati Farida , Setyowati Rini
Published: July 2024

Mahasiswa sebagai atlet menghadapi tantangan berupa tuntutan untuk berprestasi di bidang olahraga yang ditekuni serta beban akademik. Meskipun memiliki tantangan lebih, kegiatan olahraga yang ditekuni atlet mahasiswa menyediakan kondisi yang sesuai untuk flow. Optimisme menyediakan kondisi psikologis yang positif dan menjadi salah satu variabel yang dapat menjadi pemicu flow. Selain itu, keterlibatan individu pada sebuah kegiatan hingga tercapai kondisi flow dapat ditentukan dari tingkat efikasi diri individu. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menguji apakah terdapat hubungan antara optimisme dan efikasi diri dengan flow pada atlet mahasiswa. Menggunakan teknik purposive sampling, penelitian ini melibatkan 108 atlet mahasiwa sebagai subjek. Alat ukur yang digunakan adalah skala flow, skala optimisme, dan skala efikasi diri. Hasil analisis data penelitian menemukan adanya hubungan signifikan antara optimisme dan efikasi diri dengan flow dengan nilai signifikansi 0,000 (p<0,05) dan nilai Fhitung sebesar 25,574 (Fhitung > Ftabel = 3,08). Hasil uji korelasi parsial menunjukkan adanya hubungan signifikan antara optimisme dengan flow (p=0,00<0,05; r=0,526) dengan sumbangan sebesar 19,94%. Hubungan signifikan juga ditemukan antara efikasi diri dengan flow (p=0,00<0,05; r=0,474) dengan sumbangan sebesar 11,95%. Dengan demikian, dapat disimpulkan bahwa terdapat hubungan signifikan antara optimisme dan efikasi diri dengan flow pada atlet mahasiswa secara simultan.
Analisis Kualitas Air Sumur Dangkal di RK 4 Kelurahan Doom Barat Distrik Sorong Kepulauan
Authors: Yasin Azalia Fajri , Dwangga Mierta , Mardin Firmansyah
Published: July 2024

Pulau Doom adalah sebuah pulau kecil di Provinsi Papua Barat Daya, Indonesia. Terletak tepat di seberang Kota Sorong, layanan air bersih dari PDAM belum menjangkau seluruh Pulau Dum, sehingga sebagian masyarakat di Pulau Doom masih menggunakan sumur gali atau sumur dangkal. Tujuan dari penelitian ini adalah untuk mengetahui pengaruh air laut, status baku mutu terhadap kualitas air sumur dangkal di RK 4 desa Doom Barat, dan solusi pengaruhnya yaitu dengan membuat sumur resapan. Teknik pengambilan sampelnya menggunakan Purposive Sampling secara sengaja, penentuan status mutu air dengan menggunakan metode storet. Hasil penelitian pada titik sampel 1 – 14, pada titik sampel 1 – 3 terdapat pengaruh air laut terhadap air sumur dangkal dengan jarak dari bibir pantai sekitar 13 – 22 meter dengan kedalaman sumur dangkal sekitar 5 – 6 meter berada di bawah permukaan tanah, dengan nilai salinitas 1180 – 2130 mg/L. dengan tingginya nilai pengujian salinitas mengakibatkan adanya pengaruh air laut pada sumur dangkal di beberapa titik sumur di RK 4 West Doom Village. Rata-rata sebagian besar sumur dangkal di RK 4 Kecamatan Doom barat berstatus mutu air kelas B yaitu tercemar ringan.
Mapping frost risk in fruit trees using GIS-based analysis: a case study in the province of Alicante (Spain)
Authors: Ramón-Morte Alfredo , Pérez Moreno David , Moltó-Mantero Enrique
Published: July 2024

Agricultural activity is exposed to the effects of global warming, which implies socioeconomic and environmental impacts. This research presents a methodology to facilitate the management of daily temperature time series for climate risk analysis. GIS-based analysis has allowed us to generate climate and relief models, along with other land-use suitability data, integrating information to map frost risk in fruit trees. The calculation was made using open official repositories of massive meteorological and geographic data. Finally, the proposed methodology has been verified by applying it to the risk map of the almond growing areas of the province of Alicante, due to its socio-economic importance and being the first fruit tree to flower with high exposure to the risk of frost. Docker technology has played a fundamental role in automating the process of daily minimum temperature data, which will facilitate the requirements for the reproducibility and application of the research to other areas of study and fruit species.
Unified permeability modeling for transitional Darcy/non-Darcy flow based on 3D pore-level numerical flow tests
Authors: Nomura Reika , Itto Ryota , Takase Shinsuke , Moriguchi Shuji , Terada Kenjiro
Published: July 2024

This study presents a unified representation of the seepage characteristics of virtual soil, including the transition zone from Darcy to non-Darcy flow, by conducting 3D pore-level fluid simulations.　According to the concept of mathematical homogenization, the process of defining a virtual test region as a representative volume element (RVE) and then assessing the apparent permeability from virtual 3D pore flow tests in this region is established as “numerical seepage flow testing” (NSFT).　Rigid particles of a single size are placed in the virtual test area, with two types of particle configurations: regularly arranged and randomly arranged. Both Darcy and non-Darcy flows are achieved by varying the macroscopic hydraulic gradients and other material or geometrical properties for NSFTs, such as grain diameter or porosity, and the macroscopic seepage flow characteristics are discussed in terms of the relationship between the apparent permeability and Reynolds number. After confirming that the individual relationships depend on the material or geometrical properties, we propose a unified expression of apparent permeability by introducing the “permeability reduction ratio”, and various empirically derived relationships between Darcy and non-Darcy flow speed and hydraulic gradient are used as references for this expression. To validate the proposed unified expression of apparent permeability over a wide range of Reynolds numbers, the NSFT results are illustrated as a relationship between the Reynolds number and permeability reduction ratio when the porosity is fixed. The illustrated relationships confirm that the permeability reduction ratio turns out to be a function of the Reynolds number and porosity only, thus validating the proposed unified expression. Additionally, the influence of the regularity of the particle arrangement and the particle size distribution characteristics of the NSFT specimens is raised as a factor determining the functional form of the permeability reduction ratio.
Characteristics of Cancer Patients Who Developed an Exercise Habit Through Supervised Exercise Therapy by Hospital-Based Physiotherapists: A Case–Control Study
Authors: Ibara Nobuya , Tsuji Tetsuya , Tokuda Yoshio , Maniwa Eri , Saito Tatsuya
Published: July 2024

Purpose
Exercise and physical activity are recommended for cancer survivors. This study aimed to identify the patient characteristics associated with behavioral changes and maintenance of exercise habits through supervised exercise therapy (SET) by licensed physiotherapists during outpatient care.
Methods
The participants in this case–control study were outpatients with cancer who underwent uninsured SET at the Matsue City Hospital Cancer Center from April 1, 2017, to April 1, 2021. Data were collected retrospectively from medical records. The participants were divided into two groups: a continuation group that continued SET for at least 24 weeks and showed sufficient behavioral change and a dropout group that dropped out of SET after less than 24 weeks and showed insufficient behavioral change. Statistical analysis was performed using logistic regression analysis, with patient characteristics as the independent variable and SET continuation as the dependent variable.
Results
A total of 54 participants (median age, 58 years), including 38 female participants, were included in this study. The most common type of cancer was breast cancer, most commonly Stage IV cancer, and 33 patients (61%) were undergoing treatment. The continuation group consisted of 27 patients (50%). Factors significantly associated with SET continuation were age (odds ratio [95% confidence interval], 1.07 [1.00–1.13]), treatment completion (4.29 [1.15–16.05]), and the QLQ-C30 dyspnea score (0.34 [0.12–0.99]).
Conclusions
Older age, treatment completion, and the absence of dyspnea were associated with SET continuation and maintenance of exercise habits in outpatients with cancer.
Proposed shorter duration protocols for measuring resting energy expenditure utilizing whole room indirect calorimetry.
Authors: Rising Russell , Kittrell Hannah , Albu Jeanine
Published: July 2024

Background
Sixty-minutes is currently the shortest testing duration for 24-hour resting energy expenditure (24-h REE) utilizing whole room indirect calorimetry.
Objective
Show that recalculated 30-minute extrapolated 24-h REE from previously published 60-minute metabolic data are valid.
Methods
Propane consumption linearity was determined through an eight-hour combustion test. Thereafter, metabolic data for 24-h extrapolated ventilation rates of oxygen (VO2; l/d), carbon dioxide (VCO2; l/d), respiratory quotient (RQ; VCO2/VO2) and REE (MJ/d) from ten 60-minute propane combustion tests were recalculated to reflect a 30-minute testing duration. A similar analysis was performed utilizing data from 60-minute subject metabolic measurements within a whole room indirect calorimeter (4,597 liters) specific for measuring resting energy expenditure (REE). Statistical (p < 0.05) comparisons between recalculated and original 60-minute metabolic data were determined by SPSS (version 27).
Results
Propane consumption during a combustion test was found to be linear for up to eight-hours. Furthermore, no differences existed between propane stoichiometry and combustion for any of the extrapolated 24-h metabolic parameters when recalculated from 60-minute propane combustion data to reflect a 30-minute duration. Finally, similar results were obtained for all recalculated subject metabolic data.
Conclusions
Recalculated extrapolated 24-h metabolic data derived from a 30-minute testing duration appear to be valid. This suggests that whole room indirect calorimetry could be an adjunct for various weight loss or other programs where accurate metabolic measurements are required.
Analysing Elemental Compositions and Origins of Fine Particulate Matter (PM2.5) in Faridabad, Haryana (India)
Authors: Yadav Neha , Bajar Somvir , Yadav Kavita , Gupta Sakshi , Vijayan Narayanasamy , Sharma Sudhir Kumar
Published: July 2024

In the present investigation, elemental concentrations of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) were examined in Faridabad, a heavily polluted city of, Haryana, India from July 2022 to July 2023 at 2 representative sampling sites. The mean mass concentration (± standard deviation) of PM2.5 over the period of the investigation was calculated to be 108 ± 16 µg m− 3 at site 1 and 154 ± 11 µg m− 3 at site 2. PM2.5 mass concentrations of both the sites surpassing the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) limit (for 24 h: 60 µg m− 3 and for annual :40 µg m− 3) during the study. Throughout the study period, 41 elements at Site 1 (designated as institutional) and 43 elements at Site 2 (designated as residential) in PM2.5 were extracted using a Wavelength-dispersive X-ray Fluorescence Spectrometer (WD-XRF). The annual mean concentrations of elements composition of PM2.5 accounted for 14.9% at site 1 and 16.9% at site 2. The seasonal mass concentrations of PM2.5 for both the study sites exhibited at the order of post-monsoon (site 1: 197 ± 29 µg m− 3; site 2: 236 ± 12 µg m− 3) > winter (167 ± 11 µg m− 3; site 2: 236 ± 9 µg m− 3) > summer (87 ± 8µg m− 3; site 2: 104 ± 4 µg m− 3) > monsoon (48 ± 2 µg m− 3; site 2: 86 ± 5 µg m− 3). Cl, K, Fe, S, and Si are the major elements observed at site 1, and Si, K, Fe, S, Cl, Ca, and Al are at site 2, followed by elevated levels of other minor elements at both sites. Positive matrix factorization (PMF) determined five primary sources [crustal dust (site 1: 22%; site 2: 23%), combustion (site 1: 18%; site 2: 18%), biomass burning (site 1: 19%; site 2: 15%), industrial emissions (site 1: 22%; site 2: 29%), and mixed source (site 1: 19%; site 2: 15%)] of PM2.5 from both the sites in Faridabad, Haryana.
A multi-center study on bundles of catheter-associated urinary tract infections in intensive care units
Authors: Huang Huiping , Huang Lei , Yan Sihan , Wang Chuanpeng , Wu Tingting , Chen Deqin , Chen Tingting , Chen Hongbing , Huang Weimin , Xue Alin , Yang Jianzhou , Chen Houzhi , Zhuang Guihua
Published: July 2024

Background
Catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs) are the most common type of healthcare-associated infections (HAIs). Current studies mainly focused on the risk factors, but the method to control is unresolved. We aimed to give an overview of the epidemiology of CAUTIs and to explore the bundles intervention effect in intensive care unit (ICU) inpatients.
Methods
A multi-center, double blind, prospective study was conducted in eight Xiamen’s medical centers during six months, We recruited ICU inpatients who had indwelling urinary catheters > = 48h. Data were analyzed using Chi-Square and student's t-test.
Results
With bundle interventions, the CAUTIs rate in ICUs was decreased from 3.84 to 1.31 per 1000 urinary catheter days. The urinary catheter utilization was significantly decreased after bundles (71.29–62.70%), the average duration of indwelling urinary catheters was significantly decreased as well (7,035 days vs 6,884 days). CAUTIs in patients over 60 years old were found a significantly reduction after bundles. There were 45 causative organisms detected from 36 cases of CAUTIs, including 12 multidrug-resistant bacteria.
Conclusions
Bundles have been shown to reduce the risk of CAUTIs in patients with indwelling catheters in the ICU, especially in the elderly. It also significantly reduces the use of Carbapenem. Therefore, CAUTI bundles are recommended to clinicians.
Exploring the crosstalk mechanism and immune relationship between SARS-CoV-2 infection and IgA nephropathy based on comprehensive bioinformatics analysis and machine learning
Authors: Gong Zhaoyuan , Che Qianzi , Hu Mingzhi , Zhang Haili , Liang Ning , Li Huizhen , Song Tian , Chen Lin , Liu Bin , Guo Jing , Shi Nannan
Published: July 2024

Background: COVID-19 is a disease caused by SARS CoV-2 infection and has caused a global pandemic. Currently, it remains a threat to global human health. IgA nephropathy (IgAN) is the main pathological type of renal injury in patients with COVID-19, and leads to poor prognosis. However, the correlation and pathogenesis between COVID-19 and IgAN are not completely clear. The purpose of this study is to identify the crosstalk gene between COVID-19 and IgAN, and to preliminarily explore its clinical value and molecular mechanism.
Methods: We obtained the COVID-19 and IgAN expression profile datasets from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) analysis was applied to identify the crosstalk DEGs (CDEGs). Two machine learning methods (LASSO regression and SVM-RFE) were used to further screen for common diagnostic biomarkers of these two diseases from CDEGs. Furthermore, we conducted GO and KEGG pathway analysis, protein-protein interaction (PPI) network construction, hub gene identification, immune microenvironment analysis, and candidate traditional Chinese medicine herbs and ingredients prediction on CDEGs.
Result: A total of 61 CDEGs were identified by the intersection of DEGs between COVID-19 and IgAN cohorts. CDEGs were mainly involved in many infectious disease pathways and cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction pathways. Functional enrichment showed that IL-1B involved six pathways, which may be a key gene in the common mechanism of COVID-19 and IgAN. After screening through machine learning, we found that TOP2A was the best shared diagnostic biomarker for COVID-19 and IgAN. Hub genes, as well as immune-related genes, and transcription factors of hub genes, were screened out. The results of immune infiltration showed that CDEGs are highly correlated with multiple infiltrating immune cells. Based on the CDEGs, cluster analysis was used to respectively regroup COVID-19 and IgAN samples into two clusters. 10 potential traditional Chinese medicine herbs and ingredients for treating COVID-19 related IgAN were proposed.
Conclusion: In our study, we reveal the molecular network and signal pathway connecting COVID-19 and IgAN. Furthermore, we have screened the optimal diagnostic biomarkers for COVID-19 and IgAN. Our findings reveal a close relationship between CDEGs and the immune microenvironment of diseases. This provides clues for further exploring the common mechanism and interaction of these two diseases, and may provide new targets and drugs for intervention of COVID-19 related IgAN.
Exploring Arterial Anatomy of the Internal Capsule: an Analysis of the Deep Vascular Structures and Related White Matter Pathways
Authors: Ülkü Göktuğ , Demirtaş Oğuz Kağan , Lawton Michael T , Pamir M Necmettin , Güngör Abuzer
Published: July 2024

Background and Objectives: The internal capsule is supplied by perforators originating from the internal carotid artery, middle cerebral artery, anterior choroidal artery and anterior cerebral artery. To gain three-dimensional understanding of the region's blood supply and anatomy, we need to grasp how the vascular structures interact with surrounding anatomical features and white matter pathways.
Methods: Twenty injected hemispheres prepared according to the Klingler method were dissected. Dissections were photographed at each stage. The findings obtained from the dissections were illustrated to make them more understandable.
Results: The insular cortex and the branches of the middle cerebral artery on the insula and operculum were observed. Following decortication of the insular cortex, the extreme capsule, claustrum, external capsule, putamen and globus pallidus structures were exposed. The internal capsule is shown together with the lenticulostriate arteries running on the anterior, genu and posterior limbs. Perforators supplying the internal capsule originated from the middle cerebral artery, anterior cerebral artery, internal carotid artery and anterior choroidal artery. Additionally, the origins of the arteries involved in the vascularization of the internal capsule, their distances to bifurcations, and variations in supplying territories have been thoroughly examined.
Conclusion: This study provides three-dimensional understanding of the arterial supply to the internal capsule by combining white matter dissection. The three-dimensional perspective provided by the study can help surgeons plan and execute procedures including oncological, psychosurgical, and vascular more accurately and safely. The illustrations derived from the dissections serve as valuable educational material for young neurosurgeons and other medical professionals.
Clinical profile in relation to age and gender of patients with temporomandibular disorders
Authors: Qin Han , Guo Shaoxiong , Chen Xiaohua , Liu Yifan , Lu Lei , Zhang Mian , Zhang Hongyun , Zhang Jing , Yu Shibin
Published: July 2024

Background: The present study is to evaluate the clinical characteristics of patients with temporomandibular disorders (TMD).
Methods:A total of 3362 TMD patients were included. Each participant had complete medical records according to the diagnostic criteria for temporomandibular disorders (DC/TMD). The clinical characteristics including symptoms and signs in relation to age and gender were analyzed.
Results: The mean age of the patients seeking care was 29.89±13.73Y, and 68.6% of patients were aged 16-35 years. The female-to-male ratio of patients was 2.2: 1, and the average age of males was significantly lower than that of females. The prevalence of clicking symptoms decreased with age, while the prevalence of pain symptoms and limitations in jaw movement increased with age. Females were more likely to have limitations in jaw movement than males. Among the patients with pain, the average visual analogue scale (VAS) was 2.96±1.23. The average VAS score of acute TMD patients (≤3 months) was significantly higher than that of chronic TMD patients (>3 months).
Conclusions: The majority of TMD patients seeking care were young people. The number and average age of female patients was higher than the males. Female patients were more likely to have limitations in jaw movement than males.
RETRACTED: The Impact of FOMC Announcements on Cryptocurrency Risk Spillover in Different Market Conditions
Authors: Wu Haifeng
Published: July 2024

The authors have requested that this preprint be removed from Research Square.
3,3’-Diindolylmethane disrupts the endoplasmic reticulum and nuclear envelope in fission yeast
Authors: Ueno Masaru , Wang Kaiyu , Seol Hyekyung , Emami Parvaneh Parvaneh , Nagai Hideto
Published: July 2024

3,3’-Diindolylmethane is used as an anti-cancer agent for its bioactivity in various pathways. However, the mechanism of 3,3’-Diindolylmethane still needs to be further elucidated. It is reported that 3,3’-Diindolylmethane disturbed the localization of Cut11, a kind of subunit of the nuclear pore complex in Schizosaccharomyces Pombe. In this study, we find that in Schizosaccharomyces Pombe, 3,3’-Diindolylmethane also could disturb the localization of inner nuclear membrane protein Bqt4, nuclear envelope lumen protein Ish1 and leads to the leakage of GFP-NLS, making it evident that 3,3’-Diindolylmethane disrupts the nuclear envelope. Moreover, 3,3’-Diindolylmethane disturbs the localization of GFP-ADEL and Ost4, which are endoplasmic reticulum lumen proteins and membrane proteins respectively, suggesting the function of 3,3’-Diindolylmethane on endoplasmic reticulum disturbance. The nuclear envelope repairment, normal nuclear envelope physical properties, and lipid metabolism homeostasis were indispensable for cells’ survival in the presence of 3,3’-Diindolylmethane. This study provides new insights into the understanding and development of 3,3’-Diindolylmethane as an anti-cancer agent.
Τhe importance of parents' communication and social environment in childhood cancer
Authors: Nizamis Kleanthis , Kalliakmanis Vassilios , Koutsoupias Nikos , Polychronopoulou Sophia , Baka Margarita , Papakonstantinou Evgenia , Hatzipantelis Emmanouil
Published: July 2024

Parents facing child’s life-threatening diseases like cancer encounter a myriad of emotional challenges, often exacerbated by communication barriers. This study designed to explore the significance of effective communication and emotions’ management in improving the well-being and quality of life of these parents. The research was conducted on a sample of 133 families of children with cancer and the results were displayed after statistical processing and data analysis with R statistical software. The results of the study confirm with statistically significant data, the importance of the communication and emotions’ management of the parents during the disease of their children, as well as, the need of a multidisciplinary approach involving healthcare providers, psychologists, social workers and support groups. Thus, 74,5% of the respondents stating that they receive help from their partners during the period of childhood cancer and 76.7% could also communicate and receive help from the other family members. The key findings are characterized by high specificity as it is a part of a unique study that reveals particular aspects of the Greek parent's behavior, communication and psychosocial problems during the period of their child's illness.
“Matthew Effect” in Global Major Cities Over Decades: In the context of the spatiotemporal 3D urban expansion
Authors: Xiao Wu , Tingting He , Wang Kechao , Hu Yihua , Yang Runjia , Zhang Maoxin , Chen Yuwei
Published: July 2024

Urbanization has surged
over the past decades. Global major cities’ land urbanization and
population urbanization have intensifying pressures on urban
climate, public health, and energy consumption. A favorable vision
for assessing urban habitats’ living conditions necessitates
recognizing the evolution and current status of major global
cities’ three-dimensional structure and spatiotemporal
trajectories. However, a lack of high-resolution, long-term data
hinders obtaining metrics reflecting living conditions. This study
addresses this gap by generating a 30-meter resolution
spatiotemporal three-dimensional urban expansion dataset for 2071
global major cities (1990–2020). Integrated with socioeconomic
data, it reveals adherence to Zipf's Law, reflecting pronounced
unequal development and a global-scale Matthew effect. Most cities
fell within the 0–1 km³ volume range, with 12 cities and 41 cities’
volume > 9 km³ in 1990 and 2020, respectively. About two-thirds
of major cities experienced building expansion rates exceeding
population growth rates between 2000 and 2020. Per capita building
volume correlates with the GDP. Africa is the only continent to
witness a decline in per capita building volume over the past 20
years, indicating a further decline in the living conditions of
urban residents. Focusing on internal building structures, an
inequality index characterizes height diversity within cities.
Asian cities exhibit the highest global inequality index, marked by
supertall building additions. This study not only compares major
cities' overall size and growth patterns in three dimensions but
also analyzes the distribution of building heights within each city
in detail. The findings contribute to identifying and addressing
urbanization challenges, supporting habitat environmental
assessments, and measuring progress toward sustainable goals.
Role of Scaffold Proteins in the Heterogeneity of Glioblastoma
Authors: Iyer Varun J. , Donahue John , Osman Mahasin
Published: July 2024

Glioblastoma (GB) is a highly heterogeneous type of incurable brain cancer with a low survival rate. Intensive ongoing research has identified several potential targets; however, GB is marred by the activation of multiple pathways, and thus common targets are highly sought after. The signal regulatory scaffold IQGAP1 is an oncoprotein implicated in GB. IQGAP1 nucleates a myriad of pathways in a contextual manner and modulates many of the targets altered in GB like MAPK, NF-κB, and mTOR/PI3K/Akt1, thus positioning it as a plausible common therapeutic target. Here, we review the targets that are subjects of GB treatment clinical trials and the commonly used animal models that facilitate target identification. We propose a model in which the dysfunction of various IQGAP1 pathways can explain to a larger extent some of the GB heterogeneity and offer a platform for personalized medicine.
Characterization of a type of Venezuelan sweet pepper (Capsicum chinense)
Authors: Jiménez Rosa , Laurentin Hernán
Published: July 2024

Translation of sweet pepper into Spanish does not have the same meaning in English, in Spanish sweet pepper literal translation refers to non-pungent chilli, different to Capsicum annuum. In Venezuela the term sweet pepper is referred to the species Capsicum chinense, very important vegetable in Venezuelan gastronomy, to the point that it defines the cuisine of this country. In spite of agricultural and cultural importance of Capsicum chinense in Venezuela, there is little knowledge about this species under agricultural perspective, the knowledge is restricted to the gastronomy, one of the consequences of this little knowledge is minimum afford to get genetic improvement and obtaining of new cultivar. For this reason, the objective of this study was to characterize morphologically a collection of Capsicum chinense, composed by accessions collected in Venezuelan home gardens, supermarkets, wholesale markets, familiar retail markets, enterprises and agricultural research institutions. Seeds from 25 accessions collected from 7 out of 23 states in Venezuela were planted in field under a random complete blocks design with four replications, and 22 morphological traits proposed by IPGRI descriptor were evaluated on a total of 20 plants per accessions. The most discriminant traits were related to the fruit, especially weight, color, shape of the apex, width, and shape. Principal components and phenogram were able to group similarly the 25 accessions based on the 22 morphological traits. No relationship between the statistical grouping and the geographical collection site was found. Broad diversity found allows to assume future successful Capsicum chinense breeding programs in Venezuela.
Landslide risk assessment using digital photogrammetry and Gis multi criteria evaluation IN Matmata region (SE Tunisia)
Authors: Bensalem Hassen , Besser Houda , Amamria Soulef , Bensalem Mohamed Sadok , Meisina Claudia , Hamdi Noureddine
Published: July 2024

Identifying the prone sites and recognizing the influencing factors of rock failure remains a major challenge, especially for the regions lacking a historical database of the chronological evolution of the different potential factors influencing the frequency and the amplitude of this hazard in the mountain zones. In this context, the present study aims to delineate the movement of the rocky masses after the frequent torrential rainfall and to assess the main driving factors of the landslide hazards in the Matmata region (SE Tunisia). The used approach relies on field observations, remotely sensed data, digital photogrammetry, and GIS-multi criteria assessment. The analysis of the kinematics of the rock cliffs triggering in the region between 2016 and 2023 highlights a relative movement of about 39 m of the carbonate rock masses related to the impacts of geological factors, weathering, land use changes, hydrogeology, and human activities on slope stability and rockfall occurrences. The hierarchical influence of these factors illustrates relevant spatio-temporal variability of susceptibility indices. The southern part of the region is characterized by the highest degree of vulnerability due to many factors such as slope, rainfall and lithology. The spatial distribution of the final susceptibility index indicates varying degrees of susceptibility across the study area amplified during the last years given the frequency of the extreme events. The susceptibility map is validated by landslide inventory. The findings highlight the relevance of the rockfall hazard and the relative amplitude in the region explained by a high index of urban expansion and infrastructure development in hilly areas. The obtained results present a valuable tool for decision-making for land use management and landslide mitigation measures.
Proposed Reliable Peak Component Factors for Ductile Light NSCs Subjected to Horizontal Ground Motions
Authors: Mehrjoo Majid , Assi Rola
Published: July 2024

This paper aims to propose reliable factors that accurately capture the effect of target ductility of non-structural components (NSCs) on floor acceleration, velocity, and displacement demands at both the ground level and the upper building floors. A linear time history analysis (THA) was performed on four moment-resisting archetype buildings using historical and synthetic ground motions matched to the Montreal Site Class C uniform hazard spectrum (UHS) through frequency domain matching. The NSCs’ seismic demands and ductility-based modification factors were determined using the uncoupled analysis approach, in which the equations of motion were solved using the Iterative Newmark Integration approach implemented in MATLAB. The seismic floor acceleration, displacement, and velocity demand amplitudes were reduced with increased NSC ductility, especially inside the resonance period range. The effect of ductility on the seismic acceleration demands was found to be significant near the resonance condition for the first three primary periods of the supporting structure. Conversely, the displacement and velocity demand were predominantly affected by the first primary mode. Specifically, for NSCs with moderate to high ductility levels, a 40%-60% decrease in demand was observed as compared to NSCs exhibiting elastic behavior in the resonance condition. On the other hand, the effect of ductility was minimal for out-of-resonance conditions. Also, it was found that the ductility had a minor impact on ground-level seismic demands. It is concluded that while ductility minimizes the impact of the resonance condition on NSCs, a trade-off between the benefits of ductility and an acceptable damage level must be considered.
Prediction of miRNA-disease Association Based on Multi-Source Inductive Matrix Completion
Authors: Wang YaWei , Yin ZhiXiang
Published: July 2024

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are endogenous non-coding RNAs of about 23 nucleotides in length that play important roles in a variety of cellular biochemical processes. A large number of studies have demonstrated that miRNAs are involved in the regulation of many human diseases. Accurate and efficient prediction and identification of the association between miRNAs and human diseases will have great significance for the early diagnosis, treatment and prognosis assessment of human diseases. In this paper, we propose a model called Autoencoder Inductive Matrix Completion (AEIMC) to identify potential miRNA-disease associations. Specifically, we first capture the interaction features of miRNA-disease associations based on multi-source similarity networks, including miRNA functional similarity network features, miRNA sequence similarity features, disease semantic similarity features, disease ontology similarity features, and Gauss interaction spectral kernel similarity features between disease and miRNA. Secondly, autoencoders are used to capture more complex and abstract data representations of miRNA and disease. Finally, the learned high-level features are used as inputs to the induction matrix completion model to obtain the miRNA-disease association prediction matrix. At the end of the artical, an ablation experiment was performed to confirm the validity and necessity of introducing miRNA sequence similarity and disease ontology similarity for the first time.
Identification of Trolling Memes in Kannada and Tulu - Under-resourced Dravidian Languages
Authors: Hegde Asha , Lakshmaiah Shashirekha Hosahalli
Published: July 2024

On social media platforms, information, ideas, or other forms of expressions are created and/or shared among people in an interactive manner. During exchange of information, users may encounter humorous, funny, offensive, trolling, or malicious content targeting the individuals, groups, or communities. One common way of trolling on social media is to create memes by combining an image with textual information - usually a catchy phrase often obscured by humor or sarcasm, and share it on social media. Memes shared with the intention of trolling need to be filtered out from social media as they may hurt the sentiments of people and create an unhealthy atmosphere in the society. The increasing number of social media users and the increasing number of trolls on social media complicates the task of identifying the trolling memes manually. Hence, there is a demand for the tools to automatically identify the trolling memes. However, this task is challenging due to the unavailability of annotated data. The complexity of the task gets intensified if the text is written in code-mixed under-resourced regional languages like Kannada or Tulu - the languages of south India. To tackle the unavailability of annotated data and tools to identify trolling memes in under-resourced languages - Kannada and Tulu, we created two datasets: i)~\textit{KAmemes} - a meme dataset embedded code-mixed text in Kannada and ii)~\textit{TUmemes} - a meme dataset embedded code-mixed text in Tulu, consisting of memes labeled as \lq Troll' and \lq Not\_Troll'. To benchmark these datasets, Uni-modal and Multi-modal models are proposed to classify a given meme as \lq Troll' or \lq Not\_Troll'. While the uni-modal approaches consider only text or only image to classify a given meme, multi-modal approaches explore both text and image modalities. Several ML and DL baselines are implemented for uni-modal and multi-modal models. The proposed baselines are also evaluated on the available \textit{TamilMemes} dataset to illustrate their efficacy. Among the proposed baselines, a multi-modal joint representation based dual encoder model achieved the best macro F1 scores of 0.90, 0.78, and 0.58 for \textit{TUmemes}, \textit{KAmemes}, and \textit{TamilMemes} datasets respectively.
Digital Forensic Analysis for Vehicle Infotainment Systems based on Packet Fingerprinting
Authors: Shin Yeonghun , Yu Geon , Shon Taeshik
Published: July 2024

With the increasing number of in-vehicle computing systems and rapid development of technologies, such as autonomous driving technology, various IoT technologies are being incorporated into vehicles. In these scenarios, a vehicle is typically connected to a smartphone or various sensors to exchange information based on wireless communication. While this is convenient for the driver, from a security standpoint, it means exposing the vehicle to a new cyberattack surface: wireless communication attacks. Therefore, active research on security inspection and improvement for wireless communication in vehicular environments is required. Some studies in this regard have raised security issues, but little digital forensic research has been conducted on the issues raised. Against this background, we conducted a case study based on packet fingerprinting to improve the level of security in wireless communication in a vehicular environment (i.e., in-vehicle wireless communications). Packet fingerprinting was applied to 11 in-vehicle infotainment systems. Consequently, devices and services in use were identified from wireless network packets. Images of internal storage data were acquired from three in-vehicle infotainment systems, and a file system-based analysis was performed on the images to derive digital forensic artifacts related to the packets stored in the vehicle systems. Further analysis was conducted by combining the derived artifacts with the packet fingerprinting results. Our findings indicate that the security level of wireless communication in various in-vehicle infotainment system environments can be evaluated and improved. Moreover, we provide various identification information and digital forensic artifacts derived from various in-vehicle infotainment systems.
Direct to Psychology Stepped Care Model in the Multidisciplinary Sleep Service: Study protocol
Authors: Winter Sara , Crocker Sara , Rolls Tricia , Curtin Deanne , Haratsis Jessica , Rautenberg Tamlyn , Szollosi Irene
Published: July 2024

Background: Sleep disorders are common and costly to society. Guidelines from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) and the Australasian Sleep Association (ASA) recommend Cognitive Behaviour Therapy for Insomnia (CBTi) as the best treatment modality for insomnia disorder in the long term, however, access issues due to medical first referral pathways and reduced availability of psychologists in the community results in increased wait times, reduces efficient care for patients, and adds burden to specialist medical services.
Method: This phase of a broader single-site, multiphase, mixed methods project will implement, and evaluate a service model of care re-design incorporating a new Direct to Psychology referral pathway for insomnia presentations and a Stepped Care treatment approach in the multidisciplinary sleep service. The RE-AIM framework and Standards for intervention Reporting Implementation Studies(StaRI) will be used to guide the development, implementation, evaluation and reporting of this service change. Quantitative data measuring outcomes of the new models of care on key indices of patient clinical outcomes, patient/clinician service satisfaction, and service efficiencies will be collected pre- and post-service change.
Discussion: The overarching aim of this project is implement and evaluate a model of care change to the service model in a public tertiary hospital multidisciplinary sleep service. The new Direct to Psychology Stepped Care Model incorporates a Direct to Psychology Insomnia referral pathway along with a Stepped Care approach to treatment, flexibly delivered across the continuum of care. The project will measure the impact of the service change in our target population. The new model of care will be compared to the old service model for key outcomes. We anticipate that the new Model of Care will be acceptable to stakeholders, will produce non-inferior patient outcomes, and will improve patient flow and service efficiency.
Trial Registration: The Protocol was registered on 5/08/2022 with the Australian and New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ACTRN12622001086752).
The potential antitumor activity of polysaccharide extracted from polygonatumsibiricum on human prostate cancer PC-3 cells
Authors: Zhao Guobin , Zhou Yan , Tang Yuhong , Abbas Muhammad , Dong Shaowen , Zhao Xinyang , Liu Xin , Wang Xinmei , Li Chen , Liu Chenxi
Published: July 2024

Polysaccharide extracted from polygonatum sibiricum (PSP) is a traditional herbal medicine component thought to have therapeutic effects on many diseases. In our study, we initially investigated the role of PSP in the development of human prostate cancer PC-3 cells and explored the potential mechanisms. First, the different concentrations of PSP were used to act on human prostate cancer cells PC-3, It was found that the proliferation, invasiveness, and migratory ability of PC-3 cells were significantly inhibited with increasing concentrations of PSP; the cell apoptosis rate and expression of caspase-3 increased with increasing concentrations of PSP; and the cell cycle was arrested in the S phase. In addition, we found that the expression of the MDR-1 gene and its encoding protein P-gp in PC-3 cells decreased after the treatment with PSP, so PSP might reverse multidrug resistance in PC-3 cells. Second, the possible mechanism of PSP action on PC-3 cells has been investigated, and the results showed that phosphorylated P65, PI3K, and AKT decreased in a concentration-dependent manner, as P65, PI3K, and AKT are molecules of the NF-kB and PI3K/Akt signaling pathways, so the potential mechanism of PSP on prostate cancer cells might be mediated by the PI3K/Akt and NF-kB signaling pathway simultaneously.
Optimizing cannabis cultivation: an efficient in vitro system for flowering induction
Authors: Lavie Orly , Buxdorf Kobi , Williams Leor Eshed
Published: July 2024

Background
Cannabis sativa is a versatile medicinal plant known for its therapeutic properties, derived from its diverse array of secondary metabolites synthesized primarily in female flower organs. Breeding cannabis is challenging due to its dioecious nature, strict regulatory requirements, and the need for photoperiod control to trigger flowering, coupled with highly dispersible pollen that can easily contaminate nearby female flowers. This study aimed to develop a protocol for in vitro flowering in cannabis, investigate factors affecting in vitro flower production, and generate viable in vitro seeds, potentially offering a method for producing sterile cannabinoids or advancing breeding techniques.
Results
We show that the life cycle of cannabis can be fully completed in tissue culture; plantlets readily produce inflorescences and viable seeds in vitro. Our findings highlight the superior performance of DKW medium with 2% sucrose in a filtered vessel and emphasize the need for low light intensity during flower induction to optimize production. The improved performance in filtered vessels suggests that plants conduct photosynthesis in vitro, highlighting the need for future investigations into the effects of forced ventilation to refine this system. All tested lines readily developed inflorescences upon induction, with a 100% occurrence rate, including male flowering. We revealed the non-dehiscent trait of in vitro anthers, which is advantageous as it allows for multiple crosses to be conducted in vitro without concerns about cross-contamination.
Conclusion
The current work developed and optimized an effective protocol for in vitro flowering and seed production in cannabis, potentially providing a platform for sterile cannabinoid production and an efficient tool for breeding programs. This system allows for the full and consistent control of plant growth conditions year-round, potentially offering the reliable production of sterile molecules suitable for pharmacological use. As a breeding strategy, this method overcomes the complex challenges of breeding cannabis, such as the need for large facilities, by enabling the production of hundreds of lines in a small facility. By offering precise control over factors such as plant growth regulators, light intensity, photoperiod, and temperature, this system also serves as a valuable tool for studying flowering aspects in cannabis.
A geological event tree on volcanic islands:case study of the Galápagos islands
Authors: Mulas Maurizio , Larreta Erwin , Menoscal Melanie , Bravo Gianella , Rosado Victoria , Capa Diego , Garces Daniel
Published: July 2024

The Galápagos Islands face recurrent geological hazards such as volcanic eruptions, flooding, and seismic activity due to their location in the Pacific Ring of Fire. Due to climate change, the frequency and intensity of natural events have increased in recent years, triggering cascading multi-hazard effects that threaten the development of the population and wildlife of the islands. Therefore, it is necessary to solve its management by studying the relationship of its Socio-Ecological System (SES) with its geological component. To effectively address this problem, it is essential to propose a methodological design based on historical records of hazards that have affected the archipelago, obtaining a reference diagram for decision-making in the face of multi-hazard events and their possible environmental and socio-ecological effects. The methodology is planned in different phases: i) description of the SSE and its ecosystem services; ii) collection of historical data on events that have affected the island; iii) identification of the hazards triggered by a main event; iv) elaboration of an "event tree" type diagram; v) determination of environmental and socio-ecological affectations. The present work seeks to obtain a multi-hazard diagram for active and inactive volcanic islands, considering their environmental parameters and socio-ecological hazards. The importance of this analysis is to provide a tool to entities such as municipalities, Red Cross and Geological Services that allows them to evaluate the existing preventive measures against possible hazards, identifying their cascading effects and minimizing the response time in emerging situations.