bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Cadde-Düzey Bürokrasi Çalışmaları Üzerine Bir İnceleme
Authors: Başusta Veysel , Lamba Mustafa
Published: September 2024

Kamu politikalarının etkilerini belirlemede vatandaşa en yakın olacak şekilde faaliyet yürüten cadde-düzey bürokratların yani ön cephedeki memurların incelenmesi büyük önem taşımaktadır. Üst-düzey bürokratik ve siyasi elitlerin vatandaşla etkileşiminde çok kilit bir pozisyonu işgal eden cadde-düzey bürokratların, kamu hizmetinde çok önemli bir boşluğu dolduruyor olması, herkes tarafından kabul edilen şüphe götürmez bir gerçektir. Kamu hizmetinin en ön cephesinde çalışan bu memurlar, geçtiğimiz 40 yıl içinde her yönüyle mercek altına alınmıştır. Yerel, bölgesel ve ulusal düzeyde birçok nicel araştırmanın konusu olan cadde-düzey bürokrasi, aynı zamanda, kamu yönetimine ilişkin teorik tartışmalarda da kendine yer bulmuştur. Bu çalışmalarda ele alınan ilk konu, cadde-düzey bürokratların kullandığı takdir yetkisinin niteliği, etkileri ve belirleyicileridir. Takdir yetkisinin yanı sıra, cadde-düzey bürokratların kurum içindeki rolleri ve bürokratik elit ile hiyerarşik ilişkilerine ilişkin tartışmalar da literatürde önemli ölçüde yer kaplamaktadır. Üçüncü olarak ise cadde-düzey bürokratların kamu politikalarının uygulanması hususundaki kritik rolünün ele alındığı araştırma yazıları bulunmaktadır. Bunların yanı sıra dördüncü olarak, literatürün genişlemesine katkıda bulunan disiplinlerarası makaleler de bulunmaktadır. İşte bu çalışmada, bu dört ana başlık altında cadde-düzey bürokrasi literatürünün şematik bir incelemesi yapılmış ve literatürde en çok atıf alan çalışmalar kısaca analiz edilmiştir.
New metrics for managing waterways : vessel encroachment volume for selected South Atlantic Division ports
Authors: Young David , McGill Sean , Elkins Ashley , Kress Marin , Scully Brandan , Bain Rachel
Published: September 2024

The US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) uses two metrics to evaluate maintenance for coastal navigation projects: cargo tonnage at the associated port and the controlling depth in the channel relative to the authorized channel depth. These are calculated through normal business practices and describe the relative importance (tonnage) of the port and the operating condition (controlling depth) of the channel. They are incorporated into a risk-based decision framework that directs funds to locations where channel conditions have deteriorated. Using Automatic Identification System (AIS) vessel-position data, USACE is pioneering the computation of metrics related to the space between the hull of transiting vessels and the waterway bed for channels, the underkeel clearance. This and related metrics describe how waterway users take advantage of the service provided directly by USACE (maintained channel depth). This study compares the underkeel clearance metrics among 13 ports in the South Atlantic Division over a span of 3 years by combining marine vessel AIS data, tidal predictions, channel bathymetric surveys, and vessel sailing draft. Comparing these values across ports allows these metrics to be integrated into the decision framework that drives dredge funding allocations.
La comunicación en los creadores de contenido otakus españoles: Lolweapon y Wade Otaku
Authors: Alcalá Pérez María Asunción
Published: September 2024

The social phenomenon otaku (manga-anime fans) attracts more and more followers, and it gets more relevant thanks to the feedback given by the way they relate and develop their hobbies, its influence among young people and, ultimately, on the global market. This paper carries out a mixed investigation, whose first objective is to identify the most followed communicators among the Spanish otaku collective and their most used online platform to access their content. The second objective is to acknowledge the identified communicators approach to the public regarding their publications and other kinds of content. The results of the surveys carried out during the elaboration of this essay conclude that Wade Otaku and Lolweapon stand out among the Spanish otaku community, being YouTube the most used platform to access the content. Manga-anime related topics make up their most watched videos. However, they both differ in some features such as publication frequency, content format and audiovisual resources. Even though Lolweapon does have more subscribers, Wade Otaku's metrics corroborate a greater interaction with the public.
Análisis discursivo de las campañas anticipadas a la presidencia de México rumbo al 2024
Authors: Cárdenas Sánchez José , Gildo de la Cruz María Gabriela
Published: September 2024

The selection of candidates for the presidency of Mexico presents an unprecedented scenario of anticipated internal processes by political parties, outside the times established by law, but endorsed by the electoral body. The rules established by the political actors themselves, represented by the official party, Movimiento de Regeneración Nacional (MORENA) and the Frente Amplio por México (FAM), formed by the traditional parties: Partido Acción Nacional (PAN), Partido Revolucionario Institucional (PRI) and Partido de la Revolución Democrática (PRD), create a scenario of internal contests that expose the candidates to the electorate, and encourage them to construct messages that capitalize on the sympathy of the voters to achieve the candidacy. In this study we analyze the messages of the aspirants in the internal processes of the parties through a matrix of political discourse analysis, based on the contesting or polemic rhetoric, developed by Hatzisavvidou. The collection of information comes from the platforms of social networks (Facebook and Twitter or X), of the aspirants, elaborated from June to September 2023. Among the findings, it stands out that the discursive appeals are confrontational to the current regime and its dominant narrative, and that the key discursive element is credibility (ethos), which is lacking in the opposition's message.
Cortical and subcortical glial cells undergo rapid changes following acute chemogenetic manipulation of a subpopulation of layer 5 projection neurons
Authors: Vadisiute Auguste , Meijer Elise , Therpurakal Rajeevan , Mueller Marissa , Szabó Florina , Messore Fernando , Jursenas Alfonsas , Krone Lukas , Mann Edward , Vyazovskiy Vladyslav , Hoerder-Suabedissen Anna , Molnar Zoltan
Published: September 2024

Communication between neurons and glial cells are crucial to establish and maintain brain function. Some of these interactions are activity-dependent, yet it remains unexplored how acute changes in neuronal activity affect neuron-to-glial dynamics. Here, we use excitatory and inhibitory designer receptors exclusively activated by designer drugs (DREADD) based chemogenetic methods to study the effects of acute manipulations of a subpopulation of layer 5 cortical projection and dentate gyrus neurons in adult (Rbp4Cre) mouse brain after 90 minutes. We show that acute chemogenetic neuronal activation leads to microglia hyperactivation, reactive astrogliosis, increased parvalbumin expression in interneurons and lower synaptic marker expression. Whereas acute chemogenetic ‘silencing’ of the same neurons reduce microglia activity, inhibit astrocytic reactivity, increase synaptic density, but has no effect on parvalbumin expression. Acute changes in neuronal activity elicit rapid effects on the interactions between glial cells, glutamatergic and GABAergic neuronal networks.
Seismic Vulnerability Assessment of Skewed Concrete I-girder Bridges Considering Various Structural Systems
Authors: Kiarad H. , Memarpour M.M. , Soltanieh S. , Mergos P.E.
Published: September 2024

Variation in the type of structural system (bent-to-deck connection) not only significantly impacts the seismic performance of regular bridges but also adds complexity when skewness irregularity is involved. Previous studies have separately evaluated the impact of either the type of structural system or skewness on the vulnerability assessment of bridges. The present study examines, for the first time, the combined effects of structural systems and skew angles on the seismic response of multi-span reinforced concrete I-girder bridges. For this purpose, two prevalent superstructure systems, namely, multi-span simply supported and multi-span continuous, are considered. For each system, the boundary condition at superstructure-substructure interface is modeled assuming elastomeric bearings with steel dowels. In the case of the multi-span continuous system, two more commonly applied types of bent-to-deck connection are considered, including pinned connectivity and elastomeric bearings without steel dowels. To account for the irregularity, five skew angles ranging from 0° to 60° are also considered. Probabilistic seismic demand models are developed for key components, such as columns and bearings, and fragility curves are generated. It is observed that superstructure skewness may reduce the sensitivity of column response to variations in the structural bridge systems by up to six times compared to regular counterparts.
The Return Period Analysis of Heavy Rainfall Disasters Based on Copula Joint Statistical Modeling
Authors: liu siyu , dong xuguang
Published: September 2024

In the last few years, with the frequent occurrence of extreme weather across the globe, it has become clear that a comprehensive understanding of the patterns and main characteristics of disaster occurrence is essential, and the willingness to study these variables has become more urgent than ever. This paper analyses the multivariate and spatial distribution characteristics of heavy precipitation disasters and proposes a method for estimating the degree of disaster-causing risk using a joint statistical model. This paper tests the model's validity with hourly precipitation data from 122 national meteorological stations in Shandong from 1990 to 2023. Based on heavy precipitation events in the past thirty years, different marginal distribution functions fit the duration of heavy precipitation and precipitation amount. The joint probability distribution model of two related variables is established based on the Copula joint distribution to analyze the change rule of heavy precipitation recurrence period in different periods and to analyze the characteristics of heavy precipitation causing disasters in Shandong Province on this basis. Compared with the disaster return period calculated by relying on univariate variables, the Copula function can more reasonably simulate the natural occurrence of the degree of disaster. This method can more scientifically describe the risk of disasters caused by heavy precipitation in different scenarios, especially the characteristics of disasters caused by short-term heavy precipitation, which can provide an adequate scientific basis for disaster prevention and mitigation planning and disaster risk management.
The Diagnostic Value of Serum EFNA1 in Patients with Colorectal Cancer
Authors: Xie Jian-Jun , Su Qi-Xin , Zheng Ze-Jun , Xie Ying-Hua , Chu Ling-Yu , Lin Yi-Wei , Liu Yin-Qiao , Peng Yu-Hui , Xu Yi-Wei , Li Xin-Xin
Published: September 2024

Background
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common malignant tumors worldwide, with a high incidence rate and mortality. The analysis of serum biomarkers for colorectal cancer diagnosis has attracted more and more attention because of its low cost, repeatability, and quantification. This study was aimed to evaluate the diagnostic performance of serum Ephrin A1 (EFNA1) in patients with CRC.
Material and Methods
We retrospectively analyzed CRC cases in a test cohort (121 patients and 108 controls) and validated them in a validation cohort (119 patients and 118 controls). The concentration of EFNA1 in serum was detected by Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and the diagnostic performance of serum EFNA1 was evaluated by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis.
Results
In the test cohort, serum EFNA1 levels in patients with all-stage CRC and early-stage CRC were significantly higher than those in healthy controls. The area under the ROC curve (AUC), sensitivity and specificity of all-stage CRC and early-stage CRC were 0.709 (95% CI: 0.644–0.775) and 0.660 (95% CI: 0.530–0.790), 48.76% and 45.00%, 81.48% and 81.48%, respectively. Similar results were observed in the validation cohort and combination cohort.
Conclusion
Serum EFNA1 might be served as a potential biomarker in the diagnosis of CRC.
Magnetic anchors with line-guided endoscopic full-thickness resection for gastric submucosal tumors
Authors: Zhang Xueyan , Hongli Wang , He Chen , Cui Lin , Zhang Yanshun , Qu Bo
Published: September 2024

The advantage of endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) is the ability to achieve high R0 resection and a low local recurrence rate [1]. Endoscopic full-thickness resection (EFTR) compensates for the deficiency of ESD, and it can treat more ailments [2]. However, due to the requirements of EFTR for endoscopic resection experience and defect closure skills, the operation is relatively difficult, which is the greatest obstacle to the widespread clinical use of EFTR[3]. Here, we propose a useful method—a magnetic anchor with line guidance (MALG-EFTR). In addition, the device provides satisfactory tissue tension within the submucosa, facilitates visualization of the dissection plane, strengthens counter traction and reduces the difficulty of surgery during EFTR. MALG-EFTR can effectively prevent the magnetic anchor from falling off or remaining in the abdominal cavity or digestive tract, which facilitates the recovery of specimens. Therefore, this technique might reduce procedure time and increase the stabilization and safety of operations.
Ambivalent ageism and the pains and gains of informal caregiving for older adults: Findings from Germany
Authors: Zwar Larissa , König Hans-Helmut , Delfin Emily , Hajek André
Published: September 2024

Background and Objectives:
We analyzed the associations between ambivalent ageism, burden and positive experiences of care among informal caregivers of older adults (aged ≥ 60 years), to advance our understanding of its so far unknown role as psychosocial risk or resilience factor for informal caregivers.
Design and Methods:
Data of 433 informal caregivers (≥ 18 years) of adults with care needs (≥ 60 years) from the Attitudes towards Informal Caregivers (ATTIC) project was used. The Ambivalent Ageism Scale, Positive Aspects of Care Scale and the Burden Scale for Family Caregivers were used. Linear regression analyses adjusted for context and personal factors were conducted, including age and gender as moderators in additional tests.
Results
High ageism (total score) was significantly associated with a high level of positive aspects of care and burden. Further analyses showed a significant positive association between benevolent ageism and positive aspects of care, while stronger hostile ageism was associated with less positive aspects of care. Hostile ageism was also significantly associated with more burden, while benevolent ageism and burden were not associated. Additional analyses indicated no moderation by gender, but by age. The association between hostile ageism and burden was weaker with caregivers’ higher age.
Discussion and Implications:
Findings highlight the complex associations between ageism and caregivers’ well-being. While hostile ageism and worse caregiver burden were associated, positive care experiences seemed to benefit from benevolent ageism. Considering the danger of benevolent ageism for older adults’ well-being, this raises the question how to manage benevolent ageism among informal caregivers.
Quantitative Optimization of Heating Element for Enhanced Temperature Uniformity in an Embryo Chamber
Authors: Song Yu , Zeng Weijun , Xiao Donggen , Zhao Zhenying , Sun Haixuan
Published: September 2024

In assisted reproductive technology (ART), maintaining a uniform temperature field within the culture space is critical for ensuring consistent embryo development quality. Traditional heating element designs often overlook the heat transfer characteristics of the system, resulting in significant temperature variations across the culture space. This study introduces a quantitative optimization approach for heating element, focusing on metal foil as a case study, to enhance temperature uniformity in the embryo chamber. A fluid-structure coupled heat transfer model was developed, and numerical simulations were conducted to analyze temperature distributions under various heating element layouts and parameters. After achieving heat transfer equilibrium, the culture chamber structure was segmented into multiple isothermal regions, applying the law of energy conservation to establish the relationship between changes in heating element resistance and temperature within each region. Adjusting the length or width of the metal foil in different areas optimized the temperature distribution of the overall structure, thereby improving the uniformity of the temperature field within the embryo chamber. Experimental results suggest that the optimized heating element reduce the temperature gradient within the culture chamber from 0.5 ℃ to less than 0.1 ℃, offering robust technical support for enhancing embryo development quality and consistency.
Hematological and biochemical profiles, infection and habitat quality in an urban rat population
Authors: Carvalho-Pereira Ticiana , Pedra Gabriel G. , de Oliveira Daiana S. , Souza Fabio N , Zeppelini Caio G. , Santos Luana R. N. , Couto Ricardo D. , Bahiense Thiago C. , Silva Eduardo M. da , Begon Michael , Reis Mitermayer Galvão , Ko Albert I. , Childs James E. , Costa Federico
Published: September 2024

Host condition is key in understanding disease dynamics. In an urban population of Rattus norvegicus, we aimed to assess whether infection of Leptospira interrogans and helminths was associated with patterns of host hematological and hormone-biochemical stress-related conditions. Rat kidney imprints and urine were used to identify and quantify L. interrogans, and feces samples for helminth eggs and corticosterone metabolites. Blood samples were taken for complete blood counts and specific biochemicals in rats’ sera. Principal Component Analyses were performed to check whether rats would be grouped according to health profiles. We obtained hematological and hormone-biochemical data from 95 and 61 rats, respectively. Hematological PCA revealed distinct rat groups: typical (T), eosinophil deficient (Eos-D), eosinophil- and monocyte- deficient (EM-D) and monocyte deficient with high immature neutrophils (Mon-D). No association between L. interrogans or helminths and rat health profiles was observed, except with Trichiuridae, which mean intensity was significantly higher when all deficient groups were pooled together compared to the T-group. The poorest condition group was found in areas with fewer rat burrows than the T-group, indicating EM-D had a reduced ability to occupy “good” quality habitats. In natural populations, hematological profiles may reflect host's overall condition, instead of responses to specific infections.
Optimizing Heart Disease Prediction: ESAPSO-BP Neural Network Algorithm Integration for Enhanced Accuracy and Robustness
Authors: Meng LingHui , Wang Yanglin , Zhong Wen , Li Chengjie
Published: September 2024

Heart disease is a major problem plaguing human beings, especially the middle-aged and elderly people. In the world, the incidence of heart disease is high. In the era of artificial intelligence, through machine learning algorithms, people can build models according to various modal characteristics of patients to predict the disease, so as to assist doctors to make judgments about the condition of patients. Aiming at the problem that the accuracy of heart disease prediction model is not high, this paper proposes an ESAPSO-BP neural network algorithm combining particle swarm optimization algorithm and simulated annealing algorithm, and introducing particle elimination strategy. In order to compensate for the lack of feature selection,we use One-hot coding and PCA technology to select features. After the verification of two data sets, UCI and Kaggle, the accuracy of our proposed method on the two data sets reaches 93.22% and 95.20% respectively, which has high accuracy and robustness, especially in small samples. The model can provide help for doctors and patients to predict and treat heart disease.
The impact of providing care and practical help in mid-life on employment transitions in Europe
Authors: Spijker Jeroen , Damme Maike van , Arpino Bruno
Published: September 2024

In this paper, we examine how non-formal caregiving affects one’s ability to work. We compare care regimes to see if contextual differences in labour market transitions relate to non-formal caregiving patterns among mid-life adults (50–64 years). Using the Survey of Health Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE) from 2004–2017, we assess whether non-formal caregiving reduces one’s ability to maintain the same working hours. Specifically, we estimate probabilities of reducing working hours, exiting the labour market, and retiring as possible labour market changes compared to continuing to work. We also split analyses by gender, income, wealth, and compare care regimes to ascertain how the labour force participation is affected when persons become carers during the observed panel period. Overall results show that retiring is the most likely transition among all caregiving categories. More specifically, women and low-income and low-wealth co-resident caregivers in so-called medium defamilialism/supported familialsm care regime countries are more likely to reduce working hours, suggesting an income effect. Regarding labour market exit, no significant overall effect was found, although exit was less likely among men in family-by-default (FbD) regime countries when care took place outside their own household. Similar results were observed among middle-income households in FbD regimes, suggesting a possible substitution effect. To conclude, our findings indicate that non-formal caregiving significantly influences labour market transitions, with notable differences across gender, income levels, and care regimes. These insights highlight the need for policies that support caregivers in maintaining their employment, especially in contexts where familial caregiving is prevalent.
Isolated foveal hypoplasia in a diabetes patient: a case report
Authors: Wang Yifan , Dong Zhaoyang , Yin Zhuojun , Chen Xi
Published: September 2024

Isolated foveal hypoplasia is a rare cause of visual loss. Here, we report the unusual clinical presentation of a 61-year-old Chinese men who presented with hard exudates of low density in the temporal retina, absent foveal reflex, and foveal hypoplasia. The best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) was 0.9 and 0.7 (right and left eye respectively). This case highlights the importance of multicolour imaging to help distinguish or study isolated foveal hypoplasia.
Adjustable current-responsive photoswitches based on azobenzene derivatives
Authors: Zhang Kai , Lin Xiaoman , Wang Tongyu , Qiao Yu , Xie Yihui , Chen Jian , Wang Jiaoyu , Jia Zhongfan , Zhang Li
Published: September 2024

Azobenzene (AB) undergoes a light-driven trans/cis (E/Z) isomerization, molecular shape and polarity changes making it a prominent molecular photoswitch. However, the challenges in quantitative measuring its shape and polarity change have limited the development of these photoswitches to applications in binary outputs. In this work, we show that the E-to-Z isomerization promotes the diffusion of Z-AB, leading to an increase of the diffusion-limited steady-state current (iL) in chronoamperometric processes. Moreover, the magnitude of iL and current transition rates could be fine-tuned by varying the substituents at the 4 and 4' position on the azobenzene. Based on this discovery, we design and synthesize a series of azobenzene derivatives. These compounds exhibit a variety of current response amplitudes (50–220 µA) and switching times (20–60 seconds to reach equilibrium). Molecular Dynamics simulations and Density Functional Theory calculations indicate that the more polar Z isomer has a stronger interaction with the solvent molecules, which enables better solvation and ultimately, promotes faster diffusion. It is envisaged that these multilevel azobenzene photoswitches could provide a platform for future applications in (photo)electrochemical catalysis and sensors.
Translation and Validation of the Premenstrual Symptoms’ Questionnaire in Mongolian language: A cross- sectional Study Among Nursing School students
Authors: Choijiljav Dorjderem , Sukhbat Tuya , Ogawa Shota , Yanjmaa Enkhjargal , Badamdorj Oyungoo , Saito Asuka , Arai Yoko , Shinozaki Hiromitsu
Published: September 2024

Background
Premenstrual disorders (PMDs) significantly affect women’s daily lives. This study evaluated the reliability and validity of the Mongolian-translated Premenstrual Symptoms Questionnaire (PSQ) among female nursing students at the Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences.
Methods
This cross-sectional study was conducted from October 2022 to January 2023. The PSQ was translated into Mongolian and its reliability and validity were assessed. A total of 431 participants completed the PSQ along with the Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD) Scale, Somatic Symptom Scale (SSS-8), Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), and Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI). The reliability was evaluated using Cronbach's alpha for internal consistency. The validity was assessed using factor analysis and correlations with external measures.
Results
The internal consistency of the Mongolian PSQ is 0. 945. Factor analysis supported the tool’s construct validity, revealing a one-factor structure consistent with that of the original Japanese PSQ. The PSQ showed strong positive correlations with the PMDD Scale (r = 0.760), SSS-8 (r = 0.640), PHQ-9 (r = 0.580), and BAI (r = 0.620), indicating good convergent validity.
Conclusion
The Mongolian-translated PSQ is a reliable and valid tool for assessing premenstrual symptoms in female nursing students. These findings suggest that the PSQ is a useful tool for screening for PMDs in this population.
MRI-based radiomics model for the preoperative prediction of classification in children with venous malformations
Authors: Jiao Bingxuan , Wang Liang , Zhang Xin , Niu Yanli , Li Jing , Liu Zhuang , Song Dan , Guo Lei
Published: September 2024

Background: Venous malformations (VMs) are the most common congenital vascular anomalies. The role of radiomics in prediction of VMs digital subtraction angiography (DSA) classification is still unknown.
Objective: This study aimed to explore the efficacy of MRI-based radiomics models, employing various machine learning techniques, in the preoperative prediction of the DSA classification of VMs.
Materials and methods: In this retrospective study, 160 VMs lesions from 153 children patients were categorized into a training set (n=128) and a testing set (n=32). Radiomic features were extracted from preoperative MRI scans. Feature selection was executed using the intraclass correlation coefficient test, z-scores, the K-best method, and the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator. Diverse MRI sequences and machine learning methods underpinned the development of the radiomics models. The models' efficacy was evaluated using receiver operating characteristic curves and the area under the curve (AUC).
Results: Out of 4528 radiomic features derived from CET1 and T2 images, 9 features were significantly associated with DSA classification differentiation. The most effective model for predicting VMs' DSA classification incorporated these 9 features and employed a random forest classifier. This model achieved an AUC of 0.917 in the training set and an excellent discrimination AUC of 0.891 in the testing set.
Conclusion: The random forest model, utilizing CET1 and T2 sequences, exhibited outstanding predictive performance in the preoperative distinction of VMs' DSA classification.
Evaluation Of The Relationship Between Intraoperative Tumor Consistency And Histopathological Subtypes In Patients With Acromegaly: A Prospective Single-Center Study
Authors: Yilmaz Eren , Ozturk Seda Duman , Uzuner Ayse , Yildirim Pinar , Emengen Atakan , Gokbel Aykut , Caklili Melih , Balci Sibel , Danyeli Ayca Ersen , Cabuk Burak , Anik Ihsan , Ceylan Savas
Published: September 2024

The nature of somatotroph adenomas has not been clearly revealed in studies. We consider that there are macroscopic differences in intraoperative tumor consistency in acromegaly patients. We aimed to determine whether there is a relationship between intraoperative tumor consistency and histopathological subtypes by planning a prospective study to determine whether these differences are significant. Between August 1997 and December 2021, 1118 patients with GH-secreting tumors underwent endoscopic endonasal surgery at our Pituitary Research Center. Between January 2022 and May 2023, pure GH-secreting adenomas operated via the endoscopic endonasal approach were sequentially categorized into three types(Type-1,2,3) according to the intraoperative tumor consistency. The final patient cohort consisted 218 cases. The ratio of densely granulated adenomas(DG-A) to sparsely granulated adenomas(SG-A) was as follows:Type-1, 89/11; Type-2, 5/95; Type-3, 13/5. Logistic regression revealed that Type-1 tumors were associated with a high remission rate(p = 0.011), and Type-2 were associated with SG-A(p < 0.001). Furthermore, no or weak staining for E-cadherin was associated with Type-2 tumors(p < 0.001). Surgeon could predict the prognosis and histopathological subtype of the pure somatotroph adenoma by observing the intraoperative tumor consistency. This could facilitate better intraoperative planning of patient-specific surgical strategies to increase the remission rates.
Advanced abdominal pregnancy complicating by uterine prolapse: a case report at Issaka Gazoby Maternity of Niamey (Niger)
Authors: Yacouba Maimouna Chaibou , Diouaga Hamidou Soumana , Oumara Maina , Garba Madeleine Ramatou , Nayama Madi
Published: September 2024

Background: Advanced abdominal pregnancy is a rare form of ectopic pregnancy. It is is rarely diagnosed mainly in low-income countries and associated with a very high foetal and maternal morbidity and mortality. The management of advanced abdominal pregnancy is based on surgery procedure. Laparotomy was chosen to be better than laparoscopic surgery because of the risk of perioperative haemorrhage, which can be uncontrollable from the implantation site. Uterine prolapse during pregnancy is rare. the aetiology is multifactorial. We report this association to discuss difficulties of management of these two pathologies in areas where health services are unavailable or utilized poorly.
Case presentation A 25-year-old woman is referred in our maternity for uterine prolapse and pregnancy. On examination, the cervix was protruding and oedematous beyond the introitus (Stade IV of POP-Q classification). She has no prenatal consultation and no history of surgery or vaginal delivery complications. The obstetric ultrasound showed an empty uterus and the abdominal pregnancy at 32 weeks, the placenta localisation was unclear. An urgent laparotomy was done, and we discovered the foetus in the abdominal cavity and the placenta is attached on the right ovary and large ligament. We proceeded to the extraction of foetus and placenta successful. The newborn presented an ectodactylia and club foot varus equinus. He developed respiratory distress after 12 hours and died. before her discharged from hospital, she requests sterilization and total hysterectomy was scheluded after 3 months.
Conclusion the association of advanced abdominal pregnancy ant uterine prolapse is exceptional. It can be seen in developing countries because of poor prenatal follow up. The management is based on urgent laparotomy for abdominal pregnancy and hysterectomy for uterine prolapse for women who have completed their family’s life.
Constrained conditional model for screening marker genes through integrated high-throughput transcriptome big data
Authors: Zhou Xiaobei , Wan Jing , Lv Na , Ma Ruiyang , Liu Wensu
Published: September 2024

Currently, a large volume of high-throughput transcriptome data are accessible through various public databases. This brings urgent need to integrate transcriptome data sourced from numerous independent studies to extract common characteristics to precisely address specific research questions. Referring to this, we innovatively designed a model framework that leverages integrated transcriptome data with declarative constraints. Here the constraint is used to incorporate the prior knowledge (genes in certain biological pathways, functions or user-specified terms) into the model and drive the model prediction/decision to satisfy these constraints. Distinguishing from existing models or methods, this framework implies tailed non-parametric bootstrapping algorithm to generate millions of samples of p-value of independent analyses to avoid the normal procedure of integrating data with different distribution styles. The model was applied in 5 tumor and 5 non-tumor case studies using 81 downloaded transcriptome datasets with 10,647 samples. High percentage of the selected genes were accordant with published work, co-occurrence results and gene ontology results. Experimental validations including transwell invasion/migration confirmed the identified genes associated with cancer progression in prostate, liver, and endometrial cancer case studies. Therefore our model was effective in extracting marker genes under user-specified conditions and were possessing significance in further understanding specified situations.
Prevalence and risk factors of asymptomatic bacteriuria in community-dwelling Korean adults
Authors: Ko Hyun Lee , Lee Soojin , Im Dha Woon , Min Hyang Ki , Lee Sung Woo
Published: September 2024

Purpose
The clinical characteristics of asymptomatic bacteriuria (ASB) have not been fully investigated in community-dwelling Asian adults. Therefore, the aim of this study was to identify the potential risk factors associated with ASB in an Asian population.
Methods
We reviewed the data of 8,508 participants from the Ansung-Ansan cohort study. Urinary bacteria were counted using a flow cytometer and semi-quantitatively reported as numbers ranging from negative to 3+. Bacteriuria was defined when the result was ≥ 1+. ASB was defined as bacteriuria accompanied by a self-reported negative answer to the question: “Have you recently experienced any sudden and frequent need to urinate?”
Results
The prevalence of ASB was 4.6%, the mean age was 52 years, and 48.6% were men. Older age, female sex, and diabetes were associated with increased odds of having ASB, whereas high physical activity and increased serum albumin levels were associated with decreased odds. No statistical difference existed in prevalence between older and younger men. However, the potential ASB risk was higher in younger and older women. Compared with men with lower physical activity and serum albumin levels, those who exercised more and had high albumin levels showed decreased odds of having ASB.
Conclusions
Age, sex, diabetes, physical activity, and serum albumin levels were independently associated with ASB in a population of community-dwelling Korean adults. Increased physical activity and serum albumin levels may contribute to decreased risk of developing ASB in men but not in women. Further studies are warranted to confirm these results.
Enhancing Student Critical Thinking and Learning Outcomes through Innovative Pedagogical Approaches in Higher Education: The Mediating Role of Inclusive Leadership
Authors: Bhuttah Tariq Mehmood , Xusheng Qian , Abid Muhammad Naseem , Sharma Sonia
Published: September 2024

This quantitative study examines the influence of innovative pedagogical approaches (IPA) on enhancing student critical thinking (SCT) and student learning outcomes (SLO) in higher education, with an emphasis on the mediating role of inclusive leadership(IL). Using a sample of 321 students from public and private universities in Pakistan, the research reveals that methods such as problem-based learning, flipped classrooms, and interactive teaching significantly boost academic performance and cultivate critical thinking skills. The findings indicate that innovative pedagogical approaches positively and significantly impact student critical thinking (β = 0.536, t = 6.539, p < 0.001) and learning outcomes (β = 0.551, t = 12.725, p < 0.001). Additionally, inclusive leadership mediates the relationship between innovative teaching methods and both student critical thinking (β = 0.331, t = 3.833, p < 0.001) and learning outcomes (β = 0.405, t = 8.662, p < 0.001). Data were collected using survey questionnaires adapted from established studies on inclusive leadership, innovative pedagogical approaches, student critical thinking, and learning outcomes. These results highlight the essential role of inclusive leadership in enhancing the efficacy of innovative pedagogies by creating a supportive and diverse learning environment. The study suggests that implementing active learning strategies and integrating technology in the classroom, along with inclusive leadership practices, can significantly improve student engagement, critical thinking, and overall academic performance. This research offers valuable insights for educators and policymakers seeking to enhance teaching and learning experiences in higher education.
Development of an Interactive 3D Visualization Framework for Ocean Data
Authors: G Preetha K , Saritha S , Jeevan Jishnu , Sachidanandan Chinnu , Maheswaran P A
Published: September 2024

Understanding ocean data through visualization techniques is a common strategy to comprehend the complex ocean. The traditional visualization techniques are the 2D plots, graphs, and maps. Due to the evolvement of new computing technologies, both hardware and software, it has become possible to bring 3D visualization to the ocean. Open-source technologies such as Python allow for faster rendering times and better visual effects. This study presents an interactive 3D visualization framework using open-source ocean data technologies, ensuring fewer artifacts. In the proposed methodology, the spatial gaps in the in-situ data are filled with the World Ocean Atlas data before interpolating with the kriging method. It is observed that such enhancement of data density reduces artifacts to a large extent and improves 3D visualization. To reduce the poor visualization effect, the land masses in the ocean region are excluded with the aid of convex hull algorithms, and an effective spatial interpolation is applied. This also paves the way for better visualization results. The experiments performed yielded appreciable 3D and 4D visualization plots for different ocean parameters at standard depths.
Genetic characterization and mapping of the shell-strength trait in peanut
Authors: Israel Gilad Ben , Kunta Srinivas , Mlelwa William , Gupta Kapil , Levy Yael , Galili Shmuel , Hovav Ran
Published: September 2024

Background: Shell strength is an important trait in peanuts that impacts shell breakage and yield. Despite its significance, the genetic basis of shell strength in peanuts remains largely unknown, and the current methods for rating this trait are qualitative and subjective. This study aimed to investigate the genetics of shell strength using a segregating recombinant-inbred-line (RIL) population derived from the hard-shelled cultivar ‘Hanoch’ and the soft-shelled cultivar ‘Harari’.
Results: Initially, a quantitative method was developed using a texture analyzer, focusing on the proximal part of isolated shells with a P/5 punching probe. This method revealed significant differences between Hanoch and Harari. Shell strength was then measured in 235 RILs across two distinct environments, revealing a normal distribution with some RILs exhibiting shell strength values beyond those of the parental lines, indicating transgressive segregation. Analysis of variance indicated significant effects for the RILs, with no effects of block or year, and a broad-sense heritability estimate of 0.675, indicating a substantial genetic component. Using an existing genetic map, we identified three QTLs for shell strength, with one major QTL (qSSB02) explaining 18.7% of the phenotypic variation. The allelic status of qSSB02 corresponded significantly with cultivar designation for in-shell or shelled types over four decades of Israeli peanut breeding. Physical and compositional analyses revealed that Hanoch has a higher shell density than Harari, rather than any difference in shell thickness, and is characterized by increased levels of lignin, cellulose, and crude fiber.
Conclusions: These findings provide valuable insights into the genetic and compositional factors that influence shell strength in peanut, laying a foundation for marker-assisted selection in breeding programs focused on improving pod hardness in peanuts.
Overlapping Handwritten Text Identification Based Forgery Detection in Bank Cheques using PHLS and SGCIP-CNN Techniques
Authors: Chaitanyaswami Hitesh , Dobariya Ashwin
Published: September 2024

Segmentation of handwritten Bank Cheque Images (BCI) aids in extracting significant details and makes smoother transactions. Nevertheless, overlapped Handwritten Texts (HT) with Printed Texts (PT) were not focused in previous works, thereby disrupting the segmentation process. Thus, Intelligent Character Recognition (ICR) and Pseudo Letter with Height-based Segmentation (PLHS) are utilized in this framework to efficiently remove the overlapped texts for accurate HT segmentation. Initially, for obtaining a denoised enhanced image, the BCI is preprocessed. The overlapped HT with PTs are recognized and segmented separately from the enhanced BCI using ICR and PHLS, respectively. After that, by utilizing Nanonets, the date, signature, name, and amount from HT are separately identified. Then, by using texture inpainting, the faded texts are redrawn followed by edge detection and contour formation. Lastly, by utilizing a Sigmoidal Growing Cosine Intermap Pooling-based Convolutional Neural Network (SGCIP-CNN), the recognized texts are categorized as forged and genuine cheques with a classification accuracy of 98.7899% for effective money transactions. Hence, the proposed work performed better than the prevailing techniques.
DPO: Differential reinforcement learning with application to optimal configuration search
Authors: Bajaj Chandrajit , Nguyen Minh
Published: September 2024

Reinforcement learning (RL) with continuous state and action spaces remains one of the most challenging problems within the field. Most current learning methods focus on integral identities such as value functions to derive an optimal strategy for the learning agent. In this paper, we instead study the dual form of the original RL formulation to propose the first differential RL framework that can handle settings with limited training samples and short-length episodes. Our approach introduces Differential Policy Optimization (DPO), a pointwise and stage-wise iteration method that optimizes policies encoded by local-movement operators. We prove a pointwise convergence estimate for DPO and provide a regret bound comparable with the best current theoretical derivation. Such pointwise estimate ensures that the learned policy matches the optimal path uniformly across different steps. We then apply DPO to a class of practical RL problems with continuous state and action spaces, and which search for optimal configurations with Lagrangian rewards. DPO is easy to implement, scalable, and shows competitive results on benchmarking experiments against several popular RL methods.
Characterization of extracted pectins from the ripe grape pomace using both ultrasound- assisted and conventional extraction techniques
Authors: Vakilian Kianoush , Nateghi Leila , Javadi Afshin , Anarjan Navideh
Published: September 2024

Ripe grape pomace is a waste of grape juice processing that can be considered a valuable source for pectin extraction. The pectin was extracted via optimization using both ultrasound-assisted procedure (UAE-PRGP) and conventional extraction procedure (CE-PRGP). The pH values were 1.0, 2.0 and 3.0 for both techniques, the temperatures were set at 50, 60, 70°C for UAE, and 60, 75, 90°C for CE. The process time levels of the selected techniques were also different as 10, 20, 30 min for UAE and 60, 90, 120 min for CE. The yield (EY) of pectin extraction, the esterification degree (DE), and galacturonic acid (GA) were determined for optimization. The optimum values of pH, temperature, and time for UAE were 2.99, 58.81°C and 30 min, respectively, and for CE were 2.99, 66.42°C, and 120 min, respectively. The optimum values for EY, DE, and GA were 24.25%, 27.77%, and 61.39%, respectively, in CE, and 16.45%, 42.94%, 52.05%, respectively, for UAE. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) showed that UAE-PRGP had lower DE than CE-PRGP. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) revealed that UAE-PRGP had slightly greater thermal stability than CE-PRGP while commercial pectins (apple and citrus) had higher thermal stability than both extracted pectins. The apparent viscosity values of commercial pectins were higher than those of CE-PRGP and UAE-PRGP while all pectins indicated pseudoplastic manner. The UAE-PRGP showed higher stability and emulsifying activity than CE-PRGP, while lower than commercial pectins. UAE-PRGP with more GA and EY and less DE can be potentially used in various dairy food.
Increasing Stability, Antioxidant, and Antidiabetic Activity of L-Theanine through Chelation with Zinc
Authors: Pan Xiaoya , Wang Hongyue , Zhang Tong , Li Xinnan , Zhang Xiangrong
Published: September 2024

The study aimed to use L-theanine (LT) to improve the stability, antioxidant and antidiabetic activity of zinc via chelation. The chelation mechanism between the Zn2+ and LT was investigated by ultraviolet-visible, fourier transform infrared, 1H nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. The L-theanine-Zn chelate (LT-Zn) optimal conditions for the chelation were the LT and zinc citrate ratio of 3:1, at pH 6 and 70 ℃ for 180 min. The results revealed the amino and carboxyl groups of LT were the chelating sites, and the composition of the chelation was further validated by liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry. The morphology of LT-Zn was characterized using scanning electron microscopy with the element analyzed by energy dispersive spectroscopy. The chelate exhibited higher solubility and improved stability under 100 ℃, various pH, and different concentrations of glucose and NaCl (p < 0.05). Compared to sulfate zinc and zinc gluconate, the LT-Zn showed better stability during simulated gastrointestinal digestion. The chelate also exhibited excellent antioxidant activity, as well as an inhibitory effect on α-glucosidase and α-amylase. Overall, the LT-Zn provided a novel approach to preparing zinc nutraceuticals with antioxidant and antidiabetic effects.