bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Immune responses of cattle vaccinated by various routes with Mycobacterium bovis Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG)
Authors: Palmer Mitchell V. , Hwang Soyoun , Kanipe Carly , Putz Ellie J. , Fernandes Luis Guilherme Virgilio , Didkowska Anna , Boggiatto Paola M.
Published: January 2025

Background

Mycobacterium bovis BCG is the human tuberculosis vaccine and is the oldest vaccine still in use today with over 4 billion people vaccinated since 1921. The BCG vaccine has also been investigated experimentally in cattle and wildlife by various routes including oral and parenteral. Thus far, oral vaccination studies of cattle have involved liquid BCG or liquid BCG incorporated into a lipid matrix. Lyophilization is an established technique used for stabilizing bioproducts such as vaccines.

Methods

In the current study, cattle were vaccinated in two phases. In each phase, cattle were divided into three groups. Group 1 received BCG injected SQ, Group 2 received liquid BCG delivered to the posterior oral cavity, Group 3 orally consumed lyophilized BCG contained within a gelatin capsule placed within a small amount of a commercial alfalfa product.

Results

No vaccinated cattle were positive by an interferon gamma release assay. All but 4 animals were negative by tuberculin skin testing prior to vaccination: the 4 non-negative animals being categorized as suspects. Sixteen weeks post-vaccination all but 1 animal was negative, it being categorized as a suspect. An in vitro antigen stimulation assay and flow cytometry were used to detect antigen-specific CD4, CD8 and γδ T cell responses following vaccination. Oral vaccination of animals with lyophilized BCG did not result in any increases in the frequency of CD4, CD8 or γδ T cell proliferative or IFN-γ responses at any of the time points analyzed in either phase 1 or 2. In contrast, vaccination with BCG SQ and liquid BCG delivered to the posterior pharynx, resulted in an increase in the frequency of proliferating and IFN-γ-producing CD4 T cells with peak responses at 9–12 weeks post-vaccination. Similar to oral lyophilized BCG vaccinated animals, we did not observe any significant increases in the frequency of CD8 and γδ T cell proliferative and IFN-γ responses following SQ or oral liquid vaccinated animals.

Conclusions

These data would suggest that vaccination with oral lyophilized BCG does not induce a measurable, antigen-specific cell mediated responses in the periphery, when compared to BCG administered SQ or liquid BCG administered via the oral route. However, vaccination with either SQ or liquid BCG delivered to the posterior pharynx does induce measurable CD4 T cell responses in the periphery.
Multi-omics analysis in inclusion body myositis identifies mir-16 responsible for HLA overexpression
Authors: Wijnbergen Daphne , Johari Mridul , Ozisik Ozan , ‘t Hoen Peter A.C. , Ehrhart Friederike , Baudot Anaïs , Evelo Chris T. , Udd Bjarne , Roos Marco , Mina Eleni
Published: January 2025

Background

Inclusion Body Myositis is an acquired muscle disease. Its pathogenesis is unclear due to the co-existence of inflammation, muscle degeneration and mitochondrial dysfunction. We aimed to provide a more advanced understanding of the disease by combining multi-omics analysis with prior knowledge. We applied molecular subnetwork identification to find highly interconnected subnetworks with a high degree of change in Inclusion Body Myositis. These could be used as hypotheses for potential pathomechanisms and biomarkers that are implicated in this disease.

Results

Our multi-omics analysis resulted in five subnetworks that exhibit changes in multiple omics layers. These subnetworks are related to antigen processing and presentation, chemokine-mediated signaling, immune response-signal transduction, rRNA processing, and mRNA splicing. An interesting finding is that the antigen processing and presentation subnetwork links the underexpressed miR-16-5p to overexpressed HLA genes by negative expression correlation. In addition, the rRNA processing subnetwork contains the RPS18 gene, which is not differentially expressed, but has significant variant association. The RPS18 gene could potentially play a role in the underexpression of the genes involved in 18 S ribosomal RNA processing, which it is highly connected to.

Conclusions

Our analysis highlights the importance of interrogating multiple omics to enhance knowledge discovery in rare diseases. We report five subnetworks that can provide additional insights into the molecular pathogenesis of Inclusion Body Myositis. Our analytical workflow can be reused as a method to study disease mechanisms involved in other diseases when multiple omics datasets are available.
Low dose DNA methyltransferase inhibitors potentiate PARP inhibitors in homologous recombination repair deficient tumors
Authors: Pacaud Romain , Thomas Scott , Chaudhuri Sibapriya , Lazar Ann , Timmerman Luika A. , Munster Pamela N.
Published: January 2025

Background

Poly (ADP-Ribose) polymerase inhibitors are approved for treatment of tumors with BRCA1/2 and other homologous recombination repair (HRR) mutations. However, clinical responses are often not durable and treatment may be detrimental in advanced cancer due to excessive toxicities. Thus we are seeking alternative therapeutics to enhance PARP-directed outcomes. In an effort to expand the clinical use of PARP inhibitors to HRR proficient tumors, several groups have tested combinations of DNA methyltransferase inhibitors and PARP inhibitors. While this approach attenuated tumor cell proliferation in preclinical studies, subsequent clinical trials revealed little benefit. We hypothesized that benefit for this drug combination would only be specific to HRR deficient tumors, due to their inability to enact high fidelity DNA repair with subsequent cell death.

Methods

We generated hypomorphic BRCA1 and BRCA2 variants of the HRR proficient triple negative breast cancer cell line MDA-MB-231. We compared therapeutic response features such as RAD51 focus formation, cell cycle fraction alterations, DNA damage accumulation, colony formation, and cell death of these and other cell lines with and without intrinsic BRCA1/2 mutations. Results were confirmed in BRCA1/2 intact and deficient xenografts and PDX.

Results

Our targeted variants and cells with intrinsic BRCA1/2 mutations responded to low dose combination therapeutic treatment by G2M stalling, compounded DNA damage, severely attenuated colony formation, and importantly, increased cell death. In contrast, the parental MDA-MB-231 cells and other HRR proficient cell lines produced smaller cell populations with short term treatment, but with much less cumulative DNA damage, and minimal cell death. In animal studies, our BRCA-engineered hypomorphs and several independent PDX models with clinically relevant BRCA mutations were acutely more vulnerable to this drug combination.

Conclusions

We conclude that low dose DNA methyltransferase inhibition can cooperate with low dose PARP inhibition to increase DNA damage predominantly in cells with HRR deficiencies, ultimately producing more cell death than in HRR proficient tumors. We predict that clinical benefit will more likely be apparent in patients with DNA repair defective tumors and are focusing clinical exploration of this drug combination in these patients, with the goals of enhancing tumor cell death at minimal toxicities.
Adsorption characteristics and mechanism of Cd by mealworm frass
Authors: Kim Hae-Been , Lee Jae-Hoon , Lee Ye-Ji , Rho Jun-Suk , Lee Jeong-Min , Kim Seong-Heon , Park Jong-Hwan , Seo Dong-Cheol
Published: January 2025

This experiment was conducted to evaluate the adsorption–desorption characteristics and mechanisms of heavy metals by the mealworm frass (MF). The adsorption characteristics of Cd by MF were predominantly influenced by initial pH, MF dosage, temperature, and reaction time. The maximum adsorption capacity of Cd by MF was 48.1 mg/g, which was well described by Langmuir isotherm and pseudo-second-order models. The optimal desorption solution for separating Cd from Cd-adsorbed MF was 0.02 M HCl, which showed a high desorption efficiency of over 90%. In particular, the adsorption mechanism of Cd by MF was confirmed through functional group change, cation exchange, precipitation experiment, and it was found that Cd was predominantly affected by cation exchange and precipitation on the MF surface. The amounts of Cd fractionated by F1 (exchangeable) and F2 (bonded to carbonate) solutions were 58.9 and 25.2% of the total fractionated Cd amount, which means that Cd adsorbed by MF can be easily eluted/mobilized by environmental changes. Considering the above results, it is believed that MF can be used as an effective adsorbent to remove Cd. However, since the adsorption of Cd by MF is sensitive to environmental changes and the bond itself is weak, it is considered that a special management plan is needed.
Leveraging opportunities for self-regulated learning in smart learning environments
Authors: Adler Idit , Warren Scott , Norris Cathleen , Soloway Elliot
Published: January 2025

Smart learning environments provide students with opportunities to engage in self-regulated learning (SRL). However, little research has examined how teachers leverage these opportunities. We employed a multiple-case study methodology to examine the SRL supporting instructional practices of five third-grade teachers as they implemented a science unit embedded within a smart learning environment which enabled student engagement in SRL processes. The identified set of instructional practices was used to formulate the teachers’ SRL support profiles, which indicates the extent to which teachers provided students with opportunities to regulate the cognitive aspect of SRL. Our findings indicated that teachers’ interactions with the smart learning environment varied from teacher-focused use, restricting opportunities for SRL engagement, to student-focused use, leveraging opportunities for student engagement in SRL. These results demonstrate that, while smart learning environments potentially provide rich contexts for students’ engagement in SRL, how teachers use this environment through their SRL-supporting instructional practices determines students’ actual engagement in SRL.
Safe havens for Bitcoin and Ethereum: evidence from high-frequency data
Authors: Ali Fahad , Khurram Muhammad Usman , Sensoy Ahmet
Published: January 2025

Investing in cryptocurrencies is progressively becoming a norm; however, these assets are excessively volatile and often decrease or increase in value instantly. Thus, rational investors holding cryptocurrencies for extended periods firmly search for assets that can diversify their risk, preferably with assets other than cryptocurrencies. In this study, we consider the two most studied cryptocurrencies with the highest capitalization and trading volume/value, namely Bitcoin and Ethereum. Specifically, we examine whether high-performing leading US tech stocks (Facebook, Amazon, Apple, Netflix, Google [FAANG]) can provide any diversification benefits to cryptocurrency investors. To do so, we employ dynamic conditional correlation (DCC), asymmetric DCC, time-varying parameter vector autoregression-based connectedness measures, dynamic correlation-based hedge and safe-haven regression analyses, portfolio optimization and hedging strategies, time- and frequency-based wavelet coherence, and high-frequency 10-min intraday data from January 1, 2018 to January 31, 2023. We find that FAANG stocks can be considered (at least weak) safe havens for Bitcoin and Ethereum during the sample period. Our subperiod analyses reveal that the safe-haven role of FAANG stocks, specifically for Bitcoin, has noticeably increased. While the safe-haven property of Facebook is the most promising, for Netflix it is blurred between a weak–safe-haven and a hedge. Our findings may help investors, policymakers, and academicians to invest in cryptocurrencies, formulate relevant investment guidelines, and extend the literature on cryptocurrencies, respectively.
Human PBMC-based humanized mice exhibit myositis features and serve as a drug evaluation model
Authors: Nishidate Akiko , Takemoto Kana , Imura Yuki , Murase Mikako , Yamanaka Ryu , Kikuchi Manami , Anan Junpei , Kato Sayuka , Akatsuka Airi , Mochizuki Sachiko , Koda Yuzo
Published: January 2025

Idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (IIMs) are a group of autoimmune disorders characterized by immune cell infiltration of muscle tissue accompanied by inflammation. Treatment of IIMs is challenging, with few effective therapeutic options due to the lack of appropriate models that successfully recapitulate the features of IIMs observed in humans. In the present study, we demonstrate that immunodeficient mice transplanted with human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (hPBMCs) exhibit the key pathologic features of myositis observed in humans and develop graft-versus-host disease. The hPBMC mice exhibit elevated serum levels of creatine kinase and aspartate transaminase, markers of myositis, and increased expression levels of myositis-related genes, such as vascular cell adhesion molecule 1, intercellular adhesion molecule 1, and serum amyloid A1, in muscle tissues. Histopathologic and flow cytometric analyses reveal the infiltration of CD8+ T cells in the muscle tissue of hPBMC mice, similar to that observed in patients with myositis, particularly in those with polymyositis. Transplantation of CD8+ T cell-depleted hPBMC leads to a significant reduction in polymyositis-like symptoms, in agreement with previous studies demonstrating CD8+ T cells as the main pathologic drivers of polymyositis. Furthermore, the transcriptome analysis of muscle tissue from hPBMC mice reveal extensive upregulation of characteristic genes of polymyositis, providing further support that hPBMC mice accurately reflect the pathophysiology of myositis in humans. Finally, administration of prednisolone or tacrolimus, which are commonly used for IIM treatment, leads to significant alleviation of myositis findings. Therefore, we propose that hPBMC mice should be considered as a model that accurately reflects the pathophysiology of myositis in human patients.
Increase of nitrous oxide-induced neurological disorders – a German multicenter experience
Authors: Meißner Julius Nicolai , Neuneier Janina , Bartzokis Iason , Rehm Mathias , Al-Hayali Ahmad , Müller Marcus , Paus Sebastian , Limmroth Volker , Fink Gereon R. , Petzold Gabor C. , Nitsch Louisa
Published: January 2025

Background

Nitrous oxide (N₂O), commonly known as laughing gas, is widely recognized for its anesthetic and analgesic effects, and is frequently used in medical contexts. However, its misuse can lead to significant neurological complications, which are often under-recognized in clinical practice. Recent data on such cases in Germany are rare. We here report the spectrum of neurological complications associated with the recreational use of N₂O, as encountered in German neurology centers.

Methods

We retrospectively analyzed of 23 cases presenting with neurological symptoms following N₂O abuse between July 2020 and August 2024 across five neurology departments in Germany. Data were collected on patient demographics, clinical manifestations, diagnostic findings, and treatment approaches.

Results

Over the last four years the number of cases increased. Clinical presentations primarily included neuropathy, found in all patients, along with myelopathy. The most common symptoms were sensory loss, ataxia, and motor deficits.

Conclusion

Our data suggest that N₂O abuse is on the rise in Germany. Further initiatives are warranted to raise awareness among users, healthcare and professionals.
Using electronic medical records to analyze outpatient visits of persons with epilepsy during the pandemic—experience from a low middle income country
Authors: Aghoram Rajeswari , Nair Pradeep P. , Neelagandan Anudeep
Published: January 2025

Background

Electronic medical records (EMR) can be utilized to understand the impact of the disruption in care provision caused by the pandemic. We aimed to develop and validate an algorithm to identify persons with epilepsy (PWE) from our EMR and to use it to explore the effect of the pandemic on outpatient service utilization.

Methods

EMRs from the neurology specialty, covering the period from January 2018 to December 2023, were used. An algorithm was developed using an iterative approach to identify PWE with a critical lower bound of 0.91 for negative predictive value. Manual internal validation was performed. Outpatient visit data were extracted and modeled as a time series using the autoregressive integrated moving average model. All statistical analyses were performed using STATA version 14.2 (Statacorp, USA).

Results

Four iterations resulted in an algorithm, with a negative predictive value 0.98 (95% CI: 0.95–0.99), positive predictive value of 0.98 (95% CI: 0.85–0.99), and an F-score accuracy of 0.96, which identified 4474 PWE. The outpatient service utilization was abruptly reduced by the pandemic, with a change of -902.1 (95%CI: -936.55 to -867.70), and the recovery has also been slow, with a decrease of -5.51(95%CI: -7.00 to -4.02). Model predictions aligned closely with actual visits with median error of -3.5%.

Conclusions

We developed an algorithm for identifying people with epilepsy with good accuracy. Similar methods can be adapted for use in other resource-limited settings and for other diseases. The COVID pandemic appears to have caused a lasting reduction of service utilization among PWE.
Prevalence and predictors of occupational burnout among first-year medical residents in Oman: the role of trait emotional intelligence
Authors: Al-Huseini Salim , Al Alawi Mohammed , Al-Balushi Naser , Al Sinawi Hamed , Mirza Hassan , Al Balushi Rola , Al Balushi Manal , Jose Sachin , Cucchi Angie , Al-Sibani Nasser , Al-Adawi Samir , Khan Nagina
Published: January 2025

Previous research has focused on the significance of occupational burnout and the role of emotional intelligence and poor coping abilities among physicians.

Our study aimed to assess the prevalence of occupational burnout among first-year medical residents in Oman, exploring the relationship between trait emotional intelligence subscales and the three dimensions of burnout syndrome, and examining the association between sociodemographic covariates and the three dimensions of burnout syndrome.

The outcome measures included various indices of the abbreviated Maslach Burnout Inventory. The Trait Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire (TEI) and its subscales were examined.

The data showed a high burnout rate of 25.8%. Specifically, among the residents, 57.5% reported high levels of emotional exhaustion, 50.8% reported high depersonalisation and 49.2% reported a low sense of personal achievement. Age was significantly associated with depersonalisation (P < 0.003) and personal achievement (P < 0.0001). Marital status was the only variable significantly associated with emotional exhaustion (P = 0.001). Single residents had considerably lower emotional exhaustion than married residents (P = 0.001). The global mean score for the TEI was 4.77 (±0.64). A statistically significant relationship was found between personal achievement and emotional intelligence (r = 0.203, P = 0.026).
Global, regional and national burden of depressive disorders and attributable risk factors, from 1990 to 2021: results from the 2021 Global Burden of Disease study
Authors: Rong Jian , Wang Xueqin , Cheng Pan , Li Dan , Zhao Dahai
Published: January 2025

Background

Depressive disorders pose a significant global public health challenge, yet evidence on their burden remains insufficient.

Aims

To report the global, regional and national burden of depressive disorders and their attributable risk factors from 1990 to 2021.

Methods

Data from the Global Burden of Disease 2021 were analyzed for 204 countries and territories from 1990 to 2021. We explored the age-standardised incidence, prevalence and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) of depressive disorders by age, gender and sociodemographic index.

Results

In 2021, there were 357.44 million incident cases, 332.41 million prevalent cases and 56.33 million DALYs. Age-standardised rates for incidence, prevalence and DALYs were 4333.62, 4006.82 and 681.14 per 100 000 persons, with annual declines of 0.06%, 0.03% and 0.04%. Uganda, Greenland and Lesotho had the highest prevalence, while Spain, Mexico and Uruguay showed the largest increases. Greenland and Brunei Darussalam had the highest and lowest age-standardised DALYs rates, respectively. DALYs peaked in the 55–59 age group for men and 60–64 for women, with higher rates in women. Regionally, a U-shaped association was found between the sociodemographic index and DALYs rates. Population growth was the main driver for the increase in DALYs cases. Childhood maltreatment was the leading risk factor, with intimate partner violence affecting more females and childhood sexual abuse more males.

Conclusions

Despite decreasing trends in incidence, prevalence and DALYs rates, absolute case numbers and age-standardised rates continue to increase for depressive disorders. Tackling childhood abuse and improving depressive disorder management are crucial to reducing future burdens.
“I Had Not the Honour to Be Born in England”: Armstrong, Wilkes, and The Muncher's and Guzler's Diary
Authors: Schoenberger Melissa
Published: January 2025

John Armstrong's mock almanac The Muncher's and Guzler's Diary (1748) is now little read, but indicates much about the poet-physician's attitudes toward the intellectual, educational, and political questions of his day. Having first framed the almanac as a relatively simple satire on prognostication, Armstrong later revised it to respond to his disagreements with the politician John Wilkes, and to criticize English xenophobia and prejudice. Moreover, in The Muncher's and Guzler's Diary, Armstrong relies on aspects of what Srinivas Aravamudan has identified as “Enlightenment Orientalism” to engage with questions of foreignness, cultural belonging, and the circulation of information.
Η πολιτική οικονομία της τουριστικής εκπαίδευσης στην Ελλάδα και την Κύπρο
Authors: Μαλωϊνα Σταματία
Published: January 2025

Η βιβλιογραφία όσο αφορά τον τομέα του τουρισμού κυριαρχεί στον διαχωρισμό των διάφορων τύπων τουριστών και στην γεωγραφική ανάλυση της κάθε χώρας, όσο αφορά το προϊόν του τουρισμού. Επίσης, συνηθέστερη είναι η αναφορά στον αριθμό των αφίξεων σε κάθε χώρα ανά έτος και η εξαγωγή διαγραμμάτων και συμπερασμάτων. Αυτό παράλληλα δημιουργεί την ανάγκη να αναλυθεί σε βάθος ο οικονομικός πλούτος που δημιουργείται σε κάθε χώρα από την εισροή είτε συναλλάγματος είτε χρημάτων. Δηλαδή αναλύεται πόσο συμβάλει θετικά ο τομέας του τουρισμού στην κάθε χώρα αλλά και όχι μόνο. Αν ανατρέξουμε στην βιβλιογραφία θα διαπιστώσουμε ότι υπάρχουν άπειρες αναφορές στο πλούτο που παράγεται από τον τουρισμό, άπειρες αναφορές στην ανάπτυξη που υφίσταται ο κάθε τόπος από τον τουρισμό. Επιπλέον, υπάρχουν και έρευνες όχι μόνο για τα θετικά των οικονομικών εισροών αλλά και για τα αρνητικά που προκαλούνται από τον τομέα του τουρισμού γενικά. Σε αυτό το σημείο υπάγεται η πολιτική οικονομία του κάθε κράτους και η εφαρμογή της ξεχωριστά. Σε ελάχιστες όμως έρευνες γίνεται αναφορά και ανάλυση στο κατά πόσο η εκπαίδευση συμβάλει στην βελτιστοποίηση του τουριστικού προϊόντος και συνάμα στην αύξηση του χρηματικού κεφαλαίου στην χώρα φιλοξενίας. Δεν υπάρχει αρκετό υλικό που να προσδιορίζει τον τρόπο που πραγματοποιείται η εκάστοτε εκπαίδευση στον τομέα του τουρισμού, κυρίως στις Ευρωπαϊκές χώρες. Η Ευρωπαϊκή Ένωση βέβαια έχει ορίσει προγράμματα που αφορούν την ενίσχυση της εκπαίδευσης στον τουριστικό κλάδο και τα υποστηρίζει με την οικονομική υποστήριξη. Αυτά τα προγράμματα απευθύνονται σε όλα τα κράτη μέλη. Κατανοώντας λοιπόν το κενό που υπάρχει στην εκπαίδευση του τουρισμού θελήσαμε να εμπλουτίσουμε την έρευνα. Έτσι θεωρούμε ότι η ανάλυση που έγινε είναι πρωτότυπη και κρίνεται επιτακτική για την εξέλιξη του κλάδου. Σκοπός της διατριβής είναι να παρουσιάσει το υφιστάμενο σύστημα εκπαίδευσης στον τουρισμό, να το συγκρίνει με παρόμοια, να αναφέρει τους παράγοντες που το επηρεάζουν οικονομικά και όχι μόνο και να προτείνει μεθόδους που θα το εξελίξουν και θα το βελτιστοποιήσουν. Όλα αυτά πραγματοποιήθηκαν με την μέθοδο της συλλογής δεδομένων και πληροφοριών από νόμιμους φορείς και από την άντληση πληροφοριών από αναφορές βιβλιογραφικές και όχι μόνο. Στη διατριβή ακόμα, γίνεται σύγκριση στο τουριστικό εκπαιδευτικό σύστημα ανάμεσα σε δύο χώρες την Ελλάδα και την Κύπρο και αυτή η επιλογή έγινε διότι οι δύο χώρες αυτές έχουν πολλά κοινά στοιχεία. Στο τέλος διεξάγονται συμπεράσματα και προτάσεις.
A draft genome sequence of the common, or spectacled caiman Caiman crocodilus
Authors: Okamoto Kenichi , Dopkins Nichole , Kinfu Elias
Published: January 2025

The common, or spectacled, caiman Caiman crocodilus is an abundant, widely distributed Neotropical crocodilian exhibiting notable morphological and molecular diversification. As the type species for the Caimaninae subfamily - the sister taxa for the subfamily to which members of the genus Alligator belong - C. crocodilus occupies a key position in our understanding of crocodilian and archosaur genetics and evolution. The species also accounts by far for the largest share of crocodilian hides on the global market, with the C. crocodilus hide trade alone valued at about US$86.5 million per year. Thus, the genome sequence of C. crocodilus can potentially be of considerable use for both basic and applied research. We obtained 239,911,946 paired-end reads comprising approximately 72 G bases using Illumina TM sequencing of tissue sampled from a single Caiman crocodilus individual. These reads were de-novo assembled and progressively aligned against the genomes of increasingly related crocodilians; liftoff was used to annotate the draft C. crocodilus genome assembly based on an Alligator mississipiensis (a confamilial species) annotation. The draft C. crocodilus genome assembly and sequences reads have been deposited with the National Center for Biotechnology Information with accession numbers JAGPOW000000000.1 for the assembly, and SRR22317059 for the sequence read archives under Bioproject PRJNA716363.
Variables and Dynamics of the Middle Eastern System
Authors: Zdanowski Jerzy
Published: January 2025

Background This study explores the transformative impact of three significant events on the Middle Eastern regional system: the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, the Arab Spring of 2011, and the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel. These events have altered the regional balance, leading to an evolving, complex, and multi-polar system. This research assesses the role of both state and non-state actors, examining their influence on the region’s stability and overall structure. Methods Employing an integrative approach that combines area studies and international relations (IR) theory, this study examines the regional power dynamics using twelve indicators to assess hard and soft power, including economic, military, and socio-political metrics. The analysis positions regional actors within a multi-tiered structure, evaluating the interplay between internal and external influences to explain the current distribution of power. Results The study finds that the Middle Eastern system has developed into a hierarchical yet anarchic structure, characterized by a competitive and multi-polar power distribution. Although external actors, such as the United States, continue to play pivotal roles, regional powers – including Saudi Arabia, Israel, Turkey, and Iran – exert significant influence, leading to an inherently unstable system. This dynamic interplay fosters competition and limits cooperative stability. Conclusion The findings suggest that the Middle Eastern regional system’s volatility is rooted in this unique distribution of power, where continuous struggles among actors contribute to persistent instability. Understanding these dynamics is essential for assessing future developments and potential stability within the region.
The genome sequence of the Hungarian meadow viper, Vipera ursinii rakosiensis (Méhely, 1893)
Authors: Halpern Bálint , Vörös Judit , Mc Cartney Ann M. , Formenti Giulio , Mouton Alice ,   Wellcome Sanger Institute Tree of Life Management, Samples and Laboratory team,   Wellcome Sanger Institute Scientific Operations: Sequencing Operations,   Wellcome Sanger Institute Tree of Life Core Informatics team,   Tree of Life Core Informatics collective
Published: January 2025

We present a genome assembly from an individual female Vipera ursinii rakosiensis (the Hungarian meadow viper; Chordata; Lepidosauria; Squamata; Viperidae). The genome sequence is 1,625.0 megabases in span. Most of the assembly is scaffolded into 19 chromosomal pseudomolecules, including the W and Z sex chromosomes. The mitochondrial genome has also been assembled and is 17.38 kilobases in length.
The genome sequence of the Rosemary Beetle, Chrysolina americana (Linnaeus, 1758)
Authors: Geiser Michael F. , Read Freya , Barclay Maxwell V.L. ,   Natural History Museum Genome Acquisition Lab,   Darwin Tree of Life Barcoding collective,   Wellcome Sanger Institute Tree of Life Management, Samples and Laboratory team,   Wellcome Sanger Institute Scientific Operations: Sequencing Operations,   Wellcome Sanger Institute Tree of Life Core Informatics team,   Tree of Life Core Informatics collective,   Darwin Tree of Life Consortium
Published: January 2025

We present a genome assembly from an individual male specimen of Chrysolina americana (Rosemary Beetle; Arthropoda; Insecta; Coleoptera; Chrysomelidae). The genome sequence has a total length of 980.60 megabases. Most of the assembly (99.51%) is scaffolded into 12 chromosomal pseudomolecules, including the X sex chromosome. The mitochondrial genome has also been assembled and is 18.11 kilobases in length.
The effectiveness of medical education in schizophrenia depending on the mental state and type of treatment in forensic psychiatric patients
Authors: Fojcik Joanna , Sobierajski Tomasz , Górski Michał , Martyniak Ewa , Borowska Agnieszka , Krzystanek Marek
Published: January 2025

Cel pracy

Głównym celem badania była odpowiedź na pytanie, czy stan kliniczny pacjenta oraz rodzaj stosowanego leku przeciwpsychotycznego wpływają na możliwości edukacyjne pacjentów hospitalizowanych na oddziałach psychiatrii sądowej uczestniczących w programie edukacji zdrowotnej.

Metoda

Badanie zostało przeprowadzone w Państwowym Szpitalu dla Psychicznie i Nerwowo Chorych w Rybniku na oddziałach psychiatrii sądowej i trwało od grudnia 2019 roku do maja 2020 roku. W trakcie badania pacjenci zdobywali wiedzę z zakresu edukacji zdrowotnej. Grupę badaną stanowiło 67 mężczyzn w wieku 22-73 lat z rozpoznaniem schizofrenii. Grupę kontrolną stanowiło 40 pacjentów w wieku od 23 do 72 lat z tym samym rozpoznaniem, którzy nie byli edukowani. Zastosowano metodę podwójnego pomiaru (przed i po cyklu edukacji zdrowotnej) z wykorzystaniem skali CGI-S oraz autorskiego kwestionariusza wiedzy pacjentów z zastosowanego programu edukacyjnego.

Wyniki

Badanie wykazało, że nasilenie objawów choroby psychicznej miało istotny wpływ na możliwości edukacyjne pacjentów. Różnorodność stosowanych leków przeciwpsychotycznych (atypowe i klasyczne) nie wpływała na możliwości edukacyjne pacjentów. Dodatkowo badanie wykazało, iż poziom wykształcenia pacjentów miał istotny wpływ na ich szanse edukacyjne.

Wnioski

Skuteczność interwencji edukacyjnych zależy od nasilenia objawów u pacjentów z rozpoznaniem schizofrenii, ale nie zależy od rodzaju stosowanej farmakoterapii.
Physical activity in patients after bariatric surgery - a literature review
Authors: Śliwińska Martyna , Podraza Anna , Wirkijowska Małgorzata , Wirkijowski Jakub , Wójtowicz Katarzyna , Walczak Agata , Gajek-Flanczewska Wiktoria , Flanczewski Sebastian , Woźniak Paulina , Wietrzykowska Ewa , Sobolewska Dominika , Michalczyk-Fraszka Katarzyna
Published: January 2025

Introduction: Obesity is a growing global health concern, leading to severe comorbidities such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and depression. Bariatric surgery is an effective treatment for severe obesity, providing significant weight loss and health improvements. However, physical activity (PA) plays a critical role in enhancing these outcomes, including sustained weight loss, improved fitness, and better mental health.
 
Materials and methods: The authors searched PubMed, UpToDate, Google Scholar, Cochrane Library, and Science Direct to review the available medical literature about physical activity after bariatric surgery. The following keywords: sport, physical activity, obesity, bariatric surgery were used to search for papers.
 
Results: This review examines the benefits of PA after bariatric surgery, highlighting its impact on reducing weight regain, maintaining lean body mass, and improving quality of life. It also explores the unique challenges associated with primary obesity and post-bariatric surgery, such as joint pain, loose skin, nutritional deficiencies, and psychological barriers, which often prevent patients from engaging in PA.
 
Conclusions: The review emphasizes the need for clear guidelines, tailored interventions, and multidisciplinary support to address these challenges. By promoting PA and providing comprehensive care, healthcare providers can ensure long-term success and improved quality of life for bariatric patients.
Los documentales restitutivos y poéticos de Alain Resnais: Toute la mémoire du monde (1956).
Authors: Cortijo Talavera Adela
Published: January 2025

Entre los cineastas pertenecientes al grupo de la Rive Gauche, con una marcada
tendencia hacia el cine de ensayo y el documental literario, quizás sea Alain Resnais
el más reconocido por su interés por la memoria, tanto en sus largometrajes
de ficción como en sus documentales. Los documentales de Alain Resnais son
restitutivos y poéticos, pues en ellos aúna imágenes de archivo, restauradoras,
reintegradoras, con una estética propia ligada a sus propuestas innovadoras de
montaje, sus interminables travellings, sus encuadres con puntos de fuga acusados,
su uso de la voz y de la música en off y su presentación estudiada de figuras y
objetos en el parámetro espacial, confiriendo a sus filmes una textura particular.
Centraremos el análisis en Toute la mémoire du monde (1956), un cortometraje en
el que rinde homenaje al templo de la memoria, a la Biblioteca Nacional de Francia,
que se convierte, como continente y contenido, en metáfora de la capacidad mental
de clasificar, almacenar y retener en una estructura fragmentaria y laberíntica.
Spatio-Temporal Change of Landscape and Its Impact on Agriculture Development in Ghaziabad District
Authors: Anand Subhash , Bhati Anjali , Singh Paramjit , Singh Anju , Mayala Vinod Kumar , Kumar Harish
Published: January 2025

In the past two decades, rapid urbanization and population growth have led to significant land use and land cover (LULC) changes in the Ghaziabad district, impacting its natural ecosystem and agricultural development. This study investigates the spatio-temporal dynamics of LULC and its effects on agricultural development during the period 2000 to 2020. Various factors, including human encroachment, industrialization, and excessive resource utilization, have contributed to altering the district's landscape. The research employs multispectral datasets from Landsat satellites, specifically Landsat 5, Landsat 7, and Landsat 8, utilizing Thematic Mapper (TM), Enhanced Thematic Mapper (ETM), and Operational Land Imager (OLI) data to analyze LULC patterns for the years 2000, 2010, and 2020. The analysis was conducted using ERDAS-Imagine 2013 software to process the satellite images and perform accuracy assessments for each period. The results reveal a continuous decline in agricultural land due to the expansion of built-up areas. The increasing urban sprawl and infrastructure development have encroached upon previously cultivated regions, reducing the availability of agricultural land and threatening the sustainability of local farming practices. These findings underscore the challenges faced by agriculture in the district, where urban growth has led to competition for land and resources. Furthermore, the study highlights the ecological consequences of LULC changes, including the disruption of natural habitats and reduced ecosystem services. As the study primarily focuses on understanding the spatio-temporal changes in LULC and their impact on agricultural land, the organic farming sector emerges as a critical aspect of the evolving agricultural landscape. This research also serves as a critical resource for sustainable land management strategies in Ghaziabad, emphasizing the importance of mitigating the adverse effects of LULC changes on agriculture and the broader environment.
Optimization of a New Formulation for Making Candy from Beetroot
Authors: Choudhary Ambika , Sharma Shishir Vind , Sharma Shilpa , Tandon Dhananjay , Sahu Balram
Published: January 2025

It is continuously being observed that the confectionery industry has been experimenting to seek a better formulation of Candy by impregnating various herbal plants. Thus, the present formulation has been applied with beetroot powder and juice wherein the farmer mixed with jaggery and later with stevia as sweetening agents and then five different extractions of herbal medicinal plants such as cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, fennel, and ginger were additionally impregnated to improve flavour and medicinal values. Afterwards, the quality parameters such as moisture contents, solid contents, reduced sugar and total sugar were examined. The consequences have been shown that the formulation of ginger was much better than others. Among 20 formulations, four were prepared with ginger whereas beetroot powder with stevia stored at room temperature showed the highest values of reduction of moisture contents up to 7.30%. Here, the solid contents were raised to 16.30%. The values of reducing and total sugar were determined as 11.90% and 16.50% respectively. Other formulations were recorded as lower. All four formulations were impregnated with ginger wherein the formulation of beetroot powder (BPSRoGi) with stevia stored at room temperature showed the highest values. The results of the study revealed that the formulation of ginger with stevia stored at room temperature is the best for candy preparation. The use of herbal plants in candy formulation has shown positive results, improving both flavor and medicinal value. our study highlights the importance of incorporating herbal plants in candy formulation, particularly the use of ginger with stevia, which showed the best results.
Gender-Based Division of Agricultural Labour in Chhattisgarh: Implications for Income Inequality and Women's Empowerment
Authors: Sahu Dhaneshwari , Awasthi Hemant Kumar. , Shekhar Nyaypati Venkat Ravi
Published: January 2025

The article emphasizes the need to promote self-employment among small, disadvantaged farm households to generate employment and extra income. Mushroom cultivation is proposed as a viable option for these households since it requires minimal land and can be pursued in backyard spaces. Moreover, this activity offers several benefits, including job creation and extra income. Mushrooms are also a great source of dietary fiber, protein, and nutrients, making them an ideal option for improving the social status of rural women and young people. The cultivation of mushrooms is environmentally friendly, utilizing sustainable technology, and studies suggest that women play a critical role in the agricultural sector of the American economy. By identifying opportunities for their business growth while considering equity and substance, rural women can improve their quality of life and contribute to the nation-building process. Furthermore, mushroom cultivation provides farmers with extra work during the winter season, when conventional farming is less productive. This study aims to identify the specific socioeconomic characteristics of mushroom beneficiaries in the region and examine the impact of mushroom cultivation on these individuals. Overall, the practice of mushroom farming has contributed to rural development by generating income and promoting self-employment, particularly among women, who make up 70% of the overall female population.
Plant Disease Detection Leveraging Latent Space based Mixing Methods for Image Data Augmentation
Authors: Suryawanshi Vaishali Anup , Sarode Tanuja Kiran , Adivarekar Sahil Ajay
Published: January 2025

Plant Disease Detection (PDD) is a crucial task in the field of agriculture since it directly affects plant production and subsequently the economy, social structure, and political scenario of any country. It has become one of the most researched topics due to its relevance and challenges involved. One of the challenges that the researchers face is the limited set of data for various plant diseases. Collecting the data on the field is a laborious and expensive task and labelling the images requires expertise in the domain. This paper addresses this issue by developing an Image Data Augmentation (IDA) technique that can be applied on the existing image dataset to generate huge number of images. The technique employed here uses feature space obtained using Hadamard transform which is real, orthogonal and symmetric. This transform is simple to implement, and its computational complexity is very less. This article proposes two mixing methods based on the Hadamard Transform. To test the effectiveness of the proposed methods three Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) Architectures viz. VGG16, VGG19 and ResNET50 are used on Plant Village dataset. The results of the proposed IDA methods are compared with the traditional augmentation methods. Analysis of the results show that both the methods have shown significant improvement over the traditional augmentation techniques on all three architectures with performance on ResNET-50 model being the best compared to VGG16 and VGG19.
Green Servant Leadership: A Bibliometric Review and Analysis for Future Research
Authors:   Department of Management and Technology, Faculty of Management, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Skudai, Malaysia, Hussain Naiber , Zakuan Norhayati ,   Department of Management and Technology, Faculty of Management, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Skudai, Malaysia, Yaacob Teh Zaharah ,   Department of Management and Technology, Faculty of Management, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Skudai, Malaysia, Saman Muhamad Zameri Mat ,   Department of Management and Technology, Faculty of Management, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Skudai, Malaysia, Hasan Mohd Zulfabli ,   Department of Management and Technology, Faculty of Management, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Skudai, Malaysia, Muharam Farrah Merlinda ,   Department of Management and Technology, Faculty of Management, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Skudai, Malaysia
Published: January 2025

There are several theories and styles of leadership, as well as several approaches to studying it. This article studies the emergence and evolution of Green Servant Leadership, advocating for collaborative research to explore its development from 2012 to 2023. Utilizing bibliometrics and using VOS Viewer software, we analyze metadata from 33 publications available on Scopus. Our findings indicate a global interest in various aspects of green servant leadership, with a notable surge in research volume in recent years. The study underscores the importance of these insights for future researchers, facilitating collaborative networks among institutions, countries, and authors who have contributed significantly to this field. Researchers should collaborate more to better understand Green Servant Leadership, leveraging bibliometrics and tools like VOS Viewer for comprehensive analysis. They should prioritize investigating evolving trends, fostering global networks, and advancing knowledge within the context of environmental sustainability and the social sciences.
Association between acetabular coverage over femoral head and rate of joint space narrowing in non-arthritic hips
Authors: Kawai Toshiyuki , Nishitani Kohei , Okuzu Yaichiro , Goto Koji , Kuroda Yutaka , Kuriyama Shinichi , Nakamura Shinichiro , Matsuda Shuichi
Published: January 2025

Aims

This study was performed to investigate the association between the acetabular morphology and the joint space narrowing rate (JSNR) in the non-arthritic hip.

Methods

We retrospectively reviewed standing whole-leg radiographs of patients who underwent knee arthroplasty from February 2012 to March 2020 at our institute. Patients with a history of hip surgery, Kellgren-Lawrence grade ≥ II hip osteoarthritis, or rheumatoid arthritis were excluded. The hip JSNR was measured, and the normalized JSNR (nJSNR) was calculated by calibrating the joint space width with the size of the femoral head in 395 patients (790 hips) with a mean age of 73.7 years (SD 8.6). The effects of the lateral centre-edge angle (CEA) and acetabular roof obliquity (ARO) in the standing and supine positions were examined using a multivariate regression model.

Results

The mean JSNR and nJSNR were 0.115 mm/year (SD 0.181) and 2.451 mm/year (SD 3.956), respectively. Multivariate regressions showed that older age was associated with a larger nJSNR (p = 0.010, standardized coefficient (SC) 0.096). The quadratic curve approximation showed that the joint space narrowing was smallest when the CEA was approximately 31.9°. This optimal CEA was the same in the standing and supine positions. Multivariate regressions were separately performed for joints with a CEA of < 31.9° and > 31.9°. When the CEA was < 31.9°, a smaller CEA was associated with a larger nJSNR (p < 0.001, SC 0.282). When the CEA was > 31.9°, a larger CEA was associated with a larger nJSNR (p = 0.012, SC 0.152). The ARO was not associated with the nJSNR.

Conclusion

Both insufficient coverage and over-coverage of the acetabulum over the femoral head were associated with increased joint space narrowing in hips that were non-arthritic at baseline. The effects of insufficient coverage were stronger than those of overcoverage.

Cite this article: Bone Jt Open 2025;6(1):93–102.
Consciousness in Neorealism: Perry, Montague, and Holt
Authors: Neuber Matthias
Published: January 2025

Abstract: The early twentieth-century American neo-realists’ approach to consciousness is historically reconstructed and critically discussed. With reference to the relevant works of Ralph Barton Perry, William Pepperrell Montague, and Edwin B. Holt, it is argued that Montague and Holt, in particular, struggled with the problem of error and disagreed strongly on their solutions to it. Finally, a line is drawn to related discussions in contemporary philosophy of mind.