bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of Smartphone Technology on Spatiotemporal Gait in Older and Diseased Adult Populations
Authors: Contreras Coby , Stanley Ethan C. , Deschamps-Prescott Chanc , Burnap Susan , Hopkins Madison , Browning Bennett , Christensen Jesse C.
Published: September 2024

Objective: Advancements in smartphone technology provide availability to evaluate movement in a more practical and feasible manner, improving clinicians’ ability to diagnose and treat adults at risk for mobility loss. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the validity and reliability of a smartphone application to measure spatiotemporal outcomes during level (primary) and uphill/downhill (secondary) walking with and without an assistive device for older adults (OAs), Parkinson’s Disease (PD) and cerebrovascular accident (CVA) populations. Methods: A total of 50 adults (OA = 20; PD = 15; CVA = 15) underwent gait analysis at self-selected gait speeds under 0-degree, 5-degree uphill and 5-degree downhill environments. The validity and reliability of the smartphone outcomes were compared to a motion-capture laboratory. Bland–Altman analysis was used to evaluate limits of agreement between the two systems. Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) were used to determine absolute agreement, and Pearson correlation coefficients (r) were used to assess the strength of the association between the two systems. Results: For level walking, Bland–Altman analysis revealed relatively equal estimations of spatiotemporal outcomes between systems for OAs without an assistive device and slight to mild under- and overestimations of outcomes between systems for PD and CVA with and without an assistive device. Moderate to very high correlations between systems (without an assistive device: OA r-range, 0.72–0.99; PD r-range, 0.87–0.97; CVA r-range, 0.56–0.99; with an assistive device: PD r-range, 0.35–0.98; CVA r-range, 0.50–0.99) were also observed. Poor to excellent ICCs for reliability between systems (without an assistive device: OA ICC range, 0.71–0.99; PD ICC range, 0.73–0.97; CVA ICC range, 0.56–0.99; with an assistive device: PD ICC range, 0.22–0.98; CVA ICC range, 0.44–0.99) were observed across all outcomes. Conclusions: This smartphone application can be clinically useful in detecting most spatiotemporal outcomes in various walking environments for older and diseased adults at risk for mobility loss.
Implementing Autonomous Control in the Digital-Twins-Based Internet of Robotic Things for Remote Patient Monitoring
Authors: Khan Sangeen , Ullah Sehat , Ullah Khalil , Almutairi Sulaiman , Aftan Sulaiman
Published: September 2024

Conventional patient monitoring methods require skin-to-skin contact, continuous observation, and long working shifts, causing physical and mental stress for medical professionals. Remote patient monitoring (RPM) assists healthcare workers in monitoring patients distantly using various wearable sensors, reducing stress and infection risk. RPM can be enabled by using the Digital Twins (DTs)-based Internet of Robotic Things (IoRT) that merges robotics with the Internet of Things (IoT) and creates a virtual twin (VT) that acquires sensor data from the physical twin (PT) during operation to reflect its behavior. However, manual navigation of PT causes cognitive fatigue for the operator, affecting trust dynamics, satisfaction, and task performance. Also, operating manual systems requires proper training and long-term experience. This research implements autonomous control in the DTs-based IoRT to remotely monitor patients with chronic or contagious diseases. This work extends our previous paper that required the user to manually operate the PT using its VT to collect patient data for medical inspection. The proposed decision-making algorithm enables the PT to autonomously navigate towards the patient’s room, collect and transmit health data, and return to the base station while avoiding various obstacles. Rather than manually navigating, the medical personnel direct the PT to a specific target position using the Menu buttons. The medical staff can monitor the PT and the received sensor information in the pre-built virtual environment (VE). Based on the operator’s preference, manual control of the PT is also achievable. The experimental outcomes and comparative analysis verify the efficiency of the proposed system.
AEPF: Attention-Enabled Point Fusion for 3D Object Detection
Authors: Sharma Sachin , Meyer Richard T. , Asher Zachary D.
Published: September 2024

Current state-of-the-art (SOTA) LiDAR-only detectors perform well for 3D object detection tasks, but point cloud data are typically sparse and lacks semantic information. Detailed semantic information obtained from camera images can be added with existing LiDAR-based detectors to create a robust 3D detection pipeline. With two different data types, a major challenge in developing multi-modal sensor fusion networks is to achieve effective data fusion while managing computational resources. With separate 2D and 3D feature extraction backbones, feature fusion can become more challenging as these modes generate different gradients, leading to gradient conflicts and suboptimal convergence during network optimization. To this end, we propose a 3D object detection method, Attention-Enabled Point Fusion (AEPF). AEPF uses images and voxelized point cloud data as inputs and estimates the 3D bounding boxes of object locations as outputs. An attention mechanism is introduced to an existing feature fusion strategy to improve 3D detection accuracy and two variants are proposed. These two variants, AEPF-Small and AEPF-Large, address different needs. AEPF-Small, with a lightweight attention module and fewer parameters, offers fast inference. AEPF-Large, with a more complex attention module and increased parameters, provides higher accuracy than baseline models. Experimental results on the KITTI validation set show that AEPF-Small maintains SOTA 3D detection accuracy while inferencing at higher speeds. AEPF-Large achieves mean average precision scores of 91.13, 79.06, and 76.15 for the car class’s easy, medium, and hard targets, respectively, in the KITTI validation set. Results from ablation experiments are also presented to support the choice of model architecture.
A Multi-Scale Liver Tumor Segmentation Method Based on Residual and Hybrid Attention Enhanced Network with Contextual Integration
Authors: Sun Liyan , Jiang Linqing , Wang Mingcong , Wang Zhenyan , Xin Yi
Published: September 2024

Liver cancer is one of the malignancies with high mortality rates worldwide, and its timely detection and accurate diagnosis are crucial for improving patient prognosis. To address the limitations of traditional image segmentation techniques and the U-Net network in capturing fine image features, this study proposes an improved model based on the U-Net architecture, named RHEU-Net. By replacing traditional convolution modules in the encoder and decoder with improved residual modules, the network’s feature extraction capabilities and gradient stability are enhanced. A Hybrid Gated Attention (HGA) module is integrated before the skip connections, enabling the parallel processing of channel and spatial attentions, optimizing the feature fusion strategy, and effectively replenishing image details. A Multi-Scale Feature Enhancement (MSFE) layer is introduced at the bottleneck, utilizing multi-scale feature extraction technology to further enhance the expression of receptive fields and contextual information, improving the overall feature representation effect. Testing on the LiTS2017 dataset demonstrated that RHEU-Net achieved Dice scores of 95.72% for liver segmentation and 70.19% for tumor segmentation. These results validate the effectiveness of RHEU-Net and underscore its potential for clinical application.
Research on Spatiotemporal Continuous Information Perception of Overburden Compression–Tensile Strain Transition Zone during Mining and Integrated Safety Guarantee System
Authors: Cheng Gang , Wang Ziyi , Shi Bin , Cai Tianlu , Liang Minfu , Wu Jinghong , You Qinliang
Published: September 2024

The mining of deep underground coal seams induces the movement, failure, and collapse of the overlying rock–soil body, and the development of this damaging effect on the surface causes ground fissures and ground subsidence on the surface. To ensure safety throughout the life cycle of the mine, fully distributed, real-time, and continuous sensing and early warning is essential. However, due to mining being a dynamic process with time and space, the overburden movement and collapse induced by mining activities often have a time lag effect. Therefore, how to find a new way to resolve the issue of the existing discontinuous monitoring technology of overburden deformation, obtain the spatiotemporal continuous information of the overlying strata above the coal seam in real time and accurately, and clarify the whole process of deformation in the compression–tensile strain transition zone of overburden has become a key breakthrough in the investigation of overburden deformation mechanism and mining subsidence. On this basis, firstly, the advantages and disadvantages of in situ observation technology of mine rock–soil body were compared and analyzed from the five levels of survey, remote sensing, testing, exploration, and monitoring, and a deformation and failure perception technology based on spatiotemporal continuity was proposed. Secondly, the evolution characteristics and deformation failure mechanism of the compression–tensile strain transition zone of overburden were summarized from three aspects: the typical mode of deformation and collapse of overlying rock–soil body, the key controlling factors of deformation and failure in the overburden compression–tensile strain transition zone, and the stability evaluation of overburden based on reliability theory. Finally, the spatiotemporal continuous perception technology of overburden deformation based on DFOS is introduced in detail, and an integrated coal seam mining overburden safety guarantee system is proposed. The results of the research can provide an important evaluation basis for the design of mining intensity, emergency decisions, and disposal of risks, and they can also give important guidance for the assessment of ground geological and ecological restoration and management caused by underground coal mining.
The Importance of Physical Fitness Parameters in Rhythmic Gymnastics: A Scoping Review
Authors: Gaspari Vasiliki , Bogdanis Gregory C. , Panidi Ioli , Konrad Andreas , Terzis Gerasimos , Donti Anastasia , Donti Olyvia
Published: September 2024

This scoping review presents an overview of physical fitness parameters in rhythmic gymnastics as well as the association of fitness with gymnasts’ performance, competitive level, and age. PubMed, Scopus, and Sport Discus databases were searched. Of the 586 records retrieved, 41 studies met the inclusion criteria (n = 1915 participants). The included studies examined flexibility, aerobic capacity, muscle power, muscle endurance, muscle strength, sprint speed, agility, balance, and coordination. Performance was associated with flexibility, aerobic capacity, lower-limb muscle power, agility, muscular endurance, balance, and coordination from a young age. Flexibility, aerobic capacity, and muscle power were, in general, higher in high-level gymnasts than in low-level gymnasts or controls. Older rhythmic gymnasts demonstrated higher scores than the younger ones in flexibility, aerobic capacity, balance, and sport-specific coordination but not in muscle endurance, while some studies reported a decline in muscle power with age. Supplementary physical fitness training improved all physical abilities irrespective of the gymnasts’ level. Rhythmic gymnastics training alone improved muscle power, agility, speed, muscular endurance, and balance to a lesser extent than targeted fitness training. Muscular strength, speed, and agility are largely under-researched in rhythmic gymnastics. Emphasis should be given to targeted strength and power training due to the high mechanical loads placed on skeletally immature athletes.
Novel Combination of Therapeutic Approaches in Advanced NSCLC with EGFR Activating Mutations
Authors: Rocco Danilo , Della Gravara Luigi , Boccia Maria Cristina , Palazzolo Giovanni , Gridelli Cesare
Published: September 2024

The vast majority of advanced NSCLC cases are histologically represented by adenocarcinomas. EGFR activating mutations (exon 19 deletions, exon 21 L858R substitutions, exon 20 insertions) represent one of the most common druggable alterations. Since erlotinib’s FDA approval in 2013, EGFR-TKIs have represented a staple of EGFR+ advanced NSCLC treatment, with osimertinib representing the latest major FDA-approved third-generation EGFR-TKI. In recent years, however, several preclinical data have highlighted promising results regarding combination therapies involving EGFR-TKIs plus chemotherapy, and various recent clinical trials have confirmed these results. In addition, in 2021, amivantamab was the first FDA-approved mAb for the treatment of EGFR+ advanced NSCLC patients; according to some extremely up-to-date clinical trials, the combination of amivantamab plus chemotherapy is also associated with superior results. Therefore, this paper aims to provide a comprehensive review of both the bases and the latest evidence of the combination therapies involving EGFR+ advanced NSCLC patients.
Integrated Biomarker Response Emphasizing Neuronal Oxidative Stress and Genotoxicity Induced by Oxamyl in Sprague Dawley Rats: Ameliorative Effect of Ginseng as a Neuroprotective Agent
Authors: Abdallah Salwa M. , Muhammed Reham E. , Mohamed Reda E. , Khalil Wagdy K. B. , Taha Dalia A. , Shalaby Mohamed B. , Elgohary Islam , Abdallah Amr A. , Habib Hosam M. , El-Yazbi Ahmed F.
Published: September 2024

Climate change has led to increased and varying pest infestation patterns, triggering a rise in pesticide usage and exposure. The effects of oxamyl, a widely used nematicide in Egypt, encompasses typical signs of carbamate intoxication; nevertheless, long-term effects of oxamyl exposure, particularly on the nervous system, require further elucidation. This study systematically investigated the mechanism and manifestations of repeated subacute exposure to sublethal doses of oxamyl in male SD rats. Data showed a dose-dependent genotoxic effect, manifested as increased bone marrow micronuclei and decreased brain expression of key genes involved in neurogenesis and neuronal development. Coincidently, brain histopathology showed dose-dependent neurodegeneration in various regions, associated with a significant increase in GFAP immunoreactivity, indicative of neuroinflammation. Biochemical examination revealed a typical pattern of cholinesterase inhibition by carbamates in serum and brain tissue, as well as increased oxidative stress markers in the brain such as SOD activity reduction, alongside an increase in NO and MDA. The ability of Ginseng at a 100 mg/Kg dose to ameliorate the effects of oxamyl exposure was investigated. Ginseng use, either as a protective or therapeutic regimen, attenuated the observed genotoxic, neuroinflammatory, and biochemical alterations. Our results indicate that repeated exposure to oxamyl triggers an integrative neurotoxic response, driven by genotoxicity, oxidative stress, and neuroinflammation, that could trigger an increase in neurological and cognitive disorders. These findings emphasize the urgent need for confirmatory translational studies in human subjects to assess these changes and inform policy decisions regarding safe levels of usage and appropriate agricultural and public health practices.
A High-Throughput Method for Quantifying Drosophila Fecundity
Authors: Gomez Andreana , Gonzalez Sergio , Oke Ashwini , Luo Jiayu , Duong Johnny B. , Esquerra Raymond M. , Zimmerman Thomas , Capponi Sara , Fung Jennifer C. , Nystul Todd G.
Published: September 2024

The fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster, is an experimentally tractable model system that has recently emerged as a powerful “new approach methodology” (NAM) for chemical safety testing. As oogenesis is well conserved at the molecular and cellular level, measurements of Drosophila fecundity can be useful for identifying chemicals that affect reproductive health across species. However, standard Drosophila fecundity assays have been difficult to perform in a high-throughput manner because experimental factors such as the physiological state of the flies and environmental cues must be carefully controlled to achieve consistent results. In addition, exposing flies to a large number of different experimental conditions (such as chemical additives in the diet) and manually counting the number of eggs laid to determine the impact on fecundity is time-consuming. We have overcome these challenges by combining a new multiwell fly culture strategy with a novel 3D-printed fly transfer device to rapidly and accurately transfer flies from one plate to another, the RoboCam, a low-cost, custom-built robotic camera to capture images of the wells automatically, and an image segmentation pipeline to automatically identify and quantify eggs. We show that this method is compatible with robust and consistent egg laying throughout the assay period and demonstrate that the automated pipeline for quantifying fecundity is very accurate (r2 = 0.98 for the correlation between the automated egg counts and the ground truth). In addition, we show that this method can be used to efficiently detect the effects on fecundity induced by dietary exposure to chemicals. Taken together, this strategy substantially increases the efficiency and reproducibility of high-throughput egg-laying assays that require exposing flies to multiple different media conditions.
On the Propagation of Gravitational Waves in the Weyl Invariant Theory of Gravity
Authors: Duarte Mauro , Dahia Fabio , Romero Carlos
Published: September 2024

We revisit Weyl’s unified field theory, which arose in 1918, shortly after general relativity was discovered. As is well known, in order to extend the program of the geometrization of physics started by Einstein to include the electromagnetic field, H. Weyl developed a new geometry which constitutes a kind of generalization of Riemannian geometry. In this paper, our aim is to discuss Weyl’s proposal anew and examine its consistency and completeness as a physical theory. We propose new directions and possible conceptual changes in the original work. Among these, we investigate with some detail the propagation of gravitational waves, and the new features arising in this recent modified gravity theory, in which the presence of a massive vector field appears somewhat unexpectedly. We also speculate whether the results could be examined in the context of primordial gravitational waves.
Place Attachment and Related Aspects in the Urban Setting
Authors: Kamani Fard Asal , Paydar Mohammad
Published: September 2024

This study reviewed previous studies on place attachment and related factors in the urban setting. Assessments were conducted on over one hundred peer-reviewed journal papers that met the selection criteria. The results were divided into six categories. Place attachment can improve each of the three dimensions of wellbeing. It can also mitigate the negative impacts of environmental stressors on wellbeing. Furthermore, traditional gardens and local landscape characteristics contribute to a stronger place attachment, depending on the degree to which they present local history and culture. Green landscapes can also help immigrants feel more connected to their community and place of origin. Social interaction has also been linked to the development of place attachment, which is stronger in low-income/deprived neighborhoods. Furthermore, higher place attachment promotes civic engagement and social trust. Place attachment also helps older people cope with aging difficulties in their living environments. Finally, there is a mutually beneficial association between place attachment and perceived neighborhood walkability, as well as a relationship between the scale of the place and the level of attachment. The various research gaps recognized by this study could be addressed in future studies to better understand the role of place attachment in creating sustainable urban environments.
How Safe Are COVID-19 Vaccines in Individuals with Immune-Mediated Inflammatory Diseases? The SUCCEED Study
Authors: Tsyruk Olga , Kaplan Gilaad G. , Fortin Paul R. , Hitchon Carol A , Chandran Vinod , Larché Maggie J. , Avina-Zubieta Antonio , Boire Gilles , Colmegna Ines , Lacaille Diane , Lalonde Nadine , Proulx Laurie , Richards Dawn P. , Boivin Natalie , DeBow Christopher , Kovalova-Wood Lucy , Paleczny Deborah , Wilhelm Linda , Lukusa Luck , Pereira Daniel , Lee Jennifer LF. , Bernatsky Sasha ,   on behalf of the SUCCEED Investigative Team
Published: September 2024

We were tasked by Canada’s COVID-19 Immunity Task Force to describe severe adverse events (SAEs) associated with emergency department (ED) visits and/or hospitalizations in individuals with immune-mediated inflammatory diseases (IMIDs). At eight Canadian centres, data were collected from adults with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), axial spondyloarthritis (AxS), systemic lupus (SLE), psoriatic arthritis (PsA), and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). We administered questionnaires, analyzing SAEs experienced within 31 days following SARS-CoV-2 vaccination. About two-thirds (63%) of 1556 participants were female; the mean age was 52.5 years. The BNT162b2 (Pfizer) vaccine was the most common, with mRNA-1273 (Moderna) being second. A total of 49% of participants had IBD, 27.4% had RA, 14.3% had PsA, 5.3% had SpA, and 4% had SLE. Twelve (0.77% of 1556 participants) SAEs leading to an ED visit or hospitalization were self-reported, occurring in 11 participants. SAEs included six (0.39% of 1556 participants) ED visits (including one due to Bell’s Palsy 31 days after first vaccination) and six (0.39% of 1556 participants) hospitalizations (including one due to Guillain-Barré syndrome 15 days after the first vaccination). Two SAEs included pericarditis, one involved SLE (considered a serious disease flare), and one involved RA. Thus, in the 31 days after SARS-CoV-2 vaccination in our IMID sample, very few serious adverse events occurred. As SARS-CoV2 continues to be a common cause of death, our findings may help optimize vaccination acceptance.
Effectiveness of EV-A71 Vaccine and Its Impact on the Incidence of Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease: A Systematic Review
Authors: Hu Quanman , Xie Yaqi , Ji Fucang , Zhao Fei , Song Xiaoru , Lu Saiwei , Li Zijie , Geng Juan , Yang Haiyan , Long Jinzhao , Jin Yuefei , Chen Shuaiyin , Duan Guangcai
Published: September 2024

Background: Vaccination is a highly effective strategy for the prevention of enterovirus A71 (EV-A71)—hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD). Three inactivated EV-A71 vaccines in China have demonstrated remarkable efficacy against EV-A71-HFMD during clinical trials, exhibiting vaccine effectiveness (VE) exceeding 90% and few adverse events (AEs). However, the effectiveness of vaccines in the real world and its impact on the epidemiological characteristics of HFMD after the use of EV-A71 inactivated vaccine are uncertain. Methods: The odd ratio (OR) and 95% confidence (CI) were used as the effect estimates of the meta-analysis in the test-negative design (TND), and the OR was used to calculate VE: VE = (1 − OR) × 100%. Results: According to the literature search strategy, a comprehensive search was conducted in PubMed, Web of Science (including Chinese Science Citation Database and MEDLINE), and Embase, and 18 records were ultimately included in this study. Subsequently, the overall VE and 95% CI of different vaccine doses were analyzed, with the one-dose vaccine at 66.9% (95% CI: 45.2–80.0%) and the two-dose vaccine at 84.2% (95% CI: 79.4–87.9%). Additionally, the most reported AEs were mild general reactions without any rare occurrences. Simultaneously, the widespread use of the EV-A71 vaccine would lead to a reduction in both the incidence of EV-A71-associated HFMD and severe cases caused by EV-A71. Conclusion: The administration of the two-dose EV-A71 vaccine is highly effective in preventing HFMD in the real world, and the widespread use of the EV-A71 vaccine leads to a reduction in the incidence of EV-A71-associated HFMD and that of severe cases caused by EV-A71. The findings suggest that administering the two-dose EV-A71 inactivated vaccine to children aged 6 months to 71 months can be effective in preventing EV-A71-associated HFMD, highlighting the need for developing a multivalent HFMD vaccine for preventing cases not caused by EV-A71.
Predictors of Hospitalization in Breakthrough COVID-19 among Fully Vaccinated Individuals with Immune-Mediated Rheumatic Diseases: Data from SAFER-Study
Authors: Calderaro Débora Cerqueira , Valim Valéria , Ferreira Gilda Aparecida , Machado Ketty Lysie Libardi Lira , Ribeiro Priscila Dias Cardoso , Ribeiro Sandra Lúcia Euzébio , Sartori Natalia Sarzi , de Rezende Rodrigo Poubel Vieira , de Melo Ana Karla Guedes , Cruz Vitor Alves , Vieira Adah Sophia Rodrigues , Kakehasi Adriana Maria , de Landa Aline Teixeira , Burian Ana Paula Neves , Peixoto Flávia Maria Matos Melo Campos , Telles Camila Maria Paiva França , do Espírito Santo Rafaela Cavalheiro , Baptista Katia Lino , de Oliveira Yasmin Gurtler Pinheiro , Magalhães Vanessa de Oliveira , de Lima Raquel Lima , Biegelmeyer Erika , Lorencini Pietra Zava , Teixeira-Carvalho Andréa , dos Reis-Neto Edgard Torres , Sato Emília Inoue , Pinheiro Marcelo de Medeiros , Monticielo Odirlei André , de Souza Viviane Angelina , Xavier Ricardo Machado , Pileggi Gecilmara Salviato
Published: September 2024

Breakthrough COVID-19 (occurring in fully vaccinated people) has been described. Data on its characteristics among immune-mediated rheumatic disease (IMRD) patients are scarce. This study describes breakthrough COVID-19 occurring in IMRD patients participating in the SAFER-study, a Brazilian multicentric cohort evaluating the safety, effectiveness, and immunogenicity of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines in patients with autoimmune diseases. A descriptive analysis of the population and a binary logistic regression model were performed to evaluate the predictors of COVID-19-related hospitalization. A p-value < 0.05 was significant. The included 160 patients were predominantly females (83.1%), with a mean (SD) age of 40.23 (13.19) years. The patients received two (19%), three (70%), or four (11%) vaccine doses. The initial two-dose series was mainly with ChAdOx1 (Oxford/AstraZeneca) (58%) or BBIBP-CorV (Sinopharm-Beijing) (34%). The first booster (n = 150) was with BNT162b2 (BioNtech/Fosun Pharma/Pfizer) (63%) or ChAdOx1 (29%). The second booster (n = 112) was with BNT162b2 (40%) or ChAdOx1 (26%). The COVID-19 hospitalization rate was 17.5%. IMRD moderate/high activity (OR: 5.84; CI: 1.9–18.5; p = 0.002) and treatment with corticosteroids (OR: 2.94; CI: 1.02–8.49; p = 0.0043) were associated with higher odds of hospitalization, while increasing the number of vaccine doses was protective (OR: 0.37; CI: 0.15–0.9; p = 0.032). These findings, along with previous reassuring results about the safety of the COVID-19 vaccines, argue in favor of booster vaccination in IMRD patients.
Influenza A Vaccine Candidates Based on Virus-like Particles Formed by Coat Proteins of Single-Stranded RNA Phages Beihai32 and PQ465
Authors: Vasyagin Egor A. , Zykova Anna A. , Mardanova Eugenia S. , Nikitin Nikolai A. , Shuklina Marina A. , Ozhereleva Olga O. , Stepanova Liudmila A. , Tsybalova Liudmila M. , Blokhina Elena A. , Ravin Nikolai V.
Published: September 2024

Efficient control of influenza A infection can potentially be achieved through the development of broad-spectrum recombinant vaccines based on conserved antigens. The extracellular domain of the transmembrane protein M2 of influenza A virus (M2e) is highly conserved but poorly immunogenic and needs to be fused to an adjuvant protein or carrier virus-like particles (VLPs) to increase immunogenicity and provide protection against infection. In this study, we obtained VLPs based on capsid proteins (CPs) of single-stranded RNA phages Beihai32 and PQ465 bearing the M2e peptides. Four copies of the M2e peptide were linked to the C-terminus of the CP of phage Beihai32 and to the N and C termini of the CP of phage PQ465. The hybrid proteins, being expressed in Escherichia coli, formed spherical VLPs of about 30 nm in size. Immunogold transmission electron microscopy showed that VLPs formed by the phage PQ465 CP with a C-terminal M2e fusion present the M2e peptide on the surface. Subcutaneous immunization of mice with VLPs formed by both CPs containing four copies of the M2e peptide at the C termini induced high levels of M2e-specific IgG antibodies in serum and provided mice with protection against lethal influenza A virus challenge. In the case of an N-terminal fusion of M2e with the phage PQ465 CP, the immune response against M2e was significantly lower. CPs of phages Beihai32 and PQ465, containing four copies of the M2e peptide at their C termini, can be used to develop recombinant influenza A vaccine.
Content marketing in the field of technical security: strategies and opportunities
Authors:   Department of Applied Mathematics and Statistics, Moscow University for the Humanities, Agentova Galina Vladimirovna , Shavarova Alina Andreevna ,   Department of Applied Mathematics and Statistics, Moscow University for the Humanities
Published: September 2024

The article discusses a fairly new effective marketing strategy. In current market conditions, such a strategy is content marketing, which is part of the process of achieving the company’s marketing goals. Content marketing is a way of exchanging information about a company or projects while creating a positive image of the company and management for effective interaction with potential clients.
Zooplankton communities of small lakes of the Kuibyshev district Novosibirsk region in the spring and summer
Authors:   Novosibirsk branch of VNIRO (ZapSibNIRO), Russia, Novosibirsk, Mukhina A.A. ,   Novosibirsk State Agrarian University, Russia, Novosibirsk, Pishchenko E.V. ,   Novosibirsk State Agrarian University, Russia, Novosibirsk, Viser L.S. ,   Novosibirsk State Agrarian University, Russia, Novosibirsk, Moruzi I.V. ,   Novosibirsk State Agrarian University, Russia, Novosibirsk, Eliseeva E.A. ,   Novosibirsk State Agrarian University, Russia, Novosibirsk
Published: September 2024

In the course of hydrobiological studies conducted in the spring and summer of 2023 on small lakes of the Kuibyshev district of the Novosibirsk region, zooplankton communities were studied, which is relevant in the field of studying the fish food supply. The purpose of this study was to determine the species diversity and quantitative characteristics of zooplankton communities of lakes. Sampling and in-house processing of samples was carried out according to generally accepted methods. The characteristics of zooplanktonic invertebrates in terms of qualitative and quantitative indicators are considered. The assessment of the trophic and feeding capacity of the lakes is given. 16 species of organisms of 12 genera from 9 families were found in the zooplankton, 5 of which are rotifers, 9 are branched crustaceans and 2 are oar-footed crustaceans. It was found that the greatest species diversity was observed in Lake Tsybovo — 13, the smallest in Lake Maloe Puchkovo — 9 taxa. The average zooplankton abundance and biomass in the studied lakes ranged from 16.0 to 67.645 thousand specimens/m3 and from 652.2 to 7118.5 mg/m3, respectively. The maximum average values of zooplankton abundance and biomass were found in Lake Fedino, the minimum values in Lake Cemetery. In terms of frequency of occurrence and specific abundance, Copepods are mainly dominant. The lowest frequency of occurrence and specific abundance is mainly in Rotifera. According to the average indicators of zooplankton biomass, lakes have different trophic status and feeding capacity of the reservoir: from oligotrophic type (low-fat) to eutrophic type (high-fat). Fedino Lake was classified as a high-grade eutrophic reservoir with an increased productivity class. Cemetery Lake with the lowest abundance and biomass indicators was assessed as an oligotrophic reservoir of low productivity class, from the point of view of feeding opportunities for planktophage fish — low-feeding. Tsybovo and Maloe Puchkovo lakes were assessed as mesotrophic reservoirs.
Riesgos de las tensiones geopolíticas en los mercados financieros internacionales 2018-2022
Authors: Quiñonez Ramírez José , Rentería Córdova Sara , Garzón Montealegre Víctor , Macias Sares Bernard
Published: September 2024

Las tensiones geopolíticas representan riesgos significativos para estabilidad financiera global a través de salidas de capital, impacto en economía real y mayor fragmentación a largo plazo. Mitigar estos riesgos requiere esfuerzos coordinados de supervisores, reguladores e instituciones financieras. El objetivo de este artículo es describir desde la revisión bibliográfica los riesgos de las tensiones geopolíticas en los mercados financieros internacionales 2018-2022. Se orientó en el enfoque cuantitativo, el paradigma positivista, el tipo de investigación fue descriptivo-documental-bibliográfica. Como técnica de información se utilizó análisis de bibliografías y documentales. Los resultados muestran que, en el año 2018-2019 se dio fuerte crecimiento del 25.31% en libras y 14.19% en dólares, esta disparidad sugiere una disminución en el precio unitario del camarón. Se concluye que, los mercados financieros internacionales durante el periodo 2018-2022 revelan cómo eventos como la guerra comercial entre Estados Unidos y China, el Brexit, y la pandemia de COVID-19 han influido notablemente en la estabilidad y comportamiento de estos mercados.
Effective Test Cases Generation with Harmony Search and RBF Neural Network
Authors: Kumar Hemant , Saxena Vipin
Published: September 2024

Software testing is one of the integral activities during development of software products. Generation and selection of the test cases either in static or dynamic form play pivot role for ensuring the quality of software products. There are numerous approaches in the literature for automatic generation of test cases but coverage criteria and fault detection rate are prominent metrics for checking the effectiveness of the software products during testing phase of software development. In the present, a new Harmony Radial Testing (HRT) is proposed by combining the concepts of Harmony Search Algorithm (HSA) and Radial Basis Function-Neural Network (RBF-NN) approaches. The main objective of the proposed HRT method is to generate automatic test cases by considering the criteria of branch coverage with improvement in the Maximum branch Coverage (MaxC), Average Coverage (AC) and Average Percentage Fault Detection (APFD) rates. The proposed approach combined with the Radial Basis Function (RBF), denoted as a HRT approach. The proposed approach is used to optimize harmony search over the randomly selected sample test cases, training the RBF-NN to simulate the fitness function. Seven Python codes have been tested through proposed approach and computed results are compared with Primal-Dual Genetic Algorithm (PDGA), Simple Genetic Algorithm (SGA) and random methods. It is observed that the proposed HRT algorithm optimizes consistently yielded reliable results, which may be used in future for enriching the software testing process by the software industries.
Comparison of Factors Influencing Gestational Outcomes in Healthy Versus Hypothyroid Women from Karachi, Pakistan
Authors: Kiran Zareen , Khoja Adeel , Khushk Imdad Ali , Sheikh Aisha , Islam Najmul
Published: September 2024

Background: Gestational outcomes are known to be negatively correlated with hypothyroidism. This study was designed to compare the maternal factors affecting gestational outcomes in women with and without hypothyroidism. Methods: This retrospective analysis was carried out in a tertiary hospital in Karachi, Pakistan, between 2008 and 2016. A standardized form was used to collect information on the age of the mother, gestational duration at the prenatal appointment, gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), hypertension, and past records of miscarriages in hypothyroid and healthy pregnant women. Gestational outcomes were recorded as live birth or pregnancy loss. Statistical analysis was performed to examine overt versus sub-clinical hypothyroidism and among those diagnosed before versus during gestation. Results: A collective of 708 women were enlisted in the hypothyroid pregnant group and 759 were recruited in healthy controls. Pregnancy loss was 9.9% (n=70) in hypothyroid women, whereas it was 14.3% (n=108) in the control group. The age of the mother, gestational duration at the prenatal appointment, and past records of miscarriages were discovered to be related to a higher chance of pregnancy loss in a multivariable analysis, but GDM (OR 0.04, CI 0.06-0.32, P=0.002) and hypothyroidism (OR 0.62, CI 0.43-0.89, P=0.01) exhibited a protective effect. Conclusion: This study found the age of the mother, gestational duration at a prenatal appointment, and past records of miscarriages to be associated with negative outcomes in hypothyroidism. These factors remained significant in overt as well as subclinical hypothyroid women.
Imaged Experiences: Mapping the Trabzon City Center
Authors: Kılıçaslan Hare , Uluçay Temel Merve , Taslı Pınar
Published: September 2024

This research sets out from the cycle of impaired belonging between city dwellers and the cities they live in and the weakened perceptibility of urban identity in spatial experiences as a result of the chaos and rapid flow of daily life in today's cities that evolve around consumption culture. This cycle is addressed with experiential mapping applications, which prompt citizens to take a step back and slow down their rhythm of life as a way to connect with their city. Based on this, it is aimed to reveal the deepening of the relationship between city dwellers and the city through experiential mapping, which provides a more meaningful and conscious interaction with the urban environment. In this research, the urban identity formed between urban space and the user was analyzed by image analysis, taking the Theory of Imageability as a basis. The application process consisted of three main phases and was conducted with ten students studying at Karadeniz Technical University, Department of Architecture. The research findings show that experiential mapping and semantic rating, applied with a view to increasing the visibility of urban images peculiar to Trabzon city center, enabled the participants to direct their focus on and explore the spatial components of Trabzon city center, suggesting that experiential mapping can be an effective tool in exploring the potentials and problematic aspects of cities.
EXPERIENCE IN THE RECONSTRUCTION OF SEAMS ON OLD LADOGA ARCHAEOLOGICAL BIRCH BARK
TUES AND BOXES
Authors: Yarish V. I.
Published: September 2024

The article is devoted to the study and reconstruction of fastening, birch bark
bottoms to buildings on tuesa, baskets, boxes based on archaeological finds in Staraya
Ladoga, dating from the 9th-10th centuries, and ancient Novgorod, dating from the
11th-15th centuries, stored in the funds of the State Hermitage Museum and the Novgorod
State United Museum. The safety of the exhibits makes it possible to analyze the seam
systems in detail and give options for their reconstruction. To date, this topic has not
been touched upon in the scientific literature. The studied methods of fastening seams
of birch bark bottoms for similar products have undergone transformation over the
following centuries and with minor changes remained until the end of the 19th –
beginning of the 20th centuries in the craft work of craftsmen in Latvia and Estonia.
The continuity of technological solutions from the masters of the 9th-15th to the
masters of the 19th-20th centuries is becoming obvious.
The Transformation of the Trade Sector in the Region in the Wake of the Intensive Development of Marketplaces
Authors:   Rostov State University of Economics, Pisareva E. V.
Published: September 2024

The purpose of the article is to substantiate the impact of intensive development of marketplaces on the transformation of the trade sector in the region using the example of Rostov-on-Don. The relevance of the study lies in identifying the specifics of consumer behavior involved in the trading process through online and offline purchases against the background of numerous offers from sellers formed by technical and technological platforms represented by marketplaces. The features of consumption both online and offline are highlighted, in particular, the results of a survey of customers directly in retail chains in Rostov-on-Don are presented. The analysis of statis-tical materials for the Rostov region in terms of studying the characteristics of the online and of-fline trade sector, the main economic indicators for the top marketplaces of Rostov-on-Don, the forecast and trends of their development in this region and the impact on the gross regional product. Approaches to the integration of digital online trading resources into offline retail net-works are proposed in order to increase their customer orientation, personalize customer service and form digital literacy in the field of technical and technological trading tools for all subjects of the trading process.
Ferrocene-modified resorcinol-formaldehyde aerogels
Authors: Бровко О.С. , Ивахнов А.Д. , Жильцов Д.В. , Бойцова Т.А.
Published: September 2024

Разработан эффективный метод синтеза резорцин-формальдегидных аэрогелей гибридного строения со встроенными в их полимерную структуру ферроценовыми фрагментами-субъединицами. При формировании гелей, предшествующих получению аэрогелей, впервые использован диоксан как основной реакционный растворитель. Превращение гелей в аэрогели проведено с использованием СК-СО2. Образцы аэрогелей охарактеризованы методами мессбауэровской спектроскопии, адсорбции азота и атомно-абсорбционной спектроскопии, определена плотность материалов. Содержание железа в полученных аэрогелях находится в пределах 1,7—11,0 мас. % (или 5,6—36,3 мас. % ферроценовых звеньев). Металлоценовые субъединицы присутствуют в аэрогелях параллельно в двух валентно-окислительных состояниях: ферроцена и ферроцения.

An efficient method for the synthesis of hybrid resorcinol-formaldehyde aerogels with ferrocene subunit fragments embedded in their polymer structure has been developed. In the process of gel formation preceding the production of aerogels, dioxane was used  for the first time as the main reaction solvent. The conversion of gels into aerogels was carried out using SC-CO2). Aerogel samples were characterized in detail by Mossbauer spectroscopy, nitrogen adsorption, and atomic absorption spectroscopy, and the density of materials was determined. The iron content in the resulting aerogels varies in the range of 1.5—11 % by weight of iron (or 5.3—35 % by weight of ferrocene units). Metallocene subunits are present in aerogels in two valence-oxidative states: ferrocene and ferrocenium.
Evaluation of the dependence of the polyphenolic composition and the activity of acetylcholinesterase inhibition of extracts of japanese sophora buds (SOPHORA JAPONICA) on the extraction method
Authors: Хизриева С.С. , Борисенко С.Н. , Максименко Е.В. , Жаркова Г.В. , Минкин В.И. , Борисенко Н.И.
Published: September 2024

Проведена экстракция бутонов софоры японской (sophora japonica) (БСЯ) с использованием среды субкритической воды (СБВ) в пределах температуры 120—220°С, а также традиционным водно-этанольным методом. Оценка полифенольного состава экстрактов и активности ингибирования ацетилхолинэстеразы (АХЭ) для продуктов, выделенных различными методами, показала, что СБВ-экстракт, полученный при температуре 220 °С, демонстрирует наибольшие величины по сумме полифенолов и по сумме флавоноилов, как в сравнении с экстрактом, полученным традиционным способом, так и с СБВ-экстрактами, выделенными при более низких температурах. Среди изученных продуктов СБВ-экстракт (температура 220°С) проявляет самую высокую активность по ингибированию АХЭ, что указывает на определяющую роль суммы полифенолов в составе экстрактов БСЯ.

The extraction of Japanese sophora buds (Sophora japonica) (BS) was carried out using a subcritical water medium (SBW) within a temperature of 120—220°C, as well as by the traditional water-ethanol method. Evaluation of the polyphenolic composition of extracts and the activity of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibition for products isolated by various methods showed that the SBW extract obtained at a temperature of 220°C demonstrates the highest values in terms of the sum of polyphenols and the sum of flavonoids, both in comparison with the extract obtained by the traditional method and with SBW extracts, isolated at lower temperatures. At the same time, among the studied products, SBW extract (temperature 220°C) shows the highest activity in inhibiting AHE, which indicates the determining role of the sum of polyphenols in the composition of BS extracts.
Micronization of levofloxacin hemihydrate using supercritical trifluoromethane
Authors: Антонов Е.Н. , Иванова А.Г. , Кротова Л.И. , Мишаков Г.В. , Попов В.К.
Published: September 2024

Исследована микронизация фармацевтической субстанции левофлоксацина полугидрата (ЛФЦ) методом RESS c трифторметаном (СНЕ3) в качестве полярноuо сверхкритического растворителя. Сканирующей электронной микроскопией показано, что при температуре СНЕ3, равной 50°С, частицы микронизированного ЛФЦ имеют вид микрогранул субмикронного размера. При температуре 100 °С частицы приобретают форму тонких (менее 0,1 мкм) продолговатых пластинок с закругленными краями. При этой температуре увеличение давления СНЕ3 от 20 МПа до 35 МПа приводит к росту среднего размера частиц от 1 до 2 мкм соответственно. Рентгенофазовый анализ образцов, полученных при температуре 50 °С, установил идентичность исходной и микронизированной субстанции ЛФЦ, соответствующих структуре левофлоксацина полугидрата - С36Н40F2N6O8⋅H2O. Повышение температуры процесса до 100 °С приводит к появлению в составе микронизированного ЛФЦ одной из его псевдополиморфных форм — левофлоксацина моногидрата С18Н20F2N3O4⋅H2O

Micronization of levofloxacin hemihydate drug substance (LFC) by RESS using trifluoromethane (CHF3) as a polar supercritical solvent was investigated. By scanning electron microscopy, it was shown that at CHF3 temperature of 50°C, micronized LFC particles have the form of submicron-sized microbeads. At a temperature of 100°C, the particles take the form of thin (less than 0.1 microns) elongated plates with rounded edges. At this temperature, an increase in CHF3 pressure from 20 MPa to 35 MPa increases the average particle size of these particles from 1 to 2 um, respectively. X-ray phase analysis of samples obtained at 50 °C showed the identity of the original and micronized LFC substance corresponding to the structure of levofloxacin hemihydrate — С36Н40F2N6O8⋅H2O. At the same time, it was shown that an increase in the process temperature to 100°C leads to the appearance of one of its polymorphic forms, levofloxacin monohydrate С18Н20F2N3O4⋅H2O in the micronized LFC