bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effects of the Oil and Fat Feeding Period on the Nutritional Composition and Functional Properties of Eggs
Authors: Gao Zhouyang , Qin Yuhui , Zheng Jiangxia , Xu Guiyun
Published: January 2024

Lipids are commonly incorporated into the diets of laying hens at a rate of 1% to 2% during production. However, the effects on egg quality can vary based on the source and timing of lipid addition. Hence, this experiment was conducted to investigate the impacts of adding the same concentration of soybean oil, lard, and mixed oils (1.5%) to the daily feed of layer during two feeding periods. This study aimed to assess the changes in nutritional composition and functional properties and offer valuable insights to determine suitable types of oils and fat. In this study, the experiment was conducted in two test periods, 7 days and 21 days after the addition of the lipids, to assess the effects on the nutritional composition and functional properties of eggs. The study revealed the following results: (1) Changes in the yolk’s nutritional composition. Compared to the 7-day addition period, the inclusion of lard significantly increased the unsaturated fatty acids after 21 days; (2) Changes in the albumen’s nutritional composition. Compared to the 7-day addition period, the inclusion of lard and mixed oils significantly reduced the essential and nonessential amino acids after 21 days; (3) Changes in the functional characteristics of the eggs. After 21 days of addition, the eggs from the soybean oil group exhibited significantly higher foaming and emulsifying properties compared to the groups supplemented with lard and mixed oils; (4) Changes in the antioxidant capacity of the eggs. Compared to the 7-day addition period, the inclusion of all oils and fat significantly increased the superoxide dismutase (SOD) content in egg yolk after 21 days. The aim of this experiment was to provide valuable scientific data to assist producers in making informed decisions regarding the utilization of feeding oils.
Life Parameters and Physiological Reactions of Cotton Aphids Aphis gossypii (Hemiptera: Aphididae) to Sublethal Concentrations of Afidopyropen
Authors: Ding Wenjuan , Guo Longzhi , Xue Yannan , Wang Mei , Li Chuanwang , Zhang Ruikai , Zhang Siwen , Xia Xiaoming
Published: January 2024

The massive and repetitive application of synthetic insecticides for the management of cotton pests results in the accumulation of resistance in Aphis gossypii Glover, a destructive pest worldwide. New chemistries are needed for pest management. Afidopyropen exhibits high efficacy against piercing-sucking pests and has been applied as a complementary alternative insecticide against aphids. This study was conducted to investigate the lethal and sublethal effects of afidopyropen on the life parameters and physiological responses of A. gossypii. Detoxifying enzyme activities and expression levels of P450 genes were compared after exposure to three generations of afidopyropen. Bioassay results indicate that afidopyropen possessed the highest toxicity, with a LC50 value of 0.30 mg/L. Sublethal concentrations (LC5 and LC10) caused adverse impacts on the F0 generation, reducing adult longevity and fecundity. A high concentration (LC10) also caused adverse effects on the F1 generation, while a low concentration (LC5) stimulated the fecundity. After continuous treatments with afidopyropen, the susceptibility decreased. GSTs and P450 were induced through sublethal concentrations; moreover, their activities in the F3 generation were higher than that in the F0 generation. Furthermore, the expression levels of 12 P450 genes in the F3 generation were higher than those in F0 generation. In conclusion, afidopyropen has excellent acute toxicity and continuous control effects on A. gossypii. GSTs and P450 may play important roles in the resistance of A. gossypii to afidopyropen.
Advances in Development of Novel Therapeutic Strategies against Multi-Drug Resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa
Authors: Yin Changhong , Alam Md Zahidul , Fallon John T. , Huang Weihua
Published: January 2024

Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) with multi-drug resistance (MDR) is a major cause of serious healthcare-associated infections, leading to high morbidity and mortality. This opportunistic pathogen is responsible for various infectious diseases, such as those seen in cystic fibrosis, ventilator-associated pneumonia, urinary tract infection, otitis externa, and burn and wound injuries. Due to its relatively large genome, P. aeruginosa has great diversity and can use various molecular mechanisms for antimicrobial resistance. For example, outer membrane permeability can contribute to antimicrobial resistance and is determined by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and porin proteins. Recent findings on the regulatory interaction between peptidoglycan and LPS synthesis provide additional clues against pathogenic P. aeruginosa. This review focuses on recent advances in antimicrobial agents and inhibitors targeting LPS and porin proteins. In addition, we explore current and emerging treatment strategies for MDR P. aeruginosa, including phages, vaccines, nanoparticles, and their combinatorial therapies. Novel strategies and their corresponding therapeutic agents are urgently needed for combating MDR pathogens.
Anti-Inflammatory Effects of Idebenone Attenuate LPS-Induced Systemic Inflammatory Diseases by Suppressing NF-κB Activation
Authors: Choi Yumin , Cho Young-Lai , Park Sujeong , Park Minkyung , Hong Keun-Seok , Park Young Jun , Lee In-Ah , Chung Su Wol , Lee Heedoo , Lee Seon-Jin
Published: January 2024

Inflammation is a natural protective process through which the immune system responds to injury, infection, or irritation. However, hyperinflammation or long-term inflammatory responses can cause various inflammatory diseases. Although idebenone was initially developed for the treatment of cognitive impairment and dementia, it is currently used to treat various diseases. However, its anti-inflammatory effects and regulatory functions in inflammatory diseases are yet to be elucidated. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the anti-inflammatory effects of idebenone in cecal ligation puncture-induced sepsis and lipopolysaccharide-induced systemic inflammation. Murine models of cecal ligation puncture-induced sepsis and lipopolysaccharide-induced systemic inflammation were generated, followed by treatment with various concentrations of idebenone. Additionally, lipopolysaccharide-stimulated macrophages were treated with idebenone to elucidate its anti-inflammatory effects at the cellular level. Idebenone treatment significantly improved survival rate, protected against tissue damage, and decreased the expression of inflammatory enzymes and cytokines in mice models of sepsis and systemic inflammation. Additionally, idebenone treatment suppressed inflammatory responses in macrophages, inhibited the NF-κB signaling pathway, reduced reactive oxygen species and lipid peroxidation, and normalized the activities of antioxidant enzyme. Idebenone possesses potential therapeutic application as a novel anti-inflammatory agent in systemic inflammatory diseases and sepsis.
Some Aspects of the Modelling of Dried Red Beets Rehydration Process
Authors: Kaleta Agnieszka , Górnicki Krzysztof , Obranović Marko , Kosiorek Krzysztof
Published: January 2024

Some dehydrated products must be rehydrated before consumption or further industry processing. Optimization of the rehydration process needs mathematical models of the process. Despite the widespread use of computers and their associated software, empirical equations are still widely used in view of their simplicity and ease of computation. The mathematical description of the kinetics of mass gain, volume increase, dry matter loss, and moisture content increase and changes of rehydration indices during the rehydration of dried red beets was investigated. The effects of drying air temperature (Td), drying air velocity (vd), characteristic dimension (L), and rehydration temperature (Tr) on model constants were also examined. Red beets cubes (10 mm) and slices (5 and 10 mm) were dried in natural convection (vd = 0.01 m/s), forced convection (vd = 2 m/s), and fluidization (vd = 6 m/s) at Td = 50, 60, and 70 °C. The rehydration was conducted in distilled water at Tr = 20, 45, and 70 °C. The kinetics of rehydrating dried red beets was modelled applying five empirical models: Peleg, Lewis (Newton), Henderson–Pabis, Page, and modified Page. Equations were developed to make the model constants dependent on Td, vd, L, and Tr. Artificial neural networks (ANNs) (feedforward multilayer perceptron) were adopted to condition the rehydration indices on Td, vd, L, and Tr. The following models can be recommended as the most acceptable: (1) the modified Page model for mass gain (RMSE = 0.0236–0.0897) and for volume increase (RMSE = 0.0213–0.0972), (2) the Peleg model for dry mass loss (RMSE = 0.0161–0.610), and (3) the Henderson–Pabis model for moisture content increase (RMSE = 0.0350–0.1062). The ANNs performed the rehydration indices in an acceptable way (RMSE = 0.0528–0.2285). Both the rehydration indices and model constants depended (but to a different degree) on the investigated drying and rehydration conditions.
Improvement in Fatigue Strength of Chromium–Nickel Austenitic Stainless Steels via Diamond Burnishing and Subsequent Low-Temperature Gas Nitriding
Authors: Maximov Jordan , Duncheva Galya , Anchev Angel , Dunchev Vladimir , Argirov Yaroslav
Published: January 2024

Chromium–nickel austenitic stainless steels are widely used due to their high corrosion resistance, good weldability and deformability. To some extent, their application is limited by their mechanical characteristics. As a result of their austenitic structure, increasing the static and dynamic strength of the components can be achieved by surface cold work. Due to the tendency of these steels to undergo intercrystalline corrosion, another approach to improving their mechanical characteristics is the use of low-temperature thermo-chemical diffusion processes. This article proposes a new combined process based on sequentially applied diamond burnishing (DB) and low-temperature gas nitriding (LTGN) to optimally improve the fatigue strength of 304 steel. The essence of the proposed approach is to combine the advantages of the two processes (DB and LTGN) to create a zone of residual compressive stresses in the surface and subsurface layers—the enormous surface residual stresses (axial and hoop) introduced by LTGN, with the significant depth of the compressive zone characteristic of static surface cold working processes. DB (both smoothing and single-pass hardening), in combination with LTGN, achieves a fatigue limit of 600 MPa, an improvement of 36.4% compared to untreated specimens. Individually, smoothing DB, single-pass DB and LTGN achieve 540 MPa, 580 MPa and 580 MPa, respectively. It was found that as the degree of plastic deformation of the surface layer introduced by DB increases, the content of the S-phase in the nitrogen-rich layer formed by LTGN decreases, with a resultant increased content of the ε-phase and a new (also hard) phase: stabilized nitrogen-bearing martensite.
Implementing Many-Lights Rendering with IES-Based Lights
Authors: Gadia Davide , Lombardo Vincenzo , Maggiorini Dario , Natilla Antonio
Published: January 2024

In recent years, many research projects on real-time rendering have focused on the introduction of global illumination effects in order to improve the realism of a virtual scene. The main goal of these works is to find a compromise between the achievable quality of the resulting rendering and the intrinsic high computational cost of global illumination. An established approach is based on the use of Virtual Point Lights, i.e., “fictitious” light sources that are placed on surfaces in the scene. These lights simulate the contribution of light rays emitted by the light sources and bouncing on different objects. Techniques using Virtual Point Lights are often called Many-Lights techniques. In this paper, we propose an extension of a real-time Many-Lights rendering technique characterized by the integration of photometric data in the process of Virtual Point Lights distribution. We base the definition of light sources and the creation of Virtual Point Lights on the description provided in the IES standard format, created by the Illuminating Engineering Society (IES).
Bamboo Plant Classification Using Deep Transfer Learning with a Majority Multiclass Voting Algorithm
Authors: Sawarkar Ankush D. , Shrimankar Deepti D. , Ali Sarvat , Agrahari Anurag , Singh Lal
Published: January 2024

Bamboos, also known as non-timber forest products (NTFPs) and belonging to the family Poaceae and subfamily Bambusoideae, have a wide range of flowering cycles from 3 to 120 years; hence, it is difficult to identify species. Here, the focus is on supervised machine learning (ML) and deep learning (DL) as a potential automated approach for the identification and classification of commercial bamboo species, with the help of the majority multiclass voting (MajMulVot) algorithm. We created an image dataset of 2000 bamboo instances, followed by a texture dataset prepared using local binary patterns (LBP) and gray-level cooccurrence matrix (GLCM)-based methods. First, we deployed five ML models for the texture datasets, where support vector machine (SVM) shows an accuracy rate of 82.27%. We next deployed five DL-based convolutional neural network (CNN) models for bamboo classification, namely AlexNet, VGG16, ResNet18, VGG19, and GoogleNet, using the transfer learning (TL) approach, where VGG16 prevails, with an accuracy rate of 88.75%. Further, a MajMulVot-based ensemble approach was introduced to improve the classification accuracy of all ML- and DL-based models. The ML-MajMulVot enhanced the accuracy for the texture dataset to 86.96%. In the same way, DL-MajMulVot increased the accuracy to 92.8%. We performed a comparative analysis of all classification models with and without K-fold cross-validation and MajMulVot methods. The proposed findings indicate that even difficult-to-identify species may be identified accurately with adequate image datasets. The suggested technology can also be incorporated into a mobile app to offer farmers effective agricultural methods.
Somatosensory Mismatch Response in Patients with Cerebral Palsy
Authors: Roy Susmita , Ehrlich Stefan K. , Lampe Renée
Published: January 2024

Background: Mismatch negativity (MMN), an event-related potential (ERP) component occurring at specific recording sites and latency, is associated with an automatic change detection response, generally elicited using oddball paradigms wherein infrequent stimuli are embedded in repeated, frequent stimuli. To verify the presence of mismatch-related ERP responses to somatosensory stimulation in individuals with cerebral palsy (CP), we conducted a preliminary study involving healthy participants and patients with CP. Methods: Both groups underwent ‘frequent’ and ’infrequent’ stimulation applied to the ring finger and thumb of their left hand, respectively. ERPs were recorded at frontal, central, and parietal scalp locations using electroencephalography. A healthy cohort tested the experimental protocol and showed evidence that mismatch-related ERP responses were observable. Subsequent analysis focused on the patient group. Results: Statistically significant differences between the two types of stimuli were observed on the frontocentral and parietal channels between 150 and 250 ms after the stimulus onset in the patient group. Furthermore, a late discriminative response was observed in the frontal and parietal channels. Conclusion: The results demonstrate the presence of mismatch-related ERP responses in individuals with CP.
Ensemble-Based Knowledge Distillation for Video Anomaly Detection
Authors: Asal Burçak , Can Ahmet Burak
Published: January 2024

Video anomaly detection has become a vital task for smart video surveillance systems because of its significant potential to minimize the video data to be analyzed by choosing unusual and critical patterns in the scenes. In this paper, we introduce three novel ensemble and knowledge distillation-based adaptive training methods to handle robust detection of different abnormal patterns in video scenes. Our approach leverages the adaptation process by providing information transfer from multiple teacher models with different network structures and further alleviates the catastrophic forgetting issue. The proposed ensemble knowledge distillation methods are implemented on two state-of-the-art anomaly detection models. We extensively evaluate our methods on two public video anomaly datasets and present a detailed analysis of our results. Finally, we show that not only does our best version model achieve comparable performance with a frame-level AUC of 75.82 to other state-of-the-art models on UCF-Crime as the target dataset, but more importantly our approaches prevent catastrophic forgetting and dramatically improve our model’s performance.
Intelligent Computation Offloading Based on Digital Twin-Enabled 6G Industrial IoT
Authors: Wu Jingjing , Zuo Ruiyong
Published: January 2024

Digital twin (DT) technology, which can provide larger and more accurate amounts of data, combined with the additional computility brought by virtual environments, can support more complex connected industrial applications. Simultaneously, the development and maturity of 6G technology has driven the development of industrial manufacturing and greatly improved the operational efficiency of the industrial internet of things (IIoT). Nevertheless, massive data, heterogeneous IoT device attributes, and the deterministic and bounded latency for delay sensitive applications are major barriers to improving the quality of services (QoS) in the IIoT. In this article, we first construct a new DT-enabled network architecture and computation offloading delay model in the IIoT. Then, the computation offloading problem is formulated with the goal of minimizing the overall task completion delay and achieving resource allocation. Since the formulation is a joint optimization problem, we use deep reinforcement learning (DRL) to solve the original problem, which can be described by a Markov decision process (MDP). Numerical results show that our proposed scheme is able to improve the task success rate and reduce the task processing end-to-end delay compared to the benchmark schemes.
Nanoparticle Interferometer by Throw and Catch
Authors: Wardak Jakub , Georgescu Tiberius , Gasbarri Giulio , Belenchia Alessio , Ulbricht Hendrik
Published: January 2024

Matter wave interferometry with increasingly larger masses could pave the way to understanding the nature of wavefunction collapse, the quantum to classical transition, or even how an object in a spatial superposition interacts with its gravitational field. In order to improve upon the current mass record, it is necessary to move into the nanoparticle regime. In this paper, we provide a design for a nanoparticle Talbot–Lau matter wave interferometer that circumvents the practical challenges of previously proposed designs. We present numerical estimates of the expected fringe patterns that such an interferometer would produce, considering all major sources of decoherence. We discuss the practical challenges involved in building such an experiment, as well as some preliminary experimental results to illustrate the proposed measurement scheme. We show that such a design is suitable for seeing interference fringes with 106 amu SiO2 particles and that this design can be extended to even 108 amu particles by using flight times below the typical Talbot time of the system.
Analysis of Epidemic Models in Complex Networks and Node Isolation Strategie Proposal for Reducing Virus Propagation
Authors: Rodríguez Lucatero Carlos
Published: January 2024

Many models of virus propagation in Computer Networks inspired by epidemic disease propagation mathematical models that can be found in the epidemiology field (SIS, SIR, SIRS, etc.) have been proposed in the last two decades. The purpose of these models has been to determine the conditions under which a virus becomes rapidly extinct in a network. The most common models of virus propagation in networks are SIS-type models or their variants. In such models, the conditions that lead to a rapid extinction of the spread of a computer virus have been calculated and its dependence on some parameters inherent to the mathematical model has been observed. In this article, we will try to analyze a particular SIS-type model proposed in the past by Chakrabarti as well as an SIRS-type variation of this model proposed in the past by myself. I will show through simulations the influence that the topology of a network has on the dynamics of the spread of a virus in different network types. In the recent past, there have been interesting articles that demonstrate the relationship between the eigenvalue λ1 of the adjacency matrix and the reduction in the spread of a virus in a network. From this, the minimization of the spectral radius strategies by edge suppression has been proposed. This problem is NP-complete in its general case and for this reason, heuristic algorithms have been proposed. In this article, I will perform simulations of an SIS-type model in topologies with the same number of nodes but with different structures to compare their epidemic behavior. The simulations will show that regular topologies with small node degrees, i.e., of degree 4, as is the case of the topology that I call Lattice4, have favorable behavior in terms of the fast extinction property, with respect to other denser and less regular topologies such as the binomial topologies as well as Power law topologies. Based on the results of the simulations, my contribution will consist of proposing, as a node isolation strategy, a transformation of the original topology into an approximately regular topology by edge elimination. Although such a transformed topology is not optimal in terms of reducing the propagation of a virus, it induces the rapid extinction of the virus in the network.
Leveraging Technology for Vestibular Assessment and Rehabilitation in the Operational Environment: A Scoping Review
Authors: Hoppes Carrie W. , Lambert Karen H. , Whitney Susan L. , Erbele Isaac D. , Esquivel Carlos R. , Yuan Tony T.
Published: January 2024

Introduction: The vestibular system, essential for gaze and postural stability, can be damaged by threats on the battlefield. Technology can aid in vestibular assessment and rehabilitation; however, not all devices are conducive to the delivery of healthcare in an austere setting. This scoping review aimed to examine the literature for technologies that can be utilized for vestibular assessment and rehabilitation in operational environments. Materials and Methods: A comprehensive search of PubMed was performed. Articles were included if they related to central or peripheral vestibular disorders, addressed assessment or rehabilitation, leveraged technology, and were written in English. Articles were excluded if they discussed health conditions other than vestibular disorders, focused on devices or techniques not conducive to the operational environment, or were written in a language other than English. Results: Our search strategy yielded 32 articles: 8 articles met our inclusion and exclusion criteria whereas the other 24 articles were rejected. Discussion: There is untapped potential for leveraging technology for vestibular assessment and rehabilitation in the operational environment. Few studies were found in the peer-reviewed literature that described the application of technology to improve the identification of central and/or peripheral vestibular system impairments; triage of acutely injured patients; diagnosis; delivery and monitoring of rehabilitation; and determination of readiness for return to duty. Conclusions: This scoping review highlighted technology for vestibular assessment and rehabilitation feasible for use in an austere setting. Such technology may be leveraged for prevention; monitoring exposure to mechanisms of injury; vestibular-ocular motor evaluation; assessment, treatment, and monitoring of rehabilitation progress; and return-to-duty determination after vestibular injury. Future Directions: The future of vestibular assessment and rehabilitation may be shaped by austere manufacturing and 3D printing; artificial intelligence; drug delivery in combination with vestibular implantation; organ-on-chip and organoids; cell and gene therapy; and bioprinting.
Analysis of Potential Vitamin D Molecule Biomarkers: Association of Calcitriol and Its Hydroxylation Efficiency Ratio with Cardiovascular Disease Risk in Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients
Authors: Rivera-Escoto Melissa , Campos-López Bertha , Pesqueda-Cendejas Karen , Ruiz-Ballesteros Adolfo I. , Mora-García Paulina E. , Meza-Meza Mónica R. , Parra-Rojas Isela , Oregon-Romero Edith , Cerpa-Cruz Sergio , De la Cruz-Mosso Ulises
Published: January 2024

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a multifactorial autoimmune disease in which hypovitaminosis D by calcidiol quantification has been associated with disease severity. However, other vitamin D molecules could be implicated in RA pathophysiology and its comorbidities such as cardiovascular disease (CVD), which impacts the severity and mortality of RA patients. This study aimed to assess the relationship between calcidiol, calcitriol, its hydroxylation efficiency ratio, and the soluble vitamin D receptor (sVDR) and clinical and CVD risk variables to propose potential vitamin D molecule biomarkers for RA. A cross-sectional study of females was conducted on 154 RA patients and 201 healthy subjects (HS). Calcidiol, calcitriol, and the sVDR were measured in blood serum, and vitamin D hydroxylation efficiency was estimated using the calcitriol/calcidiol ratio score. CVD risk was calculated by the high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) cutoff values. Disease activity was evaluated with the Disease Activity Score for 28 standard joints (DAS28-CRP). Results: The hydroxylation efficiency ratio and calcitriol serum levels were higher in RA patients with hypovitaminosis D (p < 0.001). Moreover, RA patients had a higher probability of a high hydroxylation efficiency ratio (OR = 2.02; p = 0.02), calcitriol serum levels (OR = 2.95; p < 0.001), and sVDR serum levels (OR = 5.57; p < 0.001) than HS. This same pattern was also observed in RA patients with high CVD risk using CRP serum levels; they showed a higher hydroxylation efficiency ratio (OR = 4.51; p = 0.04) and higher calcitriol levels (OR = 5.6; p < 0.01). Calcitriol correlates positively with the sVDR (r = 0.21, p = 0.03), CRP (r = 0.28, p < 0.001), and cardiometabolic indexes (p < 0.001) also showed discrimination capacity for CVD risk in RA patients with CRP ≥ 3 mg/L (AUC = 0.72, p < 0.01). In conclusion, hypovitaminosis D in RA patients was characterized by a pattern of a higher hydroxylation efficiency ratio and higher calcitriol and sVDR serum levels. Notably, higher calcitriol serum levels and a higher vitamin D hydroxylation efficiency ratio were associated with higher CVD risk in RA patients.
Study of the Influence of Boundary Conditions on Corneal Deformation Based on the Finite Element Method of a Corneal Biomechanics Model
Authors: Gómez Carmelo , Piñero David P. , Paredes Manuel , Alió Jorge L. , Cavas Francisco
Published: January 2024

Implementing in silico corneal biomechanical models for surgery applications can be boosted by developing patient-specific finite element models adapted to clinical requirements and optimized to reduce computational times. This research proposes a novel corneal multizone-based finite element model with octants and circumferential zones of clinical interest for material definition. The proposed model was applied to four patient-specific physiological geometries of keratoconus-affected corneas. Free-stress geometries were calculated by two iterative methods, the displacements and prestress methods, and the influence of two boundary conditions: embedded and pivoting. The results showed that the displacements, stress and strain fields differed for the stress-free geometry but were similar and strongly depended on the boundary conditions for the estimated physiological geometry when considering both iterative methods. The comparison between the embedded and pivoting boundary conditions showed bigger differences in the posterior limbus zone, which remained closer in the central zone. The computational calculation times for the stress-free geometries were evaluated. The results revealed that the computational time was prolonged with disease severity, and the displacements method was faster in all the analyzed cases. Computational times can be reduced with multicore parallel calculation, which offers the possibility of applying patient-specific finite element models in clinical applications.
How Collective Efficacy Mediates the Association between Principal Instructional Leadership and Teacher Self-Efficacy: Findings from a Meta-Analytic Structural Equation Modeling (MASEM) Study
Authors: Karakose Turgut , Kardas Abdurrahman , Kanadlı Sedat , Tülübaş Tijen , Yildirim Bilal
Published: January 2024

Principal instructional leadership (PIL) is significant for school effectiveness due to its direct and indirect influences on school-, teacher-, and student-level variables. A considerable number of studies have provided persuasive evidence that PIL is associated with both collective efficacy (CEF) and teacher self-efficacy (TSEF), two significant variables to sustain the quality of instruction. These studies were conducted with a variety of participants from various contexts. The current study aims to investigate the association between PIL and TSEF, and the mediating role of CEF in this association using meta-analytical structural equation modeling (MASEM). This analysis was conducted using the correlation values obtained from 26 studies focusing on their relationship and included data from a population of 19.584 participants from around the world, thus providing a more generalizable perspective on these variables. The results indicated that PIL was correlated with both CEF and TSEF, and the combined influence of PIL and CEF on TSEF was 31%. The study findings also showed that the scales used to measure PIL could produce different results regarding these relationships, while gender did not have a significant effect. These results suggest significant implications for researchers, policymakers, and practitioners to sustain school effectiveness in the fast-changing context of schools in the twenty-first century.
Effectiveness of Different Neurocognitive Intervention Approaches on Functionality in Healthy Older Adults: A Systematic Review
Authors: Sáez-Gutiérrez Susana , Fernandez-Rodriguez Eduardo J. , Sanchez-Gomez Celia , Garcia-Martin Alberto , Polo-Ferrero Luis , Barbero-Iglesias Fausto J.
Published: January 2024

Subtle loss of functionality in healthy older adults is considered one of the most important predictors of cognitive decline. Neurocognitive interventions are increasingly being used, from a preventive maintenance approach to functional capacity. This study evaluates the effectiveness of different neurocognitive approaches on the functionality of healthy older adults. In this systematic review (CRD42023473944), an extensive search was conducted for articles published in the last 10 years (2013–2023) in the following databases: Medline, Scopus, and Web of Science. A total of 809 trials were identified, of which 18 were considered to be eligible for inclusion in the review. The data revealed heterogeneity in sample size, measures of functional assessment, neurocognitive interventions used, number of sessions, session duration, and time. Traditional cognitive stimulation is shown to have no significant functional benefit, while other less commonly used neurocognitive interventions, such as those based on everyday cognition, are associated with more significant benefits. Moreover, it is demonstrated that although the Instrumental Activities of Daily Living scale (IADL) is the most used test in similar studies, it is not sensitive enough to detect changes in functionality in healthy elderly individuals, with other tests such as the Timed Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (TIADL) being more advantageous. Therefore, a new guideline is proposed for its use in clinical practice and research, using homogeneous study protocols and neurocognitive interventions that allow for the transfer and generalization of results in daily life.
Mist Spraying as an Outdoor Cooling Spot in Hot-Humid Areas: Effect of Ambient Environment and Impact on Short-Term Thermal Perception
Authors: Wang Pin , Lu Sumei , Wu Xiaowei , Tian Jun , Li Ning
Published: January 2024

Mist spraying is an active cooling technology used to alleviate heat stress during hot summers. However, there is limited experimental research on the relationship between ambient thermal parameters and spray cooling efficiency, as well as the transient and short-term thermal perceptions of local residents. In this study, an intermittent mist spraying system was set up, and environmental measurements, coupled with questionnaire surveys, were conducted under typical high temperature and still air conditions. The aim was to investigate the relationship among environmental factors, spray cooling effects, and dynamic improvements in human thermal perception. The results showed that higher ambient temperatures resulted in a more significant cooling effect, with a maximum value of 5.68 °C. Upon entering the spraying area, people experienced a large perceptual change, with the mean thermal sensation and thermal comfort change covering 73% and 62% of the total change ranges, respectively. This study indicated that the mist spray system can be activated if the ambient temperature exceeds 32.5 °C, helping local residents maintain a physiological state close to slightly hot and neutral comfort. These findings suggest that mist spraying can be applied in environmental design as an outdoor cooling spot to mitigate urban overheating, providing valuable insights for the application of mist spray systems in actual outdoor settings in hot-humid areas.
Criticality-Based Management of Facility Assets
Authors: Salman Alaa
Published: January 2024

Effective facility asset management requires specific skills and tools to optimize the use of limited resources, making a decision support system essential. This research introduces a comprehensive decision support system, which is a framework organized into three models: the criticality model, the rehabilitation model, and the optimum criticality model to manage the rehabilitation of facility assets. The criticality model utilizes the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) to assess the group of assets. Emphasizing criticality as a central management factor, this model lays the foundation for subsequent decision-making. The rehabilitation model employs an Artificial Neural Network (ANN), integrating Customer Level of Service (CLoS), Technical Level of Service (TLoS), and asset criticality to determine appropriate rehabilitation actions. NeuralTools 7.5 is leveraged for precise predictions of rehabilitation strategies tailored to specific assets. The third model, optimum criticality, focuses on prioritizing rehabilitation activities within the constraints of limited budgets. Lingo 20.0 is utilized to optimize rehabilitation activities, considering budget limitations and other constraints, offering a strategic approach to maximize the impact of available resources. This integrated framework provides decision-makers with a systematic and data-driven approach to facility management, enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of rehabilitation actions. An academic building was chosen as a hypothetical example to implement the three models and suggest the essential considerations for managing both the academic building itself and other infrastructure assets. The results obtained demonstrate that the principles and methodologies encapsulated in this project can be extrapolated and scaled up for application to large-scale infrastructure assets, ensuring the sustenance of the requisite level of service and the management of acceptable risk on a broader scale.
Aberrant MET Receptor Tyrosine Kinase Signaling in Glioblastoma: Targeted Therapy and Future Directions
Authors: Al-Ghabkari Abdulhameed , Huang Bruce , Park Morag
Published: January 2024

Brain tumors represent a heterogeneous group of neoplasms characterized by a high degree of aggressiveness and a poor prognosis. Despite recent therapeutic advances, the treatment of brain tumors, including glioblastoma (GBM), an aggressive primary brain tumor associated with poor prognosis and resistance to therapy, remains a significant challenge. Receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) are critical during development and in adulthood. Dysregulation of RTKs through activating mutations and gene amplification contributes to many human cancers and provides attractive therapeutic targets for treatment. Under physiological conditions, the Met RTK, the hepatocyte growth factor/scatter factor (HGF/SF) receptor, promotes fundamental signaling cascades that modulate epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) involved in tissue repair and embryogenesis. In cancer, increased Met activity promotes tumor growth and metastasis by providing signals for proliferation, survival, and migration/invasion. Recent clinical genomic studies have unveiled multiple mechanisms by which MET is genetically altered in GBM, including focal amplification, chromosomal rearrangements generating gene fusions, and a splicing variant mutation (exon 14 skipping, METex14del). Notably, MET overexpression contributes to chemotherapy resistance in GBM by promoting the survival of cancer stem-like cells. This is linked to distinctive Met-induced pathways, such as the upregulation of DNA repair mechanisms, which can protect tumor cells from the cytotoxic effects of chemotherapy. The development of MET-targeted therapies represents a major step forward in the treatment of brain tumours. Preclinical studies have shown that MET-targeted therapies (monoclonal antibodies or small molecule inhibitors) can suppress growth and invasion, enhancing the efficacy of conventional therapies. Early-phase clinical trials have demonstrated promising results with MET-targeted therapies in improving overall survival for patients with recurrent GBM. However, challenges remain, including the need for patient stratification, the optimization of treatment regimens, and the identification of mechanisms of resistance. This review aims to highlight the current understanding of mechanisms underlying MET dysregulation in GBM. In addition, it will focus on the ongoing preclinical and clinical assessment of therapies targeting MET dysregulation in GBM.
Impacts of Climate Change in Baja California Winegrape Yield
Authors: Hernandez Garcia Marilina , Garza-Lagler María Cristina , Cavazos Tereza , Espejel Ileana
Published: January 2024

We analyzed climate change scenarios and their possible impacts on winegrape yield in Baja California, the leading wine producer in Mexico. Linear regression models were used to predict the current yield based on climate and economic variables. Using future projections of the climate variables from two regional climate models (RegCM and RCA4), we evaluated the possible changes in yield for the Near Future (NF: 2021−2040) and Intermediate Future (IF: 2041−2060) periods under low (RCP2.6) and high (RCP8.5) greenhouse gas emissions scenarios. One regression model includes maximum and minimum temperatures (Tx and Tn) of the winegrape growing season and accumulated winter precipitation (Pre), and the other model also includes the real minimum wage and winegrape price to evaluate the operating cost paid by producers. The results show that the linear regression model with the climatic and economic variables explains 28% of the winegrape yield, and Tx and Tn had the greatest influence. The climate change scenarios show that during the winegrape growing season, these variables could increase more than 1 °C in the NF and more than 2 °C in the IF under the RCP8.5 scenario. These latter temperature changes could reduce the yield between 18% and 35% relative to the reference observed climate dataset (Livneh). However, winegrape yield is sensitive to economic factors, as the yield reduction increases at least 3% in all cases. Thus, adaptation strategies need to be implemented in the viticulture sector to reduce future impacts.
Nailfold Capillaroscopy Analysis Can Add a New Perspective to Biomarker Research in Antineutrophil Cytoplasmic Antibody-Associated Vasculitis
Authors: Screm Gianluca , Mondini Lucrezia , Confalonieri Paola , Salton Francesco , Trotta Liliana , Barbieri Mariangela , Mari Marco , Reccardini Nicolò , Della Porta Rossana , Kodric Metka , Bandini Giulia , Hughes Michael , Bellan Mattia , Lerda Selene , Confalonieri Marco , Ruaro Barbara
Published: January 2024

Background: Antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis (AAV) includes granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA), microscopic polyangiitis (MPA), and eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (EGPA), all of which are characterised by inflammation of small–medium-sized vessels. Progressive understanding of these diseases has allowed researchers and clinicians to start discussing nailfold video capillaroscopy (NVC) as a future tool for many applications in daily practice. Today, NVC plays a well-established and validated role in differentiating primary from secondary Raynaud’s phenomenon correlated with scleroderma. Nevertheless, there has not been sufficient attention paid to its real potential in the ANCA-associated vasculitis. In fact, the role of NVC in vasculitis has never been defined and studied in a multicentre and multinational study. In this review, we carried out a literature analysis to identify and synthesise the possible role of capillaroscopy for patients with ANCA-associated vasculitis. Methods: Critical research was performed in the electronic archive (PUBMED, UpToDate, Google Scholar, ResearchGate), supplemented with manual research. We searched in these databases for articles published until November 2023. The following search words were searched in the databases in all possible combinations: capillaroscopy, video capillaroscopy, nailfold-video capillaroscopy, ANCA-associated vasculitis, vasculitis, granulomatosis with polyangiitis, EGPA, and microscopic polyangiitis. Results: The search identified 102 unique search results. After the evaluation, eight articles were selected for further study. The literature reported that capillaroscopy investigations documented non-specific abnormalities in 70–80% of AAV patients. Several patients showed neoangiogenesis, capillary loss, microhaemorrhages, and bushy and enlarged capillaries as the most frequent findings. Furthermore, the difference between active phase and non-active phase in AAV patients was clearly discernible. The non-active phase showed similar rates of capillaroscopy alterations compared to the healthy subjects, but the active phase had higher rates in almost all common abnormalities instead. Conclusions: Microvascular nailfold changes, observed in patients affected by vasculitis, may correlate with the outcome of these patients. However, these non-specific abnormalities may help in the diagnosis of vasculitis. As such, new analysis analyses are necessary to confirm our results.
Periodontal and Peri-Implant Diagnosis: Current Evidence and Future Directions
Authors: D’Ambrosio Francesco
Published: January 2024

Dentistry and periodontology in particular are constantly evolving in terms of both diagnostic and therapeutic tools [...]
A Comparison between Chicago Classification Versions 3.0 and 4.0 and Their Impact on Manometric Diagnoses in Esophageal High-Resolution Manometry Cases
Authors: Low En Xian Sarah , Wang Yen-Po , Ye Yong-Cheng , Liu Pei-Yi , Sung Kuan-Yi , Lin Hung-En , Lu Ching-Liang
Published: January 2024

High-resolution manometry (HRM) facilitates the detailed evaluation of esophageal motility. In December 2020, Chicago classification (CC) version 4.0 introduced modifications to improve consistency and accuracy. We conducted this study to compare the differences in the interpretations of HRM examinations between CC 3.0 and 4.0. Consecutive HRM records at a Taiwan tertiary medical center, including wet swallows and MRS performed in both supine and sitting positions from October 2019 to May 2021, were retrospectively reviewed and analyzed using both CC versions 3.0 and 4.0. A total of 105 patients were enrolled, and 102 patients completed the exam, while three could not tolerate HRM sitting up. Refractory gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) symptoms (n = 65, 63.7%) and dysphagia (n = 37, 36.3%) were the main indications. A total of 18 patients (17.6%) were reclassified to new diagnoses using CC 4.0. Of the 11 patients initially diagnosed with absent contractility, 3 (27.3%) were reclassified as having Type 1 achalasia. Of the 18 patients initially diagnosed with IEM, 6 (33.3%) were reclassified as normal. The incidence of diagnosis changes was similar in both the dysphagia and refractory GERD symptoms groups (21.6% versus 15.3%, p = 0.43). The use of CC 4.0 led to changes in the diagnoses of esophageal motility disease, irrespective of examination indications. Early adoption improves the accuracy of diagnoses and affects patient management.
Review of Aerial Transportation of Suspended-Cable Payloads with Quadrotors
Authors: Estevez Julian , Garate Gorka , Lopez-Guede Jose Manuel , Larrea Mikel
Published: January 2024

Payload transportation and manipulation by rotorcraft drones are receiving a lot of attention from the military, industrial and logistics research areas. The interactions between the UAV and the payload, plus the means of object attachment or manipulation (such as cables or anthropomorphic robotic arms), may be nonlinear, introducing difficulties in the overall system performance. In this paper, we focus on the current state of the art of aerial transportation systems with suspended loads by a single UAV and a team of them and present a review of different dynamic cable models and control systems. We cover the last sixteen years of the existing literature, and we add a discussion for evaluating the main trends in the referenced research works.
Development and Field Testing of a Wireless Data Relay System for Amphibious Drones
Authors: Suetsugu Atsushi , Madokoro Hirokazu , Nagayoshi Takeshi , Kikuchi Takero , Watanabe Shunsuke , Inoue Makoto , Yoshida Makoto , Osawa Hitoshi , Kurisawa Nobumitsu , Kiguchi Osamu
Published: January 2024

Amphibious (air and water) drones, capable of both aerial and aquatic operations, have the potential to provide valuable drone applications in aquatic environments. However, the limited range of wireless data transmission caused by the low antenna height on water and reflection from the water surface (e.g., 45 m for vertical half-wave dipole antennas with the XBee S2CTM, estimated using the two-ray ground reflection model) persists as a formidable challenge for amphibious systems. To overcome this difficulty, we developed a wireless data relay system for amphibious drones using the mesh-type networking functions of the XBeeTM. We then conducted field tests of the developed system in a large marsh pond to provide experimental evidence of the efficiency of the multiple-drone network in amphibious settings. In these tests, hovering relaying over water was attempted for extension and bypassing obstacles using the XBee S2CTM (6.3 mW, 2.4 GHz). During testing, the hovering drone (<10 m height from the drone controller) successfully relayed water quality data from the transmitter to the receiver located approximately 757 m away, but shoreline vegetation decreased the reachable distance. A bypassing relay test for vegetation indicated the need to confirm a connected path formed by pair(s) of mutually observable drones.