bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Perioperative Outcomes in Patients with and Without Chronic Preoperative Therapeutic Anticoagulation Undergoing Metabolic Surgery at an Academic Medical Center
Authors: Fares Sami , Barajas-Gamboa Juan S. , Zhan Kevin , Dang Jerry T. , Mocanu Valentin , Wills Mélissa V. , Diaz Del Gobbo Gabriel , Abril Carlos , Pantoja Juan Pablo , Guerron Alfredo Daniel , Raza Javed , Corcelles Ricard , Rodriguez John , Kroh Matthew
Published: January 2025

Background/Objectives: Patients on chronic anticoagulation undergoing metabolic surgery represent an increased risk of complications, including both bleeding and thrombotic events, such as deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE). The optimal perioperative management of patients who are receiving chronic anticoagulation therapy (CAT) is complex. In the colorectal surgery literature, patients on CAT have a 10% rate of peri-procedural bleeding and a 3% rate of thromboembolism. The aim of this study was to evaluate and compare the safety and postoperative outcomes between patients with and without CAT undergoing Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) or sleeve gastrectomy (SG) at a tertiary referral center in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Methods: All patients who underwent primary bariatric surgery between September 2015 and July 2019 were retrospectively reviewed. The first group included patients with CAT, and the second group included patients without CAT. Demographics, perioperative outcomes, and postoperative results were examined. Results: Our study included 542 patients, 22 (4%) with CAT and 520 (96%) without CAT. Mean age was 46.3 ± 10.5 years in the CAT group and 36.0 ± 11.7 years in the non-CAT group (p < 0.001); median BMI was 41.8 (range 33.1–61.3) and 42.7 (range 30.1–78.4) kg/m2, respectively (p = 0.52). The CAT group had significantly higher rates of hypertension (77.2% vs. 32.5%, p < 0.001), obstructive sleep apnea (81.8% vs. 31.5%, p < 0.001), and coronary artery disease (31.8% vs. 2.8%, p < 0.001). In the CAT group, 8/22 (36.4%) patients underwent Roux-en-Y gastric bypass and 14/22 (63.6%) sleeve gastrectomy, compared to 228/520 (43.8%) and 292/520 (56.2%), respectively, in the non-CAT group (p = 0.51). There were no statistically significant differences in postoperative emergency department (ED) visits (18.1% vs. 24.2%, p = 0.51), early major complications (4.5% vs. 3.4%, p = 0.54), readmission rates within 30 days (4.5% vs. 3.6%, p = 0.56), or late complications (4.5% vs. 4.2%, p = 0.60). Mean length of stay was significantly longer in the CAT group (4.6 vs. 2.6 days, p < 0.001). The mean follow-up was 10 ± 7.3 months for the CAT cohort and 11 ± 9.7 months for the non-CAT cohort (p = 0.22). Weight loss outcomes at 12 months were comparable, with a percent total body weight loss (TBWL) of 27.0 ± 7.3% in the CAT group and 28.9 ± 8.3% in the non-CAT group (p = 0.29). There were no deaths in either group. Conclusions: In this series, at a tertiary referral center in the UAE, metabolic surgery is safe for CAT patients. Multidisciplinary preoperative preparation might be warranted to avert potential complications.
Electrospun Aligned Gelatin/Chitosan Nanofibrous Membranes for a Better Culture of Mesothelial Cells
Authors: Kao Hao-Hsi , Govindaraju Darshan Tagadur , Dash Banendu Sunder , Chen Jyh-Ping
Published: January 2025

The delivery of mesothelial cells by nanofibrous membranes (NFMs) can repair a damaged peritoneal mesothelium and enhance peritoneal healing in patients with chronic renal failure. On the other hand, the orientation of the nanofibers in NFMs may affect cell attachment, proliferation, and the phenotype of mesothelial cells in the nanostructured scaffold. We prepare composite gelatin/chitosan NFMs with aligned or random fiber orientations by electrospinning. We cross-link the nanofibers to maintain the fiber orientation during in vitro cell culture. We then study the cellular response of attached mesothelial cells to fiber orientation in the scaffold. From in vitro cell culture with rat mesothelial cells, the prepared NFMs show high biocompatibility to support cellular growth, regardless of fiber orientation. However, the alignment of electrospun nanofibers in a well-defined geometry can promote cell adhesion and proliferation rates with directional cell organization. The anisotropic arrangement of mesothelial cells in the aligned NFM also coincides with the phenotypic maintenance of the attached mesothelial cells, with biophysical cues provided by the aligned nanofibers. The aligned NFMs may find applications in tissue engineering of a damaged mesothelium layer or in other regenerative therapies where cellular alignment is critical for neo-tissue regeneration.
The Effect of Temperature over the Growth and Biofilm Formation of the Thermotolerant Aspergillus flavus
Authors: Hernández-Benítez José Alejandro , Santos-Ocampo Brenda Nallely , Rosas-Ramírez Daniel Genaro , Bautista-Hernández Luis Antonio , Bautista-de Lucio Víctor Manuel , Pérez Néstor Octavio , Rodríguez-Tovar Aída Verónica
Published: January 2025

Aspergillus flavus is a medically relevant fungus, particularly in tropical regions. Although its aflatoxin production and thermotolerance are well documented, its biofilm-forming ability has received less attention, despite being a key factor in the virulence of A. flavus as an opportunistic pathogen, which can significantly impact therapeutic outcomes. To investigate the influence of temperature on the growth and biofilm formation of an A. flavus isolate, we compared it on solid media with the reference strain A. flavus ATCC 22546 and documented morphological changes during conidial germination. We examined biofilm formation in both strains across different temperatures and evaluated the susceptibility of this A. flavus isolate to antifungal agents in both planktonic and biofilm form. Our results showed that the temperature can promote conidiation on solid media. Radial growth was highest at 28 °C, while the conidial count and density were favored at higher temperatures. Moreover, we determined that 37 °C was the optimal temperature for conidial germination and biofilm formation. We described four distinct phases in A. flavus biofilm development—initiation (0–12 h), consolidation (12–24 h), maturation (24–48 h), and dispersion (48–72 h)—with the notable presence of conidial heads at 42 °C. Carbohydrates and proteins constitute the primary components of the extracellular matrix. We observed an abundance of lipid droplets within the hyphae of the MMe18 strain biofilm. The mature biofilms demonstrated reduced susceptibility to amphotericin B and itraconazole, requiring higher inhibitory concentrations for both antifungals compared with their planktonic counterparts.
A Mediation Appraisal of Neuropathic-like Symptoms, Pain Catastrophizing, and Central Sensitization-Related Signs in Adults with Knee Osteoarthritis—A Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Salaffi Fausto , Carotti Marina , Farah Sonia , Ciccullo Carlo , Gigante Antonio Pompilio , Bandinelli Francesca , Di Carlo Marco
Published: January 2025

Objective. To investigate the relationships among neuropathic pain (NP), pain catastrophizing (PC), and central sensitization (CS) in relation to functional status and radiological damage in patients with knee osteoarthritis (OA). Methods. This cross-sectional study included knee OA patients derived from an observational cohort. The Spearman correlation test was used to analyze the relationship between the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) and the PainDetect Questionnaire (PDQ), Central Sensitization Inventory (CSI), and Pain Catastrophizing Scale (PCS). The Kruskal–Wallis test was employed to compare WOMAC scores according to CSI categories. A multivariate analysis was conducted to identify predictors of functional ability, with the WOMAC score as the dependent variable and the independent variables including pain-related indices such as PCS, PDQ, and CSI, along with Kellgren–Lawrence (K-L) grading and demographic characteristics. Results. This study included 149 patients (76.5% female; mean age 71.5 years; mean duration of pain 8.1 years). In total, 23.5% exhibited NP, 30.9% showed PC, and 33.6% had CS. Higher mean values of WOMAC were correlated with CSI categories (p < 0.0001). WOMAC showed a significant relationship with CSI (rho = 0.791; p < 0.0001), PDQ (rho = 0.766; p < 0.0001), and PCS (rho = 0.536; p < 0.0001). In the multiple regression analysis, WOMAC was independently associated with CSI (p < 0.0001), PDQ (p < 0.0001), and PC (p = 0.0001). No association was observed between the K-L grading and the other variables. Conclusions. A reduced functional capacity in patients with knee OA is correlated with the presence of NP, PC and CS, without being significantly associated with radiological damage.
Digital Economy, Factor Allocation, and Resilience of Food Production
Authors: Xie Yue , Yao Ruikuan , Wu Haitao , Li Mengding
Published: January 2025

This paper systematically explores the impact of the digital economy on the resilience of food production and its mechanism of action based on panel data from 30 provincial-level administrative regions in China from 2011 to 2022. This study shows that the digital economy significantly enhances the ability of the food production system to cope with external shocks by improving resource allocation efficiency and mitigating factor mismatch. Specifically, the digital economy directly improves the stability and resilience of food production through the widespread application of digital technology; at the same time, it indirectly contributes to the enhancement of food production resilience by alleviating the mismatch of labor and capital factors. Heterogeneity analyses show that there are regional differences in the impact of the digital economy, in which the main food-producing regions benefit more significantly due to their agricultural resource advantages and policy support, and the improvement of food production resilience in the central region is particularly prominent. This study provides an important theoretical basis and practical reference for exploring the potential of the application of digital economy in agriculture and formulating policies to enhance food production resilience.
Antibiotic Resistance, Polycentricity, and the Regulation of Antibiotic Prescribing in the Primary Care Setting
Authors: Carter David J.
Published: January 2025

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is an urgent global challenge requiring an effective regulatory response, particularly regarding the governance of antibiotic prescribing. Dominant understandings of prescribing, however, are marked by a vision of the regulatory field with a strong ‘centre’—namely, the prescriber—whose actions are given a central role in directing the flow of events around AMR through a form of command-and-control rule. This insistence on a strong ‘centre’ and upon juridical forms of governance is de-centred in many contemporary conceptions of regulation. Drawing on data from interviews with patients who are enmeshed within AMR-related regulatory systems in the Australian primary care setting, this article argues that this regulatory field is polycentric in nature with signs that multiple regulatory actors influence prescribing and thus AMR-related outcomes. This polycentricity radically alters the capacity of individual actors to influence the flow of events around prescribing and indicates different regulatory approaches are required to realise objectives regarding AMR.
Production of Al Alloys with Kelvin Cells Using the Lost-PLA Technique and Their Mechanical Characterization via Compression Tests
Authors: Ceci Alessandra , Cerini Corrado , Costanza Girolamo , Tata Maria Elisa
Published: January 2025

The mechanical behavior of AA6082 Kelvin cell foams under compressive tests has been investigated in this work. The lost-PLA replication technique, a simple and cheap technique, has been adopted as the production method. Six Al alloy samples have been made and successively subjected to compressive tests in order to examine the mechanical response and the repeatability too. The manufactured foams show good morphology and surface finishing, replicating the PLA 3D-printed foams with adequate accuracy. The experimental density of the foam has been found in good agreement with the theoretical one. When subjected to static compression, the Kelvin cell foams exhibit a load–strain diagram characterized by the initial linear stage followed by two plateaus at successively increasing load levels. Final densification occurs when there is no more space available for further plastic deformation and the load sharply increases. The specific absorbed energy has been calculated from load–strain curves: the average measured value was found to be 2.3 J/cm3, and standard deviation in the six compression tests was 0.3 J/cm3.
Research on Three-Dimensional Extension of Barzilai-Borwein-like Method
Authors: Wang Tianji , Huang Qingdao
Published: January 2025

The Barzilai-Borwein (BB) method usually uses BB stepsize for iteration so as to eliminate the line search step in the steepest descent method. In this paper, we modify the BB stepsize and extend it to solve the optimization problems of three-dimensional quadratic functions. The discussion is divided into two cases. Firstly, we study the case where the coefficient matrix of the quadratic term of quadratic function is a special third-order diagonal matrix and prove that using the new modified stepsize, this case is R-superlinearly convergent. In addition to that, we extend it to n-dimensional case and prove the rate of convergence is R-linear. Secondly, we analyze that the coefficient matrix of the quadratic term of quadratic function is a third-order asymmetric matrix, that is, when the matrix has a double characteristic root and prove the global convergence of this case. The results of numerical experiments show that the modified method is effective for the above two cases.
Bifurcations and Exact Solutions of the Coupled Nonlinear Generalized Zakharov Equations with Anti-Cubic Nonlinearity: Dynamical System Approach
Authors: Song Jie , Li Feng , Zhang Mingji
Published: January 2025

We consider the exact traveling wave solutions for the coupled nonlinear generalized Zakharov equations. By employing the method of dynamical systems, we are able to obtain bifurcations of the phase portraits of the corresponding planar dynamical system under various parameter conditions. Based on different level curves, we derive all possible exact explicit parametric representations of bounded solutions, which include pseudo-periodic peakon, pseudo-peakon, smooth periodic wave solutions, solitary solutions, kink wave solution and the compacton solution family.
Global Well-Posedness and Determining Nodes of Non-Autonomous Navier–Stokes Equations with Infinite Delay on Bounded Domains
Authors: Ge Huanzhi , Du Feng
Published: January 2025

The asymptotic behavior of solutions to nonlinear partial differential equations is an important tool for studying their long-term behavior. However, when studying the asymptotic behavior of solutions to nonlinear partial differential equations with delay, the delay factor u(t+θ) in the delay term may lead to oscillations, hysteresis effects, and other phenomena in the solution, which increases the difficulty of studying the well-posedness and asymptotic behavior of the solution. This study investigates the global well-posedness and asymptotic behavior of solutions to the non-autonomous Navier–Stokes equations incorporating infinite delays. To establish global well-posedness, we first construct several suitable function spaces and then prove them using the Galekin approximation method. Then, by accurately estimating the number of determining nodes, we reveal the asymptotic behavior of the solution. The results indicate that the long-term behavior of a strong solution can be determined by its values at a finite number of nodes.
Microstructure and Tensile Property Tailoring of Al–5Mg (wt%) Alloy Combined with Continuous Rheo-Extrusion and Sc Modification
Authors: Yang Bowei , Liu Wenyue , Liu Xin , Yang Dalong , Gao Minqiang
Published: January 2025

In this work, Al–Mg alloys fabricated by combining continuous rheo-extrusion (CRE) and Sc modification were proposed for producing Al–Mg alloys with high efficiency and superior mechanical performance. The microstructural evolution and mechanical property response of the CREed Al–5Mg alloy with Sc modification were investigated. The grain refinement and strengthening mechanisms induced by nanoscale Al3Sc-phase particles in the alloy were discussed. The results showed that an obvious grain refinement effect was achieved in the CREed Al–5Mg alloy as the Sc content increased from 0 to 0.5 wt%, and the average grain size decreased from 52.6 μm to 2.4 μm, respectively. The primary Al3Sc-phase particles formed during solidification behaved as heterogeneous nucleation sites for the α-Al matrix, while the nanoscale Al3Sc-phase particles achieved during CRE enhanced the driving force of continuous dynamic recrystallization and the Zener drag force. As a result, a superior grain refinement effect was observed. The ultimate tensile strength, yield strength, and hardness of the alloy were enhanced as the Sc content increased from 0 to 0.5 wt%. Grain boundary strengthening, second-phase strengthening, and dislocation strengthening were the main strengthening mechanisms of the CREed Al–Mg–Sc alloys.
Chemical Equilibrium and Energy Consumption Analysis on Biomass and Iron Oxides Direct Reduction Ironmaking Process
Authors: Sun Guanyong , Guo Chihao , Ma Hui , Xu Wenlong , Wang Le
Published: January 2025

Biomass ironmaking is crucial for carbon reduction in the ironmaking industry. To understand this process better, the iron production capacity and energy requirements of biomass were studied. A thermodynamic equilibrium model and energy consumption model for the biomass and iron oxide reduction system at 100–1300 °C was established by the minimum free Gibbs energy method. The effects of factors such as biomass type, temperature, and initial amount of iron oxide on the system were analyzed. The research results indicated that the maximum ironmaking capacity of biomass was determined by the element content of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen in biomass and temperature. The equilibrium H2/(H2 + H2O) and CO/(CO + CO2) at the maximum iron yield were affected not by the biomass species and element content, but by temperature. The reduction capacity of the ten selected biomass types decreased with a temperature increase from 700 °C to 1300 °C. For the 1 kg of pine sawdust and iron oxide system, the maximum equilibrium state amount of metallic iron was 23.05 mol at 718 °C, and the minimum system energy consumption per ton Fe was 1.16 GJ at 800 °C and 1.18 GJ at 900 °C. These research results will provide a key basis for a deeper understanding of the intrinsic mechanism of biomass ironmaking.
NIGWO-iCaps NN: A Method for the Fault Diagnosis of Fiber Optic Gyroscopes Based on Capsule Neural Networks
Authors: Lu Nan , Zhang Huaqiang , Dong Chunmei , Li Hongtao , Chen Yu
Published: January 2025

When using a fiber optic gyroscope as the core measurement element in an inertial navigation system, its work stability and reliability directly affect the accuracy of the navigation system. The modeling and fault diagnosis of the gyroscope is of great significance in ensuring the high accuracy and long endurance of the inertial system. Traditional diagnostic models often encounter challenges in terms of reliability and accuracy, for example, difficulties in feature extraction, high computational cost, and long training time. To address these challenges, this paper proposes a new fault diagnostic model that performs a fault diagnosis of gyroscopes using the enhanced capsule neural network (iCaps NN) optimized by the improved gray wolf algorithm (NIGWO). The wavelet packet transform (WPT) is used to construct a two-dimensional feature vector matrix, and the deep feature extraction module (DFE) is added to extract deep-level information to maximize the fault features. Then, an improved gray wolf algorithm combined with the adaptive algorithm (Adam) is proposed to determine the optimal values of the model parameters, which improves the optimization performance. The dynamic routing mechanism is utilized to greatly reduce the model training time. In this paper, effectiveness experiments were carried out on the simulation dataset and real dataset, respectively; the diagnostic accuracy of the fault diagnosis method in this paper reached 99.41% on the simulation dataset; the loss value in the real dataset converged to 0.005 with the increase in the number of iterations; and the average diagnostic accuracy converged to 95.42%. The results show that the diagnostic accuracy of the NIGWO-iCaps NN model proposed in this paper is improved by 13.51% compared with the traditional diagnostic methods. It effectively confirms that the method in this paper is capable of efficient and accurate fault diagnosis of FOG and has strong generalization ability.
A Comprehensive 10-Year Nationwide Pharmacovigilance Surveillance on Antibacterial Agents in Korea: Data Mining for Signal Detection of Trends and Seriousness of Adverse Events
Authors: Mo Seon Hu , Lee Soo Hyeon , Choi Chang-Young , Sunwoo Yongjun , Shin Sooyoung , Choi Yeo Jin
Published: January 2025

A comprehensive pharmacovigilance surveillance on antibacterials is lacking. This study aims to investigate safety signals of antibacterial-related adverse drug events (ADEs) with seriousness and to identify predictors of serious ADEs. This study investigated 52,503 antibacterial-induced ADEs reported to the Korea Adverse Event Reporting System Database from January 2013 to December 2022. Disproportionality analysis was conducted, and the effect sizes were estimated by reporting odds ratios (ROR), proportional reporting ratio (PRR), and information component (IC). Multivariate logistic regression was performed to investigate the predictors of serious ADEs by estimating the odds ratio (OR). Serious events were more likely to be cardiovascular disorders (ROR 6.77, PRR 6.6, IC 2.37), urinary system disorders (ROR 5.56, PRR 5.22, IC 2.12), and platelet, bleeding, and clotting disorders (ROR 5.41, PRR 5.17, IC 2.06). The predictors may include age (OR 1.05), the number of concomitant medications (OR 1.44), concomitant proton pump inhibitors (OR 1.46) and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (OR 1.38) use, and specific antibacterial classes, while multiple antibacterial therapy was associated with lower serious ADE risks. The sensitivity analysis also suggests the male sex (OR 1.18) as a potential predictor of serious ADEs. However, further studies are imperative to determine the causality of antibacterial-induced ADEs in critically ill patients.
Recent Progress in Enzyme Immobilization to Metal–Organic Frameworks to Enhance the CO2 Conversion Efficiency
Authors: Cao Yunhan , Yang Pengyan , Zhao Rui , Wang Fenghuan
Published: January 2025

Climate change and the energy crisis, driven by excessive CO2 emissions, have emerged as pressing global challenges. The conversion of CO2 into high-value chemicals not only mitigates atmospheric CO2 levels but also optimizes carbon resource utilization. Enzyme-catalyzed carbon technology offers a green and efficient approach to CO2 conversion. However, free enzymes are prone to inactivation and denaturation under reaction conditions, which limit their practical applications. Metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) serve as effective carriers for enzyme immobilization, offering porous crystalline structures that enhance enzyme stability. Moreover, their high specific surface area facilitates strong gas adsorption, making enzyme@MOF composites particularly advantageous for CO2 catalytic conversion. In this paper, we review the synthesis technologies and the application of enzyme@MOFs in CO2 catalytic conversion. Furthermore, the strategies, including the enhancement of CO2 utilization, coenzyme regeneration efficiency, and substrate mass transfer efficiency, are also discussed to further improve the efficiency of enzyme@MOFs in CO2 conversion. The aim of this review is to present innovative ideas for future research and to highlight the potential applications of enzyme@MOFs in achieving efficient CO2 conversion.
Chitosan Micro/Nanocapsules in Action: Linking Design, Production, and Therapeutic Application
Authors: Pérez-Pacheco Yaride , Tylkowski Bartosz , García-Valls Ricard
Published: January 2025

pH sensitivity of chitosan allows for precise phase transitions in acidic environments, controlling swelling and shrinking, making chitosan suitable for drug delivery systems. pH transitions are modulated by the presence of cross-linkers by the functionalization of the chitosan chain. This review relays a summary of chitosan functionalization and tailoring to optimize drug release. The potential to customize chitosan for different environments and therapeutic uses introduces opportunities for drug encapsulation and release. The focus on improving drug encapsulation and sustained release in specific tissues is an advanced interpretation, reflecting the evolving role of chitosan in achieving targeted and more efficient therapeutic outcomes. This review describes strategies to improve solubility and stability and ensure the controlled release of encapsulated drugs. The discussion on optimizing factors like cross-linking density, particle size, and pH for controlled drug release introduces a deeper understanding of how to achieve specific therapeutic effects. These strategies represent a refined approach to designing chitosan-based systems, pushing the boundaries of sustained release technologies and offering new avenues for precise drug delivery profiles.
Drug Screening of Flavonoids as Potential VEGF Inhibitors Through Computational Docking and Cell Models
Authors: Lin Shengying , Tang Roy Wai-Lun , Ye Yutong , Xia Chenxi , Wu Jiahui , Duan Ran , Leung Ka-Wing , Dong Tina Ting-Xia , Tsim Karl Wah-Keung
Published: January 2025

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), also known as VEGF-A, has been linked to various diseases, such as wet age-related macular degeneration (wAMD) and cancer. Even though there are VEGF inhibitors that are currently commercially available in clinical applications, severe adverse effects have been associated with these treatments. There is still a need to develop novel VEGF-based therapeutics against these VEGF-related diseases. Here, we established a series of VEGF-based computational docking analyses and cell models, such as a wound healing assay in HaCaT cells and an evaluation of NF-κB performance in macrophages, to screen a large library of flavonoid-type phytochemicals. Three flavonoids, namely, farrerol, ononin and (−)-epicatechin, were shown to express binding affinities to VEGF protein and inhibit VEGF-mediated biological activities. The investigation evidently suggested that the three flavonoids above could be considered potential anti-VEGF agents for the following drug development against VEGF-mediated diseases.
GreenNav: Spatiotemporal Prediction of CO2 Emissions in Paris Road Traffic Using a Hybrid CNN-LSTM Model
Authors: Mekouar Youssef , Saleh Imad , Karim Mohammed
Published: January 2025

In a global context where reducing the carbon footprint has become an urgent necessity, this article presents a hybrid CNN-LSTM prediction model to estimate CO2 emission rates of Paris road traffic using spatio-temporal data. Our hybrid prediction model relies on a real-time road traffic database that we built by fusing several APIs and datasets. In particular, we trained two specialized models: a CNN to extract spatial patterns and an LSTM to capture temporal dynamics. By merging their outputs, we leverage both spatial and temporal dependencies, ensuring more accurate predictions. Thus, this article aims to compare various strategies and configurations, allowing us to identify the optimal architecture and parameters for our CNN-LSTM model. Moreover, to refine the predictive learning evolution of our hybrid model, we used optimization techniques like gradient descent to monitor the learning progress. The results show that our hybrid CNN-LSTM model achieved an R2 value of 0.91 and an RMSE of 0.086, outperforming conventional models regarding CO2 emission rate prediction accuracy. These results validate the efficiency and relevance of using hybrid CNN-LSTM models for the spatio-temporal modelling of CO2 emissions in the context of road traffic.
Magnesium Depletion Score and Mortality in Individuals with Metabolic Dysfunction Associated Steatotic Liver Disease over a Median Follow-Up of 26 Years
Authors: Fan Lei , Zhu Xiangzhu , Zhang Xinyuan , Salvador Shakirat , Zhang Xuehong , Shrubsole Martha J. , Izzy Manhal J. , Dai Qi
Published: January 2025

Metabolic dysfunction associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) has been associated with increased risks of all-cause and cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality. Identification of modifiable risk factors that may contribute to higher risks of mortality could facilitate targeted and intensive intervention strategies in this population. This study aims to examine whether the magnesium depletion score (MDS) is associated with all-cause and CVD mortality among individuals with MASLD or metabolic and alcohol associated liver disease (MetALD). Methods: A total of 3802 participants with MASLD or MetALD were followed up over a median of 26 years in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) III cohort. The MDS was calculated by aggregating four factors influencing the reabsorption capability of the kidneys. The associations between MDS and all-cause, CVD, and cancer mortality were quantified using Cox proportional hazard regression models. Results: In the combined MASLD + MetALD cohort, a higher MDS (>2) was associated with increased all-cause mortality (HR, 2.52; 95%CI, 1.77–3.61; p-trend < 0.0001) and CVD mortality (HR, 3.01; 1.87–4.86; p-trend < 0.0001) compared to MDS = 0; this association became stronger among participants who did not meet the estimated average requirement level of Mg intake (2.72; 1.69–4.37; p-trend = 0.0014) and those with a Fibrosis-4 index (FIB-4) < 1.3 (2.95; 1.69–5.15; p-trend = 0.0006). Conclusions: In individuals with MASLD or MetALD, higher MDS, indicative of worse global Mg status, was associated with an increased risk of all-cause and CVD mortality. Correcting global Mg deficiency in high-risk MASLD/MetALD patients may have long-term health benefits.
Food Is Medicine: Diet Assessment Tools in Adult Inflammatory Bowel Disease Research
Authors: Andersen Vibeke , Liljensøe Anette , Gregersen Laura , Darbani Behrooz , Halldorsson Thorhallur Ingi , Heitmann Berit Lilienthal
Published: January 2025

Background: Diet significantly impacts the onset and progression of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), and diet offers unique opportunities for treatment and preventative purposes. However, despite growing interest, no diet has been conclusively associated with improved long-term clinical and endoscopic outcomes in IBD, and evidence-based dietary guidelines for IBD remain scarce. This narrative review critically examines dietary assessment methods tailored to the unique needs of IBD, highlighting opportunities for precision and inclusivity. Methods: We conducted a comprehensive literature review using search terms related to diet, diet assessment, nutrition, food, sex, gender, equity, and IBD. Results: The identified dietary assessment tools evaluated nutritional quality, dietary patterns, food processing, lifestyle interactions, inflammatory potential, and effects of specific nutrients. Advanced methods, including biomarkers, multi-omics approaches, and digital tools, were highlighted as being complementary to traditional approaches, offering enhanced precision and real-time monitoring. Women remain under-represented in dietary research but face unique nutritional needs due to hormonal cycles, pregnancy, and higher malnutrition risks in IBD. Discussion: Traditional diet assessment methods remain valuable but are often limited by misreporting biases. Advanced approaches may provide greater precision, enabling real-time monitoring and personalised dietary tracking. Incorporating considerations of sex, gender, age, ethnicity, socioeconomic, and sustainability enhances the relevance and applicability of these methods. Addressing these multifaceted aspects of dietary assessment in IBD can facilitate robust interventional trials. Conclusions: Diet assessment tools are essential for developing personalised dietary interventions in IBD, informing evidence-based guidelines, and improving health outcomes and quality of life in IBD.
The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic in the Interrelationships Among Mental Health, Nutritional Status and Lifestyle Factors of Older Adults: A Cross-Sectional Study in the Pre- and Post-Covid Periods
Authors: Dakanalis Antonios , Psara Evmorfia , Pavlidou Eleni , Papadopoulou Sousana K. , Antasouras Georgios , Voulgaridou Gavriela , Kosti Rena I. , Vorvolakos Theophanis , Mentzelou Maria , Ntovoli Apostolia , Chrysafi Maria , Androutsos Odysseas , Jacovides Constantina , Serdari Aspasia , Giaginis Constantinos
Published: January 2025

Background/Objectives: The COVID-19 pandemic has led to detrimental effects on diverse aspects of the mental and physical health of the general population worldwide. The elderly are more susceptible to COVID-19 infection compared to younger age groups. In this aspect, the purpose of the current survey is to evaluate the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on the interrelationships among the sociodemographic and anthropometric characteristics, depressive behavior, quality of life, cognition status, physical activity and nutritional status of older adults. Methods: The present study constitutes a comparative, cross-sectional study of 4162 older adults (mean age ± standard deviation: 72.13 ± 8.1 years and 75.22 ± 8.2 years in the pre- and post-COVID-19 periods, respectively, and a male/female ratio of almost 1:1). We used validated questionnaires to assess depression, cognition function, quality of life, physical activity and nutritional status of the elderly in the pre-Covid and post-Covid periods. Relevant questionnaires were also used for collecting sociodemographic data, while anthropometric data were measured using standard protocols. Results: The present study finds that the COVID-19 pandemic influenced, in an independent manner, residence location, smoking status, overweight/obesity and abdominal obesity, depressive behavior, quality of life, cognition behavior, physical activity levels and nutritional status of the elderly. The COVID-19 pandemic was also related to employment and living status as well as family economic status. Nevertheless, the above three relationships were insignificant in the multivariate analysis. Conclusions: The COVID-19 pandemic exerted deleterious effects on several aspects of the mental and physical health of the elderly, which appeared to strongly persist in the post-Covid period. Future prospective population-based and well-organized surveys should be conducted to establish whether there is a causality long-term effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on diverse aspects of the mental and physical health of the elderly.
Genome-Wide Approach Identifies Natural Large-Fragment Deletion in ASFV Strains Circulating in Italy During 2023
Authors: Torresi Claudia , Biccheri Roberta , Cammà Cesare , Gallardo Carmina , Marcacci Maurilia , Zoppi Simona , Secondini Barbara , Riverso Caterina , Soler Alejandro , Casciari Cristina , Pela Michela , Rossi Elisabetta , Pellegrini Claudia , Iscaro Carmen , Feliziani Francesco , Giammarioli Monica
Published: January 2025

African swine fever (ASF), characterized by high mortality rates in infected animals, remains a significant global veterinary and economic concern, due to the widespread distribution of ASF virus (ASFV) genotype II across five continents. In this study, ASFV strains collected in Italy during 2022–2023 from two geographical clusters, North-West (Alessandria) and Calabria, were fully sequenced. In addition, an in vivo experiment in pigs was performed. Complete genomic sequencing of 30 strains revealed large-fragment deletions and translocations. In Alessandria, five samples showed two different deletions in the 5′ genomic region: a ~4340 bp deletion (positions ~9020–13,356 in Georgia 2007/1) in four samples and a 2162 bp deletion (positions 17,837–19,998) in one sample. Another strain showed a truncation of 1950 bp at the 3′ end. In Calabria, strains showed a 5137 bp deletion (positions 10,755–15,891) and ~2 kb truncations in the 3′ region. Two strains showed a translocation from the region 1–2244 to positions 188,631–190,584. In vivo characterization of the deleted strain 22489.4_2312/RC/2023 revealed identical disease progression to the wild-type strain, with severe ASF symptoms in inoculated pigs. This study is the first to report natural deleted strains of ASFV in Italy, revealing unique genomic deletions distinct from those in previously known strains.
Advancing Therapeutic Targets in IBD: Emerging Goals and Precision Medicine Approaches
Authors: Centanni Lucia , Cicerone Clelia , Fanizzi Fabrizio , D’Amico Ferdinando , Furfaro Federica , Zilli Alessandra , Parigi Tommaso Lorenzo , Peyrin-Biroulet Laurent , Danese Silvio , Allocca Mariangela
Published: January 2025

Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) including Crohn’s disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC) are chronic, relapsing conditions characterized by dysregulated immune responses and persistent intestinal inflammation. This review aims to examine new potential therapeutic targets in IBD starting from the STRIDE-II statements. Key targets now include clinical remission, endoscopic remission, and biomarker normalization (such as C-reactive protein and fecal calprotectin). Moreover, histologic remission, transmural remission, and in the future molecular targets are emerging as important indicators of sustained disease control. The treatment goals for inflammatory bowel disease are varied: to relieve symptoms, prevent permanent intestinal damage, promote inflammation remission, and minimize complications. Consequently, the therapeutic targets have evolved to become broader and more ambitious. Integrating these advanced therapeutic targets has the potential to redefine IBD management by promoting deeper disease control and improved patient outcomes. Further research is essential to validate these strategies and optimize their clinical implementation.
Rhoifolin Suppresses Cell Proliferation and Induces Apoptosis in Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells In Vitro and In Vivo
Authors: Chen Ruolan , Sabeel Zufa , Ying Lu , Liang Youfeng , Guo Rui , Hao Mingxuan , Chen Xiaoyang , Zhang Wenjing , Dong Jian , Liu Yan , Yu Changyuan , Yang Zhao
Published: January 2025

Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most prevalent malignant tumor, ranking fifth in terms of fatality with poor prognosis and a low survival rate. Rhoifolin (ROF), a flavonoid constituent, has previously been shown to suppress the proliferation of breast and pancreatic cancer cells. However, its inhibitory effect on HCC has remained unexplored. Objectives: Exploring the potent inhibitory activities and underlying mechanisms of ROF on HCC cells. Methods: The suppressive effect of ROF on HCC cells were assessed via CCK8 assay, apoptosis assay, cell cycle analysis and xenograft tumor mouse model. Furthermore, quantitative real-time PCR and western blot were applied to analyze the underlying mechanisms of ROF on HCC cells. Results: Firstly, the IC50 values of ROF in HepG2 and HuH7 cells were 373.9 and 288.7 µg/mL at 24 h and 208.9 and 218.0 µg/mL at 48 h, respectively. Moreover, the apoptosis rates of HepG2 and HuH7 cells increased from 6.63% and 6.59% to 17.61% and 21.83% at 24 h and increased from 6.63% and 6.59% to 30.04% and 37.90% at 48 h, respectively. Additionally, ROF induced cell cycle arrest at the S phase in HCC cells. Furthermore, ROF suppressed the tumor growth of HCC cells in vivo without obvious toxicity. Mechanically, ROF facilitated apoptosis by upregulating the expression of PIDD1, CASP8, CASP9, BID, BAX, BIM, and BAK1 in HCC cells. Conclusions: ROF significantly restrains the growth of HCC cells in vitro and in vivo, which could be an effective supplement for HCC therapy.
A Global Bibliometric Analysis of Seaweed Biodiversity, Endemic Taxa, and Conservation (1992–2023)
Authors: Rathod Sachin G. , Choudhari Anand N. , Mantri Vaibhav A.
Published: January 2025

Marine habitats are increasingly facing human-induced stressors, posing significant threats to global marine biodiversity. Understanding the ecological, economic, and social importance of marine ecosystems is paramount. This study conducts a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of seaweed biodiversity from 1992 to 2023, aiming to (i) quantify the literature productivity, (ii) identify the active countries, (iii) determine the prolific authors, (iv) highlight the highly cited publications, and (v) enumerate the influential journals. The average annual number of publications was 37. Australia and the USA ranked highest based on the total number of citations, with 7559 and 5273, respectively. The University of Western Australia led in terms of the total number of citations, with 3688 citations from 40 publications, while the Australian Research Council emerged as the top funder. Journals such as the Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology, Ecology, and Botanica Marina were identified as the top contributors. The keyword ‘biodiversity’ appeared 146 times, with a total link strength of 425. A similar analysis was presented for endemic seaweeds and their conservation. Among the seven major and four emerging drivers, climate change was the most researched driver, accounting for 45.80%, with 120 articles. This study anticipates that in the genomic era, seaweed biodiversity will receive increased attention for its potential in regard to the development of coherent conservation plans and innovative bioprospecting strategies that are beneficial to humankind.
Non-Stationary Flow of a Viscous Incompressible Electrically Conductive Liquid on a Rotating Plate in the Presence of Media Injection (Suction), Considering Induction and Diffusion Effects
Authors: Gurchenkov Anatoly A. , Matveev Ivan A.
Published: January 2025

The branch of physics known as magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) emerged in the middle of the 20th century. MHD models, being substantially nonlinear, are quite challenging for theoretical study and allow nontrivial consideration only in particular limited cases. Thus, due to the exceptional growth of calculation power, research on MHD is now primarily concentrated on numerical modeling. The achievements are considerable; however, there is a possibility of overlooking some phenomena or missing an optimal approach to modeling and calculating that could be identified with theoretical guidance. The paper presents a theoretical study of a particular class of boundary and initial conditions. The flow of a viscous, electrically conductive fluid on a rotating plate in the presence of a magnetic field is considered. The fluid and the bounding plate rotate together with a constant angular velocity around an axis that is not perpendicular to the plane. The flow is induced by sudden longitudinal vibrations of the plate, injection (suction) of the medium through the plate, and an applied magnetic field directed normal to the plate. The full equation of magnetic induction is used, taking into account both the induction effect and energy dissipation due to the flow of electric currents. An analytical solution of three-dimensional magnetohydrodynamics equations in a half-space bounded by a plate is presented. The solution is given in the form of a superposition of plane waves propagating with certain wave numbers along the y-coordinate axis. For certain regions of system parameters, the vibration of the bounding plate does not cause waves in the media.
Distribution of Vegetation and Soil Seed Banks Across Habitat Types in Paddy Fields Under Different Farming Practices
Authors: Bang Jeong Hwan , An Nan-Hee , Lee Young-Mi , Park Jong-Ho , Kong Min-Jae , Hong Sung-Jun
Published: January 2025

Paddy field ecosystems are crucial for crop production, biodiversity conservation, and ecosystem services. Although previous studies have examined paddy field biodiversity, few have addressed how the distribution and species richness of vegetation and soil seed banks are regulated. This study investigated the distribution of wetland plants and soil seed banks in paddy fields across diverse habitat types and identified factors influencing their patterns. Surveys revealed that conventional paddy field habitats contained only a few herbicide-tolerant species (e.g., Portulaca oleracea L., Cardamine flexuosa With., and Rorippa palustris (L.) Besser). In contrast, organic paddy field habitats exhibited higher species richness and abundance. Cluster analysis and nonmetric multidimensional scaling demonstrated that soil seed bank distribution differed markedly in paddy field habitats with different farming practices and was influenced by distinct soil factors. These findings highlight the importance of understanding vegetation and soil seed bank dynamics in paddy field ecosystems to support biodiversity conservation and sustainable agriculture.
Virtual Inertia Parameter Design for Low-Voltage Distribution System Based on Feasible Region
Authors: You Guangzeng , Zhou Shuming , Yu Qiang , Zhao Xueshen
Published: January 2025

The low-voltage distribution system (LVDS) is confronted with high-frequency oscillation instability issues due to the negative impedance of constant power loads. To address this, a virtual inertia equivalent modeling method is proposed in this paper, and a reduced-order model along with its transfer function for the LVDS is established. On this basis, a method for solving the feasible region of virtual inertia parameters is proposed. Through this feasible region, reasonable droop coefficients and corner frequencies can be designed from the perspective of small-signal stability. Finally, the switching model of LVDS and its equivalent model are built using the RT-box HITL platform. Multiple sets of experimental results have verified the effectiveness of this feasible region.
Experimental and Numerical Research on Swirl Flow in Straight Conical Diffuser
Authors: Ilić Dejan , Svorcan Jelena , Čantrak Đorđe , Janković Novica
Published: January 2025

The main objective of the current study is a detailed (both numerical and experimental) investigation of the highly unsteady and complex swirl flow in a straight conical diffuser (with a total divergence angle of 8.6°) generated by an axial fan impeller. Pressure, and axial and tangential velocity profiles along several cross-sections were measured by original classical probes in two different flow regimes at the inlet: the modified solid body type of moderate swirl and the solid body type of strong swirl and reverse flow; they were additionally confirmed/validated by laser Doppler anemometry measurements. Computational studies of spatial, unsteady, viscous, compressible flows were performed in ANSYS Fluent by large eddy simulation. The fan was neglected, and its effect was replaced by the pressure and velocity profiles assigned along the inlet and outlet boundaries. The two sets of data obtained were compared, and several conclusions were drawn. In general, the relative errors of the pressure profiles (2–5%) were lower than the observed discrepancies in the axial velocity profiles (5–40% for the first and 15–50% for the second flow regime, respectively). The employed reduced numerical model can be considered acceptable since it provides insights into the complexity of the investigated swirl flow.