bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Volatile organic compounds in urine reveals distinct diagnostic signatures for gastric cancer
Authors: Sha Tao , Fei Wenyan , Zhao Yun , Bai Lin
Published: July 2024

Introduction:
Gastric cancer (GC) remains a significant contributor to cancer-related mortality, underscoring the critical necessity for specific biomarkers to enable early diagnosis and prognosis. Analyzing volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in vivo offers a promising non-invasive approach for assessing metabolic processes.
Methods
A total of 201 metabolic samples were acquired from 63 GC patients and 65 healthy controls. Employing solid-phase microextraction and gas chromatography-ion mobility spectrometry-based analytical procedures, we conducted qualitative and signal response analysis of VOCs in blood, feces and urine. Volatolomics was comprehensively investigated across multiple human matrices, and a machine learning-based marker importance assessment framework was employed to evaluate diagnostic biomarkers of GC. Furthermore, a single urine test diagnostic method was established to assess the sensitivity and accuracy of VOCs in diagnosing GC.
Results
We underscored the specific VOCs alterations in human matrices, with particular emphasis on serum, feces and urine. We confirmed the dysregulation of GC metabolism during tumor development, as evidenced by VOCs such as short-chain fatty acids and ketones. Our developed urine-based VOCs targeted assay demonstrated superior diagnostic efficacy (AUC = 0.85, accuracy = 0.76, precision = 0.78, sensitivity = 0.75, F1 score = 0.75) compared to conventional serum markers (AUC = 0.68, accuracy = 0.63, precision = 0.70, sensitivity = 0.72, F1 score = 0.69).
Conclusions
Urine VOCs testing enhances GC detection efficacy and represents a novel strategy for cancer diagnosis. The confirmed robustness and precision underscore its potential for clinical translation.
Trial registration
ChiCTR, ChiCTR2300073117. Registered 2 July 2023 Retrospectively registered, https//www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.html?proj=200842
Uncovering the hidden within shipping containers: Molecular biosurveillance confirms a pathway for introducing multiple regulated and invasive species.
Authors: Milián-García Yoamel , Pyne Cassandre , Chen Ashley , Lindsay Kate , Hanner Robert H.
Published: July 2024

The negative ramifications of invasive alien species (IAS) are considered the second-most cause of biodiversity extinction and endangerment after habitat modification. IAS movements are mainly anthropogenically driven (e.g., transport of shipping containers) and require fast detection to minimize damage and cost. The present study is the first to use molecular biosurveillance of international shipping containers to detect IAS and regulated species identification in Canada. Thirty-eight samples were collected from debris (soil, stems, seeds, individual specimens) found in containers arriving in Canada. A multi-marker approach using COI, ITS, ITS2, and 16S was used to identify four main taxonomic groups: arthropods, fungi, plants, and bacteria, respectively. Eleven IAS species were identified via metabarcoding based on environmental DNA samples, including two arthropods, six fungi, two plants, and one bacteria. The origin of the eDNA detected from each species was linked to their native distribution and country of origin, except for Lymantria dispar. Four physical specimens were also collected from shipping container debris and DNA barcoded, identifying three non-regulated species (two arthropods and one fungus). Altogether, these results demonstrate the importance of integrating molecular identification into current toolkits for the biosurveillance of invasive alien species and provide a set of validated protocols ready to be used in this context. Additionally, it reaffirms international shipping containers as a pathway for multiple invasive aliens and regulated species introduction in Canada. It also highlights the need to establish regular and effective molecular biosurveillance at the Canadian border to avoid new or recurrent invasions.
Predicting intraocular pressure using neural networks: Incorporating eye fundus images and clinical data from PAPILA dataset
Authors: Ly-Yang Fernando , Chou Munazzah , Van-Lancker Lauren , Panos Chris
Published: July 2024

This study explores the potential of deep learning models to predict intraocular pressure (IOP) using a combination of retinal fundus images and clinical ophthalmology data. Utilizing the PAPILA dataset, which includes images categorized as normal or glaucoma, we trained a neural network model on 70% of the data, reserving 15% each for validation and testing. Our results indicate that the model achieved a Mean Absolute Error (MAE) of 2.52, suggesting an average deviation of 2.52 units from the actual IOP values. The model's R-squared value was 0.10, reflecting that approximately 10.24% of the variance in IOP was accounted for by the predictors used. These outcomes underscore the challenges and nuances of predicting IOP solely from ocular images and emphasize the importance of incorporating clinical data for more accurate predictions. This approach could be particularly beneficial in regions with limited access to ophthalmic healthcare, providing a cost-effective tool for early screening and management of glaucoma.
Traffic Carrying and Delay Response Scheduling Algorithm for Distributed E- commerce Platforms
Authors: Gao Li , Yang Heyu , Chen Shiping , Fan Haiping
Published: July 2024

The popularization of digitalization, informatization and the Internet has given birth to the rapid development of e-commerce. Faced with the rapidly expanding user traffic, there are still technical bottlenecks in how e-commerce platforms can carry more user traffic and improve server response performance. This article conducts system optimization performance analysis from both hardware and software aspects, and constructs a high-performance distributed AR-AFSA system. (1) The AR (Application Router, AR) architecture is configured with three JobManager server nodes, each receiving three types of user access requests. A traffic allocation mechanism is used to distribute the system's traffic carrying pressure, and user requests are divided into four traffic queues for scheduling according to different access methods. (2) Improve AFSA for container scheduling, re plan the execution order of various behaviors of artificial fish, reduce ineffective search steps, and influence the direction of artificial fish's movement through the global optimal solution, increasing the possibility of finding the optimal solution and accelerating local convergence speed. (3) Using the CPU, memory performance, and load balancing parameters of the container as the parameters and evaluation indicators for artificial fish, matching sufficient resource containers for user requests while ensuring container resource conservation and system load balancing. Finally, the traffic carrying capacity of the AR system and the single JobManager system was validated using the Taobao user behavior dataset and multiple control experiments. The AR system can withstand three times the traffic pressure of traditional servers. The improved AFSA algorithm can converge to a more optimal solution compared to the control algorithm, and in more complex server resource sizes, it consumes lower latency, reduces iteration times, schedules and uses more reasonable resources, demonstrating greater advantages.
Survival paradox and effect of adjuvant chemotherapy for high-risk Stage II and low-risk Stage III colorectal cancer
Authors: Noda Keisuke , Tominaga Tetsuro , Nonaka Takashi , Ono Rika , Ohishi Kaido , Takamura Yuma , Shiraishi Toshio , Hashimoto Shintaro , Hisanaga Makoto , Takeshita Hiroaki , Ishii Mitsutoshi , Oyama Shosaburo , Ishimaru Kazuhide , Sawai Terumitsu , Matsumoto Keitaro
Published: July 2024

Purpose: High-risk Stage II may have a worse prognosis than low-risk Stage III colorectal cancer and there are limited reports examining the efficacy of adjuvant chemotherapy in Stage II and III subgroups.
Methods: Using a multicenter database, 598 colorectal cancer patients who underwent laparoscopic colorectal resection and were pathologically diagnosed with high-risk Stage II (T4N0) or low-risk Stage III (T1-2N1, T1-2N2, T3N1) between April 2016 and December 2022 were retrospectively reviewed.
Results: Fewer patients received adjuvant chemotherapy in the T4N0 group (54.7/45.0/44.7/27.7%, p<0.001). The T4N0 group had significantly worse 5-year relapse-free survival (RFS) (67.0 vs. 95.5%, p<0.01) and 5-year overall survival (OS) (56.5 vs. 91.7%, p<0.01) than the T1-2N1 group. The T4N0 group had significantly worse 5-year RFS (67.0% vs. 95.5%, p<0.01) and 5-year OS (56.5% vs. 91.7%, p<0.01) than the T1-2N1 group. Five-year OS was significantly better in the T1-2N1 and T3N1 groups with than without adjuvant chemotherapy (p<0.032, p<0.001, respectively), but not in the T4N0 group.
Conclusions: The present multicenter study showed that high-risk Stage II colorectal cancer may have a worse prognosis than low-risk Stage III colorectal cancer. Preoperative chemotherapy should be considered to improve the prognosis of T4N0 colorectal cancer.
Angiotensin converting enzyme expression on circulating immune cells from colorectal cancer patients correlates with the disease stage. Results from a preliminary study.
Authors: Bueno Valquiria , Frasca Daniela , Forones Nora M
Published: July 2024

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common cancer and the second leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide. Because CRC is a very complex disease, sometimes patients at same disease stage are treated with combinations of systemic therapy and surgery leading to different outcomes. Immune T and B cells infiltrating the tumor has been associated with disease-free survival, cancer-specific survival and overall survival. In the opposite, Myeloid-derived suppressor cells infiltrating the tumor has been linked to poor outcome. The peripheral blood evaluation of immune cells is less invasive, easy to be performed in different CRC follow-up visits, and could be used as a guide for therapy interventions. The expression of angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) in immune cells can be used as a biomarker for cancer prognosis an also as a target for cancer treatment since ACE expression in macrophages and neutrophils has been related to improved immunity. Our aim therefore was to investigate the expression of ACE in subsets of T, B, and myeloid-derived suppressor cells in peripheral blood from CRC patients. We found that the expression of ACE is increased in Naïve and Effector T cells and in Effector B cells of CRC patients stage III. These findings open opportunities for targeting ACE in immune cells as a new therapy in colorectal cancer.
Transdermal Microneedle Patch for Antioxidants Release
Authors: Mugo Samuel , Roberston Scott , Lu Weihao
Published: July 2024

Polymer based microneedle transdermal drug delivery system fits the criterion for an efficient patient compliant drug delivery system of the future. We demonstrate a polymer-based microneedle drug release transdermal platform fabricated via layer by layer (LbL) assembly of conductive polydimethylsiloxane integrated with carbon nanotubes, cellulose nanocrystal and polyaniline (PDMS@CNT/CNC@PANI). The electrically conductive PDMS@CNT/CNC@PANI microneedle patch provides a platform for drug loading, stabilization and transdermal controlled drug release. The drug loaded PDMS@CNT/CNC@PANI microneedle patch was evaluated for diffusion and voltage mediated transdermal delivery of thymol blue and rutin as model compounds. Chicken skin was used as an analogue of human skin.
A way of relating to life; myself and others - a thematic analysis of patients' experience of having an eating disorder
Authors: Bäck Malin , Gustafsson Sanna Aila , Jacobson Karin , Ljung Theresia , Holmqvist Rolf , Andersson Gerhard
Published: July 2024

Background: Eating disorders are psychiatric conditions involving not just weight, body, and shape concerns but also self-esteem, emotional, interpersonal, and cognitive difficulties. Understanding the deeper meaning of living with an eating disorder is significant from a theoretical standpoint and crucial for identifying factors that maintain or inhibit these disorders. Patient-centred studies offer valuable insights into the lived experience of eating disorders, highlighting their impact and interaction with various life phenomena. This qualitative study aimed to capture the meaning and experience of living with an eating disorder from a patient perspective.
Methods: Interviews were conducted with 15 women suffering from eating disorders and comorbid depressive symptoms prior to the start of treatment. Data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis.
Results: Two dimensions of relating to the eating disorder were identified. The first dimension, "Having an eating disorder - a relentless relating," described the present experience and was divided into two themes: “The eating disorders impact on relating to myself” and “The eating disorders impact on relating to others”. The second dimension "Relating to the eating disorder over time” followed a timeline with four themes; “The eating disorder as a way to handle other difficulties”, “From control to consistent loss of control”, “The whole existence is impinged” and “Hard to see a life without the eating disorder”.
Conclusions: Living with an eating disorder involves a constant, disorganized relationship to the eating disorder that creates alienation from significant others and one's own body, making it challenging to relate to oneself and the world without eating disordered thoughts and behaviours. Over time, the eating disorder becomes increasingly ego-syntonic, making it hard to envision life without it. Therefore, treatment should highlight interventions to help individuals view the disorder as distinct from themselves, in reconnecting with their bodies, and acknowledging their needs and wishes. Given that eating disorders often become the central focus of life, treatment should also aim to foster new life goals, social engagement, improve interpersonal skills, and develop a meaningful life beyond the eating disorder.
Impact of health belief on self-efficacy for postoperative rehabilitation management in lung cancer patients: the Chain mediating role of respiratory exercise compliance and symptom burden
Authors: Qiao Jianfeng , Li Xuting , Zhu Gangjiao , Chen Yujie , Chen Tian , Ye Man , Huang Lihua
Published: July 2024

Background
Self-efficacy for postoperative rehabilitation management is the key to rapid recovery after lung cancer surgery. Identification of protective and risk factors is a prerequisite for programs to enhance self-efficacy. The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between health belief and self-efficacy for postoperative rehabilitation management, and to further elucidate the mechanisms by which health belief improve patients' self-efficacy for postoperative rehabilitation management by enhancing pulmonary exercises compliance and reducing self-perceived symptom burden.
Methods
A total of 231 patients who underwent lung cancer resection from March 2023 to August 2023 were conveniently selected and investigated using the general information questionnaire, MD-Anderson Symptom Inventory, Pulmonary exercises compliance questionnaire, Champion’s health belief model scale, and Self-efficacy scale for postoperative rehabilitation management of lung cancer. The mediating roles of pulmonary exercise compliance and symptom burden in the relationship between health belief and self-efficacy for postoperative rehabilitation management were analyzed by structural equation modeling using IBM AMOS 22.0.
Results
Patient pulmonary exercise compliance (β = 0.59, p < 0.05) had a direct effect on self-efficacy for postoperative rehabilitation management, while pulmonary exercise compliance negatively affected self-perceived symptom burden (β=-0.22, p < 0.05) and symptom burden negatively affected self-efficacy for postoperative rehabilitation management (β=- 0.12, p < 0.05), and health belief indirectly influenced self-efficacy for postoperative rehabilitation management through the interlocking mediating effects of pulmonary exercise compliance and symptom burden.
Conclusions
Pulmonary exercise compliance and self-perceived symptom burden chain-mediated between health belief and self-efficacy for postoperative rehabilitation management, and health belief can influence symptom burden and self-efficacy for postoperative rehabilitation management through pulmonary exercise compliance.
Study of age-related changes in the physicochemical properties of Cocamidopropyl betaine (CAPB): A Case Study of the Production of Cocamidopropyl Betaine on an Industrial Scale
Authors: eldin Mahmoud Noor , Rashed Mohamed S. , AlRashidi Bandar M.
Published: July 2024

Cocamidopropyl betaine is a synthetic surfactant derived from the reaction between coconut oil fatty acids and dimethylaminopropylamine, yielding a mixture of amidoamine betaine closely related to organic compounds. This work aims to study the effect of aging related changes on the physicochemical properties of cocamidopropyl betaine. Four batches of cocamidopropyl betaine (30 % active) were manufactured using a two-step batch process: condensation reaction and quaternization reaction process. The physicochemical properties such as pH value, solid content (NVM), sodium chloride content, and H2O2 content of CAPB-betaine were studied over a period of 12 months. Additional confirmation tests were conducted using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis to verify that there were no changes in the chemical structure of CAPB-betaine (Batch #1) over 12 months. The results showed that the physicochemical properties for four batches had similar readings value over the age period. The analysis revealed that the physicochemical properties of the four batches remained relatively consistent throughout the aging period. The readings obtained for pH value, solid content, sodium chloride content, and free amidoamine content showed minimal variation across the batches over the course of the study. This indicates that the batches maintained their stability and reliability over the 12-month period.
Epidemiological Mapping of Cutaneous Leishmaniasis Infections in Saudi Arabia: A Descriptive and Observational Study
Authors: Alharbi Basma , Ahmed Mawahib
Published: July 2024

Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is a parasitic disease affecting people worldwide. An epidemiological observational population-cohort study was conducted based on comprehensive research on CL incidence in Saudi and non-Saudi residents. Data on CL incidences were recorded by the Ministry of Health between January 2020 and December 2022. The chi-square test was used to analyze the data and determine CL incident rates in age-standardized incidence rates (ASIRs) and gender between Saudi and non-Saudi residents in Saudi Arabia (KSA). The study found that between 2020 and 2022, there were 2280 cases of CL in KSA, 1367 cases in males and 913 cases in females. 64.26% of Saudi nationals were male patients and 12.91% were females. The frequency of CL was greater (87.09%) among non-Saudi residents than among Saudi nationals, with a statistically significant difference (P0.001) between the two groups. The ASIRs for CL were higher in patients aged between 15 and 45. This study revealed variations in CL incident rates among the 13 administrative regions; Al-Qassem, followed by Aseer, Ha'il, and Al-Madinah, showed higher rates than other regions. These findings suggest the need for targeted interventions and public health strategies to reduce the burden on CL, particularly among non-Saudi residents.
Immune Checkpoints Determines the Innate and Adaptive Immunity in Chronic Hepatitis B
Authors: Li Xiaoyan , Liao Chunhong , Gu Yurong , Lian Yifan , Gao Ye , Gu Lin , Huang Yuehua
Published: July 2024

Background: Chronic hepatitis B virus infection (CHB) is the serious health threaten with high morbidity and mortality. The work of innate and adaptive immune systems determines the development and prognosis of CHB. Immune checkpoints (ICs) play a crucial role in regulating the immune response by providing inhibitory or stimulatory signals when interacting with their ligands. However, the precise mechanism by which ICs affect the outcome of CHB patients remains unclear.
Methods: We collected data from 334 CHB patients and comprehensively analysed their clinical and immune traits. 17 healthy controls (HC) were also included. The immune parameterswere obtained by flow cytometry. We deeply detected the expressions of ICs on both innate and adaptive immune cells at different stages of CHB. We also systematically analyzed the correlations between ICs and immune cells function.
Results: The innate and adaptive immune status are various among different stages of CHB patients. There were also differential expressions of ICs on multiple immune cells among these CHB patients. ICs levels were related with immune cells function, including cytotoxicity and antiviral cytokines. NK cells and NKT cells possibly regulated T cells function by their ICs expressions.
Conclusions: We fully uncover the landscape of innate and adaptive immunity along with their differential ICs levels in CHB patients at different clinical stages. Our findings provide systematic information for CHB patients’ immunity and imply that ICs may be a potential immune targets for HBV treatment.
Efficacy and safety of levornidazole disodium phosphate for the treatment of pelvic inflammatory disease: A multicenter, double-blind, randomized trial
Authors: Wang Yanjun , Ji Shichun , You Zhixue , Zhou Li , Fang Zhenghui , Jia Xuemei , Xie Meiqing , Li Yangzhi , Kang Jiali
Published: July 2024

Background
In this multicenter, double-blind, randomized, parallel-group study, the efficacy and safety of levornidazole and levornidazole disodium phosphate for the treatment of women with pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) were compared.
Methods
The women from 12 hospitals in China received a 14-day course of intravenous levornidazole at 0.5 g twice a day (Group A, n = 49) or intravenous levornidazole disodium phosphate at 1.0 g once a day (Group B, n = 49) or 0.5 g twice a day (Group C, n = 46).
Results
Overall, of the 144 patients in the full analysis set (FAS), 91.00% (n = 131) were included in the per-protocol set; further, 38 of these cases (29.00%) were microbiologically valid. In the FAS population, the 14-day clinical cure rates were 77.55% for Group A, 83.67% for Group B, and 82.61% for Group C (P = 0.7446). The 14-day bacteriological clearance rates in the FAS population were 76.47% for Group A, 93.75% for Group B, and 100.00% for Group C (P = 0.2476). Drug-related adverse events occurred less frequently in Group B (38.78%) than in Group A (61.22%; P = 0.025).
Conclusions
These results indicate that daily administration of levornidazole disodium phosphate as a concentration-dependent antibacterial agent antibacterial agent for 14 days was as clinically and bacteriologically efficacious for women with PID as levornidazole twice daily for 14 days. Moreover, the former was associated with significantly fewer drug-related adverse events.
Trial registration:
ChiCTR2300073123 registered on 03/07/2023 (https://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.html?proj=196700).
Assessment of acceptance and associated factors of HIV self-test using oral fluid among targeted adult clients at public health facilities in Sheger City, Ethiopia, 2023
Authors: Bulto Berhanu , Erene Ayele , Benti Tsegaye , Abebe Lemi
Published: July 2024

Background: Human immunodeficiency virus is a major public health problem worldwide. Human immunodeficiency virus self-testing using oral fluid is the best way of receiving preventive and treatment services, which help to lower morbidity and mortality related to the problem.
Purpose: To assess acceptance and associated factors of Human immunodeficiency virus self-test using oral fluid among targeted adult clients at public health facilities in Sheger City, Ethiopia, 2023
Patients and Methods:Institution based cross-sectional study was conducted in Sebeta Sub-city of Sheger City governmental health facilities, from July 1 to 30, 2023. A total of 317 adults aged ≥18 years were included in the study by systematic random sampling method. Structured questionnaire was used to collect data from clients by interview. Data analysis was done using bivariate and multivariable binary logistic regression model. Variables having p-value of <0.25 in bivariate analysis were candidate for multivariable analysis. Adjusted odds ratio with 95% conﬁdence interval was computed to identify the presence and strength of association.
Results: A total of 314 study participants were involved making a response rate of 99.1%. The overall acceptance of HIVST among targeted adult clients attending public health facilities in the study area was 169 (53.8%) (95%CI: 48.1%, 59.2%). Being married (AOR=3.97; 95%CI: 1.74, 9.05), having fear of being stigmatized (AOR=3.75; 95%CI: 1.64, 8.61), obtaining counseling during HIV test (AOR=3.33; 95%CI: 1.28, 8.64) and having doubts about confidentiality information related to HIV test (AOR=2.49; 95%CI: 1.13, 5.46) were factors that were significantly associated with acceptance of HIVST using oral fluid.
Conclusion: The magnitude of acceptance of HIVST among targeted adult clients in the study area was within range of the finding of studies on acceptance of HIVST on the world. Being married, having fear of being stigmatized, obtaining counseling during HIV test and having doubt about confidentiality related to HIV test were factors that were significantly associated with acceptance of HIVST using oral fluid.
Method of precise common-view time and frequency transfer based on BDS GEO satellites
Authors: Wei Pei , Wang Haixue , Ding Shuo , Yang Xuhai , Sun Baoqi , Qin Weijin
Published: July 2024

Research on time and frequency transfer between stations through Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) carrier-phase observation data has been a hot topic for many years. However, the estimation of ambiguity has always been a challenge. Unlike Global Positioning System (GPS), BeiDou System (BDS) is a hybrid constellation with GEOstationary (GEO) satellites included. By virtue of the stationary characteristics of BDS GEO satellites, the method of precise common-view time and frequency transfer is proposed in this paper. With this method, high-precision time and frequency transfer can be achieved by utilizing the carrier-phase observation data from BDS GEO satellites and the precise products of the International GNSS Monitoring and Assessment System (iGMAS). The advantages are as follows. 1) Unlike traditional GNSS Medium Earth Orbit (MEO) satellites, BDS GEO satellites are always visible within their coverage area. Therefore, there will only be one ambiguity for this method over long periods of 1 month or more, which can be calibrated as a systematic error; 2) By using BDS GEO satellites, the time transfer results will not be affected by the phase wind-up effect. With sites in Europe and China, experiments based this method are performed, and the results show that: 1) For zero and ultra-short baselines, the Root Mean Square (RMS) values of the proposed method are better than 0.1ns; 2) For the short baseline (33 km), the performance of the proposed method is comparable to Two Way Optical Time and Frequency Transfer; 3) For the long baseline (700 km and 1750 km), the performance of the proposed method is better than Two Way Satellite Time and Frequency Transfer; 4) For inter-continental baselines (over 7000 km), the RMS value of the residuals with respect to Precise Point Positioning time transfer is at the sub-nanosecond level.
Neuroanatomical Basis of Language Ability in an Autism Subgroup with Moderate Language Deficits
Authors: Xiao Yaqiong , Zhang Ningxuan , Zhang Shuiqun , Huang Kaiyu , Xin Jin , Huang Qishan , Yi Aiwen
Published: July 2024

Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are highly heterogenous in their language abilities. A number of studies have shown neural correlates of language deficits in children with ASD, but the underlying neuroanatomical foundation of early language deficits in ASD remains largely elusive. In this study, we analyzed MRI data from a cohort of Chinese children with ASD (n = 67) and typical development (TD, n = 37) aged 1.5 to 6.5 years. The ASD sample was classified into two subgroups based on the median of the language scores: ASD with moderate language deficits (ASDmoderate, n = 34) and ASD with severe language deficits (ASDsevere, n = 34). We tested the group differences in the brain volumes between TD and two ASD subgroups, and also examined the associations between cortical grey matter volume and language abilities in TD and ASD subgroups, separately. We observed significant group differences in grey matter and white matter volume, with post-hoc analyses specifically indicating significant differences between TD and ASDmoderate subgroup. Significant correlations between grey matter volume and language scores were observed exclusively within the ASDmoderate subgroup, including positive associations in the bilateral superior temporal gyrus, hippocampus, and left inferior parietal lobe, and negative correlations in the bilateral precuneus. These findings provide novel evidence for the neuroanatomical basis related to language ability in an ASD subgroup with moderate language deficits, and offer new insights into the heterogeneity of language deficits in children with ASD.
Why does malaria transmission continue at high levels despite universal vector control? Quantifying persistent malaria transmission by Anopheles funestus in Western Province, Zambia
Authors: Ashton Ruth A , Chanda Benjamin , Chishya Chama , Muyabe Rayford , Kaniki Tresford , Mambo Patricia , Mwenya Mwansa , Mwaanga Gift , Arnzen Annie , Orange Erica , Saili Kochelani , Yikona Handrinah Banda , Chulu John , Chitoshi Chanda , Kyomuhangi Irene , Miller John , Silumbe Kafula , Hamainza Busiku , Littrell Megan , Yukich Joshua , Kleinschmidt Immo , Chanda Javan , Wagman Joseph , Eisele Thomas P.
Published: July 2024

Background
Some settings continue to experience a high malaria burden despite scale-up of malaria vector control to high levels of coverage. Characterisation of persistent malaria transmission in the presence of standard control measures, also termed residual malaria transmission, to understand where and when individuals are exposed to vector biting is critical to inform refinement of prevention and control strategies.
Methods
Secondary analysis was performed using data collected during a phase III cluster randomized trial of attractive targeted sugar bait stations in Western Province, Zambia. Two seasonal cohorts of children aged 1–14 years were recruited and monitored monthly during the malaria transmission season, concurrent with entomological surveillance using a combination of human landing collection (HLC) and UV light traps at randomly selected households in study clusters. Behavioural data from cohort participants were combined with measured Anopheles funestus landing rates and sporozoite positivity to estimate the human behaviour-adjusted entomological inoculation rate (EIR).
Results
Behavioural data from 1237 children over 5456 child-visits in 20 entomology surveillance clusters were linked with hourly landing rates from 8131 female An. funestus trapped by HLC. Among all An. funestus tested by ELISA, 3.3% were sporozoite-positive. Mean EIR directly measured from HLC was 0.07 infectious bites per person per night (ib/p/n). When accounting for child locations over the evening and night, the mean behaviour-adjusted EIR was 0.02 ib/p/n. Children not sleeping under insecticide-treated nets (ITNs) experienced 13.6 infectious bites per person per six-month season, 8% of which occurred outdoors, while ITN users received 1.3 infectious bites per person per six-month season, 86% of which were received outdoors. Sleeping under an ITN can prevent approximately 90% of potential An. funestus bites among children.
Conclusions
In this setting ITNs have a high personal protective efficacy due to peak An. funestus biting occurring indoors while most individuals are asleep. However, despite high household possession of ITNs (> 90%) and high individual use (> 70%), people in this setting experience more than one infectious bite per person per six-month transmission season, sufficient to maintain high malaria transmission and burden. New tools and strategies are required to reduce the malaria burden in such settings.
WITHDRAWN: Are the reproductive results of ejaculate obtained on the morning of TESE more successful than those of TESE?
Authors: Mert Sule Atalay
Published: July 2024

The full text of this preprint has been withdrawn by the authors while they make corrections to the work. Therefore, the authors do not wish this work to be cited as a reference. Questions should be directed to the corresponding author.
Experimental and numerical study of primary instability of a two-phase stratified flow in a circular pipe
Authors: Nezihovski Yakov , Barmak Ilya , Gelfgat Alexander , Horstmann Gerrit Maik , Ullmann Amos , Brauner Neima
Published: July 2024

The onset of the primary instability of two-phase air-water stratified flow in a circular pipe was studied experimentally by two independent non-intrusive techniques. The techniques analyze the steady or oscillatory response of either a laser beam passing through the air-water interface, or of an echo of an ultrasound wave reflected from the interface. The experiments are accompanied by linear stability analysis performed in both Cartesian and bipolar coordinates, thus yielding two independently obtained numerical results for comparison. The critical values of the phases’ superficial velocities corresponding to the flow primary instability calculated numerically by the two independent methods agree well with each other. The computed stability diagram shows that instability sets in owing to long-wave disturbances at large holdups, while at smaller holdups, the most unstable perturbations appear as finite-length (short) waves. A comparison of the experimental and numerical results shows a good agreement for the long-wave instability. For the short-wave instability, the measured critical superficial velocities are below the computed ones, while the frequencies found experimentally for supercritical oscillatory flow states agree with the numerical predictions. Several additional peaks in the frequency spectra are observed in the experiments. By comparing these frequencies with the numerical spectra, we argue that they correspond to stable eigenmodes with close to zero decay rates, which can be triggered either by non-linear mechanisms, or become unstable because of experimental imperfections.
Russian Cultural Landscape in the Book of Donbass Military Poetry “The Great Checkpoint” (2023)
Authors: Ishchenko Nina S. ,   Lugansk State Agrarian University named after K. E. Voroshilov
Published: July 2024

The paper focuses on the representation of Russian cultural geography in the poetry collection “The Great Checkpoint” by the method of thematic modeling, which combines poems by poets from different regions dedicated to the war in Donbass 2014–2022. Thematic modeling presents a topic as a set of keywords expressing it. The topic of Russia as a geographical reality was chosen for the study. The names of geographical objects have been selected as keywords, which according to the theory of cultural landscape, represent a text as a system of signs referring to the meanings of culture. The landscape acts as a textual message of culture to itself, overcoming gaps and preserving images in cultural memory. The principle of the collection formation is chronological. Each year of the war is represented by a special section, and the poems of the same poets can be included in different sections. The whole book acts as a single collection of texts, which was searched. An analysis of the occurrence of geographical names in the collection of texts shows that the book reveals the topic of the borders of Russia, presents many topographical objects of its European part, with one exception Siberia is not involved, two seas – the Black and the Baltic ‒ are widely reflected, Moscow is very little represented as opposed to the frequently appearing St. Petersburg. Russia is represented in the semantic space as the Third Rome, the Country of the Soviets and the Empire. Ukraine and Donbass have not been analyzed separately, but it can be indicated beforehand that such topos as Odessa and Kiev stand out on the territory of Ukraine, and in Kiev – Maidan and Babi Yar, as symbols of the current military confrontation; from the Donbass cities, the book presents cities such as Donetsk, Lugansk, Mariupol, Lisichansk. The perspectives of the future research are outlined in the conclusion: religion in the collection, Russian culture and literature in the book, as well as foreign cultural geography.
The War of Narratives in Ukrainian Media Practices (the Case of Observing the Calendar of Holidays)
Authors: Degtyareva Olga V. ,   North-West Institute of Management ‒ a branch of the Russian Academy of National Economy and Public Service under the President of the Russian Federation,   Kherson State Pedagogical University
Published: July 2024

Media practices contributed to the formation of an inclusive community that brought together Ukrainian and Russian culture, but did not take into account ethnic feelings and traditions. Through the mass media, political forces were the source of the formation of ideological attitudes of citizens and ideas about socio-cultural normality, different from the policy of memory of the USSR. The traditional division of the Ukrainian media has become “own” and “alien”. As a result, a community was formed based not on a common Soviet past for Russians and Ukrainians, but on a common present for Eastern and Western Ukrainians. Thus, in the Ukrainian official discourse appeared a narrative about “Russia’s intervention in the problem of civil reconciliation of Ukrainians”, which led to a radical departure from the Soviet-inherited assessment of Ukrainian history in the light of the thesis on the unity of two peoples. Like other ideological differences in society, attitudes to past events became the subject of public debate. Thus, the mass media became the main source of historical knowledge for Ukrainian citizens, attracted attention to many topics and, at the same time, popularized certain episodes and corresponding values and identities to the detriment of others. They are the subject of this study. We managed to conduct content analysis of a number of ideologically polar Ukrainian media (Ukrainian-centric “Ukraine is young”, “Newspaper in Ukrainian” and pro-Russian “Segodnya”, “Fakny I kommentarii”) and to trace what media tools were used by them for media retrieval of the most significant historical dates, events and persons who had a key impact on the formation of identity of “their” and “foreign” audience. The analysis of media practice revealed two main contradictions, on the one hand, between secular and religious holidays and, on the other hand, between Soviet and nationalist narratives of history. We conducted the sociological survey among the students of the RANEPA and Kherson State Pedagogical University which demonstrated the socio-cultural impact of these media discourses. It turned out that one of the most important ways of media influence on the formation of the historical memory of the audience was observance of holidays and commemorative days, which establish a hierarchy of importance. This allocation is the main component of the media contribution to the calendar, which accompanies the activities of society as a holistic system, while maintaining the legitimacy of established taxonomies.
Post-truth and the Concept of “War” in Provocative Media Discourse
Authors: Melnik Galina S. ,   Saint Petersburg State University, Misonzhnikov Boris Ya. ,   Saint Petersburg State University
Published: July 2024

The relevance of the topic is explained by the increasing danger of clogging the global information space with unreliable news, disorienting the audience and undermining its trust in both the media and political institutions, worsening the activities of opposition forces, increasing the polarization of society and destructively influencing the spiritual and moral values of society. The risks of disinformation and the dissemination of deliberately false information are especially high during military confrontations and in the context of a large-scale information and psychological war launched against our country. The purpose of the study is a comprehensive study of the representation in Russian and foreign network media of the concept of “war”, which is a complex mental formation that is characterized by national specifics. The dominant concept in the concept of “war” is its axiological component. The research methods used were: conceptual, contextual and structural analysis of media texts, also semantic analysis, involving the decoding of a set of markers (concepts) related to the emotional state of the subject of speech. Characteristics of the basic concepts of “war” and “disinformation” are given within the framework of the psycholinguistic approach. The concept of “war” is existentially significant for every person, since it is filled with the semantics of death and life. The cognitive approach made it possible to consider verbalized key concepts of the information space, linguistic means as a tool for political management of the audience. The conclusions are based on an analysis of the practice of modern social media. The main conclusion: in the conditions of informational and psychological confrontation between the West and Russia, most news in the media space does not fulfil the criterion of reliability, although the publications cause public resonance. Fact-checking resources could greatly simplify the work of journalists, but today they are insufficient. Analysis of online materials indicates the need for more careful verification of journalists’ work on facts.
The Role of Philosophy in the Development of Strategies for Ensuring Mental Security in the Conditions of “Hybrid Wars” of Our Time
Authors: Kovalev Andrey A. ,   North-Western Institute of Management ‒ branch of Russian Academy of National Economy and Public Administration
Published: July 2024

The practice of the last decade has exacerbated the problem of mental security to the limit within the framework of the general system of national security of the state. To solve this problem, a comprehensive interdisciplinary approach is needed, in which philosophy can take a key position as an integration center of social and humanitarian knowledge. The revival of the significance of philosophy in the face of the challenges and threats of the 21st century forms a serious potential for overcoming them. The “hybridization” of modern wars forces us to abandon stereotyped solutions, rethink values and develop effective strategies to ensure mental security. The purpose of the study is to study mental wars as an element of modern “hybrid wars” and offer a number of recommendations that can be used in the development of mental security strategies. In the 21st century, despite the generally high level of physical security of states, the mental level of national security remains under threat due to the hybridization of modern wars. The analysis of philosophical concepts and the allocation on their basis of the fundamental principles of ensuring mental security will strengthen national security in general, as well as increase the level of competitiveness of the nation in the context of the growing trend of “hybrid wars”. We carried out an interdisciplinary analysis of philosophical concepts and principles that can be used in the context of mental security. Mental wars have become a challenge to the modern nation-state and the entire system of the world order. Turning to philosophy as a discipline that can unite the nation by strengthening the national mentality by creating a kind of mental immunity will help move forward in matters of ensuring mental security in the conditions of “hybrid wars” of our time.
Causes of Mass Mutual Violence: Structuring Concepts and Subjective Factors of Deliberate Wars
Authors: Rozov Nikolai S. ,   Institute of Philosophy and Law, Siberian Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences,   Novosibirsk State Technical University
Published: July 2024

Two definitions of war are critically examined: one classical and one modern. We show that the features emphasized in them are not necessary and sufficient. These shortcomings have been overcome in the previously proposed definition of war as ongoing mass mutual armed organized violence. A wide range of studies of the nature and causes of wars is characterized by heterogeneity of approaches, concepts, theories and levels of analysis. The ways of structuring concepts in reviews of recent years have been considered and the following simplified structure has been proposed: the actor level (subjectivity in mental orders) with decision-making processes leading to wars, the level of interactions between actors (social dynamics) with dyadic or multi-actor relations, the level of dynamics and co-evolution of orders as the encompassing context of the role of wars in world history. This article focuses only on the first level of analysis. The questions posed by contemporary scholars, relevant ideas, hypotheses, and concepts are discussed. In particular, researchers see the causes of war in false optimism in unchecked interests, in intangible incentives, in uncertainty, in commitment problems, in delusions. Much attention is paid to the role of ideologies in the readiness to go to war and mobilize forces to wage war. The distinction between fast and slow thinking of actors is used. Distortions in risk-related decision making are analyzed. Subjective factors relevant to the formation of the determination to go to war include such heterogeneous but interrelated layers of reality as hormonal background, structures of the unconscious, and ritual practices of social organization. An attempt is made to present all these very heterogeneous ideas and models in a single conceptual apparatus, including such concepts as concerns, challenges-threats and challenges-opportunities, attitudes and interactive rituals.
Improvement in Plant Growth, Yield, and Fruit Quality with Biostimulant Treatment in Organic Strawberry Cultivation
Authors: Kilic Neslihan
Published: July 2024

The excessive use of chemical fertilizers in agriculture not only causes a decrease in soil fertility but also has negative effects on the environment, natural resources, and human health. Therefore, environmentally friendly practices, such as the use of organic fertilizers (OFs) and plant biostimulants that increase yield and fruit quality can be effective in solving these problems. In the present research study, we investigated the impact of using an OF alone and in combination with as a biostimulant different doses of humic acid (HA) on plant growth parameters, yield, fruit characteristics, and leaf mineral nutrient concentrations in plants of the Monterey and Albion strawberry varieties. As a result of this study, we determined that the combined application of the OF and HA increased the yield, fruit quality, plant growth, and nutritional elements in the crop compared with using the OF alone. In addition, the Monterey variety plants treated with OF and HA (5.0 L·ha−1) in T3 offered the best results among the different treatment groups and varieties. With this treatment, we obtained the highest total yield (262.42 g/plant), fruit weight, total soluble solids (TSS), and TSS/acid ratio, as well as increased growth parameters, and mineral nutrient concentrations in leaves. These results are hopeful for enhancing organic strawberry production.
All regular $4 \times 4$ solutions of the Yang-Baxter equation
Authors: Corcoran Luke , de Leeuw Marius
Published: July 2024

We complete the classification of 4×4 regular solutions of the Yang-Baxter equation. Apart from previously known models, we find four new models of non-difference form. All the new models give rise to Hamiltonians and transfer matrices that have a non-trivial Jordan block structure. One model corresponds to a non-diagonalisable integrable deformation of the XXX spin chain.