bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Navigating laboratory challenges in analyzing low concentrations of toxic/essential metals using ICP-OES in newborn cord blood
Authors: Shekhawat Dolat Singh , Janu Vikash Chandra , Singh Pratibha , Sharma Praveen , Singh Kuldeep 
Published: December 2024

Abstract

Heavy metals are highly toxic even at ppb concentrations in the blood, posing serious public health concerns. Accurate measurement of these trace elements is challenging but crucial for early diagnosis and treatment. This study highlights the challenges and considerations for accurately measuring trace metal levels in the blood.
Heavy metals such as Lead (Pb), Arsenic (As), Aluminium (Al), iron (Fe), Zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), and selenium (Se) were analyzed in a total of 165 newborns' cord blood using inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES). Factors influencing the detectable concentration of metals in the blood include the quality of the specimen, methods of collection and storage, sample digestion, standard solution preparation, test biometrics, limit of blank (LoB), limit of detection (LoD), and limit of quantification (LoQ) of analytical techniques, post-analytical parameters, and quality control were addressed.
The median (interquartile range) values of Pb, Al, As, Se, Cu, Fe, and Zn in the newborn blood were 4.26 µg/dL (3.19-5.57), 1.29 µg/dL (0.91-1.70), 1.68 µg/dL (1.38-1.89), 19.62 µg/dL (12.38-32.40), 87.8 µg/dL (76.10-102.04), 239.46 µg/dL (189.04-284.31), and 72.0 µg/dL (64.39-81.63), respectively.
Multiple factors directly influence the assessment of accurate levels of trace metals. Before planning an experiment to measure trace metal concentrations, the following points should be considered: test biometrics, the ratio of chemicals used for digestion, test LoB, LoD, LoQ, recovery rate, and test biometrics.
Effects of Vegetation and Slope Gradient on Rainfall-Induced Erosion of Reconstructed Iron Tailings Slopes: An Experimental Study
Authors: 赵亚波  
Published: December 2024

Abstract

[Research Objective and Significance]
The loose structure and steep slope of iron tailings severely limit vegetation restoration under heavy rainfall erosion. To mitigate soil and water loss on iron tailings, this study reconstructs iron tailings to create a substrate suitable for plant growth. It investigates the effects of vegetation at different growth stages and slope gradients on runoff erosion of reconstructed soil slopes, providing scientific support for optimizing slope stability and vegetation-based ecological restoration techniques.
[Methods]
Continuous monitoring of runoff initiation time, volume, and sediment yield enables a quantitative analysis of the effects of these factors on rainfall infiltration and slope erosion.
[Results]
Results show that bare soil slopes had average infiltration rates of 0.916, 0.891, and 0.857 mm/min, stabilizing within 9 to 12 minutes, with rates decreasing as slope gradients increased. In contrast, vegetation significantly enhances infiltration; for example, on a 15° slope, the average infiltration rates for vegetated slopes at 30, 60, and 90 days were 0.923, 0.936, and 0.943 mm/min, stabilizing at 15, 24, and 27 minutes, respectively. Furthermore, vegetation cover effectively reduces runoff rates, with cumulative runoff volume decreasing by 13%, 40%, and 53.2% at 30, 60, and 90 days. Vegetation also substantially suppresses soil erosion, with sediment yield reductions of 12.5–76.56%, 11.77–77.57%, and 11.97–78.66% across varying slopes.
[Conclusion]
After 60 days of growth, significant improvements in runoff and erosion control were observed, providing crucial insights for soil stabilization and the advancement of vegetation-based slope protection technologies.
Impact of Gender and Anthropometric Predictors on Cardio-Metabolic Risk Profile
Authors: Sadiqa Ayesha , Khalid Asma , Chishti Faiza Fatima 
Published: December 2024

Abstract

Background Risk factors, especially anthropometric measurements, have been known to play a significant role in predicting a person's cardio-metabolic health, and the potential impact of gender in this pertinent association can be a potential eye-opener in the field of public health. Early detection of these common health issues like hypertension, dyslipidemia, and type 2 diabetes through risk factor assessment can significantly help control these diseases and improve global health. The current study is a similar effort where the study aims to investigate the relationship of independent risk factors i.e. gender, age, blood group, arm circumference, and chest circumference, with dependent factors, namely body mass index (BMI), blood pressure (BP), fasting blood sugar (FBS) levels, and pulse rate in the young adult population. Methods The study proceeded with nursing students aged 18–28 years after institutional ethical approval (REG/GRT/22/AHS-129) from December 2022 to April 2023. Arm/chest circumference was measured. Weight was divided by height to calculate BMI. Standard protocols were followed to measure BP and HR. FBS was assessed through biochemical testing. Binary logistic and linear regression analysis assessed the association between dependent and independent variables. Results Gender significantly influences BP, with young females generally having lower values than males. Pulse rate strongly predicts FBS and is directly associated with them, while it shows an inverse relationship with the Rh-negative blood group and a positive association with arm circumference. Chest circumference correlates positively with BMI, increasing by 0.40 kg/m² for each inch of circumference. Arm circumference strongly correlates positively with BMI (p = 0.001). FBS levels positively correlate with BMI (p = 0.001), indicating that higher blood sugar may contribute to increased BMI. No significant relationship existed between BMI and demographics, i.e., gender, age, or blood group. Conclusion Anthropometric measures like chest and arm circumferences and metabolic factors like FBS are critical in predicting BMI. At the same time, traditional demographic variables may not play a significant role in this pertinent association.
Twin Pregnancy Complicated by Chin-to-Chin Interlocking: A Case Report
Authors: Shiferaw Getachew 
Published: December 2024

Abstract

Background: The complications and management of twin pregnancies have been widely studied. One of the rare complications in twin pregnancies is locked twins which occur during labor when the after-coming head of the first breech fetus is locked with the head of the second cephalic fetus. It has an incidence of 1 in 1000 twin deliveries or 1 in 90,000 deliveries and is associated with astillbirth rate of 50% for the first twin. The risk factors are age, parity of the mother and size of the twins. A large pelvis with relatively small infants and decreased liquor volume following the rupture of membranes are thought to be factors that favor interlocking.
Case Summary: We present a case of 22-year-old primigravida woman from Ethiopia who came to our hospital from another institution by referral on 26/10/2024 with a diagnosis of interlocked twin in second stage of labour for better management after an unsuccessful attempt at vaginal delivery. Physical examination and investigations were performed and the patient delivered live female second twins via caesarean delivery and freshly died female neonate vaginally. The surgery was uneventful and the patient had a smooth post operative period. The second twin was managed for asphyxia at the neonatal intensive care unit and was discharged after one week of stay.
Conclusion: Quality antenatal care, Counseling, early recognition of high-risk patients and early referral for better setup are very important. In cases of twin pregnancies with first nonvertex and second vertexes, locked twins should be prevented and if they occur, appropriate actions must be taken early to prevent maternal and fetal morbidity and mortality.
A Robust Inpage-to-Unicode Encoding Converter for Kashmiri and Related Languages: Addressing a 15-Year-Old Challenge (2024)
Authors: MALIK HAQ NAWAZ , Rizvi Syed Murtaza , Kak Aadil Amin , Mehdi Nazima 
Published: December 2024

Abstract

For over fifteen years, Kashmiri, Urdu, and Pashto texts composed in Inpage have faced significant barriers to digitization and wide dissemination due to Inpage’s non-Unicode nature. Although Inpage-to Unicode converters exist, most tools are tailored to Urdu and have not adequately addressed the distinctive letters and diacritics of Kashmiri script. The resulting inaccuracies have effectively “locked” a substantial body of Kashmiri literature in proprietary formats. This paper presents a new Inpage-to-Unicode converter that achieves near 98.6% accuracy for Kashmiri by combining meticulous letter-to-letter mapping, specialized diacritic handling, and an innovative chunk-based text processing architecture that keeps user interfaces responsive. We further incorporate a dictionary-based post-processing step to resolve rare or archaic word-forms. Empirical evaluations on a diverse set of Kashmiri texts demonstrate the converter’s efficacy and establish its potential to unlock decades of cultural and academic material currently confined within Inpage documents.
Molecular identification and antimicrobial activity of Streptomyces spp. isolated from soil in Garmian Region, Iraq
Authors: Mohammed-Amin Saman , Al-Jaf Sirwan M. Amin 
Published: December 2024

Multidrug-resistant pathogens present a significant obstacle in the prevention and treatment of infectious diseases, making the discovery of new antimicrobial agents from diverse sources essential. Actinobacteria, especially Streptomyces genus, are well-known for their prolific production of secondary metabolites with antimicrobial capabilities. The geographical niches of Iraq are one of the least explored ones for Actinobacteria strains. Hence, this study aimed to isolate Actinobacteria species from the soil in the Garmian region of Iraq and evaluate their potential antimicrobial activity
A total of forty soil samples were collected and screened using various standard culture media to facilitate isolation, morphological identification, and evaluation of antimicrobial activity. Molecular identification and species confirmation were performed through amplification of the 16S rRNA gene via PCR, followed by sequence comparison with the NCBI database. The obtained two distinct strains of Streptomyces were identified, with one demonstrating significant antimicrobial activity against several pathogens, namely, Escherichia coli ATCC 25922, Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923, and Candida albicans ATCC 10231.
Both isolated strains were registered in NCBI under accession numbers OR564031 and OR564032, corresponding to isolates 26 and 29, respectively. Their sequences exhibited high similarity to Streptomyces rochei strain SCOS (Accession No. KX575853.1) with 99.04% identity, and Streptomyces sp. WAC06273 strain (Accession No. CP042278.1) with 98.81% respectively. These Streptomyces strains from Iraqi soils show promise as potential candidates for novel antibiotic discovery.
Further exploration of Streptomyces in soils from Garmian region, along with identification and purification of the active metabolites identified in this study, is strongly recommended.
Efficacy of five plant extracts against Black bean aphid, Aphis fabae Scopoli (Hemiptera: Aphididae)
Authors: Sirwan Sharif Gona 
Published: December 2024

The efficacy of five selected plant extracts: Basil (Ocimum basilicum), Cloves (Syzygium aromaticum), Tarragon (Artemisia dracunculus), Mint (Mentha sp.), and Dill (Anethum graveolens) against Aphis fabae on both nymph and adult stages was evaluated under laboratory conditions. Four concentrations were used 10000, 20000, 50000, and 100000 ppm. The results showed that the maximum mortality percentage of the nymph stage of A. fabae was achieved by basil, tarragon, and clove aqueous extracts at concentrations of 10000 ppm after 72 hours of treatment. Conversely, basil, clove, and tarragon extracts recorded the highest mortality rate of adults under the same experimental conditions. The positive control (Acetamiprid 20%) produced the highest mortality rate after 72 hours of exposure while using distilled water as the negative control resulted in a minimal mortality rate. The LC50 values indicate that basil extract exhibited the highest toxicity for nymphs at 1664.177 ppm after 72 hours, while for adults, tarragon extract was the most toxic at 720.553 ppm at 72 hours.
Unique Taxonomy and Review of New Age Smart Home IoT Forensics Tools
Authors: Kaushik Keshav , Bhardwaj Akashdeep , Dahiya Susheela 
Published: December 2024

Background:
In the field of digital forensics, the proliferation of Internet of Things
(IoT) devices within intelligent residences has presented both new opportunities and challenges.
Every gadget, including smart thermostats, security cameras, lighting controls, and even
washing machines or refrigerators is equipped by these installers in the range of gadgets offered
by manufacturers.

Methods:
This research conducts a comprehensive investigation and classification of contemporary
forensic tools designed for IoT devices in smart homes, highlighting their characteristics,
methods of data collection, types of target devices, analytical methodologies, practical applications,
and capabilities for integration. This generally involves a comparison of different
forensic products or solutions and evaluation on various criteria such as cost, supportability,
maintainable architecture-designs (integration), speedy acquisition speed/performance effectiveness
without compromising quality, ease-of-use, and consistency. Results: A Comparative
Analysis with Detailed Tables & Radar Charts Identifying the detailed pros and cons of each
tool, our findings help forensic professionals understand when to use them for effective decisions.
The results show that XRY and UFED by Cellebrite both scored 5/5 in each criterion,
showing the best performance in mobile device forensics. Wireshark and tcpdump also have
high rates for the accuracy and reliability criteria, with results of 5/5, and are therefore also
highly recommended in the area of analysis of network traffic. Magnet AXIOM and NetworkMiner
graded evenly well, with a usability rating of four out of five and an integration
mark of 4 out of five, which diversified them for computer and mobile forensics. Splunk and
ELK Stack scored topping the scalability category, with each scoring out of five, which further
confirmed the analysis of logs well for large data sets. These numerical results further underline
that the choice of the tool depends on specific forensic requirements.

Conclusion:
The authors examine future IoT forensics in smart homes which highlights the
necessity of devices working with each other through a standard and sophisticated analysis to
deal with dynamic complexity development within this field.
The Association Between COVID-19 Vaccination Among Pregnant Women and Neonatal Outcomes: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Darvishi Mohammad , Nouri Majid , Arzani Mehdi , Hejrypour Seyyed Ziya , Rafsanjani Seyed Mahmoud Reza Hashemi 
Published: December 2024

Background and Aim:
Limited data exist regarding the safety of COVID-19 vaccines
during pregnancy. Despite some studies supporting vaccine safety and efficacy in pregnant women,
hesitancy persists. Hence, this study aims to evaluate vaccination effects on pregnancy and neonatal
outcomes in vaccinated pregnant women compared to unvaccinated controls.

Methods:
We conducted a comprehensive literature search in databases including PubMed, Web of
Science, and Scopus without any time restrictions up to September 2023. We used specific Medical
Subject Headings (MeSH) terms and keywords related to COVID-19, pregnancy, neonatal outcomes,
and vaccination. Studies without control groups, lacking neonatal outcome data, or not in English
were excluded. Data on preterm births, small for gestational age, NICU admissions, low APGAR
scores, and low birth weights were extracted and analyzed using statistical methods to pool odds
ratios and assess heterogeneity and publication bias.

Results:
Finally, 27 studies were included in our final analysis. Vaccinated mothers exhibited a lower
prevalence of preterm birth, with a pooled OR of 0.78 (95% CI: 0.70, 0.87, p-value < 0.01). No
significant difference was found in the prevalence of SGA between the two groups, with a pooled
OR of 0.99 (95% CI: 0.92, 1.07, p-value = 0.77). There was no significant difference in NICU admissions
between the two groups, with a pooled OR of 0.89 (95% CI: 0.60, 1.32, p-value = 0.57).
Conversely, unvaccinated mothers had a significantly higher prevalence of low 5-minute APGAR
scores, with a pooled OR of 0.84 (95% CI: 0.72, 0.98, p-value = 0.02), and low birth weight, with a
pooled OR of 0.83 (95% CI: 0.70, 0.97, p-value = 0.02).

Conclusion:
Our results demonstrated a significant decrease in the odds ratio of preterm birth, low
birth weight, and low APGAR scores among those who received COVID-19 vaccination. However,
we did not find a significant link between COVID-19 vaccination and the risk of NICU admission or
the SGA.
Regeneration of hilly-mountainous oak forests in Serbia – past experiences and future perspectives
Authors: Kanjevac Branko , Ljubičić Janko , Kerkez Janković Ivona , Mijatović Ljubica , Devetaković Jovana 
Published: December 2024

The regeneration of oak forests in the hilly and mountainous areas is one of the most serious and complex problems forestry practitioners face in Serbia. The success of regeneration depends on the individual or combined (often synergistic) influence of numerous biotic, abiotic, and management factors. While there is significant knowledge and experience about this process in practice so far, there is still great uncertainty regarding its proper execution and control over the influencing factors. The paper critically evaluated the available literature and current experiences from practice through a questionnaire. A comprehensive literature search was conducted, taking into consideration various databases and search engines, mostly composed of peer-reviewed publications from ISI-listed journals. A total of 187 papers were included in the base. Aiming to better understand the current state and the main problems in the regeneration of hilly-mountainous oak forests in Serbia, surveys were performed among forest practitioners. Based on this, the paper synthesized the current knowledge and addressed future perspectives in hilly-mountainous oaks management. More specifically, the factors that dominantly influence the regeneration process, their modes of action, behavior in the case of modifications, as well as the possibilities of their interaction are defined. The success of regeneration is determined by canopy openness, microclimatic conditions, presence of competitive vegetation, initial number of seedlings, and seedling growth and health, as revealed in the literature. The proposed methods for more successful regeneration and restoration of oak forests, include producing high-quality seedlings, using advanced weeding methods, developing a specific strategy for restoring native oak forests, assessing genetic resources and long-term monitoring. Overall conclusion of the conducted literature analysis is that there is a great need for conducting further long-term research on improving the regeneration systems in hilly-mountainous oak forests in Serbia.
Potency of Wild Boar as Plant Pests in South Sulawesi
Authors: Fatmawaty Andi St , Arif Bijaksana Andi Muhammad 
Published: December 2024

Land damage and the risk of crop failure caused by wild boar (Sus scrofa) is one of the main obstacles in producing agricultural products. Wild boars often attack agricultural crops when they are about to harvest, one of which is the damage to corn farms in several areas in Sulawesi which results in losses for corn farmers. Controlling this pest must be done quickly and precisely to create a safe agricultural environment. This study aims to determine the potential of wild boar as a plant pest, especially on agricultural land in South Sulawesi. The research was conducted in Mamasa, Bulukumba, and Bantaeng, South Sulawesi Province. Quantitative and qualitative methods were applied to obtain primary data by direct interviewing 63 respondents. Respondents were farmers who suffering from economic loss due to wild boar attacks on their crops, therefore, they were taken with purposive sampling and at random. Meanwhile, the secondary data were obtained from some related references. Results showed that the wild boar in South Sulawesi is a potential crop pests at areas of mountain (62%), swamp (38%) but not at bushland (0%). The most severe damaged crop was corn (70%), and the other damaged crops were cassava (11%), eggplant (6%), soybean (5%), tomato (3%), groundnut (3%), and sweet potato (2%). In order to reduce the pest risk, hence, extension program to educate the farmer community is needed.
Promotion Path of Global Competence of Master’s Degree Candidates Majoring in International Chinese Language Education
Authors: Lou Baocui , Chen Xu 
Published: December 2024

Global competence plays an important role in broadening international vision, enhancing cross-cultural communication ability, improving comprehensive quality, and enhancing employment competitiveness. Based on recent literature, this study defines the connotation of global competence for master’s degree candidates majoring in international Chinese language education and explores the necessity and promotion path for enhancing their global competence. According to Hunter’s global competence framework and the requirements for obtaining the master’s degree in international Chinese language education issued in 2024, this study proposes the constituent elements of global competence for candidates in this major. Combined with the characteristics of the digital intelligence era, it is found that the promotion path includes the following three aspects: (1) constructing an adaptive modular curriculum system, and realizing the integration of knowledge under the guidance of self-directed learning theory; (2) practising vocational skills with the help of virtual simulation technology, and strengthening the ability to deal with emergencies in virtual situations with the help of artificial intelligence technology; (3) adhering to the Global Civilizations Initiative to enhance international understanding, and abiding to professional ethics and academic ethics to promote international cooperation. This study can provide reference for the training of master’s degree candidates in majoring in international Chinese language education.