bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Intermittent fasting alerts neurotransmitters and oxidant/antioxidant status in the brain of rats
Authors: Abdel-Rahman Mona , Hussein Aida A. , Ahmed-Farid Omar A. , Sawi Abdullah A. , Abdel Moneim Ahmed Esmat 
Published: September 2024

AbstractSeveral recent studies have attempted to understand how fasting has benefits for body health, especially the nervous system. To evaluate the impact of intermittent fasting on body weight, brain neurotransmitters, brain oxidative stress, and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in several areas of the brain, this study was conducted in rats. Thirty male Wistar rats were randomly divided into two groups. Group 1 (15 rats) served as the control and group 2 (15 rats) underwent intermittent fasting (IF; 24 h) for 1, 7, or 15 days. The findings demonstrated that intermittent fasting significantly reduced body weight. In this sense, brain monoamines and amino acids, namely dopamine, glutamate, aspartate, and oxidative stress markers (malondialdehyde and nitric oxide), decreased significantly after 1 day of IF. However, norepinephrine, serotonin, gamma-amino butyric acid, and glycine increased significantly. Additionally, glutathione levels were markedly elevated in IF. Surprisingly, the neuromodulatory effect of intermittent fasting fluctuates depending on the IF period. To support this fluctuation, BDNF levels increased after 1 day in the hippocampus and decreased after 15 days of intermittent fasting in all areas of the brain tested. In conclusion, our results show that intermittent fasting has beneficial influences on the brain; however, prolonged intermittent fasting can also induce some unfavorable physiological outcomes that prevent optimal neurological function.
Mapping the Ethics of Generative AI: A Comprehensive Scoping Review
Authors: Hagendorff Thilo 
Published: September 2024

AbstractThe advent of generative artificial intelligence and the widespread adoption of it in society engendered intensive debates about its ethical implications and risks. These risks often differ from those associated with traditional discriminative machine learning. To synthesize the recent discourse and map its normative concepts, we conducted a scoping review on the ethics of generative artificial intelligence, including especially large language models and text-to-image models. Our analysis provides a taxonomy of 378 normative issues in 19 topic areas and ranks them according to their prevalence in the literature. The study offers a comprehensive overview for scholars, practitioners, or policymakers, condensing the ethical debates surrounding fairness, safety, harmful content, hallucinations, privacy, interaction risks, security, alignment, societal impacts, and others. We discuss the results, evaluate imbalances in the literature, and explore unsubstantiated risk scenarios.
Locating Anglo-Italian Communities in Bevis and the Naples Manuscript
Authors: Fraaije Karel 
Published: September 2024

AbstractThis article contextualises the Anglo-Italian aspects of Naples, Biblioteca Nazionale, MS XIII.B.29. This fifteenth-century paper miscellany contains Bevis of Hampton, Chaucer’s Clerk’s Tale, St Alexius, Libeaus Desconus, as well as a recipe collection, a section of Lydgate’s “Doublenesse”, and a fragment of Sir Isumbras. The book is among a very select number of codices containing Middle English texts that are presently preserved in an Italian institution. Previous research has demonstrated XIII.B.29 must have travelled to the Italian peninsula at a relatively early date, but the exact reason behind its compilation and the method by which it arrived in Italy remain uncertain. This article reviews the manuscript’s design, provenance, and contents, arguing the book is not just an English manuscript in Italy, but also to some degree an English manuscript about Italy and Italian experiences. Specifically, the article contends that an episode in the manuscript’s Bevis, which describes a street fight near Lombard Street in London, benefits from a reading that acknowledges late medieval developments in finance and long-distance Anglo-Italian commerce, as well as the emergence of Italian communities in Southampton and the capital.
The anticancer properties of harmine and its derivatives
Authors: Timbilla Abdul Aziz , Vrabec Rudolf , Havelek Radim , Rezacova Martina , Chlebek Jakub , Blunden Gerald , Cahlikova Lucie 
Published: September 2024

AbstractThis review aims to provide information about the anticancer potential of harmine, a β-carboline alkaloid that was initially isolated in 1847 from the seeds and roots of Peganum harmala L. Various studies have revealed that it possesses a wide range of therapeutic qualities, including anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antiviral, antidiabetic, and, most notably, anticancer effects. This review discusses the anticancer capabilities of harmine and its derivatives against malignancies such as breast cancer, lung cancer, gastric cancer, colon cancer, glioblastoma, neuroblastoma, liver cancer, pancreatic cancer and thyroid cancer. Harmine uses mechanisms such as apoptosis and angiogenesis inhibition to fight cancer cells. It also influences the cell cycle by inhibiting specific cyclin-dependent kinases and slowing tumor cell proliferation. Synergistic effects have also been observed when harmine is used in combination with other anticancer medications. Harmine has the potential to be a potent anticancer medication that can help in the fight against cancer.
Graphical abstract
Mosaic of biological soil crusts and vascular plants contributes to the spatial heterogeneity of key soil properties at different successional stages of restored inland sand dunes
Authors: Chowaniec Karolina , Zubek Szymon , Zalewska-Gałosz Joanna , Stanek Małgorzata , Skubała Kaja 
Published: September 2024

Abstract
Background and aims
Inland sand dunes constitute Natura 2000 habitat that has become a priority to ensure biodiversity protection and habitat heterogeneity at the landscape scale; however, without proper management, spontaneous succession leads to overgrowing of trees and thus to habitat degradation. Understanding succession processes, relationships between biotic and abiotic components, and their changes over time after restoration, is the key to proper planning of future restoration activities. The aim was to determine the changes of biological soil crust (BSC), vascular plants and physicochemical parameters of BSC, below-crust, rhizosphere, and bare substrate types at different stages of succession in inland dunes of the Błędowska Desert (Poland). We also analyzed the interplay between these factors to further understand the mechanism of BSC development and recognize driving factors causing changes in the soil environment.

Results
Our results showed that BSCs contributed to increased organic C, total N, nutrients in soil, and acidification with the succession. The content of inorganic N forms was significantly higher in bare soil compared to below-crust soil. Rhizosphere soil was enriched in organic matter and nutrients, which improves soil conditions within plant patches. Moreover, below-crust soil pH, total N content and water holding capacity drive the patterns of BSC morphological groups and species composition of lichens, bryophytes, and vascular plants.

Conclusion
Our study shows that spatial structure of the inland dune ecosystem is a mosaic of BSCs and plants that contribute to the spatial heterogeneity of key soil properties. We concluded that it is necessary to consider the matter of BSC in restoration treatments.
Quality of life of women with a screen-detected versus clinically detected breast cancer in the Netherlands: a prospective cohort study
Authors: Irzaldy Abyan , Otten Johannes D. M. , Kregting Lindy M. , van der Molen Dieuwke R. Mink , Verkooijen Helena M. , van Ravesteyn Nicolien T. , Heijnsdijk Eveline A. M. , Doeksen Annemiek , van der Pol Carmen C. , Evers Daniel J. , Ernst Miranda F. , Korfage Ida J. , de Koning Harry J. , Broeders Mireille J. M. 
Published: September 2024

Abstract

Purpose
Breast cancer (BC) screening enables early detection of BC, which may lead to improved quality of life (QoL). We aim to compare QoL between women with a screen-detected and clinically detected BC in the Netherlands.

Methods
We used data from the ‘Utrecht cohort for Multiple BREast cancer intervention studies and Long-term evaluation’ (UMBRELLA) between October 2013 and March 2022. Patients were categorized as screen-detected or clinically detected. We analysed three questionnaires, namely EORTC QLQ C-30, BR23, and HADS (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale) completed by BC patients shortly after diagnosis (T1) and one-year after treatment (T2). Independent t-tests were performed to compare QoL average differences between the two groups. Bonferroni-corrected p-value significance threshold of 0.00057 was used. The magnitude of differences was calculated using Cohen’s d. The clinical relevance of QLQ-C30 differences was assessed based on interpretation guideline of EORTC-QLQ-C30 results.

Results
After applying inclusion and exclusion criteria, there were 691 women with screen-detected BC and 480 with clinically detected BC. Generally, screen-detected BC patients reported a better QoL. At T1, their average QLQ-C30 summary score was higher (86.1) than clinically detected BC patients (83.0) (p < 0.0001). Cohen’s d for all items ranged between 0.00 and 0.39. A few QLQ-C30 score differences were clinically relevant, indicating better outcomes in emotional functioning, general health, constipation, and fatigue for women with screen-detected BC.

Conclusions
In the Netherlands, women with screen-detected BC reported statistically significant and better QoL than women with clinically detected BC. However, clinical relevance of the differences is limited.
Educating future leaders to engage the challenges of a changing world: A blended-learning approach to character and leadership education at the University of Hong Kong
Authors: Brooks Edward , Tse Samson , Wright Jessie Yue , Burdett Emily 
Published: September 2024

AbstractHow can a new generation of students be equipped to take up positions of responsibility in a dynamic global environment, serving as leaders and citizens who will further the good of societies around the world? As the institutions responsible for educating the next generation of citizens and leaders at a formative time in their intellectual and personal development, universities have an important role to play in shaping those who will shape society. While many universities emphasize their desire to raise up future leaders for our challenging times, programmes that actively seek to help students develop qualities of character required for responsible leadership are rare. This article discusses the importance of character in leadership education and draws on a case study programme at the University of Hong Kong, which made use of a creative combination of in-person and online learning to help students grow in their intellectual understanding of leadership as well as in the self-knowledge and virtues of character required to enact responsible leadership in their own lives. The article describes the pedagogical methodology that was employed and presents the results of an exploratory, quasi-experimental longitudinal study of the programme’s impact, which was designed to establish proof of concept. The analysis of qualitative data supports the potential of such programmes to make a positive contribution to students’ intellectual understanding of leadership as well as their leadership identity and ethical formation1.
Friction Coefficient Evolution of Si3N4 Binary Coating with a Stoichiometric Ratio of 57/43
Authors: Ortiz C. H. , Fuertes J. M. , Bejarano M. , Barrera V. , Caicedo J. C. 
Published: September 2024

AbstractFriction coefficient depends on various factors or surface characteristics during tribological testing, and this friction coefficient can be modified by altering the properties of one of the two contacting surfaces. It is crucial to monitor the friction coefficient continuously, not only at the conclusion of the test. This research examined the evolution of friction coefficient of silicon nitride (Si3N4) coating and H13 steel over different sliding distances (250, 500, 750, 1000 m). The study assessed surface wear and oxidation through three-dimensional profilometry and SEM/EDX. The findings indicated a reduction in friction coefficient by 22%, a decrease in wear rate by 88%, and a reduction in wear volume by 87% when comparing the silicon nitride coated steel to the uncoated steel. Furthermore, the changes in friction coefficient provided insights into the timing of the complete fracture of the hard coating.
Graphical abstract
Ski slopes as an unrecognized source of human impact on vegetation
Authors: Klačanová Simona , Jarolímek Ivan , Sabo Peter , Shapkin Vasilii , Májeková Jana 
Published: September 2024

AbstractVarious anthropogenic activities, e.g. construction, soil disturbance, and introducing artificial plant mixtures on newly-created ski slopes after forest clearing are significant interventions in ecosystems. These drastic acts influence the species composition of vegetation cover in the landscape. Although synanthropic species are typically infrequent in mountainous areas, they tend to flourish in disturbed environments; ski slopes are no exception to this pattern. Here we assessed the composition of vascular plants in three distinct ski slope habitats across 30 Slovak ski resorts: the ski lift entrance areas, the ski lift exit areas, and the central areas of the ski slopes. To gain insights into the dynamics of the spreading of synanthropic species on ski slopes, we used selected species traits, synanthropization indices for both flora and vegetation, and considered specific disturbance criteria. The outcomes of our study confirmed that the highest richness of synanthropic species was observed in plots located at the ski lift entrance areas, while the lowest in the central areas of the ski slopes. This difference could be attributed to the proximity of anthropogenically-disturbed zones, which act as propagule sources for synanthropic species into these mountainous habitats. At the same time, elevation also plays an important role in limiting spread of synanthropic plants on ski slopes. The study of synanthropic plant species distribution on ski slopes provides valuable insights into the complex interactions between human activities and the environment.
A 10-week multicomponent outdoor exercise program improves hemodynamic parameters and physical fitness in cardiovascular disease adult and elderly patients
Authors: Poli Luca , Mazić Sanja , Ciccone Marco Matteo , Cataldi Stefania , Fischetti Francesco , Greco Gianpiero 
Published: September 2024

AbstractThis study aimed to assess the effects of a 10-week multicomponent outdoor exercise program on hemodynamic, physical fitness and psychological variables in subjects with CVDs. Twenty participants (12 M and 8 F; age 68.5 ± 8.6 years; BMI 28.49 ± 4.98 kg/m2) suffering from CVDs participated in this randomized controlled study and were allocated into two groups: an experimental group (EG; 6 M, 5 F) who underwent a multicomponent training (i.e., cardiorespiratory, resistance, mobility and breathing exercises; 60’, 2d·wk-1), or a wait-list control group (CG; 6 M, 3 F) who did not engage in any PA. Hemodynamic parameters were assessed through resting heart rate (RHR) and peripheral blood pressure (P-SBP/P-DBP). Physical fitness was assessed via a 30″ chair stand test (30CST), timed up and go (TUG) test, handgrip strength (HGS) test, and 2’ step test (TMST). The health status and quality of life (QoL) were evaluated with short form-12 (SF-12) and World Health Organization QoL (WHOQoL-bref), respectively. After the intervention, EG showed significant reduction in hemodynamic parameters (RHR p < 0.001, ES = 0.98; P-SBP p < 0.001, ES = 0.53; P-DBP: p < 0.001, ES = 0.78), physical fitness (30CST p < 0.001, ES = 0.92; TUG p = 0.001, ES = 0.67; TMST p < 0.05, ES = 0.79) and physical component of SF-12 (PSC-12 p < 0.05, ES = 0.42) compared to CG; no significant changes were observed in HGS, QoL and mental health component of the SF-12 (p > 0.05). The findings showed significant improvements in hemodynamic parameters and physical fitness suggesting the effectiveness of the multicomponent outdoor exercise program in adults and elderly with stabilized CVDs.
Validation of Hole-Drilling Residual Stress Measurements in Workpieces of Various Thickness
Authors: Lakey M. C. , Hill M. R. 
Published: September 2024

Abstract
Background
A recent revision to the ASTM E837 standard for near-surface residual stress measurement by the hole-drilling method describes a new thickness-dependent stress calculation procedure applicable to “thin” and “intermediate” workpieces for which strain versus depth response depends on workpiece thickness. This new calculation procedure differs from that of the prior standard, which applies only to thick workpieces with strain versus depth response independent of thickness.

Objective
Herein we assess the new calculation procedures by performing hole-drilling residual stress measurements in samples with a range of thickness.

Methods
Near-surface residual stress is measured in a thick aluminum plate containing near-surface residual stress from a uniform shot peening treatment, and in samples of different thickness removed from the plate at the peened surface. A finite element (FE) model is used to assess consistency between measured residual stress across the range of sample thickness.

Results
Measured residual stress varies with sample thickness, with thinner samples exhibiting smaller near-surface compressive stress and a larger gradient of subsurface stress. These trends are consistent with both observed bending (curvature) of the removed samples and the trend in FE-calculated expected residual stress. The measured and expected residual stresses are in good agreement for samples of intermediate thickness, but the agreement decreases with sample thickness. Measured residual stress is invariant with gage circle diameter.

Conclusion
The new thickness-dependent stress calculation procedure for hole-drilling provides meaningful improvement compared to thick-workpiece calculations.
Dietary factors and DNA methylation-based markers of ageing in 5310 middle-aged and older Australian adults
Authors: Cribb Lachlan , Hodge Allison M. , Southey Melissa C. , Giles Graham G. , Milne Roger L. , Dugué Pierre-Antoine 
Published: September 2024

AbstractThe role of nutrition in healthy ageing is acknowledged but details of optimal dietary composition are still uncertain. We aimed to investigate the cross-sectional associations between dietary exposures, including macronutrient composition, food groups, specific foods, and overall diet quality, with methylation-based markers of ageing. Blood DNA methylation data from 5310 participants (mean age 59 years) in the Melbourne Collaborative Cohort Study were used to calculate five methylation-based measures of ageing: PCGrimAge, PCPhenoAge, DunedinPACE, ZhangAge, TelomereAge. For a range of dietary exposures, we estimated (i) the ‘equal-mass substitution effect’, which quantifies the effect of adding the component of interest to the diet while keeping overall food mass constant, and (ii) the ‘total effect’, which quantifies the effect of adding the component of interest to the current diet. For ‘equal-mass substitution effects’, the strongest association for macronutrients was for fibre intake (e.g. DunedinPACE, per 12 g/day − 0.10 [standard deviations]; 95%CI − 0.15, − 0.05, p < 0.001). Associations were positive for protein (e.g. PCGrimAge, per 33 g/day 0.04; 95%CI 0.01–0.08, p = 0.005). For food groups, the evidence tended to be weak, though sugar-sweetened drinks showed positive associations, as did artificially-sweetened drinks (e.g. DunedinPACE, per 91 g/day 0.06, 95%CI 0.03–0.08, p < 0.001). ‘Total effect’ estimates were generally very similar. Scores reflecting overall diet quality suggested that healthier diets were associated with lower levels of ageing markers. High intakes of fibre and low intakes of protein and sweetened drinks, as well as overall healthy diets, showed the most consistent associations with lower methylation-based ageing in our study.
DEM investigation into the small-strain stiffness of bio-cemented soils
Authors: Zhang Aoxi , Magnanimo Vanessa , Cheng Hongyang , Heimovaara Timo J. , Dieudonné Anne-Catherine 
Published: September 2024

AbstractBio-mediated methods, such as microbially induced carbonate precipitation, are promising techniques for soil stabilisation. However, uncertainty about the spatial distribution of the minerals formed and the mechanical improvements impedes bio-mediated methods from being translated widely into practice. To bolster confidence in bio-treatment, non-destructive characterisation is desired. Seismic methods offer the possibility to monitor the effectiveness and mechanical efficiency of bio-treatment both in the laboratory and in the field. To aid the interpretation of shear wave velocity measurements, this study uses the discrete element method to examine the small-strain stiffness of bio-cemented sands. Bio-cemented specimens with different characteristics, including properties of the host sand (void ratio, uniformity of particle size distribution) and properties of the precipitated minerals (distribution pattern, content, Young’s modulus), are modelled and subjected to static probing. The mechanisms affecting the small-strain properties of cemented soils are investigated from microscopic observations. The results identify two mechanisms controlling the mechanical reinforcement associated with bio-cementation, namely the number of effective bonds and the ability of a single bond to improve stiffness. The results show that the dominant mechanism varies with the properties of the host sand. These results support the use of seismic measurements to assess the mechanical efficiency and effectiveness of bio-mediated treatment.
Comparative Analysis of Two Different MIM Configurations of a Plasmonic Nanoantenna
Authors: Esfahani Niloofar Ebrahimzadeh , Kovác Jaroslav , Maruccio Giuseppe , Rizzato Silvia , Kovácová Soňa 
Published: September 2024

AbstractTwo plasmonic nanoantenna configurations—nanodisk and nanostrip arrays—in a metal–insulator-metal (MIM) setup were proposed, optimized, and compared by simulating their optical properties in three-dimensional models using COMSOL Multiphysics software. The optical responses, including electric field enhancement, absorption, reflection, and transmission spectra, were systematically investigated. Optimized geometrical parameters led to a significant enhancement of the electric field within the gap layers and almost perfect light absorptance for both structures. The results showed that the enhancement of the electric field depends on the polarization of the incident light. For both polarizations, the periodic circular nanodisk array showed a stronger field enhancement with an electric field enhancement factor of 6.6 × 106 and TE polarization, and a larger absorptance of 98% at its dipole resonance wavelength, indicating the fundamental plasmonic mode. In addition, weaker resonant modes were observed in the absorptance and reflectance spectra of both nanostructures, with the nanostrips exhibiting sharper and stronger higher-order modes, making them suitable for applications requiring precise wavelength selectivity and narrow-band responses. Despite their different geometric shapes, both structures exhibited similar optimized metal film thickness and nanoparticle height, comparable modes in number and position, and identical optimized light incidence angles. Furthermore, increasing the dielectric gap layer thickness and optimizing it to a specific value revealed its ability to measure the refractive index, making it a promising candidate for sensing applications.