bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Physician Associate (PA) students’ perceptions of Team-Based Learning (TBL) for teaching in Geriatric medicine
Authors: Aweid Basaam , Parnis Natalie , Harrison David 
Published: September 2024

Abstract

Background
Physician Associates have recently been introduced to the UK healthcare workforce. Their curriculum includes important topics in Geriatric medicine. As they undertake a 2-year intensive postgraduate course we wanted to explore if Team-based Learning is an effective and efficient learning strategy. In addition, we wanted to know how this approach compares to their current learning methods, namely Problem-based learning and lectures.
Methods
This was a qualitative study of Physician associate student perceptions of Team-Based Learning. After introducing four TBL sessions in the specialty of Geriatric medicine we sent students anonymous questionnaires asking them about their TBL experience and how it compared to PBL and lectures. We then undertook a thematic analysis of the responses.
Results
Twenty students responded to our online questionnaire. The thematic analysis utilised themes from previous studies as well as emergent ones. The key themes were that TBL requires more preparation, TBL is effective, TBL is preferred to PBL and lectures, but students did not want TBL to replace all their teaching.
Conclusions
TBL is an effective learning strategy that can be used alongside other teaching methods. While Physician Associate students preferred TBL over PBL and lectures, they wanted to have TBL alongside lectures at least. This information is important when planning teaching for an intensive 2-year course.
Targeted Drug Delivery Using Polymeric Encapsulation for Enhanced Antineoplastic Activity
Authors: PAUL SAMRAT , Basak Piyali 
Published: September 2024

Abstract

A non-repairable genomic mutation in cell cycle proteins can endow targeted cells with unlimited replicative potential, leading to the inappropriate overexpression of oncogenes or the formation of novel oncogenes, alongside the concurrent underexpression of tumor suppressor genes. This results in the development of neoplastic cells with invasive characteristics, commonly referred to as cancer cells. Current cancer therapies focus on targeted drug delivery systems designed to modify the drug release profile and ADME (absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion) properties, thereby minimizing side effects on non-cancerous cells. Bis(Iso-thiocyanatomethyl) Benzene, an antineoplastic compound, was isolated and purified from the leaves of Moringa oleifera, as reported in the literature. This compound was successfully encapsulated with a 68% efficiency (n = 3) into a polyvinyl alcohol matrix, resulting in the creation of nano/micro-sized "polymeric encapsulated sub-micron particles (PESP)" through a one-step modified binary nonsolvent conservation method. The details of this process have been documented in Indian patent file no: 544591. A single-dose cell viability assay revealed that the PESP-loaded compound inhibited the MDA-MB-231 cell line more effectively than the MCF-7 cell line, while demonstrating lower cytotoxicity towards peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). In silico studies showed that the compound interacted with estrogen and epidermal growth factor receptors, inducing apoptosis in MDA-MB-231 cells via a caspase-dependent pathway. Additionally, the polyvinyl alcohol matrix enhanced the binding and bioavailability of the PESP, as confirmed by cell-based adhesion and soft agar colony formation assays. This advanced delivery system is thus considered a promising method for achieving targeted antineoplastic activity.
Lightweight Detection and Mitigation Method for IP Spoofing Attacks in Software Defined Network
Authors: Wang Kun , Fu Yu , Duan Xueyuan , Liu Taotao 
Published: September 2024

Abstract

In response to the problems of high computational overhead and lack of flexibility in traditional IP spoofing attack mitigation methods, a method for mitigating IP spoofing attacks in SDN based on a dynamic restriction strategy is proposed. By using the triplet information in the Packet-In message to trace the attack path and locate the source host of the IP spoofing attack; the controller formulates a dynamic restriction strategy to limit the new flow forwarding function of the switch port connected to the attack source host, and then restores its function to forward new flows after the restriction period expires; the duration of the restriction period increases with the number of times it is detected as an attack source. This dynamic restriction strategy can prevent attack traffic from entering the SDN network, thereby effectively avoiding the overload of SDN switches, controllers, and links. Additionally, since there is no need for real-time monitoring of these restricted switch ports during the restriction period, this method has a higher mitigation efficiency and consumes fewer resources when dealing with long-duration attacks compared to traditional methods.
Submission to: Phytoparasitica Occurrence of ash whitefly, Siphoninus phillyreae (Haliday) (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae), in Brazil
Authors: Lourenção André , Evans Gregory A. , Soares Nyeppson de Sousa , Palma Gabriel Rodrigues , Costa Valmir Antonio , Wengrat Ana Paula Gonçalves  da Silva , Savaris Marcoandre 
Published: September 2024

Abstract

Siphoninus phillyreae (Haliday) (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) is a polyphagous species with a wide geographical distribution and high invasion potential. In South America, it has been documented in Venezuela, Chile, Peru and Argentina. Pomegranate leaves [Punica granatum L. (Lythraceae)] containing whitefly eggs, nymphs, puparia, and adults were collected in the municipalities of Campinas, Piracicaba (São Paulo), Planaltina (Goiás), São João dos Patos (Maranhão), Floriano (Piauí), and Janaúba (Minas Gerais). Based on morphological characters, the species was identified as S. phillyreae in the collections. Additionally, parasitism by Encarsia brasiliensis (Hempel) was observed in Piracicaba. The adults collected in Piracicaba underwent molecular characterization, validating the morphological identification. In Brazil, the pomegranate tree is often grown as an ornamental plant in gardens due to the beauty of its leaves, flowers, fruits, and medicinal properties. Thus, due to the increase in pomegranate cultivation, an appropriate management plan for this pest is necessary. Therefore, this is the first record of the S. phillyreae in Brazil, expanding its distribution in South America.
A Comparati̇ve Evaluati̇on of the Effects of Covi̇d-19 on the Quali̇ty of Li̇fe Oncology Pati̇ents İn the World and İn Turkey
Authors: Akgul Ismail , Yildiz Yesim , Celik Bulent , Unsal Oktay , Ozet Ahmet 
Published: September 2024

Abstract

Aim: COVID-19 pandemic has affected all aspects of life. With this study, we aimed to evaluate the effects of the pandemic on the quality of life (QOL) of oncology patients.
Material and Methods: This study was conducted on 220 outpatients and inpatients of medical oncology clinics of Gazi University Hospital, through face-to-face interviews in the period between August 2020 and February 2021. Data were collected with the WHOQOL Scale and the original questionnaire.
Results: Being younger, being in a higher level of education, living in metropolitan cities, and having a higher salary; increased the patients' QOL. The physical subscale scores (SS) were found to be significantly lower in those who needed surgery, chemotherapy, and hospitalization (p<0.05). The social SS of those who continued their working life and the environmental SS of those whose care support was not affected were found to be significantly higher (p<0.05). The physical and psychological SS of those who did not think that COVID-19 "negatively affects the course of the disease" was significantly higher (p<0.05). The physical SS of those who experienced the anxiety of being infected with COVID-19 at a “moderate” level was found to be significantly lower (p<0.05). The physical and psychological SS of "outpatient" oncology patients were found to be significantly higher (p<0.05). The physical, psychological, social, and environmental SS of oncology patients with other chronic diseases were significantly lower (p<0.05). Any of the SS of the WHOQOL Scale did not show a significant difference according to gender, marital status, and employment status (p>0.05).
Conclusıon: As the pandemic still continues, besides medical care, more intense psychological and social support should be provided to oncology patients.
Cytotoxicity and apoptotic-inducing effect of 1-(1-tosyl-1H-indol-3yl)propan-1-one against lung cancer cells
Authors: Bonifacio Joao Henrique Oliveira , Franca Mariana Nobre Farias , Melo Marcos Vinicius Barbosa , Santos Jileno Ferreira , Oliveira Cristiane Almeida Santos , Amaral Ricardo Guimaraes , Cavalcanti Sócrates Cabral de Holanda , Correa Cristiane Bani 
Published: September 2024

Abstract

Background
Lung cancer is the most prevalent and deadly cancer in the world. In the search for new antineoplastic drugs, research into derivatives of natural products revealed the constant evolution of science to provide treatments with fewer adverse effects. Indole is a natural compound found in plants and microorganisms with proven antitumor activity. Modifications to its structure can potentiate its cytotoxic effect on tumor cells. Thus, the aim of this study was to evaluate the cytotoxic potential of the synthetic indole derivative 1-(1-tosyl-1H-indol-3-yl)propan-1-one in tumor cell lines.
Methods
Sulforhodamine B (SRB) was used to evaluate the cytotoxic effect of compound 1-(1-tosyl-1H-indol-3-yl)propan-1-one against lung cancer (A549), breast cancer (MCF7) and prostate cancer (PC-3) cell lines. Furthermore, the hemolysis assay was carried out on human erythrocytes. The clonogenic and wound healing assays were used to analyze the reduction in colony formation and the migratory capacity of the A549 cell line, respectively. DAPI and Phalloidin/FITC were used to observe morphological changes. Death by apoptosis and necrosis were assessed by flow cytometer.
Results
The highest inhibitory effect was observed in the A549 cell line, with an IC50 of 2.6 µM. The A549 cell line was further selected for additional biological tests, considering the IC50 and the epidemiological relevance of this cancer. No hemolytic activity was observed in human erythrocytes after exposure to 1-(1-tosyl-1H-indol-3-yl)propan-1-one. In the colony formation test, clone inhibition was observed in the A549 cell line at a concentration of 5.2 µM. In the migration analysis, we observed that the compound inhibited wound closure in the A549 cells at the highest concentrations after 48 h of treatment. In addition, morphological changes characteristic of apoptosis, such as cytoplasmic reduction and changes in the disposition of actin filaments, were observed in the A549 cell line by staining with DAPI and phalloidin/FITC dyes. These results corroborate the flow cytometry results, which showed that the treatment induced apoptosis in the A549 cells.
Conclusions
Our results showed that the compound 1-(1-tosyl-1H-indol-3-yl)propan-1-one inhibited cell growth, migration and colony formation and promote cell death via apoptosis in A549 cell line.
Prevalence of Sleep Disorders and Its Impact on Academic Performance among Medical Students in Port Said University: A Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Ismail Youssef A. , El-Husseini Ahmed M. , Ahmed Nada M. , Auf Huda A. , Sadik Shahd A. , El-Barbari Mutuaz , Sultan Adam , Azzam Hassan , El-Tahlawy Salsabel , Mostafa Hanya S. , Ali Yasmeen 
Published: September 2024

Abstract

Background
Sleep is essential for human health, with significant physiological changes occurring during sleep. Sleep disorders, which are prevalent among university students, can impair various bodily systems and negatively impact academic performance.
Objective
This study aims to estimate the prevalence of sleep disorders, academic performance and assess the relationship between academic performance and sleep quality among medical students at Port Said University.
Methods
This cross-sectional study included 438 medical students from the Colleges of Medicine, Pharmacy, Nursing, and Physical Therapy at Port Said University, conducted from March 2023 to May 2024. Participants completed a self-administered questionnaire, which included the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and the Academic Self-Efficacy (ASE) Scale. The PSQI assessed sleep quality across seven components, and the ASE evaluated academic self-efficacy.
Results
The median global PSQI score among participants was 7 (IQR = 4), indicating poor sleep quality in 67.1% of students. The highest median component scores were for subjective sleep quality, sleep latency, disturbances, and daytime dysfunction. The ASE scores indicated moderate-to-high academic self-efficacy, with notable deficits in time management and exam preparation among poor sleepers. Statistically significant gender differences were observed, with female students exhibiting higher global PSQI scores (p = 0.025) and greater sleep disturbances (p < 0.001). Medication-taking students, particularly those on vitamin/mineral supplements, also reported poorer sleep quality (p = 0.042). Notably, significant differences were found between academic grades, with third and sixth-year students showing higher sleep efficiency issues (p = 0.001). Additionally, specific academic faculties showed significant disparities in sleep disturbances, particularly Pharmacy students (p = 0.001).
Conclusion
The study revealed a high prevalence of poor sleep quality among medical students at Port Said University, affecting their academic performance. Female students and those on medication were particularly at risk. The results highlight the importance of addressing sleep health in academic settings to enhance student well-being and performance.
The Development of Micro-zonation of Vegetation for Conservation of Plawangan Hill in Mount Merapi National Park, Indonesia
Authors: Khan Kamran , Hermawan Taufik Tri , Sadono Ronggo , Wilopo Wahyu 
Published: September 2024

Abstract

The micro-zonation of vegetation was developed by using the criteria and sub-criteria derived from other objectives, as documented in the literature of previous studies. This study employed the K-means clustering algorithm to discern variations in the criterion. The Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) analytical technique was utilized to estimate the weight and score of criteria that were vital for producing the micro-zonation of vegetation. Hence, the data collection procedure entailed conducting comprehensive interviews and manually completing questionnaires with experts. A total of four experts participated, including professionals from Taman Nasional Gunung Merapi and the forestry department of Universitas Gadjah Mada. The spatial evaluation was conducted using ArcMap 10.4 software following the processing of the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) utilizing an Excel sheet. The objective is to develop a geo-ecological model by creating a micro-zonation for vegetation on Plawangan Hill for conservation. The results showed that the AHP analysis of the micro-zonation of vegetation resulted in the highest weight (0.197) for the history of volcanic eruptions. Following this were the vegetation characteristics based on altitude (0.128), land cover (0.117), TNGM zone (0.096), elevation (0.092), slope (0.082), intensity of rainfall (0.073), and soil nutrients (0.056). The micro-zonation of vegetation further resulted in five clusters and five priorities. Cluster 3 became priority 1 and had an area of 33.56 hectares, or 24%, followed by Cluster 1, which became second priority and had an area of 26.55 hectares, or 19%. Cluster 5 became the third priority and had an area of 36.08 hectares, or 26%, while Cluster 4 became the fourth priority and had an area of 35.15 hectares, or 25%. The last zone was cluster 2, which became the fifth priority and had an area of 6.88 hectares, or 5%. The findings then proposed activities that could be greatly beneficial to apply to Plawangan Hill as a conservation area. The Plawangan Hill wilderness zone comprised nearly 70% of the area that was designated as a priority zone. All clusters, except for cluster 4, exhibited attributes associated with the utilization and wilderness zones of research areas. The TNGM's managerial team shall prioritize and take significant measures to conserve the land, which is designated as a utilization zone. It is imperative to reforest and restore certain regions of Plawangan Hill with indigenous vegetation that is well-suited to the ecosystems of the Low Land Tropical Forest and the Low Mountain Tropical Forest.
Periodic variation of anomalous cosmic ray oxygen during solar cycles 23 and 24
Authors: Kotzé Pieter , Mursula Kalevi 
Published: September 2024

Abstract

We investigate the evolution of the Rieger periodicity at 152 − 156 days, the 27-day synodic rotation period as well as the 13.5 and 9-day harmonic periodicities in anomalous cosmic ray (ACR) oxygen (O) fluxes at the energy range between 8 - 25 MeV/n observed by the Advanced Composition Explorer(ACE) satellite during solar cycles 23 and 24. The ACR oxygen flux data is analysed using the Lomb-Scargle periodogram and Morlet wavelet spectral analysis techniques. Daily mean oxygen fluxes during solar quiet times are used to identify how the ACR oxygens at different energies vary at the Rieger periodicity and at the solar rotation periodicities in each year. This is the first investigation of the periodicity evolution of ACR oxygen ions. Previous investigations have mostly concentrated on the spectral behaviour of GCR particles during various solar cycles of opposite polarities, in particular the 27-day and 13.5-day periodicities. Our analysis revealed a significant temporal and energy dependence in the spectral behaviour of ACR oxygen during both cycles, with the most prominent Rieger periodicity occurring during the late declining phase of these solar cycles.
Secular trend of colorectal cancer attributable to low physical activity from 1990 to 2021 in China
Authors: Yang Qian , Hu Yao , Liu Fang 
Published: September 2024

Abstract

Objective
This study aims to report low physical activity related colorectal cancer (LPARCC) death and Disability Adjusted Life Years (DALYs) in 1990–2021, and decompose the changes in disease burden into population growth, population aging, and epidemiological changes.
Methods
We obtained LPARCC data from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) online database. The Joinpoint regression model and the age-period-cohort model (APC) were used to describe the trend of disease burden and analyzed the effects of age, period, and cohort. Finally, a recently developed decomposition method was conducted to attribute changes in the burden of disease from 1990 to 2021 to population growth, population aging, and epidemiological changes.
Results
From 1990 to 2021, there were significant increased trends in all ages and age-standardized rates of summary exposure values of low physical activity, with percentage changes of 0.46 (95% CI: 0.16 to 0.86) and 0.16 (95% CI: -0.08 to 0.45), respectively. The percentage change of age-standardized mortality rates (ASMR) for LPARCC from 1990 to 2021 was − 0.07 (95% CI: -0.38–0.37) and percentage change of age-standardized DALY rate (ASDR) was − 0.09 (95% CI: -0.37–0.33), both of them showed non-significantly decreased trends. In addition, the results of the Joinpoint regression model demonstrated that the annual percentage changes in ASMR and ASDR rates for LPARCC were − 0.22 (95% CI: -0.52–0.09) and − 0.29 (95% CI: -0.55– -0.03), respectively. Finally, from 1990 to 2021, the ASMR of LPARCC increased by 191.19%, which could be decomposed into age structure (170.62%), mortality change in low physical activity (-15.42%), and population size (35.99%), respectively.
Conclusion
Over the past 30 years, the number of LPARCC death and DALYs in China had shown an upward trend, which was mainly attributed to population aging.
Phytoplankton uptake by a resilient urban estuary bivalve, Mytilopsis leucophaeata
Authors: Kido Allyson K , Mansfield Noah , Schott Eric 
Published: September 2024

Abstract

Urban estuaries face numerous problems stemming from excess nutrients from stormwater runoff. Baltimore Harbor, an urban estuary, has intense and frequent phytoplankton blooms that can lead to hypoxic and anoxic zones, and ultimately fish kills. Efforts to reduce the nutrients, that fuel algae blooms, focus on point sources and not remediation once the nutrients have entered the water. In water removal of nutrients is often in the form of phytoplankton uptake by bivalve suspension feeders. Commercial bivalve species have been studied for their ability to remove phytoplankton and sequester nutrients in the coastal zone. In urban estuaries, commercially important bivalves often do not naturally occur, or urban pollution would make them unsuitable for human consumption. Therefore, we set out to determine if a locally abundant non-commercial mussel, Mytilopsis leucophaeata, could reduce phytoplankton levels and how environmentally relevant temperature and salinity may impact clearance rates. Our study developed a standard method to quantify phytoplankton removal of two cultured phytoplankton species (Isochrysis sp. and Chaetoceros sp.), by measuring both in vivo and extracted chlorophyll. We then evaluated the ability of the mussels to remove algae under varied temperatures and salinity that are typical for Baltimore Harbor. Our results show that at lower temperatures there is a lower clearance rate, and salinity did not significantly affect the clearance rates of the mussels. Overall, our results show potential for the use of this native non-commercial bivalve to reduce phytoplankton blooms in Baltimore Harbor.
Effect of exogenously applied amino acids on photosynthetic pigments, metabolites and enzymatic antioxidants in Zea mays L. subjected to salt stress
Authors: Ahmad Muhammad Haseeb , Zafar Zunaira , Bibi Haleema , Ali Naila , -un-Nisa Zaib , Usman Sheeraz , Shah Anis Ali , Shafique Shiffa , Gatasheh Mansour K. 
Published: September 2024

Abstract

The current study has been designed to investigate the effect of different concentrations (0, 25, 75, 100 ppm) amino acids including Methionine (Met), Tryptophan (Tryp), Glycine Betaine (GB) and Lysine (Lys) in alleviating the effect of salt stress. The experiment was performed on maize plants under two stress conditions (0, 120 mM NaCl). Effect of salinity reduced the morpho-physiological parameters along with antioxidant activities. Application of amino acids exhibit potential of tolerance for saline stress. All applications of amino acids increased the growth parameters, however, maximum shoot length, biomass of shoot was noted under the application of lysine while root length, number of leaves and biomass of root was improved by the application of glycine betaine, methionine and tryptophan respectively. Photosynthetic pigments were increased under the influence of glycine betaine. Amino acids also triggered the antioxidant activity and increase the production of metabolites. Phenolics, total soluble proteins (TSP) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) were improved by the application of glycine betaine, catalase (CAT), peroxidase (POD) and flavonoids were improved by the application of tryptophan, while total free amino acids (TFA) were more under the effect of methionine application. With increasing concentrations of amino acids the parameters were also in increasing pattern. Because of amino acids application, enhancement of studied parameters under saline environment is linked to increased photosynthetic pigments, improved metabolites and modulated antioxidants activites in Zea mays L.