bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Rural air temperatures show significant urban heat island effects
Authors: Spencer Roy W. , Christy John R. 
Published: July 2023

Abstract
While the urban heat island (UHI) impact on air temperature is largest in densely populated cities, it also substantial at low population densities. A novel method for quantifying UHI warming as a function of population density using thousands of weather stations in the Northern Hemisphere shows that rural locations have average urbanization-related warming effects equivalent to twenty years of observed global warming. This is important because previous comparisons of warming at urban locations to presumed unaffected rural locations have likely underestimated the UHI warming of both. It also suggests that adaptation to, and mitigation of, increasing urbanization is more important for smaller towns and cities than for densely populated urban centers, the latter having already experienced saturation of UHI warming.
Evaluation of the ability to measure morphological structures of plants obtained from tissue culture applying image processing techniques
Authors: Aliabad Fahime Arabi , aliabad Kazem - kamali , Habbab Elmira , Bello Aminu Mallam 
Published: July 2023

Abstract
Biotechnological approaches, for instance, plant tissue culture, can be used to improve and accelerate the reproduction of plants. A single portion of a plant can produce many plants throughout the year in a relatively short period of laboratory conditions. Monitoring and recording plant morphological characteristics such as root length and shoot length in different conditions and stages are necessary for tissue culture. These features were measured using graph paper in a laboratory environment and sterile conditions. This research investigated the ability to use image processing techniques in determining the morphological features of plants obtained from tissue culture. In this context RGB images were prepared from the plants inside the glass, and different pixel-based and object-based classification methods were applied to an image as a control. The accuracy of these methods was evaluated using the kappa coefficient, and overall accuracy was obtained from Boolean logic. The results showed that among pixel-based classification methods, the maximum likelihood method with a kappa coefficient of 87% and overall accuracy of 89.4 was the most accurate, and the Spectral angle mapper method (SAM) method with a kappa coefficient of 58% and overall accuracy of 54.6 was the least accurate. Also, among object-based classification methods, Support Vector Machine (SVM), Naïve Bayes, and K-nearest neighbors algorithm (KNN) techniques, with a Kappa coefficient of 88% and overall accuracy of 90, can effectively distinguish the cultivation environment, plant, and root. Comparing the values of root length and shoot length estimated in the laboratory culture environment with the values obtained from image processing showed that the use of the SVM image classification method, which is capable of estimating root length and shoot length with RMSE 2.4, MAD 3.01 and R2 0.97, matches the results of manual measurements with even higher accuracy.
Access to Primary Health Care: Perspectives of Primary Care Physicians and Community Stakeholders
Authors: Toal-Sullivan Darene , Dahrouge Simone , Tesfaselassie Johanna , Olejnik Laura 
Published: July 2023

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Action on the social determinants of health is important to strengthen primary health care and promote access among underserved populations. We report on findings from stakeholder consultations undertaken at one of the Canadian sites of the Innovative Models Promoting Access-to-Care Transformation (IMPACT) program, as part of the development of a best practice intervention to improve access to primary health care. The overarching objective of this qualitative study was to understand the processes, barriers, and facilitators to connect patients to health enabling community resources (HERs) to inform a patient navigation model situated in primary care.
METHODS: Focus groups and interviews were conducted with primary care physicians, and community health and social service providers to understand their experiences in supporting patients in reaching HERs. Current gaps in access to primary health care and the potential of patient navigation were also explored. We applied Levesque et al., (2013) access framework to code the data and four themes emerged: 1) Approachability and Ability to Perceive, 2) Acceptability and Ability to Seek, 3) Availability and Accommodation, and Ability to Reach, and 4) Appropriateness.
RESULTS: Determinants of access included patient and provider awareness of HERs, the nature of the patient-provider relationship, funding of HERs, integration of primary and community care services, and continuity of information. Participants’ perspectives about the potential scope and role of a patient navigator provided valuable insight for the development of the Access to Resources in the Community (ARC) navigation model and how it could be embedded in a primary care setting.
CONCLUSION: Additional consultation with key stakeholders in the health region is needed to gain a broader understanding of the challenges in caring for primary care patients with social barriers and how to support them in accessing community-based primary health care to inform the design of the ARC intervention.
Motivation and perception of farmers on the benefits and challenges of agroforestry in Sweden (Northern Europe)
Authors: Schaffer Christina , Elbakidze Marine , Björklund Johanna 
Published: July 2023

Abstract
Agroforestry systems provide multiple benefits for human wellbeing and biodiversity; however, their diversity and spatial distribution sharply decline across Europe. This study focuses on agroforestry farms in Sweden. The aim of the study was to explore farmers' motivations to start agroforestry, what benefits farmers attributed to their agroforestry farms and perceived challenges to practicing agroforestry in Sweden. In total, 13 farms that practice various agroforestry forms were selected as case studies. A focus group, semi-structured interviews and field observations were used for data collection. We identified four types of agroforestry systems such as silvopasture, silvoarable, forest farming and forest gardens established on different land such as forested or agricultural land. All studied agroforestry farms were small but had complex spatial and temporal arrangements of crops, trees and animals, which were crucial to generating multiple benefits. Our results show that the multifunctionality of agroforestry systems resulted from farmers' desire to design such systems. Farmers’ intentions to get foods and materials from their farms were always intentionally unified with multiple ecosystem services. We argue that agroforestry farmers are designers of multifunctional landscapes as they deliberately organized their farming activities to get a bundle of ecosystem services belonging to all four categories – provisioning, regulating, supporting and cultural. However, the complexity of agroforestry management, lack of technologies suitable for small-scale agroforestry farms, plant materials, including seedlings and knowledge about how to do agroforestry challenged the scaling up of agroforestry practices.
QuantIoT Novel Quantum Resistant Cryptographic Algorithm for Securing IoT Devices: Challenges and Solution
Authors: Farooq Mansoor , khan Rafi , Khan Prof. Mubashir Hassan 
Published: July 2023

Abstract

With the emergence of quantum computing, traditional cryptographic algorithms face the threat of being compromised, necessitating the development of quantum-resistant alternatives. The Internet of Things (IoT) paradigm presents unique security challenges due to its vast scale and resource-constrained devices. This research aims to address these challenges by proposing a novel quantum-resistant cryptographic algorithm QuantIoT specifically designed for securing IoT devices. The research begins by evaluating the vulnerabilities of existing cryptographic algorithms against quantum attacks and identifying the need for post-quantum solutions in the IoT context. Various families of post quantum cryptographic algorithms, including lattice based and hash based schemes, are examined to assess their suitability for securing IoT devices. Based on the analysis, a novel quantum-resistant cryptographic algorithm tailored for IoT devices is proposed. The algorithm takes into account the limited computational capabilities, power constraints, and communication requirements of IoT devices while offering strong defence against both conventional and quantum threats. The proposed algorithm is evaluated through simulations and practical experiments on a representative IoT platform. Performance metrics, including computation time, memory usage, and communication overhead, are measured and compared against traditional cryptographic algorithms. The results show that the suggested quantum-resistant technique for protecting IoT devices is workable and effective. This research contributes to the growing body of knowledge on post-quantum cryptography and provides valuable insights for the design and implementation of secure IoT systems in the face of quantum threats.
Beagle dogs living in household or controlled environments show different gut microbiome profiles when fed an identical diet or diet type
Authors: Tanprasertsuk Jirayu , Jones Roshonda , Tate Devon , Oba Patricia , Belchik Sara , Swanson Kelly , Shmalberg Justin , Honaker Ryan 
Published: July 2023

Abstract
Most canine microbiome trials are conducted in a controlled environment, with an unverified assumption that identical findings can be extrapolated to household dogs. In this study, the fecal microbiome of healthy beagles living in household or controlled environments was characterized with shotgun metagenomic sequencing and compared. Beagles were recruited from U.S. households (Pet, n = 54), a private kennel (Kennel, n = 39), and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC, n = 34). Dogs were fed an identical diet (fresh chicken, non-extruded and cooked) or diet type (kibble, various brands) for ≥ 7 days. Shannon diversity index was significantly higher in Kennel than Pet when fed both fresh and kibble, and significantly higher than UIUC when fed fresh only. β-Diversity was significantly different among the three cohorts on both diets. Mainly, species belonging to Actinobacteriota, Bacteroidota, Firmicutes_A, Firmicutes, and Proteobacteria were differentially abundant among the cohorts. Likewise, significant discriminant features in the functional data were observed among the cohorts after controlling for diet type. The findings demonstrate the living environment as an important factor in microbial composition, and further draw attention to possible limitations in the translation of findings between dogs in controlled versus free-living environments.
Changes in host liver transcriptome and rumen microbiota community in fattening goats fed different type of forages
Authors: Wu Zhou-lin , Xu Maoqin , He Wei , Li Xiaoyu , Luo Qian , Zhang Jiamin , Wang Wei , Liu Dayu , Chen Yaying , Yang Xue 
Published: July 2023

Abstract
Background: To explore the effects of different forages on rumen flora and expression of genes related to liver metabolism in fattening goats, Boer crossbred male goats were fed three experiment diets lasts for 97 days, including an adaptation period of seven days. The diets were composed of same commercial concentrate, but supplemented with different forages (Hemarthria altissima (HA), Pennisetum sinese (PS), or forage maize (FG)). The liver transcriptome changes along with its correlation with the rumen microbiome changes were investigated in these animals.
Results: Transcriptome results revealed a total of 73 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between FG and HA groups, and biological pathways enriched by these DEGs included circadian regulation of gene expression, transforming growth factor beta receptor signaling pathway, lipid metabolic process, and multiple KEGG pathways related to energy metabolism, such as AMPK signaling pathway, Choline metabolism in cancer, Insulin resistance, cAMP signaling pathway, and Insulin signaling pathway. Furthermore, our 16S rRNA gene sequencing results revealed a remarkable difference in rumen microbiota composition due to different dietary treatment, and the correlations between the relative abundances of bacteria at the genus level and the expression levels of DEGs were analyzed. By which, nine bacteria genera exhibited at least a strong correlation to at least one of these DEGs. Among these bacteria genera, the Muribaculaceaewas reported with involvement in fat metabolism, which exhibited the highest number of associations overall with 18 strong correlations with DEGs, implying the direct relationship between rumen Muribaculaceaeabundance and liver gene expression changes.
Conclusions: Our study provides insight into the physiological axis linking the rumen microbiome and liver genes to forage utilization in goats, which may facilitate future studying the underlying molecular mechanism of how forages lead to the improvement of the nutritional value through the microbiota-gut-liver axis in ruminants.
The voices of breast cancer survivors with chronic pain: A qualitative thematic analysis of patients’ challenges to pain management
Authors: Filipponi Chiara , Masiero Marianna Agnese , Mazzoni Davide , Chichua Mariam , Marceglia Sara , Ferrucci Roberta , Fragale Elisa , Didier Florence , Pravettoni Gabriella 
Published: July 2023

Abstract

Purpose: Breast cancer survivors commonly experience chronic pain following surgery. Despite the existence of treatment guidelines for cancer pain, a significant number of patients do not achieve satisfactory relief with available therapies. To fill this gap, this study aimed to explore the experience of chronic pain further, focusing on needs and obstacles related to its management in breast cancer survivors.
Methods: We conducted four focus groups with 17 breast cancer patients (Mage=51, SD=7.99) with chronic pain from mild to severe intensity. The focus groups were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim and analyzed through qualitative thematic analysis.
Results: The thematic analysis of the focus group discussions identified three key themes: (1) The challenges to pain management (with subthemes: (1.1) “Doctor-patients communications barriers” and (1.2) “Contextual and societal barriers”); (2) The self-management needs (subthemes: (2.1) “Psycho-social support”, (2.2) “Care-related needs”, and (2.3) “Shared decision-making”); (3) Treatment preferences and perceptions of pain management (subthemes: (3.1) "Treatment preferences", (3.2) "Institution preference", and (3.3) "Decision role perception”).
Conclusions: This study emphasizes the interconnectedness of challenges, self-management needs, and treatment preferences in managing chronic breast cancer pain. It highlights the importance of addressing patients' reluctance to report pain, the normalization of pain, and the role of health providers' attitudes. These findings aid the development of personalized support systems to enhance breast cancer pain management and improve cancer survivors' quality of life. Healthcare provider education, multidisciplinary and biopsychosocial approaches, and the use of eHealth tools are highlighted as important factors in achieving better pain management outcomes.
Two-dimensional polymeric cobalt phthalocyanine synthesized by microwave irradiation and its use for continuous glucose monitoring
Authors: Jeon Sieun , You Hobin , An Heeyeon , Chung Yongjin 
Published: July 2023

Abstract
Two-dimensional polymeric cobalt phthalocyanine (poly-CoPc) was synthesized using a microwave-assisted process, and its feasibility for use in continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) was investigated. The CNT/poly-CoPc composite showed 18% higher Co content than using commercial CoPc (c-CoPc/CNT) and synthesized CoPc (s-CoPc/CNT) composites, due to its intrinsic polymeric structure. In the cyclic voltammetry test, the bioelectrode incorporating glucose oxidase (GOx) based upper enzyme layer ([poly-CoPc/CNT]/PEI/[GOx-TPA]) demonstrated 1.51 times higher current densities than monomeric CoPc used bioelectrode ([CoPc/CNT]/PEI/[GOx-TPA]). This improvement is attributed to the higher biocompatibility with the enzyme layer of poly-CoPc, which prevents the blocking of hydrophobic sites near the co-factor of GOx. As a glucose sensor, [poly-CoPc/CNT]/PEI/[GOx-TPA] exhibits a sensitivity of 55.4 μA mM−1 cm−2 and a response time of 2.4s in the chronoamperometric response test. Furthermore, the proposed bioelectrode showed 95.6% performance maintenance during 24 h and 81.4% stability over 20 days. These findings demonstrate the suitability of [poly-CoPc/CNT]/PEI/[GOx-TPA] for implantable and low-invasive patch-type glucose sensors offering high sensitivity, durability, and a linear response within the physiological glucose concentration range (0.1-20.0 mM) of both average individuals and diabetic patients.
Work-related stressors in nurses, a mixed method study
Authors: Imani-goghary Zahra , Moqaddasi Mohammad , Mohseni Mina , Izadabadi zahra , Mahmoodabadi Fatemeh 
Published: July 2023

Abstract

background
Nurses experience a notable level of stress due to the complex job demands, exacerbating the likelihood of diminished performance and compromising their mental and physical well-being. The primary objective of this study is to pinpoint the sources of work-related stress experienced by nurses employed in Sirjan hospitals as an initial step towards establishing effective stress management strategies for nurses.
Method
The study used a parallel mixed-method design, collecting and analyzing data separately before integrating them. In the quantitative phase, a cross-sectional study was conducted using the Toft & Anderson Nursing Stress Scale questionnaire with 125 out of 180 eligible nurses. SPSS software version 25 was used for analysis. In the qualitative phase, 12 participants with higher stress scores were selected through purposive sampling, and interviews were conducted until data saturation was achieved. The qualitative data were analyzed using the qualitative content analysis method with MAXQDA 2020 software.
Results
The average score of the Stress Questionnaire among nurses was, 21.42 ± 93.53, indicating a moderate level of stress. The data analysis also reveals that only 6.4% experienced low levels of stress, while the majority experienced moderate to high levels of work-related stress. The main theme of the interview analyses was identified as “stressors”. This theme consists of three main categories: " The nature of a Profession", "organizational factors", and "individual factors", which represent the different sources of stress that nurses face in their workplace.
Conclusion
The study found that most nurses face significant work-related stress due to various factors such as the nature of their profession, ethical concerns, caring for critically ill patients, conflicts with colleagues, long and inflexible working hours. To address this, hospitals should prioritize creating a supportive environment, and implementing flexible programs based on nurses’ needs. These measures will help reduce stress, burnout, and improve job satisfaction and overall hospital efficiency.
The Association between Resilience and Cognitive function in community-dwelling older adults: the Korean Frailty and Aging Cohort study (KFACS)
Authors: Kim Sunwoo , Won Chang Won , Kim Miji , Kim Sunyoung , Park Jungha 
Published: July 2023

Abstract
Objective: Chronic stress is associated with increased risk of cognitive impairment and Alzheimer’s disease. The objective of this study is to assess whether better stress coping is associated with slower rate of cognitive decline in community-dwelling older adults.
Design: Longitudinal cohort study
Setting: Community-dwelling older adults were recruited from 10 centers in South Korea
Participants: 1826 older adults who completed the Korean version of Brief Resilience Scale (BRS) and CERAD-K (Korean version of the Consortium to Establish a Registry for Alzheimer’s Disease Assessment Battery) and the Korean version of the Frontal Assessment Battery (FAB)
Measurements: Resilience was measured by BRS. Cognitive function was assessed by using scores from CERAD-K and FAB from 2018/2019 and 2-year follow-up. Cognitive function change was calculated by subtracting the scores of CERAD-K and FAB in 2018/2019 from scores of CERAD-K and FAB in 2020/2021. Multivariable linear regression analysis was used to investigate the association between resilience and cognitive function change.
Results: Higher BRS score at baseline was associated with lesser decline in MMSE score after adjusting for age, sex, education years, smoking status, hypertension, diabetes and depression (B,0.175; 95%CI, 0.025 - 0.325) for 2 years, which represents global cognitive function. Other cognitive function measurements (word list memory, word list recall, world list recognition, digit span, trail making test-A, and FAB) did not change significantly in association with BRS score at baseline.
Conclusion: These findings suggest that better stress coping ability, meaning faster termination of the stress response, may limit the decline in cognitive function.
Facile Synthesis of La-modified CeO2 with Microwave Method for CO2 Adsorption
Authors: Kuznetsova Svetlana A. , Khalipova Olga S. , Malchik Alexandra G. , Chen Yu-Wen 
Published: July 2023

Abstract

Background
CO2 capture in air is an important issue nowadays. Cerium oxide has been reported to be a good adsorbent for CO2. However, its adsorption capacity and adsorption strength are not high enough. La-modified CeO2 was used in this study.
Methods
In this study, a new adsorbent of La-modified CeO2 solid solution were prepared from aqueous solution of cerium and lanthanum hydroxides by microwave method with radiation power 539 W and frequency 2.45 Hz. These hydroxides were prepared by precipitation of Ce(NO3)3 and La(NO3)3 solution, The materials were characterized by powder X-ray diffraction, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopic, scanning electron microscopy, infrared spectroscopy, and nitrogen sorption.