Several studies report an impact of the neurotransmitter dopamine (DA) on human immune cells, with effects dependent on immune cell type addressed and their activation status. Another contributing factor appears to be sex, as sex-specific differences in the dopaminergic pathway are described in the neurological context as well as in autoimmune diseases. However, a deeper understanding of these differences in peripheral immune cells remains limited. In this study, we investigated the effects of dopaminergic stimulation on activation and cytokine secretion of peripheral blood mononuclear cells from women and men using flow cytometry, ELISA and multiplex assay. We found a B cell-driven downregulation in cytokine secretion of monocytes exclusively from women under physiological conditions. Moreover, B cells from men showed higher dopamine receptor (DR) expression, which was shown to be further increased by sex hormones only in men. In monocytes from women, an acute inflammatory stimulus via CpG combined with dopaminergic stimulation caused a switch to a proinflammatory phenotype, which was less pronounced in men. These novel findings in sex-specific responses to dopaminergic stimulation are crucial for understanding DA’s function in the healthy and activated immune system and provide evidence to treat DA-related pathologies in a sex-specific manner.

Successful geophysical exploration works in Gucheng-Yaxi area located in Gaochun District, Jiangsu province, China, have been limited partly due to complex geological condition of the area and high artificial noise in data acquired using electrical and electromagnetic methods. In this work, we deployed the new anti-interference spread spectrum induced polarization method (SSIP) and audio magnetotellurics (AMT) method to detect a copper-polymetallic deposit in the area. Two-dimensional (2D) inversion results at Gucheng-Yaxi Area revealed a high chargeability anomalous zone on SSIP profile that coincided with a zone of moderate resistivity located between two resistor bodies on AMT profile. A follow up 1200 meters drill hole was established at this high chargeability-moderate resistivity zone which encountered polymetallic (copper, lead, zinc, gold and silver) mineralization at the depth ≥ 400 m. Drill hole data analysis showed that mineralization occurs interspaced in marble rock mass at varies depth. Furthermore, several low resistivity-weak chargeability sections were revealed and inferred attributed to Cretaceous sediments and faults. These faults are thought to have played critical role in the polymetallic mineralization genesis. In summary, this work demonstrated the successful of application of SSIP and AMT at detecting a metallic deposit in an area with high artificial noise. Hence the geophysical prospection potential of Gucheng-Yaxi area is great.

To characterize the fecal microbiota of lactating Bactrian camels, this study employed a random selection of camels, assigning them to three groups: the first parity group, the third parity group, and the fifth parity group. The fecal microbial community of lactating camels was assessed using 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing, and the resulting library was sequenced on an Illumina NovaSeq platform. The first parity group was characterized by Verrucomicrobiaceae as a distinctive bi-omarker, whereas Clostridiaceae exhibited a similar role to the third parity group. In terms of functional analysis, the relative abundance of the Steroid biosynthesis pathway was highest in the first parity group, whereas the fifth parity group demonstrated a higher relative abundance of the Tuberculosis pathway compared to the other groups. The first parity group exhibited the greatest presence of seven types of enzymes, whereas the fifth parity group displayed the highest levels of two specific enzymes. Additionally, a positive association was observed between the relative abundance of the Steroid biosynthesis pathway and Verrucomicrobiaceae. Furthermore, the relative abundance of the Tuberculosis pathway displayed positive correlations with 14 enzymes. In conclusion, this study revealed that different parity was associated with distinct fecal microbial ecologies in lactating Bactrian camels.

The objective of this paper was to verify the applicability of statistical learning (SL) compared to human reasoning with respect to the Universal Thermal Climate Index (UTCI), a complex tool for the assessment of outdoor thermal stress. UTCI is an equivalent temperature index based on the 48-dimensional output of an advanced model of human thermoregulation formed by 12 variables at four consecutive 30-minute intervals, which were calculated for 105642 thermal conditions from extreme cold to extreme heat. Comparing the performance of SL algorithms to the results accomplished by an international endeavor involving more than 40 experts from 23 countries, we found that random forests and k-nearest neighbors closely predicted UTCI values, but that clustering applied after dimension reduction algorithms (principal component analysis and t-distributed stochastic neighbor embedding) were inadequate for risk assessment in relation to the UTCI stress categories. This indicates a potential supportive role for SL, as it will not (yet) fully replace the bio-meteorological expert knowledge.

The study was performed to get the first insight of distribution of the low field volume magnetic susceptibility (MS) throughout the Zagreb city area, based on in-situ field measurements. Most interesting locations were selected for soil sampling and geochemical content was determined using ICP-OES. A geostatistical approach was applied on MS and geochemical results. Median value of 0.245 x 10-3 SI units is proposed to be used as relevant average MS value in Zagreb area. Mean concentrations of heavy metals in Zagreb soils (in µg/g) are: Pb (36.82), Zn (87.77), Cu (30.84), Cd (0.66), Cr (29.04), Co (11.89) and Ni (28.40), being relatively low in comparison with Croatian legislation and with European and world average. Boxplot analyses showed that 45% of studied elements do not show any anomaly, while the rest of elements mostly show only one weak anomaly and they are located at the same sites as MS anomalies. Statistical analysis found significant correlations between MS and following elements: Cd, Co, Fe, Mn, Na, Pb, Sb and Zn. In-situ MS measurements proved to be an efficient tool for initial screening of large areas in terms of elevated heavy elements concentrations, enabling cheap and fast assessment of state of environment.

Danyore Valley area is a new prospect of copper-gold mineralization in the Gilgit-Baltistan province, Kohistan terrane, northern Pakistan. The mineralization is Cu-Au vein-type, localized within quartz veins and controlled by a fracture system mainly trending NW and NE. The host units belong to the Ladakh-Kohistan arc terrane, which covers northern Pakistan and north-western India and mainly comprises Precambrian basement units, Paleozoic to Cenozoic magmatic rocks, and sedimentary strata. The mineralized wall rocks consist of Mesozoic gabbro and diorite, which have undergone an intensive hydrothermal alteration. The study area, Danyore Valley, has yet to be explored. The geological background and mineralization type in literature are scarce. Moreover, the tectonic setting, petrogenesis, age, and magmatic evolution of the gabbro-diorite hosting unit still need to be better understood. Furthermore, the sources of metals and mineralized fluids and the types of mineralization and alteration are also unexplored. This research's contribution presents the field investigation, microscopic observations, whole rock geochemistry (major, trace, and REE), mineral analysis (EPMA), in situ LA–ICP–MS zircon U–Pb age dating, and zircon trace elements data for Danyore Valley Cu-Au prospect of Kohistan Batholith. The current research work's objectives are to (a) constrain the emplacement ages of the Danyore Valley host rocks, (b) determine the petrogenesis and tectonic environment of the gabbro-diorite wall rocks, and (c) identify the mineralization style and alteration patterns of Cu-Au occurrences. The U-Pb isotopic data of studied zircons from Danyore Valley diorite specimens yielded concordia ages from 111.60 ± 0.90 Ma to 112.18 ± 0.74 Ma. Correspondingly, the gabbro rock sample displayed a concordia age of 110.21 ± 0.99 Ma, indicating the crystallization time of the host bodies is mainly the early cretaceous period (∼110 Ma). The findings of this study reveal that the calc-alkaline affinity and arc-like geochemical characteristics of the gabbro and diorite rocks have been characterized by a significant enrichment in large-ion lithophile elements and an apparent depletion in high-field strength elements. The parent magma probably originated from a partial melting process of mantle depletion, and geochemical traits are characteristic of magmas associated with subduction zones. The Danyore Valley area of Kohistan terrane is defined by the existence of several mineralized quartz veins, which are mainly sulfide assemblages. The sulfide ore is mainly comprised of chalcopyrite, pyrite, and bornite, with a smaller amount of covellite and sphalerite and significant traces of gold, which are distributed mainly in sulfides. Copper and gold mineralization of Danyore Valley is associated with phyllic, propylitic, and carbonatization alteration assemblages. Metal-rich quartz veins exhibit a spatial correlation with diorite and gabbro rocks. The discovery of several surface Cu-Au vein-type mineralized areas accompanying outcrops of copper supergene enrichment at the Danyore Valley prospect is significant evidence (predictor patterns) of porphyry-style deposits in the Gilgit district, Kohistan terrane, northern Pakistan. This work also advocates the importance of the Danyore Valley prospect and Kohistan Batholith region for further detailed geological studies.

The Hwangdo tidal flat is an intertidal landform located in Cheonsu Bay, Taean-gun, Chungcheongnam-do, on the west coast of Korea. The topographical characteristics of the semi-enclosed bay on the eastern side of the study area include waterways, sandbars, small islands, and tidal flats. In this study, data were acquired from tide gauges installed on the Hwangdo Bridge, and the height of the ellipsoid was measured using a real-time kinematics global positioning system (RTK-GPS). Digital elevation model (DEM) using Matrice 300 drone data were also acquired after processing. The geochemical sediment characteristics in the study area were analyzed, together with tidal-flat exposure-time characteristics based on environmental factors. Sediment data (n = 107) collected from October 25 to 28, 2022 (Korean local time) were used to classify sediment particles according to Folk and Ward (1957). Sedimentary facies ranged from coarse sand (sand:mud ratio = 9:1) to sandy silt (sZ) followed by muddy sand (mS) and slightly gravelly sandy mud ((g)sM). Total organic carbon (TOC) in the surface sediments were also characterized based on a particle-size analysis. The mean change in tidal height measured at Hwangdo Bridge during the sampling period was ~7.53 m (minimum: –3.86 m, maximum: +3.67 m). Based on the Boryeong's sea level measurement tide data in 2022, the tidal area in the drone images ranged from 6.362 m² (0.006 km²) at DEM +4.0 to 4,841,078 m² (4.841 km²) at DEM –4.0 m, indicating an increase in the tidal-flat area according to the tidal level of up to ~800-fold. The daily average exposure time was 9.0 h (minimum: 1.5 h, maximum: 17.9 h). Based on the results of multivariate analysis using exposure times and a geochemical dataset, four groups were identified: upper, middle, and lower intertidal zones and regions with a relatively high organic-matter concentration. A determination of the main characteristics of the Hwangdo tidal flat according to their spatial distribution showed that, among various environmental factors, changes in the sand or clay sediment composition were determined by community factors. The results of this study demonstrate the four statistically processed groups of marine environmental characteristics in the Hwangdo tidal flats. Changes in sedimentary patterns, rather than in the exposure time, accounted for the differences in the sediment compositions of the upper, middle, and lower stations, a response that is expected to continue.

This study addresses the gap in methodological guidelines for Neuroergonomic attention assessment in safety-critical tasks, focusing on validating EEG indices including the Engagement Index (EI) and Beta/Alpha ratio alongside subjective ratings. A novel task-embedded reaction time paradigm was developed to evaluate the sensitivity of these metrics to dynamic attentional demands in a more naturalistic multitasking context. By manipulating attention levels through varying secondary tasks in the NASA MATB-II task while maintaining a consistent primary reaction-time task, the study successfully demonstrated the effectiveness of the paradigm. Results indicate that both Beta/Alpha ratio and EI are sensitive to changes in attentional demands, with Beta/Alpha being more responsive to dynamic variations in attention, and EI reflecting more the overall effort required to sustain performance, especially in conditions where maintaining attention is challenging. The potential for predicting the attention lapses through integration of performance metrics, EEG measures, and subjective assessments was demonstrated, providing a more nuanced understanding of dynamic fluctuations of attention in multitasking scenarios, mimicking those in real-world safety-critical tasks. These findings provide a foundation for advancing methods to accurately monitor attention fluctuations and mitigate risks in critical scenarios, such as train-driving or automated vehicle operation, where maintaining high attention level is crucial.

A regional modern river-sand geochemical mapping study in the majority of the Timor-Leste territory, including the research area, has not been previously reported. This study demonstrated the potential of modern river sand geochemical mapping as an effective method for lithological mapping, particularly in areas that face challenges in conducting efficient geological fieldwork and have limited geological information. A total of 53 modern river sand samples were collected and analyzed. Before examining the samples using wavelength-dispersive X-ray fluorescence for ten major elements, the loss-on-ignition method was employed. In the Clerec drainage basin, SiO2, CaO, and K2O showed positive correlations, and CaO was positively correlated with MnO. Similarly, in the Sahe River catchment, a positive relationship was observed between CaO, MnO, and TiO2. These findings suggested the presence of quartz, manganese, secondary K-bearing minerals, and secondary Ti-bearing minerals in carbonate rocks that have undergone silicification and other alteration processes. The principal component analysis results corroborated the SiO2/Al2O3 and K2O/Na2O ratios and the ICV findings. PC1 was related to the variations in Ca-poor and Ca-rich rocks; PC2 indicated notable inputs from SiO2-rich and SiO2-poor rocks; and PC3 revealed the possibility of contributions from secondary mineral assemblages related to silicification and low-grade metamorphic processes.

Hot spring is a hot water that is naturally occurring on the surface from the underground and typically heated by subterranean volcanic activity and local underground geothermal gradient. There are four main hot springs in Rwanda such as: Kalisimbi, Bugarama, Kinigi and Nyamyumba former name Gisenyi hot springs. It is often believed that soaking in hot springs is a great way which naturally detox human skin. This research focused on the geochemical analysis of Nyamyumba hot springs located near the fresh water of Lake Kivu for the purpose of understanding its healing capacity and safety. Nyamyumba hot springs are located in the western branch of the East African Rift System and they are located near Virunga volcanic complex, explaining the rising and heating mechanism of water. The concentrations of Sulfate, Iron, Ammonia, Alkalinity, Silica, Phosphate, Salinity, Alkalinity, and Conductivity using standard procedures were measured. The results showed that hot spring water has higher concentrations of chemicals compared to Lake Kivu water and the geochemistry of these hot springs maybe associated with rock dissolution by hot water. The measured parameters were compared with World Health Organization (WHO) standards for recreational waters and it has been identified that Nyamyumba hot springs are safe to use in swimming and therapeutic activities.

Road dust resuspension, especially the particulate matter fraction below 10 µm (PM10), is one of the main air quality management challenges in Europe. Road dust samples were collected from representative streets (suburban and urban) of the city of Viana do Castelo, Portugal. PM10 emission factors (mg veh-1 km-1) ranging from 49 (asphalt) to 330 (cobble stone) were estimated by means of the United Stated Environmental Protection Agency method. Two road dust fractions (< 0.074 mm and from 0.0074 to 1 mm) were characterised for their geochemical, mineralogical and morphological properties. In urban streets, road dusts reveal the contribution from traffic emissions, with higher concentrations of e.g. Cu, Zn, and Pb. In the suburban area, agriculture practices likely contributed to As concentrations of 180 mg kg-1 in the finest road dust fraction. Samples are primarily composed of quartz, but also of muscovite, albite, kaolinite, microcline, Fe-enstatite, graphite and amorphous content. Particle morphology clearly shows the link with natural and traffic related materials, with well-formed minerals and irregular aggregates. The hazard quotient suggests a probability to induce non-carcinogenic adverse health effects in children by ingestion of Zr. Arsenic in the suburban street represents a human health risk of 1.58 x 10-4.

The intensive variables, geochemical, mineralogical and petrogenetic constraints of the Iberian rare metal granites, many of them unknown, are presented. It allows to distinguish two main granitic types with contrasting characteristics: Nb-Ta-rich granites and Nb-Ta-poor granites. The former have lower emplacement temperatures, higher water contents and probably lower emplacement pressures than Nb-Ta-poor granites. Nb-Ta-rich granites also have higher fluoride contents, strong fractionation into twin pairs such as Zr-Hf, Y-Ho and Nb-Ta, and an abundant, probably exsolved, fluid phase, which is not or not as evident in Nb-Ta-poor granites, probably in part because the Nb-Ta-rich granites reach their solidus later (about 550 ºC). The geochemical signature of the Iberian rare metal granites follows the trends of mainly two-mica granites and P-rich cordierite granites, but also of granodiorites and even type I granites, suggesting that the rare metal granites may have different parental magmas. Thermodynamic modeling shows that many of the geochemical characteristics of the RMGs can be explained by a process of extreme differentiation, while others cannot, e.g. Na evolution. In terms of ore deposition, white mica plays a very important role in explaining the variation of the Ta/Nb ratio, although the latter could also be controlled by late Nb-Ta oxides crystallization and even by acidic fluids that remove Nb relative to Ta from earlier Nb-Ta oxides.

In this paper, mineralogical and elemental geochemical characteristics of massive sulfide samples collected from Jade hydrothermal field, located in the Izena depression in the central graben of Okinawa Trough, were analyzed by means of optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy and electron probe. The results show that the sulfide in Jade hydrothermal area can be divided into Zn-Cu-Pb rich massive sulfide and Zn-Fe rich massive sulfide. The former is composed of sphalerite, galena, anglesite, chalcopyrite and pyrite, and its formation stage can be divided into pyrite stage, sphalerite-chalcopyrite stage, anglesite stage and colloidal pyrite stage. The latter is mainly composed of sphalerite, pyrite, marcasite and a small amount of galena, which can be divided into galena stage, pyrite stage, sphalerite stage, pyrite and marcasite stage. Cu and Zn in pyrite may exist in the form of microinclusions, while Ag and Pb may exist in pyrite in the form of fine galena inclusions containing Ag. Fe and Cu may enter sphalerite in the form of ion replacement. Zn may enter chalcopyrite in the form of ion replacement, and As and Pb may be inclusions in chalcopyrite as As-bearing galena inclusions. Consistent with the previous understanding, the metal elements in the hydrothermal liquid system in Jade hydrothermal field mostly migrate with the hydrothermal fluid as sulfur complexes, and when the hydrothermal fluid mixes with seawater, the physical and chemical conditions of the fluid change, resulting in sulfide mineral precipitation. However, the chemical structure of chalcopyrite is still controversial, which restricts the understanding of the substitution mechanism of trace elements during chalcopyrite precipitation.

This article reevaluates the Woesean concept of crossing a ‘Darwinian threshold’ from pre-genomic communality, as prevailing in an ancestral ‘progenote’ state, to vertically stable lineages of autonomous and self-similar cells. This transition from collective trunk-line evolution to Darwinian speciation is dependent on the generation of modular organismal genomes. The same general principle should be valid at subcellular levels, allowing the emergence of semi-autonomous genomic agents, such as viruses and plasmid-carrying endogenous vesicles with organelle-like properties. As compartmentalized agents of endogenous nature could start with smaller genomes than those required for fully autonomous cells, it is conjectured that stable subcellular lineages emerged earlier than their cellular counterparts. Referring to the recent ‘pre-endosymbiont hypothesis’, it is proposed that free-living bacteria (the first ‘prokaryote’ cells) arose by ‘lineage escape’ from plasmid-bearing organelle-like compartments, evolving inside the internally complexifying ‘paracells’ of the progenote community. The double-membrane envelopes of diderm bacteria may have resulted from cell-biological processes facilitating cellular lineage escape. The later emergence of archaeal cells (resembling bacteria in ‘prokaryote’ appearance with unichromosomal genomes) and eukaryotic organisms (with compartmented cells and multichromosal genomes) can also be interpreted in terms of this modified progenote hypothesis. Conceivably, the multichromosomal genomes of eukaryotes were bundled in endogenous nuclear compartments to organize a ‘nuclear-cytoplasmic lineage’, which became vertically stable by perfecting mitosis/meiosis-like divisions and yet retained some intra-species population confluence by sexual division-fusion cycles.

The efficacy of predicting geochemical parameters with a 2-chain workflow using spectral data as the initial input is evaluated. Spectral measurements spanning the approximate 400-25000nm spectral range are used to train a workflow consisting of a non-negative matrix function (NMF) step, for data reduction, and a random forest regression (RFR) to predict 8 geochemical parameters. Approximately 175000 spectra with their corresponding chemical analysis were available for training, testing and validation purposes. The samples and their spectral and chemical parameters represent 9399 drillcore. Of those, approximately 20000 spectra and their accompanying analysis were used for training and 5000 for model validation. The remaining pairwise data (150000 samples) were used for testing of the method. The data are distributed over 2 large spatial extents (980 km2 and 3025 km2 respectively) and allowed the proposed method to be tested against samples that are spatially distant from the initial training points. Global R2 scores and wt.% RMSE on the 150000 validation samples are Fe(0.95/3.01), SiO2(0.96/3.77), Al2O3(0.92/1.27), TiO(0.68/0.13), CaO(0.89/0.41), MgO(0.87/0.35), K2O(0.65/0.21) and LOI(0.90/1.14), given as Parameter(R2/RMSE), and demonstrate that the proposed method is capable of predicting the 8 parameters and is stable enough, in the environment tested, to extend beyond the training sets initial spatial location.

Food waste is a common issue arising from grinding of food by experimental animals, leading to excessive food scraps falling into cages. In the wild, animals grind food by gnawing vegetation and seeds, potentially damaging the ecological environment. However, limited ecology studies have focused on food grinding behavior since the last century, with even fewer on rodent food grinding, particularly recently. Although food grinding function is partially understood, biological purposes remain under-investigated and driving factors unclear. This review aims to explain potential causes of animal food grinding, identify influencing factors, and discuss contexts and limitations. Specifically, we emphasize recent progress on gut microbiota significance for food grinding. Moreover, we show abnormal food grinding is determined by degree of excess normal behavior, emphasizing food grinding is not meaningless. Findings from this review promote comprehensive research on the myriad factors, multifaceted roles, and intricate evolution underlying food grinding behavior, benefiting laboratory animal husbandry and ecological environment protection, and identifying potential physiological benefits yet undiscovered.

Abstract: Transcription factors are crucial pre-transcriptional regulatory mechanisms that can modulate the expression of downstream genes by binding to their promoter regions. DOF (DNA binding with One Finger) proteins are a unique class of transcription factors with extensive roles in plant growth and development. Our previous research indicated a decrease in iron content in chlorotic bamboo leaves. However, to our knowledge, genes related to iron metabolism pathways in bamboo species have not yet been studied. Therefore, in the current study, we identified iron metabolism-related (IMR) genes in bamboo and determined the transcription factors that significantly influence them. Among these, DOFs were found to have widespread effects and potentially significant impacts on their expression. We identified specific DOF members in Dendrocalamus latiflorus with binding abilities through homology with Arabidopsis DOF proteins, and established connections between some of these members and IMR genes using RNA-seq data. Additionally, molecular docking confirmed the binding interactions between these DlDOFs and the DOF binding sites in the promoter regions of IMR genes. The co-expression relationship between the two gene sets was further validated using q-PCR experiments. This study paves the way for research into iron metabolism pathways in bamboo and lays the foundation for understanding the role of DOF transcription factors in D. latiflorus.

Detailed description of carbonate minerals different in magnesium content of Triassic dolomites were presented in this article. The tests were carried out to determine geochemical and miner-alogical features in the terms of their geoengineering properties. The following carbonate phas-es were identified: a low-Mg calcite, a high-Mg calcite, a proto-dolomite, an ordered dolomite and a huntite. The following research methods were used: microscopic analysis, X-Ray Diffrac-tion, X-Ray Fluorescence and Electron probe microanalysis. The samples were collected from the Tarnowice formation which is the lower part the profile of the Upper Muschelkalk. On the basis of the results the chemical formulas of carbonate phases were calculated. The ranges of Mg and Ca content were presented in formulas. The results indicate of Mg in low-Mg calcite ranges from 0.6 to 1.2%, in high-Mg calcite from 7.47 to 10.41%. In proto-dolomite it ranges from 10.96 to 11.78%. In ordered dolomite Mg content is stoichiometric value for dolomite – 13.18%. Due to the reduced Mg content in identified huntite (the value ranges from 13.62% to 17.76), this carbonate phase was named as de-huntite.

This study uses machine learning to identify key factors influencing the cost-effectiveness of over-the-counter (OTC) medications. By developing a novel cost-effectiveness rating (CER) from user ratings and prices, we analyzed data from Amazon. The findings indicate that FSA/HSA eligibility, symptom treatment range, safety warnings, special effects, active ingredients, and packaging size significantly impact cost-effectiveness across cold, allergy, digestion, and pain relief medications. Medications eligible for FSA or HSA funds, treating a broader range of symptoms, and having smaller packaging are perceived as more cost-effective. Cold medicines with safety warnings were found to be cost-effective due to their lower average price and effective ingredients like phenylephrine and acetaminophen. Allergy medications with kid-friendly features showed higher cost-effectiveness, and ingredients like calcium, famotidine, and magnesium boosted the cost-effectiveness of digestion medicines. These insights help consumers make informed purchasing decisions and assist manufacturers and retailers in enhancing product competitiveness. Overall, this research supports better decision-making in the pharmaceutical industry by highlighting factors that drive cost-effective medication purchases.

Cervical cancer is one of the ailments that endangers the health of women all over the world and causes infertility. Fortunately, this disease can be avoided. Both the results and participation rates of the current preventative strategy remain poor. Hence, preventative or early detection methods remain challenging and open. In gynecology and computer science fields, few studies on identifying cervical cancer are based on behavior risk factor and machine learning. Moreover, various social and behavioral aspects might often make it more difficult to detect cervical cancer especially in low‑ and middle‑income countries (LMICs). Accordingly, focus on predicting the presence of cervical cancer through behavioral risk factors is the basic structure of this research. We proposed an approach to classify cervical cancer from a social-behavioral perspective using logistic regression to predict cervical cancer. We got significantly improved outcomes than the existing methods. Moreover, we used feature engineering to formulate less dimensionality as a pre-processing step and optimized parameters to be prepared for classification phase. The results proved that using the logistic regression with regularization type L1 had a promising performance. The accuracy of Logistic Regression (LR) L1 was 97.2%. Such results support the proposed work as a reliable classification predictive tool.

As a precious natural resource, forests are being destroyed. In previous studies, there is a lack of interactive assessment of its distribution that comprehensively considers multiple external disturbances. This paper takes the Barcelona Metropolitan Region as an example. Based on remote sensing, it analyzes the development process of the forest from 2006 to 2018 through multiple landscape indicators, and OLS models were established to analyze variables that have direct and indirect effects on forest distribution. In addition, the ecological structure of the forest was analyzed based on NDVI. It was found that the forest area is the largest but has been decreasing, becoming more complex in distribution structure. Much of the forest was converted to agricultural land and grassland. The green quality of forests was increasing, and the broad-leaved forest, the second largest area, contributes the most. NDVI is the most important positively correlated variable, and daytime surface temperature is an important inverse factor related to NDVI. In addition, NDBI is also a negative condition that inhibits forest development. In conclusion: The BMR forest area is decreasing and becoming more fragmented. NDVI and daytime LST are the two most significant factors. Climate warming may lead to worse forest development.

Background: Telemonitoring systems in cardiology have shown potential in improving chronic cardiovascular disease (CVD) management. This study aims to evaluate the impact of telemonitoring, mainly through mobile applications, on patient outcomes such as self-care, blood pressure control, quality of life, and hospitalization. Methods: We systematically reviewed studies assessing telemonitoring methods for patients with chronic CVD. The analysis included studies from various geographic regions and healthcare settings, focusing on qualitative outcomes without performing a meta-analysis. Results: Telemonitoring was found to aid in maintaining blood pressure and significantly enhance self-care abilities. Improvements in quality of life were observed in some studies, though results varied. Most studies indicated telemonitoring could effectively manage blood pressure and reduce hypertension-related complications. However, the heterogeneity of interventions and outcomes measured across trials posed challenges for a comprehensive meta-analysis. Conclusions: Integrating telemonitoring systems into routine care can significantly improve disease management and patient outcomes for chronic CVD patients. Future research should standardize telemonitoring interventions and outcome measures, conduct long-term studies, and evaluate the cost-effectiveness of these systems. Greater blindness in future randomized controlled trials and more studies on atrial fibrillation are also necessary. Significant potential exists for telemonitoring to improve patient outcomes and assist in managing chronic illnesses.

This research investigates the environmental characteristics of the saline lake in the Jiangling depression, southwestern Jianghan Basin from Paleocene to Eocene using bulk-rock geochemistry. The ratios of FeO/MnO, Al2O3/MgO and C-value indicate a semi-humid to semi-arid climate in the early-middle Paleocene. There was a rapid shift to a humid climate during the late Paleocene to early Eocene, following a short-time intense dryness. The Eocene climate was arid, but experienced intermittent humidity. The variation trend of CIA, CIW and PIA is similar to that of FeO/MnO, Al2O3/MgO and C-value, so the chemical weathering was influenced by climate changes. The redox conditions of lake in the Jiangling depression during Paleocene to Eocene were reconstructed using the ratios of U/Th, Ni/Co, and V/Cr. In the humidity and alternations of aridity and humidity, the lake water received external water input, resulting in weak stratification, so the sediments were in oxidation condition. In the aridity, lakes become a still water environments, leading to sediments formed in reduced condition. The salinity of the lake in Jiangling depression from Paleocene to Eocene was determined through the analysis of sedimentary sequences and the change of Sr/Ba ratio. In the early-middle Paleocene, the salinity of lake varied greatly. From the late Paleocene to the early Eocene, the salinity of lake decreased. In the Eocene, the salinity of the lake increased, and the halite precipitated, and finally the salinity of the lake decreased due to humid climate.

Variations in geochemical signatures of fossil brachiopod shells may be due to diagenesis and/or biological processes (i.e. ‘vital effects’). Characterize them is crucial to identify reliable areas into the shell suitable to paleoclimatological studies. This investigation contributes to an in-depth understanding of geochemical variations of Gigantoproductus sp. shells (SW Spain, Serpukhovian age), which could affect to the Late Paleozoic Ice Age interpretation. Microstructural, crystallographic, cathodoluminescence and geochemical (minor and trace elements, δ18O, δ13C, and strontium isotopes) characterisation have been performed on the tertiary layer of the ventral valve, to assess the preservation state. Poorly-preserved areas exhibit microstructural and geochemical changes such as recrystallisation, fracturing and higher Mn and Fe enrichment. Moreover, these areas have higher dispersion of ⁸⁶Sr, ⁸⁷Sr, δ18O and δ13C than well-preserved areas. Three structural regions have been identified in well-preserved areas of ventral valve by differences in valve curvature and thickness, such as the umbonal, thick and thin regions. These regions have different proportions of Mg, S, Na, δ18O, and δ13C, whom are interpreted as ‘vital effects’ and probably are related with growth rate differences during shell growth. Gigantoproductus tertiary layer seems the best suitable to paleoclimatological studies because it retains the original microstructure and geochemistry.

Sehezar area is located in southern Tonokabon in Mazandaran province, north of Iran, near the Tarom – Hashdtjin belt. The existence of granitoid masses in the region can be important in terms of the potential of mineralization. Geochemical anomaly separation from the background is one of the important steps in mineral exploration. In the past decades, geochemical anomalies have been identified by means of various methods. Some of these separation methods include: statistical analysis methods (like univariate, bivariate, multivariate statistics), spatial statistical methods and fractal and multi-fractal methods. To identify the anomalous area, 71 stream sediment samples were collected from the area and analyzed by the ICP-MS method, and then interpreted. Initially, data were normalized and afterwards, univariate analysis (threshold limit and screening (P.N) methods) was used, in which results of the probable and definite anomaly of the threshold method were confirmed by the P.N screening method. Finally, the maps of the anomal zones were drawn. Then, bivariate analysis (Pearson correlation coefficients) and multivariate analysis on normal data were performed on SPSS software, in which factor analysis and cluster analysis were used for multivariate analysis. As a result of using the factor analysis method, six factors were identified and factor maps were drawn by the Surfer software. Also, by using cluster analysis, the variables were divided into two groups. In order for a better separation of the geochemical anomaly from the background, in addition to the threshold method, the Concentration - Area fractal method was used. Here, the fractal geometry using full-logarithmic graphs of the Concentration - Area obtained is capable of separating the stairs of different sections (background, threshold, and anomaly) with respect to the angle coefficient of the Concentration - Area plot. Then, in conclusion, results of these methods were compared and investigated, and finally, the anomalies area maps of the Au, Ag, Cu, Fe, W elements were drawn by Concentration - Area fractal and threshold methods and anomalous zones were introduced.

Severe early childhood caries remains the most common chronic disease affecting children. Its multifactorial etiology has established a controversy about which risk factors were more significant to its development. Therefore our study aimed through meticulous statistical analysis to arrange the “well agreed upon” common risk factors in order of significance, to aid the clinician in tailoring an adequate preventive program for this affected age group. The study reshuffled the risk factors contributing to severe early childhood caries and placed them in the order of their significance as follows: snacking of sugary food several times a day, increased number of siblings to 3 or more, night feeding, child self-employed brushing, mother caries experience, 2 siblings, on demand feeding, once/day sugary food, sharing utensils, 1 Sibling, male gender, father’s education, late first child dental visit, brushing time, mother’s education, no dental visit, decreased brushing frequency & no night brushing.

Microsporidia are intracellular parasites infecting a wide range of vertebrates and invertebrates. In bees, they cause a diarrheal disease called nosematosis, which represents a growing problem contributing to the decline of bee colonies. This parasitic disease infects the gastrointestinal tract of bees, disrupts their immune system, weakens them, and shortens their lifespan. There are two known species of this microsporidial parasite with a global distribution: Vairimorpha apis and Vairimorpha ceranae, with current research indicating that the species V. ceranae is gradually replacing V. apis. In this study, we focused on the detection and occurrence of Vairimorpha spp. in bee colonies kept in different environments, as well as on comparing the impact of hive location on its occurrence. The methods used included sampling from winter bee carcasses, microscopic examination of bee gut contents, and subsequent molecular duplex PCR analysis. Altogether, we examined 82 hives located at 4 different sites and focused on the impact of transportation as an abiotic factor disturbing bees leading to the development of Vairimorpha spp. disease. The results indicate an increased occurrence of this parasite in hives located in urban sites and hives situated in intravillage locations, which may be attributed to transportation and associated vibrations as an abiotic stress factor. Detection revealed that all samples were positive for Vairimorpha ceranae.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an immune-mediated disease characterized by inflammation, demyelination, and neurodegeneration within the central nervous system. Brain plasticity, the brain's ability to adapt its structure and function, plays a crucial role in mitigating MS's impact. This paper explores the potential benefits of lifestyle changes and nutraceuticals on brain plasticity in MS population. Lifestyle modifications, including physical activity and dietary adjustments, can enhance brain plasticity by upregulating neurotrophic factors, promoting synaptogenesis, and reducing oxidative stress. Nutraceuticals, such as vitamin D, omega-3 fatty acids, and antioxidants like alpha-lipoic acid, have shown promise in supporting brain health through anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective mechanisms. Regular physical activity has been linked to increased levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor and improved cognitive function. Dietary interventions, including caloric restriction and the intake of polyphenols, can also positively influence brain plasticity. Integrating these lifestyle changes and nutraceuticals into the management of MS could provide a complementary approach to traditional therapies, potentially improving neurological outcomes and enhancing the quality of life for MS population.

Exploration geochemistry is an essential method for discover new mineral areas. However, with the increase of exploration degree, relying solely on "strong, broad and multiple" anomalies to guide exploration work has become increasingly challenging. How to effectively identify valuable geochemical information remains a hot and frontier topic in the field. Thus we proposed a geological connotation method (GCM) that provides an objective geological connotation to big geochemical data based on regional geological and geochemical characteristics of known typical deposits. There are mainly two types of geochemical anomalies expression: (1) the metallogenic intensity anomaly map (MIAM) obtained by accumulating specific anomalous elements, which directly reflects the degree of material exchange and superposition modification during mineralization; (2) the metallogenic type anomaly map (MTAM) obtained by accumulating the mineralization concentration coefficients of elements related to a certain genetic type, which can highlight the anomalies caused by a specific genetic type of deposit. These have been tried and applied in the exploration of the Gangdese, North Himalayas, Nyenchen Tanglha and other metallogenic belts in Tibet, and have made a series of breakthroughs in mineral resources exploration represented by Qulong, Zhunuo and Zhaxikang. The advantage of GCM is that it not only solves the problem of missing ore in the verification of "strong, broad and multiple" anomalies, but also can quickly and preferably delineate the strongest mineralized areas, and better overcome the influence of numerous factors on the anomalies, such as the chemical nature of elements, redox environment, geomorphic landscape and weathering and stripping, so that the anomaly evaluation becomes simple, objective and highlights the regularity.

This research evaluates the mineral ions and their concentrations in formation water from five well samples of the Bibi Hakimeh oil field. The study reveals the presence of calcium (Ca2+), so-dium (Na+), and magnesium (Mg2+) cations, as well as sulfate (SO42-), bicarbonate (HCO3-), and chloride (Cl-) anions, which are soluble in water within the Bibi Hakimeh oil formation. Fur-thermore, mineral deposits of CaSO4, CaSO4.2H2O, CaCO3, and MgCO3 are investigated. The findings highlight the significant formation of calcium sulfate and calcium carbonate mineral deposits under the operating conditions of the Bibi Hakimeh oil well. Additionally, the study examines the interaction between rock and water of the Bibi Hakimeh formation, revealing a notable correlation between the concentration of calcium and magnesium ions and the water-rock reaction in this field

Background: Rabies, a zoonotic disease caused by the lyssavirus genus, is widely distributed and a significant cause of human death in Africa and Asia. This study aimed to investigate human rabies exposure and associated risk factors in Northwest Ethiopia. Methods: The study encompassed four zones, seven districts, and four kebeles from each district. The research team developed a questionnaire for data collection. Results: A total of 642 households were interviewed. The current study rabies exposure was revealed 10.47%. Over 98% of respondents displayed a strong understanding of rabies, with 99.69% correctly identifying rabies as a zoonotic disease. However, 80% of the interviewees were trusted traditional medicine could treat rabies. Only 21.93% of victims were took post exposure prophylaxis. Dogs were the primary affected animals (87.73%), of this 48.70% was bites by own dogs. Metema district had higher risk (p < 0.001) compared to others six districts. Dog ownership (p<0.05) and a higher number of households (p<0.01) were also identified as risk factors for rabies exposure. Conclusion: Residence, low education levels, high household density, free-roaming dogs, and dog ownership as key risk factors for rabies exposure. Public health awareness campaigns are crucial to emphasise the risks associated with animal bites.

Ca-bentonite (CB) alone and in a mixture with limestone (L), tobacco biochar (TB) and zeolite (Z) on the fixation, geochemical fractions and absorption of Cd and Zn by Chinese cabbage in smelter heavily polluted (S-HP) and smelter low polluted (S-LP) soils were investigated. The results showed that the CB+TB and CB+L+TB treatments significantly immobilized Cd up to 22.03% and 29.68%, respectively, and reduced uptake by Chinese cabbage shoot to 35.98% with CB+Z+L and 61.35% with CB+L in S-HP and S-LP soils compared with the control. The CB+ Z+ L+TB treatment mobilized Cd up to 4.45% and increased absorption in the shoot by 9.85% in S-HP soil. The greatest immobilization of Zn was 53.18% and 58.20% with the CB+Z+L+TB treatment, which reduced Zn uptake in the plant shoot by 9.94% with CB + L and 58.04 with CB+Z+L+TB in S-HP and S-LP soils. The CB+Z+TB and CB+TB treatments mobilized Zn up to 35.40% and 4.80%, respectively, in both soils. Furthermore, the uptake of Zn in plant shoot was observed by 58.96% and 7.82% with application of CB+Z and CB+TB treatments, respectively, in S-HP and S-LP soils. Overall, our results suggest that Ca-bentonite alone and in mixtures with different amendments can be used to reduce the phyto-extraction of Cd and Zn in Zn-smelter polluted soils.

Background This study aimed to identify the prominent risk factors that may trigger danger signals of early onset of vascular deregulation in T1D. The risk factors we have identified may serve as dual-purpose biomarkers of rapid diagnosis that offer prospective tailor-made resolution therapeutics. Methods The healthy control (HC) was compared with individuals diagnosed with T1D for the risk factors of vascular deregulation in published research studies from year 2013 to 2023. The PubMed, Web of Science and Google Scholar databases were searched from 1/1/2013 to 1/9/2023. The risk of bias was assessed with the Cochrane (ROBINS-I ) tool, which is relevant to clinical subjects. A random effect model for continuous data was followed and analysed by RevMan 5.4 and GraphPad Prism software. Results 80 relevant case-control studies having 5293 HC and 7492 T1D patients were included. The age and sex-matched HC consisted of persons free of disease and not under any medication while clinical subjects of all age groups were included. 28 risk factors were grouped into six primary outcome models, all of which favoured the T1D synonymous with a high risk of CVD. Conclusions Our findings have strong implications for improving the quality of life and health economics related to vascular disease in T1D. HbA1c% is the most effective biomarker, followed by FBG, LDL-C, and AI% which the clinicians could evaluate using a simple blood test or non-invasive techniques. (Protocol registered at https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/ CRD42022384636).

Obesity has increasingly become a worldwide epidemic, as demonstrated by epidemiological and clinical studies. Obesity may lead to development of a broad spectrum of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), such as coronary heart disease (CHD), hypertension, heart failure (HF), cerebrovascular disease, atrial fibrillation (AF), ventricular arrhythmias, and sudden cardiac death (SCD). In addition to hypertension, there are other cardiometabolic risk factors (CRFs) such as visceral adiposity, dyslipidemia, insulin resistance, diabetes, elevated levels of fibrinogen, and C-reactive protein and others, all of which increase the risk of CVD events. Mechanisms involved between obesity and CVD mainly include insulin resistance, oxidative stress, inflammation, and adipokines dysregulation, which cause maladaptive structural and functional alterations of the heart, particularly left ventricular (LV) remodeling and diastolic dysfunction. Natural products of plants, provide a diversity of nutrients and different bioactive compounds, including phenolics, flavonoids, terpenoids, carotenoids, anthocyanins, vitamins, minerals, fibers, and others, which possess a wide range of biological activities including antihypertensive, antilipidemic, antidiabetic, and other activities, thus conferring cardiometabolic benefits. In this review, we discussed the main therapeutic interventions using extracts from herbs and plants in preclinical and clinical trials with protective properties targeting CRFs. Molecular mechanisms and therapeutic targets of herbs and plants extracts for the prevention and treatment of CRFs are also reviewed.

The African continent has the highest prevalence of hypertension globally, with South Africa reporting the highest prevalence in Southern Africa. While the influence of genetic variability in the pathogenesis of hypertension is well described internationally, limited reports are available for African populations. This study aimed to assess the association of genetic variants and essential hypertension in a cohort of two ethnic South African population groups. Two hundred and seventy-seven hypertensive and one hundred and seventy-six normotensive individuals were genotyped for 79 variants. Genotyping was performed using the Illumina GoldenGate Assay and allele-specific polymerase chain reaction. The association of variants was assessed using the Fisher Exact test under the additive and allelic genetic models, while multivariate logistic regression was used to predict the development of hypertension. Five variants (CYP11B2 rs179998, AGT rs5051 and rs699, AGTR1 rs5186 and ACE rs4646994) were significantly associated with essential hypertension in the cohort under study. Furthermore, AGTR1 rs5186 and AGT rs699 were identified as risk factors for the development of hypertension in both ethnic groups. In two ethnic South African populations an association was observed between Renin-Angiotensin-Aldosterone System (RAAS) related genes and the development of hypertension.

Listwaenite rocks are widely spread in Fenja area of the Semail ophiolite of Oman and in Islam Abad area of the Neyriz ophiolite of Iran. There are three types of listwaenites found in these regions: silica-, carbonate-, and carbonate-silica (which includes dolomite, calcite, and magnesite. The alteration of host harzburgites started with hydrothermal alteration to serpentinite, followed by carbonation and silicification of serpentinite. Calcite- and magnesite-dolomite- listwaenites are more abundant in the Fenja area of Oman, while dolomite-listwaenites are more abundant in Islam Abad area in Iran. The mineralogy of listwaenites varies in both Iran and Oman; common minerals include quartz, calcite, goethite, magnesite, dolomite, serpentine, hematite, magnetite, Cr-mica, and Cr-spinel The major element chemistry of the different types of listwaenites in both Fenja and Islam Abad area generally comparable, and is largely similar to that of hydrothermally carbonated harzburgites, serpentinite, and listwaenites worldwide, despite spanning extraordinary and highly variable contents in major oxides, such as CaO, SiO2, MgO and LOI. Relict texture and common occurrence of Cr-spinel as well as the high concentrations of Cr, Ni and Co suggest that the protolith of the listwaenites in both regions was serpentinized harzburgites and serpentines. In comparison to the primary mantle and chondrite in spider diagrams, the Neyriz listwaenites have higher trace and REE element abundances than comparable listwaenites in the Fenja region. Harzburgite-normalized patterns of trace elements and REE in serpentinite and listwaenites overlap the average composition of harzburgite. PM-normalized trace element and REE patterns for serpentinized harzburgite and serpentinite show enrichment in Cs, U, Pb and Sr, with no Eu anomaly, comparable to mantle wedge serpentinites. The variable and high abundances of Ca, Mg, Ba, Zr, Sr, Pb, Zn, Mo and W in the carbonate- and silica-carbonate listwaenites, with unique Si enrichment and Mg, Na2O, Zr, Y, Ba, Sr, Rb, Cu, Pb, Sc, Cs, Nb, Mo and W. depletion in silica listwaenites are indicative of large fluctuations in major and trace element mobility. Cr, Ni and Co were immobile during alteration Enrichment in Ca and Si could occur by internal or late outside supply. Ca, Mg and Si are conceivably the foremost mobile major components amid harzburgite and serpentinite carbonation with mobilization confirmed by formation of quartz and Mg-carbonate in silica-carbonate listwaenites and quartz in silica listwaenites. The listwaenites in Islam Abad and Fenja area were formed due to hydrothermal alteration of serpentinite along thrust faults and shear zones which acted as pathway for Ca and/or Si rich fluids. The intensity of deformation in Islamabad listwaenites has been higher than Fenja listwaenites as indicated by higher abundance of trace elements.

By repeated unloading and loading of the excavation dynamic and static loads, repeated train dynamic and static loads of multi-factors, the underpass tunnel, cross tunnel engineering influence area rock layer, the existing tunnel structure of the three constitutes a multifaceted structure, multi-factor interaction system. Existing tunnels into the prediction theory model of the new tunnel excavation process of dynamic and static loads, dynamic and static loads of existing tunnels are mostly analyzed individually, the results of synergistic analysis needs to be improved. Based on the theory of the current layer method, the paper comprehensively considers the stiffness of the existing tunnel, the stiffness of the new tunnel, the excavation method load and the existing tunnel load, coupled with Peck's empirical formula, the theoretical model of deformation prediction for excavation of a two-lane highway tunnel under the tunnel through the existing railroad is proposed, and verified and optimized by numerical calculations and monitoring data, which proves the applicability and reliability of the theoretical model in the similar strata and the project promotion.

Graphene hybrid-filler polymer composites have emerged as prominent materials that revolutionize heavy industries. This study encapsulates the in-depth analysis of different influential factors such as filler/graphene type, aspect ratios, dispersion methods, filler-matrix compatibility, fiber orientation, synergistic effects, different processing techniques, and post-curing conditions that affect the processing, properties and determine the resultant applications of graphene hybrid polymer composites. Additionally, it discusses the substantial role of graphene collaboration with other fillers such as carbon nanotubes, silica, nano-clays and metal oxides to produce functionalized hybrid polymer composites with synergistically enhanced tailored properties to offer solutions for heavy industries like aerospace, automotive, electronics, and energy harvesting. The review concludes with some suggestions and outlook on the future of these composite materials by emphasizing the need for continued research to fully optimize their potential.

Partial Differential Equations (PDEs) constitute a fundamental framework for modeling various physical phenomena across diverse fields such as physics, engineering, and finance. Solving PDEs accurately and efficiently remains a significant challenge, particularly when dealing with complex systems or high-dimensional data. In this paper, we present a novel approach based on deep learning techniques to investigate the effective factors in solving PDEs. Our methodology leverages the expressive power of deep neural networks to learn and represent the underlying relationships between input parameters and the solutions of PDEs. By incorporating domain knowledge into the network architecture and training process, our approach aims to provide insights into the key factors influencing the solution of PDEs. We demonstrate the effectiveness of our method through numerical experiments on various PDEs, showcasing its capability to identify important features and improve predictive accuracy. Our findings suggest that deep learning techniques offer a promising avenue for understanding and analyzing the complex dynamics inherent in PDEs, paving the way for enhanced computational methods in scientific and engineering applications.

(1) Background: Food waste (FW) in Romania is 70 Kg/capita/year, while 70% of food waste comes from public catering, retail services, and households (over 50% – 47 million tons). (2) Methods: A cross-sectional observational study was conducted using an online questionnaire via the Google Forms platform from 15 April 2023 to 15 May 2023. The questionnaire was designed to assess various aspects, such as some socio-demographic information (age, sex, occupation, area of residence, study level, household members number, children &lt; 18 years of age); the personal involvement and frequency of food purchases and homemade food cooking; the main sources that generate food waste; the motivation and frequency with which food waste occurs; the level of awareness regarding the impact of food waste; the respondents' intentions regarding sustainable behaviors and practices food management; the level of information and familiarity of the respondents with the notions of validity and how these may influence their food consumption decisions. (3) The results show that FW incidence is occasionally (42%), very rarely (43.33%), frequently (15%), and no food waste was reported by 2.66% of respondents. The [35-44] age category records the highest FW frequency, followed by [18-24]. The most wasted are homemade food (29.67%), bread and bakery products (27.00%), and fruits and vegetables (14.33%). High involvement in purchasing and buying food following a previously established list reduces FW frequency. The same is valid for high daily involvement in food and homemade cooking. High interest in the FW problem and its perception as a waste of money leads to diminishing it, while guilty feelings increase the FW level (37.50% to 73.33%). (4) Conclusions: The present study shows that household food waste management is a multifactorial process that involves numerous socio-demographic, behavioral, and emotional aspects. Extensive data analysis supports our results, revealing deep self-reported information details and confirming its complex approach.

Gastrointestinal bleeding (GIB) after heart transplantation (HT) remains a significant clinical issue. The study aimed to explore its incidence, trends, outcomes and clinical predictors of GIB in HT patients. Adult patients who underwent HT between 2015 and 2021 at Union Hospital were recruited and divided into two groups based on the presence or absence of postoperative GIB. Primary outcomes were evaluated by follow-up. Independent predictors of GIB after HT were identified by logistic regression analysis. A nomogram prediction model was constructed according to these independent variables, and the accuracy of the model was assessed using the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve and the calibration curve. Among 461 patients, 40 (8.7%) developed GIB post-HT. HT patients with postoperative GIB exhibited higher in-hospital, 30-day, 90-day and 1-year mortality (all P < 0.05). Multivariate analysis identified age, preoperative warfarin, postoperative continuous renal replacement therapy and postoperative nasogastric tube as independent risk factors for GIB following HT. The nomogram prediction model was performed using the 4 variables. The area under the curve (AUC) of this model was 0.852(95% CI: 0.787-0.917, P < 0.001) and the calibration curve was close to the ideal diagonal line. GIB following HT is associated with a poor clinical prognosis. The constructed nomogram, incorporating its independent risk factors, demonstrated a favorable predictive value for GIB.

Ovarian cancer (OC) represents a significant challenge in the realm of gynecological cancers, characterized by poor survival rates and complex etiology. In this review, we delve into the se-lected genetic, environmental, and hormonal factors underpinning OC development. We have reviewed scientific databases searching for ovarian cancer genetic and epigenetic factors. We have included studies based on their relevancy. As a result of exploring ovarian carcinogen-esis, this systematic review contains data collected from 126 various works. The role of prominent genetic players such as BRCA mutations, DNA repair mechanisms, un-derscores the intricate landscape of OC susceptibility. We explore Li-Fraumeni and Lynch syn-drome, which impart a heightened predisposition to OC development. Hormonal factors such as estrogen, progesterone, and androgens are also discussed. Environmental alterations, ranging from lifestyle influences on OC to microbiome dysbiosis and lifestyle factors such as obesity, al-cohol consumption, and physical activity intersect with genetic and epigenetic pathways, shaping the risk landscape for OC. Through a meticulous examination of current literature, this review provides a nuanced under-standing of the multifactorial nature of OC, emphasizing the need for holistic approaches to prevention, diagnosis, and treatment.

China's cotton production has shown a concentration to the advantageous regions in recent years. Based on the relevant data of cotton production in China, the study measures the cotton production agglomeration levels of 16 major cotton-producing provinces from 1978 to 2020, summarizes the spatiotemporal evolution characteristics of cotton production agglomeration, and analyzes the factors influencing cotton production agglomeration using spatial econometric models. The results indicate that: Firstly, since the opening-up and reform, China's cotton production agglomeration levels have shown an overall upward trend, exhibiting periodic dynamic changes over time, and the spatial pattern reveals a dynamic regional gradient. Secondly, there is spatial correlation among the production scales of cotton in different provinces, with a trend resembling a "U" shape, and the agglomeration form shows a low-level convergence. Thirdly, technological level, policies, substitute industrial products and foreign trade are identified as important factors. The cotton production in each province is spatially correlated through these factors, and there is also a presence of spillover effects. In conclusion, the government should prioritize considerations of various influencing factors to formulate tailored support policies, promote large-scale production to enhance technological levels, and focus on policies aimed at improving the quality of cotton.

Background and Objectives: The aim of this study was to determine the job-related and individual features that influence BS and depression levels among dentists working in faculties, oral and dental health centres (ODHC) and private clinics. Materials and Methods: This prospective, cross sectional study was carried out on dentists working in different regions of Turkey. Data were collected using an on-line questionnaire created using Google Forms. The questionnaire consisted of demographic data, Maslach BS Inventory (MBI) and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) sections. Demographics were age, height, weight, marital status, blood type, gender, monthly income, income satisfaction and having enough free time. The dentists were divided into 3 groups as faculty, private clinic and ODHC according to the institutions in which they worked. Results: Of the total 290 dentists enrolled in the study, there were 172 males and 118 females with a mean age of 36.98±5.6 years. 128 of the dentists worked in faculties, 72 in private clinics and 90 in ODHCs. It was observed that women's EE scores were higher than men's (P&lt;0.05). No statistically significant difference was found between the groups when comparing BS and depression scores according to marital status and blood group (P&gt;0.05). There was no significant relationship between emotional exhaustion (EE), depersonalisation (DP), personal accomplishment (PA) and depression scores according to age, BMI and work experience, age, work experience and BMI (P&lt;0.05). It was found that the EE scores of the dentists working in the faculty and private clinic were lower than those of the dentists working in the ODHC (P&lt;0.05). Monthly income was associated with depression (r = -0.35). Conclusions: This study showed that dentists working in ODHCs had more EE. These findings suggest that there is a need for improvement in the working conditions of dentists, particularly in ODHCs.

Dogs and cats have become the most influential and successful pets through long-term domestication. People keep them for various reasons, such as their functional roles or for physical or psychological support. However, why humans are so attached to dogs and cats remains unclear. A comprehensive understanding of the current state of human preferences for dogs and cats and the potential influential factors behind it is required. Here, we investigate this question using two independent online datasets and anonymous questionnaires. We find that current human preferences for dogs and cats are relatively higher than for most other interests, such as games and music. Genetic variations, gender, age, and economic development levels notably influence these preferences for dogs and cats. Specifically, dog and cat ownership is significantly heritable (h2 = 0.43, 95%CI: 0.35 -0.51) and further analysis found that women, young people, and those with higher incomes are more likely to keep dogs and cats, and the primary reason is to gain emotional support. Our study provides insights into why humans get so attached to dogs and cats and establishes a foundation for developing co-evolutionary models.

Wild-grown edible mushrooms are important in world diet, which are also efficient metal accumulators. Yunnan, southwest China is the main producing region with typically high geochemical metals. Environmental factors, bioaccumulation, distribution and human health risk of metals were examined in paired soil and Tricholoma matsutake (n=54). T. matsutake grows on acidified soils (pH=3.95–6.56) and metals showed strong heterogeneity with Fe, Mn, Zn and Cu ranged at 16–201, 0.046–8.58 g kg–1 and 22.6–215, 3.7–155 mg kg–1. High soil Fe content led to its great accumulation in T. matsutake (0.24–18.8 g kg–1). However, though soil Mn content was great higher than Zn and Cu, their concentrations in T. matsutake were comparable (21.1–487 vs. 38.7–329 and 24.9–217 mg kg–1). This suggested that T. matsutake prefers to accumulate Zn and Cu than Mn, and supported by bioaccumulation factor (BAF=0.32–17.1 vs. 0.006–1.69). Fe was mainly stored in stipe, while Mn, Zn and Cu were in cap, with translocation factor (TF) was 0.58 vs. 1.28–1.94. Therefore, stipe Fe showed the highest health risk index (HRI) at 1.28–26.9, followed by cap Cu (1.01–2.33), while 98–100% of Mn and Zn were risk-free. The higher concentration and greater risk of Fe was attributed to the significant effect of soil Fe content (R=0.34) and soil pH (R=–0.57). This study suggested that Fe as an essential mineral may exert toxic effects via T. matsutake consumption from geochemical high background areas.

Forest vegetation plays a key role in the cycling of mercury (Hg) and organic matter (OM) in terrestrial ecosystems. Litterfall has been indicated as the major transport vector of atmospheric Hg to forest soils, which is eventually transported and stored in the sediments of forest lakes. Hence, it is important to understand how changes in forest vegetation affect Hg in soil and its biogeochemical cycling in lake systems. We investigated the pollen records and the geochemical compositions of sediments from two lakes (Schurmsee and Glaswaldsee) in the Black Forest (Germany) to evaluate whether long-term shifts in forest vegetation induced by climate or land use influenced Hg accumulation in the lakes. We were particularly interested to determine whether coniferous forests were associated with a larger export of Hg to aquatic systems than deciduous forests. Principal components analysis followed by principal component regression enabled us to describe the evolution of the weight of the latent processes determining the accumulation of Hg over time. Our results emphasize that the in-lake uptake of Hg during warm climate periods, soil erosion after deforestation and emissions from mining and other human activities triggered changes in Hg accumulation during the Holocene stronger than the changes caused by forest vegetation alone.

Measuring the impact of land use regulation on the land market involves identifying and classifying relevant impact factors related to the land market. The objective of this study was to identify land market impact factors in the context of the introduction of land use regulation in Nepal. A desktop review was carried out to identify preliminary set of impact factors, which were reclassified through intuitive analysis based on the degree of thematic closeness. Perspective-based impact factors were identified through the qualitative analysis of primary data collected through semi-structured interviews with the Nepalese land market stakeholders. These independently derived impact factors were compared with the desktop literature review impact factors resulting in fourteen land market impact factors across four dimensions, including transaction cost, valuation, mortgage availability, taxation, and compensation across the economic dimension; lot size, subdivision restrictions, and coordination across the institutional dimension; awareness, expectation and proximity across the social dimension; and risk reduction, quality of residential land, and suitability of zoning classification across the environmental dimension. There was significant overlap and commonality across factors identified from both the literature review and semi-structured interviews. The land market impact factors determined in the study may be adapted and generalized across other countries and could be utilized to better understand the impacts of land policy decisions on urban planning and development. Further research is recommended on the process to operationalize the use of these factors to quantify the impact of land use regulation on different land markets.

The aim of the article is to verify differences in the perception of selected factors of sustainability among small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Central Europe. The subjects of analysis are factors such as corporate social responsibility (CSR), business risk sources (market, financial, personnel, and operational), reputation and social media, national support, social changes, and crisis events in business. The questionnaire was completed by 1,090 SMEs from the business environments of Visegrad Group countries. Statistical hypotheses were verified using Z-scores for two population properties. The most negatively perceived factors among owners and managers in the SME segment are national support and legislative changes. The most positively perceived factor is reputation and social media. The country of doing business is a significant factor. The perception of crisis events in business is most negative among Czech SMEs. More than 80% of Hungarian SMEs perceive their companies as sustainable. In comparison with Slovak and Polish SMEs, Hungarian perceptions are more positive in the context of sustainability. The country of doing business is the strongest factor in evaluating CSR indicators. The positive perception of CSR in Czech SMEs (43.9%) is lower than in other countries.

Following the transfer of hospital services to provincial government oversight, it is essential to understand how such changes impact service quality and efficiency. This study aims to identify the factors affecting hospital service quality post-transfer and evaluate the role of professional nurses in maintaining service standards under new governance.We conducted the study at sub-district health-promoting hospitals using a mixed-methods design based on the Global Fund-HSS framework (2012), which categorizes factors into accessibility, processes, productivity, and outcomes. We collected data from 340 nurses and 400 patients using structured questionnaires. We divided the questionnaires into seven sections, which captured a range of metrics such as the personal data of nurses, hospital service activities, and leadership qualities. We employed a Likert scale to gauge perceptions and expectations of service quality. We used paired t-tests to compare performance metrics before and after the administrative transfer, one-way ANOVA to assess variability among different service units, and binary logistic regression to identify key determinants of service quality in our statistical analysis. The analysis revealed a significant correlation between the attitudes and competencies of healthcare teams and the levels of service quality. Notably, service units transferred less than 50% exhibited minimal changes, indicating that the degree of transfer significantly impacts service outcomes. Despite these variations, the fundamental mission of promoting health remained consistent. The study emphasizes the critical role of nurses and recommends further research to identify additional factors that could improve service quality in transferred healthcare facilities. This could contribute to improved healthcare delivery across restructured health systems.

The ECM is composed of a considerable number of biochemically and structurally diverse constituents. ECM is a highly dynamic system that constantly receives and sends biological, chemical and mechanical signals. Several studies suggest that mechanical signals derived from the extracellular microenvironment regulate skin regeneration and wound healing. We evaluated effects of a mixture of biomolecules extracted and purified from bovine colostrum on restoring the mechanical properties of ECM. Test measuring collagen contraction showed a significant difference in contraction activation in samples treated with the 2% colostrum derivative mixture compared to the control. The analysis of the supernatant showed an inhibition of metalloproteinase-2 expression and an increase in collagen secretion by fibroblasts in treatment samples. Our hypothesis is that the molecules extracted and purified from bovine colostrum restore the ECM environment qualitative and quantitative characteristics, thus guaranteeing through a mechanical action the restoration of the wound due to the transduction of the signal activated by the integrins.

The Konya Closed Basin (Quaternary, Central Turkey) is a graben basin which expands toward the east-west and it is controlled by faults on three sides: The Konya fault zone in the west, the Divanlar fault zone in the east and the Karaömerler fault zone in the north. Calcretes developed in relation to fault systems in the Konya region are concentrated in areas where faults cut Quaternary aged terrestrial deposits. In this study, it is aimed to elucidate the deposition conditions, geochemistry and age (with ESR method) of the calcareous deposits associated with faults in the Konya Closed Basin. Calcretes in the region existing as coatings, dust, nodules and layers are in the form of dolocrete and clayey calcrete. Dolocretes were deposited in the Quaternary terrestrial sediments on the ophiolitic rocks and geochemical data point to an ultramafic source. Bacterial community, clay, quartz minerals and calcite cement are observed in the calcretes formed in areas with limestone basement. According to the results of ICP-MS analysis of samples taken from Konya calcretes, the %MgO contents are between 0.99 and 7.7; CaO%: between 34.71 and 50.71; %SiO2 between 3.22 and 20.59. %MgO in dolocretes are between 11.65 and 21.01; %CaO between 8.44 and 29.57; %SiO2 values between 4.48 and 9.17 The δ13C and δ18O isotope values of calcretes range from -3.87 to -7.62 and from -3.62 to -7.45 respectfully. Average δ13C values indicate that calcrete formation took place under pedogenic condition or in shallow groundwater. The calcretes deposited in 3 locations around the city of Konya (on the Konya fault zone) were dated by using the Electron Spin Resonance (ESR) method and ages between 217.47 and 389.85 ky were obtained. The calcrete samples taken from the fault planes (dip-slip normal fault bordering the Upper Cretaceous Ophiolitic Mélange and the Quaternary Karahüyük Formation) gave a relative age for faulting as being 292.86 ky. This first dating study conducted in the Konya Fault Zone has provided important clues to elucidate the formation history of Konya Closed Basin (KCB) and the paleo-seismological past of Konya.

Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) patients experienced multiple chemotoxicity affecting treatment compliance, survival, and quality of life (QOL). Prior research shows clinician-reported chemotoxicity (i.e., grading scales or diagnostic codes) predicts rehospitalization and cancer survival. However, a comprehensive synthesis of clinician-reported chemotoxicity is still lacking. Objectives: We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to determine the chemotoxicity's prevalence and risk factors in CRC. Methods: A systematic search from 2009 to 2024 yielded 30 studies for review, with 25 included in the meta-analysis. Results: Pooled prevalences of overall, non-hematological, and hematological moderate-to-severe toxicities were 45.7%, 39.2%, and 25.3%, respectively. The most common clinician-reported chemotoxicities were gastrointestinal (GI) toxicity (22.9%) and neuropathy or neutropenia (17.9%). Significant risk factors at baseline were malnutritional status, frailty, impaired immune or hepato-renal functions, short telomere lengths, low gut lactobacillus levels, age, female sex, aggressive chemotherapy, and low QOL. Age was associated with neutropenia (β: -1.44) and GI toxicity (β:1.85) (Ps 65 y.o.) had higher prevalences of overall (OR: 1.14) and GI (OR: 1.65) toxicities, but a lower prevalence of neutropenia (OR: 0.65) than younger adults (Ps

The paper presents new data on mineralogical-geochemical peculiarities of the granites and pegmatites of the Baikal area (Olkhon Region) with implications for the age, generation conditions and geodynamic settings of magmatism. The early Paleozoic granitoids of the Olkhon region are syncollisional formations produced from the gneiss-schistose substratum of the Olkhon metamorphic sequences. Pegmatoid granites and pegmatites of the Region were generated within a wide age range (458-390 Ma) and include different mineralogical and geochemical types. Amongst the Early Paleozoic granitoids, pegmatoid rocks are products of the collisional magmatism evolution and are similar to granites in terms of the mineral composition and distribution patterns of rare and rare earth elements. On the Olkhon island (Baikal lake) the pegmatite of the Tashkiney vein belong to the Be-Nb-Ta mineralogical-geochemical type demonstrating high contents of W, Sn U, Th and very low concentrations of Li and volatile components (F, B). In the Pryolkhonye area, vein pegmatite Iliksin is with Li, Be, Nb, Ta mineralization (lepidolite, vorobyevite, samarskite et al). The studied pegmatite veins are similar both by the profound negative Ba, Sr, Eu, and Zr anomalies. The zircons from the Tashkiney vein (390±5.0 Ma) and of the Iliksin vein (430.1±2.2 Ma, U-Pb isotope LA ICP MS metod) indicate the formation of pegmatite at the late post-collisional stage of magmatism in the Olkhon Region. As regard to mineralogical and geochemical characteristics, vein pegmatites with amazonite (Ainsky and Ulan-Nur) belong to the Li-F type. The tantalum mineralization, represented by microlites and minerals of the columbite-tantalite group is associated with the Ainsky amazonite pegmatite. As opposed to the Early Paleozoic syncollisional granitoids and pegmatoid formations, the middle Paleozoic vein bodies of pegmatites (Tashkiney, Iliksin, Ainsky, Ulan-Nur) are regarded as rare-metal pegmatites. In terms of geochemical characteristics, they are similar to the rare-metal pegmatoid granites and pegmatites of the intra-plate setting widespread in Mongolia and Transbaikalia. The rare-metal mineralization in the Olkhon region may be genetically related to the evolution of Be-Nb-Ta and Li-F types of the post-collisional granites and pegmatites.

Geochemical mapping of river sands in the Manufahi area of Timor-Leste revealed potential areas for future mineral exploration. River sand samples from the study area were collected and geochemically analyzed to identify anomalous concentration distributions of several valuable elements and locate potential target areas and geological formations that may host mineral deposits. The 26 major and minor elements were identified using wavelength-dispersive X-ray fluorescence. The river sands exhibited varying elemental concentrations, with Cr, Cu, Zn, and Ba showing deviations from the normal distribution patterns. Identification of geochemical anomalies is an important task in mineral exploration geochemistry. The mean + 2 standard deviations (mean+2STD), median + 2 median absolute deviations (median+2MAD), and Tukeyâs inner fence (TIF) methods were used to determine the geochemical thresholds. This study shows that TIF and principal component analysis (PCA) methods are highly effective in calculating appropriate threshold values and identifying relevant elemental associations. These approaches have proven useful for delineating target areas for mineral deposits, resulting in reliable outcomes. Four predicted target areas with high potential for deposits and mineralization anomalies of Cr, Cu, Ni, and Ba were delineated in the study area.

Following the transfer of hospital services to provincial government oversight, it is essential to understand how such changes impact service quality and efficiency. This study, conducted from 1 March 2023 to 31 March 2024 at sub-district health-promoting hospitals in Thailand, aims to identify the factors affecting hospital service quality post-transfer and evaluate the role of profes-sional nurses in maintaining service standards under new governance. Utilizing a mixed-methods design based on the Global Fund-HSS framework (2012), which categorizes factors into accessibility, processes, productivity, and outcomes, we collected data from 340 nurses and 400 patients through structured questionnaires. These questionnaires were divided into seven sec-tions, capturing metrics such as the personal data of nurses, hospital service activities, and lead-ership qualities. We employed a Likert scale to gauge perceptions and expectations of service quality and conducted paired t-tests to compare performance metrics before and after the admin-istrative transfer. One-way ANOVA was used to assess variability among different service units, and binary logistic regression helped identify key determinants of service quality. The analysis revealed a significant correlation between the attitudes and competencies of healthcare teams and the levels of service quality. Notably, service units transferred less than 50% exhibited mini-mal changes, indicating that the degree of transfer significantly impacts service outcomes. Despite these variations, the fundamental mission of promoting health remained consistent. The study emphasizes the critical role of nurses and recommends further research to identify additional factors that could improve service quality in transferred healthcare facilities, potentially contributing to enhanced healthcare delivery across restructured health systems.

Introduction: Cleft lip with or without cleft palate (CL/P) is the most common congenital face anomaly in the world of multifactorial etiology. Objective: To determine the prevalence and characteristics of cleft palate. To identify associated risk factors to guide prevention and/or prenatal detection for early intervention and better health outcomes. To assess the rehabilitation protocols after operations in cleft palate. Design: Retrospective descriptive and clinical study. Patients: One hundred and three children with cleft palate treated in the Department of Head and Neck Surgery Clinic for Children and Young Adults, Department of Clinical Pediatrics, University of Warmia and Mazury, were included in the study. Methods: Records evaluation was conducted regarding sex, cleft type, mother occupation, parents education, histories of cleft in any of parents. The data were analyzed using R (R core team 2021) and the ordinal logistic regression analyses. Results: Children of stressed mothers during pregnancy had 9.4 times higher odds of having bilateral cleft. While there was no evidence that children sex, order of birth, and body mass as well as risk of maternal toxicity at work or reporting infections or drugs toxicity had a significant effect on the dependent variable. Conclusions: Children of parents with cleft history and having low educated mothers had higher probability of bilateral cleft palate. Children of stressed mothers during pregnancy had higher odds of having bilateral cleft. In literature, there is a lack of reports about rehabilitation in different operations methods in children with cleft palates.

In the context of sustainable development, integrating the work aspect into health promotion systems is essential, ensuring that employees maintain a healthy balance between their professional and personal lives, which respects and amplifies the potential of every individual. Lately, there has been a noticeable shift of medical professionals from the public to the private sector. This trend paints a bleak picture, highlighting the vulnerabilities of a system teetering on the brink of failure, with significant impacts on patient care. Among the myriad reasons behind this shift, burnout stands out prominently. Medical professionals face increasing pressures due to understaffing, limited organizational support, and insufficient resources, leading to feelings of cynicism, exhaustion, and detachment from their roles. Utilizing the Maslach et al. questionnaire, we assessed the risk of burnout among physicians in public hospitals to identify and underscore preventive measures and improvements, correlating our findings with key aspects of organizational empowerment. Our research indicates that enhancing interpersonal relationships and resources—both within teams and between the organization and its physicians—is crucial for the revival of the healthcare system. This approach aims at improving the delivery of healthcare services and offering appropriate recognition to healthcare professionals, aligning with the principles of sustainable employment.

Purpose: This integrated review aims to identify and analyze the multifactorial contributors to the longevity of direct restorations, focusing on tooth-, patient-, and dentist-related factors. Materials and Methods: A literature search was performed using an electronic database, PubMed/Medline, Web of Science, and Scopus, between 1980 and 2024. Titles and abstracts of papers that evaluated aspects categorized into tooth-related, patient-related, and dentist-related factors influencing restoration failure were selected and screened. Full-text assessments were conducted, and the extracted data were compiled, summarized, and synthesized. The reference lists of the collected papers were also screened, and relevant citations were included in this review. Data were gathered from clinical and laboratorial studies, systematic reviews, and meta-analyses to provide a comprehensive understanding of restoration longevity. Results: Among the tooth-related factors, multiple-surface restorations, deep margins, tooth location, and tooth vitality significantly impact restoration survival. Patient-related factors such as medical conditions, risk predictors of caries, age, sex, parafunctional habits, smoking, periodontal health, number of restorations, and socioeconomic status all play crucial roles. Regarding dentist-related factors, the decision-making process, age, experience, and dentist manual dexterity are vital aspects. Furthermore, the technique used, including isolation methods for moisture control, as well as the type of dental practice (large group vs. small practice), notably influenced the restoration survival. Conclusions: The longevity of dental restorations is influenced by a complex interplay of tooth-related, patient-related, and dentist-related factors. Strategies to improve restoration outcomes should consider all these multifactorial contributors. Continuing professional education, diligent patient guidance on the factors that influence restoration survival, careful material selection and restorative technique, and tailored individual treatment are crucial factors to reduce failure rates and improve the lifespan of restorations.

Questions：SAP in mountainous cities of China serve as crucial carriers for species and wild food, constituting potential green infrastructure. These patches should be recognized as locally specific resources. This study investigates the transformation characteristics of the landscape patterns of SAP, along with their elements, across urban-rural gradients, providing foundational support for the planning of conservation and utilization strategies. Location: Yongchuan area of Chongqing in southwest China. Methods: The study investigated urban-rural gradient-based transformation of SAP. A four-direction transect space was selected and divided into uniform sample squares. Fragstats 4.3 calculated the landscape index of SAP, and Spearman correlation coefficients in SPSS were used to evaluate the influence of landform and artificial factors on agroforestry patch transformation. Results: 1) Patch area (PA), Plaque density (PD), and CLUMPY of SAP systematically transform, showing increased SAP areas and higher connectivity with greater distance from the city, resulting in reduced patch fragmentation. However, Edge density (ED) and Largest plaque index (LPI) exhibit irregular transformation patterns. 2) With increased distance from the city, woodland patch area and connectivity increase, leading to decreased fragmentation, dispersal, and lower fractal dimensions. Conversely, Cultivated land follows the opposite trend. garden land patch area, fractal dimension, fragmentation, and dispersal all increase, while connectivity decreases. 3) Landscape pattern transformations of SPA are significantly influenced by artificial factors. Woodland patches are influenced similarly by landform and artificial factors. In contrast, cultivated land and garden land patches are more significantly impacted by artificial factors. Conclusions: SAP exhibit differentiated conservation and utilization measures across urban-rural gradients. Small patches located far from urban centers may benefit from systematic conservation measures to prevent further fragmentation and erosion in peri-urban areas.

Marine water pH is becoming progressively reduced in response to atmospheric CO2 elevation. Considering that marine environments support a vast global biodiversity and provide a variety of ecosystem functions and services, monitoring of the coastal and intertidal water pH assumes obvious significance. Because current monitoring approaches using meters and loggers are typically limited in application in heterogeneous environments and are financially prohibitive, we sought to evaluate an approach to acidification biomonitoring using living gastropod shells. We investigated snail populations exposed naturally to corrosive water in Brunei (Borneo, South East Asia). We show that surface erosion features of shells are generally more sensitive to acidic water exposure than other attributes (shell mass) in a study of rocky-shore snail populations (Nerita chamaeleon) exposed to greater or lesser coastal geochemical acidification (acid sulphate soil seepage, ASS), by virtue of their spatial separation. We develop a novel digital approach to measuring the surface area of shell erosion. Surficial shell erosion of a muddy-sediment estuarine snail, Umbonium vestiarium, is shown to capture variation in acidic water exposure for the timeframe of a decade. Shell dissolution in Neripteron violaceum from an extremely acidic estuarine habitat, directly influenced by ASS inflows, was high variable among individuals. In conclusion, gastropod shell dissolution potentially provides a powerful and cost-effective tool for rapidly assessing marine pH change across a range of spatial and temporal frameworks and coastal intertidal environments. We discuss caveats when interpreting gastropod shell dissolution patterns.

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common condition in reproductive-age women. Women with PCOS are at higher risk of pregnancy complications including gestational diabetes (GDM). The prevalence of PCOS and GDM varies according to the diagnostic criteria used. The mechanism for the occurrence of GDM in women with PCOS is still unclear. Materials &amp; Methods- A systematic search of the electronic database was done using keywords like PCOS, and GDM to include studies between April 2008 and March 2023 where uniform diagnostic criteria were used. Studies were excluded with high-risk of bias after the assessment of bias, and meta-analysis was done with relative risks and confidence intervals. Results &amp; Discussion-Out of 1896 search results, 95 were selected for full-text. The quality of the studies was scrutinized and a total of 28 studies were included as they fulfilled the inclusion criteria. The incidence of GDM in women with PCOS was found to be 10.55 % (2.9- 54.9%) from pooled data involving 1,280,245. The prevalence of PCOS in women diagnosed with GDM was found from pooled data of 36,351 women in retrospective studies to be 2.47% (1.5- 50.1%). Selection predominantly included cohort studies, most commonly from China. The meta-analysis reported the risk of GDM is higher in women with PCOS than in those without PCOS (HR: 1.59, 95% CI: 1.27–1.91, p &lt; 0.001). Family history of diabetes, ethnicity, pre-pregnancy BMI, insulin resistance, gestational weight gain, use of assisted reproductive techniques, and multifetal gestation were the risk factors for GDM in women with PCOS. Conclusion- The prevalence of GDM in patients with PCOS is high, but the causality is complex. The newer predictive models are promising in clarifying the causative relationships, yet use various parameters at different cut-offs. There is a need for the development of universally acceptable parameters for the early prediction of GDM in women with PCOS.

The supply chain has incorporated products by putting them into hair scarfs. This study introduces the use of mini chips in health and beauty products and can reduce fatigue through enhanced sleep patterns. The mini chip could be placed in the scarf and used as a prototype. RFID technology provides the supply chain with specific information that is used to identify products and make communication easier. (Muhammad, et. al. 2013) This paper presents a new tool herein referred to as a scarf prototype which is developed to analyse EMG (electromyogram), ECG (electrocardiography), EEG (electroencephalogram), and EOG (electro-oculogram) signals that focuses in the area of sleep disorders. The mini chips used can be used to determine a solution for sleep disruption by using automated analytics. This could lead to improvement in our understanding of sleep disruption and overall sleep physiology. Automated technology allows repeated measurements, evaluation of sleep patterns, and provide suggestions to improve a person’s quality of sleep. This analysis compares the use of polysomnography and the scarf prototype. The analytics provide models and shows correlation between variables, such as EMG, ECG, EEG, and EOG. This study shows that the results from the scarf prototype is just as reliable as the original method, polysomnography.

Driving factors of smart city construction are exploratively studied by grounded theory method based on text sources from journal papers in SCI and CSSCI databases. Initial scale of driving factors about smart city construction is obtained on the basis of above analyses. This paper modifies measuring items of the initial scale with a small sample pretest and reliability test, then forms final items by exploratory factor analysis. According to the above scale, questionnaires are designed to obtain empirical data, and confirmatory factor analysis is used to verify further validity and reliability of the scale. The results show that driving factors of smart city construction include three main dimensions: problem-oriented factors, business- or technology-driven factors and endogenous development requirements.

There is an observed general low performance of Ethiopian Sport Governing Bodies (SGBs) in service delivery. Evidence shows that the trend can be corrected with proper understanding and insight into the process of organisational and management factors of these SGBs. This study aimed to investigate the contribution of organisational and management factors on effective sport service delivery in SGBs. For this study, a cross-sectional research design was employed. Purposive sampling was used to choose 350 samples. Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficient and multiple regression were used to analyse the data at the 0.05 significant level. The findings confirmed that organisational and management factor variables had a significant positive relationship with sport service delivery (organisational structure (r=0.515), organisational capabilities (r=0.701), communication (r=0.549), management practice (r=0.571), materials &amp; resources (r=0.527) and stakeholders satisfaction (r=0.742). In addition, Management factors were found to be significant contributors for predicting effective sport service delivery (F(3, 329)= 165.868, R2= 0.612). Furthermore, organisational factors had a joint significant contribution to effective sport service delivery (F(3, 329) = 148.743, R2= 0.576). In addition, organisational and management factor variables jointly best predicted effective sport service delivery in Ethiopian SGBs (F(6, 326) =130.81, R2= 0.707). Therefore, this study suggests organisational and management factor variables can be used to predict effective sport service delivery.

Business-to-business (B2B) manufacturing companies are increasingly confronted with transformative trends such as sustainability, digitalization, and servitization. These trends are changing how product portfolios are developed, and value contributions are assessed, and therefore have disruptive potential. Dealing with these disruptive factors in Product Portfolio Management (PPM) is a largely unexplored topic. This study presents an empirical-qualitative exploration that contributes significantly to the field. The aim is to clarify the extent to which disruptive factors influence the evaluation and shaping of the product portfolio in B2B manufacturing companies. The Gioia method was used to evaluate 21 semi-structured interviews with experts from leading B2B manufacturing companies. Eight overarching challenges in PPM resulting from the disruptive factors were identified. Based on the eight overarching challenges and their associated causal relationships, two aggregated dimensions of action were derived: (1) increasing speed and flexibility by using generative artificial intelligence (AI) in a defined PPM process and (2) adjusting the product portfolio evaluation to consider various strategic drivers. These two dimensions of action call for future research to overcome the disruptive factors in PPM.

Background: Condoms have proven to be an effective contraceptive barrier method of family planning and have played a vital role in preventing sexually transmitted diseases including HIV. However, existing evidence shows that utilization of condoms still remains low, especially among youth and adolescents. We aimed to determine the prevalence of condom use and associated factors among the students of Gulu university in Uganda. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among undergraduate students of Gulu University between June and December 2023. The students were accessed from their respective faculties and chosen using a simple random sampling method. Data were collected using a pretested self-administered structured questionnaire. Condom use was defined as use of either male or female condom in the last sexual encounter in the previous six months. Results: A total of 404 participants, with a median age of 23 years (interquartile range (21.5-24) years) were enrolled in the study, 54.2%(n=219) of whom were male. Overall, 81.4%(n=329) of the participants were in senior classes (year 2,3,4, and 5) and 18.6%(n=75) were in their first year of study. The prevalence of condom use was 53.7%(n=217). Prevalence of condom use was 50.2%(n=109) among male and 49.8%(n=108) among female students. Year of study (senior class)(aPR = 1.4, 95% CI = 1.59, 3.54), having a sexual partner (aPR = 2.4, 95% CI = 1.89, 2.94), having a sexual partner within campus (aPR = 2.0, 95% CI = 1.69, 2.45), experience of condom bursting (aPR = 1.3, 95% CI = 1.08, 1.61), having sex in absence of condoms (aPR = 0.6, 95% CI = 0.44, 0.70), alcohol use (aPR = 1.2, 95% CI = 1.01, 1.45) were independently associated with condom use. Conclusion: Just over half of undergraduate students of Gulu university used condoms during sexual encounters. There should be heighten campaigns on condom use to prevent unintended pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections.

Derelict asbestos mine sites in South Africa pose a considerable risk to human, environmental and socio-economic health. Comprehensive mineralogical and geochemical datasets for the existing hazardous geological materials still exposed in Southern African derelict asbestos mines remain largely non-existent, as very little published and up-to-date literature is available. In this study three representative types of asbestos mineral fibres from derelict asbestos mines in Southern Africa, namely chrysotile from Havelock mine, amosite from Penge mine and crocidolite from Prieska mine are characterized mineralogically and geochemically to critically evaluate real-life hazards in rural and asbestos-fibre contaminated regions. The samples were examined using polarising light microscopy, X-ray fluorescence (major and trace elemental analysis), X-ray diffraction (including Rietveld refinement), specific surface area analyses and bio-durability tests. Data are discussed in view of their potential toxicities on both human health and the environment in the context of developing countries. Finally, information on the mineralogical and geochemical status of asbestos mine waste and its importance as baseline data for rehabilitation considerations is also evaluated.

While there are extensive studies on the mineralogy and geochemistry of laterites worldwide, the temporal and spatial mineralogical development of a typical nickel laterite profile is still poorly constrained. In this study, we present a detailed mineralogical and geochemical characterization of samples systematically collected from a nickel laterite profile at the Sta. Cruz nickel laterite deposit, Zambales, Philippines, to describe the temporal and spatial development of the laterite profile. Wavelength-dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (WDSXRF), mass balance-element mobility calculations, transmitted and reflected light microscopy, and previously reported results from coupled X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Rietveld refinement analyses, reveal that the laterite profile investigated is composed of two main horizons: the limonite and saprolite zones, separated by a thin transitional zone. The main zones are further subdivided into subzones based primarily on the mineral assemblage and major element chemistry: upper limonite, lower limonite, transitional zone, upper saprolite, and lower saprolite. Late-stage Ni-rich serpentine veins were observed cutting the upper and lower saprolite subzones. Investigation of the structure of goethite within the limonite zone via Rietveld refinement show that the crystallinity of goethite decreases with increasing Ni content and increasing crystallite size. This suggests that upwards through the limonite zone, as goethite ages, its crystallinity increases which possibly results in the removal of Ni from its crystal structure and eventual remobilization to the lower laterite zones. We propose a genetic model of the formation of the Sta. Cruz laterite consisting of four stages: (1) early-stage alteration, (2) continued serpentinization and volume expansion, (3) late stage serpentinization, dissolution, and incipient oxide formation, and (4) goethite ageing and Ni-rich serpentine vein formation. Overall, our results suggest that serpentinization is an important aspect of Ni laterite formation, both before and after the emplacement of the peridotite protolith.

Abnormalities in male fertility constitute about 50% of all infertility causes. According to some data, the quality of human semen has deteriorated by 50-60 % over the last 40 years. A high-fat diet and obesity, the development of which is encouraged by the western lifestyle, affects the structure of spermatozoa, but also the development of the offspring and their health in later stages of life. In obese individuals, disorders on the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis are observed, as well as elevated oestrogen levels with simultaneous decrease of testosterone, LH and FSH hormone levels. Healthy dietary models clearly correlate with better sperm quality and a smaller risk of abnormalities in parameters, such as sperm count, sperm concentration and motility, as well as lower sperm DNA fragmentation. Apart from mineral components such as zinc and selenium, the role of omega-3 fatty acids and antioxidant vitamins should be emphasized, since their action will be based primarily on the minimization of oxidative stress and inflammation process. Additionally, the incorporation of carnitine supplements and coenzyme Q10 in therapeutic intervention seems also promising. Therefore, it is advisable to have a varied and balanced diet based on vegetables and fruit, fish and seafood, nuts, seeds, whole-grain products, poultry and low-fat dairy products.

The most prevalent musculoskeletal disorder of childhood with unclear aetiology is Growing Pains (GPs). Anatomic deformities and factors that change bone turnover are implicated in GPs pathophysiology. Perinatal risk factors alter the bone metabolism affecting the bone mineral density and content. The aim of our study was to analyze the relationship between GPs, knock knees and perinatal factors. The examined population consisted of 276 children aged 3-7 years. Among them 10 pairs of dizygotic twins were evaluated. The data were collected by using a combination of semi-structured questionnaires, clinical examinations and medical charts of the children and the obstetric history of the mothers. 78 children presented GPs meeting Peterson’s criteria. Genu valgum severity was a significant factor for GPs manifestation and for their increased frequency and intensity. Subsequently, perinatal factors regarding gestational age, Apgar score, head circumference (lower than 33cm) and birth length or weight (smaller than 50 cm and 3000gr, respectively) made a remarkable contribution to the development of GPs. Conversely, antenatal corticosteroid treatment, increased maternal age and maternal smoking during pregnancy were not predictive for the disorder. Our data are potentially supportive for the “bone strength” theory and for the contribution of anatomical disturbances in GPs appearance.

The role of natural factors mainly solar eleven-year cycle variability, and volcanic eruptions on two major modes of climate variability the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) and El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) are studied for around last 150 years period. The NAO is the primary factor to regulate Central England Temperature (CET) during winter throughout the period, though NAO is impacted differently by other factors in various time periods. Solar variability indicates a strong positive influence on NAO during 1978-1997, though suggests opposite in earlier period. Solar NAO lag relationship is also shown sensitive to the chosen times of reference and thus points towards the previously proposed mechanism/ relationship related to the sun and NAO. The ENSO is influenced strongly by solar variability and volcanic eruptions in certain periods. This study observes a strong negative association between the sun and ENSO before the 1950s, which is even opposite during the second half of 20th century. The period 1978-1997, when two strong eruptions coincided with active years of strong solar cycles, the ENSO, and volcano suggested a stronger association, and we discussed the important role played by ENSO. That period showed warming in central tropical Pacific while cooling in the North Atlantic with reference to the later period (1999-2017) and also from chosen earlier period. Here we show that the mean atmospheric state is important for understanding the connection between solar variability, the NAO and ENSO and associated mechanism. It presents a critical analysis to improve knowledge about major modes of variability and their role in climate. We also discussed the importance of detecting the robust signal of natural variability, mainly the sun.

(1) Background: Sleep disordered breathing represent a growing public health concern, especially among children and adolescents. Full-night polysomnography is considered the gold standard for diagnosing obstructive sleep apnea. Our goals are to identify personal and environmental risk factors for the onset and persistence of sleep respiratory disorders. We also want to investigate the differences in neuropsychological profiles; (2) Methods: This is an observational, retrospective cohort study. We collected information on adenoidectomy or adenotonsillectomy. We reviewed the clinical history and preoperative visits and collected data through a telephone questionnaire. Pediatric Sleep Questionnaire (PSQ) and the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL) are questionnaires used for screening sleep respiratory disorders in children. The data were statistically analyzed it using SPSS version 22.0 for Windows (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL); (3) Results: The study involved 138 patients, but only 100 parents participated. A higher percentage of patients with sleep disordered breathing were observed to have mothers who smoked during pregnancy. A smaller proportion of patients with sleep disordered breathing had a habit of using a pacifier. A rise in physical results is associated with a reduction in the PSQ at follow-up (p=0.051). An increase of overall academic achievement is associated with an average decrease in the PSQ at follow-up (p&lt;0.0001). A more significant proportion of patients undergoing adenotonsillectomy were observed to have a history of prematurity and cesarean birth (4) Conclusions: These results provide essential information on the effectiveness and effects of adenotonsillectomy intervention compared to adenoidectomy intervention and the factors associated with SDB in children undergoing these interventions.

Abstract: Field studies with large-stemmed plants Artemisia dubia (wormwood) have been carried out at Vėžaičiai Branch LAMMC since 2018. According to three years of experimental results, annual dry matter (DM) yield varied from 7.94 to 10.14 t ha-1. Growing conditions, nitrogen ap-plication level and harvesting time had significant impacts on Artemisia dubia productivity. This article presents the results of research on preparation and use of Artemisia dubia biomass for en-ergy conversion and evaluation of technological-technical and environmental parameters of these plants utilization for solid biofuel. For experiments were used 6 variants of Artemisia dubia samples, which were grown in 2021: plants were cut three times and two fertilization options were used: (1) no fertilization and (2) fertilization with 180 kg ha-1 of nitrogen fertilizer. These harvested plants were chopped, milled and were pressed into the pellets. The physi-cal-mechanical characteristics (mоisture content, density and strength) of Artemisia dubia pellets were investigated. During this study, it was found that the density in dry mass (DM) of pellets ranged from 1119.86 to 1192.44 kg m-3. The pellet moisture content ranged from 8.80 to 10.49%. After testing of pellet strength, it was found that the pellets which were made from plant bio-mass PK-1-1, were the most resistant to compression, they withstood 560.36 N of pressure. Dry fuel lower heating value (LHV) of pellets was sufficiently high and was very close to pine saw-dust pellets, it varied from 17.46±0.25 MJ kg-1 to 18.14±0.28 MJ kg-1. The ash content of burned pellets ranged from 3.62±0.02% to 6.47±0.09%. Emissions of harmful pollutants – CO2, CO, NOx and unburnt hydrocarbons (CxHy) did not exceed the maximum permissible levels. Summariz-ing the results of investigated properties, cоmbustion and emissiоns of Artemisia dubia pellets, it can be concluded that this biofuel can be used for production of pressed biofuel and it is charac-terized by sufficient high quality, efficient combustion and permissible emissions to the envi-ronment.

The rise in precocious puberty cases can be attributed to a combination of genetic and environmental factors. Genetic factors play a significant role, with studies identifying genetic abnormalities in genes such as KISS1, KISS1R, MKRN3, DLK1, GABRA1, LIN28B, NPYR, TAC3, and TACR3, which are associated with central precocious puberty (CPP). Epigenetic factors like DNA methylation and histone modifications may mediate the relationship between genetic and environmental influences on CPP development. Environmental factors such as exposure to secondhand smoke, cesarean section, and BMI have also been linked to precocious puberty, particularly in girls, highlighting the multifactorial nature of this phenomenon. Understanding the interplay between these genetic and environmental factors is crucial in addressing the increasing prevalence of precocious puberty in children. The published literature in the past five years was systematically reviewed and summarized highlighting the interplay of genetic and environmental factors for the rise in the precocious puberty.

Cryptococcus neoformans is a facultative intracellular fungal pathogen. Ten-generation-old (10GEN) C. neoformans cells are more resistant to phagocytosis and killing by macrophages than younger daughter cells. However, mechanisms that mediate this resistance and intracellular parasitism are poorly understood. Here, we identified factors important for the intracellular survival of 10GEN C. neoformans, such as urease activity, capsule synthesis, and DNA content using flow cytometry and fluorescent microscopy techniques. Real-time visualization of time-lapse imaging was applied to determine the phagosomal acidity, membrane permeability, and vomocytosis (non-lytic exocytosis) rate in J774 macrophages that phagocytosed C. neoformans of different generational ages. Our results showed that old C. neoformans exhibited higher urease activity, and enhanced capsule formation, which was supported by an increased Golgi complex. In addition, old C. neoformans were more likely to be arrested in the G2 phase, resulting in the occasional formation of aberrant trimera-like cells. To finish, the advanced generational age of the yeast cells slightly reduced vomocytosis events within host cells, which might be associated with increased phagolysosomal pH and membrane permeability. Altogether our results contribute to a better understanding of the strategies used by old C. neoformans to resist phagosomal killing and suggest that old generation C. neoformans intracellular behavior may be driving cryptococcosis pathogenesis.

Trichiurus japonicus is the most productive fish caught in our country. In order to understand the seasonal distribution of Trichiurus japonicus in the central and southern parts of the East China Sea and Yellow Sea, three species distribution models were adopted, namely Random Forest Model, K-nearest neighbor algorithm and gradient ascending decision Tree model, based on the data of trawling surveys in the central and southern parts of the East China Sea and Yellow Sea from 2008 to 2009. Combined with variance inflation factor and cross-check, the distribution model of Trichiurus japonicus was screened and constructed to analyze the influence of environmental factors on the distribution of Trichiurus japonicus in the central and southern parts of the East China Sea and the Yellow Sea. The results showed that the random forest model had the advantages of fitting effect and prediction ability among the three models. The analysis of this model showed that the water depth, bottom water temperature and surface salinity had a great influence on the habitat distribution of Trichiurus japonicus. The relative resources of Trichiurus japonicus increased with the increase of bottom water temperature and reached the maximum at 23.8℃, and first increased and then decreased with the increase of water depth and surface salinity, reaching the maximum at 72 m and 31.2‰, respectively. The random forest model was used to predict the spatial distribution of Trichiurus japonicus in the East China Sea and the central and southern Yellow Sea during 2008-2009, and the results showed that the predicted results were close to the actual situation. The research results can provide reference for the exploitation and protection of Trichiurus japonicus resources in the East China Sea and the central and southern Yellow Sea.

The Mahuagou gold deposit is among the most important gold deposits in the core of Huangling Anticline. However, the geochemical exploration on the surface of the mining area presents challenges due to the thin overburde.This paper focuses on the overburden soil of Fengxiangshugou (FXS) – Mahuanggou (MHG) section as the research object, utilizes chemical form analysis of gold, soil halogen survey, and heat-released mercury survey to determine the key deep-penetrating geochemical methods for mining area. The results indicated that Si and Al components of samples exhibit minimal variation, suggesting that drift loads did not influence the overburden soil. Based on the systematic clustering, As, Sb, Mo, Bi, W and Hg emerge as ore-body or ore-belt front elements of hydrothermal gold deposits. In the study area, the predominant chemical form of gold in soil is the strong organic bond. Compared to the total amount, strong organic bound gold and heat-released mercury show higher anomaly contrasts, making them crucial indicators of faults, intrusions and hidden ore bodies. Consequently, chemical form analysis of gold and heat-released mercury surveys can enhance the anomaly contrast, proving beneficial for geochemical prospecting for weak anomalies in this area.

This retrospective study aimed to assess coronary artery calcium (CAC) progression in serial computed tomography measurements according to risk factor changes. In 448 asymptomatic adults who underwent CAC measurements with more than one-year intervals, CAC progression was assessed according to age, sex, variable traditional risk factors (diabetes mellitus, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and smoking), and initial CAC score (0, 0.1–100, and &gt;100). Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were assessed for independent predictors of rapid CAC progression (△CAC/year&gt;20). During the 3.5-year follow-up, coronary artery calcifications occurred in 43 (12.8%) of 336 individuals with an initial CAC score of zero. Of 112 individuals with initial CAC presence, 60 (53.6%) had △CAC/year&gt;20. Age, male sex, body mass index, and all risk factors were significantly associated with △CAC/year&gt;20, but recently diagnosed hypertension (odds ratio [OR], 11.3) and initial CAC score (OR, 1.05) were significant independent predictors in multivariate regression analyses. CAC progression was affected by demographic and traditional risk factors, but adjusting for these factors, recently diagnosed hypertension and initial CAC score were the most influential factors for rapid CAC progression. These findings suggest that patients with higher initial CAC scores may benefit from more frequent follow-up scans and checks regarding risk factor changes.

Solid waste management in Accra is a major challenge to the Metropolitan Authorities and inhabitants. The rapidly increasing population coupled with poor capacity of the municipal and private waste management companies to management waste effectively has created issues of environmental concern. Due to poor waste managements systems, most household dispose waste indiscriminately leading to floods and health issues. The study showed that about 60% of household waste is organic materials which has the potential to be converted to compost for agriculture purpose. Meanwhile plastics and rubbers which litters the environment as well as blocking major storm drains and gutters hence creating huge environmental hazard is made of 11% of the total component of most household waste generated daily. The study also revealed that among the methods of disposing waste, dumping waste in skip containers located at authorized places was the preferred means of disposing waste by household though others also dispose waste by other means such as burying and burning. Inadequate skip containers per population of household in an area coupled with irregularity of tracks picking these containers makes skip containers dumping site ugly scene, hence creating health issues. Among the constraints that impact negatively on sustainable waste management in Accra Metropolis, economic constraints was perceived as the main challenge which affect efficient waste management. Currently the country is going through serious economic challenges so government does not release money timely to fund projects which waste management is key. Most donor partners that use to support the government with funds have either reduced or redrawn their services as they have no confidence in the state of Ghana economy. Aside the constrains, the study also indicated that factors such as poor public attitude towards waste management, poor enforcement of sanitation by-laws, inadequate and untimely release of government funds were also seen as the main factors affecting waste management.

The intestinal microbial community of aquatic animals is closely related to the environment and thus affects the health of aquatic animals. Here we investigated annual variation of intestinal bacteria community structures of Ruditapes philippinarum cultured using two different methods, bottom sown and raft hanging. Bacterial diversity of seawater and sediment in different seasons was examined as well. Correlation between R. philippinarum intestinal bacteria community structures and environmental factors was analyzed. The results showed that in the two aquculture areas where R. philippinarum was differentially cultured, bacteria community structure of seawater and sediment both altered with seasons. However, neither seasonal changes nor difference in culture methods could significantly affect the intestinal bacteria community structures of R. philippinarum. Additionally, in terms of the alpha diversity of intestinal bacteria communities, there was no significant difference in R. philippinarum cultured using the two methods. For benthic cultured clams, alpha diversity of the intestinal bacterial communities was often higher than that of the environmental bacterial communities. For raft hanging cultured calms, Alpha diversity of the intestinal bacterial communities was normally comparable with that of the environmental counterparts. Beta diversity analysis showed that the intestinal bacterial community structure of R. philippinarum was mainly determined by both deterministic and stochastic processes. Correlation analysis showed that the intestinal bacterial community structures of R. philippinarum were determined by a variety of environmental factors. For clams collected from the benthic culture area, the intestinal bacterial structure was more correlated with the physicochemical properties of sediment in comparing with those of seawater. For clams collected from the raft-culture area, the intestinal bacterial structure was mainly determined by the phsicochemical characteristics of seawater. This study helps us to better understand the bacterial community structure in complex aquaculture ecosystems, providing a reference for healthy shellfish aquaculture and ecosystem protection in aquaculture area.

Urban air pollution is a critical global environmental issue, necessitating an understanding of the spatiotemporal characteristics and driving factors for effective environmental protection and urban planning. This study introduced an advanced air quality assessment system that integrates environmental, socio-economic, and urban layout factors, addressing gaps in traditional models that often overlook the impact of urban spatial structures. Analyzing air quality data from Beijing's main urban area (2016-2020) alongside multi-source geographic data, the research develops a comprehensive evaluation system, incorporating 14 key driving factors. Employing Geographically Weighted Regression (GWR) and Multi-scale Geographically Weighted Regression (MGWR), the study quantitatively assessed the influence and spatial heterogeneity of these factors. Findings revealed an annual improvement in air quality, with a U-shaped seasonal pattern and significant spatial clustering (Global Moran’s I = 0.922). The MGWR model, in particular, provided a superior fit over GWR, effectively capturing the spatial variability of factors. Variables such as NDVI), economic output (GDP), and humidity space adjustment capability (HSAC) showed significant positive spatial impacts on air quality, while population density (POP), temperature (TEMP), and road density (RD) exhibited negative effects. These insights enhance the understanding of air pollution dynamics and aid in refining urban planning strategies.

Background: The effect of velamentous cord insertion (VCI) on perinatal outcomes in twin pregnancies is unclear due to conflicting findings. This retrospective study aimed to examine VCI prevalence and related risk factors in twin pregnancies and its association with adverse perinatal outcomes. Methods: Women with twin pregnancies who delivered between January 2012 and December 2021 in a single tertiary hospital were included. The participants were divided into dichorionic (DC) and monochorionic diamniotic (MCDA) groups, and their maternal and fetal characteristics and VCI rates were compared. Logistic regression models were used to identify risk factors for VCI and VCI-related perinatal outcomes. Results: Among the 694 twin pregnancies included in this study, the VCI rate was significantly higher in MCDA than in DC twins. Body mass index and MCDA twins were significant risk factors for VCI, whereas assisted reproductive technology pregnancy was a significant protective factor against VCI. In DC twins, VCI did not affect perinatal outcomes. Conclusion: In MCDA twins, VCI was a significant risk factor for fetal growth restriction, twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome, and preterm birth at

Background: Acute kidney disease (AKD) is a known risk factor for increased mortality and evolution towards chronic kidney disease (CKD) in adults. The data regarding children are scarce. The purpose of our study is to explore the risk factor for AKD and impact of AKD following an acute kidney injury (AKI) episode in children on mortality and new-onset CKD. Methods: We retrospectively evaluated 736 children with ages between 2 and 18 years old with AKI admitted in a tertiary care hospital from the west Romania over a 9 years period. Results: AKD incidence following AKI was 17%. Patients that developed AKD were older, with higher baseline serum creatinine values, urea, C reactive protein and lower proteins, haemoglobin and sodium. They were more often exposed to sepsis, critical illness and nephrotoxic medications and presented certain susceptibilities like CKD, neoplasia, anemia, heart failure, arterial hypertension, stem cell transplant and female gender. AKI causes that increased the risk of AKD were intrinsic ones. AKD increased the overall mortality by three times. The factors that independently increased the risk of evolution towards CKD were AKD, acute tubular necrosis and higher baseline serum creatinine values. Conclusions: AKD is an independent risk factor for mortality and new-onset CKD in children.

Osteoarthritis and chronic pancreatitis comorbidity are insufficiently studied, and the reciprocal impact of these conditions remains poorly understood. This study aimed to investigate potential predictors for the development of osteoarthritis and chronic pancreatitis comorbidity, as well as complications associated with this comorbidity. A cohort of 150 patients was categorized into three groups: a control group (n=30), patients with osteoarthritis (n=68), and patients with comorbid osteoarthritis and chronic pancreatitis (n=52). Potential predictors for comorbidity development and associated complications were explored. The study revealed that concurrent osteoarthritis and chronic pancreatitis exacerbate each other's progression and contribute to malnutrition. Body Mass Index (BMI) emerged as a potential predictor for chronic pancreatitis development in osteoarthritis patients. In osteoarthritis patients, fecal elastase-1 levels were identified as potential predictors for exocrine pancreatic insufficiency. Factors such as WOMAC total score, fecal elastase-1, C-reactive protein (CRP), ferritin, retinol, tocopherol, 25-hydroxy vitamin D3, and BMI were found to influence comorbidity development between osteoarthritis and chronic pancreatitis. Additionally, Gastrointestinal Symptom Rating Scale-Diarrhea Syndrome (GSRS-DS), Gastrointestinal Symptom Rating Scale-Constipation syndrome (GSRS-CS), Qualitative Assessment of the Symptoms and Impact of Pancreatic Exocrine Insufficiency domain A (PEI-Q-A), retinol, tocopherol, and iron were identified as potential predictors for exocrine pancreatic insufficiency in osteoarthritis patients. In conclusion, the comorbidity of osteoarthritis and chronic pancreatitis exacerbates disease progression and complications, necessitating further investigation.

The Kampar Peninsula, a significant peatland region in Riau, Indonesia, is vital for its carbon re-serves and biodiversity, including the Sumatran tiger. Covering approximately 735,091 hectares, it comprises critical peat domes essential for hydrological balance. This research investigates land use changes from 1990-2020 using the Normalized Difference Fraction Index (NDFI) to map disturb-ances and land cover changes. Additionally, interviews and regulatory analysis were conducted to examine the historical drivers of land use change in the Kampar Peninsula. In 2020, natural forests covered 433,395.20 hectares (59.9% of the total area), industrial pulpwood plantations (primarily acacia) covered 27.3%, oil palm plantations accounted for 10.4%, infrastructure occupied 2.4%, and water bodies made up 0.9%. Key drivers of land use change include the construction of access roads by oil companies since 1975 and government policies during the New Order period (1980s-1998) promoting forest exploitation and transmigration programs. These activities have significantly transformed the Kampar Peninsula's land cover, highlighting the need for sustainable management and conservation efforts.

Poplars (Populus spp.) are of significant ecological and economic importance. Long-term breeding efforts were aimed mainly at obtaining fast-growing and productive plants and less considered resistance to pests. This study aimed to identify the patterns of susceptibility to Saperda carcharias (Linnaeus, 1758) (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) among Populus hybrids and pure species, considering crossing combinations and some other traits. In our research, 35 clones of poplar species and hybrids of the Ukrainian and foreign selection from the Aigeiros, Tacamahaca, and Leucoides sections were tested in 2021 and 2023 in the plantation created in 2014 in Eastern Ukraine. S. carcharias preferred infesting clones with earlier foliage development, larger diameters, and height increments. Specifically, hybrids with American maternal lineage showed the highest susceptibility, whereas those with European maternal lineage or Asian origin displayed lower infestation levels or resistance, respectively. This variability suggests a complex relationship between genetic background and pest resistance, underlining the need for a deeper understanding of the factors influencing susceptibility to S. carcharias. Selecting native species clones or creating mixed clone plantations could enhance the resilience of poplar plantations to pest threats.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a common neurodegenerative disorder characterized by the loss of dopaminergic neurons and the buildup of misfolded alpha-synuclein proteins. While its exact cause remains unknown, several factors may influence its development. This review examines how factors like chronic constipation, head injuries, cholesterol and uric acid levels, pesticide exposure, smoking, NSAIDs, and caffeine intake may affect PD risk. Chronic constipation appears to be linked to a higher risk of PD, potentially serving as an early warning sign. Head injuries, especially mild-to-moderate ones, may also play a role in increasing PD risk. Surprisingly, higher levels of cholesterol seem to protect against PD, while lower levels of uric acid might increase the risk in the presence of some differences according to gender type. Exposure to certain pesticides is associated with a higher PD risk. NSAIDs, on the other hand, may or may not have a protective effect, with conflicting evidence. Interestingly, caffeine and tobacco smoking appear to lower the PD risk. Further studies are needed to fully understand the complex interplay between these factors and PD. It's also important to remember that these are just general trends, and individual risk factors will vary depending on a person's unique genetic makeup, medical history, and overall health.

Aedes albopictus is considered one of the major invasive species in the world and can transmit viruses such as dengue, Zika, or chikungunya. The Sterile Insect Technique (SIT) can be used to suppress the native populations of Ae. albopictus. To support the development of the release strategy during the SIT application, Mark-Release-Recapture (MRR) studies are crucial. Mean-while, weather conditions can affect the MRR trial’s results and it is critical to understand the influence of climatic factors on the results. In October 2022 in Faro, Southern Portugal, 84,000 ir-radiated sterile males were released for three consecutive weeks and mosquitoes were recapture by Human Landing Collections (HLC) one, two, four and six days after. Generalised linear models with a negative binomial family and log function were used to estimate the factors asso-ciated with the number of recaptured mosquitoes, prevalence ratios, and the 95% confidence in-tervals (CI). A total of 84,000 sterile male mosquitoes were released, with 528 recaptured (0.8%) by HLC. The prevalence of recaptured mosquitoes was 23% lower when the wind intensity was moderate. Sterile-marked males had an average median distance travelled of 88.7 m. Median probability of daily survival and the average life expectancy were 61.6% and 2.1, respectively. Wild male population estimates was 443.33 males/ ha. Despite no statistically significant asso-ciation was found with humidity, temperature and precipitation, it is crucial to consider weather conditions during MRR trials analyses to obtain the best determinants estimation and a more ef-ficient application of SIT in an integrated vector management program.

Objective: To analyse the association between maternal risk factors such as age, body mass index (BMI) and cigarette smoking, with perinatal outcomes. Materials and Methods: This a retrospective analysis from prospectively collected data performed at Hospital Universitario de Torrejón (Madrid, Spain), between September 2017 and December 2019. All pregnant women with singleton pregnancies and non-malformed live fetuses attending their routine ultrasound examination at 11+0 to 13+6 weeks' gestation were invited to participate. Association between preeclampsia, preterm birth, gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), small for gestational age (SGA) or fetal growth restricted (FGR) neonates and type of delivery according to maternal age, BMI, and cigarrete smoking was studied. Logistic mixed models were used to analyze the data. Results: 1921 patients were included in the analysis. Women of 40 years old had a significantly higher risk of having GDM (Odds Ratio (OR) 1.61, 95% Confidence Interval (CI) 1.08 to 2.36), and SGA neonates (OR 1.54, 95% CI 1.00 to 2.37). Women with a BMI &lt;18 had an increased rate of birth SGA and FGR neonates (OR 3.28, 95% CI 1.51 to 7.05, and OR 3.73, 95% CI 1.54 to 8.37, respectively), whereas women with a BMI ≥35 had a higher risk of GDM (OR 3.10, 95% CI 1.95 to 4.89). Smoking increased the risk of having SGA and FGR neonates (OR 1.83, 95% CI 1.36 to 2.46, and OR 1.91, 95% CI 1.29 to 2.78). Conclusions: Advanced maternal age, low or high BMI, and smoking status are significant risk factors for pregnancy complications. Both clinicians and society should concentrate their efforts on addressing these factors to enhance reproductive health.

In China, preschool teachers have a significant influence on the development of young children aged 3-6. It is imperative to understand their mental health and the factors associated with it to inform policies, optimize their mental well-being, and support their job performance. This study aimed to investigate the factors contributing to anxiety symptoms among preschool teachers. A sample of 393 Chinese preschool teachers (279 females, 114 males) aged 21-56 completed online questionnaires collecting their socio-demographic and work-related information and assessing anxiety symptoms, interpersonal difficulties, personality traits, perceived stress, resilience, and inner strength. Pearson correlation and multiple linear regression analyses identified significant predictors of anxiety symptoms. The prevalence of anxiety symptoms among the studied cohort was found to be 12.2%. Statistically significant factors positively correlated with anxiety symptoms included objective work-related stress (B=0.149, p<.001), interpersonal difficulties (B=0.921, p<.001), perceived stress (B=0.108, p=.001), and neuroticism (B=0.071, p=.002). The findings highlight the urgent need for measures to reduce work-related stress and anxiety. However, when negative mental health predictors were included, the effect of positive psychological factors became nullified. Positive mental health might have a moderating role in such a negative mental health outcome as anxiety. Therefore, further research is required to understand the impact of positive mental health factors more clearly.

Road traffic accidents are associated with different factors, such as non-signalized road networks, inexperienced drivers, lack of communication skills, distraction, and visual or cognitive impairment of road users, which have led to this increase in traffic accidents. Understanding these factors in alignment with road user communication skills can provide solutions that can reduce traffic fatalities. Road users’ communication is predominantly formal in nature, but informal means of communication also exist but are not given proper attention during the driving training and licence testing processes. Therefore, this study investigated communication skills between drivers as a factor contributing to traffic accidents in South African cities. Consequently, 16 traffic scenarios of communication between drivers were simulated using PTV Vissim and Blender software, and a semistructured interview questionnaire was used to collect data from South African road users. The questionnaire was further used to evaluate the confidence level of road users concerning informal communication. The data were analysed via regression analysis to establish the relationship between traffic accidents and miscommunication between drivers. The information gathered and analysed from this study helps to understand the informal communication types between drivers and establish where communication loss exists, which ultimately leads to a traffic accident. The results also show that misinterpretation of communication signals can present the possibility of traffic safety risk.

Abstract: Spinal disorders are some of the most prevalent health concerns, especially among stu-dents. Based on student demographics, this cross-sectional study evaluated the correlation be-tween functional tests (FT) and spinal range of motion (ROM). This study included 206 students from Vasile Alecsandri University of Bacău. Participants' assessments were conducted using the following tests: (i) Ott, (ii) Schober, (iii) Stibor, (iv) finger-to-floor distance, (v) lateral flexion of the cervical and lumbar spine, and (vi) flexion of the cervical spine. Correlation analyses were evaluated using Spearman correlation coefficient analysis. The results indicated a very strong re-lationship between lateral flexion of the lumbar spine on the left (LFLSL) and right (LFSR) for all departments (r = 0.85 to 0.97, p < 0.05). There was a stronger relationship between FT results and spinal ROM of physical education department students compared to students from other de-partments (n = 17, r = -0.38 to 0.93, p < 0.05). There was no statistically significant correlation be-tween FT and spinal ROM based on age (p > 0.05). The study results provide evidence of the pri-mary risk factors that predispose students to postural deviations. Practitioners and physiothera-pists can utilize these values as a reference for potential therapeutic interventions.

Neonatal mortality remains a public health concern and timely identification and prompt intervention in the delivery room could improve the outcome in neonatal morbidity and mortality. We performed a retrospective study to help us finding the profile of the high-risk newborn regarding the need for NICU admission, necessary to establish a protocol regarding the mobilization of human and material resources for the urgent management of these situations. All deliveries and neonates born in Maternity of Bihor County Emergency Clinical Hospital from Romania were reviewed, including relevant maternal, foetal and perinatal data to identify risk factors that result in birth of newborns needing resuscitation at birth between 2012-2019. The number of births showed a downward trend but around 90% of the births were on term. The incidence of neonatal emergencies is increasing, the most frequently were respiratory, sepsis and other infections, cardiovascular emergencies, and extreme prematurity. It is noted that in 2021 the incidence of these neurological emergencies increased by three times compared to previous years. The neonatal and maternal risk factors associated with admission to the NICU were mother's age over 35 years, low level of education, second/more gestation, weight under 2500 g, Apgar score under 7, premature rupture of membranes, macrosomia and mother's infectious pathology. Accurate identification of risk factors and anticipation at the birth of a high-risk neonate would result in adequate preparation and prompt resuscitation of neonates who need some level of intervention and thus, reducing neonatal morbidity and mortality.

Intense climate change and rapid urbanization have increased the risk of urban flooding, seriously affecting urban economic and social stability. Enhancing the urban flood resilience (UFR) has required a new solution to cope with urban flood disasters. In this study, taking Yingtan city as an example, a system of indicators for evaluating UFR was constructed, with 17 representative indicators, comprising three subsystems: socio-economic, ecological and infrastructural. A hybrid (FAHP-EWM)-TOPSIS model was applied, to develop an index-based measurement to compare and evaluate UFR, and Gray Relational Analysis (GRA) was used to discover the main factors affecting UFR. In addition, the natural discontinuous method was innovatively used to divide the UFR grade interval into levels, and the grade change was evaluated based on the TOPSIS method. The results showed that (1) from 2010 to 2022, the UFR in Yingtan City increased by 80.69%, and the factors affecting UFR are highly correlated with urban infrastructure development. However, the ecological resilience in the subsystem showed a fluctuating downward trend, because of the influence of the surface area of lakes and rivers. (2) The grades of UFR for Yingtan City increased from Level III (2010 and 2016) to Level IV (2022), with local financial expenditures and the age structure of the population being the main factors currently limiting the development of UFR. The study provides a theoretical basis for the construction of an indicator system for assessing the UFR of Yingtan and proposes practical improvement directions for UFR.

Businesses use technological and social media marketing to respond to the Covid-19 pandemic. This study aims to understand better the factors that impact the spread of new technologies, the effectiveness of social media advertising, and the longevity of businesses. The study used a quantitative strategy based on partial least squares structural equation modeling to learn about the phenomenon of interest as much as possible. Dhaka, Bangladesh, small and medium-sized businesses participated in the survey. According to the findings, the popularity of internet and e-business technologies may be attributed to their apparent usefulness and ease of use. It is connecting internet/e-business technology, social media marketing, and the long-term success of small and medium-sized enterprises. Still, the expense factor was insufficient to prove that SMEs engage in social media advertising. Mediating effects between components may be better understood via internet/e-business technology and social media marketing, as shown by this study. This study is the first of its kind in Bangladesh and sheds light on the resilience of SMEs in the face of the Covivirus-19 pandemic, notwithstanding its focus on the capital city of Dhaka.

Aim: To analysis the relationship between healthy adults right ventricular diameter (RVD) and geographical factors. Location: China’s 22 provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions. Methods: Using correlation analysis the relationship between RVD and nine geographic factors, build predictive models by factor analysis. Results: There is significant correlation between RVD and geographical factors, and the annual average temperature is most relevant geographical factors, a predictive model was built by factor analysis: Ŷ = 19.46 + 0.0007072X1 + 0.001034X2 -0.05412X3 -0.001405X4 -0.0006351X5 + 0.02903X6 + 0.01243X7 -0.01033X8 + 0.03816X9 ± 0.63. Then using Kriging interpolation interpolate the geographical distribution of Chinese healthy adult right ventricular diameter reference value in ArcGIS software. Main Conclusion: If geographic factors can be derived in anywhere of China, RVD can be calculated by the model, you can also get RVD from geographical distribution.

The tourism economy plays an essential role in supporting and driving tourism development. Therefore, studying its resilience is crucial for promoting sustainable and high-quality tourism development. Based on the core essentials of economic toughness, this paper constructs the tourism economic toughness evaluation index system, uses the entropy weight TOPSIS method to measure the tourism economic toughness of 10 counties and cities in the Yili River Valley in 2010-2019, analyzes its spatio-temporal evolution characteristics through the standard deviation ellipse, the traditional Markov chain, and the spatial Markov chain, and uses the grey correlation analysis method to analyze the driving factors of the tourism economic toughness. The results show that: (1) the economic resilience of tourism in the Yili River Valley shows a "W"-shaped time-series dynamic development trend with an average index of 0.28394, in which it experienced a decline from 0.28 to 0.27 during 2012-2013 and 2015-2016; (2) Spatial Pattern: The Yili River Valley tourism economic resilience is characterized by a clear uneven spatial distribution. The city of Yining, representing the northwestern region, exhibits a high level of resilience, while the southwestern region, endowed with rich tourism resources, demonstrates a medium level of resilience. Conversely, the central to southeastern counties and cities, such as ChabuchaerXibo Autonomous County and other counties and cities, are characterized by a lack of developed tourism facilities, which has resulted in a lower level of resilience and a weak development situation; (3) In terms of spatial and temporal evolution, the standard deviation ellipse is stabilized year by year pointing to "northwest-southeast", the clustering tendency is gradually enhanced, and five tourism economic resilience convergence clubs are identified, whose internal transition probability is significantly affected by spatial location, and which show obvious stability and neighborhood effects; (4) Regarding the driving factors, the impact of each driving factor on the resilience of the tourism economy reaches the statistical significance threshold of 0.77 or above. Among them, the number of employees in the tertiary industry, especially the input of high-quality talents in the tourism industry, plays a key role in improving the quality of tourism services and strengthening the industry's ability to withstand risks and development potential.

Sporotrichosis’ clinical manifestations, lesions in the cutaneous or subcutaneous tissues, it is caused by dimorphic fungi of the Sporothrix complex, is a cosmopolitan mycosis that affects humans and animals. This study aimed to identify prevalent species in Minas Gerais, Brazil, and characterize virulence profiles and antifungal susceptibility associated with Sporothrix isolates. Isolates were identified using macro and micro-morphological traits as well molecular biology techniques. Antifungal susceptibility was determined using the Minimal Inhibitory Concentration test, while, virulence factors such as growth at different temperatures, biofilm formation, melanin production, and urease activity were assessed. Our findings revealed S. brasiliensis as a predominant species isolated. Urease activity was a crucial factor associated with growth at 50°C in S. brasiliensis isolates, highlighting their high thermotolerance. Furthermore, strains isolated from humans produced a more robust biofilm compare to those from felines. Strains of S. brasiliensis isolated from Felis catus exhibited faster melanin production, decreased susceptible to antifungal agents tested, and superior growth capacity at 50°C to strains isolated from humans. Therefore, our study highlights the prevalence of S. brasiliensis causing sporotrichosis in both human and felines. However, it underscores the circulation of different strains, with varying levels of virulence and susceptibility to antifungal agents.

The early 2-factor (E2F) family of transcription factors, including E2F1-8, plays a critical role in apoptosis, metabolism, proliferation, and angiogenesis within glioblastoma (GBM). However, the specific functions of E2F transcription factors (E2Fs) and their impact on the malignancy of Bevacizumab (BVZ)-responsive GBM subtypes remain unclear. This study used data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) to explore the impact of eight E2F family members on the clinical characteristics of BVZ-responsive GBM subtypes and possible mechanisms of recurrence after BVZ treatment.To predict the possibility of GBM patient survival and progression, we classified and comparedthe expression of E2Fs according to BVZ-responsive subtypes and employed a machine learning method-TreeBagger, one random forest algorithm. Multiple bioinformatics analyses have shown that the significant increased E2F8 post BVZ treatment may enhance the function of angiogenesis and stem cell proliferation, indicating one of the mechanisms of GBM recurrence after treatment. In addition, BVZ treatment in unresponsive GBM patients may potentially worsen disease progression. Our findings suggest that E2F family members play important roles in GBM malignancy and BVZ treatment response, highlighting their potential as prognostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets and recommending precise BVZ treatment for GBM patients.