Search Results (77,025)

This study builds on our previous systematic literature review (SLR) that assessed the applications and performance of zk-SNARK, zk-STARK, and Bulletproof non-interactive zero-knowledge proof (NIZKP) protocols. To address the identified research gaps, we designed and implemented a benchmark comparing these three protocols using a dynamic minimized multiplicative complexity (MiMC) hash application. We evaluated performance across four general-purpose programming libraries and two programming languages. Our results show that zk-SNARK produced the smallest proofs, while zk-STARK generated the largest. In terms of proof generation and verification times, zk-STARK was the fastest, and Bulletproof was the slowest. Interestingly, zk-SNARK proofs verified marginally faster than zk-STARK, contrary to other findings. These insights enhance our understanding of the functionality, security, and performance of NIZKP protocols, providing valuable guidance for selecting the most suitable protocol for specific applications. Full article

One of the most crucial biological indicators in tracking long-term variations in the reproductive cycle is sexual development. Scorpaena porcus (Linnaeus, 1758), commonly known as the black scorpionfish, is a small teleost from the family Scorpaenidae. Much is known about its ecology, but data on its reproductive and defense systems are still lacking. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), such as piscidins, are integral components of the innate immune system in fish. These peptides exhibit a wide range of activity against bacteria, fungi, viruses, and protozoa and act as the first line of host defense. This study aims to investigate the primary sexual development stages in male and female gonads of black scorpionfish, providing additional knowledge on the reproductive biology of this teleost while evaluating concomitant changes in the expression of a Piscidin-1 antimicrobial peptide. The results show a histological, morpho-structural change from the immature stage to the developing virgin stage. Immunohistochemical analyses show that germinal and somatic cells are strongly reactive to Piscidin-1 in both gonads at an early ontogeny stage. These data suggest that Piscidin-1 may play a key role in the local defense system of scorpionfish gonads at this delicate stage, which is critical for the continuation and maintenance of the species. The present findings are potentially useful for a better understanding of the reproductive cycle of this fish, improving our knowledge of the interaction between the immune system and reproduction. Full article

Tulips are among the most famous plants that are used mainly as ornamental cut flowers. Although widely cultivated, they are mainly reproduced asexually, and knowledge of their sexual reproduction is imperfect, especially in regard to botanical tulips. The aim of the present study was to investigate the temperature effect on seed germination of the Near Threatened wild-growing Greek subendemic plant Tulipa saxatilis (Liliaceae) and to define its seed dormancy type. Seed germination was facilitated by bioclimatic profiling generated with R software (version 4.3.3) connecting its natural distribution points with open access precipitation and temperature data, and it was assessed upon incubation in controlled growth chambers at five constant temperatures (5, 10, 15, 20 and 25 °C) under a 12:12 light–dark photoperiod. The seeds were dependent on temperature for germination and germinated only within a very narrow range of relatively low temperatures (5–15 °C) and optimally at 10 °C (93%), corresponding to natural winter temperatures and precipitation profiles. Increase in the incubation temperature at 20 and 25 °C resulted in no germination. The treatment of seeds with gibberellic acid (GA₃) at two different concentrations (500, 1000 mg·L⁻¹) did not widen the temperature range for seed germination. The seeds of T. saxatilis initially presented an underdeveloped embryo, and significant embryo development was detected only at low temperatures (10 and 15 °C) with almost triple embryo length after one month, thus confirming the existence of complex morphophysiological seed dormancy. Moreover, germinated seeds (with and without GA₃) were planted in small-sized pots under greenhouse conditions, and the growth of bulblets was investigated in response to the application of commercially available chemical fertilizers, an integrated nutrient management scheme, and a biostimulant. The fertilization schemes affected the weight and length of the produced bulblets, whereas initial seed treatment with GA₃ negatively affected the growth (weight, length, and width) of the produced bulblets. Full article

The field of audiology as a collection of auditory science knowledge, research, and clinical methods, technologies, and practices has seen great changes. A deeper understanding of psychological, cognitive, and behavioural interactions has led to a growing range of variables of interest to measure and track in diagnostic and rehabilitative processes. Technology-led changes to clinical practices, including teleaudiology, have heralded a call to action in order to recognise the role and impact of autonomy and agency on clinical practice, engagement, and outcomes. Advances in and new information on loudness models, tinnitus, psychoacoustics, deep neural networks, machine learning, predictive and adaptive algorithms, and PREMs/PROMs have enabled innovations in technology to revolutionise clinical principles and practices for the following: (i) assessment, (ii) fitting and programming of hearing devices, and (iii) rehabilitation. This narrative review will consider how the rise of teleaudiology as a growing and increasingly fundamental element of contemporary adult audiological practice has affected the principles and practices of audiology based on a new era of knowledge and capability. What areas of knowledge have grown? How has new knowledge shifted the priorities in clinical audiology? What technological innovations have been combined with these to change clinical practices? Above all, where is hearing loss now consequently positioned in its journey as a field of health and medicine? Full article

A novel cascade visual control scheme is proposed to tailor for electrically driven robotic manipulators that operate under kinematic and dynamic uncertainties, utilizing an uncalibrated stationary camera. The proposed control approach incorporates adaptive weight radial basis function neural networks (RBFNNs) to learn the behaviors of the uncertain dynamics of the robot and the joint actuators. The controllers are designed to nullify the approximation error and mitigate unknown disturbances through an integrated robust adaptive mechanism. A major advantage of the proposed approach is that prior knowledge of the dynamics of the robotic manipulator and its actuator is no longer required. The controller autonomously assimilates the robot and actuator dynamics online, thereby obviating the need for fussy regression matrix derivation and advance dynamic measurement to establish the adaptive dynamic parameter update algorithm. The proposed scheme ensures closed-loop system stability, bounded system states, and the convergence of tracking errors to zero. Simulation results, employing a PUMA manipulator as a testbed, substantiate the viability of the proposed control policy. Full article

This study aimed to comprehensively assess the influence of the nanotube diameter and the presence of a silicon carbide (SiC) coating on microbial proliferation on nanostructured titanium surfaces. An experiment used 72 anodized titanium sheets with varying nanotube diameters of 50 and 100 nm. These sheets were divided into four groups: non-coated 50 nm titanium nanotubes, SiC-coated 50 nm titanium nanotubes, non-coated 100 nm titanium nanotubes, and SiC-coated 100 nm titanium nanotubes, totaling 36 samples per group. P. gingivalis and T. denticola reference strains were used to evaluate microbial proliferation. Samples were assessed over 3 and 7 days using fluorescence microscopy with a live/dead viability kit and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). At the 3-day time point, fluorescence and SEM images revealed a lower density of microorganisms in the 50 nm samples than in the 100 nm samples. However, there was a consistently low density of T. denticola across all the groups. Fluorescence images indicated that most bacteria were viable at this time. By the 7th day, there was a decrease in the microorganism density, except for T. denticola in the non-coated samples. Additionally, more dead bacteria were detected at this later time point. These findings suggest that the titanium nanotube diameter and the presence of the SiC coating influenced bacterial proliferation. The results hinted at a potential antibacterial effect on the 50 nm diameter and the coated surfaces. These insights contribute valuable knowledge to dental implantology, paving the way for developing innovative strategies to enhance the antimicrobial properties of dental implant materials and mitigate peri-implant infections. Full article

Gonadotoxicity resulting from systemic and locoregional cancer treatments significantly threatens women’s reproductive health, often culminating in premature ovarian insufficiency. These therapies, particularly alkylating agents and ionizing radiation, induce DNA damage and apoptosis in ovarian follicles, leading to infertility, amenorrhea, and estrogen deficiency, which exacerbate risks of osteoporosis and cardiovascular diseases. Existing fertility preservation methods do not prevent immediate ovarian damage, underscoring the need for innovative protective strategies. Menstrual blood-derived stem cells (MenSC) and their extracellular vesicles (EV) present promising regenerative potential due to their therapeutic cargo delivery and pathway modulation capabilities. Preclinical studies demonstrate that MenSC-derived EV ameliorate premature ovarian insufficiency by inhibiting granulosa cell apoptosis, promoting angiogenesis, and activating pivotal pathways such as SMAD3/AKT/MDM2/P53. However, comprehensive research is imperative to ensure the safety, efficacy, and long-term effects of MenSC-derived EV in clinical practice. In this review, we update the current knowledge and research regarding the use of MenSC-derived EV as a novel therapeutic weapon for ovarian regeneration in the context of gonadotoxicity induced by systemic anticancer treatment. Full article

Predicting the directions of financial markets has been performed using a variety of approaches, and the large volume of unstructured data generated by traders and other stakeholders on social media microblog platforms provides unique opportunities for analyzing financial markets using additional perspectives. Pretrained large language models (LLMs) have demonstrated very good performance on a variety of sentiment analysis tasks in different domains. However, it is known that sentiment analysis is a very domain-dependent NLP task that requires knowledge of the domain ontology, and this is particularly the case with the financial domain, which uses its own unique vocabulary. Recent developments in NLP and deep learning including LLMs have made it possible to generate actionable financial sentiments using multiple sources including financial news, company fundamentals, technical indicators, as well social media microblogs posted on platforms such as StockTwits and X (formerly Twitter). We developed a financial social media sentiment analyzer (FinSoSent), which is a domain-specific large language model for the financial domain that was pretrained on financial news articles and fine-tuned and tested using several financial social media corpora. We conducted a large number of experiments using different learning rates, epochs, and batch sizes to yield the best performing model. Our model outperforms current state-of-the-art FSA models based on over 860 experiments, demonstrating the efficacy and effectiveness of FinSoSent. We also conducted experiments using ensemble models comprising FinSoSent and the other current state-of-the-art FSA models used in this research, and a slight performance improvement was obtained based on majority voting. Based on the results obtained across all models in these experiments, the significance of this study is that it highlights the fact that, despite the recent advances of LLMs, sentiment analysis even in domain-specific contexts remains a difficult research problem. Full article

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), or metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), is a liver condition that is linked to overweight, obesity, diabetes mellitus, and metabolic syndrome. Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), or metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH), is a form of NAFLD/MASLD that progresses over time. While steatosis is a prominent histological characteristic and recognizable grossly and microscopically, liver biopsies of individuals with NASH/MASH may exhibit several other abnormalities, such as mononuclear inflammation in the portal and lobular regions, hepatocellular damage characterized by ballooning and programmed cell death (apoptosis), misfolded hepatocytic protein inclusions (Mallory–Denk bodies, MDBs), megamitochondria as hyaline inclusions, and fibrosis. Ballooning hepatocellular damage remains the defining feature of NASH/MASH. The fibrosis pattern is characterized by the initial expression of perisinusoidal fibrosis (“chicken wire”) and fibrosis surrounding the central veins. Children may have an alternative form of progressive NAFLD/MASLD characterized by steatosis, inflammation, and fibrosis, mainly in Rappaport zone 1 of the liver acinus. To identify, synthesize, and analyze the scientific knowledge produced regarding the implications of using a score for evaluating NAFLD/MASLD in a comprehensive narrative review. The search for articles was conducted between 1 January 2000 and 31 December 2023, on the PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, Web of Science, and Cochrane databases. This search was complemented by a gray search, including internet browsers (e.g., Google) and textbooks. The following research question guided the study: “What are the basic data on using a score for evaluating NAFLD/MASLD?” All stages of the selection process were carried out by the single author. Of the 1783 articles found, 75 were included in the sample for analysis, which was implemented with an additional 25 articles from references and gray literature. The studies analyzed indicated the beneficial effects of scoring liver biopsies. Although similarity between alcoholic steatohepatitis (ASH) and NASH/MASH occurs, some patterns of hepatocellular damage seen in alcoholic disease of the liver do not happen in NASH/MASH, including cholestatic featuring steatohepatitis, alcoholic foamy degeneration, and sclerosing predominant hyaline necrosis. Generally, neutrophilic-rich cellular infiltrates, prominent hyaline inclusions and MDBs, cholestasis, and obvious pericellular sinusoidal fibrosis should favor the diagnosis of alcohol-induced hepatocellular injury over NASH/MASH. Multiple grading and staging methods are available for implementation in investigations and clinical trials, each possessing merits and drawbacks. The systems primarily used are the Brunt, the NASH CRN (NASH Clinical Research Network), and the SAF (steatosis, activity, and fibrosis) systems. Clinical investigations have utilized several approaches to link laboratory and demographic observations with histology findings with optimal platforms for clinical trials of rapidly commercialized drugs. It is promising that machine learning procedures (artificial intelligence) may be critical for developing new platforms to evaluate the benefits of current and future drug formulations. Full article

Object detection in remotely sensed (RS) satellite imagery has gained significance in smart city concepts, which include urban planning, disaster management, and environmental monitoring. Deep learning techniques have shown promising outcomes in object detection and scene classification from RS satellite images, surpassing traditional methods that are reliant on hand-crafted features. However, these techniques lack the ability to provide in-depth comprehension of RS images and enhanced interpretation for analyzing intricate urban objects with functional structures and environmental contexts. To address this limitation, this study proposes a framework that integrates a deep learning-based object detection algorithm with ontology models for effective knowledge representation and analysis. The framework can automatically and accurately detect objects and classify scenes in remotely sensed satellite images and also perform semantic description and analysis of the classified scenes. The framework combines a knowledge-guided ontology reasoning module into a YOLOv8 objects detection model. This study demonstrates that the proposed framework can detect objects in varying environmental contexts captured using a remote sensing satellite device and incorporate efficient knowledge representation and inferences with a less-complex ontology model. Full article

The aim of this study was to evaluate phenotypic traits and genetic diversity of the 13 tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) varieties and 6 hybrids developed at the Institute of Horticulture Lithuanian Research Centre for Agriculture and Forestry (LRCAF IH). For the molecular characterisation, seven previously published microsatellite markers (SSR) were used. A24 and 26 alleles were detected in tomato varieties and hybrids, respectively. Based on the polymorphism information content (PIC) value, the most informative SSR primers for varieties were TMS52, TGS0007, LEMDDNa and Tom236-237, and the most informative SSR primers for hybrids were SSR248 and TMS52. In UPGMA cluster analysis, tomato varieties are grouped in some cases due to genetic relationships, as the same cluster cultivars ‘Viltis’ (the parent of cv. ‘Laukiai’) and ‘Aušriai’ (the progeny of cv. ‘Jurgiai’) are present. The grouping of all hybrids in the dendrogram is related to the parental forms, and it shows the usefulness of molecular markers for tomato breeding, as they can be used to trace the origin of hybrids and, eventually, varieties accurately. The knowledge about the genetic background of Lithuanian tomato cultivars will help plan targeted crosses in tomato breeding programs. Full article

Carboxymethylglucans (CMGs) are widely used semisynthetic polyelectrolytes, e.g., for pharmaceuticals. They are produced in heterogeneous processes on activated starch granules or cellulose fibers. In contrast to neutral ether derivatives, a lower DS in the range, commonly between 0.6 and 1.2, is sufficient to achieve the water solubility of CM cellulose. The high proportion of unsubstituted domains, which could aggregate and therefore only swell and form gel particles but do not dissolve, places higher demands on the statistical distribution of the substituents. The knowledge of regioselectivity, essential for the interpretation of higher structural-level data, can be obtained by various methods, preferentially by CE/UV after hydrolysis. To study the distribution of substituents at the polymer level by mass spectrometric (MS) analysis, partial random depolymerization is required. Due to the ionic character and acid functionality, all the attempts of the direct depolymerization of CMG and further sample preparation suffered from bias, side reactions, and multiple ion formation in MS. Finally, the transformation of CMGs to the corresponding hydroxyethylglucans (HEGs) by the reduction of the esterified carboxy groups with LiAlH₄ opened the window for quantitative oligomer MS analysis. While the CM amyloses were reduced quantitatively, the transformation of the CMC was only about 60% but without the formation of mixed CM/HE ethers. Full article

(1) Background: Functional habitual constipation (FC) in children is a common gastrointestinal problem. This study aimed to explore the local community’s view on this problem, emphasising the challenges that parents face in managing the condition and its impact on the child’s quality of life. (2) Methods: A prospective, cross-sectional, community-based study was conducted between March and July 2023. The survey received 933 responses. The target population was adults over 18 years of age living in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia. An electronically distributed questionnaire was designed in the Arabic language. (3) Results: The mean knowledge scores were significantly higher in females than males, with t (931) = −2.701 and p = 0.007. The Bonferroni post hoc test results indicated that participants between 20 and 29 years exhibited significantly higher levels of knowledge scores compared to those between 30 and 39 years. Furthermore, the results revealed that those with three or more children had significantly higher knowledge scores compared to those with only one child. (4) Conclusions: This study demonstrated that parents in the local community have a good perceived knowledge of FC, but it needs to be linked with practice. They tended to report high levels of perception and demonstrated better practices. These results emphasise the importance of exploring the local community’s view on constipation among children. Full article

The introduction of a new vaccine into immunization programs represents a significant advancement in the global effort to combat vaccine-preventable diseases. Data from the World Health Organization support that immunization prevents between 2 and 3 million deaths each year across various diseases, underscoring its pivotal role in global health. The present study aims to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and anticipated vaccination practices among health professionals in Central Greece in response to the potential introduction of new Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) vaccination guidelines by the National Vaccines Committee. Among the 450 health professionals solicited for the study, 219 provided responses, yielding a response rate of approximately 55%. A substantial majority (70.3%) accurately identified the vaccine’s current availability, and 62.1% were aware of the current recommendation for RSV vaccination in pregnant women. In response to whether health professionals support the inclusion of an RSV vaccine in the national vaccination program if it becomes commercially available and is recommended by the Greek National Immunization Program, general practitioners showed the most support, with an average score of 4.86 (95% CI, 4.69–5.00), followed by pediatricians at 4.76 (95% CI, 4.63–4.89), pulmonologists at 4.68 (95% CI, 4.36–5.00), and obstetricians at 4.33 (95% CI, 3.95–4.71). Concerning general opinions on vaccinations, a high level of agreement was noted among the majority of health professionals, excluding nurses. Pharmacists recorded the highest agreement, with a perfect score of 5 (CI, 5.00–5.00), followed closely by pediatricians at 4.99 (CI, 4.97–5.00), GPs at 4.95 (CI, 4.85–5.00), pulmonologists at 4.93 (CI, 4.83–5.00), obstetricians at 4.74 (CI, 4.42–5.00), and nurses at 3.80 (CI, 3.06–4.54). A tailored approach to education is needed to ensure that healthcare professionals can communicate more effectively about RSV risks and vaccination benefits, fostering a proactive stance towards disease prevention and patient care. In essence, our study underscores the importance of knowledge in shaping a compassionate and responsive healthcare environment, ready to meet the challenges of RSV head-on. Full article

The isocitrate dehydrogenase 1 and 2 (IDH1 and IDH2) enzymes are involved in key metabolic processes in human cells, regulating differentiation, proliferation, and oxidative damage response. IDH mutations have been associated with tumor development and progression in various solid tumors such as glioma, cholangiocarcinoma, chondrosarcoma, and other tumor types and have become crucial markers in molecular classification and prognostic assessment. The intratumoral and serum levels of D-2-hydroxyglutarate (D-2-HG) could serve as diagnostic biomarkers for identifying IDH mutant (IDHmut) tumors. As a result, an increasing number of clinical trials are evaluating targeted treatments for IDH1/IDH2 mutations. Recent studies have shown that the focus of these new therapeutic strategies is not only the neomorphic activity of the IDHmut enzymes but also the epigenetic shift induced by IDH mutations and the potential role of combination treatments. Here, we provide an overview of the current knowledge about IDH mutations in solid tumors, with a particular focus on available IDH-targeted treatments and emerging results from clinical trials aiming to explore IDHmut tumor-specific features and to identify the clinical benefit of IDH-targeted therapies and their combination strategies. An insight into future perspectives and the emerging roles of circulating biomarkers and radiomic features is also included. Full article