Recent years have witnessed significant advances in reinforcement learning (RL), which has registered remarkable success in solving various sequential decision-making problems in machine learning. Most of the successful RL applications, e.g., the games of Go and Poker, robotics, and autonomous driving, involve the participation of more than one single agent, which naturally fall into the realm of multi-agent RL (MARL), a domain with a relatively long history, and has recently re-emerged due to advances in single-agent RL techniques. Although, typically, the communication protocol between agents is manually specified and not altered during training, recently, some papers have shown signs of trying to emerge a communication between agents on the one hand and, on the other hand, to understand what is exchanged between agents. So, there is a growing body of literature on this topic which includes qualitative and quantitative studies and the ones that apply mixed methods. This study presents the scoping review of the methodological strategies undertaken in a total of 16 research articles. The results present the critical appraisal of quantitative methods in terms of validity and reliability and for qualitative methods considering four trustworthiness factors. In the end, relevant insights are further explored with implications and reflections on how they can benefit one's research in the field.

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) is the most common endocrine disorder that affects women of reproductive age representing the primary cause of anovulatory infertility. The nonapeptide oxytocin (OT) plays an important role in cognitive, emotional, and reproductive functions in human beings. Oxytocin receptors are expressed in several body parts including the ovaries. Despite this, the possible role played by oxytocin in symptoms of PCOS is not clear. The present systematic review aimed at understanding, the presence of possible oxytocin level alterations in PCOS, the connection between alterations of OT levels and the symptoms of PCOS, and the effect of oxytocin administration in PCOS. After a systematic search in the principal databases, seven studies, five human and two animal, were included. Most of the studies highlighted the role played by oxytocin in fertility issues related to PCOS. Studies that analyzed oxytocin basal levels in PCOS women agreed that PCOS is associated with a reduction in the serum level of oxytocin. Two studies found that in PCOS the serum levels of oxytocin were lower than healthy controls. One human and one animal study agreed about lower levels of PCOS, confirming a possible implication of a dysfunction of OT, in the pathogenesis of PCOS.

Background: Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is characterized by inflammation and cardiovascular complications. Our study aimed to investigate subclinical and early indicators of systolic myocardial dysfunction in SLE patients using advanced echocardiographic methods and biomarkers. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, we enrolled 102 SLE patients without known cardiac impairment and 51 healthy controls. Demographics, disease characteristics, laboratory results, disease activity (SLEDAI) and organ damage (SDI) indices were recorded. Left ventricular global longitudinal strain (GLS) and myocardial work indices were assessed by utilizing speckle tracking echocardiography. In addition, high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP), high sensitivity troponin (hsTn) and N-terminal-pro B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) levels were measured in blood samples. Results: In comparison to controls, SLE patients had significantly higher GLS (-19.94±2.71%vs-21.15±1.55%, p<0.001) and global wasted work (GWW) (94±71mmHg%vs71±49 mmHg%, p=0.025). Notably, NT-proBNP and hsTn were threefold and twofold higher in SLE group compared to control group, respectively (p<0.001). Within SLE cohort, patients with at least moderate disease activity (SLEDAI≥4) both biomarkers were significantly elevated than those with low disease activity (SLEDAI<4). Conclusion: Advanced echocardiographic parameters combined with specific biomarkers have a promising role in detecting systolic dysfunction at an early phase in SLE patients, potentially enabling timely interventions to mitigate cardiovascular risk.

The redshifted 21 cm line signal is a powerful probe of the cosmic dawn and the epoch of reionisation. The global spectrum can potentially be detected with a single antenna and spectrometer. However, this measurement requires an extremely accurate calibration of the instrument to facilitate the separation of the 21 cm signal from the much brighter foregrounds and possible variations in the instrument response. Understanding how the measurement errors propagate in a realistic instrument system and affect system calibration is the focus of this work. We simulate a 21 cm global spectrum observation based on the noise wave calibration scheme. We focus on how measurement errors in reflection coefficients affect the noise temperature, and how typical errors impact on the recovery of the 21 cm signal, especially in the frequency domain. Results show that for our example set up, a typical VNA measurement error in the magnitude of the reflection coefficients of the antenna, receiver, open cable which are 0.001, 0.001, 0.002 (linear) respectively would result in a 200 mK deviation on the detected signal, and a typical measurement error of 0.48∘, 0.78∘, 0.15∘ in the respective phases would cause a 40 mK deviation. The VNA measurement error can greatly affect the result of a 21 cm global spectrum experiment using this calibration technique, and such a feature could be mistaken for or be combined with the 21 cm signal.

Naturally fermented dairy products are an important component of the human diet. They are a valuable source of nutrients as well as vitamins and minerals. Their importance as a source of probiotic bacterial strains should not be overlooked. A number of studies highlights the positive effects of species of the Lactobacillacea on the intestinal microbiota, the overall homeostasis of the body, as well as a complementary treatment for some diseases. However, data on the effects on intestinal epithelial cells of postmetabolites released by bacteria are incomplete. This is likely due to the fact that these effects are species and strain specific. In the present study, we investigated the effects of postmetabolites produced by a pre-selected candidate probiotic strain Limosilactobacillus fermentum on HT-29 intestinal epithelial cells. Our data showed a pronounced proliferative effect, evaluated by flow cytometry, quantification of cell population, and determination of mitotic index. This was accompanied by stabilization of the cell monolayer, measured by increase of TEER (trans epithelial electric resistance) and reorganization of actin filaments. The data obtained are a clear indication of the positive effects, that the products secreted by L. fermentum strain 53 have on the intestinal epithelial cells.

Background: Mental capacity is a fundamental aspect that enables patients to fully par-ticipate in various healthcare procedures. To assist healthcare professionals (HCPs) in assessing patients' capacity, especially in the mental health field, several standardized tools have been developed. These tools include the MacArthur Competence Assessment Tool for Treatment (MacCAT-T), the MacArthur Competence Assessment Tool for Clinical Research (MacCAT-CR), and the Competence Assessment Tool for Psychiatric Advance Directives (CAT-PAD). The core dimensions explored by these tools include Understanding, Appreciation, Reasoning, and Expression of a choice. Objective: This meta-analysis aimed to investigate potential differences in deci-sion-making capacity within the healthcare context among groups of patients with bi-polar disorder (BD) and schizophrenia spectrum disorder (SSD). Methods: A systematic search was conducted on Medline/Pubmed, and Scopus. Addi-tionally, Google Scholar was manually inspected, and a manual search of emerging re-views and reference lists of the retrieved papers was performed. Eligible studies were specifically cross-sectional, utilizing standardized assessment tools, and involving pa-tients diagnosed with BD and SSD. Data from the studies were independently extracted and pooled using random-effect models. Hedges g was used as a measure for outcomes. Results: Six studies were identified, with three studies using the MacCAT-CR, two studies the MacCAT-T, and one the CAT-PAD. The participants included 189 individuals with BD and 324 individuals with SSD. The meta-analysis revealed that patients with BD performed slightly better, and the difference was statistically significant, compared to patients with SSD, particularly in the domain of Appreciation (ES=0.23, 95% CI: 0.01 to 0.04, p=0.037). There was no statistically significant difference between the two groups for Understanding (ES=0.09, 95% CI: - 0.10 to 0.27, p=0.352), Reasoning (ES=0.18, 95% CI: - 0.12 to 0.47, p=0.074), and Expression of a choice (ES = 0.23, 95% CI: - 0.01 to 0.48, p=0.60). In the sensitivity analysis, furthermore, when considering only studies involving patients in symptomatic remission, the difference for Appreciation also resulted in non-significant (ES=0.21, 95% CI: -0.04 to 0.46, p=0.102). (ES=0.21, 95% CI: -0.04 to 0.46, p=0.102). Conclusions: These findings indicate that there are no significant differences between patients with BD and SSD during remission phases, while differences are minimal during acute phases. The usefulness of standardized assessment of capacity at any stage of the illness should be considered, both for diagnostic-therapeutic phases and for research and advance directives. Further studies are necessary to understand the reasons for the overlap in capacity between the two diagnostic categories compared in this study.

This Systematic Review examines studies focusing on tooth bleaching and its effect on healthy enamel or incipient caries and bacterial adhesion. The aim is to explore the impact of different bleaching agents on incipient caries lesions and healthy enamel. Randomized controlled trials, clinical trials, observational studies, and in vitro studies that compared at least two groups were included. A comprehensive search strategy was used to select studies from Pubmed and Scopus databases. Two evaluators performed data extraction, screening, and quality assessment independently. Only studies written in English were included. From 968 initial records, 28 studies were selected for a full-text evaluation. 7 studies were classified as cluster 1 (bacterial adherence on teeth), 12 studies as cluster 2 (no bacteria involved), 4 studies as cluster 3 (no teeth deployment), and 5 clinical studies were cluster 4. Of the selected studies, 6 (21.43%) supported increased bacterial attachment capacity and cariogenic dynamics, 4 (14.29%) decreased adhesion and cariogenic activity, 7 (25%) no difference, and 11 (39.28%) followed a differentiated methodological approach and could not be categorized. Due to different methodology strategies used in the studies of all clusters, the risk of bias was high. Thus, we cannot reach a confident conclusion.

Studies on social media (SM) and disaster management (DM) have mainly focused on the adap-tation, application and use of SM in each stage of DM. With the widespread availability and use of SM, the effective utilisation of SM in DM is impeded by various challenges, but not yet com-prehensively researched. Therefore, this paper aims to identify the challenges, as well as the strategies to overcome the challenges and categorises them into a classified model. The study adopts a systematic literature review to present and analyse the challenges and strategies for us-ing SM in DM. Utilising prominent databases, 72 publications were carefully selected and ana-lysed qualitatively using content analysis. The findings revealed four key challenges to its users: spread of misinformation; insufficient human resources to manage SM use; lack of trust in infor-mation and authorities; and, poor information quality and content of messages. The study identi-fied several strategies to overcome challenges, which can be classified into three sectors of the SM community: individuals, organisations, and SM companies. These findings contribute to enhanc-ing the effective utilisation of SM in DM by community practitioners. Furthermore, this study provides insight into the current status of knowledge and identifies the research gaps around SM in DM for future research.

In a hyperconnected society, computer networks play a pivotal role in all activities that permeate our daily lives. In the context of smart cities, theses networks play a pivotal role in enhancing urban efficiency and sustainability. The continuous flow of packets in these networks poses security challenges, from personal data leakage to service unavailability. Anomaly-based methods are commonly used to detect network attacks. In this context, Software-Defined Networking (SDN) emerges as a solution for anomaly detection in network traffic, facilitating comprehensive, real-time analyses and dynamic adaptation to changes. This study aims to present a systematic review of feature selection techniques and evaluate the effectiveness of attribute selection with a multi-class classifier in network anomaly detection. The objective of this paper is to inspire future research and identify trade-offs among these techniques for detecting Denial of Service (DoS) attacks. Based on the findings, the analysis of the entire dataset yields superior results in terms of precision (99%), but using the output of OneR, although resulting in a slight loss of precision compared to the complete dataset, presents the highest precision among other studied techniques, indicating a trade-off between precision and processing time efficiency.

The paper's objectives are to identify the main benefits, limitations, and challenges facing using Blockchain technology in the Supply Chain Management (SCM). To explore the factors that affect the adoption and application of Blockchain technology in SCM. The study uses a systematic literature review methodology to analyze and compare selected related articles published between 2016 and 2022 on the usage of Blockchain technology in the SCM. Several studies showed that there are many benefits to using Blockchain technology in SCM such as enhanced security, confidentiality, traceability, transparency, data accuracy, privacy, efficiency, accountability, and trust. At the same time, there are many limitations and challenges like scalability, interoperability, legal (regulatory) issues, high implementation and maintenance costs, standardization and information, lack of trust in technology, high energy consumption, limited awareness, integration with current systems, and privacy. Blockchain technology has the potential to revolutionize various industries, but there are still several issues that need to be addressed to fully realize its potential. Understanding the benefits and difficulties of applying Blockchain technology in different industries, including the SCM, is essential in determining its effectiveness and the different strategies needed to assess its application and implementation.

External audit reliance issues on the internal audit function (IAF) are increasingly important in financial auditing, yet its application in audit engagements lags behind other applications. Despite the belief that audit reliance will shape auditing in the future, limited and intervalley publications explore this transformative potential. This paper investigates the increasing importance of external audit reliance issues in financial auditing. It investigates the use of the IAF in external audit reliance decisions and its potential to enhance audit quality, process transparency, and stakeholders' credibility. Through a systematic literature review of 68 scientific articles from 1984 to 2022, factors influencing external auditors' dependence on the IAF are analyzed, including IAF work quality, assistance type, organizational factors, customer pressure, and business risk. The review highlights the IAF's crucial role in improving financial reporting integrity and external audit effectiveness. However, the challenges that allowed external auditors to decide whether to rely on the works of IAF like limited disclosures and accessible data hinder assessing IAF reliance effects, leading to information asymmetry that may impact stakeholder confidence. The paper discusses implications, limitations, and future research directions to explore technology adoption and optimize audit practices, promoting transparency in the audit process.

(1) In an era where sustainable behavior is increasingly crucial, understanding the discrepancy between individuals' sustainability-oriented values and their actual behaviors, known as the inner-outer gap, is vital. This study explores the potential of the Tripartite Structure of Sustainability (TSS) framework to address this gap within the context of sustainable education. By reviewing literature from the databases APA, ERIC, and Web of Science, we systematically examined factors influencing sustainable actions. (2) Employing a qualitative content analysis approach, we analyzed 56 articles over a 15-year period, identifying 83 factors that either bridge or reinforce the inner-outer gap. These factors were categorized within the TSS framework, which segments sustainability-oriented actions into individual, social, and self-transcendent domains, alongside their activation points: stable, situational, or automated. (3) Our analysis revealed that self-focused factors often reinforce the gap, suggesting a hindrance to sustainable behavior. Conversely, self-transcendent factors consistently bridged the gap, promoting sustainability. Social factors showed variable impacts based on the ethical and sustainable context they were placed in, suggesting that the social environment's orientation significantly influences sustainable behavior. (4) The study concludes that the TSS framework offers a promising approach to advancing sustainability in education by facilitating a paradigm shift towards holistic and interconnected perspectives. This shift is critical for fostering sustainable behaviors, thereby contributing to the field of educational psychology and offering practical implications for educators aiming to nurture a sustainable future.

The purpose of this article is to investigate and analyze the practices of scientific management within the County Departments of Sports and Youth (CDYS) in Romania. Conducted through a comprehensive research endeavor spanning from January to June 2022, the study utilized a standardized questionnaire as its primary instrument for data collection, distributed among CDYS directors. A notable finding from the study indicates that a significant proportion of respondents (44.9%) perceive notable disparities in the normative-functional elements governing the National Sports System in Romania compared to international standards. Moreover, the majority (51%) consistently adhere to regulatory acts, while a substantial portion (69.4%) underscore the importance of strict adherence to internal regulations in strategy formulation. Furthermore, an overwhelming majority (88.9%) acknowledge the substantial influence of available resources on strategy development, with collaboration with authorities primarily occurring through direct communication channels. Respondents prioritize multiple objectives (44.9%), affirm the necessity of various competencies (53.1%), and identify a lack of human and financial resources (59.2%) as the most significant obstacle. Notable achievements highlighted in the study include the improvement of the county's sports performance (53.1%). Respondents also believe that setting clear and realistic objectives (38.8%) is pivotal to enhancing CDYS management, while considerations in formulating strategies emphasize trends in the sports domain (42.9%) and the specific needs of the local sports community (42.9%). Overall, this research contributes to the understanding and promotion of more efficient practices in managing sports and youth departments within Romania's counties.

Due to environmental concerns, natural refrigerants and their use in refrigeration and air conditioning systems are receiving more attention from manufacturers, end users and the scientific community. The study of heat transfer and pressure drop is essential for accurate design and more energy efficient cycles using natural refrigerants. The aim of this work is to provide an overview of the latest outcomes related to heat transfer and pressure drop correlations for ammonia, propane, isobutane and propylene and to investigate the current state of the art in terms of operating conditions. Available data on the existing correlations of heat transfer coefficient and pressure drop for natural refrigerants have been collected through a systematic search. Whenever possible, validity intervals are given for each correlation and the error is quantified. It is the intention of the authors that this could be a valuable support for researchers and an aid to design, with particular reference to heat pumps. A procedure based on the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement was adopted, and the Scopus database was used to query the relevant literature. A total of 135 publications qualified for inclusion in the survey; 34 articles report experimental investigations for not usual geometric conditions. Of the 101 selected papers related to usual geometric conditions, N = 50 deal only with HTC, N = 16 deal only with pressure drop and the remainder (N = 35) analyse both HTC and pressure drop. Among the 85 HTC papers (N = 53) deal with the evaporating condition, N = 30 with condensation and only N = 2 with the heat transfer correlations under both conditions. Most of the 101 articles concern propane and isobutane. The high temperatures are less widely investigated.

Transportation systems through the ages have seen drastic evolutions in terms of transportation methods, speed of transport, infrastructure, technology, connectivity, influence on the environment, and accessibility. The massive transformation seen in the transportation sector has been fueled by the industrial revolutions which have continued expansion and progress into the fourth industrial revolution. However, the methodologies of data collection and processing used by the many drivers of this progress differ. The significance of standardized data and its mode of collection cannot be overstated as it has a major impact on the process outcomes. In order to achieve a better understanding of the impact of this, this study methodically reviewed the literature on the subject of the data collection and processing mechanism of 4IR technologies in the context of the transport industry with an emphasis on the areas of accomplishment of several studies and drawing attention to their limitations. Although the industry has advanced significantly as a result of the adoption and application of various research studies in this field, considerable focus needs to be placed in the areas of standardized data collection and computational approaches, which will ultimately assist in achieving various benefits in the transportation industry.

Statistical denoising techniques have been well studied, however many challenges still remain. This 9 article focuses on determining the least necessary number of significant samples in a statistical pop-10 ulation sampling, while minimizing the impact on the statistical detection of the fiber Bragg grating 11 (FBG) power spectra. This is achieved by using Bayesian decision making, small population statis-12 tics while excluding false detection. First, we investigate the impact of two-sided sliding window 13 technique applied near the cell under the test. The window size varies from 8 to 60 samples. The 14 considered maximum size of population sampling is connected with the number of wavelength 15 samples within the bandwidth of the symmetrical FBG power spectra peaks. Regarding the sym-16 metry of FBG power spectra peaks and the possible reduction of computational demands, we inves-17 tigate the impact of a one-sided sliding window. This enables to achieve less processing latency for 18 real time applications thus brings benefits to FBG-based fiber optical sensing. Both, two- and one-19 sided small population sampling techniques are then experimentally verified. Detection results are 20 analyzed in depth via calculating detection thresholds by using the small size window sliding along-21 side the waveband. From results achieved, it was found that the normality three-sigma rule does 22 not need to be followed while using the small population sampling. Experimental demonstrations 23 and analyses showed that the proposed concept of denoising and statistical threshold detection 24 based on the sliding window does not depend on the prior knowledge of probability distribution 25 functions of the FBG power spectra peaks level and background noise. We have also found that the 26 thresholds’ adaptability mainly depends on the statistical numerical characteristics of the above ad-27 ditive mixture of the FBG power spectra peaks signals and background noise.

This study investigates the long-term stability of the Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership (S-NPP) Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) moderate-resolution Thermal Emissive Bands (M TEBs; M12 – M16) covering a period from February 2012 to August 2020. It also assesses inter-sensor consistency of the VIIRS M TEBs among three satellites-S-NPP, NOAA-20, and NOAA-21 over eight months spanning from March 18 to November 30, 2023. The field of interesting is limited to the ocean surface between 60°S and 60°N, specifically under clear-sky conditions. Taking radiative transfer modeling (RTM) as the transfer reference, we employed the Community Radiative Transfer Model (CRTM) to simulate VIIRS TEB brightness temperature (BTs), incorporating European Centre for Medium-range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) reanalysis data as inputs. Our results reveal two key findings. Firstly, the reprocessed S-NPP VIIRS TEBs exhibit a robust long-term stability, as demonstrated through analyses of the observation minus background BT differences (O-B ∆BTs) between VIIRS measurements (O) and CRTM simulations (B). The drifts of the O-B BT differences are consistently less than 0.105 K/Decade across all S-NPP VIIRS M TEB bands. Notably, observations from VIIRS M14 and M16 stand out with drifts well within 0.04 K/Decade, reinforcing their exceptional reliability for climate change studies. Secondly, excellent inter-sensor consistency among these three VIIRS instruments is confirmed through the double-difference analysis method (O-O). This method relies on the O-B BT differences obtained from daily data. The mean inter-VIIRS O-O BT differences remain within 0.08 K for all M TEBs, except for M13. Even in the case of M13, the O-O BT differences between NOAA-21 and NOAA-20/S-NPP have values of 0.312 K and 0.234 K, respectively, which are comparable to the 0.2 K difference between some TEBs among VIIRS and MODIS. These disparities are primarily attributed to the significant differences in the Spectral Response Function (SRF) of NOAA-21 compared to NOAA-20 and S-NPP. Our study confirms the RTM-based TEB quality evaluation method’s versatility and effectiveness in assessing long-term sensor stability and inter-sensor consistency. The double-difference approach effectively mitigates uncertainties and biases inherent to CRTM simulations, establishing itself a robust mechanism for assessing inter-sensor consistency. In addition, we’ve observed that, except for M13, M12 always exhibits larger spatial variations of O-O BT differences with greater uncertainties compared to the other M TEBs. The influence of solar contribution through sea surface reflection on the Top of Atmosphere (TOA) radiance measurements during daytime in M12 should not be underestimated.

Globally increasing antibiotic resistance has been connected to the use of antibiotics in medical, veterinary, and agricultural medicine, contributing to the burden of antibiotic resistance in Asia and Europe. The main objective of this study was to correlations of antimicrobial-resistant of various pathogens in three compartments: humans, animals and the environment in India and Germany. A systematic search was carried out in Medline via PubMed, Google Scholar, and science direct, including studies published in 2022. Out of 532 papers, 24 were considered for meta-analysis. This study reveals that in India, β-lactam is highly resistant in animals. Quinolone, on the other hand, was highly resistant in humans. Furthermore, in the environment and integrated studies, aminoglycosides and β-lactams is resistant. While in Germany, a high rate of AMR resistance in all three sectors was reported in β-lactam. However, E. coli was the most frequent pathogen in both countries and is highly resistant to β-lactam, followed by cephalosporin in all the compartments. Monitoring and evaluating antibiotic-sensitivity patterns and developing proper antibiotic regimens may lead to improved outcomes for inhibiting and controlling E. coli infections in various parts of the world.

Cultural tourism in Tanzania presents a diverse tapestry of traditions, varied ethnic groups, and historical accounts. This article aims to pinpoint areas for further exploration in the cultural tourism sector of Tanzania and analyze their potential impacts. The study conducted a systematic review of the literature following established inclusion criteria as well as the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and meta-analysis guidelines. A total of 21 articles focused on Tanzania Cultural Heritage Tourism from sources such as Google Scholar and web databases were examined, revealing several research gaps, including theoretical, contextual and methodological aspects. Furthermore, the research offers insights into theoretical implications and recommends avenues for future studies that could advance the field by addressing these knowledge gaps providing valuable direction to new researchers interested in exploring these specific areas as well as practitioners seeking a comprehensive understanding of various aspects related to Tanzania's cultural heritage tourism

A review of quantitative risk assessment (QRA) models of L. monocytogenes in produce was carried out, with the objective of appraising and contrasting the effectiveness of the control strategies placed along the food chains. Despite nine of the thirteen QRA models recovered focused on fresh or RTE leafy greens, none of them represented important factors or sources of contamination in the primary production, such as type of cultivation, water, fertilisers or irrigation method/practices. Cross-contamination at processing and during consumer’s handling was modelled using transfer rates, which were shown to moderately drive the final risk of listeriosis; highlighting therefore the importance of accurately representing the transfer coefficient parameters. Many QRA models coincided in the fact that temperature fluctuations at retail or temperature abuse at home were key factors contributing to increasing the risk of listeriosis. In addition to a primary module that could help assess current on-farm practices and potential control measures, future QRA models for minimally-processed produce should also contain a refined sanitisation module able to estimate the effectiveness of various sanitisers as a function of type, concentration and exposure time. Finally, L. monocytogenes growth in the products down the supply chain should be estimated by using realistic time-temperature trajectories, and validated microbial kinetic parameters, both of them currently available in the literature.

We introduce the linear subgroup of volume-preserving diffeomorphism as the underlying symmetry to construct an action within the effective field theory framework and the Schwinger-Keldish formalism. The formulated action is posited to effectively incorporate dissipative effects into the Navier-Stokes equations.

Seeds from several Ribes taxa were surveyed for phenolic compounds and in vitro antiproliferative activity against HT-29 colorectal cancer cells. Total phenolic compounds were analysed through the Folin-Ciocalteu procedure, while phenolic profiles were analysed by LC coupled to a single mass spectrometer Orbitrap using an electrospray interface (ESI). Antitumor effects were established using the MTT (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) assay. Total phenolics ranged from 11.4 in R. alpinum to 94.8 mg of caffeic acid equivalents (CAE)/g in R. nigrum 'Koksa'. Concerning phenolic compounds, four were hydroxylated benzoic acids, four cinnamic acid derivatives, eight flavonoids, and nine flavonoid glycosides. The growth inhibition against HT-29 cancer cells was exercised much better by R. nigrum 'Koksa' and Ribes 'Erkeeni' (GI50 37 and 42 µg/ml). All Ribes extracts, except R. nigrum 'Hara katarlik', showed higher activity than that of R. rubrum (GI50 at 72 h: 99 µg/ml). Interestingly, the highly bioactive extract from Ribes 'Erkeeni' contains all detected phenolics, while R. nigrum 'Koksa' lacks only populnin. Therefore, the high bioactivity found for such extracts could be due to a synergy due to all detected compounds. This work constitutes a comprehensive action for expanding knowledge on the phenolic profiles and antitumor activity of GLA-rich Ribes seeds.

This study focuses on the potential medicinal properties of Campsis radicans L. extracts and its aim is to investigate the antioxidant and antiproliferative effects of these extracts on the human colon adenocarcinoma cell line (HT-29). Cytotoxic activity in the HT-29 cell line was evaluated, and the 3-dimensional structures of phenolic compounds were obtained using the GC-MS method. Docking simulations were performed with AutoDock Vina, targeting proteins that are crucial in the apoptotic pathway (Bax, Bcl-2, and Caspase-3). Drug similarities and ADMET estimates of the phenolic compounds were obtained from databases. The highest antioxidant activity of Campsis radicans L. plant was observed in ethanol and water extracts, with notable inhibition capacities. While the total phenolic content was highest in ethanol, water, and ether extracts respectively the total flavonoid content was highest in ethanol, then ether, and water extracts. Certain elements were undetectable in mineral determination, and others exceeded the toxic doses for plants. The water extract exhibited dose-dependent cytotoxic activity in the HT-29 cell line, with an IC50 value of 4.47 mg/mL. Molecular docking results revealed the binding of phenolic molecules to the active sites of apoptotic pathway proteins. The findings suggest that Campsis radicans L. plant possesses cytotoxic properties, significant phenolic and flavonoid content, and a high antioxidant capacity. These properties make it a potential candidate for treatment use, emphasizing its potential therapeutic value in the HT-29 cell line. Further research and exploration on the identified phenolic compounds could contribute to the development of novel therapeutic agents.

Many businesses, including finance, want to both understand and utilize blockchain technology. However, there is no detailed systematic literature review (SLR) analyzing blockchain technology in finance in order to understand it. This study emphasizes in detail the possible applications of blockchain in finance, its technical features, benefits and challenges. According to the literature review, blockchain technology has the potential to improve the efficiency of the financial sector, reduce costs and increase transparency and security. Regulatory constraints as well as concerns over scalability and interoperability are barriers that need to be resolved. In order to fully understand the potential of blockchain technology, this SLR explores the current state of research on blockchain in finance. In addition to analyzing the technical features of blockchain, the study also details its current and potential application areas, benefits and challenges. This research analyses the use of blockchain in finance in view of its infrastructure, technology, benefits and challenges for further research and application areas. In the study, 54 articles were evaluated and 34 of them were used for SLR questions. The usage of blockchain in finance is examined from a variety of aspects in this SLR. The study provides answers to nine questions about its application areas, benefits, infrastructure, technology, consensus methods, permission types, and challenges. In some cases, it also gives the correlation relationship between the answers.

The industrial sector plays a crucial role in driving global economic growth by creating employ-ment opportunities, generating local income, and significantly contributing to each country's Gross Domestic Product (GDP). However, the manufacturing industry is responsible for produc-ing a substantial amount of polluting effluents, which can harm the environment and compromise the life quality of future generations if not appropriately treated. Various methods, including physical, chemical, and biological processes, have been employed in the treatment of industrial ef-fluents. Filamentous fungi, in particular, have garnered attention as effective bioremediation agents due to their ability to produce enzymes capable of degrading recalcitrant compounds and adsorb different pollutant molecules. This study aimed to assess the collective body of research on using white and brown rot fungi to remove phenolic compounds from industrial effluents. The research employed a systematic review, incorporating scientometric analysis, with the primary goal of constructing a comprehensive overview of the evolution of this technology over time. The analysis also aimed to scrutinize its geographical distribution and identify gaps and trends within these research inquiries. Data for the study were obtained from the Web of Science (WoS) data-base using specific search terms (("white rot fung*" OR "brown rot fung*") AND (phenol* OR phenoloxidase OR "polyphenol oxidase*") AND (wastewater OR effluent* OR bioremediation)). The time frame considered ranged from 1945 to 2023, resulting in 464 publications. After refine-ment, 109 studies were selected for further analysis, focusing on using filamentous fungi in the bi-oremediation of industrial effluents. The findings revealed that white rot fungi were the most studied in industrial effluent remediation processes, accounting for 96.3% of the studies assessed, followed by brown rot fungi at 2.7%. Filamentous fungi demonstrate significant potential for treating industrial effluents due to their high capacity to degrade phenolic compounds, especially in wastewater from olive mills, paper production industries, and distilleries. Among the investi-gated species, Phanerochaete chrysosporium, Pleurotus ostreatus, Trametes versicolor, and Lentinula edodes have been the most extensively researched for this application. Notably, cultures with free cells (64.15%) stood out compared to cultures with immobilized cells, and cultures with isolated fungi surpassed microbial consortia. Geographically, Italy, Spain, Greece, India, and Brazil emerged as the most prominent countries in publications related to this area during the evaluated period.

Population growth, climate change, changes to land use, and the advent of emerging infectious disease agents has put our abilities to feed the growing global population at risk, which is of particular concern in low- or middle-income countries. Research to improve the profitability and sustainability of common livestock production systems is key to tackling this issue. However, despite considerable research investment to address this concern, there has been no attention to development of robust methodologies for the synthesis of existing research evidence and its re-use. Syntheses of evidence are critical for fostering best practices, minimising wastage of valuable research resources, and enabling informed decision and policy making. Whilst the use of evidence syntheses is well entrenched in human healthcare, their use within animal sciences is limited and specific methodologies for performing them are underdeveloped. In this call to action, we propose some methodological development activities that should be undertaken within this field of research to increase the potential of evidence syntheses to contribute to tackling pressing societal issues relating to livestock agriculture.

Sleep disorders have become a public health problem for many reasons. The aim of this systematic review is to describe social, economic, and environmental determinants of sleep disturbances in Australia and New Zealand. A total of 22 studies, 14 from Australia and 8 from New Zealand involving children, adolescents and adults are included in the review. In summary, we found that sleep health disparities among children and adolescents in both countries are strongly associated to parental SES. Overall, lower family SES such as low parental income, low parental education, low SES area index are associated with higher sleep disturbances among children and adolescents. In adults, results revealed that SES determinants such as low income, lower education, unemployment, and night work were associated with sleep disturbances. Specifically, unemployment was associated with poor sleep quality, insomnia, and increased likelihood of suboptimal sleep efficiency. Low income and lower education were associated with high risk of OSA, longer sleep duration, insomnia, higher odds of suboptimal sleep duration and sleep onset latency.

This paper proposes a product design model for internalising users’ positive experiences through attachment. First, the research commences with a literature review to define the concepts and research status of positive experience design (PED) and product attachment. Subsequently, the design model is constructed, accompanied by relevant formulas for concept generation. Finally, the model’s validity is verified through a workshop, and its effectiveness is evaluated and discussed using the USE questionnaire. This study incorporates the seven factors of product attachment to activate positive states within the user–product relationship and facilitate the cultivation of positive thinking. Grounded in theories of PED and embracing a product attachment perspective, the attachment-driven PED model offers a systematic approach for generating design concepts that are relevant to user experience.

The global food system has three recognized challenges: (a)increasing the availability of food consumption, (b) reducing food loss, and (c) reducing food waste. The increasing demand for food consumption, increasing quantity of food loss, and corresponding increase in food waste are resulting in serious health, aesthetic, social, economic, and environmental problems due to a lack of appropriate planning and management. Despite its importance, there is no clear, concise, and comprehensive definition of food consumption, loss, and waste. Generally, food consumption, food loss, and food waste are dealt with separately. This article presents a logically constructed ontological framework of food consumption, loss, and waste. It gives equal importance to all three aspects of global food management. The systematic ontological framework is general, and the analysis can be applied to any country. The framework deconstructs the combinatorial complexity of the problem and explicates the pathways to manage the consumption, loss, and waste. The ontological framework encapsulates 19*8*7*4*5*6 = 25,536 possible components of the challenge. A critical analysis based on available data using the framework will help to develop strategies to deal with the problem. It can help to discover the gaps and to find ways to bridge the gaps. It is novel to conceptualize food consumption, loss, and waste together.

In recent years, there has been a surge of proposals for innovative approaches to public planning. It has become apparent that the traditional emphasis on "economic development" as the predominant objective of public policy is no longer adequate to promote a thriving society. Common Agricultural Policy in Europe faces challenges to adopt and implement the dynamic of culture. However, culture as a pillar of sustainable development is not a new topic. This concept has been incorporated into economic studies with increasing tension. The present study aims to measure scientific interest through published scientific studies and papers related to the contribution of culture in the context of European development programs and strategies. A total of (n=902) published documents during the period 1990-2023 from the Scopus database were explored to identify (n=27) appropriate publications for research analysis based on the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) approach and flow diagram. Bibliometric analyses using Vos Viewer (Center for Science and Technology Studies, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands) and constructed term co-occurrence network plots based on bibliometric evidence were performed. The results show that there was no scientific interest. The systematic review and bibliometric analysis of the present paper could provide a valuable and seminal reference for the researchers of rural development and the relevant policymakers.

A review of the published quantitative risk assessment (QRA) models of L. monocytogenes in seafood was performed, with the objective of appraising the effectiveness of the control strategies placed along the food chain. Whereas all the 13 QRA models retrieved were of short scope, covering at most from end of processing to consumption; the majority (85%) focused on smoked or gravad fish. Since the modelled pathways commenced with the packaged product, none of the QRA models addressed cross-contamination events. Many models agreed on the fact that keeping the product’s temperature at 4.0-4.5 ºC leads to greater reductions in the final risk of listeriosis than reducing the shelf life by one week; and that the effectiveness of both measures can be surpassed by reducing the initial occurrence of L. monocytogenes in the product (at the end of processing). It is therefore necessary that future QRA models for RTE seafood contains a processing module that can provide insight into intervention strategies that can retard L. monocytogenes growth, such as the use of bacteriocins, ad-hoc starter cultures and/or organic acids, and other strategies seeking to reduce cross-contamination at the facilities, such as stringent controls for sanitation procedures. Since risk estimates were shown to be moderately driven by growth kinetic parameters, namely, the exponential growth rate, the minimum temperature for growth, and the maximum population density, further work is needed to reduce uncertainties about them.

We conducted this systematic review with the objective to understand the efficacy and safety of proton pump inhibitors [PPIs] in the pediatric population. We have used PubMed to identify randomized controlled trials [RCTs] published between 1st June 2010 and 30th June 2023, in patients from birth to 18 years old, with gastroesophageal reflux disease [GERD], who received treatment with any PPI. The literature yielded 76 articles and 13 met inclusion criteria. For infants, PPIs were equal to placebo in reducing GERD symptoms in 4 articles. In 1, the number of GER episodes and esophageal acid exposure were lower in infants who received PPIs and left lateral position, but there was no significant improvement in symptoms. In another publication, the combination of PPIs and feeding modifications [FM] was not more effective than PPIs alone. For children and adolescents, PPIs were effective in improving symptoms and achieving mucosal and histological healing, which was subsequently maintained. To conclude, PPIs are not effective to reduce symptoms related to GERD in infants, but are effective in older children, along with histological remission. Generally, PPIs are well tolerated, but it is important to not forget the possible adverse events [AE], especially if they are used for a long time.

Escape room’s games are educational gamification technologies that consist of introducing a team of players into a physical or digital space to solve a mystery or a problem in search of clues to solve puzzles, riddles, or enigmas. This study aims to determine the effectiveness of escape room’s games on the training of nurses and nursing students. A systematic review was carried out in MEDLINE, WOS, SCOPUS, CINAHL and LILACS databases using the MeSH terms: "Education, Nursing" and "Educational Technology", and the free term "Escape room", combining with Boolean operators AND/OR. Intervention studies in Spanish, English and Portuguese were included, without limitation for the year of publication. Selection and critical appraisal were conducted by two independent reviewers. A total of n=15 interventional studies were included (n=2 Randomized Clinical Trials and n=12 quasi-experimental). Escape rooms are a recent and booming educational methodology, which is increasingly used in academia and training of nurses and nursing students; however, it is necessary to expand their use to more countries, as well as the number and quality of interventional studies, being necessary to homogenize and standardize criteria and to use validated instruments to evaluate the effectiveness of escape rooms in the field of nursing.

The changes in body composition during androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) in patients suffer from prostate cancer (PCa) are recognized by professionals more often as key for effective treatment. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of ADT on the sarcopenia development in PCa. The following databases were used: PubMed, Embase, Web of Science and Scopus databases. Out of 2183 studies, 7 were included in this review. The fixed-effect model was used in the meta-analysis. Significant increase in SATI: 0.32 (95%CI: 0.13-0.51) p= 0.001, de-crease in SMI: -0.38 (95% CI: -0.57 to -0.19) p < 0.0001 and SMD: -0.46 (95% CI: -0.69 to -0.24) p < 0.0001 was observed. No statistical association was visible between ADT and changes in BMI: 0.05 (95%CI: -0.18-0.28), p= 0.686 and VATI: 0.17 (95% CI: -0.02 to 0.37), p=0.074. In conclusion, the ADT significantly contributes to the body composition changes and sarcopenia development.

In conclusion, this review highlights the challenges in the current screening pathway and the potential for AI, particularly LLM, to revolutionize DR screening in Japan. The future direction will depend on leadership from ophthalmologists and stakeholders to address long-standing challenges in DR screening so that all people have access to accessible and effective screening.

Expansins (EXPs) which are the essential components of plant cell wall function as relaxation factors to directly promote turgor-driven expansion of cell wall and control plant growth and development and diverse environmental stress responses. A lot of EXPs genes have been widely identified and characterized in numerous plant species, but not in sweetpotato. In the present study, a total of 59 EXPs genes that unevenly distributed onto 14 of 15 chromosomes were identified from sweetpotato genome, and segmental and tandem duplications were exhibited to act as dominant functions in IbEXPs diversity. Phylogenetic analysis exhibited that IbEXPs members were clustered into four subfamilies according to EXPs in Arabidopsis and rice and the regularity of motif, domain and gene structures was in accordance with the subfamily classification. The collinearity analysis between IbEXPs and related homologous sequences in 9 plants provided the phylogenetic insights of EXPs gene family. Cis-element analysis futhrer revealed the potential roles of IbEXPs in sweetpotato development and stress responses. Evidence from RNA-seq and qRT-PCR analysis of eight selected IbEXPs genes displayed their various tissue specificity in different tissues, and their transcripts were varyingly induced or suppressed under multiple hormone treatments (ABA, SA, JA and ACC) and abiotic stresses (low and high temperature). These results supply worthy foundations to further comprehensively investigate the exact functions of IbEXPs genes, and multiple members may function as promising regulators to control plant development and enhance the stress resistance of transgenic plants.

Along with the rapid development and wide application of Artificial Intelligence (AI), discussions regarding AI Sustainability have emerged. Employing a systematic mapping study, this paper reviews research about AI Sustainability from diverse fields and viewpoints, including three dimensions economic, social, and environmental. Our analysis indicates a transformative shift in research focus, evolving from fragmented approaches to a more holistic understanding of AI Sustainability. This maturation is reflected in the interplay between multiple dimensions and the integration of both "AI as a tool for sustainability" and "Sustainability of AI" perspectives. As the field continues to mature, researchers should embrace a comprehensive and unbiased exploration of AI Sustainability across all dimensions and approaches, ensuring a well-rounded foundation for future advancements in this rapidly evolving domain.

This study concerns in to collect, via a systematic review, works from international academics that employed bicycles to collect primary data on environmental variables for research on microclimatic thermal problems in urban contexts. To that purpose, a systematic review was con-ducted employing several important processes that favor the collecting of relevant material from three well-regarded worldwide academic platforms using well-defined keywords. A selection of papers identified through the platforms was produced, and after reading the titles, abstracts, and entire works, 13 articles were collected that employed bicycles in their mobile transects between 2011 and 2023. The analytical methodologies connected to the thermal environment employed by the research, such as the primary characterizers of urban morphology, were visible from this. The systematic review showed effective in attempting to comprehend current research in the scientific community that employed the approach of mobile measurements using bicycles. The great bulk of work was done in the Northern Hemisphere, specifically on the European continent. Furthermore, it was discovered that the number of publications published using this approach has increased in the previous two years. It is worth emphasizing that, while the platforms offer outstanding results in terms of article discovery, we are nevertheless aware of additional publications that employed similar technique but did not appear in the platforms' results. More study utilizing the bicycle is anticipated for, so that the process may be improved and the precision of future results can be reached.

Reactive attachment disorder (RAD) and disinhibited social engagement disorder (DSED) manifest in individuals facing attachment system chal-lenges, particularly observed in minors under protective measures. The lack of standardized tools for assessing these difficulties and uncertainty about the most effective instruments from a psychometric perspective prompted this study. Using the COSMIN checklist, we systematically reviewed instruments assessing RAD, adhering to PRISMA and COSMIN guidelines. Examined tools included the Disturbance Attachment Inter-view, Preschool Age Psychiatric Assessment, Relationship Patterns Questionnaire, Assessment of RAD and DSED, Development and Well-Being Assessment, and Reactive Attachment Disorder Question-naire. Of the 11 articles analyzed, results highlight a research emphasis on internal consistency, structural and construct validity, sidelining other properties. While the instruments demonstrate strong structural validity, excellent internal consistency, and generally satisfactory error measurement results, the study concludes a dearth of investigations into psychometric properties for children and adolescents under protective measures.

Introduction: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a disease of colon or rectum the part of digestive system. DNA methylation is a process of gene expression by recruiting protein which involve in gene repression, or inhibiting the binding of transcription factors to DNA. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have been attracting major interest as potential biomarker in cancer. Hereditary nonpolyposis of colorecta cancer (HNPCC) is a type of genetic change (mutation) in a family. Our aims to do a systematic review on DNA methylation and miRNAs serve as candidate clinical biomarkers in HNPCC. Materials and methods: Electronic databases (Medline, PubMed and Scopus data bases). We searched to identify publication all over the world related colorectal cancer and miRNA. Selection was based on the design (CRC, invasive CRC, Colon or rectum, HNPCC, microRNA, circulating miRNA, non-coding RNA), 87 papers from PubMed and 15 papers from Scopus were selected all over the world. CRC, target antigens, methodologies used for detection and miRNA expression were identified and summarized. Results: A total of 96 articles were searched, 87 articles from scopus and 9 articles from PubMed. 20 duplicates removed and remain 76, 52 excluded after screened the titles and abstracts; and remain 24, 10 full texts articles were excluded with reason, and 14 identifications were included in the studies. Conclusion: The findings of this systematic review showed that DNA methylation and mircroRNA in HNCC patients as a genetic mutation or a promoter in colorectal cancer.

To date, radiation adaptation response has been reported as a low-dose related phenomenon and has been associated with radiation hormesis. Well-known cancers are caused by non-radiation active reactants, in addition to radiation. A model of suppression for radiation-specific cancers was previously reported, but the model did not target radiation-nonspecific cancers. In this paper, we describe kinetic models of radiation-induced suppressors for general radiation non-specific cancers, estimating the dose that induces the maximum hormesis effect while satisfying the condition that the risk is approximately proportional to dose above 100 mSv. It was found that the radiation hormesis effect is maximal at about 20 mSv when the rate constant for generation is the same as the rate constant for decomposition. When the two rate constants are different, the dose at which the radiation hormesis effect is maximized depends on both rate constants, but the dose increases as the two rate constants approach each other, reaching a maximum of about 20 mSv. This conclusion may lead to the discovery of unknown cancer suppressors at low doses and the development of cancer suppression methods in the future.

The classification and summarization of online reviews using machine learning and deep learningbased approaches are the subject of this systematic literature review. Consumers, companies, and researchers can now find vital information from online reviews. Automatically categorizing and summarizing these reviews can offer useful information and facilitate decision-making. The purpose of this study is to offer a thorough overview of the current methodology, approaches, and developments in this area. The review concentrates on machine learning-based methods for categorization and summarizing tasks, highlighting their advantages, drawbacks, and new developments. This systematic review provides insights into the most recent methodologies and indicates prospective directions for further investigation by synthesizing the data from a wide range of pertinent research publications

Purpose: Understanding how older adults perceive and interpret emotional cues in speech prosody contributes to our knowledge of cognitive aging. This study provides a systematic review with meta-analysis to investigate the extent of the decline in affective prosody recognition (APR) among older adults in terms of overall and emotion-specific performance and explore potential moderators that may cause between-study heterogeneity. Method: Incorporated into the literature search were six electronic databases, with a specific emphasis on studies comparing the APR performance of older adults with that of younger adults. This comparison was focused on basic emotions. Meta-regression analyses were executed to pinpoint potential moderators related to demographic and methodological characteristics. Results: A total of 19 studies were included in the meta-analysis, involving 560 older adults with a mean age of 69.15 years. The findings indicated a substantial negative effect size (g = －1.21). Furthermore, the magnitude of aggregated effect sizes showed a distinct valence-related recognition pattern with positive prosody exhibiting smaller effect sizes. Years of education were found to moderate the overall performance effect estimate while age and gender significantly influenced the effect estimate of happiness. Conclusions: The results confirmed a significant decline in APR ability among older adults, but this decline was unbalanced across basic emotions. Educational level emerged as a significant factor influencing APR ability. Moreover, participants with a higher mean age exhibited notably poorer performance in recognizing happy prosody. These findings underscore the need to further investigate the neurobiological mechanisms for APR decline associated with aging.

In recent years, many cities throughout the world are facing the impact of last-mile logistics and the resulting rise in urban traffic and pollution: effects on the environment have been curbed by these dynamics. Urban traffic has a considerable impact in terms of noise emissions, road safety and air pollution: hence, both public and private parties shall undertake innovative solutions for reducing the negative effects of last-mile logistics and improving their operational effectiveness. This study aims to provide a systematic literature review on environmentally sustainable last-mile logistics. The main contributions of this paper are as follows: (1) exploring and analysing the existing literature on last-mile logistics, with a focus on various types of sustainable measures implemented by companies, governments (mainly local) and supra-national institutions; (2) clustering existing studies into five categories (i.e., agents’ preference and choices, shared logistics, stakeholders, studies on vehicles, and policy and decisions) clarifying the implications of the public economics analysis; (3) identifying the gaps and limitations of the existing literature and proposing potential issues for future research insights. The review of the literature reveals that the majority of recent studies have been based on engineering and urban planning approaches. Costs and benefits of last-mile logistics are researched with a public economics focus, gathering details from the different papers, starting from the business studies to the technology-oriented ones. This study aims at detecting the different topics and policies discussed in the literature and suggests how to incorporate them in creating new measures and policies or revamping current ones. Although the initial corpus was 583, only 108 papers were ultimately chosen for the review, since public economics studies were not thoroughly explored: following the results of this work, the topic has significant scope for further study.

Запропонована методика спрямована на визначення та прогнозування технічного стану елементів мосту, що може слугувати прогресивним інженерним інструментом для оцінки надійності та довговічності. Розроблено на основі фундаментальних досліджень, які узагальнюють досвід вивчення фізико-механічних і фізико-хімічних властивостей матеріалів мостових конструкцій, що експлуатуються в реальних умовах. Теоретичною основою методики є модель надійності та прогнозування залишкового ресурсу елементів мосту на основі теорії Маркова. Розроблена методика призначена для оцінки технічного стану окремих елементів мосту з подальшою комплексною оцінкою всієї конструкції. За показник технічного стану прийнята надійність при експлуатації. Цей кількісний показник надійності в моделі є критерієм для: оцінки рівня безпеки елементів мосту; ранжування елементів мосту за необхідністю для конкретних видів ремонту, реконструкції або заміни; стратегічне планування витрат на ремонт або реконструкцію в умовах обмеженого фінансування; прогнозування залишкового ресурсу елементів. Для застосування розробленої методики запропоновано алгоритм оцінки та прогнозування технічного стану мостів. Було проведено математичний експеримент розробленої методики, який підтвердив адекватність висунутої гіпотези, тобто використання моделі надійності та прогнозування залишкового ресурсу елементів мосту. По-перше, запропоновано триступеневий механізм уточнення технічного стану мосту, суттєво підвищення точності розрахунків. Тому розроблена методика має практичне значення і може слугувати основою для інформаційно-аналітичних систем управління станом мостів.

Keywords: Academic Trends; Energy Consumption; Higher Education Institutions; Systematic Literature Review; Scholarly output; University buildings

The aim of article is to design a calm water resistance predictor based on Machine Learning Tools and development of a systematic series for battery-driven catamaran hull forms. Regression Trees (RT), Support Vector Machines (SVM), and Artificial Neural Network (ANN) regression models are applied for dataset training on developed systematic series of catamarans. A hullform optimization was implemented for various catamarans including dimensional and hull coefficient parameters based on resistance and structural weight reduction and battery performance improvement. This paper provides a diverse database of catamaran hullform. Hence, an automated Matlab program was coded for geometry generation and cost function evaluation. Design distribution based on Lackenby transformation fulfills all design space and sequentially a novel self-blending method reconstructs new hullforms based on two parents blending. Finally, a machine learning approach was conducted on generated data of case study. This study shows that ANN algorithm correlates well with the measured resistance. Accordingly, a general and unique tool is proposed for optimized and desired design in first design stage.

Empirical equations representing, interpolating and smoothing groups of measurement results by regression methods are in widespread use in metrology and other fields of science and engineering. Standard equations for the propagation of measurement uncertainties to values computed from such equations are available but suffer from a lack of general acceptance and are only infrequently applied in practice. One reason for the slow uptake is the lack of clear methods to account for systematic error. In this paper, uncertainty propagation equations in terms of covariance matrices are generalized to allow for systematic errors in least-squares regression, and effects of the resulting uncertainties are investigated analytically. A stochastic ensemble model of systematic error is proposed for the computation of the non-diagonal elements of the weight matrix of the Generalized Least-Squares method (GLS) from the measurement uncertainty. A GLS projector formalism is described which separates the effects of measurement scatter on values calculated by the equation from those on the related “residuals”, i.e., the residual errors in the fitted data. The same projectors act similarly on the associated uncertainties and covariance matrices and permit the effects of systematic errors on the simulation covariance to be quantified. It is demonstrated that, in order to include systematic errors in the uncertainty estimates of GLS, covariance matrices may be substituted by novel, specifically defined dispersion matrices that are not specified yet by the GUM[1]. Systematic measurement errors may be estimated from various sources; a particularly easy way suggested here involves analyzing the structure in the regression residuals. It is demonstrated that GLS projectors exhibit inherent features of “error blindness” also with respect to systematic errors. [1] GUM: Guide to the Expression of Uncertainty in Measurement, http://www.bipm.org/en/publications/guides

In exploring the intricacies of financial analysis, this study delves into the efficacy of traditional financial ratios versus cash flow ratios in foreseeing a company's fiscal well-being. By harnessing the PRISMA 2020 framework, an exhaustive and systematic dissection of diverse scholarly articles was embarked upon. The quest was to unearth the more reliable predictor of financial stability among these two sets of ratios. With a methodical examination of academic writings, this inquiry juxtaposed various models, scrutinizing their foresight capabilities. The revelations were telling; cash flow ratios emerged as more potent forecasters compared to their traditional counterparts. Intriguingly, models that blend both ratio types showed a marked improvement in predictive accuracy, hinting at a synergistic effect. This underscores the insight that while traditional ratios are informative, their amalgamation with cash flow ratios yields a richer, more rounded grasp of a company’s fiscal state. Conclusively, for stakeholders, especially investors, adopting this dual-ratio approach is pivotal for enlightened decision-making. This research enriches the financial analysis domain by spotlighting the salience of cash flow ratios, advocating for their integration with conventional methods for a sharper financial health appraisal.

Hallux valgus deformity (HVD) involves subluxation of the first metatarsophalangeal joint. While HVD is primarily considered a forefoot condition, midfoot instability may play a significant role in its development and severity. Therefore, this review had a particular focus on understanding midfoot instability based upon weightbearing imaging assessments of the TMT joint. This review followed Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines and searched five databases for studies on midfoot instability in HVD patients. Severity of HVD was defined by hallux valgus angle (HVA) and distal metatarsal articular angle (DMAA). Data was extracted, and articles were graded using the Methodological Index for Non-Randomized Studies (MINORS). Of 547 initially retrieved articles, 23 met inclusion criteria. Patients with HVD showed higher HVA and DMAA on weight-bearing radiographs (WBRG) and weight-bearing computed tomography (WBCT) compared to healthy individuals. Midfoot instability was assessed through intermetatarsal angle (IMA) and tarsometatarsal angle (TMT angle). Patients with HVD exhibited greater IMA and TMT angles on both WBRG and WBCT. This review highlights the importance of weight-bearing imaging assessments for midfoot instability in HVD. IMA and TMT angles can differentiate between healthy individuals and HVD patients, emphasizing the significance of midfoot assessment in understanding HVD pathology.

Background: Sarcopenia, a subject of extensive research, has led to numerous clinical trials and systematic reviews (SR). These reviews aid healthcare professionals by summarizing results and conducting meta-analyses, enhancing reliability. However, the abundance of reviews complicates decision-making on sarcopenia management. To address this, SR of SR have emerged, consolidating data from various sources into comprehensive documents. Objective: to assess the isolated impact of dietary interventions on sarcopenia's diagnostic criteria for older individuals. Methods: a study protocol for a SR of SR, following Cochrane and PRISMA recommendations. The search strategy includes the MeSH ‘sarcopenia’ and its subheadings; ‘aged’ and its subheadings; ‘nutrition’ and its subheadings; and filter ‘systematic review’, performed at main databases. Selected studies must include older adults, submitted to nutritional interventions compared to control groups. Quantitative analyses will use inverse variance statistic method (random effects); the effect measures mean difference. Heterogeneity measured with Q-Test. Results: The results of this SR of SR will may provide valuable information about the sarcopenia treatment, deepening the knowledge about. Conclusion: this protocol is reproducible, requires low cost and personnel, and may allow a higher understanding on sarcopenia treatment and management on older people.

The study aimed to determine, through a systematic review, the relationship between Reactive Attachment Disorder (RAD) and the presence of psychopathology in children and adolescents and to determine the existence of differences about the presence of internalising and externalising psychological problems between the RAD group and groups with other disorders or with typical development. Following the PRISMA methodology, a search was carried out in the Web of Science, PubMed and Scopus databases. The search yielded 770 results, of which only 25 met the inclusion criteria. The results, indicate a relationship between the presence of RAD and/or Disinhibited social engagement disorder (DSED) with the presence of internalising and externalising problems. These difficulties are more present in children with RAD compared to children without personal difficulties, or children with DSED, children with autism, children with intellectual disabilities or children with hyperactivity. It can be concluded that the presence of RAD has negative consequences on the mental health of children and adolescents, with these being greater in the inhibited group than in the disinhibited group, and with respect to children with autism or hyperactivity.

Keywords: Wall-like RC columns; Strengthening; FRP; NSM rebars; Steel plates; Testing; FE modeling; Preloading.

Territory space is an ecological resource carrier and place for human development. Human activities and ecological systems are the basis of ecological product supply. Promoting territory spatial protection and governance by improving the ecological products supply is very important. In this study, we established an ecological products supply capacity evaluation index system involving three types of ecological products, i.e., ecological environmental products, ecological material products, and ecological cultural products. For the case of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, we comprehensively used principal component analysis, equivalent factor method, and entropy method to evaluate the supply capacity of the ecological products from 2011 to 2021. Then, we analyzed the spatio-temporal pattern combining the natural breakpoint and quantile classification methods and analyzed the obstacle factors using the obstacle degree model of ecological supply. The results show that the supply capacity of different ecological product in each city are closely related to ecological resource endowment. The supply capacity of ecological products exhibited an upward trend, with the highest ecological environmental products supply, relatively smaller ecological material product supply, and the largest growth rate for ecological cultural product supply. The supply capacity of different ecological products varied across cities over time and displayed noticeable spatial differentiation. The main obstacle factors included eco-land, eco-tourism, eco-leisure, park green space, and fishery products, although there were variations among cities. Finally, based on the level, spatial-temporal pattern, and obstacle factors of ecological product supply, we proposed strategies for territory spatial protection and governance from the perspectives of integrated protection of elements, structural regulation, and systematic governance. The results reflected the ecological functional heterogeneity of territory space, which can provide spatial planning guidance for sustainable development.

Antiviral drugs cannot treat dengue fever, a serious medical disease spread by the Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus mosquitoes. One important arbovirus disease is dengue fever. Safe, affordable and effective drugs that inhibit dengue virus (DENV) are needed to control dengue worldwide. Medicinal plants have long been considered an important alternative in the treatment of various diseases, including dengue fever. The aim of this study was to use databases PubMed, Google Scholar and Research Gate to identify plants of different tribes from different places that can be used for the treatment of DENV infection and open supportive care for dengue. Previous studies have shown antiviral activity of medicinal plants against DENV. The aim of the present study is to discover plants from different tribes from different places that can be used to treat DENV infection and provide open supportive care against dengue. The recommended reporting guidelines for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA statement) were followed in the search and selection of articles using the PubMed database, Google Scholar and Research Gate. The final selection was made after careful consideration and up to 85 publications that met the inclusion criteria. It is said that different plants from different tribes and geographical locations can be used to treat DENV infection.

This study investigates the spatio-temporal variability of the onset, offset, and Length of the rainy season in Senegal over the 1981-2018 period. The onset, offset dates, and length of the rainy season are crucial parameters for agricultural planning in West Africa, which exhibits high interannual and spatial variability in rainfall. The objective is to detect and spatially classify these phenological parameters across Senegal using different approaches. Daily precipitation data from the Climate Hazards group InfraRed Precipitation with Stations (CHIRPS) dataset over the study period and ERA5 reanalysis were used. The method of was applied to detect the onset, offset dates, and length of the rainy season. The Kohonen algorithm was then used to spatially classify these parameters on topological maps. A hierarchical ascendant classification was also performed to reduce the number of classes obtained. Finally, a composite analysis of moisture transport before the onset and end of the 1984 and 2007 seasons was conducted with ERA5 data. The results show a meridional gradient of the start of the season, progressively later from southeast to northwest, while the end follows a north-south gradient. The duration of the rainy season ranges from 45 days in northern Senegal to 150 days in the south. The maximum number of dry days also decreases from north to south. The Kohonen self-organizing maps allow spatial prediction of the onset, end date, and duration of the rainy season across Senegal. The dynamics analysis reveals that early onset years are associated with stronger and earlier northward moisture transport over West Africa, underscoring the role of this parameter in triggering the rainy season. These promising results can provide an early warning to policymakers and farmers on the start and end dates of the season in each area of Senegal.

3D human pose estimation has made significant advancements through the integration of deep learning techniques. This survey provides a comprehensive review of recent 3D human pose estimation methods, with a focus on monocular images, videos, and multi-view cameras. Our approach stands out through a systematic literature review methodology, ensuring an up-to-date and meticulous overview. Unlike many existing surveys that categorize approaches based on learning paradigms, our survey offers a fresh perspective, delving deeper into the subject. For image-based approaches, we not only follow existing categorizations but also introduce and compare significant 2D models. Additionally, we provide a comparative analysis of these methods, enhancing the understanding of image-based pose estimation techniques. In the realm of video-based approaches, we categorize them based on the types of models used to capture inter-frame information. Furthermore, in the context of multi-person pose estimation, our survey uniquely differentiates between approaches focusing on relative poses and those addressing absolute poses. Our survey aims to serve as a pivotal resource for researchers, highlighting state-of-the-art deep learning strategies and identifying promising directions for future exploration in 3D human pose estimation.

With the emergence of artificial intelligence (AI), many aspects of our lives, from how we work to how we interact with each other and the world around us is showing dramatic changes. Education is one of the key areas that may be impacted by the rise of AI. Although a large number of studies have been conducted in recent years to shed light on how AI may influence various dimensions of education, a very little work has been carried out to consolidate and synthesis empirical studies on the application of AI in higher education. The present study reviewed empirical studies published between 2013 and 2022 to 1) examine the characteristics of published research in the field, and 2) to present thorough insights on the promises and challenges of this dramatic technology in higher and professional education. This review included 44 empirical studies published as peer-reviewed journal articles. The results indicated that there is rapid increase in the publications focusing on AI in higher education in last a few years. However, a big proportion of these publications are technically theoretical and conceptual proposals for AI intervention. The areas of AI applications in higher education that are supported by evidence based research are presented. Imperative implications are also highlighted for future research and implementation of AI based interventions in higher education.

(1) Background: In Eugenia Stipitata Mac Vaugh (Arazá), there is an abundance of flavonoids, carotenoids, and phenolic acids, which are bioactive compounds with antioxidant, anticarcinogenic, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic, antiulcer, and cardiovascular disease prevention benefits. Therefore, the aim of this review is to compile the compounds that have been identified in the fruit and gather information about secondary metabolites to establish their potential preventive and therapeutic effects; (2) Methods: a literature search was conducted in repositories and databases such as Science Direct, Scopus, PubMed, Web of Science, Agriculture Collection Gale, SAGE, OXFORD University, DOAJ, among others. Articles identifying and quantifying bioactive compounds present in Arazá were included; (3) Results: Five studies meeting the inclusion criteria were incorporated, resulting in the compilation of 82 compounds, of which 24 were identified and quantified, while 58 were solely identified. This review was able to identify and report the concentration, and in some cases, the quantity, of phenolic compounds with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory capabilities present in Arazá; (4) Conclusions: With this scope, it was possible to obtain a more comprehensive understanding of the fruit's potential to potentially enhance health aspects, thereby providing greater prominence and added value to this product, allowing for more frequent inclusion in the diets of consumers, and even enabling exportation.

Dengue virus infection is caused by a positive stranded RNA virus called Dengue virus, which is spread by arthropods. It is a fast growing acute febrile disease with potentially lethal consequences that is a global public health problem, mostly in tropical and subtropical countries. In Ethiopia dengue fever is understudied despite the fact that the virus is still being transmitted and viral infection rates are rising. This systematic review and meta-analysis was aimed to estimate the pooled prevalence of DENV infection in Ethiopia. A literature search was done on PubMed, Hinari and Google Scholar databases to identify studies published before July, 2023. Random effects and fixed effects models were used to estimate pooled prevalence of all the three markers. The Inconsistency Index was used to assess the level of heterogeneity. A total of 11 articles were included in this review. Majority of the studies had moderate risk of bias and no study had a high risk of bias. A meta-analysis estimated pooled IgG prevalence of 21% (95% CI: 19-23), a pooled prevalence of IgM 9% (95%CI: 4-13) and a pooled DENV-RNA prevalence of 48% (95% CI: 33-62). There is evidence of possible publication bias in IgG but not found in the rest of markers. The prevalence of DENV infection is high in Ethiopia. Healthcare providers, researchers and policymakers should give more attention to dengue fever.

Personalized surgery is not just a new trend but rather a patient-specific approach to therapy that makes it possible to adopt a targeted approach for a specific patient and closely mirrors the approach of personalized medicine. However, the application of tailored surgery in the context of cardiovascular replacement surgery was not systematically reviewed. The ability to customize a device is highly dependent on the collection of radiological image data for precise prosthesis modelling. These facts are essential to "tailor-made" device design for precise prosthesis implantation. According to this study, computed tomography (CT) was the most prominent imaging modality; however, transoesophageal echocardiography and echocardiography were also found to be helpful. Additionally, a dynamic finite element simulation is also an attractive alternative to the finite element analysis for an in-silico experiment. Nonetheless, there is a paucity of relevant publications and sporadic evidence. More clinical studies have been warranted, notwithstanding that the derived data and results from the insight into the use of therapeutic interventions may be of multiple directives in clinical practices and beyond. This study may help the integration of personalized devices for better comprehending predicted clinical outcomes, thus leading towards enhanced performance gains.

(1) Background: Psychological well-being (PWB) and female sexual health are two important areas for women’s quality of life and research, and they are closely related. The aim of this study was to conduct a systematic review of the existing literature to explore the association between PWB and sexual health in women. (2) Methods: This review was carried out following PRISMA. The inclusion criteria were studies with samples of adult women, that evaluated and associated sexual functioning and mental health. Scientific articles were identified on Web of Science, Scopus, EBSCO (PsycInfo, PsycArticles, and Psicodoc), ProQuest, and PubMed. The search was limited to years between 2010 and 2023. (3) Results: 14 selected articles were analyzed, in which population samples and variables related to mental and sexual health were examined. 42.9% of the studies included clinical samples, 71.4% focused on anxiety and depression as main mental health variables, and 50% examined female sexual functioning as a sexual health variable. (4) Conclusions: This review provides more up-to-date information about valuable insights into the possible determinants of female sexual health. The association between PWB and female sexual health has been demonstrated.

ABSTRACTBackground: Crohn's disease (CD) is a chronic inflammatory bowel disorder with limited treatment options. Mitochondrial dysfunction has been implicated in CD pathogenesis, and mitochondrial-based interventions have emerged as a potential therapeutic avenue. This systematic review aimed to assess the efficacy of mitochondrial-based interventions in the management of CD.Methods: A systematic search of multiple databases was conducted to identify relevant studies in accordance with the PRISMA protocol. Inclusion criteria encompassed studies investigating mitochondrial-targeted interventions in CD patients. Methodological quality and risk of bias assessments were performed. Data synthesis involved both quantitative meta-analysis and qualitative narrative synthesis.Results: A total of 23 studies were included in this review, comprising randomized controlled trials, observational studies, and case reports. Mitochondrial-based interventions encompassed nutraceuticals, probiotics, exercise, and dietary modifications. However, the overall quality of evidence was moderate, primarily due to methodological limitations in some studies.Conclusion: This systematic review suggests that mitochondrial-based interventions hold promise as adjunctive therapies for CD management. They appear to contribute to clinical remission and amelioration of disease activity. Nevertheless, the moderate quality of evidence underscores the need for further well-designed clinical trials to substantiate these findings and delineate optimal intervention strategies.

Structural design optimization (SDO) plays a pivotal role in enhancing various aspects of construction projects, including design quality, cost-efficiency, safety, and structural reliability. Recent endeavors in academia and industry have sought to harness the potential of Building Information Modeling (BIM) and optimization algorithms to optimize SDO and improve design outcomes. This review paper aims to synthesize these efforts, shedding light on how SDO contributes to project coordination. Furthermore, the integration of sustainability considerations and the application of innovative technologies and optimization algorithms in SDO necessitate more interactive early-stage collaboration among project stakeholders. This study offers a comprehensive exploration of contemporary research in integrated SDO employing BIM and optimization algorithms. It commences with an exploratory investigation, employing both qualitative and quantitative analysis techniques following the PRISMA systematic review methodology. Subsequently, an open-ended opinion survey was conducted among construction industry professionals in Europe. This survey yields valuable insights into the coordination challenges and potential solutions arising from technological shifts and interoperability concerns associated with widespread SDO implementation. These preliminary steps of systematic review and industry survey furnish a robust knowledge foundation, enabling the proposal of an intelligent framework for automating early-stage sustainable structural design optimization (ESSDO) within the construction sector. The framework ESSDO addresses the challenges of fragmented collaboration between architects and structural engineers. This proposed framework seamlessly integrates with the BIM platform, i.e., Autodesk Revit for architects. It extracts crucial architectural data and transfers it to the structural design and analysis platform, i.e., Autodesk Robot Structural Analysis (RSA), for structural engineers via the visual programming tool Dynamo. Once the optimization occurs, optimal outcomes are visualized within BIM environments. This visualization elevates interactive collaborations between architects and engineers, facilitating automation throughout the workflow and smoother information exchange.

Building facade design plays an essential role in enhancing energy efficiency and reducing environmental impact in high-performance building design. Balancing the conflicts among various building facade design parameters to satisfy different optimization objectives constitutes a highly complex optimization problem. The rapidly increasing number of studies demonstrates a significant interest in implementing multi-objective optimization methods to tackle building facade optimization problems. This study conducts a systematic review of optimization methods for building facade optimization (BFO). The optimization objectives and design variables are categorized based on their characteristics. The efficiency and effectiveness of optimization algorithms in addressing BFO problems are compared. Building optimization techniques and tools are showcased, along with their functions and limitations. Key findings highlight the robust feasibility and effectiveness of optimization algorithms, methods, and techniques in resolving a diverse range of BFO challenges. The limitations, challenges, and future potential of these methods are summarized and proposed.

The aim of this systematic review was to describe clinical and genetic features of syndromes showing oligodontia as a sign. The review was performed according to the PRISMA 2020 checklist guidelines, and the search was conducted using PubMed, Scopus, Lilacs, Web of science, Livivo and EMBASE and supplemented by a gray literature search on Google Scholar and ProQuest, applying key terms relevant to the research questions. The systematic review identified 49 types of syndromes in 91 studies, and the most common was hypohidrotic ectodermal dysplasia, which was reported in 24 patients in 22 studies. Other commonest syndromes that reported oligodontia included Axenfeld-Rieger syndrome, Witkop’s syndrome, Ellis-van Creveld syndrome, blepharocheilodontic syndrome and oculo-facio-cardio-dental syndrome. The X-linked mode of inheritance was the most reported (n=14 studies), followed by the autosomal dominant (n=11 studies). The review describes the main syndromes that may have oligodontia as a clinical sign and reinforce the need of oro-dental-facial examining for adequate diagnosis and treatment of the affected patients. Molecular analysis in order to better understand the occurrence of oligodontia is imperative.

Technology has transformed aeroponics, providing numerous advantages over traditional soil-based agriculture. However, there remains a need for comprehensive information on the types of technology employed in aeroponics and their impact on the growing process. This paper presents a literature review of 47 studies published between 2012 and 2023 in peer-reviewed journals and conference proceedings. As a result, it identifies the status and tendencies in the usage of technology in aeroponics as well as the main opportunities and challenges. Furthermore, this paper introduces the Technology Adoption and Integration in Sustainable Agriculture (TAISA) model. TAISA is a model that identifies the degree of technology integration in any sustainable agriculture system to determine how technology affects production and quality. Overall, the systematic review suggests that technology can play a vital role in improving the efficiency and sustainability of aeroponic farming. However, careful consideration must be given to the costs and technical requirements associated with using these technologies. Moreover, the TAISA model reveals that technology has primarily been employed in creating new processes that are not possible to implement without the help of technology. Therefore, we conclude that technology use has taken root in aeroponics and can be promoted to improve sustainable agriculture.

This paper aims to provide a systematic review of the literature on school effectiveness, with a focus on identifying the main factors that contribute to successful educational outcomes. The research question that this paper aims to address is: What are the main factors of school effectiveness? The research was interested in several descriptors such as school, effectiveness/efficiency theories, effectiveness/efficiency research, and factors. Studies were reviewed through two databases: JSTOR and ERIC (published within the 2016-2022 period). The paper defines several categories that are exposed within school effectiveness research. Within these categories, various factors that affect the students’ outcomes and the defined effectiveness at school are listed. As the results show, the issue of school effectiveness is a multifaced challenge as the effectiveness of schools is a complex concept that can be measured through various indicators such as academic achievement, student engagement and teacher satisfaction. The review of school effectiveness has revealed that several factors contribute to effective schools, such as strong leadership, effective teaching practices, a positive school culture and parental involvement. Additionally, school resources, such as funding and facilities, can impact school effectiveness, particularly in under-resourced communities.

Surgical neurolysis is a procedure designed to liberate an injured nerve from scar tissue or adjacent structure, thereby facilitating nerve regeneration in cases of brachial plexus neuropathy (BPN). This study presents a case series of patients diagnosed with BPN who underwent surgical neurolysis. The primary focus was on the clinical assessment of recovery using the British Medical Research Council motor grading scale (BMRC). Additionally, a comprehensive literature review was conducted to analyze motor recovery outcomes related to surgical neurolysis for BPN. 18 patients with BPN who underwent surgical neurolysis where included. The results experienced a notable increase of 58% in muscle strength as assessed by the BMRC. The average preoperative state of 2.17±1.15 improved significantly to a postoperative condition of 3.44±1.34 (p = 0.003, d= 0.913) The systematic review identified 2298 articles which were selected for qualitative analysis, demonstrated that surgical neurolysis was associated with favorable motor recovery outcomes in 75.82% of the patients. Both the case series and the literature review reveal significant motor recovery following surgical neurolysis. It is crucial to conduct well-designed, adequately powered, randomized, and blinded clinical trials. Such studies will provide robust evidence to support or refute the utility of this approach in motor recovery.

In this systematic review of the literature on using Machine Learning (ML) for credit risk prediction, we raise the need for financial institutions to use AI and ML to assess credit risk, analyzing large volumes of information. We posed research questions about algorithms, metrics, results, data sets, variables, and related limitations in predicting credit risk. We searched renowned databases to answer them and identified 52 relevant studies with the credit industry microfinance. Challenges and approaches in credit risk prediction using ML models we identified, difficulties with the implemented models such as the black box model, the need for explanatory artificial intelligence, the importance of selecting relevant features, addressing multicollinearity, and the problem of the imbalance in the input data. By answering the questions, we identified that the Boosted Category is the most researched family of ML models; the most commonly used metrics for evaluation are Area Under Curve (AUC), Accuracy (ACC), Recall, precision measure F1 (F1), and Precision; Research mainly uses public data sets to compare models, and private ones to generate new knowledge when applied to the real world. The most significant limitation identified is the representativeness of reality, and the variables primarily used in the microcredit industry are related data to the demographic, the operation, and payment behavior. This study aims to guide the developers of credit risk management tools and software towards the existing offer of ML methods, metrics, and techniques used to forecast it, thereby minimizing possible losses due to default and guiding risk appetite.

Ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) is the main severe complication of the ovarian stimulation for in vitro fertilization (IVF) cycles. The aim of the current study was to identify the interventions for prevention of and reduction in the incidence and severity of OHSS in patients who undergo IVF not included in systematic reviews with meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs), assess and grade their efficacy and evidence base. The best available evidence for each specific intervention was identify, analyzed in terms of safety/efficacy ratio and of risk of bias, and graded using Oxford Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine (CEBM) hierarchy of evidence. A total of 15 interventions to prevent OHSS were included in the final analysis. In IVF population not at high risk for OHSS, follitropin delta for ovarian stimulation may reduce the incidence of early OHSS and/or preventive interventions for early OHSS. In high-risk patients, inositol pretreatment, ovulation triggering with low doses of urinary hCG, and the luteal phase administration of GnRH antagonist may reduce the OHSS risk. In conclusion, even if not supported by systematic reviews with homogeneity of the RCTs, several treatments/strategies to reduce the incidence and severity of OHSS have shown to be promising.

The behavioral variant of frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD) has a devastating effect on multiple domains of daily living. The purpose of this PRISMA-compliant systematic review is to summarize the most important factors associated with functional impairment in this clinical group by critically analyzing the existing literature spanning the period from 2000 to 2023. To be included in the review, the study had to investigate any kind of correlates of functional status in bvFTD patients, using a previously validated instrument of functional assessment. Out of 40 articles assessed for eligibility, 18 met the inclusion criteria. The anatomical pattern of cerebral atrophy at baseline appeared to be the strongest predictor of the rate of functional decline over time, with the frontal-dominant anatomical subtype being associated with a faster rate of functional impairment. Additionally, executive dysfunction as well as apathy appeared to contribute significantly to functional disability in bvFTD patients. A comparative examination of bvFTD in relation to other clinical subtypes of FTD and other types of dementia in general suggests that it’s the predominant atrophy of the frontal lobes along with the subsequent unique combination of cognitive and neuropsychiatric manifestations that account for the pronounced functional limitations observed in these individuals, even from the early stages of the disease.

The osteoarthritis (OA), the main cause of disability, is a chronic condition that most frequently affects older adults. As the population ages, the cost of treatment is placing pressure on the healthcare budget. As a result, it is imperative to evaluate the medicines' cost-effectiveness and the influence they have on health resource allocation. Hence, our study aims to summarize the cost and outcome of utilizing glucosamine in OA treatment. Authentic databases like Medline, Cochrane, and Scopus were adopted for the identification process up until July 2023. Our primary inclusion criteria centered on the economic evaluation of Glucosamine in OA treatments with provided the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) at least. The Quality of Health Economic Studies (QHES) instrument was applied to grade the quality of the studies. A total of 7 qualified studies were selected and discussed the cost-effectiveness of glucosamine with or without other formulations. All of them demonstrated that glucosamine was cost-effective. There was an in-creasement of QALY when incorporating Glucosamine into conventional care. Moreover, Crystalline Glucosamine Sulfate (pCGS) was more cost-effective than the Other Formulations of Glucosamine (OFG). In overall, utilizing pCGS was more beneficial than OFG in terms both of cost and quality of life.

Using the Super-SBM method, this study calculates the carbon emission efficiency (CEE) of 30 provinces in mainland China from 2011 to 2019. Then, using the systematic GMM model, spatial Durbin model, and mediating effect model, it examines the direct effect, spatial effect, and influence mechanism of the digital economy (DE) on CEE. It was found that (1) the DE significantly promoted regional CEE, but had a negative effect on CEE in provinces with high economic correlation; (2) mechanism studies showed that the DE improved CEE by reducing energy intensity, promoting industrial upgrading and green technology innovation; (3) regional heterogeneity analysis found that the DE significantly improved CEE in eastern provinces, but not in central and western provinces. DE improves CEE in provinces with high level of economic development, but decreases CEE in provinces with low level of economic development.This paper provides some empirical and theoretical references for the development of DE to improve CEE.

Background and Objectives: Angioembolization has emerged as an effective therapeutic approach for pelvic hemorrhages; however, its exact effect size remains uncertain. Therefore, we conducted this systematic review and meta-analysis to investigate the effect size of embolization-related pelvic complications after nonselective angioembolization compared to that after selective angioembolization in patients with pelvic injury accompanying hemorrhage. Materials and Methods Relevant articles were collected by searching the PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane databases until June 24, 2023. Meta-analyses were conducted using odds ratios (ORs) for binary outcomes. Quality assessment was conducted using the risk of bias tool in non-randomized studies of interventions. Results: Five studies examining 357 patients were included in the meta-analysis. Embolization-related pelvic complications did not significantly differ between patients with nonselective and selective angioembolization (OR 1.581, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.592 to 4.225, I2 = 0%). However, in-hospital mortality was more likely to be higher in the nonselective group (OR 2.232, 95% CI 1.014 to 4.913, I2 = 0%) than in the selective group. In the quality assessment, two studies were found to have a moderate risk of bias, whereas two studies exhibited a serious risk of bias. Conclusions: Despite the favorable outcomes observed with nonselective angioembolization concerning embolization-related pelvic complications, determining the exact effect sizes was limited owing to the significant risk of bias and heterogeneity. Nonetheless, the low incidence of ischemic pelvic complications appears to be a promising result.

The modern technologies require the need to analyze the opportunities for improvement the integration of digital technologies in CSR activities in the context of added values be-tween business and science in perspective, incl. the future digital society. The main goal of this article is to identify the current state of research on the integration of digital technolo-gies in CSR activities in business, as well as to prepare recommendations for further re-search and practice. A systematic literature review and bibliometric analysis of 129 scien-tific articles published between 2014 to 2023 was performed. The bibliometric analysis was organized in two directions: descriptive and performance analysis, through which we can study the contribution of the analyzed objects to the given scientific area, and science mapping, which studies the relationships among them. The results indicate that the com-panies use more frequently artificial intelligence, blockchain, the Internet of Things and other technologies to increase the efficiency and impact of their CSR activities. In addition, this research reveals the basis of bringing forward the new trends for future publications, which shall upgrade and enrich the theory and practice.

ORB (Oriented FAST and Rotated Brief) features are the most commonly used features in visual SLAM and visual odometry that have high computational speed, and rotation scale invariance. However, due to the homogenization of ORB features, the corner properties of specific features are poor in some artificial environments, and it can lead to poor matching performance when the environmental texture is not rich. The underlying reason is that the pixel grayscale changes in the less-richly textured regions on the image are not obvious, leading to a certain degree of mis-matching in the matching process. At the same time, when the camera motion speed is low, there is much overlap between adjacent frames. This results in minimal or almost no changes in the projection of feature points, and the system is highly sensitive to errors, In this case, even small errors can cause significant fluctuations in the calculation results. In response to the above issues, an improved feature point method for stereo vision mileage calculation is proposed to solve the problem of system stability deterioration when cameras move at low speeds in artificial envi-ronments. Firstly, weight calculation based on different texture regions is used to solve the problem of low corner properties of feature points caused by environmental texture differences. Then, keyframes are used for motion model estimation to improve the system's stability under low-speed motion. The experimental results of the dataset showed that the key frame rate was optimal between 10% and 12%, and the positioning accuracy was higher than these open-source systems compared with three common open-source VO systems.

The purpose of this systematic review is to examine the various articles published in the field of neuropsychology of anxiety research in terms of publication type and volume, methodology, and subject matter. The significance of this topic derives from the clinical and functional consequences of cognitive symptoms. Generalized anxiety disorder refers to the cluster of clinical symptoms characterized by predominant anxious anticipation and difficulty controlling worry. In order for the review to be systematic and reproducible, a search of the PsycINFO, Scopus, PubMed, Elsevier databases and an analysis using the PRISMA method are suggested. After analyzing the research data, empirical studies evaluating the clinical neuropsychology of generalized anxiety disorder are discussed.

Background: There is considerable evidence to support the association between environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) exposure and children’s burden of disease. However, literature on the health outcomes of prenatal ETS exposure among Chinese children has not yet been comprehensively reviewed. Objective: This systematic scoping review examines the currently available evidence and identifies gaps for further research on the health consequences of prenatal ETS exposure among Chinese children. Methods: Following the JBI scoping review methodological framework, we conducted a computer-aid search of three electronic databases-- PubMed, EBSCOhost, and ProQuest to include studies from January 2011 to May 2023 that addressed the health outcomes of Chinese children whose mothers were exposed to ETS at any stage of the pregnancy. Further, a methodological quality assessment of the selected articles was conducted, using JBI Critical Appraisal Checklists. Results: A total of 30 articles were reviewed, including eleven high-quality studies and nineteen moderate-quality studies. Five main themes, including hypertension, foetal and children’s development, behavioural disorders, respiratory outcomes, and other health outcomes. Majority of studies showed positive link between prenatal ETS exposure and increase risk of preterm birth, and moderately, foetal growth restriction. Few studies explored other potential adverse outcome of ETS, including hypertension, respiratory morbidity, lung function and asthma in their children. Conclusion: The current available evidence on prenatal ETS exposure in Chinese children has unveiled a wide range of health outcomes, including preterm birth, foetal development, behavioural disorders and much more. However, Chinese studies in this area are still lacking and a gap still exists in relation to the strength of association between prenatal ETS exposure and some health risks. Efficient anti-smoking policies and smoking cessation programs should be developed to promote maternal and child health. Further research is also needed to provide better evidence in this field.

Globally, gastric cancer is a major cause of cancer mortality, with a 5-year survival rate of 32% for locally advanced and metastatic gastric cancer. This systematic literature review summarized the clinical, safety, and humanistic outcomes associated with systemic regimens given as first line therapy for locally advanced and metastatic gastric cancer. The search included articles published in English in PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and the American Society of Clinical Oncology meeting library, from inception to April 2022. Phase II and III randomized controlled trials conducted among western populations diagnosed with stage III and IV locally advanced and metastatic gastric cancer were included. Two investigators independently reviewed the studies, conducted data extraction, and assessed risk of bias in accordance with PRISMA guidelines. Twenty-four randomized controlled trials totaling 8,705 patients were included. Median overall survival ranged from 5.0-13.1 months, median progression-free survival ranged from 2.0-7.7 months, and objective response ranged from 13.0-64.1%. Two studies reported higher quality of life outcomes. Grade 3 and 4 adverse events were reported in most studies. Improvement in clinical outcomes can be seen in recently published randomized controlled trials for locally advanced and metastatic gastric cancer.

Delay in data transmission is one of key performance indicators (KPIs) of a network. The planning and project value of delay in network management is of crucial importance for the optimal allocation of network resources and their performance focuses. To create optimal solutions, predictive models, which are currently most often based on machine learning (ML), are used. This paper aims to investigate the training, testing and selection of the best predictive delay model for a VoIP service in an Long Term Evolution (LTE) network using three ML techniques - Neural Networks (NN), Support Vector Machines (SVM) and k-Nearest Neighbors (k-NN). The space of model input variables is optimized by dimensionality reduction techniques: RReliefF algorithm, Backward selection via the recursive feature elimination algorithm and the Pareto 80/20 rule. A three-segment road in the geo-space between the cities of Banja Luka (BL) and Doboj (Db) in the Republic of Srpska (RS), Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), covered by the cellular network (LTE) of the M:tel BL operator was chosen for the case study. The results show that, in all three optimization approaches, the k-NN model is selected as the best solution. For the RReliefF optimization algorithm, the best model has 6 inputs and minimum relative error (RE), RE=0.109; for the Backward selection via the recursive feature elimination algorithm, the best model has 4 inputs and RE=0.041; and for the Pareto 80/20 rule, the best model has 11 inputs and RE= 0.049. The comparative analysis of the results concludes that according to observed criteria for the selection of the final model, the best solution is an approach to optimizing the number of predictors based on the Backward selection via the recursive feature elimination algorithm.

The nursing process in clinical practice can be assessed using standardized language systems. The purpose is to find evidence on the effectiveness of the nursing process with standardized terminology using NANDA International, Nursing Interventions Classification, and Nursing Outcome Classification improving diag-nostic accuracy, nursing interventions, health outcomes, and people’s satisfaction. A systematic review was carried out in Medline and PreMedline, Embase, The Cochrane Library, CINAHL, SCI-EXPANDED, SSCI and Scielo and LILACS including randomized clinical trials, quasi-experimental, cohort and case-control studies. Selection and critical appraisal were conducted by two independent reviewers. The certainty of the evidence was assessed with Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation Methodology. 17 studies were included with variability in the level and certainty of evidence. According to outcomes, 6 evaluated improvements in diagnostic accuracy and 11 evaluated improvements in individual health outcomes. No studies evaluated improvements in intervention efficacy or population satisfaction. There is a need to increase studies with rigorous methodologies that address diagnostic accuracy and indi-viduals’ health outcomes using NANDA International, Nursing Interventions Classification, and Nursing Outcome Classification; as well as implementing studies that evaluate the use of these terminologies for improvements in the efficacy of nurses' interventions and population satisfaction with the nursing process.

Exosomes have shown promising potential as a therapeutic approach for wound healing. Nevertheless, the translation from experimental studies to commercially available treatments is still lacking. To assess the current state of research in this field, a systematic review was performed to examine the methodological heterogeneity among studies conducted over the past five years. Additionally, the review analyzed the suitability of animal models used and their relevance to human medicine. A PubMed search was performed for english-language, full-text available papers published from 2018 to June 2023, focusing on exosomes derived from mammalian sources and their application in wound healing, particularly those involving in vivo assays. Out of 531 results, 148 papers were selected for analysis. The findings revealed significant variability in terms of cell sources and types, biomaterials, and administration routes under investigation, indicating the need for further research in this field. Additionally, a comparative examination encompassing diverse cellular origins, types, administration pathways, or biomaterials is imperative. Furthermore, the predominance of rodent-based animal models raises concerns, as there have been limited advancements towards more complex in vivo models and scale-up assays. These constraints underscore the substantial efforts that remain necessary before attaining commercially viable and extensively applicable therapeutic approaches using exosomes.

Background and aim: To explore the discriminant accuracy of Cytokeratin 18 (CK18, including M65 and M30 forms) for an elevated fatty liver index (FLI) as a validated proxy of Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD), and cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk in the general population. Methods: Both serum CK18 forms were measured using a commercial immunoassay in randomly selected samples from 312 participants of the PREVEND general population cohort. FLI ≥60 was used to indicate NAFLD. Framingham Risk Score (FRS) and the SCORE2 were used to estimate the 10-year risk of CVD. Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve, linear/logistic regression models and Spearman's correlations were used. Results: Intricate associations were found between CK18, FLI and CVD risk scores. While M30 was the only independent predictor of FLI≥60, M65 discriminated best NAFLD individuals at very-high 10-years CVD risk according to SCORE2 (AUC:0.71; p=0.001). Values above the predefined manufacturer cut-off (400 U/l), were associated with an independent 5-fold increased risk (adjusted odds ratio: 5.44, p=0.01), with negative predictive value of 93%. Conclusions: Confirming that NAFLD is associated with an increased CVD risk, our results point to CK18 M65 as a candidate biomarker to identify NAFLD individuals at low CVD risk in European general population.

The abnormal accumulation of cells in the human brain, if left untreated, may cause brain damage. Management and treatment of these tumours require an early and accurate diagnosis, while their prognostic characterisation can also be beneficial in the choice of care planning for the patient. CDSSs are being continuously developed and integrated into routine clinical practice as they assist clinicians and radiologists to deal with an enormous amount of medical data, reduce clinical errors, and improve diagnostic capabilities. They assist detection, classification, and grading of brain tumours as well as alerting physicians of requirement of change in treatment plans. The aim of this systematic review is to identify various CDSSs used in brain tumour diagnosis and prognosis, that rely on data captured by any imaging modality. Based on the 2020 Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) protocol, the literature search was conducted in PubMed and Engineering Village Compendex databases. This review examines various CDSS tool types, system features, techniques used, accuracy, and outcome, to provide the latest evidence available in the field of neuro-oncology. An overview of different types of CDSSs used to support clinical decision-making in the management and treatment of brain tumours, along with highlighting their benefits, challenges, and future perspectives has been provided.

Remittances are essential to economies in mountainous regions that face massive labour migration due to limited income generation and employment opportunities. In 2021, the share of remittances to GDP in the top 10 mountainous economies in the world was over 20%. Nonetheless, most are characterized by relatively lower GDP per capita and high poverty levels. Drawing a comparison with other mountainous areas, Phuthadjthaba, an emerging mountainous and border city of South Africa with Lesotho, faces similar out-migration and inferior socio-economic parameters. A global systematic literature review on the impact of remittances on livelihoods specifically targeting mountainous areas is missing. We, therefore, interrogate the role remittances can play in Phuthadijthaba. To inform our intended research, we seek to draw lessons from evidence on how migration and remittances affect mountainous communities globally. Accordingly, we carry out a systematic literature review (SLR) based on an updated Preferred Reporting Item for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) 2020 statement supported by Bibliometric (co-word) Analysis (BA) in VOSViewer. We collected data from Scopus and Dimensions websites and drew 165 publications, of which only 88 were included after exclusion and inclusion assessments. PRISMA results show that Mountain Research and Development, King Russell, and Nepal is the most productive and cited journal, the most productive and cited author, and the most researched country, respectively. Bibliometric analysis on keyword co-occurrences reveals women, agriculture, labour migration, land management, forest, and poverty, to be the research hotspots. In light of these findings, we proffer important recommendations to future researchers and policymakers.

Consumption is thus fundamentally related to sustainably because every decision pertaining to what to buy, what quantity the buy, how many to consume, or how to dispose of things has a direct influence on the natural world and the generations to come, and the overall impact of every single the customer's purchase is disastrous. A framework-based systematic literature review (SLR) was conducted to better comprehend the body of research on digital innovation and sustainability driving consumer behavior. This was done in order to acquire a deeper understanding of the studies that have already been done in this area. to provide (i) a comprehensive review of the current research landscape and (ii) a rich roadmap for future research. This study evaluated the literature especially in terms of theory, context, traits, and methodology. A total of 107 research articles published between 2013 and 2022 were found using scientific methods in the Scopus database. The findings showed that most research appears to have employed qualitative methodologies and was grounded in the setting of China and Italy. This review could help scholars better grasp the relationship between digital innovation and sustainability, opening the door for additional study and advancement in the field. Additionally, by extending the literature study and emphasizing the elements that can improve digital innovation and sustainability, practitioners will be given a better overall understanding of how to approach the problem.

Supply Chain Management (SCM) encompasses a wide variety of decision-making problems that affect business and supply chain performance as a whole. Since most of these problems involve uncertainty and hesitation on the part of Decision Makers (DMs), various studies have emerged recently that present SCM applications of techniques based on Hesitant Fuzzy Linguistic Term Sets (HFLTSs) and HFLTS extensions. Given the relevance of this subject and the lack of literature review studies, this study presents a systematic review of HFLTS and HFLTS extension applications to SCM decision-making problems. In order to answer a set of research questions, the selected papers have been classified in accordance with a group of factors that are pertinent to the origins of these studies, SCM, HFLTSs, and decision-making. The results demonstrate that the Source and Enable processes have been studied with greater frequency, while the most common problems have to do with supplier selection, failure evaluation, and performance evaluation. The companies of the automotive sector and Sustainable SCM and Green SCM strategies predominate in the analyzed studies. Even though most of the studies use techniques based on HFLTSs, we have identified applications of seven distinct HFLTS extensions, with Double Hierarchy Hesitant Fuzzy Linguistic Term Sets and Probabilistic Linguistic Term Sets being the most utilized. The identification of gaps in the literature presents avenues for future studies focused on innovative applications, integrations of techniques, comparisons of techniques, group decision-making, and validation procedures for new models. The results of this study offer a panorama of the state of the art in regard to this subject and can help researchers and practitioners develop new studies which involve the use of methods that employ HFLTSs and HFLTS extensions in SCM decision-making problems.

This paper presents a systematic literature review that identifies critical factors impacting the implementation of advanced manufacturing technology (AMT) worldwide. The study utilizes two databases, ProQuest and Compendex, as well as Google Scholar. The study identified eight dimensions that illustrate the critical factors of AMT adoption and implementation: education, planning, top management know-how, technical know-how, business, economic impact, regulations, and social impact. The results highlight a research gap in understanding the need for effective integration among these eight dimensions in developed and developing economies. Consequently, the study recommends the adoption of a broader perspective that considers the role of integration and interaction between critical factors in each category and their impact on AMT implementation. The systematic literature review conducted in this study reviews several critical factors related to the adoption and implementation of AMT.

Knee osteoarthritis is the most popular type of osteoarthritis that causes extreme pain in elderly. Currently there is no cure for osteoarthritis. To lessen clinical symptoms, glucosamine was suggested. The primary goal of our study is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of glucosamine from recent studies. Electronic databases such as PubMed, Scopus, Cochrane were used to assess RCT. From the beginning through March 2023, the papers were checked, and if they fulfilled the inclusion criteria, they were then examined. WOMAC and VAS scales were considered as main outcome measure. A total of 15 studies were selected. Global pain was significantly decreased in comparison to placebo, as measured by the VAS index, with an overall effect size SMD of -7.41 ([95% CI] 14.31, 0.51). The WOMAC scale confirmed that pain, stiffness, and physical function had improved, however the effects were insufficient. A statistical update also revealed that there were no reports of serious medication interactions or significant adverse events. To summarize, glucosamine is more effective than a placebo at reducing pain in knee osteoarthritis patients. In long-term treatment, oral glucosamine sulfate 1500 mg/day is believed to be well tolerated.

Background: Routine human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine uptake continues to be suboptimal since its recommendation in 2006 for girls and in 2011 for boys. This paper aims to review published quality improvement (QI) methodologies on interventions to improve HPV vaccine uptake among adolescents; Methods: Science Direct and Scopus databases were searched for QI initiatives evaluating the effect of multimodal interventions to improve HPV vaccination rates (initiation and/or completion of series) among adolescents. Studies that included an outcome of interest among adolescents aged 10 to 18 years old were included. Two investigators worked independently to screen for potential articles and a designated investigator extracted data on study characteristics and evaluated the outcomes; Results: Preliminary search yielded a total of 523 articles and 13 were included in the final analysis. Common strategies were provider-specific and patient- and/or parent-specific interventions, with an emphasis on education and knowledge empowerment. System-level interventions such as policy changes and revised protocol were less commonly prescribed despite being associated with more significant weight on the overall outcome; Conclusions: Creative, sustainable, and economical multilevel interventions that focus not only on provider training and public education but also incorporate local policy and system enhancement can substantially improve HPV vaccination coverage among adolescents.

Atherosclerosis (AS) is a chronic progressive disease caused by various factors, and causes various cerebrovascular and cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). Reducing the plasma levels of low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C) is the primary goal in preventing and treating AS. Proprotein Convertase Subtilisin/Kexin Type 9 (PCSK9) plays a crucial role in regulating LDL-C metabolism. Panax notoginseng has potent lipid-reducing effects and protects against CVDs, and its saponins induce vascular dilatation, inhibit thrombus formation, and are used in treating CVDs. However, the anti-AS effect of the secondary metabolite, 20(S) -protopanaxatriol (20(S)-PPT), remains unclear. In this study, the anti-AS effect and molecular mechanism of 20(S)-PPT were investigated in vivo and in vitro by western blotting, real time-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), Enzyme-linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA), immunofluorescence staining, and other assays. The in vitro experiments revealed that 20(S)-PPT reduced the levels of PCSK9 in the supernatant of HepG2 cells, upregulated low density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR) protein levels, promoted LDL uptake by HepG2 cells, and reduced PCSK9 mRNA transcription by upregulating the levels of FoxO3 protein and mRNA and decreasing the levels of HNF1α protein and mRNA. The in vivo experiments revealed that 20(S)-PPT upregulated aortic αSMA expression, increased the stability of atherosclerotic plaques, and reduced aortic plaque formation induced by a high-cholesterol fed in ApoE-/- mice (HCF group). Additionally, 20(S)-PPT reduced the aortic expression of CD68, reduced inflammation in the aortic root, and alleviated the hepatic lesions in the HCF group. The study revealed that 20(S)-PPT inhibited LDLR degradation via PCSK9 to alleviate AS.

Background: Thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) has become the standard treatment for blunt thoracic aortic injury (BTAI). Some small observational studies revealed aortic morphological changes after TEVAR in patients with BTAI. However, these studies were limited by the rarity of the condition and small sample sizes. To address this gap, the current study aims to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis of existing literature to provide evidence on the degree of immediate and long-term aortic diameter change following TEVAR for BTAI. Methods: This systematic review and meta-analysis of studies published up to March 2023, was conducted in accordance with the PRISMA statement. Studies eligible for inclusion were studies evaluating aortic diameter change post-TEVAR in BTAI patients. Results: 14 articles, including 353 patients, were included after review. Treatment and measurement protocols varied among individual studies resulting in high heterogeneity of the results. Our meta-analysis demonstrated an immediate post-intervention dilation 2.41 mm and 2.63 mm of the proximal and distal aortic necks’, respectively, as well as continuous dilation of the respective regions at a rate of 0.35 mm/year and 0.49 mm/year. Conclusion: TEVAR in BTAI leads to immediate post-intervention and continuous aortic dilation and morphological changes with possible future important clinical consequences.

Indonesia has emerged as one of the leading producers and exporters of palm oil, as supported by data from the Central Bureau of Statistics in 2021, which indicate that Indonesian palm oil exports reached an impressive value of US$ 18.44 billion, or IDR 258 trillion, in 2020, marking an 18.43 percent growth compared to the previous year. Furthermore, the domestic market for palm oil and palm kernel oil remains substantial, despite improvements in export quantities. Various industries, including cooking oil refineries, specialty fats, shortening, margarine, bath soaps, and oleochemicals, present potential markets for palm oil (CPO) and palm kernel oil (PKO). The palm oil industry encompasses four related sub-sectors, namely growers, millers, refiners, and oleochemicals, forming an integrated value chain from upstream to downstream. The current focus on environmental, economic, and social sustainability is driving companies to adopt internal green activities and expand their efforts into sustainability supply chain management (SSCM). Implementing SSCM practices is often seen as economically beneficial, as research has demonstrated their positive impact on firm performance from a resource perspective. Within the palm oil industry, a wide range of green management applications are being utilized. This study aims to examine and highlight the existing sustainable management practices across the entire palm oil supply chain, with a particular emphasis on producing high-quality palm oil. To achieve this objective, the paper utilizes a systematic review methodology, The number of papers analyzed were 62 articles published which involves an extensive review of relevant literature to identify research trends, gaps, and issues. The study seeks to contribute to the body of knowledge by expanding the theory of organizational readiness in preparing globally competitive palm oil products. The research findings hold practical significance for practitioners and academics, providing a comprehensive roadmap for implementing green management applications at the organizational level in the palm oil industry's upstream-to-downstream chain.

The timely diagnosis of defects at their incipient stage of formation is crucial to extend the life-cycle of technical appliances. This is the case of mechanical-related stress, either due to long aging degradation processes (e.g., corrosion) or in-operation forces (e.g., impact events), which might provoke detrimental damages, such as cracks, disbonding or delaminations, most commonly followed by the release of acoustic energy. The localization of these sources can be successfully fulfilled via adoption of Acoustic Emission (AE)-based inspection techniques through the computation of the Time of Arrival (ToA), namely the time at which the induced mechanical wave released at the occurrence of the acoustic event arrives to the acquisition unit. However, the accurate estimation of the ToA may be hampered by poor Signal-to-Noise ratios (SNRs). In these conditions, standard statistical methods typically fail. In this work, two alternative Deep Learning methods are proposed for ToA retrieval, namely a Dilated Convolutional Neural Network (DilCNN) and a Capsule Neural Network for ToA (CapsToA). These methods have the additional benefit of being portable on resource-constrained microprocessors. Their performance has been extensively studied on both synthetic and experimental data, focusing on the problem of ToA identification for the case of a metallic plate. Results show that the two novel methods can achieve localization errors which are up to 70% more precise than those yielded by conventional strategies, even when the SNR is severely compromised (i.e., down to 2 dB). Moreover, DilCNN and CapsNet have been implemented in a tiny machine learning environment and then deployed on microcontroller units, showing a negligible loss of performance with respect to offline realizations.

Thirteen benzylethylenearyl ureas and one carbamate have been designed, synthesized and biologically evaluated as regards their antiproliferative activity on tumor cell lines HEK-293 and A-549 and on the immune and endothelial Jurkat T cells and HMEC-1, respectively. A relationship between the structure of the synthetic compounds and their antiproliferative activity has been established. Compounds C.1, C.3, C.12 and C.14 were chosen for further biological studies in order to determine their potential as oncoimmunomodulating agents. Some compounds exhibited significant inhibitory effects on both total PD-L1 and VEGFR-2 in HT-29 cell line, showing urea C.12 active against both targets. Some compounds could reduce more than 50% of cancer living cells, compared to non-treated ones, when assessed in co-cultures using HT-29 and THP-1 cells. In addition, these compounds showed no effect on the immune cell viability and significantly reduce CD11b expression, which is a promising target for immune modulation in anti-cancer therapies.

Land Use /Land Cover (LULC) change is a major global concern and a topic of scientific debate. In West Africa, the key among the past changes is the loss of natural vegetation related to changes in different Land Use/Land Cover (LULC) categories, e.g., water bodies, wetland and bare soil. However, not all detected changes in these LULC categories are relevant for LULC change management intervention in a resource-constrained continent, as a massive change in the dominant LULC types may be due to errors in the LULC maps. Previous LULC change analysis detected large discrepancies in the existing LULC maps in the Africa continent. Here we applied an open and synergistic framework to update and improve the existing LULC maps at every five years intervals from 1990 to 2020 in West Africa at a finer spatial resolution of 30m. Next, we detected spatial temporal pattern in past and present LULC changes with the intensity analysis framework in the periods of 1990–2000, 2000–2010, and 2010–2020. A faster annual rate of overall transition was detected in 1990–2000 (first period) and 2010–2020 (recent period) than in 2000–2010 (middle). We observed consistent gains in rangeland (shrubland and grassland) in all the periods, which confirms the observed re-greening of rangeland in the West Africa continent. By contrast, forestland areas experienced consistent losses for the entire periods, which indicate deforestation and degradation. As regards cropland, a net loss was observed in the drought period and net gains in the subsequent periods. The settlement category also gained actively in all periods. Net losses of wetland and bare land categories were also observed in all the periods. We observed net gains in water bodies in 1990–2000 and net losses in the last period. We highlighted the active forestland losses as systematic and hence a clarion call for an intervention. The simultaneous active gross loss and gain intensity of cropland raises food security concern and must send an early warning signal to policy makers that the food security of marginal geographic locations is under threat despite the massive expansion of cropland observed in this study area. The intensity analysis framework was vital to identify the settlement category as relevant for LULC change management intervention across time and space in West Africa instead of focusing on dynamics of all the LULC categories that may be irrelevant and hence a cost effective LULC change management approach. Policies to control the expansion of settlements will indirectly regulate the expansion of cropland field because we observed that as settlement encroached on cropland, simultaneously cropland encroached on natural vegetation to meet the food security requirements of the inhabitants.

The unique physical demands of soccer necessitate optimal nutrition strategies for enhancing players' performance, recovery, and overall health. However, the effects of nutrition interventions on professional soccer players remain underexplored. This review aims to synthesize the current literature on the impact of nutrition interventions on professional soccer players' performance to inform future research and practical applications. The review will follow the PRISMA guidelines and the Cochrane Handbook of Systematic Reviews. We will employ a four-part search strategy to identify relevant studies, including electronic bibliographic databases, trial registers, the web of clinical trials, and bibliography screening. Inclusion criteria will encompass randomized clinical trials involving professional or semiprofessional soccer players utilizing a nutrition or diet intervention. Quality assessment will be conducted using the Risk of Bias 2 (RoB 2) tool. A narrative synthesis will be provided, detailing the intervention types and their effects on performance. This review will offer a comprehensive understanding of the potential benefits of nutrition interventions for soccer professionals, helping coaches, nutritionists, and players to tailor their approaches for optimal performance and recovery.

Background: More than 270 million participants and 128,893 professional players play soccer. Research only weakly supports the impact of diets and supplements on the performance and recovery of professional soccer players. Methods: We conducted a comprehensive search in Pub-Med, Scopus, Web of Science, and clinical trial registers. Inclusion criteria focused on professional or semi-professional soccer players, nutrition or diet interventions, performance improvement outcomes, and randomized clinical trial study types. We assessed quality using the Risk of Bias 2 (RoB 2) tool. We identified 16 eligible articles involving 310 participants. No nutritional intervention during the recovery period effectively improved recovery. However, several perfor-mance-based interventions showed positive effects, such as tart cherry supplementation, raw pistachio nut kernels, bicarbonate and mineral ingestion, creatine supplementation, betaine consumption, symbiotic supplements, and a high carbohydrate diet. These interventions influenced various aspects of soccer performance, including endurance, speed, agility, strength, power, explosiveness, and anaerobic capacity. Conclusions: Specific strategies, such as solutions with bicarbonate and minerals, high carbohydrate diets, and supplements like creatine, betaine, and tart cherry, can enhance the performance of professional soccer players. These targeted nutritional interventions may help optimize performance and provide the competitive edge required in professional soccer. We did not find any dietary interventions that could enhance recovery during recovery.

Introduction: Unlike cigarette smoking, secondhand smoke (SHS) has not been as well described as an environmental risk for Multiple sclerosis (MS) nor as a risk factor for disease progression. We systematically reviewed the association between SHS and the risk of onset and/or progression of MS.Methods: We systematically screened MEDLINE/PUBMED, Science Direct, LILACs, and SCIELO searching for publications between January 1st , 2010, and July 5, 2021 with the following keywords: “multiple sclerosis and smoking”; “multiple sclerosis and passive smoking”; “multiple sclerosis and secondhand smoking”. An 11-year filter was applied from 2010 to 2021. Results: Fifteen articles were included in this review, which consisted of systematic reviews with meta-analysis (N = 2), systematic reviews (N = 2), and observational studies (N = 11). Both meta-analyses reported an impact of SHS on MS onset among secondhand smokers. One of the systematic reviews selected two observational studies showing the association between SHS and MS development, and one study that did not find a significant association between SHS and the risk of MS development. The other systematic review identified selected eight articles showing a relationship between SHS and MS. Seven observational studies reported higher odds of MS onset when associated with SHS. Four observational studies did not show a relationship between SHS and MS onset or progression.Discussion: Most articles showed a positive association between SHS exposure and the risk of developing MS. On the other hand, an association between SHS and a higher risk for MS progression could not be established.