The objective of this study was to develop a simultaneous analytical method for the determination of lignans, tocols, phytosterols, and squalene using high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with a diode array and fluorescence detector (HPLC-DAD-FLD). The method employed a Vertisep^TM UPS silica HPLC column (4.6 × 250 mm, 5 µm) with a mobile phase mixture of n-hexane/tetrahydrofuran/2-propanol. This approach enabled the simultaneous analysis of ten compounds within 22 min. The linear correlation (R²) exceeded 0.9901. The limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantitation (LOQ) were up to 0.43 µg mL⁻¹ for lignans and tocopherols and up to 326.23 µg mL⁻¹ for phytosterol and squalene. The precision and accuracy of the intra-day and inter-day variation were less than 1.09 and 3.32% relative standard deviations (RSDs). Furthermore, the developed method was applied for the analysis of targeted compounds in twenty-eight sesame oil samples (1775–8965 µg g⁻¹ total lignans, 29.7–687.9 µg g⁻¹ total tocopherols, 2640–9500 µg g⁻¹ phytosterol, and 245–4030 µg g⁻¹ squalene). The HPLC method that has been developed was proven to be a reliable and effective tool for the determination of those functional compounds among sesame oil samples. Full article

With this follow-up paper, we continue developing a mathematical framework based on information geometry for representing physical objects. The long-term goal is to lay down informational foundations for physics, especially quantum physics. We assume that we can now model information sources as univariate normal probability distributions $\mathcal{N}(\mu ,{\sigma }_0)$, as before, but with a constant ${\sigma }_0$ not necessarily equal to 1. Then, we also relaxed the independence condition when modeling m sources of information. Now, we model m sources with a multivariate normal probability distribution ${\mathcal{N}}_m(\mathit{\mu },{\mathbf{\Sigma }}_0)$ with a constant variance–covariance matrix ${\mathbf{\Sigma }}_0$ not necessarily diagonal, i.e., with covariance values different to 0, which leads to the concept of modes rather than sources. Invoking Schrödinger’s equation, we can still break the information into m quantum harmonic oscillators, one for each mode, and with energy levels independent of the values of ${\sigma }_0$, altogether leading to the concept of “intrinsic”. Similarly, as in our previous work with the estimator’s variance, we found that the expectation of the quadratic Mahalanobis distance to the sample mean equals the energy levels of the quantum harmonic oscillator, being the minimum quadratic Mahalanobis distance at the minimum energy level of the oscillator and reaching the “intrinsic” Cramér–Rao lower bound at the lowest energy level. Also, we demonstrate that the global probability density function of the collective mode of a set of m quantum harmonic oscillators at the lowest energy level still equals the posterior probability distribution calculated using Bayes’ theorem from the sources of information for all data values, taking as a prior the Riemannian volume of the informative metric. While these new assumptions certainly add complexity to the mathematical framework, the results proven are invariant under transformations, leading to the concept of “intrinsic” information-theoretic models, which are essential for developing physics. Full article

Obesity, type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and osteoporosis are serious diseases with an ever-increasing incidence that quite often coexist, especially in the elderly. Individuals with obesity and T2DM have impaired bone quality and an elevated risk of fragility fractures, despite higher and/or unchanged bone mineral density (BMD). The effect of obesity on fracture risk is site-specific, with reduced risk for several fractures (e.g., hip, pelvis, and wrist) and increased risk for others (e.g., humerus, ankle, upper leg, elbow, vertebrae, and rib). Patients with T2DM have a greater risk of hip, upper leg, foot, humerus, and total fractures. A chronic pro-inflammatory state, increased risk of falls, secondary complications, and pharmacotherapy can contribute to the pathophysiology of aforementioned fractures. Bisphosphonates and denosumab significantly reduced the risk of vertebral fractures in patients with both obesity and T2DM. Teriparatide significantly lowered non-vertebral fracture risk in T2DM subjects. It is important to recognize elevated fracture risk and osteoporosis in obese and T2DM patients, as they are currently considered low risk and tend to be underdiagnosed and undertreated. The implementation of better diagnostic tools, including trabecular bone score, lumbar spine BMD/body mass index (BMI) ratio, and microRNAs to predict bone fragility, could improve fracture prevention in this patient group. Full article

China has fully become an aging society, and the scientific response to population aging has become a major task that the country must face in the future. Research on population aging in the Chengdu-Chongqing urban agglomeration (CCUA) can provide a scientific basis for future population management in the CCUA. This paper applies spatial autocorrelation, geodetection, and other methods to analyze the temporal and spatial pattern of population aging and its driving factors in the CCUA from 2000 to 2020, taking districts (counties) as the basic unit and combining them with the spatial structure of the urban agglomeration. The results show that: ① in the time dimension, the population aging in CCUA has gone through the evolution process of “mild–moderate–heavy”; in the spatial dimension, the influence of the urban agglomeration’s development planning axes on the spatial differentiation of the aging population has become more and more prominent. ② The aging level has a strong spatial correlation, and with time, the spatial correlation has changed from weak to strong, and the spatial difference has increased. The dual core city shows a typical spatial pattern of a decreasing aging level in the core area and an increasing aging level in the peripheral area, and the heavily aging area is spreading along the axis. ③ The overall aging speed is high, and the aging speeds of the core cities and node cities are lower than those of other regions. There is a clearer positive correlation between the aging level and the speed of aging, showing the characteristic of “the older the faster”. ④ Endogenous factors such as the aging level and fertility level at the beginning of the period have a significant determining power on the change in the aging level, while exogenous factors such as the in-migration rate and the out-migration rate have a persistent determining power on the urban agglomerations and key areas (core cities, central cities, main axes of development, city belts, and dense urban areas). Full article

Despite the success of the standard functional analysis (FA), some limitations to conducting an FA in practice include time, resources, ecological relevance, and safety, which have led to the development of procedural adaptations such as trial-based and synthesized FA formats. The purpose of this case study was to identify the function(s) of self-injurious behavior (SIB) for a 3-year-old female with developmental disabilities using a brief trial-based FA with ecologically relevant synthesized contingencies, based on caregiver input, to minimize opportunities for SIB. We identified that positive physical attention likely functioned, at least in part, as a reinforcer for SIB, in less than 42 min. Overall harm to the child as a result of the synthesized trial-based FA was minimal, and the caregiver viewed the modified conditions favorably. We then assessed the role of competing stimuli on SIB rates with the child’s mother and identified two potential items that may compete with attention as a reinforcer for SIB. Our findings highlight the utility and importance of individualized assessment as the first step in the safe treatment of severely challenging behavior. Full article

Chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP) in the severe forms is associated with a poor quality of life. Dupilumab has been suggested as an add-on treatment option for severe CRSwNP. Severe CRSwNP patients treated with Dupilumab in different rhinological units were considered for this study via their evaluation at the baseline at first and the consequential follow-up at 6-, 12-, and 24 months from the first administration. At baseline (T0) and at each follow-up, patients underwent NPS, Sinonasal Outcome Test (SNOT)-22, Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) for smell, and Sniffin’ sticks identification test (SSIT). The SNOT-22 domains for function and emotion were also analysed separately. Two hundred and seventeen patients with at least 6 months of follow-up were included. All parameters have improved during treatment (p < 0.0001). Noticeably, both the function and emotion SNOT-22 domains have improved within 6 months of treatment and have continued to progress during every interval within 12 months from the baseline, positively influencing patients’ emotivity and augmenting their social and economic performances. Dupilumab improves the QoL of CRSwNP patients with good effects on the reported productivity and emotional health. Clinicians should pay attention to these two aspects when dealing with patients affected by severe CRSwNP. Full article

In this work, in order to investigate the short-range interactions between molecules, the spin-magnetic unit nitronyl nitroxide (NN) was introduced to synthesize self-assembly single radical molecules with hydrogen bond donors and acceptors. The structures and magnetic properties were extensively investigated and characterized by UV-Vis absorption spectroscopy, electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR), and superconducting quantum interference devices (SQUIDs). Interestingly, it was observed that the single molecules can form two different dimers (ring-closed dimer and “L”-type dimer) in different solvents, due to hydrogen bonding, when using EPR to track the molecular spin interactions. Both dimers exhibit ferromagnetic properties (for ring-closed dimer, J/k_B = 0.18 K and ΔE_S−T = 0.0071 kcal/mol; for “L”-type dimer, the values were J/k_B = 9.26 K and ΔE_S−T = 0.037 kcal/mol). In addition, the morphologies of the fibers formed by the two dimers were characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). Full article

Existing studies have focused mainly on the environmental quality of scenic spots, such as sufficient oxygen content in the air and a high concentration of negative oxygen ions. The perceptions of soundscape in scenic areas are generally good, but there are few reports on the quantitative evaluation of soundscape quality in scenic areas. In this study, we analysed existing methods for evaluating the soundscape of a landscape, evaluated the soundscape comfort of scenic spots, analysed and refined the natural environmental factors affecting the soundscape, and proposed for the first time to use physical environmental indicators such as the air temperature difference, relative humidity, natural illuminance ratio and wind speed as environmental evaluation variables. A quantitative method was used to calculate the soundscape comfort index (SSI) of the landscape. The physical environmental indicators related to famous scenic spots in China, namely, Qingcheng mountain field testing and a subjective soundscape of tourist satisfaction survey, were used to calculate the corresponding soundscape comfort index values, and a quantitative analysis of soundscape comfort and differences in temperature, relative humidity, the illumination ratio, and the correlation between the equivalent sound level A was performed. The measured values of the temperature difference and light ratio were significantly correlated with the soundscape comfort index. The distribution of sound landscape comfort was given by a GIS map, and soundscape comfort was evaluated scientifically. The correlations between soundscape comfort and landscape patch number (PN), landscape patch density (PD), diversity index (Shannon), and landscape shape index (LSI) were quantitatively analysed, which confirmed that the perception of soundscape comfort was affected by landscape space to different degrees. This study has scientific significance and application value for the soundscape evaluation of scenic areas and has significance for soundscape evaluation and design strategies for urban landscapes. Full article

As a key component of the measurement while drilling technology, the accuracy of attitude calculation is directly related to the efficiency of resource exploration. To reduce the influence of vibration, rotation, and other disturbances on the attitude sensor during drilling, a method based on cross-correlation extraction and the adaptive square-root unscented Kalman filter (ASRUKF) is proposed to solve the attitude of the drilling tool in this paper. Firstly, the error of the signal collected by the attitude sensor is compensated, and the unscented Kalman filter (UKF) is used for filtering. Then, the effective gravitational acceleration signal is extracted by the cross-correlation method. Finally, an experimental platform for simulating the fully rotating attitude measurement system is established, and the application effects of the UKF and ASRUKF in the attitude calculation are compared. Compared with the UKF, the root mean square error of the inclination angle calculated by the ASRUKF is reduced by 12.9%, and the variance is reduced by 27.3%; the root mean square error of the azimuth angle is reduced by 29.5%, and the variance is reduced by 39.9%. The experimental results show that the attitude calculation method proposed in this paper can stably and effectively improve the accuracy of the attitude calculation of drilling tools. Full article

Training and expertise in regional anaesthesia have increased significantly in tandem with increased interest over the past two decades. This review outlines the most recent advances in regional anaesthesia and focuses on novel areas of interest including fascial plane blocks. Pharmacological advances in the form of the prolongation of drug duration with liposomal bupivacaine are considered. Neuromodulation in the context of regional anaesthesia is outlined as a potential future direction. The growing use of regional anaesthesia outside of the theatre environment and current thinking on managing the rebound plane after regional block regression are also discussed. Recent relevant evidence is summarised, unanswered questions are outlined, and priorities for ongoing investigation are suggested. Full article

DNA polymerase β (DNA polymerase beta (POLB)) belongs to a member of the DNA polymerase X family, mainly involved in various biological metabolic processes, such as eukaryotic DNA replication, DNA damage repair, gene recombination, and cell cycle regulation. In this study, the muscle development-related gene POLB was screened by selection signature and RNA-seq analysis and then validated for the proliferation and apoptosis of bovine primary myocytes. It was also found that overexpression of the POLB gene had a pro-apoptosis effect, but interfering with the expression of the gene had no significant effect on cells. Then, the analysis of related apoptotic genes revealed that POLB overexpression affected CASP9 gene expression. Full article

In East Asia, where concentrated summer precipitation often leads to climate disasters, understanding the factors that cause such extreme rainfall is crucial for effective forecasting and preparedness. The western North Pacific subtropical high (WNPSH) is a key driver of summer precipitation variability, and therefore, its monitoring is critical to predicting the wet or dry periods during the East Asian summer monsoon. Using the Geo-KOMPSAT 2A (GK2A) satellite cloud amount data and ERA5 reanalysis data during the years 2020–2023, this study identified three leading empirical orthogonal function (EOF) modes and investigated the associated WNPSH variability at synoptic and subseasonal scales. The analysis includes a linear regression of meteorological fields onto the principal component (PC) time series. All three modes play a role in the spatiotemporal variability of the WNPSH, exhibiting lead–lag relationships. In particular, the second mode is responsible for its northwestward shift and intensification. As the WNPSH moves northwestward, the position of the monsoon rain band also shifts, and its intensity is modulated mainly by the moisture transport along the WNPSH boundary. Our results highlight the potential of high-resolution, real-time data from the GK2A satellite to elucidate WNPSH variability and its impact on the East Asian summer monsoon. By addressing the variability of the WNSPH using GK2A data, we pave the way for the development of a real-time monitoring framework with GK2A, which will improve our predictability and readiness for extreme weather events in East Asia. Full article

This research investigates how the Lahore Metrobus system (MBS) influences perceptions of urban space quality through the lens of urban design and transport infrastructure. Lahore is undergoing significant urban changes with the introduction of a newly constructed mass transit system, which thus necessitates a joint development strategy to preserve its cultural heritage. Recent evolutions in transport planning has heightened the interest in analyzing the way mobility factors affect the perceptions of a place’s quality. The gap in previous work lies in the limited focus on qualitative, human-centered perspectives regarding the impacts of public projects like the MBS on urban space quality. This study uniquely fills this void by examining the influence of the MBS on people’s lives and the quality of urban spaces. Comparing pre- and post-Metrobus scenarios, along with questionnaire surveys of riders and shopkeepers, exposes the neglect of the social image during design and construction. The system was implemented with a focus solely on hard, core infrastructure, thereby neglecting soft components such as area development, social and cultural value, and human-centered design. The government should unite transport agencies, stakeholders, and the public to craft a joint policy for enhancing revenue, ridership, and fostering transit-oriented development (TOD). Research findings will help in achieving social and cultural sustainability for upcoming transport lines in Pakistan, as well as directions for other developing nations looking to implement mass transit networks. Full article

Metallodrugs are an important group of medicinal agents used for the treatment of various diseases ranging from cancers to viral, bacterial, and parasitic diseases. Their distinctive features include the availability of a metal centre, redox activity, as well as the ability to multitarget. Diruthenium paddlewheel complexes are an intensely developing group of metal scaffolds, which can securely coordinate bidentate xenobiotics and transport them to target tissues, releasing them by means of substitution reactions with biomolecular nucleophiles. It is of the utmost importance to gain a complete comprehension of which chemical reactions happen with them in physiological milieu to design novel drugs based on these bimetallic scaffolds. This review presents the data obtained in experiments and calculations, which clarify the chemistry these complexes undergo once administered in the proteic environment. This study demonstrates how diruthenium paddlewheel complexes may indeed embody a new paradigm in the design of metal-based drugs of dual-action by presenting and discussing the protein metalation by these complexes. Full article

Quantum physics is intrinsically probabilistic, where the Born rule yields the probabilities associated with a state that deterministically evolves. The entropy of a quantum state quantifies the amount of randomness (or information loss) of such a state. The degrees of freedom of a quantum state are position and spin. We focus on the spin degree of freedom and elucidate the spin-entropy. Then, we present some of its properties and show how entanglement increases spin-entropy. A dynamic model for the time evolution of spin-entropy concludes the paper. Full article

The dietary patterns of older adults, particularly in relation to meat, egg, and dairy (MED) consumption, significantly impact frailty, a state of heightened vulnerability to adverse health outcomes. This paper investigates the association between MED consumption and frailty among older Chinese adults, considering rural/urban disparities and gender differences. Analyzing data from the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey (CLHLS) spanning from 2008 to 2018, this study explores how MED consumption influences frailty levels over time. The results show that moderate MED consumption is associated with slower frailty progression, suggesting a protective effect against frailty among older adults. However, excessive MED consumption, particularly among rural residents and females, is linked to accelerated frailty progression. Urban residents and males report higher MED consumption levels, possibly due to their greater access to diverse food options and traditional dietary preferences. The findings underscore the complex interplay between dietary habits, demographic factors, and frailty outcomes. Understanding these dynamics is crucial for developing targeted interventions to mitigate frailty risk factors and promote healthy aging among Chinese older adults. Full article

The study aims to improve the quality of wooden breast meat (WBM) via the use of newly developed marinades based on selected strains of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) in combination with the by-products of the dairy and fruit/berry industries. Six distinct marinades were produced based on milk permeate (MP) fermented with Lacticaseibacillus casei (Lc) and Liquorilactobacillus uvarum (Lu) with the addition of apple (ApBp) and blackcurrant (BcBp) processing by-products. The microbiological and acidity parameters of the fermented marinades were evaluated. The effects of marinades on the microbiological, technical, and physicochemical properties of meat were assessed following 24 and 48 h of WBM treatment. It was established that LAB viable counts in marinades were higher than 7.00 log₁₀ colony-forming units (CFU)/mL and, after 48 h of marination, enterobacteria and molds/yeasts in WBM were absent. Marinated (24 and 48 h) WBM showed lower dry-matter and protein content, as well as water holding capacity, and exhibited higher drip loss (by 8.76%) and cooking loss (by 12.3%) in comparison with controls. After WBM treatment, biogenic amines decreased; besides, the absence of spermidine and phenylethylamine was observed in meat marinated for 48 h with a marinade prepared with Lu. Overall, this study highlights the potential advantages of the developed sustainable marinades in enhancing the safety and quality attributes of WBM. Full article

With abundant information and interconnectedness among people, identifying knowledgeable individuals in specific domains has become crucial for organizations. Artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms have been employed to evaluate the knowledge and locate experts in specific areas, alleviating the manual burden of expert profiling and identification. However, there is a limited body of research exploring the application of AI algorithms for expert finding in the medical and biomedical fields. This study aims to conduct a scoping review of existing literature on utilizing AI algorithms for expert identification in medical domains. We systematically searched five platforms using a customized search string, and 21 studies were identified through other sources. The search spanned studies up to 2023, and study eligibility and selection adhered to the PRISMA 2020 statement. A total of 571 studies were assessed from the search. Out of these, we included six studies conducted between 2014 and 2020 that met our review criteria. Four studies used a machine learning algorithm as their model, while two utilized natural language processing. One study combined both approaches. All six studies demonstrated significant success in expert retrieval compared to baseline algorithms, as measured by various scoring metrics. AI enhances expert finding accuracy and effectiveness. However, more work is needed in intelligent medical expert retrieval. Full article

Livestock management is challenging for resource-poor (R-P) farmers due to unavailability of quality feed, limited professional advice, and rumor-spreading about animal health condition in a herd. This research seeks to improve animal health in southern Africa by promoting sericea lespedeza (Lespedeza cuneata), a nutraceutical forage legume. An automated geospatial model for precision agriculture (PA) can identify suitable locations for its cultivation. Additionally, a novel approach of radio-frequency identifier (RFID) supported telemetry technology can track animal movement, and the analyses of data using artificial intelligence can determine sickness of small ruminants. This RFID-based system is being connected to a smartphone app (under construction) to alert farmers of potential livestock health issues in real time so they can take immediate corrective measures. An accompanying Decision Support System (DSS) site is being developed for R-P farmers to obtain all possible support on livestock production, including the designed PA and RFID-based DSS. Full article

The cloning of resistance-related genes CsROP5/CsROP10 and the analysis of their mechanism of action provide a theoretical basis for the development of molecular breeding of disease-resistant cucumbers. The structure domains of two Rho-related guanosine triphosphatases from plant (ROP) genes were systematically analyzed using the bioinformatics method in cucumber plants, and the genes CsROP5 (Cucsa.322750) and CsROP10 (Cucsa.197080) were cloned. The functions of the two genes were analyzed using reverse-transcription quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR), virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS), transient overexpression, cucumber genetic transformation, and histochemical staining technology. The conserved elements of the CsROP5/CsROP10 proteins include five sequence motifs (G1-G5), a recognition site for serine/threonine kinases, and a hypervariable region (HVR). The knockdown of CsROP10 through VIGS affected the transcript levels of ABA-signaling-pathway-related genes (CsPYL, CsPP2Cs, CsSnRK2s, and CsABI5), ROS-signaling-pathway-related genes (CsRBOHD and CsRBOHF), and defense-related genes (CsPR2 and CsPR3), thereby improving cucumber resistance to Corynespora cassiicola. Meanwhile, inhibiting the expression of CsROP5 regulated the expression levels of ROS-signaling-pathway-related genes (CsRBOHD and CsRBOHF) and defense-related genes (CsPR2 and CsPR3), thereby enhancing the resistance of cucumber to C. cassiicola. Overall, CsROP5 and CsROP10 may participate in cucumber resistance to C. cassiicola through the ROS and ABA signaling pathways. Full article

Background: Cognitive impairment (CI) is a common mental health disorder among older adults, and dietary patterns have an impact on cognitive function. However, no systematic researches have constructed anti-inflammatory diet (AID) and protein-enriched diet (PED) to explore their association with CI among older adults in China. Methods: The data used in this study were obtained from the 2018 waves of the China Longitudinal Health and Longevity Survey (CLHLS). We construct AID, PED, and calculate scores for CI. We use binary logistic regression to explore the relationship between them, and use restrictive cubic splines to determine whether the relationships are non-linear. Subgroup analysis and sensitivity analysis were used to demonstrate the robustness of the results. Results: A total of 8692 participants (mean age is 83.53 years) were included in the analysis. We found that participants with a higher AID (OR = 0.789, 95% confidence interval: 0.740–0.842, p < 0.001) and PED (OR = 0.910, 95% confidence interval: 0.866–0.956, p < 0.001) score showed lower odds of suffering from CI. Besides, the relationship between the two dietary patterns and CI is linear, and the results of subgroup analysis and sensitivity analysis are also significant. Conclusion: Higher intakes of AID and PED are associated with a lower risk of CI among older adults, which has important implications for future prevention and control of CI from a dietary and nutritional perspective. Full article

Smoke tree (Cotinus coggygria) is an important ornamental tree that represents the autumnal landscape of red leaves in Northern China, especially in Beijing. However, Verticillium wilt, caused by the fungus (Verticillium dahliae), has resulted in a high mortality rate for smoke trees, posing a serious threat to the highly valued landscape of red leaves in Beijing. To explore an efficient control measure for Verticillium wilt, we systematically analyzed the applicability and efficacy of multiple treatments for three consecutive years in Xiangshan Park and Badaling Forest Park. From 2021 to 2023, diseased smoke trees in Xiangshan Park were subjected to three application methods (agent irrigation, trunk injection, or a combination of the two) and five candidate agents, namely Bacillus subtilis, azoxystrobin, propiconazole, carbendazim, and prochloraz. Analyses of the data for three consecutive years revealed a decreasing trend in the annual disease incidence rate. Specifically, the combined application of agent irrigation and trunk injection exhibited the highest control effect and a significant improvement in the landscape of red leaves in Beijing. Furthermore, the combination of propiconazole via irrigation plus the trunk injection of carbendazim and prochloraz had the greatest control effect. These suppressive measurements were further used and demonstrated to be effective in Badaling Forest Park. Overall, our study provides an effective disease management means for controlling Verticillium wilt in smoke trees. Full article