Background: Depression is a common mental health concern among college students. To better understand students’ service needs, it is imperative to explore their perceptions of professional treatments and help-seeking intentions. The existing literature highlighted the need to investigate students’ etiological beliefs about depression. This study examined students’ beliefs about the biological, psychosocial, and systemic causes of depression and the relationship between such beliefs and their perceptions of antidepressants, counselling, and help-seeking intentions. Methods: 201 college students were recruited from Canada and the USA to complete an online survey consisting of measures on etiological beliefs, attitudes toward treatments, and help- seeking intentions. Using a series of hierarchical regression analyses, we examined the associations between etiological beliefs and measures of treatment attitudes and help-seeking intentions, while controlling for sex and depression status. Results: The results showed that endorsing biological explanations of depression was positively associated with the perceived benefits of antidepressants and negatively linked to the perceived risks of antidepressants. Endorsing psychosocial explanations was positively associated with help-seeking intentions for suicidal thoughts. Moreover, male students were more likely to view counselling as risky and less likely to see the benefit of antidepressants and counselling than female students. Last, students with higher depressive symptoms were less likely to engage in help-seeking and more likely to see the risk of counselling. Conclusions: Understanding students’ etiological beliefs about depression could help tailor effective mental health interventions on college campuses and improve support for students with depression and suicidal thoughts.

The processing of barbs in sutures introduces cracks, reducing the fracture resistance of the barbed sutures. Obtaining stress intensity factor (SIF) is pivotal for the optimal design and safe usage of barbed sutures. In this study, an explicit method was proposed to calculate the SIFs for barbed suture with Mode Ⅰ crack under arbitrary stress distribution. The barbed suture was modeled as a round bar with different shapes of mode Ⅰ cracks. The shape coefficient, which was defined to describe the shape of crack, was computed using the point load weight function. Based on these shape coefficients, the basic stress intensity factors (BSIFs) for cracks under basic stress distributions, such as uniform, linear, and quadratic stress distributions, were determined. Then, the SIFs under arbitrary stress distributions were calculated through linear superposition of these BSIFs according to the corresponding stress distribution. The relative errors between the SIFs calculated by this method and the finite element are commonly within ±8%. This demonstrates that the proposed explicit method is capable of directly and accurately calculating SIFs for round bars with mode Ⅰ cracks under arbitrary stress distributions, thereby avoiding the time-consuming processes of finite element analysis and numerical integration.

Maritime transport is crucial to the worldwide economy, with over 80% of global trade depending on sea routes and ports. The Mekong Delta is Vietnam’s leading producer and exporter of food, seafood, and fruit, contributing 31.37% to the agricultural Gross Domestic Product. However, waterway transport faces challenges, as over 70% of exports go through Ho Chi Minh City, raising costs by $10 to $15 per ton. To enhance port competitiveness, authorities must invest strategically in infrastructure and capacity while keeping costs reasonable. Developing a comprehensive evaluation model to assess seaport operators’ technical efficiency, technological capabilities, and productivity is essential. This study proposes a model that combines the Malmquist index and window data envelopment analysis to analyze the efficiency of inland ports in the Mekong Delta before and after the COVID-19 pandemic. The research consists of two stages: the Window DEA model tracks efficiency fluctuations among Decision-Making Units (DMUs); the Malmquist DEA model evaluates productivity changes over time. Results indicate that most DMUs maintained stability from 2019 to 2023, with technological innovations positively impacting performance. This study aims to provide insights into the port industry’s operations in Vietnam and guide the government and relevant agencies in making informed investment decisions to optimize budget allocation and enhance efficiency.

Pediatric gliomas represent a group of tumors that arise from glial cells within the central nervous system (CNS) and account for approximately 25% of pediatric cancers. If not completely eradicated, these tumors can lead to significant complications, resulting in disabilities and complex disorders in adulthood. Current therapeutic approaches for gliomas often fall short, with tumor recurrence being a common outcome. The substantial burden of disability-adjusted life years (DALY) associated with gliomas, combined with the limited effectiveness of existing treatment strategies, has prompted researchers to explore alternative therapies. Immunotherapy has emerged as a promising modality in the management of pediatric gliomas. Given that conventional treatments—including surgical intervention, standard chemotherapy, and radiotherapy—often yield suboptimal outcomes, immunotherapy offers a compelling alternative for inhibiting the rapid proliferation of glioma cells. A comprehensive understanding of the immune microhabitat within pediatric gliomas is critical for elucidating the potential effectiveness of immunotherapeutic and immune cell therapy approaches. Insights into the tumor-associated immune environment can inform the optimization of these therapies by revealing mechanisms of immune evasion and potential targets for intervention. One area of particular interest is natural killer (NK) cell therapy, which has shown promise in targeting pediatric gliomas. This review aims to synthesize recent research findings on the mechanisms by which NK cells interact with glioma cells, emphasizing key preclinical and clinical studies that highlight both the potential advantages and challenges of this therapeutic approach. We will examine the immunological interactions between NK cells and glioma cells, strategies to enhance NK cell effectiveness, and the potential for combining NK cell therapies with other treatment modalities. Furthermore, this review will discuss the safety and tolerability of immunotherapeutic interventions within the pediatric population to inform future research and clinical practices in the management of pediatric gliomas. By integrating findings from existing literature, we aim to provide a holistic perspective on pediatric glioma’s immune microenvironment, emphasizing the potential of immune-based therapies as part of a comprehensive treatment strategy.

Background: Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH), a rare inflammatory myeloid neoplasm, exhibits a propensity for disparate clinical outcomes and prognoses across diverse patients. Nevertheless, definitive research findings elucidating the risk factors predisposing to the disease’s mortality remain elusive. Methods: A comprehensive review of the extant literature was undertaken across esteemed databases, including PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library, extending from the inception of these repositories to June 24, 2024. The objective was to ascertain the studies examining the risk factors implicated in the mortality of LCH patients. A rigorous application of predetermined inclusion and exclusion criteria was employed to ascertain the eligibility of the selected studies. The analysis predominantly focused on the extraction of data pertaining to the odds ratios (OR), relative risks (RR), and hazard ratios (HR), along with their respective 95% confidence intervals (CI), as reported in the studies on the mortality risk factors associated with LCH patient populations. Results: This analysis included 30 studies involving 4,537 patients. Our meta-analytical investigation elucidated robust associations between mortality rates in LCH patients and the following factors: age younger than 2 years (OR:1.69,95%CI:1.14-2.49,P=0.009), multi-systemic involvement (OR:9.49,95%CI:4.19-21.49,P<0.00001), risk-organ involvement (OR:13.46,95%CI:9.44-19.19,P<0.00001), liver involvement (OR:7.61,95%CI:2.72-21.31,P=0.0001), hematopoietic involvement (OR:4.71,95%CI:1.53-14.49,P=0.007), gastrointestinal involvement (OR:3.44,95%CI:1.47-8.05,P=0.004), bone involvement (OR:0.29,95%CI:0.11-0.75,P=0.01), pulmonary involvement (OR:1.88,95%CI:1.13-3.12,P=0.01), lymph node involvement (OR:2.45,95%CI:1.31-4.58,P=0.005), skin involvement (OR:2.89,95%CI:1.09-7.64,P=0.03), and a non-active disease (NAD) response at 6 weeks (OR:0.06,95%CI:0.01-0.44,P=0.005). Conclusion: LCH patients with multi-system, risk-organ, hepatic, hematopoietic, gastrointestinal, pulmonary, lymph node, or skin involvement demonstrate an increased risk of mortality. Conversely, the involvement of bone or NAD response at 6 weeks suggest a reduced risk of mortality. Systematic review registration: PROSPERO, identifier CRD42024590087

Background. Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is the most common childhood cancer globally. While high-income countries report 5-year survival rates exceeding 80%, low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) face reduced rates due to treatment-related mortality (TRM). Chemotherapy-induced myelotoxicities are significant contributors, particularly during the induction phase. Immune parameters, including T-helper (Th) cells, regulatory T cells (Tregs), and natural killer (NK) cells, may influence TRM, yet their roles remain poorly understood in LMIC settings. Methods. This prospective study evaluated 10 children newly diagnosed with pre-B ALL at a tertiary care center in Mexico. Flow cytometry and cytokine bead arrays assessed CD8+ T cells, CD4+ subsets, NK cells, and immune checkpoint markers at diagnosis, during induction. Myelotoxicities and complications, including infections and thrombocytopenia, were documented. Statistical analyses examined associations between immune profiles, hematological abnormalities, myelotoxicities, and clinical outcomes. Results. CD8+ T cells increased significantly in neutropenic patients at the end of induction (p=0.028). Reduced Th9 frequencies were observed in patients with thrombocytopenia at diagnosis (p=0.011), while T follicular helper (Tfh) cells decreased in those with infections at the end of induction (p=0.032). CD56dimCD16neg/dim NK cells were elevated in infected patients (p<0.05). Th17 and Th9 subsets co-expressing BTLA, TIGIT, and PD-1 were increased in neutropenic patients, highlighting immune dysregulation. Conclusions. Immune cell profiles, particularly Th9, Tfh, and NK subsets, correlate with hematological abnormalities and complications in children with ALL. These findings underscore the need for further research on immune modulation as a potential strategy to improve outcomes in LMIC contexts.

The healthcare industry is widely regarded as a key driver of economic growth and social development in the 21st century. This study employs multi-source data alongside hybrid analytical techniques, including Principal Component Analysis (PCA), hotspot analysis, and clustering analysis, to explore the development factors and spatial patterns of the ethnic medicine and healthcare industry (EMH) in Yunnan Province, China. The results indicate that the first five principal components account for 79.80% of the total variance, providing significant insights into the industry’s competitive drivers. Using the Porter Diamond Model, spatial clustering of the EMH sector across Yunnan reveals a distinct pattern of ”one ring, two points, three areas, and multiple clusters.” The analysis further shows that industrial competitiveness is closely linked to the spatial distribution of regional factors, suggesting the need for a targeted development strategy: ”central innovation, western optimization, eastern enhancement, northern strengthening, and southern expansion.” These findings provide valuable recommendations for policymakers aiming to enhance the EMH sector’s contribution to regional economic development and healthcare modernization.

Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) infection is a prevalent global community concern, recently developed Direct Acting Antiviral Drugs (DAA’s) offer significant opportunity for not only cure of the estimated fifty million individuals globally with HCV, but elimination of HCV as a global public health threat, respecting and attaining World Health Organization (WHO) goals of elimination as a public health threat by 2030. A challenge in reducing the burden of care on health systems with progression of asymptomatic HCV infection to chronic conditions, is standardized screening and testing, to scale. Especially in People Who Inject Drugs (PWID) the prevalent priority population most at risk of HCV infection. And due to the illegal nature of behaviors, a highly stigmatized and vulnerable population extremely hard to reach in terms of providing diagnosis and treatment of HCV. A key resource to facilitate HCV treatment of PWID involves the peer workforce of those with lived and living experience of injecting who, in this definition, have the advantage of being understood and accepted as frontline workers by PWID, and are a key resource to population wide HCV treatment enabling decentralized community-based practice, care of community by community. Towards increased efficacy of HCV elimination, our research has evidenced that by leveraging Emergent Disruptive Technologies (EDT) to formalize qualification and provide a systemized supported framework for facilitating HCV care navigation by peers; we can contribute to financial, health and community benefits with improved destigmatized health care access and lessened burdens on existing health systems!

Objective: To identify discriminatory spectral patterns of cough consistent with common respiratory sounds, through machine learning, to assist diagnosis. Methods: Spectral analysis of cough recordings of 50 children each with crackles alone, wheezing alone and absence of crackles and wheezing. Identification of unique features through machine learning by dividing them into training (75%) and testing (25%) datasets. Feature extraction was done using R python and Librosa programming language. Two class classification of the features extracted from the training dataset was done using classifier models like Support vector Machine, Random Forest, K nearest neighbour and Classification and regression tree. Identification of most suited classifier model that could accurately differentiate between the studied respiratory sounds in terms of sensitivity and specificity. Results: Random Forest classifier model using Mel-frequency Cepstral Coefficient gave the best results in differentiating crackles from wheezing with sensitivity and specificity of 66.67% and 66.67%. Classifier model performance improved when augmented with clinical features (Respiratory rate, history of recurrent nebulization and family history of atopy); providing sensitivity and specificity of 83.33% and 91.67%. Conclusion: Cough features extracted and classified by machine learning can be used for non-auscultatory diagnosis of crackles and wheeze. This raises the possibility to develop smart applications for possible use by non-medical personnel to enhance their capability.

The development of advanced atrioventricular block (AVB) in patients on bradycardic and/or antiarrhythmic therapy (drug-related AVB) represents a clinical challenge, raising the question of whether the AVB is directly caused by these agents (drug-induced AVB) or if the offending drugs exacerbate an underlying conduction system disease. Traditionally, β-blockers, non-dihydropyridine calcium channel blockers, class Ic/III antiarrhythmics, and digoxin have been considered reversible causes of advanced AVB. However, recent evidence shows a weak cause-and-effect relationship between these drugs and AVB in the elderly, along with high recurrence rates of AVB despite initial resolution after drug discontinuation. This may also apply to patients on high doses of these medications, drug combinations, or with additional reversible factors such as hyperkalemia. Despite these considerations, the European Guidelines do not suggest permanent pacing for AVB due to transient causes that are correctable, including bradycardic/antiarrhythmic drug therapy. On the other hand, the American Guidelines recommend permanent pacing for selected patients with symptomatic second- or third-degree AVB on stable, necessary antiarrhythmic or β-blocker treatment, without waiting for drug washout or reversibility. Notably, an accumulating body of evidence indicates that true drug-induced AVB is rare, while recurrence rates are high. Therefore, early permanent pacing should be recommended, especially for frail elderly patients. Moreover, in patients with drug-related AVB and atrial tachyarrhythmias, adopting an early permanent pacing approach seems prudent when bradycardic and/or antiarrhythmic treatment is necessary. Finally, delays in permanent pacing are not justified when temporary pacing is needed, given the increased associated risks in such cases.

Introduction: The optimal timing to initiate direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) after acute ischemic stroke in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) remains uncertain. Therefore, we performed a meta-analysis comparing early versus later DOAC initiation in this population. Methods: We searched PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) answering this clinical question. We pooled risk ratios (RR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) for binary endpoints. A restricted likelihood random-effects model was used for all outcomes. Quality assessment and risk of bias were performed according to Cochrane recommendations. Results: We included 6541 patients from three RCTs, of whom 3,270 (49.9%) received early treatment. There were no significant differences in recurrent ischemic stroke (RR 0.80; 95% CI 0.56-1.15; p=0.23), all-cause mortality (RR 0.97; 95% CI 0.81-1.18; p=0.27), and systemic embolism (RR 0.43; CI 0.16-1.11; p=0.08) in the early DOAC compared to delayed initiation groups. Similarly, symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (RR 0.93; 95% CI 0.44-1.96; p=0.84) and major extracranial bleeding (RR 0.67; 95% CI 0.28-1.59; p=0.36) were non-significantly different between groups. Conclusion: In conclusion, early initiation of DOACs in patients with AF after acute ischemic stroke did not reduce recurrent ischemic stroke and was not associated with increased rates of symptomatic intracranial bleeding.

The current globally dominant SARS-CoV-2 variants are showing immune escape and reduced susceptibility to antiviral drugs. Therefore, agencies responsible for drug evaluation and regulation such as the FDA and EMA are revising their emergency authorization use of several COVID-19 neutralizing antibodies. These MAbs proved to be unlikely effective against new variants especially Omicron descendants and several pharmaceutical companies are pursuing the development of more potent neutralizing antibodies. To address this issue, w e used In Silico method we previously developed to assess 10 anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies propensity to neutralize the new Omicron’s subvariants EG.5, BA.2.86 and JN.1, based on comparative binding affinity of 3D generated models and previous experimental and clinical observations. Nine of these MAbs were once granted emergency use authorization, and one is currently under clinical investigation. The results showed that one antibody showed a marked increase of the binding energy for EG.5 compared to two antibodies that showed a significant increase with Pirola (BA.2.86) and JN.1. This data indicates that the new SARS-CoV-2 variant escapes neutralization of most of the available therapeutic NAbs. Furthermore, the data showed new potential therapeutic MAbs combination that could be effective for the treatment countermeasure of the new Omicron’s descendants or potential novel variants.

Brazilin is a major isoflavonoid obtained from Caesalpinia sappan ( Bianceae sappan) and Haematoxylum brasiletto. The isoflavonoid was identified from the bark and heartwood of these plants. Several studies have evaluated the potential of brazilin as an alternative for thalassemia; including as an antioxidant and iron chelator. This review summarizes studies that describe the potential of brazilin, specifically in Caesalpinia sappan L extract as an antioxidant and iron chelator in the treatment of thalassemia. In addition, this review also describes the potential of brazilin as a Jak2 inhibitor that can reduce ineffective erythropoiesis and splenomegaly as a result of extramedullary haematopoiesis by decreasing erythroid cell proliferation and differentiation and inducing apoptosis, so that it is expected to improve the secondary pathologies of thalassemia. Jak2 blocks Erfe expression so that it can reduce iron overload by increasing hepcidin through the BMP-SMAD pathway.

Abstract Background: Long-term outcome data from real-world studies on drug implementation CBictegravir emtricitabine tenofovir alafenamide fumarate(BIC/TAF/FTC) regimen in the treatment of elderly patients with HIV/AIDS data are still limited. This study evaluated the real-world effectiveness and safety of BIC/TAF/FTC in people living with HIV (PLHIV) in Southwestern China. Methods: This was an observational, single-center, retrospective study that enrolled antiretroviral therapy (ART)-naïve (n = 149) and ART-experienced patients with HIV (n = 143) between January 2021 and April 2024. Analysis of virological efficacy and safety, the main end point is the viral suppression rate of HIV RNA < 50 copies/ml at 48 weeks, and the change of CD4 cell count, CD4/CD8 ratio, body weight, blood lipid and safety are secondary results. Results: The proportion of treatment-naïve and ART-experienced PLHIV with a VL <50 copies/mL at 48 weeks was 90.6% and 92.9%, respectively. The CD4 count increased significantly by 102.0cells/μL(P＜0.001) and 51.0cells/μL(P＜0.001), in the ART-naïve and ART-experienced patients, respectively. During the follow-up of 149 ARTnaïve and 143ART-experienced patients using BIC/FTC/TAF, The estimated incidence of drug-related adverse events was 9.4% and 5.6%, respectively. however, these events did not lead to drug withdrawal. Conclusions: BIC/TAF/FTC can achieve better antiviral efficacy and immune recovery in newly treated and treated patients. However, in terms of safety, BIC/TAF/FTC has an impact on blood lipids in elderly patients. It is suggested that elderly patients who use this scheme should closely detect the changes of their lipid profiles. Keywords: Efficacy and safety; Bictegravir/emtricitabine/tenofovir alafenamide fumarate; Elderly patients with HIV/AIDS.

Pollen limitation occurs when insufficient pollen or the wrong pollen genotype reaches the stigma, resulting in failure to fertilise ovules and trigger seed development. The pollination efficiency of flower visitors to crops has been investigated previously, assessing their on-flower behaviour or amount of pollen deposited during a single flower visit. However, the genotypes of crop pollen carried by flower visitors have rarely been identified even though many crops depend on, or benefit from, cross-pollination for seed production. Here, we developed a genotyping method that can detect both high-abundance and low-abundance single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the DNA of pollen carried by a single bee. This method uses a customised single allele base extension reaction (SABER) with MassARRAY detection to distinguish genotypes that contribute only a small fraction to a mixed-genotype pollen sample. We used this method to identify the cultivars of pollen carried by honeybees at increasing distances from a cross-pollen source. We assessed the percentage of honeybees that carried cross-pollen in two different multi-cultivar macadamia orchards, one where each single-cultivar block was 5 rows wide and another where each single-cultivar block was more than 40 rows wide. This percentage of honeybees represents the maximum that potentially contribute to cross-pollination and seed production in self-incompatible crops, such as macadamia. Many honeybees carried exclusively self-pollen, with only 30–53 % of honeybees carrying cross-pollen. Distance from a cross-pollen source did not significantly affect the percentage of honeybees carrying cross-pollen in either orchard. This study demonstrates significant potential to increase the effectiveness of honeybees as pollinators. Orchards can be re-designed to interplant cross-pollen sources and maximise the number of honeybees contributing to crop production. Improving pollination effectiveness will help to alleviate the growing shortfall in the supply of beehives required for crop pollination.

Background and purpose: The MreB protein plays a crucial role in bacterial cell wall synthesis. The cellular function of MreB can be specifically inhibited by the antibacterial agent A22, which was found to be effective only against Gram-negative bacteria. The antibiotic vancomycin is used for infections caused by Gram-positive bacteria, as it cannot penetrate easily through the outer lipid layer of Gram-negative bacteria. The goal of this study was to describe the effect of A22 on the localisation of vancomycin labelling pattern. Experimental Approach: We treated Escherichia coli cells with Bodipy-vancomycin and we examined how the lifetime and localization of fluorophore fluorescence changed with A22 treatment. We determined the steady-state anisotropy of Bodipy-vancomycin in the presence of MreB. Molecular docking calculations identified the amino acids involved in MreB-vancomycin binding. Fluorescence spectroscopy and microscopy and sedimentation studies have supported the computational results. Microbiological assays were performed on E. coli cells in the presence of A22 and vancomycin. Key Results: The MreB protein directly binds the vancomycin. The A22 facilitates the entry of vancomycin into Gram-negative cells. Vancomycin alters the conformation of MreB and promotes intermolecular interaction between the monomers. A22 and vancomycin interact synergistically to inhibit MreB function. Conclusions and Implications: We identified a new target of the antibiotic vancomycin in the bacterium, which is the MreB protein. The binding of vancomycin leads to structural and functional modifications in the MreB molecule. When used in combination with A22, vancomycin may be able to inhibit cell wall synthesis also in Gram-negative bacteria.

This review systematically examines deep learning applications in financial asset management. It identifies how these applications contribute to various financial activities and areas ripe for future research. We use the Scopus database to select the most relevant articles published from 2018 to 2023. The inclusion criteria encompassed articles that explicitly apply deep learning models within financial asset management. We excluded studies focused on physical assets. This review also outlines our methodology for evaluating the relevance and impact of the included studies, including data sources and analytical methods. Our search identified 934 articles, with 612 meeting the inclusion criteria based on their focus and methodology. The synthesis of results from these articles provides insights into the effectiveness of deep learning models in improving portfolio performance and price forecasting accuracy. The review highlights the broad applicability and potential enhancements deep learning offers to financial asset management. Despite some limitations due to the scope of model application and variation in methodological rigour, the overall evidence supports deep learning as a valuable tool in this field. Our systematic review underscores the progressive integration of deep learning in financial asset management, suggesting a trajectory towards more sophisticated and impactful applications. Future research should explore the capabilities of these models for diverse financial contexts.

Background: Molecular targeted therapy and immunotherapy have shown promise in the management of gastric adenocarcinoma. The amplified expression of Human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 (HER-2) and microsatellite stable (MSI) status serve as indicators of response to targeted therapy and immunotherapy, respectively. Aims: This study was done to assess the frequency of MSI status and HER-2 expression in a pretreated sample of Iranian patients with gastric adenocarcinoma. Methods and results: We conducted HER-2/neu expression and mismatch repair (MMR) system analyses on specimens from patients with gastric and gastroesophageal adenocarcinoma in the Cancer Institute of Iran. Archival tissues from 135 mainly pre-treated surgical specimens of gastric adenocarcinoma cases were used for HER-2 analysis, and 66 specimens were used for MSI analysis. All specimens were tested for HER-2 amplification, revealing that 11 patients (8.1%) had HER-2 amplification, and three out of 66 examined patients exhibited MSI-H. Patients with HER-2 overexpressed specimens had a shorter median overall survival compared to HER-2 negative cases (21 months (CI95%: 1.4-40.6) vs. 31 months (CI95%: 22.9-39), P=0.184). The median disease-free survival (DFS) for HER-2 positive and negative patients was 15 and 28 months, respectively (P= 0.249). The estimated median overall and disease-free survival for patients with negative MSI was 39 and 36 months, respectively. None of the patients with MSI-positive status experienced recurrence, metastases, or death within the follow-up period. Conclusion: HER-2 expression, while less common in our Iranian population compared to North American or Western European countries, is associated with poor outcomes in patients with gastric adenocarcinoma. MSI-H status is highly infrequent in our population, suggesting that immunotherapy may not be a beneficial treatment for a significant fraction of Iranian patients with gastric adenocarcinoma. However, a minority may still benefit from it. Therefore, this hypothesis warrants further investigation in clinical trials.

Seed dispersal is fundamental to the resilience of plant communities and birds are important seed dispersers, contributing to the maintenance and restoration of plant community structures. In this study, we investigated the contributions of bird species to seed dispersal in a woodland savanna in Jos, Nigeria. In the dry season of 2022, we observed birds consuming fruits on 104 individual plants belonging to 26 species. Five hundred and six (506) birds belonging to 19 species and 12 families were observed consuming fruits from the focal plants. Bird trapping was conducted to collect intact seeds from bird fecal samples to examine the relationship between bird traits and the quantity of seed dispersal. And the results showed that gape width and body mass were significantly correlated with increase in the quantity of dispersed seeds. Three bird species, the Common bulbul (Pycnonotus barbatus), the Speckled Mouse-bird (Colius striatus) and the African thrush (Turdus pelios) showed stronger interactions with plants within the network which could suggest that these species are critical for maintaining the richness and diversity of the seed rain of this woodland savanna ecosystem. Seed dispersal by these birds could be significant for the regeneration of degraded areas. This study highlights the need to conserve the role of these key species in shaping ecological networks and the importance of protecting frugivorous bird populations, particularly larger birds to maintain the integrity of the plant community and the broader ecosystem.

Authorship listSmalaj Margheret : corresponding author, writing of the original draft and review and editingTörnblom Paulander Sara : obstetrician, contributed to the clinical part of the CRTessier Aude : geneticist and fetal pathologist, contributed to the BWS and pathological descriptionBuxant Frédéric : chief of the obstetrics and gynecology unit, validationCassart Marie : fetal and pediatric radiologist, contributed to the correction and suggestions on this paper as well as the imaging part, supervision and validationGajewska Kalina : MFM specialist, contributed to the ultrasound specificities of the case, validation, supervision and validation

Background: In the early stages of the 2019 Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) pandemic, the COVID-19 vaccine was compulsory to control the spread. However, the emergence of various SARS-CoV-2 variants or declining antibody levels has highlighted the significance of the COVID-19 booster dose in sustaining protection. This study was conducted to assess the acceptance and perception of COVID-19 booster vaccination among Selangor residents. Methods: An online survey was conducted among the general population of Selangor state. A multivariate analysis was conducted to assess the association between the perception, acceptance, and sociodemographic factors. Results: In a total of 668 responses, 278 (41.6%) agreed to accept a COVID-19 booster vaccination. However, acceptance dropped to 25.89% when the respondents consider on the acceptance with perception. The result shows that being Malay, working in government sector and perceived benefit to COVID-19 booster vaccination will increase acceptance for booster vaccination. However, as a degree holder and respondents perceived barriers reduce, the acceptance of COVID 19 booster vaccination. The result of acceptance of booster vaccination with respondents’ perception shows that people who aged 50 years and above and perceived benefit has higher acceptance, however when the respondents perceived barriers to get the booster vaccination the acceptance for booster vaccination was lower. Conclusions: The acceptance of COVID-19 booster vaccination was exceptionally determined by ethnicity, education, occupation, age, perceived benefit, and perceived barriers. The government should emphasize the importance of receiving the COVID-19 booster vaccination among Malaysians to prepare for potential challenges posed by new COVID-19 variants in the future.

This paper explores integrating quantum technologies with semantic communications to address the challenges of transmitting knowledge graph embeddings over traditional communication channels. As communication systems evolve to facilitate knowledge sharing and processing among natural and artificial intelligent agents, they encounter issues such as inefficiency, inaccuracy, and high complexity. To address these challenges, we propose a novel approach called quantum semantic communications, which integrates quantum technologies into the emerging framework of semantic communications. The primary goal of this protocol is to transmit semantic features efficiently, minimizing resource consumption while ensuring robustness. Our approach involves extracting semantic data from knowledge graphs using pre-trained large language model encoder and graph neural network as semantic encoders to generate compact knowledge representations transmitted over quantum communication channels. To assess the effectiveness of our protocol, we analyze performance metrics such as quantum semantic fidelity and F1 score under various noise conditions, including depolarizing, amplitude damping, and dephasing. Our simulations show that the proposed quantum semantic communication approach remains robust even in a low signal-to-noise regime.

Previous methods of estimating species richness from ecological data are problematic. Many assume that the data follow particular species distributions, most often meaning that underlying abundances are entirely even (e.g., the Chao 1 index). Any such estimator will provide a lower bound only, so it will be systematically wrong. Fits to more substantive theoretical abundance distributions can yield more realistic estimates. Globally distributed ecological data representing trees and terrestrial animals are fit with a stripped-down equation that combines two of the most basic distributions in statistics. This compound exponential-geometric series (CEGS) model predicts counts accurately, either when species inventories are split and the halves cross-tested or when inventory pairs are matched on their highest counts and cross-tested. Estimating richness, degrading the data, and recomputing richness shows that the method yields precise and accurate values. CEGS explains key patterns in nature in an intuitive and elegant way.

A significant proportion of scientific research is conducted by young graduate students. However, many students enter research with the misconception that science is a straightforward, objective process of uncovering facts and proving theories. In reality, scientific inquiry is complex, ambiguous, and shaped by competing theories, uncertainties, and even the emotions of the researchers themselves. This is particularly evident in ecological research, which deals with highly variable natural systems influenced by numerous interacting factors. For many young researchers, this contradiction can be both surprising and discouraging, potentially undermining the scientific process, leading to distorted conclusions, and hampering long-term academic engagement. To address this issue, principal investigators should explicitly acknowledge and bridge the gap between students' expectations and the realities of scientific research. Mentors should encourage students to embrace complexity rather than avoiding it, guiding them through the equivocal and iterative nature of scientific inquiry.