Search Results (772)

Assessment is fundamental to programming education; however, it is a labour-intensive and complicated process, especially in extensive learning contexts where it relies significantly on human teachers. This paper presents an automated grading methodology designed to assess Python programming exercises, producing both continuous and discrete grades. The methodology incorporates GPT-4-Turbo, a robust large language model, and machine learning models selected by PyCaret’s automated process. The Extra Trees Regressor demonstrated superior performance in continuous grade prediction, with a Mean Absolute Error (MAE) of 4.43 out of 100 and an R² score of 0.83. The Random Forest Classifier attained the highest scores for discrete grade classification, achieving an accuracy of 91% and a Quadratic Weighted Kappa of 0.84, indicating substantial concordance with human-assigned categories. These findings underscore the promise of integrating LLMs and automated model selection to facilitate scalable, consistent, and equitable assessment in programming education, while substantially alleviating the workload on human evaluators. Full article

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of tyrosine on behavior and ruminal meta-taxonomic profile of Altay sheep. Twelve rams with the lowest behavioral responses to humans and twelve rams with the highest behavioral responses were sorted into calm and nervous groups, respectively. Following the 2 × 2 factorial design, the rams from each group were equally assigned two treatments of a basal diet and a diet with an extra 4 g of tyrosine for 30 d. The temperament trait, growth performance, rumen fermentation parameters, ruminal epithelium antioxidant capacity, and rumen microbial composition were measured at the end of the feeding experiment. The results showed that tyrosine treatment led to a decreased number of crosses in the arena test in nervous sheep (p < 0.05). The tyrosine treatment led to increased antioxidant markers in the rumen epithelium, such as catalase, total antioxidant capacity, and GSH content in rumen epithelial tissues (p < 0.05) in calm and nervous sheep. The total volatile fatty acids and propionic acid content in the rumen were increased by tyrosine treatment in nervous and calm sheep (p < 0.05). The rumen microbial study revealed that the dominant microbial genera were Cryptobacteroides, Prevotella, Limivicinus, Quinella, UBA1711, RUG740, Sachharofermentans, Limomorpha, Soladiphilus, Flexinia, and others in both the tyrosine treatment and temperament groups. A combined effect of treatment and temperament was seen on the abundance of two microbial genera, UBA1711 and RUG740 (p < 0.05). These findings suggest that tyrosine-treated Altay sheep would experience less stress during production, resulting in reduced oxidative stress in the rumen epithelium and improved propionic acid production in the rumen compared with that of basal-diet-treated Altay sheep. Meanwhile, the effect of the dietary tyrosine treatment on ruminal microbial diversity was lower, suggesting lesser degradation of tyrosine by ruminal microbes in Altay sheep. Full article

This work presents the experimental results of a wavelet transform denoising algorithm (WTDA) that improves the ionoacoustic signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and proton range measurement precision. Ionoacoustic detectors exploit the ultrasound signal generated by pulsed proton beams in energy absorbers (water or the human body) to localize the energy deposition with sub-millimeter precision, with interesting applications in beam monitoring during oncological hadron therapy treatments. By improving SNR and measurement precision, the WTDA allows significant reduction of the extra dose necessary for beam characterization. To validate the WTDA’s performance, two scenarios are presented. First, the WTDA was applied to the ionoacoustic signals from a 20 MeV proton beam, where it allowed for increasing the SNR by 17 dB and improving measurement precision by a factor of two. Then, the WTDA was applied to the simulated signals from a 200 MeV clinical beam where, compared to state-of-the-art algorithms, it achieved a −80% dose reduction when achieving the same 30 μm precision and a six-fold precision improvement for the same 17 Gy dose deposition. Full article

Hercaleum sphondylium L., commonly known as hogweed, is a plant species that has been employed as an ingredient in food supplements aimed at enhancing reproductive organ functionality, restoring hormonal equilibrium, and producing an aphrodisiac effect. Importantly, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has designated it as a “substance of possible concern for human health” when found in food and food supplements, as detailed in the EFSA compendium of botanicals. Given the potential health consequences associated with the ingestion of furocoumarin-containing plants, the primary objective of this study was to develop a straightforward and rapid method for screening various furocoumarins (bergapten, isobergapten, isopimpinellin, imperatorin, and xanthotoxin) that are found in hogweed plant products and hogweed-derived food supplements. A novel ultrafast micellar electrokinetic chromatographic method was established, achieving analysis durations of less than 3 min for the complete separation of the analytes. This method is additionally characterized by its simplicity, allowing for the analysis of samples following a rapid extraction procedure and dilution, without necessitating extra cleanup steps. The investigation of ten food supplements indicated that seven products contained no detectable levels of furocoumarins, one product presented levels close to the harmless threshold, and two products exhibited concentrations significantly exceeding this threshold. The results of this study illustrate the potential of micellar electrokinetic chromatography as a feasible alternative technique for the analysis of furocoumarins in herbal products and food supplements. Full article

Large language models (LLMs) have recently demonstrated state-of-the-art performance in various natural language processing (NLP) tasks, achieving near-human levels in multiple language understanding challenges and aligning closely with the core principles of semantic communication Inspired by LLMs’ advancements in semantic processing, we propose LLM-SC, an innovative LLM-enabled semantic communication system framework which applies LLMs directly to the physical layer coding and decoding for the first time. By analyzing the relationship between the training process of LLMs and the optimization objectives of semantic communication, we propose training a semantic encoder through LLMs’ tokenizer training and establishing a semantic knowledge base via the LLMs’ unsupervised pre-training process. This knowledge base facilitates the creation of optimal decoder by providing the prior probability of the transmitted language sequence. Based on this, we derive the optimal decoding criteria for the receiver and introduce beam search algorithm to further reduce complexity. Furthermore, we assert that existing LLMs can be employed directly for LLM-SC without extra re-training or fine-tuning. Simulation results reveal that LLM-SC outperforms conventional DeepSC at signal-to-noise ratios (SNRs) exceeding 3 dB, as it enables error-free transmissions of semantic information under high SNRs while DeepSC fails to do so. In addition to semantic-level performance, LLM-SC demonstrates compatibility with technical-level performance, achieving approximately an 8 dB coding gain for a bit error ratio (BER) of ${10}^{-3}$ without any channel coding while maintaining the same joint source–channel coding rate as traditional communication systems. Full article

A product development process establishes requirements not just for the new product’s quality and performance, but also for its manufacturing process, to guarantee that the item is manufactured with minimal impact. This is because, if an issue is discovered after the product has been released, the implications go beyond the expensive cost of the repair; the physical ergonomics problem can affect the worker’s comfort, productivity, and product quality. Virtual reality and digital human modeling are often employed in Industry 4.0 to evaluate ergonomics, but they are rarely used to examine physical ergonomics throughout the product development phases. Our study presents design guidelines to combine virtual reality and digital human modeling to anticipate the physical ergonomics evaluations of the assembly process while the product is still in development. Based on physical observations of body-posture angles and total effort classification, our proof of concept performed comparably to conventional methods. We also observed comparable results when we analyzed attributive factors such as hand clearance and strength. In contrast, our proof of concept has been shown to be limited for occupations involving extra ergonomic physical risk factors, such as touch perception, temperature fluctuations, or size changes. Full article

In vitro maturation (IVM) of oocytes retrieved from ovum pick-up (OPU) or ovarian tissue (OT) is a standard approach for patients with specific conditions where prior hormonal stimulation is contraindicated. However, the developmental competence of oocytes matured in vitro is still inferior to that of oocytes matured in vivo. Capacitation IVM (CAPA-IVM) includes an extra step of pre-maturation culture (PMC) with c-type natriuretic peptide (CNP) as a meiotic arrestor to better synchronize cytoplasmic and nuclear maturity in oocytes by allowing the cytoplasm additional time to acquire essential components critical for optimal competency. This study aims to evaluate the effect of CAPA-IVM on equine oocyte quality and developmental competence. Immature cumulus–oocyte complexes (COCs) were retrieved from slaughterhouse ovaries and matured in vitro either in CAPA-IVM (short 6 h, long 24 h pre-maturation) or standard IVM. Mature oocytes from each group were analyzed for calcium-releasing potential (n = 52) and single-oocyte proteomics (n = 44), and embryo development (n = 229) was assessed after fertilization with piezo-drilled intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). Genetic analysis of developed blastocysts (n = 41) was performed to detect chromosomal aberrations. Our findings demonstrate that CAPA-IVM of equine COCs yields significantly higher maturation rates than controls. Moreover, short CAPA-IVM with six hours pre-maturation culture showed substantially higher embryo development potential than the control group (20/69 vs. 9/63, respectively). Genetic analysis revealed a high euploidy rate in equine blastocysts regardless of the maturation conditions. Live calcium imaging of the fertilized oocytes demonstrated that the majority of oocytes displayed non-continuous calcium oscillation patterns, irrespective of maturation conditions. Single-oocyte proteomics reveals a comparable proteomic landscape between mature oocytes subjected to short CAPA-IVM and standard IVM. However, we identified four enriched gene sets with positive enrichment scores after short CAPA-IVM, related to cytoskeleton regulation, ribosomal function, and cytosolic components. Our findings indicate that CAPA-IVM holds the potential to improve oocyte quality and competence in horses. However, further fine-tuning of culture conditions would benefit the effective use of these IVM systems. Moreover, given that the mare serves as an excellent model for human reproduction, the molecular trends identified in this study could provide valuable insights for advancing human artificial reproductive technologies. Full article

Although they show great promise in the medical field, the safety of fullerenes—discovered forty years ago—is still uncertain, according to regulatory experts at the European Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety. This is a major obstacle to progress in the field. Meanwhile, oily solutions of fullerenes intended for human and pet consumption can be purchased online, without any marketing authorization. Therefore, to avoid any potential public health issues, regulatory-compliant preclinical studies on fullerene oily solutions are urgently needed. We present the first in vivo genotoxicity study of a C60/C70 fullerene mixture (4.1/1, w/w) dissolved in extra virgin olive oil (0.8 mg/mL). The study was conducted using the Mammalian Micronucleus Test (MMT) in an independent GLP-laboratory, in compliance with the OECD and EPA guidelines. The MMT was performed on NMRI mice following the oral administration of fullerenes at doses of up to 3.6 mg/kg. This dose is almost the maximum dose that can be administered to rodents. The data obtained clearly show that fullerene oily solutions have no genotoxic activity under these conditions. This should pave the way for further regulatory investigations of fullerene oily solutions. Full article

Pneumatic soft manipulators are one of the current development trends in the field of manipulators. The soft manipulator that has been developed at present still has problems with single function and poor load-bearing capacity. This paper designs a composite soft finger inspired by the human middle finger, featuring a dual-chamber pneumatic drive and embedded steel sheet structure. Utilizing the principles of moment equilibrium and virtual work, a theoretical model for the bending behavior of the soft finger is developed, and the correlation between the bending angle and driving air pressure is derived. The determination process of key parameters and their influence on bending deformation are explained in detail through simulation. The bending experiment confirmed the reliability of the theoretical model. The fingertip force test indicates that the composite finger exerts a greater force than the ordinary one, with the extra force equivalent to 42.57% of the composite finger’s own fingertip force. Subsequent tests on the soft robotic hand measured the hooking quality, gripping diameter, and gripping force. The hooking experiment confirmed that composite fingers have a stronger load-bearing capacity than ordinary fingers, with an extra capacity equivalent to 31.25% of the composite finger’s own load-bearing capacity. Finally, the grasping experiment demonstrates that the soft manipulator can grasp objects of varying shapes and weights, indicating its strong adaptability and promising applications. Full article

Introduction: Olive oil’s health benefits are widely known and extensively documented; its advantages are widespread, covering numerous areas of human health. Clinical and experimental data indicate that a Mediterranean Diet (MedDiet) with Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO) lowers the risk of illnesses associated with oxidative stress, chronic inflammation, and weakened immunity, including cancer and cardiovascular disease (CVD). The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) confirms that olive oil’s polyphenols help protect blood lipids against oxidative damage; thus, EVOO, crucial in the MedDiet, could be a functional food component. Olive oils must contain at least 5 mg of Hydroxytyrosol (HYTY) and its derivatives (oleuropein and Tyrosol (TY)) per 20 g to qualify for the EFSA-approved health claim. To provide a summary of clinical study results, this systematic review assessed the impact of Virgin olive oil (VOO) consumption on cardiovascular risk and disease prevention. Methods: The systematic review’s studies were collected from PubMed, Cochrane, Web of Science, and Scopus following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement and the Population Intervention Comparison Outcome Population (PICO) framework. Results: Seventeen clinical studies were identified, which highlighted the association between VOO consumption (including EVOO) and a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease. Particularly, improvements in biomarkers involved in cardiometabolic pathways and subsequent cardiovascular events were recorded. The beneficial effect was attributed to the polyphenols contained in EVOO. Indeed, EVOO supplementation as part of the Mediterranean diet could improve patients’ quality of life in secondary prevention by demonstrating a positive correlation with the cardioprotective role of polyphenols. Discussion: A balanced diet with VOO represents a simple yet potent method to counteract metabolic dysfunctions associated with CVD. Despite these results, further multicenter clinical studies with a wider range of patients are required to confirm and better understand EVOO’s effects on the prevention of cardiovascular risk. Full article

For the vast majority of spatial navigation research, experimental tasks are implemented in real-world environments. In recent decades, there has been an increasing trend toward virtual environments, which offer several benefits compared to their real-world counterparts while also having certain limitations. With these properties in mind, we have developed the Gallery of Memories (GA-ME), a customizable virtual-navigation task that is equipped for the assessment of both spatial navigation and memory within a highly controlled three-dimensional environment. The GA-ME provides a 3D position and head direction (pitch and yaw) sampling rate that is significantly higher compared to alternatives, enabling users to reconstruct a participant’s movement in the environment with remarkable spatiotemporal precision while its design, including nested spaces, makes it optimal for the study of place and grid cells in humans. These properties imbue the GA-ME with the potential to be widely utilized in both research and clinical settings for the in-depth study of spatial navigation and memory, with the possibility of conducting human intra- and extra-cranial electrophysiology, imaging, and eye-tracking measurements relevant to these faculties. Full article

Brain ischemia-reperfusion (IR) injury is a critical pathological process that leads to extensive neuronal death, with hippocampal pyramidal cells, particularly those in the cornu Ammonis 1 (CA1) subfield, being highly vulnerable. Until now, human olfactory mitral cell resistance to IR injury has not been directly studied, but olfactory dysfunction in humans is frequently reported in systemic vascular conditions such as ischemic heart failure and may serve as an early clinical marker of neurological or cardiovascular disease. Mitral cells, the principal neurons of the olfactory bulb (OB), exhibit remarkable resistance to IR injury, suggesting the presence of unique molecular adaptations that support their survival under ischemic stress. Several factors may contribute to the resilience of mitral cells. They have a lower susceptibility to excitotoxicity, mitigating the harmful effects of excessive glutamate signaling. Additionally, they maintain efficient calcium homeostasis, preventing calcium overload—a major trigger for cell death in vulnerable neurons. Mitral cells may also express high baseline levels of antioxidant enzymes and their activities, counteracting oxidative stress. Their robust mitochondrial function enhances energy production and reduces susceptibility to metabolic failure. Furthermore, neuroprotective signaling pathways, including phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt, mitogen-activated protein kinase/extracellular signal-regulated kinase (MAPK/ERK), and nuclear factor erythroid-2-related factor 2 (Nrf2)-mediated antioxidative responses, further bolster their resistance. In addition to these intrinsic mechanisms, the unique microvascular architecture and metabolic support within the olfactory bulb provide an extra layer of protection. By comparing mitral cells to ischemia-sensitive neurons, key vulnerabilities—such as oxidative stress, excitotoxicity, calcium dysregulation, and mitochondrial dysfunction—can be identified and potentially mitigated in other brain regions. Understanding these molecular determinants of neuronal survival may offer valuable insights for developing novel neuroprotective strategies to combat IR injury in highly vulnerable areas, such as the hippocampus and cortex. Full article

Vitamin D plays a vital role in human physiology, including a crucial role in regulating bone metabolism and various extra-skeletal effects. Calcitriol exerts anti-inflammatory effects on monocytes and macrophages by increasing IL-10 production and decreasing the production of proinflammatory IL-1β, IL-6, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa-Β ligand (RANKL), and cyclo-oxygenase-2 (COX-2). In addition, calcitriol also exerts important effects on adaptive immunity by downregulating MHC-II class and co-stimulatory molecules on antigen-presenting cells, but it also directly affects T lymphocytes. In multiple studies, the influence of vitamin D on eye diseases, including corneal diseases, has been demonstrated. Adequate vitamin D supplementation in patients with dry eye significantly improves tear quality and consequently heals the epithelial cells of the ocular surface. Pterygium is a fibrovascular growth of conjunctival tissue that histologically consists of superficial conjunctival epithelium and an underlying fibrovascular layer. The prevalence of pterygium depends on the region. In zones closer to the equator—“pterygium zone”, it is up to 22%, and outside of them it can be even less than 2%. While UV radiation is recognized as a primary risk factor, other factors, including vitamin D, may influence its development. This review aims to summarize the effects of vitamin D on the pathophysiological mechanism of pterygium and its possible therapeutic impact. Current research suggests that vitamin D is protective through its immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory properties. Finally, there is still insufficient evidence of the therapeutic benefit of vitamin D in pterygium, and future large-scale randomized controlled studies are needed to elucidate the exact role of vitamin D in pterygium onset and recurrence as well as its potential therapeutic benefit. Full article

Heavy metal pollution refers to the presence of excessive levels of heavy metal elements in soil beyond their natural background concentrations, posing serious threats to human health and ecological systems. Several factors are involved in the contamination disparity in agriculture soils from various terrains, demanding extra care. An examination of the topographical HM dispersions in farmland soils from the Licheng District was conducted to reveal spatial changes in pollution levels and sources and to establish an empirical framework to develop targeted remediation strategies and promote sustainable land management practices. Cd and As had over-standard rates of more than 50% in the low-lying area, whereas the HMs in the high-lying area had over-standard rates of more than 50%. Also, the rates of HMs in high terrain were higher than in low terrain. Using the single-factor pollution index, only low-lying Cu, Ni, Pb, and Hg contamination levels were clean in low-lying and high-lying areas. The overall decline in HM pollution occurred from high to low terrain, triggered by soil physicochemical properties and human interventions. Meanwhile, strong anthropogenic influence fell in high terrain for pollution. Nevertheless, low levels of HM-integrated contamination prevailed in both topographies. Natural and anthropogenic processes gave rise to environmental pollution, such as soil formation, fertilization, metal smelting, and traffic emissions. Overall, the district held a low risk for HMs. The results highlight that strong anthropogenic interventions resulted in increased HM contamination, in addition to natural processes. It is possible to further reduce HM pollution and risk by promoting scientific agricultural techniques, new energy vehicles, and cleaner production. Full article

Spondyloarthropathies (SpAs) represent a diverse group of seronegative immune-mediated inflammatory diseases characterized by a genetic predisposition and an association with human leukocyte antigen-B27. This narrative review aims to explore juvenile spondyloarthropathies (JSpAs), their classification, clinical manifestations, diagnostic challenges, and contemporary treatment strategies. According to the International League of Associations for Rheumatology criteria, JSpAs include several specific forms: enthesitis-related arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, and undifferentiated arthritis. Despite established classifications, the terms and definitions surrounding these conditions can often lead to confusion among healthcare professionals. This ambiguity underscores the need for a standardized approach to nosological classification. The clinical presentation of JSpAs can be multifaceted, encompassing both articular and extra-articular manifestations. Articular symptoms may include enthesitis and varying forms of arthritis, while extra-articular involvement can range from uveitis to gastrointestinal, cardiovascular, pulmonary, neurological, and renal complications. These diverse manifestations highlight the systemic nature of the disease and the importance of a holistic approach to diagnosis and treatment. While laboratory tests for SpAs are often non-specific, imaging modalities such as musculoskeletal ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging play a crucial role in the early detection of inflammatory lesions. These imaging techniques can provide valuable insights into disease progression and aid in the formulation of appropriate treatment plans. Current treatment guidelines advocate for a “stepwise” approach to therapy, beginning with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and progressing to glucocorticoids, disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs, and biological agents, particularly anti-tumor necrosis factor alpha agents. The primary objective of treatment is to achieve clinical remission or, at a minimum, to attain low disease activity. Regular monitoring of disease activity is imperative; however, the lack of validated assessment tools for the pediatric population remains a significant challenge. JSpAs pose unique challenges in terms of diagnosis and management due to their diverse manifestations and the complexities of their classification. Ongoing research and clinical efforts are essential to refine our understanding of these conditions, improve treatment outcomes, and enhance quality of life for affected children and their families. Effective management hinges on early detection, individualized treatment plans, and continuous monitoring, ensuring that patients receive the most appropriate care tailored to their specific needs. Full article