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Enhancing corn industry sustainability through deep learning hybrid models for price volatility forecasting

The fluctuations in corn prices not only increase uncertainty in the market but also affect farmers’ planting decisions and income stability, while also impeding crucial investments in sustainable agricultural practices. Collectively, these factors jeopardize the long-term sustainability of the corn sector. In order to address the challenges posed by maize price volatility to the sustainability of the industry, this study proposes a multi-module wavelet transform-based fusion forecasting model: the TLDCF-TSD-BiTCEN-BiLSTM-FECAM (TLDCF-TSD-BBF) model, which is capable of accurately predicting short-term maize price volatility, thereby enhancing the sustainability of the industry. The model integrates a three-layer decomposition combined dual-filter time-series denoising method (TLDCF-TSD), a bidirectional time-convolutional enhancement network (BiTCEN), a bidirectional long- and short-term memory network (BiLSTM), and a frequency-enhanced channel attention mechanism (FECAM) to improve prediction accuracy and robustness. First, TLDCF-TSD is used to decompose the corn price time series into multiple scales, effectively separating the frequency components, extracting the signal details and trend information, and reducing the data complexity and non-stationarity. Secondly, BiTCEN designed in this paper effectively captures the short-term dependencies in the corn price data through the unique bidirectional structure and the special hybrid convolutional structure, and then accurately extracts the local features of the data, while BiLSTM mines the long-term trends and complex dependencies in the data by exploiting its bidirectional processing and long-term memory capabilities. Finally, FECAM enhances the focus on key temporal features in the frequency domain by grouping the input features along the channel dimensions and applying discrete cosine transform to generate attention vectors, improving the prediction accuracy and robustness of the model. The dataset utilized in this study was sourced from the BREC Agricultural Big Data platform, ensuring the reliability and accuracy of the corn price data for our analysis. This study utilizes price data from China’s five major corn-producing regions as a case study to demonstrate the efficacy of the proposed model in corn price forecasting. Through extensive experimentation, it has been established that the model significantly outperforms existing baseline models across various evaluation metrics. To be more specific, when dealing with different datasets, its MAE values are 0.0093, 0.0137, 0.0081, 0.0055, and 0.0101 respectively; the MSE values are 0.0002, 0.0002, 0.0001, 0.0001, and 0.0002 respectively; the MAPE values are 1.3630, 1.7456, 1.1905, 0.8456, and 1.7567 respectively; and the R2 values are 0.9891, 0.9888, 0.9943, 0.9955, and 0.9933 respectively. These data fully demonstrate the excellent performance of this model.

Effect of emancipative values on life satisfaction across different levels of democracy: A cross-national analysis of the World Values Survey

Emancipative values – advocating for personal freedoms, equality, and autonomy – are theorized to enhance life satisfaction by fostering empowerment and opportunities. The current study tested whether their impact is context-dependent, influenced by societal norms and institutional frameworks. We used data from wave seven of the World Values Survey (WVS) and the Varieties of Democracy (V-Dem) dataset, covering diverse countries and time periods. We examined the interaction between emancipative values and a country’s level of liberal democracy on life satisfaction using a random effects model accounting for country-level variations (random intercept and slope). The model was adjusted for individual-level variables, such as settlement size, income, and educational attainment, as well as country-level factors like lagged income per capita and regional affiliation. This approach allowed us to investigate the direct effect of emancipative values across different democratic contexts. Our final dataset included N = 76,702 participants across 58 countries. Countries with the highest levels of liberal democracy were also the most economically prosperous. Individuals in democratic nations were older, resided predominantly in larger settlements, demonstrated the highest levels of educational attainment, reported the highest incomes, and expressed the strongest adherence to emancipative values. Our random effect model revealed a negative main effect of emancipative values on life satisfaction. A significant positive interaction between democracy and emancipative values was also identified. Less democratic countries demonstrated a negative effect of emancipative values while no significant effect was observed in more democratic contexts. Overall, our study challenges the notion that emancipative values universally enhance life satisfaction, highlighting the significance of cultural and institutional congruence in assessing how personal values affect well-being. These findings emphasize the importance of considering contextual factors when examining the relationship between individual values and life satisfaction across diverse political and cultural landscapes.

Medicine’s rapid adoption of AI has researchers concerned

TempODEGraphNet: predicting user churn using dynamic social graphs and neural ODEs

Research on user churn prediction has been conducted across various domains for a long time. Among these, the gaming domain is characterized by its potential for diverse types of interactions between users. Due to this characteristic, many studies on churn prediction have considered the relationships between users and have primarily applied social network analysis. Recently, the use of Graph Neural Networks (GNNs) has been actively applied. However, existing studies utilizing GNNs have limitations as they use static graphs that do not effectively capture the dynamic nature of interactions that change over time. This study addresses these limitations by proposing a dynamic graph model for predicting user churn in games based on user interactions. Data are sourced from 10,000 users of ’Blade & Soul’ by NCSOFT. The proposed model effectively captures changes in user behavior over time and predicts user churn with a focus on interactions among users. Experimental results reveal that the proposed model achieves a higher F1 score compared with conventional algorithms and static graph models. Dynamic graphs more accurately reflect changes in user behavior compared with static graphs, particularly in domains with active interactions such as massively multiplayer online role-playing games. This work highlights the significance of user churn prediction in the gaming industry and demonstrates the effectiveness of the predictive models that use dynamic graphs.

Daily briefing: ‘A necessary evil’ — Cutting off rhinos’ horns to deter poachers really works

A teacher-led classroom intervention in an area of Mexico experiencing community violence: A controlled mixed-method feasibility study

Objectives We aimed to explore the effectiveness of a daily ten-minute teacher-led group thought field therapy stress-reduction intervention on middle-school adolescents residing in an area experiencing high levels of interpersonal and community violence. We hypothesized that it would lead to a reduction of trauma symptoms and improve grades in reading and math. Methods In this double-masked feasibility study, adolescents in one school received a daily teacher-led thought field therapy intervention, and children in a different school served as an active waitlist group and received the same amount of time in a daily unguided drawing activity. The schools were geographically distant to prevent cross-contamination. Results Due to differences between groups in PTSD and academic performance prior to intervention, differences within each school’s scores over time were calculated and compared to each other for indirect assessment of effect. PTSD scores at the treatment school showed no lasting change at five months, while the control school showed moderate improvement. Adolescents in the treatment group demonstrated large improvements in both reading and math. Adolescents in the control group demonstrated moderate decrease in math, and no change in reading. Conclusions Preliminary evidence gained in this study suggests that a teacher-led ten-minute group thought field therapy exercise might assist adolescents’ learning in reading and math. However, in an area experiencing ongoing interpersonal and community violence, a more multicomponent approach with longer periods of intervention, caretaker involvement and individual therapy for those who might benefit from it, may be needed. Study registration number: ISRCTN10548974.

Assessing adherence to physical activity guidelines and correlates among older Korean adults with a focus on 10-minute bout duration using subjective and objective measures

Background Understanding physical activity (PA) patterns in older adults is crucial for effectively promoting adherence to PA guidelines. However, measuring PA can be challenging because it involves a balance between ease of administration and accuracy of data collection. The primary objective of this study was to analyze PA levels in older Korean adults using both self-reported and objective accelerometer measures, and the secondary objective was to investigate the factors associated with adherence to PA guidelines. Methods Using data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES VII-2) 2017, we assessed 425 older adults who provided both self-reported and accelerometer data. Adherence to PA guidelines was evaluated using two different thresholds for the accelerometer data, each applied both strictly and with a tolerance of one to two minutes when defining a 10-minute bout. Results Self-reported data indicated a 34% adherence rate, whereas accelerometer-based rates ranged from 16% to 62.8%, depending on the cutoff values and tolerance settings. Bland-Altman analyses demonstrated notable differences between subjective and objective measurements. In terms of correlates, the questionnaire data highlighted factors such as education and household income, whereas the accelerometer-based findings emphasized sex, age, hypertriglyceridemia, and low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol. Conclusions This study revealed substantial discrepancies in both moderate-to-vigorous PA adherence estimates and significant predictors when comparing self-reported surveys to accelerometer data among older adults. For estimating population-level adherence, in the absence of accelerometer cutoff values established by a specialized lab, both self-reported data and accelerometer measurements offer unique insights. Meanwhile, when analyzing the factors influencing PA adherence, accelerometer data may be preferable, as subjective biases in self-report can affect the observed correlates in statistical results.

Dolce vita: a four-step guide to stress-free holidays from academia

Development and validation of the pesticides label (pictograms and color codes) questionnaire: A pilot study of farmers’ understanding and practices in Lebanon

Farmers’ comprehension of color codes and pictograms of pesticides is crucial for ensuring the safe and effective use of these agricultural chemicals. These visual aids provide essential information about hazards, proper handling, and application methods. This understanding helps prevent accidents, protect health, and promote sustainable farming practices. This study aims to develop and validate a Pesticide Label Questionnaire (PLQ) qualitatively and quantitatively using psychometric measures to evaluate farmers’ comprehension of pictograms and color codes as well as the technical sign-related practices in Lebanon. The questionnaire, consisting of 29 statements, was generated and developed by experts in the field of agriculture, chemistry, environmental health, public health, and statistics. Face, content, and construct validity were assessed, and psychometric properties were examined for data validation. Internal consistency and reliability were measured using Cronbach’s alpha (α) and Guttman’s Lambda Coefficient. Statistical analyses were performed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS version 27) and RStudio (Version 1.1.456, Inc., 2009–2018). The Construct Validity analyses demonstrated strong reliability and coherence within the questionnaire, with an overall Cronbach’s alpha of 0.873. Section I (“Pictorial and Color Code Comprehension”) achieved a Cronbach’s alpha of 0.849, while section II (“Technical Sign-related Practice Assessment”) showed moderate reliability at 0.667. Factor analyses revealed a well-defined structure, with five components explaining 62.03% of the variance in section I and three components accounting for 61.81% in section II. These results highlight the questionnaire’s robust construct validity and its ability to capture key dimensions of comprehension and practice related to pesticide labels. The results of this study indicate that the 29-item PLQ is a valid and reliable tool for evaluating farmers’ understanding of pictograms and color codes along with technical sign-related practices.

“A PhD is just going to somehow break you”: A qualitative study exploring the role of peer support for doctoral students

Doctoral (PhD) students experience high rates of mental health challenges, including high rates of anxiety, depression, loneliness, and isolation. While universities offer mental health services, these may not fully address the specific needs of doctoral students. Peer support has emerged as a promising adjunct to existing service provision, drawing on shared experiences to provide emotional and practical guidance. This study aimed to explore doctoral students’ perceptions of peer support, identifying their needs and preferences for a peer support programme tailored to the doctoral experience. Nineteen doctoral students were recruited from a university in the south of England and participated in focus groups or semi-structured interviews. Thematic analysis yielded four overarching themes: (1) Barriers to seeking support; (2) Value of peer support for doctoral students; (3) Tailored peer support needs; and (4) Diversity and accessibility. Findings indicate that doctoral students value peer support as a flexible, informal space to share experiences and gain advice from those with similar backgrounds. However, they also emphasised the need for diverse representation among peer supporters, adaptable training to meet neurodiverse needs, and formal recognition of peer supporters’ contributions. Study findings suggest that universities should consider implementing tailored peer support programmes to address the specific challenges faced by doctoral students, incorporating flexibility, cultural sensitivity, and accessibility to create a supportive academic environment. Future research should evaluate the effectiveness of such programs in improving doctoral students’ mental health and well-being.

Digital infrastructure and intra-provincial balanced development: Evidence from China’s provincial panel data

Unbalanced regional development poses a significant challenge to global economic growth. While existing studies have primarily concentrated on disparities between provinces, there is a notable lack of research addressing regional imbalances within a single province. In this paper, we use urban-level indicators to assess the level of intra-provincial regional balanced development in China. Based on provincial panel data from 2013 to 2022, we examine the impact of digital infrastructure on balanced regional development. We find that digital infrastructure significantly promotes balanced regional development using a fixed-effect regression model. This conclusion still holds after a series of robustness tests including instrumental variables, considering variable lag effects. Then we identify technological innovation and industrial structure upgrading as the primary mechanisms driving this relationship. Heterogeneity analysis reveals that the impact of digital infrastructure on balanced provincial development is more pronounced in regions with higher levels of urbanization, whereas the heterogeneity associated with financial development levels is statistically insignificant. Based on these findings, the paper offers policy recommendations aimed at leveraging digital infrastructure to further empower balanced development across provinces.

The effects of aerobic exercise in patients with cancer-related fatigue: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Background Cancer-related fatigue (CRF) is characterized by an unusual and persistent sensation of tiredness that can occur during or after treatment, potentially impacting both physical and mental capability, and which does not ameliorate with rest. Aerobic exercise (AE) has been identified as a potent modality to mitigate the severity of CRF in such patients. Objective This study aims to investigate the efficacy of AE in alleviating CRF among patients. Methods A comprehensive literature search was implemented on PubMed, Web of Science, EBSCO, Cochrane, and Embase until June 2024. Studies were selected based on the following PICOS criteria: Participants (P): cancer patients undergoing treatment or in recovery; Intervention (I): aerobic exercise, including activities such as walking, running, yoga, or tai chi; AE interventions conducted during both treatment and recovery were included. Comparison (C): usual care, no-treatment/wait-list, or attention/activity placebo controls; Outcome (O): cancer-related fatigue (CRF) measured by validated scales; Study design (S): randomized controlled trials (RCTs). The meta-analysis was performed using Review Manager 5.3. Results The results indicate that AE exerts a significant impact on CRF, but the heterogeneity is high (SMD = −0.76, 95% CI: −1.30 to −0.22, P < 0.05, I² = 94%). Subgroup analysis revealed that AE interventions lasting at least 12 weeks (SMD = −1.12, 95% CI = −2.02 ~ −0.22, P < 0.05, I² = 96%), 3 times or less per week (SMD = −1.00, 95% CI = −1.83 ~ −0.16, P < 0.05, I2 = 96%), with each session exceeding 60 minutes (SMD = −1.48, 95% CI = −2.32 ~ −0.64, P < 0.01, I2 = 96%), compared to the control group, significantly improve CRF in patients. Conclusion The research findings confirm the effectiveness of AE in alleviating CRF. Subgroup analysis further elucidated that AE interventions lasting at least 12 weeks, 3 times or less per week, with 60 minutes or more per session, significantly alleviated CRF among patients. However, given the limited number of included studies, caution is warranted in interpreting these subgroup analysis outcomes. The protocol for this review was duly registered on PROSPERO under the registration number CRD42024559098.

Reducing energy and environmental footprint in agriculture: A study on drone spraying vs. conventional methods

Agricultural practices significantly contribute to resource depletion and greenhouse gas emissions, underscoring the urgent need for environmental sustainability in this sector. This research assesses the energy efficiency and environmental impacts of Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) technology compared to traditional spraying methods for wheat farms in Lorestan province, Iran. Experiments were conducted randomly with three repetitions, and data were analyzed using Simapro Impact 2002 + software, evaluating four primary categories and 15 midpoint indicators. The findings reveal that conventional spraying consumes 2.43 times more energy than drone spraying, with values of 365.26 MJ/ha and 146.84 MJ/ha, respectively. Additionally, the Global Warming Potential (GWP) for pesticide application is 41.284 kg CO2ha-1 for conventional methods and 14.485 kg CO2ha-1 for drones. Diesel emissions from tractors in traditional spraying represent the most significant environmental burden, while battery production and charging for drones contribute the largest share among various impacts. These results highlight the potential of UAV technology to enhance energy efficiency and reduce environmental harm, promoting sustainable agricultural practices. Nonetheless, battery limitations and the need for training remain challenges, and further studies are required to assess long-term impacts and scalability.

Effect of mineral filler on low velocity impact behaviour of bi-directional glass fibre/epoxy composites exposed to varied temperature conditions

Fibre reinforced plastics are predominantly used in automotive, aerospace applications due to their promising features of low cost, easy of processing and durability, however these composites are more susceptible to varied temperature conditions under different loading conditions. One such problem where these composites vary greatly in their performance is due to impact loading conditions. The objective of present research is to determine the effect of calcium inosilicate (also termed as wollastonite) powder which is used as a filler on low velocity impact (LVI) behaviour of bi-directional glass fibre reinforced with epoxy thermosets (GFRP) for different loading percentage of 1%,3%,5% and 7%. Composites were prepared through manual lay-up route and prepared samples were exposed for 3 different temperature conditions of continuous heating and cooling cycles at +500c, −50C including room temperature conditions for 168hrs. Aged samples were tested for low velocity impact(LVI) testing by keeping constant energy of 30J. Results revealed that addition up to 3% filler influence largely on LVI response of GFRP composites for all the temperature conditions, addition to this polynomial regression of 9th order was performed and the results were best fit with experimental values. Fractography study revealed the severity of damage modes upon LVI testing.

How our student journal club built on sand developed strong foundations

Testing learning as alternative to the blank slate hypothesis in the honey bee, Apis mellifera

Reliable recognition of nestmates and discrimination against non-nestmates is key to the integrity of social insect colonies. Cuticular hydrocarbon profiles play a key role in this recognition process in many species, including honey bees. Newly emerged worker bees are largely devoid of cuticular hydrocarbons and therefore believed to represent a “blank slate” that is not discriminated against and instead accepted into other colonies regardless of colony origin. However, instead of being unrecognizable, the absence of cuticular hydrocarbons may also represent a recognizable “Gestalt”. Thus, an alternative hypothesis for the universal acceptance of newly emerged workers may be that older workers in every colony learn the absence of cuticular hydrocarbons as a familiar stimulus that belongs to their colony because other such workers are constantly emerging under normal circumstances. Here, we tested this hypothesis by comparing the response to newly emerged workers between bees that matured in colonies with and without newly emerging bees. Contrary to our prediction, we found no significant difference between these two experimental groups in an aggression bioassay towards newly emerged workers. We thus failed to provide empirical evidence against the blank slate hypothesis. However, the groups displayed significant differences in aggression towards foragers from their own respective colonies, indicating that the emergence of new workers in a colony can affect group discriminatory behavior in honey bees. Furthermore, we identified a negative effect of temperature on aggressive behavior toward newly emerged workers.

Stochastic optimization for minimizing operational costs in smart hybrid energy networks considering electric vehicle

The residential energy hub (REH) effectively satisfies power demands, but the incorporation of renewable energy sources (RES) and the increasing use of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), with their unpredictable nature, complicates its optimal functionality and challenges the accurate modeling and optimization of REH. This work proposed a stochastic model for REH using mixed integer linear programming (MILP) to optimally handle the associated uncertainties of RES and PEHVs, which was then solved using GAMS software. Four case studies with varying conditions were conducted to verify the performance of the proposed scheme, and the results indicate that the approach is superior in optimally handling the system’s associated limitations. These limitations include the intermittency and variability of RES and the uncertainties associated with PHEVs, such as arrival time, travel distance, and departure time. Additionally, this work introduces a smart charging mechanism that charges and discharges PHEVs economically, both in terms of cost and reliability. The results indicate that incorporating a smart charging mechanism decreases the total operating cost of smart REH by 2.59% while maintaining the comfort level of the consumer and increasing the reliability of the overall system. Finally, smart REH adopts a demand response program (DRP), which further reduces the operational cost by 3.7%. Furthermore, the proposed approach demonstrates a significant reduction in operating costs and an improvement in the reliability of the smart REH.

Thionated levofloxacin derivative: Potential repurposing for cancer treatment and synergism with doxorubicin on doxorubicin-resistant lung cancer cells

Objectives Fluoroquinolones, such as levofloxacin (LVX), are extended-spectrum drugs used for the treatment of bacterial infections. Several fluoroquinolone derivatives have shown promising antibacterial and anticancer activities. Our group has earlier synthesized and investigated thionated LVX analogs, compounds 2 and 3, on A549 (non-small cell lung cancer) cell line and showed promising anticancer activity. The mechanism of cytotoxicity may be, in part, via aldehyde dehydrogenase enzyme inhibition and antioxidation. In this study, compounds 2 and 3 were evaluated on prostate (PC-3), breast (MCF7), colorectal (Caco-2), and small cell lung cancer (H69 and H69AR) cell lines. Methods The anticancer activity was measured using resazurin colorimetric method. Combination treatments with doxorubicin (DOX) were also employed and combination index (CI) value were calculated. Results Compound 3 possessed higher anticancer activity compared to compound 2 on the tested cancer cell lines. Compound 3 had the highest activity on PC-3 cells with IC50 value of 3.58 µM. DOX was also tested for comparison and had IC50 value of less than 0.5 µM in all tested cell lines except for H69AR (DOX-resistant form of H69), which was 4.62 µM. Combination treatment with DOX resulted in significant reduction of cell viability in PC-3, H69, and H69AR cells, with those on H69 and H69AR cells resulted in additive (CI = 1.0) and synergistic effects (CI = 0.6), respectively. Conclusions Compound 3, a thionated LVX derivative, showed a promising anticancer activity, prompting its potential repurposing for cancer treatment as well as combination treatment with DOX on DOX-resistant cancer cells.

Basic medical sciences and understanding medicine: Insights from medical students

Introduction Basic medical sciences form the cornerstone of any medical knowledge and are essential for understanding various diseases. This study aims to shed light on students’ viewpoints toward those sciences while delving into their motivations and hindrances and investigating individual subjects. Methods This cross-sectional study was carried out at Damascus University in Syria, targeting final-year medical students. Data collection occurred on a designated clerkship day, during which students were invited to complete an anonymous, self-administered questionnaire. The questionnaire evaluated students’ overall perception and academic interest in studying basic medical sciences in pre-clinical years and their willingness to pursue these sciences as a prospective career. Results The study surveyed 350 medical students, with 40% rating their interest as good/very good. The extensive content was perceived as a major hindrance by 76.9%. Anatomy was perceived as the easiest subject while pharmacology and biochemistry were considered the hardest. The majority acknowledged the value of basic sciences for further medical education (75.1%) and good physician (77.4%), but only 20.9% indicated their relevance for practical training. Furthermore, 68.6% of students were not interested in pursuing these sciences as a career, primarily due to their preference for clinical fields (55.8%) and concerns about low-income potential (41.3%). Conclusion This study highlighted students’ positive views on Basic Medical Sciences, emphasizing their essential role in understanding disease pathophysiology for medical education and practice. Nonetheless, it pointed out a lack of practical training. The findings underscore the importance of decreasing content intensity and enhancing retention through practical approaches aligned with clinical practice.

Effects of salicylic acid, benzothiadiazole, and other commercial biostimulants on boosting faba bean (Vicia faba L.) tolerance against Orobanche spp

Broomrapes (Orobanche spp.) caused important agricultural problems reducing faba bean cultivated area and production in Tunisia. The effect of chemical tolerance inducers (Salicylic Acid SA and Benzothiadiazole BTH) and commercial biological tolerance inducers (Serenade, Trianum-P and Panoramix) on the induction of tolerance to O. foetida and O. crenata on faba bean was studied under field and controlled conditions experiments. These tolerance inducers were evaluated on the susceptible small seeded faba bean cv. Bachaar and applied as seeds’ pretreatment (seeds priming – coating). SA and BTH proved to be the best seed pretreatment inducers that reduced O. foetida infestation and increased plant growth and seed yield under field and controlled conditions. Induced tolerance was associated with reduced orobanche seed germination rate and tubercle number. Biological tolerance inducers reduced orobanche infestation under controlled conditions especially in quadratic plastic dishes but not under field conditions. In absence of complete resistance to broomrape, these results support the evidence of using tolerance inducers to control broomrapes and that could be considered as one additional component in an integrated control strategy.