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Abstract The upper Tekeze River Basin is facing challenges of widespread deforestation and natural vegetation cover degradation that could exacerbate the water scarcity, food insecurity and extreme poverty in the region. Using remote sensing and GIS, this study quantified the land use land cover change trend in the last three decades and analyzed the current land use / cover statues in the basin. A hybrid classification technique is applied to obtain better classification accuracy. Moreover, for automated cloud and cloud shadow detection the newly developed Mountainous Fmask is used. Using post classification change detection technique, seven major land use/cover classes were identified. These classes remained the dominant classes during the study period, showing marked changes in the area coverage within them. Based on the error matrix statistical indices, the classification accuracies of each class are found to be strong. The overall accuracy and the kappa coefficient for the 2021 map are 91% and 89%, respectively. The techniques used have contributed to improving the accuracy of the classification process and helped the classified images to practically match the ground truths. The analysis revealed settlement expansion by 570.31% in parallel with the expansion of farmland by 52.32% during the period 1991–2021. In contrast, the forestland decreased significantly, by 75.55%. The environmental degradation and unplanned use of land resources could have contributed to why the upper Tekeze basin is experiencing worsening poverty, water scarcity and food insecurity. Thus, land use/cover time series modeling is essential for various purposes, including land use planning and, managing natural resources. In this regards this study provides basic information for implementing sustainable environmental conservation strategies in the area. Furthermore, the applied methodologies may have practical applications in other similar areas.

Abstract Background Schizophrenia often involves persecutory delusions, which cause psychological distress. Some patients use online gaming as a coping tool. However, excessive online gaming has raised concerns about internet gaming disorders (IGD), while any soothing effects of online gaming on psychological distress remain unclear. Herein, we report changes in anxiety and IGD severity, measured using rating scales, in a patient with schizophrenia who used online gaming as a coping strategy for psychological distress. Case Presentation A 43‐year‐old woman diagnosed with schizophrenia had worsening persecutory delusions, including that of being targeted by snipers, and had difficulty going out because of anxiety. She coped with her psychological distress using online shooting games. We assessed her state and trait anxiety, social anxiety, avoidance behavior when alone, and IGD severity. There was a notable reduction in the state anxiety score after the introduction of online gaming. The scores for trait anxiety, social anxiety, and avoidance behavior when alone decreased noticeably after the acquisition of coping strategies. This case demonstrates the presence of IGD only during the acquisition of coping strategies. Conclusion This case highlights the potential of online gaming as a coping strategy for schizophrenia‐related anxiety. However, excessive gaming can lead to IGD and thus necessitates caution. Further research should explore the applicability and potential risks of using online gaming to cope with psychological distress among patients with schizophrenia.

Functioning gonadotroph tumors are rare neoplasms that can cause ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) in women of reproductive age. Here, we present a case of a follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH)-producing pituitary neuroendocrine tumor (PitNET) with irregular menstrual cycles and OHSS in a Japanese woman. A 34-year-old woman with bilateral multi-cystic ovarian mass was referred to our hospital for ovarian surgery. The imaging feature of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the ovary and elevated estradiol levels with normal FSH and low luteinizing hormone (LH) levels led us to suspect the presence of a functioning gonadotroph PitNET. MRI revealed a 19-mm pituitary tumor, and increased tracer uptake was observed in the pituitary lesion on 111In-pentetreotide scintigraphy. Transsphenoidal tumor resection resulted in the resolution of the ovarian enlargement, normalization of her menstrual cycles, and spontaneous pregnancy. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) of the resected tumor for pituitary transcription factors, including steroidogenesis factor 1 (SF1) and estrogen receptor alpha, demonstrated positive immunoreactivity, whereas IHC for pituitary-specific positive transcription factor 1 was negative, suggesting that the tumor belonged to the SF1 lineage of PitNETs (gonadotroph tumor). The tumor cells showed positive expression of FSHβ, while LHβ was mostly negative. Consistent with the high pituitary tumor uptake observed on 111In-pentetreotide scintigraphy, the pituitary tumor showed positive expression of somatostatin receptor 2A. Detailed clinical and histological evaluations will provide useful information to understand these rare functioning gonadotroph tumors better.

Wind power plays a critical role in supporting Ethiopia's electricity generation, particularly during dry seasons when hydropower availability diminishes. This contribution becomes even more crucial for sustaining industrial growth. However, accurately estimating wind energy remains challenging due to its random and highly variable nature. Deep learning models for time series prediction have been employed to address this issue, and this study evaluates the effectiveness of long short-term memory (LSTM) and gated recurrent unit (GRU) models in predicting wind speed at Adama Wind Farm II in Ethiopia. Model performance was assessed using R2, RMSE, and MAE. GRU significantly outperformed LSTM across all metrics and forecasting horizons. For daily forecasting, GRU achieved an R2 of 0.9727, exceeding LSTM's 0.9062 by 7.34 %, with corresponding RMSE values of 0.0005 and 0.0018, respectively. Similarly, GRU surpassed LSTM's performance for weekly and monthly forecasting. In weekly forecasting, GRU achieved an R2 of 0.9969 compared to LSTM's 0.9930, with RMSE values of 0.0001 for both models. For monthly forecasting, GRU achieved an R2 of 0.9330 compared to LSTM's 0.9303, with corresponding RMSE values of 0.0019 for both models. MAE values also followed the same pattern, with GRU consistently demonstrating lower values than LSTM across all forecasting horizons. These findings advance renewable energy and wind power forecasting research, highlighting the adaptability and versatility of LSTM and GRU models for capturing wind behavior. Decision-makers can use these findings to optimize wind power production, enhance grid operation efficiency, and promote sustainable and cost-effective wind energy. LSTM and GRU models have emerged as powerful tools for precise wind speed and wind power forecasting, which are essential for modern wind energy planning systems. They lay the foundation for a more environmentally friendly and sustainable energy future.

Abstract Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease is a common liver disease worldwide, and is associated with dysregulation of lipid metabolism, leading to inflammation and fibrosis. Acanthopanax senticosus Harms (ASH) is widely used in traditional medicine as an adaptogen food. We examined the effect of ASH on steatohepatitis using a high-fat diet mouse model. Mice were fed a choline-deficient, l-amino acid-defined, high-fat diet with ASH extract (ASHE). After 6 weeks, liver RNA transcriptome sequencing (RNA-Seq) was performed, followed by Ingenuity Pathway Analysis (IPA). Our findings revealed that mice fed a high-fat diet with 5% ASHE exhibited significantly reduced liver steatosis. These mice also demonstrated alleviated inflammation and reduced fibrosis in the liver. IPA of RNA-Seq indicated that hepatocyte nuclear factor 4 alpha (HNF4 alpha), a transcription factor, was the activated upstream regulator (P-value 0.00155, z score = 2.413) in the liver of ASHE-fed mice. Adenosine triphosphate binding cassette transporter 8 and carboxylesterase 2, downstream targets of HNF4 alpha pathway, were upregulated. Finally, ASHE-treated HepG2 cells exposed to palmitate exhibited significantly decreased lipid droplet contents. Our study provides that ASHE can activate HNF4 alpha pathway and promote fat secretion from hepatocytes, thereby serving as a prophylactic treatment for steatohepatitis in mice.

As burning mouth syndrome (BMS) and atypical odontalgia (AO) continue to remain complex in terms of pathophysiology and lack explicit treatment protocol, clinicians are left searching for appropriate solutions. Oversimplification solves nothing about what bothers us in clinical situations with BMS or AO. It is important to treat a complicated phenomenon as complex. We should keep careful observations and fact-finding based on a pragmatic approach toward drug selection and prescription with regular follow-up. We also need to assess the long-term prognosis of treatment with a meticulous selection of sample size and characteristics. Further investigation of BMS and AO from a psychosomatic perspective has the potential to provide new insight into the interface between brain function and “chronic orofacial pain.”

ABSTRACTBarley (Hordeum vulgare L.) growth is often inhibited under waterlogged fields. Under waterlogging, a higher C/N ratio in soil easily leads to low oxygen concentration and soil reduction. Although the tolerant varieties for waterlogging and soil reduction were previously reported, those root growth under hypoxia remains unknown. In this study, more than 90% of total leaf area in Deder 2, Hayakiso 2 and Akashinriki remained green even under waterlogged and reduced soil condition at seedling stage. The root elongation of Deder 2 and Hayakiso 2 was similar between aerobic and hypoxic conditions. In comparison, severe leaf necrosis was observed in Haruna Nijo and Houshun. Those root elongation was significantly inhibited under hypoxia, as compared with that under aerobic condition. In conclusion, it was considered that barley varieties tolerant to waterlogged reduced soil showed the better root growth in hypoxia in this study.

The benign tumor uterine leiomyoma (UL) develops from the smooth muscle tissue that constitutes the uterus, whereas malignant tumor uterine sarcoma develops from either the smooth muscle tissue or stroma and is different from UL and endometrial cancer. Uterine sarcoma is broadly classified into three types: uterine leiomyosarcoma, endometrial stromal sarcoma (ESS), and carcinosarcoma. Although uterine leiomyosarcoma and ESS are both classified as uterine sarcoma, they significantly differ in terms of their sites of occurrence, symptoms, and treatment methods. Uterine leiomyosarcoma develops from the muscle tissue constituting the wall of the uterus and accounts for approximately 70% of all uterine sarcoma cases. In contrast, ESS develops from the stromal tissue beneath the endometrium and accounts for approximately 25% of all uterine sarcoma cases. ESS is classified as either low grade (LG) or high grade (HG). This case report aimed to highlight the importance of histopathologic examinations based on surgical specimens. Herein, we reported the case of a 45-year-old woman suspected of having submucosal leiomyoma of the uterus based on imaging results. Transvaginal ultrasonography and endometrial biopsy or partial dilation and curettage were performed. Contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed a 32-mm mass projecting from the posterior wall of the uterus into the uterine cavity. T2-weighted imaging revealed a low signal within the mass; thus, submucosal UL was suspected. Histopathologic examination of surgical specimens obtained from a patient suspected of having submucosal UL after contrast-enhanced MRI indicated that the patient had ESS. Despite the remarkable advancements in medical imaging technology, the accuracy of contrast-enhanced MRI for detecting uterine mesenchymal tumors is limited. Therefore, histopathologic diagnosis based on surgical specimens should be performed when medical grounds for diagnosing a benign tumor on contrast-enhanced MRI are lacking.

Abstract Background Projecting future streamflow variation or the hydrological impact of climate change plays a pivotal role in the sustainable implication of planning water resources management. Therefore, this study predicts the potential of climate change’s impact on hydrological components in the Upper Awash Basin (UAB). The study applied a statistical downscaling model (SDSM) to generate future high-resolution climate data from the climate model output of the Canadian Second Generation Earth System Model (CanESM2) and the National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) under the representative concentration pathways (RCP4.5 and RCP8.5) scenarios. To analyze the trend of future rainfall and temperature, non-parametric Mann-Kendall, Modified Mann-Kendall tests, Sen’s slope estimator, and changing point (Pettit) tests were used. The output of downscaled climate data is used as input to a calibrated and validated Soil and Water Assessment Tool (QSWAT) model to assess the impact of future climate change on UAB hydrology. Results The results show that annual rainfall and temperature are significantly increased (p

Abstract Background and Aim Metachronous gastric cancer (GC) frequently occurs in patients who have undergone endoscopic resection (ER) for GC. We evaluated the risk for development of metachronous GC following ER for GC based on genetic polymorphisms for alcohol dehydrogenase‐1B (ADH1B) and aldehyde dehydrogenase‐2 (ALDH2), as well as alcohol consumption and smoking habits. Methods We studied 77 patients who underwent ER for GC (median follow‐up of 84 months). Genotyping of ADH1B/ALDH2 was performed using saliva sampling. Histories of alcohol consumption and smoking before and after ER and Helicobacter pylori eradication were documented. Results Multivariate analyses revealed that homozygous slow‐metabolizing ADH1B (hazard ratio [HR] = 2.38, P

AimsLimited data exist on risk factors for the long-term outcome of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) associated with congenital heart disease (CHD-PAH). We focused on the index of pulmonary vascular disease (IPVD), an assessment system for pulmonary artery pathology specimens. The IPVD classifies pulmonary vascular lesions into four categories based on severity: (1) no intimal thickening, (2) cellular thickening of the intima, (3) fibrous thickening of the intima, and (4) destruction of the tunica media, with the overall grade expressed as an additive mean of these scores. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between IPVD and the long-term outcome of CHD-PAH.MethodsThis retrospective study examined lung pathology images of 764 patients with CHD-PAH aged

Abstract Background Rehabilitation is an essential medical service for patients who have suffered acute stroke. Although the effectiveness of 7-days-per-week rehabilitation schedule has been studied in comparison with 5- or 6-days-per-week rehabilitation schedule, its cost-effectiveness has not been analyzed. In this research, to help formulate more cost-effective medical treatments for acute stroke patients, we analyzed the cost-effectiveness of 7-days-per-week rehabilitation for acute stroke from public health payer’s perspective, and public healthcare and long-term care payerʼs perspective in Japan. Methods Cost-effectiveness of 7-days-per-week rehabilitation for acute stroke patients was analyzed based on the result from a previous study using a Japanese database examining the efficacy of 7-days-per-week rehabilitation. Cost utility analysis was conducted by comparing 7-days-per-week rehabilitation with 5- or 6-days-per-week rehabilitation, with its main outcome incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) calculated by dividing estimated incremental medical and long-term care costs by incremental quality-adjusted life years (QALY). The costs were estimated using the Japanese fee table and from published sources. The time horizon was 5 years, and Markov modeling was used for the analysis. Results The ICER was $6339/QALY from public health payer’s perspective, lower than 5,000,000 Yen/QALY (approximately US$37,913), which was the willingness-to-pay used for the cost-effectiveness evaluation in Japan. The 7-day-per-week rehabilitation was dominant from public healthcare and long-term care payerʼs perspective. The result of sensitivity analysis confirmed the results. Conclusion The results indicated that 7-days-per-week rehabilitation for acute stroke rehabilitation was likely to be cost-effective.

Objective: We investigated the impact of using a companion robot on the mental state of a community-dwelling older adult who was receiving home-visit rehabilitation services during the state of emergency for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Methods: This case involved an 80-year-old woman with compression fractures of lumbar vertebrae 1 and 2. Her medical history included hypothyroidism, hypertension, dyslipidemia, and depression. The companion robot used was Smibi®, a healing baby robot that responds in various ways depending on how the user interacts with it. The patient interacted (e.g., hugging, conversing) with Smibi® for 30 minutes per day for 1 month, from April 2020 (immediately before the declaration of a state of emergency in Japan) to May 2020. The patient was evaluated with the Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS) before and after using Smibi®. Results: The SDS score decreased from 37 points to 26 points after the use of Smibi®. The items related to diurnal variation, sleep, despair about the future, and dissatisfaction decreased by 2–3 points. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that interacting with Smibi® may improve depression in older adults who have been forced to refrain from going out due to the spread of COVID-19. Future studies with long-term follow-up and large sample sizes are required to confirm the effectiveness of companion robots in improving depression among community-dwelling older adults.

This paper explores the scope for upscaling and transnational transfer of participatory landslide risk management strategies for informal settlements in Latin America. Drawing on lessons from transdisciplinary action-research in three neighbourhoods in Medellín, Colombia, and one in São Paulo, Brazil, the paper discusses how bottom-up approaches were developed to co-produce landslide risk management in both Global South cities, in a way that optimises the collaboration between communities and relevant governmental bodies. The analysis focuses on mitigation and ‘agreement-seeking’, from the perspectives of scale, power and knowledge, which help understand the parallels between co-production of landslide risk management and co-production of urban services. Two key conclusions are that landslide risk management should be built into neighbourhood upgrading and management, and that both community and the state have stronger roles to play in landslide risk management from their respective capacities. The paper also reflects on the role of academia in enabling co-production of landslide risk management through engaging with local communities.

Abstract Background Understanding the yearly, seasonal, monthly, and weekly rainfall variability is crucial for improved agricultural practice in Ethiopia, where agriculture depends on rainfall. In particular, knowledge of rainfall onset, withdrawal, amount, distribution, and the length of the crop growing period would protect farmers from crop damage due to climatic anomalies. This study collected and described 39 years of rainfall data using the Markov chain model. Based on the rainfall probability levels at different threshold values, the length of the dry and wet spells and the length of the growing period were determined. Results The study shows dependable rainfall at a 75% probability level commences in June. The chance of receiving greater than 10 mm at a 50% probability level starts in week 10 (5 March–11 March), with much discontinuity up to week 21st (21 May–27 May). The dependable weekly rainfall begins the week of 22 May (28th May–3rd June) with a probability of greater than 20 mm. The study revealed that the short rainy season rainfall (February to May) is unreliable for growing crops at Ghinchi as opposed to other highland areas of Ethiopia. The major crop growing season is therefore confined to periods of the long rainy season (weeks 22nd to 39th, or 28th May–30th September). The water balance for the study area indicates that the moisture availability index is greater than 0.5, and potential evapotranspiration is lower than precipitation during these months. Conclusions Climate change and rainfall variability is creating a problem with crop production constraints in the rain-fed agricultural production system in the highlands of Ethiopia. Physical properties of the soil coupled with the unfavorable soil-rainfall relationship limit increased crop production on vertisols. Improving the drainage system and capturing rainfall variability in agronomic-relevant terms is essential. Improving the physical limitations of the soil, adapting to rainfall variability, and practicing improved agronomic practices may help farmers overcome the production problem. This study provides critical information on rainfall variability concerning vertisol management and crop production. However, to overcome the problem, technological support is needed from researchers and policymakers.