bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The number of partitions of an even number into sums of pairs of prime numbers
Authors: Butov Gennady
Published: December 2024

The purpose of this work is to obtain exact and approximate formulas that calculate the number of partitions of even numbers into sums of pairs of prime numbers.
Optimizing glycemic control in type 2 diabetes: the impact of the GLIDE program’s personalized digital health intervention
Authors: Ambesange Anand , Khomane Amit Lala , Parikh Jaymin , Aswal Devina , Gharia Mihir , Sharma Prachi , Trivedi Vishva , Maheshwari Twinkle , Mishra Astha , Bhavsar Bhavan , Athavale Vrushali
Published: December 2024

Background

The integration of digital health applications into type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) management presents promising opportunities for optimizing glycemic control, enhancing adherence, and improving health outcomes. MyTatva’s Glycemic Lifestyle Intervention in Diabetes Empowerment (GLIDE) program, which integrates dietary and exercise regimens, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), and Internet of Things (IoT) devices, potentiates this approach. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of the GLIDE program’s personalized, comprehensive approach in improving glycemic control over 90 days among T2DM patients.

Methods

During the study period, 30 diabetic patients completed their GLIDE journey with expert dieticians, physiotherapists, and behavior therapists. Each patient received a personalized root cause analysis based on lifestyle assessment and disease-specific parameters. Statistical analysis was conducted using a paired t-test on the deidentified HbA1c, FBS, and PPBS data at baseline and post-intervention.

Results

Throughout the study, 27 patients actively adhered to the GLIDE program. All the parameters showed statistically significant (p<0.05) changes post-intervention. HbA1c decreased by 11.79% from 8.43% ± 1.32 to 7.44% ± 0.64. Significant reductions were observed in PPBS (47.7%), decreasing from 260.89 mg/dL ± 36.31 to 136.27 mg/dL± 6.36, compared to FBS (31.1%), which decreased from 8.43 mg/dL± 1.32 to 7.44 mg/dL± 0.64.

Conclusions

The effectiveness of the GLIDE program is based on a comprehensive root cause analysis approach. The detailed analysis of the patient’s clinical journey by health experts at regular intervals enables precise goal management, resulting in expected outcomes for better glycemic control. Therefore, personalized digital health plans are vital for achieving clinically significant changes.
Protective effect of UDCA against IL-11- induced cardiac fibrosis is mediated by TGR5 signalling
Authors: Reilly-O’Donnell B. , Ferraro E. , Tikhomirov R. , Nunez-Toldra R. , Shchendrygina A. , Patel L. , Wu Y. , Mitchell A. L. , Endo A. , Adorini L. , Chowdhury R. A. , Srivastava P. K. , Ng F. S. , Terracciano C. , Williamson C. , Gorelik J.
Published: December 2024

Introduction

Cardiac fibrosis occurs in a wide range of cardiac diseases and is characterised by the transdifferentiation of cardiac fibroblasts into myofibroblasts these cells produce large quantities of extracellular matrix, resulting in myocardial scar. The profibrotic process is multi-factorial, meaning identification of effective treatments has been limited. The antifibrotic effect of the bile acid ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) is established in cases of liver fibrosis however its mechanism and role in cardiac fibrosis is less well understood.

Methods

In this study, we used cellular models of cardiac fibrosis and living myocardial slices to characterise the macroscopic and cellular responses of the myocardium to UDCA treatment. We complemented this approach by conducting RNA-seq on cardiac fibroblasts isolated from dilated cardiomyopathy patients. This allowed us to gain insights into the mechanism of action and explore whether the IL-11 and TGFβ/WWP2 profibrotic networks are influenced by UDCA. Finally, we used fibroblasts from a TGR5 KO mouse to confirm the mechanism of action.

Results and discussion

We found that UDCA reduced myofibroblast markers in rat and human fibroblasts and in living myocardial slices, indicating its antifibrotic action. Furthermore, we demonstrated that the treatment of UDCA successfully reversed the profibrotic IL-11 and TGFβ/WWP2 gene networks. We also show that TGR5 is the most highly expressed UDCA receptor in cardiac fibroblasts. Utilising cells isolated from a TGR5 knock-out mouse, we identified that the antifibrotic effect of UDCA is attenuated in the KO fibroblasts. This study combines cellular studies with RNA-seq and state-of-the-art living myocardial slices to offer new perspectives on cardiac fibrosis. Our data confirm that TGR5 agonists, such as UDCA, offer a unique pathway of action for the treatment of cardiac fibrosis. Medicines for cardiac fibrosis have been slow to clinic and have the potential to be used in the treatment of multiple cardiac diseases. UDCA is well tolerated in the treatment of other diseases, indicating it is an excellent candidate for further in-human trials.
Development and validation of a fluency rating scale for Swiss German Sign Language
Authors: Haug Tobias , de Jong Nivja H. , Holzknecht Franz , Tissi Katja , Sidler-Miserez Sandra , Battisti Alessia , Perrollaz Regula , Ebling Sarah , Reinhard Sabine , Caminada Sarah
Published: December 2024

Introduction

Sign language fluency is an area that has received very little attention within research on sign language education and assessment. Therefore, we wanted to develop and validate a rating scale of fluency for Swiss German Sign Language (Deutschschweizerische Gebärdensprache, DSGS).

Methods

Different kinds of data were collected to inform the rating scale development. The data were from (1) focus group interviews with sign language teachers (N = 3); (2) annotated DSGS data from users/learners with various levels of proficiency (i.e., deaf native signers of DSGS, hearing sign language interpreters, and beginning learners of DSGS, approximately CEFR level A1-A2) (N = 28) who completed different signing tasks that were manipulated by preparation time; (3) feedback from raters (N = 3); and (4) complimented with theory from spoken and sign language fluency.

Results

In the focus group interview, sign language teachers identified a number of fluency aspects. The annotated DSGS data were analyzed using different regression models to see how language background and preparation time for the tasks can predict aspects of fluency (e.g., number and duration of pauses). Whereas preparation time showed only a slight effect in the annotated data, language background predicted the occurrence of fluency features that also informed the scale development. The resulting rating scale consisted of six criteria, each on a six-point scale. DSGS performances (N = 162) (same as the annotated data) from the different groups of DSGS users/learners were rated by three raters. The rated data were analyzed using multi-facet Rasch measurement. Overall, the rating scale functioned well, with each score category being modal at some point on the continuum. Results from correlation and regression analysis of the annotated data and rated DSGS performances complemented validity evidence of the rating scale.

Discussion

We argue that the different sources of data serve as a sound empirical basis for the operationalized “DSGS fluency construct” in the rating scale. The results of the analyses relating performance data to ratings show strong validity evidence of the second version of the rating scale. Together, the objective fluency measures explained 88% of the variance in the rating scores.
A blood-based mRNA signature distinguishes people with Long COVID from recovered individuals
Authors: Missailidis Daniel , Ebrahimie Esmaeil , Dehcheshmeh Manijeh Mohammadi , Allan Claire , Sanislav Oana , Fisher Paul , Gras Stephanie , Annesley Sarah J.
Published: December 2024

Introduction

Long COVID is a debilitating condition that lasts for more than three months post-infection by SARS–CoV–2. On average, one in ten individuals infected with SARS CoV- 2 develops Long COVID worldwide. A knowledge gap exists in our understanding of the mechanisms, genetic risk factors, and biomarkers that could be associated with Long COVID.

Methods

In this pilot study we used RNA-Seq to quantify the transcriptomes of peripheral blood mononuclear cells isolated from COVID-recovered individuals, seven with and seven without Long COVID symptoms (age- and sex-matched individuals), on average 6 months after infection.

Results

Seventy genes were identified as significantly up- or down-regulated in Long COVID samples, and the vast majority were downregulated. The most significantly up- or downregulated genes fell into two main categories, either associated with cell survival or with inflammation. This included genes such as ICOS (FDR p = 0.024) and S1PR1 (FDR p = 0.019) that were both up-regulated, indicating that a pro-inflammatory state is sustained in Long COVID PBMCs compared with COVID recovered PBMCs. Functional enrichment analysis identified that immune-related functions were expectedly predominant among the up- or down-regulated genes. The most frequently downregulated genes in significantly altered functional categories were two leukocyte immunoglobulin like receptors LILRB1 (FDR p = 0.005) and LILRB2 (FDR p = 0.027). PCA analysis demonstrated that LILRB1 and LILRB2 expression discriminated all of the Long COVID samples from COVID recovered samples.

Discussion

Downregulation of these inhibitory receptors similarly indicates a sustained pro-inflammatory state in Long COVID PBMCs. LILRB1 and LILRB2 should be validated as prospective biomarkers of Long COVID in larger cohorts, over time and against clinically overlapping conditions.
Antiangiogenic therapy exerts antitumor effects by altering the tumor microenvironment: bibliometric analysis
Authors: Kang Yuan , Kang Yixin , Zhang Dianbao , Yao Jun
Published: December 2024

Background

Antiangiogenic therapy can alter the tumor microenvironment (TME) and thus exert anti-tumor effects, and has the potential to increase the efficacy of conventional therapy and immunotherapy. The aim of this study was to examine current research hotspots and collaborative networks on the relationship between previous antiangiogenic therapies and the TME through bibliometric analysis.

Method

From the Web of Science Core Collection database, all publications from inception through December 2023 were downloaded. In-depth analysis was performed by Bibliometrix packages in R. Keywords and collaborative networks were analyzed using VOSviewers and Citespace.

Result

We obtained a total of 9027 publications. They come from 27 countries and were published in 1387 journals, with a total of 39,604 authors in the studied area. The number of publications increases dramatically from 2014 to 2023, accounting for 73.87% (6668/9027) of all publications. China and CANCERS have the highest number of publications on this topic and CANCER RESEACH is the most influential. In the last decade (2013- 2023), research has gradually shifted from studying the role of vascular endothelial growth factor in the TME to examining how antivascular therapy can contribute to the progression of cancer treatment. Furthermore, nanoparticle-based drug delivery systems and immunotherapy have been widely explored in the past five years. The findings of this study will help scientists to explore this promising field in depth by providing insight into the relationship between antiangiogenic therapy and the TME.

Conclusion

The relationship between the antiangiogenic therapy and the TME has been developing rapidly, but cooperation between different institutions and countries is still limited. Researchers can use this study to identify hotspots and develop trends for related research, thereby facilitating the development and cooperative exchange in this field, as well as to suggest potential future research directions.
BMP-4 and fetuin A in systemic sclerosis patients with or without calcinosis
Authors: Lofaro Francesco Demetrio , Giuggioli Dilia , Bonacorsi Susanna , Orlandi Martina , Spinella Amelia , De Pinto Marco , Secchi Ottavio , Ferri Clodoveo , Boraldi Federica
Published: December 2024

Introduction

Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a connective tissue disease at the interface between inflammation and autoimmunity progressively leading to diffuse microvascular and fibrotic involvement of the skin and of multiple internal organs. Approximately, 20-40% of SSc patients suffer from cutaneous calcinosis, a debilitating manifestation due to calcium salt deposition in soft connective tissues, causing pain, ulceration, infection, and deformities, responsible of severe functional limitations. Pathomechanisms are poorly understood as well as markers/molecules capable to predict the risk of patients to develop calcinosis.

Methods

An observational study was performed in 51 female patients, 25 with and 26 without calcinosis to compare clinical and laboratory parameters and to evaluate pro- and anti-calcifying circulating markers and the in vitro serum calcification potential (T50). Moreover, calcinosis samples were analyzed to characterize their mineral composition.

Results and discussion

Data demonstrate statistically significant differences in the prevalence of clinical manifestations and ACA and Scl70 autoantibodies in SSc patient with calcinosis compared to those without calcinosis. In SSc patients with calcinosis, serum levels of BMP-4 are higher, fetuin A might be regarded as a potential circulating prognostic marker and a negative correlation was observed between T50 and the global score of clinical manifestations, suggesting a potential predictive role of pro- and anti-calcifying molecules in SSc patients. Furthermore, calcinosis samples were characterized by the co-existence of phosphate and carbonate minerals with different stability and solubility. Further investigations on circulating markers in larger patient cohorts, especially at the early stages and throughout the natural course of the disease, may clarify their pathogenetic role in the SSc-related cutaneous calcinosis.
IRF7-deficient MDBK cell based on CRISPR/Cas9 technology for enhancing IBRV replication
Authors: Ge Guiyang , Li Dongli , Ling Qian , Xu Lihui , Ata Emad Beshir , Wang Xiaolin , Li Keyan , Hao Wen , Gong Qinglong , Li Jianming , Shi Kun , Leng Xue , Du Rui
Published: December 2024

Infectious bovine rhinotracheitis (IBR), characterized by acute respiratory lesions in cattle, is a major infectious disease caused by bovine alphaherpesvirus-1 (BoAHV-1). Control of this disease is primarily depending on vaccination. Madin-Darby bovine kidney cells (MDBK) being the main host cells and the important production platform for IBR vaccines. However, innate immune genes inhibit viral replication. Accordingly, the aim of this study was developing of IRF7 gene deleted MDBK cells to facilitate the production of high-titer vaccines. The CRISPR/Cas9 technology was used to knock out the IRF7 gene in MDBK cells and the impact on virus replication was examined using virus growth curves, CCK-8 assays, cell scratch assays, and qPCR. The knockout of the IRF7 gene in MDBK cells led to an increased replication capacity of IBRV and a significant reduction in type I interferons expression, specifically IFN-α and IFN-β. This indicates that IRF7−/−MDBK cell lines can effectively result in production of IBRV with high-titer, which will enhance the development of inactivated or attenuated vaccines.
Bibliometric analysis of rehabilitation in Alzheimer’s disease (2000–2023): trends, hotspots and prospects
Authors: Jun Peng , Chengye Hao , Hui Wan
Published: December 2024

Background

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a complex neurodegenerative disease that leads to insidious deterioration of brain functions and is considered the sixth leading cause of death in the world. Multiple studies have shown that rehabilitation therapy is becoming an important field of AD research in recent years.

Objective

We opted for bibliometric analysis to comprehensively summarize the advancements in the study of AD rehabilitation treatment, aiming to provide researchers with current trends and future research directions.

Methods

All articles and reviews pertaining to rehabilitation treatment in Alzheimer’s disease from 2000 to 2023 were downloaded through Web of Science Core Collection. The results were subjected to bibliometric analysis using Microsoft Excel (2019 version), CiteSpace (6.3 R1 Advanced) and VOSviewer 1.6.20.

Results

Overall, 1,284 publications were included. The number of publications was increasing yearly. The United States has published the most publications. University of Toronto has published the most papers of all institutions. NEUROPSYCHOLOGICAL REHABILITATION and ARCHIVES OF PHYSICAL MEDICINE AND REHABILITATION were the journals with the most studies and the most commonly cited, respectively. Clare L is the author with the highest productivity and co-citation. After analysis, the most common keywords are mild cognitive impairment, cognitive, impairment memory and executive function indicates that cognitive impairment is the main focus of research. Transcranial magnetic stimulation, cognitive rehabilitation, and physical activity/exercise are the hotspots of research at the present stage and are likely to continue.

Conclusion

Distinguishing non pharmacological treatments at different stages of development is a research hotspot in AD rehabilitation; Sports intervention, brain functional imaging techniques represented by brain functional connectivity, virtual reality, and quality of life are research directions that need attention.
Composite dietary antioxidant index mediates the effect of epilepsy on psychiatric disorders: results from NHANES 2013–2018
Authors: He Xingyan , Li Zhiling , Wu Haotian , Wang Lifen , Zhang Yuxin
Published: December 2024

Background

Psychiatric disorders is a major public health problem and epilepsy contributes significantly to depression. We aimed to explore the relationship between dietary patterns and mental illness in patients with epilepsy.

Methods

The data presented here are based on the 2013–2018 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). In this study, the t-test and chi-square tests or one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) were employed for the analysis of continuous and categorical variables, respectively. Restricted cubic splines (RCSs) with four knots were employed to investigate the linear relationship and trend between the Composite Dietary Antioxidant Index (CDAI) and epilepsy and psychiatric disorders, respectively. In instances where the linear relationship was not deemed to be applicable, the CDAI was categorized into four groups based on quartiles. A logistic regression analysis was employed to investigate the relationship between epilepsy and mental disorders under four distinct models. A mediation analysis was employed to ascertain whether CDAI acted as a mediator in the relationship between epilepsy and mental disorders.

Results

Patients with epilepsy had a significantly lower CDAI (p < 0.001) and a significantly higher prevalence of psychiatric disorders (p = 0.02) compared with non-epileptic patients. Mediation modeling showed that CDAI mediated between 3.17 and 5.21% of epilepsy-related psychiatric disorders. In stratified analyses, the prevalence of psychiatric disorders was increased in the second quartile subgroup and the third quartile subgroup of the CDAI dietary index in patients with epilepsy compared with non-epileptic patients.

Conclusion

Our findings suggest that patients with epilepsy have a high risk of developing psychiatric disorders and that the Composite Dietary Antioxidant Index (CDAI) plays a key role in mediating the relationship between epilepsy and psychiatric disorders.
MT-SCnet: multi-scale token divided and spatial-channel fusion transformer network for microscopic hyperspectral image segmentation
Authors: Cao Xueying , Gao Hongmin , Zhang Haoyan , Fei Shuyu , Xu Peipei , Wang Zhijian
Published: December 2024

Introduction

Hybrid architectures based on convolutional neural networks and Transformers, effectively captures both the local details and the overall structural context of lesion tissues and cells, achieving highly competitive segmentation results in microscopic hyperspectral image (MHSI) segmentation tasks. However, the fixed tokenization schemes and single-dimensional feature extraction and fusion in existing methods lead to insufficient global feature extraction in hyperspectral pathology images.

Methods

Base on this, we propose a multi-scale token divided and spatial-channel fusion transformer network (MT-SCnet) for MHSIs segmentation. Specifically, we first designed a Multi-Scale Token Divided module. It divides token at different scale based on mirror padding and promotes information interaction and fusion between different tokens to obtain more representative features for subsequent global feature extraction. Secondly, a novel spatial channel fusion transformer was designed to capture richer features from spatial and channel dimensions, and eliminates the semantic gap between features from different dimensions based on cross-attention fusion block. Additionally, to better restore spatial information, deformable convolutions were introduced in decoder.

Results

The Experiments on two MHSI datasets demonstrate that MT-SCnet outperforms the comparison methods.

Discussion

This advance has significant implications for the field of MHSIs segmentation. Our code is freely available at https://github.com/sharycao/MT-SCnet.
The epidemiology of pediatric oncology and hematopoietic cell transplant admissions to U.S. intensive care units from 2001-2019
Authors: Lenz Kyle B. , Watson R. Scott , Wilkes Jennifer J. , Keller Matthew R. , Hartman Mary E. , Killien Elizabeth Y.
Published: December 2024

Children with cancer or hematopoietic cell transplant (HCT) frequently require ICU care. We conducted a retrospective cohort study using Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project’s State Inpatient Databases from 21 U.S. states from 2001-2019. We included children <18 years with oncologic or HCT diagnosis and used ICD-9-CM and ICD-10-CM codes to identify diagnoses, comorbidities, and organ failures. We used generalized linear Poisson regression and Cuzick’s test of trend to evaluate changes from 2001-2019. Among 2,157,991 total pediatric inpatient admissions, 3.9% (n=82,988) were among oncology patients and 0.3% (n=7,381) were among HCT patients. ICU admission prevalence rose from 13.6% in 2001 to 14.4% in 2019 for oncology admissions and declined from 23.9% to 19.5%, for HCT admissions. Between 2001-2019, the prevalence of chronic non-oncologic comorbidities among ICU patients rose from 44.3% to 69.1% for oncology patients (RR 1.60 [95% CI 1.46-1.66]) and from 41.4% to 81.5% (RR 1.94 [95% CI 1.61-2.34]) for HCT patients. The risk of Multiple Organ Dysfunction Syndrome more than tripled for oncology (9.5% to 33.3%; RR 3.52 [95% CI 2.97-4.18]) and HCT (12.4% to 39.7%; RR 3.20 [95% CI 2.09-4.89]) patients. Mortality decreased most for ICU patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) (14.6% to 8.5%) and oncology-related HCTs (15.5% to 9.2%). Critically ill pediatric oncology and HCT patients are increasingly medically complex with greater prevalence of chronic comorbidities and organ failure, but mortality did not increase. Pediatric ICUs may require increased financial and staffing support to care for these patients in the future.
Coptisine enhances the sensitivity of chemoresistant breast cancer cells by inhibiting the function and expression of ABC transporters
Authors: Eid Safaa Yehia
Published: December 2024

Background

Multidrug resistance (MDR), mainly caused by ATP-binding cassette transporters (ABCTs) efflux, makes it difficult for many anticancer drugs to treat breast cancer (BC). Phytochemicals can reverse cancer’s MDR by modifying ABC transporter expression and function, as well as working synergistically with anticancer drugs to target other molecules. The reversal effect of the isoquinoline alkaloid coptisine (COP) was assessed on four breast cell lines; Two sensitive MCF-7 cell lines with positive estrogen, androgen, progesterone, and glucocorticoid receptors, as well as MDB-MB-231 cells with negative estrogen, progesterone, and HER2 receptors, and two doxorubicin-resistant cell lines, MCF-7/ADR and MDB-MB-231/ADR.

Methods

The cytotoxicity of COP and its ability to improve doxorubicin (DOX) cytotoxicity were assessed using the MTT assay. The effectiveness of COP in reversing DOX resistance was evaluated by calculating resistance ratio (RR) values, combination index (CI), and isobologram (IB). The inhibitory effect of COP on ABCT efflux function in comparison to verapamil (VER) was evaluated by measuring the cellular accumulation of Rho123 using flow cytometry. The impact of COP, either alone or in combination with DOX, on the gene expression of ABCTs (P-gp/MDR1, BCRP, and MRP1) of investigated cell lines was assessed by RT-PCR.

Results

The COP showed modest cytotoxicity on the examined cell lines. In MCF-7/ADR and MDA-MB-231/ADR cells, COP (31 μM) enhanced DOX cytotoxicity with CI (0.77 and 0.75), RR (2.58 and 3.33), and IB suggesting synergism. COP significantly inhibits ABCT function in resistant BC cell lines, increases Rho123 accumulation, and decreases efflux more than VER; 2.1 and 1.2-fold, respectively. The combination of COP and DOX had a strong inhibitory effect on ABCT function (3.1 and 3.9 times VER, P< 0.001) and downregulated the genes and protein expression of ABCT.

Conclusion

COP reversed ABCT-mediated multidrug resistance in vitro, indicating its potential as a multidrug resistance-reversing agent in cancer chemotherapy.
Resilient health reforms in times of permacrisis: the Greek citizens’ perspective
Authors: Souliotis Kyriakos , Papadonikolaki Jenny
Published: December 2024

This study investigates Greek citizens’ attitudes toward the current healthcare system and their perspectives on healthcare reforms. Additionally, it explores the role of both endogenous and exogenous crises in accelerating the implementation of long-overdue structural reforms that might otherwise be challenging to achieve. To this end, the research examines the level of trust in institutions and the implementation of healthcare reforms following the fiscal crisis and during the COVID-19 pandemic. The findings reveal that while most Greek citizens recognize the necessity of structural reforms within the healthcare system, approximately half of the population views these changes negatively. The primary obstacles to successful reform are identified as a lack of political will and resistance from specific interest groups. The contradiction within Greek society concerning healthcare reform is largely driven by low levels of institutional trust and social capital. Although there is a clear need for radical reforms, public perception tends to be negative when these changes are framed within political discourse. However, when reforms align with the actual needs of society, citizens’ trust in institutions increases, thereby improving the likelihood of successful policy implementation. This underscores the critical role of institutional trust in facilitating significant healthcare policy transformations.
Analysis of urban–rural differences in the relationship between grandparenting and the nutrition and health status of children aged 0–3 in China
Authors: Li Lili , Zhang Zhenyu , Tian Shili , Shi Xueting
Published: December 2024

Background

The practice of grandparents taking on the role of primary caregivers for their grandchildren is widespread across both urban and rural regions in China. Yet, the existing body of research offered limited clarity on how grandparenting associated with nutrition as well as health of children aged 0–3 years, particularly in terms of potential differences between urban and rural areas in China. Therefore, this study aims to delve into the association between grandparenting and nutrition as well as health status of children aged 0–3 and its urban–rural differences in China.

Methods

This study draws on data from 1,028 children aged 0 to 3 years and their families, collected through the China Family Panel Studies (CFPS) in 2020. Nutrition and health status of children aged 0–3 was assessed based on the indicators of malnutrition, medical consultations due to illness and developmental delay. Parental reports were used to determine the extent of grandparenting, which any caregiving arrangement involving grandparents, whether during daytime, nighttime, or both, were categorized as grandparenting. Multivariate regression analyses were conducted to explore the association between grandparenting and nutrition as well as health outcomes of children aged 0–3.

Results

Regression analysis results indicated that grandparenting is positively associated with malnutrition (OR 1.323; 95% CI 1.008, 1.735), medical consultation for illness (OR 1.382; 95% CI 1.058, 1.804), and developmental delay (OR 1.502; 95% CI 1.508, 2.134) in children aged 0–3 years. The above association has been proven to be evident in rural settings, whereas it was not significant in urban environments.

Conclusion

Grandparenting exhibits a negative association with nutrition and health status of children aged 0–3. It is imperative for parents to consider their children’s caregiving arrangements carefully, and foster nutrition and health status of children from birth to 3 years old actively.
Delineation of erythropoietic intermediates by flow cytometry
Authors: McGrath Kathleen E.
Published: December 2024

Erythropoiesis occurs through specification from multipotent progenitors to erythroid restricted potential, expansion of erythroid progenitors, and terminal maturation of precursors to red blood cells. Acute anemia can induce changes at multiple stages of erythropoiesis, thus delineation and comparison of intermediates is critical to understanding this regulation. Historically, erythropoietic intermediates have been defined by functional colony forming assays (progenitors) or microscopy (precursors). While these sensitive single cell techniques have allowed detailed studies of the erythron, they do not allow for prospectively identifying and isolating live cells for experimental analyses. This has fueled development of flow cytometric criteria for analyzing the erythron from many different research groups for both the human and mouse systems. With these data, models of the immunophenotypic continuum of the erythron can be generated progressing from the earliest erythroid specific progenitors through late erythroblasts revealing remarkable conservation between human and murine cells. Recent data have also uncovered issues with previous classification schemes of erythromyeloid progenitors that are particularly problematic for erythroid progenitors. Applying these flow cytometric tools requires consideration of gating on a continuum in a reproducible fashion, fragments of macrophages caused by tissue dissociation on a proportion of erythropoietic cells, and ultimately application in anemia where signaling may impact the range of expression of specific immunophenotyping markers.
Disaster resilience of household-level food-energy-water nexus
Authors: Karan Ebrahim , Mohammadpour Atefeh
Published: December 2024

This study examines the resilience and sustainability of household-level Food-Energy-Water (FEW) systems in the face of increasing natural disasters exacerbated by climate change. With the backdrop of escalating natural hazards and heightened vulnerabilities, this research explores innovative approaches to enhancing household resilience through the implementation of sustainable FEW systems such as rainwater harvesting, sand filtration, solar energy, geothermal energy, gas-powered and solar generators, hydroponic food production, and small greenhouses. Three primary scenarios, food disruption, energy scarcity, and water shortage are analyzed to evaluate the effectiveness of various household-level FEW systems within a residential context. These systems are compared in terms of cost-effectiveness and performance, highlighting their capacity to supply essential needs during crises. The paper also introduces an integrated nexus approach, considering the interdependencies among food, energy, and water systems, and evaluates the compounded impact of simultaneous disruptions. This comprehensive analysis aims to provide actionable insights into the development of resilient infrastructures at a micro-scale, which can significantly mitigate the adverse effects of global environmental changes on local scales.
Profile of miRNAs induced during sheep fat tail development and roles of four key miRNAs in proliferation and differentiation of sheep preadipocytes
Authors: Zhang Wei , Wang Shiyin , Yang Liwei , Gao Li , Ning Chengcheng , Xu Mengsi , Deng Shuangyi , Gan Shangquan
Published: December 2024

Background

The fat tail of sheep is an adaptive trait that facilitates their adaptation to harsh natural environments. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have been demonstrated to play crucial roles in the regulation of tail fat deposition.

Methods

In this study, miRNA-Seq was employed to investigate the expression profiles of miRNAs during different developmental stages of sheep fat tails and elucidate the functions of differentially expressed miRNAs (DE miRNAs).

Results

A total of 350 DE miRNAs were identified, among which 191, 60, 26, and 21 were significantly upregulated in tail fat tissues of fetal, lamb, hogget Altay sheep, and adult Xinjiang fine wool (XFW) sheep but downregulated in other stages. Furthermore, we predicted a set of candidate target genes (4,476) for the top 20 DE miRNAs. Gene ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analysis showed that they involve in several adipogenesis-related pathways. Subsequent investigations indicated that four DE miRNAs, miR-433-3p, miR-485-3p, miR-409-3p, and miR-495-3p, could suppress the expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ) and phosphoinositide-3-kinase regulatory subunit 3 (PIK3R3) and regulate the preadipocyte development in sheep. Meanwhile, the lipid metabolism-related genes, fatty acid-binding protein (FABP3), perilipin 1 (PLIN1), adiponectin C1Q and collagen domain containing (ADIPOQ), and lipoprotein lipase (LPL), were significantly downregulated (p < 0.01).

Conclusion

The expression patterns of miRNAs exhibited significant fluctuations during different development periods of the fat tail, and some of them may participate in the regulation of tail fat deposition by modulating the proliferation and differentiation of preadipocytes.
Metavirome analysis of domestic sheep in Shaanxi, Gansu, and Ningxia, China
Authors: Zhang Sinong , Gao Hui , Zhang Gang , Fang Min , Kong Yunyi , Jiang Lingling , Liu Qiang , Wang Pu , Liu Yanling , Li Yong
Published: December 2024

Sheep play an important role in China’s agricultural development, but they are also potential hosts for many viruses, some of which have been identified as zoonotic pathogens, which may pose a serious threat to social public health and animal husbandry. Therefore, clarifying the characteristics of viruses in sheep will provide an important basis for the study of pathogenic ecology and viral evolution of viruses carried by sheep. We collected nasal and anal swabs from 688 sheep in 22 counties in Shaanxi, Gansu, and Ningxia, China, between January 2022 and July 2023, and utilized next-generation sequencing technology and bioinformatics approaches to identify the viruses in the samples. A total of 38 virus families carried by sheep were identified, including 12 ssRNA (+) virus families, 2 dsRNA virus families, 8 ssDNA (+) virus families, and 18 dsDNA virus families. Among them, Astroviridae, Coronaviridae, Picornaviridae, and Tobaniviridae in RNA virus families and Herpesviridae, Adenoviridae, and Circoviridae in DNA virus families are all viruses that are frequently detected in most ruminants. Alpha and beta diversity results showed that there was no difference in the overall richness and diversity of RNA and DNA viruses among the three provinces (p > 0.05). The evolutionary analysis demonstrated a tight link between the viral members carried by sheep and other ruminant viruses, implying that these viruses may spread across different species of ruminants. This study established a library of RNA and DNA viruses carried by sheep in the Shaanxi-Gansu-Ningxia region, providing an overview of the viruses present in this population. The findings offer valuable data for further research on virus evolution and monitoring in sheep.
An Overview of the Empirical Evaluation of Explainable AI (XAI): A Comprehensive Guideline for User-Centered Evaluation in XAI
Authors: Naveed Sidra , Stevens Gunnar , Robin-Kern Dean
Published: December 2024

Recent advances in technology have propelled Artificial Intelligence (AI) into a crucial role in everyday life, enhancing human performance through sophisticated models and algorithms. However, the focus on predictive accuracy has often resulted in opaque black-box models that lack transparency in decision-making. To address this issue, significant efforts have been made to develop explainable AI (XAI) systems that make outcomes comprehensible to users. Various approaches, including new concepts, models, and user interfaces, aim to improve explainability, build user trust, enhance satisfaction, and increase task performance. Evaluation research has emerged to define and measure the quality of these explanations, differentiating between formal evaluation methods and empirical approaches that utilize techniques from psychology and human–computer interaction. Despite the importance of empirical studies, evaluations remain underutilized, with literature reviews indicating a lack of rigorous evaluations from the user perspective. This review aims to guide researchers and practitioners in conducting effective empirical user-centered evaluations by analyzing several studies; categorizing their objectives, scope, and evaluation metrics; and offering an orientation map for research design and metric measurement.
Patient Satisfaction with the Mawiidi Hospital Appointment Scheduling Application: Insights from the Information Systems Success Model and Technology Acceptance Model in a Moroccan Healthcare Setting
Authors: Ouajdouni Abdelaziz , Chafik Khalid , Allioui Soukaina , Jbene Mourad
Published: December 2024

This article aims to find the determinants that affect patient satisfaction regarding the Mawiidi public portal in Moroccan public hospitals and assess its outpatient online booking system effectiveness using a model that integrates the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) with the Information Systems Success Model (ISSM) while adopting a quantitative research methodology. The analysis was conducted using 348 self-administered questionnaires to analyze eight key constructs, such as information quality, patient satisfaction, perceived ease of use, and privacy protection, among others. The results of PLS-SEM verified six out of eleven hypotheses tested, which reflected that information quality has a positive influence on perceived ease of use, which again enhances patient satisfaction. The major factors influencing the satisfaction and trust of patients in online appointment scheduling systems at public hospitals are highlighted. Indeed, privacy protection enhances patient satisfaction and trust. Service quality positively affects satisfaction but to a lesser degree. Website-related anxiety impacts perceived ease of use, although it has a limited influence on satisfaction. Such findings can inform suggestions for the managers of hospitals and portal designers to increase user satisfaction. This study uses a model from the TAM and ISSM frameworks, including cultural and socioeconomic aspects that apply to Morocco’s healthcare context.
Using Latent Semantic Analysis to Investigate Wine Sensory Profiles—Application in Swedish Solaris Wines
Authors: Garrido-Bañuelos Gonzalo , Mafata Mpho , Buica Astrid
Published: December 2024

Online text is a source of data in many fields, but it is yet to be explored by sensory scientists. The present work aimed to explore the suitability of using a bibliometric methodology such as Latent Semantic Analysis (LSA) to understand and define wine sensory spaces. Data were also explored by the more conventional Multiple Correspondence Analysis (MCA). The present work shows the potential use of LSA in sensory science; the first part of the study investigates the sensory profile of Swedish Solaris wines, while the second part focuses on understanding their fit with two international monovarietal white wines (Albariño and Chenin Blanc). The results show that the majority of Swedish Solaris wines could be associated with two different styles (LSA topics). However, there is no evidence of a cultivar typicality, as when comparing the Solaris wines with Albariño and Chenin Blanc, they shared features with both cultivars. Chenin Blanc was also found to be associated with different styles. In contrast, Albariño wines showed to have more unique features as the majority were associated with a single LSA topic.
Nature-Inspired Approach: A Novel Rat Optimization Algorithm for Global Optimization
Authors: Yan Pianpian , Zhang Jinzhong , Zhang Tan
Published: December 2024

This work presents a rat optimization algorithm (ROA), which simulates the social behavior of rats and is a new nature-inspired optimization technique. The ROA consists of three operators that simulate rats searching for prey, chasing and fighting prey, and jumping and hunting prey to deal with optimization issues. The Levy flight strategy is introduced into the ROA to keep the algorithm from running into issues with slow convergence and local optimums. The ROA is tested with four real-world engineering optimization issues and twenty-two benchmark functions. Experiments show that the ROA is particularly effective at solving real-world optimization problems compared to other well-known optimization techniques.
Three-Dimensional Bioprinting for Retinal Tissue Engineering
Authors: Wu Kevin Y. , Osman Rahma , Kearn Natalie , Kalevar Ananda
Published: December 2024

Three-dimensional bioprinting (3DP) is transforming the field of regenerative medicine by enabling the precise fabrication of complex tissues, including the retina, a highly specialized and anatomically complex tissue. This review provides an overview of 3DP’s principles, its multi-step process, and various bioprinting techniques, such as extrusion-, droplet-, and laser-based methods. Within the scope of biomimicry and biomimetics, emphasis is placed on how 3DP potentially enables the recreation of the retina’s natural cellular environment, structural complexity, and biomechanical properties. Focusing on retinal tissue engineering, we discuss the unique challenges posed by the retina’s layered structure, vascularization needs, and the complex interplay between its numerous cell types. Emphasis is placed on recent advancements in bioink formulations, designed to emulate retinal characteristics and improve cell viability, printability, and mechanical stability. In-depth analyses of bioinks, scaffold materials, and emerging technologies, such as microfluidics and organ-on-a-chip, highlight the potential of bioprinted models to replicate retinal disease states, facilitating drug development and testing. While challenges remain in achieving clinical translation—particularly in immune compatibility and long-term integration—continued innovations in bioinks and scaffolding are paving the way toward functional retinal constructs. We conclude with insights into future research directions, aiming to refine 3DP for personalized therapies and transformative applications in vision restoration.
Three-Dimensional Printing of Bioinspired Hierarchical Structures for Enhanced Fog Collection Efficiency in 3D Space via Vat Photopolymerization
Authors: Charoensook Daleanna , Nipu Shah Md Ashiquzzaman , Girish Ana , He Qingqing , Cheng Shan , Chapman Kevin , Xie Nathan , Li Cindy Xiangjia , Yang Yang
Published: December 2024

Collecting fog water is crucial for dry areas since natural moisture and fog are significant sources of freshwater. Sustainable and energy-efficient water collection systems can take a page out of the cactus’s playbook by mimicking its native fog gathering process. Inspired by the unique geometric structure of the cactus spine, we fabricated a bioinspired artificial fog collector consisting of cactus spines featuring barbs of different sizes and angles on the surfaces for water collection and a series of microcavities within microchannels inspired by Nepenthes Alata on the bottom to facilitate water flowing to the reservoir. However, replicating the actual shape of the cactus spine using conventional manufacturing techniques is challenging, and research in this area has faced a limitation in enhancing water-collecting efficiency. Here, we turned to 3D printing technology (vat photopolymerization) to create bio-mimetic fog collectors with a variety of geometric shapes that would allow for the most effective conveyance and gathering of water. Various barb sizes, angles between each barb in a single array, spine and barb arrangements, and quantity of barbs were tested experimentally and numeric analysis was carried out to measure the volume of water collected and optimize the mass rate. The result shows that optimal fog collection is with a mass flow rate of 0.7433 g/min, with Li = 900 μm, θ = 45°, ϕ = 90°, Nb = 2, and Ns = 5. This study presents a sustainable and ecologically sound method for efficiently collecting humid air, which is expected to be advantageous for the advancement of future-oriented fog-collection, water-transportation, and separation technologies.
Structural Design and Kinematic Modeling of Highly Biomimetic Flapping-Wing Aircraft with Perching Functionality
Authors: Pu Wenyang , Shen Qiang , Yang Yuhang , Lu Yiming , Yan Yaojie
Published: December 2024

Birds use their claws to perch on branches, which helps them to recover energy and observe their surroundings; however, most biomimetic flapping-wing aircraft can only fly, not perch. This study was conducted on the basis of bionic principles to replicate birds’ claw and wing movements in order to design a highly biomimetic flapping-wing aircraft capable of perching. First, a posture conversion module with a multi-motor hemispherical gear structure allows the aircraft to flap, twist, swing, and transition between its folded and unfolded states. The perching module, based on helical motion, converts the motor’s rotational movement into axial movement to extend and retract the claws, enabling the aircraft to perch. The head and tail motion module has a dual motor that enables the aircraft’s head and tail to move as flexibly as a bird’s. Kinematic models of the main functional modules are established and verified for accuracy. Functional experiments on the prototype show that it can perform all perching actions, demonstrating multi-modal motion capabilities and providing a foundation upon which to develop dynamics models and control methods for highly biomimetic flapping-wing aircraft with perching functionality.