bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Randomized Controlled Trial of a Weight Loss Maintenance Program in Adults with Obesity: The WLM3P Study
Authors: Pereira Vanessa , Mota Inês , Cortez Filipa , Castela Inês , Teixeira Diana , Calhau Conceição Calhau , Dias Cláudia Camila , Moreira-Rosário André , Silvestre Marta
Published: January 2024

Background/Objectives:
Obesity, a chronic disease, requires effective strategies for weight loss (WL) and sustained maintenance. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of the Weight Loss Maintenance 3 Phases Program (WLM3P) in achieving a clinically significant long-term WL (≥5% initial WL at 18 months) in adults with obesity compared to a standard low-carbohydrate diet (LCD).
Subjects/Methods:
In this two-phase trial, 112 participants targeting initial WL (0-6 months) and subsequent maintenance (7-18 months) were randomly assigned to either WLM3P or LCD groups.
Results: Of 112 randomized participants, 69% (n=77) completed the study. At 18 months, WL in the WLM3P group (n=40) was 15.5±8.3% compared to 9.6±8.5% in the LCD group (n=37) (p<0.001). The odds ratio of achieving WL≥10% and ≥15% were significantly higher in the WLM3P group at 18 months. Complete-case analysis revealed significantly greater improvements in BMI, body fat mass, visceral fat area, waist circumference, waist-to-hip ratio, HDL, and triglyceride/HDL ratio in WLM3P than in LCD. No serious adverse events were reported.
Conclusion: Both programs were effective in promoting clinically relevant WL and its maintenance. However, the WLM3P program was more successful in helping participants achieve greater WL targets of ≥10% and ≥15%, along with other clinical benefits, after an 18-month intervention. Trial registration number: NCT04192357.
Plant-insect interaction from the Middle Jurassic Haifanggou Formaton in Huludao, western Liaoning and its geological implications
Authors: Na Yuling , Li Tao , Li Yunfeng , Sun Chunlin , Shi Xiao , Li Xuemei
Published: January 2024

Numerous well-preserved fossil plants have been discovered from the Middle Jurassic Haifanggou Formation in Baimashi Village, Lianshan District, Huludao, Liaoning. To gain insights into the plant-insect interaction during the Middle Jurassic in western Liaoning, this paper aimed to identify and quantitatively analyze evidence of insect damage on fossil plant leaves from the Haifanggou Formation based on the previous systematic research. Seven insect damage types (DTs) assigned to three functional feeding groups (FFGs) were identified. Margin feeding was the most prevalent FFG, followed by hole feeding and surface feeding. It suggests that Orthoptera and Hymenoptera with chewing mouthparts were dominant during the Middle Jurassic in this area, with Hemiptera and Coleoptera also playing a significant role. The primary plant taxa targeted by insects was Ginkgophytes, followed by Pteridophytes, Cycadophytes and Czekanowskiales, while Cycadophytes exhibited the highest average percentage of damaged leaf perimeter and area. This could be attributed to the physical insect resistance mechanism of conifers, as well as the chemical defense capabilities of Pteridophytes and Ginkgophytes during the Middle Jurassic. Approximately 17.54% of the observed fossil plants showed traces of insect damage, indicating the active presence of insects in the area and a close relationship between plants and insects during the Middle Jurassic. Considering the climate-indicative insect damage types and the flora composition, it can be inferred that the climate in the Middle Jurassic northwestern Huludao was warm and humid, potentially accompanied by intermittent droughts.
Comparison of ovarian induction outcome in Mongolian women classified by POSEIDON criteria
Authors: Dagvadorj Bolormaa , Enkhmaa Davaasambuu , Erdenebileg Nasantogtokh , Warburton David , Jamsranjav Enkhtsetseg , Altantuya Shirchinjav
Published: January 2024

Background
Infertility has become a global issue, affecting 12.6–17.5% of women of reproductive age or 48.5 million couples. Infertility depends inversely on age, though, it is observed that young women are also now facing diminished ovarian reserve. Poor response to ovarian stimulation relates to the decreased ovarian reserve, and their remaining primordial, primary and secondary follicles have less sensitivity to Follicular stimulation hormone (FSH). The Patient-Oriented Strategy Encompassing Individualized Oocyte Number (POSEIDON) criteria have been proposed as a means to predict and plan the treatment of patients with poor ovarian responsiveness.
Methods
Here in, we report on implementation of the POSEIDON criteria for assessing ovarian response and compared assisted reproductive technology (ART) outcomes for women presenting with infertility at our clinic in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.
Results
The study included 158 women aged 23–45 years who were diagnosed with infertility. The participants’ mean age was 33.6 ± 5.3 years, their Body mass index (BMI) was 25.06 ± 3.86, and 88.0% (n = 139) of the patients were married. We evaluated the impact of the POSEIDON criteria on successful pregnancy by using logistic regression analysis. The probability of successful pregnancy is 2.2 times higher for POSEIDON group 1 and 2.3 times higher for group 2 compared to group 4.
Conclusions
The outcome of successful pregnancy can potentially be improved when assessing infertile Mongolian women and planning treatment by implementation of the use of the POSEIDON criteria.
Research on Water Quality Prediction of Mine Surroundings Based on Improved Machine Learning Algorithm
Authors: Liu Xihui , Gao Jingwei
Published: January 2024

Acid Mine Drainage (AMD) poses a significant environmental challenge, frequently occurring at mining, smelting, and closed mine locations. This phenomenon arises when sulfide ores come into contact with oxygen and water, forming sulfuric acid. This acid subsequently dissolves in mine water, increasing its acidity. Sulfate (SO4) serves as a crucial indicator of acid mine water quality. Precise prediction of SO4 concentrations post-treatment is essential for achieving compliant and stable wastewater discharge, thereby mitigating environmental risks. In this paper, we introduce IPSO-GRU, a novel artificial intelligence algorithm designed to predict water quality accurately. Our IPSO-GRU model employs particle swarm optimization to enhance support vector regression for SO4 prediction. The performance indices of the model show a Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) of 0.104, a Mean Absolute Error (MAE) of 0.061, and a Coefficient of Determination (R²) of 0.79. Comparative evaluations with IPSO-RNN and IPSO-LSTM models reveal that IPSO-GRU outperforms these alternatives across RMSE, MAE, and R² metrics, confirming its efficacy as the most suitable model for predicting SO4 concentrations in mine wastewater.
How well do endemic wetland plant species perform in water purification?
Authors: Frenzel Philip , Brunings Olivia , Esler Karen J , Maitre David C Le , Rebelo Alanna J.
Published: January 2024

Rising anthropogenic-induced nutrient enrichment of surface waters is of great concern globally as it jeopardizes the ecological integrity and functioning of freshwater ecosystems. Floating wetlands have been successfully used to treat nutrient enriched wastewater in developing nations, and provide additional co-benefits. We aimed to quantify the nutrient removal efficiency of high-potential, locally endemic wetland species on floating wetlands in different conditions and to understand whether the nutrient uptake process was characterised by key plant functional traits. Two experiments were run under Mediterranean-climate conditions of the Western Cape of South Africa: (1) a closed, oligotrophic mesocosm experiment representing local conditions and (2) a real-life (in-situ) eutrophic application. The mesocosm experiment conducted under oligotrophic local conditions yielded low nitrate, phosphate and ammonium removal rates (34.8-35.2 mgNO3-Nm-2.d-1, 10.4-10.7 mgPO4-Pm-2.d-1 and 3.6-3.8 mgNH4-Nm-2.d-1) in comparison to other floating wetland studies globally, yet high removal efficiencies (>90%). However the eutrophic in-situ experiment demonstrated the potential for these same locally endemic plants to remove up to 312 g.m-2 of nitrogen and 47 g.m-2 of phosphorus per year– which is relatively high compared to similar global research. Cyperus textilis had the highest daily nutrient uptake and content followed by Prionium serratum and Juncus lomatophyllus, while J. lomatophyllus had the greatest nutrient uptake efficiency. Two of the three species (C. textilis and P. serratum) stored significantly more total nutrients in their shoot tissue compared to their root tissue, suggesting that the permanent removal of nutrients from the system is possible through shoot harvesting. Floating wetlands planted with endemic plant species have the potential to remove nutrients effectively and sustainably from eutrophic water and can thus be implemented as low-cost nature-based solutions to mitigate pollution of lentic systems.
Spatial Distribution of Antioxidant Activity in Baguette and Its Modulation of Proinflammatory Cytokines in RAW264.7 Macrophages
Authors: Gu Huaiyu , Zou Jianqiao , Yu Zhaoshuo , Ke Lijing , He Fangzhou , Wall Patrick
Published: January 2024

Baguette, a globally acclaimed bakery staple, undergoes a complex Maillard reaction during the baking process, imparting a dual composition of crispy crust and soft crumb. Maillard reaction contributes to the unique flavor and texture of baguettes. However, its specific impact on the nutritional and health attributes, particularly in terms of cellular and biological functions, are yet to be clearly elucidated. This study investigates the chemical profiles of Maillard reaction products (MRPs) in baguette crust and crumb, and spatial distribution variations in the antioxidant activity. The impacts of baguette crust and crumb on cellular reactive oxygen species, mitochondrial activity, and inflammatory factors in RAW264.7 macrophages are also determined, aiming to elucidate the influence of the Maillard reaction on baguette nutritional efficacy.
From the inside out, both the browning intensity and advanced glycation end products (AGEs) gradually increased, accompanied by a significant elevation in the antioxidant capacity of the crust (tested using ORAC/ABTS/FRAP). This suggests that the Maillard reaction enhances antioxidative properties. Additionally, both the crust and crumb exhibited a strong cytocompatibility for immune cells with capable of reversing cellular oxidative stress, regulating intracellular free radical levels. The crust mitigated the peroxyl radical induced cell membrane hyperpolarization by 91% and the suppression on the oxygen respiration in mitochondria by up to 100%, showing higher activities than the crumb. Conversely, the crumb more effectively inhibited the lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced proinflammatory cytokines expression of interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) in macrophages. It could provide the fundamental data and cell-based approach for investigating the biological impacts of bread on mucosal immune responses, contributing to the refinement and supplementation of nutritional recommendations.
Spatio-Temporal Dynamics of Groundwater Storage in Pakistan from Gravimetric Observations
Authors: Hannan Muhammad , Dars Ghulam Hussain , Ukasha Muhammad , Ansari Kamran
Published: January 2024

Groundwater is the predominant water source in Pakistan, meeting the needs of industry, agriculture, and households. This study investigates groundwater storage variations in Pakistan and mainly focus at the provincial levels from 2003 to 2022 using Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) observed terrestrial water storage anomalies (TWSA) and water storage components from Global Land Data Assimilation System (GLDAS). The analysis reveals significant fluctuations in groundwater storage levels, influenced by various factors, including seasonal changes in precipitation and agricultural activities. The study highlights substantial decline in groundwater storage over the last decade. The spatial analysis uncovers uneven patterns of groundwater storage variations across the country. Punjab and Sindh provinces are notable for their distinct and significant changes, including declines and slightly increases, respectively, compared to other regions. These findings underscore the importance of sustainable groundwater management practices, particularly in provinces and regions with heightened extraction rates and susceptibility to drought and flood events. Floods significantly increase groundwater recharge, while drought-affected areas show noticeable decreases in groundwater storage. This research contributes to a better understanding of Pakistan's groundwater dynamics. It emphasizes the need for effective policies to ensure long-term water resource sustainability in changing climate conditions and human activities.
Research on developing a predictive model for radiation pneumonitis risk based on radiomics and multiparameters
Authors: Zhu Jun , Song Xinmiao , Zhang Meng , Li Fuqiang , Chen Hong , Li Yi
Published: January 2024

Objective A Nomogram model was constructed by combined pre-treatment CT radiomics, clinical characteristics, and lung dosimetry data of patients with non-small cell lung cancer,and to explore its predictive value of radiation pneumonitis.
Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on 104 non-surgical NSCLC patients who underwent chest intensity modulated radiation therapy(IMRT) at our center from January 2013 to December 2017. Intratumoral and peritumoral radiomics models were established using pre-radiotherapy CT images, and logistic regression was used to screen for the best clinical and dosimetric parameters. A combined Nomogram model was established by the above parameters, and receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) analysis and area under the curve (AUC) was performed to estimate its predictive efficacy of radiation pneumonia.
Results Among 104 patients, 59 cases developed radiopneumonia and 45 cases did not suffer from radiopneumonia within 6 months after radiotherapy, which were divided into 73 cases in the training set and 31 cases in the validation set. The AUC values of the intratumoral radiomics group model in the training and validation sets were 0.871 (95%CI 0.771~0.938) and 0.719 (95%CI 0.400~0.952), respectively, and the predictive efficacy was better than that of the peritumoral radiomics group model [0.798 (95%CI 0.629~0.921) and 0.714 (95%CI 0.500 ~0.857)]. Multifactorial regression analysis showed that patients' age, smoking, and pre-radiotherapy lymphocyte ratio were associated with radiation pneumonitis (P<0.05); physical dosimetric parameters of MLD and lung V20Gy were associated with radiation pneumonitis (P<0.05).The Nomogram model constructed by the intratumor radiomics model combined with clinical and dosimetric parameters had AUC values of 0.928 (95%CI 0.879~0.966) and 0.765 (95%CI 0.692~0.831) in the training and validation sets, respectively.It has the best prediction efficacy.
Conclusion The Nomogram model based on the intratumoral radiomics features of pre-radiotherapy CT images, patient’s age, smoking, and pre-radiotherapy lymphocyte ratio combined with MLD and lung V20Gy has a better predictive accuracy for radiation pneumonitis in NSCLC, and it can be used as a quantitative model for the prediction of radiation pneumonitis in patients undergoing radiotherapy for NSCLC.
Using Normalization Process Theory to explore the contribution of stakeholder workshops to the development and refinement of a complex behavioural intervention: The STAMINA Lifestyle Intervention
Authors: Reale Sophie , Turner Rebecca R , Steed Liz , Taylor Steph J. C , Rosario Derek J , Bourke Liam , Morrissey Dylan , Innes Aidan Q , Sutton Eileen
Published: January 2024

Background
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) recommend that men with prostate cancer on androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) are offered twice weekly supervised aerobic and resistance exercise to address side effects of treatment. However, supervised exercise is not routinely offered in standard clinical practice. The STAMINA programme grant for applied research (PGfAR) has been designed to evaluate whether this recommendation can be delivered within standard NHS care. This paper describes how implementation of NICE recommendations within a trial context was explored during complex intervention development to enable evaluation of a lifestyle intervention.
Methods
Two stakeholder workshops were conducted to explore factors pertinent to future implementation of the STAMINA Lifestyle intervention (SLI). Normalisation Process Theory (NPT) provided the theoretical framework for discussion and analysis. Stakeholder workshop 1 focussed on intervention coherence and buy-in. Stakeholder workshop 2 explored strategies for embedding SLI into the context of the NHS with delivery partner Nuffield Health.
Results
Workshops were attended by healthcare professionals (n = 16), exercise professionals (n = 17), members of public involved in PPI (n = 12), health psychologists (n = 2), clinical commissioners (n = 4), cancer charities (n = 3), a cancer alliance (n = 1) and health economist (n = 1). Stakeholders agreed that professional training packages should emphasise the uniqueness of SLI and underpinning theory and evidence (Coherence). To further engagement, the use of STAMINA champions and information about the delivery partner were recommended to enhance confidence and knowledge (Cognitive participation). Furthermore, a simple communication (Collective Action) and progress reporting system (Reflexive Monitoring) was suggested to fit into existing infrastructure within the NHS and community partner.
Conclusions
Application of NPT within two stakeholder workshops optimised complex intervention development. Context-specific strategies to support implementation of the STAMINA Lifestyle Intervention within the context of a trial were proposed, sensed-checked, and considered acceptable. The organisational implications of embedding and sustaining the intervention in preparation for wider NHS roll-out were considered (if proven to be effective) and will be explored in the qualitative component of a process evaluation underpinned by NPT.
Trial registration
(ISRCTN: 46385239).
Longitudinal viral shedding and antibody response characteristics of men with acute infection of monkeypox virus: a prospective cohort study
Authors: Yang Yang , Yang Liuqing , Song Shuo , Shen Chenguang , Niu Siyu , Peng Yun , Xu Yifan , Shen Liang , GUO Liping , Liu Jiexiang , Zhang Shengjie , Chen Jiayin , Chen Si , Liao Zhonghui , Cui Yanxin , Huang Ting , Wang Fuxiang , Lu Hongzhou , Liu Yingxia
Published: January 2024

Background
Elucidating the viral and antibody dynamics within the host and the viral dynamics of the environmental fomits is key for the successful public health measures against monkeypox virus (MPXV) infection. In this study, a total of 993 samples from multiple sites of patients and 1,633 samples from environmental fomits of 77 acute MPXV infections (HIV co-infection: N=42) were collected every two to three days and subjected for the detection of MPXV DNA, surface proteins specific antibody and neutralizing titers. Overall, skin lesions showed 100% positive rate of MPXV DNA, followed by rectal swab (88.16%), saliva (83.78%), oropharyngeal swab (78.95%), urine (55.26%)and plasma (31.17%). Positive rate of oropharyngeal swab decreased rapidly after 7 days post symptoms onset (d.p.o), while the rectal swab and saliva maintained close positive rates to the skin lesions. Viral dynamics were similar among skin lesions, saliva and oropharyngeal, withrapid increase to the peak at about 6 d.p.o and then decreased. While for the rectal swab, it peaked at the beginning of symptoms onset, and decreased rapidly with the disease progression. Totally, 52.66% (860/1633) of environmental fomits swabs were positive for MPXV DNA, with highest positive rate (69.89%) and mean viral loads (Ct values of 31.22) from the deposition area. Moreover, the proportion of Ct values between 15-30 maintained high for some fomits like the deposition area, floor and bedside cupboard during the disease progression.High seropositivity against A29L (100%) and H3L (94.74%) were detected, while the high correlation was only found between anti-A29L IgG titer and neutralizing titer. Notably, most of indexes were similar between HIV and Non-HIV participants, except the higher viral loads in the early stage and peak viral from the rectal swabs of the HIV participants. Our results contribute to an improved understanding of viral shedding and antibody response characteristics of acute Mpox. With the ongoing outbreak of Mpox worldwide, these data have profound implications for the diagnosis, treatment, prevention of transmission and development of vaccines for Mpox.
Deep Learning Segmentation of Non-perfusion Area from Color Fundus Images and AI-generated Fluorescein Angiography
Authors: Masayoshi Kanato , Katada Yusaku , Ozawa Nobuhiro , Ibuki Mari , Negishi Kazuno , Kurihara Toshihide
Published: January 2024

The non-perfusion area (NPA) of the retina is an important indicator in the visual prognosis of patients with retinal vein occlusion (RVO). However, the current evaluation method of NPA, fluorescein angiography (FA), is invasive and burdensome. In this study, we examined the use of deep learning models for detecting NPA in color fundus images, bypassing the need for FA, and we also investigated the utility of synthetic FA generated from color fundus images. The models were evaluated using the Dice score and Monte Carlo dropout uncertainty. We retrospectively collected 403 sets of color fundus and FA images from 319 RVO patients. We trained three deep learning models on FA, color fundus images, and synthetic FA. As a result, though the FA model achieved the highest score, the other two models also performed comparably. We found no statistical significance in median Dice scores between the models. However, the color fundus model showed significantly higher uncertainty than the other models (p < 0.05). In conclusion, deep learning models can detect NPAs from color fundus images with reasonable accuracy, though with somewhat less prediction stability. Synthetic FA stabilizes the prediction and reduces misleading uncertainty estimates by enhancing image quality.
Recapitulation of human endochondral ossification by SOX9+ sclerotomal progenitors.
Authors: Li Zhonghan , Xiong Jingfei , Xie Kun , Chen Hanyi , Liao Yuansong , Deng Yanhui , Ma Runxin , Ye Guogen , Wang Yifu , Zhu Qing , Zhang Yunqiu , Yin Yike , Cai Haoyang , Guo Weihua
Published: January 2024

Endochondral ossification generates most of the load-bearing bones during skeletal development. Fully recapitulating it in human cells remains a challenge. Here, we established a toolkit to derive near uniform (>99%) SOX9+ sclerotomal progenitors (scl-progenitors), a key bipotent mesenchymal precursor at the pre-condensation stage, from human pluripotent stem cells and accompanying highly efficient osteochondral induction methods. Upon lineage-specific induction, SOX9+ scl-progenitors could not only regenerate articular cartilage but also undergo spontaneous condensation, cartilaginous anlagen formation, chondrocyte hypertrophy, vascular invasion, and finally bone formation with stroma, thus fully recapitulating the endochondral ossification. Moreover, self-organized growth plate-like structures could also be induced using SOX9+ scl-progenitor-derived fusion constructs with chondro- and osteo-spheroids, mimicking in vivo metaphysis. Furthermore, we identified ITGA9 as a specific surface marker to enable reporter-independent isolation of SOX9+ scl-progenitors and established a culture system to continuously expand them without compromising their osteochondral bipotential. Our work highlights SOX9+ scl-progenitors as a promising tool for modeling human skeletal development and bone/cartilage bioengineering.
Prophylactic cytoreductive surgery and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy for low-grade appendiceal mucinous tumors with early and limited disease after completely removed
Authors: Wang Chong , Jia Yun , Shi Guanjun , An Lubiao , Fan Xiwen , Zhang Pu , Ma Ruiqing
Published: January 2024

Background
The necessity of prophylactic cytoreductive surgery (PCRS) and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) for low-grade appendiceal mucinous neoplasms (LAMN) after complete removal is still controversial. This study aims to determine the role of PCRS + HIPEC and identify optimal strategies for managing these patients.
Methods
One hundred and fifty-nine patients who sought medical advice at Aerospace Center Hospital were retrospectively analyzed from January 2011 to December 2021. All the patients were divided into the PCRS group and the observation group. The data of surgical specimens and pathology was collected, and the effect on recurrence-free survival (RFS) was analyzed.
Results
Of these 159 patients, 88 were in the PCRS group, and 71 were in the observation group. The median follow-up time was 38 months. Seven patients recurred and developed into pseudomyxoma peritonei, one in the PCRS group and six in the observation group. The median RFS in the PCRS group was significantly longer than the observation group (48.0 vs. 36.0, p = 0.002). The analysis of RFS showed that patients who underwent PCRS (p = 0.009 ) and HIPEC (p = 0.007) had better survival. After multivariate analysis, Surgical specimen accompanied by disseminated peritoneal adenocarcinoma was identified as an independent prognostic factor for RFS. In the study of surgical resection content, patients with greater omentum (p = 0.007) and bilateral fallopian tubes and ovaries of women (p = 0.002) resection had a more prolonged RFS with statistical significance.
Conclusion
Without higher-level evidence, PCRS and HIPEC are necessary for LAMN after complete removal in patients with a high risk of recurrence. We recommend removing at least the greater omentum and women's bilateral fallopian tubes and ovaries. For women who are unwilling to remove the bilateral fallopian tubes and ovaries, they should be fully informed of the risks.
Mechanisms of Electroacupuncture in Alleviating Stress-induced Irritable Bowel Syndrome in Rats: The Role of the Central Amygdala
Authors: Weng Rongxin , Wei Qinghui , Wang Zepeng , Li Xinyu , Li Yuanyuan , Sun Xuehan , Wang Yuxue , Wang Xiusong , Sun Haiji , He Feng
Published: January 2024

Visceral hypersensitivity (VH) and anxiety are the main characteristics of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) patients. Acupuncture has been demonstrated to be effective as a non-pharmacological approach for treating IBS. The central amygdala (CeA) is a key brain nucleus closely related to mediate integration of abdominal pain, gastrointestinal motility and anxiety. In the present study, we investigated whether and how the CeA mediate the protective effects of electroacupuncture (EA) against VH and anxiety in water avoidance stress (WAS)-induced IBS rats. Visceral sensitivity was assessed via abdominal withdrawal reflex and diarrhea index. Anxiety-related behavior was measured via open field test. The expression of c-Fos, GAD65, SYN1, PSD95 and BDNF in CeA were measured by using immunofluorescence or western blot. The chemogenetic method was used to activate or inhibit the selected target neurons. We found that EA attenuated WAS-induced gastrointestinal symptoms and anxiety-like behaviors with reduced expression of c-Fos, GAD65, SYN1, PSD95 and BDNF in the CeA. WAS-induced dysfunction was alleviated by inhibiting CeA neurons and the effects of EA treatment were counteracted by activating CeA neurons. Moreover, activating and inhibiting gamma-aminobutyric acidergic (GABAergic) neurons in the CeA can impede and enhance the effects of EA treatment, respectively. These data suggest that EA is effective to ameliorate stress-induced VH and anxiety via alleviating neuronal hyperactivity in the CeA, particularly targeting the hyperactivity of GABAergic neurons in the CeA, and suppressing enhanced synaptic plasticity in this region.
Towards Creating a National Term bank: The Case of Mongolian Terminology
Authors: Namsrai Munkhtsetseg
Published: January 2024

The goal of terminology work is to record and organize the meaning and usage of specialized terms and to make available in various terminological resources like (online) termbases, specialized lexicography, and glossaries to use them in texts, translation, and specialized discourse. The present paper examines the content of the Online Database of Key Scientific Terms, aiming to enhance it and create a national term bank. Terminology entries in the termbase checked to evaluate whether they meet the formal criteria of terminology standards. The study identifies some issues such as incorrect, incomplete, improper, and inconsistent entries occurring in the termbase. Thus, the paper emphasizes the importance of continuing to evaluate the termbase’s terminology entries in terms of quality assurance and highlights the need for a concept-based approach and consistent modeling of terminographic components, specifically the hierarchy of domain labels. We discuss the results of the study and conclude with perspectives for future work.
Fluorescence-Guided Minimally-Invasive Resection of Abdominal Paragangliomas using Indocyanine Green
Authors: Dam Martijn A. van , Crobach A.S.L.P. , Boekestijn B. , Corssmit E.P.M. , Bonsing B.A. , Vahrmeijer A.L. , Mieog J.S.D.
Published: January 2024

This study explores the utility of near-infrared (NIR) fluorescence imaging with indocyanine green (ICG) in enhancing the intraoperative identification and guidance for the resection of abdominal paragangliomas, rare neuroendocrine tumors often challenging to detect during surgery. Due to their anatomical location, often small size, and the similar appearance of the lesions in regard to their surrounding tissue. Minimally-invasive resections were planned for patients with suspected abdominal paragangliomas, who received a single bolus of 5mg ICG after abdominal exploration. NIR fluorescence imaging of the suspected abdominal region of the suspected lesion immediately followed administration, assessing fluorescence signals, intraoperative identification, and correlation with histopathology. Among five suspect lesions resected, four were imaged with NIR fluorescence, with pathology confirming four as paragangliomas and one as an adrenal adenoma. NIR fluorescence identified all four lesions, surpassing the limitations of white-light visualization. Homogeneous fluorescence signals appeared 30-60 seconds post-ICG, enduring up to 30 minutes. The study demonstrates the feasibility and potential clinical value of fluorescence-guided minimally-invasive resections of abdominal paragangliomas using a single intravenous ICG dose. These findings support the scientific basis for routine use of ICG-fluorescence-guided surgery in challenging anatomical cases, providing valuable assistance in lesion detection and resection.
Temporal trends in weight-based disparities in physical fitness of children: 30-years of continuous surveillance through Slovenian national system
Authors: Martinko Antonio , Blagus Rok , Jurak Gregor , Starc Gregor , Sorić Maroje
Published: January 2024

Background
Obesity in childhood has deleterious consequences for health while improving physical fitness can significantly reduce health risks related to high body mass index. This study leverages near-census data collected by the national fitness surveillance system in Slovenia to investigate the evolution of weight-based disparities in the physical fitness of 7–15-year-olds between 1989 and 2019.
Methods
We used annual data collected within the SLOfit monitoring system in the period between 1989–2019, totalling 4,256,930 participants (about 137 000 per year). We examined cardiorespiratory fitness (600-m run test), muscular fitness (60-s sit-ups, bent arm hang, and standing broad jump test) and skill-related fitness (backwards obstacle course, 60-m dash, arm plate tapping). We grouped children according to the IOTF cut-offs for BMI to those living with normal weight or excess weight and estimated changes in physical fitness over time by fitting quantile regression models separately by sex and age group, and then using segmented regression to identify the structure of trends over time.
Results
Weight-based disparities in physical fitness were large in 1989 and have further increased from 1989 to 2019 for all fitness components and across all age and sex groups. The increase in disparities was generally larger in boys than in girls, and 10–15-year-olds compared to younger children. Most of the increase in disparities in health-related fitness accumulated during the 2010s, when the fitness of children generally improved, but much less so in children living with excess weight.
Conclusions
Despite recent improvements in population fitness levels, children with excess weight seem to be left behind, which adds to existing health inequalities. Our results should encourage policymakers to redesign policies aimed at promoting physical activity and enhancing physical fitness to make them more equitable and ultimately lead to reducing inequalities in fitness.
Diversity question generation based on contrastive search algorithm
Authors: Zhou Mingtao , Zhou Juxiang , Gan Jianhou , Wang Jun , Wang Mingjie
Published: January 2024

Diversity question generation (DQG) is an extremely challenging task, involving the generation of questions of multiple answerable and diverse vocabulary based on given contextual information and answers. Despite notable advancements in prior research, this field encounters two primary challenges: (i) there is a locality of DQG, with a lack of dedicated datasets specifically designed for sentence-level diversity question generation (SL-DQG); (ii) the decoding process often leads to issues such as word repetition, affecting the answerability of the generated questions. To address these challenges, we extract sentences containing answers from paragraphs in a paragraph-level diversity question generation (PL-DQG) dataset, constructing a dataset for SL-DQG. Then, we propose a diversity question generation model based on a contrastive search algorithm (DQG-CSA), exploring both SL-DQG and PL-DQG. Our model fine-tunes a pre-trained language model for downstream tasks, directly generating copious semantically similar and lexically diverse questions. Furthermore, we introduces a contrastive search decoding method to address word repetition issues in both SL-DQG and PL-DQG, enhancing the answerability of the generated questions. Experimental results demonstrate that incorporating the contrastive search algorithm in diversity studies at both sentence and paragraph levels, outperforms other decoding methods. And achieving a balance between answerability, fluency, and semantic similarity.
Structural, Mechanical and Electrical Properties of Nelumbo Nucifera Fibers
Authors: Manju V V , Hegde Vinayakprasanna N , Somashekar R
Published: January 2024

In view of exploring the structural and elasto-mechanical properties of the Nelumbo Nucifera (lotus) fiber cultivated in India, the Powder X-ray diffraction data (PXRD) of this fiber is utilized. The PXRD data was used along with Peakfit® software for the background data correction and to simulate the data. Checkcell® has been utilized to obtain the microstructural and lattice parameters. Our sample belong to monoclinic crystal system and lattice parameters are a = 7.784 Å, b = 8.201 Å, C = 10.380 Å and β = 96.28°. Using Debye Scherrer equation, the crystallite sizes along all the Bragg reflections were calculated and employing first principle calculations, the crystallite size has been plotted and concluded that, the size is not ellipsoidal as predicted by earlier researchers, in specific it is multidimensional in shape and depends on the existence of ordered region. The X-ray diffraction data is used along with Treloar’s principle to obtain the 6×6 elastic tensor matrix, and the same has been plotted using Elastic Tensor Analysis tool. This result has shown that the lotus fiber is anisotropic in nature. The dependence of frequency and temperature on the dielectric properties of Nelumbo Nucifera fibres were studied in the frequency range 50 Hz to 5 MHz and in the temperature range 27oC to 100oC. Functional Data Analysis has been utilized to obtain the correlation among various microstructural parameters.
36 weeks of Multicomponent Training Reverse Strength Sequels in Mastectomy Arm, Improves Functional Fitness and Quality of Life of Breast Cancer Survivors: A Machine Learning-Assisted Experimental Trial
Authors: Encarnação Samuel Gonçalves Almeida , Rodrigues Sandra Beatriz , Teixeira José Eduardo , Sampaio Tatiana , Encarnação Roberto , Fernandes Hélder Jaime , Monteiro António Miguel
Published: January 2024

Purpose: In addition, the study aimed to explore the predictive factors influencing improvements in mastectomy arm's strength over the follow-up time.
Methods: It was a single-arm trial, with 8 female breast cancer survivors aged 64 (± 8.6) years old.
Results: There were statistically significant results along the three moments for reductions in body mass index (BMI) (-2.55 % change from baseline, p = 0.001, large ES) and in fat mass percentage (FM%) (-10.9% change from baseline, p < 0.001, large ES), increases in upper limb strength (ULS) (105% change, p < 0.001, large ES), in upper limb strength in the arm that underwent surgery intervention (ULSint) (192.8% change from baseline, p < 0.001, large ES), lower limb strength (LLS) (45% change from baseline, p < 0.001, large ES), upper limb flexibility (ULF) (50% change from baseline, p < 0.013, moderate ES, lower limb flexibility (LLF) (102% change from baseline, p < 0.001, large ES), aerobic resistance (AR) (263.5% change from baseline, p < 0.001, large ES), and from second to third moment in dynamic balance (DB) (-20.4% change from 6 months, p = 0.003, large ES). For the QoL, there were improvements along three moments in activities of daily (AD) functionality (50% change from baseline, p = 0.004), emotional function (33% change from baseline, p = 0.01, moderate ES), reduction in pain perception from second to third moment (-66.8% change from baseline, p = 0.002, small ES), and reduction in the perception of fatigue (-75% change from baseline, p = 0.03, large ES), and improvement in global health and QoL (57% change from baseline, p = 0.003, moderate ES). The feature selection analysis identified that AF was the best variable to predict improvements in the mastectomy arm’s strength of the participants (r = 0.60, predicted mastectomy arm’s strength = 18 repetitions, RMSE = 2.53, R2 = 0.74).
Conclusion: In summary, 36 weeks of MCT was a powerful intervention to reduce BMI and FM%, improved the FF and the QoL aspects, emotional aspects, perception of fatigue, and the perception of global health and QoL of BC survivors, with good adherence and without prejudicial effects. AF forecasted good values of the participant’s mastectomy arm’s strength over the follow-up.
Disaggregating Census Data for Population Mapping Using a Bayesian Additive Regression Tree Model
Authors: Yankey Ortis , Utazi Chigozie E. , Nnanatu Christopher C. , Gadiaga Assane N. , Abbot Thomas , Lazar Attila N. , Tatem Andrew J.
Published: January 2024

Population data is crucial for policy decisions, but fine-scale population numbers are often lacking due to the challenge of sharing sensitive data. Different approaches, such as the use of the Random Forest (RF) model, have been used to disaggregate census data from higher administrative units to small area scales. A major limitation of the RF model is its inability to quantify the uncertainties associated with the predicted populations, which can be important for policy decisions. In this study, we applied a Bayesian Additive Regression Tree (BART) model for population disaggregation and compared the result with a RF model using both simulated data and the 2021 census data for Ghana. The BART model consistently outperforms the RF model in out-of-sample predictions for all metrics, such as bias, mean squared error (MSE), and root mean squared error (RMSE). The BART model also addresses the limitations of the RF model by providing uncertainty estimates around the predicted population, which is often lacking with the RF model. Overall, the study demonstrates the superiority of the BART model over the RF model in disaggregating population data and highlights its potential for gridded population estimates.
Comparison and analysis of mixing efficiency in various micromixer designs
Authors: Oh Seo yeon , Lee Chang-Soo
Published: January 2024

In this paper, we evaluate the influence of various micromixer designs on the mixing efficiency of passive micromixer. We analyze the designs of various passive micromixers to identify the most efficient micromixer. Among them, the toroidal micromixer and 3D zig-zag micromixer demonstrated highest mixing efficiency. We investigated the key factors influencing mixing in the toroidal and 3D zig-zag micromixer, identifying and confirming optimal designs. Ultimately, when comparing the mixing efficiency of the two micromixers, the 3D zig-zag micromixer achieved up to 95% mixing efficiency in a very short time of 0.8 milliseconds. Through this research, it is anticipated that a benchmark will be provided for micromixer design in microfluidic devices when manufacturing micromixers of various forms.
The magnitude of legal wildlife trade and implications for species survival
Authors: Hughes Alice , Marshall Benjamin , Alamshah Aubrey , Cardoso Pedro , Cassey Phillip , Chekunov Sebastian , Eskew Evan , Fukushima Caroline , García-Díaz Pablo , Gore Meredith , Lockwood Julie , Rhyne Andrew , Sinclair James , Strine Colin , Stringham Oliver , Tlusty Michael , Valdez Jose , Watters Frejya
Published: January 2024

The unsustainable use of wildlife is a primary driver of global biodiversity loss. No comprehensive global dataset exists on what species are in trade, their geographic origins, and trade's ultimate impacts, which limits our ability to sustainably manage trade. The United States (US) is one of the world's largest importers of wildlife, trade data being compiled in the US Law Enforcement Management Information System (LEMIS), the only comprehensive publicly-accessible wildlife trade database of non-CITES listed species. In total, 21,097 species and over 2.85 billion individuals were traded over the past 22 years (2000-2022). When LEMIS data is combined with CITES records, the US imported over 29,445 wild species, including over 50% of all globally described species in some taxonomic groups. For most taxa, around half of the individuals are declared as sourced from the wild. Although LEMIS provides the only means to assess trade volumes for many taxa, without any associated data on most wild populations, it is impossible to assess the impact or sustainability of trade, or any potential risk of pest or pathogen spread. Furthermore, these insights underscore the likely under-estimation of trade, and the urgent need for other countries to adopt similar mechanisms to accurately record trade.
Carry-Free Adder in Redundant Number System: the First and Only Demonstration of Ternary Logic’s Superiority Over Binary Logic
Authors: Huang Mingqiang , Zhao Guangchao , Hu Wanbo , Wang Xingli , Yang Zepeng , Li Ziye , Coquet Philippe , Han Kai , Hu Hailin , Wang Yunhe , Tay BengKang
Published: January 2024

Ternary logic has attracted significant attention due to its higher data density and balanced number representation. Even though tremendous endeavor has been devoted to developing ternary logic arithmetic circuits with compact structures, its industrial applications have stagnated for years due to the inferior energy efficiency compared to binary systems. In this work, we introduce various carry-free arithmetic circuit designs based on ternary logic and redundant number systems (RNS). For the first time, our proposed ternary arithmetic circuits outperform their binary counterparts with equivalent computation capabilities in energy efficiency across various data widths. Various arithmetic circuits including mixed adders, mixed subtractors, and signed adders were designed and implemented. Comprehensive simulations of the proposed 4/8/12/16/32-bit arithmetic circuits were performed using the SMIC180 process design kit (PDK), which demonstrated significant performance advances over the existing binary logic-based circuits. Specifically, our 8-bit carry-free mixed adders and subtractors show reductions in power consumption by 35.5% and 40.8% respectively, operating at 200 MHz. Furthermore, our carry-free signed adders exhibit superior speed and double the operational frequency (200 vs. 100 MHz). When benchmarked against the binary approaches at the binary frequency limit, our circuits reduce the power consumption by 10.22%. These results not only demonstrate the great potential of our approach in broader computational applications but also shed insights into the energy-efficient, high-speed arithmetic circuit design based on ternary logic.
Frequency dependent Lg and Pg wave attenuation in western Tibet
Authors: Singh Chandrani , Tiwari Ashwani Kant , Sandvol Eric , Jaiswal Namrata , Jana Niptika , Bose Shirish , Gupta Arun Kumar
Published: January 2024

Frequency-dependent Lg and Pg attenuation models are studied beneath western Tibet and regions surrounding it to understand the lateral variations in rheology of the crust. We have considered different frequency ranges of 0.2 to 0.6 Hz, 0.6 to 1 Hz, and 1 to 1.4 Hz with central frequencies of 0.4 Hz, 0.8 Hz, and 1.2 Hz respectively to study the frequency dependent behaviour of both Lg and Pg employing Two-Station Method (TSM) as well as Reverse Two-Station Method (RTSM). The propagation characteristics of both Lg and Pg are mainly influenced by the crustal structure which can be affected by factors like scattering and intrinsic attenuation. Lhasa terrane is categorized by moderate to high Q values may be attributed to the underthrusting Indian plate. The moderate to high Q zone in the Lhasa terrane may be attributed to the underthrusting Indian plate. We have observed frequency dependent behaviour of the average Q values for both Lg and Pg. To investigate the frequency dependent phenomenon of Lg and Pg attenuation for western Tibet, the average Q0 (Q at 1 Hz) and frequency dependent parameter η have been measured. Q0 values for both the waves are observed to be moderate with high η values possibly due to the highly heterogeneous crust of western Tibet. We have also computed relative site responses for individual stations using RTSM at the central frequencies of 0.4, 0.8, and 1.2 Hz. The results show that the weak to negative site responses are mostly predominant across the study region. The observed relative site responses exhibit a frequency-dependent pattern, possibly linked to the sampling depth. However, there is no noticeable correlation between site responses and elevation.