bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The use of miniaturised Bluetooth Low Energy proximity loggers to study contacts among small rodents in agricultural settings
Authors: Huels Florian , Vanden Broecke Bram , Sluydts Vincent , Kirkpatrick Lucinda , Herrera Olivares Ivan , Ennen Hendrik , Vermeiren Dries , Leirs Herwig , Jacob Jens
Published: January 2025

Small rodents can cause problems on farms such as infrastructure damage, crop losses or pathogen transfer. The latter threatens humans and livestock alike. Frequent contacts between wild rodents and livestock favour pathogen transfer and it is therefore important to understand the movement patterns of small mammals in order to develop strategies to prevent damage and health issues. Miniaturised proximity loggers are a newly developed tool for monitoring spatial behaviour of small mammals. The strength of the Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) signal can be used as an indicator of close contacts between wild rodents and livestock feeding sites, which is relevant for identifying possible transmission routes. This method study focussed on the use of the technology in an agricultural setting as well as dry runs for testing and calibrating this technology in farming environments used for animal husbandry. Results show that the battery life of the loggers was mainly influenced by the pre-set scan interval. Short scan intervals resulted in reduced battery lifespan and should be maximised according to the activity patterns of the target species. Habitat affects BLE signal strength resulting in higher signal strength indoors than outdoors. The height of the location of the loggers positively affected signal strength in livestock stables. Signal reception generally decreased with increasing distance and differed among loggers making calibration necessary. Within habitat specific distances, BLE proximity logging systems can identify contacts among small mammals and between animals and particular structures of interest. These results support the use of BLE based systems in animal husbandry environments and contribute to a body of evidence of validated techniques. In addition, such approaches can provide valuable insights into possible pathogen transmission routes.
CD206+ Trem2+ macrophage accumulation in the murine knee joint after injury is associated with protection against post-traumatic osteoarthritis in MRL/MpJ mice
Authors: McCool Jillian L. , Sebastian Aimy , Hum Nicholas R. , Wilson Stephen P. , Davalos Oscar A. , Murugesh Deepa K. , Amiri Beheshta , Morfin Cesar , Christiansen Blaine A. , Loots Gabriela G.
Published: January 2025

Post-traumatic osteoarthritis (PTOA) is a painful joint disease characterized by the degradation of bone, cartilage, and other connective tissues in the joint. PTOA is initiated by trauma to joint-stabilizing tissues, such as the anterior cruciate ligament, medial meniscus, or by intra-articular fractures. In humans, ~50% of joint injuries progress to PTOA, while the rest spontaneously resolve. To better understand molecular programs contributing to PTOA development or resolution, we examined injury-induced fluctuations in immune cell populations and transcriptional shifts by single-cell RNA sequencing of synovial joints in PTOA-susceptible C57BL/6J (B6) and PTOA-resistant MRL/MpJ (MRL) mice. We identified significant differences in monocyte and macrophage subpopulations between MRL and B6 joints. A potent myeloid-driven anti-inflammatory response was observed in MRL injured joints that significantly contrasted the pro-inflammatory signaling seen in B6 joints. Multiple CD206+ macrophage populations classically described as M2 were found enriched in MRL injured joints. These CD206+ macrophages also robustly expressed Trem2, a receptor involved in inflammation and myeloid cell activation. These data suggest that the PTOA resistant MRL mouse strain displays an enhanced capacity of clearing debris and apoptotic cells induced by inflammation after injury due to an increase in activated M2 macrophages within the synovial tissue and joint space.
Occult metastases and survival of lung cancer by clinical diagnosis and CT screening: A simulation study
Authors: Chen Xing , Kanhar Ghulam Muhammad , Hu Songli , Wu Chaomin , Chao Guanqun , Jing Mengqi , Zhang Fengjiang , Young Millennia , Kimmel Marek , Chen Liying , Gorlova Olga Y.
Published: January 2025

Objectives

It is significant to know how much early detection and screening could reduce the proportion of occult metastases and benefit NSCLC patients.

Methods

We used previously designed and validated mathematical models to obtain the characteristics of LC in the population including undetectable metastases at the time of diagnosis. The survival was simulated using the survival functions from Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) data stratified by stage.

Results

Based on the simulations, 35.3% of patients diagnosed with stage N0M0 and 56.9% of those diagnosed with stage N1M0 had nodal or distant metastases that were not discovered at the time of diagnosis. Among clinically detected Stage I lung cancers with tumor diameter 1–2 cm, 78% were true stage N0M0 (no occult metastases) while it was only 37% for patients with tumor diameters of 2–3 cm. This size threshold can be translated into a 0.75-year the “window of opportunity” for the curable disease. In a comparative analysis of two simulated groups of individuals: (1) clinically diagnosed (2) diagnosed by screening with a varying screening frequency (quarterly, biannual, annual and biennial), it was estimated that, once the screening intervals become shorter, substantially more cancers are found, but at an expense of a higher radiation exposure. The simulation projected that the mortality reduction in screened patients depending on the frequency, ranged from 15.04% to 18.82%.

Conclusions

The probability of occult metastases significantly increases when the primary tumor exceeds 2 cm in diameter. Effective screening measures that detect smaller tumors will considerably benefit asymptomatic LC patients.
Current food trade helps mitigate future climate change impacts in lower-income nations
Authors: Bajaj Kushank , Mehrabi Zia , Kastner Thomas , Jägermeyr Jonas , Müller Christoph , Schwarzmüller Florian , Hertel Thomas W. , Ramankutty Navin
Published: January 2025

The risk of national food supply disruptions is linked to both domestic production and food imports. But assessments of climate change risks for food systems typically focus on the impacts on domestic production, ignoring climate impacts in supplying regions. Here, we use global crop modeling data in combination with current trade flows to evaluate potential climate change impacts on national food supply, comparing impacts on domestic production alone (domestic production impacts) to impacts considering how climate change impacts production in all source regions (consumption impact). Under 2°C additional global mean warming over present day, our analysis highlights that climate impacts on national supply are aggravated for 53% high income and 56% upper medium income countries and mitigated for 60% low- and 71% low-medium income countries under consumption-based impacts compared to domestic impacts alone. We find that many countries are reliant on a few mega-exporters who mediate these climate impacts. Managing the risk of climate change for national food security requires a global perspective, considering not only how national production is affected, but also how climate change affects trading partners.
New-type urbanization and rural revitalization: A study on the coupled development of the Yangtze River Economic Belt, China
Authors: Wang Yan , Wang Ling
Published: January 2025

The coupled development of new-type urbanization (NTU) and rural revitalization (RR) represents a critical proposition put forth by China for forging a novel paradigm of urban-rural relationship. Initially, this study employs the entropy method to quantify NTU and RR. Subsequently, it carries out a comprehensive analysis concerning their coupled relationship with the relative development degree model (RDDM), coupled coordination degree model (CCDM), Dagum Gini coefficient, kernel density estimation, and Tobit model. The findings drawn from the study indicate from 2011 to 2022, NTU and RR in the Yangtze River Economic Belt (YREB) have exhibited a consistent upward trajectory, but lagging NTU disorders are widely distributed and numerous. The coupled coordination degree (CCD) of NTU and RR constantly improves, transitioning from moderate imbalance to primary coordination, exhibiting a spatial distribution of a "high in the east and low in the west". The relative disparity between the coupled development of NTU and RR demonstrates a slowly narrowing trend, whereas the absolute disparity indicates an expanding trend. Among the influencing factors, the development of the agricultural industry exerts the most significant positive impact on the coupled development, whereas the level of financial support for agriculture exerts a dampening effect, which is heterogeneous in nature.
Forward-backward translation, content validity, face validity, construct validity, criterion validity, test-retest reliability, and internal consistency of a questionnaire on patient acceptance of orthodontic retainer
Authors: Saw Zhi Kuan , Yuen Jonathan Jun Xian , Ashari Asma , Ibrahim Bahemia Fatima , Low Yun Xuan , Nik Mustapha Nik Mukhriz , Lau May Nak
Published: January 2025

This study aimed to assess the validity and reliability of a questionnaire on patient acceptance of orthodontic retainers. The original questionnaire was forward- and backward-translated, followed by four validity tests (content validity, face validity, construct validity, criterion validity) and two reliability tests (test-retest reliability, internal consistency). Content validity was assessed by nine orthodontists who appraised the questionnaire’s representativeness, relevance, clarity, and necessity. Face validity was established through semi-structured in-depth interviews with 35 English-literate participants currently wearing orthodontic retainers. Construct validity was established through Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA). For criterion validity, 107 participants concurrently answered the questionnaire and the Retainer-modified Malaysian Oral Health Impact Profile questionnaire. Test-retest reliability was verified by 34 subjects who responded to the questionnaire again after a two-week interval. Six revised items passed the threshold value of 0.78 for Item-Content Validity Index and Content Validity Ratio and were revised based on findings from the face validity test. Principal Component Analysis of EFA extracted information on only one component, and all items were positively correlated with the component matrix. Spearman’s rho value (rs = 0.490 and rs = 0.416) indicated a moderate correlation between the two questionnaires for criterion validity. Intraclass Correlation Coefficient ranged from 0.687 to 0.913, indicating moderate to excellent test-retest reliability. Cronbach’s alpha ranged from 0.687 to 0.913 indicating that none of the questionnaire items showed unacceptable or poor internal consistency. The questionnaire on patient acceptance of orthodontic retainers has been validated and can be used in both clinical and research settings.
Investigating the contributors to hit-and-run crashes using gradient boosting decision trees
Authors: Han Baorui , Huang Haibo , Li Gen , Jiang Chenming , Yang Zhen , Zhu Zhenjun
Published: January 2025

A classification prediction model is established based on a nonlinear method—Gradient Boosting Decision Tree (GBDT) to investigate the factors contributing to a perpetrator’s escape behavior in hit-and-run crashes. Given the U.S. Crash Report Sampling System (CRSS) dataset, the model is trained and compared with the state-of-art methods (Classification and Regression Tree, Random Forest, and Logistic Regression). The results show that the GBDT outperforms other methods, achieving the lowest negative log-likelihood (0.282), misclassification rate (0.096), and the highest AUC (0.803). GBDT also demonstrates superior computational efficiency, with a LIFT value of 4.087, making it a more accurate and efficient model for predicting hit-and-run crashes compared to CART, Random Forest, and Logistic Regression. The results obtained from the GBDT show that the relative importance of crash type and relation to trafficway rank 4th and 5th, respectively. Neither is mentioned in previous studies, indicating that GBDT has the ability to mine hidden information. In addition, the interaction between influencing variables can also be obtained to investigate the joint effect of various variables. The results of this study have practical applications in hit-and-run incident prevention, accident safety analysis, and other engineering applications.
Intracerebroventricular administration of a modified hexosaminidase ameliorates late-stage neurodegeneration in a GM2 mouse model
Authors: Lopez Manuel E. , Wendt Daniel , Lawrence Roger , Gong Kerui , Ong Hoonsan , Yip Bryan , Chen Joseph , Mangini Linley , Handyside Britta , Giaramita Alexander , Lamichhane Aashish , Lo Melanie , Agrawal Vishal , Van Vleet Jeremy , Abolhesn Amanda , Felix Jessica B. , Villalpando Isaac , Bhat Vikas , De Angelis Rolando , Ru Yuanbin , Khan Ayesha , Fong Sylvia , Christianson Terri , Bullens Sherry , Crawford Brett E. , Bunting Stuart , Aoyagi-Scharber Mika
Published: January 2025

The GM2 gangliosidoses, Tay-Sachs disease and Sandhoff disease, are devastating neurodegenerative disorders caused by β-hexosaminidase A (HexA) deficiency. In the Sandhoff disease mouse model, rescue potential was severely reduced when HexA was introduced after disease onset. Here, we assess the effect of recombinant HexA and HexD3, a newly engineered mimetic of HexA optimized for the treatment of Tay-Sachs disease and Sandhoff disease. Enzyme replacement therapy was administered by repeat intracerebroventricular injections in Sandhoff disease model mice with dosing beginning before and after signs of neurodegeneration. As previously observed, HexA effectively increased the lifespan of Sandhoff disease mice by 3.5-fold only when treatment was started before onset of neurodegeneration. In contrast, HexD3 halted motor decline and ameliorated late-stage disease severity even when dosing began late, after neurodegeneration onset. Additionally, HexD3 had advantages over HexA in enzyme stability, distribution potential, and homodimer activity. Overall, our data indicate that advanced therapeutics may widen the treatment window for neurodegenerative disorders.
Prevalence and associations of anisometropia with spherical ametropia, cylindrical power, age, and sex, based on 134,603 refractive surgery candidates
Authors: Deuchert Mona , Frings Andreas , Druchkiv Vasyl , Schweighofer Jakob , Muhammad Sajjad , Linke Stephan , Katz Toam
Published: January 2025

Purpose

To examine the prevalence and associations of anisometropia with spherical ametropia, cylindrical power, age, and sex.

Methods

Anisometropia was analyzed for subjective refraction. In total, 134,603 refractive surgery candidates were included in the period from 2010 to 2020 at the CARE Vision Refractive Centers in Germany. Our study was approved by the local ethics committee at the University in Duesseldorf (approval date: February 9, 2021) and conducted according to the tenets of the Declaration of Helsinki and Good Clinical Practices Guidelines. The treatment contract included explicit patient consent to use medical data for scientific purposes. Correlations between anisometropia and explanatory variables were analyzed using the chi-squared test (χ2 test), nonparametric Kruskal–Wallis or Mann–Whitney U-tests, and binomial logistic regression. Power vector analysis was applied for further analysis of cylindrical power.

Results

The median level of anisometropia (Asubj) in the whole population was 0.38 D. The prevalence of Asubj was 17.9%. In hyperopes, all explanatory variables (spherical ametropia, cylindrical power, age, sex) were independently associated with anisometropia. Asubj decreased with increasing cylindrical ametropia: an increase in cylindrical power by 7.8 D reduced the chance of observing anisometropia by half. It was also associated with male sex. Asubj decreased by half with a 16.7 D increase in spherical power and an increase in age by 22.7 years. In myopes, cylindrical power was most strongly associated with anisometropia: an increase in (negative) cylindrical power by 2.15 D doubled the chances of observing anisometropia in myopes. In addition, advancing age (double chance with an increase of 38.3 years), increasing spherical power (double chance with an increase of 8.15 D), and female sex correlated positively with increasing anisometropia in myopes.

Conclusions

This retrospective analysis gives evidence for the independent association between anisometropia and spherical power, cylindrical power, age, and sex in myopic refractive surgery candidates. The relation of anisometropia with age was positive in myopes but negative in hyperopes. The analysis of sex revealed a positive relation of female sex and anisometropia in myopes and furthermore revealed a positive relation of male sex and anisometropia in hyperopes. Further clinical research into the underlying mechanisms behind our findings is indicated.
Speed-dependent changes in the arm swing during independent walking in individuals after stroke
Authors: De Vlieger Daan , Defour Arne , Bar-On Lynn , Cambier Dirk , Swinnen Eva , Van der Looven Ruth , Van Bladel Anke
Published: January 2025

Background

Increasing one’s walking speed is an important goal in post-stroke gait rehabilitation. Insufficient arm swing in people post-stroke might limit their ability to propel the body forward and increase walking speed.

Purpose

To investigate the speed-dependent changes (and their contributing factors) in the arm swing of persons post-stroke.

Material and methods

Twenty-five persons post-stroke (53±12.1 years; 40.72±43.0 months post-stroke) walked on a treadmill at comfortable (0.83m/s) and fast (1.01m/s) speed. Shoulder and elbow kinematics were compared between conditions using Statistical Parametric Mapping (SPM) analysis, and discrete parameters using a Wilcoxon signed-rank test or an independent sample t-test. The relations between speed-dependent changes in shoulder and elbow range of motion and clinical and gait parameters were assessed using Spearman correlation coefficients.

Results

The non-paretic arm showed expected speed-dependent kinematic adaptations with increases in active range of motion for shoulder flexion (p<0.001), extension (p<0.05), abduction (p = 0.001), rotation (p = 0.004) and elbow flexion (p<0.001). The paretic arm only showed an increase in shoulder abduction and elbow flexion (both p<0.001). Persons post-stroke with a more impaired arm swing coordination pattern only showed speed-dependent adaptations for elbow flexion (p<0.001) at the paretic side during fast walking. In contrast, persons post-stroke with a normal arm swing coordination pattern presented with increases in active range of motion of the shoulder abduction and elbow flexion (both p<0.001) at the paretic side when walking fast. More upper limb impairment (r = -0.521, p<0.01) and a wider step width (r = 0.534, p<0.01) were related to a larger increase in mean elbow flexion during faster walking.

Conclusions

Persons post-stroke show different changes in arm swing kinematics at the paretic compared to the non-paretic side when increasing walking speed. The changes are related to the impairment level and stability during walking, indicating that therapeutic interventions aiming to increase walking speed by improving arm swing might need to target these factors.
Assessing the drivers of sexual behavior among youth and its social determinants in Nepal
Authors: Shrestha Grishu , Piya Reecha , Kakchapati Sampurna , Sapkota Parash Mani , Joshi Deepak , Baral Sushil Chandra
Published: January 2025

Introduction

Sexual behavior among youth is a public health concern, particularly in contexts where cultural norms, socio-economic factors, and access to comprehensive sexual education play pivotal roles. This paper aims to examine the determinants of sexual behavior among Nepali youths.

Methods

This study analyzed data from 7,122 individuals aged 15–24 years from the Nepal Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS) 2022, focusing on a nationally representative sample. This study assessed the prevalence of sexual behaviors, including premarital sex, recent sexual activity, and multiple sexual partners. Determinants examined included socio-demographic characteristics, media use, smoking, and alcohol consumption. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis were conducted to determine the associations between social determinants and sexual behaviors.

Results

The prevalence of premarital sex among the youth was 10.4%, with 15% of male youths reporting recent sexual activity and 2.8% having sexual intercourse with multiple partners. Variables significantly associated with premarital sex included older age groups (AOR = 2.81; 95% CI: 1.98–3.99), male (AOR = 7.87; 95% CI: 5.00–12.39), sales occupations (AOR = 2; 95% CI:1.12–3.57), smoking (AOR = 2.71; 95% CI:1.74–4.23), smokeless tobacco products (AOR = 1.94; 95% CI:1.12–3.34), and alcohol consumption (AOR = 2.97; 95% CI:2–4.41). Variables significantly associated with recent sexual activity included older age groups (AOR = 2.1; 95% CI:1.46, 3.03), being unmarried (AOR = 9.34; 95% CI:5.19–16.82), smoking (AOR = 2.01; 95% CI:1.33–3.05), use of smokeless products (AOR = 1.7; 95% CI:1.98–3.67), and alcohol consumption (AOR = 1.91; 95% CI:1.30–2.82). Youths using smokeless products had higher odds (AOR = 3.33; 95% CI:1.75–6.35) of having multiple sexual partners compared to those youths not using smokeless products.

Conclusion

Social determinants, along with smoking and alcohol consumption, were associated with sexual behaviors among youth. This study highlights the need for multicomponent health promotion (new public health) interventions which consider multi-level strategies, including culturally tailored sexual health programs, drug use behaviors, healthy lifestyle choices, comprehensive sexual health education for evidence-based interventions.
Sex differences in psychiatric comorbidities of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder among children, adolescents, and adults: A nationwide population-based cohort study
Authors: Kao Pei-Hsin , Ho Chung-Han , Huang Charles Lung-Cheng
Published: January 2025

This cross-sectional, nationwide, population-based study aimed to elucidate sex differences in psychiatric comorbidities of Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) across children, adolescents, and adults. We analyzed data from Taiwan’s comprehensive healthcare database, including 112,225 individuals diagnosed with ADHD, categorized by age (0–12, 13–18, ≥18 years) and sex. Psychiatric comorbidities were assessed using ICD-9-CM codes, focusing on age and sex-specific prevalence. Among the cohort, 83.50% were children (0–12 years) presenting primarily with learning disabilities and tics, while adolescents (13–18 years; 11.88%) had higher instances of oppositional defiant and conduct disorders. In adults (≥18 years; 4.62%), the prevalence of anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, and substance misuse was notably higher. Males under 18 predominantly had ADHD, whereas females exhibited increased vulnerability to emotional disorders. In adulthood, males showed greater susceptibility to most psychiatric comorbidities, except sleep disorders. The study highlights the evolving nature of ADHD-related psychiatric comorbidities across different life stages, with distinct sex-based patterns. The transition from childhood to adulthood sees an increased prevalence of various psychiatric conditions, particularly impacting adult males. These findings underscore the need for age- and sex-specific therapeutic approaches in ADHD management. The cultural context of the study necessitates further research in diverse populations for broader applicability of the findings.
Risk factors for overtaking, rear-end, and door crashes involving bicycles in the United Kingdom: Revisited and reanalysed
Authors: Chao Chun-Chieh , Ma Hon-Ping , Wei Li , Lin Yen-Nung , Chen Chenyi , Saleh Wafaa , Wiratama Bayu Satria , Widodo Akhmad Fajri , Hsu Shou-Chien , Ko Shih Yu , Lin Hui-An , Chan Cheng-Wei , Pai Chih-Wei
Published: January 2025

Background and objective

Relevant research has provided valuable insights into risk factors for bicycle crashes at intersections. However, few studies have focused explicitly on three common types of bicycle crashes on road segments: overtaking, rear-end, and door crashes. This study aims to identify risk factors for overtaking, rear-end, and door crashes that occur on road segments.

Material and methods

We analysed British STATS19 accident records from 1991 to 2020. Using multivariate logistic regression models, we estimated adjusted odds ratios (AORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for multiple risk factors. The analysis included 127,637 bicycle crashes, categorised into 18,350 overtaking, 44,962 rear-end, 6,363 door, and 57,962 other crashes.

Results

Significant risk factors for overtaking crashes included heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) as crash partners (AOR = 1.30, 95% CI 1.27–1.33), and elderly crash partners (AOR = 2.01, 95% CI = 1.94–2.09), and decreased risk in rural area with speed limits of 20–30 miles per hour (AOR = 0.45, 95% CI = 0.43–0.47). For rear-end crashes, noteworthy risk factors included unlit darkness (AOR = 1.49, 95% CI = 1.40–1.57) and midnight hours (AOR = 1.28, 95% CI = 1.21–1.40). Factors associated with door crashes included urban areas (AOR = 16.2, 95% CI = 13.5–19.4) and taxi or private hire cars (AOR = 1.61, 95% CI = 1.57–1.69). Our joint-effect analysis revealed additional interesting results; for example, there were elevated risks for overtaking crashes in rural areas with elderly drivers as crash partners (AOR = 2.93, 95% CI = 2.79–3.08) and with HGVs as crash partners (AOR = 2.62, 95% CI = 2.46–2.78).

Conclusions

The aforementioned risk factors remained largely unchanged since 2011, when we conducted our previous study. However, the present study concluded that the detrimental effects of certain variables became more pronounced in certain situations. For example, cyclists in rural settings exhibited an elevated risk of overtaking crashes involving HGVs as crash partners.
Suboptimal dietary knowledge predicts lower diet quality for cancer prevention among university students in Beirut
Authors: Jabbour Jana , Dandache Rodeina , Al Slaybe Maryam , Mattar Lama Haisam , Rizk Rana
Published: January 2025

University students are at a pivotal stage of shaping cancer risk factors. Little is known about their dietary behavior in Lebanon, a country heavily burdened by cancer. This cross-sectional study assessed the dietary knowledge of and adherence to cancer prevention guidelines among university students in Beirut, Lebanon. We hypothesized that students would exhibit low knowledge, poor diet quality, and that knowledge predicted diet quality. Dietary knowledge was explored using a dedicated questionnaire, with scores above the 60th percentile considered as Knowledgeable (Kn+), and those below as less knowledgeable (Kn-). Dietary adherence to cancer prevention guidelines and the predictors of the Alternative Healthy Eating Index (AHEI)- a measure of diet quality calculated using the Modified Mediterranean Prime Screen, were also examined. The sample included 300 participants (55% females, mean age: 20 years). The mean knowledge score was 49.5%. Over 50% of students were aware of the association between red and processed meat, sodium, fruits and vegetables, obesity, and cancer. Kn+ group had a higher intake of vegetables and a lower intake of meats and sweetened beverages. Increased knowledge (B = 0.78, 95%CI: 0.18,1.37) and high physical activity (B = 4.62, 95%CI: 1.66,7.59) were associated with elevated AHEI scores. A significant positive interaction was observed between knowledge and enrollment in a health-related major. University students’ dietary knowledge of and adherence to cancer prevention guidelines are suboptimal. Although higher knowledge predicts high-quality diets, the association was weak. Further studies should investigate the food systems influencing university students’ dietary intake of university students in Lebanon and identify effective interventions to enhance health behavior.
A weak edge estimation based multi-task neural network for OCT segmentation
Authors: Yang Fan , Chen Pu , Lin Shiqi , Zhan Tianming , Hong Xunning , Chen Yunjie
Published: January 2025

Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) offers high-resolution images of the eye’s fundus. This enables thorough analysis of retinal health by doctors, providing a solid basis for diagnosis and treatment. With the development of deep learning, deep learning-based methods are becoming more popular for fundus OCT image segmentation. Yet, these methods still encounter two primary challenges. Firstly, deep learning methods are sensitive to weak edges. Secondly, the high cost of annotating medical image data results in a lack of labeled data, leading to overfitting during model training. To tackle these challenges, we introduce the Multi-Task Attention Mechanism Network with Pruning (MTAMNP), consisting of a segmentation branch and a boundary regression branch. The boundary regression branch utilizes an adaptive weighted loss function derived from the Truncated Signed Distance Function(TSDF), improving the model’s capacity to preserve weak edge details. The Spatial Attention Based Dual-Branch Information Fusion Block links these branches, enabling mutual benefit. Furthermore, we present a structured pruning method grounded in channel attention to decrease parameter count, mitigate overfitting, and uphold segmentation accuracy. Our method surpasses other cutting-edge segmentation networks on two widely accessible datasets, achieving Dice scores of 84.09% and 93.84% on the HCMS and Duke datasets.
The involvement of Elf5 in regulating keratinocyte proliferation and differentiation processes in skin
Authors: Hu Anhua , Pickup Maximilian E. , Lawal Maryam A. , Patel Hetal J. , Ahmed Mohammed I.
Published: January 2025

Skin and hair development is regulated by multitude of programs of activation and silencing of gene expression to maintain normal skin and hair follicle (HF) development, homeostasis, and cycling. Here, we have identified E74-like factor 5 (Elf5) transcription factor, as a novel regulator of keratinocyte proliferation and differentiation processes in skin. Expression analysis has revealed that Elf5 expression was localised and elevated in stem/progenitor cell populations of both the epidermis (basal and suprabasal) and in HF bulge and hair germ stem cell (SCs) compartments during skin and hair development and cycling. Expressional and functional analysis using RT-qPCR, western blot and colony forming assays, revealed that Elf5 plays an important role in regulating keratinocyte proliferation and differentiation processes as well as potentially determining cell fate by regulating the stem/progenitor cell populations in skin and HFs. These data will provide a platform for pharmacological manipulation of Elf5 in skin, leading to advancements in many areas of research, including stem cell, regenerative medicine, and ageing.
Evaluating socioeconomic inequalities in self-rated oral health and its contributing factors in Brazilian older adults
Authors: Bof de Andrade Fabíola , Antunes José Leopoldo Ferreira
Published: January 2025

Objectives

This study aimed to evaluate socioeconomic inequalities in self-reported oral health among community-dwelling Brazilian older adults and evaluate the oral health factors contributing to the inequalities.

Methods

This was a cross-sectional study with data from the Brazilian National Health Survey conducted in 2019. The dependent variable is the self-report of oral health categorized as good or poor. Household per capita income in quintiles and schooling were used as socioeconomic variables. The explanatory covariates were age; gender; limitation in basic activities of daily living; number of teeth, use of dental prostheses; difficulty in eating; and recent dental visit. The Oaxaca-Blinder two-fold decomposition for binary outcomes was used to evaluate the factors contributing to the inequalities in self-reported oral health.

Results

Self-reported poor oral health was found among 35.8% of the dentate and 29.6% of the edentulous individuals. Poor self-reported oral health was more prevalent among older adults with low income and educational levels. Among dentate individuals, the difference in the proportion of poor self-reported oral health (the gap) between those with no schooling and those with some schooling was 12.8 percent points (p.p.), favoring the poor. The gap between dentate in the lowest and highest income groups was 14.8 p.p. favoring the poor. Among edentulous individuals, those with no schooling had a higher proportion of self-reported oral health (total gap 10.6 p.p.). Concerning income inequalities, the gap favored the poorer group and was 5.4 p.p. higher among individuals in the lowest income group.

Conclusion

The decomposition analyses suggested that oral health variables explained most of the education and income inequalities; difficulties in eating were the most contributing factor in both the dentate and edentulous groups. There was a relatively reduced contribution of recent dental visits to socioeconomic inequality.
A new extended Chen distribution for modelling COVID-19 data
Authors: Alghamdi Amani S. , Alnaji Lulah
Published: January 2025

In this paper, we propose a new flexible statistical distribution, the Topp-Leone Exponentiated Chen distribution, to model real-world data effectively, with a particular focus on COVID-19 data. The motivation behind this study is the need for a more flexible distribution that can capture various hazard rate shapes (e.g., increasing, decreasing, bathtub) and provide better fitting performance compared to existing models such as the Chen and exponentiated Chen distributions. The principal results include the derivation of key statistical properties such as the probability density function, cumulative distribution function, moments, hazard rate function, and order statistics. Maximum likelihood estimation is employed to estimate the parameters of the TLEC distribution, and simulation studies demonstrate the efficiency of the maximum likelihood method. The innovation of this work is further validated by applying the TLEC distribution to real COVID-19 data, where it outperforms several related models. The study concludes with significant insights into how the TLEC distribution provides a more accurate and flexible approach to modeling real-world phenomena.
Reinforcement learning algorithm for improving speed response of a five-phase permanent magnet synchronous motor based model predictive control
Authors: Hassan Ahmed M. , Ababneh Jafar , Attar Hani , Shamseldin Tamer , Abdelbaset Ahmed , Metwally Mohamed Eladly
Published: January 2025

Enhancing the performance of 5ph-IPMSM control plays a crucial role in advancing various innovative applications such as electric vehicles. This paper proposes a new reinforcement learning (RL) control algorithm based twin-delayed deep deterministic policy gradient (TD3) algorithm to tune two cascaded PI controllers in a five-phase interior permanent magnet synchronous motor (5ph-IPMSM) drive system based model predictive control (MPC). The main purpose of the control methodology is to optimize the 5ph-IPMSM speed response either in constant torque region or constant power region. The speed responses obtained using RL control algorithm are compared with those obtained using four of the most recent metaheuristic optimization techniques (MHOT) which are Transit Search (TS), Honey Badger Algorithm (HBA), Dwarf Mongoose (DM), and Dandelion-Optimizer (DO) optimization techniques. The speed response are compared in terms of the settling time, rise time, maximum time and maximum overshoot percentage. It is found that the suggested RL based TD3 give minimum settling time and relatively low values for the rise time, max time and overshoot percentage which makes the RL provide superior speed responses compared with those obtained from the four MHOT. The drive system speed responses are obtained in the constant torque region and constant power region using MATLAB SIMULINK package.
Clonal phylogenies inferred from bulk, single cell, and spatial transcriptomic analysis of epithelial cancers
Authors: Erickson Andrew , Figiel Sandy , Rajakumar Timothy , Rao Srinivasa , Yin Wencheng , Doultsinos Dimitrios , Magnussen Anette , Singh Reema , Poulose Ninu , Bryant Richard J. , Cussenot Olivier , Hamdy Freddie C. , Woodcock Dan , Mills Ian G. , Lamb Alastair D.
Published: January 2025

Epithelial cancers are typically heterogeneous with primary prostate cancer being a typical example of histological and genomic variation. Prior studies of primary prostate cancer tumour genetics revealed extensive inter and intra-patient genomic tumour heterogeneity. Recent advances in machine learning have enabled the inference of ground-truth genomic single-nucleotide and copy number variant status from transcript data. While these inferred SNV and CNV states can be used to resolve clonal phylogenies, however, it is still unknown how faithfully transcript-based tumour phylogenies reconstruct ground truth DNA-based tumour phylogenies. We sought to study the accuracy of inferred-transcript to recapitulate DNA-based tumour phylogenies. We first performed in-silico comparisons of inferred and directly resolved SNV and CNV status, from single cancer cells, from three different cell lines. We found that inferred SNV phylogenies accurately recapitulate DNA phylogenies (entanglement = 0.097). We observed similar results in iCNV and CNV based phylogenies (entanglement = 0.11). Analysis of published prostate cancer DNA phylogenies and inferred CNV, SNV and transcript based phylogenies demonstrated phylogenetic concordance. Finally, a comparison of pseudo-bulked spatial transcriptomic data to adjacent sections with WGS data also demonstrated recapitulation of ground truth (entanglement = 0.35). These results suggest that transcript-based inferred phylogenies recapitulate conventional genomic phylogenies. Further work will need to be done to increase accuracy, genomic, and spatial resolution.
Cracking susceptibility of full-sibs of a cross of a cracking tolerant and cracking susceptible sweet cherry: Relation to cuticle characteristics, microcracking and calcium
Authors: Knoche Moritz , Grosset-Grange Loise , Quero-García José , Alletru David , Boutaleb Lina
Published: January 2025

Rain cracking compromises quality and quantity of sweet cherries worldwide. Cracking susceptibility differs among genotypes. The objective was to (1) phenotype the progeny of a cross between a tolerant and a susceptible sweet cherry cultivar for cuticle mass per unit area, strain release on cuticle isolation, cuticular microcracking and calcium/dry mass ratio and (2) relate these characteristics to cracking susceptibilities evaluated in laboratory immersion assays and published multiyear field observations. Mass of the dewaxed cuticle per unit area and strain release upon cuticle isolation were significantly related to cracking susceptibility in lab or field. Cuticular microcracking in the stylar end region as indexed by infiltration with acridine orange was more severe in susceptible than in tolerant genotypes and significantly correlated with susceptibility to cracking in lab and field. The Ca/dry mass ratio was lower (-8%) for susceptible than for tolerant genotypes. Fruit that cracked early had less Ca than those that cracked later. Only the Ca/dry mass ratio of the stylar end region was significantly correlated with cracking susceptibility in the field. Based on stepwise regression analyses microcracking of the cuticle accounted for most of the cracking susceptibilities in field and lab (partial r2 = 0.331 to 0.338 for field vs. r2 = 0.326 to 0.453 for lab). The variability in cracking susceptibility accounted for increased to a r2 = 0.571 (lab) when adding mass of dewaxed cuticle, up to r2 = 0.421 (field) when adding the Ca/dry mass ratio in the stylar end region or up to r2 = 0.478 (field) when entering the strain release on isolation into the model. A protocol for phenotyping is suggested that allows larger progenies to be phenotyped for microcracking, DCM mass and strain release.
PtpA protein from Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis as a potential marker of rheumatoid arthritis in humans
Authors: Hernández-Bello Jorge , Bach Horacio , Cerpa-Cruz Sergio , Sánchez-Zuno Gabriela Athziri , Hernández-Gutiérrez Rodolfo , Nicoletti Ferdinando , Saraceno Andrea , Muñoz-Valle José
Published: January 2025

Studies have noted the connection between Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP) and autoimmunity. MAP is an intracellular pathogen that infects and multiplies in macrophages. To overcome the hostile environment elicited by the macrophage, MAP secretes a battery of virulence factors to neutralize the toxic effects of the macrophage. One of the virulence factors is the Protein Tyrosine Phosphatase A (PtpA), a protein secreted by MAP that interferes in the phago-lysosome fusion, rendering the pathogen unnoticed in the cytoplasm of the macrophage. This study aimed to assess the presence of PtpA antibodies in the sera of Mexican individuals with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and investigate its possible use as a biomarker for disease activity. We compared RA patients (n = 100) to control subjects (CS) (n = 100) by assessing specific immune responses to PtpA (the antigen) by an indirect ELISA method. Results showed a significant difference in PtpA levels between RA and CS, with RA patients having a median OD of 0.4645 compared to 0.1372 in CS. Antibodies against PtpA were present in 95% of RA patients and 16% of CS (AUC = 0.9163, p = 0.0001). Male control subjects showed higher PtpA reactivity than female CS. The Disease Activity Score (DAS-28) analysis showed that individuals with moderate to high disease activity had lower levels of PtpA reactivity. The results suggest a potential connection between RA and MAP infection.
Using DNA metabarcoding and direct behavioural observations to identify the diet of proboscis monkeys (Nasalis larvatus) in the Kinabatangan Floodplain, Sabah
Authors: Thiry Valentine , Boom Arthur F. , Stark Danica J. , Hardy Olivier J. , Beudels-Jamar Roseline C. , Vercauteren Drubbel Regine , Alsisto Sylvia , Vercauteren Martine , Goossens Benoit
Published: January 2025

Characterizing the feeding ecology of threatened species is essential to establish appropriate conservation strategies. We focused our study on the proboscis monkey (Nasalis larvatus), an endangered primate species which is endemic to the island of Borneo. Our survey was conducted in the Lower Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary (LKWS), a riverine protected area that is surrounded by oil palm plantations. We aimed to determine the diet of multiple proboscis monkey groups by using two methods. First, we conducted boat-based direct observations (scan and ad libitum sampling) and identified 67 plant species consumed by the monkeys at their sleeping sites in early mornings and late afternoons. Secondly, we used the DNA metabarcoding approach, based on next-generation sequencing (NGS, MiSeq Illumina) of faecal samples (n = 155), using the short chloroplast sequence, the trnL (UAA) P6 loop. In addition, we built a DNA reference database with the local plants available in the LKWS. When combining feeding data from both methods, we reported a diverse dietary ecology in proboscis monkeys, with at least 89 consumed plant taxa, belonging to 76 genera and 45 families. Moreover, we were able to add 22 new genera as part of the diet of this endangered colobine primate in the LKWS. The two methods provided congruent and complementary results, both having their advantages and limitations. This study contributed to enhance the knowledge on the feeding ecology of proboscis monkeys, highlighting the significance of several plant species that should further be considered in habitat restoration plans or corridor establishment.
Exploring LGBTQ+ youth well-being: Utilizing a mixed-method approach to uncover insights, needs, and strategies of LGBTQ+ youth in Northwest Arkansas
Authors: Calvillo Cristobal , Richoux Camille , Marshall S. Alexandra
Published: January 2025

Objective

This study investigates the well-being and needs of LGBTQ+ youth in Northwest Arkansas, aiming to understand factors influencing their quality of life and inform supportive policies and practices.

Methods

This exploratory, descriptive evaluation used a sequential explanatory mixed methods design to explore LGBTQ+ youth well-being and needs in Northwest Arkansas. 218 online survey respondents and six interviewees under 21 who self-identified as LGBTQ+ participated. Adult stakeholders (n = 16) also completed complementary interviews providing their perceptions of the needs and well-being of LGBTQ+ youth in the area.

Results

The findings highlight the crucial need for confidantes (82.5% of respondents) and a sense of safety within homes (80.3%). Notably, 51.8% sought mental health care. The qualitative interviews uncovered five themes regarding LGBTQ+ youth’s perceived quality of life, echoed in additional perspectives from adult stakeholders.

Conclusions

While many of the participating youth felt safe and supported at the time of data collection, enhancing well-being for LGBTQ+ youth beyond the study’s context requires strategies such as promoting community acceptance, creating supportive spaces, and enhancing empathetic engagement among adults. Adult stakeholders were keenly aware of the roles that politics and education played along with the importance of access to resources and safe spaces. These findings support inclusive policies and programs to foster a more equitable environment in the state and beyond.
Utilization of transitional care management services and 30-day readmission
Authors: Kim Eun Ji , Coppa Kevin , Abrahams Sara , Hanchate Amresh D. , Mohan Sumit , Lesser Martin , Hirsch Jamie S.
Published: January 2025

Transitional care management (TCM) visits have been shown to reduce 30-day readmissions, but it is unclear whether the decrease arises from the TCM visit itself or from clinic-level changes to meet the requirements of the TCM visits. We conducted a cross-sectional analysis using data from Northwell Health to examine the association between the type of post-discharge follow-up visits (TCM visits versus non-TCM visits based on billing) and 30-day readmission. Furthermore, we assessed whether being seen by a provider who frequently utilizes TCM visits or the TCM visit itself was associated with 30-day readmission. We included adult patients hospitalized to Medicine service and subsequent follow-up visits within two weeks of discharge between February 24, 2018, and February 24, 2020. We examined 1) post-discharge follow-up visit type (TCM visit versus non-TCM visit) and 2) provider characteristics (frequent TCM visit utilization or not). The primary outcome was unplanned hospital readmission within 30 days following hospital discharge. After propensity matching, TCM follow-up visits were associated with decreased 30-day readmissions (hazard ratio = 0.74 [0.63–0.88]) compared to non-TCM visits. Among patients with non-TCM follow-up visits, those seen by a provider who frequently used TCM visits had decreased odds (OR = 0.84 [0.71–0.99]) of 30-day readmission compared to those seen by providers who did not use TCM visits regularly. Among patients who followed up with providers who frequently use TCM visits, TCM visits were associated with decreased 30-day readmission compared to patients with non-TCM visits (OR = 0.78 [0.62–0.98]). The study has limitations, including the health system database not capturing all out-of-network follow-up visits. The reduction in 30-day readmission associated with TCM visits likely arises from both the visit itself and being seen by a provider who frequently uses TCM visits.