bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Isolation and alkali treatment of novel natural fiber from Chinese burr stalk for sustainable polymer composites and versatile applications
Authors: Rao H Jeevan , Melnikov Andrey , Fakhr Elias Abou , Pulikkalparambil Harikrishna , Spitas Christos 
Published: November 2024

Abstract

Plant-based natural fibers are strongly recognized as a sustainable substitute for synthetic materials. Nevertheless, the quest for sustainable raw materials with outstanding characteristics is challenging, as the availability of most natural fibers is confined to regions. The Chinese burr (CB) stands out as a robust plant that thrives across various soils and climates. This research focuses on harvesting fibers from Chinese burr stalks and evaluating their attributes through Compositional analysis, SEM, EDAX, FTIR, AFM, and TGA analyses. The CB fibers underwent an alkali treatment of 5% and 15% of NaOH concentration to improve their quality. The study found that treating CB fibers with 5% alkali solution reduced their carbon composition by ca. 29.83% and increased their oxygen content by 6.5% in comparison to the raw fibers. Additionally, this treatment stripped away amorphous elements on the fiber surface, which doubled the char yield from 7% to 14.4%. The alkali process also boosted the thermal resistance of the CB fibers (enhancing the decomposition temperature from 300 to 310°C). It altered the weight loss characteristics (from 4.4 to 5%) relative to the raw CB fibers which decomposed at 344°C with a weight loss of 8.6%. These experimental results underscore the potential of CB fibers as an effective substitute for manmade fibers in polymer composite applications.
Domestic violence among women attending primary health care centers in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia: Effects on their mental and physical well-being
Authors: Wali Razaz Mohammed , Allhybi Abdulaziz , Alqerafi Ahmed Abdulaziz , Sagim Renad A , Hawsawi Tahani Habib , Malibari Waleed Mohammed 
Published: November 2024

Abstract

Background
Domestic violence (DV) is a global public health issue and a violation of human rights, affecting one-third of women worldwide. DV impacts women's mental, physical, and sexual wellness, and it has immediate and sometimes catastrophic effects on their health and well-being. Adverse effects on women's physical, mental, and behavioral health may persist even after the violence has stopped. The objective of the study is to assess the impact of DV on the well-being of Saudi women attending National Guard Primary Health Care centers.
Methods
A cross-sectional study was conducted in the National Guard Primary Health Care Clinics in the western region of Saudi Arabia from 2022 to 2023. A convenience sampling method was used. The study employed the NorVold Domestic Abuse Questionnaire (NorAQ) to measure the extent of physical, psychological, and sexual abuse among women. In total, 1,813 female participants between the ages of 18 and 65 who met the inclusion criteria were included and completed the questionnaire. SPSS (Statistical Package for Social Sciences) version 24.0 was used to analyze the data.
Results
The study included 1,813 Saudi women with a mean age of 32.2 years. A significant association (p < 0.05) was found between different types of abuse and poor overall health. Women who reported psychological abuse were 56% less likely to report good health than those who did not experience psychological abuse. Similarly, 52% of the physically abused women were less likely to have good health, while 41% of the sexually abused women were less likely to report good health.
Conclusion
This study sheds light on the profound and often hidden impact of domestic violence (DV) on the lives of women who visit primary healthcare centers in Jeddah. It reveals just how widespread DV is and the serious toll it takes on women's mental, physical, and social health, echoing findings from research around the world. The study also shows that factors like education, income, and social status significantly influence health outcomes, highlighting the need for a comprehensive approach to tackling DV.
TaWI12 may be involved in pistillody and leaf cracking in wheat
Authors: Guo Yuhuan , Zhang Yan , Li Yuhao , Wu Yichao , Liao Mingli , Peng Zhengsong , Yang Zaijun , Zhou Yonghong 
Published: November 2024

Abstract

Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is a crucial staple crop upon which human sustenance relies. Consequently, investigating the developmental mechanisms of pistils and stamens in wheat is profoundly significant for enhancing wheat characteristics and boosting productivity. In this study, we cloned TaWI12 from common wheat and observed a significant resemblance among the three homoeologs of TaWI12. The open reading frames (ORFs) of TaWI12-4A, TaWI12-4B and TaWI12-4D were 408 bp, 417 bp and 417 bp, respectively, and encoded 135, 138 and 138 amino acids, respectively. The phylogenetic tree revealed a high degree of homology between the protein sequences of TaWI12 and the wound-induced proteins of Hordeum vulgare (KAE4994568) and Aegilops tauschii (XP_020196548). To clarify the characteristics and functions of TaWI12 homoeologs, we obtained transgenic positive plants of Arabidopsis thaliana, and observed significant filament shortening and decrease. Simultaneously, we used the CRISPR/Cas9 system to generate mutant plants via the modification of three homoeologs of TaWI12 in wheat. We noticed two distinct phenotypic differences in the knockout mutant. First, we observed the different degrees of homologous conversion of stamens to pistils in the single mutant TaWI12-4D. Second, we observed leaf cracking in both the single mutant TaWI12-4A and the double mutants TaWI12-4A and TaWI12-4D. Our findings further revealed that TaWI12 plays an important role in flower development, which is important for revealing the molecular mechanisms of pistil and stamen development in wheat and has important application value for high-yield wheat breeding.
Rotation errors in path integration indicate Alzheimer’s disease tau pathology: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Colmant Lise , Quenon Lisa , Huyghe Lara , Ivanoiu Adrian , Gerard Thomas , Lhommel Renaud , Coppens Pauline , Salman Yasmine , Malotaux Vincent , Dricot Laurence , Kunz Lukas , Axmacher Nikolai , Lefèvre Philippe , Hanseeuw Bernard 
Published: November 2024

Abstract

Background
Early Alzheimer’s disease diagnosis is crucial for preventive therapy development. Standard neuropsychological evaluation does not identify clinically normal individuals with brain amyloidosis, the first stage of the pathology, defined as preclinical Alzheimer’s disease. Spatial navigation assessment, in particular path integration, appears promising to detect preclinical symptoms, as the medial temporal lobe plays a key role in navigation and is the first cortical region affected by tau pathology.
Methods
We have conducted a cross-sectional study. We related the path integration performance of 102 individuals without dementia, aged over 50, to amyloid and tau pathologies, measured using positron emission tomography. We included 73 clinically normal individuals (18 with brain amyloidosis, 55 without) and 29 individuals with mild cognitive impairment (19 with brain amyloidosis, 10 without). We fitted linear mixed models to predict the path integration performances according to amyloid status or tau pathology in the medial temporal lobal, adjusting for age, gender, cognitive status, education, and video game experience. We decomposed the error into rotation and distance errors.
Results
We observed that clinically normal adults with brain amyloidosis (preclinical Alzheimer’s disease) had spatial navigation deficits when relying only on self-motion cues. However, they were able to use a landmark to reduce their errors. Individuals with mild cognitive impairment had deficits in path integration that did not improve when a landmark was added in the environment. The amyloid status did not influence performance among individuals with mild cognitive impairment. Among all individuals, rotation, but not distance, error increased with the level of tau pathology in the medial temporal lobe.
Conclusion
Our results suggest that path integration performance in an environment without external cues allows identifying individuals with preclinical Alzheimer’s disease, before overt episodic memory impairment is noticeable. Specifically, we demonstrated that poor angular estimation is an early cognitive marker of tau pathology, whereas distance estimation relates to older ages, not to Alzheimer’s disease.
Trial registration:
Eudra-CT 2018-003473-94
A QoS-Aware Uplink Resource Allocation Scheme for LTE-A/5G HetNets
Authors: Garbazza Itagildo E. , Silva Ederson R. , Guardieiro Paulo R. 
Published: November 2024

Abstract

Resource constraints in Long Term Evolution-Advanced (LTE-A)/5G heterogeneous networks pose significant challenges to maintaining high-quality and real-time data transmission. Quality of Service (QoS) is crucial for ensuring user satisfaction across both real-time (RT) and non-real-time (NRT) applications. This paper proposes a novel scheduling and resource allocation scheme that employs a Smoothed Round-Robin (SRR) algorithm to classify traffic into real-time (RT) and non-real-time (NRT) classes. A power-constrained resource allocation method based on Deep Q-learning (DQL) is then applied to manage these traffic classes. Furthermore, we propose a handover mechanism that utilizes the Weighted Aggregated Sum Product Assessment (WASPAS) method to address mobility and inter-cell interference challenges. Simulation results demonstrate the superior performance of the proposed scheme compared to existing solutions, showcasing improvements in delay, throughput, fairness index, call drop rate, and packet loss rate. This research presents a novel, efficient approach to QoS-aware resource allocation in LTE-A/5G HetNets.
A comprehensive assessment of the association between dyslipidaemia and primary biliary cholangitis using Mendelian randomization
Authors: Fang Sa , Li Qiaoxia , Guo Xuegang , Shi Yupeng , Yu Tianlei 
Published: November 2024

Abstract

Background & Aims: Some observational studies found that dyslipidaemia is a risk factor for primary biliary cholangitis (PBC). However, it remains unclear whether dyslipidaemia is causative for PBC. This Mendelian randomization (MR) study aimed to explore the causal role of lipid, lipoprotein particles, lipid metabolites, and lipid-lowering drug on PBC risk.
Methods:
We employed single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with major lipids, lipoprotein particles, and lipid metabolites and genes encoding lipid-lowering drug targets from the summary online GWAS data as instrumental variables. Summary-level data for PBC were obtained from the study of Cordell et al. and FinnGen database. Then two sample and drug-target MR analysis were performed.
Results: The results of MR analyses found that genetically predicted LDL-C, TG, Apo-A1, Apo-B, lipoprotein particles concentrations were not significantly associated with the risk of PBC (all p > 0.05), excepting HDL-C (OR, 1.30; 95% CI, 1.04-1.63; p=0.023). Three metabolites including tetradecanedioate (OR, 0.574; 95% CI, 0.354-0.932, p = 0.025), 1-arachidonoylglycerophosphoinositol (OR, 0.271; 95% CI, 0.089-0.821, p = 0.021), and hexadecanedioate (OR, 0.515; 95% CI, 0.291-0.911; p =0.023) was associated with lower risk of PBC in Cordell dataset. Drug-targeted MR analyses revealed that ABCG5/ABCG8 was associated with lower risk of PBC in both Cordell (OR, 0.642; 95% CI, 0.431-0.956; p= 0.029) and FinnGen dataset (OR, 0.365; 95% CI, 0.154-0.867; p= 0.022).
Conclusions: This study showed that HDL-C, lipid metabolites, including hexadecanedioate, tetradecanedioate, and 1-arachidonoylglycerophosphoinositol, had causal effect with PBC risk. Targeting ABCG5/ABCG8 may reduce PBC risk which are independent with LDL-C reduction.
Application of Enzyme-Assisted Extraction on the brown seaweed Fucus vesiculosus Linnaeus (Ochrophyta, Fucaceae) to produce extracts for a sustainable agriculture.
Authors: Choulot Manon , Jabbour Chirelle , Burlot Anne-Sophie , Jing Lun , Welna Maja , Szymczycha-Madeja Anna , Guillard Cécile Le , Michalak Izabela , Bourgougnon Nathalie 
Published: November 2024

Abstract

The agricultural sector plays a crucial role in sustaining population growth and ensuring our well-being. However, as this sector faces numerous challenges due to environmental conditions and the increasing population, it is essential to identify natural alternatives that promote sustainable farming practices and protect the environment. Seaweed-based extracts have gained popularity in agriculture because of their numerous benefits for plant growth and health. This study focuses on Fucus vesiculosus Linnaeus, a prevalent brown seaweed species found along the Brittany coast. The research involved comparing Enzyme-Assisted Extraction (EAE) with conventional aqueous extraction methods for the purpose of determining the effectiveness of EAE in producing enriched extracts that could have an interesting agricultural application. The results indicates that enzymatic extraction of Fucus vesiculosus significantly increased the content of neutral sugars by 34% and reducing sugars by 21% in the extracts, compared to conventional aqueous extraction (WE). Regarding Plant Growth Regulators, the levels of Isopentenyladenosine (iPR) and Cis zeatin (cZ) were enhanced by 6 times and 28 times, respectively, when using EAE instead of WE. Additionally, the total phenolic content was notably higher in EAE extracts, showing a twofold increase over WE extracts. Furthermore, the various extracts demonstrated superior antioxidant activity compared to raw Fucus vesiculosus powder. Thus, this study confirms that EAE is an effective method for enriching Fucus vesiculosus extracts with various compounds that can play a vital role in agriculture.
Comprehensive Analysis of Elastic-Plastic Behaviour in Hybrid Metal Matrix Composites with Varied Reinforcement Geometry
Authors: Mieczkowski Grzegorz 
Published: November 2024

Abstract

This study presents a comprehensive analytical-numerical approach to determining the elastic-plastic properties of Hybrid Metal Matrix Composites (HMMC), contrasting with prior research that primarily emphasizes elasticity. Using the finite element method (FEM) and elasticity and plasticity theory, we determined key parameters, including Young's modulus, Poisson's ratio, yield strength, and ultimate tensile strength. The method, which also accounts for strain-hardening behaviour via the Hollomon model, enables precise simulation of HMMC with randomly distributed reinforcement particles of varying shapes and sizes, offering a realistic representation of the composite microstructure. Verification against literature confirms the accuracy of the approach in reflecting both elastic and plastic behaviour, providing essential insights into the material's full mechanical response, particularly yield strength and strain-hardening properties, aspects rarely explored in-depth in existing studies on HMMC.
Causal associations of epigenetic age acceleration and telomeres with the risk of epilepsy: a bidirectional Mendelian randomization study
Authors: Wei Xueying , Zeng Jiao , Peng Shang , Liu Ying , Duan Kui , Wang Jifeng , Zhang Min , Cheng Yongran , Wang Mingwei , Ye Lan , Xu Zucai , Feng Zhanhui 
Published: November 2024

Abstract

Background: With the global aging of demographic, the risk of epilepsy among seniors is increasing, and its pathogenesis may be closely related to aging. Epigenetic age acceleration (EAA) and telomere length are deemed to be very precise indicators of aging. This research employs Mendelian randomization (MR) to explore the possible causal relationships among EAAs, telomeres, and epilepsy.Methods This study made use of open-source GWAS data from individuals of the European lineage for a dual-directional MR analysis. We explored the interactions between four well-established epigenetic clocks (HannumAA, GrimAA, PhenoAA, IEAA) and telomeres in epilepsy. In our, the causal relationships among EAAs, telomere length, and epilepsy were explored via using five MR analytical methods. Multiple analyses, including heterogeneity analysis, pleiotropy analysis and sensitivity analysis, were performed to guarantee the reliability of the findings.Results The study demonstrates substantial causal impact on PhenoAA and epilepsy. (IVW method: OR 1.070, 95% CI 1.019–1.124, P = 0.006; Weighted Median method: OR 1.075, 95%CI 1.011–1.143, P = 0.019). Conversely, Epilepsy has connection to the growth of PhenoAA (IVW method: OR 1.239, 95%CI 1.030–1.490, P = 0.022). At the same time, the results also find a significant causal association between epilepsy and HannumAA (IVW method: OR 1.188, 95% CI 1.032–1.367, P = 0.0157; Weighted Median method: OR 1.240, 95%CI 1.017–1.512, P = 0.032). Sensitivity analysis, heterogeneity analysis, and pleiotropy analysis were performed for quality control of the aforementioned results.Conclusion MR analysis demonstrates a significant correlation between increased PhenoAA with epilepsy occurrence, suggesting that aging could elevate the likelihood of developing epilepsy. Additionally, epilepsy's strong association of epilepsy with both PhenoAA and HannumAA implies that it might also accelerate aging through distinct biological mechanisms. This bidirectional relationship highlights the complex interplay between aging and epilepsy.
Reinforcement Learning-Based Government Bailout Strategies for Interbank Risk Contagion: A High-Dimensional Space Processing Approach
Authors: Chen Yijun , Yan Huanlan , Ding Zhijun 
Published: November 2024

Abstract

The interbank business connections form a complex network structure, facilitating risk contagion channels that require governments to promptly provide necessary bailouts. Since the assets of each bank continuously change as the contagion evolves, determining the optimal bailout strategy throughout the entire contagion process becomes a dynamic problem. In order to consider not only the current contagion risks but also the subsequent evolution of the contagion, this paper introduces Reinforcement Learning (RL) to find the global optimal solution during the contagion process. However, when applying RL to the bailout problem, its reward function is difficult to design and can also lead to inefficient exploration and unstable strategies due to the high dimensionality of the task space caused by the large number of banks. To address these problems, this paper proposes a proximal policy optimization algorithm with high-dimensional space processing (HDSP-PPO), which enhances the reward signal by combining immediate and final rewards, constructs an action candidate set to accelerate action exploration efficiency, and improves the stability of the policy in unseen states through spatial decomposition and low-dimensional representation of the state. Finally, we developed a multi-agent interbank lending network system with realistic data and simulated the risk contagion. Through experiments in the contagion environment, it is validated that the HDSP-PPO can obtain a better global strategy than optimization algorithms and is superior to other mainstream reinforcement learning algorithms in terms of solution quality, convergence, and stability.
Familial Aggregation of Mild Cognitive Impairment in Aging Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus of Chinese Families
Authors: Yang Yu , Yingzi Chen , Peng Du , Congqing Miao , Dechuan Lu , Yingshuo Zhong 
Published: November 2024

Abstract

Recent studies demonstrated that diabetes can result in cognitive impairment. And genetic factors may play pivotal role in the pathogenesis. This study aims to describe the familial aggregation of MCI in T2DM of Chinese families. We enrolled 114 families with at least two T2DM siblings for aggregation analysis. Our data show that MCI in the probands is significantly associated with the presence of MCI in the siblings, and this was independent of other well-known risk factors such as duration of diabetes and glycemic status. Our study demonstrated the presence of familial aggregation of MCI in T2DM families.
Study on the law and mechanism of cement-based material grouting on water quality of water-bearing sand layer based on indoor experiments
Authors: Zheng Haobo , Qian Ziwei , Gao Guowen , He Shenyang 
Published: November 2024

Abstract

Grouting in mining operations can potentially cause environmental pollution. The significant volume of slurry used in grouting can adversely affect groundwater quality, potentially resulting in groundwater pollution. In light of this, researching the pattern and mechanism of the impact of common grouting materials on regional groundwater quality is crucial. Based on the hydrogeological conditions of the study area, a dynamic seepage reaction system was established. Three sets of constant-flow, long-duration percolation tests were conducted for the ungrouted control (W), cement slurry (C), and cement-sodium silicate slurry (CS) groups. The leachate from each group was thoroughly analyzed to determine the water quality. The study found: (1) The hydration reactions of the phases present in the slurry have a significant influence on the nature and degree of ionic contamination in the liquid phase of the leachate. (2) After grouting, the leachate exhibited high initial concentrations of most ions. However, as infiltration progressed, the concentrations of these ions decreased significantly. Additionally, the concentration trend of some ions in the grouted leachate samples has a differentiated pattern. Cement grouted resulted in the contamination of metal ions, such as Ca2+, whereas CS grouted led to high levels of SO2- 4 contamination. (3) After grouting, the leachate was alkaline, with elevated total hardness and total dissolved solids, and exhibited reducing properties. The hydrochemical type of the leachate underwent significant changes after the grouting process. As the percolation continued, the hydrochemical characteristics of the leachate gradually shifted towards that of the control group. (4) The ionic concentrations in the leachate exhibit a trend of attenuation or rebound under percolation action, generally showing a dynamic recovery towards the control group concentrations. The degradation trends of the main pollutants for both types of grout largely conform to an exponential decay model.