bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Investigating the modulation of gastric sensations and disposition toward food with taVNS
Authors: Salaris Andrea , Azevedo Ruben T. 
Published: November 2024

AbstractInteroception, the perception of visceral sensations, is key for several survival functions, including those related to feeding behavior. Sensations of hunger and satiety are mediated by gastric signals transmitted via the vagus nerve to the Nucleus of Solitary Tract. Transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS) has been shown to modulate brain‐viscera communication and to impact interoceptive processing in the cardiac domain. Yet, its effect on gastric interoception remains unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate taVNS' modulatory effects on gastric interoception using the Water Load Test‐II (WLT‐II) and its impact on food‐related dispositions through a disposition and willingness to eat task (DWET). Participants underwent active or sham taVNS while performing the WLT‐II and DWET. Results showed no significant difference in gastric interoceptive accuracy and amount of water ingested between taVNS groups. However, we found a significant reduction in food liking after the fullness phase of the WLT‐II in the active (vs sham) taVNS group, suggesting an influence of vagal activation in the inhibition of food enjoyment when satiated. These findings suggest that, while taVNS may not directly enhance gastric interoceptive accuracy at a conscious level, it influences food‐related dispositions, likely by modulating the processing of gastric signals. Further research exploring the intricate relationship between vagal modulation, interoceptive abilities and eating behaviors is warranted to elucidate the underlying mechanisms and, possibly, develop targeted interventions for eating disorders.
The dynamic influence of language‐switching contexts on domain‐general cognitive control: An EEG study
Authors: Liu Dongxue , Meng Yujie , Liu Linyan , Liu Shuang , Schwieter John W. , Chen Baoguo 
Published: November 2024

AbstractIn everyday conversation, bilingual individuals switch between their languages not only in reaction to monolinguals with different language profiles but also voluntarily and naturally. However, whether and how various switching contexts dynamically modulate domain‐general cognitive control is still unclear. Using a cross‐task paradigm in which a flanker task was interleaved with a language‐switching task trial‐by‐trial, the present study examined the performance of unbalanced Chinese‐English bilinguals on a flanker task in forced, voluntary, and natural switching contexts. The cross‐domain interaction on the P3 component revealed an atypical flanker effect in forced switching contexts only, and the P3 amplitude of incongruent trials in forced switching contexts was smaller than in both natural and voluntary switching contexts. Furthermore, robust brain–brain and brain‐behavior relationships between language control and domain‐general control emerged in the forced switching context only. Altogether, our findings support the dynamic adaptation of language control to cognitive control and highlight the importance of different types of switching contexts.
Comparison of Cholesterol Carriers and Substitution of Fructose and Glycerol With Trehalose on Frozen/Thawed ATP Content, DNA Integrity and Kinematics Variables of Ram Spermatozoa
Authors: Koorehpaz Kave , Eslami Mohsen , Farrokhi‐Ardabili Farhad 
Published: November 2024

ABSTRACTCurrent study was aimed to assess the β‐cyclodextrin (βCD) and methyl‐β‐cyclodextrin (MβCD) on delivery of cholesterol, and substitution of fructose and glycerol with trehalose on the ram semen cryosurvival. Samples were collected, diluted with Tris‐citric acid‐LDL extender, pooled, and used. In experiment I, βCD and MβCD carriers were used and compared to deliver the cholesterol (at 0, 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2, and 4 mg/mL). In the experiment II, trehalose (0, 7, 14, 21, and 28 mM) was substituted with fructose (28, 21, 14, 7, 0 mM, respectively). In the experiment III, the best cholesterol/carrier dose groups from the first experiment, were selected to be evaluated with the fructose/trehalose (14/14 mM) combination compared to fructose (28 mM) alone. The concentration of glycerol in the above‐mentioned experiments was set at 4.5%. In the experiment IV, the effect of lowering glycerol (4% vs. 4.5%) was assessed using selected cholesterol/carrier groups. Kinematics, chromatin integrity, ATP contents, malondialdehyde amounts and viability were evaluated. Cholesterol (especially at 1.5 and 2 mg/mL) improved the kinematics and ATP levels using both carriers. The optimised amounts of trehalose (14 mM)/fructose(14 mM) reduced peroxidation and DNA fragmentation levels. Co‐administration of optimised levels of cholesterol with trehalose/fructose did not show extra beneficial effects compared to each of them. Trehalose could not protect the spermatozoa at lower amounts of glycerol (4% vs. 4.5%). In conclusion, either the optimised levels of cholesterol (using βCD or MβCD carriers) or substitution of half of the fructose with the trehalose alone could lead to improvement in quality of frozen/thawed ram semen.
From pandemic to participation: A two‐year follow‐up of blood donors in the Netherlands who registered during the first wave of the COVID‐19 pandemic
Authors: Prinsze Femmeke J. , Merz Eva‐Maria , Spekman Marloes L. C. 
Published: November 2024

AbstractBackgroundDuring the height of the COVID‐19 pandemic (2020–2021), people were urged to minimize movements. Nevertheless, the Netherlands observed a huge increase in new donor registrations in early 2020. It is unclear whether such “pandemic” donors are willing to become repeat donors. The aim of this study was to analyze the donation behavior of these “pandemic” donors during 2 years after registration.MethodsAll donors registered in weeks 11–20 of 2020 were followed for 2 years and their turnout for the new donor screening (NDS), their first‐time donation (FTD), their donation(s) in the follow‐up period, and their availability at the end of the follow‐up period was compared with donors registered in weeks 11–20 of the previous years, 2017–2019.ResultsTotally 26,463 donors registered during week 11–20 in 2020; more than double as in the same period in previous years. Their turnout for the NDS (80%) and FTD (60%) was like donors registered in 2017–2019. On the longer term, we saw lower donor availability with a shift in number of whole blood and plasma donations.DiscussionDuring the first phase of the pandemic, more people registered than usual. Their show rates for the NDS and the FTD were comparable with previous years, suggesting that “pandemic” donors show identical behavior as regular donors. On the long term, however, donation behavior differed (lower return rates and shift in donation types). Further research is needed to disentangle impacts of the pandemic especially on the long‐term changes as they happened simultaneously with policy and recruitment changes.
OVERCOMING LEAN SIX SIGMA BARRIERS IN ELECTRIC VEHICLE ASSEMBLY: POTENTIAL SOLUTIONS
Authors: Atul Zope , Kumar Swami Raju , Atul Patil 
Published: November 2024

The purpose of this paper is to identify the various types of lean six sigma (LSS) barriers involved in the assembly process of electric vehicles (EV). An exhaustive literature survey was conducted to identify the critical barriers in LSS implementation. Four main barriers affecting the assembly process are transportation and handling, assembly line processing, EV assembly integration, and human resources and training. The main barriers were further separated into several sub-barriers. The potential solutions to address the sub-barriers are investigated through literature survey and an expert survey. The implementation of these solutions will help automotive industries to achieve an optimized and economical high-volume production, make operations easy, improve process flexibility, and develop human resources essential for the EV assembly process.
STUDY ON THE UTILIZATION OF TIO2/NISE/N/C FOR CR(VI) PHOTOREDUCTION
Authors: Zain Elfirza , Kusumawati Yuly , Saepurahman Saepurahman 
Published: November 2024

The toxic contaminant chromium is commonly found in industries such as electroplating, metallurgy, and metal processing. Cr(VI) ions are highly toxic, carcinogenic, and mutagenic. Photocatalytic reduction has emerged as a promising method for Cr(VI) removals due to its high efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and the absence of secondary pollutants. TiO2 was chosen as a photocatalyst due to its exceptional photocatalytic activity. However, TiO2 has the disadvantage of a broad bandgap and rapid electron-hole recombination. To overcome this drawback, a heterojunction is formed between TiO2 and NiSe. Nevertheless, TiO2/NiSe suffers from poor thermal stability and a tendency to agglomerate. To address these issues, NiSe is modified using carbon and nitrogen materials derived from chitosan. In this research, TiO2/NiSe modified with N/C has been synthesized through the solvothermal method as a photocatalyst utilizing two forms of TiO2, namely rutile (Rk) and P25 (Pk). The resulting photocatalysts are optimized for reducing Cr(VI) in water through photocatalysis. X-ray diffraction (XRD), Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM), UV-Diffuse Reflectance Spectroscopy (UV-DRS), and Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy were utilized for characterization. The UV-Vis DRS analysis indicated a reduction in the bandgap upon incorporating carbon and nitrogen elements. Rutile TiO2's bandgap has decreased from 3 eV to 2.87 eV, while P25 TiO2’s bandgap has decreased from 3.14 eV to 3.04 eV. The photoreduction study of TiO2/NiSe/N/C in water against Cr(VI) was also conducted with several variations, namely light source (no light, TL lamp, 365 nm lamp, 254 nm lamp) and hole scavenger (formic acid). The photoreduction test results demonstrate the superior performance of the composite compared to pure TiO2. For example, under 254 nm light, the P25 sample significantly improved from 20.41% (P) to 53.26% (Pk). The Rk sample shows the strongest activity in TL light, which achieved a photoreduction rate of up to 48%. The best photoreduction study results were obtained by the Pk sample at 254 nm lamp variation using a formic acid hole scavenger with 99.7% photoreduction.
CO-CULTURE OF CHLORELLA VULGARIS AND ESCHERICHIA COLI ENHANCE INTRACELLULAR ORGANIC MATTER IN BIOFILM MODE
Authors: Tong C. Y. , Honda Kohsuke , Ahmad Wazir Norhidayah , Derek C. J. C. 
Published: November 2024

Microalgal-bacterial biofilm studies over years often highlights challenges in biomass harvesting due to the larger pore sizes, grooves, or pores found on most of the supporting substrates, which trapped the cells easily, hence causing frequent maintenance or replacement with new batch of solid supporting materials. In light of this, the current work addresses this limitation by investigating the use of microporous membranes as a cultivation substrate for co-culture biofilms. A self-designed permeated system was employed to enable the cultivation of biofilms on these membranes throughout 15 days. Findings showed that cell density of C. vulgaris in the co-culture biofilm was at least three times higher than the monoculture control, peaking at approximately 49.84x1010±4.44x1010 cells m-2 on day 10. The total chlorophyll yield depicted by co-culture group shown an average of two-fold higher productivity than that of control. Additionally, co-culture system also demonstrated higher extracellular polysaccharide (380% higher at day 5) and protein (870% higher at day 15) levels. The presence of E. coli in co-culture undoubtedly stimulated algal metabolism through nutrient recycling or cross-feeding. Intracellularly, permeated biofilm system facilitated a remarkable accumulation of six- to nine-times higher as compared to their respective extracellular counterparts. Insights gained from this work would pave a way to the exploration of more potential co-culture systems in enhancing both the biomass and algal organic matter growth through symbiotic interactions with bacteria.
Forns index and fatty liver index, but not FIB-4, are associated with indices of glycaemia, pre-diabetes and type 2 diabetes: analysis of The Maastricht Study
Authors: Heyens Leen , Kenjic Hanna , Dagnelie Pieter , Schalkwijk Casper , Stehouwer Coen , Meex Steven , Kooman Jeroen , Bekers Otto , van Greevenbroek Marleen , Savelberg Hans , Robaeys Geert , de Galan Bastiaan , Koster Annemarie , van Dongen Martien , Eussen Simone , Koek Ger 
Published: November 2024

ObjectiveGlucose metabolism status (GMS) is linked to non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Higher levels of advanced glycation end products (AGEs) are observed in people with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and NAFLD. We examined the association between GMS, non-invasive tests and AGEs, with liver steatosis and fibrosis.MethodsData from The Maastricht Study, a population-based cohort, were analysed. Participants with alcohol overconsumption or missing data were excluded. GMS was determined via an oral glucose tolerance test. AGEs, measured by skin autofluorescence (SAF), were assessed using an AGE Reader. Associations of GMS and SAF with the fibrosis-4 score (FIB-4), Forns index (FI) and fatty liver index (FLI) were investigated using multivariable linear regression, adjusted for sociodemographic, lifestyle and clinical variables.Results1955 participants (56.6%) were analysed: 598 (30.6%) had T2DM, 264 (13.5%) had pre-diabetes and 1069 (54.7%) had normal glucose metabolism. Pre-diabetes was significantly associated with FLI (standardised regression coefficient (Stβ) 0.396, 95% CI 0.323 to 0.471) and FI (Stβ 0.145, 95% CI 0.059 to 0.232) but not FIB-4. T2DM was significantly associated with FLI (Stβ 0.623, 95% CI 0.552 to 0.694) and FI (Stβ 0.307, 95% CI 0.226 to 0.388) but not FIB-4. SAF was significantly associated with FLI (Stβ 0.083, 95% CI 0.036 to 0.129), FI (Stβ 0.106, 95% CI 0.069 to 0.143) and FIB-4 (Stβ 0.087, 95% CI 0.037 to 0.137).ConclusionThe study showed that adverse GMS and higher glycaemia are positively associated with steatosis. FI, but not FIB-4, was related to adverse GMS concerning fibrosis. This study is the first to demonstrate that SAF is positively associated with steatosis and fibrosis.
Lifestyle Profile Scale for Gravida with Urinary Incontinence: scale development and psychometric testing in Chinese Mainland
Authors: Mao Minna , Xu Ping , Guo Ping-ping , Wang Xiaojuan , Wang Hongyan , Feng Suwen 
Published: November 2024

ObjectivesA significant number of women may experience urinary incontinence (UI) during pregnancy. While lifestyle modifications are recommended as important measures for preventing and treating UI, little is known about the lifestyle status of gravida with UI. This study aimed to develop the Lifestyle Profile Scale for Gravida with Urinary Incontinence (LPG-UI) and to evaluate its psychometric properties.DesignIt was an instrument design study carried out in two stages. In stage 1, a literature review was conducted to generate the initial item pool. Subsequently, a Delphi survey was conducted to obtain expert consensus and reduce the items. In stage 2, further item reduction was performed through item analysis. Then, psychometric properties of the instrument were evaluated, including structural validity, internal consistency, split-half reliability, test–retest reliability and criterion validity.SettingThis study was conducted in obstetric clinics of a tertiary maternity hospital in Zhejiang Province, mainland China.ParticipantsA sample of 447 pregnant women with UI were enrolled in stage 2.ResultsA 24-item, 7-dimension lifestyle profile scale was ultimately obtained. The content validity was satisfactory. The split-half reliability and total-scale Cronbach’s alpha coefficient were 0.890 and 0.819, respectively. The criterion validity was 0.598. The seven-factor model, which accounted for 63.667% of the total item variance, demonstrated a good fit with the data (χ2/df=1.672, root mean square error of approximation=0.053, goodness of fit=0.884).ConclusionsThe LPG-UI has sufficient validity and reliability for assessing the lifestyle status of pregnant women with UI.
Supporting resident-centred decision-making about transitions from long-term care homes to hospital: a qualitative study protocol
Authors: Ménard Alixe , Konikoff Lauren , Adams Michaela , Singh Yamini , Scott Mary M , Yin Christina Y , Kimura Maren , Kobewka Daniel , Fung Celeste , Isenberg Sarina R , Kaasalainen Sharon , Kierulf Jackie , Molnar Frank , Shamon Sandy , Wilson Kumanan , Kehoe MacLeod Krystal 
Published: November 2024

IntroductionBurdensome care transitions may occur despite clinicians’ engagement in care planning discussions with residents and their family/friend care partners. Conversations about potential hospital transfers can better prepare long-term care (LTC) residents, their families and care providers for future decision-making. Lack of such discussions increases the likelihood of transitions that do not align with residents’ values. This study will examine experiences of LTC residents, family/friend care partners and staff surrounding decision-making about LTC to hospital transitions and codesign a tool to assist with transitional decision-making to help prioritise needs and preferences of residents and their care partners.Methods and analysisThis study will use semi-structured needs assessment interviews (duration: 1 hour), content analysis of existing decision support and discussion tools and a codesign workshop series (for residents and care partners, and for staff) at three participating LTC home research sites. This qualitative work will inform the development of a decision support tool that will subsequently be pilot tested and evaluated at three partnering LTC homes in future phases of the project. The study is guided by the Person-centred Practice in Long-term Care theoretical framework. Interview audio recordings will be transcribed verbatim and analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. Participants will be recruited in partnership with three LTC homes in Ottawa, Ontario. Eligible participants will be English or French speaking residents, family/friend care partners or staff (eg, physicians, nurses and personal support workers) who have experienced or been involved in a transition from LTC to hospital.Ethics and disseminationEthical approval has been obtained from the Bruyère Health Research Ethics Board (#M16-23-030). Findings will be (1) reported to participating and funding organisations; (2) presented at national and international conferences and (3) disseminated by peer-review publications.
Adherence to COVID-19 preventive measures and associated factors among high school students in Northwest Ethiopia: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Tadesse Gudeta Habtamu , Jemberu Yordanos , Nagari Shelema Likassa 
Published: November 2024

BackgroundThe novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a respiratory infection that is spreading worldwide. The WHO has recommended public health preventive measures for COVID-19 prevention and control. Adherence to COVID-19 preventive measures is important for disease prevention and control of the disease’s spread. So, implementing preventive measures plays an essential role in reducing the spread of COVID-19 infection. This study aimed to assess the adherence status toward COVID-19 preventive measures and associated factors among high school students.Methods528 high school students participated in an institutional-based cross-sectional study. A multistage sampling technique and a systematic random sampling method were applied to select the study participants. The data was entered into EpiData V.3.1 and then exported to SPSS V.23 for analysis. Bivariate and multivariable logistic regressions were computed. The significance of the association was declared by a 95% CI of adjusted OR (AOR) and a p value<0.05 in the multivariate model.ResultA total of 528 respondents participated in the study, with a 100% response rate. The overall adherence level of high school students toward COVID-19 prevention measures was 110 (20.8%, 95% CI: 17.4%, 24.6%). The mean(±SD) age of the respondents was 18 (SD 11±2) years, which ranges from 16 to 24 years, and 387 (73.3%) were in the age group of 19–20 years, The majority of the students (418; 79.2%, 95% CI: 75.4, 82.6) had poor adherence to COVID-19 preventive measures. 345 (65.3%) had good knowledge, 328 (62.1%) had unfavourable attitudes and 390 (73.9%) had poor risk perception for COVID-19 preventive measures. This study revealed that most (89.9%) of the high school students did not maintain a physical distance of 2 m away, 84.4% of the students had no regular handwashing practice, majority 71.4% of the students did not use facemasks/covered their face during coughing and 62.9% of the students had no face mask and 54% of the students did not use sanitiser or alcohol per recommendation. This study revealed that sex (AOR: 2.42, 95% CI: 1.46, 4.02), attitude (AOR: 4.04, 95% CI: 2.45, 6.68) and risk perception (AOR: 7.60, 95% CI: 4.62, 12.54) were significantly associated with poor adherence toward COVID-19 prevention measures.ConclusionThis study’s findings revealed that adherence to COVID-19 preventive measures among high school students was very low. Therefore, promoting adherence to COVID-19 preventive measures demands awareness creation and risk communication to build an appropriate level of knowledge, attitude and risk perception.
Mutation-guided chemotherapy-free strategy in first-line immunotherapy for low PD-L1-expressing non-squamous NSCLC
Authors: Li Hui , Liu Jingjing , Zhang Liang , Xu Yu , Wang Xinyue , Lan Shaowei , Cui Peng , Wang Guoqiang , Cai Shangli , Cheng Ying 
Published: November 2024

BackgroundThe necessity of platinum-doublet chemotherapy in first-line immunotherapy for non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer (nsqNSCLC) with programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression on less than 50% of tumor cells remains poorly investigated. Biomarkers predicting this necessity can guide chemotherapy-free treatment to minimize unnecessary toxicity.MethodsTreated with immune checkpoint inhibitor monotherapy (ICI-mono), chemotherapy, or combination (ICI-chemo), 790 low PD-L1-expressing nsqNSCLCs (in-house: n=83; public: n=707) were analyzed for development and validation of the interaction score for additional chemotherapy (ISAC). Transcriptomic (public, n=11) and multiplex immunofluorescence data (in-house, n=100) were analyzed to evaluate the immune microenvironment.ResultsICI-chemo, compared with ICI-mono, tended to prolong progression-free survival (PFS; HR=0.72, p=0.004) and overall survival (OS; HR=0.77, p=0.071) as first-line therapy in low PD-L1-expressing nsqNSCLCs. The added value of chemotherapy was observed in the ISAC-low subgroup (PFS: HR=0.48, p<0.001; OS: HR=0.53, p=0.001) rather than the ISAC-high subgroup (PFS: HR=1.08, p=0.65; OS: HR=1.14, p=0.56). This predictive utility was independent of tumor mutational burden and PD-L1 expression, indicated by subgroup and multivariable analyses. A high ISAC was associated with adaptive immune resistance reflected by more proinflammatory (eg, CD8+T cells and M1 macrophages) rather than anti-inflammatory tumor-infiltrating immune cells (eg, M2 macrophages) and high expression of immune checkpoints except for PD-L1 (eg, programmed cell death protein-1).ConclusionA high ISAC was identified as a significant predictor for virtually no added value of platinum-doublet chemotherapy for first-line ICI treatment in low PD-L1-expressing nsqNSCLC. Our findings may help refine personalized therapeutic strategies for nsqNSCLC, thereby improving efficacy and reducing undue toxicity.