bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
On limiting behaviors of stepwise multiple testing procedures
Authors: Dey Monitirtha 
Published: October 2024

AbstractStepwise multiple testing procedures have attracted several statisticians for decades and are also quite popular with statistics users because of their technical simplicity. The Bonferroni procedure has been one of the earliest and most prominent testing rules for controlling the familywise error rate (FWER). A recent article established that the FWER for the Bonferroni method asymptotically (i.e., when the number of hypotheses becomes arbitrarily large) approaches zero under any positively equicorrelated multivariate normal framework. However, similar results for the limiting behaviors of FWER of general stepwise procedures are nonexistent. The present work addresses this gap in a unified manner by elucidating that, under the multivariate normal setups with some correlation structures, the probability of rejecting one or more null hypotheses approaches zero asymptotically for any step-down procedure. Consequently, the FWER and power of the step-down procedures also tend to be asymptotically zero. We also establish similar limiting zero results on FWER of other popular multiple testing rules, e.g., Hochberg’s and Hommel’s procedures. It turns out that, within our chosen asymptotic framework, the Benjamini–Hochberg method can hold the FWER at a strictly positive level asymptotically under the equicorrelated normality.
A novel strategy to map a locus associated with flowering time in canola (Brassica napus L.)
Authors: Long Yunming , Zheng Puying , Anderson James V. , Horvath David P. , Sthapit Jinita , Li Xuehui , Rahman Mukhlesur , Chao Wun S. 
Published: October 2024

AbstractFlowering time is an important agronomic trait for canola breeders, as it provides growers with options for minimizing exposure to heat stress during flowering and to more effectively utilize soil moisture. Plants have evolved various systems to control seasonal rhythms in reproductive phenology including an internal circadian clock that responds to environmental signals. In this study, we used canola cultivar ‘Westar’ as a recurrent parent and canola cultivar ‘Surpass 400’ as the donor parent to generate a chromosome segment substitution line (CSSL) and to map a flowering time locus on chromosome A10 using molecular marker-assisted selection. This CSSL contains an introgressed 4.6 mega-bases (Mb) segment (between 13 and 17.6 Mb) of Surpass 400, which substantially delayed flowering compared with Westar. To map flowering time gene(s) within this locus, eight introgression lines (ILs) were developed carrying a series of different lengths of introgressed chromosome A10 segments using five co-dominant polymorphic markers located at 13.5, 14.0, 14.5, 15.0, 15.5, and 16.0 Mb. Eight ILs were crossed with Westar reciprocally and flowering time of resultant 16 F1 hybrids and parents were evaluated in a greenhouse (2021 and 2022). Four ILs (IL005, IL017, IL035, and IL013) showed delayed flowering compared to Westar (P < 0.0001), and their reciprocal crosses displayed a phenotype intermediate in flowering time of both homozygote parents. These results indicated that flowering time is partial or incomplete dominance, and the flowering time locus mapped within a 1 Mb region between two co-dominant polymorphic markers at 14.5–15.5 Mb on chromosome A10. The flowering time locus was delineated to be between 14.60 and 15.5 Mb based on genotypic data at the crossover site, and candidate genes within this region are associated with flowering time in canola and/or Arabidopsis. The co-dominant markers identified on chromosome A10 should be useful for marker assisted selection in breeding programs but will need to be validated to other breeding populations or germplasm accessions of canola.
Age-dependent somatic expansion of the ATXN3 CAG repeat in the blood and buccal swab DNA of individuals with spinocerebellar ataxia type 3/Machado-Joseph disease
Authors: Sidky Ahmed M. , Melo Ana Rosa Vieira , Kay Teresa T. , Raposo Mafalda , Lima Manuela , Monckton Darren G. 
Published: October 2024

AbstractSpinocerebellar ataxia type 3/Machado-Joseph disease (SCA3/MJD) is caused by the expansion of a genetically unstable polyglutamine-encoding CAG repeat in ATXN3. Longer alleles are generally associated with earlier onset and frequent intergenerational expansions mediate the anticipation observed in this disorder. Somatic expansion of the repeat has also been implicated in disease onset and slowing the rate of somatic expansion has been proposed as a therapeutic strategy. Here, we utilised high-throughput ultra-deep MiSeq amplicon sequencing to precisely define the number and sequence of the ATXN3 repeat, the genotype of an adjacent single nucleotide variant and quantify somatic expansion in blood and buccal swab DNA of a cohort of individuals with SCA3 from the Azores islands (Portugal). We revealed systematic mis-sizing of the ATXN3 repeat and high levels of inaccuracy of the traditional fragment length analysis that have important implications for attempts to identify modifiers of clinical and molecular phenotypes. Quantification of somatic expansion in blood DNA and multivariate regression revealed the expected effects of age at sampling and CAG repeat length, although the effect of repeat length was surprisingly modest with much stronger associations with age. We also observed an association of the downstream rs12895357 single nucleotide variant with the rate of somatic expansion, and a higher level of somatic expansion in buccal swab DNA compared to blood. These data suggest that the ATXN3 locus in SCA3 patients in blood or buccal swab DNA might serve as a good biomarker for clinical trials testing suppressors of somatic expansion with peripheral exposure.
Biomarkers of cognitive and memory decline in psychotropic drug users
Authors: Grigore Monica , Ruscu Mihai Andrei , Hermann Dirk M. , Colita Ivan-Cezar , Doeppner Thorsten Roland , Glavan Daniela , Popa-Wagner Aurel 
Published: October 2024

Abstract
Psychotropic drugs are vital in psychiatry, aiding in the management of mental health disorders. Their use requires an understanding of their pharmacological properties, therapeutic applications, and potential side effects. Ongoing research aims to improve their efficacy and safety. Biomarkers play a crucial role in understanding and predicting memory decline in psychotropic drug users. A comprehensive understanding of biomarkers, including neuroimaging, biochemical, genetic, and cognitive assessments, is essential for developing targeted interventions and preventive strategies. In this narrative review, we performed a comprehensive search on PubMed and Google using review-specific terms. Clinicians should use a multifaceted approach, including neurotransmitter analysis, neurotrophic factors, miRNA profiling, and cognitive tasks for early intervention and personalized treatment. Anxiolytics' mechanisms involve various neurotransmitter systems and emerging targets. Research on biomarkers for memory decline in anxiolytic users can lead to early detection and intervention, enhancing clinical practices and aligning with precision medicine. Mood stabilizer users can benefit from early detection of memory decline through RNA, neurophysiological, and inflammatory biomarkers, promoting timely interventions. Performance-enhancing drugs may boost athletic performance in the short term, but their long-term health risks and ethical issues make their use problematic. Long-term use of psychotropic performance enhancers in athletes shows changes in biomarkers of cognitive decline, necessitating ongoing monitoring and intervention strategies. Understanding these genetic influences on memory decline helps pave the way for personalized approaches to prevent or mitigate cognitive deterioration, emphasizing the importance of genetic screening and early interventions based on an individual's genetic profile. Future research should focus on refining these biomarkers and protective measures against cognitive deterioration. Overall, a comprehensive understanding of biomarkers in psychotropic drug users is essential for developing targeted interventions and preventive strategies.
Dynamics of digestive vacuole differentiation clarified by the observation of living Paramecium bursaria
Authors: Obayashi Keiko , Kodama Yuuki 
Published: October 2024

Abstract

Paramecium bursaria is a ciliate species that has a symbiotic relationship with Chlorella spp. This study aimed to elucidate the dynamics of digestive vacuole (DV) differentiation in P. bursaria, using yeast stained with a pH indicator. Previously, DV differentiation in P. bursaria has been classified into eight periods based on fixed-cell observations. However, to understand the behavior and physiology of P. bursaria in its natural state, it is essential to observe living cells. This study presented a novel method using Cornig® Cell-Tak™ to immobilize living P. bursaria cells, which enabled long-term observation of the same cell from the same direction. This technique allowed for real-time observation of DV differentiation, including the relationship between changes in the internal pH of DV and the diameter of DV, yeast budding from the DV membrane by a single cell into the cytoplasm, and separation of a DV containing multiple yeasts into two DVs. This study provides new insights into the dynamic process of DV differentiation in P. bursaria. These findings contribute to a better understanding of the cellular mechanisms underlying the symbiotic relationship between the two organisms and shed light on the complex process of intracellular digestion in ciliates.
Preventing dentin erosion with silver diamine fluoride and salivary pellicle: an in vitro study
Authors: Chawhuaveang Darren Dhananthat , Lam Walter Yu-Hang , Chu Chun-Hung , Yu Ollie Yiru 
Published: October 2024

Abstract
Objectives
To investigate the preventive and discoloring effects of a single and two weekly applications of 38% silver diamine fluoride (SDF) against dentin erosion.

Materials and methods
180 dentin blocks were divided into four groups. Group 1 (SDF2) received two weekly applications of 38% SDF. Group 2 (SDF1) received a single application of 38% SDF. Group 3 (SNF) received a daily application of stannous chloride/amine fluoride/sodium fluoride (standard of care for dental erosion). Group 4 (DW) received a daily application of deionized water. The treated blocks were subjected to a 14-day erosive challenge. Crystal characteristics, elemental composition, surface morphology, percentage of surface microhardness loss (%SMHL), surface loss, and color change (ΔE) were investigated using X-ray diffraction (XRD), energy-dispersive spectrometry (EDS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), hardness testing, profilometry, and digital spectrophotometry, respectively.

Results
XRD and EDS showed dentin surfaces had silver compounds in SDF2 and SDF1, and stannous chloride in SNF. SEM revealed less dentin demineralization with tubular occlusion in SDF2, SDF1, and SNF, but severe demineralization in DW. The %SMHL of SDF2, SDF1, SNF, and DW were 10.8 ± 2.1, 15.7 ± 2.1, 17.9 ± 2.1, and 28.7 ± 2.0 (SDF2 < SDF1 < SNF < DW, p < 0.05). Surface loss (µm) of SDF2, SDF1, SNF, and DW were 5.0 ± 0.6, 6.0 ± 0.6, 6.0 ± 0.7, and 9.0 ± 0.5 (SDF2 < SDF1 = SNF < DW, p < 0.001). ΔE of SDF2, SDF1, SNF, and DW were 26.0 ± 3.4, 12.1 ± 3.8, 6.9 ± 3.5, and 3.9 ± 3.6 (SDF2 > SDF1 > SNF = DW, p < 0.001).

Conclusion
38% SDF with two weekly applications provided better preventive effects against dentin erosion, but it might discolor dentin.

Clinical relevance
The increased 38% SDF application showed a better anti-erosive potential against dentin erosion. However, SDF caused black staining on the dentin.
Correlates of Sleep Health among Older-Age People with and without HIV in Uganda
Authors: Yoo-Jeong Moka , Ratnayake Aneeka , Tong Yao , Tsai Alexander C. , Paul Robert , Reynolds Zahra , Ritchie Christine S. , Seeley Janet , Hoeppner Susanne S. , Atwiine Flavia , Okello Samson , Nakasujja Noeline , Saylor Deanna , Greene Meredith , Asiimwe Stephen , Tindimwebwa Edna , Tanner Jeremy , Olivieri-Mui Brianne , Siedner Mark J. 
Published: October 2024

AbstractThere is a growing population of older people with HIV (PWH) in Uganda. Sleep problems disproportionately affect older people and PWH. This study aimed to estimate correlates of sleep health among older Ugandans (aged ≥ 50 years) with and without HIV, using data from the Quality of Life and Aging with HIV in Rural Uganda Study. We used the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index to assess sleep quality, duration, and efficiency. We fitted multivariable linear and logistic regression models to estimate the associations between sleep outcomes and variables selected based on the Senescent Sleep Model: age, HIV serostatus, loneliness, urbanicity, symptoms of depression and anxiety, and perceived stress. Of 556 participants, 271 were PWH and 285 were people without HIV (PWoH). There were no statistically significant differences in sleep outcomes by HIV serostatus. Of the total sample, most reported very good (32.79%) or fairly good sleep quality (49.37%). The mean sleep duration was 6.46 h (SD = 1.74). The mean sleep efficiency was 73.98% (SD = 19.52%) with 36.69% having optimal (≥ 85%) sleep efficiency. A positive depression screen was associated with worse sleep quality (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 0.21; 95% CI [0.12, 0.36]), shorter sleep duration (b=-0.44; 95% CI [-0.60, -0.28]), and worse sleep efficiency (aOR = 0.51; 95% CI[0.31, 0.83]). Interventions targeting depression may improve sleep among older Ugandans, independent of HIV serostatus. Longitudinal studies are needed to determine the potential bidirectionality of this relationship and elucidate pathways to support sleep health among older Ugandans.
Early Childhood Intervention under the Australian National Disability Insurance Scheme: Characteristics and Recruitment Practices of Service Providers
Authors: Gavidia-Payne Susana , Zanuttini Jessica Zoe , Carlon Sarah , Kemp Coral 
Published: October 2024

AbstractThe National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) constitutes a major policy reform for Australian people with disabilities. Despite its ten-year implementation, little is known about the characteristics of the workforce delivering Australia’s NDIS early childhood intervention services (ECI). The present study sought to identify the range of skills, knowledge, and experience of ECI professionals as listed in recruitment advertisements, and their alignment with best practice guidelines. Provider data were extracted from 246 advertisements for ECI roles over a 5-month period and assigned into various categories. Interrater reliability was determined by randomly selecting 65 of the 246 of the advertisements, which were coded independently by two researchers and assigned to service provider categories. Significant changes have occurred in the qualities of professionals providing ECI services under the NDIS, and their adherence to best practice guidelines. The limited emphasis on best practice in the recruitment process may result in an ECI workforce that is not well equipped to deliver specialised and inclusive support to young children with disabilities and their families.
Insights into the electrochemical performance of manganese dioxide coated metallic foils as potential electrodes for supercapacitors
Authors: Tayyaba Qanita , Sultan Numrah , Siddique Sadaf , Khan Abdul Rehman 
Published: October 2024

AbstractManganese dioxide (MnO2) is a promising electrode material for supercapacitors due to its high theoretical specific capacitance. In this study, MnO2 particles were synthesized using a simple hydrothermal method and subsequently coated onto silver, nickel, and aluminum foils via dip coating. The structural, morphological, and functional properties of the resulting MnO2 nanocomposites were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT–IR). Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), galvanostatic charge–discharge (GCD), and cyclic voltammetry (CV) were employed to investigate the electrochemical performance of the coated metallic foils. The results demonstrated that MnO2/Ag foils exhibited the highest specific capacitance of 198 F g–1 at a scan rate of 0.25 A g−1, accompanied by excellent cycle stability (89% capacitance retention). This performance surpassed that of MnO2/Ni and MnO2/Al foils, which exhibited maximum specific capacitances of 150 and 101 F g−1, respectively. Additionally, MnO2/Ag foils displayed the highest charge storage capacity, as evidenced by EIS analysis, reaching 4000 Ω, nearly double that of MnO2/Ni and MnO2/Al foils. These findings highlight the potential of cost-effective and high-performance MnO2/Ag foils for widespread applications in energy storage devices such as electrochemical capacitors.
Graphical Abstract
Collagen fleece grafting for surgical treatment of patients with mild to severe peyronie’s curvatures
Authors: Garaz Radion , Amend Bastian , Stenzl Arnulf , Bedke Jens , Hennenlotter Jörg , Rochwarger Alexander , Schürch Christian M. , Tsaur Igor , Rausch Steffen 
Published: October 2024

Abstract

Purpose
Collagen fleece grafting (CFG) is the recommended treatment for severe Peyronie’s disease (PD) curvature (> 60°), but its efficacy in mild/moderate curvatures remains uncertain. This study evaluated CFG in patients with mild/moderate curvatures (< 60°) at risk of penile shortening or symptomatic plaque.

Methods
A retrospective review was conducted on patients who underwent surgical treatment for PD using plaque incision or partial plaque excision and CFG. Clinical parameters and complications were reviewed. Subgroup analysis was performed on patients with curvatures of > 60° and curvatures ≤ 60°.

Results
89 patients with a median age of 59 years and a median curvature of 70 (20–90)° were identified. Dorsal curvature was predominant in 66% of cases, followed by lateral (16%), ventral (8%), and complex curvatures (10%). Partial plaque excision was performed in 98% of patients, with an average grafting area of 2.1 cm2; 71% had a singular penile plaque, while 29% presented two or more plaques. The comparison between patients with curvatures ≤ 60° and > 60° revealed no significant differences in mean operation time (86.3 vs. 94.4 min, p = 0.13) or in the incidence of postoperative complications, including glans necrosis, hypoesthesia, ecchymosis, bleeding, hematoma, infection, residual curvature, revision surgery, or pain.

Conclusions
Early postoperative outcomes and complication rates following plaque incision or partial plaque excision and grafting with CFG were comparable in patients with mild/moderate and severe PD deformities. The technique may be a viable option with a similar risk profile for achieving penile straightening in selected PD cases, particularly when plication is not feasible.
Establishing a Comprehensive Hierarchical construct of Eustress (CHE)
Authors: Kloidt Juliane , Barsalou Lawrence W. 
Published: October 2024

AbstractEustress as a positive response to challenging situations has received increasing attention across diverse literatures, reflecting its potential to improve wellbeing, work performance, and personal growth. In the process, eustress has been defined, measured, and manipulated in myriad ways, leading to fragmentation and vagueness. Because a unified and well-specified construct would significantly support eustress research, we developed one here. Rather than basing it on our subjective views, we developed it empirically, extracting 57 unique features of eustress from 80 theoretical, interventional, empirical, and psychometric articles. Organizing and interpreting these 57 features produced a Comprehensive Hierarchical construct of Eustress (CHE). According to CHE, eustress emerges from three sources: (1) successful goal-directed action, (2) experiencing the moment in an enjoyable, fulfilling, or meaningful manner, and (3) positive stable qualities of the individual. Within each source, CHE establishes specific facets of eustress hierarchically, which in turn organize the 57 eustress features extracted initially. Bibliometric analyses identified CHE’s hierarchical elements addressed most often in the eustress literatures. Overall, these results suggest that eustress cannot be specified with a simple definition but should instead be viewed as a family resemblance structure having statistical properties. Rather than taking a single form, eustress manifests itself as diverse states during successful goal-directed action and fulfilling momentary experience. Regularly producing eustress in these manners likely establishes CHE’s trait-like qualities for generating eustress effectively on future occasions. Interestingly, these qualities overlap highly with well-established elements of wellbeing, suggesting that wellbeing contributes to eustress in challenging situations.
Local elimination in the traveling salesman problem
Authors: Cook William , Helsgaun Keld , Hougardy Stefan , Schroeder Rasmus T. 
Published: October 2024

AbstractHougardy and Schroeder (WG 2014) proposed a combinatorial technique for pruning the search space in the traveling salesman problem, establishing that, for a given instance, certain edges cannot be present in any optimal tour. We describe an implementation of their technique, employing an exact TSP solver to locate k-opt moves in the elimination process. In our computational study, we combine LP reduced-cost elimination together with the new combinatorial algorithm. We report results on a set of geometric instances, with the number of points n ranging from 3038 up to 115,475. The test set includes all TSPLIB instances having at least 3000 points, together with 250 randomly generated instances, each with 10,000 points, and three currently unsolved instances having 100,000 or more points. In all but two of the test instances, the complete-graph edge sets were reduced to under 3n edges. For the three large unsolved instances, repeated runs of the elimination process reduced the graphs to under 2.5n edges.
Adaptive approximation of persistent homology
Authors: Herick Maria , Joachim Michael , Vahrenhold Jan 
Published: October 2024

AbstractWe study an important preprocessing step for the efficient calculation of persistent homology: coarsening a set of points while controlling the quality of the induced persistence diagram. This coarsening step is instrumental in reducing the overall runtime of state-of-the-art algorithms such as Ripser, GUDHI, or PHAT. For this, we adaptively sparsify the set of points and carefully define a dissimilarity function between the remaining points. This function takes into account local properties given by a separate function defined on the point set as well as the relation of the removed points to the subsample. It is then used to build simplicial filtrations and calculate their persistent homology. We assess the quality of our approach both theoretically by proving topological approximation guarantees and empirically by using the bottleneck distance. Since our subsample is calculated adaptively, we also prove adaptive properties of our result. Our results show that we can significantly reduce the size of the point sample with only very moderate bottleneck distance to the ground truth; in particular, we still are able to capture the salient topological features of the input through our approximated persistence diagrams.