bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Herbage biomass predictions from UAV data using a derived digital terrain model and machine learning
Authors: Aebischer Philippe , Sutter Michael , Birkinshaw Amy , Nussbaum Madlene , Reidy Beat 
Published: September 2024

AbstractMore than 70% of Switzerland's agricultural area is covered by grasslands that often exhibit highly diverse species compositions and heterogeneous growth patterns. An essential requirement for efficient and effective pasture management is the regular estimation of herbage biomass. While various methods exist for estimating herbage biomass, they are often time‐consuming and may not accurately capture the variability within pastures. This highlights the need for more efficient, accurate estimation techniques. To help improve herbage biomass estimation, we present estiGrass3D+, a Random Forest model. This model predicts pasture biomass using a digital terrain model (DTM) derived from a digital surface model (DSM) for sward height modelling, along with vegetation indices and agronomic variables from UAV images only. The model was successfully evaluated with independent test data from different sites on the Swiss central plateau, including both grazed and mown areas. Model performance on an independent validation dataset achieved a NRMSE of 20.3%, while the training dataset had an NRMSE of 21.5%. These consistent results confirm that estiGrass3D+ is both transferable and applicable to unseen data while maintaining accuracy and reliability across different datasets. The wide applicability of our method demonstrates its practicality for predicting herbage biomass under different pasture management scenarios. Additionally, our method of deriving a DTM directly from a DSM simplifies the measurement of grass sward height by UAVs, eliminating the need for prior ground control point (GCP) marking and subsequent aligning, enhancing the efficiency of herbage biomass estimation.
Mitigating the extinction risk of globally threatened and endemic mountainous Orthoptera species: Parnassiana parnassica and Oropodisma parnassica
Authors: Stefanidis Apostolis , Kougioumoutzis Konstantinos , Zografou Konstantina , Fotiadis Georgios , Tzortzakaki Olga , Willemse Luc , Kati Vassiliki 
Published: September 2024

Abstract
Orthoptera species are vulnerable to extinction on a global scale. Greece hosts 35% (380 species) of the European Orthoptera fauna with a high degree of endemic (37%) and threatened species (37%).
We sampled 46 plots (100 m2) to investigate the distribution and ecological requirement of two Greek mountain endemic and red‐listed species: Parnassiana parnassica (Ramme, 1926; Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae; Critically Endangered [CR]) and Oropodisma parnassica (Scudder, 1897; Orthoptera: Caelifera; Endangered [EN]). Species had a restricted geographical range, with two isolated populations confined to high altitudes (1527–2320 m) of Mts. Parnassos and Elikonas.
Species distribution models showed that slope affected their suitable habitat, together with the topographic position index and the annual temperature range (P. parnassica), and the amount of green vegetation and evapotranspiration (O. parnassica).
Connectivity analysis showed that P. parnassica‐suitable habitat consisted of few larger and well‐connected patches (26 patches: effective mesh size of 1.57 km2) and that O. parnassica‐suitable habitat consisted of more but smaller and less connected patches (56 patches: effective mesh size of 0.3 km2).
Generalised linear models showed that the population density of P. parnassica was negatively influenced by the height of herbaceous vegetation and that of O. parnassica was positively influenced by altitude.
The species face three main imminent threats: land take, wildfires and global warming, whereas livestock grazing seems to have a positive impact and skiing a neutral impact on their populations.
We assessed both species as EN after International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) criteria and a suite of conservation measures are suggested for their status improvement.
Extracellular Release of a Disintegrin and Metalloproteinase Correlates With Periodontal Disease Severity
Authors: Aljohmani Ahmad , Heinze Hakon , Gharzia Federico Guillermo , Reda Bashar , Abdrabou Ahmed Mohamed Mostafa , Becker Sören L. , Bischoff Markus , Hannig Matthias , Yildiz Daniela 
Published: September 2024

ABSTRACTAimPeriodontal disease is driven by oral pathogens, including Porphyromonas gingivalis, and the release of inflammatory cytokines. These cytokines (e.g., TNF) or their receptors (e.g., IL‐1R) are substrates of a disintegrin and metalloproteinases (ADAMs). In this study, we aimed to determine the effects of ADAMs on periodontal disease phenotypes.Materials and MethodsWestern blot and FRET‐based activity measurements of the gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) of patients were compared with those of infected (P. gingivalis) or cytokine‐stimulated oral keratinocytes and primary human neutrophils, respectively. This was accompanied by an analysis of the released extracellular vesicles and MMP9 activity.ResultsIn the GCF of patients, ADAM8 protein expression and activity were correlated with disease stage, whereas ADAM10 protein expression was inversely correlated with disease stage. Infection and the resulting cytokine release orchestrated the release of soluble ADAM8 by oral keratinocytes and primary neutrophils as soluble ectodomain and on exosomes, respectively. Furthermore, ADAM8 regulated the release of ADAM10 and MMP9.ConclusionDysregulation of cell‐associated and extracellular ADAM proteolytic activity may be an essential regulatory element in the progression of periodontal disease driven by ADAM8. The influence of ADAM8 on disease onset and the evaluation of targeting ADAM8 as a potential and novel local treatment option should be addressed in future translational in vivo studies.
Efficacy and safety of various corticosteroids in the treatment of children with allergic rhinitis: A systematic review and network meta‐analysis
Authors: Li Yuxin , Xiong Jun , Zhang Zheng , Liao Kai , Zhou Xiaohong , Li Jun , Xiang Jie , Xu Lingling 
Published: September 2024

AbstractBackgroundIntranasal corticosteroids were recommended as first‐line drugs for the treatment of allergic rhinitis (AR) children. A variety of corticosteroids were available for clinical choice; however, which could relieve the clinical symptoms of patients to the greatest extent was currently unknown. Thus, we performed a network meta‐analysis (NMA) to systematically evaluate the effectiveness and safety of different corticosteroids in treating children with AR, which might provide a basis for more rational clinical treatment decisions.MethodsSeven electronic databases were searched, and the retrieval time range was the time from their inception to November 2023. The literature screening, data extraction, and assessment of the risk of bias of included studies were completed independently by two reviewers. A frequentist NMA was performed with Stata17.0 software.ResultsA total of 43 RCTs covering 10,897 participants were included. In the improvement of reflective total nasal symptom score (rTNSS) and instantaneous total nasal symptom score (iTNSS), fluticasone furoate nasal spray (FFNS) and beclomethasone dipropionate (BDP) nasal aerosol presented the best efficacy. Regarding the incidence of adverse reactions, mometasone furoate aqueous nasal spray (MFANS) and BDP showed a good safety profile. In terms of the influence of cortisol (urinary free cortisol, plasma cortisol) and growth, no significant difference was observed between the different groups.ConclusionThe results showed that BDP nasal aerosol and FFNS had best efficacy; MFANS and BDP had the best safety profile. However, this conclusion was less convincing because of the limited numbers of patients/controls and study quality.
Caring for dementia caregivers: How well does social risk screening reflect unmet needs?
Authors: Winslow Victoria A. , Lindau Stacy Tessler , Huang Elbert S. , Asay Spencer , Johnson Amber E. , Borson Soo , Thompson Katherine , Makelarski Jennifer A. 
Published: September 2024

AbstractBackgroundUnmet social and caregiving needs can make caregiving for a person with dementia more difficult. Although national policy encourages adoption of systematic screening for health‐related social risks (HRSRs) in clinical settings, the accuracy of these risk‐based screening tools for detecting unmet social needs is unknown.MethodsWe used baseline data from dementia caregivers (N = 343) enrolled in a randomized controlled trial evaluating CommunityRx‐Dementia, a social care intervention conducted on Chicago's South Side. We assessed caregivers' (1) unmet social and caregiving needs by querying need for 14 resource types and (2) HRSRs using the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Accountable Health Communities (AHC) screening tool. Using unmet social needs as the reference, we examined the sensitivity of the AHC tool to detect food, housing, and transportation needs. Analyses were stratified by gender.ResultsMost caregivers were women (78%), non‐Hispanic (96%), Black (81%), partnered (58%) and had an annual household income ≥$50K (64%). Unmet social and caregiving needs were similarly prevalent among women and men caregivers (87% had ≥1 need, 43% had ≥5 needs). HRSRs were also prevalent. The most common HRSR was lack of social support (45%). Housing instability, difficulty with utilities and having any HRSRs were significantly more prevalent among women (all p < 0.05). The AHC screener had low sensitivity for detecting unmet food (39%, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 27%–53%), housing (42%, 95% CI: 31%–53%), and transportation (22%, 95% CI: 14%–31%) needs. Sensitivity did not differ by gender for food (41% for women and 30% for men, p = 0.72) or housing (44% for women and 29% for men, p = 0.37) needs. For transportation needs, sensitivity was 27% for women versus 0% for men (p = 0.01).ConclusionsMen and women caregivers have high rates of unmet social needs that are often missed by the CMS‐recommended risk‐based screening method. Findings indicate a role for need‐based screening in implementing social care.
Development of a Simvastatin‐Loaded Copolymer Acid‐Sensitive Nanocarrier and Its Experimental Use in the Treatment of Keloids
Authors: Zhuang Bin‐yu , Hu Fang‐chi , Gao Xuan , Leng Qi , Zhang Ying , You Yan 
Published: September 2024

ABSTRACTObjectiveThe lipid‐lowering simvastatin (SIM) has been shown to be an effective inhibitor of keloid proliferation. However, due to its low water solubility and short half‐life, simvastatin aggregates to the liver and does not reach the skin lesions after oral administration, which restricts its widespread clinical use. The development of nanomedicine provides the possibility for us to break through this bottleneck problem clinically. The objective of this study was to investigate the feasibility of using complex nanocontrolled delivery system (CNDS), simvastatin‐loaded polyethylene glycol‐poly lactic‐co‐glycolic acid (PEG‐PLGA), in the treatment of keloids.MethodsIn the in vitro study, the release of simvastatin in fibroblasts by CNDS@Simvastatin and its effect on inhibition of the proliferation of fibroblasts, Col Ι, and CTGF by the slow release of simvastatin were assessed. The efficacy of CNDS@Simvastatin in improving keloids and the biocompatibility and safety of CNDS@Simvastatin were examined in vivo by establishing a murine ear keloid model.ResultsCNDS@Simvastatin showed sustained and uniform inhibition of the proliferation of fibroblasts, Col Ι, and CTGF via the gradual release of simvastatin over 72 h. It was efficient in the treatment of the murine ear keloid with no observable toxic side effects on various organs.ConclusionSimvastatin‐loaded copolymer acid‐sensitive nanocarriers, CNDS@Simvastatin nanospheres, were successfully developed in this study, and these were characterized by favorable physicochemical properties and biocompatibility.
The effectiveness of aerobic exercise compared to other types of treatment on pain and disability in patients with orofacial pain: A systematic review
Authors: de Oliveira‐Souza Ana lzabela Sobral , Gülker Lisa , Tavares Luiz Felipe , Andrade Angela Viegas , Dennett Liz , Fuentes Jorge , Schnepel Tonia , von Piekartz Harry , Armijo‐Olivo Susan 
Published: September 2024

AbstractPurposeTo compile and synthesise the evidence regarding the effectiveness of aerobic exercise (AE) compared with other treatments to reduce pain and disability of individuals with orofacial pain (OFP).MethodsElectronic searches were conducted on five databases (MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, Cochrane Library, and Scopus). Randomised controlled trials (RCT) or controlled trials including adults of both sexes with painful OFP diagnoses were targeted. The intervention of interest was AE (e.g., walking, cycling, running, among others), compared to any other conservative and non‐conservative therapy. The primary outcome was pain intensity. The risk of bias (RoB) was determined using a compiled set of items and the Cochrane RoB‐2 tools. The overall certainty of the evidence was evaluated with the GRADE approach.ResultsOut of 4.669 records screened, four manuscripts were included. However, three of them used the same population but presented different outcomes. These studies included subjects with headache associated with temporomandibular disorders (TMD) and general TMD. Both studies used aerobic exercise (AE) as the intervention of interest. Manual therapy (MT) plus exercise (Ex) (strengthening exercise (Str ex) or general exercises) were used as a comparison group. The combined treatment, including a multimodal therapy (AE + MT + Str ex), was superior to MT + Ex (MD: −8.65 points [95% CI −13.73, −3.57]) on pain intensity (orofacial pain [OFP] and headache intensity) at the end of the treatment and also after 12‐week follow‐up (MD: −9.43 points [95% CI −14.97, −3.89]). Also, the combination of three treatment modalities (AE + MT + Ex) was better on quality of life than AE alone (MD: −14.60 points [95% CI −16.74, −12.46]) and MT + Ex (MD: −12.30 point [95% CI −14.50, −10.10]) at the end of the treatment.ConclusionsAerobic exercise plus MT and general exercises achieved the greatest positive effects on pain and other outcomes in the short/medium term in patients with OFP. However, the scientific evidence supporting the isolated effects of AE for OFP is limited, indicating the need for more studies. Further studies are also needed to elaborate guidelines when using AE for individuals with OFP.
Exploring the Impact of Cognitive Dysfunction During Recurrent Depression in a Sample of Mid‐to‐Older Age British South Asians: A Qualitative Study
Authors: Akhtar Amirah , Shafiq Shabana , Parveen Sahdia , Nwofe Emmanuel , Windle Karen 
Published: September 2024

ABSTRACTIntroductionDepression is a major public health issue, increasing the risk of comorbidities. Some people with depression experience cognitive dysfunction, which can persist even after symptomatic recovery. British South Asians are at greater risk of developing depression and are less likely to seek treatment. It is important to understand their experience of subjective cognitive dysfunction in depression and how best to support them.AimsThis study explored subjective experience of cognitive dysfunction during recurrent depression, in a sample of 12 British South Asians aged between 45 and 60 years.MethodsWe conducted semi‐structured interviews to explore cognitive dysfunction during recurrent depression. We analysed the data using thematic analysis.ResultsDifficulties in attention and concentration resulted in lower quality of social relationships, including not feeling present and social isolation. Learning new information was difficult, thus impacting productivity. Participants found it difficult to engage in enjoyable activities that promoted brain health. The emotional, physical and spiritual impact negatively impacted on quality of life.DiscussionCognitive strategies used in therapies could improve brain health and functional recovery in people living with depression.ImplicationsMental health nurses play a pivotal role in providing culturally appropriate information and strategies for managing cognitive dysfunction in recurrent depression.
Discrimination toward the visually impaired and quota policies in the labor market
Authors: Chareyron Sylvain , L'Horty Yannick , Mbaye Louise , Petit Pascale 
Published: September 2024

AbstractWe measure discrimination in access to employment toward people with visual impairment in France and explore its relationship with two public policies designed to facilitate the integration of disabled people into the workforce: the obligation on the employer to adapt the workstation, and a quota policy intended to incentivize the hiring of people with disabilities. We use the correspondence test method in combination with a difference‐in‐differences strategy, to explore the effects of these different policies. We show that applicants with visual impairments face significant discrimination, and we suggest that the level of discrimination is influenced by both policies.
Interplay between vertebrate adaptive immunity and bacterial infectivity genes: Bank vole MHC versus Borrelia afzeliiOspC
Authors: Różańska‐Wróbel Joanna , Migalska Magdalena , Urbanowicz Anna , Grzybek Maciej , Rego Ryan O. M. , Bajer Anna , Dwuznik‐Szarek Dorota , Alsarraf Mohammed , Behnke‐Borowczyk Jolanta , Behnke Jerzy M. , Radwan Jacek 
Published: September 2024

AbstractCoevolution of parasites with their hosts may lead to balancing selection on genes involved in determining the specificity of host–parasite interactions, but examples of such specific interactions in wild vertebrates are scarce. Here, we investigated whether the polymorphic outer surface protein C (OspC), used by the Lyme disease agent, Borrelia afzelii, to manipulate vertebrate host innate immunity, interacts with polymorphic major histocompatibility genes (MHC), while concurrently eliciting a strong antibody response, in one of its main hosts in Europe, the bank vole. We found signals of balancing selection acting on OspC, resulting in little differentiation in OspC variant frequencies between years. Neither MHC alleles nor their inferred functional groupings (supertypes) significantly predicted the specificity of infection with strains carrying different OspC variants. However, we found that MHC alleles, but not supertypes, significantly predicted the level of IgG antibodies against two common OspC variants among seropositive individuals. Our results thus indicate that MHC alleles differ in their ability to induce antibody responses against specific OspC variants, which may contribute to selection of OspC polymorphism by the vole immune system.
Defence‐relevant gene expression differences in hatchlings among wild Newfoundland and farmed European and North American Atlantic salmon and their hybrids
Authors: Ignatz Eric H. , Xue Xi , Hall Jennifer R. , Islam Shahinur S. , Rise Matthew L. , Fleming Ian A. 
Published: September 2024

AbstractEscape of genetically distinct farmed Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) raises concerns about their potential interactions with wild populations and the disruption of local adaptation through genetic admixture. It is often unknown whether genetic origin or common domestication effects will have a greater influence on consequences posed by escaped farmed fish. Previous work showed that domestication could have prevalent effects on the behaviour and growth of farmed salmon, independent of their genetic origin. Yet, less is known whether this extends more broadly to gene expression, particularly at critical early life stages. Thus, we compared the expression of 24 transcripts related to the immune response, structural maintenance, stress response and iron metabolism among distinct farmed (North American [NA] and European [EO]), wild (Newfoundland) and F1 hybrid salmon at hatching under controlled conditions using qPCR analyses. A slightly higher number of transcripts were differentially expressed between the wild population relative to EO (i.e. atf3a, atf3b, bnip3, trim37a, ftm, hp and gapdh) than NA‐farmed salmon (i.e. epdl2, hba1a, hba1b, hbb4 and ftm). The most differences existed between the two farmed strains themselves (11 of 24 transcripts), with the fewest differentially expressed transcripts found between the F1 hybrids and the domesticated/wild maternal strains (4 of 24 transcripts). Interestingly, despite similarities in the overall extent of gene expression differences among cross types, the expression patterns differed relative to a past study that compared fry from the same cross types at the end of yolk sac absorption. Overall, our findings suggest that interbreeding of escaped farmed salmon with wild Newfoundland populations would alter transcript expression levels and that developmental stage influences these changes.
The relational foundations of epistemic normativity
Authors: Boult Cameron 
Published: September 2024

AbstractWhy comply with epistemic norms? In this paper, I argue that complying with epistemic norms, engaging in epistemically responsible conduct, and being epistemically trustworthy are constitutive elements of maintaining good epistemic relations with oneself and others. Good epistemic relations are in turn both instrumentally and finally valuable: they enable the kind of coordination and knowledge acquisition underpinning much of what we tend to associate with a flourishing human life; and just as good interpersonal relations with others can be good for their own sake, standing in good epistemic relations is good for its own sake. On my account, we have reason to comply with epistemic norms because it is a way of respecting the final value of something that also tends to be an instrumentally valuable thing: good epistemic relations. Situating the account within the recent social turn in debates about epistemic instrumentalism, I argue that the dual‐value aspect of good epistemic relations can explain important anti‐instrumentalist intuitions, in a well‐motivated way, within a broadly instrumentalist framework.
The effect of temporal predictability on sensory gating: Cortical responses inform perception
Authors: Favero Jaspa D. , Luck Camilla , Lipp Ottmar V. , Marinovic Welber 
Published: September 2024

AbstractPrepulse inhibition of perceived stimulus intensity (PPIPSI) is a phenomenon where a weak stimulus preceding a stronger one reduces the perceived intensity of the latter. Previous studies have shown that PPIPSI relies on attention and is sensitive to stimulus onset asynchrony (SOA). Longer SOAs may increase conscious awareness of the impact of gating mechanisms on perception by allowing more time for attention to be directed toward relevant processing channels. In other psychophysiological paradigms, temporal predictability improves attention to task relevant stimuli and processes. We hypothesized that temporal predictability may similarly facilitate attention being directed toward the pulse and its processing in PPIPSI. To examine this, we conducted a 2 (SOA: 90 ms, 150 ms) × 2 (predictability: low, high) experiment, where participants were tasked with comparing the perceived intensity of an acoustic pulse‐alone against one preceded by a prepulse. The relationship between PPIPSI and cortical PPI (N1‐P2 inhibition) was also investigated. Significant main effects of temporal predictability, SOA, and cortical PPI were revealed. Under high temporal predictability, both SOAs (90 and 150 ms) elicited greater PPIPSI. The findings indicate that temporal predictability enhances the timely allocation of finite attentional resources, increasing PPIPSI observations by facilitating perceptual access to the gated pulse signal. Moreover, the finding that reductions in N1‐P2 magnitude by a prepulse are associated with increased probability of the participants perceiving the pulse “with prepulse” as less intense, suggests that under various experimental conditions, the link between these cortical processes and perception is similarly engaged.