bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Effect of physical activity on glycaemia and blood pressure in healthy participants from Bissau
Authors: Sanca Lilica Hulilé , Có Cipriano , Namara Nelson , Lopes Aladje , Emanuel Albino , Oliveiros Bárbara , Byberg Stine , Bjerregaard-Andersen Morten , Carvalho Eugénia , Massart Alain , Teixeira Ana 
Published: September 2024

Abstract

Background: Recent data show a dramatic increase in non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in developing countries, including cardiovascular disease, obesity and diabetes. Most of these NCDs may be preventable and to some extent treatable by alterations in physical activity. We investigate levels of physical activity according to energy expenditure, in different physical activity level participants from Bissau, Guinea-Bissau. Energy expenditure was measured in metabolic equivalent minutes per week (METs min/week) and these were related to fasting glycaemia levels, blood pressure, body mass index (BMI), and fat mass percentage (FM), anthropometric variables and risk factors were also associated.
Result: 429 voluntary participants were included in sprots and health facilities around the country. Of these, 187 were highly active (>3000 MET × minutes per week or at least 1500 METs min/week) and had a mean age of 26.8 ± 7.5 years. 76% (327/429) were male. The mean energy expenditure was 4866.7 ± 1241.2METs.minutes/week and the mean fasting glucose was 94.0 ± 14.1mg/dl. 3.5% (n/N) of the participants had diabetes and 11.6% (n/N) were hypertensive. Obesity was present in 1.1% (n/N) of the participants. A significant negative correlation was found between blood glucose and total physical activity (r = - 0.117, p = 0.015), and in Sport IPAQ domain (r = - .175, p <0.001). In the highly active participants, no significant correlation was found between blood pressure and physical activity, however, in the sedentary group, a significant positive correlation was found, indicating a low moderate association, between systolic blood pressure and weekly sitting time, r(175) = .205, p = .006.
Conclusion: High levels of physical activity had a significant impact on glycaemia control. Physical activity had no impact on blood pressure. Approximately 170 minutes of Physical activity per week is highly recommended as a treatment strategy to reduce high glycaemia levels.
Deciphering Molecular Underpinnings and Therapeutic Avenues for Eczema and Atopic Dermatitis through Integrated Omics and Immunohistochemical Analysis
Authors: Yang Fang , Lin Cong , Yan Youcai 
Published: September 2024

Abstract

Objective This study aims to comprehensively explore the comorbidity mechanisms of eczema and atopic dermatitis (AD) through the integrated application of weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA), machine learning, and bioinformatics methods. The goal is to identify potential therapeutic targets and provide a profound understanding of these two skin conditions.
Methods: We conducted weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) and differential gene expression (DEGs) analysis using the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) databases GSE6012, GSE14550, GSE32924, and GSE120721. By intersecting the results, we identified 22 genes that are commonly expressed in eczema and atopic dermatitis. Functional enrichment analyses, including Gene Ontology (GO), Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG), disease prediction, and protein-protein interaction (PPI), were performed on these genes. Subsequently, key hub genes—CCL18, GZMB, and IRF7—were selected using random forest in machine learning and the cytohubba function in Cytoscape. We further explored the relationships between these three genes and immune cells through CIBERSORT and single-sample Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (ssGSEA), establishing a mRNA-miRNA-lncRNA ceRNA regulatory network.
Results: Enrichment analysis revealed that these 22 genes are predominantly involved in processes such as cytokine-mediated signaling pathways, leukocyte migration, leukocyte chemotaxis, neutrophil chemotaxis, and humoral immune responses. Additionally, they are associated with various skin-related diseases, including atopic dermatitis. Machine learning and network analysis confirmed CCL18, GZMB, and IRF7 as key genes. Immunoinfiltration analysis further elucidated the associations of these genes with different immune cells.
Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that CCL18, GZMB, and IRF7 may serve as potential biomarkers for eczema and atopic dermatitis, holding significant clinical prospects. These genes play crucial roles in various biological processes and immune regulation, providing robust support for unraveling the comorbidity mechanisms of these two skin conditions. This discovery offers essential clues for future exploration of therapeutic targets and clinical interventions, potentially advancing research in the treatment of eczema and atopic dermatitis.
A Bootstraps Theory of Equity (and Why We Need to Change It)
Authors: Mueller Amy 
Published: September 2024

Abstract

The discourses educators use have power. Teacher talk positions students and educators and builds storylines in speech acts which speak to larger cultural narratives and norms. This article explores educators positioning of equity throughout emergency online schooling revealing a cultural storyline where educators feel they carry the burden of increasing social inequity while simultaneously often positioning themselves helpless or extremely limited in a system which they view as unchanging and unsupportive. Resulting, often, to ascribing a neoliberal bootstrap’s theory of equity in online education where learners are expected to succeed through rugged individualism in a perceived meritocracy which only serves to further ingratiate inequities. Moreover, the storylines and positioning of educators’ selves illustrate another crisis in education which began well before the pandemic, the disempowerment and deprofessionalization of educators and burnout and shortages that it helps fuel.
Toward safer flight training: The data-driven modeling of accident risk network using text mining based on deep learning
Authors: Zhuang Zibo , Hou Yongkang , Yang Lei , Gong Jingwei , Wang Lei 
Published: September 2024

Abstract

The flight training, a critical component of the general aviation industry, exhibits a relatively high severity of risk due to its complexity and the uncertainty inherent in risk interactions. To mine the risk factors and dynamic evolution characteristics affecting flight safety, a data-driven network modeling methodology that integrates text mining with domain knowledge in accident analysis is proposed for the analysis of accident risks specific to flight training. Firstly, flight training accident reports are labeled using domain knowledge gained from accident causation theory to provide basic data for subsequent study. Secondly, the adversarial training algorithm is introduced to enhance the generalization capability of BERT model in processing imbalanced accident textual data. The fine-tuned BERT, Bi-directional Long Short-Term Memory (Bi-LSTM) Conditional Random Field (CRF) algorithm is fused to construct an ensemble algorithm for risk identification, which accomplishes the joint entity-relationship extraction of accident reports. Thirdly, based on the risk identification results, data-driven modeling of the Flight Training Risk Network (FTRN) is performed to quantify the accident evolution characteristics. Then, the aforementioned tasks are meticulously optimized and integrated, subsequently applied to a case study focusing on loss of control in flight (LOCI) accidents. The findings suggest that the identification algorithm effectively and efficiently extracts risk information and interrelationships. Additionally, the network analysis results reveal the key insights into flight training accidents, facilitating the development of holistic risk control strategies. This study provides offers a powerful and innovative analytical tool for safety management departments, enhancing safety and reliability in flight training operations.
Assessment of Spring Passerine Migration Using Radar Over Magadino (Switzerland) Stopover Site
Authors: Giuntini Silvia , Tattoni Clara , Patocchi Nicola , Lardelli Roberto , Martinoli Alessio , Preatoni Damiano G. 
Published: September 2024

Abstract

Radar technology has emerged as a vital tool for studying bird migration, particularly due to the predominantly nocturnal and high-altitude nature of the phenomenon. Avian Vertical-looking Radars (AVLRs) offer detailed insights into migratory patterns, including flight behavior and altitude. Bird ringing, on the other hand, although useful for describing migratory phenomena at the species level, has limitations when used to quantify migration itself. In this study, radar data from the Bolle di Magadino wetland area in Switzerland were analyzed to describe and quantify the spring migration of passerine birds during 2021 and 2022. Migration activity was significantly higher during the night, with migratory peaks reached at night in mid-April in 2021 and in the second half of April in 2022. Passerine flight altitudes remained consistently higher at night than during the day. Also, the analysis of wing-flapping frequency (WFF) revealed both seasonal and diel variations, with WFF slowly increasing at night as the season went on, but remaining higher and stable during the day. A GLM did not reveal significant effects of rain and wind intensity on migratory traffic, but it did show a positive and strongly significant relationship with the number of ringed birds (beta = 0.55, p < 0.001). This confirms for the first time a positive proportionality between ground-based monitoring and radar-based monitoring in a stoHpover area, where theoretically we would have expected a weaker relationship between the number of ringed birds and MTR, compared to places where the migratory flow is uninterrupted and the birds have no means to stop.
Developing and Validating the Habits of Mind Scale for Secondary School Students in Kuwait
Authors: Muneera Ghablan , Husni Mariwan , Khadhari Sulaiman Al 
Published: September 2024

Abstract

Title Developing and Validating the Habits of Mind Scale for Secondary School Students in Kuwait Introduction The purpose of this study is to develop and validate the habits of mind scale (HOMS) in the Kuwaiti context. Methods Survey data from 910 secondary-school students were collected in two phases and examined using an exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Results The results of the second-order EFA revealed a single factor, which accounted for approximately 70% of the total variance. In the second-order confirmatory factor analysis, the statistical fit indices indicated a good fit for the one-factor model. The 97 items comprising this scale produced an alpha coefficient between .82 and .90 for the 16 domains (habits) and .93 for the entire scale. Conclusions The HOMS appeared to be a consistent measure of mind habits. These results demonstrate that the HOMS is a valid and reliable measure, which may be useful in guiding future research aimed at understanding student habits of mind.
Flood Hazard Area mapping Using GIS and AHP in Awash River Basin (ARB), Ethiopia
Authors: Tilahun Abayneh , Gebremariam Ephrem , Desta Hayal 
Published: September 2024

Abstract

Flood is the second major hazard in Ethiopia, next to drought. The reason behind this is the topography of highland mountains and lowland plains with natural drainage networks created by primary river lines. The study area, Awash River Basin nowadays, encounters several environmental challenges such as land degradation, high growth of population density, deterioration of natural water, wetland destruction, desertification, and salinity. Flooding is also the huge problem that can magnify how severe environmental degradation is in the Awash River Basin. Flood hazard mapping is a critical component of flood-prone land use planning and mitigation strategies. Various studies show that GIS-based flood hazard mapping is significant to hinder severe flood hazards. This paper was an attempt to produce a GIS-based flood hazard area map and discuss major causes and impacts of flooding in the Awash River basin. The main parameters used to produce maps were elevation, slope, drainage density, average annual rainfall, proximity to rivers, land use, land cover change, and soil types. Hence, the rasterized and reclassified potential flood-generating factors were weighted, and a pair-wise comparison had been made. As a result, the vast majority of the basin, or 5,855,130.12 ha (51.4%), is susceptible to high flood hazards, while 4,625,378.51 ha (40.6%) and 866,358.09 ha (7.6%) of the area covered are prone to moderate and low flood hazards, respectively. When compared to other factors, the drainage density, elevation, and slope level have a greater impact on the vulnerability to flood hazards. The outcomes of this research contribute to effective flood risk management and environmental planning strategies in the Awash River basin.
On the behavior of the hybrid system of flat steel shear walls and cold- formed S-shaped steel plate dampers under cyclic lateral loading
Authors: Rakan-Nasrabadi Tohid , Pourmahdi-Tazeabadi Saeed , karimi-gabalou Sayyad , haghollahi Abbas 
Published: September 2024

Abstract

This study investigates the performance of a steel shear wall system equipped with S-shaped dampers under cyclic loading. Initially, a previously tested flat steel shear wall was verified as a control model with the FEM method. Then, this control wall was equipped with S-shaped dampers in various configurations. The results showed that adding dampers reduced the plastic strain on boundary members, especially the columns. However, the maximum lateral strength of the walls with dampers was 14.3–44.5% less than the control wall, depending on the damper arrangement. The placement of the dampers also altered the formation and angle of the diagonal tensile fields in the infill plate. Additionally, the thickness of the dampers played a crucial role; thicker dampers increased the lateral load capacity and initial stiffness and reduced the "pinching" effect in the hysteresis curve. The study found that the viscous damping of walls with dampers ranged from 34.91–39.76%, compared to 33.11% for the control wall. Overall, the addition of dampers increased the equivalent viscous damping by an average of 13.9%.
REDInet: a TCN-based classifier for A-to-I RNA editing detection harnessing million known events
Authors: Fonzino Adriano , Mazzacuva Pietro Luca , Handen Adam , Silvestris Domenico Alessandro , Arnold Annette , Pecori Riccardo , Pesole Graziano , Picardi Ernesto 
Published: September 2024

Abstract

A-to-I RNA editing detection is still a challenging task. Current bioinformatics tools rely on empirical filters and WGS/WES data to remove background noise, sequencing errors, and artifacts. Sometimes they make use of cumbersome and time-consuming computational procedures. We present here REDInet, a TCN-based Deep Learning algorithm, to profile RNA editing in human RNAseq data. It has been trained on REDIportal RNA editing sites, the largest collection of human A-to-I changes from > 8000 GTEx RNAseq data. REDInet can classify editing events with high accuracy harnessing RNAseq nucleotide frequencies of windows of 101 bases without the need for coupled genomic data.
Effects of Letrozole and Crocin Combination on Sperm Motility and Biochemical Markers in Azoospermia: Insights from Gene Expression Analysis
Authors: Zaeem Shahrzad Nokhbeh , Nasrabadi Mitra Heydari , Salehipour Masoud , Ehtsham Somayeh 
Published: September 2024

Abstract

Azoospermia, characterized by the absence of sperm in ejaculation, is a severe male infertility condition resulting from defects in spermatogenesis or the testicular duct system. DNA-alkylating agents, often from chemical drugs, contribute to infertility, while antioxidants play a crucial role in addressing fertility issues in couples facing subfertility. Traditional medicinal plants, particularly saffron, have been recognized for their fertility-enhancing effects. Crocins in saffron are noted for their potential to improve fertility indicators in rat models. This study aimed to investigate the effects of the combination of letrozole and crocin on sperm motility and biochemical markers in azoospermia, complemented by gene expression analysis. Thirty male Wistar rats were divided into five groups: control, azoospermia, azoospermia with letrozole, azoospermia with crocin, and azoospermia with both letrozole and crocin. Azoospermia was induced using a 10 mg intraperitoneal injection of busulfan over ten days. Subsequent analyses included histopathological, molecular, and hormonal assessments, with data analyzed using Graph Prism software. The combination treatment with letrozole and crocin significantly improved sperm motility compared to the azoospermia group, while reducing motility compared to the control group. Additionally, there was an increase in total sperm count, Total Antioxidant Capacity (TAC), and testosterone levels, accompanied by a decrease in Total Oxidant Status (TOS) enzyme activity (P < 0.05). QRT-PCR analysis indicated decreased expression of the GDNF gene compared to the control (P < 0.001) but increased expression compared to the azoospermia group (P < 0.001). Likewise, 5-alpha-reductase gene expression showed a significant decrease (P < 0.05). Therefore, the synergistic administration of crocin and letrozole holds promise for mitigating DNA damage caused by busulfan, potentially reducing long-term damage to bone marrow and improving fertility outcomes.
An Optimal Hybrid Deep Learning-Aided Facial Emotion Detection and Classification Scheme to Identify Criminal Activities
Authors: B Prabha , Poonkodi M , Joseph Linda 
Published: September 2024

Abstract

In general, the most significant field of research presently is identification & recognition of facial expressions or emotions. Moreover, recognition & categorization of face emotion are vital in several areas of research like criminal activities investigation, innovative card application, security, surveillance system, and so on. Among these, criminal investigation plays a vibrant part. Since there exists several methods on facial emotion/expression recognition (FER) system, however there were some drawbacks like low prediction rate, lower recognition rate, high error rate and so on. For rectifying these existing issues, a new enhanced optimal DL based model is presented in this manuscript. In this work, input facial dataset is extracted and are preprocessed using Weighted fuzzy Histogram Equalization (WF-HE). From this, the features are extracted using Deep CNN followed by Enhanced glowworm swarm optimization (EGSO)-based feature selection model at which hyper-parameter tuning is carried by attaining fitness function values. This in turn enhances the performance of classifier. The categorization for FER system is carried using Hybrid Deep Variational LSTM (DVLSTM) and DenseNet model. The results are estimated in terms of various performance measures like precision, Area under Curve (AUC), accuracy, F-Measure, sensitivity, specificity and recall, PPV, and error rate. The analysis is made on three input datasets like JAFFE, Extended CK+, and FER2013 dataset. The comparison for attained outcome is made with traditional models to validate proposed system efficiency over other compared schemes.
Occurrence, partition behavior and environmental risk of PAHs in water and sediment of a typical Karst wetland, southwest China
Authors: Xin Li , Xing Xinli , Cheng Cheng , Liu Weijie , Yanmin Zou , Hu Tianpeng , Yuan Zhang , Qi Shihua 
Published: September 2024

Abstract

Huixian wetland is one of the largest karst wetlands in China, existing both karst and wetland characteristics, thereby playing a pivotal role in ecological buffering within the Guilin region. Due to the toxicity and ubiquity of PAHs in aquatic systems, understanding the distribution, flux, sources, and risk assessment is crucial for the sustainable development of the reserve. To explore the PAHs pollution of this area, water and surface sediment samples in wet season and dry season were collected from Huixian wetland. The results revealed that PAHs in the study area exhibited a low level of pollution in the wet season, and the concentration of PAHs in the dry period was significantly higher compared to the wet season in both water and sediment. Both diagnostic ratios and Positive Matrix Factorization (PMF) model indicated that biomass burning and traffic emissions are potentially the primary sources of PAHs. Fugacity analysis revealed that sediment serves as a sink for PAHs, particularly for the high molecular weight PAHs (HMW-PAHs). Furthermore, the sediments also act as secondary sources of PAHs, capable of releasing them back into the water. Species sensitivity distribution analysis indicated that Phe and Fla should be closely monitored, as the concentrations of most sites exceeded the value of the Hazardous Concentration for 5% of species (HC5). Overall, the ecological risks within the study area generally were low-moderate, with certain individual sites, such as SD1-1 and SD2-1, have high levels of contamination, thus closer attention and monitoring should be paid.
Polycomb protein Bmi1 promotes odontoblast differentiation by accelerating Wnt and BMP signaling pathways
Authors: Hosoya Akihiro , Takebe Hiroaki , Kishimoto Yuri , Noguchi Yukiko , Ninomiya Tadashi , Yukita Akira , Yoshiba Nagako , Washio Ayako , Iijima Masahiro , Morotomi Takahiko , Kitamura Chiaki , Nakamura Hiroaki 
Published: September 2024

Abstract

Bmi1 is a polycomb protein localized in stem cells and maintains their stemness ability. This protein is also reported to regulate the expression of various differentiation genes. In this study, to analyze the role of Bmi1 during dentinogenesis, we examined the immunohistochemical localization of Bmi1 during rat tooth development as well as after cavity preparation. Bmi1 localization was hardly detected in the dental mesenchyme at the bud and cap stages. After the bell stage, however, this protein became detectable in preodontoblasts and early odontoblasts just beginning dentin matrix secretion. As dentin formation progressed, Bmi1 immunoreactivity in the odontoblasts decreased in intensity. After cavity preparation, cells lining the dentin and some pulp cells under the cavity were immunopositive for Bmi1 at 4 days. Odontoblast-like cells forming reparative dentin were immunopositive for Bmi1 at 1 week, whereas their immunoreactivity was not detected after 8 weeks. We further analyzed the function of Bmi1 by using KN-3 cells, a dental mesenchymal cell line. Overexpression of Bmi1 in KN-3 cells promoted mineralized tissue formation. In contrast, siRNA knockdown of Bmi1 in KN-3 cells reduced alkaline phosphatase activity and the expression of odontoblast differentiation marker genes such as Runx2, Osterix, and Osteocalcin. Additionally, KN-3 cells transfected with siRNA against Bmi1 showed reduced nuclear transition of β-catenin and expression of phosphorylated-Smad1/5/8. Taken together, these findings suggest that Bmi1 was localized in the odontoblast-lineage cells in their early differentiation stages. Bmi1 might positively regulate their differentiation by accelerating Wnt and BMP signaling pathways.