bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Ascaris lumbricoides: prevalence and associated factors among pre-school children in Rukiga district, Uganda: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Kasiita Martine , Businge Stephen , Napyo Agnes , Tumwine James K 
Published: August 2024

Abstract

Background
Ascaris lumbricoides infestation remains a public health problem worldwide. It mainly affects children resulting into undernutrition, impaired growth and physical development, intestinal obstruction and death. We aimed to determine the prevalence and factors associated with Ascaris lumbricoides infestation among children aged 6–59 months in Rukiga district, Uganda.
Methods
In this cross-sectional study, we recruited 739 children aged 6–59 months and their caregivers between September and October 2023. Semi-structured questionnaires were used to collect data on sociodemographic characteristics of the caregivers. We examined children’s stool for Ascaris lumbricoides ova using the Kato-Katz method. We estimated adjusted odds ratios using multivariable logistic regression to determine the factors associated with Ascaris lumbricoides infestation.
Results
The prevalence of Ascaris lumbricoides infestation was 2.7% (n = 20/739), (95% CI. 1.7–4.1). Factors associated with Ascaris lumbricoides infestation were: Child-related characteristics including: the child having not been dewormed 6 months prior to the study (AOR 2.04, 95% CI: 1.04–4). Household characteristics including: disposal of child’s stool in the compound/ garden (AOR 12.53, 95% CI: 3.44–45.64), if there are more than two children under 5 years living in the household (AOR 0.24, 95% CI: 0.11–0.52). Care-giver characteristics including the primary caregiver being: the father (AOR 6.09, 95% CI: 1.21–30.61), a Christian (AOR 0.04, 95% CI: 0.01–0.17).
Conclusion and recommendations
Ascaris lumbricoides infestation is high among preschool children. We recommend the inclusion of male partners in health interventions targeting children under the age of five years especially the immunization programs. Community health programs should consider targeted messages in health education campaigns especially the handling and disposal of feces and the importance of deworming children. The association between religion and Ascaris lumbricoides infestation needs further studies.
Single-cell analysis of preimplantation embryonic development in guinea pigs
Authors: Guan Tongxing , Guo Jing , Lin Runxia , Liu Jinpeng , Luo Rongping , Zhang Zhen , Pei Duanqing , Liu Jing 
Published: August 2024

Abstract

Background: Guinea pigs exhibit numerous physiological similarities to humans, yet the details of their preimplantation embryonic development remain largely unexplored.
Results: To address this, we conducted single-cell sequencing on the transcriptomes of cells isolated from the zygote stage through preimplantation stages in guinea pigs. This study identified seven distinct cell types within guinea pig preimplantation embryos and pinpointed the timing of zygotic gene activation (ZGA). Trajectory analysis revealed a bifurcation into two lineage-specific branches, accompanied by alterations in specific pathways, including oxidative phosphorylation and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). Additionally, co-expressed gene network analysis highlighted the most enriched functional modules for the epiblast (EPI), primitive endoderm (PrE), and inner cell mass (ICM). Finally, we compared the similarities and differences between human and guinea pig epiblasts (EPIs).
Conclusion: This study systematically constructs a cell atlas of guinea pig preimplantation embryonic development, offering fresh insights into mammalian embryonic development and providing alternative experimental models for studying human embryonic development.
Uncovering University Application Patterns through Graph Representation Learning
Authors: Sugiarto Hendrik Santoso , Tjandra Yozef Giovanni 
Published: August 2024

Abstract

In university admissions, interaction networks naturally emerge between prospective students and available majors. Discovering network patterns in this context is often difficult as many existing models require exhaustive data of both the students and majors. In this work, we uncover the patterns by harnessing Graph Convolutional Networks (GCN) to construct a compact vector space, leveraging only the graph's adjacency data to provide applicants and majors embedding representation. These embeddings are then applied to facilitate major recommendation and clustering tasks. For major recommendation, the GCN embeddings demonstrate superior performance over both classical and neural embeddings, achieving improvements of up to 61.06% and 12.17% across smaller (dimension 40) and larger embedding sizes (dimension 80), respectively. This underscores the GCN efficacy in leveraging lower-dimensional representations more effectively than traditional methods. Furthermore, hierarchical clustering based on embedding distances uncovers implicit patterns in applicant preferences based on the fields of study and geographic locations of majors, even in the absence of explicit data on these attributes during training. This highlights the method's capability to derive meaningful insights from interaction networks without exhaustive entity-level data.
HyperDiffuseNet: a deep hyperbolic manifold learning method for dimensionality reduction in spatial transcriptomics
Authors: Qi Jing , Wen Shuai , Yang Mingyu , Jin Shuilin 
Published: August 2024

Abstract

Spatial transcriptomics (ST) utilizes spatial localization information to profile tissue transcriptomes, presenting substantial computational challenges due to data complexity and high dimensionality. However, conventional dimensionality reduction strategies of such data predicated on Euclidean space often distort spatial distribution and regulatory mechanisms. In this work, we develop HyperDiffuseNet, an innovative deep hyperbolic manifold learning dimensionality reduction method that integrates hyperbolic manifolds with graph diffusion convolutional layers and neural networks to enhance ST data representation. Empirical evaluations on real datasets show that HyperDiffuseNet outperforms traditional dimensionality reduction methods in ST data clustering tasks, elucidating critical biological processes and uncovering pivotal cellular signaling pathways.
PRS-20: a protocol for identifying the needs related to drug use, health and social (re)integration of people living in prison within five European countries
Authors: Plettinckx Els , Berndt Nadine , Seixas Rita , De Smet Stefaan , Antoine Jérôme , Bruggeman Helena , Harth Nina , Papadopoulou Athanasia , Bafi Loulia , Fotiou Anastasios , Pridotkienė Evelina , Kalinauskaitė Rima , Rasimaite Brigita , Tsiakkirou Myria , Balcaen Margot , Fernandez Kim , Gremeaux Lies , Dirkx Nicky , De Ridder Karin , Yiasemi Ioanna , Mavrou Josefina 
Published: August 2024

Abstract

Background: Compared to the general population, people living in prison experience substantially more poor (mental) health issues. Moreover, delinquency and drug use have many risk factors in common. Therefore, a need exists for extensive knowledge about health, drug use patterns, related needs of people with a detention background and the coverage of drug-related interventions in prison within Europe. The current protocol describes the design of a study in prison about wellbeing, drug use and related care.
Methods/design: A multicentre mixed method design is implemented in five European countries (Belgium, Cyprus, Greece, Lithuania and Luxembourg). Qualitative and quantitative data collection tools are combined in order to generate complementary and comprehensive results. First, a cross-sectional survey among people living in prison is conducted. This survey is based on a model questionnaire, EQDP, developed by the European Monitoring Centre for Drug and Drugs Addiction. Second, people living in prison and people who have been recently released from prison are involved in qualitative semi-structured face-to-face interviews. The main topics of interest are the use of drugs and other health related topics such as loneliness, anxiety, depression, infectious diseases, suicide and treatment. Third, data about service provision in prison is collected through a quantitative survey addressed to the prison authorities.
Discussion: This study protocol allows to address potential harms of drug use among people with a prison history and drug-related interventions inside prison at an international level. The strength of this study is that it builds on a common methodology that can be implemented in the same period of time. At the same time, sufficient flexibility is guaranteed so that every participating country in the study has the possibility to adapt the common methodology to its own specific legal requirements and practical circumstances. Nevertheless, this approach comes also with some limitations. Comparability and generalizability of the results are difficult to reach.
Investigation of women's Reproductive History, attitude toward childbearing and associated factors in Rafsanjan City, Iran, 2021
Authors: Riahi Sania , Ghorashi Zohreh , Sahebi Zohreh 
Published: August 2024

Abstract

Background:
Addressing recent population growth policies in Iran, this study aimed to determine the attitude toward childbearing, reproductive history, and factors associated with them in women of Rafsanjan City in 2021.
Methods:
This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted using a census sampling method on 875 married women in 2019–2020 who referred to the premarital counseling center of Rafsanjan. For data gathering, a demographic checklist and childbearing attitude questionnaire were used. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics and chi-square and t-tests.
Results:
Of the 875 study samples, 27.43% werein engagement period, 27.43% were married and childless, 39.31% were married and had children, and 5.83% were divorced. The outcome of 26.01% of pregnancies resulted in abortion. There was a direct correlation between childbearing attitude scores and the women'sreligiosity (P < 0.001). Women with lower educational levels, no income, unemployed and rural women, had a better attitude towards childbearing (P < 0.01).
Conclusions:
Although people's attitude towards childbearing is positive after three years of marriage, the number of live birth is low. The higher ratio of abortion in the total number of pregnancies compared to the average miscarriage rate, seems to indicate a high prevalence of unsafe and illegal abortion. Considering the potential risks, it is necessary to reconsider the policy of limiting the supply of family planning services, which increases unsafe abortion.
The research relationship: participant perspectives on consent in biobanking
Authors: Thompson Rachel , Lyle Kate , Samuel Gabrielle , Holliday Jo , Starkey Fenella , Wallace Susan , Lucassen Anneke 
Published: August 2024

Abstract

Background: This paper examines the ethical challenges associated with the governance of large-scale biobanks. As the collection and interrogation of population-scale data is increasingly positioned as the route to new understandings of health and disease, these large-scale biobanks that rely on health research governance are becoming essential elements of research infrastructure. However, their longitudinal nature presents growing challenges for governance. Typically, health research governance uses a one-off consent model where participants agree to specific activities, but evolving technologies make it difficult to anticipate future research applications at the time of consent. Using a recent case study from UK Biobank, we demonstrate how trying to reconcile new research activities with old consent forms risks overlooking critical ethical issues —particularly how the proposed activity aligns with participants’ understanding and expectation of biobank research.
Methods: We report on our qualitative research with UK Biobank participants, conducting focus groups using individual and group exercises to explore their views on consent and research applications. We conducted thematic analysis of focus group transcripts applying both an inductive and deductive approach to coding, which was done using NVIVO qualitative data analysis software.
Results: Our findings show that participants locate responsibility for research decisions with the biobank, rather than seeking control through their consent. They perceive their consent not as a one-off agreement but as the 'opening act' for an enduring research relationship with the biobank.
Conclusions: Prioritising the ongoing research relationship and the practices that sustain it, rather than relying solely on consent procedures, can better support ethical research over time.
Mathematical modeling of the anti-vibration foundation for mechanical installations and high-rise buildings
Authors: Bakhshali Valeh I. 
Published: August 2024

Abstract

The research relates to the foundations of installations, buildings, and machines. The article aims to provide a foundation structure that reduces the amplitude of oscillation of structures from various technical reasons and natural phenomena, preventing resonant phenomena and economical use of foundation material. Compared to existing foundations, the proposed foundation provides a decrease in amplitude prevents the resonance of vibrations of mechanical installations and seismic vibrations of buildings during an earthquake, and creates savings in the use of cement-concrete material. This article considers mathematical, structural, and practical modeling of anti-vibration monolithic and pile foundations of mechanical installations and buildings. The study aims to create a foundation design that reduces the amplitude of oscillation of structures from various technical reasons and natural phenomena, prevents resonant phenomena, and makes economical use of foundation-reinforced concrete material. Features of engineering calculations, monolithic and pile types of foundations of machines, and high-rise buildings are considered. Studies show that the big monolithic mass of the foundation plays a negative role in the vibration of the building. Since the mass of the foundation is disproportionate, the stability of the building will be lost and due to the action of a massive foundation, its movement increases and the building does not return to its previous position. Therefore the optimal mass of the anti-vibration foundation depends on the mass of the building. The expression of the foundation depending on the weight of the building or technical equipment which is the novelty is derived in this paper. The novelty of the article is characterized by new mathematical modeling of the anti-vibration foundation for mechanical installations and high-rise buildings. For this reason the oscillation (vibration) of a mechanical system consisting of a building and a foundation, a practical hypothesis was adopted. Recommendations are given for designing the pile foundations of buildings and equipment. The research results can be used in the design of foundations of buildings and mechanical structures.
Prediction of maize copper content in copper-poor area based on machine learning
Authors: Zhang Husheng , Hu Linshu , Yang Zhongfang , Li Cheng , Ge Yunzhao , Wu Sensen , Du Zhenhong 
Published: August 2024

Abstract

As an essential micronutrient, copper (Cu) plays a crucial role in various biological functions in both plant growth and human health. Long-term consumption of a diet based on low Cu-containing grains may lead to Cu deficiency in human body, resulting in a range of health issues. The absorption of Cu by crops largely depends on bioavailable Cu rather than total Cu content in soil. The safe development of Cu-enriched grain resources is an urgent issue to be solved. Therefore, 6,980 topsoil and 109 pairs of maize-rhizosphere soil samples were collected and tested in Linshui County, Sichuan, China. The results indicated that the soil Cu content in the study area ranged from 3.33 to 173.00 mg kg−1, with the average value of 25.40 mg kg−1, which was significantly lower than the Cu background value of 32.00 mg kg-1 in Sichuan Province. However, the Cu content of maize, with the average value of 1.77 mg kg−1, was significantly higher than the average Cu content of Chinese maize (0.9 mg kg−1). There was no significant positive correlation between Cu content in rhizosphere soil and Cu content in maize grains. Combined with geodetector and correlation analysis, the result showed that the factors in influencing the Cu bioaccumulation factor (BAF) of maize were TFe2O3, Mn, OM, Al2O3, SiO2 and pH. The Multiple Linear Regression (MLR) and Random Forest (RF) model were used to predict the maize Cu-BAF, the RF model showed better stability and accuracy. Prediction generated by the RF model indicated that, 99.98% of the county's farmland had maize Cu content exceeding 0.9 mg kg-1, and 6.39% of the farmland had maize Cu content exceeding 2.5 mg kg-1. This study provides important references for scientific cultivation and holds profound implications for advancing the application of machine learning algorithms in agriculture.
Endoscopic Lacrimal Silicone Tube Intubation in Patients with Primary Acquired Nasolacrimal Duct Obstruction: A Retrospective Study
Authors: Ishikawa Sho , Shoji Takuhei , Shinoda Kei 
Published: August 2024

Abstract

Background: A lacrimal endoscope is the only instrument that can be used to observe the luminal side of the lacrimal duct. Lacrimal tube intubation (LTI) surgery using a lacrimal endoscope is less invasive than a dacryocystorhinostomy. However, in LTI surgery for PANDO, the risk factors for poor outcomes although it remains unclear. This study aimed to determine the outcomes and risk factors of primary acquired nasolacrimal duct obstruction (PANDO) treated with LTI.
Methods: This retrospective study was performed at Saitama Medical University Hospital. We enrolled 102 patients (75 females; mean age 72.1±9.0) who were diagnosed with unilateral PANDO and underwent LTI surgery using lacrimal endoscope between August 2016 and January 2020. Preoperatively, the lacrimal pathways were washed with a normal saline solution and samples obtained were cultured. The obstruction sites in the lacrimal pathway were determined endoscopically. Eight weeks after LTI, samples obtained from a piece of the removed lacrimal tube were cultured. We identified the bacterial cultures observed before and after the surgery. We examined risk factors for re-occlusion in patients with PANDO during the first 6 months after surgery.
Results: Ninety-four (92.2%) sides successfully passed the lacrimal syringing test 6 months after surgery. In univariate and multivariate analyses, the risk factors for lacrimal duct re-occlusion were diabetes mellitus (p=0.02, 0.04, respectively) and the presence of granulomatous changes on endoscopy (p<0.001, 0.02, respectively). All 11 patients with PANDO and diabetes mellitus had positive lacrimal tube culture results.
Conclusion: LTI failure was more common in patients with diabetic complications or when granulation was observed on lacrimal duct endoscopy.
Executive Functioning, Familial Accommodation, and Treatment Response in Youth with OCD and Comorbid ADHD
Authors: Killion Bryana , Marklin Marika , O'Connor Erin , Freeman Jennifer B. , Cain Grace H. , Walther Michael , Benito Kristen Grabill 
Published: August 2024

Abstract

Few studies have examined differential treatment response, rates of familial accommodation (FA), and executive functioning (EF) in youth with OCD vs. OCD + ADHD, particularly in a partial hospitalization program. The current study includes 138 youth diagnosed with OCD only and 102 youth diagnosed with OCD + ADHD for a total sample of 240 youth (and their families). Families and clinicians completed several measures assessing child and parent variables of interest. Findings of ANCOVA analyses suggest poorer treatment response and executive functioning in children with comorbid OCD + ADHD compared to their counterparts with OCD only. No significant differences emerged between groups in baseline levels of symptom severity, functional impairment, or familial accommodation. Given the high rate of comorbidity between OCD + ADHD, clinicians and researchers should be aware of the need to modify treatment approaches for children with comorbid OCD + ADHD and/or EF deficits.
Computational Identification of Potential RET Inhibitors for Targeted Lung Cancer Therapy through Molecular Docking and ADMET Profiling
Authors: S. Sulaiman A. , K. Teli P. , R. Dhakar , A. Muhammad H. , F. Chaturvedi , M. Ibrahim I. 
Published: August 2024

Abstract

Lung cancer, a leading cause of cancer-related mortality, often involves aberrations in the RET (Rearranged during Transfection) gene, making it a critical target for therapeutic intervention. This study aims to identify potential small molecule inhibitors for the RET protein through molecular docking, to enhance treatment options for RET-associated lung cancer. The 3D structure of the RET protein was obtained from the PDB database, and a library of 901 ligand molecules was sourced from SelleckChem. Refinement of this library using FAF-Drugs4 resulted in 266 molecules suitable for further analysis based on drug-like properties and ADMET profiles. Molecular docking simulations revealed that seven out of ten ligands formed at least one hydrogen bond with the RET protein, with Pyracarbolid exhibiting the highest number. Fenuron heptanoate, Bis(phenylthioureido)carbamoyl-ethanediyl, Fluorolintane, and Sulfanilamide-4-chlorobenzoyl chloride showed moderate interactions, while Phthalimide and Thalidomide formed the fewest hydrogen bonds. This study's docking analysis identified potential lead compounds with favorable binding characteristics, contributing to our understanding of ligand-receptor interactions and offering insights into the design of new drugs targeting the RET protein receptor.
Compact three-channel photonic crystal fiber sensor based on surface plasmon resonance
Authors: Huo Tianli , Jing Xili , Yin Zhiyong , Gao Tianci , Song Mingshi 
Published: August 2024

Abstract

In order to improve the integration of fiber optic sensors, this paper designs a dual-core three-channel photonic crystal fiber(PCF)optic sensor that can simultaneously measure the refractive index of a liquid, its temperature, and the ambient magnetic field. Based on the PCF as well as SPR principles, the sensor has two D-planes, one coated with PDMS as well as a gold film for detecting temperature and the other coated with a gold film for detecting refractive index and coated with a gold film over the air holes on the side of the core where the refractive index is measured, and a magnetic fluid injected into the air holes to detect the magnetic field. The results show a maximum sensitivity of 20,000 nm/RIU for refractive index, a linear sensitivity of 116 pm/Oe for magnetic field, and 5,300 pm/°C for temperature when the sample's refractive index is between 1.36 and 1.42, the temperature is between 0°C and 50°C, and the magnetic field is between 20 Oe and 550 Oe. The sensitivity matrix of temperature versus refractive index is also given. The sensor is compact and simple to prepare, providing a new solution for miniaturization and integration of multifunctional photonic devices.