bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The relationship between the trajectory of body mass index changes over a long lifecycle and the risk of all-cause mortality in patients with cardiovascular disease: the NHANES longitudinal cohort study
Authors: Hou Xin-Zheng , Wu Qian , Lv Qian-Yu , Yang Ying-Tian , Ye Xue-Jiao , Yang Chen-Yan , Lv Yan-Fei , Wang Shi-Han 
Published: August 2024

Abstract

Background
The relationship between body mass index (BMI) changes over a long lifecycle and the risk of all-cause mortality among patients with cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains understudied. This study aims to investigate the association between BMI changes (from age 25 to after 50) and the risk of all-cause mortality in CVD patients.
Methods
This study leveraged data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2001–2018 and the National Death Index (NDI) to construct a longitudinal cohort. Employing weighted multivariable Cox regression and Restricted Cubic Spline (RCS) analyses, we evaluated both the linear and nonlinear associations between BMI (at age 25 and after 50), its changes, and the risk of all-cause mortality among patients with CVD. Furthermore, we stratified the participants based on their BMI categories at these two time points to determine the relationship between different BMI trajectory patterns and all-cause mortality risk.
Results
A total of 2304 CVD patients were included in this study. During a median follow-up of 68 months, 774 participants died. The lowest risk of mortality was observed when BMI was 19.61 at age 25 and 26.55 after the age of 50. The impact of BMI change between these two time points on all-cause mortality risk exhibited a segmented effect with a threshold of 8.27. Specifically, when the change in BMI exceeded 8.27, it was positively associated with all-cause mortality risk [HR = 1.16, 95%CI=(1.00, 1.33)]. This relationship was most pronounced among CVD patients who were overweight at both ages 25 and after 50.
Conclusion
Among CVD patients, a U-shaped relationship is observed between BMI changes over a long lifecycle and the risk of all-cause mortality, where both excessive increases and decreases in BMI contribute to an elevated risk. BMI management strategies should be tailored to individual BMI trajectories, rather than solely focusing on weight loss.
Association of body roundness index with diabetes and prediabetes in US Adults from NHANES 2007-2018: A Cross-sectional Study
Authors: Qiu Liting , Xiao Zixuan , Fan Boyan , Li Ling , Sun Guixiang 
Published: August 2024

Abstract

Objective
The objective in this research is to explore the potential correlation among body roundness index (BRI) as well as incidence of diabetes and prediabetes among adults in USA.
Method
A cross-sectional study was carried out between 2007 and 2018 on 11,980 adults aged ≥ 20 years by National Health and Nutrition Survey (NHANES). Analyzing related correlation among BRI as well as incidence of diabetes and prediabetes was primarily conducted by a logistic regression, including univariate analysis, multivariate regression analysis, smooth curve fitting analysis, and subgroup analysis. What’s more, we applied receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis to analyze and further contrast the three predictive values for diabetes and prediabetes, including BRI, body mass index (BMI), and waist circumference (WC).
Results
Following covariate adjustments, each unit increase in BRI was related to a 17% higher risk in diabetes and prediabetes (OR: 1.17, 95% CI: 1.07–1.27). Those with BRI in the high scores (Q4) possessed increased likelihood in having diabetes and prediabetes than individuals in bottom quartile (OR: 1.83, 95% CI: 1.29–2.58). A nonlinear relationship between BRI and diabetes and prediabetes was uncovered through a smooth curve fitting analysis. The results across all population subgroups were uniform to those of the total population. Significantly, BRI demonstrated the highest AUC in predicting diabetes and prediabetes compared to both BMI and WC.
Conclusions
In this study, we revealed there was a positively and non-linearly relationship between BRI with the incident rates about diabetes and prediabetes in adult Americans. The BRI indices could function as predictive markers for diabetes and prediabetes.
Comparison of grip strength measurements for predicting all-cause mortality among adult aged 20+ years: NHANES 2011-2014
Authors: Chai Lirong , Zhang Dongfeng , Fan Junning 
Published: August 2024

Abstract

Background
Little is known about the optimal measure of handgrip strength for predicting all-cause mortality and whether this association is modified by age or sex.
Methods
We used data from the 2011–2014 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), 9,583 adults aged ≥ 20 years were included. Equal-length grip strength was measured using a digital handheld Takei dynamometer. We defined four measurements of grip strength, i.e., the average of the maximum of both hands (HGS), the maximum of dominant hand (MGS), HGS/BMI, and MGS/weight, and three indicators of low grip strength, namely, low reference grip strength, lowest 20% grip strength, and low grip strength in sarcopenia. Information on deaths were obtained through linkage to National Death Index (NDI). Cox regression was used to assess the association of grip strength with mortality risk.
Results
HGS, MGS, HGS/BMI, and MGS/weight were all inversely associated with all-cause mortality, with HGS (AUC = 0.714) being the optimal predictor of mortality, followed by MGS (AUC = 0.712). Participants with low grip strength showed increased risk of mortality regardless of which indicator was used, and the highest effect size was seen for lowest 20% grip strength group (HR = 2.20 for men, 2.52 for women). The above-mentioned correlations were consistently found in people of different age and sex.
Conclusion
This study suggests the simplest measure of absolute grip strength (HGS, MGS) was the optimal index for predicting all-cause mortality. Keep an adequate level of handgrip strength may be beneficial to reduce the risk of mortality.
Depression and Related Clinical Factors in Adolescent Patients with Temporomandibular Disorder
Authors: Kim Tae-Seok , Lee Yeon-Hee 
Published: August 2024

Abstract

Temporomandibular disorder (TMD) is a musculoskeletal disorder characterized by functional limitations and pain in the masticatory muscle and the temporomandibular joint. In adolescent, TMD can significantly impact mental health and lead to psychosocial disabilities. This study aims to investigate the correlation between the depression, as assessed by the Symptom-Checklist-90-Revised (SCL-90-R) and clinical factors in adolescent patients with TMD. This study included a total of 185 adolescents (69 males, 116 females, mean age 15.15 ± 2.17) in Korea, who was diagnosed with TMD between November 2020 and May 2023. Patients were categorized into three age groups: 46 young adolescents aged 10–13, 78 middle adolescents aged 14–16, and 61 older adolescents aged 17–18. Clinical data were collected from the medical records at the patients’ initial visit. Depression of patients was evaluated with SCL-90-R. Depression of adolescent TMD patients exhibited strong correlation with age. In the adolescent TMD patients, depression scores were significantly associated with stressful conditions, sleep problems, dysfunction index, presence of tinnitus, craniomandibular index, history of trauma, and habitual irregular diet. In the generalized linear model, depression exhibited the most significant association with aging, followed by clenching habits, obsessive-compulsiveness, and somatization. In contrast, pain intensity and pain duration were not significantly related with depression in adolescent TMD patients. Also, osteoarthritis in panoramic image was not significantly associated with depression in adolescent TMD patients. The results suggest that clinicians can evaluate the depression state of adolescent TMD patients with concise clinical information, enhancing the management and treatment of this population.
Effects of puerarin on gait disturbance in a 6-hydroxydopamine rodent model of Parkinson's disease
Authors: Kim Na-Hyun , Goto Yukiori , Lee Young-A 
Published: August 2024

Abstract

Background
Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder caused by dopamine neuronal dysfunction. Although dopamine agonists and N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonists are used to treat PD, chronic use causes severe side effects. Therefore, puerarin (PUE) affects the dopamine system and is a considerable candidate for PD; however, its therapeutic effects on PD-associated motor dysfunction remain unclear. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the effects of PUE treatment on motor dysfunction in a 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) rodent PD model.
Methods
Adult male ICR mice received unilateral 6-OHDA microinfusion into the right medial forebrain bundle. After a 2-week recovery period, PUE (20 or 50 mg/kg) or the vehicle (saline, VEH) was intraperitoneally administered once daily for 3 weeks. Motor dysfunction was assessed using the locomotion, rotation, and gait cycle tests 2 weeks after PUE administration. Local field potential (LFP) was measured in the substantia nigra compacta (SNc), striatum (STR), subthalamic nucleus (STN), and primary motor cortex (M1).
Results
PD animals showed higher unidirectional rotation and abnormal gait cycle without locomotion change compared with sham surgery (control, CTR) animals. PUE treatment ameliorated the abnormal gait cycle of PD animals. These effects were different with DA agonist and NMDA receptor antagonist treatments. Moreover, PUE treatment induced no changes in attenuated LFPs of beta wave in the STR, STN, and M1, and coherence of delta wave between SNc-STN was shown in PD animals.
Conclusions
This study suggests that PUE is a beneficial co-therapeutic agent for alleviating gait disturbances via dopaminergic and non-dopaminergic neurocircuitry in PD.
The Cultural Tradition of Zombification in Haiti: An Example of Film White Zombie
Authors: Mandić Marina 
Published: August 2024

The well-known narrative of zombies, the reanimated monsters of contemporary popular culture, can be traced back to the late 1960s, or more specifically to the release of the film Night of the Living Dead (1968) by American director George A. Romero. However, at the time of the film's inception the term zombie was already widely present in American popular culture: the cinematography of voodoo zombie, created in Haiti through magic and psychoactive substances, appeared in America in 1932, with the release of the film White Zombie, based on the travelogue The Magic Island (1929), by American missionary William Seabrooke. The paper initially points to the social and historical circumstances that led to the spread of zombies in Haiti: as the first independent nation of the Western Hemisphere, Haiti at the beginning of the twentieth century became the subject of American imperialist strategies and a threat to the maintenance of hegemony, therefore in the texts of colonial travel writers it was described as a nation of savagery, black magic, powerful voodoo cults, and the reanimated dead. Cultural and racist stereotypes that were transmitted to the United States justified the American "civilizing" mission, i.e. political and economic interventions. The role of zombies in Haiti was that of a slave, a profitable workforce, used by local urban elites, voodoo sorcerers, and colonial regimes since the eighteenth century. In this regard, my analysis highlights the ways in which White Zombie reproduces the established image of Haiti as an exotic place filled with mystery and dangers, adopts the dominant American viewpoints marked by discrimination and racism, and sets cultural norms of distinguishing between the civilized and the barbaric, whereby the white color of the skin reflects the norm of the civilized. To this end, the dialectic of slavery is emphasized in the film by the zombification of a young white woman, thus manifesting the tensions that existed between the imperialist powers and their "subjects" of enslavement, and emphasizing the unequal power relations between subordinate Haitian slaves and Westerners in high positions. Finally, the changes that have taken place over the decades of the zombie monster's development are highlighted: the zombie moves away from Haiti and approaches the modern world, and becomes a reanimated, highly infectious, cannibalistic monster of consumer society, that is, a monster of the global capitalist system.
Domestic abuse and portrayal of Japanese Women's mistreatment in Junji Ito's 'Whispering Woman'
Authors: Ghalia Keika 
Published: August 2024

There are many authors, writers, or illustrators who slip a hidden message based on their cultural background in their works. Junji Ito is one of them, and many of his works are Japanese-based, because of his background, Whispering Woman is one of them. However, Junji Ito is adding more depth to his story, since he is a horror mangaka, Junji Ito puts Japan’s dark side to his stories. In this case, he unveils much more about women's hardships and struggles. Interestingly, Japanese women often get a lot of mistreatment and domestic abuse because of patriarchal normalization in Japan. He created Whispering Woman for people to understand the deeper meaning and point of view, mixing them with horror particles. The primary purpose of this research is to open the eyes of the readers, diving into the depth of the story, and deciphering cultural portrayals of Japanese women's struggle and hardship. The character in this story, Mitsu Uchida, is a representation of what women have been going through, trapping the desire for freedom in themselves, expressing them in another manner, even relatable tiny gestures can be found in Junji Ito’s illustration of each panel.
Using Large Language Models to Detect Depression From User-Generated Diary Text Data as a Novel Approach in Digital Mental Health Screening: Instrument Validation Study
Authors: Shin Daun , Kim Hyoseung , Lee Seunghwan , Cho Younhee , Jung Whanbo 
Published: August 2024

Background
Depressive disorders have substantial global implications, leading to various social consequences, including decreased occupational productivity and a high disability burden. Early detection and intervention for clinically significant depression have gained attention; however, the existing depression screening tools, such as the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale, have limitations in objectivity and accuracy. Therefore, researchers are identifying objective indicators of depression, including image analysis, blood biomarkers, and ecological momentary assessments (EMAs). Among EMAs, user-generated text data, particularly from diary writing, have emerged as a clinically significant and analyzable source for detecting or diagnosing depression, leveraging advancements in large language models such as ChatGPT.

Objective
We aimed to detect depression based on user-generated diary text through an emotional diary writing app using a large language model (LLM). We aimed to validate the value of the semistructured diary text data as an EMA data source.

Methods
Participants were assessed for depression using the Patient Health Questionnaire and suicide risk was evaluated using the Beck Scale for Suicide Ideation before starting and after completing the 2-week diary writing period. The text data from the daily diaries were also used in the analysis. The performance of leading LLMs, such as ChatGPT with GPT-3.5 and GPT-4, was assessed with and without GPT-3.5 fine-tuning on the training data set. The model performance comparison involved the use of chain-of-thought and zero-shot prompting to analyze the text structure and content.

Results
We used 428 diaries from 91 participants; GPT-3.5 fine-tuning demonstrated superior performance in depression detection, achieving an accuracy of 0.902 and a specificity of 0.955. However, the balanced accuracy was the highest (0.844) for GPT-3.5 without fine-tuning and prompt techniques; it displayed a recall of 0.929.

Conclusions
Both GPT-3.5 and GPT-4.0 demonstrated relatively reasonable performance in recognizing the risk of depression based on diaries. Our findings highlight the potential clinical usefulness of user-generated text data for detecting depression. In addition to measurable indicators, such as step count and physical activity, future research should increasingly emphasize qualitative digital expression.
The Most Effective Interventions for Classification Model Development to Predict Chat Outcomes Based on the Conversation Content in Online Suicide Prevention Chats: Machine Learning Approach
Authors: Salmi Salim , Mérelle Saskia , Gilissen Renske , van der Mei Rob , Bhulai Sandjai 
Published: August 2024

Background
For the provision of optimal care in a suicide prevention helpline, it is important to know what contributes to positive or negative effects on help seekers. Helplines can often be contacted through text-based chat services, which produce large amounts of text data for use in large-scale analysis.

Objective
We trained a machine learning classification model to predict chat outcomes based on the content of the chat conversations in suicide helplines and identified the counsellor utterances that had the most impact on its outputs.

Methods
From August 2021 until January 2023, help seekers (N=6903) scored themselves on factors known to be associated with suicidality (eg, hopelessness, feeling entrapped, will to live) before and after a chat conversation with the suicide prevention helpline in the Netherlands (113 Suicide Prevention). Machine learning text analysis was used to predict help seeker scores on these factors. Using 2 approaches for interpreting machine learning models, we identified text messages from helpers in a chat that contributed the most to the prediction of the model.

Results
According to the machine learning model, helpers’ positive affirmations and expressing involvement contributed to improved scores of the help seekers. Use of macros and ending the chat prematurely due to the help seeker being in an unsafe situation had negative effects on help seekers.

Conclusions
This study reveals insights for improving helpline chats, emphasizing the value of an evocative style with questions, positive affirmations, and practical advice. It also underscores the potential of machine learning in helpline chat analysis.
Design of Draw Resistance of Pressure Drop Standards for Tobacco Products Based on the Flow Distribution
Authors: Zhang Pengfei , Li Congcong , Yang Rongchao , Shi Zhandong , Chen Zhihao , Zhang Kai , Miao Qian 
Published: August 2024

Summary
Cigarette draw resistance and filter pressure drop are both critical physical indicators for the tobacco industry, which use testing equipment to measure the two parameters. Pressure drop standards are used as transfer standards to ensure the accuracy and reliability of the testing equipment. Pressure drop standards are generally cylindrical rods having a certain number of parallel capillaries. To address the issue of how to design and fabricate pressure drop standards quickly and conveniently, this paper proposes a design method for pressure drop standards based on structural parameters. The method uses a mathematical model of the internal airflow of the standard including the entrance effect into a circular capillary and uses an iterative calculation algorithm accordingly. By iterative calculation, the structural parameters of the pressure drop standard, namely, diameter and length of the capillaries, were obtained, along with the relationship between the draw resistance of the standard and the flow rate in each capillary. The accuracy of the mathematical model was validated by comparing and analyzing the experimental and theoretical draw resistance of standards with different structural parameters. The experimental results showed that the relative error between the measured draw resistance and the calculated draw resistance was below 8%, which proves the reliability and validity of the mathematical model, and provides theoretical support for the design and fabrication of pressure drop standards.
أثر الصِراعات الداخلية في سوريا والعراق على المُركب الأمني في الشرق الأوسط (2011-2023)
Authors: عبدو أحمد , طيب طارق 
Published: August 2024

عندما بدأت الاحتجاجات ضد الحكومة في سوريا و العراق عام 2011، أنعكس ذلك على مُركب الأمن في الشرق الأوسط ،الذي يتميز بوجود صِراع المحاور المستمر. تاريخياً، يتميز الشرق الأوسط بوجود صِراع مركزي محصور ما بين المحور العربي و الإسرائيل ي. تذهب هذه الدراسة إلى أن ما بعد الاحتجاجات في سوريا والعراق أصبح الصِراع المركزي في المنطقة محصور ما بين محور المقاومة الإيراني و محور الممانعة الخليجي. تهدف هذه الدراسة إلى تحليل دور الاحتجاجات الداخلية في سوريا والعراق في تشكيل التنافس و الصِراع بين المحورين و معرفة أبعادها في الأقاليم المجاورة. سؤال الدراسة هو إلى أي مدى أثرت الاحتجاجات في سوريا والعراق على مستوى وتطور مُركب الأمن في الشرق الأوسط. تفترض الدراسة بأن كلما كانت الصِراعات الداخلية في سوريا والعراق مترابطة سياسياً و أجتماعياً و تاريخياً، كلما إنعكس ذلك على أنماط الصِراع والتنافس بين محوري المقاومة الإيراني و الممانعة الخليجي ، وكلما كان هناك أخلال في توازن القوى الإقليمي لصالح محور المقاومة الإيراني، كلما تدخلت تركيا و إسرائيل في المنطقة بهدف تحقيق التوازن بين المحورين. لأثبات صحة الفرضية التي انطلقت منها الدراسة اعتمدنا على المنهج الأستنباطي و المنهج التحليلي و المنهج التاريخي.
Enhancing the Properties of Steel Fiber Self-Compacting NaOH-Based Geopolymer Concrete with the Addition of Metakaolin
Authors: Elbialy Samy , El-Latief Ahmed A. , Al-Jabali Hebah M. , Elsayed Hebatallah A. , Shawky Shymaa M. M. 
Published: August 2024

There is a demand for innovative construction materials that offer enhanced mechanical characteristics while also being cost-effective and environmentally friendly. This paper examines the fresh properties and mechanical properties of geopolymerized self-compacting concrete (SCC) reinforced with steel fibers, containing 0–100% metakaolin (MK) by mass, as an eco-friendly substitute for Portland cement. SCC combinations included one or more waste cementitious materials (WCMs), such as metakaolin (MK), NaOH as an alkaline activity, and double-hook end steel fibers. For every NaOH geopolymer SCC blend, the mechanical characteristics (compressive strength, splitting tensile strength, flexural strength), as well as the new properties (lump flow, V-Funnel, L-box test), were read up. The findings indicate that combining metakaolin and steel fibers reduces the flowability of NaOH-based geopolymer SCC. On the other hand, incorporating MK and steel fibers enhances the compressive and flexural strength of NaOH-based geopolymer SCC with 25% metakaolin and 0.3% steel fiber. In contrast to the fiber-reinforced NaOH-based geopolymer SCC samples, which could transfer a sizable load even when the crack mouth opening deflection rose at flexural strength, the fiber-free SCC samples showed a brittle and abrupt fracture. The findings showed that the addition of NaOH as an alkaline activator, MK, and steel fiber had a negative impact on the fresh state properties; however, their combined use greatly enhanced the bond strength and flexural performance of the NaOH geopolymer SCC specimens. Doi: 10.28991/CEJ-2024-010-07-011 Full Text: PDF