bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The mediating role of health behaviors in the relationship between internal locus of control and life satisfaction in public health students
Authors: Nowak Paweł F. , Rogowska Aleksandra M. , Kwaśnicka Aleksandra 
Published: August 2024

AbstractWell-being is a continuous process requiring decisions and actions to maintain or build health. This study examines the indirect effect of health locus of control on life satisfaction via healthy behaviors based on living systems theory. Participants were 730 students of various majors related to medicine and health, aged between 19 and 30 (M = 22.29, SD = 1.64), including 79.04% women. Self-report measures were used to assess life satisfaction, multidimensional health locus of control, and health behavior. Women scored higher than men on the total health behavior scale, especially in a healthy diet and preventive behavior. Men scored higher than women on internal health locus of control (HLC), while women scored higher than men on the powerful others HLC in making decisions about their health. The study confirmed the mediating effect of healthy behavior on the relationship between the internal HLC and life satisfaction. The present mechanism highlights the crucial role of internal motivation in increasing subjective well-being by maintaining health behaviors among young adults. The role of intervention programs focused on improving internal HLC and health behaviors is discussed.
Chromosome-level genome assemblies reveal genome evolution of an invasive plant Phragmites australis
Authors: Wang Cui , Liu Lele , Yin Meiqi , Liu Bingbing , Wu Yiming , Eller Franziska , Gao Yingqi , Brix Hans , Wang Tong , Guo Weihua , Salojärvi Jarkko 
Published: August 2024

AbstractBiological invasions pose a significant threat to ecosystems, disrupting local biodiversity and ecosystem functions. The genomic underpinnings of invasiveness, however, are still largely unknown, making it difficult to predict and manage invasive species effectively. The common reed (Phragmites australis) is a dominant grass species in wetland ecosystems and has become particularly invasive when transferred from Europe to North America. Here, we present a high-quality gap-free, telomere-to-telomere genome assembly of Phragmites australis consisting of 24 pseudochromosomes and a B chromosome. Fully phased subgenomes demonstrated considerable subgenome dominance and revealed the divergence of diploid progenitors approximately 30.9 million years ago. Comparative genomics using chromosome-level scaffolds for three other lineages and a previously published draft genome assembly of an invasive lineage revealed that gene family expansions in the form of tandem duplications may have contributed to the invasiveness of the lineage. This study sheds light on the genome evolution of Arundinoideae grasses and suggests that genetic drivers, such as gene family expansions and tandem duplications, may underly the processes of biological invasion in plants. These findings provide a crucial step toward understanding and managing the genetic basis of invasiveness in plant species.
Shifts in benthic megafauna communities after glacial retreat in an Antarctic fjord
Authors: Kim Dong-U , Ahn In-Young , Noh Junsung , Lee Changkeun , Khim Jong Seong 
Published: August 2024

AbstractUnderwater imagery survey was conducted to address changes in Antarctic benthic megafauna communities by recent glacial retreat in Marian Cove, where distance from the glacier was proportional to retreat period. Benthic megafauna communities showed lesser variation due to frequent ice-scouring at 10 m than deeper seabed. At deep seabed (50–90 m), where glacier impacts decreased, benthic megafauna was scarce right in front of the glacier, but near the glacier (~10 years after seabed exposure), density peaked (128 ind. m−2) with pioneer species. At the outermost site, pioneer species were extremely limited (5 ind. m−2) while late-successional species were abundant (42 ind. m−2). Taxonomic and functional diversities peaked near the glacier and outermost site, respectively, indicating different mechanisms of structural and functional change after glacial retreat. This study showed a four-step successional process of benthic megafauna communities after glacial retreat in Antarctic nearshore: high disturbance, colonization, transition, and maturing stages.
Morphological changes of the south-eastern wall of Askja caldera, Iceland over the past 80 years
Authors: Shevchenko Alina V. , Walter Thomas R. , Gudmundsson Magnus T. , Belart Joaquín M. C. , Marzban Pouria , Zorn Edgar U. , Sæmundsson Þorsteinn , Helgason Jón Kristinn , Turowski Jens M. , Vassileva Magdalena S. , Motagh Mahdi , Müller Daniel 
Published: August 2024

AbstractCalderas are subcircular depressions with near-vertical walls, which are often gravitationally unstable and prone to mass movements that sequentially widen their basins. However, the details of these erosional changes are difficult to decipher due to short observational periods. Here, we use a photogrammetric dataset of nearly 80 years to study the landslide-prone south-eastern wall of Askja caldera (Iceland). We analyzed aerial data from 1945 and 1987, stereo satellite data from 2013 and 2022, and drone images acquired in 2019, 2022, and 2023. We developed an inventory of geomorphological features and identified types of slope instability. We describe over 700 features, including circa 500 fractures, 200 sinkholes, and four major landslides. We found that morphological changes were persistent over the observation period, accumulating in a sector that collapsed in 2014. We discuss various factors of slope instability at Askja including possible volcano-permafrost interaction, and other processes that could induce mass wasting.
Assessing South African metropolitan cities’ online place brands
Authors: Mbinza Zenzile E. 
Published: August 2024

AbstractThis exploratory paper assesses the websites of South Africa’s eight metropolitan cities to ascertain how each uses place branding to anchor itself in the global economy. The paper commences by describing the evolution of South Africa’s local government landscape. After that, the paper pivots place branding as a competition-setting process. Next on the agenda is a discussion on the role and significance of metropolitan cities in driving nation-state economic growth and a description of well-functioning websites, which form the framework of analysis. A presentation of the websites of each of South Africa’s metropolitan cities follows this. The paper uses screenshots to guide this presentation. The paper illuminates significant gaps and oversights in projecting South Africa’s metropolitan cities to the international community, tourists and businesses. The paper concludes by offering reflective notes on the need for intensified place branding processes in South Africa. The paper contributes to place branding scholarship by interrogating the efficacy of platforms that are becoming pervasive in transporting narratives and agendas far beyond territorial borders. It diversifies the place branding discipline and advocates for its further exposition and understanding.
Under the guise of Latinidad: Latinx ambiguity and ethno-racial identifications in Switched at Birth
Authors: Fernández Laura Michelle 
Published: August 2024

AbstractThis article examines the performance of Latinidad in the television show Switched at Birth (2011–2017) by excavating how Latinidad is used as a mask-like prop that characters can easily put on or discard depending on their ethno-racial and economic contexts. By connecting media, Latinx, and performance studies, this article demonstrates how popular television series exploit Latinx identities and render them commodities that are easily consumable by the presumed white viewer. Through an analysis of the show’s two teenaged “Latinx” characters—Bay Kennish and Daphne Vasquez—this study focuses on how one can presumably become and unbecome Latinx if one happens to fit a certain idealized image of Latinidad. In examining the policing and erasing of Latinx identity in the show, this article contributes to the growing field of Latinx pop culture studies by illustrating how shows like Switched at Birth fail to provide a sense of cultural belonging for Latinx audiences.
cypress: an R/Bioconductor package for cell-type-specific differential expression analysis power assessment
Authors: Yu Shilin , Meng Guanqun , Tang Wen , Ma Wenjing , Wang Rui , Zhu Xiongwei , Sun Xiaobo , Feng Hao 
Published: August 2024

Abstract

Summary
Recent methodology advances in computational signal deconvolution have enabled bulk transcriptome data analysis at a finer cell-type level. Through deconvolution, identifying cell-type-specific differentially expressed (csDE) genes is drawing increasing attention in clinical applications. However, researchers still face a number of difficulties in adopting csDE genes detection methods in practice, especially in their experimental design. Here we present cypress, the first experimental design and statistical power analysis tool in csDE genes identification. This tool can reliably model purified cell-type-specific (CTS) profiles, cell-type compositions, biological and technical variations, offering a high-fidelity simulator for bulk RNA-seq convolution and deconvolution. cypress conducts simulation and evaluates the impact of multiple influencing factors, by various statistical metrics, to help researchers optimize experimental design and conduct power analysis.

Availability and implementation
cypress is an open-source R/Bioconductor package at https://bioconductor.org/packages/cypress/.
WatFinder: a ProDy tool for protein–water interactions
Authors: Krieger James M , Doljanin Frane , Bogetti Anthony T , Zhang Feng , Manivarma Thiliban , Bahar Ivet , Mikulska-Ruminska Karolina 
Published: August 2024

Abstract

Summary
We introduce WatFinder, a tool designed to identify and visualize protein–water interactions (water bridges, water-mediated associations, or water channels, fluxes, and clusters) relevant to protein stability, dynamics, and function. WatFinder is integrated into ProDy, a Python API broadly used for structure-based prediction of protein dynamics. WatFinder provides a suite of functions for generating raw data as well as outputs from statistical analyses. The ProDy framework facilitates comprehensive automation and efficient analysis of the ensembles of structures resolved for a given protein or the time-evolved conformations from simulations in explicit water, as illustrated in five case studies presented in the Supplementary Material.

Availability and implementation
ProDy is open-source and freely available under MIT License from https://github.com/ProDy/ProDy.
Advancing age grading techniques for Glossina morsitans morsitans, vectors of African trypanosomiasis, through mid-infrared spectroscopy and machine learning
Authors: Pazmiño-Betancourth Mauro , Casas Gómez-Uribarri Ivan , Mondragon-Shem Karina , Babayan Simon A , Baldini Francesco , Rafuse Haines Lee 
Published: August 2024

Abstract
Tsetse are the insects responsible for transmitting African trypanosomes, which cause sleeping sickness in humans and animal trypanosomiasis in wildlife and livestock. Knowing the age of these flies is important when assessing the effectiveness of vector control programs and modelling disease risk. Current methods to assess fly age are, however, labour-intensive, slow, and often inaccurate as skilled personnel are in short supply. Mid-infrared spectroscopy (MIRS), a fast and cost-effective tool to accurately estimate several biological traits of insects, offers a promising alternative. This is achieved by characterising the biochemical composition of the insect cuticle using infrared light coupled with machine–learning (ML) algorithms to estimate the traits of interest. We tested the performance of MIRS in estimating tsetse sex and age for the first-time using spectra obtained from their cuticle. We used 541 insectary-reared Glossina m. morsitans of two different age groups for males (5 and 7 weeks) and three age groups for females (3 days, 5 weeks, and 7 weeks). Spectra were collected from the head, thorax, and abdomen of each sample. ML models differentiated between male and female flies with a 96% accuracy and predicted the age group with 94% and 87% accuracy for males and females, respectively. The key infrared regions important for discriminating sex and age classification were characteristic of lipid and protein content. Our results support the use of MIRS as a rapid and accurate way to identify tsetse sex and age with minimal pre-processing. Further validation using wild-caught tsetse could pave the way for this technique to be implemented as a routine surveillance tool in vector control programmes.
Diffusion-weighted MRI precisely predicts telomerase reverse transcriptase promoter mutation status in World Health Organization grade IV gliomas using a residual convolutional neural network
Authors: Hu Congman , Fang Ke , Du Quan , Chen Jiarui , Wang Lin , Zhang Jianmin , Bai Ruiliang , Wang Yongjie 
Published: August 2024

Abstract

Objectives
Telomerase reverse transcriptase promoter (pTERT) mutation status plays a key role in making decisions and predicting prognoses for patients with World Health Organization (WHO) grade IV glioma. This study was conducted to assess the value of diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) for predicting pTERT mutation status in WHO grade IV glioma.

Methods
MRI data and molecular information were obtained for 266 patients with WHO grade IV glioma at the hospital and divided into training and validation sets. The ratio of training to validation set was approximately 10:3. We trained the same residual convolutional neural network (ResNet) for each MR modality, including structural MRIs (T1-weighted, T2-weighted, and contrast-enhanced T1-weighted) and DWI*, to compare the predictive capacities between DWI and conventional structural MRI. We also explored the effects of different regions of interest on pTERT mutation status prediction outcomes.

Results
Structural MRI modalities poorly predicted the pTERT mutation status (accuracy = 51%-54%; area under the curve [AUC]=0.545-0.571), whereas DWI combined with its apparent diffusive coefficient maps yielded the best predictive performance (accuracy = 85.2%, AUC = 0.934). Including the radiological and clinical characteristics did not further improve the performance for predicting pTERT mutation status. The entire tumour volume yielded the best prediction performance.

Conclusions
DWI technology shows promising potential for predicting pTERT mutations in WHO grade IV glioma and should be included in the MRI protocol for WHO grade IV glioma in clinical practice.

Advances in knowledge
This is the first large-scale model study to validate the predictive value of DWI for pTERT in WHO grade IV glioma.
Radiomic study of antenatal prediction of severe placenta accreta spectrum from MRI
Authors: Bartels Helena C , Wolsztynski Eric , O’Doherty Jim , Brophy David P , MacDermott Roisin , Atallah David , Saliba Souha , El Kassis Nadine , Moubarak Malak , Young Constance , Downey Paul , Donnelly Jennifer , Geoghegan Tony , Brennan Donal J , Curran Kathleen M 
Published: August 2024

Abstract

Objectives
We previously demonstrated the potential of radiomics for the prediction of severe histological placenta accreta spectrum (PAS) subtypes using T2-weighted MRI. We aim to validate our model using an additional dataset. Secondly, we explore whether the performance is improved using a new approach to develop a new multivariate radiomics model.

Methods
Multi-centre retrospective analysis was conducted between 2018 and 2023. Inclusion criteria: MRI performed for suspicion of PAS from ultrasound, clinical findings of PAS at laparotomy and/or histopathological confirmation. Radiomic features were extracted from T2-weighted MRI. The previous multivariate model was validated. Secondly, a 5-radiomic feature random forest classifier was selected from a randomized feature selection scheme to predict invasive placenta increta PAS cases. Prediction performance was assessed based on several metrics including area under the curve (AUC) of the receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC), sensitivity, and specificity.

Results
We present 100 women [mean age 34.6 (±3.9) with PAS], 64 of whom had placenta increta. Firstly, we validated the previous multivariate model and found that a support vector machine classifier had a sensitivity of 0.620 (95% CI: 0.068; 1.0), specificity of 0.619 (95% CI: 0.059; 1.0), an AUC of 0.671 (95% CI: 0.440; 0.922), and accuracy of 0.602 (95% CI: 0.353; 0.817) for predicting placenta increta. From the new multivariate model, the best 5-feature subset was selected via the random subset feature selection scheme comprised of 4 radiomic features and 1 clinical variable (number of previous caesareans). This clinical-radiomic model achieved an AUC of 0.713 (95% CI: 0.551; 0.854), accuracy of 0.695 (95% CI 0.563; 0.793), sensitivity of 0.843 (95% CI 0.682; 0.990), and specificity of 0.447 (95% CI 0.167; 0.667).

Conclusion
We validated our previous model and present a new multivariate radiomic model for the prediction of severe placenta increta from a well-defined, cohort of PAS cases.

Advances in knowledge
Radiomic features demonstrate good predictive potential for identifying placenta increta. This suggests radiomics may be a useful adjunct to clinicians caring for women with this high-risk pregnancy condition.
A practical guide to the standardization of hair loss photography for clinicians
Authors: Takwale Anita , Arthur Emily , Pearce Julian , Farrant Paul , Holmes Susan , Harries Matthew 
Published: August 2024

Abstract

Background
Global and trichoscopic photography are fundamental in the clinical assessment of hair loss. At present, standardized protocols for hair loss photography are lacking.

Objectives
To create novel, pragmatic and flexible standardized photography protocols for hair loss that are practical to use for clinicians and medical photographers alike.

Methods
Published disease severity scales for a variety of hair loss conditions were utilized to create standardized photography protocols. These protocols were reviewed and refined by a national clinical working group of consultant dermatologists specializing in hair loss.

Results
Three main presentation-based protocols are provided, defined by the type of hair loss a patient may present with, including pattern loss, frontal fibrosing alopecia/traction alopecia, alopecia areata and other patchy hair loss disorders. Additional supplementary protocols facilitate further specific views for a variety of individualized clinical scenarios, based on user discretion.

Conclusions
We present novel, pragmatic, standardized photography protocols for hair loss disorders. These can be used by clinicians even where formal medical photography units are unavailable. Standardization allows for the creation of high-quality, informative images for objective assessment and monitoring of hair loss in clinical practice and in research settings.
Clinical outcomes of the management of basal cell carcinomas in individuals aged 90 years and over: a retrospective cohort study
Authors: Nicholls Isabelle , Moncrieff Marc , Patel Martyn , Nobes Jenny , Garioch Jennifer 
Published: August 2024

Abstract

Background
A retrospective cohort study was undertaken to examine the management of basal cell carcinoma (BCC) in older patients.

Objectives
The aim of this study was to identify subgroups where intervention could be minimized, based on frailty and trends in survival.

Methods
All patients aged ≥ 90 years with histologically confirmed BCC during 2017 and 2018 were included within the study (n = 319).

Results
Age was the most significant predictor of survival [hazard ratio (HR) 1.10, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.04–1.17; P = 0.001]. Maximum threshold analysis identified 93 years as the significant age cutpoint. Median survival was 40 months for patients aged ≤ 93 years and 28 months for those aged &gt; 93 years (P = 0.002). Patients with dementia had a worse survival than those without (median survival 25 months vs. 35 months, respectively; HR 1.92, 95% CI 1.18–3.13; P = 0.009). There was a statistically significant difference in survival for patients who received treatment for their BCC (n = 294) compared with the untreated cohort (n = 25) (median survival 34 months vs. 21 months, respectively; HR 0.54, 95% CI 0.34–0.85; P = 0.007). All other comorbidities examined had no influence on survival.

Conclusions
This study provides evidence in support of active treatment of BCC in individuals aged ≥ 90 years, seen in secondary care. Conservative options may be preferable in patients with dementia or those &gt; 93 years old.
Blind individuals’ enhanced ability to sense their own heartbeat is related to the thickness of their occipital cortex
Authors: Stroh Anna-Lena , Radziun Dominika , Korczyk Maksymilian , Crucianelli Laura , Ehrsson H Henrik , Szwed Marcin 
Published: August 2024

Abstract
Blindness is associated with heightened sensory abilities, such as improved hearing and tactile acuity. Moreover, recent evidence suggests that blind individuals are better than sighted individuals at perceiving their own heartbeat, suggesting enhanced interoceptive accuracy. Structural changes in the occipital cortex have been hypothesized as the basis of these behavioral enhancements. Indeed, several studies have shown that congenitally blind individuals have increased cortical thickness within occipital areas compared to sighted individuals, but how these structural differences relate to behavioral enhancements is unclear. This study investigated the relationship between cardiac interoceptive accuracy and cortical thickness in 23 congenitally blind individuals and 23 matched sighted controls. Our results show a significant positive correlation between performance in a heartbeat counting task and cortical thickness only in the blind group, indicating a connection between structural changes in occipital areas and blind individuals’ enhanced ability to perceive heartbeats.
Association between metabolic syndrome and white matter integrity in young and mid-age post-9/11 adult Veterans
Authors: Van Etten Emily J , Knoff Aubrey A , Colaizzi Tristan A , Knight Arielle R , Milberg William P , Fortier Catherine B , Leritz Elizabeth C , Salat David H 
Published: August 2024

Abstract
Metabolic syndrome has been associated with reduced brain white matter integrity in older individuals. However, less is known about how metabolic syndrome might impact white matter integrity in younger populations. This study examined metabolic syndrome-related global and regional white matter integrity differences in a sample of 537 post-9/11 Veterans. Metabolic syndrome was defined as ≥3 factors of: increased waist circumference, hypertriglyceridemia, low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, hypertension, and high fasting glucose. T1 and diffusion weighted 3 T MRI scans were processed using the FreeSurfer image analysis suite and FSL Diffusion Toolbox. Atlas-based regions of interest were determined from a combination of the Johns Hopkins University atlas and a Tract-Based Spatial Statistics-based FreeSurfer WMPARC white matter skeleton atlas. Analyses revealed individuals with metabolic syndrome (n = 132) had significantly lower global fractional anisotropy than those without metabolic syndrome (n = 405), and lower high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels was the only metabolic syndrome factor significantly related to lower global fractional anisotropy levels. Lobe-specific analyses revealed individuals with metabolic syndrome had decreased fractional anisotropy in frontal white matter regions compared with those without metabolic syndrome. These findings indicate metabolic syndrome is prevalent in this sample of younger Veterans and is related to reduced frontal white matter integrity. Early intervention for metabolic syndrome may help alleviate adverse metabolic syndrome-related brain and cognitive effects with age.