bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Integrating molecular pathway with genome-wide association data for causality identification in breast cancer
Authors: Li Yan-Shuang , Jiang Hong-Chuan 
Published: July 2024

Abstract
Objective
The study purpose was to explore the causal association between pyruvate metabolism and breast cancer (BC), as well as the molecular role of key metabolic genes, by using bioinformatics and Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis.

Methods
We retrieved and examined diverse datasets from the GEO database to ascertain differentially acting genes (DAGs) in BC via differential expression analysis. Following this, we performed functional and pathway enrichment analyses to ascertain noteworthy molecular functions and metabolic pathways in BC. Employing MR analysis, we established a causal association between pyruvate metabolism and the susceptibility to BC. Additionally, utilizing the DGIdb database, we identified potential targeted medications that act on genes implicated in the pyruvate metabolic pathway and formulated a competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) regulatory network in BC.

Results
We collected the datasets GSE54002, GSE70947, and GSE22820, and identified a total of 1127 DEGs between the BC and NC groups. GO and KEGG enrichment analysis showed that the molecular functions of these DEGs mainly included mitotic nuclear division, extracellular matrix, signaling receptor activator activity, etc. Metabolic pathways were mainly concentrated in PI3K−Akt signaling pathway, Cytokine−cytokine receptor binding and Pyruvate, Tyrosine, Propanoate and Phenylalanine metabolism, etc. In addition, MR analysis demonstrated a causal relationship between pyruvate metabolism and BC risk. Finally, we constructed a regulatory network between pathway genes (ADH1B, ACSS2, ACACB, ADH1A, ALDH2, and ADH1C) and targeted drugs, as well as a ceRNA (lncRNA-miRNA-mRNA) regulatory network for BC, further revealing their interactions.

Conclusions
Our research revealed a causal association between pyruvate metabolism and BC risk, found that ADH1B, ACSS2, ACACB, ADH1A, ALDH2, and ADH1C takes place an important part in the development of BC in the molecular mechanisms related to pyruvate metabolism, and identified some potential targeted small molecule drugs.
A Qualitative Analysis About Sexual Health of Foster Teenagers: What Concerns Do Their Caregivers Have?
Authors: Gil-Llario María Dolores , Estruch-García Verónica , Ortas-Barajas Francisco , Fernández-García Olga , Morell-Mengual Vicente 
Published: July 2024

Abstract
Introduction
The social environment of children in foster care is one of the factors that impact on their sexual and reproductive development. Understanding these aspects is essential for the development of effective prevention strategies informed by research. Our aim is to explore the primary concerns of caregivers regarding the sexual development of teenagers in foster care.

Methods
The participants, 24 teenage foster caregivers, aged 32 to 55 years, were recruited through a social service network collaborating with foster families.Three focus groups’ discussion was conducted with foster caregivers using a semi-structured interview between April and June 2023. A qualitative reflexive thematic analysis was employed, focusing on themes related to foster caregivers’ concerns and challenges regarding the sexual development of the foster teenagers. Researchers conducted line-by-line coding inductively using NVIVO 14 software.

Results
The findings revealed that caregivers are concerned about teenagers’ exposure to sexual risks, challenges in establishing healthy relationship boundaries, dominant behaviors, and early expressions of sexuality. However, certain inaccuracies in attribution and interpretation were identified, which may be attributed to a lack of knowledge and information about normative sexual development, attachment, resilience, and insufficient training as an affective-sexual educator. The participating foster caregivers often linked sexual behaviors and distorted thoughts of teenagers with past childhood experiences.

Conclusions
The gathered information contributes to a deeper understanding of the needs and deficiencies of this group.

Policy Implications
This data lays the groundwork for designing more targeted interventions tailored to the needs identified by caregivers, which demand an immediate response.
Trans Rights and Safety, Political Self-efficacy, and Well-Being
Authors: Rothbaum Beatrice , Etengoff Chana , Luong Emily 
Published: July 2024

Abstract
Introduction
This mixed-methods study contributes to a growing body of research on trans political engagement by examining the interaction between trans political self-efficacy, political fatigue, and mental health. A total of 141 trans individuals completed an online mixed-methods survey assessing trans rights and safety concerns, political self-efficacy, and well-being.

Methods
Participants were asked to describe the reasons for their level of political engagement. Data was collected between June 2019 and August 2021, with a brief pause for COVID-19.

Results
Narrative analyses indicate that participants engaged with the political system due to concern for their trans rights and safety (35%), their sense of the personal (55%), communal relevance (26%), their mistrust of the political system (26%), and their political self-efficacy beliefs (26%). Though quantitative analyses indicate that participants’ well-being was significantly, positively correlated with both political security and political self-efficacy, some participants described their political engagement as being related to political fatigue (21%). Moreover, participants who reported political fatigue demonstrated significantly lower political self-efficacy than participants who did not report political fatigue.

Conclusions
These results suggest that trans political engagement can provide important benefits for well-being, via political self-efficacy, as well as risk factors for psychological harm, via political fatigue.

Policy Implications
Thus, it is recommended that social policy makers promote safe pathways for trans individuals to engage with the political system and reduce activists’ exposure to anti-trans stigma.
How to integrate youth in regional sustainability transformation processes: Tools, structures, and effects
Authors: Fischer Cornelia , Radinger-Peer Verena 
Published: July 2024

AbstractThis study examines young people’s involvement in regional sustainability transformation processes based on a real-world experiment in a community of 5700 inhabitants on the southern outskirts of city of Vienna, Austria. The eight-month experiment aimed to explore methods and tools for transdisciplinary co-creation with youth, the impact of structural conditions on their participation and the effects of their integration. Findings highlight the crucial roles of topics relevant to youth, a trusted intermediary like a youth worker, and structural conditions such as political support and resource allocation in enhancing youth engagement success. Collaborative decision making with policymakers and direct communication were also key to effective participation. The real-world experiment laid the groundwork for future participatory methods and had an impact on youth–community relations. It affirmed the role of youth in regional development, with effects that extended beyond the immediate scope of the experiment in terms of time, space, and topic.
Reliability and validity study of the Chinese version of the Cerebellar Cognitive Affective Syndrome Scale in patients with cerebellar injury
Authors: Guo Jing , Zhang Yi , Chen Lu , Wang Chaolan , Yuan Xiaofang , Xie Fan 
Published: July 2024

Abstract
Purpose
To preliminarily investigate the reliability and validity of the Chinese version of the Cerebellar Cognitive Affective Syndrome Scale (CCAS scale) in the cerebellar injury population.

Methods
In this study, 40 patients with cerebellar injury and 39 normal individuals hospitalized in a stroke center were assessed using the Chinese version of the CCAS scale A, MMSE, and PHQ2, and the results were analyzed using content validity, structural validity, internal consistency, inter- rater agreement, and test–retest reliability.

Results
The correlation coefficients of semantic fluency, phonemic fluency, category switching, digit span forward, digit span backward, cube, verbal recall, similarities and Go No-Go subscores in the Chinese version of the CCAS scale A were 0.586–0.831 (P ≤ 0.05) with the total score, but there was no significant correlation between the affect and the total score (P = 0.110). The total cognitive score of the Chinese version of the CCAS scale A was correlated with the (r = 0.807, P ≤ 0.01), and the total score of the Chinese version of the CCAS scale A affect was correlated with the total score of PHQ2 (r = 0.884, P ≤ 0.01). The 2 factors were extracted using principal component analysis, and the cumulative variance contribution rate was 59.633%. The factor loadings of each of the corresponding factors were > 0.5, indicating good structural validity of the Chinese version of the CCAS scale A. Cronbach α = 0.827 indicated good internal consistency, and inter-rater reliability (ICC > 0.95) and test–retest reliability (ICC = 0.717–0.895)indicated that the Chinese version of the CCAS scale A had good inter-rater reliability and test–retest reliability.

Conclusion
The Chinese version of the CCAS scale A has good reliability and validity in the cerebellar injury population and is useful for screening cerebellar cognitive-emotional syndrome.
Twenty-one Years of Undergraduate Medical Student Research Training at the University of the Free State (UFS), South Africa
Authors: Joubert Gina , Steinberg Wilhelm J. , van Rooyen Francois C. 
Published: July 2024

Abstract
Introduction
Since 2001, undergraduate medical students at the University of the Free State (UFS), South Africa, plan, perform, and report on their research projects during semesters 2–5 of their ten-semester training. We describe the research modules and review the projects of the first 21 years.

Methods
This cohort study included all undergraduate medical student projects that formed part of the first 21 presentations of the research modules. Information was obtained from material archived by the module leaders. Students’ 2020 feedback on the modules was summarised.

Results
In total, 607 projects were planned (range 22–35 per year) and involved 229 supervisors. Only four projects were not completed. Thirty-nine Faculty departments/divisions/units provided supervision with Family Medicine, Internal Medicine, and Paediatrics and Child Health each supervising 60 or more groups. Projects were predominantly quantitative (99.7%); only 4.9% of projects involved an intervention or experiment. Main topics were infectious diseases (10.5%), mental health (8.9%), and cancer (8.7%). Data subjects were mainly patients (61.9%) and undergraduate students (12.0%), and data collection was mostly performed at the faculty’s training hospitals or laboratories (71.4%). The most positive aspect indicated by students was the exposure to and learning about research; the most negative aspects were group work and supervisors.

Conclusion
The projects received support from a broad spectrum of supervisors and covered a wide variety of topics. Given the timing of the projects in the training programme, the mainly quantitative and observational nature of the projects was appropriate. Attention to supervision and group work is required.
Systems-Informed PERMA + 4: Measuring Well-being and Performance at the Employee, Team, and Supervisor Levels
Authors: Donaldson Scott I. , Donaldson Stewart I. , McQuaid Michelle , Kern Margaret L. 
Published: July 2024

AbstractPast research has relied on employees to self-report their levels of well-being and performance in the workplace. Systems-informed positive psychology has been proposed to understand the dynamic interrelationships of the employee in their social and environmental context. PERMA + 4 is a comprehensive framework designed to measure the building blocks of well-being at work. Using an international sample of employees (N=2000), this study developed a systems-informed (i.e., at the individual (I), team (T), and supervisor (S) levels) PERMA + 4 measure and examined the associations with well-being and work performance. Full-time employees who worked on a team of two or more individuals, and had a direct supervisor were recruited to take an online survey assessing their work-related well-being and performance. Findings supported convergent, discriminant, and incremental validity of individual, team, and supervisor PERMA + 4 with well-being and work performance outcomes. Scholars and practitioners may consider using a systems-informed PERMA + 4 approach to measure and evaluate workplace programs and interventions that target the well-being of individuals, teams, and leaders. Such a systems-level approach may contribute to improved work performance.
Two-Part Mixed Effects Mixture Model for Zero-Inflated Longitudinal Compositional Data
Authors: Rodriguez Viviana A. , Mahon Rebecca N. , Weiss Elisabeth , Mukhopadhyay Nitai D. 
Published: July 2024

AbstractCompositional data (CD) is mostly analyzed using ratios of components and log-ratio transformations to apply known multivariable statistical methods. Therefore, CD where some components equal zero represents a problem. Furthermore, when the data is measured longitudinally, and appear to come from different sub-populations, the analysis becomes highly complex. Our objective is to build a statistical model addressing structural zeros in longitudinal CD and apply it to the analysis of radiation-induced lung damage (RILD) over time. We propose a two-part mixed-effects model extended to the case where the non-zero components of the vector might come from a two-component mixture population. Maximum likelihood estimates for fixed effects and variance components were calculated by an approximate Fisher scoring procedure base on sixth-order Laplace approximation. The expectation-maximization (EM) algorithm estimates the mixture model’s probability. This model was used to analyze the radiation therapy effect on tissue change in one patient with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), utilizing five CT scans over 24 months. Instead of using voxel-level data, voxels were grouped into larger subvolumes called patches. Each patch’s data is a CD vector showing proportions of dense, hazy, or normal tissue. Proposed method performed reasonably for estimation of the fixed effects, and their variability. However, the model produced biased estimates of the nuisance parameters in the model.
Management and breeding for rust resistance in legumes
Authors: Osuna-Caballero Salvador , Rispail Nicolas , Barilli Eleonora , Rubiales Diego 
Published: July 2024

AbstractRust diseases are a major concern in legume production worldwide causing heavy losses especially in developing countries that depend on grain legumes as staple food. Fungal species from Uromyces, Phakopsora and Puccinia genera are the main causal agents of the various legume rust diseases. They induce up to 100% yield losses on susceptible cultivars and are emerging as a substantial threat to global food security. Developing durable resistance to rust has thus become a critical breeding objective alongside efforts to improve cultural and disease management practices. This review specifically focuses on the recent advances in understanding and enhancing genetic rust resistance across diverse legume crops. Key topics covered include: (i) the diversity and host range of the rust species affecting legumes; (ii) the disease management strategies from cultural practices to chemical control; (iii) the available screening methods for identifying new sources of resistance; (iv) the genetic basis of resistance, encompassing both major resistance genes and quantitative trait loci; (v) insights into gene regulation and effector molecules leading to legume-rust interactions; and (vi) emerging genomic-assisted breeding techniques that can accelerate the development of durable rust resistance in legumes. Overall, this review highlights the progress made to date and the remaining challenges in sustainably managing rust diseases across diverse legume crops through integrated approaches spanning pathogen biology, advanced phenotyping, genetic resistance, and molecular breeding.
Properties of flyash-dolomite powder-mangalore tile waste powder based alkali-activated binder cured in ambient condition
Authors: Kumble Pooja , Prashant Shreelaxmi , H M Jagadisha 
Published: July 2024

AbstractThis research addresses the slower reaction rate of flyash based alkali activated binders by investigating the use of dolomite powder (DP) and Mangalore Tile waste powder (MTWP) to enhance the reaction rate and improve binder properties. The study evaluates the feasibility of combining these materials with flyash to develop effective alkali activated binders. Material characterization was performed to access their suitability as precursors in alkali activation. The proportions of these precursors were varied while maintaining a constant rate of alkali activators such as sodium hydroxide and sodium silicate. Tests for initial and final setting times, flowabilty, pH, electrical conductivity and compressive strength of the binders were conducted. Microanalysis supported the findings by providing detailed insights. Results indicate that the alkali activated FA-DP-MTWP binder exhibited faster setting and hardening with decreased flow ability. The pH of all FDT binder mixes provides necessary alkaline environment for forming stable reaction products like CSH, CASH, NASH and MSH, as identified by SEM, EDS, and XRD studies. This higher level of these activation products also lead to increased electrical conductivity. Optimal precursor utilization was achieved with 5% MTWP and 10% DP in the total binder, beyond which DP and MTWP acted only as fillers. Mechanical, mineralogical, and morphological analyses confirmed the binder's satisfactory performance and cementitious properties, demonstrating its potential value for construction applications. The study concludes that incorporating these materials can effectively enhance the properties of flyash based alkali activated binders.
Graphical abstract
An Experimental Evaluation of Summarisation-Based Frequent Subgraph Mining for Subgraph Searching
Authors: Wangmo Chimi , Wiese Lena 
Published: July 2024

AbstractThe subgraph searching is a fundamental operation for the analysis and exploration of graphs. Nowadays, molecular databases are nearing close to one hundred million molecules. Since finding all the data graphs in a graph database that contain the query graph using subgraph isomorphism is an NP-complete problem, indexes are built and processed. Further, to assist the formulation of the query by a user, the visual exploratory subgraph query paradigm proposes a graphical user interface and leverages exploration time to reduce query processing time. However, state-of-the-art approaches need to scale better to dynamic graph databases and suffer from efficiency problems. In addition, the existing Summarisation-based frequent subgraph mining for visual exploratory subgraph searching (SuMExplorer) is lacking implementation and evaluation study for handling visual subgraph similarity search and modify operations. In this paper, we present a novel index structure, which aids the subgraph searching using the summarised-based weighted frequent subgraph mining on data graphs. By the structure-preserving, we exploit the indexes to support similarity and modify operations. We conduct extensive performance studies on both real-world and synthetic datasets to evaluate the overall performance of the extended SuMExplorer to the recent visual exploratory FERRARI and traditional subgraph search algorithms (such as the gIndex and the GRAPES-DD). Our results showed that our indexes can query up to 3 times faster in comparison to the FERRARI while reducing the storage footprint by 2 orders of magnitude.
Cleaning ECG with Deep Learning: A Denoiser Tested in Industrial Settings
Authors: Dias Mariana , Probst Phillip , Silva Luís , Gamboa Hugo 
Published: July 2024

AbstractAs the popularity of wearables continues to scale, a substantial portion of the population has now access to (self-)monitorization of cardiovascular activity. In particular, the use of ECG wearables is growing in the realm of occupational health assessment, but one common issue that is encountered is the presence of noise which hinders the reliability of the acquired data. In this work, we propose an ECG denoiser based on bidirectional Gated Recurrent Units (biGRU). This model was trained on noisy ECG samples that were created by adding noise from the MIT-BIH Noise Stress Test database to ECG samples from the PTB-XL database. The model was initially trained and tested on data corrupted with the three most common sources of noise: electrode motion artifacts, muscle activation and baseline wander. After training, the model was able to fully reconstruct previously unseen signals, achieving Root-Mean-Square Error values between 0.041 and 0.023. For further testing the model’s robustness, we performed a data collection in an industrial work setting and employed our model to clean the noisy data, acquired from 43 workers using wearable sensors. The trained network proved to be very effective in removing real ECG noise, outperforming the available open-source solutions, while having a much smaller complexity compared to state-of-the-art Deep Learning approaches.
Efficacy of GnRH Pulses in Hypogonadism Secondary to Primary Empty Sella: Case Report
Authors: Ran Chenxi , Peng Guiliang , Shen Rufei , Liao Qian , Liao Mingyu , Wang Qixian , Zhou Ling , Zheng Hongting , Long Min 
Published: July 2024

AbstractThis study aims to assess the effectiveness of pulsed gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) micropump replacement therapy in the treatment of hypogonadotropic hypogonadism (HH) caused by primary empty sella (PES).The efficacy of pulsed GnRH replacement therapy using the micropump was evaluated in a middle-aged male patient with HH who had experienced the loss of his only child. Relevant literature was also consulted to compare the differences between pulse GnRH treatment and conventional treatment in terms of the development of secondary sexual characteristics, sex hormone levels, sperm production rate, and sperm activity rate in male patient with HH.In this report, a 45-year-old male diagnosed with HH and PES presented with fatigue and decreased libido. The main characteristics included decreased follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) levels of 0.03 mIU/mL, luteinizing hormone (LH) levels of 0.02 mIU/mL, and testosterone (T) levels of 0.72 nmol/L. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed an empty sella. Semen analysis showed a small number of normal sperm with reduced motility. During treatment with the micropump pulse GnRH, the patient experienced no side effects and showed improvements in fatigue, reduced libido, sexual urge, anxiety, and feelings of inferiority. LH, FSH, and T levels returned to normal, while sperm activity rate increased to 79.9%. Ultimately, the patient's spouse achieved a natural pregnancy.Pulsed gonadotropin delivery using the micropump demonstrates good efficacy and tolerability, and aligns more closely with the physiological rhythm of GnRH secretion in the human body.