bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Phylogeny, adaptive evolution, and taxonomy of Acronema (Apiaceae): evidence from plastid phylogenomics and morphological data
Authors: Chen Lian , Song Bo-Ni , Yang Lei , Wang Yuan , Wang Yun-Yi , Aou Xueyimu , He Xing-Jin , Zhou Song-Dong 
Published: August 2024

IntroductionThe genus Acronema, belonging to Apiaceae, includes approximately 25 species distributed in the high-altitude Sino-Himalayan region from E Nepal to SW China. This genus is a taxonomically complex genus with often indistinct species boundaries and problematic generic delimitation with Sinocarum and other close genera, largely due to the varied morphological characteristics. MethodsTo explore the phylogenetic relationships and clarify the limits of the genus Acronema and its related genera, we reconstructed a reliable phylogenetic framework with high support and resolution based on two molecular datasets (plastome data and ITS sequences) and performed morphological analyses.ResultsBoth phylogenetic analyses robustly supported that Acronema was a non-monophyletic group that fell into two clades: Acronema Clade and East-Asia Clade. We also newly sequenced and assembled sixteen Acronema complete plastomes and performed comprehensively comparative analyses for this genus. The comparative results showed that the plastome structure, gene number, GC content, codon bias patterns were high similarity, but varied in borders of SC/IR and we identified six different types of SC/IR border. The SC/IR boundaries of Acronema chienii were significantly different from the other Acronema members which was consistent with the type VI pattern in the genus Tongoloa. We also identified twelve potential DNA barcode regions (ccsA, matK, ndhF, ndhG, psaI, psbI, rpl32, rps15, ycf1, ycf3, psaI-ycf4 and psbM-trnD) for species identification in Acronema. The molecular evolution of Acronema was relatively conservative that only one gene (petG) was found to be under positive selection (ω = 1.02489).DiscussionThe gene petG is one of the genes involved in the transmission of photosynthetic electron chains during photosynthesis, which plays a crucial role in the process of photosynthesis in plants. This is also a manifestation of the adaptive evolution of plants in high-altitude areas to the environment. In conclusion, our study provides novel insights into the plastome adaptive evolution, phylogeny, and taxonomy of genus Acronema.
Histological and transcriptomic insights into the interaction between grapevine and Colletotrichum viniferum
Authors: Dou Mengru , Li Yuhang , Hao Yu , Zhang Kangzhuang , Yin Xiao , Feng Zinuo , Xu Xi , Zhang Qi , Bao Wenwu , Chen Xi , Liu Guotian , Wang Yuejin , Tian Ling , Xu Yan 
Published: August 2024

IntroductionGrape is of high economic value. Colletotrichum viniferum, a pathogen causing grape ripe rot and leaf spot, threatens grape production and quality.MethodsThis study investigates the interplay between C. viniferum by Cytological study and transcriptome sequencing.ResultsDifferent grapevine germplasms, V. vinifera cv. Thompson Seedless (TS), V. labrusca accession Beaumont (B) and V. piasezkii Liuba-8 (LB-8) were classified as highly sensitive, moderate resistant and resistant to C. viniferum, respectively. Cytological study analysis reveals distinct differences between susceptible and resistant grapes post-inoculation, including faster pathogen development, longer germination tubes, normal appressoria of C. viniferum and absence of white secretions in the susceptible host grapevine. To understand the pathogenic mechanisms of C. viniferum, transcriptome sequencing was performed on the susceptible grapevine “TS” identifying 236 differentially expressed C. viniferum genes. These included 56 effectors, 36 carbohydrate genes, 5 P450 genes, and 10 genes involved in secondary metabolism. Fungal effectors are known as pivotal pathogenic factors that modulate plant immunity and affect disease development. Agrobacterium-mediated transient transformation in Nicotiana benthamiana screened 10 effectors (CvA13877, CvA01508, CvA05621, CvA00229, CvA07043, CvA05569, CvA12648, CvA02698, CvA14071 and CvA10999) that inhibited INF1 (infestans 1, P. infestans PAMP elicitor) induced cell death and 2 effectors (CvA02641 and CvA11478) that induced cell death. Additionally, transcriptome analysis of “TS” in response to C. viniferum identified differentially expressed grape genes related to plant hormone signaling (TGA, PR1, ETR, and ERF1/2), resveratrol biosynthesis genes (STS), phenylpropanoid biosynthesis genes (PAL and COMT), photosynthetic antenna proteins (Lhca and Lhcb), transcription factors (WRKY, NAC, MYB, ERF, GATA, bHLH and SBP), ROS (reactive oxygen species) clearance genes (CAT, GSH, POD and SOD), and disease-related genes (LRR, RPS2 and GST).DiscussionThis study highlights the potential functional diversity of C. viniferum effectors. Our findings lay a foundation for further research of infection mechanisms in Colletotrichum and identification of disease response targets in grape.
Student motivation to study music and sport – a comparison between study subjects and study programs on intrinsic and extrinsic motivational aspects
Authors: Immerz Anna , Nusseck Manfred , Hohagen Jesper , Spahn Claudia 
Published: August 2024

InstructionIn both subjects, music and sport, the engagement with the subject content – learning an instrument or training in a sports club – usually begins in early childhood. This makes these subjects special and similar. It is therefore of interest to examine the motivation for choosing music and sport as subjects for university study.MethodsIn the present investigation, 151 students at the beginning of their university studies were examined. Among these were 110 music university students in the Bachelor of Music (B.Mus.) and music teacher education program, and 41 sport university students in the Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) and sport teacher education program. The study contained a custom-made questionnaire on sociodemographic data, questions on study choice alternatives and biographical musical or sporting background, as well as two standardized questionnaires on motivation for enrollment (STUWA) and on aspects that are important for the profession.ResultsMusic and sport students were at a rather high and similar level of intrinsic motivation to study their subjects. However, materialistic goals motivated the teacher education students more than the bachelor’s students with an artistic program. The difference between the study programs was also found in the context of extrinsic-social motivation, where the teacher training students answered with higher scores. With regard to socially-induced motivation, it was shown that music students and sport teacher education students were more socially induced to study the respective subject compared to the general student population. With regard to uncertainty when choosing a course, it was found that Bachelor of Music students were more certain that they wanted to study exactly their particular subject. The ages at which music and sport were started in childhood were similar, but the first-year music students were younger than the sport students were. Compared to sports students, music students decided their area of study earlier, and bachelor’s students in music in particular had fewer alternative study options than sports students.DiscussionThe results provide a differentiated picture of student motivation to study and thus allow a deeper insight into the subject cultures of music and sport. They also open up opportunities for follow-up studies in comparison with other study subjects and programs.
Explicit and indirect, latency-based measure of aggression in striking combat sports
Authors: Predoiu Radu , Piotrowski Andrzej , Stan Elena Amelia , Ciolacu Mihai Valentin , Bitang Andrei , Croitoru Doina , Cosma Germina 
Published: August 2024

IntroductionAggression in sports is often perceived as a necessary trait for success, especially in martial arts. Aggression can be assessed both explicitly and implicitly, taking into account the dual processing model. The purpose of the research was to examine explicit and indirect, latency-based measure of aggression in competitive athletes practicing striking combat sports, according to gender and sports performance. At the same time, we verified whether aggression (implicit/unconscious and explicit) predicts sports performance in martial artists.Materials and methodsA total of 85 athletes practicing striking combat sports took part in the research. For implicit, latency-based measure of aggression, an Implicit Associations Test (IAT) was used, while explicit aggression was assessed with the Romanian adaptation of the Makarowski’s Aggression Questionnaire for martial arts athletes.ResultsData analysis revealed (using multivariate analysis of variance) that athletes from striking combat sports having international sports performances registered significantly higher D-scores (IAT, p = 0.014) and lower values for Go-ahead factor (p = 0.006), compared to athletes without outstanding results. Goodman and Kruskal tau association test was used to check the existing associations between athletes’ gender and martial arts athletes’ level of explicit and implicit aggression. In addition, binomial logistic regression procedures were performed, predicting martial artists’ likelihood to obtain higher sports results, based on explicit and indirect aggression.ConclusionA stronger association between Aggression and Others (at implicit/unconscious level) and a moderate level (generally) for Go-ahead factor of explicit aggression are associated with an increased likelihood of sports performances in athletes. In addition, male martial arts athletes are more persistent despite obstacles, remaining more on the offensive (no gender-related association were found in terms of indirect/unconscious aggression, and for Foul Play and Assertiveness factors of explicit aggression). The study underlines the importance of addressing athletes’ subconscious level to promote more constructive behaviors in competitions.
Analysis of risk factors for hospital-acquired pneumonia in schizophrenia
Authors: Chen Yu-hang , Ren Cong-ying , Liao Yu 
Published: August 2024

BackgroundHospital-acquired pneumonia is one of the most important causes of recurrent illness, disease progression, and even death during hospitalization. Patients with schizophrenia have the special characteristics of their disease, and at the same time, the occurrence of hospital-acquired pneumonia is more common among patients with schizophrenia due to the prolonged stay in closed wards, accompanied by various factors such as age, gender, and nutritional status.MethodsThe PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), and China Biomedical Literature Database (CBM) databases were searched with a timeframe of build to February 2024 to collect studies on factors influencing hospital-acquired pneumonia in patients with schizophrenia. Two researchers independently screened the literature, extracted data, and analyzed them.ResultsA total of 5 papers including 85246 patients were included in the literature, which suggested that benzodiazepines (especially the use of clozapine), combination of antipsychotics, mood stabilizers, modified electroconvulsive therapy (MECT), duration of hospitalization, underlying diseases, hyperglycemia, and salivation/dysphagia were important risk factors for hospital-acquired pneumonia in schizophrenia patients, and that advanced age, smoking and alcohol drinking Older age, smoking and drinking habits, malnutrition, and underlying diseases are also risk factors for hospital-acquired pneumonia.ConclusionsPatients with schizophrenia are at a higher risk of developing hospital-acquired pneumonia, so identifying the risk factors associated with hospital-acquired pneumonia and evaluating them comprehensively and promptly during hospitalization facilitates the development of early interventions, which are essential for improving the prognosis of patients with schizophrenia.
Assessing a measure for Quality of Life in patients with severe Alopecia Areata: a multicentric Italian study
Authors: Caldarola Giacomo , Raimondi Giulia , Samela Tonia , Pinto Lorenzo , Pampaloni Francesca , Starace Michela Valeria Rita , Diluvio Laura , Dall'Oglio Federica , Vagnozzi Emanuele , de Felici del Giudice Maria Beatrice , Balestri Riccardo , Ambrogio Francesca , Girolomoni Giampiero , Riva Silvia Francesca , Moro Francesco , Atzori Laura , Gallo Giuseppe , Ribero Simone , Simonetti Oriana , Barruscotti Stefania , Boccaletti Valeria , Marzano Angelo Valerio , Bianchi Luca , Micali Giuseppe , Piraccini Bianca Maria , Fargnoli Maria Concetta , Abeni Damiano , Peris Ketty 
Published: August 2024

ObjectiveThe prevalence of anxiety and depression in patients diagnosed with Alopecia Areata (AA) is very high and this significant burden of psychological symptoms threatens the Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQoL) of affected patients. Indeed, AA often does not produce significant physical symptoms, but it nonetheless disrupts many areas of mental health. Clinical assessment of disease severity may not reliably predict patient's HRQoL, nor may it predict the patient's perception of illness. For this reason, considerable effort has been made to apply and develop measures that consider patient's perception and assess the HRQoL of individuals affected by AA. The aim of this multicentric study was to provide the Italian version of the Skindex-16AA and to evaluate its psychometric properties in a clinical sample of consecutive patients with moderate-to-severe AA.MethodsThis is a longitudinal, multicenter, observational study. Patients returned for follow-up visits at 4-, 12-, and 24-weeks. The analyses of the current work aimed to confirm the factorial structure of the Skindex-16AA. In the case of non-fit, an alternative structure for the model was proposed, using an Exploratory Graph Analysis and the Bayesian approach.ResultsThe sample was composed of 106 patients with AA. Alopecia Universalis was the most frequently diagnosed type of alopecia at all time points. The analyses on the Skindex-16AA revealed that a two-factor structure with eight items fit the data best (Bayesian Posterior Predictive Checking using 95% Confidence Interval for the Difference Between the Observed and the Replicated Chi-Square values = −6.246/56.395, Posterior Predictive P-value = 0.06), and reported satisfactory psychometric properties (i.e., internal consistency and convergent validity).ConclusionThe Skindex-8AA demonstrated optimal psychometric properties (i.e., convergent and construct validity, and test-retest reliability) measured in a sample of patients with AA, that may suggest that it is an appropriate tool to measure the HRQoL in AA patients. However, further studies are needed in order to confirm and tested other psychometric features of this tool.
Spatial effects of township health centers’ health resource allocation efficiency in China
Authors: Meng Nannan , Shen Keyi , Zheng Xinyue , Li Chengcheng , Lin Xinhao , Pei Tong , Wu Dan , Meng Xuehui 
Published: August 2024

IntroductionChina is a large agricultural nation with the majority of the population residing in rural areas. The allocation of health resources in rural areas significantly affects the basic rights to life and health for rural residents. Despite the progress made by the Chinese government in improving rural healthcare, there is still room for improvement. This study aims to assess the spatial spillover effects of rural health resource allocation efficiency in China, particularly focusing on township health centers (THCs), and examine the factors influencing this efficiency to provide recommendations to optimize the allocation of health resources in rural China.MethodsThis study analyzed health resource allocation efficiency in Chinese rural areas from 2012 to 2021 by using the super-efficiency SBM model and the global Malmquist model. Additionally, the spatial auto-correlation of THC health resource allocation efficiency was verified through Moran test, and three spatial econometric models were constructed to further analyze the factors influencing efficiency.ResultsThe key findings are: firstly, the average efficiency of health resource allocation in THCs was 0.676, suggesting a generally inefficient allocation of health resources over the decade. Secondly, the average Malmquist productivity index of THCs was 0.968, indicating a downward trend in efficiency with both non-scale and non-technical efficient features. Thirdly, Moran’s Index analysis revealed that efficiency has a significant spatial auto-correlation and most provinces’ values are located in the spatial agglomeration quadrant. Fourthly, the SDM model identified several factors that impact THC health resource allocation efficiency to varying degrees, including the efficiency of total health resource allocation, population density, PGDP, urban unemployment rate, per capita disposable income, per capita healthcare expenditure ratio, public health budget, and passenger traffic volume.DiscussionTo enhance the efficiency of THC healthcare resource allocation in China, the government should not only manage the investment of health resources to align with the actual demand for health services but also make use of the spatial spillover effect of efficiency. This involves focusing on factors such as total healthcare resource allocation efficiency, population density, etc. to effectively enhance the efficiency of health resource allocation and ensure the health of rural residents.
Comparison of secular trends of leukemia in China and the United States from 1990 to 2021 and their projections for the next 15 years
Authors: Ge Xinyi , Zhang Lifei , Zhang Qiaolei , Feng Jianhua , Yang Linlin , Tong Yuxin , Zheng Shan , Tan Yamin 
Published: August 2024

BackgroundLeukemia imposes a large healthcare burden both in China and the United States (US). The disease burden differs greatly between the two countries, but related research is limited. We explored the differences in leukemia incidence and mortality between China and the US.MethodsData on leukemia in China and the US from 1990 to 2021 were collected from the Global Burden of Disease 2021 database. Incidence and mortality were used to estimate the disease burden, and joinpoint regression was performed to compare their secular trends. We used an age-period-cohort model to analyze the effects of age, period, and birth cohort and project future trends in the next 15 years.ResultsIn 2021, the age-standardized incidence rate (ASIR) and the age-standardized death rate (ASDR) of leukemia were lower in China than in the US. However, the incidence and mortality of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) was considerably higher in China. In the past decades, the ASIR showed decreased tendency in the US, while ASIR showed stable in China. The ASDR tended to decrease in both countries from 1990 to 2021. Males have higher rates of incidence and mortality than females in two countries. The age effects showed that children and older individuals have higher RRs for incidence and mortality in China, while the RRs for incidence and mortality in the US particularly increased in the older population. The disease burden of leukemia in children is obviously greater in China. The ASIRs and ASDRs of leukemia will continue to decline in the next 15 years in China and the US, with the US experiencing a more obvious downtrend.ConclusionsOver the past decades, the ASDRs in two countries both tended to decrease. And compared to the US, China had lower leukemia incidence and mortality, However, the ASIRs in China tended toward stable, which it was showed downtrend in the US. Children have obviously greater RRs for incidence and mortality in China. The incidence and mortality will decrease continuously in two countries. Effective intervention measures are needed to reduce the burden of leukemia.
Socially assistive walker for daily living assistance in older adults
Authors: Sierra M. Sergio D. , Harris Nigel , Múnera Marcela , Cifuentes Carlos A. 
Published: August 2024

IntroductionThis paper addresses the growing healthcare needs of an ageing population and the lack of advanced technologies with social capabilities that are cost effective, user friendly, and readily adopted. In response to this motivation, a socially assistive walker is designed to provide physical and cognitive support in activities of daily living for older adults.MethodsPhysical and cognitive support is provided by walker’s structure, sensors, and feedback interfaces to assist users daily living activities, as well as, in navigating environment safely and efficiently. The walker’s design arises from semi-structured interviews conducted with ageing experts, leading to the development of two levels or modes of social interaction, namely low and high interaction.Results and discussionIn a cohort of 14 adults, the study found the device easy to use regardless of the interaction mode, with 78.5% expressing a preference for the version featuring embodiment, verbal feedback, and more proactive cues (p< 0.05). The results also prompted ideas and suggestions for new designs based on insights gleaned from the user. This research contributes to the field of socially assistive robotics by offering an example of a user centred approach to address the healthcare challenges an ageing population poses.
Examining technical efficiency, prospects, and policies of farmers: data from a developing nation’s pineapple production
Authors: Datta Tumpa , Saha Jiban Krishna , Rahman Mohammad Ataur , Adnan K. M. Mehedi , Akter Khadija , Chowdhury Abhijit , Alamgir Md. Shah 
Published: August 2024

IntroductionThe unique characteristics of pineapples as a perennial plant, which guarantee their quick proliferation and adoption in both the tropics and subtropics, readily justify their economic significance. Although pineapple is a popular tropical fruit among Bangladeshi citizens, they continue to produce fewer pineapples than other international producers with limited export offerings. Hence, the study aimed to estimate the technological efficiency, prospects, and policies of pineapple growers in the northeastern district of Bangladesh.MethodsOne hundred respondent growers were surveyed directly to gather cross-sectional data using a multistage sampling technique. The technical efficiency scores of individual farms were calculated using the stochastic frontier model with the technical inefficiency model for identifying factors responsible for inefficiency.ResultsThe technical efficiency scores range from about two-thirds to the absolute efficiency level, with a mean technical efficiency above the ninety percent level. The technical inefficiency effect model interpreted that farmers’ age and education had a significant positive impact, whereas credit, training, and family size had a significant negative impact on inefficiency.DiscussionFindings indicated that sampled farmers may use inputs more efficiently and raise their yield by nearly one-twentieth. Therefore, the study suggests that the government should concentrate on strategies to attract young growers, as they are more capable of managing resources effectively and willing to accept technological breakthroughs. The study’s conclusions have significant policy ramifications specifically in the areas of finance, education and skills, and rural development that the Government should consider to increase farmer’s productivity and overcome various challenges while upholding national interests and ensuring the farming sector’s continued prosperity. To commercialize pineapple production and establish Bangladesh as a prominent production zone, more research and development are needed.