bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Body mass index and stroke incidence at age 40 years in the Chinese population: an observational study
Authors: Bai Xinping , Cai Zhuo , Li Zifeng , Yao Mingren , Tan Xiaoxi , Chen Lin , Wang Youmeng 
Published: April 2024

Abstract
Objectives: To identify the interaction of stroke-related lifestyle behaviors and clinical indicators, overweight/obesity in stroke risk.
Methods This study was a large population-based study using multistage stratified random cluster sampling to investigate 3835 permanent residents aged over 40 in Fuyang, Anhui Province from June to November 2021. Baseline information was collected for all subjects. Non-parametric test and Chi-square test analysis were used to examine the relationship between these indicators and stroke, and then the interaction between BMI and stroke and the optimal cut-off value of BMI was determined by constructing multi-model multiple logistic regression.
Results Among 3835 subjects, 2379 (62.03%) were female. The overall prevalence of stroke patients in the study population was 3.10%, and the proportion of obese/overweight patients was 57.50%, with statistical significance between the two groups (χ2=-2.629, p < 0.05). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that age (OR = 0.968, p = 0.000), dyslipidemia (OR = 0.653, p = 0.043), hypertension (OR = 0.381, p = 0.000) and BMI were independent risk factors for stroke. The three models showed a positive correlation between BMI and stroke. BMI=24.38 was the best cutoff for stroke occurrence, and the area under the ROC curve was 0.768 (95% CI: 0.713 to 0.824). The sensitivity was 85.3.0% and the specificity was 52.1%.
Conclusion Obesity is an independent risk factor for ischemic stroke. When BMI≥24kg/m2, BMI and other risk factors work together to increase the risk of stroke. Epidemiological studies of stroke and its risk factors can help develop strategies to prevent stroke.
Speeding up Photoacoustic Imaging using Diffusion Models
Authors: Loç İrem , Ünlü Mehmet Burçin 
Published: April 2024

Abstract

Photoacoustic Microscopy (PAM) integrates optical and acoustic imaging, offering enhanced penetration depth for detecting optical-absorbing components in tissues. Nonetheless, challenges arise in scanning large areas with high spatial resolution. With speed limitations imposed by laser pulse repetition rates, the potential role of computational methods is highlighted in accelerating PAM imaging. We propose a novel and highly adaptable algorithm named DiffPam that utilizes diffusion models to speed up the photoacoustic imaging process. We leveraged a diffusion model trained exclusively on natural images, comparing its performance with an in-domain trained U-Net model using a dataset focused on PAM images of mice brain microvasculature. Our findings indicate that DiffPam performs similarly to a dedicated U-Net model without needing a large dataset or training a deep learning model. We demonstrate that scanning can be performed 5x faster with limited information loss. We achieved a 24.70% increase in peak signal-to-noise ratio and a 27.54% increase in structural similarity index compared to the baseline bilinear interpolation method. The study also introduces the efficacy of shortened diffusion processes for reducing computing time without compromising accuracy. This study underscores the significance of DiffPam as a practical algorithm for reconstructing undersampled PAM images, particularly for researchers with limited artificial intelligence expertise and computational resources.
Device modeling of high performance and eco-friendly FAMASnI3 based perovskite solar cell
Authors: Alipour Alireza , Alipour Hossein 
Published: April 2024

Abstract

The development of environmentally friendly and highly efficient inverted perovskite solar cells (PSCs) poses a formidable challenge. The potential toxicity of absorbers and the pressing need to effectively passivate interlayers in hybrid organic-inorganic photovoltaics (PV) present major obstacles. To surmount these formidable challenges, we resorted to the SCAPS-1D and SILVACO ATLAS-2D device simulators to leverage theoretical design strategies that engender hysteresis-reduced, efficient, and stable PSCs that are grounded in composition and interface engineering. Further, we carried out optoelectronic characterization measurements to glean a better understanding of the physical mechanisms that govern the operation of the device. The device utilizes mixed-cation perovskites FAMASnI3 as the absorber layer and employs zinc oxide (ZnO) and phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester (PC61BM) as a double electron transport layer (HTL). A double-hole transport layer (ETL) consists of nickel oxide (NiO) and copper iodide (CuI), ensuring a trap-free junction for hole collection and good contact. This inverted PSC structure, combined with the mentioned layers, achieved high power conversion efficiencies (PCEs) of 24.27% and 23.50% in 1D and 2D simulations, respectively. This study effectively illustrates that composition and interface engineering enable eco-friendly perovskite solar cells, leading to improved performance and advancing clean energy.
QACDes: QoS-Aware Context-sensitive Design of Cyber-Physical Systems
Authors: Sidhanta Subhajit , Chokwitthaya Chanachok , Zhu Yimin , Mukhopadhyay Supratik 
Published: April 2024

Abstract

There is a lot of confusion and ambiguity regarding the quantification of the Quality of Service (QoS) * of a system, especially for cyber-physical systems (CPS) involved in automating or controlling the operations in built environments and critical urban infrastructures, such as office buildings, factories, transportation systems, smart cities, etc. In these cases, the QoS, as experienced by human users, depends on the context in which they (i.e., humans) interact with these systems. Traditionally, the QoS of a CPS has been defined in terms of absolute metrics. Such measures are unable to take into account the variations in performance due to contextual factors arising out of different kinds of human interactions. Further, the QoS of a CPS has typically been evaluated by comparing the performance of the actual, fully realized system with the given QoS constraints only after the actual system has been completely developed. In the case of faults in the design exposed by observed deviations from the QoS constraints due to unpredicted variations in the contextual factors, the system needs to be redesigned and redeveloped from scratch. Due to the above-mentioned reason, the validation approach associated with the traditional QoS makes the design of CPS systems prohibitively expensive, impractical, as well as infeasible in numerous application areas, such as civil and engineering works, since it may not be possible to modify the system once developed beyond a certain extent. To that end, we propose a context-aware definition of QoS of a CPS which facilitates the design of robust systems as elaborated below. In this paper, we define QoS as a function of contextual factors. A CPS designed according to our QoS specifications would always satisfy the QoS irrespective of any possible changes in contextual factors resulting from many different human interactions that may occur during operation of the system. We also present QACDes-a novel framework that provides a formal mechanism for validating the design of a CPS with respect to the specified QoS constraints at the design phase as well as after the realization of the actual system. QACDes can validate any given CPS, irrespective of its application domain, against a QoS guarantee: A) as early as even before the design phase by comparing the proposed model with a baseline model, or B) after the realization of the actual system based on logs collected from running the actual system. Using the automated lighting control system in a building † as a use case, we analyze and demonstrate the effectiveness of our QoS definition as well as the QACDes framework against the performance metric measured in an actual fully-realized CPS.
Surgical stress response and long-term survival in robot-assisted versus laparoscopic surgery for colon cancer: a propensity matched nationwide cohort study
Authors: Cuk Pedja , Rosen Andreas Weinberger , Mashkoor Maliha , Ellebaek Mark Bremholm , Gögenur Ismail 
Published: April 2024

Abstract

Purpose
This study investigates the potential correlation between the surgical stress response and long-term survival in patients undergoing treatment for colon cancer using either RAS (robot-assisted surgery) or LAS (laparoscopic surgery), and whether this correlation is influenced by the surgical approach. The primary objective was to assess the association between postoperative CRP response and recurrence-free survival in RAS compared to LAS. Secondary endpoints included all-cause mortality and time-to-recurrence.
Methods
This Danish nationwide cohort study included patients diagnosed with UICC stage I-III colon cancer who underwent either RAS or LAS between 2010 and 2018. We employed the Cox proportional regression model to analyze the time-to-event outcomes for both primary and secondary endpoints in patients exhibiting either a low postoperative CRP response (< 80 mg/L) or a high CRP response (CRP ≥ 80 mg/L).
Results
A total of 3,484 patients were included in the study, with 490 (14.1%) undergoing RAS and 2,994 (85.9%) undergoing LAS. The median follow-up time was 32.5 months (IQR = 21.0-48.7) for the RAS group and 35.4 months (IQR = 22.8-50.9) for the LAS group. In the RAS group, a lower CRP response (CRP < 80 mg/L) was not associated with improved recurrence-free survival (HR = 0.78, 95% CI [0.53-1.13], p = 0.184), all-cause mortality (HR = 0.76, 95% CI [0.46-1.26], p = 0.282), or time-to-recurrence (HR = 0.64, 95% CI [0.49-1.06], p = 0.079).
Conclusion
The postoperative CRP response was not significantly associated with improved long-term survival outcomes in patients undergoing RAS or LAS for UICC stage I-III colon cancer.
Description of Neorhizobium ytuae sp. nov., a non-symbiotic bacterium isolated from the deep-sea cold seep sediment of South China Sea
Authors: Zhang Binzhe , Zhou Dandan , Qiu Yulie , Li Xuepeng , Gao Yan , Zhang Jian 
Published: April 2024

Abstract

In this study, we reported a Gram-stain-negative, rod-shaped, flagellated, and aerobic bacterial strain named CSC1952T, which was isolated from the deep-sea cold seep sediment of South China Sea. Growth of strain CSC1952T occurred at 10–40°C (optimum, 30°C), pH 5.0–11.0 (optimum, 6.0–7.0) and with 0–5.0% (w/v) NaCl (optimum, 0–1.0%). Phylogenetic tree analysis based on 16S rRNA gene or genomic sequence indicated that strain CSC1952T belonged to the genus Neorhizobium and was closely related to Neorhizobium petrolearium SL-1T (97.35% sequence similarity), and Rhizobium deserti SPY-1T (97.28%). Genomic analysis indicated that strain CSC1952T contains a circular chromosome of 4,909,874 bp with G + C content of 62.8%. The polar lipids of CSC1952T include phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylcholine, unidentified aminolipid, phosphatidylmethylethanolamine; diphosphatidylglycerol; unidentified glycolipid; unidentified phospholipids. The major fatty acids of strain CSC1952T contained C16:0, C19:0 cyclo ω 8c, summed feature 2 and 8. In addition, none of the symbiotic and nitrogen-fixing genes were detected in the in the genomic of strain CSC1952T, indicating strain CSC1952T is a non-symbiotic bacterium. Phylogenetic, physiological, biochemical and morphological analyses suggested that strain CSC1952T represents a novel genus and a novel species of the genus Neorhizobium, and the name Neorhizobium ytuae sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is CSC1952T (= MCCC 1K08370T = LMG 33224T).
The GenBank accession number of complete genome sequence of strain CSC1952T is CP128416
The 16S rRNA gene GenBank accession number of the strain CSC1952T is OP441406.
Effects of gender differences and lifestyle factors on depression among Chinese children and adolescents
Authors: Liu Rong , LYU Qian , Liu Xinyue , Zou Yaru , Liu Jiaxiu , Yu Yanjie , Zhou Xinyu 
Published: April 2024

Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to investigate the variations in the prevalence of depressive symptoms among Chinese children and adolescents with different lifestyles, including Internet use, breakfast, exercise, sleep and homework, and to further explore the impact of gender on the relationship between lifestyles and depressive symptoms.
Methods
The cross-sectional study recruited school-based students (8–18 years) throughout Chongqing, China. The Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale for Children (CES-DC) was utilized to assess depressive symptoms. Binary logistic regression was employed to identify the factors significantly contributing to the prevalence of depressive symptoms. The Analyses were stratified by gender.
Results
A total of 22,373 children and adolescents were recruited from February 2019 to December 2019, comprising 11,141 boys (49.80%) and 11,232 girls (50.20%). Among them, 2922 (13.06%) participants reported experiencing depressive symptoms, with a prevalence rate of 10.56% for boys and 15.54% for girls. The binary logistic regression analysis revealed that spending more than 2 hours on the Internet, skipping breakfast, and spending more than 1.5 hours on homework were risk factors for depressive symptoms. Conversely, exercising for 3 to 5 hours and sleeping for 6 to 10 hours were protective factors of depressive symptoms. Notably, Internet use and exercise were gender-related predictors of depressive symptoms and were only significant in girls.
Conclusions
The insights gained from this study may assist in raising awareness among families and schools about the need to focus on the lifestyles of children and adolescents, particularly these gender-related lifestyle factors, when implementing preventive measures for depression.
A blending of construction and demolition and agricultural wastes for efficient circularity: A sustainable approach for ceramic tile coarse aggregates and rice husk ash in M20 concrete
Authors: Gowrinathan S. , Yatawara M. 
Published: April 2024

Abstract

The present study evaluates a sustainable approach of blending ceramic tile coarse aggregates (CTCA) and rice husk ash (RHA) to produce M20 concrete. In the first step, CTCA was used to replace natural gravel stones by weight with the percentage replacements of 0% (C00 and control), 10% (C10), 20% (C20), 25% (C25) and 30% (C30) in M20 concrete. The best CTCA replacement result was used as the control for the second step. In the second step, ordinary Portland cement (OPC) was replaced by RHA in the range of 0% (C00R = C20 = control), 5% (C05R), 10% (C10R), 15% (C15R) and 20% (C20R). The replacements in each step were done at a constant water/cement ratio of 0.64 and without a plasticizer. The workability of fresh concrete, compressive strength at 7, 14 and 28 days, bulk density and water absorption were tested for each step. When blending CTCA in concrete, 20% CTCA replacement showed the maximum compressive strength of 22.43 ± 0.01 MPa on the 28th day. An increased compressive strength of 23.30 ± 0.02 MPa and relatively low water absorption (3.13%) resulted when blending C20 and C05R. This was a 9.9% increase of strength when compared with M20 concrete. The bulk density of concrete increased gradually as curing age increased, while showing an inverse relationship with RHA. The study recommends the replacement of 20% natural gravel stones and 5% OPC with CTCA and RHA, respectively, in M20 concrete for efficient circularity.
Robust Control with Optimal Integral Sliding Mode Controller for the Uncertain Flexible Joint Robot
Authors: Ali Irfan , Hassan Mohsan , Bano Zarqa 
Published: April 2024

Abstract

This study introduces a novel robust optimal control design for a flexible joint robot manipulator. The proposed control design combines robust optimal control (ROC) and robust optimal integral sliding mode control (ROISMC), transforming the robust control problem into an optimal control problem for both matched and mismatched unknown functions, as demonstrated through the Lyapunov function. The validity of both schemes is established through comparison with the desired results of flexible joint angle and rotor joint angle and velocity. It is found that their results are accurately alignment with the desired trajectory, even in the presence of mismatched functions.
Effects of photo-biomodulation on Gut Microbiota: A Meta-analysis Based on 16S rRNA Sequencing Data
Authors: Chen Letian , Wang Shijing , Lu Yueying , Cui Jingjing , Fu Yuming , Liu Hong 
Published: April 2024

Abstract

Photo-biomodulation (PBM) can affect the gut microbiome, which may be one of the important mechanisms by which such therapy exerts its effects. However, with the burgeoning interest in the gut microbiome, differences in research methods and conditions among independent studies make it a challenge to fully understand the impact of the gut microbiome on the health of organisms. Therefore, we conducted a meta-analysis of 16S rRNA gene datasets generated by 8 published studies about the effects of PBM on the gut microbiome to investigate how the gut microbiome is altered across wave bands (infrared [IR], ultraviolet [UV] and visible light [VIS]), species (human, rat and mouse), and physique (healthy and unhealthy). Our results show that PBM can significantly affect the community diversity, species composition, and overall expression of metabolic pathways of the gut microbiome. VIS and UV can enrich key probiotics, such as Akkermansia muciniphila, in the gut microbiome while IR leads to a decrease of probiotics and an increase in harmful bacteria. In summary, we systematically analyzed the changes in the gut microbiome under different light conditions, providing a theoretical basis for the clinical application of PBM to regulate human health.
Ultrasound pretreatment of oat and barley bran contributes to the β-glucans content and technological properties of flatbread with or without sourdough
Authors: Grgić Tomislava , Bleha Roman , Smrčková Petra , Synytsya Andriy , Voučko Bojana , Mustač Nikolina Čukelj , Sluková Marcela , Novotni Dubravka 
Published: April 2024

Abstract
Sourdough fermentation of bran can overcome the technological problems encountered in bread making but favors the activity of endogenous β-glucanase leading to a degradation of β-glucans. This study investigated the effects of high-intensity ultrasound (US) pretreatment of oat (OB) and barley (BB) bran on its β-glucans content, properties, and preservation in processing, as well as the on the acidification kinetics of bran sourdough fermentation and on its application in flatbread. To reduce β-glucanase activity, OB and BB (15 % water suspensions) were US-pretreated prior to sourdough fermentation. The acidification kinetics, the microbial viable cell count, and the total titratable acidity (TTA) of the sourdough were determined. The total β-glucans content of bran, sourdough, and bread, as well as water solubility and the molecular weight (Mw) of control and US-pretreated bran were investigated. The physical properties of control wheat and composite flatbreads were compared. The US-pretreatment increased the acidification rate (30%) and TTA (51%) of OB sourdough, however decreased the acidification rate of BB (18%). After the US-pretreatment of OB and BB, the total (11.5-12.3 %) and water-soluble β-glucans (31-40 %) increased while their Mw decreased (7-21.7 %). In sourdough and flatbread prepared with US-pretreated OB/BB, 93-95 % and 90-98 % of β-glucans were retained, respectively, compared to 64-72 % and 82-92 % in control samples. The US-pretreatment and/or sourdough fermentation of OB and BB resulted in flatbreads of higher specific volume (8-22 %) and cohesiveness (11-20%) while reduced hardness (40-55 %) and chewiness (51-73 %) compared to their control bread.
Parenting Styles and Psychological Effects on Children with Alopecia Areata: Exploring Family Dynamics, Anxiety, and Depression
Authors: Kilimci Özge Selçukoğlu , Yücesoy Sera Nur , Turan Şenol , Uzunçakmak Tuğba Kevser , Kara Beril , Serdengeçti Nihal , Tarakçıoğlu Mahmut Cem , Serdaroğlu Server 
Published: April 2024

Abstract
Objective
Alopecia areata (AA) is an autoimmune disease that develops due to inflammation and causes sudden hair loss. It has been observed that family circumstances may contribute to the development of AA. This study aims to assess the relationship between the development of alopecia areata in children, family functions, and depression and anxiety levels in their parents.
Methods
Thirty-nine participants diagnosed with AA and 41 healthy controls (HC), aged between 8 and 18 years, and their parents participated in the study. The assessment of the children included the completion of a socio-demographic data form, the Parenting Style Scale (PSS), and the Revised Children's Anxiety and Depression Scale (RCADS). The parents provided information on a sociodemographic form, the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), and the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI).
Results
The children in the control group scored significantly higher on the PSS acceptance/ involvement subscale than those with AA. In the AA group, the number of authoritative and indulgent (PSS) families was statistically significantly lower than that of the families in the HC, and the number of neglectful families was statistically significantly higher than those of the control group. Total anxiety and depression t scores (RCADS) were statistically significantly higher in the AA children than in the HC.
Conclusion
Our study demonstrates the importance of considering familial factors and parental mental health to understand and address alopecia areata in children. Our findings support the psychosomatic component of AA. Implementing comprehensive treatment strategies that target psychological well-being and family dynamics could prove crucial.
Microhabitat segregation, foraging behavior, and elevation enable coexistence of new world warblers (Aves: Parulidae) in agroforestry systems
Authors: Yepes-Arcila Natalia A. , Z. Gabriel J. Colorado 
Published: April 2024

Abstract
The way in which closely related species segregate by habitat, and the mechanisms that allow their coexistence, are of interest in community ecology. When ranges of several species overlap (i.e., they are sympatric), those that use the same food resources should differ in other niche dimensions due to niche complementarity or resource partitioning. In bird communities, this primarily occurs through differences in foraging behavior, diet specialization or composition, and habitat use. In this paper, we evaluated how six species of new world warblers (Canada Warbler Cardellina canadensis, Tennessee Warbler Leiothlypis peregrina, Bay-breasted Warbler Setophaga castanea, Cerulean Warbler Setophaga cerulea, Blackburnian Warbler Setophaga fusca, and Tropical Parula Setophaga pitiayumi) segregate their ecological niches across an elevational gradient of agroforestry systems in the Western Andes of Colombia. We found evidence of microhabitat (vertical forest stratum use, foraging height and substrate) and elevational segregation for the six warbler species, suggesting patterns of multidimensional niche partitioning. High levels of niche overlap among microhabitat variables could indicate that interspecific interactions are key for structuring this co-occurring parulid community. In particular, the warblers exhibited a clear distributional pattern across the elevational gradient. Our analysis of multiple niche dimensions (i.e., elevational and microhabitat parameters) revealed differential patterns of habitat use that can suggest niche partitioning in ecologically similar species.