bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Improving Second Language Vowel Production With Hand Gestures Encoding Visible Articulation: Evidence From Picture‐Naming and Paragraph‐Reading Tasks
Authors: Xi Xiaotong , Li Peng , Prieto Pilar 
Published: April 2024

AbstractThis study investigates whether audiovisual phonetic training with hand gestures encoding visible or nonvisible articulation features has a differential impact on learning second language sounds. Ninety‐nine Catalan–Spanish bilingual students were trained to differentiate English /æ/ and /ʌ/, which differ in the visible lip aperture and nonvisible tongue position, with training involving no gestures, gestures representing the lip aperture, or gestures representing the tongue position. Before, immediately after, and 1 week after the training, participants’ perception of the targets was assessed through a word‐identification task, and their production was tested through paragraph‐reading, picture‐naming, and word‐imitation tasks. Although all participants improved in perception and production, the lip hand gesture was more effective in adjusting lip aperture than the other two conditions in the paragraph‐reading and picture‐naming tasks. These results suggest that hand gestures encoding visible rather than nonvisible articulation features are more effective for improving second language pronunciation.
The long‐beaked common dolphin of the eastern Pacific Ocean: Taxonomic status and redescription of Delphinus bairdii
Authors: Jefferson Thomas A. , Archer Frederick I. , Robertson Kelly M. 
Published: April 2024

AbstractNeritic, long‐beaked common dolphins have been described as species distinct from the more oceanic and globally distributed short‐beaked species, Delphinus delphis, although recent molecular studies have challenged this view. In the eastern North Pacific (ENP), the taxonomic status of the long‐beaked (bairdii) form has been controversial since its original description in 1873, and has vacillated between species, subspecies, and geographic forms several times. It is currently provisionally viewed as a subspecies of Delphinus delphis, D. d. bairdii. To clarify this situation, we reviewed the literature and conducted additional analyses using both newly obtained genetic and cranial morphometric data sets. The results indicate that there are diagnostic differences in skull morphology and coloration between the eastern Pacific long‐and short‐beaked forms, and near‐perfect diagnosability in mitochondrial DNA. These differences, along with indications of ecological distinctions, including important differences in life history parameters and reproductive timing, indicate that these forms are well on their way down separate evolutionary pathways. As such, we consider them to be distinct species in the eastern Pacific. The long‐beaked species is referable to Delphinus bairdii Dall, 1873, and is redescribed as such herein.
Successful treatment of actinic prurigo with baricitinib in an 8‐year‐old child: A case report
Authors: Malekan Mohammad , Mohandesi Nessa Aghazadeh , Rahmatpour Rokni Ghasem , Babaei Mahsa , Montazer Fatemeh , Gholizadeh Nasim 
Published: April 2024

AbstractActinic prurigo is a rare photodermatosis characterized by pruritic papulonodular lesions. Treatment is challenging, especially in children, as sun protection strategies need to be rigorously implemented and symptoms often persist throughout the year. Herein, we present a case of actinic prurigo in an 8‐year‐old patient with rapid and successful relief with baricitinib.
From lichens to crops: Pathogenic potential of Pseudomonas syringae from Peltigera lichens is similar to worldwide epidemic strains
Authors: Ramírez Natalia , Caullireau Emma , Sigurbjörnsdóttir Margrét Auður , Vandelle Elodie , Vilhelmsson Oddur , Morris Cindy E. 
Published: April 2024

AbstractThe presence of bacteria belonging to the Pseudomonas syringae complex in the natural vegetation of several Icelandic habitat types has been recently reported, raising questions about the risk to Icelandic crops, particularly given the expected increase in agricultural activity due to climate warming. This study takes advantage of Iceland's unique characteristics and the discovery of P. syringae in Peltigera lichens to gain a better understanding of the potential risk posed by this newly discovered ecological niche. The main objective was to evaluate the pathogenic potential and fitness in crops of P. syringae strains isolated from Peltigera lichen sampled in Iceland, focusing on strains that belong to phylogroups 1 and 2, which commonly contain epidemic strains. The results indicate that P. syringae strains isolated from Icelandic Peltigera lichen have a comparable fitness to epidemic strains in 8 out of 10 tested plant species (rice, tomato, thale cress, annual mugwort, spinach, garlic chives, tobacco and kale). Furthermore, pathogenicity assessment on three plant species highlighted that certain strains also caused similar symptoms and disease severity compared to epidemic strains. These findings provide valuable insights into the potential risks posed by P. syringae from Icelandic natural habitats and illustrate how strains from these habitats have a wide pathogenic potential to crops without having encountered these crops in the last several thousand years of their presence in Iceland.
Isotope Distribution Analysis in H₂18O Pulse‐Labeled Trees Frozen with Liquid Nitrogen
Authors: Xiang Yan , Kagawa Akira , Nagai Satoshi , Yasuda Yuko , Utsumi Yasuhiro 
Published: April 2024

AbstractTracer injection has long been recognized as a valuable tool for delineating tree hydraulics and assessing water transport pathways. Recently, isotope tracers have emerged as innovative instruments for investigating tree hydraulics, providing new insights into tree water dynamics. Nevertheless, there is a critical need for further research to comprehensively grasp water movement and distribution within trees. A previously introduced technique for analyzing the isotopic ratio of water in wet tissues, offering millimeter‐scale resolution for visualizing tracer movement, faces challenges due to its underdeveloped sample preparation techniques. In this study, we introduced an H218O tracer into S. gracilistyla samples, exclusively comprising indeterminate roots, stems, and leaves, cultivated through hydroponics and grown within the current year. Our objective was to assess the axial distribution of the tracer in the xylem. Additionally, we devised a novel method for preparing frozen wet tissue samples, enhancing the repeatability and success rate of experiments. The results demonstrated that all frozen wet tissue samples exhibited an average water loss rate of less than 0.6%. Isotopic analysis of these samples unveiled a consistent decline in tracer concentration with increasing height in all Salix specimens, with three out of five samples revealing a significant isotope gradient. Our findings affirm the efficacy and practicality of combining isotopic labeling with freezing, stabilization, and preparation techniques. Looking ahead, our isotopic labeling and analysis methods are poised to transcend woody plants, finding extensive applications in plant physiology and ecohydrology.
Unraveling Key Factors for Hypoxia Tolerance in Contrasting Varieties of Cotton Rose by Comparative Morpho‐physiological and Transcriptome Analysis
Authors: Xu Qian , Wu Mengxi , Zhang Lu , Chen Xi , Zhou Mei , Jiang Beibei , Jia Yin , Yong Xue , Tang Shengwen , Mou Lisha , Jia Zhishi , Shabala Sergey , Pan Yuanzhi 
Published: April 2024

AbstractThe cotton rose (Hibiscus mutabilis) is a plant species commonly found in tropical and subtropical regions. It is remarkably resilient to waterlogging stress; however, the underlying mechanism behind this trait is yet unknown. This study used hypoxia‐tolerant “Danbanhong” (DBH) and more hypoxia‐sensitive “Yurui” (YR) genotypes and compared their morpho‐physiological and transcriptional responses to hypoxic conditions. Notably, DBH had a higher number of adventitious roots (20.3) compared to YR (10.0), with longer adventitious roots in DBH (18.3 cm) than in YR (11.2 cm). Furthermore, the formation of aerenchyma was 3‐fold greater in DBH compared to YR. Transcriptomic analysis revealed that DBH had more rapid transcriptional responses to hypoxia than YR. Identification of a greater number of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) for aerenchyma, adventitious root formation and development, and energy metabolism in DBH supported that DBH had better morphological and transcriptional adaptation than YR. DEG functional enrichment analysis indicated the involvement of variety‐specific biological processes in adaption to hypoxia. Plant hormone signaling transduction, MAPK signaling pathway and carbon metabolism played more pronounced roles in DBH, whereas the ribosome genes were specifically induced in YR. These results show that effective multilevel coordination of adventitious root development and aerenchyma, in conjunction with plant hormone signaling and carbon metabolism, is required for increased hypoxia tolerance. This study provides new insights into the characterization of morpho‐physiological and transcriptional responses to hypoxia in H. mutabilis, shedding light on the molecular mechanisms of its adaptation to hypoxic environments.
On the modeling of compressible viscous fluids via Burgers and Oldroyd equations
Authors: Giorgi C. , Morro A. 
Published: April 2024

AbstractThe paper develops some generalizations of the Burgers and the Oldroyd equations for the dynamics of fluids. To account for compressibility, in addition to viscosity, first the Oldroyd derivative is replaced with the Truesdell derivative. Consequently, the two equations can be given a linear form within the Lagrangian formulation. Furthermore, possible anisotropies are modeled by replacing some (scalar) coefficients with tensors. To emphasize the compressibility property, generalizations are established to allow for nonzero longitudinal viscosity. Next, the thermodynamic consistency is investigated by regarding both types of equations as rate equations, of second order and first order. The requirements on the parameters entering the two equations are derived while the linearity of the two equations allow the free energy potential be quadratic. The Oldroyd equation is found to be compatible via appropriate restrictions of the tensor coefficients, through different pairs of free energy and entropy production.
The Veterans Crisis Line: Relations among immediate call outcomes and treatment contact and utilization following the call
Authors: Britton Peter C. , Karras Elizabeth , Stecker Tracy , Klein John , Crasta Dev , Brenner Lisa A. , Pigeon Wilfred R. 
Published: April 2024

AbstractObjectiveCrisis line callers experience reductions in distress and suicidal ideation and utilize more health care following calls. The purpose of this study was to determine whether changes in distress and suicidal ideation during a call are associated with later healthcare contact and utilization.MethodVeterans Crisis Line calls from 599 veterans were extracted with call dates between 12/1/2018 and 11/30/2019. Calls were coded for changes in distress and suicidal ideation and linked with VA medical records to obtain healthcare data. Generalized Linear Mixed Modeling was used to examine the associations of changes in distress and suicidal ideation with healthcare contact (yes/no) and utilization (days of treatment) in the month (30 days) following the call.ResultsReductions in distress were associated with behavioral (i.e., mental and substance use) healthcare utilization, F(1, 596) = 4.52, p = 0.03, and reductions in suicidal ideation were associated with any healthcare utilization, F(1, 596) = 6.45, p = 0.01. Changes in distress and suicidal ideation were not associated with healthcare contact.ConclusionResponders need to help resolve distress and suicidal ideation and link callers with treatment. Unresolved distress and suicidal thoughts may signify later problems with treatment utilization. Research is needed to determine causality.
Comparing Accelerometer Processing Metrics and Hyperparameter Optimization for Physical Activity Classification Accuracy Using Machine Learning Methods
Authors: Musa Sumayyah Bamidele , Barua Arnab , Stanley Kevin G. , Basset Fabien A. , Mamyia Hiroshi , Mongeon Kevin , Fuller Daniel 
Published: April 2024

Background: Physical activity (PA) is a crucial factor in maintaining good health and preventing chronic diseases. However, accurately measuring PA is challenging. Euclidean Norm Minus One (ENMO), ActiGraph Counts, and Monitor-Independent Movement Summary (MIMS) units are processing metrics used to classify PA through accelerometry, but they employ different methods to calculate activity levels. This study aimed to compare ENMO, ActiGraph Counts, and MIMS accelerometer metrics using machine learning algorithms. Methods: Data from a smartphone accelerometer were collected from 50 participants who held the smartphone in their right hand while completing six activities. The data were used to generate ENMO, ActiGraph Counts, and MIMS acceleration metrics. Random Forest, K-Nearest Neighbor, and Support Vector Machine algorithms were applied to the data to classify PA into different levels of activity intensity and types. The algorithms’ performance was evaluated using various metrics such as accuracy, precision, and recall. Results: The results showed that both the Random Forest and K-Nearest Neighbor algorithms performed well, achieving above 80% accuracy in classifying PA into different intensity levels and types. Both the ENMO and MIMS metrics proved more accurate than ActiGraph Counts in classifying moderate to vigorous PA. Conclusions: This study provides evidence that both ENMO and MIMS metrics can accurately measure PA with accelerometry, and machine learning algorithms can classify the activity into different intensity levels. These metrics and methods are valuable tools for monitoring PA and understanding the relationship between PA and health outcomes.
Is Scotland Walking in the Right Direction? A Cross-Sectional Analysis of Trends in Walking by Socioeconomic Status
Authors: Strain Tessa , Kelly Paul , Gibb Rona , Allison Mary , Mutrie Nanette , Murphy Marie 
Published: April 2024

Background: Walking is a key target behavior for promoting population health. This paper charts the 30-year history of walking policy in Scotland. We assess whether population walking levels among adults in Scotland have changed in recent years and identify the characteristics of those least likely to report any walking. Methods: We pooled 9 years (2012–2019 and 2021) of data from adult (≥16 y) respondents of the Scottish Health Survey (n = 41,470). The outcomes of interest were the percentage reporting (1) any walking and (2) any walking with an average pace that is of at least moderate intensity. We also investigated the contribution of walking to total nonoccupational moderate to vigorous physical activity. We used linear and logistic regressions to test linear trends over time and to identify inequalities by age, sex, and the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation quintile. Results: There was an increase in all measures of walking over the period 2012–2021; for example, the percentage reporting any walking increased by 7 percentage points (81.4%–88.4%). Inequalities still exist by age, sex, and the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation but have not grown over time. Inequalities by sex and age are most pronounced in the least affluent Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation quintiles; less affluent older women are least likely to report any walking. Conclusions: Scotland appears to be walking in the right direction. Surveillance data support a positive trend after decades of policy and promotion efforts. The policies do not appear to be exacerbating existing inequalities, but narrowing them will require more concentrated efforts.
Men and Women Competing on Equal Terms? A Cross-Sectional Study of Young Women About the Impact of Menstrual Concerns on Equestrian Sport Participation
Authors: Thompson Kirrilly , Barrington Dani Jennifer , Coffey Julia 
Published: April 2024

In equestrian sport, women are popularly thought to compete on equal terms with men. This ideal has been critiqued by studies documenting how women’s participation is impacted by gendered equestrian cultures and society more broadly. However, one physiological process has been overlooked—menstruation. This is the first study to focus specifically on the impacts of menstruation and menstrual concerns on women’s participation in horse sport and to locate those concerns within broader equestrian traditions of attire and discourses of control. The authors conducted a cross-sectional survey of 328 female riding members of Pony Club Australia aged 10–17 years. Findings challenge the idea of equestrian as a sport where men and women compete “on equal terms.” In particular, they illustrate how traditional dress codes of white-/light-colored riding pants exacerbate menstrual concerns, limit/prevent participation, and pose safety concerns due to distraction. The majority (80%) of participants supported changing the formal uniform to allow darker-colored riding pants. However, longstanding equestrian associations between white pants, prestige, and respect are a barrier to the adoption and therefore normalization of period-friendly attire. While discriminatory rules or standards need to be revised, they are insufficient to challenge entrenched gendered, socio-historical, and esthetic constructions of some organized sports. The authors therefore recommend that rule changes be supported by other practical and educational initiatives necessary to create period-friendly cultures for equestrian sport.
Broadly neutralizing antibodies for HIV prevention: a comprehensive review and future perspectives
Authors: Mahomed Sharana 
Published: April 2024

SUMMARY
The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) epidemic remains a formidable global health concern, with 39 million people living with the virus and 1.3 million new infections reported in 2022. Despite anti-retroviral therapy’s effectiveness in pre-exposure prophylaxis, its global adoption is limited. Broadly neutralizing antibodies (bNAbs) offer an alternative strategy for HIV prevention through passive immunization. Historically, passive immunization has been efficacious in the treatment of various diseases ranging from oncology to infectious diseases. Early clinical trials suggest bNAbs are safe, tolerable, and capable of reducing HIV RNA levels. Although challenges such as bNAb resistance have been noted in phase I trials, ongoing research aims to assess the additive or synergistic benefits of combining multiple bNAbs. Researchers are exploring bispecific and trispecific antibodies, and fragment crystallizable region modifications to augment antibody efficacy and half-life. Moreover, the potential of other antibody isotypes like IgG3 and IgA is under investigation. While promising, the application of bNAbs faces economic and logistical barriers. High manufacturing costs, particularly in resource-limited settings, and logistical challenges like cold-chain requirements pose obstacles. Preliminary studies suggest cost-effectiveness, although this is contingent on various factors like efficacy and distribution. Technological advancements and strategic partnerships may mitigate some challenges, but issues like molecular aggregation remain. The World Health Organization has provided preferred product characteristics for bNAbs, focusing on optimizing their efficacy, safety, and accessibility. The integration of bNAbs in HIV prophylaxis necessitates a multi-faceted approach, considering economic, logistical, and scientific variables. This review comprehensively covers the historical context, current advancements, and future avenues of bNAbs in HIV prevention.
Tocilizumab demonstrates superiority in decreasing C-reactive protein levels in hospitalized COVID-19 patients, compared to standard care treatment alone
Authors: Calderón-Ochoa Carolina , Plamenov-Donchev Narek , Hernández-Quiñones Fernando , Mendoza-López Olga , Hinojos-Gallardo Luis Carlos , Longino-Gómez Asunción José , Hernádez-Saldaña Raúl , Duque-Rodríguez Jorge , Ishida-Gutiérrez María Cecilia 
Published: April 2024

ABSTRACT

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 has caused a global pandemic, leading to health, economic, and political crisis. The virus triggers the activation of inflammatory reactants including interleukin-6 (IL-6), ferritin, and C-reactive protein (CRP), causing multiorgan damage, particularly affecting the lungs. Tocilizumab, an IL-6 receptor blocker, has the potential to diminish the progression of the disease and reduce organ damage and long-term complications. The aim of this observational retrospective cohort study was to evaluate the efficacy of tocilizumab in decreasing CRP levels in hospitalized coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients compared to standard care without the drug. The study included 141 patients during their Hospital Stay (HS), with 100 in the Tocilizumab group and 41 in the non-Tocilizumab group. Clinical information was collected from the electronic clinical record, analyzed using statistical software, and homogenized the CRP levels from the severe group to the levels of the less complicated group at 48 h of hospitalization. The results showed a statistically significant greater decrease in CRP levels in the Tocilizumab group at 48 h after the use of the treatment, with no differences in mortality or length of stay between the groups. In conclusion, tocilizumab accelerates the diminishing of CRP levels compared to standard treatment alone, and its use may have potential benefits in the management of severe COVID-19 patients when used alongside with follow-up quantification of CRP levels reduction.

IMPORTANCE
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 has caused a global pandemic, leading to health, economic, and political crises. International guidelines for managing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) give recommendations according to the severity of the disease and the level of oxygen therapy needed. Tocilizumab is an option for the therapeutic management of hospitalized patients with any level of oxygen therapy; IL-6 serum level is the parameter for the follow-up on the efficacy, but it is not available at many hospitals. In this study, we demonstrate that C-reactive protein determination can predict the response to tocilizumab in severe COVID-19, the target patients for treatment with this drug. The use of this affordable and extensively available biomarker supports clinical decisions for the early escalation of the therapy and for the rational use of this drug on those prone to improve with the use of it.