bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Social Factors Associated With Congenital Syphilis in Missouri
Authors: Daniels Elizabeth , Atkinson Andrew , Cardoza Nicholas , Ramakrishnan Aditi , Willers Denise , Reno Hilary 
Published: May 2024

Abstract

Background
Congenital syphilis disproportionately affects individuals impacted by adverse social determinants of health. Understanding these determinants may help facilitate holistic care.

Methods
We performed a retrospective review of mother-infant dyads with potential congenital syphilis in a Missouri hospital system. Cases were classified per Centers for Disease Control and Prevention clinical scenarios. Information was collected regarding demographics, prenatal care, substance use, and other social factors. Dyads with confirmed/highly probable or possible congenital syphilis (“congenital syphilis outcomes”) were compared to those with less likely/unlikely congenital syphilis (“noncongenital syphilis outcomes”) using descriptive statistics.

Results
We identified 131 dyads with infant dates of birth from 2015 to 2022: 74 (56%) with congenital syphilis outcomes and 56 (43%) with noncongenital syphilis outcomes. Most mothers were Black/African American (n = 84 [65%]) and lived in areas with a high Social Vulnerability Index. Many had inadequate prenatal care (n = 61 [47%]) and/or had substance use histories (n = 55 [42%]). Significant associations (odds ratio [95% confidence interval]) with congenital syphilis outcomes included limited prenatal care (3.01 [1.38–6.56]), no prenatal care (16.08 [1.96–132.11]), substance use (3.42 [1.61–7.25]), housing instability (3.42 [1.39–8.38]), and justice system interactions (2.29 [1.00–5.24]). Substance use correlated with prenatal care adequacy (P &lt; .001). One-third of infants with congenital syphilis outcomes were taken into protective custody.

Conclusions
Adverse social determinants of health are common in dyads impacted by congenital syphilis. Health systems should consider interdisciplinary programming to improve testing and linkage to care. Future studies should evaluate social support for congenital syphilis prevention and management.
Portal vein Doppler tracks volume status in patients with severe tricuspid regurgitation: a proof-of-concept study
Authors: Alday-Ramírez Sergio M , Leal-Villarreal Mario Andrés de Jesús , Gómez-Rodríguez César , Abu-Naeima Eslam , Solis-Huerta Fernando , Gamba Gerardo , Baeza-Herrera Luis A , Araiza-Garaygordobil Diego , Argaiz Eduardo R 
Published: May 2024

Abstract

Aims
Renal and liver congestion are associated with adverse outcomes in patients with tricuspid regurgitation (TR). Currently, there are no valid sonographic indicators of fluid status in this population. Intra-renal venous Doppler (IRVD) is a novel method for quantifying renal congestion but its interpretation can be challenging in severe TR due to altered haemodynamics. This study explores the potential of portal vein Doppler (PVD) as an alternative marker for decongestion during volume removal in patients with severe TR.

Methods and results
Forty-two patients with severe TR undergoing decongestive therapy were prospectively enrolled. Inferior vena cava diameter, PVD, and IRVD were sequentially assessed during volume removal. Improvement criteria were portal vein pulsatility fraction (PVPF) &lt; 70% and renal venous stasis index (RVSI) &lt; 0.5 for partial improvement, and PVPF &lt; 30% and RVSI &lt; 0.2 for complete improvement. After volume removal, PVPF significantly improved from 130 ± 39% to 47 ± 44% (P &lt; 0.001), while IRVD improved from 0.72 ± 0.08 to 0.54 ± 0.22 (P &lt; 0.001). A higher proportion of patients displayed improvement in PVD compared to IRVD (partial: 38% vs. 29%, complete: 41% vs. 7%) (P &lt; 0.001). Intra-renal venous Doppler only improved in patients with concomitant improvement in severe TR. Portal vein Doppler was the only predictor of achieving ≥5 L of negative fluid balance [area under the ROC curve (AUC) 0.83 P = 0.001].

Conclusion
This proof-of-concept study suggests that PVD is the only sonographic marker that can track volume removal in severe TR, offering a potential indicator for decongestion in this population. Further intervention trials are warranted to determine if PVD-guided decongestion improves patient outcomes in severe TR.
Prospects for artificial intelligence-enhanced electrocardiogram as a unified screening tool for cardiac and non-cardiac conditions: an explorative study in emergency care
Authors: Strodthoff Nils , Lopez Alcaraz Juan Miguel , Haverkamp Wilhelm 
Published: May 2024

Abstract

Aims
Current deep learning algorithms for automatic ECG analysis have shown notable accuracy but are typically narrowly focused on singular diagnostic conditions. This exploratory study aims to investigate the capability of a single deep learning model to predict a diverse range of both cardiac and non-cardiac discharge diagnoses based on a single ECG collected in the emergency department.

Methods and results
In this study, we assess the performance of a model trained to predict a broad spectrum of diagnoses. We find that the model can reliably predict 253 ICD codes (81 cardiac and 172 non-cardiac) in the sense of exceeding an AUROC score of 0.8 in a statistically significant manner.

Conclusion
The model demonstrates proficiency in handling a wide array of cardiac and non-cardiac diagnostic scenarios, indicating its potential as a comprehensive screening tool for diverse medical encounters.
Paying Them to Hate US: The Effect of US Military Aid on Anti-American Terrorism, 1968–2018
Authors: Dimant Eugen , Krieger Tim , Meierrieks Daniel 
Published: May 2024

Abstract
How does anti-American terrorism in recipient countries respond to US military aid? Does aid protect United States interests abroad or does it have unintended consequences for US security? To answer these questions, we estimate the effect of US military aid on anti-American terrorism in recipient countries for a sample of 174 countries between 1968 and 2018. We find that higher levels of aid especially for military financing and education are associated with a higher likelihood of anti-American terrorism in aid-receiving countries. Examining potential transmission channels, we show that more US military aid correlates with lower military capacity and increases in corruption and exclusionary policies in recipient countries. Our findings are consistent with the argument that military aid aggravates local grievances, creating anti-American resentment and leading to anti-American terrorism. Indeed, we also provide tentative evidence that US military aid is associated with lower public opinion about the United States in recipient countries.
Differences in the body image based on physical parameters among young women from the Czech Republic and Slovakia
Authors: Babosová Ramona , Matejovičová Barbora , Langraf Vladimír , Kopecký Miroslav , Sandanusová Anna , Petrovičová Kornélia , Schlarmannová Janka 
Published: May 2024

Abstract

Background
The increased prevalence of overweight and obesity in the Czech Republic and Slovakia has led to heightened emphasis on weight control, particularly among women. Our aim is to explore body image perceptions among women in both countries and compare their attitudes, focusing on the relationship between body image and body mass index (BMI), height, weight, body fat and the weight control.

Methods
The cross-sectional study involved 358 female students from the University of Pardubice and Constantine the Philosopher University in Nitra, with equal representation from the Czech Republic and Slovakia. Body parameters were assessed using anthropometric methods and the InBody 230 diagnostic device, while participants’ perceptions of their bodies were evaluated using the Body Shape Questionnaire.

Results
The results confirmed that BMI did not significantly influence self-perception among Slovak students, while Czech participants with increasing obesity tended to perceive themselves more negatively. Significantly higher median values for BMI (p = 0.0509), weight (p = 0.0507), height (p = 0.05) and body image (p = 0.002) were observed in the Czech Republic compared with Slovakia. No significant difference was found in weight control and fat between participants from both countries.

Conclusions
Although obesity was demonstrated in both nations, body satisfaction was different for participants from the Czech Republic and Slovakia.
Imprints of ecological processes in the taxonomic core community: an analysis of naturally replicated microbial communities enclosed in oil
Authors: Brauer Verena S , Voskuhl Lisa , Mohammadian Sadjad , Pannekens Mark , Haque Shirin , Meckenstock Rainer U 
Published: May 2024

Abstract
It is widely assumed that a taxonomic core community emerges among microbial communities from similar habitats because similar environments select for the same taxa bearing the same traits. Yet, a core community itself is no indicator of selection because it may also arise from dispersal and neutral drift, i.e. by chance. Here, we hypothesize that a core community produced by either selection or chance processes should be distinguishable. While dispersal and drift should produce core communities with similar relative taxon abundances, especially when the proportional core community, i.e. the sum of the relative abundances of the core taxa, is large, selection may produce variable relative abundances. We analyzed the core community of 16S rRNA gene sequences of 193 microbial communities occurring in tiny water droplets enclosed in heavy oil from the Pitch Lake, Trinidad and Tobago. These communities revealed highly variable relative abundances along with a large proportional core community (68.0 ± 19.9%). A dispersal-drift null model predicted a negative relationship of proportional core community and compositional variability along a range of dispersal probabilities and was largely inconsistent with the observed data, suggesting a major role of selection for shaping the water droplet communities in the Pitch Lake.
Determinants of bacterial survival and proliferation in blood
Authors: Lê-Bury Pierre , Echenique-Rivera Hebert , Pizarro-Cerdá Javier , Dussurget Olivier 
Published: May 2024

Abstract
Bloodstream infection is a major public health concern associated with high mortality and high healthcare costs worldwide. Bacteremia can trigger fatal sepsis whose prevention, diagnosis, and management have been recognized as a global health priority by the World Health Organization. Additionally, infection control is increasingly threatened by antimicrobial resistance, which is the focus of global action plans in the framework of a One Health response. In-depth knowledge of the infection process is needed to develop efficient preventive and therapeutic measures. The pathogenesis of bloodstream infection is a dynamic process resulting from the invasion of the vascular system by bacteria, which finely regulate their metabolic pathways and virulence factors to overcome the blood immune defenses and proliferate. In this review, we highlight our current understanding of determinants of bacterial survival and proliferation in the bloodstream and discuss their interactions with the molecular and cellular components of blood.
Direct Parental (DIPA) CRISPR in the jewel wasp, Nasonia vitripennis
Authors: Zhang Xinmi , Singh Anabhra , Soriano Martinez Kassandra , Ferree Patrick M 
Published: May 2024

Abstract
While clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)–Cas9 technology has demonstrated remarkable promise as a gene-editing tool, its application in certain insects, such as the jewel wasp, Nasonia vitripennis, has been hindered by a lack of a tractable method for reagent delivery. Direct Parental (DIPA-) CRISPR recently emerged as a facile way to induce gene lesions because it involves adult injection with commercially available Cas9–sgRNA with no helper reagent. However, DIPA-CRISPR has so far been tested in only a few insects. Here, we have assessed the amenability of DIPA-CRISPR in N. vitripennis by targeting two eye pigmentation genes, cinnabar and vermilion, which function in the ommochrome pathway. Successful generation of lesions in both genes demonstrated the functionality of DIPA-CRISPR in N. vitripennis and its potential application to other genes, thereby expanding the range of insects suitable for this method. We varied two parameters, Cas9–sgRNA concentration and injection volume, to determine optimal injection conditions. We found that the larger injection volume coupled with either higher or lower reagent concentration was needed for consistent mutation production. However, DIPA-CRISPR yields an overall low mutation rate in N. vitripennis when compared to other tested insects, a characteristic that may be attributed to a proportionally low vitellogenic import efficiency in the jewel wasp. We discuss different factors that may be considered in determining when DIPA-CRISPR may be preferable over other reagent delivery methods.
Childhood Adversities and Caregiving for Older Parents: Building Capacity for a Caring Society
Authors: Hu Bo , Bai Xue , Wang Pengyun 
Published: May 2024

Abstract

Objectives
This study investigates the relationships between childhood adversities and the provision of informal care for older parents in later life in China.

Methods
The data came from 4 waves of the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (N = 20,047). Using multilevel logistic regression models, we examined the relationships between adverse experiences in childhood and both the propensity and intensity of caregiving for older parents. Drawing on the regression results, we then estimated the total number of caregivers for older parents in China.

Results
Experiencing 1 additional childhood adversity was associated with a decrease of 8% in the odds of providing informal care (p &lt; .001). The association between childhood adversity and caregiving remained significant after sociodemographic factors and later-life outcomes were controlled for. We estimated that 58.3 million middle-aged adults in China were providing care for parents in 2020. Had people experienced 1 fewer adversity in their childhood, there would have been 2.2 million more caregivers in 2020. Had they experienced 2 fewer adversities, there would have been 3.4 million more caregivers.

Discussion
The factors associated with informal caregiving can be traced back to early-life experiences. To address the shortage of informal care supply, it is crucial to foster a caring culture from the very beginning of human development.
Locating clustered seismicity using Distance Geometry Solvers: applications for sparse and single-borehole DAS networks
Authors: Tuinstra Katinka , Grigoli Francesco , Lanza Federica , Rinaldi Antonio Pio , Fichtner Andreas , Wiemer Stefan 
Published: May 2024

SUMMARY
The determination of seismic event locations with sparse networks or single-borehole systems remains a significant challenge in observational seismology. Leveraging the advantages of the location approach HADES (eartHquake locAtion via Distance gEometry Solvers), which was initially developed for locating clustered seismicity recorded at two stations, through the solution of a Distance Geometry Problem, we present here an improved version of the methodology: HADES-R (HADES-Relative). Where HADES previously needed a minimum of four absolutely located master events, HADES-R solves a least-squares problem to find the relative inter-event distances in the cluster, and uses only a single master event to find the locations of all events and subsequently applies rotational optimizer to find the cluster orientation. It can leverage iterative station combinations if multiple receivers are available, to describe the cluster shape and orientation uncertainty with a bootstrap approach. The improved method requires P- and S-phase arrival picks, a homogeneous velocity model, a single master event with a known location, and an estimate of the cluster width. The approach is benchmarked on the 2019 Ridgecrest sequence recorded at two stations, and applied to two seismic clusters at the FORGE geothermal test site in Utah, USA, with a microseismic monitoring scenario with a Distributed Acoustic Sensing in a vertical borehole. Traditional procedures struggle in these settings due to the ill-posed network configuration. The azimuthal ambiguity in such a scenario is partially overcome by the assumption that all events belong to the same cluster around the master event and a cluster width estimate. We are able to find the cluster shape in both cases, although the orientation remains uncertain. HADES-R contributes to an efficient way to locate multiple events simultaneously with minimal prior information. The method’s ability to constrain the cluster shape and location with only one well-located event offers promising implications, especially for environments where limited or specialized instrumentation is in use.
Resolution enhancement for a seismic velocity model using machine learning
Authors: Kim Sujeong , Cho Yongchae , Jun Hyunggu 
Published: May 2024

SUMMARY
To address complex subsurface structures, a high-resolution velocity model must be constructed. Conventionally, algorithms such as full waveform inversion (FWI) have been used to derive accurate high-resolution velocity structures, but obstacles such as high computational costs remain. Therefore, we propose a high-resolution U-NET (HR U-NET) machine learning model to derive a high-resolution velocity model from a low-resolution velocity model. The low-resolution velocity model and migration data obtained through the corresponding velocity information were used as input data for training. In addition, we tried to improve the accuracy of the high-resolution velocity model by using prior information containing accurate velocity values. A prior model generated through geophysical logging data and a weight model including the reliability information of the prior model were also utilized. Therefore, the HR U-NET model was trained using the low-resolution velocity model, the migration data, the prior model and the weight model. Numerical experiments conducted using synthetic and field data demonstrated that the proposed model could accurately construct a high-resolution velocity model and verified that the prior model and weight model play important roles in the training process. Additionally, we confirmed that the proposed method derived almost similar results using only 8.2 percent of the computational cost of the conventional inversion method. In other words, there is an advantage that it is possible to predict high-resolution velocity information more efficiently in terms of computational cost.
Efficient function approximation in enriched approximation spaces
Authors: Herremans Astrid , Huybrechs Daan 
Published: May 2024

Abstract
An enriched approximation space is the span of a conventional basis with a few extra functions included, for example to capture known features of the solution to a computational problem. Adding functions to a basis makes it overcomplete and, consequently, the corresponding discretized approximation problem may require solving an ill-conditioned system. Recent research indicates that these systems can still provide highly accurate numerical approximations under reasonable conditions. In this paper we propose an efficient algorithm to compute such approximations. It is based on the AZ algorithm for overcomplete sets and frames, which simplifies in the case of an enriched basis. In addition, analysis of the original AZ algorithm and of the proposed variant gives constructive insights on how to achieve optimal and stable discretizations using enriched bases. We apply the algorithm to examples of enriched approximation spaces in literature, including a few nonstandard approximation problems and an enriched spectral method for a 2D boundary value problem, and show that the simplified AZ algorithm is indeed stable, accurate and efficient.
Formation of the calpain-1/calpastatin complex promotes activation of calpain-1 under oxidizing conditions
Authors: Maddock Carlin Kasey R , Steadham Edward , Huff-Lonergan Elisabeth , Lonergan Steven M 
Published: May 2024

Abstract
Calpains are cysteine proteinases responsible for many biological roles in muscle, including protein degradation, muscle growth, and myoblast fusion. Calpains are inhibited by calpastatin, an endogenous inhibitor. Other factors, such as variations in pH, ionic strength, and oxidation influence calpain activity. This study aimed to determine the extent to which oxidation influences calpastatin inhibition of calpain-1. A series of order of addition assays were used to determine calpain-1 calcium activation and autolysis after exposure to an oxidizing agent (n-ethylmaleimide [NEM] or hydrogen peroxide [H2O2]. In the first series, purified calpastatin was added to the assay before or after oxidizing exposure at 165 mM NaCl, pH 6.5. In the second series, incubation buffer ionic strength (165 mM or 295 mM NaCl) was evaluated. The inhibitory activities of purified porcine calpastatin, purified human calpastatin domain I, or a subdomain B inhibitor peptide were evaluated in the third series. In the fourth series, a maleimide-polyethylene glycol molecule (MAL-PEG; MW = 5,000 Dalton) was used to evaluate the accessibility of free sulfhydryl groups and tagging of calpain-1 under each condition through a molecular weight shift assay. Results from this study indicate that autolysis of calpain-1, when used as an indicator of activation, occurred when the calpain-1/calpastatin complex was exposed to an oxidant or cysteine modifier such as NEM. However, when calpain-1 was exposed to the cysteine modifier before calpastatin, autolysis of calpain-1 did not occur or was significantly decreased (P &lt; 0.05). Irreversible modification of cysteine residues by NEM prevented activation of calpain-1 in the absence of calpastatin, but if the cysteine modification is potentially reversible (H2O2), calpain-1 activity can be recovered. Results from this study indicate that when calpastatin is bound to calpain-1, calpain-1 activation can occur even after being exposed to a cysteine modifier (NEM) or hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). Calpain-1 is not tagged with maleimide-polyethylene glycol (MAL-PEG) in the presence of calpastatin, indicating that calpastatin blocks or covers free cysteines on calpain-1 from modification. Moreover, exposure to calpain-1/calpastatin complex with a cysteine modifier allows activation of calpain-1, indicating that the inhibitory action of calpastatin is compromised. These results indicate a regulatory role for calpastatin that is not inhibitory but protective for calpain-1.