bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Incorporating pathological gait into patient-specific finite element models of the haemophilic ankle
Authors: Talbott Harriet G. , Wilkins Richard A. , Brockett Claire L. , Mengoni Marlène 
Published: May 2024

AbstractHaemarthrosis is an inherent clinical feature of haemophilia, a disease characterised by an absence or reduction in clotting proteins. Patients with severe haemophilia experience joint bleeding leading to blood-induced ankle arthropathy (haemarthropathy). Altered biomechanics of the ankle have been reported in people with haemophilia; however, the consequence of this on joint health is little understood. The aim of this study was to assess the changes in joint contact due to haemophilia disease-specific gait features using patient-specific modelling, to better understand the link between biomechanics and joint outcomes. Four, image-based, finite element models of haemophilic ankles were simulated through consecutive events in the stance phase of gait, using both patient-specific and healthy control group (n = 36) biomechanical inputs. One healthy control FE model was simulated through the healthy control stance phase of the gait cycle for a point of comparison. The method developed allowed cartilage contact mechanics to be assessed throughout the loading phase of the gait cycle. This showed areas of increased contact pressure in the medial and lateral regions of the talar dome, which may be linked to collapse in these regions. This method may allow the relationship between structure and function in the tibiotalar joint to be better understood.
Majority opinion diffusion: when tie-breaking rule matters
Authors: Zehmakan Ahad N. 
Published: May 2024

AbstractConsider a graph G, which represents a social network, and assume that initially each node is either blue or white (corresponding to its opinion on a certain topic). In each round, all nodes simultaneously update their color to the most frequent color in their neighborhood. This is called the Majority Model (MM) if a node keeps its color in case of a tie and the Random Majority Model (RMM) if it chooses blue with probability 1/2 and white otherwise. We study the convergence properties of the above models, including stabilization time, periodicity, and the number of stable configurations. In particular, we prove that the stabilization time in RMM can be exponential in the size of the graph, which is in contrast with the previously known polynomial bound on the stabilization time of MM. We provide some bounds on the minimum size of a winning set, which is a set of nodes whose agreement on a color in the initial coloring enforces the process to end in a coloring where all nodes share that color. Furthermore, we calculate the expected final number of blue nodes for a random initial coloring, where each node is colored blue independently with some fixed probability, on cycle graphs. Finally, we conduct some experiments which complement our theoretical findings and also let us investigate other aspects of the models.
Intraoperative spectroscopic evaluation of sentinel lymph nodes in breast cancer surgery
Authors: Barkur Surekha , Boitor Radu A. , Mihai Raluca , Gopal Navarasi S. Raja , Leeney Samuel , Koloydenko Alexey A. , Khout Hazem , Rakha Emad , Notingher Ioan 
Published: May 2024

Abstract
Background and objectives
Sentinel lymph node (SLN) biopsy is a standard procedure for patients with breast cancer and normal axilla on imaging. Positive SLNs on histological examination can lead to a subsequent surgery for axillary lymph node clearance (ALNC). Here we report a non-destructive technique based on autofluorescence (AF) imaging and Raman spectroscopy for intra-operative assessment of SLNs excised in breast cancer surgery.

Methods
A microscope integrating AF imaging and Raman spectroscopy modules was built to allow scanning of lymph node biopsy samples. During AF-Raman measurements, AF imaging determined optimal sampling locations for Raman spectroscopy measurements. After optimisation of the AF image analysis and training of classification models based on data from 85 samples, the AF-Raman technique was tested on an independent set of 81 lymph nodes comprising 58 fixed and 23 fresh specimens. The sensitivity and specificity of AF-Raman were calculated using post-operative histology as a standard of reference.

Results
The independent test set contained 66 negative lymph nodes and 15 positive lymph nodes according to the reference standard, collected from 78 patients. For this set of specimens, the area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve for the AF-Raman technique was 0.93 [0.83–0.98]. AF-Raman was then operated in a regime that maximised detection specificity, producing a 94% detection accuracy: 80% sensitivity and 97% specificity. The main confounders for SLN metastasis were areas rich in histiocytes clusters, for which only few Raman spectra had been included in the training dataset.

Discussion
This preliminary study indicates that with further development and extension of the training dataset by inclusion of additional Raman spectra of histiocytes clusters and capsule, the AF-Raman may become a promising technique for intra-operative assessment of SLNs. Intra-operative detection of positive biopsies could avoid second surgery for axillary clearance.
Impact of environmental temperature on the survival outcomes of breast cancer: A SEER-based study
Authors: Gupta Ashish , Roy Arya Mariam , Gupta Kush , Attwood Kristopher , Gandhi Asha , Edge Stephen , Takabe Kazuaki , Repasky Elizabeth , Yao Song , Gandhi Shipra 
Published: May 2024

Abstract
Background
Experimental evidence in tumor-bearing mouse models shows that exposure to cool, that is, sub-thermoneutral environmental temperature is associated with a higher tumor growth rate and an immunosuppressive tumor immune microenvironment than seen at thermoneutral temperatures. However, the translational significance of these findings in humans is unclear. We hypothesized that breast cancer patients living in warmer climates will have better survival outcomes than patients living in colder climates.

Methods
A retrospective population-based analysis was conducted on 270,496 stage I-III breast cancer patients, who were retrieved from the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) over the period from 1996 to 2017. The average annual temperature (AAT) was calculated based on city level data from the National Centers for Environmental Information.

Results
A total of 270, 496 patients were analyzed. Temperature as assessed in quartiles. After adjusting for potential confounders, patients who lived in the 3rd and 4th quartile temperature regions with AAT 56.7–62.5°F (3rd quartile) and > 62.5°F (4th quartile) had a 7% increase in the OS compared to patients living at AAT < 48.5°F (1st quartile) (HR 0.93, 95% CI 0.90–0.95 and HR 0.93, 95% CI 0.91–0.96, respectively). For DSS, When comparing AAT quartiles, patients living with AAT in the range of 56.7–62.5°F and > 62.5°F demonstrated a 7% increase each in DSS after adjustment (HR 0.93, 95% CI 0.90–0.96 and HR 0.93, 95% CI 0.90–0.96).

Conclusions
Higher environmental temperatures are associated with significantly better OS and DSS in breast cancer patients. Future research is warranted to confirm this observation using large datasets to elucidate the underlying mechanisms and investigate novel therapeutic strategies to minimize this geographic disparity in clinical outcomes.
Exosomes enriched by miR-429-3p derived from ITGB1 modified Telocytes alleviates hypoxia-induced pulmonary arterial hypertension through regulating Rac1 expression
Authors: Qi Ruixue , Zhang Yong , Yan Furong 
Published: May 2024

Abstract
Background
Recent studies have emphasized the critical role of Telocytes (TCs)-derived exosomes in organ tissue injury and repair. Our previous research showed a significant increase in ITGB1 within TCs. Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension (PAH) is marked by a loss of microvessel regeneration and progressive vascular remodeling. This study aims to investigate whether exosomes derived from ITGB1-modified TCs (ITGB1-Exo) could mitigate PAH.

Methods
We analyzed differentially expressed microRNAs (DEmiRs) in TCs using Affymetrix Genechip miRNA 4.0 arrays. Exosomes isolated from TC culture supernatants were verified through transmission electron microscopy and Nanoparticle Tracking Analysis. The impact of miR-429-3p-enriched exosomes (Exo-ITGB1) on hypoxia-induced pulmonary arterial smooth muscle cells (PASMCs) was evaluated using CCK-8, transwell assay, and inflammatory factor analysis. A four-week hypoxia-induced mouse model of PAH was constructed, and H&E staining, along with Immunofluorescence staining, were employed to assess PAH progression.

Results
Forty-five miRNAs exhibited significant differential expression in TCs following ITGB1 knockdown. Mus-miR-429-3p, significantly upregulated in ITGB1-overexpressing TCs and in ITGB1-modified TC-derived exosomes, was selected for further investigation. Exo-ITGB1 notably inhibited the migration, proliferation, and inflammation of PASMCs by targeting Rac1. Overexpressing Rac1 partly counteracted Exo-ITGB1’s effects. In vivo administration of Exo-ITGB1 effectively reduced pulmonary vascular remodeling and inflammation.

Conclusions
Our findings reveal that ITGB1-modified TC-derived exosomes exert anti-inflammatory effects and reverse vascular remodeling through the miR-429-3p/Rac1 axis. This provides potential therapeutic strategies for PAH treatment.

Graphical Abstract
1. Identification of Differentially Expressed microRNAs (DEmiRs) in ITGB1 overexpressed TCs.
2. Effects of Exo-ITGB1 or miR-429-3p on Hypoxia-Induced PASMCs in vitro.
3. Exo-ITGB1 inhibits the hyper-proliferation and migration of PASMCs through regulating miR-429-3p/Rac1 axis in vitro.
4. The therapeutic potential of Exo-ITGB1 in hypoxia-induced PAH model in vivo.
Gender in Cross-Cultural Encounters: Orientalism and Self-Orientalisation in Chinese-Language Young Adult Fiction
Authors: Shen Lisa Chu , Chen Xianghong 
Published: May 2024

AbstractIn this article, we read and analyse selected young adult novels by Chinese-German author Wei Cheng that address the dilemmas faced by young female Chinese immigrants in Western countries. The aim is to explore the ways in which the construction of femininity and gender are inextricably bound up with categories of race and ethnicity in China-West encounters, and to probe the dynamics of such encounters embedded in the larger socio-political power structures. Through a critical analysis of the representation of Chinese femininity vis-à-vis Western masculinity, the essay interrogates the workings of the “Orientalist gaze” in relation to patriarchy and gender politics. The portrayals of the cross-racial encounter in Shaonv de Hong Chenyi (The Girl’s Red T-Shirt), which reiterate received ideas about the Orient, may be read as a product of self-Orientalisation, where the intriguing position of the adolescent Chinese girl prompts a rethinking of postcolonial gendered subjectivities. While self-Orientalisation may work to legitimate the discourse of Orientalism, the reading of Shaonv de Hong Faqia (The Girl’s Red Hairpin) reveals the ways in which self-Orientalisation could function as strategic essentialism that allows the female “Oriental” Other to gaze back and stand Orientalism on its head. The marriage between gendered and postcolonial approaches to children’s and young adult texts promises to act as a crucial intervention in the global struggle against hegemony.
The interplay between teachers’ trust in artificial intelligence and digital competence
Authors: Lucas Margarida , Zhang Yidi , Bem-haja Pedro , Vicente Paulo Nuno 
Published: May 2024

AbstractThis study examines the relation between K-12 teachers’ trust in artificial intelligence (TAI), their knowledge of AI (KAI), and their digital competence (DC). It further examines the relation between TAI and age, sex, teaching experience and International Standard Classification of Education (ISCED) levels. The study employed a comprehensive and validated instrument and used a sample of 211 primary and secondary school teachers. The results show that there is a significant positive relation between all three variables and that KAI is a robust and substantial predictor of TAI. In the absence of KAI, the significant relation between DC and TAI ceases to exist. In addition, teachers with different levels of DC do not show significant differences in their attitudes towards AI. Results further show that TAI is independent of age, sex, teaching experience and ISCED level in this sample of teachers. The study contributes valuable insights into the complex interplay between teachers’ TAI, their KAI, and their DC, providing practical implications for policy, teacher preparation and professional development in the rapidly evolving landscape of AI integration in education.
Restoration of fumigated soil biota with plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria to counteract Meloidogyne incognita (Tylenchida: Heteroderidae) boosts eggplant growth and defenses
Authors: Ali Abdelhadi A. I. , El-Ashry Ramadan M. , Khairy Ahmed M. , Elakkad Hend A. , Aioub Ahmed A. A. , Ramadan Mahmoud M. 
Published: May 2024

AbstractThis study investigated the effectiveness of two plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) formulations, Bio Arc® 6% WP (BA, Bacillus megaterium) and BECTO Grow Roots® (BGR; Serratia marcescens, Pseudomonas putida, and P. fluorescens). Additionally, it focused on naturally infested soil that had undergone metam potassium fumigation to reduce root-knot nematode (RKN), specifically Meloidogyne incognita. It aimed to monitor eggplant response to soil biodiversity changes for 60 days of the experiment under greenhouse conditions. Our data showed that soil fumigation eliminated nematodes and reduced other microorganisms significantly. In sterilized soil, plant fresh root weight significantly decreased after the elimination of soil biota. Moreover, BGR achieved the highest plant growth vigor [fresh root (18.48%), fresh shoot (23.52%), and fresh plant weight (21.03%)], followed by BA [fresh root (11.98%), fresh shoot (20.77%), and fresh plant weight (16.38%), respectively]. Plant growth traits increased significantly following the second reinoculation of PGPR after a month. Also, the same data trend was observed in treatments inoculated with RKN + PGPR. Furthermore, BGR treatments exhibited consistent efficacy in controlling nematode infection, maintaining superior vegetative growth compared to BA treatments over time. However, BA treatments displayed a decline in plant growth when faced with repeated nematode infection. The range of gall, egg mass, and second-stage juvenile (J2s) numbers diminished after inoculation-infected plants with RKN and PGPR compared with infected plants alone. Biochemical changes in eggplant roots cultivated in sterilized soil exposed significant enhancement in total sugars, protein, and nonenzymatic antioxidants (flavonoids and phenolic content), with antioxidant activity enhanced upon inoculation of PGPR and RKN. Oppositely, the levels of enzymatic antioxidants (catalase, peroxidase, and superoxide dismutase) decreased significantly with single and double PGPR application. However, the decline was less pronounced in the BGR treatments than in BA. In contradiction of oxidative enzymes, reinoculated PGPR + RKN multiplied significantly in reinfested RKN treatments. Our findings support the use of PGPR combinations, in particular, for preventive inoculation against M. incognita. They also enhance plant growth-promoting factors and stimulate plant defenses against inevitable soil reinfestation following soil fumigation.
Turnaround Radius for charged particles in the Reissner–Nordström deSitter spacetime
Authors: German Ethan J. , Sultana Joseph 
Published: May 2024

AbstractWe investigate the turnaround radius of the Reissner–Nordström deSitter Spacetime and how the turnaround radius changes if a test particle carries charge. We also consider the Martínez–Troncoso–Zanelli (MTZ) solution of conformally coupled gravity and investigate how the turnaround radius changes for a scalar test charge. In both scalar and electric interaction cases we find that the Turnaround Radius depends on the particle’s energy.
Longitudinal Transition Between Regular and Special Education in Autistic Children: Predictors and Policy Effects
Authors: van den Helder Chantal , Plak Rachel , Meeter Martijn , Begeer Sander 
Published: May 2024

AbstractInclusive education policies stimulate children with special educational needs, including autism, to attend regular education. We aimed to explore change over time in school placement and transitions of autistic children since the introduction of an inclusive education policy in the Netherlands (2014) and to examine the role of individual child characteristics. This study used longitudinal data from 2013 to 2021 on autistic children (N = 1463, aged 5–16 years). We expected an increase in regular school placements and transitions to regular schools. Surprisingly, the proportion of children with autism in regular schools slightly decreased. Special school placement was more likely for boys and autistic children with lower intelligence scores, co-occurring conditions or behavioral and peer relation problems. Younger autistic children and those with lower intelligence scores more often transferred from a regular to a special school. The opposite transition was more common in older autistic children and those with higher intelligence scores. The likelihood of special-to-regular transitions did not change, but regular-to-special transitions were more prevalent during the years just after the policy change than in later years. The inclusive policy had little impact on the school placement, and at most led to a delayed drop in referrals to special schools.
The Relationship Between Fatigue and Quality of Life in the Turkish Mothers of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder
Authors: Kara Koray , Kara Ozgun Kaya , Sutcu Gulsah , Tonak Hasan Atacan 
Published: May 2024

AbstractThis study aimed to investigate the different effects of fatigue and health-related quality of life in the Turkish mothers of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) through comparisons with mothers of typically developing children, and to evaluate the relationship between different aspects of maternal fatigue, depression, and maternal health-related quality of life. The study included a total of 103 mothers, comprising 60 mothers of children with ASD and 43 mothers of typically developing children. The Nottingham Health Profile and Quality of Life in Autism Questionnaire-Parent Version were used to assess the health-related quality of life. Fatigue was assessed comprehensively with the Fatigue Impact Scale and the Fatigue Severity Scale. The Nottingham Health Profile total and physical mobility domain and the quality of life were the strongest factors, explaining with a variance of 66.7% the fatigue impact on cognitive function. The mothers’ quality of life accounted for 64.8% of the variance in factors that explained fatigue. Physical mobility, social isolation and quality of life were associated with the physical impact of fatigue and were explained with a variance of 52.4%. Emotional reactions and quality of life were explained with a variance of 52.7% in the fatigue of psychosocial function. The current study has highlighted that the fatigue of Turkish mothers of children with ASD has a greater impact on cognitive, physical and psychosocial functions. Furthermore, the quality of life, physical mobility, social isolation, and emotional reactions of mothers have a significant impact on maternal fatigue.
Identification of the Sex Pheromone of the Asparagus Moth, Parahypopta Caestrum (Lepidoptera, Cossidae)
Authors: Pistillo Onofrio Marco , D’Isita Ilaria , Di Palma Antonella , Germinara Giacinto Salvatore 
Published: May 2024

AbstractChemical, electrophysiological, and field trapping experiments were carried out to identify the female-produced sex pheromone of the asparagus moth, Parahypopta caestrum, a very serious pests of asparagus cultivations in southern Europe. Gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry and electroantennogram detection (GC-MS-EAD) analysis of hexane and solid-phase microextraction (SPME) extracts of sex pheromone glands of calling females consistently detected four compounds eliciting EAG responses in male moth antennae. According to their GC retention times, mass spectra, and comparative EAG analyses with reference standards, these EAD-active compounds were identified as (Z)-9-tetradecenol (Z9-14:OH), (Z)-5-tetradecenyl acetate (Z5-14:Ac), (Z)-7-tetradecenyl acetate (Z7-14:Ac), and (Z)-9-tetradecenyl acetate (Z9-14:Ac), respectively. In the SPME extracts from the head-space of individual abdominal tips, Z9-14:Ac, Z5-14:Ac, Z7-14:Ac, and Z9:14 OH were detected in the ratio of 82:9:5:4. In EAG dose-response experiments, Z9-14:Ac was the strongest antennal stimulant at different doses tested. In field trapping experiments, Z9-14:Ac, Z7-14:Ac, and Z5-14:Ac proven to be essential for male attraction and a their 85:5:10 blend loaded onto green rubber septum dispensers was significantly more effective than single-, two-, and any other three-component blend of these compounds. The addition of Z9-14:OH to the optimal blend resulted in a significant reduction of male catches. The attractive blend here identified allowed for an effective and accurate monitoring of P. caestrum flight activity in southern Italy.
Towards an Active Role of Financial Institutions in Preventing Problem Gambling: A Proposed Conceptual Framework and Taxonomy of Financial Wellbeing Indicators
Authors: Lakew Nathan , Jonsson Jakob , Lindner Philip 
Published: May 2024

AbstractThe transformation of gambling into a largely digital commodity has created a need for online payment technologies to facilitate online gambling, thereby also raising the question of what role these actors can play in the promotion of Responsible Gambling (RG). With the means and access they maintain, financial institutions are in a unique position to alleviate financial pitfalls, yet their role in the gambling context has thus far received little scrutiny. The objective of this study was to conduct an extant literature review to develop an initial set of financial indicators tailored for financial institutions, enabling them to engage in the RG initiatives. We conducted a two-step narrative literature review to identify both general Financial Well-Being (FWB) indicators across financial research disciplines, and one specific to gambling. A literature search over the past 20 years was performed across the following academic databases: Medline (Ovid), Sociological Abstracts (ProQuest), Web of Science (Clarivate), and PsycInfo (EBSCO). Manifest content analysis was used in step one to review general financial well-being, yielding a general FWB conceptual framework. In step two, we applied latent content analysis to the gambling-specific literature, linking essential concepts of gambling-related financial harms to the broader FWB literature. This resulted in a tentative taxonomy of indicators applicable to financial institutions with gambling customers. In tandem with the FWB conceptual framework, the preliminary taxonomy could provide a foundation for financial institutions catering to gambling customers to engage in the duty of care agenda, potentially broadening player protection beyond the current operator-focused RG measures.