bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Associated factors, concordance, and trends of obesity: body mass index, abdominal waist, and waist- to-height ratio between 2014 and 2022. Analysis of nine national surveys
Authors: Romero Luisa Erika Milagros Vásquez , Vera-Ponce Víctor Juan , Zuzunaga-Montoya Fiorella E. , Torres-Malca Jenny Raquel , Loayza-Castro Joan A. , Paucar Cori Raquel Iturregui , Valladares-Garrido Mario J. , Romero-Figueroa María del Socorro , Silva Mariana , Ramos Willy , Cruz-Vargas Jhony A. La 
Published: April 2024

Abstract
Introduction: Obesity is a global epidemic affecting millions of people worldwide. Its diagnosis and treatment are crucial for the prevention of associated chronic diseases.
Objectives: To assess the prevalence of obesity according to different diagnostic criteria, analyze the concordance between various diagnostic methods, and identify associated factors.
Methods: Peru's Demographic and Family Health Survey (ENDES) from 2014 to 2022 was utilized. The cut-off points for defining obesity were ≥ 30 for body mass index (BMI), the ATPIII criteria for waist circumference (WC-ATPIII), and 0.56 for the waist-to-height ratio (WHtR). Concordance analyses were performed to compare diagnostic methods and regression analyses were conducted to identify associated factors.
Results: The prevalence of obesity according to BMI, WC-ATPIII, and WHtR was 25.65%, 42.04%, and 46.49%, respectively. The concordance between the three criteria was evaluated through the Kappa index. The concordance between obesity by BMI and WC-ATPIII was 0.5141. The concordance between BMI and WHtR was 0.5099. Finally, the concordance between WC-ATPIII and WHtR was 0.7514. Men showed a lower prevalence of obesity compared to women. The obesity trend increased overall during the study period, with marked differences in prevalence according to the obesity measure used.
Conclusions: The findings reveal differences in obesity prevalence according to the diagnostic method employed and underscore the need to consider multiple approaches to assess obesity. The results significantly affect public health and provide a foundation for future interventions and policies to combat obesity in Peru.
Evaluation of the polycaprolactone (PCL) hydrolytic degradation in acid solvent and its influence on the electrospinning process
Authors: Anaya-Mancipe Javier Mauricio , de Figueiredo Agnes Chacor , Rabello Lucas Gomes , Dias Marcos Lopes , Thiré Rossana Mara S. M. 
Published: April 2024

Abstract

Poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) is one of the most widely used biopolymers in biomedicine for the production of scaffolds and biomaterials in tissue engineering. This is due to its characteristics as a drug carrier, as well as excellent controlled release properties compared to other biopolymers. Electrospinning is a technique often employed for manufacturing mats with this application, although chlorinated or fluorinated solvents are predominantly used, presenting high cellular toxicity. A viable alternative as a green solvent is glacial acetic acid in the preparation of electrospinning solutions. In this study, we investigated the molecular degradation via acid hydrolysis of PCL in acidic solvents (acetic acid/formic acid) and how the contact time (storage) influences the morphology of the produced structures. Solutions containing 30% by weight of PCL in acetic acid/formic acid (9:1) were prepared and stored at 35 °C for up to 14 days. Subsequently, samples were tested by electrospinning to assess the resulting morphology. To analyze the acid degradation of PCL, samples were evaluated by GPC, XRD, and FTIR, revealing an approximately 50% reduction in molar mass during the solubilization process. This allowed for better chain packing, generating higher crystallinity indices, increasing from approximately 37% to 49 %, due to the storage time of the solutions. On the other hand, it was observed that this reduction in molar mass resulted in lower molecular interactions and entanglement of the chains, reflecting in the formation of unstable Taylor cones that produced mats with various morphologies, including fibers, beaded fibers, and isolated beads. However, this degradation demonstrated an increase in water adsorption capacity, indicating exposure of hydrogen bonds from the acid hydrolysis of the ester linkage in PCL, an important feature for applications in regenerative medicine. This highlights the high potential of these hydrolyzed materials for cell anchoring applications in tissue engineering.
Recycling annual self-straw as biochar reduces long-term greenhouse gas emissions from paddy fields economically
Authors: Wu Weixiang , Nan Qiong , Speth Daan , Qin Yong , Chi Wenchen , Milucka Jana , Gu Baojing 
Published: April 2024

Abstract
Paddy fields contribute significantly to agricultural greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and their mitigation is imperative for achieving global carbon neutrality. The commonly adopted practice of a one-time application of approximately 1% topsoil weight biochar (high single, HS) has proven effective in reducing GHG emissions from paddy fields. However, the long-term efficacy of this approach remains uncertain. Our comprehensive 8-year field experiments reveal that the HS method substantially reduces 125 tonnes of CO2-eq per hectare, accompanied by a net financial benefit of US$ 3,732 per hectare. Nevertheless, the HS method exhibits diminishing returns as biochar aged. This decline is attributed to the higher soil ammonium concentration, which hinders methanotrophic activity and reduces soil total carbon content. To counteract this ageing effect, a more sustainable alternative known as the annual low (AL) method involves the yearly recycling of biochar. The AL method surpasses the HS approach, recording a reduction of 197 tonnes of CO2-eq per hectare and a net financial benefit of US$ 4,568 per hectare. This represents a 58% increase in CO2 reduction and a 16% increase in financial benefit compared to the HS method. If the AL method were implemented globally in paddy fields, it could remarkably reduce 4 billion tonnes of CO2-eq GHG, yielding an annual financial benefit of US$ 90 billion. This underscores the viability and economic attractiveness of adopting sustainable practices in paddy field management aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals.
Bioinformatics-based prediction of biochemical characteristic and potential immunogenic epitopes for ROPs proteins of the E. tenella as candidate vaccine target
Authors: Mohammadi Mahdi Khadem , Ghaffari Ali Dalir 
Published: April 2024

Abstract

Introduction: Coccidiosis is an essential type of disease which is responsible for infection all around the world. The mentioned disease is caused by Eimeria which has determinable characteristics including intestinal injury, diarrhea, or bloody stools. Despite the using specific drugs for this disease, a lot of issues like the onset of drug-resistance and raised treatment costs made the drug mediated method challenging. The present in silico investigation was done to reveal biophysical properties and immunogenic epitopes of six ROPs proteins for rational vaccine design in future.
Materials and methods: We utilized different online tools in order to predict characteristics like allergenicity, antigenicity, physicochemical properties, solubility, post-translational modification sites (PTMs), the presence of signal peptide and transmembrane domains. In addition, the secondary and tertiary structures of the assessed proteins were drawn through the refinement process and validation. At last, we utilized NetCTL server as a prediction tool for cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) epitopes. After the mentioned process, immunogenicity was analyzed. IEDB server was chosen as a prediction tool for helper T-lymphocyte (HTL) epitopes. After the mentioned process, we assessed antigenicity and IFN-γ and IL-4 induction.
Results: We could find many different linear B-cell epitopes with ability to be antigenic. They also had good water solubility, and they didn't have allergenicity. Thus, these proteins had proper antigenicity, and they had many different PTMs. They also had different HTL, CTL, and B-cell epitopes. We can use these results to develop a proper kind of multi-epitope vaccine for therapeutic purposes.
Conclusion: According to the present study, it might be promising to focus on specific regions of the parasite’s protein rather than large protein residues, as this might contribute to the reduction of the parasite’s antigen complexity.
Deployment of the natural magnifier CMTKG for naked expansion microscopy of biological tissues
Authors: Chen Bi-Chang , Tian Xuejiao , Cheng Yi-Fen , Tsai Min-Ju , Lin Tzu-Yang , Lee Chia-Ming , Lin Po-Ting , Tsao Chieh , Cheng Ya-Jen , Chen Peilin , Tseng Fan-Gang 
Published: April 2024

Abstract

Expansion Microscopy (ExM) enhances biological imaging to the nanoscale level by enlarging biological specimens, increasing the separation between biomolecules while maintaining their spatial arrangement. By integrating ExM with traditional microscopy, super-resolution volumetric images can be captured efficiently without compromising tissue integrity. Accordingly, fine molecular structures previously indiscernible by means of standard fluorescence microscopy can be visualized. However, one of the major challenges with ExM is that the samples are embedded in the polymerized gel, which limits the use of high numerical aperture objective lenses due to their short working distances. To address this issue, we have developed an approach using carboxymethyl tamarind kernel gum (CMTKG) cross-linked with sodium acrylate to create a superabsorbent hydrogel suitable for ExM. This technique facilitates removal of excess polymers from the expanded sample, resulting in sample exposure to the objective lens. Here, we demonstrate that it is possible to achieve approximately 7X expansion of Drosophila melanogaster brains, free from surrounding hydrogel, in a process we have named Naked-ExM. Followed by iterative expansion, the centimeter-sized fly brain is obtained and the ~15 um sized synapses are measured at 15X expansion.
Phylogeography of the Imperiled Comanche Harvester Ant (Pogonomyrmex comanche)
Authors: Seal Jon , Matthews Alix E , McDanield Gabriel , McFarland Erin , Kellner Katrin 
Published: April 2024

Abstract

One of the few endangered ant species in North America is the Comanche Harvester Ant, Pogonomyrmex comanche. Despite its status, there is little known about its natural history throughout its range in the western Gulf Coastal Plain of North America. This study presents a regional phylogeographic analysis of P. comanche across sites in central and eastern Texas, southern Arkansas and central Oklahoma. By using COI genotyping, we discovered that the center of genetic diversity is found in central Texas, which is typical for many species that found refugia in the southern North America during Pleistocene glaciations. Although diversity was slightly lower in northern populations, there was no evidence of recent population expansion into northern latitudes. Rather, some deviations from neutrality were consistent with population contraction in the northern regions (Arkansas, Oklahoma). The high diversity and relative rarity of identical sequences among samples were also consistent with dispersal limitation. The exact mechanisms driving its decline are currently unknown, but a combination of dispersal limitation and habitat loss seem likely causes.
Feeding-state dependent neuropeptidergic modulation of reciprocally interconnected inhibitory neurons biases sensorimotor decisions in Drosophila
Authors: Jovanic Tihana , de Tredern Eloise , Manceau Dylan , Blanc Alexandre , Sakagiannis Panagiotis , Barré Chloe , Sus Victoria , Viscido Francesca , Ha Amit Md , Autran Sandra , Nawrot Martin , Masson Jean-Baptiste 
Published: April 2024

Abstract
Animals' feeding state changes behavioral priorities and thus influences even non-feeding related decisions. How is the feeding state information transmitted to non-feeding related circuits and what are the circuit mechanisms involved in biasing non-feeding related decisions remains an open question. By combining calcium imaging, neuronal manipulations, behavioral analysis and computational modeling, we determined that the competition between different aversive responses to mechanical cues is biased by feeding state changes. We found that this is achieved by differential modulation of two different types of reciprocally connected inhibitory neurons promoting opposing actions. This modulation results in a more frequent active type of response and less frequently a protective type of response if larvae are fed sugar compared to when they are fed a balanced diet. The information about the internal state is conveyed to the inhibitory neurons through homologues of the vertebrate neuropeptide Y known to be involved in regulating feeding behavior.
Oviposition strategies of amphibians in ephemeral streams: a multi-species perspective
Authors: Oh Dogeun , Kang Jaehun , Song Uhram , Ahn JeongYoon , Kang Changku 
Published: April 2024

Abstract

Many amphibians are selective about where to lay eggs, as this greatly affects their offpsring’s survival. Theoretically, species sharing the same habitat are expected to experience similar selective pressures, leading to the prediction that they might share similar oviposition preferences. However, this hypothesis has not yet been tested. In this study, through an extensive field survey, we examined the oviposition site selection of four amphibian species (Rana uenoi, Hynobius quelpaertensis, Bombina orientalis, and Dryophytes japonicus) that reproduce in the same natural ephemeral stream. Our focus was on understanding how various abiotic and biotic factors influence their reproductive choices. We primarily found that drought avoidance is a universal selective pressure affecting all species, with a tendency to avoid laying eggs in smaller pools prone to drought. Species-specific responses to leaf litter and canopy coverage were observed, but none of the species' oviposition choices correlated with the quantity of stones in pools. The study also explored biotic influences, revealing species-specific trends in the selection of pools with conspecific and heterospecific juveniles, predators, and mosquito larvae, indicating a complex ecological interplay. These findings highlight the complexity of amphibian reproductive strategies, where decisions are not driven solely by a single factor such as the avoidance of predators or competitors but also by intricate assessments of multiple factors. The study highlights that amphibian oviposition in ephemeral streams is influenced by a diverse interplay of biotic and abiotic factors, essential for understanding their reproductive strategies in dynamic environments.
Nonnative fish in the Pearl River Delta: A comprehensive study on their salinity adaptability and potential distribution area in brackish water
Authors: Luo Du , Yang Dingtian , Li Yuefei , Li Jie 
Published: April 2024

Abstract

The Pearl River Delta (PRD) has undergone significant environmental changes resulting from anthropogenic activities, with bio-invasion emerging as one of the most consequential byproducts. Despite these apparent transformations, our understanding of nonnative fish species and their adaptability to the environment remains incomplete, compounded by the complexity of the river network. To address this, we conducted a literature survey to screen the nonnative fish species. Subsequently, we analyzed the fish's salinity adaptation capability, spatial variations in alpha diversity, and trophic level. Thirdly, we simulated the distribution of salinity under conditions of salinity intrusion. Our findings identified 25 nonnative fish species, phylogenetically belonging to nine orders, with three being translocated species within China and the remaining 22 being exotic introductions. Although most of the nonnative fish are freshwater species and exhibit species-specific differences in salinity tolerance, they generally can adapt to brackish water, with an average salinity tolerance of 23.74 ppt. The diversity of nonnative fish declined as the relative distance decreased from the upstream of the Pearl River Estuary (PRE) to its mouth in the sea (p < 0.01). Spatial analysis unveiled pronounced heterogeneity in salinity distribution, particularly in the east PRE of the LingDing Bay. Notably, under salinity intrusion circumstances, a gap region between salinity levels of 5.0 ppt and 15.0 ppt, spanning 3111.2 km2, emerged as a potential adaptation zone for nonnative fish. By emphasizing salinity as a key factor, our study may contribute to elucidating invasion mechanisms and enhancing the assessment of invasion risks in estuarine environments.
A Systematic Effectiveness Evaluation Method for Air Defense Operations Based on Deep Confidence Networks
Authors: ZHANG Peng , FENG Ke , GONG Jiancheng , YANG Xiaoqiang , SHEN Jinxing 
Published: April 2024

Abstract

As the key basis for evaluating the success or failure of air defense operations, it has become an urgent task to evaluate the operational effectiveness of systematic air defense weapons. To address the issues of high dimensionality, strong complexity, and subjective evaluation methods in the combat effectiveness indicators of air defense systems, a combat effectiveness indicator system for air defense systems based on the effectiveness environment is constructed through in-depth analysis of the observing, locating, deciding, and acting (OODA)environment combat theory. By fully utilizing the massive data generated during air defense operations, and extracting information features from them, a combat effectiveness evaluation method based on machine learning deep belief network (DBN) is proposed, and multiple methods such as Back Propagation ༈BP༉neural network, Particle Swarm Optimization - Back Propagation ༈PSO-BP༉neural network, Support Vector Regression ༈SVR༉algorithm, Deep neural networks ༈DNN༉network are applied for comparative simulation verification. The simulation results show that the predicted evaluation results of the DBN network model are closer to the actual values, fully proving the effectiveness of the machine learning model in the systematic evaluation of air defense combat effectiveness, achieving accurate evaluation of air defense system combat effectiveness, and providing strong support for commander combat decision-making.
Resolving multiple conformations of a sub-80 kDa Chagas vaccine candidate by cryo-EM led integrative approach
Authors: Campeotto Ivan , Batra Sagar , Ragan Timothy , Frank Asger , Kaplan Merve , Lancey Claudia , Assadipapari Mahya , Ying Cuifeng , Struwe Weston , Hesketh Emma , Barfod Lea 
Published: April 2024

Abstract
Chagas disease, caused by the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, remains a significant global public health concern. Despite its profound health impact in both endemic and non-endemic areas, no vaccine is available, and the existing therapies are outdated, producing severe side effects. The 80kDa prolyl oligopeptidase of Trypanosoma cruzi (TcPOP) has been recently identified as a leading candidate for Chagas vaccine development. We report the first three-dimensional structure of TcPOP in open and closed conformation, at a resolution of 3.0 and 2.5 Angstroms respectively, determined using single-particle cryo-electron microscopy. Multiple conformations were observed and were further characterized, using plasmonic optical tweezers. To assess the immunogenic potential of TcPOP, we immunized mice and evaluated both polyclonal and monoclonal responses against the TcPOP antigen and its homologues. The results revealed unexpected cross-reactivity across prolyl POPs from other closely related parasites, but intriguingly, not towards the human homologue. Altogether, our findings provide critical structural insights necessary to understand the immunogenicity of TcPOP for future Chagas vaccine development and diagnostic applications.
Multi-Step-Ahead Rainfall-Runoff Modeling: Decision Tree-Based Clustering for Hybrid Wavelet Neural- Networks Modeling
Authors: Molajou Amir , Nourani Vahid , Tajbakhsh Ali Davanlou , Variani Hossein Akbari , Khosravi Mina 
Published: April 2024

Abstract

This paper introduces a novel hybrid approach for predicting the rainfall-runoff (r-r) phenomenon across different data division scenarios (50%-50%, 60%-40%, and 75%-25%) within two distinct watersheds, encompassing both monthly and daily scales. Additionally, the effectiveness of this newly proposed hybrid method is evaluated in multi-step ahead prediction (MSAP) scenarios. The proposed method comprises three primary steps. Initially, to address the non-stationarity of the runoff and rainfall time series, these series are decomposed into multiple sub-time series using the wavelet (WT) decomposition method. Subsequently, in the second step, the decomposed sub-series are utilized as input data for the M5 model tree, a decision tree-based model. The M5 model tree classifies the samples of decomposed runoff and rainfall time series into distinct classes. Finally, each class is modeled using an artificial neural network (ANN). The results demonstrate the superior efficiency of the proposed WT-M5-ANN method compared to other available hybrid methods. Specifically, the calculated R2 was 0.93 for the proposed WT-M5-ANN method, whereas it was 0.89 and 0.81 for the WT-ANN and WT-M5 methods, respectively, for the Lobbs Hole Creek watershed at the daily scale.
Electrical control of valley polarized charged biexcitons in monolayer WS2
Authors: Das Sarthak , Huang Ding , Verzhbitskiy Ivan , En Ooi Zi , Siong Aaron LAU Chit , Lee Rainer , Yu Calvin Wong Pei , GOH Kuan Eng Johnson 
Published: April 2024

Abstract

Excitons are key to the optoelectronic applications of van der Waals semiconductors with the potential for versatile on-demand tuning of properties. Yet, their electrical manipulation is complicated by their inherent charge neutrality and the additional loss channels induced by electrical doping. We demonstrate the dynamic control of valley polarization in charged biexciton (quinton) states of monolayer tungsten disulfide, achieving up to a sixfold increase in the degree of circular polarization under off-resonant excitation. In contrast to the weak direct tuning of excitons typically observed using electrical gating, the quinton photoluminescence remains stable, even with increased scattering from electron doping. By exciting at the exciton resonances, we observed the reproducible non-monotonic switching of the charged state population as the electron doping is varied under gate bias, indicating a coherent interplay between neutral and charged exciton states.