bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
A comparative assessment of different techniques for the extraction and characterization of fucoidan from Indian brown seaweeds
Authors: Babu Amarnath Mathan , Rathimeena Thetchinamoorthi , Ranjith Lakshmanan , Prabu Dhanasekaran Linga , Kalidass Subramaniam 
Published: March 2024

Abstract
In brown seaweeds, cell wall polysaccharides are dissolved in hot water, acid, and organic solvents to extract fucoidan. The study looked at 13 Indian brown seaweeds and used three different fucoidan extraction techniques: hot water (HW), hydrochloric acid (HA), and ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA). The yield of the HA extraction technique was higher than that of the EDTA and HW extraction techniques. When compared to the EDTA and HA extraction techniques, the HW extraction technique showed the highest fucose and sulfate content. Furthermore, the EDTA extraction technique revealed the highest protein content compared to the HA and HW extraction techniques. Among different fucoidan samples from various extraction techniques, S. cinctum had a high fucose and sulfate content. Therefore, we evaluated S. cinctum using different extraction techniques for FTIR analysis. The absorption areas near 1270 cm-1, 1030 cm-1 and 870 cm-1 in the HW, HA, and EDTA extraction techniques of S. cinctum indicate the presence of sulfate groups. After examining the different fucoidan extraction techniques, the HW extraction technique was shown to be the most effective and ecologically friendly method for the extraction of fucoidan. Studying the effects of different extraction techniques benefits a variety of industries, including the cosmetics, nutraceutical, and pharmaceutical industries.
Effects of atropine on the barrier function of retinal pigment epithelial cells in myopia
Authors: Cao Yiting , Che Danyang , Li Fang , Zhou Jibo 
Published: March 2024

Abstract

Background
To investigate whether atropine has an effect on RPE cell barrier function both in vivo and in vitro.
Methods
Atropine was used to treat ARPE-19. The proliferation and migration of ARPE-19 cells were observed using CCK8 and Wound healing assay. 3-week-old tri-color guinea pigs were modeled in FDM and treated with atropine. Refractive diopter was measured by an animal-specialized infrared eccentric refractor. Axial length was measured by an A-ultrasonic scan. The expression of myopia-related and adherens and tight function-related proteins was analyzed by Western blot, Real-time PCR assay and immunocytochemistry.
Results
In vitro, cell proliferation and migration were slowed down after atropine intervention in normal ARPE-19 cells. Intervention of ARPE-19 cells with atropine for 24 hours resulted in increased COL1A1 expression both in protein and mRNA level, while fibronectin was decreased. The expression of ZO-1 and E-cadherin were increased and MMP-2 expression was decreased in ARPE-19 cells after atropine treatment. In vivo, myopic refractive error and axial changes were slowed down by atropine in FDM guinea pigs. COL1A1 in scleral was significantly lower in the more myopic eyes than normal eyes, while MMP-2 protein expression was elevated. In the RPE choroidal complex, E-cadherin and ZO-1 protein expression as well as CDH-1 mRNA expression decreased in FDM guinea pigs and increased after atropine intervention.
Conclusions
Atropine may inhibit the damage of RPE barrier function in myopia by increasing the ZO-1 and E-cadherin expression.
Gas Formation in Pyogenic Liver Abscess Is Independently Correlated with Diabetes Mellitus but not with Pathogenic Bacteria
Authors: Guo Yawen , Wang Hongguang , Gong Zibo , Chen Lulu , Wang Hairui , Chang Zhihui 
Published: March 2024

Abstract

Background
Gas formation is a typical imaging feature of pyogenic liver abscess (PLA). However, the underlying mechanism of gas formation and its impact on the clinical characteristics of PLA remains unclear. The current study investigated the clinical characteristics of gas-forming PLA (GFPLA) and explored risk factors for GFPLA from both the host and pathogenic bacterium perspectives.
Results
The GFPLA group exhibited greater disease severity and a higher in-hospital mortality rate. The proportions of patients with diabetes mellitus (DM, P < 0.001) and biliary abnormality (P = 0.001) were higher in the GFPLA group. DM was an independent risk factor for GFPLA, whereas the time from symptom onset to CT and positivity for Klebsiella pneumoniae and Escherichia coli were not independent risk factors for GFPLA. 16S rDNA sequencing revealed no significant differences in bacterial community richness, diversity, evenness, and composition between the groups(P all > 0.05). In vitro fermentation experiments illustrated that high glucose levels was associated with greater gas production by both Klebsiella pneumoniae and Escherichia coli than low glucose levels (both P < 0.01).
Conclusion
GFPLA was associated with more severe disease and greater in-hospital mortality than non-GFPLA. Gas formation in PLA might be related to high blood glucose levels, but not to pathogenic bacteria composition.
“I tell you what it’s the hardest job”: The experiences of informal carers providing support for people with dementia at home in the last year of life
Authors: Mogan Caroline , Dening Karen Harrison , Dowrick Christopher , McCarrick Kelly , Lloyd-Williams Mari 
Published: March 2024

Abstract
Background: More people are dying at home with dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. While there is growing recognition of the central role that unpaid, informal carers play when supporting people with dementia to die at home, knowledge gaps remain around how to best support them as they care for the person during the last year of life.
Aim: To explore the experiences of bereaved informal carers who had provided care for a person with dementia living at home in the last year of life.
Design: A qualitative interview study. Data were analysed using thematic analysis.
Participants: 29 bereaved informal caregivers who had supported a person with dementia living at home in the last year of life.
Results: Caring for a person with dementia at home in the last year of life can be emotionally, mentally, and physically overwhelming. Carers described the challenges that they faced when trying to ensure that they met the needs of the person with dementia so that they could remain at home. Three overarching themes were developed from the data: Managing end-of-life symptoms and associated conditions; Living with uncertainty; and Impacts on wellbeing
Conclusions: Supporting a person with dementia at home in the last year of life can jeopardise informal carers own health, finances, relationships, and overall wellbeing. Many felt that they had limited understanding about the prognosis of dementia and how this would impact on caring at home, leaving them feeling unsupported amidst the incredible responsibilities placed on them. Informal carers would benefit from learning how to provide practical aspects care for the person with dementia in the home, as well as support when making decisions for the person with dementia towards the end-of-life.
Highly- sensitive to n-hexane vapors SPR sensor with an additional ZnO layer
Authors: Dorozinsky Glib , Kachur Natalia , Dorozinska Hanna , Fedorenko Artem , Yatsenko Iryna , Maslov Volodymyr 
Published: March 2024

Abstract

Offered, developed and experimentally tested in this work is the multilayer element highly sensitive to n-hexane vapors. This element is aimed to be used in the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) sensor with a plasmon-carrying gold layer covered with a sorption layer of zinc oxide (ZnO). The bandgap width inherent to these layers prepared using sol-gel technology reached Eg = 3.198...3.3 eV, in dependency on the oxide layer thickness. The bulk porosity of the layers was 15.5 up to 69.5 vol.%, also in dependency on the oxide layer thickness. The surface micro-roughness of ZnO layer with the optimal thickness close to 20 nm was increased by 4.4 times as compared with that of pure gold surface without ZnO layer. Sensory properties of sensitive elements were studied relatively to vapors of the following solvents in air: isopropanol, acetone and n-hexane. The highest sensitivity of the sensor was inherent to n-hexane. The response of SPR sensor, when using the additional ZnO layer of the optimal thickness 20 nm, was 4-fold increased from 247 up to 952 ang.sec., if comparing with the sensor without ZnO layer. The selectivity to hexane as compared with that for isopropanol and acetone in the case of the of ZnO-modified sensor was enhanced practically 2-fold from 3.1 up to 5.6 times. The obtained results can be applied to monitor n-hexane vapors in air.
Effect of Mechanical Loading on the Calcification of Intervertebral Discs：Quantitative Analysis
Authors: Gao Xin , Qin Bing , Feng Pengcheng , Cao Shengwei , Zhou Lu , Qian Zhiyu , Zhu Qiaoqiao 
Published: March 2024

Abstract
Mechanical loading was associated with IVD calcifications, however how mechanical loading affects calcium (Ca2+) and phosphate (Pi) concentration were unknown yet. This study aims to investigate the effects of mechanical loading on the change of calcium and phosphate concentrations in the human intervertebral disc (IVD) with a modeling approach. A finite element model was adopted and extended based on the triphasic continuum mixture theory. The disc was modeled as an inhomogeneous, porous, mixture consisting of a negatively charged solid phase, a fluid phase, and the solute phase (e.g., Na+, Cl−, Ca2+, Pi). The material properties of fixed charge density, hydraulic permeability, and solute diffusivities were nonlinearly coupled with tissue deformation. The interactions among tissue deformation, electrical charge, fluid, and solute transport were considered. We found that average calcium concentration increased 30% in cartilaginous endplate, 18% in nucleus pulposus, 25% in annulus fibrosus, while the phosphate concentration decreased 17% in cartilaginous endplate, 20% in nucleus pulposus, and 11% in annulus fibrosus, when the load on the disc increased from 0.5 MPa to 1.0 MPa. The difference in the trend between [Ca2+] and [Pi] is mainly caused by the Donnan effects due to the existence of the fixed charge density in the IVDs. Higher mechanical loading increases the fixed charge density (due to deformation) and thus leads to even larger Donnan effects. Our results indicate that large mechanical loading may increase the risk potential of IVD calcification. This study is important for understanding the mechanisms of mechanical loading related IVD calcification.
Understanding mental health of students and teachers within universities: A cross-sectional, multicultural analysis across three European countries
Authors: García-Salido Cristina , Miedaner Felix , Hasseler Martina , Hlubučková Andrea , Ramírez-Baraldes Estel·la , García-Gutiérrez Daniel 
Published: March 2024

Abstract
Knowing the state of mood of the university community is becoming a necessity to assess whether it is necessary to apply solutions to the mental health problems emerging after the state of health alarm experienced by covid-19. At present, there are no known studies comparing mood states between students and teachers within the academic organizational setting, nor between different European countries. But mental health is a critical issue at universities due to the overwhelming transition, intense competition, stigma, and high prevalence of mental health disorders among students. The combination of academic pressure, social challenges, and reluctance to seek help creates a pressing need for support and resources to address mental health concerns and promote student well-being. In light of this, this study focused on analyzing the relationship between individuals' role, geographical location, and their emotional health, using the EVEA scale to assess sadness-depression, anxiety, anger-hostility, and happiness in a sample of students and teachers. The results revealed significant findings between different members of the same community and between different European countries. Our findings serve as a potential starting point to derive recommendations to improve the mental health of university communities.
Forest Cover Loss and Forest Fire Monitoring Using GIS And GEE Over Similipal Tiger Reserve, Odisha, India
Authors: Das Rasmi Ranjan , Nandi Debabrata 
Published: March 2024

Abstract

Similipal Biosphere Reserve is indeed an important natural treasure and holds significance for several reasons as the 7th largest biosphere reserve in India. India’s Mayurbhanj is one among the World’s Greatest Places of 2023 along with the Similipal Biosphere, the Time magazine has included it is the only place in the world where black melanistic tigers were spotted that’s why the researchers all across the globe are curious to explore Mayurbhanj and its rich biodiversity. The Similipal comprises 7% flowering plants, 8% Orchids, 7% Reptiles, 20% birds and 11% mammals. A significant natural resource, forests are crucial to preserving the ecological equilibrium. Forests are now endangered by both man-made and natural forest fires as a result of growing population and civilisation. Basically, there are three different categories into which forest fire causes may be divided: Natural, Intentional/Deliberate, Accidental, and Unintentional are the four categories. In India, human anthropogenic activities that involve slash-and-burn agriculture, deforestation, controlled burning, firewood burning, etc. are to blame for almost 90% of forest fires. Therefore, in nations like India, it is crucial to monitor and manage forest fires. Anthropogenic impact can easily be detected with the satellite data such as Landsat-5, Landsat-8 & MODIS are collected and processed in Arc GIS 10.8 & Google Earth Engine.
Assessing positivity and negativity biases: Emotions and attitudes influence animal cognitive salience in a French National Park
Authors: Descours Théo , Carrière Stéphanie M. , Moreau Clémence , Boudjema Valentine , Blanco Julien 
Published: March 2024

Abstract
Human representations, attitudes and behaviors are influenced by a range of cognitive biases increasingly understood by neuroscience, psychology and economics. Similarly, how cognitive biases affect people’s relationships with non-human livings is an emerging research topic in conservation biology. Yet, assessing cognitive biases remain a methodological challenge in this field of research that mostly rely on in-vivo methods. This study presents an interview-based approach that links cognitive salience and people’s attitudes and emotions to assess positivity and negativity biases. The approach was tested in the Cevennes National Park in France where we investigated how animal cognitive salience was influenced by people’s attitudes and emotions towards animals. Interviews conducted with 100 respondents combined free-listing tasks of the fauna to assess animal cognitive salience and questions to inform people’s attitudes and emotions towards listed animals. Relationships between cognitive salience and attitudes and emotions were analyzed through multi- and bivariate analyses. Respondents listed a total of 154 animals and mainly associated them with positive attitudes and emotions. A significant relationship was found between animal cognitive salience and people’s attitudes and emotions (ANOVA, p < 0.0001): animals associated with positive emotions were more salient in people’s minds than others, and disliked and negative animals had the second highest cognitive salience score. Aligning with neuroscience advances, results suggested the coexistence of a positivity bias and, to a lesser extent, of a negativity bias. We finally discuss the limitations and transferability potential of this approach for further investigating how cognitive biases may influence biodiversity conservation efforts.
A trace principle for fractional Laplacian with an application to image process
Authors: Xiao Jie , Yue Chengjun 
Published: March 2024

Abstract

Let $u_\alpha(x,t)$, $\alpha \in (0,2)$ be the solution of the equation $$\Delta_{x,t} u_\alpha(x,t)+(1-\alpha)t^{-1}\partial_t u_\alpha(x,t)=0$$ on $\mathbb R^{n+1}_+=\mathbb{R}^n\times(0,\infty)$ subject to $u_\alpha(x,0)=f(x)$ on $\mathbb{R}^n$. As the endpoint of the Poisson-Bessel potential $u_\alpha$, the potential $u_0(x,t)$ solves the equation $$ \Delta_{x,t} \big((\ln t^{-1})u_0(x,t)\big)+t^{-1}\partial_t \big((\ln t^{-1})u_0(x,t)\big)=0 $$ on $\mathbb R^{n+1}_+$ subject to $u_0(x,0)=f(x)$ on $\mathbb{R}^n$. The main goal of this paper is to characterize a nonnegative measure $\mu$ on $\mathbb R^{n+1}_+$ such that $f(x)\mapsto u_\alpha(x,t)$ induces a bounded embedding from the fractional $L^1$-Hardy-Sobolev space $H^{\alpha,1}(\mathbb{R}^n)$, $\alpha \in (0,2)$ into the weak Lebesgue space $WL^q_{\mu}(\mathbb R^{n+1}_+)$, $q\in [1,\infty)$ and $f(x)\mapsto u_0(x,t)$ induces a bounded embedding from the Hardy $H^{0,1}(\mathbb{R}^n)$ into the Lebesgue space $L^q_{\mu}(\mathbb R^{n+1}_+)$, $q\in [1,\infty)$. Building upon the trace principles, we exploit $H^{\alpha,1}$ space for image characterization instead of the bounded variation space. Our proposed $(H^{\alpha,1}, L^q)$ and $(H^{\alpha,1}, \log)$ decomposition for image denoising demonstrate superior restorations, particularly in edges and texture preservation, when compared to the ROF model \cite{ROF}, as illustrated in the simulations.
2020 Mathematics Subject Classification. 31C15, 42B35, 42B37, 28A78.
Does the Addition of Radiation to Neoadjuvant Systemic Therapy Improve Outcomes for Patients with Resected Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma? Analysis of the National Cancer Database
Authors: Amini Neda , Demyan Lyudmyla , Shah Manav , Standring Oliver , Gazzara Emma , Lad Neha , Deutsch Garry , Weiss Matthew , Herman Joseph , DePeralta Danielle K 
Published: March 2024

Abstract
Purpose
The incorporation of neoadjuvant radiation therapy into the treatment algorithm for pancreatic cancer is a topic of ongoing debate. This study compares neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) alone to NAC combined with radiation (NAC + RT).
Methods
Using the national cancer database, we identified patients diagnosed with pancreatic adenocarcinoma from 2018–2019. We assessed the pathological response using the “post therapy path” variable, with complete pathologic response (pCR) indicating no residual disease in the resected specimen.
Results
Among the 4,079 patients in the study, pCR was achieved in 4.1%. Treatment with NAC + RT was associated with an increased rate of pCR (6.1%) compared with the NAC alone (3.2%) (P < 0.001). An interval > 11 weeks between surgery and radiation correlated with a higher pCR rate (≤ 11 weeks: 4.8% vs. >11 weeks: 7.8%; P = 0.038). Additionally, NAC + RT was associated with more AJCC downstaging (n = 627, 57.1%) compared to the NAC group (n = 1,147, 40.8%) (P < 0.001). Pathologic complete response was associated with improved OS regardless of neoadjuvant treatment modality.
Conclusion
This study gives a real world snap-shot of utilization of neoadjuvant therapy for PDAC in the United States. NAC + RT is associated with improved pCR, AJCC downstaging, and margin-negative resections. Further study is needed to define the role of NAC + RT in the management of PDAC.
DeepBike: A Deep Reinforcement Learning Based Model for Large-scale Online Bike Share Rebalancing
Authors: Yin Zhuoli , Kou Zhaoyu , Cai Hua 
Published: March 2024

Abstract
Bike share systems (BSSs), as a potentially environment-friendly mobility mode, are being deployed globally. To address spatially and temporally imbalanced bike and dock demands, BSS operators need to redistribute bikes among stations using a fleet of rebalancing vehicles in real-time. However, existing studies mainly generate BSS rebalancing solutions for small-scale BSSs or subsets of BSSs, while deploying small-size rebalancing fleets. How to produce online rebalancing solutions for large-scale BSS with multiple rebalancing vehicles to minimize customer loss is critical for system operation yet remains unsolved. To address this gap, we proposed a deep reinforcement learning based model — DeepBike — that trains deep Q-network (DQN) to learn the optimal strategy for dynamic bike share rebalancing. DeepBike uses real-time states of rebalancing vehicles, stations and predicted demands as inputs to output the long-term quality values of rebalancing actions of each rebalancing vehicle. Rebalancing vehicles could work asynchronously as each individually runs the DQN. We compared the performance of the proposed DeepBike against baseline models for dynamic bike share rebalancing based on historical trip records from Divvy BSS in Chicago, which possesses more than 500 stations and 16 rebalancing vehicles. The evaluation results show that our proposed DeepBike model was able to better reduce customer loss by 111.09% and 57.6% than the mixed integer programming and heuristic-based models, respectively, and increased overall net profits by 101.26% and 220.01%, respectively. The DeepBike model is effective for large-scale dynamic bike share rebalancing problems and has the potential to improve the operation of shared mobility systems.
Comparing Human Text Classification Performance and Explainability with Large Language and Machine Learning Models Using Eye-Tracking
Authors: Nanda Gaurav , Venkatesh Jeevithashree Divya , Jaiswal Aparajita 
Published: March 2024

Abstract
To understand the alignment between reasonings of humans and artificial intelligence (AI) models, this empirical study compared the human text classification performance and explainability with a traditional machine learning (ML) model and large language model (LLM). A domain-specific noisy textual dataset of injury narratives had to be classified into six cause-of-injury codes. While the ML model was trained on pre-labelled injury narratives, LLM and humans did not receive any specialized training. The explainability of different approaches was compared using the words they focused on during classification. These words were identified using eye-tracking for humans, explainable AI approach LIME for ML model, and prompts for LLM. The classification performance of ML model was relatively better than LLM and humans- overall and particularly for complicated and challenging to classify narratives. The top-3 words used by ML and LLM for classification agreed with humans to a greater extent as compared to later words.
Nanoindentation to microhardness correlation coefficient and Tabor factor determination in relation to microstructure in eutectic SnBi alloy
Authors: Starostina Nataliya , Hartman Aja , Cole Rosemary , Li Dongmeng , Park Jong W. 
Published: March 2024

Abstract
Determining strength to hardness correlation coefficients from localized hardness measurements in correspondence to microstructure and composition leads the way to inexpensive, non-destructive ways to predict tensile properties of bulk materials which is important for developing preventive maintenance procedures in the semiconductor industry. Nanoindentation and microhardness tests were performed on an in-house prepared eutectic SnBi alloy. Both linear correlation coefficients, C1, between nanoindentation and Vickers microhardness, and k, between Vickers microhardness and ultimate tensile strength, were determined based on experimental measurements. Elemental composition and eutectic morphology were verified by scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive spectroscopy to emphasize the importance of considering composition, microstructure and strengthening mechanisms when estimating correlations. The correlation coefficients, C1 and k, were found to be ~ 1.7 and ~ 4.0 respectively indicating that composition, microstructure and strengthening play important role in hardness-strength relation. Comparisons to coefficients estimated from data available for SnBi alloy and other alloy systems are discussed.