bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Modulation of Gut Microbiota Through Dietary Intervention in Neuroinflammation and Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s Diseases
Authors: Ayten Şerife , Bilici Saniye 
Published: April 2024

Abstract
Purpose of Review
The gut microbiota plays a crucial role in the pathogenesis of neuroinflammation and Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases. One of the main modulators of the gut microbiota is the diet, which directly influences host homeostasis and biological processes. Some dietary patterns can affect neurodegenerative diseases’ progression through gut microbiota composition, gut permeability, and the synthesis and secretion of microbial-derived neurotrophic factors and neurotransmitters. This comprehensive review critically assesses existing studies investigating the impact of dietary interventions on the modulation of the microbiota in relation to neurodegenerative diseases and neuroinflammation.

Recent Findings
There are limited studies on the effects of specific diets, such as the ketogenic diet, Mediterranean diet, vegetarian diet, and Western diet, on the progression of neuroinflammation and Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases through the gut-brain axis. The ketogenic diet displays promising potential in ameliorating the clinical trajectory of mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer’s disease. However, conflicting outcomes were observed among various studies, highlighting the need to consider diverse types of ketogenic diets and their respective effects on clinical outcomes and gut microbiota composition. Vegetarian and Mediterranean diets, known for their anti-inflammatory properties, can be effective against Parkinson’s disease, which is related to inflammation in the gut environment. On the other hand, the westernization of dietary patterns was associated with reduced gut microbial diversity and metabolites, which ultimately contributed to the development of neuroinflammation and cognitive impairment.

Summary
Various studies examining the impact of dietary interventions on the gut-brain axis with regard to neuroinflammation and Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases are thoroughly reviewed in this article. A strong mechanistic explanation is required to fully understand the complex interactions between various dietary patterns, gut microbiota, and microbial metabolites and the effects these interactions have on cognitive function and the progression of these diseases.
Anti-spike antibody level is associated with the risk of clinical progression among subjects hospitalized with COVID-19 pneumonia: results from a retrospective cohort study
Authors: Lapadula Giuseppe , Mezzadri Luca , Lo Cascio Giustina , Antolini Laura , Malandrin Sergio , Ranzani Alice , Limonta Silvia , Cavallero Annalisa , Bonfanti Paolo 
Published: April 2024

Abstract
Purpose
Antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 spike (anti-S) may confer protection against symptomatic COVID-19. Whether their level predicts progression among those with COVID-19 pneumonia remains unclear.

Methods
We conducted a retrospective cohort study to assess predictors of anti-S levels and whether anti-S titer is associated with death or mechanical ventilation (MV). Adults hospitalized for COVID-19 pneumonia between July 2021 and July 2022 were enrolled if anti-S had been measured within 72 h of admission. Predictors of anti-S level were explored using multivariable quantile regression. The association between anti-S levels and 30-day death/MV was investigated via multivariable logistic regression. Analyses were stratified by vaccine status.

Results
The median anti-S level was 1370 BAU/ml in 328 vaccinated and 15.5 BAU/ml in 206 unvaccinated individuals. Among the vaccinated, shorter symptom duration (p = 0.001), hematological malignancies (p = 0.002), and immunosuppressive therapy (p = 0.004) were associated with lower anti-S levels. In the unvaccinated group, symptom duration was the only predictor of anti-S levels (p < 0.001). After 30 days, 134 patients experienced death or MV. Among vaccinated individuals, higher anti-S levels correlated significantly with lower death/MV risk (per log2 increase, OR 0.88, 95%CI 0.81–0.97), irrespective of age and solid malignancies. Among unvaccinated, a marginally protective effect was observed (OR 0.86, 95%CI 0.73–1.01), independent of age, immunosuppressive therapy, and diabetes. Adjustment for monoclonal antibody treatment strengthened the association (OR 0.81, 95%CI 0.68–0.96).

Conclusion
This study suggests that levels of anti-S antibodies can predict critical or fatal outcomes in COVID-19 pneumonia patients, regardless of vaccination. Whether anti-S Ab could guide risk assessment and vaccination boosting merits further evaluation.
Dose–Response Modelling of Resistance Exercise Across Outcome Domains in Strength and Conditioning: A Meta-analysis
Authors: Swinton Paul Alan , Schoenfeld Brad J. , Murphy Andrew 
Published: April 2024

Abstract
Background
Resistance exercise is the most common training modality included within strength and conditioning (S&C) practice. Understanding dose–response relationships between resistance training and a range of outcomes relevant to physical and sporting performance is of primary importance for quality S&C prescription.

Objectives
The aim of this meta-analysis was to use contemporary modelling techniques to investigate resistance-only and resistance-dominant training interventions, and explore relationships between training variables (frequency, volume, intensity), participant characteristics (training status, sex), and improvements across a range of outcome domains including maximum strength, power, vertical jump, change of direction, and sprinting performance.

Methods
Data were obtained from a database of training studies conducted between 1962 and 2018, which comprised healthy trained or untrained adults engaged in resistance-only or resistance-dominant interventions. Studies were not required to include a control group. Standardized mean difference effect sizes were calculated and interventions categorized according to a range of training variables describing frequency (number of sessions per week), volume (number of sets and repetitions performed), overall intensity (intensity of effort and load, categorised as low, medium or high), and intensity of load (represented as % of one-repetition maximum [1RM] prescribed). Contemporary modelling techniques including Bayesian mixed-effects meta-analytic models were fitted to investigate linear and non-linear dose-responses with models compared based on predictive accuracy.

Results
Data from a total of 295 studies comprising 535 groups and 6,710 participants were included with analyses conducted on time points ≤ 26 weeks. The best performing model included: duration from baseline, average number of sets, and the main and interaction effects between outcome domain and intensity of load (% 1RM) expressed non-linearly. Model performance was not improved by the inclusion of participant training status or sex.

Conclusions
The current meta-analysis represents the most comprehensive investigation of dose–response relationships across a range of outcome domains commonly targeted within strength and conditioning to date. Results demonstrate the magnitude of improvements is predominantly influenced by training intensity of load and the outcome measured. When considering the effects of intensity as a % 1RM, profiles differ across outcome domains with maximum strength likely to be maximised with the heaviest loads, vertical jump performance likely to be maximised with relatively light loads (~ 30% 1RM), and power likely to be maximised with low to moderate loads (40–70% 1RM).
The use and misuse of the SCOFF screening measure over two decades: a systematic literature review
Authors: Coop Amy , Clark Amelia , Morgan John , Reid Fiona , Lacey J. Hubert 
Published: April 2024

Abstract
Purpose
The SCOFF questionnaire was designed as a simple, memorable screening tool to raise suspicion that a person might have an eating disorder. It is over 20 years since the creation of the SCOFF, during which time it has been widely used. Considering this, we wish to review the use of the SCOFF in peer-reviewed scientific journals, and to assess whether it is being used appropriately in the manner in which it was originally devised and tested.

Methods
The Preferred Reporting Items for a Systematic Review and Meta-analysis (PRISMA) guidelines were followed, and all search strategies and methods were determined before the onset of the study. PubMed and Wiley Online Library were searched using the terms SCOFF and eating. Two reviewers were involved in the reviewing process. Criteria for appropriate use of the SCOFF were formalised with the tool’s original authors.

Results
180 articles were included in the final review. 48 articles had used the SCOFF appropriately, 117 articles inappropriately and 15 articles had been mixed in the appropriateness of their use.

Conclusion
This systematic review highlights the inappropriate use of the SCOFF in diverse languages and settings. When used correctly the SCOFF has made a significant contribution to the understanding of eating disorders and its simplicity has been applauded and led to widespread use. However in over two-thirds of studies, the use of the SCOFF was inappropriate and the paper highlights how and in what way it was misused, Guidelines for the appropriate use of the SCOFF are stated. Future validation and avenues of research are suggested.

Level of evidence
Level I.
GHQ: grouped hybrid Q-learning for cooperative heterogeneous multi-agent reinforcement learning
Authors: Yu Xiaoyang , Lin Youfang , Wang Xiangsen , Han Sheng , Lv Kai 
Published: April 2024

AbstractPrevious deep multi-agent reinforcement learning (MARL) algorithms have achieved impressive results, typically in symmetric and homogeneous scenarios. However, asymmetric heterogeneous scenarios are prevalent and usually harder to solve. In this paper, the main discussion is about the cooperative heterogeneous MARL problem in asymmetric heterogeneous maps of the Starcraft Multi-Agent Challenges (SMAC) environment. Recent mainstream approaches use policy-based actor-critic algorithms to solve the heterogeneous MARL problem with various individual agent policies. However, these approaches lack formal definition and further analysis of the heterogeneity problem. Therefore, a formal definition of the Local Transition Heterogeneity (LTH) problem is first given. Then, the LTH problem in SMAC environment can be studied. To comprehensively reveal and study the LTH problem, some new asymmetric heterogeneous maps in SMAC are designed. It has been observed that baseline algorithms fail to perform well in the new maps. Then, the authors propose the Grouped Individual-Global-Max (GIGM) consistency and a novel MARL algorithm, Grouped Hybrid Q-Learning (GHQ). GHQ separates agents into several groups and keeps individual parameters for each group. To enhance cooperation between groups, GHQ maximizes the mutual information between trajectories of different groups. A novel hybrid structure for value factorization in GHQ is also proposed. Finally, experiments on the original and the new maps show the fabulous performance of GHQ compared to other state-of-the-art algorithms.
What Drives Mating Effort: Fear of Singlehood, Relationship Status, and Self-Esteem
Authors: Apostolou Menelaos , Tekeş Burcu , Kagialis Antonios 
Published: April 2024

Abstract
Purpose
Attracting and maintaining a romantic partner requires considerable effort. In the current study, we aimed to test the hypothesis that fear of singlehood is a primary factor driving individuals to allocate scarce resources in the mating domain.

Methods
We conducted a close-ended survey with a sample of 990 Greek and Turkish-speaking participants.

Results
We found that that a stronger fear of singlehood was associated with higher mating effort. Moreover, voluntarily single participants experienced lower fear of singlehood compared to other categories of singles and individuals in intimate relationships. Additionally, higher self-esteem was associated with lower fear of singlehood. We also identified a significant indirect effect of relationship status and self-esteem on mating effort through fear of singlehood. Specifically, involuntarily single individuals tended to exert more mating effort due to heightened fear of singlehood compared to those in other relationship status categories. Furthermore, higher self-esteem was associated with reduced mating effort, as it was associated with lower fear of singlehood. These findings held true across both the Greek and Turkish samples.

Conclusion
Relationship status and self-esteem play a role in mating effort through fear of singlehood.
On the volume of some Fano K-moduli spaces
Authors: Tambasco Salvatore 
Published: April 2024

AbstractWe compute the CM volume, that is the degree of the descended CM line bundle on the coarse moduli space in two cases: on the Fano K-moduli space of quartic del Pezzo in any dimension, and on the K-moduli space of the log Fano hyperplane arrangements of dimension one and two. Furthermore, we relate these volumes to the Weil–Petersson volumes by extending the notion of Weil–Petersson metric in the log case.
Banknote Life in India: A Survival Analysis Approach
Authors: Tagat Anirudh , Özmen Mehmet , Markowsky Gregory 
Published: April 2024

AbstractIndia’s currency-to-GDP ratio indicates a strong and persistent demand for cash. Despite the withdrawal of two high-value banknotes in 2016 and the recent economic contraction due to the COVID-19 pandemic, cash continues to rule in India. Although there is extensive work on the demand for cash in India, relatively little is known about the quality and supply of banknotes. This paper provides an overview of currency management policies in India using publicly available annual aggregate issuances and disposals data from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). We model the life of a banknote using survival analysis models, finding that low-value banknotes (INR 10 and 20) have a median life of 4–5 years. The estimates of longevity of a banknote are significantly associated with velocity of circulation as well as exogenous shocks. We demonstrate the value of survival analysis methods in informing currency management policies in India and providing avenues for future work in this domain.
Entwicklung eines mittelhochdeutschen Sentiment-Wörterbuchs aus korpushermeneutischer Perspektive
Authors: Dimpel Friedrich Michael 
Published: April 2024

ZusammenfassungIm ersten Teil werden Probleme und Lösungsansätze einer mediävistischen Korpusforschung skizziert. Ein zentrales Problem besteht immer noch in der unzureichenden Verfügbarkeit von digitalen Texten. Zwar gibt es mit der Mittelhochdeutschen Begriffsdatenbank und einigen vorbildlichen Editionsprojekten begrüßenswerte Ansätze, allerdings wäre bei öffentlich geförderten Editionsprojekten eine digitale Publikationspflicht ohne Schlupflöcher überfällig. Zudem hat die Mediävistik gegenüber der Korpusforschung zu neueren Sprachen noch weitere Nachteile, die zum Teil auf der nicht normierten mittelhochdeutschen Graphie beruhen und zum Teil darauf, dass es weniger bzw. weniger leistungsfähigere Tools und Ressourcen aus dem Bereich der automatischen Sprachverarbeitung für das Mittelhochdeutsche gibt.Im zweiten Teil des Aufsatzes wird exemplarisch ein solches Desiderat aufgegriffen: Die Sentiment-Forschung. Auch hier hat die Mediävistik einen Rückstand aufzuholen, daher wird das erste mittelhochdeutsche Sentiment-Wörterbuch »SentiMhd« vorgestellt. Mit automatischen Verfahren zur Sentimentanalyse wird es möglich, große Korpora oder auch Textabschnitte hinsichtlich positiver oder negativer Stimmungen zu untersuchen. Diskutiert werden dabei Probleme, die sich bei mehrdeutigen, kontextabhängigen oder in Negation stehenden Lemmata ergeben, wenn verschiedene Annotator*innen den gleichen Text hinsichtlich seines Sentimentgehaltes auszeichnen. Solche Mehrdeutigkeiten führen eine automatische Analyse unter hermeneutischen Aspekten an ihre Grenzen. Neben der Evaluation von SentiMhd anhand eines manuell annotierten Korpus werden erste Analysen zu Hartmanns Iwein vorgestellt. Dank annotierter Figurenreferenzen können auch Sentimentwörter im Kontext von Figurenreferenzen erfasst werden. Das Sentiment-Modell deutet darauf hin, dass es im Iwein eher zwei Tiefpunkte gibt (Terminversäumnis und Lunetes Einkerkerung), während die Forschung meist nur eine Krise zwischen dem ersten und zweiten Romanteil sieht. Nach einer Auswertung zu männlichen und weiblichen Hauptfiguren, Zofen und Opponent*innen schließt ein exemplarischer Makro-Blick auf verschiedene vier verschiedene Textsorten die Studie ab.
Assessment of mechanical performance of Al2O3 ceramic honeycomb sandwich structures produced with SLA 3D-printing regarding unpolymerized slurry removal strategy
Authors: Kafkaslıoğlu Yıldız Betül 
Published: April 2024

AbstractAl2O3 ceramic honeycomb sandwich bars with a hexagonal core were manufactured through SLA 3D-printing to analyze the impact of hole placement, designed for the removal of uncured slurry, on the bending strength of the samples. Several holes were placed specifically on the samples in the design in two different ways. In the initial design, the holes were placed on the honeycomb sandwich structure’s upper and lower face-sheets. In the second design, the holes were positioned in the direction of the sample thickness, in the lateral walls. The moment of inertia values for the honeycomb structures were calculated with the help of experimental elastic modulus results, and true bending strength was determined according to these results. Nominal strength values were found using the common three-point bending formula. The true bending strength value of Al2O3 with lateral holes was 73% higher than Al2O3 with holes on face-sheets, while the nominal bending strength was 79% higher. Al2O3 samples with holes on face-sheets exhibited a significantly higher failure index compared with both the bulk samples and the Al2O3 samples with lateral holes. The holes on the face-sheets reduced the cross-sectional area of the tensile surface and contributed to an increase in stresses due to the stress concentration effect. The Al2O3 samples with lateral holes provided a great advantage of specific strength, reaching an average value of 65% above the specific strength of the bulk samples.
Effects of thermal treatment on the electrical behavior of titanium dioxide thin-films
Authors: V-Niño Ely Dannier , Bertel Linda , Miranda David A. 
Published: April 2024

AbstractElectrochemical biosensors made of titanium dioxide have generated significant interest due to their high sensitivity and selectivity for the detection of a variety of diseases. This study focuses on the impact of thermal treatment in an oxygen environment on the electrical properties of titanium dioxide thin films deposited on silicon substrates using pulsed laser deposition; the films were subjected to temperatures of $$\varvec{100\,\,^{\circ }C}$$

100

∘

C

, $$\varvec{400\,\,^{\circ }C}$$

400

∘

C

, and $$\varvec{600\,\,^{\circ }C}$$

600

∘

C

. The primary objective was to explore how thermal processing influences the electrical characteristics of the thin films, with the goal of enhancing their capacitance and thereby improving the performance of sensors developed by functionalizing these films; X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy revealed the presence of Ti$$^{4+}$$

4
+

, Ti$$^{3+}$$

3
+

and TiO$$_x$$

x

species in the untreated thin film and in the heat-treated films, with an increase in TiO$$_x$$

x

species observed after oxygen heat treatment. Atomic force microscopy demonstrated a decrease in the surface homogeneity of the films at elevated treatment temperatures, which corresponded to a reduction in capacitive behavior; this was further corroborated by Nyquist plots derived from electrochemical capacitance spectroscopy (ECS). The study found that the electrochemical capacitance at lower frequencies decreased significantly from $$\varvec{1.02\,\, \mu Fcm^{-2}}$$

1.02

μ
F
c

m

-
2

to $$\varvec{0.25\,\, \mu Fcm^{-2}}$$

0.25

μ
F
c

m

-
2

when the treatment temperature was increased to $$\varvec{600\,\,^{\circ }C}$$

600

∘

C
Competition between alien and native species in xerothermic steno-Mediterranean grasslands: Cenchrus setaceus and Hyparrhenia hirta in Sicily and southern Italy
Authors: Musarella Carmelo Maria , Sciandrello Saverio , Domina Gianniantonio 
Published: April 2024

AbstractPerennial dry grassland communities, vital for plant biodiversity conservation in the Mediterranean, often harbor rare and endangered species. However, these habitats face threats, including the invasion of alien species. Cenchrus setaceus, a highly invasive grass, is spreading in the Mediterranean region. Historical records and observations document its establishment and invasiveness across various Italian regions. This study investigates the impact of C. setaceus on native grasslands dominated by Hyparrhenia hirta. We assessed the impact of C. setaceus invasion on plant biodiversity in Sicily and southern Italy, and we identified and characterized plant species’ composition using Ellenberg indicator values. The intention to analyze species richness, diversity, and ecological indicators is also emphasized. Starting from the use of the phytosociological method, multivariate analysis and Ellenberg indicator values to assess the impact of C. setaceus on grasslands composition were considered. There are several similarities and differences in diversity, floristic composition, and ecological traits between the two grassland types. A deep comparison with central European studies and evaluation of the impact of C. setaceus on species richness and community dynamics in Mediterranean habitats were concluded. Although C. setaceus is invading native grasslands, it does not drastically reduce species richness. The ecological implications of the invasion are explored, urging ongoing monitoring and collaborative efforts for effective conservation. The importance of interdisciplinary cooperation is highlighted to address the threat of invasive species and sustain the biodiversity of Mediterranean grasslands.
Added value of amateur observational network for high-resolution climatological analysis: a case study in the aterno valley, abruzzo, Italy
Authors: Curci Gabriele 
Published: April 2024

Abstract
The ecological transition calls for an increasing need for local climate services. A fine spatial characterization of atmospheric relevant quantities (temperature, precipitation, humidity, wind, solar radiation, etc.) at long-term climatological scales is typically based on observational networks run by public entities such as the European Union (e.g. Copernicus services) and national and regional Agencies (e.g. National Met Office, Hydrographic Offices). The aim of this work is to verify if the density of these networks is adequate to represent the variability over the territory, with particular regard to a complex terrain area such as the Aterno river Valley in Abruzzo, Central Italy. We use a combination of public networks and the available dense amateur network of weather stations. We subject the database to careful data quality check both in terms of temporal and spatial anomalies. We found that the public network is generally adequate to represent the spatial and temporal variability over the area in terms of temperature and precipitation, but this is not the case for wind and relative humidity for the lack of sensors. We suggest that an integration of public and non-institutional observational networks is desirable for a finer climatological characterization of a complex territory and for allowing the description of more phenomena, in order to better inform adaptation measures with respect to climate change.