bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Urine metabolomics unravel the effects of short-term dietary interventions on oxidative stress &amp; inflammation: a randomized controlled trial
Authors: Singh Digar , Ham Dongwoo , Kim Seong-Ah , Kothari Damini , Park Yu Jin , Joung Hyojee , Lee Choong Hwan 
Published: April 2024

Abstract
Dietary biomarkers in urine are elusive in the context of diet induced oxidative stress & inflammation. Previously, we reported the effects of short-term (4-week) dietary interventions for Balanced Korean Diet (BKD) and Western diets including 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans (2010 DGA) and Typical American Diets (TAD) on various metabolic indices among the Korean adults with obesity. In particular, this research investigates the impact of these interventions on biomarkers related to oxidative stress and inflammation in both serum and concurrent urine metabolomes. Each dietary regimen was in silico and experimentally examined for their antioxidant levels. We assessed post-intervention variations in oxidative stress and inflammation biomarkers in serum, as well as the urine metabolite profiles for the participants (n = 48). Antioxidant contents and associated total antioxidant capacity (TAC) were significantly higher for the recommended diets (BKD and 2010 DGA) compared to TAD (p < 0.05). Butanol extracts from recommended diets (BKD and 2010 DGA) showed significantly higher antioxidant activity compared to TAD in ABTS (p < 0.01), DPPH, and FRAP (p < 0.05) assays. Consistent results were observed in total phenolic and flavonoid contents, mirroring their respective antioxidant activities. Following the intervention period, oxidative stress & inflammation markers in serum varied marginally, however, the urine metabolite profiles were clearly demarcated for the BKD and Western dietary groups (PC1 = 5.41%). For BKD group, the pre- and post-intervention urine metabolite profiles were clearly segregated (PLS2 = 2.93%). Compared to TAD, urine extracts from the recommended dietary group showed higher abundance of benzoic acid & phenolic derivatives (VIP > 0.7, p < 0.05). Metabolites associated with oxidative stress were observed higher in the urine samples from western dietary groups compared to BKD. Urine metabolomics data delineated the post-intervention effects of three dietary interventions which corroborates the respective findings for their effects on metabolic indices.
Prediction of formation-PDC bit abrasiveness based on the fractal dimension of a rock surface
Authors: Wang Changhao , Li Shaojie , Li You , Hou Lidong , Bai Jinsong , Feng Qianwen , Liu Zhaoyi 
Published: April 2024

Abstract

During rock drilling, the drill bit will wear as it breaks the rock. However, there is no uniform grading standard for rock abrasiveness. To solve this problem, the wear mechanism of a PDC bit and a formation is analyzed in depth, and an abrasiveness evaluation method based on the fractal dimension of the rock surface topography is established. Initially, a three-dimensional digital model is generated from a SEM image post-drilling, followed by an evaluation of the rock surface's irregularities using an adapted W-M function to ascertain its fractal dimensionality. Then, the microcontact characteristics of the contact surface between the formation and the PDC bit are analyzed, and the distribution of the microconvex contact points of the two-body friction pair in a region is obtained. Because the sliding friction between the drill bit and the rock produces a large amount of heat, according to the contact area formula of the friction surface and heat conduction theory, the temperature rise process and temperature distribution of the formation drill bit under the condition of sliding friction are revealed, and the real contact area between the formation and the drill bit within a certain temperature range is obtained. Finally, the evaluation index of rock abrasiveness under sliding conditions is established by using the wear weight loss of the rock cutting tool per unit volume as the index of rock abrasiveness, and the model is verified by a microdrilling experiment. The research in this paper is highly important for improving the rock breaking efficiency and bit service life during drilling.
Foodborne Carbon Dots-Induced Gut Microbiota Dysbiosis Lead to Reproductive Toxicity in Male Mice
Authors: Chen Peigen , Ma Menghui , Chen Xi , Xu Zhenhan , Guo Jintao , Hu Xinyi , Lv Linyan , Guo Jianhe , Liu Guihua 
Published: April 2024

Abstract
Background: Increasing concerns have arisenabout the chronic ingestion of fluorescent carbon dots (CDs) in food and their impact on male fertility. This investigation focused on the effects of CDs on the gut-testis axis, particularly on dysbiosis of the gut microbiota and consequent reproductive health implications.
Results: Carbon dots isolated from commercial cola were subjected to a 15-week study, revealing significant impairments in sperm function, including decreased sperm acrosome function and DNA integrity. Transcriptomic insights link the observed reproductive toxicity to alterations in the IL-17 signaling pathway and disruptions in fatty acid and tryptophan metabolism, suggesting a bacterial origin. Notably, metagenomic analyses revealed a shift in the gut microbiota composition, marked by an increase in the abundance oflipopolysaccharide-producing bacteria and a decrease in the abundance of beneficial, anti-inflammatory probiotics such as Bacteroides acidifaciens and Akkermansia muciniphila. This microbial imbalance prompts increased lipopolysaccharide (LPS) production, leading to intestinal barrier damage and systemic inflammation. Furthermore, disruptions in tryptophan metabolism, as evidenced by diminished levels of indole and kynurenine, were linked to an exacerbated inflammatory state and barrier dysfunction. Collectively, these findings elucidate a mechanism by which foodborne CDs trigger reproductive toxicity, beginning with gut microbiota dysbiosis, increasing systemic inflammation, and culminating in metabolic and reproductive disruption.
Conclusions: Our study highlights the significant role of the gut microbiota in reproductive toxicity induced by chronic consumption of foodborne CDs, identifying the gut-testis axis as a critical mediator. These insights advocate for interventions targeting the gut microbiota balance to mitigate the reproductive health risks associated with foodborne nanoparticles.
The posteriori analysis of the spectral element discretization of the wave equation
Authors: chorfi Nejmeddine 
Published: April 2024

Abstract
This work focuses on discretizing a second-order linear wave equation using the implicit Euler scheme for time discretization and the spectral elements method for spatial discretization. We prove that optimal adaptivity can be achieved by combining adaptive time steps with adaptive spectral mesh. We introduce two sets of error indicators for time and space, respectively, and derive optimal estimates.
Dynamic interaction between chiral currents and surface waves in topological superfluids: a pathway to detect Majorana fermions?
Authors: Choi Hyoungsoon , Forstner Stefan , Harris Glen , Sawadsky Andreas , Bowen Warwick , Baker Christopher 
Published: April 2024

Abstract

Despite extensive experimental efforts over the past two decades, the quest for Majorana fermions in superconductors remains inconclusive. We propose an experimental method that can conclusively confirm, or rule out, the existence of these quasiparticles: Firstly, we shift focus from
superconductors, whose very topological nature is disputed, to the unambiguous topological superfluid helium-3. Secondly, we identify the interaction between surface waves and the chiral Majorana current in the bulk of a topological superfluid of varying density. The proposed experiment provides a path towards the detection of the Majorana fermion, an 80-year-old theoretical prediction. It is realistically achievable based on the advent of microscopic superfluid resonators coupled to optical cavities. The proposal may open the door to experiments ranging from simulations of exotic cosmological particles to topological acoustics and fault tolerant quantum computing.
A Randomized Pilot and Feasibility Trial of Live and Recorded Music Interventions for Management of Delirium Symptoms in Acute Geriatric Patients
Authors: Golubovic Jelena , Neerland Bjørn Erik , Simpson Melanie R. , Johansson Kjersti , Baker Felicity A. 
Published: April 2024

Abstract
Background
Delirium is an acute shift in attention and arousal, usually triggered by acute illness or surgery in older dementia patients. Prognosis is poor, and pharmacological options are limited; non-pharmacological interventions and music show promise.
Methods
This randomised pilot and feasibility trial tested feasibility, acceptability, fidelity, and safety of music interventions (MIs) for delirium patients and assessed preliminary effectiveness and suitability of the selected effect outcomes. Participants from an acute geriatric ward were randomised to Preferred Recorded Music (PRM) and Preferred Live Music (PLM), delivered for 30 minutes over three consecutive days. Feasibility outcomes included recruitment rate, retention, adherence, deviations, and treatment fidelity. Clinical outcomes were trajectory of delirium symptoms (arousal, attention, cognition), delirium duration, hospital stay length, and medication intake. Post-intervention and between groups changes in delirium symptoms were compared using mixed linear regression models for the repeated measurements. Mann-Whitney test and Fishers exact test were used for length of stay and medication use, respectively.
Results
26 participants (PLM = 14; PRM = 12), median age 87, most with hypoactive delirium were recruited at a rate of 3 participants per month. Retention rates for PLM and PRM were 64% and 33% respectively, and adherence to PLM and PRM intervention protocols were 83% and 58%, respectively. Total adherence to the assessment protocols was 44%. PLM was delivered as intended, (treatment fidelity 93%), and PRM did not satisfy treatment fidelity (83%). All delirium symptoms except arousal improved on day 3 compared to baseline, with statistically significant improvement in attention. No conclusive pre-post or between-group differences were detected for any outcomes; confidence intervals were wide.
Conclusions
Feasibility of recruitment, interventions and assessments was indicated, and greater acceptability, safety and fidelity of the PLM intervention compared with the PRM. Adoption of external assessors is warranted in future trials, to mitigate slow recruitment and low adherence. Wide confidence intervals for most measures and comparisons indicate that the possible effect of the MIs on delirium cannot be excluded. The trial was registered at Clinical Trials, ID: NCT05398211, on 31/05/2022.
Complete plastomes of Engelhardia provide insights into evolution and phylogeny of Juglandaceae species
Authors: Huang Yue , Jin Xin-Jie , Zhang Can-Yu , Li Pan , Meng Hong-Hu , Zhang Yong-Hua 
Published: April 2024

Abstract
Background Engelhardia
(Juglandaceae) is a genus of significant ecological and economic importance, prevalent in the tropics and subtropics of East Asia. Although previous efforts based on multiple molecular markers providing profound insights into species delimitation and phylogeography of Engelhardia, the maternal genome evolution and phylogeny of Engelhardia in Juglandaceae still need to be comprehensively evaluated. In this study, we sequenced plastomes from 14 samples of 8 Engelhardia species and the outgroup Rhoiptelea chiliantha, and incorporated published data from 36 Juglandaceae and 6 outgroup species to test phylogenetic resolution. Moreover, comparative analyses of the plastomes were conducted to investigate the plastomes evolution of Engelhardia and the whole Juglandaceae family.
Results
The 13 Engelhardia plastomes were highly similar in genome size, gene content, and order. They exhibited a typical quadripartite structure, with lengths from 161,069 bp to 162,336 bp. Three mutation hotspot regions (TrnK-rps16, ndhF-rpl32, and ycf1) could be used as effective molecular markers for further phylogenetic analyses and species identification. Insertion and deletion (InDels) may be an important driving factor for the evolution of plastomes in Juglandoideae and Engelhardioideae. A total of 10 codons were identified as the optimal codons in Juglandaceae. The mutation pressure mostly contributed to shaping codon usage. Seventy-eight protein-coding genes in Juglandaceae experienced relaxed purifying selection, only rpl22 and psaI genes showed positive selection (Ka/Ks > 1). Phylogenetic results fully supported Engelhardia as a monophyletic group including two sects and the division of Juglandaceae into three subfamilies. The Engelhardia originated in the Late Cretaceous and diversified in the Late Eocene, and Juglandaceae originated in the Early Cretaceous and differentiated in Middle Cretaceous. The phylogeny and divergence times didn’t support rapid radiation occurred in the evolution history of Engelhardia.
Conclusion
Our study fully supported the taxonomic treatment of at the section for Engelhardia species and three subfamilies for Juglandaceae and confirmed the power of phylogenetic resolution using plastome sequences. Moreover, our results also laid the foundation for further studying the course, tempo and mode of plastome evolution of Engelhardia and the whole Juglandaceae family.
Variable Selection Patterns Associated with Constitutive and GxE Effects for Grain Yield in a Locally Adapted Soybean Population
Authors: Hyten David , Happ Mary , Graef George , Howard Reka 
Published: April 2024

Abstract

It is widely accepted that artificial selection has reduced the overall amount of genetic variation present for most modern crops, including soybeans. How traits with a complex genetic architecture, such as yield, may experience selection pressure differently in accordance with the diverse combination of constitutive and environmentally interactive components, is still unclear. We used data from multi environment yield trials in an elite soybean breeding program along with public sequencing data from other populations to assess the effect of selection among varying combinations of effect types. Genomic regions with higher genetic diversity and lower divergence were significantly associated with higher GxE variance but not constitutive variance, indicating selection is relaxed at these loci. Among GxE effect types we found prominent evidence for both negative and positive selection, and a markedly higher level of selection signatures at conditionally neutral loci, illustrating the complicated nature of response to selection for soybean yield.
Research on Terminal Visit Plan Formulation Method Based on Deep Reinforcement Learning
Authors: Zhao Kuo , Zhang Huajian , Li Jiaxin , Wang Zaoqi , Pan Zhenxin , Zhang Zhongfei 
Published: April 2024

Abstract
This paper addresses the complex optimization challenge of terminal visit plan formulation faced by Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) companies, focusing on reducing operational costs and enhancing employee visit efficiency. Given the large and uneven distribution of terminal stores, relying solely on manual planning or traditional optimization algorithms proves inefficient and costly for both long-term task decomposition and short-term route planning in visit schedules. The study initially tackles the spatial and temporal load balancing issue in the long-term task decomposition phase, where traditional clustering algorithms like k-means fall short. It introduces an improved multi-level KNN-Cluster algorithm, an advanced composite clustering approach that integrates time features with traditional clustering methods, aiming to balance the workload of sales representatives. The algorithm’s effectiveness is verified through experiments against conventional clustering approaches. Addressing the short-term route planning challenge, an NP-hard problem, the study proposes a deep reinforcement learning algorithm based on a policy evaluation network. This algorithm, designed around the Transformer model, models the terminal visit route planning as a sequence-to-sequence problem, analyzing state, action, and reward functions from a reinforcement learning perspective. Experimental results demonstrate the proposed algorithm's capability to effectively solve this problem, outperforming traditional algorithms in terms of solution speed and quality.
“It’s Different Here” Afghan Refugee Maternal Health Experiences in the United States
Authors: Worabo Heidi , Safi Fatima , Gill Sara , Farokhi Moshtagh 
Published: April 2024

Abstract

Background: The number of Afghan families in the U.S. has grown over the past two decades, yet there is a paucity of research focused on their healthcare experiences. Afghan families have one of the highest fertility rates in the world and typically have large families. As the U.S. faces rising maternal mortality rates, it is crucial to understand factors that affect health outcomes for culturally distinct groups. We aimed to better understand Afghan women’s experiences of giving birth in the U.S. and to identify protective and risk factors that affect Afghan women’s reproductive health.
Methods: Twenty Afghan women who had given birth in the U.S. within the past two years participated in audio-recorded interviews. The first and second authors conducted each interview using a semi-structured interview guide. The authors used a deductive, in vivo coding method to analyze the transcribed narrative data.
Results: We identified three over-arching categories with corresponding sub-categories: 1) Healthcare: pregnancy, birthing, and postpartum, 2) Culture: communication, husband, and family, 3) Access to Care: transportation, financial, and insurance. The participants expressed perspectives of gratefulness and positive experiences, yet some described stories of poor birth outcomes that led to attitudes of mistrust and disappointment. Distinct cultural preferences were shared, providing invaluable insights for healthcare providers.
Conclusions: The fact that the Afghan culture is strikingly different than the U.S. mainstream culture can lead to stereotypical assumptions, poor communication, and poor health outcomes.
The voices of Afghan women should guide healthcare providers in delivering patient-centered, culturally sensitive maternity care that promotes healthy families and communities. The women’s stories highlight risk factors, including communication barriers, discordant cultural values, lack of social/community networks, and lack of transportation/healthcare navigation. The protective factors to nurture are attitudes of gratefulness and resilience, strong husband support, commitment to breastfeeding, openness to child spacing, and desire to learn more.
Prevalence of vaginal HPV Infection among 35-year age cohort ever-married women in Kalutara district of Sri Lanka and the feasibility of vaginal HPV/DNA specimen as a cervical cancer screening tool: A Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Perera KCM , Mapitigama KN , Abeysena HTCS 
Published: April 2024

Abstract
Background Cervical cancer is the 2nd most common female cancer among SriLankan female and is almost associated with sexually transmitted cervicovaginal human papillomavirus (HPV) infection. The study objective is to determine the prevalence of vaginal HPV infection among ever-married women.
Method A descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out from 1st of July 2018 to 30th November 2018. Ever-married women 35 years of age in Kalutara district were the study population. The cluster sampling method was used. Three women from each cluster (n=413) were selected by consecutive sampling technique. HPV/DNA cervical specimen and vaginal specimen collection (n=822) were carried out. Specimens were screened by the Cobas 4800 HPV/DNA automated Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) machine. Participants’ profiles were recorded by the Research Assistants by using an Interviewer Administered Questionnaire.
Results The overall prevalence of vaginal and cervical HPV infection was 7.08% (95% CI; 5.2%-9.4%) and 6.12% (95% CI; 4.26%-8.3%) respectively. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV), diagnostic accuracy and the kappa coefficient of the vaginal HPV/DNA screening method vs. cervical HPV/DNA screening method were 100%, 98.9%, 86.4%, 100%, 99% and 0.92 respectively.
Conclusions Primary health care provider collected vaginal HPV/DNA specimen screening method can be used in Sri Lanka to improve the coverage of clinic non-attendees.
Causal Links Between Circulating Immune Traits and Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Bi- Directional Mendelian Randomization Study
Authors: Xiang Xiaonan , Shi Zhixiong , Wang Jianguo , Xu Shengjun , Zhang Hui , Song Hongliang , Wang Shuai , Xu Xiao 
Published: April 2024

Abstract
Background
The intricate relationship between the immune system and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) profoundly shapes its occurrence, progress, treatment, and ultimate prognosis. While observational studies have uncovered robust correlations between circulating immune traits and HCC, the genetic basis underlying these immune traits and their potential causal connections to HCC remain unclear.
Methods
In this study, we employed on a bi-directional two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis, leveraging publicly accessible genetic data, to explore the genetic links between immune traits and HCC. Sensitivity analyses were conducted to confirm the robustness of our findings, assess heterogeneity, and address potential horizontal pleiotropy.
Results
Our analysis revealed a pivotal role for 39 immune traits in modulating HCC risk. Specifically, we identified 10 immune cell types with elevated levels and 29 immune cell types with reduced levels that are associated with HCC occurrence. Furthermore, our investigation uncovered distinct causal effects of HCC on 11 immune traits.
Conclusion
This study sheds light on the genetic associations underlying the intricate interplay between systematic immune cell profiles and HCC. The identified immune traits not only deepen our understanding of HCC pathogenesis but also hold promising clinical implications. These findings offer insights into early diagnosis and immune-based therapeutic strategies, providing hope for improved clinical outcomes in this deadly malignancy.
Finding Moving-Band Statistical Arbitrages via Convex-Concave Optimization
Authors: Johansson Kasper , Schmelzer Thomas , Boyd Stephen 
Published: April 2024

Abstract
We propose a new method for finding statistical arbitrages that can contain more assets than just the traditional pair. We formulate the problem as seeking a portfolio with the highest volatility, subject to its price remaining in a band and a leverage limit. This optimization problem is not convex, but can be approximately solved using the convex-concave procedure, a specific sequential convex programming method. We show how the method generalizes to finding moving-band statistical arbitrages, where the price band midpoint varies over time.