bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Dicentric chromosomes are resolved through breakage and repair at their centromeres
Authors: Cook Diana , Kozmin Stanislav G. , Yeh Elaine , Petes Thomas D. , Bloom Kerry 
Published: January 2024

AbstractChromosomes with two centromeres provide a unique opportunity to study chromosome breakage and DNA repair using completely endogenous cellular machinery. Using a conditional transcriptional promoter to control the second centromere, we are able to activate the dicentric chromosome and follow the appearance of DNA repair products. We find that the rate of appearance of DNA repair products resulting from homology-based mechanisms exceeds the expected rate based on their limited centromere homology (340 bp) and distance from one another (up to 46.3 kb). In order to identify whether DNA breaks originate in the centromere, we introduced 12 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) into one of the centromeres. Analysis of the distribution of SNPs in the recombinant centromeres reveals that recombination was initiated with about equal frequency within the conserved centromere DNA elements CDEII and CDEIII of the two centromeres. The conversion tracts range from about 50 bp to the full length of the homology between the two centromeres (340 bp). Breakage and repair events within and between the centromeres can account for the efficiency and distribution of DNA repair products. We propose that in addition to providing a site for kinetochore assembly, the centromere may be a point of stress relief in the face of genomic perturbations.
Decision tree analysis for age estimation in living individuals: integrating cervical and dental radiographic evaluations within a South African population
Authors: Uys A. , Steyn M. , Botha D. 
Published: January 2024

AbstractAge estimation in living individuals around the age of 18 years is medico-legally important in undocumented migrant cases and in countries like South Africa where many individuals are devoid of identification documents. Establishing whether an individual is younger than 18 years largely influences the legal procedure that should be followed in dealing with an undocumented individual. The aim of this study was to combine dental third molar and anterior inferior apophysis ossification data for purposes of age estimation, by applying a decision tree analysis. A sample comprising of 871 black South African individuals (n = 446 males, 425 = females) with ages ranging between 15 and 24 years was analyzed using panoramic and cephalometric radiographs. Variables related to the left upper and lower third molars and cervical vertebral ring apophysis ossification of C2, C3, and C4 vertebrae analyzed in previous studies were combined in a multifactorial approach. The data were analyzed using a pruned decision tree function for classification. Male and female groups were handled separately as a statistically significant difference was found between the sexes in the original studies. A test sample of 30 individuals was used to determine if this approach could be used with confidence in estimating age of living individuals. The outcomes obtained from the test sample indicated a close correlation between the actual ages (in years and months) and the predicted ages (in years only), demonstrating an average age difference of 0.47 years between the corresponding values. This method showed that the application of decision tree analysis using the combination of third molar and cervical vertebral development is usable and potentially valuable in this application.
Imagery practice of motor skills without conscious awareness?: a commentary to Frank et al.
Authors: Heuer Herbert 
Published: January 2024

AbstractModifications of imagined sensory consequences will not benefit overt performance when they cannot be transformed into motor outflow that produces them. With physical practice, the acquisition of internal models of motor transformations is largely based on prediction errors that are absent in imagery practice. What can imagery practice nevertheless contribute to transformation learning? Explicit, strategic adjustments to novel transformations should be possible. This appears less likely for implicit adjustments. Are there variants of imagery practice that can produce adjustments without conscious awareness of the transformation and/or the resultant movement changes?
Vaccination against COVID-19 — risks and benefits in children
Authors: Munro Alasdair P. S. , Jones Christine E. , Faust Saul N. 
Published: January 2024

Abstract
Countries in Europe and around the world have taken varying approaches to their policies on COVID-19 vaccination for children. The low risk of severe illness from COVID-19 means that even small risks from vaccination warrant careful consideration. Vaccination appears to result in a decreased risk of severe illness including the paediatric multi-system inflammatory syndrome known to be associated with COVID-19. These risks have already decreased significantly with the emergence of the Omicron variant and its subvariants, and due to widespread population immunity through previous infection. There is a relatively high risk of myocarditis following second doses of mRNA vaccines in adolescent males, although the general course of this condition appears mild.
Conclusion: COVID-19 vaccination only provides a transient reduction in transmission. Currently, insufficient evidence exists to determine the impact of vaccination on post-acute COVID syndromes in children, which are uncommon.

What is Known:• Vaccines against COVID-19 have significantly reduced morbidity and mortality around the world.• Whilst countries have universally recommended vaccines for adults and continue to recommend them for vulnerable populations, there has been more variability in recommendations for children.

What is New:• In the setting of near universal existing immunity from infection, the majority of the initial benefit in protecting against severe illness has been eroded.• The risks of myocarditis following mRNA vaccination for children is low, but an important consideration given the modest benefits.
Peripheral blood circular RNA circ-0008102 may serve as a novel clinical biomarker in beta-thalassemia patients
Authors: Chen Meihuan , Lv Aixiang , Zhang Siwen , Zheng Junhao , Lin Na , Xu Liangpu , Huang Hailong 
Published: January 2024

AbstractCircular RNA circ-0008102 has previously been found dysregulated in β-thalassemia (β-thal) in circRNAs microarray (GSE196682 and GSE241141). Our study is aimed at identifying whether circ-0008102 could be a novel biomarker in β-thal. The peripheral blood of pediatric β-thal patients with (n = 39) or without (n = 20) blood transfusion and healthy controls (n = 30) was selected. qRT-PCR, ROC curve analysis, Spearman correlation analysis, and FISH were used to analyze clinical value of circ-0008102. qRT-PCR confirmed that circ-0008102 expression in pediatric β-thal patients without blood transfusion was significantly higher. ROC curves analysis showed that the AUC of circ-0008102 for differentiating patients without blood transfusion from patients with blood transfusion and healthy controls with an AUC of 0.733 and 0.711. Furthermore, circ-0008102 expression was positively correlated with the levels of RBC, HbF, β-globin, and γ-globin mRNA, but was negatively corrected with the levels of HbA and Cr. circ-0008102 was mainly located in the cytoplasm. circ-0008102 could induce the activation of γ-globin and negatively regulate the expression of the five highest-ranking candidate miRNAs (miR-372-3p, miR-329-5p, miR-198, miR-152-5p, and miR-627-3p) in K562 cells.Conclusion: We demonstrate that peripheral blood upregulated circ-0008102 may serve as a novel clinical biomarker for pediatric β-thal without blood transfusion.

What is known:• CircRNAs are known to be involved in various human diseases, and several circRNAs are regarded as a class of promising blood-based biomarkers for detection of β-thal.• CircRNAs exert biological functions by epigenetic modification and gene expression regulation, and dysregulated circRNAs in β-thal might be involved in the induction of HbF in β-thal.

What is new:• Peripheral blood circ-0008102 maybe serve as a novel clinical biomarker for detection of pediatric β-thal without blood transfusion.• Circ-0008102 participates in the pathogenesis of β-thal through regulating γ-globin expression, and negatively regulates the expression of miR-372-3p, miR-329-5p, miR-198, miR-152-5p and miR-627-3p.
Shallow-subsidence vulnerability in the city of New Orleans, southern USA
Authors: van Asselen Sanneke , Erkens Gilles , Keogh Molly E. , Stuurman Roelof 
Published: January 2024

AbstractLand subsidence in the city of New Orleans (USA) and its surroundings increases flood risk, and may cause damage to buildings and infrastructure and loss of protective coastal wetlands. To make New Orleans more resilient to future flooding, a new approach for groundwater and subsidence management is needed. As a first step in developing such an approach, high-quality and high-resolution subsurface and groundwater information was collected and synthesized to better understand and quantify shallow land subsidence in New Orleans. Based on the collected field data, it was found that especially the low-lying areas north and south of the Metairie-Gentilly (MG) Ridge are most vulnerable to further subsidence; north of the MG Ridge, subsidence is mainly caused by peat oxidation and south of the MG Ridge mainly by peat compaction. At present, peat has compacted ~31% on average, with a range of 9–62%, leaving significant potential for further subsidence due to peat compaction. Phreatic groundwater levels drop to ~150 cm below surface levels during dry periods and increase to ~50 cm below surface during wet periods, on average. Present phreatic groundwater levels are mostly controlled by leaking subsurface pipes. Shallow groundwater in the northern part of New Orleans is threatened by salinization resulting from a reversal of groundwater flow following past subsidence, which may increase in the future due to sea-level rise and continued subsidence. The hydrogeologic information provided here is needed to effectively design tailor-made measures to limit urban flooding and continued subsidence in the city of New Orleans.
Craniocervical instability in patients with Ehlers-Danlos syndromes: outcomes analysis following occipito-cervical fusion
Authors: Henderson Fraser C. , Schubart Jane R. , Narayanan Malini V. , Tuchman Kelly , Mills Susan E. , Poppe Dorothy J. , Koby Myles B. , Rowe Peter C. , Francomano Clair A. 
Published: January 2024

AbstractCraniocervical instability (CCI) is increasingly recognized in hereditary disorders of connective tissue and in some patients following suboccipital decompression for Chiari malformation (CMI) or low-lying cerebellar tonsils (LLCT). CCI is characterized by severe headache and neck pain, cervical medullary syndrome, lower cranial nerve deficits, myelopathy, and radiological metrics, for which occipital cervical fusion (OCF) has been advocated. We conducted a retrospective analysis of patients with CCI and Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS) to determine whether the surgical outcomes supported the criteria by which patients were selected for OCF. Fifty-three consecutive subjects diagnosed with EDS, who presented with severe head and neck pain, lower cranial nerve deficits, cervical medullary syndrome, myelopathy, and radiologic findings of CCI, underwent open reduction, stabilization, and OCF. Thirty-two of these patients underwent suboccipital decompression for obstruction of cerebral spinal fluid flow. Questionnaire data and clinical findings were abstracted by a research nurse. Follow-up questionnaires were administered at 5–28 months (mean 15.1). The study group demonstrated significant improvement in headache and neck pain (p < 0.001), decreased use of pain medication (p < 0.0001), and improved Karnofsky Performance Status score (p < 0.001). Statistically significant improvement was also demonstrated for nausea, syncope (p < 0.001), speech difficulties, concentration, vertigo, dizziness, numbness, arm weakness, and fatigue (p = 0.001). The mental fatigue score and orthostatic grading score were improved (p < 0.01). There was no difference in pain improvement between patients with CMI/LLCT and those without. This outcomes analysis of patients with disabling CCI in the setting of EDS demonstrated significant benefits of OCF. The results support the reasonableness of the selection criteria for OCF. We advocate for a multi-center, prospective clinical trial of OCF in this population.
Efficient vectors in priority setting methodology
Authors: Furtado Susana , Johnson Charles R. 
Published: January 2024

AbstractThe Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) is a much discussed method in ranking business alternatives based on empirical and judgemental information. We focus here upon the key component of deducing efficient vectors for a reciprocal matrix of pair-wise comparisons. It has been shown that the entry-wise geometric mean of all columns is efficient for any reciprocal matrix. Here, by combining some new basic observations with some known theory, we (1) give a method for inductively generating large collections of efficient vectors, and (2) show that the entry-wise geometric mean of any collection of distinct columns of a reciprocal matrix is efficient. We study numerically, using different measures, the performance of these geometric means in approximating the reciprocal matrix by a consistent matrix. We conclude that, as a general method to be chosen, independent of the data, the geometric mean of all columns performs well when compared with the geometric mean of proper subsets of columns.
Metaphorical evolution: A longitudinal study of secondary school teachers’ concepts of 3D modelling and printing in education
Authors: Anđić Branko , Maričić Mirjana , Weinhandl Robert , Mumcu Filiz , Schmidthaler Eva , Lavicza Zsolt 
Published: January 2024

AbstractResearch into teachers’ concepts and changes over time in digital technologies is crucial for gaining insights into the factors that shape teachers’ concepts of technologies and influence their use in the classroom. Numerous studies have indicated that the use of 3D modelling and printing (3DMP) contributes to the modernization of teaching and the achievement of student learning outcomes. Using a three-wave longitudinal study with the application of conceptual metaphors as a theoretical background, this study tracks teachers’ concepts of 3DMP after training, three months, and after one year of teaching experience and provides insight into this area. The data for the study was collected from 74 secondary teachers and processed using a mixed-methods research approach. The findings show that as teachers gain experience, their views on using 3DMP in education evolve. The results include a shift in their perception of digital reliance, the pedagogical benefits, the potential for creative expression, and the sensitivity of 3D printing. The findings of our study suggest that teachers need continuous technical support at the beginning of their use of 3DMP in the classroom, so that the application of this technology can successfully contribute to the development of student creativity and knowledge. This research emphasizes the need for comprehensive ongoing support and targeted training to enable teachers to effectively integrate 3DMP into educational practices, while fostering creativity and addressing technical complexities. Furthermore, this research sheds light on teachers’ views of 3DMP and has implications for developments in teacher training and courses, the 3DMP platform, software development, education policy, and the 3DMP industry.
Sestrin2 ameliorates diabetic retinopathy by regulating autophagy and ferroptosis
Authors: Xi Xiaoting , Chen Qianbo , Ma Jia , Wang Xuewei , Zhang Junyan , Li Yan 
Published: January 2024

AbstractDiabetic retinopathy (DR) is a serious microvascular complication of diabetes. The aim of this study was to explore the effect of Sestrin2 on DR through the regulation of autophagy and ferroptosis levels and its mechanism. In vitro and in vivo DR models were established by high glucose (HG) and streptozotocin (STZ) induction of ARPE-19 human retinal pigment epithelial cells and C57BL/6 mice, respectively. In this study, we demonstrated that after HG treatment, the activity of ARPE-19 cells was decreased, the apoptosis rate was increased, endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress was activated, autophagy levels were decreased, and ferroptosis levels were increased. Overexpression of Sestrin2 enhanced cell viability, reduced apoptosis and ferroptosis, and enhanced autophagy. However, the effect of overexpression of Sestrin2 was attenuated after the addition of the STAT3 phosphorylation activator Colivelin TFA (C-TFA), the mTOR pathway activator MHY1485 or the autophagy inhibitor 3-methyladenine (3-MA). In addition, the effect of Sestrin2 knockdown on cells was opposite to the effect of overexpression of Sestrin2, while the effect of Sestrin2 knockdown was attenuated after treatment with the ER stress inhibitor 4-phenylbutyric acid (4-PBA). Animal experiments also confirmed the results of cell experiments and attenuated the effects of overexpression of Sestrin2 after injection of the ferroptosis activators erastin or 3-MA. Our study revealed that Sestrin2 inhibits ferroptosis by inhibiting STAT3 phosphorylation and ER stress and promoting autophagy levels, thereby alleviating DR.
Benefits of the Growing up Together Online Parenting Program for Families in Social Services in Croatia
Authors: Pećnik Ninoslava , Nieterau Merlin , Špaček Martina , Leijten Patty 
Published: January 2024

AbstractParenting programs have the ability to enhance parenting quality and healthy child development, but the overwhelming majority of evidence for their effects comes from a small minority of countries and research-intensive contexts. More evidence is needed from effectiveness studies (rather than highly controlled efficacy studies) and from countries less well-represented in the international literature. We examined changes in parental cognitions and parenting behavior in 62 families completing a 10-week online group program (Growing up Together Online) as part of social services in Croatia in 2020 and 2021, during the Covid-19 pandemic and earthquake. Parents reported on their cognitions and behaviors before and after the intervention. Paired-sample t-tests show significant improvements in parent-reported general self-esteem, parenting self-efficacy, and parenting experience and morale. Parents also reported significant reductions in angry, harsh, and violent parenting. Parents did not report increased attempts to understand children’s perspectives and positive interactions (e.g. joint play). Reliable change index analysis showed that reliable improvement was most common in parenting self-efficacy and least common in positive involvement and reinforcement. Findings provide preliminary evidence for the program’s potential to optimize the parenting conditions of children growing up in an environment at risk for child abuse and neglect.
The Limits and Contributions of Formal Support: Service Providers’ Perspectives on Balancing Formal and Natural Support for People with Disabilities and their Families in Canada
Authors: Nuri Reshma Parvin , Piccone Caitlin , Gaurav Navjit , Thomson Donna , Pauls Rebecca , Perry Linda , Aldersey Heather Michelle 
Published: January 2024

Abstract
Evidence suggests that integrated support, combining both natural and formal supports, is often essential for individuals with developmental disabilities to achieve their preferred quality of life. However, studies are limited on how to organize supports so that people with developmental disabilities and their families find a balance between formal and natural supports. Often, there are systemic and personal boundaries around the nature and extent of support that can be offered to persons with developmental disabilities through formal mechanisms, yet the value of natural supports in the lives of persons with developmental disabilities is often undervalued in society. Therefore, the objectives of this study were to explore formal support providers’ perspectives on (a) the unique skillsets and attributes of natural support providers and formal support providers; and (b) how we might best enable both natural and formal supports for persons with developmental disabilities and their families. Following a qualitative approach, we interviewed 16 formal support providers working with adults with developmental disabilities and their families via Zoom. We analyzed data using thematic analysis. We organized results into three themes: the role of natural supports, the role of formal supports, and strategies to best configure a system of supports. Results imply that there is a need for investment of funding to incentivize both support structures for adults with developmental disabilities and their families. Future studies should explore the perspectives from people with developmental disabilities and their natural support providers.
Political Ideology Direction of Policy Agendas and Maternal Mortality Outcomes in the U.S., 1915–2007
Authors: Rodriguez Javier M. , Bae Byengseon 
Published: January 2024

Abstract
Objectives
The causes for persistently high and increasing maternal mortality rates in the United States have been elusive.

Methods
We use the shift in the ideological direction of the Republican and the Democratic parties in the 1960s, to test the hypothesis that fluctuations in overall and race-specific maternal mortality rates (MMR) follow the power shifts between the parties before and after the Political Realignment (PR) of the 1960s.

Results
Using time-series data analysis methods, we find that, net of trend, overall and race-specific MMRs were higher under Democratic administrations than Republican ones before the PR (1915–1965)—i.e., when the Democratic Party was a protector of the Jim Crow system. This pattern, however, changed after the PR (1966–2007), with Republican administrations underperforming Democratic ones—i.e., during the period when the Republican Party shifted toward a more economically and socially conservative agenda. The pre-post PR partisan shifts in MMRs were larger for Black (9.5%, $$p<.01$$

p
<
.
01

) relative to White mothers (7.4%, $$p<.05$$

p
<
.
05

) during the study period.

Conclusions for Practice
These findings imply that parties and the ideological direction of their agendas substantively affect the social determinants of maternal health and produce politized health outcomes.