bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Estimation of odds ratio from group testing data with misclassified exposure
Authors: Roy Surupa , Adhya Sumanta , Rana Subrata 
Published: January 2024

AbstractFor low prevalence disease, we consider estimation of the odds ratio for two specified groups of individuals using group testing data. Broadly the two groups may be classified as “the exposed” and “the unexposed.” Often in observational studies, the exposure status is not correctly recorded. In addition, diagnostic tests are rarely completely accurate. The proposed model accounts for imperfect sensitivity and specificity of diagnostic tests along with the misclassification in the exposure status. For model identifiability, we make use of internal validation data, where a subsample of reasonably small size is selected from the original sample by simple random sampling without replacement. Pseudo‐maximum likelihood method is employed for the estimation of the model parameters. The performance of group testing methodology is compared with individual testing for different parametric configurations. A limited data study related to COVID‐19 prevalence is performed to illustrate the methodology.
Mediation analysis with case–control sampling: Identification and estimation in the presence of a binary mediator
Authors: Doretti Marco , Genbäck Minna , Stanghellini Elena 
Published: January 2024

AbstractWith reference to a stratified case–control (CC) procedure based on a binary variable of primary interest, we derive the expression of the distortion induced by the sampling design on the parameters of the logistic model of a secondary variable. This is particularly relevant when performing mediation analysis (possibly in a causal framework) with stratified case–control (SCC) data in settings where both the outcome and the mediator are binary. Despite being designed for parametric identification, our strategy is general and can be used also in a nonparametric context. With reference to parametric estimation, we derive the maximum likelihood (ML) estimator and the M‐estimator of the joint outcome–mediator parameter vector. We then conduct a simulation study focusing on the main causal mediation quantities (i.e., natural effects) and comparing M‐ and ML estimation to existing methods, based on weighting. As an illustrative example, we reanalyze a German CC data set in order to investigate whether the effect of reduced immunocompetency on listeriosis onset is mediated by the intake of gastric acid suppressors.
Functional analysis screening for inappropriate mealtime behavior
Authors: Saini Valdeep , Broto Joan , Robbins Meaghan , Totino Micaela , Zorzos Carobeth 
Published: January 2024

AbstractInappropriate mealtime behavior (IMB) is a class of food refusal behavior that is commonly observed in children with neurodevelopmental disorders or avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder. An abundance of research has demonstrated that IMB is commonly maintained by negative reinforcement in the form of escape from food or drink presentation. Given the common association between IMB and escape as a reinforcer, more efficient methods of conducting functional analyses have been called for. The present study examined the extent to which indirect assessments and a functional analysis screening process reliably predicted an escape function in three children with autism spectrum disorder who engaged in IMB. The results of the two assessments were then compared to a standard functional analysis. For all participants, the functional analysis identified an escape function, which corresponded with both the indirect assessment and screening. Additionally, within‐session analyses of screening sessions further validated the screening process. The functional analysis screening of IMB is discussed in terms of its efficiency, practicality, and experimental design. The results of this study offer a framework for efficiently assessing the function of IMB, while providing recommendations for future research.
Assessment of early scientific research skills training for medical undergraduates in China
Authors: Liu Xueer , Chen Huiyu , Liu Xiaoying , Teng Teng , Li Xuemei , Zhu Dan , Zhou Xinyu 
Published: January 2024

AbstractThe medical field is facing a physician‐scientist shortage, threatening future medical research and development. Medical institutions can contribute to developing physician‐scientists by stimulating students' involvement in research. In this study, a medical undergraduate teaching module to develop research skills and encourage interest in research was held in Chongqing, China. Undergraduate medical students at Chongqing Medical University completed research skills training. Before and after the training, an online, anonymous, self‐reported questionnaire was administered. The self‐reported questionnaire investigated students' demographic characteristics, students' perception of attitudes toward conducting research, research skills (e.g., identifying and utilizing information, critical appraisal of literature, paper writing, and understanding of research), and feedback on scientific research training. The module was implemented with 25 students from July 2019 to October 2019, and 96.0% (N = 24) of participants responded to the questionnaire both prior to and after the training. In the evaluation of research skills, results showed that use of appropriate tools for research (Z = −3.340,p < 0.01), students' ability to undertake a focused literature search (Z = −3.40,p < 0.01), identifying and utilizing information (Z = −3.34,p < 0.01), and paper‐writing skills (Z = −3.49,p < 0.01) were significantly improved after the undergraduates participated in the scientific research training. A qualitative analysis of the feedback showed that students found that the training helped to enhance their knowledge, improve their study scores, and motivate them to conduct research in the future. Early scientific research ability training strengthened the research skills of medical undergraduates and motivated them to pursue research.
Multi‐focused laboratory experiments based on Quorum Sensing and Quorum Quenching for acquiring Microbial Physiology concepts
Authors: Torres Mariela Analía , Valdez Alejandra Leonor , de Lourdes Olea Carolina , Figueroa María Fernanda , Nieto‐Peñalver Carlos Gabriel 
Published: January 2024

AbstractAfter a time away from the classrooms and laboratories due to the global pandemic, the return to teaching activities during the semester represented a challenge to both teachers and students. Our particular situation in a Microbial Physiology course was the necessity of imparting in shorter time, laboratory practices that usually take longer. This article describes a 2‐week‐long laboratory exercise that covers several concepts in an interrelated way: conjugation as a gene transfer mechanism, regulation of microbial physiology, production of secondary metabolites, degradation of macromolecules, and biofilm formation. Utilizing a Quorum Quenching (QQ) strategy, the Quorum Sensing (QS) system of Pseudomonas aeruginosa is first attenuated. Then, phenotypes regulated by QS are evidenced. QS is a regulatory mechanism of microbial physiology that relies on signal molecules. QS is related in P. aeruginosa to several virulence factors, some of which are exploited in the laboratory practices presented in this work. QQ is a phenomenon by which QS is interrupted or attenuated. We utilized a QQ approach based on the enzymatic degradation of the P. aeruginosa QS signals to evidence QS‐regulated traits that are relevant to our Microbial Physiology course. Results obtained with the same test performed by a random group of students before and after the activities show the positive effectiveness of the approach presented in this work.
Development of an ultra‐high‐performance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry method for the simultaneous determination of crassicauline A, fuziline, karacoline, and songorine in rat plasma and application in their pharmacokinetics
Authors: Chen Fan , Wang Ziyue , Luo Lvqi , He Yifan , Ma Yizhe , Wen Congcong , Wang Xianqin , Shen Xiuwei 
Published: January 2024

AbstractIn this paper, an ultra‐high‐performance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC–MS/MS) method was developed for quantifying the levels of crassicauline A, fuziline, karacoline, and songorine in rat plasma. After processing the rat plasma, the proteins in the plasma were separated by extracting the analytes with acetonitrile–methanol (9:1, v/v). The chromatographic column used was the UPLC HSS T3 column, and the mobile phase (methanol–water with 0.1% formic acid) under a gradient elution profile was used to separate the four compounds, with elution times for each analyte being less than 5 min. Electrospray ionization in positive‐ion mode and operating in multiple reaction monitoring mode was used for quantitative analysis. Crassicauline A, fuziline, karacoline, and songorine were administered to 48 rats (n = 6 per group) orally (5 mg/kg) and intravenously (0.5 mg/kg). The standard curves demonstrated excellent linearity in the range of 1–2500 ng/mL, wherein all r values were greater than 0.99. The UPLC–MS/MS method for the determination of crassicauline A, fuziline, karacoline, and songorine in rat plasma was successfully applied in determining their pharmacokinetics parameters, from which their oral bioavailabilities were calculated to be 18.7%, 4.3%, 6.0%, and 8.4%, respectively.
Advanced strategies for combinational immunotherapy of cancer based on polymeric nanomedicines
Authors: You Kaisheng , Wang Qi , Osman Mohamed Syazwan , Kim Dongpyo , Li Qian , Feng Chao , Wang Lei , Yang Kuikun 
Published: January 2024

AbstractAlthough immunotherapy has revolutionized cancer therapy by providing efficient tumor growth suppression, long‐term protection from recurrence as well as minimized side effects, the low response rate significantly limits the clinical application of immunotherapy in board types of solid tumors. In order to improve the therapeutic efficacy, conventional therapies including radiotherapy, chemotherapy, phototherapy and chemodynamic therapy are employed to combine with immunotherapy to elicit stronger antitumor immune responses. Polymer nanomedicines are frequently utilized in synergistic immunotherapy and other therapies owing to their tunable physiochemical properties, high drug loading capacity, ease of modification and low toxicity. With elaborate design and tailored properties, polymer nanomedicines can significantly enhance antitumor efficacy by enhancing tumor specificity, priming immune cells and amplifying immune responses in tumors. However, until now, there is no review solely dedicated to the comprehensive development of polymer‐based platforms for combinational immunotherapy of cancers. Herein, this paper summarizes latest advances in the design, fabrication and application of polymer nanomedicines in combinational immunotherapy and traditional antitumor strategies including radiotherapy, chemotherapy, photothermal therapy, photodynamic therapy and other therapies. An outlook on the trajectory and potential challenges of polymer nanomedicines in bridging the gap between immunotherapy and conventional therapies is also discussed.
How can organizations measure the integration of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) criteria? Validation of an instrument using item response theory to capture workers' perception
Authors: Barbosa Anrafel de Souza , Crispim Maria Cristina , da Silva Luiz Bueno , da Silva Jonhatan Magno Norte , Barbosa Aglaucibelly Maciel , Morioka Sandra Naomi 
Published: January 2024

AbstractEvaluation of corporate sustainability parameters has become part of organizational management. Item Response Theory (IRT) serves as a valuable approach for quantifying and exploring observable variables associated with these parameters. Therefore, this article aims to propose, apply, and validate an instrument utilizing IRT to measure environmental, social, and governance (ESG) impacts on corporate sustainability performance, using the perspective of workers. Workers were chosen as key stakeholders for the present study, as they were pointed by previous research as central to corporate sustainability decisions. The present paper addresses a literature gap by introducing, implementing, and validating a research instrument, along with a comparative scale, to assess the effects of integrating ESG criteria on corporate sustainability performance. Workers of two major Brazilian electricity sector companies were respondents for this instrument. Multigroup IRT method was used to assess item discrimination and difficulty levels, and to construct a scale reflecting workers' perceptions of integrating ESG criteria. The questionnaire consisted of 15 items, demonstrating Content Validity Coefficients (CVC) above .97, confirming the instrument's content effectiveness. Cronbach's Alpha and McDonald's Omega were greater than .94 for both companies. Questionnaire items demonstrated satisfactory discrimination ability and varying difficulty levels, resulting in a five‐level scale to gauge the impacts of ESG criteria. This research contributes through the introduction and validation of the research instrument, the latent trait assessment scale, and the evaluation of workers' perceptions regarding ESG criteria impacts on corporate sustainability performance. In conclusion, the proposed instrument showed robust psychometric properties, displaying favorable reliability and validity parameters. It effectively measures the impacts of ESG criteria, providing interpretable levels aligned with the unique characteristics of its constituent items
Pressures for sub‐supplier sustainability compliance: The importance of target markets in textile and garment supply chains
Authors: Fontana Enrico , Atif Muhammad , Sarwar Huma 
Published: January 2024

AbstractWe propose that sub‐supplier sustainability compliance in developing economies' textile and garment supply chains can be more effectively realized by understanding sub‐suppliers' target markets. We introduce the concept of sub‐suppliers' customer share of production as the share of production that sub‐suppliers sell to “exporting” direct suppliers that cater to the international market vis‐à‐vis “local” direct suppliers that cater to the domestic market. Through this concept and qualitative evidence, we offer a model outlining that as sub‐suppliers sell more to exporting direct suppliers, they encounter increased coercive, competitive, and collaborative pressures for sustainability compliance. This article contributes to the multi‐tier sustainable supply chain management literature by illustrating how target markets exert pressures for sub‐supplier sustainability compliance, and why some sub‐suppliers are more inclined to invest in sustainability compliance, some decouple from it, and others invest beyond compliance. We conclude with business strategy guidelines for managers in textile and garment supply chains.
Cellular metabolism: A key player in cancer ferroptosis
Authors: Jiang Xianjie , Peng Qiu , Peng Mingjing , Oyang Linda , Wang Honghan , Liu Qiang , Xu Xuemeng , Wu Nayiyuan , Tan Shiming , Yang Wenjuan , Han Yaqian , Lin Jinguan , Xia Longzheng , Tang Yanyan , Luo Xia , Dai Jie , Zhou Yujuan , Liao Qianjin 
Published: January 2024

AbstractCellular metabolism is the fundamental process by which cells maintain growth and self‐renewal. It produces energy, furnishes raw materials, and intermediates for biomolecule synthesis, and modulates enzyme activity to sustain normal cellular functions. Cellular metabolism is the foundation of cellular life processes and plays a regulatory role in various biological functions, including programmed cell death. Ferroptosis is a recently discovered form of iron‐dependent programmed cell death. The inhibition of ferroptosis plays a crucial role in tumorigenesis and tumor progression. However, the role of cellular metabolism, particularly glucose and amino acid metabolism, in cancer ferroptosis is not well understood. Here, we reviewed glucose, lipid, amino acid, iron and selenium metabolism involvement in cancer cell ferroptosis to elucidate the impact of different metabolic pathways on this process. Additionally, we provided a detailed overview of agents used to induce cancer ferroptosis. We explained that the metabolism of tumor cells plays a crucial role in maintaining intracellular redox homeostasis and that disrupting the normal metabolic processes in these cells renders them more susceptible to iron‐induced cell death, resulting in enhanced tumor cell killing. The combination of ferroptosis inducers and cellular metabolism inhibitors may be a novel approach to future cancer therapy and an important strategy to advance the development of treatments.
Antioxidant and Antidiabetic Potential of Ormocarpum cochinchinense (Lour.) Merr. Leaf: An Integrated In vitro and In silico Approach
Authors: Katturajan Ramkumar , Shivaji Priyadharshini , Nithiyanandam Sangeetha , Parthasarathy Manisha , Magesh Shalini , Vashishth Rahul , Radhakrishnan Vidya , Prince Sabina Evan 
Published: January 2024

AbstractDiabetes is a prevalent metabolic disorder associated with various complications. Inhibition of α‐glucosidase and α‐amylase enzymes is an effective strategy for managing non‐insulin‐dependent diabetes mellitus. This study aimed to investigate the antioxidant and antidiabetic potential of Ormocarpum cochinchinense leaf through in vitro and in silico approaches. The methanol extract exhibited the highest phenolic and flavonoid content over solvent extracts aqueous, acetone, hexane, and chloroform, the same has been correlating with strong antioxidant activity. Furthermore, the methanol extract demonstrated significant inhibitory effects on α‐amylase and α‐glucosidase enzymes, indicating its potential as an antidiabetic agent. Molecular docking analysis identified compounds, including myo‐inositol, with favorable binding energies comparable to the standard drug metformin. The selected compounds displayed strong binding affinity towards α‐amylase and α‐glucosidase enzymes. Structural dynamics analysis revealed that myo‐inositol formed a more stable complex with the enzymes. These findings suggest that O. cochinchinense leaf possesses antioxidant and antidiabetic properties, making it a potential source for developing therapeutic agents.
Anti‐rheumatic potential vis‐à‐vis aconitine and hypaconitine content analysis in different Aconitum spp. from Sikkim Himalayas (India)
Authors: Kumar Bhanu , Misra Ankita , Rawat Poonam , Agnihotri Priyanka , Srivastava Sharad 
Published: January 2024

AbstractAconitum spp. are important medicinal plants mentioned in Ayurveda as Ativisa or Vatsanabha. The present study aims to evaluate anti‐rheumatic potential in seven Aconitum species and correlation with aconitine and hypaconitine content. Anti‐rheumatic potential was analyzed through in vitro xanthine oxidase inhibition, anti‐inflammatory and ROS scavenging assays; and quantification of aconitine and hypaconitine with RP‐HPLC method validated as per ICH guidelines. The findings reveal that A. palmatum possessed the most promising response (IC50=12.68±0.15 μg/ml) followed by A. ferox (IC50=12.912±1.87 μg/ml) for xanthin oxidase inhibition. We observed a wide variation in aconitine and hypaconitine content ranging from 0.018 %–1.37 % and 0.0051 %–0.077 % respectively on dry weight basis. Aconitine and hypaconitine showed moderate positive correlation (r=0.68 and 0.59 respectively) with anti‐rheumatic potential. The study identifies potential alternative species of Aconitum that can help in sustainable availability of quality raw material.
Chemical Characterization, Phenolic Compounds Quantification, and Assessment of Antioxidant and Anti‐Acetylcholinesterase Activities of Byrsonima sericea DC fruits
Authors: da Silva Lopes Francisco Flávio , Luís Eloi Silva Jorge , de Morais Pereira Eloi Natália , Moreira Rodrigues Ana Lívya , da Silva Marcus Vinicius Ferreira , Montes Renato Almeida , Gomes Barbosa Sara Ingrid Caetano , Ribeiro Alves Daniela , Soares Frota Lucas , de Morais Selene Maia 
Published: January 2024

AbstractByrsonima sericea is a species native to Brazil that is widely used in traditional medicine. The seed ethanol extract (SEE) had the highest content of total phenols (179.35 mg GAE g−1 extract) and flavonoids (10.42 mg QE g−1 extract) and was the most active in relation to antioxidant activity (DPPH: IC50=4.25 μg mL−1 and ABTS: IC50=4.82 μg mL−1). The peel/pulp ethanol extract (PEE) had the best anticholinesterase activity (IC50=6.02 μg mL−1). Chromatographic investigation identified gallic acid, isoquercitrin, quercetin and amentoflavone in SEE, and gallic acid, isoquercitrin, quercetin and rutin in PEE. Six fatty acid methyl esters and seven triterpenes were identified, highlighting oleic acid in the seed hexane extract (61.85 %) and in the peel/pulp hexane extract (52.61 %), and betulin in the peel/pulp hexane extract (5.25 %). The substances and biological activities identified in B. sericea characterize this fruit as a functional food for future studies.
Coupling of Heteroatom Dopants and Intrinsic Carbon Defects for High‐Efficiency Electrocatalytic Oxygen Reduction
Authors: Ye Guanying , Tian Min , Liu Suqin , He Zhen 
Published: January 2024

AbstractDefective engineering of carbon, including introduction of heteroatom dopants and creation of intrinsic carbon defects, to alter the surface electronic/spin state of the carbon matrix has become a vital research area of carbon‐based catalysts toward oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). When the heteroatom dopants and carbon intrinsic defects in the carbon matrix are spatially close enough, they could couple each other and synergistically endow the active centers with special electronic structures that might greatly enhance the ORR catalytic activities of the carbon‐based catalysts. In this concept, we propose a conceptual idea of coupling sites composed of heteroatom dopants and intrinsic carbon defects, systematically summarize the types of the coupling sites and their synergistic mechanisms for catalyzing the ORR, and present feasible ideas and major challenges for efficient construction and verification of the coupling sites. This concept might be enlightening for in‐depth studies on the design, construction, and understanding the structure‐activity relationship of high‐efficiency active sites in the carbon‐based catalysts.