bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Preconception health indicators among adult US men: Race/ethnicity variations and temporal trends
Authors: Anakwe Adaobi , Ortiz Kasim , Kotelchuck Milton , BeLue Rhonda 
Published: December 2023

AbstractBackgroundPreconception health is important for men as it is for women. However, optimizing preconception health is understudied among men.ObjectivesTo examine the time trends and temporal shifts in preconception health risk indicators among 20–44‐year‐old adult US men in need of preconception care and their racial/ethnic variations.Materials and methodsData from the 2011–2019 National Survey of Family Growth male file was used to estimate the prevalence of nine preconception health indicators among men (20–44 years) intending to have a future pregnancy (n = 6813), stratifying by race/ethnicity, and assessing temporal changes across the study period. Binary logit and linear regression models estimated temporal trends from 2011–2013 to 2017–2019. Absolute and relative changes were estimated to detect temporal shifts in men's preconception health comparing 2011–2013 to 2017–2019.ResultsMen in all groups exhibited substantial preconception health needs, with unique trends across race/ethnicity groups. Between 2011 and 2019, the prevalence of marijuana use (28.6%–39.4%, p = 0.001), overweight/obese status (60.7%–65.1%, p ≤ 0.001), and the mean number of preconception health indicators (M = 2.69–2.84, p = 0.018) increased. Among non‐Hispanic White men, the prevalence of marijuana use (30.1%–41.4%, p = 0.028), overweight/obese status (60.6%–63.7%, p = 0.002), and mean number of preconception health risk indicators (M = 2.74–2.90, p = 0.033) increased. Among Hispanic men, the prevalence of inconsistent/no condom use (68.9%–81.4%, p = 0.022), marijuana use (18.9%–40.4%, p = 0.001), and the mean number preconception health risk indicators (M = 2.50–2.96, p = 0.014) increased. Among non‐Hispanic Black men, sexually transmitted infections declined (5.4%–3.6%, p = 0.002). Significant temporal shifts, which varied by race/ethnicity, were also observed.Discussion and conclusionOur study, which provides initial insight into men's preconception health development in the last decade, highlights a tremendous need for preconception health care among men. Their increasing preconception health needs, and their racial/ethnic variations, suggest additional contributors to racial/ethnic differences in men's reproductive outcomes and their long‐term health.
Hegel's Minor and Major Geographies: Space, Consciousness, and Change
Authors: Ioris Antonio A. R. 
Published: December 2023

AbstractIt is still largely ignored that Hegelian dialect can be of great assistance to comprehend the intricacies of the production, experience, and contestation of space. Hegelian philosophy can significantly help to enrich geographical scholarship, although Hegel‐the‐geographer is yet to be discovered and properly recognised. Considering the metabolism of reason, the articulation between the particular and the universal, the externalisation and supersession of objectified consciousness, and the function of otherness in the production of space, among other insights of great socio‐spatial relevance, this article offers a comparative analysis between Hegel's minor geography (the more explicit and immediate considerations of space, spatial dimensions, and geometry) and the more substantial, major geography, which is immanent in the main body of his philosophical system. The most remarkable geographical accomplishments of Hegel are possibly the detailed investigation into the pursuit of higher reason through practical, collective action and the convergence of various shapes of consciousness that constitutes the politico‐spatial absolute.
Therapeutic misunderstandings in modern research
Authors: Heynemann Sarah , Lipworth Wendy , McLachlan Sue‐Anne , Philip Jennifer , John Tom , Kerridge Ian 
Published: December 2023

AbstractClinical trials play a crucial role in generating evidence about healthcare interventions and improving outcomes for current and future patients. For individual trial participants, however, there are inevitably trade‐offs involved in clinical trial participation, given that trials have traditionally been designed to benefit future patient populations rather than to offer personalised care. Failure to understand the distinction between research and clinical care and the likelihood of benefit from participation in clinical trials has been termed the ‘therapeutic misconception’. The evolution of the clinical trials landscape, including greater integration of clinical trials into healthcare and development of novel trial methodologies, may reinforce the significance of the therapeutic misconception and other forms of misunderstanding while at the same time (paradoxically) challenging its salience. Using cancer clinical trials as an exemplar, we describe how methodological changes in early‐ and late‐phase clinical trial designs, as well as changes in the design and delivery of healthcare, impact upon the therapeutic misconception. We suggest that this provides an impetus to re‐examine the ethics of clinical research, particularly in relation to trial access, participant selection, communication and consent, and role delineation.
Identification of peanut skin components for treating hepatocellular carcinoma via network pharmacology and in vitro experiments
Authors: Li Sha , Liu Wen , Wang Tong‐Tong , Chen Tong‐Qiang , Guo Jin‐Cai 
Published: December 2023

AbstractPeanut skin (PS) contains various flavonoids and phenols that have antitumor and antioxidant effects. However, no research has been conducted on PS and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Therefore, this study sought to explore the potential mechanism of PS in treating HCC. PS was searched for in the Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology Database and Analysis Platform and SYMMAP databases. HCC targets were searched for in five major databases. Protein‐protein interaction network, Gene Ontology, and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes analyses were performed. Molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulation were used for verification. Furthermore, in vitro experiments were used to verify the regulation of PS on human HCC (HepG2) cells. Ten ingredients and 95 common targets were identified for PS and HCC, respectively. The key targets of ingredients mainly relate to pathways such as hepatitis B, lipid and atherosclerosis, advanced glycation end products (AGEs)‐AGE receptors (RAGEs) signaling pathway in diabetic complications, interleukin‐17 (IL‐17) signaling pathway, mitogen activated kinase‐like protein (MAPK) signaling pathway, the PI3K‐Akt signaling pathway. In addition, the molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulation analysis indicated the ingredients had strong binding ability with the targets. Moreover, in vitro experiments confirmed that luteolin can promote the apoptosis of HepG2 cells by controlling the expression of phosphorylated protein‐tyrosine kinase (p‐AKT). This study provides preliminary evidence that PS produces a marked effect in regulating multiple signaling pathways in HCC through multiple ingredients acting on multiple core genes, including AKT serine/threonine kinase 1 (AKT1), MYC, caspase 3 (CASP3), estrogen receptor 1 (ESR1), epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), jun proto‐oncogene(JUN), and provides the basis for follow‐up research to verify the mechanism of action of PS in treating HCC.
Neural Path Sampling for Rendering Pure Specular Light Transport
Authors: Yu Rui , Dong Yue , Kong Youkang , Tong Xin 
Published: December 2023

AbstractMulti‐bounce, pure specular light paths produce complex lighting effects, such as caustics and sparkle highlights, which are challenging to render due to their sparse and diverse nature. We introduce a learning‐based method for the efficient rendering of pure specular light transport. The key idea is training a neural network to model the distribution of all specular light paths between pairs of endpoints for one specular object. To achieve this, for each object, our method models the distribution of sparse and diverse specular light paths between two endpoints using smooth 2D maps of ray directions from one endpoint and represents these maps with a 2D convolutional network. We design a training scheme to efficiently sample specular light paths from the scene and train the network. Once trained, our method predicts specular light paths for a given pair of endpoints using the network and employs root‐finding‐based algorithms for rendering the specular light transport. Experimental results demonstrate that our method generates high‐quality results, supports dynamic lighting and moving objects within the scene, and significantly enhances the rendering speed of existing techniques.
Ser38‐His93‐Asn91 triad confers resistance of JFH1 HCV NS5A‐Y93H variant to NS5A inhibitors
Authors: Lee Wei‐Ping , Tsai Keng‐Chang , Liao Shi‐Xian , Huang Yi‐Hsiang , Hou Ming‐Chih , Lan Keng‐Hsin 
Published: December 2023

HCV NS5A is a dimeric phosphoprotein involved in HCV replication. NS5A inhibitors are among direct‐acting antivirals (DAA) for HCV therapy. The Y93H mutant of NS5A is resistant to NS5A inhibitors, but the precise mechanism remains unclear. In this report, we proposed a Ser38‐His93‐Asn91 triad to dissect the mechanism. Using pymol 1.3 software, the homology structure of JFH1 NS5A was determined based on the dimer structure of genotype 1b extracted from the database Protein DataBank (www.ebi.ac.uk/pdbsum) with codes 1ZH1 and 3FQM/3FQQ. FLAG‐NS5A‐WT failed to form dimer in the absence of nonstructural proteins from subgenomic replicon (NS3‐5A); however, FLAG‐NS5A‐Y93H was able to form dimer without the aid of NS3‐5A. The Ser38‐His93‐Asn91 triad in the dimer of the Y93H variant predicts a structural crash of the cleft receiving the NS5A inhibitor daclatasvir. The dimerization assay revealed that the existence of JFH1‐NS5A‐1ZH1 and ‐3FQM homology dimers depended on each other for existence and that both NS5A‐WT 1ZH1 and 3FQM dimers cooperated to facilitate RNA replication. However, NS5A‐Y93H 1ZH1 alone could form dimer and conduct RNA replication in the absence of the 3FQM structure. In conclusion, this study provides novel insight into the functional significance of the Ser38‐His93‐Asn91 triad in resistance of the Y93H variant to NS5A inhibitors.
Primary mucinous adenocarcinoma of the urethra: A clinicopathological analysis of 35 cases
Authors: Ge Rongbin , Zhang Jing , Lu Min , Shi Yuchuan , Yan Shi , Xue Zixuan , Wang Zongwei , Lopez‐Beltran Antonio , Cheng Liang 
Published: December 2023

AimPrimary mucinous adenocarcinoma of the urethra represents an extremely rare entity. We sought to characterise further these tumours’ clinicopathological, immunohistochemical and molecular features.Methods and resultsThirty‐five cases were identified, occurring in 18 males and 17 females. The mean age at diagnosis was 65 years (28–89 years). The main presentation symptoms were haematuria and urinary outlet obstruction. Microscopic analysis revealed that all 35 tumours have stromal dissection by mucin. Ten tumours showed villoglandular dysplasia, nine showed mucinous metaplasia, two showed adenocarcinoma in situ and four showed signet ring cell features. All tumours were immunopositive for CEA, while immunonegative for nuclear β‐catenin; 19 of 23 (83%) expressed high molecular weight cytokeratin; 19 of 33 (58%) CK7; 28 of 34 (82%) CK20; 32 of 35 (91%) CDX2; 22 of 27 (81%) cadherin‐17 (CDH‐17); 26 of 29 (90%) SATB2; and one of 31 (3%) GATA3. Mismatch repair gene products, including MLH1, PMS2, MSH2 and MSH6, were immunopositive, suggesting the MSI‐low genotype of mucinous adenocarcinoma of the urethra. BRAF V600E and ALK rearrangements were not detected. During the mean follow‐up of 20 months, nine patients either developed distant metastasis or succumbed to the illness.ConclusionOur study, encompassing the most extensive series of 35 cases of primary mucinous adenocarcinoma of the urethra, provides crucial insights into its precise diagnosis, management and potential targeted treatments. We found a greater CDX2, SATB2 and CDH17 sensitivity in these urethral tumours for the first time, to our knowledge. We identified characteristics such as an MSI‐low profile, non‐V600E BRAF mutations and an absence of ALK rearrangements.
HIGHER‐ORDER INCOME RISK OVER THE BUSINESS CYCLE
Authors: Busch Christopher , Ludwig Alexander 
Published: December 2023

AbstractWe explore the consequences of higher‐order risk in a standard incomplete‐markets life‐cycle model. We calibrate the model using a canonical income process with persistent and transitory risk, extended to feature cyclical shock distributions with left‐skewness and excess kurtosis. We estimate this income process for U.S. household data, and find shocks to be highly leptokurtic, with countercyclical variance and procyclical skewness of persistent shocks. In the model, first, higher‐order risk has sizable welfare implications; second, it matters quantitatively for the welfare costs of cyclical idiosyncratic risk; third, it has nontrivial implications for self‐insurance against shocks.
Evaluating the total antioxidant capacity of processed milk: utilising applicable antioxidant assays and key antioxidant components
Authors: Zhou Xinyun , Liu Dan , Hadiatullah Hadiatullah , Guo Ting , Yao Yunping , Li Changmo , Wang Xingguo 
Published: December 2023

SummaryTotal antioxidant capacity (TAC) holds immense importance in evaluating the milk quality. However, achieving accuracy and comparability in TAC measurement requires a thorough examination of detection methods and the constituents of antioxidants. This research focussed on developing TAC evaluation system tailored for processed milk, and the applicability of four assays (ABTS, FRAP, DPPH and ORAC) was examined, considering their compatibility with antioxidants. For fractionated milk, defatting and deproteinisation processes targeted reduced fat‐soluble (phospholipids by 88.75%) and water‐soluble (ascorbic acid and riboflavin by 55.22% and 63.85%) components, respectively. ORAC assay proved effective for detecting deproteinised milk, whereas DPPD assay displayed heightened sensitivity to alterations in milk fat antioxidants. Regarding pressure‐ and heat‐treated milk, homogenisation increased the availability of phosphatidylcholine (36.59–57.53 mg/L) and sphingomyelin (5.56–10.35 mg/L). However, the TAC of heat‐treated milk experienced a significant reduction due to the degradation of various fat‐soluble antioxidants. ORAC and ABTS assays were found suitable for assessing homogenised and heat‐treated milk, respectively. The peroxide value of reconstituted processed milk fell within the range of 98.48%–104.57% compared to untreated whole milk, affirming the accuracy of key antioxidants and detection methods. This study provides valuable insights for the meticulous assessment and enhancement of antioxidant capacity in milk.
Chitosan films activated with phytochemicals extracted from carrot by‐product encapsulated in TPP chitosomes
Authors: Esposto Bruno Stefani , Tessaro Larissa , Aguilar Guilherme José , Sobral Paulo José do Amaral , Tapia‐Blácido Delia Rita , Martelli‐Tosi Milena 
Published: December 2023

SummaryThe main objective of this study was to extract phytochemicals from carrot by‐product, encapsulate them in TPP chitosomes (consisting of liposome vesicles coated with chitosan cross‐linked with sodium tripolyphosphate) and incorporate them into chitosan (Ch) films. Physicochemical, antioxidant and antimicrobial properties of films were evaluated. Three concentrations of TPP chitosome suspension were studied: 50%, 60% and 70%, designated TPPCh50, TPPCh60 and TPPCh70 respectively. Microscopy analyses showed that the particles modified the surface and internal structures of the Ch films, providing films with higher average roughness (Control: 12.6 ± 1.8 nm vs. TPPCh70: 96.1 ± 8.0 nm) and decreased gloss (Control: 34.1 ± 3.9 GU vs. TPPCh70: 5.6 ± 1.0 GU). Furthermore, the TPPCh films displayed decreased Ch intermolecular interactions, which produced less mechanically resistant (TS = 15.3 MPa), more elongable (EB = 47.9%), slightly more water‐soluble (SI = 14.7%) and more water‐vapour permeable (WVP = 7.54*10−9 g/msPa) films, mainly at high phytochemical concentration (TPPCh70) as compared to the Control. TPPCh addition in the Ch film improved its antioxidant capacity (3.6 times greater) and UV/Vis light barrier property, but no significant antimicrobial activity was observed. In conclusion, TPPCh films could be used as packaging to preserve foods that are sensitive to oxidation.
Gut microbiota modification by diosgenin mediates antiepileptic effects in a mouse model of epilepsy
Authors: Li Xinyu , Li Jing , Ji Jia , Li Saisai , Yao Xiaoyu , Fan Hongbin , Yao Ruiqin 
Published: December 2023

AbstractDiosgenin, a natural steroid saponin, holds promise as a multitarget therapeutic for various diseases, including neurodegenerative conditions. Its efficacy in slowing Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, and stroke progression has been demonstrated. However, the role of diosgenin in anti‐epilepsy and its potential connection to the modulation of the intestinal microbiota remain poorly understood. In this study, exogenous diosgenin significantly mitigated pentylenetetrazole (PTZ)‐induced seizures, learning and memory deficits, and hippocampal neuronal injury. 16S ribosomal RNA (16S rRNA) sequencing revealed a reversal in the decrease of Bacteroides and Parabacteroides genera in the PTZ‐induced mouse epileptic model following diosgenin treatment. Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) experiments illustrated the involvement of diosgenin in modulating gut microbiota and providing neuroprotection against epilepsy. Our results further indicated the repression of enteric glial cells (EGCs) activation and the TLR4‐MyD88 pathway, coupled with reduced production of inflammatory cytokines in the colonic lumen, and improved intestinal barrier function in epilepsy mice treated with diosgenin or FMT. This study suggests that diosgenin plays a role in modifying gut microbiota, contributing to the alleviation of intestinal inflammation and neuroinflammation, ultimately inhibiting epilepsy progression in a PTZ‐induced mouse model. Diosgenin emerges as a potential therapeutic option for managing epilepsy and its associated comorbidities.image
Just probabilities
Authors: Lee‐Stronach Chad 
Published: December 2023

AbstractI defend the thesis that legal standards of proof are reducible to thresholds of probability. Many reject this thesis because it appears to permit finding defendants liable solely on the basis of statistical evidence. To the contrary, I argue – by combining Thomson's (1986) causal analysis of legal evidence with formal methods of causal inference – that legal standards of proof can be reduced to probabilities, but that deriving these probabilities involves more than just statistics.
Prevalence of personality disorders in adults with binge eating disorder—A systematic review and Bayesian meta‐analysis
Authors: Senra Hugo , Gaglianone Catarina Gouveia , McPherson Susan , Unterrainer Human 
Published: December 2023

SummaryBinge eating disorder (BED) is a complex mental health problem entailing high risk for obesity, overweight, and other psychiatric disorders. However, there is still unclear evidence of the prevalence of personality disorders (PDs) in BED patients. We conducted a systematic review and a Bayesian meta‐analysis for studies examining the prevalence of any PD in adult BED patients. Data sources included PubMed, Cochrane library, EBSCO, PsycINFO, and Science Direct. A Bayesian meta‐analysis was conducted to estimate effect sizes for the prevalence of any PD in BED patients. Twenty eligible articles were examined with a total of 2945 BED patients. Borderline personality disorder and “Cluster C” PD, particularly obsessive‐compulsive and avoidant PD, were the most frequent PD found in BED patients. BED diagnosis was associated with 28% probability of a comorbid diagnosis of any PD (0.279, 95%CrI: [0.22, 0.34]), with high levels of between‐study heterogeneity (τ = 0.61, 95% CrI [0.40, 0.90]). Sensitivity analysis suggested effect sizes ranging from 0.27 to 0.28. The high comorbidity of PDs in BED patients draws attention to the potential complexity of BED clinical presentations, including those that might also be comorbid with obesity. Clinical practice should address this complexity to improve care for BED and obesity patients.
Are rules made to be broken? Conspiracy exposure promotes aggressive behavior
Authors: Poon Kai‐Tak , Chan Rheal S. W. , Lai Hill‐Son 
Published: December 2023

AbstractIndividuals often come across political conspiracy theories in various daily encounters. Researchers have mainly investigated predictors of conspiracy beliefs; meanwhile, the psychological and behavioral consequences of conspiracy exposure remain less known. In four experimental studies (total valid N = 1,091) with U.S. and Chinese participants, we examined whether conspiracy exposure promotes aggressive behavior and tested several potential mechanisms underlying the effect. We also tested whether reinforcing the importance of following rules weakens conspiracy exposure's effect on aggression. Our results revealed that conspiracy exposure increases aggression through a greater tendency to break rules (Experiments 1–3). We also ruled out two alternative mechanisms because neither sense of control (Experiment 2) nor negative mood (Experiment 3) accounted for conspiracy exposure's effect on aggression, and rule‐breaking tendencies still significantly mediated the effect after we controlled for these factors. Finally, increasing the perceived importance of rules weakened conspiracy exposure's effect on aggression (Experiment 4). Taken together, this research carries significant implications for how exposure to political conspiracy theories influences people's aggression. Our findings also lend themselves practically to the development of strategies for reducing the negative impacts of political conspiracy theories.
Racial disparities without racism: Some conceptual & analytical considerations
Authors: Williams Deadric T. 
Published: December 2023

AbstractMost studies on racial inequality begin with a series of statistics highlighting racial variations in an outcome of interest to illustrate how wide (or narrow) the gaps between racialized groups are. This approach is standard in racial inequality research because emphasizing racial differentials between racialized groups helps researchers frame inequality as a social problem. Scholars across academic disciplines and across sub‐areas within sociology report racial statistics to pay attention to what social scientists refer to as racial disparities. Presenting racial disparities is extremely important for documenting inequality; however, family scholars tend to provide descriptive statistical portraits along ethno‐racial lines (disparities) in the absence of racism, which, in turn, conceals the United States' racialized historical context. In other words, reporting racial inequality as disparities without addressing racism is a critical omission in family science research. Emphasizing racism is important because biological explanation still permeates the American imagination about racial inequality. The purpose of this paper is to provide conceptual and analytical considerations for future racial inequality and family research by recasting disparities as manifestations of racism instead of mere statistical differences. To illustrate the conceptual considerations, I first build on Williams' theoretical model focusing on structural racism and Black family life. I expand on how racism not only makes the idea of race possible but also manifests in observable, measurable outcomes. In the second section, I present an analytical consideration for understanding Black families' inequality by focusing on within‐group analyses. These conceptual and analytical considerations serve as ways to adequately represent Black families and children in the US.