bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Estudio de la competitividad de la exportación del cacao ecuatoriano entre 2007-2019
Authors: Pauta Ortiz Juan Carlos , Abril Fajardo Ximena Catalina , Torres Dávila Antonio Fabián 
Published: October 2023

El objetivo de la investigación fue analizar la competitividad del sector del cacao ecuatoriano en el mercado internacional. Los datos fueron recopilados de fuentes oficiales tales como: Banco Central del Ecuador, Trade Map y Foro Económico Mundial, información que permitió identificar los factores que intervienen en la competitividad internacional en la que consta Ecuador. El análisis fue posible gracias a la aplicación de modelos estadísticos que permitieron obtener una visión amplia de la recta entre valores reales y la estimación obtenida para predecir el valor de variable explicada FOB_exportado, en dependencia de la variabilidad del comportamiento de las variables explicativas consideradas. El contraste de las hipótesis planteadas sobre la competitividad permitió obtener conclusiones como la importancia y necesidad de comparación realizada que fue explicada por la relación y dependencia de factores cuantitativos y cualitativos, alcanzando la determinación de la posición competitiva del Ecuador frente a sus competidores en el mercado mundial.
Palabras Clave: Cacao fino de aroma, Competitividad, Foro Económico Mundial, Indicadores, Índice de competitividad.
AbstractThe research objective was to analyze the competitiveness of the Ecuadorian cocoa sector in the international market; data werecollected from official sources such as: Central Bank of Ecuador, Trade Map and World Economic Forum, information that allowed identifying the factors involved in the international competitiveness of Ecuador. The analysis was possible through the application of statistical models that allowed obtaining a broad view of the line between real values and the estimate obtained to predict the value of the explained variable FOB_exported depending on the variability of the behavior of the explanatory variables considered. The contrast of the hypotheses raised on competitiveness allowed obtaining conclusions such as the importance and necessity of a comparison that was explained by the relationship and dependence of quantitative and qualitative factors, reaching the determinationof the competitive position of Ecuador against its competitors in the world market.Keywords: Fine Flavor Cocoa, Competitiveness, World Economic Forum, Indicators, Competitiveness Index.
Impacto de las remesas sobre el consumo de los hogares y la inversión público-privada en Ecuador: Aplicación de un Modelo Vectorial Autorregresivo y función impulso-respuesta
Authors: Jaramillo Brito María Gabriela , Vélez María Emilia , Tonon Ordóñez Luis Bernardo 
Published: October 2023

El objetivo de la presente investigación fue medir el impacto de los componentes de la demanda agregada, consumo e inversión, generado por cambios en los flujos de remesas que ingresaron al Ecuador en el periodo 2000-2020 empleando un modelo de Vectores Autorregresivos, a través de la función impulso-respuesta. Los resultados demostraron que las remesas disminuyeron el consumo de los hogares y la inversión público-privada en el corto plazo. No obstante, el impulso del flujo de remesas que ingresaron al país en el periodo analizado, incrementó ambas variables, tanto en el mediano como en el largo plazo. Concluyendo así que, los hogares receptores de remesas, una vez que reciben este ingreso de sus familiares, tardan en tomar una decisión sobre el destino que le darán, por lo que su consumo no se adapta ni se modifica en los primeros trimestres, sino con el paso del tiempo, cuando pasa a ser utilizado para el gasto final de los hogares.
Palabras clave: VAR, remesas, demanda agregada, consumo de los hogares, inversión.
AbstractThe objective of this research was to measure the impact of the components of aggregate demand, consumption, and investment, generated by changes in the remittance flows that entered Ecuador in the period 2000-2020, using an Autoregressive Vector model, through the impulse-response function. The results showed that remittances decreased household consumption and public-private investment in the short term. However, the impulse of the flow of remittances that entered the country in the period analyzed increased both variables, in the medium 7and long term. Thus, it concludes that households receiving remittances, once they receive this income from their relatives, take time to decide about the destination they will give it, so their consumption does not adapt or change in the first quarters, but with time when it becomes used for the final expenditure of households. Keywords: VAR, remittances, aggregate demand, household consumption, investment.
Antimicrobial Activity of The Ethanol Extract of Coffea canephora L. Seeds Against Staphylococcus aureus and Propionibacterium acnes
Authors: Sinaga Siska Elisahbet , Paundanan Matius , Masikki Maharani Farah Dhifa Dg , Widiastuti Diana 
Published: October 2023

Acne is a skin disease that causes humans to lack confidence in carrying out activities. Besides being sick, acne worsens the beauty of human skin. The cause of acne is gram-positive bacteria, namely Staphylococcus aureus and Propionibacterium acnes. Many studies reported that Coffea canephora L can inhibit the growth of bacteria. The objective of this study is to establish the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of the ethanol extract of robusta coffee seeds in inhibiting the growth of Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. The ethanol extract of C. canephora L seed was obtained by maceration method using 96% ethanol. The extract obtained was evaluated for its antibacterial activity using the agar diffusion method with perforation techniques. The extract was divided into five various concentrations (50%, 25%, 12.5%, 6.25%, and 3.125%). The results of this study indicated that the ethanol extract of coffee seeds with a concentration of 50% resulted in a wider diameter of the zone of inhibition of bacterial growth in S. aureus, 30.00 mm compared to P. acnes, 26.22 mm. The MIC of ethanol extract for S. aureus at 3.00% while P. acnes was 6.00%. In conclusion, the antibacterial effect of the ethanol extract of coffee seeds at 50% concentration was stronger against S. aureus bacteria than P. acnes. The greater the concentration of the extract, the wider the resulting inhibition zone.
Salicylic acid treatment and overexpression of a novel polyamine transporter gene for astaxanthin production in Phaffia rhodozyma
Authors: Jia Jianping , Li Feifei , Luan Yifei , Liu Siru , Chen Zhitao , Bao Guoliang 
Published: October 2023

Phaffia rhodozyma represents an excellent microbial resource for astaxanthin production. However, the yeast’s low astaxanthin productivity poses challenges in scaling up industrial production. Although P. rhodozyma originates from plant material, and phytohormones have demonstrated their effectiveness in stimulating microbial production, there has been limited research on the effects and mechanisms of phytohormones on astaxanthin biosynthesis in P. rhodozyma. In this study, the addition of exogenous salicylic acid (SA) at a concentration as low as 0.5 mg/L significantly enhanced biomass, astaxanthin content, and yield by 20.8%, 95.8% and 135.3% in P. rhodozyma, respectively. Moreover, transcriptomic analysis showed that SA had discernible impact on the gene expression profile of P. rhodozyma cells. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in P. rhodozyma cells between the SA-treated and SA-free groups were identified. These genes played crucial roles in various aspects of astaxanthin and its competitive metabolites synthesis, material supply, biomolecule metabolite and transportation, anti-stress response, and global signal transductions. This study proposes a regulatory mechanism for astaxanthin synthesis induced by SA, encompassing the perception and transduction of SA signal, transcription factor-mediated gene expression regulation, and cellular stress responses to SA. Notably, the polyamine transporter gene (PT), identified as an upregulated DEG, was overexpressed in P. rhodozyma to obtain the transformant Prh-PT-006. The biomass, astaxanthin content and yield in this engineered strain could reach 6.6 g/L, 0.35 mg/g DCW and 2.3 mg/L, 24.5%, 143.1% and 199.0% higher than the wild strain at the SA-free condition, respectively. These findings provide valuable insights into potential targets for genetic engineering aimed at achieving high astaxanthin yields, and such advancements hold promise for expediting the industrialization of microbial astaxanthin production.
Investigation of anti-diabetic effect of a novel coenzyme Q10 derivative
Authors: Tan Xiaojun , Yang Xinyi , Xu Xun , Peng Yuwei , Li Xin , Deng Yongxing , Zhang Xueyang , Qiu Wenlong , Wu Dudu , Ruan Yongdui , Zhi Chen 
Published: October 2023

Introduction: The rising incidence of type 2 diabetes has seriously affected international public health. The search for more drugs that can effectively treat diabetes has become a cutting-edge trend in research. Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) has attracted much attention in the last decade due to its wide range of biological activities. Many researchers have explored the clinical effects of CoQ10 in patients with type 2 diabetes. However, CoQ10 has low bio-availability due to its high lipophilicity. Therefore, we have structurally optimized CoQ10 in an attempt to exploit the potential of its pharmacological activity.Methods: A novel coenzyme Q10 derivative (L-50) was designed and synthesized by introducing a group containing bromine atom and hydroxyl at the terminal of coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10), and the antidiabetic effect of L-50 was investigated by cellular assays and animal experiments.Results: Cytotoxicity results showed that L-50 was comparatively low toxicity to HepG2 cells. Hypoglycemic assays indicated that L-50 could increase glucose uptake in IR-HepG2 cells, with significantly enhanced hypoglycemic capacity compared to the CoQ10. In addition, L-50 improved cellular utilization of glucose through reduction of reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulated in insulin-resistant HepG2 cells (IR-HepG2) and regulation of JNK/AKT/GSK3β signaling pathway, resulting in hypoglycemic effects. Furthermore, the animal experiments demonstrated that L-50 could restore the body weight of HFD/STZ mice. Notably, the findings suggested that L-50 could improve glycemic and lipid metabolism in HFD/STZ mice. Moreover, L-50 could increase fasting insulin levels (FINS) in HFD/STZ mice, leading to a decrease in fasting blood glucose (FBG) and hepatic glycogen. Furthermore, L-50 could recover triglycerides (TG), total cholesterol (T-CHO), lipoprotein (LDL-C) and high-density lipoprotein (HDL-C) levels in HFD/STZ mice.Discussion: The addition of a bromine atom and a hydroxyl group to CoQ10 could enhance its anti-diabetic activity. It is anticipated that L-50 could be a promising new agent for T2DM.
Effects of climate change and land use/cover changes on carbon sequestration in forest ecosystems in the coastal area of China
Authors: Zhen Yanlin , Zhang Xiuying , Zhang Congguo , Gao Qian , Dong Jiaqi , Zhang Liuzhen , Lu Xuehe , Wang Yingying 
Published: October 2023

IntroductionClimate change and land use/cover changes (LUCC) greatly influenced terrestrial carbon sequestration.MethodsThis study evaluated the effects of climate change and LUCC on the carbon sequestration of forest ecosystems from 1991 to 2020 in the coastal area of China using a process-based global vegetation dynamic model (IBIS).Results and discussionThe results showed that temperature had an increasing trend, with a rate of 0.02 °C yr−1; 20.00% of the forest coverage shifted spatially but there was only a 0.31% increase in total area. The carbon sequestration amounts by plants (net primary productivity, NPP) and the net carbon budget (net ecosystem productivity, NEP) in the coastal area of China in 2020 were 666.49 and 58.45 Tg C yr−1, respectively, which increased by 18.31% and 2509.30%, respectively, compared to the values in 1991. The increased forest ecosystem NPP and NEP were mainly due to climate change, while forest cover changes increased NPP by only 0.06% and NEP by 9.75% with a strong regional difference. The NPP showed a significant increasing trend, with a rate of 3.01 Tg C yr−1, which was positively correlated with temperature (0.43, p &lt; 0.01) and precipitation (0.42, p &lt; 0.01). However, the NEP largely varied during 1991-2020 and did not show a significant correlation with precipitation or temperature. These results provide scientific guidance for the government to enact environmental protection and low-carbon land use planning policies.
Genetic link between primary sclerosing cholangitis and thyroid dysfunction: a bidirectional two-sample Mendelian randomization study
Authors: Zhang Wenhui , Lang Ren 
Published: October 2023

BackgroundObservational studies have demonstrated an association between primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) and thyroid dysfunction (TD). However, the causal relationship between PSC and TD remains uncertain. The purpose of this study is to investigate the causal associations and specific direction between these two conditions. Gaining insight into the potential causal relationship between PSC and TD is valuable for elucidating the pathogenesis of PSC and for devising innovative approaches for the prevention and treatment of PSC and its associated complications.MethodsWe conducted a bidirectional two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis to investigate the causal association between PSC and TD, such as autoimmune thyroid disease (AITD), thyroid cancer (TC), thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH), among others. PSC was the exposure variable, while TD was the outcome variable. To identify suitable instrumental variables (IVs), we utilized genome-wide association study (GWAS) datasets to select potential candidate single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). The primary statistical approach employed was the inverse-variance weighted (IVW) method, which was complemented by a series of sensitivity analyses to assess the robustness of the results by estimating heterogeneity and pleiotropy.ResultsWe found that the causal associations between genetically predicted PSC and Graves’ disease (GD), hyperthyroidism (IVW OR=1.230, 95%CI: 1.089–1.389, P=0.001; IVW OR=1.001, 95%CI: 1.000-1.002, P=0.000) were statistically significant. The reverse MR analysis indicated that genetic susceptibility to hyperthyroidism (P=0.000) and hypothyroidism (p=0.028) might be the risk of PSC. There was no statistically significant causal association observed between PSC and other TD (IVW P&gt;0.05), with the exception of GD, hyperthyroidism, and hypothyroidism as determined through bidirectional two-sample analysis. To ensure the reliability of our findings, additional sensitivity analyses were conducted, including the leave-one-out (LOO) test, heterogeneity test, and pleiotropic test.ConclusionIn this study, we conducted an investigation into the causal association between PSC and TD. Our findings indicate that PSC significantly elevates the susceptibility to GD and hyperthyroidism from a statistical perspective. These results shed light on the etiology of PSC and have implications for the management of patients with PSC.
Computational identification and clinical validation of a novel risk signature based on coagulation-related lncRNAs for predicting prognosis, immunotherapy response, and chemosensitivity in colorectal cancer patients
Authors: Zhang Fang , Zhang Rixin , Zong Jinbao , Hou Yufang , Zhou Mingxuan , Yan Zheng , Li Tiegang , Gan Wenqiang , Lv Silin , Yang Liu , Zeng Zifan , Zhao Wenyi , Yang Min 
Published: October 2023

BackgroundCoagulation is critically involved in the tumor microenvironment, cancer progression, and prognosis assessment. Nevertheless, the roles of coagulation-related long noncoding RNAs (CRLs) in colorectal cancer (CRC) remain unclear. In this study, an integrated computational framework was constructed to develop a novel coagulation-related lncRNA signature (CRLncSig) to stratify the prognosis of CRC patients, predict response to immunotherapy and chemotherapy in CRC, and explore the potential molecular mechanism.MethodsCRC samples from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) were used as the training set, while the substantial bulk or single-cell RNA transcriptomics from Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) datasets and real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) data from CRC cell lines and paired frozen tissues were used for validation. We performed unsupervised consensus clustering of CRLs to classify patients into distinct molecular subtypes. We then used stepwise regression to establish the CRLncSig risk model, which stratified patients into high- and low-risk groups. Subsequently, diversified bioinformatics algorithms were used to explore prognosis, biological pathway alteration, immune microenvironment, immunotherapy response, and drug sensitivity across patient subgroups. In addition, weighted gene coexpression network analysis was used to construct an lncRNA–miRNA–mRNA competitive endogenous network. Expression levels of CRLncSig, immune checkpoints, and immunosuppressors were determined using RT-qPCR.ResultsWe identified two coagulation subclusters and constructed a risk score model using CRLncSig in CRC, where the patients in cluster 2 and the low-risk group had a better prognosis. The cluster and CRLncSig were confirmed as the independent risk factors, and a CRLncSig-based nomogram exhibited a robust prognostic performance. Notably, the cluster and CRLncSig were identified as the indicators of immune cell infiltration, immunoreactivity phenotype, and immunotherapy efficiency. In addition, we identified a new endogenous network of competing CRLs with microRNA/mRNA, which will provide a foundation for future mechanistic studies of CRLs in the malignant progression of CRC. Moreover, CRLncSig strongly correlated with drug susceptibility.ConclusionWe developed a reliable CRLncSig to predict the prognosis, immune landscape, immunotherapy response, and drug sensitivity in patients with CRC, which might facilitate optimizing risk stratification, guiding the applications of immunotherapy, and individualized treatments for CRC.
Artificial intelligence in global health equity: an evaluation and discussion on the application of ChatGPT, in the Chinese National Medical Licensing Examination
Authors: Tong Wenting , Guan Yongfu , Chen Jinping , Huang Xixuan , Zhong Yuting , Zhang Changrong , Zhang Hui 
Published: October 2023

BackgroundThe demand for healthcare is increasing globally, with notable disparities in access to resources, especially in Asia, Africa, and Latin America. The rapid development of Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies, such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT, has shown promise in revolutionizing healthcare. However, potential challenges, including the need for specialized medical training, privacy concerns, and language bias, require attention.MethodsTo assess the applicability and limitations of ChatGPT in Chinese and English settings, we designed an experiment evaluating its performance in the 2022 National Medical Licensing Examination (NMLE) in China. For a standardized evaluation, we used the comprehensive written part of the NMLE, translated into English by a bilingual expert. All questions were input into ChatGPT, which provided answers and reasons for choosing them. Responses were evaluated for “information quality” using the Likert scale.ResultsChatGPT demonstrated a correct response rate of 81.25% for Chinese and 86.25% for English questions. Logistic regression analysis showed that neither the difficulty nor the subject matter of the questions was a significant factor in AI errors. The Brier Scores, indicating predictive accuracy, were 0.19 for Chinese and 0.14 for English, indicating good predictive performance. The average quality score for English responses was excellent (4.43 point), slightly higher than for Chinese (4.34 point).ConclusionWhile AI language models like ChatGPT show promise for global healthcare, language bias is a key challenge. Ensuring that such technologies are robustly trained and sensitive to multiple languages and cultures is vital. Further research into AI’s role in healthcare, particularly in areas with limited resources, is warranted.
Causal effects of gut microbiota on erectile dysfunction: a two-sample Mendelian randomization study
Authors: Zhang Yuyang , Chen Yuxi , Mei Yangyang , Xu Renfang , Zhang Hong , Feng Xingliang 
Published: October 2023

BackgroundSeveral observational studies have reported the correlation between gut microbiota and the risk of erectile dysfunction (ED). However, the causal association between them remained unestablished owing to intrinsic limitations, confounding factors, and reverse causality. Therefore, the two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) study was performed to determine the causal effect of gut microbiota on the risk of ED.MethodsThe MR analysis utilized the publicly available genome-wide association study (GWAS) summary-level data to explore the causal associations between gut microbiota and ED. The gut microbiota data were extracted from the MiBioGen study (N = 18,340), and the ED data were extracted from the IEU Open GWAS (6,175 ED cases and 217,630 controls). The single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) served as instrumental variables (IVs) by two thresholds of P-values, the first P-value setting as &lt;1e-05 (locus-wide significance level) and the second P-value setting as &lt;5e-08 (genome-wide significance level). The inverse variance weighted approach was used as the primary approach for MR analysis, supplemented with the other methods. In addition, sensitivity analyses were performed to evaluate the robustness of the MR results, including Cochran's Q test for heterogeneity, the MR-Egger intercept test for horizontal pleiotropy, the Mendelian randomization pleiotropy residual sum, and outlier (MR-PRESSO) global test for outliers, and the forest test and leave-one-out test for strong influence SNPs.ResultsOur results presented that the increased abundance of Lachnospiraceae at family level (OR: 1.265, 95% CI: 1.054–1.519), Senegalimassilia (OR: 1.320, 95% CI: 1.064–1.638), Lachnospiraceae NC2004 group (OR: 1.197, 95% CI: 1.018–1.407), Tyzzerella3 (OR: 1.138, 95% CI: 1.017–1.273), and Oscillibacter (OR: 1.201, 95% CI: 1.035–1.393) at genus level may be risk factors for ED, while the increased abundance of Ruminococcaceae UCG013 (OR: 0.770, 95% CI: 0.615–0.965) at genus level may have a protective effect on ED. No heterogeneity or pleiotropy was found based on the previously described set of sensitivity analyses.ConclusionOur MR analysis demonstrated that the gut microbiota had inducing and protective effects on the risk of ED. The results provide clinicians with novel insights into the treatment and prevention of ED in the future. Furthermore, our study also displays novel insights into the pathogenesis of microbiota-mediated ED.