bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
A Niche for Nasty Nippers: Exploring harvest management for control of Invasive Asian Paddle Crabs in Aotearoa New Zealand
Authors: Pande Anjali , Matthews Yvonne , Holland Paula , Datta Samik , Beentjes Michael , Inglis Graeme 
Published: January 2024

Abstract

This paper examines the feasibility of opening a fishery in New Zealand to manage the invasive Asian paddle crab Charybdis japonica. C. japonica is known for its predatory nature and high reproductive capacity, posing a threat to native species and benthic ecosystems The current management approach of surveillance and research, has been ineffective in halting the continuous spread of C. japonica around the upper North Island. We assess the feasibility of commercial exploitation by assessing fishing costs, stock availability, and consumer interest. We find strong interest by fishers in participating in a C. japonica fishery and considerable interest among consumers to purchase and consume invasive crabs even at prices above the retail prices of other species. We assess the public acceptability of commercialisation, emphasizing the importance of fishery management, safeguards and marketing in such a strategy. We examine the legal environment surrounding invasive marine species, which does not consider or enable commercial harvest as a sustained management tool. Regulatory limitations hinder the conducting of commercial fishing or consumer trials to investigate the viability of a fishery. There are inherent risks in commercialising an invasive species, however, these must be balanced against allowing the socially unacceptable current population trajectory to continue. This study contributes to the ongoing discourse on invasive marine species management and provides economic insights into the potential for a C. japonica fishery. We recommend a balanced approach that maximises ecological integrity, aligns with societal expectations and ensures sustainable resource utilization.
Efficacy of balneotherapy on pain, function and sleep quality in patients with chronic low back pain: A prospective observational study
Authors: Manica Patrizia , Claudatus Justina , Pertile Riccardo , Ariani Alarico , Fioravanti Antonella 
Published: January 2024

Abstract
The aim of this prospective observational study was to evaluate the efficacy of a cycle of sulphate-arsenical-ferruginous mud-bath therapy on pain, function and sleep quality in patients with Chronic Low Back Pain (CLBP).
One hundred twenty three patients treated at Levico Spa Center (Italy) with 12 daily local mud packs and generalized thermal baths, were included in this experience. General medical assessments were performed before starting the therapy, at the end of the treatment and three months later. Pain intensity and stiffness were measured by a 0 to 10 cm Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), the range of mobility of the lumbar spine was evaluated using the Schober test and functional disability by the Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire (RMDI). The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) was used to assess the sleep quality. The VAS score for pain and stiffness showed a significant reduction (p<0.0001) at the end of the treatment persisting for 3 months of follow-up. Similarly, a significant improvement was found for the Schober test and RMDQ. Finally, we showed a significant decrease of PSQI score at the end of the cycle of mud-bath and at 3 months of follow-up. The Spearman analysis showed a significant positive correlation between the score of PSQI and VAS pain, VAS stiffness and RMDQ.
In conclusion, this preliminary study confirms the beneficial and longterm efficacy of balneotherapy on pain and function and, for the first one, shows the positive effect on quality of sleep in patients with CLBP treated with a cycle of mud-bath therapy.
SEL1L-HRD1 ER-associated degradation regulates leptin receptor maturation and signaling in POMC neurons in diet-induced obesity
Authors: Qi Ling , Mao Hancheng , Kim Geun Hyang 
Published: January 2024

Abstract

Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) homeostasis in the hypothalamus has been implicated in the pathogenesis of certain patho-physiological conditions such as diet-induced obesity (DIO) and type 2 diabetes; however, the significance of ER quality control mechanism(s) and its underlying mechanism remain largely unclear and highly controversial in some cases. Moreover, how the biogenesis of nascent leptin receptor in the ER is regulated remains largely unexplored. Here we report that the SEL1L-HRD1 protein complex of the highly conserved ER-associated protein degradation (ERAD) machinery in POMC neurons is indispensable for leptin signaling in diet-induced obesity. SEL1L-HRD1 ERAD is constitutively expressed in hypothalamic POMC neurons. Loss of SEL1L in POMC neurons attenuates leptin signaling and predisposes mice to HFD-associated pathologies including leptin resistance. Mechanistically, newly synthesized leptin receptors, both wildtype and disease-associated human mutant Cys604Ser (Cys602Ser in mice), are misfolding prone and bona fide substrates of SEL1L-HRD1 ERAD. Indeed, defects in SEL1L-HRD1 ERAD markedly impair the maturation of these receptors and causes their ER retention. This study not only uncovers a new role of SEL1L-HRD1 ERAD in the pathogenesis of diet-induced obesity and central leptin resistance, but a new regulatory mechanism for leptin signaling.
Performance of self-cured versus light-cured universal adhesive in patients with non- carious cervical lesions: 18-month randomized clinical trial.
Authors: Yassen Asmaa , Ashour Aya , Aziz Rawda Abdel 
Published: January 2024

Abstract
Objective: To evaluate the clinical performance of self versus light-cured universal adhesive in non-carious cervical lesions (NCCLs) after 18 months.
Materials and Methods: Sixty-eight NCCLs in 28 patients were divided into two equal groups; G1: self-cured universal adhesive (Palfique,Tokuyama,Japan) and G2: light-cured universal adhesive (Single Bond Universal,3M ESPE,USA). Nanohybrid resin composite (Z350XT, 3M ESPE, USA) was used as a final restoration. Evaluation for fracture, loss of retention, marginal adaptation and discoloration were done after 1 week, 6,12, and 18 months using FDI criteria. Postoperative sensitivity was assessed after 1 week. Chi-Square and Mann-Whitney tests with statistical significance at (P ≤0.05) were used for intergroup comparison,while the intragroup one was performed using the Cochran's Q and Friedman's tests. Survival rate was analyzed using Kaplan-meier and Log-rank test,
Results: Both groups exhibited fracture and retention loss, however, there was statistically significant difference favoring the control group at 6 months (p=0.0114,0.0016). For secondary outcomes, marginal adaptation and discoloration revealed no significant differences. For postoperative sensitivity, there was a significant difference favoring the control group (p=0.0007 ,0.0011). Palfique had 1.5 Relative-Risk (RR) after 6 months (95% CI 0.5659-4.2617; P = 0.3928) and 20% less risk of failure after 18 months (RR 0.8) (95% CI 0.4618-1.3858; P=0.4260). Tested adhesives showed equal survival rate (P=0.5685).
Conclusions: Both adhesives revealed similar clinical performance in restoring the NCCLs after 18 m, however, the early failure was more abundant in the self-cured universal adhesive.
New insights on measuring soil water content in arduino plataform
Authors: Brum Marcelo Lovato , Rodrigues Pablo Eanes Cocco , Martins Juliano Dalcin , Swarowsky Alexandre 
Published: January 2024

Abstract

The use of sensors to estimate soil water content is of great importance for managing water resources and making decisions on its multiple uses. However, commercial platforms are still very expensive, and the development of more accessible systems is essential. This study was to identify the insights in the calibration of low-cost capacitive sensors v1.2 to estimate the water content in the soil using the Arduino platform. Undeformed samples of two different soils (Rhodic Paleudalf and Rhodic Hapludox) were collected at two different depths (0 to 10cm and 20 to 30cm) and different sample volumes (196.35cm³, 785.4cm³, 1767.15cm³). The mass difference data due to sample drainage were collected every five minutes together with the reading values of the soil sensors. To evaluate the obtained results, statistical resources were used, such as Person Correlation Analysis (r), simple linear regression, second-order polynomial regression, Root-Mean-Square Error (RMSE), Willmott Index (IW) and Performance Index (ID). It was possible to verify that factors such as soil type, sample volume and the time interval between collections affect the performance of the sensors. The shortest time intervals between each reading of the sensors showed that soils with sandy texture should be calibrated with second order equations in soil samples, at least, greater than 785cm³ and with reading intervals not exceeding 24 hours.
Immune and molecular landscape behind non-response to Mycophenolate Mofetil and Azathioprine in lupus nephritis therapy
Authors: López-Domínguez Raúl , Villatoro-García Juan Antonio , Marañón Concepción , Goldman Daniel , Petri Michelle , Carmona-Sáez Pedro , Alarcón-Riquelme Marta , Toro-Dominguez Daniel 
Published: January 2024

Abstract
Lupus nephritis (LN) represents one of the most severe complications of systemic lupus erythematosus, leading to end-stage kidney disease in worst cases. Current first-line therapies for LN, including mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) and azathioprine (AZA), fail to induce long-term remission in 60–70% of the patients, evidencing the urgent need to delve into the molecular knowledge-gap behind the non-response to these therapies. A longitudinal cohort of treated LN patients including clinical, cellular and transcriptomic data, was analyzed. Gene-expression signatures behind non-response to different drugs were revealed by differential expression analysis. Drug-specific non-response mechanisms and cell proportion differences were identified. Blood cell subsets mediating non-response were described using single-cell RNASeq data. We show that AZA and MMF non-response implicates different cells and regulatory functions. Mechanistic models were used to suggest add-on therapies to improve their current performance. Our results provide new insights into the molecular mechanisms associated with treatment failures in LN.
Road-associated microplastics (RAMP) in metropolitan areas of the Philippines: potential source of suspended plastics in the air
Authors: II Rodolfo Romarate , Bacosa Hernando 
Published: January 2024

Abstract

Microplastics (MPs) with sizes ranging from 1 mm − 5 mm are increasingly seen as a new source of air pollution because of the contaminants they take in and the interactions they have with other pollutants. This study investigates dust size fractionation based on weight and the abundance of suspected MPs in selected metropolitan areas in the Philippines-Metro Manila and Metro Cebu. The results of the study show that among the sampled dust particles, those with a grain size of 250 µm are the most abundant, followed by 45 µm and 150 µm, and 125 µm as the lowest. Additionally, the occurrence of roadside-associated microplastics (RAMPs) in different sampling stations revealed varying numbers and densities of microplastics in Metro Manila and Metro Cebu. The highest counts of RAMP were found in Taguig City, Metro Manila, and Apas in Cebu City, Metro Cebu. The most abundant shape is fiber, and blue is the most prevalent color. Furthermore, Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis results show that polypropylene is the most common polymer type identified. The findings of this study contribute to understanding the distribution and characteristics of dust particles and microplastics in the studied areas, highlighting the environmental implications of plastic pollution especially that this MPs could very be a potential source of suspended MPs in the air. Hence, future research should focus on exploring the sources, transport mechanisms, and potential ecological impacts of these microplastics.
A Deep Dive into the Waterbird Community of an Urban Oasis: Implications for Park Management
Authors: Wise August , Rosener Anya , Martin Arina , Cote Melissa , Hopwood Christopher D. , Schwartz Elizabeth , Tharp Riley , Blake Stephen 
Published: January 2024

Abstract

The rapid decline in avifauna populations across North America underscores the urgency of implementing effective conservation strategies. While waterfowl species have generally increased in abundance, due to investments in habitat restoration and species management, most other waterbird species have declined. In contrast to the widespread decline of natural habitat for waterbirds, urban greenspaces have proliferated. However, the extent to which urban greenspaces provide habitat for waterbirds is largely unknown. We measured waterbird abundance in Forest Park, Saint Louis, which contains a large expanse of restored waterways. Between 2020 and 2022, we used point counts to quantify alpha and beta diversity of waterbirds across five waterbodies. We also quantified several environmental factors hypothesized to influence waterbird presence including weather, bathymetry, water quality, and prey abundance. We assessed environmental drivers of alpha and gamma diversity using Generalized Linear Mixed Models, and beta diversity with Jaccard’s similarity indices and Mantel tests. Water depth and depth heterogeneity were the strongest determinants of alpha diversity. Measured environmental variables did not predict beta diversity. Forest Park is a regionally important urban habitat for waterbirds, hosting 62% of the total regional species pool, including nine species of conservation concern and two state endangered species. Urban parks can contribute to waterbird conservation in the face of habitat loss elsewhere if park managers prioritize habitat restoration. In addition to the total area of waterways, water depth and water depth homogeneity are important considerations to maximize waterbird species diversity in urban greenspaces.
A novel method-based reinforcement learning with deep temporal difference network for flexible double shop scheduling problem
Authors: Wang Xiao , Zhong Peisi , Liu Mei , Zhang Chao , Yang Shihao 
Published: January 2024

Abstract

This paper studies the flexible double shop scheduling problem (FDSSP) that considers simultaneously job shop and assembly shop. It brings about the problem of scheduling association of the related tasks. To this end, a reinforcement learning algorithm with a deep temporal difference network (DTDN) is proposed to minimize the makespan. Firstly, the FDSSP is defined as the mathematical model of the flexible job-shop scheduling problem (FJSP) joined to the assembly constraint level. It is translated into a Markov Decision Process (MDP) that directly selects behavioral strategies according to historical machining state data. Secondly, the proposed ten generic state features are input into the deep neural network model to fit the state value function. Similarly, eight Simple Constructive Heuristics (SCH) are used as candidate actions for scheduling decisions. From the greedy mechanism, optimally combined actions of all machines are obtained for each decision step. Finally, a deep temporal difference reinforcement learning framework is established, and a large number of comparative experiments are designed to analyze the basic performance of this algorithm. The results showed that the proposed algorithm was better than most other methods, which contributed to solving the practical production problem of the manufacturing industry.
Evaluation of Elevated Serum Apelin-13 and D-dimer Concentrations in Individuals Diagnosed with Pulmonary Embolism
Authors: Mehrban Alireza , Hajikolaei Fatemeh Ahmadi , Karimi Mehdi , Khademi Reza , Ansari Akram , Qujeq Durdi , Taliki Karim Hajian , Monadi Mahmoud 
Published: January 2024

Abstract
Background: Given the limited specificity of D-dimer, there is a perceived need to discover a more precise marker for diagnosing individuals who are suspected of having pulmonary embolism (PE). In this study, by Evaluating the increase in the serum level of Apelin-13 and D-dimer, we found valuable findings about Apelin-13, which can be suggested as an auxiliary and non-invasive diagnostic biomarker in individuals with suspected PE, based on the obtained results.
Methods: In this case-control study, 52 Iranian individuals with a suspicion of pulmonary embolism, were included and then were separated into two groups based on CT angiography results serving as the gold standard imaging method for diagnosing PE: patients with and without PE. Finally, the serum levels of these markers were compared in these two groups.
Results: The mean serum D-dimer levels in patients with PE were significantly elevated (p<0.001) in comparison to those without PE (1102.47 to 456.2 ng/ml). Furthermore, the mean level of Apelin-13 was significantly higher in patients with PE (49.8 to 73.11 ng/L) (p <0.001). The cutoff point of Apelin-13 has been calculated 58.50 ng/ml, with 90.9% sensitivity and 90% specificity. The D-dimer cutoff point was 500 ng/ml, with 95.5% sensitivity and 43.3% specificity.
Conclusions: Based on the results of this study, the serum level of Apelin-13 can be used as novel diagnostic and screening biomarker in patients with pulmonary thromboembolism
Keywords: Pulmonary embolism, Thromboembolism, Apelin-13, D-dimer.
‘Shared Steps &amp; Checks’: A Shared Decision Making Model for Mental Health Care
Authors: Grootens Koen P. , Verwijmeren Doris 
Published: January 2024

Abstract

BackgroundAlthoughshared decision making (SDM) is the preferred choice in mental health care, the literature shows this patient-clinician communication approach is not widely implemented in this field of medicine. To promote its use in clinical practice and training, we introduce an SDM model that allows for all field-specific demands and teaching purposes.MethodsWe developed an elementary framework for sharing decisions during psychiatric consultations through an iterative process. After reviewing the literature on existing SDM models and assessing their appropriateness for further enrichment to meet the needs of mental health services, we integrated all requirements in our model, paying special attention to didactic aspects in communication courses. The resulting model was finetuned in a focus group- approach involving five different panels of health-care professionals, clients, informal caregivers and medical students.ResultsWe chose to expand the initial 3-step models and later adaptations by Elwyn et al. and to devise a linear step model to meet clinical and requirement and didactic usability. The model incorporates aspects that are typical to mental health care such as explicit goal setting, setting up a ‘decision team’, assessing decision capacity and risk deliberation. As psychiatric care demands a stable and trustful therapeutic relationship, we added the element of the explicit pursuit of three core values: Be curious, collaborative and connected.ConclusionsComprising six steps and periodical core value checks, the Shared Steps & Checks approach presented here offers a pragmatic SDM framework for mental health practice and training serving all stakeholders involved in this complex, multidisciplinary field.
Gap Junctions May Have a Computational Function in the Cerebellum: a Hypothesis
Authors: Gilbert Mike , Rasmussen Anders 
Published: January 2024

Abstract

In the cerebellum, granule cells make parallel fibre contact on (and excite) Golgi cells and Golgi cells inhibit granule cells, forming an open feedback loop. Parallel fibres excite Golgi cells synaptically, each making a single contact. Golgi cells inhibit granule cells in a structure called a glomerulus almost exclusively by GABA spillover acting through extrasynaptic GABAA receptors. Golgi cells are connected dendritically by gap junctions. It has long been suspected that feedback contributes to homeostatic regulation of parallel fibre signals activity, causing the fraction of the population that are active to be maintained at a low level. We present a detailed neurophysiological and computationally-rendered model of functionally grouped Golgi cells which can infer the density of parallel fibre signals activity and convert it into proportional modulation of inhibition of granule cells. The conversion is unlearned and not actively computed; rather, output is simply the computational effect of cell morphology and network architecture. Unexpectedly, the conversion becomes more precise at low density, suggesting that self-regulation is attracted to sparse code, because it is stable. A computational function of gap junctions may not be confined to the cerebellum.
Assessment of nutritional practice of pregnant women and associated factors following ANC services in Yeka sub city health centers, Addis Ababa.
Authors: Tesfaye Muluken , Arega Balew 
Published: January 2024

Abstract

Background Pregnant mothers especially in developing countries do not get a balanced and diverse diet to meet their nutrient and energy requirements. This problem in Ethiopia is extensive in combination with repeated drought and food insecurity. Due to insufficient counseling of pregnant women on the importance of nutrition practices during antenatal care visits and other factors, pregnant mothers have poor nutritional practices that result in adverse birth outcomes. Methods Institutional based cross-sectional study designed was employed to collect the data from 404 pregnant women following ANC services in Yeka sub-city health centers from 6 June to 15 July 2022. Five health centers were selected using simple random sampling and pregnant women were selected using systematic random sampling after proportional allocation of the total sample. Structured questioner was used to collect the data and a 24-hour recall of dietary diversity questioner was also used to assess their dietary diversity. The data was entered into EpiData version 3.1 and exported to SPSS version 25. We used frequency, mean, and rang as descriptive statistics and bivariate and multivariate binary logistic regression was used to identify risk factors affecting the nutritional practices of pregnant women. Result In this study, we found that 179(44.31%) of pregnant women had high dietary diversity score with mean of 4.97 ± 2.014 SD and 183(45.3%0 of pregnant women had good food frequency. Finally, only 126(31.2%) of pregnant women had good nutritional practices during pregnancy. The risk factors that affect the nutritional practice of pregnant women was husband occupational status, income of household, habit of eating snacks, partner/husband involvement in pregnancy care, women empowerment on household economy. Conclusion In this study, we found that less than one-third of pregnant women had good nutritional practices. This calls the collaboration effort of all parties to enhance the nutritional status of pregnant women which is corner stone of all other nutritional interventions.