bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Connections between body composition and dysregulation of islet α- and β-cells in type 2 diabetes
Authors: Miao Jia-xi , Xu Jia-ping , Wang Rui , Xu Yu-xian , Xu Feng , Wang Chun-hua , Yu Chao , Zhang Dong-mei , Su Jian-bin 
Published: January 2024

Abstract
Background
Accompanying islet α- and β-cell dysregulation in type 2 diabetes (T2D) at the microscopic scale, alterations in body composition at the macroscopic scale may affect the pathogenesis of T2D. However, the connections between body composition and islet α-cell and β-cell functions in T2D have not been thoroughly explored.

Methods
For this cross-sectional study, we recruited a total of 729 Chinese Han patients with T2D in a consecutive manner. Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) was used to measure body composition, which included total bone-free mass, total fat and lean mass, trunk fat and lean mass and limb fat and lean mass. Every patient underwent an oral glucose tolerance test to simultaneously detect glucose, C-peptide and glucagon. The indices of islet α-cell function included fasting glucagon levels and the area under the curve of glucagon after a challenge (AUCglucagon), while the indices of β-cell function included the insulin sensitivity index derived from C-peptide (ISIC-peptide) and the area under the curve of C-peptide after a challenge (AUCC-peptide).

Results
Among all patients, fat mass, especially trunk fat mass, was significantly correlated with ISIC-peptide and AUCC-peptide levels (r = − 0.330 and 0.317, respectively, p < 0.001), while lean mass, especially limb lean mass, was significantly correlated with fasting glucagon and AUCglucagon levels (r = − 0.196 and − 0.214, respectively, p < 0.001). Moreover, after adjusting for other relevant variables via multivariate linear regression analysis, increased trunk fat mass was independently associated with decreased ISIC-peptide (β = − 0.247, t = − 3.628, p < 0.001, partial R2 = 10.9%) and increased AUCC-peptide (β = 0.229, t = 3.581, p < 0.001, partial R2 = 8.2%), while decreased limb lean mass was independently associated with increased fasting glucagon (β = − 0.226, t = − 2.127, p = 0.034, partial R2 = 3.8%) and increased AUCglucagon (β = − 0.218, t = − 2.050, p = 0.041, partial R2 = 2.3%). Additionally, when separate analyses were performed with the same concept for both sexes, we found that increased trunk fat mass was still independently associated with decreased ISIC-peptide and increased AUCC-peptide, while decreased limb lean mass was still independently associated with increased fasting glucagon and AUCglucagon.

Conclusions
Increased trunk fat mass may partly account for decreased insulin sensitivity and increased insulin secretion, while decreased limb lean mass may be connected to increased fasting glucagon and postprandial glucagon secretion.
Title-molecular diagnostics of dystrophinopathies in Sri Lanka towards phenotype predictions: an insight from a South Asian resource limited setting
Authors: Wijekoon Nalaka , Gonawala Lakmal , Ratnayake Pyara , Liyanage Roshan , Amaratunga Dhammika , Hathout Yetrib , Steinbusch Harry W. M. , Dalal Ashwin , Hoffman Eric P. , de Silva K. Ranil D. 
Published: January 2024

Abstract
Background
The phenotype of Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) and Becker muscular dystrophy (BMD) patients is determined by the type of DMD gene variation, its location, effect on reading frame, and its size. The primary objective of this investigation was to determine the frequency and distribution of DMD gene variants (deletions/duplications) in Sri Lanka through the utilization of a combined approach involving multiplex polymerase chain reaction (mPCR) followed by Multiplex Ligation Dependent Probe Amplification (MLPA) and compare to the international literature. The current consensus is that MLPA is a labor efficient yet expensive technique for identifying deletions and duplications in the DMD gene.

Methodology
Genetic analysis was performed in a cohort of 236 clinically suspected pediatric and adult myopathy patients in Sri Lanka, using mPCR and MLPA. A comparative analysis was conducted between our findings and literature data.

Results
In the entire patient cohort (n = 236), mPCR solely was able to identify deletions in the DMD gene in 131/236 patients (DMD-120, BMD-11). In the same cohort, MLPA confirmed deletions in 149/236 patients [DMD-138, BMD -11]. These findings suggest that mPCR has a detection rate of 95% (131/138) among all patients who received a diagnosis. The distal and proximal deletion hotspots for DMD were exons 45–55 and 6–15. Exon 45–60 identified as a novel in-frame variation hotspot. Exon 45–59 was a hotspot for BMD deletions. Comparisons with the international literature show significant variations observed in deletion and duplication frequencies in DMD gene across different populations.

Conclusion
DMD gene deletions and duplications are concentrated in exons 45–55 and 2–20 respectively, which match global variation hotspots. Disparities in deletion and duplication frequencies were observed when comparing our data to other Asian and Western populations. Identified a 95% deletion detection rate for mPCR, making it a viable initial molecular diagnostic approach for low-resource countries where MLPA could be used to evaluate negative mPCR cases and cases with ambiguous mutation borders. Our findings may have important implications in the early identification of DMD with limited resources in Sri Lanka and to develop tailored molecular diagnostic algorithms that are regional and population specific and easily implemented in resource limited settings.
Phenotypic and metabolomic characteristics of mouse models of metabolic associated steatohepatitis
Authors: Yang Cian-Ru , Lin Wen-Jen , Shen Pei-Chun , Liao Pei-Yin , Dai Yuan-Chang , Hung Yao-Ching , Lai Hsueh‐Chou , Mehmood Shiraz , Cheng Wei-Chung , Ma Wen-Lung 
Published: January 2024

AbstractBackgroundMetabolic associated steatohepatitis (MASH) is metabolic disease that may progress to cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Mouse models of diet-induced MASH, which is characterized by the high levels of fats, sugars, and cholesterol in diets, are commonly used in research. However, mouse models accurately reflecting the progression of MASH in humans remain to be established. Studies have explored the potential use of serological metabolites as biomarkers of MASH severity in relation to human MASH.MethodsWe performed a comparative analysis of three mouse models of diet-induced MASH in terms of phenotypic and metabolomic characteristics; MASH was induced using different diets: a high-fat diet; a Western diet; and a high-fat, high-cholesterol diet. Liver cirrhosis was diagnosed using standard clinical approaches (e.g., METAVIR score, hyaluronan level, and collagen deposition level). Mouse serum samples were subjected to nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy–based metabolomic profiling followed by bioinformatic analyses. Metabolomic analysis of a retrospective cohort of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma was performed; the corresponding cirrhosis scores were also evaluated.ResultsUsing clinically relevant quantitative diagnostic methods, the severity of MASH was evaluated. Regarding metabolomics, the number of lipoprotein metabolites increased with both diet and MASH progression. Notably, the levels of very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) significantly increased with fibrosis progression. During the development of diet-induced MASH in mice, the strongest upregulation of expression was noted for VLDL receptor. Metabolomic analysis of a retrospective cohort of patients with cirrhosis indicated lipoproteins (e.g., VLDL and LDL) as predominant biomarkers of cirrhosis.ConclusionsOur findings provide insight into the pathophysiology and metabolomics of experimental MASH and its relevance to human MASH. The observed upregulation of lipoprotein expression reveals a feedforward mechanism for MASH development that may be targeted for the development of noninvasive diagnosis.
Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA) topic models for Space Syntax studies on spatial experience
Authors: Lee Ju Hyun , Ostwald Michael J. 
Published: January 2024

AbstractSpatial experience has been extensively researched in various fields, with Space Syntax being one of the most widely used methodologies. Multiple Space Syntax techniques have been developed and used to quantitively examine the relationship between spatial configuration and human experience. However, due to the heterogeneity of syntactic measures and experiential issues in the built environment, a systematic review of socio-spatial topics has yet to be developed for Space Syntax research. In response to this knowledge gap, this article employs an ‘intelligent’ method to classify and systematically review topics in Space Syntax studies on spatial experience. Specifically, after identifying 66 articles using the ‘Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses’ (PRISMA) framework, this research develops generative probabilistic topic models to classify the articles using the Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA) method. As a result, this research automatically generates three architectural topics from the collected literature data (A1. Wayfinding behaviour, A2. Interactive accessibility, and A3. Healthcare design) and three urban topics (U1. Pedestrian movement, U2. Park accessibility, and U3. Cognitive city). Thereafter it qualitatively examines the implications of the data and its LDA classification. This article concludes with an examination of the limitations of both the methods and the results. Along with demonstrating a methodological innovation (combining PRISMA with LDA), this research identifies critical socio-spatial concepts and examines the complexity of Space Syntax applications. In this way, this research contributes to future Space Syntax research that empirically investigates the relationships between syntactic and experiential variables in architectural and urban spaces. The findings support a detailed discussion about research gaps in the literature and future research directions.
Prediction of flight departure delays caused by weather conditions adopting data-driven approaches
Authors: Kim Seongeun , Park Eunil 
Published: January 2024

AbstractIn this study, we utilize data-driven approaches to predict flight departure delays. The growing demand for air travel is outpacing the capacity and infrastructure available to support it. In addition, abnormal weather patterns caused by climate change contribute to the frequent occurrence of flight delays. In light of the extensive network of international flights covering vast distances across continents and oceans, the importance of forecasting flight delays over extended time periods becomes increasingly evident. Existing research has predominantly concentrated on short-term predictions, prompting our study to specifically address this aspect. We collected datasets spanning over 10 years from three different airports such as ICN airport in South Korea, JFK and MDW airport in the United States, capturing flight information at six different time intervals (2, 4, 8, 16, 24, and 48 h) prior to flight departure. The datasets comprise 1,569,879 instances for ICN, 773,347 for JFK, and 404,507 for MDW, respectively. We employed a range of machine learning and deep learning approaches, including Decision Tree, Random Forest, Support Vector Machine, K-nearest neighbors, Logistic Regression, Extreme Gradient Boosting, and Long Short-Term Memory, to predict flight delays. Our models achieved accuracy rates of 0.749 for ICN airport, 0.852 for JFK airport, and 0.785 for MDW airport in 2-h predictions. Furthermore, for 48-h predictions, our models achieved accuracy rates of 0.748 for ICN airport, 0.846 for JFK airport, and 0.772 for MDW airport based on our experimental results. Consequently, we have successfully validated the accuracy of flight delay predictions for longer time frames. The implications and future research directions derived from these findings are also discussed.
Development of quality indicators for palliative care in intensive care units and pilot testing them via electronic medical record review
Authors: Tanaka Yuta , Masukawa Kento , Sakuramoto Hideaki , Kato Akane , Ishigami Yuichiro , Tatsuno Junko , Ito Kaori , Kizawa Yoshiyuki , Miyashita Mitsunori 
Published: January 2024

Abstract
Background
Patients in intensive care units (ICUs) often require quality palliative care for relief from various types of suffering. To achieve quality palliative care, specific goals need to be identified, measured, and reported. The present study aimed to develop quality indicators (QIs) for palliative care in ICUs, based on a systematic review and modified Delphi method, and test their feasibility by reviewing electronic medical record (EMR) data.

Methods
The current study was performed in two phases: the development of QIs using the modified Delphi method, and pilot-testing the quality of palliative care in ICUs based on EMR review. The pilot test included 262 patients admitted to the general or emergency ICU at a university hospital from January 1, 2019, to June 30, 2019.

Results
A 28-item QI set for palliative care in ICUs was developed based on the consensus of 16 experts. The Delphi process resulted in low measurability ratings for two items: "Assessment of the patient's psychological distress" and "Assessment of the patient's spiritual and cultural practices." However, these items were determined to be important for quality care from the perspective of holistic assessment of distress and were adopted in the final version of the QI set. While the pilot test results indicated the feasibility of the developed QIs, they suggested that the frequency of care performance varied, and certain aspects of palliative care in ICUs needed to be improved, namely (1) regular pain assessment, (2) identification of the patient's advance directive and advance care planning for treatment, (3) conducting an interdisciplinary family conference on palliative care, and (4) assessment of psychological distress of family members.

Conclusions
The QI set, developed using the modified Delphi method and tested using EMR data, provided a tool for assessing the quality of palliative care in ICUs. In the two ICUs considered in this study, aspects of the palliative care process with a low performance frequency were identified, and further national surveys were recommended. It is necessary to conduct ongoing surveys at more facilities to improve the quality of palliative care in ICUs.
Low plasma vitamin D is associated with increased 28-day mortality and worse clinical outcomes in critically ill patients
Authors: Sistanian Fatemeh , Sedaghat Alireza , Badpeyma Mohaddeseh , Rezaiyan Majid Khadem , Moghaddam Ahmad Bagheri , Ranjbar Golnaz , Arabi Mostafa , Bagherniya Mohammad , Norouzy Abdolreza 
Published: January 2024

Abstract
Background & objective
Patients in the intensive care unit have a high prevalence of vitamin D deficiency (VDD). In the present study, clinical outcomes in the ICU were analyzed with vitamin D status.

Materials and methods
In this prospective, multicenter study, sampling was conducted on seven ICUs in three hospitals. Within the first 24 h of ICU admission, patient’s serum vitamin D levels were measured, and their disease severity was monitored using the scores of acute physiologic assessment and chronic health evaluation II (APACHE II), sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA), and the modified Nutrition Risk in Critically ill (mNUTRIC) score.

Results
A total of 236 patients were enrolled in this study, of which 163 (69.1%) had lower vitamin D levels than 20 ng/ml upon ICU admission. The patients with VDD had higher APACHE II scores)P = 0.02), SOFA scores (P < 0.001), and mNUTRIC scores (P = 0.01). Patients with sufficient levels of vitamin D (> 30 ng/ml) had a shorter stay at ICU (P < 0.001). VDD was independently associated with 28-day mortality (OR: 4.83; 95% CI: 1.63–14.27; P = 0.004).

Conclusion
The data showed that VDD was common among the critically ill and was related to a more severe course of illness and a higher mortality rate.
Hand grip strength as a proposed new vital sign of health: a narrative review of evidences
Authors: Vaishya Raju , Misra Anoop , Vaish Abhishek , Ursino Nicola , D’Ambrosi Riccardo 
Published: January 2024

AbstractHand grip strength (HGS) serves as a fundamental metric in assessing muscle function and overall physical capability and is particularly relevant to the ageing population. HGS holds an important connection to the concept of sarcopenia, which encompasses the age-related decline in muscle mass, strength, and function. It has also been reported to indicate the health of an individual. We reviewed the interplay between HGS and various health parameters, including morbidity and mortality, by carrying out a literature search on PubMed, Scopus and Google Scholar between 10 and 30 August 2023, to identify the relevant papers on the relationship between health and HGS. We used several keywords like ‘hand grip strength’, ‘muscle strength, ‘sarcopenia’, ‘osteosarcopenia’, ‘health biomarker’, ‘osteoporosis’, and ‘frailty’, to derive the appropriate literature for this review. This review has shown that the HGS can be measured reliably with a hand-held dynamometer. The cut-off values are different in various populations. It is lower in Asians, women, less educated and privileged, and those involved in sedentary work. Several diseases have shown a correlation with low HGS, e.g., Type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, stroke, chronic kidney and liver disease, some cancers, sarcopenia and fragility fractures. The low HSG is also associated with increased hospitalization, nutritional status, overall mortality and quality of life. We believe that there is adequate evidence to show that HGS stands as an important biomarker of health. Its utility extends to the identification of diverse health issues and its potential as a new vital sign throughout the lifespan.
Charakterystyka bilansu energetycznego oraz przewag konkurencyjnych rynku energii krajów Unii Europejskiej z Europy Środkowo-Wschodniej
Authors: Nowak Ewa , Przepióra Paweł 
Published: January 2024

Gospodarowanie paliwami i energią w Europie przechodzi znaczącą transformację w kierunku nowych modeli wytwarzania energii, a odbiorcy są zachęcani do zmiany swoich zachowań w kierunku oszczędzania i większej efektywności energetycznej. Struktura bilansu energetycznego państwa ma znaczenie dla bezpieczeństwa energetycznego i wpływa również na zapewnienie odpowiedniego poziomu ochrony środowiska oraz zahamowanie negatywnych zmian klimatycznych. Bezpieczeństwo energetyczne i poprawa efektywności energetycznej to jeden ze strategicznych celów Unii Europejskiej, ponieważ wywiera wpływ na bezpieczeństwo energetyczne krajów członkowskich, konkurencyjność ich gospodarek oraz poprawę warunków życia ich mieszkańców. Celem artykułu jest poznanie zróżnicowania struktury bilansu energetycznego państw Europy Środkowo-Wschodniej, które są członkami Unii Europejskiej. Do tej grupy należy 11 krajów: Bułgaria, Chorwacja, Czechy, Estonia, Litwa, Łotwa, Polska, Rumunia, Słowacja, Słowenia oraz Węgry. Wykorzystano dostępne bazy danych Eurostatu i Światowej Rady Energetycznej (World Energy Council) na 2021 r. Analiza ukierunkowana jest na przedstawienie możliwości wykorzystania sztucznych sieci neuronowych Kohonena do wyodrębnienia państw podobnych z uwagi na strukturę bilansu energii pod względem nośników energii (ropa naftowa, gaz ziemny, stałe paliwa kopalne, energia jądrowa, odnawialne źródła energii). Wartość tego podejścia polega na tym, że algorytm Kohonena na podstawie wag neuronów i po analizie samoorganizującej się mapy uznaje sąsiedztwo obiektów (państw) za element ważny w badaniach regionalizacji. Indeks Potrójnego Energetycznego Dylematu – IPED (Word Energy Trilemma Index – WETI) pokazuje sytuację energetyczną krajów w odniesieniu do: poziomu bezpieczeństwa energetycznego, równości energetycznej i zrównoważonego rozwoju środowiska. Pozwala on na porównanie ich ze sobą pod kątem bezpieczeństwa energetycznego, konkurencyjności gospodarczej i ochrony środowiska naturalnego. Analiza regresji liniowej wielozmiennej określiła rzeczywisty wpływ zmiennych niezależnych (ropa naftowa, gaz ziemny, stałe paliwa kopalne, energia jądrowa, odnawialne źródła energii) na zmienną zależną IPED, który jest międzynarodowym miernikiem do porównań transformacji energetycznej kraju w kontekście nowych uwarunkowań środowiskowych i geoekonomicznych. Przy wykorzystaniu metody regresji wskazano, że znaczącą determinantą efektywności transformacji energetycznej krajów jest wysoki udział energii odnawialnej w strukturze bilansu energetycznego.
Transition from entrepreneurship education to entrepreneurial intention: A cross-cultural effect
Authors: Amofah Kwaku , Gameli Dziwornu Michael , Rachwał Tomasz , Saladrigues Ramon , Agyarko-Fosu Fred 
Published: January 2024

Through a cross-cultural examination, this study aims to analyse a move from the field of entrepreneurship education (EE) to entrepreneurial intention (EI). Specifically, we carried out mediation (perceived behavioural control (PBC) and attitude towards entrepreneurship (ATE)) and moderation (gender and country) analysis. The study surveyed 546 Polish and Spanish university students and used a multi-group analysis to test the model across groups. The results reveal that attitude and PBC partially mediate the effect of EE on EI. Moreover, the results show that the model is consistent in both countries. The study contributes to the comparative international entrepreneurship literature on how the theory of planned behaviour (TPB) applies in different contexts and implications it has for this field of study.
Zróżnicowanie kierunków przemian pasażerskiej regionalnej kolei w Polsce po 1989 r.
Authors: Soczówka Andrzej , Ochociński Krzysztof 
Published: January 2024

Przedmiotem badań były przemiany oferty pasażerskich pociągów regionalnych w Polsce po 1989 r. Przeanalizowano dynamikę i kierunki przemian oferty w cyklach 5-letnich w podziale na 16 współczesnych województw. Celem badań była identyfikacja prawidłowości i różnic dotyczących kierunków przemian regionalnej oferty kolejowej w poszczególnych województwach po 1989 r. Procedura badawcza polegała na stworzeniu dwóch odrębnych baz danych – bazy linii kolejowych w środowisku GIS oraz bazy połączeń kolejowych. W badaniach wykazano, w jaki sposób czynniki infrastrukturalne wpływały na długość sieci obsługiwanej przez pociągi regionalne i wielkość pracy eksploatacyjnej, jakie było zróżnicowanie tempa i kierunków przemian oferty połączeń regionalnych w poszczególnych województwach. Zwrócono uwagę na odcinki sieci z niefunkcjonalną ofertą przewozową. Zbadano wpływ sposobu organizacji kolejowych regionalnych przewozów pasażerskich w aspekcie wyboru przewoźników kolejowych na rozwój lub regres oferty przewozowej. Badania wykazały, że po kryzysie z okresu lat 90. XX w. i na początku XXI w. w większości województw następowała stopniowa poprawa oferty przewozowej, zwłaszcza na obszarach aglomeracyjnych. W większości przypadków usamorządowienie kolei miało pozytywny wpływ na ofertę przewozów regionalnych, chociaż znacząco pogorszyło ofertę na granicach województw. Rozwojowi sieci kolejowych połączeń regionalnych i poprawie oferty przewozowej sprzyja model powierzenia części lub większości przewozów samorządowemu przewoźnikowi, ale nie jest to czynnik decydujący.