bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Knowledge, experiences, and perceptions relating to obesity management among primary care physicians in the Lazio Region, Italy
Authors: Guglielmi Valeria , Capoccia Danila , Russo Benedetta , Lubrano Carla , Mariani Stefania , Poggiogalle Eleonora , Furia Giuseppe , Alizadeh Aurora Heidar , Patrizi Cristina , Sapienza Martina , Damiani Gianfranco , Tarsitano Maria Grazia , Conte Caterina , Frontoni Simona 
Published: November 2023

BackgroundPrimary care providers (PCPs) play an essential role in obesity care as they represent the first contact for patients seeking weight loss interventions.ObjectiveThis study explored the knowledge, experiences, and perceptions of PCPs in the Lazio Region of Italy in the management of obesity.Design and subjectsWe conducted an anonymous survey delivered from March to July 2022 via the newsletter of Rome Provincial Order of Physicians and Dentists and at the annual meeting of the regional section of the Italian Obesity Society.ApproachThe survey consisted of 24 closed-ended questions grouped into 5 sections: sociodemographic and work information; assessment of obesity; management of obesity; connections with regional Centres for Obesity Management; attitudes towards obesity.Key resultsA total of 92 PCPs accessed the survey. Of those, 2.2% were excluded because they did not see any patients with obesity. A total of 68 PCPs (75.6%) had complete questionnaires and were included in this analysis. All participants reported asking their patients about their eating habits, lifestyle, and clinical complications at the first assessment. Body weight and blood pressure were measured by 98.5% of participants and 82% calculate body mass index (BMI), while a small proportion of PCPs analysed body composition and fat distribution. Over 80% prescribed laboratory tests and ECG. Approximately 40% of PCPs did not refer patients for nutritional counselling, and most prescribed a low-calorie diet. Sixty-three percent referred patients to an endocrinologist, 48.5% to a psychotherapist, and a minority to specialists for obesity complications. Twenty-three percent prescribed anti-obesity medications and 46.5% referred patients for bariatric surgery only in severe cases. Ninety-one percent stated that obesity is “a complex and multifactorial disease” and 7.4% considered obesity to be secondary to other conditions.ConclusionsDespite most PCPs adopt a correct approach to manage patients with obesity, many aspects could be improved to ensure optimal and multidisciplinary management.
Complex relationship between gut microbiota and thyroid dysfunction: a bidirectional two-sample Mendelian randomization study
Authors: Liu Xiao , Liu Jingyu , Zhang Tongxin , Wang Qian , Zhang Huawei 
Published: November 2023

BackgroundMany studies have reported the link between gut microbiota and thyroid dysfunction. However, the causal effect of gut microbiota on thyroid dysfunction and the changes in gut microbiota after the onset of thyroid dysfunction are not clear.MethodsA two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) study was used to explore the complex relationship between gut microbiota and thyroid dysfunction. Data on 211 bacterial taxa were obtained from the MiBioGen consortium, and data on thyroid dysfunction, including hypothyroidism, thyroid-stimulating hormone alteration, thyroxine deficiency, and thyroid peroxidase antibodies positivity, were derived from several databases. Inverse variance weighting (IVW), weighted median, MR-Egger, weighted mode, and simple mode were applied to assess the causal effects of gut microbiota on thyroid dysfunction. Comprehensive sensitivity analyses were followed to validate the robustness of the results. Finally, a reverse MR study was conducted to explore the alteration of gut microbiota after hypothyroidism onset.ResultsOur bidirectional two-sample MR study revealed that the genera Intestinimonas, Eubacterium brachy group, Ruminiclostridium5, and Ruminococcaceae UCG004 were the risk factors for decreased thyroid function, whereas the genera Bifidobacterium and Lachnospiraceae UCG008 and phyla Actinobacteria and Verrucomicrobia were protective. The abundance of eight bacterial taxa varied after the onset of hypothyroidism. Sensitivity analysis showed that no heterogeneity or pleiotropy existed in the results of this study.ConclusionThis novel MR study systematically demonstrated the complex relationship between gut microbiota and thyroid dysfunction, which supports the selection of more targeted probiotics to maintain thyroid–gut axis homeostasis and thus to prevent, control, and reverse the development of thyroid dysfunction.
Tri-ponderal mass index as a screening tool for obesity prediction in children aged 6–9 years
Authors: Niu Yang , Zhang Yajie , Sheng Jinye , Lu Wenyi , Li Ji , Mao Xiaomeng , Cai Wei , Tang Qingya , Shen Xiuhua , Feng Yi 
Published: November 2023

ObjectiveThis study aimed to evaluate the efficiency of tri-ponderal mass index (TMI) in determining obesity in Chinese children aged 6-9 years, using the criteria of percentage of body fat (PBF) and body mass index z-scores (BMI-Z).MethodsThe cross-sectional study included 5365 children, aged 6–9 years, who participated in the project survey “Group prevention and treatment of obesity among students and school health promotion in Shanghai” from September 2007 to September 2009. Height, weight, waist circumference, body mass index (BMI), TMI, waist-to-height ratio (WHtR), and PBF were recorded. Statistical analyses including Kolmogorov–Smirnov test, chi-square test, receiver operating characteristics curve, and kappa chi-square test were performed.ResultsTMI for both sexes was relatively constant with increasing age, and statistically significant differences were not observed at some ages (P &gt; 0.05 at 6, 7, 8, and 9 years). WHtR showed subtle changes, while BMI and PBF increased significantly with age in boys and girls (P &lt; 0.01). Using BMI-Z criteria as the measure of general obesity, the results indicated that TMI cutoff values for 6–9 years were 14.60 kg/m3 for boys and 14.84 kg/m3 for girls (P &lt; 0.001). Analysis of the agreement between TMI and BMI-Z showed that the kappa statistic was 0.826 in boys and 0.709 in girls (P &lt; 0.001).ConclusionTMI, as a constant tool, holds great potential as an alternative screening method for identifying children aged 6-9 years who may be at risk of obesity at an early stage.
How patients experience thyroid eye disease
Authors: Smith Terry J. , Hegedüs Laszlo , Lesser Ira , Perros Petros , Dorris Kimberly , Kinrade Michele , Troy-Ott Patti , Wuerth Laura , Nori Mukund 
Published: November 2023

ObjectiveTo determine the impact of thyroid eye disease (TED) on patients in various stages of the disease.BackgroundTED is a debilitating and potentially sight-threatening inflammatory autoimmune disease that is frequently misdiagnosed. Challenging quality-of-life (QoL) issues can persist long after the active phase of disease has subsided.MethodsA 62-question survey was designed as a hypothesis-generating instrument to identify key issues confronting patients ≥18 years old with physician-diagnosed TED. Questions focused primarily on physical and emotional status, and QoL experiences in the 2 months prior to the survey. Data for individual questions are presented as summary statistics. Correlations between questions were determined using χ2 analyses.ResultsThe 443 respondents were 18 to &gt;80 years old; &gt;90% female, and &gt;80% from the United States. Time since TED diagnosis ranged from &lt;1 year to &gt;10 years. Participants provided &gt;500 free-form responses describing experiences of living with TED. Physical signs/symptoms were experienced by 307/443 (69%) patients. Of those responding to the QoL questions (N = 394), 53 (13%) reported symptoms improving, 73 (19%) reported symptoms worsening, and 255 (65%) reported no change in the 2 months prior to the survey. The most bothersome signs/symptoms were dry/gritty eyes, light sensitivity, bulging eyes, and pressure or pain behind the eyes. Respondents &lt;60 years were significantly (p &lt; 0.0001) more likely to report symptomatic TED than older patients. Of 394 respondents, 179 (45%) reported feeling depressed and/or anxious, 174 (44%) reported concern about their appearance, and 73 (19%) avoided public situations; 192 (49%) reported declines in confidence or feelings of general well-being, and 78 (20%) reported an inability to achieve goals. Activities limited by TED included reading, driving, and socializing. The proportion of respondents experiencing these negative QoL measures was higher when patients reported experiencing &gt;5 symptoms, had been diagnosed within the last 5 years, or were &lt;60 years of age.ConclusionsPhysical manifestations of TED impact QoL for patients through all phases of the disease. It is essential that physicians and healthcare professionals become more familiar with patient experiences such as those described here to better help patients manage their disease.
A novel prognostic classification integrating lipid metabolism and immune co-related genes in acute myeloid leukemia
Authors: Li Ding , Wu Xuan , Cheng Cheng , Liang Jiaming , Liang Yinfeng , Li Han , Guo Xiaohan , Li Ruchun , Zhang Wenzhou , Song Wenping 
Published: November 2023

BackgroundAs a severe hematological malignancy in adults, acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is characterized by high heterogeneity and complexity. Emerging evidence highlights the importance of the tumor immune microenvironment and lipid metabolism in cancer progression. In this study, we comprehensively evaluated the expression profiles of genes related to lipid metabolism and immune modifications to develop a prognostic risk signature for AML.MethodsFirst, we extracted the mRNA expression profiles of bone marrow samples from an AML cohort from The Cancer Genome Atlas database and employed Cox regression analysis to select prognostic hub genes associated with lipid metabolism and immunity. We then constructed a prognostic signature with hub genes significantly related to survival and validated the stability and robustness of the prognostic signature using three external datasets. Gene Set Enrichment Analysis was implemented to explore the underlying biological pathways related to the risk signature. Finally, the correlation between signature, immunity, and drug sensitivity was explored.ResultsEight genes were identified from the analysis and verified in the clinical samples, including APOBEC3C, MSMO1, ATP13A2, SMPDL3B, PLA2G4A, TNFSF15, IL2RA, and HGF, to develop a risk-scoring model that effectively stratified patients with AML into low- and high-risk groups, demonstrating significant differences in survival time. The risk signature was negatively related to immune cell infiltration. Samples with AML in the low-risk group, as defined by the risk signature, were more likely to be responsive to immunotherapy, whereas those at high risk responded better to specific targeted drugs.ConclusionsThis study reveals the significant role of lipid metabolism- and immune-related genes in prognosis and demonstrated the utility of these signature genes as reliable bioinformatic indicators for predicting survival in patients with AML. The risk-scoring model based on these prognostic signature genes holds promise as a valuable tool for individualized treatment decision-making, providing valuable insights for improving patient prognosis and treatment outcomes in AML.
Composites of CoFe2O4/Graphene oxide/Kaolinite for adsorption of lead ion from aqueous solution
Authors: Daniel Reta Yared , Desissa Temesgen Debelo 
Published: November 2023

In this work, we established composites from kaolinite (K), CoFe2O4 (CF), and graphene oxide (GO) for the adsorption of the lead ion (Pb (II)). Initially, a composite of CF-GO was synthesized by hydrothermal method using cellulose bio-template extracted from false banana. The weight ratio of GO varied from 0.20 to 0.30, i.e., (1-x) CF/(x)GO (x = 0.20, 0.25, 0.30). The sample with x = 0.30, i.e., CF-0.3GO exhibited a better adsorption capacity of about 23.6 mg g−1 from the binary composite samples at the initial Pb concentration of 50 mg L−1. Then, the contact time and adsorbent dosage of CF-0.3GO were optimized with the corresponding results of 90 min and 1.2 g L−1, respectively. A ternary composite was formulated from the sample of CF-0.3GO and Kaolinite (K) with the nominal composition of (1-y)K/(y)(CF-0.3GO), where y = 0.30, 0.45, 0.60, and 0.75. Among the ternary composites, the sample with a composition of 0.25K/0.75(CF0-0.3GO) showed the best adsorption capacity of about 4.2 mg g−1 at the initial Pb concentration of 10 mg L−1, and this sample was subsequently selected for further studies. The synthesized composites were characterized using powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transforms infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and Differential thermogravimetric analysis (TGA-DTA), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET), respectively, to determine phase purity, the particles morphology, functional groups, thermal stability, and surface area and pore volume of the of samples. Atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS) was used to determine the adsorption capacity of samples. The effect of pH ranging from 2 to 10 was investigated for the present composite. At pH of 4, the adsorption capacity and removal efficiency changed significantly, with the corresponding results of 6.62 mg g−1 and 99 %, respectively, and becomes constant. Adsorption isotherms and kinetics were investigated for a composite with a composition of 0.25K/0.75 (CF-0.3GO). The Freundlich isotherm model best fits the adsorption isotherm, with a correlation coefficient of 0.93, and the kinetic behavior followed Pseudo-second-order adsorption kinetics. Finally, the synthesized composite was stable for three-round tests toward the Pb(II) removal. Therefore, the results of this study indicate that the composites of CoFe2O4/Graphene oxide/Kaolinite could be a potential candidate for the removal of Pb (II) ions.
Hot-injection synthesis of lead-free pseudo-alkali metal-based perovskite (TlSnX3) nanoparticles with tunable optical properties
Authors: Kim Wooyeon , Koo Bonkee , Ko Min Jae , Jung Heesuk 
Published: November 2023

The commercialization of organo-inorganic hybrid perovskite materials for optoelectronic applications is limited owing to the restriction of lead (Pb) usage in consumer electronics and the instability of organic cations in the perovskite structure. To address these challenges, we synthesize TlSnX3 (X = Cl, Br, and I) perovskite nanoparticles (NPs) with high crystallinity and uniformity using the hot-injection method. The optical properties of TlSnX3 NPs are fine-tuned by substituting the halide ions of TlSnX3. In addition, the oxidation of Sn in TlSnX3 NPs is effectively prevented by the strong reducing ligands such as dioleamide (DOA) and trioctylphosphine (TOP). Furthermore, TlSnX3 NPs-based perovskite solar cells (PSCs) are fabricated by a spin-coating method; they exhibited a high open-circuit voltage (∼1.4 V). These results demonstrate that TlSnX3 NPs can be an attractive candidate for solution-processable optoelectronic devices.
Combined genomic-proteomic approach in the identification of Campylobacter coli amoxicillin-clavulanic acid resistance mechanism in clinical isolates
Authors: Deforet Francis , Jehanne Quentin , Bénéjat Lucie , Aptel Johanna , Prat Roxane , Desbiolles Chloé , Ducournau Astrid , Jauvain Marine , Bonnet Richard , Vandenesch François , Lemoine Jérôme , Lehours Philippe 
Published: November 2023

IntroductionAminopenicillins resistance among Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli strains is associated with a single mutation in the promoting region of a chromosomal beta-lactamase blaOXA61, allowing its expression. Clavulanic acid is used to restore aminopenicillins activity in case of blaOXA61 expression and has also an inherent antimicrobial activity over Campylobacter spp. Resistance to amoxicillin-clavulanic acid is therefore extremely rare among these species: only 0.1% of all Campylobacter spp. analyzed in the French National Reference Center these last years (2017–2022).Material and methodsWhole genome sequencing with bioinformatic resistance identification combined with mass spectrometry (MS) was used to identify amoxicillin-acid clavulanic resistance mechanism in Campylobacters.ResultsA G57T mutation in blaOXA61 promoting region was identified in all C. jejuni and C. coli ampicillin resistant isolates and no mutation in ampicillin susceptible isolates. Interestingly, three C. coli resistant to both ampicillin and amoxicillin-clavulanic acid displayed a supplemental deletion in the promoting region of blaOXA61 beta-lactamase, at position A69. Using MS, a significant difference in the expression of BlaOXA61 was observed between these three isolates and amoxicillin-clavulanic acid susceptible C. coli.ConclusionA combined genomics/proteomics approach allowed here to identify a rare putative resistance mechanism associated with amoxicillin-clavulanic acid resistance for C. coli.
Associations between circulating cardiovascular disease risk factors and cognitive performance in cognitively healthy older adults from the NuAge study
Authors: Koblinsky Noah D. , Carmichael Pierre-Hugues , Belleville Sylvie , Fiocco Alexandra J. , Gaudreau Pierrette , Greenwood Carol E. , Kergoat Marie-Jeanne , Morais José A. , Presse Nancy , Laurin Danielle , Ferland Guylaine 
Published: November 2023

IntroductionCardiovascular disease risk factors (CVRFs) contribute to the development of cognitive impairment and dementia.MethodsThis study examined the associations between circulating CVRF biomarkers and cognition in 386 cognitively healthy older adults (mean age = 78 ± 4 years, 53% females) selected from the Quebec Longitudinal Study on Nutrition and Successful Aging (NuAge). Memory, executive function, and processing speed were assessed at baseline and 2-year follow-up. CVRF biomarkers included total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C), triglycerides, glucose, insulin, high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), homocysteine, protein carbonyls, and cortisol. Linear mixed models were used to determine associations between individual CVRF biomarkers and cognition at both time points.ResultsHDL-C was most consistently associated with cognition with higher values related to better performance across several domains. Overall, stronger and more consistent relationships between CVRF biomarkers and cognition were observed in females relative to males.DiscussionFindings suggest that increases in the majority of circulating CVRFs are not associated with worse cognition in cognitively healthy older adults.
The key role of depression and supramarginal gyrus in frailty: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Isernia Sara , Blasi Valeria , Baglio Gisella , Cabinio Monia , Cecconi Pietro , Rossetto Federica , Cazzoli Marta , Blasi Francesco , Bruckmann Chiara , Giunco Fabrizio , Sorbi Sandro , Clerici Mario , Baglio Francesca 
Published: November 2023

BackgroundThe age-related decrease in reserve and resistance to stressors is recognized as frailty, one of the most significant challenges identified in recent years. Despite a well-acknowledged association of frailty with cognitive impairment, depression, and gray matter morphology, no clear data are available regarding the nature of this relationship. This cross-sectional study aims to disentangle the role of the behavioral, neuropsychological, and neural components as predictors or moderators of frailty.MethodsNinety-six older adults (mean age = 75.49 ± 6.62) were consecutively enrolled and underwent a clinical and MRI (3 T) evaluation to assess frailty, physical activity, global cognitive level, depression, wellbeing, autonomy in daily living, cortical thickness, and subcortical volumes.ResultsResults showed a full mediation of depression on the link between cortical thickness and frailty, while the cognitive level showed no significant mediating role. In particular, left supramarginal thickness had a predicting role on depression, that in turn impacted frailty occurrence. Finally, handgrip weakness was an early key indicator of frailty in this study’s cohort.ConclusionThese data substantiate the role of depression in mediating the link between neural integrity of the supramarginal gyrus and frailty. In the complexity of frailty, handgrip weakness seems to be an early key indicator. These results are relevant for the design of rehabilitation interventions aimed at reversing the frail condition.
Cross-modal self-attention mechanism for controlling robot volleyball motion
Authors: Wang Meifang , Liang Zhange 
Published: November 2023

IntroductionThe emergence of cross-modal perception and deep learning technologies has had a profound impact on modern robotics. This study focuses on the application of these technologies in the field of robot control, specifically in the context of volleyball tasks. The primary objective is to achieve precise control of robots in volleyball tasks by effectively integrating information from different sensors using a cross-modal self-attention mechanism.MethodsOur approach involves the utilization of a cross-modal self-attention mechanism to integrate information from various sensors, providing robots with a more comprehensive scene perception in volleyball scenarios. To enhance the diversity and practicality of robot training, we employ Generative Adversarial Networks (GANs) to synthesize realistic volleyball scenarios. Furthermore, we leverage transfer learning to incorporate knowledge from other sports datasets, enriching the process of skill acquisition for robots.ResultsTo validate the feasibility of our approach, we conducted experiments where we simulated robot volleyball scenarios using multiple volleyball-related datasets. We measured various quantitative metrics, including accuracy, recall, precision, and F1 score. The experimental results indicate a significant enhancement in the performance of our approach in robot volleyball tasks.DiscussionThe outcomes of this study offer valuable insights into the application of multi-modal perception and deep learning in the field of sports robotics. By effectively integrating information from different sensors and incorporating synthetic data through GANs and transfer learning, our approach demonstrates improved robot performance in volleyball tasks. These findings not only advance the field of robotics but also open up new possibilities for human-robot collaboration in sports and athletic performance improvement. This research paves the way for further exploration of advanced technologies in sports robotics, benefiting both the scientific community and athletes seeking performance enhancement through robotic assistance.