bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
A new human-based metaheuristic algorithm for solving optimization problems based on preschool education
Authors: Trojovský Pavel 
Published: December 2023

AbstractIn this paper, with motivation from the No Free Lunch theorem, a new human-based metaheuristic algorithm named Preschool Education Optimization Algorithm (PEOA) is introduced for solving optimization problems. Human activities in the preschool education process are the fundamental inspiration in the design of PEOA. Hence, PEOA is mathematically modeled in three phases: (i) the gradual growth of the preschool teacher's educational influence, (ii) individual knowledge development guided by the teacher, and (iii) individual increase of knowledge and self-awareness. The PEOA's performance in optimization is evaluated using fifty-two standard benchmark functions encompassing unimodal, high-dimensional multimodal, and fixed-dimensional multimodal types, as well as the CEC 2017 test suite. The optimization results show that PEOA has a high ability in exploration–exploitation and can balance them during the search process. To provide a comprehensive analysis, the performance of PEOA is compared against ten well-known metaheuristic algorithms. The simulation results show that the proposed PEOA approach performs better than competing algorithms by providing effective solutions for the benchmark functions and overall ranking as the first-best optimizer. Presenting a statistical analysis of the Wilcoxon signed-rank test shows that PEOA has significant statistical superiority in competition with compared algorithms. Furthermore, the implementation of PEOA in solving twenty-two optimization problems from the CEC 2011 test suite and four engineering design problems illustrates its efficacy in real-world optimization applications.
The inside out model of emotion recognition: how the shape of one’s internal emotional landscape influences the recognition of others’ emotions
Authors: Keating Connor Tom , Cook Jennifer Louise 
Published: December 2023

AbstractSome people are exceptional at reading emotional expressions, while others struggle. Here we ask whether the way we experience emotion “on the inside” influences the way we expect emotions to be expressed in the “outside world” and subsequently our ability to read others’ emotional expressions. Across multiple experiments, incorporating discovery and replication samples, we develop EmoMap (N = 20; N = 271) and ExpressionMap (N = 98; replication N = 193) to map adults’ experiences of emotions and visual representations of others’ emotions. Some individuals have modular maps, wherein emotional experiences and visual representations are consistent and distinct—anger looks and feels different from happiness, which looks and feels different from sadness. In contrast, others have experiences and representations that are variable and overlapping—anger, happiness, and sadness look and feel similar and are easily confused for one another. Here we illustrate an association between these maps: those with consistent and distinct experiences of emotion also have consistent and distinct visual representations of emotion. Finally (N = 193), we construct the Inside Out Model of Emotion Recognition, which explains 60.8% of the variance in emotion recognition and illuminates multiple pathways to emotion recognition difficulties. These findings have important implications for understanding the emotion recognition difficulties documented in numerous clinical populations.
Spatial distribution and determinants of barriers of health care access among female youths in Ethiopia, a mixed effect and spatial analysis
Authors: Fentie Elsa Awoke , Asmamaw Desale Bihonegn , Negash Wubshet Debebe , Belachew Tadele Biresaw , Amare Baykeda Tsegaw , Addis Banchlay , Tamir Tadesse Tarik , Wubante Sisay Maru , Endawkie Abel , Zegeye Alebachew Ferede , Kidie Atitegeb Abera , Fetene Samrawit Mihret 
Published: December 2023

AbstractAccess to healthcare services is a fundamental human right for every citizen, and it is the responsibility of the nation to guarantee that these services are acceptable, easily accessible, and timely. Barriers to accessing health services may have a detrimental effect on an individual’s physical, and mental health, and overall quality of life. However, access to health care services is a common problem in developing countries. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate spatial distribution and determinants of barriers to healthcare access among female youths in Ethiopia. Secondary data analysis was conducted based on the Demographic and Health Surveys data conducted in Ethiopia. A total weighted sample of 6143 female youths aged 15–24 years old was included in this study. A mixed-effect analysis was employed to identify factors contributing to barriers to healthcare access among youths in Ethiopia. Adjusted Odds Ratio with 95% CI was used to declare the strength and significance of the association. The concentration index was used to assess wealth-related inequalities, while spatial analysis was used to explore the spatial distribution and significant windows of barriers to healthcare access. This study revealed that the magnitude of barriers to healthcare access among female youth was 61.3% with 95%CI (60.1 to 62.5) to at least one or more of the four reasons. Age 15–19 years old (AOR = 0.80, 95%CI 0.68 to 0.95), no formal education (AOR = 2.26, CI 1.61, 3.18), primary education (AOR = 2.21, CI 1.66, 2.95), marital status (AOR = 1.43, 95% CI 1.21, 1.70), poor household wealth (AOR = 1.63, 95% CI 1.31, 2.05), no Media exposure (AOR = 1.67, 95%CI 1.41–1.98), reside in rural areas (AOR = 1.63, 95%CI 1.05 to 2.54), and low community media exposure (AOR = 1.45, 95%CI 1.01–2.08) were significantly associated with barriers of health care service. Barriers to healthcare access were significantly and disproportionately concentrated in poor households. A non-random Barrier to healthcare access was observed in Ethiopia. Among the 9 regions, primary clusters were identified in only 4 regions (North Ormiya, Benishangul Gumuz, Gambella, and South Nation Nationality and Peoples regions. A significant proportion of female youths faced barriers to health care access Age, educational status, marital status, rural residency, low economic status, and media exposure were factors associated with barriers to health care access. Therefore, program planners and decision-makers should work on improving the country’s economy to a higher economic level to improve the wealth status of the population, promote media exposure, and increase access to education.
Variation in presepsin and thrombomodulin levels for predicting COVID-19 mortality
Authors: Yamazaki Azusa , Nukui Yoko , Kameda Takahiro , Saito Ryoichi , Koda Yuki , Ichimura Naoya , Tohda Shuji , Ohkawa Ryunosuke 
Published: December 2023

AbstractCoronavirus disease (COVID-19) has caused extensive mortality globally; therefore, biomarkers predicting the severity and prognosis of COVID-19 are essential. This study aimed to evaluate the application of presepsin (P-SEP) and thrombomodulin (TM), which are biomarkers of sepsis and endothelial dysfunction, respectively, in the prognosis of COVID-19. Serum P-SEP and TM levels from COVID-19 patients (n = 183) were measured. Disease severity was classified as mild, moderate I, moderate II, or severe based on hemoglobin oxygen saturation and the history of intensive care unit transfer or use of ventilation at admission. Patients in the severe group were further divided into survivors and non-survivors. P-SEP and TM levels were significantly higher in the severe group than those in the mild group, even after adjusting for creatinine values. In addition, TM levels were significantly higher in non-survivors than in survivors. Changes in the P-SEP levels at two time points with an interval of 4.1 ± 2.2 days were significantly different between the survivors and non-survivors. In conclusion, TM and continuous P-SEP measurements may be useful for predicting mortality in patients with COVID-19. Moreover, our data indicate that P-SEP and TM values after creatinine adjustment could be independent predictive markers, apart from renal function.
AI-assisted quantification of hypothalamic atrophy in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis by convolutional neural network-based automatic segmentation
Authors: Vernikouskaya Ina , Müller Hans-Peter , Roselli Francesco , Ludolph Albert C. , Kassubek Jan , Rasche Volker 
Published: December 2023

AbstractThe hypothalamus is a small structure of the brain with an essential role in metabolic homeostasis, sleep regulation, and body temperature control. Some neurodegenerative diseases such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and dementia syndromes are reported to be related to hypothalamic volume alterations. Despite its crucial role in human body regulation, neuroimaging studies of this structure are rather scarce due to work-intensive operator-dependent manual delineations from MRI and lack of automated segmentation tools. In this study we present a fully automatic approach based on deep convolutional neural networks (CNN) for hypothalamic segmentation and volume quantification. We applied CNN of U-Net architecture with EfficientNetB0 backbone to allow for accurate automatic hypothalamic segmentation in seconds on a GPU. We further applied our approach for the quantification of the normalized hypothalamic volumes to a large neuroimaging dataset of 432 ALS patients and 112 healthy controls (without the ground truth labels). Using the automated volumetric analysis, we could reproduce hypothalamic atrophy findings associated with ALS by detecting significant volume differences between ALS patients and controls at the group level. In conclusion, a fast and unbiased AI-assisted hypothalamic quantification method is introduced in this study (whose acceptance rate based on the outlier removal strategy was estimated to be above 95%) and made publicly available for researchers interested in the conduction of hypothalamus studies at a large scale.
Cross-sectional analysis of the correlation between serum uric acid and trabecular bone score: NHANES 2005–2008
Authors: Li Yanlei , Tan Jinxin , Tian Jinlong , Xu Jiongnan , Shao Haiyu , Zhang Jun , Zhao Tingxiao , Huang Yazeng 
Published: December 2023

AbstractSerum uric acid (SUA) has been discovered to be associated with bone mineral density (BMD), but its relationship with trabecular bone score (TBS) remains unclear. Thus, the aim of our study was to investigate the association between SUA levels and TBS. Our study included 5895 individuals over 20 years old (3061 men and 2834 women) from NHANES 2005–2008. To analyze the association between SUA and TBS, multivariate linear regression models with covariate adjustments were applied. Furthermore, population description, stratified analysis, single factor analysis, smooth curve fitting, interaction analysis, and threshold effect and saturation effect analysis were also conducted. After adjusting for covariates, SUA showed a strong negative relationship with total TBS (β = 0.319; 95% CI 0.145–0.494; P < 0.001). The relationship between SUA levels and total TBS was found to be nonlinear, with inflection points at 4.8 mg/dL for the overall population, 4.2 mg/dL for women, and 5.7 mg/dL for non-Hispanic whites, indicating a saturation effect. Additionally, no interactions were found in any of the subgroups. Our study found a negative association between SUA and total TBS in adults. Maintaining SUA at a saturated level can benefit in preventing osteoporosis and fractures.
Safety evaluation of PEGylated MNPs and p-PEGylated MNPs in SD rats
Authors: Wen Hairuo , Huo Guitao , Qin Chao , Wu Hui , Wang Dan , Dan Mo , Geng Xingchao , Liu Shujie 
Published: December 2023

AbstractPolyethylene glycol-coated magnetic nanoparticles (PEGylated MNPs) have demonstrated prominent advantages in cancer diagnosis and hyperthermia therapy. However, there is currently lack of standard mode and sufficient toxicity data for determining the delayed risk of PEGylated MNPs. Nevertheless, the toxicity potentials, especially those associated with the oxidative stress, were ubiquitously reported. In this study, PEGylated MNPs and p-PEGylated MNPs were administrated to SD (Sprague Dawley) rats by single intravenously injection, and various toxicity indicators were monitored till 56 days post-administration for a comprehensive toxicity evaluation. We revealed that both nanoparticles could be rapidly cleared from plasma and enter tissues, such as, liver, kidneys and spleen, and p-PEGylated MNP is less prone to be accumulated in the tissues, indicating a lower toxicity risk. PEGylated MNPs were more likely to up-regulate the expression levels of Th2 type cytokines and trigger inflammatory pathways, but no related pathological change was found. Both MNPs are not mutagenic, while recoverable mild DNA damage associated with the presence of nanoparticles might also be observed. This study demonstrated a research approach for the non-clinical safety evaluation of nanoparticles. It also provided comprehensive valuable safety data for PEGylated and p-PEGylated MNPs, for promoting the clinical application and bio-medical translation of such MNPs with PEG modifications in the cancer diagnosis and therapy.
The generation of detergent-insoluble clipped fragments from an ERAD substrate in mammalian cells
Authors: Daskivich Grant J. , Brodsky Jeffrey L. 
Published: December 2023

AbstractProteostasis ensures the proper synthesis, folding, and trafficking of proteins and is required for cellular and organellar homeostasis. This network also oversees protein quality control within the cell and prevents accumulation of aberrant proteins, which can lead to cellular dysfunction and disease. For example, protein aggregates irreversibly disrupt proteostasis and can exert gain-of-function toxic effects. Although this process has been examined in detail for cytosolic proteins, how endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-tethered, aggregation-prone proteins are handled is ill-defined. To determine how a membrane protein with a cytoplasmic aggregation-prone domain is routed for ER-associated degradation (ERAD), we analyzed a new model substrate, TM-Ubc9ts. In yeast, we previously showed that TM-Ubc9ts ERAD requires Hsp104, which is absent in higher cells. In transient and stable HEK293 cells, we now report that TM-Ubc9ts degradation is largely proteasome-dependent, especially at elevated temperatures. In contrast to yeast, clipped TM-Ubc9ts polypeptides, which are stabilized upon proteasome inhibition, accumulate and are insoluble at elevated temperatures. TM-Ubc9ts cleavage is independent of the intramembrane protease RHBDL4, which clips other classes of ERAD substrates. These studies highlight an unappreciated mechanism underlying the degradation of aggregation-prone substrates in the ER and invite further work on other proteases that contribute to ERAD.
RCN1 deficiency inhibits oral squamous cell carcinoma progression and THP-1 macrophage M2 polarization
Authors: Liu Han , Guo Haiyang , Wu Yuehan , Hu Qiannan , Hu Guangbing , He Huan , Yin Yaolin , Nan Xiaoxu , Lin Gaoren , Han Jinpeng , Zhao Runzhe , Liu Ying 
Published: December 2023

AbstractReticulocalbin 1 (RCN1), a calcium-binding protein located in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) lumen, contains six conserved regions. Its main functions include maintaining intracellular homeostasis and regulating cell proliferation and apoptosis, and it plays an important role in the development of various tumours. However, the exact function of RCN1 in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is not fully understood. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the effects of RCN1 on the biological behaviour of OSCC and the regulation of tumour-associated macrophage (TAM) polarization. The expression of RCN1 in OSCC and normal oral mucosa was evaluated through bioinformatics analysis and immunohistochemical staining. The growth, migration, and invasion of OSCC cells were observed after knockdown of RCN1 using CCK-8 and Transwell assays. Apoptosis was detected by flow cytometry. The effect of tumour cell-derived RCN1 on the polarization of THP-1 macrophages was investigated by establishing a coculture model of THP-1 macrophages and OSCC cells. Additionally, changes in the expression levels of relevant proteins were detected using Western blotting. The upregulation of RCN1 in tumour tissues compared to normal oral mucosal tissues is associated with a poor prognosis and can be utilized as a prognostic indicator for OSCC. Knockdown of RCN1 inhibited the proliferation, migration, and invasion of OSCC cells. Additionally, knockdown of RCN1 in Cal-27 and SCC-25 cells resulted in inhibition of the M2 polarization of THP-1 macrophages. RCN1 knockdown inhibits OSCC progression and M2 macrophage polarization. Targeting RCN1 may be a promising approach for OSCC treatment.
Effect of different modification by gold nanoparticles on the electrochemical performance of screen-printed sensors with boron-doped diamond electrode
Authors: Matvieiev Oleksandr , Šelešovská Renáta , Marton Marián , Hatala Michal , Metelka Radovan , Weis Martin , Vojs Marian 
Published: December 2023

AbstractScreen-printed sensors with chemically deposited boron-doped diamond electrodes (BDDE) were modified with different types of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) according to a new original procedure. Physically and electrochemically deposited AuNPs had various sizes and also nanoporous character. They also differ in shape and density of surface coverage. The developed sensors were characterized using scanning electron microscopy and Raman spectroscopy. Their electrochemical properties were studied using cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectrometry of selected outer sphere ([Ru(NH3)6]Cl3) and inner sphere (K3[Fe(CN)6], dopamine) redox markers. The application possibilities of such novel screen-printed sensors with BDDE modified by AuNPs were verified in the analysis of the neurotransmitter dopamine. The best analytical performance was achieved using printed sensors modified with the smallest AuNPs. The achieved limit of detection values in nanomolar concentrations (2.5 nmol L−1) are much lower than those of unmodified electrodes, which confirms the significant catalytic effects of gold nanoparticles on the surface of the working electrode. Sensors with the best electrochemical properties were successfully applied in the analysis of a model solution and spiked urine samples.
Association between brain cancer immunogenetic profile and in silico immunogenicities of 11 viruses
Authors: Georgopoulos Apostolos P. , James Lisa M. 
Published: December 2023

AbstractSeveral viruses including human herpes viruses (HHVs), human polyomavirus JCV, and human papilloma virus (HPV) have been implicated in brain cancer, albeit inconsistently. Since human leukocyte antigen (HLA) is centrally involved in the human immune response to viruses and has been implicated in brain cancer, we evaluated in silico the immunogenicity between 69 Class I HLA alleles with epitopes of proteins of 9 HHVs, JCV, and HPV with respect to a population-based HLA-brain cancer profile. We found that immunogenicity varied widely across HLA alleles with HLA-C alleles exhibiting the highest immunogenicity, and that immunogenicity scores were negatively associated with the population-based HLA-brain cancer profile, particularly for JCV, HHV6A, HHV5, HHV3, HHV8, and HHV7. Consistent with the role of HLA in foreign antigen elimination, the findings suggest that viruses with proteins of high HLA immunogenicity are eliminated more effectively and, consequently, less likely to cause brain cancer; conversely, the absence of highly immunogenic HLA may allow the viral antigens to persist, contributing to cancer.
Development of a nomogram to predict survival in advanced biliary tract cancer
Authors: Imaoka Hiroshi , Ikeda Masafumi , Nomura Shogo , Morizane Chigusa , Okusaka Takuji , Ozaka Masato , Shimizu Satoshi , Yamazaki Kentaro , Okano Naohiro , Sugimori Kazuya , Shirakawa Hirofumi , Mizuno Nobumasa , Satoi Sohei , Yamaguchi Hironori , Sugimoto Rie , Gotoh Kunihito , Sano Keji , Asagi Akinori , Nakamura Kazuyoshi , Ueno Makoto 
Published: December 2023

AbstractThe prognosis of advanced biliary tract cancer (BTC) patients remains poor due to limited efficacy of chemotherapy and difficulties in management. Thus, prediction of survival is crucial for the clinical management of advanced BTC. The aim was to develop and validate a nomogram to predict 6-month and 12-month survival in advanced BTC patients treated with chemotherapy. A multivariable Cox regression model was used to construct a nomogram in a training set (JCOG1113, a phase III trial comparing gemcitabine plus S-1 [GS] and gemcitabine plus cisplatin, n = 351). External validity of the nomogram was assessed using a test set (JCOG0805, a randomized, phase II trial comparing GS and S-1 alone, n = 100). Predictive performance was assessed in terms of discrimination and calibration. The constructed nomogram included lymph node metastasis, liver metastasis, carbohydrate antigen 19-9, carcinoembryonic antigen, albumin, and C-reactive protein. Uno’s concordance index was 0.661 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.629–0.696) in the training set and 0.640 (95% CI 0.566–0.715) in the test set. The calibration plots for 6-month and 12-month survival showed good agreement in the two analysis sets. The present nomogram can facilitate prediction of the prognosis of advanced BTC patients treated with chemotherapy and help clinicians’ prognosis-based decision-making.
Implementation of Above-Cuff Vocalization After Tracheostomy Is Feasible and Associated With Earlier Speech
Authors: Gajic Srdjan , Jacobs Lauren , Gellentien Catherine , Dubin Randy M. , Ma Kevin 
Published: December 2023

Purpose:
The purpose of this study was to assess the feasibility of hospital-wide implementation of an above-cuff vocalization (ACV) protocol using ACV-capable tracheostomy tubes and its impact on patient speech in four intensive care unit (ICU) patient populations.

Method:
This research was an observational pre–post study that was conducted over a 26-month period and included 323 critically ill adult ICU patients who underwent tracheostomy in a 365-bed academic tertiary care hospital. ACV was assessed using a protocol developed by a multidisciplinary team. Presence of speech was defined as at least one comprehensible word spoken during a speech-language pathologist evaluation.

Results:

Median time-to-speech was 13 days (interquartile range [IQR]: 8–20 days) before the intervention, compared to 9 days (IQR: 6–16 days) after the intervention (
p
= .0017). In the pre-intervention group, 101 out of 167 (60.5%) patients achieved speech within 60 days, compared to 83 out of 133 (62.4%) patients in the post-intervention group (
p
= .12). Of the 83 patients who achieved speech in the post-intervention group, 24 (28.9%) did so via ACV, with the remainder using a speaking valve or digital occlusion. Of those 24 patients, seven did not progress to using a speaking valve within the follow-up period. The median number of speech days gained by using ACV was 8 (IQR: 5–18 days). ACV was successful in facilitating speech in 24 out of 29 (82.8%) patients trialed, with no major complications.

Conclusions:
Routine implementation of ACV after tracheostomy is feasible, safe, and associated with earlier speech in a diverse population of critically ill patients. ACV is an important method to facilitate communication in patients requiring mechanical ventilation with tracheostomy cuff inflation.