bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Global survey on evaluative reporting on DNA evidence with regard to activity‐level propositions
Authors: Prinz Mechthild , Pirtle Devyn , Oldoni Fabio 
Published: February 2024

AbstractFor many criminal cases, the source of who deposited the DNA is not what the prosecutor and the defense are trying to dispute. In court, the question may be how the DNA was deposited at the crime scene rather than who the DNA came from. Although laboratories in many countries have begun to evaluate DNA evidence given formal activity‐level propositions (ALPs), it is unknown how much other forensic practitioners know and what they think about activity‐level evaluative reporting (ALR). To collect this information, a survey with 21 questions was submitted to international forensic science organizations across Europe, Australia, South America, Canada, Asia, and Africa. The survey combined open‐ended and multiple‐choice questions and received 162 responses. Responses revealed a wide range of knowledge on the topic. Overall, most respondents were somewhat knowledgeable about ALR, ALP, and current practices in court and expressed their support of the concept. A majority of participants identified gaps and obstacles regarding ALR they would like to see addressed. Examples include (1) need for more education/training at all stakeholder levels, (2) need for more DNA evidence‐related data under realistic case scenarios, (3) need to internally implement and validate a formalized and objective approach for reporting, and (4) in some countries the need to achieve court admissibility. This global survey gathered the current concerns of forensic DNA practitioners and outlined several operational concerns. The information can be used to advance the implementation of ALR in laboratories and court testimony worldwide.
Depression mediates the relationship between adverse childhood experiences and risky drinking among Hispanic young adults
Authors: Chavez Sarah J. , Reed Mark B. , Smith Laramie R. , Zúñiga Maria L. , Pitpitan Eileen V. , Trim Ryan S. , Baweja Harsimran S. 
Published: February 2024

AbstractBackground and ObjectivesHispanic young adults in the United States have consistently high rates of risky drinking, adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), depression, and anxiety. There is a positive association between ACEs and alcohol use among Hispanic populations; it is unknown if mental health symptomatology mediates this relationship. The purpose of this study was to test whether depression and anxiety mediated the relationship between ACEs and risky drinking among Hispanic young adults who engage in risky drinking.MethodsData from 264 Hispanic young adults, ages 19 to 30, were collected via an online questionnaire. Participants were recruited via social media, emails/listservs across colleges, the community, and web‐panels. The questionnaire assessed ACEs, risky drinking, depression, and anxiety. We conducted a mediational analysis to test whether depression and anxiety mediated the relationship between ACEs and risky drinking.ResultsOf the sample, 59.8% identified as female and 40.2% as male. The average age was 24.37 (SD = 3.069). Participants (61%) identified as Mexican, Mexican American, or Chicano, and 84.1% identified as second‐generation. ACEs were positively associated with risky drinking, depression, and anxiety. Depression mediated the relationship between ACEs and risky drinking.Conclusion and Scientific SignificanceDepression explained the association between ACEs and risky drinking among Hispanic young adults, adding to our understanding of how mediators can illustrate pathways that lead from ACEs to risky drinking. Practitioners and interventionists should continue supporting Hispanic youth by integrating them into early prevention programs to mitigate the mental health consequences of ACEs that could lead to risky drinking.
Understanding inequality in U.S. farm subsidies using large‐scale administrative data
Authors: Yu Jisang , Lim Sunghun 
Published: February 2024

AbstractUsing a large‐scale, individual‐level administrative data set for 2008–2021, we document the inequality in farm program payments across all recipients in the U.S. By examining the relationship between within‐county inequality and demographic characteristics of farmers in a county, we find that there is a positive association between the share of Black operators and within‐county inequality. We also provide suggestive evidence that a substantial portion of racial and gender disparities in farm payments are associated with crop production characteristics. We then utilize name information in farm payment data to infer the race and gender of individual payees. The analysis using approximately 4.9 million payee‐by‐year observations and predicted race and gender information of those payees shows that payments are lower for producers who are Black, Hispanic, and female. Our study provides a comprehensive empirical analysis of the equality of farm subsidy distribution covering most U.S. farm payment programs at a granular level over time. We also provide an empirical approach of utilizing name information from the administrative data that opens up more possibilities for racial and gender inequity research in agricultural economics.
Latent heterogeneity in COVID‐19 hospitalisations: a cluster‐weighted approach to analyse mortality
Authors: Berta Paolo , Ingrassia Salvatore , Vittadini Giorgio , Spinelli Daniele 
Published: February 2024

SummaryThe COVID‐19 pandemic caused an unprecedented excess mortality. Since 2020, many studies have focussed on the characteristics of COVID‐19 patients who did not survive. From the statistical point of view, what seems to dominate is the large heterogeneity of the populations affected by COVID‐19 and the extreme difficulty in identifying subpopulations who died affected by a plurality of contemporary characteristics. In this paper, we propose an extremely flexible approach based on a cluster‐weighted model, which allows us to identify latent groups of patients sharing similar characteristics at the moment of hospitalisation as well as a similar mortality. We focus on one of the hardest hit areas in Italy and study the heterogeneity in the population of patients affected by COVID‐19 using administrative data on hospitalisations in the first wave of the pandemic. Results highlighted that a model‐based clustering approach is essential to understand the complexity of the COVID‐19 patients treated by hospitals and who die during hospitalisation.
Pre‐fusion motion state determines the heterogeneity of membrane fusion dynamics for large dense‐core vesicles
Authors: Xue Renhao , Zhang Enming , Wang Yu 
Published: February 2024

AbstractAimIn neuroendocrine cells, large dense‐core vesicles (LDCVs) undergo highly regulated pre‐fusion processes before releasing hormones via membrane fusion. Significant heterogeneity has been found for LDCV population based on the dynamics of membrane fusion. However, how the pre‐fusion status impacts the heterogeneity of LDCVs still remains unclear. Hence, we explored pre‐fusion determinants of heterogeneous membrane fusion procedure of LDCV subpopulations.MethodsWe assessed the pre‐fusion motion of two LDCV subpopulations with distinct membrane fusion dynamics individually, using total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy. These two subpopulations were isolated by blocking Rho GTPase‐dependent actin reorganization using Clostridium difficile toxin B (ToxB), which selectively targets the fast fusion vesicle pool.ResultsWe found that the fast fusion subpopulation was in an active motion mode prior to release, termed “active” LDCV pool, while vesicles from the slow fusion subpopulation were also moving but in a significantly more confined status, forming an “inert” pool. The depletion of the active pool by ToxB also eliminated fast fusion vesicles and was not rescued by pre‐treatment with phorbol ester. A mild actin reorganization blocker, latrunculin A, that partially disrupted the active pool, only slightly attenuated the fast fusion subpopulation.ConclusionThe pre‐fusion motion state of LDCVs also exhibits heterogeneity and dictates the heterogeneous fusion pore dynamics. Rearrangement of F‐actin network mediates vesicle pre‐fusion motion and subsequently determines the membrane fusion kinetics.
Chert sourcing using LIBS: The case of Cova del Parco, Spain
Authors: Le Guirriec Julien , Sánchez de la Torre Marta , Bousquet Bruno , Lefrais Yannick , Mangado Xavier , González Cynthia Belén , Le Bourdonnec François‐Xavier 
Published: February 2024

AbstractCherts originating from carbonate lacustrine environments have been widely exploited by Upper Palaeolithic hunter‐gatherers in the south of the Pyrenees. Archaeo‐petrographic sourcing studies have identified different potential sources but were unable to distinguish them. This study conducted geochemical characterisation of geological and archaeological lacustrine chert samples using laser‐induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS), and applied the supervised classification model partial least squares–discriminant analysis to LIBS spectra. The model was able to discriminate geological sources and provide predictions for the origin of a selection of chert artefacts recovered at the Middle Magdalenian level from Cova del Parco (Lleida, Spain).
Parenchymal volume preservation during partial nephrectomy: improved methodology to assess impact and predictive factors
Authors: Kazama Akira , Attawettayanon Worapat , Munoz‐Lopez Carlos , Rathi Nityam , Lewis Kieran , Maina Eran , Campbell Rebecca A. , Lone Zaeem , Boumitri Melissa , Kaouk Jihad , Haber Georges‐Pascal , Haywood Samuel , Almassi Nima , Weight Christopher , Li Jianbo , Campbell Steven C. 
Published: February 2024

ObjectiveTo rigorously evaluate the impact of the percentage of parenchymal volume preserved (PPVP) and how well the preserved parenchyma recovers from ischaemia (Recischaemia) on functional outcomes after partial nephrectomy (PN) using an accurate and objective software‐based methodology for estimating parenchymal volumes and split renal function (SRF). A secondary objective was to assess potential predictors of the PPVP.Patients and MethodsA total of 894 PN patients with available studies (2011–2014) were evaluated. The PPVP was measured from cross‐sectional imaging at ≤3 months before and 3–12 months after PN using semi‐automated software. Pearson correlation evaluated relationships between continuous variables. Multivariable linear regression evaluated predictors of ipsilateral glomerular filtration rate (GFR) preserved and the PPVP. Relative‐importance analysis was used to evaluate the impact of the PPVP on ipsilateral GFR preserved. Recischaemia was defined as the percentage of ipsilateral GFR preserved normalised by the PPVP.ResultsThe median tumour size and R.E.N.A.L. nephrometry score were 3.4 cm and 7, respectively. In all, 49 patients (5.5%) had a solitary kidney. In all, 538 (60%)/251 (28%)/104 (12%) patients were managed with warm/cold/zero ischaemia, respectively. The median pre/post ipsilateral GFRs were 40/31 mL/min/1.73 m2, and the median (interquartile range [IQR]) percentage of ipsilateral GFR preserved was 80% (71–88%). The median pre/post ipsilateral parenchymal volumes were 181/149 mL, and the median (IQR) PPVP was 84% (76–92%). In all, 330 patients (37%) had a PPVP of <80%, while only 34 (4%) had a Recischaemia of <80%. The percentage of ipsilateral GFR preserved correlated strongly with the PPVP (r = 0.83, P < 0.01) and loss of parenchymal volume accounted for 80% of the loss of ipsilateral GFR. Multivariable analysis confirmed that the PPVP was the strongest predictor of ipsilateral GFR preserved. Greater tumour size and endophytic and nearness properties of the R.E.N.A.L. nephrometry score were associated with a reduced PPVP (all P ≤ 0.01). Solitary kidney and cold ischaemia were associated with an increased PPVP (all P < 0.05).ConclusionsA reduced PPVP predominates regarding functional decline after PN, although a low Recischaemia can also contribute. Tumour‐related factors strongly influence the PPVP, while surgical efforts can improve the PPVP as observed for patients with solitary kidneys.
Phase I trial of apatinib and paclitaxel+oxaliplatin+5‐FU/levoleucovorin for treatment‐naïve advanced gastric cancer
Authors: Zhao Shen , Su LiYu , Huang Feng , Zhuo Changhua , Ye Zaisheng , Li Hui , Yin Yi , Gao Pengqiang , Zhu Yong , Lin Rongbo 
Published: February 2024

AbstractChinese guidelines recommend POF (paclitaxel, oxaliplatin, and 5‐FU/levoleucovorin) as first‐line treatment for advanced gastric cancer (AGC). Apatinib can augment the antitumor effect of paclitaxel, oxaliplatin, or fluorouracil in preclinical studies of AGC. A phase I clinical trial was conducted to evaluate the anticancer activity and maximum tolerated dose (MTD) of apatinib plus POF in treatment‐naïve patients with AGC and to establish a recommended phase II dose. Participants received escalating doses of daily oral apatinib (250, 375, 500, 625, 750, and 850 mg) plus POF every 2 weeks using a conventional “3 + 3” study design. Among 21 treated patients, one experienced a dose‐limiting toxicity (grade 3 skin ulceration at 850 mg). No MTD was reached. Apatinib 750 mg plus POF was recommended for phase II study. The most common grade 3–4 adverse events (AEs) were neutropenia (33.3%), mucositis (14.3%), and hand‐foot syndrome (14.3%). Median progression‐free and overall survival were 10.4 months (95% CI: 6.3, 14.6) and 18.4 months (95% CI: 9.8, 28.2), respectively. Apatinib up to 850 mg coadministered with POF was well tolerated with manageable AEs. The safety and anticancer activity of this regimen warrants its further investigation as first‐line treatment for AGC in a larger study.
Supporting cognitive catch‐up: The effects of cluster‐randomized psychosocial stimulation interventions on preterm low birthweight children in rural China
Authors: Emmers Dorien , Yu Wenjing , Shen Yun , Feng Cindy , Misra Marat , Peng Andrew , Wang Jerry , Wu Florence , Ye Sean , Rozelle Scott 
Published: February 2024

AbstractImproved survival of preterm low birthweight (LBW) infants due to advances in neonatal care has brought issues such as postnatal development trajectories to the foreground. This study pools evidence from three cluster‐randomized experiments evaluating community‐based psychosocial stimulation programs conducted from 2014 to 2017 that included 3571 rural Chinese children aged 6–24 months (51.1% male, 96.2% Han Chinese). The risk of severe cognitive delay was found to be 26.5 percentage points higher for preterm LBW children than for their peers at age 2.5, with a prevalence rate of 48.3%. Results show that psychosocial stimulation interventions can improve child cognitive development at scale, with beneficial impacts on child cognition disproportionately larger for preterm LBW children, helping them to catch up developmentally.
On household food stock and waste under risk
Authors: Li Jian , Hu Wuyang , Qing Ping , Chavas Jean‐Paul 
Published: February 2024

ABSTRACTThis paper investigates household behavioral response to disruptions in the food supply chain, with a focus on the role for risk and its effects on household food stocks and food waste. We present an empirical analysis based on data from Chinese consumers over multiple periods in 2019 and during the COVID‐19 crisis of 2020. We investigate how household behavior changed during the COVID‐19 crisis, documenting both food stockpiling and increased food waste. The econometric analysis relies on a control function approach to handle endogeneity. We decompose the effects of increased risk on waste during the crisis into two components: the direct effect reflecting household decisions conditional on food stock; and the indirect effect associated with induced adjustments in food stock. Both effects on food waste are found to be positive, reflecting difficulties households have in managing large food stocks. We present evidence that one percentage point increase in household stocks during a period of supply disruption contributed to a 0.055–0.297 percentage point increase in food waste across food categories. We also present evidence that these effects may persist over time.
Chronic but not acute nicotine treatment ameliorates acute inflammation‐induced working memory impairment by increasing CRTC1 and HCN2 in adult male mice
Authors: Wang Xiaona , Wang Qian , Song Min , Wang Yihui , Shen Xianzhi , Sun Yanyun , Guo Chun , Geng Panpan , Ma Chaolin , Jin Xinchun 
Published: February 2024

AbstractBackgroundSystemic inflammation in which lipopolysaccharide (LPS) is released into circulation can cause cognitive dysfunction and we have previously shown that LPS impaired working memory (WM) which refers to the ability to guide incoming behavior by retrieving recently acquired information. However, the mechanism is not very clear, and currently, there is no approved strategy to improve inflammation‐induced WM deficit. Notably, epidemiological studies have demonstrated a lower occurrence rate of inflammatory‐related diseases in smoking patients, suggesting that inflammation‐induced WM impairment may be improved by nicotine treatment. Here, our object is to investigate the effect and potential mechanisms of acute and chronic nicotine treatment on LPS‐produced WM deficiency.MethodsDelayed alternation T‐maze task (DAT) was applied for evaluating WM which includes both the short‐term information storage and the ability to correct errors in adult male mice. Immunofluorescence staining and immunoblotting were used for assessing the levels and distribution of CREB‐regulated transcription coactivator 1 (CRTC1) and hyperpolarization‐activated cation channels 2 (HCN2) in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and hippocampus. Quantitative PCR and ELISA were employed for analyzing the mRNA and protein levels of TNF‐α and IL‐1β.ResultsOur results revealed that administration of LPS (i.p.) at a dose of 0.5 mg/kg significantly produced WM impairment in the DAT task accompanied by an increase in IL‐1β and TNF‐α expression in the mPFC. Moreover, intra‐mPFC infusion of IL‐1Ra, an IL‐1 antagonist, markedly alleviated LPS‐induced WM deficiency. More important, chronic (2 weeks) but not acute nicotine (0.2 mg/kg, subcutaneous) treatment significantly alleviated LPS‐induced WM deficiency by upregulating CRTC1 and HCN2. Of note, intra‐mPFC infusion of HCN blocker ZD7288 produced significant WM deficiency.ConclusionsIn summary, in this study, we show that chronic nicotine treatment ameliorates acute inflammation‐induced working memory deficiency by increasing CRTC1 and HCN2 in adult male mice.
Financial toxicity among patients undergoing resectional surgery for inflammatory bowel disease in the United States
Authors: Lee Yung , Anvari Sama , Padoan Adelia , McKechnie Tyler , Park Lily , Doumouras Aristithes G. , Eskicioglu Cagla , Hong Dennis 
Published: February 2024

AbstractAimFinancial toxicity describes the financial burden and distress that patients experience due to medical treatment. Financial toxicity has yet to be characterized among patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) undergoing surgical management of their disease. This study investigated the risk of financial toxicity associated with undergoing surgery for IBD.MethodsThis study used a retrospective analysis using the National Inpatient Sample from 2015 to 2019. Adult patients who underwent IBD‐related surgery were identified using the International Classification of Diseases (10th Revision) diagnostic and procedure codes and stratified into privately insured and uninsured groups. The primary outcome was risk of financial toxicity, defined as hospital admission charges that constituted 40% or more of patient's post‐subsistence income. Secondary outcomes included total hospital admission cost and predictors of financial toxicity.ResultsThe analytical cohort consisted of 6412 privately insured and 3694 uninsured patients. Overall median hospital charges were $21 628 (interquartile range $14 758–$35 386). Risk of financial toxicity was 86.5% among uninsured patients and 0% among insured patients. Predictors of financial toxicity included emergency admission, being in the lowest residential income quartile and having ulcerative colitis (compared to Crohn's disease). Additional predictors were being of Black race or male sex.ConclusionFinancial toxicity is a serious consequence of IBD‐related surgery among uninsured patients. Given the pervasive nature of this consequence, future steps to support uninsured patients receiving surgery, in particular emergency surgery, related to their IBD are needed to protect this group from financial risk.
Artificial intelligence and Internet of Things‐enabled decision support system for the prediction of bacterial stalk root disease in maize crop
Authors: Al‐Otaibi Shaha , Khan Rahim , Ali Jehad , Ahmed Aftab 
Published: February 2024

AbstractAlthough the Internet of Things (IoT) has been considered one of the most promising technologies to automate various daily life activities, that is, monitoring and prediction, it has become extremely useful for problem solving with the introduction and integration of artificial intelligence (AI)‐enabled smart learning methodologies. Therefore, due to their overwhelming characteristics, AI‐enabled IoTs have been used in different application environments, such as agriculture, where detection, prevention (if possible), and prediction of crop diseases, especially at the earliest possible stage, are desperately required. Bacterial stalk root is a common disease of tomatoes that severely affects its production and yield if necessary measures are not taken. In this article, AI and an IoT‐enabled decision support system (DSS) have been developed to predict the possible occurrence of bacterial stalk root diseases through a sophisticated technological infrastructure. For this purpose, Arduino agricultural boards, preferably with necessary embedded sensors, are deployed in the agricultural field of maize crops to capture valuable data at a certain time interval and send it to a centralized module where AI‐based DSS, which is trained on an equally similar data set, is implemented to thoroughly examine captured data values for the possible occurrence of the disease. Additionally, the proposed AI‐ and IoT‐enabled DSS has been tested on benchmark data sets, that is, freely available online, along with real‐time captured data sets. Both experimental and simulation results show that the proposed scheme has achieved the highest accuracy level in timely prediction of the underlined disease. Finally, maize crop plots with the proposed system have significantly increased the yield (production) ratio of crops.