bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Kleine Ursache, große Wirkung – den springenden DNA-Sequenzen auf der Spur
Authors: Walker Elias , Heieck Kevin , Brück Thomas 
Published: February 2024

AbstractAt present, the instability of recombinant bacterial production hosts remains a major issue in plasmid-facilitated large-scale industrial fermentations, such as amino acid production. Heterogeneous starter populations, together with the onset of production escape mechanisms in evolving populations, are significant contributors to this phenomenon. Here, we present a combined omics-approach that led to the elucidation of the underlying mechanisms that constrain microbial L-cysteine production in Escherichia coli. These findings give rise to novel strain engineering approaches.
Interventions to prevent postoperative atrial fibrillation in Dutch cardiothoracic centres: a survey study
Authors: Emiola Angelique , Kluin Jolanda , el Mathari Sulayman , de Groot Joris R. , van Boven Wim-Jan ,   the Cardiothoracic Surgery Data Registration Committee of the Netherlands Heart Registry
Published: February 2024

Abstract
Introduction
Postoperative atrial fibrillation (POAF) is a common phenomenon following cardiac surgery. In this study, we assessed current preventive strategies used by Dutch cardiothoracic centres, identified common views on this matter and related these to international guidelines.

Methods
We developed an online questionnaire and sent it to all cardiothoracic surgery centres in the Netherlands. The questionnaire concerned the management of POAF and the use of pharmaceutical therapies (beta-blockers and calcium antagonists) and non-pharmaceutical methods (posterior left pericardiotomy, pericardial flushing and epicardial botulinum toxin type A injections). Usage of electrical cardioversions, anticoagulants and left atrial appendage closure were also enquired.

Results
Of the 15 centres, 14 (93%) responded to the survey and 13 reported a POAF incidence, ranging from 20 to 30%. Of these 14 centres, 6 prescribed preoperative AF prophylaxis to their patients, of which non-sotalol beta-blockers were prescribed most commonly (57%). Postoperative medication was administered by all centres and included non-sotalol beta-blockers (38%), sotalol (24%), digoxin (14%), calcium antagonists (13%) and amiodarone (10%). Only 2 centres used posterior left pericardiotomy or pericardial flushing as surgical manoeuvres to prevent POAF. Moreover, respondents expressed the need for guidance on anticoagulant use.

Conclusion
Despite the use of various preventive strategies, the reported incidence of POAF was similar in Dutch cardiothoracic centres. This study highlights limited use of prophylactic amiodarone and colchicine, despite recommendations by numerous guidelines, and restricted implementation of surgical strategies to prevent POAF.
Mobile mapping system for historic built heritage and GIS integration: a challenging case study
Authors: Treccani Daniele , Adami Andrea , Brunelli Valerio , Fregonese Luigi 
Published: February 2024

AbstractTo manage the historic built heritage, it is of fundamental importance to fully understand the urban area under study, so that all its characteristics and critical issues related to historical conformation, stratification, and transformations can be better understood and described. Geometric surveying allows a deeper investigation of these characteristics through analytical investigation in support of urban planning theories as well. To date, geomatics provides various tools and techniques to meet the above-mentioned needs, and mobile mapping system (MMS) is a technology that can survey large areas in a short time, with good results in terms of density, accuracy, and coverage of the data. In this context, the article aims to verify whether this approach can also be useful in the complex and stratified reality of the historic urban context. The case analyzed—the historical center of Sabbioneta—presents some criticalities found in many urban centers of historical layout. Examples are narrow streets inserted in an urban context with multi-story buildings and consequent difficulty in receiving the GNSS signal and difficulty in following general MMS survey guidelines (trajectories with closed loops, wide radius curves). The analysis presented, relating to a survey carried out with Leica Pegasus:Two instrumentation, in addition to describing the strategies used to properly develop the survey, aims to analyze the resulting datum by discussing its possibilities for use in urban modeling, for cartographic or three-dimensional information modeling purposes. Particular attention is paid to assessing whether the quality of the data (accuracy, density) is suitable for the urban scale. Finally, an analysis of the data obtained from MMS was made with the geographic-topographic database (DBGT), in a GIS (Geographic Information System) environment, to check the possibilities of use and integration between the two models.
Factors affecting length of stay according to bronchopulmonary dysplasia severity: a nationwide cohort study in Korea
Authors: Lee Hye Mi , Shin Jeongmin , Kim Sae Yun , Kim So Young 
Published: February 2024

Abstract
Background
Longer hospitalizations for preterm infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) delay developmental outcomes, increase the risk for hospital-acquired complications, and exert a substantial socioeconomic burden. This study aimed to identify factors associated with an extended length of stay (LOS) at different levels of severity of BPD.

Methods
A cohort study was conducted using the Korean Neonatal Network registry of very low birth weight infants with BPD between 2013 and 2017 through retrospective analysis.

Results
A total of 4263 infants were diagnosed with BPD. For mild BPD, infants requiring surgical treatment for patent ductus arteriosus needed a longer LOS [eadjusted β coefficients (adj β) 1.041; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.01–0.08] and hydrocephalus (eadj β 1.094; 95% CI 0.01–0.17). In moderate BPD, infants administered steroids or with intraventricular hemorrhage required a longer LOS (eadj β 1.041; 95% CI 0.00–0.07 and eadj β 1.271; 95% CI 0.11–0.38, respectively). In severe BPD, infants with comorbidities required a longer LOS: pulmonary hypertension (eadj β 1.174; 95% CI 0.09–0.23), administrated steroid for BPD (eadj β 1.116; 95% CI 0.07–0.14), sepsis (eadj β 1.062; 95% CI 0.01–0.11), patent ductus arteriosus requiring surgical ligation (eadj β 1.041; 95% CI 0.00–0.08), and intraventricular hemorrhage (eadj β 1.016; 95% CI 0.05–0.26). Additionally, the higher the clinical risk index score, the longer the LOS needed for infants in all groups.

Conclusions
The factors affecting LOS differed according to the severity of BPD. Individualized approaches to reducing LOS may be devised using knowledge of the various risk factors affecting LOS by BPD severity.

Graphical Abstract
Phytochemical profile of secondary metabolites in the phloem of mature Pinus pinaster trees attacked by the pine wood nematode
Authors: Simões Rita , Fortes Quelvina , Patricio Helena , Branco Jordana , Mota Manuel , Pimentel Carla , Miranda Isabel , Pereira Helena 
Published: February 2024

AbstractThe present study highlights, for the first time, the chemical composition of secondary metabolites (lipophilic and hydrophilic compounds) present in the phloem tissues of infected mature Pinus pinaster Ait. trees (on average 74 years old), which may be potentially determinant in the development of the pine wood nematode (PWN) Bursaphelenchus xylophilus. The levels of secondary metabolites in the phloem of infected trees were fairly constant along the height of the trees (an average of 30% dry phloem), but slightly lower compared with total extractives content in the phloem of mature healthy P. pinaster trees (30.0 vs. 39.9%). The hydrophilic fraction represented 91% of the total soluble compounds (27.3% of phloem mass) and it was mainly composed of phenolic compounds and reducing sugars (44.8% and 58.8% of the ethanol-water extracts). The lipophilic fraction (2.7% of phloem mass), was dominated by tricyclic diterpenic compounds (54.2–63.2% of the total lipophilic extracts) and fatty acids. Differences in the relative concentrations of individual compounds were observed compared to healthy pines, suggesting a response to the biotic stress imposed by nematode damage by an increased content of diterpenic resin acids, specifically dehydroabietic and abietic acids, and of total unsaturated fatty acids with a predominance of 9-octadecenoic acid.
An Analysis of the Subjective Well-Being in the Italian Regions Through an ANN Algorithm
Authors: Magazzino Cosimo , Mele Marco , Gurrieri Antonia Rosa , Morelli Giovanna 
Published: February 2024

Abstract
This research aims to analyze the determinants of subjective well-being in the Italian regions. To this extent, a new ISTAT-BES database has been used, with data for the Italian regions between 2004 and 2021. An artificial neural network (ANN) experiment was conducted to explore the link among these variables. Empirical findings show that subjective well-being is positively associated with education, income, and social relations. Our results align with those provided by past studies on the determinants of subjective well-being. These results imply that governments should improve subjective well-being by increasing the level of investment in education, deepening economic growth, reducing income inequality, and promoting social relations.
Intellectual Property Responsibility: A Manifesto
Authors: Upreti Pratyush Nath 
Published: February 2024

AbstractThis opinion is an attempt to provoke a debate about exploring the responsibility narrative of international intellectual property (IP). It aims to offer a lens for interpreting IP norms within the system and outside IP when it interacts with other branches of law. After providing the context, this opinion first engages with the concept of responsibility, followed by examining responsibility in international IP. Then, it explores how access, sustainability, and empowering less developed countries are facets of responsibility that are embedded in the IP system. The opinion, therefore, is a call to develop a fair and responsible IP system.
Gaussian RBF kernels via Fock spaces: quaternionic and several complex variables settings
Authors: De Martino Antonino , Diki Kamal 
Published: February 2024

AbstractIn this paper, we study two extensions of the complex-valued Gaussian radial basis function (RBF) kernel and discuss their connections with Fock spaces in two different settings. First, we introduce the quaternionic Gaussian RBF kernel constructed using the theory of slice hyperholomorphic functions. Then, we consider the case of Gaussian RBF kernels in several complex variables.
Societal Implications of Personalized Pricing in Online Grocery Shopping
Authors: Jung Jinho , Widmar Nicole Olynk , Lusk Jayson L. 
Published: February 2024

AbstractAttention to big data analytics is ubiquitous and growing given the online shopping revolution and its potential to generate individual-specific actionable datasets which were previously unavailable or cumbersome to cultivate. However, the food industry has not drawn much attention to discussions of individualized pricing strategies using online grocery datasets. Considering growth of the online grocery market and consumers data abundance to grocers, this brief viewpoint article focuses on potentials of incorporating big data analytics into pricing strategies in online grocery markets. This discussion informs of various practices of big data analytics and ultimately calls to attention the potential for personalized pricing in online food markets. This article proposes the need for empirical analysis and developing research agendas investigating impacts of personalized pricing on market efficiencies, which is not as unambiguous in practices as it is theoretically. In addition, the status of online groceries, concepts of price differentiation, societal, economic, and regulatory implications of personalized pricing are discussed.
An out-of-sample perspective on the assessment of incremental predictive validity
Authors: Pratiwi Bunga Citra , Dusseldorp Elise , de Rooij Mark 
Published: February 2024

AbstractIn a psychometric analysis of a new psychological test, we often assess the predictive validity of a new target test over and above a baseline test, known as the incremental predictive validity. Usually, the incremental predictive validity is evaluated using within-sample statistics. Recently, it was argued to use out-of-sample assessment to prevent overfitting and non-replicable findings. In this paper, we elaborate on how to assess incremental predictive validity out-of-sample. In such an approach, we estimate prediction rules in one sample, and evaluate incremental predictive validity in another sample. Using a simulation study, we investigate whether an out-of-sample assessment results in different findings than a within-sample evaluation, taking into account the reliability of the baseline and a target test, and other factors (i.e., sample size). Results show that there is a difference between the in-sample and out-of-sample assessment, especially in small samples. However, the reliability of the two tests has no influence on this difference. In addition, we explore the effects of ridge estimation, ordinary least squares, and SIMEX, three different methods for estimating a prediction rule, on incremental predictive validity. The results show that using SIMEX leads to a bad assessment of incremental predictive validity. Ordinary least squares and ridge estimation result in almost the same incremental predictive validity estimates with a little advantage for ridge regression. In an empirical application, we show how to assess incremental predictive validity in practice and we compare that to the usual assessment.
Protein digestibility of soybean: how processing affects seed structure, protein and non-protein components
Authors: Kohli Vinny , Singha Siddhartha 
Published: February 2024

AbstractProtein digestibility is a key indicator of dietary protein quality because the amino acids present in a protein food may not be available to an organism for nutrition and health unless they are digested. In spite of being a good source of protein, Soybean seed has limited digestibility mainly in their whole form. In this paper, we highlight the factors that affect the digestibility of soybean proteins like the quantity, structure, and distribution of the kinetically stable proteins plus the anti-nutritional compounds in soybean seeds. Furthermore, factors such as seed coat thickness and composition, cellular integrity, and seed hydration can also impact the protein digestibility of soybeans. It was found that wet thermal treatments like cooking along with operations such as fermentation, grinding and germination have a more favourable effect on hydrolysis of soybean proteins than dry-heat treatments such as roasting. Also, all processing operations have the ability to reduce the anti-nutritive compounds to varying degrees, ensuring the safety and increased digestibility of the soybean. The current review exhibits the potential processing methods for facilitating mechanical disintegration and protein hydrolysis of soybean seeds. Hence, the insights gained from this review can be used to understand the mechanism by which various processing methods enhance the protein digestibility of soybean seeds. The findings of this review indicate the necessity to carefully adjust processing conditions to preserve nutritional quality, reduce anti-nutritional components to safe levels, and optimize both protein digestibility and palatability of whole soybean seeds.
Incorporating DRAGON12-light trainer board in an introductory microprocessors course
Authors: Alawneh Shadi 
Published: February 2024

AbstractThe HCS12 microcontroller and DRAGON12-Light Trainer boards are extensively utilized in microprocessor system design education. This paper details the rationale, approach, and outcomes from implementing the DRAGON12-Light Trainer board in teaching an upper-level undergraduate microprocessors course at Oakland University. The course’s primary goal is for students to acquire the skills necessary to design both hardware and software for microprocessor-based systems, with applications across various industries. The paper assesses the effectiveness of employing the Motorola HCS12 microcontroller for its real-world relevance and integrates the Freescale CodeWarrior IDE v5.1 environment for software development. This research uniquely contributes by measuring the improvement in students’ practical skills, specifically in hardware and software design using assembly and C programming, through hands-on lab assignments. It reports on the development of students’ abilities to engage in microprocessor-based system design and critically evaluates the applied aspects of pedagogy by incorporating the DRAGON12-Light Trainer in lab exercises, such as those involving ’Measuring Human Reaction Time’ and ’Servo motor interfacing.’ Quantitative results, derived from student surveys and assessments, indicate significant improvements in students’ programming competencies. The paper provides statistical results showcasing the increase in students’ self-rated confidence levels in assembly and C language programming before and after course completion. Additionally, qualitative insights are discussed, reflecting students’ experiences and the perceived applicability of the skills they acquired. These results underscore the pedagogical value of integrating practical training devices like the DRAGON12-Light Trainer board into microprocessors curricula.
Integration of topic-specific pedagogical content knowledge components in secondary school science teachers’ reflections on biology lessons
Authors: Mapulanga Thumah , Ameyaw Yaw , Nshogoza Gilbert , Bwalya Anthony 
Published: February 2024

AbstractTeachers’ reflections on their practice are a powerful tool for measuring and supporting their professional knowledge. Pedagogical content knowledge is one of the most influential domains of teacher professional knowledge. This multiple-case study investigated the topic-specific pedagogical content knowledge (TSPCK) components that Zambian secondary school science teachers integrate when reflecting on biology lessons. Three teachers from the same school were observed teaching a biology lesson and attended post-observation interviews. Data were mainly collected through lesson plans, lesson observation field notes and post-observation interviews. The data were analysed using in-depth analysis of explicit TSPCK, enumerative and constant comparative approaches. TSPCK maps were constructed to illustrate each teachers’ integration of TSPCK components. The results revealed four features about the integration of TSPCK components: (a) None of the teachers depended solely on a single TSPCK component as they integrated other components (b) The components curricular saliency, students’ prior knowledge and misconceptions, and conceptual teaching strategies were central in the TSPCK maps of all the teachers, while representations and analogies, and what make the topic easy/difficult to teach/learn were least integrated (c) All teachers had different pairs of reciprocal connections among TSPCK components, and (d) All teachers had different pairs of most integrated components. The implications of these findings for science and teacher education research were presented and discussed. It was concluded that teachers’ reflections revealed the integration between TSPCK components and showed them differently. The study recommends investigating teachers’ reflections over several lessons and tracking any changes in their TSPCK integration.
Applications of mass spectrometry imaging in botanical research
Authors: Chen Yi-Jun , Zeng Hai-Sheng , Jin Hong‑Lei , Wang Hong‑Bin 
Published: February 2024

AbstractMass spectrometry imaging (MSI) serves as a valuable tool enabling researchers to scrutinize various compounds, peptides, and proteins within a sample, providing detailed insights at both elemental and molecular levels. This innovative technology transforms information obtained from a mass spectrometer— encompassing ionic strength, mass-to-charge ratio, and ionized molecule coordinates—within a defined region into a pixel-based model. Consequently, it reconstructs the spatial distribution of ions, allowing for a comprehensive understanding of molecular landscapes. The significance of MSI lies in its ability to offer multiple advantages, including straightforward sample preparation and remarkable sensitivity, all achieved without the necessity for labeling. Particularly in the realm of plant biology, MSI finds frequent application in examining the distribution of target metabolites and other components within plant tissues. This review delves into the fundamental principles, distinguishing features, merits, and applications of three prominent MSI technologies. Furthermore, we aim to assist readers in navigating the utilization of MSI in their plant biology research by discussing primary challenges, proposing potential solutions, and elucidating future prospects associated with this cutting-edge technology.
Expressive mortality models through Gaussian process kernels
Authors: Risk Jimmy , Ludkovski Mike 
Published: February 2024

AbstractWe develop a flexible Gaussian process (GP) framework for learning the covariance structure of Age- and Year-specific mortality surfaces. Utilizing the additive and multiplicative structure of GP kernels, we design a genetic programming algorithm to search for the most expressive kernel for a given population. Our compositional search builds off the Age–Period–Cohort (APC) paradigm to construct a covariance prior best matching the spatio-temporal dynamics of a mortality dataset. We apply the resulting genetic algorithm (GA) on synthetic case studies to validate the ability of the GA to recover APC structure and on real-life national-level datasets from the Human Mortality Database. Our machine learning-based analysis provides novel insight into the presence/absence of Cohort effects in different populations and into the relative smoothness of mortality surfaces along the Age and Year dimensions. Our modeling work is done with the PyTorch libraries in Python and provides an in-depth investigation of employing GA to aid in compositional kernel search for GP surrogates.
Development of a mentor training curriculum to support LGBTQIA+ health professionals
Authors: Charlton Brittany M. , Potter Jennifer , Keuroghlian Alex S. , Dalrymple John L. , Katz-Wise Sabra L. , Guss Carly E. , Phillips William R. , Jarvie Emeline , Maingi Shail , Streed Carl , Anglemyer Ethan , Hoatson Tabor , Birren Bruce 
Published: February 2024

Abstract
While mentors can learn general strategies for effective mentoring, existing mentorship curricula do not comprehensively address how to support marginalized mentees, including LGBTQIA+ mentees. After identifying best mentoring practices and existing evidence-based curricula, we adapted these to create the Harvard Sexual and Gender Minority Health Mentoring Program. The primary goal was to address the needs of underrepresented health professionals in two overlapping groups: (1) LGBTQIA+ mentees and (2) any mentees focused on LGBTQIA+ health. An inaugural cohort (N = 12) of early-, mid-, and late-career faculty piloted this curriculum in spring 2022 during six 90-minute sessions. We evaluated the program using confidential surveys after each session and at the program’s conclusion as well as with focus groups. Faculty were highly satisfied with the program and reported skill gains and behavioral changes. Our findings suggest this novel curriculum can effectively prepare mentors to support mentees with identities different from their own; the whole curriculum, or parts, could be integrated into other trainings to enhance inclusive mentoring. Our adaptations are also a model for how mentorship curricula can be tailored to a particular focus (i.e., LGBTQIA+ health). Ideally, such mentor trainings can help create more inclusive environments throughout academic medicine.